A Review of My First Visit to Sun Diner in Gatlinburg

Whenever I’m deciding on new places to eat, usually first consideration goes to the local places I haven’t yet visited. A variety of factors played a role in me going to Sun Diner, which was the first to open ahead of Jason Aldean’s Kitchen & Rooftop Bar in Gatlinburg. Nevertheless, this restaurant/diner was on my list, and in the moment, it was the most convenient option for a late lunch. I was working a closing shift on this particular day, so my day was already deviated from the norm of my morning routine.

Sun Diner—not to be confused with Pigeon Forge’s Sunliner Diner—opened late-summer, 2023. It’s an homage to the greats of Rock & Roll and the Blues, especially the ones signed to the iconic Sun Records. This is one of the first things that’s quite apparent once you walk inside to see the hundreds of photographs of greats like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Junior Parker, Johnny Cash, and others hanging from the walls of the diner. With the opening of the one here in Gatlinburg, Sun Diner now has two, with their original location in Nashville.

And now for the nitty-gritty from my experience at Sun Diner in Gatlinburg. Since the weather was almost perfect, they had their front door propped open, so that was quite inviting, and a sure sign that maybe I’d have a favorable encounter. It seems they like to seat smaller groups at the diner top tables. There are several rows of these going back into the sizable seating area that also has some tables and booths on the side. Condiments and napkin holders placed neatly on the diner tops were a nice nostalgia touch too.

I noticed a few subtle changes after scanning over the menu, in contrast to the one I observed online. This one was more detailed and helped me make a decision, which, if you know me, is a relief. Davelin, my waitress, was prompt with her arrival to my seat, where I ordered my coffee and told her I would just need a minute for my menu choice. After scanning over the three options I was considering, I opted for the Southwest Omelet, containing eggs, chorizo, cheese, pico de gallo, onion, peppers, with a chipotle ranch crema on top. A side of diced potatoes was included.

Davelin was cordial and attentive, asking me about my vacation to which I replied that I lived here. This surprises many people here for the simple fact that in a tourist town, the out-of-towners vastly outnumber the locals. Throw in the fact it was my first time, and it’s totally understandable. Anyway, the hospitality was appreciated, and once she talked more, it all made sense when she said she was from Michigan. I also have a coworker from there, so being from neighboring Ohio, myself, I picked up on the accent. It’s another aspect about living here that I love: the fact that other people made the leap and settled in the mountains from relatively—or in our case, drastically—flat land.

Within about 10 minutes, my breakfast/brunch entree was served. I was shocked at its appearance, as it doesn’t resemble an omelet at other places. It was round, so I imagine they used one of those circular egg pan/grill cookers. They topped it with some arugula, and I had zero problem with that, sometimes using it as a green in salads. I’m no cook and taste expert, but I hope they used real eggs. I couldn’t really tell for sure, and I didn’t ask. All I know is that it was delicious…and hot. Eggs don’t take long before they get cold—that much is obvious from many meals eating out. I liked having to pause a bit after raising it with my fork after the first five or so bites. I didn’t notice much cheese, but I know it was there. It looked like four eggs were used in the omelet, even though it didn’t say on the menu. The potatoes were a diced mix of Russet, (maybe) Sweet, and another I didn’t recognize. It was a small sample size of starchy goodness I didn’t finish, due to the fact I didn’t want to feel like crap before work (diabetes…remember).

The one downfall was—once again—coffee. I was hoping since it was $4 for unlimited refills, (a dollar more than most others) it would be…well, better. I’m not a fan of Community Coffee in the least, and I know other places in town serve it, but it tasted very similar to it. Disappointing, but I drank what I could as Davelin never kept my cup less than half full, as I was more interested in the caffeine, despite not particularly enjoying every sip.

I wasn’t about to leave any of my omelet behind. While I refused a to-go cup of coffee, there was no need for toting leftover food back to the apartment. I feel like $15 was a fair price for my Southwest Omelet and potatoes. The portions and taste reflected the price, and that’s all you can hope for with your vittles.

Even though I had peeked through the windows a time or two, I really liked the atmosphere here. It was clean, and while it wasn’t that busy, everyone seemed to be aligned with their duties. If they were scrambling or short-handed, it didn’t seem that way. I also like the hanging bulbs from the ceiling, and of course, who doesn’t love a good neon sign or two. Also, a large screen television screen provided an appropriate backdrop, showing live performances from legendary musicians under the Sun Records machine, along with live, modern programs shown at other wall-mounted screen around the inside.

So…would I return? Yes! I’ll be honest with y’all, I didn’t have high expectations for Sun Diner. They are affiliated with Jason Aldean’s Kitchen & Rooftop Bar under the TC Restaurant Group umbrella. Why is that a problem? Well, it’s not; it’s just that I prefer supporting local businesses. So while I would return, it won’t be a place I frequent, and that’s still saying something since I try to avoid the tourist-trap places. My final score is a 4.3 out of five. Again, excellent, friendly service and hot, delicious food ruled this review. The $4 coffee was the only real downfall of the meal, and while it’s not their fault I dock them for being a place mainly for tourists, it’s just the way it is for me. You have to absolutely blow me away for a 5-star rating as a tourist-driven establishment.

I hope you enjoyed my latest review of Sun Diner in downtown Gatlinburg! Let me know what you think if you’ve dined here, or are excited to come here as a first-time visitor yourself. Stay tuned for more reviews! I have more places that will be firsts for me in the upcoming weeks, so you’ll want to hang around to see what I think of them. Thank you so much for reading and subscribing to A Gatlinburg NOW Publication!