Our Family Visit to Crockett’s Breakfast Camp

Crockett’s Breakfast Camp was one of the breakfast spots we tried during our Gatlinburg visit, and while the food itself was good, it ended up being the only restaurant on our trip where we had to wait for a table — and unfortunately, it wasn’t one we felt was worth the wait.

⏰ Arrival, Wait Time & First Impressions

We arrived at 8:35 AM, expecting an early breakfast rush to be manageable. Instead, the restaurant was already packed, and we were quoted a 30-minute wait. We later learned you can check in online — something I absolutely would have done had I realized it was an option.

This surprised me, especially since we’d had no wait at Sunliner Diner in Pigeon Forge around the same time. One thing became very clear: Gatlinburg is much more of a “morning crowd” than Pigeon Forge.

To add to it, Gatlinburg is more walkable but limited on parking, so we had to find a paid lot nearby before even getting in line.

🥶 Waiting with Kids (in the Cold)

This one is on me — I planned poorly for the weather.

I’d checked the forecast and saw a high of 60°, but didn’t pay attention to the low, which was in the 20s that morning. By the time we were waiting, it was freezing.

The entryway was completely crammed with families trying to escape the cold. Several people attempted to stand near the fireplace, but staff had to ask them to move since it was a server walkway. There is additional waiting space toward the back of the restaurant across from the bathrooms, but it wasn’t immediately obvious.

With cold kids, tight spaces, and a long wait, this part of the experience was pretty stressful.

🌲 Atmosphere & Theming

Once inside, the décor was actually very well done. Crockett’s leans hard into the outdoorsy “breakfast camp” theme, and it works. They even use paper-style menus, similar to Sunliner Diner, but with a rustic, Gatlinburg vibe.

That said, while the décor was fun, it wasn’t enough to make us want to go out of our way to return.

🍽️ Ordering (and a Small Mix-Up)

The staff was friendly but clearly slammed. Our server was kind and attentive when he was with us, but understandably stretched thin.

Little Brother and Sister initially wanted the cinnamon bun as their meal, but knowing how picky they can be, I ordered one cinnamon bun for the table first to see if they actually liked it before committing.

As expected — I was right. They liked it, but it was a lot, and they decided they wanted items from the kids’ menu instead (a pancake and a waffle).

Unfortunately, our food came out before I was able to flag down our server again, even though I was watching closely. Once we did reconnect, he immediately put in the kids’ order, and it came out quickly so we could all eat together. Slight hiccup, but handled well once addressed.

🥐 The Food: What Everyone Thought

⭐ Cinnamon Bun

• Papa Bird rating: 6 out of 5 Feathers 🪶It was huge, shareable, and definitely indulgent.

🍳 Mama Bird’s Order

I ordered:

• Two eggs

• Pecan Smoked Bacon

• Hunt Camp Potatoes

• Cherokee Sweet Corn Poke

• Toast

The potatoes were solid. The bacon, despite sounding special, tasted… like bacon. Not bad, just a bit gimmicky for me. I love cornbread, but I wasn’t a fan of the corn poke — it leaned a little too sweet for my taste.

🍳 Papa Bird’s Order

Papa ordered the Signature Corned Beef Hash Breakfast:

• Slow-cooked corned beef, pan-fried

• Diced potatoes, peppers, onions

• Fresh farm eggs

• Candied apples and toast

He really enjoyed it. His orange juice also came out in a fun mason jar, which was a nice touch.

🐦 Kids’ Orders

• Big Brother: Ordered the Crockett’s Thick French Toast (fresh-baked English toasting bread dipped in egg custard with cinnamon and vanilla). He liked it but said it was very heavy and couldn’t finish it.

  

• Sister: Devoured her waffle — no complaints there.

  

• Little Brother: Didn’t care for his pancake. It had a more dense, “pan cake” texture — almost cornbread-like. I noticed this same style at Five Oaks Farm Kitchen, so it may be a regional trend, but sometimes kids just like what they like.

  

• Little Brother (again): Loved the scrambled eggs from the kids’ meal and even went on to eat Sister’s leftovers too.

We also ordered both turkey sausage and country sausage for the kids to try. The clear winner was the turkey sausage. The country sausage had a hint of sweetness that just didn’t work for them.

⏳ The Exit

We left around 10:00 AM, and there was still a fairly large crowd waiting for breakfast. This definitely seems like a place you’ll want to arrive right at opening, and if that’s not possible, using the online check-in would be a smart move.

🤍 Final Thoughts

Crockett’s Breakfast Camp has good food, fun theming, and friendly staff, but for our family, it just wasn’t worth the wait — especially with kids, cold weather, and tight waiting spaces.

Would we go back?

• If there were no wait or we could check in online ahead of time, maybe.

• Would we go out of our way for it? No.

If you’re visiting Gatlinburg:

• Check in online if possible

• Pay close attention to the morning weather

• Expect a crowd, especially in the morning

For us, there were other breakfast spots that delivered a smoother, more relaxed experience.

📸 Photo Disclaimer All photos shared are from our visit. To protect our children’s privacy, some images may be artistically enhanced or stylized while remaining true to the original photographs.