Haywood Smokehouse

We've been eating at Haywood Smokehouse for years, and their brisket still makes us drive the extra 20 minutes from Gatlinburg. The meat falls apart with a fork — no knife needed — and one order easily fills two sandwiches if you're sharing. Just don't go expecting to walk right in on a Friday night.

The place only runs Wednesday through Saturday, which catches a lot of tourists off guard. We learned that lesson the hard way on a Sunday road trip. When they are open, the parking lot fills up fast after 5pm, so either get there early or be prepared to circle the block a few times looking for a spot.

Their Brunswick stew is what keeps us coming back as much as the brisket. It's got this smoky depth that most places can't nail, and the burnt ends baked beans are solid too. One visitor we talked to wasn't thrilled with the collard greens, but honestly, we usually skip the greens anyway and load up on the good stuff.

The outdoor patio gives you more seating options when the inside gets packed. Fair warning though — portions here are huge, so unless you're planning on taking leftovers home, consider splitting plates. The staff handles the crowds well even when it gets crazy busy, which is more than we can say for some barbecue joints around here.