Harp Barbecue

Unassuming store front location, but it brings the goods. The guys were super helpful building out our order (which is a huge help for an out of towner). We got ribs, brisket, and burnt ends family style with beans, cole slaw, and Mac and cheese. It was delicious (and a little surprising) across the board. Ribs were the real deal. I'm having trouble coming up with words that aren't cliche. But come on! The dry rub with a little of the sauce was so tasty, I couldn't stop. The brisket was smokey and juicy, and the burnt ends were flavor bombs! Everyone in the family limped out a little... we just couldn't stop. For what amounted to less than $20/person, I'll be heading back whenever I'm in KC!

This review is for the new location on the NW corner of 135th and Quivira and Overland Park (a lot of pictures are from the old location). We've lived in a nearby neighborhood for 12 years and restaurants have a hard time making it more than two or three years in this strip mall. Visibility is great but accessibility via a car is confusing and convoluted for most people.I am a KCBS Master Certified BBQ judge, and was excited to try a new barbecue joint nearby. Came here for lunch during the week about 4mo after opening, but it was a ghost town. See pics.Spent $20 even for a brisket burger, side of beans, and soda. All sides are $5. Burger had good smoke flavor but was very very dense and not great. Would not recommend. Beans had a decent texture and savory flavor and were okay but not great. No fries and no alcohol just FYI.Overall, this place was okay at best but service, atmosphere, and food all were unremarkable. Overall, there are much better BBQ joints nearby.

I really wanted to like this place. I love Texas style brisket, it is my second favorite cut of meat, next to a monster beef rib. And it is so hard to find a butcher cut brisket here in KC. Most of the other places I've been too like to cut their brisket thin, which often makes it taste tougher than a thick slab.I went here and got a one meat combo, which comes with two sides. With tip and tax (no drink), the total came out to about $21, which about middle of the road.Due to circumstances, I had to get it to go.My sides were collared greens and cheesy corn, and it also came with some picked onions and cucumbers plus bbq sauce. No texas style bread...pun intended.There was more bad than there was good. I like collard greens, but these were just bland, with little flavor. There was no bits of ham/bacon or hints of garlic to the taste, more like it was just boiled. The cheesy corn was very soupy which ruined the taste. Not even in the same ballpark as the Jack Stack side, which is the cadillac of KC cheesy corn (IMHO).As for the Brisket, you get two slices and they look great (see my picture), but there were two problems. The first was that they were cold..not room temperature, but cold. From the restaurant to my belly, it took about 10 minutes, so it was not like they were out in the cold for more than a few seconds. And my sides were warm.The second was that the meat was not the melt in your mouth brisket you get in Texas barbecue joints such as Franklins, Terry Blacks or Stubbs. It was sort of tough and dry.Maybe that had something to do with the temperature of the meat. I don't go to many barbecue joints, because there are just so many class leading joints around town that I love. Sadly to say, while this is the closest one to my house, I won't be coming back.

Harp Barbecue started in Raytown and moved to Overland Park a few months ago. I recently saw them in a 'Best of KC' article, so I decided to check them out.The Tennessee pulled pork sandwich ($10.50) with a small side and drink ($5.00) was brought to my table just two minutes after I ordered at the counter, where the service was helpful and efficient. The hard-working owner was also present.The sandwich stood nearly 3" high, with plenty of moist meat on an OK bun, while the good portion of baked beans was savory and thick with a little heat - nice! The one BBQ sauce at the tables nicely complemented the sandwich.The dining area offered a mix of booths and tables with three TVs and classic rock background music. I also noticed a patio.The menu included six meats, seven sides, chips, banana pudding and specials.Overall, very nice!

Food was average, at best, the sausage was way overcooked, I could hardly cut through the casing with a plastic knife and they sliced it up before playing. The pork belly was dry, didn't think that could happen with that much fat. The Brisket Burnt Ends were nice and tender. I really didn't care for the beans, the potato salad and pickles were the best thing on the plate. The bbq sauce is more of a Texas style sauce that had a nice bite and a bit tangy. It appeared to me that the restaurant had just moved to this location not long ago so that feel of real BBQ was just not there like most people are used to in the KC area. I did like the pictures of the Chiefs and Royals on the walls. Service was good, but how bad can it be when it's just bbq. I was a little disappointed that they only served water and soft drinks, what BBQ joint doesn't have sweet tea and unsweetened tea? Overall, I wasn't impressed and this plate was 30 bucks. There are far better BBQ joints in KC for the money.

I'd heard about Harp BBQ while down in Texas. I'd heard about a guy from KC who road tripped around the top TX BBQ places and then opened shop in KC, so I was intrigued from the start. The restaurant was originally in Raytown, MO, but recently moved to Overland Park, KS. The staff were warm and friendly, but the service relatively slow. That being said, Tyler (owner and pit master) came by every table to check in on the guests and discuss the food which was fantastic to see a caring, hands on owner.The food was very good, but my caveat is that it's TX BBQ in KC. As a Texan, I thought the bark on his brisket was perfect and his sausage was fantastic. The ribs were surprising as I anticipated KC style ribs (sweet and saucy), but got pepper and a little sweet glaze (which matches TX). I enjoyed it for that style, but had to reset my expectation from what I came with.The sides of cheesy corn, potato salad, and Mac and cheese were top notch, but I would veer away from the beans next time. They were a little too ketchup-y for my taste.In general, I'd go again and would potentially be a regular if I lived closer!

I was so excited to try Harp with their thick cut brisket. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed.My usual order normally costs 60 but this was 90.Their sauce is heavily vinegar based and made it very difficult to actually taste any beef or smoke flavor.The coleslaw was almost completely dry cabbage, the beans were soupy, and the chili mac was not worth the 14 dollar special.Overall, the meat looks amazing but I had a very difficult time enjoying this meal.

Went here on a cold night and was excited to finally try after they moved over from Raytown. Location was clean and good number of seating. Lighting was hard on the eyes and overall aesthetic I think could use work. Not that it needs to be this gorgeous interior but I do think that was lacking. Service was prompt and quick and before we even ordered we got told what the specials were for our consideration. They walked our food to us which was also a nice touch but not sure if that is how it works when it's busier. We ordered ribs, brisket and their garlic and pepper sausage. We found the quality and overall level of preparedness above average, the brisket was cooked well and had the perfect amount of fat to melt in your mouth, the ribs were the right done ness. And the sausage had the right bite, all the meat was well seasoned and the sauce we had with it was excellent! For sides we got the potato salad which was good, and the mac and cheese and left something to be desired, not very warm or well seasoned/ salted. Also, I do think there's something to be said about the fact that for nearly $45 the portion size we got was pretty small and we left not full. Other spots in the metro a three meat platter could fill up you and nearly 2 others. For the same cost if not cheaper. Not to mention the ribs barely had any meat on the bone.All in all good bbq, but with cost/ amount served ratios and just ok sides I'd wait tell they grow into their new location a bit more.

Average BBQ. Driest brisket I've had in years. Jalapeño sausage was non descript and overcooked. Beans had lots of pepper. Cheesy corn was good. Overpriced at $30. Greens were salty.

Well, i no longer have a reason to want to go to Houston. Now we got the best Texas BBQ much closer. We planned on trying the best BBQ in the Kansas City area and settled on the Texas style BBQ @ Harp simply because the Brisket looked amazing. It did not disappoint. We had the pastrami pork belly, I didn't even know that was a thing. It was amazing! Cut with a nice mustard seed sauce to kill the decadent richness. I love smoked turkey and this was the best I have had........ever! We live in Iowa and KC is now our overnight destination so we can hit up Harp! Nothing in Iowa even comes remotely close. Give it a try. It will not disappoint.