Jackie's Dream

Finally got to Jackie's Dream to eat. It's a small soul food place in North Knoxville. We went in and took a seat and Derana waited on us. We got some of the sweetest sweet tea I ever drank but it was seriously good. I got a breast and a wing meal. The chicken is made fresh so it's about 15 minutes to get it but so worth the wait. The breading is top notch and very flavorful. I picked the skin and breading off of every crevice I could get my fat finger in on the breast. It's incredibly hot and juicy upon delivery and steam rolls out of it as you go to town on it. The wing is equally phenomenal and so tasty. It's hard to wait for it to cool it's so dang good. The okra is next level! A salty thick breading on fresh flavorful okra. Truly a southern delight. The mac & cheese is exactly what it should be in soul food joint. Cheesy creamy macaroni goodness. Lastly a big hunk of warm southern corn bread. When I was done the only thing left on my plate was a chicken skeleton. Unfortunately to full for dessert but next time I'm getting a banana pudding. My fiancee and kids were all very satisfied with their meals. The kids loved the mac & cheese. It was an exceptional dining experience and absolutely worth a visit. A lot of food and very reasonably priced. Jackie is very sweet and checked on us. Very nice to our kids. It's really a hidden gem in North Knoxville.

Ehhh so so… The chicken was dry and chewy. The “hot” chicken is just chicken drenched in buffalo sauce. The fried green tomatoes were good, a bit salty, but almost $9 for 5 thinly sliced tomatoes is insane! The mac n’ cheese is decent but sweet, different. Service was just okay nothing spectacular

Southern food at its finest! This was my first time, but it was definitely not my last time at Jackie's. I want to try all the sides. Family atmosphere and the service was spot on. The tea is classic! Definitely needs a mention.

Jackie's Dream is a 5 minute drive from my office. However, today was my first time trying it. I selected for takeout the fried catfish with baked macaroni and cheese, collards and cornbread. The 5 minute drive back to the office was excruciating as I inhaled the delicious aroma. No speed limit was obeyed. The mac/cheese was just how I love it, baked not creamed. It was delicious as were the collards, but the star of the container was the catfish. It was fried perfectly with divine crunchiness. 5 stars for this plate!

Had a lot of catfish in my life but this was better than my grandma's! White beans melted in my mouth and the cabbage took me back to my great grandma's house!! We are from Oklahoma and our took to Jackie's!!! Better not miss out on the best food!! Get down to Jackie's!!! Oh, cornbread is sweet and delicious 2!!!

My bonus daughter took the girls for lunch and it was amazing! She actually went to school with Jackie and her dad coached her brother. I felt like I knew Jackie without meeting her. 😊 When we arrived there's plenty of parking and the location is perfect. Once inside we were greeted with a beautiful smile and seated. A very pleasant young lady came over immediately to take our drink orders. Gave us time to look over the menu and didn't rush us. After taking our order, the food came out fast hot and delicious! We were checked on regularly. Jackie took time out of busy schedule to drop by our table and chat. It was definitely a pleasure! What a wonderful dinning experience we had, could have sat there fellowshipped for hours 😊 I definitely recommend giving Jackie's Dream a try YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! Jackie thank you and Bless You for having the dream and walking by Faith! You are such a Blessing to All! May God continue Blessing and Keeping you, your family and work family! To the crew Bless you All for showing up to work and being a Blessing not only to Jackie but to all that enters take outs etc. I pray God continues blessing Jackie's Dream all those involved and the many shoes that walked the floors of Jackie's Dream!

We found Jackie's through maps navigation. We are visiting from out of state and landed at Knoxville airport and we were hungry. Jackie's is about 20 minutes from the airport. We pulled in and the parking lot and it was full, good sign! We ordered fried green tomatoes for an appetizer while we studied the menu😁 we ended up ordering, fried shrimp, famous fried chicken, tilapia, mac n cheese, potato salad. Everything was so delicious!!! The corn breading on the fried green tomatoes and tilapia was fantastic. It was so good that we had to order dessert. The chocolate cake was the best we ever had, so moist! Excellent service from Shay also!

After reading the reviews, I had high expectations. We weren’t disappointed. The food is delicious and very authentic to Knoxville. Service was excellent too.

I think I've found the best fried chicken ever. Hands down, best seasoned, juicy chicken, perfectly cooked fried chicken. The Knox hot sauce with the perfectly fried chicken, chef's kiss. The service was also excellent and inside is nothing fancy. Just your typical dinner/dive/hole in the wall establishment where the soul food speaks for itself. I will admit, the sides are meh. The fried okra had the nice breading and seasoning but the mashed potatoes, coleslaw and Mac n cheese were average. However I'd come back solely for the fried chicken alone so they still get 5 stars. They're only open 11-5 but they're definitely worth making time for.

I ordered the following Knox Hot Chicken - breading was great, meat was juicy and tender and the heat was perfect. Mamas Cabbage - holy damn perfect French Fries - good for crinkled - crunchy and seasoned Waitresses were sassy but not in a bad way, our waitress was an angel and working her tail off. Service was slower than expected but they were pretty just. All in all will be back 100000% to try that meatloaf and okra

Jackie is a local treasure. She is whats great in the world! Charming southern lady! Fried catfish was great as was fried pork chop. Fried okra: 5 stars! Disappointing : macaroni and cheese which is pretty bad. Cornbread is also a one star. I hope these improve! Honestly, for a meat and three, we expected better

If you want a clean diner atmosphere serving stick-to-your-ribs Southern cooking', with friendly service and reasonable prices, Jackie's is the place to go. If you've never been, it may take you several passes before trusting the GPS and pulling into the parking lot. Seriously there is no sign and yet they still draw a crowd. Yup, it's that good. There were four of us who stopped by for lunch after church. Our server, Armeka, explained the specials, took our orders and took care of us well. My wife had the fried chicken, one of our guests had the meat loaf and the other guest and I had the special of the day: Turkey dinner with all the fixin's. There was not a single complaint. It was just solid down-home cooking. The menu has everything from catfish to burgers, fried green tomatoes, collard greens, corn bread and tons of other great dishes from the South. This is a Black owned business preparing trusted Southern recipes handed down through the family from one mama to the next. Mmmmmmm Mmmmmm Good! Try it; your tummy will thank you.

Okay, the fried chicken is outstanding. Service and the employees are super friendly. But, WTF do they cook their cabbage in?!? That was one of those meals wheee the side dish almost stole the show. Cabbage...just cooked cabbage...I have only one more thing to say...cabbage

First time visit, probably won't be our last. We both had the fried chicken for lunch. She had white and I dark. You will wait if you order the fried chicken, as they are making it to order (as far as I can tell). All of our hot food was really hot. The collard greens are fresh as was the okra. Everything had great flavor. My only complaint and reason for the four star is the collard greens are not prepared right. I had a bowl of stems, and they were chewy. Other than that I'd come back and try the rest of the menu. Everything that I saw being served looked great.

Visiting from out of town and heard this was the best place to get soul food. Jackie's did not disappoint best fried chicken we've ever had! we had fried okra, collards, yams and green beans for sides. Loved the green beans and okra the best. Thought we'd have left overs ..that was a dream. Thanks Jackie and crew

Best friend chicken in Tennessee. You heard me the Knoxville hot is by far one of the best fried chickens I have ever had this place puts Nashville hot chicken to shame. The friend okra is spectacular the max and cheese had a touch of sweet hard to appreciate but it was fantastic. The fried tomatoes were also some of the best with the cornmeal they used to fry it with. The Knoxville hot was perfectly fried not dry at all but not super moist. It was fresh made and not sitting out waiting to be picked up from a heating shelf either. The sauce is hot and sweet but slightly sweet it's really extraordinary!

Located in a small strip mall. Great food, very friendly staff. Owner went to each table and spoke to customers, making sure everything was good. Food was excellent. Prices were very reasonable. Highly recommended!

Home away from home. Great food and service. Always can relax, laugh, and enjoy some good food! Just go an you'll see what I'm talking about.

THE. BEST. FRIED. CHICKEN. EVER!!! Juicy breast and the crispiest skin with amazing seasoning! The collard greens were great too! Can't wait to go back to try the fried catfish!

10/10! The best soul food in Knoxville! The food is always fresh and exceeds expectations. The staff is friendly. This is a staple on my food list!

Great food and great service. Had the Knox Hot Chicken. Bam! And the Cole slaw and Mac 'n cheese should not be skipped.

An absolute great place to eat. Great food, great service, and all in a timely manner. The fried chicken is top shelf and the sides were all great. I recommend the onion rings. Go hungry.

Great place for good food. I always call ahead for lunch and it's ready for pick up by the time I get there.

Jackie's is the best, great chicken, great meatloaf, AMAZING catfish. Jackie is always so sweet and helpful and it feels like you're with family when you go. Always a recommendation!

Jackie's Dream was definitely dreamy. We arrived a bit before noon on a Saturday and it was hoppin'! The vibe inside is old school and simple, but the food is what people come in droves for. The Queen, Jackie herself, is the person who warmly greeted and seated us. We had a party of six and only had to wait about 10 minutes for them to push tables together for us. There were three people serving and every table full. The phones were constantly ringing because everyone was too busy to answer. The amazing part is that all servers remained so calm and friendly even though they were insanely busy and running around. It did take over 45 minutes to get our food, which was challenging with kids but understandable with how busy they were. I suggest bringing crayons, books, etc. to entertain any kiddos. We ordered: 1. Kid chicken tenders: Huge, fresh and loved. The only negative...no dip of any kind. We asked for ketchup (and butter for the cornbread) several times with no success. 2. Fried green tomatoes with tomato jam: Large portion. Adults liked these. 2/3 kids liked them but not the tomato jam. Nice cornmeal breading and perfectly cooked. Probably do not need to order these next time. 3. Kid burger with candied yams: He gobbled this. Again, no ketchup/mustard provided or given when asked. 4. Hot chicken meal (2): LOVED this. My husband and brother wanted to swim in a pool of the sauce. ;-) They asked for rolls, not cornbread and both received cornbread. Doh! 5. Fried chicken meal with mac and cheese and greens: Great fried chicken! Greens tender and flavorful. Both the mac and greens have an unexpected sweetness. The mac has a Velveeta-esque sauce with cheese baked onto the top. The crunchy top is always the best part. We will definitely be back for our chicken fix. I would love to come back when there is turkey and stuffing as the daily special. Note that the hours are fairly early in the day, closed during dinner hours.

Have only eaten there once but service and food were really good. I had chicken it was crisp outside tender inside. Good

Always great food and service!!! Fried chicken is fantastic and the fresh vegetables are excellent!

The first bite my wife said this is the best fried chicken I've ever had in my life. One of the reviews said best fried chicken in Knoxville but it's not. It's the best fried chicken in the world. And we have a Gus's in Little Rock and there's no comparison.

Must do if you love fried chicken. They have spicy and regular bone in pieces and tenders. I thought the bone in was better, sides were great too I got the Mac and cheese and potato salad. Great comfort food and good prices too!

Love this place and the owner is super cool and down to earth. Food is always fresh and on point.

Slooow service, good if you're either not hungry or in absolutely no hurry to go anywhere afterwards. Food was good but definitely not worth the wait.

I've never had Knoxville hot chicken (or Nashville hot chicken), so I thought id give this place a go, based on the reviews here. I might have a new favorite food! That sauce is so flavorful. It's just hot enough to open your sinuses but not so hot that you have to take a break from it. The cabbage was sweet and spicy and cooked perfectly. Fried okra was some of the best I've had. The hospitality was so good too. We showed up about 30 minutes before closing, so we asked the hostess if we should order takeout. She said yes, and then Jackie came out and said no, sit them at a table. She was nice enough to leave the doors open for just us. Added bonus, she came to our table and talked with us for a few minutes. Super nice lady. I'm upset that I can't get this in my hometown of Richmond, VA. Jackie, when are you gonna bring this to central VA? I need more of this chicken in my life.

I love supporting our culture and black owned restaurants so I travel to different cities to try them. Passing through Knoxville and I wish I just kept going. I didn't taste any seasoning on my food at all. Greens wasn't cooked with any meat for seasoning but sugar SMH. The Mac n cheese was dry AF super dry!!! The only thing was good and I mean ONLY good thing was the Kool aid. Just was really disappointed. PLEASE USE MORE SEASONING

My hubby isn't on Yelp but I wanted to share his experience. He brought his crew of guys at work for lunch. They said it was great food at an amazing price with quick service. Unfortunately we don't live terribly close to here but I'm sure he'll be back with his work crew sometime. I can't wait to try it next time I'm in the area!

I'll be brief .. simply one of the best soul food I've had. Anyone who hasn't tried them yet .. you need to give them a try. The service has always been A+ for myself and family.

I had the hamburger steak and gravy, yams, and greens. The meal was soothing for the soul! All the food was prepared fresh and hot! I love to eat good soul food. Check it out and order cool aid.

Great chicken, great service, great place. Be careful food this good will have you wanting a nap.

Got one hot thigh and one regular thigh with collard greens. The chicken was perfectly crispy and still juicy. The hot chicken has a good amount of spice that makes your lips tingle afterwards. Having one of each made a good balance. The collard greens were super tender and tasted like they were cooked in diluted barbecue sauce. Lol. It was my first time having collard greens, so idk if that's normal or not. Everything was pretty cheap, too. Less than $8 before tip.

*SCREAMING* that's what the food will have you do. yams are five star. ms. jackie is five stars. it's honestly a dream. just go. best service and great comfort food. and a very family feeling ambiance with nice music.

We were passing through town on a road trip and my husband and I were very much looking forward to eating at Jackie's Dream on one of our stops. Unfortunately we were treated horribly by one staff member---a woman who came out of the kitchen---to berate us for bringing our small 17 lb SERVICE DOG into the restaurant. We left immediately! This woman needs to be trained on the rules surrounding service dogs! Actually I'm happy we didn't sit and eat as the restaurant was super dirty!

Solid satisfying comfort food! Freshly cooked and well seasoned. I will be back whenever I'm in this area!

One of the best soul food restaurants I've ever been to. They've even got a "Knoxville Hot" chicken that tastes wonderful. Give it a shot and order it with collards, okra, and sweet tea. The owner, Jackie, is really friendly and her customers love her. Would be a regular if I lived here.

Had the catfish. Large portions. Very crispy but very tender inside. Cooked perfectly. A friend had the meatloaf and it looked really good and he said it was good. Good service. Amazing amount of food for the cost. Definitely going back. The ambiance is like most diners. Very clean. It's a diner!! And often those are the best food which is the case here.

Review based on visit to new location. Strong 4.5/5 based on soul & comfort food offerings in the area. - Larger parking lot than the previous location - Staff is cool with shifting tables around if you have a large party - Felt better inside for a better dining atmosphere - Food was off the chain as always. - Fave app is the friend green tomatoes - My main digs are always around the hot chicken, green beans and cooked cabbage TIP: Food is cooked to order, if you are a workee looking for good lunch plan for the full lunch hour and not a short lunch. It's worth the wait!

Best food and service!! Jackie is the sweetest person. Please get the banana pudding cake (if you can) it's the best. The best!!

We loved our lunch and will go back any time we are in that area! I'm giving a rare 5-stars because for what it is-- a simple, no-frills soul food diner-- it's superb. We had hot chicken and catfish, with fried okra and greens for me and fried potatoes and slaw for wife. EVERY item was top quality. Oh- we also got a side of fried green tomatoes that were probably the BEST I've ever had. We both were stuffed and had a huge take-out box as well. Added: I want to stress also that they were VERY safe re. pandemic issues. Clearly, lots of tables had been removed....all staff masked and I believe gloved. We felt very comfy being inside with these wonderful folks!

The food taste like it's been cooked soley for diabetics. The yams taste bland and unsweetened. The mac and cheese is hard and the cabbage has no flavor

Talk about coming home for dinner! When you walk in, it's almost like walking into mama's house. Gospel is playing in the background, you seat yourself, and Jackie is all over the place, calling everyone "baby". What can I say...the food is seasoned to perfection! This is my second time here and I've yet to have to add salt or pepper to anything. The first time I was here, I had the pot roast. It was so tender and flavorful! Today, I'm having the Knox hot chicken. Shew! This is not for lightweights! Tenders are fried to perfection and coated with their special hot sauce. By the second bite, I broke a sweat. LOL Upshot is, they are deliciously hot...not just hot for the sake of being hot. Last, but certainly not least, don't even think of leaving without getting banana pudding!

It was incredible. I had the best catfish ever. I legitimately wanted to lick my plate. Don't let the building fool you. This is the best place to get southern food in East Tennessee. My friend got fried chicken, macaroni and mashed potatoes. She ate her entire plate too. Thanks Jackie!

Pretty good. Great friendly service. Chicken taste was awesome. Had the white meat and was one of the smallest pieces I have had. Fried green tomatoes were some of the best I have had. Great atmosphere. Just thought the sides were very average. Greens were way too sweet and coleslaw was also way too sweet. No bathroom? That was a minus. Parking is at your own risk. Really wanted to like this place.

I had the hot chicken and it was delicious. The only thing better was the hospitable service and down home decor. Reminds me of a Sunday dinner from Big Mama's house! Jackie can throw down! Enjoy!

Oh Jackie, you get me every time, from your hot chicken to your fried okra. I just can't get enough!! This place rocks if you are craving hot chicken, this is the place in Knoxville you need to be at. They have a variety of tenders, wings, legs, thighs, breasts, etc. The sides range from fried okra, macaroni & cheese, pinto beans, collard greens, cabbage, etc. You can order your chicken hot or regular. She also runs daily specials so check those out too. On Wednesdays it's byob wine and wing night. Seriously if you haven't tried this place out then you need to. It's worth it. Jackie has these recipes down to a T, and the groove of this place is always hopping. So get yourself over there and go try some of Jackie's Chicken, you won't be disappointed. Cheers & Enjoy!!

I was really excited to try Jackie's Dream, especially the fried chicken, since some friends had been raving about it. It turns out that the chicken was really good, but that's the only thing. I ordered the 2 thighs and 2 legs plate, which came with 2 sides and bread, so I could have leftovers... and it wasn't my best decision. The mashed potatoes were dry and bland, the green beans were scorched/almost burned, and the roll was dry and stale. I took the rest home to eat for the next day, but I ended up not touching the leftovers because it was easier to cook myself a more flavorful meal. My friend ordered the same plate as me, but with different sides which I was allowed to try. The macaroni and cheese was cold, but it honestly wouldn't have made much of a difference if it were served warm because there was no flavor, not even in terms of salt and pepper. The pinto beans were also flavorless. The only thing that made up for this experience was the fact that the chicken was good, but it was not good enough to pay $15 per entrée when the sides are awful. If you're in Knoxville and want fried chicken AND good sides, stick to Gus's Fried Chicken; it's actually worth your money.

I'm a fan of this type food and Miss Jackie really hit the spot. They were short staffed today and lost my order. Normally that might deduct on the number of stars. But once they realized it, they made up for it. The taste of the food alone would have done that. I will be revisiting this place when in the area!

Awesome food! Sweet people serving. Enjoy southern food and southern hospitality. Come hungry and leave full.

Jackie's Dream soulful meals and desserts are so delicious. She makes the best soul food and southern home cook desserts. I hope a million customers try Jackie's Dream banana Pudding, peach cobbler and her famous honey bun cake. But her signature barbecue sauce will have you dreaming all day. Jackie's Dream barbecue sauce needs to be in a bottle sold in stores today.

Jackie's Dream is just a beautiful quaint restaurant filled with loving people and excellent food! I came with 3 other people on a Saturday for lunch and the service was great! Of course, food takes a minute since they're making it from scratch but it is definitely worth the wait!! I'll be back soon!

This spot is literally amazing and won't disappoint. Upon entrance you're greeted by all the workers and feel very welcomed. They play a variety of music too and it just makes you feel well. I had the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer and I'm shocked by how good they were. Literally amazing and I'm not usually a fried green tomato fan. For my entre I had the Jody hot as hell, and it was seasoned to perfect and the right amount of spicy. This place is really amazing and I highly recommend it. PS they have kool-aid and it's sweet.