Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

My girlfriend and her friends were excited about having a girls night out tonight 01/03/2026 for a birthday dinner at The Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro located in Townsend behind apple valley farms. All was great until I picked her up and the first words out of her mouth was “I wish you were here, our waiter gave us sex offender vibes.” Their waiter, older guy with short grey hair that wouldn’t provide his name when they asked, made ALL of the girls extremely uncomfortable during their visit. He was asking personal questions about their age, birthdays, where they live, where they go to school, then proceeded to have the audacity to ask one of the girls to stand up so he could look at her physique to “guess what sport she played”… I wish that was it… one of the girls had an expired ID and asked if she could get a drink and he told her that “I can’t, but if you come back with a ID that’s in date, I will personally buy you a drink” with a flirtatious smirk. Due to the unsettling night, that is all I could get out of her but she is set on never having any sort of business with this company ever again, word will be spread about this place and I will be contacting management and hopefully there will be some sort of resolution to this issue. Who knows who all this has happened to, I can’t put into words how these girls felt tonight and I can’t imagine that a place of business would allow this to continue.

Do NOT miss this amazing dining experience if you are a true FOODIE! Everything was excellent and yummy! Del as our server made it even more special!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Blown away! We came in for our ten year anniversary while on a trip to Tennessee. I had read how worth this place is to check out and my goodness I agree! Not only is it farm to table with the meats sourced close by and veggies on sight but the tastes and flavor combinations are phenomenal. My husband and I travel a lot and prioritize good places to eat and this comes in near the top! We even ordered two desserts which we never do and we destroyed them. Our server and other staff were so kind and accommodating. We got a sweet little champagne toast (love that they had a non alcoholic option since I’m pregnant) and sent us home with some truffles! Highly recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great atmosphere and the food is some of the best in the area

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Phenomenal dining experience for New Year’s Eve. Food and service was great. Highly recommend this restaurant. The atmosphere and staff made for a great celebration

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Lovely evening. Food diverse and plated beautifully. Server excellent. Loved the location. Would return again and again.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was great. Service was great. Will definitely go back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing food definitely try the duck! Chelsea was our server and was sweet and on point ! We booked our reservation on wrong day but they were able to put us at a table right away ! Enjoyed the fireplace and smores before we left!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Wonderful buffet brunch

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very good food, very expensive tho!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

A surprisingly special gourmet restaurant in the mountains of Tennessee that offers culinary adventures. The wine list is huge and very good.

WOW. This was, without a doubt, the BEST dining experience.

The ambiance (string lights, fire pit, cozy interior) and warm welcome instantly set the perfect mood. Our server, Chelsea, was attentive and wonderful, and the food was absolutely incredible—we couldn't stop eating long enough to take pictures!

The special touches like the champagne toast, bonbons, and even getting the recipe for the dessert made it truly memorable. Before we even left, we were messaging family and friends to book immediately. We will be back! Thank you for an amazing anniversary.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food and beverages, great service and food. Definitely recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

If I could give them more stars, I would. We split the pear salad, I had the filet, which was beautiful and cooked perfectly. My mom had the chicken which she loved. We both ordered different desserts so we could split them. It was the best meal I had on vacation and service was wonderful!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

🐻 The Dancing Bear is one of our favorites in Tennessee—always worth the drive and never a bad meal! 🥖 The bread and butter were absolutely to die for. 🍸 Cocktails were fantastic, and the hot apple cider was superb 🍎🔥.

🥣 The dip platter was crazy good, and the steak tip appetizer had a lot going on. By the time entrées arrived, I was too full to enjoy mine, so I boxed it up—and it was still delicious the next day! 🥡 Others at the table had the Wagyu burger 🍔 and loved it, while the pork chop was perfectly cooked and flavorful 🐖👌.

🔥 After dinner, we gathered around the fire pit, toasted marshmallows, and enjoyed s’mores—a cozy, fun treat on a cold night. 🍫✨

✨ On our first visit, we enjoyed sitting by the fire while waiting for our table—a cozy touch that set the tone for the evening. I have to mention, the bathrooms were absolutely exquisite.

🍴 The halibut was outstanding, and the appetizers were equally impressive—each dish felt like a highlight in its own right.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5