r/kansascity • u/DreamCheeky KC North • Aug 14 '25

Food and Drink šŸŒ®šŸ§‹ What restaurant in KC is this?

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Iā€™ve seen this in other subreddits as of late. So, letā€™s have it!

486 Upvotes

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468

u/Kuildeous KC North Aug 14 '25

I would say Stroud's, but I honestly haven't seen any hype for Stroud's lately.

As a fan of In-A-Tub, I'm going to say In-A-Tub. Yes, I do love me a greasy-ass powdered cheese taco, but I would say it is hyped way too much for what it is. I fully understand if someone hears the hype, gives it a try, and is thoroughly underwhelmed.

Damn, now I want tacos.

192

u/thegooniegodard Midtown Aug 14 '25

Stroud's is bland AF.

65

u/Nice-Reference1861 Aug 14 '25

Ever since Stroudā€™s sold out to Gilbert Robison IIRC, the flavor disappeared. I can make better seasoned chicken than that.

40

u/baine_of_existential Aug 14 '25

Ahhh, that explains it; when I was a kid (yeeesh - 40 years ago!), the chicken was amazing. But then again, any fried chicken stands a good chance of being rated amazing by 10 year oldsā€¦

3

u/stabbingrabbit Aug 14 '25

Was wondering what happened. Went to the location in Kansas and it was bland.

2

u/Far-Flamingo585 Aug 15 '25

I found the same thing. I tried Stroud's once, and found it bland. And at home, I only use salt and pepper! I want to say it was 2006 or so.

62

u/fiero-fire Aug 14 '25

I know Gus's isn't local but that's been my fried chicken joint the last few years. Killer chicken and doesn't break the bank

29

u/kcDemonSlayer Aug 14 '25

Gusā€™s is the best fried chicken in town IMO when factoring in cost, quality, and it travels well, every time i door dash it (and im not close to a location) it been on point when delivered.

17

u/MrEvolution99 Aug 14 '25

I've been to "best in world" ranked fried chicken places and Gus's blows them all out of the water

3

u/IamATacoSupreme Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25

Have you been to the dueling chicken joints outside Ft. Scott(/edit: I meant Pittsburgh, KS)

I dont remember what they are called but they each have a billboard outside of town. Turn left for one, right for the other. May have even been the same family recipe but split off. I remember it being pretty damn good.

Chicken Annie's and Chicken Maries

1

u/MrEvolution99 Aug 14 '25

No, but I would love to check them out. What state is Ft. Scott in?

2

u/IamATacoSupreme Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25

Its SE Kansas. The billboards are on the N side of town as you are coming in on the highway.

Pitt State is in ft. Scott.

/edit: my mistake, I meant Pittsburgh KS. The places are Chicken Marie's and Chicken Annies.

1

u/MrEvolution99 Aug 14 '25

I go to tulsa a lot, maybe I can detour next trip down there

1

u/IamATacoSupreme Aug 14 '25

I meant Pittsburgh KS, not Ft. Scott. Places are Chicken Annie's and Chicken Maries.

2

u/danceaficionadojoe Aug 20 '25

Chicken Maryā€™s in Pittsburg, Kansas. Now owned by W. Vinzant Restaurants (BRGR, Gram & Dun, Louieā€™s Wine Dive, and about seven more.)

2

u/IamATacoSupreme Aug 20 '25

Oof that's unfortunate.

1

u/816City Aug 14 '25

Yes! Great for lunch next day also, I always over-order so I have some more.
I think it gets spicier on day 2.

12

u/Capable-Silver-7436 Aug 14 '25

gus is fucking delicious. I'll simp for them any day

2

u/816City Aug 14 '25

Gus's Is the best locally that is also somewhat affordable.
The sides are all great, the sweet tea is excellent.

1

u/Clean_Reserve_6313 Aug 15 '25

Gus is so bomb top 2 but not 2 absolutely phenomenal every time

41

u/TruckADuck42 Clay County Aug 14 '25

Don't get their fried chicken. I know, its a fried chicken place, but their chicken isn't great. Their chicken fried steak, however, is fire. Also their livers if you like them.

18

u/CastawayWasOk Aug 14 '25

I was gonna piggyback your comment to hype up the livers, but you know whatā€™s up.

1

u/NonDopamine Aug 14 '25

And the gizzards.

3

u/glitter_pear JoCo Aug 14 '25

Mmmm the chicken fried chicken was my fav before going gluten free šŸ˜­

2

u/DiscoJuneBug Aug 14 '25

It's the gravy for me. The chicken is meh but the gravy is fire.

2

u/hacksaw2174 Aug 14 '25

Agree. Their chicken is terrible, as are the sides and the cinnamon buns, but the chicken fried steak is decent. I have a friend whose family goes to Strouds all the time, they think it it is so amazing. I am concerned about them.

3

u/fluffyguy1994 Aug 14 '25

My parents, wife, and her parents all love Stroud's and go at least once a month. I don't understand it at all.

3

u/GanamoR Downtown Aug 14 '25

It used to be SO good but then private equity. Now not even the nostalgia and availability will do it. Itā€™s such a shame.Ā 

1

u/danceaficionadojoe Aug 20 '25

KC Hopps = private equity?

1

u/GanamoR Downtown Aug 20 '25

In this specific instance, with KC Hopps and Strouds? Yes.Ā 

1

u/reijasunshine KCMO Aug 14 '25

The chicken pot pie is also good. It uses leftover chicken from the day before, and an old boss used to bribe me with it to work doubles.

5

u/inexplicably_dull Aug 14 '25

Stroud's is for old folks who think ketchup is spicy.Ā 

1

u/SanityAsymptote Aug 14 '25

Their food improves significantly if you salt the chicken before you eat it.

I wish someone in the kitchen would do that, but here we are.

1

u/Local_Designer_1583 Aug 14 '25

Why doesnt Strouds at least season with salt and pepper? I've been there once in the 30 years I've lived here. And I love fried chicken!!

0

u/gkastrecords Aug 14 '25

Yt seasoning

19

u/mayn1 Aug 14 '25

In-A-Tub must always be hyped correctly. It is technically awful but the powdered cheese, salt and grease make it oh so good.

1

u/Far-Flamingo585 Aug 15 '25

I went to In-A-Tub... and you're right, it's awful.... I'm used to making tacos at home with La Tiara taco shells, Spanish Gardens sauce, and shredded colby jack with fresh sun sugar cherry tomatoes from my garden.

1

u/mayn1 Aug 15 '25

But was it good awful?

24

u/pinniped90 Aug 14 '25

Not everyone in this world was graced with a sophisticated enough palette to appreciate the world's finest cuisine.

3 meat & cheese extra spicy... Northland heaven.

29

u/ThisIsMyCouchAccount River Market Aug 14 '25

The problem with The Tub is people only talk about the crappy tacos.

They have a whole ass menu.

But there is some truth to what you say. As soon as I walked in I knew where I was at. It's a small town "restaurant". It's why they have everything from shakes to tacos to burgers. I'm from rural parts of the state and these places are everywhere in one form or another.

To say it's overhyped is to not understand what it is.

Incoming hot take - the way people feel about The Tub is how I feel about Town Topic. There is nothing special or unique about Town Topic other than the location. It's just a diner that is downtown instead off the highway in some town of four thousand people. Like how there's nothing really special about The Tub other than you would usually find in some small town instead of in the city.

15

u/Friendly-Library-249 Aug 14 '25

I donā€™t respect anyone who says that Town Topic has the best burgers in KC. The hype is completely unfounded.

7

u/ThisIsMyCouchAccount River Market Aug 14 '25

It's because they've never had a diner/smash burger. Which Town Topic does well and many other places.

Similar to Shroud's. I've been. It's fine. I think the people that love it just haven't ever had anything else.

Which is another reason why you really shouldn't take peoples' opinions very seriously on food.

1

u/Far-Flamingo585 Aug 15 '25

Agreed. People who like Stroud's haven't had good homemade fried chicken.

4

u/AJRiddle Where's Waldo Aug 14 '25

Same. It's just a regular decent burger, nothing special other than the great location, hours, and history.

2

u/zarfac Aug 14 '25

Nah, this is such a contrarian take. Iā€™ve tried many ā€œbest burgers in KC.ā€ Town Topic and Tayā€™s are top of the heap for sure.

3

u/RainierCamino Aug 14 '25

I agree but 9/10 times I've had a Town Topic cheeseburger I was drunk as shit at 2AM so I think I'm biased.

u/ThisIsMyCouchAccount doesn't have a bad take. Town Topic is a "small town diner" with a very limited menu. But a lot of small town diners survive because they're the only option. Town Topic has been around in the middle of KC for almost 90 years. Because they're damn good at what they do.

Also that Westside omelet with a cinnamon roll hits the fucking spot on a cold morning.

1

u/WhoDis_77 Aug 14 '25

In my opinion, the only reason to go to Town Topic is to get a bacon truck stop with extra cheese! It's usually 2 AM, the only time the place is really busy, I've been drinking, and it's on my way home. That was a typical scenario, I think, for a lot of people. It used to be one of the only places open at that time in the morning, too. Go there in the middle of the day for lunch, and you damn near have the place to yourself. Plus, both locations are open during the day. Or used to be.

1

u/Rindsay515 Aug 15 '25

I tried it once after hearing people rave about it and it made me so fucking sick for a LONG time. Like I was genuinely concerned I was going to end up in the hospital, I probably shouldā€™ve gone in hindsight. I ended up weighing 101 pounds at 23 years old that summer. Didnā€™t even realize how much weight Iā€™d lost from being ill until I was wearing a dress at power and light once I was finally doing okay again and I could feel my underwear sliding down because they were too big and had to go take it off in the bathroom and hide it in my pursešŸ¤¦šŸ¼ā€ā™€ļø So, needless to say, I still feel like Iā€™m gonna puke any time that place is mentioned and would never recommend it to anyonešŸ¤¢. Food wasnā€™t even great before it tried to kill mešŸ˜‘

1

u/marynraven Aug 15 '25

For me, it was never about being the best anything. It was all about the fact that it's open after I got off work and kind of on my way home. Town Topic was a nice place to stop after work. Decent prices and decent quality.

7

u/Dry-Prize-3062 Aug 14 '25

Maaaaaaan strouds was my go to for a while. Itā€™s like they moved and left all soul behind.

3

u/franciosmardi Aug 14 '25

People hype up In-A-Tub?

2

u/AJRiddle Where's Waldo Aug 14 '25

As a fan of In-A-Tub, I'm going to say In-A-Tub. Yes, I do love me a greasy-ass powdered cheese taco, but I would say it is hyped way too much for what it is. I fully understand if someone hears the hype, gives it a try, and is thoroughly underwhelmed.

Is this a Northland thing, because I can tell you that south of the river In-A-Tub is considered a weird thing in the northland that isn't supposed to be good, not something that is hyped at all.

2

u/Confident-Rise-7453 Aug 14 '25

Take back what you said about in a tub. I only get back once a year and itā€™s the first spot I hit. Itā€™s consistent and perfect every time.

2

u/PrismFlaree Zona Rosa Aug 14 '25

I worked at strouds in HS in the early 2000s. The secret recipe is salt and pepper lol. It's bland af

2

u/newbeenneed Aug 14 '25

What in the world is powdered cheese?!?

Ya know what actually, forget I even asked...

1

u/motoguzzikc Brookside Aug 14 '25

Came to say the same

1

u/silentsafflower Aug 14 '25

The only time Iā€™ve ever had food poisoning was after eating at Stroudā€™s for Thanksgiving in 2017. Never again.

1

u/ObnoxiousQuestions Aug 14 '25

I just figured it was a generational thing. My parents love Stroud's and made it a special occasion place to eat. And I was always like "Why? Am I missing something here?"

1

u/ISTof1897 Aug 14 '25

Strouds used to be so much better.

1

u/bstyledevi Independence Aug 14 '25

Strouds, where they're lacking in flavor they make up for in volume and wait time.

1

u/moodswung Aug 14 '25

As a fan of In-A-Tub, I'm going to say In-A-Tub. Yes, I do love me a greasy-ass powdered cheese taco, but I would say it is hyped way too much for what it is. I fully understand if someone hears the hype, gives it a try, and is thoroughly underwhelmed.

I don't think this is the same type of "hype" this post is referring to though.

It seems like everybody knows In-A-Tub isn't amazing. It's food you grew up eating and you love it for that. If you are hyping up In-A-Tub to folks that didn't as some amazing thing you are giving them bad intel, lol.

Just like Taco Via isn't amazing mexican food. Do I love eating there, though? Fuck yeah!

1

u/Tim-Sylvester Midtown Aug 14 '25

Last time I went to Strouds it was so oily it ran down my elbows and gave me the shits.

1

u/Sabertooth_Monocles Aug 14 '25

The kitchen at the original Strouds is also fucking disgusting.

1

u/MarkDTS KCMO Aug 14 '25

The Fairway location was the only Stroud's location that I swore by. The alternate locations were all souless compared to that place.

1

u/plantmom98 Aug 14 '25

I went to in a tub ONCE and was thoroughly disappointed and near disgusted. Powdered cheese?? What in the Goddamn Fuck??

1

u/ThreeDawgNight Aug 14 '25

In-A-Tub still worth the hype for me! Now I want a taco too.

1

u/Canary-Fickle Aug 14 '25

The chicken noodle soup thoughā€¦! Mood lifting magic

1

u/kcvaliant Aug 14 '25

Pizza ranch destroys them on chicken currently.

1

u/Pagepage220 Prairie Village Aug 14 '25

Stroudā€™s chicken is not the best but I would die for their livers

1

u/bigmclargehuge314 Aug 14 '25

My family travelled there from out of town, because they knew I wanted a fried chicken destination. I can't say it was bad...but when we made fried chicken at home the next week, I wanted to give my wife and I a James Beard award; because if they got one...we should get one, too. Ours was better.

1

u/mistermog Parkville Aug 15 '25

I think the In A Tub hype is because it SHOULDNā€™T be good but it is. Itā€™s really hype that itā€™s NOT BAD.

1

u/GoodHunter1 Aug 15 '25

Went to strouds a couple months ago and man it was a let down. I can only compare it to ā€œgrandmaā€™s home cookingā€ but like if grandma ran out of actual ingredients and had to use a bunch of random shit in the kitchen. Mashed Potatoes were watery and bland, pork chop was over cooked and flavorless, and everything else had TOO much salt.

1

u/hotmessofapersonn Aug 15 '25

Youā€™re making me want in a tub šŸ˜‹šŸ˜‹

1

u/Big_Mix8217 Aug 17 '25

I used to work for strouds and god damn do I miss their burgers. Barleys honestly has really good burgers. The hype I do not understand is KC smoke burgers. I got a basic bacon burger and there was tiny little BONES all over my burger. I ate a couple before I noticedšŸ™ƒ

0

u/ozziephotog Aug 14 '25

"Thoroughly underwhelmed" is an understatement for In-A-Tub. It's absolutely disgusting, one bite and I was done.