Knoxville , Tennessee
Date of Visit: 02-03-2007
Food: 3.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Value: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3.83 out of 5
Disclaimer: I am a bbq/smoking enthusiast; however, I understand
the impracticalities of producing true perfect bbq at a cost peo ...
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Date of Visit: 02-03-2007
Food: 3.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Value: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3.83 out of 5
Disclaimer: I am a bbq/smoking enthusiast; however, I understand
the impracticalities of producing true perfect bbq at a cost people
would be willing to pay in a commercial restaurant. So I am reviewing
this based on what a BBQ restaurant would produce, not a home based smoker.
Sonny’s BBQ started some 40 years ago near my hometown of Jacksonville,
FL so I was excited when they opened two locations nearby.
Alexis and I visited the Peters Road location for lunch today. The location
was very clean. Even though it was decorated in what I call “Fred Sanford”
style (all kinds of junk/ memorabilia on the walls) that is so popular
at casual establishments these days, it wasn’t genuinely rustic like
the Sonny’s I went to in FL for years…..I guess you’d have to call it “faux
rustic”.
We were immediately greeted by the staff and seated promptly by the
host. Our waiter, Nathan, was good about getting us menus and drinks,
then giving us time to select our order. I choose the baby back ribs,
beans & slaw while my lovely bride opted for the pulled pork sandwich
with a baked sweet potato on the side.
The ribs were good but I would have preferred them to be served dry with
the sauce on the side. Instead, they came with a dark, sweet tomato based
sauce on them. The meat was fall off the bone tender and had a good flavor.
The pulled pork did come “nekkid” so I had the opportunity to taste it
before Alexis hit it with sauce. It was cooked to tender but lacked any
evidence of a smoke ring or smoke flavor. My wife commented that without
the sauce, it tasted like had been cooked in an oven or crock-pot. That
being said, most people wouldn’t notice a difference since they would
drown it in BBQ sauce anyway. My beans were sweet and spicy just like
I like them (much better than what Buddy’s serves), the slaw was average
(not bad, not great), and the sweet potato was good.
As far as commercial BBQ joints go, Sonny’s BBQ is one of the best in Knoxville.
In fact, I’d say it ranks second only to M & M Catering but in fairness,
they are two different creatures! (M & M’s is take out only)
I would recommend Sonny’s to anyone seeking out good BBQ in Knoxville.
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