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

I'm not typically the person to share my feelings on social media, I also try and not bash companies online because as a GM I deal with the same reviews day to day with the company I work for. I share this review not because the level of customer service was bad (it was as well) but the lack of concern from the person that Bonos decides to put in it's locations to manage it. So without trying to make this an extra long review (which it will be, because I don't know how to shut up), I will share my experience I had today.

It's football Sunday in America and as we all know we are glued to the TV watching our favorite team hopefully win for the day. It is getting close to halftime and I am a bit hungry and craving ribs. I proceed to call my nearest local rib shack close to my house (Bonos) so I can call in my order, dash and be back before half time is over. I call the number and the waitress answers and ask if she can put me on hold, I agree since I assume I won't be on hold for long. I wait, 2 minutes passes by, I continue to wait and 5 minutes passes. I am by this time thinking, "this is ridiculous". I jump in my car and head up there, I live about 10 minutes away but by the time someone comes back to the phone, 16 minutes has pass. I tell the lady on the other end I have been on hold for 16 minutes, she apologizes and takes my order. Now we all know, Bonos can be a busy place with the having a take out window and the inside lobby so my assumption driving up is that they were packed. To my surprise when I arrive there are only about 4 cars in the parking lot. I park and look at the take out window, only one person ordering, I walk inside and look around, only one person sitting down eating so by this time I am baffled. I look at one of the waitresses who is seated at the bar with the manager (I found out later he was the manager). When she sees me, I guess based on the look on my face, she figures out I am the guy that was on hold for so long. I try to keep my composure but loudly ask why I was on hold for so long if the place is empty. She again apologizes and tells me the other waitress was busy. Did I mention that there was a manager AND another waitress sitting at the bar? I did right? Anyway so I rant for a few 30 seconds or so as the prepare my food. I finally sit down shaking my head. I see the assistant manager Tom get up from his seat and go behind the bar. At no point did he look my way or address me in any way. I guess he must have said something to the waitress behind the bar but I had my eye close and head down so I missed that. Anywho, Tom walk past my again headed to the kitchen, he is in there for a few seconds and then comes back toward the front of the house to stand in the doorway. I ask him what his name is and if he heard my dilemma, he responds that he did so I ask him what he is going to do, he states that he told the waitress to give me a discount. No again remember I already said earlier that he never looked at me, nor did he ever address me so how would I know that anything was being done. He ask me if my waitress informed me of the discount (isn't that his job? Correct me if I'm wrong). I say "no" and walk to the counter to pay for my food. She says she didn't know anything about a discount. As I am reluctantly paying for my food because by now I am thinking about cancelling my order. The cook has come from the back, he tells me he gave me an extra bone and bread and he apologizes for the mishap. The assistant manager NEVER apologizes for anything. I could go on but I won't because if you are still reading this review and seeing me yammer on I will conclude.

Customer service has got to get better guys and girls. If managers put themselves in the customers shoes, and how they would want to get treated, maybe things would be different. I have been back in Jax for 3 years, have gone to Bonos numerous times in those 3 years and have never gotten this level of service before. Bonos going forward, please be considerate of other...

Worst DInner Experience Ever!!!!! Me and 3 friends decided to go to your Bono's after the Jacksonville Fair on Thursday, November 7th, since they were open till 10 PM. Could not have had a worst dining experience!! First off the table was sticky. Then since we arrived around 9 PM it almost seemed to the 4 of us that they were mad we were dining in that late. From the service to the lack of showing any care! The waitress got our drink order and appetizer order fast. The onion rings were the best thing about the order. Then we waited 15 minutes after the onion rings came out to place the order. We sat there and looked on as no one else was in the place, but it was like we were forgotten that we were there. I ended up getting up from the booth to go get someone. I found our waitress on her phone watching YouTube or TikTok videos like she had forgotten about us. When I told her we were ready to order she was shocked to see me there catching her on her phone instead of serving us and getting our order placed. Then once the food came out we all got the 3 meat platter. Mac & cheese, baked beans, and fries were good. But brisket was dried out like it had been sitting out! Very dry and not appealing. Same for the pulled pork also. Very dried out like it has been sitting around. on 2 of ours the turkey tasted rubbery. The only thing that was good was me and my friends sausage. For $108 and that type of service and lack of food flavor I am disgusted! You need a new staff and manager to check on their patrons to show that someone...

The service is not good and very delayed. My meat was cold before I got my silverware. The bine in ribs should be falling off the bone. My husband had to rip the meat off leaving half the meat stuck to the bones and inedible. I ordered a 2 meat combo. The pulled pork had more than one full mouth full of fat. For a little portion that's about 30% of that meat. I paid an extra dollar to make one of my sides into a salad and got a tiny bit of lettuce, tiny tomato and one onion circle. They piled a bunch of crackers and croutons on the plate and a huge hand full of cheese. So to be clear I paid for a plate of cheese and pile of crackers etc. to be the substitute for my side. I don't eat gluten or cheese. The server was spread thin and kept getting things wrong. I was a server most of any jobs I have had and would never act like I wasn't sorry if I messed up. When I asked for a refill to go with no ice she brought it back with ice and acted like I was crazy for expecting her to not bring it back with ice. Good service would be apologizing, and fixing it. In all the problems there I was not given one single apology. I personally will NEVER eat there again. The peeling shellac on the tables makes them all sticky which feels like you're eating at a dirty table. Ribs should be FALLING OFF the bone, not putting up a fight. When you pay extra for something to be upgraded, it shouldn't be an actual downgrade...