Dayton is a suburban city in and the county seat of Rhea County, Tennessee, U. S. The city had a population of 7,065 in the 2020 National Population Census in the United States.
This city offers a wholesome suburban rural mixed feel with prolific natural settings, top attraction sites, exquisite stores, and fantastic restaurants.
You will have an enjoyable stay in Dayton if you love good food. Dayton restaurants are part of the highlights of this city.
Below are some of the best restaurants in Dayton, TN.
Best Restaurants in Dayton
1. Jacob Myers Restaurant on the River
If you want a memorable lakeside dining experience, Jacob Myers Restaurant on the River is one of the best places to eat in Dayton, TN.
The restaurant has a lovely outdoor design, beautiful brick walls, and healthy potted plants. The restaurant’s surroundings have a scenic natural view, while the interior has a classy design.
Enjoy delicious appetizers, salads, sandwiches, wraps, craft burgers, seafood, pasta, steaks, sides, and desserts at Jacob Myers Restaurant on the River.
The Garlic Herb Quesadilla is a tasty appetizer filled with Monterey jack-topped green onions and served with fire-roasted salsa, pepper ranch, and sour cream.
If you want a quick bite, the French Dip Wrap, made with hot roast beef piled on a toasted hoagie roll topped with Swiss cheese and served with piping hot au-jus, is an excellent option. This delicious dish comes with fries, potato salad, or kettle chips. You can add bacon or cheese for an additional charge.
The Blackened Chicken Alfredo is an excellent seafood dish with grilled chicken breast served with fettuccine and homemade alfredo sauce. This delicious dish comes with garlic toast and a side salad.
Jacob Myers Restaurant on the River opens from 11:00 am – 09:00 pm from Wednesday to Friday, 11:00 am – 10:00 pm on Saturday, and 11:00 am – 06:00 pm on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Address: 185 Chickamauga Dr, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-570-0023
2. Monkey Town Brewing Co
Monkey Town Brewing Co is an excellent spot to catch up with your family and friends at the end of a long day. This restaurant is one of the top restaurants in Dayton, TN.
Monkey Town Brewing Co serves delicious appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, sauces & dressings, soups, burgers, salads, entrees, tacos, and sides.
If you love salads, the House-Made Chicken Salad is a fantastic dish made with an Arcadian lettuce blend, grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and toasted pecans.
For seafood lovers, the Cajun Popeye Pizza made with crispy tortilla crust topped with diced chicken breast, baby spinach, tomatoes, alfredo sauce, cheese, and Cajun seasoning, is a delight.
The restaurant has dine-in and takeaway options.
The restaurant opens from 11:00 am – 09:00 pm from Monday to Thursday, 11:00 am – 10:00 pm on Friday, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, and 12:00 pm – 09:00 pm.
Address: 287 1st Ave, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-775-1800
3. Banjo’s BBQ
If you love well-grilled meat, Banjo’s BBQ is an excellent spot as one of the best Dayton restaurants.
This restaurant has a welcoming atmosphere, a great ambiance, and a lovely setting. Banjo’s BBQ is an excellent place for a family gathering or a hangout with friends.
The restaurant serves pizza, pork, starters, delicious combo packs, sides, sauces, dressings, beef, and treats. In addition, the restaurant has a children’s menu.
You can start your dining experience with nachos made with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.
If you want a heavy meal, try Banjo’s Combo Plate, made of four jumbo wings, one small sandwich (with your choice of pork or chicken), and two side dishes.
The Cobbler with Ice Cream is a delightful treat to end your dining experience.
Banjo’s BBQ offers dine-in, takeaway, and delivery services.
Banjo’s BBQ opens from 02:00 pm – 07:00 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 12:00 pm – 08:00 pm, and on Friday and Saturday, but the restaurant is closed from Sunday to Tuesday.
Address: 1410 Maley Hollow Rd, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-785-7606
4. Delia’s Mexican Restaurant
Come to Delia’s Mexican restaurant – one of the top Dayton restaurants for a thrilling Mexican dining experience.
The restaurant has ample parking space if you have a large crowd. Delia’s Mexican restaurant serves delicious meals made with authentic, healthy ingredients.
Enjoy a delicious variety of authentic Mexican cuisine, from chicken dishes to enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, burritos, salads, tacos, chimichanga, and exciting combination dishes.
The Burrito Fiesta, made with your choice of steak, chicken, ground beef, or shrimp, plus Mexican sausage, vegetables, lettuce, and cheese on a flour tortilla, is an excellent pick. This dish comes with beans, rice, and pico de gallo.
Delia’s Mexican restaurant opens from 10:00 am – 09:00 pm from Monday to Thursday, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm on Friday, 11:00 am – 10:00 pm on Saturday, and 11:00 am – 09:00 pm.
Address: 8796 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-570-1813
5. Screen Door Kitchen
Screen Door Kitchen is a magnificent place to have delicious meals in Dayton, TN.
This restaurant has a scenic natural setting with a lovely porch. The building has a homey vibe and is an excellent spot for family meals.
Enjoy the restaurant’s delicious Crab Puppies made with domestic blue crab, hush puppies, roasted corn, jalapeno, and chives, served with house-made tartar sauce.
The restaurant’s Chicken Parmesan is a tasty dish made with basil and parmesan-crusted chicken, baked with pomodoro and mozzarella, and served over spaghetti.
The restaurant opens 11:00 am – 08:00 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 11:00 am – 09:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 am – 02:00 pm on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Address: 449 Delaware Ave, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-428-9493
6. MoMo’s Bar BQ
MoMo’s Bar BQ is a neighborhood-friendly spot where you can get unique dishes at affordable rates.
The restaurant serves fantastic burgers, sandwiches, side orders, BBQ by the pound, salads, desserts, and drinks. In addition, the restaurant has a kids’ menu.
You can try a plate of fried, grilled, or smoked bologna with a bottle of lemonade for lunch on a sunny afternoon. Other delicious lunch bites you can try include the restaurant’s grilled cheese sandwich, hamburger, cheeseburger, deluxe hot dog, and chicken wings.
MoMo’s Bar BQ offers dine-in and takeaway options, stamping their stake as one of the best Dayton restaurants.
It opens from 10:45 am – 08:00 pm from Monday to Friday and 10:45 pm – 04:00 pm on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.
Address: 7481 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-775-6868
7. Dayton Coffee Shop
Come to Dayton Coffee Shop for fantastic Southern home cooking. This restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Dayton, TN.
The restaurant has a warm, welcoming ambiance. It has a vibrant atmosphere and friendly service.
Dayton Coffee Shop serves daily specials, sandwiches, salads, pies, special platters, and everyday meat & vegetables.
If you love chicken dishes, come to Dayton Coffee Shop on Mondays. The restaurant offers chicken dumplings, fried chicken, chicken dressing, baked ham, sweet potatoes, and stewed apples as Monday’s daily specials.
The restaurant offers dine-in and takeaway options.
Dayton Coffee Shop opens from 10:30 am – 07:30 pm Monday to Friday but is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 280 2nd Ave #1, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-775-6156
8. Peking House Restaurant
Peking House restaurant offers excellent Chinese cuisine. This restaurant is one of the top restaurants in Dayton, TN.
Come to Peking House restaurant for delicious Chinese dishes homemade with fresh, healthy ingredients.
Enjoy a variety of seafood, beef, vegetables, egg foo young, pork, lo mein, combination plates, entrees, rice bowls, appetizers, fried rice, and lots more. In addition, the restaurant has a kids’ menu and vegetarian-friendly meals.
The Fried Jumbo Shrimp is an excellent appetizer if you are dining alone. However, for a dinner for two, try the Popo Platter with egg roll, BBQ ribs, crab Rangoon, shish kebab, and fried Jumbo Shrimp.
Enjoy stir-fried rice plates with vegetables, chicken, pork, shrimp, beef, or a combination.
Peking House restaurant offers drive-through and dine-in services.
Peking House restaurant opens from 11:00 am – 09:30 pm from Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 am – 09:30 pm on Saturday, and 11:30 am – 09:00 pm on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday.
Address: 7356 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-775-1011.
9. Carrabelle’s
If you want an exquisite dining experience, get down to Carrabelle’s – one of the best Dayton restaurants.
The restaurant has a classy dining space, incredible lighting, and a vibrant atmosphere. Come to Carrabelle’s restaurant for an impressive romantic dining experience.
Carrabelle’s restaurant offers an exciting variety of dishes, from seafood to pasta, beef, tacos, pizza, sandwiches, sliders, soups, salads, pasta, entrees, pork, and more. The restaurant serves each entree with two side plates.
If you want a quick, delicious lunch bite, try Carrabelle’s signature Burger made with Angus beef served with tomatoes, lettuce, and Carrabelle’s sauce, and topped with fried onion rings and provolone cheese.
If you have difficulty choosing, the Can’t Decide Sampler is a fantastic platter with onion rings, Dragon Shrimp, and a portion of buffalo chicken dip with potato chips.
The restaurant offers dine-in and curbside pickup options.
Carrabelle’s opens from 11:30 am – 09:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11:30 am – 09:30 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Address: 4370 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-428-9441.
10. Ayala’s Mexican Restaurant
Are you looking for the best restaurants in Dayton, TN? Come to Ayala’s Mexican Restaurant for a premium dining experience. The restaurant serves fantastic Mexican cuisine homemade with fresh, healthy ingredients.
Ayala’s Mexican restaurant is excellent if you love tidy space, a vibrant atmosphere, and a family-friendly restaurant. This restaurant is ideal for small gatherings or corporate meetings.
Enjoy your favorite Mexican cuisine, from chimichangas to burritos, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, delicious appetizers, soups, salads, and seafood.
Start your dinner with the Guacamole Mexicano made with fresh chunks of ripe avocado, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, tomatoes, and lime juice. If you want something spicy, the Hot Wings are excellent.
Ayala’s Mexican restaurant offers dine-in, takeaway, and delivery options.
Ayala’s Mexican Restaurant is open from 11:00 am – 10:00 pm from Sunday to Saturday.
Address: 3035 Rhea County Hwy #180, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423 634-8899
11. Vietnamese Bistro
Come to Vietnamese Bistro for an exciting variety of Vietnamese cuisine. This restaurant serves meals made with authentic, high-quality ingredients.
If you want a memorable dining experience, Vietnamese Bistro is one of the best restaurants in Dayton, TN. The restaurant serves a range of fantastic meals, including appetizers, soups, rice noodle salads, lunch plates, and drinks.
The Fried Wontons or Tofu are an excellent appetizer. You can try the Spring Rolls or the Shrimp Chips if you want something crunchy.
Treat yourself to a fantastic entree of seafood garnished with pineapples and onions. If you feel adventurous, try the Wok tossed curry with lemongrass and onion.
Vietnamese Bistro opens from 11:00 am – 09:00 pm from Monday to Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.
Address: 200 Able Dr #11, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-570-0100.
12. Scoopy’S Ice Cream Place
Come to Scoopy’S Ice Cream Place for an exciting adventure. This place is an excellent spot for family outings and is children-friendly.
If you want a thrilling ice cream treat, Scoopy’S Ice Cream Place has a fantastic variety of goodies. Enjoy yummy molten chocolate cakes, banana splits, waffle cones, shortcakes, milkshakes, and lots more.
Scoopy’S Ice Cream Place has dine-in and takeaway options for meals.
Scoopy’S Ice Cream Place opens from 11:00 am – 05:00 pm from Monday to Friday and 11:00 am – 04:00 pm on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.
Address: 1422 Market St, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-570-9550
13. Master Donuts of Dayton
Master Donuts of Dayton is an incredible spot that serves freshly-made donuts with swift, friendly service.
Start your day with a breakfast burrito with sausage, egg, and cheese. The Ham, Cheese & Egg croissant is also a fantastic breakfast bite.
The restaurant serves a variety of donuts, croissants, pigs in a blanket, bagels, chips, and fruit tarts.
Master Donuts of Dayton offers dine-in, takeaway, and delivery options.
Master Donuts of Dayton is open from 05:00 am – 03:00 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and 06:00 am – 01:00 pm on Saturday, but the restaurant is closed on Sunday.
Address: 3035 Rhea County Hwy #190, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-428-9388
14. Hardee’s
Come to Hardee’s for your favorite dishes made with fresh ingredients and excellent culinary skills. This fast-food chain serves delicious meals with a fantastic consistency.
Hardee’s offers delicious breakfast combos like the Hand-breaded chicken biscuit combo, sausage & egg biscuit combo, sausage biscuit combo, and the pork chop ‘n’ biscuit combo, among others.
The restaurant also serves French toast dips, breakfast platters, cinnamon rolls, apple turnover, biscuits, gravy, burgers, chicken tenders, chips, combo deals, drinks, and more.
Hardee’s offers dine-in and drive-through options.
Hardee’s is open from 05:00 am – 09:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday and 05:00 am – 10:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 7474 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-775-9126.
15. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse
If you want terrific Japanese cuisine, Yamato Japanese Steakhouse is a great spot to eat in Dayton, TN.
Treat yourself to a delicious variety of sushi bar entrees, rolls, sushi, sashimi, fried rice, Udon or Soba, a Bento box, appetizers, desserts, and drinks. In addition, the restaurant has a vegetarian-friendly menu.
Yamato Japanese Steakhouse opens from 11:00 am – 09:30 pm on Sunday and from 11:00 am – 10:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Monday.
Address: 2668 Rhea County Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, United States. Phone: +1 423-428-9162.
Want to know the best places to visit in Tennessee for fun dining? Check out our guide on restaurants in Newport, restaurants in Spring Hill, and restaurants in Gallatin.
Plan a Trip to Dayton, TN
If you love outdoor activities, you will love exploring Dayton. The city offers numerous natural experiences and great outdoor adventures.
Dayton has terrific hiking trails, mini-waterfalls, incredible historical sites, fantastic restaurants, and lots more. Whether relaxing in Dayton’s unique outdoor spots or having a fun adventure in the woods, Dayton offers an unforgettable experience.
This city in Rhea County is definitely worth a trip.