About Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar
Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar is the place on the Gatlinburg Parkway to go when you want shellfish instead of barbecue. The dining room is at 437 Parkway, close to the river, and the mood is a step up from the pancake houses and pizza counters around it: polished, a little dressy, and still comfortable for families.
What to order
The raw bar is the anchor. Expect fresh oysters, chilled shrimp cocktail and a rotating selection of shellfish. The restaurant's own website features Oysters Chesapeake, Shrimp & Grits, Seared Ahi Tuna and an Edgewater Salad as house favorites. Dinner moves into broiled seafood platters, jumbo scallops and live Maine lobster, and there are simpler grilled fish and shrimp plates for guests who want something plain. The wine list is long, and the cocktails lean on citrus and herbs.
Mixed groups do fine here. Anyone who does not want seafood can find a grilled option, and kids are welcome, though the room suits a nicer outfit than trail clothes.
Hours and reservations
Chesapeake's opens for dinner, with a longer day on weekends. Published hours are Monday through Thursday 4 to 10 PM, Friday 4 to 11 PM, Saturday 2 to 11 PM and Sunday 2 to 10 PM. Reservations are recommended, especially on October weekends and summer Saturdays, when walk-in waits on the Parkway can run an hour or more. Call (865) 622-6999 or use the booking link on the restaurant's site. If you are checking holiday hours, call ahead.
Making an evening of it
The location is easy to combine with the rest of downtown. You can walk the Parkway after dinner, and the free Gatlinburg trolley runs the strip, so you do not need to move the car once you find parking. Plan on 90 minutes if you work through a raw bar course before the main plate.
If you are heading into the park the next morning, Great Smoky Mountains National Park starts at the edge of town, and a parking tag is required for any stop longer than 15 minutes. Federal passes do not replace the tag, so buy one before you go.
Price
Chesapeake's is a $$$ restaurant, which on this stretch means dinner for two will cost noticeably more than at the casual chains. Fresh shellfish has to be shipped inland to a mountain town, and the menu prices reflect that. For an anniversary or a night when you want something besides fried chicken, it is the most coastal choice downtown.
Good to know
- What kind of food does Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar serve?
- Seafood, American. It’s known for raw bar oysters, Oysters Chesapeake, Shrimp & Grits.
- Does Chesapeake's Seafood and Raw Bar take reservations?
- Recommended. Call (865) 622-6999 to check.