How This Locally-Owned Restaurant Became LEGENDARY in Mount Airy, NC

This Mount Airy Restaurant Has Steaks, Seafood, and Seriously Famous Ribs

By Kathleen Meer
Best RestaurantsBlogNorth Carolina
ribeye at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, NC
Name
13 Bones
Address
502 S. Andy Griffith Pkwy., Mount Airy, NC 27030
Hours
Open Tue–Wed, 11 AM–8:30 PM; Thu–Sat, 11 AM–9 PM; Sun, 11 AM–4 PM; closed Mon

13 Bones brings big flavors, relaxed energy, and a proudly hometown spirit to the foothills of North Carolina. 🍖

Opened in 2009 by five friends with a shared dream of casual family dining, this Mount Airy favorite builds its reputation around ribs, steaks, chicken, and seafood.

It is the sort of place where a plate can arrive sizzling, sides are part of the occasion, and nobody leaves thinking small.

spread at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, NC
Michaela

How 13 Bones won Mount Airy’s hearts

Five friends opened the restaurant on March 31, 2009, intending to create casual family dining shaped by a hometown atmosphere.

That people-first beginning still defines the experience: a broad, comforting menu, approachable surroundings, and a focus on food that feels satisfying from the first bite to the last.

Its unusual name gives visitors a clue about the house specialty. A full rack of baby back ribs contains 13 bones, and those ribs became the restaurant’s calling card.

That is a wonderfully direct promise for a Mount Airy, NC restaurant: come hungry, order the ribs, and see why the name is not merely decorative.

Hamburger Steak at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, North Carolina
Raven

Ribs may be the headline, yet the menu moves comfortably through steaks, grilled chicken, burgers, tuna, salmon, trout, flounder, shrimp, salads, and sandwiches.

That variety works especially well in Mount Airy, where visitors often arrive after exploring the town’s well-known Mayberry connections or driving through the surrounding Yadkin Valley.

A dependable meal matters after a day on the road, and 13 Bones offers one with enough choices to reward different appetites.

Food Highlights

baby back ribs at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, North Carolina
Michelle

  • 13 Bones Soon-to-be-Famous Baby Back Ribs: Tender baby back ribs come with the restaurant’s original vinegar-based barbecue sauce. 🍖

  • Sirloin Steak: Available in 8- or 13-ounce portions, this lean steak is served with two sides.

  • Blackened Chicken: An 8-ounce chicken breast is lightly dusted with Creole seasoning and served over tobacco onions.

ribeye at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, NC
Beau
  • 13 oz. Ribeye: This hand-cut ribeye is marinated in the house’s secret blend of herbs and spices.

  • Grilled Marinated Chicken: A tender 8-ounce chicken breast is grilled with 13 Bones mesquite seasoning and served over rice.

  • North Atlantic Salmon: Salmon can be finished with herb butter, lemon zest, honey glaze, or blackened seasoning.
  • Grilled Tuna: Tuna is rolled in olive oil with either lemon zest or cracked pepper and sea salt. 🐟
Lemon Pepper Trout at 13 Bones in Mount Airy, North Carolina
Raven
  • Lemon Pepper Trout: Trout is lightly breaded and fried or grilled with lemon pepper seasoning.

Atmosphere

13 Bones offers upscale-casual family dining in a friendly atmosphere, combining a relaxed meal with enough menu breadth for a proper night out.

The setting suits a laid-back lunch, a dinner with friends, or an easy family gathering after a day around Mount Airy.

Bottom Line

Visit for signature baby back ribs, hand-cut steaks, flexible seafood entrées, two-side dinners, and genuine hometown energy. 13 Bones makes Mount Airy dining feel generous and easygoing, with enough menu variety to keep every return visit deliciously different. ✨

Address:


502 S. Andy Griffith Pkwy., Mount Airy, NC 27030
📞 (336) 786-1313
🕔 Open Tue–Wed, 11 AM–8:30 PM; Thu–Sat, 11 AM–9 PM; Sun, 11 AM–4 PM; closed Mon