LC's Bar-B-Q

The pitmaster's pitmaster. No menu, no fuss.

LC's Bar-B-Q is a barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri.

LC's is the East Side building barbecue pilgrims seek out on purpose—minimal signage, a smoke-blackened room on Blue Parkway, and LC Richardson smoking meat the same way for roughly four decades. Cash only, no website, no social media: the anti-marketing is the whole brand, and the smoke pouring off the pit does every bit of the advertising the place needs.

The burnt ends are the legend—deeply caramelized, intensely smoky, and made in limited quantities that vanish by early afternoon. The ribs carry the same heavy hand with the smoke, and the brisket that feeds those burnt ends is uncompromising and old-school, the source of the whole reputation. Arrive by noon or accept the real risk of an empty case. It's raw, unpolished Kansas City barbecue from a pitmaster whom other pitmasters quietly study and try to match.

• Style: Kansas City Style
• Price: $
• Neighborhood: East Side
• Serving since 1986

What to order

• Burnt Ends
• Pork Ribs
• Brisket

How it scores — 9.0/10 overall

• Smoke: 9.2/10
• Bark: 9.0/10
• Tenderness: 8.8/10
• Consistency: 8.5/10
• Value: 9.5/10
• Atmosphere: 6.5/10

Visiting

• Address: 5800 Blue Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64129

Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–5pm

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