Barbecue

Let's time-travel back to 1957. The world was cast into the "Space Race" with the launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. In America, Jailhouse Rock was climbing the charts, while Elvis purchased Graceland. Frisbees first hit the market and The Music Man opened on Broadway. (You can read our article about the composer here.) While all of these events were taking place, here in Kansas City we were seeing the start of what would become a family tradition. Russ Fiorella launched his barbecue eatery with a modest menu of a few meat options. From this humble beginning, the Jack Stack Barbecue [...]

It feels a little repetitive to mention that we live in a city filled with amazing barbecue restaurants. While we may not have sandy beaches or snow-capped mountains, any given day can bring the smell of grilling meats wafting across the landscape. When we are looking for southern BBQ in Kansas City, we have a few nice options. One that has gained quite the reputation for food and fun is Char Bar, located at 4050 Pennsylvania in Westport. Sporting a retro feel, this "meat-ateria" has found a way to give off a major backyard barbecue vibe. A Flurry of Activity Dropping by on [...]

Living in Kansas City means there is no lack of barbecue. In fact, many of us believe it to be home to the best of the best. Traditional BBQ restaurants offer a range of smoked meat sandwiches, slabs of delicious ribs, and Midwestern sides. The Junction decided to put a twist on their menu and we couldn't be happier. One look at the cover of the menu elicited promises of unique eats. We couldn't wait to see how their modern flair would bring an intersection of flavors. Newcomer to the Biz The Junction is located at 12804 Santa Fe Trail Drive, in Lenexa, [...]

On any given day you are likely to smell the aroma of barbecue in Kansas City. The very fabric of the community is saturated with the intoxicating scent. Breaking the barrier to become a successful BBQ restaurant in this town is no easy feat. Chef J has learned this lesson as the new kid in town. Working out of one of the historic warehouses in the West Bottoms, his days are spent tending a smoker. Moving beyond the traditional First Friday weekend, you will find him serving up delectable dishes every weekend. Chef J BBQ, at 1401 W. 13th Street, is carving out [...]

Breaking the BBQ barrier in Kansas City isn't easy. On any given day, the smoky aroma of barbecue permeates the very fabric of the city. It isn't reserved just for game days or the Fourth of July. Barbecue is the lifeblood of the city. The idea of launching a new restaurant in this atmosphere can be more than unnerving. So many have come and gone, while there are the standards that have stood the test of time. Every once in a while, new blood will rise up and challenge the hierarchy for a chance to join this elusive club. We traveled to Midtown [...]

While many of us are happy to see 2020 wrapping up, there were still some good things that came out of this year. Our hometown Kansas City Chiefs have been sailing to another playoff berth. Since we are still finding a lot of lockdown situations, game time has become a home event. That suits us, since the best seats are those on our couch. Of course, that doesn't preclude us from enjoying ourselves, we have just had to learn the art of tailgating COVID style. Many of you have been with us for years, and probably remember when my old blog was mostly [...]

As we approach the one month mark, since our hometown implemented the "Stay At Home" rule, we find ourselves adapting to this new reality. While we all hope it is temporary, we know that there is the possibility that it will remain around, in some form, for many months. In the meantime, we are working at finding ways to incorporate our local small businesses into everyday life. Shopping is pretty much out the window unless you need groceries, toiletries or lumber. There is still the opportunity to eat dinner prepared outside of our kitchen, but it requires being willing to pursue creative carryout [...]

Let's face it, us Kansas Citians have a thing for barbecue. There may be other cities that claim the crown for this delectable cuisine, but there is a reason that the World Series of BBQ is held in our hometown. For those needing more proof, just drive by Arrowhead Stadium before a Chiefs game, and take a whiff of the smoke-filled air. We have taken 'Cue beyond the backyard and turned it into an iconic symbol of our city. What we really enjoy is the variety of sauces that can be found throughout the metro. Our local favorite is Big Q Bar-B-Q, located [...]

It seems the whole world has seen or read something about Joe's KC Bar-B-Que. When we think of barbeque restaurants nearby, this is one of the most well-known. A visit to one of their restaurants will usually result in taking a turn at the waiting game. Although the lines may be long, Joe's staff has refined the ordering process to a fine art. This helps them serve the largest number of customers in an efficient manner. Prestigious Past Even though their delectable dishes are familiar to many, the story of their rise to fame is less well known. Kansas City is a BBQ [...]

We can always count on one thing happening when we release a restaurant article in Kansas City. It will create a lot of conversation among the KC Foodies, which almost always results in a list of more restaurants to add to our "Need To Visit" list. Such was the case for Blind Box BBQ, which was mentioned by a few readers after we posted a previous barbecue article. We made plans to drop in to what we thought was a newer KC BBQ joint. Located at 13214 West 62nd Terrace, in Shawnee, this place has actually been open for around three years. It [...]