KCRag Forum

yep, OK Joe's is approaching unvisitable.

Quality control is not keeping pace with demand either.

grovester wrote: yep, OK Joe's is approaching unvisitable.

And it's not even that good.  I think it's stupid that ok joes has become the flagship of kc bbq.  I just don't see what people see in the place and it will never be on the level with gates and other places around KC.

It's not even close to the flagship.

KCPowercat wrote: It's not even close to the flagship.

I know and I guess you know, but it sure seems to have become the flagship of kc bbq.  It's typically the first bbq place people recommend on internet forums etc.  The visiting media now goes there rather than some of the more urban and established places in the city.  It's by far the first bbq place kansas side people recommend to people visiting KC (right behind village west).

The place is called "Oklahoma" joes for crying out loud and it's run by people from OK I think.  How is that "KC" bbq?  The place was not even there when I was growing up in kc and eating at the original gates at Brush Creek and paseo.

Plus whenever I have been there it's nothing but white people and 90% of the cars are always from Johnson County which gives the place a very sterile feel despite its "gas station" location.  It's urban grit if you are from 135th and Nall I guess.

Why is kc sending so many tourists there?  I would say 90% of the reviews that come back say that ok joes is okay, but they liked gates, lcs, bryants etc better.

I think OK Joes is JoCo's version of urban bbq without having to go too far east into kcmo.  And just the idea of them opening a location in Leawood pretty much verifies that.

OK Joes = Overated.

It is a safer recommendation in its bbq that appeals to the masses and the consistently put out meat that will kill anything else in any other city.....but in KC it is still kinda mundane. Sure the original is in a has station which gives it its niche but there is nothing great. Their sides all suck imo and their most popular sandwich has cheese on it? Gmafb. I love the zman by the way but its not what I think of as the perfect bbq sandwich.

I think your take is right on Grid.

i can't speak to whether quality is keeping up with demand (i hadn't been to OK Joe's until the last 6 months) but it is bar none my favorite bbq in KC, and it has been the most consistent.  i don't think the sides suck at all - i will take their spicy, chili powdery beans over even jack stacks sugary beans anyday.  the z man is fucking delicious.  i had their chicken gumbo one time, and it was killer too.  i get that it's the relative newcomer, and does not have the history/tradition of gates or bryant's, and of course it isn't even purely KC style bbq, but it is damn good and i don't think it's a bad thing at all that the 47/mission location has basically become probably one of KC's top 10 tourist attractions.  their meat is consistent (for me) and great - whereas gates and bryant's are awesome when at the top of their game, but all too often you get a lot of gristly, fatty BS in your food. 

I visited Gates again for the first time in forever last week and frankly I don't know how that place has become the flagship BBQ. Everything was average to below average except the onion rings. I don't think I've had a great meal there ever. I've never had a bad meal at Oklahoma Joe's.  I mean c'mon, step away from the anti-KS bias for a second and look at the high Zagat ratings, and the national acclaim the place gets.

GRID wrote: I know and I guess you know, but it sure seems to have become the flagship of kc bbq.  It's typically the first bbq place people recommend on internet forums etc.  The visiting media now goes there rather than some of the more urban and established places in the city.  It's by far the first bbq place kansas side people recommend to people visiting KC (right behind village west).

The place is called "Oklahoma" joes for crying out loud and it's run by people from OK I think.  How is that "KC" bbq?  The place was not even there when I was growing up in kc and eating at the original gates at Brush Creek and paseo.

Plus whenever I have been there it's nothing but white people and 90% of the cars are always from Johnson County which gives the place a very sterile feel despite its "gas station" location.  It's urban grit if you are from 135th and Nall I guess.

Why is kc sending so many tourists there?  I would say 90% of the reviews that come back say that ok joes is okay, but they liked gates, lcs, bryants etc better.

I think OK Joes is JoCo's version of urban bbq without having to go too far east into kcmo.  And just the idea of them opening a location in Leawood pretty much verifies that.

OK Joes = Overated.

They are not from Oklahoma, they are from KC. The name is based off of a line of bbq smokers, and a part owner, but the controlling manager and person who runs it is from KC. If 90% of the people like one of the other's better then the line wouldn't be so long at OK Joe's. There is a Gates at 435 and State Line and an AB's in Village West. They aren't immune to being 'suburban' BBQ. Mission and County Line Road isn't exactly suburban, it is in KCK for Pete's sake. If its not the flagship, it is right up there with Gates and AB in quality and popularity. It is ok to have more than 1 or 2 great BBQ places in one town, you don't have to knock one to build up the others.

Typical of you to call something overrated based on what state the building is in

Gates? Are you effing kidding me? If you want to call out some BBQ for being overrated, call out Gates and Bryant's. Order brisket at either place, and 6/10 times you get a pile of inedible fat with some muscle fibers woven in here and there. Disgusting. I would NEVER send an unsuspecting tourist to Gates or Bryant's. I stand by Bryant's sauce as the best BBQ sauce in existence, but the quality control at the restaurant is inexcusable.

I haven't been to OK Joe's in a long time, but when I've gone, it has been way better than most of the other places in KC. I am not a huge fan of their sauces, and I 100% agree with KCP that cheese + BBQ is a nonstarter for me, but the quality and consistency of their meat stomps all over almost everyone in town.

Love the zman. Its not what I think of as a bbq sandwich. Bbq doesn't have cheese and an onion ring on it.

How fitting a gas station you have to drive to is a top KC tourist attraction.

Ok joes does has consistent meat no doubt. It's never great meat in my opinion. Their sauce is too KC masterpiece-like and their sides gag me.

Great thing about KC though.....lots of great options. You could randomly suggest a joint out of the phone book in KC and it will probably be the beat bbq a tourist has ever had.

It's impossible for a place like gates or bryants to not be classified as overrated with as much hype they have gotten through the decades.

I can't grand huge globs if fat but its bbq....it should be sliced whole and served. I pick that out.  Too sanitized makes for a less than great bbq joint experience. If you want a well trimmed piece of meat I don't think bbq is the cuisine you should be visiting.

BTW the bryants outposts like legends and casino are gross from my experience.

KCPowercat wrote: It's impossible for a place like gates or bryants to not be classified as overrated with as much hype they have gotten through the decades.

I can't grand huge globs if fat but its bbq....it should be sliced whole and served. I pick that out.  Too sanitized makes for a less than great bbq joint experience. If you want a well trimmed piece of meat I don't think bbq is the cuisine you should be visiting.

BTW the bryants outposts like legends and casino are gross from my experience.

This.

I like gates better.  If I want super lean meat and cheese, I'll go to a deli at a price chopper.

If I want some true KC BBQ, I'll go to gates, bryants, lc's, jackstack downtown, rosedales (which is in kck) etc.

OK Joes is JoCo bbq.  Clean and sterile with a touch (very small touch) of urban grit.

GRID wrote: This.

I like gates better.  If I want super lean meat and cheese, I'll go to a deli at a price chopper.

If I want some true KC BBQ, I'll go to gates, bryants, lc's, jackstack downtown, rosedales (which is in kck) etc.

OK Joes is JoCo bbq.  Clean and sterile with a touch (very small touch) of urban grit.

I like how Rosedale is true KC bbq because it is in KCK but OK Joe's is JoCo bbq because it is in KCK.

GRID wrote:
OK Joes is JoCo bbq.  Clean and sterile with a touch (very small touch) of urban grit.

I agree with this, but the food is friggin' great IMO.

It is interesting the huge difference between original locations and new locations for these places. Like the original AB is 1000x better than the AB at Village West. And the original OK Joe's is 1000x times better than the one in Olathe.

i would say that both Jackstack locations in KC are "JoCo BBQ" before OK Joe's would be.  they are faux-upscale, "white tablecloth" bbq with frozen french fries and comparatively mild flavors.  OK Joe's is definitely not traditional, old school KC bbq, but it does what it does really well.  if anything it is "Competition BBQ" vs. Old school urban grit BBQ.  nothing wrong with that, since the food blows other KC BBQ out of the water 9 times out of 10.

Adm....do you not agree there is a large difference between rosedale and ok joes?  Seems you are trying to paint this as a stateline issue in this discussion that's not really happening except in your own mind.

I think i just had the best Gas Station BBQ in Jeff City called Lutz's, place was awesome, great pork and they even had homemade potato chips with your choice of 20 different flavors, i opted for the salt and vinegar.  Lines were pretty long but not to the point OK Joe's has been becoming recently.

Wonder if the lines at OK Joe's would be less if Anthony Bourdain and other foodies didn't recommend it as the best bbq in KC.

This is one of the reasons I love KC:

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The topic of BBQ comes up and immediately a passionate and generally good natured debate starts about favorite spots.  You have to love the number of options we have, the worst by everyone's standards being better than the ONLY spot in most other cities.  BBQ is tasty  

For the record.  I like OK Joes.  I like the gas station.  Went there a few weeks ago on a Saturday night and wasn't in line any longer than 10 minutes with no issues finding a table for 4 to sit at.  I also like LC's.  The "joint" aspect of both appeals to me along with the food.  Gasp, but I like Jack Stack too.  I know, I know, but it is a good spot to take my mom who would have a panic attack at the lack of sanitation in LC's (figuratively, not literally), and she enjoys pulled pork.  Guess the parents pay though, which helps.

Jack stack fills a great niche for dining.