Newport Grill

I attended a business dinner here while on a business trip. I stuck to just water, and ordered the pear salad with shrimp.
The $ 6 of shrimp turned out to be 2 pieces, which was disappointing at first. But they turned out to be 2 very delectable pieces of shrimp that were cooked excellently.
The service was alright. They didn’t bother us too often, but did not neglect us either. You fill up your own water. House bread comes nice and hot with a pyramid-​shaped butter block topped with pink salt that is a bit difficult to work with.
I really enjoyed my salad. It was dressed well, with just the right amount of avocado. There were 4 thin slices of pears which I felt like was not much, since pear is in the name of the salad, but it worked well. The candied nuts inside were also very tasty and complimented the blue cheese fantastically.
I ended up being too full for dessert, but the salad alone was still a delicious way to wrap up my business trip in kansas city!

Service was excellent. Dinner was good. Drinks were fantastic. Crème brûlée was perfection!

We tried Newport Grill for the first time on Mothers Day for brunch. Although we had a wait, it was worth it. Our server and the young man at the carving station were outstanding! The food was creative and fresh. We will be back!

Newport Grill isn’t quite bad enough to warrant 1 star, but it seems to be so systemically off that I don’t see much room for improvement.
Service: Just one step above total suckage. We had three different people show up at our table, none of them knowing what the other was doing, yet somehow everything seemed to move at a snail’s pace despite the fact that the restaurant simply wasn’t that busy.
Ambiance: Meh. Nothing particularly compelling. Someone decided that getting chandeliers made from forks and spoons would be cute. They’re just tacky. While we were there, we were serenaded by a screaming baby for most of our meal. Management did nothing.
Food and drink: Not worth it. I ordered a Rosemary Lemonade. It was supposed to have vodka and rosemary, and it did have a bit of vodka, but no rosemary flavor at all. The lemonade tasted like a mix. It was $ 10 and just not good. The hubby ordered oysters (they’re not on the menu… you have to ask) and they came by the half dozen. Although they were inexpensive at a buck fifty each, they were the tiniest oysters I have ever seen served on the half shell. The hubby said they were also the worst tasting he’d ever had as well. He also ordered crab cakes ($ 16) and they were bland and tiny with a bit too much filler. He was served two of them which literally were about four bites for him total so each bite was $ 4. That’s twice as expensive as Christopher Elbow chocolates are per bite. If you’re going to charge that much, they’d better be spectacular. They were not. Later in the day, the food the hubby ate backfired on him. I won’t give the details, but he felt certain that the oysters were past their prime.
Possibility that we will ever return: Zero.

Definitely bad service. Dining there tonight and found it impossible to catch the waiter’s eye to order a drink. I mean how hard is it to look each guest in the eye and ask if they would like a drink to start before they order? The guest next to me had to grab the waiter’s attention. Equally hard to get a refill. I went out of my way to try to catch the waiter and waitress as they were serving our group, next to impossible. I’ve never seen that happen. Usually plying guests with alcohol is a good way to ensure a good tip. On top of all that, when the fish arrived, it was the wrong sauce. Didn’t bother making a correction at that point. Just gave up and made a mental note not to return.

My wife and I have been here twice now, and although the second time wasn’t quite up to the outstanding experience we had the first time, I have to say this is a very impressive restaurant. We came here because they’d catered some of our company’s corporate events and the food was great, so we thought we’d give the restaurant a shot.
On the first visit, we enjoyed the food immensely, and the service was impeccable. I’m pretty sure our server’s name was Paul, and he was absolutely outstanding, I mean on top of everything — quick acknowledgement, great friendly personality, in-​depth knowledge of the menu and the wine list, checking on us to see if we needed another glass of wine, just made us feel very comfortable, was great to talk to, and was polite and efficient without being intrusive.
Now, the food. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were absolutely delicious — thick, bright, fresh, luscious shrimp. I am not normally even that big a fan of shrimp cocktail but this one definitely got my attention. So that alone is noteworthy. The deviled eggs are also excellent. We’ve only had lunch (but the menu selection is great, if you want full blown entrees, there are plenty to choose from, but if you want a sandwich or a burger, you’ve also got those options) and I thought it was great they even have a swordfish sandwich offering, which is what I had the first visit, and it was great! Came with slaw and a nice dressing with just a bit of a bite to it, on a nice fresh bun, and of course the swordfish itself was delicious and fresh. Even the French fries are terrific. I usually balk at fries that are too salty, so when I saw the pieces of coarse salt on the first upon arrival, I was a little hesitant, but not to worry, somehow even with salt on the outside, they do not taste overly salty! They are delicious, nice and crispy, but still enough of a smooth potato flavor inside (FYI you have to specifically ask for ketchup).
The second visit, the food was equally outstanding but the service was just not quite up to the incredibly high standard of the first visit (some awkwardness about whether we’d ordered the «full» vs. the «Happy Hour» order of deviled eggs (6 vs 2 eggs), although there is not even an option for a full order on any of the menus anywhere, so I’m not understanding that one, but they made it more than right and overall the service was still good (not as attentive)).
And they allow you to have happy hour in the main restaurant area, and the ambiance is very nice, comfortable, good music, and the wine selection is good and the price point is not bad and the staff are very pleasant.
So we are very pleased with Newport Grill and will likely return many times.

We had our Christmas dinner at Newport Grill, which was also the first time we had been to this restaurant. We were a group of 8, so a rather large group, which can sometimes tax a lesser establishment. The Newport Grill was spot-​on with service. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere is beautiful and very relaxing. The wine list is very inclusive. One suggestion, we all wished our table would have been round, rather than rectangular so we could have visited among ourselves easier. This was a beautiful, memorable dining experience and exactly what we were hoping for our family Christmas Eve.

Decided to try this place out for dinner, got reservation and still had to wait like 15 mins before we could get seated.
Our waiter was very informative and know his menu. However, it was a disappointment when they said they ran out of Mahi Mahi when it was the first day of Kansas city restaurant week.
I’ve ordered scallops instead and calamari and expresso semifredo. Scallops could have been seared or kept a little longer to get a crispy taste, a little too soggy in the middle. Calamari was fried and it was good. The dessert was a little too rich for my liking.
My friend had a trout with green beans, clam chowder and the same dessert. He thought it was good, but not amazing like wow.
The food, services and atmosphere was above average. Not bad at all, might have to check them out again one day.

For 2016, I want to have more adventures. My first adventure of the year happened tonight. I tried a new restaurant… The Newport Grill. It was fabulous!!! I had the swordfish, brussel sprouts, and smoked gouda polenta… all of which was devine. I tried a bite of my son’s steak, which literally melted in my mouth. And some of my mom’s scallops which I think are adequately described as succulent.
Oh, did I mention this was our annual family holiday grown up dinner? So there were 13 of us. Our server, Brian Knuckles, did an amazing job. He was so sweet and knowledgeable.
The music selection was good and playing at the perfect volume. Enough to know it was there but not loud enough to interfere with conversations.
I can’t wait to go back!

We started off with the Tuna and Foie which was amazing. For entrées we had the Scallops and Swordfish. The butternut squash risotto with scallops was the best I’ve ever had and the dish as whole was the highlight of the evening. The swordfish had a spicy twist to it and really hit the mark. The wine list was excellent and well presented on the iPads. We took their recommendation and with the Witchery, the wine was perfect!
The service from the host at the front door, the bartender, the sommelier, and the server were perfect. We attended a movie at Cinetopia following the wonderful dinner to finish a great date night!

Hubs and I came here for a late lunch on a Saturday, and actually thought they were closed? Not a soul in the place, but then discovered a few customers leaving from a table around back. Very surprised that it wasn’t busier. However, was seated, and given water and a drink menu. We ordered cocktails, and looked over their lunch entrees.
The place is a sister restaurant to one in Wichita. We’ve been to that one, and was disappointed. They over sold you on everything… Very pretentious. I hate that. If the food is good, let it speak for itself.
So we were leary, and the price point is such, you aren’t typically coming here weekly to eat.
We ordered a dozen oysters of various variety because, well, they have variety, and we live in Kansas and they are hard to find fresh! They were delicious. They are served with lemon wedges, fresh horseradish, and a red wine vinegar. Perfect.
My hubs ordered the scallops with the bruled potatoes, and I ordered the swordfish with whipped potatoes. My potatoes were cold on my plate, and I needed to add salt. I actually thought they were dry. I was giving juju eyes to hubbys potatoes. His were divine. We both ordered the Brussels sprouts. And all I can say is… Get them!
They are amazing! We literally had a 20 min. discussion about the seasoning and how they were prepared. I’m not going to ruin it for you… Other than try them.
Total cost, two entrees, a dozen oysters four cocktails… $ 150. An extravagant lunch in our book, but this Newport Grill blows Wichita out of the water. Try it.

Been here 4 times. 3 out of the four was terrible service. I ordered the chefs board and the Salmon tasted so fishy. I told the manager and he said he would tell the chef & still Charged us. Never offered to replace it with another side.
We paid our $ 148 bar tab and ate dinner elsewhere.
When I dine at a high end restaurant, I expect high end service. Seems they have enough $$$$$ to afford losing customers. I think there were 3 others in there… Geezus!

Great view, great location, spoiled by moderate food and weak service. The weak service had more to do with the facility. Trying to serve on the upper level for the views without serviceware. Martini’s served in a wine glass, beers served in cans — all take away from what should be a higher experience. Disappointed given the location.

Free valet parking is a huge plus! We went on a Saturday night with 2 other couples. It is a little pricey but the atmosphere & food presentation make you feel you are in a nice place and getting your $ worth — and the food was delicious! Our server was very knowledgeable and helped me with ordering — I had sea bass and would absolutely order again!

Located in the artsy hip Prairie Fire area, this restaurant’s fare does not disappoint! The décor is upscale and contemporary but warm and comfortable.
The Seafood is all fresh and flown in from the best locations-​Maryland crab, Rhode Island calamari, Hawaiian monchong and baramundi are a few examples. The calamari and ahi tuna appetizers were sublime! The desserts included the lightest beignets filled with scrumptious dark chocolate, a cheesecake, a bread pudding and some other delightful sweets including some dessert cocktails. The wait staff were efficient and very knowledgeable but a bit pushy/​cocky. Do use the valet parking so that you can spend more time enjoying the extensive assortment of wine. Only one of the diners at our table had a beef selection, the filet Oscar which was cooked to perfection as were all our entrees. The scallops were some of the best I have ever tasted! Even the bread and butter were great! They do have a bar where you may dine if you prefer and they can also accommodate large groups in the main dining room.

Jake was our bartender and he was fantastic! Super friendly and attentive! Great atmosphere and the best happy hour around! Definitely encourage you to visit this place! You will not regret it!

This place is without a doubt the best spot in southern KC! Food was excellent and the service was on another level. We showed up for drinks and a quick drink and Jake gave us the best service we’ve had in years! I highly recommend the oysters, bacon wrapped dates, and the surf and turf Oscar style!!!
Get here ASAP!!!

Since moving to KC we’ve had a year and a half to sample the seafood restaurant scene and we’ve done a good job scouting around. Having been to this spot a number of times, it’s time to go ‘on-​record.’ This is for a lunch visit on a Saturday afternoon.
Over my long career I’ve had the benefit of having exposure to some of the finest restaurants in the world: Melbourne, London, Paris, Madrid, Zurich, Hong Kong, Singapore and more. The one cuisine-​pillar that Newport Grill most closely reminds me of is the Oyster Bar of NYC, in the base of Grand Central Terminal in NYC. There, I gained a seminal education in fresh seafood. There I learned to love fresh seafood of all types, and the many varieties of oysters. Each variety is slightly or startlingly different from each other in flavor, size, texture, brine, and moisture.
So little time and so many of them to love – but that’s another story entirely!
I am now on record proclaiming that MY choice for the Midwestern version of ‘Oyster Bar’ is Newport Grill off 135^th Street in OP. While the number of varieties of oysters and FRESH seafood don’t match the double digit numbers available in NYC, for this part of the world the offering is exceptional.
Continuing on Oysters (Fish, Menu and Service observations coming) they change daily being flown in fresh each day. This day we enjoyed four varieties from US coasts and Canada: Kusshi, Grand Duxbury, Island Creek and Copp’s Island. All had different elements of mineral, salt, sea-​taste and size. (West coast are smaller, East coast are larger.) You may choose preparations of ‘Rockefeller’ style, or simply raw – swimming in their own liquor. We had the latter, and served with a great red vinaigrette, or traditional cocktail sauce which you concoct of supplied ingredients served with the oysters. (Crackers and bread by request.)
SEAFOOD: Flown in fresh too, and arrayed from all over the globe. This day we could choose from fish from Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Pacific and Atlantic US. All of it was as fresh as that served at Oyster Bar I’m sure and (imagine this).in the middle of America (thank you Jet delivery service!).
I chose swordfish because (a) it reminds me of my grandfather (b) it’s a mini-​lesson in what real ocean fish tastes like – meaty, flavorful but not overdone, and steak-​like. It was simply served (my choice – you can get blackened) with side sauce. I like my fish simple to let the freshness and expert preparation ring through, but they offer a number of side sauces appropriate for the variety. While I wanted basic grilled Swordfish, I chose their take on ‘Tzatziki’ sauce. It proved to be a great spark to each bite. TIP: (To try a sauce, ask for it on the side, that way you can taste your fish without and with and decide on your own!)
My wife had the Mahi Mahi (blackened) which too, was superb both in product quality and preparation and plating. The luncheon entrees are afforded two sides. I chose spaghetti squash and FRESH English peas…(they were). My wife Polenta and squash. All in all, a huge amount of food for the price.
Now about cocktails and service: While we didn’t meet the head chef (for both Newport and Paradise Grill) Kevin, we did hear about the great way in which he runs his kitchen and cultivates the kitchen staff. We did meet the Sous Chef, as he came out to say goodbye to the wait staff as he left for the day. His name is Jimmy and he was the one who prepared our individual meals which were exceptional and artistically plated.
Drew was our server/​bartender who was both personable and professional, and introduced us to the Mixologist/​Alchemist Josh who moved over from the Wichita location to create exciting new cocktails. Boy is it underway!
Currently they are prepping their own coffee bean and vanilla infused Vodka, and no less than three other concoctions.
On our visit he was experimenting with a red-​pear vodka inspiration. It featured muddled red pear, Grey Goose Pear, a touch of freshly grated nutmeg, and much more! Delicious (especially in the upcoming warm/​hot weather). Crowning touch were the very thin slices of ripe red pair served within the cocktail.
Saving the best for last is the General Manager who watches unobtrusively, all aspects of his business with an eye on the customer experience, Joe Wilcox. (I asked for his card to pass along.)
We’re already planning the next adventure at the Newport Grill! There’s so much to explore as the menu is constantly evolving, and so many more food and drink adventures to enjoy!

So my friends started a dinner club a few months ago to try a new restaurant every month. I was never able to go for various reasons… until last night. This month’s restaurant was Newport Grill. I had been wanting to try it for awhile but have heard mixed reviews so I didn’t know what to expect. I have heard the portions were small to begin with but ordering from the Restaurant Week menu means even smaller portions!
Ok, so now let’s get to the actual food. I ended up ordering the calamari, barramundi with polenta and brulee potatoes from the RW menu. The calamari was probably my least favorite calamari I have eaten. There was no flavor at all. The cajun aioli was ok. The marinara used to dip tasted generic. I asked for ranch and that made it taste a smidge better, but still wasn’t able to help me finish it. The fish was… edible. The portion was definitely on the small side. I really liked the sides! The waitress suggested the brulee potatoes and man those were delicious! Because there were so many people, I was also able to sample a little bit of everything. I liked the rock shrimp cigars and Short rib pappardelle — I wasn’t sure about trying it because of the blue cheese but it wasn’t strong at all.
Service was great. Everyone was very attentive. We had an issue with one of the salmon dishes being overcooked and the waitress took care of it right away. Anytime our water or cocktails would run low, she would be right there.
Overall, it was a decent experience. I’m not rushing to go back anytime soon, but I’m willing to give it another chance (maybe for Sunday brunch because I’ve heard good things and I got a $ 5 off coupon on the receipt). The things I would recommend to anyone who decides to eat here would be the bread (which they bring out anyway so I guess people would try it, but man it is now my favorite bread), the brulee potatoes, and the almond cookie crisp that came with the bread pudding. Everything else was mediocre and is done better elsewhere for half the price.

We ate here the first time this week to celebrate my birthday. Even though it was 3 days ago, I am still seeing the very lovely presentation of my perfectly cooked filet! It was truly one of the best if not THE best steak I have ever eaten. The individual potato casserole was a wonderful compliment to the steak.
My husband had a wonderful salmon with crab ravioli. We were very impressed with everything we were served.
Everyone was so friendly and tried very hard to please and our server was Sarah who was one of the very best! It was an awesome dining experience and we highly recommend the Newport Grill!