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Spring Creek Tavern

4.1 (139 reviews)
ModerateBars, American
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 1 week ago

Spring Creek Tavern Photos

Business Info

SPRING CREEK TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Spring Creek Tavern

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Jim K.

A great spot overlooking Spring Creek, Spring Creek Tavern feels like it's been around for over a century. Possibly it has. There's usually a wait to get in and be seated so bring a little patience, it's worth it. A terrific beer list compliments the tavern food. We enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and Fish Tacos, but the fries were the star of the show! A huge, generous serving was way more than two people could devour. This is a cool place to soak up the town's vibe after soaking in the hot springs tub. Enjoy!.

Isabella S.

Everything was great from the food coming out quick after a long day on the river, the excellent service, and the atmosphere! There are vegetarian options. There's public parking within a 5 min walk and really pretty patio seating. If you're planning on getting on of their world famous appetizer it can be a little pricey. GET ONE BASKET OF FRIES FOR 2/4 PEOPLE THEY ARE HUGE.

Menue
Robert G.

My wife and I ate here for the first time for lunch. It was a nice day so we dined outside. There's a small stream that runs along side the restaurant and the deck which made the dining very pleasant. So our waiter was just ok. He was very pleasant but not very efficient. I did notice that the other waitstaff (all female) were exceptional and very attentive to their tables. The menu had a good selection with a variety of appetizers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, pizza and more. I was happy with the selection and prices were very reasonable. Lots of craft beer to choose from as well. We both ordered the chicken tenders and WOW, they were huge! Very delicious and a value for sure. Our sides were tasty as well except the cole slaw was bland. Be advised that there is smoking outside where we ate and unfortunately, we were next to and down wind of a chain smoker. There is no nonsmoking outside area. Overall, good place to dine in a neat little town. We will be back.

Cheese Sticks, just order.  You will thank me later!!!!
Max A.

Every time we go thru Hot Springs, we stop for Cheese Sticks. These ain't your Cosco freezer to fryer type, these are giant, hand rolled, super top secret ingredients awesomeness!!!! Seriously, people come from all around just to get them. Wash them down with an NC craft draft and you're golden!!!!

Kathy V.

Hot Springs is tiny. There are very few food options. And they aren't all open every day of the week. Spring Creek Tavern is, importantly, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. But, also importantly (especially in Covid-times), they have outdoor seating available. So during my week staying in Hot Springs, I knew I would eat here at least once. I just had to wait until mid-week to do it. I only had a short wait, and spent it sitting near the creek on the other side of the road. There is no cell service in town, so when you are called for your seat being ready...your name is shouted from the entrance by someone loud enough to be heard at all ends of the two-block main drive in town. They have a surprisingly varied and interesting beer list. Kudos on that! And the staff I interacted with were great. A good suggestion from the server had me ordering their cheese sticks. Provolone cheese, hand-rolled in salami, then wrapped in wonton/egg roll wrappers and deep fried. Stoopid delicious. The order is large and I am but one person, so I ate half and took half as leftovers....and y'all they were just as tasty a few hours later, not even reheated! What I really came for, though, was a burger after my hike nearby. And the burger was alright. Nothing spectacular, but it hit the spot for sure. I came back another day and got fries and a wrap. The wrap was not awesome, but I wanted something that seemed a little healthier that a burger. And the fries were indeed delicious. The fries as a side are a la carte, ordered separate from the main dishes. And the serving size is GENEROUS. Enough for probably 3-4 people to share. Or...enough for me to supplement my lunch and have leftovers at my Airbnb later that night. It is probably the most popular of the 4 restaurants in town (primarily thanks to its accessible menu, operating hours, and outdoor seating) so, especially during pandemic times, expect a wait. Be patient. And then enjoy your food!

Tots
Jamie W.

After soaking in the hot springs tub, we were hungry. We decided to try out Spring Creek Tavern. This place has a great laid back vibe. We sat outside on the deck by the river. Ellin was super welcoming and a wonderful server. Of course we tried the world famous cheese sticks. Which were pretty amazing. I also tried a couple a of dark "baby beers" (my name for them ... they called them samples). We settled on wings & tots and a pizza, classic tavern food. Everything was delicious and really hit the spot! Ended up taking a bunch of it home with us ... bonus it all reheated fabulously!

An enormous Buffalo Chicken sandwich and the best and biggest mozzarella sticks I've ever eaten !
Scott P.

Traveling thru the western NC mountains and needing a lunch break, we stopped in Hot Springs for a bite. Spring Creek Tavern always seemed to be a popular spot in town on our trips back and forth from Tennessee but we had always been in a hurry. Sure glad we made time ! From the friendly greeting and excellence service, to our meal, an outstanding experience. On the recommendation of our waitress, we ordered the hand rolled cheese sticks, which are the size and shape of large egg rolls with the addition of salami inside. Amazing ! We chose to split a Buffalo chicken sandwich which blew us away with its sheer enormity and crispy outside and moist, tender inside. The portions here are huge ! I recommend sitting on the covered deck next to the river and enjoy a beer from their impressive local beer tap. We will be back soon !

Wayne W.

The food was great and the service was amazing. Highly recommend. Best tots and fries I've ever eaten and the Nachos were so good! You get a LOT of food for your money!

Jeni S.

Nifty little tavern - actually on Spring Creek, which adds great ambience to a meal or a happy hour toast, especially if sitting on the outdoor covered porch and enjoying the water rippling nearby. The staff is friendly, and attentive, and helpful. And a super shout out to Dan, for making helping us navigate a crowded evening, and ensure a safe and accessible experience despite my bulky wheelchair. We enjoyed a bottle of wine at the bar by the creek, then moved to a table under a fan for dinner. The Cajun Philly cheesesteak (meaty and well-flavored) was amazing, and the fried catfish tacos were (honestly) the BEST fish tacos I have ever had in my life (what IS that incredible sauce drizzled over the very very crispy fish and generous serving of slaw?), and I have them nearly weekly. The Buffalo dip(served with warm pita) was also absolutely delicious and we really enjoyed the handmade cheese sticks (comes with a salsa sauce, but they are even better dipped in the Buffalo dip!). We live either hours away, but anytime we have reason to be back in the area -- this is a must visit place!

Cheese Sticks
Katherine C.

Love the decor, atmosphere and of course the food here. I had the Buffalo chicken sandwich which was gigantic and covered in the delicious wing sauce. The fries are cute shoe string potatoes with tons of seasoning. The appetizer was by far my favorite- cheese sticks with meat (salami or pepperoni) inside, so yummy! Our waitress was so sweet and she even painted this awesome Grateful Dead mural! The food takes a little while but it is definitely worth the wait and the servers are so great.

Excellent Hot Dog with Chili

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3 months ago

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Great local bar with above average for food. We especially loved their unique signature appetizer and wings. Will visit everyone in town.

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3 years ago

Love the atmosphere the servers are great. Mandy makes it fun love her. The food is always great and beer menu is superb.

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Ask the Community - Spring Creek Tavern

Smoky Mountain Diner - Three eggs, choice of potato,  meat, served with biscuits and gravy.

Smoky Mountain Diner

4.3(115 reviews)
0.2 mi
•$$

I was in Hot Springs for a couple of days on section hike of the Appalachian Trail. I stopped in to…read moreeat 3 different meals there over the course of three days. Day 1: Lunch. Another hiker and I decided to stop in as we got to town and have a late lunch. It had been a couple of days since we'd had town food and we were tired and hungry. The first thing I noticed was the wait to be seated. We waited about 20 minutes, and once we got to the dining area, there were several empty tables. Once we're seated and ordered, the food came out timely and was delicious. I had a cheeseburger and the cherry cobbler with ice cream. Day 2: Breakfast. Since the food was good, we decided to go back for breakfast again the next day. Again, there was a wait to be seated. We were a group of 5 so we expected there might be a wait. The waitress was friendly and our orders were placed quickly. it did take a while for the food to come out from the kitchen. I had a country breakfast plate with ham. Again the food was delicious. Day 3: Supper. We had a relatively short wait to be seated this time. We were seated and asked for some water. It took over 20 minutes to get the water. Finally a different waitress came out and took our order. I ordered the hungry hiker challenge. It is a cheeseburger with three 8-ounce burger patties on it. The menu says if you finish you get some free cobbler. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that a local who came in and sat down after we were seated had already been served and was done eating before our food arrived. I finished the burger, and some of the other patron's noticed and congratulated me. When the waitress arrived she asked if we needed anything else. I asked if the free cobbler came with ice cream on it. She said no, so I ordered ice cream to go with my cobbler. It was a peach that day. Again, the food was delicious. The main thing that I notice about the restaurant was that despite having great food, service was pretty slow. One of the hikers I ate with noticed that the waitresses seemed to have to seat the customers, take the orders, deliver the food, clean the tables, and handle the check-out at the end of the meals. It seems like the service would have been much quicker if they had someone handling the seating, check-out's, and possibly bussing and cleaning tables. The worst part of the experience was the long waits to be seated and for the food to come out. The food itself was great and I found the servers and other customers to be friendly. The furnishings were clean with a 1960's diner feel. Overall, I would hesitate to go back if I were in a hurry of any kind. If time is no object, the food is great.

While staying at Broadwing Farms, Smoky Mountain Diner was recommended to us. Not only was the food…read moreamazing, the entire experience was so nostalgic that I'm looking forward to booking another stay in Hot Springs again soon and enjoying more meals here. Next time, I'm leaving room for pie. I don't believe we had just one waitress. It seems that in this quaint little Diner, everyone is looked after and checked on as a whole by staff. My Ball jar of sweet tea was never any less than half full, and that sweet tea was *chef's kiss*. We both decided on the meatloaf, and I opted for cornbread, green beans and pickled beets. I felt like I had been transported back in time and was being fed by my great great grandmother. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know. But I haven't had cornbread, meatloaf or beets like this in so many years. It did not taste like restaurant food, it tasted like home cooking. We're already planning our next little "run away from life and parenthood" to Hot Springs, and Smoky Mountain Diner is top of the "will definitely visit again" list. Thank you for treating us like family.

Photos
Smoky Mountain Diner - Dining area.

Dining area.

Smoky Mountain Diner - Lunch on Day 1.

Lunch on Day 1.

Smoky Mountain Diner - Specials board.

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Specials board.

The Hole In The Wall - Pepper jack burger, tots and basket of fried pickles

The Hole In The Wall

4.5(13 reviews)
27.8 mi

Yes, a 4 star country kitchen with an extensive menu and two delightful women who run the place…read more The hours very by the day if the week. The serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner depending on the day. It's a little disconcerting when you pull up to my the entrance and slightly more as you step in the dining room. But the place, though worn, is spotlessly clean. The food that they prepare is all scratch made to order. So don't be impatient it's well worth the wait. My wife had corn dogs and fries. The corn dogs had a wonderful crunchy cornmeal crust that reminded me of my childhood (I'm pushing 70). I had the patty melt that had a very tasty yet unknown cheese that was so melty that I loved the sandwich. This place is a little out of the way but if you are anywhere near Johnson City it's worth the effort.

Just had breakfast here for the first time this morning. I had the biscuit and gravy with bacon,…read morescrambled eggs and added a side of cheddar rounds. My husband had the pancakes. The pancakes were just ok.... They made the batter as we ordered it so it didn't have time to absorb the flour so it wasn't all that good. He said he would try a burrito next time. I loved my biscuits and gravy. The gravy was a darker color but the sausage was so flavorful and it was light in pepper which I like because I don't like pepper. The biscuit was a really great size and fluffy. The bacon is not thick cut but still Crispy and good, eggs were cooked nicely. Now on to the cheddar rounds..... I try these all over but these are the absolute closest you will get to the Pals version. They were lacking the season salt which would have made them taste like Pals. Over all I was very happy and will definitely be back!!! Also the prices were good (pic of menu (included)

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The Hole In The Wall - Dining Room

Dining Room

The Hole In The Wall - Corn Dogs and Fries

Corn Dogs and Fries

The Hole In The Wall - Front Entrance

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Front Entrance

Spring Creek Tavern - bars - Updated May 2026

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