Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Kansas City

FoodAndPhoto // Shutterstock

Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Kansas City

Cooking meat low and slow over an indirect heat source—the only real qualifications for barbecue—is a truly American tradition, going back to indigenous cultures and picked up by early Spanish colonizers who also gave it the name the cooking style goes by now: barbacoa. Today, barbecue is a wildly popular staple across the U.S., with many cities and regions boasting their own take (and all claiming to have the best). Because barbecue meat spends hours upon hours cooking, restaurants are a go-to source for many Americans who would rather not spend all day and all night tending to their flames. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated barbecue restaurants in [metro] on Tripadvisor.

1 / 24

Tripadvisor

#24. Jack Stack Barbecue - Overland Park

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,992 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 9520 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66212-2212
- Read more on Tripadvisor

2 / 24

Tripadvisor

#23. Smokehouse Barbecue-Gladstone Mo

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (120 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 6304 N Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, MO 64118
- Read more on Tripadvisor

3 / 24

Tripadvisor

#22. Pork and Pickle

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (209 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: Kanas City International Airport Inside The Checkpoint In The Terminal, Kansas City, MO
- Read more on Tripadvisor

4 / 24

Tripadvisor

#21. A Little BBQ Joint

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (491 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1101 W US Highway 24, Independence, MO 64050-2338
- Read more on Tripadvisor

5 / 24

Tripadvisor

#20. R.J.'s Bob-Be-Que Shack

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (168 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 5835 Lamar Ave, Mission, KS 66202
- Read more on Tripadvisor

6 / 24

Tripadvisor

#19. Big T's Bar B Q

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (24 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 6201 Blue Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64129-1906
- Read more on Tripadvisor

7 / 24

Tripadvisor

#18. Back Porch Bar-B-q

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (26 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 8500 E US Highway 40 Inside Adam's Mark Hotel, 9103 E 39th St, Kansas City, MO 64129-1640
- Read more on Tripadvisor

8 / 24

Tripadvisor

#17. Big T's Barbecue

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (43 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 9409 Blue Ridge Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64138-3847
- Read more on Tripadvisor

9 / 24

Tripadvisor

#16. Gates Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (159 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1325 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64110
- Read more on Tripadvisor

10 / 24

Tripadvisor

#15. Hawg Jaw Que & Brew

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (22 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 900 Swift Street, North Kansas City, MO 64116
- Read more on Tripadvisor

11 / 24

Tripadvisor

#14. Smokehouse BBQ

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (198 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 104 NE 72nd St Ste J, Kansas City, MO 64118-1830
- Read more on Tripadvisor

12 / 24

Tripadvisor

#13. Gates Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (352 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1221 Brooklyn Ave, Kansas City, MO 64127-1913
- Read more on Tripadvisor

13 / 24

Tripadvisor

#12. Smokin' Guns BBQ

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (312 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1218 Swift Ave, Kansas City, MO 64116-4012
- Read more on Tripadvisor

14 / 24

Tripadvisor

#11. Smokebox BBQ Cafe

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (200 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 10020 N Ambassador Dr, Kansas City, MO 64153-1362
- Read more on Tripadvisor

15 / 24

Tripadvisor

#10. Danny Edwards BBQ

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (147 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 2900 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108-3615
- Read more on Tripadvisor

16 / 24

Tripadvisor

#9. Arthur Bryant's BBQ

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (1,795 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1727 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64127
- Read more on Tripadvisor

17 / 24

Tripadvisor

#8. Smokehouse Barbecue - Kansas City, MO (Zona Rosa)

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (267 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 8451 NW Prairie View Rd, Kansas City, MO 64153
- Read more on Tripadvisor

18 / 24

Tripadvisor

#7. County Road Ice House

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (93 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 100 E 14th St Power & Light, Kansas City, MO 64106-2919
- Read more on Tripadvisor

19 / 24

Tripadvisor

#6. B B's Lawnside Bar-b-que

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (380 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1205 E 85th St, Kansas City, MO 64131-2556
- Read more on Tripadvisor

20 / 24

Tripadvisor

#5. Char Bar

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (518 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 4050 Pennsylvania Ave #150, Kansas City, MO 64111-3024
- Read more on Tripadvisor

You may also like: Most common jobs in Kansas City

21 / 24

Tripadvisor

#4. Jack Stack Barbecue

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,986 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 4747 Wyandotte St, Kansas City, MO 64112-1612
- Read more on Tripadvisor

22 / 24

Tripadvisor

#3. Jack Stack Barbecue - Martin City

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (928 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 13441 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO 64145-1445
- Read more on Tripadvisor

23 / 24

Tripadvisor

#2. Jack Stack Barbecue Freight House

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,844 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 101 W 22nd St Ste 300 Freight House, Kansas City, MO 64108-1954
- Read more on Tripadvisor

24 / 24

Tripadvisor

#1. Q39 - Midtown

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,254 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1000 W 39th St, Kansas City, MO 64111-3859
- Read more on Tripadvisor