Restaurants Open Thanksgiving Day in Gatlinburg

Thanksgiving in the Smokies means someone else does the cooking. Several of Gatlinburg's best restaurants open their doors on Thanksgiving Day — from a mountaintop restaurant inside Anakeesta to Gatlinburg's oldest riverside steakhouse. Always call ahead to confirm hours before Thanksgiving Day — holiday hours vary by year and reservations fill fast.

Cherokee Grill

Parkway, Gatlinburg | Reservations recommended | Call to confirm Thanksgiving hours

Part of the Copper Cellar family of restaurants, Cherokee Grill delivers one of the most upscale dining settings on the Gatlinburg Parkway — a mountain lodge interior with wood, stone, and granite details that make a Thanksgiving dinner feel specifically ceremonial. The menu leans toward the occasion: hearty steaks (the Prosperity Steak is the signature order), herb-crusted river trout, pork chops, rotisserie chicken, and a wine list that takes the holiday seriously. Arrive early or call for reservations — Cherokee Grill is consistently one of the most popular Thanksgiving dinner destinations in Gatlinburg.

Calhoun's

1004 Parkway, Gatlinburg | Typically open 11 AM–10 PM on Thanksgiving | Holiday Packs available for cabin takeout | Call to confirm hours and order

Calhoun's is the Gatlinburg Thanksgiving option with the most flexibility. The restaurant is typically open from 11 AM to 10 PM on Thanksgiving Day — one of the longest holiday windows in town — which means you can go early for a Thanksgiving lunch or late for a dinner that doesn't compete with the parade. The menu's focus is on slow-smoked meats: hickory-smoked pork, brisket, pulled chicken, plus steaks, chops, and burgers.

Cabin guests: Calhoun's also offers Holiday Packs for Thanksgiving — Smoked Turkey or Smoked Prime Rib with traditional side dishes, packaged to take back to the cabin. If the group wants a real Thanksgiving spread in the cabin dining room rather than a restaurant, this is how to get it without cooking. Call ahead to order and arrange pickup.

The Peddler Steakhouse

820 River Road, Gatlinburg | Reservations strongly recommended — this is the most popular Thanksgiving restaurant in Gatlinburg | Call well in advance

The Peddler is the Gatlinburg Thanksgiving institution — a Tennessee steakhouse tradition since 1976, with a famous salad bar loaded with sides that turns the pre-dinner portion of the meal into its own event. The main menu covers the steakhouse standards (cuts ranging from petite filet to the house specialty), fish, shrimp, and chicken, finished with a dessert menu that includes hot blackberry cobbler and chocolate-peanut butter mud pie.

The Peddler is the Thanksgiving dinner reservation that fills the fastest in Gatlinburg — call weeks, not days, in advance if you want to sit down on Thanksgiving without waiting. It sits along the river, which makes the walk to and from a pleasant part of the evening.

Howard's Restaurant

976 Parkway, Gatlinburg | Gatlinburg's oldest restaurant | Call to confirm Thanksgiving hours and request a creek-side table

Howard's has been feeding Gatlinburg visitors and residents since 1946, which makes a Thanksgiving dinner here a genuinely historical experience — the same waterside setting and classic menu that multiple generations of Smoky Mountain guests have returned to for holiday meals. The restaurant perches over a creek, and the tables with the best waterside views fill first. Call ahead and ask specifically for creek seating if that's important to you.

The menu covers the classics: steaks (including the Steak for Two, which is the table conversation piece), river trout, roast beef, smoked pork ribs. Sandwich lovers should note the Nashville hot chicken sandwich and French dip — a legitimate option for the Thanksgiving guest who'd rather not eat a traditional holiday meal.

Smith & Son Corner Kitchen

663 Parkway, Gatlinburg | Near the national park entrance | Call to confirm Thanksgiving hours

Smith & Son is positioned at the edge of downtown Gatlinburg, close to the national park entrance — which makes it the right pick if the group wants to combine Thanksgiving dinner with an evening scenic drive into the park. The menu covers the full range of casual American dining: meatloaf, fried chicken, chicken fried steak, burgers, tacos, and fajitas, plus signature cocktails and a laid-back atmosphere that doesn't require anyone to dress up for the holiday.

The balcony seating — when open — offers views of the downtown corridor and the mountains above. Smith & Son is the Thanksgiving dinner option for the group that wants a good meal without the occasion feeling formal.

Cliff Top Restaurant (Anakeesta)

576 Parkway, Gatlinburg (inside Anakeesta) | Accessed via Crystal Express Gondola | Anakeesta admission may apply | Call Anakeesta for Thanksgiving dining options and reservations

Dinner on a mountaintop — Cliff Top Restaurant sits at the Anakeesta summit, accessible by gondola from 576 Parkway. The mountain views from the dining room are genuinely among the best in Gatlinburg, and the menu takes the setting seriously: bourbon-glazed salmon, shrimp and grits, pasta primavera, and the Flame Thrower burger. Local craft beers on tap.

Note: Cliff Top is inside the Anakeesta park, and gondola access is typically included with park admission. Call Anakeesta directly to confirm Thanksgiving Day dining availability, gondola hours, and whether a Thanksgiving dinner reservation is separate from park admission.

Bennett's Pit BBQ

River Road, Gatlinburg (near national park entrance) | Typically open 4–9 PM on Thanksgiving | Family Feast To Go available for cabin pickup | Call to confirm and order

Bennett's opens in the afternoon on Thanksgiving — typically 4 PM — which makes it the right call if the family wants to do the national park, the parade, or the afternoon attractions before sitting down to eat. The focus is entirely on Tennessee BBQ: pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked sausage, pulled chicken, and pork ribs, plus burgers and the kind of down-home starters (fried pickle chips, deep-fried deviled eggs) that make the appetizer course the highlight.

Cabin guests: Bennett's offers a Family Feast To Go for Thanksgiving — a packaged BBQ spread for the whole group, picked up and brought back to the cabin. If the group wants to eat in the cabin dining room with a real BBQ spread and no restaurant logistics, this is the move. Call ahead to arrange it.

No Way Jose's Cantina

Downtown Gatlinburg Parkway | Typically open 11 AM–8 PM on Thanksgiving | Call to confirm hours

For the group that's voting against turkey — a valid Thanksgiving position — No Way Jose's Cantina keeps the kitchen running its full Mexican menu on Thanksgiving Day, typically from 11 AM to 8 PM. Fresh-made salsa, burritos, tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and fried ice cream for dessert instead of pumpkin pie. The lively atmosphere is a specific antidote to the occasion's tendency toward formality. No Way Jose's is consistently one of the busiest restaurants in Gatlinburg on Thanksgiving because the menu is a full departure from the holiday — which is exactly what some groups are looking for.

The Cabin Kitchen Alternative

Every Colonial Properties Gatlinburg cabin rental includes a fully equipped kitchen — cookware, dishes, utensils, and counter space for a real Thanksgiving meal. For groups who want the holiday dinner at the cabin table rather than a restaurant, the cabin kitchen delivers it without any reservation logistics.

Grocery options: Kroger in Sevierville is the closest full-size grocery store for stocking the cabin kitchen. Visit the day before Thanksgiving for the widest selection. Alternatively, order Calhoun's or Bennett's Holiday Pack and bring it back to the cabin — the best of both approaches.

Frequently asked questions

Which Gatlinburg restaurants are open on Thanksgiving Day?

Several Gatlinburg restaurants open annually on Thanksgiving, including Cherokee Grill, Calhoun's, The Peddler Steakhouse, Howard's Restaurant, Smith & Son Corner Kitchen, Cliff Top at Anakeesta, Bennett's Pit BBQ, and No Way Jose's Cantina. Hours vary by restaurant and year — always call ahead to confirm before Thanksgiving Day.

Do Gatlinburg restaurants require Thanksgiving reservations?

The most popular options — The Peddler and Cherokee Grill specifically — fill weeks in advance for Thanksgiving. Call as early as possible if a specific restaurant is the priority. Calhoun's and Bennett's are typically walk-in friendly but confirm current hours by phone before the holiday.

Can I get a Thanksgiving meal to take back to my Gatlinburg cabin?

Yes — Calhoun's offers Thanksgiving Holiday Packs (Smoked Turkey or Smoked Prime Rib with sides) and Bennett's offers a Family Feast To Go, both packaged for cabin pickup. Call ahead to order and arrange a pickup time.