I went into Smoke Box really wanting to enjoy it all, but that sadly wasn't meant to be. I should've picked up on something with something like half the menu isn't actually BBQ. Can you really call yourself a BBQ restaurant with a HUGE portion of your menu not being BBQ? Perhaps I'm just a purist, but I think the menu might also play into the food I had. The BBQ beans and potato salad tasted store bought to me, and I also was less than impressed with their burnt ends. The brisket was okay, but I wouldn't recommend going here if you are on the hunt for good BBQ brisket. I don't know, maybe I should've purchased one of the 11 non-BBQ sandwiches or a burger instead. Maybe that is where this "BBQ" restaurant truly shines. You can see more of our experience on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/mBFahcA-sIM read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The food was really flavorless. I ordered the 3 meat dinner and it came out with about 2 oz of each meat, brisket and Italian sausage sliced thin on a meat slicer. The beans were the only thing tasty on the plate. My wife ordered the 1/2 rib dinner and the meat was so tough it literally made a tearing noise when she was separating the bones. read more

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My husband and I loved the BBQ! Stoped for a quick lunch before our flight, wow! Highly recommend. I had ribs and pulled pork platter. Great Cole slaw and onion rings !!!! Can't wait to go back!!! read more

While staying the evening nearby I came here for dinner on a weeknight. They weren't busy that night and service was very quick. I tried their brisket and their turkey. The brisket was dry and looked like it was pre-cut then reheated. The turkey was a lot better. Their fries were really tasty and their beans were great. The potato salad had pickles in it and wasn't very good. Service was friendly. The spicy BBQ sauce was pretty good. Overall, it was just "ok" but nothing special. read more

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Went in around 3:00pm. Still serving lunch special. Ordered the two meat platter to go. Got back to the hotel and opened up my little styrofoam container and found this minuscule portion of Turkey and Italian sausage!! Turkey was dry and tasted like it was from a frozen dinner! The Italian sausage was good tasting but there was only 4 paper thin pieces!! Only got one of the two sides as I am cutting carbs. The coleslaw was pretty good but with it being sweet I only ate a bite or two. Definitely not worth almost $16 before a tip. Won't go back!! read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Really dry funny tasting turkey and paper thin slices of Italian sausage. - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Tour of KC barbeque continues! I had turkey, brisket and burnt ins. After Q39 burnt ins being so fatty they were inedible I was a little concerned - but these were fantastic. Lean cuts of meat with a light smoky flavor. One type of barbecue sauce more sweet than I am used to but delicious. Only thing I would even suggest for this fantastic barbecue would be to add a second barbeque sauce with some red pepper. Instead of just one choice of their original have one that is the same but has a tablespoon of cayenne pepper in each bo read more

Friendly service, quick food service, delicious meat sauce, fries, coleslaw! The smoke smell and flavor is fantastic. read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Pulled pork, burnt ends coleslaw and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Food was good, service wasn't very friendly. I was very nice and friendly, and that same attitude was not returned. All I ordered was a sandwich, don't know if that was the problem. She brought the receipt to the table and I wasn't even halfway done with my sandwich. Dropped it off and said we have 40 people coming in shortly. As if to tell me to get a move on and finish my meal. Probably won't come back to this place just because of the way I was treated. read more

Just ok bbq. It may be the best that Reno has to offer, but it's not Midwest or Texas BBQ. Little to no smoke flavor. That could be from the wood used or I suspect that it was cooked on a pellet smoker. Service was outstanding and very friendly and the seating area was clean. read more

Not good bbq at all - service is good, beer is cold, bbq is awful - enough said. Thin sliced brisket like the prepackaged stuff and burnt ends that are a lot of things but not burnt or with any flavor read more

Take out Friday night! Our go to BBQ spot in the Northland never disappoints. The burnt ends had crunch to them which I love! Fries are wedges and crisp on the outside and tender inside and cheesy corn!!!!! The portions are always to much for me but make the best leftovers! read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Burnt ends dinner with cheesy corn & beans - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Food was great but the plastic plates and cutlery was a surprise. Service was quite fast will a full house and the ladies serving were very pleasant. If I am back in the area I would definitely go back read more

Return trip here from a few years back. Very casual setting. Food is very consistently good. Service is more than friendly. Nothing exceptional yet it is delicious. read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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After an adventurous travel day, we ended up with a long layover at MCI. That airport does not offer much in terms of food so we found this place and Ubered over. It was a 12 minute ride from the airport and it was soooo worth it! Good BBQ with really nice people. Service was excellent- both of the ladies working were attentive and sweet. My son and I shared a 3 meat plate and a salad and were both stuffed after. Brisket was delicious and so was the pulled pork. The corn is creamy rich deliciousness and the beans had great flavor. read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Indoor seating - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

The food was amazing. The service was fast. I got my food quickly. Drinks were refilled. Great amount of food.

This place is out of this world!!! It's near the Kansas City airport. Madison is awesome!!!!!!!! The service is Great!!! We took some Ribs and Chicken back to LA. Thank you read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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When it comes to Kansas City BBQ, Smoke Box checks the boxes to meet the standard. It's got a good selection and super affordable. The ribs are a bit too overcooked for my taste but this is common with a KC cut rib. They make up for it with an outstanding flavor and bark. The burnt ends are solid. The pulled pork, smoked Italian sausage, and Turkey are where it's at. The sausage is very special, sliced with excellent flavor and texture. The sides are fairly elite with the fries, potato salad, beans, and cheesy corn all being quite fantastic. read more

Fantastic fried cauliflower and homemade buttermilk ranch. Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either. Burnt ends are juicy and smoky. The beans are thick and sweet and delicious. read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Brisket and burnt ends plate w onion rings and beans - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

The best part of the meal was the smoked old fashioned. They smoke maker's mark in their smoker. Great flavor! The garden salad was fresh and the blue cheese salad dressing was chunky and delicious. Grilled vegetables were amazing, cooked perfectly and still crunchy. The meats felt a bit dry for my taste, but maybe this is Kansas bbq. read more

Consistent quality of meat and sides. Quick service and reasonable prices. It's our first choice when guests visit and want some great barbecue read more

Visited 26 March 2021 Located in a small stripmall off N. Amabasador Drive, Smoke Box BBQ is strategically located between a few hotels and not too far from Kansas City International Airport. That's clever!! There was also a liquor store, a pub, a Mediterranean restaurant (temporarily closed), two nail salons, and a school(!?!) in the plaza. I arrived around 5:50 pm on a Friday evening and the parking lot was very busy, indicative of busy businesses (I was on foot since I was out running so parking was not an issue for me lol). Smoke Box BBQ was the only thing I was interested in so that's where I went. I walked in and was immediately greeted by the waitress. She asked, "dine in or take out?"; obviously open for dining in. But, I wanted my order to-go so that's what I told her. When I told her I did not order ahead, she pointed me to some menu's on the counter. There were two different styles of menu (a booklet and a paper sheet) but the other employee, a male, informed me that either was fine as they both had the same information. I took the menu and walked outside so I could decide what I wanted. It appears they had a busy-ish evening. I noticed the dining room had a few customers, some left ahead of me, and another party was walking in. I decided on a burger and sweet potato fries. I walked back inside, placed my order, and grabbed a drink from the fridge (I'm surprised he didn't ask me how I wanted my burger. It was done how Ilike it though, psychic? Hmmm!). After paying I informed the male employee that I would be outside (he gave me boss/owner vibes); he acknowledged and told me my meal would be ready in a few minutes. I didn't notice how little or how long I waited because I was outside engaged in two separate conversations - one with someone in my class and the other a random man trying to take me on a date. Both conversations ended and soon after, the male employee was walking out with my food. Awesome. I was expecting to go back in to grab it myself but he was kind enough to bring it to me. If that isn't great customer service, idk what it. 5 stars!! Of course masks are required to enter. Both employees I saw were wearing masks. There is a glass separating the employee/cashier from customers (I'm not sure if that is new since this was my first time). There are bar table/chairs near the counter where customers would be facing out the windows. There was no one eating there but I can see it getting cramped if there were since I was already feeling confined by the smallness of the space. Overall, I had a good experience and my food was good. I recommend giving it a try. Iwould definitely, and probably will, go back. read more

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I'm a little disappointed with Smokebox, they're in a great location, have a nice dining room and their service and food is good. The problem I have is they're skimpy and overpriced. I want to like them as they're close to home. However, there's a couple places a few miles further that hit the mark. Sorry, I wish I could give a 5 star review but until they do something about their portion size and price, I'll go somewhere else and check back every other year or so. read more

Good spot for BBQ if you're near MCI or staying in the area .. .. Strip mall with lots of parking .. .. Solid, tasty BBQ with no frills .. .. Terrific beans! THANKS SMOKEBOX! read more

Another place to add to the tour of barbecue restaurants in the Kansas City area. The portions were average. The food was good but didn't wow me. I think if you like bbq you should give it a try to fit your own opinion of it. Service was great and the employee was great! read more

My family's favorite bbq in the city. Quick service, amazing sauce, perfectly crisp yet full fries. Their Turkey sandwich is my favorite and has been for about a decade. We take all of our friends from out of town here. read more

We ordered the corn nuggets and jalapeno poppers for appetizers and both were excellent. Then we tried the burnt ends and pulled pork. Better bbq than anywhere else we've tried north of the river. Sides were excellent as well think perfectly done crisp fries and beans with chunks of bbq in them. Service was quick and professional as well. Will definitely be going back. read more

This is a great, underrated establishment. I've eaten here many times over the years. Food is always above average, beans and cheesy corn are both excellent! read more

Decided to try this little BBQ stop while in KC. While I got takeout, the service was very friendly. The food was really good. I got the two meat plate (pulled pork & Italian sausage), which was very good. I didn't care so much for the long thin strips of sausage, but everything still tasted very good. read more

Nothing particularly fancy or unexpected - just a nice selection of decent sized portions of tasty food at a reasonable price and a clean comfortable place to sit while you eat it. What more could anyone want?!? read more

Very good food with a great atmosphere! Didn't have a chance to take any pix because I was talking to my friends! Servers are attentive! We had the burnt ends with slaw and fries! I could barely finish mine! We will def be visiting again!! read more

1. half chicken dinner , it is very hard to do chicken many places dont and many shouldnt as it can dry out fast , this place did it perfect no over powering smell or taste not greasy it really was done very well 2. full slab of ribs almost fall all the bone ribs. really close. great taste ask for sauce on the side we did. taste again not over powering nor was the smell. Some have over powering smoke smell and taste not them. we will definitely come back. beans had a really great sweet taste !! good job fries were soggy we always as for no pickles we dont want pickle juice all over our bbq. ordered over the phone ready in less than 15 minutes. carry out read more

Food is nothing less than horrible, and to top it off you will get the pleasure of paying top dollar for it. The meats are cut with a sandwich meat slicer to ensure their thinness and smothered in BBQ sauce to hide the aftertaste. With so many decent places to go in town, why come here? Basic meal will cost you $30+ read more

Ate here for lunch on Tuesday July 11. Ordered pulled pork, ribs, and fries. The fries were the best part of the meal. Pork was so-so; ribs had bad taste and were not tender at all - hard and burned. Will not plan on returning. read more

The reason I am giving a 1 star review is that the waitress and server were excellent. When my friend and I arrived at Smokebox there were two other couples seated. Because it was not busy at 6pm/dinner time I wondered why. I was about to find out why. The waitress was very helpful, kind and had a great attitude. She took our orders and came back with the food within 10-15 minutes. I ordered the ribs with one extra meat (I selected brisket) that comes with bbq beans, coleslaw and fries. I paid extra (3.49) for onion rings. My order was delivered SMOTHERED in extremely thick and sugary bbq sauce. I could not taste the flavor of the meat because no piece of either choice were left untouched by sauce. The brisket looked store bought and pre sliced. The ribs were so over cooked that the bones were melting. Neither meat was cooked fresh within the last few days. The coleslaw was full of sugar, the beans were swimming in the same sweet sauce and the frozen onion rings were served on top of the beans rendering them soggy. May I suggest serving freshly prepared bbq with NO sauce and let me determine how much I want. And offer more than the one sauce on the table. There was not one redeeming factor to the food. I can get better smoked meat in Oregon. read more

Service was good however the ribs were impressively terrible. Im only judging what I ate and that was a 1/2 slab of ribs and potato salad. The ribs appeared and tasted like they were made in an oven and slapped with bbq sauce. There wasn't even a hint of smoke ring. I see mixed reviews on this place so before my flight I gave it a gamble. I wouldn't judge this place off one experience but don't be disappointed if it's not your known good KC BBQ. read more

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Upfront, I'm going to have to give this place 4 stars because my lunch came smashed... That being said, I've heard mixed opinions on Smokebox. Out of the 3 bbq places I've tried this week, I'd say it ranks as #2. We had a large group order from here for lunch and they probably gave us the best quotes. Mine came with brisket (could choose up to 2 meats), potato salad, and baked beans (sweet and smokey). The brisket was moist and tender and good BBQ sauce. It was a big lunch and probably could've eaten it all, but decided to save the other half for later. Update: my co-worker was unsatisfied with her meatless house salad and was wondering why she paid $12 for the order that she did read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Good BBQ but my lunch came smashed :/ - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Looking for a place with patio seating, Smokebox was recommended by a friend. We were a party of six and found counter service the only option. That said, it was easy and very friendly. We placed our orders and chatted until it was delivered. I had a full rack of baby backs and thought they were good although the the bark was a tad overdone. The sauce was sweet. Other items on the table included burnt ends, Italian sausage, onion rings, coleslaw and baked beans. Everybody raved about their food, especially the beans. Pro Tip: Apple Pay is not accepted. We did arrive late and found lights being turned off at closing time which was 8:00. Jenny took our orders and served us. She was very helpful and super friendly. When I went to pay she refused a tip because of the counter ordering process. I insisted and she very graciously acquiesced. This was a very good experience. With so many places to choose from I can't say when I'll go back but I can tell you I will go back and more importantly recommend you give Smoke Box a whirl. You'll be glad you did. read more

It's been over 10 years since I was last at Smoke Box; I used to work in the vicinity and would frequent them occasionally. Nothing has really changed and given the turn-over rate for restaurants, it's nice to see that they have been able to keep the doors open this long. I'm sure that the proximity to MCI is great for business, with tourists wanting a quick BBQ fix on the way to or after arriving into the BBQ Capital of America. Smokebox is not a top tier BBQ joint and I wished one the the elites smokehouses were in this location to ensure visitors that only get one opportunity to experience the best of KC. With that being said, nothing is bad about Smokebox, my decade old memories were positive and my Saturday afternoon carry-out today was a fine meal and priced perfectly. My wife and I both got the Lunch special of 2 meats and 2 sides for $13. I had the Burnt Ends and sausage with beans and coleslaw, pickles, white bread and sauce. A great bargain in todays inflationary period. The Burnt Ends could have been a tad bit more tender but the sausage offset any negatives with it's great smoky and robust flavor. Beans were above average and the mayo based coleslaw was adequate. If I lived or worked closer, I would frequent more often, but not worth a 20 minute drive. My wife on the other hand was completely on board for a five star review from her perspective. read more

Just so you know-- This is only the 2nd Yelp review I have ever left. IF YOU WANT GOOD KANSAS CITY BBQ - DON'T GO TO THE JOKEBOX BBQ I am being nice by leaving a 1 star, I only wish I could leave a zero. I ordered ribs and I am not sure if it was that they buy the cheapest ribs available or if they were WAY under cooked or probably both. I always thought that when ribs are properly cooked that the meat falls of the bone, at least that is how the ribs I order here in Colorado are and the ribs on the BBQ shows on TV are. You could have used a jack hammer and the meat would not have come off the bones. When we were asked how the meal was, I showed the 2 men that worked there, whom I expect were the owners of this place the issue with the ribs. One of the men said that he was surprised that we did not like it since EVERBODY that eats at their restaurant eats the meat, fat, and sometimes the bones-- YES HE SAID BONES - My dog would have struggled to get the meat off the bones. The other man who worked there responded that it was probably the hogs fault- Yes HE SAID THE HOGS FAULT and proceeded to take my plate of un-eaten meat and don't forget all of those Delicious Bones back to the kitchen and came out and proudly said He Did Not see anything wrong with the ribs and the meat came right off the bone. **** I thought I might have heard a jack hammer noise coming from the kitchen but at 66 years old my hearing is not the best.*** Plus, it is one of those places that when you walk in, they want you to order and you pay at the counter and then you go sit down, the Major Problem with that is when you use a credit or debit card to pay they ask for a tip-- YES A TIP WITHIN A MINUTE OF ENTERING THEIR BUSINESS AND BEFORE ANY SERVICE OR EVEN LOOKING AT YOUR FOOD. SO HERE IS MY TIP TO ANYBODY THAT IS CONSIDERING GOING TO THE JOKEBOX BBQ---**DON'T**-- **YOU ARE BETTER OFF GOING TO MCDONALDS FOR A McRib SANDWICH-- AT LEAST AT Mc DONALDS YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR** read more

Let me start by saying I was absolutely starving so I should have been easy to please. I guess it was countered by the fact I have had great barbecue while I have been in Kansas City. I ordered the dinner sized burnt ends with fries beans and coleslaw. The burnt ends we're not very flavorful or juicy. It tasted like they were yesterday's meal steamed to warmed it up. Then it was served with two pieces of bread from the grocery store. For a $20 meal I would expect a nice sourdough or sweet bread biscuit. The beans we're good but the coleslaw tasted like it came out of a can. Next they need to figure out if they are a sit-in serve or you pay for it at the counter place. I was served the food but never a refill on the drink or to check to see how it was. Overall not impressed for a $20 meal for one person. read more

Smokebox BBQ Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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