Three Little Pigs BBQ & Catering

We come to crown center half dozen times a year for theater... I have eaten here 6-8 times in last few years - usually the food is passable... Today it was... Be prepared to wait as they never have any staff and there was only one person today working...

It was the first time they had any burnt ends available, in all my visits, so I tried what was supposed to be Kansas City's Best.... They were the worst -

One time... About a year ago... I waited in line, ordered the Burnt ends - was told they didn't have any... In 15 minutes later, I witnessed the same clerk, trading 2 deeply packed to go boxes of burnt ends to the staff at the Sheridans ice cream counter - for a couple of shakes.

Of all the meals I've had here, only one was good.

If you're on an Atkins diet... Or just want a little bit of meat... Still may be best value in food court... But if you want a barbecue experience, or are expecting famous competition BBQ - save your fucking money

It's Saturday and you're out with your family in the Crown Center. While standing in the super long line at Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, you look over and notice only one or two people across the way at Three Little Pigs BBQ & Catering. You think, "Hey, instead of waiting for an hour, let's check out some Kansas City BBQ!" You are not the first sailor who was drawn by this particular siren's call to crash your ship into the rocks and sadly, you will not be the last. While it seems enticing to walk over there; FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STAY IN LINE AT FRITZ'S!

There is a reason that the line is so short; the brisket is rubbery, the pulled pork is slimy, and the chicken might actually be sawdust. The pork ribs are cooked so poorly that Adam would have been all too happy to part ways with this rib. The beans are average and the potatoes have the consistency of a ten-cent brick of ramen but not nearly as sophisticated of a flavor. I wish this place were made of straw or sticks so I could huff and puff and blow it away never to be seen again.

No!
Many tourists come to Crown Center for the attractions located with-in the complex and nearby. I also assume that many of them want some KC BBQ while they are here and probably use Three Little Pigs as their pit-stop while staying at the hotel or a quick lunch between the aquarium and Lego-land. This truly pains me that some people may think that this is representational of the BBQ capital of the world. If this joint were in a strip mall in Belton; I might not be so hard on them, but serving dried out burnt ends and bbq beans that have been in cooker so long that they are mouth burning 10 minutes after plating and losing their structural consistency is unacceptable. There are a lot of ribbons and trophies displayed on site, but I don't understand how they are connected to this food.
I asked the gent behind the counter, where the meat was smoked, since it obviously wasn't being done on site in Crown Center. He said, "someone does it for us, I don't know". What kind of an answer is that??

Tourists: Welcome to town! Enjoy your stay! Now hop in the car or Uber away from Crown Center to one of the dozen or so places serving amazing BBQ that represents this great city with pride within 25 blocks of here.

First time here and tried a bunch of different things (ordered from most delicious to meh):
1. Brisket- super tender and delicious. Not too Smokey. They serve it with a lot of sauce, so if you want to try it alone, get the sauce on the side.
2. Smoked Turkey
3. Burnt Ends- a little fatty
4. Baked beans- my friends liked them, just not my particular taste
5. Cheesy potatoes- I like my aunt's better, so maybe I am biased lol.

Overall, I'd return, but I'd probably skip the sides. Friendly service and fast even on a Friday at lunch. I would love to see less styrofoam containers though :)

This is NOT the meat that won them the American Royal!

I live in Texas, but I'm from Kansas City. I've been certified as a judge with the KCBS. So, when I saw the trophies, and big award checks, I HAD to stop in and try this place! There's NO WAY this meat won the American Royal. They were no where near KCBS quality, and it only passes as KC 'cue because it's served in KC.

Located in Crown Center, Three Little Pigs is a convenient and affordable grab-and-go BBQ option. Even though it is located in a mall's food court, this is not fake fast food BBQ -- this is real BBQ. Sometimes the meat is a tad dry, but when it is done right, the crunchy but juicy burnt ends are the best menu item. Portions are plentiful and the combo dinners are served as an open faced sandwich with plenty of meat. All meals come with a pickle, and while I do not like pickles, their pickles have a nice non-artificial smell, and I can hear the crunch when people around me eat them. Pair your meal with the almost famous sweet tea which you can get for free if you bring the Crown Center coupon book that gives you a free soda. It is sweet and refreshing without the bitter tea taste. I guess I must be a big bad wolf for eating here, but I will not stop!

Had to find someplace to eat a quick lunch and definitely wanted some type of barbecue while in Kansas City. Saw this place, looked at the prices and did a quick look at the food that was cooking and that people walked out with. Decided either I was really hungry or it looked really good. It was really good! Tried the jumbo pulled pork sandwich; you definitely get a lot of food for the money! It was a little better than most pulled pork sandwiches as far as that goes. The meat was fresh, tender and moist. The barbecue sauce had a little tang to it but not too much. The service was actually pretty great for small place. Very friendly, quick and efficient. Great place to get some good BBQ if you're in a hurry.

If you're looking for pork jerky, you've come to the right place. I ordered a half rack and every piece was jerky dry. I went back to ask if everything was this dry and she said "yes". Well, I guess this is their version of quality.

I also had the cheesy potatoes and it was just bland shredded potatoes baked with cheese on top.

Definitely not coming back.

Def not award winning unless the award is a dunce hat. What an overpriced subpar establishment. It starts with the dirty entryway, rude staff, sub par (potentially microwaved) food and then a price that's comparable to that of the good BBQ restaurants nearby. STAY AWAY!!

I guess I should have read the reviews before I headed here today. But I love bbq. Have had it from Los Angeles to New York and Kansas City is known for it, after all. Tried this place when I was here two years ago. Poor service and the burnt ends weren't all that. But everyone deserves a second chance and they are still here two years later. Today, the service was much friendlier but the food was no better. The ribs this time. Not worth the $15 I was charged. Harder to chew than beef jerky. Definitely overcooked and not fresh. Which is even sadder when you consider I went just before the usual lunch time. Maybe that's why it was swimming in a pond of sauce. It didn't help. I've made better ribs and I don't cook. An embarrassment to the Kansas City BBQ reputation. I will say the potato salad was grocery store passable. But there will be no third chance. I won't be back.