There are other Chop House restaurants scattered across the Southeast, but The Chop House in Knoxville is a prime spot for so many memorable business lunches and casual dinners. The Chop House specializes in providing a high-end steakhouse experience with reasonable prices and exceptional customer service. Mike Connor, President and CEO of Connor Concepts, opened the first Chop House in 1992, and it’s been growing ever since.
“I attribute our continued success to our unrelenting commitment to our foundational beliefs, the dedication of our team members, and the support from the community,” says Connor. These foundational beliefs include commitment to uncompromising high standards, consistency, teamwork, and caring for the environment.
Connor graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1973 and began his restaurant career with Steak and Ale in Knoxville. In 1982, Connor and the Regas family developed the Grady’s restaurant chain, which eventually merged with Chili’s. When Mike Connor teamed up with a dedicated team of restaurant professionals including Tony Watson, Kevin Thompson, Bo Connor, and Brian Keyes, Connor Concepts was formed. They opened The Chop House, which now boasts 12 locations, and Connors Steak and Seafood with three locations.
Mike Connor will be inducted into the Junior Achievement of East Tennessee’s Business Hall of Fame Class of 2012 alongside Dale Keasling, President and CEO of Home Federal Bank, and Ken Lowe, Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO of Scripps Network Interactive. The Junior Achievement facilitates school programs, and last year they helped nearly 15,000 students learn the necessary skills to achieve their goals.
“Our goal from the beginning was to open one new restaurant per year,” Connor says. “By keeping our company private and our restaurants within a 300 mile radius, we ensure The Chop House experience remains consistent whether you’re in Augusta, Lexington, Sevierville, or Knoxville.”
The Chop House’s menu ranges from premium, heavily aged steaks and chops to soups made from scratch without any shortcuts. They also offer fresh seafood dishes, healthy salads, and tasty sides like sweet potatoes topped with brown sugar cinnamon butter, burgundy mushrooms, and parmesan creamed spinach. Innovative appetizers like Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes and Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna complement classic steakhouse offerings like Filet Mignon, Sirloin, Ribeye, and T-Bone, pork and lamb chops, chicken, and ribs.
“It’s hard to say which of our menu items is my favorite because they’re all exceptional,” says Connor. “New York Strip steak or Prime Rib are a pretty good bet for me, but we have something for everybody. I love our menu.”
Connor says they have some special events planned to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Chop House.
“We’re hosting a reunion of all the original team members,” he says. “Many of them are still with the Connors family in some capacity, but some have moved away. We’re looking forward to getting everyone together and taking a couple pictures.”
The Chop House will also be offering classic menu items at classic prices to include the public in the festivities.
“We are so incredibly thankful for the community support we’ve received at The Chop House over the past 20 years,” says Connor. “There are customers who visit multiple days a week, and some folks have been coming here since the beginning. They make The Chop House a success, and we wouldn’t be here without them.”
Knoxville Chop House Locations
9700 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37922
(865) 531-2467
4870 Harvest Mill Way
Knoxville, TN 37918
(865) 687-1330
7417 Chapman Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920
(865) 579-2609
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Visit TheChopHouse.com to view their
complete menu and find other locations.
