Some restaurants are known for great food. Others are known for giving back. Phil's Dream Pit has mastered both. The barbecue is absolutely outstanding--from the perfectly smoked meats and incredible flavor to the delicious sides. Every bite is a reminder that real barbecue takes time, passion, and pride, and it definitely shows here. What makes this restaurant even more special, though, is its commitment to the community. They don't just serve meals--they serve people. Whether they're supporting local fundraisers, helping first responders, sponsoring community events, or simply stepping up when someone is in need, they continually prove that they care about more than just business. It's refreshing to see a local restaurant invest so much in the people around them. They truly make a difference, and our community is better because of it. If you're looking for incredible barbecue served by even better people, this is the place. They have earned my highest recommendation, and I'll be back again and again. read more

The food is amazing, and the service is as well. Their Hashbrown casserole is the best we have ever had. I could go on about all the food but I will keep it short and sweet: it's well worth the drive. I don't think you will be disappointed. They have outdoor patio dining as well. read more

Not only is the food and service at Phil's Dream Pit wonderful, but the many ways they give back to our community is so appreciated! They have provided meals for educators, for veterans, donate to causes for veterans, helped out with first responders, helped out when natural disasters hit our area, and do this all with an open mind and an open heart. I am thankful not only for their food, but also for their generous spirit! read more

Great food and they give more back to our community than most. The owner and team are caring professionals. Thanks for all you do !!!!!!

When we feel a need for some BBQ, we have some choices around the Tri-Cities to choose from, but we come back to Phil's again and again. The people are so welcoming and friendly and the food is always delicious (I love the brisket both on a sandwich or sliced on the plate). Definitely recommend if you're looking for some good BBQ! read more

they have the best BBQ around. we won't get our barbecue any where else! service is great. all of their side items are wonderful too. I highly recommend them if you are a Bbq lover read more

The food is amazing and what they do for those in need within the community puts them above and beyond anyone else. Excellent people and food! Highly recommend! read more

A super nice place to eat or carry out. A great staff to serve you. Christian family business with some of the best Barbarque in the region.

TLDR: if you want brisket, it's LEAN only. No fat whatsoever as thru cut it off before the cook. Kind of reminds me of gyro meat. Their potato salad has almost no flavor to it. People are SUPER nice there, though. Ribs were fantastic. Green beans were great. Soda was soda, but they only stock Pepsi products and sweet tea. Hashbrown casserole was good. Texas toast was overly seasoned but still good. read more

excellent food and service, always giving back to the community, everything is always wonderful and the staff is top notch

Great little spot conveniently situated near the interstate. I was driving from North Carolina to Ohio and found Phil's here on yelp. I got a pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, Mac and cheese and a root beer. The coleslaw, creamy but tangy was great. The Mac and cheese was ordinary but decent. The pork sandwich was generously portioned and tasty. I grabbed a full slab of dry rub uncut ribs and ate them the next day, they were very good. read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Ribs, dry rub - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

In short, they don't smoke properly to get a good smoke flavor in their meat, not to mention food-borne illness. Ribs are very tender, but almost no flavor from smoke or seasoning...not even salt. Turkey and brisket were dry. Pulled pork was also flavorless. Two of our party received a complimentary case of diarrhea with their meal. read more

Phil's dream pit is my go to BBQ restaurant, quick service and great food! The pulled pork platter is my go to meal. read more

We were traveling from South Louisiana to Washington DC. We were looking for a place to stop for supper and noticed this barbecue place on yelp. We were a little bit hesitant at first when we saw the restaurant took away in a small corner. The parking lot was a challenge, but we made it in. We were instantly greeted, upon exiting the vehicle with that wonderful smell of barbecue deliciousness. It was well seasoned and satisfied our taste buds. The sides were slightly different than what we were used to but tasted fairly well! I would definitely stop here again if we passed though. read more

The food is great!!!. The people are very nice It offers indoor and outdoor setting. We go there every year for my Daughter's birthday! read more

This is great! Loved the pulled pork and the pulled beef. Banana pudding reminds me of my childhood! I loved the hot and smoky sauce. read more

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We googled bbq joints and Phil's dream pit came up for lunch! Quickly got through the line to order and then found seats and food was right behind us! Cute place and food was so good!! Platter filled us up and didn't try desserts...maybe next time!! read more

I visited here during lunchtime and decided on a 2-meat plate, moist brisket and 3 pork ribs with the wet sweet sauce on the ribs. l chose potato salad and baked beans for my sides. Then, I added a banana pudding since they have a sign that says, "made fresh daily with love". I picked one of the worst seats, it was right under the speaker blasting Christian music. Coming from Texas, obviously I have high expectations for brisket..and this place is definitely not serving Texas style brisket. I asked for moist...and they gave me the driest lean pieces you can even imagine. The pork ribs were baby backs and tender...and the sweet sauce was pretty good. This same sauce is not available to pick from...from the 5 sauces on each table. The potato salad was pretty standard, but seemed like it could have benefitted from some salt or pepper, as I didn't taste any. I tried all 5 of their sauces on the table, but could not seem to find one I liked either. The baked beans are simply canned beans with some pulled pork...nothing too amazing there. The banana pudding was alright certainly edible, but mostly Nila wafers and only a couple pieces of banana. Overall, this bbq restaurant was average and I didn't really taste anything magical or something that was just great and would make me want to come running back here. read more

As soon as you exit your vehicle you can smell the smoked meats. Head inside and order your meal at the counter. They offer indoor and outdoor dining. Decorated with a fun pig theme. We ordered two platters: First one with brisket, coleslaw, and potato salad. Water to drink. Second one with pulled pork, coleslaw, and hash brown casserole. Water to drink. Their pulled pork was the better of the two meats that we tried. Coleslaw is very good. Potato salad was meh. Hash brown casserole was the surprise glory of the meal. Try all their homemade bbq sauces to find one(s) you like best. read more

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Let me just say this is the best BBQ and brisket around and they do so much for our community as well! My 86-yr old dad was in town last weekend and I had ordered packs to go and he had the brisket and said that he hasn't tasted brisket like this since we moved from Texas... and that was in 1974. Thank you for making his birthday even better!! read more

Always great BBQ choices. A little lighter on the smoke than this Bama boy prefers, but still solid. Brisket Chili is one of my favorites, especially when adding the smokin hot bbq sauce and a side of Mexican cornbread. Brisket, pulled pork, chicken, sausage it's all good. read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Brisket chili - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

Phenomenal BBQ -- especially the brisket. Phil's is one of the best bbq places I've been to in the US. The portions are good, the sides are solid, and the crew working here is so nice and sweet. It's not a big place, so be ready to stand for a table or take your food to the outside seating (or to go). I don't get to Kingsport often but I can guarantee I'll be coming back to Phil's each and every time. read more

We stopped by on the way down to Pigeon Forge and we are so happy we did. The meat is tender, the baked beans were PHENOMENAL, and the sauces were very flavorful and tasty. The staff were so incredibly sweet. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is in the area. read more

Wow Wow Wow, first of all sorry I neglected to get a picture, had the pulled pork, baked beans and slaw, all very good. If you're in the mood for bbq, you can't go wrong stopping here. Oh, and the service was fantastic. read more

Amazing and fast. We stop anytime we are in the area. Hash brown casserole is a must. Super clean as well

If you're looking for authentic barbecue along the border of northwestern Tennessee, don't miss a pitstop at Phils... you will not regret it! Tried the Brisket and Pulled pork and would highly recommend both but the pork was my favorite. They have 5 sauces and they were all great - sweet fire was my preference choice but all were delicious. As for sides, go for the baked beans and cheesy hash browns... enjoy! read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Pulled pork, baked beans and slaw... my favorite sauce Sweet Fire - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

Definitely worth the few mile trip off the interstate - I'm here to rave about the food but have to start with mentioning the friendly efficient customer service. The meat(we had ribs and pulled pork) were excellent, but I judge bbq spots by their sides, and they couldn't be better here. The beans are some of the best I ever had, and the slaw and mac&cheese are top notch too. I'm guessing it's not that crowded because we're here at 3:30, and we're eating portions big enough to be lunch and dinner. Put it on your list of where to stop... read more

Phil's Dream Pit - How could we not stop here! - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

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While driving north to Bristol TN, looking for a place for lunch we noticed a small roadside sign advertising this place. Well worth the stop! The pulled pork was excellent with the sweet heat sauce. The owner recommended the baked beans, they may have been the best part of the meal. My wife ordered the brisket, which had a nice bark and was was very tender. Not sure when we'll be through this way again but would certainly return. read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Dining Room - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

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Great mom and pop hometown barbecue joint! Passing through the area we did a quick search on Yelp for nearby restaurants and noticed this place with a great rating. However we noticed they were closing within 30 minutes. We were eager to try it out though and just thought we'd get it to go if necessary. Upon arriving we were overcome with the amazing barbecue smell in the air!! It was instantly mouthwatering!! We honestly felt apologetic for entering when they'd be closing soon but they were so gracious and welcoming!! The owner was even working the line which to me, the daughter of a chef is super reassuring of the product. We ordered brisket plates which comes with garlic toast and two sides. We both ordered potato salad and my fiancé had the hash brown casserole upon suggestion by the cashier. I ordered baked beans and WOW! Definitely an amazing taste!! My fiancé was actually hoping for cornbread but the garlic toast did not disappoint! He also would've opted for the mac n cheese if it'd been an option but they offer macaroni salad rather than Mac n cheese. No biggie as the brisket was so filling and tastes smoky and amazing!! I'd literally drive to Tennessee from Texas for that brisket! Keep up the good work guys! Southern hospitality at it's finest with hearty portions of tasty food to boot!! read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

Brisket was outstanding. Side of hash brown casserole was very good. Wife got pork, and baked beans, and both were delicious. You could taste the smoke flavor in the meats. This place is the real deal! read more

This food is award winning and is well worth the side trip off the highway if you are travelling through. Phil's Dream Pit is going to be a scheduled stop on my trips through here in the future. Beyond the regular BBQ menu, they have fun flavors as well. A variety of sauces meet anyones flavor profile. (No, I did not try the really hot sauce but have no doubt people love it.) Mix and match your sides to the meat you like most. Ribs are amazing. Phil's can do it any way you like from dry to messy. Awesome place, friendly staff. big thumbs up. read more

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This spot is legit. While in town for the weekend we wanted some good BBQ and that's when we found Phil's. I got the half rack of ribs platter which came with 6 meaty, fall off the bone ribs, 2 sides, toast, and a drink. I chose the mac & cheese and beans for my sides which were the perfect compliment to my original sweet sauce ribs. My husband got the brisket platter with Mac & cheese and BBQ chips. I am typically not a fan of brisket but tried some of his and man, was it good! It was tender with a nice peppery flavor and when dunked in the original sweet BBQ sauce...mmm The mac & cheese was so creamy and delicious and the baked beans had the perfect ratio of bean to meat to sweet. The original sweet sauce was addicting! We ended up ordering a bottle to take home once we found out they sell their sauces. We also ended up ordering another half rack platter to go with the hashbrown casserole on the side and of course the mac & cheese. Next time we are in Kingsport we will definitely be coming back to Phil's! read more

Wow! Fantastic quality bbq on both the meats and ALL the sides, and yet at great prices. Rare combination in any category. It took me a few yrs before trying this place as it's not in the direction of my usual routine but need to make it part of the family rotation. We picked up the Family size dinner (for 4) for a picnic at Warriors path State park which was on the way. You get 3 lg sides--we chose baked beans, (sweet and savory w bits of bbq meats), coleslaw (so fresh and crispy), and potato salad. We couldn't decide on the meats and so the nice gentleman at the outdoor ordering window suggested doing half pork and half beef (tender and Smokey). The Sweet hot sauce and the hottest sauce were both yummy--we mixed the 2. If you think Tabasco sauce is mild, these are just a notch above in hotness. Wouldn't mind an option that is even hotter. Next time, we will prob go w 100% pulled beef as it was very Smokey had more flavor, but the pork was tasty too. Other thing is to ask for another bun and sauce as you really can make one more hefty sandwich. This place was hopping on a late Saturday afternoon and I see why. Makes me wonder why I even bother to cook--definitely coming back. read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Forgot to take a photo of the food as it was so delicious, especially the smokey pulled beef! - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

Had the pulled pork platter with green beans and mac & cheese. Fast service and very good food. Will eat here again.

Just off exit 10 on Hwy 26 there is a bbq joint that cranks out delicious food. Phil's Dream Pit. Check it out you'll be glad you did. Mari M. read more

Best barbecue in Tennessee hands down. I've been all over the southeast and I would have to say this is in my top three favorite barbecue places and it's all I eat. I was blown away when I tasted it. I will be back. Oh yeah Memphis brags about them being the best. They are sadly mistaken. I absolutely love this place. also I don't know these people and I'm from Alabama and you know it's good for a Bama guy to brag on it and it being in Tennessee! Roll Tide freaks! read more

Just minutes off the interstate Phil's Dream Pit is a real food lovers dream. Their slogan is "the quest for perfect bbq" and they have arrived at a great place. We tried the brisket, pulled pork bbq, ribs, beans, potatoe salad, bread, and a pork wing. Everything was great. My favorite were the ribs, bbq pork, beans. The brisket was prepared just right and the pork wing was also tasty. But, as good as the food was, the down home friendliness and vibe of this place was over the top excellent. We actually were greeted by Phil himself and had a great time talking with him. His team was friendly and helpful. Even brought us out a few samples of some of the items I had never had. Amazing Place with great food and a great memory. We will definitely come back. Next time I want to try the Banana Pudding. The lunch portions were so large we were too full to try the desserts. read more

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Everything I've tried here is great! Especially the Blueberry Dream piec dessert is AWESOME!!!!! read more

Phil's Dream Pit - Barbeque Near Me - Kingsport, Tennessee

Good, easy to find location. Seating inside, as well as out. Nice, clean establishment with helpful staff. Food was prepared quickly and drinks are serve yourself. The owner was present at the establishment (my boyfriend got to meet him) and apparently was very nice! Our party ordered the pulled pork sandwiches and some dry rub ribs. Pork was tasty and not wet, so you didn't end up with a soggy bun. The dry rub on the ribs was tasty too! The bbq sauces were a little lack luster, in my opinion. I tried all, but the sweet fire was my primary choice. I felt like it could have used a little more of a kick though! For sides, we had baked beans, hash brown casserole, and potato salad. My boyfriend said they were the best baked beans he's ever eaten, but his cousin wasn't a fan of the potato salad. I enjoyed the hashbrowns casserole (good recommendation from other yelpers.) If we were to come back, I would want to try some of their desserts! Just didn't have room on this trip read more

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Some of the best pulled pork anywhere. Beans are good too. I get take out so no comment on table service. read more