Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Zarda BBQ is a wedding catering company located in Blue Springs, MO and Lenexa, KS. For more than 45 years, this family-owned and operated restaurant has delivered mouth-watering, Ozark hickory-smoked barbecue to the Kansas City area. Over the years, their dishes have taken on a cult status and earned them a reputation for excellence. With an experienced catering team and perfected recipes, this business will ensure a seamless and savory meal at your special occasion. Free wedding tastings are available at both locations.
Before Zarda BBQ, the Zarda name was best known for its drive-in hamburger stands, founded by Norbert Zarda. “Grandpa Norb” instilled his work ethic in his three sons, who went on to start the barbecue restaurant. Now operated by Norb’s granddaughters, Suzanne and Jennifer Zarda, the eatery passes on the family ethics of hard work, dedicated service, and great food.
The catering team at Zarda BBQ will fully tailor your order to suit your tastes, preferences, budget, and guest list size. These professionals are ready to wow you with their award-winning burnt end carving stations, hickory-smoked sliced meats, tender smoked ribs, and juicy bone-in chicken. These meats are then paired with the eatery’s famous baked beans, refreshing Country Cole Slaw, and decadent cheesy corn for an unforgettable culinary experience.
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Pricing details
Couples usually spend $17
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Details
Cuisine
BBQ
Dietary Options
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Vegetarian
Food & Catering
Buffet
Catering Clean Up
Catering Delivery & Setup
Menu Tastings
Servers
Awards and Affiliations
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Availability
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
28 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Zarda BBQ receives overwhelmingly positive reviews for weddings, with reviewers praising the delicious food and professional service provided by staff like Suzanne, Celeste, Erin, and Garrett. The communication, responsiveness, and affordability of Zarda's catering services are highlighted as key strengths, with guests loving the KC BBQ experience. Many guests commend the efficiency of the staff, who not only served and cleaned up but also packaged leftovers neatly for attendees to take home. Overall, Zarda is highly recommended for wedding catering due to its exceptional food quality, service, and value.
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Beth S
5.0
11/19/2024
Suzanne was amazing to work with. Straightforward pricing, so professional, and SO great on the day of. Food was tasty, and you get to keep leftovers!!!
Cari F
5.0
11/07/2024
We had Zarda for our daughter's wedding and they were absolutely AMAZING! Suzanne was so nice and easy to work with from planning our menu all the way to our final count! We had 2 servers by the name of Dustin and MiKayla and they worked so hard the entire time they were there! From setup, food delivery, carving of burnt ends, cutting sheet cakes and packaging and putting away all the remaining food. Oh and the food of course was AMAZING! I would 150% recommend Zarda for any catering need! Thank you all so much for all your hard work and participating in my daughter and son-in-laws special day! :)
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Lauren S
5.0
11/05/2024
Zarda was a HUGE hit!! The food was everything we had hoped for, so delicious. Every expectation we had with Zarda was far exceeded :
Food 11/10- SO GOOD! It was hot. The smokey flavor was on point, perfect! We had the burnt ends (server did an outstanding job) and pulled pork was perfect too. And I really enjoyed the brisket!!! Sides were perfect!
Communication 11/10. Suzanne, you were amazing. We felt like we didn’t have to worry about the food, definitely turned out to be true!
Servers 11/10. They were AWESOME. It was hot, it didn’t seem to phase them though. And you were right, set it up, took it down and never looked like they were there. Big kudos to them!!
We got lots of compliments, one of the best choices of the entire wedding!! Will recommend to any bride/groom without hesitation!!
Amanda T
5.0
10/14/2024
Absolutely amazing service and equally amazing food all at a great price point. I highly recommend checking out Zarda’s if you are looking for delicious KC BBQ for your wedding.
Lyndsey L
5.0
10/12/2024
We started working with Suzanne Zarda from the Lenexa location in November of 2023 for our October 2024 wedding. When we went in for our tasting, Suzanne set us up with everything that we could possibly ask for from Zarda catering. The food was absolutely amazing. After our tasting, she answered all of our questions in regard to the catering process. We knew immediately after the tasting that Zarda was who we wanted to use!
Leading up to the wedding itself, Suzanne was always prompt with communication and so easy to work with. She worked flawlessly with my wedding coordinator so that the arrival of the food flowed with the day’s timeline.
During the wedding itself, we used staff from Zarda that helped make our night go smoothly. They staffed the buffet line, refilled food as needed, and bused our tables. When dinner was over, the packed all of the leftovers neatly into containers for us to take home. It was so helpful that I didn’t have to think about any of this during the wedding and that it was taken care of for me!
The food itself was delicious! Everything was fresh and well-liked by our guests. We even used Zarda for our appetizers during our cocktail hour and that was a hit!
If you are considering BBQ for catering, please hit up Suzanne at Zarda’s Lenexa location. You will not be disappointed!
Beth K
5.0
10/08/2024
Using Zarda for our wedding reception was BRILLIANT!
First of all, Suzanne Zarda was SO pleasant and easy to work with! Second, Zarda BBQ has been making great food all day, every day for a very long time. They have experience with large crowds, and nothing seems to phase them. Pricing is very reasonable, food is delicious, set up/clean up were unobtrusive, and leftovers were marvelous.
If you want to provide your out-of-town guests with a KC BBQ experience, talk to Suzanne Zarda!
Elizabeth H
5.0
10/07/2024
We had a fantastic wedding reception at Zarda barbecue in their banquet/private room. Celeste was our server and did an incredible job being attentive, serving over 65 people, and keeping an eye on the food and drinks. She served the cake and packaged up all the food that was left over for us us including some bottles of Zarda barbecue sauce. We had a last-minute change in our venue, so Zarda fortunately had the evening open and let us come in that morning to set up and took such good care of us 10 out of 10. In a city of wedding venues that are way overpriced, sometimes the simplistic aspect to quality food and intimate space can be priceless. Highly recommend a local Kansas City nostalgic venue!
Chris S
5.0
9/24/2024
We were planning a rehearsal dinner from Texas and knew we wanted to serve guests real KC BBQ. We searched online for restaurant options for 50 guests and were discouraged by the crazy high prices. We are so thankful we stumbled onto Zarda Bar-B-Q. Not only was the food affordably priced, but it all tasted fantastic! And the banquet room was just the right size. This place is a family owned restaurant and a local favorite. Suzanne and Celeste went above and beyond to make this special event perfect. The Texas guests loved the food and atmosphere. We can’t thank them enough for making the night such a success.
Lisa R
5.0
8/01/2024
Could not have been better! First thing that started the service off amazing was the taste testing that Erin set up for us. She made it so easy for us to make the best decisions for our day. She was responsive and worked with us when we had to make time adjustments. The crew that came to the event was amazing. They even helped with moving tables to flip the venue from ceremony to reception. The food was a massive hit, everyone couldn’t stop talking about how good it was! We had a lot of out of town guests who look forward to Kansas City BBQ and they did not disappoint. They cleaned and tidied everything up so nicely for us at the end of the night and made it such an easy process to take any leftovers with us. Oh and I should mention it was extremely affordable!
Taylor C
5.0
7/18/2024
I catered Zarda BBQ for my rehearsal dinner and it was by far one of the best vendors that I used from my rehearsal dinner and wedding. From day one, the communication was amazing. They were so quick to respond and answered all my questions that I had. Night of, the staff showed on time and set up in a very quickly matter, stayed, and cleaned up. I couldn't recommended Zarda enough for any of your food catering needs!
Carla S
5.0
6/24/2024
We used Zarda for a rehearsal dinner at Belvior Winery. Erin is professional and great to work with. Communicated we us throughout the process. We have always had excellent service when we hired them to cater our family events. The food, drinks and set up was as expected and excellent. The amount of food was beyond what we expected. Kiersten was our server and went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied before, during and after the dinner.
Tim V
5.0
6/24/2024
Food was on time (early in fact) and excellent. Portion size was great and the staff were excellent.
Robin M
5.0
6/19/2024
Zarda BBQ was exceptional in every area...quality of food, presentation, incredible staff, ease of ordering, clean up...we could not be more pleased! Zarda catered our 3 kids' weddings in the last two years (2 wedding receptions and 1 wedding rehearsal dinner). Our guests loved it and still talk about the meal! Erin and her catering staff are incredible! The presentation is beautiful and the food just stands out! The fresh-carved burnt ends at the buffet line was so impressive to our guests and the BBQ beans with burnt ends in them are the best anywhere! We had a large variety of sides and also offered fresh salad and veggies! Thank you Zarda BBQ for the above-and-beyond service you provided and the outstanding BBQ for our family and friends to enjoy as we celebrated our kid's weddings. Zarda will always be our first choice for BBQ!
Liza D
5.0
6/19/2024
Zarda was the absolute best! They were professional, on time, and there was plenty of food. Everyone loved the food.
K H
5.0
11/20/2023
I worked with Erin to set up a luncheon after my stepdad’s funeral. She was wonderful to work with and answered all my questions and helped me plan accordingly. Garrett was the caterer the day of the luncheon & did a great job setting up and making sure there was plenty of food ready. They both made such a difficult day much easier!
Nicole B
5.0
11/14/2023
We use Zarda every year for a large program, they are always great! They show up on time and always do a fantastic job setting up, serving and cleaning up! The food is always hot and delicious!
Blake S
5.0
9/19/2023
Zarda went above and beyond!! We were looking at rain before the event and they accommodated us in every way they could!! The food was amazing and we are so grateful!!!
Linda D
5.0
8/10/2023
Food was hot and delicious. I would definitely love to have them cater my events.
Kayla M
5.0
8/01/2023
The food was delicious and the prices were very reasonable! Erin had great communication with everything leading up to the wedding. The caterers on the day of were very friendly and helpful. Our guests raved about how yummy the BBQ was!
response08/01/2023
We are so happy you were satisfied with the catering services, it was so great working wit...
h you! Thank you again for trusting Zardas to handle the catering on your big day!
Erin R
5.0
6/19/2023
We booked Zarda for a corporate event and they far exceeded my expectations! Their catering coordinator Erin was always on top of communication and quick to respond to any questions or changes. Erin and her team handled the entire set up/teardown of the buffet line and even provided their own tables and linens. The food was hot, fresh and our 250 attendees all raved about how good it was (especially the potato bake). I would absolutely recommend Zarda and plan to use them again for future functions.
response06/21/2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and for your kind words! It was so great w...
orking with you, we look forward to catering for you in the future!
Sarah B
5.0
5/31/2023
Food and service exceeded our expectations. Caterers were very professional. Would definitely recommend!
We were also on a budget and found their pricing most reasonable.
Taylor W
5.0
12/16/2022
Everyone LOVED the food on our special day! Zarda BBQ was easier to work with and affordable!
Jordan F
5.0
12/12/2022
Zardas was absolutely amazing! They came in and provided the greatest spread. The food was amazing and we heard such great compliments from guests. They bussed tables and packaged everything up. Working with Erin to get things set up made this one of the easiest parts of wedding planning. Absolutely recommend!
Paige M
5.0
10/10/2022
Nothing but amazing. They catering was prefect - we had a ton of left overs though so much sure you order just what you need 😆
We paid for full catering- them set up, break down & provide their tables, linens, plates, utensils etc - & in my opinion that's the only way to go. So you don't have to worry about anything.
They even took all the left overs with them & packaged everything up & store in their cooler back at the restaurant bc we didn't have enough space for all the left overs!
Mac-N-Cheese was a fan favorite 😍
Brittany W
5.0
5/23/2022
Absolutely amazing! Punctual, professional, and the food was amazing. Got so many compliments from guests and our venue said they were very self sufficient and easy to work with! Food was delivered almost 2 hours from the restaurant and tasted like it came straight from the kitchen!
Mindi P
5.0
5/02/2022
We have used Zardas for many of large events and we have never been disappointed. They have always been able to accommodate anything we have asked for…and also show great flexibility and professionalism. The bonus? Their food is always of great quality and tastes great!
Rick M
5.0
4/19/2022
Of course the food is fantastic but all servers were excellent as well. Thank you!
Danielle S
5.0
11/22/2021
The food was excellent, appreciated the timeliness and courtesy of staff. Also liked that they notified us to give a last call before packing up. We were able to get 100+ people through the buffet line quickly and had plenty of food. Aside from the superb bbq, the white cheddar mac n cheese and potatoes were a huge hit. Will definitely use Zarda for the next wedding or event we have.
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