Johnny Rockets is a 50’s-themed burger joint located on the main strip (Parkway) in downtown Gatlinburg. It is a restaurant chain with locations nationwide, especially in tourist areas.

Johnny Rockets is easy to find. From the Historic Gatlinburg Inn, walk out to the street, turn left onto the sidewalk, and walk until you see Elvis staring at you through the glass. If you’re coming from the other direction, just walk up Parkway…until you see Elvis!

Johnny Rockets’ interior is exactly what you would expect – it feels like you’re walking into a diner in the 1950’s. From the tile floor to the “57 Chevy” seat upholstery and the straw holders on the tables, everything feels just right. The place literally shines.

Johnny Rockets offers a variety of burgers and toppings. You can even get a vegetable burger. We went with a double patty Spicy Houston burger, which is topped with spicy jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and their “Smokin’ Chipotle Ranch” sauce. For the side, we had regular fries. You can also get fries smothered in cheese, chili and cheese, or bacon and cheese.

The burger was fantastic! Well-cooked. Juicy. Messy as heck but that’s just the price you pay for wrapping your hands around that kind of greasy goodness. The fries were cooked just right, though not particularly seasoned. A little salt and pepper took care of that. Health food, this is not. Johnny Rockets does have options such as salads on their menu, but make no mistake about it – this is a burger joint!

You have the option of piling just about anything you want onto your burger – bacon, onion rings, mushrooms, caramelized onions, green peppers, chili, a fried egg…you name it! In addition to burgers and fries (and salads), Johnny Rocket specializes in hand-spun milkshakes.

You can take a look at the menu below.

We would have preferred to sit at the lovely counter, for an even more authentic experience. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, counter service was not being offered due to lack of adequate staffing (some of you people need to get back to work!). That’s a nationwide problem so not really one we can fault them for. Our server was very friendly and attentive to our needs.

Overall, our visit to Johnny Rockets was very enjoyable. We loved the atmosphere, and the food was great. Pricewise, yes, it is pricey, but unfortunately that is the case with most restaurants these days, and not just the ones in Gatlinburg.

Johnny Rockets is located at:

735 Parkway, #2
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

A very short walk from the Historic Gatlinburg Inn. Highly recommended for all burger junkies!