American Way Smokehouse

“Arizona smokehouse takes on Kansas City”

American Way Smokehouse arrived in eastern Independence in 2025, an Arizona-born operation dropping into one of the most demanding barbecue markets in the country. It covers the Kansas City canon—brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and burnt ends—yet the kitchen gets more interesting the moment it strays from the local script. The result reads less like another newcomer chasing tradition and more like a smokehouse importing a second point of view to the east side of the metro. Start with the ribs and burnt ends: the ribs come meaty and tender, while the burnt ends are cubed a touch richer and fattier than the standard Kansas City version. Then order the chili verde sandwich, smoked pulled pork stacked with spicy green chile on a sweet roll—the Southwestern accent that sets the menu apart. The brisket runs straight down the middle, a steady tomato-based KC slice that grounds the more adventurous plates around it.