Jess & Jim's: The 1938 Kansas City Steakhouse Still Known For Its Gigantic Steaks

How far would you be willing to travel for what some dub the most legendary steak in the Midwest? Known and beloved by many a red meat connoisseur, Jess & Jim's Steakhouse has been a center point of Kansas City, Missouri, for almost nine decades. Residents and tourists alike battle snowstorms, wind tunnels, and much more for a glimpse of the giant black bull crowning the top of the restaurant's brick building.

Some are drawn to Jess & Jim's for their friendly and knowledgeable servers, but it's the steaks that have kept customers returning since 1938 (we didn't name it the best steakhouse in Missouri for nothing). Jess & Jim's serves many different cuts of steak of exceptional quality. There's the filet mignon, the ribeye, the top sirloin, the T-bone, the Porterhouse, and even the KC strip (which is different from the New York strip), which come in sizes ranging from 5 ounces all the way up to a 30-ounce cut. Lastly, there's the Playboy Strip, a 25-ounce hunk of meat named after Playboy Magazine writer Calvin Trillin. When the steakhouse celebrated its 75th anniversary, customers could try their hand at the 75-ounce steak challenge, wherein finishing the 75-ounce slab with beets, salad, bread, and a baked potato would make the meal free.

Jess & Jim's Steakhouse takes its steaks seriously, using prime aged beef hand-cut daily. The steakhouse only seasons its meat with salt and pepper, though it does offer a house made steak seasoning upon request, and specializes in cooking steaks medium well or rarer, putting the primary focus on the quality of the beef. Customers can even purchase raw steaks for grilling at home. Given its dedication to exceptional steaks, Jess & Jim's Steakhouse is loaded with awards and accolades, such as a spot on Southern Living's "The Most Legendary Steakhouses In The South" list, USA Today's "10 Best Steakhouses In Kansas City" list, and HuffPost's "America's 50 Best Steakhouses" list.

Jess Kincaid and Jim Wright opened Jess & Jim's Steakhouse in April of 1938, but the original location of the restaurant was destroyed by the Great Tornado in 1957, which is how the restaurant ended up where it is today, making it one of the 12 oldest steakhouses across the United States. Kincaid left the business shortly after to start a family, though his name stuck, and Wright brought on R.C. Van Noy to help in the dining room. Wright and Kincaid both eventually passed away, leaving the restaurant to Van Noy, who passed away in 2002 and left ownership to his two sons, who still run it to this day.