Saloon 16

Restaurant · Knoxville

Saloon 16

Restaurant · Knoxville

1

1706 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916

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Highlights

Step into this spacious saloon adorned with Peyton Manning memorabilia, where the vibe is lively, drinks flow, and the food is a work in progress.  

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1706 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916 Get directions

hilton.com
@saloon16knox

$$$$$$ · Menu

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1706 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916 Get directions

+1 865 437 5500
hilton.com
@saloon16knox
𝕏
@graduatehotels

$$$$$$ · Menu

Reserve

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 13, 2025

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"UT football legend Peyton Manning opened this Western-inspired watering hole at the Graduate hotel in 2020, and it’s been an elevated game-day staple ever since. Along with memorabilia from “the Sheriff’s” personal collection, wood paneling on the floors and walls, and cozy booths, you’ll find a knockout chicken parm sandwich and a fun drink menu. Before cheering on the Volunteers, head to Saloon 16 for its game day menu featuring cowboy caviar, chicken wings, and a Tennessee Orange made with vanilla vodka, orange juice, and pineapple." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Kellie Walton

15 Essential Restaurants Near Downtown Knoxville
View Postcard for Saloon 16

Erik Chandler

Google
Love this place... tucked away in the middle of campus. A game-day destination for any sport. Nostalgia, memorabilia, an amazing bar selection, Peyton's favorite college foods on the menu, something for every Vol fan! Check it out!

Trey Alley

Google
Love spending time at saloon 16! fantastic atmosphere the staff is always friendly not to mention the food and drinks are always top-notch. Plus, you will not find a better place for Tennessee and Peyton Manning one of a kind memorabilia!

Kathleen Bowes

Google
Ok I love Peyton so I had to give 5 stars but the food wasn’t good 😟. Our server was great and I loved the Saloon and looking at all his photos but our food came out in about 3 min and it was super disappointing.

Katie Warlick

Google
Such a cool play for Vols Fans to come and see Tennessee and Peyton Mannjne memorabilia! The wings were SO good and the service was better! The bartenders ( Morgan and Katie) gave us wonderful service! We will definitely be back!

M Manning

Google
Great atmosphere and you’re guaranteed to get some of Peyton Manning’s Sweetens Cove. I tried it for the first time and it quite good! Bartenders were great as well!

Joseph Hovater

Google
I had a birthday party there. It was amazing. The service was great. Food was awesome. Great place to check out if you haven't been.

Brian Robeson

Google
Pretty underwhelming experience overall unfortunately. Wouldn’t have bothered me too much if it weren’t for all our drinks being slightly chilled at best. Didn’t matter if it was a Miller light or Seltzer, all tasted skunked. Really hoped for better here. Whoever manages it knows they don’t have to worry about providing a good service because people will come as it’s a unique place.

Samuel Edmondson

Google
The cheese bings were amazing here and didn't really even need the marinara or ranch. The Tennessee tiki and Smokey's salute were both pretty good. The chicken parm sandwich wasn't good at all, and the fries weren't either.

Dana G.

Yelp
My husband and I visited Saloon 16 the Thursday before the Tennessee and Alabama game. Overall, it was a really positive experience! The drinks were delicious, and we really enjoyed our meals. Service was top notch! Discounted valet was available to patrons. As someone who grew up going to Vols games during the Peyton era, I LOVED the decor and memorabilia. My only "con" is that I felt like our meals were a little overpriced for what we got.

Lori M.

Yelp
Hard to believe but for the first time in...my ...life... Peyton Manning disappoints. The appetizer that is served at Saloon 16 is NOT Cheese Bings !!!! Peyton - as a UT grad you have experienced and truly KNOW the magic of the infamous OCI cheese bings. Chopped up mozzarella sticks does not equal cheese bings. Very disappointing. And what kind of sports bar has wheel of fortune on all TVs on Saturday night? Decor is awesome - service lacking. Game day drinking is probably good as any since not many options left on The Strip these days.

Mike T.

Yelp
We decided to try brunch at Peyton Manning's Saloon 16. It struck us that it smelled of sweat and depression over the many terrible years of Vols Football. The place was dark and musty in a hotel that seemed condemned. We decided on cocktails, I had the Power T Punch, sucked. I had the Vols breakfast, average. There was one shining star out of the meal it was the hash browns. Service was ok possibly a trainee. The Sheriff would be opposed to this place, I hope he knows they use his name and likeness. (In the key of the Nationwide jingle) "Peyton's place smells like butt" or "I wish these eggs had some taste"

Steven F.

Yelp
Ordered cowboy caviar and the portion was ridiculously small and little taste. Waited and waited for silverware, napkins or plates. Finally, just got up and got it all myself. Never again.

M M.

Yelp
My family and I recently visited Saloon 16, and the experience was quite disappointing right from the start. When we walked in, the lights were off, leading us to believe the restaurant was closed. It felt eerie, as no staff were visible, and the place was silent. We had to ask a member of the hotel staff to check if Saloon 16 was actually open. After confirming that it was, we entered again, only to find the only server lounging in a booth behind the bar. This lack of presence made the atmosphere feel unwelcoming and unprofessional. We decided to order cocktails, enticed by the menu's promises. Two of us ordered a mimosa that was supposed to come with fresh strawberries. When it arrived, however, it was missing the advertised fruit. I inquired with our server, who informed me that they were out of strawberries--a disappointment given that the drink was marketed with them. Two other members of our party ordered the coffee-based cocktail. After a long wait, they were informed that they were out of that as well. Why were the women given drinks and not informed that they were not able to be made according to advertisement but the men were? One of the biggest letdowns was the limited menu, which turned out to be even more limited than we expected. Some of us ordered biscuits and gravy, only to be informed after placing their orders they didn't actually have any gravy available. It's hard to believe a restaurant would serve biscuits without gravy--especially when it's featured prominently on the menu! When the pancakes were served, they arrived without syrup. We had to ask the server for syrup, and when it came, it was in tiny 1 oz cups. We had to request several of these just to get enough to enjoy the pancakes properly. Adding to the chaos, we noticed that half of our group received glass cups while the other half got plastic. It seemed like an attempt to minimize dishwashing rather than providing a cohesive dining experience. When it came time to pay, our server informed us that she couldn't split the checks. This meant that one person from our group of 15 had to foot the entire bill, which was incredibly frustrating and awkward. On a positive note, once the server was available he was pleasant and many of the dishes looked nicely prepared. While I appreciate the effort that goes into running a restaurant, I hope this feedback helps you identify areas for improvement. I truly believe Saloon 16 has potential, these issues detracted from our overall experience. Thank you for considering this feedback, and I hope to see positive changes in the future.

Sarah G.

Yelp
This place is gross. The smell was horrendous--like old beer and dirty dishrags. I couldn't even stay there. Poor bartender was stuck in there, but she was at least friendly. It's dark, dirty, and smelly. It's like something out of kitchen nightmares.

Brad A.

Yelp
Stayed at the Graduate hotel and had dinner here. Good food and, as an avid Peyton Manning fan, I really enjoyed the memorabilia. The location is great. Take a stroll around Knoxville to work off some of those dinner calories. Chicken Parm you taste so good!

Megan B.

Yelp
Server was nice but the food all tasted like it came from the frozen food lane at Costco. Really wanted to like it. Subpar drinks were also served in plastic even though the crowd was all 30+. Come on Peyton, we can do better!

Ryan L.

Yelp
The drinks are good but everything else is an absolute fail. Extremely limited menu, terrible service, and the food isn't really good. Manning's Manhattan is a solid drink. But that was the extent of anything being good. Cheese curds are $15. It's literally about $1 a curd. Chips and guac are also the same price. Who charges that for either of those?! The burger was $18. It came one way - overcooked patty, BBQ sauce, cheese slice, and grilled onions..with fries. No tomatoes, no pickles, no other options to even choose from. If you don't want a burger as an entree then you can get a Cobb salad, wings, or half a slab of ribs ($30). That's about it. The 4 of us agreed it was easily the worst restaurant we've been to in Knoxville as far as cost, quality, and selection.

Jessica M.

Yelp
3 stars only for the amazing beer cheese dip but everything else about this place was really meh. First impression was not great as no one ever greeted us. Our server disappeared for a while and someone new came over and said he would "look for him". He came back and told us he was actually going to be our server. ok, no big deal. Long island iced tea for $13 was good, not great. Sloppy Joe was ok. Overall, this place could use some of that ole southern hospitality that y'all are so famous for.

Mitch E.

Yelp
Only pace with reservation for 6 on a busy UT college move in weekend Sunday should have been a waning. Staff was friendly and service was fine but food was uninspired frozen sisco stuff barely warmed up. Much better food options in Knoxville (if you can find a reservation!).

Gary N.

Yelp
Peyton's Place. Glad they finally got this open. Love the pictures of Peyton and family over the years. This is about his time at Tennessee and his connections. A great tribute to his time here. Old western Sheriff theme complete with Saloon swinging doors. It's located inside the Graduate Hotel but has a rear access as well. Food and service was excellent as Emily took very good care of us and explaining the many craft drink options. I have a burger for lunch and it was fantastic, homemade style. Fries were crisp. The have great Mac and cheese as well. Wife got the chicken sliders and it great as well. Surprised they did not have more TVs for game day, but guess it takes away from western look. But it is all about Peyton and Tennessee in here. Need a few more for game day. We will be back as this virus thing fades.

Tina B.

Yelp
We stayed at The Graduate in Knoxville TN for a dance competition. We were hungry when we arrived around 5:30pm and decided to go to the restaurant located j Inside the hotel - Saloon 16. It's a detriment to Payton Mannings name to have his name sprawled all over this place. It was very dark with an old building smell as soon as we walked In. The wait staff was very nice. The food is terrible. We had the loaded fries, buffalo wings and a salad and we left most of it on the table when we left. Do yourself a favor - don't do it. Go out instead. The city of Knoxville is full of great places to eat. Do not waste your money here at saloon 16.

Tana B.

Yelp
Quiet during the summer months when UTK is not in session, but very friendly staff/bartenders, and tasty food choices. So fun to have a whole place dedicated to Peyton Manning. Been there on a game day too and the bloody Mary's hit the spot. Go Vols!

Emanuel K.

Yelp
The menu is very limited, the drinks are expensive and when I received my drink my glass was dirty and discussing. The bar tender did nothing about my glass because I drank part of it before I noticed it was dirty. I do not recommend this establishment.

Kevin S.

Yelp
Went after a basketball game, mid afternoon on a Saturday and the bar only had one bar back and one waitress, no dedicated bartender pouring drinks. Very unfortunate for the two of them as they got stressed with just 50+ guests all ready to order. We sat at the bar for 15 minutes and after no interaction with staff, got up and left. Won't be back and glad we know in the future to not bring guests. Management needs to step up and plan better. Scrubbing the sticky floors would be nice also.

Darrell C.

Yelp
We had a great experience. Service was great. Food was really good. Great atmosphere. Great Peyton and Tennessee memorabilia on the walls. It was early on St Patrick's Day, and the baseball and men's basketball teams were playing out of town, and it was Spring Break. Crowd hadn't made it yet, but several tables were reserved. The Graduate hotel, also on the property, looked really nice.

Matt R.

Yelp
I love the Sheriff, but I do not love his restaurants. I've been to Manning's in New Orleans and now to Saloon 16 and both were a bit disappointing. The food menu here at S16 is very limited so beware. The chicken parm sandwich was good, but everything else ordered by our large party was not very popular. We also ordered some wings chicken sliders and cheese bites which were all not very good. I was looking forward to trying this place for a long time and maybe my anticipation is part of the problem.

Holly S.

Yelp
This place was great! Super fast service, clean environment, and Emilee was an amazing waitress / bartender! We were in a rush and just needed a couple drinks, and Emilee gave us such amazing, fast service. Thank you so much! We will definitely be returning.

Scott W.

Yelp
Went to this restaurant after a UT game because it was convenient and we wanted to wait out traffic. Fun "pub" atmosphere with a live singer. When we went in there were 2 or 3 tables open and all had dishes from previous guests. We asked someone and they said just sit at any table. We sat at a table with dirty dishes. The waiter came by (he did not have a nametag and did not introduce himself so we did not get his name. He had bleach blond hair, lots of gold earrings and black fingernail polish) and asked of we wanted drinks. We said yes and also mentioned that the dishes were not ours. He replied "I know". He left empty handed and later came back with the drinks and again left empty handed leaving us to sit and stare and the previous occupants dirty dishes. The waiter came back later and took our food order. We were done ordering I asked him to take the dirty dishes with him. He said " I will get them later". I responded that his hands were currently empty - he replied "yes but I am not going to the kitchen" and left the dirty dishes there again for us to enjoy while we were waiting for our food. He eventually came by and picked up two of the plates (luckily before the food arrived) but left the dirty cups and glasses. Someone else eventually picked those up (no one every wiped the table down from the previous occupants - I wonder if the tables are ever wiped down during the shift). Our food arrived and it was hot but very average. We had requested condiments and they did not arrive with food so we had to flag the waiter down to get those delivered (after our food had sat for awhile). We also had to flag the waiter down to get napkins as none were on the table and none were delivered with the food. I don't know if this was just a problem with this waiter or if the management just provides poor training, but I would not go to this place unless you just want to drink, Its been a long time since I have received service this poor. We were in the restaurant of the evening of 11/25/23.

Scott W.

Yelp
A Fumble Living in Knoxville and being a big UT fan, I was excited to visit Saloon 16, Payton Mannings first independent restaurant outing. I expected a touchdown but ended up with a fumble. Located one block off of the University of Tennessee campus, it sits in the first floor of a Graduate Knoxville Hotel, the ambiance is Tennessee Football meets cowboys. There is a fair share of Tennessee memorabilia but nothing outstanding. The furnishings are supposed to reflect the rustic west, but is more like old restaurant leftovers. Cane-back chairs from the 70's, painted tables, and an atmosphere of meh. It's sad when the men's restroom is the nicest part of the place. (Cool wallpaper of Payton directing the band). A sure indication what's to come, we entered the sports bar at 5:30. This close to campus and on a Friday, I expected a bit of a crowd. We were alone. The waiter was good and prompt. Kudos. Sorry I didn't get his name. The menu is minimalist and it is pub food. I've had good pub food before, but not at Saloon 16. Our appetizer, cheese binks were deep fried and came out quickly... too quickly. They were freezer case and flash fried. And unfortunately not quite warm. I ordered the Parm Chicken sandwich, my wife chicken sliders. Both were only slightly warm. All of the chicken was dry, freezer case, and bland. Same for the fries. The serving size was generous. The quality - not worthy to be associated with one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Our bill for one appetizer, three drinks, and three entrees: $77. No desert, no alcoholic drinks. Just a meal. Again, the wait staff was the best part (What was his name?) I love you Payton. You elevated our team to a high point. You are a great representative for our city. But your sports bar needs help. Personal foul, Saloon 16.

Tommy R.

Yelp
I drove to Knoxville with my girlfriend to have lunch with her son. We met at Saloon 16, which is inside the Graduate Hotel. What an awesome place! There is a lot of UT Vols memorabilia, especially Peyton Manning (Peyton Manning owns the place). You can pick from 100s of songs on the juke box. The beer, and the Irish Coffees, were fantastic. The chicken parmesan sandwich and the Graduate Burger, Delicious!! The only thing that was sub par was the Bloody Marys. Whenever I am in Knoxville this place will be a regular stop.

Krystle M.

Yelp
First, don't come here expecting a full restaurant experience. This is a bar that also has some "better than pub" food to choose from. Pork rinds were great, fresh & cracklin'! The fried chicken basket is also a great choice. Shawn was our server and he was awesome! I had the Old Fashioned Tequila and my husband had the Manhattan, both were delicious. Only big downfall, the draft list is struggling as it's only Bud Light, Budweiser, & Michelob Ultra. There's 8 taps, plenty of room for some craft beers. Definitely will return!

Leslie R.

Yelp
Ordered Caesar salad with chicken, the chicken parm sandwich with fries. Both were yum! Also ordered a mule drink which was good. We were there on Saturday rainy afternoon and campus might of been on break but the staff and atmosphere was great and chill watching some March Madness.

Aubrey C.

Yelp
Negatives: Pepsi. Bar staff did not really know how to pour a proper drink. Neutral: as everywhere, understaffed. Now expected, but slow. Positives: staff was very polite and did their best. Food was decent, though only got some appetizer-type foods. TBH, I expect better out of you, Peyton.

Kevin A.

Yelp
It's a solid bar but 26 dollars pre tip for 2 drinks (a rum and coke and an old fashioned) LOL Just not the kind of place you can ever excuse coming more than once. Cool memorabilia, atmosphere, and a good place to nerd out but you better have Peyton Manning money. Cant be doin that in the most competitive spot in town. I can walk to 10 other great bars that are less than half the price. I live ten minutes from here and have an illogical level of loyalty to Peyton Manning, but I will likely never be back here just because it's too expensive

Megan M.

Yelp
We enjoyed drinking and eating at the Saloon while staying at the Graduate this weekend. The servers and bartenders were very kind and accommodating. The wings and cheese bings were good and the atmosphere was fun. I'm personally an Auburn fan, but if you are a Tennessee fan, I can't imagine a cooler place than this hotel and bar/restaurant.

Heidi S.

Yelp
Two stars because the trivia that was held here was a lot of fun. Unfortunately though, the food was not good at all. We ordered the $14 cheese pizza and the $7 skillet cookie. I took one bite of the pizza, and I think it might have been the worst pizza I've had in my life. My boyfriend had a few slices but also said that it was not good. It tasted like a worse version of buffet pizza. We were hoping the skillet cookie would be better, but once again, it just tasted like cheap buffet food. Definitely not worth it for the price. The service was also very slow which was likely due to the trivia; we had to go up to the bar to order the skillet cookie because the waiter hadn't come back. And even after the trivia ended, we had to again go up to the bar to ask for our check. I'm not sure if that is usually how it goes though because it was our first (and probably last) time going.

Dom B.

Yelp
One of the best experiences at a bar I have ever had, all thanks to Ish. His friendliness and professionalism combined with the awesome design at Saloon 16 will make me a regular whenever I find myself in Knoxville again. What a great staff and environment.

Donna W.

Yelp
Would leave a zero if I could. 3 of us went Friday evening. Food was sub par. Reheated pre cooked food. Barely warm. $66 dollars was outrageous for food we mostly left on our plates. Waiter stated "well it is bar food". Basically blaming us for expecting better. Our local gas station has better, fresher tasting food. Will not return. Would encourage Peyton to disassociate from this restaurant.

Morgan S.

Yelp
Couldn't wait to leave this review - we arrived after the game today and asked the host (or manager, not sure who he was) if there was a spot at the bar. He immediately said no you can't stand there. We then asked about a table for 2 and how long it would be. Not only was he incredibly rude and unfriendly, but also told us they don't take names. Why would we wait around to possibly have someone skip us in line? Needs better organization and a friendlier host. Huge bummer.

Emily Ann M.

Yelp
Right after game day, the person greeting guests was so rude. He turned us away for asking for a table for 2. I felt very un-welcomed here.