Smoked 417: New Springfield restaurant gaining popularity

Co-owners Michael and Marlayna Newman opened a restaurant called Smoked 417 earlier this month in a location near downtown Springfield. The business is already generating some buzz on social media.

Smoked 417 is located on Kimbrough Avenue near Cherry Street in the space that used to be occupied by Black Market Smokehouse. The new restaurant specializes in chicken and homemade side sauces.

Smoked 417's menu is full of surprises. A dish that is already gaining attention is the chicken and waffles, which includes smoked pecans and maple syrup with a waffle bun.

Another dish that the owners think will become a big draw is the chicken wings, which can be tossed in one of 11 signature sauces like sweet BBQ, teriyaki and 3 kings — which requires a waiver before testing it out.

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This is the first restaurant Michael and Marlayna Newman have opened, but they both have experience in the food industry. Michael Newman, who is the chef at Smoked 417, has been a chef for years. And Marlayna Newman previously worked in restaurant management for Sonic.

Smoked 417 is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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The restaurant will also be open on Thanksgiving from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. And on Friday, there will be discounts for Black Friday.

Ralph Green is a business reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Contact him at RAGreen@gannett.com, by phone: (417-536-4061) or on Twitter at RalphGreenNL

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New Springfield restaurant Smoked 417 gaining popularity