Knoxville Restaurant News

RouxBarbeque Closes

A promising new restaurant located at Rocky Hill has closed it's doors following the departure of Chef Bruce Bogartz. As predicted after our last review of Roux, conditions and food had drastically changed. Bogartz had entered the venture with partner Kerry Mitchell and shortly after opening the two had a falling out. Bogartz departed and Mitchell allowed the quality of the food to suffer severely. Bogartz continues to operate RouXbarb on Northshore in Bearden.

Another Ruby's Bites the Dust
Ruby Tuesday at 319 Lovell Road has closed. Under an agreement, a new Jim N Nick's BBQ will open in the location this fall.

Five Guys Coming to Brookview Town Centre

Five Guys will open it's third location in Knoxville just off Northshore Drive at the new Brookview Town Centre. A location at Turkey Creek and one in Powell left the entire center city without access to the best burgers in Knoxville. Five Guys menu is simple, a few items, served fresh and hot to order.

Is the Fourth Time the Charm?
The old Ryan's location on Kingston Pike has housed three different restaurants thus far. First was obviously Ryan's, then Mama Blue's Buffet and then came $5 Buffet (which was actually just a name change) ..... now we have a whole new take on the situation, the all new Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet is set to reopen the location. The new restaurant will open in late June or early July. NOW OPEN

Tennessee Restaurant Inspection Scores
Restaurant health inspection scores are temporarily being suspended from being reported on the Tennessee Website. The contractor responsible for reporting the scores is no longer under contract with the state. An official spokesman indicated that the scores should be back online within a month.

Islamorada Fish Company Closes
Bass Pro Shops has opted to close the Islamorada Fish Company to make way for Uncle Buck's Grill. Uncle Buck's offers many of the same items on the menu and management hopes to provide more efficient service for patrons of the new grill. NOW OPEN

Saladworks in Knoxville
A three unit franchise agreement has been made to bring the nation's #1 salad restaurant to K-town. Although no locations have been released, Knoxville is expected to see three locations of the franchise. The first restaurant is expected to open before the end of 2010. Saladworks, the nation’s first and largest fresh-tossed salad franchise concept, operates over 100 franchise locations in 11 states. In addition to its existing stores, the chain currently has over 60 units in development across the country.Saladworks locations offer a “fanatic’ly fresh” menu of flavorful salads with signature dressings, proprietary soups and Focaccia Fusion sandwiches.Saladworks’ True Nutrition guide to healthy eating introduces signature salads averaged less than 300 calories and new “Powerhouse Food” ingredients. Saladworks was voted the nation’s number one salad franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine for 2009 and 2010.

THE GRILL AT HIGHLANDS ROW
Patrons of the Bearden Area can happily applaud the return of the Highlands Grill. Located on Old Kingston Pike, the intent is to welcome back the old memories and customs of the Highland Grill. The buildings have been renovated but the original Highlands Grill was not taken in consideration when Chef Shane developed a new menu. A menu that is geared to only upscale clients. As well as most Knoxville restaurant openings, the restaurant is no longer geared to tradition, neighborhood, nor good neighbors, it is all overpriced Frenchie titled foods. Hello? will America ever bounce back from absent minded Chef's. We must give credit to the heavy use of local farm raised beef and cheeses that this restaurant offers. NOW OPEN

THE RUMOR DEPARTMENT
Cheesecake Factory @ Turkey Creek This story flies around town about every three or four months. The Cheesecake Factory has no announced plans to locate a restaurant in Turkey Creek nor West Town Mall. Perhaps this is propaganda that originates from the competition of the mall vs. Turkey Creek, but that is not confirmed either. Stories originally circulated that the Cheesecake Factory had signed on with the Bridgemont development in Sevier County but that project has been put on hold. NO Cheesecake Factory for East Tennessee at this time.
Applebees Coming to Market Square Not only is there no sufficient space for an Applebees, but there is no truth that the chain plans to locate a new restaurant in Downtown Knoxville. Market Square has seen quite a large amount of growth and several new businesses have recently opened leaving no significant space available. Applebee's has no plans to locate in Downtown Knoxville at this time.

Closings:
501 Arthur Restaurant
Beef O'Brady's Pub - Turkey Creek
Islamorada Fish Company - Exit 407 @ Bass Pro Shops
Manhattan's Bistro & Bar - Old City
Margarita's Mexican Restaurant - Downtown West
RouXbarbecue - Northshore @ Rocky Hill
Ruby Tuesday - 319 Lovell Road
Sagebrush Steakhouse - Oak Ridge
T. Ho Vietnamese Restaurant - Merchants Dr.
Z-Mex Grille - Cedar Bluff @ Middlebrook

Announcements & New Openings:

Bojangle's - S. Chapman Highway (COMING)
Brazeiro Brazilian Steakhouse - Bearden (This Fall)
Casa Don Gallo - Halls (Under Negotiations)
Cocoa Moon Cafe - Turkey Creek (NOW OPEN)

Del Taco - Three Locations (Under Development)
Einstein Bagels - Cedar Bluff @ Middlebrook Pike (NOW OPEN)

Five Guys Burgers - Bearden/Brookview Town Centre (COMING)
Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet - Kingston Pike (Old Ryan's Location)

Jason's Deli - U.T. Cumberland Strip

(NOW OPEN)
Jim N Nick's BBQ - Lovell Road (FALL 2010)
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt - Brookview Town Center (Under Construction)
Meksiko's Cantina - Farragut

(NOW OPEN)
Muddogg's Cajun Grill - Farragut (NOW OPEN)

Newk's Express Cafe (NOW OPEN)

- Turkey Creek
Pang Ring Japanese Steakhouse - Millertown Pike @ Knoxville Center
Pizza Inn - 5420 Clinton Highway ( NOW OPEN)

Saladworks (Three New K-town Locations thru 2011)
San Juan De Los Lagos Restaurant and Grill

Soccer Taco - New Location in Maryville

Sullivan's Fine Food - West Knoxville (Franklin Square COMING)
Two Sister Gourmet Sandwiches, Sweets & More - 7419 Middlebrook Pike (MOVING)
Uncle Buck's Grill - Exit 407 @ Bass Pro Shops

Wok Star - Lenoir City

LATEST SITE UPDATES

05/28/2010   Added Harrison's Menu
                     Updated Restaurant Listing
                     Updated Restaurant News
05/29/2010   Updated Restaurant Listing
06/01/2010   Added the Grill at Highlands Row menu
                     Updated Restaurant News
06/02/2010   Updated Restaurant News
06/04/2010   Added Muddogg's Cajun Menu
06/14/2010   Updated Chez Liberty's Menu
06/15/2010   Updated Restaurant News
06/16/2010   Added Brickyard Bar-B-Que Menu
06/17/2010   Added Uncle Buck's Menu
06/24/2010   Updated Regas Menu
                     Updated Restaurant News
06/25/2010   Updated Restaurant Listing
                     Added Hanna's Cafe Menu
07/03/2010   Updated Rouxbarbecue Menu/Review
07/10/2010   Updated Restaurant News
07/13/2010   Updated Restaurant News
07/15/2010   Added Chez Guevara Menu (La Paz)
07/16/2010   Updated Restaurant News
                     Updated Restaurant Listing
07/27/2010   Updated Big Ed's Pizza
07/28/2010   Updated Cracker Barrel Menu

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