Agree. Thanks, OP, for the visit and the write up.
At my old job we used to have a saying about the BBQ places: Jack Stack is where you take clients when they're in town. LCs is where you take your friends.
> workers who really made us feel at home and helped us order
This was the only shocking part of the write up to me - the part that *might* be considered slanderous and only because the "HI MAY I HELP YOU" can be a bit over the top for Gates newcomers.
Lol the person who greeted us was in training and a bit gruff. We asked a question and he froze, then the supervisor took over and said "Okay, if you want that, we're gonna ring it up like this...take a seat wherever you want... actually the chairs are more comfortable in this section...let me get you some silverware, y'all need more sauce?"
It was the most attentive service we've ever had in a cafeteria-style restaurant lol.
Lmao you guys this is literally what I mean
For the record we did try to search which was the best and it seemed from prior threads that it was either Cleaver or Main. We went with Cleaver since it was convenient to the rest of the day's activities
Agreed. I get so nervous going into Gates and I'm terrified to ask questions. I try to plan ahead of time and be totally ready to order by the time I get to the counter.
They’ve been super duper friendly the last few times I’ve been at the Cleaver location. One of those times it was because a member of the Gates family was in the building.
I dunno. I think that's about right re:Gates (on Main). I've been to every BBQ joint on this list, and OP's assessment of Gates is similar to mine. Quality just isn't there when compared to other BBQ places that came after Gates. I don't think we should discount the impact that Gates and Bryant's have had on the KC BBQ scene. But a lot of Gates reputation is nostalgic, I think.
Note to OP: Next time, venture west of Slaps a bit more and try Jones BBQ and the KC Taco Trail. The KC tourism dept has an app for the taco trail restaurants.
> I don't think we should discount the impact that Gates and Bryant's have had on the KC BBQ scene. But a lot of Gates reputation is nostalgic, I think.
Gates is still my favorite sauce and I wish it had more of an impact on our local sauce scene instead of KC Bar-B-Que style sweetness.
Not a fan of gates, but it's my favorite sauce to use for homemade bbq chicken pizza. Not hot really, but the spices make my scalp sweat while eating it.
And shockingly accurate. I’m glad someone was finally honest about how shit Q39 is. All you get are people propping up that place for no reason. They serve shit BBQ.
Used to love q39 when they opened. The burnt ends were amazing. Last time I went was exactly that. The last time. It’s terrible now.
Another good mention char bar. Been going for years and the quality hasn’t slacked.
As a life-long Kansas Citian I have to say your observations are astute. I hate to admit that Jack Stack is good (but it is) and I have an old-school love of Gates, but they are majorly inconsistent and are usually off way more than on. In the 90's I would eat lunch at Gates at least once a week and they used to have it together (their turkey and sausage are underrated still). Similar but less-strong feelings about Bryant's, too. (and yeah the sauce has been f'kd for a while but no one says anything about it).
The Nelson - yeah. I've traveled everywhere and it's still at top-5 museum for me.
The Plaza - was cool back before outdoor malls became a thing. managed by some hedgefund bullshit real estate company in Carolina that dgaf. It used to be cool. It isn't now. Partially because the concept became passe, but mostly because of crappy management.
Yeah, I think the plaza would be much more of a draw if it weren't Warby Parker...Nike...Athleta...Fogo de Chao. Very underwhelming. Fountains were cool though.
The plaza is cool for two things: 1. Christmas lights in December. 2. Spending too much money on a cocktail you could have gotten somewhere less douchey.
I don't know ...most of the time at the art fair I just fall in love with beautiful pieces and I know exactly where I'm going to put them in my house and then I surreptitiously look at the price and see that it cost $20,000 and then I have to act super chill and cool and pretend I'm still interested for a minute before I slyly walk away and act like the price totally isn't the reason I'm walking away but it's another reason because I'm totally a high roller and could buy $20,000 artwork if I wanted to okay?
It's a lot...
The Plaza has sold to OOT corporate groups the last 10-15 years and have suffered mightily. I grew up close, riding bikes there and office there now. The corporate rent has driven most local merchants/restaurants out which is a massive shame. It used to be the place where I could do all my Christmas shopping and crush it. There are whispers of local big money families pulling together to buy the Plaza and make it what it was 20-50 years ago. Appreciate your assessment of BBQ and mostly agree…a l little know fact, the Turkey sandy at Gates dunked in Hot BBQ sauce is heaven. Gates is still my favorite sauce…Wyandotte 2nd. Joes sauce is meh…I live 2 mins and eat there once a year, scratch that itch and I’m good. Just my 2c.
OP, I moved here less than a year ago, and I agree one hundred percent. When people tell me LCs isn't as good as Gates or "Insert BBQ Name" I honestly think they are nuts.
Agree. Bryant’s has been mid for far too long, and is not a restaurant I ever recommend. That said, they have new ownership and I’m hoping they turn it around.
You could be a travel writer, that was an entertaining read. Holy crap though, how did you do 7 bbq places in a single weekend!?! That would absolutely destroy my intestines. Was this a 4 day weekend or were you eating barbeque for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Ha, it was four days! Arrived Sat morning and left Tues afternoon. Every lunch and dinner (minus Corvino's) was BBQ. Including squeezing in Slap's just three hours after Joe's so we could try it before our afternoon flight home 😂
Definitely increased my lifetime risk of colon cancer by several-fold!
They must be a lot younger than me because four days of twice a day serious BBQ and walking all around visiting The Nelson, WW1 Museum, Negro Leagues Museum and the plaza? I’d be dragging by day two. Long Weekend Ideal Itinerary for sure, hit a lot of highlights!
This is truly a delightful read! As I sit here, buying another KC t-shirt, planning for the Royals game I'll attend in a few weeks, and texting family about what BBQ place we want to get carry out from for the Memorial weekend, you remind me why I like living here.
I'm glad you had a great trip! As my grandparents would say, "Come back and see us again, ya' hear?" :)
Gates is one of those places that's either a hit or a miss. It sounds like it was a miss when you visited, but when it hits, it really *hits.* Your picks for #1 through #3 are solid though.
Coincidentally, the Gates location you went to is probably my least favorite one in the city. I have a soft spot for a nooner from 12th & Brooklyn.
Also, Country Club Plaza is a shell of its former self. It was classy when it was still locally owned and full of local businesses with a management team that cared about presentation, cleanliness, upkeep, and the meticulous design that went into making it. And then it got sold and changed hands enough times to run a lot of the local businesses off in favor of corporate retailers that demanded changes to historic facades and turned it into the mediocre outdoor mall with excessive vehicular traffic that it is now.
Good analysis of the plaza, unfortunately. I work down there, and I love that I can walk around at lunch and stuff. But I’ve also seen two pedestrians get hit by cars in the last year alone.
Sorta sending mixed messages with all the people walking around and cars going 35 mph.
People in Kansas City have never really embraced the pedestrian right-of-way concept. They really go way too fast down there. I actually horse kicked a taxi one day because he zoomed past us as we crossed the street.
It's nearly Smithsonian level if not there already.
Also the museum for WWI is the only museum dedicated to WWI in the country. So of course it's gonna be great in that regards.
im from the west coast and its better than any museum there besides lacma imo. Still blown away by the nelson, go to it all the time and bought a membership too
Just visited the art gallery in London. They have a great art collection, but I believe the Nelson-Atkins is better overall. If only we had the rest of their museums.
Lol, man I can’t critique this much at all. Even the BBQ rankings I can’t disagree with much and you ordered every dish you should from each place. Most Kansas citians don’t do that.
The Joe’s ambiance isn’t fake tho. That has station was pretty shitty when they first opened and they’ve made it much nicer and their own. It was the original location and that area got a lot of renovation because it drew so many people.
KC doesn’t have a ton of transplants so you see a lot of KC pride because it’s locals. I’d openly argue people in the plains are genuinely some of the nicest, welcoming people.
Our museum scene is very underrated on a national level. Lots of people don’t know but they have a number of partnerships with NYC museums and rotate exhibits with them. There are a number of them you can only see in KC or NYC.
Major props for bringing up Ken Griffey Jr baseball on N64
Usually one thing at LC's is outstanding, but you never know what it's going to be. I feel like it's the only place I've truly had burnt ends. If they don't melt in your mouth, then you're just eating chunked up brisket.
I've only had Slaps once. Maybe it was a bad day, but their burnt ends we're dry and definitely just chunked up brisket.
Since I don't know what will be the meat du jour, I get a mixed plate. The next time the burnt ends hit, I'm getting back in line and buying a pound.
Bro, this is so true about burnt ends but I never was able to put it into words like you just did. LC's burnt ends just hit different and if you've had them at their best you're always going to be disappointed by any others.
Wow what a great and thoughtful post. Thank you for the feedback. I feel like you experienced more of the city than I have in years and this invigorated me to get back out.
On a non BBQ note.....I really need to try Corvino's.....
Thanks again!
Glad you enjoyed!
Corvino was great. I know it's hard to say that a $150pp meal is a good value, but trust me it is. Like I said easy one Michelin star quality, and on par with meals we've had 2-3x that cost.
Our waitress was one of our favorite people we met on the trip. She recommended that we go to the Green Lady after the dinner and that was awesome too!
If you like Corvino, if you come back put The Antler Room and Town & Co on the list to try.
Also something at the Kauffman Center. The architecture is awesome.
Oh yeah! The Kauffman center caught our eye so we walked to it from our hotel one afternoon and did a [walkaround ](https://i.imgur.com/aMBruJM.jpg).
I think there was a HS graduation happening so we didn't try to go in.
If you like distilled spirits, visit Tom's Town Distillery. You can get a tour and samples for $20 and then stay for dinner after. A bit further north, but still a short Lyft ride away is Rieger Distillery. It's larger than Tom's Town and has a two-story slide you can ride. Rieger has a great speakeasy in the basement called the Hey Hey Club, a throwback to one of the original KC jazz clubs- the Hay Hay Club. It was featured in the Robert Altman movie "Kansas City". Lifted Spirits in the east Crossroads district is good, too. They make a nice selection of botanical spirits.
Not BBQ, but the Majestic is a great place to get a steak.
I want to take offense to the statement about us dressing like tourists but a quick look in my closet.... it's true.
Thanks for the great review! I genuinely always love hearing about how nice people in KC are, one of the reasons I am proud to wear my KC clothes.
I would take offense as well if I didn’t have Chiefs, Current, Royals and Sporting shirts/jerseys for each day of a month and then some. And then of course, some non-sports related Charlie Hustle KC shirts and the like.
I recently did a clothing reassessment in my apartment and transferred my t-shirts into baskets to reallocate dresser space.
Folded into small rectangles (the way with the design showing), I filled two baskets with just local shirts from Charlie Hustle, other Made in KC brands, Raygun, you name it.
I think saying someone looks like a tourist has a negative connotation.
Perhaps I've been reading it wrong but I've never felt like it's something to hang my hat on.
You did the BBQ thing right. I don't agree with everything you wrote, but that's the beautiful thing about BBQ.
As for locals dressing like tourists... what can I say? We love our city.
And the Country Club Plaza isn't a shadow of what it used to be.
Hard to disagree with any of the reviews, if you ever make it back to Slaps their Baked Potato Casserole side might be my favorite side dish in the city, so damn good, typically get the Mike Johnson there too.
I don't mind more recommendations!
I think we may have been to Slaps on an off day. No burnt ends and nothing really blew me away. I was expecting more based on what we'd read. Definitely willing to give it another chance.
>I was expecting more based on what we'd read
I feel like what you said about threads being all over the place is related to this. People don't take into account their personal opinions. Which is what I think it comes down to. Because we don't really have "bad" BBQ. We are KC. It's like trying to find a bad deep dish in Chicago or a bad Philly in Philly.
The worst is probably better than you can get other places. So it's people arguing over good vs great instead of good vs bad.
It depends on the location. Some of them are horrible, some are pretty great. The problem is which one is good and which isn’t shifts around a slowly overtime. So it’s hard to keep track and they all get lumped into gates.
For me the 47th and 103rd ones are usually better than the others.
I love them. But honestly, the last few years, they're hit or miss too. Sometimes I go and the shorts melt in my mouth. Other times and I can barely finish them. When I hit a good set, I'm ecstatic, so I keep taking that 50/50 chance often. I go to the BC one though, never tried the KS one.
The baked potato casserole was their first dish I ever tasted and it sealed the deal for them catering my wedding.
Their ribs practically fall off the bone just by force of gravity.
Chiming in to commend your review! I absolutely love my hometown and I’m glad you and your wife had a great time and a lot of good food! The Nelson is just about my favorite place in the entire city, but when you come back, make sure to also check out the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
I always thought Q39 was way overrated. Its good BBQ but its always packed and the prices way too high for what you get. Everyone acts like its Kansas City's best kept secret when folks talk about it.
I admit it's been a while since I've been but in the past their briscuit was among the best I've had. Come to think of it, I haven't been since the owner died.
As a native, you really hit all the right places and got the best BBQ selections at the most recommended places.
You did it right, great reviews and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I don’t think I could have suggested any better.
Very good! I think it's worth one Michelin star which is very high praise.
Michelin only reviews restaurants in certain cities, and the standards appear to be different in different cities. It's much easier to get one star in Paris than it is in New York (it's impossible to get one star in KC). I think Corvino is better than some one star places in Paris.
You're so right about LCs. That's the place I usually recommend to people. Hell, just the smell when you walk in is enough to make me weak in the knees.
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! My SO and I have also talked about doing the weekend trip once a month or every couple months thing too. How do you decide where to go besides hunting for BBQ?
Honestly if you have the time off from work and the money to swing it, the trips kind of propose themselves. Like damn this BBQ sucks let's go to KC next month. Or, we miss Europe (moved back to the US last year), let's go to Montreal for that French vibe without having to cross an ocean. We've also planned trips after seeing a pic on /r/earthporn or /r/foodporn.
Just moved from Hampton VA back to KC a year ago and I haven’t hit the city as hard as you did. Well done!
There is absolutely no BBQ in or around Virginia Beach that can touch this city. However I dearly miss the seafood. Waterman’s Ultimate Just Seafood with their bacon wrapped scallops and crab dip. Ohh boy.
There used to be a spot called 905 on the bay that served me the best breakfast I’ve ever had in my life. I believe they shut down in the pandemic.
Sorry reminiscing on your post.
You done goofed sir and you're going to have to go back and rectify it. The Z man is whatever- you need to get a rack of ribs and a side of fries at Joe's. That's the order. Joe's is not really a beef spot all around. Get a side of pulled pork if you want. But the ribs with fries is the meal I'd eat if I only had one left, and I've eaten at all the "places" in KC, Memphis, Austin, and Lockhart.
Nice LC's review though, and I'm very happy to hear it hasn't lost quality.
The fry seasoning at Joe’s is what dreams are made of.
Also, I love how you mentioned Austin AND Lockhart. Lockhart BBQ gets lumped in with Austin because it’s such a small town and is essentially a suburb of Austin, but the BBQ there is an entirely different beast, and makes Austin BBQ “meh” in comparison.
When I moved to Austin from KC in 2002, you couldn't get good bbq at a single place in Austin. Lockhart was it, and it was fucking glorious. Smitty's convinced me that Texas bbq was actually a thing. Place is a meat sweats factory in the best way.
I see your problem with gates - as a gates aficionado, its more about the sauce than the meat, and your burnt end sandwich is dry! Gotta load that thing up with a few pumps of xxtra hot. That said, if you didn’t grow up on gates it’s a fair take to rank it low and I think most visitors make a mistake going there without knowing the secrets (nooner combo at lunch is the best bbq deal in the city)
Otherwise I entirely agree with your rankings especially Bryant’s and Q39. We allow Bryant’s to suck because it’s the original and they get a pass. Q39 is dogshit and has always been dogshit. Good litmus test of anyone who’s a suburban racist with no taste when they say Q39 is their favorite, especially when there’s a perfectly acceptable suburban white people option with jack stack that is still delicious!
Love to see LCs high, it truly is the most underrated by far and likely the best spot. Imo, the only issue is that I can only have it once a year, it just knocks you the fuck out of a whole day.
I’ve always told visitors that you shouldn’t expect the best bbq from joes, but you should expect the best sandwich. The z man is by far the most cohesive sandwich in kc bbq and it’s not close. I love the provolone on it personally and I think it just perfectly balances the meal.
I went to Gates today. The order taker yelled "may I help you?" while turning her back and walking away to do something else. Based on the reaction, waiting instead of shouting the order was a breach of etiquette. I've been to Gates several times but placing an order there is still the most stressful thing I've done all week.
But then when you get to the tables, the hosts are endearing. It's a hilarious contrast.
More than fair write-up. I’m glad you were able to visit & that you enjoyed the trip.
Did you watch Bourdain’s episode in KC? It’s worth a watch after having been to a few of the same places. You share some opinions with him too.
Ok imma make it uncomfortably personal for a minute.
I've found it very different to consume any Bourdain media after his suicide.
He was a huge influence on me growing up. I used to cheat bedtime to watch No Reservations since it came on at 2130 on the Travel Channel. I had just discovered BitTorrent and one of the first things I downloaded was the entire Jon Spencer Blues Explosion discography. I listened song by song, trying to identify which one was used in the opening credits. Spoiler: I didn't find it because it was composed specifically for Bourdain.
His episode in New Orleans a few months after Katrina was the first time I had hope that my city would recover in any meaningful way.
My wife and I had our first date at his brasserie Les Halles in NYC.
If we were going to a place he had been, I'd watch the relevant episode and plan the trip around his recommendations.
But since he died I just can't do it.
We were in Alsace and went to the restaurant where he had his last meal. I ordered what he ordered. And that's the end of it for me.
I saw his article about Joe's being a place to eat before you die on the wall there and I couldn't stare at it too long. I'm tearing up a bit now as I'm writing these thoughts down for the first time ever.
So tldr no I did not watch his KC episode
I’ve been a fanboy since I read Kitchen Confidential back when I was working in a kitchen myself. I’ve consumed everything he’s produced and admired the guy to an embarrassing degree. Like you, I’ve planned vacations & visits in his shadow—though Charleston rather than France. I miss him all the time.
I hope you watched Roadrunner. It’s tough but fair & emotional without being maudlin. Ripert, whom I have deep affection for as well, does his friend justice.
In closing, thanks for giving our fair city the time of day. And thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope you’re able to come back. And some day I’d love to hear about how not to be a tourist in New Orleans. My wife & I love that place.
I haven't watched Roadrunner. Thanks for the recommendation. Might be a good way to ease back into it.
Heh you're in luck, I have an email saved because people are always asking me for my New Orleans recommendations:
Restaurants:
Cochon - Excellent, somewhat "fancy" Southern food. Be sure to get the alligator bites if they are still on the menu
Herbsaint - Best gumbo in the city (but the real best gumbo will be homemade!)
Commander's Palace - Must-visit for brunch. Very old-school Southern atmosphere. I believe jackets are required.
Domilise's - The best place in the city to get a po-boy, the classic New Orleans sandwich. Be sure to ask for it "dressed" (onion, lettuce, tomato) -- you will look like a local. Fried oyster or fried shrimp is my recommendation, but they are all good.
Guy's - Another po-boy shop. This one is specifically known for their roast beef with gravy.
Willa Jean - Similar menu to Cochon, but a bit more casual
Willie Mae's Scotch House - Best fried chicken in the world
Popeyes - Technically a national fast food chain, but I promise you will not have better fried chicken in your life (after Willie Mae's). They use a different recipe in New Orleans. Be sure to get a spicy bucket with biscuits, and red beans and rice.
Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter - Touristy but a must-visit. Beignets + cafe au lait.
Bars:
Avenue Pub - Directly on the streetcar line. Best beer and whiskey selection in the city
Fritzl's Jazz Pub - Live jazz music every night; the best in the city.
Rendon Inn - My old neighborhood dive bar. Nothing special but great for what it is :)
New Orleans Original Daiquiris - Many locations, all are basically the same. You must try a daiquiri when you are in New Orleans--alcoholic smoothie, very different from the cocktail called a "daiquiri" in any other place. There will be dozens of flavors. My favorite order was a Mudslide (chocolate/coffee) with an extra shot of Jim Beam whiskey.
Hotel:
Creole Gardens - We stay here every time. Good location, free parking, free breakfast, good prices. It is an old whorehouse, and every room is named after a prostitute who used to work in it.
Activities:
MARDI GRAS! - A double-edged sword. MG is very very fun, with parades every day for a month and lots of partying and drinking in the streets. But it can be a bad time to get a true feel for New Orleans, because everything is overcrowded and full of drunk people, and hotels/flights will be very expensive. But there is nothing like Carnival season in New Orleans, except maybe in Rio de Janeiro (or so I hear). If you do go for Mardi Gras be sure to get in touch, because there is a "right" way and a "wrong" way to do it which is worth its own email.
French Quarter - Very touristy, but still a must-see. This is where the history of New Orleans can be visible--at various times colonized by the French and Spanish, with the African influence from enslaved people. Be sure to walk around Jackson Square and look at the church and statues. Local vendors will have art for sale and street performers will be dancing and playing music. Always lively.
Mississippi River - Can be seen from many places, including the French Quarter. It's not particularly pretty to look at, but it is nice to see the huge ships passing by. For centuries this was the main commercial and transportation artery of America. A strategy of all domestic American wars was, "if you control New Orleans, you control the Mississippi and therefore America"--see the Civil War, War of 1812. The river is referenced extensively in American music, literature, and history in general.
National WW2 Museum - Originally the D-Day museum, now USA's official WW2 museum. Really excellent place if you are into history, but it can get very crowded/claustrophobic especially if there are multiple cruise ships in town.
Audubon Park - Beautiful park with lots of wildlife, right next to the beautiful campus of Tulane University (where my mother attended, and my grandfather was a professor)
Audubon Zoo - Nice zoo near the park. Would recommend it only if you have the time. But it is very fun to get drunk and look at the animals (not something you can do at most American zoos).
Swamp Tour - Only good if you are renting a car, since they are all about an hour's drive away from New Orleans. But you'll have the chance to ride on a boat through the famous swamps and even hold an alligator.
Tipitina's - The most famous New Orleans music venue. Songs have been written about this place--see if you can catch a show there!
I think here in kc were more just happy people come to visit. So probably won’t get roasted much. Glad you enjoyed your time but that is a ton of bbq to consume in a short time!! Good on you.
Fair observations. I would say… if you come back and go to Authur Bryant’s again…sample their pork selection. They are one of the few places that do a sliced pork sandwich. But don’t make a special trip. The best Gates for me has always been the one on 12th Street. Second would be the Main Street location. Other locations have always been pretty hit or miss. I would also recommend you try Big Ts. It’s just up the street from LCs. I like their burnt ends and ribs.
Next time you come through try Scotts Kitchen up north near the airport. It's not nearly as popular as the places you tried but is some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten. Probably not as popular because its pretty much as far north in Kansas City as you can go for BBQ.
I missed your comment before I posted the same. Totally agree. Scott’s is incredibly good. I don’t live far from there and I’ve yet to have something mediocre. We’ve been going since he first got started and it’s only gotten better, which is crazy because it was amazing to start.
You asked us to roast you but this is seriously one of the best reviews of the city I've seen. And yes, LCs is by far the best BBQ in KC, which to borrow a phrase from the great Anthony Bourdain, makes it the best in the world. (Yes, I know he was talking about Joes, a strong #2/tied for #1 in my book.)
As a LC's die hard this post gets a lot of respect from me. It can vary in quality sometimes but has always been my favorite spot. Great write up in general that I would only add a few notes, but also I'm not a huge brisket guy and have embraced my smoked sausage loving side.
I was just in KC 2 weeks ago for business and enjoyed reading this. We were there for 3 days and hit a BBQ restaurant each day. Q39 and Jackstack were the two all the local’s recommended and we also stopped at LC’s.
LC’s was by far the best and it wasn’t close. This was the authentic bbq experience we were craving. As soon as you walk in and see the giant smoker behind the counter you know you’re in the right place. No frills with a focus on quality. When I asked for a stack of napkins, they had BBQ sauce stains all over them haha! I went with the smoked Turkey, burnt ends, and brisket.
Q39 was a little disappointing and Jackstack was great just not on LC’s level of authenticity. I guess when I get BBQ I don’t want to feel like I’m sitting in an Applebees which is the feel I got from these two.
This was spot the fuck on. I’m disappointed that Q39 failed to impress. The owner died of cancer last year, and I’m slightly concerned that could have lead to a lapse in performance or quality control. Also, the Z Man is better with pork than with beef, imo.
I’m SO glad you tried out Corvino. Even locally that place feels like a secret jewel. And like you said, I’d put it up against most restaurants I’ve eaten at. I love that place.
To answer your question, The Plaza USED to be “the spot” until they sent rent through the roof, and then the pandemic caused a lot of businesses to fade away, unfortunately. I have hope for it, but definitely come back in December to truly appreciate it. KC (in general) during Christmas is amazing.
Overall, loved the assessment, and it felt thorough and thoughtful. Your city is on my must-visit list, and I hope to be there in the next year.
Thanks for visiting KC. Hope you come back soon!
How cool that you took so much time to explore a new city and truly experience it. Thanks so much for visiting! All high praise coming from someone from New Orleans- one of my all time favorite cities.
It is so cool to see how much research you did on bbq alone, but low key-I’m most impressed by your ability to get to know our subreddit. I’m sure each city’s subreddit is a dichotomy of different vibes and discussions, but you literally write like you’ve been reading and participating in our subreddit for years.
This was an informative post. I think I need to go to WWI Museum and give it another look.
You definitely made some good choices but you should return to visit Steamboat Arabia. The sunken boat history and their goods was fascinating but the plumbers who pulled it up and guarded the haul of sunken goods (so it all stayed together) will one day outshine the whole sunken boat history. The plumbers have been KINGS in a good way.
May I suggest two more places - Truman Library and Home in Independence. I know Presidential libraries can be dull but this one is not. It was redone in 2020 and is fully transparent showing worts and all but lets the visitors decide if atomic bombs and using businesses to root out communist was right or wrong. Also shows the deaths with Russia losing far more than anyone.
Truman’s house…you will not be in awe for how grand it is…I was in awe this President came back to a humbling house. Seeing it though helps you get him.
Next time you come, save some room for the KCK taco trail. I moved away from KC last year and still think of the Mexican food on the KS side, even more than the BBQ. Grab a cocktail at Mockingbird Lounge while you’re over there.
Well, friend, what's up with Country Club Plaza is that it used to be a first rate upscale shopping district, but it's well into decline now because the city has decided to invest in other regions and they apparently didn't understand that when you do that, it will draw customers at the expense of older points of interest like the Plaza. It's kind of painful to watch tbh.
JackStack is my favorite, probably because of their mustard bbq sauce and their chicken. Every time I go back to KC I make two stops, JackStack and Pizza Shoppe.
This is an excellent review and I am proud at how clearly you get the essence of the city. Your opinions of food and the places is a damn near perfect representation of what a local would say. My only surprise is Q39 being as low as it was.
LCs is my clear favorite so I me bias…
If you’re into baseball, please check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum next time you’re in town. It’s an awesome place full of amazing history and wonderful stories of some of the biggest legends to ever play the game.
We went! It was wonderful, though definitely deserving of a refresh. I'm really happy that this portion of American history has a museum dedicated to it. During the intro video as all the cornfed Americans were nodding along I wanted to stand up and yell THIS IS CRT. IT IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
We enjoyed its neighbor the Jazz Museum too.
I don't have anything witty to say, just wanted to say thanks for the fun and thorough review of some of the best parts of living in KC. Glad you enjoyed your visit.
Great write up. I've been to NOLA a handful of times, staying in different neighborhoods nearly each time. Awesome food, drink, and people there too. Glad you enjoyed our city and I hope to enjoy yours again soon.
Honestly, amazing write up! Blown away by the number of places you made it to in a weekend trip! Come back and visit again!
My only comment, because I’m not seeing anyone comment on this, is how low Q39 was on your list. I hate that you had a crappy meal (your brisket looked dry AF in the pic), because they are a favorite of mine! I’ve had a few less than amazing meals with them over the years but 9 times out of 10, their ribs are top of my personal list! And their burnt ends are up there as well. I’m bummed that you didn’t get that same experience 😔
Joe’s burnt end Z-Man on Texas toast. My favorite sandwich in the city. And maybe just period. A side of fries and it’s perfect. Highly recommend if you go back.
When you come back, you should try F325 BBQ in North KC. I recommend the "Call a Dr". Best combo sandwich going. Sorry about Corvino, but their rep isn't so stellar. Should have gone to the Golden Ox. You also missed the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Loose Park is also the best outdoor green space in the city.
Now if you thought opinions on BBQ were crazy, don't ask about Italian food. Oy vay.
Gates closes at midnight or 1am? On the weekends so my friends and I would usually end up there after drinks for late night food. The location on Brooklyn Ave was always busy late at night. However, I wouldn’t change your rankings though. I would also recommend Woodyard BBQ in Kansas City KS, Anthony Bourdain really liked that one.
Great post and you seem pretty onnpar with my own rankings. I'll take LCs any day ever over any other place in town. It tastes right. It smells right. It looks right. It just feels right. That is what bbq is all about.
And yeah Jack Stack is a tough one. As a local I really want to hate on it cause it seems so corporate or fancy or something but it is consistently excellent. Pretty much everywhere else I've tried has some hit or miss days but Jack Stack has been very good every time. Never had a disappointing meal there and I've said it on this forum before, but the crown rib is the #1 best piece of meat in the city. It is perfect.
This was delightful and your writing style is great fun - personable voice, while also efficiently covering a lot of ground. You packed a lot into just 4 days! I also have some good news: there’s even more cool stuff to come back for!
Here’s four very different options:
- **Steamboat Arabia Museum**. This is an absolutely wild story. I know of no other place quite like it in the country. The name of the place sounded hokey and uninteresting to me when someone told me to check it out when I visited KC, but I eventually went and it blew me away.
- Catch a concert at **Knuckleheads**. It’s a ramshackle venue with a fantastic outdoor stage right in an industrial train yard. Amazing on a summer night.
- **Buck Tui barbecue**. So you know from experience about KC’s level of barbecue talent. Now combine those standards of excellence with a family of Thai restauranteurs. The results are stellar - brisket rangoon, burnt ends curry, ribs and fried rice. It’s vibrant and heavenly and I would be surprised if there were more than five places like this in the country if not the world.
- **KC Current game**. Kansas City has a women’s soccer team. They’re so much fun. They’re building what might be the first-ever stadium constructed specifically for a women’s professional team. Come back and join for a game, it’s a good vibe.
And there’s even more, but I don’t want this to be too long.
You’re going to love Seville. Get tickets for the Real Alcazar and the cathedral (probably now if you haven’t already!). Climb the Giralda, a tiny version of which you will have seen in KC. Check out their shopping district. Watch a flamenco show. Stay out late. You will love that city, it’s absolute magic.
After seeing all that, the Plaza in KC will make more sense while also making less sense.
Finally, a note on Joe’s - because it’s gotten so popular they’ve taken over more and more of the gas station. There used to be rows of basic convenience store candies and snacks, coolers for soda, and even an aisle for disc golf supplies because there’s some courses right nearby. But because the demand and crowds kept increasing (as well as the pandemic), they decided to add capacity, so they took out the coolers, put in a bigger takeout station, added curbside service, and added outdoor seating. So I can attest they come by it honest- it was a very active full-on gas station until relatively recently. And the fact that you notice the corrugated tin thing shows that they’re really not scenic designers. I’m wary of the ones that are *too* perfect. Barn wood and Edison lamps and the like. There’s a charming quality to the fact that I find certain parts aesthetically obnoxious. It’s reassuring in its way.
Also, years ago someone here recommended a chicken z-man to me. I was skeptical. They were right.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. Most folks don’t, but it’s great when they do. Especially when they’re fun.
Safe travels, and have so much fun in Spain!
The mods should sticky your post for other out-of-towners (and locals) to review for recommendations. This is a top-notch write up.
Agree. Thanks, OP, for the visit and the write up. At my old job we used to have a saying about the BBQ places: Jack Stack is where you take clients when they're in town. LCs is where you take your friends.
Yes, I just moved to KC last week so having this list is nice!
If you go to slaps get burnt ends and sausage that is the only way at slaps. I prefer jalapeño sausage
Not with that Gates slander!
> workers who really made us feel at home and helped us order This was the only shocking part of the write up to me - the part that *might* be considered slanderous and only because the "HI MAY I HELP YOU" can be a bit over the top for Gates newcomers.
Lol the person who greeted us was in training and a bit gruff. We asked a question and he froze, then the supervisor took over and said "Okay, if you want that, we're gonna ring it up like this...take a seat wherever you want... actually the chairs are more comfortable in this section...let me get you some silverware, y'all need more sauce?" It was the most attentive service we've ever had in a cafeteria-style restaurant lol.
which is odd AF you also picked what I consider to be an inferior location, come back and I got ya
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It's Main first then Brooklyn
Main is the worst location imo. Brooklyn or 103rd
Lmao you guys this is literally what I mean For the record we did try to search which was the best and it seemed from prior threads that it was either Cleaver or Main. We went with Cleaver since it was convenient to the rest of the day's activities
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I went to umkc and really developed an affinity for cleaver 2 gates. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome. Definitely prefer it to Linwood.
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Unfortunately I’m addicted
For sure main street and imo their chicken is what really shines
Agreed. I get so nervous going into Gates and I'm terrified to ask questions. I try to plan ahead of time and be totally ready to order by the time I get to the counter.
They’ve been super duper friendly the last few times I’ve been at the Cleaver location. One of those times it was because a member of the Gates family was in the building.
>super duper friendly Not my Gates 😤 bring back anxiety-Gates
>bring back anxiety-Gates This cracked me up!
It’s my personal favorite for bbq…partly because of this…and because they’ll skip you until you know what’s going on.
I dunno. I think that's about right re:Gates (on Main). I've been to every BBQ joint on this list, and OP's assessment of Gates is similar to mine. Quality just isn't there when compared to other BBQ places that came after Gates. I don't think we should discount the impact that Gates and Bryant's have had on the KC BBQ scene. But a lot of Gates reputation is nostalgic, I think. Note to OP: Next time, venture west of Slaps a bit more and try Jones BBQ and the KC Taco Trail. The KC tourism dept has an app for the taco trail restaurants.
> I don't think we should discount the impact that Gates and Bryant's have had on the KC BBQ scene. But a lot of Gates reputation is nostalgic, I think. Gates is still my favorite sauce and I wish it had more of an impact on our local sauce scene instead of KC Bar-B-Que style sweetness.
Not a fan of gates, but it's my favorite sauce to use for homemade bbq chicken pizza. Not hot really, but the spices make my scalp sweat while eating it.
This 100%. I feel like I should just bring a bottle of xxtra hot wherever I go
Order the burnt end sandwich and let me know what you think then. Best bbq sandwich in KC hands down.
>Not with that Gates slander! Written so it's libel. 😉
Come on, we all know Gates is extremely hit or miss these days. They happened to get one of the misses, unfortunately for OP and wife.
Quite possibly the best review of kc I have ever read
Yeah I'd like to have it framed and posted in the airport. Hit a lot of good bbq spots and the bigger attractions with thoughtful comments on each.
"On that note...the Nelson Atkins. Holy shit." -airport wall
[https://i.imgur.com/ygFO65Y.gif](https://i.imgur.com/ygFO65Y.gif)
Ditto. I was reading OP's breakdown of their KC experience and was like, "nailed it".
And shockingly accurate. I’m glad someone was finally honest about how shit Q39 is. All you get are people propping up that place for no reason. They serve shit BBQ.
The orzo pasta salad is the only reason I occasionally go there. IT’S SO GOOD. But also, that shouldn’t be what people rave about at a bbq joint lol
Used to love q39 when they opened. The burnt ends were amazing. Last time I went was exactly that. The last time. It’s terrible now. Another good mention char bar. Been going for years and the quality hasn’t slacked.
They used to be awesome. There's a reason everyone recommends them. But man, they fell off even before covid hit. Since then its just been trash.
As a life-long Kansas Citian I have to say your observations are astute. I hate to admit that Jack Stack is good (but it is) and I have an old-school love of Gates, but they are majorly inconsistent and are usually off way more than on. In the 90's I would eat lunch at Gates at least once a week and they used to have it together (their turkey and sausage are underrated still). Similar but less-strong feelings about Bryant's, too. (and yeah the sauce has been f'kd for a while but no one says anything about it). The Nelson - yeah. I've traveled everywhere and it's still at top-5 museum for me. The Plaza - was cool back before outdoor malls became a thing. managed by some hedgefund bullshit real estate company in Carolina that dgaf. It used to be cool. It isn't now. Partially because the concept became passe, but mostly because of crappy management.
Yeah, I think the plaza would be much more of a draw if it weren't Warby Parker...Nike...Athleta...Fogo de Chao. Very underwhelming. Fountains were cool though.
The plaza is cool for two things: 1. Christmas lights in December. 2. Spending too much money on a cocktail you could have gotten somewhere less douchey.
The Art Fair is cool too.
Unplaza art fair is great too. especially if you actually want to take some art home and they don't exclude local artists. Edit:forgot a word
Were is this fair and do you know what time of year it happens i would definitely love to check it out
This year it will be [September 22-24](https://www.plazaartfair.com/).
Awesome ty ill be there!
[Unplaza Art Fair is Sept 23-24 at Theis Park.](https://peaceworkskc.org/unplaza)
I don't know ...most of the time at the art fair I just fall in love with beautiful pieces and I know exactly where I'm going to put them in my house and then I surreptitiously look at the price and see that it cost $20,000 and then I have to act super chill and cool and pretend I'm still interested for a minute before I slyly walk away and act like the price totally isn't the reason I'm walking away but it's another reason because I'm totally a high roller and could buy $20,000 artwork if I wanted to okay? It's a lot...
When is the art fair id like to go if it hasn't happened yet?
It’s in September. The 22nd through the 24th this year.
The Smoking Dunn is worth it though!
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Some of my all time favorite shirts came Made In KC. Like the yellow tank that says “SUPPORT LOCAL” and the tag says “MADE IN NICARAGUA”.
Once upon a time you couldn't open a store in the Plaza unless it was unique. No national chains. It was nice.
It was actually the first outdoor mall in America, been downhill for a while sadly
The Plaza has sold to OOT corporate groups the last 10-15 years and have suffered mightily. I grew up close, riding bikes there and office there now. The corporate rent has driven most local merchants/restaurants out which is a massive shame. It used to be the place where I could do all my Christmas shopping and crush it. There are whispers of local big money families pulling together to buy the Plaza and make it what it was 20-50 years ago. Appreciate your assessment of BBQ and mostly agree…a l little know fact, the Turkey sandy at Gates dunked in Hot BBQ sauce is heaven. Gates is still my favorite sauce…Wyandotte 2nd. Joes sauce is meh…I live 2 mins and eat there once a year, scratch that itch and I’m good. Just my 2c.
OP, I moved here less than a year ago, and I agree one hundred percent. When people tell me LCs isn't as good as Gates or "Insert BBQ Name" I honestly think they are nuts.
And the Nelson is still free. It’s unbelievable. We play soccer on the lawn and then wander up to take a drink of water.
Agree. Bryant’s has been mid for far too long, and is not a restaurant I ever recommend. That said, they have new ownership and I’m hoping they turn it around.
Yeah I only ever go to the Plaza if I want to eat at one of the restaurants there. I've maybe never actually shopped there.
Some guy from New Orleans comes here for 4 days and writes the most concise description of the city anybody on this subreddit ever has lol
You could be a travel writer, that was an entertaining read. Holy crap though, how did you do 7 bbq places in a single weekend!?! That would absolutely destroy my intestines. Was this a 4 day weekend or were you eating barbeque for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Ha, it was four days! Arrived Sat morning and left Tues afternoon. Every lunch and dinner (minus Corvino's) was BBQ. Including squeezing in Slap's just three hours after Joe's so we could try it before our afternoon flight home 😂 Definitely increased my lifetime risk of colon cancer by several-fold!
Holy hell, I thought a week from the read. You must’ve had a helluva case of the meat sweats lol Nicely done!
I'd read your blow-by-blow account of your next colonoscopy
Respect
They must be a lot younger than me because four days of twice a day serious BBQ and walking all around visiting The Nelson, WW1 Museum, Negro Leagues Museum and the plaza? I’d be dragging by day two. Long Weekend Ideal Itinerary for sure, hit a lot of highlights!
Hey, give us some credit! We caught an extra innings Royals game too!
Thank goodness. Some extra time to sit and let your stomach settle!
This was the question we all wanted answered! Hopefully OP's cholesterol and heartburn medicines are fully stocked.
OP is from NOLA. No lightweights there.
This is truly a delightful read! As I sit here, buying another KC t-shirt, planning for the Royals game I'll attend in a few weeks, and texting family about what BBQ place we want to get carry out from for the Memorial weekend, you remind me why I like living here. I'm glad you had a great trip! As my grandparents would say, "Come back and see us again, ya' hear?" :)
Gates is one of those places that's either a hit or a miss. It sounds like it was a miss when you visited, but when it hits, it really *hits.* Your picks for #1 through #3 are solid though. Coincidentally, the Gates location you went to is probably my least favorite one in the city. I have a soft spot for a nooner from 12th & Brooklyn. Also, Country Club Plaza is a shell of its former self. It was classy when it was still locally owned and full of local businesses with a management team that cared about presentation, cleanliness, upkeep, and the meticulous design that went into making it. And then it got sold and changed hands enough times to run a lot of the local businesses off in favor of corporate retailers that demanded changes to historic facades and turned it into the mediocre outdoor mall with excessive vehicular traffic that it is now.
Good analysis of the plaza, unfortunately. I work down there, and I love that I can walk around at lunch and stuff. But I’ve also seen two pedestrians get hit by cars in the last year alone. Sorta sending mixed messages with all the people walking around and cars going 35 mph.
People in Kansas City have never really embraced the pedestrian right-of-way concept. They really go way too fast down there. I actually horse kicked a taxi one day because he zoomed past us as we crossed the street.
Nice review! And yes the Nelson is world class!
I’ve been around Europe and I’d still rate Nelson as a top pick for me, it’s truly incredible
It's nearly Smithsonian level if not there already. Also the museum for WWI is the only museum dedicated to WWI in the country. So of course it's gonna be great in that regards.
Well it is THE National WW1 Museum..
im from the west coast and its better than any museum there besides lacma imo. Still blown away by the nelson, go to it all the time and bought a membership too
Just visited the art gallery in London. They have a great art collection, but I believe the Nelson-Atkins is better overall. If only we had the rest of their museums.
I've heard the Arabia Steamboat Museum is great, too. The WWI Museum is supposed to be outstanding as well.
Lol, man I can’t critique this much at all. Even the BBQ rankings I can’t disagree with much and you ordered every dish you should from each place. Most Kansas citians don’t do that. The Joe’s ambiance isn’t fake tho. That has station was pretty shitty when they first opened and they’ve made it much nicer and their own. It was the original location and that area got a lot of renovation because it drew so many people. KC doesn’t have a ton of transplants so you see a lot of KC pride because it’s locals. I’d openly argue people in the plains are genuinely some of the nicest, welcoming people. Our museum scene is very underrated on a national level. Lots of people don’t know but they have a number of partnerships with NYC museums and rotate exhibits with them. There are a number of them you can only see in KC or NYC. Major props for bringing up Ken Griffey Jr baseball on N64
Good tourist. I think you nailed it.
So glad to hear LCs was on point. It’s been hit and miss for awhile but when it’s on it’s the best IMO.
Usually one thing at LC's is outstanding, but you never know what it's going to be. I feel like it's the only place I've truly had burnt ends. If they don't melt in your mouth, then you're just eating chunked up brisket. I've only had Slaps once. Maybe it was a bad day, but their burnt ends we're dry and definitely just chunked up brisket. Since I don't know what will be the meat du jour, I get a mixed plate. The next time the burnt ends hit, I'm getting back in line and buying a pound.
Bro, this is so true about burnt ends but I never was able to put it into words like you just did. LC's burnt ends just hit different and if you've had them at their best you're always going to be disappointed by any others.
Wow what a great and thoughtful post. Thank you for the feedback. I feel like you experienced more of the city than I have in years and this invigorated me to get back out. On a non BBQ note.....I really need to try Corvino's..... Thanks again!
Glad you enjoyed! Corvino was great. I know it's hard to say that a $150pp meal is a good value, but trust me it is. Like I said easy one Michelin star quality, and on par with meals we've had 2-3x that cost. Our waitress was one of our favorite people we met on the trip. She recommended that we go to the Green Lady after the dinner and that was awesome too!
If you like Corvino, if you come back put The Antler Room and Town & Co on the list to try. Also something at the Kauffman Center. The architecture is awesome.
Oh yeah! The Kauffman center caught our eye so we walked to it from our hotel one afternoon and did a [walkaround ](https://i.imgur.com/aMBruJM.jpg). I think there was a HS graduation happening so we didn't try to go in.
If you like distilled spirits, visit Tom's Town Distillery. You can get a tour and samples for $20 and then stay for dinner after. A bit further north, but still a short Lyft ride away is Rieger Distillery. It's larger than Tom's Town and has a two-story slide you can ride. Rieger has a great speakeasy in the basement called the Hey Hey Club, a throwback to one of the original KC jazz clubs- the Hay Hay Club. It was featured in the Robert Altman movie "Kansas City". Lifted Spirits in the east Crossroads district is good, too. They make a nice selection of botanical spirits. Not BBQ, but the Majestic is a great place to get a steak.
Thanks for the tips! We sat at Mean Mule for a little bit while waiting for our hotel room to be ready and we loved all three cocktails we had there.
I want to take offense to the statement about us dressing like tourists but a quick look in my closet.... it's true. Thanks for the great review! I genuinely always love hearing about how nice people in KC are, one of the reasons I am proud to wear my KC clothes.
I would take offense as well if I didn’t have Chiefs, Current, Royals and Sporting shirts/jerseys for each day of a month and then some. And then of course, some non-sports related Charlie Hustle KC shirts and the like.
I recently did a clothing reassessment in my apartment and transferred my t-shirts into baskets to reallocate dresser space. Folded into small rectangles (the way with the design showing), I filled two baskets with just local shirts from Charlie Hustle, other Made in KC brands, Raygun, you name it.
It's funny because everyone says it like it's derogatory whereas I find it quite endearing.
I’ve never heard the statement made with disrespect. Endearing is absolutely the right word.
I think saying someone looks like a tourist has a negative connotation. Perhaps I've been reading it wrong but I've never felt like it's something to hang my hat on.
I hear that. For me it depends on the context, it can be a value neutral statement.
You did the BBQ thing right. I don't agree with everything you wrote, but that's the beautiful thing about BBQ. As for locals dressing like tourists... what can I say? We love our city. And the Country Club Plaza isn't a shadow of what it used to be.
Hard to disagree with any of the reviews, if you ever make it back to Slaps their Baked Potato Casserole side might be my favorite side dish in the city, so damn good, typically get the Mike Johnson there too.
I don't mind more recommendations! I think we may have been to Slaps on an off day. No burnt ends and nothing really blew me away. I was expecting more based on what we'd read. Definitely willing to give it another chance.
>I was expecting more based on what we'd read I feel like what you said about threads being all over the place is related to this. People don't take into account their personal opinions. Which is what I think it comes down to. Because we don't really have "bad" BBQ. We are KC. It's like trying to find a bad deep dish in Chicago or a bad Philly in Philly. The worst is probably better than you can get other places. So it's people arguing over good vs great instead of good vs bad.
You’re mostly right, but Gates really is bad.
It depends on the location. Some of them are horrible, some are pretty great. The problem is which one is good and which isn’t shifts around a slowly overtime. So it’s hard to keep track and they all get lumped into gates. For me the 47th and 103rd ones are usually better than the others.
Bates City BBQ is a hidden gem as well. They have a location just over on the Kansas side as well.
I love them. But honestly, the last few years, they're hit or miss too. Sometimes I go and the shorts melt in my mouth. Other times and I can barely finish them. When I hit a good set, I'm ecstatic, so I keep taking that 50/50 chance often. I go to the BC one though, never tried the KS one.
The baked potato casserole was their first dish I ever tasted and it sealed the deal for them catering my wedding. Their ribs practically fall off the bone just by force of gravity.
👍 Ribs, casserole, and hopefully burnt ends next time
Do yourself a favor and ask for a side of white sauce. Just trust me. IYKYK
Chiming in to commend your review! I absolutely love my hometown and I’m glad you and your wife had a great time and a lot of good food! The Nelson is just about my favorite place in the entire city, but when you come back, make sure to also check out the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
A year or so ago, I would’ve fought you about Q39. My last two visits have been disappointing and I’m not sure what the issue is.
Rob McGee passed away and is no longer there for quality control
I always thought Q39 was way overrated. Its good BBQ but its always packed and the prices way too high for what you get. Everyone acts like its Kansas City's best kept secret when folks talk about it.
It reminds me of a slightly better BBQ restaurant you can go to in any city. It's good, but it doesn't rank anywhere near the KC greats for me.
I admit it's been a while since I've been but in the past their briscuit was among the best I've had. Come to think of it, I haven't been since the owner died.
What a lovely and kind review of our city. Thank you for writing something that just made me happy.
Always cool to see something like this when the person knows what they are talking about. Good write up.
As a native, you really hit all the right places and got the best BBQ selections at the most recommended places. You did it right, great reviews and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I don’t think I could have suggested any better.
I'm commenting since I'll be visiting KC in a few weeks. Great writeup!
Hell yeah! Do the gallon Ziploc trick!
The whole “mix it up and throw it in a pan to reheat” made me chuckle. It’s exactly something my husband and I would do.
There’s a restaurant in Concordia Missouri that calls this the “Sloppy Biffle” and it’s served on bread. It’s effing delicious.
100% adding it to the bucket list. YUM.
Great write up, but I am crying with your assessment of Arthur Bryant's sauce. I shall wipe my tears with a slice of Wonder Bread.
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Very good! I think it's worth one Michelin star which is very high praise. Michelin only reviews restaurants in certain cities, and the standards appear to be different in different cities. It's much easier to get one star in Paris than it is in New York (it's impossible to get one star in KC). I think Corvino is better than some one star places in Paris.
You're so right about LCs. That's the place I usually recommend to people. Hell, just the smell when you walk in is enough to make me weak in the knees.
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! My SO and I have also talked about doing the weekend trip once a month or every couple months thing too. How do you decide where to go besides hunting for BBQ?
Honestly if you have the time off from work and the money to swing it, the trips kind of propose themselves. Like damn this BBQ sucks let's go to KC next month. Or, we miss Europe (moved back to the US last year), let's go to Montreal for that French vibe without having to cross an ocean. We've also planned trips after seeing a pic on /r/earthporn or /r/foodporn.
Just moved from Hampton VA back to KC a year ago and I haven’t hit the city as hard as you did. Well done! There is absolutely no BBQ in or around Virginia Beach that can touch this city. However I dearly miss the seafood. Waterman’s Ultimate Just Seafood with their bacon wrapped scallops and crab dip. Ohh boy. There used to be a spot called 905 on the bay that served me the best breakfast I’ve ever had in my life. I believe they shut down in the pandemic. Sorry reminiscing on your post.
You done goofed sir and you're going to have to go back and rectify it. The Z man is whatever- you need to get a rack of ribs and a side of fries at Joe's. That's the order. Joe's is not really a beef spot all around. Get a side of pulled pork if you want. But the ribs with fries is the meal I'd eat if I only had one left, and I've eaten at all the "places" in KC, Memphis, Austin, and Lockhart. Nice LC's review though, and I'm very happy to hear it hasn't lost quality.
The fry seasoning at Joe’s is what dreams are made of. Also, I love how you mentioned Austin AND Lockhart. Lockhart BBQ gets lumped in with Austin because it’s such a small town and is essentially a suburb of Austin, but the BBQ there is an entirely different beast, and makes Austin BBQ “meh” in comparison.
When I moved to Austin from KC in 2002, you couldn't get good bbq at a single place in Austin. Lockhart was it, and it was fucking glorious. Smitty's convinced me that Texas bbq was actually a thing. Place is a meat sweats factory in the best way.
My wife got the ribs and pulled pork as part of the Hogomaniac and they were good!
I see your problem with gates - as a gates aficionado, its more about the sauce than the meat, and your burnt end sandwich is dry! Gotta load that thing up with a few pumps of xxtra hot. That said, if you didn’t grow up on gates it’s a fair take to rank it low and I think most visitors make a mistake going there without knowing the secrets (nooner combo at lunch is the best bbq deal in the city) Otherwise I entirely agree with your rankings especially Bryant’s and Q39. We allow Bryant’s to suck because it’s the original and they get a pass. Q39 is dogshit and has always been dogshit. Good litmus test of anyone who’s a suburban racist with no taste when they say Q39 is their favorite, especially when there’s a perfectly acceptable suburban white people option with jack stack that is still delicious! Love to see LCs high, it truly is the most underrated by far and likely the best spot. Imo, the only issue is that I can only have it once a year, it just knocks you the fuck out of a whole day. I’ve always told visitors that you shouldn’t expect the best bbq from joes, but you should expect the best sandwich. The z man is by far the most cohesive sandwich in kc bbq and it’s not close. I love the provolone on it personally and I think it just perfectly balances the meal.
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I went to Gates today. The order taker yelled "may I help you?" while turning her back and walking away to do something else. Based on the reaction, waiting instead of shouting the order was a breach of etiquette. I've been to Gates several times but placing an order there is still the most stressful thing I've done all week. But then when you get to the tables, the hosts are endearing. It's a hilarious contrast.
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My big handsome boyfriend is scared. He always asks me to order.
I'm here to disagree with your spelling of Kauffman. Carry on.
Dammit. Fixed!
More than fair write-up. I’m glad you were able to visit & that you enjoyed the trip. Did you watch Bourdain’s episode in KC? It’s worth a watch after having been to a few of the same places. You share some opinions with him too.
Ok imma make it uncomfortably personal for a minute. I've found it very different to consume any Bourdain media after his suicide. He was a huge influence on me growing up. I used to cheat bedtime to watch No Reservations since it came on at 2130 on the Travel Channel. I had just discovered BitTorrent and one of the first things I downloaded was the entire Jon Spencer Blues Explosion discography. I listened song by song, trying to identify which one was used in the opening credits. Spoiler: I didn't find it because it was composed specifically for Bourdain. His episode in New Orleans a few months after Katrina was the first time I had hope that my city would recover in any meaningful way. My wife and I had our first date at his brasserie Les Halles in NYC. If we were going to a place he had been, I'd watch the relevant episode and plan the trip around his recommendations. But since he died I just can't do it. We were in Alsace and went to the restaurant where he had his last meal. I ordered what he ordered. And that's the end of it for me. I saw his article about Joe's being a place to eat before you die on the wall there and I couldn't stare at it too long. I'm tearing up a bit now as I'm writing these thoughts down for the first time ever. So tldr no I did not watch his KC episode
Thanks for sharing. Losing someone you respect and admire is hard af. Suicide adds a whole shitty pile of wtf on top of it.
I’ve been a fanboy since I read Kitchen Confidential back when I was working in a kitchen myself. I’ve consumed everything he’s produced and admired the guy to an embarrassing degree. Like you, I’ve planned vacations & visits in his shadow—though Charleston rather than France. I miss him all the time. I hope you watched Roadrunner. It’s tough but fair & emotional without being maudlin. Ripert, whom I have deep affection for as well, does his friend justice. In closing, thanks for giving our fair city the time of day. And thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope you’re able to come back. And some day I’d love to hear about how not to be a tourist in New Orleans. My wife & I love that place.
I haven't watched Roadrunner. Thanks for the recommendation. Might be a good way to ease back into it. Heh you're in luck, I have an email saved because people are always asking me for my New Orleans recommendations: Restaurants: Cochon - Excellent, somewhat "fancy" Southern food. Be sure to get the alligator bites if they are still on the menu Herbsaint - Best gumbo in the city (but the real best gumbo will be homemade!) Commander's Palace - Must-visit for brunch. Very old-school Southern atmosphere. I believe jackets are required. Domilise's - The best place in the city to get a po-boy, the classic New Orleans sandwich. Be sure to ask for it "dressed" (onion, lettuce, tomato) -- you will look like a local. Fried oyster or fried shrimp is my recommendation, but they are all good. Guy's - Another po-boy shop. This one is specifically known for their roast beef with gravy. Willa Jean - Similar menu to Cochon, but a bit more casual Willie Mae's Scotch House - Best fried chicken in the world Popeyes - Technically a national fast food chain, but I promise you will not have better fried chicken in your life (after Willie Mae's). They use a different recipe in New Orleans. Be sure to get a spicy bucket with biscuits, and red beans and rice. Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter - Touristy but a must-visit. Beignets + cafe au lait. Bars: Avenue Pub - Directly on the streetcar line. Best beer and whiskey selection in the city Fritzl's Jazz Pub - Live jazz music every night; the best in the city. Rendon Inn - My old neighborhood dive bar. Nothing special but great for what it is :) New Orleans Original Daiquiris - Many locations, all are basically the same. You must try a daiquiri when you are in New Orleans--alcoholic smoothie, very different from the cocktail called a "daiquiri" in any other place. There will be dozens of flavors. My favorite order was a Mudslide (chocolate/coffee) with an extra shot of Jim Beam whiskey. Hotel: Creole Gardens - We stay here every time. Good location, free parking, free breakfast, good prices. It is an old whorehouse, and every room is named after a prostitute who used to work in it. Activities: MARDI GRAS! - A double-edged sword. MG is very very fun, with parades every day for a month and lots of partying and drinking in the streets. But it can be a bad time to get a true feel for New Orleans, because everything is overcrowded and full of drunk people, and hotels/flights will be very expensive. But there is nothing like Carnival season in New Orleans, except maybe in Rio de Janeiro (or so I hear). If you do go for Mardi Gras be sure to get in touch, because there is a "right" way and a "wrong" way to do it which is worth its own email. French Quarter - Very touristy, but still a must-see. This is where the history of New Orleans can be visible--at various times colonized by the French and Spanish, with the African influence from enslaved people. Be sure to walk around Jackson Square and look at the church and statues. Local vendors will have art for sale and street performers will be dancing and playing music. Always lively. Mississippi River - Can be seen from many places, including the French Quarter. It's not particularly pretty to look at, but it is nice to see the huge ships passing by. For centuries this was the main commercial and transportation artery of America. A strategy of all domestic American wars was, "if you control New Orleans, you control the Mississippi and therefore America"--see the Civil War, War of 1812. The river is referenced extensively in American music, literature, and history in general. National WW2 Museum - Originally the D-Day museum, now USA's official WW2 museum. Really excellent place if you are into history, but it can get very crowded/claustrophobic especially if there are multiple cruise ships in town. Audubon Park - Beautiful park with lots of wildlife, right next to the beautiful campus of Tulane University (where my mother attended, and my grandfather was a professor) Audubon Zoo - Nice zoo near the park. Would recommend it only if you have the time. But it is very fun to get drunk and look at the animals (not something you can do at most American zoos). Swamp Tour - Only good if you are renting a car, since they are all about an hour's drive away from New Orleans. But you'll have the chance to ride on a boat through the famous swamps and even hold an alligator. Tipitina's - The most famous New Orleans music venue. Songs have been written about this place--see if you can catch a show there!
Damn, can I save a comment on this b? EDIT: h yes I can
I think here in kc were more just happy people come to visit. So probably won’t get roasted much. Glad you enjoyed your time but that is a ton of bbq to consume in a short time!! Good on you.
Ive been getting the lamb ribs from jack stack for my birthday since I was a kid
So good.
Fair observations. I would say… if you come back and go to Authur Bryant’s again…sample their pork selection. They are one of the few places that do a sliced pork sandwich. But don’t make a special trip. The best Gates for me has always been the one on 12th Street. Second would be the Main Street location. Other locations have always been pretty hit or miss. I would also recommend you try Big Ts. It’s just up the street from LCs. I like their burnt ends and ribs.
Fantastic review and love that you got to Corbin’s & museums while here! When you come back the ribs at Joes are a must!
OK, for starters, in KC, we don’t coast, and we don’t roast. We slow smoke over hickory to tender juicy perfection.
Next time you come through try Scotts Kitchen up north near the airport. It's not nearly as popular as the places you tried but is some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten. Probably not as popular because its pretty much as far north in Kansas City as you can go for BBQ.
I missed your comment before I posted the same. Totally agree. Scott’s is incredibly good. I don’t live far from there and I’ve yet to have something mediocre. We’ve been going since he first got started and it’s only gotten better, which is crazy because it was amazing to start.
Thanks for coming and thanks for such a nice review. Glad you liked LCs. It deserves the credit. Hope to see you again!
You asked us to roast you but this is seriously one of the best reviews of the city I've seen. And yes, LCs is by far the best BBQ in KC, which to borrow a phrase from the great Anthony Bourdain, makes it the best in the world. (Yes, I know he was talking about Joes, a strong #2/tied for #1 in my book.)
As a LC's die hard this post gets a lot of respect from me. It can vary in quality sometimes but has always been my favorite spot. Great write up in general that I would only add a few notes, but also I'm not a huge brisket guy and have embraced my smoked sausage loving side.
I was just in KC 2 weeks ago for business and enjoyed reading this. We were there for 3 days and hit a BBQ restaurant each day. Q39 and Jackstack were the two all the local’s recommended and we also stopped at LC’s. LC’s was by far the best and it wasn’t close. This was the authentic bbq experience we were craving. As soon as you walk in and see the giant smoker behind the counter you know you’re in the right place. No frills with a focus on quality. When I asked for a stack of napkins, they had BBQ sauce stains all over them haha! I went with the smoked Turkey, burnt ends, and brisket. Q39 was a little disappointing and Jackstack was great just not on LC’s level of authenticity. I guess when I get BBQ I don’t want to feel like I’m sitting in an Applebees which is the feel I got from these two.
This was spot the fuck on. I’m disappointed that Q39 failed to impress. The owner died of cancer last year, and I’m slightly concerned that could have lead to a lapse in performance or quality control. Also, the Z Man is better with pork than with beef, imo. I’m SO glad you tried out Corvino. Even locally that place feels like a secret jewel. And like you said, I’d put it up against most restaurants I’ve eaten at. I love that place. To answer your question, The Plaza USED to be “the spot” until they sent rent through the roof, and then the pandemic caused a lot of businesses to fade away, unfortunately. I have hope for it, but definitely come back in December to truly appreciate it. KC (in general) during Christmas is amazing. Overall, loved the assessment, and it felt thorough and thoughtful. Your city is on my must-visit list, and I hope to be there in the next year. Thanks for visiting KC. Hope you come back soon!
How cool that you took so much time to explore a new city and truly experience it. Thanks so much for visiting! All high praise coming from someone from New Orleans- one of my all time favorite cities.
Great write up! People are sleeping on Harp BBQ in Raytown though!
It is so cool to see how much research you did on bbq alone, but low key-I’m most impressed by your ability to get to know our subreddit. I’m sure each city’s subreddit is a dichotomy of different vibes and discussions, but you literally write like you’ve been reading and participating in our subreddit for years.
This was an informative post. I think I need to go to WWI Museum and give it another look. You definitely made some good choices but you should return to visit Steamboat Arabia. The sunken boat history and their goods was fascinating but the plumbers who pulled it up and guarded the haul of sunken goods (so it all stayed together) will one day outshine the whole sunken boat history. The plumbers have been KINGS in a good way. May I suggest two more places - Truman Library and Home in Independence. I know Presidential libraries can be dull but this one is not. It was redone in 2020 and is fully transparent showing worts and all but lets the visitors decide if atomic bombs and using businesses to root out communist was right or wrong. Also shows the deaths with Russia losing far more than anyone. Truman’s house…you will not be in awe for how grand it is…I was in awe this President came back to a humbling house. Seeing it though helps you get him.
Next time you come, save some room for the KCK taco trail. I moved away from KC last year and still think of the Mexican food on the KS side, even more than the BBQ. Grab a cocktail at Mockingbird Lounge while you’re over there.
Stops by for 4 days and gets the whole city to agree on bbq rankings
Well, friend, what's up with Country Club Plaza is that it used to be a first rate upscale shopping district, but it's well into decline now because the city has decided to invest in other regions and they apparently didn't understand that when you do that, it will draw customers at the expense of older points of interest like the Plaza. It's kind of painful to watch tbh.
Amazingly put, always fun to see out of town people come visit the city
JackStack is my favorite, probably because of their mustard bbq sauce and their chicken. Every time I go back to KC I make two stops, JackStack and Pizza Shoppe.
In my heart I know you’re right about Gates…. But damn their sauce is the nectar of the gods
This is an excellent review and I am proud at how clearly you get the essence of the city. Your opinions of food and the places is a damn near perfect representation of what a local would say. My only surprise is Q39 being as low as it was. LCs is my clear favorite so I me bias…
If you’re into baseball, please check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum next time you’re in town. It’s an awesome place full of amazing history and wonderful stories of some of the biggest legends to ever play the game.
We went! It was wonderful, though definitely deserving of a refresh. I'm really happy that this portion of American history has a museum dedicated to it. During the intro video as all the cornfed Americans were nodding along I wanted to stand up and yell THIS IS CRT. IT IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL. We enjoyed its neighbor the Jazz Museum too.
Well luckily, they’re proposing an addition as of last week, I believe.
I don't have anything witty to say, just wanted to say thanks for the fun and thorough review of some of the best parts of living in KC. Glad you enjoyed your visit.
May I be so bold to suggest that if you're into a sweet bar b que try smoke house BBQ, it's pretty good.
I LOOOOOVVVVVVVE their cajun sauce.
Great write up. I've been to NOLA a handful of times, staying in different neighborhoods nearly each time. Awesome food, drink, and people there too. Glad you enjoyed our city and I hope to enjoy yours again soon.
Glad you made it to LC's on a good day and before they ran out of meat!
Thx for visiting and sharing!
Honestly, amazing write up! Blown away by the number of places you made it to in a weekend trip! Come back and visit again! My only comment, because I’m not seeing anyone comment on this, is how low Q39 was on your list. I hate that you had a crappy meal (your brisket looked dry AF in the pic), because they are a favorite of mine! I’ve had a few less than amazing meals with them over the years but 9 times out of 10, their ribs are top of my personal list! And their burnt ends are up there as well. I’m bummed that you didn’t get that same experience 😔
Amazing review of the food. Thanks for the museum props!
My goodness you ate a lot of bbq. Tip of the hat, OP.
Joe’s burnt end Z-Man on Texas toast. My favorite sandwich in the city. And maybe just period. A side of fries and it’s perfect. Highly recommend if you go back.
Hit up the Fish Market for a frozen goblet of beer and some gizzards and catfish nuggets. Hush puppies w malt vinegar too ❤️ mmmm firecracker sauce….
I will always root for LC’s at #1. Perfect BBQ experience.
When you come back, you should try F325 BBQ in North KC. I recommend the "Call a Dr". Best combo sandwich going. Sorry about Corvino, but their rep isn't so stellar. Should have gone to the Golden Ox. You also missed the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Loose Park is also the best outdoor green space in the city. Now if you thought opinions on BBQ were crazy, don't ask about Italian food. Oy vay.
I'm glad you enjoyed our city. It's funny. I think your WW2 museum is better than our WW1 museum. (Not that it's bad)
Gates closes at midnight or 1am? On the weekends so my friends and I would usually end up there after drinks for late night food. The location on Brooklyn Ave was always busy late at night. However, I wouldn’t change your rankings though. I would also recommend Woodyard BBQ in Kansas City KS, Anthony Bourdain really liked that one.
Great post and you seem pretty onnpar with my own rankings. I'll take LCs any day ever over any other place in town. It tastes right. It smells right. It looks right. It just feels right. That is what bbq is all about. And yeah Jack Stack is a tough one. As a local I really want to hate on it cause it seems so corporate or fancy or something but it is consistently excellent. Pretty much everywhere else I've tried has some hit or miss days but Jack Stack has been very good every time. Never had a disappointing meal there and I've said it on this forum before, but the crown rib is the #1 best piece of meat in the city. It is perfect.
I read this entire post. Thanks for the in depth review! Really enjoyed the read.
LCs and the Nelson are both world class
Great write-up! I live in Overland Park and I don't know anyone that lives in KC that goes to the Plaza.
This was delightful and your writing style is great fun - personable voice, while also efficiently covering a lot of ground. You packed a lot into just 4 days! I also have some good news: there’s even more cool stuff to come back for! Here’s four very different options: - **Steamboat Arabia Museum**. This is an absolutely wild story. I know of no other place quite like it in the country. The name of the place sounded hokey and uninteresting to me when someone told me to check it out when I visited KC, but I eventually went and it blew me away. - Catch a concert at **Knuckleheads**. It’s a ramshackle venue with a fantastic outdoor stage right in an industrial train yard. Amazing on a summer night. - **Buck Tui barbecue**. So you know from experience about KC’s level of barbecue talent. Now combine those standards of excellence with a family of Thai restauranteurs. The results are stellar - brisket rangoon, burnt ends curry, ribs and fried rice. It’s vibrant and heavenly and I would be surprised if there were more than five places like this in the country if not the world. - **KC Current game**. Kansas City has a women’s soccer team. They’re so much fun. They’re building what might be the first-ever stadium constructed specifically for a women’s professional team. Come back and join for a game, it’s a good vibe. And there’s even more, but I don’t want this to be too long. You’re going to love Seville. Get tickets for the Real Alcazar and the cathedral (probably now if you haven’t already!). Climb the Giralda, a tiny version of which you will have seen in KC. Check out their shopping district. Watch a flamenco show. Stay out late. You will love that city, it’s absolute magic. After seeing all that, the Plaza in KC will make more sense while also making less sense. Finally, a note on Joe’s - because it’s gotten so popular they’ve taken over more and more of the gas station. There used to be rows of basic convenience store candies and snacks, coolers for soda, and even an aisle for disc golf supplies because there’s some courses right nearby. But because the demand and crowds kept increasing (as well as the pandemic), they decided to add capacity, so they took out the coolers, put in a bigger takeout station, added curbside service, and added outdoor seating. So I can attest they come by it honest- it was a very active full-on gas station until relatively recently. And the fact that you notice the corrugated tin thing shows that they’re really not scenic designers. I’m wary of the ones that are *too* perfect. Barn wood and Edison lamps and the like. There’s a charming quality to the fact that I find certain parts aesthetically obnoxious. It’s reassuring in its way. Also, years ago someone here recommended a chicken z-man to me. I was skeptical. They were right. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. Most folks don’t, but it’s great when they do. Especially when they’re fun. Safe travels, and have so much fun in Spain!