The Roaming Gnome Pub & Eatery
Gnome if you want to...
Sometimes, the more interesting destinations are not those that blare their familiar brand names in neon along well-worn trails, but are instead those that are somewhat anonymous, if not outright hidden. The latter is the case with the Roaming Gnome Pub and Eatery (or “the Gnome,” as it is known locally).
The Gnome, an Irish-themed pub, is a bit off the beaten path, in a strip mall anchored by Books-A-Million in the Governor’s Crossing area of Sevierville. Yep, when the most sharp-eyed member of your party spots this place along the row of shops off Collier, that's actually it. Don't be skeptical - step inside and enjoy sports, hospitality, and a little slice of the Emerald Isle in the shadows of the Smokies. The draft beer selection is quite good, and whatever sports you want are showing on multiple big screens. The service is friendly and prompt, and your glass won't run dry.
Those are the positive elements. But then where the menu is involved, the luck of the Irish runs out. The shepherd’s pie is somewhat satisfactory, but it doesn’t come close to matching similar offerings at other local eateries (the Ship Pub, the Fox and Parrot). The flatbread pizza is inoffensive, but not much more impressive than that. The less said about the veggie burger, the better. I’d be a more frequent guest here if the menu were better. But perhaps I’m missing the point: maybe Irish food is fairly lousy to begin with, in which case the Gnome is an amazingly authentic dining experience.
An idea: eat elsewhere (other options are available in this same shopping plaza), and then repair to the Gnome for drinks and a snack. Because if you’re here simply to get your drink on with a crowd that charts somewhere in the boisterous to raucous territory on game days, then you’ll be counting your lucky charms.
(202 Collier, Drive, Sevierville, (865) 774-3336)
By: Michael Kem-Thomas, our featured guest writer, friend and past buyer