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Old 07-17-2014, 10:20 PM
 
Location: Midwest
978 posts, read 2,054,242 times
Reputation: 801

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I'm sure BBQ has been mentioned lots here before, but I wanted to get a nice list going of some "off the grid" BBQ places. This means no OK Joes, Gates, Arthur Bryants, etc.

I'll start with one:

LC's BBQ is excellent. There is really never a wait. The atmosphere is a little lacking, but the food makes up for it. My only complaint is that they don't serve iced tea.
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Old 07-18-2014, 10:37 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC area
11,108 posts, read 23,888,805 times
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There are so many bbq threads in the kc forum, so that's probably why you are getting little feedback.

First off, while ok joes is ok, I find it super overrated and it has very little "KC" culture like you would find at gates, bryants etc. It's only been there since the mid 90's I think and they seem to cator to the KS side suburbanites that don't like going to the east side for bbq (which is why they keep opening joints in KS side retail malls). I just don't get why all the tourists are sent there to experience "KC" bbq. And why are all the popular destinations on the KS side named after other states (Oklahoma Joes, Nebraska Furniture mart etc) .

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Not a fan of OK Joes. It's not the urban spoon hole in the wall place they make t out to be just because it's in a gas station.

I agree, LC's is great. They are building a new location in Grandview, so maybe that location will have iced tea, but I hope they don't mess things up trying to expand too much.

BB's, Danny Edwards, Rosedale, Big T's, Smokin Guns are some others.

I have not been to slaps or q39 yet, but zagats seems impressed:

Two KC restaurants make Zagats' 'Hottest BBQ Joints' list - Kansas City Business Journal
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Old 07-18-2014, 05:12 PM
 
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i don't get the oklahoma jo's is the best crowd either, kcmo. in fact huge eye roll to them. at least kc masterpiece isn't catching unsuspecting passersby anymore
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Old 07-18-2014, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,576,256 times
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I absolutely adore RJ's Bob-B-Que in Mission...so much that I had them cater my very KC wedding reception, to rave reviews. My first date with my husband was there. They also do, to the best of my knowledge, one of the only BBQ breakfasts in the metro (Sundays only, I believe). Burnt ends hash with eggs? House-smoked bacon? BBQ bloody Mary? Yes, please. It's one of the lesser pimped places, which is nice, because it still retains the neighborhood joint feel, isn't swamped with tourists, and never has an unreasonable wait.

I've never been impressed with either Danny Edwards' or Rosedale. Love LC's, think BB's Lawnside has an awesome atmosphere, as does Woodyard in KCK. I was shopping at The Spice House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the other day, and got into a long convo about BB's Lawnside BBQ with the woman who runs the place, and just loves it there, too. That was awesome.
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Old 07-18-2014, 11:32 PM
 
Location: Midwest
978 posts, read 2,054,242 times
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The food at OK Joe's is good, but certainly does not live up to the hype. I've noticed that the clientele seems to be tourists and middle class people. They do have excellent sauce. Gates is good, but the food is inconsistent at times. When I'm in the mood for a sandwich, I prefer Gates or OK Joes as they use an actual bun and not white bread that gets all soggy.

Can anyone recommend a place that uses buns instead of white bread for sandwiches? Has anyone tried Big T's BBQ? It's right down the road from LC's.
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Old 07-19-2014, 06:49 AM
 
Location: Middle America
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I think OK Joe's is delicious, but there is previous little on earth that I will elect to wait around in line for.
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Old 07-19-2014, 08:39 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC area
11,108 posts, read 23,888,805 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by attrapereves View Post
The food at OK Joe's is good, but certainly does not live up to the hype. I've noticed that the clientele seems to be tourists and middle class people. They do have excellent sauce. Gates is good, but the food is inconsistent at times. When I'm in the mood for a sandwich, I prefer Gates or OK Joes as they use an actual bun and not white bread that gets all soggy.

Can anyone recommend a place that uses buns instead of white bread for sandwiches? Has anyone tried Big T's BBQ? It's right down the road from LC's.
Big T's is good. You are right, Gates is inconsistent, but I go to specific bbq places for specific things. At gates, I just get the turkey on "bun". They have buns or burnt ends with fries and baked beans. I love gates sauce and thick cut fries. I don't like gates beef sandwiches, they are too fatty, but that is sort of KC style urban bbq, always has been.

There are some good places out east like Smokehouse and way out east like Bates City bbq.

I tend to push Bryants (only east side location) and LC's on tourists for authentic KC bbq and Jack Stack (only downtown location) for really good bbq in a more upscale environment. I will recommend Gates (midtown/east side locations) because it it a "KC" thing and fun to experience if you have never been to KC, but I tell people to get burnt ends, ribs etc, again, their sliced meat is not always the best.

Depending on where you are from. You can't really go wrong in KC. The worst bbq in the KC area is better than the best around here.

Last edited by kcmo; 07-19-2014 at 08:53 AM..
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Old 07-19-2014, 08:56 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC area
11,108 posts, read 23,888,805 times
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I was looking at google and noticed there is a smokin joes in Olathe. I used to love that place when they were in the crossroads downtown. How long has the Olathe location been there? Did they move from downtown or did they have that location before the one downtown closed? May have to check them out next time I'm in town.
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Old 07-19-2014, 11:54 AM
 
13,721 posts, read 19,258,895 times
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I think it's silly to recommend ONLY the locations in Missouri and not Kansas. As if the company can't have a location in Kansas and prepare the same BBQ they prepare in Missouri? So Arthur Bryant's at Village West isn't as good as Arthur Bryant's in the ghetto? The Kansas City metro consists of a Kansas and a Missouri side. It's not like stepping over the state line means the BBQ is not as "authentic" or not the same as you will get on the Missouri side. How ridiculous.

My favorite BBQ is Jack Stack. The one in Overland Park. I've gone to different Jack Stack locations, including downtown, and there is no difference. The one in Overland Park is convenient for me, so that's my location of choice. I know Jack Stack isn't an off the grid kind of place the OP is referring to, but that's my favorite in KC.

Oklahoma Joe's is okay. I like Zarda's BBQ in Lenexa. Smokehouse I'm not so crazy about. Not a fan of Gates. I used to love Hayward's BBQ, but last time I tried it, it just wasn't the same as it used to be. I will give it another try. Wyandot BBQ - I used to like it okay, but there are better places and the place is just dirty and dingy. There are better places. LC's I have tried before and it was okay but not something I have to run out to have again. I have had association with the family through a non-food avenue, though, and they are very, very nice people.

Rosedale was really good years ago, but it's been a long time since I've been there. There's Johnny's BBQ in Mission. I've never tried it, but my husband liked it. RJ's - I dunno. Not the best and not the worst.
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Old 07-19-2014, 02:02 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC area
11,108 posts, read 23,888,805 times
Reputation: 6438
Same reason when people visit DC, they go here:



Rather than a suburban location. I know, you don't get it. So you can tell people to drive out to BFE to some strip mall and get the "same thing". I will always tell people to go to the "ghetto" and they always report back that they loved it. If I told somebody to go to the aurther bryants location at the speedway or olathe or the overland park jack stack they would be pissed at me if they missed locations that actually come with some atmosphere just do to their locations alone.
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