Gates Bar-B-Q

I traveled from Virginia primarily for Gates BBQ, as I always do! I usually stop at the Emanuel Cleaver location, but I decided to change it up a bit this time. I stopped in around 1:45 PM on 2/23/2026 and was greeted and served by Christina—she was phenomenal! Friendly, professional, and entirely in control of the line, she knew precisely who was next and what each customer had ordered. What stood out was her patience with an elderly couple who seemed to be experiencing Gates for the first time—I have no doubt they’ll be back! Before hitting the road, I ordered two slabs wrapped for travel and a center cut to enjoy now. Christina nailed my order perfectly, and I couldn’t be happier. Emanuel Cleaver, I still love you, but I might have found a side piece for my frequent KC visits! I will share the Love -- Off course! v/r, Dr. Ken King

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Gates BBQ, and it completely lived up to its legendary reputation. The ribs were perfectly tender, with a smoky flavor that made every bite unforgettable. The brisket was rich and juicy, practically melting in my mouth, and the burnt ends were out of this world—crispy on the outside with a flavorful, tender inside. And let’s talk about the sauces! Each one was packed with bold, balanced flavors that complemented the meats perfectly. Gates BBQ is a must-visit for anyone who loves authentic, high-quality barbecue!

THEE BEST BBQ I've ever had, anywhere! The line was out the door when we made this our first stop when we arrived in KC. The Main St. location staff were so patient and awesome. We went back before we flew home and they even wrapped our food "for travel!" My son back home got the treat of tasting Gates too!

Ordered a burnt end sandwich and burnt end Mac. The Mac was great, nice chunks of meat etc. BUT the sandwich… HORRIBLE!!! First bite nothing but fat and sauce smh. I open the sandwich and it’s nothing but fat. $10 sandwich smh.

BQ Experience at Gates! If you’re looking for top-tier BBQ, Gates is the place to be! The food is absolutely delicious—every bite bursting with rich, smoky flavor. The meat is unbelievably tender, seasoned to perfection, and cooked just right. You can taste the passion in every dish! Beyond the amazing food, the service is just as impressive. Big Mama at the front doesn’t play any games—she runs a tight ship and makes sure everyone is taken care of with warmth and efficiency. The whole team makes you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. If you haven’t been to Gates BBQ yet, do yourself a favor and go. You won’t regret it!

Oooh weeeee, the wings were delicious and so was the chicken sausage link! I was visiting from out of town and these were the third set of smoked wings I tried and they were so good. I brought some back on my flight in my backpack lol. I can't wait to go back.

I have been eating Sunday chicken for years. but for the last few months it has been dry and cold, but Today the chicken was perfect! order it fresh, warm and moist.

This place is amazing, great old fashioned KC BBQ ! From the order to the devour so good

Was in the area and happened to be hungry, so I decided to come here for lunch. This just so happens to be one of my favorite locations because they have the wing packs here. Of course I was greeted with "Hi May I Help You "( their famous saying) This time around I didn't order them, I went with a combo turkey and beef on bun with FF, a sausage on bun and baked beans. Everything was 10/10 My food was fresh and nice and hot! If you're visiting or new to Kansas City I definitely recommend giving this place a try.

Popped in for just beef on bun on bread and an extra fry. Was a bit smoky upon first entry. It took a bit longer than I'd hoped but overall my food was delivered as desired and carry out was complete. While I waited, staff was entertaining with there in house conversation.. amongst themselves about work of the day and so on.

In town visiting and had to stop in because a friend bragged and bragged about this place. It was not as good as I was expecting. It was extremely overpriced and the food was subpar at best. I wanted a two meat plate and the waiter said I couldn't. Confusing to me because I've never heard of such a thing at a BBQ joint. She somehow figured out how to make it happen. I decided to give the brisket and ribs a try. The brisket was pretty decent but the portion size was maybe 3oz if that. The ribs were edible and the sauce was too vinegar like with no flavor. My friend shared her baked beans and potato salad and both were very good. Can't say that I'd recommend this place to anyone.

Eh, I wasn't all that impressed with Gates BBQ. I don't have to go back. Out of the 3 BBQ places I tried on my first ever visit to Kansas City, this was the worst. Someone likened it to the "fast food of KC barbecue" and I laughed at the time, but when I finally went there I can see why and they were dead on. I got the beef nooner which was the discounted price during 12-2pm for a sandwich and fries. I got the beef nooner and the chopped up beef was mixed with their sauce and it was more like a sloppy joe sandwich. It was greasy and all you can taste was "eh" bbq sauce. The meat had very little flavor (or it just didn't stand out amongst the BBQ sauce it was drenched in) and I was unimpressed. Thank God this was under $10 because the regular price of $15 is a true ripoff. Yeah I am glad I went to other barbecue places because if this is the representation of KC barbecue I will take a hard pass. I got my food to go, but the dated decor wasn't impressing me. Glad I didn't eat in the restaurant.

It's time for an updated review. Gates on Main is the KC BBQ spot I visit most. The nooner special is easily the best lunch deal for any BBQ restaurant in KC, but it's also one of the best lunch deals of any restaurant in KC. It's always pretty quick to get through the line when ordering to go, and that's thanks to the great employees who are working to get people in out the door. The whole thing is an experience, and I love coming here. They have great food!

Brought my crew lunch yesterday and we are all now home sick. We all had the special with fries. Wont be back!

Service has fallen all the way off. If you go at night service staff will be getting into verbal arguments with guests. If you come during the day prepare to wait :20 in line before they address you/take your order. Seemingly 14 ppl working the shift but no one's moving anything along, knows how to run the register or remember an order. Given the price might as well just go to Jackstack. Given quality might as well go to Joe's or Slap's. Want to support the OG but they're actively making it harder and harder to do so.

First time in KC, Gates was walking distance from the hotel. We arrived just as they opened so no line. Service was excellent everyone was very friendly and patient since we didn't know what to order. Got 3 meats and fries. Pork ribs, brisket and ham. The HAM was out of this world delicious!! Didn't know that was a thing but I'm a believer now. The place is a little old but the food and service was worth the trip.

Lunch at 11:30 on a Saturday. Easy parking and lots of seating. The service was so friendly. They devote someone to work the lobby to attend to customers and she was delightful. They had a shoe shine stand at the front door and someone working it! Amazing atmosphere. The food was excellent. The mixed plate and full slab were huge, and the burnt ends sandwich a hit. Next time I'll order my ribs dry and apply the sauce myself. If you like a lot of sauce you will love these ribs. Great experience!

Don't believe the hype. In a city chockablock with great (not just good) BBQ, why would anyone eat here? Dry and flavorless brisket, chewy burnt ends, and a nasty tasting sauce. Fries are good but who cares? That's not why anyone comes here.

Super long line and only one person working the cash register. But they were helpful by telling people to call out orders while in line. Ordered a burnt ends sandwich and asked for a cup for water. They charged $2.50 for a cup. Turns out they had cups and water available at the dining area... The burnt ends are decent and I like the slight tart Worcestershire taste from the sauce. Was waiting in line again just to ask for extra pickles but gave up because it was hard to call for attention. A worker walking around asked how everything was and helped us out. Nice area with mirrors on all the walls to amplify the size of the area. Low lit area and fans lightly blowing. A TV on to watch basketball was available.

Gates BBQ used to be so good! We moved to Arizona and were visiting KC. Our first stop was Gates and Sons. The brisket was fatty and chewy. The extra crispy fries were limp. A horrible experience and not on my list anymore. I still like their sauce but not eating here again and do not recommend. Ollie needs to know...

Best beef sandwich in town. The beans are great too. I love returing to kc area just to eat st gates. I just wished the shipped their beef.

For many years, Gates has been one of my go-to BBQ joints when visiting KC. When we were last here, I found the quality of the food to be disappointing. It was just as bad this time around. You can no longer order just portions of various meats, so we just got a slab of ribs. They had good flavor, but were overcooked. The service is cheerful and friendly. It's sad to see a great BBQ joint go downhill.

This place was over priced, filled with smoke and the food was not very good. The presentation of the food was very poor. I consider Dickey's barbecue restaurant 10x better . Our clothes stink from the amount of smoke inside. I had to ask the owner to open up the doors and he got upset.... Sorta like a Seinfeld episode. Some of the staff was very polite other staff seem to have a moody personality, and the owner seemed a bit crabby. Maybe he should open a seafood shop. Go to Jack Stack....which we were originally trying to do except it was a 90 min wait... don't listen to the Uber drivers...Gates overrated, sorry!

Food was horrible, I ordered a burnt end sandwich and I got nothing but fat and grease covered in BB-Q sauce. First two bites I threw it away, onion rings were good.

I went to Gates at 103rd last Thursday 5/30. Since they don't sell meat by the pound I ordered the $17.00 sandwich hold the bread. I also order a full order of fries. My order cam e $27.00. The fries had no salt and were awfully. The beef was so dry. I will never go back. I threw it out. What a waste of $27.00.

Gates BBQ was such a disappointment. I am not sure where to start. For a Sunday at 11:30 a.m., there was already a line forming out the door. For a BBQ establishment, it's normal to be waiting in line to place your order. However, the line didn't move for 20 minutes. Several individuals got frustrated and ended up leaving because the line was not moving. There were two individuals working the cashier and another taking orders from the line. When we got close to the cashier, our meat order was already ready. However, there was still an individual in front of us waiting for their order. It took 15 additional minutes to get our sides, drinks and to pay. By the time we sat down to eat, the meat was cold. Plus we had to repeat our oder at least 4 times. There has to be a more efficient way to take orders than the setup they have. The line is not efficient at all. There were only 14 people in front of us, and it took over 45 minutes before we even sat down. The cashier also argued with me at the counter when I questioned her on the fountain soda that was poured. We both ordered Dr. Pepper and they were clearly 2 different colors. I am also disappointed in the price. For a sauage, 2 ribs, 2 sides and 2 drinks..... $48. What!!!! The sauage entrée was $16. It only comes with the sausage and one (non toasted) piece of bread. You don't get a side or a drink with the meal. That all cost extra. The ribs... barely any meat on the bone. It was mostly bone and fat. For $48, we should have walked out of there satisfied. Neither one of us felt full.... instead, we both left with a stomach ach. Heading straight to the car to get the tums. My last major issue I had with Gates BBQ. The individuals working the cashier should NEVER be touching food. I watched our cashier take cash from the individual in front of us, puts it in the register, and then turned around to put onion rings in the fryer using the same hand. She never washed her hands or changed her gloves. Why are the cashiers touching food. I will not be coming back.

I haven't had Gates for a while. I was looking forward to enjoying traditional KC BBQ. I ordered the Mixed Plate and a small drink. I spent $41. The Mixed Plate is enough food for two people. I took half of it home. What I was expecting, I did not receive. The BBQ was disappointing. The ribs did not fall if the bone. They where not very good. The brisket was fatty and chewy. The ham was ok. It was a little dry. The fries where fine. I liked the sauce and the strawberry soda. The bartender was pleasant and helpful. The restaurant was clean and well stocked. If you are new to KC. I know you have heard a lot about Gates. As a native to Kansas City and BBQ lover, I would go some place else. This food experience was not very appetizing. I'm sorry to say.

The place was dirty and food underwhelming, especially the fries. I couldn't eat it. The customer behind me got fresh hot fries. Maybe those were better

A Kansas City staple and family owned and operated. The meats are slow smoked, wings are what they are known for. I had the burnt ends sandwich. Was kinda weird that it was shredded and not left in chunks. Not very fatty. The bbq pork sandwich is sliced, not chopped or pulled. The pork however was very tender and not overwhelming smoked. The sauce is not sweet at all. It is a tomato, pepper and vinegar base. The fries were fresh and the seasoning is simple. You order and pick up at the counter and seat yourself with no table service. The building is very old! So it's kinda cool and fees like you go back in time.

Jason Sudeikis mentioned this place when he was on Hot Ones, so since we were in town, I was excited to try it. The whole ordering process was frustrating and confusing. In a way, you "yell" your order across the restaurant. But there is another line where they take your order at the counter normally. Anyway, I had the short end. So the ribs came with bbq sauce, which has a kick, and I can't eat spicy food well. I didn't like that my ribs were cold. Also, the meat wasn't tender. For sides, the cole slaw had too much mayo. And I wasn't fond of the potato salad. Once we were seated, they had a staff going around and checking on us, and she was sweet. This visit was disappointing, I must say.

Went here with my brother! We both got the Burnt End sandwich with a side of potato salad and he got the macaroni salad. So good! Our waitress Denise was so nice to us! Definitely will be coming back.

I love local owned restaurants and Gates is always got a soft spot in my heart. Gates is a unique experience and if you've never eaten here, just be warned they yell "Hi, May I help you!" The minute you walk in the door even if there are 10 people in line. Don't panic they will keep making eye contact and yell out to take your order. If you go during a busy time, expect to stand in line and your mouth will be watering by the time you get to the front. You get the appearance they are disorganized but it's just their style and it's fun to hear the ladies at the counter yell your order back to the fellas preparing your food. I always want more than a sandwich and fries but I always walk out super full and satisfied. Please understand you will smell like bbq smoke the rest of the day and have to wash or dry clean your cloths. You can grab a cold beer for peanuts. Everyone has a different taste when it comes to bbq but it's one of the best and a classic KC bbq. Try it out!

The counter was a disorganized mess. Food was handed to use three different times, shame it was the 4th time before it was correct. I love gates, it is my favorite but this was awful. The beef on bun should have been called "chunks of fat on bun" and the burnt end was swimming in grease. It will be a while before I ask to come back here.

Hello. I visited Gates BBQ on Main on 7/21/23. I understand it's a KC BBQ staple. Counter service was very unorganized and I waited a good bit of time for my small order. The BBQ was tender, but I'm not a huge fan of the sauce that was on my sandwich. FYI: get sauce on the side. The sides were good though ( coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans). I expected more. Sat and ate in the dining room and it took forever for staff to come Back when I asked for things like...ICE! Also please start providing wet naps.. Gates do better.

This place is a disaster. They need better management to control their staff. I waited over 30 mins to place my order & I was 3rd in line. Why when food is already cooked? Then the staff was arguing amongst themselves & the customers & they had to separate the cooks who were getting ready to fight! This place needs to close while they retrain their staff & hire new management ! All this took away from the food. You guys seriously need to do better!!!

Was recommended here by locals! Both my partner and I got the burnt ends sandwich. He got fries and I got onion rings. Additionally, the tray came with pickles and a fountain drink! They have strawberry soda!!! The fries come with a spicier seasonal on top which I could have gone without. The ends were chopped as opposed to sliced which I didn't *love* but not necessarily anything to complain about. My boyfriend claims his sandwich was greasy although the thought never crossed my mind. Pricing is pretty good and the service was relatively fast! Very mom and pop type of place, hole in the wall type of place and set up very "traditionally" rather dim lighting but overall enjoyed myself! I would definitely go here again although I do not think my boyfriend.

Definitely a hole in the wall place. We were recommended to go here by locals. The restaurant itself was clean. The majority of the staff were friendly. There was a lady who was pulling orders from the kitchen and giving them out, who was pretty rude but everyone else was friendly. I ordered the short ribs and fries- the short ribs has small pieces of bones throughout and cut sharp edges of bones. Not a lot of meat and fat on them. It was a hazard eating them. The BBQ was good- spicy! A little too salty for my liking. The fries were okay. My friend had the beans and the burnt edges sandwich. Those beans were the BEST we have ever had. He said the sandwich was a little dry but good. The area for the sit down people to get utensils and such, was neglected. It was clean, but there were no forks, no napkins, and no sauces. I found ketchup packets and the fork in section labeled "for take out only". The pickles were good.

For dinner tonight, around 6:30 pm, we went to Gates BBQ at Linwood and Main. It was not good. The place was nearly empty so that should have been a clue. As many of you know, the moment one walks in you get greeted with their well-known "Hi, may I help you?" Not this time. We had to get their attention. We ordered but they got our order wrong (different meat combination). Then when we went to the sauce selection, there were no sauces, only a sign we had to get back and get pre-filled individually filled sauces. By the time we got to our table, the fries and meats in our sandwiches had gone tepid. The food still tasted good, but the experience was not great. Obviously it was not a good night for this store because as we walked out an employee stopped us in the parking lot to ask us if we were the ones with an issue with their slabs. We were not.

The sausage is huge and nicely seasoned with a little heat kick. Their bbq beans are also great, with some good meatless to them. Pretty good service too.

I despise their tradition of yelling at customers for their order as they walk in the door. It's unnecessarily off-putting for folks who haven't dined there before. That said, these ribs were good. Though they are the slightly tough/full bodied variation I usually am not keen on, they were tender and flavorful enough to enjoy thoroughly. On a side note, the price was $17 for 4 ribs. This was one of the most expensive per-rib places we visited in the city.

Gates BBQ is considered the best in KC (alongside Arthur Bryant's) and all the LOCALS know this is THE place. No frills and perhaps expect a touch of rudeness. No ambiance but you aren't going for this type of dining experience. You are going for the BBQ after all! Others commented about not liking the ambiance of the restaurant. One tip- get it to go! I love this place and have been a repeat customer since I can remember. Now I return to KC, I make it a point to stop and take my kids. Don't miss Gates. One of the first and original. The BEST

Pulled up to this spot...the smoke was right..I was like...oooweeee, it's about to go down...walked in and Service is a10...awesome service...they pile your plate up.. but the best thing on the sampler was the ham..

Great food as always, but please re-train your cashiers. Today, I had to twice repeat a request to the woman taking my order. It wasn't acknowledged until someone in the kitchen heard me and took note. Also, why was I quoted a price for sauce for my to-go order while the gentleman behind me, dining in, got two of them for free? Are people carrying out lesser customers?

Food wasn't bad by any means but they did not have any other condiment except BBQ sauce which was disappointing. I feel like if it's your first time there which it was for me, it gets kinda confusing. Service wasn't bad & staff was very nice! It's a 6/10 for me!

The only thing good is the price. It's cheap. The service was disposable. The air conditioning does not work, the beer is hot. The bbq is substandard and the sauce is so overly spiced you can't taste the wine or beer. We are from out of town and even the other customers were rude. Will never return.

Okay, not my cup of tea. The yelling of "What would you like" and then immediately turning and talking to somebody else is just WEIRD. For a BBQ place, there wasn't as much selection as I'm used to. The Burnt Ends Sandwich was okay, but not real good. Didn't even care for the sauce. The one highlight was the woman who was working the bar in back. SHE was GREAT!

Oh my! It was an experience for sure. Why do they have to yell and scream? Line wasn't even that long! Workers behind the counter are not polite at all. I apologized saying it's my first time, and the lady calmed down a tiny bit. I ordered sausage for my daughter and she was kind Enough to hold the sauce but not for the poor 4 yr old behind me. She asked what we wanted for sides and listed onion rings, French fries baked beans etc. $15 for sausage and charged another $5 for fries. When I questioned it she said fries aren't included with the sausage. But she said.... Another loud reply no it doesn't come with it. Ok then. Horrible experience. Will go to Joe's next time.

We ordered gates bbq to go and had their big bbq platter that is served family style. It came with beans and fries. The platter comes with a ton of food enough to feed four people. We ordered the ribs, brisket, and sliced pork loin. The juicy sliced and smoked pork was outstanding with tons of flavor. The brisket was a little dry. The ribs were very satisfying with its award winning bbq sauce. Gates has one of the best bbq sauces in KC! Yum! The baked beans were very good and packed with meat. It was my favorite baked beans of all bbq places. The price point of gates is better than most bbq places so you're getting a good deal. Overall, a great everyday bbq place for your money. We will return for more.

Best bbq in kcmo don't miss out. I live the turkey on bun. Get your fries extra crispy.

Got the burnt ends on a bun and it was dang near inedible! I was so disappointed. There was a short line at 830 pm and I thought why not give this iconic bbq a try since I was in the neighborhood. Well... it was grainy and hard and lacked the greatness of all the other KC bbq places I've visited. Unfortunately that my first and last time in gates. After this experience I will pass on the sauce I. The stores too. It's kind of a post traumatic thing now when I think of the hard graininess of what I experienced tonight. Yuck! Never again. Very unfortunate And disappointing.

I travel all over the US and I can tell you that Gates BBQ is definitely not the worst BBQ that I have ever had but it is far from the best. Was in the restaurant for about 30 minutes and only laid eyes the waitress twice. Once after I got my food and one flyby after I was done. Would I eat at Gates again, maybe if nothing else was open and I was starving. Now to be fair I usually give a restaurant 3 strikes before I say not again but if I have to pay $27.00 for 4 ribs a small potato salad and drink I expect to be wowed and I wasn't. In the end who am I to judge their food so don't take my word for it give them a try, everyone deserves a second chance and I am just passing through.

Service was excellent and the food was even better than I imagined. Staff was friendly and helpful and my friend and I couldn't eat all of our food. Loved everything about it!

Wow always heard that kc had good BBQ, but its for sure true! Gates was the best ive ever had by far! Will have to recommend to everyone who goes to Kansas City

My experience here was a bit disappointing given the reputation of Kansas City BBQ. I had somewhat too high of expectations probably since I have done Jack Stack, Joe's, Q39 setting the bar a bit high. Probably the best thing was the restaurant being open late, tonight (Friday) till midnight! Cool. I only ordered one thing but tried something off my friends plate. My short end pork ribs were dry, tough, and just not great BBQ. The BBQ sauce was actually decent but the meat was not BBQ'd the best. I tried my friends BBQ chicken smothered in BBQ sauce. tender but also a bit dry. So although it is great to be able to get BBQ near midnight, buyer beware, it is not the best quality. We didn't wait long and the staff was nice and accommodating and parking was easy but it is a tough sell for me to come back. Oh well. Next! I would have given them a single star but they are open late and the staff was nice so they get another star for that.

Easily the worst barbecue I've had in Kansas City, and arguably the worst service you will have in your life. The only redeeming quality here is the lady that came around and checked on us, what a sweetheart. We were served (read: screamed at) by a lady with red glasses/white glasses sides, who continued to shout out questions while facing in all types of different directions. At one point the older lady in front of me was visually afraid due to the belligerent berating. I wont mention here what that lady said to me about red glasses, but it was quite mean, and honestly accurate. Okay, so we have the terrible service covered, now let's talk about the terrible food. There's not much to say about the coleslaw or the potato salad unless you enjoy warm mayonnaise served in a paper cup. This was actually the star of our meal. Which means I either enjoy warm mayonnaise or I was just gleeful to be out of the firing squad they refer to as ordering. The burnt ends on bun was even worse, stale bread atop mediocre bbq. I won't be back, and I encourage everyone to prepare yourself mentally for the cafeteria line they drag you through, expect a mean lunch lady.

For no man or woman, they say, time WAITS But come to KC, if allowed by FATES And get the world's best BBQ on your PLATES From Arthur Bryant's, Woodyard, and here at GATES So good you'll want to take it our on DATES So good it'll make your period LATES It's what Famous Dave thinks of when he MASTURBATES So good, it's bad, sexy BBQ at GATES WHAT Not to be confused with Gapes BBQ which I think is the name of one of Barbie's movies. KC has the ultimate combo of perfection in sauce and meat. It leaves Carolina in it's dust. It makes you wonder why STL is even on the map (if it still is, I haven't checked). It eclipses Memphis by a mile (or rather, 3,000 miles to Graceland). It elevates itself over the Deep South (like the Union did), and yes it even beats Texas (as Oklahoma often does) - by some distance. If you bait your friend into coming with you, it's Baits BBQ. The #1 BBQ in KC out of many many many very good options is the legend. Arthur Bryant's. Gates is definitely top 5 though, and top 5 in a City with at least 50 amazing BBQ options (and at least 250 less perfect ones) is a very notable achievement. It's also cheaper than most. I visit Gates every time I'm in KC and Barbi adores it too. If you visit with Ms Bosworth, Ms Abdo, or Ms Beckinsale, it's Kate's BBQ. Kansas City BBQ is the greatest BBQ in the world - this coming from someone that lives in Texas and is in a relationship with a Texan and loves BBQ in Texas (and Carolina, and Chicago, and Memphis, and you name it). None of those other regions, cities or states can come close. If you get with someone here, it's Mate's BBQ. Gates is one of the stereotypical and prototypical great BBQ joints of Kansas City, and there are about 10 locations that I know of all around town. They are fairly cheap and absolutely delicious, although portion sizes are not great (unlike Arthur Bryant's and many others, you won't be in a BBQ coma from these portions, maybe that's a good thing). If you come with someone that despises BBQ, it's Hates BBQ. You can't really get much better than the taste of Gates, and even though it's not my number one in KC, there are about 50 to choose from, and it does happen to make the top five of all the places I've tried, and that is a massive compliment in a city with as much great BBQ as Kansas City. If you can't find any 9s or 10s to hit on in KC, it's Eight's BBQ. Service is sometimes good and sometimes not so friendly, but they're open late, and this out of all the locations I've tried is my favourite - it might be the original. It seems to be in a very black neighbourhood, one with high BBQ standards, and usually when I come to this particular location I'm the only white person here, which I like. If it's so good that your D*** falls off, it's Castrates BBQ. Oh and about the sauce. If you have been conditioned - like many Americans - to be addicted to sugar, and you think that sugar-ketchup flavour is BBQ flavour, then don't expect to like KC BBQ, or Arthur Bryant's and Gates in particular, because sugar is not something you will taste here. OK, they make some sweet-er sauces to go with their original salty, but the salty is the way to go. And the sweet sauces are good, unlike the syrupy dessert-esque crap at most BBQ spots. So in KC, it's salt, salt, and more salt. You're surrendering yourself to salt. Sort of like your mother did at my place last night. And if the meat is so good that you have sex with it and get knocked up, it's Periods Lates BBQ. Theirs is a smoky, hearty BBQ sauce, which is perfect Kansas city-style, a little sweeter than Arthur Bryant's which is my favourite, but still so good. And of course this is where they filmed Enemy At The Gates BBQ, the Jude Law movie. Or was it the Jude Order movie. So come here when you're in Kansas City. Speaking of KC... If it was one big college town, it'd be Campus City. And if everyone here had malignant tumours, it'd be Cancers City. Thankfully, it's none of those things. And if Candace Swannepoel lived here, it'd be Candace City. And I'd come here more often. Because of Candace's Kitty. But unfortunately, it's not. Now let's finish with Bryan Adams... Everything I Do (I Do It For Q) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFD2gu007dc Look into my Yelp pix You will find Places you want to dine Search your heart Search your bookmarks And when you're finally at Gates You'll search no more Can't tell me it's not worth dining for Don't tell me it's not worth trying more You know it's true The world's best BBQ I Yelped it for you. There's no BBQ Like Gates BBQ And no other Is more yummier There's nowhere As good as here All the time All the way to KC, yeah Can't tell me, it's not worth dining for I can't help it, I just want more and more Yeah I'd fight for Q I'd lie for Q Walk the Wichita Line for Q Yeah, I'd die for Q.......... You know it's true Everything I do I do it for Gates BBQ.

First Impression: A classic KC BBQ spot. I've been to several of the other ones but this was my first time at Gates. Walking in it's almost cafeteria style ordering and slightly chaotic. They have several different options and pretty much all the standard BBQ meats. No pulled pork though which annoyed one of my buddies. Food: I got the burnt end sandwich with two ribs, beans and pasta salad. A bit disappointed they didn't have Mac n cheese but it's all good. Before I describe the meats I have to disclose the sauce is AMAZING. A bit more vinegary than classic KC bbq sauce but it works great. Get the spicy bbq sauce too on the side for some extra zest. The sauce might even cover up some shortcomings in the meat. Which brings me to the Burnt Ends. They had good flavor, except they fell apart very easily. I felt like I was eating a brisket sandwich. The bread was nothing special. Ribs were cooked well, and rather juicy. Not quite fall-off-the-bone, but definitely above average. Beans were sweet and a great complement to the meal, but you don't get too much quantity. Pasta salad was like any other pasta salad at a grocery store buffet tbh. Final Verdict: Gates in almost any other city in America would be the best BBQ in town, but this is Kansas City. A solid option if you are in the area, but nothing I'd drive far out of the way for. I left satisfied, but not amazed. Another hiccup is the establishment is a bit run down and the bathrooms weren't working. However, the owner came by to say hi and was very nice and inviting. All in all a 4 star joint.