Open Tue–Sun from 11AM until we sell out — no reservations.

The Hickory Oak Legend

Behind the Bark

How a dry-rub recipe and a steel smoker built KC's low-and-slow cornerstone.

The Hearth of Grand Boulevard

Founded with nothing more than a custom weld-sheet offset smoker and a pocket full of family spice proportions, Forge & Flame BBQ Co. was born out of a desire to do Kansas City barbecue the honest way. In a neighborhood where commercial gas chambers became the norm, our founders pledged allegiance to raw hardwood fire and patient smoke rings.

Every pork butt, slab of baby back ribs, and prime USDA brisket beef cut that enters our pit is seasoned by hand with our signature dry rub. We do not use sweeteners to hide standard-grade meats; our flavor profile relies entirely on the caramelized interplay of spice, fat, and sweet hickory bark.

Today, Pitmaster Arny and his grandchildren tend to the pits in Grand Blvd inside Kansas City's Historic Art district. The coals are lit at 4:30 AM every single morning. We smoke daily until we sell out, promising our guests a low-and-slow plate without compromises or yesterday's reheats.

The Pit Operations

Inside the smokehouse and preparation tables

Carving juicy USDA prime rib cuts
Grand boulevard smoke house pit firewood logs
Mixing custom bbq rub keys and spices
Hardwood red oak embers low and slow smoke