There are restaurants, and then there are activities. But if you’re planning a night with friends, a date night, or a family night out (or you just don’t want to cook dinner!), sometimes planning both a restaurant and something to do afterward can feel like a military operation. Maybe you’re looking to keep the kids entertained so you can say one sentence without being interrupted, or the idea of relocating your crew mid-hang just feels like too much.
Thanks to these restaurants in the Northland, you can make the restaurant the event and plop right down for the whole night. It can be just as fun to make the evening’s dinner venue the activity, as all of these places have fun things to do as well as good food to eat.
The Sand Box
509 NW Barry Rd, Kansas City
This bar-and-grill type place near Metro North Crossing has both sand volleyball and pickleball to play while you’re waiting for your food or drink. If you try it and like it enough, they even have leagues you can join!
Chicken N Pickle
1761 Burlington St, North Kansas City
chickennpickle.com/location/kansas-city/
The ol’ North Kansas City standby, of course, has pickleball, but also has cornhole, ping pong, shuffleboard and big screen TVs for watching sports. They also frequently host events like trivia or bingo, so check their calendar!
T-Shotz
660 NW Metro N Dr, Kansas City
Over near Metro North, you can practice your swing while you golf and dine in a private, heated bay. In addition to golf, they also have an arcade.
X-Golf
15325 Old Town Dr Suite 113, Parkville
If you want to golf but aren’t up for braving the elements, you can play a round indoors at X-Golf in Parkville, which also serves an array of bar food. There’s also a great lawn outside of X-Golf, shared with other restaurants like Whiskey River, where your kids can burn off some energy while you chat with friends.
3012 NE 180th St, Smithville
Sittin’ on the dock of the bay may not quite count as an activity, but here at this Smithville Lake restaurant, it is. The restaurant also has lots of live music throughout the year,, so you can dance while you sip.
Rewind Video and Dive
Behind Screenland Armour, 410 Armour Rd, North Kansas City
screenland.com/rewind-video-and-dive
No food here, but if you’re looking to serve up some nostalgia with your IPA, this bar located inside the Screenland Armour Theatre in Northtown is the perfect spot. You can play old video game systems like N64 or Sega Genesis and they also have weekly pop culture bingo.
54th Street at Zona Rosa
7200 NW 86th Terrace, Kansas City
54thstreetrestaurants.com/kansas-city-mo-zone-rosa.html
The Northland staple has gotten a recent upgrade with renovations at its Zona Rosa location. Grab a burger and fries while you play different game simulations inside, or enjoy the weather around the firepit or various outdoor games.
Bravo! Italian Kitchen
7301 NW 87th St, Kansas City
bravoitalian.com/locations/zona-rosa/
This Italian restaurant doesn’t specifically have activities, but their outdoor patio overlooks the new astroturf playground and splash pad in the Zona Rosa square, where they often have live music and events. Bring your kids and eat dinner in semi-peace.
Draftcade
7260 NW 87th St, Kansas City
More nostalgia, but for the Gen-X and Boomer set, this arcade-themed bar at Zona Rosa serves bar food and fun with their old school arcade. Bring the family, your friends or a date and cream them in skeeball.
Brass Rail
4940 NE 81st St, Kansas City
If you want a classic bar and grill experience near Liberty, the Brass Rail has tons of billiards tables, shuffleboard and darts for you to hang out and relax and have fun.
Thirsty Bull Saloon
8132 NW Prairie View Rd, Kansas City
The Thirsty Bull definitely wins most thrill-seeking for this list, and that’s because they have a mechanical bull you can ride — either after a few drinks but maybe not on a full stomach. They also have plenty of live music events and line dancing offerings throughout the year.
All of these places have fun things to do as well as good food to eat.
But if you’re planning a night with friends, a date night, or a family night out (or you just don’t want to cook dinner!), sometimes planning both a restaurant and something to do afterward can feel like a military operation.