Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q — Restaurant in Jacksonville

I Chose Bono’s for my sons 11th birthday and it was ruined by the manager, Kevin. As a long time and VERY frequent EX customer, I am very upset about the way my family was treated on 6-20-25. My son and I chose Bono’s to celebrate our birthdays because we LOVE the food and had my Mother, nephews, sister and other family members meet us at 7:30pm for what should’ve been a beautiful evening. First, they were out of ribs and brisket on Friday night which was very disappointing to many in my party but we ordered from what was available and our Server was fantastic. Long story short, the manager, Kevin decided at 9:10pm he should shut all the surrounding lights off around us. An obvious sign for us to hurry up and get out. Very disrespectful! There was another couple eating on the other side of the restaurant but their lights were not turned off. I understand they close at 9 but that doesn’t mean, “everyone finish quick and get out cause the manager wants to get out as early as possible on Friday night”! It means, no new orders/customers after 9pm. We were aware of the time and trying to hurry. As soon as we ate, we sang Happy Birthday to my son and I, cut our cake and even offered cake to all the staff. We weren’t lingering. As soon as we finished our cake, my Mother started passing presents to my son and I. That’s when Bono’s shut out the lights on us. We couldn’t believe it! We took the very rude and disrespectful hint. We collected our things, payed our bills, tipped our server (very well) and left by 9:15 in a very embarrassed and upset state. My son opened his presents at home as did I without being able to hug and thank Mom/Grandma for everything. I went back inside to tell Kevin, the manager how disrespectful he treated us. He first tried to deny that he was shutting out the lights on us intentionally but when I told him to stop treating me like a fool he responded with something along the line of “C’mon man it’s 9:20!”. Admitting that wanted us out. I’m sorry that in the restaurant business, which I worked many years, that you sometimes get stuck on Friday, Saturday nights working late. That’s part of the deal. Come speak to me like an adult instead of embarrassing my entire family. Lesson learned. Customers lost. I will eat lesser BBQ before I or my family comes back to Bono’s. I will also tell this ridiculous story to every single person I get the opportunity to. Shame on you Kevin and shame on you Bono’s. I’m honestly distraught about never returning to one of my and my family’s favorite...

Edit: September 2022. I really wanted to love this Bono’s because it’s close to my home and my family has eaten here for years. Lately though the quality of service has gone down. At one time I gave this location 5 stars but after this last order I had to drop it to 2 stars. Two stars off for the last 3 times I’ve gone here and something has been missing on my order. Two months ago I ordered 2 BBQ salads, a three meat platter and some desserts to go. I added an egg to a salad for $0.99. I spent close to $60 bucks and get home to find I was charged for the egg but no egg in my salad. No biggie, I let it slide this time. Second time I go back a few weeks later and get salads and platters again. I get home and there are like 4 BBQ sauces for all the bbq I ordered when I specifically asked for several of each of the sauces. I let this slide this time and give them one more chance. Third strike I ordered 3 burgers and a chicken sandwich combo with 2 sides. I get charged for 2 sides on the chicken sandwich- Mac and cheese and coleslaw. Only the Mac n cheese is in my box. All this after waiting 30 minutes for the food to be finished!

SIDE NOTE: The burgers were GREAT! Compliments to the cooks!!! They get the stars this review earned. There service took the three stars away.

AND I TIP EACH TIME I ORDER TO GO! TIPS SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE COOKS!

No more, Bono’s. Sure the missing things may be small but if I’m a regular customer and I’m tipping before my food comes I expect my order to be right when I get it. Especially if they are not slammed with customers. Take your money to Bono’s only the Town Center. The young lady at the window each time I ordered has forgotten something and I won’t spend $50+ dollars AND tip to get even one item left off my order again. Three stroke equals three stars off a once 5 star review. I’ll spend the extra gas and go to the other Bono’s instead. Every penny of my money is valuable and I not only expect to get what I pay for, I don’t expect my order to have something missing three times in a row after I’ve tipped. If you tip at the window make sure they put what you paid for in your bag!

Review below is from 5 years ago. Not the same quality service today.

Great food, friendly customer service. My family members are regulars there and it's nice to be greeted by staff who remember your face and make you feel at home. Never disappointed whether it's dine in...

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! Poor Waitress did the best she could but the rest of the place had HORRIBLE Attitude. My husband ordered center cut pork for his platter NOT for my pork sandwich. I received my sandwich and could not eat it after first bite, soggy bread, cold pork and it was CENTER CUT PORK, yuck because I never ordered it that way AND It's not what I like nor will eat so I decided to just take it home for my son. Asked for a box didn't say anything. My husband insisted on letting them know at least because now I did not get to eat Lunch, so he let them know that I received center cut pork on my Pork Sandwich when I never asked or I wasn't asked whether I wanted a center cut. Out off all the YEARS I have been there this never happened to me. She apologized and went on doing her job. THEN the CUTTER approaches my husband with his comments like he owns the place and insisted on proceeding with the issue and pressing on it, insisting on saying that "if you don't order it certain way then it's cutters choice", I WAS HORRIFIED, Why not have a Manager approach me and explain things? I came in Hungry and Left Hungry. NO ONE OFFERED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! so I got home, Calmed Down from Crying at how Horrible I was treated and called for a Manager, She asked & said " Well did he offer to fix it?" I told her "No, Never, he just kept pressing the issue, I dont know how you allow your other employees to keep pressing the issue when I never asked for anything else just wanted to inform you that it's not what I ordered so why do I have to eat what someone else tells me to when I've ordered & eaten there for YEARS and NEVER received a Pork Sandwich in that manner?" SADLY this MARY the Manager NEVER APOLOGIZED. Poor Waitress because she did but to had to suffer because of bad co-workers & horrible management who obviously don't care how this place is run. Shame on them, Shame on Management. At that I'm Pregnant and they saw that but decided to keep on pressing the issue until I Cried! I left CRYING and still they didn't do anything about it. Here's another point which I should of stated when the cutter pressed on and stated his comments to me about why he gave me my order & sandwich the way he did and he wanted to cut it even though I did not order it that way: Why am I coming to an establishment, Ordering AND Paying for food, when You are going to DICTATE what I...