I could live off all the sides. Being so close to home, I'm always in a debate if I'm going out for dinner or cooking. And when I've decided I'm staying in - how much time do I really want to be in a kitchen cooking for myself after a long day of work. Every so often I stop in just to get some of their great side items. Corn nuggets Mac and Cheese Green Beans Backed Beans And then more mac and cheese Slap it all together between some Texas toast and then dip in some sweet and tangy sauce. Then there are the cool daily specials. Call ahead and you can claim it's fast food.
Bono's is just what you'd expect from a go to local Jacksonville BBQ chain. The service is very friendly and the food is fresh, hot, tasty and actually smoked on site each day. If you're into "decor" you probably aren't a BBQ person but the place is clean and seems pretty new inside. I had the fried okra appetizer and the okra was just what you'd want, hot, fresh, and non-greasy. Fried okra is a rare find in DC so I enjoy it when I get the chance. I also had the "small" two meat combo and it was more than enough food even though I was pretty hungry. The brisket was lean, tender, and had that smoky BBQ flavor you'd expect. The pulled pork was also lean and tender with a smoky BBQ flavor. They have a few different BBQ sauces on the table but I like the hot one best. As far as sides, the Lima beans are quite tasty and aren't dry like at some places. The BBQ beans are also top notch and the meal comes with a huge sliced of garlic Texas toast as well. The sweet tea was also worth a try. One funny thing is I think they offer a military discount since they asked if I was in the military and I'm not but had gotten a haircut earlier that day. Bono's is one of the go to places in Jacksonville for BBQ and there's a reason they've been around forever.
(4)
Ryan L.
My best friend has raved about Bono's since she moved to Jacksonville last year. So naturally, it was a must for my visit. Having spent every summer of my childhood in backwoods Georgia, I know what good barbecue is. Bono's was only a B in my book. Nothing really wrong with the food, I just wasn't wowed by anything. I had the pulled pork sandwich- the standard by which all barbecue is judged. Perhaps its a different style of barbecue than what I like, but it just didn't give me anything to write home about. If you know nothing about barbecue, this place will amaze you. Head and shoulders better than a chain restaurant, but for those raised in the South, don't come with a watering mouth. You may find yourself somewhat less than satisfied.
(3)
Mike C.
Great food. Fast and friendly service. No complaints.
(5)
Mae B.
This was a nice place to eat dinner. The food was good the service was great and everyone enjoyed themselves. It has a rustic western decor. The best part for me is there was hardly anyone here. I'm not crazy about crowds. But I'm not sure why it was so empty. very friendly and pretty clean. My husband got the beef brisket. He said it tasted good. My son and I got the baby back ribs and split it. It was good. Other kids got the barbecue chicken. They said it was okay. My mother got the St. Louis ribs and she said they were okay. Our friend got the sloppy pig. And he really liked it. The food isn't super fantastic but it's still good. I really like the fried corn on the cob. The macaroni and cheese was also good once I added salt-and-pepper. Our waitress was absolutely fantastic. Try it.
(5)
Edward B.
The food is always good. Some of the best turkey in town. Food comes out fresh and the staff is friendly. I eat here for lunch all the time.
(4)
Brian S.
This is a great go-to for me. It is close to my office, and sitting at the counter gets you the best service (not that the dining room isn't great) and bigger portions if you are really starved. This is just what you would expect from a local barbecue chain... without the stodgy, pre-packaged feel. When you stop in (and you should), ask for Alan in the dining room--he is tops and will make sure you are taken care of well and still able to make it back to work in time.
(4)
Andrea Y.
We have eaten here a few times. The food and servers are always great. Kinda sad they don't have the pulled chicken sandwich anymore!
(4)
Elizabeth M.
Nice place for a,week day lunch. Turkey salad or turkey sandwich is very good.
(3)
Tom H.
Thurs chicken special is good deal. $7.99 half chick with 2 sides. Food was hot and tasty and service was excellent.
(4)
Madeline H.
HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! Poor Waitress did the best she could but the rest of the place had HORRIBLE Attitude. My husband ordered center cut pork for his platter NOT for my pork sandwich. I received my sandwich and could not eat it after first bite, soggy bread, cold pork and it was CENTER CUT PORK, yuck because I never ordered it that way AND It's not what I like nor will eat so I decided to just take it home for my son. Asked for a box didn't say anything. My husband insisted on letting them know at least because now I did not get to eat Lunch, so he let them know that I received center cut pork on my Pork Sandwich when I never asked or I wasn't asked whether I wanted a center cut. Out off all the YEARS I have been there this never happened to me. She apologized and went on doing her job. THEN the CUTTER approaches my husband with his comments like he owns the place and insisted on proceeding with the issue and pressing on it, insisting on saying that "if you don't order it certain way then it's cutters choice", I WAS HORRIFIED, Why not have a Manager approach me and explain things? I came in Hungry and Left Hungry. NO ONE OFFERED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! so I got home, Calmed Down from Crying at how Horrible I was treated and called for a Manager, She asked & said " Well did he offer to fix it?" I told her "No, Never, he just kept pressing the issue, I dont know how you allow your other employees to keep pressing the issue when I never asked for anything else just wanted to inform you that it's not what I ordered so why do I have to eat what someone else tells me to when I've ordered & eaten there for YEARS and NEVER received a Pork Sandwich in that manner?" SADLY this MARY the Manager NEVER APOLOGIZED. Poor Waitress because she did but to had to suffer because of bad co-workers & horrible management who obviously don't care how this place is run. Shame on them, Shame on Management. At that I'm Pregnant and they saw that but decided to keep on pressing the issue until I Cried! I left CRYING and still they didn't do anything about it.
(1)
Chris B.
If you come here, the turkey is a must-try. The other offerings are average and you can find better pork and brisket elsewhere, but no one beats their turkey. Mac n' cheese is also solid.
(4)
August L.
We come here like... a lot. It is super convenient for us because we live 3 minutes from there, and I can pick up dinner to go on lazy days without hitting any main roads, making it faster than drive thru fare. As for dine-in, service has always been fabulous. We do dinner late normally, and it's a bit dead in there at night. Food is fast, we never have to wait on refills, and the servers always laugh at our corny jokes. (They shouldn't, we are not funny.) As for the quality of the food, it is consistently top notch. Chicken is moist, turkey is tender, sausage is BOMB, and pulled pork is worthy of mustard sauce and slaw on a bun. The ribs have been hit or miss for us, but when they hit...they do be good. The sides are fairly basic BUT I have to give honorable mention to the green beans. The hubby and I are fairly certain that someone has sold their soul to a random evil deity to possess the ability to concoct a side so divine. Order. The. Green beans. You're welcome. They also used to have homemade BBQ potato chips, but took them off the menu. I miss them. Bring them back, Bono's!! This is not my favorite BBQ joint in town, but the consistently great food and service keep us coming back.
(5)
I-ee T.
Best of the Jacksonville Bono's even the lady that always looks mad can't ruin this place, I've tried every Bono's in town not only is this one consistent in its quality but it's consistent in its speed and service. Don't waste your time at the Bono's off Old St Augustine Rd. & I-95 that is absolutely the worst one because of the poor poor service, THIS BONOS IS THE BEST.
(4)
Steve G.
Bonos was OK. I love BBQ, and this was pretty good. I just wasn't blown away. It looks like they have several of these in town. It smells really, really good when you walk in! you can also smell it on you well after you leave. :) I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fried corn on the Cobb, and baked beans. Both very good.my sandwich was OK. Not huge. The selection of sauces is good. I will most definitely give Bonos another shot.
(3)
M R.
Yum! I loved this place! I had the St. Louis ribs. Very meaty & good. I liked getting to try the different BBQ sauces on them. The cole slaw was good-not super chopped into small pieces but fresh good sized pieces so it can be flavorful. I was traveling alone & sat at the bar in front of the BBQ pit-very nice help--Corey was friendly: good employee to have working in that place.
(4)
Mina L.
I'm an out of towner... so we don't have Bono's out in California. The place was clean and friendly. I had the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich and fries. I got to try the variety of BBQ sauces and mixed and matched them. I was offered desserts. I asked what's their signature dessert..... My lunch pal giggled and said this is not a fancy restaurant LOL....... they only had banana pudding. I had to order the banana pudding and check out the one dessert item they had. Honestly, I'd pass on the banana pudding next time. LOL All in all, a good place for a quick nice lunch.
(3)
Aubrey P.
I love BBQ! Very fast and great food. Sometimes not the friendliest staff but depends whp you get as a server.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Marie F.
I could live off all the sides. Being so close to home, I'm always in a debate if I'm going out for dinner or cooking. And when I've decided I'm staying in - how much time do I really want to be in a kitchen cooking for myself after a long day of work. Every so often I stop in just to get some of their great side items. Corn nuggets Mac and Cheese Green Beans Backed Beans And then more mac and cheese Slap it all together between some Texas toast and then dip in some sweet and tangy sauce. Then there are the cool daily specials. Call ahead and you can claim it's fast food.
(4)Jeana L.
Came here during lunch rush hour to meet up with my fiancé, my cousins and baby nephew. We waited in line for the hostess for about 10-15 minutes. The restaurant was very full so we knew what to expect. We got seated, looked at the menu and our waiter was nice enough to let us know that he'll take our drink orders. About 5 minutes later, he took our drink order and then came back for our food order. I ordered the Large Chicken Platter with fries, baked beans, and a garlic bread. There was a little promo going on where you get a free rib when order a large meat item. The chicken was very moist and tender. Hot and delicious. The baked beans were good, but I avoided the pork pieces as much as possible (because I just don't like pork). Garlic bread was more buttery than garlic. The fries were good. Some were soggy and some were crispy. Overall, I would come back in the future. Very good BBQ.
(4)David H.
Bono's is just what you'd expect from a go to local Jacksonville BBQ chain. The service is very friendly and the food is fresh, hot, tasty and actually smoked on site each day. If you're into "decor" you probably aren't a BBQ person but the place is clean and seems pretty new inside. I had the fried okra appetizer and the okra was just what you'd want, hot, fresh, and non-greasy. Fried okra is a rare find in DC so I enjoy it when I get the chance. I also had the "small" two meat combo and it was more than enough food even though I was pretty hungry. The brisket was lean, tender, and had that smoky BBQ flavor you'd expect. The pulled pork was also lean and tender with a smoky BBQ flavor. They have a few different BBQ sauces on the table but I like the hot one best. As far as sides, the Lima beans are quite tasty and aren't dry like at some places. The BBQ beans are also top notch and the meal comes with a huge sliced of garlic Texas toast as well. The sweet tea was also worth a try. One funny thing is I think they offer a military discount since they asked if I was in the military and I'm not but had gotten a haircut earlier that day. Bono's is one of the go to places in Jacksonville for BBQ and there's a reason they've been around forever.
(4)Ryan L.
My best friend has raved about Bono's since she moved to Jacksonville last year. So naturally, it was a must for my visit. Having spent every summer of my childhood in backwoods Georgia, I know what good barbecue is. Bono's was only a B in my book. Nothing really wrong with the food, I just wasn't wowed by anything. I had the pulled pork sandwich- the standard by which all barbecue is judged. Perhaps its a different style of barbecue than what I like, but it just didn't give me anything to write home about. If you know nothing about barbecue, this place will amaze you. Head and shoulders better than a chain restaurant, but for those raised in the South, don't come with a watering mouth. You may find yourself somewhat less than satisfied.
(3)Mike C.
Great food. Fast and friendly service. No complaints.
(5)Mae B.
This was a nice place to eat dinner. The food was good the service was great and everyone enjoyed themselves. It has a rustic western decor. The best part for me is there was hardly anyone here. I'm not crazy about crowds. But I'm not sure why it was so empty. very friendly and pretty clean. My husband got the beef brisket. He said it tasted good. My son and I got the baby back ribs and split it. It was good. Other kids got the barbecue chicken. They said it was okay. My mother got the St. Louis ribs and she said they were okay. Our friend got the sloppy pig. And he really liked it. The food isn't super fantastic but it's still good. I really like the fried corn on the cob. The macaroni and cheese was also good once I added salt-and-pepper. Our waitress was absolutely fantastic. Try it.
(5)Edward B.
The food is always good. Some of the best turkey in town. Food comes out fresh and the staff is friendly. I eat here for lunch all the time.
(4)Brian S.
This is a great go-to for me. It is close to my office, and sitting at the counter gets you the best service (not that the dining room isn't great) and bigger portions if you are really starved. This is just what you would expect from a local barbecue chain... without the stodgy, pre-packaged feel. When you stop in (and you should), ask for Alan in the dining room--he is tops and will make sure you are taken care of well and still able to make it back to work in time.
(4)Andrea Y.
We have eaten here a few times. The food and servers are always great. Kinda sad they don't have the pulled chicken sandwich anymore!
(4)Elizabeth M.
Nice place for a,week day lunch. Turkey salad or turkey sandwich is very good.
(3)Tom H.
Thurs chicken special is good deal. $7.99 half chick with 2 sides. Food was hot and tasty and service was excellent.
(4)Madeline H.
HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! Poor Waitress did the best she could but the rest of the place had HORRIBLE Attitude. My husband ordered center cut pork for his platter NOT for my pork sandwich. I received my sandwich and could not eat it after first bite, soggy bread, cold pork and it was CENTER CUT PORK, yuck because I never ordered it that way AND It's not what I like nor will eat so I decided to just take it home for my son. Asked for a box didn't say anything. My husband insisted on letting them know at least because now I did not get to eat Lunch, so he let them know that I received center cut pork on my Pork Sandwich when I never asked or I wasn't asked whether I wanted a center cut. Out off all the YEARS I have been there this never happened to me. She apologized and went on doing her job. THEN the CUTTER approaches my husband with his comments like he owns the place and insisted on proceeding with the issue and pressing on it, insisting on saying that "if you don't order it certain way then it's cutters choice", I WAS HORRIFIED, Why not have a Manager approach me and explain things? I came in Hungry and Left Hungry. NO ONE OFFERED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! so I got home, Calmed Down from Crying at how Horrible I was treated and called for a Manager, She asked & said " Well did he offer to fix it?" I told her "No, Never, he just kept pressing the issue, I dont know how you allow your other employees to keep pressing the issue when I never asked for anything else just wanted to inform you that it's not what I ordered so why do I have to eat what someone else tells me to when I've ordered & eaten there for YEARS and NEVER received a Pork Sandwich in that manner?" SADLY this MARY the Manager NEVER APOLOGIZED. Poor Waitress because she did but to had to suffer because of bad co-workers & horrible management who obviously don't care how this place is run. Shame on them, Shame on Management. At that I'm Pregnant and they saw that but decided to keep on pressing the issue until I Cried! I left CRYING and still they didn't do anything about it.
(1)Chris B.
If you come here, the turkey is a must-try. The other offerings are average and you can find better pork and brisket elsewhere, but no one beats their turkey. Mac n' cheese is also solid.
(4)August L.
We come here like... a lot. It is super convenient for us because we live 3 minutes from there, and I can pick up dinner to go on lazy days without hitting any main roads, making it faster than drive thru fare. As for dine-in, service has always been fabulous. We do dinner late normally, and it's a bit dead in there at night. Food is fast, we never have to wait on refills, and the servers always laugh at our corny jokes. (They shouldn't, we are not funny.) As for the quality of the food, it is consistently top notch. Chicken is moist, turkey is tender, sausage is BOMB, and pulled pork is worthy of mustard sauce and slaw on a bun. The ribs have been hit or miss for us, but when they hit...they do be good. The sides are fairly basic BUT I have to give honorable mention to the green beans. The hubby and I are fairly certain that someone has sold their soul to a random evil deity to possess the ability to concoct a side so divine. Order. The. Green beans. You're welcome. They also used to have homemade BBQ potato chips, but took them off the menu. I miss them. Bring them back, Bono's!! This is not my favorite BBQ joint in town, but the consistently great food and service keep us coming back.
(5)I-ee T.
Best of the Jacksonville Bono's even the lady that always looks mad can't ruin this place, I've tried every Bono's in town not only is this one consistent in its quality but it's consistent in its speed and service. Don't waste your time at the Bono's off Old St Augustine Rd. & I-95 that is absolutely the worst one because of the poor poor service, THIS BONOS IS THE BEST.
(4)Steve G.
Bonos was OK. I love BBQ, and this was pretty good. I just wasn't blown away. It looks like they have several of these in town. It smells really, really good when you walk in! you can also smell it on you well after you leave. :) I had the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fried corn on the Cobb, and baked beans. Both very good.my sandwich was OK. Not huge. The selection of sauces is good. I will most definitely give Bonos another shot.
(3)M R.
Yum! I loved this place! I had the St. Louis ribs. Very meaty & good. I liked getting to try the different BBQ sauces on them. The cole slaw was good-not super chopped into small pieces but fresh good sized pieces so it can be flavorful. I was traveling alone & sat at the bar in front of the BBQ pit-very nice help--Corey was friendly: good employee to have working in that place.
(4)Mina L.
I'm an out of towner... so we don't have Bono's out in California. The place was clean and friendly. I had the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich and fries. I got to try the variety of BBQ sauces and mixed and matched them. I was offered desserts. I asked what's their signature dessert..... My lunch pal giggled and said this is not a fancy restaurant LOL....... they only had banana pudding. I had to order the banana pudding and check out the one dessert item they had. Honestly, I'd pass on the banana pudding next time. LOL All in all, a good place for a quick nice lunch.
(3)Aubrey P.
I love BBQ! Very fast and great food. Sometimes not the friendliest staff but depends whp you get as a server.
(4)