National Onion Ring Day – Dinner at Green Room Burgers and Beer in Westport

When it comes to the great debate between french fries and onion rings (actually, is there really much debate?) I have to say I’m a more of a french fry gal. But obviously when it comes to National Onion Ring Day, I had to break my loyalty. I decided to conduct a quick internet search to see if there were places well-known in KC for their onion rings, as a multitude of such lists exist for fries. I came across a top 15 list on Foursquare, and scanned it for somewhere I’d never been before. I landed on #10: Green Room Burgers and Beer in Westport, and headed out with a couple friends to give it a try.

I loved the place immediately upon setting foot inside. It has a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere, an almost dive bar quality of feeling like regulars even though it was our first time visiting. They have an incredible variety of craft beers that you can sip while playing one of many board games available in the dining room at tables set under garlands of cardboard beer coasters. It was my kind of place. After ordering a round of beers, we got what we came for, the Beer Battered Onion Rings. Hand-battered in house and made with craft beer, you can get a small or large basket; the large was the perfect size for our group of three.

The surprise bonus was their offerings of aioli dipping sauces, as recommended by our server. We chose both the Frank’s RedHot Sauce and Red Pepper varieties and were not disappointed. The rings were a good balance of greasy and crunchy and paired well with the added kick of the dipping sauces.

We each rounded out our meals with burgers and sides. I chose their Cheesy Brownfield, which was everything you hope for in a diner-style cheeseburger, and I went with the tots as a side to sop up what was left of the aioli dipping sauces. However, their homemade applesauce is also a must-try.