We had an amazing meal at Calhouns. I have not had ribs that good in a very long time! No wait on a Saturday night at the Pigeon Forge location and was probably the best meal we had the entire trip. Definitely coming back the next time we visit. read more

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We got take out rib dinners which were not good. Ribs were dry, tough and tasted like they had been warmed up several times. Dinner was supposed to include homemade bread which was missing from order. Disappointing experience! read more

Smoked chicken was so dry. The baked beans were not of quality and the baked potato was shrunken and dry. When the waiter asked how everything tasted, I informed him of the issues, but he didn't respond and never offered a replacement or even to have a manager come over. This used to be our go to for dinner while in town. I'd recommend Bennettt's BBQ highly over Calhouns! read more

Went here with a large group and no one left disappointed. Service was on point. Complimentary bread basket was phenomenal. Food was enjoyable. I had the ribs and I can't complain. My side of baked apples was mouth watering happiness. read more

Really nice restaurant with nice atmosphere and great food and service. Tiffany and Michael at the bar area were awesome and very attentive for sure! We ordered The Chicken Cordon Blue Plate and The County Fried Steak. Very good both. read more

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It's one of few places that we could find that allow you to make reservations, and everything we went to had a 2+ hour wait time the week after Christmas, so we chose it and were seated within minutes of our arrival the night we chose to dine here. This night was meant to be healthy, but I saw the Bacon Wrapped Beef Brisket Burnt Ends appetizer and didn't realize how large and delish it would be. So half that appetizer and a warm biscuit from the bread basket and I was full. I will forever dream about the Turkey Creek salad I ordered and took back to the hotel mini fridge where it went to die. It looked amazing, the tiny piece of Turkey and the one candied pecan I picked off and ate was so yummy. I also had the chocolate covered strawberry martini, which was incredibly sweet (think strawberry quick and alcohol). My friend had some sandwich, which she devoured within minutes so I'm guessing it was a hit. Service was excellent (new guy, very attentive!) and our food and drinks were delivered very quickly despite being busy. read more

Calhoun's - This salad looked amazing, but I never ate it (filled up on appetizers)! - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Every time Im here it's a great experience!! Tori the bartender is always AWESOME, and so are Mike & Alley!! They are the reason I choose Calhouns over anywhere else in the area! read more

Stopped here for a quick lemon drop while shopping. Really nice place to enjoy a drink. One perk was the roasted wings. read more

Calhoun's - Fresh squeezed lemon Tito's lemon drop for the win! - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Never got a chance to sit down and try anything. Hostess walked by three times making eye contact without even acknowledging us (party of 4). Four to 5 other tables in the restaurant at 2:30 pm and did not look busy. We left after 5 minutes of standing there with the last pass of the hostess. Nobody else was waiting. Coming to the area for the last 6 years and never tried this place. read more

salmonella poisoning. I had the lemon chicken on 12/29 around 6:30 pm. Only person in my party to order chicken, guess thats what I get for trying to be healthy. Only poultry i have had in the past 72 hours was from Calhoun's ; now I have a stomach cramps, nausea, fever, chills, headache, and the other gross stuff. I recommend avoiding this restaurant. read more

Honestly, it was fine. They claim the best ribs in America but one of my companions said they were good but not exceptional. My wings were tasty but tiny. Salads were good but, again, just fine. Service was excellent and restaurant was nice. read more

You can see that historically my reviews are positive, so this review should be viewed as 100% truthful from my experience. Ate here 12/15/2024 at 1130 am. Felt that the ribs I got were leftover from the day before. They did not fall off the bone. They were not meaty. They were however, tough and dry. Maybe I had the wrong expectations eating in a tourist locale. In any event, never again will I eat or order the ribs from Calhouns. read more

The food was okay, the shrimp appetizer is not worth the price and just okay. The half chicken is very small if you're looking for a 1/2 chicken. Must be a baby chick. The overall taste was good. read more

Calhoun's - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Love, love, love the food at this restaurant chain and the service at this location in particular. Generous with their rolls despite Calhoun's apparent nickel-and-dime bread policy. Also they make things more than right when they make mistakes. We try to go to this location and avoid and Knoxville locations. Many thanks! read more

Very clean place! Love that this is my first impressions m- the bathroom, bar, floor & patio were all spotless. Never get t say that in a review. We found an established & trained team! Sat outside with our dog & four in our party. After a couple of the group had run a marathon in the Smokies. Our server was attentive, personable & funny. A little bit of everything on the menu, so everyone can find something they would like. We ordered a couple of Brisket Plates with different sides, a burger with avocado & a baked potato for the vegetarian in our party. Keep in mind ordering a beer - when they ask if you want a pint or mug - this mug is massive! Good selection of their own craft beers. The two we had were very good! The Light Lager & I had the Brown Ale. The Brisket was a good price on a solid portion & was very tasty. Three thick cut slices. A little on the dry side but very good. The side of sauce was meh to me personally. I ate it plain. Love the option of a baked sweet potato and this one was huge! Couldn't eat it all. Also very good veggies - squash & onions. Piping hot food! Only challenge was the burger was ordered medium & it came very rare. They immediately swooped in t remedy & prepare a new one perfectly cooked. Would go here anytime! Good food. Good service. Great response to a correction on the food! Good beers. Very good people on our visit. Clean & nicely done inside which is always a plus! Two person bill for brisket plate, burger w/sweet potato fries & 2 beer mugs - $54. read more

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Visiting the week after Easter 2022, I had stopped at Paula Dean's Lumberjack Show to get tickets for later that night, and asked the staff there where to go for a good rib dinner before the show. There is a brewery to the right of the Lumberjack venue and Calhoun's to the left. Calhoun's said Best Ribs so I was leaning that direction. The lumberjack staff looked at me hesitantly, a look I later learned meant "We're too polite in Tennessee to tell you you're wrong, but we wouldn't do that if it were us." Unfortunately, I didn't know that look, and when the staff wasn't direct with their opinion, I headed next door to Calhouns. The parking lot was mostly empty which should have been my other clue. The brewery to the right had been packed every night I had been in town. My idiocy thought it was only because of the beer. And as I was dining alone, I thought a family restaurant would be better. W.R.O.N.G. Walking in, I could tell they were severely understaffed. I saw 2 people in the kitchen, a hostess, 2 servers, and some other night crew arriving. I was seated at a booth to the right by the windows. I ordered a sweet tea and half rack of ribs. The server suggested the loaded potato, which was a $1 upsell. I also added a side salad for $5. Not really sure why a half rack wouldnt come with 2 sides, but whatever. At least the menu said a basket of complimentary rolls would arrive. There was one other couple in the dining room. Another couple arrived as the first couple left. So 3 tables was the extent of the tables the server had during my entire meal. When I was seated, the table was preset with side plates and silverware rolls. I thought this was really odd with Covid procedures still in place in most restaurants & retail shops in the area. Nothing like other guests coughing on your plates as they walk to your table. The server brought out my tea, but no bread basket ever arrived. The side salad was HUGE. I would highly recommend any couple order one and share it, using the extra bread plates on the table. The ribs and loaded potato arrived and were underwhelming. There was little to no sauce on the ribs, one end was black burnt, and their much touted "smoke ring" was non existent. The other thing was that the ribs were cold. Not like hmmm these didnt burn my mouth. Cold. Like straight out of the fridge, thrown back on the grill for a minute, and plated. As if their kitchen staff had not a clue or perhaps they had no cooks and the hostess or dishwasher threw it on the grill?? The loaded potato was average. My server was so bored with her 3 tables, she decided to sit at an empty table and visit with other kitchen or busser staff who werent yet on the clock. When she finally checked back and I told her the ribs were cold, she said "Glad you're enjoying everything" and kept moving. On her next flyby, I asked for a togo box, remarking to her that maybe I'd take them back to my hotel room and microwave them. *hint* Again, no recognition by her of what I was saying. I would have been happy if she microwaved them. I just wanted to enjoy my dinner. But alas, no effort from the young lady except when it came time to drop the bill off. I paid my bill and left, realizing I hadnt seen a manager the entire time. I dont go looking or asking for them but it was notable that there didnt seem to BE one! The staff were running the place themselves perhaps, is all I could figure. ??? Next time someone in Tennessee gives you THAT polite look, just go ahead and understand they are trying to help you. Bless your heart. And if you insist on eating here, just get the bread basket, if you're lucky, and order a $5 side salad. They don't have to cook it. read more

Calhoun's - "Famous BBQ Ribs" - served ice cold. Avoid this place. - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

I had a great dinner at Calhoun's with proper attention to my Gluten Free meal! I got the barbecue burger and it was delicious with fries. The bread brought out pre-meal is in variety and tasty (according to my friends). There is a large variety of meals on their menu that fits a big group. We were seated promptly and food was brought out quickly! Our waiter took great care of us and we enjoyed our visit. Unfortunately we were all a bit too hungry to take photos but a visit to Calhouns is a safe bet for any group! read more

I've been a fan of Calhouns since we lived in Knoxville back in the 80's! The ribs are delicious and nearly "fall off the bone". The fries could use an upgrade but their signature side dish "Spinach Maria", generous salads & fresh rolls never disappoint! I stop here for lunch or dinner every time I come to this area on business. If you love ribs, I highly recommend Calhouns! read more

Calhoun's - Full rack of ribs dinner with fries, cole slaw & spinach Maria. - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Food was decent but giving 5 stars for the service. Garrett was great and attentive. Summer was so sweet and attentive even though she was very busy. read more

Dry chicken served over dry rye rice with a dry "loaded" baked potato that was anything but loaded. BBQ sauce was awful.

I am a fan...the service was great and they had accommodations for my celiac daughter. Food was really delicious and service was excellent. The robs are as good as advertised and reasonably priced too. Definitely check it out if you are in the area. read more

Food was really good. I had the bbq quesadilla and it was tasty. My husband had the ribs and he enjoyed them. Side salad was massive. Bread baskets were kept full. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect coming here. It appeared busy from the outside but we were sat as soon as we walked in. I decided to get an appetizer of the bacon wrapped burnt ends. They were actually huge chunks of really delicious brisket wrapped in plenty of bacon with a great bbq sauce. It wasn't fatty, and was flavored well. I ordered a half slab of ribs with a loaded potato for dinner, and my son ordered a kids chicken tenders and Mac n cheese side. His macaroni... soooo good! It was nice and cheesy; if you like cheesy this is for you. My ribs, also absolutely delicious. Flavorful and tender. The baked potato they didn't skimp on the toppings. Let me not forget, the basket of bread was even sooo good! Too good really, but a very pleasant experience. Our food even came out in good time. Highly recommend this BBQ place, one of the better ones I've been to. read more

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First my reservation was lost however they were able to seat us. I ordered the brisket sandwich which was fine. Nothing great or anything but edible. My husband got the chicken sandwich which was still raw in the center. The grilled shrimp skewer was so rubbery and cold straight out of the kitchen. Our waiter was excellent and very helpful but the restaurant chefs need to cook the food properly. I won't be returning read more

Calhoun's - Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Came here with family. Definitely need to make a reservation for dinner, otherwise it's gonna be a long wait. Like the deco in the restaurant, the chandeliers are quite cute! I had grilled shrimp with rice and steamed broccoli and sweet potato for sides. Grilled shrimps were seasoned well, good flavors. Don't like the rice at all, it's too dry and hard. Steamed broccoli and sweet potato were okay. Hubby had beef brisket with spinach maria, he loved it. He said the spinach maria is the best he ever had! read more

Calhoun's - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

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I'd do 2.5 stars if I could... Overall, the food was decent. The ribs, chicken, salad, and baked potato were great. The pulled pork (Calhoun Trio) was cold. One of our group ordered a steak medium, and it came out marked, medium rare. So she only ate 2/3 of the steak. I think our waitress was new? She came and took our drink order, and we were ready to give our food order, and she walked away. She came back with the drinks, and we thought we were going to order, but she said she had to get the bread. We didn't get refills until our food arrived, and that was it for refills. At the very end when we asked for the check, she asked if we wanted refills then. And when a staff member was cleaning the table next to us, she slapped the rag down on the table which sent water flying from the rag into my wife's glasses. The lady wiping the table was totally oblivious to it. All in all, I don't think we'll come back. read more

Had a great time our server was super friendly, the bread was to die for especially the garlic rolls read more

Calhoun's - Pulled Hickory Smoked BBQ Pork Plate* with tots - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

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While reviewing pet friendly restaurants at Piegon Forge we surprisingly had limited options. Most of the advertised pet friendly restaurants were not pet friendly. Allowing service animals only does not count as PET friendly. Calhouns allowed us to to sit with our dog in the restaurant. What surprised us was the less than flattering reviews. We ordered wild caught salmon, wings, ribs platter and fish & chips. Every dish was very well prepared with just the right amt of seasoning and sauces. We highly recommend the complimentary breads and sweet potato fries. The corn pudding was out of the word. Amazing and quick service. I wish there was an option for 4.5 stars. read more

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I was told that this place was pretty good. It was getting late into the evening, and we decided to give this a try. I would give it a 2.5 if that was an option but I don't think it's deserving of 3. If you're visiting from out of town - my opinion? Skip it! My plate just looked so sad and the food didn't change my mind. The ribs were okay, they were cooked well. The sauce was lackluster. The baked potato was fine - nothing that stood out though. It was easily my least favorite dining experience on the trip. They were out of macaroni and cheese and the waitress took forever to bring silverware and things we asked for. The section we were in only had one other table with people. Other tables nearby were not bussed the entire time we were there. Maybe some locations are better, but I'll never be back. read more

Calhoun's - This plate just looks so sad and plain. Ribs & baked potato - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

I want to start by saying the ribs are definitely what they claim. Definitely the best ribs I've had. All of my food was pretty good. The kids liked their food as well. The pulled pork nachos left a lot to be desired though. There's a few reasons that I'm not giving it a higher rating and honestly, it doesn't have to do with the food. Our service was awful. We had to ask for a highchair three times and still nobody went and got it so my husband got up and got it himself. Our waitress was telling us about her bad back, which is unfortunate for her, but we still needed a highchair. Overall service with that particular server was pretty god-awful. We were there for quite a while and getting pretty nervous because we had reservations for a show that night. We had to let our waitress know that we had to leave because we had a show to make after waiting for the check for probably at least a half hour. Our food also took a while. Overall, I would say the food was pretty good, but not sure if we'll be back because of the service. read more

Darlene was amazing! Very informative and answered all our questions! So knowledgeable about all the menu items! Highly recommend! read more

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The food is good and prices are fairly reasonable. The bbq is nothing special, but typical bbq. I will say everyone was so friendly. It was an enjoyable experience dining there. The restaurant is roomy and was clean. read more

My mom & I loved our experience here! She got the wings and said they were some of the best wings she's ever had. Our waiter was just AWESOME, super patient and answered all our questions. Another waiter even came and chatted with us to rave about the banana pudding. It was a fun atmosphere. I got the pulled pork which I felt could have used more BBQ flavor. My side salad was pretty average. read more

The server was nice and the food made us very happy. Highly recommend the fried pickles !

Our server brought a basket of bread items -- we sampled all three varieties and loved them! Hubby had the ribs dinner; I had soup and salad. All were excellent! Folks around our table tried the burgers, and done appetizers - and they told us all were great! Definitely worth a visit while in pigeon Forge! We will be repeat customers to try some of the other goodies! read more

Their Ale Steak and even the pork chop was so tender. I love the breads they bring. We always go to calhouns when we come to the Smokies

Great food, I would get the catfish over the bbq sandwich if I went again. One drink got me feeling just right. Service was good. Rolls are amazing! read more

Whenever I visit a new city, I always try to locate the local restaurants. I don't want to eat something I can get in my hometown or have had somewhere else. Although it was a bit difficult to find a local restaurant in uber-commercialized Pigeon Forge, I found two, including Calhoun's. Technically a regional restaurant with locations across eastern Tennessee, Calhoun's qualified for me because I don't live in this region plus I've never eaten here. We saw the crowded parking lot the evening before and strategically arrived the next day at the very start of the dinner period, right before 5pm and were seated immediately. The grilled Salmon was properly cooked, and was moist and tasty. The bed of rice was mediocre and did not enhance the dish. The Prime Rib and Shrimp had a smaller than normal slice of prime rib cooked to order and was good. It tasted like they threw it in the smoker for a quick minute of smoke before they brought it out, which enhanced the taste of the meat. The six grilled shrimp were good-sized and were also grilled properly. The corn pudding was not yet ready when the main course arrive but were brought fresh out of the oven. The pudding as very corny (!) and good. A word of advice before ordering dessert, especially if considering the strawberry Shortcake: Make sure you have a friend who will commit to helping you eat dessert. The Strawberry Shortcake was very large and though I saved some room, it was not enough. The manager paid us a visit while we were eating and we had a nice chat, which I appreciated. We enjoyed our meal and experience and fully intend to dine at Calhoun's again the next time we are in the area. read more

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Was actually disappointed in my first visit. The layout was really nice and clean and we had a friendly hostess. Unfortunately she was waiting on a table behind us that had over 12 people at the table so we barley seen her and that's not her fault at all. The big problem was I ordered a medium burger and it was well done. Couldn't get anyone to check on us so I could let them know so I just ate it. The cornbread was really nasty. It was no different from biting into a ball of flour. Other than that, the pulled pork was good that my wife ordered. read more

Calhoun's - Asked for medium and got well done. - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

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I had a great dinner with 2 colleagues. The Smokehouse trio was great and our waitress, ALEXANDRIA was just awesome: Friendly, Attentive and Outgoing, which I truly appreciate! read more

Calhoun's - Smokehouse Trio - American Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee