Dish & Drink KC: Half-price nachos at Gaels Public House and Veggie Banh Mi at King G

Tinga Chicken Nachos and Pub Poutine at Gaels Public House. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Don’t pass up half-price nachos at Gaels Public House

It’s finally here: Nacho and Taco Week! Participating restaurants are offering half-price deals on signature items from Oct. 23 to 29. 

On Monday, I had plans to meet a friend at Loose Park for a walk, which gave me just enough time to pop over to Gaels Public House and order a plate of Tinga Chicken Nachos ($9 for Nacho Week, reg. $18) that I had no intention of sharing. Gaels Public House is nominated in 17 categories for our 2023 Best of KC, including Best Nachos, so I figured this was my duty as a food columnist. 

I severely underestimated the size of the pile of chips, cheese, and chicken that would shortly appear before me, but, to his credit, the bartender (and the only other person in the sizable dining room when I arrived) did not bat an eye when I ordered them for myself. Along with the Pub Poutine ($5—I could not resist the happy hour prices).

Pub Poutine at Gaels Public House. // Photo by Lauren Textor

I opened up my laptop and got to work. When my food arrived, I nodded. I would have leftovers. 

Over the next hour, I surfed LinkedIn for part-time jobs and devoured (read: dented) the pile of nachos. I finished the poutine, no match for the siren call of house brown gravy, green onion, and cheddar cheese on fries. 

Even my friend Ashley, who arrived as my pre-walk reinforcement, couldn’t finish off the nachos. But I’ll be damned if I leave good food on the table. I shoved the rest of it into a to-go box, like a responsible adult. 

Nacho and Taco Week ends Oct. 29, but there’s always something going on at Gaels. From karaoke on Wednesdays and Saturdays to free trivia and $9 burgers on Mondays, you’re just about guaranteed to have a good time. Plus, it’s an LGBTQ+ friendly space with one of the best drag shows in KC.

Gaels Public House is located at 5424 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64110. 

Veggie Banh Mi at King G. // Photo by Lauren Textor

King G’s Veggie Banh Mi is fit for royalty

Last week, I was selling to Arizona Trading Co. at their Crossroads location when my stomach started to rumble. Luckily, there are a few restaurants within walking distance, and King G was the quickest in-and-out option. 

The bar and deli makes good use of its space with wide windows up front and a handful of clean tables. Most people grab their sandwiches to go, but it doesn’t feel like a transitory space. It’s quiet, but in a way that allows you to hold your own conversations or pop your earbuds in while you work. 

The Veggie Banh Mi sandwich ($11) is exactly the light, crunchy, granola girl-type fare that I seek after thrifting. The butter bun was bursting with a gorgeous array of colors from bell peppers, carrots, jalapeños, and basil. The slice of provolone was quickly stained pink by the naturally sweet root veggie slaw. A swipe of garlic hummus on the bun and a sprinkle of cilantro completes this fresh handheld. 

It’s easy to make healthy choices here—but you might find yourself hard-pressed to resist one of the giant cookies from Blackhole Bakery that are stocked at the counter. 

Cocktails, mocktails, draft beer, wine, and shooters are also available. The King’s Tea ($6) is a peach, Irish, and Earl Grey shooter that immediately caught my eye, and I plan to knock one back the next time I’m nearby (and not running errands solo in the middle of a weekday afternoon). 

Consider working King G into your next Crossroads bar crawl. They’re open late—until 12 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, and 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. 

King G is located at 500 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108.