Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Knoxville

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

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!

The Marlowe

4.9

4.9 (1564)

$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. The Marlowe 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

StanVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Was an incredible experience from stepping into the door, ordering drinks and apps, to the entrees and desert! Fantastic cocktails wine service and food. Absolutely perfect evening!

Northshore Brasserie

4.9

4.9 (1125)

$31 to $50

French

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Northshore Brasserie is a family owned, full-service restaurant and bar serving French Belgian cuisine in a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere. Over the last decade, we have become a Knoxville favorite known for hearty delicious food, and outstanding service. For dinner, we specialize in Brasserie classics, such as: steak frites, mussels, roast chicken, fresh seafood, and handmade pastas. We also take advantage of local produce and meats to create in season specials. Our bar has a vibrant, unpretentious atmosphere where locals and out-of-towners gather to enjoy craft cocktails, Belgian beers, and a selection of wines from around the world.

Top review

AnuragVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Excellent as always. The food service and ambience was excelllent

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Tupelo Honey - Knoxville

4.8

4.8 (2664)

$30 and under

Contemporary Southern

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Tupelo Honey is a revival of Southern Comfort Food and traditions rooted in the Carolina Mountains we call home. We craft brunches, lunches and suppers that bring family and friends around the table and allow for conversations and cocktails to linger longer than usual. Always scratch-made, always responsibly-sourced, and always Southern.

Top review

Samantha

Dined 2 days ago

My Husband brought me here for my birthday, and we loved it! The food was delicious, and the service was fantastic! We enjoyed every moment and can’t wait to visit again soon!

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Popular dish

Tupelo Shrimp & Grits (gf)

Popular dish

Biscuits for a Cause

Popular dish

Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken

Balter Beerworks

4.8

4.8 (82)

$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

Coral

Dined 3 days ago

Never a bad time! Love their beers and the environment every time!

Fleming's Steakhouse - Knoxville

4.7

4.7 (970)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Your Knoxville Fleming's is located on Parkside Drive, in the Colonial Pinnacle Turkey Creek Shopping Plaza. Fleming's in Knoxville is an outstanding choice to enjoy an exceptional Prime steak, glass of wine or handcrafted cocktail. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, hosting a business dinner or simply wanting to enjoy a night out - we will create a safe and memorable evening in our Dining Room or Outdoor Patio. If you prefer to enjoy your fine dining experience at home, you can order and pay for lunch or dinner online and then pick up curbside or select from one of our delivery partners.

Top review

Chris

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

Our waitress was fantastic as was the rest of the restaurant’s team. Food was exceptional and we really enjoyed everything

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Popular dish

Sliced Filet Mignon Sandwich

4.6

4.6 (822)

$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

Wanda

Dined 5 days ago

Great experience. Food delicious. Great for birthday celebration. We will be back!

201 Café and Wine Bar

4.6

4.6 (30)

$30 and under

American

Oak Ridge

About the restaurant

Experience distinctive dining with Mediterranean and European-American flavors and enjoy a professionally-staged local music venue. Our bar offers wine, specialty cocktails, and house-made infused liquors. Each menu item is crafted to order using fresh, whole ingredients. Join us for live jazz on Friday nights and a mix of music on Saturdays, from dance to amateur performances. Come for the food, stay for the music!

Top review

Wesley

Dined 2 days ago

The crab cakes were an amazing- (and we are from the coast) great cocktails- suggest reservations. The live band was fabulous! 110 in the shade- a must see.

The Drawing Room

4.2

4.2 (16)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

The Drawing Room is a one-of-a-kind experience nestled within the walls of the premier luxury hotel, The Tennessean. Open to the hotel guests and those not staying at the hotel. Leather lounge seating and well-appointed decor are just the start as you enter this intimate setting. Join us for breakfast, dinner or our famous Afternoon Tea! Enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail while basking in the warmth and elegance of this must try Restaurant. Make your reservation today!

Top review

Madeline

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

Food was great. Tea was delightful and we had a great time. I would prefer that the teapot be left on the table to save the waitress numerous trips to kitchen. Well worth the trip to Knoxville. 😊

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Experience

Gatsby Tea

Experience

Nutcracker Tea Service

Experience

Afternoon Tea Service

Joe's Crab Shack - Sevierville

4.0

4 (30)

$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

Ray

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

Waiter was really nice and knowledgeable about the menu and even made suggestions! I would return if ever back in town.

Calhoun's Bearden Hill

3.9

3.9 (79)

$30 and under

American

Bearden Hill

About the restaurant

Calhoun’s Bearden is located at 6515 Kingston Pike, very close to I-40/I-75 (Papermill Road Exit) in West Knoxville. This is the home of our custom-built, steam-heated microbrewery where we handcraft specialty beers to the taste of Tennesseans. The brewery’s copper kettles can easily be seen from most seating in this contemporary atmosphere. 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

Sherry

Dined on Apr 21, 2025

It was a most pleasant experience. The food was good and our server Blake was great. I don’t usually go to this location, but I will from now on.

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