A moment of silence, please for Adam’s Rib in old Overland Park…
The less than year-old barbecue restaurant fought a valiant battle in a difficult economy. In the end, there just wasn’t enough time for the word of mouth to spread – nor enough marketing dollars to help spread it – and one of the Cotown’s best BBQs had to close. Ironically, just as Kansas City’s annual celebration of all things barbecue was about to go down this weekend at the American Royal.
Pretty sad…
Yesterday I received the following note from owner Hope Loehr:
“It’s certainly bittersweet to find out that Adam’s Rib placed among the finalists for Best New Restaurant and to be awarded the Best BBQ South in the Pitch’s Best Of for 2009.
It is with a great deal of sadness that I must inform you that we have closed Adam’s Rib.
Mike Bowlin
This sucks!
Richard
Kind of embarrasing when the closing was revealed in the Star first.
Sam Willingsporth
Your this sucks! It super sucks! Super Dupper Sucks! Sucks so bad if it sucked any harder it would be sucked dry!
hearne
Thanks, Richard…I mean Joyce…
Sorry you were embarrassed. Too bad the 10 pm business blog item didn’t include the inside skinny from the owner, instead relying on getting financials from the, uh, cook in the parking lot. Now that’s what I call reporting!
Hungry
hearne dont let the naysaying goofs get to you, keep on rolling, and doing your thing. Keep up the good work here, you are doing a great job: )
PS
But as far as this restaurant closing?
may I be a sarcastic?
OH MY, where will we ever get good bar-e-que now?….
weeeellll….
when it come to bar be que-
I NEVER STRAY FROM THE BEST ON THE PLANET.
1) best bad barbeque (best fries)
tie between Rosedale and Wyandot
2) BEST BRISKET
BRYANTS …period
3)Best slab of ribs
GATES AND SONS…period
4)Best burnt ends
RJ’s in MISSION …period.
why mess with perfection? why open a BBQ place in KC when the market is cornered?
hungry
oops…..better give a shout out to…
5)BEST PULLED PORK
Oklahoma Joes on 47th street.
6-7)BEST SAUCE
tie-BRYANTS OR GATES….period
Come on, what else is there??
PPS
IDO NOT BARBEQUE AT HOME,
but I do grill, and bets place to buy meat for home cooking???
McGonigals on Ward Parkway.
We are so lucky to be here.
It is a good city for a carnivore.
as I said, I AM HUNGRY!!
hearne
I’m with you on Oklahoma Joe’s pulled prk and the bad-for-us-but-excellent fries. However the pulled pork at AR was waaaaay leaner.
Jason
Sorry to hear about a local business closing, but this place was not good. Average at best. Sauce was horrid, beef was fatty; pork was decent, but it has nothing on RJs. So long medicore bbq.
Ned
BBQ meat about a C, sauce was D+ at best and so overpriced I couldn’t afford fries, which were priced like Gates. Agree with Hungry’s list.
bschloz
Danny Edwards on SW Blvd best product in KC…..Game Over
Sorry to hear about this closing.
Rainbow Man
I respect the hell out of any restaurant owner who makes it past two years. It is tough. I know, because I had one fail.
Sam Willingsporth
Adams pulled pork and Onions Rings in the land, screw everyone else and all your insulting list.
Luthur
“However the pulled pork at AR was waaaaay leaner.”
Do you know anything about barbeque?
DLC
Lean pulled pork means nothing. It’s not a chicken breast.
Tim
mmmmm, when I think Kansas City BBQ I think Overland Park and pastie white people making it!
AAM
First off, I want to say, what a dissapointment to see the resturant close. I personally worked for the business for five of the those struggling months. Some of you idiots on here to share these disrespectful comments, have no idea what the phrase “bust your ass” truely means. This women truely did everything in her power to lead a successful business. Although any small business to succeed in this economy, is a struggle in itself, its harder when people aren’t willing to open up, and try new things. Although we may not have open the doors until 10:30, Hope was there at eight in the morning till, sometimes three the following morning, making sure everything was perfect, for the first customer, till the last customer who walked through those doors, even opening the doors to those few people who came after we had closed. One particular night opening the doors for a out-of-towner who wanted some good babr-b-que even when he thought he was out of luck.
Seeing this charity fraud going out on kansas city star was truely dissapointing, as personally i know those werent her intentions, she had a good heart for any person, i know if she was in the position to personally pay off that $5000 She would with no hesitation. For all of those who support this wonderful resturant, if the reopening of this place were ever arisn, we stand right behind it. For the other people who must be rude, lets remember how old we are, and grow up.
AAM
Oh, and in part to those complaining about the sauce among other things as well, there were comment cards placed on the counter, on your way out the door, even sometimes given to customers, that was another way for Hope to interact with customers, although very rarely did you see her leave the lobby, as the majority of the time she was personally interacting with cutomers. My point-and-case is stating that there were many opportunities, to share your thoughts among the food, and even the business. I personally dont understand the complaining as, the business when first opened was built with the fundamentals to allow it to fuction optimally, while the food, the product, even the sauce was made according to a mass vote among customers. If i must share my thoughts among other bar-b-que resturants throughout KC, Yes there are other places which i like there food as well, but i would rather eat food, i know was pure, not only good tasting, but good for you, then die of a massive heart attack.
Come on Adam’s Rib, lets pick it up, and show them, what true bar-b-que truely is. How about a fund-raiser? I’ll be the first.
Heather
I really liked Adam’s Rib. My son even loved the ribs; and, you know how picky kids can be. I absolutely loved the waffle cut sweet potato french fries..best I’ve had. I’ve been to the Am Royal, been on 3 teams there, ate lots of BBQ from across the country as well as all over the city. The fact that I had a BBQ place right in my neighborhood helped me show my children that there is variety in food and that’s a good thing. I like all kinds of BBQ and I got to share with them that as well. The kids meals were a great deal. The sweet potato fries were fabulous. The meat was appropriately tender and moist (aka fatty!) As for the sauce, that’s up to everyone’s own tastes. I personally do NOT like Gates (dry meat, watery/spicey sauce). My personal fav in town has been OK Joe’s but I’m always checking out other places. Too bad I can’t go here anymore.
Bob Davis
What a bunch of Bastards. You did not know this family like I did and she gave it her all. You all could be nicer and remember that economy hits us all. Your poison pen and harsh words will only hurt people. I loved the food and I felt like a king when I walked in the door like every other customer. When I saw people walk in I could not tell if she knew them for 5 minutes or 30 years like me. Love the family and she is remarkable.