Small, non-chain, authentic, locally-owned barbecue restaurant just serving great food and being nice to folks whilst doing it. We will probably run out of smoked meats. If we do, we will clean up, close ‘er down, go home, and cook more next time. Barbecue takes a long time and is always best when fresh. Thanks for understanding.
Elana Hastings
Best brisket ever! Tender, good flavor! We also tried the okra, potato salad and banana pudding… All GREAT!
Friendly and welcoming staff. You won’t be disappointed!
… moreChris Goebel
Great bbq! We enjoyed everything we had – definitely get those wings if they have them when you are there! Workers were super friendly and over the top about making sure we had everything we needed. Food was ready to go as quickly as we could order it. Clean. Super welcome addition to the Straw Plains area!
… moreAustin Webb
Hands down some of the best customer service I’ve ever had. From the moment we walked in, everyone was welcoming, friendly, and genuinely cared about the experience.
The brisket was tender and full of flavor, the pulled pork was perfectly cooked, and the mac and cheese and okra were spot on. Everything tasted fresh and well done. Portions were generous and the prices are great for the quality you’re getting.
On top of that, it’s a very nice, clean establishment with great people running it. This place checks every box — amazing food, excellent service, and a great atmosphere. We’ll absolutely be back.
… moreJosh C
Amazing barbecue! Everything is fresh, hot, and very flavorful! Arrive early as they *might* run out of meat that day, which is fine by me because I’d rather not eat reheated meat if I’m going out to eat. Since I got there later in the day they were out of all meats except pulled pork. I’m not the biggest fan of pulled pork but that’s clearly because I’ve never had good pulled pork! Y’all are making me rethink my choice of BBQ meat!
The sandwich was amazing and the cobbler and Mac n chz were full of flavor. The staff were incredibly friendly and gave a me genuine welcome. I’m excited to have Shagbark here in East TN and I wish them nothing but success. Go give them a try as soon as you can. I can’t wait to go back and try the half chicken and brisket!
… morejordyn banta
The service was fantastic and the food was outstanding. Joe and Christopher took their time to get to know us as customers and we enjoyed our experience. The Brisket Sandwich and the Burnt Ends Sandwich were so good… no sauce needed! Just great smoked meat. I recommend the pudding, too! Our toddler ate as much fried okra as he could in record time. A great addition to the area!
… morevladamier huff
This place is hands down the best BBQ I have ever had. Immediately upon walking in, you are greeted by the friendliest employees and the most knowledgeable. Their meats are smoked on site and are freshly served. The portions you get with any plate and cost are like none other. Everything you get here is made fresh and homemade ingredients. If you are looking for a great price, amazing BBQ, awesome environment, and friendly people, then Shagbark Barbecue is where you need to stop. The owners are extremely knowledgeable and professional. We will definitely be back and will tell everyone we know about this place. It is truly one of a kind, and we look forward to seeing what they do in the future. Keep up the amazing work, and please let the line employees know that they are awesome. Thanks for bringing home to the table.
… moreAyla Talbert
This is some (if not THE) best BBQ I’ve ever had. We were greeted with cheer and excitement. The people were very friendly and personable. Then there’s the food! Oh man. The best way to describe it is that it’s clean. It doesn’t taste like some old dried out food that’s a day old. I’ve had some dry brisket but this was the juiciest brisket I’ve ever had. The potato salad and the beans tasted homemade as well. I usually am not a fan of pickles either, but these were delicious and definitely tasted homemade! If there’s a BBQ place to go eat at, this is it! Excellent location as well. We will for sure be returning.
… moreMadison Lyleroehr
This might be my new favorite BBQ place in the Knoxville area. Everything was delicious, but especially the pulled pork. I do not eat meat very often, and I don’t like to eat big meals, but I made exceptions for this meal because it was so good. And everyone was so incredibly friendly. I can’t wait to come back and continue working my way through the menu.
… moreJulie Barbosa
We were traveling back from an appointment in Knoxville and decided to stop in for lunch. That was a great decision! The food was amazing! We both had a brisket sandwich and it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. One of us had baked beans as a side and the other had the white Mac and cheese. We were both happy with our choice. The place is cute and was clean. The staff were super friendly. We will definitely come back as we often travel right by there on I40.
… moreBetty K
I’ve been looking forward to trying Shagbark BBQ since they opened—it’s right down the street from me! But every time I’ve stopped by, they’ve been closed early, sometimes even before 3 PM, which has been a little frustrating.
Today I finally caught them open and ordered the burnt end sandwich. It was $12 for the sandwich alone, and honestly, it was just okay. Some pieces had a bit of fat, which I expected with burnt ends, but the meat was also on the dry side. For the price, I was hoping for a little more flavor and moisture.
I really wanted to love this place since it’s so close, but for now, it’s just not quite worth the hype—or the price.
… more