Our server Brandy E was great. Lunch was delicious. Excellent service. Super atmosphere. read more

I gave Cafe 4 another chance today after a previous bad experience months ago where I found a metal wire in my food. Unfortunately, this visit was even worse. I came with a group from work, and the server spilled an entire glass of water into my lap. The glass shattered, leaving broken glass on me and around my seat. The server never apologized. I had to go clean up in the bathroom, and when I came back everyone else was eating while I had no food because my order was wrong. I ordered a burger and got a chicken sandwich instead. The manager eventually brought the correct meal out, but also never apologized for either issue. Mistakes happen, but the complete lack of accountability or basic customer service made this one of the worst dining experiences I've had. Very disappointing read more

We loved this little café in market Square. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding and it would definitely return. The menu has a lot of nice options for lunch and dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed the simplest of meals with a grilled cheese and tomato bisque. Others in our group had the cheesesteak sandwich which was just as delicious in their opinion. Good classic American fare with pleasant service and nice ambience. read more

Cafe 4 - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Incredible. I got the short rib and egg and every bite was awesome. Also, the vibe was great. Good music and really friendly and attentive staff. Strongly recommend checking this spot out. read more

Cafe 4 - Short Rib - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Wow! Came in here for lunch and was greeted immediately. The waiter was fast to welcome me and take my drink order, I went with a basic latte (which was actually well above average!). My waiter also helped me pick out what to have and it was a complete home run!!! I did the Tennessee cheesesteak and I got the mac n cheese instead of fries. The mean was delicious, and I left very full and satisfied. It was a great experience and I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

Cafe 4 - Tennessee Cheesesteak with Mac N Cheese - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

I came here as a recommendation from my hotel staff and without a reservation I waited about 30 minutes. The staff was great and very kind. I sat outside but ambiance both in and outside was lovely. The food was just okay in my opinion. I got the fried green tomatoes which I thought were a little bland. The ones from Tupelo are way better. I also got the shrimp and grits which was pretty good. Nothing to write home about but good. The best thing by far was the Mac and cheese. It was very creamy and well seasoned. Am I glad I tried it? Yes but it's not so where I'm rushing back to. However, if I did I would definitely get the Mac and cheese with chicken or lobster read more

Cafe 4 - Mac N Cheese , Fried Green Tomatoes , Low Country Shrimp & Grits - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Wow! What a great place and staff. From the moment we walked in, we were treated like royalty. The food was excellent (truffle fries, deviled eggs, Braised Short Rib, Vegetable Linguini, and the Mac-n-Cheese w/ Lobster) and our waiter Conner was on point. We had such a good time and Conner made sure we had everything we needed/wanted. read more

Many, many years ago I used to work on Market Square while in college, so the restaurants that have been around for over a decade are nostalgic and, more importantly, they tend to be consistently good. I took my wife to Cafe 4 on a Monday evening and we had a wonderful dinner. Our server, Quincy, was the perfect amount of attentive. We ordered the fried green tomatoes (to die for), the fish sandwich (sooo soft and good), and the braised short rib over cheese grits (all i can say is that I've got the leftovers in the fridge for lunch and I wish it was noon already!) I highly recommend Cafe 4 if you're looking for an upscale vibe that won't break the bank. read more

Cafe 4 - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Needed a place to eat while downtown. Cafe4 had good ratings online so we decided to try it. I ordered the grilled salmon after much contemplation. The greens was tasty but the salmon was just okay. I felt it needed something, maybe salt? Service was okay too. Didn't have to wait unendingly for our server. I tried my friend's linguine and wished I'd gotten it instead. Might try that next time if I return. read more

Cafe 4 - Grilled Salmon - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

My friends and I were in the area, and we all wanted different things for lunch. We came into Cafe 4 and were sat very quickly. Our waiter was very kind and had some great recommendations. We ordered the Crispy Fish sandwich, Tennessee Cheesesteak (I always gotta try a cheesesteak in any establishment I go to), Fried Chicken and Waffles, and a green goddess salad with chicken and tomatoes. The crispy fish sandwich and the cheesesteak were VERY VERY DELICIOUS! My other friends ordered the other two dishes, and they agreed that their food was also delicious. I was genuinely impressed with how quick the service was and how attentive the staff was to our needs :) perfect place for lunch! I would love to try their brunch some day. read more

See all

Came here without reservations and were able to be seated outside immediately. Because of the sidewalk, our table was very slanted, which was a bit of a pain, I ended up losing my fork. Our server, Hayden I think? Came over to greet us and take our drink and appetizer orders. The appetizer came out before the drinks which was a little backwards to me. Mojito 8/10 Decently made. I do wish the mint was mixed into the drink or muddled to add the flavor in, but other than that it was good. Fried green tomatoes 8/10 Flash fried, good breading and crisp on the outside. The apple salad and balsamic was good as well. A good bite. I just wish the tomato was pre-cooked for just a minute or two to get it a little softer. Shrimp & Grits 10/10 Shrimp was flavorful, seasoned well, cooked perfectly. Tails were still on. Grits were creamy and smooth, with a little cheese. Andouille was perfect amount of spice. Sauce was good, little heat, but overall a ton of flavor. Cafe 4 Burger 8/10 Ordered Medium rare, came out more of a medium with not really much pink in it. It was still cooked good and juicy. Im sure I tasted the umami sauce, but I feel like I would have wanted a little bit more. I didn't really taste the Parmesan cheese at all. Overall the entire bite had a good flavor. read more

See all

We came to Cafe 4 for a date night before a concert at Thompson Bowling. This was a great place to come to before an outing - plenty of places to go to after dinner for a drink as well! This Nashville hot chicken Mac and cheese was seriously insane... I am still reminiscing on it weeks later. It was a hard decision picking what to order because it all looked great. I definitely recommend the Mac and cheese and truffle fries! read more

See all

When we first looked at the menu, we were concerned because it appears limited at first glance. However... the truffle fries were banging, fried green tomatoes were crispy and tasty, but oh my goodness the warm pimento cheese with hot pepper jelly dip was divine!!! Philly cheesesteak was delicious. The lemon drop shot was probably the smoothest I've ever had. Atmosphere was casual... little bit of everything in there. The only draw back we had was the service. I know it was a party of 13, but we are pretty sure that we were the only guests our server took care of. She would disappear for large stretches. We had to go to the bar to get our own refills because we couldn't find her. I really hope that others had a different experience with different servers. read more

Great for a night out with friends! Was very accommodating to special dietary needs. Juliette, our server, was incredible!!!

After exploring downtown Knoxville, we wandered around Market Square for a good dinner spot. Cafe 4 was our pick as they had a large outside seating area. We waited a few minutes for a clean table. Drinks were ordered and came out fairly quickly. We ordered a small side of truffle fries as an appetizer and it was decent. 3 out of the 4 ordered the wedge salad with steak. The other ordered the cheesesteak with mashed potatoes and for dessert, the crème brûlée. The wedge salad was excellent and generously dressed. I can see why this is a crowd favorite. I did think that the steak (additional protein) was a small portion and a little overcooked, 4 slices of a steak. But I ate every bit of it, one of the best wedge salads I have ordered. The crème brûlée was just okay, not enough caramelization of the sugar crystals. I'd give the dessert a 3 but the service was top notch. Davis was amazing - he took great care of us!! read more

See all

I haven't been here in a few years, and it's really showing its age. Food and service was good but the interior just felt a bit tired.

Loved Katie. She made the experience even better. The food was ok. The service was superb. The ambiance is nice. It is quieter outside. read more

Cafe 4 - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Enjoyed a visit here while visiting UTK. Definitely recommend making a reservation as it can book up with long wait time. Waitress recommended the cheese steak and it was good. A little messy, but good. The fries were very good too. Good meal, nothing over the top but good. Service was very good and attentive to water refills. read more

See all

We were on our way to Florida when Hurricane Milton was on its way, so we decided to stay in Knoxville for a few days until the storm passed. One of our stops while in town was Cafe 4 in downtown Knoxville. We really enjoyed it. Cafe 4 itself was very nice, great patio and view of the downtown square. Service was very good, friendly, and the food was excellent. We tried the mac n cheese with fried chicken, and the Tennessee Cheesesteak. The downtown square is also very nice, great place to visit if you're in town. read more

See all

My husband and I ate here for lunch on Valentines Day. Service was fast and our waitress was very sweet and attentive. Our food was delicious. If you are in Market Square definitely give Cafe 4 a try. We have had great service and food every time we have eaten here. read more

See all

8/10 - Café 4 A downtown staple. Brunch and dinner are both crowd-pleasers -- reliable and always lively. read more

We walked here from the Hilton. There was immediate seating. The waitress, Sara, was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. The roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower were absolutely delicious. The salmon was flaky and delectable. The green was seasoned to the tea.. like an auntie in the kitchen.. The music had great diversity .. The ambiance was casual and pleasant . The Steak sandwich was great for my picky eater .. read more

See all

cafe 4 is decent place to stop by if you are in the market square area or visiting the museum or sunsphere. there are a handful of restaurants in the market square area, but my group landed on cafe 4 because they had s a good variety of dishes for everyone's dietary needs. our server's name was cintia, and they were so very sweet and kind. the table ordered: fish tacos and parm fries fish sandwich and parm fries fried chicken + mac n cheese philly cheesesteak + fries and of course i got an espresso martini with absolut vodka that bartender knows what they are doing!! bon appétit read more

See all

This is a great little place in downtown Knoxville. It is in Market Square. Hostess was very nice. We decided to eat outside. The patio is nice. you watch the all the passerby's, and performers in market square. The best part was the food. It was delicious. Definitely will be going back read more

Cafe 4 - vegetable linguine with chicken - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

I had the pleasure of eating here not long ago. They have a pretty big outside dining area, the staff was friendly, and the food was amazing. I had the chicken and waffle. There was a ginormous amount of chicken on the plate. Im pretty big and could only eat half of it! I had the pleasure of sitting at the bar (my choice) and was greeted by Nate. He is the type of guy who can make the most miserable person smile. His personality is at the top of my list of bartenders I have met. I hope to go back soon and have Nate again. Add this to your list of bookmarks in places to try read more

A beautiful restaurant with good vibes in downtown Knox. We stopped in for dinner and the service and food was excellent. The half chicken had the crispiest most delicious skin texture I've ever had. Most of my table got the rib eye and all were perfectly cooked and flavorful. I'm a dirty martini lover and it's difficult to find a perfect one these days... however these were spot on! Our waitress Sara was excellent at handling our larger party and food all came out in perfect timing. An all around excellent experience - don't miss this spot! read more

See all

Food- Amazing!! Atmosphere- Amazing!! Victoria- AMAZING!!!!!! Every time I'm in Knoxville, I will always come back to Cafe4!!! read more

Cafe 4 - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Matthew was amazing! 20 of us came for dinner on New Year's Eve and Matthew handled us with no problem at all! He was really quick bringing drinks and food and was so personable and helpful! 2 Thumbs Way up! read more

I've eaten at Cafe 4 several times over the past few years. I've found it to be very good, although a bit inconsistent. I will say that it's one of my daughter's very favorite restaurants in Knoxville. Most recently, I ate here on a Friday night. Our party was seated out on the patio, and that was a great place for people watching if the weather is nice. Service has always been good. For my recent dinner, I ordered the shrimp & grits, and it was delicious! Friends ordered the grilled salmon and a burger. Everyone enjoyed their dinner, and we'll definitely visit again! read more

Cafe 4 - Shrimp & grits - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Good food and service! Just took a bit to receive food thats why i put 4! Lexi was a great sever! read more

Cafe 4 - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

The food was excellent and Jackson was a great server! Highly recommend the fish tacos!

Noah M was a great server and managed to bring all our food and drinks and didn't get anything wrong and was so nice.

We lucked out and made it in on a Friday night without reservations. They do offer fish and a vegetarian options. I was hesitant at first to order fish tacos, because usually the fish falls apart and the flavor of the fish overwhelms the taco. That was not my experience. This was absolutely perfect! The fish was cooked to a crisp and cut in manageable portions so it didn't fall apart. One of the best fish tacos that I've had. The sauce was a cool flavorful topping that added to the crispness of the fish. Great vibes here and plenty of great options for a nice dinner. read more

Cafe 4 - Fish Tacos - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This place delivers satisfying comfort food consistently with attentive service. The grilled cheese Sammy accompanied with tomato bisque is so good as was the lobster BLT flatbread. Packed with flavor but not overly filling perfect lunch. read more

Cafe 4 - Grilled cheese with tomato bisque & Sauvignon Blanc & Lobster BLT Flatbread - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Cafe4 in Market Square is a great place for a delicious bite and a glass of wine with one of the best views in downtown Knoxville. Sandwiches , salads Mac n Cheese are among the food options and the service is Liberty our server was attentive and helpful and made our meal even better! read more

Cafe 4 - View from the patio - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Their market wedge salad is $14, the majority of it is iceberg lettuce....To add chicken, it's $8 for 4 thin slices. While it was good, I left hungry and like I just got ripped off. Would never recommend to anyone. Update- the manager refunded the cost of the salad after I brought my concerns to his attention. He admitted they cut portions, which I feel like is worse. They are intentionally trying to get away with it and only make it right when caught. Do better! I purchased one of their burgers to actually fill me up and it wasn't good. So let down after all the hype of their Google reviews. read more

There was a lot to like about C4, but there were several glaring issues as well. First, the positive: It looked like a busy day down in Market Square, but we were after the brunch/lunch rush so we were able to get a table outside without a reservation. Our server let us know that they were new on the job, but he was very friendly and warm. The menu had good options for most diners, whether watching their waistline or wishing to indulge in Southern cuisine. The food itself was good. Not outstanding, but good. My salad was a "C4 Favorite" but in my opinion it was nothing to write home about: overdressed greens, strawberries, blue cheese, and candied nuts. Nothing I couldn't throw together at home. My husband had the breakfast plate which was perfectly standard (although I will say the breakfast potatoes were excellent!). But the cons were enough to disappoint. They appeared to have plenty of staff working, but the kitchen was very backed up and it took ages to get our beverages (even water) and meal. Once our food arrived we had to go chase down silverware- which took several minutes- by which point my husband's eggs were cold. Something may have been going on with the dishwasher, because when my husband went inside to go try to track down cutlery he came back with only one set, so I used the fork for my salad and he tackled his eggs with a spoon and a knife. By the time a second set appeared, we were nearly done eating. But the biggest issue for me was the bathroom area. Holy moly, that was gross. The restroom itself was fine, but the entire back area of the restaurant leading to the restrooms and inside the ladies (and gents, according to what I heard) absolutely reeked of urine. It was revolting. Had I gone back there before our meal started I would've spun on my heel and turned around and walked right out of there, never to return. I'm guessing they do a bustling nighttime bar trade so I'm sure it was the result of a bunch of drunk college kids celebrating their graduation the day before (and maybe peeing in the corners??), but that is unacceptable in a food establishment. When the manager first walked in to open up Sunday morning, they should've called an "all hands on deck" to get that floor scrubbed before the first customer walked in. I know margins are very slim in the restaurant business and I know it can be very difficult to hire, train, and retain staff, and I always want small businesses to succeed, but no thank you! read more

Always a must when I come to Knoxville. We started we an order of the truffle fries which truly helped hit the spot. I ordered the shrimp and grits which we filling but amazing. My SO ordered the short ribs which were unbeatable! Truly cannot go wrong with near anything in the menu! Their brunch is also amazing if you're not into dinner meals. read more

The market breakfast was so yummy. Sarah was the BEST server! We enjoyed the beautiful outdoors during the Farmer's Market! read more

Cafe 4 - SO yummy!!! Market Breakfast. Sarah was the best!!! Thank you for amazing service!!! - Comfort Food Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

We went to Cafe 4 on a recommendation from a friend and it did not disappoint. The food and service were great. The Pimento Cheese, Lobster Mac and Cheese, Lobster Grilled Cheese with Bisque, and Fish Tacos were all excellent. Bret S. was a great server... attentive, knowledgeable, and very friendly. read more