This place is in the same space where Tony Roma's used to be. Not that Roma's is the very best there is but Smokin' Jack's doesn't even come close. I realize that there are different styles of BBQ, St. Louis, Kansas City, Texas etc. Kansas City style is normally a dry smoked meat where the sauce is added by the consumer at the table compared with let's say, Texas style that is basted while smoking and served wet with bbq sauce on the meat. If Jack's meat was what they claim, it would be great but, it isn't. This was the 3rd time my wife and I had eaten there. Funny, they no longer offered Fri. and Sat. nite live blues entertainment after 7pm (guess they were no longer making enough money to pay a band). We were there on a Sat. nite around 7:15 and I think we were 1 of only 3 or 4 tables that had customers. Where did all their business go? While eating, one of their managers stops at our table for a little P.R. obviously because they're hurting for business and probably thinks by kissing our rear ends we'll come back again. He goes into this dissertation about how they smoke their ribs and meat for 15 hours and they use no dry rubs, seasoning or sauce on their ribs or meat. They prefer to let their customers add the sauce at the table. The ribs on my plate were not smoked for no 15 hours! The seemed like they were not thoroughly cooked/smoked. Any ribs that were smoked 15 hours should be falling off the bone, these were far from it, tough and hard to bite through. I know that bbq restaurants can be somewhat pricey because of the cooking process and what it involves but their prices are downright too expensive! I can get better ribs at Chili's for 2/3 the cost with flavor to savor. All I can say is, if they don't do something drastic soon, there will be no more Smokin' Jack's because after anyone has eaten there once they won't go back. Sooner or later they will run out of new customers. WE WILL NOT GO BACK TO THIS PLACE, I'll drive to Glendale to Roma's first.
Pros: Lots of seating, interior design
Cons: Food not worth the high prices. No more live entertainment. Odd garnish tray
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