Sooo yummy I was so very pleased with the food and I'm going back for sure! I'm bringing my grandsons to this place!!!!!

I visited the River Arts location of 12 Bones Smokehouse and enjoyed myself. When you arrive, be prepared to wait in a line to place your order; the line moves pretty steadily, though. After placing your order, you seat yourself (indoor & outdoor seating is available) and a staff member will bring your meal to your table. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with mashed sweet potatoes. The chicken was seasoned well and wasn't dry, which often happens at BBQ restaurants, and the mashed sweet potatoes were buttery and smooth. The atmosphere is definitely casual and it was fun to sit in the room where people left drawings and sayings all over the walls. If you're in the Asheville area and in the mood for good BBQ, give 12 Bones Smokehouse a try.

12 Bones Smokehouse RIVER is located just minutes from downtown Asheville in the River Arts District. As first-timers to the area, we were eager to grab lunch before exploring the many studios and galleries that make this district so unique. We found parking just a short walk from the entrance. Ordering is done at the counter, and although a short line stretched out the door, it moved quickly, giving us just enough time to review the menu. To get a taste of their most popular dishes, we decided to order family style. The ribs were undoubtedly the highlight of our meal. We chose a half rack, splitting it between the brown sugar and blueberry chipotle sauces. The brown sugar sauce offered a delightful balance of sweetness and spice, while the blueberry chipotle delivered a bold, smoky flavor with a hint of fruity tang. We also tried the chopped brisket, a daily special available only on Fridays. The brisket was well-prepared, however I should have considered the texture before ordering, as it turned out not to be my preferred serving style. As for the sides, my favorite was the corn pudding; its sweetness perfectly complimented the savory meats. Overall, our experience at 12 Bones Smokehouse RIVER was a perfect blend of delicious food, great atmosphere, and the unique charm of Asheville's River Arts District. It's a must-visit spot for anyone looking to enjoy a relaxed, flavorful meal in one of the city's most creative and vibrant neighborhoods.

Love the vibe here. You can write on the mark and make your mark that you were there. Fast service. I'm not a huge fan of ribs but had to come try it out with such great reviews. Didn't disappoint!

Great barbecue. I appreciate the variety of the menu! Everyone would find something they wanted, it happened to be taco Tuesday the day we went which was tempting but I opted for ribs /turkey and some sides. You just can't go wrong. I loved the sides just as much as the ribs! Baked beans and potato salad were great! There's so many seating options, shady outside or a bunch of indoor. The barbecue sauce bar was a little weird it was all very watery but likely that's the style. Get the ribs! That is all. Or actually get the smoked turkey too! Tons of parking.

Visited 3/27/24. Stopped in briefly before dinner while visiting in Asheville because THE SMELLS were perfection. We only each ordered a side of meat (pork and chicken) so we didn't spoil our appetites, but honestly we should've just had dinner here. The pork was definitely what I would recommend. Service was fast and there was a wonderful variety of sauces available for dipping or for putting on top. Overall I would definitely recommend and I found myself wanting to go back afterwards. Simply delicious.

Nothing to add beyond what the other 1,000+ reviews have already mentioned about 12 Bones. I will say that we were surprised by the cornbread, in a bad way. Dry, not interesting, surprisingly poor given the high quality of everything else we tried (ribs, the Mountain Man burger special, the brisket, the sauces, the corn pudding, the baked beans, the mac and cheese, and the jalapeno cheese grits). If it's allowed, I would ask for a different side to swap in for the cornbread because it was so poor. The rest of the food, service, prices, space, etc.? Five stars. Just skip the cornbread! If I could only pick one BBQ spot in Asheville though, Bear has a slight lead as of now.

Frickin' awesome Recommend the 12 Bones w brown sugar because it has a brûlée like sugar coating, crisp & fabulous. Asked for 2 sauces Blueberry & Pinapple Habanero (yum, hab was spicy !!) Only a few sauces at the bar but not the ones I mentioned. We got the 12 bones no sides & added the 4 sides, amazing mashed sweet, cheesy jalepeno grits, a purple slaw special(I prefer a clear slaw but this was excellent) & cucumber salad. All fabulous. We knew that we would love 12 Bones & it did not disappoint. This Riverside location has a huge amount of indoor & outside seating, nice and cool inside on a mid 80 degree 6/29/23 day. A "do not miss gem" obviously. Enjoy !!