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With summer officially here, I figured it was high time I got my seasonal fix of barbecue. It had been nearly six months since I’d done so, and this time around, I decided to check out a place I’d been hearing about — Clint’s BBQ in Sevierville.

The Grub Spouse and I had to journey four miles past Sevier County High School on Newport Highway to find the restaurant, which had a full parking lot on the Tuesday night we stopped by. Turns out Tuesday is the night when the Faith Trio takes the stage in the main dining room to serenade patrons with bluegrass/gospel favorites. In fact, the place was so packed, we wound up having to share a six-top with another family.

For the record, Clint’s serves lunch specials Mondays through Saturdays, featuring home-style meals like chicken and dumplings, catfish, smoked ham and turkey, country-fried steak, pot roast and meatloaf. Non-barbecue dinner options include steaks, grilled shrimp and country-fried chicken fritters, to name a handful.

Clint’s also serves a full lineup of breakfast fare on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 7 to 11 a.m., and diners are challenged to polish off a 32-ounce cut of prime rib on Friday nights for $26.99. Items like a burger, Reuben, grilled cheese, hot dog, Philly steak sandwich, soups, meat-topped salads, loaded baked potatoes and the like round out the menu.

All that said, The Spouse and I had barbecue on the brain, so we zeroed in on the selection of items from the smoker, such as ribs, pulled pork and chicken, ham, turkey and pork loin. Various combo dinners are offered, as is a sampler platter that allows you to pick three entrée items for $18.99.

I wound up going with the ribs (one-third rack) and pulled pork combo, for $11.99. That comes with two sides, and I chose taters ‘n’ onions and baked beans. Other side choices include mashed potatoes, slaw, green beans, corn and greens. The Spouse got the smoked pork loin, $11.99, with fried okra and pinto beans for sides.

The serving staff was absolutely overwhelmed by all the humanity, and at one point, one of the cashiers and owner Clint himself were jumping into the fray to help out. And to their credit, they kept things running smoothly and even doled out plenty of personal attention along the way. Our food was delivered in a surprisingly timely manner, although there was a slight delay in getting some follow-up attention come dessert time.

The food experience was enjoyable thanks to selections that delivered on smokehouse flavor. The pork loin earned a thumbs-up, and the pulled pork was a solid entry, but the ribs were a disappointment in the meatiness department. The bone-to-meat ratio was a little too high for my personal preference. However, all the selections were nicely embellished by Clint’s tangy barbecue sauce.

The sides — particularly the buttery potatoes and onions — were all worth the effort, and we closed out with a couple of homemade cakes — strawberry cake and blackberry cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. We definitely ended on a high note, as these fresh-from-the-kitchen treats just about had us singing along with the bluegrass trio.

While I found inconsistencies in the barbecue, I think Clint’s menu overall, the service and even the kitschy collectibles on the walls and shelves are worth a tryout for those living in and visiting Sevier County.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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