What It Is

The original location (out of three) of a highly-reviewed barbeque chain started in 1996 by award-winning barbeque chefs Jeff and Joy Stehney.

Where It Is

Kansas City, Kansas

When We Went

August 2021

What We Did

Devoured absolutely delicious Kansas City barbeque.

It wasn’t quite as easy as that, of course.  First, we had to get in the door.  

Joe’s was a hopping place when we arrived for lunch on a weekday afternoon.  Established in a former gas station, Joe’s restaurant is a decent size.  Still, it couldn’t contain the line of hungry people waiting to be served.  We started outside, eventually made it inside the building, and finally made it to the counter.  The whole process—from the time we got in line to the time we placed our order—took about an hour.

Our goal was specific.  We were in Kansas City—Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que in particular—for the burnt ends.  

Burnt ends are the carmelized, smoky pieces of meat cut from the point of a smoked beef brisket.  Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these bite-sized pieces first appeared in Kansas City in the 1970s.  Since then, they’ve become a defining feature of Kansas City barbeque.

Despite my love of eating local flavors, it was my husband who tried the burnt ends.  I opted for The Rocket Pig, a sandwich featuring “Joe’s pulled pork tossed in a sweet-hot competition BBQ glaze, bacon, pepper jack cheese, and a BBQ mayo, topped with fried jalapenos.”  The kids both got pulled pork sandwiches (one with a gluten-free bun).  We all shared some creamy coleslaw and fries. 

I’m not a barbeque aficionado, and we haven’t tried tons of different barbeque styles, so I can’t address our lunch’s yummy goodness in terms true bbq foodies would appreciate.  All I can say is that we were all very, very pleased with our meals.

How Much We Spent

I didn’t keep a record of this at the time.  As of June 2026, you can expect to pay $10-$13 for a sandwich and $16-$30 for dinners, which include one side and Texas toast.

How Much Time We Spent There

Including our wait in line, about an hour and a half or so.

What We Liked

Without a doubt, the food!  We even bought and brought home a bottle of Joe’s Kansas City Original Bar-B-Que sauce and a shaker of Joe’s Kansas City French Fry Seasoning.

We also liked the experience.  If you’re waiting in a line that goes out the door, down the sidewalk, and across the entire front of the facility, you know you’re in a good place!

What We Didn't Like

Nothing!  However, if you go with burnt ends on the brain, keep the following in mind: burnt ends are available as a dinner only and only when available.


Was it worth it? 

Yes!  We would recommend it to anyone looking for good, local food.

For more information, visit https://www.joeskc.com/.

Was It Worth It?
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que

​Posted June 10, 2026, by Janet Wolfe