The Pressed Penny Tavern — Restaurant in Kansas City

I live in the area and had visited this establishment before and I always had good food and good service. I had recommended the Pressed Penny to numerous friends and co-workers; never again after how my party was treated this past weekend. I am still in shock that we were treated in such a manner. We had a group of 7 and it’s a seat yourself type location. We ended up at two different tables with a table between us; not a big deal. The couple sitting at the table between us noticed that we were part of the same group and graciously offered to move a table down so we could all sit next to the each other. We never once asked them to move or even dropped hints that they should move. The “bartender” comes over and tells us that what we “did” was not appreciated and very rude. We had no idea what he was talking about and we all just sat there stunned. Once we realized that he thought we had asked that table to move we attempted to explain to him that he was mistaken, but he walked away. The server then came over and we expressed our concerns and dissatisfaction over how we were treated and we discover that the rude bartender was the manager. Are you kidding me? That is how you treat your paying customers? The server defended his actions and tried to make it seem like it was ok because it was the manger’s perception of what happened that mattered and not what actually happened. The server went as far as to ask the couple who moved what happened and we all clearly heard the couple defend us and explain that we never asked them to move or pressured them to move. So what happened next? The server still defended his and his manager’s actions and no apology or acknowledgement was made. Really? You verbally attack and accuse your customers of doing something they did not do and you can’t even be a little humble about it? We paid our drink tab (we were not about to stay for dinner as originally planned) and the manager called out in a very condescending tone on our way out to have a good night. Not only have you lost out on our future business, but I will never recommend this...

There's something to be said about doing a few things really well, rather than doing many things poorly. The Pressed Penny Tavern has obviously opted for the former.

My husband and I had the pleasure of lunch there on Tuesday ("Triage Tuesdays" means 15% off for all folks in the medical or emergency services professions!). It was our first time there, and we were delighted with our meal.

The ambience is definitely old-school. As the tavern's name is based on an anecdote from Ernest Hemingway's life, the decor includes a manual typewriter, paintings of Key West, and a quote from Hemingway on the wall. The tables are rich wood and do lend themselves to a pub or tavern feel. But the front wall of windows keeps the room from being dark or overpowering; it's actually quite light and welcoming.

The menu is limited, but what they offer they absolutely excel at preparing. My husband had the burger (topped with gouda cheese, shoyu mushrooms, roasted garlic mayo in addition to the requisite lettuce, tomato and pickles), and said it was the BEST burger he'd had in a long, long time. I had the Cubano sandwich and a side salad (which included arugula, pumpkin seeds, golden raisins, smoked corn, and Israeli couscous), and both were extremely tasty and perfectly made.

Our waiter (who is also the proprietor) was attentive without being smothering, and kept our drink glasses full throughout the meal.

The prices are about right for their location on the western end of Westport Road, close to the KU Med Center campus, Westport, and the Plaza.

They do serve brunch daily until 3 pm; we didn't try it this time, but look forward to sampling the various offerings (including omelets, haystack, hash, and steak & eggs) on...

I had the most amazing experience with The Pressed Penny Tavern when they catered my wedding in May 2022. The presentation of the food, the price, the taste of the food, the service, and the professionalism of the staff exceeded all of my expectations. I had a wedding of around 200 people and they handled all of it amazingly. The cook, Joey and the owner Gordan were super accessible and met all of my needs! They even did a full tasting for me months before my wedding so I could be fully prepared! They communicated with me all the way until the day before and did a great job communicating with my wedding coordinator the day of! I had them create a charcuterie board for appetizers and all of my guests loved the food and it looked so beautiful! I still have guests commenting on how great the entrees and sides were (I had steak, fried chicken, a salad bar, mixed vegetables, and mashed potatoes and gravy). The service provided by them and Ryan Kulke during the dinner was outstanding- they did an amazing job and even packed the food up for me so I wouldn't be stressed the day after! They even helped me with suggestions for plates and silverware. All in all, I could not recommend The Pressed Penny enough for catering! They were so professional and on time- the food was perfectly cooked and warmed as well. They were also the best-priced restaurant for catering- I am so happy their service! They made this bride, along with 200 guests so happy!! If you are looking for catering for an event, look no further! You truly...