Kansas City Barbeque~Oklahoma Joe's

Way back in July, I spent a week in Kansas for work travel.  On the way back to the Kansas City airport, my co-worker and I stopped by Oklahoma Joe's for some BBQ.   Oklahoma Joe's is housed in a hole in the wall gas station in the middle of suburbia. If you blink, you'll miss it and have to backtrack to find the place. 
BBQ is one of those foods that boils down to the region you live in and personal preference.  Kansas City BBQ is known for slow roasted meats covered in a sweet tomato-based sauce.  In South Carolina BBQ incorporates a vinegar-based sauce.  Texas barbecue is a compilation of many different kinds of flavors and styles of BBQ.  Depending on what restaurant you go to in Texas, you could order a dry rub type BBQ or one slathered in sauce.  If you want a more in depth look at all the kinds of BBQ out there, check out Wikipedia. 

According to Anthony Bourdain in a Men's Health Magazine article, Oklahoma Joe's is on the list of the "13 Places to Eat Before you Die."  Joining Oklahoma Joe's on that list included restaurants such as "El Bulli", Thomas Keller's "The French Laundry", and other famous restaurants. 
People in line at the restaurant also told me that the week before we visited the restaurant, President Obama had been there. 

Sm"Okie" Joe-Beef and pork in sauce

I ordered the Adult Kid's Meal with Fries

BBQ Beans



Onion Rings



Pork Ribs

Unfortunately Mike could not partake in all this food. If I were to have brought some home on my flight, it would have been at least 8 hours before he could taste it.   I enjoyed the BBQ at Oklahoma Joe's more than the BBQ that I have tasted in Texas. Of course Mike and I haven't checked out very many BBQ restaurants in Texas yet. Another factor why I liked Oklahoma Joe's BBQ was because I am familiar with barbecued foods being slathered in sauce (I love ketchup and tomato-based sauces).  I guess back home in Hawaii, we are so distant from American BBQ, that Kraft's KC Masterpiece sauce was the closest thing to BBQ that I knew. 

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ
3002 W. 47th Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66103
(913) 722-3366