If you like salt, this is the pace for you! Seriously though, less salt in the dry rub would make this place edible. I got the smoked chicken wings to start, which are unfortunately double or triple dipped in the dry rub. They were seriously salty... in fact, we didn't end up eating them all, and what I did eat I needed beer to wash down. Any flavor from the smoke is well overpowered by the salt. For the main course, I got brisket, spare ribs with the dry rub (I didn't know when I ordered it), loaded smashed potatoes, and veg. The veg was the best thing on the plate. The smashed potatoes, oddly enough, were the only thing that was salted! The brisket was sliced and rubbery, Sonny's has better. The ribs were cooked to a nice doneness. Just falling off the bone but not to the point where they lose all "tooth". Unfortunately, the dry rub formed a salt bark around the outside that made them almost inedible. I gave up half way through the ribs. Such a waste. My girl got the wet sauce on her spare ribs, and the turkey, which were both ok. The wet sauce was far too sweet, but some people like that. If only the rib rub had been better, this place might have gotten 3 stars, but even then, I think I'd go to Sonny's first... not that I enjoy Sonny's all that much... just that their food is comparable. There are much better BBQ places pretty much anywhere.
(2)
kelley s.
I usually only go here for happy hour. They kinda change it up so I don't know what it is now, but it's usually a drink and some food for half off. They have really good pulled pork sandwhiches. They do have lots of TVs so if you're in the mood for tasty food and a sports game, this is a great place. We always have great service and I've never left disappointed. They also have seasonal cocktails that are fun to try :) over and over again lol. So yeah, for a chain it's really good and I like going here! you will too!!!
(4)
robert l.
Having lived in memphis, this place stinks. Ribs overcooked, overseasoned and overly yucky. The place is so commercialized that the personality required for a smokehouse to be good was non existent.
(2)
Brian M.
Not impressed at all. Probably the worst BBQ I have ever had. I have been to numerous BBQ places, and this one is absolutely terrible. I would say Smokey Bones is the Denny's of BBQ, except at Denny's you get what you pay for. The food looked and tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for half the day and the service was terrible. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever.
(1)
Hoopie B.
Ever since Smokey Bones was left for dead by Darden Resturants, it has been improved greatly by it's new buyer/owner. We ate lunch yesterday and we had the Kettle Chips (thin potatoe slices with crispy outer layer, creamy yummy insides) that came with 3 sauces: bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and chipotle mayo. Also, i ate the Build-Your-Burger Veggie Burger, and it was absolutely amazing. Taste 9/10. I would recommend that you get there early, cause everytime we go there, it's always packed!!!
(5)
SandJ K.
Service can be hit or miss sometimes, but the food is very good and pretty consistent. For a good meal (not fine dining) and a couple of drinks, great place to go. We have been going for a while. TONIGHT WAS SPECIAL, so have to Yelp. We had our friends watch our fish Norman (Beta) over the holiday. We always exchange the fish at a local place and this year it was SB. We get our share of looks but mostly it goes pretty unnoticed. Not here. The whole wait staff and servers came by, joked around with us (no fish and chips for him, he looks thirsty etc. etc.) and had fun with us. They went so far as to bring him an ice cream sundae. Couldn't have had more fun..and dinner was good, ribs were good, burger good, pulled pork good and smoked turkey good. Best in town? Food not, but staff tonight was 5 stars. Thanks Jeff and your colleagues for having fun with us.
(4)
Bill G.
Not worth the price, ordered the chicken wings off the lunch menu and only got 4 wings what the heck.
(2)
Teresa S.
If it wasn't for the fact my burger was delicious, I would have walked out. A brisket sandwich (very dry btw) and a burger should not take an hour. The wait staff was extremely slow, and extra awkward. I watched over and over how staff came out with food and looked clueless as to where it went. Three tables that arrived after us were served and half way through their meals when we got our food. No blinds in the window mans sitting in certain place difficult, so we had to move... Which, I hope was not the reason we got poor service, but after seeing how they handled the rest of the room, we're convinced it's poor management. Waited 10 minute for our check after the plates were cleared and even then we still had to go up to the hostess stand to pay. Sketchy, very sketchy.
(1)
Denise M.
First time and last time! Good was overlooked, burnt and dry. Awful. The server was great comped meals but manager never came out to even say sorry. Way overpriced for below mediocre frozen fried food.
(1)
Paul L.
I was nigh plump bursting with laughter when I last checked in for a take-out order: here I am, a REGULAR at Smokey Bones!! The legion of my friends who are diehard and rabid for Four Rivers will freaking lasso me when they find me, dump me in the smoker over there at either 4R locations, and 12 hours later, tear me apart like pulled pork! Seriously, guys - like Brandi says, one doesn't have to be snobbish about BBQ, and there's room enough for all. Plus, I can't abide the lines at 4R - guess I just don't care enough about food, but nothing is THAT good that I have to wait 30 minutes to hand them over my hard-earned money. 4R should just go ahead and jack up the price until the lines thin out, or offer variable pricing (cheaper before 11 and after 3...) It's simple supply and demand: customer service will improve, and water will seek its own level. Oh this review is about SMOKEY BONES?? Oh right, right... got side-tracked. Back to SB: other than finding their rib portions on the small side, and the BBQ sauce a touch sweet, I think the quality of the food's been pretty good. I'm usually surprised by how tasty and moist the chicken breasts are, and the brisket is beefy. The sausage is a little spicy for the unwary. Among the sides, the usual fan favorites like mac n cheese and mashed potatoes are both too calorie-laden. I think I like the beans and fire-roasted corn the best. Beer lovers: they have a signature lager that I've got to try one of these days - $3 for a 22 oz. pour. I also haven't tried their $5 lunch, which sounds enticing and a great value.
(3)
Robert B.
Got there 2 minutes after they opened. I was seated right away, drink order was taken, food order was taken upon the arrival of my drink. I got the build a burger, it was excellent, cooked to perfection! I never saw the bottom of my glass of tea as well! Great service!
(5)
Leigh N.
Went here for date night with the hubby and OMG! I had the absolute BEST chicken salad EVER! The appetizer was yummy and I even shared a dessert of Pecan Pie. Y-U-M-M-Y! Despite completely blowing off my diet I was totally delighted with this place and will be going back very soon. (I just have to work out a little more!) My husband had the ribs with the Memphis Rub and he said they were the best ribs he has had in a long time.
(5)
Brandi B.
$3.00 for calls during happy hour annnd they let me have a blackberry iced tea with gin! In a BIG glass. It was delicious. The copious amount of $10. off of $20. coupons they e-mail me are good, but they're cutting back on their portion sizes. Hmmmm.
(3)
brian m.
Smokey bones....oh how you are straining our relationship lately. Food is still fairly consistent, although meat was a bit dry last visit. That's not part of a pattern however. But it does sting a bit when I go to grab my fork to dig into my meal, only to find out that my fork is invisible. Wait...my knife and napkin are invisible as well. Or it could be we never got utensils. No problem, I'll just ask the waitress. Where is that waitress?? Oh there she is, in the shape of a small monitor attached to the end of the table. Her name is Ziosk. All I am told I have to do is push somewhere on her screen and she will magically appear. Push...light flashes...for 3 min, 4 min, 5 min... Hey maybe this Ziosk isn't my waitress at all?! Maybe Ziosk is just some corporate marketer or customer experience guys idea of customer service, without having to pay to staff actual human beings that you can actually flag down as they walk by and provide true customer service. But Ziosk seems to have chased all the servers away. Maybe it's the flashing light?! Maybe it's because Ziosk has caused them to drop some staff and now the servers are busy running around trying to get everything done and are not hanging around waiting for some light to flash. Oh look, there's our waitress heading to another table with food. My hand waives, hi can we get some silverware? No problem. I guess we do have a real waitress!! And I sure do like her better than Ziosk. Note to smoky bones corporate - your people matter. Having your restaurants fully staffed with them vs computers makes a difference. Try to find a different way to cut your costs instead of cutting your people and giving your customers a Ziosk instead. Because your customers matter. This one has been going to Long Horn more often than he used to.
(3)
C M.
We arrived here at 1315 on a Monday. We've visited smokey bones in Waterford Lakes for lunch and always enjoyed the service, as well as the quality of food. This is not that kind of review. After sitting down we noticed that the place was almost empty yet they had a lot of dirty tables. We requested a booth and were led to a hybrid booth/table, when I gave a puzzled look the hostess asked did I want her to wipe down a table in a booth? She did it with no problem. After sitting for 20 minutes we got water (Yippee). We placed our appetizers order at that time, it was easy since we had so much time to wait. 45 minutes later our appetizer arrived, 5 minutes later our entree.... no refills on our empty drinks, horrendous service. After sending our food back the manager didn't even bother to come by our table and apologize.We saw 2 managers chit chatting while the one cook struggled and the bartender waited tables. The food was fresh and the bar menu looked incredible. I will definitely try Smokey Bones again, just not the Sanford location.
(1)
Shirley F.
Great atmosphere, great service, and the food is hot and delicious! If a drink or food is just not quite right, they are more than willing to make it right; however, the type of music they play leaves a lot to be desired AND it's L-O-U-D!!! my husband and I stopped going because of this. You also must know this was during the day, it's not like it was a weekend night...that I could understand somewhat. This is a restaurant, not a nightclub!!
(3)
TylErica S.
This is a terrible location, stay away! We would go to the Waterford Lakes location and its always amazing, this one, not so much. They changed their ranch to the "dressing" style ranch that does not go well with burgers or fries. Bring back the old! There was nothing wrong with it! The Cherries in my Cherry coke, tasted bad. That's what I get for a drink that cost $2.69? $2.69?!?!?!?!? I got the Smokehouse Burger and the meat wasn't even seasoned. I poured salt on it...still nothing, very disappointing. Also, to add fried to my burger...$.99...really? At a family restaurant I have to pay more for fries with my burger? Give me a break. The server said: "it's because with the Build-a-burger people can build it so big that they don't have room for fries...I'm sorry, but the smokehouse burger isn't a "Build-a-burger", you donkey! My GF had the stuffed potato with brisket. It came out not looking like the picture and didn't taste any better. The paper on the menu may have had more flavor. Also, the side that we sat on, was hotter than the oven. Thank you for making the place a comfortable place to eat (insert sarcasm). The Bag-o-donuts seemed to get more expensive at $5.99.....they aren't even good donuts! It's dough and grease! What happened to you Smokey Bones?
(1)
JW U.
Average food with a good happy hour deal. Never seams to be a big following at this joint.
(4)
Rhonda M.
Love love love Smokey Bones. Tried it years ago when it was owned by Darden Restaurants and never went back. We received a coupon in the mail so we decided to give it a shot. OMG! They have the best sweet potato fries. I get the same thing every time and me and my daughter share it. My husband loves their build a burger deal. We go there sometimes weekly lol. Oh and every visit you get points towards future meals. It's awesome!
(5)
Cheryl D.
We used to eat at this Smokey Bones quite a bit....before I started Yelping. We love the decor and atmosphere. It always seems very clean and the staff are mostly very nice. It had been roughly 4 months since we'd gone and I got an email letting me know that their menu had changed, so we decided to go check it out. Wow....yeah, it's changed!! By about $2.00 per meal (in the wrong direction)! $12 for a burger and fries. $12.99 for a 7 oz. sirloin with two sides. As we waited for our food, we both ordered cocktails (which are VERY reasonably priced) and the pretzel bones appetizer ($8 for four pretzel sticks and dipping sauces...really?) And then we waited....and waited.....close to 40 minutes for our food, so we were starving by the time it came. Hubby got the burger and fries. He ordered it medium and it came well...very well. It was black. My sirloin was so tough and dry, I could barely chew it. But, we were starving so we weren't about to send it back and wait another 40 minutes!! I will say...their fries are excellent. And my broccoli and mashed potatoes were also very tasty and cooked well. So...while we may go back for some cheap drinks, Smokey Bones will no longer be one of our favorite hangouts. What a shame.
(3)
Charles V.
Good food, not great but a good place to eat.
(4)
Rod H.
I am upgrading my review from last year. Over the course of the year my wife has decided these are her favorite wings. She likes the smoked wings and the really are tasty. I am also a fan of the St Louis style ribs with the Memphis rub. I called in an order on the 4th and they ran a little behind so they gave me a free drink whiles I had to wait. This was much easier than standing behind the hot Grill when its 100 degrees outside.
(4)
Anthony M.
I can honestly say that I just had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at this restaurant. Very high prices, the food was barely warm, the chili was water, but at least I can say the staff was friendly. I was warned this wasn't a good place to eat, and that warning was correct.
(2)
Diana B.
Good burgers, great bar staff! Get the cake!
(5)
Bunny N.
I always like going to Smokey Bones, it's usually my go-to place if I am being indecisive on where to eat. I've never been to this location before and had stopped by to eat for my lunch break. I had the Smokehouse Burger which was huge. The lunch special for it was pretty decent... it was $7.99 and for an extra $.99 you can add a side. Way better than any fast food joint burger. Service was good- everything was at an all right speed. It was definitely good thing when I had a timed lunch.
(3)
Eddie P.
We went here tonight and I got the pork loin. It didn't look anything like the picture in the menu. It was really dry and it sure wasn't worth $14.99. We waited about 40 min for our food and I think that was too long when it was at 6pm. The only good thing is they do have the best baked beans in my opinion. We have not been to this restaurant in quite awhile and it will be quite awhile before we go back for sure.
(2)
Rebekah G.
I like this Smokey Bones and my family and I come here alot. I will say this one thing about it though. We treat this place as "nicer dining" establishment and last time I was here it had a "Denny's" type feel to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, it could have been the fact that it smelled like dirty dish water when we got there? I will def go again but somethings missing for me. The food is always good and the staff is always friendly.
(3)
Rebekah G.
I like this Smokey Bones and my family and I come here alot. I will say this one thing about it though. We treat this place as "nicer dining" establishment and last time I was here it had a "Denny's" type feel to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, it could have been the fact that it smelled like dirty dish water when we got there? I will def go again but somethings missing for me. The food is always good and the staff is always friendly.
(3)
brian m.
Smokey bones....oh how you are straining our relationship lately. Food is still fairly consistent, although meat was a bit dry last visit. That's not part of a pattern however. But it does sting a bit when I go to grab my fork to dig into my meal, only to find out that my fork is invisible. Wait...my knife and napkin are invisible as well. Or it could be we never got utensils. No problem, I'll just ask the waitress. Where is that waitress?? Oh there she is, in the shape of a small monitor attached to the end of the table. Her name is Ziosk. All I am told I have to do is push somewhere on her screen and she will magically appear. Push...light flashes...for 3 min, 4 min, 5 min... Hey maybe this Ziosk isn't my waitress at all?! Maybe Ziosk is just some corporate marketer or customer experience guys idea of customer service, without having to pay to staff actual human beings that you can actually flag down as they walk by and provide true customer service. But Ziosk seems to have chased all the servers away. Maybe it's the flashing light?! Maybe it's because Ziosk has caused them to drop some staff and now the servers are busy running around trying to get everything done and are not hanging around waiting for some light to flash. Oh look, there's our waitress heading to another table with food. My hand waives, hi can we get some silverware? No problem. I guess we do have a real waitress!! And I sure do like her better than Ziosk. Note to smoky bones corporate - your people matter. Having your restaurants fully staffed with them vs computers makes a difference. Try to find a different way to cut your costs instead of cutting your people and giving your customers a Ziosk instead. Because your customers matter. This one has been going to Long Horn more often than he used to.
(3)
C M.
We arrived here at 1315 on a Monday. We've visited smokey bones in Waterford Lakes for lunch and always enjoyed the service, as well as the quality of food. This is not that kind of review. After sitting down we noticed that the place was almost empty yet they had a lot of dirty tables. We requested a booth and were led to a hybrid booth/table, when I gave a puzzled look the hostess asked did I want her to wipe down a table in a booth? She did it with no problem. After sitting for 20 minutes we got water (Yippee). We placed our appetizers order at that time, it was easy since we had so much time to wait. 45 minutes later our appetizer arrived, 5 minutes later our entree.... no refills on our empty drinks, horrendous service. After sending our food back the manager didn't even bother to come by our table and apologize.We saw 2 managers chit chatting while the one cook struggled and the bartender waited tables. The food was fresh and the bar menu looked incredible. I will definitely try Smokey Bones again, just not the Sanford location.
(1)
Bunny N.
I always like going to Smokey Bones, it's usually my go-to place if I am being indecisive on where to eat. I've never been to this location before and had stopped by to eat for my lunch break. I had the Smokehouse Burger which was huge. The lunch special for it was pretty decent... it was $7.99 and for an extra $.99 you can add a side. Way better than any fast food joint burger. Service was good- everything was at an all right speed. It was definitely good thing when I had a timed lunch.
(3)
Rod H.
I am upgrading my review from last year. Over the course of the year my wife has decided these are her favorite wings. She likes the smoked wings and the really are tasty. I am also a fan of the St Louis style ribs with the Memphis rub. I called in an order on the 4th and they ran a little behind so they gave me a free drink whiles I had to wait. This was much easier than standing behind the hot Grill when its 100 degrees outside.
(4)
Paul L.
I was nigh plump bursting with laughter when I last checked in for a take-out order: here I am, a REGULAR at Smokey Bones!! The legion of my friends who are diehard and rabid for Four Rivers will freaking lasso me when they find me, dump me in the smoker over there at either 4R locations, and 12 hours later, tear me apart like pulled pork! Seriously, guys - like Brandi says, one doesn't have to be snobbish about BBQ, and there's room enough for all. Plus, I can't abide the lines at 4R - guess I just don't care enough about food, but nothing is THAT good that I have to wait 30 minutes to hand them over my hard-earned money. 4R should just go ahead and jack up the price until the lines thin out, or offer variable pricing (cheaper before 11 and after 3...) It's simple supply and demand: customer service will improve, and water will seek its own level. Oh this review is about SMOKEY BONES?? Oh right, right... got side-tracked. Back to SB: other than finding their rib portions on the small side, and the BBQ sauce a touch sweet, I think the quality of the food's been pretty good. I'm usually surprised by how tasty and moist the chicken breasts are, and the brisket is beefy. The sausage is a little spicy for the unwary. Among the sides, the usual fan favorites like mac n cheese and mashed potatoes are both too calorie-laden. I think I like the beans and fire-roasted corn the best. Beer lovers: they have a signature lager that I've got to try one of these days - $3 for a 22 oz. pour. I also haven't tried their $5 lunch, which sounds enticing and a great value.
(3)
TylErica S.
This is a terrible location, stay away! We would go to the Waterford Lakes location and its always amazing, this one, not so much. They changed their ranch to the "dressing" style ranch that does not go well with burgers or fries. Bring back the old! There was nothing wrong with it! The Cherries in my Cherry coke, tasted bad. That's what I get for a drink that cost $2.69? $2.69?!?!?!?!? I got the Smokehouse Burger and the meat wasn't even seasoned. I poured salt on it...still nothing, very disappointing. Also, to add fried to my burger...$.99...really? At a family restaurant I have to pay more for fries with my burger? Give me a break. The server said: "it's because with the Build-a-burger people can build it so big that they don't have room for fries...I'm sorry, but the smokehouse burger isn't a "Build-a-burger", you donkey! My GF had the stuffed potato with brisket. It came out not looking like the picture and didn't taste any better. The paper on the menu may have had more flavor. Also, the side that we sat on, was hotter than the oven. Thank you for making the place a comfortable place to eat (insert sarcasm). The Bag-o-donuts seemed to get more expensive at $5.99.....they aren't even good donuts! It's dough and grease! What happened to you Smokey Bones?
(1)
JW U.
Average food with a good happy hour deal. Never seams to be a big following at this joint.
(4)
Rhonda M.
Love love love Smokey Bones. Tried it years ago when it was owned by Darden Restaurants and never went back. We received a coupon in the mail so we decided to give it a shot. OMG! They have the best sweet potato fries. I get the same thing every time and me and my daughter share it. My husband loves their build a burger deal. We go there sometimes weekly lol. Oh and every visit you get points towards future meals. It's awesome!
(5)
Charles V.
Good food, not great but a good place to eat.
(4)
Anthony M.
I can honestly say that I just had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at this restaurant. Very high prices, the food was barely warm, the chili was water, but at least I can say the staff was friendly. I was warned this wasn't a good place to eat, and that warning was correct.
(2)
Diana B.
Good burgers, great bar staff! Get the cake!
(5)
Eddie P.
We went here tonight and I got the pork loin. It didn't look anything like the picture in the menu. It was really dry and it sure wasn't worth $14.99. We waited about 40 min for our food and I think that was too long when it was at 6pm. The only good thing is they do have the best baked beans in my opinion. We have not been to this restaurant in quite awhile and it will be quite awhile before we go back for sure.
(2)
Shirley F.
Great atmosphere, great service, and the food is hot and delicious! If a drink or food is just not quite right, they are more than willing to make it right; however, the type of music they play leaves a lot to be desired AND it's L-O-U-D!!! my husband and I stopped going because of this. You also must know this was during the day, it's not like it was a weekend night...that I could understand somewhat. This is a restaurant, not a nightclub!!
(3)
Bill G.
Not worth the price, ordered the chicken wings off the lunch menu and only got 4 wings what the heck.
(2)
Teresa S.
If it wasn't for the fact my burger was delicious, I would have walked out. A brisket sandwich (very dry btw) and a burger should not take an hour. The wait staff was extremely slow, and extra awkward. I watched over and over how staff came out with food and looked clueless as to where it went. Three tables that arrived after us were served and half way through their meals when we got our food. No blinds in the window mans sitting in certain place difficult, so we had to move... Which, I hope was not the reason we got poor service, but after seeing how they handled the rest of the room, we're convinced it's poor management. Waited 10 minute for our check after the plates were cleared and even then we still had to go up to the hostess stand to pay. Sketchy, very sketchy.
(1)
Denise M.
First time and last time! Good was overlooked, burnt and dry. Awful. The server was great comped meals but manager never came out to even say sorry. Way overpriced for below mediocre frozen fried food.
(1)
SandJ K.
Service can be hit or miss sometimes, but the food is very good and pretty consistent. For a good meal (not fine dining) and a couple of drinks, great place to go. We have been going for a while. TONIGHT WAS SPECIAL, so have to Yelp. We had our friends watch our fish Norman (Beta) over the holiday. We always exchange the fish at a local place and this year it was SB. We get our share of looks but mostly it goes pretty unnoticed. Not here. The whole wait staff and servers came by, joked around with us (no fish and chips for him, he looks thirsty etc. etc.) and had fun with us. They went so far as to bring him an ice cream sundae. Couldn't have had more fun..and dinner was good, ribs were good, burger good, pulled pork good and smoked turkey good. Best in town? Food not, but staff tonight was 5 stars. Thanks Jeff and your colleagues for having fun with us.
(4)
kelley s.
I usually only go here for happy hour. They kinda change it up so I don't know what it is now, but it's usually a drink and some food for half off. They have really good pulled pork sandwhiches. They do have lots of TVs so if you're in the mood for tasty food and a sports game, this is a great place. We always have great service and I've never left disappointed. They also have seasonal cocktails that are fun to try :) over and over again lol. So yeah, for a chain it's really good and I like going here! you will too!!!
(4)
Brandi B.
$3.00 for calls during happy hour annnd they let me have a blackberry iced tea with gin! In a BIG glass. It was delicious. The copious amount of $10. off of $20. coupons they e-mail me are good, but they're cutting back on their portion sizes. Hmmmm.
(3)
Brian M.
Not impressed at all. Probably the worst BBQ I have ever had. I have been to numerous BBQ places, and this one is absolutely terrible. I would say Smokey Bones is the Denny's of BBQ, except at Denny's you get what you pay for. The food looked and tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for half the day and the service was terrible. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever.
(1)
Cheryl D.
We used to eat at this Smokey Bones quite a bit....before I started Yelping. We love the decor and atmosphere. It always seems very clean and the staff are mostly very nice. It had been roughly 4 months since we'd gone and I got an email letting me know that their menu had changed, so we decided to go check it out. Wow....yeah, it's changed!! By about $2.00 per meal (in the wrong direction)! $12 for a burger and fries. $12.99 for a 7 oz. sirloin with two sides. As we waited for our food, we both ordered cocktails (which are VERY reasonably priced) and the pretzel bones appetizer ($8 for four pretzel sticks and dipping sauces...really?) And then we waited....and waited.....close to 40 minutes for our food, so we were starving by the time it came. Hubby got the burger and fries. He ordered it medium and it came well...very well. It was black. My sirloin was so tough and dry, I could barely chew it. But, we were starving so we weren't about to send it back and wait another 40 minutes!! I will say...their fries are excellent. And my broccoli and mashed potatoes were also very tasty and cooked well. So...while we may go back for some cheap drinks, Smokey Bones will no longer be one of our favorite hangouts. What a shame.
(3)
Robert B.
Got there 2 minutes after they opened. I was seated right away, drink order was taken, food order was taken upon the arrival of my drink. I got the build a burger, it was excellent, cooked to perfection! I never saw the bottom of my glass of tea as well! Great service!
(5)
Jason L.
If you like salt, this is the pace for you! Seriously though, less salt in the dry rub would make this place edible. I got the smoked chicken wings to start, which are unfortunately double or triple dipped in the dry rub. They were seriously salty... in fact, we didn't end up eating them all, and what I did eat I needed beer to wash down. Any flavor from the smoke is well overpowered by the salt. For the main course, I got brisket, spare ribs with the dry rub (I didn't know when I ordered it), loaded smashed potatoes, and veg. The veg was the best thing on the plate. The smashed potatoes, oddly enough, were the only thing that was salted! The brisket was sliced and rubbery, Sonny's has better. The ribs were cooked to a nice doneness. Just falling off the bone but not to the point where they lose all "tooth". Unfortunately, the dry rub formed a salt bark around the outside that made them almost inedible. I gave up half way through the ribs. Such a waste. My girl got the wet sauce on her spare ribs, and the turkey, which were both ok. The wet sauce was far too sweet, but some people like that. If only the rib rub had been better, this place might have gotten 3 stars, but even then, I think I'd go to Sonny's first... not that I enjoy Sonny's all that much... just that their food is comparable. There are much better BBQ places pretty much anywhere.
(2)
robert l.
Having lived in memphis, this place stinks. Ribs overcooked, overseasoned and overly yucky. The place is so commercialized that the personality required for a smokehouse to be good was non existent.
(2)
Leigh N.
Went here for date night with the hubby and OMG! I had the absolute BEST chicken salad EVER! The appetizer was yummy and I even shared a dessert of Pecan Pie. Y-U-M-M-Y! Despite completely blowing off my diet I was totally delighted with this place and will be going back very soon. (I just have to work out a little more!) My husband had the ribs with the Memphis Rub and he said they were the best ribs he has had in a long time.
(5)
Hoopie B.
Ever since Smokey Bones was left for dead by Darden Resturants, it has been improved greatly by it's new buyer/owner. We ate lunch yesterday and we had the Kettle Chips (thin potatoe slices with crispy outer layer, creamy yummy insides) that came with 3 sauces: bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and chipotle mayo. Also, i ate the Build-Your-Burger Veggie Burger, and it was absolutely amazing. Taste 9/10. I would recommend that you get there early, cause everytime we go there, it's always packed!!!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : 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 Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jason L.
If you like salt, this is the pace for you! Seriously though, less salt in the dry rub would make this place edible. I got the smoked chicken wings to start, which are unfortunately double or triple dipped in the dry rub. They were seriously salty... in fact, we didn't end up eating them all, and what I did eat I needed beer to wash down. Any flavor from the smoke is well overpowered by the salt. For the main course, I got brisket, spare ribs with the dry rub (I didn't know when I ordered it), loaded smashed potatoes, and veg. The veg was the best thing on the plate. The smashed potatoes, oddly enough, were the only thing that was salted! The brisket was sliced and rubbery, Sonny's has better. The ribs were cooked to a nice doneness. Just falling off the bone but not to the point where they lose all "tooth". Unfortunately, the dry rub formed a salt bark around the outside that made them almost inedible. I gave up half way through the ribs. Such a waste. My girl got the wet sauce on her spare ribs, and the turkey, which were both ok. The wet sauce was far too sweet, but some people like that. If only the rib rub had been better, this place might have gotten 3 stars, but even then, I think I'd go to Sonny's first... not that I enjoy Sonny's all that much... just that their food is comparable. There are much better BBQ places pretty much anywhere.
(2)kelley s.
I usually only go here for happy hour. They kinda change it up so I don't know what it is now, but it's usually a drink and some food for half off. They have really good pulled pork sandwhiches. They do have lots of TVs so if you're in the mood for tasty food and a sports game, this is a great place. We always have great service and I've never left disappointed. They also have seasonal cocktails that are fun to try :) over and over again lol. So yeah, for a chain it's really good and I like going here! you will too!!!
(4)robert l.
Having lived in memphis, this place stinks. Ribs overcooked, overseasoned and overly yucky. The place is so commercialized that the personality required for a smokehouse to be good was non existent.
(2)Brian M.
Not impressed at all. Probably the worst BBQ I have ever had. I have been to numerous BBQ places, and this one is absolutely terrible. I would say Smokey Bones is the Denny's of BBQ, except at Denny's you get what you pay for. The food looked and tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for half the day and the service was terrible. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever.
(1)Hoopie B.
Ever since Smokey Bones was left for dead by Darden Resturants, it has been improved greatly by it's new buyer/owner. We ate lunch yesterday and we had the Kettle Chips (thin potatoe slices with crispy outer layer, creamy yummy insides) that came with 3 sauces: bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and chipotle mayo. Also, i ate the Build-Your-Burger Veggie Burger, and it was absolutely amazing. Taste 9/10. I would recommend that you get there early, cause everytime we go there, it's always packed!!!
(5)SandJ K.
Service can be hit or miss sometimes, but the food is very good and pretty consistent. For a good meal (not fine dining) and a couple of drinks, great place to go. We have been going for a while. TONIGHT WAS SPECIAL, so have to Yelp. We had our friends watch our fish Norman (Beta) over the holiday. We always exchange the fish at a local place and this year it was SB. We get our share of looks but mostly it goes pretty unnoticed. Not here. The whole wait staff and servers came by, joked around with us (no fish and chips for him, he looks thirsty etc. etc.) and had fun with us. They went so far as to bring him an ice cream sundae. Couldn't have had more fun..and dinner was good, ribs were good, burger good, pulled pork good and smoked turkey good. Best in town? Food not, but staff tonight was 5 stars. Thanks Jeff and your colleagues for having fun with us.
(4)Bill G.
Not worth the price, ordered the chicken wings off the lunch menu and only got 4 wings what the heck.
(2)Teresa S.
If it wasn't for the fact my burger was delicious, I would have walked out. A brisket sandwich (very dry btw) and a burger should not take an hour. The wait staff was extremely slow, and extra awkward. I watched over and over how staff came out with food and looked clueless as to where it went. Three tables that arrived after us were served and half way through their meals when we got our food. No blinds in the window mans sitting in certain place difficult, so we had to move... Which, I hope was not the reason we got poor service, but after seeing how they handled the rest of the room, we're convinced it's poor management. Waited 10 minute for our check after the plates were cleared and even then we still had to go up to the hostess stand to pay. Sketchy, very sketchy.
(1)Denise M.
First time and last time! Good was overlooked, burnt and dry. Awful. The server was great comped meals but manager never came out to even say sorry. Way overpriced for below mediocre frozen fried food.
(1)Paul L.
I was nigh plump bursting with laughter when I last checked in for a take-out order: here I am, a REGULAR at Smokey Bones!! The legion of my friends who are diehard and rabid for Four Rivers will freaking lasso me when they find me, dump me in the smoker over there at either 4R locations, and 12 hours later, tear me apart like pulled pork! Seriously, guys - like Brandi says, one doesn't have to be snobbish about BBQ, and there's room enough for all. Plus, I can't abide the lines at 4R - guess I just don't care enough about food, but nothing is THAT good that I have to wait 30 minutes to hand them over my hard-earned money. 4R should just go ahead and jack up the price until the lines thin out, or offer variable pricing (cheaper before 11 and after 3...) It's simple supply and demand: customer service will improve, and water will seek its own level. Oh this review is about SMOKEY BONES?? Oh right, right... got side-tracked. Back to SB: other than finding their rib portions on the small side, and the BBQ sauce a touch sweet, I think the quality of the food's been pretty good. I'm usually surprised by how tasty and moist the chicken breasts are, and the brisket is beefy. The sausage is a little spicy for the unwary. Among the sides, the usual fan favorites like mac n cheese and mashed potatoes are both too calorie-laden. I think I like the beans and fire-roasted corn the best. Beer lovers: they have a signature lager that I've got to try one of these days - $3 for a 22 oz. pour. I also haven't tried their $5 lunch, which sounds enticing and a great value.
(3)Robert B.
Got there 2 minutes after they opened. I was seated right away, drink order was taken, food order was taken upon the arrival of my drink. I got the build a burger, it was excellent, cooked to perfection! I never saw the bottom of my glass of tea as well! Great service!
(5)Leigh N.
Went here for date night with the hubby and OMG! I had the absolute BEST chicken salad EVER! The appetizer was yummy and I even shared a dessert of Pecan Pie. Y-U-M-M-Y! Despite completely blowing off my diet I was totally delighted with this place and will be going back very soon. (I just have to work out a little more!) My husband had the ribs with the Memphis Rub and he said they were the best ribs he has had in a long time.
(5)Brandi B.
$3.00 for calls during happy hour annnd they let me have a blackberry iced tea with gin! In a BIG glass. It was delicious. The copious amount of $10. off of $20. coupons they e-mail me are good, but they're cutting back on their portion sizes. Hmmmm.
(3)brian m.
Smokey bones....oh how you are straining our relationship lately. Food is still fairly consistent, although meat was a bit dry last visit. That's not part of a pattern however. But it does sting a bit when I go to grab my fork to dig into my meal, only to find out that my fork is invisible. Wait...my knife and napkin are invisible as well. Or it could be we never got utensils. No problem, I'll just ask the waitress. Where is that waitress?? Oh there she is, in the shape of a small monitor attached to the end of the table. Her name is Ziosk. All I am told I have to do is push somewhere on her screen and she will magically appear. Push...light flashes...for 3 min, 4 min, 5 min... Hey maybe this Ziosk isn't my waitress at all?! Maybe Ziosk is just some corporate marketer or customer experience guys idea of customer service, without having to pay to staff actual human beings that you can actually flag down as they walk by and provide true customer service. But Ziosk seems to have chased all the servers away. Maybe it's the flashing light?! Maybe it's because Ziosk has caused them to drop some staff and now the servers are busy running around trying to get everything done and are not hanging around waiting for some light to flash. Oh look, there's our waitress heading to another table with food. My hand waives, hi can we get some silverware? No problem. I guess we do have a real waitress!! And I sure do like her better than Ziosk. Note to smoky bones corporate - your people matter. Having your restaurants fully staffed with them vs computers makes a difference. Try to find a different way to cut your costs instead of cutting your people and giving your customers a Ziosk instead. Because your customers matter. This one has been going to Long Horn more often than he used to.
(3)C M.
We arrived here at 1315 on a Monday. We've visited smokey bones in Waterford Lakes for lunch and always enjoyed the service, as well as the quality of food. This is not that kind of review. After sitting down we noticed that the place was almost empty yet they had a lot of dirty tables. We requested a booth and were led to a hybrid booth/table, when I gave a puzzled look the hostess asked did I want her to wipe down a table in a booth? She did it with no problem. After sitting for 20 minutes we got water (Yippee). We placed our appetizers order at that time, it was easy since we had so much time to wait. 45 minutes later our appetizer arrived, 5 minutes later our entree.... no refills on our empty drinks, horrendous service. After sending our food back the manager didn't even bother to come by our table and apologize.We saw 2 managers chit chatting while the one cook struggled and the bartender waited tables. The food was fresh and the bar menu looked incredible. I will definitely try Smokey Bones again, just not the Sanford location.
(1)Shirley F.
Great atmosphere, great service, and the food is hot and delicious! If a drink or food is just not quite right, they are more than willing to make it right; however, the type of music they play leaves a lot to be desired AND it's L-O-U-D!!! my husband and I stopped going because of this. You also must know this was during the day, it's not like it was a weekend night...that I could understand somewhat. This is a restaurant, not a nightclub!!
(3)TylErica S.
This is a terrible location, stay away! We would go to the Waterford Lakes location and its always amazing, this one, not so much. They changed their ranch to the "dressing" style ranch that does not go well with burgers or fries. Bring back the old! There was nothing wrong with it! The Cherries in my Cherry coke, tasted bad. That's what I get for a drink that cost $2.69? $2.69?!?!?!?!? I got the Smokehouse Burger and the meat wasn't even seasoned. I poured salt on it...still nothing, very disappointing. Also, to add fried to my burger...$.99...really? At a family restaurant I have to pay more for fries with my burger? Give me a break. The server said: "it's because with the Build-a-burger people can build it so big that they don't have room for fries...I'm sorry, but the smokehouse burger isn't a "Build-a-burger", you donkey! My GF had the stuffed potato with brisket. It came out not looking like the picture and didn't taste any better. The paper on the menu may have had more flavor. Also, the side that we sat on, was hotter than the oven. Thank you for making the place a comfortable place to eat (insert sarcasm). The Bag-o-donuts seemed to get more expensive at $5.99.....they aren't even good donuts! It's dough and grease! What happened to you Smokey Bones?
(1)JW U.
Average food with a good happy hour deal. Never seams to be a big following at this joint.
(4)Rhonda M.
Love love love Smokey Bones. Tried it years ago when it was owned by Darden Restaurants and never went back. We received a coupon in the mail so we decided to give it a shot. OMG! They have the best sweet potato fries. I get the same thing every time and me and my daughter share it. My husband loves their build a burger deal. We go there sometimes weekly lol. Oh and every visit you get points towards future meals. It's awesome!
(5)Cheryl D.
We used to eat at this Smokey Bones quite a bit....before I started Yelping. We love the decor and atmosphere. It always seems very clean and the staff are mostly very nice. It had been roughly 4 months since we'd gone and I got an email letting me know that their menu had changed, so we decided to go check it out. Wow....yeah, it's changed!! By about $2.00 per meal (in the wrong direction)! $12 for a burger and fries. $12.99 for a 7 oz. sirloin with two sides. As we waited for our food, we both ordered cocktails (which are VERY reasonably priced) and the pretzel bones appetizer ($8 for four pretzel sticks and dipping sauces...really?) And then we waited....and waited.....close to 40 minutes for our food, so we were starving by the time it came. Hubby got the burger and fries. He ordered it medium and it came well...very well. It was black. My sirloin was so tough and dry, I could barely chew it. But, we were starving so we weren't about to send it back and wait another 40 minutes!! I will say...their fries are excellent. And my broccoli and mashed potatoes were also very tasty and cooked well. So...while we may go back for some cheap drinks, Smokey Bones will no longer be one of our favorite hangouts. What a shame.
(3)Charles V.
Good food, not great but a good place to eat.
(4)Rod H.
I am upgrading my review from last year. Over the course of the year my wife has decided these are her favorite wings. She likes the smoked wings and the really are tasty. I am also a fan of the St Louis style ribs with the Memphis rub. I called in an order on the 4th and they ran a little behind so they gave me a free drink whiles I had to wait. This was much easier than standing behind the hot Grill when its 100 degrees outside.
(4)Anthony M.
I can honestly say that I just had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at this restaurant. Very high prices, the food was barely warm, the chili was water, but at least I can say the staff was friendly. I was warned this wasn't a good place to eat, and that warning was correct.
(2)Diana B.
Good burgers, great bar staff! Get the cake!
(5)Bunny N.
I always like going to Smokey Bones, it's usually my go-to place if I am being indecisive on where to eat. I've never been to this location before and had stopped by to eat for my lunch break. I had the Smokehouse Burger which was huge. The lunch special for it was pretty decent... it was $7.99 and for an extra $.99 you can add a side. Way better than any fast food joint burger. Service was good- everything was at an all right speed. It was definitely good thing when I had a timed lunch.
(3)Eddie P.
We went here tonight and I got the pork loin. It didn't look anything like the picture in the menu. It was really dry and it sure wasn't worth $14.99. We waited about 40 min for our food and I think that was too long when it was at 6pm. The only good thing is they do have the best baked beans in my opinion. We have not been to this restaurant in quite awhile and it will be quite awhile before we go back for sure.
(2)Rebekah G.
I like this Smokey Bones and my family and I come here alot. I will say this one thing about it though. We treat this place as "nicer dining" establishment and last time I was here it had a "Denny's" type feel to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, it could have been the fact that it smelled like dirty dish water when we got there? I will def go again but somethings missing for me. The food is always good and the staff is always friendly.
(3)Rebekah G.
I like this Smokey Bones and my family and I come here alot. I will say this one thing about it though. We treat this place as "nicer dining" establishment and last time I was here it had a "Denny's" type feel to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, it could have been the fact that it smelled like dirty dish water when we got there? I will def go again but somethings missing for me. The food is always good and the staff is always friendly.
(3)brian m.
Smokey bones....oh how you are straining our relationship lately. Food is still fairly consistent, although meat was a bit dry last visit. That's not part of a pattern however. But it does sting a bit when I go to grab my fork to dig into my meal, only to find out that my fork is invisible. Wait...my knife and napkin are invisible as well. Or it could be we never got utensils. No problem, I'll just ask the waitress. Where is that waitress?? Oh there she is, in the shape of a small monitor attached to the end of the table. Her name is Ziosk. All I am told I have to do is push somewhere on her screen and she will magically appear. Push...light flashes...for 3 min, 4 min, 5 min... Hey maybe this Ziosk isn't my waitress at all?! Maybe Ziosk is just some corporate marketer or customer experience guys idea of customer service, without having to pay to staff actual human beings that you can actually flag down as they walk by and provide true customer service. But Ziosk seems to have chased all the servers away. Maybe it's the flashing light?! Maybe it's because Ziosk has caused them to drop some staff and now the servers are busy running around trying to get everything done and are not hanging around waiting for some light to flash. Oh look, there's our waitress heading to another table with food. My hand waives, hi can we get some silverware? No problem. I guess we do have a real waitress!! And I sure do like her better than Ziosk. Note to smoky bones corporate - your people matter. Having your restaurants fully staffed with them vs computers makes a difference. Try to find a different way to cut your costs instead of cutting your people and giving your customers a Ziosk instead. Because your customers matter. This one has been going to Long Horn more often than he used to.
(3)C M.
We arrived here at 1315 on a Monday. We've visited smokey bones in Waterford Lakes for lunch and always enjoyed the service, as well as the quality of food. This is not that kind of review. After sitting down we noticed that the place was almost empty yet they had a lot of dirty tables. We requested a booth and were led to a hybrid booth/table, when I gave a puzzled look the hostess asked did I want her to wipe down a table in a booth? She did it with no problem. After sitting for 20 minutes we got water (Yippee). We placed our appetizers order at that time, it was easy since we had so much time to wait. 45 minutes later our appetizer arrived, 5 minutes later our entree.... no refills on our empty drinks, horrendous service. After sending our food back the manager didn't even bother to come by our table and apologize.We saw 2 managers chit chatting while the one cook struggled and the bartender waited tables. The food was fresh and the bar menu looked incredible. I will definitely try Smokey Bones again, just not the Sanford location.
(1)Bunny N.
I always like going to Smokey Bones, it's usually my go-to place if I am being indecisive on where to eat. I've never been to this location before and had stopped by to eat for my lunch break. I had the Smokehouse Burger which was huge. The lunch special for it was pretty decent... it was $7.99 and for an extra $.99 you can add a side. Way better than any fast food joint burger. Service was good- everything was at an all right speed. It was definitely good thing when I had a timed lunch.
(3)Rod H.
I am upgrading my review from last year. Over the course of the year my wife has decided these are her favorite wings. She likes the smoked wings and the really are tasty. I am also a fan of the St Louis style ribs with the Memphis rub. I called in an order on the 4th and they ran a little behind so they gave me a free drink whiles I had to wait. This was much easier than standing behind the hot Grill when its 100 degrees outside.
(4)Paul L.
I was nigh plump bursting with laughter when I last checked in for a take-out order: here I am, a REGULAR at Smokey Bones!! The legion of my friends who are diehard and rabid for Four Rivers will freaking lasso me when they find me, dump me in the smoker over there at either 4R locations, and 12 hours later, tear me apart like pulled pork! Seriously, guys - like Brandi says, one doesn't have to be snobbish about BBQ, and there's room enough for all. Plus, I can't abide the lines at 4R - guess I just don't care enough about food, but nothing is THAT good that I have to wait 30 minutes to hand them over my hard-earned money. 4R should just go ahead and jack up the price until the lines thin out, or offer variable pricing (cheaper before 11 and after 3...) It's simple supply and demand: customer service will improve, and water will seek its own level. Oh this review is about SMOKEY BONES?? Oh right, right... got side-tracked. Back to SB: other than finding their rib portions on the small side, and the BBQ sauce a touch sweet, I think the quality of the food's been pretty good. I'm usually surprised by how tasty and moist the chicken breasts are, and the brisket is beefy. The sausage is a little spicy for the unwary. Among the sides, the usual fan favorites like mac n cheese and mashed potatoes are both too calorie-laden. I think I like the beans and fire-roasted corn the best. Beer lovers: they have a signature lager that I've got to try one of these days - $3 for a 22 oz. pour. I also haven't tried their $5 lunch, which sounds enticing and a great value.
(3)TylErica S.
This is a terrible location, stay away! We would go to the Waterford Lakes location and its always amazing, this one, not so much. They changed their ranch to the "dressing" style ranch that does not go well with burgers or fries. Bring back the old! There was nothing wrong with it! The Cherries in my Cherry coke, tasted bad. That's what I get for a drink that cost $2.69? $2.69?!?!?!?!? I got the Smokehouse Burger and the meat wasn't even seasoned. I poured salt on it...still nothing, very disappointing. Also, to add fried to my burger...$.99...really? At a family restaurant I have to pay more for fries with my burger? Give me a break. The server said: "it's because with the Build-a-burger people can build it so big that they don't have room for fries...I'm sorry, but the smokehouse burger isn't a "Build-a-burger", you donkey! My GF had the stuffed potato with brisket. It came out not looking like the picture and didn't taste any better. The paper on the menu may have had more flavor. Also, the side that we sat on, was hotter than the oven. Thank you for making the place a comfortable place to eat (insert sarcasm). The Bag-o-donuts seemed to get more expensive at $5.99.....they aren't even good donuts! It's dough and grease! What happened to you Smokey Bones?
(1)JW U.
Average food with a good happy hour deal. Never seams to be a big following at this joint.
(4)Rhonda M.
Love love love Smokey Bones. Tried it years ago when it was owned by Darden Restaurants and never went back. We received a coupon in the mail so we decided to give it a shot. OMG! They have the best sweet potato fries. I get the same thing every time and me and my daughter share it. My husband loves their build a burger deal. We go there sometimes weekly lol. Oh and every visit you get points towards future meals. It's awesome!
(5)Charles V.
Good food, not great but a good place to eat.
(4)Anthony M.
I can honestly say that I just had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at this restaurant. Very high prices, the food was barely warm, the chili was water, but at least I can say the staff was friendly. I was warned this wasn't a good place to eat, and that warning was correct.
(2)Diana B.
Good burgers, great bar staff! Get the cake!
(5)Eddie P.
We went here tonight and I got the pork loin. It didn't look anything like the picture in the menu. It was really dry and it sure wasn't worth $14.99. We waited about 40 min for our food and I think that was too long when it was at 6pm. The only good thing is they do have the best baked beans in my opinion. We have not been to this restaurant in quite awhile and it will be quite awhile before we go back for sure.
(2)Shirley F.
Great atmosphere, great service, and the food is hot and delicious! If a drink or food is just not quite right, they are more than willing to make it right; however, the type of music they play leaves a lot to be desired AND it's L-O-U-D!!! my husband and I stopped going because of this. You also must know this was during the day, it's not like it was a weekend night...that I could understand somewhat. This is a restaurant, not a nightclub!!
(3)Bill G.
Not worth the price, ordered the chicken wings off the lunch menu and only got 4 wings what the heck.
(2)Teresa S.
If it wasn't for the fact my burger was delicious, I would have walked out. A brisket sandwich (very dry btw) and a burger should not take an hour. The wait staff was extremely slow, and extra awkward. I watched over and over how staff came out with food and looked clueless as to where it went. Three tables that arrived after us were served and half way through their meals when we got our food. No blinds in the window mans sitting in certain place difficult, so we had to move... Which, I hope was not the reason we got poor service, but after seeing how they handled the rest of the room, we're convinced it's poor management. Waited 10 minute for our check after the plates were cleared and even then we still had to go up to the hostess stand to pay. Sketchy, very sketchy.
(1)Denise M.
First time and last time! Good was overlooked, burnt and dry. Awful. The server was great comped meals but manager never came out to even say sorry. Way overpriced for below mediocre frozen fried food.
(1)SandJ K.
Service can be hit or miss sometimes, but the food is very good and pretty consistent. For a good meal (not fine dining) and a couple of drinks, great place to go. We have been going for a while. TONIGHT WAS SPECIAL, so have to Yelp. We had our friends watch our fish Norman (Beta) over the holiday. We always exchange the fish at a local place and this year it was SB. We get our share of looks but mostly it goes pretty unnoticed. Not here. The whole wait staff and servers came by, joked around with us (no fish and chips for him, he looks thirsty etc. etc.) and had fun with us. They went so far as to bring him an ice cream sundae. Couldn't have had more fun..and dinner was good, ribs were good, burger good, pulled pork good and smoked turkey good. Best in town? Food not, but staff tonight was 5 stars. Thanks Jeff and your colleagues for having fun with us.
(4)kelley s.
I usually only go here for happy hour. They kinda change it up so I don't know what it is now, but it's usually a drink and some food for half off. They have really good pulled pork sandwhiches. They do have lots of TVs so if you're in the mood for tasty food and a sports game, this is a great place. We always have great service and I've never left disappointed. They also have seasonal cocktails that are fun to try :) over and over again lol. So yeah, for a chain it's really good and I like going here! you will too!!!
(4)Brandi B.
$3.00 for calls during happy hour annnd they let me have a blackberry iced tea with gin! In a BIG glass. It was delicious. The copious amount of $10. off of $20. coupons they e-mail me are good, but they're cutting back on their portion sizes. Hmmmm.
(3)Brian M.
Not impressed at all. Probably the worst BBQ I have ever had. I have been to numerous BBQ places, and this one is absolutely terrible. I would say Smokey Bones is the Denny's of BBQ, except at Denny's you get what you pay for. The food looked and tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for half the day and the service was terrible. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever.
(1)Cheryl D.
We used to eat at this Smokey Bones quite a bit....before I started Yelping. We love the decor and atmosphere. It always seems very clean and the staff are mostly very nice. It had been roughly 4 months since we'd gone and I got an email letting me know that their menu had changed, so we decided to go check it out. Wow....yeah, it's changed!! By about $2.00 per meal (in the wrong direction)! $12 for a burger and fries. $12.99 for a 7 oz. sirloin with two sides. As we waited for our food, we both ordered cocktails (which are VERY reasonably priced) and the pretzel bones appetizer ($8 for four pretzel sticks and dipping sauces...really?) And then we waited....and waited.....close to 40 minutes for our food, so we were starving by the time it came. Hubby got the burger and fries. He ordered it medium and it came well...very well. It was black. My sirloin was so tough and dry, I could barely chew it. But, we were starving so we weren't about to send it back and wait another 40 minutes!! I will say...their fries are excellent. And my broccoli and mashed potatoes were also very tasty and cooked well. So...while we may go back for some cheap drinks, Smokey Bones will no longer be one of our favorite hangouts. What a shame.
(3)Robert B.
Got there 2 minutes after they opened. I was seated right away, drink order was taken, food order was taken upon the arrival of my drink. I got the build a burger, it was excellent, cooked to perfection! I never saw the bottom of my glass of tea as well! Great service!
(5)Jason L.
If you like salt, this is the pace for you! Seriously though, less salt in the dry rub would make this place edible. I got the smoked chicken wings to start, which are unfortunately double or triple dipped in the dry rub. They were seriously salty... in fact, we didn't end up eating them all, and what I did eat I needed beer to wash down. Any flavor from the smoke is well overpowered by the salt. For the main course, I got brisket, spare ribs with the dry rub (I didn't know when I ordered it), loaded smashed potatoes, and veg. The veg was the best thing on the plate. The smashed potatoes, oddly enough, were the only thing that was salted! The brisket was sliced and rubbery, Sonny's has better. The ribs were cooked to a nice doneness. Just falling off the bone but not to the point where they lose all "tooth". Unfortunately, the dry rub formed a salt bark around the outside that made them almost inedible. I gave up half way through the ribs. Such a waste. My girl got the wet sauce on her spare ribs, and the turkey, which were both ok. The wet sauce was far too sweet, but some people like that. If only the rib rub had been better, this place might have gotten 3 stars, but even then, I think I'd go to Sonny's first... not that I enjoy Sonny's all that much... just that their food is comparable. There are much better BBQ places pretty much anywhere.
(2)robert l.
Having lived in memphis, this place stinks. Ribs overcooked, overseasoned and overly yucky. The place is so commercialized that the personality required for a smokehouse to be good was non existent.
(2)Leigh N.
Went here for date night with the hubby and OMG! I had the absolute BEST chicken salad EVER! The appetizer was yummy and I even shared a dessert of Pecan Pie. Y-U-M-M-Y! Despite completely blowing off my diet I was totally delighted with this place and will be going back very soon. (I just have to work out a little more!) My husband had the ribs with the Memphis Rub and he said they were the best ribs he has had in a long time.
(5)Hoopie B.
Ever since Smokey Bones was left for dead by Darden Resturants, it has been improved greatly by it's new buyer/owner. We ate lunch yesterday and we had the Kettle Chips (thin potatoe slices with crispy outer layer, creamy yummy insides) that came with 3 sauces: bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and chipotle mayo. Also, i ate the Build-Your-Burger Veggie Burger, and it was absolutely amazing. Taste 9/10. I would recommend that you get there early, cause everytime we go there, it's always packed!!!
(5)