Hamburger Restaurants in Knoxville

June 14, 2026

A hamburger restaurant offers something a drive-through window or a frozen patty at home cannot: a griddle worked by cooks who grind and season their own beef, a counter where the smash, the bun, and the toppings are built to order, and a dining room where regulars settle in over fries and a milkshake. Knoxville, in East Tennessee at the foot of the Smoky Mountains, has a population of roughly 195,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its burger scene blends longtime neighborhood diners with newer chef-driven shops. From a downtown burger-and-bourbon bar on Market Square to a hand-patted giant in Fountain City and a smash burger near the University of Tennessee, the city’s beloved local joints have built their reputations one order at a time rather than through national advertising.

The burger itself comes in several distinct styles across Knoxville, and knowing them helps a diner choose. A smash burger is pressed thin on a hot flat-top so the edges crisp and caramelize, while a classic griddle burger is a thicker hand-formed patty cooked through with a juicier center. Gourmet and chef-driven shops layer house sauces, local cheeses, and bakery buns, and a handful of spots build their identity around how the beef is sourced, grinding fresh or buying from named Tennessee farms. Most independent burger restaurants in Knoxville handle both dine-in and takeout, and many add hand-spun shakes, craft beer, bourbon, or cocktails to round out the experience.

Every restaurant serving prepared food in Knoxville operates under a food-service framework administered through the Knox County Health Department, working in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Health. A restaurant must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections, which score kitchens on cooking temperatures, cold holding, handwashing, and cross-contamination control. Ground beef carries particular food-safety attention because grinding distributes any surface bacteria throughout the patty, so kitchens are expected to cook to safe internal temperatures and to handle raw beef carefully. Prepared food sold by a restaurant is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate; in Knox County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.25%, and it appears on the check for dine-in and takeout orders alike.

A few additional rules shape how a Knoxville burger restaurant runs. Any establishment that serves beer or liquor must hold the appropriate permit, with on-premises liquor-by-the-drink licensing handled through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and local beer permits issued through the City of Knoxville. Consumer questions and complaints about a restaurant, from billing disputes to advertising concerns, fall under the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). For diners, the practical takeaways are simple: a posted permit and a clean inspection score signal a kitchen following the rules, separating materials from labor on the check clarifies the tax, and confirming hours matters because service windows vary across the city’s burger spots.

Top Hamburger Restaurant Providers in Knoxville

1. Stock and Barrel

Address: 35 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 766-2075
Website: https://thestockandbarrel.com
Services: chef-driven specialty burgers, farm-to-table beef from Tennessee farms, more than 300 whiskeys and bourbons, craft cocktails, full bar, outdoor patio, dine-in
Description: Stock and Barrel is a downtown Knoxville burger-and-bourbon bar on Market Square, opened in 2013, that pairs a chef-driven burger menu with one of the region’s deepest whiskey selections. The kitchen runs a farm-to-table program, partnering with farms and businesses from across Tennessee, and offers more than 17 specialty burgers, among them The Big Nasty and The Hurt Locker, which stacks pimento cheese, local bacon, fried green tomato, and bourbon onions. Behind the bar sit more than 300 whiskeys alongside house-made cocktail ingredients, and the spot was named among America’s Best Bourbon Bars in 2022. The restaurant has earned best-burger recognition in Knoxville and beyond, and the combination of a serious burger program with a destination bourbon list distinguishes it from a standard counter-service joint.

2. Inskip Grill

Address: 4877 North Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37918
Phone: (865) 357-1554
Website: https://inskipgrill.com
Services: giant hand-patted burgers, more than 50 burger and sandwich creations, Grilla shakes made with Blue Bell ice cream, dine-in, takeout
Description: Inskip Grill traces its roots to 1967, when it opened as a neighborhood mom-and-pop serving Southern fare in Knoxville’s Inskip community. New owners reopened the concept in May 2018 with a focus on giant hand-patted burgers and unconventional flavor combinations, and the restaurant now operates in the heart of Fountain City on North Broadway. The menu runs to more than 50 burger and sandwich creations, ranging from the classic to the deliberately over-the-top, paired with Grilla shakes made with Blue Bell ice cream. The kitchen leans into a fun, photo-friendly presentation, and the mix of a longtime neighborhood name with a reinvented, oversized burger menu has made it a Fountain City favorite. The hand-patted approach and the sheer breadth of the burger list set it apart from spots with a tighter menu.

3. Sevier Avenue Burger Company

Address: 1120 Sevier Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920
Phone: (865) 381-2845
Website: https://sevieravenueburgerco.com
Services: smash burgers, specialty burgers, locally sourced ingredients, loaded fries, fried pickles, signature cocktails, local beer, weekend brunch, dine-in, takeout, catering
Description: Sevier Avenue Burger Company sits in the heart of South Knoxville, a short distance from the University of Tennessee, and is built around smash burgers made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The menu, overseen by head chef Jon, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, stays deliberately tight, running from the classic Patriot to the bold Rim Reaper, alongside scratch-made sides such as fried pickles and loaded fries. The restaurant rounds out the experience with signature cocktails, local beer, and a weekend brunch, and the family-friendly, dog-friendly patio has made it a neighborhood gathering spot. Weekly specials and community events keep regulars coming back, and the chef-driven, locally sourced approach to a focused smash-burger menu distinguishes it from a generic burger counter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hamburger Restaurants in Knoxville

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

A restaurant serving prepared food in Knoxville must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections administered through the Knox County Health Department, in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Health. Inspections review cooking and holding temperatures, handwashing, and cross-contamination control. A restaurant that serves beer or liquor must also hold the appropriate permit, with liquor-by-the-drink licensing handled through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and local beer permits issued through the City of Knoxville.

Q: How much sales tax is charged on a burger and fries in Knoxville?

Prepared food sold by a restaurant is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate. In Knox County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.25%, and it applies to dine-in and takeout orders alike. The tax appears on the check, and an itemized receipt makes it clear how the food and the tax are calculated.

Q: What is the difference between a smash burger and a classic griddle burger?

A smash burger is a ball of beef pressed thin on a hot flat-top so the edges crisp and caramelize, producing a thinner patty with a crusty exterior. A classic griddle or hand-patted burger is a thicker formed patty cooked through with a juicier center. Several Knoxville shops specialize in one style, so diners who prefer crispy edges or a thicker bite can choose accordingly.

Q: Is the ground beef in a Knoxville burger safe, and how do kitchens handle it?

Ground beef receives particular food-safety attention because grinding distributes any surface bacteria throughout the patty, so kitchens are expected to cook to safe internal temperatures and to keep raw beef cold and separated from other ingredients. Restaurants that grind their own beef or source it from named Tennessee farms often highlight that practice, and a clean inspection score from the Knox County Health Department is a reasonable signal that a kitchen follows safe handling procedures.

Q: Do Knoxville burger restaurants offer takeout as well as dine-in?

Most independent burger restaurants in Knoxville handle both dine-in and takeout, and several add catering and weekend brunch. Hours vary across the city, from the downtown Market Square bars to the Fountain City and South Knoxville neighborhoods, so confirming the schedule before a visit avoids arriving after the kitchen has closed for the day.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Knoxville restaurant?

Consumer complaints about a restaurant, including billing disputes and advertising concerns, can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Concerns specifically about sanitation or food safety can be reported to the Knox County Health Department, which conducts the inspections. Keeping the receipt and any documentation strengthens a complaint.