Growing up in Knoxville, I remember my parents talking about Ye Olde Steak House as if it were the Holy Grail of eateries, and if you saved your money long enough, you could go there and buy the best steak on earth. Well, I grew up to find that it is not the Holy Grail, nor is it the most expensive restaurant in East Tennessee. But Ye Olde does serve an incredible steak. That's why we still drive way out Chapman Highway and fight for a parking spot on the side of a mountain (The nearest neighborhood is aptly called ""Little Switzerland""). Then we stand outside with the rest of the horde waiting for a seat at one of the simple wooden tables in the rustic log building. Eventually a friendly but multitasking server will greet us, and we'll eat crackers and cheese while we wait for the Real Deal. Simple salad and basic side dishes may be designed to keep from upstaging the reason we are here: the steak. Please don't cook it past medium - this one is too good to charcoal! In all, the small inconveniences and the less-than-creative menu are part of the charm, and as any Indiana Jones fan can tell you, the Holy Grail was the wooden cup, anyway. Maybe my parents were right, after all.
Pros: Steak
Cons: Parking, Crowd
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