Highest-rated steakhouses in Knoxville by diners
Highest-rated steakhouses in Knoxville by diners
The French have their bistros. The English have their pubs. And the Americans have their steakhouses.
Going out for a steak has been a pivotal part of American culture for more than a century, but it wasn't always considered a high-class, expensive meal. In New York City in the 1800s, working-class folks would down pints of ale and feast on slices of beefsteak (usually without utensils and atop white or French bread) for celebratory meals. Sometimes, the "beefsteak banquet," as it was known, would be put on as a political fundraiser.
Soon, fine-dining establishments opened up to take those steak dinners up a notch, like Delmonico's in 1837, Old Homestead Steakhouse in 1868, and Carl Luger's Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley (now Peter Luger) in 1887. One thing has remained the same though: Dining at a steakhouse is still synonymous with celebration. It's the kind of meal used to mark milestone moments on the path to the American dream—get a job, buy a house, go out for steak.
The steakhouse experience has certainly modernized from the days of eating beef with your hands and slugging beers. Ordering a steak involves choosing the best cuts, like rib-eye, filet mignon, and New York strip. Then there are the starters—a shrimp cocktail, oysters Rockefeller, or a classic house salad with your choice of dressing. And of course, you can't forget all of the accouterments—the potato (baked, mashed, or au gratin?), the vegetable (creamed spinach, sautéed asparagus, or roasted broccoli?), and a slice of classic New York cheesecake to finish it off.
More than a century after the steak dinner got upgraded in New York City, chain steakhouses started bringing this central part of the American culinary tradition cross-country in the 1980s and '90s with spots like Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille. Today, with so many steakhouses to choose from, it takes high-quality service, top-of-the-line cooking, and of course, the best cuts of beef to stand out from the rest.
How will you choose where to live out this iconic American meal? To help, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated steakhouses in Knoxville, according to diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least five reviews were considered.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#21. Texas Roadhouse
- Rating: 2.5/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3071 Kinzel Way Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Outback Steakhouse
- Rating: 2.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 314 A Merchant Drive Ste A Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.0/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 118 Major Reynolds Place Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#18. LongHorn Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7740 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, American, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Texas Roadhouse
- Rating: 3.0/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 120 Morrell Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Thistle and Brier Restaurant
- Rating: 3.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 4705 Old Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, British, Irish
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Texas Roadhouse
- Rating: 3.0/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11001 Turkey Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Outback Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 330 North Peters Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Chops South
- Rating: 3.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7417 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Chop House
- Rating: 3.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4870 Harvest Mill Way Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Ye Olde Steak House
- Rating: 3.5/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6838 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 11287 Parkside Drive Ste 14 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Ruth's Chris Steak House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 950 Volunteer Landing Lane Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Chop House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 9700 Kingston Pike Ste 21 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Copper Cellar West
- Rating: 4.0/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7316 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Austin's Steak & Homestyle Buffet
- Rating: 4.0/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 900 Merchant Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Buffets, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7641 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Fire Smoke
- Rating: 4.0/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 9405 South Northshore Drive Ste 103 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Southern, Smokehouse
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Lakeside Tavern
- Rating: 4.0/5 (467 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10911 Concord Park Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Brazeiros Churrascaria - Brazilian Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6901 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Brazilian, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Connors Steak & Seafood
- Rating: 4.5/5 (650 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10915 Turkey Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 275 metros.
