The 33 Best Restaurants in Kansas City

"Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $ Expect to hear “Hi, may I help you?” shouted like one compound word the second you step through the doors of one of the city’s oldest continuously operating barbecue spots. If you need a second to consider your order, just ask — but you can’t go wrong with the Nooner, a bun piled with both thin-sliced brisket and chopped burnt ends. Gates is a local chain with a few locations, but the one on Brooklyn Avenue turns out consistent barbecue in a dining room dripping with old-school cool. Know before you go: The cashier will likely shout for your order long before you’ve gotten to the front of the line, so be prepared." - Liz Cook