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    Calhoun's

    3.3 (168 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Calhoun's Photos

    Business Info

    CALHOUN'S ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Calhoun's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Outside patio
    Lorraine K.

    We dropped in on a cloudy and rainy day with our service dog and sat outside and enjoyed the outside patio tables the service was outstanding . The inside bar staff was very friendly as well as the several hostesses. Also the manager took the time to check on all the outside tables in the rain. And don't worry the Red umbrellas keep you covered at the tables so you were nice and dry the whole time.

    Calhoun's Trio
    Jared M.

    Overall rating a 4/5 based on at least 6-7 trips thus far. For the record, the past two have brought up our impression of the place as everything was completely stellar end-to-end on all fronts! If this keeps up we're going back to 5s all around! Food and drink: it's why you go, right? The salads an chicken are hard to beat. And most trips the meat is perfect, if not really good even on a bad day. Fave is probably the brisket bites. Location and parking: easy to find on GPS, and plenty of parking for sure. Drop those off who struggle with a walk at the entrance. Staff and service: was awesome our past couple trips, and hoping that only continues! Venue and vibe: definitely a staple place in Knoxville, and matches to all other Calhoun's look and feel. Will be back soon i hope!

    Sweet & Spicy Wings
    Jeanette C.

    It was a beautiful day for outdoor dining! This is a perfect spot in Oak Ridge to eat with a view. At Melton Lake, there are lots of activities and events which makes this location sooo great! My husband and I took a road bike ride here to grab a bite and a much needed rest break. I ordered the Sweet & Spicy Wet Wings with bleu cheese and he ordered a Hickory Bacon Burger with fries. We both cleaned our plates! If we didn't have to ride our bikes back home, I would've ordered the Key Lime Pie for dessert. Our server, Sarah, did an excellent job providing service to us and made sure we had plenty of water while we were there and for the ride back (we refilled our water bottles). We made sure to give her a good tip! PRO TIP: There are two outdoor dining areas: one that the hostess seats you (under an awning) and another that is first come, first served (under the red umbrellas). There's a gate for easy access to these areas.

    Ribs, pulled pork, and grilled chicken tenders
    Michelle B.

    The food was pretty good. Stopped in with a few coworkers for lunch and decided to pick up the combination platter so that I would have something to save for dinner. The barbecue is nice and smokey. We also tried the bacon wrapped burnt ends which was good. I would definitely return if I'm ever in town craving barbecue. 4 Stars

    Key lime pie
    Lindsey M.

    My friend and I were visiting the area and our hotel recommended this restaurant. The location was definitely desirable on the water. We arrived for dinner on a Saturday evening and the wait time was approximately 30 minutes. Parking was readily available. I ordered the hot Tennessee toddy as my cocktail and the citrus was way too strong. Then, I ordered the beef brisket plate with green beans and spinach maria. The green beans were too crunchy, so I asked to get the broccoli instead. I definitely recommend the beef brisket. We ordered key lime pie and the macadamia nut banana pudding for dessert. The desserts were tasty, key lime is very sour, but that's expected.

    Great the vibe for the restaurant are great and there was rowing going on outside on the river so we got some free entertainment and we had a dog with us and they completely accommodated us with outside seating and even brought us a water bowl for our pup so great review but the only problem was some miss communication with the seating but that was fine so it's a great restaurant.

    Jeremy L.

    KUDOS,and thank you so much to Asher for providing supreme quality customer service at Calhoun's on the River! We started to order the best appetizer ever: the spinach artichoke dip! The staff is definitely on top of the refills! The view of the Melton Lake near the Calhoun's is amazing! I ordered grilled salmon with spinach Maria:creamed spinach. I highly recommend all to stop by and visit this incredible dining experience in Oakridge, TN!

    a bowl of food on a table
    Mengya L.

    We came as a big group (15 people) on Wednesday for lunch. Parking was fairly easy. The ambience was great and the view of the Melton lake is awesome. I can't believe I've been to Melton lake so many times but haven't eaten here. The service is awesome. We got bread before our entree. I got the Oriental Chicken Salad and it's the best salad I've had in a long time. It's so well balanced with greens, proteins and a little carbs (rice). The honey vinegarette dressing garnished it to the finest. Will love to come back and try more food.

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Didn't even have bread ask for half and half tea to go and got warm unsweetened with no ice. Will not be back.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Emily H.

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    6 years ago

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    Emily H.

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    very long wait for a fried food dish, they were not busy , order was wrong, and the bugs were horrible at the outside dinning area.

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Emily H.

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    7 years ago

    The food is excellent the beer is great. These people will cook food the proper way if you have food allergies.

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Bar area and staff were excellent on a rainy day for front row views of Regatta. Wings and other food was great

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    5 years ago

    If you're a regular sitting in the bar, you're in great shape. Waitresses talk to regulars 90% of the time. Good luck if you're a new face.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Page 3 of 5

    Ask the Community - Calhoun's

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    4.6(104 reviews)
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    We were in town, just passing through, and had checked into our hotel for the night. Looking about,…read morewe reviewed the local places to eat something, and wishing to avoid any of the corporate places we found Woody's was pretty close-by. This is one of the magical things about looking for places to eat on-line... you will sometimes find places that you would completely pass over if you were to look at them from the road. This is one of those places. The place is very non-descript, and definitely a locals kind of place. When we walked in there was a small party going on that looked like it was wrapping up, and we were able to get a table. We were greeted warmly, so they do have their hospitality game working for them. There is an outdoor seating area, but as it was getting dark we opted for sitting inside. We both ordered burgers... there are no fries on the menu, which was surprising until we figured out that they don't have a deep fryer. All good there... we can make do with alternatives! I went for the mac and cheese. When the burgers came out, oh boy... these burgers are quite generous and my mother could only finish half of hers. Not a problem there either... it made a very nice little lunch item the next day. The burgers are quite good, and we would absolutely return for them!

    We ordered the three meet platter, Wow !! We is huge and the manager or owner came out from back…read moreand checked on us as well as the food it's was mouth watering. We sat at the bar about 3 ish and she was polite but rather non smiley, but with said she came by to check on us as others piled on in and for good reason. GREAT FOOD ! The restaurant and bar are very small but they have an added features outside for all us pets and families with children they have a fenced in yard area with tables and shade the inside is super clean and nicely decorated we will be going back while we are here in town for two more months. It's a great locals gathering place as well as very welcoming to visitors.

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    Wine beer liquor

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    Aubrey's - Oak Ridge - Fried green heaven... added blue cheese on the side

    Aubrey's - Oak Ridge

    4.0(199 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    It was a busy night and they seated us fast in a booth. The waiter came to ask about drinks soon…read moreafter. He was fast, attentive and friendly. The place was huge. Lots of tables , booths and bar tables. Big TVs in the bar with the games on. The food was amazing. Had grilled salmon tacos and I was there was more. My friend had a pizza and it was great as well. The chips were so good too! I will be coming back to try more of the menu .

    Aubrey's is almost always packed, which makes it seem like a standout spot in our small town. After…read morevisiting a few times, though, I've found it to be... pretty average. They do offer outdoor seating, which is nice, although I'm not sure yet if it's dog-friendly--something I'll have to check out next time. We usually sit at the bar, and one thing I've learned is that you need to be very specific with your drink order if you have preferences. For example, if you order a dirty martini without clarification, be prepared for a glass that tastes almost entirely like olive brine. Asking for "light" on the olive juice is a must. Even a standard vodka martini doesn't automatically come with a lemon twist, which feels like a small but noticeable miss. Service has consistently been solid--friendly and attentive, about what you'd expect. The food, however, has been hit or miss. I tried the FGTs twice, hoping the first experience was just an off night, but they still weren't memorable enough to order again. The steak tips appetizer has been the one standout for us--really flavorful--but if you're planning on ordering a steak entrée, doubling up on steak feels a bit redundant. The salads that come with the meals are reliably good, and the steaks themselves are decent, especially with the loaded baked potato on the side. That said, I ordered a fish dish on one visit that was forgettable enough that I can't even recall exactly what it was--just that I wouldn't order it again. Overall, Aubrey's is perfectly fine, but it hasn't wowed me. At this price point, I think there are better options around town. We might stop back in from time to time if we're in the mood for something different.

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    Aubrey's - Oak Ridge - Cheddar Burger no cheddar. Added pickles (not shown) & those Sauteed Mushrooms!!

    Cheddar Burger no cheddar. Added pickles (not shown) & those Sauteed Mushrooms!!

    Aubrey's - Oak Ridge - Thunder Road Burger was excellent. Got pickle chips instead of jalapeño's

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    Buffalo Mountain Grille - Beef hamburger with sweet potato fries

    Buffalo Mountain Grille

    3.3(62 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    I'm not a wing person but, my friend said they have some of the best he's ever had. My favorite is…read morethe Monster Dog. When I go back, I'll be trying the Cobb Salad. It looked amazing!!!

    This is the THIRD time this has happened, and I'm officially done trying to give this place…read morechances. Tonight I called at 8:25 and spoke to someone about placing an order. I called back at 8:30 (literally FIVE minutes later) to place the order while I was already sitting outside, and the same man suddenly tells me they're closed. Mind you, the store hours say they close at 10 PM. When I told him I had just spoken to him 5 minutes before, he immediately got hateful and rude, started raising his voice, and then turned the lights off like I was bothering him for trying to order food during business hours. Just 4-5 days ago the SAME thing happened except it was around 9 PM. At this point it's honestly giving pure laziness and unprofessional behavior. I'm really not understanding how this place is still open if employees can just close whenever they feel like it and treat customers like trash. He refused to tell me his name and was literally yelling saying his name is "Buffalo Grille" (???) which tells me everything I need to know. I'm sure I'm not the first customer who's been yelled at or cussed at over the phone. I will be calling every day until I get answers from a manager or owner because this is unacceptable. DO NOT waste your time here. Still no apology from owner

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    Buffalo Mountain Grille - Beer on tap

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    Calhoun's - southern - Updated May 2026

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