Ridgewood Barbecue - Bluff City, TN

Ridgewood’s pork is as good as it gets. Hickory-cooked hams are sliced and souped with a tangy, dark-red, slightly smoky sauce (available by the pint and quart near the cash register) and served as a platter, under a heap of terrific dark-gold French fries, or in a giant sandwich that spills out all sides of the bun.

90% Approval Rating (83 votes)

Overall: Worth driving from anyplace

Must Eats

Barbecue Beans ($2.00)

Pork Barbecue ($5.00)

Beef Barbecue ($5.00)

pork plate ($9.00)

beans ($4.00)

French fries ($2.00)

Written Reviews

Michael Stern

"Ridgewood Barbecue has defined excellence in pork for decades. Beef is on the menu, but pig is the meat to eat in this part of the world. Ridgewood’s pork is as good as it gets. It is hams, hickory cooked in a pit adjacent to the restaurant, sliced into fairly thin ..." [Read More].

SOUTHWAP

July 01, 2009

"We stumbled on Ridgewood Barbecue back in the 70s --- it was hard to find even then --- and for the past 30+ years we've driven 90-120 minutes several times a year just to eat there. We always take company there and we get a lot of company, since we live in the most ..." [Read More].

MaestroSteve

June 17, 2009

"If you are within 100 miles of East Tennessee, the Ridgewood is not to be missed. It is, without a doubt, the best barbecue I've had anywhere. I've been to the big name places in Kansas City, Memphis, and elsewhere, but none of them compare in terms of flavor. ..." [Read More].

shanedunn138

April 24, 2009

"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, ..." [Read More].

drawu1

January 06, 2009

"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 ..." [Read More].

nolarobert

December 13, 2008

"I live in New Orleans, a place well-known for its excellent and eclectic mix of food. The major weakness of the greater New Orleans area is the quality of the barbecue. We have a few decent choices. So when I drive the nearly 800 miles to visit family in upper East ..." [Read More].

Tennessee Jim

September 16, 2008

"I feel so sorry for CarolinaBill, as his tongue has obviously been destroyed from years of abuse by eating the vinegar-based turpentine they call Carolina Q. RIDGEWOOD ROCKS. I grew up in East Tennessee, and ate at Ridgewood as a youngster. Later, I moved to North ..." [Read More].

lovingbbq

July 13, 2008

"I have lived in Johnson City for a little over 15 years. I moved here from South Alabama. I have lived in Georgia and South Carolina. When I moved here all folks here talked about was Ridgewood BBQ. I decided I had to try it out. First, finding a day when they ..." [Read More].

h71857

July 03, 2008

"I live in Knoxville, TN but while attending college at East Tennessee State (in nearby Johnson City, about 30 years ago) I was "indoctrinated" by a local girl into the exclusive club of those who have discovered this incredible place. So for the last 26 or so years I ..." [Read More].

Wiggleyum

January 28, 2006

"I've been going to Ridgewood Barbecue ever since it was featured on "Buffet Benny" (ESPN used to do the NASCAR races, and Benny Parsons had a series of local eating establishments located near NASCAR sanctioned tracks). They've been an annual stop ever since. The ..." [Read More].

iocat

May 12, 2005

"This is *hands down* the best BBQ I've had, and I've had a lot. The very thin-sliced (not shredded) pork is incredibly tender, and flavored with just the right amount of smoke. The sauce is amazing, sweet and spicy, without being too hot. The bun is typical, soft white ..." [Read More].

CarolinaBill

October 27, 2004

"After reading several reviews here and on other sites declaring Ridgewood to be a bbq mecca, I decided to include a visit on my recent fall foliage trip, going somewhat out of the way for the visit. Unfortunately, I can't concur with most of the reviews and question ..." [Read More].

cbtindell

June 18, 2003

"First let me say, I love barbecue. I've lived in Knoxville, TN all my life, except for 3 years away in law school in Memphis, TN. Lots of great barbecue in Memphis. And, I've sampled from quite a few other places around. And my favorite of all is the Ridgewood. ..." [Read More].

Logbooks

4/4/2001 - Michael Stern, $10

Map & Directions

900 Elizabethtown Highway, Bluff City, TN
423-538-7543

Hours & Policies

Seasons:	Open Year Round
Meals Served:	Lunch
Operational Hours:	Always Call Ahead!
Credit Cards Accepted:	Yes
Alcohol Served:	No
Outdoor Seating:	No
Reservations Accepted:	No
Delivery Available:	No
Takeout Counters:	Yes

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

"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

"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

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

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