Blind Box BBQ — Restaurant in Shawnee

I debated reviewing this place based on my experience and whether to give them 3 ⭐️ or 4 ⭐️. I believe the feedback is sometimes needed though. And because they tried to make it right I decided 4 ⭐️ is as generous as I can be.

I drove 3 hours out of my way, on my way to NE from Texas to try KC bbq because I had an extra day to kill and probably will never be back to Kansas City again. So I chose this place carefully based on reviews.

The place is very nice inside, and it’s located in a nice area. I noticed when I walked in though that it was freezing inside. I had to also ask a staff member for a table after no prompt from them if I would like a table or to sit at the bar etc. I saw no sign to seat yourself. There was also only one other party there.

Once they gave me a menu after I sat down I decide on the loaded mac and cheese with pulled pork and added a side of onion strings. The staff brought me two bbq sauces for my food while I was waiting.

My food came out about 15-20 minutes later and I applied the onion strings on top of my food, added the sweet bbq sauce, and took a picture. This took about 1-2 minutes max. This becomes relevant later on.

My food was cold. Not warm.. cold. The plate itself was the only thing slightly warm. At first bite I thought maybe because it was a bite on the very edge of the plate it had cooled down. But the center was cold as well as was the meat. I was not going to eat cold mac and cheese.

I immediately got up and went to the bar area as that was the only staff member available I saw. They immediately took the food and told me they would remake it.

I waited about 10 minutes and they brought a new plate of what I ordered and a new fresh order of onion strings as well. I appreciated that they remade it because honestly I wouldn’t have cared if they had just popped it in the microwave to reheat it.

After about 1/3 of the food being eaten I noticed it start to go cold. I then realized why my food probably came out cold the first time. The place was freezing and probably sat there for several minutes before it came out to me, and I just couldn’t eat my hot and newly made food fast enough before it too became cold not even halfway through. I eventually just asked for a togo box for the rest because I just couldn’t eat the rest of it being cold.

The food iteself was fine. The onion strings were really flavorful and well seasoned. The cheese sauce was more of a queso taste than mac n cheese sauce. The pork was standard. The sweet bbq sauce was good. The original bbq sauce I personally did not like 😟 it was very sour and vinegar forward and a punch to the tastebuds. I assume this is standard KC bbq sauce I kept hearing such rave reviews about.

As someone who grew up on South Carolina pulled pork bbq and then Texas Tex-Mex bbq fusions this was average bbq. Maybe I would have enjoyed the other things they had to offer more but the menu seemed very limited to me. Offering a few meat options with sides, burgers, or starters. And a bowl of hot mac n cheese with bbq sounded the best.

I probably will never be back to KC again so honestly I’m kind of disappointed in my bbq experience. Maybe if I’m ever back in KC again I’ll be able to give this place...

UPDATE- Customer service offered me a $40 gift card some time ago. So we finally used it the other day. Well.... We had a server who never showed up and had to ask 2 other people who weren't our server to help us. Our server finally came to our table once someone else took our order. Which means they were of no help. We got the wontons, nachos and the charcuterie board. We got our food first and had to ask a second time for our drinks. My drink which was supposed to be the Royal Navy was just a regular gin and tonic. I told the 1 of 3 servers it was supposed to have rosemary and a chamomile tonic. One said it did. I can tell you from ordering it many times someone made a regular gin and tonic and thought I wouldn't notice. I asked them to take it back and I drank my partners drink. Our nachos barely had anything on them. And were cold.... When we got our food, we had to ask 2 different people for plates and napkins. Yes, twice we asked because we were sitting there with nothing. No one explained what cheeses were on the charcuterie board. Also... No one came by to check on us to ask if we wanted another drink and we asked for sauce... Was given none. So I got up and walked to the outdoor carts on the patio and got my own. Another table asked for sauce and was ignored so they got up on the patio and got their own too. I should also mention that the previous time I went for dinner, I got severe food poisoning... Literally will not be back. This place has gone down hill so bad. Dinner time is the only time service isn't bad... Go for happy hour or in the afternoon when they don't have a lot of severs, and it's NOT that busy. And be prepared to be disappointed.

Previous Review- Food is really good....but... A little disappointed in the fact that the last time we came for happy hour, it was 15 minutes till happy hour was over. We asked for happy hour menu and we were told by a host or server, not sure on their position, that happy hour was going to end very soon, so they wouldn’t give us a happy hour menu. When we sat down, the same lady waited until almost 6 PM to give us any menu at all. Which felt like they were purposely trying to make sure we had no chance of ordering in the last 15 minutes before happy hour ended. I can understand if there wasspecific food items that are only made during happy hour, and not any other time. But happy hour items are some of the same items on the regular menu. So it wouldn’t have done any harm to still let us put it in order 15 minutes before it ended. If this is the way the server was trying to get a bigger tip by making sure we didn’t get any menu until almost 6 PM , that’s pretty disappointing. Honestly, that’s what it...

Burnt end Chilli

Hearty, bold super flavorful. Highly recomend. 10

Appetizer Sirracha wings. Super tangy with a mild kick. A must try 9.5

Corn bake appetizer is super sweet but not in a overkill way. The bread crumbs on top really give it the balance in the taste. 7

Their Mac n cheese features large shells and white cheddar. 6.5

Large platter, the wings were not bad a little spicey but hard to follow the Sirracha wings 6.

had I not had the sirache wings I may have rated these higher.

There fries had a great mid meal balance to them. Crisp and light with enough potatoe flavor. Not overkill on the salt. 8.9

Their pork ribs are amazing , the meat fell off the bone and I didn't need to add any of their 3 house bbq sauces. They have a sweet, a spicey and a regular. These ribs are a win for me and a 9.

The corn bread was good on its own but with some warm melted butter completely hit the spot for a 7.

Next we go onto the burnt ends and beef brisket.

The brisket has some deep smoked flavor that linger as eat it. While you don't need their bbq sauces adding their sweet sauce really makes this dish hit. I rate this an 8.

Next on the menu is their burnt ends. I save the best for last when it comes to dinner..and im such a fan of burnt ends. 6. While they were made nicely they lacked a flavor I usually focus on when I eat burnt ends. I made sure to utilize this opportunity to try each of their house made bbq sauces. As mentioned earlier I highly recommend their sweet bbq, in fact this is one made for supermarket shelves. 10. Their standard and spicey were thin and soupy vinegar based but not the side I want to dip my meat into.

Now the dessert I went with is new to their menu and featured on the kc restaurant week menu.

A smoked caramel creme brule. Was an 8.5 the taste was on point but the texture of the custard was not the correct hardness. It's possible they don't know it needs to be chilled up until the point where the caramel sugar crust is torched to create the candy coating your used to.

Either way restaurant week goes for 9 days but based on the popularity the owner at blind box will be honoring the kc restaurant week menu...