Buddy's BBQ breakfast platter was a hearty, satisfying start to the day. The smoked chicken was the standout--tender, flavorful, and carrying that classic smoky barbecue taste that makes Buddy's such a local favorite. It worked surprisingly well as a breakfast protein and gave the plate more character than the usual sausage or bacon. The biscuits were soft and filling, and the gravy added a rich, comforting touch. Everything came together as a Southern-style breakfast that felt substantial without being overly complicated. If you enjoy barbecue flavors in the morning, the smoked chicken with biscuits and gravy is definitely worth trying. read more

I stop here for breakfast occasionally, but today was the first time I actually sat down to eat. I ordered the breakfast platter with ham and came away with mixed feelings. The eggs (over medium) were cooked perfectly and tasted great, and the biscuit was excellent. The ham was the letdown--I expected something closer to country ham, but it was thin luncheon meat of the kind you'd normally put on a sandwich. The hash rounds looked only partially cooked, so I didn't try them. I also ordered a side of biscuits and gravy, which was fine with no complaints. My bigger issue is their DoorDash policy. A couple of weeks ago my wife and I stopped in while driving to Birmingham. We were already running late. The employee at the counter told us they had only two biscuits left and that more would take about 15 minutes. We changed our order and specifically agreed to take the two remaining biscuits so we could get back on the road. I went out to the truck. A few minutes later my wife texted that she thought our biscuits had been given to a DoorDash order. We ended up waiting about 25 minutes. The same employee then told my wife that DoorDash orders take priority over customers standing at the counter. That policy is ridiculous. What bothered us most was that the employee agreed to give us the two available biscuits and then handed them off without telling us. Had we known that would happen, we would not have placed the order. I generally like their breakfast--especially the biscuits--but the DoorDash policy and the way that situation was handled were extremely disappointing. read more

Great Breakfast. Wish more buddy locations did it. Biscuit and gravy is one of the best anywhere.

Country-style small diner with a service station has good bbq. We like the brisket sandwich. Good size portions of french fries and other sides. Friendly staff. Order and pay at the counter Clean. Handy stop before getting in Knoxville traffic. Plenty of parking. read more

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The restaurant not very clean however they are doing some construction. The employee was very nice and gave great service . The food was the disappointment. The bacon ( see picture) was cold and burnt not able to eat . Hash browns cold also . The fried egg was good . Definitely will not return to this location read more

Buddy's Bar B Q - Burnt cold bacon - Barbeque Near Me - Lenoir City, Tennessee

It was edible. The hush puppies were good. The brisket was not brisket, but thinly sliced roast beef heated in a microwave. The fries were semi-crispy. Everything else was fine. Just don't go thinking it's BBQ. read more

Being a BBQ fanatic, I was recommended to Buddy's by a local while on a trip. I was not impressed. The pulled pork, while tender had no flavor other than the mild sauce served on it. The beans came directly from a can that the manager even showed me. Tasted like Van Camps at best. The coleslaw came from Kroger, buns from Costco probably. Definitely not a representation of what Tennessee BBQ should be. Save your $$ read more

Ribs were rubbery Hush puppies were dry and tasteless The slaw was very dry too The only thing that was edible were the beans I would not recommend eating here Service was quick and pleasant Ambiance was eh connected to gas station read more

I love this location. The food is good and the staff is friendly. Great for a quick and easy bite. The pulled pork is my favorite.

Shrinkflation in effect, been coming for years getting the same thing at the drive- thru, and the bag keeps getting lighter. Just a thin layer of meat all spread out to make it look like you are getting your money's worth. Sign of the times I guess. read more

I was hoping to enjoy the meal with 3 meats. I purchased two of those meals and took them home for me and my wife. Chicken in the 3 meat combo was very dry/overdone. Ribs were mostly fat. I think I've only had Buddy's one or twice before. I was disappointed. read more

Buddy's is a staple of the East Tennessee area, with 19 locations throughout. I've been to the Lenoir City restaurant, which is located inside a Shell gas station, several times over the past few years. FOOD: Usually 4-5 stars. I've never had anything that wasn't tasty. Yesterday, we ordered a Beef Brisket dinner, which comes with hush puppies and two sides. I chose the baked beans and cole slaw. The brisket was absolutely delicious, and everything else was very good. We also ordered a Pulled Pork sandwich and added a side of cole slaw. Again, both were very good. SERVICE: 3 Stars...room for improvement. It's usually a little slow, but yesterday was really slow, and not due to it being crowded. I get that we asked for a few minutes when we first arrived, needing some time to check out the menu. I also get that good food shouldn't be rushed, but our wait was really long. About 25 minutes from entry to leaving for just two orders. They were apologetic for the wait, but the other person in my party was beside herself about it. Will definitely keep coming back to Buddy's and I'd recommend them to anyone looking for good BBQ food. read more

Buddy's Bar B Q - Beef Brisket dinner with two sides: cole slaw and baked beans. All dinners come with hush puppies. - Barbeque Near Me - Lenoir City, Tennessee

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Worse dinner I've ever had my daughter called wanted me to meet her for dinner I got there ordered the half chicken that thing had been on the grill all day !!! H Couldn't eat any of it even the skin was rock hard I brought it home MY DOG WOULDNT EAT IT the beans were ok kinda spicy the slaw was ok NEVER GO THERE AGAIN If I could give it 0 stars I would read more

This restaurant is located in the Shell gas station, we were a little weary at first but there is a smoker in the back so that was good. This place is mediocre at best, we had a pork sandwich and a brisket sandwich, both were flavorless but the meat was moist . This barbecue is def not winning any cook off awards but was better than any fast food restaurant. . The picture of the pork sandwich looked nothing like the sandwich they gave us, skimped on the meat. We spent $16 on 2 sandwiches. read more

Love the BBQ but hate Fox News (or any other news outlets) playing on the TV. I'm there to enjoy the bbq. Always visited Buddy's in Kingston but we moved to Lenoir City 11 years ago. Now we drive to Kingston to eat some really good BBQ. read more

If you're looking for delicious bbq - well, I suggest you keep looking. I'll start with a bright spot. If you do go,here, go with the nachos. Those were unite tasty. The bbq on the other handrail was, well, lacking. I have learned something from there. What do you do when you have meat to tough to,eat? Slice it razor thin. I'm talking 1/32 of an inch. Maybe a slight exaggeration but not by much. The brisket was cut thinner than I've ever seen before, and still tough. As for taste, count on the sauce which I found as meh.... The ribs - better than the brisket but still tough. I'd say stick with the nachos and forego the BBQ. read more

I'd like to give a real review, but i can't because I NEVER GOT TO EAT THE FOOD!! stood in line over 10 minutes while one employee was responsible for the counter. She moved at the speed of smell... might have been mistaken for a statue. And nobody else working there send the least bit concerned... AND IT WAS JULY 4th! A BIG BBQ DAY, and they weren't ready! May not go back... don't think I can recommend it if you like good service. read more

Order Large baked potato / no sauce /pulled chicken with cheese. Blue cheese on the side :) absolutely perfect with great customer service This location has the best size potatoes compared to others. This is also a Gluten free option for this place hopes this helps those with allergies to gluten read more

A BBQ joint connected to a gas station doesn't always seem promising, but this is a not so hidden gem right off of I-75. The food was really good. We got a #1 and #3 with fries and a side of coleslaw. It was all fresh and tasty. I recommend mixing the hot and mild sauce. The restaurant was clean, and the manager, Doug, was friendly and helpful! We'll stop again during our travels. read more

Came here with my brother earlier today for the first time and we ordered the beef brisket dinner. The brisket was amazingly juicy and tender, the fries were nice and crispy and even the hushpuppies were tasty. I've had hushpuppies from other places and they were usually rather dry and bland but the ones here made me understand why people enjoy them. We're definitely planning to start coming here more often. read more

I've said in another review that BBQ isn't my typically my favorite, but this is place is great for a fast food style BBQ option. The portions are just what you'd want and the prices are really very good. read more

Yum, very tasty. Great barbecue sauce. Very nice local BBQ place. Great french fries Has fast driver thru. Friendly service. Recommend read more

This Buddy's is great!! Big shout out to the manager working last night and his excellent employee named Tyeshia!! My husband lost his cell phone and we went to see if he had left it there. This young man went way above and beyond to help us, even though they had closed. And he asked Tyeshia to help us do a Find My Phone trick, and she could not have been kinder. Please support this awesome place! Also, Buddy's catered a dinner for us last summer that was outstanding! read more

Delicious, excellent service for gas station stop. Gave me a vet discount+ the dry rub wings were meaty, moist and crispy on outside. Clean front of house. Happy and friendly staff. Recommended read more

Ahhhh BBQ- cant go wrong with good ol' BBQ!! Been around since 1972- yes, I remember eating this bbq when I was young! I like the taste of Buddy's pulled, center pulled, bbq. We always ask for the center pull cause you don't get the burnt outside of the pork. Yummmm! Great tasting and I really like their beans and Cole slaw too. For a chain restaurant, this is good home style BBQ- Good location. Nice, friendly workers. read more

Buddy's Bar B Q - Since 1972- - Barbeque Near Me - Lenoir City, Tennessee

A solid intersection of quality and value. Don't let the gas station fool you, this is a legitimate bbq restaurant. Buddy's is a nice way for people passing thru to try out the local food or for locals to grab dinner on the way home. It's hard to give the restaurant it's dues. Smoked wings, optional coleslaw on sandwiches, ribs, deserts, and family value meals make the food flexible to your needs and budget. The fries are good enough but the baked potato or other options are better if you're eating inside. The breakfast offered here is amazing if you like smokey food but can be a bit much for some people. Personally I always loved it but coworkers would complain the bacon was too smokey. Wimps. read more

Happen to be passing through on trip from Atlanta back to Lexington. For a place attached to gas station was surprised by the good smell from inside as I was pumping gas. The serves were all young but very attentive and polite. Order came very quickly. The rib dinner was less than $10. The ribs were very good..tender, good smoke flavor. Green beans were canned but nice. The potato salad was good quality, liked the vinegar base, relish etc. Slaw was tasty. Hush puppy's were not dry, good flavor read more

The dry rub wings are my absolute favorite. I could live without the lemon pie which is like some kinda frozen ice cream deal. It defrosted and was kinda chunky. The ribs just fell off the bone. Potato salad is eh along with green beans. I'll come back for wings for sure!! read more

Fast Food Gas Station BBQ... and it's not too shabby. $3.50 for a decent brisket sandwich. It could have used a little more sauce, but other than that it was pretty tasty. I grabbed two of these suckers for less then $7 including tax on a car trip. The second one was eaten over an hour later and still wasn't bad! I'd consider this place a safe stop on any future car trip but not really the place to take a first date. read more

Buddies has never disappointed me on their ribs. But at this location they've decided that all their customers need to hear and see Fox News. I come here to enjoy some BBQ and temporarily forget the world. I don't need to listen to lamestream media. I'm outta here. read more

Buddy's is about halfway into my drive from Chatanooga to Charlotte and I always end up getting gas at this exit. If you need something quick that's not fast food this is not a terrible option (glowing I know!!). Prices are affordable with many daily specials, BBQ is not bad considering the setting. There is a drive through window for faster service and a small area to eat inside. They have both mild and spicy flavors of sauce. The sides aren't anything special but the stand out for me was the baked potato with pulled pork on top. read more

Buddy's was very satisfying! I got the Barbeque pork dinner. The meat was well seasoned and hot, the potato salad was chilled and chunky, the baked beans weren't too sweet, and the sweet tea was fresh. The place works like a fast food joint; you order your food at the counter and take it to your table on a tray. There are booths and tables available. It's also worth noting that this place is in the same building as a gas station mini-mart. However, overall very good food and great price! read more

Buddy's Bar B Q - Barbeque Pork Dinner with Potato Salad, Baked Beans, and Hushpuppies - Barbeque Near Me - Lenoir City, Tennessee

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The food isn't my favorite but that's mostly because I didn't grow up on smoked bbq and this definitely has a smoked flavor both in the meat and the sauce. It's good for what it is, though. I've only been here a few times, but each time the service has been phenomenal. The people who work here are just so dang friendly :) read more

Stopped by after pumping gas next door for a bite for the road. 4 stars might be generous but the meat has good flavor but the sandwich was dry because very little sauce was put on the bun. Portions weren't very large and fries were just ok. read more

Great tasting BBQ. Nice meats and side varieties. Good value, clean counters and clean restaurant. Friendly employees. Will definitely return. read more

This is the best value for barbq anywhere. The ribs were meaty and tender and the pulled pork was cooked perfectly I had corn on the cob and it was a full Cobb hot and juicy and the potato salad was cold and chunky. The price was unbelievable and so were the chocolate chip cookies read more

Stopped here on the way home from Gatlinburg. I got a normal Barbeque Sandwich with fries. I an no food critic, but I thought the BBQ was delicious. The fries were just like McDonald's. Usually, BBQ and fast food do not go together, but they do here! The men's bathroom was nasty. There was toilet paper on the floor and mark on the toilet paper machine. It reminded me of my middle school bathroom. Otherwise, this is a great place to stop on a road trip. 3 stars. read more

Great value and better than store bought but it's definitely not award winning. The pulled pork BBQ is the best thing on the menu. The sides are really dependent on personal likes; however, I enjoy slaw and baked beans. Great choice for large parties or a family picnic! read more

Buddy is under the impression that there's a nationwide barbeque sauce shortage. The sides aren't anything special but definetly STOP for a sandwich just ask for extra sauce! It's great. read more

One week things were done one way, stopped by the next week and was told we never did package that way... basically calling me a liar by the conversation, guess I was raised differently. Average BBQ and all that being said, will not stop again next time I pass thru. Rg read more