POV: you have a beer and wings palate but married someone who knows all the new places opening in Kansas City, so you get dragged to a place described as an “upscale cosmic cocktail lounge.” You hop in an Uber expecting to eat over-thought Sysco foods plated to look professional and choke down a couple cocktails you don’t understand (or like) and hail an Uber so you can get to the ceramics date you’ve had planned for months as part of your ten year anniversary.
Instead, two hours later, you find yourself devastated to leave. Already late to said ceramics date, you promise your brand new friends to try and come back after it’s over because somehow “upscale” and “cocktail lounge” didn’t manage to capture laugh-out-loud friendliness and inclusivity, unforgettable cuisine, or its educational and absolutely mind-blowingly delicious and inventive cocktails.
Moonstone is a brand spanking new “upscale cosmic cocktail lounge” positioned on top of its also awesome sister destination Two Birds, One Stone on KC’s riverfront. But nothing I’ve read or heard does this place justice.
Walking into the lounge you’re hit with swanky, artistic vibes from the get-go. A picturesque quote awaits you on the stairs as you enter, Turkish velvet bar stools sparkle in the opulent lighting accompanied by the sound of freshly spinning vinyls that might just happen to be your favorite Tame Impala album, transporting you back to your last pre-Covid family vacation when it was released, followed by Khruangbin (this place has musical TASTE).
Every vibey vinyl you can imagine is displayed behind the bar with the same importance as the apothecary of cocktail ingredients you’re sure to enjoy. While gorgeous and upscale in its presentation, no one hesitates to educate or laugh with you when you’re like me and can’t pronounce ingredients. Its down-to-earth feel allows you to experiment with flavors and combinations you may not understand if you’re a beer-drinking wing-eater like myself.
Moonstone encompasses upscale provision without pretense or price, and frankly, nowhere else in Kansas City is doing it like this.
While aesthetically gorgeous inside, Moonstone offers views of the river we haven’t experienced enough as Kansas Citians which, in itself, points to the promise of this area’s growth while honoring those who already inhabit it.
Speaking with general manager, certified sommelier, and someone who makes you feel like an instant friend, Stephen Krantz, his care for creating a swanky experience that isn’t cost prohibitive to folks living in neighboring apartment complexes was notable to me, exemplifying the kind of customer care I hope to see considered more by other cultural designers in the city. He has somehow managed to create a destination location for those willing to commute while still curating an environment of inclusivity and approachability for locals to stop by regularly without being priced out.
Stephen Krantz brings an experience of hospitality far beyond his years to the hand-fused cocktail creations you’ll choose from when you attend and again, as a “what pale ale or stout do you have on tap” kind of girl, I surely haven’t experienced before.
For the record, I HAAATE mezcal but love a tequila-esque buzz. But as a stay-at-home mom of three boys on a date night with my husband, I found the first cocktail that included caffeine and shot for the moon, literally, and it did just that.
[ Brew Moon ]
Their Brew Moon Rising is basically a mezcal espresso martini which doesn’t seem to make sense, but trust me when I say it does. It was one of the best cocktails I’ve had in a long time. I didn’t just appreciate it, I enjoyed it.
With hesitation, I took my initial sip expecting the shotgun kickback of mezcal I’m accustomed to, but instead enjoyed a completely balanced combination of smoke, sweet, and bitter with such a pure finish I was stunned. It is an absolutely beautifully created cocktail.
[ Old Stock + Moon Landing ] [ Humidor ]
My second was the Old Stock, a cucumber and mint martini-styled drink that was incredibly satisfying and refreshing to sip. Kyle had the Humidor and Moon Landing. (Sorry no notes, I didn’t drink them but he loved them.) The presentation for every cocktail is highly curated and just as fancy as all of the more cost-prohibitive cocktail lounges in KC. Attention to detail is deeply cared for here.
But don’t get me started on Chef Rob Sorg. I fear I lack the food critic vocabulary to adequately describe how stunned we were by his gourmet menu creations. Full disclosure, I attended while in my luteal phase, so I was angling for as much meat as I could order but willing to dilly dally a little with our small bites.
[ Smoked Tomato and Mushroom Tartare ]
And despite my meat craving, I can’t stop thinking about his vegetarian take on tartare and his celery root steak entree that we got to sample as a non-menu item that needs to be a permanent fixture because I keep dreaming about it. I can’t do either justice, you just have to order them.
[ Smoked Tomato and Mushroom Tartare and Celery Root Steak ]
The idea of a meat-less tartare seems insane, but getting mushroom-hating Kyle to go buck wild on it not realizing there were mushrooms in it at all is even crazier. Same with the celery root steak. Kyle and I nearly licked the plate while separately googling if there’s any way we could attempt something similar while cooking at home. And I’m drooling again.
So yes, order the smoked tomato and mushroom tartare and celery root steak.
[ Smoked Tomato and Mushroom Tartare ] [ Beef Tips with Corn Soubise and Walnut Gremolata + Braised Beef Short Ribs on Turnip Purée with Beef Jus ]
We enjoyed the tartare as a small plate beside their brioche and butter bread service while contemplating our entrees. Kyle ended up ordering what I initially eyed, the beef tips with corn soubise and walnut gremolata so, knowing we’d share but still needing meat, I ordered the braised beef short ribs on turnip purée with beef jus.
I’m not sure who won, but I think I did. Both entrees came to us on cosmically crater-shaped plates dressed with upscale care while managing affordability.
I don’t know many places that curate a luxe, down to earth vibe, but Moonstone manages to take you to the atmosphere of flavor while keeping you grounded in fun. Step outside to watch the river flow, step inside for fast friends, and leave knowing the combination of vibes, food, and cocktails create a one of a kind date night experience that makes a trip to the riverfront something you’ll want to do again and again.
As the stairs promise on the way in, “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon,” Moonstone makes upscale, affordable experiences of gourmet food and curated cocktails an earthbound reality in KC and Kyle and I can’t wait to go back.
Thank you Dylan Ritzert, Stephen Krantz, Rob Sorg, and Gilly Ortiz, you really blessed our night.