The Top Places For Food & Drink In Kansas City | BEST OF KC 2024

by Kansas City Magazine Team

By Dawnya Bartsch, Daniela Barzallo, Molly Higgins and Arial Whaley

Want to know the best spot in town to grab a hot dog, according to your neighbors? Or perhaps where to dine when someone else is paying? Maybe you just want to find the perfect glazed doughnut to go with your morning coffee. Well, we’ve got you covered.

Editors’ Choice: Best Hot Dog

Jim’s Alley Bar

Housed in Art Alley in the East Crossroads, Jim’s Alley Bar is home to a heartwarming family story, various activities and some really good hot dogs.

The name Jim runs in the family; even owner Eric Flanagan’s middle name is James. Today, the restaurant is full of pictures of all the Jims in the family, but the name is only one part of the great legacy that lives on here.

Named for Flanagan’s grandfather, World War II veteran James Pagliocco, Jim’s Alley Bar’s mission is to honor Pagliocco’s dedication to his work and loved ones. The bar proudly distributes one percent of quarterly sales to first responder and veteran charities.

On Bingo Mondays, held every week from 6 to 8 pm, the bar sells Bingo Dogs, which include a toasted bun, grilled onions, mustard, ketchup and a side. (Pro tip: they also have the dogs on special for Chiefs games during football season.) The everyday menu includes various comfort foods, like sliders (complete with American cheese), Italian beef sandwiches, pasta salads, salty hot pretzels and more. Jim’s also hosts other activities such as a shuffleboard league in the summer, which is open to teams of two every Thursday for seven weeks.

Editors’ Choice: Best Place to Eat a Hamburger at 3 am

Hayes Hamburger and Chili

Looking for an after-midnight snack? Open 24 hours since 1955, Hayes Hamburger and Chili in the Northland has got you covered. It’s a small place, with a counter and tiny booths lining its walls, but it’s the place to head to when you’re looking for comfort food anytime, day or night. Although hamburger and chili are part of its moniker, you’ll find much more at Hayes, including breakfast.

But it’s worth mentioning that there’s an important reason the word chili is in the diner’s name. Their chili recipe was developed by current owner Jim Hayes’ grandfather in 1904, when he opened the first Hayes Hamburger and Chili diner in Liberty. That diner is long gone, but the current Hayes Hamburger and Chili diner still uses the same recipe, proving that not much has changed since 1904.