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Best Seafood Restaurants in the Smokies

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Best Seafood Restaurants in the Smokies

6 curated picks · verified 2026-05-28

Gatlinburg sits roughly 500 miles from the nearest coastline. That distance matters when evaluating seafood here: most of what's on these menus arrived by refrigerated truck from the Gulf or the Atlantic, and the restaurants that handle it well focus on technique and honest sourcing rather than inflating "fresh-caught" language. The genuine exception is trout. East Tennessee's mountain streams and regional hatcheries supply rainbow trout that actually earns a local label, and Smoky Mountain Trout House is the right place to order it.

The six picks run from mid-range to upscale. The $$ options (Bubba Gump, Howard's, Smoky Mountain Trout House, and Three Jimmys) work well for families and casual weeknight dinners; Chesapeake's and Maxwell's at $$$ lean toward occasion dining with raw bar offerings, crab legs, and prime cuts. The list isn't a rigid ranking. A quiet Tuesday at Chesapeake's and a loud Friday night at Bubba Gump are doing completely different jobs, and both are legitimate depending on what you need.

A few practical things to know before going:

  • These restaurants are in Gatlinburg town, not inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Gatlinburg parking is its own challenge: the city's Parkway garages are the most reliable option on summer weekends and through October, when street spots disappear by mid-morning.
  • Peak crowd windows are summer (June through August), fall foliage season (mid-October), and spring break. Getting to restaurants before 6 p.m. or arriving after 8 p.m. cuts wait times considerably.
  • Three Jimmys and Howard's both carry menus broad enough for non-seafood eaters, which matters when picking a spot for a mixed group.
  • Most of these don't require advance reservations, but calling ahead for groups of six or more is smart during peak weeks.
  1. 1

    Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

    $$ · Seafood, American

    Seafood, American restaurant in Gatlinburg ($$). Known for shrimp scampi, fried shrimp, forrest's seafood feast.
  2. 2

    Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar

    $$$ · Seafood, American

    Seafood, American restaurant in Gatlinburg ($$$). Known for fresh oysters, crab legs, seafood platters.
  3. Howard's Restaurant 3

    Howard's Restaurant

    $$ · American, Seafood, Steak

    American, Seafood, Steak restaurant in Gatlinburg ($$).
  4. 4

    Maxwell's Beef and Seafood

    $$$ · American, Steak, Seafood

    American, Steak, Seafood restaurant in Gatlinburg ($$$).
  5. 5

    Smoky Mountain Trout House

    $$ · Seafood, American

    Specializing in fresh, locally sourced trout prepared in various ways, along with other American entrees.
  6. 6

    Three Jimmys

    $$ · American, BBQ, Seafood, Wood-Fired Pizza

    American, BBQ, Seafood, Wood-Fired Pizza restaurant in Gatlinburg ($$).

Best Seafood Restaurants in the Smokies: FAQ

Does ordering seafood make sense in a landlocked mountain region?
It depends on the item. Nearly everything except trout is shipped in from the Gulf Coast or Atlantic, but high-volume restaurants in a major tourist destination like Gatlinburg move enough product to keep quality consistent. Trout from East Tennessee's mountain waterways is genuinely local and worth ordering for that reason. For everything else, the better signal is a restaurant's turnover and sourcing consistency, not its distance from the ocean.
Which restaurant is best for a special-occasion dinner?
Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar and Maxwell's Beef and Seafood are the two options on this list that lean into occasion dining. Chesapeake's has a dedicated raw bar program with fresh oysters and crab legs; Maxwell's pairs premium beef with seafood. Both sit at the $$$ tier, so expect to spend noticeably more than at the other four picks. Either works for an anniversary or a nicer group dinner.
Are these restaurants family-friendly?
Bubba Gump is the most naturally kid-oriented of the six, with a casual atmosphere and a film theme that tends to land well with younger diners. Three Jimmys and Howard's also carry broad menus that cover non-seafood options, making it easier to feed mixed groups. Chesapeake's and Maxwell's skew toward adult dining and work better for couples or adult-only parties.
Do I need a reservation?
Most of these restaurants don't require reservations, but Gatlinburg's tourist traffic means dinner waits can stretch long on summer weekends and through October. Arriving before 6 p.m. or after 8 p.m. typically avoids the worst of it. For groups of six or more, calling ahead is worth the effort at any of these spots regardless of season.
What's the most locally distinctive option on this list?
Smoky Mountain Trout House. Trout is the one seafood category where the Smokies have a genuine connection to the surrounding landscape, with regional hatcheries and mountain waterways supplying the fish. The restaurant specializes in it specifically, prepared multiple ways, alongside standard American sides. If you're eating seafood because you're in the mountains rather than despite being in the mountains, this is the place.

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