A Review of Our First Visit to The Peddler in Gatlinburg: Birthday Dinner
I wasn’t sure we would ever eat here. No, I’m serious. We had already found a few steak places in town we liked…a lot. So it was not a foregone conclusion we would try The Peddler, despite the rave reviews from long-time customers; despite the unique setting; despite the dining experience. When we moved, it still wasn’t a priority. Do we now think differently with our first visit to this esteemed establishment? Read on and find out if it lived up to its billing.
We like to take careful consideration into where we would like to eat on special occasions. We moved on our son’s birthday this year, and he chose Calhoun’s. My wife’s choice was Cherokee Grill, and our anniversary dinner was at Park Grill, The Peddler’s sister restaurant. Now, if we were to connect the dots, it would make sense I would pick Smoky Mountain Brewery, one of my favorites. No, this was one of those special occasion meals, so it was surprisingly an easy omission.
My runner-up was actually The Greenbrier. I do want to eat here, but it will happen another time in the future. I chose The Peddler because I checked off The Park Grill—been there, done it—and thought it was finally time to make reservations at one of the most desired eateries the vast majority of visitors and locals praise.
I made reservations for 3 the night before and was pleased to see all the time slots free, including the river seating next to the window. Perfect! Things were starting to go well from the start. But…will it continue to be sunshine and rainbows?
We began our walk to The Peddler at about 4:15. After arriving some 20 minutes later, we were dazzled to find out there wasn’t a line outside the door. We checked in and I waited for my phone to buzz, notifying us they were set to seat us.
Here we go, ready!
There was just a glimmer of daylight left, so the opportunity was fleeting for us to snap a few pictures of our lovely river view. I needed a few tries since my phone is old, dated, cracked, and slow, but I felt they were good enough.
Our server introduced herself and got us started with our drinks—water for us all—and asked if we wanted an appetizer. This is normally a “no” for us, and it was again. Before she left, she told us to help ourselves to the salad bar, which is included no matter what. It’s a small menu, so for me, that’s a good sign. Once we were seated, the basket of bread was promptly placed on our table. The bread was warm and pillow-y soft, and when we were offered another, we said yes.
What happened next sets The Peddler apart, and it didn’t come as a shock to me, because I’d read plenty of reviews dating back years. But still, this is no ordinary dining experience. A young man (a peddler) came to our table, preparing to slice one of two cuts of meat he brought out, table-side—The New York Strip and Rib Eye. Since my wife and son both chose the combination Rib Eye and Marinated Chicken, he couldn’t cut the standard 10 oz. piece, as the combo comes with a smaller 8 oz. cut. I chose the endless salad bar, but that whole encounter was pretty cool, to be quite honest. I’d only read and heard about this from other guests beforehand.
I thought The Park Grill’s salad bar was enormous and awesome, but this one seemed to be even a step above. I know the same owners run them, and they are similar, if not identical; however, this one looked more appetizing and better put-together overall. I loved it!
My son and wife’s food came out just as I went up for round 2. When I came back, they were happily chowing down as our server was doing a fantastic job of refilling our water cups. I don’t think any of us drank half before she was at our table doing a pleasantly superior job of making sure we were taken care of. It wasn’t forced. She seemed genuine and effortlessly made us feel welcome. Personally, I felt like a guest in someone’s home, which is exactly what it was. You can read some of the history on The Peddler’s website. It is fascinating!
My wife wasn’t a big fan of the marinade on the chicken, but I thought it was even better than The Park Grill’s, so I ended up eating a more than half of hers. My son wasn’t going to let me go near his food; that was a given. I did get a scrap of steak from my wife’s plate, and it was tender and tasty times ten. It’s safe to say we all loved the Rib Eye, making sure none was left over.
On my reservation, I noted it was a birthday occasion, and I was surprised our server was cognizant of this. You see, at the Park Grill, there was no mention of our anniversary, which was noted on that reservation. Well, I sheepishly acknowledged it was mine when she asked whose birthday it was. She even asked if I wanted them to sing for me, and I politely denied, but we didn’t decline the invite for dessert.
I don’t think she told us which dessert was going to be brought to the table, but it couldn’t have been a better choice…Kristi’s Chocolate Cake. For heaven’s sake, it was simply decadent, but not rich. I ceded more to my wife and son, but this colossal of chocolate and vanilla hit the spot and then some. It’s two warm chocolate cake squares with vanilla ice cream in-between, whipped topping on the sides and hot fudge drizzled on and around this lovely, sinful indulgence. A glorious end to a magnificent meal!
Plain and simple, this was a five star meal, and that’s exactly what I am giving it. Other than my wife not liking the marinade on the chicken, which on its own was tender, succulent, and juicy, there was nothing critical to say about anything else.
From the service, to the food, to the dark, cozy ambiance of this “home,” it was a fantastic dinner that’ll be difficult to replicate. And I’d say, might be one of the best experiences we’ve ever had at a restaurant. Incredible! It was every bit as good as I hoped and more! It’s definitely on my highest list of recommendations in Gatlinburg, and we would certainly return for another special occasion.
Thank you for reading my latest review of the greatness that is plentiful here in Gatlinburg. Stay tuned for more of these, plus tips and helpful hints for your vacation to what is now our home. I hope you find this information credible. I am not paid by the owners, nor do I ever want to be compensated for any of my food reviews. We spend our own money, and are always happy to support businesses and the hard-working people who do a tremendous job here. Thank you all!
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