Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Outdoor Dining - Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, TN

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9 (3896)
$50 and over
American
7140 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 53 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

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

What 3,896 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 an exceptional dining experience with "outstanding food," "superb service," and "beautiful ambiance." Located in a picturesque setting, it impresses with its "creative menu" and "locally sourced ingredients." Guests frequently praise the attentive staff, noting that "Justin and Aileen" are particularly commendable. Highly recommended for special occasions!
3,896 Reviews
  1. Lee

    Chicago / Illinois10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was our second time at Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, but our first as paying customers. We had been there previously for a financial seminar that included dinner. This time we were able to order drinks at the bar and order from the menu Our food and the service were exceptional. Jack, our waiter, was a notable bright spot. We also met Connor, the manager, who stopped to see how our dinner had gone One note, as the evening went on and the restaurant filled, the sound level from surrounding conversation was noticeably louder and made our conversation a bit more difficult Overall, we very much enjoyed our time there and plan to go again to try other intriguing menu items

    Is this helpful?

  2. Annette

    Northwest Florida1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent Sunday morning brunch buffett for our family of 6 plus 2 1-year old toddlers. Food was very tasty and service was excellent. We will return!!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Willey VIP

    Denver / Colorado17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a jewel out in the woods. Everything was fantastic from Michelle’s wine selection to Sissy’s suggestions for dinner. We have the Squash, Shrimp and grits and the rabbit. All was amazing. Highly suggest going there!
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you for the review, Willey! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your most recent visit and the blossoms and suggested dishes. We hope to see you again soon.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sharon

    Nashville4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food! I love the outdoor seating. Great memories here too.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you Sharon! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit and made great memories - that's the BEST compliment that we love to hear! We hope to see you again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kathy

    East Tennessee2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    From the beginning to the end it was an amazing experience. We had great craft cocktails, shareable Melon with Prosciutto, main dishes and cobbler dessert. Every bite was delicious. Service was top notch. We always enjoy our time at the Dancing Bear.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Steve

    Nashville6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always food and service was great. Very nice place to have dinner and we loved the seasonal Squash Blossoms. Great job on growing those, quite the treat!!
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you for the review, Steve! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your most recent visit - and yes those squash blossoms are superb and we wait all year to delight our guests with those special little treats! We love hearing the feedback that they are still a "fan favorite"! We look forward to your visit again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Chris VIP

    Cincinnati / Dayton1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place to eat in Townsend. Beautiful mountain lodge vibe and decor. Food was excellent mountain fusion where they use local or grow their own when possible. Started off with blistered shishito peppers for the table and for the main we all had the trout and it was perfect. The best trout I ever had in the Smokies. The three of us split the flourless polenta chocolate cake. Ian and the rest of the crew were perfect hosts and very attentive but not disruptive. Even if you are not in Townsend this place is worth the drive from Gburg to experience some of the finest mountain food in the Smokies.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Mobile1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the finest dining experiences in the country. If the Michelin guide rated TN they'd have some stars. Amazing!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Oceana

    Atlanta1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Aileen was wonderful! We loved the squash blossoms and fried green tomatoes. Favorite entrees were the pork chop and the bork belly hoppin’ John’s (listed on small plate but still incredible!) other dishes were also amazing, chicken gnocchi and the trout! Great mocktails and overall another wonderful experience!
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted Aileen made your visit special and that you enjoyed so many of our dishes—from the squash blossoms and fried green tomatoes to the pork chop and pork belly hoppin’ John’s. We couldn’t agree more about that dish—it’s a small plate with big flavor! Great to hear the mocktails hit the spot, too. We look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable experience soon.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Rick

    Atlanta11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The ambiance is somehow comfortable and casually refined. The staff is outstanding. Aileen is especially wonderful, offering complete knowledge of the menu, including from where the ingredients were sourced, and a font of helpful information about the extensive wine list. There are not enough words to describe the food. The quality and presentation of each dish were impeccable. We look forward to finding our way to Townsend again this fall just to dine at Dancing Bear.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you for your beautifully expressed review, Rick. We’re delighted the ambiance, service, and especially Aileen’s expertise made such a lasting impression. Our team takes great pride in sourcing quality ingredients and crafting impeccable dishes, and it’s wonderful to hear that shone through your experience. We look forward to welcoming you back this fall for another exceptional evening at Dancing Bear.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is rated 4.9 stars by 3896 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
7:00 PM
Booked 53 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
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo