Fantastic! Gates Bar-B-Q Is the Best of the Best! Good People Great Food! Beautiful place! Comfortable Dinning and Well Known for The Flavor of Gates Bar-B-Q! We Will Go here every time! read more

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I was pleased to walk into no line at the counter. My mood soon changed when I encountered a young woman with the nastiest disposition I've experienced at Gates. Certainly not befitting of a BBQ institution in Kansas City. This was around 9:15pm. Hopefully, you can narrow down who was working the register at this time and retrain them. Food was great. Service was awful. Don't let bad employees sully such a great reputation. read more

If you are on the KC Bar-b-que circuit this is a necessary stop. I went for lunch and got the Nooner (beef) lunch special. The brisket was excellent. The downtown location is a great, old school space. The front counter that takes your order is a fun experience -- be ready when they holler! read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Nooner (beef) lunch special with a frosty mug for my drink. - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

It was a good experience, and prob a good example of KC BBQ. Not bad, but not my fav'. It was a quiet Sunday, and it was easy in and out. This location wasn't difficult to find as it was on Main St. This location has its own parking lot, and appeared to be a place where folks picked up the food to go. I ordered the Sunday Special, which came with chicken and two sides. I chose the bbq and the cole slaw. The beans were fine, not bad, but unimpressive. I tried the cole slaw, I was hoping for it to be less mayonnaise-y. It was fine, but I was hoping for something more vinegar-y to offset the sweetness of the beans. I did get the meal with the sauce... maybe I shouldn't have. It didn't need it. The bbq chicken was good enough. The smoked bbq was very tomato-y, thick, rich, and smoky paprika and chili powder... the strongest flavor was celery seed. It was different for a TX barbecue-phile like me. The notable thing about Gates was the staff. They were super friendly. I did get the "Hi, may I help you." I just didn't know what to get, but they were helpful. The team was friendly to everybody, the special was an easy go to meal for a pick up and take out, but I'd like to try something other than a sandwich there - maybe more indicative of Gates, and KCBBQ. I'd come back and try another plate, maybe the mutton, the brisket, or something else... along with orange soda or some KC Bier. read more

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Not entirely as I remember it but still good. Order up some ribs (center-cut), fries & onion rings, turkey on bun on bread/ fries. The meat was tender for both ribs & turkey with great smoky flavor. The classic gates sauce is spicy, tangy deliciousness. Our fries, as plentiful as they were, were more darker than golden and too crispy for me. The rings were fried up just right, crunchy and good, portion not as generous. Order taking got a bit repetitive. The food was packed up quickly. Prices have definitely gone up! read more

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Thank you Gates BBQ for being open until midnight!!! The service was phenomenal, very kind and welcoming vibes from every worker. The older woman who offered to wrap up our to-go sauces saved us a huge mess when we transported our food. The food was out of this world, amazing flavors, INSANE portions, and every single thing was good. The ham and ribs were my favorite, so tender and packed with flavor!!! If you're in KC this is the place to go for great barbecue!!! read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Visiting KC and having bbq is a must. But there are a lot of different options and they all are not the same. Gate's was second place I tried while visiting Kc and let's just say I wish I could've came here first instead of the other place. The food was amazing and cooked to perfection. The burnt end fries are sooo good and filling . I also ordered short ribs which I couldn't finish since I was so full but they were juicy and tender as well. The service was great. The staff were friendly and consistently checked in to make sure everything was ok. I know there are a few locations around town but my experience here was great and I highly recommend checking it out if you're in the downtown KC area . read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Was in the area and happened to be hungry, so I decided to come here for lunch. This just so happens to be one of my favorite locations because they have the wing packs here. Of course I was greeted with "Hi May I Help You "( their famous saying) This time around I didn't order them, I went with a combo turkey and beef on bun with FF, a sausage on bun and baked beans. Everything was 10/10 My food was fresh and nice and hot! If you're visiting or new to Kansas City I definitely recommend giving this place a try. read more

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The bbq was delicious! Had to try out the famous Gates being from Texas. It did not disappoint read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Gates BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This was some gooooooodddd eating! I tried the ribs and turkey. Both had the exact flavor I look for in bbq. Ribs were a little tougher than I like but the flavor was there! I didn't get to try much else and didn't dine in. I'll surely be back to experience it all next time. read more

In town visiting and had to stop in because a friend bragged and bragged about this place. It was not as good as I was expecting. It was extremely overpriced and the food was subpar at best. I wanted a two meat plate and the waiter said I couldn't. Confusing to me because I've never heard of such a thing at a BBQ joint. She somehow figured out how to make it happen. I decided to give the brisket and ribs a try. The brisket was pretty decent but the portion size was maybe 3oz if that. The ribs were edible and the sauce was too vinegar like with no flavor. My friend shared her baked beans and potato salad and both were very good. Can't say that I'd recommend this place to anyone. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Ribs and brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

We were in the area and my husband decided he wanted a beef on bread sandwich and I decided to try the Center cut ribs. We stood in line and it took a while to order. I ordered the Center cut ribs and asked for them not to put them on top of bread, I have celiac. My husband asked for beef from the butt end on bread. I went and got a table for us and the server who works inside the restaurant was a kind and gracious woman who checked on us multiple times to see if we needed any extra items. She had a wonderful personality and attitude. My husband told me that when he was paying he gave a four dollar tip and the cashier complained to him about it. He told her that they had gotten my order wrong and his order and the person in front of him so if they wanted a tip, they needed to do a better job. Obviously it's not appropriate to ask for a better tip while you're getting one. The inside has probably never been redone since it's been the original restaurant. It's very dark and old. My ribs were just OK and I took them off the bread and ate the top part. My husband always comes back for the sandwich because it's always excellent, and the meat is very moist. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Indoor view of seating - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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It's time for an updated review. Gates on Main is the KC BBQ spot I visit most. The nooner special is easily the best lunch deal for any BBQ restaurant in KC, but it's also one of the best lunch deals of any restaurant in KC. It's always pretty quick to get through the line when ordering to go, and that's thanks to the great employees who are working to get people in out the door. The whole thing is an experience, and I love coming here. They have great food! read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Turkey nooner, comes with fries - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Always my favorite. I order the Beef and 1/2 cut from the butt-end, and it never disappoints.

I ordered the bbq beef sandwich and the meat was all fat and inedible. I hate fatty meat. Once I took off the fat, there was very little meat. I threw the sandwich away. The fries were good. I feel like I paid $16 for fries. Every time I go to Kansas City, I try a different BBQ place. Gate's Bar-B-Q is my least favorite of all the places I have tried. I would not recommend it. read more

This Beef on Bun was horrible, all Fat!! The plates of those who dined in looked absolutely mouthwatering! This to go Beef on Bun should NOT have been served. Sure, I was offered to return for a better portion. Two things, I have to go 30 minutes out of my way, AND this pile of fat should have NEVER been served!! Gates made my day right by offering a better sandwich the same day!! Thank you! read more

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Ribs, potato salad and baked beans were delicious. However, I felt rushed when I walked in and was browsing the menu. I couldn't understand one lady due to her accent but another lady attempted to help. In my opinion, the menu is not clear as i needed help decoding it. She made a suggestion that included burnt ends and when I told her that didn't want burnt ends, she rudely responded out loud, "well, I was just trying to help you" ! Food delicious, poor customer service! Black owned restaurants need to do better with their customer service skills. Please understand, people CHOOSE to spend their money at your establishment. Therefore, be kind, polite, courteous and grateful. Keep the rude attitude to yourself. read more

Super long line and only one person working the cash register. But they were helpful by telling people to call out orders while in line. Ordered a burnt ends sandwich and asked for a cup for water. They charged $2.50 for a cup. Turns out they had cups and water available at the dining area... The burnt ends are decent and I like the slight tart Worcestershire taste from the sauce. Was waiting in line again just to ask for extra pickles but gave up because it was hard to call for attention. A worker walking around asked how everything was and helped us out. Nice area with mirrors on all the walls to amplify the size of the area. Low lit area and fans lightly blowing. A TV on to watch basketball was available. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Eh, I wasn't all that impressed with Gates BBQ. I don't have to go back. Out of the 3 BBQ places I tried on my first ever visit to Kansas City, this was the worst. Someone likened it to the "fast food of KC barbecue" and I laughed at the time, but when I finally went there I can see why and they were dead on. I got the beef nooner which was the discounted price during 12-2pm for a sandwich and fries. I got the beef nooner and the chopped up beef was mixed with their sauce and it was more like a sloppy joe sandwich. It was greasy and all you can taste was "eh" bbq sauce. The meat had very little flavor (or it just didn't stand out amongst the BBQ sauce it was drenched in) and I was unimpressed. Thank God this was under $10 because the regular price of $15 is a true ripoff. Yeah I am glad I went to other barbecue places because if this is the representation of KC barbecue I will take a hard pass. I got my food to go, but the dated decor wasn't impressing me. Glad I didn't eat in the restaurant. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Gates Nooner Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Lunch at 11:30 on a Saturday. Easy parking and lots of seating. The service was so friendly. They devote someone to work the lobby to attend to customers and she was delightful. They had a shoe shine stand at the front door and someone working it! Amazing atmosphere. The food was excellent. The mixed plate and full slab were huge, and the burnt ends sandwich a hit. Next time I'll order my ribs dry and apply the sauce myself. If you like a lot of sauce you will love these ribs. Great experience! read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Mixed plate - huge ! - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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For many years, Gates has been one of my go-to BBQ joints when visiting KC. When we were last here, I found the quality of the food to be disappointing. It was just as bad this time around. You can no longer order just portions of various meats, so we just got a slab of ribs. They had good flavor, but were overcooked. The service is cheerful and friendly. It's sad to see a great BBQ joint go downhill. read more

Probably the best chicken wings I've ever had in my life. Even had to place an additional order to bring back to Las Vegas since they are no longer here. read more

The restaurant experience wasn't great. Ordering was stressful as staff and customers were shouting at everyone. The food was fine at best, but disappointing as this is a restaurant I've heard about for years. There was a woman walikg throughout the dining area asking about the food and our trip to KC. The parking lit was busy, the cars weren't all for the restaurant. Overall, we weren't thrilled buy this may not have been their best individual location. I'd try Gates again, but a different address. read more

I haven't had Gates for a while. I was looking forward to enjoying traditional KC BBQ. I ordered the Mixed Plate and a small drink. I spent $41. The Mixed Plate is enough food for two people. I took half of it home. What I was expecting, I did not receive. The BBQ was disappointing. The ribs did not fall if the bone. They where not very good. The brisket was fatty and chewy. The ham was ok. It was a little dry. The fries where fine. I liked the sauce and the strawberry soda. The bartender was pleasant and helpful. The restaurant was clean and well stocked. If you are new to KC. I know you have heard a lot about Gates. As a native to Kansas City and BBQ lover, I would go some place else. This food experience was not very appetizing. I'm sorry to say. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Mixed plate. - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Don't believe the hype. In a city chockablock with great (not just good) BBQ, why would anyone eat here? Dry and flavorless brisket, chewy burnt ends, and a nasty tasting sauce. Fries are good but who cares? That's not why anyone comes here. read more

Jason Sudeikis mentioned this place when he was on Hot Ones, so since we were in town, I was excited to try it. The whole ordering process was frustrating and confusing. In a way, you "yell" your order across the restaurant. But there is another line where they take your order at the counter normally. Anyway, I had the short end. So the ribs came with bbq sauce, which has a kick, and I can't eat spicy food well. I didn't like that my ribs were cold. Also, the meat wasn't tender. For sides, the cole slaw had too much mayo. And I wasn't fond of the potato salad. Once we were seated, they had a staff going around and checking on us, and she was sweet. This visit was disappointing, I must say. read more

The service was great but the BBQ was not! The meat was dry and flavorless and every condiment was for sale ! No onions or pickles ! Place was hot and Smokey . But the main experience for me is CLEAN UP THE PLACE , the price doesn't not matter if the product was good but unfortunately it wasn't . I'll give it 2 stars just because the ladies were friendly . read more

Atmospher was nice, service was a bit chaotic with your order being taken 4 or 5 people away from the cash Register. The food was not to my liking at all. Order es a Bun (pork) and fried. Figures it's be pulled pork but instead it was aluces and had lots of fat!! Fríes had NO taste whatsoever. Wonder es How come the three people in front of me asked for their fríes seasoned. Also ordered the sausage entree and nothing comes with it!! Only sausage, white bread and two pickle slices. Fortunately i like spicy Foods as the sausage has some bite to it and wasn't identified as so. Had to pay for my beans(not very good at all) and the jalapeños. And the sauce taste like a ketchup with tons of Chilli powder in it. VERY DISAPPOINTED as I'd seen this place on TV, and came recommended by local friends. Will not spend money here again. read more

Sincerest thanks to Chuck Gates, George Gates, Ms Slaughter, Denise and Q for making our family gathering fun and memorable! The food was delicious and the service was outstanding! We spent over $500 and it was worth it! I highly recommend this place. My favorite was the brisket! Also many thanks to former Chiefs player #55 Gary Stills for using his influence to connect me to the Gates staff since I live in San Diego! I can't wait to come there again! Great BBQ and courteous staff! read more

Recently, I visited the 40 highway store, and to my surprise the order takers were much more efficient and not as dang loud as they've been for so long in the past. It's a welcome change - and for that reason alone, I'll come back more often. read more

We ordered gates bbq to go and had their big bbq platter that is served family style. It came with beans and fries. The platter comes with a ton of food enough to feed four people. We ordered the ribs, brisket, and sliced pork loin. The juicy sliced and smoked pork was outstanding with tons of flavor. The brisket was a little dry. The ribs were very satisfying with its award winning bbq sauce. Gates has one of the best bbq sauces in KC! Yum! The baked beans were very good and packed with meat. It was my favorite baked beans of all bbq places. The price point of gates is better than most bbq places so you're getting a good deal. Overall, a great everyday bbq place for your money. We will return for more. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Great to go - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Hello. I visited Gates BBQ on Main on 7/21/23. I understand it's a KC BBQ staple. Counter service was very unorganized and I waited a good bit of time for my small order. The BBQ was tender, but I'm not a huge fan of the sauce that was on my sandwich. FYI: get sauce on the side. The sides were good though ( coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans). I expected more. Sat and ate in the dining room and it took forever for staff to come Back when I asked for things like...ICE! Also please start providing wet naps.. Gates do better. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Burnt Ends Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

First time in KC, Gates was walking distance from the hotel. We arrived just as they opened so no line. Service was excellent everyone was very friendly and patient since we didn't know what to order. Got 3 meats and fries. Pork ribs, brisket and ham. The HAM was out of this world delicious!! Didn't know that was a thing but I'm a believer now. The place is a little old but the food and service was worth the trip. read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Three meats, brisket, pork ribs and ham with fries and 3 sauces classic, sweet and hot - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

In town and was recommmeded this place. I must say, I was absolutely disappointed. I made the mistake of going in at 9PM. My wings were super dry and hard and the pork ends weren't very good. The service was extremely slow as well. Will try another place while in town and will definitely not recommend this establishment to anyone. read more

I love barbecue but I can certainly say that the food here is the worst BBQ in the city. It's a bummer because I live right down the road! Ted Lasso should've gone to Joes instead. read more

1) the food was majority fat. I received my order orders in multiple parts. The food was flavorful or worth the value. By far, this is the worst barbecue restaurant. I'm very embarrassed that my parents experienced this barbecue restaurant in Kansas City. And quite frankly, I don't think I'll ever come back. 2) the service was atrocious. They have 4 to 6 people working the cash register, but nobody can take our order as we're the only three people in the whole building trying to order. And nobody can do one task until completion. 3) the building is nice, the atmosphere is nice. But overall, if I'm waiting 20 minutes in a line of just me and my parents. And you keep asking what our orders are multiple times and we're all getting the same exact thing. It makes me think that you're incapable of running a restaurant. The amount of labor cost that are associated with taking an order multiple times must be astronomical. I recommend going to Jack stack down the street. The prices are more reasonable the Services faster. And quite frankly, they take your order once. read more

To go bottles of Gates BBQ for the smoker at home. Always awesome to have a little taste of KC read more

Gates Bar-B-Q - Living out of town, never miss an opportunity to ship or bring back a little Gates BBQ Sauces - 18 oz. Bottle - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This place was over priced, filled with smoke and the food was not very good. The presentation of the food was very poor. I consider Dickey's barbecue restaurant 10x better . Our clothes stink from the amount of smoke inside. I had to ask the owner to open up the doors and he got upset.... Sorta like a Seinfeld episode. Some of the staff was very polite other staff seem to have a moody personality, and the owner seemed a bit crabby. Maybe he should open a seafood shop. Go to Jack Stack....which we were originally trying to do except it was a 90 min wait... don't listen to the Uber drivers...Gates overrated, sorry! read more

For no man or woman, they say, time WAITS But come to KC, if allowed by FATES And get the world's best BBQ on your PLATES From Arthur Bryant's, Woodyard, and here at GATES So good you'll want to take it our on DATES So good it'll make your period LATES It's what Famous Dave thinks of when he MASTURBATES So good, it's bad, sexy BBQ at GATES WHAT Not to be confused with Gapes BBQ which I think is the name of one of Barbie's movies. KC has the ultimate combo of perfection in sauce and meat. It leaves Carolina in it's dust. It makes you wonder why STL is even on the map (if it still is, I haven't checked). It eclipses Memphis by a mile (or rather, 3,000 miles to Graceland). It elevates itself over the Deep South (like the Union did), and yes it even beats Texas (as Oklahoma often does) - by some distance. If you bait your friend into coming with you, it's Baits BBQ. The #1 BBQ in KC out of many many many very good options is the legend. Arthur Bryant's. Gates is definitely top 5 though, and top 5 in a City with at least 50 amazing BBQ options (and at least 250 less perfect ones) is a very notable achievement. It's also cheaper than most. I visit Gates every time I'm in KC and Barbi adores it too. If you visit with Ms Bosworth, Ms Abdo, or Ms Beckinsale, it's Kate's BBQ. Kansas City BBQ is the greatest BBQ in the world - this coming from someone that lives in Texas and is in a relationship with a Texan and loves BBQ in Texas (and Carolina, and Chicago, and Memphis, and you name it). None of those other regions, cities or states can come close. If you get with someone here, it's Mate's BBQ. Gates is one of the stereotypical and prototypical great BBQ joints of Kansas City, and there are about 10 locations that I know of all around town. They are fairly cheap and absolutely delicious, although portion sizes are not great (unlike Arthur Bryant's and many others, you won't be in a BBQ coma from these portions, maybe that's a good thing). If you come with someone that despises BBQ, it's Hates BBQ. You can't really get much better than the taste of Gates, and even though it's not my number one in KC, there are about 50 to choose from, and it does happen to make the top five of all the places I've tried, and that is a massive compliment in a city with as much great BBQ as Kansas City. If you can't find any 9s or 10s to hit on in KC, it's Eight's BBQ. Service is sometimes good and sometimes not so friendly, but they're open late, and this out of all the locations I've tried is my favourite - it might be the original. It seems to be in a very black neighbourhood, one with high BBQ standards, and usually when I come to this particular location I'm the only white person here, which I like. If it's so good that your D*** falls off, it's Castrates BBQ. Oh and about the sauce. If you have been conditioned - like many Americans - to be addicted to sugar, and you think that sugar-ketchup flavour is BBQ flavour, then don't expect to like KC BBQ, or Arthur Bryant's and Gates in particular, because sugar is not something you will taste here. OK, they make some sweet-er sauces to go with their original salty, but the salty is the way to go. And the sweet sauces are good, unlike the syrupy dessert-esque crap at most BBQ spots. So in KC, it's salt, salt, and more salt. You're surrendering yourself to salt. Sort of like your mother did at my place last night. And if the meat is so good that you have sex with it and get knocked up, it's Periods Lates BBQ. Theirs is a smoky, hearty BBQ sauce, which is perfect Kansas city-style, a little sweeter than Arthur Bryant's which is my favourite, but still so good. And of course this is where they filmed Enemy At The Gates BBQ, the Jude Law movie. Or was it the Jude Order movie. So come here when you're in Kansas City. Speaking of KC... If it was one big college town, it'd be Campus City. And if everyone here had malignant tumours, it'd be Cancers City. Thankfully, it's none of those things. And if Candace Swannepoel lived here, it'd be Candace City. And I'd come here more often. Because of Candace's Kitty. But unfortunately, it's not. Now let's finish with Bryan Adams... Everything I Do (I Do It For Q) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFD2gu007dc Look into my Yelp pix You will find Places you want to dine Search your heart Search your bookmarks And when you're finally at Gates You'll search no more Can't tell me it's not worth dining for Don't tell me it's not worth trying more You know it's true The world's best BBQ I Yelped it for you. There's no BBQ Like Gates BBQ And no other Is more yummier There's nowhere As good as here All the time All the way to KC, yeah Can't tell me, it's not worth dining for I can't help it, I just want more and more Yeah I'd fight for Q I'd lie for Q Walk the Wichita Line for Q Yeah, I'd die for Q.......... You know it's true Everything I do I do it for Gates BBQ. read more

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I despise their tradition of yelling at customers for their order as they walk in the door. It's unnecessarily off-putting for folks who haven't dined there before. That said, these ribs were good. Though they are the slightly tough/full bodied variation I usually am not keen on, they were tender and flavorful enough to enjoy thoroughly. On a side note, the price was $17 for 4 ribs. This was one of the most expensive per-rib places we visited in the city. read more