2023 NFL Draft visitor’s guide to Kansas City BBQ
Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue
If you are looking for a solid staple, check out Jack Stack. We have sampled quite a bit of Kansas City BBQ around here and on nights when I am feeling extra generous for the family, I’ll make a pit stop for everyone’s favorite main entrée. However, everyone always requests the beans and cheesy corn from Jack Stack. I would describe Jack Stack as a fancier BBQ, always solid and good for sitting down with a cocktail. There are multiple locations including one right by Union Station, one on the Plaza, and more as you venture out. Pro tip: if you don’t want to wait for a table, you can order online! [EM]
Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue
The history. The gas station. The sides, the ribs, and the Z-Man. There is no signature sandwich in Kansas City that rivals Joe’s staple Z-Man, and there is no more iconic original location than the gas station at the corner of Mission Road and 47th Street. Joe’s is the blue-collar option compared to Jack Stack’s white tablecloth ambiance. You can’t go wrong at Joe’s—I would recommend their signature Z-Man sandwich or a slab of ribs—but whatever you get, make sure to wash it down with Joe’s famous fries and onion rings. Yes, get both. You won’t regret it. [CR]
Gates Barbecue
Do you like being startled? Maybe your thing is being mildly talked down to or scorned. Then Gates is the place for you. If you go to the location on Main Street, don’t be surprised if the individual behind the register looks less than thrilled that you’re there. Part of their schtick is to not only be somewhat rude to guests, but to also absolutely BELT your order back to the kitchen. [CR]
You: “Yeah, I think I’ll do a slab of ri-”
Gates worker, back to kitchen: “RIBS!!”
As you check to make sure you haven’t soiled yourself from the aural shock you get from being screamed at, prepare for more sensory overload as you dine on some of the purest smoked meats you’ve ever sunk your teeth in to. You cannot go wrong at Gates, but I would highly recommend the chicken and of course, you must try their RIBS!
Arthur Bryant’s
I’m going to put it to you straight: Arthur Bryant’s is not my favorite barbecue restaurant in the metro. But, I also thought the Patrick Mahomes pick was a reach in 2017, so there’s proof that my judgment can be skewed at times.
Bryant’s sauce is a more vinegar-based variety, lending a flavor to your palette that’s much less forgiving than its sweeter brethren in the aforementioned contenders, but it is certainly not a bad thing. A pronounced flavor is recognizable to all and outstanding to many. Bryant’s burnt ends can punch with any burnt ends in the city, and that’s more of a matter of fact than a matter of opinion. [CR]
LC’s Bar-B-Q
If you elect to take a trip to see the spectacle that is Arrowhead Stadium or are in the area of the Truman Sports Complex in general, you need to make your way over to Blue Parkway. Before you even see the place you will smell the blend of hickory, cherry, and mesquite woods burning from nearly a mile away. The building itself holds maybe 30 people tops, the floor is a little slick and it’s probably greasy, but don’t be grossed out.
As you stand in line you see the smoker open up as racks of ribs, pork shoulders, and briskets are cooking low and slow behind a door with so much smoke residue built up that you would think that the smoker was built to feed soldiers in the Civil War. That’s not gross, that’s years of flavor resting on those walls.
LC’s is an experience in what traditional barbecue should be: nothing fancy, but a taste that you will never forget. It’s not about the sauce here; it’s about the meat. Their pulled pork and smoked sausage will make you consider relocating to Kansas City if you’re an out-of-towner. Or just choose 2-3 of their smoked meats and have them sandwiched in between two pieces of white bread. [CR]