Brief Burg Steakhouse Review: Best Salad Bar in Gatlinburg?

This visit wasn’t planned, but when the time came, I knew the salad bar at Burg Steakhouse would be my introduction to their menu. Why? Well, I’ll get into that in a bit. Burg Steakhouse is a family owned and operated restaurant in Gatlinburg. In a place with some larger chains and tourist-driven eateries, this is a refreshing—and much desired—option for a meal. They’ve only been open for a few years, so I can be excused (hopefully?) for not visiting earlier. Here’s my opinion of the overall experience.

This was actually my second time visiting Burg Steakhouse. It was here on one of my recent trips as a tourist where I walked in and had an adult beverage at the bar. That was the extent of the visit.

So this time I was ready to try out the food. But I wasn’t about to commit to one of their high-end entrees. You’ll spend a chunk for them, but I’m not judging the restaurant for these prices. They might actually be worth it; however, it’s not part of my review this time. This was a trial run.

From my first time walking in, I could tell it was dimly lit on the inside, giving off vibes of a premium eatery. It may bother some people, but I wasn’t offended. The place looked clean, and I got the impression the staff was ready to take care of everyone’s needs. Expectations were met in that regard from the get-go. My basic ice water drink was taken immediately after being seated, and my order was taken after it was delivered. Pretty easy, but somehow some restaurants can’t even make this work efficiently. So far, so good.

Yes, I chose the All-You-Can-Eat Salad Bar and Hot Sides Buffet. When you think of a buffet where you can also select the latter, you’re probably thinking just soup and maybe something minuscule like a sauce or gravy. Uh, no, not here. Yes, the hot bar had soup, but toss in mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade macaroni and cheese, squash, cooked vegetable medley, southern-style green beans, corn on the cob, and a rice-based casserole, who even has room for the salad bar. Oh yeah, there was also a delicious warm apple dessert that resembled apple crisp, but without the…uh, crisp. By far the biggest pleasant surprise of the meal was this spread.

The salad bar wasn’t to be outdone. Everything looked fresh and stocked well, just as the hot bar was. Two separate trays for spring mix and romaine was a nice, convenient touch at the start. It had everything and more. Dare I say it looked like there were even more choices than the Peddler? All the salad veggies were present, including carrots. But even if you didn’t want raw carrots, the cooked version was also in the hot bar parallel to it. Complimentary salad bits, including bacon, ham, croutons, eggs, potato, bow-tie, and macaroni salad were there for the taking.

The salad bar was everything you expect from a salad. Everything tasted well, but the kicker was this: I didn’t have to wait on anyone to get what I wanted from the buffet. Of course I walked in at around 3:40 on a Thursday, but honestly, that was nice. Sure, it didn’t ruin the experience at both The Peddler and The Park Grill, (both great places as well) but a little peace and quiet is a nice change of pace here in Gatlinburg where you can be overstimulated.

Overall, I left with a very favorable opinion about Burg Steakhouse. I also left with a full belly, wholly satisfied with this elevated sensory exposure. Will I return? Absolutely. With my local discount, I spent a shade under $20 (not including tip) for an all-you-can-consume meal that rivaled a holiday gathering with the family, only without the main course.

The question remains: Is it the best salad bar in Gatlinburg? Oh yeah, I’m definitely putting it at the top. Value is what really elevated it. It’s every bit as good as the others, but the hot bar was superb. I think Burg Steakhouse charges just a dollar more than the competition; you’re getting significantly more than a dollar’s worth of good grub though. And I’d like to apologize for calling it grub. If I come back for a splurge entree meal, this is also included. You shouldn’t leave without getting your fair share of food here.

Burg Steakhouse is located on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg just before the Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen stand-alone location. It’s on the left up a set of stairs at the beginning of an alley-way that leads to a parking lot.

Thank you for reading and subscribing to my publication! I hope you enjoyed my latest restaurant review, and maybe you will consider this local eatery instead of a chain on your next visit. These establishments are the lifeblood of this community that I’m always happy to support. Again, I appreciate your thoughts and kindness with my work. I expect to keep giving you all of my perspectives from life here in beautiful Gatlinburg!