Smokies Cuban Cafe

This place was so great! Kind staff, quick service, fresh food! They also have a good price point for the portions! I got the fried pork chunks and they were tender, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. Highly recommend the garlic cilantro sauce for the yuca fries and the "hot sauce" for rice. It's homemade, and bottled and sold at the restaurant. It's less spicy, more tangy with lime, cilantro, and peppers in vinegar. My husband got the Cuban and said it was the best he ever had. Please try the guava and cheese empanada for dessert, its amazing! You should also try the Materva soda if you like both cream soda and sweet tea. Sounds weird right? Just trust me and try it!

Que sorpresa! Encotramos esta joya de restaurante Cubano en el corazón de Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! What a surprise to find authentic Cuban (Miami style) food in East Tennessee! My husband grew up in Miami, and is always looking for Cuban food wherever we travel. He has been disappointed SO many times. This time he was elated! We split a Cuban sandwich, yucca fries, and black beans and rice, and had enough for 2 more meals! The yucca fries were super crispy outside and meltingly tender and creamy inside. The Cuban sandwich was not quite as perfect as his Miami standard, but still the best he has had outside Miami! The black beans and rice were perfectly seasoned and served the way they are “supposed” to be served-separately. He asked me to taste his café con leche so that I would understand how it should taste! I’m not really a coffee drinker, but I could be converted with sweet and frothy café con leche. I would highly recommend!

Amazing food! Friendly and welcoming staff! Got the ropa vieja, sweet plantains, yucca fries, croquettes, and guava cheese pastry; everything was phenomenal. So happy to have randomly found delicious Cuban food in the mountains of Tennessee. Highly recommend stopping here as the atmosphere is warm, food is top tier, and the staff you can tell are genuinely great people. Support small!

Amazing Cuban food and a great atmosphere. The flavors are authentic and everything tasted fresh and homemade. The ropa vieja was perfectly seasoned, the rice and beans were on point, and the portions were very generous. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Service was fast without feeling rushed If you’re looking for real Cuban cuisine with great service and fair prices, this place is a must. We’ll definitely be coming back.

We enjoyed the food and service so much that we went back the next day. Definitely will go back. If you like a Cuban Sandwich, try the Croquette Sandwich! It was a step up from their delicious Cuban. If you hungry, treat yourself to the Milanese Steak! And don't forget the Coffee Shot!

They food was amazing. Best Cuban sandwich I have had outside of South Florida. The owner is Cuban and she is spot on with her dishes. Can't wait for our next trip back to have it again. Must try And remember always support local business.

Let me start by saying it was fresh and delicious! Like eating a Cuban meal at home! Portions was great and that’s coming from a couple that can eat a lot. I say come and try it you will not be disappointed. La Cubana de OHIO.

Aww man. When we first walked in, the place looks brand new and I thought to myself, another disappointing Cuban sandwich? The picture on the menu looks promising...but not getting my hopes up. I have been disappointed too many times. Anyone can grab a photo of a true Cuban from the internet. But what's this? ROPA VIEJA? That's authentic Cuban Cuisine. So we order the Ropa Vieja and, of course, the Cuban sandwich. The Ropa Vieja comes out first with rice and frijoles negras, and fried plantains. Since I was waiting on my sandwich, I took a bite of the beef and about melted. I am used to it being chewy, the beef covered in the tomato- based sauce but not infused. My first bite of THIS Ropa Vieja really surprised me. The beef is infused with the sauce so that, chew after chew, the beef is tender, flavorful, and full of sauce. My opinion is changing... Next up to the plate is The Cuban. It is oblong, flat, and toasted on Cuban Bread!!! Looks good from a distance, lets check it out up close. You see, as all my Cuban Sandwich lovers already know, it's not only the bread, the ingredients...but it is also the BUILD. The roast pork, the sliced ham, the Swiss cheese, the sliced dill pickle spears, and the mustard, neatly stacked so that each bite has all the right flavors. This is a legit Cuban restaurant! Yet the decor looks brand new! When our waitress comes over, I ask how long they have been open (thinking maybe 6 months) FOURTEEN YEARS! Every Cuban Sandwich searcher knows the struggle is real, so when you find the legit thing, chills accompany every bite. Cuban sandwich and Ropa Vieja notwithstanding, the meal was finished with a Cordaito and Tres Leches. This place is authentic and a rare gem in a land of pancake restaurants and mountain coasters (oh, and the MAJESTIC vistas, the INCREDIBLE arts and crafts community, and ALL the great, friendly people!) We will be back again before heading home.

The service was great, the restaurant was clean and the food was delicious! The Cuban sandwiches were a hit. Yuca fries has mixed reviews- I thought they were delicious, my daughter said they were not as flavorful as she thought they would be. Vice versa on the black beans. They were definitely good, but I thought they lacked additional flavor and my daughter was a fan. Overall, we definitely recommend trying Smokies Cuban Cafe.

This is my second time to Smokies. The food did not disappoint. We enjoyed the beef empanadas, ham croquettes, papa relleno, and Cuban sandwich. The food was full of flavor ( a few items weren't hot when served )but for the most part everything else was warm . Our food came out fast and the prices are great.

I ordered the Cuban sandwich and beef and cheese empanada. Almost as good as the most reputable Florida Cuban restaurants. Menu and prices have changed significantly from the pics I looked at before arriving. Super clean establishment. If you're craving Cuban, this will do.

If you're really looking for authentic Cuban food, this is the place to go to. You're given a good portion of food. Service is good and the price is right.

The ambiance is nice. The food was great as always. The service was also great. They were busy and short handed but the service was still good. We always eat here whenever we come to the Smokies.

Did take out service, 20 min. for really good Cuban food that's just as good, if not better than you get in S. Florida. We ordered the Ropa Vieja (stewed shredded beef, so flavorful) with crispy tostones, and the Masa's de Puerco (roasted, tender marinated pork chunks), both came with white rice and black beans (well seasoned), so delicious, and huge portions as well. Also tried the Papa Rellena, a large mashed potato ball, stuffed with their Picadillo, Depo fried, again a thumbs up! Smokies Cuban Cafe, go, you won't be disappointed!

Again, gotta stop here when I'm in town to grab me some beef & cheese empanadas. Fresh and delicious.

We are locals and frequent customers - and very happy to have a nice Cuban Cafe in the neighborhood- specially when it is mostly family and the kitchen is. Managed by the owners - we love it and will keep coming !

My family and I are visiting Gatlinburg TN and came across this amazing Cuban restaurant while looking for a place to have lunch. The service was great from the moment walking in. We are a family of 8 so imaging the time it takes for someone to take our order. The server was patient and friendly. The food was out of this world good! We had their cheese and beef empanadas, the Cuban sandwich, the puerco asado, chicken tenders, tostones, and more. Everything was DELICIOUS!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND

What a perfect find!!! Tucked in the back off the main strip, one would miss it if not looking for it. The true value of this place was not just with the food but with the coffees. The strength, temperature and sweetness of the Cortadita and cafe con leche made us order another round!!!! The Cuban sandwich was LOADED with meat. It was perfectly pressed and the bread had that crunch when you bit into it. They were out of the desserts since we came right before closing. Next time we will get an extra sandwich to go for the long drive home.

We had to leave Pigeon Forge earlier than planned, but we still made a point to make a stop here before we drove home as we had been eyeing this place since the get go. Inside was spacious with enough tables to sit. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We asked about which ones were their best sellers and she made quick and clear recommendation. She was very familiar with the menu. The picture looked really good and the way the server described the dish intrigued me so I ordered the Sauteed Shreeded Beef (Ropa Vieja), while he got the Roasted Pulled Pork (Lechon Asado). The entrees came with rice, a small bowl of beans, and plantains that can be substituted with yuca or tostones. He isn't too crazy about sweet flavor so he did substitute it with the yuca fries which came with a delicious cilantro dipping sauce. I love plantains so I stuck with tostones which I did enjoy. The meat was all well-cooked and well-seasoned. He also commented on how delicious the beans were. We noticed that other patrons seemed to order the cuban sandwiches in lieu of the plates and made us wonder if we missed out on not ordering those instead. Anyway we had to start driving back so we didn't finish our meals and had to ask for a doggy bag. When we warmed up our leftovers for dinner, the whole thing tasted even better like all the flavors had absorbed better into the meat. He expressed regret of not ordering the sandwiches to go. Oh well, guess that would fall onto our to-do list for the next time we are ever back in town again.

A buddy of ours found this little Cuban restaurant in the midst of restaurants that are all fried this, fried that, a burger, a pizza, and every other version of southern cooking that they have at reinterpreted to claim that is authentic. I love the variety and the change of pace. This is an absolute gem, and something you must check out. The Cuban coffee is absolutely what I needed, and any of the sandwiches were just absolutely perfect. I like the authentic choices that they had on their menu, and then a little something for people that don't wanna venture outside the territory that they're used to.

Best Cuban food ever! Ropa vieja was amazing. Yuca fries, plantains, rice and beans, and marinated steak were also delicious. Highly highly recommend this place. A hidden gem!

Every time we come to Pigeon Forge, we make a stop here. From the guava and cheese empanadas to ropa vieja con habichuelas and rice, delicious.

Azúcar From the first bite to the last it was an explosion of cuisine at its finest in my pallet All sides were cooked to order food was hot and flavorful Service was pleasant the waiter was very friendly and patient He gave us his recommendations Restaurant was clean as was the restroom Latin Music was playing in the background I could over hear other guests bragging on how their meal was above their expectations The restaurant was decorated with Cuban pictures and decor Definitely the best meal I had on my trip to the Smoky mountains and the prices were reasonable Absolutely recommendable if your pallet loves Cuban cuisine The black beans were cooked with the pork broth amazing They have a cilantro garlic sauce for a dip perfectly paired with the yuca fríes I am going back for a Cuban coffee and guava empanadas before I head back to Texas

Everything is delicious! The empanadas are savory and sweet! Omg guava and cream cheese! We will definitely go back!

As usual best place to eat cuban food in the smokies, we have been coming here since 2011 and will always stop in when in Pigeon Forge. Love this place

Great food and service! Best food you can eat in Pigeon forge specially the pork. The place was very clean and friendly staff

We always enjoy stopping by for a quick lunch when we are over in the Pigeon Forge area. Good folk and good food. Service is quick and the meals are substantial. It is a small place but we have never had trouble getting in. They are quick.

2 thumbs up! Vaca Frita was flavorful. The large portion can easily be shared. Empanadas were fresh, tasty and flaky. Highly recommend both. No bar, but that kept the cost down. Prices were very reasonable. The fully staffed service was quick and friendly. Dining space was clean and tidy.

The best Latin food in Sevierville . A taste of home . Best and only Cuban food here and everything is delicious everytime we go . They've been here for years and they only get better

Delicious Cuban food in TN. Couldn't believe we found this place. We were in the mood for something yummy but not fried food. Everything was great! So glad we found this restaurant.

What an incredible spot! We ate here while visiting the Smokies and both of us agreed it was the best meal of the trip. It's a hidden gem that we didn't necessarily expect to find on the busy, touristy highway going through Pigeon Forge - but are so glad we did! The Ropa Vieja was the best we've ever had. We also loved the Cuban lattes so much that we each had two.... At 7pm! The two women that served/helped us were so kind and made us feel right at home. I will eat here any time I visit this area in the future (I would eat here everyday I visited if I'm honest)! Thank you for a great experience.

The service was great and the restaurant itself is pleasant. It's small and quaint. We didn't have a "bad bite" but, nothing really stood out either. There were no stand out flavors or seasonings. The restaurant is nice but, unfortunately it really isn't something we would go to again given that there are so many other options in the area.

Great service and good food! We all had Cuban Sandwiches and enjoyed them! The waiter was very knowledgeable and interesting to speak with!

A local in Gatlinburg. This is a wonderful Cuban restaurant. Spent a large part of my life in Tampa Florida, born and raised. I have certainly eaten some of the best Cuban food on the planet. These guys do an incredible job. Food outstanding, staff very welcoming always and REASONABLY PRICED, Smokies is our go to on nights I don't have time to cook. Thanks for always putting out such a consistent and wonderful meal. Kathy

I'm gonna keep it simple. People: super nice. Place: very clean. Food: legit. I'm from Florida and this is real deal Cuban food! 10/10 recommend!

This was a great spot to eat in Gatlinburg. A Cuban restaurant serving up variations of a traditional Cuban sandwiches, entree dishes, and sides too. My date for the special Cuban sandwich and I got the Cuban sliders. For $9 mins seemed like a better deal with an ideal sandwich portion that came with a side of plantain chips. The service was good and food came out very fast. It was super tasty, and I'd love to come back to try other dishes.

Great authentic Cuban restaurant right on the parkway, the food was absolutely delicious!

In dire need of lunch after an 8 hour drive, Smokies popped up on my Yelp feed with fantastic reviews and delicious looking pictures. We ordered take out and our sandwiches were ready pretty quick and wrapped neatly in foil. The lechon pork sandwich was the best thing from here! So juicy and the cilantro sauce we ordered on the side complimented it well. Unfortunately, the Cubano Especial was not the best Cuban I've had. It just tasted okay. We should have ordered the regular Cuban with the pulled roasted pork, since the lechon was so good.

food was excellent! ordered empanadilla de carne and was freshly made close to closing time and it was full of meat. Ropa vieja was delicious and the o tv her dish was carne frita which was cooked perfect!! cortadito and empanadilla de queso and guava was to die for. i wish i was from TN to go often. Staff was friendly and ambience was peaceful as it was close to closing tie. will definitely return when visiting this area of TN!

You might not expect to find great Cuban food in Pigeon Forge, but it's there. We had a great Cuban sandwich and beef empanadas at lunch. People at the next table were eating Ropa Vieja, which looked great, but I wasn't brave enough to ask for a bite. Service was fast. The prices are reasonable. The decor was sort of "cabin Cuban", but you are coming for the food not the ambiance, right? Most of the other patrons were speaking Spanish, which is always a good sign.

The food was superb. Empanadas de guava con crema de queso was excellent for appetizers or desert their empanadas are so good. The Cuban sandwich was excellent as well they had it pressed perfectly and the bread was buttered just like my parents used to make it. The yuca frita was also fresh and not soggy the croquetas also great would recommend getting the sampler to have a little But if all the good Cuban famous appetizers. The bistec asado and the fried pork were so delicious I wish this place was closer to Knoxville it was a far drive for us but we will be back and I bought some of their hot sauce which was good mojo style hot sauce

Amazing. I have been looking for a good Cuban place for awhile! We started with the cafe con leche which was so well made and then got our food. Everything was delicious & the service was great. The only critique is that the croquettes were a little dry. Can't wait to go back!

Make sure to stop here while you are in Pigeon Forge! Let's just say this place is so good that we were thinking about what to eat here for lunch the next day while we were eating our dinner! The restaurant is located in a small strip of stores and decorated tastefully with wood paneling and mason jar lighting. It is very clean and the service is impeccable. My husband and I both ordered the ropa vieja and also a side of boiled yuca with garlic sauce. It was better than the best homemade I have ever had! I got a cortadito and a cheese and guava empanada for dessert. I was really too full to eat more but I did and I have no regrets.

Really traditional Cuban food. Just like I enjoyed as a kid and reminded me of my days in Miami. The staff is very friendly and got us everything we asked. Enjoyed the decor and music. Definitely a go to when in the area.

We had a wonderful meal! Service was great. Our waitress was very friendly and we got our food very quickly. I had a Cuban sandwich, my boyfriend had the veggie sandwich, and we shared fried plantains and yucca with garlic sauce. We enjoyed the wide selection of beverages and had pineapple soda, iron beer (non alcoholic) and Jarritos (tamarind flavor). For our dessert they had a special guava and cheese empanada that was so delicious! We really enjoyed the clean, peaceful atmosphere. It was like a little oasis from the craziness of Pigeon Forge

My husband and I recently went to the Smokies Cuban Cafe for a quick lunch while on our honeymoon. We were so glad to have had amazing service and food at this cafe. The serving staff was so friendly and knowledgeable and were able to provide recommendations to us. The food came out quickly and was so flavorful and filling. We would have gone back for more if our trip didn't have to come to an end. We will be back in the future for their food.

If you love home cooked food then you should consider this place! We had the pork belly pieces and it was tender and flavorful. The black beans were delicious and it came with rice and plantain. My husband got the pulled pork and it was delicious also. We were glad that we found this little place!

I bought the Cuban from here last week. It was horrible. I have bought the Cuban in past yrs and we only visit this area once a year. They have gone down hill . I paid 16.70 for a horrible sandwich. They didn't even use Cuban bread. The pork had no taste. Can not speak for any thing else on the menu, just stay away from the Cuban Sandwich.

A nice little Cuban restaurant in Tennessee it was packed so it must be good! It's family operated everyone is so nice! We ordered 2 beef empanadas, 1 tostada, 1 media noche, 1 colada , 1 cafe bonbon, and 1 bought a bottle of the white sangria! To start we snack on the 2 beef empanadas Omggggg they were so fresh and just done tasted phenomenal the sandwiches are for out car trip I did try a piece of the pork the taste was Devine! As a out of towner I'm Cuban / Puerto Rican mix I was so happy I found this place if you are near Gatlinburg/ pigeon forge this is a must stop place!

Just got into town and couldn't decide what to eat but this place was great. Definitely hit the spot. Wouldn't hesitate to come back. Quick, polite and knowledgeable service.

This is far and away the best food I have eaten in Pigeon Forge in a long time. Had the pork chunks, DELICIOUS, opted for the green plantains, kind of like a fried green tomato, soooo good. Tried the ripe ones from someone else, hard to decide which is better. Another site said Cookie Dough Monster was number one in 2023 as a hidden gem (and it is one) but I liked this place better. Do not skip this one! Wait staff were very nice as well. We had a party of six and everyone loved their food. Inconspicuous looking place but worth seeking out. Don't skip the Cuban coffee either.

Very friendly and welcoming staff. I lived in Miami for 4 years and their food at Smokies was the traditional Cuban food that I remembered. All the food that I ordered was perfectly prepared. Definitely will be returning.

Absolutely fabulous! Everything from the atmosphere to the service was as superb as the food. So bummed we didn't try it until the end of our trip because it's definitely the type of place you can visit more than once during your week of vacation.

We used to eat here all the time. They have the best food and staff is always friendly and the restaurant is always so clean. Great food and even better folks.

Cuban sandwich, chicken plates, pork plates and beef empanadas are all very good. Food was done quickly and service was awesome.

Family-owned and ran. This place is the type of business I will happily support. The son is very hands on. He takes time to check on everyone and really listens to their feedback. Everything I've tried has been incredible. The sandwich Cubano and Lechon asado are some of my favorites. Pro tip: Ask for the cilantro sauce. It is one of the best sauces I've ever tried and goes well with anything.

Best authentic Cuban food! So glad this family brought our culture to the mountains of Tn!