#1 Beer and BBQ Spots in Kansas City

What goes together better than beer and BBQ? Absolutely nothing that I can think of! I will always take good BBQ and a cold beer any day of the week! Here in Kansas City they definitely know their BBQ but the craft beer scene is not usually at the top of national lists when it comes to best beer cities and may not be the first place you think of when someone mentions craft breweries; however, you’d be surprised by the quality of beer KC has to offer. We checked out some of the local spots and below are each of our #1 beer and BBQ spots in the city.

BBQ

No question that Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que is king in KC! With three locations (The original in KC and two satellite locations each in Leawood and Olathe), Joe’s has a massive following. Originating in 1991 as Oklahoma Joe’s, Joe’s has a deep history of BBQ dating back to state and national competition circuits over the past few decades. Now with award winning food titles under its belt, Joe’s has been highlighted on Man v. Food where the focus was on the brisket and burnt ends. I would definitely have to agree with the accolades as the food was literally mouth watering. I went with the two meat dinner which included the brisket and turkey as my meat options with a side of their spicy slaw. The sandwiches were also hard to pass up as they came with massive piles of meat slapped between two slices of bread. We got a side of burnt ends and some ribs to go. The brisket was by far my favorite as it was cooked to perfection.

I do have to give a big shout out to their ribs as all three of us agreed that they were probably the best ribs each of us have ever tasted. Their spicy slaw and beans & rice were also the best side options in my opinion. We went to the original Joe’s which I would highly recommend as it sits in the better half of a gas station and they also serve a few beers on tap to enjoy. What’s better than stopping to fill up the tank and then filling up yourself with some hearty KC style BBQ and a beer (or two, depending on who’s driving.)

Beer

No doubt the best beer we came across in KC was Boulevard Brewing Co. The most well known craft brewery in KC, Boulevard has a sprawling campus within the city and the brewery and taproom includes a unique multi-story building with amazing 2nd floor patio views and even better tasting beers. The service was phenomenal and very welcoming. The patio outside also had some large ceiling fans which was a nice addition since the heat and humidity was quite high while we were there. You can’t go wrong with most of their beer options and they have a very large selection of craft brews to choose from. Some of our favorites were “Tip Your Cap” Blonde Ale, “Unfiltered Wheat Beer”, “Zon” Belgian-Style Witbier, and “Space Camper Cosmic IPA”.

If you're from or have ever been to Kansas City let us know your favorite brewery(s), beer(s), and/or BBQ joints in the comments below. Cheers!