Benton’s Prime Steakhouse

I spent a Valentine’s Day here with my wife and we loved it! It was booked on the actual day so we settled for the day after, but the staff didn’t treat it any less special. You will not go home disappointed and your husband/​wife will think you are pretty amazing for finding such a wonderful place. The restaurant is beautiful and romantic with an amazing view of the city.
The food was top notch — we both had steak (naturally). When I thought the meal couldn’t get any better a server made us banana foster right next to our table — heavenly! Between the meal, the excellent and knowledgeable staff and the bottle of wine we had a perfect evening without emptying our savings account. This is one place that you could spend extra though and not feel remorse when leaving. We will be back!

Well since this place is closing in 3 months I figured I better write my review so people get in there and try it before it is gone. Not that my review alone would make anyone go, but they are great (Benton’s not my reviews) and I am sad to see them get closed.
Last time I was there I had the Beef Carpaccio minus the cheese for an app. It was perfect so good. I nice glass of Pinot to sip on and then for my entrée I had the Tuna Steak medium rare with another glass of wine and it was divine both the Tuna and the wine.
The décor is simple yet elegant. The huge windows allow you to sit back enjoy your meal and take in the skyline of Kansas City.
This is a Steakhouse that will be missed. Not sure why Crown Center is closing it and 2 other places, but I hope it may reopen in a new location. Hint. Hint.

We went in for dinner on a Tuesday, and then small plates and cocktails on a Friday. The atmosphere, while not sumptuous, is quite nice. The view is really super. The service is top notch: friendly, knowledgable, and detail-​oriented. This would be a perfect choice for a business or romantic dinner, or to bring friends on an evening for drinks.
Dinner was very good. The steaks, while slightly over seasoned, were excellent cuts of meat and tasted great. My husband’s steak, unfortunately, was ordered medium but came out medium rare. This mistake should not have been made in a good steakhouse. We both had the yukon gold mashed potatoes on the side, and they were awesome; some of the best we’ve ever had! The chocolate genoise dessert is a chocolate lover’s dream.
Drinks and small plates were wonderful in the bar on a Friday night. The bartender, Tony, is personable and really talented. The cocktails were yummy, but not the over-​fussy yummy of a cocktail that’s trying too hard. There was a delightful jazz trio. It was quiet and intimate. Our group had the seafood plate, the prime rib French dip, and more of the awesome mashed potatoes. All the food was delicious.

This place has a really nice view with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. Very romantic. I had the seared tuna that had way too much pepper on it and I was disappointed but I do think I could have ordered something else that would have been exceptional. The beef carpacio app is sooooo good. Very well prepared.
This is a good place for a special occasion or romantic dinner.

My wife and I decided that this 4^th of July weekend we were going to take a stay-​cation at the Westin Crown Center – 6 blocks from our home. Funny, I know. So here is the low down. First, you have to know that we started on Friday by having lunch at the American Restaurant, which I’ve had the impression was the «best» restaurant in town. Anyway, fast forward to Saturday night. We had though about hitting up Skies to grab some drinks, but ended up opting to stay in our own hotel, play it casual and figured we’d see what Benton’s was like. Immediately we were impressed. The views were stunning. The host was pleasant and sat us in a great table with views of the entire eastern side of Kansas City. But from here it just kept getting better. Our waitress, Connie, was as pleasant as could be (and so were the others on her team). I ordered the Prime Rib special ($ 49) which included a salad, baked potato, and marscapone cheesecake. My wife ordered a salad and bowl of the most amazing brocoli cheese soup. I kid you not, for the first time ever I didn’t finish my prime rib. It was a huge portion – perfectly cooked, seasoned and served warm. So, to sum it all up – being a total carnivorous foodie, Benton’s hands down was leaps and bounds above the American, and blew away the other steakhouse competitors in KC. Perfect place for a special night, great for entertaining clients, or just simply listening to live jazz and taking in some awesome views of the midwest’s crown jewell – Kansas City.

The ambiance is ok. It was not as intimate as I expected. The bartender was great though. We had a fabulous dinner and the view was spectacular. We had salmon and prime rib and yes we will go back

Benton’s is a great special-​occasion steak place, with an amazing view. Located at the top level of Westin’s Crown Center, the restaurant has a great location with panoramic views of the city. Food is very good: lobster bisque is flambeed at the table, steaks are without-​a-​doubt delicious, bananas foster are great for dessert, and the wine list is extensive. Staff is pleasant and courteous. Friday and Saturday nights feature live jazz in the lounge; here, seating is on a first-​come, first-​serve basis, but you can enjoy the music throughout the restaurant. Décor is attractive, on the more contemporary side; there is a great fireplace at the restaurant’s entrance, and the lounge looks pretty chic. There is complimentary valet parking. Two couples near our table were having anniversary dinners; I think this is definitely a very special place for a celebration. Overall, a great experience all-​around.

A family friend has invited us and several other friends for an annual Sunday birthday brunch at Benton’s. In a word, it is «fabuloso.» The restaurant itself is spectacular — perched high on top of the Westin Crown Center (reached by its own express elevators) it has virtually unimpeded and jaw-​dropping views of downtown, Crown Center and the Liberty Memorial. The simple décor doesn’t pretend to compete with the view out the floor-​to-​ceiling windows. The restaurant doesn’t revolve, so you’ll want to walk around before or after dinner to see the views from all sides. This is a particularly great place to bring someone from out of town to dispel any notions they may have that Kansas City is flat, boring, doesn’t have a downtown or skyline, etc. After eating at Benton’s and staring at the views they’ll leave with a very different impression of K. C!!!
The brunch buffet is just excellent, with an array of choices from Eggs Benedict to more substantial lunch type items. There are the usual domed réchauds which contain all kinds of nice surprises. There are also carving stations, a made-​to-​order omelette station, fresh oysters, a gigantic poached salmon, other smoked fish, and a luscious dessert table.
Table service is excellent as they bring you juice or mimosas, clear away used plates and keep your coffee cup filled. All in all this is one of the nicest brunch experiences I’ve had — I hope our friend keeps inviting us for a long time to come! The price for brunch is competitive with other high-​end hotel brunches, but with the spectacular views added in for free! Highly recommended. DO make reservations, as the brunch is surprisingly popular. And one day I’ll actually make it down here to try their steaks at dinner! Oh, yes — take advantage of the Westin’s valet parking. It’s free with validation by the restaurant.

If I could write a one-​word review for this place and get away with it, that word would be «Ohmigawd», or just «Wow» for those of you with delicate language sensibilities. However, I’m told that I can’t really do that and expect to be taken seriously, so here we go.
My ever-​loving wife took me here for my birthday dinner. I had never been there or even heard of Benton’s before last night, but she assured me that I would love it. I had my doubts. (What? Try a new, unknown place on my birthday? Are you high?)
I should be flogged for ever doubting her.
Benton’s sits high atop the Crown Center Westin. Anyone who has been down that way has seen it up there, possibly wondering what that square thing was. When you get up to the restaurant, the first thing you notice is the incredible view. Its simply fantastic, especially after sunset when the city and Liberty Memorial all light up for you. The interior is very basic, and does not take away from the visual experience of the outside.
The wait staff were excellent. They are very attentive without hovering over you. Very, very professional people who made our evening more special.
Now, to the main thing: the Food.
I have to say right up front that the steaks here are simply exquisite. In an instant, during the very first bite I took, Benton’s immediately took top honors in my «Best steak in KC» list, knocking off Piropo’s and Pierponts, who had tied for the #1 spot. It’s just that damn good. I had a 20oz Delmonico, and finished it all! I also had an intensely good lobster bisque, which they flambé’ at your table. If you don’t know how they flambé’ lobster bisque, just go there and order it. It’s worth it.
Dessert consisted of a chocolate pâté’, with fresh berries along with pine nut and apricot sauce, which was excellent. My wife had the tableside bananas foster, which she said gave her an «oral-​gasm». Both desserts were gratis, along with a glass of champagne, since it was a birthday! Score!
I WAS going to give Benton’s a 4-​star, due to it being pricey, but I figured what the hell. Part of the price is for presentation, and THAT is excellent! You get a great view with your meal. Possibly the best dining view that doesn’t rotate. Intensely excellent service and food, and some not bad Jazz to go along with it.
Yeah, it’s worth a few extra bucks.

If you like jazz, Benton’s Steak and Chop House lounge, next to the restaurant on top of Westin’s Crown Center Hotel, is a winner. There is no cover charge or minimum at the lounge, and they have jazz three nights a week, starting at 7:30 pm. While you can spend a lot of money there, you can avoid it, if you are careful. For example, don’t ask for a glass of the «house chardonnay» or house cognac, etc. Ask for their cheapest, or get the prices before ordering. Oddly the «house» here is not the cheapest. For example, the house chardonnay is a pricey $ 12, while there are others on the menu for much less. Of course if you order beer …
If you want food, the restaurant’s full menu is available. The best buys are the salads, which are large, excellent, and reasonably priced.
You can park in the hotel’s garage for free, by getting the receipt validated. They also have free valet parking, if validated at Benton’s. Oddly the doorman who handled my valet parking gave me a signed coupon for a $ 5 discount at Benton’s. So the cost of the valet parking was minus 5 dollars — the best buy I’ve ever gotten on valet parking.
When I was there last night, an excellent jazz trio began to perform at 7:30 pm, but the singer did not arrive until 8:30 pm. With daylight saving time, the best view was after 9 pm, when the lights of the city surrounded the restaurant. While not as high as Skies on top of the Hyatt at Crown Center, the view from Benton’s is directly surrounded by many of the city’s lights, in contrast with the view from Skies, which looks over the lights of the city from above.
It is best to arrive at 7:30 pm on nights when there is jazz, to make sure you get a table. Stay until at least 9 pm, to get the effect of the full jazz band, including the late arriving singer, with the surrounding the lights of the city.
Oops. Forget that you ever read this. Don’t go there. If you do, I might not be able to get a table in the lounge. There aren’t many, and they don’t accept reservations in the lounge.

My favorite steak in KC. The restaurant itself is pretty spartan, but the view out the top of the Westin Crown Center is amazing. If the restaurant itself was a little nicer and the food a touch less expensive, I’d give this place 5 stars.
Since this restaurant is expensive and you wouldn’t know its there unless you look it up, it is not usually very busy. But if people knew how good the steak was, I think it would get a little more attention. If you have seen the box-​thing sticking out of the top of the Westin, you have seen the restaurant.
The steaks are simply amazing. Very thick, all the juice and flavor sealed in, and just enough spice on the outside. Even someone having the least expensive cut was going crazy over how good it was. The sides were all very simple and well made. Nothing out of the ordinary: mashed potatoes, asparagus, mixed vegetables, etc. I am usually not a dessert fan, and by the time I was done paying for the meal, I wasn’t in the mood. So the only downer of this meal was the price. EVERYTHING is separate. Just like at Plaza III, I had to check the salt and pepper shakers to make sure a credit card swiper wasn’t required to use them. An appetizer, salad, steak, side item, and dessert with a single glass of wine will easily take you into the $ 90 to $ 100 zone per person. The steaks are huge though, so you could escape for $ 60 and be full. So if you want a special steak and you have just won the lottery, this is your place!