Burnt End BBQ

Burnt End BBQ is an award-winning Kansas City-style barbecue concept built around the city’s signature burnt ends, created in 2010 by PB&J Restaurants founder Paul Khoury and Executive Pitmaster Stephen “Smokey” Schwartz.¹² Its Crown Center restaurant at 2450 Grand Blvd, Suite 130, anchors the brand in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, alongside a sister location in De Soto, Kansas.³⁴

Locations

Location	Address	Notes
Crown Center	2450 Grand Blvd, Ste. 130, Kansas City, MO 64108	Downtown KCMO; full bar and happy hour35
De Soto	34071 Commerce Drive, De Soto, KS 66018	Sister location; adds daily breakfast service46

Note: An original Overland Park, KS location (the brand’s first restaurant) has since closed, with the group consolidating resources toward De Soto.² — confirm exact closure date.

Description

Burnt End BBQ specializes in Kansas City-style barbecue, with burnt ends — cut from the fatty, crispy-charred end of a smoked brisket — as its namesake and signature dish.¹ The menu is rounded out with daily specials, a wide range of sides, a full bar, and happy hour service at the Crown Center location.³⁵

The concept’s pitmaster credentials run deep in the local scene. Executive Pitmaster Stephen “Smokey” Schwartz has worked Kansas City barbecue for more than three decades, training at Joe’s and at the Barn in Stanley, Kansas, before stints as Executive Chef/Pitmaster at Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ and at the Golden Ox.² Under Schwartz, Burnt End’s barbecue has won three Grand Champion titles at Chicago’s Food Arts Magazine / Share Our Strength National Championships (2006, 2012, 2015) and first-place American Royal World Series of BBQ honors for its Chipotle Glaze (2012) and Sweet Honey Sauce (2015).²

The Crown Center restaurant sits inside the historic Crown Center complex in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, where it offers lunch, dinner, carryout, and catering.³

Ownership and history

Burnt End BBQ was created in 2010 as a collaboration between Paul Khoury, founder of the Overland Park-based PB&J Restaurants Inc. group, and Executive Pitmaster Stephen “Smokey” Schwartz; it became the signature concept for the restaurant group.¹² The brand opened its first restaurant in Johnson County (Overland Park), then expanded with the Crown Center location, which was announced in 2019 as part of a Crown Center dining lineup.⁷ Schwartz, originally from California, came to Kansas City in the early 1980s and built his career across several marquee KC barbecue kitchens before anchoring Burnt End.²

Menu

Last verified: 2026-06-23 · Source: Burnt End BBQ official website (Crown Center menu page) · URL(s): https://burntendbbq.com/menu-crown-center · Confidence: High (official site)

Menu and prices below reflect the Crown Center (KCMO) location; the De Soto location may vary and adds breakfast service.⁶

Smokehouse meats

• Beef Burnt Ends (½ lb) — $18.00 — the city-signature dish and namesake, cut from the fatty charred end of a smoked brisket.⁸
• Pork Burnt Ends (½ lb) — $15.00.⁸
• Beef Brisket (½ lb) — $18.00.⁸
• St. Louis Ribs (½ rack) — $22.00.⁸
• Pulled Pork (½ lb) — $15.00; Pulled Chicken (½ lb) — $15.00; Smoked Turkey (½ lb) — $15.00; Chopped Beef — $17.00; Smoked Sausage — $8.00.⁸

BBQ competition platters

• One Meat Platter — $19.95; Two Meat Platter — $24.95; The Whole Hog — $25.95; St. Louis Rib Platter — $26.95.⁸

Sandwiches & burgers

• Brisket French Dip — $16.95; Beef on Bun — $16.95; El Choppo — $14.95; Chicken Philly — $13.95; Meat on a Bun — $13.95; Porkinator — $12.95; The Frisky Frank — $12.95.⁸
• Monster Smash BBQ Burger — $18.95; Double Smashburger — $15.95; Bacon Smashburger — $13.95.⁸

Bowls

• Burnt End Bowl — $17.95; Mac It Your Own — $17.95; Pig Out — $14.95; Smoked Turkey — $14.95.⁸

Starters, wings & salads

• Burnt End Nachos — $14.95 (chopped burnt ends, queso, pico, lime crema, jalapeño, cilantro, Colby jack).⁸
• Smoked Wings — $11 / $16 (6/10); Sticky Wings — $11.95 / $16.95 (6/10).⁸
• Chicken Tenders — $13.95; Chips & Queso — $8.95; Onion Rings — $7.95; Quesadilla — $9.95; Fried Cornbread Bites — $5.95.⁸
• Salads: Grilled Salmon Salad — $19.95; Fried Chicken Salad — $17.95; Turkey Cobb Salad — $17.95; Southwest Chicken Salad — $13.95.⁸

Sides

• $4.95 each: Crinkle Fries, Onion Rings, Onion Straws, Pit Beans, Mac N’ Cheese, Cornbread Bites, Wild Rice, Baked Potato Salad, Potato Salad, Creamy Slaw, Spicy Slaw, Garden Salad, Seasonal Veggies.⁸

Kids & dessert

• Kids menu — $6.99 (includes drink, side, chocolate chip cookie): BBQ turkey sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, mac n’ cheese, grilled cheese, chicken fingers, or cheeseburger.⁸
• Butter Cake — $8.95; Chocolate Toffee Cookies — $3.95.⁸

Prices verified from the official Crown Center menu page as of 2026-06-23 and are subject to change.

Links

• Official site: https://burntendbbq.com/
• Crown Center menu: https://burntendbbq.com/menu-crown-center
• Visit KC listing: https://www.visitkc.com/listings/burnt-end-bbq-crown-center/

Sources

Disputes

None recorded.

Footnotes

1. https://burntendbbq.com/about — asserts: Burnt End BBQ established 2010 by Paul Khoury (founder, PB&J Restaurants) and Executive Pitmaster Stephen “Smokey” Schwartz; KC-style barbecue with burnt ends as signature; burnt ends cut from the fatty charred end of a brisket. ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. https://burntendbbq.com/about — asserts: Schwartz’s 30+ year KC barbecue background (Joe’s, the Barn in Stanley KS, Jack Stack, Golden Ox); awards (three Grand Champion titles 2006/2012/2015; American Royal first places 2012/2015); Overland Park origin and consolidation toward De Soto. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

3. https://www.visitkc.com/listings/burnt-end-bbq-crown-center/ — asserts: address 2450 Grand St., Ste. 130, Kansas City, MO 64108; award-winning BBQ in Crown Center; daily specials, full bar, happy hour, burnt ends; hours Sun–Thu 10am–9pm, Fri–Sat 10am–10pm; lunch, dinner, carryout, catering; phone (816) 601-0444. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. https://burntendbbq.com/ — asserts: De Soto location at 34071 Commerce Drive, De Soto, KS 66018; both locations open. ↩ ↩²

5. https://burntendbbq.com/ — asserts: Crown Center at 2450 Grand Blvd #130, KCMO 64108; hours Mon–Thu 11–8, Fri 11–8, Sat 10:30–8, Sun 11–7; both locations currently open. ↩ ↩²

6. https://burntendbbq.com/ — asserts: De Soto location adds daily breakfast 7am–11am plus lunch/dinner service. ↩ ↩²

7. https://www.crowncenter.com/business/burnt-end-bbq — asserts: Burnt End BBQ Crown Center listing and 2019 Crown Center dining announcement context. ↩

8. https://burntendbbq.com/menu-crown-center — asserts: Crown Center menu and prices — smokehouse meats (beef burnt ends ½ lb $18, pork burnt ends ½ lb $15, beef brisket ½ lb $18, St. Louis ribs ½ rack $22, pulled pork/pulled chicken/smoked turkey ½ lb $15, chopped beef $17, smoked sausage $8); competition platters ($19.95–$26.95); sandwiches & burgers ($12.95–$18.95); bowls ($14.95–$17.95); starters (burnt end nachos $14.95, wings, tenders, queso, onion rings, quesadilla, cornbread bites); salads ($13.95–$19.95); sides $4.95; kids $6.99; desserts (butter cake $8.95, chocolate toffee cookies $3.95). Verified 2026-06-23. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶