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In the mood for some simple, inexpensive but great Italian food? Look no further than Garlic Knots, located in central Maggie Valley.
The Restaurant
Garlic Knots isn’t a big place, so be careful as it’s easy to drive right by it. Don’t be fooled by the perceived size though, as upon entering you’ll find the restaurant has plenty of room for a decent sized crowd. The bathrooms on the other hand are the smallest I’ve ever seen, but hey, can’t have everything right? Garlic Knots isn’t fancy but it’s not low class either. Frankly we find it just right for relaxed and informal casual dining.
For those that have either lived in Maggie for a while or have been visiting Maggie Valley for years, you’ll remember that Garlic Knots was previously called the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. The restaurant was acquired by new owners, spruced up a bit and renamed to Garlic Knots.
Garlic Knots is divided into two sections, the front area and the rear bar area. The bar serves wine and draft beers, but no liqueur or mixed drinks. Prior to a few weeks ago, the bar area was also the restaurants smoking area. But now that there is a North Carolina ban on smoking in public places, it’s just another part of the restaurant. Unless the place is just swamped, you can expect to be seated in the front area. The only time I’ve seen the bar actually being used is when my wife and I visit to grab a to-go order, when we use to drink a glass of wine or beer while waiting.
The Menu
The Garlic Knots menu is what you would expect to find at a small time pizzeria/Italian restaurant. My wife and I have been many times and have tried many of the dishes and are yet to get something we didn’t like. The food is outstanding. Here are just a few of the selections from the menu:
Appetizers: Mozzarella Sticks, Fried Mushrooms, Garlic Knots
Soups and Salads: House Salad, Antipasto Salad, Chef Salad, Greek Salad, and Chicken Salad. Available soups depend on the day and vary.
Entrees: Chicken Parmesan, Ravioli (spinach, cheese and meat), Manicotti, Chicken Cacciatore, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti
Pizza: Palermo, Meat, Veggie, White, Vally Special, Calzones
They also offer a number of cold and warm sub selections that are excellent.
My wife always gets the Calzones, which are the best we’ve ever had anywhere. In addition to the Calzone, my favorites include the chicken Parmesan, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Spinach Ravioli. Our kids love the Calzones and pizza.
Our favorite of everything are the Garlic Knots. No matter what, make sure place an order for the warm garlic knots. They are absolutely out of this world. I’ve considered just making a meal on them a few times!
Staff and Service
Service is my only issue and complaint with Garlic Knots. The staff is wonderful. They are friendly and always willing to be of service. The problem is they are seldom under staffed. The wait staff works diligently to provide great service, but sometimes they are so busy with the number of tables they have they just can’t. This is a minor grievance for us, as we are seldom in a hurry when visiting, but could be a concern for others. The owners and management need to do a little better job anticipating traffic and staffing appropriately.
Garlic Knots is small family owned business, and as a result chances are you just might be served by the owners or their children.
Family Friendly
Garlic Knots is absolutely family friendly and offers a kids menu. You’ll often find the restaurant’s owner’s grandchildren helping out and entertaining the customers. Their grand daughter loves to come over and talk to our daughter. With that said, we did visit last week and found that they only have 2 high chairs in the whole restaurant. Both of which were being used by a family at another table. Our daughter had to sit in a chair. While she did fine, it did make us a little nervous.
Price
Garlic Knots prices are very reasonable, with the average meal falling into the $7 - $8 mark. Sandwiches being a little less expensive, and full entree’s being a little more. Overall though and excellent value considering how great the food is. The value is so good, that Garlic Knots is the family restaurant of choice for us and our 6 children when we eat out as a family.
Our Rating
We love Garlic Knots and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Maggie Valley/Waynesville NC area. The food is great, the environment relaxed, and the price point spot on.
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