Wolfpack BBQ

an independent, pitmaster-owned barbecue (and burger) restaurant at 910 E 5th St in Columbus Park, downtown Kansas City. Co-founded by pitmaster Jared Wolfe and Sam Parker, the business started in 2021 as a charity-event and brewery pop-up (anchored at Callsign Brewing in North Kansas City) before opening its first standalone location in Columbus Park in 2023. Cooks all-wood, no-gas barbecue on offset/converted smokers, with brisket burnt ends as the signature and a rotating roster of creative specials. Note the brand is spelled both Wolfepack (original / press era) and Wolfpack (current restaurant branding, “Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers”).

Description

Wolfpack BBQ is an independent, pitmaster-owned barbecue restaurant at 910 E 5th Street in the Columbus Park neighborhood of downtown Kansas City — billed as the first barbecue restaurant in Columbus Park and the adjoining River Market area.¹² The kitchen cooks entirely over wood with no gas assistance, using old-school offset smokers (Oak and Hickory) and a converted ~1,000-gallon propane tank that co-owner and pitmaster Jared Wolfe built into his primary smoker.³⁴ Briskets are hand-trimmed by Wolfe; the operation has sourced premium product including Creekstone Farms brisket and Duroc pork.³⁴

The barbecue is described as Texas-style/old-school in technique while remaining Kansas City-focused, with influences Wolfe gathered traveling to Texas, Georgia and the Carolinas.²⁴ The signature item is brisket burnt ends; the menu also runs smoked turkey, St. Louis-style ribs, thick-sliced beef, a Texas-style pit sauce, red coleslaw, multiple mac-and-cheese variations, grits, and brisket-trimmed chili.²⁴ Under its current branding the restaurant emphasizes burgers alongside the smoked meats (“Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers”).⁵ A hallmark of the kitchen is its rotating, experimental specials — documented examples include cold-smoked lobster bisque, goat curry soup, a sweet-potato Thai peanut salad, and walnut-crusted chicken stuffed with pear and Gorgonzola.³⁴ The Columbus Park space seats roughly 80–100 guests (indoor plus enclosed patio) and pours from about 16 beer taps.³⁴

Brand-spelling note: the business launched and was covered in local press as “Wolfepack BBQ” (the spelling derives from co-owner Jared Wolfe’s surname).³²⁴ Current restaurant branding and the official website use “Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers” / “Wolfpack.”¹⁵ Both spellings refer to the same business; “Wolfpack” is treated here as the primary current name.

Ownership and history

Wolfpack BBQ is co-owned by pitmaster Jared Wolfe and Sam Parker.³²⁴ The business grew out of Kansas City’s charity-event and brewery pop-up circuit rather than a storefront: Wolfe — who judged barbecue competitions in his spare time before going pro — made the operation’s first public outing at a “Barbecue of Hope” charity event in 2021, then built a following through weekly pop-ups anchored at Callsign Brewing (1340 Burlington, North Kansas City) and additional brewery dates including Pathlight Brewing and Fringe Beerworks.²⁴

The move to a permanent home came through the local food-and-brewery network. While having coffee at Café Cà Phê in Columbus Park, Wolfe learned the neighboring space at 910 E 5th Street — formerly LaSala’s Deli and, more recently, The North End bar — was available; the partners secured the space in December 2022.³² After running a food trailer on-site through renovations, Wolfpack’s first official indoor service took place on August 24, 2023.⁴ The business operates as Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers LLC and is independent and locally owned, with no corporate parent.⁵

Links

• Website: https://wolfpackkc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfpackkc/
• Phone: (816) 268-0770

See also

• henry-perry
• Registry

Sources

Footnotes

1. Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers — official website (homepage and About page). https://wolfpackkc.com/ and https://wolfpackkc.com/kansas-city-columbus-park-wolfpack-bbq-and-burgers-about. Confirms current “Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers” branding, 910 E 5th St / Columbus Park location, “started in 2021,” roots via “friendships from the BBQ and Brewery scene,” old-school offset smokers using Oak and Hickory, brisket and burnt ends emphasis, and downtown/River Market context (~10 min from KCI). ↩ ↩²

2. Flatland KC — “Wolfepack BBQ Sets Up Smoker in Columbus Park” (Jan. 12, 2023). https://flatlandkc.org/eats-drinks/wolfepack-bbq-sets-up-smoker-in-columbus-park/. Confirms owners Sam Parker and Jared Wolfe, 2021 origin (first public outing at “Barbecue of Hope” charity event), brewery pop-up history and Callsign Brewing base (1340 Burlington), Texas-style all-wood method with hand-trimmed whole briskets, specialties (pit sauce, thick-sliced beef, red coleslaw, mac and cheese, grits, brisket-trimmed chili), the 910 E 5th St site as former LaSala’s Deli / The North End bar, and Wolfpack as the first BBQ restaurant in Columbus Park / River Market. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. The Pitch — “With its new standalone location Wolfepack BBQ looks to become the leader of the pack” (Feb. 20, 2023). https://www.thepitchkc.com/with-its-new-standalone-location-wolfepack-bbq-looks-to-become-the-leader-of-the-pack/. Confirms co-owners Jared Wolfe (pitmaster) and Sam Parker, prior Callsign Brewing base in North Kansas City, the Café Cà Phê coffee-conversation origin of the Columbus Park lease, all-wood (no-gas) cooking, converted ~1,000-gallon propane-tank smoker, Creekstone Farms brisket / Duroc pork, brisket burnt ends as signature, experimental specials (cold-smoked lobster bisque, goat curry soup), ~80 seats and 16 beer taps. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

4. Kansas City Star (via AOL/Yahoo syndication) — “His BBQ sold only at food truck or pop-ups. Now he’s opened this Kansas City restaurant” (Sept. 8, 2023). https://www.aol.com/bbq-sold-only-food-truck-103000432.html. Confirms 2021 founding, weekly pop-ups at Callsign Brewing plus Pathlight Brewing and Fringe Beerworks, Wolfe judging competitions before launching, KC-focused style with Texas/Georgia/Carolinas influences, signature brisket burnt ends / smoked turkey / St. Louis ribs / rotating creative specials, December 2022 lease of the former North End bar space, first indoor sale August 24, 2023, and ~100-guest capacity (50 indoor / 50 enclosed patio). ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

5. Toast online-ordering listing — “Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers LLC, 910 E 5th St, Kansas City, MO 64106.” https://order.toasttab.com/online/wolfpack-bbq-burgers-llc-910-e-5th-st-kansas-city-mo-64106 and https://www.toasttab.com/local/order/wolfpack-bbq-burgers-llc-910-e-5th-st-kansas-city-mo-64106. Confirms legal entity name “Wolfpack BBQ & Burgers LLC,” current address, and active/operating status. ↩ ↩² ↩³