Okay, this was such a fun find. We originally stopped by Merchant Square to antique shop, but honestly? American Way Smokehouse deserves its own reason to visit. I went with the pulled pork sandwich, and the meat was ridiculously juicy, tender, and packed with flavor. But the real standout? The toppings bar. SO many pickles, sauces, and toppings to mix and match so you can build your perfect BBQ bite (which I fully took advantage of ). They also have drinks, cookies, and other extras if you want to make it a full lunch stop between shopping. I love when a place feels a little unexpected, and BBQ inside a giant antique mall with 400+ vendors definitely fits that. It's easy to see why they've won awards--great food, fun concept, and absolutely worth the stop if you're around Kansas City or Independence. read more

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There was a lot of things that I liked about American Way Smokehouse. The decor is Midwest rural Americana with old bicycles hanging from the ceiling, lots of vintage business signs, faux brick walls, celebrity photos and midcentury appliances and artifacts They have done a great job on turning this suburban strip mall into what appears a small-town BBQ Joint or roadhouse. This makes perfect sense since they are connected to a large antique mall. I ordered the two-meat platter with 2 sides for $20 but paid $6 extra because of my meat choices - Burnt Ends and Pastrami; my sides were tallow fries and brisket chili. The fries and chili were ok, but I would probably order different sides on a return visit. The chili beans were the dominate flavor and I didn't really taste the brisket. Fries were great to sample the sauces - and sauces were plentiful. Standard KC style sweet, sweet and spicy, Carolina mustard, Alabama white, aioli.... The large condiment bar also had plenty of pickled things - beets, jalapenos, onions, and 3 different cucumber options - dill, bread and butter and spears. There was even a counter on the west wall with 50+ different bottles of hot sauces. Five stars for condiment options. The other FIVE-star offering was the pastrami! This was the most tender, well cured and thickest cut pastrami that I have ever eaten. Absolutely fantastic and I would love to return and have a big ole Pastrami Sammy in the near future. Now for the sad part - the Burnt Ends - these were some of the worst that I've ever had. They were dry and left a greasy aftertaste. I hope travelers don't pull off of I-70 to sample KC BBQ and think that these are representative of our city's greatest culinary invention. Pastrami, condiments, sauces, and decor - 5 stars. Sides - 3.5 stars Uninterested young adult front-of-house staff - 2 stars. Burnt Ends - 1 star. Rounding up to 4 stars because of the fabulous pastrami. read more

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The environment was uncomfortable. The person that took our order couldn't answer any questions because she didn't officially work there (she worked next door & was helping out because they were understaffed). While we were eating the staff that arrived after we got our food were chatting about their young adult lives in uncomfortable detail (talking with each other but loudly so it was hard to not hear). The decor was questionable and made me feel unsafe. As to the food, it was ok. The sausage was not good and had a very odd texture. The ribs and burnt ends were ok. The sauce options were the highlight of the establishment. read more

We had our fur girl with us so we needed to find a dog-friendly restaurant. BBQ sounded good and none of our top favorites have outdoor seating, so we saw the American Way Smokehouse and decided to give it a try. It was mid-90s but there was a strong breeze and the picnic tables were partially shaded, so it worked for us. The burnt ends were moist and pretty flavorful. The brisket was cut too thin for my taste and was dry. It was late in the day, so maybe that explains the dryness. The ribs were flavorful, the end pieces were dry compared to the center bones. The Mac and cheese was creamy and tasty and the baked beans were also good, as were the fries. The BBQ sauce is mostly sweet, but they do have a spicy sweet. It is always fun to try something new. read more

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Car appetite is a phenomenon that's fiercer than almost all hungers, with post-swim famine being one such exception. So what better way to salvage a morning lost to I-70 than a bodacious summertime barbecue? Squeezed between an out-of-business Marsh and your grandfather's favorite antique shop, we find our subject smokehouse. Upon entering you'll find a decorum that's an extension of gramp's haul, for better or worse an amalgamation of patriotism. My ordering science for meat-forward restaurants rests on the laurels of supporting actors. That slab of meat is the proverbial driver, while an accoutrement of bread or tater or soup or what have you is the proverbial putter. Flash and functionality need to be dancing for BBQ to snap, crackle, and pop! Sadly, the American Way gave me no flash and no functionality. My "one meat plate" was leaving me one step short again and again. Pickles, which were abundantly free, became my 'tween bite crutch. Where's that flavor X-factor, that tekky Moroccan winger who can go win you a game? I will end with a big shoutout for the gentleman bussing tables. He was very vested in my enjoyment of the space and cleared tables with an unmatchable work rate. Keep it rocking my guy! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Outside - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

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Had the burnt ends sandwich and sweet potato fries, delicious! Service was fast and friendly. Setting is in a struggling strip mall, but the place is attached to a great antique/junk shop and decorated to match, with a side entry to the antique store. Good food, worth a tey if you're nearby. read more

(Part from original review from June 2026) * We have eaten here several times in the past; and it's always been very delicious. The brisket is my favorite... It's the most tender brisket I've ever had. Second to the brisket is the pulled pork. Which is also very tasty and moist. The serving sizes are generous, and the ambiance is what you'd expect of a well thought out Kitchy Southern-Style BBQ joint. They have a condiment station with various different types of sauces to delight most any person's taste buds. Their sides are good, but a bit controversial for my tastes. 1 love the beans, however, I'm not exactly a big fan of the potato salad. It's a bit untraditional, but not necessarily in a bad way. But I'm more of an old fashioned southern style potato salad person... I prefer the egg and mayonnaise style the best. Our service was provided by Cassie and Emerson... They were a breath of fresh air. We will definitely be returning. I can't wait to try the tender ribs. The pictures are of the burnt ends and the pulled pork. Also baked beans, Mac and cheese. read more

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I've had 2 extremely different visits. The first time i ordered carry out so I could ask questions first. They are very knowledgeable about food handling to prevent gluten cross-contamination and friendly on our first visit. Their food was great. The burnt ends were meaty, the smoked turkey breast was juicy , they remembered all out sides and their gf bun was awesome for my fiancée's pulled pork sandwich. My second experience was a polar opposite. The girl was disinterested in helping customers at the counter once I arrived to do an online pickup. They forgot my up charged sides, the burnt ends were almost entirely fat and the bread in my 2 meat meal was dried out. I'd say try at your own risk read more

First time here. We ordered the brisket sandwich and the brisket dip. Their brisket was fall apart tender and the serving size was sliced generously. Their regular sauce is on the sweet side and the spicy more to my taste. Service was great and the decor gives off both sporty and KC vibes. If you're in the area definitely give it a try! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Brisket Dip sandwich with sweet potato fries - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

This was a great surprise! I've come here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. Had the burnt ends and brisket with sweet potato fries each time. Added turkey for the dinner visit. KC as a ton of BBQ options. This held its own with them all. Definitely making a return visit! read more

I thought the food was okay. The restroom was kind of gross and I saw a cockroach unfortunately. Seeing one in the bathroom means the place is most likely riddled with them. read more

Tried this new BBQ spot, the brisket was okay but the sausage was spot on. The beans had good flavor and the fries, well they are fries. The restaurant has some really cool sports stuff on the walls and is inviting, you order at the counter and the bring it to the table. I would eat here again. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Two meat plate with beans and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

I've come past this place a few times since it opened, and I really love the market it is attached too. I de died to try this with my partner for the first time today. We ordered fried pickles, burn end sandwich, pulled pork sandwich (not pictured), Mac n cheese and a brownie. When we first got in, we were greeted warmly, it was great. We asked our questions and got recommendations from the staff, he was super friendly and super helpful. I really enjoyed that none of it came sauced and you add your own sauce. The fried pickles were unique! Never seen strips like that and it was so good. The Mac was cheesey and warm and everything was pretty much sharing size. I'm surprised I finished it all. The brownie was soft and chewy and just perfect! My partner and I are already making place to come back. The store was clean and the music was a great volume, not too loud but not too quiet either. read more

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I was disappointed with my food and so was Mr. G. I GOT 2 PULLED PORK sandwiches, one with a side of beans and the other a side of coleslaw. I also ordered a half pound of burnt ends. The pulled pork was not pulled. It was in big chunks. Not sauced and only sauce on the side. Sauce was OK. The beans were good but nothing to write home about. The slaw was more like coarsely chopped cabbage with sauce. The burnt ends were not real burnt ends. I'm a purest and burnt ends are beef, not pork. These burnt ends were pork, lacked smoky flavor, were really fatty and had very little burnt crust. If you want barbecue flavored food, go here, but if you want a true KC barbecue experience, you won't find it here. read more

Holy smoke! Lifelong KC resident and huge BBQ fan! First visit here and this might be my favorite BBQ in Kansas City now. That's a bold statement but it is a must try. The strip center setting is unassuming and interior feels like a legit KC BBQ spot. The sauce bar and pickle bar is a great addition to exceptional BBQ. Burnt Ends melted in your mouth and Brisket was great. Pulled Pork was average, the beans were more meat than beans and not super sweet. The Mac-N-Cheese is the best. I'd skip the coleslaw though, not much flavor. But if you have a sweet tooth grab a cookie, they are great. We'll be back for sure! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Mac-N-Cheese and Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

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Love the food! Got the 3 meat combo plate with onion rings. Their different sauces are also soooo good. You get your own sauce at the bar. Service is awesome. Live the dining area. Definitely coming back again. read more

Very good food. Quaint place. Plenty of seating but can get packed quick. Real beans served. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Burnt ends, chicken, sweet potato fries and the realest beans you'll ever have. - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Been here about ten times since it opened!!! Big thick delicious ribs, best slaw in Missouri! Wonderful staff!!!

Great find. We are from out of town and stumbled upon this place. Amazing customer service. Good food. My brisket was a little dry but it was still falling apart and flavorful. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Glad to report the ribs were perfect good job moist etc etc !!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!

Pretty gutsy opening a BBQ shop in the KCMO area, but American Way has the food o back up the swagger. Brisket was excellent due to the cook, the slice, and amount put on the bun. Same with the Burnt Ends. Tea was perfect for the food offerings (strong). Tried the regular, spicy, & chipotle sauces, all excellent. Over 30 hot sauce bottles to customize with. All kinds of accouterments (2 pickles, jalapeños, onions) to enhance an already perfect taste. Beans were several kinds which sets them apart. The beans were runny, making them perfect for dipping the HOT and crisp French Fries in. Service was great with only one kink. The cashier couldn't speak to the house slaw as she hadn't tried it. Our sandwiches were brought to the table in reasonable time. The ambiance of the place was really nice. Old-school atmosphere with country music playing at a decent level (we could still talk). Prices were on the high-end, but reasonable when one considers all that goes into creating and preparing this genre of food. We will be back with friends. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Burnt Ends, Brisket, Sweet Potato Fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

We stopped in for lunch after browsing around Merchant Square. American Way is right next to it and you can get to through Merchant Square or through the restaurant front door if you don't want to shop. Anyhow we placed our order at the counter, I ordered the burnt end sandwich along with fries, the bun that the meat came on was big and tasted fresh-not sure if they bake their own. My parents ordered the 2nd at plate with burnt ends and not sure what else besides sweet potato fries. My mom also ordered some fried mushrooms-they were a little small and slightly overcooked but they were still good! They have a condiment area with pickles, peppers, onions, and bbq sauce. I opted for the original bbq sauce which was ok, it tasted a little sweet for me, the also had a spicy sauce however I did not try it. They had beer available as well as a soda fountain machine and cookies which kind of reminded me of crumble cookies. We all agreed the burnt ends tasted delicious. After we ate our lunch we wondered back over to shop at Merchant Square. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Burnt Ends with Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

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Saw a new spot and decided to give it a try. American way is connected to a vintage market by the same owners. We took a stroll through the vintage store, then headed over to the restaurant. I like the decor. Matches the vintage look of the merchant shop. There are plenty of tables. You order at the counter and then they bring your food to your table. At the counter you see an assortment of baked goods. Nice to enjoy while you wait for your food, or maybe after. There is also a sauce and condiment station to grab extras for your meal. There was a variety of hot sauces, bbq sauces, and toppings. I had a 2 meat plate with burnt ends, chicken, beans and sweet potato fries. The burnt ends had a great flavor and they were juicy and tender. A little too fatty but still, very good. The chicken also had a good flavor, but it wasn't as juicy: I also didn't expect to get chopped up pieces of chicken. It was kind of chopped up like the burnt ends. I was expecting whole pieces. I liked the beans and sweet potato fries were good. I also tried the ribs. They were okay. They didn't really taste like they were smoked or cooked on the grill. Jace one of the owners stopped by our table to see how we were enjoying our meal. He ended up telling us a little about the journey from Arizona to Kansas City. It's nice to have another spot close by to grab some bbq. read more

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OMG the food is to die for! The brisket and chili are so good. Also the customer service was top notch. Super friendly. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Team Domko from San Antonio - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Service was standard nothing special. Ambiance was ok If this is your idea of good BBQ you have lived a sheltered life. If you have to add BBQ sauce to the meat to flavor it. It isn't smoked. Obviously the brisket needed sauce. Chicken you could actually taste the smoke. Beans were good. Probably not coming back. read more

I ordered 1 pastrami plate with coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. The pastrami is extremely dry. Good bbq atmosphere but sadly I cannot recommend the place. read more

Food was great. Burnt ends melt in your mouth. Original bbq sauce is thick and sweet. The house slaw is my favorite slaw ever. Very cute and old time-y inside. Jennifer was great! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Tried this place tonight. The order was slightly messed up but they fixed it quickly. Ambiance is casual. Service was good but could be more knowledgeable on allergy stuff. Overall good but going to be hard to compete with all the BBQ here in KC. read more

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Great ribs cooked perfectly. The sauce was a little sweet for me but spicy sauce is available to fix that. My wife's pulled pork was spot on. Great flavor and very tender. There are a lot of choices for sides. We tried Cole slaw (average) and the Brisket Chili (outstanding and highly recommended) Service was friendly and really fast. Plenty of seating in a nice atmosphere when we were there but I imagine it could fill up fast. We will be back when in the area. read more

We love the bbq here! The beans were amazing! The first time we had ribs and 2 sides. Loved the ribs. Tender and very tasty There sauces were outstanding. The second time we got the 3 meat plate. Both times it was more than 2 could eat. Friendly staff that answered our questions. Can't wait till we go back! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Ribs and beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

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No line when we walked in. Lots of eclectic tables well spaced, very friendly staff, food was great! The original BBQ sauce has a sweet, but not too sweet flavor. HUGE amount of hot sauces to self serve from. And I'm definitely getting bakery items on my way out. Would eat here again for sure!! read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Pulled pork and sweet pot fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Zander and Emily are great. Top teir employees. Food was outstanding and most desirable. Excited for my second visit.

The BBQ brisket was tender and good. The turkey was moist and very good. The fries were solid. The in-house made sugar cookie with cream cheese frosting was just the right amount of sweet. Good vibes here with friendly service. We'll be back. read more

I got a kids meal turkey sandwich. The turkey was moist and tasty. The BBQ sauces were good. Fries, hot and good. We got an iced sugar cookie, yum! Overall, no complaints. I'll come again. read more

Food was phenomenal. Best barbecue I've had in a long time if not ever. Both the staff and the owner were very helpful and friendly. My friend and I had a conversation with them as we were there late and were the only customers in the restaurant. Left a good size tip as it was well deserved. Owner was so kind he gave a full stack of ribs! Will definitely be visiting again before moving. If not for the food, then for the service. read more

Bakery was fantastic and meat was delicious. portions were very generous. loved the antique store next door too, highly recommend. 10% military discount read more

The brisket sandwich was great. The homemade roll paired so well with the superbly cooked brisket. read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Awesome food, decorations, and service. Would definitely recommend eating here. It is a must see

Very delicious tender meat smoked just right I would recommend this to anyone that's not from kc great service read more

American Way Smokehouse - Kansas City BBQ - Burnt ends sandwich with fries - Barbeque Near Me - Independence, Missouri

Delicious food! Fun place with a very cool flea market next door! Jenn was an incredible server!