Johnson County should be able to see the smoke and smell the mouth-watering aroma of barbecue in the air today. Q39 South opens its doors for lunch, serving award-winning championship barbecue at its brand-new outpost. 
Q39 South is located in the former Hayward’s Pit Bar-B-Que, and the 7,191-square-foot space has been completely remodeled inside and out. It features seating for 200 in the dining room, 25 at a handsome new bar and 50 on the outdoor patio, complete with a fireplace. The second location of Rob Magee’s popular barbecue joint not only offers easy access from the I-435 highway, but also boasts a few more parking spaces than the original Q39. Magee is quick to point out there is no place he’d rather be. “I’ve had my eye on Johnson County for our second location since opening my original Q39 in Midtown in 2014,” he says. 
In keeping with the look and feel of the original location, Magee and his wife, Kelly, have carried over the rustic urban interior with large windows that bring in plenty of light and offer unique views of Overland Park. They have also built a nice cocktail bar offering beer, wine and a list of more than two dozen seasonal, hand-crafted cocktails. Mirroring the original operation, a special to-go entrance for pickup orders called Q2GO is located next to the front door for easy access. But it’s the changes to the new space that have people buzzing. Q39 South features a new state-of-the-art smoker that can hold 1,400 pounds of meat, compared to the 500-pound capacity of the original location. This will allow them to cater large-scale parties for up to 3,000 people in addition to supplying the restaurant each day. “We also have a much larger dining room with a comfortable outdoor patio,” Magee says. “We built a butcher room where guests can watch our guys preparing the meat for the grill or smoker through a large glass window while waiting to be seated.” 
Magee says his focus is still on serving his competition-style barbecue. He uses hickory wood on indirect heat, just like he did during his days competing on the Munchin’ Hogs barbecue team. He will continue to offer dishes that also utilize wood-fire grilling over oak, which gives the meat a lighter flavor and seals in the natural juices. The menu at Q39 South will mirror the one served in Midtown, serving creative barbecue sandwiches, burgers and combination plates in addition to the wood-grilled items and a healthy selection of appetizers, soups and salads. But, Magee says he also plans to add a few new items at Q39 South, including a burnt-end burger, housemade chipotle sausage and pulled-pork tacos. Q39 South is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 10pm and Sunday from 11am to 9pm. Q39 South, 11051 Antioch Road, Overland Park, Kansas, 913.951.4500
TRY Q39 BQQ IN KANSAS CITY
