Dead End BBQ - Quick Review

Last week I made my inaugural visit to Dead End BBQ for lunch. Some thoughts:

Pros:

Excellent meats – tender pork BBQ good enough to eat without sauce; smoky beef brisket is the best I’ve had in Knoxville by far. I also sampled 1 rib (how much for 1 rib?!) and ‘twas good. This is why I’ll be going back for more.

Convenient location – it’s located on Sutherland Avenue, close to downtown and short-west Bearden.

Beer and Wine – Woodruff IPA on tap along with standard domestics, domestic and import bottles and they serve several wines too (no liquor); happy hours 4-7 pm and beer bucket specials available.

Cons:

Parking – the parking lot is too small to handle peak hours when everyone drives themselves 1 per vehicle so I recommend carpooling if possible. Night hours may be different when the neighboring produce market is closed to allow spill-over parking.

Too clean – It’s brand new and clean as a whistle! Ok, that’s really good but it is too neat and fresh and just doesn’t have that rundown, hole-in-the-wall feel that you expect with a good BBQ joint.

Sides* – the macaroni & cheese and beans with sausage were unimpressive. The M&C was bland and the beans were served at room temperature or below, twice. *I’ve only been once so they probably can do better. The guy next to me at the bar said his greens and corn on the cob were good. The jalapeño cornbread was spicy.

What Bad Economy?

New bars and restaurants have been popping up faster than I can keep track of. We’ve already covered The Hill and Tin Roof near campus. Now there are two more in Bearden (short west), another one on the way on Sutherland and a resurrected fine dining restaurant just up the road. I haven’t been able to visit any of these places but I do have some balanced second-hand information to pass on. Let’s start some rumors!

Level 10 – Oh boy. The location of this place makes me nervous from the start. Situated on the west corner of The Shops at Western Plaza where Corky’s BBQ used to be, Level 10 is going for the double-whammy of Sports Bar/Live Music Venue. The location is actually pretty good and they rightly point out the ample free parking behind the building. They appear to be aiming for the budget and college crowd. The food menu is basic as it gets and the drink menu features lots of domestic beer deals, happy hours and nightly specials. Here is a not so good first impression of Level 10 by local blogger "Philly".

Hard Knox Pizzeria – In the same shopping plaza Hard Knox Pizzeria is right smack in the middle of the shops between Soho Café and the Runners Market. This is strictly a pizza joint. They bake their pies in a wood fired 850 degree oven, Neapolitan style. This I have to have, and soon. A particular friend has already given it the thumbs up and has become a regular in short time. Yes, they do serve beer, brewed by Knoxville’s very own Woodruff Brewing Company. I will be there very soon.

Dead End BBQ – This is a brand new one I just saw driving on Sutherland Ave. Naturally I stopped for a look and pictures. I don’t know anything about it other than what I read on their website and some random sports blog postings. I get the impression they are going to be good. According to the City of Knoxville’s website they have been approved to serve cold beer. Will this be the barbecue haven so many people have been waiting for? Opening date is Monday, October 5.

The Orangery – Knoxville’s classic fine dining restaurant has reopened with a redesigned bar area and new hours. Great to see them back in business, good luck. Read about it here.