Litton's — Restaurant in Knoxville

I used to come here with my Grandma when I was a kid. I loved their food. At the time, I was sure it was the best burger joint in Knoxville. I'm a big traveler and I love to cook, eat out, and have new culinary experiences. I also get a lot of people who ask me for tips on places to eat out when they are in the area. Littons was always my first recommendation for Knoxville, so travelers could have a good taste of home cooking. I didn't go for about two years, because its an hour drive from where I live. Some of my friends that took my reccomendation had comments about Littons that concerned me. I decided to test it out by taking my boyfriend on a date to Littons (His first time eating there). I talked the place up, and we were sorely disappointed by the horror story of a date that greeted us beyond the front doors. The decor and atmosphere were really nice. We had very high expectations. I ordered a Well Done Thunder Road Burger (I ordered well done per reading complaints of undercooked meat) with a side Ceaser salad, and my Boyfriend ordered a Cheeseburger (Well Done) and a side of Onion Rings. We waited for a really long time, and our half of the restraunt was empty except for us, and we were seated next to the Kitchen. I finally get my Ceaser, take one bite, and spit it out. I have never had spit food out that quickly. I inspected the salad, and it was drenched in a near flavorless dressing, that had chunks in it, as if cottage cheese (Not claiming it went bad, just the dressing choice was terrible). The only flavor it had, was sickly sweet, as if icing, whereas Ceaser is supposed to be very salty. I sent it back to the kitchen pretty much as soon as I could catch a waitress. They offered to make me another, and I didn't want one. Instead of offering a different side, they just took it back as if angry. I always feel terrible sending things back. To put this in perspective, I ordered a dinner in DC one time that I paid $40 for, and I found a live cockroach in it, and I didn't send it back. That's how bad that salad dressing was. We get our food 15 minutes later, and I am starving and eager at this point. I take a bite into my burger, and the center is red. The burger itself was cold, as if forgotten about. I was expetecting gooey melted pimento cheese, grilled onions, and grilled jalapenos. Instead, I received cold pimento cheese, cold soggy onions, and pickled jalapenos in a plastic cup on the side. But I felt bad about sending the salad back, so I tried to down the burger. I took about 5 bites of it total, before just stopping. 3/4 of the burger was still there. I look over at my boyfriend, who has this sick look on his face. I ask him what's wrong, and he said his burger was raw and had spit out the one bite he took on the plate. I was paying good money for this meal though, so I tried one of his Onion Rings, and it was terrible too. I LOVE onion rings, and I couldn't eat that either. We had eaten almost none of our food, so I asked for the cook (I have never done that before). He insisted it wasn't raw, that it was the type of beef he used (Which is not true, I asked what he used, and it shouldn't be cold and red when well done). He offered to cook it more, but my boyfriend was shaken at that point from our interactions with the cook and the raw meet, so we just asked for our check. They only took his burger off the check, and I was still $22.82 in the hole for the meal we didn't eat, not counting the $8 I left for the waitresses for putting up with our complaints. When went home, and I was greeted with less than suboptimal bowel movements. But I was just so sad about the experience that I couldn't move myself to be angry. I had so many happy memories there, that it felt like a part of my childhood died when I left. I went there to try to remember my grandma, and was greeted by the worst food I've had in the Knoxville area. I truly hope they take a good took at themselves and revamp their menu. I want them to be successful, but until they fix those issues, I can't recommend...

This was my original review 2 years ago:

"Amazing burgers, doubly amazing fries, it's a must stop each time I go to Knoxville. The desserts are almost too much for any mortal person to handle (amazing cheesecake!) and so worth it if you have the room. I haven't had a bad experience any time I have been there."

Fast-forward to today: This is a very sad day for me. Tonight, I'm realizing that Litton's is compromising what made them great, probably due to rising costs, potentially new management, I can't really say as I haven't gotten the details. All I know is what I can see and taste so let's start there:

LItton's burgers are smaller than they used to be. The grind is also not the same, or at least not the burger that I got. I'm not sure if there is a seasoning mixture or it's all due to the mix that they use, but it didn't have the same flavor that it usually has. They also got rid of bacon strips that they used to have at least a year and a half to two years ago. You can get bacon bits, but they are not the same. The fries are a different kind. If I had to guess, I believe the original ones (brown) were cut in-house. The new ones are lighter in color and have a much different texture, which leads me to assume that they are pre-cut and frozen. They were not cooked well, though seasoning was fine. However, the original fries before had no seasoning or salt on them. They never needed it. There have been some major changes here.

Guys... I have spoken to so many people about Litton's over the years, how it's an institution, how everything is made in-house, how love and care have never left. And by far, I had you guys marked down as my absolute favorite burger in the world. I traveled out of my way many times just to come have a burger. I am so disappointed with this, it makes me feel that I have lost a good friend of mine who I've come to love so much, finding joy in introducing people to the joy of your food whenever I could. To see something like this be compromised for the sake of profit is a tragedy. I would've paid much more for what I know is your best. Five Guys costs the same and they don't make as good of a burger or any of your other entrees for that matter.

The service is still there. Our waitress was very nice and as professional as always. The location obviously is still a staple. The burger I had was acceptable, and the fries (I've had them once before) when cooked alright, are decent, hence the 2 stars, but I and many, many others know what your potential is. I am so saddened by this. I hope you change it back...

A Knoxville Classic Where Time Stands Still (and the Pie is Amazing!!! Litton's Market isn't just a restaurant, it's a Knoxville institution. Established in 1946, the walls practically drip with nostalgia thanks to the old pictures and genuine, welcoming vibe. Be prepared for a wait – this place is popular for a reason – but trust me, it's worth it.

The first thing you'll do is grab some chalk and write your party size on the board. Embrace the tradition! While you wait, take a peek at the menu (or the pictures on the wall) – it'll get your mouth watering.

We started with the onion rings, and let me tell you, they were divine. Thick-cut, perfectly fried onion goodness with ranch and honey mustard for dipping – a classic done right.

For the main course, we went with cheeseburgers and a sweet potato" (which turned out to be a delightful surprise – more on that later). The burgers were everything you want in a classic burger experience: pure, high-quality beef that shone through with every delicious bite. Litton's doesn't mess around with fancy toppings here – just pure, delicious beef on a fresh, bakery-made bun. It's no wonder they're known for their burgers!

We thought the sweet potato was actually "sweet potato fries." Honestly, it was a happy accident. That cinnamon butter was pure magic – like a warm hug for your tastebuds.

By the time lunch was over, we were stuffed, but everyone knows you don't leave Litton's without dessert. We opted to take ours to go (which, let's be honest, only lasted about an hour at home).

The peanut butter pie. Oh, the peanut butter pie. As a self-proclaimed peanut butter aficionado, I can confidently say this was the best peanut butter pie I've ever had. Seriously, it defied explanation. Imagine clouds of peanut butter bliss nestled in a perfect crust. It was that good.

We also grabbed a slice of German Chocolate Cake, which was fantastic, but after that peanut butter pie, well, let's just say the peanut butter stole the show.

Litton's Market is a gem. From the classic atmosphere to the incredible food (and life-changing pie!), it's an experience you won't want to miss. I can't wait to get back – if only for another slice of that...