BBQ Restaurants in Kansas City: Who’s the Best?
It’s no secret that the KC metro area serves up some great barbecue. USA Today recently ranked the 10 best BBQ restaurants in Kansas City:
Smokehouse Bar-B-Que
Family-owned Smokehouse Bar-B-Que is known for its mouthwatering burnt ends, hickory-smoked beef brisket served with fries, Texas toast and coleslaw. Other yummy options include sweet corn nuggets, battered mushrooms and smoked Polish sausage.
LC’s Barbecue
Located near the KC sports stadiums, L.C.’s is no frills and operates inside a former gas station. You order and pay at the counter and may have a hard time securing one of the few tables, but fans say the giant sauce-drowned burnt end sandwiches, smoky, tender brisket, and crisp yet chewy burnt ends are more than worth the trip.
BB’s Lawnside BBQ
BB’s is a one-of-a-kind KC destination that blends barbecue and blues. RBB’s is famous for its pork ribs and other meats prepared on a 1950s smoker, as well as Louisiana favorites, including Dirty Red’s Jambalaya, Smokey Jo’s Gumbo or Louisiana deep-fried rice balls. Named by Food Network as one of their Top Places to Eat, BB’s was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
Woodyard Bar-B-Q
It began as a wood yard and has grown into a no-frills barbecue joint near two major highways. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, the Food Network also named Woodyard as one their Top Places to Eat, you’ll find wood piles out back, where three large brick-encased smokers work hard. People rave about the barbecued chicken, and Woodyard’s ribs were voted KC’s Best by The Pitch and Ten Best: Barbeque by USA Today.
Gates Bar-B-Q
Founded by the Gates family in 1946, the secret to success remains the hickory wood fire. The Gates barbecue sauce is worth the trip, too. There are now two versions – the tangy classic version or a sweeter sauce. Once you pick a sauce, will you choose the beef brisket or mutton?
Arthur Bryant’s
Arthur Bryant’s is a KC staple, serving up some of the best barbecue for more than 80 years. It offers burnt ends, pulled pork sandwiches, whole slabs and beef brisket with frills but it’s the food that has enticed Steven Spielberg, Wilt Chamberlain, President Jimmy Carter and other celebrities to eat here over the years.
Danny Edwards Blvd Barbecue
When the owner personally cuts the meat, you can’t go wrong. Danny Edwards serves up sweet potato fries and spicy jambalaya, as well as fall-off-the-bone meats, including the tender pulled pork and brisket sandwich. Named one of the Food Network’s Top Places to Eat, Danny Edwards’ Blvd Barbeque has been featured in episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, BBQ Madness and BBQ With Bobby Flay
Q39
This is a fairly new addition to the KC barbecue scene, but it has quickly become beloved. National Barbeque Champion, Rob Magee, heads Q39 and his Competition BBQ Plates showcase his 30 years of expertise, from certified black Angus beef brisket to smoke and chargrilled chicken or house-made chipotle sausage.
Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue
You can’t beat Jack Stack’s tasty, tender meats cooked over hickory wood, including popular burnt ends, nationally-acclaimed lamb ribs, trout entrees or vegetable kabob. And don’t forget the cheesy corn bake.
Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
Formerly called “Oklahoma Joe’s,” Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que is good barbecue inside an old gas station – with a nationwide fanbase. Anthony Bourdain included Joe’s on his list of One of Thirteen Places to Eat Before You Die.
National and local media have recognized Joe’s as one of the best in the country, and Zagat rated them the No. 1 Barbecue in Kansas City, 2004-2013. Joe’s serves the “Z-Man” sandwich, made of sliced, smoked brisket, smoked provolone, onion rings, and barbecue sauce inside a Kaiser roll.
Ok, you have the list – now get out there and try some or all these great BBQ restaurants in Kansas City!
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