I’m not going to recommend you book a flight to Chicago just so you can eat at the O.G. Bandits barbecue restaurant at KCI Airport. No restaurant is that good.
But show up a couple of hours early for your next flight and make your way to Concourse B to enjoy their burnt ends, smoked chicken, “corn ribs” and other delights? Yeah, definitely do that.
O.G. Bandits, run by the husband-wife team of Josh Farley and Ashton Smith (O.G. stands for Oak Grove, where the family lives), earned their coveted airport location by winning the second annual Made for KC BBQ Championship contest, sponsored by the airport. The contest awards $25,000 and a one-year licensing contract for the airport space. They took over the space on March 1, replacing last year’s winner, Smoke ‘n Magic.
Their ’cue is classic Kansas City style, cooked low and slow in the on-premise wood-fired smokers provided by the airport (and there is nothing more Kansas City than an airport with real smokers). The result is smoked meat as hot, fresh, juicy and flavorful as you’ll find in the best retail joints, which is simply remarkable for an airport concession.
Smith is officially the chief chef. She wanted to combine classic barbecue dishes such as sandwiches and platters with a few twists. One is their “meat mix”—a combination of chopped brisket, sausage, chicken and pork served over their nachos or mac and cheese. They also offer both brisket and sausage versions of their burnt ends.
The nachos are built on a bed of house-made potato chips, Smith says, because they just hold up better than corn chips under a mountain of meat and melted cheese. O.G. Bandits offers three sauce options: Original, Saddle Up Sweet Heat with a peppery kick, and Tangy Tumbleweed with more vinegar than the original. Their homemade rubs and sauces are sold on their website and by numerous local and national retailers.
The most unusual and creative menu item, though, is their corn ribs. They carve a whole ear of fresh corn lengthwise into rib-shaped strips, season with their rub, then dip in batter and deep fry. They are as tasty as they are unique.
And yes, as an all-day operation, they offer breakfast until 10 am. Choices include a breakfast bowl—tater tots and scrambled eggs topped with meat mix, cheese sauce, jalapenos and a drizzle of barbecue sauce—and a breakfast sandwich with sausage or bacon, egg, cheese, guacamole and tomato served on sourdough.
“We entered the first contest and, frankly, we didn’t do well at all,” Smith says. “We weren’t sure about entering the second year, but hey, you can’t win if you don’t try.”
When their contract expires in February 2025, they don’t plan on slowing down. They’re putting the finishing touches on a food truck they just bought and will continue competing in contests and catering.
But the family has dreams for something more permanent. “What we really want to do is open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Kansas City someday,” Farley says.
