Maryville is about to get a new downtown dinner destination where lobster rolls, raw oysters, sushi and live music share the same stage. Pinchy’s Lobster & Raw Bar is targeting a mid-September 2026 opening, bringing its oversized seafood-and-entertainment concept to Blount County.
The restaurant is planned for 508 High Street, next to The Walnut Kitchen, owner Nick DiBartolomeo confirmed to WhatNow Nashville. It will be Pinchy’s third location, following restaurants in Sevierville, Tennessee, and Boerne, Texas.
According to the company’s Maryville location page, the new restaurant will have more than 200 indoor and outdoor seats, plus an 8,000-square-foot outdoor gathering space. The venue is also expected to host live music, alfresco dining and community events, giving downtown Maryville another place to linger after dinner.
A New Seafood Anchor Beside The Walnut Kitchen
The project is closely tied to The Walnut Kitchen, the Maryville restaurant operated by Launch Hospitality. The Walnut Kitchen describes Pinchy’s as a new concept being developed alongside its existing downtown operation, creating a shared hospitality footprint for the two restaurants.
The menu will be rooted in New England cuisine with global touches, including lobster rolls, cold-water oysters, sushi, Alaskan crab legs, shrimp and sandwiches. Pinchy’s says its sauces, soups and desserts will be made in-house, while Executive Chef Rick Kyker will lead the culinary program and oversee the seafood-focused menu.
Live Music And A Larger Downtown Footprint
The Maryville location is designed to be more than a conventional seafood restaurant, with the outdoor area planned as a gathering space for performances and events. The company says live music is scheduled for Thursdays through Sundays when weather permits, with exhibition cooking and other activity planned around the outdoor stage.
That combination fits into a broader expansion of downtown Maryville’s dining and entertainment scene, where new restaurants and greenway-connected gathering spaces are giving residents more reasons to stay downtown for an entire evening. For Pinchy’s, the next big test will be turning a promising September opening into the kind of seafood party its existing locations have built their reputations around.
