City guideKnoxville, Tennessee
BBQ in Knoxville, TN: Spots to Try
Barbecue spots in Knoxville, TN, from Gay Street downtown to Kingston Pike, Chapman Highway and Magnolia Avenue, with each address from the spot's own site.
Every address below comes from the spot’s own site, checked Nov 5, 2026. Spots are grouped by where they are, not ranked. This guide is part of a BBQ guide starting in Tennessee; for the whole area, see Knoxville and the Smokies.
BBQ in Knoxville, TN at a glance
- 12 locations from 7 spots: one downtown, the rest along Kingston Pike, Sutherland Avenue, Ebenezer Road, North Broadway, Tazewell Pike, Magnolia Avenue and Chapman Highway.
- Buddy’s Bar-B-Q lists six Knoxville locations; its Bearden spot dates to 1972, per Buddy’s own story.
- Readers’ picks from Knoxville Community Votes 2026 are in where locals eat.
Downtown Knoxville BBQ
The Humble Hog
The Humble Hog is on Gay Street, downtown, per its own site.
Knoxville BBQ spots by neighborhood
West Knoxville, Bearden and Farragut
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Bearden
Buddy's Bar-B-Q lists its Bearden location on Kingston Pike, the original from 1972 per Buddy's own story.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Bearden spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Bearden →
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, West Knoxville
Another Buddy's on Kingston Pike, farther west, per Buddy's location list.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, West Knoxville spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, West Knoxville →
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Farragut
Buddy's lists its Farragut location on West End Avenue.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Farragut spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Farragut →
Dead End BBQ
Dead End BBQ is on Sutherland Avenue, per its own site.
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q
Jim 'N Nick's lists its Knoxville location on Kingston Pike.
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q spot pageTheir site: Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q →
North and East Knoxville
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, North Broadway
Buddy's lists a North Broadway location.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, North Broadway spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, North Broadway →
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, East Knoxville
Buddy's lists an East Knoxville location on Magnolia Avenue.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, East Knoxville spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, East Knoxville →
South Knoxville
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, South Knoxville
Buddy's lists its South Knoxville location on Chapman Highway.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q, South Knoxville spot pageTheir site: Buddy's Bar-B-Q, South Knoxville →
Where locals eat BBQ in Knoxville
We don’t rank spots, so here’s what Knoxville readers voted. In the Knoxville Community Votes 2026 BBQ Restaurants winners, a reader vote:
- Platinum: Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, Hardwood BBQ and Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
- Gold: Dead End BBQ
- Silver: Smoked Pickle Barbecue
- Bronze: The Humble Hog
Its Top Picks list also names Billie Rae’s and Sweet P’s, among others.
Smaller spots worth the drive
Single-location spots, each with its address from its own site:
Sweet P's Uptown Corner
Sweet P's Uptown Corner is on Tazewell Pike in North Knoxville, per its own site. Tennessee's tourism office features it on its barbecue bucket list, credited in our best-of lists guide.
Sweet P's Uptown Corner spot pageTheir site: Sweet P's Uptown Corner →
Smoked Pickle Barbecue
Smoked Pickle Barbecue is on Ebenezer Road in West Knoxville, per its own site.
Smoked Pickle Barbecue spot pageTheir site: Smoked Pickle Barbecue →
Billie Rae's BBQ
Billie Rae's is on East Magnolia Avenue, per its own site.
What credited lists say
In a release published on Franchising.com on Oct 14, 2025, Buddy’s Bar-B-Q said it won best barbecue in the 2025 Knox News Community Choice Awards. Tennessee’s tourism office features Sweet P’s Uptown Corner on its barbecue bucket list; see Tennessee barbecue on the best-of lists for that list and others, each credited.
Heading to the Smokies?
See spots in Knoxville and the Smokies. Driving on through the state? Try where to eat barbecue in Chattanooga or the Tennessee BBQ trail.
FAQ
Where do the locals eat BBQ in Knoxville?
In the 2026 Knoxville Community Votes, a reader vote, the BBQ restaurant winners were Buddy's Bar-B-Q, Hardwood BBQ and Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q (Platinum), Dead End BBQ (Gold), Smoked Pickle Barbecue (Silver) and The Humble Hog (Bronze).
Who has the best barbecue in Knoxville?
We don't rank spots. Buddy's Bar-B-Q says it won Knox News Community Choice for best barbecue in 2025, and Knoxville Community Votes 2026 readers placed Buddy's, Hardwood BBQ and Jim 'N Nick's at Platinum. Both are linked in the sources.
Is there BBQ in downtown Knoxville?
Yes. The Humble Hog is at 312 S. Gay St., downtown, per its own site.
Run a Knoxville spot?
Don’t see yours? Add your spot and we’ll take a look.
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Sources
All sources checked Nov 5, 2026.
- Home · The Humble Hog · published Nov 5, 2026
- Thanksgiving (location list) · Buddy's Bar-B-Q · published Nov 5, 2026
- Our story · Buddy's Bar-B-Q · published Nov 5, 2026
Show all 10 sourcesShow fewer sources
- Home · Dead End BBQ · published Nov 5, 2026
- Knoxville, 7727 Kingston Pike · Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q · published Nov 5, 2026
- Home · Sweet P's · published Nov 5, 2026
- Home · Smoked Pickle Barbecue · published Nov 5, 2026
- Home · Billie Rae's BBQ · published Nov 5, 2026
- 2026 winners: BBQ Restaurants · Knoxville Community Votes · published Nov 5, 2026
- East Tennessee Readers Crown Buddy's bar-b-q With Multiple Honors (Oct 14, 2025) · Franchising.com (Buddy's Bar-B-Q release) · published Nov 5, 2026
How we write guides. We don’t publish our own reviews or scores. Listings reflect where independent press and readers’ polls agree, and every claim links to its source. Hours and sell-outs change, so check with the spot before you drive.
More guides: all guides · Tennessee
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