Typically, I give most chain restaurants, which I enjoy eating at, three stars unless there is something outstanding or abysmal about my experience. The reason for this is: numerosity and consistancy. I then add weight to compare it to the local competiting establishments, and smokey bones fares quite well. The main takeaway from my review is that, when compared to prior Smokey Bones expriences at other establishments, my experience here matched my expectations which are: pretty damn good BBQ for a chain establishment. If you like Smokey Bones, definately go here for your favorites. On the other hand, if you are not a fan, you won't find anything different here. Generally, I find their food to be above the Springfield average. Overall the service was good and I really enjoyed my meal. Will go again.
(4)
Stacy B.
The food today was great as usual. I ordered the choice of two meats with two sides. I chose the pulled pork, spicy garlic buffalo chicken tenders with fries and cole slaw. Everything was hot and fresh. Love their slaw and I'm not a big fan of slaw. The entree also comes with 2 slices if garlic bread, so I made a sandwich of the bread, pork, slaw and BBQ sauce. So yummy. The fries were perfect..hot and crispy. Plenty of food, and enough to take home for a second meal! I do suggest if you like buffalo tenders or boneless chicken to try their different sauces. I love this one, spicy garlic buffalo, but they have various others besides the traditional buffalo. The "buff-a-cue" sauce is fantastic as well, a cross between buffalo and BBQ. As far as the food is concerned this location is spot on. I deducted one star due to the indifferent service we received. It wasn't bad or rude per se, just not very friendly or personable at all, and we had to remind the server of requests a couple times. She also never came back to offer to refill our drinks at all. I would definitely recommend this Smokey Bones based on the hot, fresh, yummy food and drinks. Hoping the service will be a tad better next time.
(4)
Josh B.
I've been to Smokey Bones a few times since my last review and it has been a lot better. Haven't had any more issues of them running out of anything. The wait staff has always been a strong point of this restaurant, and they always do a good job. It's kind of ironic though this is supposed to be a BBQ place I really don't like their BBQ. I enjoy the burgers, and steaks. Also the pretzel bones are awesome!
(4)
Abby S.
I will never go to this restaurant again. The last time I went was with a group of six. My husband and I didn't order anything because we had already ate. However, a friend got brisket that she said was chewy, almost in edible. Another friend got chicken wings that came out burnt to a crisp and had some feathers from a chicken on it!!! That was the last time I ate there
(1)
Duane A.
Hmmm, what to say about a BBQ place where the pulled pork was too salty and tasted like any other spice was barely even dusted on? Ummm, it has more TVs than Best Buy?
(2)
John O.
This place continues to disappoint. All I wanted was to call in a brisket sandwich order "to go" as I headed home from my last work stop of the night, (at around 6:30PM). As has happened to me EVERY other time I have been there, they were OUT of brisket. Think about that.....at 6:30 PM this barbecue restaurant is OUT of one of the main, critical, primary menu items 7 HOURS before closing! Every time I have been to this restaurant, they have been out of brisket. In addition, the staff are extremely rude when attempting to address the issue. That's it, I won't be back. They have used up all their chances and all my good will.
(1)
Gary K.
I remember Smokey Bones as better. The pulled pork BBQ was dry The wait staff was very busy for a Saturday afternoon.
(3)
Sandra W.
We went for dinner on June 3, 2015 at about 6pm. The restaurant was not busy and there was no wait. I usually love the Ribeye Steak with the steak butter. It used to be one of my favorite meals at Smokey Bones. Something happened, and it is not good. The steak is one of the worst steaks I have ever tasted. It had a weird texture, that is not what one would expect in a good ribeye steak. It was almost as though it had been over seasoned, over processed or marinated.... similar to the steaks that Ponderosa Steak Houses used to sell.Terrible in fact... and not what I would expect from a $20 steak. The so-called steak butter was over salty and tasteless. They used to have a much better steak butter. What happened to those great steaks? I have just figured out the problem with the ribeye steak. I did bring what I did not eat home to give to the dogs. Instead, I heated it up and tried the steak again to determine why it was not good. The problem is that it is very very salty as well as having an strange texture. It is almost as though the meat was put in a brine prior to being cooked. Anyway... still not good. Terrible in fact. My husband and mom had the ribs, which were good. Service was okay.
(2)
Jaime C.
Meh...... :/ I really was in the mood for some BBQ I found this restaurant n yelp, but honestly this place disappointed me. I ordered the St. Louis Style ribs and they were dry and not very flavorful, my gf had smoked wings she said they were ok. The service was good and I liked their beer selection. They have lots of tvs and they will happily change channels upon request. I hate to give bad reviews..... :/
(2)
Travis W.
I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, cold beverages, and the four varieties of BBQ sauce. Service is normally pretty good, but tonight's female bartender could not have cared less about guests.
(4)
Beth P.
I may be spoiled coming from Madison, but this was only average BBQ. It was also freezing in the restaurant (which they corrected once multiple people complained). Service was good...I will give them that, but I wouldn't make a point of going back unless it was just for dessert to get the massive chocolate cake.
(2)
Julie S.
We were looking for a place to eat,settled on ihop..When we pulled into the parkin lot and got out of car thats when we smelled and then seen smokey bones. We then decided why not? Lets go check it out it is the last day of our month long vacation. Lets end it alittle better than ihop...( not saying ihop isint fine but 2 totally dif places). We got sat right away which was nice.. Never been thr before and the server amber and her trainee really took thr time to explain things. Decided on the cornbread skillet with pecan butter for appetizer. .wow was that amazing. So moist and gooey u almost forgot it was the beggining of the meal and not the end. Then came the 2- 3 meat combo plates 1/3 slab ribs, pulled pork, chicken and only dif on 2nd plate was brisket..wow everything was so delish and spot on we dnt have on negitive thing to say..Next time were passing threw Springfield we will definitely stop in...or who knows we may just take a 4 hour trip from chgo to Springfield when we have a taste for some good bbq...
(5)
Kirk M.
Our picky family of four all found something to order and were all very pleased with the flavors, food temperature, speed, cleanliness and the attention from the servers. We liked that the manager stopped by. The desert donuts were a nice ending. Overall we felt this was a good value and we look forward to returning.
(4)
Jared G.
Mmmm. I went in after a long day on a business trip and I can say I'm impressed. I had the Rib Combo with the BBQ wings. The ribs were on the average side but the smoky wings were spectacular! I highly recommend. The kettle fries were very thick and very crispy on the outside. The fire stix aren't very spicy if you're a spicy lover, but my opinion is slightly skewed in this respect. They have a full bar and they have a very good selection of in tap beers. Give Smokey Bones a go, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Kris M.
Fast friendly service.. Food has always been great at a decent price and you can usually find coupons and now they have a frequent dinner club. This is one of out favorite places to eat out.
(5)
Wadcutter ..
Subpar for bbq. Had ribs. Dried out. Seriously, they were like jerky. Sent back & the same returned but with just more sauce. Put as much sauce as you want but dried out overcooked is still dried out overcooked. The ribs might have returned but we won't. Better places around town.
(1)
Cynthia K.
It's 11:11 and the place is still serving a full menu!! Good food this time of night is worth the stop in, called ahead for a carry out. Bar keep was right on track with my food, making sure all the fixings were right. Plastic wear, napkins, and extra sauce...yep all there!! Nice thank guy!
(5)
Mark T.
This has got to be one of my favorite places to eat. The food is good and we usually do not have to wait long to be seated or get our food. I hear they have great BBQ, but I just eat my same smokehouse chicken sandwich which is awesome. My wife says I'm boring eating the same thing, but eh, whatever. I love being a member of the bones club and earning my free $20. Also get great coupons in the mail and email. The bar is great and they usually have some pretty good drink specials. I like the little bonism's they have around the restaurant also. The one in the men's bathroom is great.
(4)
Kurt K.
Worst St Louis style ribs ever. Fat laden over cooked hard to eat. Wait staff was not at all attentive. Seemed like I did not exist. Cardinals game was on at the bar and the beer was cold
(1)
Amy H.
We went here when we were looking for a random place to eat. There was a large crowd out of the restaurant. There was a 30 minute wait; however, we saw a lot of empty tables so we didn't know how they were dealing with that. When we were seated, the waiter was friendly but somewhat slow. Granted, it was dinner time so he was busy but the least we could have right away is water. We ordered out food and then there was more waiting. My dad is diabetic so he wasn't feeling very well. While we were waiting, he was experiencing low blood sugar. I asked for the sides to come out first and thy were alright. I thought it was too greasy. Then minutes later my food came out-hickory smoked salmon salad. It was good but drowned in cheese. Also, there was a large portion of fish, which was very flavorful coming from the smoker. I liked the food overall, but I felt really heavy even though it was just fish.
(3)
Jeff L.
Pulled Pork Sammy and Potato soup- YUM! Friendly wait staff. Unique atmosphere. Five or six TVs above the bar for sports.
(5)
Ray S.
Love their smokey wings! It is a great place for late night. You can decide which bbq sauce is your favorite here. Plus the bones club is a great add on if you plan to be here as a regular!
(4)
Chimere D.
The absolute worst bbq I've ever had. Ordered the baby ribs and fried chicken combo with a side order of dirty rice and cinnamon apples. Ribs were tough, the fried chicken was tasteless and it seems like the coating had cornmeal added to it, the dirty rice if that's what they want to call it looked more the chicken fried rice, it was light in color, with pieces of chicken, carrots and peas. There was no hamburger pieces and the rice didn't look dirty. The only plus is the food came out fast, but now I know why. Will never return
(1)
Karen C.
Here for a getaway. So looking forward to a great steak and a good dirty martini. The first mistake was the dirty martini. Tasted like straight vodka with three olives thrown in for good measure. Then I order the top sirloin. Paper thin and over salted. Please! I know you are a chain but bring your A game! I got charged $23 for the steak and $8 for the Martini. I felt better when I got mugged on the highway. Will never go again!
(1)
Marina V.
Nice, kid-friendly place with great bbq. Actually, REALLY GREAT baby back ribs!!!!! Really really awesome!! The rest of the food is good, but not near as great as their ribs (hence 4 stars and not 5)!! Other food we tried (had a group of people): mixed greens salad with salmon, pulled pork sandwiches and nachos. Service was fast and parking easy!
(4)
Andrew C.
I have been coming back to my home town for about 27 years. I have seen this place. The parking lot is always full. I stopped in today while in town and what a pleasant surprise. The service was great and the baby back ribs were even better. The meat melted off the bones. The sauce was perfect. I will definitely come back again.
(4)
Ray T.
We're on vacation and it was getting near dinner time. We couldn't make up out minds about ordering pizza for delivery or going out for pizza or going out for fish or you-name-it. We stumbled on this restaurant searching for local eateries, looked at their website, decided it had something that the two of would be happy with. My wife ordered the St. Louis ribs 1/3 rack with onion rings. I ordered the BYOB 1/2 lb. Angus Beef with onion rings. Let's say that the rings were very good. My wife's ribs, not the ones under her skin, but on her plate, were meaty and tasty. I built my burger the way I wanted it. It was great. Washed down with Sam Adams made for a good meal. The one thing we noticed is that the service was a bit slow. Yet, the place was busy, the servers were very attentive to their customers and took the time answer questions. If they weren't busy, it would be an issue, but that wasn't the case. Friendly and attentive service, even if a bit slow, is not a problem. We would come back.,
(4)
Abby V.
We were visiting Springfield Il and decided to go there for dinner. I guess it was around 730pm. The wait was about 15 minutes' not bad. Our server was very nice. I ordered double trouble, flavor and sauce was Delish BUT the ribs were a bit hard on outside. Not a melt in your mouth deal like I've had before. The fries were average. Lemonade is the best. Mac and cheese was very good. Garlic bread was exceptional. I would go again. Family friendly environment. I gave them 3 stars because the ribs were hard on outside.
(3)
Vince H.
Went with a group of 9 for my wife's birthday it was a fairly good experience the food came out fairly quickly and had decent flavor but if you are going to have any chicken pasta dish be careful, one of our group had a very sharp piece of bone in his and it pierced the roof of his mouth and there was a very large piece of gristle in it also. I can give one positive and that was our waitress Amber she was very professional and was the bright spot of the whole experience. So in closing I can say it was an OK experience but watch the chicken pasta dishes.
(3)
Elizabeth V.
Used to go here all the time in my hometown, servings are still very generous and very satisfying. Serving was good up to a point but then waited 15 minutes for our waitress to cash us out. Cornbread appetizer was one of the highlights, and all entrees will leave you stuffed. 4 out of 5 stars only for the spotty service at the end of our meal.
(4)
Fritz G.
Not bad for a chain. It was a cool night so a seat near the fireplace was welcome. I had pork tenderloin and it was good. Slightly fatty, though, but pretty good nevertheless.
(3)
Tricia W.
Great food- that is it! Service was bad....All of the servers congregated around kitchen window and were never on the floor. At one point several of them were doing jello shots. When they did have to deliver food they dragged their feet never smiled and every drink we ordered was wrong.
(2)
Amanda H.
One of me and my husbands favorites, our first date location and try to visit yearly. We are never disappointed and recommend eating here!
(5)
David Z.
Right across from the motel, it was a convenient place for supper. My wife had a brisket sandwich and pronounced it good. I had what turned out to be a kind of Philadelphia Cheese Steak ala Brisket, and it was just so-so. I wouldn't choose it again. However, the ambiance was welcoming, the server was helpful and the convenience of the location for us was good. All in all, a win, but not a winner!
(3)
Joe N.
I really enjoy this place. It is not bad bbq, it is just a chain restaurant. I like the fact that my hotel is across the street, so I can walk there. If you are looking for bbq and are in the area you should try it. Worth stopping.
(4)
K S.
Get the two meat platter. Rib and chicken. Memphis dry rub on the ribs. Sides of baked beans and chips. More flavor than a bandana but not as much ribs as a famous daves.fast service just off the interstate
(4)
Joe H.
We visited Smokey Bones on 3/09/2013 for my Father in laws birthday. It is located next to a number of hotels right off route 55. They draw quite a few people from these hotels. We managed to get into the restaurant just before the big dinner rush. We had six adults and two small children. We were crammed into a booth, there appeared to be no other seating options other than these large booths. Not a very smart idea, when you attempt to eat and you can barely move your arms. The children end up sitting at the end of the table in high chairs in the aisle way. The wait time for the food was over 35 minutes. I had ordered a BBQ sampler platter. BBQ is slow cooked all day and should not take long to serve, the restaurant was busy but the management of it was poor. When we did get the food, the waitress could not stress enough how hot the plates were, and they were scalding hot. The food however was cold! I had never seen this before in a restaurant, red hot plates with cold food that took over 35 minutes to serve. It would have been nice to have hot food on cold plates, they will have to figure that out. I had BBQ Chicken, Brisket, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, with Fire Brazed Corn. This was $15 and the portions were so small! The Chicken was average and the Brisket was tough as leather. My Wife ordered a Medium Rare Steak that was served cold on a red hot plate. My Mother in law had the Cuban Sandwich and said it was awful. The Manager roamed around the restaurant but did not seem to interact with the customers. He had a big happy smile for my son but didn't bother asking us how are food was. I felt sorry for my Father in law since it was his Birthday that he had to have such a poor meal. We were staying at a nearby hotel and I awoke at 2 am with stomach pains, an acute case of food poisoning to top it all off. I enjoy a good BBQ joint, Smokey Bones is not one of them. I have had much better food at Famous Daves
(1)
Brian S.
My wife, 2yr old and I stopped here while traveling on 55. Everyone was as nice as can be and and very accommodating. My wife had the salmon and thought it was good. I ordered the bbq beef... and was disappointed. It was fatty and just didn't taste very good.
(3)
Pete E.
this is the applebees of bbq. this is not a compliment. its a sub par chain not a bbq joint. the staff are friendly and it seems clean but if you're serious about bbq don't bother.
(1)
Sinh M.
One of the best bar-be-que places in Springfield. Everything here is good from appetizers to drinks. The one side I always get is the kettle chips, unlike normal kettle chips they actually bread theirs and it just makes it 10 times more delicious.
(5)
Asia B.
Ordered ribs and they were okay. The wings would have to be the best thing they offer, as well as their baked mac and cheese. My server was very friendly and checked on me frequently
(4)
Kevin M.
I miss the days when Smokey Bones had 3 Chicago-area locations, as I went there often. Now I stop when I'm in the Springfield area. Great food, and the best Brunswick Stew anywhere. On a recent visit, I had the stew, pulled pork, beans, and caramel apple cheesecake for dessert. All delicious, and the service was friendly and fast. Years ago, they made the most amazing mozzarella cheese sticks with a smoky flavor that was one of a kind. Sad to see it gone off the menu. Still, I'm always looking for an excuse to head down their way.
(5)
Beverly D.
Worst baby back ribs ever! Dry and over cooked. My wife were looking for some GOOD ribs, what a disappointment. On a busy Friday night? Service was slow and lacking. I asked for sweet tea and got regular tea. Plus only one refill on my drink. On a positive note, the sides were great. I had the baked beans and Mac and cheese. The last few times I have ordered ribs they have been overcooked. They even gave me a half slab prior to leaving. That half slab was over cooked too. Next time I will get a burger!
(1)
Robert G.
I never used to be a huge fan of this place. It was just ok BBQ to me. Well the last two times i've been here now it has been fantastic. I had pulled pork and beef brisket Both of them were delicious. My group of five loved it. The waiter was friendly and the owner or manager came by to make sure everything was ok but he didn't linger like they sometimes do. All in all a good dining experience and I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Greg G.
Good st louis style ribs. sat at the bad, good service. nothing really outstanding about the place.
(3)
Chris M.
This is a decent chain type BBQ place. Decent selection and reasonably priced. Really tough to try and mimic classic KC, St. Louis, Memphis BBQ but they give it a good try. Nothing like the experience of KC BBQ in KC or Memphis BBQ in Memphis but if you are in the mood for Q, Smokey Bones is pretty good.
(3)
David W.
+ nice selection of BBQ sauces + extra BBQ sauces available on tables + interesting appetizers + spacious seating - don't have grilled chicken strips option
(4)
Isabelle L.
Well as Springfield is looking more and more like a rundown town, the chain restaurants on Dirksen parkway are fast becoming your best bet for a solid meal in a decent environment and Smokey bones fits the bill. Nice welcoming wood interior with a fireplace and a bar in the middle with a few TVs with games on make the environment relaxing. The service is not the most efficient: slow at getting orders, not necessarily checking on you but it's adequate. The food is not out if this world but the BBQ items such as pulled pork and the sides are solid. A few regulars are hanging out at the bars and families are occupying the booths and enjoying their meals.
(3)
Shane W.
First time to this chain and I found it pretty good, considering I'm anti-chain restaurants. The BBQ was great-- my wife and I shared the pulled pork and the smoked wings. I'm a big wing fan, and these were amazing. I thought I was going to be disappointed since they were not "hot" wings, but I could tell they were slow-cooked and they were nothing short of mouth-watering. They provide a trio of sauces at the table so we were able to experiment with different sauces on the same dish. Cornbread as a side was great as well. If you are in the mood for good BBQ, this place will not disappoint.
(4)
Adele S.
I really wanted to go to Clay's Popeye's BBQ but as the GPS led us closer and closer, we noticed the looming decay, the police cars, the broken windows. With two laptops and all our luggage in the car, we opted for the safer but ucky chain. The food looked and smelled great but the sauce left a lot to be desired...too much chile powder. If I want chile powder, I'll eat a bowl of chili. There was also a mustard sauce which was ok, but not what I wanted, which was a smokey, sweet KC style sauce. Ribs and chicken were slightly chewy and dried out. The baked beans were hard. Tasty. Very tasty, but hard little turds. I want my beans tender, almost mushy, not crunchy. My mother-in-law's soup never came, nor did her pink lemonade. I hope she wasn't charged for it. I wish we had stopped at Steak n' Shake instead and just gotten our food to go.
(2)
Bethany S.
Good barbeque. They've transitioned to different management over the years that they've been in Springfield. However, the pulled pork is tender and really good. Tends to be rather busy during peak hours. Lots of TVs to watch the games, though they've put up some new signage that blocks some of the views. We also love their appetizers, but wish they'd bring back the BBQ chicken nachos! This is close to the Crowne Plaza and other large hotels.
(4)
Chris D.
Disappointing. I was expecting a BBQ restaurant and what I experienced is a "BBQ-themed" concept restaurant with a menu that more closely resembles TGI Fridays. Service was spotty. Food was average, at best. My BBQ ribs were overcooked, dry and very tough.
(2)
Jay A.
Had a great pulled pork for lunch. Good BBQ
(4)
Lonnie R.
Not bad at all. I got a large to go order to take home for a get together at my mom and dad's place for about 10 people. Good service and pretty good barbecue. Sides were nice also, cole slaw, beans, spiced apples, and corn bread.
(3)
Billy M.
Not many places to choose from in the town of Springfield, but if you had to make a choice its gotta be Smokey Bones! I had the grilled chicken w/ grilled smoke corn, & the loaded potato. Excellent BBQ sauces to choose from.
(5)
Patrick W.
I've been here twice on business dinners and each time have had a much better time than, apparently, the other reviewers. That's a shame, maybe they've changed managers since then, who knows? On the most recent visit, we had a group of 8, which was a little difficult for the place to accommodate given it's mostly booths that seat 4-6 people. We actually got two of these adjoining booths and they have removable dividers to make it possible to communicate. The food is good; I really enjoyed the St. Louis rib combo, which lets you get one other meat (I ran with the brisket) to go along with about 4-5 bones of St. Louis ribs. You get to choose two of their sides, which are pretty good as well, and a choice of how you want your ribs sauced. Usually a fan of variety, both times I went with the memphis dry rub, which is excellent. The brisket is highly flavorful and moist, but the fact that it's thinly sliced makes it seem more like roast beef than brisket. Whatever, it's good.
(4)
Gary J.
Took a little while to get the meal, but once served we weren't disappointed. This was our first time at Smokey Bones. Will likely return.
(3)
T M.
I hadn't been to Smokey Bones in quite some time, and although I thought it was okay before, I was pleasantly surprised by the changes they made since my last visit. Besides their updated logo, they improved the atmosphere as well as the menu. The bar is now sectioned off from the dining area and there are no more speakers for the TV at each table, so you feel like you are in a real restaurant and not a bar that also happens to serve food. Also, the selection of food has greatly improved - it actually took me some time to figure out what I wanted to order, where before it was just a matter of deciding between a burger and chicken strips. I ended up getting a salad and loaded baked potato, and enjoyed both. HUGE bonus: The dining area as well as the bathroom was clean, and that is (sadly) hard to come by in most of the restaurants in this area that are right off the highway!
(4)
Brooke R.
I have been to the Smokey Bones in Fairview Heights a bunch of times. I always like it there. When I visited the Springfield one I was incredibly dissappointed. We came in late...like 9 pm on a friday night. it wasn't all that busy but they had a HUGE party of teenagers that they sat us right next to. Thanks. Our service was wretched. Our food was cold. The only reason we went here was because I knew that we could watch the Cubs game. BUT everything else was so distracting I would have rather just went home and made a grilled cheese.
(2)
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Address :2660 S Dirksen Pkwy
Springfield, IL, 62704
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes 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
Taufiq H.
Best coleslaw I ever had
(5)Warren W.
Typically, I give most chain restaurants, which I enjoy eating at, three stars unless there is something outstanding or abysmal about my experience. The reason for this is: numerosity and consistancy. I then add weight to compare it to the local competiting establishments, and smokey bones fares quite well. The main takeaway from my review is that, when compared to prior Smokey Bones expriences at other establishments, my experience here matched my expectations which are: pretty damn good BBQ for a chain establishment. If you like Smokey Bones, definately go here for your favorites. On the other hand, if you are not a fan, you won't find anything different here. Generally, I find their food to be above the Springfield average. Overall the service was good and I really enjoyed my meal. Will go again.
(4)Stacy B.
The food today was great as usual. I ordered the choice of two meats with two sides. I chose the pulled pork, spicy garlic buffalo chicken tenders with fries and cole slaw. Everything was hot and fresh. Love their slaw and I'm not a big fan of slaw. The entree also comes with 2 slices if garlic bread, so I made a sandwich of the bread, pork, slaw and BBQ sauce. So yummy. The fries were perfect..hot and crispy. Plenty of food, and enough to take home for a second meal! I do suggest if you like buffalo tenders or boneless chicken to try their different sauces. I love this one, spicy garlic buffalo, but they have various others besides the traditional buffalo. The "buff-a-cue" sauce is fantastic as well, a cross between buffalo and BBQ. As far as the food is concerned this location is spot on. I deducted one star due to the indifferent service we received. It wasn't bad or rude per se, just not very friendly or personable at all, and we had to remind the server of requests a couple times. She also never came back to offer to refill our drinks at all. I would definitely recommend this Smokey Bones based on the hot, fresh, yummy food and drinks. Hoping the service will be a tad better next time.
(4)Josh B.
I've been to Smokey Bones a few times since my last review and it has been a lot better. Haven't had any more issues of them running out of anything. The wait staff has always been a strong point of this restaurant, and they always do a good job. It's kind of ironic though this is supposed to be a BBQ place I really don't like their BBQ. I enjoy the burgers, and steaks. Also the pretzel bones are awesome!
(4)Abby S.
I will never go to this restaurant again. The last time I went was with a group of six. My husband and I didn't order anything because we had already ate. However, a friend got brisket that she said was chewy, almost in edible. Another friend got chicken wings that came out burnt to a crisp and had some feathers from a chicken on it!!! That was the last time I ate there
(1)Duane A.
Hmmm, what to say about a BBQ place where the pulled pork was too salty and tasted like any other spice was barely even dusted on? Ummm, it has more TVs than Best Buy?
(2)John O.
This place continues to disappoint. All I wanted was to call in a brisket sandwich order "to go" as I headed home from my last work stop of the night, (at around 6:30PM). As has happened to me EVERY other time I have been there, they were OUT of brisket. Think about that.....at 6:30 PM this barbecue restaurant is OUT of one of the main, critical, primary menu items 7 HOURS before closing! Every time I have been to this restaurant, they have been out of brisket. In addition, the staff are extremely rude when attempting to address the issue. That's it, I won't be back. They have used up all their chances and all my good will.
(1)Gary K.
I remember Smokey Bones as better. The pulled pork BBQ was dry The wait staff was very busy for a Saturday afternoon.
(3)Sandra W.
We went for dinner on June 3, 2015 at about 6pm. The restaurant was not busy and there was no wait. I usually love the Ribeye Steak with the steak butter. It used to be one of my favorite meals at Smokey Bones. Something happened, and it is not good. The steak is one of the worst steaks I have ever tasted. It had a weird texture, that is not what one would expect in a good ribeye steak. It was almost as though it had been over seasoned, over processed or marinated.... similar to the steaks that Ponderosa Steak Houses used to sell.Terrible in fact... and not what I would expect from a $20 steak. The so-called steak butter was over salty and tasteless. They used to have a much better steak butter. What happened to those great steaks? I have just figured out the problem with the ribeye steak. I did bring what I did not eat home to give to the dogs. Instead, I heated it up and tried the steak again to determine why it was not good. The problem is that it is very very salty as well as having an strange texture. It is almost as though the meat was put in a brine prior to being cooked. Anyway... still not good. Terrible in fact. My husband and mom had the ribs, which were good. Service was okay.
(2)Jaime C.
Meh...... :/ I really was in the mood for some BBQ I found this restaurant n yelp, but honestly this place disappointed me. I ordered the St. Louis Style ribs and they were dry and not very flavorful, my gf had smoked wings she said they were ok. The service was good and I liked their beer selection. They have lots of tvs and they will happily change channels upon request. I hate to give bad reviews..... :/
(2)Travis W.
I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, cold beverages, and the four varieties of BBQ sauce. Service is normally pretty good, but tonight's female bartender could not have cared less about guests.
(4)Beth P.
I may be spoiled coming from Madison, but this was only average BBQ. It was also freezing in the restaurant (which they corrected once multiple people complained). Service was good...I will give them that, but I wouldn't make a point of going back unless it was just for dessert to get the massive chocolate cake.
(2)Julie S.
We were looking for a place to eat,settled on ihop..When we pulled into the parkin lot and got out of car thats when we smelled and then seen smokey bones. We then decided why not? Lets go check it out it is the last day of our month long vacation. Lets end it alittle better than ihop...( not saying ihop isint fine but 2 totally dif places). We got sat right away which was nice.. Never been thr before and the server amber and her trainee really took thr time to explain things. Decided on the cornbread skillet with pecan butter for appetizer. .wow was that amazing. So moist and gooey u almost forgot it was the beggining of the meal and not the end. Then came the 2- 3 meat combo plates 1/3 slab ribs, pulled pork, chicken and only dif on 2nd plate was brisket..wow everything was so delish and spot on we dnt have on negitive thing to say..Next time were passing threw Springfield we will definitely stop in...or who knows we may just take a 4 hour trip from chgo to Springfield when we have a taste for some good bbq...
(5)Kirk M.
Our picky family of four all found something to order and were all very pleased with the flavors, food temperature, speed, cleanliness and the attention from the servers. We liked that the manager stopped by. The desert donuts were a nice ending. Overall we felt this was a good value and we look forward to returning.
(4)Jared G.
Mmmm. I went in after a long day on a business trip and I can say I'm impressed. I had the Rib Combo with the BBQ wings. The ribs were on the average side but the smoky wings were spectacular! I highly recommend. The kettle fries were very thick and very crispy on the outside. The fire stix aren't very spicy if you're a spicy lover, but my opinion is slightly skewed in this respect. They have a full bar and they have a very good selection of in tap beers. Give Smokey Bones a go, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Kris M.
Fast friendly service.. Food has always been great at a decent price and you can usually find coupons and now they have a frequent dinner club. This is one of out favorite places to eat out.
(5)Wadcutter ..
Subpar for bbq. Had ribs. Dried out. Seriously, they were like jerky. Sent back & the same returned but with just more sauce. Put as much sauce as you want but dried out overcooked is still dried out overcooked. The ribs might have returned but we won't. Better places around town.
(1)Cynthia K.
It's 11:11 and the place is still serving a full menu!! Good food this time of night is worth the stop in, called ahead for a carry out. Bar keep was right on track with my food, making sure all the fixings were right. Plastic wear, napkins, and extra sauce...yep all there!! Nice thank guy!
(5)Mark T.
This has got to be one of my favorite places to eat. The food is good and we usually do not have to wait long to be seated or get our food. I hear they have great BBQ, but I just eat my same smokehouse chicken sandwich which is awesome. My wife says I'm boring eating the same thing, but eh, whatever. I love being a member of the bones club and earning my free $20. Also get great coupons in the mail and email. The bar is great and they usually have some pretty good drink specials. I like the little bonism's they have around the restaurant also. The one in the men's bathroom is great.
(4)Kurt K.
Worst St Louis style ribs ever. Fat laden over cooked hard to eat. Wait staff was not at all attentive. Seemed like I did not exist. Cardinals game was on at the bar and the beer was cold
(1)Amy H.
We went here when we were looking for a random place to eat. There was a large crowd out of the restaurant. There was a 30 minute wait; however, we saw a lot of empty tables so we didn't know how they were dealing with that. When we were seated, the waiter was friendly but somewhat slow. Granted, it was dinner time so he was busy but the least we could have right away is water. We ordered out food and then there was more waiting. My dad is diabetic so he wasn't feeling very well. While we were waiting, he was experiencing low blood sugar. I asked for the sides to come out first and thy were alright. I thought it was too greasy. Then minutes later my food came out-hickory smoked salmon salad. It was good but drowned in cheese. Also, there was a large portion of fish, which was very flavorful coming from the smoker. I liked the food overall, but I felt really heavy even though it was just fish.
(3)Jeff L.
Pulled Pork Sammy and Potato soup- YUM! Friendly wait staff. Unique atmosphere. Five or six TVs above the bar for sports.
(5)Ray S.
Love their smokey wings! It is a great place for late night. You can decide which bbq sauce is your favorite here. Plus the bones club is a great add on if you plan to be here as a regular!
(4)Chimere D.
The absolute worst bbq I've ever had. Ordered the baby ribs and fried chicken combo with a side order of dirty rice and cinnamon apples. Ribs were tough, the fried chicken was tasteless and it seems like the coating had cornmeal added to it, the dirty rice if that's what they want to call it looked more the chicken fried rice, it was light in color, with pieces of chicken, carrots and peas. There was no hamburger pieces and the rice didn't look dirty. The only plus is the food came out fast, but now I know why. Will never return
(1)Karen C.
Here for a getaway. So looking forward to a great steak and a good dirty martini. The first mistake was the dirty martini. Tasted like straight vodka with three olives thrown in for good measure. Then I order the top sirloin. Paper thin and over salted. Please! I know you are a chain but bring your A game! I got charged $23 for the steak and $8 for the Martini. I felt better when I got mugged on the highway. Will never go again!
(1)Marina V.
Nice, kid-friendly place with great bbq. Actually, REALLY GREAT baby back ribs!!!!! Really really awesome!! The rest of the food is good, but not near as great as their ribs (hence 4 stars and not 5)!! Other food we tried (had a group of people): mixed greens salad with salmon, pulled pork sandwiches and nachos. Service was fast and parking easy!
(4)Andrew C.
I have been coming back to my home town for about 27 years. I have seen this place. The parking lot is always full. I stopped in today while in town and what a pleasant surprise. The service was great and the baby back ribs were even better. The meat melted off the bones. The sauce was perfect. I will definitely come back again.
(4)Ray T.
We're on vacation and it was getting near dinner time. We couldn't make up out minds about ordering pizza for delivery or going out for pizza or going out for fish or you-name-it. We stumbled on this restaurant searching for local eateries, looked at their website, decided it had something that the two of would be happy with. My wife ordered the St. Louis ribs 1/3 rack with onion rings. I ordered the BYOB 1/2 lb. Angus Beef with onion rings. Let's say that the rings were very good. My wife's ribs, not the ones under her skin, but on her plate, were meaty and tasty. I built my burger the way I wanted it. It was great. Washed down with Sam Adams made for a good meal. The one thing we noticed is that the service was a bit slow. Yet, the place was busy, the servers were very attentive to their customers and took the time answer questions. If they weren't busy, it would be an issue, but that wasn't the case. Friendly and attentive service, even if a bit slow, is not a problem. We would come back.,
(4)Abby V.
We were visiting Springfield Il and decided to go there for dinner. I guess it was around 730pm. The wait was about 15 minutes' not bad. Our server was very nice. I ordered double trouble, flavor and sauce was Delish BUT the ribs were a bit hard on outside. Not a melt in your mouth deal like I've had before. The fries were average. Lemonade is the best. Mac and cheese was very good. Garlic bread was exceptional. I would go again. Family friendly environment. I gave them 3 stars because the ribs were hard on outside.
(3)Vince H.
Went with a group of 9 for my wife's birthday it was a fairly good experience the food came out fairly quickly and had decent flavor but if you are going to have any chicken pasta dish be careful, one of our group had a very sharp piece of bone in his and it pierced the roof of his mouth and there was a very large piece of gristle in it also. I can give one positive and that was our waitress Amber she was very professional and was the bright spot of the whole experience. So in closing I can say it was an OK experience but watch the chicken pasta dishes.
(3)Elizabeth V.
Used to go here all the time in my hometown, servings are still very generous and very satisfying. Serving was good up to a point but then waited 15 minutes for our waitress to cash us out. Cornbread appetizer was one of the highlights, and all entrees will leave you stuffed. 4 out of 5 stars only for the spotty service at the end of our meal.
(4)Fritz G.
Not bad for a chain. It was a cool night so a seat near the fireplace was welcome. I had pork tenderloin and it was good. Slightly fatty, though, but pretty good nevertheless.
(3)Tricia W.
Great food- that is it! Service was bad....All of the servers congregated around kitchen window and were never on the floor. At one point several of them were doing jello shots. When they did have to deliver food they dragged their feet never smiled and every drink we ordered was wrong.
(2)Amanda H.
One of me and my husbands favorites, our first date location and try to visit yearly. We are never disappointed and recommend eating here!
(5)David Z.
Right across from the motel, it was a convenient place for supper. My wife had a brisket sandwich and pronounced it good. I had what turned out to be a kind of Philadelphia Cheese Steak ala Brisket, and it was just so-so. I wouldn't choose it again. However, the ambiance was welcoming, the server was helpful and the convenience of the location for us was good. All in all, a win, but not a winner!
(3)Joe N.
I really enjoy this place. It is not bad bbq, it is just a chain restaurant. I like the fact that my hotel is across the street, so I can walk there. If you are looking for bbq and are in the area you should try it. Worth stopping.
(4)K S.
Get the two meat platter. Rib and chicken. Memphis dry rub on the ribs. Sides of baked beans and chips. More flavor than a bandana but not as much ribs as a famous daves.fast service just off the interstate
(4)Joe H.
We visited Smokey Bones on 3/09/2013 for my Father in laws birthday. It is located next to a number of hotels right off route 55. They draw quite a few people from these hotels. We managed to get into the restaurant just before the big dinner rush. We had six adults and two small children. We were crammed into a booth, there appeared to be no other seating options other than these large booths. Not a very smart idea, when you attempt to eat and you can barely move your arms. The children end up sitting at the end of the table in high chairs in the aisle way. The wait time for the food was over 35 minutes. I had ordered a BBQ sampler platter. BBQ is slow cooked all day and should not take long to serve, the restaurant was busy but the management of it was poor. When we did get the food, the waitress could not stress enough how hot the plates were, and they were scalding hot. The food however was cold! I had never seen this before in a restaurant, red hot plates with cold food that took over 35 minutes to serve. It would have been nice to have hot food on cold plates, they will have to figure that out. I had BBQ Chicken, Brisket, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, with Fire Brazed Corn. This was $15 and the portions were so small! The Chicken was average and the Brisket was tough as leather. My Wife ordered a Medium Rare Steak that was served cold on a red hot plate. My Mother in law had the Cuban Sandwich and said it was awful. The Manager roamed around the restaurant but did not seem to interact with the customers. He had a big happy smile for my son but didn't bother asking us how are food was. I felt sorry for my Father in law since it was his Birthday that he had to have such a poor meal. We were staying at a nearby hotel and I awoke at 2 am with stomach pains, an acute case of food poisoning to top it all off. I enjoy a good BBQ joint, Smokey Bones is not one of them. I have had much better food at Famous Daves
(1)Brian S.
My wife, 2yr old and I stopped here while traveling on 55. Everyone was as nice as can be and and very accommodating. My wife had the salmon and thought it was good. I ordered the bbq beef... and was disappointed. It was fatty and just didn't taste very good.
(3)Pete E.
this is the applebees of bbq. this is not a compliment. its a sub par chain not a bbq joint. the staff are friendly and it seems clean but if you're serious about bbq don't bother.
(1)Sinh M.
One of the best bar-be-que places in Springfield. Everything here is good from appetizers to drinks. The one side I always get is the kettle chips, unlike normal kettle chips they actually bread theirs and it just makes it 10 times more delicious.
(5)Asia B.
Ordered ribs and they were okay. The wings would have to be the best thing they offer, as well as their baked mac and cheese. My server was very friendly and checked on me frequently
(4)Kevin M.
I miss the days when Smokey Bones had 3 Chicago-area locations, as I went there often. Now I stop when I'm in the Springfield area. Great food, and the best Brunswick Stew anywhere. On a recent visit, I had the stew, pulled pork, beans, and caramel apple cheesecake for dessert. All delicious, and the service was friendly and fast. Years ago, they made the most amazing mozzarella cheese sticks with a smoky flavor that was one of a kind. Sad to see it gone off the menu. Still, I'm always looking for an excuse to head down their way.
(5)Beverly D.
Worst baby back ribs ever! Dry and over cooked. My wife were looking for some GOOD ribs, what a disappointment. On a busy Friday night? Service was slow and lacking. I asked for sweet tea and got regular tea. Plus only one refill on my drink. On a positive note, the sides were great. I had the baked beans and Mac and cheese. The last few times I have ordered ribs they have been overcooked. They even gave me a half slab prior to leaving. That half slab was over cooked too. Next time I will get a burger!
(1)Robert G.
I never used to be a huge fan of this place. It was just ok BBQ to me. Well the last two times i've been here now it has been fantastic. I had pulled pork and beef brisket Both of them were delicious. My group of five loved it. The waiter was friendly and the owner or manager came by to make sure everything was ok but he didn't linger like they sometimes do. All in all a good dining experience and I'll be back for sure.
(4)Greg G.
Good st louis style ribs. sat at the bad, good service. nothing really outstanding about the place.
(3)Chris M.
This is a decent chain type BBQ place. Decent selection and reasonably priced. Really tough to try and mimic classic KC, St. Louis, Memphis BBQ but they give it a good try. Nothing like the experience of KC BBQ in KC or Memphis BBQ in Memphis but if you are in the mood for Q, Smokey Bones is pretty good.
(3)David W.
+ nice selection of BBQ sauces + extra BBQ sauces available on tables + interesting appetizers + spacious seating - don't have grilled chicken strips option
(4)Isabelle L.
Well as Springfield is looking more and more like a rundown town, the chain restaurants on Dirksen parkway are fast becoming your best bet for a solid meal in a decent environment and Smokey bones fits the bill. Nice welcoming wood interior with a fireplace and a bar in the middle with a few TVs with games on make the environment relaxing. The service is not the most efficient: slow at getting orders, not necessarily checking on you but it's adequate. The food is not out if this world but the BBQ items such as pulled pork and the sides are solid. A few regulars are hanging out at the bars and families are occupying the booths and enjoying their meals.
(3)Shane W.
First time to this chain and I found it pretty good, considering I'm anti-chain restaurants. The BBQ was great-- my wife and I shared the pulled pork and the smoked wings. I'm a big wing fan, and these were amazing. I thought I was going to be disappointed since they were not "hot" wings, but I could tell they were slow-cooked and they were nothing short of mouth-watering. They provide a trio of sauces at the table so we were able to experiment with different sauces on the same dish. Cornbread as a side was great as well. If you are in the mood for good BBQ, this place will not disappoint.
(4)Adele S.
I really wanted to go to Clay's Popeye's BBQ but as the GPS led us closer and closer, we noticed the looming decay, the police cars, the broken windows. With two laptops and all our luggage in the car, we opted for the safer but ucky chain. The food looked and smelled great but the sauce left a lot to be desired...too much chile powder. If I want chile powder, I'll eat a bowl of chili. There was also a mustard sauce which was ok, but not what I wanted, which was a smokey, sweet KC style sauce. Ribs and chicken were slightly chewy and dried out. The baked beans were hard. Tasty. Very tasty, but hard little turds. I want my beans tender, almost mushy, not crunchy. My mother-in-law's soup never came, nor did her pink lemonade. I hope she wasn't charged for it. I wish we had stopped at Steak n' Shake instead and just gotten our food to go.
(2)Bethany S.
Good barbeque. They've transitioned to different management over the years that they've been in Springfield. However, the pulled pork is tender and really good. Tends to be rather busy during peak hours. Lots of TVs to watch the games, though they've put up some new signage that blocks some of the views. We also love their appetizers, but wish they'd bring back the BBQ chicken nachos! This is close to the Crowne Plaza and other large hotels.
(4)Chris D.
Disappointing. I was expecting a BBQ restaurant and what I experienced is a "BBQ-themed" concept restaurant with a menu that more closely resembles TGI Fridays. Service was spotty. Food was average, at best. My BBQ ribs were overcooked, dry and very tough.
(2)Jay A.
Had a great pulled pork for lunch. Good BBQ
(4)Lonnie R.
Not bad at all. I got a large to go order to take home for a get together at my mom and dad's place for about 10 people. Good service and pretty good barbecue. Sides were nice also, cole slaw, beans, spiced apples, and corn bread.
(3)Billy M.
Not many places to choose from in the town of Springfield, but if you had to make a choice its gotta be Smokey Bones! I had the grilled chicken w/ grilled smoke corn, & the loaded potato. Excellent BBQ sauces to choose from.
(5)Patrick W.
I've been here twice on business dinners and each time have had a much better time than, apparently, the other reviewers. That's a shame, maybe they've changed managers since then, who knows? On the most recent visit, we had a group of 8, which was a little difficult for the place to accommodate given it's mostly booths that seat 4-6 people. We actually got two of these adjoining booths and they have removable dividers to make it possible to communicate. The food is good; I really enjoyed the St. Louis rib combo, which lets you get one other meat (I ran with the brisket) to go along with about 4-5 bones of St. Louis ribs. You get to choose two of their sides, which are pretty good as well, and a choice of how you want your ribs sauced. Usually a fan of variety, both times I went with the memphis dry rub, which is excellent. The brisket is highly flavorful and moist, but the fact that it's thinly sliced makes it seem more like roast beef than brisket. Whatever, it's good.
(4)Gary J.
Took a little while to get the meal, but once served we weren't disappointed. This was our first time at Smokey Bones. Will likely return.
(3)T M.
I hadn't been to Smokey Bones in quite some time, and although I thought it was okay before, I was pleasantly surprised by the changes they made since my last visit. Besides their updated logo, they improved the atmosphere as well as the menu. The bar is now sectioned off from the dining area and there are no more speakers for the TV at each table, so you feel like you are in a real restaurant and not a bar that also happens to serve food. Also, the selection of food has greatly improved - it actually took me some time to figure out what I wanted to order, where before it was just a matter of deciding between a burger and chicken strips. I ended up getting a salad and loaded baked potato, and enjoyed both. HUGE bonus: The dining area as well as the bathroom was clean, and that is (sadly) hard to come by in most of the restaurants in this area that are right off the highway!
(4)Brooke R.
I have been to the Smokey Bones in Fairview Heights a bunch of times. I always like it there. When I visited the Springfield one I was incredibly dissappointed. We came in late...like 9 pm on a friday night. it wasn't all that busy but they had a HUGE party of teenagers that they sat us right next to. Thanks. Our service was wretched. Our food was cold. The only reason we went here was because I knew that we could watch the Cubs game. BUT everything else was so distracting I would have rather just went home and made a grilled cheese.
(2)