The One Question You Should Always Ask About Kansas City BBQ

Start with the beef sandwich at Arthur Bryant’s. It will come with a mountain of fries. Godspeed.

When I meet someone from out of town, they always have two questions. How do you like living in Kansas City? I like it just fine, I tell them. And where should go for barbecue?

This second question is the one we’re going to dive into a bit today. It’s a perfectly valid question and it will result in you having a good barbecue experience in Kansas City. However, if you want to have a great barbecue experience, there is another question you should be asking.

And that question is… where should I go to get the best brisket? Where are the best ribs? Where’s the best chicken?

If you live in KC long enough, you’ll discover the barbecue debate is not about who has the best barbecue overall (there’s 100-some-odd contenders), the debate is about very specific barbecue items. And that’s the way to truly explore the local barbecue scene. Think of it like a scavenger hunt, only where every clue is meat-centric (with the exception of Char Bar’s JackKnife Sandwich, a barbecue jackfruit creation that will challenge your perception of what’s possible with a bit of smoke).

I’ll even start you on your journey. The heart beat of KC barbecue is burnt ends, the crispy bits chopped from the tapered edges of a brisket. Fatty and smoky, burnt ends will awaken a part of your carnivorous soul. And the place you start your burnt end journey is LC’s Bar-B-Q.

So, remember, the next time you’re in Kansas City. Don’t ask for a barbecue recommendation. Ask for the best ribs in town.