Sweet P’s Guest Reviews

Delicious but a bit pricey. order the BBQ burrito with mac n'cheese... it's totally worth it.

Quality BBQ with great meat, but I just couldn't get behind the sauces. I had a chicken sandwich. The thin was vinegar based which I immediately knew I don't like. The thick was too sweet and the hot was like water so it was hard to put on a sandwich without ending up with a soggy mess. I also wish it came with pickles or onions at least. My husband loved his ribs and half price wings. My favorite part was the tater salad which had hard boiled eggs mixed in - my favorite kind! They also have glass bottle Cheerwine, a NC favorite of ours.

OH MY GOD THE MAC N CHEESE IS AMAZING! Staff is super sweet and food is delicious. Inside is cute too! 10/10

This restaurant is fantastic! Their menu has rotating specials that are always delicious - and their BBQ pork, chicken, brisket, and wings.. oh the wings.. I think it's the top barbecue in Knoxville.  They have comfortable seating with a bar upstairs as well!

The food is very good.  The service is weird.  When we were there on a busy night, last June, the host (seating is first come first served and you go through the line and get your order, but this night they had a host) looked around and told us there was no space for us.  But encouraged the party behind us to enjoy their meal.  We could only guess that this little guy didn't think we were hip enough to like excellent barbecue.  We got our food, sat together, enjoyed excellent barbecue and time with family.

Fast & efficient BBQ served cafeteria style.  Walk in, grab a tray, order, they hand you your food and then you pay. We got the brisket with mac & slaw and half rack of ribs with greens. The food was delicious, well seasoned and the meat was soft.

I definitely recommend stopping by if you're in town.

I had the nachos special with pork and my cousin had the pork meal. Both were very good. Make sure to pour the thick sauce on for extra flavor!! Inside is very cute and very trendy but food is affordable.

Dive is a good word to describe this place but it's the kinda dive you'll actually want to eat at!

It's a cafeteria style restaurant with a small bar. When you walk in you give your order directly to the cooks.

Just get the Ribs!

We go to sweet P's all the time. If you're in the mood for some consistently good bbq, this is the place! Try the brisket, Mac n cheese, chocolate chess pie and you will not be disappointed! Potato salad is amazing too!

Solid place to get some bbq in Knoxville. The line/wait was a little long but I chalked that up to it being so popular a place. I had the sampler. The pork was the best of the three, really tasty! The ribs were a little disappointing, had more gristle than I'd prefer, and the brisket was ok. The Mac and cheese side was great! The potato salad was alright, not the best by any means. Overall had a good experience :).

Awesome place!!! The pimento cheese dip is next level! The ribs were awesome too. All of the food was good, but those two items were my favorite. Everyone at the table went wild over the pimento cheese dip, but I didn't share my ribs lol

First visit and I'm impressed. Got the three meet sampler - pork, ribs, brisket, and the Mac and cheese, green beans, and pinto beans. All very solid. Nice walk from my hotel and not far from the outstanding downtown area that is Knoxville. So nice.

Drinks are self serve, which I like as I consume a lot of unsweetened ice tea rather quickly. Staff was very visible in the dining area taking care of everything quickly and efficiently. Nice outdoor seating up a flight of stairs. Would definitely be a regular if I lived here, which given how much I liked what I've seen so far might not be that crazy an idea.

The ribs were good and the pulled pork was average, but the brisket was dry as hell (although not as dry as the cornbread). Is this the best BBQ you got Knoxville?

WOW yelpers you totally let me down on this one!!!! The brisket was ok. The tater salad and green beans had NO SEASONING whatsoever.  The BBQ sauces were the only good thing about the place. Who runs out of Mac n cheese at 3:30?!? I WON'T be back!  This is what I didn't eat cause it was soooo bland!!!

Normally when we have a craving for BBQ, we head to Sweet P's Soul House - it was closed today so we went to the Downtown Dive. We called in our order for pick up. When we arrived the place was packed. We ordered the Sweet P's sampler with chopped pork, ribs, and brisket. Meat was all tender and nicely done. Pinto beans were really tasty and a nice part from the usual sweet baked beans. The green beans were made from fresh green beans which I really love. The collards really didn't have much flavor and really disappointed
me.  In my opinion, Sweet P's Soul House is better, but Sweet P's has some of the best BBQ in the Knox area

Amazing ribs. The meat was literally falling off the bone as soon as I picked it up. These guys truly know their BBQ! Really good mac and cheese as well. And the sauces they had were very good; try mixing the thick sauce with the hot sauce!

I am always excited to go to this restaurant.  Worth every penny.  Great barbecue and well-made sides.

I absolutely love this place! The barbecue buttito is to die for!  All the side dishes are wonderful, and the thick barbecue sauce is probably the best barbecue sauce I have ever tried. I always get several to take home and savor, but I end up eating it all with a spoon out of the container!  It is seriously that good!  I know we have a lot of barbecue places, but you really must give this one a try!

This place is my go-to for wings/bbq downtown Knoxville. It is the perfect balance of approachable and delicious.

First time here. Not many people around 3pm local time on 6/29/19. Food is pretty tasty. The chicken soul rub was good but the potato salad is a little bland. I'm not crazy about carrots in my greens; mixing in the corn bread and throwing some hot sauce on it helps. The salmon sandwich is super delicious. 3.5 stars.

Wow this was delicious barbecue! I got the platter with a pulled pork sandwich, Mac and cheese, and potato salad, and I loved it all. The staff behind the line were super friendly and helpful for this first-time customer. The pulled pork was tender and tasty. 3 sauces to choose from: thick, thin, and hot. I mixed the thick and the hot and it was a great combo. The potato salad had a home cooked flavor that reminded me of a summer picnic. The Mac and cheese, however, had to be my favorite! Super, super cheesy! It's strange to say this, but even the Mac and cheese had a bit of a smokey flavor, which was really interesting. I also tried the banana pudding for dessert, which was tremendous! Yes, I ate way too much--but I'm happy I did it here!

It's pretty good. The meats were all cooked extremely well--which surprisingly a lot of bbq places don't do well. The ribs were just as delicious as I thought it would be based on the photos on yelp. The pulled pork is--dare I say it--better than a good amount of NC bbq I've had. The sauce were fair and served the meat well. The brisket would be more moist, I think, but it's a solid brisket. I wish they had spicier house-made sauces, and I wish it was a little bit more vinegary--but that's the NC in me talking. I had absolutely no problems with the bbq. I even got an amazing blood orange cider recommendation. The fried pickles were in spears! Spears are better than slices any day, and I'm glad they do them. I did, however, wish that the sides would be more flavorful. The best thing was probably the greens but it wasn't really even hitting the spot for me. I would probably only come back for the meat by the pound.

Their barbecue was pretty good. The serving size was a bit larger than average. They are a bit on the pricey side.

Good food. BBQ sandwich was huge! Fries were excellent. Ribs were good - a little over cooked ffor mmy taste. Banana pudding as a side choice is an awesome choice!

We stopped here in the middle of a road trip from SC to Ohio, and it worth the detour. I had the smoked meatloaf with mac & cheese, and was blown away. Also had raw fries and pimento cheese, the salt rub they put on the chips was better than any chips I've had in a long time. Will definitely be back next time I'm in Knoxville!

Glorious.  Ribs, brisket, pulled pork and chicken, slaw, mac n cheese......we had it all.  Finished with banana pudding.  Why not?!!?  It was exactly what we were looking for and it did not disappoint.  Kid meals included a large sandwich, side, and a drink.  Perfect.  Beers on draft including from a local brewery we passed on the way here.  2 kinds of sauce on the tables.  I wanted to steal the bottle of thick sauce but controlled myself.  Highly recommended.

Everywhere I go I always try the local BBQ, but there's no place like home  Sweet P's is my favorite anywhere. The ribs are my favorite, but the pulled pork and the brisket are both fantastic. For something different try the burrito. The dry rub wings are great, too. Can't go wrong with any of the sides, but don't miss the mac and cheese. Save some room for some banana pudding.

Wow!!! Another hidden gem! My husband has lived here most of his life and he didn't know this place existed.  Thank goodness for yelp we are searching Knoxville over for new places to eat.  I'm not a barbecue person at all but I am now!!! The ribs were the best I've had.  The pulled pork excellent!  The thin and thick sauces both wonderful!!! Pimento cheese dip awesome!  Split a sampler, plenty for 2 people and you get 3 sides.  Mac and cheese I loved.  Potato salad was good.  Banana pudding good.  We killed the main good before I thought to get pics.  Great ambiance, industrial look.  Staff quick and polite.

My husband and I just moved here from California, so we're fairly novice in the bbq world, but we have had some pretty amazing ribs in our time. Anyway, we split the sampler so we could taste a bit of everything. It's 1/4 rack of ribs (2-3), 2 slices of brisket, and a good portion of pulled pork with 3 sides for $24.

Ribs: Fantastic. Fall of the bone tender, nice crispy burnt edges, lots of flavor

Brisket: wonderfully tender, but fairly bland.

Pulled Pork: nothing special

Mac and cheese: tasty but not spectacular

Coleslaw: amazing

Greens and things: perfect

The hot thin BBQ sauce was wonderful, we were unfamiliar with this style sauce but the vinegar rounded out the smoky heat and the sweetness beautifully. It wasn't particularly spicy, just a nice smokey warmth.

We'll definitely come back, but next time we're just gonna go straight for ribs and sides!

I give this place a 4 star because I was (very) mildly disappointed with the lack of smokiness in the pulled pork. The hot sauce wasn't hot enough but was vinegary good.

The ribs are killer! Side of Mac and Cheese and banana pudding and you can't go wrong. We also love getting the pulled pork burrito.

Honestly everything on the menu here is incredible. I dream about the Mac and cheese and could really use a slab of their ribs right now. Awesome outdoor  spot too

It was awesome. The experience was laid havk and casual, but the food was top notch. The Cafeteria style allows you to watch them cook and make your food ready and is order specific. It's just really good southern, comfort food. Solid food & reasonable prices. Definitely a top recommend in the Knoxville area!!!!

I had family from out of the country come for a visit and one of their requests was some barbeque. There was no question as to where we would go and you absolutely did not let me down. The brisket and the mac & cheese were phenomenal as usual. A++!

My fiancé and I are Canadians vacationing here who were seeking the real Southern BBQ we have heard so much about, and were not disappointed. The meat was incredibly flavorful and tender and the sides were perfectly spiced and hearty. Even the sauces were outstanding. We will be going home with full stomachs and good memories. Thank you!

Who the hell sells bque and doesn't fries,come on ,well obviously they do ,will never go back

I have always loved this place, but decided my last visit warranted a new review.  While I didn't see me go to side the green beans (which would normally be enough for me to boycott a place or at least issue a public thrashing), the replacement seems to be Lima Beans made I the Characteristic seasoned and mixed ingredient style that makes Sweet P's sides the best.  

As a bonus, they made brisket chili which I also had as a side.  They decided to add the chili today because of the cold weather. Now that's looking after your customers.  

I can't wrap this up without saying the bbq was excellent as always.  FYI.  Best brisket in town.

If you're looking for great BBQ in Knoxville, look no further than Sweet P's!  Their pulled pork, chicken and ribs are incredible.  Great people and service as well!

This a very good restaurant. The BBQ'd pork is tasty. The sauces are all worth trying. Very friendly atmosphere. We will be leaving before the Stanley Cup Finals start tonight. Go Predators.

Delicious. One of the best barbecue joints in Knoxville. Watch for the specials they have each day so you can try something a little different if you'd like. The smoked sausage they have on Friday is amazing.

Solid joint with good selection. Friday's are definitely the winner in my book, when they break out the Sausage lunch special. It was outstanding and paired with the Mac and cheese and Greens, you can't go wrong.

Found this Place on #Yelp ! The food was amazing I had a half rack of ribs with the Mac and cheese, and tomato N blue Salad!! It was very quick service, it's definitely a smaller restaurant but everyone kinda eats and leaves from my experience there. My friend got the Garlic Wet wings which were also tasty!

Had heard about this place from friends and so we thought it would be a great chance to give it a try. Ordered the brisket, was excellent and had this dusting of a bbq spice. Yum! My wife said the greens were the best she has had, so it's a great place and worth a visit.

I don't have children, but if I did I'd sell them into slavery to eat here if it came down to it.

This was some of the best BBQ I've ever eaten. I chose the chicken plate with green beans and tater salad, and all 3 sauces were delicious with the tender chicken. Also, the "thin" sauce made a tasty addition to my tater salad. For an appetizer my friend and I had the hot pimiento cheese and chips, which was also marvelous. My friend tried the BBQ burrito but he didn't want the beans or slaw inside cuz he's weird, so the cook suggested he add mac n cheese inside and my friend loved it. The staff here were all cheerful and helpful, the place was clean, and the food was delicious. I would definitely go back.

Delicious BBQ. Three different house BBQ sauces; one of which I bought and brought back to Houston. I was there for lunch the day before Thanksgiving, an hour before they closed, and as busy as they were they still took time to treat me like well and answer my questions about the menu and different sauces.

This place has the best BBQ I've ever had!  The atmosphere is very welcoming and comfortable.we ate in their outdoor seating area on a beautiful day. The food is AMAZING. The ribs and brisket are stellar. I was covering everything in their thin vinegar sauce because it was so good. The pulled pork and the pulled chicken sandwiches were straight out of heaven. Top is off with the banana pudding! We loved it.

Not good. I went and the food was extremely draw and raw! I could not consume and decided to cry for multiple hours on end with the nastiest residing in my mouth. I plan on pressing chargers to whoever thought this establishment was a business worthy of your money. You will lose!

Not a bad thing to say about this BBQ joint! Clean, quick service wither ordering up front, and delicious southern eats. My friend and I were a little ambitious and overzealous in splitting the whole rack of ribs. Definitely enough for two hungry peeps and will do for leftovers too. Try all the sauces at the table: thin, thick, and hot. I liked the thick the best but they all serve their purpose. Collard greens side were also delish and tangy.

Come here for a soul food pit stop while in Knoxville!

We were passing thru Knoxville and Yelp said we had to stop here. Quick detour from Interstate. We had their brisket and chicken. Chef recommended with both their hot and thin sauce. Did not disappoint. Tried a side of the Chocolate Chess pie, it was to die for.

Great Place! I stopped here from a trip across the US and the food was excellent! I ordered the BBQ burrito with a side of mac and cheese. The flavor hit the spot and I was happy. I would recommend this place to anyone local or passing through.

Passing through the area so this was my first time in Knoxville, loved the area!

I can't recall if I've ever had bbq in Tennessee before but I wasn't disappointed, I think it lives up to it's yelp rating.

I was a little confused by the menu on the sign, mainly because I wanted to try a few of the meats. Generally, a bbq place will have a 2-3 meat platter where you can do so, not the case here except for a try all type platter.

Went ala cart and got the brisket, chopped pork, mac and banana pudding. I liked the flavor of the brisket, especially the dry rub but I wasn't too crazy about the cut. I prefer a leaner brisket, this one had a lot of fat and looked like they sliced it off of a dinosaur. Chopped pork was great, had little burndt ends here and there, paired nice with the sauce (3 sauces...tomato based, tomato/vineger blend and a spicy). Mac was excellent, VERY cheesy. I'm half/half on the banana pudding...the flavor was ok but I think it had too much biscuit which made it seem dry on the palate.

Overall, a pretty good experience. I liked the decor and they had football on the big tv. Ball and bbq, win win!

Not the best Barbecue but not the worst either.  Cafeteria joint that serves up fair to good tasting barbecue with o.k. sauce.  My complaint about so many such restaurants is that the meat is cut up and allowed to get cold before it is placed on a sandwich.  Then you stand in line for the sides and then get your drink then find a table.  By now the meat is colder still. The sides were of poor quality.  The mac & cheese was an ugly brown color and was not appetizing.  The collard greens were mediocre at best.  Overall, a good spot but with room for improvement.

Great place! Atmosphere is what a BBQ joint should be. Rustic, yet clean. And the food was better than good. I had the pulled pork, a little dry but their homemade BBQ sauce made it amazing. The green beans were ok, nothing to repeat unless your watching your weight. The Mac... that mac and cheese... awesome!
And the banana pudding placed me in the perfect food coma. I definitely recommend the outside seating area as well. Loved their draft beer selection as well. They dun good here.

Great BBQ!  We walked in and ordered at the counter right away. Our food was handed to us and we paid. Next we took a seat on the outdoor patio to enjoy the awesome atmosphere. The food was even better than it looked!  My husband had the dry rub ribs and they are now his favorite!  I had the pork BBQ and it's ruined all other subpar BBQ for me now. I'm spoiled!  The slaw and green beans were very good, but the Mac-N-cheese almost deserves its own review, it's just that good!!!!!  Service was fast and super friendly!

Good BBQ, good beer selection, friendly staff, and bacon chocolate chip cookies. Great little spot with a convenient parking lot nearby!

Another great find thanks to Yelp! Passing through town and looking for a good dinner stop. What I really appreciated is there was something on the menu for everyone. We sat at the bar, and the bartenders were very friendly and patient with answering our questions about the choices. My dining companions split the sampler platter and really liked the ribs and brisket. I opted for the great greens salad with smoked chicken. Often, places that aren't particularly focused on healthy food don't make a great salad, so I was a little nervous. But this was an excellent salad! Nice leafy greens, plenty of cherry tomatoes and blue cheese, great dressing, and delicious with smoked chicken. Seriously, I'll be thinking about that salad for awhile!

My favorite place to get BBQ!! The banana pudding and macaroni and cheeee is to die for.

I'm visiting the college with my daughter and had a chance to sneak away for some "alone" time. Yelp suggested this gem and I flew to it!  I swear 90% of the time you guys get it right and this time was a win!! I haven't had ribs of any kind in 3 years.. but then I saw an order come out before I made my order and instinctively went full speed ahead on the #ditto order. I am full as a tick and happy as I could be

The staff here have been by far the most welcoming of any restaurant we've been to downtown since moving here a few months ago. The food is good, but I've seriously never felt so welcome as soon as I walked in as we did here. We stopped by with our 7 year old daughter on Halloween night after some cold trick or treating. As picky kids do, she refused to eat anything there before we even went. So we do what parents do when they really want food that their kids hate: we made Dino nuggets at our apartment and let her bring them lol. Not only were they understanding and didn't make a big deal about her not ordering food there, they actually made her feel less embarrassed about being picky. Between the Bartender sharing his stories of eating only chicken nuggets as a kid, and the waitresses complimenting her green Halloween hair, she managed to relax and have a great time with us. We will be back very soon I'm sure!

Always my favorite place for ribs! Their rub is fantastic and for a small price you can buy a container of it to take home. We bring out of town guests here and Sweet P's never disappoints. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. I definitely recommend this place for those who love dry rubbed ribs (they have good BBQ sauce too--but who needs it?)

Everything we ate was delicious - brisket, pulled pork, Mac n cheese, potato salad (like my mom's), slaw, and greens. All the meat was very tender. Ribs were fall off the bone tender and great flavor.

We were visiting Knoxville for the marathon and wanted a big meal after the race and we were not disappointed! We got the sampler and were offered sides (banana pudding!) that weren't even on the menu. We have 2 young boys that were running around and the atmosphere was perfect for them to go wild without feeling like we were a disturbance to other guests.
This is the best brisket I have ever had and the homemade bbq sauces were dynamite.

The staff was so attentive and friendly and even it is obvious that everything was made fresh that day(which the staff confirmed).

We were there on a chillier night so the outside bar was closed but it was a really nice space.

I wish I lived closer because this would be a regular spot for me no doubt

Pretty decent BBQ, smokey.  Had pork BBQ with the thin sauce, vinegar and tomato, was tasty.  Atmosphere pretty nice, maybe trying a little too hard.

"Great place... if you're into cafeteria food. I enjoyed a dry pork sandwich with a side of green SLOP. I was insulted they even offered this on their menu. If you're looking for BBQ in Knoxville, go to Dead End."

It's a good bbq place, but not my favorite. They don't have a lot of choices in my opinion, and everything I had was cold and stale. It wasn't bad, just not what I wanted in a bbq place. I wouldn't mind going back, but I wouldn't pick it anytime soon. Also I think they're a little pricier than they should be, if that's a problem for you.

Sweet P's is located in a unique part of town on a cobblestone street. Continuing with its uniqueness, it is semi-open, with garage style doors. Once you enter you then order at the counter and seat yourself.

The menu board offers a variety of traditional barbecue and sides as well as some more unique original twists on barbecue. One of those is the barbecue burrito which I had.

The burrito comes with your choice of meat, cheese, slaw, and your choice of sauce. I chose the pulled pork which was delicious. The portion size is huge and the burrito was filling.

Everyone at Sweet P's was friendly and the staff was very hospital. To compliment your meal they offer a full bar featuring local beer. I'll be going back to Sweet P's and I would recommend Sweet P's to anyone whose looking for barbecue in downtown Knoxville.

The BBQ here is delicious!! Everyone here is really nice. We stopped here on our way to New Orleans, coming from philly and it was good spot! Reasonable price for a good amount of food!

First day in Knoxville, we found this place on yelp. I went in and quickly let them know I was from Texas and if the BBQ was bad, I wouldn't be paying for it... Joking of course.....

I must say these guys got the right ingredients when it comes to BBQ, greens, and Mac n cheese.

I had Brisket and I asked for it wet! I was waiting on them to ask what that meant but they already knew.  
Now I will say they served  my wife some cold Brisket, not on purpose and they quickly correct it.
I wasn't a fan of the potato salad. I am a country boy and to me potato salad is supposed to be sweet.

Overall they had good food and a the service was good as well.

We 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!

Highly recommend! We went on a Friday evening and split the sampler (pulled pork, briscut, ribs, and three sides) and it was PLENTY of DELICIOUS food. We also ventured upstairs to the beer garden. Beautiful little area! I would say Sweet Ps is a must see if you're visiting Kno

Came here after our train ride Three Rivers Rambler son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter husband. Food was great trying to get there was a challenge seems like every street navigation tried to take us down was closed! But once we got here is was so good! Husband got a sampler greens Mac and cheese and pinto beans he absolutely loved the greens said they were delicious. I just got the chopped pork with mac and cheese potato salad. Yummy  Not fancy but food was spot on.

Best barbecue ever. My husband and I were passing through Knoxville on our road trip from New Jersey to Texas. Remember having delicious Tennessee barbecue sandwich years ago. There's a reason the parking was limited on Saturday night. Everyone must be coming over to have their fill  of brisket and ribs at Sweet P's. Delicious tender slices of brisket and pull apart ribs. Three different sauces to please the sweet, sour and spicy hot palates. Loved the green beans. Made me feel as if I was eating healthy so I can return to this little place of barbecue heaven. This Texan is happy in Tennessee. Too bad you can't buy it online!

If you've had a 13+ hour smoked brisket with a beautiful smoke ring and bark loaded with the flavor, you won't get that here. I won't beat them up, but it's just bad brisket. The coleslaw was just plain.

YUGE serving sizes, YUGE flavor, YUGE fan. Fair prices and some seriously fresh food. Beer selection is top notch so if you like your heady brews then make this a lunch spot.

The pork plate with collards (they add fresh black eyed peas and carrots) and okra were excellent, however the clear winners of the lunch were the smoked chicken and Mac and cheese. Seriously. That Mac is something to write home about.

Bug fan of the sauce lineup: "thick" mild and hot. The latter two were very thin, very reminiscent of Carolina style vinegar sauce. The thick sauce was still on the thinner side and was more traditional. All extremely good.

Dry rub wings are so good they could make a nun cuss. Fried pickles are what dreams are made of. Ribs are what they are most famous for but if you want them you have to go early because they have run out several times. Pulled pork and brisket are absolute perfection. Super reasonably priced menu. Fun crowd. Waiters are all kind of granola but super cool and friendly.

This barbecue place is delicious. It's quick and easy. You just pick something from the menu, order, and then you get the food in an instant. The last time I went was with my family, and we ordered the half rack of ribs with some sides. The meat was nice, soft, and well seasoned. The mac n' cheese had just the exact amount of cheese and was baked to perfection. If you are in Downtown Knoxville and your looking for a place to eat, definitely go to Sweet P's.

Awesome! Great food. Kids loved it. Best burrito ever had! Sit upstairs it's awesome.

We walked in here with no clue what to get.  The guy behind the counter said hands down, the best thing we got is the ribs.  We ordered a half rack, some wings, collards, mac & cheese, & chocolate chess pie.

They let me know right away any menu items that I had food allergies with - which was AWESOME.  I've had several encounters recently where this was not the case even after asking for confirmation.

The guy ended up giving us a full rack because he thought we'd love them.  These were hands down the BEST ribs I've ever had.  I wasn't sure what I'd think of the dry rub style but we tore them up.  The collards were fantastic.  They were cooked up with some apple cider vinegar, black eyed peas, carrots, and celery.  Again - some of the best I've ever had.  The mac & cheese was good and the chess pie was like a brownie in a pie crust.  I loved it.  

We wish this place was closer because we'd come here all the time. We will definitely be returning.

Stopped by here for lunch on the road and we were stunned to find a fellow Pennsylvanian runs this shop in Knoxville.  We found the variety of BBQ to be very enjoyable and service was fast and friendly!  Pros:Generally, the BBQ was quite good.  The ribs were fall of the bone incredible and the options on sauces were quite solid (I enjoyed the spicy variety, which had a nice sweet heat).  As others noted, the brisket was a little dry and is probably the least of my recommendations.  The chicken was shockingly moist and tender and I'd actually recommend that over the brisket (which seems weird!).  Sides were enjoyable, but perhaps not special (I had the tater salad and slaw).  However, I found the mac and cheese to be excellent from the few bites I had!  I would get that in the future.Beers were plentiful, local and inexpensive!  Service was fast and friendly.  The owner rung us up, checked in on us and cleared our plates - I appreciate that attention to detail, friendliness and attentiveness to your own business!Cons:The aforementioned brisket is noted here.  Portions also aren't huge, but not disappointingly small.  We found them adequate.  The seating and service was a little weird.  There is a bar at the entrance, but you get food cafeteria style (which is fine) and it was a little unclear where we could order drinks (at the counter works) to which they serve you food immediately, but bring drinks out to you (maybe this is a legal thing?).  Then, we had to sorta circle around to get seats and had to hunt for some plastic-ware to eat.  It was just a little confusing to us visitors. Other notes:  The parking isn't confusing if you've ever been in a city or downtown area.  There's street parking across from the building and then a large public lot.  It's pretty dang obvious in my opinion. Conclusion:  We were pleased with the trip.  I would avoid the brisket in the future, but a solid chicken sandwich or amazing ribs!  Worth a stop and easy to get to from the highway.

This was without a doubt... SOOO GOOD! I'm getting hungry just thinking about this meal again. Was recommended to get the sampler, one order was enough for two. Got the pork sandwich, ribs, and brisket along with the collared greens, Mac n cheese, and potato salad.

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.

Disappointed.  The meatloaf was just okay. The greens and things was the best thing we got.  The slaw is sweet and made out of precut cabbage.  The corn bread is sweet. The roasted chicken was better than the meatloaf.  The tomato salad was good but is written different on the menu board so I missed it. I saw it on someone's plate and went back to get it.  Everyone was friendly and helpful but the food just wasn't that good.  All the sauces tasted the same. The hot is not hot until you add hot sauce to it.  Maybe we just ordered the wrong thing but the host suggested the meatloaf so we ordered it. Mistake!!

Food was excellent! A little hard to get to if your not used to navigating in the downtown area. Parking not so great, otherwise it would have been 5 stars!

Sorry for this review but was I disappointed.  Had the ribs.  Rub was ok but not special and the sauces were great but the meat was dry dry, dry.  Sides were cole slaw which was very good but pinto beans nothing special.  Service was very good

Stopped in on a business trip because the reviews were so good. Guess what, the reviews were 1000% correct. The food was fantastic. I got a 1/2 rack of ribs and they were excellent, the sides were awesome and a decent beer selection too! I would highly recommend!

Highly recommend! We went on a Friday evening and split the sampler (pulled pork, briscut, ribs, and three sides) and it was PLENTY of DELICIOUS food. We also ventured upstairs to the beer garden. Beautiful little area! I would say Sweet Ps is a must see if you're visiting Knoxville!

I ordered the Meatloaf sandwich with Mac n cheese. Both were nicely done. I appreciated the interactions with the friendly staff and I will definitely return to try the barbecue offerings.

Beware: This food is delicious. As soon as you're done eating absolutely anything from their menu, you need to keep moving. It's very easy to wanna just curl up in a ball and go to sleep after you patron this place. :) In all seriousness, this is THE bbq joint downtown- the staff are always friendly, give generous portions and make you feel at home. I would say, it would be a little easier on my wallet if buying lunch with a drink wasn't 12-14$.. however, this is a small business that serves quality food- so the dude abides!

My first time here. I can't say anything about the pork because I didn't try it but I am assuming it was good because my husband had 2 sandwiches. I had the pimento cheese dip. I liked it but the flavor from the chips was overwhelming.

Good food. Had the pulled chicken sandwich which was delicious. Only reason I didn't give a 5 was because there were a few chopped up bones in the sandwich. It looks like it's just off the highway on the map so if your passing through expect to go downtown. It's worth it!

Took some advice from a couple of local youngens and gave this place a try! Boy am I glad I did! The food is amazing! I got the brisket (minus the bun). It was so tender and delicious! The thin sauce was my fave.. with a vinegar base instead of tomato sauce was a perfect pairing for the brisket! For a side I got the Mac and cheese - and it was quite possibly thee very best I've had out! (Sorry, homemade takes the cake) The Tater Salad was yummy too.. but I was too full to eat most of it! Oh did I mention the rooftop beer garden? Yes, that's a thing! Very cool! Wish there was one of these in Nor Cal!! Check it out! You won't be disappointed- or hungry when you leave!

Just passing through Knoxville and chose based on reviews. Cool vibe spot a short distance off I40, but looked like many locals also love. Warm staff welcome, super fast order and serve (on line). Meatloaf special was delish. All the meat was very good. Order the Mac & Cheese with a great BBQ flavor!

Sweet P's BBQ and Downtown Dive is AWESOME... I feel bad that the roads are all closed around it so it is hard to find but it is well worth the effort of finding it. The service was excellent and the staff was helpful and enthusiastic.  I think that this is some of the best bbq in Knoxville.  It is well worth stopping back even if it takes you a minute to find

A perfect place to get bbq downtown. No frills here--it is what it is and it is so good. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The thing that catches my attention is the burrito. I feel this has a lot of bang for your buck. You think they'll just load it up with rice and bean fillers but there is actually quite a bit of meat in there. Give it a try.

My mouth is watering just thinking about the food here. If you are looking for soul food this is the spot in Knoxville. The Mac and cheese was gooey yet incredibly tasty. The fried chicken was perfection. The meat on the ribs fell right off the bone. Lastly, the banana pudding, my favorite!! Just the right amount of sweet and banana flavor.  Yum!!!

Came on a coworker's recommendation as a last farewell dinner for one of the interns. Saw the Friday sausage special and went for it!

This place has solid BBQ. Great special on Tuesdays for mexican/bbq blend plates. Banana pudding is the best in town!

We stopped here on our way home from a road trip. Right off I-75. The food was great. Had the sampler with 2 sides of mac n cheese and potato salad. The thick sauce was so good on the pulled pork sandwich!

BBQ must be the new hip thing.  Joints and dives are popping up at every turn and some actually have wheels to move around.  Sweet P's is a good pulled pork place. Not overly priced but not great parking.  Me and the wife went on Sunday on a whim because she was hungry and had bbq on her mind   She Got the pork plate ($10) which comes with two sides (greens and Mac and cheese) while I chose to just get meat (pull pork was $5 and chicken wings was $7)  I am quickly coming to the realization that bbq is more about the sauce than the meat and at Sweet P's you get three varieties  thick (tomato based sauce) thin (vinegar based) and hot (vinegar based with more hot sauce). All and all it was a good experience.  We shared a bacon chocolate chip cookie which I did not taste any bacon in it but it was still good.  If you cannot park on Street there is a paid lot down the hill across the street. I would rank this under Dead End BBQ and even with Archers better than Moe's BBQ. Wings were great. They have 1/2 price special on Saturdays and I may go back just for that occasion place is clean staff is friendly

Had higher expectations for a southern joint with great reviews. Just ordered food to go, and the only thing that was warm was the mac and cheese. I would not recommend someone to stop here if they're looking for friendly staff and good and warm food.

This place is amazing! Friendly staff who are helpful if you need it and great food! Mac and cheese is tasty and brisket is to die for! Upstairs beer garden is a nice area to eat to!

This place was recommended by my client while traveling for work. The staff was very friendly, helpful and  accommodating . I had the Brisket w/red beans and rice. It was really good. If you're in area, definitely check them out.

11/17/18 - update. I will 5 star the hell out of this place everytime we go in town. Becoming one of our Knoxville staples when we are in town.

9/22/18 Went to Sweet Ps again last night and the wife for some Florida Hate Eve rage eating to get a nice foundation for today's tailgating. We have come to the verdict that this place is hands down our favorite BBQ joint in the country. Everything on the menu is fantastic. The lima beans were next level and a great addition to the menu. And those smoked dry rub wings are a flavor party that will touch your tongue and slap ya in the brain. Great stuff, will be back (especially if we win

THE BEST MAC N CHEESE IN THE WORLD. Might sound like hyperbole, but I think it's true! The bbq is awesome as well. And I love the cole slaw. They also keep a great selection of beer, and their rooftop patio is really nice. Parking can be tricky on the weekend though!

While parking was a challenge, our dinner was amazing! You order "cafeteria style". I tried the sample platter, with potato salad, mac n cheese , and green melody mix. Two people could have EASILY ate this meal, and left full. I felt terrible because I had so much leftover. I ate the entire pulled pork portion, and 1 rib. Both were delicious ! The Mac and cheese was also good, super creamy. The greens and things melody ... could have used a lot more greens .. but the flavoring was great. If your every in town.. this is where to go! Just expect to leave uncomfortably full ! :)

First off, I've lived in the BBQ mecas of NC, TX, and MO. So, I've had some of the best. This pales in comparison. I usually don't make a review unless I've been multiple times and I've been here twice. Both experiences were similar. The setup is fairly nice. Decent bar and live music. Parking is a pain.

Brisket-1/5. Chopped, not sliced. Not enough smoke flavor and dry without the sauce. I've had worse but not much worse.

Ribs-2/5. I prefer wet ribs to dry ribs but these are ok. Not enough smoke and a little on the dry.  The rub had a little spice to it which was nice.

Pulled pork- 0/5. Extremely dry. Not vinegar flavor or spice to it. Very pedestrian.

Sides

Mac and cheese- 4/5. Pretty good. A little on the rich side but the highlight of the meal.

Greens 2/5. Needs more fat back and vinegar. Very bland.

Overall, I don't understand all of the rave reviews.

I've never had a bad meal here! My favorite is the beef brisket with double mac and cheese. Yum! Delicious sweet tea, a must for me. In cooler weather I like sitting on their patio. Part of the patio has a cool view. I've never tried any of their desserts, but I'm sure they're fantastic as well.

Was driving through and stopped by for a bite. Decided to get the chicken which had a nice smokey flavour. There were a couple of options for dipping sauces too which was nice. The side of beans was good too. Enjoyed my meal and staff were really friendly

It was all excellent! We had the sampler platter which is a lot of food. The mac and cheese side was absolutely delicious. The slaw is slightly dressed and not overly mayonaised. The collard greens were perfectly seasoned as well. The ribs were dry rubbed to perfection as was the brisket. My husband loved the banana pudding side. He can't stop raving about it. This place is in a beautiful part of Knoxville. The area has an arty vibe, is in a clean, and safe area . Take a stroll on the Main Street after lunch to help you digest. We parked about 500 ft away on the parking bridge. But there is a cheap paid parking lot right across from the restaurant too. Worth the detour off of I-40 for lunch. Only 1.8 miles off the highway.

My vote for best ribs in America. Meaty, tender, fall off the bone, none of that hard crunchy stuff. Served with dry rub so you can add your own sauce. Also brisket is excellent, chicken & pork not bad either. The sides are awesome! Mac and cheese, and Greens n things - once again, best in America. For a change, try their pimento cheese dip with house made potato chips. It's listed as an appetizer, but you won't get it until you've already started on the rest of your meal. Food is served cafeteria style, with the guys behind the counter loading your plate up as you go through. My only complaint about Sweet P's is that they will run out of stuff, especially on UT game nights. Everything's good, so if they're out of ribs, get the brisket. But if they're out of mac & cheese, go home!

This is about as good of bbq as you'll get most any place, and I'm speaking as a visitor from Texas, where bbq is everywhere. This is probably a top 5 bbq place joint I've tried. My co-worker and I tried this place yesterday evening, being our last night in Knoxville, before flying out this afternoon. We came here due to the high ratings on Yelp.

It's definitely got a dive-type feel, as the restaurant is sitting by itself off a one-way road, and the food ordering process is cafeteria-style. you order first at the counter and take your food on a tray to your table.

To try everything, my co-worker I was traveling with and I ordered the sampler platter with 2 orders of mac and cheese and green beans. We each ordered a chocolate chess pie and ordered one brisket burrito, just in case the other food wasn't enough. It was...

Mac and cheese - awesome. Ribs - amazing. Pulled pork sandwich - dang good. I used the thick bbq sauce on the pulled pork sandwich...the sauce was so good, I wish they bottled it and offered to sell it. I would've taken a full case home. It had just enough kick and the tangy flavor was perfect to me.

We both had a big lunch, so by the time we got to our pies and the burrito, which was attempted at last...it was a done deal. I took my slice of pie back to the hotel to eat later in the evening. I eventually got to it, and it was good. The burrito we didn't finish. The brisket inside was good, but we ordered it without slaw inside....and they prepared and gave it to us with slaw inside. We didn't make a deal out of it because we were so full anyway by the time we got to it...we each ate only about 5% of it.

Great, casual dining experience. Staff was nice and helpful directing us to the sampler platter to try everything.

Absolutely incredible.  I love using the food network app to find new places. We had the sampler and a burrito.  A+ all the way. If you are deciding between tator salad or Mac and cheese.  Go for the Mac. I preferred the thin sauce and others preferred the thick.

Great job staff.

We've been looking forward to trying out sweet peas, and I got to say we were kind of disappointed.My daughter got the brisket chili cheese fries. They put cinnamon in their chili. Not my favorite flavor combo. But It was a very generous portion.My husband got the Tennessee beef brisket with potato salad and pinto beans. Neither one of us cared for the spices they they sprinkled on top of the brisket. It's not that flavor was bad, but it was crunchy. The potato salad and the pinto beans were both on the bland side.I got the smoke n' soul chicken quarter. Bone in, rubbed and smoked chicken quarter. It was very tasty but again with the seasoning sprinkled on top! It was a gritty like sand and not my favorite. I got the collar greens and the lima beans. Hands-down the best collar greens I've ever eaten! And the lima beans were fantastic as wellWell we won't be back for the food, the staff and the atmosphere was great.

Wow! We can in town to see the Backstreet Boys (don't judge ) and we came to Sweet P's because of the man vs food episode. We were not disappointed.

When you walk in you get in line, it's cafeteria style. When they are out of something you can't preorder for the next batch you have to wait for more and get back in line. I had the pork, cole slaw, greens, and Mac and cheese. The pork had tons of flavor, I tried the non-spicy sauce they had and added the slaw to my pork and it was so good. The Mac and cheese is not on my diet (keto) but it looked too good not to try... definitely worth it, super cheesy. The greens I was interested in trying because it had so much in it... carrots, celery and black eyed peas... definitely good enough to be its own meal . I finished up with the ches pie... super chocolatey and almost has a grit to it from all the sugar, I loved it.

I plan on being my family soon.

We had great food! We were on the patio and the chef showed our kids the smoker and how it works! Such a great experience!

Sweet heavenly ribs I am not joking these ribs are heaven sent. I have had good BBQ and have had great bit the ribs here are unworldly good. Had some of the chopped pork as well and it was pretty great as well but the ribs!!! Coleslaw excellent beans just ok, ribs ribs ribs!!!!!

I am impressed with the Barnes burner, a combo of brisket, goat pepper cheese, pickled onions, and jalapeños, with a side of scrumptious greens mixed carrots and celery, black eyed peas and bacon. Kelli, who works the bar, where I ate, was great also. When you have someone who loves their job and are supper nice and knowledgeable, well, that is a great bonus. When I travel back to Knoxville I will be stopping by again.

2/5, hipster dive. Style executed, sub par bar b q. The chicken was dry, the sides were ordinary. For the #2 spot on yelp says a lot. It wasn't expensive, but for the money choose a spot in the hood for soul food.

We ate here because the ratings were great on Yelp. We were not disappointed!!! The nachos are absolutely incredible. The chips are homemade and taste fantastic. The bbq is great. The Mac and cheese is amazing. The collards were just average in my opinion, but I'm from the south and eat them a lot so it would take a lot to impress me. I am so glad we came here. We will definitely be back if we are in Knoxville again.

OK people. I travel a lot. This food was so good. I have the brisket chicken pulled pork mac & cheese collard greens and llama beans. This place a great parking across the street. So here's what you do you go inside you order your food first. As you move down the line and they are fixing your plate you pay for your food. Then you go find a seat. These guys are the best Intel believe me. The best in town. Go here people eat.

Holy crap, this BBQ place is AMAZING. We happened to find it while in Knoxville, and decided on the sampler, and literally everything was great, even the mimosas, which was surprising for a BBQ place. I'd highly recommend coming here if you have the time.

Very good BBQ, wings are awesome and the people here are very nice and friendly. I recommend this place for a very good meal.

This by far is one of the best BBQ places I have eaten at! The ribs were seasoned perfectly and fell off the bone. Everything was cooked fresh and was hot and delicious! The pimento cheese dip was to die for! Everyone was friendly and had great service. The environment was very relaxing. I give this resturant 2 thumbs up and 5 stars and will definitely be back!

Literally the worst bbq I've had in my life. I'm from Knoxville and this was my first visit. This place was a disgrace to Knoxville, to TN, and to the South! Literally no flavor! The greens were a mess I mean all you could taste were the canned black eye peas in them. Nothing more! My Mac n cheese was dry cold and flavorless. I asked the guy for another helping. He gave me & my son even colder Mac & said "hopefully this is warmer" it wasn't. It was the same batch. The only thing that was decent was the Dr. pepper  the bbq sauce was remotely decent. Brisket was tough, the pulled chicken was cold as hell. I'm so disappointed I spent almost $30 on the worst food I've ever had in my life. Please get rid of this place! The workers clearly were all young stoners. The air heads didn't do anything to accommodate me or my child. I will NEVER be back. The photos LOOK good but boy are looks deceiving. I'm so upset I would give this place a negative 10 if I could

This is truly a good BBQ place. The thick sauce was my favorite follow by the hot sauce which wasn't burn your face off hot, but had a smokey and subtle lingering burn.

I ad a pull pork sandwich with tater salad (potato) and mac and cheese. My SO had the brisket burrito. I regret not getting the slaw that in the burrito be had it was so damn good! It was sweet and tangy. The colors were beautiful. The burrito as a whole was turkey fantastic, but you sacrifice getting their sides as part of the meal. My potato salad was meh, but pretty good dipped in sauce. The Mac and cheese was delicious expected!

I was slightly disappointed with the pork as it was a bit dry. The bun was basic but great and I had some good bites of pork, but it was overall dry. It was still very good when dipped with sauce but perhaps go with the brisket because it was delicious!

Awesome Q! Nice atmosphere & very friendly.  Slap your granny good mac 'n cheese & confetti slaw with minimal (that's how I like it) dressing. Best Q on this week's barbecue tour! Kudos

After leaving another restaurant downtown because of the service we decided to drive to sweet p's and I'm not a barbecue person but I was so hungry I was like whatever, let's do this. Well, to my surprise this joint is a hit!!! The smell that hits you once you walk in makes you jump in joy! You walk in place your order,they give you your food cafeteria style and then you pay and choose your seat. I had the half rack of ribs and Mac and cheese and tater salad (southern way of saying potato salad) it was amazingly good. Rib meat was so tender and you get to add your own sauce at the table. For dessert I had banana pudding.

Mediocre barbecue. You could definitely do better elsewhere in Memphis. I tried a bit of everything (I shared a lot of the food).

The ribs were probably the best thing. The dry rub was very sweet and pretty solid, as was the hot (not really that hot) barbecue sauce. The brisket wasn't that tender and was really bland and greasy. The chicken breast and wing was almost all bone and very little meat.

The banana pudding was decent, but it could have used a lot more texture (aka more vanilla wafers). The blue cheese and tomato salad they serve was also decent.

The food wasn't horrible, but you should definitely look elsewhere for good barbecue.

Some great, authentic barbecue!  I was really hungry and wanted to stop in and try this place.  I was not disappointed.  Ordered a humongous meal and tried several different dishes.  It did not disappoint.

Phenomenal lunch spot! We were passing through Knoxville on our way home and stopped here based on other reviews. We're huge BBQ fans, and Sweet P's didn't disappoint! I had the pulled chicken sandwich with the Thick BBQ sauce along with green beans (not canned--tasted so good and fresh) and the Greens 'N Things (greens with black eyed peas and carrots--the BEST greens I've ever had--flavorful and not at all salty). Fast, friendly service, clean restrooms, a convenient location, and ample parking right across the street in a pay lot make this a no-brainer. We'll be back every time we're passing through town.

I love good bbq and I found some good "q" at Sweet P's.  I ordered he bbq burrito.  It was so tasty.  I selected the pork bbq for the meat.  Chicken and beef were also choices.  The cole slaw was so crunchy and added a nice texture.  The beans on the burrito were just enough.  It was huge and I did not think I could eat the whole burrito.  I did!  I will order this as soon As I return!

This place has authentic southern BBQ and sides. I got the BBQ beef brisket and it was perfectly tender. The sides (mac and cheese and potato salad) tasted homemade, with great flavor. I would definitely return to try some of their other BBQ options.

This is our first time for Tennessee style barbecue, tried their ribs, brisket with two sides. It is very different from Texas barbecue since the meat was covered with brown sugar, it was a little bit weird at the first bite but we got in love with it really quickly. The brisket was flavored nicely but the cut itself was not that great for me, definitely need some fatty part to reduce the dryness of the meat.
The two sides were great, I won't usually order horsebeans but got recommended by the cashier in the store so decided to try it, and they were amazing! Cashier also recommended Mac and cheese, which seems very popular.
Service was nice and welcoming. I already had dinner before I came here with the idea to just try the Tennessee bbq, but the cashier was very helpful and patient to help me find the right portion of food for my late-night snack.
The only downside was the price, I have to spend over 20 dollars for 1/4 ribs and two pieces of brisket, which is really pricy for a snack standard, not it is not even a lot of food!

Good food. Here's what you should order:  BBQ burrito with brisket and Mac and cheese in it. Add both the thick and spicy sauce. Make sure to get a side of the banana pudding.  Amazing.

The most bland BBQ of all time. Beer was bland, ribs were bland, greens were bland. Many better BBQ spots in Knoxville.

Very bad quality brisket.... It's not smoky and I guest just 6 hours they put brisker in smoker

Ate here while passing through to Florida from Michigan. Great easy parking. Not a dive at all, but rather a nice clean place.

I asked what to get, the pit master asked if I was local or not. I informed him that I was not. He said that if that was the case then I should not miss the ribs. I followed his advice.
The long and short of it is that they were hands down the best ribs that I have ever had. Dry rubbed, fall of the bone good. They honestly didn't need sauce, but the sauce was good too. Great random pick.

Phenomenal BBQ for a great price, delicious banana pudding, and they have Mello Yello!

Southern comfort!  This spot has delectable options.  Yes they are pricier than some other bbq joints in town but this spot is the one !  I tried their sample which comes w brisket, pulled pork sandwich, ribs and 3 sides.  I got mac and cheese, greens and pinto beans!  I shared all this with another person and was so satisfied.  So much food for under $25.

This is great BBQ even for a BBQ snob. The sides items are perfect and atmosphere matches. Our biggest complaint is when they run out of Mac & Cheese and the entire line has to choose to leave or order other items.

Not only is it great food, but they have a great staff. Banana bread pudding is to die for!

Brisket, Mac n Cheese and Greens were delicious!  Would recommend.  Busy little place!

Best barbeque in Knoxville!

What really sets Sweet P's apart for me are their wonderful Barbeque burritos that are simply outstanding!. Getcha one of those with a side of mac-n-cheese and you'll be sure to slap yo momma, it's so good!

Sweet P's is the best BBQ I've ever had. What more is there to say? Get the ribs, brisket, and mac and cheese. You won't regret it.

Amazing BBQ.  Had bbq chicken with Mac n cheese and greens.  Plenty of meat and my son also has banana pudding.  

Must go spot if you are in Knoxville

Authentic bbq in Knoxville.  Tried the sausage, pulled pork, brisket, and ribs and all were scrumptious! I really like how they use a heavy dry rub to season the meat prior to smoking, it makes a great bark on the meat.  The sauces and available drinks are great too.  We tried an orange infused cider from Austin :).  Highly recommended a we'll be back!

The restaurant serves their food "cafeteria style" so you walk up to the counter to order, pickup, and pay for your food, then find a table. This results in almost no waiting on your food after you order. I chose the ribs, greens, and mac&cheese. The price was reasonable for the large portion (about $17 not including a drink). The sides were both great, especially the greens. As far as the ribs go, they were nicely cooked and very tender. One end of the half rack, however, was pretty fatty. The last rib was almost inedible as far as I'm concerned. Their BBQ sauces could also be a bit better in my opinion. The "hot" sauce was not the slightest bit hot (disappointing) and it was very watery. The "thin" sauce was very watery as well and almost had too much of a hint of vinegar. The "thick" sauce is basically normal consistency BBQ sauce. It had good flavor and is what I ended up using the most, although I was very disappointed in the "hot" sauce. They do have a couple normal hot sauces on the side, but I feel like chihuly and crystal hot sauces don't go to well on ribs.

Ribs are the stuff of dreams - falling off the bone, but still meaty, with a great rub crust. Pulled pork also top-notch. Several tasty BBQ sauces to try, all commendable, depending on what you like to put it on. Sides are great too.

Enjoyed it... 4/5. I would say give it a try if you are near. I wouldnt drive an hour away for it but its good.

Pretty good. BBQ is a hit or miss for me but the food at Sweet P's was pretty awesome. And they give you a good amount of food. More bang for the buck which is what I'm always into! I will most def be coming back to this place.

Ordered the sampler platter here on a Saturday afternoon with my husband.  It came with ribs, pork with corn bread, a rack of ribs and your choice of three sides.  Truly a feast fit for a king and his queen.  The meat options were all delicious and went very well with their thick bbq sauce.  The mac and cheese side was very cheesy and disappeared fast.  The other sides were good but not nearly as tasty.  They offer $3 mimosas that they were fantastic and very refreshing.  A top choice for BBQ in the downtown Knoxville area.

My go-to here is to share the sampler plate. It will definitely be enough for 2 hungry people.  They have 3 sauces to choose from at the table: thin, thick, and hot. Honestly though, the ribs, pulled pork, and brisket are full of flavor by themselves that there is no need for the sauces.  Mac and cheese and the banana pudding will complete the meal.

Oh my so yummy - the amazing things about this spot totally outweigh the few cons, there is only one in my mind. I wish the Mac and Cheese wasn't so dry. Every time I've gone it is, but hey they have other way yummy sides. Kind people too! SO thankful for this gem.

This place is the definition of average. The BBQ fails to stand out, the sides are just okay, but the beer selection is pretty good. I'd say skip it and get your BBQ fix next time you're in Asheville or Memphis.

Our very favorite BBQ in Knoxville!  They've got it going on.
Delish trio plater w/ potatoe salad & slaw.
Long wait lines tell it all...

This place has great Q and their sides are just as good as well. It has a casual atmosphere and the food is always on point. Highly recommend going there. I can't wait to check out their new Trailer Park Bar!!!

I wish I knew about this place sooner! I absolutely loved eating here. The menu is simple, the environment is very downtown cool, and the BBQ was flippin fantastic.

I was really looking forward to some good ribs. The ribs were small, almost beef jerky like in texture of how dry they were , and to top it off, they were served cold. I was really disappointed. The corn bread tastes like corn meal. The Mac n cheese was pretty good though.

This place is exactly what we were looking for in terms of southern bbq. I ordered a brisket. It was pretty flavorful, and the sauces were rich. However, it could've been a tiny bit more tender for that "melt in the mouth" feel. Minus one star for price. $12 for a simple plate.

Hands down the best BBQ in this area! The ribs are a little bit of heaven in your mouth.

Best BBQ in Knoxville! we have tried the others but this is my favorite. Great pulled pork plate! The pork was good and smoky. I like the "thin sauce" that is vinegar based.  And it is nice that the sauce comes on the side so you may choose which kind you like. We also got the mac n cheese which was smoky and delicious . We got the "greens n things" which was a mix of greens carrots and pinto beans cooked with pork, very tasty. Can't wait to try more!

3 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.

I've had bbq in Texas, Memphis, and other Southern spots. I travel for work so if there's a famous bbq spot in town, I'll go. Unfortunately, this place just didn't do it for me. I felt the brisket wasn't very tender, nor was it very flavorful. The ribs were ok, smokey but didn't make me want to tear into it with a ravenous hunger that really good bbq can do. I will say the mac and cheese were good, however. After eating the bbq here I just left unsatisfied and not feeling very good, hence the two stars.

Good food and comfy atmosphere. Ribs were delicious and Mac and cheese was A-1 for a dining purchase versus making at home. Just passing through TN but if this was my local restaurant, it would be frequented by my fam for sure!

Parking was problem #1: you want to use the giant lot across the street from the restaurant, and not either of the driveways on either side of the building.  Once I got in, I had a half rack of ribs with tater salad and green-beans-with-other-stuff.  The tater salad was rather bland, with just a bit of celery to give it life.  The beans had maybe a trace of onion in them, and were blander than the salad.  The only saving grace was the ribs: served dry rub with sauces at the table, they were good-sized and totally falling off the bone.  Not as flavorful as I'd prefer, but pretty good.  Counter service.

Of course, my preference for B-B-Q would be to find a shack on a back road with a 150 year old black man at the helm but that wasn't in the cards on this trip. So we got off I-40 & went to Sweet Pea's. It was good food. Just because you don't get a slice of Wonder Bread on your plate doesn't mean the hipsters aren't slinging out some decent 'Q. So lighten up you "Oh, I've been to Memphis, I've been to Texas, blah, blah, blah," folks. As for the comment that said that the brisket wasn't tender - what the bloody hell are you talking about? A baby could eat that brisket. In fact, a baby WAS eating that brisket at an adjacent table. You could cut it with a plastic fork which is a good thing because that's the only kind of fork you're getting at this joint. So, if you can't find an old guy with a smoke shack and you're in Knoxville, give this place a try. Oh, one more thing - the old guy with the smoke shack probably doesn't have a nice Vinho Verde or a decent IPA out back in the fridge so there's that.

Hipster barbecue joint that doesn't disappoint. Good barbecue, good sides, wide selection of craft brews and they have some gluten free drinks. The dining area is really cool and the outdoor space is nice. Their salads are amazing.

Great Wings! Really good macaroni. Definitely worth the stop!! We were able to have our dog with us on the outside area. The staff was really friendly.

Ordered the sampler and was more than satisfied! Mac and Cheese was fuego!! Great atmosphere and  awesome food!

Came to Knoxville (from NJ) to see a Vols game and we had this place on our agenda from the beginning.  I ordered the sampler with pulled chicken, 1/4 rack of ribs and brisket, with sides of tater salad, pinto beans and mac and cheese.  I also ordered an extra side of banana pudding, a bacon chocolate chip cookie and, since it was 1/2 price wing day, I tried 2 dry and 2 wet wings.  I know, it's a lot of food, but I've been staring at this menu for months and wanted to try everything.

Let's start with the meats.  The chicken was nice and smoky and not dried out.  It did need some sauce (I combined the thick and spicy sauces at an employee''s recommendation) to put it over the top.  The brisket was done very nicely with that signature smoke ring and bark that you look for in a brisket.  The real winner was the ribs.  Wow, they were perfect.  The wings were great, with the dry being my favorite.  The sides were really good.  My favorite was the mac and cheese with the tater salad in a really close 2nd place.  I got to try the coleslaw off a friend's plate and it was great too.  The banana pudding was outstanding.  I took the cookie to go and ate it as we walked to the stadium.

This place is exactly what we were expecting out of a Tennessee BBQ place.  My only disappointment was that I didn't get to try the pimento cheese dip.  Here's hoping that there will be a return trip to Knoxville.  If there is, I know where I'm eating.

Everything was so delicious I ate until I just couldn't anymore! They staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I can't wait to go back!

I stopped in on a road trip with my boyfriend. We wanted to find a good local spot in Knoxville while we were driving north. So we went to Yelp and we found Sweet P's. When we came in I was slightly confused because I don't think any reviews stated that this restaurant is cafeteria style. So we stood staring at the large chalkboard menu above the ordering location. After a couple of moments my boyfriend decided to go with the beef brisket, the green beans, macaroni and cheese, and a side of banana pudding for desert. I ordered the grilled chicken, the greens and things, and macaroni and cheese. The cooks took our order and placed everything on a plate and cafeteria tray. After we headed to the register to check out. The inside of the restaurant was gorgeous it had plenty of pictures with the history of Knoxville including information about the world fair. Another interesting  thing about this restaurant is there are two gender-neutral bathrooms on the first floor. After we chose our seats we began eating. I first tasted the pulled chicken without any of the barbecue sauces that were on the table (Thick barbecue sauce and Thin barbecue cause). The pulled chicken was very dry even with the light dusting of seasoning on top. My boyfriend agreed that his BBQ was dry as well. So I decided to taste the thick and thin barbecue sauce. Both sauces were really great! I would actually purchase them, but that didn't change the fact that I was disappointed that a barbecue place had under seasoned BBQ. The Greens and Things were under seasoned as well and my favorite portion of the meal with macaroni and cheese.

For a barbecue place the food wasn't the focal point on this visit for us. Therefore I believe that most consumers are coming for the atmosphere versus the food because everything was pretty pretty bland. To end our meal we decided to taste test the banana pudding. The banana pudding was enjoyable. However there was nothing really special about the recipe.

Overall this restaurant deserves a C-. There are gender neutral restrooms, the dinning area and inside of the restaurant is gorgeous, this place seems like a great hangout during the warmer months, the macaroni and cheese was good, and the thick and thin BBQ sauces were great. Pitfalls, the BBQ needs some help. Most of the dishes are bland and need extra sauce or seasoning.

The smallest BBQ portion ever seen: two slices of beef, small side of French fries and Mac cheese for $14. The beef was dry. Not sure where all the good reviews came from.

I always wanted to try this restaurant, I did and it was horrible, the ribs are super greasy, they have more grease than meat.

OMG never thought I'd love BBQ down south but this place was a winner.  On our way back to KC and stopped in Knoxville for some lunch.  Had Pulled Pork, Brisket, and Ribs.  Even the sides were delicious.  This will be an annual stop on my way to Asheville every year.

My meal at Sweet P's today finally moved me to write this review. Their barbecue is solid, and their sides are pretty great - especially the mac & cheese and the lima beans. Nice, clean restaurant with an upscale-barbecue-joint feel. Cozy patio out back/up top. Friendly counter service. All that gets them three stars. But the creativity in the brisket with ghost pepper cheese sandwich on garlic butter Texas toast with blackberry jam on the side (!!!)? That's next-level delicious. It was a Sunday menu feature, so maybe you won't find it when you go, but I'm confident the genius who conceived that sandwich will create new super-yum culinary experiments in the Sweet P's barbecue laboratory.

1 word: Brisket! You can thank me later. It willMelt in your mouth and fill you up. The sauces are to die for but the barbecue is the best I've had. Steer clear from the the standards and try some of their daily specials too!

Simply the best BBQ downtown. The wings are to die for as is everything else. Cute atmosphere too!

My boyfriend and I were looking for a quick cheap place to grab some lunch and took to Yelp to find this gem right near Old City. I wasnt really sure what to expect as we had just spent a lot of time in Memphis dining on wonderful BBQ but oh my goodness I was blown out of the water.

Everything on the menu looked amazing so I struck up conversation with a really nice guy working behind the bar who walked us through the menu and let us know what their stand out items were.

We ordered the Sweet P's Sampler with a pork bbq sandwich, beef brisket, and 3 sides. Typically the sampler also comes with 1/4 rack of ribs but because it was UT gameday, they had sold out of them quickly but offered us wings instead. For the sides we got coleslaw, pinto beans, and mac n cheese.

The sandwich was AMAZING as we added coleslaw and loads of sauce to the mix. The brisket was phenomenal and I could have eaten another half pound of it to myself. The pinto beans were the best ive ever had and the mac n cheese could not go without note as it was unique and tasty in each bite. The crowning jewel for the both of us was the wings. I dont know what they put in that sauce but our eyes lit up the second we took a bite and felt that crispy juicy crunch. We were literally fighting over the last wing.

We ended the meal with a bacon chocolate chip cookie and it was the finishing touch to an amazing meal. The sampler was the perfect amount of food for two people and we are already looking at our schedules to figure out when we can go back (important to note that they are closed on Mondays).  Thanks Sweet Ps for an amazing meal!

I like sweet p'a I think it is probably the best bbq we have in Knoxville however this is not the best bbq I have had in TN. I think their wings are excellent the dry rub is great I do not like that they only have one type of dry rub to offer I have had the brisket rub offered once but they have not done it for me again that was the best I have had in a whole while. I do think that they are quite over priced I got 18 songs and rib and it was over 30$'s wings are not that expensive. They have a great atmosphere the parking. Situation is always a cluster at the downtown location due to construction I enjoy the south KNOXVILLE location the best if you had time I would try that location as well the food for me was best at that one.

It was kinda meh, the brisket was ok but not fantastic for the price. The sauce was chunky and oddly flavored for bbq. Basic dudes cafeteria style ordering. Not really a fan but it wasn't the worst I've had.

Saw the reviews and had to stop here from my road trip. Got twelve wet wings and they were amazing but spicy! Now the pudding wasn't my favorite but good! Mac n cheese- it was ok. The outside eating was great expect when people were smoking.

Best BBQ in Knoxville. Took my stubborn Memphis friends here. They would never admit it's better than Memphis BBQ but I think it's close.

A little expensive but worth it.

The service and availability of menu items at Sweet P's is THE WORST. Today was my birthday and I have a newborn at home so I wanted to get some food to go. I tried to order two pounds/pints of brisket and there was a really grumpy guy behind the counter who wouldn't let me order. He said they "didn't sell in bulk." But the menu lists the meats as being available by the pound/pint so that contradicted the employee. It's not like I was ordering a staggering amount of brisket, just TWO pounds. One guy behind the counter was trying to help me but the guy with the glasses, beard and limp was going over him and being a jerk. Plus, Sweet P's was all out of four of their six available sides: no green beans, mac n cheese, corn bread or collard greens. The whole experience was very unorganized and frustrating, we didn't get a receipt and they weren't clear about when we would receive our order. For some reason they didn't give us an order number or anything. I won't be going back to this place ever again. I suggest you stay away too if you appreciate good customer service. I understand there was some music festival, but I wasn't even able to order the one thing they had in stock.

Pricey but great food would go weekly but twice a year budget,spend that amount I'm going to ye ole.or Ruth's

I just moved back to Knoxville after being away since 2014 and I was so happy to find that Sweet Ps had opened a downtown location. I used to drive out to their lake location all the time. This place just does it right. The meat is cooked to perfection and everything is seasoned exactly how it should be. Love the consistency and reliability of this place... hard to find these days!

If you're from the south, then you won't like it. Waited in a decent line after reading rave reviews just to find out that it's not mamas cooking. Absolutely no bbq sauce on the meat they serve. (There's some at the table but it's not good at all). And the best part of the meal was the banana pudding. Don't go here expecting to get bbq that's anything special.

We did the take out thing, we split the sampler and three sides, it was the best Tennessee BBQ I had in a long time. Thanks for the quick service.

On our last cross country road trip I found this place on Yelp.  The pictures of the mac n cheese drew me in....but once we ordered...Best ribs I've ever had in my entire life!  Brisket was tender & juicy too. I always add bbq sauce but their rub was so delicious there was no need for sauce!  So sad it's 9 hours away.

Good lord does this place have good ribs!!  I don't like ribs slathered in sauce, so they just left them with the rub on and shiiiiiiiit!  Amazing. I'd mention the sides but I don't care about those. Lots of parking across the street and a nice beer garden.

I have been to this location close to 10 times, and the staff is always very stern.  They look miserable, and that radiates on their minimal customer service they provide.  It's like pulling teeth it seems to make a special request or ask a question.

**Update**Very happy with the quick response.  Originally, I posted one star based on my food experience...but as they are willing to make it right...that makes all the difference.  Incredible customer service.  Thank you for addressing my concerns!

Original post:

Was extremely disappointed!  Mac and Cheese roux was broken...Green Beans and Pinto Beans were completely bland.  We ordered a Sampler Platter and Wings (wet)...both were lukewarm.  I use to go to the original location often when traveling on business and wanted to bring my family here, as a loooved it.  We will not be back to the downtown location...if at all.  Bummed!

Because I smoke meats myself, I rarely eat smoked food or steaks out, as I'm rarely satisfied. But this place is an exception. The ribs here were the best of any I've had outside my own home. Do visit here, do order the ribs.

This place has great food. Had stopped by to eat really quick and was amazed at how good the food was. If your nearby defiantly stop in. Its affordable and delicious.

I will admit, the price is somewhat high, but this food really takes you to a backyard barbecue. One of the best brisket plates that I have ever had. It is at a very cool location as well.

Fantastic BBQ! Wanted to give some Tennessee style BBQ a try passing through Knoxville and this place does not disappoint. Tried the sampler platter and fried pickles. For cafeteria style on a less than busy, freezing cold night, everything was hot and fresh. The ribs were the highlight. Pulled pork was also fantastic. Brisket was good but not as great as the rest. All the sides were delicious as well, especially the Mac and cheese! If I find myself in Knoxville again this will be a stop for sure!

Disclaimer; when I'm traveling, and the wife can't adequately monitor my meat and beer intake, my default choice of eating establishment is one that serves bbq, preferably brisket, and local beer.  

Sweet P's was recommended by client, hotel checkin and Uber driver. Sadly, when I arrived at 8 PM they were out of brisket. And ribs. And only had a modest selection of local beer. Frankly I'm rather glad they shook me out of my lazy pattern of choices, as the food and beer serviced were delicious.

Pork burrito, although the combination of warm meats and refrigerated coleslaw was uncomfortable, the flavors were excellent. Considering the price, $8 I should have purchased by the dozen and resold them in NYC!

Most surprising we're the chicken wings, a foodstuff I generally avoid, I'm not someone that enjoys slightly awkward sharing moments at chain breastaurants. However, the wings Sweet P's have created are thoughtfully prepared, potentially pan-fried, oven baked and then seasoned in a paprika based dry rub or a garlic bbq sticky sauce. This might be the first time I've fondly thought about chicken wings.

I went for lunch this past week and I'm so glad I did. The food was tasty and the quality was what you'd want every place to be. I had the pulled chicken and it's my favorite of all time. The chicken was so yummy. The portion was good too. For sides I had mac n cheese and potato salad. The mac was really good and the potato salad was ok. I wish I had some pepper to add to it and it wasn't as cold as it was but I still liked it (just not my favorite). I also ordered the spicy beer batter fried pickle spears and that was delicious! Fried pickles should always be in spears. They came with two dipping sauces; one was ranch and the other was amazing but I don't know what it was. My husband had the chicken wings and he raves about them. They looked incredible! For sure they were made with love and looked homemade. I wish I had room in my tummy to try them. Next time for sure

This place is AMAZING!  Food was great, staff very friendly and an awesome atmosphere!  Depending on what's going on downtown on the weekend, parking can be an issue but it's worth it!

The chicken wings with the Sweet P's dry rub and ranch are delicious. The greens and things salad is also really good. Its got collard greens and some beans and various seasonings that go very well together. The tomato blue salad is tomato's and blue cheese tossed together is very basic but very good. Especially good with all those dry rub wings. The location is nice, but parking is a bit odd. Only complaint is that its a little on the expensive side considering portion sizes aren't that large for casual dinner.

This place is a good as advertised. The ribs were fantastic, and the mac and cheese was a game changer.

Good portions, great sauces. Neat atmosphere. Probably the best brisket in town-not Texas smoked brisket but a neat twist with a tasty dry rub. Definitely worth trying.

Excellent BBQ in Knoxville.  The brisket is top notch and all of the sides, just spot on!!  Banana pudding is just to die for!!

I would highly recommend this place for local BBQ and that comes from someone who spent a lot of years I'm NC and SC, both Mecca's of BBQ.

Cheers

The brisket was delicious! Get it, you won't be sorry. Mac and cheese was awesome, too. I've been making the same homemade mac-n-cheese recipe for years at home and been very happy with it, until now--theirs was so much better than mine. Little known fact: you can get banana cream pudding as a side dish here. Yum!

To me BBQ is pulled pork. I live in Franklin and get to Knoxville to see kids at UT. This is by far my favorite BBQ, always moist and on target. My daughter gets the chicken and the same. The Mac and cheese is is different than most others but great. Hard not to rack up the calorie count and avoid the banana pudding. Definitely my favorite of all BBQ.

This place is amazing and the best BBQ i done near ever had. Awesome. Love them already

Really delicious bbq! We went for the late lunch, so there wasn't many people dining. I dined on the pulled pork while my boyfriend got the half rack of ribs. The pork was really delicious and not dry. The ribs were fall off the bone tender. They come with a dry rub on them. Our sides were the green beans and Mac and cheese. The green were delicious and I truly appreciated that they were bright green and not cooked to mush. The Mac and cheese was by far the best of the sides!

Down visiting my friends at Knoxville and I heard about the great BBQ available here.

This downtown dive had an upbeat and friendly vibe that was easy and quick to order from. I got the sampler to share with my friends and they serve it right up in front of you. Pick and choose for the most part, so I did not have to wait for my food.

With the sampler came beef brisket, some pulled pork, pork ribs, and my choice of sides, which were the banana pudding, coleslaw, and greens.

The beef brisket was perfectly tender with some nicely rendered fat on it that was melt in your mouth. With the accompaniment of the sauces at your table, the bites were deliciously fatty cut down by the tangy and hot vinegar based bbq sauce. That's another thing, the choice of sauce from thick, to thin, and hot (which is just thin with chipotle) was great. You usually get a thick sauce as your only choice which is too much a lot of the time.

That said, then, it was great having the ribs come out with just a dry rub, with me being able to freely add sauce as I wanted. Again, the meat was tender and moist with a good bite, though it could have been better with regards to grabbing a char for that crunchy exterior.

For the most part, the rest of the food was good, but I wouldn't write home about it.

Enjoyed a great lunch here today. We ordered the brisket w/ mac n cheese & pinto beans and the Turkey club. Both were great. It's my favorite brisket! I loved the bbq sauce too. The employees were nice and worked fast. We were getting ready to leave and a little boy asked us if we needed a bag. It was the sweetest thing. I'll be back to try the ribs.

Love the barbecue (I've now had their pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. All great.) I can't speak to their sauces. I always take mine home and sauce it with my bottle from a place in Kansas City. Oh, and the Mac and cheese is good too.

Moved to Knoxville 6 months ago and was excited to try this place based off all the "local" reviews. Was not impressed at all with the meat. I don't even think the meat is actually smoked. The sides were ok, and the staff was nice. I won't be back though unless someone else is paying. Try Full Service, or even Calhoun's for better ribs.

Food was very good. Highly recommend the wings with the dry rub and the mac n cheese.
When my daughter asked if the chess pie had nuts, the staff responded 'we don't know' which I find an unacceptable answer and lazy. Other than that the food was good and affordable. Great for families and kids too.

*FYI - anything that normally have nuts, may have nuts. For people with sever allergies, it is always best and safest to ask.

This place was good, but pretty average for a BBQ joint. We had a sampling of everything at the table--brisket, pulled pork, and ribs, along with sides of Mac and cheese, potato salad, and banana pudding. We also had the pimento cheese appetizer. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but if we come back to visit Knoxville again, there are plenty of other places we would rather visit.

So their quality of wings have gone down as of late and haven't been nearly as good as they used to be. Sad day

So glad we stopped to eat here.  Some of the best bbq I've ever had.  The brisket melted in my mouth it was perfectly seasoned and smoked.  The pulled pork was flavorful and juicy.  The ribs are the 2nd best ribs I've ever had.  Also had the Mac n cheese which was fantastic.  Yes I was a fatty that day, totally worth.

Sweet P's is BBQ. Everything here is delicious so bring an empty stomach. Your wallet won't be hit hard because it's all quite reasonably priced as well. This is definitely worth a visit.

This place is dynamite. Never had a bad meal and the sides are as good as the meat. I'm not sure who designed the booth bottoms with a 32 degree falling slope to the back of the bench, but it's the kind of angle that puts you in a perpetual situp allowing you to basically never be able to overeat. I'm not sure if this is a thoughtful maneuver or some sort of subtle medieval torture method? Either way the stress of trying to figure it out Jerry have me a nose bleed.

Went to Sweet Ps again last night and the wife for some Florida Hate Eve rage eating to get a nice foundation for today's tailgating. We have come to the verdict that this place is hands down our favorite BBQ joint in the country. Everything on the menu is fantastic. The lima beans were next level and a great addition to the menu. And those smoked dry rub wings are a flavor party that will touch your tongue and slap ya in the brain. Great stuff, will be back (especially if we win today!)

Wasn't sure what to expect. Decided to come here last minute with a Tinder date from philly. We ordered the sampler around 8pm, 1 hour before closing, so our options were extremely limited. We ended up with pulled pork, brisket, spicy wings, banana pudding, beans and greens. The pork and brisket were dry but the wings were fabulous. I understand why people are crazy about wings now. It was so flavorful and moist!

Who goes with wings on a first date? Someone who cares more about food than making a mess while eating. Besides, it's something to laugh about right?

The greens and beans were edible. Nothing fancy to mention. As for the banana pudding, it was way better than I expected. It wasn't OD sweet. It had the perfect balance of sweet, creamy and flavorful. I must give them props for their banana pudding.

Overall, service is like fast food since it's premade. Do not go near closing because your options will be very limited!

This places ribs were great , when the meat about falls off then I know I like it. The sauces I enjoys to. Will drop in again.

If you're looking for a cafeteria-style, family friendly place for awesome bbq, this is the place. It's a little bit of a hike away from most other places but is definitely worth the walk. Plus, when you eat too much (and you probably will), the extra steps back will help you burn it off. I had the pork BBQ platter (also available in chicken) and my two sides were green beans and pinto beans. Excellent! My wife got a big salad with tomatoes and bleu cheese and she loved it too. She finished her salad and most of my green beans before I got back from setting up the kids at another table. They got kids meals of BBQ sandwiches (one chicken and one pork) with a side of mac&cheese. Some friends got a rack of ribs and said they were pretty heavy and were really good. Everything tasted great and we all highly recommend this place.

- brisket was one of the driest I've ever had. Tasted more like beef jerky than brisket!!- small portions of sides - did not serve the bun which I had asked them to add- definitely an overhyped place based off the yelp reviews. - for the price point, definitely not worth it, and will not be back.

I don't know how I haven't had Sweet P's BBQ since moving to Knoxville a year ago!  You really can't go wrong with anything here, and each plate is full enough to share!  The BBQ has always been fresh and lovingly prepared, and the sides are flavorful without being overwhelming!  The brisket has been my favorite so far, and the "greens and things" (collard greens) with the potato salad are my go-tos.  As a note, their sauces are not spicy at all.  Except for the "thick" option, which is almost like a smoky ketchup, they are thin/vinegar based sauces.  Fortunately, there are plenty of options for you to spice up your meal in any way or form.  Whenever I am craving BBQ, Sweet P's is where I go!

Avoid the often rude service on weekend nights in Market Square and come here instead! Not only are they friendly, but the food truly hits the spot. Really day/night you can count on Sweet P's for good eats.

Delicious food. I've been eating sweet peas as long as it's been open and the food never disappoints. You also have 2 location options. The downtown is fast paced and has a real downtown dive feel where as their other property is a "soul house" on the Tennessee river providing a beautiful view at Sunset. You have to try the pimiento cheese dip and banana pudding.

We were passing through Knoxville on the way to Gatlinburg on our honeymoon. I saw this place on Yelp and had to get some Tennessee bbq in. The menu was overwhelming but the friendly guys behind the counter and register helped us order the sampler telling us it's the best way to try more for less. They gave us the brisket, half rack of ribs (my favorite!) even gave us half and half of the pulled chicken (my next fave) and the pork. Sides were Mac and cheese (yum!!), sautéed greens and banana pudding (omg). Tried their pineapple cider special.

Everything was so so good! Customer service was perfect. I think we need to come back on the way back to Nashville.

I ordered the bbq nachos and am giving it a three based on this dish alone. Pretty sure the cheese was pimento--Amazing! The chips were homemade, thick, and golden--- perfection. The pinto beans were just fine, but I got chicken and it SUCKED. The chicken had no flavor and the lack of flavor kept interrupting the good flavors mentioned above. So ambiance and other menu items seem fine, just don't get the chicken nachos folks.
They always have a daily special and $3 mimosas!!!! Yeah so cool, you're welcome lol

Wow. So good! I ordered the BBQ chicken plate with greens n things and Mac n cheese. A.m.a.z.i.n.g! And a lot of food! My husband got the BBQ brisket burrito and loved his too. The service was great, we were greeted as soon as we got in the door. They were so nice and laid back. So going back!!!

After the total disaster that was Central BBQ in downtown Memphis, I was completely skeptical to trying another BBQ. I took a leap of faith and came
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.

Okay so are you wanting some good BBQ and soul food? This is the place. The wings are the best in town! Order some Mac n cheese along with your meat and you will be in BBQ heaven. I ordered my wings wet and the spice was just enough with a side of ranch. The banana pudding was a simmering to the spice.

On our way back from Atlanta to Cincinnati, we wanted BBQ for lunch.  I looked up top BBQ In Knoxville and Sweet P's had brisket!!  My son and I shared chicken and brisket. Great with the thick tomato based sauce.  The Mac and cheese was also very very good.  

Definitely not on the beaten path...but be adventurous and make your way here!

Entry level BBQ.  Mediocre at best.  I had so many native Knoxville people tell me how amazing this place is.  I had to try it coming from Coastal SC.  I have been to most of the BBQ places in Knoxville and it's hard to compare them to SC BBQ.  Full Service is the best so far.  That being said we're here to talk about Sweet P's.  Parking was pretty complicated at this place.  That was my first complaint.  I got in the establishment and decided I wanted a brisket sandwich.  For those of you unaware, you order at the counter when you come in.  For $9 I thought I'd get a huge sandwich.  I was wrong.  It was two slivers of brisket dusted with what I assume was afterthought flavor (not needed if the meat is cooked right) on a bun.  As someone from SC I know that if the meat is good you do not need sauce so I was excited when I saw they didn't smother it in sauce by default.  Then I took a bite.......  No flavor what so ever and as it didn't have much meat all I could taste was the bread.  I smothered it in their sauce and that made it better but at that point I was having a sauce sandwich rather than a brisket sandwich.  As the sandwich came alone for $9 I made it a combo and added mac and cheese and greens as sides coming to a total of a whopping $14.  This is a ridiculous price for a plate of BBQ at lunch time.  That's WITHOUT a drink as I ordered water.  The mac and cheese was your standard mac and cheese.  No complaints and no praise.  The greens were a mix of black eyed peas, celery, and collard greens.  As an actual southerner I'm very familiar with greens.  Never in my life have I seen this strange mix.  It didn't work......   Maybe I'm hard to please with BBQ as someone from a location that is known for it.  Nothing about my experience in this place will bring me back for another try.

One word - WOW. It all started with Chandra. She is the best. She greeted us and as we looked a little lost, she took us on a tour of the menu and how to proceed. She is the star of this place. The nachos with pimento cheese queso were epic. But the dry wings were the BEST!!!!! This is a must go to on Knox.

We ate outside at picnic tables ina shady setting. Very comfortable and dog friendly. The food was quick and good. Nice location in urban environment. Easy parking next door.

Wow, great food!! We had the pulled pork, Mac n cheese and green beans, and it was amazing!
It was a kind of a bummer because we waited at least 15 minutes in line to order & when we got to the counter they said our first choice (the beef brisket) was out and would we like to wait 15 minutes more for more to be ready? So I can't give 5 stars for that reason, & also bc the only seating available was on the roof & it was hot and crowded at that time. But I would still highly recommend because what we did get was still excellent!

Absolutely amazing food. If you're in Knoxville and want to complete your trip with an unforgettable southern BBQ experience...then Sweet P's is a must! Flavors were on point, sauces were fantastic (although I didn't use much sauce for my meats since the flavors of the meats were sooo good already to begin with), meats were exceptionally moist and tender...AND to top off the experience, the banana cream pudding was PHENOMENAL!!

Service was great! Everyone is super friendly. Check this place out!!!

The food was great and I love the 1982 World's Fair theme. The BBQ is on point, the macaroni is among the best I've had and the fried pickles are really fun.

As a vegetarian, it's not always easy to find something to eat that's not covered in animal fat at a BBQ spot. Sweet P's on the other hand is very veg friendly! They list anything that isn't vegetarian on the sides list when you walk in. Staff are also very helpful and friendly. The overall restaurant is a local favorite as well. I go here and always leave very happy and full!

Very good BBQ joint!  We had a sampler platter as well as chicken wings (both wet and dry).  Everything was very flavorful!  Only negative to this place was parking.  We lucked out though and found a spot right by the building but due to the construction, parking could be a pain during peak hours...

Top Notch BBQ... great brisket with side of mac n cheese and green beans.  Pricing is fair and staff is friendly and entertaining.  If you're in Knoxville it's well worth a stop. Mixes outdoor seating in the back of the restaurant.

Highly recommend. Quick service good food. Perfect lunch or date night. Wings are dope too. Couldn't have a nicer staff

Now, I love good ribs... No disappointment here. Loved the rub & tenderness of their ribs. We chose the Sampler Platter: 3 meats & 3 sides; Pulled pork, ribs, wings (out of brisket). Sides were mac-n-cheese, green beans & banana pudding. Everything... and I mean everything... was awesome. Nice to see fresh green beans! Pulled pork was moist and flavorful. Wings were spicy with garlic... yum.

If we were locals, this would be our "go to" place for bbq. Not a local, well, its just to good to pass up.

Delicious! My family and I came to try this place out based on reviews. We ordered the Sampler and tried some of everything and it was all really good. We sat outside in their patio area and enjoyed every minute of it. The thick sauce was amazing on everything.

This is the quickest we've finished a meal, because it tastes so good there's no reason to take your time. Good service and beer selection. Beer garden style seating upstairs with corn hole set.

Fall off the bone meat....drool city!!!!

The BBQ burrito is dang tasty with brisket, slaw, beans, cheese and sauce!  Thursday's special is the smoked meatloaf, don't miss on this if you like the combination of smoke and meatloaf. You get a hearty piece with 2 sides. I got slaw and Mac and cheese. Both crazy good!!

Best BBQ in Knoxville. Awesome Mac and cheese and banana pudding. Offers different styles of sauce. Go through the serving line, pay, and head up to the picnic tables in the beer garden. Lots of 1980's world's fair memorabilia, great bar inside as well.

Fantastic ribs! Loved the mac n cheese! Beer was cold! Wings were phenomenal! Rusty the bartender was a delight!

Stop by the small BBQ restaurant and WOW was I surprised by their smoked ribs, ordered a half rack and had to go back for a second half rack, best dry rub ribs I ever tasted. Would be nice if they served French fries, but no biggie. Great food, we will be back!

Based off of a story on the TV show Tennessee Crossroads we were excited to finally try Sweet P's with some high expectations. The Brisket and Pulled Pork were the meats that ended up on our table along with Mac and Cheese, Greens and Things, Tater Salad, and Pinto Beans for sides. Both the Brisket and Pulled Pork were good. Where Sweet P's struggled was on the sides. Mac and Cheese as well as the Greens and Things weren't bad at all. The same could not be said for the Pinto Beans or Tater Salad. The Pinto Beans were flavorless and undercooked. If I were making these beans at home and they were at this level of doneness I'd give them another hour or two on the stove. I hate to say al dente because they weren't even that yet. The Tater Salad seemed to be mashed potatoes with some sour creme. Not sure if mayo was involved but it sure could've used something else. Neither the Beans or Tater Salad appeared to receive any form of seasoning. I guess you don't go to a BBQ joint for sides, and the BBQ was good, but they are part of the meal and the Beans and Tater Salad didn't deserve to share the plate. I'd like to try the Ribs, Chicken, and Sausage so we will be back for another go but I'm not sure we'll rush.

Favorite bbq place in town. Get the Mac and cheese and potato salad - not like regular potato salad though. We like to eat on the roof and sit in he shade

Sweet P's is a fantastic BBQ joint. In a location that is a short walk from the heart of downtown, this spot never has too long a wait even with its high regard. The pulled pork is some of the best I have ever had, I just would've preferred a larger portion.

Cool little BBQ spot. Brisket was delicious and the ribs fell off the bone. The tater salad was a great side option and the Mac and cheese was the best I've ever had. Didn't have to wait long to order, and although it was busy, the staff kept the line moving and seats available. Great place.

We had our favorite BBQ here from our DC to Knoxville roadtrip! My boyfriend and I shared a sample platter, which comes with quarter rack of ribs, pork or chicken (you can also add a bun to make it a sandwich,) brisket, and three sides. For our sides, we had mac and cheese, collard greens, and potato salad. It was SO delicious!! The unique seasoning they add to their meats is amazing, and there's a variety of sauces to add to the meats too. I thought the brisket was great! The spare ribs were a little dry. The pork tasted delicious as a sandwich. I loved the sides; collard greens weren't too sour, the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy, and the potato salad was tasty. Would definitely come again!!

Awesome bbq!

Excellent and quick service!  Everything was tasty and reasonably priced.  

Highly recommended.

So glad our family decided to eat here vs our 1st stop somewhere else. Food, service, location...perfect. Loved the music and decor. Will definitely be back!

While my dad was in town visiting, we decided to try Sweet P's for lunch.  I told him I had heard good things about them, but had never been there.  We went around 2pm so it wasn't crowded.  We walked in and there were a few tables occupied as well as some people in the small bar area.  It is a self seating place, so you order then find a place to sit.  I got the sampler plate that comes with a pulled pork or chicken sandwich (I got pork), brisket, and 1/3 rack of ribs with 3 sides; I chose the greens, Mac and cheese, and the potatoes ($24).  My dad got the 1/2 rack of ribs with slaw and the Mac and cheese ($16).  We also got a piece of the Chess pie with whip cream and the banana pudding (each $3.50 I think).

All of the meats and sides were delicious! The meats were super tender and had great flavor.  They also have sauces, but honestly it doesn't even need any.  They have a hot, thick and thin sauce.  We both liked the thick sauce best.  The Mac and cheese was probably the best I've had in a while.  The greens were good, but a little under seasoned for me so after adding some salt and pepper and some hot sauce, they were great.  The potatoes looked like loaded mashed potatoes, but a creamed potato salad and was cold, yet well balanced.  My dad said the slaw was very good as well.  

Somehow we managed to make room for dessert.  The Chess pie was good but really sweet, the whip cream actually helps tame the sweetness of it.  The banana pudding was delicious and was really good.  Even tho the prices are a little  steep, it was well worth the money and we will definitely go back again.

This is the best barbecue in Knoxville. Me and my wife got the sample platter, so I got to try everything, and nothing disappointed. The drawback to Sweet Ps is that (especially if you go on a weekend) it will be crowded.

Lots of "verys" for this place.  
Very trendy,
Very friendly,
Very good smoked turkey,
Very expensive for a bbq lunch spot,
Very, very good brisket!
Very disappointed they don't sell their homemade rub for home consumption.  I'd have bought pounds of it.

Amazing. Every single time. I really can't say anything bad. The fried pickle spears are incredible, the nachos and burrito are amazing... everything makes you hungry from just looking at it, let alone taste it. Definitely a must for southern BBQ and comfort food!

I don't see what all the fuss is about with these great reviews. It was ok but not much more than that. Sides are definitely not kid friendly. All the children hated the Mac and cheese which is extremely rare and the greens and beans mix wasn't a hit either. Oh and the French fries we ended up nick naming salt sticks. Saltiest fries of my life. Meat was ok to good. Maybe we're just more accustomed to Texas bbq but this was very mediocre. Seriously not a picky food person at all so to be disappointed in food quality is a rarity.

Very tasty brisket. I got it on top of the big green salad. It made me feel like I was mak6a healthy choice. Customer service is nice and fast. Would definitely visit again.

Tasty 'Q with quick service.  Have been twice and left a happy camper both times.  Reasonably priced as well.

Not Memphis barbecue but it is great!! My mom recommended we go when she came in town for the LSU game and the spot was filled with LSU fans. I had the pulled pork plate with macaroni and banana pudding. I would get the same thing over and over again with how good it is. The macaroni has a smokey flavor to it and the banana pudding must be home made. I used the mild barbecue sauce for my pulled pork and liked it, very tender with a good flavor although the sauce was a little thin

Not bad BBQ, honestly the sides were better than the meat which is never good for a bbq joint but the greens were amazing.

I ate here after UTK beat Ky
Beer was fresh
Sweet Tea was delicious
I hate Mac and cheese but this was the best I have ever had. Melted in your mouth.
BBQ, it's phenomenal. The ribs fall off the bone, the brisket is perfect.
Service was great

Only things that I didn't like was the black eyed peas in the  collard greens and the sauces need work.

Get the wings. You will not be disappointed. This is a great staple within the Knox community. Such a great place with the best BBQ. You can't go wrong.