It takes forever to get your food, mashed potatoes were served cold (not hot enough to melt butter), the waitresses are not up on filling drinks and removing dirty dishes like they once were. read more

This was suggested by our hotel. The food was good and reasonably priced. Because it is in a state park, there is no alcohol. Not a problem for us, just FYI. The barbecue is their specialty. They only have one house made sauce, which was interesting. The views are very nice, and the staff was pleasant. They have live music some days in the evening. We were glad we chose this from the hotels list. read more

Great stop off 75. Beautiful view and a home cooked meal. Service was great and would recommend to stop on your next road trip!

Absolutely phenomenal! Great menu, awesome view, and pet friendly. Will be driving 35 minutes once a week to come here to eat and walk around this fantastic park area. There are so many good things on the menu it was hard to choose. I got the steak sandwich today and it was the best one I've ever had in my life. Steak is grilled with good seasonings and has lots of great fresh toppings....red bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, and cheese. They serve with huge slice of fresh lettuce and tomato and a horse radish sauce on side. Lots of sides. I got potato salad that's off the chart. Don't have room for dessert, but will be getting BlackBerry pie next trip! read more

See all

This place is great. Good service. Nice location in Cove Lake SP with a good view. Fantastic BBQ. I had the combo. The surprise was how good the chicken thigh was. You knew it was going to be good just smelling the smoke from the parking lot. read more

We stopped at this place for lunch while traveling, and WOW! I can't commend it enough. It's a cozy little restaurant overlooking a mountain view, the service was quick and friendly, and the food was absolutely delicious. I also have to eat gluten free, and they provided an extremely detailed and helpful sheet that let me know what was GF and what was not. (Their BBQ sauce is gluten free!) I had lots of options, which is rare. I ended up getting a loaded baked potato with butter, sour cream, pulled pork, cheese, etc, and a side of green beans. It was wonderful and my family all loved their food as well. If you are ever in the area, this place is well worth a quick detour off the highway! read more

Everything is perfect good. And food is to die for honestly and the waffle fries but it's really worth every penny

This place was just what we were looking for! The views were our table were breath taking! I ordered the pork sandwich with sweet potato fries! It was so delicious!!! But...the Blackberry Cobbler was to dye for!!!!! Our waitress was super friendly and spit on with service!! read more

Great food and great service. Enjoyed the bbq and will be going back soon. The view of the mountains is also beautiful.

If you are looking for bbq in this area skip the Ridge BBQ and drive on down to the Coal Creek Smokehouse in Rocky Top. It is well worth the short drive. I have eaten at both and they are worlds apart. The only common feature is friendly staff. At the Ridge the one BBQ sauce on the table has the consistency of thin tomato juice and the flavor of vinegar. Most of the food is passable although the cold white store bought dinner roll was typical of the food. The prices are out of line for the quality of the food;you can do so much better in the area read more

Good food and music! Their staff was very polite. Nice scenery on a Sunday afternoon! read more

As with everywhere else in the world , they are understaffed . And the staff they have are below average. On a weekend you better show up with a ton of patience!! Even calling ahead today to pick up food we ended up waiting 1/2 hour to get it! The location is great , hope they get people hired before they lose ground! The food we've had is pretty good .... But is it worth the wait ? read more

A unique place. Lots of locals eat here. Service was good and polite. Food was just fine. My wife liked the salmon dish and my ribs were okay. No alcohol but the country two man band was entertaining. read more

This restaurant was very clean and comfortable. There was inside and outside seating, but we chose inside and were seated by windows with a lovely view. The server was very attentive and friendly. She was being trained by another server who assisted her. We ordered salads, fried green tomatoes, and fried cod with fries and slaw. It was all very delicious, and I can't wait to return to try other menu options. read more

There's not much to chose from in the Caryville-Lafollette TN area but this place was worth the stop. Their Vol Burger was seriously one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. Catfish bites for app was pretty yummy too. I'll be back! read more

Nice place, really beautiful view from the deck. We ate outside (preferred due to COVID). We're from out of town, traveling to FL, so I'm really glad we made the short jaunt off the highway to get here. The pulled pork that my husband and I had was delicious, the BBQ sauce was good and the service was very nice and fast. read more

Great BBQ. Love going on nights when they have live music. Stop by and check them out. read more

GREAT VIEW! Just off the highway so we pulled off on our way to the smokies. Good food friendly wait staff. Worth the stop! read more

Rickard Ridge BBQ - Ribs salmon and a view. - Barbeque Near Me - Caryville, Tennessee

The aroma of smoked meat is the first good sign of the delights that await inside! I had the Lip Smacker with sweet potato fries and my husband had the smoked turkey sub. We also had the fried pickles and homemade cherry cobbler. There was plenty of delicious food served by excellent staff. Kyra, our server was top notch with her suggestions and service. Easy access off I-75. read more

BBQ had no flavor. Ordered Ribs and wings both dry. Service was horrible. Took 25 min to receive my drinks and 45 to receive my food. Music was good however. read more

Rickard Ridge BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Caryville, Tennessee

Beautiful views. It was a perfect day to sit outside on their covered patio with ceiling fan. So relaxing. Near the I75 exit, which we have been traveling. I've never had Fried Green Tomatoes. My husband likes to try new things. It was yummy, especially with the dipping sauce. Recommend the sweet potato rings. For dessert got the delicious Fried Burrito Cheesecake (with comes with ice cream and whipped). read more

Rickard Ridge BBQ - Fried Cheesecake Burrito - Barbeque Near Me - Caryville, Tennessee

It doesn't get any better than this...excellent food, service and atmosphere. I went there twice during my weekend stay in town. I love their baked beans and pulled pork. read more

Great location in the park with a fantastic view. We came in at about 7:20 pm (they close at 8:00). Food was ok. Probably would have been better at 5:00 or so. We were on the lake all day and didn't get over there until later. Chicken was really dry as were the ribs. The brisket was very good. They were in a hurry for us to get out of there, so it all came out quick. Check hit the table at 8:00 on the nose. We will be back, but we will go earlier when the bbq is fresh vs holding for a few hours. read more

I'm writing this review after literally just leaving there. I will say the food was pretty good in our server he was absolutely wonderful and attentive. The views are absolutely amazing in the bluegrass music that they have on Monday and Thursday nights is wonderful. I will say though one thing that struck us as odd is we watch the owner walk around from table to table asking everyone how things were and making small talk. We were there with our 5 and 1 year old and literally he just kept walking past our table and wouldn't even acknowledge us. The same thing in the parking lot. While our table may be busy and he may have thought we were young we are actually 35 and 40 years old respectively and I have been coming to Norris Lake for 33 years. While I may not have been good enough to acknowledge I just hope he realizes that we are worth checking on as well and our money spends in the same way. read more

A truly spectacular experience! We are in town visiting in Oneida and expected to find only mediocre food for our dinner. This place was a true find. I had the turkey BLT with the candied bacon. Amaze-Balls!!!! They even have local beers and the staff is really fantastically friendly. They make you feel welcome straight away. I will always come back here when I'm in town! read more

We were on our way from Danville, KY down I-75 to GA and I read on Yelp about this BBQ place. It did not disappoint. We got the Richard Ridge Top Combo. The pulled pork was so tender and juicy, I would dare say it was some of the best I've ever had. Everything had a great smokey flavor to it and the BBQ sauce was so good I ended up buying two bottles to take home. The ribs were a little chewy on the edges and I was not a big fan of the chicken, but they were both decent. The baked beans were good. There was a wang to the slaw that I couldn't quite put my finger on. The potato salad was missing something flavor wise. Overall, I would definitely stop here again for the BBQ sauce and Pulled Pork. read more

Another great yelp find! A few friends and I stopped at the restaurant on the way home from Kentucky. Probably one of the best Yelp finds I have had in a while. We stopped on a Sunday morning and were seated on their outside patio. Gorgeous views of green everywhere. It was a bit hot, but that's what you get when you sit outside in the summer in Tennessee. Service was great and our waitress was so nice - real Southern kindness! We started with the BBQ Tater Skins. So amazing! Exactly what you desire from reading the item on the menu. For my entree I got the Pulled Pork BBQ Platter with baked beans, sweet potato fries and a roll. It was a large portion of food and I am not sure if I was hungry or if that is just how good it was, but I cleaned my plate. I will definitely find an excuse to get up to Caryville again and eat at this place! read more

I've been back 2x in the past few weeks lately with a friend. I have to say it's been Really GOOD! The server Ashley is attentive, friendly and great! We've tried the rubbed up chicken baker, blackberry cobbler, and the giant sampler platter. We split that one up but 3 people could probably eat out of it easy. All was good! Service is good so I will be back!! read more

We stopped for lunch while traveling,ordered the combo plate which was very generous and delicious, we both left full with doggie bag in tow. Wish they had more sauces,particularly mustard based. Would plan return trip during travels to catch the bluegrass grass band att dinner. read more

The appetizer was great , baby back ribs were ok , little flavor , side of bbq sauce was nasty , service was really good .

Like many who have rated this place, I love the out of the way real deal BBQ joints. This place tries, but doesn't really deliver. I had the combo plate at a fairly hefty price as to try a bit of everything. Disappointing. The ribs had a terrific smoke, but were quite dry. Ditto for the chicken thighs. Pulled pork was a bit bland. Their sauce was good, which I appreciated, as I used half a bottle to accommodate the meal. Sides were mixed-mushy beans, but a nice slaw. read more

After being slammed with costumers and having to wait an excessive amount of time for the food to arrive, the owner came to our table to apologize for the long wait time. She had just arrived to the restaurant and worked hard to set things right. Long story made short, we got a free meal. We realized the issues were not their fault and would go back again and highly recommended the restaurant. read more

Get the pulled pork quesadilla. The loaded potato is great. The brisket sandwich is so tasty. Their sauces are very good. The staff is very friendly. Get a piece of blackberry cobbler and you will not be disappointed. read more

Average BBQ but good sauce. Giant onion rings and good flavor but way toooooo much breading to actually enjoy the serving size. Good/fun atmosphere and great view. Pricing a little high but not terrible for quality. Taste good, great staff enjoyable vintage atmosphere. If the onion rings had not been so over the top in breading I would have given them a 5 star rating. read more

Great service! My farther was not feeling well and could eat nothing besides slices of tomatos so they gave him a nice bundle of slices tomatos for free for him to eat. Great food as well I could eat the onion rings all day. read more

Rickard Ridge BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Caryville, Tennessee

Awesome BBQ, delicious sauce, and the sweetest of sweet tea! So glad we were brought here by friends during our visit to Tennessee! Having lunch at Rickard's Ridge was not their only good suggestion... They suggested the loaded baked potato they serve as an appetizer. It was huge! As well as my new favorite way to eat BBQ without a mess. My husband had the steak sandwich, and the friend pickle spear. The fried pickles are spears here not like chips we have had before, order some! The interior was cozy, the hospitality was amazing, the views were beautiful! Take a moment to walk around the lake and enjoy the beautiful nature while you visit. read more

We were Traveling South to our home in Florida and discovered this delightful restaurant. It is Located in a lovely rural area at the entrance to a beautiful park. We were gleefully greeted and seated. All of our ordering questions were answered and our order taken. My Beef Brisket was excellent as were my asparagus and corn on the cob. All very delicious. My son enjoyed his Black and Blue Salad which had a very generous portion of succulent beef and generous portions of real blue cheese. We finished up with their specialty desert of Blackberry Cobbler. Piping hot with fresh blackberries, a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of delicious ice cream. We added this location on our GPS so that we can visit again, next year. read more

On our way home from a trip, we thought to stop at a nice bbq restaurant. Waited 15 min at a table with 3 waitresses passing us, never even took our drink order. The table that set behind us was served in 2 min. I have no idea what the food is like because we walked out. No this place was not full & they had quite a few servers walking around. This place is not really a bbq stop based on their menu. read more

As we walk in, I spot an omen of good tidings. A chalkboard sign proudly proclaims the appetizer special for the day. "Fried Green Maters"! Lord, I am stoked! You see, this is an appetizer that has become ubiquitous in some trendy restaurants and restaurant circles. Every budding "Top Chef" and James Beard pretender has been serving Fried Green Tomatoes in some weird bastardization of the real deal. Stacked with Goat Cheese smeared between the layers and drizzled with Balsamic reduction. Heirloom Tomatoes... Chipotle Dipping Sauce.... Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce... etc. The truth was evident here in that one glorious, iconic colloquialism. "MATERS"! I was salivating as we were led to our seat, and poor SWMBO was listening to me ecstatically babbling about the treasures I felt we were to be served. I guess my babbling was also overheard by a man that I found was the owner. He came up and introduced himself as Mark Rickard, proud proprietor. We started talking 'que and he told me that he had won some awards. he then talked a little about their menu and mentioned their "Top Combo" and also a new cut of meat called a Pork Ribeye. I am not familiar with the cut, and he described a boneless rib chop cut from heirloom pigs that are specially bred for their marbled meat. Jackie ordered that and I went with the Top Combo. I also (of course) ordered the Maters. Mark and I talked a little more. He about his restaurant and food and I about my quest and actual knowledge about what is good 'cue. While waiting for our food, Mark came back with a small plate with two BBQ chicken thighs on it. A specialty of the house that he wanted me to try, and I was grateful. That chicken had a wonderful smoky smell and a beautiful golden brown skin. When I pulled at the skin, it came off in a wonderful crispy piece. I bit in to what I can only describe as Chicken Bacon. Crisp, warm, redolent of the hardwood that had blessed it and whispering to me that the best was yet to come. The meat was juicy, tender and flavored with just the right amount of salt and smoke. Seriously, the best chicken I have had in my mouth in years. Bravo Mark, bravo, Chicken is so often smoked to the point of being dry. This showed a deft and knowledgeable touch. The Fried Green Maters came in a basket. About eight thick slices the diameter of a baseball. The crust was a crunchy, warm, non-greasy cornmeal masterpiece and the green tomatoes inside were firm yet still melted away like tomato butter. There was a dipping sauce, but I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure what it was. I could not bring myself to adulterate the perfection of that simple peasant dish that had been so expertly prepared. These tomatoes, fried to the peak of their deliciousness needed nothing but a tongue and some teeth on them to bring out their goodness. Goat Cheese be damned! Jackie received her Pork Ribeye. It was probably about a 6 ounce cut and was dwarfed by what appeared to be a 50ct baked potato. That is a one pound potato, and it was at least that. The pork was expertly cooked and moist enough to be fork tender. I've had Filet Mignon that required more work than this to eat. The drawback was that it was seasoned with what appeared to be Cajun Seasoning. Jackie does not like this! She likes her food to speak for itself. It was a shame that the description we got did not mention the heavy spice. You don't have to mention salt and pepper, but this is a strong flavor. She scraped what she could off and still enjoyed what she could eat. Now on to my Top Combo. This is a $19.99 meal served in an aluminum halfpan. The contents: a seven-bone half-rack of baby backs, 8 ounces of pulled pork, two chicken thighs, half-cup portions of baked beans, potato salad and cole slaw, a large handful of sweet potato fries and two freshly baked rolls. Am I smiling like a Cheshire cat right now? Yes, and I was then as well. Ribs - NOT fall-off-the-bone, Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE PROPERLY COOKED. A slight tug of the teeth and the wonderfully smoky meat with the seasoned bark comes off to be enjoyed. The chicken, I've already mentioned. The baked beans were thick, sweet and smoky and the potato salad and slaw were great. The pulled pork was a little dry, but properly seasoned. With sauce it was ok. Great BBQ. We will stop every time we travel in that area. You should too. I just wish the word-count allowed here gave me more opportunity to explain how good this was! read more

Rickard Ridge BBQ - Rickard Ridge Top Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Caryville, Tennessee

You're always a little bit nervous when you go to check out a new local joint. But my friend and I were more than pleasantly surprised when we came to Rickards. We walked into the sound of beautiful bluegrass music, Chastity's smiling face, and the smell of authentic bbq. Simply put, the food was delicious. I ordered the half rack of ribs and didn't have an ounce of regret. My Friend ordered the catfish and acted like he died and gone to heaven. The fried green tomatoes was the perfect appetizer to round out a wonderful experience. The owner Mark's dad greeted us and welcomed us. Great place! read more