Lill’s on 17th

I loved this place soooo hard. Sorry its gone.
Hugs to you Trell.

Ahhh, with time all things change.
Lill’s on 17^th is closing this coming Saturday, December 22^nd.
Trell and Bryn, thanks to you and all of your restaurant family, who have made this little house a place of celebration, joy and savored fare.
Wishing all good to you and those you love, especially the four legged family members.

Excellent little Spanish bistro. Was really skeptical of getting a single portion of their paella special, but it was delicious. The seafood was cooked perfectly and the rice had some crunchy bits from the bottom of the paella pan. Great service, too, in a quant little converted home. Recommend the outside seating if the weather’s cooperating.

Pot Pie move over, here comes Lill’s on 17^th. Oh my, this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. it’s upscale on pricing, in a divey old house, very modest food selection, but my god, the paella was delicious, the small plates divine, the sangria delightful and the coconut desert was fabulous. the next time we want to splurge on dinner we’ll be back, because this place kicked some major ass.

If we lived a little closer, we’d probably visit Lill’s a lot more. (Also, we might have visited sooner if their website was a bit more inviting. They only list a handful of entrees on the site’s menu. Turns out they’ve got many more options than that.)
From the moment we walked in, we felt so welcome and attended to. Our hostess, Brynn, knew the menu inside and out, and made some wonderful suggestions. One of us ordered an entrée, while the other had a series of tapas. Each selection was outstanding, with flavors intermingling wonderfully.
The atmosphere is also quite good. In retrospect, we wished we’d have taken advantage of the outdoor dining. But the interior was fine, too. And it’s becoming a more attractive neighborhood all the time, with several restaurants and Fervere (whose breads are featured on Lill’s menu) nearby.

Tucked in an old house in the Westside neighborhood, this place is a gem. Seating is scattered throughout the yard and house so the setting is intimate no matter where you are, and the service is never anything short of fantastic.
It’s not the best place for a vegetarian for dinner, but the tapas menu is ripe with excellent options. The Potatoes Aioli are crispy and delicious, and the stuffed mushrooms are rich and flavorful. The tapenade has the perfect level of saltiness. I love sitting out on the patio on a nice day with a drink and sharing tapas with friends — picture perfect.

From the moment you walk in the door you feel that you are being welcomed into someone’s home, cozy and cute, with the owner instantly treating you like an old friend.
Our second time dining here was on New Year’s Eve for their 6 course meal. I had always wanted to do a dinner for NYE and we could not of picked a more perfect place for the occasion.
We sipped champagne and settled in for the 2 ½ hour feast. The timing in between courses was perfect, and each time a new plate came out I felt such excitement at what the next dish would bring. Some of my favorites were the chef’s take on shrimp cocktail, and the lobster crepes. Everything was superb.
Brynn was our waitress, and we did not want for anything. She was poised, professional, and friendly. Not to mention stunning in her cocktail attire.
As the night was wrapping up we could hear the chef’s turning up their music and signing along, really making the most of their night. I loved that. I like to feel like I am a part of something. I don’t enjoy the stuffy restaurants that make you feel like you can’t just relax and be yourself. Which is just not the case at Lill’s. Upscale and classy without any pretension.

Yes, it’s a house. :-)
Lil (y) will roam around generally — on slow nights she’ll help wait on you — on other nights she’ll just chat with you or volunteer fun tidbits about the house.
One of the most surprising things about Lill’s is how excellent and varied the bar selections are.
I remember my date saying she thought the place was pricey and as a bachelor I’m not always conscious of what is expensive and what isn’t. I can say that I loved the food, the ambiance, and the experience. If the money is a concern, I do think as of the writing of this review that she’s got a certificate up on
so you can def. save some money if you want.

This is a cozy little place with a devoted staff, a talented chef and a charming owner who is genuinely glad to have you and focused on making sure your experience is delightful.
The bacon wrapped dates are delightful, as are some of the other tapas starters. I ordered a filet and hubs had the special, which was paella, and our meal was stupendous.
We love good food and good people and this place them both!

Atmosphere: Charming, cozy house on the Westside, trendy local chill vibe, known around town as a hidden gem
Seating: limited with seating inside and out
Price: Tapas — $$, Dinner — $$$
Service: Lacking
Experience: I’ve had better… much better
The Short Story:
I’ve read and heard about Lill’s on 17^th for a few years now and wanted to give it a try. Our 7:15 reservation turned into 2 hours of the worst service I’ve ever had. I feel horrible about giving this place a bad review because I really WANTED to like it. Maybe it was just a really off night and there was a comedy of err or unfortunate events that we were not privy to. I have no idea. But for now, LaBodega remains my go to Tapas Restaurant in KC and I have no desire to return to Lill’s. If I do, it will probably be for lunch when, from other reviews, they seem to be less busy.
The Full Monty:
Our waitress was very nice when she came over to take our drink order — she recommended the red sangria which I think is a must try at a Tapas joint. But 15 minutes later we had no drinks, no bread, no Sangria and NO waitress. When she finally returned, we ordered 2 tapas (bacon wrapped dates & crab cakes) & 2 medium rare filets.
45 minutes later we had empty sangria glasses, still no water, no bread, no salad, no tapas and no waitress. We hadn’t seen her since she brought the first glass of sangria. When she FINALLY came to check on us we asked if we could have water, bread, salad or something since we had been waiting so long. She apologized for the delay and said that they were short a bartender that evening. Now, I’ve worked in the restaurant business so I can understand the kitchen being behind in such a small place. BUT… as a trade-​off, the service should be OUTSTANDING. This was far from the case. I should have asked for the check then but we thought that the food would be worth the wait. We were wrong.
Our tapas came out before the salad or bread. Burnt dates and cold crab cakes made us feel like our food had been sitting up there for awhile. The salad and the dinner course came out right on top of each other. $ 125 dollars later, we barely touched our filets and were ready to go.
As a lover of KC’s independent restaurants, I have considered writing the owner. I would want to know about good and bad experiences alike if it was my place. Like I said, maybe it was an off night but it put me off from trying Lill’s again anytime soon.

Lill’s has been on my radar forever, seeing as how it’s within walking distance (on a nice day at least) from my place and I loooove me some Westside playtime.
My cousin was in town from Colorado so she, my aunt and mom all came to pick me up to head over to Lill’s for some lunch. We had made a 1:00 reservation, as their website and many reviews recommend, but we were one of only four tables that occupied the place during our whole visit. Just an FYI for people strolling around on a sunny afternoon: go in and see if there is a table available!
The space is an adorable old house made into a restaurant. Tables are a little close together and it can get loud, at least when every seat in the place is occupied with ladies and cocktails. (Amazing sangria for everyone at my table!) The lunch menu is abbreviated, with 4 – 5 options for either salad or a sandwich.
I opted for the eggplant and goat cheese sandwich… it came on toasty, garlicky French bread and had warm, just melted goat cheese covering the eggplant, basil and roasted red peppers stuffed inside. It was absolutely delicious. My mom got the Caprese sandwich which boasted a HUGE amount of very fresh looking red tomatoes, (be still my beating heart, it is almost back to TOMATO SEASON), fressssssssssh mozzarella, basil and balsamic. My cousin and aunt each had the Ham, Boursin and Apple sandwich, which was apparently wonderful. All sandies came with a generous serving of crunchity-​crispy seasoned chips.
4 stars because I felt it took quite a while to get our food… with such a tiny menu and hardly anyone else in the place, I just thought we waited a little too long. Nothing to deter me from coming back though! What a perfect lunch place.

I feel food-​lucky in KC lately. Lill’s continues that streak.
Lill’s is very seafood heavy, so if you like your seafood, this is the place for you. The proprietor said that she gets her fish from a supplier that flies it in frozen and looks for what looks good. She mentioned that she grew up in FL and knows her fish. Indeed she does.
I ended up ordering the special that day, which was a salmon dish. Let’s just say that 20 minutes later, it was gone. Totally devoured. It was so good that you probably would not have found even the slightest morsel left. My future father-​in-​law felt quite the same way about his salmon salad.
If you’re a little hesitant about trying seafood items so far from a coast, don’t worry about it at Lill’s. Just be sure to RSVP and don’t come anywhere near closing time because they may not have room to seat you or may run out of food towards the end of the day, thus ensuring everything’s fresh.

Nice old home to have a cozy and tasty lunch or dinner.
Good tapas selection, along with some sandwiches, salads, and mains. These preparation seems to be good, and the ingredients top-​notch. A great example would be the Fevere Bread from around the corner. The staff is super-​nice… so even if you are a picky fool like me you’ll probably be treated to a smile nontheless.

Not a fan, did not like their food… I can cook better! Nice people though.