The Lounge at Bluestem

My wife and I went, with another couple, for happy hour at the bar lounge. Our experience was, at best, so so. This is too bad, as I much prefer to write positive reviews.
We all ordered drinks. When my friend ordered a refill, however, it did not taste right. When he mentioned it, it was explained that the drink could be made with bourbon or rye and was made with rye the second time. I would expect an establishment with Bluestem’s reputation to have a simple adage… make drink X with bourbon (or rye) ALL the time.
Each couple ordered the hanger steak and the pork chop to share. The hanger steak was quite good, with an ample side of salad and french fries. The pork chops (for both orders) was tough and the side of special coleslaw was miniscule.
The two deserts, while quite good, were also tiny tiny. We definitely felt short changed on these.
Not to be too quickly judge mental I held off on this review until I spoke with another couple who had been to Bluestem. It seems the woman had ordered the crab with pasta and had an inordinate number of crab shells in the dish. She took the high road and wrote directly to the restaurant. The reply back, from her point of view, was completely defensive. Just about any time I have not liked the food at restaurant, even if it was not the restaurant’s fault, I have been offered something else (no charge for the original order) or asked to come back and try them again, on their dime. Not so with the woman above.
Seems Basic Restaurant Running 101 was forgotten.
There are too many other good options in the KC area for me to go back to Bluestem.

My daughter and I recently went to Blue Stem for dinner. Where we dropped over $ 160 in cash — that’s without any drinks/​extras.
Prior to making our reservation, I called Blue Stem and told them I would be using an expired $ 80 Groupon. They initially gave me a hard time about accepting the Groupon at all, but finally agreed to honor their contractual obligations to accept the Groupon for the original purchase price ($ 40) … which, as it says right there at the top of every Groupon: «will never expire.» «Never» here is probably used to connote the condition of … neverness.
(And speaking of never, I have been using Groupons for many years, and have NEVER received this kind of rude, unprofessional flak from a participating business over the standard usage rules. Rules which are clearly spelled out for all to see before they sign up. In fact, many merchants will honor the full promotional value even post-​expiration simply as a matter of good will and customer care.)
I gave our waiter the Groupon before he took our order. When he brought us our check, my daughter noticed that the Groupon had not been deducted, so we had to ask that it be redone. He brought us a revised check and everything looked (looked) fine. Other than what we assumed was an honest mistake on the check, he was a great waiter, so we left a generous tip.
But here’s where it gets Alice in Wonderland: When I got home that night and looked more closely at the check, I saw that, despite the receipt listing a $ 40 ($ 20×2) deduction, in fact only $ 20 had been deducted. Again, the $ 40 purchase price was both PROMISED by the man taking our reservation (after some unpleasant static) and is absolutely REQUIRED in the universal rules.
So I called Blue Stem and spoke with owner Jeremy. He gave me a huge, pissy argument, and asked me when the Groupon expired (Price of tea in China, and this is a Groupon in Neverland). Jeremy kept insisting no mistake had been made at all; that they deliberately deducted only $ 20 because «$ 20 is all the Groupon is worth to us.» (That’s my problem? I guess it was.)
So, this situation was actually much worse than a careless, honest mistake … one that is normally redressed with: We’re so sorry, how can we make it right? I think the word here is «greed.» And the message is: «You can just kiss our 5-​course posterior if you don’t like it.»
I tried, in vain, to get this man to put himself in his customer’s shoes and understand that this really could not be more simple: Blue Stem, just like all other participants, needed to honor the Groupon rules — not to mention the explicit assurance they had given when I made the reservation that we would be credited the full (and required) purchase value.
Talking to a wall. Over a trifling sum of money that was way less than the tip we left. Probably two drinks in that place. And I was the one being petty and difficult.
Jeremy said, «I’m not going to get into this with you,» and added that this is why they will never do a Groupon again — because of «all these arguments» they get into with their customers over use of the Groupons. Was not surprised to hear that.
Well, just to make me go away and endure no more of my crazy sense of fairness and obsession with the contractual rules, Jeremy finally decided to do me a big fat favor and said he’d run a $ 20 refund on my credit card. When I told him we paid cash, he asked if I wanted a gift card. No thank you, please just send me a check to replace the cash we were o-​v-​e-​r-​c-​h-​a-​r-​g-​e-​d. Ok, he says, he’ll send me a check.
And now the coup de grâce: Several days later I get a letter from Blue Stem with a … GIFT CARD! (no check, much less an apology) and a note worth framing: «…Enclosed is a gift card as Groupons are not redeemable for cash. We look forward to your next reservation.» — Megan Garrett, Owner
What planet are these people on? Business 101: The rules is the rules. And they are totally fair to everyone: Consumers are protected against giving away free money to the participants. And the businesses are protected because customers are, regardless of expiration, ultimately forced to buy their services if they want to receive any value from a Groupon. Plus, the merchants get to keep all that money generated by the many Groupons that are never redeemed (people move, die, get too busy, forget).
This is a very pricey, extravagant establishment; not the kind of dump where you expect (or are paying for) this type of rude, bean-​counting smallness. If the customer isn’t always right (especially when he clearly IS right) in a place like this … well, I don’t even know what to say.
But other than that, the service was excellent, and the décor was appropriate to the cuisine. Sheesh

NOTE– This review is from 5÷31÷2012 but I realized it was categorized in wrong section (was in Bluestem and NOT Bluestem Lounge).
Finally got here for their infamous happy hour. It’s definitely worth raving about. The drink specials are damn good (specials on beers, wells, martinis, and wines). Their food specials are noteworthy. The atmosphere is nice yet casual too, and the staff is very attentive. The lounge food on the HH menu is also in full portion form. My date and I were able to happily split a hanger steak meal (for $ 10) and leave relatively sated. The meal was delicious, and the price just made it taste even better.
My only complaints: I enjoy and understand their simplicity in the lounge menu, but I also found many of the items kind of boring. Also, they were out of some essential mixing ingredients which prohibited me from getting my beverage of choice. I also think one of my Moscow mules was either missing an entire ingredient (ginger) or just made poorly, but my second Moscow was on target so I’m good… especially since they were only $ 3 – 4 a pop!

Great place. Went for Friday happy hour and had great service, appetizers, and drinks. Risotto balls and Parmesan fries were delish. Really like the redesigned lounge space — open and inviting. Thinking about a monthly ‘first Friday’ at Bluestem!

I heard good things about bluestem and came here for happy hour with a couple of co-​workers. Our bartender was very attentive and friendly. I love the interior décor with the wall of mirrors along the back of the wall. I can’t vouch for their cocktails, but their sangria was slightly watered down.
They have decent happy hour deals, but I was disappointed with my burger. Maybe you can’t expect too much from an $ 8 burger. The bun looked like it was heated up earlier, but it was cold and dry by the time I got it. If you’ve ever been to Umami burger, you know that good bread makes a huge difference in a burger. The fries were fresh with some parsley sprinked on them.
At least for happy hour, it’s a nice place to go to for the atmosphere, but I’m not sold on the food.

Lovely lounge with unique food and drinks. My husband and I stopped into the Lounge at Bluestem for the first time after seeing a show at the Unicorn. It was very lovely inside of the lounge. There were a few other tables filled, but we were sat right away and brought menus. I ordered the ‘Co-​Pilot’ cocktail and we split a dessert. The drink was tasty and strong. Our waiter was quirky and polite. The dessert was fascinating. It was a combination of peaches, pineapple, a sort of butterscotch pudding ‘stick’ and corn ice cream. The flavors worked magically with each other. I also found out that corn ice cream is surprisingly tasty. I will definitely come back to try some happy hour food and, one day, have a real dinner at the restaurant side.

Came for a quick cocktail before dinner at another restaurant, so didn’t try any food. Service was a little slow and inattentive, but the drinks were fantastic. The cognac-​whiskey-​benedictine drink was sweet but smokey and smooth. I’ll be back for happy hour and food.

One of the best happy hours in town! You can get hamburgers, ceviche, mac & cheese, several desserts, and some incredible craft cocktails.
You can send in the bar area they have a few small tables, my favorite place to say is right when you come in the front door to the left there’s a window seat and a little table and another wraparound couch, it’s perfect for 6 to 8 people.
The service is always incredible, they keep the drinks coming and the waters filled.
This is one of my favorite places to catch happy hour with a few friends. Several times it’s been a little crowded and we’ve ended up sharing tables with other people, it’s a fun way to make to make new friends.
If you’re in the area I recommend you stopping in grabbing a Manhattan and a tasty burger

Damn it! Closed for renovation!!!
Unilocal says ‘open’. No indication on your website that anything is other than normal.
Please note, not everyone makes a reservation for a special venture, when your lounge is so dependable.
One huge disappointment.

Had happy hour with the boyfriend … Had an espresso cocktail. It was amazing.
Still five stars.
Best atmosphere… Cozy, warm, and inviting. I just hope that doesn’t change in their remodel.

We received a very generous gift card for our wedding to Bluestem. We had never been, but ultimately decided that the food at the lounge interested us more than a plated, multi-​course meal. We arrived at 5pm on a Tuesday for Happy Hour after hearing how crowded this place can get and we were able to be seated right away. We then were the only people in here for the first hour or so, but eventually joined by a few more people around 6pm. However, there was always plenty of open space, so Tuesday is definitely the day to come!
We started with drinks: I got the Sangria and it was very good. It didn’t actually have any fruit IN it, but was super flavorful and I may or may not have had 3 glasses :)
We anticipated needing to order 6+ plates based on the fact that this is a «fancy» place and happy hour prices as so generous, but that was NOT the case. One person could enjoy a modest meal on just 1 or maybe 2 plates. We started with the charcuterie board and the beef tartar. We really adored the board and the meats were fantastic (especially the rabbit) and I also really enjoyed the mustard and small pickles that accompanied it. The beef tartar was good, but I wouldn’t reorder this one. The tartar was good with great flavor and I really enjoyed the dressing on the salad, but it just didn’t blow my mind like the rest of our options did.
Our 2^nd «course» was a serving of the Grumpy Goat cheese and the shrimp and grits. The cheese was good and paired with a citrus-​y jam that matched flawlessly. However, the shrimp and grits stole the entire show. I grew up with my dad making grits over the stove for himself because no one else would touch them. I was skeptical of ordering this (especially over the mac and cheese), but decided to YOLO and give it a try. AMAZING. Absolute perfection. The sauce with the grits was incredible and the shrimp were cooked to a completely opposite, yet complimentary flavor. This was the best dish of the night and I will DEFINITELY re-​order this next time.
Riding high on our shrimp and grits cloud, we almost left here, but decided to give in and order dessert. I know the exact time that our dessert arrived: It was precisely 0:00:00 on day 0 A.D. Each day of my life prior to 0 A.D. (after dessert) was simply back story to the glorious moment that I truly began to live thanks to the Orange and Thyme Fritters. These were incredible. INCREDIBLE. Like eating a fresh donut, but with citrus and a heavy dusting of glorious sugar and dipped in what tasted like a liquid, warm whipped cream. We devoured these. I will always order these when at Bluestem. Always.
Even better than our awesome meal? Our $ 200 gift card came back with a balance of over $ 100 still left! Happy Hour pricing is a MAJOR win. Incredible food at an absolute steal.

Bluestem has gotten a lot of acclaim for the James Beard award-​winning chef, and the acclaim definitely hits the mark. A gracious host greeted us and helped us find seats in the bar area, which was rather full when we arrived ~6pm on a Friday and the bar stayed at capacity well into the evening. A friendly bartender promptly brought us water and helped steer us towards the popular dishes on our first visit We took advantage of the good happy hour specials and I got the hangar steak and my dining companion got Colby’s burger. We enjoyed the Boulevard bottle specials as well.
The steak was perfectly cooked and came with a side of thick-​cut fries and a side salad. The portion was huge — too much steak for me to even finish, but it was tasty and definitely a great deal. My companion raved the burger was close to the best, if not the best, burger in the metro. It was really thick and perfectly complimented with carmelized onions and swiss cheese. The low-​light ambience made for a very intimate dining experience. This was our first time and we will definitely plan to be back. The smore desert looked great — the couple beside us raved about it and even ordered a second to take home

Ive gone 2 times so far. The happy hour is pretty good. The charcuterie board is the best deal. Meats always different and amazing. Had the beef tartar 3/​5, the mussels 4/​5, burger 5/​5, cherry peppers 4/​5, fries ⁴⁄₅.
Happy hour wells is $ 3. Plus amazing food. Ghetto fabulous!

The Lounge at Bluestem was great in my opinion. I was here last year but didn’t know there was a Unilocal page for The Lounge so my first review was meant for this page but whatever. The second time I was here was during happy hour (5pm-​7pm). It was around 5:20pm and there were already a handful of people here. The lounge area was small and dimly lit but could probably hold a lot of people (I saw a sign that said 60 was the room capacity). There weren’t too many tables but that was fine if you were here for a drink. My coworker and I were looking through the menu which was quite similar to the menu online with the exception of a few items. Our other coworker was going to meet up with us later so we went ahead and ordered.
We decided to order the wagyu beef tartare ($ 12/​$ 8 for happy hour), the charcuterie board ($ 18/​$ 10 for happy hour), bbq fried corn ($ 5/​$ 4 for happy hour), mac & cheese ($ 12/​$ 8 for happy hour), colby’s eight ounce burger ($ 13/​$ 8 for happy hour), and vintage ranch hanger steak ($ 16/​$ 10 for happy hour). I ordered the burger and my coworker had the hanger steak. The last time I was here, I had the vintage ranch hanger steak so I wanted to try something different this time around. Our waiter was nice and recommended the shrimp n’ grits ($ 14/​$ 8 for happy hour) or the vintage ranch hanger steak but would ultimately choose the steak over the shrimp.
We asked that our appetizers come out first and so they did. The wagyu beef tartare was good and even though it was raw meat, it was still good with everything mixed together. The egg was actually hidden below the mozzarella cheese in the center of the plate. The charcuterie board was good and I don’t remember the names of the meats. The bbq fried corn were tasty and reminded me of a softer version of Corn Nuts. Once we were done with all of that, then our waiter brought in the other food we ordered. The mac & cheese was great except it was a heavy food which meant it would fill you up pretty quick. The colby’s eight ounce burger was alright and pretty big. In addition, the fries that came with the burger were not greasy so that was good.
By the time we finished everything, there were a lot of people here so it would be a good idea to come early unless you don’t mind waiting at the bar. Try to make it to happy hour if at all possible.

Whenever I have happy hour at Bluestem Lounge, I always think to myself, «I need to come here more often!» We arrived shortly after five and had our pick of tables or couches in the lounge. Happy hour drink specials include 3 $ wells, 4 $ Boulevard bottles, and 30% off bottles of wine. Of course they have a list of specialty cocktails that are fabulous; however, they are not included in happy hour. What sets Bluestem Lounge apart from other happy hour options is the food of course!
We started with the bacon wrapped cherry tomato peppers and the steak tartare. Both were delicious, but the steak tartare stole the show. A generous portion of tartare was served with dressed greens and fresh kettle chips, the vinegar dressing complimented the greens while the saltiness of the chips pulled the dish together. It was very robust and satisfying. My friend kind of hoarded the dish, but I forgive her.
Next we ordered bacon mac and cheese and hangar steak. Again, both were nice choices, the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy, but I was surprised at the small amount of bacon, I think we found 4 pieces in the whole crock. The steak was cooked (medium rare) and seasoned perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of the steak, and the fries served on the side were addictive.
Our server was fantastic and overall I am quite satisfied with our experience. I will be back soon, as I am now tempted to try the burger!

I’ve been here a handful of times on the recommendation of friends who say this is the best restaurant in KC.
I don’t think it meets the standards required for that title, but I think that Bluestem is a pretty damn good place to eat: Here are my thoughts based on last night’s meal —
Pros:
–The lounge space is fun and cozy. It’s a nice mix of tables and couches/​chairs.
–The bartenders make excellent drinks. This is expected in KC, where craft beers and cocktails are the norm. Competing with the Reiger and Manifesto can be tough, but Bluestem holds its own. I’d recommend the Old Squire — it’s the smoothest bourbon drink I’ve ever tasted. I don’t even really care for bourbon, but this drink is amazing.
–Waitstaff/​Host: they are friendly and always upbeat. Their smiles seem genuine; the host seems very patient with often demanding guests.
–Food: it’s delicious! I’d def recommend their burger — it’s the bomb dot com. Their shrimp/​grits and mac and cheese are amazing as well.
Cons:
–portion size/​cost: Ok, so I tried the clam pasta last night. It was delicious! But it was literally FOUR small bites worth, with THREE clams… and that was $ 14. That was their entrée size. Our waitress assured me before I ordered that she can hardly finish that meal because it’s a hearty portion. She must eat like a small bird! This is the common theme with some of their menu items, so ask in advance if you’re hungry. The burger is probably the only menu item that is appropriately sized/​prices. Otherwise, you have to accept the fact that your entrée will taste great, but will be overpriced and very very small (not French portions, but starving ppl portions).
–slow service: even when the restaurant cleared out after happy hour, the service was pretty slow. People here are friendly, but the service is lackadaisical at best.
–bill errors: check your bill at the end. I’ve had 3 or 4 occasions of eating here where I was charged for more drinks than I ordered, and other friends have mentioned the same.
So overall, here’s the score:
Ambience: 4
Food quality: 5
Bill errors/​poor service: 1
Food portions/​price: 1
Avg ~ 3
I’d recommend Bluestem just for the taste of the food and excellent drinks alone, but be aware of the cons and temper your expectations before going. PotPie, their next-​door neighbor, still has the best mussels in KC, so don’t order them at Bluestem (they were old and fishy tasting)

A must have stop when I’m in the area,
Creative, original, inexpensive and delicious desserts. Parking is a little hard to come by and space is a bit limited, but they more than make up for it with their menu.

My best friend introduced me to this place and I cannot thank her enough. The lounge is small, so if you’re going for Happy Hour, get there early when you might be able to grab a seat on a nice plush sofa.
Happy hour specials are excellent. My hubby and I recently went there and filled our tummies to the brim with tasty delights. And with $ 3 well drinks, how can you go wrong? Even if it takes several visits, you simply must make an effort to work your way through the menu because there’s really not much to disappoint. The only thing I have had that wasn’t exceedingly fab was a dessert that was trying to be creative but was a bit of a flop.
I’ve always had good service here and the last visit was no exception. Our waitress was attentive and really quick with bringing drinks and refills.

I really try not to 5 star on my first visit but the Lounge is worthy.
I went here for a belated anniversary celebration and this place lived up to my expectations. The service could have been more attentive but gosh darn the food and drinks made up for the lack of attention for first timers seated at the bar.
We were there during Happy Hour and the prices were great. We ordered the bacon wrapped cherry peppers stuffed with cream cheese. There are four peppers served in a little cast iron ramekin. It was so tasty that we agreed we would order two orders next time so we don’t have to share! We also ordered the assorted cured meats. I think this was one of the best meat platters I have ordered. There were plenty of different mustards, pickles and meats to layer into awesome bites.
My first drink was the Jimm’s Cup. It was tasty for a bourbon and ginger beer drink. I didn’t notice when I first ordered they have one of my absolute favorite bourbons, Booker’s. I have to say to have Booker’s on the rocks with the food we had I was in Happy Hour Heaven.
I am surprised it took us as long as it did to dine here. I can’t wait to go back. There are plenty of yummy items on the menu I must try. Add in a great drink and I’m sure it will be another 5 star time.

Loved the relaxing environment of the Bluestem lounge. We sat in a comfy love seat, tucked into the corner, out of the way, with a perfect view of all the action. Fun cocktails, intriguing ingredients, and professional preparation, creates a very pleasant diversion. We decided to share all the cocktails so that we could sample several. Who says that less is more? They are wrong! More is more!
With this as my mantra, I began my merriment with «Some Loud Thunder.» Bang! You had me at pineapple jalapeño vodka. This zippy number paired well with the Wagyu Beef Tartare, served with toasted bruschetta, and lightly dressed spring greens.
To keep the love coming, we nibbled the Truffle Pomme Frites, and wet our whistle with the Sarsaparilla, made with nothing less than Shatto root beer milk. Who doesn’t love french fries and a root beer float… and liquor? Yum!
Next up…“La Guercercia,” assorted cured meats. Spec, Coppa, spicy Pancetta, whole grain mustard, and cornichons. The «Falling Leaves» cocktail quenched our thirst with the added interest of fig purée and gin. Not your average ingredients, but a big hit with the salty meat.
Who among us needs to create a rationale for having a Margarita or Mac N Cheese? So, without apologies, I indulged in the Bluestem’s version.
And because you can never have too much of a good thing, if someone else is driving… we ended our cocktail extravaganza with «The Gentlemen». There’s nothing like a strong cup of java to end a meal, especially when it is presented in a delicate martini glass. Wow! Fun trip for my happy taste buds! This was a great place to while away the evening and chat with a friend or date.