Lilico’s Taverna offers a social atmosphere for snacks, sangria & sobremesa
Shawn McClenny of Lilico’s Taverna // Photo by Jordan Baranowski
Shawn McClenny has had quite the journey in the Kansas City hospitality scene. For decades, he’s worked different aspects of bars and restaurants, eventually operating his own string of nightlife spots near 119th Street and Metcalf, One Block South. With a few other openings and closings over the years—and a major health scare—McClenny’s latest venture, Lilico’s Taverna, finds its inspiration comes from a place close to the heart.
“I’ve always brought a different theme to the bars I’ve owned,” McClenny says. “It opens me up to get more creative, since you don’t have the decision paralysis of a very general concept. With Lilico’s, I really wanted to create a space that was special to me, my wife Carolina, and our family, pulling from some of our favorite flavors, places, and concepts. It’s a true passion project of ours.
Lilico’s Taverna // Photo courtesy of Lilico’s Teverna
Lilico’s concept draws from a few different areas. One is celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who once visited the coastal Spanish restaurant Espinaler on an episode of “No Reservations.” He declared the seafood at Espinaler—which they tin immediately after catching and preparing it—“some of the finest, most delicious and most expensive seafood in the world.” Tinned seafood has seen a massive uptick in popularity since the episode aired almost twenty years ago, but its impressive quality and ease of both storage and preparation make it a tasty and trendy option for far-from-the-sea tavernas and tascas.
McClenny’s family also drove him to open this style of restaurant. “My wife, Carolina, comes from a Spanish-Cuban family,” he says. “Lilico was her father, Orlando’s, nickname. He moved his family here from Cuba in the early 1960s, and one of the ways Carolina stayed close to her roots was through the flavors and dishes she grew up with.” On top of that connection, McClenny’s daughter also taught English in Spain, and the family travels there often to enjoy the sights and flavors.
With all that inspiration in McClenny’s head, it took a truly scary event to really become the driving force behind Lilico’s.
“In August of 2023, I was given about six months to live,” he says. “Stage 4 metastatic cancer. It was a very dark time for me, but I had the support of my family and knew I wasn’t done yet. I promised myself that if I could fight through it and my cancer went into remission, I would open a place like Lilico’s. And here we are.”
Located at 1615 Oak Street (where The Pairing used to be located), Lilico’s Taverna is a spot where McClenny wants people to feel at ease. Doors open at 4:44 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday—a holdover from a former job where the owner didn’t want people to have to wait outside before a 5:00 p.m. opening. Lilico’s specializes in tinned fish, pinchos (small, skewered snacks), and crushable cocktails. The general vibe is one of sobremesa: The Spanish word that translates to “The cherished moments of conversation and connection that linger at the table after the meal.” Sobremesa is so ingrained into the spirit of Lilico’s that the definition is prominently posted next to the bar.
Lilico’s Taverna // Photo by Jordan Baranowski
Exposed brick and an impressive tiled bar offer plenty of ways to relax and enjoy, and decor inspired by Salvador Dali helps create a playful atmosphere that reminds you that food is supposed to be fun. The selection of tinned fish is impressive and features recognizable brands like Fishwife alongside tougher-to-find options. The prices aren’t as eye-watering as Anthony Bourdain experienced at Espinaler, but these aren’t $4 Trader Joe’s tins. “You’re paying for incredible quality,” McClenny says. “People aren’t always sold on it, but then they try the IASA Branzino or Mariscandora Octopus, and that’s all it takes.” Lilico’s tinned fish is served with chips and either cream cheese or crème fraîche and runs between $10 and $28.
Sobremesa isn’t quite the same without drinks, and Lilico’s has plenty of specialty cocktails to keep the conversation flowing. The sangria is a major draw—red only, just as the boozy gods intended—and other tasty options include the Cocavino, Cuba Libre, and the Jalavino Blanc (house white wine kicked up with jalapeños). Drink prices are relatively affordable for the area, with everything clocking in under $10, making it much easier to stay at the bar for uno mas. In addition, Lilico’s offers some pretty outrageous Happy Hour prices from opening until 6:00, with a handful of in-demand drinks, including their sangria, in the $4–$5 range and steep discounts on a few snacks.
Lilico’s Taverna // Photo by Jordan Baranowski
The goal is to make Lilico’s a catch-all destination for people who want to kick back, relax, and pick at some snacks and drinks while enjoying company. McClenny says, “We want people to pop in after work and stay later than intended. We want to be a perfect date night spot. We want people to come by early Saturday evening and stick around to hear the DJ vinyl set. It’s a place for laughter and for enjoying life.
Music, laughter, tinned fish, and sangria sound like a pretty strong recipe for life, and Lilico’s Taverna has them all in spades. Bring your friends, and keep yourself open to meeting some new ones; when the Cocavino flows, so does the fun.
Lilico’s Taverna is located at 1615 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64108. It is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:44 p.m. – 11:11 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 4:44 p.m. – 1:11 a.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday.
