Barbacoa

Mexican restaurant · Sunset Hill

Barbacoa

Mexican restaurant · Sunset Hill

2

5500 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110

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Highlights

Barbacoa brings the perfect fusion of traditional Mexican flavors and Kansas City BBQ flair, featuring standout dishes like smoked carnitas and vibrant cocktails in a chic, intimate setting.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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5500 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110 Get directions

barbacoakc.com
@barbacoakc

$30–50 · Menu

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5500 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110 Get directions

+1 816 809 9550
barbacoakc.com
@barbacoakc

$30–50 · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 5, 2025

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@infatuation

"Barbacoa is another spot that’s putting a twist on Kansas City BBQ, although this time, it’s with a fine dining Mexican angle. They excel at meats like flavorful suadero, smoked carnitas with tomatillo salsa, as well as beef ribs paired with salsa macha. The citrusy and fruit-forward cocktails are also good, but don’t ignore the smoky mescal espresso martini on the dessert menu. After dinner, take a two-minute walk up Troost Ave. to Gaels Public House, and if you’re here for brunch, save room for Blackhole Bakery’s incredible mochi donuts right down the street." - ryan bernsten

The 22 Best Restaurants In Kansas City, Missouri 2024
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@infatuation

"Barbacoa is another spot that’s putting a twist on Kansas City BBQ, although this time, it’s with a fine dining Mexican angle. They excel at meats like flavorful suadero, smoked carnitas with tomatillo salsa, as well as beef ribs paired with salsa macha. The citrusy and fruit-forward cocktails are also good, but don’t ignore the smoky mescal espresso martini on the dessert menu. After dinner, take a two-minute walk up Troost Ave. to Gaels Public House, and if you’re here for brunch, save room for Blackhole Bakery’s incredible mochi donuts right down the street." - Ryan Bernsten

Barbacoa - Review - Rockhill Crest - Kansas City - The Infatuation
View Postcard for Barbacoa

Kyler Wooldridge

Google
Absolutely delicious. Probably the best brisket (suadero) I have ever had. I meant to eat half and take the rest to go but I couldn't help but finish it all. The sauces that came with it were amazing as well. Our cocktails were also really good. Would absolutely recommend it to anyone.

Taylor Villa

Google
This is the best "elevated" Mexican food I have had. It is a cute little restaurant with a very intimate feel. I had the cornbread to start, the pollo asado and the suadero. The cornbread was dry and the hot honey butter it was served with was nothing special, would not order again. The pollo asado is a smoked half chicken and it was incredible. It was so juicy inside and had perfectly crunchy skin. The suadero was a generous portion of chopped brisket and is exactly what it tasted like. I wish that the suadero was served with a spicy sauce instead of a tomato, sweet sauce that made it taste more like bbq. The pickled onions that were served with it were incredible. I think the menu needs a staple side or two that we could have ordered, there are none right now. The caramelo tortillas are good, as always. The drinks were perfection.

karla soto

Google
Review time 👏 this restaurant was recommended to me by one of my coworkers. Thanks Jill 🤍 Let me just start off by saying this establishment is beautiful, I love the decor and the ambience. I love that even that staff has a “uniform” but not your typical boring uniform. It’s giving demure🤍 and the staff was amazing, super friendly and really took the time to explain everything to you. So that right off the bat is 10/10. Now the food. For an appetizer, I got the ceviche which was delicious. I didn’t take a picture of it because well I just dig right in. It was amazing definitely recommend. For the main entrée I got the smoked carnitas and Suadero and both of those dishes came with tortillas. Both plates were definitely delicious but there’s two things you should know, both entrées still had a lot of oil running from the meats which is understandable but fair wait and I will say the meats did taste a tab bit salty but nothing off putting. Nevertheless both dishes were great and I love the focus on the plates that they have. I can’t wait to see what’s next. PS the cocktails were amazing I can’t remember the names but one of them was this watermelon flavor and the other one was something with piña colada 10/10.

Carlos Lopez

Google
Our server Isabel was lovely and attentive. Sure, a Mexican BBQ fusion sounds like a basic pairing but this place packs in the flavors. The queso was great, charro beans sounded better on paper but still tasty. My carnitas were excellent, and so was the brisket. We didn’t follow the server’s advice to share a main dish, so we took leftovers home and reheated the carnitas the next day with some eggs for a fantastic breakfast!

Caroline Rose

Google
It's not hard to see why Barbacoa was overwhelmingly voted "Best New Restaurant" in The Pitch's Best of 2023 competition. Madeline, Roman, and the rest of their team have crafted an incredible experience, from the rotating decor from local artists to the inventive drink list- I'm a big fan of the Carnitas shot. Offerings at both brunch and dinner are savory, cozy, and delicious- the Papas Con Ajo are a must!

Justin Miller

Google
Ordered the Smoked Carnitas, charro beans, the queso fundido, and the tres leches cake. All of them were absolutely delicious. Ate at a ton of places during my stay in Kansas City and this one is definitely on the list to come back. If you like funky drinks try the carnitas shot.

Shiona Deliozar

Google
Loved the flour tortillas, so fresh and not gummy, something very unique and Asian inspired about it. We also enjoyed the carnitas, queso fundido and potato bravas. Entrees were pricey but everything was prepared well. Didn’t care for the tres leche cake as the milky syrup was too sweet and also tasted straight up like bitter alcohol. Everything else I would recommend!

Jenni Rohner

Google
Amazing food! Everything, from the sauces to tortillas to the meat, is full of flavor! Tender meat, soft and delicious tortillas...it was an amazing meal.

Sari C.

Yelp
This place had been on my list for a long time. I had seen on social media as well as heard from friends how delicious it was. I finally went with a friend who had also been wanting to try it. This is a can't-miss addition to your list of Mexican restaurants in Kansas City, and they do it with a barbecue flair. Each dish is more flavorful than the next, by the end of the meal you'll have a hard time choosing your favorite. We ordered: - ceviche - papas con ajo - suadero - salt and lime cocktail I loved the chill vibes and how the decor isn't over the top. Overall between the seating, bar set up and staff, it is a cool place that is focused on giving customers a good experience. I will definitely be back!

Andy M.

Yelp
Cool restaurant, went on Thursday night and it was not crowded at all. Very welcoming decor and fairly quiet space that night. Service was really great too. We had an al pastor pork chop that was really nicely seasoned and cooked decently although more on the dry side. The real winner of the night was the suadero brisket! Fatty moist delicious brisket, what's not to love? Id definitely recommend it. Drinks were good but not great, I enjoyed my "Salt and Lime" though. I had the "Beets by Mads" aswell which tasted like beets, who would've thought. Food was good, seemed a tad expensive for what it is but overall I enjoyed my experience and I'd definitely go back. I'll be back for brunch next time.

Alix A.

Yelp
Went here last night and what a nice experience! Was treating my boyfriend to dinner and wanted to get him in proximity to his fave ice cream place in town (High Hopes) so this worked perfectly. First impression is the space is very cute with good lighting and fun artwork. We had reservations and were seated right away and our server came by pretty promptly. I ordered a coke (we were seeing Sensatia at Crown Center so I knew it would be a late night) and my boyfriend got the Beach Snacks cocktail. He says it kind of reminded him of a chutney, like fruity with some herbaceousness, which he enjoyed a lot. They recommend for 2 people to split 3 dishes. Don't come here if your plan isn't to share, since the menu isn't really built for individual entrees. We started with the queso fundido. Oh dear me, delicious! Perfect version and I loved the tortillas, which was good because each of our dishes came with tortillas. We also got the frijoles charros and the suadero. The charro beans were smoky and complex. But the suadero, wow! Incredible brisket. In a bbq town, this really stood out to me. So soft and flavorful. The sauces that came with were really good and the tacos made from these ingredients were so delicious. As I alluded, we didn't stay for dessert but I bet it would be delicious. Service was polite and attentive all night. If I lived closer, this would definitely be a frequent spot. I thought the price was reasonable and I think we easily could have just had the queso and the suadero and been full. But if you get a chance to go, do!

Taylor V.

Yelp
This is the best "elevated" Mexican food I have had. It is a cute little restaurant with a very intimate feel. I had the cornbread to start, the pollo asado and the suadero. The cornbread was dry and the hot honey butter it was served with was nothing special, would not order again. The pollo asado is a smoked half chicken and it was incredible. It was so juicy inside and had perfectly crunchy skin. The suadero was a generous portion of chopped brisket and is exactly what it tasted like. I wish that the suadero was served with a spicy sauce instead of a tomato, sweet sauce that made it taste more like bbq. The pickled onions that were served with it were incredible. I think the menu needs a staple side or two that we could have ordered, there are none right now. The caramelo tortillas are good, as always. The drinks were perfection.

Jennie L.

Yelp
Its Modern mexican cuisine meets American bbq techniques. Absolutely wonderful service and the meals were on point. We ordered the suadero and the hongos en mole. Both were delicious - the suadero was simple until you combine it with the salsa and the bbq sauce. It really marries all the flavors together. The hongos en mole was amazing, it was mushrooms that were smoked? The work on the mushrooms were so tasty. The service was also impeccable - the timing of our dishes coming out, replacing silverware, and just in general everyone was so friendly. Very yummy!

Caroline N.

Yelp
It's not hard to see why Barbacoa was overwhelmingly voted "Best New Restaurant" in The Pitch's Best of 2023 competition. Madeline, Roman, and the rest of their team have crafted an incredible experience, from the rotating decor from local artists to the inventive drink list- I'm a big fan of the Carnitas shot. Offerings at both brunch and dinner are savory, cozy, and delicious- the Papas Con Ajo are a must!

Sam Joy C.

Yelp
Okay, YUMMMMMMMMMMMM! Everything is about this place is fabulous. We ended up going for brunch and I wanted to to order everything off the menu. We started off with a couple Queso Fundido for the table, served with the famous (THE BEST) Yoli tortillas. HANDS DOWN THE BEST CHEESE DISH EVER. I will admit, the serving is pretty small. We had 6 people at our table and ordered two orders of the Queso. It was enough for everyone to have one tortilla. I ordered the Monies Plate and the serving was actually a GREAT size. It came with the smoked carnitas, refried beans, eggs, fried potatoes and tortillas with a side of salsa. It was all so flavorful and very filling. My husband ordered the Quesa Birria which I took a bite of and was also very fantastic. If you're not a fan of super smoky meats, I wouldn't suggest this menu item. We can't wait to try their dinner menu! One thing that I think would make Barbacoa over the top great: Adding a mocktail menu. I tried to ask for a Mocktail but the waitress seemed very weary about it. Still 5/5 stars!

Caroline L.

Yelp
So we came here a little over a month and a half ago (woohoo early review for me), mostly because someone I knew shared photos and I was very intrigued. It was a damp April evening that we came for dinner. It wasn't too crowded so we were seated quickly. The restaurant has a very casual vibe that really suited the weather. The service was good, they were quite attentive without hoovering or feeling like we were being rushed. We ended up ordering a couple of drinks to start while trying to decide on food: Some kind of beer that was like Orange Creamcicle plus pineapple?? Honestly, it wasn't great (don't take my word for it as I despise beer, but he was of the same opinion). I ordered...erm a tequila old fashioned. It was decent, but too sweet for my liking. I did follow up with a mezcal old fashioned that was definitely MUCH better. Anyway to the food! We ordered the Queso Fundido and Chicken Taquitos to start - YUMMY! The taquitos were fresh out and perfectly crispy. I really wanted to try the Ceviche, but boyfriend isn't a fan of that type of thing...oh well. These delicious appetizers were followed by the Shrimp Diablo and some Turkey/Chicken Mole thing (not on the current menu so yea...I don't remember). They were soooo delicious and we cleaned our plates. Not to mention the awesome tortillas that came with the queso and chicken/turkey thing. Will definitely be back, as there are other items I would love to try! Overall a great experience, with a few hiccups with the drinks. :) But we are also someone snotty about drinks, so take that with a grain of salt.

Katlie B.

Yelp
Delicious upscale Mexican food! Very cute intimate vibe with great service. Make sure you make a reservation because there isn't a ton of seating. Would recommend the carnitas!

Yena K.

Yelp
We had a reservation but the table hadn't left yet so we decided to take the 2 seats left at the bar. I love the vibes here, it's cute and inviting. The service was pretty fast for a busy weekend evening. I could tell the bartender was in the weeds but once we ordered, the food came out relatively fast for how busy they were. The elote balls were a classic twist, it was pretty good! The fish taco was SO good. The orange sauce was flavorful, Id come back just to get that fish taco & their espresso martini which was a twist from mexican hot chocolate. The carnitas were super greasy & fatty, i still appreciate the flavor profile but I wouldn't get that again. Im glad they are here & hope they stay for a while! I dont think i'll be a regular just yet but id definitely come back to try some other menu items!

Shawn T.

Yelp
Second time here and tried new items. Food was good. Wasn't crazy about the tostados, but it was my pallet not the flavors. Sometimes avocado and me aren't friends. Service was exceptional! Had a great waitress. Clean restaurant, kind of small but seating is decent.

Amanda R.

Yelp
Grabbed brunch with some friends at Barbacoa and it was delicious! The place is cute, service is friendly. We ordered the chilaquiles, birria tacos, ceviche and esquites, with a few cocktails. I got the Mexican Mule and it was bright and fresh. All of the food was incredible. Best birria tacos I've ever had! I typically like my chilaquiles floating in sauce, and even though these weren't super saucy, they were still delish. The ceviche was incredibly fresh. Will definitely go back for dinner!

Lacey L.

Yelp
I'm currently sitting in this restaurant writing a review, astounded at the experience I've just had. My husband and I ordered Rábano, Elote, and Pescadito. Just wow! Every part of each dish was separately seasoned with just the right amount of spiciness to hurt a little, but not enough to overpower the circus of flavors perfectly coordinated. I think this is the best meal I've ever had. The waitress also recommended a bit of habanero bitters in my Salt & Lime drink, and I'm in love. I can't wait to come back!

Harrison D.

Yelp
I would say this is my favorite restaurant, and I really enjoy many places, but this takes the cake! Every single thing on the menu is done to near perfection. Their drinks rival some of the best bars around the metro. The environment is clean and welcoming! I could eat a million of their tortillas and their queso fundido truly is mind blowing. Please check this place out! Also, my girlfriend reminded me to mention their Tres Leches which is a must!!

Jessica B.

Yelp
Ok, just YUM! We tried @barbacoakc last night because we'd heard good things about their cocktail menu, and we left as big fans of everything from the molé to the martinis. First, you *must* get the taquitos here. They might just have been my favorite bite all night: stuffed with brisket and dipped in garlic crema and a salsa, with a bite of pickled onion. I don't even like taquitos (or didn't think so), but whoa. Others at the table argue that the Queso Fundido was even better than the taquitos. Brian argues that we should have dipped the taquitos IN the queso for a mind blowing bite. We ordered 4 of the 5 entrees: Turkey Molé was my fave. I can't believe how tender and juicy the turkey was, crusted with a rub that features a lil coffee flavor, then smothered in a 3-day molé that is fantastic. Brian had more than his 1/4 of the pork carnitas (in chewy perfect @yolitortilleria) and as promised, the sweet potato torta was a layered tower of flavors. My other fave, though, was the Chicken Tinga tostada: crunchy, crispy, spicy, creamy, & fresh. Yum! The menu is pretty small, but everything we had was a winner. I'd rather a place nail 5 entrees and 4 appetizers than add anything underwhelming to the list. We didn't have room for dessert but got it anyway: Arroz con Leche was divine (sweet crispy rice? Yes.) And they make their own chocolate in house if you need something a bit more bite-sized. Oh... And the drinks! Everything we had was fresh, well balanced, unique and delicious! We liked the Mexican Mule best (with cilantro-infused vodka) but the 104 (rum, coconut water, almond bitters) was also a table fave. We also had wonderful, attentive, enthusiastic service. The space looks just a little different than when it was Urban Table, but they make good use of it. We will definitely be back. We'll be craving the taquitos and molé!

Elizabeth H.

Yelp
We love this place so much we have already gone back for bunch round two. Had to get the queso and added the birria tacos!!

Julia M.

Yelp
Tried out Barbacoa this evening after hearing only good things & left fairly disappointed. Service was super slow & our waitress was MIA for most of our meal. Outside of the sauce in the pescadito dish, everything truly lacked flavor and tasted simply like the ingredients themselves. Would've loved to see homemade tortillas on the menu, however instead there were Yoli tortillas (which are good) but were not prepared well. There were definitely liberties made in the drink menu & I have to applaud that, but the food and service just fell short & I don't think we will visit again.

Phil B.

Yelp
A warm welcome by the friendly hostess as you enter this dining area with a modern casual atmosphere. The drinks were unique and the two we tried are definitely delicious. While the taquitos were not as flavorful as expected, the queso fondido was a knockout. All their entrees looked good but we ended up getting the Turkey and Molé and have no regrets. Turkey was super moist and flavorful and the molé smelled and tasted amazing. Besides the taquitos, the only downsides were a longer than expected wait for the food, especially as the dining room was never completely full, and the menu being printed on a thin simple 8.5"x11" felt cheap.

Lucas S.

Yelp
Love this place, been here many times and almost always fantastic. The drinks are awesome, top 2 margarita around. The food is excellent, the Chicken dish in particular is so satisfying. Awesome service and vibes as well.

Isaac Y.

Yelp
My wife and I ate here for our first wedding anniversary. The food was delicious and the lady serving us was very sweet. The Ambience was quite unique. We entered between the afternoon crowd and the dinner crowd. As the sun went down we both felt apart of the street corner while we ate. Great experience.

Bill W.

Yelp
I've been here twice and it was exceptional both times. I wouldn't hesitate to go back. The drinks are exceptional and so is the food. 10/10

samuel octavio p.

Yelp
Amazing flavor and presentation. A very good option when you're looking for something different, fresh and healthy. Good drinks also. The service was good and helpful, explaining about their plates. The ambience is nice and surrounded with beautiful natural elements.

Anthony B.

Yelp
AMAZING! Everything about this place is AMAZING! You should definitely go there and order everything on the menu! Amazing food, amazing service, amazing restaurant with an amazing staff. Just do yourself a favor and get there. Thank you

Taylor C.

Yelp
We went for brunch and this is such a good spot, the space is very modern and simplistic. The service was great and the food was amazing. The best queso fundido and the chilaquiles were just the right amount of everything. Can't wait to go back and try their regular menu!

William K.

Yelp
My wife and I were excited to try this new place that has recently opened up on Troost and it did not disappoint when we finally got the chance to have dinner there recently! We made a reservation online and were impressed by the interior when we showed up as it has a very chic and stylish dining room. We ordered the Queso Fundido con Rajas and the Esquites to start and both dishes were fabulous. I also enjoyed my Brazilian lemonade and was intrigued by several beverages on the cocktail and mocktail menu so I will definitely be returning in the future to try more drinks! For our main we shared the smoked carnitas which were delicious! My only small complaint would be that the dish needed a couple more Yoli tortillas as there was more meat than could fit in the 3 tortillas provided with that dish. But overall everything we ate here was wonderful! We will definitely be back to try more things on the menu! So glad to have this place in our neighborhood!

Ellen C.

Yelp
All of the food is excellent, but if there is anything with beef on the menu--order it. The most flavorful and just fall apart in your mouth beef I have ever had.

Ricky L.

Yelp
Wonderful place for date night. Live music and elegant decor. Food was amazing. Plates are small portioned so I recommend ordering a few different things you like. Service was great as well.

Chris M.

Yelp
This restaurant is very trendy and should be receiving much more attention than it seems to be getting. The decor was very sheek and service was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and helpful - our waitress offered us a taste of wine before ordering as you would expect from a fine establishment. We started with the queso fundido, which was absolutely delicious with James Beard nominated Yoli tortillas. We also had the Tinga de Pollo and smoked carnitas, which were good but didn't stand up to the excellent experience of the restaurant overall. The tortillas and salad were the standout dishes of our meal, and that salad was one of the best I've ever had! As this restaurant has only been open 7 weeks, I have faith that they will find their stride as all of the food was good and the front of house exceptional. I look forward to going back and trying more on their menu.

Robin M.

Yelp
We had brunch today. Delicious fresh homemade real food. This is not your typical "Mexican" meal. It's authentic well thought out menu with layered spices and flavors. I had their hand made tortillas, unbelievable. Their beans were so flavorful. Smoked pork with a Smokey flavor. Expert. Next time I want to try their mole sauce with mushrooms. Nice atmosphere and good server. Interesting drinks. Try it!

Molly M.

Yelp
So dang good! Definitely recommend! We got the Queso Fundido and Esquites to start. Super flavorful! Devoured before I could snap a picture. The Turkey and Mole was so moist and delicious, as was the carnitas. Cocktails are also amazing. Great portions and reasonably priced. Would definitely recommend making a reservation as it's pretty cozy and popular. Will be back! Edit to add that the leftovers heated up really well. Don't be afraid to order to-go!

Taylor C.

Yelp
We had a big group and Barbacoa did not disappoint! The food and service was amazing. The chef even brought us out complimentary dishes which really says a lot about how far they will go to make sure you have a great experience. Everything we tried was great from the food to the cocktails. I would recommend the espresso martini with mezcal (they make their chocolate shavings in house!) and the chilaquiles! The place was busy along with us having a large party and I still felt like we didn't have to wait long for anything we asked for. 11/10 and I can't wait to be back!

J J.

Yelp
This place was pretty good. I wouldn't rush back. First, make a reservation. It's small. Even the bar holds 3-4 couples. We went for Valentine's Day. Queso fundito wasn't my favorite. To their credit, they use real cheese, not cheese product, so it doesn't melt as well. The smoked carnitas were very tasty but didn't have the seared crust on the outside. The scallop risotto was just ok. The cocktails were good, not great. It's very meat forward, being a South American bbq place. They had one mushroom dish for vegetarian people. If you don't like meat, this isn't your place. Overall, it was pretty good but very spendy. I won't be back soon but it's worth trying.

Natalie P.

Yelp
Definitely go here for an amazing meal! The food was delicious and light, the drinks were refreshing. And they had a non-alcoholic cocktail which is great for folks that don't drink but want something fun!

Neal L.

Yelp
Went for Sunday brunch. Excellent food and service. Tres leches cake was fantastic. Highly recommend.

Dean C.

Yelp
Food is outstanding with variable choice for all palettes. Service is excellent, gracious and well-informed . Ambiance is a solid 8 out of 10, decent seating options and warm lighting. A definite must if you're living in KC or visiting

Catherine K.

Yelp
A great new restaurant in a growing area of the city! We were excited to be a part of their first weekend opening and were impressed with the flawless service. Our meal was tremendous, the service was super friendly and the restaurant ambience was very warm. Though they were operating with a limited opening menu they hit it spot on. We had two Shareables (Queso fundido and the melon salad) and two Mains (Turkey mole and the vegetarian la tort-). All were very well done with great flavors and perfect serving sizes. We will definitely be back!

Michael V.

Yelp
Food was fine but one dimensional not worth the price brisket tocos were fine. Pork carnitas was also fine would not go again