The Red Door Grill: Atmosphere, Service & Exceptional Wood-Fired Comfort

How do you measure an exceptional dining experience? For some, it’s all about the vibe. Is it a fun place? Can I enjoy conversation without yelling? Any chance I might run into friends and neighbors?

Others demand a cocktail so unique they couldn’t begin to replicate it at home and a pleasant, attentive service team with full knowledge of the menu, including the origin of the beef being served.
Good news! You don’t have to choose between great service and atmosphere. You don’t have to give up easy conversation for an unbelievable gin and tonic. And yes, at The Red Door Grill, your friendly server can tell you that your KC strip is dry-aged angus beef and was raised just down the road in Butler, Missouri, by Hertzog Meat Company, a ranch that’s been raising cattle in Missouri since 1870.

The Red Door Grill checks every box! And they make everything from scratch—simple syrups, marinades, batters, pretzels, sauces, all of it! With six locations throughout the metro, three in Kansas and three in Missouri, you are a short drive from a memorable experience, especially this holiday season.

Looking for a cozy place to dine with out-of-town guests? Planning a holiday happy hour with clients, co-workers or friends? This is the place to celebrate. Every location is fa-la-la-la festive thanks to the innovative, high-end design of Studio Dan Meiners. As soon as you open the red door, you’ll see that Josh, Angela and the rest of the team roll out the red carpet for the holidays.

Your decision to visit Red Door Grill is easy, but choosing which hand-crafted, holiday cocktail to order will not be easy. Let’s see if I can help. If you’re already tired of Christmas music, perhaps you should order the Grinch; it’s a fluorescent green, sour spin on an apple martini, and just maybe, the red cake sprinkles on the rim will get you to smile. If you’re hoping for a white Christmas, consider ordering the Snowball Fight, which is basically adult chocolate milk. If you’re more of a traditionalist, the bartenders will also be serving up the classics, mixed with KC’s own J. Rieger& Co. spirits. On a cold day, you cannot go wrong with an Old Fashioned, but if you’re wanting to try something new, order the Blackberry Mule or the one I cannot forget, the Gin and Tonic with chamomile, grapefruit, juniper berries and a sprig of rosemary; I promise this one will jingle your bells!

Now that you have your beverage order ready, let’s talk apps. I promise you, there is no need to think about this, just order the Pretzel Bites; actually, get two orders. I’m not kidding. They’re firm, not too chewy on the outside and pillow soft in the middle with the right amount of chunky salt sprinkled on top and served with a side of smoked green chili queso. Next level yum! If you’re feeling like a warm meal of cozy, comfort food and it happens to be a Thursday, order the Jalapeño Fried Chicken. It’s marinated in a unique and secret jalapeno buttermilk for four days, hand-breaded to order right before being pressure fried to perfection, served with jalapeño dipping sauce, a homemade cornbread and side of your choosing. I enjoyed the roasted garlic mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy but was certainly eyeballing those Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Jam; I’ll order those next time.

Need some comfort food and it’s not Thursday? Seven days a week, Red Door Grill serves Big Gary’s Meatloaf. I’ll be honest, meatloaf has never been something I ordered—until now! Savory and ketchup crusted, never dry and served on top of roasted garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy and a side of pesto garlic butter roasted veggies, this old-school recipe was developed by Gary, the founder of Red Door Grill, as a nod to the OG, Original Gary, his father, and shall never, ever be changed and will always be available. Amen. Yep, the meatloaf is a religious experience.
I’ll be completely honest with you, I’m a salad snob. Salads are an opportunity for the culinary team to get creative, flex their flavor knowledge and layer those flavors and textures into something memorable such as the Chimichurri Salmon Salad. Woodfired grilled salmon, drizzled with chimichurri sauce, sits atop fresh field greens and a generous mix of grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumber, green beans, toasted almonds, goat cheese tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. This salad is satisfying and full of flavor from the first bite to the last. But if you prefer chicken over salmon, then order the house specialty, Julie’s Woodfired Chicken Salad, marinated, grilled chicken breast served over arugula, artichoke, asparagus, mushrooms, kalamata olives and goat cheese tossed in a savory basil oil, equally satisfying and full of flavor.

The Red Door Grill is the delicious, festive gift choice this holiday season, too! Their signature Jalapeño sauce is now bottled and ready for purchase. I’d like this in my stocking, please! And I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t enjoy the gift of a night out. For a limited time, when you purchase a $100 gift card to Red Door Grill you will receive $25 off your next visit. When you purchase a $50 gift card, you receive $10 off your next visit.

With six locations in Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park, Brookside, Lee’s Summit and Liberty, I’m sure there is one close to you. Grab some friends, get merry and try something new! If the Red Door Grill isn’t new to you, then one of these delicious dishes or cocktails will be. Oh, and be sure to make a reservation. They open their red doors at 11:00 a.m. during the week and feature happy hour from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Plus, there’s $5 Burger Monday, Fried Chicken Thursday and Whiskey-Soaked Prime Rib Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Show up at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday to enjoy their rockin’ brunch menu.

Check out their website for a full menu, list of locations or to place a carry-out order; yes, I said the ambiance is warm and inviting but so are your sofa and slippers. Enjoy rustic woodfired comfort food for the win!

Visit reddoorgrill.com for menus and reservations.