Displaced KC BBQ Lovers Respite!

[unlurking]

OK, after seeing all these threads about KC BBQ joints this summer, I have finally had it!!!! It is time we had good KC style BBQ reviews for those that live outside the Arrowhead shadow.

I live in Colorado, and for the longest time thought there was CRAP for BBQ here. Well, for any other of you diehard KC BBQ lovers in Denver, I ate at a little dive joint today that made me think of Jack Stacks. (Somebody mentioned seeing a "Brick's BBQ" from I-25 and another thread. This one is not visible from the highway, but I think it may be the one the poster was thinking of.)

www.brickyardbbq.com (http://www.brickyardbbq.com)

It is off of W 38th between Federal and Sheridan. I had the beef burnt ends, baked beans, and red kool-aid. :)

First off the the burnt ends were awesome. I love the crispy smokey coating EACH AND EVERY piece had on one edge (many joints don't seem to get the concept of "ends"). Nice chunks of burnt edges/spices, tasty falling apart meat, and juicy squishy fat globules! (I usually only eat very lean meats, but the fat on burnt ends gives a lot of the flavor) The baked beans were incredible. I talked to the guy at the counter, and he verified that they too cook there beans at the bottom of the smoker to collect the drippings. I really believe these guys tried to model their food off Fiorellas. The sauce was a tad sweet, reminded me of the mild stuff in KC. They had a hotter sauce, but in my joy of actual good KC BBQ I totally forgot to try it! I will probably try it tomorrow for lunch! :drool:

I'd love to hear others thoughts and reviews of BBQ in other states (going to Boston next week, any help?), as well as any I may be missing locally.

[unlurking]

What, no BBQ lovers outside of KC?!?!?!

[KC Jones]

sweet - I'm going there sometime!

I was wondering if there was any decent BBQ here in CO. Maybe we can have a Chiefsplanet ex-patriate gathering there some time.

[Miles]

Some of the BBQ is passible here in Houston and there are a few damn good ones in Austin. John Mueller's Bar-BQ in Austin is probably the best I have had in the state. Not nearly as good KC but still enjoyable.

Also thanks for the Denver reccomendation. I am moving there in a few weeks and was hoping there would be a good place.

[sd4chiefs]

The BBQ in San Diego sucks. They even have a place called Kansas City BBQ and it really sucks.

[Logical]

I would strongly recommend anyone jonesing for BBQ while in San Diego, just go for Mexican or Asian. Seriously bad BBQ here, if you were truly desperate you could go to KC BBQ down by the convention center but it is not very good.

[KCTitus]

Here in VA...the meat doesnt come from the midwest, so it's not the best and naturally, the bbq suffers. There are no 'local' bbq places anywhere so we must get bbq either by making it myself which I do regularly or via chain store.

The best bbq locally is Famous Daves...sure, it's blasphemy if you lived in KC, but in about 1k miles from KC and it's the best bbq within walking distance that I can get and I have outcooked that place in the past.

[Raiderhater]

Some of the BBQ is passible here in Houston and there are a few damn good ones in Austin. John Mueller's Bar-BQ in Austin is probably the best I have had in the state. Not nearly as good KC but still enjoyable.

Also thanks for the Denver reccomendation. I am moving there in a few weeks and was hoping there would be a good place.


Yeah, that's about the way I would describe it.

[MOhillbilly]

Yeah, that's about the way I would describe it.

yep, first time i was in Houston my family went on about how great TX Q was in houston.
blah.......if making it to hot(spicy) to enjoy the flavor is good,ill stick to what i know.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I'm not a displaced Kansas Citian, but here in Wichita there is a place called "Pig In Pig Out", and their brisquite is fabulous. We get a couple pounds so there will be leftovers and I find myself stopping by the fridge every 15 minutes all evening to "pick just a bite".

[milkman]

I would strongly recommend anyone jonesing for BBQ while in San Diego, just go for Mexican or Asian. Seriously bad BBQ here, if you were truly desperate you could go to KC BBQ down by the convention center but it is not very good.

You could just change San Diego to California, and this statement would still be true.

Although, I don't like Asian food, but that's just me.

[unlurking]

sweet - I'm going there sometime!

I was wondering if there was any decent BBQ here in CO. Maybe we can have a Chiefsplanet ex-patriate gathering there some time.
That'd be cool!

I meant to try the pork sandwich, but fell back on the brisket sandwich today. Very good, large portion of meat. The steak fries are pretty good too. Again, had the beans again, very tasty. Tried the hotter sauce, and thought it was very good, although not very hot. Just hot enough to overpower any sweetness, but I liked it.

If you can't tell, I've been missing good Q for so long, I will probably be eating there a lot! Figure I'll try half a slab of ribs tomorrow. I may be overdoing it, but I head to Boston Friday and will have to put up with seafood for a week, so I'm compensating. :D

[unlurking]

I'm not a displaced Kansas Citian, but here in Wichita there is a place called "Pig In Pig Out", and their brisquite is fabulous. We get a couple pounds so there will be leftovers and I find myself stopping by the fridge every 15 minutes all evening to "pick just a bite".
Nice, never tried Wichita Q, but brisket is probably my favorite. Ribs coming in second.

[jspchief]

The BBQ scene seems to be heating up in Des Moines, with the opening of several of the small type of joints that tend to do it better than the big guys.

Ankeny had a small place called Chops that made amazing brisket and pretty good turkey, but the rest of their stuff was pretty pedestrian. Ribs were dry, chicken was bad and their sides sucked. It was kind of over-priced, and is closed now, but I would kill for another batch of their brisket.

Altoona has a place I just tried called Kinfolks. I had a platter with brisket and smoked sausage, and also had some of my wife's pulled pork. Smoked sausage was good, but nothing beyond anyone else's. The brisket was tasty, but was a bit too tender and stringy. More like roast beef than brisket IMO. The Pork was good too. The beans were pretty plain. They had a very good spicy sauce that was the highlight of what I tried there. I'll go back, and probably try the ribs.

Big Daddys near downtown is a bit infamous for their spicy sauces, but overall I wouldn't reccomend it. It's dumpy, they have odd hours, and the meat is very average. If you like hot, this place has some sauces that will put you in the hospital (seriously, you have to sign a waiver). More of a novelty than anything else.

There's a new place in Johnston that I'll be trying out soon.

So far, I haven't found any place with burnt ends on the menu here in Des Moines.

[Phobia]

I've been smoking the hell out of pork loin lately. OMG - I've not had any better. Seriously. There's something about cedar flavor I really, really enjoy.

I think I'm gonna try a fresh, exciting experiment with some smoked chicken soon. It could be an entry into the 37 Forever cookoff.

[Skip Towne]

I've been smoking the hell out of pork loin lately. OMG - I've not had any better. Seriously. There's something about cedar flavor I really, really enjoy.

I think I'm gonna try a fresh, exciting experiment with some smoked chicken soon. It could be an entry into the 37 Forever cookoff.
You just like it because you get the scrap cedar shingles for free.

[shaneo69]

St. Louis has two big chains that consider themselves the best in town---Super Smokers and Bandana's. They are pretty good at catering events, but anytime I've gone to their restaurants I've been disappointed. I would rather eat my own BBQ than go to a St. Louis BBQ restaurant.

[Phobia]

You just like it because you get the scrap cedar shingles for free.

I get all my wood for free and I still prefer cedar.

[Skip Towne]

I get all my wood for free and I still prefer cedar.
Not me, I like fir. And, there's more of it.

[Skip Towne]

Particle board is good too, the glue adds a psychedelic effect.

[Mojo Rising]

You could just change San Diego to California, and this statement would still be true.

Although, I don't like Asian food, but that's just me.

Sams in SJ isn't bad and Memphis Minnies in the Lower Haight (SF) is pretty good.