4 Ways to Have a Great Night Out in Downtown Shawnee, KS

Thomas A. Bradley

The shops and historic buildings surrounding the intersection of Nieman Road and Johnson Drive make up rapidly growing downtown Shawnee, where residents can find excellent retail, drinking and dining options. Keep reading for the neighborhood’s hot spots:

Go for a Glow Up

Visitors to downtown can (and should!) start the day with a bit of self care. Relax in the chair at JC Barbershop, which offers men’s cuts and brow waxing, or check out Choppers Hair Studio for cuts, color, makeup and manis for all genders. Another great place to visit is Authentic Esthetic KC, a day spa in Shawnee that offers services related to skincare, facials, body treatments, makeup and more.

Retail/Shopping

After sprucing up, shoppers can find (almost) everything they need in downtown Shawnee. Splurge on high-end cookware at Vita Craft before snagging luscious turtles, caramels and candies at Annedore’s Fine Chocolates. Just down the street, The Flower Chick creates hard-to-resist seasonal floral arrangements; it also has a selection of home goods and gifts. And while Whiskey & Bone carries neither whiskey nor bones, it does carry chic modern jewelry and offers regular tarot readings and jewelry-making classes.

Drink Scene

After all that shopping, hydration is a must. Housed in a century-old building that was previously a law office, Transport Brewery boasts a beer list with plenty of variety: Familiar styles (IPA, blonde ale, pilsner, stout and porter) share menu space with a lime-infused amber lager, Belgian single and cloudberry Berliner weisse. The spot often hosts food trucks, too.

Alternatively, check out Friction Beer Co. for music-themed bingo and an entire wall tiled with vintage cassettes, or Servaes Brewing Co. for an ever-changing roster of experimental brews, like honey ale and banana-bread sour.

More spirited drinkers can visit Drastic Measures, an intimate cocktail bar that utilizes playful ingredients such as curry-infused mezcal, chai-infused rum and tequila washed with goat cheese. A few steps away, Wild Child offers a respectable wine list and a more-than-respectable non-alcoholic cocktail menu alongside its boozy drinks.

Delicious Dishes

Downtown Shawnee’s dining scene has plenty to dig into. International flavors include Al Chile Cevicheria and Taco Shop, which serves ultra-trendy birria ramen as well as tacos and seafood, and Sushi Mido, where diners can get sashimi and Asian-American classics like General Tso’s chicken.

Wandering Vine, located in an early 20th-century home modeled after a French château, is a great spot for a high-end dinner or celebration, while Pegah’s Family Restaurant’s menu is full of affordable, all-day American classics like pancakes, meatloaf and country fried steak that will satisfy a wide range of palates.

Other family-friendly spots include Old Shawnee Pizza, which has been slinging pies for 55 years; The Flying Cow Gelato Shop, which serves summer scoops in flavors like lemon-basil, birthday cake and root beer float; and bakery and deli McLain’s Market. District Pour House & Kitchen appeals to adults with grown-up dishes (think mussels with prosciutto, apple and rosemary and short rib ravioli) but also offers a kid’s menu for little ones.

Slightly less appropriate for wee ones (at least those who have a working grasp of four-letter words) is Mother Clucker!, which specializes in fiery Nashville hot fried chicken to match its spicy name.