Discover Kansas City's barbecue stories

The curated articles all trace Kansas City's deep connection to barbecue, emphasizing local pride, culinary innovation, and national recognition. Kansas City features many well-known barbecue restaurants, from Joe’s, Q39, and Char Bar to Scott’s Kitchen and Slap’s. These places serve signature items like burnt ends, brisket, and barbecue sandwiches.

The articles mention pitmasters competing at events like the KC Smoke Show, where both restaurant teams and competition teams display their skills. The NFL Draft has also become a venue for Kansas City pitmasters to introduce their style to wider audiences. Chiefs players describe their favorite meals, citing dishes such as Jack Stack’s burnt ends and Q39’s brisket poutine.

Stories highlight how newcomers and celebrities experience Kansas City barbecue for the first time, noting stops at legendary spots like Gates Bar-B-Q and Jack Stack. Other features show how restaurants like Jazzy B’s add variety by combining barbecue with live jazz performances and fusing global flavors into classic smoked meats. The city now hosts the first-ever barbecue museum, which offers interactive displays and tours of different regional barbecue styles, further rooting Kansas City as a hub of barbecue history and culture.

No image found

NO. 1: WE ASKED THE CHIEFS TO NAME FAVORITE KANSAS CITY RESTAURANTS. BBQ, OF COURSE, AND MORE

“Barbecue, I love barbecue. You know, that’s been probably my favorite type of food my whole life.” | Published January 25, 2023 | Read Full Story by Lisa Gutierrez

Workers constructed one of dozens of tents on the south lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial Thursday in preparation for the NFL Draft activities. The NFL Draft Experience, interactive football exhibits and games, will take place on the south lawn.

NO. 2: BEST OF KANSAS CITY BARBECUE? YOU CAN BE THE JUDGE AS NFL BRINGS PITMASTERS HEAD-TO-HEAD

On the final day of the draft, fans can watch competitions and taste samples of beloved KC barbecue. | Published April 26, 2023 | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez

No image found

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que is famous for brisket, burnt ends and (of course) ribs. The barbecue restaurant with locations in Kansas City, Kan., Olathe and Leawood was named one of the best restaurants in Kansas by a recent survey conducted by the Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 3: THESE ARE THE BEST BBQ SPOTS IN THE US, YELP SAYS. FIVE ARE IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA

Barbecue restaurants in Texas and Arkansas beat out Kansas City in the rankings. | Published May 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

No image found

Brandon Simpson, owner of Jazzy B’s Diner, has been cooking professionally since his college days. Fans of jazz and ‘cue can get their fill at his spot in Lee’s Summit.

NO. 4: ‘THERE’S ALWAYS ANOTHER DOOR TO OPEN UP.’ JAZZY B’S DRAWS CROWDS WITH BARBECUE, JAZZ

“The more I try to help other people, the more I learn and those other doors open up,” said Brandon Simpson. | Published October 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Janice Phelan

DeAndre Hopkins loved his visit to Gates Bar-B-Q By Screengrab of DeAndre Hopkins TikTok video

NO. 5: CHIEFS’ DEANDRE HOPKINS WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HIS FIRST TASTE OF KC BARBECUE

DeAndre Hopkins asked Kansas Citians what barbecue restaurant he should try next. | Published November 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Pete Grathoff

The Rub & Spice Room at the Museum of BBQ.

NO. 6: KANSAS CITY’S NEW BARBECUE MUSEUM, THE WORLD’S FIRST, HAS SET AN OPENING DATE

The Museum of BBQ will feature nearly a dozen different exhibits and interactive activities. | Published March 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by David Hudnall

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.