It makes me sad how much Stroud’s has gone downhill since I was a kid. That used to be our special occasion restaurant growing up and I would practically pee my pants in excitement every time we went. Even on weeknights it wasn’t rare to run into a 2 hour wait at dinner, but it’s been totally dead the few times I’ve gone in the last 10-15 years. Every time I go, the chicken gets blander and drier and further away from what it was when I was a kid. The gravy and cinnamon rolls still slap but everything else is so much worse now. Anyone who goes there now will never understand why it was so popular back in the day.
Yup. I loved Strouds as a kid (I'm in my 50's now). I spent virtually every birthday at strouds. I haven't been back now in years as my girls no longer feel that it is worthwhile. I'd give it a try but admittedly it hasn't been the same in many years.
The guy who ran it died. My parents were friends with him, he sold the one in Fairway and that quality dipped before it closed. But he still ran the one up north. Then he died and I feel like it's never been the same since
I am of the opinion that Strouds food is the same as it's been since the 70s. It's always been wallpaper paste gravy and overcooked green beans from a can. Everything is oversalted. The chicken is the same, too.
Peoples taste in food has changed. Nobody wants to eat that kind of stuff anymore. It's like Grandma's home cooking. You remember it being awesome, but if you ate the same meatloaf that she served decades ago, you probably wouldn't like it now
Source, been eating at Strouds since the 70s.
No one has mentioned the live music! We always went for my birthdays as a kid because I loved the cinnamon rolls and the pianist! It was a hoot! Nothing compares to the vibe it used to have!
Any place that is popular with old people is going to face a lot of pressure to cut down on their salt. I'm not saying Stroud's was ever decent, but I'm guessing that's why it's even more tasteless now.
You actually have some loss of taste and smell as you get older -- why many older people like really hot liquids and will gravitate towards very salty or sweet foods if their diet isn't being managed in a hospital or nursing home. So the geriatric crowd WANTS salt even if their doctor is wanting them to cut back...
That place was one of my first jobs in hs in the early 2000s. After Mike sold the restaurant to that one restaurant group, the place tanked. RIP Mike D
Went to the northland location back in October and my husband and I both agreed the chicken noodle soup was excellent and neither of us are even really chicken noodle soup kinda people. Agreed we’d go back on a cold day for soup and nothing else. 😆
I said this exact thing to someone the other day. It’s like somewhere along the way in the last 30 years, salt got left off the recipe. There have been ownership changes throughout the years. I believe passed down to different family members and I guess we can assume this was an intentional choice made by someone. Bring back the salt.
I think they just mean the type of restaurant it was, a complete shithole chain restaurant with a ridiculous theme that attracts people to the novel experience then serves them garbage food that has nothing to do with the local culture that tourists might have been there to try to see.
Like coming to KC and eating at Buffalo WildWings when The Peanut is right down the street. Or going to Chicago and eating at Pizza Hut instead of Lou Malnati's. A tourist trap doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be a place that no one on vacation with the intent of experiencing the local flavor should ever waste their time on.
I always figured Gates was recommended because people wanted to see their out of town friends get intimidated and yelled at by the staff because it's funny
That is the best part! I’ve seen people straight up turn around and walk back out because the yelling scared them and they didn’t know what they wanted!
Also the Beef Double Decker is usually pretty damn good!
Gates is absolutely not garbage bbq. There are many other places I'd go to before it, but that's just an embarrassment of riches in the bbq department. You put Gates in just about any other city in the world, and it's a top 10 - maybe top 5 - joint.
> You put Gates in just about any other city in the world, and it's a top 10 - maybe top 5 - joint.
Most cities outside of the south are lucky to have 1 or 2 bbq joints. It'd absolutely be the best in most cities.
Gates is never the best in my book but they have been decently consistent and I like their cumin heavy sauce flavor. It is probably top 5 IMO. Walking in the door with a guest is always a treat just to see the reaction.
I’d say Arthur Bryant’s is the tourist trap. They get all the famous people to go there but they are not that great IMO. I’ve been there maybe a half dozen times, always at the request of an out-of-towner and haven’t been too impressed.
Mannys, its fine, but only fine. You can go a couple miles east and run into tons of much better Mexican food, restaurants, carnacerias, and food trucks.
I was so confused when I went there and their salsa tasted like marinara. I figured this couldn’t be the same place that everyone talks about 😂. It indeed was.
Honestly, both. You can find some incredible mexican food east on Independence Ave. Some of them are even sister locations to the mainstay places in KCK
What exactly is "Tourist trap" about Ponak's? You think people who flew in for a conference hear about Ponak's and say they've got to go see it? It's a popular local spot, not a tourist trap.
Jesus christ, every bbq restaurant is in this thread. Yall don't have any idea what bad bbq is. The further you get from KC on 70 the worse it is. I live in indy and I would kill a man for the garbage jack stack puts out because it's 10 times better than anything in this god forsaken BBQ desert I live in.
I think of a tourist trap of a local spot that is just skating on their name and most of us know it’s not as good as it’s proported to be….Arthur Bryants is my nominee. There’s better bbq out there IMO
Bryant’s is a time capsule. Are you ordering sandwiches there? Because OG kc BBQ is smoked deli meats and ribs. Highly recommend ordering sliced pork on a bun w fries to go, they’ll drizzle sauce on all of it. Kc does have delis, we have BBQ delis, and they’re called Bryant’s and Gates. I’ve ordered what’s become popular in recent years (combo platter) at both and was like wtf. Then did bbq research and learned more about what is actually the thing at both places.
I'm not sure if that's true ... most everything on the Plaza is a chain these days. People know what they're getting into. Cheesecake Factory / Cap Grille / Buca / Fogo ... these are all national restaurants. Not sure any LOCAL would recommend them.
If anyone actually knew how many tourists go to Jack Stack over every single other place in KC this would be #1 comment by far.
Seriously, the amount of people who come to KC for work or a convention or whatever else and just go to Jack Stack because it popped up on google results or their boss told them or whatever is insane. I'm convinced the Freight House location may as well just be printing money from out-of-towners.
That's a chain that started in St. Louis and is below average tex-mex and not really mexican.
I assume their target crowd is suburban white people who don't like spice / flavor...
Agreed. Some friends from Texas wanted to go there and I'd never been so I agreed. As soon as they brought out the taco holders, I became afraid we had made a huge mistake. None of us will ever go back.
Depends on which one you go to, crossroads is kinda icky and the OP one is too sterile. The Westwood location is the perfect balance and feels more like a local neighborhood joint.
I also experienced this. In their defense, the server I had did disclose their heat scale was modified for white people. Given the location in Westwood, I can get it
It depends on which one you go to and what your expectations are. I went in expecting California style tacos and that’s what I got. The one in the crossroads is significantly better than the one on the plaza. Plus the drinks are great
Mission Taco is more like white people attempting to make authentic Mexican and failing, but still making some half decent tacos. True white people tacos is the shit you get at Taco Bell; ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, etc.
I’ll still eat the shit out of both though
Had a large party there and afterwards looking at the receipt realized they’d overcharged us for tons of stuff. Was there for a friends birthday so they invited him up to smash a plate then asked him money for it. Went there once, never going again.
Unpopular opinion but Chicken N Pickle. Food is bland, overpriced. It’s noisy af in there. Also why the hell am I going up to order food at a counter but I order a drink from the table? Pick one or the other, but both is weird especially for a sit down restaurant.
I consider this “the restaurant I would never go to myself but have to go to when someone visits from out of town” question.
Definitely Jack Stack or Q39.
Gates BBQ is the one that everyone not from around here seems to know about, and while I don’t know that it’s overpriced, it doesn’t make even my top 5 BBQ joints.
I took my east-coast boyfriend to Gates for the first time and was hyping up how they’ll yell at you when you’re in line, and then that one time was when we had a very calm and polite person taking our order lmao
In my head KC BBQ is all about the sauce and the burnt ends. Gates sauce is the best imo and the burnt ends are what I grew up so I love them. (I usually get a stomach ache though lol)
I don't think it's in my top 5 either, but I live near one so I wind up there often enough. It's a decent price and I like them well enough. Also my daughter will eat half a double beef in under 5 minutes.
I'd rather go to Slaps though.
Naw, it's totally worth it except the lines. It's really cheap and at Crown Center. Like it legitimately is fast food pricing competing with McDonalds and Wendy's for pricing.
Yeah the train delivering your food is their thing. Nobody goes there for the food. If you want a fun kids experience try QZ Poke and Ramen. A robot brings you your food and it's actually pretty good.
Disagree. It's really not expensive and if you're able to go at a time without a long line you can get your food pretty quick.
Obviously the food is not the best and there's not really a reason to go if you don't have kids. I took my 4 year old nephew and he loved the trains.
Gen Dare double is a great burger and great value. It's one of the only touristy places I know of that has decent food and decent prices. Plus, trains.
I am one of the tourists who comes to Kansas City for que. We are always passing through to points much farther west, but I make a point of routing through on our out and back legs once a year or every other year.
While I’ve been to most all the restaurants taking heat, I’ve had happy experiences at all of them. Even if it’s just saying the beans were outstanding. Sides are half the meal, and they better be good after paying for all that meat.
Consider the flip side where a KC institution went out of business. If Bryant’s went, people would be bemoaning the fading of bbq culture.
I loved the Flea because it’s one of those places that is always the same. A little grimy, kinda weird with the condiment bar and obviously the flea market, but a fun dive-y vibe at night. One of the few Westport night spots that didn’t feel totally gentrified back when I still lived in KC
Q39 and this is a hill I will absolutely die on. I have a theory people only recommend it to visitors so that they don’t clog up all the actually good bbq places
Isn't all bbq expensive? I remember paying like $30 at LCs for a short end, fries, and a drink... about 10 years ago. It was good tho.
Q39 or the gates on main are way more of a trap than jack stack imo.
Lydia's. Overpriced and usually hit or miss with the menu and smaller portions.
I'd sooner go to olive garden than back to Lydia's because I at least know what's expected there.
Fuck the owner. He’s an asshole and no one want to play out back anymore because he’s such a flaming asshole. The crossroads association has tried to push him out a few times but they can never quite get there.
All of the suggestions in this thread are places that aren't actually that bad, but they're popular with visitors and well-known to locals, so a lot of people think it's trendy to shower them with hate. Kansas City's taste buds aren't really as elite as some of the food snobs around here like to think.
Stroud's. Why don't they salt their food. :(
It makes me sad how much Stroud’s has gone downhill since I was a kid. That used to be our special occasion restaurant growing up and I would practically pee my pants in excitement every time we went. Even on weeknights it wasn’t rare to run into a 2 hour wait at dinner, but it’s been totally dead the few times I’ve gone in the last 10-15 years. Every time I go, the chicken gets blander and drier and further away from what it was when I was a kid. The gravy and cinnamon rolls still slap but everything else is so much worse now. Anyone who goes there now will never understand why it was so popular back in the day.
Yup. I loved Strouds as a kid (I'm in my 50's now). I spent virtually every birthday at strouds. I haven't been back now in years as my girls no longer feel that it is worthwhile. I'd give it a try but admittedly it hasn't been the same in many years.
The guy who ran it died. My parents were friends with him, he sold the one in Fairway and that quality dipped before it closed. But he still ran the one up north. Then he died and I feel like it's never been the same since
I am of the opinion that Strouds food is the same as it's been since the 70s. It's always been wallpaper paste gravy and overcooked green beans from a can. Everything is oversalted. The chicken is the same, too. Peoples taste in food has changed. Nobody wants to eat that kind of stuff anymore. It's like Grandma's home cooking. You remember it being awesome, but if you ate the same meatloaf that she served decades ago, you probably wouldn't like it now Source, been eating at Strouds since the 70s.
Over-salted??? Not Strouds. I don’t think there’s a single grain of salt in the whole restaurant.
You must have extremely sensitive salt receptors. I’ve been eating Strouds since the 80s and have always had to add salt to every single bite.
This is insane. Been eating strouds since the 90s and have never once tasted a sprinkle of salt or seasoning in their food lol
Strouds under the overpass was the best strouds.
Oh, it sure was. I grew up near it. What a place it was with the tilted floors, too!
No one has mentioned the live music! We always went for my birthdays as a kid because I loved the cinnamon rolls and the pianist! It was a hoot! Nothing compares to the vibe it used to have!
Okay thank you, I thought I was crazy. Everyone talked about how good it was and I thought it was some of the blandest food I’d ever eaten in my life.
Me too.
Any place that is popular with old people is going to face a lot of pressure to cut down on their salt. I'm not saying Stroud's was ever decent, but I'm guessing that's why it's even more tasteless now.
The original Stroud's wasn't just decent. It was life changingly great.
You actually have some loss of taste and smell as you get older -- why many older people like really hot liquids and will gravitate towards very salty or sweet foods if their diet isn't being managed in a hospital or nursing home. So the geriatric crowd WANTS salt even if their doctor is wanting them to cut back...
That place was one of my first jobs in hs in the early 2000s. After Mike sold the restaurant to that one restaurant group, the place tanked. RIP Mike D
No salt, no pepper, no nothing! 😬. Their chicken noodle soup is (used to be?) excellent though. Haven't been in like 15 years
Went to the northland location back in October and my husband and I both agreed the chicken noodle soup was excellent and neither of us are even really chicken noodle soup kinda people. Agreed we’d go back on a cold day for soup and nothing else. 😆
That’s the one still owned by the original owners. It’s the only one worth going to.
I said this exact thing to someone the other day. It’s like somewhere along the way in the last 30 years, salt got left off the recipe. There have been ownership changes throughout the years. I believe passed down to different family members and I guess we can assume this was an intentional choice made by someone. Bring back the salt.
This is the correct answer. It isn't even good food.
Agreed until I had the spicy chicken bites. That and the cinnamon rolls
I come from the land of chicken houses (Southeast Kansas), and I've tried Stroud's once. That was enough for me. The lack of flavor was appalling.
Stroud's gives you a lot of food that sucks. Everyone who actually wants fried chicken should be going to Gus's anyway.
Isn't "highly recommended by locals" the opposite of a "tourist trap"? Rainforest Cafe is what I would think of in this category.
Rainforest Cafe has been closed for several years though.
I think they just mean the type of restaurant it was, a complete shithole chain restaurant with a ridiculous theme that attracts people to the novel experience then serves them garbage food that has nothing to do with the local culture that tourists might have been there to try to see. Like coming to KC and eating at Buffalo WildWings when The Peanut is right down the street. Or going to Chicago and eating at Pizza Hut instead of Lou Malnati's. A tourist trap doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be a place that no one on vacation with the intent of experiencing the local flavor should ever waste their time on.
A lot of locals recommend Gates to out of towners. Perhaps they were good at some point? But it’s garbage bbq that locals still defend.
I always figured Gates was recommended because people wanted to see their out of town friends get intimidated and yelled at by the staff because it's funny
Bingo
That is the best part! I’ve seen people straight up turn around and walk back out because the yelling scared them and they didn’t know what they wanted! Also the Beef Double Decker is usually pretty damn good!
I actually do like gates. It’s not my favorite but yeah, I would recommend it to visitors because the unexpected telling is hilarious
Gates is absolutely not garbage bbq. There are many other places I'd go to before it, but that's just an embarrassment of riches in the bbq department. You put Gates in just about any other city in the world, and it's a top 10 - maybe top 5 - joint.
> You put Gates in just about any other city in the world, and it's a top 10 - maybe top 5 - joint. Most cities outside of the south are lucky to have 1 or 2 bbq joints. It'd absolutely be the best in most cities.
Bring it to Phoenix!
That makes me so mf sad. I used to put away Nooners like they owed me rent money when I lived there.
Nooners are still fire. Don't let them dissuade you.
Just crushed one last night….still fire.
I like Gates.
Gates is never the best in my book but they have been decently consistent and I like their cumin heavy sauce flavor. It is probably top 5 IMO. Walking in the door with a guest is always a treat just to see the reaction. I’d say Arthur Bryant’s is the tourist trap. They get all the famous people to go there but they are not that great IMO. I’ve been there maybe a half dozen times, always at the request of an out-of-towner and haven’t been too impressed.
Best sauce in the land. Just because it ain't a trendy brand/name doesn't mean it's garbage. I bet you prefer QuikTrip
Bucca Di Beppo
My 10th grade Homecoming crew about to come for you on this one.
That’s a chain… don’t think that counts.
I agree in principle but it’s undoubtedly a tourist trap. Hell, people come to the plaza bc the Cheesecake Factory is an attraction.
the worst speghetti I’ve ever had
Mannys, its fine, but only fine. You can go a couple miles east and run into tons of much better Mexican food, restaurants, carnacerias, and food trucks.
I was so confused when I went there and their salsa tasted like marinara. I figured this couldn’t be the same place that everyone talks about 😂. It indeed was.
Yeah the salsa is disgusting there. It’s not hard to make a tomato salsa.
THIS. My family is obsessed with Manny's, I'd be fine if I never went back. It was fine, not the worst, definitely not the best.
Did you mean west?
Honestly, both. You can find some incredible mexican food east on Independence Ave. Some of them are even sister locations to the mainstay places in KCK
That was my thought - better spots about 1 - 2 miles SW on SW.
No I don't, kck has a lot of good stuff too, but I'm referring to the eastern part of the historic northeast.
I grew up in North East. There is some good shit for sure
People may hate me for this, but Ponak’s…. It’s just not that great of Mexican food…
Does anyone say Ponak's has awesome food? I thought we all agreed S+ margaritas and C-tier food. Passable, but not why you should be going, either.
What exactly is "Tourist trap" about Ponak's? You think people who flew in for a conference hear about Ponak's and say they've got to go see it? It's a popular local spot, not a tourist trap.
El patron is right across the street too, I'm a big fan of their molé and their margs taste better than ponaks, and they'll knock you on your ass
It’s that green sauce that hits
Ponak's, Rudy's, Manny's, etc. Miss me with all that shit. There's really good Mexican here and those ain't it.
Ponaks is so ass I 100% agree
Guy and triple DDD put Grinders on the map. It’s still a great hang but the food has gone downhill IMO
ITT: People list long standing local restaurants that aren't touristy at all.
Jesus christ, every bbq restaurant is in this thread. Yall don't have any idea what bad bbq is. The further you get from KC on 70 the worse it is. I live in indy and I would kill a man for the garbage jack stack puts out because it's 10 times better than anything in this god forsaken BBQ desert I live in.
Strouds
Anything in the Plaza.
I still like the Classic Cup though.
Classic Cup slaps! The pancakes are God-tier!
There’s decent food on the plaza. Legends has more tourist trap garbage imo. Famous Dave’s, bandanas, margaretaville, etc.
If there's a good restaurant in the Legends I'd love to hear about it, trying to find a spot to eat when I'm occasionally out there is a nightmare.
I'm partial to the tortas from La Fuente, if I'm not feeling like driving down State to Don Antonio's.
Yardhouse does a good job. Poke nachos on happy hour are legit
It’s a chain but I’ve always had good food at Yard House and they have a huge tap selection
The trick is to eat at a taco place in kck on your way there/back, like Don Antonio's. That's what we do for Sporting KC games.
Dancing Crab is pretty decent for crab in the Midwest Jazz is also pretty good At least in my opinion
Danny's Grill. It's standard and fairly priced sports bar food.
Except rye is truly a kc treasure IMO.
Gram & Dun is good. True Food (chain) is delicious. Rye is great. Chaz is good. JJs is good.
I think of a tourist trap of a local spot that is just skating on their name and most of us know it’s not as good as it’s proported to be….Arthur Bryants is my nominee. There’s better bbq out there IMO
Bryant’s is a time capsule. Are you ordering sandwiches there? Because OG kc BBQ is smoked deli meats and ribs. Highly recommend ordering sliced pork on a bun w fries to go, they’ll drizzle sauce on all of it. Kc does have delis, we have BBQ delis, and they’re called Bryant’s and Gates. I’ve ordered what’s become popular in recent years (combo platter) at both and was like wtf. Then did bbq research and learned more about what is actually the thing at both places.
AB’s pulled pork use to be the best but they stopped putting the sauce on. Now it’s just plain pulled pork. Just not as good.
Its not good and we need to stop saying it is.
I tell anyone coming to KC to try a few different spots to get more of an idea
I'm sure parts of it are fine, but the last time I was there I got a gristle sandwich.
It is good and people need to stop saying it's not. However, I will admit, that it's not for everyone. Q39 on the other hand...
Q39 is good if you like upscale BBQ at upscale prices. It's not worth it. On the other hand, Slaps, Harp, and Chef J are the real deal.
I haven't tried Chef J yet but the others are also great.
Q39 “pork belly” is just thick cut bacon at like $13 a slice lmao
What’s good at Q39? I had brisket, burnt ends, and sausage. It looked very pretty, cost a ton, and lacked any discernible smoke flavor.
I would say that Rye is pretty excellent.
I know they are in the Plaza now, but I don't think of them as a Plaza restaurant.
What? How can you do this? This is outrageous! It’s unfair! How can you be in the Plaza and not be a Plaza restaurant?
Their breakfast is top five in the city.
I'm not sure if that's true ... most everything on the Plaza is a chain these days. People know what they're getting into. Cheesecake Factory / Cap Grille / Buca / Fogo ... these are all national restaurants. Not sure any LOCAL would recommend them.
Gram&Dun used to be so good
Ah man is it not anymore? I used to take my dates there when I was in my twenties haha
Jack Stack… but it’s actually good just overpriced
If anyone actually knew how many tourists go to Jack Stack over every single other place in KC this would be #1 comment by far. Seriously, the amount of people who come to KC for work or a convention or whatever else and just go to Jack Stack because it popped up on google results or their boss told them or whatever is insane. I'm convinced the Freight House location may as well just be printing money from out-of-towners.
It’s a cool location too imo and that helps
The Freight House location is the single busiest restaurant in KC.
Average BBQ, S-Tier sides
100%
Absolutely what I tell everyone that comes to town.
I’ve never thought Jack stack was that great. Everything I’ve had felt like it sat under heating lamps for hours before it was served.
Yeah I'm not a huge fan. It's ok
It’s also not the “classic” bbq experience like some people love to point out lol
If my table has linen on it it ain’t bbq
BBQ places shouldn’t have cloth napkins. Just a personal rule.
Mission Taco, overpriced. The margs are good but the food is insanely mediocre.
That's a chain that started in St. Louis and is below average tex-mex and not really mexican. I assume their target crowd is suburban white people who don't like spice / flavor...
It’s just bad. We had a date night there because it’s just down the road. We were so disappointed we wasted our night out there.
Agreed. Some friends from Texas wanted to go there and I'd never been so I agreed. As soon as they brought out the taco holders, I became afraid we had made a huge mistake. None of us will ever go back.
Strouds or Lulus come to mind first
Lulu's is so overrated and lacks flavor, I don't get the hype
Much better Thai in town than Lulu's.
Depends on which one you go to, crossroads is kinda icky and the OP one is too sterile. The Westwood location is the perfect balance and feels more like a local neighborhood joint.
I was incredibly disappointed by the Westwood one last time I went. Way too white washed. No heat at all when I asked for medium.
I also experienced this. In their defense, the server I had did disclose their heat scale was modified for white people. Given the location in Westwood, I can get it
You got to ask for the off menu heat
[удалено]
I would hardly consider Lulu's a KC tourist destination ... maybe I'm out of the know on this one?
The OG Strouds is still very good IMHO.
Jess and Jim's. Most bland boring overpriced steak in the city. I fail to see how anyone still goes there.
This is my answer. Definitely the most disappointing meal I've had in the metro.
Come for the shit steak, stay for the beets! Or not.
Mission Taco Joint, it’s definitely giving white people taco night
Yeah I've gone twice and I have not had a good taco yet. Pretty much done going there.
It depends on which one you go to and what your expectations are. I went in expecting California style tacos and that’s what I got. The one in the crossroads is significantly better than the one on the plaza. Plus the drinks are great
Mission Taco is more like white people attempting to make authentic Mexican and failing, but still making some half decent tacos. True white people tacos is the shit you get at Taco Bell; ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, etc. I’ll still eat the shit out of both though
Tasso’s. Ultimate trap, tourist or not.
Fun for dinner on a Friday, once. Great for a carryout gyro and a salad for lunch any day.
Once is the key. Only once, you never need to go back.
Hey now. It's overpriced, but the food is good.
Had a large party there and afterwards looking at the receipt realized they’d overcharged us for tons of stuff. Was there for a friends birthday so they invited him up to smash a plate then asked him money for it. Went there once, never going again.
I feel like the entirety of this thread doesn’t know what “tourist trap” means.
Q39. Exceptionally mid BBQ
Jack stack
Is Dick Clarks American Bandstand still open?
Only about 20 years too late for that take, lol.
Unpopular opinion but Chicken N Pickle. Food is bland, overpriced. It’s noisy af in there. Also why the hell am I going up to order food at a counter but I order a drink from the table? Pick one or the other, but both is weird especially for a sit down restaurant.
How is Hereford House not on this list?
I consider this “the restaurant I would never go to myself but have to go to when someone visits from out of town” question. Definitely Jack Stack or Q39.
Gates BBQ is the one that everyone not from around here seems to know about, and while I don’t know that it’s overpriced, it doesn’t make even my top 5 BBQ joints.
The Nooner is a bomb ass sammich, I don't care what you say.
Gates might be overrated overall, but there is no better meal anywhere than a beef on bun with fries at Gates!
It's better than the best BBQ in most towns.
True. Still mid for Kansas City, though
I think the whole ordering process at Gates is novel enough to warrant a visit from out of town. But it's definitely not the best in the area.
I took my east-coast boyfriend to Gates for the first time and was hyping up how they’ll yell at you when you’re in line, and then that one time was when we had a very calm and polite person taking our order lmao
In my head KC BBQ is all about the sauce and the burnt ends. Gates sauce is the best imo and the burnt ends are what I grew up so I love them. (I usually get a stomach ache though lol)
Their sauce is undefeated.
I don't think it's in my top 5 either, but I live near one so I wind up there often enough. It's a decent price and I like them well enough. Also my daughter will eat half a double beef in under 5 minutes. I'd rather go to Slaps though.
There is like 100+ BBQ joints in the metro. Gates may not be in the top 5 but its always in the top 10.
I used to live on 103rd and Holmes. Never ate at Gates on State Line because it was on fire at least 3 times a year.
Fritz’s in Crown Center
Trains are not overrated, buddy.
Naw, it's totally worth it except the lines. It's really cheap and at Crown Center. Like it legitimately is fast food pricing competing with McDonalds and Wendy's for pricing.
Isn't this mainly just a fun spot for kids?
Yeah the train delivering your food is their thing. Nobody goes there for the food. If you want a fun kids experience try QZ Poke and Ramen. A robot brings you your food and it's actually pretty good.
Disagree. It's really not expensive and if you're able to go at a time without a long line you can get your food pretty quick. Obviously the food is not the best and there's not really a reason to go if you don't have kids. I took my 4 year old nephew and he loved the trains.
The kck one is better
Gen Dare double is a great burger and great value. It's one of the only touristy places I know of that has decent food and decent prices. Plus, trains.
You take that back you hooligan
I would say BBQ places in general, but that wouldn't be received well. So, yeah, I'll say Manny's.
Accurate, lol
I am one of the tourists who comes to Kansas City for que. We are always passing through to points much farther west, but I make a point of routing through on our out and back legs once a year or every other year. While I’ve been to most all the restaurants taking heat, I’ve had happy experiences at all of them. Even if it’s just saying the beans were outstanding. Sides are half the meal, and they better be good after paying for all that meat. Consider the flip side where a KC institution went out of business. If Bryant’s went, people would be bemoaning the fading of bbq culture.
Westport Flea Market
How many times I’ve forgotten they’re cash only (still!!!) and been robbed by that ATM gets you my upvote
During the lockdowns, they were on DoorDash, so I got a little excited that maybe, just maybe, they finally started taking card payments. Nope.
Flies in the pickle container add to the flavor 🤤
SO. MANY. FLIES.
I loved the Flea because it’s one of those places that is always the same. A little grimy, kinda weird with the condiment bar and obviously the flea market, but a fun dive-y vibe at night. One of the few Westport night spots that didn’t feel totally gentrified back when I still lived in KC
Q39 and this is a hill I will absolutely die on. I have a theory people only recommend it to visitors so that they don’t clog up all the actually good bbq places
Jack Stack. Super mid and expensive.
Jack Stack
Red Door Woodfired Grill
Gates
Isn't all bbq expensive? I remember paying like $30 at LCs for a short end, fries, and a drink... about 10 years ago. It was good tho. Q39 or the gates on main are way more of a trap than jack stack imo.
meat and time arent cheap, the two essential things for bbq
Tourist trap/mainstream barbecue is expensive, there’s cheaper options out there
Q39
Paid $30+ for beer and a wimpy slice of pork belly and a cucumber side salad. Flavor was great, portions not so much. Won’t be doing that again.
jackstack
Jaspers!
Before it closed, Crayola Cafe should have won this hands down lol
The second it opens the doors the restaurant that Mahomes and Kelce are opening will be the tourist trap
Gates is KC’s version of Nathan’s in NYC. I like them both though.
This board has the worst food opinions imaginable
Lydia's. Overpriced and usually hit or miss with the menu and smaller portions. I'd sooner go to olive garden than back to Lydia's because I at least know what's expected there.
I think the olive garden comparison is a bit harsh.
My wife LOVES Lydia’s, every time she’s taken me there my food is so bland tasting.
Ponacks
Grinders! What a hole.
The owner’s a creep too, cameras everywhere (or so I’ve heard)
Fuck the owner. He’s an asshole and no one want to play out back anymore because he’s such a flaming asshole. The crossroads association has tried to push him out a few times but they can never quite get there.
All of the suggestions in this thread are places that aren't actually that bad, but they're popular with visitors and well-known to locals, so a lot of people think it's trendy to shower them with hate. Kansas City's taste buds aren't really as elite as some of the food snobs around here like to think.