Zarda Bar-B-Q

Alright I am not expert in BBQ although I know when I get good meats. Zarda in Blue Spring didn't disappoint. Best KC burnt ends as advertised. Friendly service, great menu choices that still is too many for first comers😁 We got burnt ends plate and avg joe, both with generous portions. The brussel sprouts are so crispy that I don't think I have ever had it as such. The brisket is tender but a little uneven when I ordered a second one:). Still fantastic. The sauces are fabulous--the bold and spicy is even better than the original! Ambience is also a no frill BBQ joint, simple, clean, and orderly. You can tell the patrons are mostly returning fans probably since the early days back in the 70s. It was great to be in an local institution that maintained its roots. Finally here is the kicker---there is no tipping suggestion like everywhere else these days, just like how it was supposed to be! The old days. Love it.

This was our first visit and the food was pretty good. My husband has worked in grocery stores over 35 years and said it tastes exactly like the Zarda items you can buy there. My real only complaint was that we walked in and had no idea what we wanted. I felt very rushed to choose and didn’t really get to see what all was on the menu. But I will go back and I will take my time even if I do cause a line behind me. I did get pictures of the menu on my way out. Hopefully these will help others so they have an idea before they get there. This place was very busy!

Had lunch at Zarda’s in Blue Springs. We had a burnt end dinner and sandwich with beans and slaw and a side of fried mushrooms. Meat was tender and flavored perfectly. Decent portions but a little pricey, $42 for the two of us with water for drinks. It was worth the trip.

BBQ was solid, and they’ve got all the classic sides you'd expect. It’s an order-at-the-counter kind of place, then you grab a seat and wait for your number to be called. Nothing too fancy, just good food and a laid-back vibe.

Popular steak place in Kansas City. This one is a bit out of the centre of the city. My friend recommended it and I had a nice time. I enjoyed the meat and the chicken was grilled well but I didn’t like the fact that the cauliflowers were fried! Why fry veggies? Just steam them and let them be as fresh as possible. Anyway asides from that it was good food.

Everything on the menu is delicious 😋 The meat by itself has a delicious smoked flavor and the sauces are very tasty. Onion rings and Mushrooms were perfect.

It's been years since we ate at Zarda even though we live nearby. Went for convenience factor this time. It's not my favorite bbq joint but it's good. Didn't leave anything on my plate. Burnt ends were good. Ribs not bad. Liked the cheesy corn more than their beans. Staff very good too. Clean.

Stopped here on the way out of KC a few weeks back. Food was good - burnt ends were fantastic actually. Sides were above average. Price for everything was a little high but not terrible.

Friendly service and patient with my family as we took a while to order. It was a order at the counter and the call out your number kind of place. The ribs were good, I thought their fries were excellent, and the crispy brussels were a nice option that I don't see very often. The family also had mac n' cheese (yum), pulled pork (also yum), potato wedges, turkey, and chicken strips. Everything was good.

Found myself stranded in Blue Springs after a golf tournament at Adam's Pointe, okay, so that's a hyperbole but, I barely ever make it out to Blue Springs so I wasn't sure what was around. When my eyes feasted (not literally...yet) on a unique yet familiar barbeque name, I was immediately not lost anymore. It had been quite a while since I had ventured to a Zarda, but that didn't phase me. I was convinced good barbeque was in my future, and I was right! I was also thrilled when I was told that my sandwich I wanted to order was on special for $7.99?! Z-man, who? Okay, not really, but this Carolina pork sandwich had all the makings of good barbeque between buns, and it was under $10, so you can't really beat that. It didn't have any crunch except for a hint of some slaw but an extra side of slaw or some battered and fried onion rings for topping fixes that problem. The pulled pork was juicy and was kept moist by the generous drizzle of Carolina mustard sauce. The sandwich boasts a release date of nearly 10 years ago, so it's a classic that's stayed around for good reason. It's no frills barbeque, still a walk up counter to order and prices that'll make you think you're back a decade! Nothing is wrong at all at Zarda but, it's not a top Kansas City Barbecue destination- there's way too many bigger brothers of barbeque that beat Zarda any day. It's a solid 3.5 but I can't say it's a 4 because there's so many other barbeque boasts around the metro that unless your a local craving some nearby 'que it'll just 'do.

I had to revisit this KC institution. We went on a Sunday. I wasn't really sure what to get. The counter staff wasn't that helpful with suggestions or very quick with service. The ambiance here is fine. A little dated, but rustic and it's clean as heck. I ordered the burnt ends which were serviceable but nothing special. I can think of at least 5 better in town. The cheesy corn was also just okay. No real depth of flavor. Kind of like something you would make for a child. The beans are the star here. They are better than the ones from the grocery store. I think their beans are what keeps this company going. Good for them. Return is doubtful as there are too many better places around.

I don't know what happened to my zarda reviews, but I've reviewed this place a half a dozen times. It's the best! Now, is it statistically the best based on markers of success for Kansas City barbecue? No, go to Joe's or q39 or slaps. That's not this. This place is old school original Kansas City barbecue from the old days. If it's got a Budweiser Clydesdale train above the counter, you know you're somewhere classy. I had this place make me $1,200 worth of food for my wedding, and it was awesome. I've bought probably 500 lb of meat from this place over the years, and it's all been pretty great. They have off days, humans are making this and humans are in fact fallible. But, it's such a great experience of old school smoke, you can't beat it. It's my every man go to place. The fries are good, the onion rings are great, the beans are spectacular, the sliced beef is great, the pulled pork is great, reserve burn ends are spectacular. Their sauce is great as well. When I think of Kansas City barbecue, I think of quick's BBQ of Southwest boulevard (long retired). In their stead, zarda's pulls up their boots and fills the void handedly. Their prices used to be incredibly reasonable, though lately with inflation they have had to come up with the rest so don't expect it to be wildly affordable like any barbecue in reality. But it's still a good value for what it is, though don't expect for a two-piece dinner or a three-piece dinner to spend less than 50 bucks. Worth it. I reserve this as a born and bred Kansas City in for few and far between celebration type dinners. You don't want to eat this stuff everyday, you'll be dead. But boy, ain't it living when you get to partake! Super bowl 3-peat, zardas is my guy!

Traveled from Houston expected to get some great Kansas City style BBQ. First off, let me say the service to go was outstanding. The lady with glasses up front was so helpful. Pork ribs were pretty good but nowhere near the best so out of 10 rate a 7 Their BBQ sauce selection rate a 10 out of 10 The baked beans were off the chain out of 10 rate a 9 The pulled pork out of 10 rate a 8 The brisket was definitely not traditional. It was sliced like deli meat and had very little flavor out of 10 rate a 4 Now as for the potato salad very very mayonnaisee was not good at all. That potatoes salad can not come to the cookout. Out of 10 I rate it a 2.

Go somewhere else. OVER priced. Got two pounds of brisket, had to boil for 30 minutes to eat it. PUKE, BARF, SPIT. If there was a 0 rating I would give this place one. I went here once before, I like BBQ sauce very much but theirs has SO much sugar I could not eat it.

Love your takeout service and drive thru! All the food is hot and so fresh! We appreciate your professionalism, especially Logan at your take out window! Keep up the great work!! Things have really improved!

Beef is dry pork burnt ends have a weird pretty bad flavor. Beans,sauce and fries were OK. Not even on the same level as other places like Arthur Bryant's but just as expensive. Portion size is small for the price.

ordered a slab of ribs and fries this time it was dry over cooked and not easily getting it off the bone. shouldnt really sell it when its like that.

I have never been a fan of bar-b-q, I know, a criminal offense in KC; however, this has been my parents' favorite place for as long as I can remember. They always raved about it. That is, until our last visit. I always get a sandwich w/o the sauce and just ketchup it up, but this time the meat was full of fat and almost inedible. Even my parents were disappointed with the food this time. It seems the sign is not the only thing that has changed since it changed owners. So sad for such an iconic place!

The meat was not tender and had a leftover food taste. The sides were good. Restaurant was standing to order and pick up. Counter staff were friendly but hurried.

I wouldn't really know authentic KC BBQ if it bit me in the butt, however, the butt in this place was very good! Had the Pit Master plate with burnt ends, ribs, and pulled pork, side of fries, and the "famous" burnt ends beans, which were excellent! Service was excellent, too. We told them of my son's allergy, but they put bread on the plate anyway, which he is allergic to. They still gave us that plate, and brought an entirely new plate with no bread. The atmosphere in the place was what you would expect at a BBQ joint, which was perfect and added to the experience. We don't live near Kansas City, but whenever we're coming through the area I would stop here again for a meal. Next time I'll try the Hog Wild sandwich because that sounded excellent, too.

Two words.. Burnt Ends.. Two more words. Meat Butter. The staff is amazing of course. Super nice and super helpful. Even after the meal was done they asked if we wanted a drink refill in a Togo cup. The seating is spacious and clean, the meals were prepared and served quickly. The meat was so great I don't even remember the sides I ordered. The burnt ends were the best I have ever had, ever.. The pricing was solid with many options. I highly recommend this place.

Stopped in today while we were on a road trip and we were really pleased! The apple infused barbecue sauce was our favorite. Definitely will be coming back! Service was timely and friendly also.

I could've sworn I already reviewed Zarda's. The short back story: I eat here a lot, like every other week. For awhile, it was a tradition-when there was a Chief's game, order from Zarda's. Every single Sunday. Since I'm now a connoisseur of Zarda's, here's a rundown of my favorites: Burnt ends. I love their sweet or original sauce with burnt ends. Sometimes they don't provide enough sauce. Ribs: I love their ribs. I always have to ask for more sauce. Sandwich: whatever is on the monthly text special I order. For that price you can't go wrong. Pulled pork sandwich for $5.99, I'll take it. But mostly, I love their mushrooms. There isn't enough in one order. I require 2 orders of mushrooms! Clientele: usually they are quiet, but you get a few loud one's. I ignor them and eat at home.

Stopped by Zarda's BBQ got meat platter to go and it was delicious with plenty of meat (beef, ham, and sausage) with 4 sides, bread, sauce, pickles. Service was excellent. After we ate last night we have enough for at least 2 more meals. Restaurant was clean and quiet enough to be able to visit while eating. Would recommend to anyone looking for great barbecue.

I live around the corner and we used to go to plowboys. They closed down and now I had to find a new barbecue spot close to home. I was informed that Zarda has been around for a long time. I haven't given it a shot, but I am new to the area so I thought hey why not... From the outside, it looks like a sit down restaurant, where you have a waiter. Serve you. Nope! You order your food sit down, go up and grab your food sit down and eat it. But it's all right... It kept the cost down a little lower, and I'm OK with that... The food was good, and I have no complaints! I was not disappointed. My wife had the burnt ends, and I had a limited burnt ends. Wow!!! What a difference in quality. But like every barbecue in blue Springs, Missouri, or anywhere in Kansas City... I have to recommend burnt ends. But here they were perfect... The restaurant was clean. The staff was friendly. Prices were good. What else can I say...? In closing.... Get the burnt ends!

Ok, I fancy myself a barbecue expert. Trained by friends and coworkers in Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee over the last 40 years. Overall critical assessment: Excellent!! Top 5 for my whole bbq career! Hundreds of rib joints I've tried don't stack up to Zarda. On a scale of 10: Rib quality 10 Smoke 10 Tenderness 9 Sauce 8 Sides 10 The ribs are wonderful. The burnt end beans are the best side dish I've ever had with bbq Really can't say enough positive about this place. I'm just passing through down the interstate and got super lucky to find this restaurant. Loved it! Next cross country drive, I'll plan the trip around this stop.

Zarda's is a wonderful BBQ pit restaurant! The food is delicious and the meats are exceptional!

Fabulous food (ribs) here, arrived piping hot and delicious! Generous portions and the baked beans were so yummy! Fried okra delicious too. Salads available for vegetarians. Order at counter and the counter staff were very helpful with suggestions.

We have been customers of Zardas BBQ for over 25 years, but have been disappointed lately with the amount of food received for the price paid. There was very little pulled pork on the bun and the burnt ends were tough.

Probably one of the worst bbq I've had in KC thus far. But on a side note all of the staff was amazing!!

They've been around so long, of course they do it best! The limited reserve burnt ends are insanely good. I also love the turkey crunch, sweet Caroline, fried cauliflower. The choice and flavor of the sauces are tremendous. The BEANS are the best in KC, and don't get me started on the ribs! The service is great, always nice and welcoming employees. I've never had a problem and I've been going there since they opened in 1974!

Got my usual pulled pork sandwich with beans and burnt ends and brisket. Pulled pork with provolone was good, beans were good but I liked adding their spicy sauce gave it a kick. Burnt ends were good and I could taste the smoke in the brisket. The apple bbq sauce is wayyy too apple concentrated. I probably used about a 1:8 ratio with regular sauce. Solid KC BBQ

As always, stellar service and delicious smoky meat. Many times came here with my dad on the drive to his folks house. The meat is satisfying. Not overly smoky or so far cooked the meat disintegrates. Got the regular beef sandwich. Perfectly seated on a real bun. A splash of sauce. Delicious! Added a wee bit of the Bold n' Spicy sauce. The Rib Snack is more than just a snack. It's a bbq lovers dream. The selected pork ribs were short and thick. They were perfect I'm a bbq foodie. This joint is always my go to place when flying in. Only wish it wasn't a thousand miles away!

This place about met my expectations. I've had Zarda BBQ beans that you can buy from the store so I was wondering how the restaurant was like. I was pretty satisfied with my visit. The restaurant itself is pretty big from the outside. I haven't seen all of the interior but I feel like there is ample seating. We went at a Saturday dinner hour and it was decently crowded but it goes decently quick since there are maybe 3 cashiers. I always get burnt ends as it is my go to at an BBQ place in KC. It helps me compare between places. The pieces are pretty big. They melt in your mouth but not seasoned much. You have to pour the BBQ sauces that are at each table to make the most out of them. They have Apple, Original, Little Ghost, and some other flavor. They are pretty good. Tey are more of the liquidy kind of BBQ sauces. The BBQ beans are great. I had some fries too but they were pretty plain with no seasoning. It reminded me of Gates fries. This is a decent BBQ place. I probably won't be here again because it's too far from my house but if you are in the Blue Springs area you should give it a try.

Nice place to have some bbq. Not happy they never offered brisket. Prices were good & staff was great

Very good barbecue. Lots of choices. Sides were great. No complaints. I would recommend. Prices were descent.

Stopped for lunch on a Wednesday. Staff not friendly at all, took forever to get food. Bread was dry and very little meat. When asked to add more meat, they said it was the correct amount. Will never return to this dump! Also very expensive!

New to the area and was looking for a weekend dinner option, decided to give Zarda a try and was very underwhelmed with what I got. I ordered the 2 meat combo with Pulled Pork and Burnt Ends (which were 0.50 each to upgrade, which is a ridiculous) The pulled pork tasted like something you could get out of the grocery aisle and also had a very unappealing smell, almost fishy. The burnt ends were very soft, but lacked any crunch or texture which I expect in good burnt ends. I also got the Mac and Cheese, Beans and Corn Nuggets. The Mac and cheese was exactly what you'd expect. Very similar to what they serve across the street at KFC. The baked beans were 90% sauce. The corn nuggets were good, but I wasn't given any ranch or sauce to dip them in. Overall, very unimpressed with my visit and will venture to Q39 or Joe's if I'm craving BBQ.

Be careful here! Used to love this place . We have even had them cater events more than once. But Since the big remodel it's kind of gone downhill. I recently picked up dinner for my family after work one night we were shorted a sandwich and the order was not only wrong but the ribs were Not edible as well as the turkey it was so hard that we fed it to the animals. $65 down the drain. I did go on the website to contact them to let them know about our experience. And of course never heard back. We're giving up on this please be careful. The food and the customer care is the sad commentary of what this place used to be. And before I go I would just like to let you all know that this is a common occurrence not a one off deal.

I'm not going to talk about Zarda serving beef instead of Brisket. or their increasing price. THIS Revies is about their business practice. If someone offers a discount, normal practice is to offer that discount on menu price that everyone is charged for. The term discount. It can't be a discount if you pick and choose menu prices, which everyone pays, or combo prices which everyone pays but charge more for the discount. ZARDA DOES NOT HONOR SENIOR DISCOUNT THEY CLAIM TO PROVIDE. They only provide seniors discount on individual items and not on meals or combos. Senior discount, if your going to claim you offer one should be on the ticket/bill regardless of what you order. Zarda only provides seniors a discount on an individual item price , which is higher than a combo/meal . SO, SENIORS ARE CHARGED MORE FOR THEIR MEALS WITH DISCOUNT THAN ANYONE ELSE THAT WALKS IN. SO---ZARDA DOES NOT PROVIDE A DISCOUNT TO SENIORS AND FALSLY STATE THEY DO.

Yum yum yum, sweet, tender and delicious. Best BBQ in blue springs!!!!! Their ranch is so good with the bbq. Corn nuggets are a must, so exciting creamy, corny & crispy. CCC thinking of having them for our wedding.

Great Food. We had the Ser Playter. Lot of food and decently priced. Great location. We went while on vacation. It was recommended to us by our Air B&B host.

Pretty decent for quick BBQ, they have lots of options to choose from and the staff is friendly. Salad bar is nice with lots of things to choose from to satisfy your veggie needs. They have a drive through and pick up available too!

Zarda does not get the love it deserves. I love their smokey BBQ. They have absolutely the best beans in the city. Their burnt ends are in my top 3 in KC. The limited reserve are the best. The pulled pork battles for first place in my book. It is moist, smokey, and pulled really well. The sandwiches are all really good. Some of these sandwiches really set Zarda apart from other places. The drive to Blue Springs is definately worth it.

I decided to try this place because I heard it was good. Well don't believe what you hear! I got the burnt end sandwich and for 15+ bucks I expected more meat. They only gave a few pieces ( maybe 6 or 7 small pieces) of meat on the bun & the meat was extremely tough and dry as if it was old. I will not return to this establishment. Don't get the burnt ends they are horrible and a waste of hard earned money.

"Pleasantly Surprised".... That's how I would sum up this place. Basically your typical KC BBQ restaurant.... We had the Turkey Crunch, Hog Wild, and Roast beef between us. All were really good. Mac and cheese got rave reviews. The French fries were definitely surprising on how good they tasted. Not only hot (which they have to be), but I'm wondering if they fried them in beef fat or some type of animal fat instead of vegetable oil. They had a crispness and wonderful taste and texture to them. Typically I don't get French fries at a BBQ joint, but I'm glad I did. The Burnt ends and beans will be what I get next time. Those looked great too. I also really liked the sauces. They didn't seem that different to me, just a little variation in heat. But I liked the original and the little bit of ghost versions. I was expecting a 3 star place when I walked in and got a solid 4 star. "Pleasantly Surprised".

We are traveling long distance with an overloaded car which means limited stops, but but we didn't want to completely miss out on bbq in the Kansas City area. Chose Zarda since it was an easy on/off of I-70 and had great reviews. It was well worth the stop. Area felt safe (and we could watch our car thru the window from our booth.) Staff was super friendly, restaurant was clean and food was delicious. Loved the Burnt Ends sandwich and the LTD Reserve Burnt Ends Beans. Wasn't a fan of the Apple Bbq Sauce but the others were great. Really enjoyed the homey 70s feel, from the decor to the music playing. And there is a Frozen Custard place on the way back to the Interstate, how convenient is that?!

The BBQ here is so tough, you could make a pair of boots with it, and it's way overpriced. They are generous with giving you an extra sauce though, but alas, the sauce doesn't help soften the meat any.

I went here for a reunion and we had the back area. The salad bar was okay. The food is okay too. Portions are average. Nothing really stands out but not too bad.

Came in from Seattle and was told by the guy at the rental car desk that this was a must...he was right! We had the variety plate and it was excellent, the burnt ends were my favorite. Super friendly service as well.

I wanted to love this place. We always try to eat local, especially when we travel. But, so disappointing. My husband's sliced beef was "pretty good" but nothings particularly special. The fried okra was OK, but not house made. The coleslaw was a tick above average. The major let-down was my "smoked" turkey. Folks, this was sliced lunch meat! It was "smoked" in the same way that deli turkey breast is pressed and "smoked." Blah! And, at $16.99 for the sliced lunch meat and two sides, I feel it was overpriced. They did have beer which my husband liked. I wouldn't go out of my way.

My first Zarda's visit decades ago there weren't many nearby restaurant options and it provided good bar-b-que. Now, it's another eating option along a busy street of fast food and other spots. Also, Kansas City, has grown into a bar-b-que Mecca--so much so it seems you can't go a mile in the region without passing a BBQ spot. Yet, Zarda's is pretty much like I remembered: counter order, grab the food when your number is called, find a table in the large, open dining room. I walked up and ordered burnt ends. "Pork or Limited Reserve?" Right there I was flummoxed. Pork burnt ends? Had I heard right? I replied burnt ends were beef. "I know. We're backwards," Counter Lady said while rolling her eyes. "You want a sample of each?" While I processed what pork burnt ends could be, she provided samples. Limited Reserve was familiar beef. I learned later the LR designation notes a temporary item. So, beef burnt ends must not be on Zarda's standard menu. Left was the question of what the pork chunks were. I asked. Counter Lady asked the kitchen. "Pork shoulder." Pork burnt ends were chunks of pork shoulder--the same spot that yields pulled pork. The meat was bathed in a sweet tomato sauce and lacked smokiness. With nothing recommending it I didn't finish the sample. Points immediately deducted for confusing the customer, for frontline staff not knowing their entrees, and for offering an alternate inferior of an original. My (beef) burnt ends were smoky with a thick, dry char on the edges. Not the best but not the worst I've had. Onion rings were crispy, tasty excellence. The other side, sweet vinegar coleslaw, was also excellent. Despite plentiful staff at midday there is no table service and the soda fountain is behind the counter. That means standing behind folk waiting to order to get a drink refill or for any other need. Four table sauces include original--sweet and smoky; apple, which tasted like applesauce was mixed in; spicy, which had a nice pepper kick; and Lil Ghost, which seemed sweeter and less tangy than the spicy. I walked away thinking Zarda's filled a bar-b-que need. However, if you're headed into KC why not wait for better options?

So good! Best so far, sweet and really tender meats! Whole family enjoyed and out of town guests.

I am a Master Judge for the Kansas City BBQ Society. My half rack of ribs tonight were the worst ribs that I have ever paid for. Overcooked, burnt,.full of grissle and dry. The Burnt End sandwich was below par. Meat was tough with lots of fat.

Had the burnt ends sandwich and cheesy corn. Burnt ends were delicious and rank up there with the best in town. Tried all 4 sauces and went with the lil' ghost for my sandwich. It's not spicy like the name would suggest. Also enjoyed the unique apple bbq sauce. Cheesy corn was as good as anyplace else. They have corn nuggets too which will always score points with me.

Absolute garbage I'm from Texas and have heard for years the arguments about which BBQ is better, KC or TX. I had business near Blue Springs MO, Googled BBQ near me & this was the place it sent me. I ordered brisket by the pound & asked for half moist, half lean, and 1/2 lbs of sausage. When the girl took my order, she looked puzzled what lean and moist meant. I ordered a couple of sides, their "special" burnt ends beans. Came out to $56, kinda pricey, but I figured worth it. What I got was dry, grey beef thinly sliced deli-style, sausage not in links, but also deli sliced looked like pepperoni, and the beans were little more than canned pork and beans with sweet BBQ sauce and some nondescript fatty meat chunks. Just awful, I couldn't be more disappointed or disillusioned by the over hyped KC BBQ. Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves even calling this BBQ.

I picked up BBQ carry out from this restaurant on 5/2. My order included burnt ends, ribs, and smoked sausage. All of it was excellent especially the burnt ends which were tender and juicy and melted in your mouth! The baked beans here are also exceptional!