Suttree's High Gravity Tavern — Restaurant in Knoxville

This bar is a missed opportunity that could be so much more. It is in a prime location and has a number of things going for it.

First off, this is one of the best places in Knoxville to get a beer. They keep great ones on tap that you will not find at any other bar. I would call this the primary reason to come here.

Second, this place has decent food. It used to be the "go to" place for ramen, but unfortunately their ramen is made from instant noodles which is then enhanced with other added items. It is still acceptable, but there's now no reason to ever get ramen here with Fin Two and Kaizen within a short walk away. Ramen Bones is also excellent when in the area.

Doubly unfortunate is that this place suffers from extremely poor service. First off, the bar operates as a "line" where you have to place your orders -- nobody will come take it. But in addition to that, I have on many occasions found the entire bar area being served by only a single individual. I don't know who owns this place, but they are definitely prioritizing costs over customer service and that isn't going to fly at the rate that downtown is developing. One time I tried to sympathize with the bartender being slammed, and he actually snapped at me and told me he didn't need to hear my opinion on the matter. Ouch! Given that this particular individual is almost always here, perhaps he is the (jaded) owner? Unsure. We have also had many instances of food coming out of order and also being outright forgotten (requiring another trip through the often very lengthy line to resolve). My opinion is that you should only come here on off hours rather than prime time, if you want reasonable service. Sad.

Lastly is the arcade. More of a gimmick than a primary draw, the arcade is pretty neglected. The bar in the arcade is probably the best part, being made of old pinball cabinets. The pinball machines themselves are relatively enjoyable (when working), but most other machines in there are more for looks than actual play. Again a shame given that it would taken minimal investment to put in some great, well-kept machines and actually attract some people that would come just for that. The arcade is also lacking in space. On a busy night, you're going to have to deal with drunk college girls looking at you crooked for asking them to move just so you can play a game. Again, I recommend visiting during off hours if this is the purpose of your visit. They could probably use to clear out 50% of the machines for space, and just ensure that those machines are top notch. I can't imagine they are bringing in top dollar on a bootleg hacked Street Fighter machine. Bring in some Killer Queen!!

On a personal note, I wish this place would close down their outside smoking area. It is one of the few places along Gay St that I hate walking past because of the almost guaranteed clouds of smoke from the people always looming around...

I tried for a while to call and place a to go order. The phone was off the hook and all I was getting was a dial tone. It wasn’t the first time this has happened. So I show up to suttrees and after placing my order I ask the bartender if they are taking calls tonight. He shrugged and said “don’t know.” I pointed to the phone behind him and said well the phone isn’t on the receiver. The bartender goes “it’s better that way.” Then after taking my order he said it would be a little while since some people had just ordered in front of me. I said well I would have placed my order in advance but I wasn’t able to. He shrugged and walked away. I’ve come to expect this level of service from suttrees. That particular bartender, Michael, is always rude. The ramen is super good despite 90% of the flavor being store bought Shin Black Ramen Seasoning, but there’s a restaurant down the street called Fin Two in old city, they have delicious ramen as well that’s actually made from scratch and they don’t treat their customers poorly. I hate giving a bad review to this place but the service is...

Great spot for enjoying a few pints of quality craft brews along with a satisfying warm bowl of ramen. Casual, unpretentious atmosphere -- the kind of place where you order and pay for your meal and drinks at the bar so don't expect an attentive staff that provides the usual tableside customer service. The Shin Black Bowl was a spicy ramen with a flavorful broth and topped with cherry tomatoes, poached egg, scallions, smoked beef brisket from Sweet P's, pickled carrots and ... kimchi! Was it authentic Japanese ramen? No but it was a surprisingly satisfying bowl of noodles that paired well with a pint of Destihl Synchopathic Apricot (Wild Sour Series). Expect to find a few gems on the diverse craft beer menu that is served by a knowledgeable bar crew. They also offer a decent looking whiskey collection. This spot should be on every craft beer + foodie...