This neighborhood cafe can do no wrong. In my visit, this place caters to art kids, the proletariat to affluent, fist dates, families, friends who brunch, and solo diners (me) who appreciate chef-owned places. Pictured: SMOKED SALMON TOAST - pastrami spice, horseradish cream, arugula, pickled red onions, soft egg. Get it.

Remarkable locally owned restaurant with an old-time vibe, but with hip and fun food. Can't wait to go back. The egg sandwich with bacon aioli is to die for, and the Colombo Burrito is amazing.

Best biscuits and gravy I've had anywhere. Recommended trying half mushroom and half sausage gravy. The breakfast burrito with Butternut squash and black beans was also amazing. Everything tastes homemade.

This place had a really nice atmosphere. I really enjoyed eating here.

This is a fun, quirky place to go for brunch. There were classics like biscuits and gravy and more adventurous items. The coffee and atmosphere were great.

Happy Gillis is one of the most famus brunch spots in Kansas City. It’s like eating in a mom’s kitchen. The African Peanut Stew is one of my favorite seasonal stews. They always have cute decorations for each season. The biscuits and mushroom gravy is also one of the favorites in this restaurant. The restaurant is only open from Thursday to Sunday from 9am to 2pm.

Chef Abbey-Jo Eans is on Santa's nice list this year, that is for sure! After purchasing Happy Gills in 2013 with her husband, Abbey-Jo decided to roll out her new out of the box menu in late September. You can see her passion in the new dishes. As she would say, "I don't want the menu to fit into a box and make it subscribe to the rules." We can attest that Happy Gills is nothing sort of out of the box excellence in the culinary world. The menu even screams look at me with its differences from other basic brunch menus. From the street, the restaurant has the old world feel of an NYC corner sandwich shop to it. The soda shop green sign even makes me feel like I'm back in the '50s. As you walk into the front door, the glow of reclaimed wood floors catches the sun like a warm autumn day inviting you in to stay for a while. The menu is across the back of the small kitchen in the right corner of the restaurant. The small kitchen, however, makes up for its size in taste! My wife order the Bacon Date Melt, and I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich. We also had a few local " adult" drinks as well 😁. Both sandwiches were so flavorful I was almost speeches. The restaurant only has six tables due to the silly covid rules, so don't expect to walk in and get a seat. I also want to point out that good food takes time. So be mindful that your order is being made as your order it, and trust me when I say it's worth the wait! I can't say enough good things about Happy Gillis. My wife and I plan to eat there at least once a month to experience Abbey's newest local farm to table adventures in the culinary excellence.

Tuckaway just north of the city in a beautiful brick building, Happy Gillis is a delightful, small breakfast joint. Went there on Saturday morning wasn’t too busy. I ordered two eggs toast bacon and split an order of biscuits and gravy with my sister. Gravy was half sausage and half mushroom, I think I like the mushroom best. Forcibly priced and friendly staffed with highly recommend Gillis

Cozy atmosphere, family feel. Delicious, large portions, great for kids to share. Eggs and biscuits/gravy fantastic. Artisan mugs you can purchase, unisex bathrooms. Highly recommend.

A complete delight! We enjoyed a relaxed brunch in Columbus Park area and are so happy we found this spot. Delicious food and kind service- highly recommended!

The best breakfast place in KC! look no further if you want a classic breakfast joint in a homie environment serving the best breakfast food in the city! Where do I start? Location: perfect. Small little joint (seats 30 max maybe?) In charming little Columbus park. We got there right when they opened at when we sat down there was about 5 other parties waiting. So if your going to eat here get here early unless you wanna wait! Service was good! Not great, just good. Always tough to tell with the masks on (facial expressions and whatnot) but the vibe from the employees felt a bit "alright hurry up and order". Whatever the service lacks, the food makes up for it times 50. The BEST BREAKFAST SANDWICH ID EVER HAD. You wouldn't believe me if I told you it was just eggs, cheese, bacon, sauce and bread. But they nail the quality of the ingredients and they cook them extremely well. The bacon was off the charts good. My wife ordered the biscuits and gravy which was also absolute fire. Definitely on the "my friends are coming into town, where do I take them?" List. Amazing!

If I could give more stars I would! We had brunch here, the atmosphere was very calm and cozy. The food was displayed nicely and full of flavor! The bacon was thick, definitely high end food!! We will be coming back !!

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!! Great atmosphere, unique, clean. The food looked and tasted AMAZING! We got the Tandori chicken pita and the pork belly grilled cheese which were absolutely phenomenal!

We stopped here twice in our stay from Friday-Sunday because we enjoyed it so much. We ordered biscuits and gravy that we quickly became obsessed with, hence why we came back for a second breakfast. My husband ordered a Bloody Mary which was also delicious. It is a great breakfast spot, with quick and kind service and a fun atmosphere. Oh, and order the bacon.

The biscuits and gravy were very tasty. Overall had a good time in a cozy restaurant.

First time dining at Happy Gillis. What a gem. Small menu, but adequate. The breakfast combo plate with biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs was delish, and more than I could eat in one sitting. They served an interesting but delectable blend of Messenger coffee in locally handcrafted ceramic mugs. Service was excellent. Restaurant was clean, cozy and chic. Now I know why it’s one of my girlfriend’s favorite brunch spots in the city. Can’t wait to return.

Fabulous food. A must go too small quaint little place. Good service and friendly people.

I've been here 3 times and cannot stop raving about how delicious the food is, how nice the interior is, how friendly the staff are... everything is fabulous. The mushroom gravy is absolutely amazing; I've eaten it with a spoon like it's soup!

I can’t believe I went so long without eating at an iconic Kansas City spot. I went a bit after noon and the wait was actually shorter than I expected. The service was top notch, and the food was so enjoyable. I love the fact that they support other KC businesses like Yoli, Heirloom, & others. The guac on the tostada was exactly how I expect guac to be. Vibrant & limey, & not too salty. The tostada was cooked so perfectly. I had doubt it would hold everything up, but wow Yoli makes some strong tortillas. The salmon toast was the perfect blend of flavors. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

Literally two blocks away, we've just discovered this hidden gem. Walked there , had a great experience, from the staff to the food to the atmosphere, Grade A level for brunch, then walked home and enjoyed our cute little neighborhood. Our Saturday destination from here on out until we spend our weekends at the lake again. Thanks Happy Gillis for an awesome experience!

Like others, I didn't know about this place. A friend of mine suggested Happy Gillis. We go there and there was a short wait, maybe 15 minutes. The line move rather quickly, but soon after it got rather busy. I line across the building, with more than a 30 minute wait. You have to figure that long lines equal good food. Food was awesome and I loved their buttermilk biscuits. I would go back again, and maybe try lunch.

I am so happy that this was the breakfast within walking distance of where I am staying because it far surpassed my expectations. I got biscuits and gravy, the biscuits were buttery and crumbly but not dry, and there are no words good enough to describe how delicious the gravy was. They even carry Valentina hot sauce which is next level greatness. On top of it all the staff and guests were extremely friendly even though we were wearing our Raiders gear lol. Will absolutely come here again. Also get the spiked apple cider if they have it 🤤

I found this place on a whim and so glad I did. This smallish cafe was hopping Saturday afternoon for brunch. They offer a few outside tables and wall to wall tables inside but there still wasn't enough seating. We had to wait a few minutes to place our order at the counter, but we were lucky enough to grab a table immediately after ordering. They offer a limited brunch menu and drink menu. I read previous reviews saying not to miss the biscuits and gravy which is my go to brunch meal. OMG IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!! My half order was plenty, and I'm glad I went with the half mushroom / half sausage gravy. The biscuit was fluffy, and the gravy options were so flavorful. The mimosa was tasty as well. I cannot wait to go back and want to make this a KC cafe requirement for all future trips.

My friends invited me to go to brunch at Happy Gillis and I am happy I did! It's a small space with lots of character and great food. You have to order first before grabbing a table, so you may have to wait for a bit, but we got lucky and a table opened up when we were ordering. I got the smoked salmon toast, which was great! My friend got biscuits and gravy, which was really tasty too. Good portion size and enthusiastic/ friendly staff members. Highly recommend it!

This place is adorable! I love the atmosphere! The staff was friendly! The food was fresh! And their Biscuits with mushroom gravy is absolutely delicious! Oh and the bacon is perfect too! 🥰 🥓🤤