Taco Ranch — Restaurant in Pigeon Forge

Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

Taco Ranch is located right off the main strip in Pigeon Forge, and it was lively the night we visited. We actually came on the recommendation of a local who told us they had the best tacos around—and I’m so glad we listened.

The atmosphere is wide open with plenty of tables. It’s counter-service, but the staff brings your food right to your table once it’s ready. There was a live band playing outlaw country music during our visit on a Friday evening, and they were surprisingly good. It added a fun energy to the night. That said, it was pretty loud inside, so if you’re looking for a quiet dinner, this might not be the place.

Note: I’m not sure if live music is a regular thing—they may only do it on certain nights. If it’s something you’re hoping to catch (or avoid), I’d recommend calling ahead to check the schedule.

⸻

Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

The staff was incredibly friendly. One woman in particular (possibly the owner or manager) came by our table and chatted with us for a bit. You could tell she genuinely cared about making sure guests had a great experience. That kind of personal touch stands out.

⸻

Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

The food here is phenomenal. It’s mainly tacos, but they absolutely nail them.

I ordered three beef tacos with cheese and pico, and they were packed full—so much so, I had to use a fork and spoon to eat down to the tortilla. We also ordered three chicken tacos with cheese and no pico, and the sauce they used on the chicken was amazing. Honestly, I couldn’t choose a favorite between the two. Both were delicious.

We also shared an order of nachos with queso, and the queso was unlike any I’ve had before—rich, creamy, and really flavorful. And just like the tacos, the portion size was huge. There were two of us, and we couldn’t even finish the nachos.

⸻

Final Thoughts

From what I understand, this is the only Taco Ranch location right now—but it has the potential to become a chain. Everything from the food to the service to the environment was impressive. If you’re in Pigeon Forge and craving tacos or just want a fun place to unwind with live music and bold flavors, this place is...

Review of Taco Ranch in Pigeon Forge, TN:

Today’s experience was very disappointing. If you’re thinking of going for Taco Tuesday, I wouldn’t recommend it, especially on a Tuesday afternoon.

I ordered three tacos: Peppered Bacon & Egg, Chicken N' Waffle, and Rotisserie Chicken.

All of them were extremely dry and lacked flavor.

Chicken N' Waffle & Rotisserie Chicken: The chicken in both tacos was clearly old, and very dry. The gravy on the waffle taco was bland and lacked any real flavor. On the Rotisserie Chicken taco, the shell was broken at the bottom, and the taco itself was so dry it was basically inedible. I took two bites before I had to toss it.

Peppered Bacon & Egg: The egg was completely unseasoned and tasteless, taking up nearly the whole taco. The small amount of bacon was mostly fatty hunks, and the few fried potatoes I found were cold, likely leftover from the day before. I tried to salvage it, but after ripping it apart, I ended up throwing it away.

It seemed like most of the ingredients were either prepared in advance or were leftovers from previous days. It was extremely disappointing. If you do decide to visit, I’d recommend trying it on a weekend and definitely avoid the breakfast tacos. I've now tried every breakfast taco (except for the Elvis), and they’ve all been terrible.

This was by far my worst experience at...

The Taco Ranch was the closest "Mexican-sounding" spot after our late-night arcade session, but I had no idea it would redefine my taco standards forever. From the outside, it looked like just another strip mall joint, but inside, the open, modern space with warm wood tones, teal accents, and a touch of whimsy set the stage for something special.

Then I saw the menu. Every taco description made my mouth water, and I struggled to choose. I finally picked three, starting with #4, the Seoul Sister Chicken—and wow. The Gochujang BBQ, aioli, and kimchi created an explosion of flavor. Easily the best taco I’ve ever eaten. Next was #10, the Ol’ Carolina, a roasted pork shoulder taco with Carolina sauce and pickles—tasty but a bit dry (probably my fault for missing the extra BBQ sauce station). Lastly, I tried #1, the Frikka Chikka Chicken, a spicy tikka masala taco with a striking purple shell. The flavor was fantastic, though the shell crumbled too easily, making it a fork-worthy taco.

I loved it so much I returned the next day, ordering the Seoul Sister again (of course!) and trying the #2 Buffalo Chicken, which won me over with its blue cheese goodness. Sadly, this is a one-of-a-kind spot, meaning I’ll have to return to Gatlinburg for another round. And...