My recommended places list for Kansas City. There are plenty of other good places, but sometimes having a list is nice. Pick one randomly and you'll be okay. Definitely not in any particular order.

The Peanut - acclaimed for their buffalo wings w/ bleu cheese sauce on the side. I've had 'em and oh yeh.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-peanut-kansas-city
http://www.peanutkc.com/
1) 418 W 9th St; downtown Kansas City, MO, just west of Broadway, (816) 221-7470
2) 50th & Main streets, Kansas City, MO
The place at 7042 W. 76th St (76th & Metcalf) in Overland Park is not part of the Peanut family.

The Record Bar, 816-753-5207
http://www.therecordbar.com
Mon - Fri: 12pm - 1:30am
Sat: 4pm - 1:30am
Sun: 12pm - 12am
1020 Westport Rd, just west of Southwest Trafficway; KC MO 64111

Fogo de Chao, different kinds of meat cooked on giant skewers, and they carve off bits right onto your plate. Oh yeh.
http://www.fogodechao.com
222 West 47th Street; Kansas City, MO 64112, on the Country Club Plaza; (816) 931-7700

Arthur Bryant's BBQ - along with Gates, the original KC BBQ. Presidents & politicians pop in during elections.
http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/
1) The Original: 1727 Brooklyn Avenue, KCMO, 816-231-1123; a few blocks east of The Paseo on 18th.
2) Legends at the Kansas Speedway: 1702 Village West Parkway, 913-788-7500; I-435 & Parallel Pkwy.
3) Ameristar Casino: 3200 N. Ameristar Dr., KCMO, 816-414-7474; 210 Hwy, just east of I-435 & just north of the Missouri River; this is the far-east part of I-435 in Missouri, extreme opposite of Kansas Speedway.

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ - Be prepared for a long line, but worth the wait. Fanatical following, not detered by "Oklahoma" in the name of a KC BBQ joint. President Obama opted for this instead of Bryant's like most politicians.
http://www.oklahomajoesbbq.com/
1) 3002 W. 47th Ave, KCKS (47th & Mission Rd), 913-722-3366
2) 11950 South Strang Line Rd, Olathe, KS (just east of 119th & I-35), 913-782-6858

Gates BBQ - along with Arthur Bryant's, the original KC BBQ
http://www.gatesbbq.com/
1) 1325 East Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd., Kansas City
A little east of the Plaza at Brush Creek Blvd & The Paseo
2) 1221 Brooklyn, Kansas City
A few blocks east of 12th and The Paseo, just north of I-70
3) 10440 East 40 Highway, Independence
A little NE of Sterling on E US 40, & a little north of I-70
4) 3205 Main, Kansas City
Pretty straight-forward, 32nd & Main
5) 103rd & State Line, Leawood, KS
West side of State Line Rd, just south of 103rd, just north of I-435
6) 1026 State Ave, Kansas City, KS
Downtown KCKS, 10th (a north-south street) & State Ave (an east-west street)

BB's Lawnside BBQ
The only BBQ joint with live blues. Owned & operated by Lindsay Shannon, who has hosted a KC blues radio show for a quarter-century
http://www.bbslawnsidebbq.com/
85th Street, just east of Troost

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue. Upscale joint, great food, good for suits & business meals.
1) 95th & Metcalf
2) Martin City
3) 101 W. 22nd St., north of Union Station, across the tracks, next to Lidia's & Grunauer
http://www.jackstackbbq.com/

Smokestack - a separate branch of the Fiorella family, less fancy but mmmm good
8920 Wornall (strip mall at SW corner of 89th & Wornall), KCMO 64114; (816) 444-5542
http://www.smokestackbbq.com/

Rosedale BBQ, 600 Southwest Blvd, KCKS
http://www.rosedalebarbeque.com

LC's BBQ - Closed as of this writing, but likely to return. This was Sue and I's favorite BBQ in all of KC.
http://www.lcsbbq.com/

Ponak's - Fine fine fine Mexican food, ridiculously big portions, killer margaritas. Sue and I's favorite Mexican.
http://www.ponaksmexicankitchen.com/
2856 Southwest Blvd; Kansas City, MO 64108-3613; (816) 753-0775
29th Street & Southwest Blvd, under I-35

Grinder's (pizza) - Greasy goodness, Crossroads location. Tattoos abound, especially on your waitress.
417 E. 18th St. (just east of Oak, four blocks east of Main), Kansas City, MO 64108, (816) 472-5454
http://www.grinderspizza.com

39th Street Mama's (all kinds of diner food, wildly fattening, deep-friend and decadent)
3906 Waddell St. (39th & Southwest Trafficway, southwest corner), Kansas City, MO 64111, (816) 531-6422

YJ's Snack Bar (different each day, something special like hummus & veggies, not a burger)
128 W. 18th St. - two blocks west of Main, near TWA spaceship. Yes, a spaceship on top of a historic building. Kansas City, MO 64108; (816) 472-5533

Smokin' Guns BBQ
1218 Swift Avenue; a little east of 12 St. & Hwy 9, not far north of the river in North Kansas City, MO; (816) 221-2535. North Kansas City is not the northern part of Kansas City; it is a separate city with that name.
http://www.smokingunsbbq.com

RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack
5835 Lamar; On Lamar, just north of Johnson Drive; Mission, KS 66062; (913) 262-7300
http://www.rjsbbq.com

Johnny's Bar-B-Q
5959 Broadmoor; just SE of Johnson Drive & Metcalf; Mission, KS 66201; (913) 432-0777
http://www.johnnysbbqkc.com

Woodyard Bar-B-Que
3001 Merriam Ln; a little NE of 635 & 35; Merriam runs NE from Johnson Drive, just east of I-35; Kansas City, KS 66106; (913) 236-6666
http://www.woodyardbbq.com

Happy Gillis Cafe & Hangout
549 Gillis Street; downtown KCMO, north of Independence Ave, west of I-35; (816) 471-3663
http://www.happygillis.com/

The Brick - fun dive, burgers, chicken, bar food, bands for tattooed young people.
1727 McGee St; across the street from the Kansas City Star, 18th & McGee, three blocks east of Main; (816) 421-1634
http://thebrickkcmo.com

Swagger
8431 Wornall Rd. Kansas City, MO 64114 - 816-361-4388
http://swaggerkc.com/
Home of the huge, unhealthy and delicious burger, The Dead Texan. Instead of buns it has two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches. In between are a 1/3 lb. burger, 1 egg, 3 slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapenos, and peppercorn mayo. I split one with my dad and we both had plenty.

Stroud's Oak Ridge Manor - Proclaimed by Kansas City's Calvin Trillin to be the real stuff, this is the home of pan-fried (as opposed to deep-fried) chicken and massive piles of comfort food. In most respects a family place (with a chapel, even), except for the tacky (but funny) t-shirts worn by staff.
http://www.stroudsrestaurant.com/
5410 Northeast Oak Ridge Rd., Kansas City, MO 64119; access road at I-35 & NE Vivion Rd (Hwy 69)

Papa Bob's Bar-B-Que
http://www.papabobsbbq.com/
11610 Kaw Dr., Bonner Springs, KS 66111

Grunauer (German and Austrian food)
http://www.grunauerkc.com/
101 W. 22nd St., north of Union Station, across the tracks; next to Lidia's & Fiorella's

Lidia's (Italian food)
http://www.lidias-kc.com/
101 W. 22nd St., north of Union Station, across the tracks, next to Fiorella's & Grunauer

O'Malley's Pub - dates to 1840, in historic Weston, NW of KC on Hwy 9 in Platte County, Missouri.
http://www.westonirish.com/OMALLEYS.html
This place is a trip. Soak up the atmosphere of drink and Irish music in a cellar at the bottom of many stairs and at the end of a stone tunnel. I kid you not.