Welcome to Smith House Restaurant
Welcome to Smith House Restaurant, a coveted dining gem located in Dahlonega, Georgia, housed in a charming historic inn dating back to 1898. Renowned for its authentic southern cooking, this family-style eatery offers a delightful array of dishes that showcase local flavors, including their acclaimed fried chicken and savory collard greens. Guests rave about the cozy ambiance, with outdoor seating featuring a soothing waterfall—perfect for a leisurely breakfast or a memorable lunch with family. With a commitment to quality and generous portions, Smith House guarantees an unforgettable dining experience steeped in rich history and warm hospitality. Join the tradition that locals have cherished for decades!
- 84 S Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30533, United States Hotline: +1 706-867-7000
Nestled in the heart of Dahlonega, Georgia, the Smith House Restaurant stands as a culinary gem, steeped in rich history and Southern charm. Located at 84 S Chestatee St, this family-owned establishment has been a beloved dining destination since 1922, offering a unique blend of delightful country-style meals and a glimpse into the historic gold mining era of the region.
As you step inside the Smith House, you're greeted by a warm atmosphere that feels like a home away from home. The restaurant's décor, adorned with historic artifacts and charming photographs, serves as a cozy backdrop to your dining experience. With a menu deeply rooted in Southern traditions, Smith House excels in delivering hearty, flavorful dishes that leave both locals and tourists raving.
One of the standout features at Smith House is its family-style dining. Guests pay upfront, and an array of delicious dishes is served directly to your table. From their famed fried chicken to savory collard greens, every bite is filled with the love and proficiency of Southern cooking. Many patrons, like Brad C, proclaim this dish as the best they've ever had, exemplifying the restaurant's dedication to quality and flavor.
Not only is the food top-notch, but reviews frequently mention the exceptional service provided by the staff. Whether it's assisting with meal choices during a busy holiday or ensuring that your drink is never empty, the team at Smith House goes above and beyond to create an unforgettable dining experience. Jennifer E's recent feedback about a bustling Easter lunch speaks volumes about their efficiency and commitment to customer satisfaction.
The atmosphere further enhances the experience, especially when dining on the patio, where the gentle sound of a waterfall adds a delightful touch to your meal. Lauren Sofia captures this perfectly, describing it as a “mini breakfast vacay.” With options for breakfast served until 10:30 AM on weekends, patrons can indulge in a bountiful buffet featuring a plethora of items, all crafted with the signature Smith House quality.
For those looking to celebrate special occasions, the Smith House also serves as an enchanting venue for events. K G’s wedding reception story highlights the restaurant's capability to cater to large gatherings, offering a diverse menu that ensures every guest leaves satisfied and full of fond memories.
With an extensive menu that includes homemade desserts like strawberry shortcake and banana pudding, no dining experience at the Smith House would be complete without a sweet treat to finish. Customers frequently suggest trying out other dishes like the delicious pot roast—as satisfying as it is hearty—further illustrating the diverse culinary offerings at this historic venue.
In conclusion, whether you’re a local or just passing through Dahlonega, Smith House Restaurant is a destination worth every minute of the journey. With an ambiance reflecting Southern hospitality, an array of delectable dishes, and a staff that treats you like family, you’re sure to leave with a full belly and a smile. As many have already discovered, once you experience Smith House, it’s a place you will want to return to time and again.

Delicious Easter lunch for the family! Helpful staff and fast service even though it was a busy day! Definitely will be back!

We have had the country style lunch & dinner menu and it's fantastic. Today we tried the Saturday & Sunday breakfast that goes till 10:30am. Awesome! All you can eat & at the Smith House quality. We enjoyed & the patio with the waterfall & breeze feels like a mini breakfast vacay. Definitely recommend for all locals & tourists as well.

Amazing place that has been around for decades. Pay up front and they bring out the food family style. The place sits on an old gold mine - you can get the history and look down the shaft. This is southern style food in an incredible setting. Don’t miss it!

Had a nice quiet lunch at Smith house in dahlonega. Great chicken and the rest was just perfect. Love the new dining style as opposed to the family style service.

We had our wedding reception at the Smith House and it was wonderful. Mariah was helpful with planning and explaining everything. We had so many choices for food. Our server Rose was amazing and made sure everyone was well taken care of. Also, she was super nice to the baby. Nobody had an empty beer or wine glass at any point. Our guests loved the food. The fried chicken was delicious, so was the cobbler. Our family is still talking about how nice everything was. Also, the prices were reasonable. I am so glad we chose to have our reception here. We plan to return for holidays and anniversaries as well.

The food was very good southern cooking service was wonderful price was normal and reasonable. Most definitely get enough food. Meat, vegetables, bread dessert and drink if you’re hungry you will definitely leave full or it’s your fault if you don’t.

Came with family and friends to enjoy the food and history of Smith House. Absolutely wonderful learning about the mining history of the area. The food was delicious. The fried okra was the best I've ever had. Refills on bevs and bread.

Love love LOVE the Smith House! It’s located in a historic 1898 inn on top of a real gold vein. Alert! This place has the best collard greens I’ve ever eaten. My MeMa always told me if a place serves good collards, it means they are going to do you right with everything. Wifey and I ate here at 5:30 PM on Saturday, Jan 21, 2023. Epic! As always. Delicious, dependable and comforting. We are both native Georgians and been eating from time to time here since the mid 1980’s. Work had called us away to Texas for four years, but recently relocated to the Buford area and made the 50 minute trip just to eat at this special place. For 23 each we got ample servings of many items, and were unable to finish them all so we took home a to go container. This price included excellent, well seasoned, perfectly cooked, yet moist fried chicken. We had a choice of white or dark and I chose the breast, see my attached picture. The pieces were huge! This meal also came with fork tender, hefty seasoned pot roast in a thick, rich brown gravy with potatoes and carrots. Vegetables were tender and not mushy or hard. We learned Friday and Saturday you can get a pot roast meal with 2 sides for 12.50, along with other single meat choices, like fried chicken or country fried steak. Anyway, this meal came out it’s excellent mash potatoes, savory Kentucky wonder style green beans, crisp fried okra, tasty cream corn, homemade yeast rolls and corn bread, Mac and cheese, and even strawberry short cake and choice of beverages, I chose sweet tea with a lemon slice, which hit the spot. Getting down to business I can’t stress enough how excellent those collards are, and it’s great they have Louisiana brand pepper sauce, the kind with the visible whole peppers in vinegar. They also had Louisiana hot sauce on the tables. The mashed potatoes were chunky, buttery, and tasted like they had just been made by someone who knows and loves what they are doing. Speaking of love, all the servers treated us like family. As time went on a group of college kids and their parents came in, numbering 33 people at a long table that sat all of them. Closer to 6pm many other families came in. Everyone looked happy. Lots of younger children, all well behaved. It’s such a cozy spot loaded with many historic photos and local artifacts, we read where they have been serving food there since 1922. So over 100 years later they have a packed dining room of happy people at 6:15 PM on a Saturday night. As we exited and strolled down Dahlonega’s inviting sidewalks on this chilly January night we were already talking about when we can make it back next time. I want to try their baked ham plate and get mashers and collards with it, and that way I can get the chocolate Oreo pie, or maybe the banana pudding, or the Boston Creme pie. We also noticed they sell a Smith House cookbook we plan to get on our next visit. Also another thing to consider, there is no way you can make all the things that came with this meal for that price at home for 2 people. Maybe a group of 33 can make the numbers work to do this at home but where are they going to find a table that seats 33 people???