9 Local Restaurants to Try in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg's restaurant scene covers a lot more ground than most visitors realize — from a Celtic pub tucked into the Village Shops to a 65-year-old pancake institution with lines down the block, to a steakhouse serving hand-cut dry-aged beef in a candlelit mountain lodge. Here are nine worth finding.

Special Occasions

The Greenbrier Restaurant — For the right kind of dinner, nothing in Gatlinburg competes with The Greenbrier. Hand-cut, dry-aged steaks. A serious whiskey list. Wine. Craft cocktails. A rotating menu that includes lamb, venison, and duck depending on season. The cigar list is available by the fireplace for guests who want the full experience. It's reservation-driven and not cheap — but it's also the kind of meal that makes the trip feel like a genuine occasion rather than a good vacation. Visit thegreenbriergtn.com for current hours and reservations.

The Park Grill — Sits right at the national park entrance at 1110 Parkway — the unofficial restaurant of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as they describe themselves, and they've earned the designation. Certified Angus Beef steaks, a legendary salad bar overflowing with fresh vegetables and made-from-scratch dressings, moonshine-marinated chicken, rich desserts including hot blackberry cobbler, and warm mountain lodge atmosphere. The new Timber Tales immersive dining feature adds Gatlin Bear, a lovable animated cub, to the experience. Lunch 11:30 AM–4 PM; dinner from 5 PM. Reservations recommended.

Howard's Restaurant — Gatlinburg's oldest restaurant, and worth asking for a creekside table when you arrive. The menu is classic American mountain lodge — steaks, chops, seafood, and signature appetizers including ribeye strips and the famous "extreme appetizer" platter. Howard's has been feeding Gatlinburg visitors and locals for decades, and the longevity is a testament to consistency rather than novelty. A reliable anchor for a sit-down dinner when you want something that's been here long enough to know what it's doing.

Unique Local Spots

Boudicca's Celtic Pub — Located at 634 Parkway, Suite 7 in The Village Shops — tucked just off the main Gatlinburg strip in a setting most visitors walk past without knowing it's there. Guinness, Smithwick's, Harp, and Magners on tap. Traditional Celtic food: fish and chips, bangers and mash (Guinness-marinated sausages with buttered mashed potatoes and Irish gravy), Boudicca's burger with pimento cheese, and beer cheese with crispy fries that earns its own mention in nearly every review. Order at the bar downstairs and head upstairs to the intimate dining area overlooking The Village courtyard. Monday through Thursday and Sunday 11 AM–8 PM; Friday and Saturday 11 AM–9 PM. Family-friendly and pet-friendly.

Split Rail Eats — The restaurant Gatlinburg locals eat at when they don't want to fight the Parkway crowd. 849 Glades Road, Suite 1B1, out on the Arts & Crafts Community Trail — which means free parking, no Parkway noise, and the kind of relaxed patio atmosphere that the main strip doesn't offer. Gatlinburg's only 16-tap self-pour beer wall, cocktails featuring local moonshines, a rotating menu of creative burgers and sandwiches, and the "Gatlinburger" — two-patty beef blend, pimento cheese, bacon, fried pickles, ranch — that took second place in GatlinBURGER Week competition. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday 11 AM–9 PM; Friday and Saturday 11 AM–10 PM; closed Monday.

Southern and Mountain Fare

Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que — 714 River Road, Gatlinburg — the place for the full Tennessee BBQ experience. Three decades of slow-cooking pulled pork, pork ribs, beef brisket, and chicken over hickory wood, basted in homemade sauce. The ribs are the signature: fall-off-the-bone tender, with the kind of smoke ring that takes all day to achieve. Wings, in-house ground burgers, and sandwiches round out the menu. Outdoor patio dining, full bar. A local institution that earns its reputation every service.

Wild Plum Tea Room — A Gatlinburg original tucked away from the main Parkway — a small, charming restaurant known for its lobster pie, chicken salad, homemade soups, and an atmosphere that's genuinely quiet and unhurried in a town that can feel very much the opposite. The menu changes seasonally and keeps the focus on made-from-scratch cooking with quality ingredients. For couples or anyone who wants lunch or dinner in an environment that doesn't feel like a tourist attraction, Wild Plum is the recommendation. Check hours before you go — they vary by season.

Breakfast Worth Setting an Alarm For

Crockett's Breakfast Camp — The big barn-like building at 1103 Parkway with the giant skillet on the sign is impossible to miss, and the breakfast inside is equally hard to overlook. Thick French toast, secret-recipe pancakes, omelets heaped with meats and vegetables, and generously sized portions that fuel a full day of hiking without requiring lunch for several hours. The atmosphere is mountain camp-themed and consistently well-managed. The line is real on busy mornings — arrive early or expect a wait, and the wait is worth it.

Pancake Pantry — Tennessee's first pancake house, open since 1960, family-owned and operated for 65 years, located at 628 Parkway adjacent to The Village Shops. The original recipes — including the Austrian Apple-Walnut pancakes, the Sugar 'n Spice pancakes, and the French Toast Continental Style — were developed by Edie Reagan in the 1960s and remain on the menu unchanged. Twenty-four pancake varieties, plus lunch after 11:30 AM covering gourmet sandwiches, soups, and salads. Open daily 7 AM–3 PM. Walk-in only, no reservations. Arrive by 7:30 AM on summer and fall weekends to avoid a significant wait; mid-week visits are substantially quicker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Gatlinburg restaurants require reservations?

The Greenbrier is reservation-driven — book before your trip. The Park Grill recommends reservations, especially on peak weekends. Howard's and Bennett's are walk-in but can have significant waits on busy evenings; arriving before 6 PM helps. Pancake Pantry is walk-in only and does not take reservations — arrive early.

What are the best breakfast restaurants in Gatlinburg?

Pancake Pantry (628 Parkway, open since 1960, 24 pancake varieties) and Crockett's Breakfast Camp (1103 Parkway, thick French toast and generous omelets) are the two most consistently recommended breakfast stops in Gatlinburg. Both are walk-in and both have morning waits on busy days — arrive early.

Where can I find local restaurants away from the main Gatlinburg Parkway?

Split Rail Eats (849 Glades Road, in the Arts & Crafts Community) and Wild Plum Tea Room are both off the main Parkway strip — quieter, with parking, and the kind of atmosphere that rewards the short detour. Boudicca's Celtic Pub is tucked into The Village Shops at 634 Parkway, out of the main Parkway traffic flow.

Where should I stay to be close to Gatlinburg restaurants?

Most Gatlinburg cabins are 10–20 minutes from the Parkway restaurant corridor. The full kitchen in every Colonial Properties cabin means you can cook at the cabin on the nights you don't want to go out — groceries available at Food City in Gatlinburg.