Provided is a grill grate with removable bars for improving cleaning performance on a cooking grill. The grill grate with removable bars has a frame structure, configured to be placed over a heat source in the grill, where the frame structure has a plurality of notches. The grill grate further includes a plurality of grill bars, configured to support food during cooking and positioned on the frame structure. Also provided are methods of providing an improved grill grate for cleaning grill including the steps of: forming a frame structure, configured to be positioned above a heat source on the cooking grill forming a plurality of grill bars, configured to receive food to be cooked thereon.