After a long afternoon exploring Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies a few weeks back, my wife and I were able to walk the streets of Gatlinburg and get both of our kids to fall asleep in the stroller. We quickly took advantage of the situation to enjoy a peaceful early dinner at the Smoky Mountain Brewery.

Outside

Even with the address in hand, we walked right past the restaurant and brewery on our first trip down the street. It sits back off the parkway behind Calhoun’s and the Cherokee Grill. The outside of the building looks like a ski lodge and offers multiple levels of dining.

Beer Sampler

Since we wanted to keep the kids in the stroller to let them sleep, we were asked if it would be alright if we ate downstairs in the small kitchen dining area. We occupied the only table but our server never once forgot about us. We enjoyed a sampling of their beers while looking over the food menu ($5.75 for 5 5-oz pours). Their main stay beer offerings seem to cater toward those who enjoy lighter beers and I was not impressed by them. However the porter was great as was the featured IPA. Plus their beer is also ridiculously cheap!

Chicken Reuben

For dinner I enjoyed the chicken Reuben with sauerkraut, sour cream, and cheese on grilled rye bread ($9.75). This was not a standard Reuben at all. I’ve had turkey Reubens many times, but never one made with chicken. The chicken was thick sliced and the sour cream was not really noticeable. Some thousand island would have really made this sandwich great, but it was still good as is. For the included side I chose the honey-mustard potato salad, which was awesome!

Chicken Cheese Philly

My wife ordered the chicken cheese Philly with fires ($9.75). The sandwich was a very large portion and filled with loads of grilled peppers and onions. I stole a few bites of the sandwich and it tasted great. The bread was fresh and soft, and the filling was piping hot. The fries were your average shoestring variety, and I would definitely recommend the potato salad instead.

The Smoky Mountain Brewery is a somewhat hidden spot just off the main thoroughfare through Gatlinburg, but it is well worth a stop for a meal and some beer.