Get the smoked wings with no sauce…read more Their rub is a fantastic Nashville hot rub, so sweet and savory with great skin. They had a lot of other great looking things on the menu, but I just kept it simple. Smoked chicken wings is a very underrated barbecue dish. Brisket and pulled pork usually receive all the height, but you can't go wrong with a good smoked wing.

This is the definition of elevated barbecue. There are a host of options downtown and I believe…read morethis restaurant is from the same folks that did Chivo and Stock and Barrel which are two of my faves here in town. We had been meaning to try Humble Hog as I'm a huge fan of smoked bologna so I was disappointed to find that is only served at lunch. Our server was attentive and super sweet. She made some solid recommendations and we took her up on them. We opted instead for a few small plates and my wife and I shared the brisket. We opened with lobster hush puppies and burnt ends. The burnt ends were terrific, well seasoned, wonderfully smoked and a fair portion size. The hush puppies lacked lobster but were still tasty and cooked made to order. From there we indulged in the chipotle smoke Mac and cheese, brisket and corn pone. The brisket was terrific and tender and well smoked, the Mac and cheese was SUPERB and definitely had a spicy little kick but the corn pone was awful. I understand that it's essentially cornbread pancakes but there was zero flavor and they were almost cold. I was looking forward to these because you don't see them on the menu many places abut they were not good. Cornbread served like this should be made to order and served hot and fresh. We finished with the banana pudding which was excellent and I think the finish the top with marshmallow fluff that they torch to give it a smoky taste. So when you head down to humble hog go at lunch and try the bologna, I bet it's amazing...and skip the corn pone.

My husband and I visited Fire + Smoke in Knoxville on a whim, looking for somewhere different that…read moreneither of us had tried. We secured a same-day reservation, and it turned into one of the best dining experiences we've had in quite some time. Don't let the unassuming strip-mall location fool you. Inside, the restaurant is intimate, beautiful and thoughtfully designed. Every table appeared occupied, yet it never felt loud or crowded. We could easily carry on a conversation without competing with the room around us. We arrived early and started at the beautiful bar, separated from the dining room by a glass fireplace. My husband ordered an Old Fashioned, his usual benchmark at a new bar. Served over a single large cube, it was properly spirit-forward rather than overly sweet and exactly his preference. I was intrigued by the Campfire Martini but don't particularly enjoy mezcal, so our bartender enthusiastically substituted bourbon. With chocolate liqueur, smoked marshmallow syrup, cream, cocoa and smoked graham cracker, it was rich and chocolate-forward while still allowing the bourbon to shine. My only minor critique was the lemon on the rim, which didn't quite complement the bourbon and chocolate. I suspect it works better with the original mezcal. Our server, Rosa, personally came to the bar to tell us our table was ready. That small touch was the beginning of exceptional service. We often share an entrée, so we chose the 14-ounce Prime New York Strip and asked Rosa for guidance on accompaniments. This is where she really distinguished herself. Rather than simply telling us what was popular or expensive, she could discuss ingredients, preparation, flavors and pairings. Her enthusiasm for the food was genuine, and her recommendations were spot-on. We started with the Caesar, thoughtfully divided into two bowls by the kitchen. Crisp greens, freshly shaved Parmesan, excellent croutons, house-made bacon bits and a rich dressing where you could actually taste the anchovy made this an outstanding Caesar. At Rosa's recommendation, we chose the smoked baked potato. She was absolutely right. Creamy and light with a distinctive smoky character and what tasted like rosemary-forward butter, it was far more interesting than I expected from a baked potato. Then came the Prime New York Strip, ordered medium-rare and cooked perfectly. I'm particularly critical of restaurant steaks because I'm very comfortable preparing them at home. This easily ranks among the top three restaurant steaks I've eaten and may be the best New York strip I've had anywhere. It was seasoned beautifully without masking the quality of the beef. The house-made creamy horseradish was wonderful with both the steak and potato, although neither needed anything added. We were completely full when Rosa mentioned dessert. We agreed to hear the selections only for future reference. That plan didn't survive her description. We ordered the crème brûlée cheesecake, and Rosa suggested substituting bourbon-infused ice cream for the usual lavender. It was an inspired pairing. The cheesecake had a beautifully brûléed top, and the ice cream was vanilla-forward with just enough bourbon to give it character. I'm not a huge fan of graham-cracker crust and thought it slightly overpowered the cheesecake; my husband thought the balance was perfect. Considering how quickly we finished it, he may have won that argument. Rosa deserves special recognition. She was one of the most knowledgeable and genuinely helpful servers we've encountered in quite some time. She was attentive without hovering and never made us feel hurried despite a full restaurant. My husband actually commented that she should be training other servers. Too often, asking a server for a recommendation gets you what's most popular or expensive. Rosa could explain WHY she recommended something. She understood flavors and pairings and genuinely seemed excited about the kitchen's work. That made a tremendous difference in our experience. The menu changes seasonally, so a few things we'd seen in older reviews weren't currently available, including a bread service my husband hoped to try. Rather than a true negative, it gives us another reason to return. Fire + Smoke feels upscale without being stuffy. We happened to be in shorts and felt completely comfortable, yet it would be equally appropriate for a special occasion. Beautiful atmosphere, excellent cocktails, thoughtfully prepared food and exceptional service. The steak alone would bring me back. The smoked potato would bring me back. But Rosa and the attention to detail turned a wonderful dinner into a memorable dining experience. We went looking for somewhere different. We found somewhere we're already looking forward to visiting again.

Return visit back did not disappoint. Really was a big fan of the duck I and the couple of bites of…read moresteak I got to sneak off my wife's plate! The service was good, timely and brought out timely. The inside was nice that afternoon and everything looked tidied up inside. Will definitely be back as we work through our faves, but would come and try it.

Having tried about a dozen BBQ restaurants in and around Asheville I wanted to try some BBQ in…read moreKnoxville. I ordered the ribs and they have dry rub and looked dry; however, they were fall off the bone and amazingly tender. The flavor was what you want from a rib - lots of great smokey taste. The dry rub was a perfect mix of sweet & spicy. Probably one of the best ribs I have had in a while. The side dishes were good but not mind blowing. Great service.

Took my Sweet heart to Sweet P's after a concert one evening and we enjoyed it. The regulars in…read moreline recommended the pulled pork and swore by their sides and I can see why. I really enjoyed the creamy mac and cheese and banana pudding. The pulled pork was okay but not too flavorful and quite dry (without adding sauce). Good barbecue, but hard to stand out in this space.

We visited Smokehouse 228 for the first time yesterday while visiting from out of state, and it was…read morea good experience. We were the only ones there at lunch on a Saturday. So, I can say the service was great. They've got free pork rinds, which is a real nice touch as you wait for food. Our table tried fried pickles, pulled pork, brisket, Mac n cheese, fries, and green beans. Everything was pretty tasty and the portions were generous. My only hang up might be that the green beans tasted almost vinegar-y. Maybe they were going for a BBQ-style green bean, but it wasn't great for me personally. This is a really good local spot for the value.

Can't say enough about the bbq here. Everything was excellent and probably the best for many miles…read morearound. Can't comment on the restaurant dining area because it's only been takeout so far. If you want bbq do yourself a favor.

Deadend for lunch today. That Grilled Beef and Cheddar was out of sight! The fries were not,…read moreusually top tier, today they were cold while someone else at our table had to wait for theirs. Our server Dani was great though and kept everything else on time.

My wife and I visited Dead End BBQ while in Knoxville after searching for nearby restaurants. The…read morerestaurant was very clean and organized, and our server, Lily, was friendly and attentive. My wife ordered the burnt ends with fries, and I ordered the pulled pork with fries. She thought the burnt ends were pretty good, but about one-third of them were fat. My pulled pork was just okay, as some of the meat was a little dry. The seasoned fries were good and had just the right amount of seasoning. Overall, the meals felt a little expensive for the portion size and quality. It wasn't bad, but it was nothing to rave about, and we don't plan to return.

This place has some negative reviews. I do not want to discount them; however, my experience has…read morebeen different. I've been here twice and I really like their beer and burgers. Let me be blunt, for the money this is a great deal. Service is good, not amazing, but good. The place is a bit loud, there are TVs all around. What isn't to like? Good beer, good food, sports, and a pleasant place to eat.

My meal, a Big City Reuben Sandwich with a side of steamed broccoli in beer cheese, satisfied my…read moretastebuds, although the beer cheese sauce was more liquid and less flavorful than expected. My spouse could only say "disappointing" about his. He ordered Thunder Road Chicken Nachos and a Caesar Salad. The Thunder sauce only penetrated the first layer of chips, so he requested another mini-ramekin (an extra 50 cents). A layer of raw (not pickled) jalapeño slices, some with seeds, dotted the top of the dish and was too hot for his taste, even with a ramekin of sour cream to soften the heat. And the Caesar salad: Unfortunately the greens became rather limp (lacked crunchiness) when coated with an oil-and-vinegar-tasting dressing. Thankfully a generous sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese and ample croutons completed the salad and made it acceptable. Not yet no least was our attentive server, whose name sounds like rain, treated us well.

We asked Yelp for any recommendation for the best BBQ around the area and Bustin Butts BBQ came the…read morefirst. And that was NOT a lie! The food was great--our favorites were the Bbq ribs and smoked green beans. We decided to dine in for the experience. However, the place has a drive thru for orders and pickups. The place offers a large parking spots for customers that dine in and shop at their local grocery inside the lot.

The most amazing bbq I've ever had in my life!! Drove an hour to try it was worth it 100%read more

I've noticed since moving to Tennessee that most of the bbq places I've been to do not know how to…read morecook a true brisket. I will say I was spoiled with amazing bbq in Texas before moving here! I came across Oakwood BBQ food truck when we stopped at Southside Garage for a few beers. I love food trucks because I always feel like they elevate food typically more then a normal restaurant. I ended up getting some sliced brisket with elotes (Mexican street corn) and coleslaw. I took one bite of the brisket and I literally thought I was back in Texas. I ended up going back up to the window and talking to the employees working and letting them know how great it was. He informed me that the owner is actually from Texas so it makes since he knows how to execute a brisket well. The elotes was good, I've never had it with jalapeños it was different but I wasn't mad about it. I've been to a lot of different restaurants around the area that chop up their coleslaw very finely where it's kind of like a mush which I'm not a fan of, has a weird texture. I like that they keep it the true way. I ended up buying the rest of their brisket they had on hand, I loved it so much!

After a 7-mile river paddle, we popped over to the Southside Garage because we were famished &…read morewanted a nice cold beer to offset the heat. You scan & order online & you'll get a text when your food is up. Mr T & I split a two meat meal -brisket & pulled pork, with a dude of Mexican street corn & the Mexican slaw. Loved the fresh jalapeños on top of the slaw..it was crispy & fresh with just the right amount of slaw dressing. I hate when they drench it in too much sauce. The brisket was fall-apart, melt-in your-mouth meaty goodness. Corn was tasty & id have it again, but nothing is rave over. Definitely try the spicy deviled eggs. Nobody makes deviled eggs is good as momma T, but these are awesome. And spicy! Will hit Oakwood up again soon!

This place is great. They have everything from elk to venison to beef. Benton's bacon, beef tallow,…read moreand multiple different spices and rubs. Staff is always so nice and they offer gift boxes!

The team at Simpson's is incredible, and the meat is exceptional as well. We ordered a variety of…read moresteaks from Strip to Filet Mignon, and enjoyed every bite. I typically just go get my meat from the grocery store, but when we put it side-by-side with the meat from Simpsons, you could literally see the difference- visually and certainly in the taste. OH, their salt and pepper seasoning. Blend was a perfect combination for the steaks!

Excellent high quality ribs served by friendly folks. A must place to go! Outside seating is…read moreoptional and decorated pleasingly.

Amazing! Best ribs in town! Quiet cute place, friendly staff and great service!…read more For local BBQ? #1 spot recommendation. Mac and cheese creamy and delicious! Cole slaw very good! Collard greens great flavor!