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Ridgewood Barbecue

900 Elizabethtown Highway, Bluff City, TN - (423) 538-7543
Posted By Shane Dunn on 4/24/2009 2:38:00 PM
My girlfriend and I, along with a friend, decided to check out a local world-famous barbecue joint: “The Original Ridgewood Barbecue.” So we enter, ask for a seat for three and, after a good 30 minutes, we finally get seated in the “back room” next to the restrooms, where we were delightfully greeted by our server with a wonder-thud of our silverware being thrown down onto the table.

We proceeded to place our food and drink orders. I ordered the “world famous” BBQ plate which consists of beef BBQ, coleslaw, and BBQ beans. My girlfriend ordered a BBQ beef sandwich and fries; the same for our friend. About five minutes later, I receive my BBQ beans (we still had yet to receive our drinks). About 10 minutes later we finally received our drinks and my order for coleslaw. We received our food about five minutes later.

We were advised by a few people that this is the best barbeque that we would ever eat, and we assumed this to be true once we saw the crowd, the numerous newspaper articles, and the framed copies of coverage of the restaurant from “People Magazine.” However, the food tasted like something that could be bought from the local grocer freezer section. All three of us ran out of drinks, and our waitress walked past our table numerous times and never offered to refill them once. We actually had to stop her and ask for more.

I personally will not be going back here at all. I have had better service and better BBQ from a fast-food restaurant. Fast food is a lot cheaper, too; it cost my girlfriend and me over $30.00. If I had to give a rating of 1-5, with one being worst and five the best, I would have to give this place a zero.

6 out of 17 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

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Scorecard

1 - Overall: Won't Eat Again
Overall: Won't Eat Again
French fries
Beef Barbecue
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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