With an array of patios populating the Uptown dining scene, Boneyard’s setup separates them from the competition.

Equipped with rain-detecting sensors to deploy a foldable roof and heated floors to prolong the fleeting warmth of summer, the spacious patio ushers customers into chef Jason Bush’s southern eatery, which opened March 7. Replacing the Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom near Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street, Bush could not have asked for a more central location.

The menu, featuring many dishes from Bush’s Georgian lineage, exhibits favorites from around the southern United States, from Louisiana’s Po’ Boys to Texan smoked brisket. Good barbecue does not often make it up to Minnesota, but a sample of the meat and potatoes make it clear: Boneyard’s menu is the real deal.

From the experience with this dish and the fried chicken and waffles, it goes without saying the kitchen still has some issues to iron out.

Both the steak and waffles came out a touch overdone, but if anything this generates excitement for the food yet to come.

In a simplistic dish like meat and potatoes, Boneyard shows its true colors. In adding subtle nuance, the kitchen shows its skill in giving flavor without fluff.

One taste of the house-crafted barbecue sauce reveals the complexion and care with which the chefs treat their dishes. The cottage fries, tossed with herbs and garlic butter, complement the flat iron steak, just waiting for a touch of the barbecue marinade from the meat.

Bush collaborated on the dishes with Kaskaid Hospitality, owner of St. Louis Park establishments Crave and Figlio. The ownership helped in transitioning family recipes to the dishes needed in a more expansive venue.

Expansive is the right word to characterize the new restaurant. With room for 120 inside and the spacious patio just outside its three garage doors, Boneyard is prepared for a full-on feast. Even so, manager Jamie Trainis said business has so far exceeded expectations, and forecasts more pending the finalization of the patio system.

The restaurant decór mirrors its dishes in a way few establishments seem to achieve. In an environment where the line between subtle and gimmicky proves often hard to find, Boneyard walks it perfectly. The rustic-style tables and chairs complement the wall decorations of simple pots and pans to provide an experience true to the food.

With true southern hospitality to enhance the dining and warm weather (hopefully) just around the corner, Boneyard has put itself in a place to attract more than barbecue lovers to its Southern, yet urban oasis.