Fritz's Railroad Restaurant - Kansas City, KS - Worth checking out? (Center: neighborhood, school)

[MOKAN]

In all these years, and being from Kansas City, KS, I've never gone to this place. Thanks to YouTube, I now know how a model train can bring an order to a table. This is the original, long-time location in KCK's urban core. There's also a newer location at Crown Center and apparently even Shawnee. Has anybody eaten here? If so, how is the food?

Fritz's Railroad Restaurant - Dine on the Fritz's Line!


Fritz's Railroad Restaurant Kansas City, KS - YouTube

[thriftylefty]

Great home-style burgers and fries. You don't stay in business that long at the same location without doing things right. I thought they were a step up from the other Kansas City based Burger chain, Grifft's. Grifft's is about a mile away from Fritz's, was more of a teenage hang out, but Fritz had a little more family atmosphere. I ate lunch there abut five years ago, I had forgotten about all the old neighborhood Burger joints back when french fries tasted like potatoes.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

Great home-style burgers and fries. You don't stay in business that long at the same location without doing things right. I thought they were a step up from the other Kansas City based Burger chain, Grifft's. Grifft's is about a mile away from Fritz's, was more of a teenage hang out, but Fritz had a little more family atmosphere. I ate lunch there abut five years ago, I had forgotten about all the old neighborhood Burger joints back when french fries tasted like potatoes.

I'm going to have to drag a friend over there to check it out and show off a little bit of KCK. I have to wonder why they opened a generic location in Shawnee rather than Village West - seems like a perfect fit.

I'm 26 and only vaguely remember that chain. It's actually 'Griff's'. While visiting my grandma at her downtown KCK home, when I was very young, we would sometimes go there. There was a location on 7th Street, across from Memorial Hall, on the south edge of downtown KCK. I noticed the building has been recently demolished. Last I recall, it was a Mexican restaurant. It appears Griff's was founded in KCMO, but is now HQ'd in Dallas with few remaining locations left, mostly in the South. It's interesting how small and regional businesses seem to do much better in the big-bad South whereas in the North huge corporate chains rule. It seems counterintuitive to certain rhetoric.

Griff's Hamburgers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[kcmo]

Food is terrible (and expensive) at the crown center location. It's much better (but not great) at the kck location. It's a neat place to take out of towners that have young kids and I think it fits Crown Center perfectly while the KCK location is more of a locals place.

If they were to open in village west, they would probably have severely hurt their original restaurant. Even Shawnee seems a bit risky. The place is very unique and if they try to expand it too much, I would predict it would backfire and the entire company would go belly-up, so hopefully they are very careful.

But I'm very surprised you have not been there being a kck native.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Food is terrible (and expensive) at the crown center location. It's much better (but not great) at the kck location. It's a neat place to take out of towners that have young kids and I think it fits Crown Center perfectly while the KCK location is more of a locals place.

If they were to open in village west, they would probably have severely hurt their original restaurant. Even Shawnee seems a bit risky. The place is very unique and if they try to expand it too much, I would predict it would backfire and the entire company would go belly-up, so hopefully they are very careful.

But I'm very surprised you have not been there being a kck native.

I dont think the food is terrible and it is moderately priced. It is diner food and is on par with most diners. I took my kids a couple of months ago and the three of us ate for less than $15 which is cheaper than most fast food restaurants now.

[TabulaRasa]

I've only been to the Crown Center location (taking student groups, and it's the closest to my school). IMO, the food is mediocre, but the presentation is adorable. Worth fairly generic burgers and fries. Grilled cheese is okay, though!

[faintlyamused]

Ah, I used to go to the original Fritz's with my Grandma when I was a kid. It's a cute place, but I don't remember the food.

[bonedoc2be]

Foods "ok" but my kids (2,4,6yo) go bonkers over the trains that actually deliver your food. They freaking love it so until they grow out of it, we occasionally go (once every few months). This is the Shawnee one i am mentioning.

[nmnita]

sounds cute, sounds relatively inexpensive so if we have time we might give it a try when we are in KC a couple of months from now.

Nita