Gorilla Taco Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Pigeon Forge

If you've been to pigeon Forge, one common thread in the past has been the over abundance of chain, restaurants, and mediocre concepts. I was recently in the area and decided to try a new restaurant concept called gorilla taco located just off Tesla Lane next to the new Margarita compass Hotel, my expectations were blown out of the water or should I say the jungle Upon visiting this new establishment. Let's break it down.

Atmosphere 5 stars: whoever is the owner of gorilla taco Payne's taking Lee took the time and effort in every single detail when establishing the experience in this restaurant. It's lively, colorful, and filled with artwork of gorillas in the most unique human like poses. Additionally, you were greeted by what looks like a 2000 pound gorilla at the entrance. What I like most about this restaurant was that every table was positioned in a way where you did not feel you were on top of someone else, something that is very common in pigeon Forge. This place is fantastic for both families and adults, including the bar, which is large and easily watchable TVs close by.

Food 5 Stars: A great atmosphere is a diamond a dozen in pigeon Forge but when it is married with outstanding food, it becomes something truly unique. The menu is diverse, and the food extremely fresh. Whether you order tacos, burritos, or any other item on the menu, you will not be disappointed. I had the Americano taco and the cheeseburger taco both of which I would highly recommend. I am not a drinker, but they had a vast array of margaritas and a full bar, including many different Mexican beers. This is not an ordinary, Mexican restaurant.

Service 5 Stars: One thing you have come to expect when you're in the south is good old-fashioned service and hospitality. However, in these times of labor shortages you find that many restaurants and hotels bring in outside labor. One thing this translates to is poor Service. Not so at gorilla taco. They treated you like locals and provided Careful and detailed service that I am sure is the result of good hiring and fantastic training.

Value 5 Stars: One thing I have learned when I come to places like pigeon Forge is that if you get good service and good food, you're willing to pay a little extra. Not so here. I found the prices and the value and the serving sizes to be far better than what you would typically find in a tourist area. My dinner which included chips and salsa, queso, two tacos and a beer was $15. Not bad considering the location.

All in all, I would write gorilla taco a solid five and would have gone higher if Google was allowed it. If you were there with adults or your family, I would highly recommend that you pay a visit either for lunch or dinner to this outstanding new concept in pigeon Forge. You will not be...

I am a local and my family and I have ate here a handful of times. Everything has been on point from food fo service. We went tonight and were immediately seated. We told the host there were 4 total and one needed a high chair. She said ok no problem. We were seated and my husband had to go find the high chair because no one ever brought the high chair. We thought ok, no big deal they may have just forgot. Our server Veronica came over and greeted us got our drinks and we ordered queso with chorizo added. Kept waiting and waiting and had to ask our server finally if she didn't mind to check on our appetizer. She brought it to our table and said they just left it back there. Ok, not sure exactly what she meant by that. When she sets down the app our chip basket is empty and never offered to bring chips. So we are waiting again for her to come back but luckily a lady came by with baskets of chips and gives us some. As soon as we got the chips, our food was being brought to our table too. So now we have our appetizer and food out at the same time. My nachos were made completely wrong. Took our server a good 10 to 15 minutes after our food was served before she came to ask us how everything tasted. I told her my nachos were completely wrong and she said oh I'm sorry, I'll have them remake them. I said ok. At this point everyone at the table is pretty much done eating or close to done eating before they come back out. I ate a few and took the rest to go. She brings out the bill and we told her upfront that we had two separate checks. The bills were wrong. We had to wait again for her to come back and fix them. She then came back with the fixed checks and we paid. We waited yet another 15 to 20 minutes to get our cards back. We watched her take other orders and as she walked by she said oh yeah and gave us our cards. Im not sure if she was having an off night or what was happening. We brought someone with us who had never ate here and now none of us want to come back. Food was great but customer service just wasn't...

Gorilla Taco has a vibrant and colorful aesthetic that immediately grabs your attention. The décor is bold and artistic, and I really enjoyed browsing the gift shop merchandise. The place definitely has a cool, creative vibe that sets it apart. Also, shout out to the clean bathrooms — always appreciated!

However, my experience wasn’t without its disappointments. I came in solo and requested to be seated at a table instead of the bar, as I’m currently working on staying sober for the nite since I was traveling and didn’t want the temptation. Despite several open two-top tables that remained unused for over an hour and a half, I was told I could only sit at the bar. Meanwhile, couples were also being seated elsewhere — it felt unnecessarily restrictive and left me feeling a little uncomfortable.

As for the food: I ordered the chicken chimichanga, which came with complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were fresh and the salsa had a chunky, smoky flavor I liked. But unfortunately, the chimichanga itself fell flat. Traditionally, a chimichanga is supposed to be deep-fried to a golden crisp, but this one tasted more like a massive burrito that had been air-fried — lacking the crunch and indulgence I was hoping for. It was topped with a light verde sauce and a sprinkle of Chihuahua cheese, but I expected something richer, like a smothering of queso. The bar did provide a complimentary tiny size side of queso when I mentioned it. The filling was mostly rice, barely any chicken, and what was there lacked flavor. Left half the portion uneaten, no to go box. My taste buds were waiting for something that never showed up. Honestly, it reminded me of something I could’ve gotten at Taco Bell for a third of the price, but with more flavor.

The side of beans included bits of what tasted like hickory sausage, but like the rest of the dish, they were underwhelming.

All in all, I’d rate this visit a 3/5. Great ambiance, awesome branding, but the food and seating policy need a little more...