Authentic to Himself: Night Goat isn’t classic KC BBQ, but it’ll knock your socks off

Night Goat brisket. // Photo by Carlos Lima of Neesh

The weekend incarnation of Chef Vaughn Good’s celebrated Fox and Pearl, Night Goat began as a response to hardship—pandemic closures, labor shortages, general uncertainty around the restaurant industry.

“I had a pretty thin crew,” said Good, who garnered a James Beard Award nomination in 2020. “It was basically me and my sous chef working a crazy amount of hours. The prep for brunch was a lot. We wanted to change to doing something that the two of us could handle.”

Eighteen months later, however, Night Goat persists as a labor of love and a reflection of Good’s talents as a chef.

Night Goat tacos. // Courtesy Night Goat

“I love it, and I’d like to push forward with it more. But when I do that, I want it to be kind of perfect. I don’t want to be inauthentic to myself. I wouldn’t want to make something boilerplate just to fit expectations. I don’t think that’s really our style.”

Diehard fans of classic Kansas City barbeque will find plenty about the Night Goat experience that deviates from the norm. Potted plants are a fixture of dining room decor, you’ll wipe your mouth with cloth napkins, and there isn’t a slice of white bread to be found in the place.

But Chef Good’s barbeque is some of the best in town precisely because he doesn’t stick to a rigid formula. Good is passionate, not just about sourcing local meat and other ingredients, but about allowing Kansas City’s diverse cuisine to influence his choices. In lieu of the ubiquitous white bread, you’ll find Caramelo Pork Fat Tortillas ($3 for 3), a nod to Good’s affinity for the Westside’s Mexican food scene, and his invitation for diners to create the sort of perfect, complex bite that only a taco can provide.

Chef Vaughn and the smoker. // Photo by Carlos Lima of Neesh

“It’s almost impossible not to be influenced by the food in the neighborhood,” he said.

Before diving into the food, I ordered a Lone Star tall boy ($4) and for an extra $0.50 I “dressed it up,” or added house hot sauce, smoke/spice salt, and lime. Lone Star has long been an accompaniment to BBQ, at least in Texas, but the additions were what made it special. The drink is representative of exactly what Good is doing at Night Goat—taking the classics and “dressing them up.” Diners who prefer local brews will be pleased to find Tank 7 ($7) on the list, and the brunch set will enjoy the Giddy Up ($13), a coffee and vodka cocktail reminiscent of an espresso martini that manages not to taste like a desert.

Good’s desire to remain authentic, both to himself and the local ingredients he sources, means the menu may change from week to week. On the day I dined there, the special was a plate of Barbeque Nachos ($13), those same pork fat tortillas, cut and fried, topped with smoked cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos and onions, and a heaping portion of pulled pork. The pork was tender, while still retaining enough bite to hold up to the crispy tortilla chips. The flavor of the pork managed to remain front and center, even when slathered with cheese and doused in the tomatillo House Hot Sauce ($1).

The smoker. // Photo by Carlos Lima of Neesh

Formerly the proprietor of a butcher shop/restaurant in Lawrence, KS, Good brings his talent for charcuterie to bear in Night Goat’s Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage ($10 per ¼ pound). The high-quality aged cheddar complimented the spiced meat and the chili flavor of the jalapeno without drowning them out. There was heat, but only a lingering, pleasant hint.

The pastrami pork belly ($15 per ½ pound), though, is the bona-fide star of the menu. Herbs blended seamlessly with the standby salt and pepper, and the flavor of smoke was strong from the crust, through the layer of fat, to the very edge of the meat. Each bite seemed to evaporate in my mouth, and no matter how full I got, I was always able to find room for another. It will—to put it as dramatically as I’m able—ruin you for other attempts at pork belly.

A full tray. // Photo by Carlos Lima of Neesh

Night Goat’s sides are worth a trip on their own, at once nostalgic and elevated. The Cheesy Polenta ($4/$7 small/large) was a triumph, well-seasoned and hearty enough to stand up to the strong flavors of the meat. The Pickles ($4/$7 small/large), a mixture of peppers, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, were colorful and sliced thick. Their acidity and delicate heat offered a refreshing break from the fattiness of the rest of the meal. The Potato Salad ($4/$7 small/large) was dense with big chunks of potato, celery, and a sharp mustard flavor, and was a perfectly executed classic.

Desert is usually a single offering, and changes almost every week. On my visit, Butternut Squash Donuts ($9) were the selection of the day. The dough was earthy and just sweet enough, and they had been tossed in cinnamon sugar. The hint of vanilla and powdered sugar in the glaze dipping sauce set them off nicely.

A juicy sandwich. // Photo by Carlos Lima of Neesh

In order to enjoy the experience to the fullest, it may help diners to think of Night Goat not as an addition to the rankings of the BBQ joints around town, but rather as just an incredible meal. Night Goat is (at least for now) served out of a space created for Fox and Pearl, and inevitably the two entities influence one another.

“I wanted them to blend,” said Good. “I still want [Night Goat] to feel like our food.

There is too much that Chef Good does differently—if exceedingly well—to make a direct comparison to the KC BBQ staples. So, if it helps, don’t visit Night Goat with any expectations beyond quality. Just enjoy it for what it is. Chef Vaughn Good’s barbeque is authentic to him, and that should be enough.

Night Goat is co-located with Fox and Pearl at 2143 Summit Street, Kansas City, MO 64108. They are open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.