The Russell Restaurant & Catering Company — Restaurant in Kansas City

TLDR; wonderful, amazing...u should eat here.

There was a steady stream of customers and the parking was sufficient. The clientele was profoundly diverse. From college students (we got the recommendation from recent KCAI grads) to families with young children to mother's and daughter's to friends catching up. I did not expect to find this cosmopolitan fusion of European sophistication cowboy courtesy in Kansas City Missouri. Our hopes as we stood in the rapidly moving line had me recalling the greek story Icarus...was I Daedalus? Should I warn my Son Simon not to expect to much, from the greatest heights, come the greatest fall ? Smells can be deceiving? My thoughts were interrupted by the pleasantly intense Pauline. We were guided through the ordering process and directed towards meals that would suit our individual hunger levels. Our table card was an old beat up license plate. I smiled inwardly hoping that the person responsible for delivering the atmosphere was as meticulous when it came to the food. My Steak and potatoes came out looking like food made for eating. There was no attempt to impress with excessive flourishes, the garnish of rosemary sprigs lay gently across the top of my meal like the beggings of a laurel wreath. The Steak and potatoes were delicious. The Brussel sprouts, neatly halved, had that umami taste sprouts get when they have been properly prepared by someone who knows their trade. Simon had a chicken sandwich that he viewed with confusion as it arrived unassembled, chicken resting daintily next to the bun. I reminded him with a laugh that he asked for everything on the side. Sadly I was too busy enjoying myself and our meal to take pictures. Pauline took me at my word and I had overestimated my hunger. Nearly half of my Kona Rubbed Ribeye went into the bottomless pit that is the stomach of my 17 yr old son. Simon doesn't generally share his food unless it is genuinely tasty. He knows that I am a food snob. The small piece of chicken brioch that Simon willingly gave me was also well prepared and I could imagine myself growing quite large trying to sample the whole menu. Apicius, the 1st Century Roman gourmand said, "we eat first with our eyes." Our visit to The Russell was a feast for all of my senses, without being overwhelming. While there was no Giant Ferris wheel or go-kart track out back...everything felt gently currated with intention. My only suggestion? The plants were stressed by the unreasonable heat. My only complaint? The long leather bench was not as comfy as it looked. 10/10 Epilog As Simon and I sat playing my favorite game from french café, people watching, we saw a bespoke felt cowboy hat enter the Russell. Upon closer, hopefully inconspicuous, observation I noticed symbols gently pressed/stamped into the underside of the hat. The young woman moved with purpose and had soon gathered black candles from a cupboard and a bottle of unopened quality booze seemed to have appeared from somewhere....I had to ask...soon we had plans for the evening...Being an Urban Farmer I thought it apropos that we were headed to...

The Russell... wow! We just happened to be downtown and looking for a new place to try for dinner. We looked on Google and stumbled across The Russell. It sounded promising and mentioned home cooking, so we were in. We parked in the lot around back. There is an outdoor seating area in front, but it was a chilly October day, so we opted to eat indoors. The atmosphere is meticulously put together in such a beautiful way. There are countless antiques and random collections that provide a lot of conversation topics. The old display cases used as the foundation for the delicious dessert selections, as well as placing your order, provide a great view into the master chefs area. The chefs are working tirelessly over an open fire, and every soul working in this beautiful restaurant works together like a great symphony. The restrooms were well thought out and were a visual treat with their décor, copper sinks, sliding barn doors, and rustic plumbing. The service was very accommodating and thoughtful. The vintage license plates to set on your table as your order number and jelly/Mason jar glasses were extra sweet touches. The food was fresh and delicious. When I think of home cooking, I think of comfort food, like grandma used to make. That is not what you will get here. Everything we had was delicious, just more modern than we expected. I will say the stunning dessert selections were like grandmother used to make. It was difficult to choose, so we did a sampler to take home. The pretzel brownie is the stuff dreams are made of. The salted caramel cookie.... just WOW. Crispy, gooey, deliciousness. The pumpkin log roll was good. I had high expectations for the Whoopie Pie and was disappointed there was fruit (maybe raisins or cranberries) in there, so that was a no-go for us. Great experience. Good food. Highly...

They are THE BEST caterers we could've hired! I hosted a 40 person rehearsal dinner at their restaurant, and my brother had them cater his wedding reception the next evening. We were both so impressed by the responsiveness, creativity, quality of the food, price point, and the service provided over many months of working with them.

Natasha, the catering coordinator, helped me create a Chinese-themed dinner menu largely from scratch when I couldn't find a caterer who could do that. Everyone at the dinner and reception were delighted with the delicious food. Highlights included a perfectly executed fried rice, a creamy mushroom risotto, and the steak and chimichurri sliders.

The team even decorated the restaurant for us using our decor and family memorabilia. I was a bit skeptical about this because I had a particular vision, but they executed perfectly, probably better than I could've done myself. And they do beautiful displays that look like cascades of food on a harvest table.

Anyone planning a big event should seriously consider the Russell as caterer. The owner and event staff are kind and can-do people. They will work with you every step of the way, and come through for you in all the ways...