Overland Park Restaurants Serve Up Kansas City Style Barbecue With a Twist
Kansas City-style barbecue is the star attraction at Kansas City, Missouri’s annual American Royal, the world’s largest barbecue competition and World Series for pitmasters. Longstanding Kansas City barbecue joints like Arthur Bryant’s, B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que and others reinforce the metro area’s reputation as a hub for this often saucy, smokey cuisine.
Unique is The Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park, whose students learn how to make great barbecue. Pros elevate and enhance their skills here, as do casual cooks (children to adults, depending on the class).
Bruce Campbell, a longtime restaurateur and veteran of barbecue competitions, calls barbecue “the cuisine of Kansas City.” He began teaching barbecue classes at The Culinary Center of Kansas City in 2006 and says it is a curriculum that has proved highly popular.
Among his classes is the four-hour BBQ 101, which covers the basics of preparing barbecued meats. Students learn about how to operate various kinds of smokers, the types of wood to use, how to create a dry rub of seasonings and how to prepare pork ribs, pork butt, beef brisket and chicken for a barbecuing competition.
“We have people from all over the country attending as students,” says Heather Minor, the school’s general manager.
Other classes include BBQ and Booze (how liquors affect the taste of barbeque, how to pair adult beverages with a barbecue meal), BBQ USA (regional barbecue styles) and BBQ Ribs (different ways to prepare pork ribs).
Like the different spellings – BBQ, bar-b-que or barbecue, depending on the source – there is a lot of variety when it comes to this cuisine. Ahead, learn about a few Overland Park restaurants that specialize in barbecue and add their own twists.
In This Article
Jack Stack Barbecue
www.jackstackbbq.com
What began as a barbecue stand in 1957 has turned into a fourth-generation and widely acclaimed family business. Roughly one dozen types of meat, including lamb ribs, are hickory smoked and wood fired.
Burnt ends stew, made with smoked tomatoes, is among the daily specials. The owners say no one else nationally has a more extensive barbecue menu or larger wood-fired restaurant/catering operation. Orders are shipped nationwide, while delicious food is served up at six locations locally.
Q39 South
q39kc.com
A quick hop off Highways 435 and 69 are from-scratch meals with barbecue that have attracted national media. Try smoked beef brisket poutine (an appetizer) or a side of mac and cheese with apple-brined pulled pork. Q39 was opened by chef Rob Magee and his wife, Kelly, who still operates the restaurant today.
Buck Tui BBQ
www.bucktuibbq.com
The name is a term of endearment – the boyhood nickname of Ted Liberda, the chef/pitmaster. His mom operates a diner that excels in Thai home cooking, which rubbed off on her son. His barbecue balances smoky, salty and sweet Thai flavors.
Thai smoking methods and sauces (using palm sugar) enhance the flame-kissed meats. Instead of the more traditional sides, these entrees may be matched with jasmine rice and papaya salad. Within the rotation of specials are gaeng fuk-tong, aka burnt ends in a pumpkin-coconut curry.
Chosun Korean BBQ
www.chosunkoreanbbq.com
Thinly sliced meats are grilled at the table for an authentic Korean dining experience. Consider bulgogi (marinated beef slices), galbi (marinated short ribs), hyue mit gui (beef tongue) or other meat cuts. Side dishes include steamed rice or noodles, spicy kimchee and gyoza.
The family-run operation, which opened at an unpretentious strip mall in 2007, is named after an early Korean empire and now includes a second location.
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
gyu-kaku.com
The national franchise offers an all-you-can-eat-in-90-minutes experience. Meats are roasted on a table grill by customers, who choose marinades, such as the sweet-savory umakara or garlic-soy-sesame shio. Add a garlic-flavored butter, kick of wasabi, chili or scallion sauce for additional flavor.
Gyu-Kaku means “horn of the bull” in Japanese, and the restaurant developer is one of Japan’s largest. The Overland Park location is the only one in Kansas, but it is one of dozens in North America.
J’s BBQ Smokehouse & Catering
www.jsbbqkc.com
Located in Olathe, this barbecue joint was opened to carry on the legacy of another barbecue restaurant that was formerly housed in the building, Johnny’s BBQ. Josh Deal, a former employee of Johnny’s BBQ, opened J’s in 2025. He has preserved Johnny’s menu and added his own style. Make sure to try the Burnt End Sandwich or Spicy Clucker.
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