Founded by restaurateur Ryan Maybee and chef Howard Hanna, this downtown hot spot occupies the former Rieger Hotel, which dates all the way back to 1915. Many of the building’s original architectural details have been left intact, including the tile flooring, bathroom fixtures, and much of the decor, creating an almost nostalgic feel throughout the restaurant. In this stylish setting, Hanna serves what might be considered high-end Heartland cuisine—whole smoked trout, rabbit thigh, and pork shank and trotter to share—which is perfect for pairing with classic cocktails like the Missouri Mule (local vodka, house-made ginger soda, and lime). For a post-dinner drink, head downstairs to Manifesto, an almost-hidden lounge in the basement that served as the Rieger Hotel’s speakeasy during Prohibition.
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A Throwback to KC’s Wild Past
Imbibe’s 2013 Bartender of the Year, Ryan Maybee has created a throwback to Kansas City’s speakeasy age with Manifesto, an underground bar beneath the historic Rieger Hotel Grill and Exchange in the Crossroads District (the building with the giant “Monogram Whiskey” mural facing south). The space is an intimate candlelit venue designed to evoke the prohibition days in Kansas City—you even have to text (816) 536-1325 to get “permission” to enter by the back of the hotel (though you can walk through the dining room from the front Main Street entrance to get there). If they’re full, you’ll receive a text when your spot is open. Then menu celebrates KC’s gangster and political machine past, with drinks dedicated to “Boss” Tom Pendergast and the like. The menu changes, but anything with Maybee’s signature, house-made Kansas City Smoked Bitters is a must—including The Derailleur aperitif, or The Kansas City Sling.
