The current location, Downtown Dive, opened to fulfill barbecue cravings in downtown Knoxville in 2015. Located at 410 W. Jackson Ave., Downtown Dive was borne from a love of classic American dive bars and barbecue joints and carries on the tradition of Sweet P’s Southern heritage.
In the spring of 2021, the first full-service Sweet P’s concept, Uptown Corner, will open in Fountain City. Featuring table service and a bar, we look forward to serving our customers at 3029 Tazewell Pike and joining the Fountain City community.
We were in town from Boston for work. We stopped by for lunch and it was fantastic! It was smoked... read moreWe were in town from Boston for work. We stopped by for lunch and it was fantastic! It was smoked meatloaf for the daily special which was great, but I have to say that the ribs and sautéed greens were the best we have had years! read less
To sweet P's anyways and was elated that I did. Maybe I am a bit biased since this was immediately after Central BBQ but boy oh boy, this was one of the best BBQ I've had.
I was hesitant to get the dry rub since my last experience, it was so dry. I had to do it though, I refuse to believe all dry rub ribs in Tennessee tasted like tree barks. I was very happy with my choice. My half rack dry rub was amazing. The dry seasoning sprinkled on top had a crunchy sweetness to it, like crushed candy for meat! The ribs themselves were so juicy and moist. The meat simply fell off the bone, the crust was not hard at all and packed a lot of smoked flavor.
I also had a brisket plate that came with a side of mac and cheese and tater salad. The mac and cheese was good, nothing extravagant but a great pair for the BBQ. The tater salad had eggs and onion that added a fresh break for the heavy BBQ. Their brisket was fatty and moist and seasoned just right, although I wish it was a bit softer, some bites were still chewy.
The atmosphere was also great, you could dine inside or out in the patio, iced cold water was free. Sitting by the window you can overlook an industrial train track that was distinctly Tennessee. Overall, I'd give the place a 4.5 but since I had to compare it to places like Central BBQ, I'd give it a solid 5 stars. read less
I love this place. My only complaint would be that on busy shifts, they often run... read more3 words: Mac and Cheese
I love this place. My only complaint would be that on busy shifts, they often run out of my favorite sides, but really, that's an easy fix, and I'm glad they're selling that much because downtown needs a solid BBQ joint like this to stay. read less
Pork sandwich - cooked to perfection and very well seasoned. Didn't even need to add any bbq sauce! Although their bbq sauce is also pretty dang good (comes in thin, thick, and hot!)
Dry rubbed ribs - not something I would ever think to order but oh gosh, everything just fell off the bone. From the meat to the cartilage, all that ended up in my stomach.
Brisket - melted in my mouth. Seasoning was a little different from what I'm used to. There wasn't that much flavor in my opinion but with a touch of that bbq sauce, YUM!
Sides - my brother isn't a fan of collared greens but boy did that change his mind. It wasn't mushy and had good texture. The Mac n cheese was my favorite!!! It had a different flavor to it. I think it had jalapeño added in but their cheese stayed runny and thick. It didn't solidify or anything. Good stuff. Potato salad was also seasoned very well. We needed something a little more on the refreshing side and this added just that.
Service was on point. From the ordering, to the paying, to the waiting... the Sweet P team is absolutely stellar! And to top it all off, they have $3 mimosas. Absolute WIN. read less
If we were locals, this would be our "go to" place for bbq. Not a local, well, its just to good to pass up. read less