This was my first visit to BB's, and we arrived at about 4:30 to beat the "music rush" I've read about. Â I really wanted to give 4 1/2 stars for a terrific experience, but since there doesn't seem to be a way to do 1/2 stars from this interface, I'll go with 4 for now.
The service from Angela was really great, and she was able to explain some of the items on the menu to us, as well as making some great suggestions. Â She was very helpful and friendly, and made sure we always had plenty of water, and in my case - I'm extremely fuzzy, and eating BBQ can require a hosing off - plenty of napkins.
Checking out their menu on-line, I really wanted to try the Boudin Balls, and figured a good place to start would be the small BBQ brisket sandwich. Â The boudin balls were very good, served with what tasted like thousand island dressing on the side. Â It wasn't needed. Â Very tasty! Â
The "small" sandwich was about the size of most other places large sandwiches. Â It was piled high with very tasty thinly sliced brisket, though the meat was a bit dry. Â But it was deliciously smokey and nicely seasoned. Â I'm not sure how I feel about their sauce. Â It's sweeter than I prefer (even the spicy sauce) and had an unusual taste (for me), possibly of honey. Â It isn't bad, just isn't quite my style. Â I'm not crazy about Bryant's or Gates sauces either. Â I'm really looking forward to going back to try the other meats too.
My cousin & I each tried different potatoes to share. Â He got the skillet fries, while I got the batter fries. Â I'm not that big on potatoes, but the batter fries were like eating a length-wise wedge of a fresh baked potato that had been battered and fried. Â Quite good, and just 3 in the basket was a big portion - about 1/3 of a potato. Â On the other hand, the skillet fries: Â THEY ROCK! Â Absolutely delicious, crispy on the outside, spiced perfectly, and there was no need for any sort of sauce on them! Â I'll be getting them again. Â Normally, fries remain on my plate, but I only stopped eating the skillet fries because I was so full.
I will be back as a regular. Â All in all, the food was really terrific and the service outstanding.
I did like the food here. I ordered the beef tips which came with their mega huge fries. The beef was on the tough side, but had a great smell and flavor. The fries were pretty good, and were basically a sliced up, breaded potato that was fried. I would have rather just the friend potato and no breading, but maybe thats just me.
The decor was cheap, and the chairs were uncomfortable. From the outside this place looks a little scary. It seemed to get plenty of business during lunch. I would still eat here again, but as I'm a KC native, I have had better barbeque, and I didnt care for the dining area, hence the 3 stars.
The only thing that disappoints me about BB's is that the lack of recognition they've received for both their food and atmosphere. Â Although it may be partly due to their out of the way location. Â I've been there 4 times now, all fairly recent, and each time I go I'm more impressed. Â My favorite is the BB's Lawnside BBQ King Combo, which is enough for 2 or 3 meals, but it only seems right to go overboard there.
My first visit was to see John Paul's Flying Circus and the next was to see Samantha Fish...both great performances! Â And Samantha's not bad on the eye's either. Â You do need to get there early, by 5 or so, if you want a seat. Â Once all seats are taken no one is going anywhere so you'll be standing.
BB's has quickly become my favorite BBQ in KC, tied closely with Okie Joe's. Â So far I've tried the ribs, sausage, burnt ends, turkey, beans, battered fries, gumbo and jambalaya and of course their sauce. Â Definitely top notch BBQ...go check it out!!
Wow...talk about a hidden gem in Kansas City! Â Well maybe not a "hidden" gem, but it certainly should be mentioned along with the "Big 3" of OK Joes, Arthur Bryant's, and Gates when one talks about KC BBQ. Â I'd heard about this place from a few co-workers and finally made a trip. Â Unfortunately, I didn't do my homework - and we showed up to a packed house on a Tuesday night. Â The popular band "Trampled Under Foot" was playing, and after an hour of watching the band and drinking beer - we were starving. Â There were still no open places to sit, so we ordered food to go.
Feeling that this visit didn't fully encapsulate a trip to BB's...we returned a few weeks later for lunch. Â No live music this time, but we got to eat at the restaurant. Â I ordered the "Big Walter" sandwich (A hearty mix of chopped Beef, Ham, Turkey, Pulled Pork, Italian Sausage & Burnt Ends), that came with battered fries and pit beans.
Positives:
-Awesome food. Â The Big Walter is one of my favorite BBQ sandwiches I've had in KC. Â The beans were great, and the battered fries are a nice change of pace from the standard. Â
-The atmosphere. Â Obviously a Friday lunch at BB's isn't the same as a night-time dinner with a blues band...but if you've only visited during the non-music hours, go back during a live show - you will not be disappointed.
-Good prices and lots of food.
Negatives:
-Nothin'.
BB's is definitely a great KC BBQ joint - I will certainly be back, and would be interested to try more of their BBQ selections and their Louisiana-style food as well. Â OK Joes still occupies the #1 spot for KC BBQ, but BB's is a very close second.
I absolutely love BB's. Â Great BBQ, great bands. Â If there is a more popular band, come early...I mean, REALLY early because inside isn't huge and there will be standing room only quick. Â And it's hard to eat BBQ standing up! Â The door guy was a little ridiculous last night by chasing down my fiance and telling him he didn't pay...which I paid for both of us (he even had the mark) but the bartender told us he got him confused with someone...still unsettling though. Â Other than that, it was a great night. Â We'll be back for sure!
Review Source:The BBQ pork sandwich was delicious, as were the battered fries!
Food was very reasonably priced, and if you're not absolutely starving, it seems like there's enough to box up and take home leftovers.
Their live band the night we went was GREAT!
The only complaint I have was that it was crowded, but I can see why: It's a great place to go!
Man oh man oh man! Â I have found my new favorite spot for Kansas City BBQ. Â First things first. Â The collection of blues posters, albums, fliers, and memorabilia is not only massive, but is is old school and totally cool. Â The smell coming out of the kitchen is freakin' AMAZING!
Our server, Jill, was top notch. Â We didn't want for anything. Â We had everything we wanted when we wanted it and didn't have to ask for any of it. Â She knew exactly what to bring and when to bring it. Â The sweet tea here is the real deal...not the toned down version I find throughout most of Kansas City. Â I was drinking it like a madman, because it was a true representation of sweet tea from the south, and thanks to Jill's impeccable service, my cup never went dry.
My girl ordered the Boudain Balls appetizer. Â I forgot we had them coming, and when Jill brought them to the table and announced them, I was busy posting a tip on Yelp about how great the sweet tea was. Â I inadvertently heard "Booty and balls.", and looked up with the dumb puzzled look that a confused dude wears in a strange moment, and then realized what she had really said. Â We had a good laugh with Jill about it.
The food portions were HUGE. Â We were both stuffed when we left and had enough for each of us to have another meal later to warm up at home. Â Everything was just so good. Â Jill had a big top table and a couple of other stragglers, but never once left us out in the cold or stopped paying attention to us as we were winding down.
This place was awesome on all levels! Â I can't go back fast enough...JUST GOOD STUFF!!!
This place isn't too bad. I loved their wings. I wish I was hungry when I went there. I still got the appetizer sampler though. hehe Yup I'm a fat kid. But we went on a Saturday after noon w/ my mother in law and my kids. The service was pretty good, and the band was just getting there so we didn't have live music and the place wasn't crowded.
It's a pretty cool hole in the wall joint though. just long tables and you sit where ever.
Great Ribs, tasty beans, and good music. Â Came for my second time last week. Â Why did I wait this long to come back??? Â Ribs were still solid. Â Ordered the Small half slab of ribs. Â Sauce is good and the ribs were cooked nice as well. Â I have seen two musical acts and they've been a hit 2 for 2. Â Went in at 7 to eat and show started at 9. Â Gets busy and full. Â Some of the tables are long tables with more than one party sitting at it. Â Advertises blues music. Â Not sure if its all blues, but its all good. Â I wish I worked or lived a little closer so I'd have no excuse for not making this place one of my staples. Â Love it!
Review Source:I've been going to BB's since it opened in 1989 and always look forward to a great meal. My wife had the Sweet Mama's Chicken Sandwich with skillet fries. This is a breaded and deep fried chicken breast on a bun with melted mozzarella cheese and bbq sauce. The skillet fries are chunks of potatoes that are deep fried and VERY crispy. My wife loves these !
I had the Big Walter's Mixed Meat Sandwich with battered fries. This huge sandwich had a chopped mixture of 6 meats( burnt ends, brisket, ham, turkey, sausage, and pulled pork) and is covered in BB's sweet sauce and piled high on a sesame seed bun. BB's battered fries are unique and are potatoes that are fried then battered and then fried again........wonderful.
BB's........great food, blues, and beer !
Everything you could want from a blues-dive-cum-BBQ-joint:
Iffy neighborhood, check. Â (Seedy, but not actually too unsafe-feeling.) Â The restaurant itself is a well-aged structure with eleven zillion festival posters stapled to the walls and a mural over the stage depicting a Who's Who of blues legends.
Good barbecue, check. Â Not the very best in KC, but it holds its own. Â We split the BB King platter: ribs, sausage, & pulled pork. Â It was a ton of food, we couldn't finish it all. Â The pork was a little dry, but the sausage & the pit beans were top-notch. Â
Cold beer, check. Â An impressive selection of local & southern brews in bottles.
Music, check. Â The room is small enough that there's not a bad seat in the house, provided you can get a seat. Â Even if you're hanging around on the back wall because it's standing-room only, the band is still plenty close. Â Local bands, up-and-coming acts, some great sounds -- all for a small cover.
This is quintessential KC -- blues & 'cue. Â Bring your out-of-town guests for a taste.
Great place. Great BBQ. Great stuff.
Had the fried chicken finger sandwich and fries/fritters and was pleased as punch.
Can't wait to come back, but it'll have to be on a day that Oklahoma Joe's and Bryants and Danny Edwards aren't open, cause if any fo those 3 are, that's where you'll be finding me.
Good news, blues fans, TUF is tight together and as good as ever. Janis Joplin has nothing on Danielle's "I'd Rather Be Blind."
LOVED the boudin balls-not sure there's any sausage in them, but the inside is creamy delicious inside a crispy fried crust. The remoulade-ish sauce is tasty, too. To amend my critique of the beer selection, it was Mardi Gras in August, and I fell in love with Dixie Brewing's Blackened Voodoo. Hope to go back in a couple of weeks-hafta defend my Dutchess-dom!
If you go to BB's for the music and the fun, honky-tonk atmosphere, you will not be disappointed. The BBQ is is passable (although I thought the pit beans were delicious), but the service is friendly, the beer is well-priced, and you can relax with a bunch of other folks who love the blues. Â BB's offers a good selection of beers, including our beloved Abita Turbodog and Blackened Voodoo bottles. Tables are long and communal, which adds to the party atmosphere. You can also snag a place at the bar if you arrive early. $4 cover in the evening.
We arrived around 5 on Sunday afternoon and were delighted to catch the end of the Cigarbox Guitar Festival. It was nothing short of awesome!
I was really excited about BB's, but left disappointed. Â We went for lunch on a Saturday and they had a fair crowd. Â Service was quick and the waitress was friendly. Â BB's is also good for groups, as there was a small party going on. Â We finished our lunch and left before the live music started. Â
My big problems were the sauce and spices. Â I got the pulled pork, which was fine, but a bit dry and lacking flavor. Â The sauce tasted like Christmas to me - I tasted way too much cinnamon and nutmeg. Â
My friends got the BBQ sundae. Â The jar (it comes in a Mason jar) was 80% full of beans and coleslaw and only had a small topper of pulled pork. Â No one thought it was worth the price, and the guys left hungry. Â We also tried the BBQ nachos. Â The chips were a bit stale, and the queso-chili dip tasted like the kind you make with velveeta and canned chili. Â Womp womp :-(
I don't think I'll go back. Â I've had much better BBQ in Kansas City.
Consistantly excellent. The only place in KC to get BBQ and listen to live blues six nioght s a week. Personally, I think the smattering of Louisiana/cajun dishes adds variety to the menu. For weirdness, try the BBQ Sundae. BB's is a long-time favirote - I've been there over 100 times.
Review Source:Great music venue, awful rude stuff. Will never go back!
It was my second visit to this place. My husband and I went to listen to Samantha Fish. We were warned that there is "standing room only" left. We really wanted to hear Samantha sing and paid out $4 per person. In a 106 heat we waited for Sam to get there. We only heard one song!
The blond overweight waitress kept chasing us away from one wall to another. You can't stand here, she kept repeating. We stood by the wall in the middle, by the side wall by the door, then went across and stood by the other door. I guess this waitress took a particular dislike of us because she kept coming after us and telling us that we can't stand there. She didn't seem to have a problem with other people crowding the passages. We were right next to the walls, each time, with enough passage to walk buy between us and seated people. Finally the manager came by because the waitress was getting loud and we asked where we could stand, since we were sold the tickets to stand. They knew there was standing place only, they continued selling these tickets through the night.
The manager couldn't come up with an answer and we left. As we were leaving they kept selling the standing only tickets. What an insult and huge disappointment of an evening. And not even an apology or offer of the refund as we were leaving.
Our whole evening was spoiled and most distressing was the rude rude rude treatment we received at this place. Never again!!!!!!!!
B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ has always earned a special place in Hubby's and my hearts for the last 20+ years. Â But it had been a while since we made the trip out. Â So today we decided to remedy that situation and go get us some BBQ!
B.B.'s is a laid back roadhouse kind of place that has lots of live entertainment throughout the week (and fairly modest cover charges a lot of evenings) but most generally we go there for lunch and still get a great mixture of blues legends on the sound system throughout our meal.
I LUV their ribs; but I also LUV their sausage and, of course the brisket and ham really can't be missed. Â Or the luscious - among the best in the city/state/country - pit beans and the yummy crunch of an order of the battered fries. Â When you have a hankering for all that --at once-- you just better order up a couple of the B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ King Combos and get one with beef, one with ham. Â So that is what Hubby and I did. Â Much as I LUV eatin' BBQ, I knew I'd have lots of leftovers to take home for later. Â And that's a good thing!
Hubs & I sat there looking out at the baking-hot parking lot and just took our time, savoring every bite and staying cool sipping our cold drinks and wondering if today's temperature will top 104 degrees like the weather man says it will. Â When we'd had our fill, our pleasant, friendly and helpful server brought us to-go boxes and a couple of additional containers of sauce for the road.
B.B.'s Lawnside is always going to have that little corner of my BBQ lovin' heart and I'm glad we renewed our acquaintanceship today.
BBs Lawnside is a great place to catch live music and have a beer. Â The food tries hard and, in their defense, is better than most, but not incredible. Â The ribs have good flavor but are drier than they should be, the battered fries are a nice change from the standard, but not exceptional. Â The rib tips are to stringy buti think they are chunked too large. Â The closet star is the sausage...spicy goodness! Â I want to give more than 3 stars but just can't.
Review Source:Went here the other day for my friends B-day and it was the BOMB. A great venue for live music and some beer drinking.
They proudly announced how old my friend was and I think that's about as many buckets of beer that we had on the table. We had everyone come out and the only way to experience this place is with a bunch of your friends, not on a Tuesday lunch break by yourself.
The prices weren't bad for beer and they were pretty typical of what you get around the metro for other BBQ.
I loved the decor of the place, which looks like a weird mash up of a New Orleans Southern beer Saloon and a KC down home country place, with some Blues mixed in for good measure. Plus, they have Abita, which I love.
The food was great, I thought that the ribs and the pulled pork were the stand outs. Now I love me some Okey Joes, but these rubs were great. Plus their battered fries we're fantastic. The sauce was thin, sweet with just a tang of vinegar, I thought it was delicious.
Overall I was quite impressed with the place and would be happy to go back again, but only on Saturday afternoon.
First time to B.B.'s. I know. I can't believe it either. I have friends that have gone here on Sunday nights for years. I must say, it was a great time. I can't wait to go back in the summer and experience the patio. In short, I would give the food a 3 and the live Blues a 5.
My husband and I shared a burnt ends plate. The burnt ends were good - a few pieces were a bit fatty - but still pretty good. They have 2 kinds of sauce. One is sweet and the other one is supposedly spicy. It has a tiny kick, but still a bit sweet for me. The beans were decent. The fries were wedges and they were battered and deep-fried. I really liked them. It's kind of like they were trying to find the most unhealthy way to serve potatoes. I love it!!! My husband got a side of red beans and rice. No spice at all. Not a fan. He thought they were OK.
The live music was great. It was really loud, but that's fine, I forgot how much I like the blues. As many reviewers have said, they come here for the music and the food is not bad either.
B.B., I'm glad I have met you. I will be back to see you again soon.
All right, Kansas City! Â After being married to one of your own, it's about time that I experienced some of the BBQ and music that I keep hearing about.
My righteous brother-in-law brought me here on a weekday night, and I was surprised to find such a lively place next to what I think was a neighborhood. Â However, I'm not great at KC geography, so I could have been on the outskirts of the Power & Light District for all I know...
Since then, I have been back again to have my enjoyment confirmed. Â Great place for BBQ. Â I would give it another star, but my second visit consisted of beer and music. Â Being such a BBQ snob, I need to eat there again to throw it another star...oh the suffering I go through for Yelp.
However, I can say that the BBQ I had was great, and the service has been awesome.
And the music? Â C'mon, no question that it's good. Â In my two visits, I have seen such a musical collection of guitar, percussion, horns, harp, and flute. Â There's some serious talent coming through there.
So get out there and enjoy yourself! Â This place is a win-win in my book!
It's been a week and I've still got Blues Face. Â
I have to agree with the other reviews. Â The venue is fabulous, it is perfect for the blues. Â Down home, sittin' with your blues friends, jammin' and yes, sometimes eating the BBQ. Â I've heard a lot of others talk of the food and unanimously people say, eh. Â It's o.k. Â By the way the patrons were chowing down though, there are definitely some people that like it. Â I picked up the pit smoked Italian sausage, ohhhh it was smokey and pretty good. Â I ditched the bun though. Â There was some sauce on it, I added a little more of the spicy (ish) one as they are both pretty sweet. Â
From the moment we walked in I had the biggest, giddiest grin on my face because I had just met Lindsay Shannon. Â My only regret is I didn't ask to get a picture with him. Â If only he'd known how many scrabble games we've played on Sunday nights during his radio show. Â I'm still loving it!! Â
For the first 30 minutes it was standing room only but the music was so good, we didn't even notice. Â Mary Bridget Davies Band rocks!! Â (They got second at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.) Â
We are so lucky in this city to have such amazing music venues and we are spoiled with the quality and quantity of local bands. In 2012 (and after) consider making it out to BB's.
Went to BB's yesterday for lunch. Â The menu didn't have much in the way of BBQ, though they did have a large selection of ribs. Â Â They DO have a selection of cajun basics - jambalaya, red beans and rice, etc. Â They also have a great deck with lots of outside seating.
We started with the chili cheese dip with chips. Â This wasn't too bad. Â It is exactly what it claims to be... chili mixed with cheese surrounded by chips. Â The chips were store bought, and the chili was medium spicy. Â
Always a sucker for Cajun food, I had the Jambalaya. Â My friend had the BBQ meatloaf. Â
Mine was pretty lame for Jambalaya. Â The flavor was all wrong. Â It isn't anything like I remember from NO. Â There was no heat and almost no meat at all. And the rice was dry dry dry. Â It came with a sourdough roll that was warmed up in the microwave.... kinda chewy and stuck to the paper liner of the plate.
My friend's BBQ meatloaf was tasty though. Â It came with green beans (with lots of bacon) and fried potatoes. Â The meatloaf was touted as being made from smoked meat.... I'm not sure how that worked but it did lend an interesting flavor to the whole thing as did the smothering of BBQ sauce. Â Now the fried potatoes were awesome. Â I should have just gotten a plate of those. Â Crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. Â Â They have the deep fryer down.
But most people don't go to BB's for the food. Â They go for the music. Saturday MaMa was singing and what an incredible voice for such a tiny little lady. Â They had several bands and individual musicians in to jam. Â Had I not been sitting on the most uncomfortable picnic table I have ever met, I could have stayed all afternoon.
Service was great. Beer was cold and not expensive. The outside seating was fabulous with this great weather we have been having. Â During the middle of the afternoon on Saturday the clientele was a little senior, but there was still lots of variety for people watching. Â
So, go for the music, the beer and the people, not the food.
They claim to have the best barbecue in Kansas City (but then, who doesn't?). Â It's a fun place with live music. Â I wasn't too thrilled to find out that there's a $4 cover charge upon entering the restaurant--I certainly didn't see that in any of their ads. Despite all that, it was packed. Â There were folks who drove up, saw the line and turned around to find another "best BBQ in KC" restaurant.
In terms of food, I wanted to sample a few of their fares, but you could either order a rib dinner, a pulled-pork-in-a-mason-jar meal, or a combination with like 5 types of meat. Â I wanted just ribs and pulled pork, but there wasn't such a combination I could find on the menu. I probably could've ordered it, but the waitress was so busy, it would've been too complicated. Â I ended up with just the ribs, and there was plenty of food there. Â They weren't bad; I guess I just prefer LC's.
I have stopped in to B.B.'s BBQ several times over the past few years to listen to the bands and enjoy some good BBQ. Â They have loaded BBQ Nachos that are unique and great along with good Kansas City BBQ. Â Strange as it sounds I do not eat anything on a bone so I tend to get sandwiches here though everyone i have taken has enjoyed whatever they ordered from ribs to smoked turkey and beef plates. Â
It is a very down to earth location with a small bar and deck, casual dress and a bit loud whenever they have bands (that is kind of the point). Â Staff is friendly (sometimes a bit slow so do not go if your short on time), food is good and it's reasonable in terms of cost. Â One of the few BBQ places in KC that does not feel corporate and worth trying to see what you think.
BB's Lawnside BBQ. Â Of these three words -- none of them quite describe the big selling point of live music.
Don't get me wrong, the BBQ is decent. Â But... this isn't the place to take somebody if you want to chow down on BBQ. Â This is the place you take somebody if you're looking for good live music and happen to be hungry.
The place is small, and it gets packed easily. Â The performance area (literally the east wall of the place) will easily fit 3-4 musicians. Â (An upcoming event was scheduled to have a 13+ piece big band. Â I don't even want to know how they fit all of them in there.) Â The quality of music (at least, on my last couple of visits) was quite awesome.
Big downside to me is the cover. Â I get that it's a live music venue, and that the music is the big draw -- Â but it's still a full-service restaurant. Â Charging cover just doesn't fly with me.
I *want* to give every BBQ joint at least 4 stars and the same holds true for this meaty little joint too. Â It has all the makings: Â marginal location, 25 years in the making, no sign of high chairs, and a blues juke joint to jam to.
But here's the deal. Â The BBQ was in a 3.5 star range (good beans and pulled pork though) and as a music venue, the sound quality was much less than middling.
Okay, okay, yes, I know. Â You're saying, who cares about the music. Â It's a BBQ joint. Â But in this particular case, that's pretty important since they're clearly one of the top 3 blues stages in town. Â With a full calendar of local and regional acts, they need to care about the sound quality a bit.
Nonetheless, I'll come back again for the varied acts that Lindsey provides. Â The food is worth the trip but not completely representative of what Kansas City has to offer.
Do note: Â If you want a decent seat and/or want to avoid the long table troughs of shared humanity, come early. Â On our Friday visit, the act wasn't on until 9pm and we lucked out by getting there just after 6pm. Â ALL OF THE GOOD SEATING WAS GONE BY 7PM, EASY.
(Oh...you won't avoid the cover charge by showing up to eat dinner)
Eat Up and Get Down at B.B.'s!
My visit to BB's wasn't to try the BBQ. Â I went to see a local blues band. Â I was surprised BB's is so small and the band is almost in your lap. Â The music carries well and I don't think there is a bad seat to hear or see the band. Â A big plus, the cover is reasonable too. Â I don't know their hours but Erica J stated they close at 11. Â When I was there last Friday, the band was scheduled to play until at least 12:30am. Â
I know some people who don't care for family style seating. Â But I'm not bothered by sitting around people I don't know. Â If you are going to see a popular band, get there early or you won't find a place to sit. Â There wasn't an empty seat in the house and plenty of people waiting for others to leave to snag the open seats.
BBQ. Â It is a topic that draws lines between friends and family. Â Everyone has an opinion and a favorite restaurant. Â I don't like to get into the BBQ debate but I know what I like. Â
I ended up splitting the Burnt Ends platter with beans and fries. Â To me, the burnt ends were really good and had lots of flavor. Â The beans were quite tasty and sweet. Â The fries - yuck. Â I thought they made a mistake and brought out fried pickles. Â I'm a fan of fried pickles but not french fries cooked with all that batter. Â The sauce available at the table was a bit too runny but sweet. Â I think it nicely off-set the burnt ends. Â The portion of the platter was large enough to split and priced well.
I think BB's a great place to hear really good music. The food I had was good too. Whether it's food or music or both, there is something for everyone.
B.B.'s isn't a bad place, it just isn't a great place. I like the idea of incorporating the music scene, but I don't like the idea of intermingling KC BBQ with classic Southern dishes. To be honest, I feel like B.B.'s really isn't Kansas City BBQ for that matter. The sauce isn't bad, but being extremely runny and kind of meek, it isn't anything like most other KC sauces. I don't think B.B.'s could be described as Memphis style BBQ either. It reminds me more of that hybrid southern BBQ that isn't repulsive, but doesn't make you want to wait in line in the snow to get inside and order from a counter at a gas station.
That said, each time I've been here I've had a nice time. The music theme is pretty cool and the food isn't bad. It probably isn't fair to hold anyone to the standards set by other KC BBQ joints, but B.B.'s falls a bit short of the real KC BBQ legends.
What a cool joint!
We wandered in here on a Saturday afternoon to discover an Open Mic session about to go down... What a great idea for a Saturday afternoon!
Great musicians. Good food... The Chicken-Fried (battered) Fries are the strongest menu item and the most different thing on the menu that you'll find in KC. The Q was good - I won't say great... In my experience in KC, Jack Stack stands above the rest... But I will say that I really like my sandwich and I like the spices in the BBQ sauce...
We had good service and decided that this place must be Famous Dave's parent... Some how it spawned FD's (Another very passable BBQ joint, but a little heavy on the chain restaurant kitsch.) I guess a better way of phrasing this is that what Famous Dave's has to try hard at, seems to come easily and naturally for BB's.
This is definitely a great joint to grab some Q at - especially on a Saturday afternoon... Kick back, have a Boulevard Pale Ale and enjoy the tunes some Q.
This place is exactly what it says it's gonna be. It's gonna have BBQ, and it's gonna have the blues. Â We did search a bit for the lawnside element, but didn't quite get it. Â The blues vibe there was great. Â Definitely a fun place to catch a show, and for that side, I was thrilled. Â The band we saw had a drummer that had never played with the guitarists before, but they were a solid trio. Â Lots of fun. Â The show was definitely the high point of the experience.
The BBQ was, okay. I split the king combo with my husband. Â The sausage didn't do a thing for me. The Pulled pork was solid, but the sauce was just so so there. Â A little too thin and non-descript for my taste. Â The ribs were tasty though. Â I really wish that the rest were as good as the ribs. Â
We had a side of the battered fries, which you could bite into and know that were taking time off of your life by eating them, but who really cares? You read the menu, it said "Battered fries" and you ordered them. That's your own grave. It was a tasty grave though. The beans were pretty good, but a little herbal, which is not the flavor you anticipate having in pit beans.
So why not more stars? Â It was the disappointing sauce that just wouldn't let me add more than 3. Â It was a fun night, and if you want to catch a show, that happens to serve food, go for it!
Quick disclaimer: I'm from Texas and have a strong preference for Texas BBQ over KC and Memphis BBQ. Â That said, BBs has a couple of things going for it. Â First, it lets you eat BBQ and listen to the blues in some place safer than the KC 'hood. Second, it pulls off faux dive pretty good. Third, it's got good roadhouse atmosphere. Â It also has some things that work against it. Â Like the crowd. Â Since it's not in the hood, it attracts the upper middle class businessmen from out of town and college students. The BMW/Mercedes/Saab ratio in the parking lot was pretty high which told me the overall BBs experience wasn't going to be really authentic.
The BBQ was mediocre. The chicken didn't have much flavor though the ribs were pretty moist and saucy. Â Speaking of the sauce, it was too sweet and too thin for me. It had a little kick to it, but it was still mostly sweet. Â I would pass on the cajun dishes on the menu as they didn't look all that good. Â There is a full service bar and prices on drinks and food were pretty reasonable.
The band, Trampled Under Food, was pretty good. Â Two brothers and a sister on bass. Most of the crowd had actually come for the band and not the food, so the place was pretty packed. Â I'd recommend getting there at least an hour before the band starts to get a seat inside. Â If not, you will be stuck out side on a mostly shadeless, small patio.
I wouldn't say this place was all that authentic, but it's a nice place to be introduced to both the blues and BBQ in KC.
This place makes me break promises. I promised years ago never to eat there again. But after sitting for a few hours listening to a kick ass blues band and drinking multiple beers...I order food.
The place is charming in it's own way. It is small and smells good. The service is fine and the proprietors are quite dedicated to their business and are generally on site.
The BBQ is just not very good. It lacks depth of flavor and is generally bland. The sauce is thin and sweet. Nothing special. The Louisiana dishes are really quite the joke. The gumbo reminded me of tomato soup. The jambalaya was a bland, gloppy mess.
The last time I was there I requested an Italian sausage sandwich and a bottle of tabasco sauce. Now THAT was okay with a cold beer.
The music is the reason I go. A few years ago we saw Eddie Shaw and The Wolf Gang. Â This band consists of members that were the original back-up band for Howlin Wolf. It was incredible.
Of course TUF puts on a solid show.
Go for the music. Don't promise anyone anything. Â Drink and then order an Italian sausage sammie.
As an out of towner, I wanted something more authentic, more unique than the "everyone goes there" Jack's Stack. Â Don't get me wrong, I like Jack's Stack but the "fancy" setting that looks like a generic Bennigans doesn't do it for me. Â The bartender at the hotel told us to go to Oklahoma Joe's the first night. Â Anthony Bourdain likes it so I figure it must be good, but we were taken to the new, strip mall location, not the gas station original, and frankly the food was average and the setting no better than a Chili's. Â
So the next night I headed to BB's Lawnside BBQ and man, this felt right to a guy from Southern California. Â The parking lot was packed on a Tuesday night and the setting looked a bit like the dive bar in the Blues Brothers or Animal House. Â We packed in with the locals, 4 California guys who stood out like a sore thumb.
The blues were playing and dammit if it didn't sound good. Â And the people were super friendly, from the sweet waitress who actually seemed to want to bring us beers to the cool locals who wanted to know where we were from (I told you we stood out!) and welcomed us to their neighborhood place. Â It's not fancy by any means but so damn authentic, it makes the House of Blues look like a knock off phony. Â And the band, whew, this wasn't some lame local band, it was Trampled Under Foot, a killer 3 piece band with both a male and female singer. Â American Idol, you guys suck! Â Listen to some real singers!
Now the food, ahhh, the best part. Â I love BBQ and consider myself a pretty decent home smoking kind of guy, but there's as much lame BBQ in KC as there is in San Diego. Â Oklahoma Joe's pulled pork was a huge disappointment, but BB's nearly melted in my mouth and had the right texture, the right level of smokiness, it was so good that I didn't even sauce it up until the last bite. Â The burnt ends were also incredible and the sauce perfect - not too sweet, not too vinegar, it went down nice. Â Jack's Stack has me sold on their beef Crown Ribs, but for pork it's got to be B.B.'s. Â
OK, I'll say it. Â Best BBQ I've had ever. Â Now I realize a Southern California guy might not have the same credentials as a local Kansas City born, but everyone in this place was positively ecstatic about the food, as excited for us to try it as they were to brag about it.
You're coming to KC on business, ditch the losers (ie: the engineers) who are happy eating crap hotel food at the official event and do a road trip to B.B.'s. Â Don't bring the geeks with you, don't wear your company name tag, just dress down and get ready to have a good time.
The food easily easily gets 1 star. It's not bad tasting, but it's far from top-tier either. The fake Louisiana dishes really drag the place down. (Id give the BBQ 2 to 3 stars) They get the extra star simply because of the blues atmosphere, so an extra point for originality.
I've been wanting to review this place for a long time now and tonight I finally got the chance to give it a shot. I will start off with a few things.
1) The menu is highly highly horrible at anything Louisiana. We ordered a cup of Gumbo (as we do at any establishment) to merit it's worthiness, and as usual, it was disappointing. In the case of this "gumbo", we knew it was an instant FAIL the minute we saw it because of it's tomato base. This looked and tasted more like a chicken courtboullon (Pronounced Coe-Bay-Yon).
2) The Boudin balls were a 4 out of 10. They were headed in the right direction by using rice and a slight amount of meat but these were on the spicy side (Typical boudin is not spicy. Maybe 15% of the stuff is made spicy) and they lacked the overall flavor of true boudin.
Now on to the BBQ. I ordered a 8oz pulled pork sandwich while my wife had a half a smoked chicken with sides. I'm a bit torn on what to say about the sandwich but I will say that even though it had good flavor, I could tell the pork was pulled many many hours before it met my bread simply because of how dry it was. The regular sauce offered was very very sweet, and extremely runny. It was not disgusting, but it definitely didn't make my list of favorites. The pit beans were unappetising for a lack of better word to describe them as well.
Overall, I personally don't see myself returning to this restaurant, but I will say though that if you have not been, it is worth a try. You might want to stick to the BBQ fare though as you will be highly disappointed with the Louisiana style food.
I've made a couple of stops in Kansas City for business over the past couple of years and have come back to BB's every time. Â I've tried Gates and a couple others, but have found the food and atmosphere at BB's to be hard to beat.
The building definitely shows its age, but that is part of the charm. Â It's dark, smokey and the walls are covered with blues posters and murals. Â The burnt end dinner is incredible, served over the traditional white bread and with their battered fries. Â Make sure you check out the website to see the live blues music schedule. Â The times I have been there they have had some great live boogie-woogie piano music going and it really livens up the place.
Finish it all off with a nice local beer selection and friendly service and you have a true Kansas City experience. Â In a town known for good BBQ and blues music, BB's met my expectations for sure.
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