Unusual name and great food at Cootie Brown’s
When going down to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, we have found a few places we have to stop on the way down. This restaurant with an unusual name is one of those. The only reason we went was because my Dad had joked about it in the past but when we heard the name, we decided we had to go because with a name like Cootie Brown’s, it had to be good for at least a story. What we found was so much better than that!
Getting to Cootie Brown’s
First of all, when you go down Interstate 81 to Tennessee, you will come to a town called Bristol. This town is split in the half by the Virginia and Tennessee state line. So, you are either in Bristol, Virginia or Bristol, Tennessee. Bizarre right? Cootie Brown’s is on the Tennessee side of Bristol.
You are greeted by a large sign that says, “Cootie Brown’s, Real Food.” It is also bright yellow along with the roof of the restaurant. The building has so much character. It literally lures you in.
Indoor or outdoor
When you get to the hostess stand, you will notice there is a huge amount of outdoor seating and all the tables are brightly colored. They have string lights set up and ceiling fans. The inside has the same crazy color scheme but it leads to the festive feel.
As you are seated, you are handed a menu but it is so large it looks like a newspaper. The huge menu includes sandwiches, tamales, pizza, burgers, salads and barbeque. There is something for everyone on the menu. They also use lime green straws and I can’t get past that. If you want to get the feel at home, here are some reusable ones!
The huge portions are beyond satisfying. A helpful note, if you order the spiral chips, it will be enough for at least three people. Seriously, this is a huge pile of home made potato chips and they are so good, but too many!
Get the Key Lime Pie!
This leads me to dessert! The desserts will tempt you, even after all the big portions. They have an old fashioned spinning dessert case with so many cakes and pies your head will spin with it! They even have a key lime cookie if you want something for later.
The desserts are very good! Souvenir shirts are also for sale because really, who wouldn’t want the words “Cootie Brown’s” on their chest? It makes for a great conversation starter! And, of course, they have tie dye. It really fits the atmosphere.
If you find yourself going down I-81 and you see the town of Bristol, pull over and have a delicious bite to eat. The name is what got us the first time, but the atmosphere and food brings us back each time! This is a great place to stop on the way to the Island at Pigeon Forge, or Dollywood!
Have you ever stopped in Bristol, VA/TN? Ever noticed Cootie Brown’s?