Arthur Bryant’s, Gates, Jack Stack, Joe’s Kansas City & Q39 make national ‘must-try’ lists

Between a best ribs list and a restaurant bucket list, there’s been a lot of love out there lately for Kansas City barbecue. Here’s a roundup of local restaurants getting some national attention.

The Daily Meal

Four Kansas City barbecue restaurants are on The Daily Meal’s new “America’s 35 Best Ribs 2016” list.

The Daily Meal, a website covering food and drink topics, asks: “What makes a rack of ribs excellent? Should the meat be falling off the bone? Be doused in a sauce? How tender is too tender? Is there a nice, well-seasoned ‘bark’ surrounding the meat? ..... We take it extremely seriously, because as any ’cue connoisseur will tell you, it’s not just about the meat, but also about regional identity, pride, and the journey to barbecue perfection.”

▪ Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, No. 5: “Arguably the most famous barbecue restaurant in America....the secret to the barbecue here lies in the wood: the hickory and fruit wood used is of the quality more often used for making furniture than for burning. The pork ribs are pink and perfectly smoked, and when slathered with Bryant’s famous orange-red barbecue sauce (made with double-strength pickling vinegar), they’re the stuff dreams are made of.”

▪ Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, No. 9: “....boasts ribs that are a deeply burnished shade of red thanks to a rub heavy with paprika, cumin, brown sugar and chili powder. These ribs are postcard-picture-perfect....moist, juicy, smoky, tender — all those adjectives you thought you knew the definition of will conjure only one image in your mind from here on out: Joe’s pork ribs.”

▪ Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, No. 14: “Jack Stack is a bit of a barbecue anomaly in this order-at-the-window town: there’s table service, a wine list, a nice bar, and even a hostess stand. This isn’t to cover up for a lack of quality, however, this place does everything, and they do it really well. Take the ribs, for example, there are pork baby back and spare ribs, beef back ribs, lamb ribs, and the ‘Crown Prime Beef Ribs,’ three huge slabs of beef short ribs.”

▪ Gates Bar-B-Q, No. 15: “While the menu at this restaurant, which has locations scattered throughout the area, is more varied than you might expect, ribs are the way to go. Lightly seasoned with a secret rub, they’re seared over an open flame before getting the low and slow treatment, resulting in a rib with the perfect amount of char, smoke and tenderness. The tomato- and vinegar-based sauces are so popular that they’re sold nationwide, but these ribs are so good that you should consider eating them sauce-less.”

Thrillist

This leading men’s digital lifestyle brand (which has featured Kansas City many times before) offers “The Great American Bucket List: 50 Restaurants to Try Before You Die.”

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que made the Midwest section: “What was once confusingly named Oklahoma Joe’s has been rebranded with a more accurate name — though, the name isn’t really what’s important here. What’s important is the life-changing slab of ribs you’re about to tear into after a tantalizing wait in line outside Joe’s gas station digs. Check to see when it’s serving up burnt ends (usually Monday and Saturday lunches along with Wednesday dinners) for a double dose of mind-expanding meat Nirvana.”

Business Insider

A business, celebrity and technology news website, Business Insider teamed up with Foursquare for “The 50 best barbecue joints in America, ranked.”

▪ Joe’s Kansas City, No. 1: “Yes, the best barbecue in the country can be found inside a gas station. But don’t judge a book by its cover: Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que serves up award-winning recipes, born out of the proprietors’ love of competition and belief that smoke can transform any cut of meat into a delicacy. The ribs, pulled pork, and Z-Man sandwich — which comprises slow-smoked beef brisket, smoked provolone, and crispy onion rings — are all must-trys.”

▪ Q39, No. 9: “After a series of wins in barbecue competitions, classically trained chef Rob Magee opened Q39 to bring the distinctive flavor of competitive barbecue to the public. Q39’s first batch of meat goes in the smoker at 2 a.m. every day, precisely timed to be hot and ready for the lunch crowd. The dinner meat follows, ensuring that customers only consume freshly prepared food.”

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Arthur Bryant’s, Gates, Jack Stack, Joe’s Kansas City & Q39 make national ‘must-try’ lists."