This restaurant is in a nice little building with a beautiful view...and that's about all I can say that is nice about the place. Service was painfully slow. We almost got up and left before someone came by for our drink order. My boyfriend and I both ordered sweet tea and it was pretty good. We had time to drink a half glass by the time the waitress got back to take our order. I ordered the catfish dinner with fries and potato salad. My BF ordered a pulled pork dinner with fries.We waited forever for our food...easily an hour. It wouldn't have been so bad but the table next to us ordered well after we did and ordered pretty much the same thing and got their food first. After getting the food, The catfish was over fried and hard. The fries were ok, the potato salad was under cooked and tasteless.The rolls were very good. BF's pulled pork was dry but ok in sauce. I was almost tempted into desert but decided against the wait. We had to wait for our check and actually had to go find our waitress to pay. We may return if we have time to kill but over all I was so disappointed that it will be a long time before that happens. Over all I say skip it.
(2)
Tomi R.
What a hidden gem! Love this place! They have great portions for the price, amazing customer service and awesome bbq sauce! Get the sampler platter and fired pickles! I'm so glad I found out about this place and look forward to going back soon!
(5)
Chris P.
This place is close to perfect. A few touches is all it needs. The meats were awesome, but the sides and veggies were sorta lacking some flair and flavor. The BBQ sauces are really good and balanced. Our server was sweet as can be. The view from the deck was great, especially for the affordable meal. Oh, and every BBQ joint needs paper towels instead of weak napkins! C'mon now ... I WILL definitely be back. Nom nom
(4)
April A.
I was in Caryville for work and was told to stop here the next time I was in town as it was supposed to be amazing. A colleague and I went for dinner and was HIGHLY unimpressed!! The tables were dirty, the service was TERRIBLE and the food was lacking. It took about 15-20 minutes to get our appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes. We both ordered the turkey burger and it literally took almost an hour to get our food!! 5 other tables walked in after us, and all received their food prior to us. When I inquired to the status of our food, I had to flag our waitress down and we got a really short explanation of "they take longer!" That would have been nice to know... When we ordered. After our burgers were served, it was literally the patty on a bun... No toppings. Again, we flagged our waitress down (as she did not once stop to check on us!!!) and asked if we could have some lettuce and tomato. Again, we got a very clipped "it usually doesn't come with that but I'll get it." Neither of us got refills on our drinks the entire time we were there. Nor did we relieve our checks after sitting at our table for about 15 minutes with our plates (AND CUPS) empty. We finally had to walk up to the register and ask for it. The lady checking us out never even asked if things were ok!!! I observed our server being very nice to the tables around us... Just not to us. Maybe you have to be a local to get good, speedy service!!! Needless to say... Next time I am in the area... I will NOT be going here!!!!!
(1)
Marcie M.
Food is wonderful and reasonably priced, service very friendly. Smoked pork, BBQ ribs that melt off the bone, fresh and crispy catfish; heck, even the slaw was great. Only sorry we couldn't eat more. Cobbler was more like a pie, but no complaints from us. We're telling everyone who'll listen about this little gem.
(5)
Fran A.
It's good. We had the fried pickles, salmon, green beans, baked potato and salad. Pretty basic. I thought it was a pretty expensive meal considering we drank iced tea and only got one entree. Note: The address is wrong on this site.
(3)
Sam S.
Good music, nice people and great barbecue. Rating barbecue is somewhat subjective. I have eaten barbecue all over the United States and consider myself a barbecue connoisseur. I would give them a solid eight on their baby back ribs. With a little more smoke I would give them a 10. But I consider myself spoiled when it comes to ribs. This place is far from fancy but it's perfect for barbecue. They have a stage upfront and have Bluegrass on the weekends. The view from the restaurant is awesome. Just sitting there and listen to Bluegrass and suck on some baby back ribs is one of the greatest pleasures in life. The young ladies that work there were extremely polite. They keep the restaurant very clean and are very hospitable. I read in some of the other reviews that the place was dirty. I personally saw all the young ladies scrubbing down each table as customers left. I also saw them going into the bathroom several times during my visit to clean up. Maybe these other people got there after the rush on the Friday and Saturday night. This is not fine dining people it's barbecue. They give you a half a rack of ribs for $13 and a full ride for $18.
(4)
Lindsey B.
We were on a road trip from Indianapolis to Gatlinburg, when we were looking for a place to stop for lunch. We like to try new places when we go ob trips. So we just randomly found this place. I highly recommend stopping here. It was a Wednesday at about 2pm. The service was excellent. The restaurant has a great view. The food was very tasty! We started with some fried green tomatoes. Yummay!!! My husband and I split the top combo which gave us a taste of the ribs, the chicken thighs, and pulled pork. The ribs had a great smoky flavor. The chicken was fall off the bone good. The pulled pork was very good. It comes with 4 sides which we got cole slaw, baked beans, green beans and sweet potato fries. The baked beans were very tasty with a sweet and chili flavor. The sweet potato fries were the best I've had. For dessert we had a fried apple dumpling which was delectable!
(5)
Cory P.
The view gets 5 stars! But, the food.... eh.
(2)
Danielle M.
Best place in town hands down. Been here many times and never have been disappointed. Monday and Thursday are live bluegrass nights.
(5)
Joe G.
Beautiful location in Cove Lake Park; live music Monday and Thursday; very good BBQ I hated the potato salad, which has ranch in it, but that might just be me.
(4)
Anita B.
Beautiful view, old school diner decor. Service was great and was very helpful and polite in answering gluten free questions. Their fries are cooked in a dedicated fryer and the owner, competitive cook, says there is no gluten in their BBQ sauce or baked beans. I had the chicken thighs which we're fall of the bone good! They did bring my food out with a slice of bread but it honestly wasn't touching anything and I decided to just remove it. Risky, I know.
(4)
Clinton R.
Location is kind of hard to find if your from out of town. Service is excellent and attentive. Food is amazing, I had the chicken thighs, onion rings and sweet potato fries mmmmmm.
(5)
Marty B.
As we walk in, I spot an omen of good tidings. A chalkboard sign proudly proclaims the appetizer special for the day. "Fried Green Maters"! Lord, I am stoked! You see, this is an appetizer that has become ubiquitous in some trendy restaurants and restaurant circles. Every budding "Top Chef" and James Beard pretender has been serving Fried Green Tomatoes in some weird bastardization of the real deal. Stacked with Goat Cheese smeared between the layers and drizzled with Balsamic reduction. Heirloom Tomatoes... Chipotle Dipping Sauce.... Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce... etc. The truth was evident here in that one glorious, iconic colloquialism. "MATERS"! I was salivating as we were led to our seat, and poor SWMBO was listening to me ecstatically babbling about the treasures I felt we were to be served. I guess my babbling was also overheard by a man that I found was the owner. He came up and introduced himself as Mark Rickard, proud proprietor. We started talking 'que and he told me that he had won some awards. he then talked a little about their menu and mentioned their "Top Combo" and also a new cut of meat called a Pork Ribeye. I am not familiar with the cut, and he described a boneless rib chop cut from heirloom pigs that are specially bred for their marbled meat. Jackie ordered that and I went with the Top Combo. I also (of course) ordered the Maters. Mark and I talked a little more. He about his restaurant and food and I about my quest and actual knowledge about what is good 'cue. While waiting for our food, Mark came back with a small plate with two BBQ chicken thighs on it. A specialty of the house that he wanted me to try, and I was grateful. That chicken had a wonderful smoky smell and a beautiful golden brown skin. When I pulled at the skin, it came off in a wonderful crispy piece. I bit in to what I can only describe as Chicken Bacon. Crisp, warm, redolent of the hardwood that had blessed it and whispering to me that the best was yet to come. The meat was juicy, tender and flavored with just the right amount of salt and smoke. Seriously, the best chicken I have had in my mouth in years. Bravo Mark, bravo, Chicken is so often smoked to the point of being dry. This showed a deft and knowledgeable touch. The Fried Green Maters came in a basket. About eight thick slices the diameter of a baseball. The crust was a crunchy, warm, non-greasy cornmeal masterpiece and the green tomatoes inside were firm yet still melted away like tomato butter. There was a dipping sauce, but I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure what it was. I could not bring myself to adulterate the perfection of that simple peasant dish that had been so expertly prepared. These tomatoes, fried to the peak of their deliciousness needed nothing but a tongue and some teeth on them to bring out their goodness. Goat Cheese be damned! Jackie received her Pork Ribeye. It was probably about a 6 ounce cut and was dwarfed by what appeared to be a 50ct baked potato. That is a one pound potato, and it was at least that. The pork was expertly cooked and moist enough to be fork tender. I've had Filet Mignon that required more work than this to eat. The drawback was that it was seasoned with what appeared to be Cajun Seasoning. Jackie does not like this! She likes her food to speak for itself. It was a shame that the description we got did not mention the heavy spice. You don't have to mention salt and pepper, but this is a strong flavor. She scraped what she could off and still enjoyed what she could eat. Now on to my Top Combo. This is a $19.99 meal served in an aluminum halfpan. The contents: a seven-bone half-rack of baby backs, 8 ounces of pulled pork, two chicken thighs, half-cup portions of baked beans, potato salad and cole slaw, a large handful of sweet potato fries and two freshly baked rolls. Am I smiling like a Cheshire cat right now? Yes, and I was then as well. Ribs - NOT fall-off-the-bone, Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE PROPERLY COOKED. A slight tug of the teeth and the wonderfully smoky meat with the seasoned bark comes off to be enjoyed. The chicken, I've already mentioned. The baked beans were thick, sweet and smoky and the potato salad and slaw were great. The pulled pork was a little dry, but properly seasoned. With sauce it was ok. Great BBQ. We will stop every time we travel in that area. You should too. I just wish the word-count allowed here gave me more opportunity to explain how good this was!
(4)
Sara S.
What a great find! Stopped on our way to Asheville. The ribs and chicken thighs were amazing. The pulled pork was tasty too, but not as tasty as the ribs and chicken. Gorgeous view too!
(5)
Derek H.
Pretty good BBQ place right off of I-75. I've visited many many times and have only been disappointed once by the service. Their top combo BBQ tray is exceptional.
(4)
Les S.
What do you order when you go to a BBQ? In my case the shrimp but my wife did order the BBQ. The baby back ribs were the meatiest we have had at any BBQ and they were EXCELLENT. The shrimp, also, was extremely good. NOTE: We stopped during the off-season and ate very early - so, no crowds (Hooray). We will be coming back.
(4)
Ron C.
Doesn't get any better..we rode into town on our Harley checked into hotel just before storm. We saw in hotel info Ridge BBQ would deliver, we called but it was live music night and they were to busy at the time but would call us when things slowed down. We decided to call a cab instead of waiting. We tried everything...catfish nuggets, pork, chicken thighs, hush puppies, sweet potato fries and pie...it was all fantastic...while we were eating owner came by and ask if we were the folks from hotel. She had called our room.. Now that is customer service at its finest. You will not be disappointed
(5)
Alan F.
One of the best bbq places I've ever eaten at, and I've been to a bunch of them. If you like bluegrass music, then you definitely want to go on Monday or Thursday, when they have live music from 5-8. The food isn't really cheap, but it's good, service is usually pretty good though they tend to get overwhelmed some nights.
(4)
Rae Ann P.
Half way point between our home and visit to family - found this place by accident and was very pleased with the quantity and quality of their BBQ. We had the pulled pork and a huge baked potato, then sat back to watch the sun set over the park and hills of Tennessee. Had enough pork left over to make a sandwich the next day! Service was very good, although it was busy the night we were there. The smell of the wood smoke is intoxicating!!
(4)
Andy P.
I hate to disagree with Alan since I also rate "The Outlaw Josey Wales" as one of my all time favorite movies - BUT - we ate here on a Sunday afternoon and were very disappointed. Service staff was great, view was great, food was mediocre at best and overpriced. My wife had baby back ribs and I had smoked chicken thighs - both house specialties. I will be polite and say that we have both had some pretty serious "gastric distress of the non-aromatic variety" for almost two days now. I love small family owned places like this but I'd suggest you stay away from this one. One star for great service and one star for pretty good sweet tea. That's the highest I can go. Buddy's BBQ - a fast food chain - will serve you better food at a much cheaper price without the gaseous consequences. Sorry.
(2)
Lee M.
Very good, I have been smoking ribs for 12 yrs now and these were Excellent. Would drive out of the way to eat here again. The restaurant is locate in a State Pack so no alcohol.
(5)
Bill S.
Come on a Thursday night for the live music & open mic. Outstanding. Bbq, catfish, wings, and salmon are all excellent. Great staff and perfect patio. A must if your vacationing at lake Norris.
(5)
Vickie S.
Food is good. The Flat Iron Steak was prepared just as I asked for it (medium rare) unlike most chain steakhouses. It is a fun crowd on a night where they have entertainment, either country western or bluegrass. Good local musicians. Try Thursday night. This review is from Ross.
(4)
Joel L.
You're always a little bit nervous when you go to check out a new local joint. But my friend and I were more than pleasantly surprised when we came to Rickards. We walked into the sound of beautiful bluegrass music, Chastity's smiling face, and the smell of authentic bbq. Simply put, the food was delicious. I ordered the half rack of ribs and didn't have an ounce of regret. My Friend ordered the catfish and acted like he died and gone to heaven. The fried green tomatoes was the perfect appetizer to round out a wonderful experience. The owner Mark's dad greeted us and welcomed us. Great place!
(5)
Dave B.
We go to HH and stop in Caryville at the Hampton and must stop by Rickdales for chicken and pork done just right. Thanks for the memories
(5)
Lezlie H.
My husband and I are BBQ fans and search out little out of the way places when we travel. So, we found this place and stopped in. It did look promising from the full parking lot. However, we were sorely disappointed. The inside is extremely loud, and it wasn't at all crowded. I didn't expect it to be like a romantic bistro, but I also didn't expect it to be like Chuck-E-Cheese loud either. The service, well, the server was friendly and she did say something every time she passed. But, it was exhausting waiting for our food. We ordered an appetizer and it took over fifteen minutes to get it. It was another good thirty minutes after the appetizer that we received our food. As for the food, I can say my husband liked the pulled pork. He received a nice sized portion and it was hot and tasty. We ordered a spicy Thai shrimp appetizer. The shrimp were teeny, tiny fried shrimp like I would expect out of the freezer from the grocery store--more breading than shrimp. The sauce was more sweet than spicy. Boring at best. I ordered a smoked chicken breast. Foolishly I assumed it would be a bone in breast, slowly smoked and melt in your mouth good. WRONG. I was a boneless, skinless breast that had spent some time on a grill. It wasn't really smoky and it wasn't at all moist. The French fries, while hot, were not crisp. I am still baffled by that. The baked beans, they too were just plain. I guess I just expect more from a place that touts itself as a barbeque place. I also have wondered if the server was trying to tell us something, or just make sure we understood that the food wasn't her fault because every time she stopped by she would ask "How'd they do the food for ya?". Just take a pass on this place and head over to Knoxville.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Holly D.
This restaurant is in a nice little building with a beautiful view...and that's about all I can say that is nice about the place. Service was painfully slow. We almost got up and left before someone came by for our drink order. My boyfriend and I both ordered sweet tea and it was pretty good. We had time to drink a half glass by the time the waitress got back to take our order. I ordered the catfish dinner with fries and potato salad. My BF ordered a pulled pork dinner with fries.We waited forever for our food...easily an hour. It wouldn't have been so bad but the table next to us ordered well after we did and ordered pretty much the same thing and got their food first. After getting the food, The catfish was over fried and hard. The fries were ok, the potato salad was under cooked and tasteless.The rolls were very good. BF's pulled pork was dry but ok in sauce. I was almost tempted into desert but decided against the wait. We had to wait for our check and actually had to go find our waitress to pay. We may return if we have time to kill but over all I was so disappointed that it will be a long time before that happens. Over all I say skip it.
(2)Tomi R.
What a hidden gem! Love this place! They have great portions for the price, amazing customer service and awesome bbq sauce! Get the sampler platter and fired pickles! I'm so glad I found out about this place and look forward to going back soon!
(5)Chris P.
This place is close to perfect. A few touches is all it needs. The meats were awesome, but the sides and veggies were sorta lacking some flair and flavor. The BBQ sauces are really good and balanced. Our server was sweet as can be. The view from the deck was great, especially for the affordable meal. Oh, and every BBQ joint needs paper towels instead of weak napkins! C'mon now ... I WILL definitely be back. Nom nom
(4)April A.
I was in Caryville for work and was told to stop here the next time I was in town as it was supposed to be amazing. A colleague and I went for dinner and was HIGHLY unimpressed!! The tables were dirty, the service was TERRIBLE and the food was lacking. It took about 15-20 minutes to get our appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes. We both ordered the turkey burger and it literally took almost an hour to get our food!! 5 other tables walked in after us, and all received their food prior to us. When I inquired to the status of our food, I had to flag our waitress down and we got a really short explanation of "they take longer!" That would have been nice to know... When we ordered. After our burgers were served, it was literally the patty on a bun... No toppings. Again, we flagged our waitress down (as she did not once stop to check on us!!!) and asked if we could have some lettuce and tomato. Again, we got a very clipped "it usually doesn't come with that but I'll get it." Neither of us got refills on our drinks the entire time we were there. Nor did we relieve our checks after sitting at our table for about 15 minutes with our plates (AND CUPS) empty. We finally had to walk up to the register and ask for it. The lady checking us out never even asked if things were ok!!! I observed our server being very nice to the tables around us... Just not to us. Maybe you have to be a local to get good, speedy service!!! Needless to say... Next time I am in the area... I will NOT be going here!!!!!
(1)Marcie M.
Food is wonderful and reasonably priced, service very friendly. Smoked pork, BBQ ribs that melt off the bone, fresh and crispy catfish; heck, even the slaw was great. Only sorry we couldn't eat more. Cobbler was more like a pie, but no complaints from us. We're telling everyone who'll listen about this little gem.
(5)Fran A.
It's good. We had the fried pickles, salmon, green beans, baked potato and salad. Pretty basic. I thought it was a pretty expensive meal considering we drank iced tea and only got one entree. Note: The address is wrong on this site.
(3)Sam S.
Good music, nice people and great barbecue. Rating barbecue is somewhat subjective. I have eaten barbecue all over the United States and consider myself a barbecue connoisseur. I would give them a solid eight on their baby back ribs. With a little more smoke I would give them a 10. But I consider myself spoiled when it comes to ribs. This place is far from fancy but it's perfect for barbecue. They have a stage upfront and have Bluegrass on the weekends. The view from the restaurant is awesome. Just sitting there and listen to Bluegrass and suck on some baby back ribs is one of the greatest pleasures in life. The young ladies that work there were extremely polite. They keep the restaurant very clean and are very hospitable. I read in some of the other reviews that the place was dirty. I personally saw all the young ladies scrubbing down each table as customers left. I also saw them going into the bathroom several times during my visit to clean up. Maybe these other people got there after the rush on the Friday and Saturday night. This is not fine dining people it's barbecue. They give you a half a rack of ribs for $13 and a full ride for $18.
(4)Lindsey B.
We were on a road trip from Indianapolis to Gatlinburg, when we were looking for a place to stop for lunch. We like to try new places when we go ob trips. So we just randomly found this place. I highly recommend stopping here. It was a Wednesday at about 2pm. The service was excellent. The restaurant has a great view. The food was very tasty! We started with some fried green tomatoes. Yummay!!! My husband and I split the top combo which gave us a taste of the ribs, the chicken thighs, and pulled pork. The ribs had a great smoky flavor. The chicken was fall off the bone good. The pulled pork was very good. It comes with 4 sides which we got cole slaw, baked beans, green beans and sweet potato fries. The baked beans were very tasty with a sweet and chili flavor. The sweet potato fries were the best I've had. For dessert we had a fried apple dumpling which was delectable!
(5)Cory P.
The view gets 5 stars! But, the food.... eh.
(2)Danielle M.
Best place in town hands down. Been here many times and never have been disappointed. Monday and Thursday are live bluegrass nights.
(5)Joe G.
Beautiful location in Cove Lake Park; live music Monday and Thursday; very good BBQ I hated the potato salad, which has ranch in it, but that might just be me.
(4)Anita B.
Beautiful view, old school diner decor. Service was great and was very helpful and polite in answering gluten free questions. Their fries are cooked in a dedicated fryer and the owner, competitive cook, says there is no gluten in their BBQ sauce or baked beans. I had the chicken thighs which we're fall of the bone good! They did bring my food out with a slice of bread but it honestly wasn't touching anything and I decided to just remove it. Risky, I know.
(4)Clinton R.
Location is kind of hard to find if your from out of town. Service is excellent and attentive. Food is amazing, I had the chicken thighs, onion rings and sweet potato fries mmmmmm.
(5)Marty B.
As we walk in, I spot an omen of good tidings. A chalkboard sign proudly proclaims the appetizer special for the day. "Fried Green Maters"! Lord, I am stoked! You see, this is an appetizer that has become ubiquitous in some trendy restaurants and restaurant circles. Every budding "Top Chef" and James Beard pretender has been serving Fried Green Tomatoes in some weird bastardization of the real deal. Stacked with Goat Cheese smeared between the layers and drizzled with Balsamic reduction. Heirloom Tomatoes... Chipotle Dipping Sauce.... Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce... etc. The truth was evident here in that one glorious, iconic colloquialism. "MATERS"! I was salivating as we were led to our seat, and poor SWMBO was listening to me ecstatically babbling about the treasures I felt we were to be served. I guess my babbling was also overheard by a man that I found was the owner. He came up and introduced himself as Mark Rickard, proud proprietor. We started talking 'que and he told me that he had won some awards. he then talked a little about their menu and mentioned their "Top Combo" and also a new cut of meat called a Pork Ribeye. I am not familiar with the cut, and he described a boneless rib chop cut from heirloom pigs that are specially bred for their marbled meat. Jackie ordered that and I went with the Top Combo. I also (of course) ordered the Maters. Mark and I talked a little more. He about his restaurant and food and I about my quest and actual knowledge about what is good 'cue. While waiting for our food, Mark came back with a small plate with two BBQ chicken thighs on it. A specialty of the house that he wanted me to try, and I was grateful. That chicken had a wonderful smoky smell and a beautiful golden brown skin. When I pulled at the skin, it came off in a wonderful crispy piece. I bit in to what I can only describe as Chicken Bacon. Crisp, warm, redolent of the hardwood that had blessed it and whispering to me that the best was yet to come. The meat was juicy, tender and flavored with just the right amount of salt and smoke. Seriously, the best chicken I have had in my mouth in years. Bravo Mark, bravo, Chicken is so often smoked to the point of being dry. This showed a deft and knowledgeable touch. The Fried Green Maters came in a basket. About eight thick slices the diameter of a baseball. The crust was a crunchy, warm, non-greasy cornmeal masterpiece and the green tomatoes inside were firm yet still melted away like tomato butter. There was a dipping sauce, but I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure what it was. I could not bring myself to adulterate the perfection of that simple peasant dish that had been so expertly prepared. These tomatoes, fried to the peak of their deliciousness needed nothing but a tongue and some teeth on them to bring out their goodness. Goat Cheese be damned! Jackie received her Pork Ribeye. It was probably about a 6 ounce cut and was dwarfed by what appeared to be a 50ct baked potato. That is a one pound potato, and it was at least that. The pork was expertly cooked and moist enough to be fork tender. I've had Filet Mignon that required more work than this to eat. The drawback was that it was seasoned with what appeared to be Cajun Seasoning. Jackie does not like this! She likes her food to speak for itself. It was a shame that the description we got did not mention the heavy spice. You don't have to mention salt and pepper, but this is a strong flavor. She scraped what she could off and still enjoyed what she could eat. Now on to my Top Combo. This is a $19.99 meal served in an aluminum halfpan. The contents: a seven-bone half-rack of baby backs, 8 ounces of pulled pork, two chicken thighs, half-cup portions of baked beans, potato salad and cole slaw, a large handful of sweet potato fries and two freshly baked rolls. Am I smiling like a Cheshire cat right now? Yes, and I was then as well. Ribs - NOT fall-off-the-bone, Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE PROPERLY COOKED. A slight tug of the teeth and the wonderfully smoky meat with the seasoned bark comes off to be enjoyed. The chicken, I've already mentioned. The baked beans were thick, sweet and smoky and the potato salad and slaw were great. The pulled pork was a little dry, but properly seasoned. With sauce it was ok. Great BBQ. We will stop every time we travel in that area. You should too. I just wish the word-count allowed here gave me more opportunity to explain how good this was!
(4)Sara S.
What a great find! Stopped on our way to Asheville. The ribs and chicken thighs were amazing. The pulled pork was tasty too, but not as tasty as the ribs and chicken. Gorgeous view too!
(5)Derek H.
Pretty good BBQ place right off of I-75. I've visited many many times and have only been disappointed once by the service. Their top combo BBQ tray is exceptional.
(4)Les S.
What do you order when you go to a BBQ? In my case the shrimp but my wife did order the BBQ. The baby back ribs were the meatiest we have had at any BBQ and they were EXCELLENT. The shrimp, also, was extremely good. NOTE: We stopped during the off-season and ate very early - so, no crowds (Hooray). We will be coming back.
(4)Ron C.
Doesn't get any better..we rode into town on our Harley checked into hotel just before storm. We saw in hotel info Ridge BBQ would deliver, we called but it was live music night and they were to busy at the time but would call us when things slowed down. We decided to call a cab instead of waiting. We tried everything...catfish nuggets, pork, chicken thighs, hush puppies, sweet potato fries and pie...it was all fantastic...while we were eating owner came by and ask if we were the folks from hotel. She had called our room.. Now that is customer service at its finest. You will not be disappointed
(5)Alan F.
One of the best bbq places I've ever eaten at, and I've been to a bunch of them. If you like bluegrass music, then you definitely want to go on Monday or Thursday, when they have live music from 5-8. The food isn't really cheap, but it's good, service is usually pretty good though they tend to get overwhelmed some nights.
(4)Rae Ann P.
Half way point between our home and visit to family - found this place by accident and was very pleased with the quantity and quality of their BBQ. We had the pulled pork and a huge baked potato, then sat back to watch the sun set over the park and hills of Tennessee. Had enough pork left over to make a sandwich the next day! Service was very good, although it was busy the night we were there. The smell of the wood smoke is intoxicating!!
(4)Andy P.
I hate to disagree with Alan since I also rate "The Outlaw Josey Wales" as one of my all time favorite movies - BUT - we ate here on a Sunday afternoon and were very disappointed. Service staff was great, view was great, food was mediocre at best and overpriced. My wife had baby back ribs and I had smoked chicken thighs - both house specialties. I will be polite and say that we have both had some pretty serious "gastric distress of the non-aromatic variety" for almost two days now. I love small family owned places like this but I'd suggest you stay away from this one. One star for great service and one star for pretty good sweet tea. That's the highest I can go. Buddy's BBQ - a fast food chain - will serve you better food at a much cheaper price without the gaseous consequences. Sorry.
(2)Lee M.
Very good, I have been smoking ribs for 12 yrs now and these were Excellent. Would drive out of the way to eat here again. The restaurant is locate in a State Pack so no alcohol.
(5)Bill S.
Come on a Thursday night for the live music & open mic. Outstanding. Bbq, catfish, wings, and salmon are all excellent. Great staff and perfect patio. A must if your vacationing at lake Norris.
(5)Vickie S.
Food is good. The Flat Iron Steak was prepared just as I asked for it (medium rare) unlike most chain steakhouses. It is a fun crowd on a night where they have entertainment, either country western or bluegrass. Good local musicians. Try Thursday night. This review is from Ross.
(4)Joel L.
You're always a little bit nervous when you go to check out a new local joint. But my friend and I were more than pleasantly surprised when we came to Rickards. We walked into the sound of beautiful bluegrass music, Chastity's smiling face, and the smell of authentic bbq. Simply put, the food was delicious. I ordered the half rack of ribs and didn't have an ounce of regret. My Friend ordered the catfish and acted like he died and gone to heaven. The fried green tomatoes was the perfect appetizer to round out a wonderful experience. The owner Mark's dad greeted us and welcomed us. Great place!
(5)Dave B.
We go to HH and stop in Caryville at the Hampton and must stop by Rickdales for chicken and pork done just right. Thanks for the memories
(5)Lezlie H.
My husband and I are BBQ fans and search out little out of the way places when we travel. So, we found this place and stopped in. It did look promising from the full parking lot. However, we were sorely disappointed. The inside is extremely loud, and it wasn't at all crowded. I didn't expect it to be like a romantic bistro, but I also didn't expect it to be like Chuck-E-Cheese loud either. The service, well, the server was friendly and she did say something every time she passed. But, it was exhausting waiting for our food. We ordered an appetizer and it took over fifteen minutes to get it. It was another good thirty minutes after the appetizer that we received our food. As for the food, I can say my husband liked the pulled pork. He received a nice sized portion and it was hot and tasty. We ordered a spicy Thai shrimp appetizer. The shrimp were teeny, tiny fried shrimp like I would expect out of the freezer from the grocery store--more breading than shrimp. The sauce was more sweet than spicy. Boring at best. I ordered a smoked chicken breast. Foolishly I assumed it would be a bone in breast, slowly smoked and melt in your mouth good. WRONG. I was a boneless, skinless breast that had spent some time on a grill. It wasn't really smoky and it wasn't at all moist. The French fries, while hot, were not crisp. I am still baffled by that. The baked beans, they too were just plain. I guess I just expect more from a place that touts itself as a barbeque place. I also have wondered if the server was trying to tell us something, or just make sure we understood that the food wasn't her fault because every time she stopped by she would ask "How'd they do the food for ya?". Just take a pass on this place and head over to Knoxville.
(2)