While in Erie, PA on a business trip, my friends/co-workers and I were looking to get a drink and a bite to eat, so we stopped in at Smoky Bones. The bar tender was really nice. He told us that they smoke meat 24/7! There were TV's all around the top of the bar area, so I could catch up on my Yankees scores. (Which were not good last night...) I ordered the buffalo wings, but also tried the fried pickles and the smoky BBQ wings. My wings were ok. There wasn't much meat on the bones, so when fired in hot oil, they came out a little crispier than I like. So not much crispy meat doesn't make for a great chicken wing, you know? The sauce was the standard "Frank's Red Hot", made famous just up I90 in buffalo. You can't get that wrong. Unless, you put way too much of it on the wings after you plate them and that's what was happening last night. The smoky BBQ wings were excellent. The sauce was deep and rich and the spice they used was unique. Spicy without being hot. The wings were cooked well, but again, not as much meat on the bone as there should have been cooked in hot oil, so..... The fried pickles were excellent. The pickles seemed fresh and they were coated in what looked to be a panko breading that they managed to make stick to the pickles well. Bravo for that Smoky Bones. There was a rack of sauces in bottles that accompanied the pickles and other things of that nature, which was cool, but there weren't labels on them, so we found ourselves squirting a little on our finger to try it and see what it was. They should slap some labels on the bottles with a font that corresponded to their restaurant theme. (That consultation will cost you Smoky Bones! ) J/K... Anyway, the bar tender was very nice and helpful. We had a great time and enjoyed some good-ish food.
(3)
Shari L.
It was my first time! The location was busy but the wait time was very short. The service was excellent. The food presentation and quality was excellent as well. The wait staff was attentive as was management. Our table was visited by two different management personnel who were genuine and fun. Great, great first time experience. Don't forget to get you frequent flyer card when you go!
(5)
Jane D.
I've eaten here about 4 or 5 times but always for lunch. We came for dinner and the place was packed. I thought it was going to be an ordeal to get served but boy was I wrong. Our waitress Heather, was right there for us and once we ordered, stuff came right out to us. The ribs were really good. We had St Louis style with a rub because I'm not a fan of sweet sauces. Nice amount and really satisfying. I got the house rack and ate the whole thing! We had a really good experience here. I'm pretty much a hardcore rib eater so I haven't ordered the wings or pulled pork sandwiches or any other number of items on the menu. I will be back for more ribs.
(4)
Cecile V.
I ordered a Caesar salad and was disappointed in what $12 got me! The lettuce was brown, and wilted. There was hardly any chicken in. What you called chicken was all black and burnt! Very disappointed!!
(1)
Zachary L.
Brisket was ok.. Sauce should be served on side.. Sausage tasted like peppery brats.. Not what I was expecting at a q joint.. Mac and cheese was sufficiently cheesy.. All in all not bad for a chain Q joint
Went once my husband's family and did not like it. We waited for like an hour. When finally we got a table and get the food my ribs were burnt,hard and chewy. My daughter's ribs were the same. No matter how much we love ribs we couldn't eat them. At least the waitress were nice. Not coming back.
(2)
William E.
Had wings and a split rack of back & St Louis style ribs with a double coleslaw side all washed down with a couple of ICE cold PBR's. Our waitress was very pleasant and didn't hover. Overall a very clean wide open restaurant....I would return without hesitation.
(4)
Trinity N.
My friend and I needed a place to eat at 9:30 pm on a Sunday night, so we went into Smokey Bones because not much else was open that late. We ordered the fried pickles, which was mediocre. She got a pulled pork sandwich and stew, and I got the BBQ hamburger. I liked my meal, but the pulled pork in the burger was a tad dry. I do like the selection of sauces the place offers, BUT I wish they would label it. 5 bottles of BBQ sauce with different tip color doesn't say much about the flavor. Will I be coming back? possibly. But this definitely isn't my favorite place.
(3)
Todd T.
Their portions are awful, not even enough to fill up a child. Huge rip off of a restaurant. Would never recommend this place to anyone. My meat was served cold on top of soggy bread, waiter was rude when I requested it be heated up.
(1)
Ron S.
Probably the worst experience I have ever had at any restaurant ever. Ordered 1/2 rack of St. Louis ribs. Could not even cut them with a knife and usually they fall off the bone. Sent them back and was told the manager would be back to talk to me. That never happened. They brought me more ribs that were just as tough as the first order. The worst was yet to come. The first time they brought my check it was not mine but the person in the booth behind me. I finally got my check and they charged me for 2 racks of ribs. They then said the fixed it and brought me a 3rd check and it still was wrong. This went on for 3 more times, a total of 6 attempts before they got it right. Not done yet. Now I gave them my credit card and they charged me for the incorrect amount. They then went back again and got the right amount this time and told me the first charge would not be on my account. The manager, Joe guaranteed it. When I got home I went online and there it was charged to my account. I called Joe and he said these things take time. Joe should know about time because it took 32 minutes after we asked for our check for us to finally get our correct ticket. And what did Mgr. Joe offer us for all of our trouble? NOTHING!
(1)
Tom B.
Just stopped in here for the third time this year. Service was good as it was the previous times. We enjoy the variety of sauces offered at each table and the desserts are great. Sure, local places that specialize in BBQ may offer more authentic flavors but we don't go here for technically correct food we go here for good food which we've gotten every time so far.
(4)
Maxim S.
Good food and awesome atmosphere. The variety of the souses available on the table is the key!!!!
(4)
Venu G.
Attentive service..however too attentive..which did not like..food was salty
(2)
Leah T.
I travel to Erie once a year for a basketball tournament, and one of my favorite stops is Smokey Bones. We don't have one where I live, so it is a nice change of scenery. I have always been extremely satisfied with my meals there. Best of all is their Skillet Cornbread - sweet, skillet-baked cornbread served with honey-pecan butter. It's a must-order item! The rest of their food isn't necessarily extraordinary, but good for a mid-price chain restaurant. I definitely recommend that you give it a try :)
(4)
Greg B.
A deflating experience... I was soooooo hoping to have an awesome "real smoked bbq" What a nasty example of real smoked bbq.. I opted for the highly recommended full baby back ribs. The suggested Memphis dry rub was also the "choice" version that I "had to have" as pushed by the server.... I dont think that half an inch of seasoning salt on already dry ribs is at all whatI would call "awesome bbq" It was so harsh that I couldnt eat more than 2 pieces. I brought this concern to the waitress, the response was (in a snotty attitude) "thats the way they are" I smiled and said "really..wow" well I would not like to further punish my tongue with the salt lick and return the ribs. She suggested I have the "wet" version which consisted of a sweet bbq sauce drenched over the pre-salted version. Starvation forced me to eat these poor examples of ribs and I forced myself through the remaining ribs. I overheard several people complaing about cold,dry meals all around our table, aparently a common concern. I would suggest that if you wanted good bbq... do not go here.
(1)
Garrett W.
The food reminded me of applebees more than a BBQ place. The highlight of the meal was the baked beans. Pulled pork was dry and BBQ chicken was not BBQ chicken, but a flat small dry piece of chicken.
(1)
Peter L.
Smokey Bones is a chain sports bar/BBQ joint. Even though it is a chain store they actually produce very decent BBQ. Have tried the ribs several times over 3 or so years and each time have been very satisfied. Available in several styles; Memphis dry rub, BBQ sauce and 2 others, each are well cooked with a nice bark and smokey flavor. Sides are typical BBQ such as cole slaw, french fires, baked potato, beans, etc. Full bar with at least 4 types of draft beer. Hamburgers, steaks and chicken also available, have not tried these.
(4)
Casey B.
What I was thinking would be a delicious meal, ended up being sub par. We were seated fast, but at a broken table. We were moved, and ordered pretty fast. That was about the most of what we saw of your waitress. Instead of all of the servers attending to their tables, they sat around and talked to each other. We were given appetizer plates that were covered in old food. It took a long time to even flag down anyone to take them. Again, they were just talking to each other. Our entrees were alright, nothing special. We ordered their donuts for dessert and they tasted almost completely raw. My main complaint was the god awful service. Stick with going to a different restaurant, I do not recommend this place at all!
(1)
Michael E.
Solid BBQ, very fast, good service, clean. I had the brisket and pulled pork - about 90 seconds after I ordered it. Excellent.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch 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 : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
JJ P.
While in Erie, PA on a business trip, my friends/co-workers and I were looking to get a drink and a bite to eat, so we stopped in at Smoky Bones. The bar tender was really nice. He told us that they smoke meat 24/7! There were TV's all around the top of the bar area, so I could catch up on my Yankees scores. (Which were not good last night...) I ordered the buffalo wings, but also tried the fried pickles and the smoky BBQ wings. My wings were ok. There wasn't much meat on the bones, so when fired in hot oil, they came out a little crispier than I like. So not much crispy meat doesn't make for a great chicken wing, you know? The sauce was the standard "Frank's Red Hot", made famous just up I90 in buffalo. You can't get that wrong. Unless, you put way too much of it on the wings after you plate them and that's what was happening last night. The smoky BBQ wings were excellent. The sauce was deep and rich and the spice they used was unique. Spicy without being hot. The wings were cooked well, but again, not as much meat on the bone as there should have been cooked in hot oil, so..... The fried pickles were excellent. The pickles seemed fresh and they were coated in what looked to be a panko breading that they managed to make stick to the pickles well. Bravo for that Smoky Bones. There was a rack of sauces in bottles that accompanied the pickles and other things of that nature, which was cool, but there weren't labels on them, so we found ourselves squirting a little on our finger to try it and see what it was. They should slap some labels on the bottles with a font that corresponded to their restaurant theme. (That consultation will cost you Smoky Bones! ) J/K... Anyway, the bar tender was very nice and helpful. We had a great time and enjoyed some good-ish food.
(3)Shari L.
It was my first time! The location was busy but the wait time was very short. The service was excellent. The food presentation and quality was excellent as well. The wait staff was attentive as was management. Our table was visited by two different management personnel who were genuine and fun. Great, great first time experience. Don't forget to get you frequent flyer card when you go!
(5)Jane D.
I've eaten here about 4 or 5 times but always for lunch. We came for dinner and the place was packed. I thought it was going to be an ordeal to get served but boy was I wrong. Our waitress Heather, was right there for us and once we ordered, stuff came right out to us. The ribs were really good. We had St Louis style with a rub because I'm not a fan of sweet sauces. Nice amount and really satisfying. I got the house rack and ate the whole thing! We had a really good experience here. I'm pretty much a hardcore rib eater so I haven't ordered the wings or pulled pork sandwiches or any other number of items on the menu. I will be back for more ribs.
(4)Cecile V.
I ordered a Caesar salad and was disappointed in what $12 got me! The lettuce was brown, and wilted. There was hardly any chicken in. What you called chicken was all black and burnt! Very disappointed!!
(1)Zachary L.
Brisket was ok.. Sauce should be served on side.. Sausage tasted like peppery brats.. Not what I was expecting at a q joint.. Mac and cheese was sufficiently cheesy.. All in all not bad for a chain Q joint
(3)Steven B.
I've eaten at BBQ joints all across the country and most of them have been small private establishments. The only chain BBQ I've frequented often is Famous Dave's. The lovely wife and I have visited our local location many times. Smoky Bones is a chain so when I walked in my mind immediately began comparing the two. Let the competition begin! I sat at the bar and received excellent service throughout my entire meal. No complaints at all. To be fair, that's also true when we visit FDs. The menus are similar. Choose your meat from among the usual BBQ suspects and then add two sides from a long list. There are also multi-meat combos available. Expect to pay in the mid-teens ($12-$16) for your entrée. I went with the BEEF BRISKET which was supposedly marinated for 24 hours and then smoked for 6 more. For my sides I choose BBQ Baked Beans and Fire Roasted corn. My food arrived quickly and was plated nicely but the first thing I noticed was my portion of brisket was very small. It looked like a child's portion. At FDs I would have received double the amount for the same price. To make matters worse, it was very tough and difficult to cut. Once I did manage to get a piece into my mouth it was tasty. My sides deserve special mention as they were exceptional. The beans were full of chunks of meat and the fire roasted corn was delicious. Both were better than FDs. Unfortunately for Smokey Bones the meat should be the star of the show and it was lacking in quantity and quality. FDs is right up the street. Next time you'll find me there.
(3)Valerie Z.
Went once my husband's family and did not like it. We waited for like an hour. When finally we got a table and get the food my ribs were burnt,hard and chewy. My daughter's ribs were the same. No matter how much we love ribs we couldn't eat them. At least the waitress were nice. Not coming back.
(2)William E.
Had wings and a split rack of back & St Louis style ribs with a double coleslaw side all washed down with a couple of ICE cold PBR's. Our waitress was very pleasant and didn't hover. Overall a very clean wide open restaurant....I would return without hesitation.
(4)Trinity N.
My friend and I needed a place to eat at 9:30 pm on a Sunday night, so we went into Smokey Bones because not much else was open that late. We ordered the fried pickles, which was mediocre. She got a pulled pork sandwich and stew, and I got the BBQ hamburger. I liked my meal, but the pulled pork in the burger was a tad dry. I do like the selection of sauces the place offers, BUT I wish they would label it. 5 bottles of BBQ sauce with different tip color doesn't say much about the flavor. Will I be coming back? possibly. But this definitely isn't my favorite place.
(3)Todd T.
Their portions are awful, not even enough to fill up a child. Huge rip off of a restaurant. Would never recommend this place to anyone. My meat was served cold on top of soggy bread, waiter was rude when I requested it be heated up.
(1)Ron S.
Probably the worst experience I have ever had at any restaurant ever. Ordered 1/2 rack of St. Louis ribs. Could not even cut them with a knife and usually they fall off the bone. Sent them back and was told the manager would be back to talk to me. That never happened. They brought me more ribs that were just as tough as the first order. The worst was yet to come. The first time they brought my check it was not mine but the person in the booth behind me. I finally got my check and they charged me for 2 racks of ribs. They then said the fixed it and brought me a 3rd check and it still was wrong. This went on for 3 more times, a total of 6 attempts before they got it right. Not done yet. Now I gave them my credit card and they charged me for the incorrect amount. They then went back again and got the right amount this time and told me the first charge would not be on my account. The manager, Joe guaranteed it. When I got home I went online and there it was charged to my account. I called Joe and he said these things take time. Joe should know about time because it took 32 minutes after we asked for our check for us to finally get our correct ticket. And what did Mgr. Joe offer us for all of our trouble? NOTHING!
(1)Tom B.
Just stopped in here for the third time this year. Service was good as it was the previous times. We enjoy the variety of sauces offered at each table and the desserts are great. Sure, local places that specialize in BBQ may offer more authentic flavors but we don't go here for technically correct food we go here for good food which we've gotten every time so far.
(4)Maxim S.
Good food and awesome atmosphere. The variety of the souses available on the table is the key!!!!
(4)Venu G.
Attentive service..however too attentive..which did not like..food was salty
(2)Leah T.
I travel to Erie once a year for a basketball tournament, and one of my favorite stops is Smokey Bones. We don't have one where I live, so it is a nice change of scenery. I have always been extremely satisfied with my meals there. Best of all is their Skillet Cornbread - sweet, skillet-baked cornbread served with honey-pecan butter. It's a must-order item! The rest of their food isn't necessarily extraordinary, but good for a mid-price chain restaurant. I definitely recommend that you give it a try :)
(4)Greg B.
A deflating experience... I was soooooo hoping to have an awesome "real smoked bbq" What a nasty example of real smoked bbq.. I opted for the highly recommended full baby back ribs. The suggested Memphis dry rub was also the "choice" version that I "had to have" as pushed by the server.... I dont think that half an inch of seasoning salt on already dry ribs is at all whatI would call "awesome bbq" It was so harsh that I couldnt eat more than 2 pieces. I brought this concern to the waitress, the response was (in a snotty attitude) "thats the way they are" I smiled and said "really..wow" well I would not like to further punish my tongue with the salt lick and return the ribs. She suggested I have the "wet" version which consisted of a sweet bbq sauce drenched over the pre-salted version. Starvation forced me to eat these poor examples of ribs and I forced myself through the remaining ribs. I overheard several people complaing about cold,dry meals all around our table, aparently a common concern. I would suggest that if you wanted good bbq... do not go here.
(1)Garrett W.
The food reminded me of applebees more than a BBQ place. The highlight of the meal was the baked beans. Pulled pork was dry and BBQ chicken was not BBQ chicken, but a flat small dry piece of chicken.
(1)Peter L.
Smokey Bones is a chain sports bar/BBQ joint. Even though it is a chain store they actually produce very decent BBQ. Have tried the ribs several times over 3 or so years and each time have been very satisfied. Available in several styles; Memphis dry rub, BBQ sauce and 2 others, each are well cooked with a nice bark and smokey flavor. Sides are typical BBQ such as cole slaw, french fires, baked potato, beans, etc. Full bar with at least 4 types of draft beer. Hamburgers, steaks and chicken also available, have not tried these.
(4)Casey B.
What I was thinking would be a delicious meal, ended up being sub par. We were seated fast, but at a broken table. We were moved, and ordered pretty fast. That was about the most of what we saw of your waitress. Instead of all of the servers attending to their tables, they sat around and talked to each other. We were given appetizer plates that were covered in old food. It took a long time to even flag down anyone to take them. Again, they were just talking to each other. Our entrees were alright, nothing special. We ordered their donuts for dessert and they tasted almost completely raw. My main complaint was the god awful service. Stick with going to a different restaurant, I do not recommend this place at all!
(1)Michael E.
Solid BBQ, very fast, good service, clean. I had the brisket and pulled pork - about 90 seconds after I ordered it. Excellent.
(4)