Hayward's Pit Bar B Que & Catering — Restaurant in Shawnee

We've eaten here multiple times before the pandemic. And the food is pretty good. We like the ribs, burnt ends, and sausage. The brisket, pulled pork, and bbq chicken are ok. Sides are passable.

The issue is not with the food. It is with the service.

Multiple times we have ordered carryout via pickup service. We have always ordered via their online interface, powered by menufy. When this is done, you receive an estimated time of your order being ready - and it is always 20-45 minutes from the time the order is received by the restaurant.

The first time, I arrived at the 30 minute mark, had to wait in the pickup line where people are making their carryout orders to even tell them I had already submitted an order and am just here to pick up. So, by the time I got to the "attendant" the time since my order was placed was at the 40 minute mark. I was told my order "will be right out". But, it was another 20 minutes until it was brought out to me. That's a total of 60 minutes from the time of ordering.

Today I repeated the experience. Again, after ordering for pickup, the email confirmation stated that 20-45 minute window. I waited to arrive at the 45 minute mark this time, thinking that it might be ready when I got there. Again I had to wait in line behind 5 people who were just making their carry-out order to tell them I had already ordered, another 15 minutes. I was again told "it will be right out". This time I also had to wait 20 minutes until my order was brought out. So this time it was 80 minutes from the time of ordering until I got my food.

What added more insult was that the people who were just placing their orders when I arrived (note this was 45 minutes after I placed mine) received their orders before I did. Even one gentleman who placed his order AFTER I did received his before mine.

I can only think that they don't even begin to make your order, no matter how long you wait, until you actually arrive. Completely unlike any other restaurant experience.

My recommendation for Hayward's Pit BBQ:

Get the ribs, sausage, and burnt ends. They are good. DO NOT order online. It costs an extra $1.50 to order online to pick up and you wait longer. And even if you order delivery, they use DoorDash, so there is no guarantee you would get your food anyway.

Go to the restaurant, wait in their carry-out line, and order right there. You will spend MUCH less time waiting for your food. And it will actually save you a...

The vibes here are spot on. Classic old-school BBQ joint: picnic-style table covers, a big bar right in the middle, sports on a few TVs, beer signs on the walls, and that unmistakable smoked-meat aroma wrapping around you the second you walk in. Comfortable, nostalgic, and hungry-making in the best way.

Andrea was our server, and she nailed it. We weren’t greeted right away, but she made eye contact, let us know she’d be back, and when she returned, she owned the table. Calm, confident, and full of recommendations that ended up being dead-on. There’s an art to that kind of service — not pushy, not rushed, just someone who clearly knows the food and trusts it to speak for itself.

We kicked things off with the dry rub wings and a side of their Helga sauce (Andrea’s call). Perfection. The wings were crispy on the outside, smoky and juicy on the inside. The rub was salty-sweet heaven, and dipping into Helga — a spicy-sweet mustard sauce — made them my new favorite wings from a BBQ joint.

Cocktail highlight: the Peach Please. Balanced, boozy, just sweet enough — exactly what you want while digesting smoky meats.

For mains, we split a platter: beef burnt ends, ribs, cheddar jalapeño sausage, mac n’ cheese, and baked beans, with a side of sweet potato fries. Everything delivered: the sausage was a knockout, the ribs had great bark and juicy bite, the mac was creamy and seasoned with BBQ spice, and the beans? Let’s just say they were good enough to make me question my faith, my family, and my life choices.

But the star? The beef burnt ends. Outstanding. Juicy, tender, hearty yet delicate. The sweet-and-spicy BBQ sauce elevated them into time-machine territory — instantly transporting me back to my first unforgettable burnt ends experience. Their regular BBQ sauce? 🤌🏻🤌🏻 perfection.

Andrea even told us to dip the sweet potato fries in the Helga sauce, and if she ran for mayor, I’d not only vote for her but join her campaign.

We finished with banana cream pie, locally made — KC small business supporting small business, which is the KC way. I wanted more flavor from the crust, but still, a sweet note to end an excellent meal.

Bottom line: Hayward’s is one of the most slept-on BBQ spots in KC. From the nostalgic vibes to Andrea’s top-tier service and food that feels both timeless and surprising, it’s a place that transports you back to a safer, slower, more...

I would love to give this place a 5 star review.....but it wouldn't be fair to anyone considering it. We went this past Saturday evening with a team of girls soccer players and parents. By and large, the food is great....I heard lots of compliments to the parent that organized this for the BBQ. I personally had burnt ends and ribs and they were great, particularly the burnt ends. Had pulled pork that was just ok.

But the service.....oh my gosh the service...I would be willing to over look some of this if it wasn't for the fact that we TOLD THEM in advance that we had a large group coming so they could prepare. Bottom line is that they seemingly have NO process in place for large groups, getting the food to the table in a timely manner, AND to the right person. I was offered the wrong plate of food at least twice...and the third time caused someone from the kitchen to tell the waitress to just have me keep what I had, and then brought me a serving of the pulled pork I asked for in place of the brisket on the plate. Took WAY too long to get my daughters chicken strips...same with another young man at our table...my friend waited so long for his meal that he finally had to get up and go search for it. Drinks were not filled properly, condiments were not on the table and when asked, not brought as requested.

I guess that we should have said something to the manager (and certainly to the owner, who appeared to be relaxing at the bar watching basketball) but none of us seemed to have the energy after a long day of soccer at the fields. I hope that someone at Hayward's reads this and takes it to heart...we will be back in the area in a few weeks for more soccer, and while your food is worthy of word of mouth praise and a repeat visit, I can't in good conscious tell anyone to visit here due to the poor service and lack of...