Gatlinburg Restaurant Review: Jersey Hustle Pizzeria

My latest Gatlinburg Restaurant Review takes me to Jersey Hustle Pizzeria, located on 321 in the Food City Plaza. Notably, this used to be the home of Taste of Italy, another New York-style establishment which we found excellent in our lone visit. This new iteration of Italian dining seeks to continue the fine tradition of good eats in an area that attracts millions of visitors yearly. So what did I (my wife included) think of our first experience at this restaurant/comedy club atmosphere? Yes, I said comedy club, as there is also a separate area for it. Let me recap for you!

Jersey Hustle Pizzeria & Bistro is a local family owned and operated business that offers a full Italian menu loaded with Jersey-style pizza, wings, burgers, appetizers, a full bar, and the aforementioned comedy club atmosphere. They host a variety of comedians on a regular basis on weekends; they recently had Cletus T. Judd, the famous country parody singer/comedian, who graced the stage with his presence in front of a sold out crowd. In total, Brent and Jennifer Brown—the owners—have 4 locations across Sevier County to service the local and tourist crowd.

The atmosphere in the main dining area has that pizzeria vibe, and there is ample seating for hungry guests. In the front is a case for some of their delicious-looking desserts, (not in the cards for us on this visit) and by the register is another one where you can order pizza by the slice, which is a nice little carry-out option if you don’t want a whole pizza pie. Televisions line the walls, so this is a good place to also bring the family to watch a game while you chow down on some carbs.

We knew what we were ordering—pretty much. The only questions were what to order as an appetizer, and what topping we wanted on our pizza. After our server told us their garlic roll comes out as a large individual portion, we just ordered one. I selected a side salad without the olives with ranch dressing. They were all well above average. The garlic roll was, in fact, large, and my salad was good sized, despite it being a side. Their marinara sauce was uniquely good, and that’s high praise. It had no canned taste, and we couldn’t quite put our finger on the ingredients, but whatever that was, shined for us.

The pizza came out next, and we couldn’t be happier to see the small, flavorful cup-sized pepperonis we decided for our topping. The crust is thin and rather buttery, reminding us a bit of the roll they brought out. The cheese was the star of the pie. I would argue it’s probably the second best dairy topping on a pizza in Gatlinburg. My only quibble would be the lack of sauce (my wife is good with less sauce), but everything surrounding the tomoto base more than made up for it; in fact, I really didn’t notice it right away.

They do have those rolling robots that come to your table with the food, so that was a first for us. They’re aren’t taking our jobs, in case you’re wondering. There still needs to be a server present to place the items on your table and retrieve anything else you might need.

The price was pretty fair, to be completely honest. The best deal is the garlic roll, which for its size and buttery goodness, is just $2. Yes, that’s right! Two dollars. My wife and I shared it. The side salad was a mere $6, and the small pizza (12-inch) came in at a shade over $19 dollars. Plain cheese will set you back $17. If you want to do a large, (16-inch) that’s a better deal at $21.75 for a cheese pie—just $4.75 more.

So… would we return? Yes, certainly! They have a wide range of Italian favorites on the menu, and while we’re more likely to go for a pizza again, we can see a future where we try some other items that look just as appetizing. My rating is a 4.6 out of 5. Again, I have to nitpick with the lack of sauce, but thin crusts are really our sweet spots. Is it the best pizza in Gatlinburg? Well… you’ll have to stay tuned for that list that I will be working on real soon! Links to their social media accounts and website are below.

Facebook: Jersey Hustle Pizzeria and Bistro - Gatlinburg

Instagram: Jersey Hustle Pizzerias TN

Website: Jersey Hustle Pizzeria

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-way place, out of the hustle and bustle of Gatlinburg, then Jersey Hustle Pizzeria would be a darn fine alternative. It’s only a few miles down the road from downtown, so get in your car and take a ride from your cabin, condo, or hotel!

Thank you for reading and subscribing, everyone! I hope you enjoyed my latest Gatlinburg restaurant review. I’m eager to do another one real soon, so you’ll want to keep checking my Facebook or your email for the latest news and more from right here in lovely Gatlinburg!