It took 5 months since they opened, but we finally made it to Meek’s Kitchen—and we weren’t disappointed. It is the best hamburger that I have had in Tennessee. Even more, it is tied for first place with my favorite burger ever: Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. Things could not have been better because we got the best seats in the kitchen, across from the grill, and got to observe the kitchen in action.
First, you need to know that Meek’s Kitchen is located in a Marathon gas station across the street from the Sevierville Walmart on the parkway. (Yes, the really busy one). Lisa and I have visited Gas Station Tacos in Pigeon Forge so going into a gas station for lunch was not unusual for me, an adventurous foodie. We went at noon, a busy time, but easily found parking on the side of the Marathon station and walked in to find our friend Anita.
As luck would have it, Anita got there first and saved us seats at the counter, right in front of the grill so we got a really good view of the busy kitchen.
You come here ready for a hamburger or hot dog and the menu delivers. I found the prices to be excellent due to the high quality product.
Meek’s uses grass fed ground beef in the ‘smash burger’style. The flavor is everything that you want in burger.
Order at the counter or the cash register and you can watch the work in progress.
There is also an interesting warm potato salad dish that I will try some day.
A big advantage to having lunch in a gas station is the access to any kind of drink that you could want. We were able to have caffeine free Diet Sprite, which is hard to find in eateries. Definitely a perk!
Burgers are all cooked fresh and fries and onion rings are hot. I love burgers served like this! This photo is the first option on the menu, the Gourmet Cheeseburger.
Each burger contains two 3 ounce patties with spring mix lettuce on a brioche bun. The brioche bun is my favorite and the best choice for this kind of burger. They were outstanding and we had to get ‘to go’ boxes to finish the rest later as the burgers were generous portions.
I have been reading my friend Tad’s assessments for Meek’s Kitchen for 5 months and it was even better than I imagined so Anita, Melinda, and I plan to go back again and again. Meek’s Kitchen delivers an outstanding hamburger and fries,etc. You will not be disappointed.
My friend Tad says, ” nothing will ever top a REAL Frank Allen’s cheeseburger, but Meek’s Kitchen comes very close! They do have the original recipe for Frank’s slaw, and it is delicious. The restaurant area is spotlessly clean, as well.”
We didn’t order cheesecake, but imagine that they are wonderful—just look at the flavors.
Here are some tips for first timers.
- Meek’s Kitchen is quite popular so this is a place that you may not be able to grab a quick lunch. Plan for it to take a while to order and get your food, then enjoy it.
- I noticed the crowd thinned out more after 1:00 p.m. so a late lunch would be a good idea too.
- I sat across from the grill and noticed the next day that my jacket smelled like cooking hamburgers (not a bad thing), so be aware that you may attract animals or other foodies by sitting close to the grill.
- It looked like some customers were doing take-out so that seems to be an option.
- There are places to sit at a long counter and several table areas. People ordering to-go seemed to be standing around waiting for their orders so it may look more ‘peopley’ during the lunch rush. Worth the wait!
Meek’s Kitchen is a local treasure and a place that I want to go on a regular basis. It is convenient and one of the best hamburgers that I have enjoyed during my foodie adventures so I bet that you will like Meek’s Kitchen too. Who wants to go next week?
See you out and about in Sevierville.
Out and About in Sevierville 