Best place for platters: Chef J BBQ
At Chef J BBQ, every day might as well be Picture Day.
Whether it’s an individual meat plate (one to four meats, plus two sides) or one of their gargantuan family platters, every tray that crosses the West Bottoms counter is dressed to impress, ready for its Instagram debut. “You eat with your eyes first,“ Justin Easterwood, the eponymous Chef J, says. “We know that when the food looks good, people are going to want to share it.”
And share it they do, both online and across the table. What makes these platters so special is they taste even better than they look. Thick-cut Black Angus brisket, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly burnt ends, succulent smoked turkey and a weekly rotation of artisan sausages anchor Chef J’s hickory-smoked meat spread. Flavorful sides, each intentionally distinct, along with three unique sauces and house-pickled items, turn every meal into a customizable experience that satisfies every sense.
As a 100 percent live-fire operation that lacks a traditional kitchen, nearly everything Chef J makes—the meats, pit beans and even the bacon for the potato salad—hits the smoker. “There’s something about a big appealing tray of barbecue that, when it tastes as good as it looks, really puts a meal over the top,” Easterwood says.
While these picturesque plates can be savored solo, they’re best when shared by a community. From Easterwood to his partner Terra Whipple to the rest of their team, it takes a community to create. “Nowadays,” Easterwood says, “we’re all Chef J.”
Runners-Up
Char Bar
charbarbbq.com, various locations
Unlike many barbecue joints, Char Bar encourages guests to linger with a mix of custom and pre-built plates. The Holy Trinity showcases their spare ribs, brisket and burnt ends. The towering WHOMP! Platter delivers a feast of seven meats, three sides and a jar of pickles to share.
3Halves Brew Pub & BBQ
This downtown Liberty brewery pairs craft beer with craft ’cue. One to three meat plates offer variety, but the Meat Mile—a tray of five meats and four sides—is built to feed the entire table.
Blind Box BBQ
13124 W. 62nd Terrace, Shawnee
Blind Box BBQ blends traditional barbeque with casual, upscale dining in Shawnee. Their Lightweight and Heavyweight Plates offer peak flexibility. The smoked chicken, burnt ends, sausage and cheesy corn bake are among their heavy hitters. (Blind Box has multiple locations, but this is the preferred one to visit, especially for platters.)
Jazzy B’s BBQ
320 S.W. Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit
This Lee’s Summit staple blends Cajun fare and Kansas City barbecue with their Jazzed Platters that can contain as many as four meats and four sides. Famous for baby back ribs, sausage and wings, Jazzy B’s is also one of the more vegetarian-friendly BBQ spots in the metro.
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