Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos blend island-style booze and bites for the Crossroads
Photo Courtesy of Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos
When it comes to nailing a Tiki concept, having positive energy is every bit as important as having good rum behind the bar. That’s what brought about the unofficial slogan for Kon Tiki, which recently opened its doors next to Up-Down in the Crossroads Arts District. For Chad Troutwine and Chris Seferyn—the duo behind Kon Tiki—keeping an eye on that target was crucial for hitting the ground running.
Seferyn serves as a manager and consultant for Kon Tiki, carrying decades of experience with him. He was a driving force in establishing Kansas City’s Martini Corner by opening spots like Velvet Dog and Empire Room. As for Troutwine, the longtime entrepreneur is best known in Kansas City for being part of the ownership team behind Torn Label Brewing. The two have been friends for many years, and a fond, shared memory led them down the path to starting Kon Tiki.
“Chad and I go way back—We lived in Los Angeles at the same time and used to explore a lot of the bar scene there together,” Seferyn says. “Tiki-Ti on Sunset Boulevard was one of our favorite places to hang out. It’s been around for decades and always had that perfect combination of design sensibilities, great drinks, and overall vibes. Recently, we got to talking about bringing a slice of that LA nostalgia to Kansas City.”
Photo Courtesy of Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos
Drawing inspiration from Tiki-Ti, Kon Tiki is able to showcase a laid-back SoCal design aesthetic that helps set the tone for good times. The décor is colorful and exciting without being obnoxious, and the drinks follow suit. Kon Tiki boasts a combination of classic Tiki drinks and original creations based on Polynesian flavors and ingredients.
The classic cocktails that have been the biggest hits so far are the painkiller and the rum runner. Like many Tiki drinks, a painkiller features a combination of overproof rum and citrus. What helps it stand apart is the unique texture that cream of coconut provides, plus a little extra zing from freshly grated nutmeg. Rum runners are essentially Tiki 101—multiple rums and lots of fruit juice for a sneaky-strong cocktail that will transcend you straight to the beach.
As far as original creations, Kon Tiki has plenty of strong choices to offer. Popular drinks include the pele Paloma—a refreshing skinny Paloma with that just-right grapefruit bitterness—and their signature kon tiki—a boozy, frozen blend of multiple rums, peach, pineapple, orange, and cranberry. The golden hour is a strong standout as well—a mixture of banana bourbon, and a combination of coconut, allspice dram, pineapple, and cinnamon gives it a deep, rich flavor profile.
The drink selection at Kon Tiki syncs perfectly with the “come-as-you-are, everyone’s welcome” vibe. “We want to be a photo-friendly destination bar as well as being a casual hangout spot,” Seferyn says. “We have everything from high-end, boozy tiki drinks to slushies and frozen margaritas to yard beers and tallboys. Kon Tiki has a little something for everyone to relax and have fun.”
Photo Courtesy Conchita Tacos
That extends to the ace up Kon Tiki’s sleeve: Conchita Tacos. Helmed by the same team as Tacos Valentina—who also run the kitchen at Troutwine’s Torn Label Brewing—Conchita Tacos has a limited menu of tasty tacos and asada fries on offer.
There are five varieties of tacos: calabaza (a vegetarian option that’s loaded with herbed squash), camaron asado (grilled shrimp), carne asada (steak), pescado (baja fried fish), and their signature al pastor (slow-roasted, skewered pork). Each taco filling has its fans, but a special shoutout needs to be made to al pastor done the right way. There’s something magical about that vertical, slowly turning skewer, that delicious aroma, and that perfectly tender pork sliced into a soft tortilla. It’s easily the go-to pick here.
The asada fries can be topped with steak, shrimp, or pork, and they’re a great option if you want something that everyone at the table can grab a few bites of. As of this writing, you have to walk next door and bring food back over to Kon Tiki, but soon they will have the system fully integrated, and you’ll be able to have food brought directly to your table.
Photo Courtesy of Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos
If you’re planning on ordering a few drinks with overproof rum, you’ll definitely want some tacos to help you wash everything down. Your food even comes in an adorable little box, giving you a tasty and photogenic transportable snack.
If you want to get down on this tiki and taco combination, there are a few available options. There’s a large, open-seating bar area, and a walk-in seating available. There are also tables and cabana-style seating that can be reserved in 90-minute blocks, along with a limited number of outdoor seats. In the spring, they plan on building a much larger patio space.
Another unique feature of the building is the large event space. “We have some really fun plans in store for the event area,” Seferyn says. “We have a number of local artists in mind to do some themed art events here, and we’ll do some cool stuff for holidays. Halloween will be one of our first pop-ups in that space—Keep an eye on our social media for more details there!”
Whether you’re looking for tacos and drinks for lunch, a fun spot for happy hour, weekend day drinking, or a late-night cocktail, Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos are a great new spot to check out. With its central Crossroads location, Kon Tiki is easy to pop into while you’re out and about, but it’s also unique enough to be a destination in its own right.
Kon Tiki and Conchita Tacos are located next door to one another at 1922 Baltimore and 1910 Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri 64108. They are both open from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 a.m., seven days a week.
