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Newly engaged Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have gone on these KC date nights

Swift congratulated Kelce after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl in February 2024.
Swift congratulated Kelce after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl in February 2024. ecuriel@kcstar.com

In the words of pop star Taylor Swift: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

Swift has been dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for the past two years. In an Instagram post shared Tuesday, the pair announced their engagement with Kelce-inspired song “So High School” playing in the background.

But long before Kelce popped the question, the pair shared several romantic dinners at some of Kansas City’s hottest restaurants.

Here’s a look back at the stars’ date nights in Kansas City:

Prime Social — Sept. 24, 2023

After a Chiefs-Bears game (the first Swift attended), the two rode off into the sunset in his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible and headed over to Prime Social, a classy cocktail bar high above Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza at 4622 Pennsylvania Ave. that offers cocktails, a raw bar and more.

The internet was ablaze with photos of the pair riding off together.

The restaurant shut down for the couple that evening, with a few sneaky photos of the pair getting cozy being shared online. (Those were some of the first affectionate snaps folks saw.)

Months later, Chiefs safety Justin Reid shared the details on what transpired that evening.

“So Travis rents out Prime Social right downtown, and from Prime Social he throws a private party, all the players are invited,” Reid said. “And everybody at some point or another meets Taylor. And Taylor is just awesome.

“She found a way to compliment everybody that she met that night. They were enjoying themselves having a good time. And you know, everyone got a chance to meet her. It was a really organic space and it was a lot of fun.”

It’s unclear what the two dined on that evening. Perhaps they indulged in a sharable drink called the Ma’homes? It’s a cocktail with George Dickel bourbon, pomegranate, fresh lemon and champagne for $68.

The pair must’ve enjoyed the space, because they returned a year later for a post-game party.

The Kelce Brothers Instagram account posted a photo of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce with friends after the Chiefs-Saints game. They appear to be at one of the couple’s favorite restaurants in Kansas City, Prime Social.
The Kelce Brothers Instagram account posted a photo of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce with friends after the Chiefs-Saints game. They appear to be at one of the couple’s favorite restaurants in Kansas City, Prime Social. Instagram/Kelce Brothers

Piropos — Oct. 22, 2023

The two shared a meal after a Chargers victory at an Argentine steakhouse in the Northland.

Piropos, 4141 N. Mulberry Drive in the Village at Briarcliff shopping center, welcomed Swift for the first time (though Kelce had reportedly visited many times before). The Daily Mail reported that the pair pulled up in style — aka a Rolls-Royce.

Two curtained doors lead into a private dining room at Piropos. Security guards stood at the door as Travis Kelce and Taylor swifted ate dinner, a restaurant manager said.
Two curtained doors lead into a private dining room at Piropos. Security guards stood at the door as Travis Kelce and Taylor swifted ate dinner, a restaurant manager said. Yvette Walker ywalker@kcstar.com

“Everyone was excited to have them in the restaurant,” co-owner Gary Worden later told The Star. He and his wife grew up in Argentina and family recipes inspired the menu.

Restaurant manager Hector Rodriguez later told Star opinion editor Yvette Walker that the pair dined in a private room with curtained windows.

Piropos is an Argentinian steakhouse in Kansas City’s Northland.

Rodriguez said Swift and Kelce ordered the pan-seared, blackened Mahi-Mahi ($45), served with lobster risotto, julienned vegetables and red pepper sauce.

Miracle/The Wise Guy — Dec. 1, 2023

Tay Tay and her man attended a holiday hang with the Mahomeses (and more Chiefs couples) at the Miracle KC pop-up, hosted inside Italian Restaurant The Wise Guy.

A Chicago-style tavern pizza at The Wise Guy.
A Chicago-style tavern pizza at The Wise Guy. Roy Inman Special to The Star

Swift sported a Christmas sweater with a squirrel on its front, which fans instantly recognized as a reference to Kelce’s old tweet that misspelled squirrel (or is it squirle?). The Mahomeses matched in reindeer onesies.

While the seasonal pop-up is over, you can visit the restaurant opened by Bret Springs and Zach Marten at 1924 Main St. and enjoy pasta, pizza, sandwiches and more.

Its house pizza — The Wise Guy — goes for $25 and has pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatball, bacon and Canadian bacon.

The American — Dec. 31, 2023

To ring in 2024, Swift and Kelce attended an extravaganza at upscale Crown Center venue The American.

In photos of the pair smooching at midnight, fans quickly recognized the iconic architecture, namely the gold, arching ceilings.

The spot isn’t open to the public most days. It’s mostly a spot for weddings, company dinners and, apparently, celebrity New Year’s parties.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift partied with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on New Year’s Eve.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift partied with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on New Year’s Eve. Pop Crave on X

There are a few select days that it hosts dining experiences. While there aren’t any on the calendar, folks can tune into its social media page for announcements at instagram.com/theamericankc/.

Noka — Oct. 6, 2024

The lovebirds reportedly visited a Kansas City Japanese restaurant more than once, but one of those occasions was on Oct. 6 for Kelce’s birthday.

Japanese restaurant Noka, 334 E. 31st St., serves sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri and more.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were reportedly seen dining at Nōka in 2024.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were reportedly seen dining at Nōka in 2024. Joshua Alexandre Haines Special to The Star

“Swift and her father, Scott, took the tight end and his family — along with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes — out to sushi hotspot Noka,” the New York Post reported at the time.

“The source tells us it was an intimate affair and it was a very early night since the Kansas City Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints the next day.”

The scallops are a relatively affordable entree option on Nōka’s current menu, yakitori grilled and served with wonderfully chewy wheat noodles and bok choy in a miso cream sauce topped with umami oil.
The scallops are a relatively affordable entree option on Nōka’s current menu, yakitori grilled and served with wonderfully chewy wheat noodles and bok choy in a miso cream sauce topped with umami oil. Joshua Alexandre Haines Special to The Star

Perhaps it was a recommendation of Brittany Mahomes — she snapped photos of herself at her own birthday dinner inside the restaurant a few months prior.

The question still remains: Where did the two dine to celebrate their engagement? The news has yet to break on that front, though we hear Swift enjoys cooking and baking at home.

Reporter Lisa Gutierrez contributed to this story.

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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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