Kansas City’s Anjin gets Beard nod

Anjin, a 20-seat Japanese-style pub in Kansas City’s Crossroads, is a finalist for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. (kcur.org) KCUR reported the restaurant opened in July 2025 at 1708 Oak St., near 17th and Oak by the old Kansas City Star building. Chef Nick Goellner and co-owner Leslie Newsam Goellner built it around a U-shaped bar and an open kitchen. (kcur.org) The model is an izakaya, a casual Japanese drinking-and-dining spot built around small plates and conversation. Anjin serves skewers, pickled mackerel, sake flights, a fried Sakura pork collar sandwich, and rotating soft-serve flavors. (kcur.org) On KCUR’s *Up To Date*, Newsam Goellner said the goal was not to open “just sushi or ramen.” She said the restaurant was designed to introduce Midwest diners to a wider range of Japanese food and to push Kansas City eaters toward unfamiliar dishes. (kcur.org) That pitch lands in a city where Japanese dining has often been defined more narrowly in the mainstream market. Anjin’s room, menu, and service are all set up to make a slower, more exploratory style of eating feel approachable in the Crossroads. (kcur.org) (inkansascity.com) The finalist slot also puts Kansas City back on a national awards stage. Newsam Goellner told KCUR that the recognition felt significant because the Midwest “gets ignored a lot,” and because Best New Restaurant is a national team award rather than a single-chef category. (kcur.org) The restaurant comes from operators with an awards history already. The Goellners also own The Antler Room, and KCUR reported that Nick Goellner has earned multiple James Beard semifinalist honors for Best Chef: Midwest. (kcur.org) Anjin’s name points to family history as well as concept. KCUR reported that the restaurant is named for the Japanese word for “pilot,” and that it nods to Goellner’s grandfather, who married in Japan after World War II and passed down stories that shaped his interest in the culture. (kcur.org) The James Beard Foundation said the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards will be held on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Until then, KCUR reported that the hardest reservations at Anjin are prime-time seats, with more openings usually around 5:30 p.m. or after 9 p.m. (jamesbeard.org) (kcur.org)