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    Chef J BBQ

    4.4 (113 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque
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    Ordering station
    Marty S.

    This was my biggest disappointment of BBQ cuisine ever: 1. Brisket was extremely dry and overcooked. 2. Bacon burnt ends were extremely fatty. 3. Sausage was undercooked. 4. Portion size small (@ allegedly 1/2 lb?). 5. Cole slaw lacked a firm consistency. 6. Provided sauces were very sharp / excessive vinegar. 7. Soda Machine internal ice machine dispenser was broken therefore no ice available and which resulted in warm soda. 8. Bathroom was badly in need of a cleaning. I graciously granted a one star rating to Chef J for their baked beans as they were very favorable / meaty (and the fact you cannot grant a zero rating!)

    Two, 4 meat platter with sides
    Megan H.

    We got two 4 meat platters to try a little bit of everything and the brisket was by far the favorite. The beans and potato salad were my favorite of the sides. We also loved the jalapeño sausage. We got there right when it opened and only waited about 15 minutes to order and there were plenty of seats. The restaurant is unassuming but clean. There is no signs on the door so just look for the big line!

    Sachia P.

    Chef J is located down in the West Bottoms near the Beast. They have the best BBQ. Turkey, Brisket, custom sausage made by staff. Sides are homemade like Mac n cheese, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, cucumber salad, and elotes. Desserts like banana pudding are amazing. Love the authentic atmosphere with KC Photos hanging in the restaurant.

    Trinity platter with 1/2 lb burnt ends added on.
    Aaron P.

    Oh my, my...oh heck yes, Chef J got me wearing my BBQ dress. Best BBQ in KC, and I'm a 48 year old KC native, constant BBQ eater. Sadly KC BBQ has gone corporate and the old institutions are shadows of their former selves. They occasionally still deliver high quality, Q39 being top on that list where they do deliver about 1/4 times you eat there. Honestly Q39 would be me favorite if they delivered, but they don't. Went with 2 other connoisseurs and I think we all agreed Chef J is KC King now and all had our different favorite meat from the platter. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was the best I've ever had. Each tender bite with a snap was an explosion juicy smokey flavor. The brisket was a little dry but still very, very good. Love the bark and smokey fatty flavor. My favorite was the beef burnt ends. I'll be getting a pound of those next time. The bacon burnt ends were good but so decadent you feel like you better eat veggies the rest of the week. The ribs were rock solid. Tender, nice pepper, juicy, smokey. One person in our party said these were his favorite. The sides were lackluster but complimentary, and that's fine, it's not why one visits. I would say go with the mac and cheese. If you're from out of town, and not from Texas, this is the best BBQ in the city you need to try. If you're from Texas, I'd skip our BBQ TBH and try some other restaurants.

    Four Meat Plate - Ribs, Sausages, Brisket,  Bacon Burnt Ends   Sides - Smoked Elotes and Chipotle Slaw
    Carlton C.

    I visited Chef J BBQ with high expectations because of praise from others and anticipation after being turned away due to them selling out on a prior visit day. Unfortunately my experience fell short of the hype and expectations! The first strike was a big one for BBQ - the brisket was dry, tough, and pretty much inedible. It lacked seasoning and smoke, and was so chewy I ended up throwing it away. I moved on to the ribs and after trying two of them discovered they were inconsistently cooked. The meat from one rib came off the effortlessly and the meat was well textured, but another rib was dry to the point it broke in half when I took a bite. Beyond texture, both ribs also devoid of seasoning and flavor just like the brisket. The daily special for sausage was French Onion, which sounded good but turned out to be unremarkable. The bacon burn ends, which I believe was pork belly and not bacon, did not have the succulent, rich, melt in your mouth bite. Alas, I hoped the sides would provide positivity to my experience but the Chipotle slaw did not have a tinge of Chipotle flavor and the elote was a little chewy. I wondered if I had received a bad plate but I looked around and observed several others shake their heads in disappointment and even push away the food after a first or second bite. Twice after trying the brisket. One guy had had a puzzled look after biting into a brisket sandwich, then smothered it in sauce and had a begrudged expression as he continued to eat it. Sadly, and for the first time I threw away most of my food. Such a waste but I simply couldn't eat it. Chef J BBQ was a letdown across the board and I certainly won't be returning and cannot recommend it to others.

    Brisket sandwich
    Christina B.

    We stopped in for the first time and they were almost sold out of most things but my husband got a brisket sandwich and he said it was excellent. The brisket was flavorful and moist and be liked the sauce selection. The place was pretty quiet and casual, it was clean and the service was good.

    Elotes (Mexican street corn). Frito pie with pulled pork and pinto beans.
    Laura R.

    This place is GREAT! There's something for everyone on the menu. From sandwiches to meats to Frito pie!! Sides are delicious too. Service is fast and friendly and ambience is decent. Lots of tables - some tall tables, many various seating arrangements which is nice for different size groups. We will be back!

    Eight minutes open and the line's already out the door!
    Ino R.

    Fantastic end to a KC BBQ trail adventure! There was already a line at the opening time of 11:30, but the smoky meat smell had been permeating through West Bottoms since early morning. I was wandering around an hour earlier and the smell had my mouth watering, totally reminding me of the reason I came downtown. The line moves quickly and soon enough you will have to decide on your order. I decided, reluctantly, on the two meat plate...despite the idea for a sandwich on this visit...let me tell you I would not be disappointed. The potato salad was amazing. The bacon and bleu cheese had the perfect balance of traditional ingredients but then boom pow with blue cheese flavor and creaminess. Of course, the bacon makes it yummier. The hickory baked beans were thick with molasses-y flavor, smokey even. I like the beans, but maybe next time the chipotle helotes (spicy corn)...no, maybe not. I don't know that it would live up to the flavors of the real West or Southwest...but the cucumber salad looked interesting too. Don't miss out on that potato salad though. Now...the meats. I was super impressed with their burnt ends. If they were the best ones I had during the trip. They had a good balance of rich sweet smokiness. These ones are made with pork belly and you can tell as I sliced them up how rich in flavor and juiciness they were. Chef J's is my new KC burnt ends standard bearer. The pork ribs were also done very well. It was fall off the bone, full of flavor. The ribs of which you got three meaty costilles that were crispy yet melted in your mouth. The outer was caramelized like. I was happy with my meat choices. This was an amazing end to my visit to KC. I don't think you would be disappointed coming to West Bottoms and trying anything that is smoked at Chef J's. A must visit.

    This line never ended even after we were finished and we were the first in line at opening (and was 45 minutes early to opening).
    Michael G.

    Chef J BBQ was my brother's number one choice to go to for BBQ based on the recommendation of someone who moved into Kansas City years ago. We made our first stop here for lunch about 1pm and the smell was making us full. We parked and got to the door. A handwritten "Sold Out" sign was taped to it. Not a good start to our vacation. We had to go somewhere else. Of course, we decided to make a return trip the next day. The restaurant opens at 11:30am and we got there this time at 10:45. This time, we were first in line! By the time the restaurant opened, the line was about 30 deep. Turned to be definitely worth the second trip as Chef J was so much better than the other BBQ place we went to (although that was also pretty good). You enter and walk straight to the ordering counter. The large chalkboard menu was hanging from the ceiling. Some written specials were posted on the front of the counter. Today's included a blueberry dessert. I ordered the Beastmode sandwich. This monster sandwich had multiple types of meat including turkey, house made sausage, brisket, pulled pork, and was topped with two ribs. You can also upgrade to a combo which has one side and a drink. They have Coke products here. Yea! My side was smoked elotes (corn). I also had the difficult decision to make for dessert - the everyday served banana pudding or the special blueberry. I went banana. My brother also got the Beastmode and my brother-in-law went with the MVP. This sandwich featured brisket, sausage, pulled pork, and burnt ends. We also ordered bacon burnt ends. The food was amazing. Smoked flavor came popping through, the ribs were tender and so calling my name. The bacon burnt ends were about 1/2 lb of one inch cubes of some of the best BBQ I've had. The banana pudding was good but I've had better. My family had the blueberry which was huge! It was like a smoked blueberry compote and muffin mashed into a pie and smoked again. So good when I tried one of theirs. My smoked elotes had some lime and cheese in there and was a nice complement to the sandwich. Had to have a veggie in there somehow besides the pickles and "slaw" that comes with every plate. All meals come with three small ramekins of three different sauces. One was vinegar based, one mustard based, and one more BBQ saucy. I asked and had the BBQ saucy for all three. I could've eaten at Chef J for every meal and not been disappointed. When we finally left, the line was still going strong. They stay open until sell-out or mid-afternoon, whichever comes first. As I already said, we found out the hard way the first time. We checked out the huge smokers on the side of the restaurant outside. Wish I had one of these bad boys at home! Total just for me was about $38 for the Beastmode with upgrade to a combo and the banana pudding. Definitely make the trip to Chef J for at least one of of your BBQ stops in Kansas City.

    Bacon burnt ends, smoked elote, Mac & cheese
    Taylor K.

    DELICIOUS! Very friendly staff that are quick and efficient. I had the bacon burnt ends, smoked elote, and Mac & cheese. Phenomenal quality!

    Counter with the menu!
    Carson B.

    My wife and I took advantage of the Fourth of July and decided to continue our Kansas City BBQ tour by stopping by Chef J. We came expecting a long line and wait time to get served but we thankfully we arrived early enough and were able to pretty much walk straight up to the counter. The location is pretty no frills but it sits in a very aesthetically pleasing reclaimed warehouse in the West Bottoms. The man that served us at the counters was kind and knowledgeable and pointed us in the right direction for how to order and the lady who checked us out was very kind and talkative. We decided to split a four meat platter with sides of mac and cheese and smoked elote. We ordered the bacon burnt ends, pulled pork, cheddar jalapeño sausage, and brisket! We found that the four meat platter was plenty of food for two and we ordered the perfect amount and walked away full with no leftovers. We wish we could have gotten the Ribs but they were sold out when we arrived. The meal itself was absolutely to die for and I definitely get the hype! The pulled pork, sausage and bacon burnt ends were among the best I've had in KC if not THE best. I will say I wish the brisket was more moist, the mac and cheese had some salt and maybe some other cheeses, and they provided more generous cups for the sauces for dipping and pouring, but they are relatively minor complaints when the meal was near perfect as a while. Some more in depth notes on the meat and sides: - Bacon Burnt Ends: Near perfect and might be my favorite burnt end that I've had in the city, great bacon flavor, bark and seasoning profile were next level. Melted in my mouth. I would have gotten a double order and gotten more of this instead of the brisket they were that good -Pulled Pork: if the ribs were available we wouldn't have ordered this and swapped them out, but I am very glad we had it, because this is easily the best pulled pork I've ever had, well seasoned, cooked perfectly and made me wish we had more, this is definitely worth your time and I can't recommend it enough - Sausage: nearly perfect, good amounts of jalapeño and cheese and carried great seasoning and flavor, was a highlight for me and one of my favorite sausages that I've had in KC. - Brisket: not bad but also the pieces we were served were unfortunately dry and there wasn't a ton of fat content to make up for it. When everyone else says the brisket is perfectly moist and melts in your mouth when they ate there, I'll just write it off as us getting the end of a piece or it sat for a bit due to it being slower because of the holiday. Sides: - Elote: very good and had a good kick! - Mac and Cheese: Just ok, wish it had some more salt and maybe a more robust cheese mixed in to make the flavor pop, but it wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. All in all this is a must try, easily on my Mount Rushmore of BBQ that I've had and tried during my tour of the BBQ scene here in KC, this will absolutely be a must visit spot in the future and I'm already getting excited for it!

    Yotes A.

    I was able to finish work early today, so moved up my visit to Chef J to today instead of tomorrow. Even in the middle of a workday there was a line waiting outside for them to open. And the two strangers in front of me telling me every detail of their experience here. First of all, the place is located in the middle of the historic West Bottoms in KC. This area had many red brick buildings that transports you back to a forgotten era. Chef J BBQ is located in one of these buildings. The interior is also has beautiful brick walls with hard wood floors. If there was a speakeasy bbq joint, I would imagine looking like this. But how can keep such a delicious secret.The brisket was nice and tender and melted in my mouth. The bark was nice and crispy with a peppery bite. I love a peppy bark with a nice amount of smoke. The ribs also had a similar peppery bite, with the tenderness to bite through, but not pull away from the bone. Perfect. The pork belly burnt ends were covered in this wonderful sweet bbq sauce with a crispy exterior and a soft interior. Kinda the feeling of biting into a meat version of a peach. The jalapeño cheddar sausage oozed out each bite a flow of cheese. Of course the meats are great but what I enjoyed between each bite was the broccoli salad. Little pieces of bacon, cranberries, and cashews tossing a chili crisp dressing and was a refreshing bite between the fatty meats. I loved the food and the overall atmosphere created by the building and the interior.

    Travis T.

    Although it took a little while to wait, the food was worth it. The brisket was one of the best I had in Kansas City since it was tender. The ribs and bacon burnt ends were also delicious and tender. The sauces were also spot on since they served as great compliments to the meats, especially the Carolina-style mustard sauce. The beans and potato salad were also delicious. Overall, the experience was good and the only downside is that it's more expensive than many other BBQ places in Kansas City. This is worth trying at least once and worth going back.

    Small drink & sweet bbq sauce, original bbq sauce & a Carolina bbq sauce

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    Food was pretty good . The brisket has been hit and miss on dry or moist but it's pretty good

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    Ask the Community - Chef J BBQ

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    Had an awesome experience at Jack Stack Barbecue. The BBQ was seriously on point, and coming from…read moreHawai'i, the value here is unreal. You get so much food for the price, we ended up taking most of it home lol. We ordered the Round Up and made some swaps, went with the beef brisket, beef burnt ends, sausage, and the crown prime beef rib. Everything was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. The burnt ends were a standout, super tender with that perfect char. The mac and cheese was also solid and hit the spot. The ambience was great, nice balance of upscale and casual with a warm, inviting feel. It's the kind of place you can relax, enjoy good food, and not feel rushed. Service was great too. Our server (I think his name was Thoeun) was super friendly and took good care of us the whole time. Also have to mention the carrot cake... unreal. We're not even carrot cake people, but this one changed that. Highly recommend if you're ever in Kansas City.

    I got the highly recommended burnt-ends in pork and beef. The meat was mostly tender. My favoriate…read morewas actually the butter garlic broccoli and carrot cake. The carrot cake was warm and sweet. The broccoli was delicious with the garlic butter. My friend got the 2 meats combo and he thought the sausage was overly salty. I would like to try the ribs next time. Service was excellent. I also loved their spicy bbq sauce. It had acid, sugar and salt and a hint of bitterness which made it taste really interesting and vibrant. The interior had high-ceiling and carried the ambiance of a steakhouse. I highly recommend making a reservation. We had a 8pm reservation and there were still people waiting outside.

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    We were on a tight drive from Ft. Scott to MCI and had one mission: find true Kansas City-style BBQ…read more-- smoky, not swimming in sauce. Slap's delivered. I ordered the brisket combo with a quarter chicken leg, cheesy corn, and baked potato casserole. My partner went with the brisket sandwich. We grabbed it to go in a hurry... and forgot plastic utensils. Crisis? Maybe. Regret? None. The brisket was perfection -- tender, beautifully smoked, with bark that had just the right texture. The chicken was outstanding too: lightly sauced, deeply flavored, juicy all the way through. Every bite tasted intentional. Even eating it on the go, slightly improvised utensil situation and all, this was some of the best Kansas City BBQ we've had. Would absolutely come back -- preferably with forks next time.

    On a roadtrip and was so excited to pass through KC to try the famous BBQ! Obviously, I can't judge…read morea city's food by one establishment, but I was so disappointed. Got a sampler platter w/ cheesy corn and potato casserole and added burnt ends + ribs to go since I'm traveling with my 2 kitties. Everything was just... bland, especially the brisket and burnt ends. Very surprised the bbq place is so popular when the food is just meh. Was also surprised how cheap the online prices were and turns out, the prices aren't updated. The outdoor seating looks nice, and the staff were friendly, but I would not come back.

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    3.5(2k reviews)
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    Arthur Bryant's was the Kobe Bryant of KCBBQ, not the best, but it's in the top 10. In the…read moreconversation, actually every KCBBQ conversation because of history. While KC is known for their tomato based sauce AB's is known for their pork ribs and molasses based sauce. While Oak is popular in Texas, Hickory is the main wood used here to pair that sweetness with the molasses with a little oak to finish. As one of the most popular/famous BBQ joints in the area and maybe the country the line can be long at times, but generally not time consuming of a wait. Like alot of the big boys they have a great system of cooking and serving. Service is somewhere between big ticket and owner operated. Decor is still gas station with a smoke house, but they have some massive roittiserrie smokers using blast cyclinder design for efficiency. Their ribs are meaty, nice sweet bark, spicy sweet sauce, mellow oqk flavor. The open faced burnt ends are less candy and more charred nuggets, juicy, less unctuous as they grill it to finish. I found their turkey a little dry, could use a longer brine or even better twined to keep tight as the fibers tore too much on cutting making it shredded/shaved rather than sliced. Great sausage, thought I'd have liked some creativity as the smoke doesn't really accentuate it as much as it could if they had other flavors. I still prefer the Texas style brisket as the bark is more pronounced. They even have chicken tenders for the kids which are deep fried, a little overseasoned for kids (yes I had to try it). Baked beans were sweet, thick, rich on the molasses and smoke, but at this point its a bean jam and a little rich. Dirty rice which i thought was a southern thing was fluffy, aromatic, umami, a true side dish. Potato salad was a little dry, potatos were sized all over the place so some were overcooked and some closer to raw. Go casserole next time or get the cheesey corn, but you can't do both, it's too much. The onion rings were crunchy and sweet and went with their sauce amazing. The fries aren't an afterthought and complimentary to their other non brisket/ribs items. Prices are avctually below average, service is quite good, but to me being an OG it really has changed under the new management. I'm not sure i'll need to come here again as this was my 2nd trip here and i'm not sure it's a must eat place anymore. After all the BBQ tours I've done I really do prefer Texas and SC styles and have found other KCBBQ spots that give a better representation of KCBBQ.

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    4.1 miCountry Club Plaza
    $$

    BEST BBQ EVER!!! After a long day at my daughter's dance competition and hours of shopping at The…read morePlaza...I was craving some KC BBQ!!! We drove around KC and every place we stopped at had massive lines - stretching outside of the restaurants. Our patience was wearing thin, but I was bound and determined to eat BBQ. We decided to try one last place...Jack Stack Barbecue at the Plaza. Our hearts sank as we saw yet another long line at the door - an almost two-hour wait. We stopped in to use the restroom and on our defeated-walk back to the car, we noticed a separate area for take-out ordering. I was reading the sign, trying to decide if we wanted to wait for take-out. As we were deciding what to do, out walks a guy [Tyler Wigger] and asks us what we were up to. I give him the entire rundown and he says that he's seen that look on a man before [defeat is what I assume he meant]. He informs me that he is the General Manager and says to come with him - that he is going to hook us up. He takes us to the bar area and tells us to wait for a minute. A table opens-up...and he says this one is for you guys!!! No wait at all - the VIP treatment!!! We all sit down, still in disbelief of what was happening. As we are looking at the menu, here comes some free appetizers courtesy of Tyler Wigger. He did ask me what other places we stopped at. I gave him the list and he said "I bet none of them would do this for you". I can safely assume he was correct. The food was AMAZING...some of the best BBQ we have ever had!!! The service though, was top of the line - I have never had an experience like that in my entire life!!! We definitely enjoyed the VIP treatment!!! It was the experience of a lifetime and something we will never forget!!! Tyler gave me his business card and said to reach-out anytime we are in KC - that he would be sure to hook us up again!!! If you are ever in KC and hungry for BBQ...I highly recommend Jack Stack Barbecue at the Plaza!!!

    Outstanding service, I was surprised it wasn't more busy because it was Mother's Day... nice…read moreupscale ambience.. Food is great as always, and never had the sprouts. They were a little on the salty side, but a nice combination with the burnt ends and then I would suggest getting a side of barbecue sauce if you like barbecue sauce like I do. Bartender was very accommodating and helpful for a nice drink selection for me and my friend

    Photos
    Jack Stack Barbecue - Plaza - Inside

    Inside

    Jack Stack Barbecue - Plaza - Smoked Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

    Smoked Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

    Jack Stack Barbecue - Plaza - Shrimp

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    Shrimp

    County Road Ice House - Full Slab

    County Road Ice House

    3.9(354 reviews)
    1.1 miPower & Light District, Central Business District, Greater Downtown
    $$

    First time here, we got to the restaurant late bit was able to be seated…read more Food: I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich which by the way was great. It's was big and came with fries and a pickle spear. The flavor was good and the portions was a little too much for me but I powered through and conquered that beast. The menu has some really good choices I would recommend trying a couple items to get a better feel of the overall menu choices. Staff: It was late maybe an 1hr before closing time and about 20 of is walked in together. Yup! We were totally those people. Sorry guys, but the staff welcomed it and seated us immediately by placing tables together it was great. Orders were placed and everyone got what they ordered so cheers to the staff on that one. The staff was talkative and thanked us on our way out for stopping by to eat. Great team at this establishment. Atmosphere: It was quiet and I think we were tue only ones in the restaurant but again it was late and last minute. The space definitely looks like sporting events and other televised events could be a really great place to hang out. I don't really know so it may be worth checking it out for yourself. Price: My BBQ pulled Pork Sandwich was about $17 and in my opinion that's really good especially considering the portion size of the sandwich and sides. Location: It's located in Kansas City Mousori in the gas light district.

    Man has this place went downhill, I didn't think it was possible. If warm beer and barely average…read morebbq is your thing, this is your spot. Won't be back.

    Photos
    County Road Ice House - Inside

    Inside

    County Road Ice House - Brisket Nachos.

    Brisket Nachos.

    County Road Ice House - Inside

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    Inside

    Chef J BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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