P.R.’s Place
We’re a little hesitant to tell you about P.R.’s Place (1741 Washington St, Kansas City, Mo. 816-421-9746) because we don’t want this hidden gem overrun — but it’s our sacred duty to disclose the very best of Kansas City, and friends, this is it.
This Westside gem has been in business since Pat Rios opened it in 1974, and the interior hasn’t changed much since. The handsome horseshoe bar is usually where you can find the action, except once a week on Thursday nights, when the lights in the dining room are turned up and the church basement-style chairs and tables are packed with hungry patrons. It’s on those nights that fryers in the kitchen get fired up and Rios’ daughter, Linda Hernandez, serves a limited menu of tacos.
These aren’t the Instagram-worthy street tacos that would satisfy most self-appointed taco connoisseurs. Hernandez’s $2 tacos are understated: Lightly spiced ground beef is stuffed into a corn tortilla, tooth-picked together, deep-fried and dusted with parmesan, lettuce and tomatoes. It is the most humble of tacos, and among the most delicious. Another close contender: the $3 puffy chicken taco, which sees the same presentation with tender shredded chicken tucked into a flour tortilla.
The kitchen is open only on Thursdays from 4 to 8 pm, and the menu includes crispy beef tacos, puffy chicken tacos, rice and beans — that’s it. But you don’t need anything else, we promise — except maybe a $3 margarita.
