Sonny's BBQ — Restaurant in Pinellas Park

This is going to be a super long post - I've emailed 2 seperate emails to avoid leaving a bad review - but haven't heard back from anyone in the last 2 months... so here we go!

visited on 11/08/2020

We came in a little after 3pm, and once we were sat it look a little time for our server to arrive. Once she did she ask our drink order and if we knew what we wanted. I ordered the AYCE ribs she audibly sighed. I was completely caught off guard. She asked my sides, but didn't ask if I wanted garlic bread or cornbread, what kind of ribs I wanted - none of the general questions asked with the AYCE. So when our food came out I was surprised to have cornbread & ribs with sauce. I decided to just ask for dry rub, which is what I originally wanted, for my reorder since I didn't specify the 1st time, but when she returned to the table she had a reorder I hadn't even asked for. My husband asked for dry rub since he knew that what I really wanted and she returned quickly with ribs covered in so much seasoning the plate was making me sneeze and it was a seat away. We didn't bother to complain because we already felt as if we were a burden, especially after hearing her express not wanting anymore tables since she was cut. When she dropped off the dry rub ribs, she asked if we wanted anything else & we just asked for the check because we were already underwhelmed and uncomfortable.

When she dropped the check off she openly admitted to us being her last table and leaving right after us. We joked among ourselves that she should just walk out the door with us since she had been in a rush the whole time. As we headed out the door, she quite literally already had her purse and was packing up at a table by the hostess stand.

On top of the unusual service, my husband's brisket was extremely dry - our sweet tea was definitely unsweet with sugar packets... because when we ordered teas togo - she didn't add the sugar. Had she just been honest or taken time to speak to us, a lot could have been avoided.

We were in there under an hour from waiting to be seated to ordering and leaving because we were...

Well things are on the up and up again at this Sonnys. After many years of being a occasional customer I have seen many changes at this restaurant, some good and some not so good, but overall I think they are now going in the right direction and I hope it lasts. Nothing beats a GOOD BARBEQUE RESTAURANT and Sonnys on Park Blvd has all the ingredients to make this your favorite place to do just that. I am sure it takes a lot of dedicated effort to remain on top, but it is Do-able because everything has to be a detailed effort to be the best on the block, no matter what you are selling. In my past experiences with this restaurant my opinion changed from up and down..but this last experience was a really good one and we my of and I are greatful. Times are really hard now and food is in constant competitions with only razor thin profit margins they must work hard to stay profitable. So yesterday we tried them again and they did OUTSTANDING . THE FOOD WAS GREAT and the staff were EXCELLENT Even though we ordered a take out they took good care of our relationship and the food was great. This is a small community and we will maintain our friendliness to continue to patronize this local restaurant and hope they will continue to work on customer satisfaction to hit their goal of being number 1. As that is a tough business to compete in, but the writing on the wall is always and still the same KÈEP THE CUSTOMER HAPPY ( with reasonable courtesy) and the business blooms like watering a thirsty flower. ITA A SIMPLE, SLOW, BUT MAGICAL FORMULA, and over time word of mouth advertising brings in more customers than a freight train of 80 cars all billboards of advertisement. NOTHING BEATS WORD OF MOUTH ADVERTISING, friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor to neighbor..especially in a small community.. Word spreads like dropping a match in dry leaves in the woods BOOM YOU WIN!! Once again Sonnys BBQ of Park Blvd..KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, and we will keep you standing ..Good Luck and...

Been going to Sonny's for years upon years. Mostly always the Tyrone restaurant. Apparently this location makes up their own rules when it comes to the all-you-can-eat specials driven by the lazy kitchen staff.

They decided to stop all-you-can-eat at 8:30pm, posted, of course, no where and never have heard of that before at this chain. The place closes at 9pm they allow PAYING customers to come in till 9pm and order food from the kitchen. You know, because that's when they close. Asked if the kitchen closes early at 8:30pm. The manager said no. Another customer arrives to eat at like 8:45pm. So why does the lazy kitchen staff think they can go home earlier than the last available time it's possible to order from the kitchen. Or is it management not setting a clear expectation of what time they can leave after closing.

Circling back to the ayce, logically speaking. The offer for AYCE is valid during restaurant open hours or until the kitchen closes like at other AYCE restaurants such as the sushi ones.

The manager tried to resolve the situation. Sadly too late for my friend and too late because my large appetite from working a tougher than normal 11 hour day was tarnished by the ordeal. I get why the Tyrone location closed. Service and quality has gone way down hill along with the salad bar. People are tired of the service industry not, well, servicing the customer. And I see it all across the US when I travel for work. It's getting...