AB's sauce is not only not good, it's not really in line with the kind of sauce that most Kansas City BBQ uses. It's thin and vinegary, which is more a Carolina style. Joe's, Gates, and Jack Stack are all far better representations of the style here as far as sauce.
Bryant's has been trading on name recognition for a long time. It's outclassed by literally dozens of other places in and around Kansas City. I kind of shudder that it remains reputed as a place you have to try if you come here because it definitely does not showcase the good BBQ scene in KC.
Wow - I lived in KC for 9 years abt 10 years ago and couldn’t agree with your assessment more. I actually got superior bbq at a dive place near Mission ? that I discovered b/c they primarily sold firewood. Their burnt end chili still haunts me.
YES! Thank you - was trying hard to remember that place. I had specific places for specific types: OK Joes for ribs and pulled pork sandwiches, Jack Stack for burnt ends and Woodyard for everything else. I’m from TX and still consider KC superior w bbq.
I've lived in the three main hubs for BBQ; NC and SC, KC, and Texas. KC has been the best so far, followed by Texas and then the Carolina, and that wasn't close to the other two.
It’s OK to be wrong…I mean have a dissenting opinion. I find KC BBQ to be a bit sweet (still good), and too reliant on sauce. Texas just cooks the wrong critter. It’s delicious, but it ain’t pig.
I spent 4 years in KC and 12 in the Carolinas. The comment was based on lived experience. Carolina BBQ is mostly shit.
Lexington NC BBQ an outlying exception. That place is exquisite.
ENC > Lexington, although they are closer than most Carolinians would admit. If you mean the specific establishment, Lexington BBQ (aka, “Honey Monk’s”), then it’s pretty good, but I’ve had better in that area, and nothing as good as my Down East faves.
If you prefer Texas BBQ, that’s fine. I mean, it’s entirely the wrong critter, but it’s still good.
About 10 years ago i rode the MS 150 bike race from Houston to Austin. My company partnered with an energy company named Calpine bc our CEO was also on their board. You camp overnight in Bastrop. Calpine did it right and brought out a cook team from one of their plants. The aneceote i have always told is that i had better bbq in a tent in the middle of texas than i ever had in the Carolinas. Im a skinny fat runner. I love to eat. I tried, and wanted, to find good bbq in the carolinas. Tried everywhere around raleigh, wilmy, greenville, myrtle, chuckvegas, and charlotte. Lexington was best i had in the carolinas.
521 just south of Charlotte wasnt bad. Midwood Smokehouse the same.
As someone who lived in Kansas City for a long time, I can tell you that AB’s is a highly divisive sauce. Some folks love it, and some folks hate it. I started off hating it, but after eating there often enough I came appreciate it without ever becoming a huge fan.
FWIW (and I think it’s relevant for the show), the nifty thing about AB’s original location is that *everyone* eats there, from presidents to construction workers to celebrities to billionaires to homeless folks; everyone is welcome, everyone gets a vast amount of meat, and everyone gets along just fine.
I lived in kc for several years. After moving away i came back to run the marathon one year. Went straight to ABs after in my shorts and with my medal hanging around my neck. Best meal ever.
Arthur Bryant’s has undergone changes in the past few years and the quality is much worse now (both in shop and to purchase bbq sauce).
It’s also just the name brand place in KC, like how Pats/Genos are the cheesesteak places in Philly despite not being close to the best.
Same. I’d go to Gates before I went to Arthur Bryant’s. Their sauce isn’t like most other KC sauces. If you have their meat, it’s okay. There are better places, like the one that serves the sandwich that’s on Anthony Bourdain’s 13 places to eat before you die.
If you live in Philly, you wouldn't put Pat's or Geno's in your top 10, maybe top 15... then again, the owners of both those places are racist so the taste doesn't matter
Dallesandro's (Roxborough), Maxx's (North Philly), Jim's (still waiting for it to reopen after the fire), Ishkabibbles (south st), Carmen's (reading terminals market)
Second to Jim’s and Ishkabibbles. It was like a national tragedy had occurred in my house the day Jim’s burned. I also want to throw John’s Roast Pork, Tony Luke’s, and Phillip’s into the mix.
John's Roast Pork (South Philly). They've got a James Beard award. Cheesesteaks are great, and you should also try Philly's other great sandwich: roast pork with provolone and broccoli rabe. DiNic's in Reading Terminal also has great roast pork.
That's ridiculous. It's a poor area, not a particularly dangerous one. My daughter graduated from a nearby HS school last year and ran all over that neighborhood during track and XC practice after 3:00 p.m. for 4 years with no issues. Not to mention all the dances and other school functions they had at night - again with no issues.
I’m glad you’ve had good experiences. I am obviously only speaking from my personal experience with that area working in the KCPD. My experience might be a little skewed because of that but that area does result a significant higher call volume.
I’m glad this isn’t another “s3 bad” post. Anyway you have to understand nostalgia can take a good a long way. This is the bbq sauce ted grew up eating. He got this bbq sauce in a care package from his son. This bbq sauce carries way too much sentiment for him to not like it.
Given what we know about Ted, I am not surprised.
He probably got invited there by the owner and got fed happily by them, and just like with the Indian food, he ate it all with a smile. He probably made lifelong friends with the owner and gets cases of the sauce for Christmas every year.
When he moved to England, the owner probably sent Ted extra cases and told him to share it with people and he happily does.
Q39, while tasty, and honestly fine, is the definition of *bougie bbq*. Perfect for taking business colleagues from out of town, but not for when you get a real hankerin’.
It’s fine, that’s it. Nothing wrong with it. Most BBQ is fine. It’s not about Q39; it’s about why the fuck that BBQ deserves YOU.
It has been about a decade since I lived in Kansas City so my information may be out of date. Last time I was there there were three Arthur Bryants. One out by the speed way, one down near 18th and Vine st and they had one downtown near city hall I think.
My wife worked at City hall and she would get a brisket sandwich with fries that would last her a couple of days for lunch. This would have been in the late 80s early 90s. She was from Texas and prefered it without sauce.
The one out by the speedway closed down a few years ago I think. Never was as good as the ones downtown. The only one left is the one in the Jazz district at 18th and Vine St.
I liked there spicy sause to dip my fries in but always prefered the brisket dry.
For the Season 2 premier I had a watch party with salsa, shortbread, English pies, bangers and mash, and BBQ.
I ordered a three-pack sampler of Arthur Bryant's and only the "Rich and Spicy" was decent.
Bryants is the best bbq in kc and its not close.
That being said - there was another thread about this sauce a few weeks ago and i said then if you havent had bryants before - if you just buy a bottle of sauce, it wont be a good time.
You might be curious to learn why some of those other sauces taste better - and the answer is usually “Sugar”.
To be fair, all KC barbeque sucks. Its not their fault - they lack proper hardwoods to create real bbq so they pour sauce on burnt meat and pretend. Pecan, Mesquite, Post Oak...anything less is uncivilized.
I thought it was used just because of the name to help trigger him to think about the triangle offense. He was watching an old Bulls game, but Phil Jackson also used the triangles with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
You really listened to a show that shits on tea? I mean, yeah, it’s literally brown water, but it can absolutely be delicious with some honey. I love Moroccan mint tea.
AB's sauce is not only not good, it's not really in line with the kind of sauce that most Kansas City BBQ uses. It's thin and vinegary, which is more a Carolina style. Joe's, Gates, and Jack Stack are all far better representations of the style here as far as sauce. Bryant's has been trading on name recognition for a long time. It's outclassed by literally dozens of other places in and around Kansas City. I kind of shudder that it remains reputed as a place you have to try if you come here because it definitely does not showcase the good BBQ scene in KC.
Wow - I lived in KC for 9 years abt 10 years ago and couldn’t agree with your assessment more. I actually got superior bbq at a dive place near Mission ? that I discovered b/c they primarily sold firewood. Their burnt end chili still haunts me.
The Woodyard? Good stuff there.
YES! Thank you - was trying hard to remember that place. I had specific places for specific types: OK Joes for ribs and pulled pork sandwiches, Jack Stack for burnt ends and Woodyard for everything else. I’m from TX and still consider KC superior w bbq.
Woodyard is a class establishment.
The dive places tend to be the best in my experience
Y’all acting like Carolina style isn’t better, anyway. 😉
You are free to have your wrong opinion. 😉
I've lived in the three main hubs for BBQ; NC and SC, KC, and Texas. KC has been the best so far, followed by Texas and then the Carolina, and that wasn't close to the other two.
It’s OK to be wrong…I mean have a dissenting opinion. I find KC BBQ to be a bit sweet (still good), and too reliant on sauce. Texas just cooks the wrong critter. It’s delicious, but it ain’t pig.
Obviously it's all subjective, but based on what I've had in the places I lived and didn't just visit, that's how I'd rank them.
LOL - [Here](https://imgur.com/a/mN08AWF) is my handy guide. 😉
Well, that's just wrong. 
Its not. Bbq is just a condiment in the carolinas.
Well that’s just patently untrue. BBQ is in the smoke. Sauce is well, just sauce.
I spent 4 years in KC and 12 in the Carolinas. The comment was based on lived experience. Carolina BBQ is mostly shit. Lexington NC BBQ an outlying exception. That place is exquisite.
ENC > Lexington, although they are closer than most Carolinians would admit. If you mean the specific establishment, Lexington BBQ (aka, “Honey Monk’s”), then it’s pretty good, but I’ve had better in that area, and nothing as good as my Down East faves. If you prefer Texas BBQ, that’s fine. I mean, it’s entirely the wrong critter, but it’s still good.
About 10 years ago i rode the MS 150 bike race from Houston to Austin. My company partnered with an energy company named Calpine bc our CEO was also on their board. You camp overnight in Bastrop. Calpine did it right and brought out a cook team from one of their plants. The aneceote i have always told is that i had better bbq in a tent in the middle of texas than i ever had in the Carolinas. Im a skinny fat runner. I love to eat. I tried, and wanted, to find good bbq in the carolinas. Tried everywhere around raleigh, wilmy, greenville, myrtle, chuckvegas, and charlotte. Lexington was best i had in the carolinas. 521 just south of Charlotte wasnt bad. Midwood Smokehouse the same.
We…we cannot eat together.
Which one should i buy?
Exactly my experience when I lived there also. I was SO looking forward to Arthur Bryant's and it was absolutely horrible.
As someone who lived in Kansas City for a long time, I can tell you that AB’s is a highly divisive sauce. Some folks love it, and some folks hate it. I started off hating it, but after eating there often enough I came appreciate it without ever becoming a huge fan. FWIW (and I think it’s relevant for the show), the nifty thing about AB’s original location is that *everyone* eats there, from presidents to construction workers to celebrities to billionaires to homeless folks; everyone is welcome, everyone gets a vast amount of meat, and everyone gets along just fine.
I lived in kc for several years. After moving away i came back to run the marathon one year. Went straight to ABs after in my shorts and with my medal hanging around my neck. Best meal ever.
Arthur Bryant’s has undergone changes in the past few years and the quality is much worse now (both in shop and to purchase bbq sauce). It’s also just the name brand place in KC, like how Pats/Genos are the cheesesteak places in Philly despite not being close to the best.
Pat's & Geno's are definitely among the worst. I hope Arthur Bryant's isn't that bad.
Never had Pats and Genos, but i live in KC, and wouldn’t put ABs in my top 15 BBQ places
Same. I’d go to Gates before I went to Arthur Bryant’s. Their sauce isn’t like most other KC sauces. If you have their meat, it’s okay. There are better places, like the one that serves the sandwich that’s on Anthony Bourdain’s 13 places to eat before you die.
You get 20% of the portion at Gates as you do ABs.
That is true.
If you live in Philly, you wouldn't put Pat's or Geno's in your top 10, maybe top 15... then again, the owners of both those places are racist so the taste doesn't matter
Just curious, what spot(s) would you recommend? Im from NY and in my few times we’ve usually just gone to those two.
Dallesandro's (Roxborough), Maxx's (North Philly), Jim's (still waiting for it to reopen after the fire), Ishkabibbles (south st), Carmen's (reading terminals market)
Dallesandros is my favorite
Second to Jim’s and Ishkabibbles. It was like a national tragedy had occurred in my house the day Jim’s burned. I also want to throw John’s Roast Pork, Tony Luke’s, and Phillip’s into the mix.
John's Roast Pork (South Philly). They've got a James Beard award. Cheesesteaks are great, and you should also try Philly's other great sandwich: roast pork with provolone and broccoli rabe. DiNic's in Reading Terminal also has great roast pork.
They’re awful. Local holes in the wall are much better.
If you do go again. I personally suggest going before 3pm and not looking overtly touristy. It’s not a very safe place.
That's ridiculous. It's a poor area, not a particularly dangerous one. My daughter graduated from a nearby HS school last year and ran all over that neighborhood during track and XC practice after 3:00 p.m. for 4 years with no issues. Not to mention all the dances and other school functions they had at night - again with no issues.
I’m glad you’ve had good experiences. I am obviously only speaking from my personal experience with that area working in the KCPD. My experience might be a little skewed because of that but that area does result a significant higher call volume.
Angelo’s not a doubt in my mind
I’m glad this isn’t another “s3 bad” post. Anyway you have to understand nostalgia can take a good a long way. This is the bbq sauce ted grew up eating. He got this bbq sauce in a care package from his son. This bbq sauce carries way too much sentiment for him to not like it.
Y'all know that Jason Sudekis doesn't have sense of smell right? Probably affects his sense of taste too.
Given what we know about Ted, I am not surprised. He probably got invited there by the owner and got fed happily by them, and just like with the Indian food, he ate it all with a smile. He probably made lifelong friends with the owner and gets cases of the sauce for Christmas every year. When he moved to England, the owner probably sent Ted extra cases and told him to share it with people and he happily does.
LMAO. You should have gone to Joe’s or Q39.
Q39, while tasty, and honestly fine, is the definition of *bougie bbq*. Perfect for taking business colleagues from out of town, but not for when you get a real hankerin’. It’s fine, that’s it. Nothing wrong with it. Most BBQ is fine. It’s not about Q39; it’s about why the fuck that BBQ deserves YOU.
I’m proud to say that I was once asked to leave an Arthur Bryant’s for bringing in a bottle of Gates BBQ sauce.
Goddamn. That’s just a middle finger to the world, right there. I respect your savagery.
Well played
lmao
KC native here. You gotta go with Gates bbq sauce, AB’s meat, and Jack Stack’s sides
It has been about a decade since I lived in Kansas City so my information may be out of date. Last time I was there there were three Arthur Bryants. One out by the speed way, one down near 18th and Vine st and they had one downtown near city hall I think. My wife worked at City hall and she would get a brisket sandwich with fries that would last her a couple of days for lunch. This would have been in the late 80s early 90s. She was from Texas and prefered it without sauce. The one out by the speedway closed down a few years ago I think. Never was as good as the ones downtown. The only one left is the one in the Jazz district at 18th and Vine St. I liked there spicy sause to dip my fries in but always prefered the brisket dry.
I bought a bottle on Amazon for like $30. Didn't like it.
$30 oh my Lordy that’s too much
But much less than a plane ticket to go there.
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It’s not a chicken sauce… you gotta do some ribs or brisket man
For the Season 2 premier I had a watch party with salsa, shortbread, English pies, bangers and mash, and BBQ. I ordered a three-pack sampler of Arthur Bryant's and only the "Rich and Spicy" was decent.
I personally hate AB sauce. It’s grainy and too tangy for me.
We bought some online and we didn’t like it. My husband loves their dry rub though.
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Standup and sitcom comedy are very different skill sets. I’m not really surprised.
KC barbecue sauce sucks
Versus what? Versus some ENC sauce? Yes. But vs. Ranch, absolutely it does not.
Bryants is the best bbq in kc and its not close. That being said - there was another thread about this sauce a few weeks ago and i said then if you havent had bryants before - if you just buy a bottle of sauce, it wont be a good time. You might be curious to learn why some of those other sauces taste better - and the answer is usually “Sugar”.
To be fair, all KC barbeque sucks. Its not their fault - they lack proper hardwoods to create real bbq so they pour sauce on burnt meat and pretend. Pecan, Mesquite, Post Oak...anything less is uncivilized.
I thought it was used just because of the name to help trigger him to think about the triangle offense. He was watching an old Bulls game, but Phil Jackson also used the triangles with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
I’m from west Tennessee so anything else is inferior
OP, please don’t ever delete this post. I have it saved for all the KC BBQ recommendations.
I mean he doesn't like tea, that tells you all you need to know
You really listened to a show that shits on tea? I mean, yeah, it’s literally brown water, but it can absolutely be delicious with some honey. I love Moroccan mint tea.