The 50 best family restaurants in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (2024)

The Applewood restaurant is a wonderful stop in Pigeon Forge. We stopped in for breakfast. Breakfast was great. Food was hot and fresh. Server was super nice and attentive. We will definitely go back. We would highly recommend.

Great food! Apple butter and fritters were amazing! Had the chicken and dumplings and they didn't disappoint. Portions were large. Clean place, friendly staff and enjoyed my visit. The birds inside were so beautiful. Can't wait to come back sometime.

So many people recommended this restaurant (really the whole Apple Barn campus) & I’m so glad we went! If you like home cooking, this is the place for you! Complimentary apple fritters with apple butter & Apple Juleps are provided when you are seated. Variety of entrees, side dishes & desserts. My husband and I both had the sampler with fried chicken,chicken pot pie, & chicken and dumplings. Everything was delicious. The meal also comes with a choice of soup or wedge saladand dessert. So. Much. Food. You also can’t beat the price. Service was great. Just felt very homey.

This place was quite a lovely place for breakfast!The portions are decent for the price, the food was pretty good, and the service was excellent.We sat outside, as we had our pup, and the tables were large enough to fit all 6 of us and our pup comfortably. They came and wiped the table and chairs down (since it had rained earlier) which was very nice. My only recommendation would be some outdoor heaters, especially for the colder months. Maybe some fire pits to keep with the cozy atmosphere of the place.Anything apple was delicious. Our server came with fresh juice (mix of apple with other fruits) and apple fritters to start while she took our orders. As you can see from the photos, the apple fritters were gone before I could even take a picture.Most of us had no complaints with the food. The omelettes were quite big (i do suggest a bit of salt on them though) and the breakfast in general was quite good. One of my company said the country fried steak was a little lackluster, but overall a nice experience.Would definitely come back for lunch or dinner.

Service was great and food was delicious. The mashed potatoes, Cole slaw, and, vegetable soup are a must! Oh yeah and the Apple fritters are delicious. Definitely recommend and will go back when we come back Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.

The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is our favorite breakfast spot in Pigeon Forge, TN! We were back again like we always do when in town and we enjoyed every minute. I ordered the Chico’s Southwest Omelet and it didn’t disappoint. I did manage to finish it but it’s a rather large omelet, so make sure you have an empty stomach when trying to finish this one. The Apple Fritters are great as well and even better when dipped in Apple Butter. Make sure you have enough time to browse the surrounding shops. Just about everything food wise is hand made right there in the Apple Barn shops. You will find everything from wine, ice cream, candy, butters (the strawberry butter is my favorite) and so much more!!! It’s such a great place to come and spend a few hours. Hop on over to the stream through the parking lot and across the street to skip a few rocks across the water!

Great food, great Service and pleasant atmosphere. We had a nice lunch at the Applewood Farmhouse. Our meal started with a small juice to cleanse the pallet. The server then brought a basket of warm fritters and apple butter. The meal also includes a cup of soup. My girlfriend enjoyed the vegetable soup and I enjoyed the Broccoli Cheddar soup. I had catfish with slaw and sweet potato casserole. My girlfriend had the turkey with dressing with green beans and fried Okra. I thought that the catfish was excellent. My girlfriend thought her Turkey and dressing were good, but not excellent. I had the same impression of the sweet potato casserole. The apple butter is the best. It is worth the short walk to the Apple Barn Gift Shop to pick a jar or two up. Sherman, our server, did an excellent job. He was welcoming, knowledgeable, and efficient. Portion sizes and prices were reasonable. The restaurant is broken up into several small dining rooms. The atmosphere is pleasant, but not out of the ordinary. I am looking forward to a return visit.

We have always loved eating here. The food and service was not as good this time. Just average. The Apple fritters were wonderful! Loaded potato soup was good. Hopefully just an off day… we will try again!

This was our first time traveling for Thanksgiving. We did our research and the reviews on the Apple Barn were good so we made a 4:15pm reservation. We arrived 15 minutes early and were told they were running an hour behind. We understood but the sun was going down and it was getting cold so a text would have been appreciated. We walked over to the shops to waste time and had a cider. Something to note, all the shops were closed except this one. The owners were very nice and helpful. When we were finally texted our table was ready, we went in and were taken to a table for 6-8. We were a table of 10. There was no way to fit us all at this table. Also, the table was right next to the back door where the patio servers and patrons came through giving us a long blast of cold air and making us move our chairs so they could get by. We ended up pulling a four top over to the other table. The staff didn't help with this or wipe off the table for us. Our waitress was unfriendly and unhelpful the entire time we were there. Her gratuity was auto added to the bill so there was that. Dinner started with apple fritters and juice which were very good and vegetable soup that was OK but nothing to write home about. Dinner consisted of turkey, roast, ham, corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy, rolls, and small sauce containers of cranberry sauce. The sides are served in very small bowls that didn't feed half the table much less a table of 10. The taste of most of the food was reminiscent of a cafeteria, bland and canned. The ham was the highlight for those who got some. The worst was the beef, unseasoned and over cooked, the sweet potato casserole which had the consistency of baby food, and the gravy which we waited 15 minutes to get because they didn't give enough when they served us. The dessert options were pumpkin pie and apple cobbler with no ice cream. Whoever made those must love clove because the spices were so heavy no one ate their dessert! The bill was $443 for 10 people. We wouldn't have paid $100 for the food and the hospitality we received. Please think twice before eating here. If it was just one of us who was unhappy I'd understand that it was preference but all 10 of us agreed.

First, my wife and I ate here twice for lunch and then for breakfast. Lunch was fantastic. Everything was delicious, and while it can get pricey, you get a ton of food for the price. One of our meals came with mashed potatoes, and they were delicious. They were so delicious we asked if they were real mashed potatoes because today, many restaurants cut corners using instant. The waitress, who initially seemed upset that just the two of us were sitting at her eight-top, warmed up and said everything was still made from scratch and in-house, which you could tell. We enjoyed our meal, so we returned before ending our vacation. The stores attached were a nice mix, and my wife found plenty to buy as I did at their hard cider store.Now, for our second meal, the food, which was breakfast, was just okay. It would have been great if we had received it warm, but we didn't. The issue we had was the service. We were sat in this side room with a fireplace. The room was nice but felt like something that had been added on some years ago as the room has no views unlike all the others and is behind a door next to the host stand. When we arrived, one other table had been finished for some time and looked ready to pay. After being seated, we waited nearly ten minutes before someone said anything. A guy with a bunch of boxes said someone was coming, and after I got up to inform the hostess that they might want to let the server know he had been seated a table, the guy who shouted down the hall at us turned out to be the server. The server started the conversation by arguing with us, saying he knew we were there and that he told us he was coming, to which I replied that he could have been a coworker letting us know that someone was coming and how were we to know a guy yelling at the end of a long hallway is our server. That was how we spent the first 15 minutes seated at our table. He spent the rest of the time in the weeds mainly because of his decisions and how he prioritized things. My guess is the food was quick to come out after the order was placed but died in the window waiting for him to expo the table. So after everything and watching a table walkout after sitting for a while without being greeted, we ate our food, paid, and left 90 minutes after being seated for some breakfast. This exemplifies how poor or lackluster service can affect a dining experience.Food is excellent when served hot; stores at the market have tons to offer, but be mindful of your server as you might want to change to someone else if warning bells start to sound, especially if they decide to argue with you about something. Also, while a manager checked on us during lunch, we did not see one for breakfast.

My friend and I were out of town in Sevierville when we tried this establishment. The wait was 45 minutes, but we were told it was worth it. I ordered the farmhouse special breakfast with no grits and bacon as my meat choice. My friend ordered the hearty farmhouse special with sausage. About twenty minutes later we received our food. My fried eggs were almost cold. The cheese was melted, so maybe it had set a little bit. I asked the waitress if she could just heat the egg up for a little in a microwave. She was an excellent waitress and said she would just get the plate remade. I said it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. She also said a manager would oversee it and make sure it was like it was supposed to be. After about 15 minutes, an assistant manager brought me another plate with sausage instead of bacon and cheese on the potatoes instead of eggs. So back to the kitchen it went. The third plate was brought, which was correct. The food was absolutely delicious but I had sat there an additional 30 minutes and by this time my friend had already eaten. When we received the bill, not a single penny was taken off the order for my 30 minutes of delayed food. The manager was aware because I heard the waitress tell him. Instead of him coming to the table and at least apologizing, he did nothing. I asked to speak to him. He came to the table and apologized for the issues and refunded my plate of food, not my drink. Why did I even have to ask for the manager? Why did he not just come to our table and talk to us. I know this place stays really busy and the food was really good in the end.

A great place to bring the family and feed everyone with leftovers to boot! The food had mixed results, chicken and dumplings was like grandma, the pot pie however had a frozen and reheated taste,, the fried chicken was juicy and crispy. The sweet potatoe casserole was amazing and the sausage stuffing was excellent! The service was a bit of a struggle though as the waitress was not overly busy it seemed, and did not pay much attention to drink refills. Aside from that it was a very good experience as they have various candy and ice cream shops as well as pastry and ciders cold, hot and frozen. A great overall experience and one I would recommend if you are going to bring groups and family to the area as a good bang for the buck. Even if ypu are flying solo it is still an excellent experience!

Got lucky and went on a Sunday when they serve a special menu. Complete meal at a good price, tasty offerings and delicious apple fritters and dip. Ask to sit in the sun porch room, we didn’t know and were seated in a dated room in the back. Quick service.

We often visit Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg a couple times a year. We make it a must to stop in at Applewood for the fritters and broccoli cheddar soup. It's always been great with no complaints. My family had yet another great dining experience and was taken care of by Heather. She has been the best waitress so far in our week stay in the mountains. Applewood Restaurant, you all better take care of her because she has all the best traits that a employer would want to have in their employees. She was incredibly nice to my family and I. She never once stopped running to ensure all her tables and customers had whatever they needed and wanted. She did an excellent job and never broke her smile. Thanks Heather for making our visit even that much enjoyable!

We tried this restaurant based upon personal recommendations. It’s an old house with many rooms. Very nostalgic. You start off with apple fritters & apple butter plus a small glass of mixed juice- apple, orange and pineapple. Both were good. My husband ordered the chicken and dumplings with a side of mashed potatoes and applesauce. I had the chicken pot pie with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. He started off with the broccoli cheddar soup, which he said it was very good. And I had a mini wedge salad with the onion vinegar at which was tasty. The chicken and dumplings were loaded with chicken. He said it was very good. My chicken pot pie was a little less desirable. The crust on the outside was nice and flaky and light brown but the middle of the crust was still under baked and the other underside and the filling was mostly potatoes and peas. I had two carrot slices, and maybe a teaspoon of shredded chicken. There was no chicken to be had in this chicken pot pie, although it was very tasty, I was missing the chicken we would definitely go back. I just would never order the chicken pot pie again. The green beans lay soaked in a bowl of water, should have been drained more.

We were seated as soon as we got there. Mikey V was our waiter. He was AMAZING!!!!Apple Julep sample was much appreciated and apple fritter sample was warm and delicious.Hubby ordered a medium steak which was unfortunately well done (hence the one star taken off). Chicken Alfredo was delicious. Mack and cheese was creamy. Potato soup was very good as well. I got the trio sampler. The chicken pot pie was too sweet for me but that’s just a personal preference. Chicken and dumplings were good but bland. However, we would return and maybe try something different next time.

Decided to try this restaurant while on vacation and wow, what a great spot! Not only was the food great but the service was amazing. I got the fried chicken with Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and the cheddar broccoli soup. You even get a complimentary apple fritters and apple julep.There is also tons to see after you eat. I highly recommended this place.

Stopped by on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. The place was packed with a 1.5 hour wait. Since every place in the area had a wait, we just decided to stay. We were seated after 1.5 hours and immediately brought some Apple Fritters with apple butter. These were delicious. We ordered Chicken and Dumplings along with Country Fried Steak. The food came out within a decent amount of time and tasted great. Service was a bit slower than we liked but it was understandable with how busy the place was. We would definitely come back.

Nice service, cool place, nice views. Decent wait times. Once seated, we were given free fritter things w/ apple butter & a sampler of yummy juice. Food was good, but overuse of green peppers in the omelet, & my friend said the same for her loaded potatoes. Wouldn't be the one to recommend but would return.