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Kansas City has many good restaurants and the variety of
cuisine available has increased dramatically in the past 30 years, but
the KC area is still best known for barbecue. Unlike the other regional
barbecue hot spots in the US, Kansas City barbecue isn't limited to one
particular type of meat or smoking style.
This page is devoted to Kansas City barbecue restaurants
in both Kansas & Missouri and includes some popular places in communities
a little outside the metropolitan area. There are also links to the Great
Lenexa Barbeque Battle (Kansas State BBQ contest), our web master's
experience judging
the American Royal BBQ Contest and a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives KC
BBQ Watch Party.
So what is the best place for Kansas City barbecue?
That depends on what you are looking for. If you want to go to a famous
place, I recommend Arthur Bryant's Barbeque on Brooklyn or Joe's Kansas
City Bar-B-Que in Kansas City, Kansas. For the best food over all,
I pick Brobecks, Danny Edward's Boulevard BBQ, or LC's Bar-BQ. If you want
a little nicer setting with good food, go to Fiorella's Jack Stack
Barbecue or C. Frog's. For beef ribs go to Fiorella's. For lamb
ribs go to Fiorella's or RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack. For corned beef
or turkey go to Hawg Jaw Brew & Que. For a different take on
cheesy
corn bake or to make the vegetarians in your party happy, go
to Char Bar. For overall atmosphere and live music go to BB's Lawnside
BBQ.
Better yet, try several of these places!
Kansas
City BBQ Restaurants
 A
Little BBQ Joint opened in Independence, Missouri in 2013 and
quickly developed a loyal following, but we had not heard about it until
the owners participated in a car restoration project on the TV show Gear
Dogs, which is filmed in Gardner, Kansas. We give A Little BBQ
Joint high marks for the food and higher marks for atmosphere. The seats
in the booths are bench seats from old Fords, Chevys and Cadillacs. A 1967
Cadillac front end is built into the carry out counter and a 1965 Chevy
Impala is built into the bar.
Longer review and more photos.
A Little BBQ Joint, 1101 W US Hwy 24, Independence, Missouri 64050.
(816) 231-1123 Last visited in August 2022 |
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Kansas City, Kansas shares its modest
building with a working gasoline station in Kansas City, Kansas. Joe's
has a good, consistent product and even better marketing. They have received
a lot of national recognition and have become a destination for people
visiting Kansas City from other cities and countries. There is a third
Joe's KC BBQ in Leawood.
Longer
review and more photos.
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, 3002 West 47th Avenue, Kansas City,
Kansas 66103 (913) 722-3366. Last visited in March 2024 |
 Arthur
Bryant's Barbeque at 18th & Brooklyn in Kansas City, Missouri was
once the most famous Kansas City BBQ restaurant and one of the most famous
in the country. Its history can be traced from Henry Perry, "the father
of Kansas City barbecue." Arthur Bryant's barbecue restaurant moved to
this location in 1958.
Longer review and more photos.
Arthur Bryant's Barbeque, 1727 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri
64127. (816) 231-1123 Last visited in November 2023 |
 Although
the first location has since closed, Johnny's BBQ in Olathe,
Kansas was the second Johnny's location in Johnson County. Johnny's
has good specials and I think the best one is the Friday lunch special:
BBQ Ribs with fries, bread, pickle, and a regular drink for $12.69. 4 ribs,
which is a generous serving of meat for the price. Be prepared for long
waits for lunch on Friday, as it is quite popular. Johnny's original Mission
location was one of 4 Kansas City BBQ restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-ins
and Dives in 2010.
Longer review and more
photos.
Johnny's BBQ, 1375 West Highway 56, Olathe, Kansas 66061
(913) 768-0777. Last visited in JUly 2024 |
 Bates
City BBQ in Shawnee, Kansas deserves a place among the better known
Kansas City Barbecue restaurants, but I wish they used real plates and
utensils. The walls of the restaurant are lined with dozens of personalized
license plates, sports photos, old signs and pithy sayings by Tom the owner.
The prices at Bates City BBQ are quite reasonable. A 2 lb slab of pork
ribs is $14.99 all the time. The shoestring size fresh cut fries look like
leftover scraps, but they taste great.
Longer review and more photos.
Bates City BBQ, 6493 Quivira Road, Shawnee, KS 66216.
(913) 962-7447 Last visited in October 2024 |
 Jones
BBQ in Kansas City, Kansas is in a tiny building, just large enough
to prepare orders placed at the walk up walkup window. It isn't clear how
much prep is done at this location, but the meat is cooked in a large free
standing smoker, next to the building. When we first visited Jones BBQ
in 2017, the building was very unappealing and there was no place close
to eat, just a barren unattractive parking lot. But there were big changes
to Jones BBQ when the TV show Queer Eye came to Kansas City to record shows
in the fall of 2018.
Longer review
and more photos.
Jones BBQ, 6706 Kaw Dr, Kansas City, Kansas 66111
(913) 788-5005. Last visited in July 2022 |
 BB's
Lawnside BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri was opened in 1990 by Lindsay
and Jo Shannon. They offer a unique mix of Kansas City BBQ, Louisiana side
dishes and the blues. There is live music six nights a week.
More photos and a longer
review.
BB's Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64131.
(816) 822-7427 Last visited in December 2023 |
 The
Kansas
City BBQ Bistro's Hickory Log BBQ (Yes the name is that long) opened
in the old Hickory Log BBQ building in August of 2022. There has been a
BBQ restaurant at this location since the 1950s. I recpmend the pork ribs
and smoked chicken.
Longer review and more photos.
Hickory Log BBQ, 5047 Welborn Lane, Kansas City, KS 66104.
(913) 287-9560 Last visited in September 2023 |
 There
are two Big T's Bar-B-Q restaurants in Kansas City, Missouri.
This review is about the higher rated location on Blue Ridge Boulevard.
Big T's is one of the better BBQ restaurants in Kansas City, but has the
disadvantage of being few blocks from one of the best BBQ restaurants of
the same style in the region, LC's BBQ.
More photos and a longer review.
Big T's Bar-B-Q, 9409 Blue Ridge Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64138. (816)
767-0905 Last visited in October 2024 |
 LC's
Bar-B-Q in Kansas City, Missouri is considered one of the top 5 barbecue
restaurants in KC. LC's Bar-B-Q is a interesting little dive with a great
product. The ribs at LC's Bar-B-Q are slightly crunchy on the outside,
but still juicy and well flavored. Much of the flavor comes from the smoking
and your mouth will still be a little smoky an hour after you finish eating
them. LC's ribs warmed up the next day, are better than the fresh ribs
at 80% of the other BBQ restaurants in Kansas City.
Longer review and more photos.
LC's Bar-B-Q, 5800 Blue Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri 64129.
(816) 923-4484 Last visited in February 2024 |
 Blind
Box BBQ opened in August 2015. There were significant issues in the
first couple of months, but they have already come a long way with both
the food and service. Of the dishes sampled, several have stood out: pork
ribs (both spare & baby back), smoked chicken, BBQ street corn, onion
straws and house made French fries. The Belly Burger, with ground Angus,
smoked pork belly, apple wood smoked bacon, smoked Gouda, jalapenos is
very good.
More photos and a longer review.
Blind Box BBQ, 13214 W 62nd Terrace, Shawnee, Kansas 66216. (913)
901-9700 Last visited in August 2024 |
 Q39
opened its first Kansas location in Overland Park, Kansas in August,
2017. This location was originally the site of Hayward's Pit Bar B Que.
The combination BBQ plate has a choice of three meat and we selected pork
ribs, smoked chicken and sausage. There is also a choice one side, but
we paid an up charge to have French fries and another $4 for seasonal vegetables.
The ribs have good flavor and the texture I like - tender, but not falling
off the bone. The servings seem a little small, but were appropriate for
the price point.
More photos and a longer
review.
Q39, 11051 Antioch Road, Overland Park, Kansas 66210
(913) 951-4500 Last visited in January 2022 |
 Brobecks
Barbeque is one of the most underrated BBQ restaurants in the Kansas
City area. Reasonably priced, dry rubbed BBQ with good side dishes. My
favorite meats are sausage and dry rubbed pork ribs that are so flavorful
that no sauce is necessary. Brobecks is one of the more reasonably priced
KC BBQ places which has table service. The smoked ham salad at Brobecks
is unusual BBQ, but very good - only $5.25 including a large plate of crackers
or house made chips.
More photos
and a longer review.
Brobecks Barbeque, 4615 Indian Creek Parkway, Overland Park, KS 66207.
(913)
901-9700 Last visited in September 2024 |
 RJ's
Bob-Be-Que Shack in Mission, Kansas looks like an old BBQ dive, but
it has only been open since 2003. RJ's is known for country style cooking,
and the side dishes are among my favorite items. I particularly enjoy the
cheesy corn bake and they do a good job on the lightly seasoned French
fries. I was surprised to find that a side of corn on the cob was a whole
ear, not just the 3 or 4 inch section that many restaurants serve.
More photos and a longer
review.
RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack, 5835 Lamar Ave., Mission, Kansas 66202.
(913) 262-7300 Last visited in December 2023 |
 Char
Bar Smoked Meats & Amusements opened in the Westport neighborhood
of Kansas City, Missouri in November 2014. The 7,000 square foot restaurant
has an outdoor beer garden with a large patio bar, picnic tables, lawn
croquet course, bocce court, tire swings and two outdoor fire pits.
Char Bar isn't just about fun. It has a large, eclectic
menu which will satisfy BBQ lovers, vegetarians and those looking for creative
dishes which they have not had before.
More photos and a longer review.
Char Bar, 4050 Pennsylvania Ave. #150, Kansas City, MO 64111. (816)
389-8600 Last visited in April 2021 |
 Roscoe's
BBQ is located in a small sheet metal building sharing a parking lot
and sign with a gas station. Roscoe's opened in late 2009, but closed when
the owners retired in 2022. Their sons reopened the restaurant in 2024.
It has always been open limited hours, but I can understand a small family
business wanting hours that lets the family have a normal life.
Their burnt ends and crinkle cut fries are prepared just
the way that I like them.
More photos and a longer review.
Roscoe's BBQ, 9711 Kaw Drive, Edwardsville, Kansas 66111
(913) 422-4600. Last visited in October 2024 |
 Crazy
Good Eats in Olathe, Kansas opened May 1, 2015, in the same location
previously occupied by Big Bubba's
Barbecue, followed by McGuire's
Smokehouse. It is operated by an
extended family which has competed at regional BBQ contests as Steer Crazy
BBQ.
All of the the sauces are sweet and thin. The Red Eye
sauce is described as hot, but has little heat. It does have an herb which
gives it a slightly different flavor which I do not care as much for. The
Extra Napkins sauce is sweeter, but still pretty thin.
More photos and
a longer review.
Crazy Good Eats, 16695 West 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062
(913) 905-2744. Last visited in December 2023 |
 Rosedale
Barbeque in Kansas City, Kansas has been in business since 1934, though
they moved into the current facility about 1990. Rosedale has one of the
largest and most varied menus of any Kansas City barbecue restaurant, but
the counter help do a fantastic job of juggling multiple orders without
ever writing anything down. We are particularly impressed with the classic
fresh made sauce and tender, tasty ribs. The sides are also good, including
the fries which are served in a waxed paper bag.
More photos
and a longer review.
Rosedale Barbeque, 600 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, KS
66103 (913) 262-0343. Last visited in November 2023 |
 Chef
J BBQ is one of the growing number of Texas style BBQ restaurants in
Kansas
City, Missouri. They are doing a great job on their meats, but still
have a ways to go with their side dishes. They are in the area known as
the West Bottoms, about 1,000 feet from the Kansas state line.
The pork ribs have some of the best flavor of any ribs
I have had. The brisket is as good as the ribs. The meat is nicely seasoned
and the fatty parts of the brisket are heavenly as they melt in your month.
More photos and a longer review.
Chef J BBQ, 1401 W 13th Street, Kansas City, MO 64102
(816) 805-8283. Last visited in June 2023 |
 Scott's
Kitchen and Catering at Hangar 29, is just a few miles from the Kansas
City, Missouri airport. It is only open from 7AM - 6:30PM on Monday - Friday
and this review is just for the BBQ, as with the restaurant being closed
on weekends, I have not been able to get there for breakfast. The building's
dining area is not air conditioned and the dining room door stands open
in the hottest weather. Side dishes are limited to beans, cheesy potatoes,
potato salad, beans and slaw. The meats have a smoky flavor and the chicken
wings are my favorite of the dishes I have sampled.
Scott's Kitchen, 11920 N Ambassador Dr, Kansas City, MO 64153.
(816) 270-0505. Last visited in July 2021 |
 Danny
Edward's Boulevard BBQ on Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri
didn't open until 2007, but has a much longer tradition. Danny's father
opened the family's first barbecue restaurant, Jake Edward's Bar-B-Que,
during the depression and moved it to Kansas City in 1938. Danny opened
Lil' Jake's Eat It & Beat It on Baltimore in 1981, moving it to Grand
Boulevard in 1984.
More photos and a longer
review.
Danny Edward's Boulevard BBQ, 2900 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City,
MO 64108. (816) 283-0880 Last visited in November 2022 |
 Slap's
BBQ in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas has
been very popular since opening in June 2014. It is open for lunch only
and has a variety of good smoked meats, sides and and an unusual sweet,
Asian style sauce. Three members of the Squeal Like a Pig BBQ competitive
barbecue team opened the restaurant and the team is competing much less
often since its opening. Our favorite items have been the pork ribs, sausage,
cheesy corn and baked beans (with jalapenos added).
More photos
and a longer review.
Slap's BBQ, 553 Central Ave., Kansas City, KS 66101. (913) 213-3736.
Last visited in October 2023 |
 Filling
Station BBQ in Lee's Summit, Missouri is in a good looking 1930's
Texaco station. The meats are quite good, though the sides are less impressive.
The ribs were tender and smoky, but not strongly so. They had a rich flavor
from rub and there was no need for sauce. The chicken was smoked similar,
but with a little more heat in the rub. The pieces were rather small. There
are four sauces. All of them are thin and very sweet.
More photos and a longer
review.
Filling Station BBQ, 2333 SE Douglas St, Lee's Summit, MO 64063.
(816) 347-0794 Last visited in February 2024 |
 Smoketown
BBQ on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Overland Park, Kansas was
opened in September 2020 by some former employees of Johnny's BBQ which
was located about a mile away in Mission, Kansas. The Big Memphis is the
best Carolina sandwich I have had since Kansas City Masterpiece Restaurant
closed years ago. There are three sauces: regular, sweet and hot. They
all have tomato and vinegar. The sweet sauce is a little smoky. The hot
sauce is a medium heat, which is hotter than most hot BBQ sauces in KC.
More photos
and a longer review.
Smoketown BBQ, 7702 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Overland Park, KS 66202.
(913) 544-1012. Last visited in October 2024 |
 Fiorella's
Jack Stack Barbecue in Overland Park, Kansas may be the best higher
end BBQ restaurant in the Kansas City area. Jack Stack serves good pork,
beef & lamb ribs, and excellent side dishes including enormous onion
rings. The service is inconsistent - friendly but with frequent miscues.
Jack Stack has several locations in the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan
area. This is one of the few BBQ restaurants in the area with table service
& cloth napkins, and it is priced accordingly.
Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue, 9520 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park,
KSs 66212 (913) 385-7427 Last visited in May 2024 |
 Snead's
Bar-B-Que was started in 1956 by Bill Snead on his family's farm west
of Belton, Missouri. He enlarged the restaurant several times and continued
to operate the restaurant until his death in 1994. Although it is no longer
owned by the original family, many of the traditions and recipes have been
continued to today. Depending on which ones you pick, the smoked meats
run a spectrum from some of the best in the city to ones that are just
so-so, but I have been impressed with all of the sides I have tried.
Longer review and more photos.
Snead's Bar-B-Q, 1001 E 171st Street, Belton, Missouri 64012
(816) 331-7979. Last visited in September 2021 |
 Gates
& Sons Bar-B-Q on State Line Road in Leawood, Kansas has little
changed over the years. Gates is an old Kansas City, Missouri BBQ chain
with 6 locations in the metro area, including this one off I-435 and one
in Kansas City, Kansas. The counter where food is ordered forms a "T" with
cash registers to each side, and shortly after getting in line, you hear
a shouted "Hi, may I help you?" There is another more or less interchangeable
Gates location in Kansas City, Kansas and three more in Kansas City, Missouri.
Longer review and more photos.
Gates & Sons Bar-B-Q, 2001 W 103rd Terrace, Leawood, Kansas 66206.
(913)
383-1752 Last visited in February 2024. |
 The
Big Q Barbeque in Kansas City, Kansas is the only surviving restaurant
which grew out of Quick's family Barbecue which began in 1953. The Big
Q was started 1986 by Marvin Quick's son Rusty Quick and son in law Gary
Wright. The ribs, chicken, sausage and burnt ends all come slathered with
a lot of sauce which appears to be made from tomato paste, rather than
ketchup and has little seasoning. Rather than using a dry rub in the cooking,
Big Q smokes the meat covered with the same sauce.
Longer review
and more photos.
The Big Q Barbecue, 2117 S 34th St. Kansas City, KS 66106.
(913) 362-6980. Last visited in June 2022 |
 Hawg
Jaw Que & Brew BBQ restaurant was in Riverside, Missouri for 5
years, but moved to its present location in North Kansas City, Missouri
in February 2017. The exterior is very plain, but the split level interior,
with counter service and self serve beverages on the upper level and tables
on the lower level is fairly attractive.
There is a wide variety of smoked meats and they are served
dry (without sauce). Hawg Jaw has 3 BBQ sauces and there are bottles on
the tables and large dispensers of sauce with little go cups near the counter.
Longer
review and more photos.
Hawg Jaw Brew & Que, 900 Swift Street, North Kansas City, MO.
(816)
741-4294 Last visited in December 2021. |
 Although
Woodyard
Bar-B-Que is one of the less well known BBQ restaurants locally, it
has had attention nationally for many years. Many serious BBQ fans include
Woodyard among their favorite BBQ restaurants. The Woodyard began selling
selling various woods for use in grills & smokers in the 1950s and
still sells wood. Along the way, the owner, Frank Schloegel II, started
grilling meat for his customers at lunch time.
More photos and a longer
review.
Woodyard Bar-B-Que, 3001 Merriam Lane, Kansas City, KS 66196 (913)
362-8000 Last visited in December 2023. |
 Hayward's
Pit Bar B Que in Shawnee, Kansas is the oldest barbecue restaurant
in Johnson County. it was founded by Hayward Spears Sr. in 1972, and has
been in four locations. Spears owned the restaurant for the first 42 years.
I recommend the pork burnt ends and ribs, but the two
items which stand out for me are the onion rings and the chicken wings.
I particularly like the wings with an upgrade which isn't listed on the
menu on their web site - Wades Wild Style, tossed in Buffalo sauce, rub
and a a spicy mustard sauce from Helga Fine Foods in Lenexa.
Hayward's Pit Bar B Que, 10901
W 75th St., Shawnee, KS 66214
(913) 451-8080. Last visited
in August 2022 |
 Wolfepack
BBQ is one of they many new BBQ restaurants to open in the KC metropolitan
area. Wolfepack opened in the Columbus Park neighborhood a few blocks east
of the City Market in Kansas City, Missouri in August 2023. The six meats
which I have sampled have been great, smoked and well seasoned with a sweet,
but slightly spicy rub. For the most part, I have not wanted to add sauce
to the meats.
More photos and a longer review.
Wolfepack BBQ, 910 East 5th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 268-0770 Last visited in June 2024. |
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Olathe, Kansas was the second Oklahoma
Joe's location. The first location is in a working gasoline station in
Kansas City, Kansas and there is a third location in Leawood. The Olathe
& Leawood locations are much larger and serve the same food.
Be prepared for a long line if you arrive at Joe's during
meal time. But the line usually moves faster than you would expect.
Longer review and
more photos.
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, 11950 Strang Line Road, Olathe, Kansas
66062 (913) 782-6858. Last visited in October 2024 |
 Zarda
Bar-B-Q opened in Blue Springs, Missouri in 1976 and added this Lenexa
location three years later. They were among the best suburban BBQ restaurants
in the 1980s, but were slow to up their game as Kansas City BBQ moved into
the 21st Century. But Zarda has upped their game in the past 5 years and
are a contender again.
My favorite meat in the smoked chicken, followed by the
Ltd. Reserve burnt ends. The fries are thick and could be a little crisper.
The cheesy corn is very good.
Zarda Bar-B-Q, 11931 W 87th St Pkwy, Lenexa, KS 66215
(913) 492-2330. Last visited in December 2023. |
Archived reviews of Kansas City barbecue restaurants
which are no longer open:
Big Bubba's
Bar-B-Q KC
Masterpiece Barbeque & Grill Bee
Cee's Authentic BBQ
McGuire's
Smokehouse Mr.
Epps Barbeque Quick's
Bar-B-Q & Catering
Jon Russell's
Kansas City BBQ Papa
Bob's BBQ BBQ Shack
Wild Frontier
BBQ Arthur
Bryant's Barbeque - Woodlands
Smokin Joe's
BarBQ Smoky's
on the BLVD BBQ
Olathe Restaurant Guide Overland
Park Restaurant Guide Unique
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