Arthur Bryant's BarbequeKansas City, MOBBQMust Order: Burnt Ends SandwichThe granddaddy of KC BBQ since 1908, famous for its thick, vinegary 'Original' sauce slathered over hand-cut brisket piled high on white bread.
Best Food in Kansas City, MO
Burnt ends, legendary BBQ joints, and a burger scene worth the drive across the metro.
79KC Smoke BurgersKansas City, MOBurgersMust Order: Classic Smoke BurgerFamous for its mini-smoker table gimmick and genuinely smoky halal beef burgers, piled with fresh toppings and branded buns on one of KC's most eclectic burger menus.
82WORTH THE DRIVEWestport Flea Market Bar & GrillKansas City, MOBurgersMust Order: Flea Market BurgerCash-only Westport institution praised by Food Network for its house-ground beef patty on a toasted bun, no frills, just one of the city's all-time great burgers.
83WORTH THE DRIVEChef J BBQKansas City, MOBBQMust Order: Texas-Style BrisketAward-winning West Bottoms pit master Justin Easterwood smokes buttery Texas-style brisket and inventive weekly sausage specials like French onion soup sausage.
89WORTH THE DRIVETown Topic HamburgersKansas City, MOBurgersMust Order: Classic KC CheeseburgerOpen 24/7 since 1937, KC's most iconic greasy-spoon diner smashes thin beef patties with grilled onions pressed right into the meat, blanketed in melted American cheese.
82WORTH THE DRIVELC's Bar-B-QKansas City, MOBBQMust Order: Combo Sandwich (Pork & Beef)A legendary hole-in-the-wall open since 1986, where smoky thin-cut pork and beef are stacked three slices of bread high, with the smoker visible right behind the counter.
80WORTH THE DRIVEJack Stack Barbecue (Freight House)Kansas City, MOComfortMust Order: Crown Prime Beef RibKC's most lavish BBQ comfort experience in a soaring converted 1800s freight house, where the crown prime beef rib and lamb ribs make every visit a special occasion.
89WORTH THE DRIVEGates Bar-B-QKansas City, MOBBQMust Order: Sliced Beef & Burnt End Mac and CheeseA KC institution since 1946 famous for the booming greeting 'Hi, may I help you!?' and slow-smoked sliced beef and burnt-end mac and cheese.
82WORTH THE DRIVEQ39Kansas City, MOWingsMust Order: Chipotle BBQ Wings ('Best Wings on the Planet')Chef-driven KC BBQ icon voted best in the city, equally famous for its chipotle-glazed 'Best Wings on the Planet', smoked, grilled, and sauced in sweet-spicy perfection.
81WORTH THE DRIVEThe PeanutKansas City, MOWingsMust Order: Whole Buffalo Chicken WingsKC's most beloved dive bar since the 1940s, celebrated for massive whole Buffalo wings served with legendary house-made blue cheese dressing that locals swear is unmatched anywhere.