LC’s Bar-B-Q

5800 Blue Parkway

Kansas City, MO

The KC Barbeque team had mixed reviews on LC’s – some loved it, some hated it, some fell in between. Unfortunately, these mixed feelings translated into a poor score for ol’ LC’s.

First off, LC’s is a pretty good hike—especially for us Brookside kids. It is, however, on the way to Arrowhead or the K, so a good place to stop on the way to or from a game. I also hear that people call meat orders in for tailgating before Chief’s games; so if you get that idea, make sure you call ahead. The atmosphere at LC’s does not disappoint a tried and true barbeque lover. It is a no frills, down home barbeque joint. My only real complaint about its order-at-the-counter set-up is they do not bring your food to your table. It is a very small place (8 or 9 tables–tops) and there was only one other table in the restaurant when we were there—this would have significantly improved their service score. Even Gates, a much larger establishment, brings your order to your table, and after experience like the one we had at Danny Edwards, LC’s did not do themselves any favors in this department.

Now, here’s where things get a little complicated. Like I said, some of us loved it and some of us hated it, so read on and make sure you give LC’s a fair shake. We ordered a variety of menu items from burnt ends to combo sandwiches. The ribs were mediocre, but the sauce was really good. According to Ashley, it was “the best sauce so far.” She also mentioned that it may rival her current favorite, Oklahoma Joe’s—we shall see. On the other hand, Tom found the sauce “too salty,” as did Joe. Joe also had some not so nice things to say about his meal: “I don’t know what offended me more, the pork sandwich or the autographed photo of Steven Tyler.” Along with the sauce, Joe also found the meat too salty. Jeff, on the other hand, had some pretty nice things to say about his burnt ends: “I definitely missed my compass (Shuler), but the sauce andfat content in burnt ends made me feel like he was right beside me … perfect mix of sweetness and tenderness.”

In addition to mixed reviews on the barbeque itself, the sides also brought LCs’ score down a bit. They definitely lost points on variety only offering typical sides like French fries and coleslaw. The fries, however, were delicious and received rave reviews around the table. Unfortunately, the onion rings were not very good; they looked delicious, but they were very doughy and not as crunchy as they appeared.

Here’s how it all shook out:

Meat

Flavor 4.1

Consistency 3.7

Quality 3.8

Sauce

Flavor 4.0

Consistency 4.3

Sides

Distinctiveness 1.9

Variety 1.7

Flavor 3.5

Restaurant

Service 2.4

Atmosphere 3.1

Value 2.4

Overall Experience 3.3

LC’s total Score: 3.2/5

Overall, LC’s is probably a place to try. It was rated relatively highly from most of our group, but it ended up tying for last place (so far) with BB’s Lawnside BBQ. Things like service and variety of sides brought it down quite a bit. The food was way better than BB’s, but it definitely missed the mark in other areas.