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Outdoor Dining - Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, TN

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9 (3925)
$50 and over
American
7140 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 39 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for outdoor dining
At Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, we know that great food begins with fresh, quality sourced local ingredients. On our Modern Appalachian menu, Chef Jeff Carter and culinary team present seasonal and delicious dishes that are familiar and steeped in tradition yet enhanced with bold new dashes of flavor and component combinations that may surprise and delight you.

Dancing Bear provides a premium lodging experience. We bring the same commitment to excellence to our award-winning restaurant and full bar. Whether enjoying a romantic dinner for two or bringing the extended family together for a celebratory meal, we want your night out in Townsend to be a special experience. We offer a refined assortment of modern Appalachian cuisine — all served among elegant surroundings and calming wooded vistas.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Southern, Contemporary Southern
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30 am–1:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jeff Carter
  • Private party facilities
    Our Lodge Event Center offers beautiful, indoor and al fresco spaces, while our farm-to-table restaurant, Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, provides fresh, local and artistic cuisine. Our award winning Chef Jeff Carter prepares elevated Appalachian fare, guaranteed to please every palate.
  • Private party contact
    Anna Bartlett: (865) 448-6000 ext. 3
  • Neighborhood
    Knoxville
  • Cross street
    Apple Valley Way
  • Parking details
    Parking is available just outside the restaurant in most cases. During special events such as concerts or weddings, parking is just off Highway 321 at the entrance to Dancing Bear next to Apple Valley Country Store with buses running people up to the restaurant and lodge event center.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

  • New Year's Eve - Prix Fixe Dinner

    $1.00 per party

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2025 only
    We will be hosting a multi-course, fixed price meal for $135++ without an A La Carte option. Dietaries will be accommodated to the best of our ability. *We are requiring all reservations to add a CC on file to reserve a table for this special experience, which is what the $1.00 charge is, to get the table reserved. All other sales will be handled at the Bistro, night of by your service staff member. Approximate price will be $135/pp++. Thank you! We look forward to serving you!*

Private dining

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What 3,925 people are saying

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.7Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • East Tennessee

    Best Overall

  • East Tennessee

    Best Food

  • East Tennessee

    Best Service

  • East Tennessee

    Best Ambiance

  • East Tennessee

    Best Value

  • East Tennessee

    Innovative

  • East Tennessee

    Great for fine wines

  • East Tennessee

    Great for outdoor dining

  • East Tennessee

    Romantic

  • East Tennessee

    Great for scenic views

  • East Tennessee

    American

  • East Tennessee

    Most Booked

  • Knoxville

    Best Overall

  • Knoxville

    Best Food

  • Knoxville

    Best Service

  • Knoxville

    Best Ambiance

  • Knoxville

    Best Value

  • Knoxville

    Innovative

  • Knoxville

    Healthy

  • Knoxville

    Great for fine wines

  • Knoxville

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Knoxville

    Romantic

  • Knoxville

    Good for special occasions

  • Knoxville

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro offers "fantastic" cuisine with "outstanding" service and an inviting atmosphere. Guests rave about the "best pork chop," "exemplary" service, and "beautiful" setting. The menu features creative Appalachian-inspired dishes, while the outdoor seating and fire pit enhance the dining experience. A must-visit for special occasions and fine dining lovers.
3,925 Reviews
  1. Morgan

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful dining experience! Dined here for an anniversary dinner, and the service was amazing (the waiter Scott was great)! Food was amazing and delicious (filet mignon and chicken gnocchi), champagne toast was a nice touch for the special occasion, and atmosphere was perfect. Would definitely dine here again when in the area!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Leon

    East Tennessee3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    My wife and I have been going here for years. Took some friends with us last Sunday. We all had a great time

    Is this helpful?

  3. Michael

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Dancing Bear is a refined take on Appalachian cuisine set in a cozy, lodge-style atmosphere. The menu showcases fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, with every dish thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavor. It’s a true culinary treat. Service is warm and attentive, and the setting strikes the perfect balance between rustic charm and upscale dining. An ideal spot for a romantic evening, a special celebration—or simply because you love exceptional food.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sherry

    Orlando / Central Florida East2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a quite unique place. We had Sunday brunch which was amazing. Service was great, ambience was absolutely perfect. We sat out on the patio so breeze.was good. We had things like fresh honey yougurt, tri tip steak, ambrosias salad with citrus dressing. Sausage gravy and biscuits, bread pudding and awesome bacon. Very much enjoyed!!!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Shane

    Central Kentucky1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was perfect for brunch. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Chad VIP

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and wonderful food and drinks. Always a great experience!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Matthew

    Nashville1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic!!! Can’t wait to go back, our meals were out of this world good! Best pork chop I have ever had, and the strawberry cheesecake was perfection! Well done DB!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Joy

    East Tennessee2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful dinner to celebrate a special occasion! 🩷

    Is this helpful?

  9. Mary Ellen

    Nashville1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our favorite restaurant. The food is consistently amazing, the staff is top notch, ambience is great!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Kelly

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food! Want to go back to try other menu items. The small plates were a little prices for the amount of food. But the sharable Blue Cheese Beef bites and the main dishes were incredible! Highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is rated 4.9 stars by 3925 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. East Tennessee
  4. Knoxville
  5. Knoxville

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 39 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

7140 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Apple Valley Way
  • Neighborhood
    Knoxville
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30 am–1:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Southern, Contemporary Southern
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is available just outside the restaurant in most cases. During special events such as concerts or weddings, parking is just off Highway 321 at the entrance to Dancing Bear next to Apple Valley Country Store with buses running people up to the restaurant and lodge event center.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jeff Carter
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Our Lodge Event Center offers beautiful, indoor and al fresco spaces, while our farm-to-table restaurant, Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, provides fresh, local and artistic cuisine. Our award winning Chef Jeff Carter prepares elevated Appalachian fare, guaranteed to please every palate.
  • Private party contact
    Anna Bartlett: (865) 448-6000 ext. 3
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