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| - With Smokey Bones and Famous Dave's, Great Northern Mall earns the odd distinction of being an epicenter of chain barbecue restaurants. Particularly from a not-so-great recent experience at Famous Dave's, the latest round goes to Smokey Bones.
I started with the Brunswick Stew, which I do not recommend. It was watery and light on the meat. It had a some spice to it but more resembled chili than actual brunswick stew. On the other hand, the Baby Back Ribs were pretty good and were better than the tough and not-so-meaty ribs I had the last time I was at Famous Dave's. The ribs have decent flavoring on their own without additional barbecue sauce. When I did add sauce, I preferred the KC BBQ sauce which was pretty decent. The cole slaw and broccoli sides were pretty standard. Ended the meal with a Bag of Donuts, which are really good, if only because they are brought out incredibly hot. I'm surprised the waiters don't have blisters from handling those bags. Served with chocolate and caramel dipping sauces, they are like a poor man's version of the Fresh-N-Hot Doughnut Holes at Red Steakhouse. (Probably a stretch, but the comparison isn't totally off base.)
So how do you choose between Smokey Bones and Famous Dave's? If you're in a really carnivorous mood, go to Famous Dave's--the ribs may not be quite as good, but they offer a better variety meats (ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, sausage, and wings) than Smokey Bones with the additional flexibility to build a combo of those choices to your liking. If you're looking for hot doughnuts to accompany some decent tasting ribs, you'll have to go to Smokey Bones.
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