Category Archives: Holiday meals

Corned beef and cabbage are on this weekend’s menu

March 13, 201310:27 a.m.

The Shamrock will have Irish food and drink all weekend.

St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday, which means that all over Wichita, cooks are preparing to simmer up pots of the traditional corned beef and cabbage.

Each year, I try to gather a list of who’s offering Irish food specialties. Let me know if you are aware of other bars or restaurants offering Irish fare.

The Artichoke, 811 N. Broadway: The Irish restaurant’s annual party, which spills out into a tent in the parking lot, is from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Admission: $10 for adults, $15 for couples and free for ages 16 and under for activities in the outdoor tent, including live Irish and acoustic music, live Irish dancing and contests. They’ll also serve corned beef and cabbage. For more information, call 316-393-9037

Shamrock Lounge, 1724 W. Douglas: Wichita’s other Irish bar is calling St. Patrick’s Day this year “a holiday so nice, we have to do it twice.” Saturday activities include a 9 a.m. Irish breakfast, Irish and beef stew for lunch, bagpipers at 4 and 8 p.m. and green beer and other drink specials through the day. On Sunday, the bar will open at 11 a.m. with a corned beef and cabbage dinner, which will be served again at 6 p.m., plus bagpipers throughout the day and a 10:30 p.m. performance by The Sluggos. See the Shamrock’s Facebook page for a complete schedule.

Pumphouse, 825 E. Second St.: The bar’s second annual Kegs & Eggs starts Saturday morning with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, offered from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.. It’s $5. The bar also will serve green beer all day and will feature the band Whisky Militia at 2 p.m. On Sunday, the Pumphouse will serve corned beef and cabbage from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Larry Bud’s Sports Bar, 2120 N. Woodlawn and 6200 W. 21st St.: In addition to kegs of green beer, Larry Bud’s will be serving corned beef and cabbage on Sunday with appearances by bagpipers scheduled for 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the east side restaurant. The west side also will have corned beef and cabbage plus bagpipers at 5 p.m.

Piccadilly, 7728 E. Central: The restaurant will have corned beef and cabbage dinners through Saturday and also will add the dish to the Sunday brunch buffet.

Heroes Sports Bar, 117 N. Mosley: Heroes is featuring corned beef and cabbage Friday through Sunday, bagpipers Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. The bar will also have green beer and Guinness specials all weekend.

Toni D’s, 650 N. Carriage Parkway: The restaurant is offering several St. Patrick’s day specials, including a corned beef and cabbage dinner with new potatoes and bread, Reuben sandwiches and decorated cookies. The specials are available 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and are available for eat-in or carry-out.

Walt’s Great American Sports Bar & Grill, 7732 E. Central: Walt’s is serving its traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner for $10.99 a person from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Call 316-691-8800 for more information.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Bar food, Holiday meals | Comments

Where to dine on Christmas Eve

Dec. 24, 20129:05 a.m.

Bocconcini Italian Eatery will be serving until tonight.

Restaurants are pretty unpredictable on Christmas Eve. Some are open regular hours. Some are closed entirely. Others shut down mid-afternoon.

We called around to some of Wichita’s most popular places to compile this list for Christmas Eve diners.

Here are a few places that will be open into the evening hours. If you don’t see your favorite on the list, call. Ya never know. (Unless your favorite is Old Chicago. They’re closing mid-afternoon.)

Bocconcini Italian Eatery, 4811 E. Central: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Chapada Chophouse and Churrascaria, 2142 N. Tyler Road: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ciao Italian Kitchen, 1720 N. Webb Road and 2121 N. Tyler Road: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Redrock Canyon Grill, 1844 N. Rock Road: Open 5 to 9 p.m.

Outback Steakhouse, 2020 N. Rock Road and 233 S. Ridge Road: Open 4 to 10 p.m.

Bonefish Grill, 10250 E.13th St.: Open 4 to 9 p.m.

Hereford House, 1400 Terradyne Drive, Andover: Open 5 to 9 p.m.

Chester’s Chophouse, 1550 N. Webb Road: Open 4:30 to 8 p.m. by reservation only

Newport Grill, 1900 N. Rock Road: Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Scotch and Sirloin, 5325 E. Kellogg: Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

YaYa’s Euro Bistro, 8115 E. 21st St.: Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A.V.I. Seabar and Chophouse, 135 N. Waco: Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hana Cafe, 315 N. Mead: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sabor, 309 N. Mead: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Granite City, 2244 N. Webb Road and 2661 N. Maize Road: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Logan’s Roadhouse, 353 S. Rock Road and 2424 N. Maize Road: Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BJ’s Brewhouse, 7960 E. Kellogg: Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sake Sushi, 650 N. Carriage Parkway: Open 4:30 to 10 p.m.

P.F. Chang’s, 1401 N. Waterfront Parkway: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Red Robin, 9990 E. 13th St.: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On the Border, 1930 N. Rock Road and 2347 N. Maize Road: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

TGI Friday’s, 2441 N. Maize Road: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday meals | Comments

Restaurants open on Christmas Day

Dec. 19, 20129:18 a.m.

Mmmmmm, the flavor of Christmas Day.

The chorus of demands for our annual list of restaurants open on Christmas reached a fever pitch this year. Lots of people are either sick of turkey, craving holiday fried rice, or just don’t feel like cooking on Christmas Day.

Here it is.

This year, our amazing intern Matt made the calls and found the usual list of Asian restaurants, hotel buffets and family diners. And TWO of Wichita’s Starbucks will be open on Christmas this year.

Later today, we’ll also provide the names of several restaurants that will be open on Christmas Eve, which has been the second-most requested list by readers.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Wichita restaurants open on Thanksgiving

Nov. 14, 20124:36 p.m.

Here it is: Our annual list of restaurants open and serving on Thanksgiving Day.

It’s the usual list of hotel buffets, family buffets and turkey dinners offered by 24-hour breakfast places with an upscale, plated meal thrown in for good measure.

As a bonus, I also have a list of restaurants that are willing to smoke or fry your turkey and bake your ham for you to serve at home.

Make reservations on all of the above as soon as you can.

Now, let’s all pause to give thanks for those who will do our holiday cooking work for us.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Thanksgiving story is on its way

Nov. 7, 201212:44 p.m.

Each year around Nov. 1, I start getting e-mails from readers asking me which local restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving Day serving the traditional meal.

I’m working on the list right now, and it will be in the newspaper on Nov. 16, which is a week from Friday. I’ll have it on the web a week from today: Nov. 14.

People need to plan, I know, but if I start the list much earlier, the restaurants often don’t have their details finalized.

If you’re itching to make a reservation before then, though, you could consult my list from last year. My experience is that it changes only a little from year-to-year.

In the meantime, if you know of a restaurant that should be included, please let me know via e-mail or post it in the comments.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Take mom out for Mother’s Day

May 10, 201210:18 a.m.

Larkspur offers a brunch buffet only on Mother's Day each year.

I’ve rounded up my annual list of restaurants putting on special meals for moms on Sunday.

It has the usual list of hotel buffets and restaurants offering all manners of brunchy overindulgence.

I wrote the story when I was hungry, and I was most intrigued by the special Mother’s Day menus being offered at Bella Vita Bistro, which is offering dishes such as an andouille-stuffed pork loin and prosciutto and basil-wrapped chicken breast, and by the special brunch menu Sabor is serving up. Biscuits and chorizo gravy? Yes and yum.

Diners also will want to pay attention to the fact that Larkspur is offering a Mother’s Day buffet. This is the only time of year they join the holiday buffet foray.

Peruse my list and make your Mother’s Day reservations pronto.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Buffets, Holiday meals, Holiday specials | Comments

The Irish-est, eating-ist holiday ever

March 15, 20123:57 p.m.

If only my favorite Patrick was old enough to have an ID...

The interesting St. Paddy’s Day dining deals just keep rolling in this week. Just in the past couple of days, I’ve learned that IHOP is making a green spinach/egg concoction on Saturday, another zillion or so bars are cooking corned beef and cabbage, and Burger King is giving away free fries with green ketchup.

And I learned about this one today, which I love: From noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, anyone named Pat, Patrick, Patricia or Patty will qualify for a free appetizer at Newport Grill, 1900 N. Rock Road. That’s a good deal because Newport Grill has some great appetizers, including rock shrimp cigars. (A co-worker is crying name discrimination, but it’s all in good fun.) The Pats must show their IDs to participate.

Sadly, the only people I know who qualify are my favorite 4-year-old, Patrick, who doesn’t have an ID yet, and a lawyer I once hired, whose services I no longer need. Wait! There’s a nice lady in the advertising department. Maybe I’ll get her to take me. Or perhaps I can lure Patrick Dempsey into town.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Holiday meals | Comments

Where to eat like you’re Irish

March 12, 201211:01 a.m.

St. Patrick’s Day is Saturday, and several restaurants are offering Irish-esque specials or meals designed to celebrate the day. I’m starting the list of them today and hope to have it complete by Friday. E-mail me if there’s a St. Patrick’s Day dining opportunity I’m missing.

Shamrock Lounge, 1724 W. Douglas: The bar will open at 9 a.m. Saturday for a breakfast of “Potatoes O’Dave” and Irish soda bread for $6. The Shamrock’s annual corned beef and cabbage dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 6 to 10 p.m. and is $7 a person. The Shamrock will have a courtside seat to the Delano St. Patrick’s Day parade at noon and will have bagpipers in the bar throughout the day.

Bierocks, Brats n’ BBQ, 1225 W. Douglas: The Delano restaurant will offer Rueben bierocks and Rueben sandwiches and corned beef and cabbage starting today, Guinness Irish stew and Bailey’s chocolate chip cheesecake starting on Wednesday and a pre-parade green eggs and ham breakfast from 7 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 316-393-9580.

Pumphouse, 825 E. Second St.: The bar is putting on an event called Kegs & Eggs that starts Saturday morning with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, offered from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s $5, or for $20, patrons can get the buffet, a T-shirt and a wrist band that’s good for admission all day. Also planned for St. Patty’s Day at the Pumphouse: The Underhill Family Orchestra, a southern folk-rock band, at 1 p.m. and local band Faded from 5 t0 9 p.m. plus gallons and gallons of green beer. For more information, call 316-265-6080.

IHOP: On Saturday only, local IHOPs will serve a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast of green eggs scrambled with spinach, two pancakes, two bacon strips or pork sausage links.

Port of Wichita, 1548 S. Webb: The Port is serving a brunch of green eggs and ham at 11 a.m., along with corned beef and cabbage throughout the day Saturday. There will also be drink specials and live music from Uche, Bus Station Brown, Poultry in Motion and others.

Larry Bud’s Sports Bar, 2120 N. Woodlawn: In addition to  kegs of green beer, Larry Bud’s will be serving corned beef and cabbage, with appearances by bagpipers scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Heroes Sports Bar, 117 N. Mosley: Heroes is featuring corned beef, “Fighting Irish meatballs” and drink specials, with bagpipers expected to play about 6:30 p.m.

British Banger Company, 1713 W. Douglas: The restaurant, which serves British and Irish-style foods, will be open from noon to 3 a.m. on Saturday. After 5 p.m., entrees will be $5.

Piccadilly, 7728 E. Central: The restaurant will have corned beef and cabbage dinners for $10.99 through Sunday.

Walt’s Great American Sports Bar & Grill, 7732 E. Central: Walt’s is serving its traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner for $9.99 a person from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 316-691-8800 for more information.

Toni D’s, 650 N. Carriage Parkway: The restaurant is offering several St. Patrick’s day specials, including a corned beef and cabbage dinner with new potatoes and bread, Reuben sandwiches and decorated cookies. The specials are available 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and are available for eat-in or carry-out.

Mike’s Wine Dive, 4714 E. Douglas: Mike’s is putting on a “Luck of the Irish” Bushmills Irish whiskey and beer tasting at 7 p.m. Thursday. It’ll feature Irish hors d’oeuvres plus samples of several Bushmills whiskeys plus beers such as Smithwicks, Harp and Guinness. Admission is $30 a person, and reservations are required by calling 316-613-2772.

Newport Grill, 1900 N. Rock Road: The restaurant is offering a free appetizer from 11 a.m. t 5 p.m. Saturday to anyone who can prove his or her name is Patrick, Pat, Patty or Patricia.

Blarney Breakfast: The annual Blarney Breakfast, a fundraiser for Rainbows United, is scheduled for 6 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at Old Chicago, 7626 E. Kellogg. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children under 12 and can be purchased at Old Chicago east or at the door the morning of the event. For more information, call 316-721-8226.

Burger King: Wichita Burger Kings will be among those nationwide offering a free small order of fries with a side of green ketchup on Saturday and Sunday. Limit one per customer.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , Filed under Holiday meals, Holiday specials, Uncategorized | Comments

Restaurants open on Christmas

Dec. 14, 201110:37 a.m.

Syed Abbas plans to open his Middle Eastern restaurant Zaytun on Christmas Day.

It might seem a little bit early, but I’ve compiled my list of restaurants planning to be open on Christmas Day. The more time you have to plan, I figure, the better. Plus, I’ve already received about a dozen e-mails from people wanting to know.

As usual, the list includes an interesting mix of Asian eateries, family buffets and a few random restaurants willing to give Christmas hours a go.

There are a few new players this year: Zaytun owner Syed Abbas is planning to open and serve a Middle Eastern brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Day. And the Starbucks at 29th and Rock will open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Christmas. It’ll be the only Starbucks in town that will be open.

Follow this link to see the full list, and if you see that I’ve missed a restaurant, e-mail me. I can still add it between now and Dec. 25.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Asian food, Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Restaurants serving on Thanksgiving Day

Nov. 16, 201111:04 a.m.

It’s Nov. 16, which is the traditional day for readers across the state to begin frantically e-mailing me, demanding to know which restaurants will be open and serving traditional foods on Thanksgiving Day.

So without further turkey adieu, I present this year’s list, which includes an interesting addition: Newport Grill has joined the Thanksgiving Day fray and is serving plated dinners rather than a buffet. (Warning: This story made every editor who dealt with it this morning very, very hungry.)

Know of a restaurant I missed? Let me know. There’s still time for me to get it in the newspaper version of the story, which will be published on Friday.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments