137616 Thu Jun 24 07:01:39 -0700 2004 7 11 South 0 737581 I'm going to the Smokey Mountain area for vacation the week of July 4th. Can anyone suggest some good dining spots in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley area. We're trying to avoid the touristy type places as there will be 9 of us (3 kids included). We're especially looking for some good barbeque. Have eaten in Bennett's in the past but looking for 'real' bbq--could be a hole in the wall, as long as it's good. Will travel, LOL! Thu Jun 24 07:01:39 -0700 2004 0 Robin 1 737596 My in-laws have been going for years to a place that I think is called The Little Italian Restaurant, or something equally generic. I've been a couple of times and it has always been good. They have these rolls that they serve dripping in butter and garlic that are positively addictive! This may count as touristy, as it's on the strip in Gatlinburg, but I think they could accommodate a large group without too much trouble. Thu Jun 24 13:20:39 -0700 2004 737581 0 Ginger 2 737667 Best Little Italian Restaurant is the name of it across from the tram lift to Ober Gatlinburg. Your right about those Garlic rolls! Well worth the trip Tue Jun 29 20:13:33 -0700 2004 737596 0 Arthur 1 737618 We love Santo's (Italian) in Pigeon Forge, Bennett's (BBQ) pretty good, Cowboy's on River (fish) turn left before Sevierville, Damon's (BBq) across from Five Oaks Mall, American All American buffett not so hot, Mandarin House Chinese good but watch out for extras in food and management doesn't accept responsibility and makes you pay for it, (hair); Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg a favorite. Have a few more but can't think of names. Sat Jun 26 16:17:38 -0700 2004 737581 0 Dale Moore 1 738075 I hate Bennetts (got sick there once) But, nonetheless, the best BBQ in Gburg proper is Calhouns. The restaurant that Ginger speaks of in her post in "Best Italian Restaurant" and it is. It's in the Elks Plaza. It's enough to go for the Garlic Rolls. I like Parkway Pancake better for breakfast b/c it serves more than pancakes. I don't like pancakes (which makes me a Nazi Facist in the town limits of Gatlinburg) Sadly, the best place for brekafast, The Burning Bush, is now gone. Mon Jul 26 17:55:06 -0700 2004 737581 0 BigRed 1 740143 I normally post on the mid-Atlantic board, but slid over here for some recommendations before leaving on a trip to Gatlinburg and thought I would update this post in case someone else uses the search engine. Santos in Pigeon Forge no longer exists. Best Italian Restaurant has great garlic rolls and wonderful homemade salad dressings. Otherwise, there isn't much of interest for a chowhound. It is run of the mill Italian food, nothing wrong with it, but nothing to excite the imagination. I had the trout in Calhouns. It was nicely done, lightly breaded and fried perfectly. My husband had the BBQ ribs and found them lacking in all respects - the meat stuck to the bone and was tough, the BBQ sauce was uninteresting. The Pancake Pantry was a real disappointment. Although it advertises pancakes, the crepes seem to dominate the menu, and we thus ordered crepes. I got the famous Austrian Apple-Walnut crepes "covered with a rich apple cider compote made with melted butter, black walnuts, apples and sweet spices." In reality, it was a freakishly red syrup with a few walnut pieces. And interestingly, everyone else's syrup was the same red color. Wed Nov 24 08:16:29 -0800 2004 737581 0 Denise M. 1 3642185 we just ate at calhoun's in gatlinburg and we thought it was very good bbq. we also ate at the best little italian restaurant in gatlinburg and enjoyed their garlic/ oil rolls---so much so that the main course of chicken cacciatore was carried home. the portions were huge. i think i would order pizza next time... that's what the locals were eating. we drove outside the park to get a wonderful sunset at "Look Rock" so we were hoping to eat at " smokin joes" at Townsend, Tenn. not too far from Cades' Cove. " Smokin joes" was gone so we ate at the " back porch". It was not such a good idea. when we drove back to gatlinburg we saw that the restaurant that took over smokin' was crowded with cars in the lot so it would have been a better choice. it was called something " on the river"... Tue Apr 29 23:35:49 -0700 2008 737581 187908 virginiagal 2 3649856 The best meals I have had over the last couple of years have been at bullfish grill in Seveirville. Great fried green tomatoes! http://bullfishgrill.com/ I like the Applewood farmhouse for breakfast ...the second building not the grill in the applewood compound. http://www.applewoodfarmhouserestaurant.com/ Fri May 02 08:35:23 -0700 2008 3642185 11854 LaLa