Such a beautiful location and incredible view of the lake! The food is wonderful!…read more I will definitely be back!

While visiting family in NC, we decided we wanted to go kayaking. My mom and her friends have…read morekayaked here multiple times so we chose to book kayak rentals here. I was a little late calling to go through booking and was happy they still had kayaks available on a Sunday during the holiday weekend. The person I spoke with was very nice and helpful in figuring out the best option for our large group of 5 adults and six kids. We ended up with three singles for the older kids and doubles for adults to take the smaller ones and a double for my mom and bf since she prefers the sit on top models that only come in double. Checking in was easy and we were brought to the shore after a short wait. An attendant helped us and the kids get settled. I at first flipped because I overcorrected and realized it was best to have my niece in front instead of back and then we were fine. I appreciated the attendant being patient with my complete lack of grace. We enjoyed two hours of kayaking. The lake was so beautiful with the lovely mountain scenery surrounding us. The kids absolutely loved when boats came by and we steered into their wakes. The boaters on the water were very respectful in keeping a distance so we never felt overwhelmed by wake or unsafe. It was a wonderful time on the water and very peaceful. The pricing was also very reasonable with a special for free single kayaks for the kids. We returned and got changed. There is only one changing room I saw which also had one bathroom so that's a bit tough, but it's large enough that a few members of a family can go in together if needed. The restaurant upstairs looked good, but once we sat to wait for a table, it was clear the kids were pretty tired and ready to go home so we didn't eat here this time. Overall, we had a great time on our family kayaking adventure and enjoyed making memories at this beautiful spot.

Great food! Exceptionally friendly service. If you're looking for a great burger that isn't from a…read morechain, this is a great stop that won't break the bank! Everything is fresh and made to order, so it's not the fastest...but it is 100% worth it!

Great little hole in the wall burger place. Glad we stopped, it was a very good hefty burger. We…read morealso had enough room to park our little camper in the back parking . Would definitely come back

CJ's Grilling ended up being one of the few places we visited twice during our Fourth of July road…read moretrip through Bryson City, and that's saying something. Our first visit was great. They had a young one-man musician performing, and while I can't remember his name, he did an excellent job. He honestly ended up being our favorite live entertainment of the entire trip. His performance was one of the reasons we wanted to come back. On our second visit for the Fourth of July, we were excited to catch the advertised live band. The sign said they would start at 7:30, but they were just beginning to set up at that time and didn't look close to playing until much later. We were also a little disappointed that Friday karaoke wasn't happening because of the holiday weekend. We had really been looking forward to it. That said, the food absolutely made up for it. The chicken wings were outstanding--easily some of the best wings we had during our trip. The pork rinds were another surprise favorite and are perfect for sharing while enjoying a drink. CJ's has that laid-back, small-town mountain vibe that's easy to appreciate. If you're passing through Bryson City, it's a great place to stop, relax, and grab some food and drinks. My only recommendation is to call ahead if you're planning your evening around karaoke or live music, just to make sure the schedule is accurate. We'll definitely stop back the next time we're in Bryson City. Great food, friendly atmosphere, and a place that's worth checking out.

Decided to stop here for lunch. Good service, good food, cold beer…read more What more do you need.

Great menu, great waitstaff, and beautiful views right on the Nanthahala River. Lots of fun to see…read morethe thru hikers in the spring in the fall since it's right on the A.T. Highly recommend.

I love this place. Great food, great service and cold beer!! I had the Jerk Trout and it was just…read moreawesome. Notes: Bar stools are first come first serve. There is outdoor seating, but if you are taking photos of the Kayakers you'll want a window seat inside. They do serve breakfast a few days a week. (Meant to take a picture of the sign) Enjoy!!

We stopped by Bryson City Brewing on the Fourth of July during our 2026 North Carolina road trip,…read moreand it was a fun place to spend part of the evening. The brewery itself has a great setup with both indoor and outdoor seating, a full liquor bar in addition to their beers, and a stage for live music. It's in a perfect downtown location, making it easy to walk around Bryson City and explore everything nearby before or after your visit. We tried the Brussels sprouts appetizer along with a couple of their local beers, and both were really good. The only thing that missed the mark for us was the live band that night. Music is incredibly subjective, and they're probably a great fit for many people, but the style just wasn't what we were expecting. Coming from Tampa, we're spoiled with an amazing local music scene and were hoping for something with a little more variety and crowd interaction. Ironically, the highlight of the performance was an adorable little girl who got up and danced her heart out--she absolutely stole the show with her energy and had everyone smiling! After the fireworks, the brewery was hosting an after-party, which looked like a great way to keep the celebration going. Overall, I wouldn't let one band's performance influence my opinion of Bryson City Brewing. The venue, atmosphere, food, drinks, and location all made for a great experience. If you're visiting Bryson City, I'd absolutely recommend stopping in. Looking forward to seeing a different band the next time I'm in town!

This is s nice typical restaurant for American fare. The steak was ok, the salmon was a little…read moreoverdone but tasty. It congress with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The asparagus was delicious! The old fashioned I had was good, however wine drinking but even hand i saw 2 snack bugs inside. The staff here was great!

Good place to stop while passing through the area! We stopped here after hiking a portion of the…read moreAppalachian Trail. This place was the cheapest around. Food was good for the price point and came out super fast. Fun atmosphere eating right on the river.

Need place not far from Natahala We enjoyed our meal and…read moresaved 5 to 7 dollars off. What was available at the park

Tapoco Tavern was one of the absolute highlights of our North Carolina road trip…read more Nestled in the mountains along the river near the Tail of the Dragon, this place is breathtaking. The setting alone is worth the drive, with beautiful mountain views and a peaceful riverside atmosphere. If you're looking for a scenic lunch stop, this is it. The food was just as impressive. I ordered the trout salad--my first time ever trying trout--and it was incredible. Fresh, flavorful, beautifully presented, and one of my favorite meals of the entire trip. One thing to know before you go: there is little to no cell service in the area, so you'll want to connect to the property's Wi-Fi if you need directions or want to use your phone. We'll absolutely be back. Between the scenery, the food, and the overall experience, this is a place I would recommend to anyone exploring the mountains.

Lovely location along the Cheoah River just before the Tail of the Dragon. Even with how busy they…read morewere on a weekend we didn't have to wait long for seating near the river. The food was quite enjoyable- I really liked my nachos with pulled pork, and the service was super friendly as well.

One of the locals told us about this place. It's about a 6…read moreminute walk from The visitor Center in Bryson City. You walk in and order at the counter and then they call your number and you pick up your food. Cute little place with inside and outside seating. We just got a hamburger and a pulled pork sandwich with fries. And a Coke. Prices for reasonable the sandwiches were only like $7. After that we had to try there strawberry shortcake for $5. Super friendly and super fast service. Great place to go if you're on a budget and want to get in and out quickly.. They had tons of sauces to choose from too. Check it out if you're ever in Bryson City downtown.

We were shopping in the area and debating on where to eat, so we asked a local where his favorite…read moreplace to go was and he directed us to the Bar-B-Que Wagon. He basically said "it's right around the corner and to the left;" easy enough ;) This is an old school BBQ joint, nothing super fancy, just straight to the point and prices are very reasonable. Note, this place is cash only so be sure to bring some or you'll have to use the ATM which is conveniently located in the restaurant. We ordered the chopped pork sandwich, a cheese burger and fries and it came to $21. After our meal we went back and ordered the strawberry shortcake ($5). Our food was super fresh and tasty. We enjoyed the variety of BBQ sauces they had available especially the hot and spicy one. We would have liked a little more fries with our meal but for the price I'm not complaining. The restaurant is a bit dated and could use a refresh some other seats are peeling and the tables were sticky but that could be due to whatever chemicals you're using to wipe them down cuz I did see staff cleaning tables after customers left. All in all, a great spot to get a affordable lunch or dinner in a friendly and cozy environment.