Top Barbecue in Knoxville, Tennessee
The top slot goes to Buddy’s Bar-B-Q. The first store opened on Kingston Pike in 1972, but today there are more than ten Buddy’s locations around Knoxville. The barbecue is mild but flavorful; the hush puppies are among the best I’ve tasted; their side dish of baked beans is as tasty as the barbecue and not to be missed; there is even a hot dog (dawg) on the menu for those of you with picky kids (like us). Buddy’s Bar-B-Q has won numerous awards over the years for its barbecue, and rightfully so. Back in the 1970’s the original Buddy was known for delivering his barbecue to political rallies in his VW van, and Buddy’s catering remains wildly popular, serving over 100,000 customers per year. A visit to Knoxville needs to include a visit to one of Buddy’s Bar-B-Q’s locations, like Buddy’s Bearden at 5806 Kingston Pike.
Next would have to be Corky’s. A plate of Corky’s hand-pulled pork seasoned with Corky’s barbecue sauce is out of this world. Corky’s barbecue is what is known as Memphis-style barbecue and features slow cooked pork, cooked for 24 hours in hickory fired smoke pits. A lot of people agree this is one of the best barbecue in the South, since it was voted #1 barbecue in the south by Southern Living magazine. Corky’s first opened in Memphis in 1984, and now has 25 locations, including one in Pigeon Forge and one in Knoxville. The Knoxville location is at 4525 Kingston Pike. Corky’s Restaurant also features the its legendary ribs, lean, tender, smoked Memphis-style ribs. One of our favorite side items is the French fried sweet potatoes, along with the fresh bread served with every meal.
It’s hard to pick a favorite of the remaining barbecue restaurants we’ve tried, but Sonny’s would have to be on the list. Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q was started in Gainesville, Florida in 1968. Sonny’s is now the largest Bar-B-Q chain in the United States with 150 restaurants operating in the Southeast. Sonny’s prides itself on authentic smoked meat, right down to the smoke ring and reddish tint to the meat. Walking into Sonny’s is enough to make you salivate; that smoked flavor has soaked right into the wood. Sonnys Real Pit Bar-B-Q features its St. Louis cut ribs, hand-pulled smoked pork, and smoked chicken and turkey. Service is meant to be fast and friendly at Sonny’s, and it usually is. Favorite sides are the slightly spicy barbecue beans, Sonny’s onion rings and of course, the Southern favorite, fried okra. The Knoxville location of Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q is located at 350 N. Peters Road with another location in nearby Alcoa.
Another Knoxville, Tennessee favorite for barbecue is Calhoun’s. There are three locations in Knoxville, with another one to open this fall; but my favorite location is Calhoun’s On The River at 400 Neyland Drive on Knoxville’s historic waterfront. It is even accessible by boat! Calhoun’s barbecue ribs are smoked with Tennessee hickory and basted with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. The homemade buttermilk biscuits and cornbread served with the entrees is worth coming to Calhoun’s for, even without the delicious, slow roasted, tender pulled pork and beef they offer. And for a traditional Southern side dish, Calhoun’s offers fried green tomatoes in season, served with a yummy mustard-mayonnaise sauce for dipping. Calhoun’s also serves a variety of heart-healthy lighter fare that is as tasty as the traditional barbecue favorites.
And no review of Knoxville’s barbecue joints would dare miss out on Famous Dave’s, Home of The Big Slab. Dave’s has won awards in such categories as Best Ribs, Favorite Barbecue and Friendliest Wait Staff and deserves every one of them. In addition to the renowned barbecue ribs, and pulled smoked meat doused with special sauce, Famous Dave’s offers Cajun-style catfish; a Texas beef brisket and hot link sausage sandwich; and honey buttered cornbread muffins that are good enough to eat for dessert. Except that Famous Dave’s bread pudding or pecan pie is pretty hard to pass up, too. Famous Dave’s Knoxville location is 208 Advantage Place, in the Cedar Bluff area.
There are always several barbecue places that open during the fall, spreading the smell of roasting meat to passersby, and selling right off the huge barrels that cook the meat. And in many side streets in Knoxville, there are small barbecue places with superb Memphis, Georgia, Kansas City, or Texas style barbecue. Barbecue, or bar-b-q is a fond tradition in Knoxville, Tennessee.
