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Burnt ends have long been a Kansas City staple. In the past, the city's BBQ restaurants didn't need the ends and would hand them out for free. But now they're a quintessential menu item at the best BBQ joints in Kansas City, including a restaurant featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." If you're looking for Guy Fieri-approved burnt ends, B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ is the place to go.
The KC BBQ restaurant has been serving up BBQ with a side of blues music for decades, and it's specifically known for its drool-worthy burnt ends. In the episode that aired in 2013, Guy Fieri and Nascar driver Clint Bowyer tasted the famed burnt ends. Bowyer claimed, "That is money," to which Fieri agreed, "That is money." While Fieri was there, he also enjoyed the signature BBQ Sundae (a mason jar layered with beans, then coleslaw, and topped with pulled pork and BBQ sauce), battered fries, and brisket slathered in hot sauce, saying, "The brisket is just tender, pull-apart."
At B.B.'s, you can try the brisket ends in a couple different ways. They're served seasonally as Burnt End Soup, on sandwiches including the Beef Burnt End Sandwich, as an add-on to combo platters, and on their own in the Burnt End Dinner, which keeps it simple with a half pound of the tips coupled with pit beans and french fries. And you can eat your ends while listening to live music six days a week (the vocal cords get a rest on Mondays).
What diners think of the burnt ends — and what to get with them
Guy Fieri is far from the only lover of B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ brisket burnt ends. "Really good burnt ends and ribs!" one Yelp reviewer wrote, also noting, "BBQ has gotten crazy expensive but this place has really kept eating here affordable for a family." Another diner even claimed the smoky bits of brisket changed their life and they're forever a fan. Yet another customer loved the affordability, claiming, "[They're] worth every penny!!!" One TripAdvisor reviewer reported, "Most amazing burnt ends anywhere, and their other entrees are also delicious." Even the seasonal soup got a shoutout, with one reviewer noting, "I had burnt end soup/stew. So delicious I am still thinking how good that was."
Now, if you're ordering the ends, you'll probably want to order some sides to go along with the delicious meat. The cornbread basket comes highly recommended by customers, as do the pit beans, onion rings, and nachos. If you want a side of meat to go with the burnt ends, the ribs and aforementioned BBQ Sundae get high praise. And many customers note you can't leave the BBQ joint without getting the classic bread pudding or B.B. Lawnside BBQ's specialty, deep fried banana pudding.