This is what the sign in the kitchen reads at Gates Bar.B.Q. in Independence, Missouri, a city which is not known for its cuisine. When we visit we generally accept that it will be a trip punctuated by once-or-twice-daily trips to whichever fast food establishment currently holds my grandparents’ favor. Currently, we are big fans of Wendy’s, which is admittedly a big step up from last winter’s turn at Arby’s, and we ate there some.
On Friday night, we visited Gates as a reprieve from these fast food standards. From the outside, this could only be a barbecue joint, it just has that look about it. Walking towards the door we saw the long line winding out, and as we got nearer, we began to hear the Gates signature calls of “Hi – May I help you?!” from the two order-takers at the front of the cafeteria-style line.
They take your order well before you are far enough up to actually read the menu, but it doesn’t really matter; it’s barbecue – you know what they have. You do need to pick up on the lingo pretty quick – asking for “extra sauce” will be translated for you on read-back as “heavy on the sauce,” but you must figure out how to say “to stay” or “to take” to get the right kind of containers.
The line mistresses seem to have been hired for their booming voices and flawless memories: they’re handling three or four parties’ orders all at once, and I’ve never heard a slip: we alone ordered a few slabs (that’s ribs), and a mixed plate (short ends (more ribs), brisket, ham, and fries), cole slaw, barbecue beans, a bud light, a Budweiser, a Coors light, and some waters. Three dollar beers!! Three dollar beers!! Three dollar beers!!
Our orders all landed on our trays, we paid (about $67.00), and carried our haul to sit at one of the dark wood and leather seat booths to begin the mess-making. This is some fantastic barbecue, the ribs especially, with edges just-caramelized to crispy perfection, leaving the meat inside tender, juicy and flavorful. The brisket was tender, rich, and yummy, the ham juicy and tasty. The fries were, well, fries, and quite good at soaking up the copious quantities of sauce flung far and wide. The beans were fantastic, among the best baked beans I’ve ever had. They were sweet, but sweetness was only secondary to the rich, smoky flavors of the beans and sauce. The only complaint I had about the food was the slaw: too creamy for my tastes, with not enough bite. My parents thought it tasted good, but agreed that the texture wasn’t quite right. Friendly wait staff are all too happy to bring you more beer, and clear your piles of bones, as you eat. We had left-over ham and ribs for two days after the meal, and will say that the ribs, at least, were every bit as good that way.
This is some really good barbecue, so if you’re in the Kansas City area, I highly recommend making a trip to one of their six locations. I bought a bottle of the tangy, smokey sauce, and was thrilled to discover that Gates has an extensive website, complete with a number of enticing recipes.
Gates Bar.B.Q.
10440 East 40 Highway
Independence, MO
816-353-5880