This big BBQ sandwich practically falls apart when you eat it. That’s half the fun

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Sometimes there’s a sandwich … I won’t say a delicacy, ‘cause, what’s a delicacy?

But sometimes, there’s a sandwich. And I’m talking about the Burnt Heaven at Char Bar here.

Sometimes there’s a sandwich, well, it’s the sandwich for its time and place. It fits right in here. And that’s the Burnt Heaven in Kansas City.

When I walked into Char Bar in Westport last week, I could have sworn I had been eating there – and having the Burnt Heaven – for over a decade. As it turned out, the restaurant has only been open since late 2014.

But the fact that I felt like I had been eating the Burnt Heaven for that long speaks to what a big impression the sandwich has made on me. Regardless of the occasion, I order the Burnt Heaven nearly every time. It’s not so much a sandwich as a BBQ platter between buns.

First, there’s the sausage — pork butt and chuck tender with garlic and other seasonings. Then you add the burnt ends, which have been smoked 12 hours overnight with hickory wood, said Char Bar executive chef Drew Prewitt. Add ‘slaw, fried jalapenos and chipotle BBQ mayo and you’ve got a Burnt Heaven.

Of course, when you pick it up half the sandwich will fall out. But to me, that’s half the fun – there’s practically half a meal remaining after you eat it.

I’ve been coming to Char Bar for years, long before I moved to the Kansas City metro. It’s a stylishly appointed but casual barbecue spot just up the street from Kelly’s. There’s a large lawn area for summer time, and an attractive U-shaped bar inside.

Years ago when I lived in Lawrence, Char Bar was a great spot to meet up with friends for a late Sunday lunch during a day-long visit to Kansas City. These days it’s always on my short list for lunch or dinner when I go out – and I’ve been known to stop for weekday lunch if I have the day off. I order the Burnt Heaven, of course.

I’m not alone. Prewitt said the Burnt Heaven, at $15, is Char Bar’s best-selling sandwich.

“We sell probably a good 100 of these a day at least,” Prewitt said.

It’s not hard to see why.

The flavors are grand. The smoke from the burnt ends, along with the spice of the sausage and the jalapenos give the thing some heat that’s balanced by the creaminess of the slaw and mayo. It’s not overly smothered in sauce – the meat is the star.

Still, sauce is available at your table, if you’re into that sort of thing. I recommend at least trying it first as served.

When I first told Sharon Hoffmann, an editor at The Star, that I wanted to write about the Burnt Heaven for Let’s Dish, she said it would be the first time barbecue has been featured. I hesitated — this is Kansas City, after all, and writing about barbecue felt like touching a third rail.

So I’m not wading into whose barbecue is best. I’ll leave that to comment sections and Reddit threads.

What I will say is that the Burnt Heaven is my favorite sandwich in Kansas City. Because it’s delicious. Because it’s been my go-to for years. Because it’s always there.

The sandwich abides.

This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 5:30 AM.

Jonathan Shorman

The Kansas City Star

913-735-3689

Jonathan Shorman was The Kansas City Star’s lead political reporter, covering Kansas and Missouri politics and government, until August 2025. He previously covered the Kansas Statehouse for The Star and Wichita Eagle. He holds a journalism degree from The University of Kansas.