50 Best American Restaurants in Wichita

“Running—slash walking—slash crawling was how it started, which already tells you more about our physical fitness than you probably wanted to know. This was the prelude to dinner at First Mile, a restaurant that sounds like an athletic event but, thankfully, involves chairs.

Of course, this wasn’t just about food. It never is. People say “it’s about connection” or “shared experience,” which is a polite way of saying “we’re hoping the person next to us doesn’t turn out to be unbearable.” Somewhere between collecting ingredients, grinding, mashing, and pretending to know what we were doing, we started to form… something. Bonds, maybe. Or at least a mutual respect for whoever brought wet wipes.

We all have stories, and the stories, if you let them, start telling their own stories—usually louder than you’d like. But when food starts talking, you have to listen. That’s the rule.

Normally, I wouldn’t order something as dramatic as a tomahawk steak. The name alone sounds like it should come with a waiver. I’m more of a white meat person myself—something you can cut with the side of a fork, preferably while making polite conversation about how “tender” it is.

But when a slab of beef the size of a toddler lands on your plate, there’s a kind of social contract at play. You take a bite. And if it makes you feel something—anything—or even roll your eyes a little, that’s when you know. You know you’re either having a moment of culinary transcendence or heartburn’s gentle prelude. Possibly both.

At some point during dinner, the food stopped trying to be the star of the evening and graciously let everyone else have a turn. It’s nice when that happens—when people, not plates, start taking up the light. I’ve always loved smiles, some more than others. They shift, they surprise you, and sometimes, if you’re lucky, they grow into laughter—the unfiltered kind that makes you forget what you were pretending to be serious about.

The gnocchi itself wasn’t remarkable—solid, unthreatening, the kind of dish that minds its own business. But food has this uncanny emotional authority: more persuasive than family, less judgmental than therapy. I was reminded of that when a single bite triggered a full-scale revolt in my nervous system. No drama in the taste, just drama in me.

I stopped caring about the food and focused instead on the smiles, the laughter—some more genuine than others. But there was one laugh in particular that caught not just my attention, it stayed with me . It was the kind of sound that makes the room pause, as if even the ceiling fan agreed we should all take a moment. I just stood there, listening to the smile behind it. And in the end, I didn’t leave with a full belly; I left with a memory I’ll be chewing on far longer anyway.“

“Redrock Canyon Grill last night for a birthday dinner. There was double booking on our reservation that we placed a week ago, and we got the short end of the stick. Poor communication aside though, here's how dinner went. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip as an appetizer, and when it came out, the plate had like 6 chips on it. Seemed pretty steep for the price ($15), but we asked for more chips and they brought out an entire plate more for free. It came with the dip, as well as a small cup of salsa. Both tasted great! Extra chips made up for the perceived lack of portion size. For a main course, I got the 10oz Filet with mashed potatoes, and "something green" (green beans). The Filet was excellently prepared at requested "medium", with a ton of flavor! It was a stark contrast to what we got at Salt**ass. Tender, juicy, and well seasoned, with a nice crust! Sizes came in 6oz(?), 10oz, and 14oz. Easily the best steak I've had at a restaurant. I wish I would've gotten the 14oz, but not because I was still hungry....I just didn't want to good time to end. 🥴 Next up was the mashed potatoes.....and ho-lee-sht. Creamy, full of flavor! I could be wrong, but i felt like I tasted onions in them? I dont really know what's in them for sure, but i feel like I need to create a Redrock Anonymous group to deal with the withdraw I will be battling, until we inevitably go back. Green beans were also excellent. Not a lot to go over in specifics, but they were awesome, and the perfect companion to the rest of the culinary masterpieces on my plate. Our waitress was super attentive, and quick to refill drinks before they were empty. Very knowledgeable in specials and pricing, and overall a great communicator. This was literally the best meal I've had out at a restaurant, period, and Redrock is likely going to be our go-to for celebrations, and date night's from now on. If you haven't been, you've gotta go! Food: 10/10 Value: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 9/10“

“We started regularly going here (west wichita location) about 8 months ago. Dine in once and multiple carry outs. This place never misses! Fast, friendly, prompt, delicious, accurate. They check every box for us. 🥰“

“Service and pizza was outstanding,, brooke was wonderful and right on cue, answered all of our questions and was a very good waitress.“

“Best pizza in the Midwest. You will not be disappointed. Had pizza, Italian salad and wine! Will definitely be back with friends! Thanks“

“Just finished Mother’s Day dinner and decided to stop by for the first time and have nothing but great things to say . I got the lemon chicken picatta and I’m not lying when i say it was one of the best meals/pastas i have had in a while . Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned and our waitress was the sweetest , will definitely be going back soon !“

“love coming to Bubbas. beers cold, food is good, BUT the staff makes it our "go to place". We look for The Orange Jeep every time we come. Jeremy is top notch with his Patrons. 100/100 recommend this place strictly for what he adds to the experience“

“Da chicken shak and more at 31st and Seneca food is always hot and fresh and they are always putting extra chicken tenders in. My seven year old son loves the chicken tenders and french fries.“

“Great food and a great staff! Love the plant based options!!“

“We recently hosted our truck group’s holiday party at The Depot Wichita, and it was an incredible experience! We reserved the 2nd floor attic bar, which was the perfect space for our large group. The venue was decorated for the holidays, adding a warm and festive touch that made the event even more special. The staff were absolutely amazing—friendly, attentive, and ensured everything ran smoothly. The food was fantastic, and the festive drinks were a big hit! The Depot Wichita has a wonderful atmosphere and all the amenities you could need. If you’re looking for a spot to host a party or event, I highly recommend them. They truly went above and beyond to make our celebration a success. Thank you for helping us create such a memorable afternoon!“

“my husband and I went for the the first time yesterday and it was absolutely amazing. I love that they keep the potatoes in the warmer and then place them back in the warmer after adding the toppings. The food was delicious and the workers were so nice. We would 100% go back.“

“Regularly eat here and we have used the space for business meetings numerous times. Excellent space for collaboration and the staff goes above and beyond to make sure you have the best experience possible. Shout out to Shane who made sure I got a special gluten free (and delicious) dessert today!“

“Do not like the menu changes. The pork steak is not a good substitute for the pork chops. Please bring back the chops it was the best in Wichita. Main course options are too few, shoukd have a couple of steak choices, and maybe a few moew pasta choices. Our waiter was fantastic checked with us multipule times was very friendly. Love our visit ti 12, but I'm afraid you all are going the wrong direction with menu selections.“

“Usually, nostalgia is a sensation that comes from a time period you experienced yourself. Many of us didn’t experience the ‘50s, but diners are apart of the American landscape that chances are you have great memories in a ‘50s themed diner, or at least relate to it as a symbol of American culture. Thanks Jimmie's Diner for keeping that nostalgia going!! Our server, Flash was outstanding he was very friendly and personable. we had a good conversation with him aswell. our food was right on par and the presentation looked great. we fi shed our lunch with a giant sundae. Thanks Jimmie's and your staff for making our lunch a memorable one as always!“

“Lotusflow, Dj sunshine & Zealr the absolute best!! Love 🫶🫶🫶 can’t wait to come back to brickyard. Staff are professional and personable“

“I LOVE BRADLEY HES THE BEST“

“Great little hidden gem. People were very friendly. Food was delicious and came out quick. The shrimp were FANTASTIC!! Definitely worth a try.“

“Kaylyn is always so sweet and attentive, always ask me how I am doing, even if I do not sit at one of her tables. The girls at Twin Peaks all act like they are sisters/best friends. Their close friendships with each other and team spirit always puts me in a great mood. U.V., Taylor, Mati, Sav and so many others go out of their way to help. I am a busy insurance agent and I do lots of my work from the Twin Peaks table, in between appointments. It works out great for me.“

“We had the taco's and they were amazing, generously filled. Loved them! My husband said David was a nice guy. Going to try the enchiladas very soon. Highly recommend!“

“Wonderful experience, our server was friendly, best place to eat.“

“We want you to bring back the Voodoo Pasta. The staff wants it back, as well. The Cajun shrimp and the chicken parm that replaced it just isn’t as good.“

“For being a hotel restaurant, the food was actually pretty good! I would have chosen to eat here even without the convenience factor of it being in the hotel. The only downside was that on multiple nights, they were completely unprepared for a larger crowd, despite being a convention hotel. For several nights in a row, our convention event was done at 7p, and they seemed completely unprepared staffing wise. We had to wait almost an hour to be seated one night because they were only seating about 1/3 of their tables. You would think being a convention hotel, they would be more used to a large group of people with similar schedules.“

“Usually, nostalgia is a sensation that comes from a time period you experienced yourself. Many of us didn’t experience the ‘50s, but diners are apart of the American landscape that chances are you have great memories in a ‘50s themed diner, or at least relate to it as a symbol of American culture. Thanks Jimmie's Diner for keeping that nostalgia going!! Our server, Flash was outstanding he was very friendly and personable. we had a good conversation with him aswell. our food was right on par and the presentation looked great. we fi shed our lunch with a giant sundae. Thanks Jimmie's and your staff for making our lunch a memorable one as always!“

“I got the best ultimate omelet for brunch here today! Super clean, super friendly staff and super delicious food! Highly recommend!“

“Ordered a couple burger meals and a kids hotdog. Along with the rootbear in the frozen mugs, which is a must if you done in. As we finished up our meal was asked if or boy, 4yo, would like ice cream and of course he did. And got one on the house. How special. And to top it off we had some roodbeer left so he had his first root beer float. Just a fantastic lil lunch with fam.“

“Had the Bacon Brauts & 3AM Nachos, both were incredible!!“

“Aislyn is FANTASTIC! She is very attentive, friendly, and took the time to chat with me during lunch yesterday. She offered to help an elderly man out as he struggled to leave. What a sweetheart. She is gorgeous and very pregnant. I love that TP has supported her in continuing to work throughout her journey. Go see this momma and help her out!! ❤️“

“Had the brisket Mac and cheese egg roll, southwest chicken egg roll, and voodoo fries. Egg roll consistency was awesome, shells nice and crispy! Voodoo fries were the big win. Covered in various sauces and andouille sausage. We will be be going out of our way to find them again! Seriously… try the voodoo fries.“

“My 1st time to a Culver's 👍🙌 Great food and even better service. Steph was amazing taking care of all our needs!!! Thank you Steph, West Wichita America 🫶🙌“

“fun time, great place good fo“

“The food was great but our server LEA C wasn’t great AT ALL. She checked on our table once the whole time we were there. When she checked on us she ignored our empty cups on the edge of the table… she was being very short and not having a good attitude. #loveyoucheddars🖤“

“Fantastic food and service. My son,daughter in law and myself had dinner there last night. Our server was Alyssa. Excellent meal and service!!! Definitely will be returning!!!“

“It was clean, timely, and delicious“

“Best breakfast ever! Food was absolutely amazing, and service was fantastic. We had the smothered burrito and the Shocker scramble. Employees were attentive and on the ball, and the place was very clean. Obviously a well run place! Don’t miss it if you’re in Wichita.“

“The best restaurant in the whole state of Kansas and I’m not exaggerating.“

“Love the atmosphere here! The food is always good. I had the Turkey & Cream Cheese sandwich and it was perfect. We always love the sweet potato tots, but many of the sides and apps are very tasty. My favorite app is the Mushroom Caps with Burnt Ends!! Definitely try the cocktails ~ if that's your thing!“

“Had dinner tonight and it was wonderful! Service was great. We enjoyed all the food and the restaurant was clean. I’m pleasantly surprised because it had seemed to been lacking awhile ago but now it’s back!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️“

“I ordered for the first time from your establishment tonight. Just a simple steak mashed potatoes and side salad. It came just perfect. It’s perfect size for two meals for this older single lady. Actually four meals because I will get two lunches out of the salad and that means a lot to me being retired. I didn’t have to cook or clean anything up either. The steak was nice and tender, flavorful and I really appreciate not having potato peels in my mashed potatoes!! those were very good! I will be back. Thanks!“

“We ate here tonight and had an absolutely PHENOMENAL server-his name was Ty and he was the best server we’ve ever had. I just wanted to put that out there for him to get recognition for a job very well done 😀“

“Great food“

“Matt with Two Brothers was incredible to work with and packaged up a large order for us efficiently and promptly. I am always so impressed with the staff at this location. Highly recommend for their excellent customer service and good food.“

“Chicken fried steak mashed potatoes and gravy is the best. It’s made like my mother’s. Old school, comfort food.“

“I tried the falafel burger basket at Beastro inside Sedgwick County Zoo. The burger was decent but not exceptional—while the falafel patty was flavorful, the overall combination with the bun and toppings felt a bit dry. The fries were crispy and well-seasoned, which I enjoyed. Given the location and the convenience of grabbing a quick bite during a zoo visit, it's a decent option, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. The prices are a bit steep for what you get, but that's expected at a place like this. Overall, it's an okay choice if you're hungry while exploring the zoo.“

“Shrimp tacos are fabulous. Great service. Chilled atmosphere for the lunch crowd. 5 star“

“Awesome service with Xtra on the side . Lol. meal with entertainment 😊🙌👌👌The manager Mike was funny and server pumpkin was funny, and sweet.. a couple of my friends were a little down and when we came in to eat, it made our entire rest of our day BETTER..we had our meal with entertainment and GREAT SERVICE.. it was a lovely experience 😊👌the food was GREAT!!!“

“Hands down the best pancakes in Wichita! Sweet, hot and perfect--served by a lovely wait staff.“

“The food is mediocre at best. Very little seasoning, just bland. Would be best served at a nursing home.“

“I grabbed lunch here for the first time because its close to work. It was so delicious, and fresh as well. The inside looked very clean and the staff was friendly my only regret is that I didn't order more. Will definitely be coming back more often now.“

“Great food & drinks! Great service too!“