Is KC the best barbecue city in the country? This new Yelp ranking may burn
A new ranking lists Kansas City as one of the top cities in the United States for barbecue, but it just misses out on the top spot.
The crowd-sourced review website Yelp published its 2025 list for the “top BBQ cities in the U.S.,” and the birthplace of burnt ends placed No. 3 in the eyes of reviewers. It’s the first year that the review site put cities head-to-head.
The state of Texas claimed superiority over Kansas City; Austin and San Antonio were ranked No. 1 and 2.
The rankings come after lifestyle magazine Southern Living named Arthur Bryant’s BBQ the best barbecue restaurant in Missouri.
Yelp determined its rankings using metrics on its website like consumer interest in barbecue, total business count and average business rating. The review website limited this year’s list to two cities per state to ensure geographic diversity.
Kansas City earned its reputation as a top barbecue destination because of its sauce and burnt ends, Yelp said. The city rounded out the top three thanks to its “wide selection of meats, hickory-smoked flavors and a signature sweet and tangy barbecue sauce,” according to Yelp.
“Restaurants like Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, which boasts more than 3,500 5-star reviews, are famous for serving their meats with that signature tangy-sweet Kansas City-style sauce,” Yelp said. “The burnt ends are a local specialty, made from the crispy, flavorful end pieces of smoked brisket; they’re especially popular at restaurants like Jack Stack Barbecue and Q39 Midtown.”
Yelp’s 2024 list for the best barbecue restaurants in the United States saw five Kansas City spots make the top 100 based on the rating and number of reviews. Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que came in sixth, with Yelp noting its burnt ends and Z-man sandwich as customer favorites.
Q39, Scott’s Kitchen and Catering at Hangar 29, Slap’s BBQ and Char Bar were the other restaurants from the area featured in the top 100.
What did Yelp rank as the top 10 barbecue cities in the United States?
Austin, Texas, was the No. 1 city for barbecue in the United States, and San Antonio claimed the No. 2 spot ahead of No. 3 Kansas City. The rest of Yelp’s top 10 list includes:
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Honolulu
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Durham, North Carolina
- Nashville, Tennessee
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
