I just moved to Kansas City. I moved from a couple states away which is close enough that I've heard accolades of Kansas city's barbecue for much of my life which made me excited to try it. I did a Google search and Joe's was one of the top places in the results. I ordered take out via the website. Ordering was simple enough and it gave me an option to send a request to others so that they can put their wanted items on the order and I didn't have to ask everybody what they wanted. That was cool. There were 3 people ordering. We all went with the ZMan on Texas Toast. I had onion rings. The others chose the BBQ beans and the 3rd had street corn. I included the banana pudding as a surprise. The BBQ sauce was definitely the star of the show. There's a nice balance of tangy and sweet playing nicely together. The onion rings were fine. They weren't spectacular but they weren't horrible either. They were a decent size but could have had a little bit more crunch to them. The street corn was good. They balance the flavors well and it had just enough kick to it to keep it from getting boring. There was disappointment. That came from the sandwiches, specifically the meat they used. When I read the menu description I figured the beef was going to be like a pulled beef or brisket. That was not the case. It was sliced and highly processed lunch meat. For decades, I've done the shopping and meal prep for my house so I can recognize sliced package lunch meat when I see it. My guess would be they got it across the street and the neighborhood Walmart. The BBQ beans were also a source of disappointment. The beans were undercooked and firm. The sauce was thin and did not stand up or balance the flavor of the undercooked beans. I expect barbecue beans to be slow cooked over a long period of time to allow the flavors to blend in homogenize and facilitate a softened Bean. This was as though the quick cook some beans and didn't strain the water before spooning them into a bowl and pouring a small amount of sauce over it. The banana pudding was acceptable although it was underwhelming when compared to the description on the menu. The banana was the star, however there were no toffee pieces sprinkled on the top. I imagine that would have set it off nicely. With regard to the service while I wasn't greeted at the door and felt a bit confused on where to go. I heard a random voice shouting about a counter from somewhere in the kitchen. They had to do it a couple times before I noticed that was direction for me to go up to a counter. Of course I felt weird because I went up to the wrong area of the counter. Two minutes after I gave my name and told them I was picking up, I was given my order with a thank you and sent on my way. The atmosphere inside the place was bustling. It was surprising to see so many people there in such an energetic atmosphere with only a few minutes left before the place closed. Overall: I was reminded of the axiom "good is the enemy of great". They have a good sauce. Having a good sauce doesn't equalize cutting corners in other areas. A good sauce can provide a good flavor, but relying on that alone prevents what could be a great experience. After this: I feel like I haven't yet experienced KC BBQ worthy of the hype. My search will continue.