Paula Deen’s Kitchen in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino closed in 2013. Information below is maintained for historical purposes.
Cherokee stepped up its reputation in the eyes of foodies in 2011 by adding a restaurant named after Food Network Star: Paula Deen. Since that time, Paula Deen’s Kitchen in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino has become THE place to eat when you visit Cherokee, NC. Her signature take on traditional southern food styles is causing ripples in the culinary minds of tourists and locals alike.
The food is the main reason that you visit a restaurant, so we will start with the menu. Deen chose dishes that fit every taste when she picked the menu for this restaurant. From lowland favorites like Shrimp and Grits to seafood feasts from the boiler, the variety will fit every taste. The portion sizes are not small, so make sure that you bring an appetite. For instance, this restaurant produces one of the largest and best tasting chicken pot pies that you will ever have. The pot pie is topped off by a huge puff pastry that, when soaked in the juice from the chicken pot pie, is amazing. The boiler pots of seafood are also huge and prepared to perfection.
The food is paired amazingly with décor and the atmosphere. The way the restaurant has been designed, it is quite and you feel as if you are the only people seated in the huge dining room. And if the décor and the atmosphere is amazing, you will be floored by the service. Polite, pleasant and professional are the catchwords for the day. Firstly, they allow you to make reservations. As one of the hot spots in the Smokies, the tables fill up fast. Secondly, they are nice. The wait staff treats you like you are the only person in the restaurant and your experience is their only concern.
Of course, the fact that it is located in the home of gaming in the Smokies doesn’t hurt either. Harrah’s is an ever expanding project in Cherokee, NC. They have added lots of shopping, lots of dining experiences and of course with the addition of Paula Deen’s Kitchen they have added an upscale dining establishment that is still rising like a shooting star in the culinary scene of Western North Carolina. Located in the casino itself, you are mere feet from a great meal when you are playing cards or trying your hand at one of the many video gaming machines.
Check out Paula Deen’s Kitchen at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. If you are looking for a memorable meal that will make you wish you had more room in your belly and more time in your schedule, this is the only place you need to eat while you are in the Smokies. Go in and try Paula Deen’s take on southern tradition.