One of the best parts of boating in East Tennessee is that the day doesn’t have to end when you get hungry. With several beautiful lakes and waterways surrounding Knoxville, boaters can turn a day on the water into a full experience by pulling up to a waterfront restaurant for lunch, dinner, drinks, or a quick bite. From Fort Loudoun Lake to Norris Lake and Douglas Lake, there are plenty of restaurants where you can dock your boat, stretch your legs, and enjoy a meal with a view.
If you’re planning your next day on the water, add these waterfront restaurants near Knoxville, TN to your boating itinerary
Lakeside Tavern
Lake: Fort Loudon Lake
Boat Access: Concord Marina / Fort Loudoun Lake
What to Try: Burgers, steaks, seafood, sandwiches, salads, and classic American fare
Located at Concord Marina, Lakeside Tavern is an easy stop for boaters exploring Fort Loudoun Lake. Concord Marina is one of the largest full-service marinas on the lake and offers boat slips, fuel, and other boating amenities, making it a convenient place to stop during a day on the water. The restaurant offers a broad menu, making it a good choice when everyone in your group wants something different. Whether you’re looking for a burger after an afternoon of swimming or a sit-down meal to end the day, Lakeside Tavern combines a casual restaurant atmosphere with views of the lake.
Boater’s Tip: Fort Loudoun Lake is connected to Tellico Lake by a navigable canal, so you can potentially make this part of a longer boating adventure without passing through a lock.
Calhoun’s
Lake: Fort Loudon Lake
Boat Access: Lenoir City Park Marina / Ft. Loudon Dam
What to Try: Ribs, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, and Tennessee-style favorites
Calhoun’s Lenoir City location sits right along Fort Loudoun Lake, making it a natural destination for boaters. The restaurant is located on the edge of one of the area’s large marinas and features covered outdoor decks overlooking the lake. For a summer boating day, the seasonal Tiki Hut is another reason to make the stop. It features an open-air patio, full bar, and a menu designed around casual summer dining. After spending the afternoon cruising Fort Loudoun, there’s something particularly satisfying about tying up the boat and enjoying dinner without having to leave the lake.
Dockside Grill
Lake: Tellico Lake
Boat Access: Tellico Marina
What to Try: Burgers, shrimp dishes, seafood, sandwiches, wings, and casual American favorites
If your boating plans take you toward Tellico Lake, put Dockside Grill at Tellico Marina on your list. The restaurant sits directly at Tellico Marina and offers lakeside dining with a casual, family-friendly atmosphere. Its menu includes everything from burgers and sandwiches to seafood favorites. Popular dishes include the shrimp po’ boy, shrimp chili tacos, mussels, and burgers. Tellico Marina also has fuel, a ship store, and boating services, making this a particularly convenient stop when you need to refuel both your boat and your crew.
Tellico Village Yacht Club
Lake: Tellico Lake
Boat Access: Tellico Village Marina / Yacht Club guest docks
What to Try: Lunch, dinner, brunch and chef-prepared seasonal dishes
For something a little more elevated, cruise over to the Tellico Village Yacht Club. The Yacht Club is situated on a peninsula overlooking Tellico Lake and has guest docks specifically for boaters arriving by water. The restaurant offers lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, with menus prepared by the Tellico Village culinary team. This is a great option when your boating group wants to trade swimsuits and flip-flops for a more traditional sit-down meal while still enjoying a beautiful lake view.
Castaways Grill & Bar
Lake: Norris Lake
Boat Access: Shanghai Resort & Marina
What to Try: House-smoked wings, pulled pork and beef brisket
Norris Lake is one of East Tennessee’s premier boating destinations, and Shanghai Resort provides an easy place to combine boating, dining and marina amenities. Castaways Grill & Bar is located at Shanghai Resort and serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. The restaurant is known for house-smoked wings, pulled pork and beef brisket, all served alongside lake views. The marina also has a launch ramp, fuel, ice, slips and a ship store, so it’s a convenient starting point for a full day on Norris Lake, or a place to finish your day after exploring the lake.
Springs Dock Restaurant
Lake: Norris Lake
Boat Access: Springs Dock & Resort
What to Try: Casual lakeside dining and classic marina fare
Springs Dock & Resort is another popular Norris Lake stop for boaters. The full-service marina has an on-the-water restaurant along with a concrete boat launch, fuel, slips, and a dock store stocked with boating essentials. The restaurant’s biggest draw may be the experience itself: park the boat, grab a meal, and enjoy the scenery of Norris Lake without leaving the water for long.
Lakeside at The Point
Lake: Douglas Lake
Boat Access: The Point Resort & Marina
What to Try: Burgers, wraps, cheese curds, popcorn chicken, and casual lake-day favorites
Heading toward Douglas Lake? Lakeside at The Point is designed with boaters in mind. The restaurant is located at The Point Resort and offers dockside dining, drinks, and lake views. The restaurant’s menu features casual favorites such as the Mile High Club Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Wisconsin cheese curds, and popcorn chicken baskets. The Point Resort also operates a marina with docking and fueling options, making it easy to turn a meal into part of a longer Douglas Lake adventure.
Millstone Restaurant & Country Store
Lake: Douglas Lake
Boat Access: Swann’s Marina
What to Try: Burgers, sandwiches, wings, pulled pork and Southern-inspired favorites
Swann’s Marina has been a Douglas Lake destination for generations, and it’s also home to Millstone Restaurant & Country Store. The restaurant is located next to Swann’s Marina and serves American favorites, including burgers and sandwiches, along with appetizers such as wings, fried green tomatoes, fried pickles and smokehouse potato skins. Swann’s Marina offers boat rentals, fuel, slips and other amenities, making it a convenient place to stop during a day exploring Douglas Lake.
Make Your Next Boating Day a Dining Adventure
With so many lakes and waterways around Knoxville, you don’t have to pack every meal in a cooler. A waterfront restaurant can be the perfect midway stop during a day on the water—or the ideal place to end an afternoon of cruising. Whether you’re exploring Fort Loudoun Lake, Tellico Lake, Norris Lake or Douglas Lake, plan your route around a restaurant that lets you pull up by boat, enjoy a great meal and get right back on the water. Before heading out, remember that restaurant hours, docking availability and seasonal schedules can change. It’s always a good idea to call ahead and confirm that the restaurant is open and that dock space is available for visiting boaters.
And if your boat isn’t quite ready for another day on the water, Travis Marine can help with your boating needs, from finding the right boat for your East Tennessee adventures to keeping your current boat ready for the season. The next great meal may be just a boat ride away.