Pit-Bar-B-Q and Grill

We’re retired…on a fixed income and we try to take full advantage of coupons for eating out.  We’re almost always ‘game’ to try out someplace new to us. 

So we got a “buy one entrée, get another of equal or lesser value free” coupon in the mail and we’d been talking about giving this particular restaurant a try…and off we went on a new dining adventure!

 

This is Bradley’s Pit Bar-B-Q and Grill on TN Hwy. 68 near I-75 in Sweetwater Tennessee.  Bradley’s has been around for a while and it seems to have a very loyal following.  It’s usually busy whenever we drive by…

Laurie and I had vague memories of eating here years ago when we were scouting out the Knoxville/Farragut and Loudon areas as a possible place to retire.  Sweetwater is the largest town in Monroe County, and it’s just south of Loudon. 

 

The interior of Bradley’s is nice enough…clean with a pleasant atmosphere.  Service was friendly and efficient with the waitress and the probable owner checking back with us during the meal.

The restaurant touts its specialty…what it’s known for…on the front of their menu. “All of Our Brisket, Chicken, Pork, Ribs and Turkey Are Slowly Smoked to Tender Perfection with Hickory Wood in Our Authentic Pit Smoker on Property”.

 

For one of her two ‘sides’, Laurie ordered a dinner salad…which was just fine, about what either of us would have expected. 

Other available sides, and they were numerous, include baked beans, macaroni salad, fried okra, coleslaw, apple sauce and onion rings.   Ordered individually, the sides range in price from $1.10 for Texas Toast to $2.50 for a side salad.

 

Laurie decided to try the house specialty…BBQ.   She ordered the Two Item Smoked BBQ Platter with ribs and chicken. ($13.95) For her second side, she ordered the homemade potato chips.  The Texas Toast came with her meal.

The ribs were pretty good…fall-off the bone tender with a sweet sauce and still moist even after obviously sitting around for a bit. (Note how caramelized they are) Laurie and I do prefer our ribs a little less cooked…so you have to ‘work them a little’, pulling the meat off the bone.  The chicken, (small dark unrecognizable lump on the plate), was as dry as an explorer’s throat in the middle of the Sahara Desert during a sandstorm.  She was only able to eat some of it by shredding it and adding some sauce.  She and I both really like the homemade potato chips…

Other BBQ dinners on the menu included: Pulled Turkey ($9.95); Pulled Pork ($9.45); Sliced Beef Brisket ($10.25); a Half Chicken ($9.25), and; BBQ Ribs ($12.99).  A three item sampler plate could be purchased for $15.95.

 

Since we are the regular recipients of fellow blogger and friend Big Dude’s smoked meats/BBQ, and since his product is so good as compared to any other BBQ in East Tennessee, I just don’t order BBQ out. (http://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com) I went with Bradley’s New York Strip Steak accompanied by a baked potato, collard greens and the ubiquitous Texas toast. ($14.75) This was a good meal, especially for the price.  The potato was fine and the steak was almost medium rare as ordered.  The flavor of the meat was good.  Only the collard greens were a disappointment as they were almost flavorless…

At almost half price, this was a good deal.  We were satisfied but this is one of those restaurants that we would classify as a decent human ‘fuel stop’, and not as a place that we would seek out if we had the time to go elsewhere.  Our friends Charlie, Karen, Joel and Holly recently stopped at Bradley’s for a meal on their way down to Atlanta… Charlie and Karen told us that they’d never eat there again.

Bradley’s Pit-Bar-B-Q and Grill is located at 517 New Highway 68 in Sweetwater Tennessee.  I will say that they have many devoted customers.  In Trip Advisor, with 34 reviews, Bradley’s has earned 4 points or ‘stars’ out of 5 possible. Check it out at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55368-d1034281-Reviews-Bradley_s_Pit_Bar_B_Q_and_Grill-Sweetwater_Tennessee.html.  Phone: 423-351-7190.  Website: www.bradleyspitbbq.net.

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave