9 Best Restaurants in Gatlinburg to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Published May 12, 2025 9 Best Restaurants in Gatlinburg to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is one of the busiest weekends in Gatlinburg — and one of the best times to explore the dining scene. Whether you're after a celebratory steakhouse dinner, a rooftop margarita, or a mountaintop meal with a view, here are nine restaurants worth a reservation this weekend.

1. Cherokee Grill & Steakhouse

Cherokee Grill sits in Calhoun's Village just steps from the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway — a short walk from the Parkway but removed enough from the main strip to feel like a destination rather than a stopover. The mountain lodge atmosphere delivers on everything the setting promises: brick and stone architecture, warm lighting, a grand central fireplace, and rich wood accents throughout.

The menu centers on hand-cut steaks sourced and prepared through the Copper Cellar Family Commissary — the same family that runs The Peddler and Calhoun's — alongside fresh seafood, rotisserie dishes, and an extensive wine and microbrew selection. Maryland-style crab cakes and herb-crusted salmon round out the seafood side. Free parking in Calhoun's Village. Reservations are strongly recommended on Memorial Day Weekend.

2. Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar

Chesapeake's brings genuine coastal seafood to the mountains — flying in fresh catches daily from the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts and cutting everything in-house. The result is a menu that holds its own against the best seafood restaurants in coastal cities: oysters prepared multiple ways, lobster, grouper, scallops, mussels, and a rotating catch of the day alongside the signature Maryland-style crab cakes that regulars consistently single out.

The setting is riverside — a heated outdoor patio overlooking the Little Pigeon River and an interior with spacious layout and a full bar. For guests who want a seafood-forward Memorial Day dinner with the mountain river as a backdrop, Chesapeake's is the clear choice in Gatlinburg. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly on peak holiday weekends.

3. The Greenbrier Restaurant

Located just outside downtown Gatlinburg | thegreenbrierrestaurant.com | Dinner only | Reservations strongly recommended | Fine dining

The Greenbrier is Gatlinburg's most consistently cited fine dining option — a chef-driven restaurant set just outside downtown in a secluded, wooded location with a spacious patio feel. The menu runs hand-cut prime steaks, lamb, and fresh seafood alongside craft cocktails and an extensive wine and whiskey selection. It's the restaurant guests choose when the occasion calls for something genuinely special.

The setting — intimate, woodsy, unhurried — is a deliberate contrast to the Parkway energy a short drive away. Reservations are essential on Memorial Day Weekend and any peak season holiday; walk-ins are rarely accommodated on busy nights. Visit thegreenbrierrestaurant.com for current menus and reservation availability.

4. Cliff Top Grill & Bar at Anakeesta

576 Parkway, Gatlinburg (via Anakeesta gondola or chairlift) | anakeesta.com | Open daily 11 AM–8 PM | Anakeesta admission required | Indoor and outdoor seating

Getting to Cliff Top requires an Anakeesta ticket — the gondola or open-air chairlift carries you from the Parkway up to the ridgeline, then a short walk through the park brings you to the restaurant. What you're buying is a meal at elevation with a clear sightline to Mt. LeConte and the Smoky Mountains ridgeline, eaten above the Parkway noise on a holiday weekend when the streets below are at their most crowded.

The menu runs modern American — The Smoky burger with caramelized onions, smoked gouda, and smoky bacon jam; The Blue Ridge fried chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and blue cheese; ribs, salmon, mac and cheese, and a full bar with local craft beers and cocktails. For guests already spending a day at Anakeesta on Memorial Day, Cliff Top is the natural anchor for lunch or an early dinner before heading back down.

5. Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina

Loco Burro is the liveliest dining option in downtown Gatlinburg — a rooftop bar and Mexican cantina with mountain views, live music on Wednesday through Sunday evenings, and a margarita program that earns its reputation. The rooftop patio is the draw on a Memorial Day Weekend evening: mountain air, a full bar, tableside guacamole, and the energy of a busy Gatlinburg holiday weekend below.

The full menu runs Tex-Mex staples — fajitas, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos — with mesquite-grilled proteins and house-made salsas throughout. A five-pound burrito challenge exists for those inclined. Open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, making Loco Burro one of the later dining options in a town that doesn't stay open as late as guests sometimes expect. Walk-ins welcome; rooftop reservations available at locoburrocantina.com.

6. Smoky Mountain Brewery

The oldest craft brewery in eastern Tennessee occupies a prime Parkway location with an enclosed deck and mountain views — and stays open later than almost anything else in Gatlinburg. On a Memorial Day Weekend when the streets are busy and dinner options are packed, Smoky Mountain Brewery is both a strong first choice and a reliable backup when other restaurants hit their waits.

The Thunder Road Burger — freshly ground beef, blue cheese, bacon, and the house Thunder Road Sauce — is the signature, but the menu extends to hand-tossed pizzas, Philly cheesesteaks, and a Brewery Ale steak marinated in Cherokee Red Ale. The rotating tap lineup of house ales, IPAs, and lagers is taken seriously; staff will pair your meal to the current selection. Live music, trivia, and karaoke rotate through the week.

7. Crockett's Breakfast Camp

Crockett's Breakfast Camp is the right place to start a Memorial Day in Gatlinburg — a full Appalachian-inspired breakfast before a national park hike, a day at Anakeesta, or a long morning on the Parkway. The menu is distinctive: the Elk Mountain Grande Burrito, Aretha Frankenstein's ultra-thick griddlecakes, and a range of camp-style breakfast plates that reflect the Smokies character of the restaurant rather than standard diner fare.

On Memorial Day Weekend, Crockett's draws significant waits — arrive before 8 AM or use the online waitlist to manage timing. The restaurant is worth the effort. For guests staying in a Gatlinburg cabin, a Crockett's breakfast before heading into the national park is one of the most satisfying ways to open a holiday weekend day.

8. Smith & Son Corner Kitchen

812 Parkway, Suite 105, Gatlinburg (Traffic Light #8) | Lunch and dinner | Upstairs bar with signature cocktails | Walk-ins welcome

Smith & Son Corner Kitchen sits at Traffic Light #8 on the Parkway — a convenient central location that makes it easy to work into a full day of Gatlinburg activity. The menu runs Southern classics alongside gourmet burgers, seafood, and a range of American comfort dishes that give a group with different appetites somewhere everyone lands well.

The upstairs bar with signature cocktails is a good option when the main floor has a wait — drinks at the bar while the table opens up is a better use of time than standing outside on a holiday weekend. The casual atmosphere and broad menu make it accessible for families and groups who want a solid all-around dinner without the formality of a reservation-required steakhouse.

9. No Way Jose's Cantina

No Way Jose's is the family-friendly Mexican option in downtown Gatlinburg — a riverside cantina across from Ripley's Aquarium with both indoor dining and a patio overlooking the river. The menu covers all the Tex-Mex staples: fajitas, burritos, chimichangas, tamales, tacos, and a solid margarita list. Portions are generous and the atmosphere leans festive without being overwhelming for families with younger kids.

The souvenir yard glass is a rite of passage for repeat visitors. A Jose's Taqueria street-vendor concept within the restaurant serves tacos in pairings that work well as a lighter option alongside full entrees. The riverside patio is the right seat on a warm Memorial Day evening when the Little Pigeon River is running and the mountain air is cooling things down after a hot afternoon on the Parkway.

Planning Tip: Book Early for Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year in Gatlinburg. Restaurants that accept reservations — Cherokee Grill, Chesapeake's, The Greenbrier, and Cliff Top at Anakeesta — will fill their books well in advance. Reserve as early as possible, particularly for dinner on Saturday and Sunday night. Walk-in restaurants like Smoky Mountain Brewery, No Way Jose's, and Smith & Son Corner Kitchen typically have waits on peak nights but turn tables steadily — arriving before 6 PM or after 8:30 PM significantly reduces your wait.

Staying in a Gatlinburg cabin keeps you within easy reach of all nine restaurants without the parking challenges that affect drivers coming from further out. The cabin kitchen also gives you a fallback when the Parkway energy is more than you want to navigate — a Memorial Day breakfast or lunch at the cabin before heading out to dinner is a legitimate and often preferable strategy on the busiest days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best restaurants in Gatlinburg for a special occasion?

The Greenbrier is Gatlinburg's premier fine dining option for a special occasion meal — chef-driven, reservation-required, with hand-cut prime steaks and an extensive wine list. Cherokee Grill & Steakhouse is the strong second choice with a more accessible atmosphere and the same commitment to quality steaks and seafood. Both require reservations, especially on Memorial Day Weekend.

Where can I eat with a view in Gatlinburg?

Cliff Top Grill & Bar at Anakeesta has the best mountain view — Mt. LeConte and the Smokies ridgeline from the top of the gondola. Loco Burro's rooftop bar overlooks the Parkway and surrounding mountains. Chesapeake's and No Way Jose's both have riverside patios facing the Little Pigeon River. Smoky Mountain Brewery has an enclosed deck with mountain sightlines.

Which Gatlinburg restaurants require reservations?

The Greenbrier is reservation-driven and fills quickly during peak season. Cherokee Grill and Chesapeake's strongly recommend reservations, particularly for dinner on busy weekends. Cliff Top at Anakeesta requires Anakeesta admission rather than a traditional reservation. Crockett's Breakfast Camp has an online waitlist that helps manage morning crowds. Loco Burro, Smoky Mountain Brewery, Smith & Son, and No Way Jose's are walk-in.

What should I do in Gatlinburg on Memorial Day Weekend?

Start with breakfast at Crockett's Breakfast Camp before the crowds arrive, then head into Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a morning hike while the trails are still manageable. Spend the afternoon at Anakeesta or on the Parkway, and end with dinner at one of the reservation-required restaurants above. A Gatlinburg cabin close to downtown makes the whole day logistically easy.

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