Why People Are Afraid of This 100-Year-Old Restaurant in the Smoky Mountains

dark restaurant interior with cocktail

The Greenbrier is a historic Gatlinburg restaurant with a spooky past (photos by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com)

Why locals both love and fear this 100-year-old restaurant in the Smoky Mountains

There’s a fine dining establishment in the heart of the Smoky Mountains where the prices aren’t the scariest thing. Welcome to The Greenbrier, one of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg, the Smoky Mountains and all of East Tennessee.

The Greenbrier is well-known for its historic location in the community for which it is named. It is an interesting mix of mountain history and modern flair, serving wild game like venison and duck alongside oysters, halibut and a variety of steaks. But The Greenbrier is home to a little more than its menu implies. For instance, some are sure that some of the restaurant’s guests have been on the “waiting list” for quite some time. 

inside greenbrier restaurant
Do you see any mysterious figures in this photo? A spirit is said to be occasionally spotted near the stairway (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com)

Greenbrier’s spooky history

While the community’s history pre-dates the arrival of settlers in the region, the Greenbrier community – a collection of smaller communities – saw its share of triumphs and tragedies from its founding in the early 1800s through the Civil War and right up until most of the community was taken for the National Park. The restaurant’s history isn’t quite as extensive. It dates to 1939 and the formation of the Greenbrier Lodge, which catered to the nation’s elite – some of whom made the mountains a favorite destination.

The Greenbrier’s chief spirit is elusive, having been seen rarely. But makes itself known by moving things when no one else is around. Employees report food inexplicably knocked off shelves and that sort of thing. Many report feeling an unexpected chill, attributing that to Greenbrier’s ghost. That doesn’t mean the ghost is never seen. She most often appears on the staircase landing on the second floor. She is young, pretty and incredibly sad.

mountain lion on a rock
Could Lydia have executed her revenge as a mountain lion? Currently, there’s no evidence of a breeding mountain lion population in the Smoky Mountains (photo by moosehenderson/stock.adobe.com)

Who is this ghost?

Most believe she is the spirit of a young woman who was madly in love when she visited the lodge with her betrothed back in its early days. A Gatlinburg wedding was planned, and the bride got in her gown and went to the chapel, awaiting her groom who never showed. She returned to the lodge – still in her gown – and hanged herself.

The man who left her was said to be found within days following Lydia’s passing. He appeared to have been mauled by a mountain lion, which had supposedly gone from the mountains at least 20 years earlier. Could it have been a mountain lion? It’s possible. A rogue big cat could have returned to the mountains, or never left and remained until it took the groom’s life and disappeared again. How good was forensic tech back then? Could they have accurately determined a mountain lion mauling from say a bear? I can’t speak to it.

But some believe it was neither mountain lion nor bear nor, I suppose, a pack of vicious raccoons that took the life of the wandering groom. They believe it was the spirit of the bride exacting horrible revenge. Can a spirit do that much damage? Some believe that she took the form of a mountain lion to do so. If that’s the case, she returned to her human-like form when she came back to haunt the lodge-turned-restaurant.

Although, I must say if she’d wanted to spice up the whole haunting thing, she could have retained her cat-like appearance and really freaked people out. On the scale of frightening things, a ghost cougar capable of mauling the living is much scarier than a sad but pretty bride knocking the bullion off the shelves.

A Cut of Steak on a Fork
The steak at The Greenbrier was cooked to perfection (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com)

What’s on the menu?

No matter what the history of the ghost cat bride lady, the real reason to come to The Greenbrier is the excellence on the menu. The Greenbrier is one of the most celebrated restaurants in the region for good reason. Start with apps like steam dumplings, lobster risotto or pork belly tostada. Follow that up with a selection of entrees that include items such as:

  • Venison Loin: Pan-roasted Georgia red deer, celery root purée, glazed root vegetables, whiskey tobacco reduction for $58
  • Poulet à la Grand-Mère: Herb-roasted half chicken, bacon, mushrooms, haricot verts (that’s green beans for those of us who grew up near The Greenbrier), onion soubise and natural chicken jus for $29
  • Duck: Seared duck breast, smoked cheddar grits and a cherry bourbon glaze for $30

As good as those choices are, The Greenbrier excels with its steaks and chops, the best of which may be The Wellington, featuring an Iowa Premium barrel-cut filet of beef, prosciutto, mushroom duxelles and pâté de foie gras wrapped in puff pastry and baked. It’s served medium-rare only with bordelaise sauce for $60. In addition to its fantastic food and ambiance, The Greenbrier offers a selection of spirits and cigars to enjoy.

bartender lights dish on fire at bar at greenbrier ing atlinburg tn
The real reason to visit The Greenbrier is the atmosphere and the excellent food (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com)

Hours and location

If you want to go to The Greenbrier and have a scary good time – order the $165 steak … just kidding. The Greenbrier is located at 370 Newman Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738. You can reach them at 865-412-1576 or click here to make reservations. The Greenbrier is open Tuesday through Sunday from 4:30 to 9 pm, but hours are subject to change.

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