My co-workers and I frequent Smokey Bones for lunch on occassion, as the prices are good, the service is typically good and the food comes fast. I don't think I've ever had a dish here that I didn't like to some degree, from the pulled pork, the wings, fish &chips, burgers...I've enjoyed them all. Like most people are saying, the service is typically pretty fast, even when the parking lot is entirely full. Went here last night with a few friends and after circling the parking lot a few times, finally bagged someone leaving and snuck in. We only waited 15-20 minutes for a table which I found astounding considering how busy it actually was. Perhaps we got lucky and there was a roatation of people leaving, but either way we were seated quickly. The beer selection is decent, but more than anything, I was happy to see an IPA on tap that WASN'T Harpoon. I'm tired of the IPA standby at every bar being Harpoon as this tastes more like a moderately hopped ale made so that the mass beer drinkers can say "they like IPA" than a true IPA. The IPA they did have on tap was brewed by Mayflower, a MA craftbrewery which has been coming into its own recently and finding its way into more establishments. This is the first time I've had the Mayflower IPA on tap and have to say it was well balanced, hopped appropriately and VERY drinkable. The only reason I won't give Smokey Bones more stars is because it's not the first of my choices when it comes to going out, but it is an old stand-by that you really can't go wrong with. The TV's can get distracting after awhile...at least for me and my typical lack of an ability to pay attention to anything for any length of time.
(3)
Tricia B.
This is a guilty pleasure for my family. We eat here at least 2 times a month. Sometimes we are here once a week. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. We don't like the ribs, but the brisket and pulled pork is something that brings us coming back. My favorite is the baked potato stuffed with brisket and cheese served with either a Caesar or house salad. I just got the "Cuban" sandwich this week and that may be my new fav with sweet potato fries. My kids put down dinner quickly to get to the chocolate cake! Monday's kids eat free and if you get your order in before 6pm appetizers are half price. After eating the good sized nachos and buff-a-que wings my husband and i will often share a dinner and they are always okay with that. (Fish and Chips are just the right size to share) Even with a few beers dinner with take home for 2 adults and 2 kids will be under $50 Wait-staff are so nice, even when we get a trainee they are fantastic. Food always comes out at just the right time. The one down side to eating here is the amount of water you have to consume after. The food is very heavily salted. Read the sodium levels online and you will gasp. After eating the ribs you may become mummified. Half priced appetizers and free kids meal are no longer... it lasted for a very long time. We miss it. Please please bring it back.
(4)
David B.
I stopped in for a quick bite to eat during the lunch hour and sat at the large bar. The bar has about ten TV's surrounding both sides of the bar with every TV playing a different station which I found kind of numbing after ten minutes or so. I ordered a plate with pulled pork, beef brisket which came with fries. The order came pretty fast considering they had a pretty large lunch crowd this day. My opinion with the dish was that it was fine for a quick lunch but not top notch BBQ by any standard. The pulled pork just did not taste that great. Maybe it was the seasoning but the texture of the meat was fine. If I return there it will not be for the beef brisket that's for sure. Disappointing favor and texture. They had a noticeable over processed favor about them. I tried adding a few of the BBQ sauces to them it really didn't help. Based on the people in the place they really like the food. I guess it was my dish that came up short.
(2)
Brian D.
Seth D. Has it right, its all about prespective. We liked our wings. They had good flavor and it liked trying all the sauces on them. My burger was excellent, but could have used a better tomato (they are in season now). I loved that the burger came with onion rings on top. Sweet potato fries were great and nice and salty. I enjoyed the pumpkin beer. On the down side the pull pork was sad. They used pepper to over come the lack of smoking. Their lemonade was disappointing. Overall, 4 stars as a chain restaurant, 2 stars as a BBQ restaurant. I will likely go again when next in the area, and love it because my expectations will be, "this is the best Chilli's ever".
(3)
Lily F.
I would agree with a few other reviewers in that this isn't exactly a stellar BBQ joint, but a place for a nice, filling lunch & a cheap beer? Heck ya! Boyfriend and I stopped in on a Monday afternoon and to be honest, I was reluctant...it kind of looks like a corporate man cave (big tvs, faux log cabin look) but once we were seated and spoke with our server I began to relax a little. The menu is HUGE! Like, confusing huge. I saw sandwiches, salads, pulled pork, ribs, burgers, girly drinks, beer and my head was spinning. We knew that wings were in our future and the turkey avocado burger looked good so I went for it and was so glad I did! It goes without saying that turkey burgers can be rather...lifeless if cooked improperly. This one was peppery and actually tasted like meat and not rubber, so that's always a good place to start. It came with a garlicy mayo on the side, I used a teeny bit but not much, it was a bit over the top. My side of broccoli (yes, I'm that girl) was good, a little buttery but delicious none the less. Wings were slightly breaded, and while I prefer a crispy wing these were yum. Hot, crunchy and all white meat. Can't go wrong. After ordering our wings, burgers and beer (16 oz blue moon for like $3, woohoo!) we rolled out the door. I ate half the burger and was STUFFED and usually I am a bottomless pit. Overall a good chain experience, place was clean, staff was friendly, and food was more than palatable. Plus, no one will judge you for ordering a beer with lunch. Even the 22 oz one. Really.
(3)
Kevin W.
The food was great. We had the unlimited wings and bone brew. Everything was enjoyable but the service was terrible. We were slow to be served despite it being pretty empty. The unlimited wings was slow to be served, with additional plates of merely 4 wings.
(3)
Roy P.
Excellent menu, best BBQ in th Boston area !!! Waitress wasn't very talkative, but overall a very good experience, would recommend to anyone.
(4)
Leo R.
Went here last weekend late night. They offer a great ambiance. The staff all seemed pretty good, our waitress wasn't as fun or cool as another one who dared one of my friends to drink a half empty beer. We'll he did and she called him gross but she bet him a dollar he wouldn't. This was the first time I have seen someone get money from a waitress.
(3)
Jonathan P.
It is what it is. Smokey bones has dozens of TVs up. Want to watch the Red Sox instead of the Celtics? No problem, each booth has its own volume and channel control. You can choose which game to listen to. My friends watched every game of the 2008 celtics playoffs here. They have ultra classy buckets of beer. Ice + 6 bottles of domestic beer for $10. We'd usually get a few of those and appetizers. After a certain time (10 ?) they start selling appetizers for half price. Score!
(4)
B R.
awesome. Way better than Texas roadhouse for BBQ. I like the roadhouse for steak and such but for BBQ variety that is a cut above as a chain place, this place rocks. I wish some of the local small chains like Firefly's and Tennessee's had their quality and taste at this level.
(4)
Vanessa P.
I have been here about five times and it is one of DH and I's favorite place when visiting the mall. The food is good, about what to expect from a chain, and the service has always been good.
(4)
Tarkesh M.
Nice place and good quality food
(5)
Gina K.
Went here for a meeting and ate a couple of appetizers. We went on a Thursday night and after 8, ladies get a free appetizer. Although, only ONE per table. We got the Chicken Nachos that were good sized and tasty. We also got a side of french fries for just $1.99 - very small order, but very delicious hand-cut and crispy. I would go back just for those! Drinks were okay and service was excellent. Would like to try their BBQ, but that will have to be for another night :)
(3)
Paul M.
raw chicken enf said
(1)
James M.
One of my favorite restaurants, service is great just as well as the food. Full rack of ribs is what I usually get.
(5)
Christine R.
Very friendly service. Food is served quick. I like the options for kids too.
(5)
J. Scott P.
They have managed to make even simple BBQ a hazy state of mediocre. My partner and I stopped in after shopping in the area. The smell from outside was phenominal. The food...not so much. I had a chicken pecan salad which presented nicely. It was saturated in dresing that was so super sweet it was like they covered lettuce with brown sygar syrup. I sent that back and had it redone without dressing. By the time they had brought it out my dining partner was finished with his meal completely. His meal? A substabdard burger and cold fries. Our waitress was no great shakes either. She was wearing a pin that was a chicken with 2008 done in the repub/demo colors like the elephant and donkey. Clearly it was meant to be something of significance. The only response we got when inquiring was, "I dunno - I hafta wear it". Try Olive Garden up the road. You'll thank me.
(1)
Josh H.
This follows many of the other reviews. The food isn't the best BBQ i have had but for New England it is very good. I would rate the food 4/5. the service, on the other hand, is terrible. I used to come here once every few months but my last experience will be just that, my last. walked in at about 2 on a weekday with my mother. place was fairly empty and we were seated immediately. Took 15 minutes before a waitress came over and took drinks and gave us menus. Took another 20 minutes to get those drinks and the order food. I ordered a beer and it was flat so i had them get me another...flat again. Maybe beer isn't their thing, i don't know. Either way, third time is a charm. So now we are there an hour and finally get our meals. I am not asking for much but an hour when it is very slow is outrageous. Manager said they would take care of it whatever that meant since nothing was comped. Will not return due to the poor staff and management.
(2)
Jeff F.
Unfortunately, this is the only place in Nashua that serves "real" BBQ. Unfortunately, it is bog-standard, offend nobody food. Unfortunately, the only BBQ sauce they have is sweet. Too sweet. Unfortunately, the other food is so-so. Unfortunately, the baked BBQ beans have so much of their sweet sauce that 3 bites is too much. Unfortunately, the desserts offered are typical chain fare. Smokey Bones is unfortunate. They do one thing right, given that it's a chain place. The meat is good, and cooked well - it won't knock your socks off, but it's perfectly acceptable. Unfortunately, everything else is "meh". I come here on occasion (every couple years or so) because I can't always drive 45 minutes to get some pulled pork, but my expectations are modest, and I can come away satiated, if not overly satisfied should the need of visiting Smokey Bones arrive. Maybe if I took some homemade sauce, people wouldn't look at me like I had six heads? I think I may have to try that some time!
(2)
Kelley T.
I was pretty underwhelmed tonight. First of all, I hate restaurants that have tv screens everywhere because I find it really distracting. If I wanted to eat dinner and watch tv I'd just do it at home. Secondly, there's something weird about the way they present their food. I got the Cuban sandwich and it came with one side so I got baked beans. The plate they served it on was a big white plate, and the sandwich was on one half and the beans came in a little white cup. The plate just looked so empty, and made me feel weird. Maybe if they put some paper underneath it or a lettuce leaf somewhere it would have looked nicer, I was just really not impressed. Also those baked beans were way too sweet. That being said, the cuban sandwich wasn't that bad, they use pulled pork which is a nice variation.
(3)
Jeff P.
Seems sort of strange for me to review this place given that I am diabetic and almost everything on the menu is loaded with sugar. I am not kidding, they even put sugar on their tortilla chips. Who wants to bit into a corn chip and taste sugar? If this was a common desire, then you would see folks eating their baskets of complimentary tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants with cans of frosting not fresh salsa. Back to Smokey Bones, the food that I have had there was okay, nothing great, but then it wasn't inedible either. As mentioned, their menu was very restricted for me due to the fact everything has sugar in it. But this isn't a barbeque restaurant by any stretch of the imagination! The big draw for me is the fact they have a satellite dish and the NFL Sunday Ticket. They show 6 or 7 different games on TVs scattered around the place. Each table has their own little speaker so you can listen to the sound for whichever channel you like. Me being a fan of a football team not in this area, this was a big draw for me. The wait staff was hit or miss. Could be that I was taking up a table for a long time, and what wait staff likes that, but I made it clear that's what I was going to do and I did tip well. (The tip was at the end of the service, so that shouldn't help unless I get the same waitron the next time I am there.)
(2)
anne marie z.
We have always enjoyed Smokey Bones.. We go there often as it is children's favorite place.. Well we went ther last night. Found they started offering new sauces which are fantastic, BUT I guess they have been purchased by someone and now they are shooting for a "Hooters" theme... :( As the mother of 4 children and 2 of them being girls at very impressionable age (13,12) I was very disappointed to see some of the waitress walking around with their belly rings hanging out, Boobs half exposed, leaning over tables with bare skin exposed.. I addressed it with my waitress who was not happy with the changes but she informed us they are encouraged to "EXPRESS" themselves.. I also commented to the manager on duty who was a young guy and probably into that kind of thing so not sure it will go to far. But I have to say sadly we will not be able to go there anymore..
(3)
Andy A.
So this place might be good to grab a beer but other than that I just don't know. We sat down and the place was chill however the waitress must of been in a bad mood. The menu looked great everything just looked delicious. We ordered a couple of apps and the Double play. Apps not so bad now when my ribs came out I was disappointed. The Mac and cheese was horrible. Cheese tasted like it was squeezed out a bottle. Lets just say our experience here was not the best. But now I know.
(2)
HungryInHudson S.
I had a great time last night at Smoke Bones! This place has great upbeat feel on a Saturday night! I also had a excellent burger. I was very impressed. I enjoyed the burger with the fried egg on top. A must if you love burgers!!!
(4)
John H.
Wings are the best I have had, cornbread w/maple butter is awsum. Great prices and all the refills you want.
(5)
Lnc T.
We went out here for dinner one night and had a pretty good experience. My boyfriend ordered the create your own combo plate [he got three different kind of wings and two sides] and I got the smokehouse burger w/ fries. My burger was so big, I took half of it home [just so my bf can devour it later of course!] To be honest, this place needs diversity. All in all good experience, nothing to die for though.
(3)
BIANCA S.
I like their ribs, steak, caesar salad and most of their food, Prices could be better. My only complaint is that they need to turn down the rock music. It's not just a bar, I've gone there at 5 pm with my elderly father and many of the other people in the restaurant are over 50 at this time. Save the loud loud music till 8 pm, when its mainly a younger crowd. The music is a little too much rock for older folks also, in this economy they could use more patrons during early evening, the place was about 20% full.
(3)
Marko M.
Babyback ribs tend to be dry and a bit tough. I like the St. Louis style larger ribs that are moist. Still could be better but a decent choice than buying from the supermarket in plastic wrap. Help is good and choice of beers is great. Can seat a lot of folks and many tv's to catch sports on. A decent evening out for chicken and ribs
(3)
Edgar T.
The foods gone down hill since when it first opened. Yes the menu is limited but not one bad meal have we ever had.
(2)
Mike L.
It's nice to have a BBQ restaurant nearby. I love the food here, and the price is just right. I have been here a couple times, and I really enjoy the BBQ here lunch or dinner. Have some really nice BBQ with cold beer will make you a perfect night out!!!
(4)
A T.
Looks like new management. Food quality incl chicken wings way down.
(3)
Damon L.
It wasn't really memorable. The menu items were expensive. I got some steak salad. The steak was good, but the salad had way too much dressing. I think it was around $13 - $14 which is always too much to pay for salad. Some of the reviews said the smokey wings were good, which is true. They were surprisingly good. Overall, it was just an okay experience. I could have just gone to Outback Steakhouse or something and had the same experience.
(3)
Alan M.
First off, I wish I could give them three and a half stars. This place is pretty okay. If you come here expecting amazing BBQ, then you're going to be disappointed. All of you people complaining about the BBQ here have to remember, this is a chain restaurant. Obviously this place isn't going to compare to a family owned BBQ joint. I haven't tried everything on the menu, but from what I've had, it was pretty decent. The portion sizes are really good for the price of the food. I normally come here on Monday nights for the $10.99 all you can eat wings. The wings are huge! The only thing I can complain about it is, they give you 8 wings to start and then only 4 wings for every round after. The waiters take way to long before taking your order for the next round. All in all, this place is decent. I definitely keep coming back, try the smoked wings, those are the real winners.
(3)
Denis D.
Been to this place many times. One of my dad's favorite restaurant when he comes visiting. Very good BBQ: beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken. Good sides, good sauces. Nice decor. Service is usually good. Can't remember a bad experience there. Beware of their tricked pitchers of beer... a significantly portion of the pitcher (the size of a Styrofoam cup) is used by a white thingy supposedly there to keep the beer cold.... yeah...right... like we'd let it go warm... Use a regular good old honest clear glass pitcher full of BEER! Would I recommend this place? Yes. Good food, good price, good service. Will I go back? Yes
(4)
Matt C.
Our favorite bbq place in the area. We even signed up for their customer loalty program, I love how you can just swipe your credit card on then device at your table to pay your bill
(5)
Sam M.
Modern vibe on a smokehouse, I can dig it. Expect chain restaurant food when you come here, though. They have some pretty decent deals on some menu items. I come here on mondays sometimes for the all you can eat wings which is probably their best offer. The wings are very big and meaty, but they serve you in small portions at a time to fill you up faster so they make more money. 8 wings and fries to start off then only four wings at a time. I'm a man, dammit. Give me more. It would help if the service was a bit faster, too so I'm not waiting around after eating just four wings. The sauces are pretty good and they have a good selection. When you get the dry rub wings you have the option to get them smoked... those are probably the best they have to offer, theyre delicious. I'll be back more, but when I want some real down south barbeque, i'll be somewhere else.
(3)
Ralph G.
Fantastic service and food was fast hot and flawless great job smokey bones. Overall amazing experience. Strongly suggest this place.
(5)
Molly M.
**Good food, good service** Monday night wing night is definitely worth the price. Never really been a big fan of wings, but this place definitely knows what they're doing. Service is always good, food's consistent. Recommend it to anyone looking for a quick beer and meal at a decent price.
(4)
Ray R.
Food was ok,but took way too long to be delivered. Waitress did apologize for long delay in getting food explaining that kitchen gets backed up. What seems to be a trend in this type of restaurant was that the music was way too loud. Manager explained she only put it on what corporate directed her to put it on. She explained that corporate wants the music loud for privacy so one table can't hear what the other is saying. Ok, I have now heard what I believe,is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. Some marketing genius saw an 18 year old in their car with the music blaring and surmised that loud music would attract kids. I suspect this volume could injure the ears of the very young. Ridiculous. They also place a tablet on the table and if you use it to play a game while waiting 30 minutes for your food they charge you $2 adding insult to injury. They do their best to make it difficult to like what could be a good family restaurant. Down with all the marketing geniuses.
(3)
Alexandra B.
I love the appetizers. My favorite meal is the nachos. I often work late and it's cool I can get food so late here. The atmosphere is young but not overly immature or rowdy. I like coming here on a Friday night for an hour or so. I'm kind of surprised by all of the bad reviews here. My experience has always been a good one. If you're expecting authentic Texan barbecue then yes, you'll be disappointed. But it's great for what it is!
(4)
Louis-Charles C.
First time here. Service was reall great and the kiosk at the table so you can pay quickly was a plus. My daughter and split a steak and a burger. Both were cooked a tad more than the medium I requested but that's usually expected at most restaurants. Fries were good and there was now wait at 6p due to the place being HUGE
(4)
Lee A.
I hadn't been here in at least a couple of years--because (as I now remember) they were very slow. Well, tonight my brain failed me and I proposed take-out from this place. I arrived 30 minutes after I ordered, which is when they said pick up would be ready. Then I stood there waiting for another 30 minutes, no exaggeration. They didn't say a word; when I went up after 25 minutes to ask for my money back, the guy just said they're waiting on one thing and it'd be a couple of minutes. No apology, no explanation, just matter of fact as if I'm being a pain by standing there in silence. In the end they got it done and gave me a discount but, y'know. They all seemed so cranky too, except the hostesses. Anyway, I made it home. The food was ok. I got a turkey burger, which was edible but extremely salty. My wife got pretzel bones, which she enjoyed but the queso dip had a skein on top from their microwave. It's over now. And hopefully having written this review will finally remind me not to go back.
(1)
Jennifer B.
Horrible...and on Valentine's day too. Got the smoked salmon...it was a hockey puck..so dry and tough. Asked for grilled.. took over 25 min and I told them forget it. My husband ate alone. Not pleased. Won't go back.
(1)
Tiffani N.
One star because they have a drink I really like similar to a Moscow Mule and I like the kettle chips. Other than that this establishment is terrible. I have been on a few occasions to meet people there, never my idea, and have had a bad experience every time. I usually have to wait way too long for a waitress and they are always in horrible moods. Food has always taken a very long time and one time I waited 27 minutes to get my check after waiting at least 15 minutes to order a drink then had a disappointing meal. Another time the waitress was incredibly rude to my friends for having questions about the menu. On a different occasion I had a friend get incredibly sick from the food he ate there. I am not a fan. The waitresses clearly don't want tips because they definitely don't act like it. They ruined this place for me.
(1)
Jessie S.
Ordered four entrees tonight for take out. All four were done completely wrong and messed up. This after waiting 15 minutes and going over the order again at pick up. What a waste of time and money. Never again.
(1)
Christina T.
If I could give no stars I would. One night it took over an hour to get a table. After finally walking through the restaurant i saw there were many open tables available. Worst of all the manager didnt seem to care. When I informed the hostess I was disappointed she asked if I wanted to speak to the manager. I said no because he didnt seem that friendly. Not only that but he had the gall to come up to me and say "so I hear you thought I was rude". Well now I do. They should can that jerk!
(1)
Angela C.
HUGE MENU lots of choices! Our sever was great very attentive, she gave us menu recommendations. There is a full bar and TVs to watch your favorite sports team. Try the doughnuts for dessert, save some room so worth it!
(5)
Anthony M.
If you want franchise low quality of meat and your basic "Applebee's experience, then this is what you will get. Mediocre bbq, staff was very friendly but I like my bbq made with passion by people who know bbq.
(2)
Tom O.
Been here twice. Both times were disappointing. Might be an okay chain restaurant but avoid the BBQ it's just horrible. Service the other day was slow and inept.
(1)
Christopher C.
BBQ food is pretty good. Solid sauce choices if you like sauces. Highly recommend you order a bottled beer. Beer on tap isn't cold enough at all.... Very disappointing
(3)
Audrey B.
I drive by this restaurant everyday, the parking lot is always packed. So armed with a $10 off coupon, off my husband & I went. The menu looked great, great descriptions.. will never return. The burgers were definitely a frozen patty, really for $10? The edges were well done, the very middle, pink. The patty was not thick enough to cook juicy. This was dry as it gets...more mayo and ketchup, please! My husband's smoked turkey breast had good flavor, but it was sliced smoked turkey like you get at the supermarket deli, heated. A sandwich, a meal, one beer, with coupon $25. For a great burger go to Suzy's in Hudson, or the Stonehedge - sit at the bar or the 110 Grill in Chelmsford - not much atmosphere nut a delicious juicy burger on a brioche bun, mmmm. DO not go to Smokey Bones. Wish I could have voted for 1/2 star.
(1)
Bob Z.
If you are handycap or disable, they only have 3 table that could accomdate us . The food is great , we waited 45 minutes and walk out when we saw them seat people in only seats that we could only sit at .
(3)
Sarah M.
Smokey bones is fun, the food and service is pretty good and I love how they serve food later than most places around them. The bar In Nashua smells absolutely horrible! I think I've narrowed it down to dirty bar rags used to wipe down the bar and other things.. The last 5/5 times I've been here I've experienced the same horrible sour stench... I always over hear others speaking of the same thing and I hope it changes because this is a fun spot.
(3)
Vacation W.
Ate here 23APRIL2014 and really enjoyed the brisket I ordered. Also tried the corn bread they have for an appetizer. It tasted good, but was somewhat dense and heavy so didn't finish it because would fill you pre-meal. The wait staff was very friendly, helpful, and up beat which to me is as important as the meal itself. They have a full service bar and large screen televisions to take in a game. Also had a DJ last night and not sure if this is nightly. Well worth a try for BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork, etc..
(4)
Curtis S.
Good bar atmosphere with a well spaced and tuned restaurant. Only issue are my over seasoned/overly salted onion rings...had to wash it down with my Yingling beer. That beer however was well balanced and delicious! Asiago Chicken Penne was exactly what I had hoped for. Well balanced and zesty!
(2)
Kristy C.
I'm surprised by the amount of people on here who've complained about the service. I have only been to Smokey Bones twice, but on both occasions .. the service was great. The bar has a pretty good beer selection, which is always a plus for me! The food is yummy, and perfect for when you just want to pig out. Oh my god, mashed potatoes and baked beans. I just can't contain myself.
(4)
Robert G.
Disclaimer: I'm not a target of "bones" and actually do not eat anything which has bones in it, so I'm sort of biased right of the bat. Still, I have given the place a chance. I have been here with a group of friends and have gotten take out thanks to a Christmas gift card. First off, this location is always packed out the door. Doesn't seem to be a moment from when the doors open to close when it isn't jammed packed. And God knows why. First time I was here was a group of 4. I have no clue what I ordered, but thought it was okay. I love BBQ, but not sloppy stuff or anything with bones so the appeal was limited but I know the food was edible. I recall ribs were ordered and those were great according to friends. Service was iffy at best, though our waitress seemed like she was trying her best. It was so busy, every table was filled, and the folks working seemed like they were desperately overworked. I guess this is your typical BBQ? Loud, noisy, super busy, TV's plastered everywhere, everyone grubbing away at wings or ribs with BBQ sauce smeared everywhere? It just isn't my idea of a night out. I would give the Bones' 3 stars, but my takeout experience was truly awful. I ordered ahead and arrived about 15 minutes after ordering and was surprised I still had to wait about another 15 minutes for my order. The place was hustling and bustling, with people running and moving everywhere, I actually got brushed several times while waiting. I had ordered the smothered chicken which was BBQ chicken with bacon and cheese. Got mashed and veggies as a side. Partner ordered some sort of sandwich. Having to wait, I figured we would be getting something hot and fresh and was sorely disappointed. Partners sandwich was cold and while my chicken was hot, it was so smothered in BBQ it was a sloppy mess. The BBQ had poured on to the cold potatoes and cold broccoli and it was quite gross. Thanks to the boss for giving the gift card, because if I had spent hard earned money on this slop, I would have been irate. As a side note, it should be noted that this establishment has come very close several times over the past few years to losing their liquor license and having their hours rolled back. This has involved several fights, including violence against responding police officers. The people who go here for some drinks are the exact type of people I chose to stay well AWAY from!
(2)
Madi T.
Hello! I'm currently a student and I'm writing a paper on having allergies and eating out, and I informed my waitress I was allergic to onions (cause I know onions are in almost everything) and she and (I think manager or chef) and he went through the menu with me and it was great, the waiting was a bit much but it's all good she was nice everyone was nice. If you have an allergy they will walk you through what's okay and what isn't!! I'll be back!!! But I'll get something I want that has onions cause I really don't mind them :)
(4)
Sara B.
This is usually a weekly spot for my husband and I. While the food isn't the best you'll have around, it's a great atmosphere! Always go with a coupon, and it's a fairly inexpensive night out. And be sure to sign up for their free rewards card, eventually you will earn a $20.00 credit on the card!
(4)
Nicole L.
The menus election was large. The portions were large. I had the sliced turkey platter. Yum. The turkey had a nice smoky taste and was juicy. the sauces complemented it well. I liked the hot and BBQ the best. The roasted corn was very good. I had the broccoli as my other side so it was a healthy meal as well. Hubby had the smokey chicken dinner. The chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful. He loved it. Had the chocolate cake for dessert which was well over a meal in itself. How could someone ever finish that. Then it had a side of ice cream to boot. The atmosphere reminded me of a cross between Outback Steakhouse and the 99 restaurant. The waitress was the downside to this place as she was inattentive and slow.
(4)
D C.
Watery lemonade (which they replaced). Lukewarm soup (they got me a bowl to replace the cup of lukewarm I originally received.) Kitchen extremely slow.
(3)
Jason O.
Should spend some money and fix the huge holes in the wall and get sone paint to cover the crap carved in to the walls and stall... smh... hour later sick as a dog won't be returning
(1)
Zachary S.
Update. This place is still terrible but for they've somehow made their service worse.
(1)
Jon B.
My first (and now only time here) was on the night for all you can eat wings. I arrived with my friends at around 10:00pm and after putting in our first order, it literally took no less than 30 minutes for the food to come out. Keep in mind, there were only 4 of us at the table. Nothing too crazy. Aside from not getting any napkins, the wings were disgusting. I wasn't sure if there was anything but fat on what we were eating. Anyway, we finish our first round, but in our second order and again, it takes 20 minutes for the food to come out. When the waitresses bring out the food they're unaware whose food is which and start laughing at the situation. This whole ordeal happens two more times. After the third time you could tell the waitress had given up on trying to impress us as she could sense our overall dissatisfaction and completely stopped trying after that. I could go on but the bottom line is that I will never consider coming back here. Due to the food and especially the service.
(1)
Maria D.
I thought the food here was very good. The waitress was attentive and the food came out fast. I was kind of bummed that the brisket was only available after 4. I love that the sauces were at the table and that there were many different kinds. It was like a game trying to pick which kind I liked. The desserts looked delicious! Next time ill have to order some of them!
(4)
Subs N.
Regardless of a lot of bad reviews, this place is always full on Fri,Sat nights. Definitely not a bad place to hang out, the food is OK but service times sure has gone from bad to worse. But lot of customers just hang out in there for hours, so it is expected for slow response.
(2)
Megan L.
Grabbed a quick Saturday night dinner here--the hubs was in the mood for barbecue. I'm a Texan, a bona fide barbecue snob, so this was risky. Let me say--this is a good place for apps, but we won't be back for dinner. Pretzel rolls with dipping sauces: good (except why is there queso? weird.) Salad: Fresh and huge Brisket dinner: The wheels fell of. Specifically, I got a plate of fat. I think I got 3 edible bites out of 2 slices of brisket. However, service was fast and friendly and everything else was okay. So go for apps but don't bother with the meat.
(3)
Nick K.
Microwaved burger patty! Normally I would go there for drinks which are avg and dj is ok too although he plays old stuff. Today I ordered burger and it felt like eating a veggie burger from Burger King seems like the cook would microwave the patty and dip it in sauce and put it with the bun and serve. Onion rings were not fried properly wouldn't go back.
(2)
Ian W.
I am docking a star since Smokey Bones no longer has those portable tuners/speakers to listen and watch each TV around the restaurant/bar area. I originally gave this place the extra star because I could enjoy my favorite team (not in New England) play and watch and hear the sounds of the game. They still offer NFL Sunday Ticket on the TVs, but no more sound for each individual game The edge is gone! The food here is still standard BBQ and average. No more bar specials during Sunday football either. It's now like going to any other bar with NFL Sunday Ticket. There are plenty of other bars with better food and specials closer to home than this place.
(3)
Benjamin C.
I really enjoyed the brisket that I had at Smokey Bones. It was succulent and flavorful. The Bloody Mary I had was also really delicious. The issue I have is that it seems like the secret ingredient to all the dishes is sugar. This is not a great place for those of us that like to keep low carb. The BBQ sauce had noticeable amounts of the white stuff in it. If you don't mind this, then by all means hit it up! If you live nearly an hour away from this place, it may not be worth the trip if there's similar in your area.
(3)
Astoria L.
I love this restaurant! The smoked wings are to die for and both their desserts and their mixed drinks are wonderful. The service has been a bit mixed for me; one night we had a wonderful waitress and a few days later I was there for lunch and it was very slow and the atmosphere was just pathetic. Fridays and Saturdays are great nights--just get there early before the parking lot fills up!
(5)
Nadia R.
I find this place good. The food is good. If there is a problen they will fix it , Friendly staff !
(3)
Lauriston T.
If you can't cook a hamburger medium rare and get it to the table before going cold then I don't need to expand. Wings were middle of the road and not worth the price. Salad was as boring as could be made and not inexpensive. Place was nothing but total up-sell at all times. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! Save your money.
(1)
Bob W.
Wasn't expecting much but brisket was like rubber, helps if it cut against the grain! Mac and cheese taste like canned cheese sauce. Small portions, poor quality and over priced! I will stick with Redbones in Somerville, ma.
(1)
Kristin I.
We tried this place out because we were craving BBQ food. We ordered a bunch of food to get a taste of everything. My husband had the ribs and they were mediocre. I had the pulled pork which had no flavor at all (you can add your own sauces) but I prefer it to be marinated and slow cooked not just slow cooked. I also had the BBQ chicken which didn't taste too great. On the plus side, the staff is very friendly and inviting. A lot of regulars go here so it was nice to see how the waitresses remember them all. I would give it another try in the future but I wouldn't "crave" this place.
(3)
Israel H.
Been here a couple of times with co-workers. Service has always been friendly and the food was really good. It's a pretty large place so you never have to wait too long for a table.
(4)
Todd M.
Great service!! Best restaurant in town. We had the Baby Back Ribs and they were delicious.
(5)
Marcy K.
The good: 1) We found out there'd be a 40-minute wait, so I took the buzzer with me and we went to the mall. 40 minutes later, we returned, and the buzzer started vibrating as soon as I opened the door. 2) We found a spot right by the door. 3) The ribs and my hamburger were good. The bad: 1) The waiter brought (flung) our meal to another table, and while we were looking at each other wondering how they got served before we did when they had just ordered, we realized that perhaps they had our meal. 2) My husband had to get out of his seat to find the waiter, who then retrieved the meal. The waiter had an attitude and did ask (with the same attitude) if we wanted another meal. Almost seemed like he blamed us for his mistake. He made up some ridiculous thing about the table number being wrong. Yeah. I asked him to find out if the people touched the plate with their forks or hands, and they hadn't so we went with that meal. The ugly: 1) My husband ordered iced tea and when it came time for a refill, the waiter was nowhere to be seen. We believe he was avoiding us on purpose. He finally came back and he returned 10 minutes after that with water, and not the iced tea. 2) We called over the manager to complain about our experience and to tell him that we didn't want that waiter to be waiting on us. We also told him that we needed iced tea. 3) The manager told us he'd "take care of us." Not sure if that involved a gun, but it certainly didn't involve anything else...even a comped meal. When we left, the clueless waiter (whose name I remember but won't say) gave a smirk and told us to have a nice day. I'm a lady, so I won't tell you what I gave HIM, behind my back. He needs to refine his skills. 3 stars for the meal, -2 for service = 1. Do I know my math, or what?
(1)
David D.
Holy crap you guys. Srsly. Check out this menu, all this cool stuff and look at all the options and different seasonings for wings etc. This is gonna be so good. And, look at all these hot chicks in the menu. Its gonna be goud because of that right? Oh, no wait. Your menu is sexist. No wait, your brisket is terrible. What's that? Your ribs are no good? Whell at least the sides arNO THEY USED INSTANT MASHED POTATOES DIDN'T THEY. Lame. Fail/Fail.
(1)
Julie H.
For a BBQ chain, this IS as good as it gets. You know its REAL BBQ when you don't really have to wait for your food to come over... I love the sauces and the prices are really good too. It gets busy, but the wait never seems to be that long because once your seated, the food is quick. They have funny little sayings everywhere called "boneisms" which I enjoy. Decent brew selection, including a FEW micros. They have a really generous points program too, which saves us about $20 every 3rd time we go or so..
(5)
Stephen C.
Ordered take-out tonight. The portions were small and the meat was dry. Really poor quality. We have had better dining in but won't be back after this meal.
(1)
Amanda N.
I'm surprised by all the bad reviews this place has gotten, because for the life of me I can't think of a truly bad experience I've had. Sports bar ambiance, delicious food, good waitstaff... And they have things going on all the time. I've been a regular for Thursday night trivia, which is always a good time. Tuesday was Beirut night, and Wednesdays are Bingo if that's your thing. They have a Build-Your-Burger notepad so you can pick and choose anything you want, including the quality/size of meat (or veggie burger) and type of bun, toppings like roasted peppers or avocado, lettuce, tomato, spinach, onions (BBQ, sauteed, or fried - in "straws" or rings), and what sides you'd like. I love that it's on paper, because spewing out my special orders often confuses both me and the waitress, so this makes it pretty foolproof. (My go-to burger has bacon, spinach, roasted red peppers, avocado, and BBQ onions, no cheese, no bun.) Their ribs are amazing, slow-cooked for hours, and I highly recommend the pulled pork. When it comes to desserts, I'm not typically a fan in general, but I will say their powdered donuts with chocolate and strawberry sauce are delish. Keeping in perspective that it's a chain restaurant, I'd take it over several of the alternatives any day. Prices are pretty in line with what you'd pay in similar places. They also have a pretty great drink menu, and having been a regular of the establishment, I've tried most of what they offer and haven't been disappointed. A favorite of my usual group is one of the seasonal beers (maybe Shipyard?) with a shot of vanilla vodka. I tend to opt for the Berry Sangria and our regular waitress keeps them coming. We did go once when our waitress wasn't working, and the young blonde we had instead screwed up a few orders, and was slow on drinks. The guys I was with enjoyed looking at her, but she had little else to offer. For that, and it's chain-restaurant status they get bumped down to 4-stars.
(4)
Christian P.
As much as the items on the menu theoretically appeal to my palate, I have to be honest- this restaurant simply oozes mediocrity. It's one of those places that you enter with high hopes and leave feeling strangely hollow. It's not bad...it's just not good enough to really register. You'll LIKE your meal, but....meh. Frankly, this restaurant confuses me. I usually love or despise- what sorcery is this? My advice? Try Smokey Bones if you need food in your stomach and don't really care about much beyond that.
(2)
Julie P.
I really wanted to hate this place. they have revamped the menu since my last dissappointing visit and it was much improved. We walked in at dinner for 8 pm and just as we are sitting, a waitress drops 2 F-bombs while walking by... excellent! It was very loud and pretty busy for a Tuesday. The watiresses are built to please which kept the male clientele coming in. Its working for them; it was busy. I ordered a veggie burger-build it yourself. I wanted to hate it because the atmosphere was a bit dissapointing, but the food was good. There were 4 of us. Two had burgers, one had pasta/chicken dish and my veggie burger. All of our meals were good and they had a nice beer list too. Overall, I didnt expect Capitall Grille but I didnt expect a full out party on a Tuesday at Smokey Bones. If you are looking for a quiet dinner out, go somewhere else. If you want a good burger at a rowdy joint, come here.
(2)
Brooke R.
My sister and I ended up here for lunch. I'd heard really good reviews from several of my friends and, being a self-declared BBQ connoisseur, I decided it was time I checked it out. I ordered the beef brisket, fries and sweet potato fries. I've had better brisket, but it was still pretty good for New England. The fries and sweet potato fries were great. My sister (who is 5'8" and 130lbs) ordered a humongous hamburger topped with pulled pork, onion rings, BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onions. She consumed the entire thing like she'd never eaten before. Needless to say, she really liked it. I'm giving this three stars because even though we were there for lunch and the restaurant was about a third full, our service was very slow. Our waitress was really nice and our food was served hot, but I was surprised at how long it took for our food to arrive.
(3)
Mike M.
I'm going to be a nice guy and upgrade this to 3 stars because the service has really improved a lot over the last couple of years - it used to be the kind of place you'd have to order bottled beer so you could lay the bottle on its side or drop it on the ground to provide a hint that it was time for a refill. Now they actually look at the brew level in your bottle - maybe they hired the folks from the fuel oil company. I dunno - in any case it's still a great place to watch the ballgame. The sauce is even better now - 5 varieties but the Yeller sauce is still awful - YO, MANAGEMENT - FIX THE YELLER SAUCE!!!
(3)
Thomas N.
well we were shopping and had a coupon so we dropped in here, have been here and always enjoyed it. Same this time, beer selection ok, my wings were good, wife's pulled pork was very good and the sauces were very good, pleasant and good looking bartender, fair amount of locals
(4)
Michelle S.
Stopped in for lunch. I haven't been here for years but remembered I didn't like it too much back when. We started with the kettle chips which were more like deep fried potato slices (thickly cut) as opposed to thin crispy potato chips. They were pretty good however and the only reason why I give two stars. I would've liked a few more and the cook should take note not to let bunches of them stick together. When pulled apart, you end up with a mushy slice of potato which isn't very appetizing. These clumps seemed to get more seasoning on them as well making them too salty to eat if you didn't separate them. Next, we opted for wings which may have been a mistake. Actually, it was definitely a mistake but I'm uncertain if getting BBQ would've been any better. If you can't cook wings, they shouldn't be on the menu. We each got the 8 piece wings. My favorite is the wingette not the drumette so wouldn't you know I got six drumettes. They really should be equal parts and that's what my dining companion had. I got the buffa-que sauce and she got the sweet brown sugar sauce. I did like my sauce but thought it could've used a bit more heat. About half way through my first drumette, I noticed the meat getting pink until after one more bite, I saw blood. The rest of that one went into the paper bag they give you for the bones. The other drumettes were a tad pink but nothing to worry about. Still didn't make for an enjoyable experience. I thought about mentioning it to our waitress but she seemed as though she really didn't seem to care about much of anything and would rather be doing her taxes than waiting on us. I even thought for a second she'd ask why we didn't finish our meal and if everything was ok but nope, didn't seem to even cross her mind. Think I'll stick to Buffalo Wild Wings next time I have a hankering for wings.
(2)
Tara G.
Average food. Average burgers. Average waitstaff. Nothing spectactular.
(2)
Joe D.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Smokey Bones food, but its the slow service that gets a 2 star review. I've been to Smokey Bones twice in the past 3 months with my wife & daughter both times were the same experience. We are seated right away, and our order is promptly taken, then the waiting begins... On our first visit it took 40 minutes for our meal to come out & to top it off it took 30 minutes after ordering our dessert for it to arrive. The Manager came over to our table & apologized then offered a $15 gift card. We returned to use the gift card and kept our fingers crossed for a better experience... nope. I will return to Smokey Bones because I absolutely LOVE the food. I'll just have to prepare myself for the slow service.
(2)
Steven C.
Loved the smokehouse wings and the bbq beef brisket. Service was exceptional and the house ale was a great choice.
(4)
Irving L.
To put things in perspective, this joint is not located in Memphis or North Carolina, it's located in Tyngsboro, MA. Now that we have the geographical lesson out of the way, let's focus on the food as it is shall we? Ribs - excellent, succulent Brisket - very good Sauces - outstanding Beer selection - Meh.. Wings - excellent, damn well seasoned BBQ pizza - damn tasty Great sports bar ambiance plus they are open until 2AM...yes that's right 2AM, in Tyngsboro, MA.... All in all, I enjoy the food and service, and have frequently visited. My fav is probably the array of sauces coupled with the 2AM closing time... why not keep coming back? Hoping the great service and food continues.
(4)
Tim J.
Not a bad chain to eat in. Large and roomy. Good menu and good atmosphere. I come here once a month.
(3)
Sunny T.
When we arrived we were immediately sat, however they did ask if we would like a booth and we said yes. When we got to our table, it had booth seating on one side and chairs on the other and it was a table that looked like it was for 6 people. So that was a bit odd. The last time we went there we sat at the bar and that was a better seat. The server was slow in coming over to us, but when he did make it over he was nice and then more prompt in checking in on us. My husband and I had gone here for lunch. I did not feel like eating any BBQ, so I did get the pasta dish I would not recommend this, there was no sauce and it was terrible, they should just take this off the menu and stick to what they know. My husband got the 3 choice, it came with ribs, wings and something else. It was ok. I will say that when we had gone long time ago, the wings were delicious. The donuts are always good. Overall if you like BBQ I would recommend it here, just stick to ordering these types of dishes here.
(3)
Tom C.
I ordered a rack of original ribs for takeout. The ribs had a hard crust on them, as if they were precooked and thrown on a grill to heat up. They also had little meat on them. It made for a very disappointing and unpleasant dining experience. Thier name aptly describes the ribs. Smokey and mainly bomes.
(1)
Sathasaurus T.
Had a pretty bad day today. Decided to go to this place for the first time because I heard it was good but the foods was okay. The only bad part was, instead of getting my wings, they gave me a box of cheap bread! I was so disappointed they got my order mixed up! Never going back there again. The wings were about 15-20 and they gave me a $7 pretzel bread. I was hungry and was waiting all day to get something good to eat. Waste of money and time. Urgh, so angry right now!
(1)
Kevin T.
Ask for Ryan for your server. Food was really good as was the service. Local hangout for these NH folks. Girl servers are "smoking" hot! Not what I expected after reading other reviews.
(4)
Jamie B.
Can't say I would go there again, particularly after the last two trips. As far as the food, it's ok to decent, depending on what you order. I would not suggest the salads, their burger is just ok, and the BBQ meats decent. I guess the food might seem better if their servers were trained in customer service. I've only seen young women working the tables, all in a shirt about 2 sizes too small. The last 2 times we went we waited well over 5 minutes to even be greeted (at lunch time, when they were not busy at all!). There was never any check up to see how we were doing, beverage refreshments, and when I said that I didn't want sour cream on my potato- it comes smothered in it. The server just offered to "scrape it off". I told her I could do that myself, but it was smothered to the point of ruining the entire potato. There was no offer to another one, nor removing it from the bill. I do think that this place is more geared toward guys, and perhaps this is why I don't really care for it so much. The only thing that I find enjoyable and consistent is the music videos playing on the TVs.
(2)
b r.
the ribs are consistently top notch, best chain ribs I've ever had. Pulled pork is above par, brisket is par. I have dined here 5 times in last 6 mos, seems consistent. The place isnt the cheapest, but I cannot recommend any other joint that can touch their taste. At dinner they still usually have a $3 tall boy. 5* every time from me. Keep in mind, not best bbq ever, but best that is easily accessed, decent priced, and consistent.
(5)
Keith M.
Loaded potato with brisket and a salad. Home-made fries with a spicy sauce. I hadn't seen this on the menu, so I gave it a try. A little skimpy on the brisket, but very good. This place is on a roll for food and service lately - hoping they hang in there. I have to ask why the hostess tried to sit a party of 2 a a large table for 6 though....
(3)
Lindsay A.
Our new favorite place! Many different menu options, really friendly staff, and good food for the price. Everything was as expected for a chain-style restaurant and we were both really pleased! We will definitely be back again next weekend. I highly recommend for families or 20-something's on a budget. A note about the other reviews - if you don't like themed chain restaurants, then don't go to one and complain the food & decor were not authentic!!
(5)
Michael R.
Yup, it's a chain restaurant, but just because it's popular doesn't mean they forgot how to make food. All restaurants must come from humble beginnings, you know... Anyways, the prices are good, as is the service, and the menu definitely catered to this BBQ-lover's appetite (as does the bevy of sauces and spices they offer right from your table!) Some of my favorites: Smoked Southwest Spring Rolls, Fire Stix, Smokehouse Burger, Smokehouse Chicken Sandwich, and the Grilled BBQ chicken. Bottom line: Something had to make Smokey Bones transform from a singular restaurant to a plural one, and whatever it was, they've still got. Four Stars.
(4)
Jim S.
I have eaten here many times. The service is usually very good, and the food arrives promptly. I used to love the chicken pot pie, and was really bummed when it was discontinued. Cob Salad is good, and food is generally quite good.
(4)
Jame R.
I started dining at Smokey Bones when they first opened. Back then the choices were great, the food wasn't bad, the prices were good and the servers were cheerful. For $6 I could get a Pulled Pork Platter with two sides and garlic toast. I changed jobs, worked in a different state and two years passed. Then I recently went back to the same Smokey Bones for lunch, and I gotta say it's AWFUL! The prices have gone up; the portions are meager (three pulled-pork "sliders" with hardly any meat and no sides for $7?); our server was disinterested and close to rude (another one of those who throw the check on the table without a word). What happened? Smokey Bones seems to have hired some idiot marketeer who told the Corporate Office something like this: "Hey, I'm cool and hip, and we want to attract the hipsters. What we need here is a cool and 'crisp' stylized logo. We'll double the prices and cut back on the portions to increase profit. We'll hire rude servers because that's cool. Lets put in EVEN MORE large plasma flat-panel TVs because, you know, these young hipsters don't know how to converse; they NEED to be entertained and amused. We'll make millions!" Please. You've pretty much screwed up a good (not great) BBQ place. In this economy raising prices will only reduce patronage. And Smokey Bones (at least in Tyngsboro) will end up like "On the Border" down the street: Closed; sad; weeds chokng the parking lot. Good riddance.
(1)
Seth D.
I'm really at a loss for how to review this place, so I'm going with my gut. The problem here is really perspective: is this a great BBQ restaurant? No. Is this a chain I would choose any day of the week over Fridays, Chilis, Applebees, you name it? Absolutely. In the grand scheme of things, Smokey Bones isn't a top or even middle tier bbq restaurant (in fact, I'd take Famous Daves in a battle of BBQ chains), but the truth of the matter is, for hokey, fairly cheap, easy and fast food, it blows most of the "this level" competition out of the water. They do steak better than Fridays (I know this via my girlfriend's plate), they do pulled pork better than ANY of the chains that offer a pulled pork sandwhich, and hell, they even do BBQ better than Olive Garden does Italian. My meal itself was average, and calling a chain meal average is quite a compliment. If I was reviewing this place in a world where only chains at this level exist, I would have no qualms giving this place a four or even five on the right day of the week, but in a world where I love BBQ, this isn't going to cut it as is. I had a two meat platter with pulled pork and brisket--I couldn't raelly tell which was which if it wasn't for the pork being pulled and the brisket being sliced. The sides were actually really good (roasted corn salad and "sweet potato sticks" which were of course an extra dollar). The menu was very basic, and nothing particularly impressive, but everything was very solid. Like I said, it's tough to gauge based on context, so I'll give it three, because it was A-OK on a Sunday afternoon for a quick-but-not-fast-food-meal with my girlfriend.
(3)
Damon L.
It wasn't really memorable. The menu items were expensive. I got some steak salad. The steak was good, but the salad had way too much dressing. I think it was around $13 - $14 which is always too much to pay for salad. Some of the reviews said the smokey wings were good, which is true. They were surprisingly good. Overall, it was just an okay experience. I could have just gone to Outback Steakhouse or something and had the same experience.
(3)
Alan M.
First off, I wish I could give them three and a half stars. This place is pretty okay. If you come here expecting amazing BBQ, then you're going to be disappointed. All of you people complaining about the BBQ here have to remember, this is a chain restaurant. Obviously this place isn't going to compare to a family owned BBQ joint. I haven't tried everything on the menu, but from what I've had, it was pretty decent. The portion sizes are really good for the price of the food. I normally come here on Monday nights for the $10.99 all you can eat wings. The wings are huge! The only thing I can complain about it is, they give you 8 wings to start and then only 4 wings for every round after. The waiters take way to long before taking your order for the next round. All in all, this place is decent. I definitely keep coming back, try the smoked wings, those are the real winners.
(3)
Denis D.
Been to this place many times. One of my dad's favorite restaurant when he comes visiting. Very good BBQ: beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken. Good sides, good sauces. Nice decor. Service is usually good. Can't remember a bad experience there. Beware of their tricked pitchers of beer... a significantly portion of the pitcher (the size of a Styrofoam cup) is used by a white thingy supposedly there to keep the beer cold.... yeah...right... like we'd let it go warm... Use a regular good old honest clear glass pitcher full of BEER! Would I recommend this place? Yes. Good food, good price, good service. Will I go back? Yes
(4)
Matt C.
Our favorite bbq place in the area. We even signed up for their customer loalty program, I love how you can just swipe your credit card on then device at your table to pay your bill
(5)
Sam M.
Modern vibe on a smokehouse, I can dig it. Expect chain restaurant food when you come here, though. They have some pretty decent deals on some menu items. I come here on mondays sometimes for the all you can eat wings which is probably their best offer. The wings are very big and meaty, but they serve you in small portions at a time to fill you up faster so they make more money. 8 wings and fries to start off then only four wings at a time. I'm a man, dammit. Give me more. It would help if the service was a bit faster, too so I'm not waiting around after eating just four wings. The sauces are pretty good and they have a good selection. When you get the dry rub wings you have the option to get them smoked... those are probably the best they have to offer, theyre delicious. I'll be back more, but when I want some real down south barbeque, i'll be somewhere else.
(3)
Molly M.
**Good food, good service** Monday night wing night is definitely worth the price. Never really been a big fan of wings, but this place definitely knows what they're doing. Service is always good, food's consistent. Recommend it to anyone looking for a quick beer and meal at a decent price.
(4)
Ray R.
Food was ok,but took way too long to be delivered. Waitress did apologize for long delay in getting food explaining that kitchen gets backed up. What seems to be a trend in this type of restaurant was that the music was way too loud. Manager explained she only put it on what corporate directed her to put it on. She explained that corporate wants the music loud for privacy so one table can't hear what the other is saying. Ok, I have now heard what I believe,is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. Some marketing genius saw an 18 year old in their car with the music blaring and surmised that loud music would attract kids. I suspect this volume could injure the ears of the very young. Ridiculous. They also place a tablet on the table and if you use it to play a game while waiting 30 minutes for your food they charge you $2 adding insult to injury. They do their best to make it difficult to like what could be a good family restaurant. Down with all the marketing geniuses.
(3)
Alexandra B.
I love the appetizers. My favorite meal is the nachos. I often work late and it's cool I can get food so late here. The atmosphere is young but not overly immature or rowdy. I like coming here on a Friday night for an hour or so. I'm kind of surprised by all of the bad reviews here. My experience has always been a good one. If you're expecting authentic Texan barbecue then yes, you'll be disappointed. But it's great for what it is!
(4)
Louis-Charles C.
First time here. Service was reall great and the kiosk at the table so you can pay quickly was a plus. My daughter and split a steak and a burger. Both were cooked a tad more than the medium I requested but that's usually expected at most restaurants. Fries were good and there was now wait at 6p due to the place being HUGE
(4)
Jennifer B.
Horrible...and on Valentine's day too. Got the smoked salmon...it was a hockey puck..so dry and tough. Asked for grilled.. took over 25 min and I told them forget it. My husband ate alone. Not pleased. Won't go back.
(1)
Lee A.
I hadn't been here in at least a couple of years--because (as I now remember) they were very slow. Well, tonight my brain failed me and I proposed take-out from this place. I arrived 30 minutes after I ordered, which is when they said pick up would be ready. Then I stood there waiting for another 30 minutes, no exaggeration. They didn't say a word; when I went up after 25 minutes to ask for my money back, the guy just said they're waiting on one thing and it'd be a couple of minutes. No apology, no explanation, just matter of fact as if I'm being a pain by standing there in silence. In the end they got it done and gave me a discount but, y'know. They all seemed so cranky too, except the hostesses. Anyway, I made it home. The food was ok. I got a turkey burger, which was edible but extremely salty. My wife got pretzel bones, which she enjoyed but the queso dip had a skein on top from their microwave. It's over now. And hopefully having written this review will finally remind me not to go back.
(1)
Tiffani N.
One star because they have a drink I really like similar to a Moscow Mule and I like the kettle chips. Other than that this establishment is terrible. I have been on a few occasions to meet people there, never my idea, and have had a bad experience every time. I usually have to wait way too long for a waitress and they are always in horrible moods. Food has always taken a very long time and one time I waited 27 minutes to get my check after waiting at least 15 minutes to order a drink then had a disappointing meal. Another time the waitress was incredibly rude to my friends for having questions about the menu. On a different occasion I had a friend get incredibly sick from the food he ate there. I am not a fan. The waitresses clearly don't want tips because they definitely don't act like it. They ruined this place for me.
(1)
Jessie S.
Ordered four entrees tonight for take out. All four were done completely wrong and messed up. This after waiting 15 minutes and going over the order again at pick up. What a waste of time and money. Never again.
(1)
Angela C.
HUGE MENU lots of choices! Our sever was great very attentive, she gave us menu recommendations. There is a full bar and TVs to watch your favorite sports team. Try the doughnuts for dessert, save some room so worth it!
(5)
Christina T.
If I could give no stars I would. One night it took over an hour to get a table. After finally walking through the restaurant i saw there were many open tables available. Worst of all the manager didnt seem to care. When I informed the hostess I was disappointed she asked if I wanted to speak to the manager. I said no because he didnt seem that friendly. Not only that but he had the gall to come up to me and say "so I hear you thought I was rude". Well now I do. They should can that jerk!
(1)
Anthony M.
If you want franchise low quality of meat and your basic "Applebee's experience, then this is what you will get. Mediocre bbq, staff was very friendly but I like my bbq made with passion by people who know bbq.
(2)
Tom O.
Been here twice. Both times were disappointing. Might be an okay chain restaurant but avoid the BBQ it's just horrible. Service the other day was slow and inept.
(1)
Christopher C.
BBQ food is pretty good. Solid sauce choices if you like sauces. Highly recommend you order a bottled beer. Beer on tap isn't cold enough at all.... Very disappointing
(3)
Audrey B.
I drive by this restaurant everyday, the parking lot is always packed. So armed with a $10 off coupon, off my husband & I went. The menu looked great, great descriptions.. will never return. The burgers were definitely a frozen patty, really for $10? The edges were well done, the very middle, pink. The patty was not thick enough to cook juicy. This was dry as it gets...more mayo and ketchup, please! My husband's smoked turkey breast had good flavor, but it was sliced smoked turkey like you get at the supermarket deli, heated. A sandwich, a meal, one beer, with coupon $25. For a great burger go to Suzy's in Hudson, or the Stonehedge - sit at the bar or the 110 Grill in Chelmsford - not much atmosphere nut a delicious juicy burger on a brioche bun, mmmm. DO not go to Smokey Bones. Wish I could have voted for 1/2 star.
(1)
Bob Z.
If you are handycap or disable, they only have 3 table that could accomdate us . The food is great , we waited 45 minutes and walk out when we saw them seat people in only seats that we could only sit at .
(3)
Sarah M.
Smokey bones is fun, the food and service is pretty good and I love how they serve food later than most places around them. The bar In Nashua smells absolutely horrible! I think I've narrowed it down to dirty bar rags used to wipe down the bar and other things.. The last 5/5 times I've been here I've experienced the same horrible sour stench... I always over hear others speaking of the same thing and I hope it changes because this is a fun spot.
(3)
Vacation W.
Ate here 23APRIL2014 and really enjoyed the brisket I ordered. Also tried the corn bread they have for an appetizer. It tasted good, but was somewhat dense and heavy so didn't finish it because would fill you pre-meal. The wait staff was very friendly, helpful, and up beat which to me is as important as the meal itself. They have a full service bar and large screen televisions to take in a game. Also had a DJ last night and not sure if this is nightly. Well worth a try for BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork, etc..
(4)
Curtis S.
Good bar atmosphere with a well spaced and tuned restaurant. Only issue are my over seasoned/overly salted onion rings...had to wash it down with my Yingling beer. That beer however was well balanced and delicious! Asiago Chicken Penne was exactly what I had hoped for. Well balanced and zesty!
(2)
Robert G.
Disclaimer: I'm not a target of "bones" and actually do not eat anything which has bones in it, so I'm sort of biased right of the bat. Still, I have given the place a chance. I have been here with a group of friends and have gotten take out thanks to a Christmas gift card. First off, this location is always packed out the door. Doesn't seem to be a moment from when the doors open to close when it isn't jammed packed. And God knows why. First time I was here was a group of 4. I have no clue what I ordered, but thought it was okay. I love BBQ, but not sloppy stuff or anything with bones so the appeal was limited but I know the food was edible. I recall ribs were ordered and those were great according to friends. Service was iffy at best, though our waitress seemed like she was trying her best. It was so busy, every table was filled, and the folks working seemed like they were desperately overworked. I guess this is your typical BBQ? Loud, noisy, super busy, TV's plastered everywhere, everyone grubbing away at wings or ribs with BBQ sauce smeared everywhere? It just isn't my idea of a night out. I would give the Bones' 3 stars, but my takeout experience was truly awful. I ordered ahead and arrived about 15 minutes after ordering and was surprised I still had to wait about another 15 minutes for my order. The place was hustling and bustling, with people running and moving everywhere, I actually got brushed several times while waiting. I had ordered the smothered chicken which was BBQ chicken with bacon and cheese. Got mashed and veggies as a side. Partner ordered some sort of sandwich. Having to wait, I figured we would be getting something hot and fresh and was sorely disappointed. Partners sandwich was cold and while my chicken was hot, it was so smothered in BBQ it was a sloppy mess. The BBQ had poured on to the cold potatoes and cold broccoli and it was quite gross. Thanks to the boss for giving the gift card, because if I had spent hard earned money on this slop, I would have been irate. As a side note, it should be noted that this establishment has come very close several times over the past few years to losing their liquor license and having their hours rolled back. This has involved several fights, including violence against responding police officers. The people who go here for some drinks are the exact type of people I chose to stay well AWAY from!
(2)
Madi T.
Hello! I'm currently a student and I'm writing a paper on having allergies and eating out, and I informed my waitress I was allergic to onions (cause I know onions are in almost everything) and she and (I think manager or chef) and he went through the menu with me and it was great, the waiting was a bit much but it's all good she was nice everyone was nice. If you have an allergy they will walk you through what's okay and what isn't!! I'll be back!!! But I'll get something I want that has onions cause I really don't mind them :)
(4)
Kristy C.
I'm surprised by the amount of people on here who've complained about the service. I have only been to Smokey Bones twice, but on both occasions .. the service was great. The bar has a pretty good beer selection, which is always a plus for me! The food is yummy, and perfect for when you just want to pig out. Oh my god, mashed potatoes and baked beans. I just can't contain myself.
(4)
Sara B.
This is usually a weekly spot for my husband and I. While the food isn't the best you'll have around, it's a great atmosphere! Always go with a coupon, and it's a fairly inexpensive night out. And be sure to sign up for their free rewards card, eventually you will earn a $20.00 credit on the card!
(4)
Nicole L.
The menus election was large. The portions were large. I had the sliced turkey platter. Yum. The turkey had a nice smoky taste and was juicy. the sauces complemented it well. I liked the hot and BBQ the best. The roasted corn was very good. I had the broccoli as my other side so it was a healthy meal as well. Hubby had the smokey chicken dinner. The chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful. He loved it. Had the chocolate cake for dessert which was well over a meal in itself. How could someone ever finish that. Then it had a side of ice cream to boot. The atmosphere reminded me of a cross between Outback Steakhouse and the 99 restaurant. The waitress was the downside to this place as she was inattentive and slow.
(4)
D C.
Watery lemonade (which they replaced). Lukewarm soup (they got me a bowl to replace the cup of lukewarm I originally received.) Kitchen extremely slow.
(3)
Jason O.
Should spend some money and fix the huge holes in the wall and get sone paint to cover the crap carved in to the walls and stall... smh... hour later sick as a dog won't be returning
(1)
Zachary S.
Update. This place is still terrible but for they've somehow made their service worse.
(1)
Jon B.
My first (and now only time here) was on the night for all you can eat wings. I arrived with my friends at around 10:00pm and after putting in our first order, it literally took no less than 30 minutes for the food to come out. Keep in mind, there were only 4 of us at the table. Nothing too crazy. Aside from not getting any napkins, the wings were disgusting. I wasn't sure if there was anything but fat on what we were eating. Anyway, we finish our first round, but in our second order and again, it takes 20 minutes for the food to come out. When the waitresses bring out the food they're unaware whose food is which and start laughing at the situation. This whole ordeal happens two more times. After the third time you could tell the waitress had given up on trying to impress us as she could sense our overall dissatisfaction and completely stopped trying after that. I could go on but the bottom line is that I will never consider coming back here. Due to the food and especially the service.
(1)
Maria D.
I thought the food here was very good. The waitress was attentive and the food came out fast. I was kind of bummed that the brisket was only available after 4. I love that the sauces were at the table and that there were many different kinds. It was like a game trying to pick which kind I liked. The desserts looked delicious! Next time ill have to order some of them!
(4)
Subs N.
Regardless of a lot of bad reviews, this place is always full on Fri,Sat nights. Definitely not a bad place to hang out, the food is OK but service times sure has gone from bad to worse. But lot of customers just hang out in there for hours, so it is expected for slow response.
(2)
Megan L.
Grabbed a quick Saturday night dinner here--the hubs was in the mood for barbecue. I'm a Texan, a bona fide barbecue snob, so this was risky. Let me say--this is a good place for apps, but we won't be back for dinner. Pretzel rolls with dipping sauces: good (except why is there queso? weird.) Salad: Fresh and huge Brisket dinner: The wheels fell of. Specifically, I got a plate of fat. I think I got 3 edible bites out of 2 slices of brisket. However, service was fast and friendly and everything else was okay. So go for apps but don't bother with the meat.
(3)
Ian W.
I am docking a star since Smokey Bones no longer has those portable tuners/speakers to listen and watch each TV around the restaurant/bar area. I originally gave this place the extra star because I could enjoy my favorite team (not in New England) play and watch and hear the sounds of the game. They still offer NFL Sunday Ticket on the TVs, but no more sound for each individual game The edge is gone! The food here is still standard BBQ and average. No more bar specials during Sunday football either. It's now like going to any other bar with NFL Sunday Ticket. There are plenty of other bars with better food and specials closer to home than this place.
(3)
Nick K.
Microwaved burger patty! Normally I would go there for drinks which are avg and dj is ok too although he plays old stuff. Today I ordered burger and it felt like eating a veggie burger from Burger King seems like the cook would microwave the patty and dip it in sauce and put it with the bun and serve. Onion rings were not fried properly wouldn't go back.
(2)
Benjamin C.
I really enjoyed the brisket that I had at Smokey Bones. It was succulent and flavorful. The Bloody Mary I had was also really delicious. The issue I have is that it seems like the secret ingredient to all the dishes is sugar. This is not a great place for those of us that like to keep low carb. The BBQ sauce had noticeable amounts of the white stuff in it. If you don't mind this, then by all means hit it up! If you live nearly an hour away from this place, it may not be worth the trip if there's similar in your area.
(3)
Astoria L.
I love this restaurant! The smoked wings are to die for and both their desserts and their mixed drinks are wonderful. The service has been a bit mixed for me; one night we had a wonderful waitress and a few days later I was there for lunch and it was very slow and the atmosphere was just pathetic. Fridays and Saturdays are great nights--just get there early before the parking lot fills up!
(5)
Nadia R.
I find this place good. The food is good. If there is a problen they will fix it , Friendly staff !
(3)
Lauriston T.
If you can't cook a hamburger medium rare and get it to the table before going cold then I don't need to expand. Wings were middle of the road and not worth the price. Salad was as boring as could be made and not inexpensive. Place was nothing but total up-sell at all times. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! Save your money.
(1)
Bob W.
Wasn't expecting much but brisket was like rubber, helps if it cut against the grain! Mac and cheese taste like canned cheese sauce. Small portions, poor quality and over priced! I will stick with Redbones in Somerville, ma.
(1)
Kristin I.
We tried this place out because we were craving BBQ food. We ordered a bunch of food to get a taste of everything. My husband had the ribs and they were mediocre. I had the pulled pork which had no flavor at all (you can add your own sauces) but I prefer it to be marinated and slow cooked not just slow cooked. I also had the BBQ chicken which didn't taste too great. On the plus side, the staff is very friendly and inviting. A lot of regulars go here so it was nice to see how the waitresses remember them all. I would give it another try in the future but I wouldn't "crave" this place.
(3)
Israel H.
Been here a couple of times with co-workers. Service has always been friendly and the food was really good. It's a pretty large place so you never have to wait too long for a table.
(4)
Todd M.
Great service!! Best restaurant in town. We had the Baby Back Ribs and they were delicious.
(5)
Marcy K.
The good: 1) We found out there'd be a 40-minute wait, so I took the buzzer with me and we went to the mall. 40 minutes later, we returned, and the buzzer started vibrating as soon as I opened the door. 2) We found a spot right by the door. 3) The ribs and my hamburger were good. The bad: 1) The waiter brought (flung) our meal to another table, and while we were looking at each other wondering how they got served before we did when they had just ordered, we realized that perhaps they had our meal. 2) My husband had to get out of his seat to find the waiter, who then retrieved the meal. The waiter had an attitude and did ask (with the same attitude) if we wanted another meal. Almost seemed like he blamed us for his mistake. He made up some ridiculous thing about the table number being wrong. Yeah. I asked him to find out if the people touched the plate with their forks or hands, and they hadn't so we went with that meal. The ugly: 1) My husband ordered iced tea and when it came time for a refill, the waiter was nowhere to be seen. We believe he was avoiding us on purpose. He finally came back and he returned 10 minutes after that with water, and not the iced tea. 2) We called over the manager to complain about our experience and to tell him that we didn't want that waiter to be waiting on us. We also told him that we needed iced tea. 3) The manager told us he'd "take care of us." Not sure if that involved a gun, but it certainly didn't involve anything else...even a comped meal. When we left, the clueless waiter (whose name I remember but won't say) gave a smirk and told us to have a nice day. I'm a lady, so I won't tell you what I gave HIM, behind my back. He needs to refine his skills. 3 stars for the meal, -2 for service = 1. Do I know my math, or what?
(1)
David D.
Holy crap you guys. Srsly. Check out this menu, all this cool stuff and look at all the options and different seasonings for wings etc. This is gonna be so good. And, look at all these hot chicks in the menu. Its gonna be goud because of that right? Oh, no wait. Your menu is sexist. No wait, your brisket is terrible. What's that? Your ribs are no good? Whell at least the sides arNO THEY USED INSTANT MASHED POTATOES DIDN'T THEY. Lame. Fail/Fail.
(1)
Julie H.
For a BBQ chain, this IS as good as it gets. You know its REAL BBQ when you don't really have to wait for your food to come over... I love the sauces and the prices are really good too. It gets busy, but the wait never seems to be that long because once your seated, the food is quick. They have funny little sayings everywhere called "boneisms" which I enjoy. Decent brew selection, including a FEW micros. They have a really generous points program too, which saves us about $20 every 3rd time we go or so..
(5)
Stephen C.
Ordered take-out tonight. The portions were small and the meat was dry. Really poor quality. We have had better dining in but won't be back after this meal.
(1)
Christian P.
As much as the items on the menu theoretically appeal to my palate, I have to be honest- this restaurant simply oozes mediocrity. It's one of those places that you enter with high hopes and leave feeling strangely hollow. It's not bad...it's just not good enough to really register. You'll LIKE your meal, but....meh. Frankly, this restaurant confuses me. I usually love or despise- what sorcery is this? My advice? Try Smokey Bones if you need food in your stomach and don't really care about much beyond that.
(2)
Amanda N.
I'm surprised by all the bad reviews this place has gotten, because for the life of me I can't think of a truly bad experience I've had. Sports bar ambiance, delicious food, good waitstaff... And they have things going on all the time. I've been a regular for Thursday night trivia, which is always a good time. Tuesday was Beirut night, and Wednesdays are Bingo if that's your thing. They have a Build-Your-Burger notepad so you can pick and choose anything you want, including the quality/size of meat (or veggie burger) and type of bun, toppings like roasted peppers or avocado, lettuce, tomato, spinach, onions (BBQ, sauteed, or fried - in "straws" or rings), and what sides you'd like. I love that it's on paper, because spewing out my special orders often confuses both me and the waitress, so this makes it pretty foolproof. (My go-to burger has bacon, spinach, roasted red peppers, avocado, and BBQ onions, no cheese, no bun.) Their ribs are amazing, slow-cooked for hours, and I highly recommend the pulled pork. When it comes to desserts, I'm not typically a fan in general, but I will say their powdered donuts with chocolate and strawberry sauce are delish. Keeping in perspective that it's a chain restaurant, I'd take it over several of the alternatives any day. Prices are pretty in line with what you'd pay in similar places. They also have a pretty great drink menu, and having been a regular of the establishment, I've tried most of what they offer and haven't been disappointed. A favorite of my usual group is one of the seasonal beers (maybe Shipyard?) with a shot of vanilla vodka. I tend to opt for the Berry Sangria and our regular waitress keeps them coming. We did go once when our waitress wasn't working, and the young blonde we had instead screwed up a few orders, and was slow on drinks. The guys I was with enjoyed looking at her, but she had little else to offer. For that, and it's chain-restaurant status they get bumped down to 4-stars.
(4)
Julie P.
I really wanted to hate this place. they have revamped the menu since my last dissappointing visit and it was much improved. We walked in at dinner for 8 pm and just as we are sitting, a waitress drops 2 F-bombs while walking by... excellent! It was very loud and pretty busy for a Tuesday. The watiresses are built to please which kept the male clientele coming in. Its working for them; it was busy. I ordered a veggie burger-build it yourself. I wanted to hate it because the atmosphere was a bit dissapointing, but the food was good. There were 4 of us. Two had burgers, one had pasta/chicken dish and my veggie burger. All of our meals were good and they had a nice beer list too. Overall, I didnt expect Capitall Grille but I didnt expect a full out party on a Tuesday at Smokey Bones. If you are looking for a quiet dinner out, go somewhere else. If you want a good burger at a rowdy joint, come here.
(2)
Brooke R.
My sister and I ended up here for lunch. I'd heard really good reviews from several of my friends and, being a self-declared BBQ connoisseur, I decided it was time I checked it out. I ordered the beef brisket, fries and sweet potato fries. I've had better brisket, but it was still pretty good for New England. The fries and sweet potato fries were great. My sister (who is 5'8" and 130lbs) ordered a humongous hamburger topped with pulled pork, onion rings, BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onions. She consumed the entire thing like she'd never eaten before. Needless to say, she really liked it. I'm giving this three stars because even though we were there for lunch and the restaurant was about a third full, our service was very slow. Our waitress was really nice and our food was served hot, but I was surprised at how long it took for our food to arrive.
(3)
Jeff F.
Unfortunately, this is the only place in Nashua that serves "real" BBQ. Unfortunately, it is bog-standard, offend nobody food. Unfortunately, the only BBQ sauce they have is sweet. Too sweet. Unfortunately, the other food is so-so. Unfortunately, the baked BBQ beans have so much of their sweet sauce that 3 bites is too much. Unfortunately, the desserts offered are typical chain fare. Smokey Bones is unfortunate. They do one thing right, given that it's a chain place. The meat is good, and cooked well - it won't knock your socks off, but it's perfectly acceptable. Unfortunately, everything else is "meh". I come here on occasion (every couple years or so) because I can't always drive 45 minutes to get some pulled pork, but my expectations are modest, and I can come away satiated, if not overly satisfied should the need of visiting Smokey Bones arrive. Maybe if I took some homemade sauce, people wouldn't look at me like I had six heads? I think I may have to try that some time!
(2)
Kelley T.
I was pretty underwhelmed tonight. First of all, I hate restaurants that have tv screens everywhere because I find it really distracting. If I wanted to eat dinner and watch tv I'd just do it at home. Secondly, there's something weird about the way they present their food. I got the Cuban sandwich and it came with one side so I got baked beans. The plate they served it on was a big white plate, and the sandwich was on one half and the beans came in a little white cup. The plate just looked so empty, and made me feel weird. Maybe if they put some paper underneath it or a lettuce leaf somewhere it would have looked nicer, I was just really not impressed. Also those baked beans were way too sweet. That being said, the cuban sandwich wasn't that bad, they use pulled pork which is a nice variation.
(3)
Jeff P.
Seems sort of strange for me to review this place given that I am diabetic and almost everything on the menu is loaded with sugar. I am not kidding, they even put sugar on their tortilla chips. Who wants to bit into a corn chip and taste sugar? If this was a common desire, then you would see folks eating their baskets of complimentary tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants with cans of frosting not fresh salsa. Back to Smokey Bones, the food that I have had there was okay, nothing great, but then it wasn't inedible either. As mentioned, their menu was very restricted for me due to the fact everything has sugar in it. But this isn't a barbeque restaurant by any stretch of the imagination! The big draw for me is the fact they have a satellite dish and the NFL Sunday Ticket. They show 6 or 7 different games on TVs scattered around the place. Each table has their own little speaker so you can listen to the sound for whichever channel you like. Me being a fan of a football team not in this area, this was a big draw for me. The wait staff was hit or miss. Could be that I was taking up a table for a long time, and what wait staff likes that, but I made it clear that's what I was going to do and I did tip well. (The tip was at the end of the service, so that shouldn't help unless I get the same waitron the next time I am there.)
(2)
Andy A.
So this place might be good to grab a beer but other than that I just don't know. We sat down and the place was chill however the waitress must of been in a bad mood. The menu looked great everything just looked delicious. We ordered a couple of apps and the Double play. Apps not so bad now when my ribs came out I was disappointed. The Mac and cheese was horrible. Cheese tasted like it was squeezed out a bottle. Lets just say our experience here was not the best. But now I know.
(2)
HungryInHudson S.
I had a great time last night at Smoke Bones! This place has great upbeat feel on a Saturday night! I also had a excellent burger. I was very impressed. I enjoyed the burger with the fried egg on top. A must if you love burgers!!!
(4)
anne marie z.
We have always enjoyed Smokey Bones.. We go there often as it is children's favorite place.. Well we went ther last night. Found they started offering new sauces which are fantastic, BUT I guess they have been purchased by someone and now they are shooting for a "Hooters" theme... :( As the mother of 4 children and 2 of them being girls at very impressionable age (13,12) I was very disappointed to see some of the waitress walking around with their belly rings hanging out, Boobs half exposed, leaning over tables with bare skin exposed.. I addressed it with my waitress who was not happy with the changes but she informed us they are encouraged to "EXPRESS" themselves.. I also commented to the manager on duty who was a young guy and probably into that kind of thing so not sure it will go to far. But I have to say sadly we will not be able to go there anymore..
(3)
John H.
Wings are the best I have had, cornbread w/maple butter is awsum. Great prices and all the refills you want.
(5)
Lnc T.
We went out here for dinner one night and had a pretty good experience. My boyfriend ordered the create your own combo plate [he got three different kind of wings and two sides] and I got the smokehouse burger w/ fries. My burger was so big, I took half of it home [just so my bf can devour it later of course!] To be honest, this place needs diversity. All in all good experience, nothing to die for though.
(3)
BIANCA S.
I like their ribs, steak, caesar salad and most of their food, Prices could be better. My only complaint is that they need to turn down the rock music. It's not just a bar, I've gone there at 5 pm with my elderly father and many of the other people in the restaurant are over 50 at this time. Save the loud loud music till 8 pm, when its mainly a younger crowd. The music is a little too much rock for older folks also, in this economy they could use more patrons during early evening, the place was about 20% full.
(3)
Marko M.
Babyback ribs tend to be dry and a bit tough. I like the St. Louis style larger ribs that are moist. Still could be better but a decent choice than buying from the supermarket in plastic wrap. Help is good and choice of beers is great. Can seat a lot of folks and many tv's to catch sports on. A decent evening out for chicken and ribs
(3)
Edgar T.
The foods gone down hill since when it first opened. Yes the menu is limited but not one bad meal have we ever had.
(2)
Mike L.
It's nice to have a BBQ restaurant nearby. I love the food here, and the price is just right. I have been here a couple times, and I really enjoy the BBQ here lunch or dinner. Have some really nice BBQ with cold beer will make you a perfect night out!!!
(4)
A T.
Looks like new management. Food quality incl chicken wings way down.
(3)
Michelle S.
Stopped in for lunch. I haven't been here for years but remembered I didn't like it too much back when. We started with the kettle chips which were more like deep fried potato slices (thickly cut) as opposed to thin crispy potato chips. They were pretty good however and the only reason why I give two stars. I would've liked a few more and the cook should take note not to let bunches of them stick together. When pulled apart, you end up with a mushy slice of potato which isn't very appetizing. These clumps seemed to get more seasoning on them as well making them too salty to eat if you didn't separate them. Next, we opted for wings which may have been a mistake. Actually, it was definitely a mistake but I'm uncertain if getting BBQ would've been any better. If you can't cook wings, they shouldn't be on the menu. We each got the 8 piece wings. My favorite is the wingette not the drumette so wouldn't you know I got six drumettes. They really should be equal parts and that's what my dining companion had. I got the buffa-que sauce and she got the sweet brown sugar sauce. I did like my sauce but thought it could've used a bit more heat. About half way through my first drumette, I noticed the meat getting pink until after one more bite, I saw blood. The rest of that one went into the paper bag they give you for the bones. The other drumettes were a tad pink but nothing to worry about. Still didn't make for an enjoyable experience. I thought about mentioning it to our waitress but she seemed as though she really didn't seem to care about much of anything and would rather be doing her taxes than waiting on us. I even thought for a second she'd ask why we didn't finish our meal and if everything was ok but nope, didn't seem to even cross her mind. Think I'll stick to Buffalo Wild Wings next time I have a hankering for wings.
(2)
Tara G.
Average food. Average burgers. Average waitstaff. Nothing spectactular.
(2)
Joe D.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Smokey Bones food, but its the slow service that gets a 2 star review. I've been to Smokey Bones twice in the past 3 months with my wife & daughter both times were the same experience. We are seated right away, and our order is promptly taken, then the waiting begins... On our first visit it took 40 minutes for our meal to come out & to top it off it took 30 minutes after ordering our dessert for it to arrive. The Manager came over to our table & apologized then offered a $15 gift card. We returned to use the gift card and kept our fingers crossed for a better experience... nope. I will return to Smokey Bones because I absolutely LOVE the food. I'll just have to prepare myself for the slow service.
(2)
Steven C.
Loved the smokehouse wings and the bbq beef brisket. Service was exceptional and the house ale was a great choice.
(4)
Irving L.
To put things in perspective, this joint is not located in Memphis or North Carolina, it's located in Tyngsboro, MA. Now that we have the geographical lesson out of the way, let's focus on the food as it is shall we? Ribs - excellent, succulent Brisket - very good Sauces - outstanding Beer selection - Meh.. Wings - excellent, damn well seasoned BBQ pizza - damn tasty Great sports bar ambiance plus they are open until 2AM...yes that's right 2AM, in Tyngsboro, MA.... All in all, I enjoy the food and service, and have frequently visited. My fav is probably the array of sauces coupled with the 2AM closing time... why not keep coming back? Hoping the great service and food continues.
(4)
Tim J.
Not a bad chain to eat in. Large and roomy. Good menu and good atmosphere. I come here once a month.
(3)
Sunny T.
When we arrived we were immediately sat, however they did ask if we would like a booth and we said yes. When we got to our table, it had booth seating on one side and chairs on the other and it was a table that looked like it was for 6 people. So that was a bit odd. The last time we went there we sat at the bar and that was a better seat. The server was slow in coming over to us, but when he did make it over he was nice and then more prompt in checking in on us. My husband and I had gone here for lunch. I did not feel like eating any BBQ, so I did get the pasta dish I would not recommend this, there was no sauce and it was terrible, they should just take this off the menu and stick to what they know. My husband got the 3 choice, it came with ribs, wings and something else. It was ok. I will say that when we had gone long time ago, the wings were delicious. The donuts are always good. Overall if you like BBQ I would recommend it here, just stick to ordering these types of dishes here.
(3)
Tom C.
I ordered a rack of original ribs for takeout. The ribs had a hard crust on them, as if they were precooked and thrown on a grill to heat up. They also had little meat on them. It made for a very disappointing and unpleasant dining experience. Thier name aptly describes the ribs. Smokey and mainly bomes.
(1)
Sathasaurus T.
Had a pretty bad day today. Decided to go to this place for the first time because I heard it was good but the foods was okay. The only bad part was, instead of getting my wings, they gave me a box of cheap bread! I was so disappointed they got my order mixed up! Never going back there again. The wings were about 15-20 and they gave me a $7 pretzel bread. I was hungry and was waiting all day to get something good to eat. Waste of money and time. Urgh, so angry right now!
(1)
Jamie B.
Can't say I would go there again, particularly after the last two trips. As far as the food, it's ok to decent, depending on what you order. I would not suggest the salads, their burger is just ok, and the BBQ meats decent. I guess the food might seem better if their servers were trained in customer service. I've only seen young women working the tables, all in a shirt about 2 sizes too small. The last 2 times we went we waited well over 5 minutes to even be greeted (at lunch time, when they were not busy at all!). There was never any check up to see how we were doing, beverage refreshments, and when I said that I didn't want sour cream on my potato- it comes smothered in it. The server just offered to "scrape it off". I told her I could do that myself, but it was smothered to the point of ruining the entire potato. There was no offer to another one, nor removing it from the bill. I do think that this place is more geared toward guys, and perhaps this is why I don't really care for it so much. The only thing that I find enjoyable and consistent is the music videos playing on the TVs.
(2)
Kevin T.
Ask for Ryan for your server. Food was really good as was the service. Local hangout for these NH folks. Girl servers are "smoking" hot! Not what I expected after reading other reviews.
(4)
b r.
the ribs are consistently top notch, best chain ribs I've ever had. Pulled pork is above par, brisket is par. I have dined here 5 times in last 6 mos, seems consistent. The place isnt the cheapest, but I cannot recommend any other joint that can touch their taste. At dinner they still usually have a $3 tall boy. 5* every time from me. Keep in mind, not best bbq ever, but best that is easily accessed, decent priced, and consistent.
(5)
Keith M.
Loaded potato with brisket and a salad. Home-made fries with a spicy sauce. I hadn't seen this on the menu, so I gave it a try. A little skimpy on the brisket, but very good. This place is on a roll for food and service lately - hoping they hang in there. I have to ask why the hostess tried to sit a party of 2 a a large table for 6 though....
(3)
Lindsay A.
Our new favorite place! Many different menu options, really friendly staff, and good food for the price. Everything was as expected for a chain-style restaurant and we were both really pleased! We will definitely be back again next weekend. I highly recommend for families or 20-something's on a budget. A note about the other reviews - if you don't like themed chain restaurants, then don't go to one and complain the food & decor were not authentic!!
(5)
Michael R.
Yup, it's a chain restaurant, but just because it's popular doesn't mean they forgot how to make food. All restaurants must come from humble beginnings, you know... Anyways, the prices are good, as is the service, and the menu definitely catered to this BBQ-lover's appetite (as does the bevy of sauces and spices they offer right from your table!) Some of my favorites: Smoked Southwest Spring Rolls, Fire Stix, Smokehouse Burger, Smokehouse Chicken Sandwich, and the Grilled BBQ chicken. Bottom line: Something had to make Smokey Bones transform from a singular restaurant to a plural one, and whatever it was, they've still got. Four Stars.
(4)
Mike M.
I'm going to be a nice guy and upgrade this to 3 stars because the service has really improved a lot over the last couple of years - it used to be the kind of place you'd have to order bottled beer so you could lay the bottle on its side or drop it on the ground to provide a hint that it was time for a refill. Now they actually look at the brew level in your bottle - maybe they hired the folks from the fuel oil company. I dunno - in any case it's still a great place to watch the ballgame. The sauce is even better now - 5 varieties but the Yeller sauce is still awful - YO, MANAGEMENT - FIX THE YELLER SAUCE!!!
(3)
Thomas N.
well we were shopping and had a coupon so we dropped in here, have been here and always enjoyed it. Same this time, beer selection ok, my wings were good, wife's pulled pork was very good and the sauces were very good, pleasant and good looking bartender, fair amount of locals
(4)
Jame R.
I started dining at Smokey Bones when they first opened. Back then the choices were great, the food wasn't bad, the prices were good and the servers were cheerful. For $6 I could get a Pulled Pork Platter with two sides and garlic toast. I changed jobs, worked in a different state and two years passed. Then I recently went back to the same Smokey Bones for lunch, and I gotta say it's AWFUL! The prices have gone up; the portions are meager (three pulled-pork "sliders" with hardly any meat and no sides for $7?); our server was disinterested and close to rude (another one of those who throw the check on the table without a word). What happened? Smokey Bones seems to have hired some idiot marketeer who told the Corporate Office something like this: "Hey, I'm cool and hip, and we want to attract the hipsters. What we need here is a cool and 'crisp' stylized logo. We'll double the prices and cut back on the portions to increase profit. We'll hire rude servers because that's cool. Lets put in EVEN MORE large plasma flat-panel TVs because, you know, these young hipsters don't know how to converse; they NEED to be entertained and amused. We'll make millions!" Please. You've pretty much screwed up a good (not great) BBQ place. In this economy raising prices will only reduce patronage. And Smokey Bones (at least in Tyngsboro) will end up like "On the Border" down the street: Closed; sad; weeds chokng the parking lot. Good riddance.
(1)
Jim S.
I have eaten here many times. The service is usually very good, and the food arrives promptly. I used to love the chicken pot pie, and was really bummed when it was discontinued. Cob Salad is good, and food is generally quite good.
(4)
Seth D.
I'm really at a loss for how to review this place, so I'm going with my gut. The problem here is really perspective: is this a great BBQ restaurant? No. Is this a chain I would choose any day of the week over Fridays, Chilis, Applebees, you name it? Absolutely. In the grand scheme of things, Smokey Bones isn't a top or even middle tier bbq restaurant (in fact, I'd take Famous Daves in a battle of BBQ chains), but the truth of the matter is, for hokey, fairly cheap, easy and fast food, it blows most of the "this level" competition out of the water. They do steak better than Fridays (I know this via my girlfriend's plate), they do pulled pork better than ANY of the chains that offer a pulled pork sandwhich, and hell, they even do BBQ better than Olive Garden does Italian. My meal itself was average, and calling a chain meal average is quite a compliment. If I was reviewing this place in a world where only chains at this level exist, I would have no qualms giving this place a four or even five on the right day of the week, but in a world where I love BBQ, this isn't going to cut it as is. I had a two meat platter with pulled pork and brisket--I couldn't raelly tell which was which if it wasn't for the pork being pulled and the brisket being sliced. The sides were actually really good (roasted corn salad and "sweet potato sticks" which were of course an extra dollar). The menu was very basic, and nothing particularly impressive, but everything was very solid. Like I said, it's tough to gauge based on context, so I'll give it three, because it was A-OK on a Sunday afternoon for a quick-but-not-fast-food-meal with my girlfriend.
(3)
Jonathan K.
My co-workers and I frequent Smokey Bones for lunch on occassion, as the prices are good, the service is typically good and the food comes fast. I don't think I've ever had a dish here that I didn't like to some degree, from the pulled pork, the wings, fish &chips, burgers...I've enjoyed them all. Like most people are saying, the service is typically pretty fast, even when the parking lot is entirely full. Went here last night with a few friends and after circling the parking lot a few times, finally bagged someone leaving and snuck in. We only waited 15-20 minutes for a table which I found astounding considering how busy it actually was. Perhaps we got lucky and there was a roatation of people leaving, but either way we were seated quickly. The beer selection is decent, but more than anything, I was happy to see an IPA on tap that WASN'T Harpoon. I'm tired of the IPA standby at every bar being Harpoon as this tastes more like a moderately hopped ale made so that the mass beer drinkers can say "they like IPA" than a true IPA. The IPA they did have on tap was brewed by Mayflower, a MA craftbrewery which has been coming into its own recently and finding its way into more establishments. This is the first time I've had the Mayflower IPA on tap and have to say it was well balanced, hopped appropriately and VERY drinkable. The only reason I won't give Smokey Bones more stars is because it's not the first of my choices when it comes to going out, but it is an old stand-by that you really can't go wrong with. The TV's can get distracting after awhile...at least for me and my typical lack of an ability to pay attention to anything for any length of time.
(3)
Tricia B.
This is a guilty pleasure for my family. We eat here at least 2 times a month. Sometimes we are here once a week. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. We don't like the ribs, but the brisket and pulled pork is something that brings us coming back. My favorite is the baked potato stuffed with brisket and cheese served with either a Caesar or house salad. I just got the "Cuban" sandwich this week and that may be my new fav with sweet potato fries. My kids put down dinner quickly to get to the chocolate cake! Monday's kids eat free and if you get your order in before 6pm appetizers are half price. After eating the good sized nachos and buff-a-que wings my husband and i will often share a dinner and they are always okay with that. (Fish and Chips are just the right size to share) Even with a few beers dinner with take home for 2 adults and 2 kids will be under $50 Wait-staff are so nice, even when we get a trainee they are fantastic. Food always comes out at just the right time. The one down side to eating here is the amount of water you have to consume after. The food is very heavily salted. Read the sodium levels online and you will gasp. After eating the ribs you may become mummified. Half priced appetizers and free kids meal are no longer... it lasted for a very long time. We miss it. Please please bring it back.
(4)
David B.
I stopped in for a quick bite to eat during the lunch hour and sat at the large bar. The bar has about ten TV's surrounding both sides of the bar with every TV playing a different station which I found kind of numbing after ten minutes or so. I ordered a plate with pulled pork, beef brisket which came with fries. The order came pretty fast considering they had a pretty large lunch crowd this day. My opinion with the dish was that it was fine for a quick lunch but not top notch BBQ by any standard. The pulled pork just did not taste that great. Maybe it was the seasoning but the texture of the meat was fine. If I return there it will not be for the beef brisket that's for sure. Disappointing favor and texture. They had a noticeable over processed favor about them. I tried adding a few of the BBQ sauces to them it really didn't help. Based on the people in the place they really like the food. I guess it was my dish that came up short.
(2)
Brian D.
Seth D. Has it right, its all about prespective. We liked our wings. They had good flavor and it liked trying all the sauces on them. My burger was excellent, but could have used a better tomato (they are in season now). I loved that the burger came with onion rings on top. Sweet potato fries were great and nice and salty. I enjoyed the pumpkin beer. On the down side the pull pork was sad. They used pepper to over come the lack of smoking. Their lemonade was disappointing. Overall, 4 stars as a chain restaurant, 2 stars as a BBQ restaurant. I will likely go again when next in the area, and love it because my expectations will be, "this is the best Chilli's ever".
(3)
Lily F.
I would agree with a few other reviewers in that this isn't exactly a stellar BBQ joint, but a place for a nice, filling lunch & a cheap beer? Heck ya! Boyfriend and I stopped in on a Monday afternoon and to be honest, I was reluctant...it kind of looks like a corporate man cave (big tvs, faux log cabin look) but once we were seated and spoke with our server I began to relax a little. The menu is HUGE! Like, confusing huge. I saw sandwiches, salads, pulled pork, ribs, burgers, girly drinks, beer and my head was spinning. We knew that wings were in our future and the turkey avocado burger looked good so I went for it and was so glad I did! It goes without saying that turkey burgers can be rather...lifeless if cooked improperly. This one was peppery and actually tasted like meat and not rubber, so that's always a good place to start. It came with a garlicy mayo on the side, I used a teeny bit but not much, it was a bit over the top. My side of broccoli (yes, I'm that girl) was good, a little buttery but delicious none the less. Wings were slightly breaded, and while I prefer a crispy wing these were yum. Hot, crunchy and all white meat. Can't go wrong. After ordering our wings, burgers and beer (16 oz blue moon for like $3, woohoo!) we rolled out the door. I ate half the burger and was STUFFED and usually I am a bottomless pit. Overall a good chain experience, place was clean, staff was friendly, and food was more than palatable. Plus, no one will judge you for ordering a beer with lunch. Even the 22 oz one. Really.
(3)
Kevin W.
The food was great. We had the unlimited wings and bone brew. Everything was enjoyable but the service was terrible. We were slow to be served despite it being pretty empty. The unlimited wings was slow to be served, with additional plates of merely 4 wings.
(3)
Roy P.
Excellent menu, best BBQ in th Boston area !!! Waitress wasn't very talkative, but overall a very good experience, would recommend to anyone.
(4)
Leo R.
Went here last weekend late night. They offer a great ambiance. The staff all seemed pretty good, our waitress wasn't as fun or cool as another one who dared one of my friends to drink a half empty beer. We'll he did and she called him gross but she bet him a dollar he wouldn't. This was the first time I have seen someone get money from a waitress.
(3)
Jonathan P.
It is what it is. Smokey bones has dozens of TVs up. Want to watch the Red Sox instead of the Celtics? No problem, each booth has its own volume and channel control. You can choose which game to listen to. My friends watched every game of the 2008 celtics playoffs here. They have ultra classy buckets of beer. Ice + 6 bottles of domestic beer for $10. We'd usually get a few of those and appetizers. After a certain time (10 ?) they start selling appetizers for half price. Score!
(4)
B R.
awesome. Way better than Texas roadhouse for BBQ. I like the roadhouse for steak and such but for BBQ variety that is a cut above as a chain place, this place rocks. I wish some of the local small chains like Firefly's and Tennessee's had their quality and taste at this level.
(4)
Vanessa P.
I have been here about five times and it is one of DH and I's favorite place when visiting the mall. The food is good, about what to expect from a chain, and the service has always been good.
(4)
Tarkesh M.
Nice place and good quality food
(5)
Gina K.
Went here for a meeting and ate a couple of appetizers. We went on a Thursday night and after 8, ladies get a free appetizer. Although, only ONE per table. We got the Chicken Nachos that were good sized and tasty. We also got a side of french fries for just $1.99 - very small order, but very delicious hand-cut and crispy. I would go back just for those! Drinks were okay and service was excellent. Would like to try their BBQ, but that will have to be for another night :)
(3)
Paul M.
raw chicken enf said
(1)
James M.
One of my favorite restaurants, service is great just as well as the food. Full rack of ribs is what I usually get.
(5)
Christine R.
Very friendly service. Food is served quick. I like the options for kids too.
(5)
J. Scott P.
They have managed to make even simple BBQ a hazy state of mediocre. My partner and I stopped in after shopping in the area. The smell from outside was phenominal. The food...not so much. I had a chicken pecan salad which presented nicely. It was saturated in dresing that was so super sweet it was like they covered lettuce with brown sygar syrup. I sent that back and had it redone without dressing. By the time they had brought it out my dining partner was finished with his meal completely. His meal? A substabdard burger and cold fries. Our waitress was no great shakes either. She was wearing a pin that was a chicken with 2008 done in the repub/demo colors like the elephant and donkey. Clearly it was meant to be something of significance. The only response we got when inquiring was, "I dunno - I hafta wear it". Try Olive Garden up the road. You'll thank me.
(1)
Josh H.
This follows many of the other reviews. The food isn't the best BBQ i have had but for New England it is very good. I would rate the food 4/5. the service, on the other hand, is terrible. I used to come here once every few months but my last experience will be just that, my last. walked in at about 2 on a weekday with my mother. place was fairly empty and we were seated immediately. Took 15 minutes before a waitress came over and took drinks and gave us menus. Took another 20 minutes to get those drinks and the order food. I ordered a beer and it was flat so i had them get me another...flat again. Maybe beer isn't their thing, i don't know. Either way, third time is a charm. So now we are there an hour and finally get our meals. I am not asking for much but an hour when it is very slow is outrageous. Manager said they would take care of it whatever that meant since nothing was comped. Will not return due to the poor staff and management.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jonathan K.
My co-workers and I frequent Smokey Bones for lunch on occassion, as the prices are good, the service is typically good and the food comes fast. I don't think I've ever had a dish here that I didn't like to some degree, from the pulled pork, the wings, fish &chips, burgers...I've enjoyed them all. Like most people are saying, the service is typically pretty fast, even when the parking lot is entirely full. Went here last night with a few friends and after circling the parking lot a few times, finally bagged someone leaving and snuck in. We only waited 15-20 minutes for a table which I found astounding considering how busy it actually was. Perhaps we got lucky and there was a roatation of people leaving, but either way we were seated quickly. The beer selection is decent, but more than anything, I was happy to see an IPA on tap that WASN'T Harpoon. I'm tired of the IPA standby at every bar being Harpoon as this tastes more like a moderately hopped ale made so that the mass beer drinkers can say "they like IPA" than a true IPA. The IPA they did have on tap was brewed by Mayflower, a MA craftbrewery which has been coming into its own recently and finding its way into more establishments. This is the first time I've had the Mayflower IPA on tap and have to say it was well balanced, hopped appropriately and VERY drinkable. The only reason I won't give Smokey Bones more stars is because it's not the first of my choices when it comes to going out, but it is an old stand-by that you really can't go wrong with. The TV's can get distracting after awhile...at least for me and my typical lack of an ability to pay attention to anything for any length of time.
(3)Tricia B.
This is a guilty pleasure for my family. We eat here at least 2 times a month. Sometimes we are here once a week. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. We don't like the ribs, but the brisket and pulled pork is something that brings us coming back. My favorite is the baked potato stuffed with brisket and cheese served with either a Caesar or house salad. I just got the "Cuban" sandwich this week and that may be my new fav with sweet potato fries. My kids put down dinner quickly to get to the chocolate cake! Monday's kids eat free and if you get your order in before 6pm appetizers are half price. After eating the good sized nachos and buff-a-que wings my husband and i will often share a dinner and they are always okay with that. (Fish and Chips are just the right size to share) Even with a few beers dinner with take home for 2 adults and 2 kids will be under $50 Wait-staff are so nice, even when we get a trainee they are fantastic. Food always comes out at just the right time. The one down side to eating here is the amount of water you have to consume after. The food is very heavily salted. Read the sodium levels online and you will gasp. After eating the ribs you may become mummified. Half priced appetizers and free kids meal are no longer... it lasted for a very long time. We miss it. Please please bring it back.
(4)David B.
I stopped in for a quick bite to eat during the lunch hour and sat at the large bar. The bar has about ten TV's surrounding both sides of the bar with every TV playing a different station which I found kind of numbing after ten minutes or so. I ordered a plate with pulled pork, beef brisket which came with fries. The order came pretty fast considering they had a pretty large lunch crowd this day. My opinion with the dish was that it was fine for a quick lunch but not top notch BBQ by any standard. The pulled pork just did not taste that great. Maybe it was the seasoning but the texture of the meat was fine. If I return there it will not be for the beef brisket that's for sure. Disappointing favor and texture. They had a noticeable over processed favor about them. I tried adding a few of the BBQ sauces to them it really didn't help. Based on the people in the place they really like the food. I guess it was my dish that came up short.
(2)Brian D.
Seth D. Has it right, its all about prespective. We liked our wings. They had good flavor and it liked trying all the sauces on them. My burger was excellent, but could have used a better tomato (they are in season now). I loved that the burger came with onion rings on top. Sweet potato fries were great and nice and salty. I enjoyed the pumpkin beer. On the down side the pull pork was sad. They used pepper to over come the lack of smoking. Their lemonade was disappointing. Overall, 4 stars as a chain restaurant, 2 stars as a BBQ restaurant. I will likely go again when next in the area, and love it because my expectations will be, "this is the best Chilli's ever".
(3)Lily F.
I would agree with a few other reviewers in that this isn't exactly a stellar BBQ joint, but a place for a nice, filling lunch & a cheap beer? Heck ya! Boyfriend and I stopped in on a Monday afternoon and to be honest, I was reluctant...it kind of looks like a corporate man cave (big tvs, faux log cabin look) but once we were seated and spoke with our server I began to relax a little. The menu is HUGE! Like, confusing huge. I saw sandwiches, salads, pulled pork, ribs, burgers, girly drinks, beer and my head was spinning. We knew that wings were in our future and the turkey avocado burger looked good so I went for it and was so glad I did! It goes without saying that turkey burgers can be rather...lifeless if cooked improperly. This one was peppery and actually tasted like meat and not rubber, so that's always a good place to start. It came with a garlicy mayo on the side, I used a teeny bit but not much, it was a bit over the top. My side of broccoli (yes, I'm that girl) was good, a little buttery but delicious none the less. Wings were slightly breaded, and while I prefer a crispy wing these were yum. Hot, crunchy and all white meat. Can't go wrong. After ordering our wings, burgers and beer (16 oz blue moon for like $3, woohoo!) we rolled out the door. I ate half the burger and was STUFFED and usually I am a bottomless pit. Overall a good chain experience, place was clean, staff was friendly, and food was more than palatable. Plus, no one will judge you for ordering a beer with lunch. Even the 22 oz one. Really.
(3)Kevin W.
The food was great. We had the unlimited wings and bone brew. Everything was enjoyable but the service was terrible. We were slow to be served despite it being pretty empty. The unlimited wings was slow to be served, with additional plates of merely 4 wings.
(3)Roy P.
Excellent menu, best BBQ in th Boston area !!! Waitress wasn't very talkative, but overall a very good experience, would recommend to anyone.
(4)Leo R.
Went here last weekend late night. They offer a great ambiance. The staff all seemed pretty good, our waitress wasn't as fun or cool as another one who dared one of my friends to drink a half empty beer. We'll he did and she called him gross but she bet him a dollar he wouldn't. This was the first time I have seen someone get money from a waitress.
(3)Jonathan P.
It is what it is. Smokey bones has dozens of TVs up. Want to watch the Red Sox instead of the Celtics? No problem, each booth has its own volume and channel control. You can choose which game to listen to. My friends watched every game of the 2008 celtics playoffs here. They have ultra classy buckets of beer. Ice + 6 bottles of domestic beer for $10. We'd usually get a few of those and appetizers. After a certain time (10 ?) they start selling appetizers for half price. Score!
(4)B R.
awesome. Way better than Texas roadhouse for BBQ. I like the roadhouse for steak and such but for BBQ variety that is a cut above as a chain place, this place rocks. I wish some of the local small chains like Firefly's and Tennessee's had their quality and taste at this level.
(4)Vanessa P.
I have been here about five times and it is one of DH and I's favorite place when visiting the mall. The food is good, about what to expect from a chain, and the service has always been good.
(4)Tarkesh M.
Nice place and good quality food
(5)Gina K.
Went here for a meeting and ate a couple of appetizers. We went on a Thursday night and after 8, ladies get a free appetizer. Although, only ONE per table. We got the Chicken Nachos that were good sized and tasty. We also got a side of french fries for just $1.99 - very small order, but very delicious hand-cut and crispy. I would go back just for those! Drinks were okay and service was excellent. Would like to try their BBQ, but that will have to be for another night :)
(3)Paul M.
raw chicken enf said
(1)James M.
One of my favorite restaurants, service is great just as well as the food. Full rack of ribs is what I usually get.
(5)Christine R.
Very friendly service. Food is served quick. I like the options for kids too.
(5)J. Scott P.
They have managed to make even simple BBQ a hazy state of mediocre. My partner and I stopped in after shopping in the area. The smell from outside was phenominal. The food...not so much. I had a chicken pecan salad which presented nicely. It was saturated in dresing that was so super sweet it was like they covered lettuce with brown sygar syrup. I sent that back and had it redone without dressing. By the time they had brought it out my dining partner was finished with his meal completely. His meal? A substabdard burger and cold fries. Our waitress was no great shakes either. She was wearing a pin that was a chicken with 2008 done in the repub/demo colors like the elephant and donkey. Clearly it was meant to be something of significance. The only response we got when inquiring was, "I dunno - I hafta wear it". Try Olive Garden up the road. You'll thank me.
(1)Josh H.
This follows many of the other reviews. The food isn't the best BBQ i have had but for New England it is very good. I would rate the food 4/5. the service, on the other hand, is terrible. I used to come here once every few months but my last experience will be just that, my last. walked in at about 2 on a weekday with my mother. place was fairly empty and we were seated immediately. Took 15 minutes before a waitress came over and took drinks and gave us menus. Took another 20 minutes to get those drinks and the order food. I ordered a beer and it was flat so i had them get me another...flat again. Maybe beer isn't their thing, i don't know. Either way, third time is a charm. So now we are there an hour and finally get our meals. I am not asking for much but an hour when it is very slow is outrageous. Manager said they would take care of it whatever that meant since nothing was comped. Will not return due to the poor staff and management.
(2)Jeff F.
Unfortunately, this is the only place in Nashua that serves "real" BBQ. Unfortunately, it is bog-standard, offend nobody food. Unfortunately, the only BBQ sauce they have is sweet. Too sweet. Unfortunately, the other food is so-so. Unfortunately, the baked BBQ beans have so much of their sweet sauce that 3 bites is too much. Unfortunately, the desserts offered are typical chain fare. Smokey Bones is unfortunate. They do one thing right, given that it's a chain place. The meat is good, and cooked well - it won't knock your socks off, but it's perfectly acceptable. Unfortunately, everything else is "meh". I come here on occasion (every couple years or so) because I can't always drive 45 minutes to get some pulled pork, but my expectations are modest, and I can come away satiated, if not overly satisfied should the need of visiting Smokey Bones arrive. Maybe if I took some homemade sauce, people wouldn't look at me like I had six heads? I think I may have to try that some time!
(2)Kelley T.
I was pretty underwhelmed tonight. First of all, I hate restaurants that have tv screens everywhere because I find it really distracting. If I wanted to eat dinner and watch tv I'd just do it at home. Secondly, there's something weird about the way they present their food. I got the Cuban sandwich and it came with one side so I got baked beans. The plate they served it on was a big white plate, and the sandwich was on one half and the beans came in a little white cup. The plate just looked so empty, and made me feel weird. Maybe if they put some paper underneath it or a lettuce leaf somewhere it would have looked nicer, I was just really not impressed. Also those baked beans were way too sweet. That being said, the cuban sandwich wasn't that bad, they use pulled pork which is a nice variation.
(3)Jeff P.
Seems sort of strange for me to review this place given that I am diabetic and almost everything on the menu is loaded with sugar. I am not kidding, they even put sugar on their tortilla chips. Who wants to bit into a corn chip and taste sugar? If this was a common desire, then you would see folks eating their baskets of complimentary tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants with cans of frosting not fresh salsa. Back to Smokey Bones, the food that I have had there was okay, nothing great, but then it wasn't inedible either. As mentioned, their menu was very restricted for me due to the fact everything has sugar in it. But this isn't a barbeque restaurant by any stretch of the imagination! The big draw for me is the fact they have a satellite dish and the NFL Sunday Ticket. They show 6 or 7 different games on TVs scattered around the place. Each table has their own little speaker so you can listen to the sound for whichever channel you like. Me being a fan of a football team not in this area, this was a big draw for me. The wait staff was hit or miss. Could be that I was taking up a table for a long time, and what wait staff likes that, but I made it clear that's what I was going to do and I did tip well. (The tip was at the end of the service, so that shouldn't help unless I get the same waitron the next time I am there.)
(2)anne marie z.
We have always enjoyed Smokey Bones.. We go there often as it is children's favorite place.. Well we went ther last night. Found they started offering new sauces which are fantastic, BUT I guess they have been purchased by someone and now they are shooting for a "Hooters" theme... :( As the mother of 4 children and 2 of them being girls at very impressionable age (13,12) I was very disappointed to see some of the waitress walking around with their belly rings hanging out, Boobs half exposed, leaning over tables with bare skin exposed.. I addressed it with my waitress who was not happy with the changes but she informed us they are encouraged to "EXPRESS" themselves.. I also commented to the manager on duty who was a young guy and probably into that kind of thing so not sure it will go to far. But I have to say sadly we will not be able to go there anymore..
(3)Andy A.
So this place might be good to grab a beer but other than that I just don't know. We sat down and the place was chill however the waitress must of been in a bad mood. The menu looked great everything just looked delicious. We ordered a couple of apps and the Double play. Apps not so bad now when my ribs came out I was disappointed. The Mac and cheese was horrible. Cheese tasted like it was squeezed out a bottle. Lets just say our experience here was not the best. But now I know.
(2)HungryInHudson S.
I had a great time last night at Smoke Bones! This place has great upbeat feel on a Saturday night! I also had a excellent burger. I was very impressed. I enjoyed the burger with the fried egg on top. A must if you love burgers!!!
(4)John H.
Wings are the best I have had, cornbread w/maple butter is awsum. Great prices and all the refills you want.
(5)Lnc T.
We went out here for dinner one night and had a pretty good experience. My boyfriend ordered the create your own combo plate [he got three different kind of wings and two sides] and I got the smokehouse burger w/ fries. My burger was so big, I took half of it home [just so my bf can devour it later of course!] To be honest, this place needs diversity. All in all good experience, nothing to die for though.
(3)BIANCA S.
I like their ribs, steak, caesar salad and most of their food, Prices could be better. My only complaint is that they need to turn down the rock music. It's not just a bar, I've gone there at 5 pm with my elderly father and many of the other people in the restaurant are over 50 at this time. Save the loud loud music till 8 pm, when its mainly a younger crowd. The music is a little too much rock for older folks also, in this economy they could use more patrons during early evening, the place was about 20% full.
(3)Marko M.
Babyback ribs tend to be dry and a bit tough. I like the St. Louis style larger ribs that are moist. Still could be better but a decent choice than buying from the supermarket in plastic wrap. Help is good and choice of beers is great. Can seat a lot of folks and many tv's to catch sports on. A decent evening out for chicken and ribs
(3)Edgar T.
The foods gone down hill since when it first opened. Yes the menu is limited but not one bad meal have we ever had.
(2)Mike L.
It's nice to have a BBQ restaurant nearby. I love the food here, and the price is just right. I have been here a couple times, and I really enjoy the BBQ here lunch or dinner. Have some really nice BBQ with cold beer will make you a perfect night out!!!
(4)A T.
Looks like new management. Food quality incl chicken wings way down.
(3)Damon L.
It wasn't really memorable. The menu items were expensive. I got some steak salad. The steak was good, but the salad had way too much dressing. I think it was around $13 - $14 which is always too much to pay for salad. Some of the reviews said the smokey wings were good, which is true. They were surprisingly good. Overall, it was just an okay experience. I could have just gone to Outback Steakhouse or something and had the same experience.
(3)Alan M.
First off, I wish I could give them three and a half stars. This place is pretty okay. If you come here expecting amazing BBQ, then you're going to be disappointed. All of you people complaining about the BBQ here have to remember, this is a chain restaurant. Obviously this place isn't going to compare to a family owned BBQ joint. I haven't tried everything on the menu, but from what I've had, it was pretty decent. The portion sizes are really good for the price of the food. I normally come here on Monday nights for the $10.99 all you can eat wings. The wings are huge! The only thing I can complain about it is, they give you 8 wings to start and then only 4 wings for every round after. The waiters take way to long before taking your order for the next round. All in all, this place is decent. I definitely keep coming back, try the smoked wings, those are the real winners.
(3)Denis D.
Been to this place many times. One of my dad's favorite restaurant when he comes visiting. Very good BBQ: beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken. Good sides, good sauces. Nice decor. Service is usually good. Can't remember a bad experience there. Beware of their tricked pitchers of beer... a significantly portion of the pitcher (the size of a Styrofoam cup) is used by a white thingy supposedly there to keep the beer cold.... yeah...right... like we'd let it go warm... Use a regular good old honest clear glass pitcher full of BEER! Would I recommend this place? Yes. Good food, good price, good service. Will I go back? Yes
(4)Matt C.
Our favorite bbq place in the area. We even signed up for their customer loalty program, I love how you can just swipe your credit card on then device at your table to pay your bill
(5)Sam M.
Modern vibe on a smokehouse, I can dig it. Expect chain restaurant food when you come here, though. They have some pretty decent deals on some menu items. I come here on mondays sometimes for the all you can eat wings which is probably their best offer. The wings are very big and meaty, but they serve you in small portions at a time to fill you up faster so they make more money. 8 wings and fries to start off then only four wings at a time. I'm a man, dammit. Give me more. It would help if the service was a bit faster, too so I'm not waiting around after eating just four wings. The sauces are pretty good and they have a good selection. When you get the dry rub wings you have the option to get them smoked... those are probably the best they have to offer, theyre delicious. I'll be back more, but when I want some real down south barbeque, i'll be somewhere else.
(3)Ralph G.
Fantastic service and food was fast hot and flawless great job smokey bones. Overall amazing experience. Strongly suggest this place.
(5)Molly M.
**Good food, good service** Monday night wing night is definitely worth the price. Never really been a big fan of wings, but this place definitely knows what they're doing. Service is always good, food's consistent. Recommend it to anyone looking for a quick beer and meal at a decent price.
(4)Ray R.
Food was ok,but took way too long to be delivered. Waitress did apologize for long delay in getting food explaining that kitchen gets backed up. What seems to be a trend in this type of restaurant was that the music was way too loud. Manager explained she only put it on what corporate directed her to put it on. She explained that corporate wants the music loud for privacy so one table can't hear what the other is saying. Ok, I have now heard what I believe,is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. Some marketing genius saw an 18 year old in their car with the music blaring and surmised that loud music would attract kids. I suspect this volume could injure the ears of the very young. Ridiculous. They also place a tablet on the table and if you use it to play a game while waiting 30 minutes for your food they charge you $2 adding insult to injury. They do their best to make it difficult to like what could be a good family restaurant. Down with all the marketing geniuses.
(3)Alexandra B.
I love the appetizers. My favorite meal is the nachos. I often work late and it's cool I can get food so late here. The atmosphere is young but not overly immature or rowdy. I like coming here on a Friday night for an hour or so. I'm kind of surprised by all of the bad reviews here. My experience has always been a good one. If you're expecting authentic Texan barbecue then yes, you'll be disappointed. But it's great for what it is!
(4)Louis-Charles C.
First time here. Service was reall great and the kiosk at the table so you can pay quickly was a plus. My daughter and split a steak and a burger. Both were cooked a tad more than the medium I requested but that's usually expected at most restaurants. Fries were good and there was now wait at 6p due to the place being HUGE
(4)Lee A.
I hadn't been here in at least a couple of years--because (as I now remember) they were very slow. Well, tonight my brain failed me and I proposed take-out from this place. I arrived 30 minutes after I ordered, which is when they said pick up would be ready. Then I stood there waiting for another 30 minutes, no exaggeration. They didn't say a word; when I went up after 25 minutes to ask for my money back, the guy just said they're waiting on one thing and it'd be a couple of minutes. No apology, no explanation, just matter of fact as if I'm being a pain by standing there in silence. In the end they got it done and gave me a discount but, y'know. They all seemed so cranky too, except the hostesses. Anyway, I made it home. The food was ok. I got a turkey burger, which was edible but extremely salty. My wife got pretzel bones, which she enjoyed but the queso dip had a skein on top from their microwave. It's over now. And hopefully having written this review will finally remind me not to go back.
(1)Jennifer B.
Horrible...and on Valentine's day too. Got the smoked salmon...it was a hockey puck..so dry and tough. Asked for grilled.. took over 25 min and I told them forget it. My husband ate alone. Not pleased. Won't go back.
(1)Tiffani N.
One star because they have a drink I really like similar to a Moscow Mule and I like the kettle chips. Other than that this establishment is terrible. I have been on a few occasions to meet people there, never my idea, and have had a bad experience every time. I usually have to wait way too long for a waitress and they are always in horrible moods. Food has always taken a very long time and one time I waited 27 minutes to get my check after waiting at least 15 minutes to order a drink then had a disappointing meal. Another time the waitress was incredibly rude to my friends for having questions about the menu. On a different occasion I had a friend get incredibly sick from the food he ate there. I am not a fan. The waitresses clearly don't want tips because they definitely don't act like it. They ruined this place for me.
(1)Jessie S.
Ordered four entrees tonight for take out. All four were done completely wrong and messed up. This after waiting 15 minutes and going over the order again at pick up. What a waste of time and money. Never again.
(1)Christina T.
If I could give no stars I would. One night it took over an hour to get a table. After finally walking through the restaurant i saw there were many open tables available. Worst of all the manager didnt seem to care. When I informed the hostess I was disappointed she asked if I wanted to speak to the manager. I said no because he didnt seem that friendly. Not only that but he had the gall to come up to me and say "so I hear you thought I was rude". Well now I do. They should can that jerk!
(1)Angela C.
HUGE MENU lots of choices! Our sever was great very attentive, she gave us menu recommendations. There is a full bar and TVs to watch your favorite sports team. Try the doughnuts for dessert, save some room so worth it!
(5)Anthony M.
If you want franchise low quality of meat and your basic "Applebee's experience, then this is what you will get. Mediocre bbq, staff was very friendly but I like my bbq made with passion by people who know bbq.
(2)Tom O.
Been here twice. Both times were disappointing. Might be an okay chain restaurant but avoid the BBQ it's just horrible. Service the other day was slow and inept.
(1)Christopher C.
BBQ food is pretty good. Solid sauce choices if you like sauces. Highly recommend you order a bottled beer. Beer on tap isn't cold enough at all.... Very disappointing
(3)Audrey B.
I drive by this restaurant everyday, the parking lot is always packed. So armed with a $10 off coupon, off my husband & I went. The menu looked great, great descriptions.. will never return. The burgers were definitely a frozen patty, really for $10? The edges were well done, the very middle, pink. The patty was not thick enough to cook juicy. This was dry as it gets...more mayo and ketchup, please! My husband's smoked turkey breast had good flavor, but it was sliced smoked turkey like you get at the supermarket deli, heated. A sandwich, a meal, one beer, with coupon $25. For a great burger go to Suzy's in Hudson, or the Stonehedge - sit at the bar or the 110 Grill in Chelmsford - not much atmosphere nut a delicious juicy burger on a brioche bun, mmmm. DO not go to Smokey Bones. Wish I could have voted for 1/2 star.
(1)Bob Z.
If you are handycap or disable, they only have 3 table that could accomdate us . The food is great , we waited 45 minutes and walk out when we saw them seat people in only seats that we could only sit at .
(3)Sarah M.
Smokey bones is fun, the food and service is pretty good and I love how they serve food later than most places around them. The bar In Nashua smells absolutely horrible! I think I've narrowed it down to dirty bar rags used to wipe down the bar and other things.. The last 5/5 times I've been here I've experienced the same horrible sour stench... I always over hear others speaking of the same thing and I hope it changes because this is a fun spot.
(3)Vacation W.
Ate here 23APRIL2014 and really enjoyed the brisket I ordered. Also tried the corn bread they have for an appetizer. It tasted good, but was somewhat dense and heavy so didn't finish it because would fill you pre-meal. The wait staff was very friendly, helpful, and up beat which to me is as important as the meal itself. They have a full service bar and large screen televisions to take in a game. Also had a DJ last night and not sure if this is nightly. Well worth a try for BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork, etc..
(4)Curtis S.
Good bar atmosphere with a well spaced and tuned restaurant. Only issue are my over seasoned/overly salted onion rings...had to wash it down with my Yingling beer. That beer however was well balanced and delicious! Asiago Chicken Penne was exactly what I had hoped for. Well balanced and zesty!
(2)Kristy C.
I'm surprised by the amount of people on here who've complained about the service. I have only been to Smokey Bones twice, but on both occasions .. the service was great. The bar has a pretty good beer selection, which is always a plus for me! The food is yummy, and perfect for when you just want to pig out. Oh my god, mashed potatoes and baked beans. I just can't contain myself.
(4)Robert G.
Disclaimer: I'm not a target of "bones" and actually do not eat anything which has bones in it, so I'm sort of biased right of the bat. Still, I have given the place a chance. I have been here with a group of friends and have gotten take out thanks to a Christmas gift card. First off, this location is always packed out the door. Doesn't seem to be a moment from when the doors open to close when it isn't jammed packed. And God knows why. First time I was here was a group of 4. I have no clue what I ordered, but thought it was okay. I love BBQ, but not sloppy stuff or anything with bones so the appeal was limited but I know the food was edible. I recall ribs were ordered and those were great according to friends. Service was iffy at best, though our waitress seemed like she was trying her best. It was so busy, every table was filled, and the folks working seemed like they were desperately overworked. I guess this is your typical BBQ? Loud, noisy, super busy, TV's plastered everywhere, everyone grubbing away at wings or ribs with BBQ sauce smeared everywhere? It just isn't my idea of a night out. I would give the Bones' 3 stars, but my takeout experience was truly awful. I ordered ahead and arrived about 15 minutes after ordering and was surprised I still had to wait about another 15 minutes for my order. The place was hustling and bustling, with people running and moving everywhere, I actually got brushed several times while waiting. I had ordered the smothered chicken which was BBQ chicken with bacon and cheese. Got mashed and veggies as a side. Partner ordered some sort of sandwich. Having to wait, I figured we would be getting something hot and fresh and was sorely disappointed. Partners sandwich was cold and while my chicken was hot, it was so smothered in BBQ it was a sloppy mess. The BBQ had poured on to the cold potatoes and cold broccoli and it was quite gross. Thanks to the boss for giving the gift card, because if I had spent hard earned money on this slop, I would have been irate. As a side note, it should be noted that this establishment has come very close several times over the past few years to losing their liquor license and having their hours rolled back. This has involved several fights, including violence against responding police officers. The people who go here for some drinks are the exact type of people I chose to stay well AWAY from!
(2)Madi T.
Hello! I'm currently a student and I'm writing a paper on having allergies and eating out, and I informed my waitress I was allergic to onions (cause I know onions are in almost everything) and she and (I think manager or chef) and he went through the menu with me and it was great, the waiting was a bit much but it's all good she was nice everyone was nice. If you have an allergy they will walk you through what's okay and what isn't!! I'll be back!!! But I'll get something I want that has onions cause I really don't mind them :)
(4)Sara B.
This is usually a weekly spot for my husband and I. While the food isn't the best you'll have around, it's a great atmosphere! Always go with a coupon, and it's a fairly inexpensive night out. And be sure to sign up for their free rewards card, eventually you will earn a $20.00 credit on the card!
(4)Nicole L.
The menus election was large. The portions were large. I had the sliced turkey platter. Yum. The turkey had a nice smoky taste and was juicy. the sauces complemented it well. I liked the hot and BBQ the best. The roasted corn was very good. I had the broccoli as my other side so it was a healthy meal as well. Hubby had the smokey chicken dinner. The chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful. He loved it. Had the chocolate cake for dessert which was well over a meal in itself. How could someone ever finish that. Then it had a side of ice cream to boot. The atmosphere reminded me of a cross between Outback Steakhouse and the 99 restaurant. The waitress was the downside to this place as she was inattentive and slow.
(4)D C.
Watery lemonade (which they replaced). Lukewarm soup (they got me a bowl to replace the cup of lukewarm I originally received.) Kitchen extremely slow.
(3)Jason O.
Should spend some money and fix the huge holes in the wall and get sone paint to cover the crap carved in to the walls and stall... smh... hour later sick as a dog won't be returning
(1)Zachary S.
Update. This place is still terrible but for they've somehow made their service worse.
(1)Jon B.
My first (and now only time here) was on the night for all you can eat wings. I arrived with my friends at around 10:00pm and after putting in our first order, it literally took no less than 30 minutes for the food to come out. Keep in mind, there were only 4 of us at the table. Nothing too crazy. Aside from not getting any napkins, the wings were disgusting. I wasn't sure if there was anything but fat on what we were eating. Anyway, we finish our first round, but in our second order and again, it takes 20 minutes for the food to come out. When the waitresses bring out the food they're unaware whose food is which and start laughing at the situation. This whole ordeal happens two more times. After the third time you could tell the waitress had given up on trying to impress us as she could sense our overall dissatisfaction and completely stopped trying after that. I could go on but the bottom line is that I will never consider coming back here. Due to the food and especially the service.
(1)Maria D.
I thought the food here was very good. The waitress was attentive and the food came out fast. I was kind of bummed that the brisket was only available after 4. I love that the sauces were at the table and that there were many different kinds. It was like a game trying to pick which kind I liked. The desserts looked delicious! Next time ill have to order some of them!
(4)Subs N.
Regardless of a lot of bad reviews, this place is always full on Fri,Sat nights. Definitely not a bad place to hang out, the food is OK but service times sure has gone from bad to worse. But lot of customers just hang out in there for hours, so it is expected for slow response.
(2)Megan L.
Grabbed a quick Saturday night dinner here--the hubs was in the mood for barbecue. I'm a Texan, a bona fide barbecue snob, so this was risky. Let me say--this is a good place for apps, but we won't be back for dinner. Pretzel rolls with dipping sauces: good (except why is there queso? weird.) Salad: Fresh and huge Brisket dinner: The wheels fell of. Specifically, I got a plate of fat. I think I got 3 edible bites out of 2 slices of brisket. However, service was fast and friendly and everything else was okay. So go for apps but don't bother with the meat.
(3)Nick K.
Microwaved burger patty! Normally I would go there for drinks which are avg and dj is ok too although he plays old stuff. Today I ordered burger and it felt like eating a veggie burger from Burger King seems like the cook would microwave the patty and dip it in sauce and put it with the bun and serve. Onion rings were not fried properly wouldn't go back.
(2)Ian W.
I am docking a star since Smokey Bones no longer has those portable tuners/speakers to listen and watch each TV around the restaurant/bar area. I originally gave this place the extra star because I could enjoy my favorite team (not in New England) play and watch and hear the sounds of the game. They still offer NFL Sunday Ticket on the TVs, but no more sound for each individual game The edge is gone! The food here is still standard BBQ and average. No more bar specials during Sunday football either. It's now like going to any other bar with NFL Sunday Ticket. There are plenty of other bars with better food and specials closer to home than this place.
(3)Benjamin C.
I really enjoyed the brisket that I had at Smokey Bones. It was succulent and flavorful. The Bloody Mary I had was also really delicious. The issue I have is that it seems like the secret ingredient to all the dishes is sugar. This is not a great place for those of us that like to keep low carb. The BBQ sauce had noticeable amounts of the white stuff in it. If you don't mind this, then by all means hit it up! If you live nearly an hour away from this place, it may not be worth the trip if there's similar in your area.
(3)Astoria L.
I love this restaurant! The smoked wings are to die for and both their desserts and their mixed drinks are wonderful. The service has been a bit mixed for me; one night we had a wonderful waitress and a few days later I was there for lunch and it was very slow and the atmosphere was just pathetic. Fridays and Saturdays are great nights--just get there early before the parking lot fills up!
(5)Nadia R.
I find this place good. The food is good. If there is a problen they will fix it , Friendly staff !
(3)Lauriston T.
If you can't cook a hamburger medium rare and get it to the table before going cold then I don't need to expand. Wings were middle of the road and not worth the price. Salad was as boring as could be made and not inexpensive. Place was nothing but total up-sell at all times. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! Save your money.
(1)Bob W.
Wasn't expecting much but brisket was like rubber, helps if it cut against the grain! Mac and cheese taste like canned cheese sauce. Small portions, poor quality and over priced! I will stick with Redbones in Somerville, ma.
(1)Kristin I.
We tried this place out because we were craving BBQ food. We ordered a bunch of food to get a taste of everything. My husband had the ribs and they were mediocre. I had the pulled pork which had no flavor at all (you can add your own sauces) but I prefer it to be marinated and slow cooked not just slow cooked. I also had the BBQ chicken which didn't taste too great. On the plus side, the staff is very friendly and inviting. A lot of regulars go here so it was nice to see how the waitresses remember them all. I would give it another try in the future but I wouldn't "crave" this place.
(3)Israel H.
Been here a couple of times with co-workers. Service has always been friendly and the food was really good. It's a pretty large place so you never have to wait too long for a table.
(4)Todd M.
Great service!! Best restaurant in town. We had the Baby Back Ribs and they were delicious.
(5)Marcy K.
The good: 1) We found out there'd be a 40-minute wait, so I took the buzzer with me and we went to the mall. 40 minutes later, we returned, and the buzzer started vibrating as soon as I opened the door. 2) We found a spot right by the door. 3) The ribs and my hamburger were good. The bad: 1) The waiter brought (flung) our meal to another table, and while we were looking at each other wondering how they got served before we did when they had just ordered, we realized that perhaps they had our meal. 2) My husband had to get out of his seat to find the waiter, who then retrieved the meal. The waiter had an attitude and did ask (with the same attitude) if we wanted another meal. Almost seemed like he blamed us for his mistake. He made up some ridiculous thing about the table number being wrong. Yeah. I asked him to find out if the people touched the plate with their forks or hands, and they hadn't so we went with that meal. The ugly: 1) My husband ordered iced tea and when it came time for a refill, the waiter was nowhere to be seen. We believe he was avoiding us on purpose. He finally came back and he returned 10 minutes after that with water, and not the iced tea. 2) We called over the manager to complain about our experience and to tell him that we didn't want that waiter to be waiting on us. We also told him that we needed iced tea. 3) The manager told us he'd "take care of us." Not sure if that involved a gun, but it certainly didn't involve anything else...even a comped meal. When we left, the clueless waiter (whose name I remember but won't say) gave a smirk and told us to have a nice day. I'm a lady, so I won't tell you what I gave HIM, behind my back. He needs to refine his skills. 3 stars for the meal, -2 for service = 1. Do I know my math, or what?
(1)David D.
Holy crap you guys. Srsly. Check out this menu, all this cool stuff and look at all the options and different seasonings for wings etc. This is gonna be so good. And, look at all these hot chicks in the menu. Its gonna be goud because of that right? Oh, no wait. Your menu is sexist. No wait, your brisket is terrible. What's that? Your ribs are no good? Whell at least the sides arNO THEY USED INSTANT MASHED POTATOES DIDN'T THEY. Lame. Fail/Fail.
(1)Julie H.
For a BBQ chain, this IS as good as it gets. You know its REAL BBQ when you don't really have to wait for your food to come over... I love the sauces and the prices are really good too. It gets busy, but the wait never seems to be that long because once your seated, the food is quick. They have funny little sayings everywhere called "boneisms" which I enjoy. Decent brew selection, including a FEW micros. They have a really generous points program too, which saves us about $20 every 3rd time we go or so..
(5)Stephen C.
Ordered take-out tonight. The portions were small and the meat was dry. Really poor quality. We have had better dining in but won't be back after this meal.
(1)Amanda N.
I'm surprised by all the bad reviews this place has gotten, because for the life of me I can't think of a truly bad experience I've had. Sports bar ambiance, delicious food, good waitstaff... And they have things going on all the time. I've been a regular for Thursday night trivia, which is always a good time. Tuesday was Beirut night, and Wednesdays are Bingo if that's your thing. They have a Build-Your-Burger notepad so you can pick and choose anything you want, including the quality/size of meat (or veggie burger) and type of bun, toppings like roasted peppers or avocado, lettuce, tomato, spinach, onions (BBQ, sauteed, or fried - in "straws" or rings), and what sides you'd like. I love that it's on paper, because spewing out my special orders often confuses both me and the waitress, so this makes it pretty foolproof. (My go-to burger has bacon, spinach, roasted red peppers, avocado, and BBQ onions, no cheese, no bun.) Their ribs are amazing, slow-cooked for hours, and I highly recommend the pulled pork. When it comes to desserts, I'm not typically a fan in general, but I will say their powdered donuts with chocolate and strawberry sauce are delish. Keeping in perspective that it's a chain restaurant, I'd take it over several of the alternatives any day. Prices are pretty in line with what you'd pay in similar places. They also have a pretty great drink menu, and having been a regular of the establishment, I've tried most of what they offer and haven't been disappointed. A favorite of my usual group is one of the seasonal beers (maybe Shipyard?) with a shot of vanilla vodka. I tend to opt for the Berry Sangria and our regular waitress keeps them coming. We did go once when our waitress wasn't working, and the young blonde we had instead screwed up a few orders, and was slow on drinks. The guys I was with enjoyed looking at her, but she had little else to offer. For that, and it's chain-restaurant status they get bumped down to 4-stars.
(4)Christian P.
As much as the items on the menu theoretically appeal to my palate, I have to be honest- this restaurant simply oozes mediocrity. It's one of those places that you enter with high hopes and leave feeling strangely hollow. It's not bad...it's just not good enough to really register. You'll LIKE your meal, but....meh. Frankly, this restaurant confuses me. I usually love or despise- what sorcery is this? My advice? Try Smokey Bones if you need food in your stomach and don't really care about much beyond that.
(2)Julie P.
I really wanted to hate this place. they have revamped the menu since my last dissappointing visit and it was much improved. We walked in at dinner for 8 pm and just as we are sitting, a waitress drops 2 F-bombs while walking by... excellent! It was very loud and pretty busy for a Tuesday. The watiresses are built to please which kept the male clientele coming in. Its working for them; it was busy. I ordered a veggie burger-build it yourself. I wanted to hate it because the atmosphere was a bit dissapointing, but the food was good. There were 4 of us. Two had burgers, one had pasta/chicken dish and my veggie burger. All of our meals were good and they had a nice beer list too. Overall, I didnt expect Capitall Grille but I didnt expect a full out party on a Tuesday at Smokey Bones. If you are looking for a quiet dinner out, go somewhere else. If you want a good burger at a rowdy joint, come here.
(2)Brooke R.
My sister and I ended up here for lunch. I'd heard really good reviews from several of my friends and, being a self-declared BBQ connoisseur, I decided it was time I checked it out. I ordered the beef brisket, fries and sweet potato fries. I've had better brisket, but it was still pretty good for New England. The fries and sweet potato fries were great. My sister (who is 5'8" and 130lbs) ordered a humongous hamburger topped with pulled pork, onion rings, BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onions. She consumed the entire thing like she'd never eaten before. Needless to say, she really liked it. I'm giving this three stars because even though we were there for lunch and the restaurant was about a third full, our service was very slow. Our waitress was really nice and our food was served hot, but I was surprised at how long it took for our food to arrive.
(3)Mike M.
I'm going to be a nice guy and upgrade this to 3 stars because the service has really improved a lot over the last couple of years - it used to be the kind of place you'd have to order bottled beer so you could lay the bottle on its side or drop it on the ground to provide a hint that it was time for a refill. Now they actually look at the brew level in your bottle - maybe they hired the folks from the fuel oil company. I dunno - in any case it's still a great place to watch the ballgame. The sauce is even better now - 5 varieties but the Yeller sauce is still awful - YO, MANAGEMENT - FIX THE YELLER SAUCE!!!
(3)Thomas N.
well we were shopping and had a coupon so we dropped in here, have been here and always enjoyed it. Same this time, beer selection ok, my wings were good, wife's pulled pork was very good and the sauces were very good, pleasant and good looking bartender, fair amount of locals
(4)Michelle S.
Stopped in for lunch. I haven't been here for years but remembered I didn't like it too much back when. We started with the kettle chips which were more like deep fried potato slices (thickly cut) as opposed to thin crispy potato chips. They were pretty good however and the only reason why I give two stars. I would've liked a few more and the cook should take note not to let bunches of them stick together. When pulled apart, you end up with a mushy slice of potato which isn't very appetizing. These clumps seemed to get more seasoning on them as well making them too salty to eat if you didn't separate them. Next, we opted for wings which may have been a mistake. Actually, it was definitely a mistake but I'm uncertain if getting BBQ would've been any better. If you can't cook wings, they shouldn't be on the menu. We each got the 8 piece wings. My favorite is the wingette not the drumette so wouldn't you know I got six drumettes. They really should be equal parts and that's what my dining companion had. I got the buffa-que sauce and she got the sweet brown sugar sauce. I did like my sauce but thought it could've used a bit more heat. About half way through my first drumette, I noticed the meat getting pink until after one more bite, I saw blood. The rest of that one went into the paper bag they give you for the bones. The other drumettes were a tad pink but nothing to worry about. Still didn't make for an enjoyable experience. I thought about mentioning it to our waitress but she seemed as though she really didn't seem to care about much of anything and would rather be doing her taxes than waiting on us. I even thought for a second she'd ask why we didn't finish our meal and if everything was ok but nope, didn't seem to even cross her mind. Think I'll stick to Buffalo Wild Wings next time I have a hankering for wings.
(2)Tara G.
Average food. Average burgers. Average waitstaff. Nothing spectactular.
(2)Joe D.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Smokey Bones food, but its the slow service that gets a 2 star review. I've been to Smokey Bones twice in the past 3 months with my wife & daughter both times were the same experience. We are seated right away, and our order is promptly taken, then the waiting begins... On our first visit it took 40 minutes for our meal to come out & to top it off it took 30 minutes after ordering our dessert for it to arrive. The Manager came over to our table & apologized then offered a $15 gift card. We returned to use the gift card and kept our fingers crossed for a better experience... nope. I will return to Smokey Bones because I absolutely LOVE the food. I'll just have to prepare myself for the slow service.
(2)Steven C.
Loved the smokehouse wings and the bbq beef brisket. Service was exceptional and the house ale was a great choice.
(4)Irving L.
To put things in perspective, this joint is not located in Memphis or North Carolina, it's located in Tyngsboro, MA. Now that we have the geographical lesson out of the way, let's focus on the food as it is shall we? Ribs - excellent, succulent Brisket - very good Sauces - outstanding Beer selection - Meh.. Wings - excellent, damn well seasoned BBQ pizza - damn tasty Great sports bar ambiance plus they are open until 2AM...yes that's right 2AM, in Tyngsboro, MA.... All in all, I enjoy the food and service, and have frequently visited. My fav is probably the array of sauces coupled with the 2AM closing time... why not keep coming back? Hoping the great service and food continues.
(4)Tim J.
Not a bad chain to eat in. Large and roomy. Good menu and good atmosphere. I come here once a month.
(3)Sunny T.
When we arrived we were immediately sat, however they did ask if we would like a booth and we said yes. When we got to our table, it had booth seating on one side and chairs on the other and it was a table that looked like it was for 6 people. So that was a bit odd. The last time we went there we sat at the bar and that was a better seat. The server was slow in coming over to us, but when he did make it over he was nice and then more prompt in checking in on us. My husband and I had gone here for lunch. I did not feel like eating any BBQ, so I did get the pasta dish I would not recommend this, there was no sauce and it was terrible, they should just take this off the menu and stick to what they know. My husband got the 3 choice, it came with ribs, wings and something else. It was ok. I will say that when we had gone long time ago, the wings were delicious. The donuts are always good. Overall if you like BBQ I would recommend it here, just stick to ordering these types of dishes here.
(3)Tom C.
I ordered a rack of original ribs for takeout. The ribs had a hard crust on them, as if they were precooked and thrown on a grill to heat up. They also had little meat on them. It made for a very disappointing and unpleasant dining experience. Thier name aptly describes the ribs. Smokey and mainly bomes.
(1)Sathasaurus T.
Had a pretty bad day today. Decided to go to this place for the first time because I heard it was good but the foods was okay. The only bad part was, instead of getting my wings, they gave me a box of cheap bread! I was so disappointed they got my order mixed up! Never going back there again. The wings were about 15-20 and they gave me a $7 pretzel bread. I was hungry and was waiting all day to get something good to eat. Waste of money and time. Urgh, so angry right now!
(1)Kevin T.
Ask for Ryan for your server. Food was really good as was the service. Local hangout for these NH folks. Girl servers are "smoking" hot! Not what I expected after reading other reviews.
(4)Jamie B.
Can't say I would go there again, particularly after the last two trips. As far as the food, it's ok to decent, depending on what you order. I would not suggest the salads, their burger is just ok, and the BBQ meats decent. I guess the food might seem better if their servers were trained in customer service. I've only seen young women working the tables, all in a shirt about 2 sizes too small. The last 2 times we went we waited well over 5 minutes to even be greeted (at lunch time, when they were not busy at all!). There was never any check up to see how we were doing, beverage refreshments, and when I said that I didn't want sour cream on my potato- it comes smothered in it. The server just offered to "scrape it off". I told her I could do that myself, but it was smothered to the point of ruining the entire potato. There was no offer to another one, nor removing it from the bill. I do think that this place is more geared toward guys, and perhaps this is why I don't really care for it so much. The only thing that I find enjoyable and consistent is the music videos playing on the TVs.
(2)b r.
the ribs are consistently top notch, best chain ribs I've ever had. Pulled pork is above par, brisket is par. I have dined here 5 times in last 6 mos, seems consistent. The place isnt the cheapest, but I cannot recommend any other joint that can touch their taste. At dinner they still usually have a $3 tall boy. 5* every time from me. Keep in mind, not best bbq ever, but best that is easily accessed, decent priced, and consistent.
(5)Keith M.
Loaded potato with brisket and a salad. Home-made fries with a spicy sauce. I hadn't seen this on the menu, so I gave it a try. A little skimpy on the brisket, but very good. This place is on a roll for food and service lately - hoping they hang in there. I have to ask why the hostess tried to sit a party of 2 a a large table for 6 though....
(3)Lindsay A.
Our new favorite place! Many different menu options, really friendly staff, and good food for the price. Everything was as expected for a chain-style restaurant and we were both really pleased! We will definitely be back again next weekend. I highly recommend for families or 20-something's on a budget. A note about the other reviews - if you don't like themed chain restaurants, then don't go to one and complain the food & decor were not authentic!!
(5)Michael R.
Yup, it's a chain restaurant, but just because it's popular doesn't mean they forgot how to make food. All restaurants must come from humble beginnings, you know... Anyways, the prices are good, as is the service, and the menu definitely catered to this BBQ-lover's appetite (as does the bevy of sauces and spices they offer right from your table!) Some of my favorites: Smoked Southwest Spring Rolls, Fire Stix, Smokehouse Burger, Smokehouse Chicken Sandwich, and the Grilled BBQ chicken. Bottom line: Something had to make Smokey Bones transform from a singular restaurant to a plural one, and whatever it was, they've still got. Four Stars.
(4)Jim S.
I have eaten here many times. The service is usually very good, and the food arrives promptly. I used to love the chicken pot pie, and was really bummed when it was discontinued. Cob Salad is good, and food is generally quite good.
(4)Jame R.
I started dining at Smokey Bones when they first opened. Back then the choices were great, the food wasn't bad, the prices were good and the servers were cheerful. For $6 I could get a Pulled Pork Platter with two sides and garlic toast. I changed jobs, worked in a different state and two years passed. Then I recently went back to the same Smokey Bones for lunch, and I gotta say it's AWFUL! The prices have gone up; the portions are meager (three pulled-pork "sliders" with hardly any meat and no sides for $7?); our server was disinterested and close to rude (another one of those who throw the check on the table without a word). What happened? Smokey Bones seems to have hired some idiot marketeer who told the Corporate Office something like this: "Hey, I'm cool and hip, and we want to attract the hipsters. What we need here is a cool and 'crisp' stylized logo. We'll double the prices and cut back on the portions to increase profit. We'll hire rude servers because that's cool. Lets put in EVEN MORE large plasma flat-panel TVs because, you know, these young hipsters don't know how to converse; they NEED to be entertained and amused. We'll make millions!" Please. You've pretty much screwed up a good (not great) BBQ place. In this economy raising prices will only reduce patronage. And Smokey Bones (at least in Tyngsboro) will end up like "On the Border" down the street: Closed; sad; weeds chokng the parking lot. Good riddance.
(1)Seth D.
I'm really at a loss for how to review this place, so I'm going with my gut. The problem here is really perspective: is this a great BBQ restaurant? No. Is this a chain I would choose any day of the week over Fridays, Chilis, Applebees, you name it? Absolutely. In the grand scheme of things, Smokey Bones isn't a top or even middle tier bbq restaurant (in fact, I'd take Famous Daves in a battle of BBQ chains), but the truth of the matter is, for hokey, fairly cheap, easy and fast food, it blows most of the "this level" competition out of the water. They do steak better than Fridays (I know this via my girlfriend's plate), they do pulled pork better than ANY of the chains that offer a pulled pork sandwhich, and hell, they even do BBQ better than Olive Garden does Italian. My meal itself was average, and calling a chain meal average is quite a compliment. If I was reviewing this place in a world where only chains at this level exist, I would have no qualms giving this place a four or even five on the right day of the week, but in a world where I love BBQ, this isn't going to cut it as is. I had a two meat platter with pulled pork and brisket--I couldn't raelly tell which was which if it wasn't for the pork being pulled and the brisket being sliced. The sides were actually really good (roasted corn salad and "sweet potato sticks" which were of course an extra dollar). The menu was very basic, and nothing particularly impressive, but everything was very solid. Like I said, it's tough to gauge based on context, so I'll give it three, because it was A-OK on a Sunday afternoon for a quick-but-not-fast-food-meal with my girlfriend.
(3)Damon L.
It wasn't really memorable. The menu items were expensive. I got some steak salad. The steak was good, but the salad had way too much dressing. I think it was around $13 - $14 which is always too much to pay for salad. Some of the reviews said the smokey wings were good, which is true. They were surprisingly good. Overall, it was just an okay experience. I could have just gone to Outback Steakhouse or something and had the same experience.
(3)Alan M.
First off, I wish I could give them three and a half stars. This place is pretty okay. If you come here expecting amazing BBQ, then you're going to be disappointed. All of you people complaining about the BBQ here have to remember, this is a chain restaurant. Obviously this place isn't going to compare to a family owned BBQ joint. I haven't tried everything on the menu, but from what I've had, it was pretty decent. The portion sizes are really good for the price of the food. I normally come here on Monday nights for the $10.99 all you can eat wings. The wings are huge! The only thing I can complain about it is, they give you 8 wings to start and then only 4 wings for every round after. The waiters take way to long before taking your order for the next round. All in all, this place is decent. I definitely keep coming back, try the smoked wings, those are the real winners.
(3)Denis D.
Been to this place many times. One of my dad's favorite restaurant when he comes visiting. Very good BBQ: beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken. Good sides, good sauces. Nice decor. Service is usually good. Can't remember a bad experience there. Beware of their tricked pitchers of beer... a significantly portion of the pitcher (the size of a Styrofoam cup) is used by a white thingy supposedly there to keep the beer cold.... yeah...right... like we'd let it go warm... Use a regular good old honest clear glass pitcher full of BEER! Would I recommend this place? Yes. Good food, good price, good service. Will I go back? Yes
(4)Matt C.
Our favorite bbq place in the area. We even signed up for their customer loalty program, I love how you can just swipe your credit card on then device at your table to pay your bill
(5)Sam M.
Modern vibe on a smokehouse, I can dig it. Expect chain restaurant food when you come here, though. They have some pretty decent deals on some menu items. I come here on mondays sometimes for the all you can eat wings which is probably their best offer. The wings are very big and meaty, but they serve you in small portions at a time to fill you up faster so they make more money. 8 wings and fries to start off then only four wings at a time. I'm a man, dammit. Give me more. It would help if the service was a bit faster, too so I'm not waiting around after eating just four wings. The sauces are pretty good and they have a good selection. When you get the dry rub wings you have the option to get them smoked... those are probably the best they have to offer, theyre delicious. I'll be back more, but when I want some real down south barbeque, i'll be somewhere else.
(3)Molly M.
**Good food, good service** Monday night wing night is definitely worth the price. Never really been a big fan of wings, but this place definitely knows what they're doing. Service is always good, food's consistent. Recommend it to anyone looking for a quick beer and meal at a decent price.
(4)Ray R.
Food was ok,but took way too long to be delivered. Waitress did apologize for long delay in getting food explaining that kitchen gets backed up. What seems to be a trend in this type of restaurant was that the music was way too loud. Manager explained she only put it on what corporate directed her to put it on. She explained that corporate wants the music loud for privacy so one table can't hear what the other is saying. Ok, I have now heard what I believe,is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. Some marketing genius saw an 18 year old in their car with the music blaring and surmised that loud music would attract kids. I suspect this volume could injure the ears of the very young. Ridiculous. They also place a tablet on the table and if you use it to play a game while waiting 30 minutes for your food they charge you $2 adding insult to injury. They do their best to make it difficult to like what could be a good family restaurant. Down with all the marketing geniuses.
(3)Alexandra B.
I love the appetizers. My favorite meal is the nachos. I often work late and it's cool I can get food so late here. The atmosphere is young but not overly immature or rowdy. I like coming here on a Friday night for an hour or so. I'm kind of surprised by all of the bad reviews here. My experience has always been a good one. If you're expecting authentic Texan barbecue then yes, you'll be disappointed. But it's great for what it is!
(4)Louis-Charles C.
First time here. Service was reall great and the kiosk at the table so you can pay quickly was a plus. My daughter and split a steak and a burger. Both were cooked a tad more than the medium I requested but that's usually expected at most restaurants. Fries were good and there was now wait at 6p due to the place being HUGE
(4)Jennifer B.
Horrible...and on Valentine's day too. Got the smoked salmon...it was a hockey puck..so dry and tough. Asked for grilled.. took over 25 min and I told them forget it. My husband ate alone. Not pleased. Won't go back.
(1)Lee A.
I hadn't been here in at least a couple of years--because (as I now remember) they were very slow. Well, tonight my brain failed me and I proposed take-out from this place. I arrived 30 minutes after I ordered, which is when they said pick up would be ready. Then I stood there waiting for another 30 minutes, no exaggeration. They didn't say a word; when I went up after 25 minutes to ask for my money back, the guy just said they're waiting on one thing and it'd be a couple of minutes. No apology, no explanation, just matter of fact as if I'm being a pain by standing there in silence. In the end they got it done and gave me a discount but, y'know. They all seemed so cranky too, except the hostesses. Anyway, I made it home. The food was ok. I got a turkey burger, which was edible but extremely salty. My wife got pretzel bones, which she enjoyed but the queso dip had a skein on top from their microwave. It's over now. And hopefully having written this review will finally remind me not to go back.
(1)Tiffani N.
One star because they have a drink I really like similar to a Moscow Mule and I like the kettle chips. Other than that this establishment is terrible. I have been on a few occasions to meet people there, never my idea, and have had a bad experience every time. I usually have to wait way too long for a waitress and they are always in horrible moods. Food has always taken a very long time and one time I waited 27 minutes to get my check after waiting at least 15 minutes to order a drink then had a disappointing meal. Another time the waitress was incredibly rude to my friends for having questions about the menu. On a different occasion I had a friend get incredibly sick from the food he ate there. I am not a fan. The waitresses clearly don't want tips because they definitely don't act like it. They ruined this place for me.
(1)Jessie S.
Ordered four entrees tonight for take out. All four were done completely wrong and messed up. This after waiting 15 minutes and going over the order again at pick up. What a waste of time and money. Never again.
(1)Angela C.
HUGE MENU lots of choices! Our sever was great very attentive, she gave us menu recommendations. There is a full bar and TVs to watch your favorite sports team. Try the doughnuts for dessert, save some room so worth it!
(5)Christina T.
If I could give no stars I would. One night it took over an hour to get a table. After finally walking through the restaurant i saw there were many open tables available. Worst of all the manager didnt seem to care. When I informed the hostess I was disappointed she asked if I wanted to speak to the manager. I said no because he didnt seem that friendly. Not only that but he had the gall to come up to me and say "so I hear you thought I was rude". Well now I do. They should can that jerk!
(1)Anthony M.
If you want franchise low quality of meat and your basic "Applebee's experience, then this is what you will get. Mediocre bbq, staff was very friendly but I like my bbq made with passion by people who know bbq.
(2)Tom O.
Been here twice. Both times were disappointing. Might be an okay chain restaurant but avoid the BBQ it's just horrible. Service the other day was slow and inept.
(1)Christopher C.
BBQ food is pretty good. Solid sauce choices if you like sauces. Highly recommend you order a bottled beer. Beer on tap isn't cold enough at all.... Very disappointing
(3)Audrey B.
I drive by this restaurant everyday, the parking lot is always packed. So armed with a $10 off coupon, off my husband & I went. The menu looked great, great descriptions.. will never return. The burgers were definitely a frozen patty, really for $10? The edges were well done, the very middle, pink. The patty was not thick enough to cook juicy. This was dry as it gets...more mayo and ketchup, please! My husband's smoked turkey breast had good flavor, but it was sliced smoked turkey like you get at the supermarket deli, heated. A sandwich, a meal, one beer, with coupon $25. For a great burger go to Suzy's in Hudson, or the Stonehedge - sit at the bar or the 110 Grill in Chelmsford - not much atmosphere nut a delicious juicy burger on a brioche bun, mmmm. DO not go to Smokey Bones. Wish I could have voted for 1/2 star.
(1)Bob Z.
If you are handycap or disable, they only have 3 table that could accomdate us . The food is great , we waited 45 minutes and walk out when we saw them seat people in only seats that we could only sit at .
(3)Sarah M.
Smokey bones is fun, the food and service is pretty good and I love how they serve food later than most places around them. The bar In Nashua smells absolutely horrible! I think I've narrowed it down to dirty bar rags used to wipe down the bar and other things.. The last 5/5 times I've been here I've experienced the same horrible sour stench... I always over hear others speaking of the same thing and I hope it changes because this is a fun spot.
(3)Vacation W.
Ate here 23APRIL2014 and really enjoyed the brisket I ordered. Also tried the corn bread they have for an appetizer. It tasted good, but was somewhat dense and heavy so didn't finish it because would fill you pre-meal. The wait staff was very friendly, helpful, and up beat which to me is as important as the meal itself. They have a full service bar and large screen televisions to take in a game. Also had a DJ last night and not sure if this is nightly. Well worth a try for BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork, etc..
(4)Curtis S.
Good bar atmosphere with a well spaced and tuned restaurant. Only issue are my over seasoned/overly salted onion rings...had to wash it down with my Yingling beer. That beer however was well balanced and delicious! Asiago Chicken Penne was exactly what I had hoped for. Well balanced and zesty!
(2)Robert G.
Disclaimer: I'm not a target of "bones" and actually do not eat anything which has bones in it, so I'm sort of biased right of the bat. Still, I have given the place a chance. I have been here with a group of friends and have gotten take out thanks to a Christmas gift card. First off, this location is always packed out the door. Doesn't seem to be a moment from when the doors open to close when it isn't jammed packed. And God knows why. First time I was here was a group of 4. I have no clue what I ordered, but thought it was okay. I love BBQ, but not sloppy stuff or anything with bones so the appeal was limited but I know the food was edible. I recall ribs were ordered and those were great according to friends. Service was iffy at best, though our waitress seemed like she was trying her best. It was so busy, every table was filled, and the folks working seemed like they were desperately overworked. I guess this is your typical BBQ? Loud, noisy, super busy, TV's plastered everywhere, everyone grubbing away at wings or ribs with BBQ sauce smeared everywhere? It just isn't my idea of a night out. I would give the Bones' 3 stars, but my takeout experience was truly awful. I ordered ahead and arrived about 15 minutes after ordering and was surprised I still had to wait about another 15 minutes for my order. The place was hustling and bustling, with people running and moving everywhere, I actually got brushed several times while waiting. I had ordered the smothered chicken which was BBQ chicken with bacon and cheese. Got mashed and veggies as a side. Partner ordered some sort of sandwich. Having to wait, I figured we would be getting something hot and fresh and was sorely disappointed. Partners sandwich was cold and while my chicken was hot, it was so smothered in BBQ it was a sloppy mess. The BBQ had poured on to the cold potatoes and cold broccoli and it was quite gross. Thanks to the boss for giving the gift card, because if I had spent hard earned money on this slop, I would have been irate. As a side note, it should be noted that this establishment has come very close several times over the past few years to losing their liquor license and having their hours rolled back. This has involved several fights, including violence against responding police officers. The people who go here for some drinks are the exact type of people I chose to stay well AWAY from!
(2)Madi T.
Hello! I'm currently a student and I'm writing a paper on having allergies and eating out, and I informed my waitress I was allergic to onions (cause I know onions are in almost everything) and she and (I think manager or chef) and he went through the menu with me and it was great, the waiting was a bit much but it's all good she was nice everyone was nice. If you have an allergy they will walk you through what's okay and what isn't!! I'll be back!!! But I'll get something I want that has onions cause I really don't mind them :)
(4)Kristy C.
I'm surprised by the amount of people on here who've complained about the service. I have only been to Smokey Bones twice, but on both occasions .. the service was great. The bar has a pretty good beer selection, which is always a plus for me! The food is yummy, and perfect for when you just want to pig out. Oh my god, mashed potatoes and baked beans. I just can't contain myself.
(4)Sara B.
This is usually a weekly spot for my husband and I. While the food isn't the best you'll have around, it's a great atmosphere! Always go with a coupon, and it's a fairly inexpensive night out. And be sure to sign up for their free rewards card, eventually you will earn a $20.00 credit on the card!
(4)Nicole L.
The menus election was large. The portions were large. I had the sliced turkey platter. Yum. The turkey had a nice smoky taste and was juicy. the sauces complemented it well. I liked the hot and BBQ the best. The roasted corn was very good. I had the broccoli as my other side so it was a healthy meal as well. Hubby had the smokey chicken dinner. The chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful. He loved it. Had the chocolate cake for dessert which was well over a meal in itself. How could someone ever finish that. Then it had a side of ice cream to boot. The atmosphere reminded me of a cross between Outback Steakhouse and the 99 restaurant. The waitress was the downside to this place as she was inattentive and slow.
(4)D C.
Watery lemonade (which they replaced). Lukewarm soup (they got me a bowl to replace the cup of lukewarm I originally received.) Kitchen extremely slow.
(3)Jason O.
Should spend some money and fix the huge holes in the wall and get sone paint to cover the crap carved in to the walls and stall... smh... hour later sick as a dog won't be returning
(1)Zachary S.
Update. This place is still terrible but for they've somehow made their service worse.
(1)Jon B.
My first (and now only time here) was on the night for all you can eat wings. I arrived with my friends at around 10:00pm and after putting in our first order, it literally took no less than 30 minutes for the food to come out. Keep in mind, there were only 4 of us at the table. Nothing too crazy. Aside from not getting any napkins, the wings were disgusting. I wasn't sure if there was anything but fat on what we were eating. Anyway, we finish our first round, but in our second order and again, it takes 20 minutes for the food to come out. When the waitresses bring out the food they're unaware whose food is which and start laughing at the situation. This whole ordeal happens two more times. After the third time you could tell the waitress had given up on trying to impress us as she could sense our overall dissatisfaction and completely stopped trying after that. I could go on but the bottom line is that I will never consider coming back here. Due to the food and especially the service.
(1)Maria D.
I thought the food here was very good. The waitress was attentive and the food came out fast. I was kind of bummed that the brisket was only available after 4. I love that the sauces were at the table and that there were many different kinds. It was like a game trying to pick which kind I liked. The desserts looked delicious! Next time ill have to order some of them!
(4)Subs N.
Regardless of a lot of bad reviews, this place is always full on Fri,Sat nights. Definitely not a bad place to hang out, the food is OK but service times sure has gone from bad to worse. But lot of customers just hang out in there for hours, so it is expected for slow response.
(2)Megan L.
Grabbed a quick Saturday night dinner here--the hubs was in the mood for barbecue. I'm a Texan, a bona fide barbecue snob, so this was risky. Let me say--this is a good place for apps, but we won't be back for dinner. Pretzel rolls with dipping sauces: good (except why is there queso? weird.) Salad: Fresh and huge Brisket dinner: The wheels fell of. Specifically, I got a plate of fat. I think I got 3 edible bites out of 2 slices of brisket. However, service was fast and friendly and everything else was okay. So go for apps but don't bother with the meat.
(3)Ian W.
I am docking a star since Smokey Bones no longer has those portable tuners/speakers to listen and watch each TV around the restaurant/bar area. I originally gave this place the extra star because I could enjoy my favorite team (not in New England) play and watch and hear the sounds of the game. They still offer NFL Sunday Ticket on the TVs, but no more sound for each individual game The edge is gone! The food here is still standard BBQ and average. No more bar specials during Sunday football either. It's now like going to any other bar with NFL Sunday Ticket. There are plenty of other bars with better food and specials closer to home than this place.
(3)Nick K.
Microwaved burger patty! Normally I would go there for drinks which are avg and dj is ok too although he plays old stuff. Today I ordered burger and it felt like eating a veggie burger from Burger King seems like the cook would microwave the patty and dip it in sauce and put it with the bun and serve. Onion rings were not fried properly wouldn't go back.
(2)Benjamin C.
I really enjoyed the brisket that I had at Smokey Bones. It was succulent and flavorful. The Bloody Mary I had was also really delicious. The issue I have is that it seems like the secret ingredient to all the dishes is sugar. This is not a great place for those of us that like to keep low carb. The BBQ sauce had noticeable amounts of the white stuff in it. If you don't mind this, then by all means hit it up! If you live nearly an hour away from this place, it may not be worth the trip if there's similar in your area.
(3)Astoria L.
I love this restaurant! The smoked wings are to die for and both their desserts and their mixed drinks are wonderful. The service has been a bit mixed for me; one night we had a wonderful waitress and a few days later I was there for lunch and it was very slow and the atmosphere was just pathetic. Fridays and Saturdays are great nights--just get there early before the parking lot fills up!
(5)Nadia R.
I find this place good. The food is good. If there is a problen they will fix it , Friendly staff !
(3)Lauriston T.
If you can't cook a hamburger medium rare and get it to the table before going cold then I don't need to expand. Wings were middle of the road and not worth the price. Salad was as boring as could be made and not inexpensive. Place was nothing but total up-sell at all times. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! Save your money.
(1)Bob W.
Wasn't expecting much but brisket was like rubber, helps if it cut against the grain! Mac and cheese taste like canned cheese sauce. Small portions, poor quality and over priced! I will stick with Redbones in Somerville, ma.
(1)Kristin I.
We tried this place out because we were craving BBQ food. We ordered a bunch of food to get a taste of everything. My husband had the ribs and they were mediocre. I had the pulled pork which had no flavor at all (you can add your own sauces) but I prefer it to be marinated and slow cooked not just slow cooked. I also had the BBQ chicken which didn't taste too great. On the plus side, the staff is very friendly and inviting. A lot of regulars go here so it was nice to see how the waitresses remember them all. I would give it another try in the future but I wouldn't "crave" this place.
(3)Israel H.
Been here a couple of times with co-workers. Service has always been friendly and the food was really good. It's a pretty large place so you never have to wait too long for a table.
(4)Todd M.
Great service!! Best restaurant in town. We had the Baby Back Ribs and they were delicious.
(5)Marcy K.
The good: 1) We found out there'd be a 40-minute wait, so I took the buzzer with me and we went to the mall. 40 minutes later, we returned, and the buzzer started vibrating as soon as I opened the door. 2) We found a spot right by the door. 3) The ribs and my hamburger were good. The bad: 1) The waiter brought (flung) our meal to another table, and while we were looking at each other wondering how they got served before we did when they had just ordered, we realized that perhaps they had our meal. 2) My husband had to get out of his seat to find the waiter, who then retrieved the meal. The waiter had an attitude and did ask (with the same attitude) if we wanted another meal. Almost seemed like he blamed us for his mistake. He made up some ridiculous thing about the table number being wrong. Yeah. I asked him to find out if the people touched the plate with their forks or hands, and they hadn't so we went with that meal. The ugly: 1) My husband ordered iced tea and when it came time for a refill, the waiter was nowhere to be seen. We believe he was avoiding us on purpose. He finally came back and he returned 10 minutes after that with water, and not the iced tea. 2) We called over the manager to complain about our experience and to tell him that we didn't want that waiter to be waiting on us. We also told him that we needed iced tea. 3) The manager told us he'd "take care of us." Not sure if that involved a gun, but it certainly didn't involve anything else...even a comped meal. When we left, the clueless waiter (whose name I remember but won't say) gave a smirk and told us to have a nice day. I'm a lady, so I won't tell you what I gave HIM, behind my back. He needs to refine his skills. 3 stars for the meal, -2 for service = 1. Do I know my math, or what?
(1)David D.
Holy crap you guys. Srsly. Check out this menu, all this cool stuff and look at all the options and different seasonings for wings etc. This is gonna be so good. And, look at all these hot chicks in the menu. Its gonna be goud because of that right? Oh, no wait. Your menu is sexist. No wait, your brisket is terrible. What's that? Your ribs are no good? Whell at least the sides arNO THEY USED INSTANT MASHED POTATOES DIDN'T THEY. Lame. Fail/Fail.
(1)Julie H.
For a BBQ chain, this IS as good as it gets. You know its REAL BBQ when you don't really have to wait for your food to come over... I love the sauces and the prices are really good too. It gets busy, but the wait never seems to be that long because once your seated, the food is quick. They have funny little sayings everywhere called "boneisms" which I enjoy. Decent brew selection, including a FEW micros. They have a really generous points program too, which saves us about $20 every 3rd time we go or so..
(5)Stephen C.
Ordered take-out tonight. The portions were small and the meat was dry. Really poor quality. We have had better dining in but won't be back after this meal.
(1)Christian P.
As much as the items on the menu theoretically appeal to my palate, I have to be honest- this restaurant simply oozes mediocrity. It's one of those places that you enter with high hopes and leave feeling strangely hollow. It's not bad...it's just not good enough to really register. You'll LIKE your meal, but....meh. Frankly, this restaurant confuses me. I usually love or despise- what sorcery is this? My advice? Try Smokey Bones if you need food in your stomach and don't really care about much beyond that.
(2)Amanda N.
I'm surprised by all the bad reviews this place has gotten, because for the life of me I can't think of a truly bad experience I've had. Sports bar ambiance, delicious food, good waitstaff... And they have things going on all the time. I've been a regular for Thursday night trivia, which is always a good time. Tuesday was Beirut night, and Wednesdays are Bingo if that's your thing. They have a Build-Your-Burger notepad so you can pick and choose anything you want, including the quality/size of meat (or veggie burger) and type of bun, toppings like roasted peppers or avocado, lettuce, tomato, spinach, onions (BBQ, sauteed, or fried - in "straws" or rings), and what sides you'd like. I love that it's on paper, because spewing out my special orders often confuses both me and the waitress, so this makes it pretty foolproof. (My go-to burger has bacon, spinach, roasted red peppers, avocado, and BBQ onions, no cheese, no bun.) Their ribs are amazing, slow-cooked for hours, and I highly recommend the pulled pork. When it comes to desserts, I'm not typically a fan in general, but I will say their powdered donuts with chocolate and strawberry sauce are delish. Keeping in perspective that it's a chain restaurant, I'd take it over several of the alternatives any day. Prices are pretty in line with what you'd pay in similar places. They also have a pretty great drink menu, and having been a regular of the establishment, I've tried most of what they offer and haven't been disappointed. A favorite of my usual group is one of the seasonal beers (maybe Shipyard?) with a shot of vanilla vodka. I tend to opt for the Berry Sangria and our regular waitress keeps them coming. We did go once when our waitress wasn't working, and the young blonde we had instead screwed up a few orders, and was slow on drinks. The guys I was with enjoyed looking at her, but she had little else to offer. For that, and it's chain-restaurant status they get bumped down to 4-stars.
(4)Julie P.
I really wanted to hate this place. they have revamped the menu since my last dissappointing visit and it was much improved. We walked in at dinner for 8 pm and just as we are sitting, a waitress drops 2 F-bombs while walking by... excellent! It was very loud and pretty busy for a Tuesday. The watiresses are built to please which kept the male clientele coming in. Its working for them; it was busy. I ordered a veggie burger-build it yourself. I wanted to hate it because the atmosphere was a bit dissapointing, but the food was good. There were 4 of us. Two had burgers, one had pasta/chicken dish and my veggie burger. All of our meals were good and they had a nice beer list too. Overall, I didnt expect Capitall Grille but I didnt expect a full out party on a Tuesday at Smokey Bones. If you are looking for a quiet dinner out, go somewhere else. If you want a good burger at a rowdy joint, come here.
(2)Brooke R.
My sister and I ended up here for lunch. I'd heard really good reviews from several of my friends and, being a self-declared BBQ connoisseur, I decided it was time I checked it out. I ordered the beef brisket, fries and sweet potato fries. I've had better brisket, but it was still pretty good for New England. The fries and sweet potato fries were great. My sister (who is 5'8" and 130lbs) ordered a humongous hamburger topped with pulled pork, onion rings, BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onions. She consumed the entire thing like she'd never eaten before. Needless to say, she really liked it. I'm giving this three stars because even though we were there for lunch and the restaurant was about a third full, our service was very slow. Our waitress was really nice and our food was served hot, but I was surprised at how long it took for our food to arrive.
(3)Jeff F.
Unfortunately, this is the only place in Nashua that serves "real" BBQ. Unfortunately, it is bog-standard, offend nobody food. Unfortunately, the only BBQ sauce they have is sweet. Too sweet. Unfortunately, the other food is so-so. Unfortunately, the baked BBQ beans have so much of their sweet sauce that 3 bites is too much. Unfortunately, the desserts offered are typical chain fare. Smokey Bones is unfortunate. They do one thing right, given that it's a chain place. The meat is good, and cooked well - it won't knock your socks off, but it's perfectly acceptable. Unfortunately, everything else is "meh". I come here on occasion (every couple years or so) because I can't always drive 45 minutes to get some pulled pork, but my expectations are modest, and I can come away satiated, if not overly satisfied should the need of visiting Smokey Bones arrive. Maybe if I took some homemade sauce, people wouldn't look at me like I had six heads? I think I may have to try that some time!
(2)Kelley T.
I was pretty underwhelmed tonight. First of all, I hate restaurants that have tv screens everywhere because I find it really distracting. If I wanted to eat dinner and watch tv I'd just do it at home. Secondly, there's something weird about the way they present their food. I got the Cuban sandwich and it came with one side so I got baked beans. The plate they served it on was a big white plate, and the sandwich was on one half and the beans came in a little white cup. The plate just looked so empty, and made me feel weird. Maybe if they put some paper underneath it or a lettuce leaf somewhere it would have looked nicer, I was just really not impressed. Also those baked beans were way too sweet. That being said, the cuban sandwich wasn't that bad, they use pulled pork which is a nice variation.
(3)Jeff P.
Seems sort of strange for me to review this place given that I am diabetic and almost everything on the menu is loaded with sugar. I am not kidding, they even put sugar on their tortilla chips. Who wants to bit into a corn chip and taste sugar? If this was a common desire, then you would see folks eating their baskets of complimentary tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants with cans of frosting not fresh salsa. Back to Smokey Bones, the food that I have had there was okay, nothing great, but then it wasn't inedible either. As mentioned, their menu was very restricted for me due to the fact everything has sugar in it. But this isn't a barbeque restaurant by any stretch of the imagination! The big draw for me is the fact they have a satellite dish and the NFL Sunday Ticket. They show 6 or 7 different games on TVs scattered around the place. Each table has their own little speaker so you can listen to the sound for whichever channel you like. Me being a fan of a football team not in this area, this was a big draw for me. The wait staff was hit or miss. Could be that I was taking up a table for a long time, and what wait staff likes that, but I made it clear that's what I was going to do and I did tip well. (The tip was at the end of the service, so that shouldn't help unless I get the same waitron the next time I am there.)
(2)Andy A.
So this place might be good to grab a beer but other than that I just don't know. We sat down and the place was chill however the waitress must of been in a bad mood. The menu looked great everything just looked delicious. We ordered a couple of apps and the Double play. Apps not so bad now when my ribs came out I was disappointed. The Mac and cheese was horrible. Cheese tasted like it was squeezed out a bottle. Lets just say our experience here was not the best. But now I know.
(2)HungryInHudson S.
I had a great time last night at Smoke Bones! This place has great upbeat feel on a Saturday night! I also had a excellent burger. I was very impressed. I enjoyed the burger with the fried egg on top. A must if you love burgers!!!
(4)anne marie z.
We have always enjoyed Smokey Bones.. We go there often as it is children's favorite place.. Well we went ther last night. Found they started offering new sauces which are fantastic, BUT I guess they have been purchased by someone and now they are shooting for a "Hooters" theme... :( As the mother of 4 children and 2 of them being girls at very impressionable age (13,12) I was very disappointed to see some of the waitress walking around with their belly rings hanging out, Boobs half exposed, leaning over tables with bare skin exposed.. I addressed it with my waitress who was not happy with the changes but she informed us they are encouraged to "EXPRESS" themselves.. I also commented to the manager on duty who was a young guy and probably into that kind of thing so not sure it will go to far. But I have to say sadly we will not be able to go there anymore..
(3)John H.
Wings are the best I have had, cornbread w/maple butter is awsum. Great prices and all the refills you want.
(5)Lnc T.
We went out here for dinner one night and had a pretty good experience. My boyfriend ordered the create your own combo plate [he got three different kind of wings and two sides] and I got the smokehouse burger w/ fries. My burger was so big, I took half of it home [just so my bf can devour it later of course!] To be honest, this place needs diversity. All in all good experience, nothing to die for though.
(3)BIANCA S.
I like their ribs, steak, caesar salad and most of their food, Prices could be better. My only complaint is that they need to turn down the rock music. It's not just a bar, I've gone there at 5 pm with my elderly father and many of the other people in the restaurant are over 50 at this time. Save the loud loud music till 8 pm, when its mainly a younger crowd. The music is a little too much rock for older folks also, in this economy they could use more patrons during early evening, the place was about 20% full.
(3)Marko M.
Babyback ribs tend to be dry and a bit tough. I like the St. Louis style larger ribs that are moist. Still could be better but a decent choice than buying from the supermarket in plastic wrap. Help is good and choice of beers is great. Can seat a lot of folks and many tv's to catch sports on. A decent evening out for chicken and ribs
(3)Edgar T.
The foods gone down hill since when it first opened. Yes the menu is limited but not one bad meal have we ever had.
(2)Mike L.
It's nice to have a BBQ restaurant nearby. I love the food here, and the price is just right. I have been here a couple times, and I really enjoy the BBQ here lunch or dinner. Have some really nice BBQ with cold beer will make you a perfect night out!!!
(4)A T.
Looks like new management. Food quality incl chicken wings way down.
(3)Michelle S.
Stopped in for lunch. I haven't been here for years but remembered I didn't like it too much back when. We started with the kettle chips which were more like deep fried potato slices (thickly cut) as opposed to thin crispy potato chips. They were pretty good however and the only reason why I give two stars. I would've liked a few more and the cook should take note not to let bunches of them stick together. When pulled apart, you end up with a mushy slice of potato which isn't very appetizing. These clumps seemed to get more seasoning on them as well making them too salty to eat if you didn't separate them. Next, we opted for wings which may have been a mistake. Actually, it was definitely a mistake but I'm uncertain if getting BBQ would've been any better. If you can't cook wings, they shouldn't be on the menu. We each got the 8 piece wings. My favorite is the wingette not the drumette so wouldn't you know I got six drumettes. They really should be equal parts and that's what my dining companion had. I got the buffa-que sauce and she got the sweet brown sugar sauce. I did like my sauce but thought it could've used a bit more heat. About half way through my first drumette, I noticed the meat getting pink until after one more bite, I saw blood. The rest of that one went into the paper bag they give you for the bones. The other drumettes were a tad pink but nothing to worry about. Still didn't make for an enjoyable experience. I thought about mentioning it to our waitress but she seemed as though she really didn't seem to care about much of anything and would rather be doing her taxes than waiting on us. I even thought for a second she'd ask why we didn't finish our meal and if everything was ok but nope, didn't seem to even cross her mind. Think I'll stick to Buffalo Wild Wings next time I have a hankering for wings.
(2)Tara G.
Average food. Average burgers. Average waitstaff. Nothing spectactular.
(2)Joe D.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Smokey Bones food, but its the slow service that gets a 2 star review. I've been to Smokey Bones twice in the past 3 months with my wife & daughter both times were the same experience. We are seated right away, and our order is promptly taken, then the waiting begins... On our first visit it took 40 minutes for our meal to come out & to top it off it took 30 minutes after ordering our dessert for it to arrive. The Manager came over to our table & apologized then offered a $15 gift card. We returned to use the gift card and kept our fingers crossed for a better experience... nope. I will return to Smokey Bones because I absolutely LOVE the food. I'll just have to prepare myself for the slow service.
(2)Steven C.
Loved the smokehouse wings and the bbq beef brisket. Service was exceptional and the house ale was a great choice.
(4)Irving L.
To put things in perspective, this joint is not located in Memphis or North Carolina, it's located in Tyngsboro, MA. Now that we have the geographical lesson out of the way, let's focus on the food as it is shall we? Ribs - excellent, succulent Brisket - very good Sauces - outstanding Beer selection - Meh.. Wings - excellent, damn well seasoned BBQ pizza - damn tasty Great sports bar ambiance plus they are open until 2AM...yes that's right 2AM, in Tyngsboro, MA.... All in all, I enjoy the food and service, and have frequently visited. My fav is probably the array of sauces coupled with the 2AM closing time... why not keep coming back? Hoping the great service and food continues.
(4)Tim J.
Not a bad chain to eat in. Large and roomy. Good menu and good atmosphere. I come here once a month.
(3)Sunny T.
When we arrived we were immediately sat, however they did ask if we would like a booth and we said yes. When we got to our table, it had booth seating on one side and chairs on the other and it was a table that looked like it was for 6 people. So that was a bit odd. The last time we went there we sat at the bar and that was a better seat. The server was slow in coming over to us, but when he did make it over he was nice and then more prompt in checking in on us. My husband and I had gone here for lunch. I did not feel like eating any BBQ, so I did get the pasta dish I would not recommend this, there was no sauce and it was terrible, they should just take this off the menu and stick to what they know. My husband got the 3 choice, it came with ribs, wings and something else. It was ok. I will say that when we had gone long time ago, the wings were delicious. The donuts are always good. Overall if you like BBQ I would recommend it here, just stick to ordering these types of dishes here.
(3)Tom C.
I ordered a rack of original ribs for takeout. The ribs had a hard crust on them, as if they were precooked and thrown on a grill to heat up. They also had little meat on them. It made for a very disappointing and unpleasant dining experience. Thier name aptly describes the ribs. Smokey and mainly bomes.
(1)Sathasaurus T.
Had a pretty bad day today. Decided to go to this place for the first time because I heard it was good but the foods was okay. The only bad part was, instead of getting my wings, they gave me a box of cheap bread! I was so disappointed they got my order mixed up! Never going back there again. The wings were about 15-20 and they gave me a $7 pretzel bread. I was hungry and was waiting all day to get something good to eat. Waste of money and time. Urgh, so angry right now!
(1)Jamie B.
Can't say I would go there again, particularly after the last two trips. As far as the food, it's ok to decent, depending on what you order. I would not suggest the salads, their burger is just ok, and the BBQ meats decent. I guess the food might seem better if their servers were trained in customer service. I've only seen young women working the tables, all in a shirt about 2 sizes too small. The last 2 times we went we waited well over 5 minutes to even be greeted (at lunch time, when they were not busy at all!). There was never any check up to see how we were doing, beverage refreshments, and when I said that I didn't want sour cream on my potato- it comes smothered in it. The server just offered to "scrape it off". I told her I could do that myself, but it was smothered to the point of ruining the entire potato. There was no offer to another one, nor removing it from the bill. I do think that this place is more geared toward guys, and perhaps this is why I don't really care for it so much. The only thing that I find enjoyable and consistent is the music videos playing on the TVs.
(2)Kevin T.
Ask for Ryan for your server. Food was really good as was the service. Local hangout for these NH folks. Girl servers are "smoking" hot! Not what I expected after reading other reviews.
(4)b r.
the ribs are consistently top notch, best chain ribs I've ever had. Pulled pork is above par, brisket is par. I have dined here 5 times in last 6 mos, seems consistent. The place isnt the cheapest, but I cannot recommend any other joint that can touch their taste. At dinner they still usually have a $3 tall boy. 5* every time from me. Keep in mind, not best bbq ever, but best that is easily accessed, decent priced, and consistent.
(5)Keith M.
Loaded potato with brisket and a salad. Home-made fries with a spicy sauce. I hadn't seen this on the menu, so I gave it a try. A little skimpy on the brisket, but very good. This place is on a roll for food and service lately - hoping they hang in there. I have to ask why the hostess tried to sit a party of 2 a a large table for 6 though....
(3)Lindsay A.
Our new favorite place! Many different menu options, really friendly staff, and good food for the price. Everything was as expected for a chain-style restaurant and we were both really pleased! We will definitely be back again next weekend. I highly recommend for families or 20-something's on a budget. A note about the other reviews - if you don't like themed chain restaurants, then don't go to one and complain the food & decor were not authentic!!
(5)Michael R.
Yup, it's a chain restaurant, but just because it's popular doesn't mean they forgot how to make food. All restaurants must come from humble beginnings, you know... Anyways, the prices are good, as is the service, and the menu definitely catered to this BBQ-lover's appetite (as does the bevy of sauces and spices they offer right from your table!) Some of my favorites: Smoked Southwest Spring Rolls, Fire Stix, Smokehouse Burger, Smokehouse Chicken Sandwich, and the Grilled BBQ chicken. Bottom line: Something had to make Smokey Bones transform from a singular restaurant to a plural one, and whatever it was, they've still got. Four Stars.
(4)Mike M.
I'm going to be a nice guy and upgrade this to 3 stars because the service has really improved a lot over the last couple of years - it used to be the kind of place you'd have to order bottled beer so you could lay the bottle on its side or drop it on the ground to provide a hint that it was time for a refill. Now they actually look at the brew level in your bottle - maybe they hired the folks from the fuel oil company. I dunno - in any case it's still a great place to watch the ballgame. The sauce is even better now - 5 varieties but the Yeller sauce is still awful - YO, MANAGEMENT - FIX THE YELLER SAUCE!!!
(3)Thomas N.
well we were shopping and had a coupon so we dropped in here, have been here and always enjoyed it. Same this time, beer selection ok, my wings were good, wife's pulled pork was very good and the sauces were very good, pleasant and good looking bartender, fair amount of locals
(4)Jame R.
I started dining at Smokey Bones when they first opened. Back then the choices were great, the food wasn't bad, the prices were good and the servers were cheerful. For $6 I could get a Pulled Pork Platter with two sides and garlic toast. I changed jobs, worked in a different state and two years passed. Then I recently went back to the same Smokey Bones for lunch, and I gotta say it's AWFUL! The prices have gone up; the portions are meager (three pulled-pork "sliders" with hardly any meat and no sides for $7?); our server was disinterested and close to rude (another one of those who throw the check on the table without a word). What happened? Smokey Bones seems to have hired some idiot marketeer who told the Corporate Office something like this: "Hey, I'm cool and hip, and we want to attract the hipsters. What we need here is a cool and 'crisp' stylized logo. We'll double the prices and cut back on the portions to increase profit. We'll hire rude servers because that's cool. Lets put in EVEN MORE large plasma flat-panel TVs because, you know, these young hipsters don't know how to converse; they NEED to be entertained and amused. We'll make millions!" Please. You've pretty much screwed up a good (not great) BBQ place. In this economy raising prices will only reduce patronage. And Smokey Bones (at least in Tyngsboro) will end up like "On the Border" down the street: Closed; sad; weeds chokng the parking lot. Good riddance.
(1)Jim S.
I have eaten here many times. The service is usually very good, and the food arrives promptly. I used to love the chicken pot pie, and was really bummed when it was discontinued. Cob Salad is good, and food is generally quite good.
(4)Seth D.
I'm really at a loss for how to review this place, so I'm going with my gut. The problem here is really perspective: is this a great BBQ restaurant? No. Is this a chain I would choose any day of the week over Fridays, Chilis, Applebees, you name it? Absolutely. In the grand scheme of things, Smokey Bones isn't a top or even middle tier bbq restaurant (in fact, I'd take Famous Daves in a battle of BBQ chains), but the truth of the matter is, for hokey, fairly cheap, easy and fast food, it blows most of the "this level" competition out of the water. They do steak better than Fridays (I know this via my girlfriend's plate), they do pulled pork better than ANY of the chains that offer a pulled pork sandwhich, and hell, they even do BBQ better than Olive Garden does Italian. My meal itself was average, and calling a chain meal average is quite a compliment. If I was reviewing this place in a world where only chains at this level exist, I would have no qualms giving this place a four or even five on the right day of the week, but in a world where I love BBQ, this isn't going to cut it as is. I had a two meat platter with pulled pork and brisket--I couldn't raelly tell which was which if it wasn't for the pork being pulled and the brisket being sliced. The sides were actually really good (roasted corn salad and "sweet potato sticks" which were of course an extra dollar). The menu was very basic, and nothing particularly impressive, but everything was very solid. Like I said, it's tough to gauge based on context, so I'll give it three, because it was A-OK on a Sunday afternoon for a quick-but-not-fast-food-meal with my girlfriend.
(3)Jonathan K.
My co-workers and I frequent Smokey Bones for lunch on occassion, as the prices are good, the service is typically good and the food comes fast. I don't think I've ever had a dish here that I didn't like to some degree, from the pulled pork, the wings, fish &chips, burgers...I've enjoyed them all. Like most people are saying, the service is typically pretty fast, even when the parking lot is entirely full. Went here last night with a few friends and after circling the parking lot a few times, finally bagged someone leaving and snuck in. We only waited 15-20 minutes for a table which I found astounding considering how busy it actually was. Perhaps we got lucky and there was a roatation of people leaving, but either way we were seated quickly. The beer selection is decent, but more than anything, I was happy to see an IPA on tap that WASN'T Harpoon. I'm tired of the IPA standby at every bar being Harpoon as this tastes more like a moderately hopped ale made so that the mass beer drinkers can say "they like IPA" than a true IPA. The IPA they did have on tap was brewed by Mayflower, a MA craftbrewery which has been coming into its own recently and finding its way into more establishments. This is the first time I've had the Mayflower IPA on tap and have to say it was well balanced, hopped appropriately and VERY drinkable. The only reason I won't give Smokey Bones more stars is because it's not the first of my choices when it comes to going out, but it is an old stand-by that you really can't go wrong with. The TV's can get distracting after awhile...at least for me and my typical lack of an ability to pay attention to anything for any length of time.
(3)Tricia B.
This is a guilty pleasure for my family. We eat here at least 2 times a month. Sometimes we are here once a week. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. We don't like the ribs, but the brisket and pulled pork is something that brings us coming back. My favorite is the baked potato stuffed with brisket and cheese served with either a Caesar or house salad. I just got the "Cuban" sandwich this week and that may be my new fav with sweet potato fries. My kids put down dinner quickly to get to the chocolate cake! Monday's kids eat free and if you get your order in before 6pm appetizers are half price. After eating the good sized nachos and buff-a-que wings my husband and i will often share a dinner and they are always okay with that. (Fish and Chips are just the right size to share) Even with a few beers dinner with take home for 2 adults and 2 kids will be under $50 Wait-staff are so nice, even when we get a trainee they are fantastic. Food always comes out at just the right time. The one down side to eating here is the amount of water you have to consume after. The food is very heavily salted. Read the sodium levels online and you will gasp. After eating the ribs you may become mummified. Half priced appetizers and free kids meal are no longer... it lasted for a very long time. We miss it. Please please bring it back.
(4)David B.
I stopped in for a quick bite to eat during the lunch hour and sat at the large bar. The bar has about ten TV's surrounding both sides of the bar with every TV playing a different station which I found kind of numbing after ten minutes or so. I ordered a plate with pulled pork, beef brisket which came with fries. The order came pretty fast considering they had a pretty large lunch crowd this day. My opinion with the dish was that it was fine for a quick lunch but not top notch BBQ by any standard. The pulled pork just did not taste that great. Maybe it was the seasoning but the texture of the meat was fine. If I return there it will not be for the beef brisket that's for sure. Disappointing favor and texture. They had a noticeable over processed favor about them. I tried adding a few of the BBQ sauces to them it really didn't help. Based on the people in the place they really like the food. I guess it was my dish that came up short.
(2)Brian D.
Seth D. Has it right, its all about prespective. We liked our wings. They had good flavor and it liked trying all the sauces on them. My burger was excellent, but could have used a better tomato (they are in season now). I loved that the burger came with onion rings on top. Sweet potato fries were great and nice and salty. I enjoyed the pumpkin beer. On the down side the pull pork was sad. They used pepper to over come the lack of smoking. Their lemonade was disappointing. Overall, 4 stars as a chain restaurant, 2 stars as a BBQ restaurant. I will likely go again when next in the area, and love it because my expectations will be, "this is the best Chilli's ever".
(3)Lily F.
I would agree with a few other reviewers in that this isn't exactly a stellar BBQ joint, but a place for a nice, filling lunch & a cheap beer? Heck ya! Boyfriend and I stopped in on a Monday afternoon and to be honest, I was reluctant...it kind of looks like a corporate man cave (big tvs, faux log cabin look) but once we were seated and spoke with our server I began to relax a little. The menu is HUGE! Like, confusing huge. I saw sandwiches, salads, pulled pork, ribs, burgers, girly drinks, beer and my head was spinning. We knew that wings were in our future and the turkey avocado burger looked good so I went for it and was so glad I did! It goes without saying that turkey burgers can be rather...lifeless if cooked improperly. This one was peppery and actually tasted like meat and not rubber, so that's always a good place to start. It came with a garlicy mayo on the side, I used a teeny bit but not much, it was a bit over the top. My side of broccoli (yes, I'm that girl) was good, a little buttery but delicious none the less. Wings were slightly breaded, and while I prefer a crispy wing these were yum. Hot, crunchy and all white meat. Can't go wrong. After ordering our wings, burgers and beer (16 oz blue moon for like $3, woohoo!) we rolled out the door. I ate half the burger and was STUFFED and usually I am a bottomless pit. Overall a good chain experience, place was clean, staff was friendly, and food was more than palatable. Plus, no one will judge you for ordering a beer with lunch. Even the 22 oz one. Really.
(3)Kevin W.
The food was great. We had the unlimited wings and bone brew. Everything was enjoyable but the service was terrible. We were slow to be served despite it being pretty empty. The unlimited wings was slow to be served, with additional plates of merely 4 wings.
(3)Roy P.
Excellent menu, best BBQ in th Boston area !!! Waitress wasn't very talkative, but overall a very good experience, would recommend to anyone.
(4)Leo R.
Went here last weekend late night. They offer a great ambiance. The staff all seemed pretty good, our waitress wasn't as fun or cool as another one who dared one of my friends to drink a half empty beer. We'll he did and she called him gross but she bet him a dollar he wouldn't. This was the first time I have seen someone get money from a waitress.
(3)Jonathan P.
It is what it is. Smokey bones has dozens of TVs up. Want to watch the Red Sox instead of the Celtics? No problem, each booth has its own volume and channel control. You can choose which game to listen to. My friends watched every game of the 2008 celtics playoffs here. They have ultra classy buckets of beer. Ice + 6 bottles of domestic beer for $10. We'd usually get a few of those and appetizers. After a certain time (10 ?) they start selling appetizers for half price. Score!
(4)B R.
awesome. Way better than Texas roadhouse for BBQ. I like the roadhouse for steak and such but for BBQ variety that is a cut above as a chain place, this place rocks. I wish some of the local small chains like Firefly's and Tennessee's had their quality and taste at this level.
(4)Vanessa P.
I have been here about five times and it is one of DH and I's favorite place when visiting the mall. The food is good, about what to expect from a chain, and the service has always been good.
(4)Tarkesh M.
Nice place and good quality food
(5)Gina K.
Went here for a meeting and ate a couple of appetizers. We went on a Thursday night and after 8, ladies get a free appetizer. Although, only ONE per table. We got the Chicken Nachos that were good sized and tasty. We also got a side of french fries for just $1.99 - very small order, but very delicious hand-cut and crispy. I would go back just for those! Drinks were okay and service was excellent. Would like to try their BBQ, but that will have to be for another night :)
(3)Paul M.
raw chicken enf said
(1)James M.
One of my favorite restaurants, service is great just as well as the food. Full rack of ribs is what I usually get.
(5)Christine R.
Very friendly service. Food is served quick. I like the options for kids too.
(5)J. Scott P.
They have managed to make even simple BBQ a hazy state of mediocre. My partner and I stopped in after shopping in the area. The smell from outside was phenominal. The food...not so much. I had a chicken pecan salad which presented nicely. It was saturated in dresing that was so super sweet it was like they covered lettuce with brown sygar syrup. I sent that back and had it redone without dressing. By the time they had brought it out my dining partner was finished with his meal completely. His meal? A substabdard burger and cold fries. Our waitress was no great shakes either. She was wearing a pin that was a chicken with 2008 done in the repub/demo colors like the elephant and donkey. Clearly it was meant to be something of significance. The only response we got when inquiring was, "I dunno - I hafta wear it". Try Olive Garden up the road. You'll thank me.
(1)Josh H.
This follows many of the other reviews. The food isn't the best BBQ i have had but for New England it is very good. I would rate the food 4/5. the service, on the other hand, is terrible. I used to come here once every few months but my last experience will be just that, my last. walked in at about 2 on a weekday with my mother. place was fairly empty and we were seated immediately. Took 15 minutes before a waitress came over and took drinks and gave us menus. Took another 20 minutes to get those drinks and the order food. I ordered a beer and it was flat so i had them get me another...flat again. Maybe beer isn't their thing, i don't know. Either way, third time is a charm. So now we are there an hour and finally get our meals. I am not asking for much but an hour when it is very slow is outrageous. Manager said they would take care of it whatever that meant since nothing was comped. Will not return due to the poor staff and management.
(2)