If you're looking for authentic Southern comfort food in Horn of Plenty, this place absolutely…read moredelivers. My wife, mom, and I arrived around 7:45 PM--just 15 minutes before their posted 8:00 PM closing time. I asked if it was too late to get dinner, and without hesitation, several staff members welcomed us in with big smiles and said, "not at all." That kind of genuine hospitality is rare, especially that close to closing. Brooklyn took care of us, and she was outstanding. From start to finish, she never once made us feel rushed, and neither did anyone else on staff. There wasn't even the slightest hint that they were trying to wrap things up for the night. That speaks volumes about the culture there. We've driven past this place for years saying, "we need to try it," and now our only regret is not stopping in sooner. The food was phenomenal--true Southern-style comfort food made fresh daily. I had the chicken fried steak, my wife had the pulled chicken, and my mom ordered the bologna sandwich. Every dish was spot on. My wife actually stopped in a month or two ago and has been going back every week or two since--and now I completely understand why. The restaurant was impeccably clean, and the entire staff gave the impression that they genuinely enjoy working there. That kind of environment doesn't happen by accident. They hit the mark in every area--food, service, cleanliness, and overall experience. 10 out of 10 cast iron skillets--seasoned to perfection and worth coming back for again and again. Highly recommend!!!

This is a 5-star place, for what it is-- a simple diner with old-school comfort food and lots of…read moreamenities, all done just right. I had not been in DECADES -- but someone mentioned that they did a good chicken-fried steak, so I had to try. (I'm from Texas where CFS is part of the holy Trinity of Mexican, barbecue and CFS). Well, the CFS was pretty good, but I won't say great. Big, well-breaded, tasty and with good white gravy. But the sides were superb; I had fried green tomatoes and potato salad. I loved the chow-chow sauce combined with ranch dressing on the FGT, and the salad was very creamy and tasty. I'm not a potato salad snob; I've had it done many ways and I know some prefer one style over another....all I know is this went fast. Oh, by the way, it's a BIG meal. No person should eat all of that in one setting! I nearly forgot, I loved the cheese biscuit. It was very dense and so tasty. Hard to stop eating that before I packaged up about half my meal (and enjoyed very much the next day). Amenities-- they sell beer; even though I did not have that day, I know some meals I'd have loved to add a well-priced bottle. Service was great, friendly and responsive. I like the places that let me scan a QR code to pay and tip, and they had that. Also offered lots of desserets, both at the table and with a little bakery corner when you walk in/out, so you could pick up cookies, etc. At first I thought it was a bit pricey ($17 for most meat-and-two plates), but with the quality, worth it all. Oh, I even enjoyed the clientele...this is the kind of place full of older folks, one of whom had to comment on my food as she walked out, and then she stood and chatted with me a few minutes about how good it all was. Classic!

We were at Windriver to look at homes, and had dinner at Citico's…read more We learned the chef is new for the restaurant, and is in the process of putting together menu changes, and has adopted a farm to table philosophy for Citico's. We started with the pimento dip, the menu states it comes with tortilla chips, but the chef has changed to use fresh homemade potato chips instead which both my wife and I prefer. It was really good. Next, we received our main courses. I ordered the steak, which comes with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli. My wife ordered the salmon, which comes with rice. The steak was so good, it is now tied with the best steak I have ever had in my life. It was cooked perfectly, but what set it apart is that it was the most tender, melt in your mouth steak I have ever had. I don't know how they can get a steak that tender, but it was amazing. There were not a bad bite to the steak, it was really a perfect cut of steak that was sourced local. My wife's salmon was just as good, a crispy exterior with a moist, perfectly cooked filet of salmon. For dessert we ordered the Molton lava cake which my wife says she is a connoseur of molten lava cakes and is picky when it comes to them. Her verdict: amazing. This was really an excellent dinner in a cozy restaurant at the club. I would highly recommend Citico's, and have nothing but the highest praise for the new head chef.

They messed up a preordered special, but handled it appropriately. Food is awesome when they're on…read moretheir game.

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.

Came to Harvest on Wednesday night due to a recommendation and service and food was wonderful!! But…read moredocking the star because the live music was incredibly loud and constant. It would've been nice to have breaks in between as we could barely hear each other over the loud music and we were sitting quite far from the singer. The raw oysters were some of the best I've had and the crab cake was very tasty too! The truffle fries were plentiful, nice and hot, and super crispy and delicious. Ordered the cacio e pepe with shrimp, which I'm not used to having it with shrimp. The shrimp were large and plump, but the cacio e pepe was incredibly dry for my taste. The side salad was plentiful and loved the addition of goat cheese and dates with it. Desserts were all very good but we especially loved the carrot cake! Highly recommend for the good food!

The food was absolutely outstanding. Vanessa was our server. She was the best server we've ever had…read morein our entire life.

Lots of great southern comfort food options here! The grilled pork chops and catfish are my…read morefavorites and their fried apples have just enough sugar without being over the top. Desserts are hit or miss depending on the day but the meal portions are so large you probably won't have room anyway. There's nothing fancy about the dining area, it's pure diner style. Service is almost always superb but they can be short-handed at times. Just wish they were open for breakfast since that option is almost nonexistent in town.

We recently discovered this amazing place. We go at least once a week. Good food and friendly…read moreservice

Big fan of this place. Trust me, it's not fancy, but the food and drink were great for the money…read moreand the service is always top-notch. That's what keeps me coming back.

I was in town with me business partner and decided to try Chesapeake on the recommendation of a…read morelocal friend. We started with fantastic fresh oysters and for my entre I had the broiled seafood platter. I think is was around $43 - but wow, It's worth so much more. The shrimp was wrapped around about the best scallops of had The fish was perfect and crab cakes we pure limp. I live about 1 1/2 hours away and I keep thinking about when I can scedule some meetings there!

This was my first time at Oliver Royale in Market Square, Knoxville, TN, and I pray to God it will…read morenot be my last. When you are in Knoxville, you need to stop here. I want to preface my statements by saying that I love octopus, but I especially love octopus on my plate. Their octopus appetizer is to die for. The redfish was superb and could rival any New Orleans recipe--and I'm a New Orleans native. The swordfish with jerk seasoning will make you feel like you've been transported straight to Jamaica. Do me a favor and run here, not walk. You can thank me later.

I stopped by Oliver Royale on a Monday evening around 6:30-7 p.m. without a reservation and was…read moreable to get a table outside pretty easily. Their patio faces Market Square, which made it such a nice spot to enjoy the summer weather and people-watch while having dinner. The inside has a completely different feel--intimate, low lighting, and definitely the kind of atmosphere I'd pick for a date night or a nicer dinner. My server was also really attentive and helpful with answering any questions I had about the menu. I ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese, and it was SO good. The meat was incredibly tender, the sauce was flavorful, and I loved the fluffy swirls of ricotta throughout. The pasta itself was cooked perfectly too. My only note is that the portion was on the smaller side, so next time I'd definitely start with an appetizer. Between the food, attentive service, patio, and location right on Market Square, Oliver Royale is such a great option for a night out in Knoxville. I'd absolutely come back and try more of the menu!

Just go!!!! All…read moreright first glance from the outside it's in a strip mall so it's very down to earth and unassuming, but there is lots of parking. This is a sitdown spot that you can also order to go. It's family run, I went after work with my kids and upon entering everyone greeted us we stood online for a few minutes. We weren't sure what we wanted to order, but there was a gentleman there who provided samples I had seen their TikTok page, so that was part of the reason I went and they definitely delivered!!!Unfortunately I have to drive about an hour to get to them, so I won't be able to go back as much as I would like. Go treat yourself and check them out highly recommend their mac & cheese oxtail and if you have kids, you may want to check out their waffles and chicken. Oh my God!!! Incredible!!!!

I can't believe I haven't had Ola's before. Have I been sleeping under a rock? Good lordt this food…read moreis bangin! I'm not even one to try too many gravy smothered entrees, but it was recommended. Perfectly seasoned, big portions, and lip smacking good. Literally food my soul desperately needed. We even got a karaoke show while eating here. The staff were friendly and happy. There's seating inside and outside. Definitely returning here soon.