Chinese Restaurant in Knoxville

June 14, 2026

Chinese restaurants are a steady presence across Knoxville, from longtime family-owned kitchens to fast-casual spots that fire each dish to order. Knoxville is Tennessee’s third-largest city, with a population of roughly 195,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its Chinese restaurants are spread along major corridors such as Kingston Pike, Magnolia Avenue, and the Hardin Valley and Turkey Creek areas to the west. Many of the most established are family run, with menus that mix familiar Chinese-American plates like General Tso’s chicken and lo mein with dishes drawn from regional traditions including Szechuan, Hunan, and Cantonese cooking.

For diners, the practical questions are about style and service. Some Knoxville restaurants emphasize the sweet-and-savory sauces of Chinese-American cooking, while others highlight the spicier profiles of Szechuan and Hunan dishes or Cantonese preparations. A growing number describe themselves as made-to-order kitchens that use fresh-cut vegetables and skip added MSG, and several offer the choice between a casual dine-in room, a takeout counter, and delivery. Reading a menu’s regional labels and asking whether a dish is prepared in a traditional or adapted style helps set expectations before ordering.

Tennessee regulates restaurants primarily through food-safety permits and tax rules rather than a license tied to the cuisine. A restaurant operating in Knox County must hold a food-service establishment permit, which in the Knoxville area is administered and inspected by the Knox County Health Department rather than a statewide office, with annual renewal and unannounced routine inspections that follow a risk-based schedule. Kitchens that perform more complex food preparation are inspected more frequently, and inspections are scored on a 0 to 100 scale on which a failing score requires correction and re-inspection before the establishment can continue operating. A restaurant that serves beer, wine, or liquor also needs the appropriate permit from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and at least one employee is generally expected to hold a Certified Food Protection Manager credential.

Taxes treat a restaurant meal differently from a grocery run. Prepared restaurant food is taxed at the full combined sales tax rate rather than the reduced rate Tennessee applies to most grocery food, so a dine-in or takeout order in Knox County carries the combined 9.25% rate (the state’s 7% plus the local option tax), compared with the lower 4% state rate that applies to unprepared groceries. Questions about pricing, billing, or service fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs, while food-safety concerns can be reported to the Knox County Health Department. Because restaurants frequently move, change names, or adjust their hours, confirming a restaurant’s current address, hours, and menu through its own website or a phone call before visiting is the most reliable way to avoid outdated listings.

Top Chinese Restaurant Providers in Knoxville

1. Wok N Roll

Address: 2828 East Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37914
Phone: (865) 523-2128
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/woknrollknoxville
Services: Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese, and New York style Chinese dishes, made-to-order entrees, dine-in, takeout
Description: Wok N Roll is a family-owned Chinese restaurant on East Magnolia Avenue that has operated in Knoxville for more than two decades. The kitchen describes its menu as spanning Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese, and New York style Chinese cooking, with each dish made to order and the option to customize. The restaurant states that it does not add MSG to its food, a point it emphasizes alongside its focus on quality and freshness at an affordable price. Wok N Roll offers a casual dine-in room and pick-up service and is closed on Sundays. Its long tenure and family ownership have made it a familiar neighborhood option in East Knoxville.

2. WokChow Fire Seared Asian

Address: 4612 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: (865) 766-5457
Website: https://wokchow.com
Services: fire-seared Chinese and Asian dishes, noodles, rice plates, dine-in, takeout, delivery, online ordering
Description: WokChow Fire Seared Asian is a locally owned and operated, fast-casual Chinese restaurant on Kingston Pike, distinct from a franchise or chain. The kitchen prepares dishes to order, typically within several minutes, and emphasizes fresh ingredients, including USDA Choice beef, vegetables delivered daily, and no added MSG. Menu highlights include General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, sweet and sour chicken, ginger broccoli, drunken noodles, Pad Thai, and Singapore fried rice. The restaurant offers dine-in seating, takeout, and delivery, with online ordering available and a rewards program for repeat customers, positioning it as a quick option for both Chinese and broader Asian dishes in west Knoxville.

3. Chef’s Asian Cuisine

Address: 10612 Hardin Valley Road, Suite 110, Knoxville, TN 37932
Phone: (865) 693-8688
Website: https://www.chefsasiancuisinetn.com
Services: Chinese and Japanese dishes, lunch and dinner entrees, dine-in, takeout
Description: Chef’s Asian Cuisine is a Chinese and Japanese restaurant in the Hardin Valley area of west Knoxville. The kitchen emphasizes high-quality, fresh ingredients and made-to-order preparation, with a menu that includes Chinese-American favorites such as General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, Dragon and Phoenix, Four Seasons, and shrimp lo mein, alongside Japanese offerings. The restaurant provides dine-in seating and takeout, with online ordering available, and is closed on Saturdays. Its dual Chinese-and-Japanese menu gives diners in the Hardin Valley and Turkey Creek corridor a range of options from a single kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Restaurant in Knoxville

Q: What permits does a Chinese restaurant in Knoxville need to operate?

A restaurant in Knoxville must hold a food-service establishment permit administered and inspected by the Knox County Health Department, which oversees food-service establishments in the Knoxville area. The permit is renewed annually and is subject to unannounced routine inspections. A restaurant that serves beer, wine, or liquor also needs the appropriate permit from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and at least one employee is generally expected to hold a Certified Food Protection Manager credential.

Q: How much tax is added to a Chinese restaurant meal in Knoxville?

Prepared restaurant food is taxed at the full combined sales tax rate, which in Knox County is 9.25% (the state’s 7% plus the local option tax). This is higher than the reduced 4% state rate Tennessee applies to most unprepared grocery food, so a dine-in or takeout order carries the full restaurant rate.

Q: How are Knoxville restaurants inspected?

The Knox County Health Department conducts unannounced routine inspections on a risk-based schedule, with kitchens that perform more complex food preparation inspected more frequently. Inspections are scored on a 0 to 100 scale, and a failing score requires correction and a re-inspection before the establishment can continue operating. Inspection records are maintained by the county health department.

Q: What is the difference between regional Chinese and Chinese-American food?

Chinese-American dishes, such as General Tso’s chicken and lo mein, were adapted over generations to local tastes and often emphasize sweet and savory sauces. Regional Chinese cooking reflects the traditions of specific areas of China, such as the bold, spicy flavors of Szechuan and Hunan or the seafood and dim sum tradition of Cantonese kitchens. Many Knoxville menus offer a mix, so checking the regional labels or asking the staff helps clarify a dish’s style.

Q: Do Knoxville Chinese restaurants offer dine-in, takeout, and delivery?

Service models vary by restaurant. Some emphasize a casual dine-in room and pick-up, while others add delivery and online ordering, sometimes through their own platform or a third-party service. Confirming the available service options directly with the restaurant before ordering is the most reliable approach, since hours and service offerings can change.

Q: How can I resolve a billing or service complaint with a Knoxville restaurant?

Complaints about pricing, billing, or deceptive practices fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), which is administered by the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. Concerns specific to food safety or sanitation can be reported to the Knox County Health Department, which investigates complaints in addition to conducting routine inspections.