Loved the atmosphere on the patio as well as inside. The trio dip starter was amazing and allowed us to get a taste of everything. The kabob platter was sooo good as well. The char on the meat and the veggies was incredible. I want to try the pizza next time I go back because that looked super tasty
Ding A.
This place was a huge disappointment. After waiting for months to finally get a table, we (my wife and I) couldn't believe how underwhelming the food was. It's true that we have lived and worked extensively in many of the places that they claim inspiration from such as Georgia, Turkey, Greece, etc. and perhaps that raises the bar for our expectations. Still, the disappointment came more from basic failures in terms of food preparation and flavoring. The meat was unpalatable and nearly impossible to chew because it was not tender at all and the "Georgian bbq sauce" had no distinct flavor at all, it tasted like they cooked the meat without marinating it actually. We almost sent it back to the kitchen and in hindsight we should have. The pizza was nominal at best and nowhere near as good as the lahmacun you can get in Turkey. This mostly has to do with the fact that the bread was flavorless and bland. The rice and salad was also lame and dried out with almost no dressing or flavor. The only thing that was worth getting on the menu were the dips which were phenomenal. Still, for the price we paid for this meal (nearly $150) we couldn't believe that was the only enjoyable part. Thankfully that price included a $40 bottle of wine to help us forget what a bad experience this place turned out to be.
Jordan B.
The story: Double date nights are far and few in between these days. So when they do come around, we want to go somewhere for a full experience. The hubby and I used to live in west side/crossroads area and would walk past Clay & Fire daily. That's how we initially found out about this little gem. On nice evenings, they have a lively patio atmosphere too. We suggested it to our friends and they were on board to check it out. My order: We ordered the Jujeh Chicken kabob and C&F Grandma's Pizza to share. Both delicious and easily shareable. The chicken came as a recommendation from our waitress. Service: I love a server who asks if it's our first time or not. That usually allows them the opportunity to share information and history about the establishment. Our server, Joy, was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and patient with us. I loved hearing her passion behind Clay & Fire and she even said that she is "really proud to serve their food". Overall impression: This small little restaurant has found its spot in an 1820s home. The charm and character is very much so still in tact and they've done a great job at incorporating the story of multiple Eastern country cultures. Upon walking in, you might imagine that it is all happening on one floor. However, they will lead you up a staircase where you'll be surprised to find much more seating and a bathroom that has goldfish floating in a tub!
Drake
Owner mills around chitchatting with guest like family while you're served incredible fire baked bread and fresh delicious sides. As a former baker, their bread and pizza is some of the best I've had in the KC area. Lovely, unique experience and will be a monthly outing from now on.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pita, C&F Grandma Pizza
Scott McDonald
The menu online is NOT what they actually have. So please don’t go in expecting that, like we did.The food was good. The cubed beef skewer was chewier than the worst beef jerky I’ve ever had.But besides that it was good.Make a reservation or you probably won’t get in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ross Campbell
Revision: I had the opportunity to visit this location and the food, service, ambience, and hospitality were second to none. I will definitely be coming back again, regardless of the issue from my previous review.Super sad and disappointed that my family and I drove 40 minutes to for our anniversary brunch just to be told they closed early at 1 instead of 130 because of the chiefs game. The worst part is that we were about to be sat and the manager came up and said, “that’s going to be a no go.”
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pita, C&F Grandma Pizza, Trabzon Pide
Shar Terry
Cauliflower and green bean dish was amazing! Grandma's Pizza was awesome, too! Highly recommend.
This had to be the worst experience I've had since moving to Kansas. Food was underwhelming and Ice cold. The service was smug and made you feel lesser. The ambiance is a mix of a run down cabin and restaurant that over charges for comfort food that is supposed to be fairly cheap to make. The worst part of the dining experience was after reading the KC Magazines review of the pizza, I felt the need to try it out (despite the food now mixing well with the other dishes). What I got was this weird inverted pizza with fridge cold tomato sauce clumps over warm cheesy flatbread. The waiter looked confused when I complained about the temp of the food for the 3rd time. Overall, hated the experience and the would never go back.
Taylor Stewart
I would give it 6 stars if I could. Amazing flavors!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Georgena C.
I've eaten at a lot of places in kc, by far the worst service. Hannah the front of house who was extreme unprofessional, bossy, rude and inappropriate needs to go. We waited from 6:00pm to 8:35pm and never got seated after she said multiple times I promise I'll get your party in. At 8:30 we found out half the menu was sold out, would have been nice to know this at 7pm when I checked in with the hostess. At 8:35pm we decided it wasn't worth waiting anymore. Why couldn't she be honest and tell us from the get go we wouldn't be seated.
One of the best restaurants in Kansas City. The food was spectacular. The drinks were great; and the ambiance was on point.
Christine S.
Have been here a couple times and the food has always been good! Last night we got the haydari (Turkish yogurt side dish with dill and olive oil) and charred scallion feta as our two meze - so fresh and delicious! For our mains we got the Grandma Pizza and the kebab trio platter. The pizza was simple but every ingredient was fresh and I can’t stop thinking about it! The kebabs were good too and served over rice with charred veggies and bread. I could easily eat here every week and never get sick of the food! Highly recommended!Wheelchair accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible (stairs in and out of the building)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: C&F Grandma Pizza, Cheesecake
Jeffrey Larison
Anything reviewed under 5 Stars doesn't know how to have fun. Great food. Casey was a great server. Ambience rocked. This is one of the best places to dine and drink in Kansas City. Special spot. Now GO!
Clay and fire offers a perfect Near East restaurant experience! The ambience is truly refreshing, immersing you in the Near East atmosphere. The menu is excellent, offering a delightful array of dishes, and the freshness of the food is remarkable. The bread and pizza were unbelievably fresh a d remarkably better than the processed stuff I one is so used to. The Halal meat options were both delicious and supple. I was pleased to find Greek beer on the menu, adding to the authenticity. Although reservations may require planning ahead due to limited space, the wait is well worth it. Additionally, the convenience of free street parking adds to the overall positive dining experience. Undoubtedly the best Near East culinary experience in the KC area.Vegetarian options: Most pizza is vegetarian
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pita, Hummus
Courtney Hunt
Everything was so flavorful, I want to try the whole menu honestly.
Loved the atmosphere on the patio as well as inside. The trio dip starter was amazing and allowed us to get a taste of everything. The kabob platter was sooo good as well. The char on the meat and the veggies was incredible. I want to try the pizza next time I go back because that looked super tasty
This place was a huge disappointment. After waiting for months to finally get a table, we (my wife and I) couldn't believe how underwhelming the food was. It's true that we have lived and worked extensively in many of the places that they claim inspiration from such as Georgia, Turkey, Greece, etc. and perhaps that raises the bar for our expectations. Still, the disappointment came more from basic failures in terms of food preparation and flavoring. The meat was unpalatable and nearly impossible to chew because it was not tender at all and the "Georgian bbq sauce" had no distinct flavor at all, it tasted like they cooked the meat without marinating it actually. We almost sent it back to the kitchen and in hindsight we should have. The pizza was nominal at best and nowhere near as good as the lahmacun you can get in Turkey. This mostly has to do with the fact that the bread was flavorless and bland. The rice and salad was also lame and dried out with almost no dressing or flavor. The only thing that was worth getting on the menu were the dips which were phenomenal. Still, for the price we paid for this meal (nearly $150) we couldn't believe that was the only enjoyable part. Thankfully that price included a $40 bottle of wine to help us forget what a bad experience this place turned out to be.
The story: Double date nights are far and few in between these days. So when they do come around, we want to go somewhere for a full experience. The hubby and I used to live in west side/crossroads area and would walk past Clay & Fire daily. That's how we initially found out about this little gem. On nice evenings, they have a lively patio atmosphere too. We suggested it to our friends and they were on board to check it out. My order: We ordered the Jujeh Chicken kabob and C&F Grandma's Pizza to share. Both delicious and easily shareable. The chicken came as a recommendation from our waitress. Service: I love a server who asks if it's our first time or not. That usually allows them the opportunity to share information and history about the establishment. Our server, Joy, was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and patient with us. I loved hearing her passion behind Clay & Fire and she even said that she is "really proud to serve their food". Overall impression: This small little restaurant has found its spot in an 1820s home. The charm and character is very much so still in tact and they've done a great job at incorporating the story of multiple Eastern country cultures. Upon walking in, you might imagine that it is all happening on one floor. However, they will lead you up a staircase where you'll be surprised to find much more seating and a bathroom that has goldfish floating in a tub!
Owner mills around chitchatting with guest like family while you're served incredible fire baked bread and fresh delicious sides. As a former baker, their bread and pizza is some of the best I've had in the KC area. Lovely, unique experience and will be a monthly outing from now on.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pita, C&F Grandma Pizza
The menu online is NOT what they actually have. So please don’t go in expecting that, like we did.The food was good. The cubed beef skewer was chewier than the worst beef jerky I’ve ever had.But besides that it was good.Make a reservation or you probably won’t get in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Revision: I had the opportunity to visit this location and the food, service, ambience, and hospitality were second to none. I will definitely be coming back again, regardless of the issue from my previous review.Super sad and disappointed that my family and I drove 40 minutes to for our anniversary brunch just to be told they closed early at 1 instead of 130 because of the chiefs game. The worst part is that we were about to be sat and the manager came up and said, “that’s going to be a no go.”
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pita, C&F Grandma Pizza, Trabzon Pide
Cauliflower and green bean dish was amazing! Grandma's Pizza was awesome, too! Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Cauliflower, Pita, Kharcho, C&F Grandma Pizza
This had to be the worst experience I've had since moving to Kansas. Food was underwhelming and Ice cold. The service was smug and made you feel lesser. The ambiance is a mix of a run down cabin and restaurant that over charges for comfort food that is supposed to be fairly cheap to make. The worst part of the dining experience was after reading the KC Magazines review of the pizza, I felt the need to try it out (despite the food now mixing well with the other dishes). What I got was this weird inverted pizza with fridge cold tomato sauce clumps over warm cheesy flatbread. The waiter looked confused when I complained about the temp of the food for the 3rd time. Overall, hated the experience and the would never go back.
I would give it 6 stars if I could. Amazing flavors!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've eaten at a lot of places in kc, by far the worst service. Hannah the front of house who was extreme unprofessional, bossy, rude and inappropriate needs to go. We waited from 6:00pm to 8:35pm and never got seated after she said multiple times I promise I'll get your party in. At 8:30 we found out half the menu was sold out, would have been nice to know this at 7pm when I checked in with the hostess. At 8:35pm we decided it wasn't worth waiting anymore. Why couldn't she be honest and tell us from the get go we wouldn't be seated.
Restaurantji Recommends
One of the best restaurants in Kansas City. The food was spectacular. The drinks were great; and the ambiance was on point.
Have been here a couple times and the food has always been good! Last night we got the haydari (Turkish yogurt side dish with dill and olive oil) and charred scallion feta as our two meze - so fresh and delicious! For our mains we got the Grandma Pizza and the kebab trio platter. The pizza was simple but every ingredient was fresh and I can’t stop thinking about it! The kebabs were good too and served over rice with charred veggies and bread. I could easily eat here every week and never get sick of the food! Highly recommended!Wheelchair accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible (stairs in and out of the building)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: C&F Grandma Pizza, Cheesecake
Anything reviewed under 5 Stars doesn't know how to have fun. Great food. Casey was a great server. Ambience rocked. This is one of the best places to dine and drink in Kansas City. Special spot. Now GO!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Guajillo Hummus, Rotisserie Chicken
Clay and fire offers a perfect Near East restaurant experience! The ambience is truly refreshing, immersing you in the Near East atmosphere. The menu is excellent, offering a delightful array of dishes, and the freshness of the food is remarkable. The bread and pizza were unbelievably fresh a d remarkably better than the processed stuff I one is so used to. The Halal meat options were both delicious and supple. I was pleased to find Greek beer on the menu, adding to the authenticity. Although reservations may require planning ahead due to limited space, the wait is well worth it. Additionally, the convenience of free street parking adds to the overall positive dining experience. Undoubtedly the best Near East culinary experience in the KC area.Vegetarian options: Most pizza is vegetarian
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pita, Hummus
Everything was so flavorful, I want to try the whole menu honestly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5