When I started college at UT, my boyfriend and I started a Wednesday tradition of trying restaurants we've never visited before. We've found a lot of really great places to eat and some really "eh" places to eat, but one thing is for sure: Picking a restaurant is difficult. I read one time that relationships are just asking each other, "What do you want to eat?" over and over until one of you dies. Obviously that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but picking a restaurant isn't fun most of the time. So I'm going to try to help you out a little bit. Here are some restaurants in Knoxville that I highly recommend.
1. Blackhorse Pub & Brewery
Blackhorse is one of my favorite restaurants now. The menu has a lot of options, such as pizza, burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads, etc. Every time I go, I order the sweet cheese bread appetizer, and I also really recommend the Tunisian pizza. Basically, Blackhorse has kind of the typical pub and brewery menu, but it also has creative food combinations that are really delicious. 
2. Stock & Barrel
Stock & Barrel is a restaurant for burgers and bourbon, according to the website. I can't tell you anything about the alcohol there, but I definitely enjoy the burgers. Stock & Barrel has about 20 different burgers on the menu, so I'm sure you can find something cool to try. Also, you need to try the smores milkshake there, and you should also bring a huge appetite.
3. Downtown Grill & Brewery
This restaurant really impressed me. I wasn't really sure what to expect when we went here the first time, but when I walked in, I really liked the way the restaurant looked inside. I also like the way the menu looked inside. The menu is HUGE. There's tacos, fajitas, pizza, pasta, and salad, and the list goes on and on. I've been several times now, and I haven't gotten tired of it because the menu is so huge.
4. Mimi's Cafe
This restaurant is a bit different from the others that I've listed here. It's a bit more "girly" than the others, according to my boyfriend. Mimi's has really delicious French and American food, and here's where the creative/ interior design side of me comes out: I really enjoy the way the restaurant is decorated. Overall, I think Mimi's is a really cool place to eat for girls' day/ night.
5. Chesapeake's
Chesapeake's is a seafood restaurant in downtown Knoxville. The menu is about what you would expect. There's shrimp, oysters, crab cakes, salads, salmon, crab bisque, etc. While the food is great, there's just something about the environment that I really like. It could be all the interesting fish in fish tanks around the restaurant. Basically, if you want good seafood in a nice environment, I really recommend Chesapeake's.
I hope this list helps you find a great new place for food in Knoxville.
