46 Best Bars in Knoxville

“I’ve eaten at JC Holdway many of times over the last 4 years with my last visit being earlier this week. The food has always been delicious but this last visit exceeded expectations. We were so excited to eat we didn’t even get pictures of our food.
Of course the food was fresh and local but all elements of every dish we ate were executed at such high levels it blew my wife and I away. From creativity in plating to salt levels and acidity. Our dinner was phenomenal. Thank you to Chef Lenn and the whole team in the kitchen and at front of house.

What we ate:
Smoked fish dip (ask for extra chips if you run out before your dip is gone)
Pork belly biscuits (must order)

Grilled shrimp (my favorite)
Carrots (could have eaten 2 orders of this)

Chicken (stole the show)
Pork chop (amazing flavor)

PB&J tarte (fun eating)“

“Love it! great atmosphere, drinks & food. 10/10!“

“awesome place, great atmosphere“

“Maybe it’s because the owners are friends, but every time I walk through the door, I feel like I’m welcome and at home. Now imagine that feeling when you don’t have ties to this place, that’s how they make EVERYONE feel. Amazing food, but even more amazing people and bonds. Knox Vegas wants so bad to be a big city, but we’re just fine with what we have and establishments like this that still bring that small town comfort and love. No matter the name, it will forever be one of our favorite places to just exist.“

“Best brunch in Knoxville! The Nauticakes were perfect. The best hashbrowns I have ever had. The staff and owner treat everyone like family. Highly recommend.“

“Relaxing for early afternoon, fun and entertaining! A great variety of adult beverages!!! HIGHLY recommended for girls weekend!“

“Great atmosphere great service“

“Had an excellent brunch recently! Always great service and amazing food. Cannot recommend enough!“

“Great drinks and amazing staff“

“Great place to hang out, chill and and hear awesome musicians.“

“it was so fun. great staff!“

“Food is great hand cut made to order fries!!!! Clean and friendly environment. Darts,pool,and golden tees golf highly recommend“

“Their chips and salsas are farm fresh. Margaritas heavenly and the atmosphere second to none with some of the most beautiful bartenders in Knoxville. Even espresso martinis. One of the best bars to go to in Old City! Liv, Olivia and Ashley run the show and always got the flavors on hand for a great night!“

“Fantastic establishment. All employees are phenomenal“

“Nice but not pretentious. interesting selection“

“Really enjoyed the experience here. It took less than 30 seconds to check me in. All I need to do is give my ID to scan and a card to put on file (they said I can pay cash when it’s time to pay if I wanted). Just like that I have a wrist band and can pick what ever beer I want. It’s cool to pour 2-5 oz to try something with a low cost low risk opportunity.

I had 21.8 oz total of different kinds of beers and it only cost me $10 bucks before tip. I was checking out and someone else had a party of 5 and their bill was only $56 with beer and food and they thought it would be at least $30 more. It seems like if you can navigate drinks and food well you can really get a great value.

Although it’s tough not to have parking in front of the store I did learn that the parking lot near the bridge is free after 6pm M-F and free on weekends. Definitely will choose to park here. I did have to pay when I came but for 2.5 hours I only paid $3.45 for parking

Totally recommend!“

“Really Awesome place!! All the folks who work there are really friendly and I felt like I was family. Really nice bar inside as well as an outdoor bar and stage for live music. While I was there I saw two terrific bands, the opening act was great! They had a female singer who was very talented and the other members were just as exceptional. I didn't catch the band name however the headline act was The Blues Machine and I have to say they are one of the best blues bands I've ever seen anywhere! They are a three piece band with a drummer/singer who's voice is unbelievable! The guitarist is probably the best player in the region, he can play anything and make you feel it down in your soul! The bass player was solid and kept the groove in place.“

“The Drinks were Awesome!!!!“

“sam and carly were so phenomenal they did me so good. please come to scruffy if you want to have a good time.“

“Best place for live music!!“

“Public House has been one of our "go to" spots for a decade. awesome bartenders and great drinks! indoor and outdoor spaces are fun!“

“Cool little brewpub/glassblowing studio.

Good beer selection, friendly staff.

I didn't have much time as my concert was coming up but I enjoyed my beer and conversation.

Here's the Breakdown:

Cool concept with cold beers +5 stars.

I will go back next time in town.“

“Been waiting a loooong time for the irs to get the proper funding so they can be a more efficient service to the American people. Its about time! That Ed Polecat can pick out a mop sink faucet, but when it comes to knowing how our federal government works, that fella dont have a clue. He’s taken john moran from tripping balls to just plain trippin over his own feet. #fakenewstwins“

“What a gem!!! Marie is amazing!!!“

“First time visiting a Fat Tuesday and we were impressed! The owner was super sweet and offered us samples before buying. He was very helpful in our decision making and we enjoyed every sip! Super friendly environment. Also such a cute place! Look forward to next time!“

“If you’re looking for a dive bar- this is the spot. A group of friends and I were visiting from out of town looking for a dive bar and the atmosphere encompasses just that.

They have pool, darts, a poker table and probably more.

Courtney was an absolute gem- welcoming us as we showed up when they opened up. We enjoyed shooting some pool and hanging out til an event we were going to.

Highly would recommend if your looking for the definition of a dive bar ❤“

“We went to enjoy the Christmas buffet yesterday and enjoy we did!!! The seafood was fresh and delicious. The prime rib was succulent. Everything else was equally amazing!!! The staff was so friendly and helpful. It was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had in Knoxville. We'll done and thank you!!!“

“Renea's Place has been my go-to, my "gonna be there every Friday," my "second home" if you will, for almost three years now. If you have not been yet, I highly suggest giving it a shot, especially on Friday (and Saturday) nights for karaoke!“

“The name says it all. OUR PLACE“

“Nothing like it in Knoxville!!👍“

“Cold beer good people fast friendly service karaoke and comedy nights are awesome great place to come and just relax and hang out!!“

“Quaint little place, seems almost as if it were built in an alleyway between two buildings, which gives it its own charm and visual atmosphere. There's enough room for booth seating, and a porch area in the back. It's one of the closest bars to the local college campus, so the pricing is decent, the crowd is generally on the youthful side. Warning: the parking lot is oddly divided and some people have been booted for parking in the wrong section, just as for details if you're uncertain. The staff has always been friendly and accommodating, one of the bartenders even let us sample his barbecue and home-made sauce, which was delicious.“

“Great service awesome food“

“Can’t beat the food. The buffalo chicken wrap with a nice ice cold Dr. Pepper is the way to go. Great place to stop for lunch.“

“Service 10/10Drinks 10/10Food 9 /10Really enjoyed the Monkey Finger and Johnny Appleseed drinks. The 8:55 PM ritual was fun and the free sample was tasty. Burger and chicken sandwich were great and the side salads were well worth the upcharge. Waitress was attentive and friendly. worth the visit.“

“The best bar and bartenders around! Great vibe and people!“

“Fantastic food & ambiance every time.“

“Last night we decided to give Lilou Brasserie a try, and I’m so glad we did. From the moment we sat down, the experience was wonderful. The warm baguette was perfect, the cheeses were flavorful and thoughtfully selected, and the main dishes were absolute perfection. And the crème brûlée was hands down my favorite and easily one of the best I’ve had. We will definitely be back, and honestly, we’re a little sad we didn’t stop by sooner. If you’re looking for incredible French cuisine in Knoxville, I highly recommend Lilou Brasserie.“

“the new owners definitely lost the magic. the brisket in the ramen used to be so good, now it looks like shaved lunchmeat. and the salmon bowl my partner always got wasnt quite up to par either. kimchi wasnt as flavorful. and they got rid of so many pinball machines(and im pretty sure they dont have a free pinball night anymore). they basically got rid of everything that made this place special. would still come for the drinks but i think ill go somewhere else to eat next time. i used to recommend this place to everyone but after going with family who had been there a couple years prior and were really looking forward to it..we left disappointed. if you havent been there before it would still be enjoyable, but knowing what it used to be the standard was set high&they didnt deliver.“

“Cheese sticks are too hot!!!!!! But the bartender is hot!!!!!“

“Food was excellent, atmosphere was nice“

“Was very good pub / food and service . Met Nic and Paul the owners and the wonderful staff Matt and Emily! I will definitely be back! Thanks again guys..“

“Love fly by night! The staff are so friendly and accommodating. I can’t wait to come back. I am a photographer and did a session here. We had so much fun!“

“👍🏻 Huge patio. Great bands“

“Just to let people know... pets are not allowed inside... only at outdoor sidewalk seating. Also... everywhere we looked said to park under the expressway and walk up.... don't do that. 100s of homeless people and pretty sketchy. There is pay street parking. They need to add this info to their FB page and website. Overall place was just ok.“

“Mackenzie and Nathan was awesome. I had the cheese steak. Best cheese steak in knox. My wife had the grown up grilled cheese. She loved it. Nathan gave us samples of his broccoli cheddar soup. delicious. He is working on a new lunch menu. Get in there play some pool, have some drinks and try the food. You wont regret it. if your doing laundry next door. Perfect spot to wait. Highly recommend. Will he back!“