Jones BBQ - Kansas City, KS

My wife and I recently moved to Des Moines, Iowa and being this close to Kansas City, I decided to head down there to celebrate my 35th birthday. We have hardly been out of the house in the last year, especially compared to how we traveled prior to the pandemic. We were excited to be traveling somewhere that neither of us had been to. We booked a hotel, and a few weeks later, we were southbound down I-35. We visited the Kansas City Zoo. It was incredibly impressive. We walked 5 miles, under full sunshine, going through the entire facility. After that was over, we headed up to the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City. A decent hotel in a wildly unique section of the city. Murals all over. Independently owned shops. This was my kind of place. There were 5 breweries within about a half mile of each other. Some around the corner from each other. We started on one end and drank our way down the stretch. It was a fantastic way to celebrate turning 35. Animals, great beer, and the food. Great food. 

That’s what you’re here for. The food.

We like to watch the Netflix series “Queer Eye” and in the first season of the show, they go down and “zhuzh up” a family bbq joint called Jones BBQ. Ever since watching that episode, we had a plan to make sure and visit it. I’m so glad we did. Phenomenal homemade sausage, perfectly smoked ribs, and great sides to boot. Especially their beans. I’ll start with it’s biggest, but maybe only, downfall. The serving was much too small. I know it’s only a side dish, but no serving could be too large with flavor like that. These beans were served up in a small, lidded, styrofoam cup and paired with plastic silverware. As far as I could tell, this dish was a single bean variety. Those beans were cooked to a near perfect consistency. You knew you were eating beans, but it wasn’t a chore. The sauce they were served in had a sweet sauce that had a slightly tangy backbone to it. There was a presence of smoke in the dish. The exact trio of flavors I look for in baked beans. The genius behind this recipe decided to throw chunks of brisket into the dish to help lend some layers of texture. A great move. Beans and brisket are a fantastic combination. In addition to the meat and beans, there was a nice vegetable addition with white onions and bell peppers. These, like the beans, were cooked to a great consistency. Jones BBQ has become famous for their sauce and all the great smoked meats. I think they deserve a little more credit for this side. 

Ratings (On a scale of 1-5)
Appearance: 4
Flavor: 5
Mouthfeel: 5
(Top score so far)
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Total Score: 14 

For what it's worth,
Kansas City Zoo: 5

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