Bates-City-Bar-B-Que-Shawnee, KS I heard it was good

I had heard from several sources that this BBQ place in Missouri was rated one of the best if not the best. I had to check it out. When I found that there was another one in close by Shawnee, KS, I took a trip while on the way to a meeting. It is easy to find and has a good sized area for sitting. The staff is personable. Burnt ends were the choice for my wife and I wanted the brisket and burnt ends plate. It was difficult to make up my mind between the plates, sandwiches , and dinners. I should have looked at the ( take out ) menu first which explained a little better what each entree delivers. I chose the burnt ends and brisket combination platter ,as I love both and wanted to compare these to the ones I have judged on the BBQ circuit ( I am a certified KCBS BBQ judge) and restaurants. About 1/3 of the styrofoam box was meat and the rest was an enourmous amount of crispy addictive long fries. So there was a good amount of meat enough to make sub sandwich and have more left over for later. The meats were both smokey and had lots of flavor. The burnt ends were meaty and chunky and while good the meat was not that moist. Their sauce had a smokey,molasses and slightly tangy flavor and was good and thick. The coleslaw was very unremarkable being shredded green cabbage with mild sweet flavor. The baked beans had a tomato signature but little else. Next time I would try the turkey and skip the sides and the fries. The meats are definitely the best here and the sauce is pretty good addition. Glad I came and found out what it is all about. Not my best BBQ place but in my top 10. Definitely worth another visit in the future.

Great BBQ but forget the ambiance

I had heard about BBQ in this place. I finally found it. It is not anything to look at inside or outside. I ordered burnt ends. I got the order and it was literally full of burnt ends, not the measly little bunch you get at other BBQ places (like Foreilla). It lined the whole Styrofoam box. That is what you pay for - the meat. If you want sides that is extra but hey I came for the meat and the BBQ just that is a good deal. My wife and I made 5 good sandwiches out of it. The burnt ends were meaty, had plenty of flavor and were succulent the way one would expect a little char but not too much. The sauce was some of the best. Try this place when you are nearby. You will be glad you did.