This is a tough review. Here's the good: The restaurant is large, clean and spacious and the service is great. The food however is a little complicated. The food is plentiful. The meat is falling-off-the-bone tender. And there are three BBQ sauces: mild, sweet and spicy. Here's the bad: The food is only as good as the sum of its parts. The ribs alone, okay. The pulled pork, practically bland. Potato salad and BBQ sauces, they're okay. Everything is not bad, but not good either. It's like BBQ made for people who are supposed to be watching their diet. Low sugar. Low salt. Low flavour. Here's the solution: Combine everything. Order the pretty good potato salad and the better than average baked beans, get a bit of each in your mouth, and boom: You've got a yummy mouthful. Did you get the well cooked but bland pulled pork? Worry not friends. Combine the BBQ sauces. Soak that pulled pork with two parts of the okay Spicy sauce, one part of the meh Sweet sauce and three parts of the, more flavorful but still missing something, Mild sauce. And tadaah, You've got the most amazing Pulled Pork Sandwich. Then, use that same sauce combo for your ribs to kick them up. Ultimately, it's a DIY BBQ situation and up to you to decide if the taste is worth the effort. read more

The rib's color looks tempting although not much the deep-brown char. It's not rich or tasty, but excellently moist and has great texture. The fatty meat is still there to enjoy. I'm not fond of the sweetness but I can moderate fix it easily with the hot sauce. Great setup with outside tables. Nothing special for the sides. The pulled pork in the sandwich is kind of boring as it has no taste. Definitely will come back for the ribs. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Passed by this place for years. Decided to try them. Ribs were terrible, green beans were ok, slaw was ok. Side portions were enough for 2 fork fulls. Heard there were new owners.....should not have gone in on a Saturday night around 6pm....no cars, no customers. Im not that picky, but what a waste of time and money. read more

First time I've ever eaten here. I ordered the ribs. They were the best tasting ribs I have ever had. They had a wonderful smoked flavor with a light barbecue sauce.. My kids and wife said they enjoyed their meals also. The place was definitely very clean. I'm so glad I tried thisplace. I will be back. read more

Good value for money, soft tender ribs, and pulled pork. We did the sausage special, with Mac and cheese and French fries, the French fries were perfectly salty and crispy. We went about an hour before they closed, the place was clean and the staff was friendly. My husband who typically doesn't like barbecue style food really enjoyed it. A little bit off the strip which is awesome, at the end of the roaring fork motor trail, definitely stop and grab some lunch after your hike! read more

The smoke wings were not smoked.. Mac and cheese just ok... full plate of Ribs... I would not order again. If this is the only place open... you will be fed. No real direction on what to do once you enter the restaurant. Customer left to figure it out on their own. Barbecue sauce not that great either... So I have had BBQ in Texas, Memphis, NC etc.. this is just food at a rudimentary level. So if you're hungry, you'll be fine. If you're looking for a great barbecue go somewhere else. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Ribs... - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Their hours say open until 8pm, we showed up at 5:30pm and they refused to serve us. There were two other people inside ordering and wouldn't let us order because "they were the last customers being served". We're from out of state and heard they had good bbq and wanted to try it but guess not. Smelled good inside but we'll never know. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Posted hours - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

This place came highly recommended and if I knew his name I would thank him. The pulled pork and sausage was the bomb!

Little place on the side of the road. If you blink you just may miss it. You order at the counter. The owner explained the menu to us. Food Pulled pork dinner with Mac and cheese and corn Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and corn Pulled pork dinner with potato salad and Mac and cheese Tennessee smokes sausage with potato salad, corn and baked beans Pulled pork was good. The smoke flavor was the hero. Mac and cheese was good not stand out but when eaten with bbq sauce and meat it was awesome Corn was sweet and juicy it was a half ear. Coleslaw was rich and creamy. Baked beans were flavorful. Potato salad was red dill potato salad. I loved the dill. Sausage was flavorful and all the bread was soft and tasty. The owner (I think) was really nice and friendly. It is a small establishment that packs a flavorful punch. read more

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The man behind the counter was so kind, and the food was amazing!!! Some of the best BBQ I've ever had. The sauces were delicious, and the baked beans were phenomenal. Highly recommend this place. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Hungry Bear BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Stopped here because it was close to our cabin and it smelled amazing every time we passed. I got the pork dinner and my hubby got the chicken dinner. Very very good!! The pork is delicious without bbq sauce, but even better with. Great portions and even better prices. I definitely recommend this little known gem in Gatlinburg! read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Pork dinner with green beans, Mac and cheese, and roll. - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

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We wanted bar b q and remembered that is was on the road leading to the condo we were staying in over the weekend. We stopped and went inside. Looked the menu. The best deal appears to be the special. It has 3 ribs, pulled pork, enough for a sandwich and sausage sliced up. It comes with 2 sides. We were looking for enough to eat now and some later. There was enough for both. The owner was nice and sides were small but tasty place is quaint and the gentleman that took my order was cordial. read more

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Restaurant smells old and musty. Pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are dry. Fries were cold and old. Didn't look like the guy behind the counter wanted to be there. He was the only one there. Last time wasn't that bad. This time wasn't that good. This was the last time. read more

Stopped by for quick dinner after day in park. Liked that it was not in craziness of Gatlinburg. The restaurant was clean and had indoor and outdoor options. We had pulled pork and brisket meals. The meat was tender and flavorful. The fries were hot and just crispy (not overdone). The cole slaw was vinegar based but had pepper in it that I liked. The guy working there checked with everyone in the restaurant to see if they liked the meal. read more

One of the only places we could find to order BBQ from and have an Uber Eats driver deliver to the Chalet Village area. Extra tip to our wonderful driver for making the drive up winding roads to bring us Hungry Bear pork ribs and a brisket sandwich. The fries were cold but we tossed them in the oven. Don't order the green beans unless you like canned, old school cafeteria vegetables. The red velvet cake for dessert was a moist and delicious treat! read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Pork rib. Just the right amount of sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

We've been in Gatlinburg to visit GSMNP and we've been avoiding traffic and those eatery in the main part of the town. We run into this place (which is near where we stay) and didn't disappoint. I ordered Pork Special with 3 ribs, pulled pork (under ribs), and sausages with 2 sides and 2 rolls. The meat was tender and juicy and the taste and its smokiness was just right. I couldn't finish it and had to pack home. The price is also very reasonable. Definitely the best decision for dinner! More importantly, it's a small local business and I'd rather support them than any chained or prominent establishments, any day. read more

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Hungry Bear is a place for great value BBQ. Food at Smoky Mountains is not cheap, but Hungry Bear is decently priced. The smoker in the front makes finding them easy, just follow the wonderful aroma and the white smoke! We ordered the pork sampler with ribs and sausages, and also the brisket meal. The flavors were great but unfortunately they were a bit on the drier side. read more

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A tiny bbq joint with some great deals. While navigating to the Hungry Bear Bbq we noticed that there was a ton of white smoke ahead and sure enough the billowing smoke and the bright blue of the building signified our destination is on the right. The place is a converted house, with a small parking lot of maybe 10-12 spots. The smoker is out in front so the smells of Q invited in guests. They wrap their ribs so for those who are particular on that sort, you could keep a note of that. They had a number of specials and I though the pork special was a good deal. $16.49 for sausage, ribs, pulled pork with two sides and two rolls. I also needed to get some brisket as well $18.99 for the dinner with two sides and some rolls. The rolls reminded me of Hawaiian rolls - where's my white bread? The brisket that they cut for us was a bit dry, didn't have all the interfat that I'm used to. The ribs were very fall off bone (due to the wrapping) which I like, and the pulled pork had some good charred pieces in there and the sausage was quite huge. I wish the meat was a tad warmer and less dry but the portions made up for it. The bbq sauce was sweet and mixed with hot sauce it's the type of sauce I grew up on. Sides: Mac n cheese creamy, Brunswick stew peppery and sweet (was expecting more meat pieces), beans - peppery, Cole slaw - tastes as expected. Portions are a highlight definitely, enough food to pack away for at least another meal. My family of 6 chomped down on these two plates and it filled us up for sure - I didn't have to eat anymore personally. It wasn't too busy, there was a steady stream of customers but the staff could have been more attentive to taking the orders. I think they may have been busy in the back prepping their next batch. Don't expect fast service. While not the best q I've had, definitely worth a visit for the good portions to fill up. I'll be back. read more

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We were hangry and overwhelmed with Gatlinburg traffic. We drove by and it smelled SO good so we stopped. This is probably the cleanest bbq place I've seen. We had the ribs, pulled pork and chicken. All were delicious and loved the sauce options. Fries were good but I did see them frozen in the cooler by the cash register so probably wouldn't order again. Most importantly, we were all very happy to be well fed, get great service and carry on our way to a hike. read more

I wish I could've tried everything, not one single complaint, the ribs? Great. The pork? Amazing. And don't even get me started on the baked beans, absolutely to die for. The man inside was very friendly and welcoming along with the restaurant itself being very cute and clean, already planning on coming by for our next visit to gatlinburg read more

The ribs were bomb. The service, not so much. The vibes were up, the prices were also up. Disclaimer: water cups are charged and a card fee is assessed. Bring waters and cash!! And order the ribs. read more

Food was great and we got it quick! Service was excellent. I would definitely come again. We got the pork plate and chicken plate and we had so much food. read more

Don't let the outside fool you! We stopped here for a quick lunch, and was greeted with the most amazing smells.... Ribs are fall off the bone. The Mac and cheese is out of this world! read more

Whenever I looked at what dishes are famous in NC or Tennessee, I usually will find BBQ or some meat dishes in there (ribs, etc). That's why I was so excited when we went on for bbq. We ordered brisket sandwich and the meat was greasy, yet very dry. at that point, you might as well add some hay or wood chips in the buns and can't really tell the difference. We also ordered drinks, but the tea container is empty and the cashier was nowhere to be found so I couldn't really ask her about it. My in-law ordered ribs dinner and found out the buns that came with the dinner were moldy.....makes you wonder if your buns were moldy too. Given the price and the quality, I don't recommend people to come back. read more

The Chicken isn't really that good. Kinda dry and looks kinda gross. The fries were good and the Mac and cheese was okay.

Great bbq found just outside the Smoky mts. The weather was nice so we got to sit outside and enjoy our BBQ. It took a little longer than expected but once the food came there was plenty and it was delicious. We ordered the pork sampler and brisket meals. The pork sampler I enjoyed the sausage, you get a big piece of it, unlike other bbq places where you just get a slice or two. The ribs were good too. The brisket I wish was a bit more fatty but tasty nonetheless. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

We were so hungry I didn't stop to take pictures of the food but we tried just about everything and it was all Amazing and kid-approved! Ribs melted off the bones, chicken was moist and full of flavor, brisket was delicious with the different bbq sauces, and sides were good with fries being a huge portion. I highly recommend plus it's away from the busy main roads! read more

Pulled pork sandwich $10. After adding baked beans and a 1/3 ear of corn and a large potatoe salad near $35. Beans tasted like baked beans out of the can. Potatoe salad tastes and has consistency of instant potatoes. Not worth it. Pork was cold. Corn was hot. read more

Menu changed from previous pictures that listed a combo plate with 4 meats and 2 sides. They no longer have any chicken and only have a pick 2. Sides are very small. I don't think the value is there for the amount of food you get. The taste of food and service was good but would not go back. read more

Pros: not busy, clean restrooms Cons: food was horrible- chicken tenders were not edible. The pulled pork sandwich was bland with less then average meat. The fries were frozen grocery store fries. Overpriced- they give you a large handful of fries but 8 small chicken stripes and a pulled pork sandwich for $50 is crazy We stopped here because of the 3.5 stars and it looked like a quick easy spot to get lunch. It was 1:00 and we were the only people in the place. They call themselves a bbq place- this 100% is not a bbq place. The smoker outside is all for show - none of the meat way smoked. It was all made/reheated in the microwave. We should have known it wasn't worth eating at when it was the one place in town with no one eating in there. 2 starts is being very generous. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Pulled pork sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

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Man.. checked out the hungry bear for lunch and was the worst bbq joint I've been too. We waited 45 minutes for the food and sheesh .. lemme tell you. The food was cold , the meat quality was horrendous, and the sides were beyond salvageable. Almost like chef boyardee was in the back making the sides . I hope that the little smoker in the front isn't the one they used to cook the meat. The best part about my experience was the drink fountain. At least my 4 cups of sprite was carbonated. I wouldn't recommend the bbq joint to anyone who doesn't have a whole lot of toilet paper. read more

Where do I start?? We were looking for a BBQ place outside of the main Gatlinburg village to avoid crowds. We walked by this place and it has a cute smoker right outside and the smell was so good. We walked in and were greeted by a friendly staff who was so kind and answered all the questions we had about their menu. We ended up with their pork special which contains sausage, pulled pork, three ribs, two sides, and two rolls. The ribs were so tender and seasoned deliciously. The sausages were tasty and pulled pork was just well-seasoned. I did not need any sauce but adding their sauce further elevated the taste of the dish. One of us had their brisket and I was told it was also very scrumptious. Their sides were really good too. I had potato salad and cold slaw. I definitely will visit this place again if I find myself in the area. read more

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Barely speak English. Portion sizes are ridiculous. A pulled pork sandwich and two sides that could be a kids meal cost $22. what a joke. should cost $10 at most. I'll never buy from here again. They're obviously out to rip people off. read more

I have had BBQ from all over the country and this tiny Hut if you will is something special for a nice lunch / dinner to go. They obviously have done BBQ for some time. The small when you pull in the lot is Wonderful . You can see where they smoke and cook their meat and tell it has been around a bit. The Ladies running this fine place were too nice, funny and helpful. I had the last of the pulled pork for the day. It was very very good and the sauce choices were spot on. I went with the sweet and it complimented the pulled pork perfectly. Enjoy a delicious sandwich ..you will be happy you did. read more

brisket was super dry and almost inedible, plus the fact that it was cold, everything else tasted fine otherwise.

Overpriced food especially considering the small portions and price - $77 for a family of 4. Super slow service, took 45 minutes to get our lunch order. Place is run down and food just not very good. The brisket was dry and tough and the ribs fatty. Only positive was the Mac n cheese. We wish we would've checked the Yelp reviews first. We definitely won't be back, there are much better places in town. read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Pork Special - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

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Coming from the east coast, i had high hopes for this BBQ and it was a bit of a 50/50. We came an hour before closing and the owner was really helpful in terms of choosing our meats- we also got our meats very quickly! Ordered just meats- 1lb of the beef brisket and 1lb of the pork ribs. The brisket itself lacked flavor and was a bit dry. Their hot and sweet sauce however really saved the brisket and added a lot to the texture. The portion for the 1lb also looked a little light. It was tender and juicy- just not that much flavor on its own. The ribs however- amazing!!! The meat was FALLING off the bone bc of how tender it was. The BBQ sauce on the ribs had amazing flavor but wasn't overly sweet. The portion sizes were great. The meat had a lot of flavor even on its own and was very pleasant to eat- great portion sizes!! read more

Hungry Bear BBQ #2 - Menu as of June 2021 - Barbeque Near Me - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

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Solid BBQ. Reasonable Line management. Get the pork not the chicken. The chicken isn't bad. It's just that the pork is incredible. Great classic BBQ joint feel. read more

Staying nearby and they had the smoker by the road and the smell drew us in. Walked in and the only employee was cleaning behind the counter. He then proceeded to walk by us and start cleaning a table. After 5 minutes with no one acknowledging us we just left. read more

Skip this place. The pulled pork had a horrible burnt flavor. not smokey, just burnt. The brisket was bland but at least it didn't taste like ashes. read more