Smokey Bones...

[John]

Done, as of close of business tonight...

We had a little Cinco de Mayo action going on next door at Friday's and Smokey Bones was still open for business, we left to continue the celebration elsewhere and everything still looked intact. After the bar closed, I got dropped back off at my car (still at Friday's) and we noticed that tarps had been placed over all signage, yet the smoker was still going as you could see smoke rising from their chimneys.

Interesting development since, as some of you may know, Smokey Bones is owned by parent company Darden Restaurants -- who just shuttered Bahama Breeze in the past week.

Looks like trouble for Darden. I'm sure we'll hear the same stuff they spewed about Bahama Breeze about location, traffic, etc. Apparently, that's not the case!

[jbkrems]

That's very strange, because when I drove by there earlier this week, they had a "Now Hiring" sign out front.

[flintysooner]

Darden Restaurants Announces Intent to Sell Smokey Bones; Expects Pre-Tax Charge of Approximately $260 Million in Fourth Quarter: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Source: Darden Restaurants
Saturday Mat 5, 10:00 am ET

[brianinok]

It was never very busy when I was there. Maybe Oklahomans didn't like their style of bbq. Oklahomans know bbq almost as well as steak, and Smokey Bones was average bbq at best.

[jbkrems]

Smokey Bones was alright when it first came to Oklahoma City, but later this particular restaurant was pretty bad. They could not prepare certain foods to basic expectations (steaks were not done right), etc. Also, the service there at first was good, but then really dropped off. Its not a surprise they went downhill.

[Patrick]

I'm not surprised. The place was never busy. Darden needs to quit screwing around, and focus on just their Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants, and improving them.

[kevinpate]

I am not overly surprised that someone's national business model for bbq did not pan out for them. I hope whatever is going on with Darden is overall for the good. Although neither sits as my fav of favs for dinner out, I'm not the least bit opposed to enjoying a meal from time to time at either Red Lobster or Olive Garden.

[Millie]

I hope they don't take Red Lobster away too!

I'm not going to miss Smokey Bones-- the food wasn't very good. The setup they had with all the TVs was kind of neat, though.

[kevinpate]

I can't recall the last time I went to Red Lobster that there wasn't a wait, not one of those we can't be bothered with you waits, but the honest and for true folks in line, often spilling out the doors kind of waits.

Unless they just decide they don't like making money on seafood anymore, no one in their right mind would dump that particular chain. On the other hand, if they could bring in prawns like I had enjoyed at Coos Bay Oregon in a lil' mom and pop place many a moon ago, they could certainly get me in the door more often.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

BBQ is not something you can cookie cutter. Cooking good BBQ is like a sceince. The preperation takes skill knowledge that is acquired through trial, error and family secrets. That is why places like Leo's and Jake's Rib do so well.

To stay successful you can only open a handful of restaurants because you have to stay on top of your product. In the realm of BBQ restaurants if you let your product slip in the least bit your business is history.


I have always liked Red Lobster, Olive Garden on the other hand is lousy. I can get a better tasting and filling meal out of frozen box in the grocery store or at Fazolis.

[SoonerDave]

I thought I read somewhere (here?) that Smokey Bones was going to be rebranded as some trendy "grill" restaurant...??

Wanted to go there ,but heard too many "ehhhhh" reviews, and that was good enough for me not to drive across town to take the chance.

-soonerdave

[y_h]

I thought I read somewhere (here?) that Smokey Bones was going to be rebranded as some trendy "grill" restaurant...??

According to the press release, that experiment failed and failed fast. I only went to Smokey Bones one time and while waiting for a table I peeked in the kitchen and saw them removing pre-cooked ribs from cryovac packaging and that's when I knew this was a doomed enterprise. Frankly, I never understood why Darden would attempt to put a generic chain bbq restaurant into markets populated by a large number of popular independent vendors. OKC certainly fits that bill as does St. Louis.

[jbrown84]

Yeah, this was a doomed enterprise from the start. A foolish move on their part.

[metro]

Not to mention folks like different styles of BBQ depending on the region. We obviously like more ketchup/molasses based BBQ's here in Oklahoma and Texas, although I'm particular to the vinegar/mustard based ones of the Carolina's, and KC and St. Louis have their own styles as well.

[ultimatesooner]

BBQ is not something you can cookie cutter. Cooking good BBQ is like a sceince. The preperation takes skill knowledge that is acquired through trial, error and family secrets. That is why places like Leo's and Jake's Rib do so well.

To stay successful you can only open a handful of restaurants because you have to stay on top of your product. In the realm of BBQ restaurants if you let your product slip in the least bit your business is history.


I have always liked Red Lobster, Olive Garden on the other hand is lousy. I can get a better tasting and filling meal out of frozen box in the grocery store or at Fazolis.

I agree with this theory but somehow Rib Crib always seems to be good no matter which one I go to

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I agree with this theory but somehow Rib Crib always seems to be good no matter which one I go to

I've NEVER had a single decent thing from that place. The boss-lady at my office is always buying a bunch of their stuff and bringing it in for all of us and my ex-gf used to want to go there all the time...So I've given them plenty of chances.

To each their own and all...But Rib Crib is just....BLAH! To me.

[jbrown84]

But Rib Crib has lost a lot of locations as well. The Edmond one is gone, and I believe there was one at the 63rd/Western area that's now gone.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

But Rib Crib has lost a lot of locations as well. The Edmond one is gone, and I believe there was one at the 63rd/Western area that's now gone.

Out of the roughly 20 people I work with, MAYBE two people liked them. That might have something to do with them closing. Along the lines of BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe's statement...I think they got too big for their britches or something...Too many other great BBQ places in town to be in the bottom 5% of the category: "People that like your grub".

[SoonerDave]

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that BBQ in this part of the country is almost a religious issue. One person's BBQ heaven is another's BBQ purgatory. I'm not sure you'd get a consensus for "great" BBQ in OKC.

I've given Swadley's several tries, and have come away disappointed each time. Earl's is, IMHO, pretty much top of the heap right now; consistent, fresh, good across varying types of bbq (chopped or sliced brisket, ribs, etc), and that's kinda hard to do. But I know that some people will just say Earl's is "so-so." Comes with the BBQ territory, I think.

It's been a LONG time since I came away from a BBQ place saying, "YEE HAW - that's the BEST darned BBQ I've ever had!!" Rib Crib is OK, but nothing special. Years ago, "Oklahoma Line" (before they became County Line) had awesome beef ribs, but we haven't been there in years - dropped off after they took on the County Line affiliation.

I'm always open to a new BBQ place; I was interested in trying Smokey Bones until word-of-mouth advised me otherwise..

-soonerdave

[jbrown84]

TV sales reps brought in Leo's for lunch today. Pretty good.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that BBQ in this part of the country is almost a religious issue. One person's BBQ heaven is another's BBQ purgatory. I'm not sure you'd get a consensus for "great" BBQ in OKC.

I've given Swadley's several tries, and have come away disappointed each time. Earl's is, IMHO, pretty much top of the heap right now; consistent, fresh, good across varying types of bbq (chopped or sliced brisket, ribs, etc), and that's kinda hard to do. But I know that some people will just say Earl's is "so-so." Comes with the BBQ territory, I think.

It's been a LONG time since I came away from a BBQ place saying, "YEE HAW - that's the BEST darned BBQ I've ever had!!" Rib Crib is OK, but nothing special. Years ago, "Oklahoma Line" (before they became County Line) had awesome beef ribs, but we haven't been there in years - dropped off after they took on the County Line affiliation.

I'm always open to a new BBQ place; I was interested in trying Smokey Bones until word-of-mouth advised me otherwise..

-soonerdave

I agree...About the personal taste thing as well as Swadley's and Earl's to be okay...but nothing spectacular.

Spencer's BBQ on the other hand...Has had me waddling out the door each time. I don't particularly care for their location (WAY out of the way), but it's my current local favorite for BBQ.

[Jack Wonder]

Done, as of close of business tonight...

We had a little Cinco de Mayo action going on next door at Friday's and Smokey Bones was still open for business, we left to continue the celebration elsewhere and everything still looked intact. After the bar closed, I got dropped back off at my car (still at Friday's) and we noticed that tarps had been placed over all signage, yet the smoker was still going as you could see smoke rising from their chimneys.

Interesting development since, as some of you may know, Smokey Bones is owned by parent company Darden Restaurants -- who just shuttered Bahama Breeze in the past week.

Looks like trouble for Darden. I'm sure we'll hear the same stuff they spewed about Bahama Breeze about location, traffic, etc. Apparently, that's not the case!

Good riddens for Smokey Bones! :down:

Bahama Breeze is a goner too?! I thought they did okay??

I had noticed all of the Taco Cabanas' closing last month or two...

[John]

Bahama Breeze is a goner too?! I thought they did okay??

There is a thread on the first page about it...

[metro]

Taco Cabana still has a few locations left in the metro.

[kmf563]

I guess Darden is definitely not a company to work for. The employees are saying they had no idea what was going on. The big whigs walked in, fired everyone, and locked the doors. Same thing with Bahama Breeze. They didn't even give a warning. I think that is so crappy! They expect you to give them a 2 week courtesy notice, but they can just fire you on the spot for no reason? It's not like employees work for fun...they actually have bills to pay, probably text books to buy, or mouths to feed at home. Jerks. As much as I have enjoyed Bahama's and Red Lobster in the past...I won't be dining in a Darden restaurant again. This is why I prefer mom & pop places as opposed to the big chain restaurants. Not to mention the food is usually 10 times better and fresh.