Kansas City Barbeque

As everyone knows this place was in the movie Top Gun. Go take your photo with the piano and grab a quick bite. Food wise, it was just ok. Not terrible but not a place I would go out of my way to visit if you don't care about the movie. Got the combo with the ribs and burnt bits. Decent on both. The slaw was not that great. Do not get it. Baked beans tastes normal. Service is great. If your party is 8 or more you can't split checks and they charge you 18% gratuity automatically.

For starters, this place is very unassuming but the draw is that this is the bar where they shot the original Top Gun movie. The piano is still over in the corner (our table was right beside it). You can sit at the table where they shot the scene. Cool atmosphere. Food is great. Try the pulled pork sandwich, it won’t disappoint. Several different beers on tap too. Great place to eat on Harbor street.

This restaurant was made famous by the original Top Gun movie with Tom Cruise. The restaurant was featured in the bar scene where Goose plays the "Great Balls of Fire" song. While the place has a great atmosphere, and lots of movie memorabilia, the food itself was just okay. Not the best BBQ, and not the worst. I would not really make the effort to come here unless you were a big Top Gun fan.

This is a really cool place. While it is best known as a filming location for the 1980s top gun movie, it actually has a great atmosphere, serves really tasty barbecue and has a decent beer selection. I was there for two nights in a row and ate at the bar both nights. The bartender Chris was fantastic. The crowd was fun and talkative both nights as well which was really cool. It seemed like a lot of locals go there for a drink at night.

Atmosphere is great. Top Gun history, Sleepy Bar / BBQ Joint Vibe. This all said.. we did not have e the BBQ Or Brisket, so I can not review it. The peach cobbler was terrible. Mushy and barely any peaches. We had the Hot-links over Mac-n-Cheese, and the Mac-n-Cheese was dry and super reheated. Nothing was fresh at 9pm.

This place took my breath away. It was a trip to the Danger Zone. It was a TOP place to visit, with no GUN allowed. Ordered the GREAT FALLS of FIRE. But seriously, it was a great time, and Mike at the bar took care of me. Would definitely recommend for the food, even if you are not a fan of TOP GUN the movie.

The BBQ was bland, dry, and the worst I’ve probably ever had. The fries and rings were pretty flavorless, too, but the great balls of fire packed flavor on the outside (buffalo sauce), but the Mac n cheese inside was like chewing playdoh.

We loved this place! Brisket was amazing! Lot's of photo opportunities! And staff was great

A great spot! We happened upon this bar and popped in. Loved the Top Gun history! The bar tender was superb- friendly and helpful. We had the best time having a few drinks, a little food, and just hanging out. We were celebrating a birthday and the bar even sang for us! Thanks for a fun afternoon!

This place has made its name for being in top gun. It's a quant little place. Lots of military memorabilia there. The server was super nice telling em a little history about the restaurant. We wanted to take pictures so we just ordered some food to be polite and have a snack! We order fries and the corn ribs. The corn ribs were seasoned. They were simple, but my kids loved them. The fries were standard thick cut fries with sea salt. I didn't love them, but I also didn't hate them. They definitely still got eaten! This will never be my go to when coming to the area, but at the same time I overall enjoyed the place! Food 5/10 Service 8/10 Overall 6/10

My friend loves Top Gun, so she really wanted to stop here It is was worth the stop! She enjoyed taking pictures with the memorabilia and I was entirely amused by the ability to control the jukebox from my phone. Priorities. The BBQ was good, the portions were generous, and the ambiance is pretty much what all the other reviews say.

This was our first time trying Kansas City BBQ in San Diego. This restaurant was made famous by the original 1986 Top Gun movie with Tom Cruise. The restaurant was featured in the bar scene where Goose Bradshaw plays the "Great Balls of Fire" song. We've actually met the real Goose ran into him at a grocery store in Connecticut so it was nice to see those old photos of him. If you're a fan of Top Gun, you're going to enjoy dining and taking pictures inside. It's a really cool bar with photos of the Top Gun cast and walls covered with military and law enforcement patches and coins. Here's the food recommendations: *Brisket, be sure to order "marble cut" with baked beans and potato salad. The brisket was very good and tender. The baked beans and potato salad were good additions. The brisket just needed a bit more seasoning. I wished they had more BBQ sauce options only saw one, but here's what I did that made the brisket taste even better and recommend trying!! *Mix the Guacamayo hot sauce available in restaurant with the Kansas City BBQ sauce to get a sweet and spicy flavor on your brisket or add to your chicken wings. It definitely enhanced the flavor!! KCB is near Seaport Village across the street from The Cheesecake Factory and near the Seaport Village Green line Trolley station stop. There's indoor and outdoor seating with great customer service and enough room for large groups. I definitely would come back!! Give this restaurant a try! Happy Yelping :)

It's nice that the place preserved the iconic items from the movie Top Gun. It was an enjoyable experience took pictures and got to relive the scenes from the movie. We also tried Kansas specialty food all BBQ. Chicken BBQ was on point, cooked well, flavored well, comes with a breast, a wing, a thigh and a leg with several options for sides, I got potato wedges and mac & cheese, other items my group ordered was brisket and the works (choice of 2 meats with 2 sides). 10/10 experience overall not to mention our sever was top notch!

Came to Kansas City BBQ thinking this would be a really fun and relevant a pre movie dinner experience before seeing Top Gun at the nearby Rooftop Cinema. Upon first observation, this location celebrates and immerses you in that iconic movie by displaying photos of the movie, light up signage, and merch that you can buy. The outside has a patio with abundant seating and a Top Gun photo op area. Inside, the setup of this restaurant is really eclectic and kitschy. It made me visualize that someone's deranged hoarder family member was hired to decorate, and slowly acquired pieces over time that were just added throughout the years. It's a really fun vibe! Upon looking at the menu, there is a themed dish "Great balls of fire" and a Top Gun ale. There is also interesting information about how this location was chosen for the movie. I really wanted the Burnt ends, but they were not available as the menu alludes to the fact that they sell out often. Bummer! I opted for the spare rib "sandwich". The ribs were great, but I don't think I would get this item again, as there were only two small ribs, one dry piece of white toast, and a small portion size of your choosing for 17.00! I quickly got fomo as I observed my group getting the chopped chicken sandwich with fries and the BBQ plate with potato salad and mac n cheese. My group really enjoyed their meals and felt they were good value for the money and I was able to try the potato salad, which was delicious! The service was friendly, prompt, and helpful. The food was quick. I would definitely come back for the nostalgia.

The Burnt Ends Rib Tips and Beans are my favorite. It is a cool place to visit. The Servers were great and on top of things and I enjoyed the decor and the diner and bar vibes.

Full disclosure - I went here for the nostalgia. I love movie filming locations and this just happens to have food. I was pleasantly surprised by the items we ordered and quite honestly, the prices are fantastic for where this restaurant is located! I really enjoyed the fried pickles - crispy, juicy and served hot. Great beer selection and the wings were good too! This is a must visit if you are a Top Gun fan. So much to look at on the walls and how can you pass up sitting at the piano? Fun spot!

I don't understand the low reviews for this spot. I really enjoyed it and the food is great! I had a brisket plate with onion rings and mac & cheese and everything tasted awesome. The BBQ sauce they have on the table is so good. I used way too much of it but I couldn't stop eating it! My boyfriend had a triple meat combo and he loved it as well. My boyfriend's son had a chili cheese dog with fries. The portions are massive so be aware if you have kids with you. Bonus points if you are a Top Gun movie fan, some of the movie was filmed in that restaurant. Great food, fun location and great staff. We will definitely be back if we're ever in the San Diego area.

I will admit I only came here because of it's association with the Top Gun movie. I didn't try the food, as the reviews for the food are really not great. But for a large, chilled beer in a busy, friendly, dive bar, it does deliver. The bartender, used to tourists like myself, was friendly. The few regulars, who weren't tourists, were friendly too. The bar's association with the movie is fun. The jukebox that's in the end scene of the movie is there. Would I return? Probably not. It's the kind of place you go to so that you can say, I was there.

At Kansas City BBQ, a spot with some fame, The Top Gun bar scene gave it lasting acclaim. A drink at the counter is well worth the stop, The bartender's friendly, though service may drop. They've got swag in all sizes, for a tourist haul And fried bar bites that will satisfy all-- French fries, fried mushrooms, onion rings too, The kind of good grease that pairs well with a brew. The old piano still plays, a nostalgic delight, Though the bar can get crowded, especially at night. There's a patio outside and more rooms to explore, So you won't feel too cramped when you walk through the door. Close to the harbor, the Midway is a close walk. This legendary bar is a must-see even if it's just for TikTok.

Listen, the reviews on this place...y'all are haters! Our visit was great - the beer was COLD, the food was SOLID, and our service was GREAT! If you love a good dive, sit inside and enjoy the atmosphere. Our server, Tyler, was super helpful and did a great job of explaining menu offerings and the history of the location. My dad absolutely loved it and it made the whole experience for him as a Top Gun fan.

I love this restaurant so much!!!! The vibe it's just amazing! The food is absolutely delicious, I love getting some brisket and ribs! The potato salad is so good too. We ordered some wings this time and we loved it! One of my favorite restaurants in San Diego!

This was a must see on our list! We were greeted by super friendly and amazing staff! Seated immediately & just top notch friendliness and service!!! They make this very touristy restaurant a fun and memorable experience! Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the food!!! We ordered a lot - brisket, chili, pulled pork, Mac and cheese, onion rings & more. The brisket was on the dry side. This is the only reason for -1 star. I'm a huge brisket fan & was really looking forward to it. Maybe just smoked too long? Not sure! But the rest of the food was pretty good! It's a fun place to visit if you are in town and you love the movie Top Gun as much as we do!!!

One quick fly bye: 1 star for the food preparation. (Unstable and turbulent) 2 stars for service, ambiance & nostalgia. (Gotta buz the tower Goose) 3 stars for (Top Gun Blond)

great bbq and really easy going vibe. enjoyed it for lunch and for dinner on sunday with football and chiefs fans all over the place. new yorker-approved! can't believe the ratings are so low-guess if you are looking for celebrity chef or fancy dining you'll say this misses the mark. otherwise this place should be at least a 4 star overall. def my kind of place.

I had the opportunity to take our granddaughter who wanted to wear her top gun shirt to the restaurant. She had many opportunities to take a ton of photos of many Top Gun items. She was not disappointed. We ordered a few items like the max and cheese which she downed it quickly and the fries and onion rings were hot and delicious. I really enjoyed the smoked hot dog with pickles. Jen, our server was outstanding and extreme efficient. Three small rooms in the small restaurant are very interesting for roaming around and enjoying the past of the movie. The black shirt from the restaurant was the cherry on top as she was so very proud to visit and enjoyed her meal and my company.lol

We came here as a large group of 13. I'm actually from Kansas, but my friends wanted to come because of the movie "Top Gun". The first night we just sat at the bar and had drinks. The next night we came for dinner. I got a sampler platter and ate the whole thing! The food was great! They made a lot of accommodations for us, seating us in the back. The restaurant is a lot bigger than it looks in the front. My friend ordered the burnt ends. Unfortunately since it was the end of the day, they were not good- I guess they had been out too long. They were dry. But everyone else enjoyed their meals. We had a lot of fun playing music in the jukebox and playing the piano. The only other issue was the check. I'll post a picture of it. There's A LOT of add ons! But we really enjoyed ourselves and would probably go back the next time we're in town.

First time visiting this iconic bbq in SD. The combo plate was . Loved the hot links and the baked beans. The brisket was ok, it was cold when it was served to me but flavor was good. Our sever was great, she checked on us constantly. If you're in SD visiting, yes check it out but it wasn't special that can make you go back again and again.

Got the brisket and link combo. Meats were dry and barely warm. Tasted like it was reheated which was interesting because we ordered around 11:30am. People that work there were nice, however.

Jennifer on the pull today. Very friendly and affable as well as helpful. Many turistas today who kept her busy. A couple new drafts and a new menu. Still a great place for Top Gun movie memorabilia, making for great gifts for friends and family. Predictable fare but always good.

Fun attraction if you want to see the famous Top Gun bar with decorations that are a tribute to the film. The food was mediocre with the meat being dry and not very flavorful. Stop by for a drink at the bar and Top Gun memorabilia rather than the BBQ

We went to SD for a baseball tournament around the time Val Kilmer passed and the first thing a mom suggested was to stop by Kansas City BBQ where Top Gun was filmed. Let me tell you! The place did not disappoint. From the staff to the people was a vibe. The drinks were delicious. Bar seating is small, but that's what makes it fun and enjoyable. The memorabilia took me down memory lane. Definitely recommend when in the area.

If you're a Top Gun fan it's a must go; however, this place is not what you think. It's so small, it's hard to believe they actually had room to shoot some movie scenes here! We mainly went for ambiance. To have a drink where the iconic "Great Balls of Fire" scene and subsequent jukebox ending was filmed. The piano is still there - although the jukebox is likely a replica. The pictures on the wall tell the whole story. My husband did have the brisket sandwich. He said it was good, just nothing to write home about. I was bit disappointed in the merchandise that's available. They could sell so much more....but after talking with the bartender she said they are short on space and thus they don't carry variety and don't carry a lot of sizes. They are definitely still riding the shirttails from 1985.

BBQ is nothing to write home about. Customer service is horrible. Ordered for take out and when i went to pick up, no one pointed me where to pick up until an older gentleman showed directed me to the bar. When i got to the bar, the bar keep didn't even acknowledge me or asked me if i have been helped or if i was picking up. Seems to just cater to white folks

I know a lot of people go here for the Top Gun nostalgia but we found it to be great food as well! Service was a 10! Flavor was great. Personal favorite was the pulled pork! Fun night out!! Must try! Our "Old Friend, New Places" really enjoyed it!

Was visiting the Midway Musuem and took a short walk to see the Top Gun Bar. I had the burnt ends with the cheesy corn, and onion rings. The meat was delicious very flavorful, tender, and a big portion, cheesy corn, first bite did not impress, but, I added a little salt and pepper and it ignited the flavor, definite must try. The onion rings very good,crisp, good flavor. Was only 19.95 for the platter on the lunch menu. Gave you lots of food. I left full. Next time I am in area will definitely be back for more!

One of the many great restaurants that had some of the best food for the city has many places with the many dishes that has the off set of barbecue and the many cooks here in San Diego. For the KansasbCiry Barbecue is one of the best with the greatest cooks the in house cooking for the best flavors of the deep cooked barbecue beef and the pulled pork for the best in flavor of the Kansas Flavor. Going into the Bayside area of San Diego the Bayside has some of the best food for the movie Top Gun was filmed at the Kansas City Barbecue where the restaurant is located right off the Seaport Village trolley station when you come off the trolley you can smell the great barbecue. The many great lunches they have are some of the whole chickens and the beef and some of the best pulled pork with onion rings. With the many people that come to the Kansas City Barbecue they come for the great service and the great time. The staff of the restaurant some of the best people the home made deserts of the peach cobbler with the great crust and sweet peaches makes the great desert for the ending of a lunch for a Friday afternoon. The servers they have are some of the best for they have a way of making people feel welcome they have such a great way of making food the best around . The Kansas City Barbecue the location where the Top Gun Movie was filmed of the piano sleezy scene that showed the great musician. The one restaurant you can go to the bar area and look over the many men that stared in the movie . As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the Kansas City restaurant is one place you can have the best in barbecue with the great deserts of Kansas City. For the flavors of a great place that you can have the best time you can bring your coworkers to and have the best time.s

Finally checked it off my bucket list! Mike was awesome telling movie stories. Ribs are great. Pair with a Red Trolley!

Came here with a party of 6; No one enjoyed their meal, All meats were over cooked, rough, dry Baked beans tasted like they were straight out of a can. The food is very inexpensive compared to other local restaurants, and the service is, for the most part, prompt.

Food: Excellent Ambiance: excellent Service: Sucks The person at the gate, take us (party of two) inside to our table, throws the menus down and keeps on walking. We were confused, do we follow her or sit at that table. Throughout our whole meal, never came to see if we needed anything. We didn't come during the rush hour, it was 4 pm on a Tuesday night. As we were half way through our meal, it started to get busy. One employee was wearing exercise pants, no sense of uniformity. Everyone seemed to hate their job. I guess you have to be Tom Cruise to get any kind of service there. We go here every so often but it's gone downhill over the years. Looks like the owner lost the passion.

I went Saturday night. I had a great time with Mike the bartender and I will return. Played on the piano had some great food and got to sit in chairs from Top Gun!!

The food as well as the portions not to mention the fact that The Original Top Gun was filmed here(bar and Piano scene) is what makes this BBQ Restaurant a must visit!! Hands down some of the best bbq I've had in some some, tender and flavorful. Our Server Bobbi(hopefully I spelled correctly) was phenomenal, my Wife and I ordered the 3 meat plate . I ordered pork ribs, brisket and link, She got the same but chicken instead of link. Our sides were bbq beans (her) slaw (me) . We had plenty leftovers for lunch at hotel next day. Ambiance was beautiful on the outdoor patio with mild temperatures and not noisy at all. I highly recommend.

This place is also known as the Top Gun bar because a scene from the 1986 hit movie was filmed there. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and it is located right by a city train stop. The restaurant has a decent amount of dining divided between its outdoor patio, indoor dining area and full bar with seating, The bar has a ceiling fan that is covered with bras and the walls has air squadron stickers on them. The restaurant has a lot of personality.outside of all the Top Gun signs, posters and pictures, which remind you of the restaurant/bar being a set from the movie, you would never knew that some scenes were filmed here. After watching at the movie after my visit, you can kind of see it as the possible site, bu a lot has changed. You will find a piano here on the opposite side of the bar that is alleged to be the one that Goose played Great Balls of Fire on while his young son is sitting on top of it. The piano has a bunch of photos and articles on it that explains its significance and gives some background on the movie including the casting of two local boys to play Goose's son. There is a face cut out photo op on the patio, where you can pose as Maverick and Charlie. I sat in the dining area and my server was very friendly and helpful. They serve your barbecue regulars including ribs, brisket, burnt ends (you better get there early though), hot links, rib tips, and chicken. I ordered the Brisket sandwich with a side of baked beans. It took about 5 minutes for me to get my food. The food was ok. The beans were really good, but I was not a fan of the pulled pork sandwich or barbecue sauce that came with it. It was not as flavorful as I had experienced from other barbecue joints. Anyway, I am always skeptical of restaurants that have a gimmick. This one is no exception. It has ok food, good service, a nostalgic vibe and an interesting backstory. I would not come here for the food, per se, but if you are a fan of the movie Top Gun, this is definitely a must visit. Even though I was less than impressed with my meal, I am still glad that I was able to visit this piece of pop culture. A 3.5 star rating would be more appropriate for this place, but since that is not an option, I rounded it up to 4 stars.

Food was mediocre at best. Got the pulled pork plate with cheesy corn and potato salad. The cheesy corn was just canned corn floating in some type of sauce but I didn't taste cheese. Potato salad needed seasoning. Pulled pork was plentiful in portion and not bad but I've had better. Bbq sauce was ok. Bar tender was very attentive and friendly and food came out really fast. It was a cool place to see but I wouldn't hurry back.

I'd recommend not ever coming here if you're a female Navy veteran. Most male clientele here are not veterans; rather, they regard it as a movie set, not a bar in a Navy town that might be frequented by sailors, and they will treat you like a curiosity at best and a piece of trash at worst. I've never been more disrespected in my life in a "Navy bar" than here. Not by the bartenders, mind you, they were fantastic; solely by the other clientele. Men my father's age who never served a day in uniform with wine-drunk old hags in tow treating me like something they scraped off their shoe. Unbelievable. I don't want to hold this against the restaurant staff because they were great. But the people who come here are trash.

They really hold onto the history here. When you come here, you will definitely know this is where they shot a portion of top gun, lol. There are reminders everywhere! The vibe was there for sure. The service was decent, and the food was decent. Surprisingly enough, the highlight was the brownie for dessert. If you're a tourist and you like the top gun movie then you owe it to yourself to pay a visit. But if you're looking for really good food, there are other places in the gaslamp-maybe not as iconic though.

Very mixed reviews on this place - and I didn't even eat here. My husband and I were staying across the street from Kansas City BBQ and he is a huge Top Gun fan so we wanted to swing by and have a beer. We stood at the hostess stand for a good 15 minutes with no service so we decided to walk around inside and see the memoriblla. It was a lot tinier than I expected (which is amazing how the movie makes it look so much bigger). We sat down at the bar and were told to go see the hostess first. Back at the hostess stand, stood there for about three minutes when the hostess, who reeked heavily of cigarettes, told us bar was open seating. So back to the bar. The bartender was the only saving grace as he was very nice and personable. We only had a beer because of the bad reviews of the food and just the dirtiness of the place. Overall - very cool to see the place and grab a beer - but would skip next time we are in town.

This was my second time here. I remember the first time was not that impressive-as far as the food is concerned. I wanted to take my man here so he could check it out. The vibe and memorabilia is definitely cool and the main selling point. Parking of course-can be tricky down there but we got lucky and scored a spot near by and paid the meter. The meats were very bland, the BBQ Sauce is good and was very necessary. The Onion Rings were good and so was the corn. The prices seem fair. I don't think I will return unless it is for a drink or with something like that.

I was kind of disappointed. We went on a tour, and they had specifically pointed out this place and its history. We were also staying at the hotel right across the street, so we thought it would be great. I did not like the food at all. I could only really eat the fries. The BBQ was just dry. I know different places have different BBQ styles, but it was just bad to me. The staff, however, was very, very nice. The one thing I did not realize is that they do not have their liquor license, so no mixed drinks, just a few canned options that were not very good. I don't have much else to say, but I don't think I will return.

I don't remember where I heard about this restaurant but when I saw how close it was to where I was staying, I decided to give it a try. What a welcoming environment. They didn't make me feel weird when I said table for one. The food was amazing and the wait staff were cool. The pulled pork and fries are awesome. I highly recommend!

service was not good, dirty inside, food mediocre although the white meat chicken was good. Not enough food for the price and overall its a tourist trap

Kansas City Barbeque is across the street from the Hyatt, so an easy walk for the kids. on July 4th. Got there when it opened so no line and got to choose our table. Ordered the Sampler platter and it was good enough for 2 adults and 2 kids, though not sure it would suffice for 4 hungry adults. It wasn't amazing food, but good, and we all enjoyed it. An iconic spot for lunch with the family on the 4th of July (2025). Great balls of fire!

Great Bbq sandwich. Good serving and at a good cost. Yes this id the Top Gun bar, but they have good BBQ. Go for the food And take in the atmosphere

What a fun spot! Aside from all the Top Gun memorabilia they have amazing bbq and friendly service. Came in on a Tuesday afternoon and sat at the bar. Melissa was helping me and recommended the burnt ends which were INCREDIBLE. I'm still thinking about them. Had a great experience and can't wait to return for more yummy bbq and fun bar banter with Melissa. Definitely recommend!

I wasn't super impressed with any of the food our party had. The place is neat inside and obviously nostalgic for Top Gun lovers but overall I would only come back for a drink.

Mike Hill "Buckeye Mike" was a great host! Very nice and talkative and told us some great stories about the bar!

Came to the Kansas City barbecue last night mainly to see where Top Gun was filmed, food was alright and our server Courtney was very friendly and knowledgeable. We'll be coming back next year when we are back in town!

Fun place for great barbecue! Lots of Top Gun memorabilia... this place was the setting in Top Gun where Goose plays the piano. Scott our waiter was great. The food was even better. The place isn't air conditioned so we elected to sit outside. The food arrived quickly although they were busy. Just the right attention from Scott. I ordered the burnt ends with corn (served in a cheese sauce) yum! My dining partners enjoyed pulled pork. We skipped desert- portions sizes very generous. A fun touristy kind of place - recommended!! Be warned though if you drive, not a lot of parking!