KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It's called the all-BBQ diet.
Kansas City could be known as the home of your Super Bowl champions or the location for this year's Big 12 basketball tournament, but, it's also known for its BBQ. So of course, 6 News Sports Anchor Nicole Shearin had to see for herself what all the hype was about.
First stop: Joe's Bar-B-Que
Don't be fooled by the location, because Joe's is actually in Kansas. Joe's is around 15 minutes from downtown Kansas City, but 100% worth the drive. It's home to a functioning gas station with one single pump in case you need to fill up for your next road trip. Don't overthink this one. Order what they're known for ... the Z-Man.
Imagine this: brisket, crispy onion rings, melted provolone cheese and BBQ sauce on a warm buttery bun. It's heaven in your mouth. If you're feeling wild, order the Travis Kelce special ... two Z-Mans!
Nicole's rating: 4/5 stars. The Z-Man is a must on this menu. Whenever I'm in town I will definitely make an effort to come here for my BBQ fix. Their sauce was hands-down my favorite of all my stops. It's the perfect level of sweetness.
Second stop: Q39
Q39 is your more elevated, white tablecloth-feeling spot. It's sit-down style with a waiter and a menu full of options: wings, pork belly, brisket plates and endless sides.
I went with the classic Angus Beef Brisket Plate with a side of mac and cheese with breadcrumbs on top and apple cole slaw.
Now, don't get me wrong. The meat was good here, but nothing amazing. The sides won me over with the breadcrumbs on top of the gooey mac and cheese, but the meat tasted too dry.
Nicole's rating: 3/5 stars. The sides are the reason I didn't give it a 2.
Third stop: Jack Stack Bar-B-Que
STOP RIGHT NOW AND GO! Jack Stack Bar-B-Que is the perfect spot for a birthday dinner, a night out with friends or maybe a chance to spot Travis Kelce or Taylor Swift. It's giving an elevated barn feel with white napkins and real silverware, but still accepting of a face and hands covered in BBQ sauce.
I ordered The Stack sandwich and it was out of this world. A sandwich full of brisket, sausage and beef with melted pepper jack and BBQ sauce. The sausage won me over here. It was cooked to absolute perfection.
If you want the best dining experience of your life, ask for Drew! He will take your "Que" obsession to the next level. It's safe to say I had an out-of-body experience. Drew personally brought us an over $40 cut of meat that he called "their best product" and proceeded to hand-feed it to us at the table all for FREE. But that wasn't all, he then brought us a warm carrot cake that truly melted in your mouth with every bite.
Nicole's rating: 5/5 stars. Meat cooked to perfection and the dining experience was truly once in a lifetime.
So, the moral of the story: take my advice and embrace the full BBQ diet next time you're in Kansas City. You won't regret it.
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