BBQ in Knoxville

[Lumber_Jack]

I know it is a thread for Knoxville, but Ridgewood BBQ is the most popular here in the Tri-Cities and is pretty well known. It's definitely worth a visit if any of you are up this way.

This place is great. My wife knows the owners, so when go with them we often eat free. That makes everything better

[tartanphantom]

Just a little bit outside of Knoxville, but Tony Gore's (between Sevierville & Kodak) is quite excellent. Not sure if they would cater Knoxville, though.

Edited August 21, 2012 by tartanphantom

[peejman]

I may be crucified for this but ridgewood does NOTHING for me. I'm not a sliced pork fan. I think pork should be pulled. Now Phil's dream pit on the other hand has the best ribs EVER! Yes i said it...if anybody is up this way stop by Phil's you won't be disappointed. It's on I26 off the Eastern Star exit right up from the 81 intersection...

I used to live near Kingsport and share your opinion of Ridgewood. Locals RAVE about it. I thought the BBQ was mediocre and the sides were like high school cafeteria food. Maybe we went on an off day.

Try Pig & Chick near Rogersville... yum.

[R_Bert]

http://heavenlyhogbarbq.com/ in South Clinton

[Mark A]

Well, it just happens to be that I am going to be in the tri-cities area before I head back down to Knoxville. I might just have to make a stop or 2 for dinner.

Peejman, I stopped calling on the TVA coal plant up there about 5 years ago. For some reason I always liked Rogersville. It seems like a neat little town.

Mark

[Lumber_Jack]

I used to live near Kingsport and share your opinion of Ridgewood. Locals RAVE about it. I thought the BBQ was mediocre and the sides were like high school cafeteria food. Maybe we went on an off day.

Try Pig & Chick near Rogersville... yum.

I think Ridgewood is just like any other restaurant, some people love it, others don't.

[10-Ring]

I'll +1 for Sweet P's. Everything there is really good. The sides are as good as the main dishes. Sorry but Buddy's just doesn't do it for me, I quit trying after several locations and several disappointments.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Just a little bit outside of Knoxville, but Tony Gore's (between Sevierville & Kodak) is quite excellent. Not sure if they would cater Knoxville, though.

I have ate there and I will say this. Sample the food before having them cater. I had some great food and some not so great food there. I will say the highlight was the fried green tomatoes, haven't had those since I was a kid.

Dolomite

[Garufa]

Of the suggestions made so far disregard Famous Dave's and Calhoun's as they both suck. Sonny's probably does to as it's a national chain and I refuse to eat there.

Buddy's does put out a consistent product, it's more or less a fast food joint and seems to be a local favorite, but the meat is somewhat over-powered with hickory taste. It's taken me about 20 years to fully embrace it.

OP, I'd hate to be in your shoes catering BBQ in a client's hometown when you know nothing of what's available. Fortunately, this is not West Tennessee where they take such things much more seriously.

[gjohnsoniv]

OP, I'd hate to be in your shoes catering BBQ in a client's hometown when you know nothing of what's available. Fortunately, this is not West Tennessee where they take such things much more seriously.

Those of us from West Tn do take our BBQ very seriously.

[JR2ATN]

The folks over on a UT board I frequent have spoken highly of Archers recently, but I haven't eaten there...yet. http://archersbbq.com/

Dead End I thought was great the first time I ate there a couple of year ago but each of the last few times I've been there it seemed to steadily go downhill. Stale, dried out buns, cold fries, and the last (and final) time the unpardonable...dried out pulled pork. I haven't been there since last fall though so maybe they've improved.

Edited August 22, 2012 by JMR1138

[AU_88]

I know it is a thread for Knoxville, but Ridgewood BBQ is the most popular here in the Tri-Cities and is pretty well known. It's definitely worth a visit if any of you are up this way.

I haven't tried the places mentioned in this thread because I'm not in Knoxville that often. We do have Cade's Cove bbq in our tent at the races and it is pretty good.

I have to be honest, I was not impressed with Ridgewood at all.

[Garufa]

Those of us from West Tn do take our BBQ very seriously.

You from the West side too?

[JD_]

I have to be honest, I was not impressed with Ridgewood at all.

I know people on both sides. Some aren't impressed, some swear by it. I think it is good, personally.

I believe that over the years, it has just built up so much hype and word of mouth, because there really were not that many other places competing. Pardner's is right up the road, but similar. Now, there are more and more bbq places and other options popping up. Maybe for the locals here, it's the best bbq they've ever had, because they haven't had much else. I can see someone after hearing about it from so many people, having their expectations set so high that good bbq becomes average because it doesn't live up to the hype. I think when people go in for the first time, they are expecting the best food they've ever had. I can see how it would be disappointing to some.

I've always been satisfied there, but can see everyone's point, especially if you've had top notch bbq across the state. I need to branch out a bit more, but don't travel often.

Have a good night.

Edited August 22, 2012 by JD_

[R_Bert]

http://heavenlyhogbarbq.com/ in South Clinton

and I will add http://rickardridgebbq.com/ in Caryville.

[Oh Shoot]

I still haven't found any ribs as good as Scruggs'. But they don't cater. Probably don't know what that means.

- OS

[Erik88]

I'm not gonna lie, we found a place here in Orlando that puts the BBQ back home to shame.. It's like crack, we can't get enough of it.

They have a sandwich called the Texas Destroyer that is out of this world.

[Mike.357]

this pulled pork or chicken garbage everyone fawns over makes me shake my head. Seems to me none of it is particularly good. Just tastes like sauce.

As for ribs, OS has it nailed Scruggs makes them good..

[Moped]

Love bbq! M&M is great, especially with XXX sauce, but you better have on your big boy pants to eat it! Dead End is especially good as well! And for good bbq and a excellent Hot Fudge Cake, Buddy's is hard to beat for the price! The HFC makes Shoney's taste like garbage! Best brisket is at Famous Dave's. We cater that a lot at work. I wouldn't walk across the street for Calhoun's bbq. Now their Smokehouse Salad is awesome goodness!

[MacGyver]

I've followed the lead of a friend of mine, and will no longer eat barbeque at any place that does not serve exclusively barbeque.

It means calhouns and other chains are out. It does take you to some pretty good dives.

[AU_88]

I know people on both sides. Some aren't impressed, some swear by it. I think it is good, personally.

I believe that over the years, it has just built up so much hype and word of mouth, because there really were not that many other places competing. Pardner's is right up the road, but similar. Now, there are more and more bbq places and other options popping up. Maybe for the locals here, it's the best bbq they've ever had, because they haven't had much else. I can see someone after hearing about it from so many people, having their expectations set so high that good bbq becomes average because it doesn't live up to the hype. I think when people go in for the first time, they are expecting the best food they've ever had. I can see how it would be disappointing to some.

I've always been satisfied there, but can see everyone's point, especially if you've had top notch bbq across the state. I need to branch out a bit more, but don't travel often.

Have a good night.

I think the hype and my expectations were the main factors in my disappointment. I ate excellent BBQ in Auburn for years, and that's what I became accustomed to and now it's hard for me to find great BBQ...

[TrickyNicky]

See what Jack's on Trinity Lane would charge. Their's is good. I'm not sure if they cater, though. I'll bet they do.

Just a million decent BBQ shacks in Nashville to choose from.

Is that the Jacks that was/is in the middle of downtown Nashville? Some of the best brisket I've ever had, pulled pork was good too.

Wasn't around for the floods and haven't been downtown since I got back so I have no idea if they were able to stay in the same building or had to move? I do know that both times I went to the summer NAMM show they always had a well deserved line out the door from locals bringing out of town vendors there.

[peejman]

Well, it just happens to be that I am going to be in the tri-cities area before I head back down to Knoxville. I might just have to make a stop or 2 for dinner.

Peejman, I stopped calling on the TVA coal plant up there about 5 years ago. For some reason I always liked Rogersville. It seems like a neat little town.

Mark

I worked at TRW in Rogersville for 7 years, we lived in Church Hill. We really miss living there. If you go to Pig & Chick, try the cowboy beans. mmmmm....

I've followed the lead of a friend of mine, and will no longer eat barbeque at any place that does not serve exclusively barbeque.

It means calhouns and other chains are out. It does take you to some pretty good dives.

Dives always have the best food. The little "shack on wheels" with the home-made propane tank smoker sitting in a gravel lot on the side of the road will undoubtedly have excellent food.

Edited August 22, 2012 by peejman

[JD_]

Now Phil's dream pit on the other hand has the best ribs EVER!

I wanted to go to Phil's, but they close at 7pm and I don't get off work til usually after 6. I can't make the drive in time. I'll have to check it out on a Sat. We ended up going to Dixie Outpost in Blountville for pulled pork sandwich and sides. It was pretty good.

[Glenn]

We used to get Famous Daves at work quite a bit, but it seemed to go down hill. Last time we got Dead End on my recommendation. It was pretty good but not as good as I remembered from the first couple of times I ate there. I like Love That BBQ. Also Scrugg's on Magnolia. Just don't look around while you are there. Pretty nasty place. Anybody ever eat at Chandler's Soul Food on Magnolia? They have good ribs. Big meaty things, not those scrawny little baby backs. Everything else they have is great too. Awesome fried and rotiserie chicken, chicken livers, sweet potatoes,okra, macaroni, etc.

Glenn