Calhoun's On The River in Knoxville

Great place to hang out by the river. Excellent food. Ribs were definitely one of our favorites. Wonderful atmosphere and great place to watch game and listen to fireworks from stadium near by. Definitely restaurant worth visit.

Excellent service, first and foremost. Great food. My house salad was divine and the catfish is good. I dont know what they season the steamed broccoli with, but its great!

A must visit Restaurant in Knoxville. All are prefect, the location, food taste great even looking at other people meal looks yum. Service is great. There are outdoor and indoor tables. View is amazing and Banana Pudding is a MUST dessert to try can be share since thr portion is very generous.

Place was great and had a good view. Prices were fairnfor the area and actually were cheaper then expected when eating on the water or with a great view.The pickle chips were great and came with a sweet sauce. Burgers were well cooked but not dry and the BBQ was really good as well.The portions were also more then generous. Would 10/10 come back.

Awesome location right on the river. Plenty of outdoor seating with a great view of Neeland stadium. Large dining room with multiple bars. The day we visited was a little busy busy so the service was a little slow but they were kind and helpful. Overall a good experience.

Parking was horrible, I felt like a buzzard circling for a spot. Restaurant was crowded but we were seated right away. Taxidermy could use a heavy dusting! Smokehouse salad was good and proportionate, boneless wing were also good although the celery was very skimpy. Long Island tea’s we’re perfectly made. The patio was crowded but everyone looked happy. Other than our waitress disappearing for a while, she was friendly and pleasant.

Very nice ambiance. It’s lovely to eat outside here when the whether is nice, especially with the view of the water. Our server was very efficient. She was very attentive and took care of us well.I ordered the fish and chips and it tasted mediocre. The apps and ribs were good, but I definitely expected more for my meal. But overall, I definitely recommend checking this place out for the stunning views and optimal customer service.

This location was not great. We arrived before it got super busy. A table that was sat after us ordered got their drinks before we were even approached by our server. I’d say we got the food within a decent time. After our food was brought out we never saw our server again. We asked for butter and sour cream at the time of ordering, reminded our server after they brought out food, and we never received it. We went to the front desk to ask for help, and the manager came and spoke with us. She discounted our bill and offered free desserts. Food was nothing special and the desserts didn’t look appealing. We noticed another table who had to ask for stuff that they never received. Also, as we were leaving, another table who received drinks and had been waiting about 30 minutes, but never ordered, asked us if it took awhile and how the food was. We saw them leave soon after us. I appreciate the managers effort, but for the quality and price, I would not come back.

Our family of five love Calhouns!Its worth the wait and the parking hassle on a Saturday night. Food and drink prices are reasonable. The kids menu is the best in the city.

The food was pretty good. The waitress was not great, but she tried. The view was nice, and they had live music outside. The pulled pork potato skins were very good, the prime rib was very good, and the macadamia nut banana pudding was AWESOME! Defintely worth a visit if youre in Knoxville.

Amazing BBQ! The ribs were delicious and perfectly cooked so the bone fell right out of the meat! The service was impressive and they were on top of our every want and need. And the strawberry shortcake slider was out of this world! Thank you guys for an amazing lunch ❤️

I’d like to give this place a better review, because I liked the service, drinks, wings, and literally everything about this place except for the BBQ. I got the sampler platter and all three meats extremely dry, and the brisket on the cool side of room temperature. I was there at the beginning of the day so maybe I was served something warmed up from the night before, but the meat was very disappointing for a BBQ joint.

We were visiting Tennessee and we looked online for Pigeon Forge eats & they were able to accommodate our group of 7.Suggest making a stop to get a table as it can be a wait, we waited 50 minutes on a Sunday, but so much to see and do right there. Roomy and classy decor, our waitress Eileen was friendly, accommodating and wonderful.As they were so busy a couple of the items we wanted were unavailable, however we were not disappointed.No matter if its pulled bbq pork, burger, rack of ribs, shrimp & steak and LOVED the loaded baked potato!!!!Just under $140 for the 7 of us and well worth it all around. A must visit if youre in Pigeon Forge,Tn.

We werent quite sure what to expect here but it was great. The portions were good for the price and the quality was great. The staff was really nice and helpful with our needs.My only suggestion would be to get more than 1 type of BBQ sauce going. It has an acquired taste that not everyone likes. I think thats why most places with BBQ have a variety.The restaurant has a great view of the Tennessee River from inside. There is also an outside dining option but as did not sit there since we were told it had a "limited" menu.Overall a great experience.

Great view of the river with a variety of lunch options. They were very kind to the kiddos and had a kids menu available. They had a veggie burger option as well.The portion sizes were large and quite tasty. They also offered a nice selection of cocktails.

Prompt and friendly service. The ribs were a bit dry and not very tender. Great patio.

A very southern restaurant and the portions are big. They have very good tator tots than French fries. The river view is great but you can have it the same sitting inside than on the deck. Food is just good but nothing really special.

Beautiful setting! Terrible food & service. It would probably be okay for drinks and specific apps. The blueberry thyme lemonade and beer cheese were delicious, and the highlights of our meal.

Waited about 30 minutes to be sat at a table that was open when we got there. Hostesses where busy talking and mingling. Drinks were definitely 5 stars, bartender was attentive and fast in the outside bar. Once we sat down, we waited and additional 20Minutes for the server to come see us. I ended up going back to the bar to get our own drinks. Once we did order we never received our appetizer( we had it removed from the billand the food was cold. Aside from the location( view by the riverand the drinks, we wouldDefinitely not come back. Pretty disappointed with the service and the food.

Being from Texas I wanted to try some different bbq and man it was on point here ribs where fantastic and the local beer was great definitely recommend will come back if I’m ever passing threw again

I always like to throw out the disclaimer that I don’t like barbecue much. This is why I get other food when I go to a barbecue place. I got fish and chips and some spinach artichoke dip.The spinach and cheese dip was fine but man. Those chips. Help me. They were covered in grease and half of them were kind of rubbery and gross. Please don’t even bother serving those to people!Fortunately our server brought us some new chips (he said they were “from the inside”… so ask for chips from the inside if yours are bobo when you are sitting outside). The new ones were actually crispy and crunchy like a chip should be.My fish and chips were good, I feel like it’s hard to mess up fish and chips.Personally I would probably give them a 3 since one of our friends with us got nachos and the chips were the same sad “outside” chips instead of crispy, crunchy “inside” chips but my husband is a big fan so taking that and the service/ambiance into account (live band playing right by us, awesome view of the river), I bumped them up to a 3.5, this rounding up to the 4 stars as you can see here.

The view in the staff are really wonderful it is on the river so you do get a really nice view if you’re lucky and they’re not super packed and you’re stuck somewhere in the middle of the restaurant. I was lucky and got a nice view of the river got to watch beautiful boats drive-by. they’ve got to figure out a better bathroom situation because every time I went to the bathroom there was always a line going outside the door. I had a good overall experience but I would say that the food is very mediocre and probably not worth the price tag.

Calhouns is a chain restaurant that has several locations in the Knoxville/Tennessee area. However, this particular location comes with a great view. The Deck (outdoor diningis very casual and comes with a a smaller version of their indoor dining menu. Great southern fare and the wait staff are friendly and accommodating.Ive dined indoors and out and either is a great choice...but on a perfect day (sunny, 80°), outdoors is where its at. My only suggestion is that the outdoor dining furniture be updated to something a bit more comfortable. The wrought iron tables and chairs are probably easy to maintain in the outdoor elements, but after awhile sitting becomes somewhat uncomfortable and I was always worried that my drink would tip over on the tabletop.You might wonder why only 4 stars given this review. I am the type of person who reserves that 5th star for only the best of the best in unique dining experiences...so chain restaurants are usually exempt from this category. But you cant go wrong at Calhouns on the river. Every food item Ive tried so far is very good (from Fried Green Tomatoes, Fish & Chips, to their BBQ, Ive never regretted my food selection).Be mindful that they can be extremely busy and the parking can be challenging on their busiest days and nights, so you might have to walk a bit.(Cost is higher if you have adult beverages.)

I cannot say enough about this place. When we first came, we were almost dismayed by the almost hour delay for seating. We decided to get on the list anyway due to the scene riverfront walk while we wait. We managed to get in after about a half hour. Gabriel was our server and was super attentive with everything we needed with no lulls in drinks or ordering. We started with fried pickles, and holy cow I cant rave enough about them even despite the price. I normally hate Cole slaw and baked beans and I ate both and would eat more. Even my kid ate the kids burger without complaint, even though he normally wouldnt eat a burger made on a charcoal grill. Our only minor complaint was the BBQ sauce was rather sweet and not much tang. With how well everything was, it wasnt even worth taking even half a star off the review. All in all I would come back again and recommend this place to anyone who is in the area.

This was a pleasant place to visit while family was in town. The wet wings are definitely a must have! I indulged in the “summer lemonade”, DELICIOUS! Both the ‘Sweet & Spicy’ wet wings in the thunder road sauce and the summer lemonade are for sure my “go to” options.Be mindful that there is a separate menu for outdoor seating. Although it is smaller, the deck menu, was still sufficient in my opinion.

Great views, great service, and great food. BBQ ribs were especially amazing. Mac Nut Banana Pudding is meant to be shared, because it was huge.

Wow this is a gem for knoxville. I travel a lot and look for undiscovered local places. Pictured below is food from the outdoor deck, menu may vary and inside restaurant has different offerings. Starters pictured are the bacon wrapped burnt ends with some house bbq sauce, and loaded pulled pork potato skins. AMAZING! Burnt ends were tender and the bacon wrap stellar. the potato skins were absolutely stuffed with delicious smoked pulled pork crusted with a cheese blend and green onions, with a side of sour cream dipping. the Calhouns Trio, had a generous portion of Ribs, chicken tenders, pulled pork and choice of side. Ribs were expertly cooked light glaze of bbq sauce and fall off the bone. the Chicken tenders... WOW have to rate in my top 5. lightly battered, well seasoned and fried but so juicy they just melted in your mouth. Great honey mustard dipping sauce as well. wonderful pulled pork. we chose the Smokey mountain beans and again so good loaded with pork and just right spice. views, experience all good, dont forget to try some craft beers.

Amazing food!! I would call for a reservation on week days because it could be very busy! I got the salad with apples, nuts, cranberries, and grilled chicken. It was Devine. My husband and I also shared the fried pickles for an appetizer and they were amazing as well! 10/10!

I love the bartenders here. It’s my favorite place to sit out side during the summer. Love the nachos! I haven’t had the best experience with other food here.

The smoked wings and ribs are good. The salad is really good but the banana pudding was up there with my Mothers!!!! If you like banana pudding, this is a must-try!

Had lunch at Calhoun’s on The River and it was delightful. Loved the view of the Tennessee River while enjoying our lunch. The pomegranate lemonade was delicious! The fried green tomatoes appetizer was my favorite! My actual lunch was just okay. Didn’t really like the BBQ sauce.

We had the best experience dining here! The service was attentive and warm. I started off with the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice that was refreshing and delicious followed by fried pickles which had a crunchy batter crust outside and were juicy on the inside. The baby back ribs were excellent and the pulled pork was so good. The chicken wings had great seasoning & were delicious too

We were back in Knoxville for an event and found ourselves back here after 16 years. We loved our seats in full view of the water. Delicious food. We cant wait till we get back.

Pretty decent place, the food was standard fare but no complaints, great views of course. I bet this place is a hoot on game days. The fish was good, not crispy enough for me but was pleasant tasting and the fries were pretty average, could have been served hotter. My dining companion has the baked potato and also the white bean/chicken chili soup, she didn’t say much so I’m guessing it was okay. I’d like to come back for dinner someday to get the full experience.I

Beautiful setting. The building and decor are gorgeous. Great attentive service. The food was good. Lots of gluten free options. Highly recommend!

This was our first time to this Calhouns and it was a much better experience. The service was great with servers working together to keep drinks filled and tables cleaned off. The food was so much better than the original on Kingston Pike. The pulled pork was soft and flavorful even without bbq sauce. The bread was fresh and delicious. The appetizer was pulled pork potato skins, tasty! The salad was good but the dressing was meh. They need a homemade ranch. Overall it was a much better experience and would love to return in the summer for outdoor dining.

What a great meal. The boneless wings are delicious must stop if youre in the area. The views of the river were really nice.

I used google maps to decide where to eat and Calhoun’s has high ratings, so I decided to try it. My server was Sha and she was sweet and kind and great. I ordered the brisket and it was over half pure fat. The actual meat was overly greasy and left visible grease on the plate. Not juicy, just greasy. The acorn squash was honestly gross, but the spinach was out of this world delish!! The biscuits before the meal were soft and warm and also delish. The takeaway: I spent $20 for delish spinach and biscuit

We had lunch before the UGA vs UT game. Go Dawgs!! They managed the entire process of moving 400+ people waiting to get in so well! We got seated promptly and our order was served correctly. I had the brisket plate and it was very tasty! Wait staff was excellent and the entire experience was very impressive. Definitely recommend! Thank you!!

Awesome place right on the river. My friend got the ribs and loved them. I got the smokehouse salad and also loved it. 10/10 would come back.

We had dinner here and thoroughly enjoyed it! The wait on a Saturday night around 6pm was about 45 minutes, but that was fine with us because we were able to walk along the river and enjoy the park. It has beautiful views of the bridges as well as a walkway with fountains and swings. The food was very good, and the kids menu had a good selection. We would recommend this place to anyone in the Knoxville area.

Great service and the food and cocktails were excellent. Probably the best sirloin I have ever had. Perfectly seasoned and cooked. I highly recommend the Ale Steak. My partner in crime got the Southern Fried Catfish dinner and really enjoyed it.

Visiting TN to look for a place to buy so we can move. We are trying different places for food, and Calhouns did not disappoint! The best thing I had was the Brisket Chilli. We also ordered the Bacon Wrapped Burnt ends and they were Awsome too. For my main meal I tried the BBQ baby back ribs. They were very good. Best of all, we had an Amazon waitress, Paige! She was awesome and she is a freshman at UT! She was very friendly and did an amazing job. GOOD LUCK IN COLLEGE PAIGE! Highly recommend you come and experience Calhouns. One last note, after a Vols game, this place gets packed, but the wait, which was only 25 min, was well worth it.

We came here for appetizers and were not disappointed. There was a good selection to choose from and everything was well prepared and tasted delicious. Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable, and it was great to have a table by the window and look out over the expansive views. Would recommend for groups.

Great service and beautiful views. Food was great especially the boneless sweet and spicy ones. Prices are a bit steep in my opinion. There is a weird smell inside the restaurant, but nothing too overwhelming. Great place overall.

Really nice atmosphere, and really great service. The food was fresh and came out quickly. We tried the loaded potato skins, bacon wrapped burnt ends, roasted smoked chicken and kickback burger.The potato skins were very good. We enjoyed the bbq/cheese ratio. The bacon wrapped burnt ends were incredibly good as well, probably our favorite thing we tried. The kickback burger with the sauce is a great burger; highly recommend if you like some spice. The roast chicken was mediocre. It wasn’t really smoky, lacking some flavor overall and was very fatty as well. Just kind of a blah/meh feel. Wouldn’t recommend that, but I would recommend everything else we tried and the service and views are honestly unmatched.

Right on the river!!! I could not have asked for a more enjoyable local spot to spend lunch meeting with new clients. This is a HIGE facility that MANY locals and out of towners frequent. The food was spot on and the service was even better. This is a popular place so be sure to call ahead or make reservations as you will want to get ahead of the curve so you’re not waiting and hour to be seated. The deck and river seating is an excellent view that allows your eyes to feast while you fill your belly! I’d 100% recommend this place to anyone.

Food was average, waiter was great, but hostess was rude. She acted like she was unhappy to be there and didnt care about the customers. My whole party felt this way by her behavior and even witnessed her doing it to others that came for lunch. I would have given them a 2 based on her, but our waiter was great. I can say the view was nice, but overall we wont be back.

Our host that seated us, Tylee was very, very nice and engaging. Beautiful location and the outside patio overlooking the River. The view is very nice with a relaxing atmosphere, we enjoyed see several kayaks paddling by as we ate. The inside is inviting and comfortable. Gave 4 Stars because my chicken was very undercooked and had to send it back, but it ended up being delicious. Their menu was filled with a great selections to choose from. My wife’s said her Cod was delicious. She also tried a bite of our grandson’s steak which was cooked perfectly and was very good. The waitress was friendly, the manager came by and apologized for the chicken and was very polite. We will be back.

Large establishment. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was the smell which turned me off a bit, but once seated I did not really notice it anymore. The server was very nice. My burger was average. Tots were yummy. My son said his ribs were very good. Nice view of the river. 3.5 stars from me, 4.5 from my son.