Stroud's Oak Ridge Manor — Restaurant in Kansas City

I went to the other location for Thanksgiving and was very disappointed, but I wanted to try this one on an ordinary day. It was much better but still left us somewhat disappointed, especially since we can't help compare it to a similar restaurant in another state that we really loved. I'll just list my observations. My main one is that I think many of the five-star reviews are fakes. I can't believe that many people are so undiscerning!

PROS: Lovely, almost idyllic grounds, perfect for a summer outing

Very cool, historical building--worth coming just for that, if you like history

Great traditional American menu--some of the dishes no longer easy to find, like chicken-fried steak

cinnamon rolls part of every dinner! These are not what we usually expect, but they were my favorite part. They are actually dinner rolls soaked in butter and cinnamon sugar and then baked. Yum!

family style meals--I always enjoy this kind of format.

interesting dining rooms--ours was in an original room; another was newer with huge windows overlooking a pond

CONS: Salad--left much to be desired; a spare handful of pale iceberg and carrot shavings w/ a beet and cucumber slice literally smothered in dressing and tons of shredded cheese. Dairy-free people cannot scrape it off, there is so much, so ask for more lettuce and no cheese.

coffee--fresh but weak and low quality; good coffee isn't hard to come by anymore, so this needs an overhaul.

fried chicken--beautifully fried but very bland; no seasoning at all. I added gravy, but it was bland, too.

mashed potatoes--never again; these did not taste like fresh, real, mashed potatoes. Both my husband and I suspected some (or all) of it being powdered or dried potatoes. Get baked, so you can dress it how you like it.

No dessert menu! At least one wasn't offered. No pies, puddings, or cakes at a traditional American restaurant?? There should be a case with a variety of options.

As for the service, the server made several errors, such as never asking us if everything was okay, but I'm wondering if the person had a hearing loss, so I'm inclined to ignore the flubs this time.

In general, I wouldn't mind giving this place another try sometime, but I think it is not living up to its potential by any means. It could and should be a...

This restaurant hasn't hardly changed the food since they were a little restaurant under the bridge at Troost & 85th.

I'm not terribly fond of their pan-fried chicken, but it is apparently popular with a lot of folks, 'cause that is what nearly everyone was ordering. I personally think their gravy tastes like it is made from over-used chicken grease, but that might just be me, as I am picky about how I make mine. It's certainly popular.

When they bring out the food, it is kind of like getting a buffet delivered to your table. Everyone gets to serve themselves from the gravy bowl, the mashed potatoes, the tray of chicken, etc. If dining with your family like I was, I was very comfortable with that arrangement, and felt like I was sitting down to a holiday feast. If you are going there for a formal dining experience, you might not be happy with the way it works out. To their credit, everyone on the adjacent tables seemed very pleased with their dinner, and were happy to chat with me if I asked them a question.

One thing is sure: you won't leave here hungry. Portions are huge, and I think they give free refills on the spuds & green beans. Quite frankly, we couldn't get through all the first round, so I never found out.

Some specific food descriptions: the chicken isn't heavily caked with breading, and unlike most of the fast-food chicken, did not taste like it was very salty at all. Their cinnamon rolls are apparently made with biscuit dough and an outer coating of cinnamon & sugar. These are not swirled cinnamon rolls made with yeasty dough, as you might expect.

I wasn't at all impressed with the gizzards and livers. I only ordered 1/2 order, and it came out covering a serving platter. They were damned hot, too!Unfortunately, they too seemed pan-fried with less batter affixed, and I was expecting something more like what another fast food restaurant in town serves, who is almost famous for their chicken & gizzards.

Overall, they are nice place to visit if you like quaint structures built around a genuine log cabin. Service is good and the food is plentiful. Parking is available and close. With a well graveled parking lot, you are not going to slip and fall too easily in adverse weather, but the girls might wish to leave the...

-Food was tasty but bland. The chicken is cooked well and not overcooked or dry. but it's lacking any salt or seasoning. The sides were great, my favorite was the real gravy. They come in huge boats to share with others. I'm not keen on giving all my sides to others at the table who just take them though. I was hoping for some leftover sides to take home but others ate my sides. The best menu item I had was the chicken Noodle soup. It's better than my own, and I make amazing chicken Noodle. The Cinnamon rolls were better than most I've had, so if you like Cinnamon rolls, you would love these. -The atmosphere here is great! Beautiful with lots of outdoors areas to explore, and cornhole on the front lawn. Big trees and picnic tables out back. Really lovely! -Parking wasn't the best though as the front lot fills up quick and only 1 handicap spot?? The rest of the front lot is on on a hill not suitable for anyone with mobility issues. The side lot is off to the side and down the hill and has a long stairway going up to the building, also not suitable for the handicapped. They should add more handicapped parking in front. -The service was ok. Our server had a very large group to handle so I understand It must have been hard. She seemed really forgetful though, and we were left constantly wondering when things would be brought out etc. -The price. Chicken plates were $20+ and kids plates start at $10+. For the amount and the quality I felt it was a rip off. Popeyes would have been better for half the price. If you want to charge that much for only 3 pieces of chicken you need to be the best in town. -The problems. We were sat right by the kitchen where servers come in and out. Normally that wouldn't be an issue for me except it made the walk way a bit narrow. While sitting there I was repeatedly bumped into by server's and staff and a customer also. Only 1 time did the server acknowledge that they bumped me. That probably bothered me more than anything about the visit. Maybe if it's going to be so crowded don't put such large tables right by the kitchen. -Will I be back? Possibly if someone invites me to go there, but if I were to pick the chicken place I'd probably pick...