Arthur Bryant's is the old guard of Kansas City barbecue — the place where Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, and Jack Nicholson have all eaten, and where Calvin Trillin famously declared the ribs the single finest food in the world. The original restaurant on Brooklyn Avenue has been open since 1930 and still serves from a cafeteria-style counter where your order is assembled in front of you.
The sauce is distinctive — drier and more peppery than most KC styles, with a rust-coloured finish from a recipe that Arthur Bryant never shared. The ribs and brisket are both excellent. The surroundings are utilitarian and the experience is pure, unreconstructed Kansas City. Right by the 18th and Vine jazz district.