Restaurants you'd like to see in Knoxville? (Pigeon Forge, Lake City: bankrupt, closing)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Blue Coast Burrrito didn't close. Not the one in Market Square, unless it was within the past month or so. Knoxville Store | Blue Coast Grille

I think Quaker Steak is okay. Kind of a Hooter's for bikers, sorta.

I've never been to J Alexanders or heard of it. I'm not a big fan of chains. However, for fast food chicken I like Church's a lot. That's if the quality is the same as it was 15 years ago. That was where I first discovered the joys of okra!

J. Alexander's is good, but it's just another chain. I'm with you, I'm kind of over the chains. I think Knoxville is already inundated with enough chain restaurants. And Blue Coast was definitely still open when I was in Market Square last week. I like Quaker Steak only because they have all-you-can-eat wings every day during lunch.

I'd like to see some Mediterranean restaurants--Lebanese, Moroccan, Greek, Provençal, etc. I'd like to see some Caribbean and Central American (not Mexican) restaurants. And I'd like to see some simple, country French restaurants that don't cost a fortune.

I'd like to see some neighborhood bakeries, some Jewish delicatessens, some meat-and-threes, and some hot chicken like the kind for which Nashville is famous:

Hot chicken - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And I wish Cruze Dairy Farm would open a permanent ice cream parlor somewhere (which would be perfect after eating some hot chicken).

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by JMT

J. Alexander's is good, but it's just another chain. I'm with you, I'm kind of over the chains. I think Knoxville is already inundated with enough chain restaurants. And Blue Coast was definitely still open when I was in Market Square last week. I like Quaker Steak only because they have all-you-can-eat wings every day during lunch.

I'd like to see some Mediterranean restaurants--Lebanese, Moroccan, Greek, Provençal, etc. I'd like to see some Caribbean and Central American (not Mexican) restaurants. And I'd like to see some simple, country French restaurants that don't cost a fortune.

I'd like to see some neighborhood bakeries, some Jewish delicatessens, some meat-and-threes, and some hot chicken like the kind for which Nashville is famous:

Hot chicken - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And I wish Cruze Dairy Farm would open a permanent ice cream parlor somewhere (which would be perfect after eating some hot chicken).

You and I are on the same page. Every. Darn. Word.

Have you tried Peros? I love Greek food and would like to give this a try. Knoxville Family Restaurant | Knoxville Pizza | Chicken Wings | Rocky Hill Food and Entertainment | Peros on the Hill

I know there is a middle eastern restaurant downtown but it has hookahs. Not an appropriate place for a child and I don't want to breathe in smoke.

I truly wish Cruze Dairy would open up a bricks and mortar place. I've actually tried to talk them into showing up at my workplace.

And oh, what I wouldn't give to have a Jewish deli. The revamped Harry's seems like a great idea and it does well. Lots of local ingredients. But a real Jewish deli with a real Reuben? A real corned beef? And by real, I mean that they stack the darned corned beef. The closest is Holy Land on Sutherland. But then I have to deal with the owner's wife berating me. Now that I think about it, that's pretty "Jewish deli."

Anyone been to Shuck, yet? If you haven't and you want really fresh seafood, go. Just go.

[airen123]

I've been to J. Alexander's here in Nashville. We only went because we had a gift card. It was good, but nothing to write home about. Artichoke appetizer was good. Service so-so.
I love Pero's, hik Prices are amazing, and the family that owns it are really nice. I love their spaghetti and hubs gets the bechamel lasagna. I just hope it has longevity, as the location has changed its owners/name at least 5 times since it was the DogHouse.
I really want to try all these new places that are downtown (Shucks, Cafe 4, etc) that've opened since I moved to Nashville, but I tend to stay on the west side of town when I visit. My friends and I tend towards Aubrey's (Pizza Rockefeller is the big draw), Pelancho (fried avocado dish), and Stirfry for sushi.

[MetropolitanTN]

Originally Posted by NJDevil

Isn't there a Chipotle on Cumberland?

Yup. It's one of the 3 places I'm eating out at in Sept. I am excited. I LOVE Chipotle.

[NJDevil]

Hik, how does Denise berate you? She's a pisser. They definitely have the best reuben in town. And their homemade salads...ohhhh my god.

Pero's has minimal Greek dishes. Was surprised they didn't have more. Their food and service is great though.

If you see the winners of Metropulse's Best of Knoxville each year (whatever it's called), the majority are chains. We just don't get it. I've seen Pizza Hut in there....seriously?

Gavino's in Bearden is going to have fresh seafood from the Shrimp Dock across the street. Not sure how it will compare with Shuck's though, they won't have as much on the menu for sure.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by NJDevil

Hik, how does Denise berate you? She's a pisser. They definitely have the best reuben in town. And their homemade salads...ohhhh my god.

Pero's has minimal Greek dishes. Was surprised they didn't have more. Their food and service is great though.

If you see the winners of Metropulse's Best of Knoxville each year (whatever it's called), the majority are chains. We just don't get it. I've seen Pizza Hut in there....seriously?

Gavino's in Bearden is going to have fresh seafood from the Shrimp Dock across the street. Not sure how it will compare with Shuck's though, they won't have as much on the menu for sure.

Denise constantly tells me to "shut up." She's definitely a New Yorker, through and through. But I meant it in jest. Read the entire paragraph...

It looks like Pero's has spanakopita - although I make a killer one! - and pasticcio. That's worth a try. I wish they sold moussaka, though, but I'll take what I can get.

When I first moved to Knoxville and saw the winner's in the newspapers I really was up in arms. Then I started uncovering the real gems. There is a lot of Knoxville that has never heard of some of these places, let alone visited them. And there is an enormous portion of people that don't go downtown, don't want to go downtown and are darn proud of it. I guess it stems from when there was nothing down there but crime. If you tell them about what it is like down there now, they just don't believe you.

But a lot of restaurants that aren't chains are very new and they are beginning to win in the polls. I'm pretty sure Shuck won for best new restaurant.

I like that Shrimp Dock gets its seafood fresh from the docks. However, they get it from the gulf. It's going to be quite awhile before I eat seafood from there, again, thanks to the corexit. I want shrimp from the Carolinas, and seafood that is from the US but not from there. Besides, Shrimp Dock isn't a restaurant. Not really. And there is no comparison with Shuck. And there is no "s" on the end of that!

[MrsMopar]

Thanks for the info on Quaker Steak. I just was curious if it was worth the visit. I sure could go for some nice wings and a cold brew. Buffalo Wild Wings are so "inside the box" style that I can't eat there. When I found out how they made their wings, I decided I didn't need to go back....

Gosh, I'm sad to see that J. Alexander's has so-so reviews. My husband and I went on our first "dinner" date there. It was really an amazing experience. The salad was HUGE! The steak cooked to perfection, and I don't know where they get their baked potatoes from but they are huge! Maybe I'm partial because our first date was there? So would you compare Chop House with J. Alexander's? There are two locations that aren't too far from me, yet I haven't gone to eat there before. Suggestions on that place anyone??

I could really go for a proper cheesesteak, know what I mean? I know Firehouse Sub's is good, but you can't get fries. To me, a proper cheesesteak has to come with homecut fries, or even wedges, and a cold beer. It should be messy and delicious. Penn Station is big in Ohio, so I was thrilled to see one by UT. We had to go there last year, just so I could get my "fix". It does the trick but I could really go for something more authentic....

I recall when we first moved here, the Shrimp Dock had a place in Sevierville, on 66 near Rt. 338. It was really pricey, but they did have a raw bar, which was nice. It started to go downhill, I'm thinking it was mismanaged by the owners son, and then it closed. Their food was overpriced, in my opinion. A raw bar isn't supposed to be a nice sit down; it's a 'belly up to the bar and eat some raw oysters" type of place.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by ETSUAccountingGuy

Yup. It's one of the 3 places I'm eating out at in Sept. I am excited. I LOVE Chipotle.

I have a friend that swears by Chipotle. The owner of the chain is a stickler for only using fresh and usually local. I have to get there but the kid hates Mexican. She hates seafood, too. If it doesn't have cheese pizza or chicken fingers then I am sunk!

Originally Posted by MrsMopar

Thanks for the info on Quaker Steak. I just was curious if it was worth the visit. I sure could go for some nice wings and a cold brew. Buffalo Wild Wings are so "inside the box" style that I can't eat there. When I found out how they made their wings, I decided I didn't need to go back....


I recall when we first moved here, the Shrimp Dock had a place in Sevierville, on 66 near Rt. 338. It was really pricey, but they did have a raw bar, which was nice. It started to go downhill, I'm thinking it was mismanaged by the owners son, and then it closed. Their food was overpriced, in my opinion. A raw bar isn't supposed to be a nice sit down; it's a 'belly up to the bar and eat some raw oysters" type of place.

I live just on the other side of the highway from Quaker Steak!

They had a Shrimp Dock in Halls but the staff wasn't very experienced. It didn't last very long. I know they have to-go in the other locations but as far as I know it is not a sit-down type of place. I could be wrong, though!

Chesapeake's has great quality. That is from the same folks as Calhoun's so go figure!

I so, so, so want to get a lobster roll at Shuck!

[MetropolitanTN]

Can some suggest a good place to eat dinner in West Knoxville (Cedar Bluff or west) that isn't a chain? At least not a huge chain like Olive Garden. We've been to Mimi's so not that, we want something different. It's for a nice dinner with co-workers and my boyfriend. We're veggies if that helps.

[Knoxgent]

Puleo's in Cedar Bluff would be a good choice.