Tupelo falls somewhere in the zone of 2-3 stars. I am giving a bonus star because they are accommodating towards folks with Celiac Disease and have a good range of gluten-free options for my friends. I've eaten at Tupelo twice for dinner; once in the Knoxville location and once in Charlotte. My meals were unremarkable at both locations.
I've tried the shrimp and grits as well as the buttermilk fried chicken. Both were just okay, and truthfully not worth writing about. I personally found the freebie biscuit to be overly salty and reminiscent of the biscuits served at Red Lobster. I haven't tried any of the cocktails, but with restaurants situated in locations with great beer culture, I would expect for more draft options. The food quality definitely speaks to that of a chain restaurant, which it is.