7 Soul Food Restaurants in Kansas City, MO You Need to Try

Soul food at its core, as defined by Chef Millie Peartree, is “basic, down-home cooking that's been passed down through many generations, with its roots in the rural South.” So when you’re craving comfort food while in the South, what better food than soul food? And what better soul food restaurants than in Kansas City? Here are our favorite soul food restaurants in Kansas City, MO you need to try next time you’re in town.

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1. King’s Table Soul Food

The best soul food in Kansas City

5932 Prospect Ave | Kansas City | facebook.com/kingstablesoul  

One of the top-visited soul food restaurants in Kansas City is none other than King’s Table Soul Food. They serve everything from Fried Ribs and Shrimp & Grits to Baked Chicken and Dressing and Chitterlings, as well as many other comfort dishes. They also offer burgers, wings, and pasta for the less adventurous, or at least those craving something more simple in flavor. 

In addition to lunch and dinner offerings, there is also a huge breakfast menu served all day, every day. Chicken and Waffles? You know they have it, plus many more options like pancakes, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches, and breakfast plates. 

Local and visitors alike love the affordable prices here at King’s Table Soul Food. But not to worry, they are not sacrificing quality for affordability. The food here is arguably the best in Kansas City, and the prices are just icing on the cake. You should come and see for yourself!

You can purchase a GiftYa to King’s Table Soul Food here!

“This place right here! My husband and I came to KC for a Sunday night Chiefs game. We stopped in before the game and he ordered neckbone, yams, mac n cheese, greens and I had fried pork chops, black eyed peas and cabbage. Baaaby ...  PERFECTION.” - Yelp Review 

2. Niecie's Restaurant

Soul food diner with a focus on fast, quality service

6441 Troost Ave | Kansas City | nieciesrestaurant.com 

This soul food diner has been serving the Kansas City community for over 35 years. Everyone in Kansas City, Overland Park, Raytown, Lee's Summit, and the surrounding areas have heard of Niecie’s Restaurant. Their success can largely be attributed to their outstanding service. Their motto is even, “Good Food, Served Right.”

But service clearly isn’t the only thing attributing to its longevity. Owner Denise Ward had a dream to open a restaurant to share the recipes she learned from her mother. These recipes have continued to bring a smile to the faces of those who sit down for a meal at Niece’s. 

Whether you come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you are sure to enjoy every bite. We recommend coming on Friday nights for their Beef Short Ribs special, but if that’s not to your taste, there are different specials every day of the week. Check out the specials and see what night they are offering your favorite!

Be sure to snag a piece of Niece’s Homemade Peach Cobbler before you head out!

You can purchase a GiftYa for Niece’s Restaurant here!

“What can I say I'm a sucker for trying some southern style chicken and waffles and Niecie's does not disappoint. If you want to try southern style Chicken and Waffles here in the Midwest and experience some of that southern hospitality then come by Niecie's.” - Yelp Review 

3. PeachTree Restaurant & Cafeteria

One of a kind dining experience

6800 Eastwood Trafficway | Northeast | peachtreecafeteria.com 

This cafeteria-style soul food buffet is the only of its kind here in Kansas City. You can walk up to the buffet and fill your plate with all of your favorites, and maybe even try something new. 

You need to check their online menu for what they are serving on any given day. But some of the meats they offer include Fried Chicken, Bar-B-Que Ribs, Baked Chicken, and Southern Fried Catfish. They also have all of your favorite sides like collard greens, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, corn on the cob, and more. For dessert, you can choose from Peach Cobbler, Buttermilk Cornbread, Bread Pudding, and various kinds of cake. 

Many celebrities stop by PeachTree when they are in the area: Wendy Williams and New York Yankee Brett Gardner to name a few. Many other athletes, actors, and musicians have come to PeachTree to enjoy this buffet soul food experience you can’t find anywhere else. 

You can purchase a GiftYa for PeachTree Cafeteria & Restaurant here!

“I stopped in here for a quick bite before my next stop. OMG the baked catfish in butter and lemon was amazing! This place is a hidden gem for sure. Food was very good, if you are in the area, check it out.” - Yelp Review 

4. Love Is Key Food And Dessert Innovation

Brunch and dessert shop

3000 Troost Ave | Kansas City | loveiskeykc.com 

It all started with a grandmother’s love of cooking, a mother’s joy of baking, and a son’s ambition. Today, Love is Key is a brunch restaurant and dessert shop and so much more. Their goal is to spread love to their community through food and education in a trauma sensitive restaurant.

You can get cake waffle sandwiches - cake waffles stuffed with bacon, eggs, and more - at an affordable price of around $10. Our favorite is the King Cake Waffle Sandwich, a cake waffle stuffed with sausage, bacon, egg, cheese, and potatoes. Waffles Meals include the Thicker Than That Thang (two cake waffles, bacon or sausage, eggs, and potatoes), the Midwestern (beef Polish sausage with potatoes), and the Southern Bell (three fried chicken wings atop a cake waffle).

For dessert, you will find yourself deciding between Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake, Caramel Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Cake. We recommend the Caramel Cake, but follow your heart!

Drinks are also served in juice pouches for the fun of it, so enjoy sipping on your orange or fruit juice like you did when you were a kid!

“We popped in here for carry out after spotting some reviews. The brunch portion was huge and the food was seasoned to perfection. The waffle sandwiches were delicious and the chicken and waffles were crispy but not dry.” - Yelp Review

5.  Ms R's Cafe

Soul food, fast food style 

720 Quindaro Blvd | Kansas City | facebook.com/msrsoulfood 

This family owned restaurant has been serving soul food, fast food style, since 1985. This super affordable spot is great if you want soul food in a hurry and at a good price. They also serve regular fast food like burgers and fries as well as breakfast items like breakfast sandwiches.

Typical fast food, from burgers to nachos to Philly cheesesteak, is served nightly, while dinner specials vary from night to night. Right now, the Friday Special consists of fried chicken, fried fish, neckbones, beef and liver gravy, and BBQ riblets. While the current Tuesday Special is made up of salisbury steak, fried pork chops, pig tails, neck bones, and BBQ chicken. All dinners come with your choice of two sides, but these vary from day to day as well. 

They also serve breakfast any time of day, and have delicious dessert choices as well. They have cobbler, cake, pie, and ice cream. So you have many options on what sweet treat you want to end your night with.

Just need the Yelp quote and a link to the GiftYa page if it’s available!

6. Southern Kitchen

Home-style Southern comfort food

13135 State Line Rd | Kansas City | southernkitchenkc.com 

Originally known for their Cajun favorites - thanks to owners and New Orleans transplants Mark and Robin Drouin - Southern Kitchen has expanded their menu to offer many of your favorite Southern home-style dishes. 

Shrimp and Grits is always a hit, but here, it’s the real deal. Seasoned shrimp, Andouille sausage, and cheddar cheese on grits. This is one of those meals that is so good, it even photographs well.

The Fried Crawfish Tails Poboy is also very good and very filling. It's a French bread sandwich stuffed with 5 oz of scrumptious fresh breaded crawfish tails, all of the fixins, and a creamy sauce.

You absolutely cannot skimp on dessert. They have Bread Pudding with a butter rum sauce, which more specifically is a vanilla custard pudding mixed with cinnamon and topped with butter rum glaze, and it is to die for. Beignets, deep fried donut pastries covered with powdered sugar, are also a classic New Orleans dessert, so of course they’ve got those as well.

Southern Kitchen also offers a kids menu complete with fish, chicken tenders, and shrimp all served with fries, as well as lunch and daily specials. We recommend coming on either Wednesday or Saturday, Wednesday for hand breaded or grilled shrimp with your choice of side for $13 and Saturday for shrimp and grits with your choice of side for the same price.

“Southern Kitchen is by far one of the best kept secrets in South Leawood. The shrimp and grits were cheesy and delicious, with just spicy enough sausage. Bread pudding is to literally die for. Do not sleep on this place!” - Yelp Review

 7. Fat Jack’s Chicken and Fish 

Family-friendly soul food restaurant

5912 Blue Pkwy | Kansas City | fat-jacks-chicken-fish.business.site 

This family-friendly soul food restaurant in Kansas City is known for having the best jump shrimp in town. They also specialize in chicken and other seafood! From wings and boneless tenders to fried fish and fried shrimp, they have the best of the best chicken and seafood on offer.

If you can’t decide between the two, they have different combinations so that you don’t have to choose. The #25, 4 wings (your choice of wing flavor), 4 fish (whiting fish or basa catfish), and 2 small sides is our go-to, while the #27, 2 wings, 2 jumbo shrimp, and 2 small sides is also very popular.

Fat Jack’s also has a variety of family/party deals as well as a kids menu, so this is certainly one of the more-family friendly soul food restaurants in Kansas City. The Fat Jack Family Deal includes a 1 lb. fish, 12 jumbo shrimp, 12 wings, and 2 large sides, while the Fat Jack Party Deal includes a 2 lb. fish, 15 boneless tenders, 20 jumbo shrimp, 24 wings, and 2 large sides. Now that’s a lot of food! But it’s a great day and a super easy way to order for a large party.

We love that their drive through is open until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays! You never know when you will need that fried food fix. 

“I'm not sure what they season their fish with, but it's delicious. Portions are good and they usually have some type of special going on, so the prices are always good. I can't wait to try their shrimp.” - Yelp Review 

Kansas City not only has amazing soul food, but they have different soul food restaurants for every occasion. Whether you want a drive through for a late night fried shrimp run, a family-friendly restaurant to take your family for dinner, a unique dining experience that you won’t find anywhere else, or just a restaurant with some really good soul food, you can find it in Kansas City.

Which one of these soul food restaurants in Kansas City, MO will you be trying first? Let us know in the comments!