My girlfriend and I went here last Friday for the first time. This is not a hole-in-the-wall place where there's no where to sit. A mom & pop place may have really good food but personally, I always feel a little uncomfortable with the smaller setting for some reason. I tend to like a big place where I can just blend in with the people around me. Since this is just my opinion, I will start by saying I am rating this on a 1 to 10 scale and so far in my experience, a 10 in my opinion would be a place called Famous Dave's BBQ. Please remember, I am strictly referring to the BBQ ribs. That's what I like most. So, having said that, if Famous Dave's is a 10 to me then, Smokey Bones BBQ was a 7.9. I'll elaborate why only an 7.9: First, the ribs are smoked for only 4 hours or so, I've read which gave a only a hint of smoke flavor. Usually, BBQ is smoked for at least 6-8 hours for a decent smoke flavor. Second, Famous Dave's BBQ has about 6 different BBQ sauces at the table for your choosing. Third, Dave's has a nice fat roll of paper towels at each table all for you. Everybody knows you need more than 2 or 3 napkins when you're eatin' que. Also, our service was not that great. We had to look for the waitress for silverware after our food was served to us and she forgot to put in our appetizer order. Finally, the sides (corn in particular) and others were very blah. Famous Dave's is that kind of place where you can't stop eating even when you're full because the flavor is so crazy good. Even when your stomach starts to really hurt, you just keep eating because it's that good. Verdict: Smokey Bones has an atmosphere similar to Texas Roadhouse. It's Comfortable and has good parking right next to the mall and the BBQ is acceptable. I'd go there again in a pinch only because I'm 300 miles from Famous Dave's.

Had to send the onion rings back--very overcooked. Onion inside the crust looked like a piece of paper and tough as cardboard. Send order was good. Offer you cornbread, while you are waiting. Then they charge for it--very unlike Cracker Barrel.