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Outdoor Dining - Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, TN

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9 (3878)
$50 and over
American
7140 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 33 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 3,878 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
  • 4.9Service
  • 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 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

    American

  • Knoxville

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro offers an exceptional dining experience with "fantastic food" and "amazing service" in a "beautiful setting." Guests praise the creative menu, locally sourced ingredients, and attentive staff. The atmosphere is both romantic and family-friendly, making it ideal for special occasions or casual dining. Highly recommended.
3,878 Reviews
  1. Kelly VIP

    Chicago / Illinois4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My family absolutely loved this restaurant. The food quality was amazing and the service was outstanding. We will definitely be back!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Charlotte

    South Carolina1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We elected to sit outside and just live the ambience. If you are going to be in the mountains, take advantage of the beauty of nature! The staff was so lovely and accommodating. Tanner (manager) and Maggie (our waitress) were so friendly and went above and beyond to make us and our service dog, Woody, feel welcome. The food was outstanding. I had trout and my husband had the sweet tea brined pork chop. Both were amazing. However, I will DEFINITELY be ordering pork chop when we return! I have never tasted such succulent and well seasoned pork. Highly recommend. We also had the cheese board to start and loved the variety and pairings. Thank you for another amazing special occasion at The Dancing Bear Bistro!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Kevin VIP

    East Tennessee29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were so well taken care of by Monaghan and Tanner. So fortunate to have this wonderful restaurant so close to Maryville. We are also enjoying the newer menu at the brewery in Maryville.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Tammy

    Central Kentucky4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is are 2nd experience to Enjoy an evening at the Bristol, our 1st experience was Fabulous and the second was even better! Justin our waiter was top notch, he was very knowledgeable of the menu, courteous, and focused on making our dinning experience as perfect as possible! We will definitely be back and ask for Justin!

    Is this helpful?

  5. max

    East Tennessee2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    we had a great time! The food was delicious. We plan on coming back soon

    Is this helpful?

  6. Teresa

    East Tennessee1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a wonderful meal and experience. We plan to again in August.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Shannon

    East Tennessee1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very friendly staff, sweet, warm and inviting. Fantastic location. Highly accommodating. We all delighted in the food, the bevies, and the atmosphere! Truly, it was a lovely experience.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 3 days ago
    Shannon, thank you for your kind words about our staff, food, and atmosphere — we’re delighted your experience was so lovely. We truly appreciate your thoughtful feedback regarding interruptions during conversations. We’ll be sure to share this with our team as we strive to balance attentive service with preserving those special moments for our guests. We look forward to welcoming you back again.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Glenn

    East Tennessee8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    When staying in the mountains, this is a must go.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for the high recommendation, Glenn! We’re honored to be part of your Smoky Mountain experience.

    Is this helpful?

  9. HarryM

    East Tennessee8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The occasion was my wife’s birthday. Complimentary champagne was nice. The server was very attentive and knowledgeable; the various meal items were delivered in a timely manner. Each time our server checked that we were happy. Very pleasant evening. We will definitely go back. Great value for the overall experience.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for celebrating your wife’s birthday with us, Harry. We’re glad the complimentary champagne and attentive service helped make your evening special. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed the timely delivery of your meals and the overall experience. We look forward to welcoming you back again.

    Is this helpful?

  10. James

    East Tennessee1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good for special occasions. We were there for anniversary. Beautiful setting. Interesting cocktail options. "romantic" lighting level.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for choosing Appalachian Bistro to celebrate your anniversary, James. We’re glad you enjoyed the beautiful setting, romantic ambiance, and unique cocktail offerings. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is rated 4.9 stars by 3878 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
11:00 PM
Booked 33 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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