Kin Lin

Kin Lin is a small, family-run Chinese restaurant near the UMKC campus, just east of the Country Club Plaza, known for serving dim sum and small plates all day rather than only at weekend brunch.¹²

Description

Kin Lin is a small, family-run Chinese restaurant located at 314 E 51st Street, across from the University of Missouri–Kansas City campus near 51st and Brookside Boulevard, in the UMKC/Rockhill area just east of the Country Club Plaza.¹² Its kitchen leans Hunan, and its defining feature is that dim sum and small plates appear under the appetizer section and are available throughout the day — not confined to a separate weekend brunch service as at most dim sum houses in the metro.¹ Local food writing singles out the marinated cucumber as a hot-weather crowd favorite, alongside sesame sweet rice balls and spicy marinated pig ears for more adventurous diners.¹ The menu is broad, with a large set of vegetarian and vegan options noted by long-time reviewers.² The restaurant is open daily 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.³

Ownership and history

Kin Lin is consistently described in local coverage as a small, family-run restaurant.¹² Aggregated business listings identify the owners as Jeff and Joanna Ruan and a founding year of 1990; these specific details have not yet been confirmed against a primary source and are flagged accordingly.⁴ The restaurant’s longevity is independently corroborated: one local reviewer reports patronizing it for 15-plus years since 2003, and a customer cited on the restaurant’s own site claims a relationship of “close to 30 years,” consistent with an early-1990s opening.²⁵ The business is reported to have expanded its space several years ago.²

Links

• Official site: https://kinlinkcmo.com/
• Online ordering: https://www.kinlinkcmo.com/order
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kinlinrestaurant

Sources

Disputes

None recorded.

Footnotes

1. KCUR, “Looking for dim sum in Kansas City? These are the restaurants and stores you want to try” (Feb 3, 2024). https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2024-02-03/dim-sum-kansas-city-best-asian-restaurants-chinese-taiwanese-food — asserts: Kin Lin is a small family-run restaurant near UMKC serving Hunan cuisine; dim sum listed under appetizers and available all day; marinated cucumber, sesame sweet rice balls, and pig ears noted. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. The Brazen Gourmets (chuckeatskc.com), “Kin Lin.” https://chuckeatskc.com/kin-lin/ — asserts: long-running Chinese restaurant at 314 E 51st St near UMKC; reviewer a patron 15+ years since 2003; extensive vegetarian/vegan menu; restaurant expanded several years ago. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

3. Beyond Menu, Kin Lin Chinese Restaurant info & hours. https://www.beyondmenu.com/23725/kansas-city/kin-lin-chinese-restaurant-kansas-city-64112/info.aspx — asserts: 314 E 51st St, KC, MO 64112; phone (816) 561-4334; hours daily 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. ↩

4. Aggregated business/search listings (Yelp/Grubhub/restaurant directories). https://www.yelp.com/biz/kin-lin-chinese-restaurant-kansas-city — asserts (unverified): owners Jeff & Joanna Ruan; established 1990. Flagged pending primary confirmation. ↩

5. Kin Lin official site. https://kinlinkcmo.com/ — asserts: 314 E 51st St, KC, MO 64112; hours 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. daily; phone (816) 561-4334; customer review citing ~30-year patronage. ↩