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Outdoor Dining - Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, TN

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

4.9
4.9
3560 Reviews
$50 and over
American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 40 times today
Experiences are available.
  • 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.

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

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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
    (865) 336-2138
  • 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
  • Area
    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
    Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan

Experiences

  • New Year's Eve - 5 Course Meal

    US$1.00 per party

    Prepaid

    31 Dec 2024 only
    Join us at the Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro to enjoy a pre-fix, coursed menu that you won't want to miss. Executive Chef Carter and Culinary Team will be preparing a Special handcrafted menu to bring you joy, while ringing in the New Year with your friends and family. There will be an optional tableside Wine Pairing available that will be sure to pair with our fixed menu. We can't wait to celebrate New Year’s Eve with you! *We are requiring all parties 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 member. Approximate price will be $115/pp++. Thank you! We look forward to serving you!*

What 3,560 people are saying

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
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • East Tennessee

    Best Overall

  • East Tennessee

    Best Food

  • East Tennessee

    Best Ambience

  • East Tennessee

    Great for outdoor dining

  • East Tennessee

    Romantic

  • East Tennessee

    Great for scenic views

  • East Tennessee

    American

  • Knoxville

    Best Overall

  • Knoxville

    Best Food

  • Knoxville

    Best Service

  • Knoxville

    Best Ambience

  • 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

    Lively

  • Knoxville

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro offers a "fantastic dining experience" with its farm-to-table menu featuring fresh, seasonal flavors. Guests rave about the "excellent service," "beautiful setting," and "amazing food." The cozy, rustic ambiance combined with attentive staff makes it a perfect spot for special occasions. Highly recommended!

3,560 Reviews
  1. Julia

    E. Tennessee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Unanimously the best meal my husband and I had of 2024. We were seated on the patio on a 40 degree night, and it was perfectly comfortable. The pork belly “small plate” knocked our socks off, and the veggie pasta was outstanding. Our only regret was not leaving room for dessert, because that doughnut bread pudding looked BOMB. Didn’t particularly care for our server. He was easily distracted and kept repeating himself. A dinner for 2 turned into a 2 hour affair, but the biggest hangups were coming back to take our order and bringing us our bill. Could have been an off night for him, we’ve all been there, and it didn’t alter our experience to keep us from ever coming back.

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  2. Jeanne

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful restaurant and quiet, easy to talk to each other Food was extremely good and waitstaff was well informed about each dish and shared their favorites. The bar, while small, was extremely well stocked and quite helpful and made a wonderful old fashioned! Look forward to a return visit!

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  3. Katelyn

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food, drinks and service were all on point. There’s also a fire pit where you can make your own s’mores after dinner.

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  4. Tammy

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was amazing and the service excellent. We will definitely be back
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for your kind words, Tammy! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed both the food and service. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another fantastic experience!

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    E. Tennessee

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s always amazing. We come for our special days and they made my 40th birthday so special. We love it.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for choosing us to celebrate your special moments! We’re honored to have been part of your 40th birthday and are so glad we could help make it memorable. It means the world to us that you continue to make us a part of your celebrations. We look forward to seeing you again soon for many more special days!

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  6. Melissa

    West Virginia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent experience as always. The soup, appetizer, and dessert were all perfection and not to be skipped. The covered patio was a little too cool for our liking. I’m not sure if there is any heat out there so we will dress warmer next time. I’m also not sure if the bread service has been discontinued for some reason but we definitely missed it on this visit. We always enjoyed the delicious bread and butter in the past.
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 1 day ago
    Thank you so much for your kind words, Melissa! We're absolutely delighted to hear that you enjoyed the soup, appetizer, and dessert—those are definitely some of our favorites as well! We truly appreciate your feedback about the patio, and we're sorry the heater wasn't on in time to keep things cozy. Rest assured, we'll have that all set for your next visit. As for the bread service, it hasn't been discontinued—just a small oversight on our part, but we'll make sure everything is perfect next time. We can't wait to welcome you back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Grace

    Richmond

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Once again, Aillean was amazing! She was so personable and it was top notch service! 10/10 The food was to die for. Will be back asap!!!
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for your glowing review, Grace! We’re so glad to hear Aillean made your experience exceptional once again—she’s truly a star, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with her. Hearing that the food was “to die for” makes our day! We can’t wait to welcome you back soon for another 10/10 experience!

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  8. Grace

    Richmond

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Aileen was fantastic!! We already requested her for our next reservation
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Grace! We’re so glad to hear Aileen made your experience so special—she truly is fantastic, and we’re lucky to have her on our team. We’ll make sure she knows about your kind words and your request for next time. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

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  9. Chris

    E. Tennessee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great first time experience, will definitely be back ! Was celebrating my wife's Birthday !
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for celebrating such a special occasion with us, Chris! We’re thrilled to hear your first experience was a memorable one, and we’re honored to have been part of your wife’s birthday celebration. We can’t wait to welcome you back for many more special moments in the future!

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  10. Lynn

    Nashville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Super cool place with amazing food !! Will definetly go back
    Dancing Bear Appalachian BistroResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you for the kind words, Lynn! We’re thrilled you enjoyed your visit and loved the food. We can’t wait to have you back for another amazing experience—see you soon!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is rated 4.9 stars by 3560 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 40 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
  • Area
    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
    Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan
  • Phone number
    (865) 336-2138
  • 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
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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