Crawdaddy’s in Gatlinburg, TN says goodbye to the strip, announces new concept for 2025
From restaurants to lodging to entertainment, the competition is fierce on the Parkway in Gatlinburg. And while it seems there is enough traffic to support everybody, there appears to be a never-ending arms race to be the newest and hottest restaurant on the strip. One such restaurant, Crawdaddy’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar has succumbed to the competition, permanently closing its doors to start the new year.
About Crawdaddy’s
Crawdaddy’s was one of the Kennedy Concepts restaurants in Downtown Gatlinburg. Kennedy Concepts features a wide array of dining experiences in Knoxville and Gatlinburg. The Knoxville offerings include Cafe4 in Market Square and the upscale restaurant called The Kennedy on Gay Street. In Gatlinburg, Kennedy Concept restaurants include the Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina, Johnny Rockets and the newly reopened Puckers Sports Grill. Kennedy Concepts describes its restaurants as thriving on experience:
“All of our unique restaurant concepts operate with an exceptional guest experience in mind. Whether you’re a local or visiting from out-of-town, your experience is everything to us,” it says on the website.
The menu was billed as serving traditional Cajun-style seafood in an authentic New Orleans setting. While I always thought the food was good, it wasn’t wholly successful in the Cajun tradition. There were a lot of “Cajun” dishes like the ones you’d find on the menu at Red Lobster. Menu offerings included a light selection of Po’ Boys, boils and other Cajun staples like gumbo and red beans and rice as well as a selection of oysters.
In other words, it’s all slightly watered down for the tourists. Still, in a place filled with pancake palaces, breakfast places and homogenous country music star bars, the Cajun-style menu should have stood out enough to thrive. That it didn’t thrive speaks – I suppose – to the relative lack of demand for Cajun food in Gatlinburg. Any Cajun restaurant I’ve known in East Tennessee – even the very good ones – hasn’t survived for long.
What’s next for Crawdaddy’s?
The spot won’t be empty for long. Kennedy Concepts still owns the location and has promised a reopening with a fresh concept by the summer of this year. What will that be? We don’t know yet. With Jason Aldean’s and the Sun Records Café upping the competition along the strip with snazzy, high-concept dining, I’m curious to see whether Kennedy will continue to follow the model of its Gatlinburg stylings – fun restaurants with acceptable but innocuous menus.
Last year, The Kennedy opened in Downtown Knoxville replacing the Blackhorse Pub and Brewery. The Kennedy is sleek and retro. It isn’t zany or fun or funky. There’s no Crawfish mascot or puckered lips – the logo of Puckers. It’s a more serious experience for people looking for a serious dining experience. It offers a more upscale menu that retains a few nods to the Old Kennedy Concepts stylings.
Could something like The Kennedy work in Downtown Gatlinburg? It would stand out. The finer dining establishments in town are not located on the strip proper, so it might have a chance. Of course, I could be overthinking it. We could see another concept designed to cater to the “looking-for-an-experience” tourism crowd.
Alternative area seafood restaurants
While many restaurants in Gatlinburg and the area offer some seafood dishes, few make it their primary existence. You can get a pretty good seafood meal at The Peddler, the Cherokee Grill and Steakhouse or the Greenbrier.
There is also Bubba Gump’s, the most perplexing restaurant concept in United States history. Yes, I’m including Dick’s Last Resort in that. Along the same lines is the LandShark Bar and Grill. It is about two steps ahead of Long John Silver’s, in my opinion. There’s also the Smoky Mountain Trout House – which offers trout prepared 11 different ways and a handful of catfish and shrimp options.
The best place for seafood in Gatlinburg, however, is Chesapeake’s Seafood and Raw Bar. It is also one of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg overall. Chesapeake’s has three East Tennessee locations and offers Maryland Eastern Shore-style seafood.
If you’re willing to go a bit further outside of Gatlinburg proper, Pinchy’s Lobster & Raw Bar is part of the growing Sevierville foodie scene and offers great seafood in a more relaxed atmosphere.
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