grinders

rudest and meanest service i have ever received. the website said that they were open until 12:00. when we arrived at 10:40, they were obviously cleaning up. i wish that they had simply said they were closed. instead, we were served with a surly attitude by several different employees. my repeated attempts to be friendly were met with cold indifference and my attempts at a polite "thank you" ignored. the message was clear- we were not welcome. wish they had just told us that when we walked in- we would have happily gone elsewhere.

excellent restaurant with great service. the pizza is amazing and the atmosphere is eclectic. the prices are reasonable as well and the art work is pretty cool.

just bread. i've been to grinders several times, as it is a favorite of my friends, but i hate it. it might be good if you're just looking for pizza & beer, but i don't like either of those things. i ordered a veggie philly there, which i paid a little over $8 for, and left feeling i had been robbed. it was a very thin loaf of bread with a very thin line of veggies down the center of it and barely any cheese, neither of which i could taste over all the bread. i'd say it was 98% bread and 2% all other ingredients. if want any alcohol that isn't beer or a shot, good luck. there's not much choice. it's loud & dirty. their only saving grace is the outside patio when they've got a fire going (in a barrel).

featured on food network's "diners, drive-ins and dives," grinders in crossroads district is known for it's large outdoor patio space, great sandwiches and eclectic atmosphere. the aforementioned items drew me in for quick lunch on a friday afternoon last week.  unfortunately, i was in for a looooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnggg ride. after finding a table outside, i was hard pressed to find something i didn't want to eat on the menu. it all looked amazing. hot wings, chili cheese tater tot pizza, philly cheese steak sandwiches - a girl could fall in love! however, the love started to die as i waited and waited and waited for my order to be taken, a drink, a scrap of food to be thrown my way... anything .  after an hour, my lunch was finally brought out.  i couldn't go to a place called grinders and not order a grinder. needless to say, it was delicious.  melty mozzarella cheese, red sauce and big ol' italian meatballs make up this sandwich. i dare you to take this thing head on - no side b

um, no brainier. just go! order an amazing pizza - anyone!! staff is awesome. food is sooo good!

abstain for now. i am sitting at the breakfast table trying to decide whether to vote "like it" or "don't like it" after our first visit to grinders last night. i'm so conflicted about the experience that i've decided not to vote....i'll just list my pros and cons. 1. it is bar food but its pretty good bar food. my rueben and my wife's meatball grinder were both great. our dinner partners said they have never had a bad meal there. 2. the paper plates provided to share our fried mushroom appetizer folded under the weight of a light portion of the mushrooms. i think an upgrade in paper goods would improve everyones dining experience. 3. the service was prompt and friendly, although a little uneven. 4. i didn't find the decor "funky" as other reviews indicate. it was more like a collection of garage sale leftovers that are typically hauled off to goodwill. 5. finally my folding chair needs to be replaced with one that doesn't feel like it is ready to collapse.

i'm going to give grinders another try before i cast a vote. maybe if we sit in a booth, double up on the paper plates and study the decor with a more serious eye i'll be able to cast a "likes it" vote. i'd really like to.

i normally get wings at bdubs, i order the traditional wings with blazing (the oil only so they are really hot). then in my area they will grill them to get the heat into the meat. i order a side of mango habanero to dip them in for flavor. this combo is still not hot enough though but it tides me over.

while visiting family here in the kc area i was told of a place that would placate my need for heat and flavor... grinders.

i asked for a taste of the 'death sauce' which was served on a small to go lid (about a teaspoon) with a tooth pick to test and was warned. ignoring the warning i licked the entire amount from the lid and was impressed. the staff freaked a little bit in fear of my safety, but i reassured them that i know what i am doing. yes heat and flavor can occur in one sauce i was not overwhelmed by the heat... but damn, it was hot!

being new to the sauce i used prudence and ordered my six wings naked with a side of two tubs of the hot sauce. this was so i could control the amount of sauce applied. i was generous in my use and the wings were great. awesome experience, the wings actually brought tears to my eyes. my goal for several years was to find a restaurant so that i no longer needed to rely on home made sauce.

as paul harvey would have said... and now the rest of the story.

the next morning i awoke to urinate... to my surprise somehow napalm had made it into my urinary tract! being a true hot head i found this to be an amazing side effect that i had not experienced in years.... pain is good.

as arnold has said... 'i'll be back'

legal warning here... wash your hands thoroughly before touching any other body part. but if you are trying the hot sauce you should already know this.

authentic philly cheese steak. don't forget the wiz..... best in kc!

i don't get the hype. grinders as the #1 cheap eat location in kc? i don't get it. i really don't get it. the food is okay - it's bar food. there are some things on the menu worth getting (cali blt), but other than that it's overpriced for what you get, and the service always is slow.
i don't know what it is about the location, but it doesn't matter which side you are on, or if you are outside, the service will be slow. i have yet to have a chance to get in and out in less than 90 minutes - and that is just for water & a sandwich (something that i can easily be in & out in other locations for 45 minutes).
one of the most annoying things is the lack of service. i ordered a chicken sandwich, and the chicken on the sandwich was non-existent. i would have said something to the waitress about it, but i couldn't find a single one for over 20 minutes. i finally gave up and ate the bread with cheese. don't let the runner leave without checking your food - otherwise you could end up with a sandwich without chicken, or a blt with one slice of bacon.

worth the drive!!! even on a busy weekend!. my friend and i eat at a lot of local kansas city restaurants trying to keep the food and support the small business owners around us. i've heard a lot of hype and after some people saying it was so-so, i wanted to decide for myself. so we went there on a saturday afternoon around 3 and expecting less than par service, my day was made when we were greeted and had drinks in our hands in a matter of minutes. our servers whitney and liz were helped out by any free hands available and when we were ready to order- answered any questions we had. i had the philly cheese steak and i have to say its one of the best i've ever had. the meat was seasoned well, all the veggies were grilled perfectly and with the cheese whiz, "wit" melting in my mouth, i couldn't ask for more. i'll be back to grinders and i recommend going for yourself.

cool atmosphere, great beer selection, rich selection of dishes. grinders has been a happening restaurant in the cross-roads district of kansas city for some time now, and it has not only proven itself to be a great addition to a thriving restaurant scene, but it has grown up and found its identity also.

first: the beer and wine. cool to put the alcohol content beside each selection so you know just what you're getting if you are going to need to drive--or be taxied. maybe this is becoming more of a trend, but i have only seen it twice in the kc metro area--at grinder's and at barley's brew house, a suburban restaurant with over 100 beers on tap. i also appreciate that for 26.00 you can buy a bottle of a decent wine to go with dinner. the wines might not be anything spectacular, but they are drinkable, and the selection is broad enough to suit your tastes and your meal.

second: the sandwiches or grinders, creative as well as traditional, original as well as predictable. you can stay in your comfort zone and order a tuna melt, or you can get more creative, at least in regards to kansas city, and order a classic philly cheesesteak, wit. wit wiz, wit provolone. someone knows the lingo and the traditions!

my family tried a variety of different foods. i played it lean and safe with the hummos, pita bread, a stack of sliced carrot sticks, and olives. all very good, although the california black olive slices taseted odd with the hummos. why not kalamata? my son's junk-yard hotdog was probably my favorite, even though i had only one little bite. it was loaded with wiz and mild chili, was perfectly grilled and served in a substantial bun. my daughter's parmesan chicken grinder was exactly what one would expect to find on the menu.

the waitress was efficient and friendly, and--a real plus if you're traveling--the restrooms were clean and beautifully decorated!

great burgers and pizza.. the el diablo burger was my favorite... absolutely wonderful! also ordered a pizza 1/2 bengal tiger and 1/2 philly cheesesteak.. was like no pizza i have tried before.. worth the stop.


-----23 mar, 2012-----

great burgers and pizza.. the el diablo burger was my favorite... absolutely wonderful! also ordered a pizza 1/2 bengal tiger and 1/2 philly cheesesteak.. was like no pizza i have tried before.. worth the stop.

go here. two friends and i went for a girl's night, we shared a pizza and it was delicious. i'm originally from ny and am very picky about pizza, grinders did not disappoint. the beer selection was excellent and varied, but has some staples for those not willing to branch out of their comfort zone. awesome atmosphere with great music playing too.

great beer selection and fun environment.

great philly cheesesteaks. good beer selection.