I really like this place. The prices are reasonable and they offer a very extensive beer menu. I always order their Cream of Crab soup, which is delicious. They also offer many different American cuisine choices like burgers and barbeque. I will say this; service is really hit or miss. You're seated pretty quickly, which is very nice. Bare Bones is either under-staffed or their waiters are absent minded. We don't usually get drink refills unless we flag down a server. I don't think you should have to do that just to get a coke refill. You're pretty much on your own after you get your meals. We always ask for the check as soon as someone *does* check on us, otherwise we end up waiting forever. Also, a tip...they have pre-meal bread available, but it never comes automatically. You have to ask for it. It's free and quite tasty, so make sure to ask. They also offer take-away, which has always been very fast. Also, they have a prominently displayed "NO TANK TOPS" sign, which seems pretty weird. Maybe it's aimed at guys in "wife beaters" or something, because it's not exactly a swanky place. I've worn tank tops plenty of times and have noticed many other women doing the same. Half of the restaurant is a bar, which is open later than the dining room. You can get full service on either side, but the bar hosts musical acts at night (during the weekend? I can never tell,) and those can be VERY loud.You can't exactly talk to your companions in the bar section when they're playing music.
(3)
David C.
I have been here a few times and I get different things each time. The ambience in the dining area is good for the large lunch group I was with. Drink orders were taken right away. Our server constantly checked on us and refills kept coming. Our food orders were taken quickly. Some ordered from the lunch menu while others like me ordered from the regular menu. I got the lunch Perdue chicken with fries and cole slaw. The chicken was covered with barbecue sauce and was cooked but bland. Fries and cole slaw were good. I plan to go back again maybe on a date and not such a large group.
(4)
Dan A.
This place is an Ellicott City institution. It's been here for as long as I can remember. However, even though I've passed by it day in and day out when I lived in Ellicott City, I hadn't been there in quite some time. In fact, when I went a few weeks ago, it must have been the first time I went there in years. I went to the bar to join some friends. The restaurant and bar has a very vintage feel to it with lots of wood panelling and warm, yellow-ish lights inside. Yeah, it's definitely dated...but it's kind of charming too. It definitely gives off the neighborhood bar feel. And it's nice to have a locally-owned and run business in Howard County, the land of chain restaurants. Anyhow, when I went, we were promptly waited on by our server. He took our orders and even recommended the appetizers (we didn't order any entrees as it was kind of late). Our food and drink arrived quickly. We got a appetizer sampler, which was good but nothing special--it's your typical bar food. The drinks, however, were different. Bare Bones makes their beers themselves and there are some very yummy choices out there. My favorite of the night was their Savage Mill Porter. There was live music as well when I was there. It was a guitar duo and it was fun listening to them perform music as well. Overall, a fun experience and certainly a place I would have no issues returning back to based on my experience at the bar.
(4)
Thomas J.
I had eaten at the Montgomery County location 15 years ago. Stopped here for the buffet but missed out. I had the crab cakes which is the special for today. It's was very good. No filler just pure crab meat. Good flavor. No heavy mustard flavor. Cooked to perfection. If I knew the crab cakes were this good, I would have stopped by more often. The food for my other family members looked fantastic and tasty
(4)
Michele W.
Bare Bones used to be my go to for good Prime Rib. However, it was not tender as expected. The meat was cooked to order but, it was chewy and we really had to saw at it to cut it. We were extremely disappointed. Is the beef a cheaper quality (but at a premium price) or has their method of roasting changed? The crock of beans had a really good flavor and the Bone bone shrimp was tasty. The salads were fresh but, a bit overloaded. It was challenging to keep it from falling out of the bowl when eating it. I started coming here well over 20 plus years and it seems like the food is not as good. The timing is also a little off. I will give them that they get stuff out to you fast. But, we were half way through the appetizer and the salads came out. Then a couple bites of salad then the entree's came out. It seemed a bit rushed or is it that they are overly efficient? Consequently we will be going elsewhere for Prime Rib and will not be returning to Bare Bones. It is really a shame because Bare Bones is well known for great Prime Rib and Ribs.
(2)
Justin O.
Food was ok, service was pretty poor. Kids meals pricey ( $6 to $11 and no drink included???). We had a rack of ribs (decent, a bit dried out though, prob prepped early and heated), french onion soup (very good), salad (eh), kids burger (cooked perfectly at med rare), kids mac & chs (good). Butter beans were top notch as a side. Waiter forgot my wife's drink, never refilled any water glasses, and took over 10 min to bring check after asking. Doubt we will be back anytime soon.
(3)
Jodi S.
Growing up in HoCo, Bare Bones is one of those places that was frequented often. Birthday? Bare Bones. Good report card? Bare Bones. Anniversary? Bare Bones. It is one of those places that I stopped going to as an adult, but would drive by on occasion and think to myself "I should really take my family to Bare Bones for a decent meal." So, last night, my husband, two kiddos, and I met another family at Bare Bones for dinner. There was a wait for a table, but considering we were a group of 8, we expected that. When I called to add our names to the list, I wad told that they'd be happy to add my name to the list. I was put on hold. Then, the next person who picked up the phone explained that while they DO allow for call ahead seating, once a table-wait has been established, they would no longer add call-in names. Ok, whatever.... Our friends happened to be across the street, so they took care of securing a table for us while we drove up route 29. My husband loves to tell the story of being 15 years old and eating at Bare Bones for the all-you-can-eat rib special. He was a football player and a growing teenage boy. He went through 15 orders of ribs and fellow patrons began placing bets on how much more he could eat! At 40 years old, I have to admit that I am a bit concerned about his cholesterol levels, but allowed him to relive his inner teenager and get the rib dinner. My daughter and I shared a french onion soup and the prime rib. My older son ordered a bleu cheese and bacon burger. So.... this is where the meal went downhill. Fast. First of all, our server was a nice guy, but slow as can be, and not much personality. We placed our orders for drinks, and then for soups/salads, and finally our entrees. Everything took FOREVER. Sodas were flat. We were told that the tap at the bar tends to be fizzier....received replacement sodas, but again, they were flat. The time between drinks, appetizers, entrees was insanely long. Our server would literally disappear for 15-20 minutes and we would be stuck with unsatisfactory items (i.e. flat soda, cold soup, salads with the wrong dressings). By the time our server was fixing the error with our soups and salads, the entrees arrived. My husband's ribs were ok. Not great. Decent. The rice tasted like rice-a-roni, not rice pilaf, and the crock of beans was so sweet, they were literally inedible. The prime rib was served cold. We switched one of our sides to a baked potato (after tasting hubby's beans. Ick.). But, our meal arrived with no potato. The 2 sides we did get were ice cold. Not even slightly warm, but cold. The au jus for the prime rib was so cold, there was coagulated fat floating in it. We sent everything back. Guess what? The kitchen MICROWAVED our prime rib and then attempted to re-serve it to us. It was so overcooked and gross - no way. I asked for a fresh piece and luckily, the server agreed with me. We received a new, fresh serving of prime rib (nearly 25 minutes later), but, again, it was cold. The au jus was, again, cold. The side of string beans were mushy, overcooked, and cold. The baked potato was so cold in the center, the butter didn't even melt! Our entire meal was inedible. My son said his burger was "ok," but most 12 year old boys will be happy with a burger. We were not told upon ordering that there would be an upcharge to add bleu cheese. In all honestly, $.50 is not a big deal, but there needs to be full disclosure upon ordering. My son ordered his burger medium and it arrived looking like a hockey puck. We never had a manager visit the table. We never received an apology. Not one thing was removed from the bill, comped, or discounted. We paid over $95 for a family of 4. We had to stop at McDonald's on the way home so my daughter and I could eat a decent meal. Yes, a decent meal from McDonald's. What is wrong with this picture?!?! Bare Bones, you may have been a staple during my (and my husband's) teenage years, but as adults, we will never dine in your establishment again. My 12 year old twins said in the car on the way home "mom, can we please not eat there again?!" That is one wish I do not mind granting. If you are hungry for a decent HOT meal, go across the street to McDonalds. Seriously. When you see Bare Bones, keep on driving..... (I rated BB 1 star because Yelp forced me to choose a rating. I wish I could rate BB in negative stars).
(1)
Daniel C.
The Catonsville area needs more late-night options than just the TT diner, and Bare Bones fits the bill nicely. While the restaurant section does not remain open super late, I gather the bar area stays open much later, certainly much later than the idiotic seafood place across the street that closes at 10 PM on Saturdays. The main dining room is rather bland, but the bar seems like it gets quite lively, and often has live music.They specialize in meat, with steaks, barbecue and burgers aplenty to choose from. It may not be amazing, but certainly fills you up.
(3)
Patti N.
Ribs& wings great! Surly bartender.... when asked where appetizers were he said," I'm the bartender...I'm not in the kitchen. Really?! Could have cared a little more.
(3)
Patrice W.
The drinks are EXCELLENT!!!! Food is good but the service lacks. They forgot to bring out part of my order and lots of neighboring guest had complaints.
(3)
J. P.
I went last night and had very few expectations. I had the Brewmeister steak with seasoned fries, a side salad and a cup of cream of crab. I'm not sure why I ordered a side salad because that hardly ever works out for me. It was probably a good salad but salads are a part-time job for me.. just too much effort breaking down the leaf/leaves of lettuce (but that's just ME. Order the side salad if you want salad). Overall, the best part of the meal was the fries. The steak was nothing to write home about but it wasn't bad. I would rate it by saying that I'm not rushing home to eat the leftover portion nor did I bring it for lunch today. Let me say first that I am not a native Marylander so what rates as great cream of crab for me may not be the same as someone who used crab legs as a teething ring. However, the cream of crab was weird for me. It had chunks of something other than crab. In a few bites I thought I was eating mushrooms. I know there were chunks of onion but whatever else was in there I have no idea. My personal feeling is if I'm going to eat something that I can't see the ingredients I should be told what I'm putting in my mouth. Eating cream of crab is about 90% crab, 5% Old Bay and 5% trust. Oh I forgot, the best part of the meal was the dessert. I will give credit where it's due. I had a salted caramel cake thingy and I splurged and got the cup of ice cream with it. Now that's something I wish I had leftover, in the fridge, waiting for me. I couldn't tell you much about the atmosphere because my back was actually to the entire place. From what I can tell it was quiet enough. Unfortunately, I sat at the table next to the kitchen and all night empty glasses and plates went whizzing by my head. Now, the service is what has me baffled. You know how you can do to some places and the waitress never leaves you alone? You can't enjoy the meal or your company because you spend so much time telling the waitress how fine everything is. Not this place. The food arrived at the table as though they'd been reading our minds all along. The service was that fast. However, I'm STILL waiting on my refill of water. Overall, I walked with few expectations and I wasn't really disappointed. In fact, I'd go again but I'd go to the side where the bar is so I could enjoy the live entertainment. They also have trivia night on Wednesdays and that would be perfect for a know-it-all like me. My next review will be from the other side of the place.
(3)
Raghu J.
We went here for happy hour with colleagues. What a fantastic place ! Place was packed and we had to look for place to squat when others were leaving. Drinks were pretty good, they brew their beer also. What was really good was the complimentary buffet, which included wings, fries chicken, shrimp, nuggets, vegetables and dips. We also ordered their onion loaf, was delicious. Definitely will go back. Place is crowded during happy hours so go early.
(4)
Eric K.
Coach E stopped by here for lunch and was very impressed. I got the mac and cheese and the bare bones BBQ which was cooked to perfection. The ratio of all the ingredients to the meat and buns was perfect and the pickles and fries were delicious. Our server Steve was absolutely amazing. He recommended the Tiber River Red beer, which was perfect and his conversation to water refilling to giving us privacy ratio was on point. I will ask for Steve as a server every time I go back. Oh and the mac and cheese was pretty bomb too. Thanks again to Steve and the bare bone kitchen for making the Bare Bones experience an excellent one.
(5)
Mike W.
Great food and I love their onion loaf and crab pretzel as an appetizer. I got a BBQ burger with bacon on it and it was pretty good. Yes the service was a little slow but that is ok if your not in a rush. If your going to get an appetizer get the crab pretzel it's so good and well worth it. Overall it was a good experience and I would go back. It's not somewhere I would go all the time just somewhere to go for a change of pace.
(4)
Marcus B.
Place is pretty decent. Crowded on Friday for happy hour. The food was good and customer service was good also..
(4)
Anne B.
Nice atmosphere with live music. We had the Baby back rib, the roasted prime ribs, the teriyaki chicken and the Caesar Salad with shrimp. Also had the hot wings and the creamy crab soup. The baby back rib was very tender with good flavor. My family enjoyed it but the ribs were a bit dry for me. The roasted prime ribs came kind of cold but they cooked another one as soon as I told them and the second plate prime rib was very delicious, juicy and tender. I was told that the creamy crab soup and the Caesar Salad with shrimp was tasty as well but I couldn't try it due to allergies I carry around. The teriyaki chicken was kinda ok... meat was a little dry and lacked teriyaki flavor.. it was more like BBQ chicken with a tint of Asian flavor-my son barely ate a little bit of it and took my prime rib instead of his chicken. Hot wing was just good as other ordinary restaurant nothing special. Service was good, everything came out pretty quick but towards the end our waitress got a little busy and we had to wait longer to get some water and to pay, but it was understandable. I will probably go back there for the prime rib and their atmosphere but for sure we will not order the teriyaki chicken again.
(4)
Rose F.
The best part about my meal was the friends I was having dinner with. The ribs tasted like I was eating hot wings on ribs. I wanted BBQ ribs, not hot wings.
(3)
Sherri G.
We arrived early enough to get a seat before the crowd arrived. They play music on Saturday evenings in the bar so they wouldn't let folks go in for dinner with a large crowd. Our group had five people and the hostess set us up in a nice table in the restaurant. The waitress was busy handling half of the room and she did a great job of keeping up with everyone. She made excellent recommendations for dinner. Our group went for ribs and steak and we were not disappointed. Lots of food so go hungry!!!
(3)
Helene H.
Yikes. The only thing keeping this from a zero star review is the onion loaf. It was excellent. The burgers were completely overcooked. The real stinker was the gumbo, which looked like dog food and tasted horrible. Truly awful. Top that with the rude server and we are never coming back.
(1)
Larry H.
The Baltimore area doesn't really embrace the idea of FREE food buffet happy hours to attract customers like in many major cities, but Bare Bones is one of those rare exceptions. 5 days a week, Mon-Fri you'll find everything from a Taco bar to all you can eat Hot Wings here. You're supposed to buy at least one drink to partake in the free food and it's all done on the honor system. In addition to the free food buffets, Bare Bones also has live music on Tuesdays starting around 8:30, typically it's a soloist, and a full band on the weekends (Fri & Sat). Food on the regular menu Steak, Ribs, Chicken, & Fish hot off the grill is what most people come here for. But they also have a long list of Sandwiches, Salads, and Soups if being a hard core carnivore isn't your thing. To wash everything down, Bare Bones carries 8 of their own Microbrews on tap, along with everything from Bud Light to Guinness. If you want a great little happy hour place, Bare Bones is definitely worth a visit!
(4)
Lorena B.
If only the food lived up to the delicious smell that wafts over the parking lot! Unfortunately it wasn't close. The Oscar filet I had was bland, as was it's accompanying Bernaise. The meat was at least cooked correctly and was mostly tender. There was nothing wrong with the broccoli and baked potato sides I chose. They do have a large selection of sides you can pick with your entree. I suppose the service, or lack thereof, started the visit off with on a sour note for me. We arrived in that late afternoon/early evening hour on a Saturday and weren't sure if we were eating dinner so we sat at the bar. A female was in the process of relieving a male bartender, so a delay in being helped could be understandable. What's not cool is that neither of them gave us so much as a "be right with you." The bar was not busy at all, there was another couple and a single guy besides us. We literally sat there for 17 minutes before the chick deigned to come over and ask if we needed anything. I guess once she settled in, she grew friendlier and checked on us somewhat regularly but I was left feeling annoyed. Maybe I'd give Bare Bones another shot if I were in the area but there's no way I'd go out of my way to return.
(2)
Andy P.
Mrs. P brought home carry out, and the food wasn't terrible--but isn't real BBQ. We had baked potato skins for an appetizer, I had baby back ribs with fries and slaw, and she had a chicken burger with fries. The potato skins were bland though not terribly so. The fries were excellent, and the slaw wasn't bad but wasn't satisfying. There was no smoke on the ribs, and that is why the restaurant received a two-star rating. Good que doesn't need to rely on sauce to impart a smoky flavor. Also disappointing was the chicken burger. The fixings were fresh and the bun was pretty good--but the chicken was overcooked. Overall, the food wasn't terrible--but the fauxbeque and dry chicken were disappointing for a grill/pit restaurant.
(2)
Liz D.
The atmosphere is casual and the food is delicious! Good for family meals and casual dates, but it might be a little loud for some occasions. Entrees: The pulled pork is pretty lean and the BBQ sauce is tasty The Bare Bones special sandwich is a classic The crab cake is nice and meaty Sides: The corn fritters are incredible (they're even good cold) The fries are okay when fresh (not so good cold/reheated) The salads come with a lot of cheese on them, so ask for no cheese/less cheese if that is important to you The broccoli and green beans are always good, still a little crisp and never overcooked It's worth noting that the "back" room (farthest from the door) is always VERY noisy... one loud table can drown out the other conversations.
(5)
Virgil G.
The best spot to unwind after work. The drinks are always excellent and the food is good most of the time. The staff is great too especially Brian and Jessica you guys make happy hour!!!!
(5)
Caroline P.
After spending 6 hours on a plane, this restaurant was a welcome treat! Our server was very friendly and even offered a spare electrical outlet to charge my husband's well-used iPhone. My son tucked into the oven-baked French onion soup right away and my husband had the cream of crab soup(which I found a little too frothy and rich for my taste... where was the crab?). For entrees, my son devoured an entire dinner rack of ribs, which he said was falling-off-the-bone tender. Hubby and I shared a combo platter of ribs and crab cakes, which was absolutely delicious. This is my first taste of Maryland crab cakes(lots of moist crabmeat and very little filler), and I'm absolutely hooked!
(4)
Christine C.
Came with a group for trivia night, and enjoyed it okay but found the questions aimed for at an older crowd (we are young-mid 20s). I don't know if it is because of the restaurant layout, but the trivia sound system was terrible and we couldn't hear anything. Thankfully the TVs list the questions as well. Also did not appreciate the automatic 20% tip, calculated after the tax was added in! I've never heard of doing that. Ended up more like a 22% tip. The service and food were fine but that's a bit generous.
(3)
Rebecca G.
We'd both been to Bare Bones a few times for work functions, but hadn't ever gone together - and we needed something outside of our routine, and in the Ellicott City / Catonsville area before heading to a friend's event. Bare Bones has great barbecue - and we've even heard a few people say that they like the ribs there better than at Corner Stable (which we haven't been to in a while, hence the lack of review). We like Corner Stable's better... but Bare Bones are definitely good. His plate: prime rib and rib combo, fries, corn fritters Her plate: pulled pork sandwich, fries, corn fritters D's prime rib was tender and delicious, all that he'd hoped it'd be. The ribs were okay - not as tender as they could've been, but good flavor. The pulled pork is delicious, though not as tender as Andy Nelson's. It's got good barbecue flavor, isn't dry at all, and doesn't fall victim to the slimy trap that some pulled pork falls victim to. The best part of this sandwich may be that the bun is toasted, though. The fries aren't anything out of the ordinary, but the corn fritters are delicious (though we do think they're cooked from frozen).
(4)
Beth H.
We recently celebrated a graduation with a group of 10. The staff was very accommodating when we called to make the arrangements. The food was delicious. Service was great. There was music playing nearby in the bar. We enjoyed the guitar in the background.
(4)
Kem W.
I've eaten here many times. It's an OK restaurant with a nice selection of beer. Ribs aren't bad. The Bare Bones salad is big and tasty. Last night I had the basic burger. Which it was. Recommended as much as any restaurant in a Howard County strip mall.
(3)
Jody Z.
I like Bare Bones and I always order the same thing....the Bare Bones special salad. It's pretty simple with lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, cheese, and teriyaki grilled chicken. The best part is their honey mustard dressing and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like honey mustard! I think the dining room could use a facelift. I prefer the more lively bar area booths. The dining room just doesn't have a great atmosphere. I order take out here occasionally and the separate pick up window is very convenient. My husband likes the ribs and prime rib. The sides are not very exciting although I do like the corn fritters. The beer sampler is fun too! Overall it's a decent bar with pretty good food and nice for take out...just not a place I get too excited about. I really need to try one of their happy hours with the free food!
(3)
Heather H.
So I've been here several times, reach time coming mainly for the promise of trivia than the allure of the food. We order dinner each time we come and the food is fine. The problem is the service. When you come here for trivia, they add an automatic gratuity of 20% to your check, no matter what your party size. The problem with this is that the waitresses know they are getting a great tip no matter what and seem to not care at all about the kind of service you receive. The waitresses are nice enough, but when I have to ask for a beer three times over the space of 30 minutes and you don't check on your customers every so often, I take issue with it. I don't appreciate being forced to tip great for terrible service, and it happens every single time without fail, each and every time. I like to tip well but I don't like paying for nothing in return and no promise of better service.
(2)
Andy P.
free buffet serving wings and tacos for thursday happy hour. great beer selection. However, I went there for the ribs... And I wasn't disappointed. You can't beat their rib special on thursday night's. I'll be a regular. The ribs were absolutely on point! The fries were clearly from a frozen bag tossed in the fryer. Why would you do that? Just cut fresh potatoes. It's the little things that will make them stand out even more. Cole slaw is delicious, too. See you again soon.
(4)
Mark F.
The place has the makings to be really nice, but the food was so subpar. We got a sampler appetizer; chicken was alright (although you can plainly tell they fry their chicken and shrimp/seafood in the same oil) and that they're from frozen fillets, potato skins were super dry and way overcooked (and they used bacon bits instead of actual bacon. :sad:). The crab dip was pretty awesome tho; I must say. I got the cajun gumbo since I was sharing the app with someone, and.... I don't know who there thinks they know what gumbo is... but that wasn't gumbo. It was bland and super watery. It's taste more closely resembled a watery-gravy, than a gumbo. Small tiny morsels of frozen shrimp (you know the tiny little guys I'm talking about), and sausage that was cut into tiny little quarters. It came with two slices of bread, and I was so mortified by how little contents were in my large bowl of "soup" i took out the contents of sausage/shrimp and unidentifiable vegetables and placed them onto my bread. It was less than a scoop of ice cream--I wish I was exaggerating. There probably wasn't even a whole sausage in there. $8 for a scoop of actual food and was oddly flavored watery gravy? Eh. It was super disappointing; I guess I should know better to order specialty items in a place that doesn't specialize in those type of things. My roommate god bbq chicken and ribs, both of which were dry. Other person ordered the nightly special of prime rib, which came out unevenly cooked and undone (the underdone he was fine with, but the unevenly cooked? how?). Other friend got a BBQ sandwhich, and it looked like they used canned chicken? It might have been old? The chicken looked oddly congealed. Overall, the food isn't great, definitely not what you pay for. I think it's mostly frozen before had. I'd be surprised to hear they make everything fresh. I do want to say, the corn nuggets? Amazing. But those are pretty hard to mess up. Our waiter was okay, was prompt with drink refills and was pleasant--a little bitter I asked him about the gumbo, and he said he liked it and recommended it. *sigh* We expressed our concerns but didn't give him too much of a hassle.
(2)
Johnnie Y.
Great food always. The ribs are really good. It's never disappointing and I guess that's why it's always busy. I think they have specials on Mondays if you can take advantage of.
(4)
Standards H.
I've been going here for YEARS...well, as long as I've been in the area (about 4)...lol! Always had good service. Honestly, the food is overall good but their stand out dishes have been their specials or random things I've tried when I had the balls to tread off the beaten path. Their beer is good, my personal favorites being their IPA and stout. Definitely worth a trip to simply taste what they have to offer if you are into anything other than piss flavored water (i.e.Budlight or anything of the like). What can I say? An average joint with average or above food depending on what you order. Overall, average around, including prices, beer, and food. Good service and consistency gets them 4 stars.
(4)
Biggins C.
Awesome meal for four on mother's day at the last minute, had to leave another local spot due to terrible service. Great food all around. Dark haired girl I think with black framed glasses as our server in the pub....excellent service. 5 drinks between 4 people and never an empty glass.
(4)
Tim H.
I have driven past this place more than a dozen times ever since moving into the area. I have always wanted to try this place and last week I finally did. My wife and I were in the mood to try something new in the area and we decided on Bare Bones. We didn't know what to expect since nobody we know has ever been there so we went in with no idea of what the place would be like or expectations. We were greeted by the host staff and were sat pretty quickly. Our server arrived timely and asked to take our drink order and then went over the specials of the day. The menu was fairly large and I had a hard time deciding. They had prime rib, ribs, chicken, steaks, seafood and a wide variety of appetizers. I decided on having the prime rib and half a rack of ribs combination dinner and my wife had the special of the day which was stuffed fish with crab imperial. We started off with an order of Old Bay wings, which are just chicken wings seasoned with Old Bay. These wings were great. They were perfectly cooked, had a slight crunch to them when you bit into them and had just enough Old Bay on them. You could taste the seasoning but it wasn't over done or overpowering. My prime rib was cooked to order and the ribs were very tasty. I had my dinner with an order of broccoli which was cooked just right, meaning not too soft or mushy but not to hard but just tender. If you are looking for a place to have some wings, ribs or prime rib, check this place out. I liked this place a lot and I know I will definitely return.
(4)
Jamie H.
Food and service was good. We got coconut shrimp, ribs, veggie hamburger and children's chicken tenders. Everyone was happy with their food. Service was friendly and prompt.
(4)
Matt P.
I'd really like to rate this place higher, but after an incident that involved a violent allergic reaction, and the staff acting in an incompetent manner, I have a hard time rating it any higher.
(1)
Kristina C.
Due to pending dental work, my current diet is limited to soft foods and most soups that don't require much chewing. My boyfriend and I decided on Bare Bones since we hadn't been there in a while and it was a place where we could both get something we would enjoy. Our server, Melissa, was nice, personable, and attentive for the first 20 minutes or so. Long enough to take our orders and bring drinks, but then she disappeared. The food came out, and while it seemed like standard American/bar food, it wasn't overly greasy and I thought it tasted good. I ordered the cream of crab soup and that was delicious, definitely one of the better crab soups I have had. My boyfriend had some sort of cheeseburger that looked good as well. I had some of his fries and mixed them with the house barbeque sauce. I don't know what's in it, but it was a great combination of flavors. The service wasn't great, and we ended up having to wait a while before another server came around to ask if we needed anything, but the food was good so I'm sure I'll dine there again. Perhaps I'll get it to go next time.
(3)
Richard C.
Fantastic food. Teriyaki chicken is great. Really good steak, onion loaf, salad. You can't go wrong here.
(5)
Papagena J.
I went there to have some beer with my friends at 8:30 pm in last winter. That night was very cold and it was during the weekday. There were not many people. We ordered one glass of beer each with platter and when we finished one glass the waitress came to us to ask to have another one and we said yes. Right after the second glass of beer came out, the waitress came to us to tell us that they are closing in 10 minutes because it was too cold and we were the only people there. I understand they want to close early but then they shouldnt have got the orders from us. We barely could finish the second glass actually at least three quarter each was left. When we kicked out from the store, it was 9 :40. They supposed to close at 11. We loved their beer but we will never come back.
(1)
Ken K.
So I am conflicted on how I should rate this establishment and I shall describe why. Firstly the main reason I am submitting this review is due to the outstanding bar staff. I have a medical condition known as needboozealitis. If my BAC drops below a .07 I develop symptoms of shyness, my jokes aren't as funny and I am not as attractive as I should be. It is a terrible disease and I battle this disability every day. The bar was attuned to my plight and I believe the bartenders name was Noel took care of my party getting us drinks faster than speedy Gonzales on a meth binge. The food was not tragic but was not something you would take pictures of and add sparkles to. The lettuce on the salad was an off yellow color. Like if Tweety bird died in his cage and his bloated corpse was found a week later yellow. This description is apt as it gives you the same feeling I had when it was placed in front of me. The "blue cheese" was well... I can not think of an appropriate description. Like if you had decent blue cheese dressing added water and left it in a sauna that sumo wrestlers frequent for a week. Salad aside I ordered the prime rib. Not bad. It had a very good flavor to it. The baked pottato was cold and the vegetable "broccoli" tasted the way the kids pool at six flags smells. So being a meat house the meat was decent enough but everything surrounded it was horrible. Similar to putting a hemi in a Tercel.
(3)
Shawn Y.
Ribs, white chili, and beer. Can't go wrong unless there is hair in it. Which they will pick out for you and bring it back. The white chili was good but it was barely warm. Like the server couldn't even stir up the chili in the crock before serving it. I have been going here for years and the place is on the decline. So sad.
(2)
Joanna D.
Always a great local place to eat. You can't go wrong with the special salad, so good!
(4)
Jon S.
Good food. Fair prices. The food arrived hot, and timely (maybe a bit slow, but OK). The portions were a good size. Wings were fantastic. Burgers had a good grilled flavor. Waitress and staff were funny and good at what they do. I'll be back.
(4)
Tyler G.
This place had live music, is one of the only places open late on that side of 29, and looked like a lot of fun. Went here with a couple friends for a drink and some good food. We got none of that. The server greeted us in less than 5 minutes which was fine. The blue moons were warm the other drinks tasted watered down. Switched to just a Coke which was fine. The crab pretzel was delicious so we were back on track after the nasty drinks. By now the drinks were empty...No refills. The crab plate was done with...Still sitting here. A food runner brings a salad for one of us. No soup for the other one. After the salad was gone I flagged down the server and asked for the soup. Finally, another food runner brought it. 2 of us ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich and 1 ordered the Cajun Chicken Sandwhich. The server said that they were her favorites. A couple things: the cup of ranch we ordered was bigger than the "side of rice". The broccoli or the "Vegatable du Jour" as they called it was actually the vegetable of last week...It was cold, brown, and looked gross! The fries were good! The sandwiches tasted like nothing.. no flavor. Chicken was rubbery and tasted boiled. Server came over and asked how the food came out and I said The broccoli is cold and so is the rice. She said "okay" and then walked away. We ended up sending the food back because it was so gross. She didn't apologize, say sorry, defend the restaurant, bring the manager over, NOTHING.. .They do not care at all!!!! She asked one of us if we needed a box and I said " no it was gross" and she just took it away and didn't say a word. We never got refills..... We never had a manager come over to see if they could resolve it or offer us something else. It was horrible!!!! Only one other time have I ever had to send back food and the manager and server were both so embarrassed they apologized up and down. I still tipped the server $15 on a $30 meal because it wasn't her fault and she genuinely cared that we had bad chicken. Corrine from Bare Bones didn't even so much as say she was sorry the food was cold, beer was warm, and the chicken was rubbery. I WILL NEVER come back there and I always give places 2nd and third chances.. If she had apologized and tried to make it right, I'd never be writing this review. We paid for the gross food even though we shouldn't have!!!!!!!! McDonalds serves better chicken sandwiches and at least offers refills. Good luck Bare Bones, with staff like that...you'll need it.
(1)
Jamal J.
I wish there was a way to not rate this establishment. For starters my wife and I went here for a romantic dinner. When we first arrived there was no greeter at the host stand, so we sat our self at the bar. So when a greeter finally arrived back to the stand to get a little conformation on seating. Me being a current certified trainer of the service staff at Joes crab shack Arundel mills, I know how the operation should go. But on this particular night it was extremely loud from the loud music and no type of sense of on the job skills. The greeter did not inform us of the happy hour only being at the bar. Long story short, we waited 20 Min's for a waiter and when they finally came by then my wife was fed up. I plan to never come here again.
(1)
DA K.
Hey Fans, This place is not really that good. I am just gonna be honest wit you. Famous daves is way better. Food is Barely average, My BBq is better. Food was greasy and ribs was not good. The Decor needs to be seriously updated! Avoid at all cause. Please take my advice.
(1)
Dennis G.
Good but not great. The quality of the service exceeded the quality of the food. This is not to suggest that the food was bad, just not memorable. I had the crab soup which was mostly distinguishable for how well the crab was hidden. It could have been any cream based soup, perhaps even chicken gravy with just a little different seasoning. The fish sandwich, it is Lent, was fish, a triangular shaped patty which appeared to come directly from a box out of the freezer. The presentation was fine, our server was polite and attentive. We were served quickly and the silverware was clean.
(3)
Yaka H.
SX likes ribs. a lot. He likes the ribs here better than the Famous Dave's (though, we do frequent FD because of their over-the-top portions and it's easy on the wallet); He said that the FD ones were too "generic" tasting. SX, of course, got the Rib Special (Wednesday night- All you can eat Ribs; Sides are not all you can eat though; Website shows their other Daily All you can eat specials). The ribs have a nice dry rub and they do baste some sauce on top of it, it's not overly saucy (we like our ribs on the dry side with rub). We've also been here for the Monday All you can eat Baby Back ribs, which are equally tasty. If anything, more tender, but a bit more saucy. Every time we come here, I always get the prime rib. The prime rib here comes with a nice coarse ground rub, au jour, and horseradish sauce. I always order medium rare, but it usually comes out to be cooked a bit more well (like medium/medium well). Still tender and yummy though. Out of habit, I always save a large chunk of my prime rib to make a leftover sandwich for the next day (yum yum, but it drives SX CRAZY! He thinks it's an utter waste of meat). I've also had the Brewmeister Steak which is also a great entree here. Corn fritters remind me of eating at Sizzler, wayyy back in the day, and they are just as yummy as I remember them to be! Too bad it's not all you can eat corn fritters here. The bbq buttered beans are pretty good too. Service can be a bit meh sometimes.
(4)
Richard M.
Strolled in on a summer Sunday evening and got a table right away. Friendly servers in a clean and tidy establishment. Corn fritters! Lil spheres of happiness just perfect with a slab o' ribs. Oh yeah, the ribs wuz pretty good, too. Ordered 'em nekkid because I always like to try sauce on the side. Good call. Just one house sauce on the table, smoky and not too sweet. Ribs were so tender I coulda left my teeth home. Companion had the ribeye steak and said it was OK but not $20 OK. Sweet butter bean side dish was interesting, too. Cole slaw much sweeter than I'd like. Not spectacular food but better than average. Excellent corn fritters! Glad we tried it.
(3)
Kalie B.
Love this place--- the happy hour is all I've ever been to because it's just so great. There's always veggies, some cheese, and then at least 4-6 other things like marinated chicken, chicken wings, spicey fried potatoes, make your own tacos,etc. I'm also a fan of ladies night on Thursday for $3 margaritas. My husband and I ordered the baby back ribs one night and it was amazing....
(5)
Allison L.
I was here on Saturday night with the boyfriend and it was a decent place. It wasn't really busy when we came so they immediately seated us. The hostess asked if we wanted to sit in the dining room or at the bar, and I assumed sitting at the bar meant actually sitting at the bar but on the way out I realized there were several tables in the bar. The front dining room, where we sat, was just kind of bizarre... too quiet, you could hear the conversation for just about every other table, and way too brightly lit. If I came back again, I'd sit in the bar area or in the back dining room. Our waiter was really nice, attentive, and quick. The drinks/food came out pretty quickly. So basically the boyfriend enjoyed everything he got, and I was fine with what I got but wasn't as happy. We split the half onion loaf (umm this was extremely huge... I can't even imagine what the full size one looks like and we definitely had at least half that we were unable to eat). The sauce it came with was really horseradish-y, good for someone who likes that but I don't. He got Old Ellicott Ale along with the Bare Bones special sandwich (with fries and cole slaw). The fries of his that I tried were pretty good. I got the cajun caesar salad with salmon which was not that great. The caesar dressing tasted like it was bought at a grocery store (btw, the dressing does not have cajun spices at all, just whatever meat you get with it) and the salmon was slightly underdone for my taste. The part that was done enough was good, but that only made up about half of it. I should have sent it back, but after seeing Waiting... a few years ago, I'm even more apprehensive about sending food back. The corn fritters, however, were AWESOME. I might come back just for them.
(3)
Samuel C.
The food is good. I had the pork sandwich. The french fries are nice and hot and fresh. Service was very fast and quick.
(4)
Craig H.
I like this place a lot has some great food with some good beers. I went there recently with some buddies at around like 10 at night and they where having happy hour all night and had a dollar off drinks. I thought that this was great idea, and talking with the bartender it seems that some of there beer is brewed by some of the local breweries. I have had their ribs which are great and tender. They even have buffets all time. The real treat is that most night's they have some live music act inside. Pros: Good beer( Local brewers... awesome) Good food Tons of space Live Music Cons Staff is OK Need newer menu items
(4)
Laura G.
This restaurant has great food and beer, however the staff is completely unwilling and unhelpful to make any accomodations to purchase gift cards over the phone. I cant believe in this day and age, that no one can take a credit card number over the phone and email or mail a gift card, the only risk is for the consumer not to the restaurant. The staff could have cared less about trying to come up with a solution, that always makes me wonder what else they are so NOT costumer friendly about.
(2)
Fat T.
The food overall is average and slightly above average depending on what you get. The ribs are decent and they have a good offering of beer selection. The reason for the low rating if because of their very poor service. In the two times I've dined there, they were inattentive and very arrogant. No patience with the server who tried to rush us into ordering and rolled her eyes when we asked for a few moments to look over the menu. And on top of that, there was an air of racism both times. The first time around, I didn't think much of it...as anyone can have bad days but the second time, it got more of my attention. I'm not naive to believe we live in a society of equality but last thing I want at the end of a long week is to we served by a rude, inattentive, racist waitress. However, if I really want good ribs, I'd go to The Corner Stable but it's a decent drive to the Cockeysville area. However, they are coming to Columbia in the near future so that will solve the problem.
(2)
BJ F.
Consistently good food and beer. Never had a bad meal here. Been enjoying Bare Bones for at least 15 years. They are great for take out too. Service can be great one time and not so good the next. Happy hour is a good deal, the buffet can easily be your dinner.
(4)
sinjin k.
This place reminds me of Houston's on the pike, but they're a little smaller. Space is smaller. Menu is smaller. Even the people are smaller. The wait, however, is just as long. Long wait for a table. Long wait for drinks. Long wait for food. anyhoo While the rest of my party ordered steak, I had the prime rib. Steak is personal for me. I like to pick it out, season it, grill it to a perfect med rare, and eat it with my pants unbuttoned. But prime rib, we dont do that at home. Bare Bones' prime rib was good. Very tender. Love clumps of horseradish and black pepper with it. But, I kept eyeing my wife's steak, (she use to be a clueless well done dud, but now she does it right). Her med rare rib eye steak was blackened nicely, and so goddam juicy! And, she wouldnt share!! I tried to barter my rib to no avail. Then, I begged. Then, I just waited till she turned the other way. I ate it so fast I couldnt enjoy it. And, I got caught. All in all, not a bad experience at all. I just wish they would deemphasize those damn corn fritter things. I still dont know what's in those critters.
(4)
Brittany C.
This place is strange. I felt like I was in a Old Country Buffet or something when I walked in here. The servers seemed like they were just bored and irritated to be here, and the atmosphere felt stale and boring. The food was not that great not that bad. The ribs were the best part but still weren't that impressive, but the wings were TERRIBLE. I will eat almost any wing that comes my way, but ones that are borderline raw gross me out beyond belief. Chewy and gelatinous should never be words that describe wings, but that's how they are here. Ick. I'm getting the heebie jeebies just thinking about visiting this place again.
(2)
C M.
My wife and I just finished eating at Bare Bones and it turned out to be a disappointment. We've gone there several times in the last few months, but this time was not up to expectations. When we arrived, we were seated immediately, but the table had liquid spilled on it. The hostess said it was water - regardless, it took a while for a waitress to come by and a while longer before anyone came to wipe it up. In the past we liked the ribs, pulled pork and brewmeister steak. So, tonight we tried the prime rib (special) and seafood platter (special). Bad choices. The prime rib was not tender and had very little flavor. My best estimate is that 1/3 of what was on the plate was fat. The seafood platter was even more disappointing. It was expensive and included a VERY small crabcake (about 2 inches in diameter and half an inch thick), 3 VERY small shrimp (described by the waitress as jumbo), one VERY small piece of fish (about the size of a half a deck of cards) and 3 VERY small scallops. As for the taste, my wife and I both agreed that the seafood tasted like it had been frozen for a while. While we've enjoyed meals at Bare Bones in the past, this visit turned us off.
(1)
Chris O.
There for a retirement party/luncheon. Service was good, everything was ready. Fries are amazing! Chicken sandwich is good, but nothing 'special'. Seemed expensive too. The mix for the Coke (maybe Pepsi) seemed off/watered down.
(3)
C W.
On the advice of fellow Yelper's I picked Bare Bones because I had to make a trip to Columbia and this place is an exit away. I looked forward to the ribs and corn fritters. Meh to both :( The ribs were super dry, lacked flavor and had a somewhat odd beef flavor. Strange for pork ribs. The BBQ chicken was much better, great grilled flavor, moist and tender. Corn fritters looked and tasted like they came from a box and were just deep fried. Ordered carrot cake which was ice cold. I'm sure you could've let it sit on the counter for a minute before bringing it out. We weren't impressed with the service at all. We had to find our own menus, flatware and flag him down for most everything else. When I meantioned the ice cold cake he said he could take it back and remove it from the bill. I guess I was expecting more of a gee sorry about that. I can't say that I'd go back.
(2)
Charlie H.
I remember coming to Bare Bones 30 years ago for the first time with my family and I always enjoy the drive an hour each way to get the ribs. Simply put, Bare Bones ribs are, in my opinion are what all ribs should be judged by. While visiting, be sure to buy a bottle of bbq sauce which is a great addition to anything!
(5)
Rachel S.
Decent food l. The ribs don't even come close to the Corner Stable but overall we had an ok experience. If you sit in the lower level dining area, bring a sweater as it is freezing!
(3)
Jennifer S.
I'm reviewing this restaurant more for my husband than myself. He LOVES this place. And I have to say the ribs are pretty amazing. They are juicy, tender, and fall right of the bone. The cream of crab soup is also REALLY good, I look forward to that every time we go. The other food is pretty much the quality of any restaurant chain...it's like any applebee's I guess. It's good, when you eat it, but you might not feel so good about yourself the next day. I don't really think it's anything special even though my husband loves it.
(3)
Dorrell R.
Never again. We did carry out, while waiting we listened to the server constantly talk about how sick he was. His phone attitude was disturbing. Saw servers looking at menus to order from somewhere else. Cream of crab soup was thin and no crab, cheeseburger was awful, I threw half of it away. Cole slaw looked and tasted old also threw away. My companion said KFC has a better BBQ sandwich than what he got. Maybe dining in is better but not willing to try it.
(2)
Charlotte B.
The ribs were good (certainly better than Famous Dave's, if you're stuck out here in Howard County and need a rib alternative!) but it was the sides that really kicked this dinner into the excellent zone! The corn fritters were AWESOME. creamy, corny, not too much, not too little. I get the feeling they may not be 100% homemade, but I didn't care, b/c I enjoyed them so much. The bacony butter-beans were also another great side, and the coleslaw was also very good. I really appreciated that the sides were not an afterthought, they were good in their own right. We got carryout, perfect for a football night. They did a good job packing the carryout.
(4)
lakita p.
Loved the crab pretzel!! Nice live band late at night
(3)
Andrew K.
I came here on a Thursday night and it was all you can eat prime rib night for around $23. They have an all you can eat special Monday through Thursday. I ordered my prime rib medium and it came out thick and juicy. The sides of corn fritters and french fries were also really good. The next order of prime rib came out on a small plate and it was half as thick and they don't refill your sides which I was a little sad about. But, they do keep bringing out prime rib as long as you want and it still tasted pretty good. They even let us take home the prime rib we didn't finish which was nice. I will definitely come back here and try their spare ribs which are supposed to be really good too.
(4)
Bryon B.
Of all the Steak & Beer places I've been to - this one is consistently my favorite. All the beers are great, and the prime rib is fantastic (especially their all-you-can-eat variety) every time I make it back to the area - I make a B-line for this place.
(5)
Jennifer H.
Went here for lunch and had their chicken salad. Tasty! Everyone who ordered ribs said they were really good. Service was very quick and friendly. Prices aren't bad at all. If you want an instant heart attack, order an onion loaf. It's a giant onion brick that's deep fried to deliciousness. Next time I'm in the area with friends, I will be coming back!
(4)
Latise B.
I've been coming here for a few years now and still enjoy it. They make a good cream of crab soup as well as gumbo. The ribs and prime rib are good also. I usually get crab cakes, ribs, prime rib, or barbecue pork sandwich. The prices are very reasonable. They also have microbrews here, although I've never tried them. Up until my last visit, I can't say I ever had a complaint about the service. My last visit was after a long hiatus--probably 2 years between that visit and the previous one. In the past, I don't remember every having a problem, but my last visit the food took forever and so did the server. I can't say my food was slow, it could have just been that my server was slow to bring it. Either way, he was gawd-awful slow with drink refills and the check. I won't write off the service just yet, that could have just been a bad visit, but if its like that the next time I go, I'll be pretty disappointed. As the previous reviewer pointed out, they also offer all you can eat specials on ribs and prime rib that are worth checking out.
(4)
David W.
I came mostly for the Wednesday trivia night. They say call for reservations and they mean it...the place gets packed. You can only make a reservation on Wednesday, which seems silly if you're coming every single week. I have to say, this was not my favorite trivia of all time. Questions weren't the most interesting and were very much geared towards an older crowd. I also didn't love the point-scheme or the overall vibe. This bar brews their own beer but it's really not very good beer. The food is decent but you can find better at the prices they charge. I was bringing in very large groups of people in their early 20s and we didn't really feel all that welcome. The staff always seemed very focused on getting their tips and getting people to spend, spend, spend. At a trivia night sometimes I just want to drink 2 beers and focus on the trivia, but because it's so packed they want to make sure you're worth the seat you're taking up. In the end I found other trivia nights and other bars which I enjoy more.
(2)
Joshua N.
Excellent rib and steak place. The ribs are good, the prime rib is good. When you can go for all-you-can eat night, go its really good. The place is nice enough to feel special, but not so nice that the waiters all talk with a fake accent. Great food, great service, and a unassuming location. Good place to go eat at.
(4)
Kip H.
We love Bare Bones, we carry out a lot from here - white chili and barebones special salad!
(4)
Amy K.
After a string of bad restaurant experiences, this was a breath of fresh air. I feel like it's probably more of a nice 'grille' restaurant than a BBQ joint. They have a great selection of local beers on tap. We had the Thursday all-you-can-eat prime rib, the babyback ribs, the onion loaf, and the BBQ beef sandwhich. All were delicious. The onion loaf was similar to a bloomin onion, just sweeter and less spicy. The prime rib was roasted and had a great flavor, and the ribs were nice and tender. Service was top-notch on top of a great meal. We will definately go back. Only 4 stars cause it was a tad on the pricey side, although I'd throw down $20 here for a steak before I would at one of the chain steak joints.
(4)
Amy W.
Went here on Memorial Day and ordered the Prime Rib. It was very tasty and very tender! We also ordered the baked potato skins, which the waitress forgot to put in as our appetizer, but at least she was honest and apologized and told us the truth. She brought them out anyway (yes, we were charged) and they were awful. I don't know how someone could ruin a baked potato with cheese, bacon and sour cream, but they did. Otherwise, it was very good, and I am sure we may visit again. I did not sample any of their brews because it wasn't that kind of a visit, but if you are into that kind of thing, this would be a great place for you to try. Also, it is a nice place to take a date - has a dark/bar feel but it is more romantic with the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling with the lights strung around it (Great idea!). However, I wished they had focused on the air conditioning - it was hot when you first enter, but in the bar area, it was very cool. A nice place to eat overall.
(3)
miss b.
Went here the other night and loved it. I ordered the Louisiana Chicken sandwich which was quite spicy, but really good. Excellent honey mustard (you know I love my honey mustard!) and good fries. It was my friend's birthday so she ended up getting a piece of Reeses pie which was very yummy (you can't really go wrong with that, can you?). The waiter was really sweet and attentive to our table. I loved the decor inside with the wood walls and wall lamps. It had a really nice atmosphere. The bar seemed pretty nice as well. There used to be one in Timonium years ago, but it closed up. I wish it was still there.. Timonium and the surrounding areas need more restaurants like this one with good brews and good grub.
(4)
Phil D.
I've been going to this place for years. The ribs really are as good as advertised. The atmosphere is nice and casual and the service is usually pretty decent. Salads could use some work but hard to complain overall. Good local brews.
(4)
Rebecca Y.
This our staple meeting spot when we all go home for the holidays. It is a great location, has great apps (and specials during the week), reasonable prices, and both microbrews and bottled beer. Oh, yeah, and the ribs are fantastic!
(4)
Patapsco M.
This is a fun place to hang out, with good beer made on the premesis, decent generic food, and a pretty nice atmosphere. Very nice happy hour which can get very busy. The ribs really are good, the best thing I've had on their menu. The chicken wings are also good. I've taken my little kids there, gone to many a happy hour, and had some nice sit-down dinners. It's a big place. As a local, this is the place I would go if I had 2 college buddies pop into town and we only have a few hours. I will go back for the beer more than anything.
(4)
Sarah F.
Yummy salads and sandwiches. The service is always good and very friendly. They have a good beer selection and nice bar. I don't come here often though because it seems to be a popular spot among people I went to high school with that I would rather not see.
(4)
Hansoo J.
Bare Bones is your standard American grill. The ribs are their signature item but they also have other grill items such as burgers, bbq chicken, and prime rib. My favorite item is the white chili. I don't usually like white chili but it is pretty good and flavorful there. They use lots of cumin... They also have nightly specials featuring all you can eat prime rib, baby back ribs, or beef ribs depending on the night of the week. It is a bit pricey though so don't plan on ordering unless you can take down at least 2 refills. The prime rib is tender and moist. My favorite side dish is the corn fritters. The fries are lightly battered and usually come out hot and crispy. Everything else on the menu is alright. They have a free buffet during happy hour plus they serve their own micro brews on tap. The buffet is very good: a great option if you are looking for a cheap meal in Ellicott City. A decent place to grab a bit to eat.
(2)
Becca B.
So when I'm in town (I grew up in EC) I try to avoid this place... because I like to avoid most people I know from High School (haha Sarah). But, when I do give in to my friends that enjoy this place.... I usually have a good time. The food isn't bad... but it also isn't great. I like to stick to the bar area, because the atmosphere in the dining room is kinda strange to me. So, moral of the story: stay in the bar and get lots of drinks...then you might enjoy yourself.
(3)
Jeff C.
Bare Bones is alright, in some respects. I've been there several times during lunch hour, and while they never seem to be that busy, the food usually takes forever! The quality is decent for the price, and other than kitchen time, the service is good. I can't really vouch for their beer, though I do know they have some in house brews. Give it a shot.
(3)
Daniel C.
Good beers, very good ribs, everything else just ok. Find the all you can eat ribs days aren't the top quality ribs you get the other nights. I'd recommend starting with the beer sampler then double down on your favourite from there.
(4)
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Address :9150 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD, 21042
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Carolyn C.
This place is celebrating 25 years! Also, I believe Bare Bones was named Best Ribs and Best Happy Hour in Howard County for 2014. They are known for their easy take-out menu (they have a separate window just for take-out), overall monetary value of food (food to plate ratio is crazy here!), live entertainment (check happy hour calendar for the entertainment schedule), and buffet styled bar food (check times)! Special mentions: Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 4:00pm - 7:00pm which includes complimentary Buffet and $1 off all 16oz Drafts, House Wine and Rail Drinks. Monday: $1.50 Natural Lights and $5 Bombs Tuesday: 1/2 $ price Bottles of Wine with purchase. Thursday: Ladies Night with $3 Margaritas and House Wines...4pm to Close Saturday: Late Night Bar Menu and Happy Hour from 9 to midnight Friday & Saturday: Live music starts at 9:00pm I come to Bare Bones when I want ribs. The ribs here are always tender, cooked specifically to your liking, and have just the right amount of sauce and seasoning. I honestly can only speak to their ribs since it is the only entrée I ever order when I come here. *You need to make reservations here since the area doesn't have many yummy places to choose from and this establishment tends to fill-up quickly. *The restaurant is definitely outdated and is in need of a renovation, however, don't let the poorly lit rooms and bad choice of paint turn you away from this place. *They are known for their beer selections and brewed beer, if you like wine I suggest you stick to ordering a rail drink or let the bartender pick since their wine selections aren't the best.
(4)Jessica A.
I really like this place. The prices are reasonable and they offer a very extensive beer menu. I always order their Cream of Crab soup, which is delicious. They also offer many different American cuisine choices like burgers and barbeque. I will say this; service is really hit or miss. You're seated pretty quickly, which is very nice. Bare Bones is either under-staffed or their waiters are absent minded. We don't usually get drink refills unless we flag down a server. I don't think you should have to do that just to get a coke refill. You're pretty much on your own after you get your meals. We always ask for the check as soon as someone *does* check on us, otherwise we end up waiting forever. Also, a tip...they have pre-meal bread available, but it never comes automatically. You have to ask for it. It's free and quite tasty, so make sure to ask. They also offer take-away, which has always been very fast. Also, they have a prominently displayed "NO TANK TOPS" sign, which seems pretty weird. Maybe it's aimed at guys in "wife beaters" or something, because it's not exactly a swanky place. I've worn tank tops plenty of times and have noticed many other women doing the same. Half of the restaurant is a bar, which is open later than the dining room. You can get full service on either side, but the bar hosts musical acts at night (during the weekend? I can never tell,) and those can be VERY loud.You can't exactly talk to your companions in the bar section when they're playing music.
(3)David C.
I have been here a few times and I get different things each time. The ambience in the dining area is good for the large lunch group I was with. Drink orders were taken right away. Our server constantly checked on us and refills kept coming. Our food orders were taken quickly. Some ordered from the lunch menu while others like me ordered from the regular menu. I got the lunch Perdue chicken with fries and cole slaw. The chicken was covered with barbecue sauce and was cooked but bland. Fries and cole slaw were good. I plan to go back again maybe on a date and not such a large group.
(4)Dan A.
This place is an Ellicott City institution. It's been here for as long as I can remember. However, even though I've passed by it day in and day out when I lived in Ellicott City, I hadn't been there in quite some time. In fact, when I went a few weeks ago, it must have been the first time I went there in years. I went to the bar to join some friends. The restaurant and bar has a very vintage feel to it with lots of wood panelling and warm, yellow-ish lights inside. Yeah, it's definitely dated...but it's kind of charming too. It definitely gives off the neighborhood bar feel. And it's nice to have a locally-owned and run business in Howard County, the land of chain restaurants. Anyhow, when I went, we were promptly waited on by our server. He took our orders and even recommended the appetizers (we didn't order any entrees as it was kind of late). Our food and drink arrived quickly. We got a appetizer sampler, which was good but nothing special--it's your typical bar food. The drinks, however, were different. Bare Bones makes their beers themselves and there are some very yummy choices out there. My favorite of the night was their Savage Mill Porter. There was live music as well when I was there. It was a guitar duo and it was fun listening to them perform music as well. Overall, a fun experience and certainly a place I would have no issues returning back to based on my experience at the bar.
(4)Thomas J.
I had eaten at the Montgomery County location 15 years ago. Stopped here for the buffet but missed out. I had the crab cakes which is the special for today. It's was very good. No filler just pure crab meat. Good flavor. No heavy mustard flavor. Cooked to perfection. If I knew the crab cakes were this good, I would have stopped by more often. The food for my other family members looked fantastic and tasty
(4)Michele W.
Bare Bones used to be my go to for good Prime Rib. However, it was not tender as expected. The meat was cooked to order but, it was chewy and we really had to saw at it to cut it. We were extremely disappointed. Is the beef a cheaper quality (but at a premium price) or has their method of roasting changed? The crock of beans had a really good flavor and the Bone bone shrimp was tasty. The salads were fresh but, a bit overloaded. It was challenging to keep it from falling out of the bowl when eating it. I started coming here well over 20 plus years and it seems like the food is not as good. The timing is also a little off. I will give them that they get stuff out to you fast. But, we were half way through the appetizer and the salads came out. Then a couple bites of salad then the entree's came out. It seemed a bit rushed or is it that they are overly efficient? Consequently we will be going elsewhere for Prime Rib and will not be returning to Bare Bones. It is really a shame because Bare Bones is well known for great Prime Rib and Ribs.
(2)Justin O.
Food was ok, service was pretty poor. Kids meals pricey ( $6 to $11 and no drink included???). We had a rack of ribs (decent, a bit dried out though, prob prepped early and heated), french onion soup (very good), salad (eh), kids burger (cooked perfectly at med rare), kids mac & chs (good). Butter beans were top notch as a side. Waiter forgot my wife's drink, never refilled any water glasses, and took over 10 min to bring check after asking. Doubt we will be back anytime soon.
(3)Jodi S.
Growing up in HoCo, Bare Bones is one of those places that was frequented often. Birthday? Bare Bones. Good report card? Bare Bones. Anniversary? Bare Bones. It is one of those places that I stopped going to as an adult, but would drive by on occasion and think to myself "I should really take my family to Bare Bones for a decent meal." So, last night, my husband, two kiddos, and I met another family at Bare Bones for dinner. There was a wait for a table, but considering we were a group of 8, we expected that. When I called to add our names to the list, I wad told that they'd be happy to add my name to the list. I was put on hold. Then, the next person who picked up the phone explained that while they DO allow for call ahead seating, once a table-wait has been established, they would no longer add call-in names. Ok, whatever.... Our friends happened to be across the street, so they took care of securing a table for us while we drove up route 29. My husband loves to tell the story of being 15 years old and eating at Bare Bones for the all-you-can-eat rib special. He was a football player and a growing teenage boy. He went through 15 orders of ribs and fellow patrons began placing bets on how much more he could eat! At 40 years old, I have to admit that I am a bit concerned about his cholesterol levels, but allowed him to relive his inner teenager and get the rib dinner. My daughter and I shared a french onion soup and the prime rib. My older son ordered a bleu cheese and bacon burger. So.... this is where the meal went downhill. Fast. First of all, our server was a nice guy, but slow as can be, and not much personality. We placed our orders for drinks, and then for soups/salads, and finally our entrees. Everything took FOREVER. Sodas were flat. We were told that the tap at the bar tends to be fizzier....received replacement sodas, but again, they were flat. The time between drinks, appetizers, entrees was insanely long. Our server would literally disappear for 15-20 minutes and we would be stuck with unsatisfactory items (i.e. flat soda, cold soup, salads with the wrong dressings). By the time our server was fixing the error with our soups and salads, the entrees arrived. My husband's ribs were ok. Not great. Decent. The rice tasted like rice-a-roni, not rice pilaf, and the crock of beans was so sweet, they were literally inedible. The prime rib was served cold. We switched one of our sides to a baked potato (after tasting hubby's beans. Ick.). But, our meal arrived with no potato. The 2 sides we did get were ice cold. Not even slightly warm, but cold. The au jus for the prime rib was so cold, there was coagulated fat floating in it. We sent everything back. Guess what? The kitchen MICROWAVED our prime rib and then attempted to re-serve it to us. It was so overcooked and gross - no way. I asked for a fresh piece and luckily, the server agreed with me. We received a new, fresh serving of prime rib (nearly 25 minutes later), but, again, it was cold. The au jus was, again, cold. The side of string beans were mushy, overcooked, and cold. The baked potato was so cold in the center, the butter didn't even melt! Our entire meal was inedible. My son said his burger was "ok," but most 12 year old boys will be happy with a burger. We were not told upon ordering that there would be an upcharge to add bleu cheese. In all honestly, $.50 is not a big deal, but there needs to be full disclosure upon ordering. My son ordered his burger medium and it arrived looking like a hockey puck. We never had a manager visit the table. We never received an apology. Not one thing was removed from the bill, comped, or discounted. We paid over $95 for a family of 4. We had to stop at McDonald's on the way home so my daughter and I could eat a decent meal. Yes, a decent meal from McDonald's. What is wrong with this picture?!?! Bare Bones, you may have been a staple during my (and my husband's) teenage years, but as adults, we will never dine in your establishment again. My 12 year old twins said in the car on the way home "mom, can we please not eat there again?!" That is one wish I do not mind granting. If you are hungry for a decent HOT meal, go across the street to McDonalds. Seriously. When you see Bare Bones, keep on driving..... (I rated BB 1 star because Yelp forced me to choose a rating. I wish I could rate BB in negative stars).
(1)Daniel C.
The Catonsville area needs more late-night options than just the TT diner, and Bare Bones fits the bill nicely. While the restaurant section does not remain open super late, I gather the bar area stays open much later, certainly much later than the idiotic seafood place across the street that closes at 10 PM on Saturdays. The main dining room is rather bland, but the bar seems like it gets quite lively, and often has live music.They specialize in meat, with steaks, barbecue and burgers aplenty to choose from. It may not be amazing, but certainly fills you up.
(3)Patti N.
Ribs& wings great! Surly bartender.... when asked where appetizers were he said," I'm the bartender...I'm not in the kitchen. Really?! Could have cared a little more.
(3)Patrice W.
The drinks are EXCELLENT!!!! Food is good but the service lacks. They forgot to bring out part of my order and lots of neighboring guest had complaints.
(3)J. P.
I went last night and had very few expectations. I had the Brewmeister steak with seasoned fries, a side salad and a cup of cream of crab. I'm not sure why I ordered a side salad because that hardly ever works out for me. It was probably a good salad but salads are a part-time job for me.. just too much effort breaking down the leaf/leaves of lettuce (but that's just ME. Order the side salad if you want salad). Overall, the best part of the meal was the fries. The steak was nothing to write home about but it wasn't bad. I would rate it by saying that I'm not rushing home to eat the leftover portion nor did I bring it for lunch today. Let me say first that I am not a native Marylander so what rates as great cream of crab for me may not be the same as someone who used crab legs as a teething ring. However, the cream of crab was weird for me. It had chunks of something other than crab. In a few bites I thought I was eating mushrooms. I know there were chunks of onion but whatever else was in there I have no idea. My personal feeling is if I'm going to eat something that I can't see the ingredients I should be told what I'm putting in my mouth. Eating cream of crab is about 90% crab, 5% Old Bay and 5% trust. Oh I forgot, the best part of the meal was the dessert. I will give credit where it's due. I had a salted caramel cake thingy and I splurged and got the cup of ice cream with it. Now that's something I wish I had leftover, in the fridge, waiting for me. I couldn't tell you much about the atmosphere because my back was actually to the entire place. From what I can tell it was quiet enough. Unfortunately, I sat at the table next to the kitchen and all night empty glasses and plates went whizzing by my head. Now, the service is what has me baffled. You know how you can do to some places and the waitress never leaves you alone? You can't enjoy the meal or your company because you spend so much time telling the waitress how fine everything is. Not this place. The food arrived at the table as though they'd been reading our minds all along. The service was that fast. However, I'm STILL waiting on my refill of water. Overall, I walked with few expectations and I wasn't really disappointed. In fact, I'd go again but I'd go to the side where the bar is so I could enjoy the live entertainment. They also have trivia night on Wednesdays and that would be perfect for a know-it-all like me. My next review will be from the other side of the place.
(3)Raghu J.
We went here for happy hour with colleagues. What a fantastic place ! Place was packed and we had to look for place to squat when others were leaving. Drinks were pretty good, they brew their beer also. What was really good was the complimentary buffet, which included wings, fries chicken, shrimp, nuggets, vegetables and dips. We also ordered their onion loaf, was delicious. Definitely will go back. Place is crowded during happy hours so go early.
(4)Eric K.
Coach E stopped by here for lunch and was very impressed. I got the mac and cheese and the bare bones BBQ which was cooked to perfection. The ratio of all the ingredients to the meat and buns was perfect and the pickles and fries were delicious. Our server Steve was absolutely amazing. He recommended the Tiber River Red beer, which was perfect and his conversation to water refilling to giving us privacy ratio was on point. I will ask for Steve as a server every time I go back. Oh and the mac and cheese was pretty bomb too. Thanks again to Steve and the bare bone kitchen for making the Bare Bones experience an excellent one.
(5)Mike W.
Great food and I love their onion loaf and crab pretzel as an appetizer. I got a BBQ burger with bacon on it and it was pretty good. Yes the service was a little slow but that is ok if your not in a rush. If your going to get an appetizer get the crab pretzel it's so good and well worth it. Overall it was a good experience and I would go back. It's not somewhere I would go all the time just somewhere to go for a change of pace.
(4)Marcus B.
Place is pretty decent. Crowded on Friday for happy hour. The food was good and customer service was good also..
(4)Anne B.
Nice atmosphere with live music. We had the Baby back rib, the roasted prime ribs, the teriyaki chicken and the Caesar Salad with shrimp. Also had the hot wings and the creamy crab soup. The baby back rib was very tender with good flavor. My family enjoyed it but the ribs were a bit dry for me. The roasted prime ribs came kind of cold but they cooked another one as soon as I told them and the second plate prime rib was very delicious, juicy and tender. I was told that the creamy crab soup and the Caesar Salad with shrimp was tasty as well but I couldn't try it due to allergies I carry around. The teriyaki chicken was kinda ok... meat was a little dry and lacked teriyaki flavor.. it was more like BBQ chicken with a tint of Asian flavor-my son barely ate a little bit of it and took my prime rib instead of his chicken. Hot wing was just good as other ordinary restaurant nothing special. Service was good, everything came out pretty quick but towards the end our waitress got a little busy and we had to wait longer to get some water and to pay, but it was understandable. I will probably go back there for the prime rib and their atmosphere but for sure we will not order the teriyaki chicken again.
(4)Rose F.
The best part about my meal was the friends I was having dinner with. The ribs tasted like I was eating hot wings on ribs. I wanted BBQ ribs, not hot wings.
(3)Sherri G.
We arrived early enough to get a seat before the crowd arrived. They play music on Saturday evenings in the bar so they wouldn't let folks go in for dinner with a large crowd. Our group had five people and the hostess set us up in a nice table in the restaurant. The waitress was busy handling half of the room and she did a great job of keeping up with everyone. She made excellent recommendations for dinner. Our group went for ribs and steak and we were not disappointed. Lots of food so go hungry!!!
(3)Helene H.
Yikes. The only thing keeping this from a zero star review is the onion loaf. It was excellent. The burgers were completely overcooked. The real stinker was the gumbo, which looked like dog food and tasted horrible. Truly awful. Top that with the rude server and we are never coming back.
(1)Larry H.
The Baltimore area doesn't really embrace the idea of FREE food buffet happy hours to attract customers like in many major cities, but Bare Bones is one of those rare exceptions. 5 days a week, Mon-Fri you'll find everything from a Taco bar to all you can eat Hot Wings here. You're supposed to buy at least one drink to partake in the free food and it's all done on the honor system. In addition to the free food buffets, Bare Bones also has live music on Tuesdays starting around 8:30, typically it's a soloist, and a full band on the weekends (Fri & Sat). Food on the regular menu Steak, Ribs, Chicken, & Fish hot off the grill is what most people come here for. But they also have a long list of Sandwiches, Salads, and Soups if being a hard core carnivore isn't your thing. To wash everything down, Bare Bones carries 8 of their own Microbrews on tap, along with everything from Bud Light to Guinness. If you want a great little happy hour place, Bare Bones is definitely worth a visit!
(4)Lorena B.
If only the food lived up to the delicious smell that wafts over the parking lot! Unfortunately it wasn't close. The Oscar filet I had was bland, as was it's accompanying Bernaise. The meat was at least cooked correctly and was mostly tender. There was nothing wrong with the broccoli and baked potato sides I chose. They do have a large selection of sides you can pick with your entree. I suppose the service, or lack thereof, started the visit off with on a sour note for me. We arrived in that late afternoon/early evening hour on a Saturday and weren't sure if we were eating dinner so we sat at the bar. A female was in the process of relieving a male bartender, so a delay in being helped could be understandable. What's not cool is that neither of them gave us so much as a "be right with you." The bar was not busy at all, there was another couple and a single guy besides us. We literally sat there for 17 minutes before the chick deigned to come over and ask if we needed anything. I guess once she settled in, she grew friendlier and checked on us somewhat regularly but I was left feeling annoyed. Maybe I'd give Bare Bones another shot if I were in the area but there's no way I'd go out of my way to return.
(2)Andy P.
Mrs. P brought home carry out, and the food wasn't terrible--but isn't real BBQ. We had baked potato skins for an appetizer, I had baby back ribs with fries and slaw, and she had a chicken burger with fries. The potato skins were bland though not terribly so. The fries were excellent, and the slaw wasn't bad but wasn't satisfying. There was no smoke on the ribs, and that is why the restaurant received a two-star rating. Good que doesn't need to rely on sauce to impart a smoky flavor. Also disappointing was the chicken burger. The fixings were fresh and the bun was pretty good--but the chicken was overcooked. Overall, the food wasn't terrible--but the fauxbeque and dry chicken were disappointing for a grill/pit restaurant.
(2)Liz D.
The atmosphere is casual and the food is delicious! Good for family meals and casual dates, but it might be a little loud for some occasions. Entrees: The pulled pork is pretty lean and the BBQ sauce is tasty The Bare Bones special sandwich is a classic The crab cake is nice and meaty Sides: The corn fritters are incredible (they're even good cold) The fries are okay when fresh (not so good cold/reheated) The salads come with a lot of cheese on them, so ask for no cheese/less cheese if that is important to you The broccoli and green beans are always good, still a little crisp and never overcooked It's worth noting that the "back" room (farthest from the door) is always VERY noisy... one loud table can drown out the other conversations.
(5)Virgil G.
The best spot to unwind after work. The drinks are always excellent and the food is good most of the time. The staff is great too especially Brian and Jessica you guys make happy hour!!!!
(5)Caroline P.
After spending 6 hours on a plane, this restaurant was a welcome treat! Our server was very friendly and even offered a spare electrical outlet to charge my husband's well-used iPhone. My son tucked into the oven-baked French onion soup right away and my husband had the cream of crab soup(which I found a little too frothy and rich for my taste... where was the crab?). For entrees, my son devoured an entire dinner rack of ribs, which he said was falling-off-the-bone tender. Hubby and I shared a combo platter of ribs and crab cakes, which was absolutely delicious. This is my first taste of Maryland crab cakes(lots of moist crabmeat and very little filler), and I'm absolutely hooked!
(4)Christine C.
Came with a group for trivia night, and enjoyed it okay but found the questions aimed for at an older crowd (we are young-mid 20s). I don't know if it is because of the restaurant layout, but the trivia sound system was terrible and we couldn't hear anything. Thankfully the TVs list the questions as well. Also did not appreciate the automatic 20% tip, calculated after the tax was added in! I've never heard of doing that. Ended up more like a 22% tip. The service and food were fine but that's a bit generous.
(3)Rebecca G.
We'd both been to Bare Bones a few times for work functions, but hadn't ever gone together - and we needed something outside of our routine, and in the Ellicott City / Catonsville area before heading to a friend's event. Bare Bones has great barbecue - and we've even heard a few people say that they like the ribs there better than at Corner Stable (which we haven't been to in a while, hence the lack of review). We like Corner Stable's better... but Bare Bones are definitely good. His plate: prime rib and rib combo, fries, corn fritters Her plate: pulled pork sandwich, fries, corn fritters D's prime rib was tender and delicious, all that he'd hoped it'd be. The ribs were okay - not as tender as they could've been, but good flavor. The pulled pork is delicious, though not as tender as Andy Nelson's. It's got good barbecue flavor, isn't dry at all, and doesn't fall victim to the slimy trap that some pulled pork falls victim to. The best part of this sandwich may be that the bun is toasted, though. The fries aren't anything out of the ordinary, but the corn fritters are delicious (though we do think they're cooked from frozen).
(4)Beth H.
We recently celebrated a graduation with a group of 10. The staff was very accommodating when we called to make the arrangements. The food was delicious. Service was great. There was music playing nearby in the bar. We enjoyed the guitar in the background.
(4)Kem W.
I've eaten here many times. It's an OK restaurant with a nice selection of beer. Ribs aren't bad. The Bare Bones salad is big and tasty. Last night I had the basic burger. Which it was. Recommended as much as any restaurant in a Howard County strip mall.
(3)Jody Z.
I like Bare Bones and I always order the same thing....the Bare Bones special salad. It's pretty simple with lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, cheese, and teriyaki grilled chicken. The best part is their honey mustard dressing and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like honey mustard! I think the dining room could use a facelift. I prefer the more lively bar area booths. The dining room just doesn't have a great atmosphere. I order take out here occasionally and the separate pick up window is very convenient. My husband likes the ribs and prime rib. The sides are not very exciting although I do like the corn fritters. The beer sampler is fun too! Overall it's a decent bar with pretty good food and nice for take out...just not a place I get too excited about. I really need to try one of their happy hours with the free food!
(3)Heather H.
So I've been here several times, reach time coming mainly for the promise of trivia than the allure of the food. We order dinner each time we come and the food is fine. The problem is the service. When you come here for trivia, they add an automatic gratuity of 20% to your check, no matter what your party size. The problem with this is that the waitresses know they are getting a great tip no matter what and seem to not care at all about the kind of service you receive. The waitresses are nice enough, but when I have to ask for a beer three times over the space of 30 minutes and you don't check on your customers every so often, I take issue with it. I don't appreciate being forced to tip great for terrible service, and it happens every single time without fail, each and every time. I like to tip well but I don't like paying for nothing in return and no promise of better service.
(2)Andy P.
free buffet serving wings and tacos for thursday happy hour. great beer selection. However, I went there for the ribs... And I wasn't disappointed. You can't beat their rib special on thursday night's. I'll be a regular. The ribs were absolutely on point! The fries were clearly from a frozen bag tossed in the fryer. Why would you do that? Just cut fresh potatoes. It's the little things that will make them stand out even more. Cole slaw is delicious, too. See you again soon.
(4)Mark F.
The place has the makings to be really nice, but the food was so subpar. We got a sampler appetizer; chicken was alright (although you can plainly tell they fry their chicken and shrimp/seafood in the same oil) and that they're from frozen fillets, potato skins were super dry and way overcooked (and they used bacon bits instead of actual bacon. :sad:). The crab dip was pretty awesome tho; I must say. I got the cajun gumbo since I was sharing the app with someone, and.... I don't know who there thinks they know what gumbo is... but that wasn't gumbo. It was bland and super watery. It's taste more closely resembled a watery-gravy, than a gumbo. Small tiny morsels of frozen shrimp (you know the tiny little guys I'm talking about), and sausage that was cut into tiny little quarters. It came with two slices of bread, and I was so mortified by how little contents were in my large bowl of "soup" i took out the contents of sausage/shrimp and unidentifiable vegetables and placed them onto my bread. It was less than a scoop of ice cream--I wish I was exaggerating. There probably wasn't even a whole sausage in there. $8 for a scoop of actual food and was oddly flavored watery gravy? Eh. It was super disappointing; I guess I should know better to order specialty items in a place that doesn't specialize in those type of things. My roommate god bbq chicken and ribs, both of which were dry. Other person ordered the nightly special of prime rib, which came out unevenly cooked and undone (the underdone he was fine with, but the unevenly cooked? how?). Other friend got a BBQ sandwhich, and it looked like they used canned chicken? It might have been old? The chicken looked oddly congealed. Overall, the food isn't great, definitely not what you pay for. I think it's mostly frozen before had. I'd be surprised to hear they make everything fresh. I do want to say, the corn nuggets? Amazing. But those are pretty hard to mess up. Our waiter was okay, was prompt with drink refills and was pleasant--a little bitter I asked him about the gumbo, and he said he liked it and recommended it. *sigh* We expressed our concerns but didn't give him too much of a hassle.
(2)Johnnie Y.
Great food always. The ribs are really good. It's never disappointing and I guess that's why it's always busy. I think they have specials on Mondays if you can take advantage of.
(4)Standards H.
I've been going here for YEARS...well, as long as I've been in the area (about 4)...lol! Always had good service. Honestly, the food is overall good but their stand out dishes have been their specials or random things I've tried when I had the balls to tread off the beaten path. Their beer is good, my personal favorites being their IPA and stout. Definitely worth a trip to simply taste what they have to offer if you are into anything other than piss flavored water (i.e.Budlight or anything of the like). What can I say? An average joint with average or above food depending on what you order. Overall, average around, including prices, beer, and food. Good service and consistency gets them 4 stars.
(4)Biggins C.
Awesome meal for four on mother's day at the last minute, had to leave another local spot due to terrible service. Great food all around. Dark haired girl I think with black framed glasses as our server in the pub....excellent service. 5 drinks between 4 people and never an empty glass.
(4)Tim H.
I have driven past this place more than a dozen times ever since moving into the area. I have always wanted to try this place and last week I finally did. My wife and I were in the mood to try something new in the area and we decided on Bare Bones. We didn't know what to expect since nobody we know has ever been there so we went in with no idea of what the place would be like or expectations. We were greeted by the host staff and were sat pretty quickly. Our server arrived timely and asked to take our drink order and then went over the specials of the day. The menu was fairly large and I had a hard time deciding. They had prime rib, ribs, chicken, steaks, seafood and a wide variety of appetizers. I decided on having the prime rib and half a rack of ribs combination dinner and my wife had the special of the day which was stuffed fish with crab imperial. We started off with an order of Old Bay wings, which are just chicken wings seasoned with Old Bay. These wings were great. They were perfectly cooked, had a slight crunch to them when you bit into them and had just enough Old Bay on them. You could taste the seasoning but it wasn't over done or overpowering. My prime rib was cooked to order and the ribs were very tasty. I had my dinner with an order of broccoli which was cooked just right, meaning not too soft or mushy but not to hard but just tender. If you are looking for a place to have some wings, ribs or prime rib, check this place out. I liked this place a lot and I know I will definitely return.
(4)Jamie H.
Food and service was good. We got coconut shrimp, ribs, veggie hamburger and children's chicken tenders. Everyone was happy with their food. Service was friendly and prompt.
(4)Matt P.
I'd really like to rate this place higher, but after an incident that involved a violent allergic reaction, and the staff acting in an incompetent manner, I have a hard time rating it any higher.
(1)Kristina C.
Due to pending dental work, my current diet is limited to soft foods and most soups that don't require much chewing. My boyfriend and I decided on Bare Bones since we hadn't been there in a while and it was a place where we could both get something we would enjoy. Our server, Melissa, was nice, personable, and attentive for the first 20 minutes or so. Long enough to take our orders and bring drinks, but then she disappeared. The food came out, and while it seemed like standard American/bar food, it wasn't overly greasy and I thought it tasted good. I ordered the cream of crab soup and that was delicious, definitely one of the better crab soups I have had. My boyfriend had some sort of cheeseburger that looked good as well. I had some of his fries and mixed them with the house barbeque sauce. I don't know what's in it, but it was a great combination of flavors. The service wasn't great, and we ended up having to wait a while before another server came around to ask if we needed anything, but the food was good so I'm sure I'll dine there again. Perhaps I'll get it to go next time.
(3)Richard C.
Fantastic food. Teriyaki chicken is great. Really good steak, onion loaf, salad. You can't go wrong here.
(5)Papagena J.
I went there to have some beer with my friends at 8:30 pm in last winter. That night was very cold and it was during the weekday. There were not many people. We ordered one glass of beer each with platter and when we finished one glass the waitress came to us to ask to have another one and we said yes. Right after the second glass of beer came out, the waitress came to us to tell us that they are closing in 10 minutes because it was too cold and we were the only people there. I understand they want to close early but then they shouldnt have got the orders from us. We barely could finish the second glass actually at least three quarter each was left. When we kicked out from the store, it was 9 :40. They supposed to close at 11. We loved their beer but we will never come back.
(1)Ken K.
So I am conflicted on how I should rate this establishment and I shall describe why. Firstly the main reason I am submitting this review is due to the outstanding bar staff. I have a medical condition known as needboozealitis. If my BAC drops below a .07 I develop symptoms of shyness, my jokes aren't as funny and I am not as attractive as I should be. It is a terrible disease and I battle this disability every day. The bar was attuned to my plight and I believe the bartenders name was Noel took care of my party getting us drinks faster than speedy Gonzales on a meth binge. The food was not tragic but was not something you would take pictures of and add sparkles to. The lettuce on the salad was an off yellow color. Like if Tweety bird died in his cage and his bloated corpse was found a week later yellow. This description is apt as it gives you the same feeling I had when it was placed in front of me. The "blue cheese" was well... I can not think of an appropriate description. Like if you had decent blue cheese dressing added water and left it in a sauna that sumo wrestlers frequent for a week. Salad aside I ordered the prime rib. Not bad. It had a very good flavor to it. The baked pottato was cold and the vegetable "broccoli" tasted the way the kids pool at six flags smells. So being a meat house the meat was decent enough but everything surrounded it was horrible. Similar to putting a hemi in a Tercel.
(3)Shawn Y.
Ribs, white chili, and beer. Can't go wrong unless there is hair in it. Which they will pick out for you and bring it back. The white chili was good but it was barely warm. Like the server couldn't even stir up the chili in the crock before serving it. I have been going here for years and the place is on the decline. So sad.
(2)Joanna D.
Always a great local place to eat. You can't go wrong with the special salad, so good!
(4)Jon S.
Good food. Fair prices. The food arrived hot, and timely (maybe a bit slow, but OK). The portions were a good size. Wings were fantastic. Burgers had a good grilled flavor. Waitress and staff were funny and good at what they do. I'll be back.
(4)Tyler G.
This place had live music, is one of the only places open late on that side of 29, and looked like a lot of fun. Went here with a couple friends for a drink and some good food. We got none of that. The server greeted us in less than 5 minutes which was fine. The blue moons were warm the other drinks tasted watered down. Switched to just a Coke which was fine. The crab pretzel was delicious so we were back on track after the nasty drinks. By now the drinks were empty...No refills. The crab plate was done with...Still sitting here. A food runner brings a salad for one of us. No soup for the other one. After the salad was gone I flagged down the server and asked for the soup. Finally, another food runner brought it. 2 of us ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich and 1 ordered the Cajun Chicken Sandwhich. The server said that they were her favorites. A couple things: the cup of ranch we ordered was bigger than the "side of rice". The broccoli or the "Vegatable du Jour" as they called it was actually the vegetable of last week...It was cold, brown, and looked gross! The fries were good! The sandwiches tasted like nothing.. no flavor. Chicken was rubbery and tasted boiled. Server came over and asked how the food came out and I said The broccoli is cold and so is the rice. She said "okay" and then walked away. We ended up sending the food back because it was so gross. She didn't apologize, say sorry, defend the restaurant, bring the manager over, NOTHING.. .They do not care at all!!!! She asked one of us if we needed a box and I said " no it was gross" and she just took it away and didn't say a word. We never got refills..... We never had a manager come over to see if they could resolve it or offer us something else. It was horrible!!!! Only one other time have I ever had to send back food and the manager and server were both so embarrassed they apologized up and down. I still tipped the server $15 on a $30 meal because it wasn't her fault and she genuinely cared that we had bad chicken. Corrine from Bare Bones didn't even so much as say she was sorry the food was cold, beer was warm, and the chicken was rubbery. I WILL NEVER come back there and I always give places 2nd and third chances.. If she had apologized and tried to make it right, I'd never be writing this review. We paid for the gross food even though we shouldn't have!!!!!!!! McDonalds serves better chicken sandwiches and at least offers refills. Good luck Bare Bones, with staff like that...you'll need it.
(1)Jamal J.
I wish there was a way to not rate this establishment. For starters my wife and I went here for a romantic dinner. When we first arrived there was no greeter at the host stand, so we sat our self at the bar. So when a greeter finally arrived back to the stand to get a little conformation on seating. Me being a current certified trainer of the service staff at Joes crab shack Arundel mills, I know how the operation should go. But on this particular night it was extremely loud from the loud music and no type of sense of on the job skills. The greeter did not inform us of the happy hour only being at the bar. Long story short, we waited 20 Min's for a waiter and when they finally came by then my wife was fed up. I plan to never come here again.
(1)DA K.
Hey Fans, This place is not really that good. I am just gonna be honest wit you. Famous daves is way better. Food is Barely average, My BBq is better. Food was greasy and ribs was not good. The Decor needs to be seriously updated! Avoid at all cause. Please take my advice.
(1)Dennis G.
Good but not great. The quality of the service exceeded the quality of the food. This is not to suggest that the food was bad, just not memorable. I had the crab soup which was mostly distinguishable for how well the crab was hidden. It could have been any cream based soup, perhaps even chicken gravy with just a little different seasoning. The fish sandwich, it is Lent, was fish, a triangular shaped patty which appeared to come directly from a box out of the freezer. The presentation was fine, our server was polite and attentive. We were served quickly and the silverware was clean.
(3)Yaka H.
SX likes ribs. a lot. He likes the ribs here better than the Famous Dave's (though, we do frequent FD because of their over-the-top portions and it's easy on the wallet); He said that the FD ones were too "generic" tasting. SX, of course, got the Rib Special (Wednesday night- All you can eat Ribs; Sides are not all you can eat though; Website shows their other Daily All you can eat specials). The ribs have a nice dry rub and they do baste some sauce on top of it, it's not overly saucy (we like our ribs on the dry side with rub). We've also been here for the Monday All you can eat Baby Back ribs, which are equally tasty. If anything, more tender, but a bit more saucy. Every time we come here, I always get the prime rib. The prime rib here comes with a nice coarse ground rub, au jour, and horseradish sauce. I always order medium rare, but it usually comes out to be cooked a bit more well (like medium/medium well). Still tender and yummy though. Out of habit, I always save a large chunk of my prime rib to make a leftover sandwich for the next day (yum yum, but it drives SX CRAZY! He thinks it's an utter waste of meat). I've also had the Brewmeister Steak which is also a great entree here. Corn fritters remind me of eating at Sizzler, wayyy back in the day, and they are just as yummy as I remember them to be! Too bad it's not all you can eat corn fritters here. The bbq buttered beans are pretty good too. Service can be a bit meh sometimes.
(4)Richard M.
Strolled in on a summer Sunday evening and got a table right away. Friendly servers in a clean and tidy establishment. Corn fritters! Lil spheres of happiness just perfect with a slab o' ribs. Oh yeah, the ribs wuz pretty good, too. Ordered 'em nekkid because I always like to try sauce on the side. Good call. Just one house sauce on the table, smoky and not too sweet. Ribs were so tender I coulda left my teeth home. Companion had the ribeye steak and said it was OK but not $20 OK. Sweet butter bean side dish was interesting, too. Cole slaw much sweeter than I'd like. Not spectacular food but better than average. Excellent corn fritters! Glad we tried it.
(3)Kalie B.
Love this place--- the happy hour is all I've ever been to because it's just so great. There's always veggies, some cheese, and then at least 4-6 other things like marinated chicken, chicken wings, spicey fried potatoes, make your own tacos,etc. I'm also a fan of ladies night on Thursday for $3 margaritas. My husband and I ordered the baby back ribs one night and it was amazing....
(5)Allison L.
I was here on Saturday night with the boyfriend and it was a decent place. It wasn't really busy when we came so they immediately seated us. The hostess asked if we wanted to sit in the dining room or at the bar, and I assumed sitting at the bar meant actually sitting at the bar but on the way out I realized there were several tables in the bar. The front dining room, where we sat, was just kind of bizarre... too quiet, you could hear the conversation for just about every other table, and way too brightly lit. If I came back again, I'd sit in the bar area or in the back dining room. Our waiter was really nice, attentive, and quick. The drinks/food came out pretty quickly. So basically the boyfriend enjoyed everything he got, and I was fine with what I got but wasn't as happy. We split the half onion loaf (umm this was extremely huge... I can't even imagine what the full size one looks like and we definitely had at least half that we were unable to eat). The sauce it came with was really horseradish-y, good for someone who likes that but I don't. He got Old Ellicott Ale along with the Bare Bones special sandwich (with fries and cole slaw). The fries of his that I tried were pretty good. I got the cajun caesar salad with salmon which was not that great. The caesar dressing tasted like it was bought at a grocery store (btw, the dressing does not have cajun spices at all, just whatever meat you get with it) and the salmon was slightly underdone for my taste. The part that was done enough was good, but that only made up about half of it. I should have sent it back, but after seeing Waiting... a few years ago, I'm even more apprehensive about sending food back. The corn fritters, however, were AWESOME. I might come back just for them.
(3)Samuel C.
The food is good. I had the pork sandwich. The french fries are nice and hot and fresh. Service was very fast and quick.
(4)Craig H.
I like this place a lot has some great food with some good beers. I went there recently with some buddies at around like 10 at night and they where having happy hour all night and had a dollar off drinks. I thought that this was great idea, and talking with the bartender it seems that some of there beer is brewed by some of the local breweries. I have had their ribs which are great and tender. They even have buffets all time. The real treat is that most night's they have some live music act inside. Pros: Good beer( Local brewers... awesome) Good food Tons of space Live Music Cons Staff is OK Need newer menu items
(4)Laura G.
This restaurant has great food and beer, however the staff is completely unwilling and unhelpful to make any accomodations to purchase gift cards over the phone. I cant believe in this day and age, that no one can take a credit card number over the phone and email or mail a gift card, the only risk is for the consumer not to the restaurant. The staff could have cared less about trying to come up with a solution, that always makes me wonder what else they are so NOT costumer friendly about.
(2)Fat T.
The food overall is average and slightly above average depending on what you get. The ribs are decent and they have a good offering of beer selection. The reason for the low rating if because of their very poor service. In the two times I've dined there, they were inattentive and very arrogant. No patience with the server who tried to rush us into ordering and rolled her eyes when we asked for a few moments to look over the menu. And on top of that, there was an air of racism both times. The first time around, I didn't think much of it...as anyone can have bad days but the second time, it got more of my attention. I'm not naive to believe we live in a society of equality but last thing I want at the end of a long week is to we served by a rude, inattentive, racist waitress. However, if I really want good ribs, I'd go to The Corner Stable but it's a decent drive to the Cockeysville area. However, they are coming to Columbia in the near future so that will solve the problem.
(2)BJ F.
Consistently good food and beer. Never had a bad meal here. Been enjoying Bare Bones for at least 15 years. They are great for take out too. Service can be great one time and not so good the next. Happy hour is a good deal, the buffet can easily be your dinner.
(4)sinjin k.
This place reminds me of Houston's on the pike, but they're a little smaller. Space is smaller. Menu is smaller. Even the people are smaller. The wait, however, is just as long. Long wait for a table. Long wait for drinks. Long wait for food. anyhoo While the rest of my party ordered steak, I had the prime rib. Steak is personal for me. I like to pick it out, season it, grill it to a perfect med rare, and eat it with my pants unbuttoned. But prime rib, we dont do that at home. Bare Bones' prime rib was good. Very tender. Love clumps of horseradish and black pepper with it. But, I kept eyeing my wife's steak, (she use to be a clueless well done dud, but now she does it right). Her med rare rib eye steak was blackened nicely, and so goddam juicy! And, she wouldnt share!! I tried to barter my rib to no avail. Then, I begged. Then, I just waited till she turned the other way. I ate it so fast I couldnt enjoy it. And, I got caught. All in all, not a bad experience at all. I just wish they would deemphasize those damn corn fritter things. I still dont know what's in those critters.
(4)Brittany C.
This place is strange. I felt like I was in a Old Country Buffet or something when I walked in here. The servers seemed like they were just bored and irritated to be here, and the atmosphere felt stale and boring. The food was not that great not that bad. The ribs were the best part but still weren't that impressive, but the wings were TERRIBLE. I will eat almost any wing that comes my way, but ones that are borderline raw gross me out beyond belief. Chewy and gelatinous should never be words that describe wings, but that's how they are here. Ick. I'm getting the heebie jeebies just thinking about visiting this place again.
(2)C M.
My wife and I just finished eating at Bare Bones and it turned out to be a disappointment. We've gone there several times in the last few months, but this time was not up to expectations. When we arrived, we were seated immediately, but the table had liquid spilled on it. The hostess said it was water - regardless, it took a while for a waitress to come by and a while longer before anyone came to wipe it up. In the past we liked the ribs, pulled pork and brewmeister steak. So, tonight we tried the prime rib (special) and seafood platter (special). Bad choices. The prime rib was not tender and had very little flavor. My best estimate is that 1/3 of what was on the plate was fat. The seafood platter was even more disappointing. It was expensive and included a VERY small crabcake (about 2 inches in diameter and half an inch thick), 3 VERY small shrimp (described by the waitress as jumbo), one VERY small piece of fish (about the size of a half a deck of cards) and 3 VERY small scallops. As for the taste, my wife and I both agreed that the seafood tasted like it had been frozen for a while. While we've enjoyed meals at Bare Bones in the past, this visit turned us off.
(1)Chris O.
There for a retirement party/luncheon. Service was good, everything was ready. Fries are amazing! Chicken sandwich is good, but nothing 'special'. Seemed expensive too. The mix for the Coke (maybe Pepsi) seemed off/watered down.
(3)C W.
On the advice of fellow Yelper's I picked Bare Bones because I had to make a trip to Columbia and this place is an exit away. I looked forward to the ribs and corn fritters. Meh to both :( The ribs were super dry, lacked flavor and had a somewhat odd beef flavor. Strange for pork ribs. The BBQ chicken was much better, great grilled flavor, moist and tender. Corn fritters looked and tasted like they came from a box and were just deep fried. Ordered carrot cake which was ice cold. I'm sure you could've let it sit on the counter for a minute before bringing it out. We weren't impressed with the service at all. We had to find our own menus, flatware and flag him down for most everything else. When I meantioned the ice cold cake he said he could take it back and remove it from the bill. I guess I was expecting more of a gee sorry about that. I can't say that I'd go back.
(2)Charlie H.
I remember coming to Bare Bones 30 years ago for the first time with my family and I always enjoy the drive an hour each way to get the ribs. Simply put, Bare Bones ribs are, in my opinion are what all ribs should be judged by. While visiting, be sure to buy a bottle of bbq sauce which is a great addition to anything!
(5)Rachel S.
Decent food l. The ribs don't even come close to the Corner Stable but overall we had an ok experience. If you sit in the lower level dining area, bring a sweater as it is freezing!
(3)Jennifer S.
I'm reviewing this restaurant more for my husband than myself. He LOVES this place. And I have to say the ribs are pretty amazing. They are juicy, tender, and fall right of the bone. The cream of crab soup is also REALLY good, I look forward to that every time we go. The other food is pretty much the quality of any restaurant chain...it's like any applebee's I guess. It's good, when you eat it, but you might not feel so good about yourself the next day. I don't really think it's anything special even though my husband loves it.
(3)Dorrell R.
Never again. We did carry out, while waiting we listened to the server constantly talk about how sick he was. His phone attitude was disturbing. Saw servers looking at menus to order from somewhere else. Cream of crab soup was thin and no crab, cheeseburger was awful, I threw half of it away. Cole slaw looked and tasted old also threw away. My companion said KFC has a better BBQ sandwich than what he got. Maybe dining in is better but not willing to try it.
(2)Charlotte B.
The ribs were good (certainly better than Famous Dave's, if you're stuck out here in Howard County and need a rib alternative!) but it was the sides that really kicked this dinner into the excellent zone! The corn fritters were AWESOME. creamy, corny, not too much, not too little. I get the feeling they may not be 100% homemade, but I didn't care, b/c I enjoyed them so much. The bacony butter-beans were also another great side, and the coleslaw was also very good. I really appreciated that the sides were not an afterthought, they were good in their own right. We got carryout, perfect for a football night. They did a good job packing the carryout.
(4)lakita p.
Loved the crab pretzel!! Nice live band late at night
(3)Andrew K.
I came here on a Thursday night and it was all you can eat prime rib night for around $23. They have an all you can eat special Monday through Thursday. I ordered my prime rib medium and it came out thick and juicy. The sides of corn fritters and french fries were also really good. The next order of prime rib came out on a small plate and it was half as thick and they don't refill your sides which I was a little sad about. But, they do keep bringing out prime rib as long as you want and it still tasted pretty good. They even let us take home the prime rib we didn't finish which was nice. I will definitely come back here and try their spare ribs which are supposed to be really good too.
(4)Bryon B.
Of all the Steak & Beer places I've been to - this one is consistently my favorite. All the beers are great, and the prime rib is fantastic (especially their all-you-can-eat variety) every time I make it back to the area - I make a B-line for this place.
(5)Jennifer H.
Went here for lunch and had their chicken salad. Tasty! Everyone who ordered ribs said they were really good. Service was very quick and friendly. Prices aren't bad at all. If you want an instant heart attack, order an onion loaf. It's a giant onion brick that's deep fried to deliciousness. Next time I'm in the area with friends, I will be coming back!
(4)Latise B.
I've been coming here for a few years now and still enjoy it. They make a good cream of crab soup as well as gumbo. The ribs and prime rib are good also. I usually get crab cakes, ribs, prime rib, or barbecue pork sandwich. The prices are very reasonable. They also have microbrews here, although I've never tried them. Up until my last visit, I can't say I ever had a complaint about the service. My last visit was after a long hiatus--probably 2 years between that visit and the previous one. In the past, I don't remember every having a problem, but my last visit the food took forever and so did the server. I can't say my food was slow, it could have just been that my server was slow to bring it. Either way, he was gawd-awful slow with drink refills and the check. I won't write off the service just yet, that could have just been a bad visit, but if its like that the next time I go, I'll be pretty disappointed. As the previous reviewer pointed out, they also offer all you can eat specials on ribs and prime rib that are worth checking out.
(4)David W.
I came mostly for the Wednesday trivia night. They say call for reservations and they mean it...the place gets packed. You can only make a reservation on Wednesday, which seems silly if you're coming every single week. I have to say, this was not my favorite trivia of all time. Questions weren't the most interesting and were very much geared towards an older crowd. I also didn't love the point-scheme or the overall vibe. This bar brews their own beer but it's really not very good beer. The food is decent but you can find better at the prices they charge. I was bringing in very large groups of people in their early 20s and we didn't really feel all that welcome. The staff always seemed very focused on getting their tips and getting people to spend, spend, spend. At a trivia night sometimes I just want to drink 2 beers and focus on the trivia, but because it's so packed they want to make sure you're worth the seat you're taking up. In the end I found other trivia nights and other bars which I enjoy more.
(2)Joshua N.
Excellent rib and steak place. The ribs are good, the prime rib is good. When you can go for all-you-can eat night, go its really good. The place is nice enough to feel special, but not so nice that the waiters all talk with a fake accent. Great food, great service, and a unassuming location. Good place to go eat at.
(4)Kip H.
We love Bare Bones, we carry out a lot from here - white chili and barebones special salad!
(4)Amy K.
After a string of bad restaurant experiences, this was a breath of fresh air. I feel like it's probably more of a nice 'grille' restaurant than a BBQ joint. They have a great selection of local beers on tap. We had the Thursday all-you-can-eat prime rib, the babyback ribs, the onion loaf, and the BBQ beef sandwhich. All were delicious. The onion loaf was similar to a bloomin onion, just sweeter and less spicy. The prime rib was roasted and had a great flavor, and the ribs were nice and tender. Service was top-notch on top of a great meal. We will definately go back. Only 4 stars cause it was a tad on the pricey side, although I'd throw down $20 here for a steak before I would at one of the chain steak joints.
(4)Amy W.
Went here on Memorial Day and ordered the Prime Rib. It was very tasty and very tender! We also ordered the baked potato skins, which the waitress forgot to put in as our appetizer, but at least she was honest and apologized and told us the truth. She brought them out anyway (yes, we were charged) and they were awful. I don't know how someone could ruin a baked potato with cheese, bacon and sour cream, but they did. Otherwise, it was very good, and I am sure we may visit again. I did not sample any of their brews because it wasn't that kind of a visit, but if you are into that kind of thing, this would be a great place for you to try. Also, it is a nice place to take a date - has a dark/bar feel but it is more romantic with the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling with the lights strung around it (Great idea!). However, I wished they had focused on the air conditioning - it was hot when you first enter, but in the bar area, it was very cool. A nice place to eat overall.
(3)miss b.
Went here the other night and loved it. I ordered the Louisiana Chicken sandwich which was quite spicy, but really good. Excellent honey mustard (you know I love my honey mustard!) and good fries. It was my friend's birthday so she ended up getting a piece of Reeses pie which was very yummy (you can't really go wrong with that, can you?). The waiter was really sweet and attentive to our table. I loved the decor inside with the wood walls and wall lamps. It had a really nice atmosphere. The bar seemed pretty nice as well. There used to be one in Timonium years ago, but it closed up. I wish it was still there.. Timonium and the surrounding areas need more restaurants like this one with good brews and good grub.
(4)Phil D.
I've been going to this place for years. The ribs really are as good as advertised. The atmosphere is nice and casual and the service is usually pretty decent. Salads could use some work but hard to complain overall. Good local brews.
(4)Rebecca Y.
This our staple meeting spot when we all go home for the holidays. It is a great location, has great apps (and specials during the week), reasonable prices, and both microbrews and bottled beer. Oh, yeah, and the ribs are fantastic!
(4)Patapsco M.
This is a fun place to hang out, with good beer made on the premesis, decent generic food, and a pretty nice atmosphere. Very nice happy hour which can get very busy. The ribs really are good, the best thing I've had on their menu. The chicken wings are also good. I've taken my little kids there, gone to many a happy hour, and had some nice sit-down dinners. It's a big place. As a local, this is the place I would go if I had 2 college buddies pop into town and we only have a few hours. I will go back for the beer more than anything.
(4)Sarah F.
Yummy salads and sandwiches. The service is always good and very friendly. They have a good beer selection and nice bar. I don't come here often though because it seems to be a popular spot among people I went to high school with that I would rather not see.
(4)Hansoo J.
Bare Bones is your standard American grill. The ribs are their signature item but they also have other grill items such as burgers, bbq chicken, and prime rib. My favorite item is the white chili. I don't usually like white chili but it is pretty good and flavorful there. They use lots of cumin... They also have nightly specials featuring all you can eat prime rib, baby back ribs, or beef ribs depending on the night of the week. It is a bit pricey though so don't plan on ordering unless you can take down at least 2 refills. The prime rib is tender and moist. My favorite side dish is the corn fritters. The fries are lightly battered and usually come out hot and crispy. Everything else on the menu is alright. They have a free buffet during happy hour plus they serve their own micro brews on tap. The buffet is very good: a great option if you are looking for a cheap meal in Ellicott City. A decent place to grab a bit to eat.
(2)Becca B.
So when I'm in town (I grew up in EC) I try to avoid this place... because I like to avoid most people I know from High School (haha Sarah). But, when I do give in to my friends that enjoy this place.... I usually have a good time. The food isn't bad... but it also isn't great. I like to stick to the bar area, because the atmosphere in the dining room is kinda strange to me. So, moral of the story: stay in the bar and get lots of drinks...then you might enjoy yourself.
(3)Jeff C.
Bare Bones is alright, in some respects. I've been there several times during lunch hour, and while they never seem to be that busy, the food usually takes forever! The quality is decent for the price, and other than kitchen time, the service is good. I can't really vouch for their beer, though I do know they have some in house brews. Give it a shot.
(3)Daniel C.
Good beers, very good ribs, everything else just ok. Find the all you can eat ribs days aren't the top quality ribs you get the other nights. I'd recommend starting with the beer sampler then double down on your favourite from there.
(4)