Ember & Elm at Dollywood’s HeartSong Resort in Tennessee

"My husband and I got to try this restaurant for the first time back in February. We tried breakfast here and at the restaurant at the other dollywood resort.song and hearth. We both chose the breakfast buffet that included our drink. After visiting song and hearth during Dollywood being open and seeing the buffet they offer during the regular season we prefer the one at Ember and Elm. Everything we had was hot, fresh and delicious. Our server was friendly and answered any questions we had. The veggie breakfast flatbread was delicious. The blueberry muffin is the best I have ever had from a restaurant. This is a place we will come to for a great breakfast if we are in the Smokies again. We also tried the restaurant for dinner in November 2024 on opening weekend of the Dollywood Christmas festival with our son. We were brought complimentary biscuits with house made red pepper jelly which were delicious. We ordered the deviled eggs appetizer after hearing great things about it. The deviled eggs were all great. My husband loved the fried pimento cheese ones and the hot honey shrimp ones were my favorite. The chicken Caesar ones were good but a bit salty. He loved the kids chicken tenders meal. My husband enjoyed a shrimp and scallops dish and said it was very flavorful. I had the east Tennessean flatbread pizza for dinner. It was huge but absolutely delicious. It was the prefect combination of sweet and salty. We really love this restaurant."

"We were staying in the HeartStrong and decided to try this restaurant for a late dinner after Dollywood. It was late, around 8-830pm. We were seated fast and Poppy our server was very nice and attentive. The cheeder biscuits with homemade pepper jelly were amazing. The food was very good. The only thing we were questioning is when we ordered the Prime rib, we were told we could only get it medium or higher and could not do medium rare for some reason. When it came out, it was slightly on the medium rare side which was nice. The whole meal was very good and filling. Everything was seasoned well too. Overall we had a nice dinner and even went back for the breakfast buffet in the morning."

"I had two meals at Ember and Elm and they were both delicious. The oatmeal was yummy and was a great choice for a light meal. The continental brekkie was also delicious and was packed with all kinds of great options. The menu also includes tons of other options, there just wasn’t enough time to make taste them all. My cousin order the avocado toast and it was delicious and came with two huge pieces of toast loaded with avocado and delicious toppings. My favorite thing about Ember and Elm were the employees. During our first meal we had Noel as our sever and he was very friendly and welcoming. During our second meal we had Amanda as our server and her and the hostess Syd were hysterical. They drew us a picture of a cow we when asked for a cows worth of creamer. Next time I stay at a Dollywood resort I will definitely be visiting for the friendly service and to try other menu items."

"Ember & Elm is exquisite dining in a family atmosphere. Several in my family have food allergies/restrictions, and Chef Michael and Chef Alex always go out of their way to make sure we have something delicious and healthy to enjoy. I've had many amazing meals here, from ginger crusted tofu on coconut rice to risotto to vegan/gluten-free pasta Alfredo. Dinner at Ember & Elm is always a delight, one of our favorite things about a trip to Dollywood. All of the staff are just lovely and welcoming. Nowhere else have I ever had a chef create something special and then come check on us to see if we like it. This is one of the few restaurants where we can go and enjoy a full dining experience. Don't hesitate to go! You will love it! Many thanks to Michael, Alex, and the other staff!"

"Dinner: October 16, 2023 We requested our previous breakfast server, Amanda, and the front desk was able to make that happen for us (thank you to Jacki!). We started with the BBQ ribs, and they were unexpectedly outstanding. All of the food we have had at this restaurant has been superb, well-seasoned, cooked properly, and delicious; however, these ribs were unbelievable. We were expecting small rib pieces with a barbecue sauce as this is an appetizer dish. What we received were three very meaty full ribs, seasoned well, battered in a light and crispy coating, fried, and tossed with a sweet and spicy sauce served over house made potato chips. These were first-rate and easily would have made for a great entrée. Had we known how generous this item was going to be, we would have ordered a different appetizer, and I would have selected this as my main course. These are a must-try item. The rainbow trout was cooked well, served with a brown butter and lemon sauce with capers for a salty and acidic bite. I am not a fish person, but even I thoroughly enjoyed trying this item. The fried chicken advertises itself as pickle-brined, and it was indeed. I am no stranger to a picked brined chicken thigh, but this had a very assertive pickle flavor. As someone who is not a huge fan of strong pickle flavors I would likely not order this again, however the description was clear about the brining process and my choice was made knowing that it may be (and was) quite pickle forward. The accompanying mashed potatoes were among the best restaurant mash I have ever had, really creamy and well-seasoned. This was a third excellent meal at Ember and Elm, we can't wait to return come December. Breakfast: October 15, 2023 Excellent breakfast with a continental(ish) buffet option with a drink for $19 or a la carte menu items with varied price points. The continental breakfast features assorted fruits; fresh pastries; housemade jams, jellies, butters, and cream cheeses; meats and cheeses; cereals; grits; oatmeal; and biscuits and gravy. Your choice of coffee, tea, or soft drink is included. All items were fresh and delicious. The biscuits and gravy were phenomenal with a good spiciness from the sausage and the black pepper. Definitely recommend this as an option if you have a hearty appetite or as a great start to a full day at Dollywood. We had the bacon, onion, and cheese quiche with grit cake, and it was filling and delicious. The individual components of the quiche were cooked well with the sautéed onions as a star. The crust was buttery but not greasy. The grit cake was flavorful throughout and made me think of a country version of arancini. It's very tasty. The serving was enough for leftovers that were good cold for dinner that evening while staying at the hotel. Highly recommend. Our server, Amanda, was personable and warm. She was attentive to our table and was knowledgeable about the items on the menu. We enjoyed her service so much that we were looking forward to requesting her at our next breakfast here at Ember and Elm. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long for a repeat performance as she was working dinner service on October 16, 2023; our next experience at the restaurant. Dinner: October 13, 2023 This restaurant is phenomenal. The service is excellent (Blakelyn is wonderful), the food is exceptional (the agave carrots are worth the price of admission), and the decor is like a warm hug. We have been to Song and Hearth at Dreammore, and it was not a great experience; this is a plated meal as opposed to a buffet and stomps everything we ate at Song and Hearth."

"We had dinner at Ember & Elm after a day in the park and really enjoyed the food! The Nashville Hot Flatbread, cheddar biscuits, chicken and dumpling soup, and fried green tomato caprese were all excellent. We also initially appreciated that they provide an allergen card for the table - such a great touch to help communicate dietary needs. However, when the cheddar biscuits were brought to the table, our server wasn’t sure whether they contained the allergen we needed to avoid and had to check, which took nearly 15 minutes and made us a little uneasy. The server also seemed very awkward and stretched thin, and service was much slower than expected for things like drink refills and salad dressing. Overall, though, the food was fantastic, and we’d definitely come back - hopefully next time the service and allergen awareness will be a bit smoother."

"Enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Heartsong Resort! The buffet features an omelette station which I always love. The biscuits for biscuits and gravy I believe were homemade they were so light and fluffy both days I was lucky enough to get fresh biscuits just put down and they were DELICIOUS!! The muffins were of a variety and I loved the banana nut ones. The fruit was fresh and sweet. Overall a very good breakfast buffet but the omelette and biscuits and gravy were the highlights for me but that’s just my personal favorites! Sorry I didn’t get pictures of the entire buffet but it was very busy both days. Even busy servers were very nice and attentive!"

"The food here was absolutely amazing! Every bite of every dish was stunning. Great experience! Poppy was our server and she was so genuinely kind. Will definitely be back!"