Part of a rapidly growing chain that has a pleasing ability to sniff out buildings that would suit it's operation and then transform them into convincing facsimiles of western style american grills - this is, for those of us who like this sort of thing, exactly the sort of thing we like.
Plentiful portions of well observed tex-mex food (the tex is better than the mex, which has something of an afterthought-y quality now that that masterchef woman has put proper mexican food is on the telly andeverything) served by friendly staff on big ol' plates in a timely fashion.
The Buffalo wings are good for the UK - and are improved by liberal application of the very well-chosen Louisiana hot sauce that lights up every table. The free tortilla chips are welcome and the Burgers hefty. A decent selection of elaborate virgin drinks will service the person who drove you along with his teetotal mates; I'm sure the cocktails are as good.
Smith and Western's reminds me of when TGI Friday's opened in Reading. It was like it came from another planet where everyone was happy to see you and cleaned things and had read The Society of the Spectacle but, instead of taking it as a blistering critique of late-capitalism, had taken it as an inspirational instruction manual on the possibilities of restaurant decoration. TGI's has become a rather tacky commonplace, but Smith and Western's has been built by true believers in the possibilities of theming as an integral contributory factor to the eating experience. I recommend it - unless you're the sort of person who won't like it. You know who you are. To you I say only that the Faerie Queene was written in deliberately arcane language and that your quest for authenticity is futile. Now pass me the Louisiana sauce and shush. read more