Really great food. Love the ambience and the location. Almost the entire menu is gluten free and it was so amazing, even my husband who doesn't eat gluten free loved it all. The Mac n cheese was the best I've ever had. The Brussels are glorious and the fried pickles are the best ever. Truly great food. read more

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I was on the hunt for BBQ on a Sunday on Knoxville. It was pretty tough as several BBQ joints are closed on a Sunday. That led me to The Humble Hog. First of all, be prepared to search for parking but I found a parking garage about a block away. I walked in and was greeted by a very friendly bartender who made a good bit of conversation with me. I appreciated that and he recommended the wings. I wish I had taken him up on the wings. More on that in a moment. I felt like pulled pork though so I went with the sandwich and Chipotle mac and cheese. The pulled pork was tender, seasoned well, and went well with all the sauces. I never had Chipotle mac and cheese as it was a little spicy but oh so creamy and cheesy! There are 4 sauces - 3 on the table that are tomato base (mild, Chipotle, and Habanero) and the Alabama white you have to request. The Alabama White was my favorite as it was very black peppery. And that is why I should have taken the bartender up on the wings because that sauce with the wings would have been amazing. The other 3 sauces were thick and rich. My sweet tea was refreshingly sweet! Very good BBQ overall though it is limited and pricey and worth a visit to downtown Knoxville. read more

The Humble Hog - Pulled pork sandwich and Chipotle mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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After exploring downtown Knoxville we needed some food to recharge and chose The Humble Hog for lunch. We ordered: the ribs, delicious flavor but small portion, the special chicken wings, lively toppings and flavor profile. The salad was light and refreshing with the most amazing vinaigrette, the hush puppies were extra hot (temperature) and perfectly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The Reuben and Pulled Pork sandwich - the pulled pork was good (I'd give it a 3) but the Reuben was the star. The banana pudding was also yummy but lacked a crunch of a cookie!! The staff were helpful and knowledgeable, super positive! Plenty of seats available and no wait to be seated. read more

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For lunch, we had the sticky ribs, which were good, if a little dry/hard at the edges. They didn't need it, but to be honest, I couldn't tell the difference between the 3 barbeque sauces on the table apart from the labels. Maybe that's just me though. Fries were good; very seasoned, and served with ketchup on the side. Coleslaw was okay, obviously house made, mild, vinegar based with a subtle flavor that I couldn't identify. The Pork Burger Banh Mi sandwich was fairly simple as regards fillings, and on a brioche roll rather than the more traditional baguette, but it was tasty. A little on the spicy side, but not overwhelmingly so. The Banana pudding was above the more typical offerings, having banana bread in it as well as the usual fresh banana slices, custard and whipped cream topping. No vanilla wafers though. Service was pleasant and appropriate, and although extra napkins were provided, they lack finger bowls, dampened cloths or even packaged wipes for adequate clean-up after holding the sticky ribs. Also, no toothpicks. A BBQ place without toothpicks !? The only other "fly in the ointment" was my wine, which turned out to be $13 a glass (not shown on the (minimal) wine list). To add insult to injury, the wine wasn't very good and was only a 5 oz pour. We'll probably go back, but not in any hurry. read more

Met a friend someplace else down the road and realized I was so close to The Humble Hog I had to check it out since I was close. I've seen it come up on a lot of lists for places for gluten free folks to visit and I can see why now. They take their food safety seriously and there is no flour in their kitchen. The only things not safe are their regular buns, but a gf bun can easily be subbed. The service was amazing. I asked to clarify that everything was indeed gf and they were so kind and understood my concern. Food came out quickly and hot. I was not patient enough and bit into my fried pickle way too fast and burnt the heck out of my tongue - but that is 1000% on me. They just smelled so good and I couldn't resist. There were also some onion slices mixed in with the pickles à la a blooming onion and that was a nice addition. I also got the pork burger banh mi. It was delicious. Everything was. Thrilled with the whole experience but worried for my budget now that I know it's there. read more

Humble hog has great food. Their dry rub is fantastic. Smoked wings are perfectly done. Burnt ends were delicious & they did the sides right too, which is normally lacking in most bbq places. So much flavor. Also, the banana pudding is something special! They use some sort of spice cake, which really levels up this dessert. The service is excellent, food comes out extremely fast! The owner is such a nice, down to earth guy, who really seems to love what he does. Highly recommend! read more

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The service was mediocre but the reason we will not be returning is the food isn't very good. I didn't know you could make bad BBQ but I realize now that I am wrong. SweetP's is in the same area and serves far superior food. read more

Super nice place to grab a bite. We had burnt ends, and macaroni and cheese. The meet was tender and flavorful, the Mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. I liked the quality of the cheese. The service was super friendly, and the atmosphere was fun. We had a great time and will be back! read more

The Humble Hog - Macaroni and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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I came across the review for the humble hog online and we made a stop and try some of the unique menu items. Did not disappoint. The staff was very friendly. They had a full bar and the food was amazing. Everything we had was perfect! located on the unique Gay Street. It was just a short walk to more stores, bars and restaurants. Super glad we stopped in here. Definitely will be going back to try the sticky ribs and the Reuben. Great experience! read more

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Super cool place! Food is inexpensive and top notch, keeps me coming back. Service was also terrific, with the sweetest waitress one can meet. read more

Stopped back again, 2 more times, and The Humble Hog was awesome yet again!! Tried the Mussels and Sausage and absolutely loved the flavors. But the best of the best, and it is only available at lunch!! The Smoked Bologna sandwich!! If you enjoy a great fried bologna sandwich, try this behemoth topped with bacon, lettuce, and tomato!! read more

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The contrast of the grits with the bahn mi meat was perfect. And the additional greens and pickled egg...exciting flavors. read more

The Humble Hog - Bahn mi meat over grits with greens and a pickled egg. Such a wonderful blend of flavors. - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Overpriced. 2 Cu-cumberland cocktail and fried pickles $50. I found only 5 pieces of cucumber pickles, others were mostly red peppers and cauliflowers. read more

The Humble Hog - Fried "pickles"(!) & ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Many missteps on this occasion, starting with the pompous host on arrival. Had made an early reservation (5:15) and had requested a table in the front of the restaurant by the window. When we arrived, I inquired and was told that these were ALL reserved for larger parties (2 of these tables had place settings for only 2) We have dined here on two previous occasions with mostly very positive experiences. However, after being sat at a tiny table in the back right next to the restroom, things got worse. The Burt Ends, which on the 2 previous meals were outstanding, were extremely dry and tough. We ordered a Full Slab of Ribs which were also on the slightly overcooked and dry side. But the worst thing of all was the Corn Pone...what we were served were 4 bone dry AND cold and stale tasting Pancakes. We informed the server who said "I'll let the kitchen know" Meanwhile. As our dishes were hanging off the edge of our tiny table, the server came back and I said that we were done with this dry cold pancakes and please clear them to give us some more room (98% of them remained on the plate). When the bill came ($85 with no alcohol), the Corn Pone was still on the Bill. Outrageous that this was not removed from the bill at the very least! Needless to say, this will be our last visit here. Such a shame as we were hoping this would be a new go to BBQ spot for us... read more

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There are several local BBQ places in Knoxville. This one is the best hands down. The menu is simple with classic offerings plus a few signature dishes. They are all delicious. They make their own pickled vegetables and they are fantastic. Highly recommend the fried pickle starter. It's pickled cucumbers, peppers, cauliflower, and onions. Not overly breaded. Just fantastic. The green bean starter is also smashing. Their pulled pork and brisket are both great. The phat grits are also delicious. The real home run is the beef rib which is massive and delicious. The side dishes are also great. The kimchi brussel sprouts are savory, spicy, and awesome. The Mac and cheese is also smashing. I could go on about how good the food is. The staff is always friendly and the food comes out pretty quickly and is reasonably priced. The atmosphere of the restaurant is like many of the downtown restaurants. Plenty of seating in a long dining room. The window tables offer some pretty solid people watching. The bar menu looked pretty robust though we don't drink so take that with a grain of salt. There are NA beer offerings which is nice. All around great spot. We've found our go-to bbq spot and look forward to our next visit. read more

Food was amazing. Staff were beyond friendly and knowledgeable about menu. Vibes were immaculate. Came during game night and there was plenty of seating. From photos I've seen it looks like they don't have much seating at all but that definitely wasn't the case. The sticky ribs, hush puppies, and grits were all ordered and everything was amazing. Oh and the banana pudding was sooooo good and the reason why a photo was not taken. Old fashion was yum too. Came with my sister with celiac disease and she felt very comfortable eating here given that only one item ( a specific bun) was not celiac friendly and again the staff were very knowledgeable. Would recommend if in the area. Parked at the promenade garage and it was super close** read more

The Humble Hog - Grits. - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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I finally got to go to Humble Hog after following it since it opened. Traveling back and forth between two states made it difficult to get here, but it was worth the wait. The restaurant gives you that old TN vibe but the food makes you think of think of flavor technique from a big city. My party and I were treated by a friendly waiter who explained the menu with knowledge. I ordered the Pork burger Banh Mi and was surprised at how flavored the burger was. The fresh hand cut veggies with the soft briocheI made the burger taste like a real Banh Mi. I had accompanied the burger with kimchee Brussel sprouts that were more sweet than spiced, but worked well with the pork. I ordered the chicken livers and I could not believe how smooth and crispy they were. I could tell that the chef knew how to cook organ meat by the delicate texture of the livers. They served it with a ranch and a chipotle sauce. I preferred the ranch, but the chipotle was tasty. My friend had the pulled pork and he said it was delicious and cooked proper with warm flavoring. My special surprise was the chicken wings that they comped us because of a misfire. They were actually the best part of the meal and one of the reasons I am coming back for dinner. The first part of the bite met with the gentle crack of the sweet savory glaze that made way for the smoky flavor that hit the roof of my mouth to only finish the bite with the warm juices of cooked meat. I had to save some wings for my wife and because of that she is demanding that I take her to the Hh for dinner. What took her over the edge was the banana pudding I brought home. So smooth and satisfying with layers of gluten free banana bread snuggled inside. It was covered with marshmallow made from scratch and scorched on the top. One of the best puddings I have had. My only sadness was that the Pudding is so good it took the sweet potato cake with Vietnamese Coffee sauce. Though I didn't get any cocktails they had a menu that my wife and I will definitely try when we go for dinner, the seasonal drinks are on the top of our list. Before I left the waiter gave me a mysterious red envelope that said The humble Hog $10,000 Holiday give away.It says you cant open it until you come back. This built such excitement because it reminded me of the Chinese new year tradition of the red envelope. I'll post what we got and another review of the dinner menu. 2025 is going to be so good at the Hh! read more

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I came for a quick bite to eat and got the burnt ends. First time trying burnt ends and they were tasty! Good size for appetizer or meal. Service was great and multiple people checked on me. Large bar! Can't wait to try more. read more

The Humble Hog - Burnt Ends - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Immediately upon arrival we were greeted and allowed to choose our table. The atmosphere was charming. Both my husband and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich we also ordered the fries and the coleslaw. The fries were seasoned with a smoky bbq salt and the slaw was dressed in a vinegar dressing. Each sandwich had an ample serving of pulled pork which was very delicious and moist. The Humble Hog offers 3 bbq sauces which are made in house. My favorite was the habanero, hot but not too hot. We will definitely come back next time we are in town. read more

Oh, that brisket! This place has great drinks, pulled pork, ribs, and BRISKET! Want comfort food? Try the most amazing mac n cheese ever. Want something different? The kimchi grits are out of this world. Gosh, even the fries are special here. The service is always attentive without being annoying. It's so nice to have a slightly elevated barbecue restaurant on Gay Street. It truly overshadows all the other bbq in town. read more

Was really looking forward to this meal, that didn't last long! Decent, casual atmosphere but I despise sitting in front of the toilet, (MOOD KILLER) you could literally see, hear & God forbid smell it from our table. No establishment should have seating that close! Firm believer in attention to detail, granted this isn't a high-end place but cocktails should be served with the proper garnish, how hard is a lime? The food was lukewarm, overcooked, tough & sent back. Second round was an improvement. I was told the 1 item i wanted was sold out but as we were about to leave a party was seated beside us, lo and behold....they served them my "sold out" item!! Not good value, overall better experience at Buddy's BBQ. read more

Laid back vibe with great food and friendly service. Save room for the banana pudding!

Stopped by for lunch passing thru the NC. The pulled pork sandwich was the bomb. I rarely enjoy pulled pork because dry but this was juicy and tender. Husband lived the chicken livers. Greens were meh. Server was friendly. read more

Let me start by saying I'm a Texas native, so my expectations for BBQ are already pretty high. Which is why my wife and I have been trying for years to find a great BBQ place in Knoxville, but haven't found anything worth writing home about...until now. The Humble Hog is not just your run of the mill Tennessee BBQ joint. What kind of BBQ place serves Lobster Fries, Kimchi Brussels Sprouts, and a Pork Burger Bahn Mi? I don't know, but we need more places like this in Knoxville. Places that take risks and aren't afraid to push the boundaries of familiar food. Don't get me wrong; the pulled pork sandwich, sticky ribs, and brisket were all great, so they're still nailing the basics. But what makes HH stand out is the creativity that can be found all over their menu. Especially the menu items you've never heard of before. Which brings me to the desserts. I know this a strong statement in the South, but the best Banana Pudding I've. EVER. Had. Is at the Humble Hog. I won't bother trying to describe it to you, because you've just gotta experience it, but I will say there's banana bread in it, which is just brilliant. My wife and I recently tried their Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwich with pineapple caramel, and we went back two days later to order it again. Oh, and did I mention this was all gluten-free? HH is still a fairly new restaurant in town, and I'm not saying that everything on their menu is going to blow your socks off. But they're doing things that few restaurants even dare to do around here, and that alone should be supported. Give them a try today! read more

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Oh my! Where to start?! First of all, I really want to move into this place. Love the brick and the ambiance is relaxed and comfortable. The bahn mi sandwich is amazing. The sticky ribs are so tender. I went with my husband and I don't even know what he had ..I was just focused on this plate of loveliness. Weait staff are helpful and quick. read more

Our dinner group dined here recently. The building is nice, back room freezing! The cocktails were good. Food not so much ... How can a BBQ restaurant ruin hush puppies and banana pudding? The hush puppies were dry and no taste. The table ordered 2 banana puddinga and after one taste by each we left it. Not sure why we all tasted coconut in the pudding. The smoked trout was ok. My husband and I split the smoked wings, naked and they came coated in a sweet sauce. The green beans were the best item we ordered. Wine list.. Don't come here for wine.. 5-6 choices and that's it. Try if you want but there are a lot better places in Knoxville. read more

What was there not to like about this place?! We were greeted warmly by our server, who was attentive and helpful throughout the meal. Food was fantastic! After having the house-made pickles that accompanied my pulled pork sandwich, I regretted having not ordered them fried as an appetizer. The dry rub seasoning added to my side of fries was delish, and I appreciated that my son's fries came without--just perfectly seasoned with a touch of salt. My husband and I split a banana pudding, the lone dessert offering. Why have more than one when you've achieved perfection? The only *slight* disappointment was my son's chicken nuggets from the kid's menu. There was more breading than chicken, and the cook was too crunchy for his liking. All ended well, though. He gladly shared my pulled pork, and I still had half a sandwich to bring home! We finished our meal with the server pleasantly answering several questions I had about the lunch menu. After learning we were fairly local, she again patiently waited while I signed up for the Humble Hog rewards program. I can't wait for that free banana pudding on my next birthday! WE WILL BE BACK...and have already started planning who we'll bring along next time. What a jewel of a find! read more

I'd give the concept a solid 5 stars, and really hope this place makes it. Yes, it's a "barbecue" place, but I think even vegetarians could find a decent meal here. And definitely you don't need to have a hankering for a big slab of meat to enjoy it. We loved the small plates, and our meal consisted of several of those, including burnt ends, lobster hush puppies, brussel sprouts with kimchi, Mac&cheese, and one or two I forgot! Also the sweet potato cake. Oddly, my wife who loves sweet potatoes didn't like it, whereas I generally don't like them (or sweet potato fries, etc.) loved it-- the cake, the coffee cream sauce, and all. There were many other dishes I'd have loved to try and hope to get the chance next time. Some of the dishes were better in name than in taste. The lobster hush puppies were delicious, but they were basically just good hush puppies to our taste-- no pieces of lobster, no real taste of it that we noticed. The brussel sprouts were good but NOT ENOUGH of the kimchi mixed in or the taste. Lastly, the burnt ends were OK but a bit dry, it seemed (admittedly however, I am a BBQ snob of the worst sort. I rarely will eat BBQ around Knoxville). Good selection of local beers; waitress said they hope to have alcohol license soon to offer cocktails, which would be a big step. PLease remember 4 stars means a very good place...so don't berate me for not giving that final star. read more

The Humble Hog - Fried pickles/veggies, burnt ends, Mac/cheese and brussel sprouts. MMM. - Barbeque Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

We love this place there are only a few things on the menu that can't be made gluten free! We love the Mac and cheese, banana pudding, lobster hush puppies, bahn mi burger and Brussels. We've tried almost the entire menu and even my non gluten free daughter loves the Mac and cheese and she is picky! read more

Server did not offer us water or tell us drink specials (the table next to us got both). Owner was nice, server missing all meal. $19 plate of a main, no side dish. You not a high end steak house, give a side without the extra price. Mac and cheese awesome, brisket and burnt ends were sub par. Old fashions, not good! Won't be back read more

Fantastic. You would not know it was gluten free unless you paid attention in the menu. Everything was delicious.

The smoked lobster hushpuppies were very overcooked, hard, dry, and devoid of lobster, smoke, or flavor. The remoulade was very spicy -- too spicy for me. I ordered the pulled pork on a brioche bun and asked for the slaw on the side. It arrived on the sandwich. The moment I picked up said sandwich, oil poured over my hands. Yet somehow, the pork was dry and flavorless. The slaw was bland, too. I could not take more than two bites in the sandwich form -- the grease was -- well, it was a lot; I used up all my paper napkins trying to sop up the oil. So I took the [obviously high quality] top bun off and tried to eat the pork with a fork. The barbecue sauce was tasty, but it just couldn't make up for the flavorless, greasy meat. Husband got the brisket and enjoyed it, but the beans were very dry & gummy, and the turnip greens, he said, were bland like my sandwich. My Diet Coke was flat. Service was OK. I'm so disappointed, and that was an expensive meal to be so very below standard. Husband asked if we should try again in six months. I guess? I'm not really looking forward to it. OH -- one last thing. For some reason, when the restaurant ran the debit card, they neglected to take out the tip for the waitress. Husband went back to the restaurant several days later, found the same server, and handed her the tip in cash. read more

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If you haven't been and love BBQ this place is a must go! They opened a but before St. Paddy's day, we were in town for the Marc Bresard concert. I feel so darn lucky we took a jaunt down the street and wandered in. Move on over Calhouns!! There is a new smoke in town and oh boy is it wondrous! Burned ends and Brussel sprouts and wings and cole slaw AND LOBSTER FRIES LAYERED WITH LOBSTER are what we have enjoyed here. We have decided a once a month visit is required for our BBQ happiness. OH AND THE SERVICE? A+++++ ASK FOR BRITICA, SHE IS WONDERFUL AMD CARING. read more

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Great food and service. The lobster Macaroni and cheese and green beans were awesome.

I struggled with this review a bit. It was not a bad experience but we don't want to go back. Hot day and hungry. Found this spot on Yelp and thought we should give it a try. The thick bologna sandwich stood out and I have always wanted to try smoked bologna. We had two families so we had to sit in the back. The building was cool. We enjoyed the atmosphere for sure. I think they only had some server/bar tender and one cook working because service was super slow. So enough to where we almost just got up and left. Once things started flowing, they were still slow but better. After we got our food, we started to crush it. The general theme of the table was that there was nothing special about it. The bologna was alright. Didn't taste smoked. The pulled pork that was order was blah but got better after drenching it in sauce. The food was edible and the drinks were cold. It was a cool spot to pull out of the heat and relax, but what we truly came there for was ok. It's not a bad spot at all. Just wasn't for us. read more

Service was great! The food was not good. Had the liver and greens. The only thing that was good was the ribs. Mixed drinks also very average. read more

The Humble-Rita was a great twist on a Margarita with smoked pineapple and the House-made rub on the glass. The wings were crispy and moist, I had mine dry with just the rub. We also had the Ruben with smoked corned beef, fantastic. read more

This place was exceptionally mediocre. The portions were minuscule and the barbecue was certainly not smoked in house. The fried pickles were instead fried vegetables (bell peppers, cauliflower, cucumbers), and the menu was shorter than a Dr. Seuss book. I would have rather gambled my money away than eat here. read more

Wow -- Humble Hog blew us away! The food was absolutely amazing, and you can tell Ben really knows his craft. Everything was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. Alexis took great care of us -- super friendly and attentive! You can feel the love and talent behind this place. We'll definitely be back! read more

Wanted to try their half rack ribs but they were sold out; however they did have their sticky ribs and they were tender and delicious. We also had their house made pastrami and it was a thick cut with a ton of flavor - the only thing I would have done different was to revoke the whole pepper corns. The fried chicken livers were crunchy and cooked perfect. The end was the banana pudding - and this was a 10 with the burnt marshmallow - just addicting. Our water was super nice and friendly. read more