Chicken N Pickle

Hope everyone had a great holiday! This past weekend my husband and I hosted the entire Santschi family right here in Kansas City for Thanksgiving and it was a blast! We gave them the full tour of the city; attending a Chiefs game, seeing the Plaza lights and taking a ride on the streetcar to a jazz lounge.

The favorite stop for everyone though was Chicken N Pickle, located just north of River Market, where we played a few rounds of pickleball. If you haven't tried pickleball yet, you need to schedule a court today! 

Outdoor courts

At first I wasn’t sure my family would be thrilled about getting up early to break a sweat the day after our big Thanksgiving feast, but turned out that we had so much fun the first hour, we decided to stay and play for another hour!

I would describe pickleball as similar to tennis, ping-pong and badminton. Everybody quickly picked it up after just a couple of practice rounds. The rules are unique, but not complicated.  Here are the rules directly from Chicken N Pickle's website.

Indoor courts

They also host beginner clinics to teach the basics of the game and starting in 2018, they will be held the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 9-10 a.m. Private lessons, semi-private or group lessons, and 3 or 4 and a pro play lessons are also available.

Chicken N Pickle has both indoor and outdoor courts for year round play. Of course, at the end of November, we expected it to be too cold to play on the outdoor courts, but we were pleasantly surprised when Mother Nature provided a gorgeous day for us to do both!

In addition to pickleball, Chicken N Pickle also has a beer garden and plenty of backyard games to choose from. They have giant Jenga, giant Battleship, hula hoops, corn hole, and much more.  It's the perfect place to spend the day for all ages. Plus, it's also canine friendly, so feel free to bring your pup along too. 

You’ll also find plenty of TV's around, making it a great spot to catch a game. There's also a rooftop bar for grabbing a drink or hosting a private event.

This summer we enjoyed the rooftop bar at Chicken N Pickle

​Oh and did I mention the food?! YUM!

The restaurant serves up fresh, made-to-order specialties - sandwiches, wood-fired rotisserie chicken and sides, including the typical tots and fries, and some healthy options too – salads, brussels sprouts and beets. The variety is spectacular and it all tastes fantastic.

Below, on the right, is the Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich with pickles, hot sauce and spicy slaw with a side of tots. Delicious!

All to say, with plenty of food, drinks and games, it is always a fun time at Chicken N Pickle. My family loved the experience and my brother said it was his favorite part of the trip!

It was a great workout, a fun time and fit for all ages and skill levels. I highly recommend stopping in to check this place out the next time you’re entertaining friends or family or just looking for something to do.

- Rachel