Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Knoxville

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Knoxville? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9

4.9 (3594)

$50 and over

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

At Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, we know that great food begins with fresh, quality sourced local ingredients. On our Modern Appalachian menu, Chef Jeff Carter and culinary team present seasonal and delicious dishes that are familiar and steeped in tradition yet enhanced with bold new dashes of flavor and component combinations that may surprise and delight you.

Dancing Bear provides a premium lodging experience. We bring the same commitment to excellence to our award-winning restaurant and full bar. Whether enjoying a romantic dinner for two or bringing the extended family together for a celebratory meal, we want your night out in Townsend to be a special experience. We offer a refined assortment of modern Appalachian cuisine — all served among elegant surroundings and calming wooded vistas.

Top review

John

Dined 4 days ago

The season menus surprised me but the service was best ever. Everything delicious.

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Popular dish

Truffled Filet Mignon

4.8

4.8 (1495)

$31 to $50

Continental

Knoxville

About the restaurant

You don’t have to go far for an exceptional culinary experience. Reviewers say “consistently spectacular” with friendly “non-stuffy” service. Bistro by the Tracks simply is Knoxville’s answer to great metropolitan dining. We proudly offer an extensive and diverse wine list featuring carefully selected whites and reds from the finest wineries around the world. Bistro by the Tracks is a recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, 2010. Join us for an evening of dining that is at once casual and elegant. Reservations most appreciated.

Top review

Leslie

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent crab cakes! Service and ambiance was top notch!

Chesapeake's West Knoxville

4.8

4.8 (1647)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Chesapeake’s West derives much of its authentic Eastern Shore qualities from décor that features genuine nautical antiques and artifacts. Pairing this cozy, seaside ambiance with welcoming service and fresh ingredients has made it the perfect spot for creating memorable moments.

As part of the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, we offer fresh seafood that’s sourced daily, local, handcrafted microbrews, an extensive wine list and prime-graded beef. We are known for live Maine lobster, Maryland Crab cakes, a variety of fresh fish, and assorted oyster selection.

Chesapeake’s features a raw bar, Sunday brunch, and happy hour in the bar/lounge. Full menus — including gluten free options are available and can be enjoyed on our patio. Free onsite parking and a courtesy shuttle is available for local hotels.

Whether you come for the food, the drinks, or the atmosphere, you’re in for an unforgettable experience.

Buffet only on Easter, Mother's & Father's Days, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Top review

Gary

Dined 5 days ago

Josh was very good. He made dining out complete. Will recommend Chesapeake’s Dining every time.

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Popular dish

Broiled Seafood Platter

4.8

4.8 (653)

$31 to $50

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

STIR is the perfect restaurant to sip a craft cocktail over a dozen oysters, enjoy a night out, or meet for lunch. Located in the heart of Old City, the restaurant is an open-air concept with a large, heated outdoor patio. We are open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Great food starts with fresh, local ingredients. Our kitchen prepares everything from scratch, and our signature raw bar is stocked with fresh oysters and seasonal seafood. STIR is famous for craft cocktails. We freeze and carve 300-pound blocks of artisanal ice in-house, age certain cocktails in oak barrels for richer flavors, and place others on draft for crispness and carbonation. The result: categorically elevated cocktails. Our passion for fine spirits also compels us to find and share rare bottles, many of which are extremely difficult to procure. We welcome Knoxville to enjoy our unmatched cocktails, fresh seafood, and classic dishes in an atmosphere of genuine hospitality

Top review

Faith

Dined 1 day ago

Food and Drinks are always amazing. This experience with service was a little lax but not the norm. Still one of my favorites in Knoxville!

Balter Beerworks

4.8

4.8 (59)

$30 and under

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Balter Beerworks is a scratch kitchen brewpub located in downtown Knoxville. We offer a welcoming environment that celebrates craft beers and made from scratch food. Every bite and every sip at Balter is crafted daily from scratch, using the freshest ingredients available. We are constantly refreshing food and beer menus to highlight seasonal delicacies. Balter offers a place for friends and family to reconnect in a space that weaves urban aesthetics with the history of an old service station.

Top review

Volodia

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Great service and nice ambiance. Apps were very good. Burger was very average and the buffalo chicken salad was sub par. Chicken not very warm and small and strange pieces and sauce was very smoky tasting.

Wilder at Windy Hill Farm and Preserve

4.8

4.8 (55)

$50 and over

Contemporary Southern

Loudon

About the restaurant

Voted "Best Splurge Worthy Restaurant" by Travel Awaits.

Appalachian tradition is rich in grit, resourceful charm, and determination, which drives our culinary heritage. At Wilder, we cultivate farm-to-table ingredients transformed by an appreciation for international cuisine to offer a fun and unique approach to well-loved Southern staples.

Four-Course Dinner experience offered Thursday - Saturday $85/person.

20% service fee assessed on all charges. Additional tipping optional.

Limited reservations are offered nightly. Non-alcoholic beverages included.

Top review

Judy

Dined 3 days ago

Stunning! Special holiday meal and the staff, food, ambiance, location all made it amazing! Everything is so special from cocktails, appetizers, and main courses! Outstanding! 👏🏻

Harvest - Downtown

4.7

4.7 (731)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Inspired by our beloved sister restaurant in the Bearden neighborhood, Harvest Downtown on the historic 100 Block of Gay Street offers a seasonal rotating menu highlighted by the use of proteins and produce from local farmers. We are open for dinner 7 nights a week, and are proud to offer a unique lunch and brunch menu on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Our menu highlights aged midwestern hand cut steaks and premium fresh seafood selections along with several vegan, salad and house-made pasta options as well as daily chef specials.

Top review

JaneVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent food and we were visiting from Nashville where we know good restaurants. The service was superb and we were just surprised that so few people were downtown. We’ll be back!

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4.7

4.7 (85)

$30 and under

American

Oak Ridge

About the restaurant

Located along the banks of Melton Hill lake, Calhoun’s Oak Ridge sits along the beautiful Oak Ridge greenway with every seat in the restaurant offering a view of the water. This location is accessible by boat, has a a covered outdoor dining patio as well as seating around the fire pit with a panoramic view of Melton Hill Lake. Calhoun's has become a place where friends and family gather to celebrate what’s good in their lives while they sample some of Tennessee’s best BBQ, ribs, steak, and sandwiches. So come on down and experience the best hospitality and BBQ around.

Top review

Jack

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

Best meal and best service we’ve had there in two years. Really enjoyed it.

Joe's Crab Shack - Sevierville

4.3

4.3 (12)

$30 and under

Seafood

Sevierville

About the restaurant

Joe’s Crab Shack offers a variety of favorites from all parts of the sea and shore. From its extensive menu, guests can choose from buckets of seasonal seafood, fried shrimp platters and fish dishes, as well as options from the “mainland” that include steak, sandwiches, and chicken. Guests can indulge in over-sized and creative cocktails, such as the Shark Bite which is playfully garnished with a shark toy. Since its inception, Joe’s popularity has stemmed not only from its menu, but also its retail store. With various pieces of merchandise for purchase, including the ever-popular tie-dye T-shirt with the phrase “Peace, Love and Crabs,” Joe’s has become synonymous with the word “fun.”

Top review

Beth

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Joe’s is our favorite place for seafood when not at the beach. The food, the drinks, and the service are impeccable!

Bravo Italian Kitchen - Knoxville

4.2

4.2 (933)

$30 and under

Italian

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Bravo Knoxville is an upscale-casual Italian restaurant in Knoxville, perfect for those seeking authentic pasta, wood-fired pizza, and signature entrées. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails and wine in our inviting, family-friendly atmosphere, surrounded by stunning Roman-ruin décor. Planning a holiday party or Thanksgiving celebration? We offer catering services and easy reservations to make your event special. Whether dining in or ordering online, Bravo Knoxville is the place to eat in Knoxville, TN for great Italian cuisine. Visit us today-reserve your table or order online!

Top review

Dr. KathleenVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Soup was extremely good and chicken marsala was delightful!

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Popular dish

Lasagne

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