The fish and chips was fantastic! Server was quick and kind. The outside eating was really cool - just wish the river view wasn't blocked by the trees. read more

So, I have never left a bad review for a restaurant in my life. I am pretty easy going as a guest in any establishment, but having been in the food industry for the entirety of my career, I am sure to be extra forgiving. That being said, I ran into a couple things here that I just found unacceptable. It was a hot day today, almost 100 degrees not considering the heat index. My fiancé, 6 month old son and myself were very excited to come inside and cool off with a cold drink and some air conditioning. We were sat in a lounge with no fans or AC whatsoever and my son and I started sweating within minutes. Not the end of the world but it did put a damper on the overall atmosphere and experience. It took a while for us to be greeted by our server who was kind. We placed our drink orders and got that back pretty quickly, then we placed our appetizer order. It took almost 15 minutes after placing our appetizer order before we saw our server again. Mind you, it was busy and noticeably understaffed. We got the cheese curds and over half of them were completely empty ! The selling point on the menu is that you receive a "half pound of cheese curds". This was not the case. My son was eating and entertained so we weren't too chuffed about it. We placed our food order and it was about 45 minutes until our food came out. I noticed after placing our food order with our server, she made rounds around the restaurant before putting our food in. As a server myself, that's just not the order of operations. Putting in a ticket takes less than 2 minutes. Put the food in and then make your rounds to check on everyone. Not quite unacceptable, but we were hungry, have a young baby and we wanted out of the heat badly. When my food came out I was worried about how everything looked. I ordered a blackened catfish plate and my fiancé had a blackened shrimp po boy. My catfish was not blackened but it had a noticeable layer of seasoning on it. I would say 1-3 cm of just seasoning on top of my fish with no char/blackening. It literally sloughed off of the fish. I pecked at the sides which I was not impressed with. Fries were unique but not crisp enough, and the slaw tasted like it was made with apple juice. Once I took a bite of my catfish I couldn't help but make a face. My fiancé was genuinely shocked because I am NOT picky. I'll eat just about anything. I scraped some of the slimy layer of seasoning off and gave it another bite and was equally put off. Last bite I took was with the "house remoulade" and I audibly gagged. Never in my adult life have I done that ! Super embarrassed and I knew I couldn't force myself through the plate. I had to wait another 30 minutes before our server checked in and I had to tell her I was grossed out and could not eat my food. She apologized and gladly comped the item off our ticket, which I appreciated. She asked if they could make something else for me, and I politely declined saying the baby is tired and we're all hot and ready to go. She brought the ticket to me and I immediately gave her my card. I watched her go outside, to the bar, and around the dining room with my check/card. She returned other tables checks before mine while she had collected them after mine. It made no sense to me, and I was getting fed up at this point as I was sweating bullets and the baby was melting down. While the po boy looked nice and was loaded up with shrimp, we were a little disappointed that it didn't come with a side considering the $17 price tag. He tried a piece of shrimp by itself and almost spit it out. He gave the whole sandwich a try and said it worked better with everything all together. This is obviously a place locals enjoy and I can tell many people have enjoyed their experiences here ! I wanted to share mine so people could be prepared for the possibility of understaffing and to avoid the blackened fish/seafood. read more

This is our go to spot after hiking, climbing, or kayaking in the suck creek area. I always get the Dirty Cowboy or the Philly Cheesesteak and my wife always does the Fish and chips or the fish tacos with a pair of drifter draft beers. It never disappoints. The service is good , but sometimes slow, but it's only because they are busy. They have outdoor seating in case you have your dogs or just wanna enjoy the breeze, but also have a full bar and booths inside to watch the game. If you're lucky enough to visit with your dogs when Julia is working, they might get a little bacon surprise. We love this spot! read more

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I've now had the lobster roll twice and it was amazing. I'm really a crab or crawfish or shrimp person but these lobster rolls are absolutely delicious! read more

River Drifters - Lobster Roll! Delicious! - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

We stopped into River Drifters while breaking in Captain's new Yamaha T7 on the Prentice Loop. We sat outside which provided a somewhat view of the river which is across the road. We were quickly greeted by Laura and she quickly got our order and drinks. We decided to split the River Drifters Club and an order of beer battered fries. ($20) The sandwich was a double decker on grilled sourdough. The fries were hot and very tasty. We were extremely pleased with this find and have spread the word that it is a must if in the area! Come as you are! A great location after a day on the river, work, or cruising by on the bike! read more

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Didn't get to try the lobster Po boy! But instead the blackened shrimp one still was amazing right before the creek! Good service & friendly cooks and overall vibes made you feel home! read more

River Drifters - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Oh my goodness!!! Lunch was so good! We had the catfish plate and the fish and chips. My catfish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. And please don't get me started on the fries...best ever! But the real star was the coleslaw. The addition of pineapple sent it right over the edge of goodness! The fish and chips were delicious. Nice batter on the fish. The service was second to none. Quick and friendly with a great sense of humor. The interior is everything you could ask for in a riverside dive. We loved it!! read more

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Great food (the lobster rolls were so good) understandably pricey but a real treat. Charley and his staff always makes you feel welcome and at home atmosphere......only wish we lived closer. read more

River Drifters - Lobster Rolls! - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Nice spot to stop across the river! It was already very busy at 11:30 on a Saturday. The service and food was great and seems to be a popular local hangout spot. We got the sheet pan nachos to share and grabbed a few beers. It was a perfect midday date. read more

River Drifters - We got the Sheet Pan BBQ Nachos. They were really filling and the perfect appetizer to share. - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Good club sandwich. Big enough for a big man to have two meals! Other than that it's ok. It's a bar with some good options for food. read more

Went their for lunch after church on Sunday. Great service, good food and large portions.

Really loved river drifters. The food was excellent, the staff was friendly and the location was pretty cool. I look forward to returning!

The tacos were wonderful! The service is good. It's a wonderful place to eat and get drinks by the river!

The perfect post-kayak hangout!! River Drifters is located right across the street from a boat ramp on the TN river, making it the ideal spot for a meal after your boating adventures. This place is super casual with a friendly staff & fairly quick service. They have a variety of drinks to choose from and some sweet deals depending on when you visit. The menu is pretty expensive with something for everyone! I ordered a mimosa + the fish & chips and was so satisfied with it all! The fish was sooo flaky and tasty - I'd definitely order that again! We'll be back! read more

River Drifters - Fish & chips...It tastes better than it looks! - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Stopped in after a hike. Had a dog with us so we sat outside. Great food and great locals at the place. Saw the local crew worship a guy back an old Nissan truck into a parking spot right off the highway. First try. Had the fighter pilot stache to ice it. read more

Another hidden gem on the outskirts of Chattanooga. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Definitely worth checking out!

We would have never found this place off the TN river if not for word of mouth. A unique diner/dive bar off the main roads. The restaurant sits directly across the street from the Tennessee River. They do have an outdoor patio but it was too cold the day we went. It appeared the locals enjoy coming here for food and football. The appetizers looked delicious so we started with those. After having the special egg rolls with pulled pork that were so yummy and Nachos we were stuffed. The nachos were served on a cookie sheet and definitely plenty for a crowd. The staff were friendly, courteous and attentive. We definitely will make a point to go back and try some of the regular menu items. This is also a great spot if a group wanted to meet to watch a sporting event. If you want good food, low keyed or to watch a game and have a view ( when sitting outside) I would recommend trying this place. read more

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My wife and I decided to try this place and we are glad we did. Very neat place off the beaten path. I had the Cowboy burger and is was huge and delicious. My wife had the fish and chips she loved them. We also had the egg rolls with pulled pork in them, which were absolutely amazing. And lastly we had a great server, Maddie. read more

Service was quick and the ambiance was beautiful you sit close to a lake that overlooks the mountains. The food by far was fulfilling I barely could finish the burger. You can tell that the ingredients are authentic very impressed with this local place after a good hike. read more

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River drifters is one of those places you go to hang out. Great atmosphere filled with lots of friends. Sure I came in not knowing anyone and thanks to the excellent front of the house staff I left feeling like a regular. The food was fun and the drinks were cold. An enjoyable experience. read more

Bison Burger and the Breakfast kick up (I think) burger were absolutely amazing. Will definitely come back if we're ever driving through read more

River Drifters - Bison Burger and Mozz Log - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

River Drifters offers great food in their restaurant along with renting paddleboards and kayaks. This place also has a great bar scene as well and it is a great spot for both the beautiful natural scenery along with offering plenty of fun times. They really offer some fantastic food specials here and their cuisine really is at a fantastic level quite above your average pub grub. Their burgers are amazing and they offer a lot of items that you don't find on other Chattanooga area restaurant menus. The service here is really great and the vibe is best described as fun, friendly and laid back. You definitely want to check this spot out! Overall I can't wait to visit again!!! My video review of River Drifters is here: https://youtu.be/sTXLp3BhBBw read more

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A good burger can cover a multitude of sins. This wasn't it. Let me set the scene. I am a business owner and had to take care of some contracts in dayton. I forced my birth labor to tag along with me with the promise of good food payment. We typically eat at Monkey Town when we are out that way. However, after finishing later than expected, we decided to get food to go and didn't want our Monkey Town burgers to get cold on the 35 minute drive home, so we decided to order burgers from River drifters to grab and go. We ordered them at 7:17 with the promise of a 30 minute pick up. Perfect, right?!?! Wrong. Sin #1 - burgers were still not ready at 8:10 and we were told they had two big parties and our order was just getting put in. I'm sorry, what now???? It's three burgers. So I hangry rage and the server looks at the window and says "whose burgers are those?" Yep. You guessed it. Sin #2. Our burgers had been sitting there the whole time. She had me touch them to see if they were cold. They were. Is that sin #3?? Anyway, she begins to package our burgers but they don't have "big" to go containers, so my burgers are crammed into the small ones, breaking the lids. No problem. I bagged them myself, so they wouldn't open up. Sin #4, at no point did anyone even offer to discount the $45 meal for 3 burgers. But we are told that their cook quit tonight. Ok. I'll show some grace. "If these burgers are as good as they are supposed to be, none of the rest will matter," I said to the little birthed house mates. Alas, there was much disappointment. Cold, dry burgers. The general consensus was that we could've had warm/cool burgers had we ordered from monkey town and gotten home much quicker. Advice, if you live in Chattanooga, drive to monkey town and get their burger. With beer cheese. And drive it back to Chattanooga and eat it. You'll be less disappointed. read more

Clean and nice environment. Service was fast and friendly. The food however was decent. The Cubano was dry and so was the Reuben. The blackened catfish was good. read more

River Drifters - Reuben was good but not enough sauce and the Cubano had the same issue - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dive bar by the Tennessee River. Dishes want to be different, but aren't really that special. "Really Good Salad" was just meh. No oil and vinegar for the salad. Mozzarella logs tasted greasy. Plastic eating utensils. Friendly service. read more

Excellent Food. The chicken teriyaki pineapple tacos, and the redneck eggrolls were excellent. Our waitress was exceptional. Great service. And she also gave us many recommendations about the area since we were from out of town. read more

Today I ordered something different and went with the Lump Crab cake, slaw and hush puppies! It was good and it was enough, I had breakfast so I don't need much today. The crab cake had a good flavor, the slaw and hush puppies were good! Service was good and the staff are always friendly! read more

River Drifters - Jumbo Lump Crab Cake - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Awesome everything. Food, service, people, atmosphere. Took my best friend and we couldn't decide what to have (although you almost have to have the smash burger), ended up with the fish tacos, and the club sandwich with the fries. Both were awesome, and the fries are Go there ‼‼ b read more

Ooh, boy, where to begin? We had four adults and two little ones in our party. We arrived at 6:30 on a Friday and were greeted fairly promptly by our friendly server, Erica. The beers came out nice and cold, so that was a nice start, but one of us wanted soda water only to be told, nope, only bottled water. Not the end of the world but disappointing. We ordered for the little ones, and that food came out fairly quickly and was hot. We ordered our food and then it went downhill from there. It was taking an eternity for our food, and Erica came to us quite apologetically and informed us that our order ended up on the kitchen floor. She was mortified and said that she would pay for our meal. Hey, stuff happens, and we appreciated her honesty and that she was trying. That said, it was still taking forever, and we had to ask what was going on. At no time did a manager come out to check on us. Keep in mind that it was the witching hour for the two little ones, so we asked for their parents' food to be prepared to go. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And wai- you get the idea. By now, it was approaching TWO HOURS. At long last, their food came out in to-go bags, and the manager told my daughter the best they could do was 20% off, despite Erica saying she would take care of it. Uh, that's a nope. By now, their kids were really fussy and miserable. They left. I had ordered the blackened catfish and fixings for $18. What came out was a heaping serving of fries, cole slaw, two hush puppies, and the tiredest little sliver of catfish I think I've ever seen. While I found the food to be fairly tasty, $18 was a rip-off. My wife had the crabcake and her review was, "meh." We did not expect our alcohol to be comped, so we asked for the bill. Another server (manager maybe?) brought the bill. Was it comped? Nope. They had taken a measly 20% off the entire bill, including my daughter and son-in-law's food. That was a nope for us, dawg. Long story short, we assertively disputed it and management FINALLY comped it. Not to worry, we made sure to tip Erica 20% on what would have been the bill. Here's the kicker: my daughter texted to say their burgers, which had been prepared to-go, had no lettuce, no onion, no tomato, only a small slather of mayo, and no fries. Listen, we get it. Sometimes a server is going to have a bad night. She was trying and I think they were a bit understaffed, but management should have had Erica's back and should've tried to make it right with us. We could not be more disappointed. If you've read this far and decide to go, just make sure your eyes are wide open and that you don't have to be anywhere else anytime soon. read more

Awesome atmosphere servers waitresses bartenders. The food is delicious. Beer batter fries with drifter and boom boom sauce OMG read more

River Drifters - Bruno's River Melt Burger - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Local hole in the wall place with lots of options. I had the philly cheesesteak tacos and they were really really good, especially with lime. We also tried the pimento crostini appetizer and we all like those....mmm pepper jelly :) We also enjoyed the big projector screen to watch football on. Very friendly atmosphere. read more

Casual surroundings, excellent service. Diverse menu well prepared. Creative dishes simply delicious.

Food, atmosphere is so amazing!!! Service, karoke... they've got it all! Great place to stop i after a casual day floating the river!

Stopped through here on my way to florida. Sat outside on their patio and had a nice view of the river and surrounded nature. I had the rush and chips! Super tasty. My buddy had the Cubano and said it was delish as well. Another friend had one of their burgers (which are smash style burgers) and it looked incredible! Our server was super friendly and attentive. If I lived in TN I would probably become a regular here. Def stop by if you have the chance read more

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This place was INCREDIBLE! It had been on my list for a while and I am so glad I finally tried it. The food is fresh, efficent service, and great vibes. It's a place you want to be to drink a cold beer and enjoy some comforting food. read more

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The good.... Food was Devine! The pineapple apple slaw that came on my fish tacos and with my hubby's catfish plate was refreshing and yummy. All food was hot but waited quite a while for it. Upset there was no wine , only beer. Asked for a glass of water and received a bottle of water so would have to pay for a refill. They must have been under staffed because our waitress seemed to serving everyone. Overall good but probably won't go back due it being out of the way. read more

We always enjoy visiting River Drifters. The beer is cold. The food is amazing and the atmosphere and service is very friendly. I can't recommend River Drifters enough. read more

River Drifters - Cajun Sausage Poboy - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Went for lunch on the recommendation of our campground host. Oh, my! What a fantastic place. Riverside/dive bar vibe with outside patio seating, indoor seating and a good sized bar. We started with an ice cold draft beer and an order of egg rolls from the appetizer menu. I prefer to drink beer from a glass, but understand the use of the plastic used here. It was tasty and cold, so the plastic really wasn't a problem. The egg rolls were amazing! Crispy, crunchy and hot; filled with shredded pork and slaw. The BBQ sauce for dipping was wonderful! We split the special of the day; a steak sandwich with grilled onion, mushrooms and gooey melted cheese. The steak was tender and juicy and the roll it was served on was soft and warm. We upgraded to the French fries that were large cut curly fries...delicious! The place was quite busy and all of the staff moved quickly to make sure everyone was taken care of. Food was served quickly and piping hot. Our waitress was always available and made sure we had everything we needed! The owner stopped by briefly and was very personable. Hope we get to go back before we leave! read more

I love places like this. Full of people having fun after a day on the water or golf course. Friendly owner and staff. Good food and a great beer selection. read more

Food here was rather unenjoyable. I was hoping to get their special of the day, but they were out. I instead ordered the chicken tenders hoping they were a reliable choice but they were very bland and the fries similarly tasteless. One of my friends ordered the crab cake which was way to salty and another order coconut shrimp which was basically shrimp tossed in pure coconut flakes and served on a plate. Safe to say they similarly did not enjoy their food. Thankfully their beer was cheap and the servers were nice. Not somewhere I'd expect to come back to. read more