12 Tennessee Waterfront Restaurants With Great Food And Beautiful Views
Waterfront dining adds something special to a meal, especially when the setting does half the talking. Across Tennessee, rivers, lakes, and marinas create memorable backdrops for restaurants that take food just as seriously as the view.
These spots invite lingering conversations, slower bites, and the simple pleasure of watching the water shift with the light. Menus range widely, yet quality and atmosphere remain consistent themes.
Some places feel lively and social, others calm and reflective, but all benefit from their scenic surroundings. This collection highlights waterfront restaurants that locals appreciate for dependable food, relaxed pacing, and views that elevate an ordinary meal into something worth planning around.
1. Riverview Restaurant & Marina
From the first basket of hushpuppies, you know this place means it. Catfish fillets arrive golden and tender, seasoned just enough to keep you reaching for another crunchy edge.
Sweet tea comes in frosty mason jars, and the servers talk to you like they have known your aunt for years.
It sits at 110 Old River Rd, Ashland City, TN 37015, with the Cumberland River sliding by like a long story. The ribeye, surprisingly, holds its own against the seafood, with a peppery sear and a pink center.
Collards taste like somebody’s patient Sunday, and the pinto beans are smoky, soft, and honest.
Order the frog legs if you are feeling adventurous, then finish with chess pie that leans buttery rather than cloying. Boats bob while you linger, and herons sometimes loiter near the dock like regulars.
Come for lunch, stay for the view, and leave smelling faintly of fryer and river breeze, which counts as a good perfume here.
2. Wildwood Resort And Marina
Evenings at Wildwood feel like summer camp for grownups who upgraded the food. The kitchen leans seasonal, so expect bright salads, herb rubbed chicken, and trout with crisped skin that cracks lightly under your fork.
Cocktails favor citrus and garden herbs, perfect for the soft lake air.
You will find it at 7316 Granville Hwy, Granville, TN 38564, tucked along Cordell Hull Lake with an easy marina rhythm. The pimento cheese starter is sharp and silky, slathered on warm toast with just the right jalapeño wink.
Wood fired pizzas surprise with blistered edges and good chew, especially the one with prosciutto and arugula.
Save room for a skillet cookie that arrives molten and takes no prisoners. Staff keep things relaxed, topping off waters while pointing out the pink pockets of sunset across the cove.
If you time dessert to the last light, you get a reflection so pretty it almost counts as a second course.
3. The Rudder
Music rides the water here, and so do baskets of fish tacos that disappear faster than dock gulls. The chips are warm, the queso is creamy, and the wings wear a sticky sweet heat that sneaks up after the second bite.
You get casual weekend energy even on a Tuesday, which is part of the charm.
Look for it at 126 River Rd, Hendersonville, TN 37075, right on Old Hickory Lake with a marina that hums like a friendly engine. Blackened mahi tacos pop with pineapple salsa, and the jalapeño ranch could be bottled and sold as a side hustle.
Burgers show off a proper sear and a soft bun that holds together when the party starts.
When the band cranks up, grab a seat facing the cove and let the sunset work the room. Order a frozen drink if the afternoon blazes, or a local lager if you want clean and crisp.
Expect laughs, lake breeze, and that pleasant salt and lime afterglow.
4. Moby Dicky’s
Nothing fancy, just the kind of lakeside basket that hits every comfort note. The catfish is lightly cornmeal crusted and steams clean when you open it, while shrimp get a peppery dust that plays nice with lemon.
Coleslaw brings enough tang to reset your palate between salty bites.
You will roll up to 155 Sanders Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, TN 37075, and likely spot coolers, flip flops, and a relaxed crowd. Tartar sauce tastes homemade, which matters more than people admit.
The lobster roll, when on, is butter kissed and generous, though I still reach for the seafood platter with hushpuppies.
On a hot day, a cold beer and shade make this feel like a backyard cookout with better timing. Kids angle for soft serve, adults angle for a seat closest to the water.
Either way, the view unknots your shoulders while the fryer does what fryers do best.
5. Riverfront Seafood Co
Fresh fish is the headline, and they deliver with consistency that keeps locals loyal. Start with smoked trout dip, silky and lightly briny, served with crackers that do not collapse under the load.
Then move to rainbow trout amandine, where butter browned almonds add crunch without stealing the show.
The deck faces the Holston River near 1777 Netherland Inn Rd, Kingsport, TN 37660, a lovely stretch for lingering. Blackened catfish rides a spice line that stops at flavorful, not punishing, and the slaw is cool and clean.
Servers know the menu and will steer you right toward seasonal picks and sides.
Key lime pie is tart enough to make your eyebrows dance, which is exactly right after fried things. Portions run generous, so pace yourself or plan to carry a box to the car.
Sit by the railing, breathe the leafy river air, and enjoy a place that understands simple done well.
6. Waterfront Bar & Grill
This spot hugs the greenbelt, which means you can earn your burger with a scenic stroll first. Wings come crisp with a garlic parmesan that clings, and the burgers stack high with melted cheddar and grilled onions.
Fries are hand cut, kissed with salt, and perfect for dipping in comeback sauce.
You will find it at 404 Greenbelt Dr, Maryville, TN 37804, where the Little River slides by with a friendly hush. Flatbreads make an easy share, especially the one with pepperoni curl and spicy honey drizzle.
Bartenders pour local drafts cold and honest, and happy hour tends to draw an easygoing crowd.
On sunny afternoons, grab a patio table, tilt your chair toward the water, and let conversation do the heavy lifting. Save room for the brownie sundae if your sweet tooth starts whispering.
It is comfortable, flavorful, and exactly the kind of place a neighborhood deserves.
7. Steve’s Landing Waterfront Grill
Fried pickles hit the table hot and irresistible, and that is your sign to pace yourself. The menu swings wide from steaks to seafood, with a grilled salmon that wears a maple glaze just sweet enough.
Sides feel homemade, especially the green beans that taste like they saw some bacon.
Head to 1145 Poling Cir, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379, right on the edge of Chickamauga Lake where the view does half the talking. Ribs pull clean from the bone and carry a light smoke that will not bully your palate.
If you lean lighter, the shrimp salad is crisp, citrusy, and generous with the good stuff.
Plan sunset here and you will not regret it. The deck fills, the water blushes, and dessert becomes non negotiable.
Go for the peach cobbler with ice cream melting down the sides, then smile all the way to the car.
8. Scottie’s On The River
City energy meets river calm here, and the plates look as good as the skyline. Shrimp and grits carry a creamy base with just the right cheddar bite, and the shrimp snap fresh.
Steak frites arrive with a pepper crust and fries that stay crisp to the last dunk.
You will find it at 491 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402, with broad Tennessee River views framed by bridges and soft city glow. The ahi tuna starter is ruby bright, seared hard at the edges, and draped with soy citrus.
Cocktails skew polished, especially the bourbon forward sipper that pairs beautifully with the ribeye.
On warm nights, sit outside and watch paddleboards slip by like punctuation marks. Leave room for banana pudding stacked in a jar, a wink to tradition with a modern shine.
It is dinner with a sense of occasion, minus the fuss.
9. Cook’s Boathouse Restaurant
Old school in the best way, this lakeside stalwart does catfish with confidence. The batter is light, the fish is moist, and the hushpuppies walk that line between sweet and savory.
Tea is bottomless, and servers hustle like pros who know you drove for this.
It sits at 416 US-25E, Bean Station, TN 37708, overlooking Cherokee Lake with a wide open sweep. Sides like white beans and slaw keep the plate honest, and the cornbread is sturdy enough to scoop.
If pie is on your mind, coconut cream delivers a cloudlike finish that makes sharing difficult.
Plan a window seat and watch the water pick up the afternoon light. Portions run generous, so arrive hungry or embrace leftovers.
This is the kind of simple, satisfying meal that feels like a postcard mailed from your appetite. Generations of regulars give the room a lived-in warmth that cannot be manufactured.
The quiet satisfaction here comes from knowing exactly what you are getting and enjoying every bite of it anyway.
10. Awedaddys Bar & Grill
Vibes lean vacation, even if you only drove twenty minutes. The mahi tacos wear bright slaw and a drizzle of creamy heat, and the burgers stack tall with juicy center and toasted bun.
Fried pickles and loaded fries tend to vanish quickly if your table hesitates.
Steer toward 727 Marina Private Rd, Gallatin, TN 37066, where Old Hickory Lake sets the soundtrack. The coconut shrimp crunches audibly and begs for a squeeze of lime.
Cocktails go icy and colorful, with rum leaning creations that take the edge off a hot afternoon.
Grab a seat with a sightline to the water and let the breeze earn its tip. Live music shows up on busy nights, and sunset paints everything flattering.
Order something sweet, maybe a brownie sundae, and call it lakeside therapy covered in whipped cream.
11. Sam’s Sports Grill (Old Hickory Lake Views)
Game day meets lake day here, which feels like getting away without missing a score. Wings land crisp and sauced to order, with garlic parm and Nashville hot both worth the napkins.
Pizzas have a sturdy crust that handles pepperoni curl and extra cheese without sagging.
Find it at 2338 E Old Hickory Blvd, Hendersonville, TN 37075, perched near Old Hickory Lake with broad views from many tables. Burgers arrive pink where requested and come with fries that stay crunchy.
The chopped salad is no afterthought, loaded with bacon, blue cheese, and a punchy vinaigrette.
During golden hour, the lake glows through the windows and the place buzzes. Order a cold draft and a slice of cheesecake if you are celebrating nothing in particular.
It is casual, reliable, and better than your average sports bar by a boat length. Energy stays high without feeling chaotic, even when every table is full.
The easy mix of lake views, comfort food, and steady pacing makes lingering feel completely natural.
12. Angelo’s At The Point
Romance and water views make easy partners here, with Italian comfort leading the way. The linguine with clams tastes ocean bright, garlic laced, and crowned with fresh parsley.
Calamari fries delicate and light, just needing a squeeze of lemon and a dip of marinara.
You will find it at 122 Boat Dock Dr, Dandridge, TN 37725, perched where Douglas Lake spreads wide and reflective. Chicken piccata balances briny capers with butter and lemon like a tightrope walker.
The wine list is thoughtful enough to land a perfect glass without overthinking.
Ask for a window seat near sunset and watch the water shift from silver to peach. Finish with tiramisu that floats rather than sits, cocoa dusted and not too sweet.
It is the rare waterfront spot where the view and the pasta both deserve a second look. Service moves at a relaxed, confident pace that suits long dinners and unhurried conversation.
Even on busy evenings, the room keeps a calm rhythm that encourages you to linger just a little longer.