Barrelhouse by Gypsy Circus — Restaurant in Knoxville

3 Stars – Great Drinks & Vibes, Slow Kitchen

We stopped by Gypsy Cider Barrel House in Knoxville for trivia night and got there early to grab a table for our group. The atmosphere was super cool—cozy and eclectic with lots of personality—and they had some fun merch on display too. There was an event happening in the back room, but there were still open tables, and we were able to snag one without a problem.

Ordering is bar-style, so you line up to get food and drinks, and the line was long when we got there. But once we got our drinks, it was worth the wait! I had the Apple Butter Cider and the Rhubarb Strawberry Mead—both were fantastic. Sweet, flavorful, and super unique. Honestly, I’d go back just for those!

Food-wise, it was a mixed bag. I ordered the fish and chips with a salad and the pit egg rolls, and my husband got the brisket sandwich with smoked potato salad. The fish was cooked perfectly but didn’t have a ton of flavor—I ended up using apple cider vinegar to kick it up a notch. The fries were tasty, and the side salad was a surprise hit—fresh and flavorful. The egg rolls were solid, but the brisket sandwich was just okay. Kind of flavorless like it came out of a precooked package and not something we’d order again. The potato salad felt like it was missing something too—maybe seasoning?

The servers were great—friendly and working hard—but the kitchen was super slow, which made everything feel a little dragged out. That said, trivia was awesome—clear, easy to hear, and super fun to play with a group.

All in all, Gypsy Cider has a lot of potential. The drinks are amazing, the staff is kind, and the vibe is on point, but the food and service speed left a little to be desired. We’d definitely go back for drinks and trivia—maybe just eat...

Understand I am rating on food experience. Atmosphere is a whole other story. So let's talk about The good. The bad, The ummmm

⚠️ NOT a kid friendly spot at night ⚠️

It's a bar that has BBQ not a BBQ joint with beer. Night events are adults only. So if you want a family meal, go during the day or early evening.

BBQ Brisket: Meat was tender and juicy, no smoke so your flavor is in the sauce. It is black pepper crusted. (This is important) Now I am a Memphis transplant. Every Memphian knows the best bite of BBQ is the bark. Remember I said it was pepper crusted.... by habit I cut off the "bark" and bit in.... I think I passed out for a second. Because a mouth full of black pepper isn't enjoyable. 🤢😝😂 so make sure not to do what I did. LOL

Sauce: Sweet Molasses isn't bad. No hickory flavor but isn't overy sweet or thick . Spicy.... it's like that older dude that had a tattoo in 10th grade when he should have been married with children two years ago. Yeah that's about as Spicy as it is.

Slaw: We won't talk about it. Probably good on a sandwich, but not a solo act.

Service: Bar tender was really nice, she took our order and brought us our drinks. But because we had water it was self serve from that point on. Friendly, but not 5☆ service.

Seating and Ordering: it's first come on seating so grab a table as soon as you walk in. Then you order at the bar. They don't come to you.

Overall. The food was good enough to go again, just during the day.

The ummm I mentioned. There was a burlesque show going on and a few of the girls came out to get drinks... glad there was an Alabama game on. That game kept me from getting hit by my...

I did not have an enjoyable experience at Barrelhouse. It was a little busy, so I didn't mind waiting in line for a few minutes at the bar to get a drink and order food. Three other people at my table ordered food at the same time as me and they got their food 30 minutes before I got a simple order of nachos. I believe the order was forgotten or lost. The food was not impressive, either. After I ate some of the nachos (I didn't even want to finish them), I go up to the bar to get another cider and pay my tab. At this point it was a little busier, so 2 bartenders were at the bar with 2 separate lines. I am in line with my buddy in front of me, no one behind me. He gets his beer, his tab and the bartender just walks away after taking care of him without helping me! The only choice I had was to hop back in line to get helped by the other bartender, but by that point I was over it and just wanted to tab out and leave.

I refused to wait in line AGAIN so I stop the bartender that previously ignored me in line to please tab me out, and she was clearly bothered by my request. I worked in the service industry for years some time ago, so I know how difficult and stressful a job it can be, but geez I will not be back.

Horribly understaffed, and I understand every place is struggling, but it was...