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| - The last BBQ place in the West Towne area, Smoky Bones, didn't fare so well. It lasted maybe half a decade before closing a few years ago. I'm really hoping that this place does better, because the food is excellent. I've had the ribs, pork, and brisket, and all were delicious. The dry rub on the ribs is a little intense but lends a unique flavor. The rolls that come with some meals are fried, which is something I've never seen before. The sides overall are pretty good; the only problem is that they often run out of stuff and then you end up with their weird coleslaw instead of their awesome mashed potatoes.
I'm deducting a star mostly for service. Besides the aforementioned food shortages, it can also take a while for your food to arrive. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're on a schedule. However, when I'm paying just six bucks for a gigantic pork sandwich, I would probably wait an hour for it.
Another, smaller quibble I have with this place is the decor. It looks a warehouse that somebody spent $500 turning into a restaurant space. There are some inflatable cows hanging from the ceiling, wooden cacti festooned with green Christmas lights, and about five different "open" signs on the windows to make up for lack of proper signage. Oh yeah, don't forget the life-size (and lifelike) cowboy statue that stares at you while you peruse the menu.
All that aside, the emphasis here is on friggin great food, which is all that matters in the end (especially if you get it for takeout, like I always do). Their location on D'Onofrio drive in a dying strip mall is unfortunate, but hopefully they survive their turbulent first year and become a Madison fixture.
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