The secret to Hayward’s is one simple word: consistency.
Owner Eric Sweeney started working for founder Hayward Spears when the restaurant first opened in 1972. Asked what hedoes differently from Spears since he took over in 2013, Sweeney answers with another single word: “nothin’.” He bought the recipes for the rubs and sauce and has left them intact.
Sweeney hasn’t been at Hayward’s the whole time; he spent decades working in classic Kansas City institutions including Houston’s, Plaza III and Joe’s Kansas City (when it was still Oklahoma Joe’s).
Today, Hayward’s is a family operation, with Sweeney’s wife, son and daughter-in-law playing key roles. Bestselling items include burnt ends, pulled pork, the Hayward’s Hash sandwich (chopped beef brisket and pork rib tip meat on a toasted sesame hoagie roll) and DJ’s Mushroom & Swiss sandwich (sliced brisket, Swiss cheese and fried portabella mushroom caps with horseradish sauce). A recent addition is pork belly burnt ends that are cured in-house, then smoked and deep fried.
Meats are served unsauced. Items sampled on a recent visit included tender, smoky pork ribs; lean, moist and flavorful pulled pork; and absolutely delightful burnt ends—moist, tender, smoky and deftly seasoned. Deep fried sides such as onion rings and okra were crisp and non-greasy.
Hayward’s meats are smoked with 100 percent hickory wood, a practice many pitmasters frown on, believing it imparts a harsh flavor. Sweeney’s take: “Oh, you can over-smoke it, for sure.” To prevent that, he separates his briskets into flat and point cuts and smokes them separately so they don’t have to linger too long in the pit.
“I’m not really a patient guy, but I am with barbecue,” Sweeney says. “It tells you when it’s ready.”
Runners-Up
Big T’s Bar-B-Q
A quintessential BBQ joint that harkens back to the city’s East Side barbecue origins.
Jack Stack Barbecue
jackstackbbq.com, various locations
Founded in 1957 as a storefront joint, second-generation owner Jack Fiorella pioneered KC ’cue’s move to upscale settings and service, adding menu items such as fresh fish, steaks and smoked lamb ribs.
Gates Bar-B-Q
gatesbbq.com, various locations
A Kansas City institution with roots stretching back to 1946. Occasional inconsistency can be an issue, but at its best, it’s as good as it gets.
Rosedale Bar-B-Q
“Smoking since 1935.” Another classic counter-service joint offering brisket, ham, pork, turkey, ribs and chicken with traditional sides. In addition to the succulent smoked meats, it’s also known for its trademark super-crispy crinkle-cut fries served in a waxed paper bag.
