In a building off Old 56 Highway in Olathe, one barbecue eatery has officially become another.
Johnny’s BBQ’s has closed in the space, but its former customers won’t have to go far for burnt ends. In fact, Josh Deal, owner of J’s BBQ Smokehouse & Catering, said you won’t find better burnt ends anywhere else.
His new restaurant recently opened in Johnny’s former Olathe digs, and since then, Deal said the community has responded enthusiastically.
J’s BBQ opened at 1375 W. Old 56 Highway
- The restaurant took over a space just off Old 56 Highway and South Payne Street.
- There, it operates near Mexican restaurant El Panzote.
- J’s is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
J’s BBQ offers “old school” barbecue staples
Deal said J’s BBQ’s claim to fame is its burnt ends, double-smoked and chopped to order.
Other standouts on J’s menu include “double decker” sandwiches (customer’s choice of two meats in between three pieces of bread), smoked ribs and “Southern style” pork wraps. Customers can enjoy those items with or without sides like French fries, onion rings, coleslaw, and mac and cheese.
J’s also offers smoked meats by the pound for customers to take home.
“Back in the day, barbecue used to be cheap, but now it’s considered kind of a luxury,” he said. “I want the best quality and consistency coming out of the kitchen that we can give.”
J’s has ties to Johnny’s in more ways than one
Before taking on his own venture, Deal worked as a manager at Johnny’s prior to its closure.
With the opening of J’s, he wanted to keep the staff on board that customers at Johnny’s had come to know.
“I’m a people person, and I grew very close to a lot of the staff here when it was Johnny’s,” he said. “It was important to me to ensure that we weren’t losing jobs but that we were continuing or gaining jobs.”
Deal said he also did his best to make the interior of J’s BBQ reflect the lengthy history of the Kansas City area barbecue landscape.
Inside, bottles of barbecue sauce and other relics adorning the logos of Johnny’s and other well-known Kansas City barbecue mainstays line the walls.
“We wanted to put our little touch on it but keep the old school feel as well,” he said. “There’s a lot of history in this place that you can’t really just buy.”
Ultimately, Deal said continuing that history while also beginning something new makes for an exciting first chapter for J’s BBQ.
“Our customers are one of a kind,” he said. “I think what makes this exciting is just the fact that I’m able to push out a quality product that meets my standards.”
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