The Campground is an intimate aperitivo cocktail bar and restaurant located in the historic Stockyards District of Kansas City. It features locally sourced food, with an influence of hunted, fished and foraged ingredients. The menu is constantly evolving while staying focused on whole product use. The Campground offers a nostalgic dining experience and good company.
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My significant other and I came here on a Sunday night in November while visiting from out of town. We had originally planned to get a full dinner, but after a heavy lunch we decided to go lighter on the food and grab a couple cocktails.
The establishment is in the midst of a revived warehouse district. The ambiance inside was dark and charming, with candles at each table and plants and outdoorsy art surrounding us. It wasn't super busy when we first arrived, but was quite packed by the end of the night.
We were seated at a table by the window. The service was OK - a bit slow and waiter was a bit curt, but not concerning or outright rude. We each had two cocktails throughout the night, and then split 2 appetizers and an entree.
For the cocktails, I had the Orange Negroni and the Desert Paloma, while my significant other went for the Old Fashioned and the Grief Motif. The Negroni and Old Fashioned were solid - as we expected and not especially extraordinary. I enjoyed my Desert Paloma - the tequila and mixes blended well together and were refreshing. The Grief Motif was interesting - I did not hate it, but the mix of ingredients was interesting and certainly didn't remind me of the perfect Fall/Winter drink that it was to be described.
The appetizers we went with were the Brussel Sprouts and the Apple/Kohlrabi. The Sprouts were especially Brussel-y but well prepped, and the Apple Dish was simple yet pleasant and enjoyable.
For the entree, we went with the Butternut Squash as neither of us were that hungry. While the Squash itself was good, the Kale was overwhelming for me and made the dish taste more 'earthy' than I was looking for. My significant other liked this more than I did, however.
Overall this was a solid experience, even if I felt some of the food and drink offerings didn't always consistently excel. We left with a T-Shirt as well, so certainly are fans of our time here. I would definitely like to come back during warmer weather to sit outside and get the more true 'campground' experience, and also try the rave-reviewed burger when my appetite allows for it.
Would recommend 10/10. Amazing local spot in the heart of west bottoms.
1531 Genessee Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64102, United States
