J's BBQ Smokehouse & Catering - Olathe, Kansas At the time of this writing J's BBQ Smokehouse & Catering in Olathe, Kansas is one of the newest BBQ restaurants in Kansas City, having opened just 3 months ago in March 2025. It is in the same location as Johnny's BBQ which started in Mission, Kansas in 1977. This was the second Johnny's, which opened in 2008. When the original location closed in 2020, this one remained open until 2023 when new owners took over while keeping the name and menu. They closed earlier this year. J's is now owned by Josh Deal, who was a manager at the original Johnny's. He has several old Johnny's employees at the restaurant and the food appears to be prepared much as it was in the past. The whole team has bent over backwards to provide superior service on both of my visits. It feels like they will do whatever it takes to make their customers satisfied. J's BBQ has a similar menu to the old restaurant, with the same daily specials and has not increased prices since my last visit of Johnny's in July 2024. They are now closed on Mondays and offer the old Monday special on Saturday when Johnny's did not have a regular Saturday special. I feel that the Tuesday - Saturday lunch specials are great deals. The pork ribs, brisket and burnt ends are good, but I particularly like the smoked chicken which is finished in the fryer. I think the smoked ham is extremely well flavored. I rarely get ham at Kansas City BBQ restaurants except for when doing a review, but this is some that I would get again. Their chili is very good. It has been my favorite dish. The crinkle cut fries are not special, but still pair well with BBQ for me. The beans are less seasoned than I would usually choose, but the seasoning works quite well. There was a lot of finely chopped meat mixed in. J's BBQ Smokehouse has the original sauce on the tables and offers four house made sauces at a Sauce Station, but I prefer their meats without added sauce. I think those four sauces are all new to J's. Do not confuse this restaurant with Chef J's BBQ in Kanas City, Missouri.
Johnny's BBQ on the Food Network in 2010 Johnny's Mission, Kansas location was one of the four Kansas City BBQ restaurants featured on the July 12, 2010 episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The episode showed the preparation of Johnny's chicken, which is smoked, then finished in the deep fryer.
Olathe
Attractions J's BBQ
Smokehouse website
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