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Home » Blog » Gatlinburg Dining » Two New Restaurants in Gatlinburg: Mama’s Chicken Kitchen and J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe
A collage of a sub sandwich and a plate of fried chicken.

Two New Restaurants in Gatlinburg: Mama’s Chicken Kitchen and J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe

Two eagerly anticipated new restaurants in Gatlinburg are finally open! Last month, the Mayor of Gatlinburg officially cut the ribbon at Mama’s Chicken Kitchen and J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe. The two restaurants are housed in the same building at 1244 East Parkway, next to Gatlinburg City Hall.

The Chicken Kitchen and the Sub Shoppe are the latest additions to the Johnson Family of Restaurants, which includes Big Daddy’s Pizzeria, Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que, Alamo Steakhouse, Mama’s Farmhouse, and Mad Dog’s Creamery & Donuts.

Although the new restaurants in Gatlinburg have only been open for a few weeks, they are already getting rave reviews! Visit My Smokies has the inside scoop on everything you need to know about Mama’s Chicken Kitchen and J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe.

Mama’s Chicken KitchenA plate of crispy fried chicken.

Mama’s Chicken Kitchen specializes in the South’s favorite comfort food: fried chicken! This restaurant takes its name from the Johnson family’s great-grandmother (known as Mama), who was legendary for her country cooking. If you’ve ever visited Mama’s Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge, a sister restaurant to the Chicken Kitchen, you already know that Mama’s fried chicken is out of this world.

While Mama’s Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge is exclusively a sit-down restaurant, Mama’s Chicken Kitchen lets you dine in or take out. If you’re so inclined, you can pick up a big bucket of fried chicken and enjoy a picnic in the Smoky Mountains. In addition to Mama’s traditional fried chicken, the Kitchen also offers mouthwatering chicken wings which are available in a variety of delicious flavors.

Meals at Mama’s Chicken Kitchen come with a buttermilk biscuit served with homemade jam and your choice of side dishes. Popular sides include macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn, green beans, and veggie soup.

Two submarine sandwiches.J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe

J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe is the perfect place for a quick and tasty lunch in Gatlinburg. “J.O.E.” is an acronym for James, Oscar, and Eloise, the names of Kelly Johnson’s children. Kelly is a co-owner of the Johnson Family of Restaurants, which was founded by her father Bruce Johnson 26 years ago. Although it hasn’t been confirmed, we suspect that Bruce may by the “Pop” in the restaurant’s name!

Guests at J.O.E. and Pop’s will enjoy a variety of spectacular sandwiches that can be ordered cold, toasted, or steamed. The Sub Shoppe serves deli classics like Reuben sandwiches and tuna salad subs, along with Philly Cheesesteaks, Hebrew National hot dogs, and hamburgers. All of the subs can be ordered in the regular “J.O.E.” size or the large “Pop” size.

For dessert, guests can treat themselves to a chocolate chip cookie or a bowl of Mama’s famous banana pudding. These desserts have been a big hit at Mama’s Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge, and their banana pudding was even ranked among the top ten banana puddings in the state of Tennessee!

The Return of Alamo SteakhouseA delicious steak dinner.

In addition to the opening of these two new restaurants in Gatlinburg, the Johnson Family had more good news to share with the media. The company recently announced that the Alamo Steakhouse in Gatlinburg is expected to reopen at the beginning of October 2017. The new building will be constructed at Alamo’s old location at 705 East Parkway. If you can’t wait until the fall, you can always head over to the second Alamo Steakhouse in Pigeon Forge.

For a complete listing of everywhere to eat in the area, check out our Gatlinburg Restaurants page!