This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

Gilda’s Bar de Tapas is an independent, owner-operated Spanish tapas bar and full-kitchen restaurant in downtown Shawnee, Kansas, at 5815 Nieman Road. Opened in 2025 by Stephanie Cashion with business partner Bryan Albers, it serves regional Spanish small plates, Spanish wines, and craft cocktails. The name nods both to the gilda — a classic Basque pintxo of olives, anchovy, and pepper — and to the 1946 film Gilda.

Description

Gilda’s Bar de Tapas offers a wide range of tapas and small plates inspired by the diverse regions of Spain, served alongside Spanish wines and craft cocktails. Menu signatures include the house dip of sweet roasted red peppers and almonds, the Catalan “bikini” sandwich with Serrano ham and mozzarella, fried eggplant, char-grilled lamb chops, grilled octopus, and beef tenderloin, plus classics such as patatas bravas and croquetas. The bar program ranges from a bourbon chocolate espresso martini to signature margaritas and a “strawberry smash” gin and tonic.

The concept is rooted in founder Stephanie Cashion’s love of Spain — not only its food, but the social, communal way Spaniards eat. The restaurant occupies a downtown Shawnee storefront on Nieman Road near Johnson Drive, in a space that previously housed a funeral home office (closed 2021) and was reopened after a lengthy remodel.12

Ownership and history

Gilda’s was founded by Stephanie Cashion, who developed her passion for Spanish cuisine on a trip to Spain (Barcelona) and set out to bring that food culture to the Kansas City metro. Cashion previously opened The Glass Cat, a Bonner Springs breakfast restaurant that became locally popular; it was there that she met her eventual business partner, Bryan Albers, who had owned the Bottle12 Wine Bar in Bonner Springs. The two teamed up to execute the Gilda’s vision.13

The project was first publicly announced in January 2024 as a small-plates-and-cocktails concept planned for downtown Shawnee’s growing entertainment district along Nieman Road.2 After a lengthy buildout, Gilda’s held its soft opening the week of July 22, 2025.1 Early kitchen and bar leadership included Jake Gable (chef de cuisine) and Emerald Rook (lead bartender).1

The name “Gilda” carries a double meaning: a gilda is a classic Basque pintxo (a skewer of olive, anchovy, and guindilla pepper), and the bar also draws aesthetic inspiration from the 1946 Rita Hayworth film Gilda.4

Last verified: 2026-06-17 · Source: Gilda’s official site (gildaskc.com), Johnson County Post, p2bars listing, Yelp · URL(s): https://gildaskc.com/ · https://johnsoncountypost.com/2025/07/22/gildas-shawnee-opens-264744/ · https://p2bars.com/bars-near-me/gilda-s-bar-de-tapas/ · Confidence: Medium — the full current menu is published as a Google Drive PDF the Compiler could not render; items below are corroborated across the official site, local press, and third-party listings, but exact prices and the complete category breakdown should be confirmed against the live menu PDF.

The concept is regional Spanish tapas and small plates served alongside Spanish wines, fresh-fruit sangria, and a Spanish-leaning craft-cocktail program. The kitchen rolled out its menu gradually after the July 2025 soft opening, so offerings continue to evolve.5

Signature small plates & tapas

  • The Gilda — the namesake Basque pintxo: a skewer of olive, anchovy, and guindilla pepper (~$7).65
  • Gilda’s Signature House Dip — sweet roasted red pepper and almond blend, a house signature.57
  • Catalan “Bikini” Sandwich — the “famous” pressed sandwich with Serrano ham and mozzarella.57
  • Croquetas — classic Spanish croquettes, repeatedly singled out in reviews.75
  • Patatas Bravas — fried potatoes, a Spanish tapas classic on the menu.5
  • Gambas — Spanish-style shrimp.7
  • Meatballs in Sherry Cream Sauce (~$13).6
  • Fried Eggplant.56
  • Grilled Octopus.5
  • Marcona Almonds — Spanish almonds (listed in reviews as “Marconi Almonds”).7
  • Bacon-Wrapped Dates.6
  • Pincho Moruno — Spanish-spiced grilled skewer.6

Larger plates / mains

  • Char-Grilled Lamb Chops.51
  • Beef Tenderloin.51

Bar — cocktails, wine & sangria

  • Spanish-leaning craft cocktails, including the Gilded Gilda Martini ($12), Bourbon Chocolate Espresso Martini ($14), Spanish Margarita ($14), Strawberry Smash Gin & Tonic ($14), Spanish G&T ($12), Spanish Negroni ($10), and a rotating list of martinis, gin-and-tonics, and negronis.61
  • Spanish & international wine list — an extensive selection of wines from Spain and other regions.5
  • Sangria — house sangria made with fresh fruit.5
  • Beer — limited list including Guinness and Stella Artois (~$6).6

Prices marked with ”~” are drawn from a third-party listing and should be treated as against the live menu; menu composition continues to evolve.6

See also

Sources

  • Status verified active 2026-06-23 via Gilda’s official site and Yelp — Gilda’s Bar de Tapas, 5815 Nieman Rd Shawnee (updated May 2026, 27 reviews; accessed 2026-06-23). Open and operating at 5815 Nieman Rd; kitchen Mon–Sat 3–9pm, Sun 11am–3pm. Infobox Address field corrected from the master-data error “11036 Johnson Dr” to the confirmed 5815 Nieman Rd (correction already documented in Verification status detail). Note: not taking reservations during the World Cup window (June–mid-July 2026) per official site.

Footnotes

  1. Johnson County Post, “New bar and tapas restaurant Gilda’s opens in downtown Shawnee” (July 22, 2025) — soft opening, owners Stephanie Cashion and Bryan Albers, Glass Cat / Bottle12 connections, prior funeral-home space, menu, and staff. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2025/07/22/gildas-shawnee-opens-264744/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  2. Johnson County Post, “Downtown Shawnee restaurant will offer small plates and cocktails” (Jan. 29, 2024) — initial announcement of the concept and Nieman Road location. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/01/29/gildas-downtown-shawnee-223958/ ↩ ↩2

  3. Yahoo News / Kansas City Star syndication, “Johnson County tapas bar is now open, bringing a taste of Spain to the metro” (2025) — owners, concept, and Spanish-cuisine inspiration. https://www.yahoo.com/news/johnson-county-tapas-bar-now-235047241.html ↩

  4. Gilda’s Bar de Tapas official website (gildaskc.com) — address (5815 Nieman Rd, Shawnee, KS 66203), phone (913-258-2032), hours, concept, and the gilda pintxo / 1946 film name origin. https://gildaskc.com/ ↩

  5. Gilda’s Bar de Tapas official website (gildaskc.com) — menu concept and categories: tapas & small plates (patatas bravas, croquetas, grilled octopus, lamb chops, beef tenderloin, the Gilda, signature house dip, Catalan bikini, fried eggplant), Spanish/international wine list, fresh-fruit sangria, and Spanish-twist cocktails. Full menu published as a linked Google Drive PDF. https://gildaskc.com/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12

  6. p2bars listing, “Experience Spain in Shawnee: An In-Depth Look at Gilda’s Bar De Tapas” — itemized cocktail, beer, and small-plate list with indicative prices (The Gilda ~$7, Meatballs in Sherry Cream Sauce ~$13, Gilded Gilda Martini ~$12, Bourbon Chocolate Espresso Martini ~$14, etc.); also notes pincho moruno, bacon-wrapped dates. Prices unverified against the live menu. https://p2bars.com/bars-near-me/gilda-s-bar-de-tapas/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  7. Yelp reviews/photos and aggregated coverage — diner mentions of Gambas, the “Famous Catalan Bikini,” Marcona (“Marconi”) almonds, croquetas, and the Gilda’s signature dip. https://m.yelp.com/biz/gilda-s-bar-de-tapas-shawnee-mission ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

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On the record — ks.city/registry/gildas-bar-de-tapas · record updated 2026-06-23