Gatlinburg Brand New Restaurant Review: Taco Trail Taqueria & Bar

When TGI Fridays closed last year, it was quickly announced that there would be a new concept restaurant from the Collier Group opening in the same space. The new Taco Trail Taqueria & Bar (or Taco Trail, for short) debuted, fittingly, on the first day of spring, March 20. Before I get into the nuts and bolts of my review, this was a paid visit, and I have no personal or business connection to the restaurant and anyone who works here. This will be as honest a review as any other fellow customers have for this establishment. With that being said, let’s get started!

Upon walking inside, we were kindly greeted by the young ladies working the counter. The menu boards were very clear and detailed, plus they have takeout menus and 2 different sized ones you can grab at the entrance before you get in line. This was appreciated, because I always take too much time deciding what I want, and this was laid out in a sense that was extremely transparent. It’s also important to note you can customize your order if you have allergies. Don’t want a corn tortilla? No problem. Despite what the item description says, you can substitute a flour one at no extra charge.

On the right is a kiosk for To-Go orders as well!

After ordering, you’ll receive a tracking “puck” and set it on your table. And you will have plenty of seating options from which to place that puck. The inside is spacious with a bar area, outdoor patio, booths, plus tables and chairs. There’s a drink station that’s better than most establishments. Why is that? Well, they have an ice bucket with lemons in it for your water or whatever drink you want to add with it. Also, bonus points for having a Folgers coffee machine. It’s rare to even find this in most hotels we’ve stayed in.

During busy rushes, I feel you wouldn’t ever feel claustrophobic in here, and I have to mention how much brighter they’ve made this space. TGI Fridays felt as dark as a dimly lit dungeon (slight exaggeration), so this is a marked improvement that, in my opinion, elevates the guest experience.

Now for the food…

I prepared ahead of time by skipping breakfast. This was going to be an “everything and anything goes” meal for me. Being diabetic is challenging, but this occasion had me taking one for the team. It’s not often I do this, but the initial hype of Taco Trail from influencers raised my anticipation levels more than usual.

My order? I selected the Chicken Fajita taco, and went against the grain getting a BBQ Spicy Pork taco for my second. My wife ordered their Chicken Queso Mac and Steak Fajita tacos; my son went with the Chicken Bacon Ranch and Chicken Fajita taco. We shared a heaping appetizer of chips and queso.

How was it?

The flavors were absolutely on point! My only complaint was the temperature of the pork, but that was only due to the fact they had to re-plate the dishes, which was a minor mistake. These tacos are all freaking huge! They’re not like tacos from other places where you can easily fold them to eat. The trays they give you are needed. You will be spilling some of the ingredients, unless you are a pro. We saw just how a large Chicken Tender looked like on my wife’s Chicken Queso Mac. Wow! But it wouldn’t mean anything if the chicken wasn’t tasty. News Flash: It was!

I’m not going to go too detailed on the ingredients. You can look at the menu I’ve added, but I do want to talk about something else on the menu: value. Yes, these tacos range from $5 to a hair over $6, depending on what you’re ordering. It’s a tremendous value for your money. They even have a handful of breakfast tacos… yes, breakfast. A few of them are available for under $5! And yes, they have the now pricey eggs on them… and it’s an all-day thing. From 9-9, (their operating hours) you can order breakfast or anything else on the menu, so no confusion over when they start serving certain items. I love this!

Another thing I have to taco about (sorry, I had to) is their customer service. I know this was their first day opening to the public, but they nailed it with their concern and openness for feedback over how things were going. The manager came over asking us how we liked our meal, and another employee came to check on us, asking for our “honest” (the word she used) opinion on the food. That’s pretty rare from our experiences—usually just a polite but generic, “you guys doing okay?” We were thanked and we returned the favor, telling them we would definitely return. Uh-oh, I’m giving away the review. Well, I think you already get where I’m going with this.

Before I conclude, I can’t forget about the last part of the meal we normally furiously deny because we’re too full to think about, and I don’t consider it anyway, 99% of the time… dessert!

In this case, dessert came in the form of 2 large Cinnamon Apple Churros. I haven’t had many churros, if any at all, but they’re easily the best I’ve ever… uh, shared. I had a few more bites than I wanted, but they were so good. A crispy outer layer, dusted with cinnamon, and a soft inner layer with a modest but tasteful apple filling spread evenly inside. And then you dip it in the caramel sauce, and you are transported to taste sense heaven. In all fairness, it’s difficult to mess up a dessert, but this was superb—a well-balanced taste and appropriately-textured churro with the sauce giving it that added richness without being too overwhelming. I’m saying perfection!

In conclusion, despite the young lady mentioning they may have some kinks to work out, we didn’t detect any worth our attention. These are elevated tacos at a not-so-elevated price. It’s simply unbelievable how value-driven this restaurant is. And they deliver with something that doesn’t cheat you in the taste category. This was a wonderful first impression, and they are well on their way to success, in my humble opinion.

The Cinnamon Apple Churro was a separate receipt not pictured. Worth every penny for the three of us!

I’m giving Taco Trail a 4.9 out of 5 rating, only taking off a smidge because the pork wasn’t warm, and that was, again, because they had to re-plate. And I also think the cold toppings also sped up the cooling of the pork.

That’s all! Everything was a fantastic flavor bomb! The hype is real, folks! You all should try this new “Mexican” restaurant in downtown Gatlinburg. I would say it’s more Mexican-inspired, because it doesn’t really give me the feel of an actual Mexican restaurant. It’s just real good food most Americans love to eat anyway. Finally, Taco Trail has my enthusiastic stamp of approval as a go-to restaurant in Gatlinburg!