These 7 Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants Are the Best in Gatlinburg

A Smoky Mountain local reveals his top picks for the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Gatlinburg

In a world filled with chain restaurants and expensive dining options, sometimes you find the best restaurants where you least expect them. We call them hole-in-the-wall restaurants for lack of a better term. However, we use it with affection. Often, the best places to find great food are at some local favorites with low overhead. They can be in downtown Gatlinburg, TN, or off the beaten path nearby. But they all offer delicious food as good as you might find at some more upscale restaurants like the Alamo Steakhouse or The Peddler Steakhouse. Without further ado, here are my top picks for the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Gatlinburg.

1. Delauder’s BBQ

Barbecue joints are meant to be holes in the wall. Sure, you’ve got a couple of high-enders like Calhoun’s which has built an empire on smoked meat. But by and large, the best barbecue you will ever have in your life comes from places that invest in smokers and meat, not decorations and seats. This may well be some of the best BBQ you will ever eat. Listen, you want an authentic Tennessee experience to go back and tell your friends at home? Go to Delauder’s, get the Holy Bologna Sandwich or the Sneaky Pig with sweet habanero sauce and thank me later. Some people think good barbeque is all about pork sandwiches. But at Delauder’s, it’s about so much more. Delauder’s is located at 1875 East Parkway in Gatlinburg.

2. Estrella Hondumex

This Mexican-Honduran restaurant is located at 109 Roaring Fork Road in the back of a Hispanic grocery. Estrella Hondumex serves Honduran and Mexican dishes and serves them well. Estrella Hondumex is certainly one of the most unique restaurants and dining experiences in Gatlinburg. It has amazing food and stands so far apart from pretenders like No Way Jose’s, it’s like they’re not even in the same business. This is a true hidden gem, a true hole in the wall and you should plan to stop in on your next trip to explore Gatlinburg restaurants. It may not be among the most popular places, but it’s just about the only place in town where you can have this type of Mexican food experience. Plus, there’s free parking on site, albeit limited.

3. Tennessee Jed’s

You had me at craft sandwiches. Now with two locations in Gatlinburg, the first on the strip at 631 Parkway A8, the second at 450 Brookside Village Way. Tennessee Jed’s is likely the best place you’ll ever eat that directly abuts a Dollar General Store. There’s just something about a perfectly made sandwich. I loved the Rueben and ham and Swiss. But my favorite is probably the Cubano. There are surely no bad choices. Tennessee Jed’s also does some serious breakfast sandwiches. If you’re in Gatlinburg and the line at the Pancake Pantry is too long, walk across the street and grab a coffee and a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from Jed’s. And go ahead and also try the brown butter mini cake for dessert. 

4. Split Rail Eats

I have a few cardinal rules for life that I live by. First, at this point in my life, my butt should never, ever be higher than my head. If that happens, something has gone wrong. Second, if a restaurant has the word “eats” in its title, it’s gonna be good. Split Rail Eats, located between a vintage clothes shop and a fine art photography studio, offers chiefly classic American food done well. This is a great spot located at 849 Glades Road, a good distance from the heart of Gatlinburg. Burgers, sandwiches and a variety of “tater bowls” are the stars of the menu. Tater bowls are filled with tater tots and covered in a variety of ways. There’s also a Greek bowl, taco bowl, a buffalo bowl and a cheeseburger bowl from which to choose.

5. New Orleans Sandwich Company

This restaurant has a menu that sings with Cajun goodness. If you enjoy a delicious PoBoy, look no further. The New Orleans Sandwich company offers a variety of traditional New Orleans specialties like jambalaya, red beans and rice and seafood gumbo. This eatery is located at 631 Parkway in Gatlinburg.

6. Three Jimmy’s Good Time Eatery

That’s a lot of Jimmy’s. I like any place that’s not afraid to put Good Time right there in the title. And Three Jimmy’s is certainly one of the best local places for a Good Time … in the culinary sense. The menu is loaded with comfort food favorites like chicken pot pie, open-face roast beef and a variety of barbecue and also grilled items. The pizzas and sandwiches are also worth the drive off the strip. Located at 1359 East Parkway in Gatlinburg, it’s probably a bit of a stretch to call Three Jimmy’s a true hole-in-the-wall place. But it is behind a Family Dollar so we will allow it.

7. Tom & Earl’s Back Alley Grill

I tend to avoid eating foods in a back alley. However, Tom & Earl’s wraps, sandwiches and specialty drinks are quite good. Plus, Tom & Earl’s isn’t too far off the beaten path. It’s quite convenient to downtown Gatlinburg. You just have to know to look for it since it’s toward the back of the Marketplace Mall shopping center.

Do you have a favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Gatlinburg? Let us know in the comments!

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