The screen behind Feather Locklear, Tanya Clucker, Oprah Henfrey and Elvis Preslay turned blue and giant animated white snowflakes began to fall.
“Oh,” I thought on an early November morning at Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. “They’re about to sing a Christmas carol.”
Friends, I was wrong.
Instead, the tinkling piano notes that send chills up the spines of children and down the spines of their parents began and suddenly our pleasant pancake breakfast surrounded by roosting animatronic singing chickens was about to get weird.
“Elsa!” my 4-year-old daughter shrieked as she does every time her little ears hear anything from the “Frozen” soundtrack.
That’s right. We were about to “Let it Go” – chicken style.
Area Deals and Discounts
Subscribe to our newsletter and we will instantly deliver the best area discounts to your inbox.
Do the chickens sing at Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse?
Not only do these animatronic chickens sing, but they also dance.
My dignity would like me to report to you that I sat there begrudgingly, eye-twitching, enduring this live-action descent into the cartoon-colored reality in which our kids grow up.
I would like to tell you that I was a noble father, enduring this madness at the risk of his own mental health to give his children a few moments of joy.
But the truth is, I enjoyed the moment. Actually, it’s lots of fun.
When the chickens lined up along the top of the wall stopped singing, my 4-year-old looked me in the eye, her mouth lined in the chocolate syrup and whipped cream of her bear pancakes.
“That was the silliest thing,” she said.
And then we both laughed. She went back to eating her pancakes while dancing in her chair to the music replaying in her head. Meanwhile, my heart nearly burst with joy.
How often do the chickens sing at Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse?
The chickens sing about every thirty minutes so you can usually enjoy at least two songs during your breakfast.
For the uninitiated diners, Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse traffics in one of the most competitive markets in Pigeon Forge: Pancakes.
The competition for the tourist breakfast traffic is fierce. In fact, every flapjack slinger in the county is fighting for an edge. At Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse, that edge is more than 100 singing, animatronic frizzle chickens.
It’s a bit like Disney’s Tiki Room. And a bit like Chuck E. Cheese.
In other words, it’s great. It’s a fun place, even though it’s a little cheesy.
I often find myself at odds with the cornier aspects of East Tennessee culture. For example, it’s the stuff that gets us looked down upon by visitors who don’t eat at restaurants with checkered tablecloths or say the word y’all with confidence.
Sometimes I cringe at how much Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge lean into the stereotypes, capitalizing on the weird 50s and 60s ideal of mountain folks.
And then other times I sit in a restaurant next to the Comedy Barn with a bunch of strangers joining Hen Solo and Princess Laya squawking “Bah, bah, baaaaa”.
What kind of food does Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe have?
Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse serves Southern-style breakfast and lunch only. In fact, it closes for the day around 1 pm.
Ain’t nobody getting pancakes from singing chickens for dinner, I guess.
When we went, there was a bit of a wait. The restaurant stayed nearly full until well after noon and closing time approached. The food was good.
What should you order?
The kids liked their pancakes. My teenage daughter recommends the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes which may have briefly given her diabetes but sure looked good.
The wife enjoyed her French Toast. They also offer traditional items such as waffles, omelets, sausage gravy, bacon and classic biscuits.
I had the Country-fried Steak Biscuit which was tasty and I would have it again.
The lunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches including a chicken sandwich and chipped ham. All are served with cole slaw and French fries.
The dish portions are generous. And the prices are quite affordable.
Is Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe worth it?
Ultimately, here’s the thing:
How many times have you eaten breakfast in your life, particularly when visiting the Smoky Mountains?
How many do you actually remember?
I can promise you Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe gave my family the most fun Southern-style breakfast experience. And they’re going to remember for a long time.
Customers of all ages will enjoy the friendly atmosphere and the entertainment.
To view the menu, visit the website.
Have you visited Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe in TN? Did you enjoy it? Let us know in the comments.
I live in the area and had never even hear of this restaurant, then my great niece, from out of state, asked to eat here. I had to look it up online to find it.
I was surprised to find plenty of parking. It was almost noon but our wait was not unreasonable. The service and food was good, although I think it catered to younger folks. The entertainment was fun. My great niece danced her chicken dance to the clucking music. We all, adults and children, had a good time. I think this is a great place to take children for breakfast or lunch. (maybe include those adults that act like children too) The prices were reasonable too. Given an opportunity, I would visit again.
This is one of the places Dolly Parton purchased as few years ago. She got it, The Comedy Barn, The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Fued, and the Smoky Mountain Opry when her company bought them from the previous owner who wanted to retire.