“Pace yourself…” was a term often repeated during our recent trip to where many consider to be the birthplace of Midwestern Barbecue, and some would argue, the Barbecue Capitol of the World… Kansas City. With approximately 100 bbq restaurants to choose from in the area, Kansas City barbecue has come a long way from the days when Henry Perry, the Father of Kansas City Barbecue, was serving up smoked meats wrapped in newsprint in the downtown Garment District in the early 1900’s. We were able to whittle our list down to ten of the top spots in Kansas City, and for this trip, we went with three solid recommendations from the locals and straddled the line between KCK and KCMO.
First Stop, Joe’s (Original) Kansas City Barbecue
With three locations in the area, we wanted to see where it all began, the Original Joint established in 1996 in a gas station on the corner of 47th and Mission in Kansas City, Kansas. You know that when you are told that you had better get there early to get in line, that’s a pretty good sign. Pulling up, there is no mistaking that you are in the right spot. Joe’s Original is still a fully functioning gas station that happens to house an award-winning barbecue spot inside. Where else can you fill up on the world famous Z-Man sandwich and a tank of premium at the same location? Fortunately, we did arrive early and hit the door at 10:45am. The line was already forming, and it was moving. Fast.
“ Where else can you fill up on the world famous Z-Man sandwich and a tank of premium at the same location? ”
The Legend of the Z-Man sandwich had already preceded our trip, and we ordered that first… almost without even thinking about it. It practically orders itself, and for good reason. The Z-Man is indeed, legendary and has even been attributed to Word Series Champion Kansas City Royals’ hot-streaks. It features sliced smoked brisket and smoked provolone cheese topped with two onion rings and a bit of barbecue sauce, all on a fresh Kaiser roll. It all works beautifully and results in sweet, smoky, hardy sandwich that melts in your mouth.
This is a must for anyone stopping at Joe’s. Heck, for anyone stopping in or driving by Kansas City. It’s that good.
We followed up the Z-Man with a phenomenal pulled pork sandwich, and while it’s no Z-Man, it is deserving a cool catchy name of its own. Served on a fresh bun and pickled on the side, it is delicious on its own. At the urging of General Manager, Jerry Taylor, we dashed it with some of Joe’s ‘Night of the Living Sauce’, and it did not disappoint.
The sauce was complex, and had enough heat at the end to chase us to the refill station to freshen up our drinks. We also had a side of the BBQ beans, which top our list of beans, hands down. These aren’t Aunt Betty’s beans from the family picnic... they are a sophisticated mixture sure to satisfy and a perfect complement to anything on the menu.
Second Stop; Slap's (Squeal Like A Pig) BBQ
Being fans of real, authentic bbq joints, we were eager to get to Slap's, located in the up and coming Strawberry Hill area of KCK. We were pretty pumped when walking towards Slap's because it was clear that THIS was a genuine joint that looked like it had been there for decades, even though that isn't the case. Slap's owners are brothers Joe and Mike Pearce, who grew up not far from where restaurant sits at 553 Central Avenue in KCK. After a wildly successful year on the highly competitive BBQ competition circuit, followed by a razor-thin 2nd place finish on the popular Destination America Barbecue Pitmasters television show, Joe and Mike followed a dream and opened Slap's in June of 2014 and have been off to the races ever since.
When you run into instructions on how to follow the line before you even get inside the door, the anticipation bumps up a few notches. Stepping inside as part of the sinuous community of characters, we couldn't help but ask those around us about their favorites. Everyone answered with something different, and then a careful survey of the tables as we wound around illustrated the same diversity. Almost every plate had something different on it, and we wished we had the time (and room in our already expanding bellies) to try it all
We ordered the Ribs, the Brisket and a side of beans … and of course, the Burnt Ends for dessert. As much as we wanted to dig in right away, we could not keep from just taking it all in, and we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit with both Joe and Mike for quite a while, learning about the history, their experience and their dreams. We sat on their newly expanded enclosed and heated patio where we shared stories and had some great laughs with these two brothers who have something quite special in KCK. Eventually, we got around to digging in, and the goods lived up to the hype.
The ribs were fantastic and it wasn't long before we had a pile of the cleanest bones you may ever see piled on a plate. Sweet, smoky and everything you are looking for in a quality rib. The Brisket didn't disappoint either and the serving size was more than enough. We went with a couple of Slap's signature sides, opting for beans and their unique potato casserole. The beans were sweet and just like mom makes, provided your mom is a champion competition Pitmaster. The potato casserole was a warm savory blend of seasoned spuds that seemed to be tumbled lightly in creamy mustard and ranch. Definitely a winner. Of course, we had to stay for dessert and sample the Burnt Ends. By this time, we were slowing down with one more stop to go, but that didn't stop us from taking our sweet time with those ends.
Joe and Mike are clearly at the start of what will undoubtedly be a long, prosperous and eventful journey with Slap's, and we can't wait to see what's new when we return to the 'Dot in KCK. We loved the atmosphere, the conversation, the neighborhood and of course, the 'Que. We could have stayed all day.
Third Stop; Q39
As we may have mentioned, we really like a good ol' neighborhood BBQ joint. When polling the local KC area fanatics, it was clear that there was a bit of a division between what some may consider "Dirty Barbecue" or "Plaza Barbecue"… pulling up to Q39, it was clear that we were about to experience the latter, but what did that mean?
Like many who are out in front in the barbecue restaurant scene, Chef Ron Magee's history includes years perfecting his craft on the competition circuit. His education, training and degree from the Culinary Institute of America provided him opportunities to hone his trade in some of the finest restaurants across the country, and he has wrapped all of that experience into creating a comfortable, albeit more upscale Barbecue dining experience with Q39. With a cool, comfortable and modern vibe from the time you hit the door, we were immediately greeted by a host and promptly shown to our table. The light industrial-modern décor and furnishings had us scratching our heads for a moment, wondering if this was great restaurant that happened to serve some good barbecue, or was this a barbecue joint in the form of a swanky restaurant? Our server was intimately knowledgeable about every item on the menu and even though we had explained that we had been eating for nearly 4 hours straight, she didn't shy away from an opportunity to showcase some of Q39's best dishes. We took her cue, stayed the course and ordered up the staples. We were visited at our table by Ben, the General Manager, and his enthusiasm for high quality barbecue was evident, and he was eager to share it with us.
The food arrived quickly and the presentation was top-shelf. What had we gotten ourselves into? Full disclosure; as fans of the "Dirty" barbecue joints, it may or may not be accurate that just a little part of us didn't want to care too much for the offerings of what some locals may consider "Plaza" barbecue… That sentiment lasted exactly as long as it took to see the beauty that was placed in front of us, and any misgivings evaporated immediately. The ribs were an outstanding, sophisticated blend of smoke and sweetness. We noticed that the family at the table next to us must have loved them as much as we did.
We asked what they thought, and learned that between this husband and wife, she had been a fan of another establishment, but she admitted that these ribs may have converted her. We enjoyed our conversation with them as we took our time with the incredibly flavorful and tender brisket. When the good folks at our neighboring table saw that we had gotten the burnt ends as well, we had to share, and that's when Q39 had made some real serious fans. The burnt ends at Q39 are the stuff of legend and enough on their own to warrant a road trip. The brilliance of the quality cut, followed by the extraordinarily rich flavor was the perfect way to end a memorable tour of some of Kansas City's very best in barbecue.
