Driving through unfamiliar territory looking for a barbecue restaurant that is particularly talented at hide and seek is slightly intimidating, to say the least. Finally, the sign for BB’s Lawnside Barbecue appears near 85th Street and Holmes Road and soon after, the old building that houses the restaurant does too. BB’s colorful history and its deep roots in jazz and blues make for the ideal Kansas City barbecue experience.

In Kansas City, barbecue is a longstanding tradition and it is well-known as a hub for jazz and blues. BB’s Lawnside is where it all comes together. Opened 21 years ago by owner Lindsay Shannon, the restaurant has live music every day but Monday, on which they are closed every week. The faded paint, unexpected location and the visibly decaying building do not drive customers away, but rather seems to draw them by the hundreds.

Pulling into the jam-packed parking lot, customers overflow onto the patio, all smiles even with the large crowd. Splashy blues and smooth jazz float out of the open door. Upon entering the restaurant, it took a minute for my eyes to completely adjust to the dim lights. The first thing I noticed once my eyes adjusted was the décor. The only things lighting the room were neon signs, Christmas lights dangling from the ceiling and a few dusty windows. There was no host at the door so I found a seat at an open table. Surprisingly, I was waited on almost immediately despite the chaos.

Not being in any sort of hurry, I was content sipping on my ice water, listening to jazz singer Mama Ray and her fellow band members. Mama Ray appeared to be a frail, elderly woman, but had the booming voice of a strong, young lady. However, it did take quite some time for the waitress to come around to get my order, which was understandable considering that only three waiters were serving a full house.

I ordered a pulled pork sandwich and battered french fries from the grimy, laminated menu and expected a lengthy wait. Within minutes, the steaming hot food came out in a black plastic basket lined with red and white checkered paper. The pulled pork sandwich was piled high with tender meat, but something looked to be wrong with the meal. Three chicken finger-looking objects sat next to the sandwich, battered and deep fried. I came to a slow realization that these were my battered french fries. Despite the odd appearance, the thick-cut fries fit perfectly with the succulent sandwich.

For dessert, I ordered Turtle Cheesecake, which is New York style cheesecake on a chocolate cookie crumb crust with a dark chocolate glaze, sprinkled with nuts and caramel syrup. It was much better than I expected from the restaurant. It was very rich and the dark chocolate-caramel combination was perfect, although the overload of food left me a little bloated. I couldn’t help myself from overeating. The restaurant gives you quite the bang for your buck, though. A pulled pork sandwich with fries and a drink, a lot of food for anyone, was only around $10.

BB’s Lawnside Barbecue is perfect for anyone who loves good barbecue, good music and for those who don’t mind a short drive. For those of us who can’t stand a little scrounge or old-school music, you should probably stick to Jack Stack or Gates. BB’s is prime ground for barbecue lovers and music lovers alike, the perfect Kansas City barbecue experience.

I don’t mind a little grime and filth, to an extent, but for the great food, great prices and above all, the great music, I give BB’s Lawnside four out of five stars.