TBonz Gill & Grill website
4732 Hwy 17 S
Barefoot Landing
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29582
843-272-7111
Classification: Seafood
Waterfront? Yes, Inland Waterway
Dress Code; Casual
Reservations Required? No
Reservations Suggested? Yes
Price Points: Moderate
Specialties: Steaks, Seafood, Deserts
Rating: Dynamite
Summary:
This restaurant had a prior review, but felt they could do better, so they invited us back. We had tried their lunch the last time we were there. We slipped in unannounced, and stayed below the radar of Greg, the evening supervisor, most of the meal, in order to see the same service the general public would receive. The manager, Erin Parker, told us the day before they had a strong, dedicated lunch crowd.
I thought about that when we returned during dinner. One of the first things I noticed when I returned was the promotion on the table for their lunch deal. TBonz had a deal where if you dine from 11am to 2pm, and then accumulate 5 purchased meals, you get one free. That is some offer. I haven't seen one like that to this point in Myrtle Beach. I can see where that might appeal to some people and it certainly might explain the customer dedication. Incentive promotions are very popular with customers, for any product line. If you dine out for lunch alot, you might want to look into that.
This time around, our server was Olivia. It turns out Olivia is new, according to Greg, her supervisor this night, who was backing up Olivia's service. He told us that after desert was served, about the same time the flashes from the camera blew our cover. She was well-spoken, quiet and sweet, with a very friendly attitude and an award winning smile. She might be new to Tbonz, but her charming demeanor, has been cultivated over time. We arrived there after 7pm, hoping it would be slow and quiet, and it was for the most part.
That is why I was surprised, and Kim was annoyed, immediately, that we were seated right next to two other parties, with over 20 tables vacant in our area. Kim's seat back pushed right back to the seat of another patron behind him, just really seemed unnecessary as empty as the restaurant was. Again, the problem we see over and over again, is the host or hostess don't use the largely empty restaurant to seat people unclustered, thereby giving them space, so they can enjoy some quiet and privacy, when they have the luxury of doing so. But, on this night, it was late enough those around us were almost done. The people at the table near us, who were having a lengthy, too loud conversation with another server, left before our meal arrived, leaving us to enjoy our meal in peace. So, I gave no point reduction for it.
However, if I have to ask to be moved, because we are sitting next to very noisy and disruptive patrons, when the restaurant was sparsely filled, I will deduct several points, every time. It is a major judgement error.
Olivia took our order, I ordered the Edito Fried Shrimp with long grain rice at $13.95, and Kim ordered the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Chicken, with baked potato at $11.95. We passed on the appetizers, soups, and salads. Preferring instead to sit and chat while we waited for the meal. Olivia offered to bring us some hot, fresh bread, and brought it right back.
The only problem was she didn't know, or forgot to bring the bread plates. So, while Kim didn't mind holding his piece of bread, I was annoyed at the thought of having to hold the piece or eat it all at once, and passed on the bread.
Placing a partially eaten piece of bread back on the breadboard is not an option. Olivia left the bread, and then didn't come back until she brought our meals. I took off a half point from my score for that. Kim didn't mind not having a bread plate, since he ate the bread at once. He didn't deduct for it.
When the meals arrived, mine looked awesome. But, I noticed on closer inspection that the shrimp had a bit too much oil on them, more than I would have liked to seen, and the plate was accumulating that oil, but it was not overly excessive. Upon tasting the ten or so very large jumbo shrimp, they were, cooked lightly, not overly breaded, the shrimp was tender, but not perfect. It was just slightly tough. On the toughness scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being perfect, it was a 9. It was not quite as good as the shrimp we had the night before at Miyabi Japanese Steakhouse.
But, certainly it was very nice. I deducted one and half points from my score for the slightly oily and slightly tough shrimp, a half point each. The long grain rice was to die for. Perfect in every way, with small delicate pieces of shredded carrots, nice thin slivers of almonds and the very ample portion more than filled the bowl.
Kim found his chicken to be fabulous, it arrived on a bed of long grain rice, which he really liked, and gave his meal a strong 10.
With no soup, salad or appetizer, all of which are ala carte, we could have used a bit more, so when Olivia suggested a slice of key lime pie and the triple chocolate cake, I thought it sounded good. Kim is the expert on Key Lime Pie, so naturally he chose it.
I am the expert on anything and everything chocolate, so the Triple Chocolate Cake, was of course my choice.
We tried the deserts, and they tasted better than they looked. The triple chocolate cakes tend to be much too sweet, almost sickening sweet in many cases, enough to pucker your lips. This cake was smooth, very nice, with a delicate decorative trace of cherry sauce swirled over the top.
Without a doubt, it is the best triple chocolate cake I have ever had, a perfect choice for the chocolate lover. It was a strong 10.
Kim loved his Keylime pie. also giving it a strong 10. I tried it, and found it not too tart, not too mild, just perfect, rendering a taste that was delightfully pleasant. Tbonz gets our best desert choice rating.
Overall, Olivia did a fabulous job for being new. She was attentive during the meal, but not pushy or obnoxiously too attentive. The drinks were kept fresh at all times. I like that. The tip to Olivia was $10, which reflects her warm, friendly personality, and soft spoken service.
There is nothing I dislike more than a loud, pushy, fast talking, fast moving waitress or waiter. I will fail a 3 to 5 star restaurant for that alone. It absolutely ruins the mood of the experience.
On the flip side, I tip well for a respectful, refined, dignified, service approach. I like hearing respectful, polite, well-trained restaurant staff use, "Yes Sir "and "No Ma'am". Ata girl Olivia. Had she remembered the bread plates, or at minimum came back once to check on us before the meal arrived, so we could point out the missing bread plates, I would have rated her the #1 female server in Myrtle Beach.
My score was an 8. Kim gave it a 10, final score was 9. Total value of the meal was around $45.
I tried the chicken, and the meat itself was sweet, very tender, cooked to perfection. The sauce, I didn't care for. But, if you love BBQ sauce, you would love this one.
We don't give points based on personal preferences, we give points based on the fact , that if you like that particular type of food selection, did it meet your expectations for that chosen item? This is how a french fry can get a 10. While I don't prefer a french fry, if I order french fries and a hamburger sandwich at a hamburger house for the purpose of reviewing it, does the meal meet the expectations a french fry and hamburger lover would expect?
I have to tell you, if the menu at Tbonz has nothing at all to your liking, you absolutely must go there for late night desert and coffee. The deserts are a pure slice of heaven, and the chef spends the extra time to create a plate that is attractive. They arrived in ample side salad bowls, instead of the too small desert plate, that we typically see. I like that. It keeps those tall cake slices on the plate if you pull a piece off with the fork and it falls over to the side.
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