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Ridgewood Barbecue

900 Elizabethtown Highway, Bluff City, TN - (423) 538-7543
Posted By Tim Tabor on 1/6/2009 4:52:00 PM
I just don't understand the comments in the review by Carolina Bill. All I can figure is that he's another one of those NC BBQ snobs that get defensive when they discover some barbecue better than their own. I've eaten BBQ all over NC as well as the Firehouse BBQ in Johnson City, TN and absolutely NONE even come close to that of Ridgewood's.

They are one of the few restaurants that slice their smoked pork instead of chopping or pulling it. I like it much better that way. Ridgewood's BBQ is the standard by which all others are judged, in my opinion. To call it reminiscent of Arby's is so absurd that it doesn't even deserve a comment. I think their sauce is the best tomato-based sauce I've ever had. To eat there and not have a crock of beans is a real mistake. They're as fantastic as the barbecue.

The reason you don't see that many TN tags in the parking lot is because most of the people in this area have learned to call in their orders and take them home to avoid having to wait in line for a seat. If you're in the VA/TN area for the Nascar race or the Rhythm and Roots Festival in Bristol in September you owe it to yourself to give this fantastic Southern BBQ a try.

The atmosphere isn't much and the seats in the booths are horrible. The waitresses are most always friendly and professional. They have their act together when it comes to serving an awful lot of people in a very small space. The wait and the "diner"-type atmosphere are a small price to pay for some of the best BBQ you'll ever eat.

6 out of 7 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

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Scorecard

5 - Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Rate this place
Mostly what you see are French fries -- delicious, hot-from-the-kettle fries -- but beneath them is a heap of smoky pork slices bathed in tongue-tingling sauce.
"Mostly what you see are French fries -- delicious, hot-from-the-kettle fries -- but beneath them is a heap of smoky pork slices bathed in tongue-tingling sauce. "
Michael Stern





Smoky, sweet, and laced with meat, Ridgewood's beans are a must-eat side dish.
"Smoky, sweet, and laced with meat, Ridgewood's beans are a must-eat side dish."
Michael Stern


The sandwiches are huge and definitely sharable. Order one plate of fries for every 2-3 people.
"The sandwiches are huge and definitely sharable. Order one plate of fries for every 2-3 people."
Rae Augenstein


This is the view from a booth near the kitchen: a beef sandwich and a pork plate, just assembled by the cook and ready to be carried to a table -- OUR table, we pray!
"This is the view from a booth near the kitchen: a beef sandwich and a pork plate, just assembled by the cook and ready to be carried to a table -- OUR table, we pray!"
Michael Stern


Just north of the restaurant is this smoky building where hams are slow-smoked over hickory wood for hours.
"Just north of the restaurant is this smoky building where hams are slow-smoked over hickory wood for hours."
Michael Stern


Although it is far off the beaten path, the Ridgwood is almost always crowded. Expect to wait at peak mealtimes.
"Although it is far off the beaten path, the Ridgwood is almost always crowded. Expect to wait at peak mealtimes."
Michael Stern



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