Wound up here after That BBQ Joint inexplicably took graduation week off. I was seriously disappointed seeing the little hand written note in the window. I'm getting off track. .. You're reading this to get my thoughts on Smoky Jon's BBQ. I'll start with the positives. The restaurant was particularly clean and the staff was attentive and friendly. The ribs were tender and portions were plentiful. Oh, and the steak fries were nice.
I feel guilty whenever I give a 2 star review for a place with friendly staff, but I can't justify 3 stars considering the food. It only warrants the 2 star, "Meh. I've experienced better". As for the award winning bbq sauce, I wasn't a fan. It's tomato based, which is my preference, but is overpowered by a ton of black peppercorns. Again, the ribs were tender, but lacked the smoky, well-seasoned flavor I was hoping for. The chicken was dry and the primary flavor was garlic powder. The mac n' cheese was similar to Kraft also with a heavy dose of garlic powder. I'll probably pass on this place the next time I'm in town, but if you have an abnormal affection for black pepper & garlic powder give em a go and decide for yourself.