Alamo Steakhouse

Steaks are the draw, and the Alamo menu also lists burgers made from freshly ground beef, plus soups, sauces and gravies made in-house. Mozzarella sticks are hand-breaded and cooked to order, so they make an easy starter for the table. Lunch, dinner and kids menus are all posted on the website, which helps when the group is mixed.

The restaurant is at 705 East Parkway, on the main drag through downtown Gatlinburg (US-441). Hours on the restaurant's site run Monday through Wednesday from 3 to 9 PM, Thursday and Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM. Check the site before a holiday weekend.

Alamo uses an online waitlist for the Gatlinburg location. On a Saturday night in October, put your name down before you walk over, then spend the wait on the sidewalk or in a nearby shop. Fall color season is the busiest stretch of the year in town, and the Parkway moves slowly after dark.

Skip the drive if you can. Park once, then use the free Gatlinburg trolley along the Parkway. If you are driving, the city parking page lists the garages, and the downtown garages charge a flat daily rate. Pigeon Forge is about 20 to 25 minutes north in light traffic, and much longer on a leaf-season evening.

Couples, birthday dinners and groups coming off a hiking day who want a sit-down meal that is more than a Parkway burger joint. The oak-fire steak is the order. The price tier is $$$, so expect to pay more than at the chains and buffets, and go early if you want a table without a long wait.

If you are heading into the national park the next morning, remember the parking tag rules: any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes needs a tag, $5 for a day, and federal passes are not accepted.