Zarda
11931 W 87th St Pkwy, Lenexa, KS, 66215
Zarda Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lenexa for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lenexa for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lenexa for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
11931 W 87th St Pkwy
Lenexa, KS, 66215 - Phone (913) 492-2330
- Website https://www.zarda.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Brandon S.
Almost everybody in KC has an opinion about where to go and where to avoid when it comes to bbq. I was born and raised here so you'd expect me to be a good source of info when it comes to all the bbq joints in town. This may shock you but I don't really care much for bbq. I do like it but I don't typically rave about burnt ends or smoked brisket or anything. I don't seek out bbq often, in fact I probably only eat it a couple times a year. I think most of the bbq restaurants in the area are ok. Call it blasphemy but I don't like OK Joe's or Gates at all. If you're still here reading this and didn't write me off as insane after reading that last sentence, thanks. The reasons I prefer to eat at Zarda when I want bbq are actually quite simple. My meat of choice when at a bbq place is sausage. Every bbq place I've been to serves a sausage sandwich the same way; cutting the sausage in half lengthwise and putting it in a bun with some bbq sauce. This is fine with me but the sausage sandwich from Zarda is entirely different. Zarda runs the sausage through a meat slicer and as you can imagine, they cut it extremely thin. I'm not sure how many sausages it takes to make one sandwich but the amount of meat they use is unbelievable. It's also cooked extremely well. The sausage is always moist and warm. I typically take a few pieces of the sausage from my sandwich and offer them to whoever I'm eating with because YES, IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD! As I write this I actually have a strong urge to skip the dinner my wife is cooking right now and just go to Zarda. Maybe I'll drop in for lunch later this week. Before I finish writing I want to mention that Zarda also has some pretty tasty sides. They have regular french fries and (my favorite) wedge cut fries. They have the potato bake which is basically a potato casserole. If you don't like potatoes they have excellent veggies too. I love their fried okra! They have several other sides to choose from too, the ones I listed are only the ones I've tried. It's hard to try everything when you eat bbq as rarely as I do, but I am looking forward to going back. Maybe I'm beginning to turn into a bbq person after all.
(4)Tim P.
The meat is less than mediocre and hugely disappointing but the coleslaw is good. The ribs were dry and tough on the outside and my wife's pulled pork sandwich wasn't memorable. I'd be real surprised if they actually smoked the meat from start to finish. My guess is some sort of oven with woodchip smoke combo. The young staff was friendly enough, though, so that's a plus. I was hoping to sample some of the famous Kansas City BBQ but instead wound up at the Applebee's of BBQ.
(2)Jesse P.
I use to like this place. Got the turkey and it tasted like microwaved processed meat. Service is good but there are about 10 better barbq pages within a 15 min drive. Oh and they blast country music all the time, if you don't like country its kinda annoying
(2)Matt R.
Great for a sit down meal or a quick lunch to go. cool atmosphere and great food. if you are doing a quick lunch, try the smoked sausage sandwich. The only place I have seen shave it deli thin and smother it in sauce. You'll thank me later.
(4)Melissa G.
Yummy yummy!! This is a BBQ staple for us! Always good and consistent. Hands down the best burnt ends...small chunks of brisket and ham cooked in sauce all day to give it a nice crunch. Mouthwatering goodness! Love the fried pickles, corn nuggets, and onion rings! All come with side of ranch and this is the GOOD ranch. Zardas offers their house BBQ sauce which is sweet with a little heat. But they also have 3 or 4 others to try too. Good news is they also sell their sauce in stores so you can take that liquid gold home.
(4)Brandon S.
You know it's sad because this is a place where the food is actually pretty good, but they negate that with the complete lack of decor in the resteraunt, the incredibly rude behavior of the staff to the customers and the 1980's country music that they don't update. When I go get barbecue I hope to see a bunch of cook off trophies and a friendly staff that's happy for your business. If you want your family to be treated as a valued customer the just go to Oklahoma Joe's instaed of here.
(2)Ken S.
I was excited to try Zarda BBQ. It flies under the radar and now I can see why. The food wasn't bad, just average. The atmosphere is more of a sit down family restaurant than a typical BBQ joint. Overall, not a bad place to check out, but if you only have time to hit up one BBQ joint while in KC, I'd recommend Oklahoma Joe's or Gates instead.
(3)Timothy S.
Zarda recently catered a wedding reception for us and did an amazing job. The caterer was on time and brought more than enough food with him. He set up a very nice buffet and kept it well stocked. Packaged all the leftovers and cleaned up. Exactly what I expected. I thought the food they catered was actually better than what I've had in the restaurant, bonus. Good bbq, good price and great catering. They've earned my recommendation.
(5)Thomas M.
I have to start off by saying that this place has not changed in like twenty years down to the "old-school" TVs. LOL The service was good for a counter service restaurant. The food was a give and take. The dinning room was clean and pleasant. The over all experience was nice. The Billy Butler sandwich was on point with some pretty decent bbq sauce. It came on a bun with onion rings inside it. I got the "meal deal" so it came with a side and a drink. I chose cheesy corn... Thats what it was. Cheesy(not in the oozing goodness way, but the other way). I have to say that it did actually come with some little bitty crumbs of bacon though. lol I thought that it reminded me of some sort of cheep bland retirement-home cafeteria food. Its a FAR CRY from the baked beans that they offer. I can't mention the bland tasteless cheesy corn with out mentioning the pickles that were just as bland. I think next time I visit I will order the ribs and fries. Oh yeah and the beans. Love the baked beans.
(3)Lisa W.
Hadn't had Zarda in over 5 years and thought we would try it again. Well first parking lot is horribly small. We place our order and when my husband picked it up, it was not what we ordered. We took it back to the counter and instead of the 2 meat plates with 2 sides we had 2 sandwiches with 2 sides. The gal tried to argue with us on what we ordered. So needless to say they brought us the 2 meat plates. I got turkey and sausage and he has ham and beef. We were not impressed at all; it was like eating sliced deli meat with sauce on it. And the meat wasn't even warm. Fries were cold. And if you even want a refill on your drinks you have to wait in line again to get a drink refill. Lesson learned. Don't waste your time on Zarda and don't go to Gates either. Drive a little further and visit Joes.
(1)Gary D.
This is the second time I've eaten here and was a little underwhelmed with the food both times. The place is ok, clean and BBQ kind of looking place. I'm not a big fan of placing your order and then having to go up and get it when it's ready, but I know that's typical of BBQ restaurants. The let down is in the flavor of the food. I had the beef brisket sandwich both times and the beef is tender but bland. I found myself slathering on the sauce just to give it some flavor. Also the bread it comes with looks like a hot dog roll.....
(3)Susan A.
Keep driving! I had craved BBQ all day. This was not a good experience. Fresh is not what I would call this food. The mac and cheese was overly processed. The corn on the cob smelled like plastic and had the texture of it-I couldn't eat it. I ate half of the ribs and my pickle because they were the only real foods on the plate which was $15. My husband's burnt ends were mediocre.
(1)A W.
This place is SOOO good!! We just took home a dozen bottles of BBQ sauce back to california bc it's that good! We eat here at least 2-3 times per trip I KC. Highly recommend!!
(5)Craig W.
I had the average joe sandwich and a side of cheesy potatoes. The side was good even though the potatoes were from a can. The sandwich was average at best. The brisket was dry and didn't have a whole lot of smoke to it. The portions were big but they should be for the price. $13 for a sandwich side and a drink was a bit high considering the food was average. I guess Oklahoma Joes has spoiled me for good Q!!!
(3)Jason P.
I love the smoky, lean burnt ends! The turkey is good here too. Without specials like kids eat free on Wed, the pricing seems high for the portion sizes. Service in restaurant is good!
(4)Jamie H.
I'm going to go on a lim and say Zarta is my favorite BBQ place with Gates a very close second (would be a tie if not for the distance). Delicious thick fries, yummy crispy fried pickles, and the meat is always so tender and not full of fatty pieces which is a pleasant change. The atmosphere is rustic and the staff is very friendly and helpful.
(5)LeAnn A.
We just moved to the area and was out looking for some good Bbq had a friend that said this was a good pave do thought we'd give it a try. Overall I'm glad we did. Was a little thrown off, you order kind of like at a fast food restaurant, order at counter then you sit down and wait for your number. We had the variety platter Good: The flavor of all the food was good. Chicken and ribs were really good. I'd say their bbq sauce is prob one of my top 3 favs in town. The employees were all friendly. Fried mushrooms were great. Areas of improvement: The food was a little on the cold side. To us the ham tasted good but looked like is was pulled out of a deli package. And once again the brisket's flavor was good but a little dry. (Good thing the sauce was good) I'd probably skip on the mac and cheese. Overall I see us returning because the flavor was great!
(3)Billie H.
BBQ twice in one week?? Am I becoming a Kansas Citian?? After a BBQ discussion in another forum, I had a craving for BBQ. I was a little bummed being most BBQ seems to be closed on Sunday. I looked up Zarda's and was happy to find they were open! I use to live down the street from Zarda's so I ate there often as it was a change from the normal fast food drive thru after a long day at work. I like the flavor of their meat and that their sauce isn't super sweet like a lot of places. The pulled pork is pretty good, the beef is tender, but the real star is the turkey. Generally I get a two meat platter because I have a thing for all things pork and I can't pass up the turkey. Tonight I planned on getting the sausage because I am on a mission after tasting some darn good sausage at another location. Sadly, they gave me beef instead, which was good, but not what I wanted. (This is not typical of the service there, of the multiple visits, this is the first time I have had an order messed up! It happens occasionally so not faulting them.) Zarda's also has some of the best fries. They are thick steak fries and always cooked perfectly with a nice crisp on the outside and meaty inside. I don't eat a lot of potatoes, but their fries are a must! The corn nuggets are also pretty fabulous. Forget all the cheesy corn everywhere, the corn nuggets are where it is at! Mac and cheese is awesome like mom used to make mac and cheese. Pepper jack bites are a nice change from your normal breaded and fried cheese item. The rest of the sides I have tried have always been good. One of the big pluses about Zarda's is they have a drive-thru. If you don't know the area it can be kind of difficult to get into depending on which way you are going.
(5)Tom F.
We've gone twice, first time it was mediocre, so we decided to give it another shot to see if they were having a bad night. second time food was worse. The regular fries are disappointing, wedged cut were better, haven't tried sweet potato fries. I remember thinking the ribs were pretty good the first time so I ordered the special tonight, a full slab to split w wife. It weirdly came with 6 slices of cheap white bread and 6 dill pickles. The first two ribs on the end were good, but then after that they got tough and fatty. They were huge, we shared and there were still 4 ribs left when we were done. Cashier charged us wrong amount, the receipt had multiple errors, but we didn't say anything. Food was ready very quickly both times. Mom had pulled pork, which she claimed had no flavor, but I didn't taste it. On the plus side the fried pickles were pretty good, and on Wednesday kids under 12 eat free. Probably won't go back for a third time unless we get despite. Update: while I was finishing writing this review, wife went potty which stunk out entire first floor of house, like Brussel sprouts. This is unusual for her and I'm not sure if it's from the zarda ribs or yesterdays dinner (which did include Brussel sprouts. She said her stomach does not ache, and I haven't had any gas. She also ate more of the fried pickles than me, so maybe that's what did it.
(2)Brent K.
the saving grace of Zarda is their sides are pretty awesome. the actual BBQ however could use some loving. I also like the fact that they have 1/4 chicken plates, which is nice. they slice their beef so thin you can see through it. very hard to enjoy the meat that way. friendly customer service and a pretty convenient location on 87th & quivera, though if you're coming from south on quivera or from east on 87th, you'll have to flip around to get to em because of the concrete islands in the road.
(3)Laurel S.
This is one of my fave BBQ places in Jo co. It's in my top 5 at least. I love their onion rings and the way they thinly slice their sausage.
(4)Robert S.
Damn good, but I got a bone to pick. I came here because I wanted to try some midwest BBQ. The biggest disappointment about this place, is it's "order at counter" style restaurant. The food is fantastic, but having to order your food at a counter made it seem like a typical fast food joint. To make things worse, there's a self-serve salad bar in the middle of the seating area. The food was really tasty. I went with the rib plate with cheesy corn and salad bar. The ribs were smokey and had a lot of flavor. Cheesy corn was okay but the salad bar was fresh and had a good variety of stuff. Price was good and the service was friendly. Overall, I had a good experience here. A little about my credentials: I first got into cooking & food when I was in college. After being rejected by numerous girls and getting zero action, I decided it was time for a change. I needed a new makeover to boost my geeky image. I applied for a cooking position at a Mediterranean-Italian Restaurant near my home and learned to cook all sorts of dishes. I never became a professional chef, but I continue to enjoy & love food. 9 years later and 55 lbs heavier, I have a new passion for traveling and trying different foods around the world.
(4)Stephanie E.
I BBQ and this place is right down the street so I can get my fix any time! It's a must try for sure! I would dare to say one of KC finest BBQ establishments!
(4)Brent H.
Not thrilled. Kansas City has much better BBQ to offer.
(2)Dorian G.
Best ribs, brisket and turkey in the city. I've eaten zarda's on numerous occasions and I've even reccomended it to out of town vistors. In a city over saturated with BBQ resturants Zarda's stands above the rest with excellent food and world class service. A special thanks to the manager Suzanne Zarda for all her help with my catering needs she always goes above and beyond to please.
(5)Joel C.
Zarda BBQ is a tough place to review - as another commented on Yelp "It's perfectly acceptable BBQ" and to me that's a very accurate summation of this place. They have a large menu, plenty of seating, and you'll probably the like the food you get. It's too bad this place has to be in KC - in many other places this would easily be the best BBQ place in town. Positives: -The cheesy potato bake is one of my favorite sides...more BBQ places need to embrace this. -I also enjoy the Sweet Hickory sauce they serve. Again, more BBQ places need to take notice, I'm a little tired of the standard mild and hot choices at most places. -Tons of seating and a large menu. Negatives: -They just don't do anything special with their meat...it's just middle of the road. The whole time I was thinking - "Man, wish we would've checked out the new OK Joes instead". There are so many BBQ restaurants in the KC metro area, and everyone has their favorite - but I don't think many usually pick Zarda. There are just too many other choices, and so many of them do a lot of really good things. And that's not to say Zarda does anything badly - they don't - it's just too middle of the road for me to visit on a regular basis.
(3)A C.
This was the start of my morning before i left KC. Im glad that we stop by here. We had the 2 meat platter with beef and sausage, with cole slaw and mac n cheese. The meat was ok. I actually enjoyed the sides better and they do offer a great variety of sides and non bbq. They also had many choices of sauce to pick from. I found that most of it was too sweet for my liking. Overall, it was ok, but i would come back to try non bbq items.
(4)Shane S.
I love BBQ and this place always hits the spot. And I love the beans! With all the choices of BBQ in town. Zarda always has a place in my heart err belly.
(4)Pam T.
Not what I was expecting all! Although the staff was very friendly, our ribs were over cooked and did not taste great at all. I'll stick to Oklahoma Joes for ribs. If you're looking for simple BBQ, this is the place. There was nothing special about their food.
(2)Rebecca W.
Zarda has a lot of Gluten Free options. Their meats are delicious. Their beans famous. And they have a sunny disposition.
(4)Zach G.
Here is the thing about Zarda - it's perfectly acceptable. It will never really be anyone's favorite BBQ in Kansas City, but it's a solid place to have as a "go-to" if in the area, or if it's Sunday and OK Joes is closed. The restaurant itself is clean, if not a big dark and run down. It could definitely use a renovation, but is not desperately in need of one. The staff are very friendly, and the menu has many choices. The food can take longer-than-it-seems-like-it-should to come out, which can be a bummer. So on to the food - like I said, it's perfectly accetable. Brisket and pork are good, the sides are OK, and the sauce is tasty. They have fried okra which is pretty neat...I'll give them that! The rib trimmin's for $3.95 are quite awesome, I'll give them that too. Lots of meat, albeit not of the best quality, for less than $4 is the perfect way to fill up on the cheap.
(3)Cordero J.
BBQ is no good I'm giving two stars instead of one because service is good. I live near by so I've been a few times hoping the next time would be better than last. Ribs are so dry we had trouble chewing them French fires are very bland as well. KC has much better to offer.
(2)Andre W.
This place came highly recommended by one of my clients as a place that had some serious KC BBQ! He set it up for me and colleague to meet him here and as soon as we walked up to the door you could smell the hickory aroma floating in the air. The guy at the register was very helpful in helping us pick some good eats. I went with the Pulled Pork Sandwich along with fries. The pork was very tender and juicy and full of flavor. The sauce was tangy and went well with the meal. It came to no surprise that I was finished first as my meal was beyond delicious and I could not put that sandwich down. I was told that this is a small local chain, but it doesnt matter cuz that was some good stuff...finger lickin' good!
(4)Stephen H.
So, what happens when it's Sunday and OK Joe's is closed? Well, if you live in my neck of the woods, you call Zarda's, place an order, and 20 minutes or so later, drive through and pick up a delicious order. The cinnamon rolls are not as awesome as at Stroud's (which, by the way, makes better cinnamon rolls than they fry chicken). It's hard to find bad bbq in Kansas City. Here's another example of that.
(4)Mandy J.
Horrible customer service. I had been wanting to try Zarda's for a while but after today, I'm never going back. I placed an order for pick up. I got to the pick up window at the time they told me it would be ready but ended up waiting another 10 minutes for my order. I did a quick look through of my order to make sure everything was there. Of course I didn't realize until I got home that one of my side orders was missing. I drove all the way back there to get the side and asked if i could get another side for free since they messed up my order. The boy behind the counter said they "couldn't give out free food just because I lost my side", accusing me of "losing" it. Usually restaurants will be very accommodating when things like this happen however they chose to accuse me losing my food and would not compensate me for having to drive back. The least they could have done is given me a coupon for my next visit however, they chose to do nothing which is unacceptable.
(1)Kip L.
Here's a new one for me. Just start going here few years ago. While not my favorite barbecue restaurant, it is certainly one of the better ones in Kansas City. They have a broader menu then most barbecue places having cheesy corn is a must here. They have several unique barbecue sauces. I like the original sauce best and always take some back home with us.
(5)Mauricio C.
My 1st visit was OK so when I came back to Kansas I was looking forward to go a get some ribs. So I went at a dinner time and I was so disappointed, I got the half slab with mac n cheese and fries and everything tasted like it has been warmed in the microwave because after 3 minutes I was eating cold ribs. Also the rib where very dry and way over cooked. Very disappointed. Not coming back. The next time in Kansas I'll choose other place.
(2)Jeanie W.
The good: Cheesy potato bake, fries (hot steak fries, love them with extra salt), cheesy corn, I always order the turkey sandwich and a side. The deserts are TO DIE FOR, even though they are made at a local bakery. The red velvet is awesome. The bad: Meat consistency: sometimes my turkey is dry and sometimes it is really moist, I don't care either way, I smother it in sauce, but it's just something to be aware of. I like the regular sauce and the spicy sauce. I went through the drive thru, they forgot my desert and gave me the wrong side. I called and they sent me a coupon for a free meal to replace it. I didn't feel like driving back to the store. Either way, they made it right very quickly.
(4)Angela W.
I like all of their food. Normally I buy a beef and turkey with a side of fries, salad, and maybe some cole slaw or fried pickles... I like all of their sauces. Not my very favorite bbq, but this location is close to home with fast service.
(4)Rob M.
Zarda's is close to where my folks live and its one of our "go-to" places when my Mom doesn't feel like cooking! Usually we order sandwiches to go but sometimes order a slab of ribs. At the restaurant you order at the counter and they call your number when your order is ready, even for dining in. I haven't used the drive-thru -- I always go inside and order. Service is usually fast and they've always gotten the orders right. I notice that the cashier always checks the bag against the order to be sure everything is included. When I get a sandwich I usually go for the large beef brisket sandwich and I've always found it good and satisfying. My Mom likes the smoked turkey sandwich, and my Dad enjoys the chopped burnt ends sandwich. Zarda's coleslaw (a side order) is good, and I guess it must be popular because I've seen it sold in some area grocery stores and Costco! The thick fries are good, too. Zarda's standard BBQ sauce is on the sweet side, tasty and not too spicy. I wouldn't say Zarda's is the best BBQ in town, but it's good and we've always been satisfied with our food there.
(4)Jay G.
Ribs had a good sauce taste but the meat was terrible, left a bad aftertaste like they used the wrong wood or something
(2)Chris L.
One of my all time favorite bbq's. But then again, I worked there over 30 years ago now. Started as a bus boy and ended in the kitchen before moving on to college. Ate there last night. Love everything there. I love how simple and tangy the sauce is. The beef is always moist and the burnt ends are the best in the city.
(5)Ryan G.
Smoked meat makes up for the soggy fries and sides that include processed cheese.
(3)Chris A.
The BBQ is fantastic. I love their brisket & turkey. The salad bar should be taken out or done right. It's a joke.
(4)Paul A.
I love that there were 15 or so people in front of us this evening, but we ordered, paid, got our drinks and our dinners were ready within 5 minutes. Great smoked flavor and the onion rings went well with everything. We will be coming back
(4)Kandace M.
As a lover of burnt ends and sweeter bbq sauce, Zarda is a winner! The ends are juicy with some nice fatty bits and covered but not swimming in sauce. The beans are nice and thick and sweet. I jazz them up with hot sauce for a little kick. Great casual and friendly atmosphere. Good for kids as they really can't disrupt or break anything. Also crazy good baked items for sale at the counter. A rarity at a bbq joint!
(4)Jay W.
Zarda Q holds a special place in my heart since this is where I was initiated into the world of real BBQ (I'm from Canada). I remember driving around Lenexa wondering if there was a fire somewhere because there was this lingering smell of smoke in the air... As I got closer, the smell started to get stronger and stronger and that's when I saw the smoke coming out of the stack at Zarda Q. I immediately parked my vehicle and walked into BBQ heaven. I remember ordering a sampler platter with all the fixings and tried all of their different sauces. My first taste of burnt ends at Zarda Q was the start of what would be my never ending quest for the best BBQ in the country! Since that day, I've been to all of the major players in the world of KC BBQ. Zarda's kind of in the middle of that list since I'm not a big fan of their sliced meats, but nevertheless, their BBQ is better than anything I can get back home. You can buy their sauces for cheap at Walmart and Target, but I keep a stash of their sauce in the back of my cupboard back home so that nobody uses it but me!
(3)Danielle E.
I love Zarda BBQ. We went last night for the kids eat free night(Wednesday's). If you have children, this is the time to go. The kids gettheir meal, which comes with a side and a drink for FREE with purchase of adult meal that equals $9.50 or more. It's the best choice for our family. I had the Rib Plate that came with 2 sides and a drink. The Ribs were tender and smokey; Delicious! I got the Baked Beans as one of my sides. These were some of the best I've ever had! This is quickly becoming a regular spot for our family.
(4)Kev L.
1/2 lb Rib Trim for $3.50?????? I won't waste your time on this review, but if you like ribs, try the rib trim. It's the part of the ribs usually discarded because it looks ugly and isn't as juicy as the core part. Take it to go and use your own sauce. Zardas's sauce ain't as disgusting as Smoking joe's, but it's bad enough to replace it with say a Gates Sweet & Mild or Okie Joe's night of the living sauce. Beware Rib trim is not always on the menu and is available only when they got it lying around.
(4)Becky M.
This is my go-to BBQ joint when I'm in the mood for some good BBQ! Great burnt ends, coleslaw, and beans. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I love the brisket because most places are real fatty and kind of gross to eat, but theirs is very lean and delicious. Keep up the great work!
(4)Justin M.
I always thought the Blue Springs Zarda was the best location, but Lenexa has won me over. Zarda isn't the best BBQ in KC, but it's far from the worst. I still can't endorse the "Average Joe" as it's just a rip off of an Oklahoma Joe's classic, and now it appears they've moved on to ripping off Jack Stack's side items (cheesy corn and potato bake) too. The shame in their menu theft is that their food could stand up well on it's own. The meats are pretty good here and so are the fries. I'd probably rather go to Zarda than Bryant's or Gates, especially for ham, ribs, or sausage, but I don't think the brisket compares as favorably to other KC BBQ joints. I wish they'd invest their time improving their own BBQ rather than imitating others.
(4)Tony J.
Thought it was ok until I saw them microwaving the meat in the back. That to me is not BBQ and if its been sitting around long enough to need warming then it must not be very good.
(2)Stephanie P.
Some of the best BBQ. They have a wonderful selection of meats and even a salad bar. Their fries are crisp and hot and they have several varieties of BBQ sauces to choose from.
(4)N A.
The wife and I started with Jack Balls and they were delicious. For the entree we had Billy Butler sandwiches also amazing. This will be our new goto place for great KC BBQ. Total with drinks was around $26 bucks. $10 bucks cheaper and an hour faster than the "other guy". Service was quick for late dinner.
(5)Tresha G.
First off I will say I like my bbq sauce more on the sweet side. So all the vinegar loving bbqers (authur bryant, gates, etc) beware, this place has sweet sauce. That being said, I have loved this place for years. My favorite order use to be 1lb of rib trimmins because they are cheap and good. I've moved up to more expensive taste and always get a 1lb of burnt ends. Really like the smoked meats. Although, anything over a lb needs to be called in for the drive-thru. I've only eaten inside a couple times. Their drive-thru is wonderful. Wish more bbq places had them. They've recently upgraded the drive-thru menu to more items such as the pepper balls! I tried ordering them from seeing them on the menu online before the upgrade and was told no, it took to long to cook. Apparently, it doesn't now... They've always gotten my orders right. Even when roomie just wants smoked meat, no sauce. She's not a fan of ANY bbq sauce. It shocks me they will get it right because this place loves to dish out extra sauce to you.
(5)Lisa L.
I have been eating here since High School and find the food to be good. I usually always get the turkey sandwich with fries. The turkey is thinly sliced just the way I like it and the BBQ sauce is not sweet or hickory flavor. Sort of in between but when you eat it you can tell it's Zarda's. The fries are big almost like steak fries but really good too. The inside is really nice and kept really clean. You never see tables with trash and the floors are always clean. Overall I will continue to eat here for years to come.
(4)Ryan S.
The most underrated KC BBQ spot in my opinion.. Not to mention very good prices for the quality. I've spent 20 years eating Kansas City BBQ and Zarda is consistently overlooked and understandably so with the options in the area.
(5)Kim N.
My husband & I have decided to try every BBQ joint in KC. Yes I said every one. This may take a while so please be patient as I review them. We started with Zarda, Wyandot and Bates BBQ tonight. I ordered one mixed platter from each joint & I will share in the reviews what each joint has on their mixed plate. I brought them home put a little of each item on our plates and the tasting began. We scored each item and then tallied up to see which one won. I will go into details about each item in the reviews. This is my review of Zarda if my husband wants his opinion heard he can get a Yelp account. Zarda was the most expensive. I ordered a #5 that has two meats that comes with bread, two sides and a drink. I ordered the beef, pork, beans and potato salad. I also ordered a Rib snack that also came with bread. This order came to $16.23. Of the three places we tried Zarda had the 2nd most food, but it had the best tasting pork, beef and beans. The pork melted in your mouth it had a great smoky flavor and a nice spicy BBQ sauce on it. The Beef had a sweeter sauce that played off the smoke perfectly and it was sliced nice and thin. The beans were smoky, with hints of onion and garlic and just spicy enough. The things I did not like about Zarda were the ribs and potato salad. The ribs were dry, over cooked and you had to pull them off the bone. A good rib will be one where the meat falls off the bone. The potato salad was runny and not very flavorful in my opinion, I like mustard in my potato salad and I could not taste any in theirs. Of the 3 we tasted today I like Zarda the best. So for now they rank #1, this will probably change as we eat at more places. Now we have eaten at these 3 places before but to be fair we will eat at all the places we have eaten at before plus new ones so they are on a fair standing.
(4)Jason G.
The good: The large, thick cut fries are amazing. Dare I say some of the best in KC? That pretty much sums up everything Zarda has going for it...and that is quite sad. The bad: So I've eaten here on many occassions (always unwillingly at someone else's request). I typically order the large sandwich combo for $8.95. For that price you would expect a fairly decent-sized plate with a good possibility that you would be walking out of there with a styrofoam box. However, without fail, I am always disappointed to find a paper thin layer of beef, turkey, pork, etc. sandwiched between a thick bread roll with a weak serving of fries. I would gladly overlook the lackluster portion size if the BBQ quality were up to par, but Zarda falls short again. Their sandwiches are ALWAYS cold, their runny BBQ sauces just don't do it for me (especially the Original), and I just can't find any redeeming quality about their meat. For $8.95+, there is definitely better BBQ to be had in KC. I urge any out-of-towners looking to sample KC's finest to skip Zarda.
(2)Raquel C.
OK this one is short and sorta sweet. I only eat here when im in the area and i dont want fast food (which I NEVER want fast food) the bbq is just ok not extra special, but enough to satisfy my appetite. when I want to go out for some serious BBQ I dont come here. I like em spicy and their original sauce is just to bland for me (thats a personal preferance) :)
(3)Steve P.
This place looks the part. And met my expectations. I had the rib plate with two sides. HUGE! Beans and slaw were great as well. Nothing fancy, just great eating at a reasonable price. $15 for the whole deal. Now that's KC Bar-B-Q. GO FOR IT!
(4)Max H.
Wish I could give a 3.5. Zarda starts with a strike against it for being so far out into JoCo. While it was a good 20 minute drive out there for lunch, a BOGO coupon from the KC Star made it worth the drive. First, the restaurant is huge. Service is prompt with multiple registers to move the crowd through quickly. We split a burnt end sandwich and rib meal. Both were good, but not memorable. Fries were very good and well done. There were four or five sauces to choose from, but the original was the best. I'd return if I was in the area and in the mood for BBQ, but it is definitely not worth an out of the way drive.
(3)Randy M.
had the BBQ cater an event - tasty food with affordable pricing. We had the ribs, chicken and brisket. The beans are sweet and tangy - coleslaw was good and the potato salad was above average. Their sauce is zesty and great on the brisket
(4)Nathan B.
Not the mecca of KC bbq but it'll do if you're in lenexa/overland park area. But i've never heard of the Creeper beans or Creeper sauce that I saw on Food Network's "heat seekers" show! gonna have to try!
(3)Sean W.
Went here trying to find a authentic BBQ place near my hotel while searching on Yelp. It was close, waited for it to open for lunch at 11am. Right on the corner of an intersection, plenty of parking, plenty of seating. Appears they have a rich family heritage to the place and menu. Typical menu options and sides. Kinda pricy for a quick lunch, but avg to BBQ. I got a platter of burnt ends and coleslaw and beans. Beans were awesome, cole slaw okay (stayed with me for hours), decent portion of end chunks on some toast.
(3)Marti O.
This was my LAST trip to Zarda's after many years of eating there. I ordered 1/2 lb. of beef (which is on the carryout menu) in the drive-thru and was told I'd have to go inside to get it. What? They'll slap a little meat on a soggy bun but won't sell the meat plain.? I wasn't dressed to go in after working in the yard, so I ordered a sandwich & threw the bun away. When they first offered sweet potato fries you had to go inside to get those too. The rude kid at the window informed me that "Zarda is one of a few places where you can get BBQ at the drive-thru." Yeah I know - I drove past Bates just because I didn't want to go inside. From now on, I'll go to the closer, less expensive and friendlier Bates. Bye, bye Zarda.
(3)Kristin L.
I would come here and order burnt ends and cheesy corn pretty much any day of the week! Food always comes out quickly, is piping hot and I've never had a complaint with any of it.
(3)Jason T.
I had lunch at this Zarda BBQ today and it was excellent. I was surprised when I read some of the other reviews here on Yelp.com and can only assume that the hundreds of raving Zarda BBQ fans don't know about Yelp.com yet. :) I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, onion rings, BBQ beanies and a soda. Everything a growing boy needs. (grin) The woman that took my order had a smile and was friendly. The food came out quickly and was piping hot. The restaurant was clean and full, even at 2pm (I had a late lunch) Zarda BBQ is a Kansas City tradition and I am proud to give them five stars and hope other fans get off their rears and write some posts in here!
(5)Robin H.
Round #4, Stop #1 on my continuing quest of KC Q. Went back to Zarda's. It is close and quick for lunch. This time I ate in with a gaggle of my students. Had the pulled pork and sausage with a side of slaw and sweet potato fries. The pork was good, the slaw was good, the sausage was lacking and the sweet potato fries were tasty but not outstanding. Overall an OK lunch.
(3)Joe H.
Zarda does not serve KC style BBQ as far as I am concerned, but it isn't bad. I most definitely wouldn't take someone from out of town here if they were trying to get Kansas City barbecue. All of their meats come very thinly sliced. I've had the pork, turkey, ham, and their so called pulled pork. They were all decent except the pulled pork because it isn't what I consider to be pulled pork (or wasn't last time I had it, it has been a while). When I got the pulled pork it was more of a sloppy joe type sandwich than true pulled pork. As I said, it has been quite a while since I've had it because it was so disappointing. I did have it more than once however because I forgot what they were sending out as pulled pork. Anyway, if you are looking for some quick drive-thru barbecue, go ahead and stop in at Zarda.
(3)C Jude S.
The ribs were tough, the burnt ends were too burnt, the beans were "eh" and the fries were cold. The chicken was probably the best thing on the sampler plate I ordered. And the sauces were pretty interesting. The combination of these should have been 2 to 3 stars. But this Zarda has a problem - Poor Service. I asked one of the order takers a question about their sauces. He basically said, just go try some of them and pointed to the ones that were out on tables that weren't cleaned off yet. Then after a few minutes he decided to add THIS bit of golden advice: "I can't really tell the difference. The only one that is different to me is the Sweet Hickory. It's thicker and has molasses in it." What a genius. First of all, it's NOT thicker. It's extremely thin. It was not so much what he said, but HOW he said it. What a dolt.
(1)Dave L.
The pulled pork at Zarda is very good. It's a much better option than their thinly sliced meats, smokier and a better texture.
(3)Ks K.
Most tender burnt ends I've had in KC so far. Brought to our site & everyone loved it!
(4)Joy P.
Mmmm, BBQ. Why is it so difficult for Californians to get it right? While Zarda isn't the best BBQ nor is it the snazziest of places, it is pretty damn delicious in my book. Their standard BBQ sauce is on the sweeter side and their hot sauce won't make you cry uncle, but the spices are a perfect blend for those burnt ends. Yummers. It's inexpensive and very casual - no need to get all gussied up for this joint. While the interior could probably use an update, the old school booths and feel give it a certain je ne sais quoi. Hubby folklore states that this location used to be an Adidas store before the Zarda's took over. Now don't go spreading any rumors.
(4)Modibo S.
The other reviewers are locals; I'm not. Also, I never, ever have barbeque, at least not ribs. I don't even know where you go for barbeque in Chicago, where I'm from. So I may not be the best judge. But I just finished a rib plate from Zarda, and I thought the ribs themselves were very good. Very tender, and nicely smokey. As I walked through my hotel lobby I imagined the staff were all looking at me enviously! The plate offered a good size portion (to my ignorant mind) of about half a dozen ribs, with both center and burnt ends. it cost about $12 for the combo of ribs, drink, and two sides. The meat pretty much fell off the bones. The sauce itself isn't really smokey. I got two kinds of sauce on the side - the original and the sweet hickory. The hickory had a nice aroma but it was too sweet for me (duh!), so I just enjoyed the ribs as they came, with a glazing of sauce from the cooking. On the side I had baked beans which were very tasty, with lots of bits of meat in them. They weren't bland like other baked beans. The corn on the cob, on the other hand, was poor - soft and soggy. Not worth it at all, to me. I don't know what else I might have gotten though. underneath the ribs were two slices of Wonder-style bread absorbing some of the extra sauce, and a nice crispy pickle was wrapped up in its own little baggy to cut through the richness of the ribs. Unsweetened iced tea with lemon was the perfect drink to have with the meal as lunch. If I was eating in, I might have a Boulevard beer with it, which they have on draft. I'd want the porter, though - looked like they only had the wheat beer which probably couldn't stand up to the ribs. Would I go here again? Hell yeah. Is it the best BBQ in KC? Hell if I know. I've gotten lost too much in three days to worry about finding the best ribs here.
(4)Erik H.
I lived nearby for years and I never went wrong with the burnt ends or sliced sausage sandwiches. Burnt ends here are flavorful and never fatty. Fries are thick and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Great lunch spot.
(4)Matthew G.
Now that LC's off of 95th and I-35 is closed, this is probably the closest BBQ place for many folks in JoCo. The food is good here: Not great, not bad. Rather generic BBQ at decent prices. Take out is good here too if you are in a pinch for a party. If this restaurant were in Phoenix or Vegas, I'd give it 5 stars just to have authentic KC BBQ! :)
(3)Keith W.
If your from KC you know there are better BBQ joints then this. But if you're like me and not in KC anymore then you know its still better then most BBQ joints. I find it kind of bland but my wife finds it a little easier to handle overall a nice cheap BBQ joint
(4)Adam S.
Since the damn good Zarda in Overland Park has closed, I've been up a creek to find good bar-be-que. Unfortunately, the north (the original? i don't know) up on 87th street is the worst type of bar-be-que joint there is. The help don't want to be there, and one gets the feeling you're not welcome. I got the runs from the north location's food. It goes in good, but comes out with a vengeance. Maybe they've fixed their problems, but I doubt it. Places like these rarely can get back on their feet. Two stars for the memory of the Overland Park location, otherwise it would be one.
(2)Michael P.
Zarda doesn't typically come to mind when you think about Kansas City's big BBQ establishments, but it deserves better press & their demands attention. My trips to Zarda over the years have always been outstanding. Ordering inside (cafeteria style) is a cinch. Sandwiches don't disappoint and the helpings are always heaping. Their ribs are on par with other joints around the area. Succulent, tasty, and oversized, a full slab is about 22 bucks and is the same cut as Gates. You'll only get 5 ribs at gates for 13 - 15 bucks compared to 12 or so from Zarda. One HUGE bonus is the drive-thru line. If the line isn't too long, you'll be in and out in a jiffy. It's a big help with a kid in the car and not wanting to run inside to wait for carry out. Don't compare Zarda to their supermarket offerings - there really isn't a parallel. What you will find at the Zarda location is great food for reasonable BBQ prices. Don't miss a trip today.
(4)Jess J.
By far the most underwhelming BBQ I've had in KC. Not awful or offensive food, just utterly..."eh." And when there is certainly no shortage of really satisfying BBQ, why resign yourself to "eh?" The meat's okay, but not memorable. Sandwiches do come on soft rolls, v. White bread sandwich slices, so that's kind of nice. Fries are alright, thick cut steak fries that are pretty baked potato-ey in the middle, so if crispy thinner or crinkle fries are your jam, be forewarned, these are not those. Cheesy corn was not so good..soupy and likely made with canned corn. Sauce is pretty nondescript, like a generic supermarket brand, or nugget dunking tub at McD's...even the supposed zesty spicy one. Overall, better than going hungry, service was quick and pleasant, place was clean and inoffensive. Price was in line with the standard, though portions werent amazingLy generous. Only problem is that it's just...mediocre, and unfortunately, this is the wrong town in which to serve mediocre BBQ.
(2)Brian S.
Called in order for pick up Expensive, bad customer service, small portions and food was cold.
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