Restaurant review: Family traditions strong at KCK’s Frontier Steakhouse

by William Crum

I remember as a kid we would go by the Frontier Steakhouse before we went on vacation. It was kind of a family tradition, a tradition I will never forget.

My father would sit down with the family and the owner, Dutch Laffoon, would sit down and talk to my father. I remember as a kid growing up, the food was excellent and the prices were very reasonable as well.

After leaving Kansas City, Kan., I came back to find that Frontier Steakhouse is still around serving some of the best meals ever. The prices are reasonable at this family-owned business. This is a place where you get your money’s worth and the quality and service is second to none.

Also to my delight Mary Laffoon, Dutch’s wife, still works there. She oversees the kitchen, making sure the quality is still second to none.

Recently I decided to go back and found it is still the same, a place where you can definitely get your money’s worth with superior service. It’s a place where we can take the whole family, a place to relax and unwind, and in today’s world, we definitely need that. So many times we go to restaurants and pay a large amount of money for small portions of food. This is not the case here. This is a place where you get your money’s worth.

The restaurant started out in 1960 at its current location, which is 9338 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kan. It was started by the Laffoon family. Back then there was a Phillips 66 station and a small restaurant and the Laffoon family home. Later on they tore down gas station and decided to build the steakhouse. The Laffoon family home was the last building to go. It is where the current lobby is located.

One of the many things the restaurant is known for is its steamed fried chicken. In fact, people drive from all over the country just to try their fried chicken. They not only have fried chicken but they have breaded pork tenderloin, pork chops, and roast sirloin beef. Kansas City strip steak and ground sirloin also are on the menu. They offer seafood such as channel grilled salmon, grilled rainbow trout, and fried shrimp.

And for those of us who are over the age of 55, they offer breaded cod fillet, chicken fried chicken, and chicken fried steak. On Friday and Saturday nights they have prime rib dinners with your choice of 8, 12 or 16-ounce size.

If you don’t want very much to eat they have some of the best appetizers ever such as fried green beans, pickle fries, tater skins and some of the best deep-fried mushrooms ever.

If you’re a person who enjoys a good salad this is definitely the place to go, they have a salmon salad, which is Alaskan salmon served over crisp greens with diced tomatoes and your choice of dressing. The chicken and green salad has a choice of either fried or grilled chicken breast on a bed of greens, diced tomatoes and cheddar cheese, an all-time favorite.

If you want to go to a place that is known worldwide for their home-cooked meals this is definitely the place to go. On Wednesdays and Friday nights the restaurant features live music from top musicians.

I give Laffoon’s Frontier Steakhouse five stars. The Laffoon family is definitely a big asset to Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan.

The restaurant hours are Tuesday 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 3:30 to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are located at 9338 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kan., or call 913-788-9159, or go to their website, www.frontierkck.com.