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Kansas City doesn’t just eat well — it eats bold. And few TV shows capture that same unapologetic love of flavor, grit and character like Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."
Since 2007, Guy Fieri’s tour of American roadside gems has shined a national spotlight on humble heroes of the kitchen, places where recipes descend from wooden-spoon-wielding grandmas, mouthwatering scents hang thick in the air and no one leaves hungry.
It’s no surprise that Kansas City, with its deep barbecue roots and indie culinary scene, has become a recurring stop on the way to Flavortown.
Kansas City has made it 22 times onto "Diners, Driver-Ins and Dives." Some spots are legends. Others are hidden in plain sight. All of them have a story, a signature dish and the Guy Fieri stamp of approval.
And some of these restaurants you might recognize from KCUR’s very own Adventures — game recognize game.
And the show’s impact is very real. After restaurants get the “Fieri Bump,” they often report weeks of nonstop crowds after their episode airs. Some have to hire extra staff, and one Kansas City establishment even sold out of brisket for a month.
So, where in the city did Guy first stop? That would be Grinders, the Crossroads pizza shop and concert venue, way back in 2008 in Season 2.
His most recent return? Pigwich, a sandwich shop/butcher hybrid that’s as Kansas City as it gets: local meats, zero pretense, full flavor.
Here we’ll tour every Kansas City-area restaurant featured on DDD (pronounced "Triple D"), a flavorful scavenger hunt that covers a diversity of dishes from pasta to the obligatory burnt ends.
While some of the dishes Guy tried may not be on the menu anymore, you’re certain to find the same from-scratch cooking and big flavors.
Downtown, Crossroads, and River Market
Banksia | 1183 Main St., ste. 120, Kansas City, MO 64105 | $$
Fieri visited Banksia Bakehouse at its now-closed location at 109 W. 9th St., but this business now has two spot opens: one downtown (dubbed Banksia Bistro) and a cafe in South Plaza. Guy sampled the pork and fennel sausage roll: “pastry dough that’s layered with butter, folded 1,000 times and wrapped around a tender house-made sausage.” “That is its own entity, and it is dynamite,” he declared.
Grinders | 417 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108 | $$
A funky spot known for its New York-style pizzas and eclectic vibe. Guy featured their “Chili Bomb Pie,” a pizza topped with tater tots and, yep, chili. The Crossroads shop is also a busy concert venue, especially in the summers, where you can grab a slice while enjoying the vibes.
The Brick | 1727 McGee St., Kansas City, MO 64108 | $
A cozy Crossroads pub offering comfort food with a twist. Featured dish: meatloaf sandwich, but done up with pepper jack cheese and house-made spicy chipotle ketchup on toasted wheatberry bread.
Extra Virgin | 1900 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64108 | $$$
A Mediterranean tapas restaurant in the Crossroads with a happening streetside patio. Guy tried the braised pork jowls all'Amatriciana and the duck tongue tacos.
Pigwich | 20 E. 5th St., Kansas City, MO 64106 | $
A River Market sandwich shop adjacent to a butcher (Local Pig), featuring locally sourced meats. This visit, Fieri hung with Kansas City Chief coach Andy Reid, and he tried the “Big Pig” sandwich — a pulled pork burger patty and a fried pork tenderloin topped with cheese, barbecue sauce, jalapeño slices and more.
Kansas City Taco Company | 520 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106 | $
A local-fave taco joint in the River Market known for inventive flavors and a solid happy hour. Guy highlighted the Korean pork tacos and the “Cowboy Junkie Burrito,” a hearty blend of brisket and other fillings. He also gave the avocado-tomatillo salsa and molcajete salsa a go.
Westport, Midtown, and Longfellow
PotPie | 904 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO 64111 | $$
A cozy, fresh-forward French-ish spot in Westport specializing in clean comfort food. Guy enjoyed the classic: a chicken pot pie – praising, of course, its flaky crust and rich filling.
Cupini's | 1809 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO 64111 | $
An Italian eatery founded in 2003 known for fresh pasta. Featured dish: six-layer lasagna. Guy loved it so much that, rumor has it, he ate it again for breakfast. He also ordered their chicken prosciutto tortelloni.
Succotash | 2601 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64108 | $
This Longfellow brunch spot is known for making eclectic food that’s full of joy. Eight-layer citrus cake with teal frosting, plus pork hash with sides of black beans and potatoes – Fieri’s choice. "Holy hash, Batman,” he declared.
Columbus Park, South Kansas City, and North Kansas City
Happy Gillis Café & Hangout | 549 Gillis St., Kansas City, MO 64106 | $
A charming, family friendly hangout café in Columbus Park offering local-sourced, creative sandwiches, and some of the best biscuits and gravy in town. Guy was impressed by the flank steak sandwich, which is marinated in Coca-Cola and red wine.
B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ | 1205 E. 85th St., Kansas City, MO 64131 | $
Combines live blues music with classic Kansas City barbecue. Most notably, Fieri tried their yes-it’s-really-a-thing “Bar-B-Q Sundae”: a three-layered “delight” of hickory smoked pit beans, creamy coleslaw and pulled pork. And of course, he had to get the burnt ends. Served in a Mason jar; topped with sauce and a pickle spear.
Smokin' Guns BBQ | 1218 Swift St., North Kansas City, MO 64116 | $
Business skyrocketed after this joint’s DDD appearance, but in late 2022, after much success, the owners decided to slow down, semi-retire and sell rubs and sauces. Featured dish: Brisket and burnt ends, as well as hickory pit beans and cheesy corn.
Kansas City, Kansas, and Johnson County
Jarocho | 719 Kansas Ave., Kansas City, KS 66105 | $$
Jarocho has boomed in popularity, and its owners now claim three locations: Kansas City, Kansas, Jarocho South and sushi spot Sayachi. Fieri and the DDD team dropped in on the KCK establishment for the whole fried sea bass. Salt brined for 24 hours and served with fresh cabbage slaw and a chipotle sauce drizzle. Fieri insisted he’d be back just for this dish: “I don’t care if this is the only thing on the menu.”
Woodyard Bar-B-Que | 3001 Merriam Ln., Kansas City, KS 66106 | $
Old-fashioned and smoke-heavy Kansas City barbecue in Rosedale, rustic setting, outdoor seating to boot. Guy of course tried the pork ribs, saying they have “the most unique dry rub” he’s ever tasted and “don’t even need sauce.” They also serve up one of the best chilis in the city.
R.J.'s Bob-Be-Que Shack | 5835 Lamar Ave., Mission, KS 66202 | $
At this laid-back, mom-and-pop restaurant, Guy tried something you’ll rarely find in Kansas City ‘que: “Denver Cut Lamb Ribs.” Also sampled was their sausage corn husk dish, which Guy liked so much, he would "politely tell you that I'll be ripping off the sausage corn husk idea.”
Blue Koi Noodles & Dumplings | 10581 Mission Rd., Leawood, KS 66206 | $$
Guy headed to 39th Street for dishes like chili pepper wontons and “Fire Bird Chicken” – bold, spicy and handmade. Blu Koi remains a favorite for dumplings and noodles with a modern twist. That location near KU Med Center closed in May 2021, but the owners consolidated their operations in Leawood, where you can still get both of those dishes.
Closed restaurants
Sadly, restauranting is a tough business, and even beloved and well-publicized establishments succumb to any of the many pressures this industry faces. These DDD spots are worth remembering though.
Danny Edwards Blvd BBQ: Meaty magic and no frills. And, sadly, as of the end of this May, closed for good. Featured on DDD: The "Big D," a heavy portion of “beef from the point,” two onion rings and Swiss cheese on rye bread.
Johnny's Bar-B-Q: Guy tried the smoked-and-fried chicken and pulled pork at this joint, which opened in Olathe in 1977 but closed its last spot in 2020. Guy said Johnny's "just scream(ed) tradition." The pit was handmade and served three-plus decades of guests. A new BBQ spot has stepped in to carry on, so we’ll wait to see if Guy returns to try it.
Krokstrom Scandinavian Comfort Food: A Midtown highlight from 2016 until it closed in 2019, Guy tried the “Flying Jacob” (chicken, curry, banana) and a wild mushroom strudel: puff pastry stuffed with roasted mushrooms and goat cheese. The crispy pastry is settled over a cream made with aquavit, a distilled spirit, and drizzled with a mulled wine sauce. “The concentration of flavors is through the roof,” Guy declared.
Mama’s 39th Street Diner: Deep-fried French toast? Deep-fried cinnamon roll? Obviously. Guy also sampled the 60-deep omelet menu. Closed in April 2012, this establishment hopped a few locations and changed names a few times, and signage at its one-time home at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway advertised “1998.”
Swagger Fine Spirits & Food: Closed in January 2014, Swagger in Waldo was a creative pub founded by food service novices that pushed the boundaries of what a burger could be. Guy tried the “Suribachi Burger” (tempura-battered, deep-fried beef patty) and something called “Flying Monkey Chili.”
YJ's Snack Bar: Eccentric and beloved, this rotating-menu café was a crossroads of world flavors and made a lot happen with limited equipment. Guy tried the “Haystack Breakfast” along with the Turkish stuffed figs and North African lamb kebabs. This cultural cornerstone purportedly opened in 1927 and, after some struggles, finally closed in 2018.
Kansas City's mayor... of Flavortown
Kansas City’s best restaurants — like the ones visited by "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" — remind us that great food doesn't require white tablecloths or skyline views.
Sometimes, a humble sandwich counter, a smoke-coated pit or, no matter the venue, a plate your grandma might've made can take you somewhere better: all the way home.
Guy Fieri actually liked Kansas City’s food scene so much, he put down roots of his own. In 2023, he opened Guy Fieri’s Dive & Taco Joint in the Power & Light District.
So you know the city's doing something right.
Now, the bigger question: When (not if) DDD returns to Kansas City, what restaurant deserves the Fieri Bump this time?
