Ambassador Hotel Opens 1930s Style Jazz and Supper Club
November 17, 2020 | Kevin Collison | 2 min read
Kansas City jazz great Lonnie McFadden has opened a club beneath the Ambassador Hotel that includes an option for patrons to enjoy a three-course meal and listen to the show during the early evening sessions.
The new Lonnie’s Reno Club opened earlier this month at the Ambassador at 1111 Grand. The name comes from the famed Kansas City Reno Club, a jazz club formerly located at 12th and Cherry where Count Basie and other local jazz greats once performed.
“When thinking of a name, I looked back at all of the original Kansas City jazz clubs,” McFadden said in a press release announcing the opening.
“The Reno Club really stood out to me because that’s where so many Kansas City jazz legends started out.”
McFadden’s quartet will be the permanent house band at the 1,450 square-foot lounge that’s decorated with photos of KC jazz celebrities. The venue is a collaboration between McFadden and Paul Coury, CEO of the hotel owner, Coury Hospitality.
The club will be open from 6:30- to 11 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
From 6:30- to 9 p.m., the Reno Club will offer a dinner and show package that includes a champagne toast and three-course dinner for $85 per guest, according to the release.
The pre-fixe menu is the creation of the Bryant Wigger, executive chef of the American Reserve, the hotel’s restaurant. Entree options include Chicken Cordon Blue, seared scallops and Beef Wellington.
Lonnie’s Reno Club wants to convey a 1930s style supper club feel.
The drink menu features an array of classic and 1930s era cocktails including Manhattans, Sidecars, French 75s and Sidecars.
“We wanted a dinner and cocktail menu to match the experience,” Eric Willey, director of food and beverage operations, said in a statement.
“Our pre-fixe menu offers those timeless entrees and classic 1930s era cocktails to create a well-rounded experience.”
After 9 p.m., guests are welcome for a $25 cover charge.
The Ambassador Hotel opened at a boutique hotel in the historic Gate City National Bank Building in 2012. A $14.9 million, nine-story addition that increased the hotel’s size to 113 rooms was completed last year.
Tulsa-based Coury Hospitality operates hotels in five other cities including Oklahoma City, Wichita, Topeka, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.
The Ambassador is marketed nationally through the Marriott Autograph Collection, a brand that features unique, luxury boutique hotels.
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