Cliff's Taphouse

Cliff’s Taphouse is a neighborhood American restaurant and bar in the Martini Corner / Hyde Park area of Kansas City, Missouri, opened in March 2021 by longtime restaurant manager Larry Kime with executive chef Laura Valdivia. It pairs a full bar and a rotation of local beers on tap with a scratch-leaning, locally sourced food menu, aiming to be “a great food option” in a district known mostly for drinking.¹²³

Description

Cliff’s Taphouse is an American restaurant and bar at 3044 Gillham Rd in the Martini Corner district at the edge of Hyde Park, Kansas City, Missouri.¹⁴ It operates as a “purpose driven restaurant that aims to connect with the neighborhood and community through exemplary food, beverage and service.”⁵ The concept centers on a full bar carrying roughly a dozen local beers on tap alongside a food menu of flatbreads and dips, wings, burgers, vegetable tostadas, baked mac & cheese, and vegan and vegetarian options.²⁶ The venue seats about 100 inside with a 40-seat outdoor patio, and runs happy hour and reverse-happy-hour specials.²¹

The name honors “Cliff,” described by the business as a 1960s Chicago police officer whose favorite spot “was a dark corner bar with a big sign out front” — the inspiration for the taphouse’s welcoming, all-are-welcome neighborhood ethos.⁵

Ownership and history

Cliff’s Taphouse is owned by Larry Kime, formerly the manager of the Nick and Jake’s South Plaza location, which closed in April 2020.² After that closure, Kime opened Cliff’s Taphouse in the former Ollie’s Local space at 3044 Gillham Rd, debuting in early-to-mid March 2021.² He brought along chef Laura Valdivia from Nick and Jake’s to serve as executive chef.²³ Kime framed the venture around food quality, stating, “I feel there’s a lot of good drinking establishments in that area, but I want to be a great food option.”² Valdivia was recognized by The Pitch’s Best of KC as a Best New Chef nominee for her work at the taphouse.⁷

Links

• Official website: https://cliffstaphousekc.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cliffstaphouse/

Sources

Disputes

• One early secondary search summary referenced a “spring 2023” opening; this is contradicted by the primary Flatland KC report of an early/mid-March 2021 opening in the former Ollie’s space. Founding year recorded as 2021. No other disputes noted.

Footnotes

1. Yelp — Cliff’s Taphouse. https://www.yelp.com/biz/cliff-s-taphouse-kansas-city — asserts: address (3044 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108), business type (cocktail bars / restaurant), current hours, and active status (listing updated April 2026, 150 reviews). ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Flatland KC — “Cliff’s Taphouse Taking Former Ollie’s Space at Martini Corner.” https://flatlandkc.org/eats-drinks/cliffs-taphouse-taking-former-ollies-space-at-martini-corner/ — asserts: owner Larry Kime, his background as former Nick and Jake’s South Plaza manager (closed April 2020), opening early-to-mid March 2021, prior tenant Ollie’s Local, concept (American restaurant/bar, local beers on tap, locally sourced food), seating (100 inside / 40 patio), chef Laura Valdivia, and Kime’s “great food option” quote. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. IN Kansas City Magazine — “Reservation for One: Cliff’s Taphouse.” https://www.inkansascity.com/eat-drink/restaurants/reservation-for-one-cliffs-taphouse/ — asserts: executive chef Laura Valdivia; restaurant in Martini Corner. ↩ ↩²

4. Wheree — Cliff’s Taphouse menu/listing. https://cliffs-taphouse.wheree.com/ — asserts: address and KC, MO 64108 location. ↩

5. Cliff’s Taphouse — official “About” page. https://cliffstaphousekc.com/kansas-city-martini-corner-cliff-s-taphouse-about — asserts: mission statement (“purpose driven restaurant…”), name origin (Cliff, 1960s Chicago police officer / “dark corner bar” story). ↩ ↩²

6. Cliff’s Taphouse — official Food Menu. https://cliffstaphousekc.com/kansas-city-martini-corner-cliff-s-taphouse-food-menu — asserts: food offerings (flatbreads, burgers, mac & cheese, etc.). ↩

7. The Pitch, Best of KC 2021 — “Laura Valdivia, Cliff’s Taphouse,” Best New Chef. https://bestofkc2021.thepitchkc.com/PitchKC/bestofkc2021/food/best-new-chef/laura-valdivia-cliffs-taphouse — asserts: chef Laura Valdivia recognized for her work at Cliff’s Taphouse. ↩