Cherokee Grill is a fine steak house restaurant in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, right on Parkway downtown. It has a mountain lodge atmosphere, wrapped in stone and brick, filled with granite and walnut. The restaurant is adorned with Native American themed decoration. It is an easy and pleasant walk from the Historic Gatlinburg Inn.

As is tradition, your humble reviewer took a seat at the bar, where available stools were spaced out per social distancing protocol. I ordered a Michelob Ultra and a plate of bread from the very friendly bartender and took a hard look at the menu.

The restaurant has a well-stocked menu, with starters ranging from crab bisque to smoked trout; several types of salads featuring proteins like steak and tuna; burgers and sandwiches; and entrees that include chicken, ribs, and seafood; and, of course, steaks.

I ordered the Smoky Mountain Fried Chicken, which is a large double-batter-dipped chicken breast served atop a sort-of potato hash (that they call “Neva’s Potatoes”), a sweet potato (yes, this reviewer eats too many potatoes) and garden vegetable gravy.

The chicken was delicious and juicy, with a wonderful crunch. The vegetable gravy was very soup-like, but worked wonderfully with the chicken. With each bite of chicken that I dipped into the gravy, the more I loved it. All of the potatoes were perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Cherokee Grill is conveniently located at 1002 Parkway in Gatlinburg, about a five-minute walk from our front porch, at the entrance of a quaint shopping center. Looking for a good lunch on a weekday? Sorry, you’ll have to go somewhere else. Cherokee Grill is only open for dinner Monday through Friday, but they open their doors at noon on Saturday and 11:00AM on Sunday. The restaurant has a banquet hall that seats up to 200 people if you have need for such a thing.

You will not be disappointed by Cherokee Grill. Recommended!