Knox Mason

I’m not sure if my expectation was too high or the steak was that bad. The only fact I know is my 8 oz Ribeye turned into a 6 oz instantly. I’m not a novice steak eater. I know the difference between gristle and buttery fat. I can safely say I’m not pleased.
The rest of the meal was great but the steak was so bad it drastically takes away from the star rating.

Have been wanting to try this place for a while and finally got around to it. It was delicious! Will definitely be back!

Terrible brunch. Served spoiled beef on eggs Monroe. Never going back. Waitress didn’t notice it seems nor did she even ask if I wanted another drink etc. Food had an actual spoiled smell coming from it.

My daughter and I were in Knoxville visiting UTK and being a foodie, my research put Knox Mason on the top of our dinner list. We were’t sure we’d be able to get a seat as it was a Saturday night and they don’t take reservations, but I called them and they said we would likely be good if we got there before 6:30. So we did and we watched the place fill up in the blink of an eye. I had a gorgeously plated, inventive salad. We had their pimiento cheese and the juiciest chicken ever. They manage to make the restaurant relaxing and welcoming, while at the same time, keeping a laser focus on service. We will be back, hopefully in July!

Very good! We stopped by on the way thru town to get some brunch. We had some pork rinds, then my husband got the catfish and grits, and I got the hoe cakes. I have no idea what they do with that bacon, but it was the best bacon I’ve ever had. Everything was delicious. I would totally recommend sitting on the bar by the kitchen and watching the show.

Great food! Our waiter Killian was so funny and helpful with menu choices. I am a vegetarian and found that they do offer a vegetarian meal along with their meat entrees. I was very happy with it. Also for after dinner I had a limoncello which I have not found around town yet. All in all very happy.

Southern with a touch of modern. Fantastic and delicious vegetarian options. These guys know charcuterie. Their cocktails are as local as their ingredients.

Found on Unilocal as we were staying the night in Kville on or way south. Glad we did, good chatter at the bar. Really outstanding cocktails, we split three courses, deviled eggs, kilt green salad, and catfish. All very well prepared, served hot and just a touch out of the ordinary. As a commie northerner from Ann Arbor, mi I wanted to taste the south and tonight I did. Bravo!

I came here with another New Yorker and we were both disappointed with our meals. I ordered a mixed vegetable dish and the squash casserole which were both bland. It veggies dish tasted like a quick stir fry and the casserole gave me a bad impression of casseroles. The staff was friendly and the order came out fast.

This was possibly the best brunch I’ve ever had. We ordered two dishes and shared. The dishes:
— Mississippi Catfish and Creamy Falls Mill Grits, Sunday Red Eye Sauce, Fresh Horseradish
— Shelton Farms Cornmeal Griddle Cakes Benton’s Bacon, Muddy Pond Sorghum, House Churned Cruze Farm Butter
The breading on the catfish was perfect and the fish itself was so tender, and just about melted in your mouth with the creamy grits, which were in the top three I’ve ever tasted without doubt. The texture was by far the best I’ve tried.
I am a complete sucker for cornmeal pancakes so I was somewhat destined to like this dish no matter what. Worth noting, it’s served with genuine 100% maple syrup. The bacon is from a farm 30 minutes down the road. I don’t know why the sorghum was worth mentioning. I assume just added to the pancake mix?
Even the napkins were cool. They were an interesting cloth material. The only «negative» was that the bloody mary seemed exceptionally priced at $ 5, but this was because it came in an 8 to 10 oz rocks glass, and was therefore significantly smaller than the normal $ 8 marys you get elsewhere. The same was true of the mimosas. But really, this was just fine. The drink itself was terrific.
Doubt I’ll be back in Knoxville often, but I’ll be coming here if I do visit.

Favorite brunch in Knoxville? YES. I have only been once, but I was blown away with my meal. Great, unique space. Why only 4 stars? Although I loved my food, I think they could use a few more additions for options.
The couple sitting next to me ordered a carafe of mimosas which I am dying to try on my next trip there. The banana bread is a MUST if you visit.

Such a neat concept with a fun atmosphere and an inviting open kitchen. Menu reads really well but there’s room for improvement on outcome of taste. Call me old fashion but I prefer my nice glass of Ferrari Carano Cabernet in a wine glass and not a juice cup.

As my previous review notes, I wasn’t a big fan of Knox Mason. I had a few mediocre experiences, of which one included a yellow, box waffle. So, I just didn’t get the fanfare. I went back, and I have to say really loved my experience. I’m still not ready to give this place a 5, but I adored the catfish and grits. The catfish was well seasoned and from one of the best catfish regions in the south. I also ordered a biscuit to start, and it was pretty good. It came with a special butter that was a bit much, but still a great starter. I also watched the bartender make the prettiest mimosa pitchers with grand marnier. So, I stand corrected with excitement to head back to Knox Mason again soon. It’s certainly seems improved since my last visit.

We’ve been to Knox Mason twice. IMHO, it deserves a 3.5 star, but I’m rounding up b/​c if you haven’t eaten here, it’s worth a visit.
The menu is entertaining and very «Southern Roots» centered. We had the pork rinds, which were pretty good (the better half isn’t a fan, but took one for the team for me). The pimento cheese was good, but didn’t have quite enough of a bite for the two of us. If you’ve ever been to Blackberry Farm, their pimento cheese is as close to perfection as either of us have had, and is the barometer we use. The beer bread was also good, but a little on the dry side.
Our mains — a tomato panzanella and catfish — were legit. Both had great flavor and were portioned well.
Overall, good. Not yet a «must eat» here type of place, but good. We’ll keep checking in… the wife and I both love the idea and are pulling for it to be great!
On another note, they probably pour some of the best drinks around. The wife’s vodka tonic was awesome (and I’m not much of a V&T fan), and their 1815 Old Fashioned was one of the best bourbon drinks I’ve ever had. At our first visit, I had a «Grape Drink» — I had to hide my manhood while sipping a purple drink from a martini glass, but it was awesome.

Came here on Sunday. From the menu posted outside, I was excited to order pimento cheese and squash casserole, instead they only had brunch menu available. I ordered the smoked sausage, biscuits, gravy and soft scrambled eggs. The meal was mediocre at best. The gravy was a tasteless gelatinous blob. Biscuits weren’t fluffy. They were pretty sad. My friend said the corncakes were sturdy but the half gallon of sorghum syrup they were soaked in was too overwhelming. She also reported that the bacon was unusually salty.
I normally don’t get soda but I enjoy a fountain drink occasionally and was disappointed the cokes were were in cans sold for $ 2 each. No free refills.

Honestly one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The staff does their job but is not over the top friendly and make reservations if you have a group of more than 4. The brunch is incredible. Seriously. Eat here.

I defy you to find a better meal in Knoxville. No, seriously. The food is fresh, hyper-​locally sourced, creative, and damned delicious! Every experience that I have had at Knox Mason has been top notch, but I gravitate towards this place for brunch. That may have something to do with the fact that they serve the best mimosas in town, in my humble opinion. The secret? Ste Germaine. And at $ 15 per carafe, sharing is optional.
The food at Knox Mason is drenched in Southern tradition and drizzled with delicious charm. It gives our little city a big city feel. It may be a bit pricier than some people are used to, but the price points are varied so you can find something to fit into almost any budget. And let me assure you, it’s worth every penny that you may spend outside of your comfort zone. I know that it can be an insult to make changes to the menu that the chef has prepared, I have never been met with attitude when making slight substitutions. Little known fact: they have an amazing patio in the back.
Now, let’s talk specifics. The menu changes seasonally and with availability of local ingredients (Love that). So if there are any offerings of grits with red eye gravy, anything that involves chicken being fried and served with gravy, or their banana bread served with buttermilk butter, the only thing to do here is order them. Some staples that guarantee happy taste buds are the pork rinds (don’t make that face until you try them, please), the pimento cheese, and any of the hand crafted cocktails.
Bottom line: If you have a special occasion coming up or you just like yourself, let Knox Mason treat you to an amazing meal.

Nothing bad to say about this place! Had such an amzing brunch! I have 3 questions for you! Haha
Okay inside joke. Great thing about Brunch is the people in it.
They serve JFG coffee which I had for the first time. Highly enjoy this cup of joe! Service is not smothering! Love the décor and the antiques through out this jam!
Foods! I got the Eggs Monroe. it was super yummy! We played musical plate so I tried the Pork Belly sammy. To die for! Some bacon! Never go wrong with thick cuts of Bentons Bacon! Pork rinds were super tasty! I don’t know what they put in the funnel cake but it was beyond delightful!
Mimosas mimosas mimosas! Must have!

Farm to table is my jam! I like food that comes from where I live, and Knox Mason does a diligent job of that. The restaurant’s chef and owner Matt does a skilled execution of taking the region’s tastes, and elevating them to a level not often reached in Knoxville. The staff is all friendly and accomodating the patrons of Knox Mason.
It’s a great place for brunch, or dinner and as I mentioned above, the food is tough to beat. Pro-​tip: They aren’t big on you making substitutions. I can appreciate that the fact that the chef knows what he’s doing and the meals they’re serving are best when it’s served the way they designed them to be enjoyed. If you make a change, don’t expect them to oblige you. Eat it. It’ll be tasty, I promise.
Complaints? It’s kind of nit-​picky, but if i were to say anything, it’d be that not all of the food fills the plate aesthetically. My last trip here was for brunch, and I ordered the Eggs Monroe, which is a take on Eggs Benedict. It was absolutely delicious, but that was all that I had on my plate. The plate was big, but the portion was a bit on the small side. I can appreciate the fact that they aren’t serving Fat Man portions, and want a sensible sized meal to be delivered to your table, but a small garnish would go a long way to making a plate feel more complete.

It’s just… I mean… you guys… I think I’m in love. (Read: this «seasonal Southern» thing they have going on nearly had me sizing out my Dolly wig and perfecting my y’all.)
We came for brunch, and while I wasn’t able to bypass my recent obsession (eggs bene) for the fried chicken that was calling my name, I did slap a side of biscuits and gravy to my order for good measure.
To say that this food is local is an understatement. In almost Portlandia-​level intensity, alongside every menu item was the local valley, the local farm, the local producer that the food originated from. Think I’m kidding? This is direct from their current menu: «Springer Mountain Fried Chicken Leg, Wing and Thigh, Cruze Farm Buttermilk Biscuit and Sawmill Gravy.» And the food didn’t just sound impressive, it was practically perfect in every way. The flavors were bold yet balanced, the portions were great, and the prices were fair. The menu also catered to the vegetarians, vegans and gluten-​free among us.
This would easily be on my «favorites» rotation if the commute from Portland wasn’t such a pain! Pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy the open kitchen for me, will y’all?