If you are traveling with young children, it is always important to plan your meals around them. You want to find a place that has a good variety of meals on the kid’s menu and offers some type of entertainment value to keep them occupied during the meal. Luckily, there are many places close to our hotel that the whole family will love. Here are 4 of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg for kids:
1. Loco Burro
A lively atmosphere is a great way to keep children entertained at dinner, and that is exactly what you will get with Loco Burro. As soon as you enter the restaurant by way of an escalator, you will feel like you are a part of the party. Kids will love the crazy dressed donkey statue in the restaurant that they can get their picture taken with. Not only does the Loco Burro have some delicious Mexican entrees for the whole family, you are guaranteed to have a good time. There is a rooftop seating area in the restaurant that kids will love because it offers great views of downtown Gatlinburg. This will give young children something to look at to keep them entertained throughout the meal. If you are traveling with older children, the restaurant also features a mechanical bull ride. Even if they aren’t tall enough to ride, they will have fun watching other people trying to hold on for dear life, including their parents! Loco Burro is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Gatlinburg for the whole family to enjoy great food and lively entertainment.
2. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Based on the classic movie Forrest Gump, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. has been serving up a good time since 1996. After opening their first restaurant in California, they have been spreading all throughout the country paying tribute to one of the best films of all time. The restaurant is great for children, especially if they are familiar with the movie. There is memorabilia and pictures all over the restaurant from Forrest Gump that kids will love to look at. You can also test your Forrest Gump knowledge at the table with a fun trivia game. Not only will the kids be entertained, there is also a great selection of food they can choose from. The children’s menu at the restaurant offers 9 different entrees, including classic favorites like pizza and fried shrimp. As you leave, don’t forget to check out the gift shop to get a “Run Forrest Run” shirt or a box of chocolates for the ride home.
3. Pancake Pantry
It is always nice when you can find a local restaurant that caters to children. That is exactly what you will find at the Pancake Pantry. When the owners of the restaurant, Jim and June Gerding, traveled to Gatlinburg in 1960, they wanted to find a restaurant that made kids feel special. At the time, they were vacationing with their two sons, one 3 year old and one 8 month old. That is when they decided to take a leap of faith and open up Tennessee’s first pancake specialty restaurant! To this day, they still offer 24 different varieties of pancakes to go along with other breakfast classics. When you order the pancakes off the kid’s menu, they are served in the shape of a bear! The Pancake Pantry does a fantastic job making sure your children feel like a part of their own family, just like their own two sons they started their journey off with.
4. Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant
From the minute you walk in Timber Log Cabin Restaurant, you will feel right at home. The restaurant is located in a small log cabin in Gatlinburg and takes pride in serving home cooked Southern food. They have a variety of different entrees, including breakfast entrees served all day. The coolest feature of this restaurant is that they have pictures hung all over the restaurant that visiting children have drawn. Feel free to let your own child draw a picture to add to the art gallery when you leave. It is an amazing sight to see when you walk into a family owned restaurant and see hand drawn pictures from hundreds of children!
Now that you know about the best restaurants in Gatlinburg for kids, be sure to check out some of the best area attractions to visit after your meal! We hope to see you soon in the Smoky Mountains!