Happy Gillis Cafe & Hangout

Little place on the corner just doesn’t look like much from the outside. When you walk in the kitchen isn’t some elaborate thing. Little Propane fired burners pinini presses. Cool little place actually to see this many good reviews on such a basic setup. Food review soon…
Holy cow… Biscuit and gravy is outta this world. It’s a very different set of seasonings that just make this so good wow… Biscuit crisp warm and soft all at same time yummy. Bacon is thick flat. We thought fried but not. Some hormone free stuff I could eat pounds of this. The egg perfectly cooked by a dedicated egg guy who man’s the 3 burners. A must must try in the morning

Delicious restaurant and very friendly staff! I recommend the breakfast sandwich if you go for brunch.

While visiting KCMO for business, we found this place through a Google search. We like small businesses that take pride in their work. Happy Gillis is that kind of place! Superb menu, friendly & accommodating staff and a cozy, warm space to enjoy a meal. We went on a Sunday morning and I think we hit the brunch time rush. But the wait was well worth it!
I’ve been earns biscuits and gravy for close to 30 years (I’m a native New Yorker!) and this was, hands down, THE BEST EVER! The biscuits were baked PERFECTLY! Soft and pillowy on the inside, yet had that crisp, not hard, crust. The gravy was velvety smooth and seasoned well with the homemade sausage. I like mine with 2 eggs, sunny side up, and the chef/​cook delivered them PERFECTLY! Just the right amount of runny, rich yolk to accent the dish! After a few dashes of Tabasco sauce, I was in heaven!
This place is SMALL and has a unique system for handling guests — one I’ve never seen before. They take NO RESERVATIONS, its first come, first serve. You basically wait on a line to place your order and pay. You have plenty of time to decide what you want as the menu is written on a black board in the open kitchen. After you place your order, you are then allowed to find a seat. Anywhere you can, inside or out! The turnover is pretty good, so don’t worry about not getting a table. The food runner brings you your order along with anything else you might need, but I don’t think they operate like a true server. In the sense that if you want to order more food or beverage, I THINK you have to get back on line.
So, bring a little patience if you hit this during a rush. But trust me, it’s worth the wait! An amazing place and I would highly recommend if you’re a foodie!

We had an awesome breakfast here.
First the coffee, delicious!
Second our entrees: Grits with greens, Biscuit and gravy (½ order is plenty), baked French toast and an egg & cheese sandwich. All were delicious. They were unique and flavorful. We would order any of those items again. My wife must have made at least five compliments for the next hour about how good the food was.
The place was clean and good for a family of five.

Adorable little eatery in the Columbus Park neighborhood.
Now, I will admit that we happened to pop in here for brunch/​lunch during what has to be a particularly slow Saturday, because unlike many of the other Unilocalers, we had no problem getting a seat.
The atmosphere is cute. Sort of a mix between your grandmothers outdated kitchen and a 1950’s diner. Antique salt and pepper shakers grace the table tops and the chairs are all eclectic and from another time period from before I was born.
I knocked off a star because the food here is very overpriced for what you get. The portions are small and sides are either tiny or non-​existent. I ordered a crab roll and it fit perfectly in my small, female hand… and cost a whopping $ 15. On the side it came with about two tablespoons of cold orzo. My dining buddy had a breakfast sandwich with zero sides. Pair these items with a soda for each of us, and we were looking at a $ 33 bill.
I would be willing to come back and try breakfast/​brunch at some point. However, as cute as this place is, there are places that provide better portion sizes at a lower cost.

Their lunch is da bomb! I ordered a sandwich and salad for my boyfriend to split. All of the ingredients were so fresh and delicious. Can’t wait to try their brunch.

This is my favorite breakfast spot. Food is fresh, craftily made, & their options of Bloody Mary or mimosas to complement each dish is definitely fun! It’s a SMALL, quaint space! Be prepared to wait for a seat. You need to order FIRST, then sit. Get brave, ask to buddy up & meet new people!
One tip, this isn’t the place to come & chill out in your seat FOREVER! Get in, enjoy your good, & either let others join your table or get up & get going if the place is busy. Seating is the only drawback I’ve found here!
They also do lunch options, so you can do this place for early morning start or as a great late start to your day!

Great atmosphere and staff. Food was phenomenal and would recommend this place to anyone and everyone.
Down side, limited seating but seats appear magically when it’s time to sit down.
All in all, would definitely recommend and return.

Had the chicken torta and was disappointed as it was mostly dark meat chicken and had some fat and skin in the mix. Disappointed since everyone else loves this place. Lunch co, albion had same thing and same issue. And $ 10 is a bit much for as sandwhich, no side with dark meat chicken.

Super cute atmosphere. Homey and a little atmosphere. Food tasty but not unbelievable. Overcooked toast (VERY crunchy and hard to chew). Food served too hot. Observed other patrons having same issue. Great coffee

It’s too bad that I almost left Happy Gillis within one minute of entering, because I would have missed one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had!
Why did I nearly leave? Was the place too dirty? Too noisy?
No. It is their SEATING policy.
Today was my first visit to Gillis, a small restaurant with a few tables. There was a line to order, and with my 14 month old in tow, I left my wife in line to scout a table (it’s seat yourself) and get a high chair. No sooner have I seated my son, but a friendly hipster informs me that they ask that we order first and then seat ourselves.
He was asking me to return to the line and leave the table.
My stunned expression turned into a scowl, but the friendly hipster turned away before he could see. I was humiliated, angry enough to consider leaving. One minute in the door, and I’m being reprimanded in public. On top of that, with my child accompanying us, it was not like we could take any odd seat. Stools at the window counter were out. There was really only one option. So much for «family friendly.»
We ordered, and returned to the table we had chosen (the other patrons being more understanding than the people behind the counter.) Within a couple of minutes, a new group had arrived, all adults and senior citizens, who did the exact same thing we did. The woman behind the counter informed one of their policy. «Wow» I said, «They are really being nazis about the seats.» The man informed his gray haired dad that he was being asked to stand back up. His expression was the same as mine had been only minutes before. Step in the door, and get corrected in public.
I get it, seating is at a premium, so they want people who are ready to eat to be able to sit. But I can’t imagine how many times the people at Happy Gillis have to give their little speech about sitting, but clearly they have done it so many times, that it sounds normal to them. If they want to bill themselves as a HANGOUT, then they need to let people HANG OUT organically. It is human nature to walk in and look for a seat immediately. No other restaurant I’ve ever been to has a policy of «Seat Yourself… BUT NOT YET.»
The solution is elegantly simple for Gillis. Their cute little sign that they have posted on the side of the drink cooler about their seating policy is clearly not visible. If they are that serious about it, post it ON THE DOOR so people can see it coming in. The solution is not to make customers feel like fools the minute they walk in the door.
A wonderful breakfast, marred by an inexplicably draconian seating policy.

Amazing food. We came for breakfast at the recommendation of our hotel front-​desk — she warned us that there might be a wait to get a table. There was a wait, but it was not a long one. After we were seated, the line for tables seemed to explode. This is a VERY popular place.
The breakast we had was EXCELLENT — one thing that stood out was the bacon — I even asked for the name of the farm they got the bacon from and they told me — I’m seriously trying to get that bacon shipped to me in Colorado — it was some of the best bacon I’ve ever had.
Would I eat here again? YES. I would drive across the city to eat here again.

I really like this spot. The food is consistently fresh, local food prepared exceptionally well and the service is second to none.
My only complaint is that it’s too small. If you come at the wrong time you may be eating standing up or mean mugging someone for a table. .
Honestly the environment is cozy, quaint and relaxing. You just have to be sure to come at the right time so you don’t have to wait long for a table.

(Legally Blonde voice implied)
Brunch gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.
Through logic from the transitive property: you should eat brunch. And you should probably eat it at Happy Gillis.
This place is quaint, packed with pastels, and serves a mean plate of breakfast. My boyfriend and I stumbled in here on a rainy morning for some delicious meals, and were thoroughly pleased. The biscuit French toast was marvelous, and my date enjoyed his biscuits and gravy. My only complaint is that I wish there were side options for the entrees (even with a surcharge). My entrée was incredibly sweet, so it would have been nice to balance it with a savory side — plus I am a fiend for breakfast potatoes.

I love this place! The food is absolutely amazing, brunch is my favorite meal and these guys knows how to do it right! I love their French toast and the salmon eggs Benedict.
The neighborhood is really up and coming and it’s a nice walk to take if you live downtown or in the river market.
It’s open seating and you order at the counter, it’s small so sometimes you might have to wait a while for a table, but it’s worth it.

I had the Asian pulled pork. I’m not sure if they have a seasonal menu, or if that item is available all the time, but if it is, try it! It’s so good. Such a good combination. Toasted bread (crunchy), pulled pork (savory), house made kim chi (crunchy and spicy) and aoili (creamy). I was really impressed with how good the sandwich was. I had some reservations. But wow.
The café is in a cool part of town. There’s a lot of charm in there. Seems like it would make for a great date spot.
I’m excited to try their breakfast

Everything I have ever thought about breakfast has been a lie.
The place is tiny, but a seat always seems to magically just open up once you are ready to sit down. The menu is small, but the options are fresh and SO SO good. Plus, you really don’t need anything on it besides the biscuits and gravy. Paul and I both agreed: best biscuits and gravy we have ever had. Hands down. Thick, creamy and plentiful gravy filled with big hunks for actual sausage. So much flavor. SO good. And the biscuits seems freshly baked. soft and easily soak up that delicious gravy. We also ordered the smoked salmon which came with poached egg on bread and (I think) tzatziki? It was so good. And the serving of salmon was huge. We weren’t really expecting much when we walked in, but in a mere 20 minutes a new must-​eat in KC was made. Cute, funky, and delicious!

Parking was very easy to find on the street. When you get here, you order at the counter and then find a seat. Then when your food is ready, they will find you. While we were here the place filled up and no seats were available inside or outside. But the place has quick turn-​around and the staff is quick to bus the tables.
There is a self-​serve water station next to the self-​serve coffee station.
I ordered a half order of biscuits and gravy ($ 4) as suggested by other Unilocalers and I was not disappointed. This was the best gravy! There were clumps of sausage in the gravy, too. The half order comes with one large biscuit. I chose to add bacon on the side– adding eggs is also an option.
My husband also ordered the salmon/​avocado toast and OMG was it amazing! Smoked salmon on essentially a guacamole creamy sauce. So much flavor! This may not have been enough for his breakfast, so plan on ordering something else if you are hungry. The granola/​yogurt looked awesome at all the tables around us.

Stopped in based on a Unilocal review and enjoyed the perfectly greasy, perfectly delicious «Breakfast Sandwich».
Unique vibe with beautiful hand-​made coffee mugs. Unfortunately they ran out of coffee for a while right at prime coffee time. Almost deleted the fifth star for this but gotta go the coffee’s ready now!

Looking for lunch, this was my first stop in KC. It is located in the Columbus park neighborhood. I didn’t see many other restaurants around, but it gave me the vibe of STLs «the hill» if the hill had turned super hipster (it could have been the Italian flag colors on the building wall right outside the window).
It wasn’t super busy as other Unilocalers had mentioned. Workers were polite.
They were only serving lunch at the time and so I tried to order an item but it was sold out. Instead I got the Asian pulled pork. It came on ciabatta bread with an Aoli sauce and kimchee. Flavors were good and complemented one another. Kimchee was sweeter than traditional so I assume they soak it in something. Came out warm and pork tasted pretty fresh and tender enough.
I enjoyed the quaint hipster experience, however I will mention that it seems a little on the pricier side (I assume BC they were on diner, drive in, and dives)