Slap's BBQ Ranks Top Kansas City-Style Barbecue
Readers of USA Today's 10Best named the Kansas City, Kansas restaurant the country's best spot for the regional style.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Barbecue
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Slap's BBQ was named the best Kansas City-style barbecue spot in the country in a USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice poll. The restaurant ranked first ahead of nine other well-known barbecue spots on the list.
Why it matters
The ranking highlights Kansas City's barbecue tradition, which is recognized nationally for slow-cooked meats and a thick, sweet and spicy sauce. For local diners, it puts a Kansas City-area restaurant at the top of a national reader-voted list.
The ranking is based on a USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice poll, in which Slap's BBQ placed first among the country's Kansas City-style barbecue spots. The list includes Rosedale Bar-B-Q, Q39, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Arthur Bryant's Barbeque, and Jack Stack BBQ, among others, though vote totals were not reported.
The players
Slap's BBQ
A barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Kansas, that was ranked first among Kansas City-style barbecue spots in the national reader poll.
USA Today 10Best
A USA Today travel ranking brand that publishes reader-voted lists of top destinations and businesses across the country.
The details
Kansas City-style barbecue is known for meats cooked over low heat for a long time and topped with a thick, sweet and spicy sauce. The 10Best list spans both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: USA Today names Slap's BBQ the top Kansas City-style barbecue spot in its Readers' Choice poll.
Culture Shift
Reader-voted rankings such as the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards have become a major way regional food styles like Kansas City barbecue gain national attention. This placement puts a Kansas City-area restaurant alongside nationally known barbecue names in that program.
Diners looking for the top-rated Kansas City-style barbecue can use the 10Best list to compare spots on both sides of the state line. The ranking is a reader vote, so it reflects popularity rather than an independent review.
The takeaway
Reader-voted lists can help diners discover regional favorites, but it is worth visiting several highly ranked spots to find the style that suits your taste. Kansas City barbecue varies widely from one restaurant to the next.
Further reading
For more Kansas City barbecue coverage, see Barbecue in our food and drink section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kctv5.
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