‘This is such sad news’: Johnson County restaurant closing, blames COVID, ‘bad timing’

South Overland Park’s Tabard’s Kitchen was open for just over a year before the pandemic. Now it will shut down next Tuesday.

Brothers Jason and Michael Stephens, along with their wives Erica and Catherine Stephens, opened the restaurant in the former Futbol Club Eatery & Tap in Pinnacle Village, 12030 Blue Valley Parkway, in late 2018.

Jason, who is managing partner, posted a notice on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Tuesday: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce Tabard’s Kitchen is permanently closing. … With the rise in cost of goods, labor costs, and staffing issues, it doesn’t make financial sense for us to continue.”

On Wednesday, Michael Stephens told The Star, “The pandemic was just rough and bad timing, and if it hadn’t been for government assistance we would have closed before this. Places are having trouble hiring people and the costs are just crazy. Our lunch business is about a third of what it was before the pandemic, and despite some loyal customers, it just wasn’t going to make it.”

On Facebook, fans posted such comments as:

▪ “This is such sad news. I know you gave it your best effort and then some. You should be proud of what you created and provided. You are exactly right.. some of the best food and service in town ( or anywhere).”

▪ “We have enjoyed your restaurant and all of your employees and definitely everything on the menu! Much success in the future! We will be with you until the end!”

▪ “We are so sorry. This has been our favorite, our go-to, our introduce-new-people-to neighborhood restaurant with good food and wonderful staff. The beer selection was the best, too. We will miss you and will wish you all the best. Maybe it’s not too late to reverse your decision?”

It has about 20 employees, and some have been there from the start.

Menu items include wings, Italian Marsala sliders, soups and salads, club quesadillas, Cajun chicken sandwiches, burgers, jambalaya and Hawaiian rib-eye.

Michael Stephens said new customers were still finding the spot, which is not as visible from 119th Street as some restaurants. Its bright yellow umbrellas on the patio help it stand out.

“It had great reviews and customers are asking for our recipes,” he said.

The owners are encouraging customers to use their gift cards before the closing.