Follow The Smoke | Restaurant Reviews

Kansas City is by no means the cradle of BBQ, but KC smokers may have pefected it. Just a handful of pits were needed to create the KC style which is one of the most influential, popular, and widespread types of barbeque.

Most would agree that the KC’Q Holy Trinity are Bryants, Gates, and the Fiorella's (Jack Stack and Smokestack).  KC Masterpiece (aka Disasterpiece) restaurants blazed a hot and hauty trail across the smoky night sky for a couple decades and are now no more - good riddance, Rich.  (It's personal.)

Arthur Bryant's - Two words: Stockholm + Syndrome - cultural brainwashing is the only explanation available to explain Bryant's persistence.  There is no current reason Bryant's should even be in business.  Lousy facility, negligible "sevice", mediocre food, worst sauce in 12 states... I don't even bother to review them officially.  It is only their historical head-of-the-line status that props them up.  If there are 120 'Q joints in the area, Bryant's is on the FAIL half of the bell curve.

Gates - Three words: Phoning. It. In.  Ollie Gates deserves highest praise for teaching inner-city kids to screech "Haa, May Ah Hep Yew" at the top of their minimum-wage lungs at joints all over town.  Word is the ribs are good, but overall food quality is drive-by-able.  Another legend stubbornly clinging to fame, but not 'Q excellence.  (Be sure to watch the video referenced in the review.)

Ma & Pa Fiorella did us proud.  Of the Holy Trinity, only this family is still smokin' up quality Q.  Son Jack has multiple locations as Fiorella's Jack Stack, all definitive of what KC'Q should be.  Daughter Mary / Grandson Ben are proudly holding up their end of the family tree at Smokestack.

Anchored by these pioneers, greater KC is now home to a dozen x dozen barbeque joints.  Today, Kansas City's Q'scene is rich and thriving thanks to joints like Roscoe's and Smokin' Guns who have no laurels to rest on and are simply committed to the hard work it takes to be consistently great.

Top to bottom, the rest of this page is my assessment of KC's Best to Worst BBQ joints.  And jump over here to find out the Best of the Q'uest by category.

Clark H Smith

Roscoe's Barbeque
Smokin' Guns BBQ
Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue (all sites)
Smokehouse BBQ (all sites)
All Slabbed Up
Iron Horse BBQ (Atchison) ***NEW***
Fire It Up (Wichita) ***NEW*** 

 

 

 

Rosedale Bar B Que  ***NEW***

 

 

MISSING IN ACTION

Danny Edwards BLVD BBQ

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Roscoe's Barbeque

Roscoe's BBQ is the reason I write restaurant reviews.  This is within the margin of error of THE BEST barbeque to be found in the Ground Zero of All Barbeque. 

 

Facility / Vibe
Roscoe's makes its home in an older building on a virtually barren stretch of county road in southern 'Dot Co.  The facility is sparse, but clean.  The focus is on the food.  This night, Mr. Roscoe himself staffed the counter while wife and other family members handled the heavy lifting in the kitchen. (Every visit to Roscoe's we've found most of the immediate family workin' their tails off.)  This is a family affair.

Menu
Roscoe's keeps his menu lean and clean - brisket, pork, burnt ends, ham, turkey, and ribs.  Those regal components make up sandwiches and/or dinners with a half dozen sides to round things out.  Sandwiches are $6.5 and $7 - and fair warning, the $7 full bun is a MONSTER.  Dinners are $10.50 w/ two sides.  Slabs are $15 ($13 on Rib Tuesdays).

Personal Experience
On our first visit, Mrs. You-Bring-Me-To-The-Best-Places and I ordered a brisket and burnt ends combo dinner and a 1/2 slab o'ribs. Sides of beans and fries were generous. The ribs were as perfect as perfect can get - members in good standing of the First Church of Fall-Off-The-Bone where they sit in the front pew. Big, blackened chunks o'brisket delivered the Burnt End homily. Tender, savory slices of brisket backed up with "Amens" from the choir. The rib rub ushered the taste buds to their regular seat. Gorgeous kept moaning about the beans (I hope) and the fries were krinkly perfection. Sauce is good. Word is the locals know to ask for the hard stuff Roscoe keeps under the counter. ASK! The hot bbq sauce is sparkling with cayenne.

Service
Order at the counter and those handsome young'uns will bring it right out to you.  Sodas are self-serve.

Value / Comparison
I'm trying to restrain my tendency toward hyperbole because I want you to believe the greatness of the joint is NO exaggeration.  $24 for half slab, combo dinner, two generous sides, and two sodas... that's a good deal.  The fact that this is top-tier BBQ in the BBQ mecca makes that $24 look like a give-away.  Tuesday Rib Nights land you a full slab for $13.  Unbeatable. period.  Just be sure to call ahead a couple hours or so and reserve your slab(s).  We've seen 'em sell out early. 

Get yourself to Roscoe's.

 

website  |  map  |  9711 Kaw Dr  |  Kansas City, KS 66111  |  (913) 422-4600

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 Smokin' Guns BBQ

  

Guy don't lie!  The recent appearance of S'Guns on Triple D has brought well deserved attention to one of the best smoke joints in KC - maybe THE best.  At 11:30am on a smokin' hot Friday, the line for chow at Smokin' Guns was 10 deep out the door.  After eating, there was no one who begrudged their tour of duty on Sidewalkistan.  Inside, while you wait in line, you can wear out a good set of eye balls staring at the bazillion ribbons S'Guns has earned competing Q across the country.

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My wife and I split the Big Guns Combo platter - 4 ribs plus choice of 3 meats (or 2 meats if you get burnt ends, which we did, plus brisket) - $20.  There is very little more to say than this is quite possibly the best Q in town.  The rub is sensational; a dadgum clinic in how to prep meat.  The sauce, available in "original" only, was a bit thin and lacked bite, but the meat was so incredible, I hear the voice of Black's and Kruez in Lockhart (TX)- "if the meat was any good, you wouldn't need sauce".  Fair enough.

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S'Guns' potato planks were crisp outside, steaming perfection inside.  Wifey loved the beans.

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Waiting in line, someone repeated a rumor that business is up almost 300% since DDD featured the S'Guns.  I slid up to peripatetic owner Phil Hopkins and said, "Hard work pays off, eh?"  He smiled thinly replying, "Yes it does," the way only a man who has worked terribly hard for a long time can say it.  "Well done."

I should add that this would be an excellent place to take out-of-town guests.  S'Guns has an earthy, working-class diner feel with no pretense.  For me it had the feel of most Texas, old-school bbq joints.

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website  |  map  |  1218 Swift Ave  |  North Kansas City, MO 64116  |  (816) 221-2535

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Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue

 

Jack Stack is great - perhaps the most reliably top-notch joint in town. The food is wonderful, service is what it should be.

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HOWEVER, somewhere along the line, KC BBQ decided it need to go "upscale" - a BBQ restaurant with white table clothes??? What's the point?   Jack has sacrificed atmosphere for a little suburban snobbery. It does not wear well. Jack Stack has to be near the top of anyone's must-eat-at BBQ joints. I recommend the Martin City location on 135th Street just east of State Line.

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website  |  map  |  9520 Metcalf Ave  |   Overland Park, KS 66212  (913) 385-7427

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 Smokehouse BBQ

 

Smokehouse BBQ is neither a late-comer or late-bloomer on the KC BBQ restaurant scene. They definitely get less press than luminaries such as KC Masterpiece or JackStack, but they don't lack for fans.

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EVERYTHING at Smokehouse is as it should be. Briskets soak in the smoke for 20 hours. You won't find a better tasting piece of meat. Their sausage is coarse and meaty, bursting with hearty flavor. Ribs are perfect every time. I'm mourning the loss of fried okra as a side, but otherwise, there's nothing missing in this great restaurant.

New openings in Zona Rosa and Overland Park have extended the reach of KC's best kept BBQ secret. I consider Smokehouse on a par with legendary Jack Stack (and both are superior to over-hyped KC Masterpiece). I'm a non-competition BBQ expert. When I'm ready for someone else to serve me BBQ, I go to Smokehouse.

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website  |  map  |  7121 W 135th St  |  Overland Park, KS 66223  |  (913) 685-1717

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 All Slabbed Up

 

My Garmin directed me to two bbq joints in Leavenworth which were both closed.  Smokey Mountain BBQ was third, but a phone call indicated they were out of business.  So, what do you do when you need to get your smoke on?  Stop smack dab in the middle of Delaware Street and ask the cop (in his squad car who is also stopped smack dab in the middle of the street and is chatting up a local) where to get some 'Q in this dang town.  He pointed me to "a place on Muncie across from Rusty Eck Ford".  Which used to be Smokey Mountain and is now... wait for it... All Slabbed Up.  Got the picture?  Get the review:

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First off, in spite of the fact that the menu is printed in Comic Sans font, ASU wants to be a biker bar.  Signs out front touted something like "Motorhead Mondays - Free Beer"**.  Something like that.  Inside, the joint is clean and freshly redecorated in some cross between Chipotle and Texas Roadhouse.  Vanity license plates like IGO4IT and GETUONE dot the wall.  The L-shaped dining area is crowded, real crowded, with 4 high top tables and 4 regular tables.  I can only imagine how "festive" this place gets when over-sized, over-served Harley Homeys and Honeys get likkered up on Free Beer night**.

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Anyway, I came for the 'Q.  Hoping for a little Eastwood swagger, I ordered The High Plains Drifter (3 ribs and my choice of 2nd meat - burnt ends in this case, plus 1 side and Texas (YeeHaw) toast). $11.99.  Feeling over-testosteroned, I pulled out my hawgleg and forced motorcycle momma to order the Pure Country (2 meats - brisket and pulled pork in this case) plus 1 side and Texas (YeeHaw) toast). $9.99  She looked at me with a real "whatevuh" attitude... and then ordered as I specified.  Yeah, I rule my ranch.

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The burnt ends were the stuff legends are made of.  Well smoked and tender as a mother's love.  Magnificente! as we say in the Land of Alamo.  The ribs were delicious.  One rib, an end piece, was a little chewy, but I actually like that.  The others were spot on.  Perfect.  The little lady had forgiven my momentary air of domination and allowed me a nibble of brisket and pork.  Well done.  I wouldn't mind a tad more smoke, but no quarrels.  I offered Wifey a rib.  She said, "No, I already have one of your ribs."  I think that was a biblical reference, but she said it with such a sting I played it safe and wore my Kevlar flack jacket again that night.

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I started with the hot bbq sauce and never reached for anything less.  It was a little thinner than I would prefer, but once in my cavernous mouth it took care of business.  Outstanding.  My wife ordered the sweet potato fries.  Crisp, but she didn't feel like there was such a pronounced yammy taste.  I ordered the standard pomme frites.  Come on people, if everyone from MickeyDs to Red Robin can nail crisp fries, don't you think you could too?  A hard F- for the fries, everything else was a winner.

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The only thing I can get my head around is the photo of a horse's rear end hanging over the men's urinal.  Really, is that an homage to somebody's ex-wife or a more subliminal message which is totally lost on me.  Anyway, I'd opt for an illustration from Saturday Evening Post or something else as innocuous.

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**I have absolutely no idea what the sign actually said and I make no offer of free beer on Monday or any other day.  You're on your own.

map  |  405 Muncie Rd  |  Leavenworth, KS 66048  |  (913) 727-5227 

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Smokestack BBQ

 

A Tail of Two Piggies

Russ and Flora's likenesses should be carved on KC's BBQ Mt Smokemore - if only we had one.  From their loins, and kitchens, have come two of KC's best BBQ operations.  In the 70s, Big Brother Jack Fiorella took his talents to the Southside (Martin City) and opened what is now known as Fiorella's Jack Stack.  Sister Mary Fiorella shouldered the family mantle and now her son Ben runs the "original" restaurant.

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Quaint, but dated, this location shows its quarter century age.  Two waitresses and a bus boy competently manage the 20 or so tables which are packed at lunch time.  I ordered my default brisket and sausage.  Gangbusters!  The sausage was lightly smoked, medium grind, robust beefy taste.  The brisket was well smoked and tender as San Francisco fog.  The fries were definitive.  If the sauce was better, I'd be hanging 5 stars on Ye Old Smokestack.  Their sauce is vinegar / paprika with a little tomato product, maybe catsup - not much sweet.  I asked if they had spicy sauce and was told what I got with my sandwich was spicy.  No.  This was a quite tame version.  On the high end of the lunch price range, sandwich, fries, soda, tax, tip ran $13.  "Short Stack" sandwich itself was $8.99.

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With only one location and no flair for the moderne, Smokestack is trailing competitors (especially big brother) in the social consciousness.  Nonetheless a 50 year legacy is being upheld and honored daily on backwater Wornall.

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website  |  map  |  8920 Wornall Rd  |  Kansas City, MO 64114  |  (816) 444-5542

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Oklamoma Joe's (47th Ave)

 

I walked through OK Joe's open doors with an open heart and open mind.  So many disciples have sung the praises of this smoke mecca, I wanted to hear the message of the Joseph's Witness with my own apostate ears.  Previously granting OKJ's Olathe location nothing but 2 stingy stars, I made my haj to the mothership.  I was willing to be baptized in the sauce and take the Texas toast & smoked meat sacraments.

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Today's scripture reading was ribs and brisket.  The brisket was as tender and juicy as humanly conceivable.  It sported a nice Presbyterian smoke ring - present and accounted for, but nothing ostentatious.  The beef taste was so robust, I wonder if it had been re-warmed by a quick dip in beef broth.  However, a smoky bark illustrated the sad tale of the prodigal son in today's homily - I looked for it, but it was nowhere to be found.

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Fortunately this was an ecumenical gathering and the lean pork spare ribs showed up to dance and shout - holy rollers of rub, smoke, tenderness... I still hear angels singing as I write.  Perfectly smoked, pink meat ran clear to the bone - they're the red letter edition of KC 'Q.  These porksicles are exactly equal to the best in the whole blessed town, I do declare.  The preacher's kid, closely-scrutinized sauce, showed off with specks of herbs and spices; conspicuously absent in his twin sibling down on Strangline.

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Am I converted?  Am I a true believer?  Have I found the path to the altar of all things Q'ed?  I'll grant so much as I might attend frequently and throw my money in the plate.  As good as I confess OKJ to be, I still am in search of a smoke-shrouded holy grail, Nirvana enthroned in a hickory haze.  But, fear not!  Pilgrims of the pink pellicle won't lose their way with regular attendance at this chapel of the char.

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website  |  map  |  3002 W 47th Ave  |  Kansas City, KS 66103  |  (913) 722-3366

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Brobeck's Barbeque

 

There's an allegation that Brobecks was "Voted Best Ribs in 2010" ??? I'm trying to find out where that vote was cast and by whom.  I'm trying to find out because I want to add my vote on top of the stack - a Meg Ryan-esque "yes yes yes"!  If you have never had the perfect porksicle, 100% pink clear to the bone, you need to get yourself to Bro. Brobecks the absolute first chance you get.  Not only is the smoke "ring" the thing dreams are made of, the rub is text book.  Students of the Holy Q should make a profession of observing the consistency of the meat - firm, yet as tender as imaginable and readily pulls off the bone.  Yes, these ARE the best ribs to be found in Kansas City.  So help me Bartle.

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Brobecks pays his rent in an ignominious strip center in a sleepy whorl of 'burbin' Johnson County.  The joint has a real country diner feel accented by the lovely ladies tending tables with surfeit of smiles, "honeys", and shoulder touches. A sampler plate of three ribs, sliced brisket, and sausage ($11.99) shows off Brobecks compentency.  The brisket had a nice ring, but could have used more bark and was just the least little bit dry.  Smoked sausage (Mendolia's polish) was wonderful - nicely flavored on it's own, enhanced perfectly by the smoke.  Homemade chips are a nice alternative to steak fries (which are excellent, themselves).  House red sauce is B+ and I strongly caution all humans against eating any "bbq sauce" that is yellow.  Brobeck is man enough to offer diners additional sauces, one from Curly's and another one from an alleged masterpiece.

I wouldn't say Brobecks is overlooked, but considering the magnificence of his ribs, he deserves a whole lot of lovin' for what he does in the smoke oven.

website  |  map  |  4615 Indian Creek Pkwy  |  Overland Park, KS 66207  |  (913) 901-9700

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Pork N Pit BBQ

 

Facility / Vibe
Out on the far east corner of the KC BBQ debris field sits a humble little concrete block building dishing out some very, very good Q.   PNP's small interior is white, bright, and clean.  In late January, festive Valentine decorations anticipate lovers - barbeque and otherwise.  A lousy boombox on the kitchen side of the wall bathes seven tables seating 36 with fuzzy 90s FM rock.  PNP is Ma & Pa behind the counter.

 

Menu

PNP lines up the usual Q suspects: ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends, brisket, ham, turkey, chicken wings, beef sausage, as well as fried catfish.  Sides are beans, slaw, potato salad and hand cut curly fries.

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Personal Experience
Stopped by for a Monday lunch.  I ordered a brisket + sausage sandwich with fries and soda.  Pa brought out the fries first.  I thought I was at the carnival midway when I saw the size of this "side".  Idaho's greatest tuber was staring me in the face.  Moment's later, a large hoagie bun stuffed with brisket and floating large red sausage chunks on top arrived at my table.  Pa admitted the sausage was from Sysco.  It was fine ground and a tad spongy, but quite tasty.  The brisket looked chopped, but no, it was sliced and so dadgum tender it crumbled when the sandwich was made up.  Excellent smoke and taste.  I used the hot sauce exclusively and enjoyed every thrilling bite.

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Value / Comparison
This large combo sandwich is my standard lunch order and I never see it for under $10 (usually because fries are extra).  This was no special either, just the standard menu price, with tax, totaling $8.88,  $8.88!! I dare another BBQ joint to beat that.  (Really, please try.)  Use better better sasauge and PNP earns that last proud piggie.

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map  |  1803 NE Colbern Rd  |  Lees Summit, MO 64086  |  816 525 7427

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Oden's Family BBQ

 

Facility / Vibe
Out on the southeast corner of the KC BBQ debris field sits a little outpost the locals call Oden's Family BBQ and Steakhouse.  Oden's holds court in a free-standing building just off 71 Hwy.  The restaurant has a rural diner feel with plenty of lovely locals working the tables.  Pardon the irony, but I find the smoker-friendly accommodations terribly disappointing - especially since the smoking section is merely "that side of the room" with second-hand choke freely wafting throughout the whole dining hall.  Eight booths and 9 large tables easily accommodate family-sized gatherings.  And if you ever wondered what happened to those fruit-themed, stained glass lampshades Ruby Tuesday had before it got all Pier One on us... Oden's solves the mystery.

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Menu
For a family joint, Oden's is ambitious.  There is a full selection of burgers and sandwiches and steakhouse entrées on top of the BBQ options.  Prices seemed reasonable - a KC Strip (size not stated) was $18.99.  Sandwiches run in the $7-9 range.  BBQ meals were right in line with metro area competition.

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Personal Experience
We beat the Wednesday night holiday rush by ten minutes. By the time we left at 7pm, 20 people were waiting to be seated. Mrs. Honey-your-bbq-is-better-but-it's-nice-not-to-do-dishes and I ordered big. We shared the Wed special of slab o'St Louis Ribs w/ two sides ($14.99) and an entrée of Burnt Ends (also w/ 2 sides $11.99). The ribs were PERFECT - tender, smoky, lean. PERFECT. The burnt ends were old school, stewed-in-the-pot not just cube-cut brisket. Some pieces were a tad tough, but the taste was wonderful. We saved half our bbq for the ravenous chil'ren back at the ranch and treated ourselves to a heaping mug-full of cherry cobbler. Spectacular. Oh, and KC fry cooks pay attention, if you want to learn how to cook perfect fries, get yourself an internship at Oden's. Best in KC!

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Service
Wonderful team approach and all the ladies were sweet as peaches.

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Value / Comparison
Two big entrées, sodas, cobbler +tax +tip totaled $42 and change.  As stated, we brought home another meal and a half, to boot. 

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map  |  1302 N Scott Ave  |  Belton, MO 64012  (816) 322-3072

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WilJenny's Tables & Tap

 

Love WilJenny's! This homage to Texas Hill Country cuisine always serves reliably great food. Cousins in Luling and Lockhart won't recognize the elephant ear fans, but the Elgin sausage will take 'em straight home. Although the owner is trying to evoke the vibe of the Hill Country, the barbeque selections are pretty slight.  Brisket, Dr Pepper Baby Backs, Elgin sausage, turkey, and pulled pork comprise the list of 'Q.  An infrequent dinosaur bone (beef rib) is enthusiastically welcomed.

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The Ranch House beans may be the only *pinto* beans served in a BBQ joint north of the Red River (and they're cooked in beer, to boot!). And as a man who has eaten well more than his share of chicken fried steaks, I haven't had finer fare since the Black-Eyed Pea chain from Dallas shuttered-up. For non-Texicans, the menu features plenty of light and airy fare for with a Tex-West flare - there's something pleasing for everybody.

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The restaurant is sparkling clean, the decor is just Texan enough without thinking you're at Roadhouse, and the wait staff is quite possibly the finest in greater Kansas City. Ownership (not management - ownership) is hands on, remembers your face if not your name, and is always, always working the room. Whether local or just passing through, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't visit WilJenny's - soon and often.  I do.

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website  |  map  |  6700 West 135th  |  Overland Park, KS 66223  |  (913) 897-1114

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Boss Hawg's Barbeque

 

Happy Family took a field trip to Topeka and on the recommendation of a friend we made our dinner stop at Boss Hawg's.  We were not disappointed.  I'm not much on what passes for a desirable attraction in Topeka, but I was very pleased with Boss Hawg's.  It is just worn enough and just crowded enough to feel like we were in a real serious bbq joint (maybe more reminiscent of Texas than Kansas City).

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Feeding three carnivores and one carnivette, we ordered the "Beast Feast" consisting of a full rack of St Louis cut spareribs, a whole chicken, and about a quarter pound each of pulled pork, burnt ends, and sausage.  Sides consisted of steak fries, mashed potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, and cornbread with honey butter.  Yes, there were enough leftovers to bring home; we're carnivores not gluttons!  Now here we go with the scoring system.  I'll start at the bottom and work my way up.  Pulled pork: C- (the pork had enough smoke, but it was more chopped that pulled and it was not fresh and had dried out).  Sausage: C- (this was generic, store-bought, Ekrich-style sausage that was fat and bland - real bbq demands much better sausage, preferably private label or custom-made).  Burnt Ends: B- (wonderfully smoked, but not fresh - a little dried out).  Chicken: B+ (you really don't bbq a chicken as much as grill it in a smokey environment - this bird was very tasty, but virtually no smoke essence, but excellently seasoned).  Ribs: A to A+ ("pink to the bone!" which means slabs spent a long time low and slow in the smoker, tender to the bite and not overcooked so as to fall off the bone).  Steak fries were outstanding.  Baked (navy) beans were heavily sauced with lots of onions, but no chopped, smoked meat thrown in for richer flavor.  Big miss.

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Our waiterette was outstanding, keeping drinks filled and checking on us often to see what we needed.  I was impressed.  When I go back, and I will, ribs are the only thing I'll order - and the steak fries.  Since the meats were so inconsistent, I'm not going to rave about the ribs alone, but this is a nice restaurant with a good vibe.  Well worth another visit.

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website  |  map  |  2833 SW 29th St  |  Topeka, KS 66614  |  (785) 273-7300

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Char House Barbeque

 

Fresh on the block, Char House is hoping to carve out an identity for themselves on the KC barbeque scene.  Welcome and good luck.  The main dining room and kitchen area are in the lower level of the building, but it is open, bright, and cheery.  No Wayne or Garth were harmed in the making of this restaurant.  There is a second room with a full wall of exterior windows.  (This room would be great for large groups.)  The whole place has a nice energy to it.

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Stopped by for lunch and ordered a brisket+sausage sandwich w/ a side of... wait for it... jambalaya.  The sandwich was generously portioned.  The brisket had a beautiful smoke ring and was tender to the bite.  The sausage surprised me - sweet Italian.  The grind was appropriately coarse and the link had soaked in the smoke perfectly.  I dosed my sammich with spicy sauce.  Loved it.  I also tasted the regular sauce.  It was sweet and straightforward bbq sauce.  (The meal - two meat sandwich with side and bottomless drink - totalled $8.15.  A great value in my book.)

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I tried the jambalaya just to see what a bbq joint would do with it.  Not bad at all.  It had a wonderful pepper bite.  I recommended more aromatics.

CH also specializes in pan-fried chicken.  I'm looking forward to returning soon and trying some bird.

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Paul, the young man who just opened Char House, stopped by and I chatted him up a bit.  I really appreciated his approach to the Q and the restaurant.  We agreed that smoke is what distinguishes good Q.  Char House exactly what a successful restaurant needs - an onsite owner who is passionate about his product.  Best wishes.
 

website  |  map  |  12200 Johnson Dr  |  Shawnee, KS 66216  |  (913) 912-1018

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Holy Smoke BBQ

Imagine your grandma's attic... weather vanes, flying pigs, artificial flowers, chartreuse-painted furnishings, and images of John-bygod-Wayne everywhere.  Somnolent Christian praise music.  Schmeer with smoke.  That's Holy Smoke.

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HS serves standard Q fare plus burger, brats, and chicken fillets for the apostate palate.  Sides: beans, slaw, potato salad, and mac & cheese.  Sandwiches w/ 1 side run $7 to $9.  Platters w/ 1 side run $10 to $13.  Word to your thirst: Don't refill your own soda and you only get one refill.  Bah Humbug.  Prices here run on the high side of the value curve.

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Burnt ends and a full slab of spare ribs to go with beans ran just short of $40.  Beans have large chunks of burnt end swimming amongst them - a plus.  Burnt ends are tender and well smoked.  Ribs would be much better if trimmed St Louis style.  The portion along the bone is tender but the side meat (tips) is quite tough.  And the slabs are not well smoked, virtually no smoke and no discernible rib rub.

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Two surprising high notes: The sauce is one of the best in KC.  Unlike many other sauces which are a formulaic concoction of liquids, HS sauce has a nice tomato sauce texture featuring many bright bits of herbs and spices.  And, it appears the pickles are homemade.

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Holy or not, Lee's Summit has several better options for Q.  To be honest, the reason I'm not more enthusiastic about Holy Smoke is get the feeling I'm being watched to make sure I wash my hands before eating.  A fine thing, but not the vibe I want in a BBQ joint.

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website  |  map  |  240 NW Oldham Pkwy  |  Lee's Summit, MO 64081  |  816 554 7427

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Fat Sam's Barbeque

 

 

Out on the northwest corner of the KC BBQ debris field sits a little outpost the locals call Fat Sam's.  Sharing the north half of a liquor store, Fat's is easy to drive by - a couple times.  Sadly, the sparse external signage still outperforms the interior.  Stark beige walls are adorned with nothing more elegant than a promo Pepsi clock and 50" flat screen. 

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Fat Sam himself stands on point (that's a brisket pun) to process orders at the first generation e-lectronic cash register.  (I should point out that Sam has let himself go a little bit from his wrestling days, but "fat" is over-the-top self-deprecation.)  Fat Sam Jr snatches orders at the pass-thru and gets it done kitchenside.

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The Good Housekeeping Playmate of the Year (2003) ordered a pulled pork sammy - regular size.  Her dashing beau manned up with a large brisket and sausage samwise on a 6" hoagie plussed up with some homemade fries of which GHPOTY ate more than half.  Jeez.  The pork was just okay, not quite tender, tasted a'ight.  The Fat One doesn't get clever with naming his sandwiches, but he should.  In fact, The Fat One should name the large, two meat sammy "The Fat One".  I couldn't believe how much meat was in it.  I don't want to lose my membership in the Order of the Man Cave, but I'll admit it - I actually pulled out some of the brisket so I could get the dang thing in my face.  (I felt so Justin Beiber.)  Nothin' shy about the brisket d'boeuf; t'was tender and tasty.  I'd always like more smoke flavor.  The sausage (from Krinzman's) was wonderful - coarse grind, firm and tasty.  The fries were junk.  I hate underachieving tubers bathed in a scorched oil.  Knock it off, America!    In all, our tab came to $16 and a whole bunch of pennies.

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Sam cut the ribbon on his joint way back in March of Aught Ten.  I know it's tough starting a business at any time and I appreciate what Substantuel Samuel is doing.  Maybe 9 months is not enough to work out the kinks, but he'd better up his game and darn fast.  Still, I'm giving 3 piggies on account of the fact I want Santa to know I've got a good heart... and because Sam is giving Tongy the best he has to offer.  It ain't great, but it's good.

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map  |  215 West St  |  Tonganoxie, KS 66086  |  (913) 417-7267

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Smoke'N Babes BBQ (out of business, but I love this review!)

 

Smoke'N Babes deserves a lot of respect for being a sweet little mom&pop on the far south horizon of KC Metro.  The joint reminds me of the house I grew up in - a humble front room for company and a hallway leading back to the crowded, busy hive where life really takes place.  Five 3'x3' tables and about a dozen chairs furnish the small dine-in area.  The walls are chalkboard black and scrawled completely with shout-outs to and from cheerleaders, farm boys, and Chicago wannabes thinking they're in Geno's.  It's a nice change of pace and tres authentique.

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For $43 and change The Smith Family of Wife and Children enjoyed four sammiches with fries each and a couple sides. DollFace had cheesy corn.  "Hey DollFace, how was the cheesy corn?"  "Echh."  DF reports that the dish was cheesy enough, but the corn (which looked as if it could have been fire roasted) was just tired old canned corn.  "C+" she says (she's way gracious, believe me!).  Seasoned fries were darn tasty, but the saltiness soon overtook me.  Younguns loved theirs.  Baked beans were unremarkable.

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As for the star attraction, I got a brisket and sausage sammy.  The brisket was chopped.  Echh!  I hate (HATE) chopped meat.  As long as I still have my natural teef, I want to bite something and chew it.  I was given the choice of spicy or regular link and opted for the former.  Looked and tasted like a spicy polish dog.  Ok, but not what I want in my 'Q.  The rest of the Family got a variation of pulled pork, chopped brisket, sausage. 

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Everybody was more or less pleased, but no one asked "Can we come back tomorrow?".  I asked Smoke'N Babe why chop the brisket instead of slice.  She pointed me to an unsmoldering male who she accused of being the chief proprietor.  (I guess there's an untold story there.)  He said chopping a hunk of brisket once was easier than constantly slicing throughout the day and then having to clean the slicer.  Sounds like a frat house excuse for not making beds, but that's how they do it.

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Of course, a joint called Smoke'N Babes is likely to play it up some.  T-shirts feature messages like "I Only Eat Smoke'N Babes" and "Rub It, Pull It, Swallow It."  I seated my 14 year-old with his back to where that shirt was displayed.  One milestone at a time, please.  On the other hand, on Babe's parking lot is a micro-modular unit housing Tad's Sno Cones with a sign prominently displaying some new citrus flavor and with the anti-Zappa message "Eat The Yellow Sno." 

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At almost $11 per for mediocre sandwiches and drinks, I'm not a huge fan, but as stated, I heart my mom&pops and I'll be back sometime for some ribs.

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website  |  map  |  213 E Main St  |  Gardner, KS 66030  |  (913) 856-8200

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Big Poppa's Bar-B-Que

 

Imagine Fat Albert grows up, collecting a chef's hat and a head injury along the way.

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Facility / Vibe
Clean, cheery facility accommodating about 75 in booths with lots of bovine chotskies and photographs of bbq meals scattered about.

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Menu
Basic BBQ joint fare: Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, ham, turkey, sausage, and burnt ends.  Sides of fries, tater tots, and onion rings, potato salad, slaw, and beans.  Friday nite's feature is Catfish.  Sammiches run in the $8 - $9 range.  Daily special of small sammich, side, soda - $6.99.  Dinner entrées in the $11 - $14 range.  Wed / Sun Rib Special - slabs $14.99

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Personal Experience
Big Poppa is a fun, happy guy who drinks no water but bottled Perrier. (no foolin!)  He has a grasp on nothing unless he writes it down.  On Friday at noon o'clock, I was the only patron in the place.  I ordered up a large brisket sammich with fries & soda ($10.66).  Poppa set off to the kitchen and whistled while he worked.  My entrée soon arrived - two layers of brisket between three layers of thin white sandwich bread.  The tasty brisket was lightly smoked, tender, if not terribly lean.  This bread / meat arrangement is a sloppy fail.  Tasty as can be, but Mrs. Baird don't make nothing that can stand up to juicy meat and bbq sauce.  Fries were fine.  Sauce was very nice - a vinegar kick with a nice tomato sauce texture.  I begged Big Poppa for a taste of a rib.  He relented with a rib tip (the part you cut off to trim a St Louis rib).  Ok, but scarcely any smoke.  There was a rumor of an aromatic rub.

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Value / Comparison
Price was reasonable.  I assume Poppa has help when traffic picks up.  He's a delightful guy, but the Q did not steal the show.  If you're in the neighborhood, I definitely encourage you to drop by.  Otherwise, this little joint will remain in the shadows of much better KCQ. 

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map  |  5827 Leavenworth Rd  |  Kansas City, KS 66104  |  (913) 287-5744

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howzabout a smoke break?

 

 

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Hillsdale Bank B-B-Q

 

HBbbq is 20 min from bucolic Overland Park and smack dab between Spring Hill and Paola.  A caboose is appended to the world's tiniest old bank building.  The owners have filled the premises with quaint furnishings and decor - everything from a wooden canoe to snowshoes and fishing rods, a poor man's version of country shabby chic.

The proprietor took our order.  I wanted a selection of burn ends, beef, and sausage.  He was very congenial in suggesting the less expensive way of getting our sampler platter.  Very nice.  This is the kind of consideration you get from a place run by Mom&Pop themselves and who don't start screaming "WHAT DO YOU WANT" the minute your walk in the door.  5* for that.

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Gorgeous and I shared a burnt end "sandwich" (basically a generous plateful of burnt ends with a couple slices of Wonder Bread on top) and the two meat sampler of beef and sausage.  The sausage was a ball park spicy polish dog that had been smoked.  Not really very good.  The beef was NOT brisket.  I talked to the owner/chef about it.  The slice of beef ran "along the grain" over the 6" or so of the cut.  I thought this was doomed.  However, the meat (a shoulder round) was as tender as could be with a fantastic smoke ring.  The burnt ends were nothing but pulled pork.  I was hoping for beef or rib burnt ends, but for what it was, the pork was fantastic - lean, flavorful with a bark as dark as a co-ed returning from Spring Break. (Just checking to see if you are still with me.)

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I was turned off by the sauce (both spicy and regular).  It was translucent and homogenous which signaled, to me, a mere confluence of prepared fluids.  Bottles for sale at the counter list corn syrup, ketchup, vinegar, etc.  That just won't cut it in KC.

The thick, hand cut fries were firm and crisp.  Sweet potato fries we as good as to be expected for a member of the morning glory plant family.  Baked beans and potato salad also were no disappointment.  The tab for our 2 entrées was just over $20 before tax and tip.  Not bad.

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I maintain a soft spot for Mom&Pops and I wish these folks the best.  I'm eager to hear from some of my other bbq aficionadoes about your impression of this rural option on the KC BBQ scene.

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map  |  201 Frisco  |  Hillsdale, KS 66036  |  (913) 783-4333

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Burnt End

 

I’m going to pour my prejudices on the table.  I don’t want to like Burnt End.  They’re in a mundane suburban strip shopping center in a slot that has never housed a successful diner.  My favorite Chinese joint is next door and I always feel like I’m cheating on Fortune Wok when I go in another place close by.  And once inside Burnt End you feel like you should be picking up your dry cleaning.  Except for some spectacularly large and loud pop art on the walls, the place is generic and sterile – no character whatsoever.  All hard surfaces leave the place nerve-janglingly noisy.

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On this trip I popped for the Burnt End platter.  I was crestfallen that the occasional fried okra was not on the menu so I settled for fries + fries for my two sides… and only ate half the first side.  Drink included works out to $10 and change.  Not bad in these perilous economic times, though I do think the sammiches are a better value (see below).

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The burnt ends were smoky and tender.  Not really double-smoked as many joints do their ends, but good enough.  These were just large cubes of flat end brisket and the fat was not trimmed off the outside.  Given the tenderness and taste, I wouldn’t say they’re exceptional as far as burnt ends go, but darn good.  The Spicy Southwest barbeque sauce was among the best I’ve ever had.

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On the whole, Burnt End is pushing up itoward 4 piggies range, but my own surliness is holding them back.  If you eat there and wanna hang 5 stars on ‘em, I’m not gonna fuss at ya.  Burnt End is surprisingly good.  Maybe when I get over the surprise, I’ll raise their rating.
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Burnt End, Part One

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Burnt End has been keeping a low profile since they opened in March 2011.  In a strip storefront that has hosted a half dozen restaurants over the last decade, Burnt End now makes it home – like a hermit crab with Goldilocks’ syndrome (or something).

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Scooter and I had a Hatfield (him) and a McCoy (me).  I gotta say, I was overwhelmed when the meal arrived.  Meat was spilling out of both sandwiched.  Spilling?  No, gushing.  I didn’t try to weigh them, but I did ask the chef if this was a standard order.  Yes, he assured me.  I shoulda had the Hatfield – I brought half the McCoy home.  The meat (brisket and sausage) was tender, tasty, and swimming in sauce.  Although there was a definite, if small, smoke ring on the brisket, there was very little bark.  This is one of the essential marks of great Que and it is MIA.  Most joints serve sandwiches dry and invite the consumer to add sauce to their own liking.  Burnt End douses the meat as if it were a California wildfire.  The sauce was on the dainty side – good spices but overly sweet without any smoke or molasses taste.  The spicy sauce was very spicy, a better choice.

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Obviously a second trip is de riguer to sample the eponymous burnt ends and some ribs.  A $2 order of home-made fries came in a bowl the size of Connecticut.  The fries were crisp and delightfully showered with sea salt.

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I was impressed with the generous portions, but not the quality of the smoke.  This is average fare and it’s going to be terribly difficult to hammer out a reputation with this stuff.

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map  |  11240 W 135th St  |  Overland Park, KS 66213  |  (913) 451-8888

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Guy & Mae's Tavern

 

A good friend hosted an SUV full of hungry guys down to G&M’s joint for “the best ribs in Kansas”.  Uh… no.  the ribs were good, just that and nothing more.  Appallingly the cook doesn’t remove the silverskin / fascia from the back side of the ribs.  That’s kind of Rib Cookin’ 101.  The slabs were well-smoked and quite tender.  A slab costs $18 with few sides and sodas are sold by the 12 oz can.  There are a dozen better options right in KC without having to spend the time and the money to get an hour out of town for bush-league ribs.  Try Roscoe’s on Tuesday night when world-class ribs are $13.50.

 

map  |  119 W William St  |  Williamsburg, KS 66095  |  (785) 746-8830

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Benny’s Bar-B-Q

 

Had a better than expected experience on my first visit to Benny’s.  I ordered The Hog (shoulda gone with the Long Horn at most).  This monster of a sandwich was all brisket (no sausage on the menu) – two generous stacks of beef fenced in with three slices of Wonder Bread.  This brisket was tender and smoky with a nice black bark.  Paid almost $15 for sandwich, side, and soda.  Way too much.  Benny’s apparently has daily combo specials. (I heard the locals asking about them, but they’re not promoted in any way to “fer’ners” like me.)

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Based on the quality of the brisket, I’d hazard another visit.

website  | map  |  10839 E US 40 Hwy  |  Independence, MO 64055  |  (816) 356-7522 

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RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack

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I've often said, "Now that I've had to eat my words, I wish I'd kept my mouth shut." Fortunately, I've never voiced my negative opinion about RJ's or I'd be eating those words, too.  In fact, that's what this is about - words, or word of mouth in this case.  People who I trusted about BBQ relayed that RJ's was just lame.  Personally, I'd never darkened RJ's door - I just avoided the place.  *Mistake*

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RJ's is smack dab in the middle of the KC BBQ bell curve.  My RJ's Jumbo Meat Sandwich with brisket and sausage (de rigueur for first experience) was wonderful.  The brisket was lean and smokey, the sausage was as good as I get elsewhere - probably from Krizman's.  Sampling a bite of brisket before diving into the sandwich, I wondered if it had been warmed in au jus - it was very beefy tasting, nicely so.  I had the spicy sauce which has a pronounced, pleasurable kick.

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With a mouthful of wonderful sandwich in my mouth, instead of words, I decided to get a rib a la carte and get the full RJ's experience.  The rib, St Louis style, was lean, well-smoked, and tender as a mother's love.  I neither see nor tasted a pronounced rib rub presence, but it was a very good rib.

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My fairly portioned sandwich, on a large hamburger bun, cost $7.95.  Not bad.  Compared to the extremely generously portioned $7 full bun at Roscoe's, I'm not raving about RJ's.  Still, this quaint local dive (according to Mr. Fieri) is a solid stop on the KCQ tour.

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website  |   map  |  5835 Lamar Ave  |  Mission, KS  66202  |  (913) 262-7300

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K&M Bar-B-Que

If anyone wants to argue that K&M deserves more happy piggies, I won’t put up a big fight, but I think three is about right.  K&M is just a short pedal down K7 in Spring Hill.  The new 2007 building is a big upgrade from their old digs I visited a decade and a half ago.  The new joint is roomy and bright with Hollywood western movie posters scattered about.  The digs are very utilitarian, just short of sparse.

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K&M ‘ques up brisket, pork, ham, turkey, home-made Italian sausage, and, on Saturdays, burnt ends are available.  Mrs. Home-On-The-Range and I both ordered Deluxe Dinners – ribs and two meats.  I was hoping to order brisket and sausage, but they were out of sausage.  (I’m glad - I didn’t realize it was Italian sausage and the waitress didn’t point that out.  I simply don’t understand BBQ joints that smoke Italian.)  I opted for turkey as my second meat.  Gorgeous got brisket and pork.

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First off, I want to compliment K&M on their generous portions.  Aside from the two ribs per dinner, I’d guess there was no less than a pound and a half of the two meats weighed together.  K&M, you give “country folk” a good name!  The ribs were excellent.  These were full-length pork spare ribs, not St Louis trimmed like my faves, Roscoe’s and Brobeck’s, plate up.  Still, the ribs were well trimmed (not too fat), nicely seasoned, excellent smoke ring (‘tho no bark), and tender as your first kiss.  Props to the ribs.  Now, let’s be honest about the rest of the meat.

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Let’s get the “turkey” out of the way.  It was a Sysco deli loaf – turkey chunks all squoze together.  The way the factory-made loaf has to be finished on the outside, smoke barely penetrates the loaf.  This would earn one pig if it stood alone.  It’s a disgrace.

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The K&M menu just says “beef” but the “Our Story” page of the website claims "beef brisket".  I’ve learned that there’s difference and I never presume brisket unless it’s stated (see Hillsdale Bank BBQ).  Indeed, K&M serves real brisket, but the presentation is utterly (udderly?) bizarre.  The generous mound was mostly chopped fragments with some actually brisket slices mixed in.  Here’s the kicker, the only reason to chop brisket is if you can’t cook it until tender.  But the embedded slices indicated that the slab itself was as tender as your first grade teacher.  Maybe it was too tender and chipped up when slicing and the kitchen just gloms everything together at the end of the day.  I don’t know.  I asked if sliced brisket could be requested.  Waiterette smacked her gum and said, “I think so.”  There were nice flecks of bark scattered among the chopped fragments of meat.  (Stranger still is the fact that burnt ends are only available on Saturdays.  Do you think they're Saturday-go-to-meetin' fresh?)

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The K&M menu just says “pork”, but the “Our Story” page of the website claims “pulled pork”.  Again, I’ve learned that there’s difference.  Unlike the delightful surprise of the tender brisket, this was chopped pork and it was mediocre at best.  Real, honest-to-gosh, pulled pork in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing is a spectacular feat – moist and tender as morning fog in the Appalachians – and just as smoky, and as pink as my wife’s ear lobe.  K&M’s pork has not been in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.  It was semi-dry and brown – meaning it was not freshly smoked but hanging around after a couple days.  And it was NOT PULLED!  It was hacked and chopped just like the brisket.  This was a culinary calamity.

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I’m going to let the well-prepared ribs and the tender brisket make amends for the pork and the turkey – they average out to just barely above two piggies.  The sauce was excellent, I considered buying a bottle – something I’ve never done before.  The texture was robust and replete with suspended flecks of herbs and spices.  Very nice.  Two generously portioned DEE-luxe dinners for two, with soda, tax, tip fell just short of $35.  A good value.  I wouldn’t hesitate to make a return visit and see if’n I couldn’t talk the kitchenfolk into slicing me some brisket instead of hacking it to dang death.

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website  |  map  |  603 N Webster St, Spring Hill  KS  66083 |  913-592-5145

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Quick's Seventh St Bar-B-Q

 

Not so fast... looks like "Quicks" is now just 7th Street Bar-B-Q.  (must've lost a bet or a lawsuit)

 

Facility / Vibe
In KCK's inglorious Argentine, across the street from Bichelmeyer's Meats, 7th Street goes dreary with dark charcoal paneling, neon beer signs, Chiefs and Jayhawks calendars, and mismatched laminated booths.  The kitchen plays 94.9FM while a Viet Nam era console tv in the dining room airs some pseudo-vampire drama.

Menu
Sandwiches of beef, pork, ham, turkey, sausage, burnt ends, or pulled pork price out at $8.75.  You can also choose chicken fingers or chili.  Dinners with two sides run in the $12 to $15 range.  Wed / Sat slabs o'rib run $14.50.

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Personal Experience
Mrs. You-know-this-town-has-Italian -cafés-too and I ordered a slab o'ribs and a cup o'burnt ends with add-on fries. Positive: SMOKE, glorious smoke. The ribs were pull-off-the-bone tender. All else: FAIL. The ribs had no rub and the under-side membrane had not been removed. (This is a treasonous offense among Q-cognoscenti well-deserving of retribution by firing squad.) The untrimmed pork spare rib slab (in the 4+ lb size, not premium) came slathered in a pathetic sauce of vinegar, tomato sauce, paprika, and a hint of cayenne. The small cup of burnt ends ($6.75!!!) was not fresh cut chunks, but old school, "stewed" ends. Fries were worshipfully crisp.

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Value / Comparison
7th Street satisfies the expectations of its immediate environs.  The Argentine is a blue collar barrio infrequently ingressed by folks without a dire need of being there.  With minor tweaks this could be a spectacular BBQ joint.  Use some dang rub, trim your dang slabs, remove the dang membrane like 99% of the Q world does, and fix your dang sauce.  Winner.  Otherwise, you're relegating yourself to BBQ irrelevance.

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map  |  709 Cheyenne Ave  |  Kansas City, KS 66105  |  (913) 371-1599

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Woodyard Bar-B-Que

 

I read a lot of bbq reviews and I'm always perplexed at what passes for quality Q in KC. I'm convicted that I need to be much more specific and quantitative in my reviews of this unique cuisine.

On our virgin visit to Woodyard, my wife and I were treated to the "first-timer's complimentary drumstick". I eat about one drumstick a decade so I was especially curious about this meat treat. Pleasantly surprised, the leg was nicely spiced with a peppery rub and had a hint of smoke, although the skin and meat was not at all dark from smoke. I give the drumstick an A-.

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I ordered the four meat sampler - brisket, sausage, rib, burnt ends. At $10 I consider this a good deal. Sadly, the sampler did not live up to the fowl foreplay. The meat simply did not meet the expectations of someone who knows barbeque. Brisket: The mother of all things smoked was tender enough, but only one side had about a sixteenth of an inch smoke "ring". It was tasty, but not remarkable. I give it a B-. Sausage: Great grind! Though small in diameter, the sausage was lean, coarse, and savory. Limited smoke left the skin its original color. Still, very tasty. A-. Rib: The bone fell off the meat. (I meant to say it that way.) Overcooked and same problem with the smoke. C. Burnt ends: I should put that in quote... "burnt ends" - they were neither burnt nor ends. This was an assortment of smoked pork and brisket well chopped and heavily sauced. The burnt ends were more like the drek Gates serves than the heavenly hunks found at Smokehouse and JackStack. I only took a couple bites and boxed the rest to bring home for bean seasoning. D. Wifey loved the potato salad. Although well seasoned, I despised the bbq beans (as I despise all navy / white beans - see review of Wil Jenny's).

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The broader perspective: On an early Thursday evening in March, we were the only ones dining at Woodyard. The place looks like a scene from Deliverance with shanties and shelters scattered about the premises (this is Wyandot County after all). I hear the joint picks up traffic in the summer and I can imagine that more people and live music would improve the ambiance.

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I asked the only employee present, Richard, about how meats were prepared. He allowed that the "dust" (not rub) was mostly pepper and lacked aromatics. He said the chicken got as much dust as the ribs which doesn't make sense given the richer flavor of the pork meat. As I guessed, the brisket got no dusting at all. Crying shame. I asked if the ribs were cooked the day of our visit or the day before. He was uncertain... which says enough.

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I'm going to revisit Woodyard again in the summer and see what the place is like when there is a higher turnover of food and more life-forms present. 

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 http://Restaurant.com has some nice discounts certificates - not that there's anything wrong with that.) Normally I would not return, but since barbeque is the mother's milk of the City of Fountains, I want to be extraordinarily fair.

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website  |  map  |  3001 Merriam Ln  |  Kansas City, KS 66106  (913) 362-8000

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Dickey's Barbecue Pit

 

Dickey's is to barbeque what Chipotle is to Mexican food - food chain generic.  Nonetheless, just as Chipotle has a following so does Dickey's.  While the meat lacks significant smoke flavor, the sauce (I like spicy) is competent and portions are reasonably generous.  Be sure to add fried okra!  Family members are also impressed with the pickelus giganticus and the complimentary soft-serve ice-cream. When I go, I always see a tub of ValPak coupons, but they apparently only distribute them in the zip code where the restaurant is located. :(

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website  |  map  |  7284 W 121st St  |  Overland Park, KS 66213  |  (913) 338-5900

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 Oklahoma Joe's BBQ (Olathe Campus)

 

I have opined elsewhere, in reviews and comments, that OKJ creates sub-par barbeque.  Putting my money where my mouth is and willing to eat my words, I made a return visit to Oklahoma Joe's for lunch today willing to change my mind if I had a bad first visit.

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Maybe it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird playing on the sound system, but I was brimming with optimism on this, my second visit.  I ordered the brisket and sausage jumbo ($6.79).  I was told that's called "Beef Heaven" by the locals.  Number One Son ordered the pulled pork and sausage or "Hog Heaven" ($6.79).  No sides, just sodas for two and tax brought the whole bill to right at $20.

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I have previously alleged that OKJ has no smoke flavor.  Before diving into Beef Heaven, I opened the sammich and studied the meat.  Brisket had less than 1/16" smoke ring.  Sausage, which is reddish to begin with, had no perceivable smoke ring.  I sampled a bite of the sausage first.  It was very tasty, but the grind is pretty fine leaving the sausage soft, if not spongy, to the tooth (but definitely not generic Ekrich).  The brisket was lean and extremely tender, I'll say perfectly so, and absolutely delicious in terms of beefy taste.  HOWEVER, aside from the thin margin of smoke ring, there was no perception of smoke on the meat.  Tasty, to be sure, but this is supposed to be a barbeque joint and that means smoke on my tongue.  Fail.

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By the way, the sauces were interesting.  I loved the "hot" sauce which was actually more spicy than hot.  The regular house sauce struck me as similar to Bryants - a heavy paprika taste swimming in tomato sauce and vinegar, nothing more.  Fail.  I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, but the bread bun was generic and spongy.  It wouldn't be hard to procure a heartier bread that didn't fall apart from the sauce.  Fail.

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Oklahoma Joe's has banners all around the store celebrating numerous bbq competition wins including 1993 American Royal Grand Champion.  I commend them, but I wasn't at the Royal in '93 to compare what they cooked then to what I was served today.  All I can say is I like more smoke flavor in my Q and I don't find that at OKJ.  The beef at Smokehouse or JackStack is outstanding.  For my money, there is only one place in town to get over-the-top sausage and that's at Wil Jenny's who serves a tight, coarse grind imported from the German Texas Hill Country.

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License plates from Oklahoma are a key element in the restaurant's décor and I think they sum up their fare perfectly.  "Oklahoma is OK"  But I live in KC, not OKC and I want BBQ that is way better than just OK.

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In closing, let me say that this review and the other forty that follow depict how subjective something like BBQ is.  There can't be a right and a wrong when it comes to this "cuisine".  My motto is "Cook what you like to eat."  And I do.  For ALL of you who love OKJ, I'm going to leave you some room at the table - I'll be eating somewhere else.  But finding and eating what you love is the beauty of life on earth and I'm glad all of you have found yours.  Bon Appetit!

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website  |  map  |  11950 S Strang Line Rd  |  Olathe, KS 66062  |  (913) 782-6858

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Big T's BAR-B-Q

Stopped by Big T's today / on the way / to the K / for opening day. 

First, let me say the ribs were very, very good - firm, smokey, and boogalooing with a wonderful rub.  My lips were dancing for the next 20 minutes from the great spices.  Sauce was applied sparingly by the kitchen and I couldn't find any more to add on (only ketchup was on the table).  Wish I could have had more.

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The rest of the experience was disappointing.  Order taker was pretty apathetic about receiving either my order or my money.  Fries were horrific - greasy and flaccid.  The place is dark and very dirty (well, filthy) and smelled of sewer gas.  A pit stop by the rest room confirmed the source of the stank.  Wifey later remarked that the Ladies Room was blissful.  I said, "really".  She said, "really!"  It was clean, freshly painted, and smelled wonderful (as the report continued).  Sodas only, no alcoholic beverages.

Ribs were worth the visit, but I wouldn't bother to go back.

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map  |  6201 Blue Pkwy  |  Kansas City, MO 64129  |  (816) 923-2278

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Johnny's BBQ (Olathe Campus)

 

The #1 thing I look for in BBQ is smoke - other wise you're just throwing a brisket in a crock pot.  I give Johnny's a C- on that score, pretty bland.  The food comes at a decent value, but without the smoke, what's the point?  Johnny's BBQ is a symptom of a quite common disease.  Because BBQ is popular in the Kansas City area, apparently entrepreneur's think they can open a restaurant serving up *something* and they'll parlay the success of the genre.  This is true of pizza in Chicago and seafood on the Gulf Coast.  Johnny's is thriving on mediocrity simply because they can.  I don't begrudge their business plan, but if you are going to do business, at least try and excel at it, not just get by.  Johnny's is just getting by.

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website  |  map  |  1375 W Highway 56  |  Olathe, KS 66061  |  (913) 768-0777

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Hayward's Pit Bar-B-Que

 

Deep in the second tier of Johnson County's BBQ scene, Hayward's is definitely a local favorite (suits from Hallmark downtown drive half an hour to dine here). As a BBQ aficionado, Hayward's is a shadow of it's former self. Hayward sold out about 5 years ago and they place has not improved (although the steak fries are still *killer*!). With Jack Stack and Smokehouse in the area, there's no reason to go to Hayward's... if you're looking for well-above average BBQ. And who's not?

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In my most humble opinion, Bryant and Gates aren't getting the job done either, but it is most sad to see this KCQ cornerstone clinging to survival with an ever-weakening grip.

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website  |  map  |  11051 Antioch Rd  |  Overland Park, KS 66210  |  (913) 451-8080

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Spanky & Buckwheat's Smoke Pit & Catering

 

A recent visit to CrazyTownstarted with lunch at Spanky & Buckwheat's.  “Spanky & Buckwheat's”… that’s a pretty bold headline to live up to.  After my visit, I get the feeling that Spanky and Buckwheat are frat names a couple average white guys gave themselves at Missouri Western State.  Neither the establishment nor the cuisine lived up to creativity of the name.  The décor features a lot of local kids sports teams and some other regional sports interests.  The barbeque was decent as far as smoke is concerned, but the meat (brisket) was terribly, terribly salty.  The likely culprit is cheap and uninspired rub.  Not likely to ever make a point of visiting again.

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map  |  306 East Hyde Park  |  St Joseph, MO 64504  |  (816) 238-1303

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McGuire’s Smokehouse

Backyard barbequeing is the national sport of Kansas City.  Not everyone should turn their back yard play into a business.  McGuire’s is proof.  I’ve made two visits to McGuire’s since they opened in Feb 2010.  I wasn’t inclined to return after the first visit, but I really do want Mom&Pops to succeed so I gave them a second look.  The second look confirmed my first impression – Two Piggies, no more.

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I believe Mrs. McGuire was running the register on both my visits.  All smiles and genuine gratitude for people dropping in.  On my most recent visit, I ordered the Burnt End Dinner – a delicacy if it’s done right.  It was not.  There was a noticeable pink smoke ring on the haphazardly chopped ends.  The meat, a hearty half pound, clearly had some rub on it, but my guess it was most salt&pepper – I got no hint of aromatics or robust seasoning.  It may have been the wood, the heat, or the lack of sugar in the rub, but there was absolutely NO bark on the ends – and, after all, that’s where the “burnt” in Burnt Ends comes from.  The meat was no darker than Snooki’s spray-tan.  As such, the burnt ends were just beefy tasting, very little smoke savor. 

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I remember the sauce from my first visit.  It does have some flecks of herbs in it, but the base seems to be ketchup and corn syrup.  It was as shiny as an Oregon Ducks football helmet and lacked any gusto.  The “hot” sauce was the regular stuff with some cayenne brewed in.  My dinner came with a side of fries that were neither limp nor crisp.  They just laid there.  I ate about five of them.

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My meal totaled out at $9.73 – soft drinks are included with dinners through 2pm.  Not bad.  In fact, the menu overall was pretty moderately priced.  Given the quality of their ‘Q, even with the humble prices, it’s not worth a return visit.

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website  |  map  |  16693 W 151st St, Olathe, KS  66062  |  (913) 839-2770

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Slim's BBQ & Catering

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Slim’s BBQ in Bethany, MO is just what you’d expect of a sleepy, small town barbeque joint.  Wife and I stopped by on a cross-country trip to sample the local ‘Q.  The place is a sweet little diner run by Ma&Pa Alderson.  They offer a good sampling of the standard barbeque fair plus some other diner fair (chix strips, burgers, etc).  Gorgeous and I each had sandwiches – she the pulled pork, me the brisket.  The brisket, which didn’t get much marbling growing up, was as tender as expected… which is not very.  There was a nice little smoke ring, but not much bark.  The pulled pork was much the same, medium smoke, no bark.  Great pulled pork should virtually melt in your mouth.  This pork was not great.

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Slim’s is the only ‘Q to be found along the interstate between Kearney (north edge of KC metro and Des Moines).  I’m sure the locals are proud to have Slim’s smoke washing over the Big Creek basin.  And I’d be glad to drop by again the next time I need a smoke break while traveling I-35.

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website  |  map  |  903 North 25th Street, Bethany, MO 64424  |  660 425 7799

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Gates Bar-B-Q

 

There is a quaint KC tradition of stopping by Gates on your way to a Royals game.  I think that is an appropriate pairing.  Like the Royals, Gates is perennially batting well below .200 and almost everybody else is better.  From the screaming order-takers to the lousy, fat-laden meat, Gates just doesn't offer a BBQ lover anything worth stopping for.  Zarda's is just as bad BBQ, but the ordering process is sane and the meat is lean.

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If your claim to fame is what you shriek at innocent customers when they approach the counter, then you might was consider going into the car auction biznit.  "Hi, may I help you?"  Yes, you may help me - stop calling yourself a BBQ joint.

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SUPER BONUS:  If you have ever put food in your mouth, you HAVE to watch this hilarious video.  Martha Stewart stars as the peripatetic, anal-retentive diva who's kavetching about EVERYTHING.  She can't stand the smoke, she's appalled at Ollie's mess and poor measuring techniques (watch her cleaning up the table in the midst of prep).  There's too many seeds in the lemon!!  Ollie Gates stars as your crazy drunk uncle who couldn't grill a cheese sammich.  He doesn't even bother removing the silverskin, his fire is blazing hot, and he promises burnt flesh will just wipe off with a rag.  This video belongs in the Library of Congress under the category "When Crazies Collide".  Bring popcorn.

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website  |  map  |  103rd & State Line  |  Leawood, KS 66206  |  (913) 383-1752

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Zarda Bar-B-Q

 

In the Pantheon of KC BBQ, Zarda's is the storm cellar - you only go there if in dire peril. Their meat has virtually no discernible smoke taste - why else do we eat BBQ??? Zarda has a fairly loyal following, and I mean no offense, but these people simply don't know what BBQ is supposed to taste like. Zarda is the Fritz' Chili of KC BBQ. You may like it, but that ain't what it's supposed to be.

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website  |  map  |  11931 W 87th Street Pkwy  |  Lenexa, KS 66215  |  (913) 492-2330

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Ricky's Bar B Que

 

Facility / Vibe
Ricky's BBQ makes its home in a converted gas station in a section of Wyandot County that screams "time has passed us by".  The dining room is cleanish with 5 booths, a table for six, and 5 stools at the counter.  Two small flat screen TVs, volume up on different channels, squabble with each other across the room.  Jarring.  A big flame-enflamed rug greets you at the door touting "Ricky's World Famous BBQ beans".  Who knew?

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Menu
Ricky's menu boasts a generic BBQ list of chicken, brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, sausage, and ribs PLUS some "soul food" faves.  Sunday finds its soul in the lunch special: chicken and dressing, green beans, sweet potatoes, mac'n'cheese.  Doesn't strike me as a comprehensive soul food menu, but this is WyCo afterall.  Sandwiches sell in the $7-9.00 range.  Dinners range $9-14.  Rib slabs are $16.99 on Sundays and Wednesdays (a light discount off the $19.50 regular price).

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Personal Experience
Son #4 and I dropped by on a rare open Monday.  We ordered up 2 brisket sammies, fries, 2 sodas (canned, alas), and a half order (1 link) of proudly made-on-premises sausage.  The banter between Mom & Pop (one was Ricky, but we weren't sure who) was worth the visit.  Mom is a die-hard Chiefs fan (don't diss 'em or your order gets 'lost').  Pop is not (or so I deduced from the make-a-sailor-blush assessments of their historical performance).

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The brisket was tasty and tender, but lacked bark, smoke ring, or smoke flavor.  Sammiches were generous - double stacked close to three inches high. The fries, while crisp, tasted like they were fried in lard that was hungover from a lost weekend making love to a spouse-abused catfish.  Pop's four-letter Chief descriptors would best be put to use assessing the sausage, literally.  It tasted like poo - and Wyandot County Poo to boot.  Canned sodas were perfect.

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Service
Pop works the front end and keeps a nice banter going with the patrons.  I couldn't tell if we were supposed to order at the counter or table-side.  Each party was handled differently.  We were presented a sample of "the best chili in all the world".  It tasted fine ("secret" ingredient is honey), but when I pointed out that Mom had never tasted my chili, Pop said, "she'd throw yours out and give you hers."  Funny scene.  By the way, DO leave home without it - nothing but cash accepted... you know, for accuracy in tax filing.

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Value / Comparison
Including the roadkill sausage, our tab was $27.50.  Mom hollers out "take $5 off that, it's our dine in special."  Yeah, spend over $25 and $5 comes right back to you.  Okay, that abates the cost of the necrophiliac's wurst.  So $22.50 for 2 fat sandwiches, 1 order of death-by-fries, and 2 12oz cans of soda.  This is not a good value and certainly not up to par in a town "world famous" for good barbeque.

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Hunh? I didn't mention the sauce?  Well, yeah, that's how good it was.

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map  |  3800 Leavenworth Rd  |  Kansas City, KS 66104  |  (913) 281-8933

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