The Absolute 11 Best Restaurants in Gatlinburg, According to a Local

A local’s guide to the best restaurants in Gatlinburg

In essence, Gatlinburg’s economy is built upon a three-legged stool of tourism commerce: Lodging, entertainment and food. And it’s probably not in that order. People come to Gatlinburg to do a lot of things, but eating remains dang near the top of the list. As such, there is a cornucopia of options. Indeed, a plethora of choices. Also, a smorgasbord of … well, smorgasbord. Now as a disclaimer, there’s a bit of an internal battle among The Smokies staff for the best steak. Some of us say it’s The Peddler, and some of us say it’s Greenbrier. Both places are certainly great. But with so many places to eat, what do you, the discriminating diner, do when forced to choose between the best of the best of the best? Here’s a list of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg TN, ranked. Note: We’ve also created a printable version of this list here.

The best restaurants in Gatlinburg are Delauder’s BBQ, Trish’s Mountain Diner, Pancake Pantry, Chesapeake’s Seafood, The Greenbrier, The Peddler, Alamo Steakhouse, Wild Plum Tea Room, Mama’s Chicken Kitchen Howard’s Restaurant and Crockett’s Breakfast Camp.

The Best Restaurants in Gatlinburg

1. Delauder’s BBQ

Delauder’s BBQ is a holy place. It is a shrine devoted to the divine art of smoked meats. I’m a fan of their Five Meat Plate. I said, FIVE. MEAT. PLATE. Specifically, you get ribs, pulled pork, brisket, grilled chicken breast and smoked sausage plus your choice of two sides, the best of which are the fried mac n cheese, fried okra and collard greens. It’s consistently one of the best BBQ restaurants in Gatlinburg. But as with many of the more hole-in-the-wall style restaurants in the Smokies, Delauder’s keeps limited operating hours. Delauder’s is only open four days a week from Thursday-Sunday. They are open for dinner only (4 pm-8 pm) on Thursdays, lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (12:30 pm-8 pm) and lunch only on Sundays (12:30 pm-2:30 pm). Delauder’s is located at 1875 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Limited parking is available on site.

2. Trish’s Mountain Diner

Located way off the beaten path, the cash-only Trish’s is one of my favorite places to grab some real mountain diner-style cooking in the Smoky Mountains. This is the kind of place where they call you “honey”, bring hot sauce to the table “just in case” and make sure you never have to ask for a refill. Plus, they are super affordable, with a ton of dishes for less than $10 which is unheard of in Gatlinburg nowadays. Open for breakfast and lunch from 7 am-2:30 pm Monday- Thursday and open from 7 am-8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Sadly, like so many other quality establishments in the Smokies, is closed on Sundays. Trish’s Mountain Diner is located at 3614 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Limited free parking is available on site.

3. Pancake Pantry

A Gatlinburg classic. And Tennessee’s first-ever pancake house. Do not leave Gatlinburg without sampling The Pancake Pantry. Open for breakfast and lunch, the Pantry essentially started the trend of pancake restaurants in the Smokies. The lunch menu is light, but I’m a sucker for the Polish Aristocrat – which is just fun to order – layers of Swiss cheese, corned beef and coleslaw in rye, this grilled sandwich is worthy of the name. Breakfast is always on the menu and includes 24 varieties of pancakes. The French Toast is also really good. And be warned, entree portions at the Pancake Pantry are huge. Most featured dishes come with five full-sized pancakes. Order to share unless you’re feeling mighty hungry.

The Pancake Pantry is located at 628 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 inside the Village Shoppes. They are open daily for breakfast and lunch from 7 am-3 pm. Parking is not available on site. You will likely have to pay for parking in a nearby paid lot or walk from your downtown hotel. They do not accept reservations. Arrive early for immediate seating else you’ll get stuck in line.

4. Chesapeake’s Seafood and Raw Bar

Finally, in a fine-dining world dominated by steakhouses, Chesapeake’s wins by simply standing out. Sure you can get excellent seafood dishes at The Peddler or Greenbrier, but if you want seafood, and quite frequently I do, it’s best to go to the place that specializes in the fruits of the ocean. The Maryland Crab Cakes are delicious as an appetizer, a main course or on the crab cake sandwich. They’re also available to be added to an entrée. The stuffed Maine lobster is also decadent and the steamed seafood feast can’t be beaten. I also enjoy the Smoked Trout.

There are non-seafood options available if you’re not in the mood, but I can’t imagine anyone would read this far into this particular blog and then go to Chesapeake’s and order the hamburger – which I’m sure is probably a pretty good burger. The broiled or fried seafood platters feature shrimp, scallops and cod. Their cod is an awesome cod. Try the Slower Delaware Pie for dessert. Since I’ve never been to Delaware, I don’t know if this is an actual thing. But it’s coffee ice cream, Kahlua liqueur, chocolate cookie crust, hot fudge, candied pecans and cream. And it’s a work of genius. 

Chesapeake’s is open for dinner daily. They open earlier on weekends for Saturday late lunch and Sunday brunch. Chesapeake’s is located at 437 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Making a reservation before you go is highly recommended. Plan to either walk from your downtown hotel or park in one of the paid lots nearby.

5. The Greenbrier Restaurant

Billed as a food and spirit outpost, Greenbrier offers fine dining in a rustic setting. Greenbrier gets a slight edge in my book for a slightly more daring fine dining menu than some of the other top-end restaurants in the area. Duck breast, lamb shank and stuffed flounder are all delicious options. Or you can go more traditional and order one of their fine hand-cut steaks. Do note, this is one of the more upscale restaurants in Gatlinburg. I wouldn’t consider this a kid-friendly joint. It’s more of an intimate dinner situation. But here’s some really good news – this restaurant, unlike so many on this list, is a bit off the beaten path and therefore, has ample parking available. Yay! The Greenbrier Restaurant is located at 370 Newman Rd, Gatlinburg, TN. Nab a reservation here. Free parking is available on-site.

6. The Peddler Steakhouse

Here we are. The rarified air of the top three. Each of the following restaurants can make a legitimate claim to being the best in Gatlinburg, the best in Sevier County or the best in Tennessee. Of course, a lot of it comes down to personal preference. The Peddler Steakhouse in Gatlinburg, open for dinner daily, is an institution with roots that reach back to the very founding of the city itself. Get a custom-cut steak, a red wine, a baked stuffed potato and dine like royalty back when royalty didn’t think of gout as a bad thing. Or if you want to be a little less decadent, the grilled salmon is fantastic. Parking on-site is available (a Gatlinburg rarity) but fills up quickly. Do yourself a favor and nab an early dinner reservation to save yourself the headache. The Peddler is located at 820 River Rd, Gatlinburg, TN.

7. Alamo Steakhouse

The Alamo at number 7? I can almost hear half the internet exclaim: “This is the worst thing to ever happen at any Alamo anywhere!” You see, the Alamo is a fantastic restaurant – many people’s favorite in the entire city. It is legitimately great. But in my book, there are a couple of better steakhouses (see above), and a list with nothing but steakhouses at the top would be boring. That being said, a meal starting with the Alamo’s shrimp cocktail followed by the El Presidente Porterhouse with asparagus and button mushrooms is a last-meal-worthy affair. 

Alamo Steakhouse is owned by the Johnson Family of Restaurants who also own and operate Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que, Big Daddy’s Pizzeria, Mama’s Farmhouse, Mama’s Chicken Kitchen and Mad Dog’s Creamery. They currently have two locations in the Smokies, one in Pigeon Forge at 3050 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN and one in Gatlinburg at 705 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN. Parking is available on-site at both locations. Reservations are generally not accepted. The only exception to this rule is couples-only Love Nest.

8. Wild Plum Tea Room

This local favorite has sandwiches, salads, burgers and unique creations like lobster pie, all made fresh daily. The recipes are passed down through families and neighbors and the atmosphere is far from the typical high-paced turnover of Gatlinburg restaurants. It is worth a visit on your next trip to town. They also offer a dog-friendly patio. But do keep in mind, this is a small mom-and-pop style operation. At the time of this writing, this lunch-only restaurant is only open 3 days a week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) from 11 am-3 pm. The Wild Plum also closes seasonally during the winter, normally reopening each April. Reservations are required at this difficult to get into restaurant. The Wild Plum Tea Room is located at 555 Buckhorn Rd, Gatlinburg, TN. Limited free parking is available on site.

9. Mama’s Chicken Kitchen

Mama’s Chicken Kitchen is the sister restaurant to Mama’s Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge, a family-style restaurant. A member of the Johnson Family of Restaurants, Mama’s Chicken Kitchen does things a little differently than its Pigeon Forge counterpart. At Chicken Kitchen in Gatlinburg, the chicken and sides are served by the plate or by the bucket if you order to go. It’s perfect and delicious for a picnic in the Smoky Mountains. I think their chicken and dumplings are the best in Gatlinburg and the second best in all the Smokies right behind The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge. The Chicken Kitchen is located at 1244 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN. Limited free parking is available on site.

10. Howard’s Restaurant

Located in the heart of the strip, Howards is a bi-level destination with a steak house downstairs and a pub upstairs. Billed as Gatlinburg’s oldest restaurant – predating even the Pancake Pantry – Howards is a great spot to enjoy some Gatlinburg traditions. There’s nothing out-of-the-ordinary on Howard’s menu, but you don’t need food that is shocking to be great. For example, the Hot Chop Steak Sandwich is a winner and pairs excellently with a Bloody Mary. Howard’s is located at 976 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN. Plan to park in a nearby paid lot.

11. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp

Sometimes a restaurant menu can be a little too precocious. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp already has one strike for being named after someone who was named after the famous Davy Crockett. Luckily, everything gets better from there. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp, named after David Crockett Maples who served in the Civil War and lost his legs to frostbite and spent the last years of his life walking around on wooden feet, offers everything I want out of a breakfast camp. This includes French toast, waffles, griddle cakes as well as true cathead biscuits. My favorite is the Elk Mountain Grande Burrito made with three eggs, machaca, chorizo pico de gallo and jalapeños. Crockett’s is open for breakfast and lunch daily from 7 am-1 pm. They are located at 1103 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN. Plan to park in a nearby paid lot.

Bonus: Dick’s Last Resort

LOL just kidding. Gotcha back.

What do YOU think is the best Gatlinburg restaurant? Let us know in the comments.

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