Ça Va

I couldn’t wait to try your brunch yesterday, but unfortunately the hostess was so rude to my family and I that we didn’t stay. I’ve never been treated so poorly at a restaurant. I’m sorry to write such a bad review but I hope it finds the owner of this restaurant. I’m not sure if she was having a particularly bad day, but she sure did make a terrible impression. We enjoyed our brunch at another place down the street.

This bar is absolutely fantastic and a true gem in Kansas City. All of the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. I order the cheese plate (green dirt farms cheese of various kinds with other condiments) which was FANTASTIC and my server explained each one so well, and even how I should eat them from profession of «less funky to more funky.» The crème puffs for dessert proved to be an excellent choice as well. Caitlin, the general manager, is an absolute delight and if you go in, I’m sure you’ll meet her. Her bubbly personality serves her well for her position, as she’s always interacting with her guests and seeing that they have a good time.

This review is overdue for a compact, charming wine bar. Reminiscent of a European wine bar that you find wedged in between two bigger neighbors, you walk in and the wash of soft light, dark woods, and conversations lilting throughout the small space captures you in the moement. Ca Va is a unique find in KC. With seating at the bar, small tables, or patio, expect an intimate environment with a glass of sparkling rose or cava, charcuterie or cheeses, or enjoy a heartier glass. Ca Va is elegant yet calm enough to make anybody feel welcome. A newer favorite for a drink, a bite, and a chat.

I’m thrilled to have this new addition to Westport. The manager and staff are committed to providing a unique experience and variety of cocktails and champagne. If you are looking for a cozy place with great ambiance, candle lighting for a pre-​drink or nigh cap, this is the perfect place. Keep in mind, it’s small with close tables, so consider making reservations (weekends/​brunch) for large parties or special occasions. They always try to accommodate with plenty of notice. I’ve had a great experience when planning for a group or dropping in just for a late night drink. Don’t let ‘champagne bar’ intimidate you, the knowledgeable staff is welcoming and never pretentious.

Loved this little gem of a restaurant. Fantastic brunch with a build-​your-​own-​mimosa bar. Show your Parisian pride by coming here and enjoying true French style cuisine.

I wish there were more than 5 Stars to give. Ca Va is my favorite place to be in Westport. I have always gotten prompt, polite, knowledgeable, and fun service when I go in.
I never knew there was so much to know about bubbles and the staff here is always happy to share their knowledge. On top of that the food is to die for. Have you had the deviled eggs? Why not? Go now!
Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the specialty cocktails. They change seasonally and that is a good thing. They are delicious and always just what I am looking for.
I would recommend going in with friends, family, work people, anyone you have in town. DO NOT MISS IT.
Also, have I mentioned the deviled eggs? Seriously.

I was fortunate enough to find this gem during a work related visit to KC. Ca Va had a fantastic list of champagne/​bubbly, great food (I had the cheese board + summer salad and I would recommend both), everyone was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and very kind (including the owner who i got to chat with for a while) and the atmosphere was exactly what I was looking for (small, intimate setting, candle lit + an outdoor patio).
Tip: Live music Thursday nights!
If I make it back to KC, i will most definitely be coming back to Ca Va!

Excellent ambience, excellent food, and extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended!

Delicious place for sparkling wine or champagne and appetizers. I will definitely be going back.

Had the most amazing brunch here today– the mimosa bar was so much fun!!! I loved the food– an all around spectacular place to eat for brunch!

During my peak of travels, I was in NYC twice a month. Ca Va reminds me of the many neighborhood bars in quiet areas of Brooklyn. Sitting at the bar inside Ca Va, I forgot that I was in Westport. Too many French 75s and Saraccos on tap (yes, this is the only place in the Midwest with Saracco on tap), I started forgetting a bit more.
The food plates here are very small, so come before or after dinner for a night cap. Try the Missouri Trout Sardines, very interesting. The bar tender, Caitlyn, is very passionate and knowledgeable. She gracefully made our drinks and never left us unattended for more than we need to be left alone.
Overall, Ca Va is a great addition to the KC atmosphere. This place brings a bit of class back to Westport and I hope to see more like it.

My friends and I love the atmosphere, food-​stuffs, wine, and whiskey cocktails. In particular, I love the whiskey cocktails. All of the food is delicious, and I’m particularly fond of the deviled eggs.
Dapper Sipper. Do it.

Super friendly owner with a snazzy selection of sparkling wines and champagnes. If you’re not in the mood for champagne (um, why are you here?), there’s also top-​shelf liquors, and of course, the champagne of beers (Miller High Life) on tap along with Boulevard.
I sat in front of a row of tinctures and questioned the ever-​patient bartender about each one. He was courteous enough to educate me and even lent me a book to read (code for: pipe down and read this, I have to work), detailing the history and modern use of bitters. Not gonna lie, pretty interesting stuff, that.
Happy to come back and sample their eats; I’ve got my eye on that massively piled shark cooties (charcuterie) platter.

Absolutely awesome service. We were passing by and noticed their closing time and the hostess came outside and made sure we knew it was okay to come in. We ordered the County Cork and it was delicious and not too sweet. I would highly recommend.

I visited Ca Va with a friend on a Wednesday evening. We immediately liked the cozy environment and feel of the place, although the intimate lighting made it difficult to read the menu.
My friend sampled the «Death in the Afternoon» cocktail with absinthe and sparkling wine. She it liked it so well she had a second.
I’m not much of an absinthe person, so I went with the «County Cork,» Jameson, yellow Chartreuse, Honey, Lemon and Sparkling Wine. It was fantastic! It tasted like sunshine and summer.
We also split a cheese plate, which may have been a tiny bit small for $ 12, but was very good. We particularly liked the pickled cranberries, something neither of us had run across before. They made a great accompaniment to the rich brie.
Ca Va has a lovely patio space on the side where you can enjoy your cocktails as well.
My only complaint would be the prices. $ 10 for the least expensive drink option adds up fast.

Ca Va bien!
This cool little French champagne bar was the perfect spot after a nice dinner out. This spot has a different vibe than the louder packed bars around the corner, and a good mix of people inside.
We were greeted quickly and grabbed a little table, only to have awesome service from there on out. The server filled us in on everything and gave recommendations. I don’t drink champagne all that often (unless the Royals keep making the playoffs) so I tried the traditional French 75 with gin, champagne and orange. It’s like a condensed hangover in a glass. What’s nice is that they have giant water glasses on your table ready to go so you can space out your drinks and at least fight back against that pending hangover.
I really like the overall vibe in here, and just need to check out their brunch. I haven’t seen much out there about a brunch menu, but I’ll keep hunting and try to check it out soon.

My fiancé and I walked in here on a Friday night after first going to try Julep, and finding it too crowded and noisy. This place was welcoming right off the bat.
On one of those evenings after a 50 degree day in January in Kansas City, where everyone overestimates the day’s actual warmth, this place was a cozy escape from the wind and our too-​light jackets. A well-​used candelabra beckons from the window, and Ca Va is just big enough for there to be ample room to sit either at the subway-​tiled bar or at cozy bistro tables.
We went with a table for two by the window, and our waiter — Thomas — was just as friendly and helpful as the hostess. I tried the County Cork (Jameson, honey, lemon, and champagne) and Adam had the classic French 75. Both were delicious, and for $ 10 each, full enough to serve us well over an hour of conversation. They have a selective menu of similar champagne cocktails, and you can also buy champagne by the glass or the bottle. Thomas informed us they focus on vineyards who are also growers (I think I have that right), so the champagnes they serve tend to be a little dryer. The goblets of water they kept filled for us were much appreciated.
We had already eaten, so didn’t try any food, but I can guarantee you I’ll be back for a cup of Rieger pork soup, pâté, and profiteroles (not all at once).
Francoise Hardy was playing in the background, and this place really reminded us of some favorite spots in France. Ca Va easily could easily be a cozy favorite neighborhood bistro bar that we walked to meet friends at after a day of work in Paris. In that way, they really get the French-​thing right. This isn’t some theme bar — this is a place that offers the atmosphere that everyone’s just crazy about Paris for.
Being almost 30-​year-​olds, we’re usually out for dinner in Westport, rather than a crazy night of drinks at Harpos. Ca Va is sophisticated though, and we were at home alongside a group of early-​20s girls having a ball together, and older-​than-​us couples as well. We both remarked, this feels like a place in another city — and it does. But that’s also us as Kansas Citians coming to terms with the fact that we’re cool enough to host a Ca Va and keep it around too.
Really looking forward to my next visit

This review is for a Unilocal event (booze school) that we attended on a nice Sunday afternoon. Hillary and Justin were our hosts and they did a fantastic job of entertaining us and sharing their vast knowledge of champagne and sparkling wine. The location is a small intimate setting and includes an outside patio. It would be perfect for date night or a nice place to visit with a good friend or two. They do have a full bar just in case someone can’t find a champagne or sparkling wine that appeals to them. We were able to enjoy 6 tastings at our event and I went from someone who said they didn’t like champagne to someone who now knows there are several sparkling wines I can enjoy!
As our event progressed, Justin entertained everyone with a sabering demo, which was super cool.

This was my second visit and it is much improved from their first week!
They have a vast variety of sparkling wines, both domestic and imported. The service staff is knowledgable, polished and friendly.
The cocktails are precisely crafted and generally worth the wait and the price.
On the flip side, some of the prices are steep, but I suppose that’s to be expected at a place that prides itself on it’s vast champagne offerings!
Additionally, the décor seems a little sparse, but I think they’re going for a minimalist look.
I’d recommend this place if you’re looking for an intimate evening to enjoy a glass or three of bubbles!

Myself and my two «+1’s» ventured to Ca Va after a Unilocal Event a few weeks ago. We were looking for some food and drink in Westport and I mentioned this new champagne bar had opened recently — we were all in!
Another reviewer said that their slower time is after happy hour and before 9. She was absolutely correct. We got there on Wednesday night shortly before 8 and there were a few tables that were filled, but the bar was completely open. There is currently only one 4-​top table, and it was filled, so the 3 of us belly’d up to the bar.
Speaking of the bar, it was gorgeous — marble and wood — and it runs most of the length of the venue. This is a very small place, but it looked like they might be putting a patio to the side, so that will double the space. This spot feels European and I really liked the vibe.
For employees, there was a bartender, a server and a «cook». The bartender approached us immediately, gave us menus and brought us waters. She was very helpful, answered our questions and was friendly and efficient. We ordered The Classic, a French 75 and a Veniziana Spritz. All 3 drinks were great.
We were pretty hungry so we ordered some food. It was a hot day (for early May) and was in the mid-80’s. However, I still ordered The Reiger Pork Soup which was A-​mazing. YUM! My friends had the Green Dirt Farm Prairie Tomme (local cheese) Raclette and the Croque Madame (grilled ham & cheese sandwich with runny egg on top). We also shared the Jambon (i.e., ham) Plate and had the Iowa prosciutto. I thought it was cool that there was some local or midwestern items on the menu. All the food was very good and we couldn’t eat it all.
The only downer about this place is that it was VERY HOT! We were at the bar and the grills/​toasters and other methods of heating up food were right in front of us. I can’t imagine what this place will be like in the summer if people order hot food and the place is packed. Other than that, it was a great time.
As we were leaving — about 9:15 or so — it was starting to get crowded. I will definitely be back to check out the patio. A very nice and original place.

After months of anticipation, I was finally able to visit Ca Va. This is one teeny-​tiny bar that has enjoyed some great big hype leading up to it’s opening earlier in the month. Good news! It was well deserved, and I’m definitely a fan.
Other than the itsy-​bitsy size of the bar, the first thing you’ll notice is how thoughtfully they’ve crafted the environment. With the long wood and marble bar that runs the length of the building to the reclaimed pressed tin ceiling (allegedly originally from a brothel, but there’s no way to prove it) to the refurbished wood floor, a lot of care — and I presume a lot of money — went into it’s design. It feels old, European and intimate. Unfortunately that illusion is shattered when you go to the bathroom and are suddenly in some sort of random office building hallway, but if you just hold your bladder you can pretend you’re a boozy time traveler, no problem.
Obviously, the drink list is heavily geared towards champagne and sparkling wine. There are a few different options by the glass, ranging from (I think) $ 8 to $ 18. Now, I wouldn’t get the $ 18 glass unless I were also diving into a pool of gold coins a la Duck Tails, but if you’re in the appropriate tax-​bracket, get on with your bad self. The bottle list is arranged by style and region, ranging from mid $ 20s to a couple hundred dollars. Cocktails are what’s going to draw most people’s attention, and they’re great! I tried both the Death in the Afternoon (absinthe and sparking wine, $ 9) and the Valencia (apricot brandy, OJ, bitters and cava, $ 8) and both were refreshing. If you’re no fun at all and can’t get down with the concept, they do have a few beers and spirits to keep you in drink.
I haven’t actually tried any of the food options, so I can’t speak from experience, but the options are in proportion to the tiny size of the bar. Meat and cheese plates, rabbit pâté, croque madame, and The Rieger’s pork soup! We didn’t have time to nibble on my visits, but all the food we saw come out (it’s prepared right there at the bar) looked delicious. I guess that’s for another visit.
Because it’s small, brand new, and wildly hyped up, I would suggest visiting during the week when it’ll be easier to get a table or a seat at the bar. I’m sure people are clamoring to get in on the weekends and the waitlist runs long. People are getting pissy about this, which I find more than a bit silly. Nobody gets upset if they can’t storm Manifesto, who have to turn people away all the time b/​c of fire-​code. The key difference I guess is that you can’t physically see inside Manifesto. Still, I highly doubt their policy is designed to piss people off, but rather to protect their license.
TL;DR? This is an intimate, not-​inexpensive and thoughtful place to get your champagne on, but make sure you get a reservation.