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Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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I'm new to the phenomenon of love surrounding Anthony Bourdain. I've never paid a gram of attention to this guy but suddenly I'm hearing his name everywhere. That simple fact lead me to instantly believe he may be a bit over hyped, so when I arrived in KC and everyone and their mother told me to go to Oklahoma Joe's, just as Bourdain had recommended, I was skeptical. See, Bourdain has Oklahoma Joe's BBQ on some list of ten restaurants you have to visit before you die. I'm used to such lists being proclaimed by drunk friends and people who really don't have a clue what they're talking about to make such a bold statement.
Then I visited and saw for myself why it's on such an elite list.
Oklahoma Joe's flat out rules. This food is touched by the gods above. This is mindblowing BBQ on all levels. Unfortunately, because of Bourdain, everyone of his little followers knows this. (Plus the entire population of Kansas City). As a result, the lines are long. Reviews on here mention 40 minute+ waits just to order. Thankfully the food comes out quickly after ordering, or this place may have made it onto my own list. The "Wish I had but, wasn't worth the wait" list that I'll be compiling when I leave here Saturday.
Looking at the plates in the room, and smelling everything, I was glad the wait was lengthy - I couldn't make a decision. Brisket sandwich? Half rack of ribs for $11.99? Carolina style specialty sandwich? Pulled pork dinner?
CHRIST I WANT IT ALL.
I ended up with the Carolina style sandwich which was comprised of the best pulled pork I've ever made out with, topped with some spicy slaw that was not runny in the slightest. I added a little bit of bbq sauce to one of the bites at the table but realized instantly that this meal didn't require it. In fact, adding bbq sauce on my own took away from the overall flavor of what I already had. Imagine that. BBQ shunned in a bbq place because the meat is so good. I guess that's far better than drowning it because it's dry or whatever else.
The staff is super nice and efficient. A gent takes your order on the far side of the counter, asking how many and what is on the ticket and calling out meals to his crew. The cashiers are lively and there's a lady who maintains the tables as people leave, who comes over to ask how your meal is. And it's not just "How's things?" from ten feet away. She puts her head right up in your business, takes a look at your food, smiles at it, says, "How's your sandwich? What kind of sandwich is that? Oh... that's a good one. One of my favorites." smiles at you again, and walks away. It's decidedly Southern, the mannerisms and such, which might not be a surprise to folks out here, but for a west coaster, it's a nice touch.
If you leave Kansas City without coming here, you are a fool.
An absolute, fool.
OMG.
This place is awesome! Waited in line for close to 30 mins just so that we can get a little piece of heaven. Now, that's saying a lot for someone who tried 3 different BBQ spots in 24 hours!
Did a comparo between Ok Joes, Jack Stack, and Gates... and this is the best spot... You gotta be ready to wait for the goods or call in and make it a take out... either way... when visiting KC... gotta go to this place... Great sauce , but, sweet Jesus, fall off the bone meats
When you get there be brave and order it up... the chalk board is full of different types of meats, but my fav is still the baby backs.
Now remember that this place is also a (green) gas station... so you might just drive pass it the first time getting there. Def. worth driving back!
A client and I split a pork and a beef sandwich.
We added fries and the large end of a rack-o-ribs.
I tried spicy slaw.
I must take a deep breath, which is difficult after BBQ, but easier 24 hours later!
Wow. Smokey. Tender. Crispy. Sticky. Tangy. Soft.
Smokey-tender meats on soft buns with tangy BBQ sauce that was much better than most. [we used the small bottle of spicy sauce]. So good, in fact, the fries were dipped in it soon after. I like crispy fries... these were ALL crisp. Good Lord! My sticky fingers got into my three bones from the half-rack. Very high quality of texture and taste. Something tells me the pork did not come from Sysco, and that a local pig farmer has a good stream of business from this place. Astonishing meats... really.
The only "meh" was the spicy slaw. Slaw has to be super-fresh or it is not good. I should have skipped it.
The real problem at OKJoe'sBBQ is the line/wait. We only waited 15 minutes or so. Take out might be the way to go. However, if you drive by and nobody is outside waiting in line, drop in for a treat if you like BBQ. It is the best I have had in KC so far.
So this is the best BBQ in KC. When I bring people from outside KS to eat real KC BBC I take them here or to Jackstack. I think the Fairway location inside the gas station is the best location. You cannot underestimate the value of that old smoker! The Z-Man is a religious experience. The short end ribs are great. The onion rings are great. I have to warn you, this place is almost a victim of its own success, at 12:45pm, this place is 50 people out the door. As a native I can navigate that but a normal lunch or dinner goer cannot. The atmosphere is a little rough, I mean it;s in a gas station, but that helps the place seem more legit. This place also serves bottled beer and red cream soda, the latter is key for KC BD. The potato salad is overly dilled, I would avoid it. I have a Muslim friend who says the chicken here is the best chicken they have ever had. Sounds good to me!
I just have to add a few things from my latest trip:
Onion rings are to DIE FOR
Sauces are mmm good
Turkey is probably the best smoked I've tried.
Fries are rather good.
Beans were good, but not amazing.
Sweet tea? Not here :( Too bad!
No burnt ends. I haven't come across a BBQ joint without it before. Why not?
This is still my favorite BBQ joint, but warning:
Lines are OFF THE HOOK! We waited 1.5 hrs Saturday between the KU, SOONER, GIANTS and American Royal fans. We're calling in next time to pickup.
What does the line tell you? This is the best place in the Metro!
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMY. The line is OFF THE HOOK, but it's so worth it. The menu is a bit pork heavy, but… Read more »
Good, but OVERRATED!
Went here for lunch on a Saturday, couln't wait, i've heard so much about this place for years. Boy, was I disapointed. Waited in 45 minute line for decent BBQ on a dried out bun with OK sauce. I've eaten at many BBQ places, and this is no better than most. The onion rings looked good, but were just OK.
I'd say if you could get in quick, it's worth the stop so you can say you've eaten there,,,, but if the line is approaching the door, better to pass and come back another day.
Will I go back? Yeah i'd give them another shot, but I wont wait in line to do it.
Damage: Two sandwiches, two bottled waters, and an order of rings was $ 19.00
Z-Man and fries is hard to deviate from at this great barbecue joint. Onion rings and fries are both great. Best BBQ stop in Kansas City in my opinion.
The only negative is it can be pretty crowded, and you'll be waiting in line for a while, or looking for a table. This location is part of a gas station, and definitely a unique atmosphere. Definitely worth the try if you haven't before, but if you're looking for a quick lunch stop, you may be pushing your lunch hour.
This place had the best pulled pork I've ever tasted bar none. I never knew it could be that good. 5 1/2 stars for the pulled pork!
I went with my folks after they picked me up from KCI airport. We were debating between BBQ places and this one got the highest on the Zagat guide, so we decided to try it out. I knew it was in a gas station from doing previous research on KC BBQ, but my folks were surprised. Where is it? It's in that gas station, dad!
He ordered a full slab of ribs to share with his lady and I ordered the cowboy dinner which was the Friday night special - 12$ for 2 ribs, some sausage, and some brisket + 2 sides. The guy behind the counter gave me a small sample of the pulled pork, and I am forever grateful for that sample. Like I said before, the pulled was the best I ever had.....ever. The brisket was a little thin and I thought that Memphis Minnie's in San Francisco had better brisket and guess what!?!? The best KC fries there taste identical to the BBQ fries at Memphis Minnie's in SF. I think Bob Kantor stole the spices...has to be. The ribs and sausage were pretty unbeatable, but my dad zoned in on my potato salad. It was yellow colored, like some mustard had been added. Great creamy potato salad! I was filled and happy for about 15$ there....Bourdain was right. this is a place to try before you die...you've never had pulled pork like this!
On top of the great food, the people were particularly nice. Gates is surly for effect and jack stack is a little more upscale from what i heard. These were the soil of the earth kinda people that were happy to talk to me about the gas price differences between California and Kansas and other meaningless subjects...very polite and talkative.
It's o.k. The place is overrated in my opinion.
The lines are always very long. For some reason I don't have a problem with that. It's an unwritten rule, a quality local BBQ joint has to have some level of inefficiency in its serving. if you want fast-service guarantees, McDonald's is nearby.
But I really think if Okla Joe's is going to overtake the BBQ legends of KC (Bryants, Jackstack, Gates, etc.) a restaurant has to have a better quality BBQ beans dish. The beans are different and that's a good thing. But in terms of flavor and texture it almost seems like the beans are a brunswisk stew similar to what they serve in North Carolina. The beans don't compete with the others and in KC that's a problem.
I'll freely admit, as a Kansas Citian it has always bothered me they had a neighboring state's name too.
Disguised as a gas station for the unsuspecting, if you came to this place to pump gas and left, you made a grave mistake. Why pump gas when you can pump BBQ pork into your stomach instead. This place rocks! We purposely drove an extra 300 miles on our cross country road trip to eat at this place. You don't know the number of corn fields we had to go through to get to this place. But learning about this place from Anthony Bourdain's "13 Places to Eat Before You Die, " we had to try it.
Coming at night, the only thing that clues you in on the wonders inside the gas station is the full parking lot. The 30 minute wait allows you to figure out what you want to eat. Seating is only for those who wait in line, so you can't order over the phone for pick up and sit at a table to gorge yourself.
Picking the Full Slap dinner, a Brisket sandwich, and a side of beans, we're engulfed in a BBQ pork bliss. Laying pieces of bread under the slab picks up all the juices and made me want to horde the bread for myself. I like combining the regular tangy BBQ sauce with the spicy BBQ sauce for dipping the pork that falls off the bones. We laid waste to as much as we could in one sitting, only to take the left overs and the BBQ sauce for the road. In the end we had enough food for two meals, and wished we could get more.
There wasn't any other reason to go to Kansas City. However we know better now. The BBQ is a darn good reason to go. Sure there's a lot of nothing to get there, but it was worth every bite of Oklahoma Joe's BBQ to get there.
This is one restaurant/gas station I did not mind getting dirty in. I meant getting my face dirty, wait that sounds bad too.
The fact is this BBQ at Oklahoma Joe's is simply great. I am a southern BBQ fanatic and was raised on the Carolina and Georgia mustard and vinegar based sauce.
KC bbq might top them all and maybe even tops Corky's Ribs in Memphis, which is really tough to do.
This place is unassuming, out of the way, crowded, and it's awesome. The Long End and Short End Ribs are perfectly cooked and the pulled pork has such a great smoke ring around it.
Service was lighting fast and this is a meat coma I wouldn't mind not waking up from.
If you are in the area, google it, map it, rand mcnally it. Ok Joe's is superb.
As for the dirty part, I had sauce all over my face and it actually made me more approachable.
OK Joe's rules all other BBQ and that's coming from a Texas gal! I love the pulled pork Carolina-style sandwich. It's so good, it shouldn't even be called a sandwich, it should be called mama.
If I had a list of Best Gas Stations, this would be at the top. Of course, this review is about the BBQ inside, and boy is it damn good... I mean DAMN good. I had the pulled pork, which was very flavorful... .I mean, who doesn't like pork? I like mine dry, so sometimes it can get dry. Not here... moist and succulent. The ribs were also finger-licking good. Aside from that, the onion rings are a good side, should you go that route.
Sure, the line is long, but it moves relatively fast, and it's worth the wait regardless. Just get a web phone and entertain yourself on Yelp while you're waiting.
Out of all the places I've gotten bar-b-que (just about every major BBQ place in the midwest region). This place is, hands down, my favorite. Get off your damn high horse by saying that it is over hyped and go try it. In my experience, places have hype for a reason (with the exception of Arthur Bryants; I just don't get that one). The Z Man sammy-brisket, onion ring, & provolone knocked my socks off. There are tons of reviews here, so you can get a pretty good feel for the menu, but for me, this was tops. God...just thinking about those onion rings...
I was recently in town for a wedding, and was looking for an excuse to cross over State Line road in order to check Kansas off of my "states I've visited list". A quick search for restaurants near the Westport area, where my hotel was, quickly pulled Oklahoma Joe's to the top. It being located in a gas station quickly intrigued me, and I decide that this had to be my excuse to cross state lines. This decision was revalidated to me the night I arrived, when my local friend told me that it was where they usually told out of towners to go for BBQ.
I brought one of my friends who was also in town for the wedding here for lunch. We arrived a bit before noon, and the line was only about 20 people deep, not so bad (when we left it was out the door, into the parking lot). My friend, who is normally a vegetarian, but willing to "when in Rome", ordered the sm'okie sandwich, as its description mentioned lots of sauce. I, after much deliberation, decided to go for a 2 meat dinner with the specialty pulled pork, and brisket, with fries as my side.
The pulled pork was deliciously moist, and the brisket was tender and succulent. I just wish they had thicker slices of it for the dinner as opposed to the sandwich (which is really my only nitpick). Their sauces are great, particularly the spicy "Night of the Living BBQ" hot sauce. I would have bought some to take home if I was doing carryon only. The fries were good too, but to be honest I don't think my friend needed to order his own side of fries - we both ended up with almost half a bag left over.
So my vegetarian friend liked it, and ate his whole sandwich, but he said afterward that he would have preferred seitan to the meat.
Oklahoma Joe, if you were there I would shake your hand and bow at your feet! Recommended by a friend, this BBQ joint attached to a Shamrock gas station is the definition of the saying, "you can't judge a book by its cover." Gas station on the outside, heaven on earth on the inside.
- 1/2 slab rib dinner: This was more like a full slab at many other places. Meat was SO tender and fell right off the bone. Pair this with the spicy BBQ and you've got a match made in heaven.
- Hog Heaven: Pulled pork with the best smoked sausage I've ever tasted!
- Onion rings: A little greasy towards the bottom but still good
- French fries: Just the way I like them!
- Spicy Slaw: A great way to improve on one of my favorite side dishes
This is a MUST STOP in Kansas City!!! Hands down the best BBQ in the midwest, if not the US!!!
The anticipation is killing me, the line is so long so it must be great. We finally get to order and you can smell the fresh cut BBQ meat. Everybody looks at your plate with jealousy as you walk by but they won't be waiting too much longer for the absolute best BBQ in KC.
I went for the Z-Man. A delicious sandwich of brisket, provolone cheese, and two onion rings on a fresh kaiser roll. There is just enough sauce on it to appease your pallet. It was mind blowing this sandwich.
The fries are dubbed the best in KC. There are enough fries for two in the bag they give you. They're pretty damn good to.
Now I know why Anthony Bourdain put this gas station BBQ joint on one of his list of 13 places to eat before you die. I just wish I had found this place sooner. I'm leaving soon so I'll have to get my fill . I'll be back for sure...like Bourdain says...this is the best BBQ in KC, so this makes it the best BBQ in the world.
Mmmm mmmm good.
I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of red beans and rice. I made the mistake of going to OK Joe's during lunch. The line stretched out of the building and into the parking lot (which was very hot).
Here are my notes on the BBQ (the pulled pork sandwich that I had):
I sampled the meat without the bread to get a good appraisal. The meat was extremely tender and moist. Without sauce, the pork was a bit bland (I couldn't taste any of the rub nor very much smoke). The sauce (Night of the living BBQ (hot)) was outstanding, though - not too sweet, not too mustardy - just the right amount of heat. After putting on the sauce and the buttered bun, it was a very good sandwich. The red beans and rice were OK. I've had more flavorful red beans and rice in Oklahoma and further south. As a side note, I saw many people getting the french fries. They looked very good and man, they give you about a half gallon of them.
Anyway - the food was good and I bought a gallon of the hot bbq sauce.
Most great BBQ places are not freestanding establishments. Most are connected to a bait shop, a barber shop, or in the case of Oklahoma Joe's, a gas station. The room is festooned with banners proclaiming the favorable attributes of Joe's BBQ.
The line started at the door. It took us 30+ minutes to place our order. After we sat down to eat and after an hour had gone by, the line was still in the same position as when we had entered. This place is POPULAR...and for good reason...
I had the half pork rib rack with a side of potato salad. I really enjoyed the ribs even more without the extra sauce. This is excellent BBQ. It was my first consumption of BBQ in the Kansas City style. It's good. But I reserve 5 stars for Memphis style out of stubbornness and patriotism to my childhood BBQ. Excellent BBQ.
Best ribs I've ever had.
Best sandwich I've ever had (Z-man).
Best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had.
Best potato salad I've ever had.
Best bbq beans I've ever had.
Best onion rings I've ever had.
I am not exaggerating on any of this.
"I'm so hungry I could eat a sandwich from a gas station"...now I know what Clark W. Griswold meant in Vacation.
The brisket here is the best you will ever eat (period). I have seen many techniques on cooking brisket one of which takes a dry rub, 15 hours of smoking and sous-vide for another 72 hours and nothing can compare the flavor and texture of Oklahoma Joes Brisket. The BBQ sauce is perfect. Flavor with just the right amount of heat that keeps you wanting more, but never gets to hot. The Pulled pork is amazing and I recommend the 'hog heaven' sandwich (pulled pork and pork sausage).
If there was one thing that was disappointing it would be the ribs. They were average and a bit dry. I am guessing that I just had a 'bad batch' and that normally they are much better. The burnt ends in the beans make them very good.
This place is in my top 5 of BBQ places in the Kansas City Area. Over the years I have ate there probably 15-20 times and each time I have had a great meal. The BBQ is great, but the french fries have to be the best around.
The only downside is most of the time you have to stand in a long line because they are packed EVERY lunch hour and most dinner services.
Why are so many good BBQ places in america in gas stations? It's an odd combination I don't quite understand but if I'm on a road trip and see BBQ being smoked in a gas station I'm trying it out. Oklahoma Joe's makes a nice que. My favorite items we tried were the baked beans, pulled pork and brisket. The baked beans had a little kick, loads of burnt ends and a tiny bit of sweetness. I could bathe in those baked beans. The pulled pork is the best I've had from any region. Moist, succulent and tasty. My only wish is that I could have slathered it with some cole slaw and vinegar sauce Carolina style. That happens to be my favorite way to eat pulled pork. The fries happen to be amazing even though you'd never want to focus on fries at bbq. These were worth it. The brisket has beautiful smoke ring and you could taste the smokiness without the overpowering effect. My Jewish friends couldn't believe this was the same thing they'd eaten growing up. It's a completely different beast this brisket.
My only disappointment came from burnt ends. I think burnt ends are a misnomer because the ends aren't actually charred and crispy as I thought they'd be. The burnt ends were tasty but I wanted that texture contrast and crispiness. Some of the best bbq around regardless of what regional bbq you like.
I was visiting my brother in KC and he said that I had to try BBQ from KC. I saw that Oklahoma Joe's was on Anthony Bourdain's 13 places to go before you die column.
It was next to Shamrock gas station....literally! I went at 11:30am on Thursday and there were about 100 people on line already. It was an insane asylum. Thank god my brother phoned in the order, so we got our food instantly.
Ribs were amazing. Pulled pork was more amazing. Sides were delicious. Fries/Onion rings were great also. The only thing is that all BBQ is salty as heck. Tried other KC BBQ places, but wish that I had gone to Oklahoma Joe's a couple more times. Even my mother (who HATES red meat) loved Oklahoma Joe's.
I lived in Kansas City for four years and head never heard of Oklahoma Joe's until I moved to Northern Virginia. Noneetheless, I had always heard good things about it - mostly from my friend who said that once, he and office mates went there three times in a week because, well, they didn't have a good reason not to and it was good. So I come in town for the weekend and we go out there for lunch.
Walking in, the line was near the door, but not quite, which I was expecting. About fifteen minutes later, we were ordering.
Looking at the menu, I was extremely disappointed with one thing that was not on the menu: There were no burnt ends. In Kansas City, this hardly seems acceptable. It was also slightly confusing, since it was one of the things the Great Anthony Bourdain said was excellent here, so either they changed the menu or they like famous people better. Either way, I was not having burnt ends.
To make up for it, I was pointed to The Z-Man sandwich, which I got with fries. The price was cheap, and the sandwich came quick, which was nice since we were hungry when we arrived, and hungrier by the time we ordered.
The sandwich itself was okay - the meat didn't have much flavor beyond smoke and, while tender, what didn't have sauce was dry. The sauce itself was good - it was slightly sweet, but not overly, and perfect for a sandwich.
Overall, I would say that Oklahoma Joe's is a place to get a decent, but not great sandwich. If I worked in the area, I could go there every once in a while - but by no way three times a week.
Edit: I am told they have burnt ends, but not every day. Being there on a day they are not available still seems frustrating, especially for someone who lives elsewhere where burnt ends are no where to be seen.
Had pulled pork and brisket. Great beans, great sauce. Good food and cheap.
Ok, so you pull up and it's like "you've gotta be kidding me" with the location, but that's what I heard. Got there in the evening, around 730p and there was next to zero line. Good news. So was the food tired and leftover? NO!!! I decided to push the envelope and have the full rack of ribs dinner with fries (designed for two). I'm all of 155lbs, so this was going to be a task. I was up to it (minus two bones). Fries are off the chart great.... not sure how they do that. Ribs fall off the bone moist and good and smokey. Sauce was everything it needed to be and nothing more. A real winner. Gates moves to a distant second place.
Pulled pork sandwich was great and hot BBQ sauce was great, a little spicy with a little sweet.
When I drove up to Oklahoma Joe's and saw that the restaurant was in a gas station, I knew that it was going to be a good meal. There are a lot of creative choices on the menu, but for my first time I went with the chopped brisket/pork sandwich. The meat had great flavor, and I really liked their original sauce. I look forward to getting back to KC and eating at Oklahoma Joe's - definitely one of my top 5 bbq experiences of all-time
Having eaten now at nearly all of the major KC bbq joints (still have to get over to LC's) I can say that OK Joes is not merely one of the best of KC but is by far the best bbq in KC and perhaps anywhere.
Burnt Ends - they are ridiculously tender and I brought my sister here who had burn ends at Gates and didn't even want us to order them again who switched meals and ended up finishing the Burnt Ends.
Brisket - Moist, tender and at most places I would consider it to be the thing to order, but with so many other delicious options I would say this should be saved for a second or third visit.
Ribs - Beautiful crust with a subtle smoky flavor that are cooked so perfectly they will leave you with a clean bone at the end.
Chicken - I was surprised but their Chicken was in my opinion as good as their amazing ribs and definitely worth the trip out if somebody doesn't eat cow or pig products.
Sauce - Their sauce may be the best BBQ I ever had. They have two on the table, one is a more classic sweet sauce and the other is a spicier sauce. I kept alternating between the two depending on the meat becaues they are both so full of flavor.
If you haven't gotten it by now the answer is go here, wait in a LOOONGGG line but then sit down and eat some of the best food (not just bbq) that you will ever have.
After eating at 3 other bbq places earlier in the day you'd think we'd be tired of ribs. But no, these were some of the best ribs ever with great flavor and the right amount of fat. The Hog Heaven was nice too. The sauce was decent but not the best in KC. The beans are different and I'm sure they are good in their own way but they didn't meet our definition of beans for bbq. They were more like chili.
It was fun eating in a gas station - kind of a different environment and you can pay for your gas and buy extra sauce the bring home. The line was long but it moved quickly so don't leave if you find the line to the door. I like that you can't save a table until after you order though D didn't like that.
Wow.
I'm not a BBQ connoisseur by any stretch of the word. My barbecue repertoire doesn't extend beyond the standard CA fare (=nothing spectacular or special) and a few wannabes in NYC (=more pomp than quality). I try not to eat fries too often, and pulled pork sandwiches are a rare, rare treat.
But, for whatever it's worth, this was the best pork ribs and fries I've ever had. We also got the pulled-pork sandwich, and that was also good (if a teensy bit on the salty side, but for all I know that's normal). I found I wanted to pour more of the extra BBQ sauce (there's a giant bottle of it on every table plus a small bottle of spicier stuff) on the sandwich than on the ribs. The rib meat had a perfect crispy outer layer and meat that fell away from the bone with no canine tearing action required. There was fat, of course, but not too much and easily avoidable if you were so inclined. The meat itself was rich (I think that's where the rest of the fat seeped into) and impeccably flavored. The fries were cooked to perfection (not the least bit soggy) and lightly seasoned.
The sandwich came on a plain bun with nothing but the pork and some barbecue sauce. It was excellent and tender, but I was too focused on the ribs to finish off my half.
I love that it's attached to a Shamrock gas station and that the gas station mini mart sells a huge variety of bbq sauces and meat rubs. I just wish they had wet-naps on all the tables. :) (A roll of paper towels is a nice touch, though.) The moderate line moved very fast and our food was out in less than a minute.
All in all, the Jumbo sandwich (which wasn't that jumbo) cost $7 and the 1/2 rack of ribs cost $12, for a grand total of $20.20 for two. Not too bad for the best dang barbecue this girl has ever had.
Oh, Oklahoma Joe's, I miss you so much, but am so proud to see you recognized on my favorite food celeb Anthony Bourdain's list of top 13 places to eat before you die. http://www.menshealth....
Hip hip hooray for Oklahoma Joe's, superior to Bryant's, Gates, or Jack Stack. OK Joe's FOR EVA!
Oklahoma Joe's is amazing. Lines are long, but worth the wait. Everything on the menu is… Read more »
Yay, I'm the 100th reviewer of Oklahoma Joe's! That makes me special. Ok, maybe not. But you know what reviewing OK Joe's will make me? Hungry!
Yes sirree. Thinking about the food there makes me yearn for good BBQ. I'm not a pork eater, so apparently I'm missing out. The brisket, though, is phenomenal. So tender and tasty. I loved the sauce. It has just the right tang to it. The best is mixing the regular and spicy, and you get the perfect blend of what sauce should be.
As for the sides, that's what really rocks the house, or gas station in this case. If you're going to have the balls to claim the best fries around, you'd better live up to it. OK Joes' did, and then some. And the onion rings were fantastic. I'm not usually an onion ring person but my friend got them and I enjoyed them. The boy really enjoyed them and ended up devouring her onion rings like they were his own.
All in all, a great place to visit. If you want to avoid the lines, go really early or really late.
I have to confess. I love all things BBQ, but I don't eat moo or oink. I know, I know - how can one love BBQ and not like the main parts of it that people eat?
Well, I eat chicken and turkey, and whaddaya know - they have that here at Okie Joe's. So on my last evening in KC, what better way to end it than to pull up to a gas station and have me some gut-busting BBQ.
I ordered a 1/4 chicken, with a side of onion rings and a drink. All for under $9. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, smoky and juicy and once I added that super-spicy BBQ sauce on it, well I think that must have been the best piece of chicken I've ever eaten. Thank god neither Susan or Dave wanted any because I don't think I would have been able to keep the snarls in.
Now, the chicken was pretty good, but what won me over was the onion rings. Holy sh*t, they were the best goddamn onion rings I have ever eaten.
Whenever I go to a place that serves onion rings, I have to try them. Normally, I'm not a fan of onions unless they are fully cooked and indistinguishable from whatever they are used in. However, onion rings are the anomaly. These were cornmeal crusted, fried to perfection, not greasy at all and seasoned so well there was no need for anything else on them. I crunched away until I literally couldn't put another piece in my mouth. Dave ate the rest.
So if you are in KC, go to the Kansas side and get some BBQ. I've heard the brisket is amazing. :P
After eating here, I had serious food coma. Not a good thing given I still needed to drive to STL, and it was already 9:00.
This place was awesome. It's in a freaking gas station. How cool is that? Had the half slab of ribs with baked beans and french fries. The meat fell right off the bone. So tender, juice, and tasty. Ribs were already sauced up pretty well, but I still slathered the meat with the hot BBQ sauce at the table. Couldn't have been good for my health but definitely was good for the taste buds.
Baked beans were also good.
Fries, beyond belief. Perfectly crisped and delightfully seasoned.
Top it all off with a Diet Coke, and I was in hog heaven. If I had better presence of mind, I should've gotten the sweet tea, but I defaulted to Diet Coke.
Kinda off the Interstate and in a random area, but it's well worth the detour.
Showed up at closing (8:30 p.m.) on a Tuesday and the place was full.
OK Joe's be more than OK.
Everyone has their favorites. BBQ is a serious business around here and people don't joke around about this stuff. I've heard like good 30 min. conversations on who has best what and blah blah blah. It could possibly be considered as a lecture. Meat? Check. Sauces? Check. Sides? Check. Everything was discussed down to a t. I felt so overwhelmed.
I admit that I am pretty much stuck on Arthur Bryant's but when I heard the music pastor announce that the church was getting Oklahoma Joe's for Easter Sunday weekend, I knew I was missing out. How? Cuz the excitement on his face just told me so. All I know is that after that announcement, BBQ was on my mind through out the service.
So, I went and the line was ridiculously long. I should have just gone to church on sat. night to eat it. I got the burnt ends and it was good! I couldn't find anything wrong with it but I still had that guilty conscience. For me, it's Arthur Bryant's all the way. I have no idea how this loyalty was formed... And no, I can't reason with you to prove my point. All I know is that I don't have a guilty conscience when I go to Arthur Bryant's.
Round #3, Stop #2
The quest continues...
I couldn't stay away from OK Joe's. This time I tried out the "Restaurant in a gas station" location. I went there right after work/class (around 5:30) and the line was just starting to build. However by the time I finished eating and was heading out the parking lot was chaos!
I had the pulled pork and sausage with a side of creamy slaw. MMMMMM - OK Joe's was just as good here, the menu seemed smaller but the BBQ, oh the smoky, saucy, flavor-bursting BBQ! Next time I try the fries, I have been told they are heaven as well.
I also picked up a bottle of the sauce for a friend that is taking care of my dogs. She is gonna love this stuff.
Still awesome. Tried the ribs this trip, sharing with a friend. Had the pulled pork/sausage sandwich and fries. Ribs normally bother me, no matter how good. These didn't - not greasey, just tender and really good. The pulled pork sandwich was the same - awesome.
If you're a rookie, don't worry about the line - it rolls quickly, and is well worth the wait.
So what if I'm a 'Johnny Come Lately'? I've eaten it, although about 18 months ago - and loved it.… Read more »
I don't think BBQ can get better than this. Haven't been to Gates or Arthur Bryant's yet, but I assume they would be on the same level, but not better.
I had the Carolina Style Pulled Pork Sandwich and shared some Onion Rings & Fries. All extremely good.
Quirky Location. Their awards are all over the interior. Anthony Bourdain's article was up when I went as well.
I do wish they had more Boulevard than just the Wheat. I didn't ask, but that's all they had displayed. We went around 1 or 1:30pm on a Friday, so there was a long line, but it went relatively fast.
Kansas City, MO
Category: Barbeque
Kansas City, MO
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Greater Downtown
Category: Barbeque
Mission, KS
Category: Barbeque
Olathe, KS
Category: Barbeque
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