Business

This new ‘Bradenton-centric’ barbecue joint brings along some Florida Everglades flair

By Ryan Callihan
BoneYard BBQ opened at 6581 State Road 70 E. on July 31. The restaurant offers a wide array of meats smoked over oak for more than 12 hours, according to managing partner Jacob Simmons.
BoneYard BBQ opened at 6581 State Road 70 E. on July 31. The restaurant offers a wide array of meats smoked over oak for more than 12 hours, according to managing partner Jacob Simmons. Ryan Callihan rcallihan@bradenton.com
Bradenton

If the alligator standing at the door doesn’t convince you that BoneYard BBQ is a different kind of restaurant, nothing will.

Employees have named the gator Elvis, but he’s just one of the atmospheric touches that set this barbecue restaurant apart.

Decorated cowhide booths, silverware with reptile scale-textured handles and beverages served in mason jars all bring a different kind of southern vibe — a southern Florida vibe.

That vibe is about as southern as it gets and hails from a family born and raised in the Everglades, said managing partner Jacob Simmons, who opened the restaurant along with owner Todd Keller on July 31.

The 3,000-square-foot, 140-seat restaurant located at 6581 State Road 70 E. is Keller’s latest barbecue venture.

A host of southern Florida decorations line the walls at BoneYard BBQ, creating a different kind of Florida Everglades-inspired atmosphere. Pictured here are wooden-paneled walls, a mounted deer head, a longhorn skull and a mock alligator skin.
A host of southern Florida decorations line the walls at BoneYard BBQ, creating a different kind of Florida Everglades-inspired atmosphere. Pictured here are wooden-paneled walls, a mounted deer head, a longhorn skull and a mock alligator skin. Ryan Callihan rcallihan@bradenton.com

Keller’s family has been in the barbecue business since the 1950s but the recipes are family secrets that are more than 100 years old. He previously owned four barbecue restaurants but sold them when he moved to the Bradenton area to be near his siblings.

The difference now is that every recipe has been “enhanced” to bring out as much flavor as possible, according to Simmons.

“We spent a lot of time and effort looking at every single menu item to improve them,” Simmons said, explaining that everything is made in-house. “They weren’t bad before, but they’re even better now.”

Located behind Zaxby’s and next door to Shipley Do-Nuts, BoneYard BBQ opened at the end of July in a new 3,000-square-foot space that seats 140 people.
Located behind Zaxby’s and next door to Shipley Do-Nuts, BoneYard BBQ opened at the end of July in a new 3,000-square-foot space that seats 140 people. Ryan Callihan rcallihan@bradenton.com

Simmons also said BoneYard’s southern style comes with matching southern hospitality and full table service.

“We want to focus on the experience of the guests here. We want to be a part of the community any way we can,” Simmons said. “We just want to be very Bradenton-centric.”

The BoneYard BBQ menu is fairly expansive and features must-have dishes such as beef brisket, pulled pork and buffalo wings. Two in-house smokers do the heavy lifting in the kitchen, cooking the meats for more than 12 hours over oak, according to Simmons.

Other decor touches at BoneYard BBQ include vintage license plates, old-time signs and cowhide decorated booths.
Other decor touches at BoneYard BBQ include vintage license plates, old-time signs and cowhide decorated booths. Ryan Callihan rcallihan@bradenton.com

Prices range from about $7 for a sandwich to $15 for a full platter along with three sides. In addition, BoneYard offers salads, beer and wine. A catering menu also is available.

BoneYard is located next to Shipley Do-Nuts and behind Zaxby’s. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, call 941-254-4252.

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