🟢🟣 30+ Great Places to Eat in Pigeon Forge, Open Late!🟣🟢

Hi Everyone,

Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are two popular tourist destinations in Tennessee, known for their amusement parks, outdoor attractions, and, of course, their restaurants. With so many great places to eat, it can be hard to know where to start.

That's why I've put together this list of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, based on Average Ratings from Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. I updated the list on October 2, 2024.

I've included a wide variety of restaurants to suit all tastes, from American to BBQ to pizza to steak houses to Mexican, Asian. There's also an all-day breakfast place, a diner, and a higher-end restaurant in Sevierville.

The list is sorted by my Average Rating, so you can easily find the best-rated restaurants in the area.

Link to the Best Restaurants List

Good Luck and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Check out all my videos, blog posts (See list below) and Facebook posts!  Follow along and I will help keep you up to date on Dollywood and I even share a lot of Dolly Parton news too!

YouTube Channel; https://www.youtube.com/c/JeffBurkhardt

Blog:  https://whatsupatdollywood.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  https://fb.me/whatsupatdollywood

Quick List - Restaurants Featured in the spreadsheet:

Ristorante DellaSantina

Talitas Restaurant

Pizza Rio - The Brazilian Way

Junction 35 Spirits - Mountain Mile Location

Tijuana Flats

Roma Table

Nagano Japanese Grill

The Corner Diner/Fat City Grill?

Old Mill Pottery House Cafe

The Appalachian Restaurant

The Local Goat

Smokies Cuban Cafe

The Old Mill Restaurant

Cookie Dough Monster - Burgers and Shakes

Taqueria La Gasolineria

Five Oaks Farm Kitchen

Sunliner Diner - Pigeon Forge

Country Roads Axe Co. featuring West by God Coalfired Pizza

Mel's Diner

Gaucho Urbano Brazilian Steakhouse

Blue Moose Burgers & Wings - Pigeon Forge location

Huck Finn's Catfish

Applewood Farmhouse GRILL

Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant

Iron Forge Breweing Co.

Wild Bear Tavern

Fox Den

Ember and Elm (HeartSong Resort at Dollywood)

Big Daddy's Pizza - Pigeon Forge

El Ranchero Loco

Bullfish Grill

Timberwood Grill

Paula Deen's Family Kitchen

Mama's Farmhouse

Azul Cantina

JT Hannah's Kitchen

Puckett's Restaurant - Pigeon Forge

Smoky Mountain Brewery

Downtown Flavortown

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Dollywood Menus for 2024
• Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a spreadsheet that incorporates ratings from different reliable sources, and ranked hotels in the area.  I've listed out columns for things like indoor pools, hot tubs and more on the spreadsheet.  Very helpful if you, or someone in your group is looking for a specific amenity.
• Top Breakfast Restaurants in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a list of the best Breakfast restaurants in Pigeon Forge using ratings from various reliable sources, and ranked them in my blog post.
  
• 30 Great Places to Eat In Pigeon Forge that are open after 2pm! A list of highly rated establishments that are open past 2pm.
• Guide To Mountain Coasters - A look at all the types of mountain coasters in Sevier County.
• Dollywood's 2024 Operating Calendar
• 8 Things to do at Dollywood if you don't care for rides - There's a lot to do!
• Pigeon Forge Trolley Info You'll Want to Know!
• Trip Advisors Top 10 Budget Friendly Hotels in Pigeon Forge.
• Tons of YouTube videos - I have so many YouTube videos of Dollywood including every festival and lots of general park updates as well as many Big Bear Mountain footage.
• Check out my 2023 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2023.
• Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.

Updates to "Hotels With High Ratings Blog Article"

Hi Everyone, 

I'm excited to announce that I've updated my blog post about the top hotels in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! This is one of my most popular articles, and I know you all get a lot of use out of it. I love being able to help you out with practical information, and I hope you find this update helpful.

In the article you will see two new hotel newsy things that I share, but I will share them again here - since you're here and all.

1) A brand new Adult (Marriott Bonvoy) Hotel (Row 39) is scheduled to open in September 2023, and that may be of interest to some of you.  Read an article about it here:  https://tinyurl.com/4dhh7vaj

From the article: 

Get ready to go back in time for your vacation. Way back in time.

The Wayback is a groovy, retro-themed hotel mostly for adults opening in Pigeon Forge between Flapjack's Pancake Cabin and the Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride.

Inspired by old roadside motels in Palm Springs, the hotel is hoping to provide a "vibrant escape amidst the high energy of downtown Pigeon Forge."

The 134-room hotel is expected to open in early September, according to general manager Marty Rothchild, and is developed by Sevierville-based company Aatmos. It's a Tribute portfolio hotel, part of the Marriott family.

Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott's loyalty program for frequent guests. This hotel is geared towards its members, who enjoy a variety of amenities as part of their stay. Non-members are also welcome at this hotel, but they do not receive the same amenities as members. I wanted to point out this distinction so that you can make an informed decision about whether to become a Marriott Bonvoy member before booking your stay.

2) Country Cascades - Row 25 on Spreadsheet - Recently announced a new $14 million dollar expansion to its indoor water park offerings.  It's scheduled to open in 2025.  You can read more and see renderings here:  WATE TV news

Click On for the updates...

Updated article here- Click Here

Updated Spreadsheet - Click Here

Good Luck with your planning!

Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge

Update May 15, 2024, for the 2024-2025 planning period.

Hi Everyone!

I have updated the spreadsheet for the next year.   I have double checked all of the ratings from Google and Trip Advisor and updated that information.  

🟠 🟠 🟠 🟠 🟠

Original Post is Below 

Hi Everyone,

I see many requests for hotel suggestions on social media, so I thought I would do some research and create a post that can serve as a good starting point for anyone looking for a hotel near Dollywood.

I began by narrowing the choices to Pigeon Forge to make the list more manageable. I excluded Gatlinburg and included only one hotel option in Sevierville, which is very close to Dollywood.  Not every single hotel in Pigeon Forge is listed.

I created a column that averages the Google Rating and the Trip Advisor Rating.  This column is sorted by the average rating, so you can easily find the best-rated hotels.  I also created columns for the most requested features, such as a lazy river, indoor pool, hot tubs, balcony, fireplace, Trolley Stop, pet friendly, etc.  There are also four columns of notes where I have added some info that you might find helpful, and in some cases firsthand reviews that I have seen on social media.  There is a column that indicates the distance of each property from Dollywood, if that's important to you.   Please though, if your child or child-at-heart are dead set on having a lazy river, as one example, please make sure to follow up with the property to make sure that the lazy river is operational and will be operational during your stay.   

Unfortunately, due to the limitations of Google Blogger with creating tables and spreadsheets, it is not feasible to upload the table to this blog post and call it day.  Instead, I've created a view-only link to my google spreadsheet.  From there, you can sort or filter the columns and results any way you like.  Want the places with indoor pools?  Sort it that way.  Closest to Dollywood?  Sort it that way too.  Pet Friendly - same idea.  You can even download my spreadsheet and make it your own!

I did not include pricing information due to fluctuations with the seasons and even during the season the prices can vary, so that will be one additional step for you in your research.

If you're undecided on a timeframe to visit Pigeon Forge, this article from US News offers a lot of considerations you may want think about - read that here..

Before researching for this post, I had not given much thought to the difference between what a Whirlpool and a Jacuzzi is, but there is a difference.  It seems that Whirlpools are not as common as Jacuzzi's are in this area, but people use both words to describe them...and sometimes they say hot tub too, to make it more confusing.  I've done my best to differentiate all three in my spreadsheet.

If you would like me to add your firsthand experience about a property, I would be glad to do so.  Just email me at whatsupatdollywood@gmail.com.  Likewise, if you see any information that is incorrect, email me that too.  

Click Here -->LINK TO GOOGLE SPREADSHEET

Again, please double check to make sure that the pools, jacuzzies, hot tubs ETC are all operational before you book so you'll know - especially if that is super important to someone in your group.  

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with any hotel, inn, motel, lodge, campground, cabin, or Dollywood.  I'm a vlogger/blogger who is interested in helping you save time and money on your trip to our area, and hopefully helping you create a great experience that you'll want to come back and have again and again....and growing my YouTube channel and this blog 😁😁😁

Check out my blog for other helpful resources for your Dollywood trip...

• Dollywood First Time Visitor Tips
• Getting to Dollywood by Plane
• Dollywood Menus for 2024
• Proposing At Dollywood?
• Big Bear Mountain - A new roller coaster for 2023 in Wildwood Grove
• Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a spreadsheet that incorporates ratings from different reliable sources, and ranked hotels in the area.  I've listed out columns for things like indoor pools, hot tubs and more on the spreadsheet.  Very helpful if you, or someone in your group is looking for a specific amenity.
• Top Breakfast Restaurants in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a list of the best Breakfast restaurants in Pigeon Forge using ratings from various reliable sources, and ranked them in my blog post.
  
• 30 Great Places to Eat In Pigeon Forge that are open after 2pm! A list of highly rated establishments that are open past 2pm.
• Guide To Mountain Coasters - A look at all the types of mountain coasters in Sevier County.
• Dollywood's 2024 Operating Calendar
• 8 Things to do at Dollywood if you don't care for rides - There's a lot to do!
• Pigeon Forge Trolley Info You'll Want to Know!
• Trip Advisors Top 10 Budget Friendly Hotels in Pigeon Forge.
• Tons of YouTube videos - I have so many YouTube videos of Dollywood including every festival and lots of general park updates as well as many Big Bear Mountain footage.
• Check out my 2023 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2023.
• Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.

Check out my YouTube Page and Dollywood playlist for lots of different Dollywood videos, different festivals, walking tours, etc etc.  Find us on Facebook too!

• https://www.youtube.com/c/JeffBurkhardt
• YT Dollywood Playlist
• Facebook Page - What's Up At Dollywood.  

Please Like my Videos and Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, follow my blog and Follow me on Facebook!  You can copy my RSS Feed into your favorite feeder (mine are Feedly & The Old Reader) - paste this link https://whatsupatdollywood.blogspot.com/=RSS

Until next time!

🔹 🔹

Post #3 - Dollywood is Tripadvisor’s 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards

Source

🏆🏆Congratulations to Dollywood!! 🏆🏆

Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards

Dollywood (Pigeon Forge) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com)

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. -- — During the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards on Tuesday, Tripadvisor officials announced Dollywood as the number one theme park in the United States and the number eight theme park in the world. It’s an honor that probably doesn’t come as much surprise to Dollywood’s guests, who frequently compliment the park on its exemplary guest experience.

Dolly Parton's Tennessee theme park beat out popular destinations like Disney's Magic Kingdom Park and Universal Studios Florida. The award was calculated based on reviews and ratings from travelers on Tripadvisor from the 12-month period from May 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022.

“I’m so proud of the work my people do to make Dollywood such a great place for families,” Dolly Parton said. “When I started dreaming up Dollywood all those years ago, I hoped it would be somewhere folks were excited to come visit and enjoy time together. To hear that they are leaving so many positive comments about their time here really shows what we’re doing is working. In the current world, I want Dollywood to be a place where the light shines every day.”

Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company, echoes the thoughts of the park’s Dreamer-in-Chief. “We’re working every single day to ensure our guests have the best possible time while they are with us,” explained Naughton. “This award is a little bit different because there is no voting factored into these rankings. The Tripadvisor rankings come from actual reviews left by guests about their time here with us at Dollywood. It is extremely gratifying to see this recognition for the effort our hosts give to ensure our guests have an unforgettable time while they are here."

Dollywood announced it has enjoyed several top honors including being named in a three way tie for NAPHA Favorite Theme Park of 2021 as well as winner of 45 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world).

According to the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best website, “The Best of the Best Things to Do Awards are calculated based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings for experiences, tours, activities, and attractions on Tripadvisor.”

The United States top-10 List:
1. Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
2. Universal’s Islands of Adventure (Orlando, Florida)
3. Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park (Orlando)
4. Universal Studios Hollywood (Los Angeles, California)
5. Universal Studios Florida (Orlando)
6. Silver Dollar City (Branson Missouri)
7. Funland (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware)
8. Fun Spot America (Kissimmee, Florida)
9. Santa’s Village (Jefferson, New Hampshire)
10. Busch Gardens Tampa (Tampa, Florida)

The worldwide top-10 list is:
1. Siam Park (Adeje, Spain)
2. Puy du Fou (Les Epesses, France)
3. Beto Carrero World (Penha, Brazil)
4. Puy du Fou España (Toledo, Spain)
5. The Milky Way Adventure Park (Clovelly, United Kingdom)
6. Hot Park (Rio Quente, Brazil)
7. Waterbom Bali (Kuta, Indonesia)
8. Dollywood (Pigeon Forge)
9. Universal’s Islands of Adventure (Orlando)

10. Parque Terra Magica Florybal (Canela, Brazil)

This worldwide list is interesting.  Puy du Fou recently announced a new experience that will be located at the The 407: Gateway to Adventure, in conjunction with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.  While it doesn't appear that this project will be a theme park, this does indicate to me that the experience at the Puy du Fou parks is on a very high level.  I would anticipate that to be the case with this project with the Cherokee Indians as well.  Gateway 407 will be a large project that people will pass on their way to Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains.   Thousands of visitors pass through this intersection of I40 and State Highway 66 every day, and enter the area this way.  

If you want to read more about the Puy du Fou project, do so here: 

• www.businesswire.com/
• www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/
• WATE News - Knoxville

Exit 407 development in Sevierville courtesy of Rick Laney Marketing.