J's BBQ Olathe

Reviving a legendary Olathe pit

J's BBQ Olathe is a barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri.

When the legendary Johnny's BBQ closed, former pitmaster Josh Deal reopened the Old 56 Highway space in 2025 as J's, bringing back the original crew and the menu Olathe had mourned. It's less a new restaurant than a resurrection—the same room, the same recipes, and a familiar face working the pit each morning.

The calling card is double-smoked burnt ends, chopped to order so each portion gets a fresh hit of bark and caramelized edge rather than sitting under a heat lamp. Brisket carries the Johnny's lineage forward with Deal's own touches layered in, the pork ribs are a recovered favorite from the original board, and the pulled pork offers familiar comfort for the returning regulars. For the crowd who thought these recipes were gone for good, J's is the happy ending they didn't expect to get.

• Style: Kansas City Style
• Price: $$
• Neighborhood: Olathe
• Serving since 2025

What to order

• Chopped Burnt Ends
• Brisket
• Pork Ribs
• Pulled Pork

How it scores — 8.5/10 overall

• Smoke: 8.6/10
• Bark: 8.4/10
• Tenderness: 8.5/10
• Consistency: 8.4/10
• Value: 8.8/10
• Atmosphere: 8.0/10

Visiting

• Address: 1375 W Old 56 Hwy, Olathe, KS 66061
• Phone: (913) 768-0777
• Website: https://www.jsbbqkc.com/

Hours: Tue–Sat 11am–8pm, Sun 11am–7pm (verified on 2026-08-06)

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