Winstead's Steakburgers

This diner in Kansas City opened in the 1940's and has been serving up delicious dishes since! Winstead's is a staple in Kansas City for their steakburgers and breakfast. The menu is simple but each dish is amazing! Grab your food to go in the drive-thru, or dine inside of the 1940's themed restaurant. We went for breakfast and enjoyed the breakfast platter, pancakes, and biscuits & gravy. If you haven't been to Winstead's, make sure to add it to your Kansas City food bucket list!

I had never eaten here until this morning. I had been told that they have tasty burgers, yet I opted for breakfast! The eggs were "broken yolk" scrambled. I do not like that style of eggs, though it could have been the cook's preference to prepare this method. I take serious issues with that, yet I never send things back. It sets a tone in restaurants for me; if the breakfast is good I will like the rest of the menu. Probably would not have thier breakfast again, but I am happy to try a burger sometime! My server was kind, sweet, and did a great job! The size of the coffee cup is generous and I never saw the bottom of my cup. That made the reasonable price of the meal that much more valuable!

Winsteads! Need I say more? This has been a Kansas City icon since 1940 ❤️. The only thing I wish was that they were ALL still open but hey at least we still have 2! This location is better food wise most of the time than the location in JOCO. Service was excellent yesterday.

Keep patronizing this icon or it’ll be gone 😭 Best food, so simple but consistently awesome since forever! 12/30/24 six of us walked in at 15 minutes until closing, and our server was outstanding. I think her name was Tiffany? Maybe Stephanie. She was the most friendly person ever and the whole staff. There is just fantastic. Thank you, thank you thank you.

Located in KC is Winsteads drive in (and drive thru apparently) lol. It’s located off of the edge of some ravine? Grass? Nature area? And the the surround buildings are all straight out of 1950. It’s a rather neat environment. Walk in and we sit where we’d like! It’s this old diner feel and the aesthetics fit the vibe of the staff and place. I will say a lot of the seats were tore up so ew. Our server comes to us and I can smell the 3 packs of newports taking care of the kids this morning and I get excited for the food! We’re not here to pass FDA inspections. Steak Egg and Cheese 7/10 - I got too much love for this on my story for what it ended up being lol it did its job but oh so underwhelming. But hey for $4.99 it’s better than anything else out there. Hash Browns 6/10 - great flavor but had the texture that they were in the walk in cooler 45 seconds before. For $20 I fed bae and I with tip. That’s a W. Follow me on IG eats_by_puig

Service depends on when you go- when it was busy, service was friendly but obviously slower...however, it got almost too slow, to the point where we waited 20 minutes after we were finished eating to get our check at lunch. In contrast, when we went for a late night burger, service was excellent and quick! Food was hot and delicious both times I stopped by. I read it was KC's best burger and it honestly did not disappoint! I also had a brownie without the ice cream (lactose issues) and it was fresh, warm, homemade... just the best. I'm definitely stopping by again when I return to KC next year!

I love this Winstead's. The food is always great, and the service is friendly. Just be aware that it does get busy! If you go during peak times, you may have to wait a while. The staff are very efficient though. Even when an event is happening nearby, we've never waited more than 45 minutes.

A little dated, old settings and tables, however, most of the food was amazing and so quick, we ordered a frosty that was supposed to be drinkable but it was just scoops of chocolate ice cream in a glass. Other then that everything else was delicious. Definitely a place to try.

Something from childhood! My favorite steak-burgers dbl winstead with cheese with onion pickle catchupmustard. Limeade breakfast is a local staple eggs to order!

This diner in Kansas City opened in the 1940's and has been serving up delicious dishes since! Winstead's is a staple in Kansas City for their steakburgers and breakfast. The menu is simple but each dish is amazing! Grab your food to go in the drive-thru, or dine inside of the 1940's themed restaurant. We went for breakfast and enjoyed the breakfast platter, pancakes, and biscuits & gravy. If you haven't been to Winstead's, make sure to add it to your Kansas City food bucket list!

We stopped in here for a old-fashioned burger with tator tots and fries. I heard this is one of the oldest places still open..bring me back to those times..

Winstead's, once a staple of KC, has been aging quite a bit of late, but in my opinion, it's still got it! First, I have to be real here because it's quite noticeable.. the Plaza Winstead's is in need of some love and TLC. It's a bit of a fixer upper, and by that I mean ripped booths, dirty carpet, a once-fun jukebox that is broken down, and bathrooms where it's best just to hold it til you get home. That being said, the combo of nostalgia + price + kid friendly makes this still a fun, annual go-to for us. The servers are always friendly here, and the smashburgers and onion rings are delicious. Of course, you have to get a shake/malt/skyscraper of some kind as well. Hopefully they can revive some of the glory days of this iconic spot, and if not, we'll still find ourselves here on occasion, taking in the Plaza lights and having some fun family time like we used to with our grandparents back in the day.

My all time favorite burgers and ice cream! Such good prices, love the classic vibe in there. I dream of their chocolate frostier and cherry lime aid.

I had the ham,egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on an English muffin with no butter. So yummy. And what a deal! This is a no frills diner stocked full of locals. Good cheap food.

We came here later before 9 pm so it was not busy but the waitress was very nice and attentive coming back to check on us or our drinks. The design inside feels like a classic diner still even if it is an older building/ older furniture. The cherry limeade was so good, tart and sweet and both burgers had enough toppings and sauce on. Everything came out fast and overall it was a fun experience to go to a more classic diner like this.

Overall tasty burger spot but a little disappointed from this experience. Burger patties were cold and the service busy, so took a while to get the food. That being said solid KC burger joint and hopefully they can have more attention to detail next time.

Legendary Kansas City drive-in next to the beautiful Plaza. I have vivid memories over the decades, coming here as a child, and later, doing eating contests of their giant Skyscraper shake. Famous New York writer, Calvin Trillin, called the Winsteads Steakburger the best in the country. My wife had a single steak burger with cheese while I opted for the triple steak burger without cheese, including grilled onions. We split an order of 50-50, onion, rings, and tots. The tots and rings were cooked quite nicely and were very crispy. The best limeade I have ever had is here at Winsteds. They put a little scoop of lime sherbet in the drink, and it really makes a difference! Their shakes are exceptional, as is their special drink, the Frosty. If you aren't in the mood for a burger, try the fried egg sandwich or their grilled cheese. The taste of their steakburgers, and the quality of meat they use is what makes Winsteads stand out above others. Eighty-plus years and they are still going!

I really enjoyed this place. Great simple smash burgers that were satisfying. Onion rings were crispy and delicious. Malts were a great texture, obviously made with real ice cream. Really cute classic diner. Servers were friendly. Wish this place was closer to me!!

We had a great visit with our family - while the interior could use a renovation, it's all part of the charm. The burgers were great - love the custom toppings options. The 50/50 with tots and onion rings were excellent, not greasy at all. What tipped this from a 4 to 5-star review was our server, Nicole. She was friendly, efficient, and patient with our group of 6.

Great burgers, friendly environment. 10 minute turnaround on order to plate. Highly recommended already and i back that opinion

When you're looking for a blast from the past, this is it. Very simple & classic vibe, what you can call a diner. Menu is simple, & the service itself is great. I believe it's the fastest I've ever gotten my meal honestly. Portions aren't huge, they're just enough. Onions rings were crunchy, & burgers were it. Cream soda was great, & not to mention their lemonade! Those 2 were sincerely the cherry on top (small pun).

Food was OK, if you want to Smashburger, there is actually a Freddys just across the street or a sonic where you can get a much tastier burger with all the trimmings. The restaurant has zero personality and it just felt very uninviting. It was hard to understand our server who was wearing a mask. I've been wanting to try it and I can now say that I did. Will I be back? No

Though there was a lot of employee traffic going in and out of the building while we were in the drive-through line waiting, they still managed to get our big order, which had specials as well, correctly. They had us on the road in an awesome time. The only thing I have a complaint about is that my butterscotch shake didn't taste like butterscotch. #ItaliStyles #GreatLateNight #YummyChili

Love this place ! Great food , doesn't break the bank . Service is fast n friendly , like the vibe of the place .

Hard to not like this place! A KC staple. Thin steakburgers, crispy chicken sandwiches, 50/50 fries & onion rings/tots, malts, cherry limemades, and reasonable prices! Admittedly, the inside is a bit run down, with the occasional ripped booth, but that classic diner feel is still intact. Plus, I've never had an issue with service here, whether dining in or in the drive through. Another plus, the drive through is open 24 hours! It does get busy late at night, but worth the wait in my opinion. I'd pick this over other fast-food spots like McDonald's any day!

It was literally one car ahead of me and ZERO car behind me and my order still got ****'d up like come on man whose back there playing with our food at 1 o'clock in the morning ... crazy part is I asked for tater tots and they charged me for fries l get home and open the darn bag ITS FRIES like bro hire people who can actually HEAR!! or get your microphones fixed .. SOMETHING .. I eat here to much I LOVE IT HERE FOOD GREAT !! ALWAYS ! It's just getting old .. I'm twenty seven and this is my first review ... crazy right ..

I heard about this place from Gretchen Rubin on The Happiness Project podcast. Drive thru easy to order. Burgers on point. They even wrap the burgers to make them easy to eat when you are driving. Onion rings hit the spot. This is a must stop in KC.

We didn't dine in as this was at 3am or something. However the foods were delicious. They have a 24/7 drive through so it's super good for late like munchies like me. I had the ice cream soda vanilla flavor I love it. Kinda forgot what else I ordered but we ate in the car parked there and went back for a second round. Definitely wanna try to come back for dine in

Love their Steakburgers, the cherry limeade is to die for. My very favorite spot on the Plaza for a quick snack at lunchtime

This is the place to go. Prices lower than fast food chains, and the food is better, staff is pleasant, and drive through open early in the morning. Inside hasn't changed in years, worn booth and carpet but always a clean table to sit at.

Located just off the plaza, this diner has the home cooked, casual environment filled with seemingly regulars and friendly waitresses constantly refreshing coffee. Private parking lot. I went for an early breakfast; around 7:30 am on a Saturday, and it was relatively busy. Eggs and bacon cooked just right. Party of two chatting ladies, we stayed a bit long, but didn't keep anyone else waiting for a table and they started to fill quickly.

Great service and good food. We really enjoyed our experience here. It's a little run down but that gives it character! If you like burgers...go here!

If you're looking for a steakburger, winsteads is definitely a classic. I came here for a quick bite and went through the drive through recently and the food came out fresh and fast. The staff member was very friendly and helpful with our order. I would definitely come here for a quick bite or to go inside and get the real diner experience. It gives you a throwback where you can slow down your day, eat some classic food, and hang out with friends and family.

Can fat people eat here? Yes 5: yes 3: maybe 1: no Very good pricing for food. You are gonna get full. The food is solid, isn't necessarily something to run home about this page is about how if I'm full and happy and this place did it.

We stopped in for milkshakes at a friend's recommendation. First of all, the service was OUTSTANDING!! Everyone we encountered was friendly. My daughter and I both ordered chocolate milkshakes. Omg...they tasted EXACTLY how a retro-diner milkshake *should* taste! I highly recommend visiting this charming place! (Hint: drinks & shakes have a happy hour!)

Dining room could use a remodel. The service is great, the staff is friendly and hard working. The burgers came out quickly, and were perfect. The chocolate malts are special. I like the 50/50 onion rings and frys. Thank you everyone for a great meal.

Nicole was friendly and efficient. The chocolate shake was excellent. My family enjoyed lunch.

is NOT open 24 hrs as advertised, at most open 22 hrs, they close very night for at least 2 hours for "shift change"

It looks like they are closing a lot of the Winstead's around Kansas City. I hope they keep this one open for as long as possible. I've never had a bad experience here. On a hot summers day this is a great place to come for their limeade. The staff is usually friendly and even though there is usually a line of cars at the drive-through it goes pretty quickly.

This is the 'WORST' food to be had in Kansas City! Why then are they still in business?? ...it's simple, 'They're Cheap!' All the food food is obviously cooked way ahead so as to not have to bother cooking it to order and there it sits in a pan waiting for you to order it. Their speciality of burgers, the fries, the onion rings were all served ice cold, limp, and greasy, with no regard to any presentation what so ever. I should have known better when I began to look around and noticed that the restaurant was in dire need of repair, ...the ripped-up booths, the burned out neon lights, the graffiti painted on the side of the building, ...the excuse that they served for food was the final touch to a restaurant that should have been closed years ago.

Loved the nostalgia of this old diner. Good burgers especially loved the sauted onions. never seen a menu with 50/50. I love onion rings & fries so this was a perfect match for me. The Building itself is worth the effort visiting. Tiled & slick. Read about this place in a book "Life in Five Sences" so happy to explore the sense of taste!

There's a sign when you walk in that states 'Please wait to be seated.' After standing there for 10 mins and not being acknowledged by anyone, we finally decided to leave. By that point there were an additional 10 people behind us waiting to be seated. As we were leaving a customer sitting at a table said we were better off to seat ourselves. If we couldn't even be acknowledged within 10 mins, I cannot image the service would be any better. We left and went to Shake Shack.

I'm pleasantly surprised with how well my outing was here. It's a no-frills diner, and their menu reflects that: all that's offered are steakburgers, fried sides, and sugary drinks. Even though their menu is simple, they food is pretty good. I went with the double cheesesteak burger (a single patty looked pretty thin), tots, and a strawberry shake. The tots and burger were good, and I appreciate being able to I pick what ingredients you want to be on the burger - some cost extra. The shake was also good, but I kind of wish that I had the option to get my shake as the same time as my meal. My friend got a similar meal, but her onion rings weren't completely fried, and came out soft. The service was prompt and attentive, and the diner was clean. The price was even better, as the total was under $27. Overall, it was a nice experience to visit with friends and family there.

Really good, fast service even during a busy time. I think our servers name was Sarah, she was great!

My husbands dad who live in Kansas City in the 40's-60's said that winsteads had the best burgers in the world. We pulled through the drive through, we would have done in but we had some one sleeping in the back. We ate in the parking lot. Unfortunately the fires did not have salt and we forgot to ask for some. The burger, however was delicious! The onion rigs were notable too!

I came here twice in one weekend for a bachelorette party. The first night we wanted a cute, casual dinner and this lil diner did the trick! They have a limited, but affordable menu with all your diner classics. Most people got the steak burger, fries, and some type of shake. Quick service, plenty of seating, and kind staff. Both times we went (in-person and drive thru) they got our large (7+ people) order correct. Good food and big history here in KC!

Onion rings are the best in town and their burgers are delicious Need more locations

Sometimes all I need in life is diner food. Winstead's hit the mark. My meal of a single burger, onion rings and a vanilla milkshake was of the most satisfying meals I've had in awhile. That's saying a lot because food is on the forefront of my mind 24/7. This classic diner even has a jukebox. My food was ready super quick after I ordered. This place would be perfect with children. If you are in the area and crave this type of food (burgers, fries and etc), be sure to drop in. I plan to visit Kansas City at least once a year as I go forth in life. Winstead's will be on my agenda each and every time!!

Old not well kept. Food so-so. Not planning to return I had the Classic Single Winstead

Winstead's has been keepin' it real for 42 years! Yes, I realize it's been longer, but I'm only 42 years old. Back off! Born on the Plaza, we used to go all the time when I was young. Returning as an adult, the burgers, fries, and shakes are all still EXACTLY the same as they've always been. DUH-licious. Throw in some comfy booths and great service, and you're in for a great experience.

Best tip: All beverage-type items, which is anything that comes with a straw, including malt, shakes, and Skyscrapers, are 1/2 price from 3-6 PM! Our server, Josi, was great...personable, funny, and brought us whatever we needed or needed more of, quickly. When we asked for more mustard, he served it on a plate as a smiley face. I tend to order the same thing every time, my reliable favorites, a double cheeseburger with just the mustard/ketchup sauce, and a slice of tomato, and a thick chocolate milkshake, extra chocolate. You have to ask for both, or a chocolate milkshake comes out looking almost vanilla and too runny. For the first time ever, it came out perfect, because Josi made it himself to make sure it was just right! I love the authentically retro 50's decor and vibe, much like it looked when I first went there in the 50s, but spruced up. The restaurant & drive through on the Plaza is where the Winstead's legend began, and the original home of their famous Steakburgers!

If you are looking for a genuine walk back in time, Winstead's will not disappoint. This evening, as my husband were down around the country club plaza area, he surprised me with a stop by Winstead's drive-through to pick up drinks and dessert to go with our dinner leftovers. We had originally ordered 2 apple dumpling Ala modes, 1 rootbeer float, and a large fresh squeezed cherry limeade.(with the lime sherbet and cherry, and limes.) But our order was short lived as the cashier at the window told us they stopped making those a couple months ago.( She said they had the brownie sundae with hot fudge, so we got two of those). The brownies were great with the hot fudge and ice cream, but a little rich. (We miss the apple dumpling). But if you dine in, check out their steak burgers, there 50/50 side, just take a group, and run the menu, it great from top to bottom. Thank You for the great drinks and desserts Winstead's, we will be back! Update: tonight, the hubby and I stopped in for dessert again, but instead of waiting in the drive-through, we decided to go in for a mini date night(something we don't do that often. We found a booth for two.The busser brought us our water. After a bit of waiting, he inquired if anyone had been by to help, we let him know no one had been by.He found a waitress for us, and we got our order made. My husband chose the rootbeer float and cheesecake with no topping, and I enjoyed a butterscotch sundae and cherry limeade(that was perfectly balanced in flavor). At the end of the evening, after the check was brought to the table and hubby took care of it, he wanted to make sure the busser got recognized with a tip for the holidays. So before we left, I found him and let him know we appreciated him for what great service he gave us. Remember, it is the little things that are done that can make the biggest impact.

This is my usual place to get a quick meal if I'm in a hurry and it's late at night, because they have a drive thru that is open 24 hours. I'm finally here earlier in the day so decided to stop and dine in today and glad I did. There was a bit of a wait because of the line at the door. It didn't take them long to seat me though. I could see that they were constant clearing tables and trying to be efficient about getting people in, definitely a good sign. I decided to keep it simple and got the chicken strips and an order of fries. The chicken strips were fluffy, meaty and crispy at the same time. The fries were chunky thick fries that were not over-seasoned. The food came out quickly and were fresh. My server came back to check on my quite a bit and gave me a couple refills my drinks. My usual favorite to get here is the double Winstead and fries. I'm glad I got the chicken strips because it was so good!

Service was attentive, food was nostalgic & ambiance was exactly the same as the day they opened. Could defiantly use an update but the fact that nothing has changed in 50+ years makes the experience feel authentic.

I fell in love the moment the waitress set my cherry limeade down, and I saw a small scoop of limemade sherbet. I'm not a huge fan of the onion rings, but that's just in general but I ordered the 50/50 & that's how it usually comes; I wish I would've gotten fries and tater tots instead. The burger was fantastic and tasted cooked to order. I appreciate the fresh leaf of lettuce! The 60's vibe without the racism is awesome to say the least. There are people here from all different backgrounds enjoying two things at least, good food & good music. There are open until 1 am, if I lived closer to kcmo I would definitely use their hours to my advantage over McDonald's or Burger King any day. I want to come back and try a root beer float or sundae or milkshake or the apple dumpling. I love desserts and they have more than half a page catered to it....also features a drive-thru(;

Absolutely chaotic and failing service, looooong order wait times, and completely missing items from order. Not going again honestly

Recently moved back to KC and used to love Winsteads. I had heard they had gone very downhill but decided to check it out and was sorely disappointed. Food was lukewarm at best, burger was missing items, and staff did not seem competent. It was also extremely slow to get our food. So sad that it's being run into the ground. No wonder the others have closed or people have moved to Town Topic etc.