Space Bar — Restaurant in Knoxville

I’ve been to Space Bar twice and have had a decent experience both times. I’ve had people ask me - is it worth it when I posted it on Instagram, so I wanted to leave a review.

ATMOSPHERE: The atmosphere is by far the biggest pro. It’s is stunning on the inside and they really put their whole chest into that. It’s bar far, the coolest looking bar I’ve ever been too.

SERVICE: The first time we went, it was just my husband and I and the service was on fire!!! They were fast and attentive. The second time we went was with a larger party and I’m sure it was due to how many drinks were going in at a time, but the service was slower and I wanted to note that.

DRINKS: The drinks are pricey but boy are they FUN!!! Besides for atmosphere - this is where Space Bar shines. Again, pricey for the drink amount though.

FOOD: This is my opinion - but the food is lacking. Don’t waste your money on any of it. It’s small for the price, and pretty underwhelming/bland. It’s a really fun pre-dinner drink spot.

MISC: Also I’m not sure how to word it exactly - but the attitude of the servers towards me vs. my husband is noticeable. We both commented on it after this first time we went to Token and this last time at Space Bar. Again, hard to explain and maybe we just caught people on off nights, not sure how to word it, but the best comparisons on it is that it gives me “sports bar” or even “Twin Peaks” vibes...

What a fun place! And locally owned! My husband and I were visiting family from out of town and I happened to find out about this place. It’s incredibly immersive, the drinks are good and fun, and the food is really tasty. I was a bit nervous having read some of the negative reviews. Of course this place has higher prices. It’s about the experience. It costs a lot upfront and more to maintain than your average bar. I found it similar to downtown prices, which makes sense because it’s somewhere you’d typically find in a downtown setting. The food was good! It is a bar. So don’t expect a huge menu. Portions are adequate as they’re more like tapas or appetizers than a big meal. My husband and I got the charcuterie board and 2 other apps plus shared dessert and were plenty full. I did find the drinks on the weaker side. I had 3 cocktails but they were all amazing in terms of the experience and all were very yummy.

The staff was super friendly and accommodating. They even helped folks who wanted to take photos or videos of the place and the drinks. I hope to come back...

I loved this place. 100% modern and a bit goofy, but in the most perfect way. I told my husband that it seems like the perfect place for a first date. In a place that's just a bit silly, you feel comfortable being yourself.

We ordered the Oribital Cheese as an appetizer. It was delicious. The perfect accompaniment to drinks.

We ordered three drinks: Passengers, Metropolis, and Turing Test. All of the presentations were astounding. They put a lot of thought into each one. It was definitely part of the experience. Turing Test was tasty, but like having a couple shots. Metropolis is a bit less strong than the Turing Test, but still a strong - but tasty - drink. The best overall was Passengers. That was a dangerously yummy drink.

You have to try this place if you're looking for a unique bar.

*You should call ahead to make a reservation. We got in as soon as we arrived because we were there...