Our Food Critic’s First Impressions of 1587 Prime: It Dazzles

Unlike some, I wasn’t as starstruck by the idea of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce opening a steakhouse in our city. I guess you could say I’m skeptical of fame-funded ventures. Plus, I like to champion the local guy who has fewer resources and more on the line when he opens a restaurant. After all, what do Mahomes and Kelce know about owning or operating a restaurant?

Well, probably nothing. That’s why they’ve partnered with Noble 33, an award-winning hospitality group behind a string of other successful and sexy restaurants across the country. Mahomes and Kelce might not know much about the restaurant world (and, I suppose that peeves me a bit as someone who has had to work the dishpit countless times), but upon my visit last week, it’s clear that Noble 33 does the heavy lifting, and does it well. Located in The Loews Hotel near the convention center (1500 Baltimore Ave., KCM0), my food was well cooked, and timed, and service was solid. With some Kansas City soul and nods to our Chiefs superstar duo (not overdone), the corporate steakhouse is, at first glance – impressive.

Nobble 33’s Tosh Berman, one of the restaurant group’s founders and lead interior designer, has created an undeniably stunning space, with gold and wood accents, and perfectly dim lighting. Two dining levels are connected by a marble staircase, with each floor featuring its own kitchen, though only the upstairs offers an open one. The first floor includes a beautiful 20-seat marble-topped bar and stage for live music. On my visit, the small but mighty chanteuse Tayla Rae Groves swayed through each dining level, singing classics like Aretha Franklin’s Respect and Jean Knight’s Mr. Big Stuff. Incredibly, a live band is present every evening at the restaurant. 

Channeling old-school steakhouse glamour, the servers are dressed in pressed black slacks and white tailored blazers that are lined and embroidered with the restaurant’s name in a forest green that matches the banquettes. It’s feels like throwback to the popular fine dining traditions of the 70s, back when Kansas City’s Gilbert Robinson restaurant group entertained diners with white tablecloths and bread service. It’s a bit retro, a bit dashing.

All that old school glam is balanced with a straightforward menu, with beef at its core, and a few fun tricks up its sleeve. 

Cocktail Cart

My server sold me on the roving martini cart, which was a bit painful to watch them maneuver around the tight dining room. Hopefully moving it through the dining room becomes second nature.

The Big Yeti, a drink of the Old Fashioned variety with Bourbon, Rye and decanted with smoke, was solid, with a hint of black walnut bitters. KC Bier Co’s Hefeweizen and a couple Boulevard brews appear alongside the Kelce brother’s Garage Beer. The Alchemy, which is meant to dazzle by setting fire to steel wool at the glass’ base, is a nod to Taylor Swift, as verified by Patrick Mahomes in a recent interview. When I inquired about the logistics of burning steel wool with our server, he responded, “Ehhh, it’s a work in progress.” It was perfectly fine and heads turned each time one is set ablaze.

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As for the food, the menu relies heavily on Wagyu and truffles. I began with the Wagyu carpaccio, and, if you managed to get a highly coveted reservation, you should too. It was a great start, dotted with pickled mushrooms, pine nuts, an umami aioli and real freshly-shaved black truffle. Other appetizers include Beausoleil oysters, hamachi, shrimp cocktails and various forms of tartare. 

My Japanese A5 Wagyu New York Strip from Kagoshima melted like butter despite being just slightly oversalted. There’s also a petite filet from Windsor, Missouri; a 32-ounce Prime Porterhouse from Manhattan, Kansas’ Foote Ranche; and a monstrous Wagyu Tomahawk from Idaho. Eventually, it would be exciting to see something from Booth Creek Wagyu in the Flint Hills. 

For those looking for less beef-centered entrees, there’s black truffle grilled cheese, lobster rolls, truffle fettucini, roasted branzino, Wild King salmon and more. My Diver scallops were cooked well and were overall delicious – but there were only three on the plate so you might want to plan to order something else.

As for the infamous $15 ketchup flight, a recent press release says it’s made from scratch but my husband, a chef for more than 15 years, and I agreed that it tasted like it was from a bottle of Heinz. One was topped with truffle, the other with bits of Togarashi, a Japanese spice and the last served plain. Don’t pull a Patrick – opt for some truffle fries to dip in it, for heaven’s sake! 

For dessert, carrot and chocolate cake, cast iron chocolate chip cookies, cheese cakes and all the homey good things are hard to complain about. 

To be clear, this isn’t an official restaurant review. I visited on a VIP preview night, where the guest list included high-profile names like Trent Green, former Chiefs offensive tackle Mitch Schwartz and other folks in a whole different tax bracket than this humble food critic. Jake from State Farm dined at the table next to us, and the boost to my husband’s ego after he cracked a joke that made Jake laugh might just carry him into next year. I know, I know. For all my skepticism, even I’m not immune to a good time when it’s served on custom plates.

My food was comped (though I didn’t realize this until the end of the meal), but I caught a glimpse of the bill at the table next to us – four diners, one of whom was vegan and ordered just a salad – and it totaled nearly $800. 

I suppose money talks, especially when it’s spent wisely. It seems right off the bat, 1587 Prime has invested in its staff, proper training and a chef capable of running a nearly 250-seat dining room with precision. But certainly the real test will come with time, when the novelty fades, staff morale is tested and many locals have already had their one and only visit. 

While I may question celebrities dabbling in the restaurant world, Chef Ryan Arnold’s ability to hold the line with such high stakes (or, steaks) and the front-of-the-house crew’s ability to maintain enthusiastic and efficient service when in the weeds, can only be respected. I suppose two things can be true at once: our independent restaurants deserve more love, and yet, this flashy, fame-backed newcomer might just be here to stay.

GO: Loews Hotel (1500 Baltimore Ave., KCMO). Starting October 7th, 1587 Prime will begin service at 4:30 pm and will be open on Tuesdays – reservations are now available.

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