My brother was visiting last week and we both have many pleasant memories of Redbones, dating back pretty much to when they opened. I noticed a few days earlier that it looked like they had finally reopened the bar/dining room. We sat down at he mostly empty bar to get a bite. The scene was odd to say the least. The decorations had been mostly removed, no spin the beer wheel either, presumably because they only had four on tap. They had two bottles of alcohol on the top shelf and a couple of those spinning margarita machines. They were blaring what I guess passes for Latin dance music? Our food came and was served in take out containers - “No Plates” we were told when we asked for them. The whole experience was surreal to say the least. The dining room was fairly empty, maybe 1/2 the tables they used to have and just one waitress. On a positive note, they had reworked the menu and lowered prices somewhat since my last visit. We were taking bets whether they were going to close or sell the place as we left.
Thanks for posting. Redbones was such fun back in the day, wasn’t it?
@clovenhoof Not to turn this into one of those nostalgia threads, but oh man, back in the day, I (an avowed vegetarian then) loved sitting at the kitchen counter. Buying the hard-working kitchen guys (they always seemed to be Latino guys) beer. Good bygone days.
Back in the day, we were always in Underbones eating their excellent fried pickles and working our way through what was the most interesting beer list in town.
Thanks for the “no plates” warning. I might make “no plates, no service for me” my new motto.
Thanks for the report on the ambiance and current circumstances. However, how was the food? What did you order and how did it taste?
I go way back with Redbones, too, mostly not impressed with the barbecue but liking the atmosphere and most of the sides.
This possibly reads to me as reducing COVID risk to staff by reducing people in BOH, plus COVID losses. I could easily be wrong.
I wouldn’t go in that basement, mid-pandemic, for anything but a tornado.
Oh and I don’t mind “no plates” at a… barbecue joint.
I got a bbq platter which had pulled pork (bland, just ok) pulled chicken (same) and burnt ends (good, but less so than Blue Ribbon on an average day). I don’t recall them ever having burnt ends on the menu before. We had fried pickles as an app - still great.
Thanks! I recall not liking their pulled pork at all, but then I’m from NC and I love the vinegar sauce. I do remember liking the hush puppies and they used to make a nice fried okra; no longer on the menu. Biscuits were OK as well.
Didn’t they have that veggie friendly “soup”, made with leftover greens or something like that? “Pot likkas”?? I would guess they would have given it to you for free if you were buying them beers.
@Alcachofa you just opened up some tiny door in my pea-sized brain. I do remember that soup but I could’ve sworn there was some pork thrown in there. I also remember getting free tidbits after buying said beer for the kitchen guys. What a free-wheeling time we used to live in! Thanks for the memories!
I remember receiving the “BBQ hash” in exchange for beers several times back there. Pretty much leftover surprise!
