Feel The Burn At The Tex-Mex Hot Sauce Bar In Tennessee's First Tijuana Flats
By Chris Dodge|Published February 07, 2024
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
I spent some of my formative teenage years growing up in Florida and, to this day, I have fond memories of a Sunshine State staple. Tijuana Flats started just outside of Orlando and soon spread all over the state and beyond. It had been long since I partook in any of their radical Tex-Mex creations, however. I heard the news recently that made me jump up and down with joy (quite literally, I might add): the first Tijuana Flats in Tennessee has now opened and is located in one of my favorite towns, Pigeon Forge! So you better believe we got in the car and headed straight to this heaven-on-earth spot.
Anticipation was at an all-time high as we rode up to the unassuming Tennessee strip mall that held our beloved restaurant.
Back in Florida, Tijuana Flats was a special place for me and my wife because as young high school sweethearts, we spent many date nights at this spicy little spot. I was happy to see even though things look a little different here in Tennessee, the nostalgia flooded in as we opened the doors.
It was especially special to be back in a Tijuana Flats because all these years later we get to experience it fresh with our daughters. They were thrilled to get an opportunity to see why we loved this place so much.
If you haven’t been to a location before, here are a few things you can expect. First, this isn’t your everyday Tex-Mex restaurant, but a certain combination of humor, art, and tasty food. This medley of elements is skillfully woven into the very fabric of every Tijuana Flats you see.
Take the murals, for instance. Every single restaurant will feature their very own unique original artwork that represents the brand and the local area. The beloved black bear of the Smokies is blasting tacos with the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, an iconic feature of Pigeon Forge, in the background. A knightly iguana riding an elk may seem like a weird occurrence but here, it's pretty standard fare.
One of my favorite sections is the hot sauce bar. You can sample a rotating supply of their own signature hot sauces and they range from sweet to deathly heat. This is where I learned a deep appreciation for the art of hot sauces as an additive to Mexican cuisine and beyond. Mmm!
If you like what you taste, you can purchase a bottle to bring home with you. I always have a few must-have sauces in my fridge ready to go for any Taco Tuesday, Mexican Monday, or Fiesta Friday. I’ll be honest, I look for any excuse to eat Tex-Mex. The same blend of humor and zany art finds its way onto the hot sauces themself too, making it a really fun trip down memory lane.
The menu boasts many different options from burritos, chimichangas, and tacos -- just to name a few. One of our favorites, however, is the chicken flautas. Light and crunchy, these bite-sized pieces of joy are bursting with cheesy flavor and as a bonus, you can dip them in queso, pico, and guacamole. Who's hungry?
I am very passionate that we now have our first Tijuana Flats in Tennessee. This is a monumental opening and we couldn’t be happier having our favorite restaurant in our own state. If you are looking for slightly weird and funny jokes mixed with delicious Tex-Mex, this is the place for you. For more information or to place an online order please visit the Tijuana Flats website. Check out our full foodie journey through sweet nostalgia with this Adventuring in the Moment video.
