TOP 5: BEST BBQ (IMO) IN KC
- Daniel Moreno
- May 28
- 5 min read

Let’s be honest, the first thing that comes to your mind when someone asks you about Kansas City or what is so special about our city is barbecue. Why is it? Because not only do we have the best in the world but also because we are damn proud about it.
I did a little research to when the BBQ phenomenon began in Kansas City and wow, it dates back to the early 1900’s when a man know by name of Henry Perry created the perfect recipe to his slow-cooked ribs, which he sold wrapped in newspaper for 25 cents a slab.
The smoke but most importantly the smell that came from his trolley barn located at 19th Street and Highland started a tradition in the “City of Fountains.” A tradition that more than one hundred years later, we still enjoy and share with everyone who comes to visit: the love for BBQ.
I am a foody at heart. I love eating and I love trying new eats. I still remember the first time I had BBQ, it was 15 years ago and it was Gates BBQ. Back then, I was visiting family and had no idea that a couple of years later I was going to move here. I knew then that BBQ was not only a KC thing but also now one of MY favorite things.
See, something I love about barbecue in KC is that everyone has their favorite joint, their favorite meat, their favorite sauce and nobody is wrong. You can ask five friends what the best BBQ is and they will all give you a different answer, including famous celebrity chefs and personalities who travel to our home just to see what the fuzz is all about.
Here shortly, I am going to share with you my 5 favorite places to eat BBQ, my favorite thing on their menu and why I like it so much. Just know, that we probably will disagree but at the same time we will probably also know that each other’s lists are probably spot on as well.
For additional and very interesting facts and history about BBQ in Kansas City, check out this amazing article on VisitKC.
5. Joe’s Kansas City
I know this is a lot of y’all’s number one and trust me I hesitated so much what position to put it on. One thing I know for sure is that it most definitely needed to be among the five best. Why? Number one. Who doesn’t love the idea of eating at a gas station? That was the first thing that drew me 13 years ago when I tried the Z-Man for the first time.
There is something magical about approaching the corner of 47th and Mission Rd. in KCK. Looking at that long line that sometimes wraps around the parking lot, reading the sign over the teal-colored roof and knowing that your favorite band, artist or athlete has probably already eaten there at some point.

Since its opening in 1995, Joe’s has won so many BBQ awards, been on world-renowned magazines and TV shows and attracted millions of starving fans to their doors. They have multiple locations and don’t think I wouldn’t mention it, but so many of us still call it Oklahoma Joe’s.
What I order? Pulled pork Z-Man, French fries and a Boulevard Wheat.
*Please don’t miss the fries, they are the best in the world I swear.
4. Q39
Q39 is still considered a “new kid on the block” because it opened its doors not long ago (actually ten years ago wow) in 2014 but founder and chef Rob Magee started smoking a while ago. He even got a degree from the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America!
Its original location on 39th St. is also always busy and there is no question why. You can smell all the aromas two or three blocks away! Q39 is more of a sit down restaurant. They have a big menu with appetizers and deserts and also a great bar with some pretty good cocktails and beers on draft.
Staff is always super friendly and the vibes in there are a mix of trendy and hip with its touch of countryside and an All-American feel. Gotta love it!
What I order? Triple Threat Sandwich, side of onion straws and a Boulevard Tank 7
*The Mr. Burns sandwich or the Combo Plate are also on my rotation. Deliciousness.
3. Slap’s BBQ
About a ten-minute drive from downtown KCMO in Strawberry Hill (on the Kansas side) is Slap’s BBQ. One of the very best joints in the city! Brothers Mike and Joe Pearce also opened the restaurant in 2014. They also are one of the few restaurants in the city that actively compete on the KCBS circuit each season.
My brother is the one who recommended me trying this spot and also told me SLAP stands for squeal like a pig, thank you for that by the way. By the time I discovered Slap’s I already thought I knew what my top three was but the flavor and juiciness of their meats and the kick in their sauces quickly changed that.

Another thing that I love about this place is that all of their meat is locally sourced and only the best of the best. Slap’s has been also featured in many shows, vlogs, blogs and more like Barstool Sports, UFC star Max Holloway and BBQ Pitmasters.
What I order? Three Little Pigs (two ribs, pulled pork and jalapeño-cheddar sausage), fries and coleslaw and a Dr. Pepper.
2. BB’s Lawnside
The only thing that can make an amazing BBQ experience even better is to listen to live Blues while meat juice drips down your chin. I mean it.
This BBQ/Blues tradition dates back to the 1930’s when Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Joe Turner hung out at the Old Kentucky Bar-B-Q near the historic 18th and Vine District. A fun fact (and probably why food here is amazing) is that the granite stones that were used to build the pit in the 1950’s came from the gravel streets downtown where they served as crosswalks. Granite holds heat and allows for a slow-smoke cooking process.

My favorite thing here is that live music is a permanent item on their menu. Different bands/artists perform Tuesday through Sunday year round.
What I order? Beef Burnt End Sandwich with a side of skillet fries and a Coke.
*Check out the website for the updated monthly music calendar.
1 . Arthur Bryant’s
Just like Ted Lasso, my absolute favorite BBQ restaurant in Kansas City is the historic Arthur Bryant’s near the 18th and Vine District. I swear by Arthur Bryant’s and their amazing vinegary sauces.
From the minute you step foot inside it feels like you’ve walked in to a time machine and traveled to the 1920’s or 1930’s. There are pictures all over the walls with all the famous people who have enjoyed meat from the Bryant family recipe like presidents Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.
This place is all about history. It is located four blocks away from where the Municipal Stadium used to be, home of the then Kansas City Athletics and also the first home of the Kansas City Chiefs. So naturally, on game day the place would be packed with both home and away fans. Everyone talked about that amazing BBQ and so do I.
The renowned New Yorker author Calvin Trillin declared for Playboy Magazine once: The single best restaurant in the world is Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue at 18th & Brooklyn in Kansas City.
What I order? Sliced turkey and pulled pork open sandwich with fries and iced tea.
Anyway, that’s my list. I just want you to know that putting together this list was one of the most challenging things I’ve done in a while. Impossible not to mention outstanding places, which I’m still going to list for you below. Let me know if you agree or completely disagree!
Other spots to try: Jack Stack (loaded baked potato with burnt ends and onion rings), Gates BBQ (The Nooner with fries), Wabash in Excelsior Springs (sliced turkey and ribs), Jones Bar-B-Q (sausage and burnt ends).