Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in Knoxville

OpenTable

Updated 05 March 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in Knoxville? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9

4.9 (3702)

$50 and over

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

At Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, we know that great food begins with fresh, quality sourced local ingredients. On our Modern Appalachian menu, Chef Jeff Carter and culinary team present seasonal and delicious dishes that are familiar and steeped in tradition yet enhanced with bold new dashes of flavor and component combinations that may surprise and delight you.

Dancing Bear provides a premium lodging experience. We bring the same commitment to excellence to our award-winning restaurant and full bar. Whether enjoying a romantic dinner for two or bringing the extended family together for a celebratory meal, we want your night out in Townsend to be a special experience. We offer a refined assortment of modern Appalachian cuisine — all served among elegant surroundings and calming wooded vistas.

Top review

Chad

Dined 2 days ago

Delicious food, great drinks, perfect service and a beautiful setting.

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Popular dish

Truffled Filet Mignon

The Restaurant at RT Lodge

4.8

4.8 (1088)

$31 to $50

Southern

Maryville

About the restaurant

Expect something you won’t see many other places—even at the most sophisticated hospitality destinations in the world. Your meals at The Restaurant at RT Lodge are uniquely your own. Every aspect of your meal is important to us. We shape our menus on the changing bounty of each season, with the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms and the best providers. Experience favorites such as our Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Housemade Charcuterie. After dinner, enjoy coffee and complimentary s'mores around the fire pit while being surrounded by gorgeous landscape and all the quiet sounds of Maryville College Woods.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 4 days ago

Wonderful meal with a lovely view & great service!

Wilder at Windy Hill Farm and Preserve

5.0

5 (67)

$50 and over

Contemporary Southern

Loudon

About the restaurant

Voted "Best Splurge Worthy Restaurant" by Travel Awaits.

Appalachian tradition is rich in grit, resourceful charm, and determination, which drives our culinary heritage. At Wilder, we cultivate farm-to-table ingredients transformed by an appreciation for international cuisine to offer a fun and unique approach to well-loved Southern staples.

Four-Course Dinner experience offered Thursday - Saturday $85/person.

20% service fee assessed on all charges. Additional tipping optional.

Limited reservations are offered nightly. Non-alcoholic beverages included.

Top review

Yvonne

Dined on 28 Feb 2025

First visit to this restaurant. Food was excellent. The service was top notch. The only thing was a bit tricky was the directions. Google maps doesn’t quite get you there so we had to stop and ask for directions. I highly recommend this restaurant.

The Marlowe

4.9

4.9 (1534)

$31 to $50

Continental

Knoxville

About the restaurant

You don’t have to go far for an exceptional culinary experience. Reviewers say “consistently spectacular” with friendly “non-stuffy” service. Bistro by the Tracks simply is Knoxville’s answer to great metropolitan dining. We proudly offer an extensive and diverse wine list featuring carefully selected whites and reds from the finest wineries around the world. Bistro by the Tracks is a recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, 2010. Join us for an evening of dining that is at once casual and elegant. Reservations most appreciated.

Top review

Kenneth

Dined 1 day ago

We was a group of six, and it was the perfect evening. The staff was incredible, friendly and upbeat. Our food was delicious. Such a wonderful dining experience. Highly recommend it. We will definitely be back.

Connors Steak & Seafood - Knoxville

4.9

4.9 (4167)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Knoxville

About the restaurant

We specialize in fresh seafood and premium aged steaks, as well as gourmet salads, pastas and more! Enjoy a memorable evening with friends and family in our well-appointed dining rooms, or stop by for the lunch you and your associates deserve. Our friendly service and flavorful fare will keep you coming back for more.

Connors Steak & Seafood first opened their doors to the diners at the new Turkey Creek shopping center in Knoxville, TN. Combining a high quality menu with a comfortable atmosphere, Connors quickly became a favorite with fellow Knoxvillians. The rich, wood interiors, warm fireplaces, and "guest-obsessed" service continues to this day, and in 2011 Connors was recognized in the "Best Steak" category of the 2011 Metro Pulse Best of Knoxville publication. Connors Steak & Seafood is Knoxville, TN is AAA 3 Diamond Rated.

Top review

Karla

Dined 2 days ago

Always delicious and a pleasant dining experience.

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4.8

4.8 (66)

$30 and under

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Balter Beerworks is a scratch kitchen brewpub located in downtown Knoxville. We offer a welcoming environment that celebrates craft beers and made from scratch food. Every bite and every sip at Balter is crafted daily from scratch, using the freshest ingredients available. We are constantly refreshing food and beer menus to highlight seasonal delicacies. Balter offers a place for friends and family to reconnect in a space that weaves urban aesthetics with the history of an old service station.

Top review

JeffreyG

Dined 3 days ago

Fun place always good food and good service. I like it is dog friendly

Copper Cellar (West)

4.7

4.7 (405)

$30 and under

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

The classics of Copper Cellar have been refined over 40 years and offered in this West Knoxville fine-dining destination in a comfortable setting. From our steakhouse selections and premium seafood to our Award-Winning Sunday Brunch, the food is always special and delicious.
Cappuccino's side with Italian fare open Sunday - Saturday from 5pm - close. If Cappuccino's seating desired please note in special request box. If any questions, please call the restaurant.

Top review

Donna

Dined 1 day ago

Went for my husband birthday. He ordered the Prime Rib with spinach Maria. I had the Lobster tail with spicy Mac n cheese with spinach. Shared the crab stuffed mushroom and double chocolate cheesecake. EVERYTHING WAS PHENOMENAL!!💯 He had never never dined there, so we both were VERY PLEASED and full. Recommend 10/10

Ruth's Chris Steak House - Knoxville

4.8

4.8 (2427)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Now Open: We look forward to serving you soon.

Ruth's Chris Steak House in Knoxville, TN serves the finest USDA Prime beef available, broiled at 1,800° and served on 500° plates, so your steak stays hot, juicy and delicious from first bite to last. Enjoy our New Orleans-inspired appetizers, USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood, signature side dishes and homemade desserts. All this while you enjoy our warm, inviting atmosphere and Ruth’s Chris’ genuine hospitality. So whether you’re a regular or have just been wondering what all the buzz is about, Ruth's Chris is the perfect excuse to enjoy the perfect night out. Dinner is served nightly, reservations are suggested and private dining and offsite catering may be arranged.

Top review

MarkVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Jacob did a very nice job of engaging and make sure we were taken care of. It was a very good experience overall.

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4.9

4.9 (1091)

$31 to $50

French

Knoxville

About the restaurant

Northshore Brasserie is a family owned, full-service restaurant and bar serving French Belgian cuisine in a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere. Over the last decade, we have become a Knoxville favorite known for hearty delicious food, and outstanding service. For dinner, we specialize in Brasserie classics, such as: steak frites, mussels, roast chicken, fresh seafood, and handmade pastas. We also take advantage of local produce and meats to create in season specials. Our bar has a vibrant, unpretentious atmosphere where locals and out-of-towners gather to enjoy craft cocktails, Belgian beers, and a selection of wines from around the world.

Top review

Mark

Dined 6 days ago

Fabulous menu…well-served…great ambience..pricey, but family next to us able to get hamburgers and fries for their kids. I love this restaurant

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Popular dish

Steak Tartare

Popular dish

Short Rib Stuffed Mushrooms

Popular dish

Beef Bourguignon

STIR - Knoxville

4.8

4.8 (729)

$31 to $50

American

Knoxville

About the restaurant

STIR is the perfect restaurant to sip a craft cocktail over a dozen oysters, enjoy a night out, or meet for lunch. Located in the heart of Old City, the restaurant is an open-air concept with a large, heated outdoor patio. We are open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Great food starts with fresh, local ingredients. Our kitchen prepares everything from scratch, and our signature raw bar is stocked with fresh oysters and seasonal seafood. STIR is famous for craft cocktails. We freeze and carve 300-pound blocks of artisanal ice in-house, age certain cocktails in oak barrels for richer flavors, and place others on draft for crispness and carbonation. The result: categorically elevated cocktails. Our passion for fine spirits also compels us to find and share rare bottles, many of which are extremely difficult to procure. We welcome Knoxville to enjoy our unmatched cocktails, fresh seafood, and classic dishes in an atmosphere of genuine hospitality

Top review

Beth

Dined 6 days ago

Stir is always a great choice -- whether you're looking for something adventurous or something familiar, they'll have amazing options across the menu and you will leave happy!

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