Bates City Bar-B-Q

Pulled pork was excellent, burnt ends were good, ribs were good. Sides are all ordered separate from the meat but we had a large group and were able to try all the sides. The beans were awesome!
Portions were large enough for two kids to share one order. Service was friendly. We took off one star because although the sauce was good, the rub on the meat was lacking.

We were in Bates City and I wanted to try Bates City Bar-​b-​q.
I found it clean, sparse and bar-​b-​q delicious. They have the general bar-​b-​q restaurant menu, and I ordered the burnt ends plate, fries and baked beans. We were quickly served. The burnt ends were delicious, the best I’ve had since I ate at Jack Stacks. The BBQ sauce was not too tart or sweet or spicy. It had the right balance to almost be perfect. Burnt ends: There were so many, I ate half and took the rest home.
The baked beans were really good and stayed hot for a very long time. Not spicy or too sweet, again, a perfect balance.
The fries, there were alot of them, were crunchy and tasty. I like these kind of fries, not too seasoned, not salty or greasy.
All the food had this perfect balance of flavor, smoked but not spicy. I really liked it.
I’ll be stopping at Bates City Bar-​b-​q when I’m in the area. No complaints, good food, clean. They serve you at the counter. I think it’s about all there is in Bates City and it’s delicious.

We had ham, pulled pork, coleslaw, fries and ribs. Everything was excellent. The place is right off the hwy. we stopped based on reviews. It’s a hole and the wall and even though the food was good service was just ok. They were not overly welcoming or friendly but still attentive.

Being that I met Jeremy 17 years ago while he was living in Bates City I have been to this place multiple times. It’s been a while but I was back last week. This is my original BBQ place and I love it. Their ham is delicious and moist. Their sauce is my favorite BBQ sauce, it is not too tangy, not too smokey, not too sweet. It is just right. I like their fries. They are fresh cut and full of grease but cooked just right. Absolutely my favorite BBQ joint.

I would give 5 stars, but being from Los Angeles I don’t feel like I’m well-​versed enough in midwest BBQ to make such claims.
My boyfriend and I stopped in during our cross country roadtrip. Very easy access off the freeway and not in the busy city. We LOVED everything we had.
I ordered the plate with three kinds of meats, and since they were out of ham, I ended up with burnt ends beef (which I had never heard of, ha). Definitely recommend! It was our favorite of all we tried. Also, I couldn’t get enough of the sauce they had in their bottles!
The staff was very friendly and the venue was clean.

This Bates City BBQ is the only place I will eat BBQ at. I’ve been going here my whole life. Fries and beans are my favorite and you must eat them together, only time you’ll at fries with a fork. The sauce is amazing, and so are the meats. The workers are super friendly and they make sure to make you feel at home.

Driving across the country having our souls sucked dry by the endless sea of fast food chains and Olive Gardens, TGIFs, and Ruby Tuesdays, etc. Found this s-​m-​a-​l-​l town BBQ place just off I70 on Unilocal for dinner. My wife liked the small-​town vibe — like where she grew up — where everyone new each other. Physically, it’s just a functional space with no frills. The burnt ends were good and the ribs excellent. The pulled pork was just OK for me, but as we are from the mid-​Atlantic, we have strong opinions on pulled pork BBQ. The sides were interesting. The beans were more ranch like than sweet, with noticeable green bell pepper. Potato salad was fine, a little on the pickle-​ly side. The cole slaw was really different for us, white but we liked it. Staff was fun and pleasant. Price for two was about $ 20. A definite find — solid, real world, old time, real. This place is definitely worth a visit! bf

Good not great, beats any bbq back home and in STL but not the best I’ve had.
Cool how u can see the smoker inside and out back.

Great BBQ. I had the combo and loved it. Worth the little detour off the main highway exit

Was driving east on I70 and was wanting BBQ passed right through KC and about 20 miles later I found the reason for not stopping in KC at Bates City BBQ in a place called Bates City imagine that. All I can say is it was as good as it gets. Grand Daughter behind the counter, so we know it’s family owned. The young lady at the cash register was a little confused when I asked if they came out and checked on the tables for tips. Great place do yourself a favor skip the KC crowd and come on to Bates City.

I adore this place. It’s a small restaurant in a tiny town, but they make awesome food and it’s a family-​friendly place through and through. It’s the kind of place where all the men, no matter how dirty their work pants and shoes are, have their shirts tucked in, and people wear their overalls and suspenders out of practicality, not to make a fashion statement. Their barbecue sauce is sweet and delicious, and their baked beans and fries are to die for. The restaurant is always clean, and they even cater too. My dad lives not too far away so I grew up coming here, and even 15 years later the food hasn’t changed. I live in California now but places like these make me miss Missouri so much when I’m gone.

Get a beef sami some fries and beans. I’m not a slaw guy. Slather everything with extra sauce. Enjoy. I’ve even had them cater a family gathering.

If it is still there try it. I grew up about a mile from the restaurant I think they use cattlemans sauce very bland but the food is still very good