On The Road: Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Kansas City Kansas

After leaving St. Louis and heading west we drove through Kansas City and you can guess that BBQ was once again on our mind.

Scott did some research and came upon Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue.  Touted as the best in Kansas City and listed as Anthony Bourdain’s “top places to eat before you die”, we knew that we’d be stopping there.

We pulled up on a Saturday afternoon just in time for lunch and just in time to stand in line. Thankfully we arrived right between waves so our wait in line wasn’t nearly as long as it was at Pappy’s. (FYI: that link plays music)

Again we loaded up because, well, we love BBQ and we were on a road trip across the country. Leftovers are a great luxury to have!

First up was pulled pork and coleslaw.

The pulled pork was tender, juicy, and packed with flavor.  I realize that is a very stereotypical food blogger description but really that just sums it up well.

The coleslaw was mayo based but it was so light on mayo it was hardly offensive.  Crispy, clean, and cool, it went well with the pulled pork.

A full rack of ribs.  Since this was Kansas City style BBQ this meant that the ribs had a rub and some sauce on them while they smoked.  Perfection and my rib style of choice.  These had a little less meat on them but still were tender with great flavor.

There were two sauces at the table to use, the house sauce and then a spicy version.  I stuck with the house sauce which had a sweet tang to it.  I loved putting it on the ribs, making myself a complete mess in the process.  I was thankful for the roll of paper towels at the table!

We also got:

  • 1/2 pound of Burnt Ends
  • Side of Baked Beans
  • Order of Fries
  • 1/2 a Smoked Chicken

We were super excited to try the burnt ends, which were tasty but not quite as stellar as we hoped.  Both of us agreed that it would probably be better on a sandwich, which is the preferred option.  We wanted to dip them in sauce which is why we got them as a side.

The baked beans seemed to be made either with pork or possibly a chili as a base for the sauce.  They also used different kinds of beans which brought a nice change and texture to the side.

The french fries were amazing and I highly recommend ordering them.  They were super crispy and seasoned with BBQ style spices.

But the chicken? I’m still dreaming about the chicken.

It was a last minute decision.  I saw a plate of it come out and knew that I needed to get some!  It’s rubbed down with seasoning mix and smoked to perfection.  It’s full of flavor,   tender, juicy, and falling apart goodness.

I ate most of the chicken and Scott had to fight me for some bites.  Looking back we should have ordered a whole chicken!

If you are in Kansas City, KS and looking for some great BBQ, check out Oklahoma Joe’s! And don’t be put off about eating in a gas station because great food can come from anywhere!

6 thoughts on “On The Road: Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Kansas City Kansas

  1. Kendric says:

    Glad you could enjoy my favorite BBQ joint. The fries are about three quarters of the reason I go there! :-) I’ve never had the chicken… I’ll have to try it out.

    As for burnt ends, try Arthur Bryant’s next time you’re in town.

  2. Fabulous review! Now I feel as though I need to go to the location and truly experience it — we just had take out when we tried it. The ribs were a definite hit, though. The bread and pickles on top were hilarious! All in all, I think the beans may have been my favorite. :) Wish I would have tried the chicken!

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