Openings & Closings

Brunch restaurant opening new Johnson County location, replacing chicken spot

Breakfast Tacos with two flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese and bacon, ham, or grilled chicken or turkey, $13.99 at AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park.
Breakfast tacos with on flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese and bacon, ham, or grilled chicken or turkey at AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park. tljungblad@kcstar.com

AR’s Breakfast and Brunch — a Mexican-style brunch restaurant based in the metro — is opening a new Johnson County location.

The restaurant is taking over the former Mother Clucker chicken restaurant in Leawood’s Park Place at 11635 Ash St.

Owner Oscar Romero said he’s aiming to open the location at the end of the month.

Ice caramel latte at AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park.
Caramel iced coffee at AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com

“It was just the perfect place for us,” he told The Star by phone Wednesday. “The shopping center itself is pretty amazing.”

Romero said the Park Place spot is reminiscent of AR’s original location in downtown Overland Park at 8021 Metcalf Ave. It opened in 2023. The Leawood spot, like downtown Overland Park, will hopefully see plenty of foot traffic.

“It just seemed like the blueprint we’ve done over the years,” he said.

Last summer, AR’s opened a spot in Westport at 4117 Pennsylvania Ave., taking over Chingu’s old location. Its Olathe location was forced to close at the end of 2024 because of the I-35 and Santa Fe corridor project.

Romero serves Mexican-style recipes like horchata waffles, chilaquiles, churro pancakes, Mexican skillets (with chorizo, jalapenos, potatoes and mixed peppers), fajita omelets, oversized mimosas and more.

Kansas City Star editor Scott Chasen wrote in his Let’s Dish column that the breakfast tacos are “absolutely perfect.” He pairs it with vanilla iced coffee and churros.

Romero also owns Mexican-inspired street food and snack shop Snack Bar, which is at 7789 Quivira Road in Lenexa.

Oscar Romero, owner of AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park.
Oscar Romero, owner of AR's Breakfast and Brunch, 8021 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com

It sells raspados (Mexican shaved ice), elote, paletas, tortas and more.

Mother Clucker closed in Park Place in December. Recently, LaPez Mod Mex closed at 11563 Ash St., and Panache closed at 11555 Ash St.

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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
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