8.0
Wabash BBQ
$$Excelsior Springs, Excelsior Springs
Barbecue and blues in an old depot
live musichistoric depotpatio
Crossroadseclectic menumusic venuepatio
Grinders
AIAI-generated illustration — not a photograph of this restaurant. About our images
8.1/ 10
0 reviews“Crossroads institution where BBQ shares a menu with Death Wings”
Grinders has anchored the Crossroads since 2004 as a gleefully eclectic hangout—pizza, Philly cheesesteaks, and the notorious Death Wings share a menu with award-winning Kansas City barbecue. The patio and back-lot music venue make it a downtown gathering point as much as a restaurant, and the barbecue somehow never gets lost in the noise. The smoke holds its own in that crowd: burnt ends with a proper caramelized edge, pulled pork, and brisket that don't feel like an afterthought to the pizza oven. Order the Death Wings if you can take the heat—the challenge that made the place famous—then a plate of burnt ends to recover and a beer to cool down. It's chaos with a smoker attached, and against every odd the barbecue earns its share of the billing right alongside the wings and the bands.
Know Before You Go
- Hours
- Sun–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri–Sat 11am–1am
- Price
- Mid-range ($$)
- Don't miss
- Burnt Ends, Death Wings, and Pulled Pork
What to Order
1
Burnt Ends2
Death Wings3
Pulled Pork4
BrisketWhy It Stands Out
An eclectic Crossroads mainstay where award-winning barbecue shares a menu with pizza, cheesesteaks, and the fiery Death Wings. The burnt ends hold their own in the chaos, and the back-lot music venue keeps the patio full.
Quick Facts
- Address
- 417 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
- Phone
- (816) 472-5454
- Hours
- Sun–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri–Sat 11am–1am
- Website
- grinderspizza.com/
- Price Range
- $$
- Established
- 2004
Ratings Breakdown
6 dimensions, each scored 0-10
Smoke8.2
Bark8.0
Tenderness8.1
Value8.4
Atmosphere8.7
Consistency8.0
Back to Best BBQ in Kansas City
Good to Know
Grinders — Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Grinders?
Regulars point to Burnt Ends, Death Wings, Pulled Pork, and Brisket.
What are Grinders's hours?
Sun–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri–Sat 11am–1am
Is Grinders expensive?
Grinders is mid-range ($$).
What kind of barbecue does Grinders serve?
Grinders serves Kansas City Style barbecue — Kansas City BBQ is defined by its variety of meats (not just pork or beef, but both plus chicken, sausage, turkey, and more), thick tomato-and-molasses-based sauce, slow-smoking over hickory wood, and the legendary burnt ends.
When did Grinders open?
Grinders has been serving Kansas City barbecue since 2004.
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