Gatlinburg Introduces the New Myron Mixon Barbecue Co.: A Review

When Crawdaddy’s closed in downtown Gatlinburg, it didn’t take long for the whispers to turn into an audible conversation about a new Southern barbecue restaurant to replace the deep-South, Cajun-style flair of its predecessor. It came as a pleasant surprise to many when the famous BBQ Pitmaster, Myron Mixon, was announced as the main ingredient in the sauce, being Myron Mixon Barbecue Co.

Myron Mixon is a five-time World Champion, so it’s easy to say he knows a thing or two about the craft. His awards are legendary by themselves: 200 Grand Championships, more than 1,800 trophies, 30 state championships, and 11 national titles. It’s a mind-boggling set of accomplishments that he began competitively amassing in 1996. And if you’re wondering whether there’s a Barbecue Hall of Fame, yep, Kansas City—a barbecue hotbed—is where Mr. Mixon was inducted in 2013.

Kennedy Concepts—the same ownership that ran Crawdaddy’s is proud to have Myron Mixon Barbecue Co. as its newest “concept” restaurant in Gatlinburg that includes Loco Burro, Puckers, and Sugar Baby. Chad Kennedy, owner of Kennedy Concepts, says, “it’s always been a dream to bring a world-class barbecue restaurant to Gatlinburg.”

On the afternoon of March 21st, I attended a soft opening and ribbon-cutting of the new Myron Mixon Barbecue Co. Now mind you, I had never set foot in here before; we never were too interested in Crawdaddy’s—not really our style, cuisine-wise. Upon walking into the opening festivities, I would say it’s decorated like an elevated barbecue experience—in more ways than one.

There are splashes of Myron Mixon inside, but not in a way that over-hypes the master of pit barbecue. The business could be excused if it was, but instead, the space has been beautifully redone into a comfortable, welcoming interior with touches of cowboy and western-inspired items, and whimsical sayings placed on the walls you can’t help but smile when reading. The bar looks as inviting as another of Kennedy Concepts recent new builds, Puckers Sports Grill; however, this one definitely reinforces the barbecue theme with its brick accents. The results translate into an area worth spending an afternoon or evening in the company of friends.

But what about the food? Well, at this opening event, we were served with a nice teaser of what a full dining experience might entail on a future visit. I was instantly impressed with pork rinds sitting in small dishes on the tables. If this is akin to bread before the meal at most restaurants, I’m already on board. For me, that means I’m starting off a dinner guilt-free, and without a blood sugar spike before I even get to the main course.

Unfortunately, no main course was offered today, but that was perfectly fine, as I wasn’t anticipating it. Instead, the servers brought out a nice array of shareables, sliders, and, of course, one of their dessert offerings.

We’re starting with dessert because that was the first thing they brought out for my wife and I. Today, they made their Apple Cobbler dessert—one of three on the menu. How was it? Tastefully done! And you know what? It wasn’t soppy, syrupy sweet, either. The balance was beautifully done with the oat crumble, apple compote and small slices of apple giving off a natural flavor that didn’t gush your brain with sugar. If you order it on the menu, it comes with vanilla ice cream, but they served it to us with whipped topping, which is alright with me. I ate nearly half the small cup and gave the rest to my wife, which she eagerly accepted.

The three Shareables from the menu each brought something different to the table… quite literally! First was the Southern Spread, which is house-made pimento cheese, pepper jelly, smoked jalapeno cheddar sausage, and pickled veggies piled on a Ritz cracker. This was way better than I expected. I wouldn’t have ordered it on the menu, otherwise… if I hadn’t tried it first.

The Pig & Grits is a fried pimento cheese grit cake glazed with sweet cola and pork belly. I really have to give it to them. I’m not an avid pimento cheese fan, but the way they’re incorporating it in with other ingredients makes it work. I didn’t love this, but the breading on this and the next item I tried, add some pizzazz that was pleasing to my taste buds.

Macaroni and Cheese is a dish that brings everyone back to childhood with its simple delight. So it’s tortuous to confront its addictive qualities when I’ve been avoiding it so well as a diabetic. The carbs weren’t going to deter me this time. The Baby Back Mac Bites were by far my wife and I’s favorite appetizers we tried. That same breading encased the fried ball of fantastic, feathered with the featured rib meat and a spoon-sized drizzle of chipotle ranch. This was absolutely divine. Even if I don’t dare eat this again to destroy by blood sugar, I can tell you and others how much I think you’ll love this!

Sliders aren’t on the actual menu, but they were the vessel for us to get a sample of Myron’s famous smoked meats without eating utensils. His own sauce was on them, but from what we could taste, they didn’t need it. Between the chicken, brisket, and pulled pork, you got that melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s a hallmark of sublimely-done meats that Mixon has built a brand perfecting. Absolutely no complaints on our end, and I think a platter will be a big factor in the decision-making process on the next visit.

I should also mention, before I conclude, that the Smoke & Mirrors cocktail was a nice compliment to our fantastic finger foods. It’s one of their signature drinks worth a splurge in you’re in the mood for a nice cap to the evening… uh, or afternoon. This is one of those smoke-infused drinks with Cherrywood as the enhancer to this beverage. I’m not one to rave about smoky drinks, but this one actually hit the mark. Try it if you want to be a little adventurous!

Also pictured is their Just Peachy drink on the left.

Overall, this was an excellent introduction to what you’re going to see when you visit Myron Mixon Barbecue Co. The man himself will likely come around fairly frequently to check in on his staff, whom he has already put his stamp of approval on their ability to follow his recipes. He has a home here, so you’re likely to see him here and probably his now second favorite restaurant in Gatlinburg, Cherokee Grill.

I don’t think it’s necessary or fair to give them a review, since this was a complimentary VIP event with only a limited number of handhelds to try… but I will anyway. My first impression is to give it a 4.8, which is pretty stellar, but I’m only rating the food, and that is my number. We were impressed with the quality of everything they brought out, as I previously mentioned. We are looking forward to coming in shortly after their May 28th opening to try the meats without a sauce or bread, and rate them on their own merits. So far, so fantastic from this sampling!

Thank you for reading and subscribing to my publication. I hope you enjoyed this review of the new Myron Mixon BBQ, and I believe you should give them a fair shot, even if you’re not the biggest fan of the cuisine. I think it has that kind of reach! I appreciate you all for your kind words and support, and stay tuned for more news and reviews real soon!