Smokey Bones Orlando — Restaurant in Alafaya

Today was not a good experience. It took almost an hour to get our food. We got seated in a section where we were being served by the bartender (we were not made aware of this when we were being seated). She seemed to have too much to do, as she was having to wait on all parties in this very large area. Too much for one person. My wife noticed some food sitting in the kitchen window for about 10 minutes. We should have walked out and almost did. My wife walked over to the bar as we were about to give up and leave. She inquired about our food and was told that it was still cooking and about to be plated. So we sat down and decided to give them 5 more minutes. A couple minutes later, my wife watched the bartender go grab the same plates that she observed in the window and bring them to us. Still cooking, huh? So we stayed and ate. The food was decent. There was no acknowledgement that the food took forever or any form of apology. The restaurant wasn't even very busy at the time. We got there at 7pm. You'd think a manager would walk around the place and see how guests are doing, but that did not happen. We've been here a couple other times in the past several months. Haven't been very impressed, but not too many other BBQ options nearby. Sonny's down the street went out of business a while back. Anyway, after today I don't think we'll be returning...

We went out to eat with my wife and our two daughters (ages 4 and 7). We were craving some meat, so we ordered a brisket. The dish came out quickly, but unfortunately the portion was very small. After that, we decided to order another dish —this time the Bone Fire— since we had already seen how small the portions were.

The problem was that it took more than 20 minutes to arrive. The server even came over to let us know it would be out soon, but the wait was way too long. On top of that, the service at our table was basically nonexistent, zero attention.

When the dish finally arrived, things only got worse:

The chicken was burnt and dry.

The meat was overcooked and tough.

The potatoes were burnt and very hard.

The chicken wings were bad and dry.

The onion was undercooked, but at least somewhat better.

The BBQ ribs were the only decent part, but very meaty-sparse.

In short: I don’t recommend this place for lunch or dinner. Honestly, I felt ripped off. The restaurant itself is nice, with a good atmosphere, and I think it’s probably better suited for having drinks and enjoying the bar — that part seems to have more of a vibe.

As for us, we won’t be coming back. The food was terrible, and the service...

My husband and I were looking for a nice place to grab a quick bite and maybe even treat each other for a couple of cocktails (we usually have mocktails instead) since this is my birthday month. We thought of making a quick stop here at Smokey Bones before getting to our final destination, since he wanted to try the wings, and let me just say: the service, the ambiance, and the drinks did it for us. We're having such a good time that I'm writing this review as I sip on my 3rd Tito's Strawberry Lemonade.

The hostess sat us at a nice booth by one side of the restaurant that made us feel like we had the place for ourselves even though the bar was completely full.

Our server Blais came with the menus as soon as we sat, which we really appreciate since I'm not a fan of waiting ten or more minutes for someone to greet us. She is super sweet, knowledgeable, and attentive. I don't eat meat, and I will be back for her (and the fries, haha). She made some great recommendations, and so far, we liked everything. Also, we arrived before 10 p.m., and she was so accommodating that she even shared the happy hour menu with us. Excellent service!

For tobacco smokers, they have outdoor sitting, and smoking...