Bernard Silver
Just do it! You are reading these reviews because you are thinking about having your event at Californos, and you just need to do it. You won’t be disappointed. Service, Food, Beverages, and overall venue energy are probably all the categories you are looking at. Californos excels at all of them! I’ll tell you right now that if your only hang-up is that it isn’t one big room/space like the other venues out there, you’ll end up being happy that you had the set-up Californos offers. Midway through our reception I made my way to the other main room that is on the same level as the ballroom, and I was blown away at how popular it was. The dance floor was busy with folks who wanted to dance and party with the DJ, and the Westport Room was full of people who wanted to visit with each other away from the loud music. It worked PERFECTLY! The venue flows together so perfectly, you’ll love it. The service, food and beverage was amazing. It is a full meal, take Mig’s word for it. I don’t think you could pick a bad item off their extensive menu you get to choose from. The bartenders were awesome, and it can’t be understated how great it was to have two bars. The all-in-one pricing is another underrated benefit of picking Californos. You can budget accordingly, and we actually had money left over that we were able to upgrade the bar option which I highly recommend. You are going to be so happy you booked Californos. Great food, great drinks, and great service all in an amazing atmosphere
Brian Glasser
Service is excellent, bartenders have good personalities. I've eaten here twice and both experiences have been good. The menu offers a decent amount of variety. If I hadn't already had breakfast I probably would've opted for a brunch option but they still allowed me to order off the regular lunch menu and a Sunday at 2 pm. There definitely seems to be more to this restaurant then my small view from the bar.. seems to have live music and a great patio and went scene. It's a good spot to check out, I will be back at some point.
Below is the salmon BLT with tomato soup and a good variety of fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, apple)
annette talbot
I had never been to Californos until they started having big band jazz on Tuesday. Great beer / wine selection. The lower level room is great for jazz, acoustically speaking. I had dinner including the Salmon-BLT which was really good. The salad that came alongside was excellent as well. Wait staff are friendly and attentive.
Robert “Dotcom” Jackson
I was amazed at how HUGE this place is once I started walking around. They have a pretty main level with indoor and outdoor seating and a nice full bar. There is also a large patio, lower level meeting rooms used for parties, weddings, events, etc.. We went for brunch which was incredible. The biscuits and gravy with chicken tenders was delicious, the mimosa drinks (girlfriend ordered) were good and service was friendly.
Kathy Lafuse
Wonderful parmesan truffle fries...serving was huge..we couldn't eat it all..we also shared the Mixed Grill, a delightful combo of seafood, beef chicken, veggies..all enjoyed while listening to great jazz from 16-17 musicians..what a nice surprise as we had thought we would just be experiencing wonderful food..
Erin Standley
I can't say enough wonderful things about the staff, venue, and food at Californos - it is such a special place to my family. We had our wedding and reception at Californos and it was everything I wanted. Planning a wedding is so stressful but everyone there made it as simple and fun as possible. They answered all of my questions and kept this anxious bride sane. Plus it is incredibly affordable! I liked the inclusive pricing options as well as the selection of dishes available. The hardest part was narrowing down what we wanted served because everything was so good. On the day of the wedding it was simply perfect. We still have family and friends talking about our wedding, reception, and especially the food. We found the wedding fair they hosted very helpful as well. Our wedding cake was from Californos and my mouth waters just thinking about it.
Since our special day I've ordered catering for a business event and my aunt hosted a wedding brunch on the patio. I ordered cupcakes for 2 showers in addition to our baby reveal cake. There are always tons of compliments about the food and dessert. We also love just stopping in for dinner or brunch. I highly recommend using Californos for your next event!
Abigail Newsham
This place is such a gem to Kansas City. It’s eclectic, yet stunning. Half of our guests were traveling in from out of town and I was so happy to have our wedding reception at a venue that really reflects what we love about this city for us. These guys are so good at what they do and are incredibly helpful. This is a turn key venue, so pricing was very simple and reasonable. Mig and Aaron were so accommodating while we planned our reception and made the day so much easier for us! Great food, perfect atmosphere, fun neighborhood, and best (though most underrated) patio in KC.
Sarah Hellhake
We absolutely LOVED Californos! We had our wedding reception there, and it was the perfect venue for us. From the start, we had good feelings about Californos: Aaron and Mig were very responsive and accommodating, and they helped us visualize our reception easily and creatively. We appreciated having so many vendors (venue, food, bar) wrapped into one; it made planning and communicating unbelievably easy. When we popped in unannounced on random afternoons, we were able to look around and plan pieces of our reception, and everyone at Californos was always friendly and welcoming. On the day of our wedding, they exceeded our expectations. The space is amazing - the various rooms allowed for people to dance or visit if they wanted, and our large group fit comfortably. Our guests said the food was the best they'd ever had at a reception, and we received many compliments on the space. We were thrilled with Californos as our reception location and highly recommend it.
Marisel Walston
This is the second year our association holds its annual meeting at Californos. It did not disappoint! The space was beautiful with bare brick walls and modern lighting. The food was wonderful and the service was excellent. When I got there I realized that I had not mentioned anything about table centerpieces when planning the event. I spoke to one of the waitresses and she had centerpieces in each table in less than 10 minutes and they looked great. We will be back!
Courtney Schauer
We selected Californos as our wedding venue and could not be more pleased with how it turned out. The food was a hit, the cupcakes were delicious, and the staff was very helpful and friendly. Above all, as an out of town couple, it was very nice to have so many things included in one package, from one vendor.
Megan Judd
Californos is the gem of Westport! Local, family-owned/run, fresh, fun, excellent atmosphere - there are so many fantastic things about this place. They have a wonderful menu and the food is always on point with good service and attentive bar staff. They host some really amazing live music acts, both inside and outside on their gorgeous deck. As an event venue, it's one of the best in KC. Their space is perfect for weddings/receptions/parties and can be tailored to your individual needs. Personally, working with them on event planning was a "piece of cake" and they provided a superb experience. 5-stars for sure!
Rachel Bonewitz
Californos was one of the first places I came to dine when I moved to KC and fell in love! The food is great and the patio is wonderful! Jim is a super great bartender and is a pleasure to greet every time I visit! The Brunch is a must try...biscuits, chicken and gravy are to die for!!
Heather Norris
We love brunch at Californos and the best place to get lamb chops for dinner, great drinks and great food every time! We also just had our wedding here last Friday and everything was flawless! They helped coordinate with time, made setup a breeze and also helped clean up. Food was delicious and we got to pick what we wanted. Beautiful venue with an outdoor ceremony and you get so much space for what you pay for. All our guests had a GREAT time and I could not be happier with how the evening went. Now that our names and wedding date are on an engraved brick out front of Californos we will be back again and again to relive that night. Thank you Mig and Aaron and the entire staff at Californos that made our wedding day the absolute best day ever!
Shannon Johnson
The day party. MAY 7th was on point. The area was beautiful and never seen the ballroom inside before. My only issue were the bartenders that evening were very unfriendly, bar counter stayed a mess of empty cups and they gave the impression through body language they didn't care to be there that day.
Melissa Shamp
Californos is a wonderfully versatile, home grown establishment that not only offers delicious food and ambiance, but also showcases some of the best live music Kansas City has to offer, whether in one of their many intimate (rentable) indoor spaces, or on their multi level outdoor terrace! Hands down, one of the best places in Kansas City! Go there!
Cheryl Smith
Didn't really get a good chance to review the food. The outdoor patio area seemed pretty neat. I would have to go there again to check it out.
Jenn Evans
Took 1.5 hours to get our food (which wasn't that great) and we were basically the only customers in the restaurant. On top of that the customer service was horrible!
Karen Booth
We are thrilled to have a place to watch an incredible big band play every Tuesday night.
Katrina Cirusse
Brunch? Dinner? Drinks?
Doesn't matter, go to Californos and enjoy something awesome.
Food is top notch and the people are always friendly.
Raymond Florez
LPB was moved indoors cause of rain...It was very hot inside and $5 per beer is ridiculous! On the other hand the music sounded great! Thank you for bringing these Monster talented dudes to your venue...left with my jaw dropped...Lucas Parker Band Rules!
Sarah Zsohar
I have been to and hosted many a catered event at Californos. The food is delicious and well presented. The drinks are great. The staff is always friendly and efficient.
Emily Filla Shinn
Love this place. Good food. Good drinks. Good atmosphere. Californos for LIFE.
RawReview
Great group of people who work there and super food. Had a discrepancy (been there a million times and this was the first problem I had), Erin handled it quite nicely, thank you! Will be visiting soon.
Sabrina
Great atmosphere with generally good food (mediocre for the price) but never have I had such bad service. Our waitress was absolutely terrible. I used to wait tables, it's really not that hard. She didn't know a single thing about the menu and didn't have a single recommendation. She was extremely rude and threw the plates as well as the checks on the table without a thank you or come again. We definitely won't be going back there that's for sure.
Kristen Thomas
I have yet to have a bad meal there! Whether it's their catered meals, boxes lunches, dinner at Girlz of Westport in their Salon Room, or Saturday brunch, I love it all. Try the crab cakes Eggs Benedict- I have dreams about it if I haven't had it for a few weeks. The steak sandwich with goat cheese and the Philly are absolutely delicious. And if you have the chance to try the cherry cheesecake cookies or carrot cake, do so! And forget Panera's boxed lunches, Califonos will put those overpriced and underwhelming lunches to shame!
2blackcats
Have been coming here for years... I love Californos. Ingredients are always fresh and the service has always been good, in my experience. Have never walked away disappointed and I can't say that about most places. One thing, though: I do not like the unisex bathroom concept and Californos has it. Nothing worse than walking into a restroom and it's clear a man has just been in there-toilet seat up and urine sprayed all over the floor. Disgusting! Please return to gender specific bathrooms.
B
Love it. Every time we've dined here the food is outstanding to say the least. the happy hour prices are good too. try the baked brie--awesome! i've never been disappointed with anything i've eaten here. the owners are very friendly and so is the waitstaff. it's definitely not a fast dining experience, but i think that is part of the appeal. we should slow down and enjoy our food more often.
Dr K8
We won't be back. We went to hear an outdoor concert of a friend of ours. It was moved at the last minute indoors due to heat. We were dressed expecting to be outside in 100+ temperature. A hostess glared when we came in and asked us if we had reservations (none were required according to the original invite). She gave us menus. That was the last we saw of the service staff. 3 different servers each passed us by at least twice each in the next 40 minutes. We didn't even get a glass of water! We had intended to order at least appetizers or salad--we won't be back to this one any time soon.
Luvs2eat
Could they have changed?. I went here over the weekend with my husband. It's one of his favorite restaurants in the city. I don't know if it's the history of the building or the food, but we eat here at least 4 times a year. In the past, it has annoyed me that I never know what will be on the menu. The menu rotates, and is typically on a piece of paper... For a restaurant that charges $15-20 for an entree that does not include a salad prior to the meal, you would think they could at least afford the slips to put the piece of paper in. I guess that's too much work considering that menu won't be used again. <br/>Now, in saying all of this, it appears they have FINALLY settled on a menu for the restaurant. The crab cakes are wonderful - some of the best in the city. The hummus was descent. I had the shrimp diavola, which met my expectations. The beef fillet was one of the best steaks I've tasted in a long time - which says something as I don't typically like red meat. The stir fry was good, but a typical terryaki sauce. <br/>We had wine with dinner, and the price was very much in line with what we pay at other venues. The wait staff attentive. With the exception of the fantastic 80's chandalier hanging over the hostess stand, the decor is appropriate for a relaxing dinner or a romantic dinner. This is a great restaurant for a date night, but you can easily drop $100 without ordering too much.
Ella
Californos. I had been wanting to eat here for quite some time, and finally got around to it. I tried the prosciutto, swiss, crab, and heart of palm english muffin with the butternut squash soup. The soup was excellent, and hit the spot for sure. The sandwich left me desiring something more from it. I also tried the thai rolls, which I wasn't quite fond of. My friend got the steak sandwich, which was VERY good. I wish I had gotten that.... In total, I will probably return to give it one more try, but I wasn't blown away.
Alia
The food tasted great, once we got it. Our server Stephanie was extremely rude. It seemed to be a bother to ask her for anything. We canceled one order after waiting 60 mins. The other party at our table received their food after we had finished our plates and they had been removed from the table. We will not return.
Marita Swift
Great price points, fresh healthy ingredients, variety salads, sands, grilled meats, and various sauté options, fab wine list, family owned for 23 years. Great midtown treat! Check website for live music throughout the year
River
True it does capture the small California town feel albeit with being landlocked and cheap flat landscapes ... Service is great, patio so sweet from spring to fall, Joel is an excellent social bartender.
Foodsnob
Food wise it's probably mediocre but atmosphere can be 60%. The staff is attentive and they allow you to linger and enjoy your meal and conversation. It's a nice restaurant, it's just past it's time. We still eat here, it's a good place to visit with friends. In the summer it's got that great patio and in the winter it's uber cozy. The food is good it's just sort of dull. With so many great choices of restaurants in KC this place has sort of fallen by the way side.
Chad
Cute and good!. It truly captures the essence of a small California coastal town atmosphere and look. The salads and service are great. Opera night is one that you can't miss!
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