Is Delauder’s BBQ Shining in Sevierville?

An honest review: Has a change of scenery had an effect on Delauder’s BBQ?

There is exquisite beauty in the world, and I’ve been lucky enough to see some of it. A meteor shower over the Gulf of Mexico comes to mind, as does the sun rise over the Atlantic. I’ve been in some of the world’s most magnificent museums and absorbed many of its great works of art.  The works of Van Gogh, Rodin, David, and others. 

I’ve been inside massive, glittering underground caverns and stood at the precipice of steep cliffs, overlooking expansive green valleys below. And I have seen dozens of sunsets and sunrises, dark clouds with rays of light shining through. I’ve also been underneath the eye of a hurricane.

I haven’t seen all of them. I don’t suppose anyone ever has seen all the beauty this world has to offer. But I’ve knocked one more off the list. I’ve had the five-meat Sampler Dinner from Delauder’s BBQ in Sevierville. Friends, it turns out beauty is a multi-sensory concept. 

What is Delauder’s BBQ?

It is one of the wonders of the Smokies. Born in Gatlinburg, the not-fancy-at-all BBQ restaurant built its reputation on exquisite, smoky flavor at very reasonable prices. It was Yelp!’s #10 BBQ restaurant in the United States and had previously been ranked No. 7 for brisket. It’s also been recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of the Top 25 BBQ destinations in the U.S.

But after years of massive success as an off-the-beaten-path destination in Gatlinburg, a series of issues with its landlord led to something of a major life change. Delauder’s left Gatlinburg for another somewhat out-of-the-way spot, down at the end of Dolly Parton Parkway. 

I’ve been curious if the move would affect Delauder’s, which has been to the BBQ World what Monet or Rodin had been to the art world. I wanted to say Van Gogh, but that comparison carries a little too much connotation, what with the whole cutting off the ear thing. But I will say this, biting into Delauder’s pulled pork or brisket is the culinary equivalent of seeing Starry Night for the first time in person. 

What’s the new location like? 

The new location is smaller, with only four indoor tables and a couple of outdoor tables in the parking lot for when the weather is nice, but you can get the food to go. I don’t necessarily recommend getting it to go because too many bad things can happen. You might get in a car wreck. Or suffer a medical emergency due to overwhelming anticipation. Heck, you might even get robbed. Driving around with a carload of Delauder’s is a little like having a briefcase full of gold, but more valuable.

No, I recommend eating Delauder’s right there in the restaurant, if at all possible. Also, Delauder’s is currently closed Monday through Wednesday, which are now officially the worst days of the week. 

What’s on the menu at Delauder’s?

You need more than Top 10 in the country BBQ and Top 7 Brisket? Well, there’s pulled pork – and chicken – brisket, pork brisket, chicken breast, ribs, and a variety of sandwiches including the Holy Bologna – grilled bologna topped with pulled pork, onion, pickles, nacho cheese, lettuce, sweet jalapeño mustard, and BBQ sauce.

Another classic is The Sneaky Pig, pulled pork with sweet habanero sauce, onion, and lettuce.  Also, if you are a slaw dog aficionado as I am, the Slaw Dawg is a sneaky good choice. It’s topped with pulled pork, the sweet jalapeño mustard, and Delauder’s homemade slaw, which is crunchy, fresh, and perfect for slaw dogs or on your pulled pork.

Is it really that good?  

Listen, I struggle with giving a good, honest ranking to things in the mountains. Is Greenbrier better than the Peddler? Is the smash burger at Pinchy’s really better than a Graze burger? I’m not doing the Pepsi Challenge here. I’m not doing blind taste tests with items from each place side by side. I go to places. And then I eat and do the best I can to give my honest thoughts.

But I can’t imagine sitting down and trying to figure out if Delauder’s is really the 10th-best BBQ joint in the country. Do you know how many BBQ joints there are and how many of them are good? It’s a lot. Michelin recently released its new list of Southern restaurants – many of them BBQ – and Delauder’s didn’t make the list. Were they robbed? I can’t say for sure, I haven’t eaten at all those places, but I don’t think the Michelin people have made it to Sevier County yet, and I bet, if they ever do, Delauder’s is going to be recognized. 

The five-meat sampler plate

When I got the five-meat sampler plate most recently, it was late in the evening, and they’d run out of chicken breast. They subbed in the smoked pork belly, which may have been the best thing on the plate. The sampler comes with a couple of delicious, smoky ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and sausage. I tried each first without any sauce, enjoying the hearty smoke flavor and savoring the experience. There were three sauces on the table: a regular Smoky Mountain sweet BBQ sauce, a cherry and jalapeno sauce, and one labeled hot that I was careful with. 

Like a BBQ scientist in a lab, I tried each sauce with each item, hunting for optimal flavor combinations. I really liked the cherry jalapeño with the pulled pork and a bit of the slaw, which really worked. And the traditional sauce was good with everything. I didn’t get much kick from the sauce labeled hot, but again, I was careful here. I don’t do hot like I used to. Frankly, I feel my work here is insufficient; I’ll have to go back and put more time in. I may wear a lab coat. 

What does the internet say about Delauder’s?

In addition to the various recognitions, Yelp! has it as a 4.7 out of 5, just behind Preacher’s – another excellent BBQ place in Sevierville, which has a 4.8 rating. I’m a little fascinated by Delauder’s move into Sevierville, putting these two BBQ palaces close together. It’s like being in London when the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were first starting to make it big. Or being asked to choose between George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

It’s amazing that these places exist so close to each other. On Google, both Delauder’s and Preacher’s is a 4.8.  I may have to do a Pepsi challenge at some point and settle this debate once and for all. Seriously, though. Preacher’s is great. Delauder’s is great. You can’t go wrong.   

Is Delauder’s worth it?

I ask you, is breathing worth it? Is life worth it? Are things like music, art, and whatever else is good in the world worth it? Yes, by all that is holy, Delauder’s is worth it. You can find the new location at 1305 Dolly Parton Parkway in Sevierville. Follow the Facebook page here.

Have you eaten at Delauder’s? Did you know they have a new location? Let us know what you think in the comments here and on the socials!!