Winstead's
Best Steakburger in Kansas City · MO
Steakburgers and skyscraper sodas since 1940
Winstead's has griddled its thin, crinkle-edged 'steakburgers' near the Country Club Plaza since 1940, a chrome-and-neon drive-in that Calvin Trillin's father declared home of the best hamburger in the world. Frosty-thick malts and skyscraper sodas come alongside the smashed patties.
A genuine Kansas City time capsule — car-hop roots, Formica booths, and a menu barely touched in eight decades — Winstead's is the burger stand the city grew up on.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Winstead's met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Kansas City since 1940 — 85 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Kansas City.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Kansas City has kept Winstead's busy for 85 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Kansas City regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best steakburger in Kansas City for 2025 for a griddled steakburger and fountain sodas served near the Plaza since 1940.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Steakburger in Kansas City Kansas City, MO · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Winstead's
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Winstead's.
- Legal / trading name
- Winstead's
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1940, Kansas City, MO
- Location
- Kansas City, MO
- Centurion Award
- Best Steakburger in Kansas City — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Winstead's against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Winstead's?
A Country Club Plaza fixture since 1940, Winstead's steakburgers and skyscraper sodas are a Kansas City childhood in one booth.
Is Winstead's award-winning?
Yes — Winstead's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Steakburger in Kansas City, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best steakburger in Kansas City for 2025 for a griddled steakburger and fountain sodas served near the Plaza since 1940.
Where is Winstead's?
Winstead's is in Kansas City, MO.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.