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    Calhoun's

    3.5 (166 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque, American
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Calhoun's Photos

    Business Info

    CALHOUN'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Calhoun's

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    John E.

    You can find this location of Calhoun's at 10020 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922. This right off the Pellissippi Pky near a bunch of automotive dealerships. There's plenty of parking all around the building - looks like they might also provide valet services for dinner (but there wasn't one when we arrived - it was a Thursday early evening). Calhoun's is part of the Copper Cellar group of restaurants, basically a fancy BBQ joint with hints of fine dining with the inclusion of steaks and baked potatoes. I haven't eaten at one since I lived in Knoxville back in the mid 80's so was looking forward to it. This location is large with stairs to a mezzanine floor with additional seating overlooking a large dining room. We sat in front of a roaring fireplace - quite cozy and like a hunting lodge with stuffed animal trophies on the walls. We we seated after about a 10 minute wait (there were 5 people in our party and about a half dozen tables already seated). Our server took a while to come to the table but once there the service was quite good. We tried a variety of steaks, prime rib and combinations, we were provided with a bread basket containing a variety of breads (garlic roll, biscuit, cornbread) - these were all very good. I ordered the fried pickles which were good - crunchy sour with a heavy coating of breading accompanied by ranch dressing. I also tried the Bacon Wrapped Beef Brisket Burnt Ends - honestly I'm not sure why these were called burnt ends - they weren't bad but nothing like the burnt ends I'm used to seeing at other BBQ restaurants. For dinner I ordered a half-slab of the Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que Ribs with a side-salad/bleu cheese. The ribs tasted a bit off - really they had the consistency of yesterday's leftovers - almost like they had been frozen and thawed. That really surprised me and wasn't what I remembered from back in the 80's. We were all tired and hungry so I just ate what I had rather than complain, but it did cause me to downgrade the restaurant by a star. The sauce was sweet and also a bit tired but I let that go too. I think my dining companions all had a decent meal. Service was good overall if a bit spotty in the beginning. It's unlikely I'll visit again the next time I'm in Knoxville. I guess you really can't go back.

    "The Pit"
    Richard H.

    What. Place. We have been coming here for 20 years, and it never disappoints. The food is cooked well, the service is attentive,an and the place reeks of "smokehouse. Ahhhhh. We had the Trio. If you can't decide the start there. Careful of the bread basket. It is oh so good and seductive. It will fill you up. Finally, the Smokey Mountain Brewery Red pairs with all of the BBQ. Enjoy! An 'A'.

    Brisket, Cole slaw, baked beans.
    William P.

    Well, for starters. I was acknowledged promptly. The reason I tried this place was because I wanted in the lobby of another BBQ joint, but that's an aside. The exterior and interior had a rustic western look about it. It smelled smoky and delicious when parking. About parking, it's what you want! Spacious and probably engineered with large buses and crowds in mind. To the food: I ordered a brisket plate. The meal was delivered relatively quickly, yet I almost turned it back because it immediately appeared to me to be two pork ribs. It was only upon closer examination that I realized these Tennesseans just do barbecue brisket differently. The texture kind of reminded me of corned beef brisket, I'm sad to report. But it was definitely smoky and had an apparent smoke ring although that could be achieved by non-smoking means. It had clear grate marks so I believe it was smoked for a long time. The hickory wood (I believe) was appreciable. I couldn't perform a pull-apart test on the meat due to its cut. But, overall, the meat was enjoyable. The baked beans reminded me of western ranch beans with a little more smoky punch to them. They amazed me at first but with each subsequent bite I grew weary of them. The meat scraps they added to them amped it up, though. The sauces...I'm not a fan of either of them. Maybe it's my regional preference thing but I just can't get into these sauces out here. But, it's for the best because sauces on meat are cheating, in a way. But still, they're fun to use. All in all, I'd recommend it. Seems like they can sustain huge parties.

    Perfect Snack: Loaded Fries with a side of kickback and ranch!

    Perfect snack and drink from a great bar staff at Calhouns! Highly recommend! If you like a bit of spice go ahead and ask for a side of kickback sauce with your food! Whether it's fries, tots, onion rings or garlic rolls it's the perfect tasty combination!

    Drinks - It's Happy Hour somewhere.
    Richard S.

    Calhoun's is a great part of the Copper Celler family of restaurants. They specialize in Bar-B-Que and they do it well. Here is a highlight of their drink menus and don't forget they are great for Tailgate parties. Follow me on Yelp for more of my favorite places to eat in Knoxville and the East Tennessee area.

    Fresh Chicken Teriyaki with baked potato
    Lesley M.

    Great place for a nice family meal! We've never been to this franchise and no disappointments for us. Service was great even though the place was packed for Christmas night. Our party had to wait a while for food, but I was understanding because we had a party of 9 amongst the packed house. The guys brought refills frequently and were very nice even though they were constantly moving. The potato skins were fabulous, and my teriyaki chicken was great.

    Our Original WET Wings
    Derek M.

    My family joined my daughter's boyfriend's family for Christmas dinner here. The place was packed but luckily we had a reservation. The two guys serving our table of nine did a great job. We all ordered drinks, food, and appetizers. The loaded potato skins were delicious! My wings were delicious...Perfect amount of spice, and fried perfectly. I feel this might be a little overpriced, but definitely worth for the amount of food you receive in my opinion.

    Wet Wings
    David C.

    We love to go out to eat after church but by the time church lets out, most restaurants are nearing capacity. We drove by this location and saw that there were not a lot of cars in the parking lot, so we stopped in. The dining area was huge. Our hostess was spacing tables as she seated us so that no one was right next to another. We took our time to look at the menu. I ordered a small basket of Wet Wings (there were nine in the basket ) which was more than I could eat in one setting but it made me wonder how many were in the large order? I also ordered a Caesar salad on the side. The wings came to the table and I dived in. I judge my wings based upon how juicy or dry the meat is. These were super juicy and tender as can be with the meat falling off the bones. The Caesar salad was an average salad but it was chilled and the lettuce was crisp. After dinner, I ordered a slice of Jack Daniels Pecan Pie. It was definitely not what I had expected. It was a slice of pie with pecan pieces, drenched in chocolate and a scoop of ice cream on top. I guess it was a chocolate lovers dream, but with the bits of pecans instead of whole pecans and drenched in chocolate, I could only eat a few bites. It wasn't bad mind you, it was not what I thought it would be and it was too rich. Our server, Kassidy, was on point. She was pleasant and thorough. She checked on us during the meal and kept our drinks filled. She gets a 5-star review.

    Fried green tomatoes with M AND M SAUCE

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    2 months ago

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    20 days ago

    Poor food and rude staff will not go back there again. A disgrace to southern hospitality.

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    9 months ago

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    1 month ago

    We go often. Food is consistent & fun atmosphere. I usually have ribs, love the corn muffins!

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    7 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Emily H.

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    2 years ago

    Dante was the best server! Food was good. Atmosphere was pleasant, not to busy. Definitely will be going back!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Calhoun's

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