Popular Kansas City barbecue spot missing from ‘Best BBQ’ list

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - People from across the country and around the world travel to Kansas City to taste test the city’s famous barbecue. The scent of smokers can be smelled across the city during certain times of the day.

Barbecue lovers likely have hundreds of options to chose from while trying to find the best brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and beans, among other Kansas City favorites.

Writers also dedicate countless lists to naming the best barbecue spots to try while visiting the city. The lists normally include many of the same popular spots.

Except a newly published ranking.

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WideOpenCountry.com published an article listing the 10 Best Barbecue Joints in Kansas City. The site describes itself as a platform for “all things country.”

Kansas City barbecue fans will quickly notice one of the metro’s most popular restaurants didn’t make the cut when it comes to the list.

The late American chef and writer Anthony Bourdain once said that Joe’s Kansas City barbecue is “the best barbecue in Kansas City, which makes it the best barbecue in the world.” WideOpenCountry apparently didn’t get Bourdain’s memo. The platform did not include Joes KC in it’s “Top 10 List of Best Barbecue Joints in Kansas City.”

There’s nothing that says the restaurant needed to be included in the latest ranking, but it is normally considered one of the best barbecue restaurants in the city. It also is almost always included in other Kansas City barbecue rankings.

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These other 10 popular Kansas City spots did make WideOpenCountry’s list:

1. Harp Barbecue
2. Chef J BBQ
3. Jones Bar-B-Q
4. Q39
5. Danny Edwards BBQ
6. Buck Tui BBQ
7. Slap’s BBQ
8. Gates Bar-B-Q
9. LC’s Bar-B-Q
10. Arthur Bryant’s

A comment from the website will be added if WideOpenCountry.com responds to a request for information about how it created the list and whether Joe’s Kansas City was considered for it.

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