Guy Fieri's Cherokee Kitchen + Bar

The kitchen leans on the dishes Fieri is known for. Trash Can Nachos is the shareable starter, piled high enough to feed a table. The Bacon Mac-N-Cheese Burger is the best-known main, and there is a barbecue section for diners who want ribs or smoked meats. Portions are large and flavors are bold, so this is a hungry-person meal and not a light dinner. Sharing an appetizer is a practical way to hold down the bill for a family.

If your group includes vegetarians or anyone who avoids red meat, options exist, but the menu is built around burgers, barbecue and fried comfort food. The restaurant also serves cocktails and beer. Prices fall in the mid-range for a resort restaurant.

The decor is colorful and loud, with the Flavortown look carried across the dining room. That noise helps if you are eating with children, since nobody notices a restless table. It is less suited to a quiet conversation. Tables are comfortable for groups, and seating is quick when the restaurant is not at peak.

You can reserve through OpenTable, and reservations are smart on weekend evenings and during the October leaf season. Opening reports differed on whether the restaurant serves lunch or dinner only, so confirm the hours with the resort at 828-497-8880 before you go.

Cherokee is the North Carolina gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Oconaluftee entrance is a short drive from the resort. A dinner here is an easy way to end a day on Newfound Gap Road, which crosses the park to Gatlinburg. Before you drive it, check the National Park Service closures page, since the Carlos Campbell Overlook on the road is temporarily closed. In town you can also visit the Museum of the Cherokee People and the Oconaluftee Indian Village.

• The resort has its own parking, and you can walk from the garage to the restaurant.
• It is on tribal land, and the resort is a casino, so the lobby can be busy at night.
• Kids are welcome at the restaurant, though the casino floor is for adults.
• For a quieter, more traditional meal, Granny's Kitchen on US-19 is a short drive away.

Fieri's restaurant is the pick for a casual group dinner with big portions. If you want a more formal evening, other restaurants in the resort offer that.