As promised, Chowtown has finally gone south – all the way to The Well in Waldo, to be exact. So if anyone in a red and white stripy sweater ever asks you where’s Waldo simply remember that it’s ’75th and Wornall, basically’. The Well is probably one of the most recognizable eateries in Waldo with its large rooftop marquee terrace which is open year round. I’ve driven past it many times but, using Burger Week as an excuse, I finally stopped by.
For me, The Well is the definition of a sports bar – wooden interior decor with benches and high stools as well as traditional tables fill the main area which is ringed by a series of large flat screen TVs all showing various sports. The end result of which is a vibrant and almost raucous atmosphere and so it’s not somewhere that I would put at the top of my list for people who want to go and converse over a quiet pint. But then that’s not the raison d’etre of The Well.
Opened in 2009 by the Llewellen brothers, The Well is an extension in them of Lew’s Grill and Bar which they opened also in Waldo back in 2004 and Charlie Hoopers which is similar in style but is located in Brookside. It brings a certain vibrancy and life to the heart of Waldo and, casting its net widely in terms of patrons, is normally busy. And what with it being Burger Week our visit was no exception.
Squeezing into a corner table, we poured over what is a particularly extensive menu (which can be found here). Cursing the fact that we had arrived a handful of minutes too late to take advantage of the Saturday Brunch menu, I turned to the main gill menu offering a choice of 8 salads, 16 sandwiches, 8 entrees – many with a southern slant – and 6 varieties of wraps, I plumped for the Slippery Slope Sliders. I chose these because sliders are an unknown thing in the UK and so let me explain. Sliders are basically a small burger, about 3 inches across, that can be served both as appetizer and entree. Nobody knows where the term originates from, but White Castle, (made famous by Harold and Kumar and for being the world’s first fast food chain), trademarked the term Slyder back in the ’80s.
(A trio of Sliders $11.99)
With all that in mind, the trio was really rather good, especially with a splash of chili that comes for an additional $0.99. Special mention also has to go to the homecut-with-skins-on fries, the salt of which complements the spice of the chili, all of which was washed down with a Blue Moon (one of many micro- and local brews which you can find here).
Unfortunately time constraints meant that I wasn’t able to sample the desserts, even though the Cast Iron Chocolate Chunk Cookie was certainly on my radar.
The Well is very much an Everyman establishment in that there’s something there for everyone and it’s certainly not expensive – the shrimp pesto linguine tops off the menu at just $17.99. Which means that $30 will slate all but the most robust of appetites and we’re not talking about pub grub here, this is good bar food. And they cater!
But it’s more than just good food and beer, it also has a tantalizing cocktail menu. Of the 11 on the list, pride of place has to go to The Matriarch which. I mean who could say no to a mix of gin, triple sec and lavender for just nine bucks?
It is certainly the case that The Well can be considered to be a microcosm of Waldo, as the owners are very active in the local area, and source from many local distributors.
And if you need any other excuse to enjoy The Well, consider this: it is open 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Yep that’s 365 days where you can enjoy a slice of good living and entertainment in comfort at the very heart of Waldo. What is there not to enjoy?
Location:7421 Broadway
Kansas City, MO 64114
Restaurant: [816] 361 1700
Catering: [816] 255 3341
Hours: Monday thru Friday 11 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. – Midnight
A Briton's Guide to food in Kansas City 