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River Drifters

4.5 (138 reviews)
Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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RIVER DRIFTERS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - River Drifters

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Yan C.

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!

Susie R.

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!

Catfish, fried
Kathy F.

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!!

Lobster Rolls!
Holly K.

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.

We got the Sheet Pan BBQ Nachos.  They were really filling and the perfect appetizer to share.
Holly W.

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.

Marilyn D.

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.

Meatball and Mozzarella Skillet
Mindful P.

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.

Bison Burger and Mozz Log

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

Fish & chips...It tastes better than it looks!
Claire M.

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!

Sign
Shannon S.

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

Reuben was good but not enough sauce and the Cubano had the same issue

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One of our favorite places! Food is always yummy and their staff is as nice as can be! Highly recommend.

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3 years ago

We didn't stay to eat. Was really busy Atmosphere looked fun but felt like we was brushed aside, was not given menus and forgotten

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2 years ago

Best burger I have had locally in a long time hands down!! I Great Service and food!!

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Excellent food fun atmosphere, and everything on the menu sounds amazing. I will definitely be eating here again

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Ask the Community - River Drifters

Review Highlights - River Drifters

It was such a beautiful day and my friend from out of state and I were planning to kayak a few hours along the Tennessee River.

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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Old Man Rivers Table and Tavern - Hummus plate is always a good way to start brunch.

Old Man Rivers Table and Tavern

4.8(149 reviews)
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Everything was great from the time that we arrived. Our server was lovely and very attentive. The…read morefood was prepared with care, and the menu was filled with creative options. We came on Sunday brunch where we were told they use all of the ingredients from the week so nothing goes to waste and they create a new menu each Sunday to do this. I loved this ethos. We had crispy pork belly with celeriac purée and golden pickled beetroot and the chicken salad sandwich with potato hash. A little one had a lemon blueberry waffle, which I tried, and it was outstanding as well.. When I asked for a children's money if they did not have one, but they were incredibly accommodating and they said they can make us anything we want and gave us some examples! Also, while we were waiting for our food to come, they brought us some children's toys for our little one to play with, which was much appreciated. Love the ambience and the vibe of this place, has a very friendly and homegrown feel in the best way possible!

So, I feel a little guilty that we didn't love it because by all accounts, the owner of this place…read moreis amazing. We had a brief interaction with him on our visit and he was so nice but it was as we were leaving. It's tiny and crowded and that's okay! But the servers are constantly being snotty brats at you for like, bothering to exist. We sat outside and everyone waiting was leaning with their butts pressed on our table. The food sounded better than it tasted but it wasn't bad. I just wasn't blown away. But honestly the girls working there were SO RUDE that I haven't been able to go back even though I want to give it a second chance. We waited for a while to pay but they didn't come back, and so many people were waiting, we went inside to let them run our card. Well, two of them screamed at us for "crowding" the space and then yanked the card out of my husband's hand and told him to go wait outside and chastised us for not staying out until they bothered to come. lol. Sorry for trying to pay. I wish we hadn't.

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Five Wits Brewing Company

Five Wits Brewing Company

4.4(84 reviews)
6.1 mi
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While we were driving up to Five Wits, i notice there was a beautiful wing mural on the side of…read moretheir building out front. We parked and before even going inside we went out front to take some the sun started to set too much. The mirror is done by a professional artist known for her beautiful wing designs. On the patio that we walked past to get to the inside was a live band playing, and there were a ton of cute dogs all over with their owners enjoying the music. It was the cutest sight. Inside there are 2 sections of the brewery, but they had the front closed so we couldn't use the back smaller part. I liked the small part to be honest with you. It wasn't super small, but it was much more quaint looking. Service was super friendly, offering us a samples of anything that we would like to try, but of course, we ultimately got a flight. Luckily for me , they also had the Lions game on so I was able to see the end of the game and our victory. They do have food on their menus, and I can definitely see us returning it to this location when we're in Chattanooga again.

Five Wits came highly recommended but I was not a fan. I visited on a Friday at noon. There were a…read morehandful of people inside and it became a bit more crowded while I was there. Only the back part of the brewery was open, with an indoor and outdoor area, a couple TVs, and eclectic decor. They were running a promo: $3 for a 10 oz beer or $3 for a 16oz beer if you buy food. We got the Bird Watcher Kellerbier and Sunblaze American IPA -- both were fine. We also got the Mission-style burrito with al pastor ($11), as a Super Burrito ($2 upcharge for sour cream and avocado). This was the worst burrito I've had in a long time. Al pastor should be a balance of sweet and spicy; this was overpoweringly sweet. The side salsas had no heat, either. Mission-style burritos are known for their size, but this was a normal burrito, smaller than I would get at Chipotle. It took about 20 minutes to get the burrito which was too long.

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Five Wits Brewing Company - Patio

Patio

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TailGate Brewery Chattanooga

TailGate Brewery Chattanooga

4.5(96 reviews)
6.1 mi
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What a vibe! Honestly such a great place that I'm so glad I found. The servers are excellent and…read morehonestly what a great location downtown. They have a beautiful patio to enjoy the weather or two floors inside for if the weather isn't quite what you're looking for. The pizza is honestly one of the best I've had, and the beer options are constantly changing and absolutely delicious. Love that they're family and dog friendly. They check all the boxes I look for and more, definitely give it a try! I know I'll keep coming back for more.

ok wait... TailGate Brewery in Chattanooga?? obsessed. this place is HUGE, like you walk in and…read moreimmediately feel like you picked the right spot. super dog friendly, tons of space, and just overall a really fun, laid-back vibe. we had already eaten at a spot down the street (tragic, honestly) but after seeing the menu?? yeah... we should've waited. everything sounded so good. my boyfriend and I already said next time we're 100% getting a sandwich and a beer here because it just feels like that kind of place. our bartender was super nice and quick and can we talk about the bathrooms?? pristine. like actually clean, which says a lot. also the patio situation?? elite. big screen TVs, tons of space, and apparently they do movie nights out there which I didn't even realize at the time. now I'm fully planning a summer night here because that sounds like so fun...easy 5 stars. already planning my return.

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TailGate Brewery Chattanooga - Growler selections.

Growler selections.

TailGate Brewery Chattanooga - Pizza of the month

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Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse

Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse

4.5(20 reviews)
5.8 mi

I visited Saturday around 11:30 PM. A handful of people were there but the place got busier by the…read moretime I left around 1 PM. I sat at the bar and service was friendly but couldn't quite keep up. The only staff was a lone bartender trying to handle guests sitting at the bar, walk up guests (usually enough to form a line), plus actually pouring the drinks. For example, I was able to order beer and food from him at our seats, but I had to get in line with everyone else to close out. I had a flight of four beers (5oz each for $10 total): Cloud Walker Pale Ale, Pemberley Summer Brown, Golden Blackbird Belgian Blonde, and Numinous Strong Ale. All were good. I appreciated the variety. I also like that, even though some pints were more expensive than others, the flight was a flat $10 regardless. I got fries ($5) and the Greenhouse Smash Burger ($10). They are made by a food truck in the back and you have to pick up the food yourself. The fries were typical mass market frozen fries, the ones with the crispy exterior -- you'll probably recognize them in the photo. They were typical. The burger was very good but a little small. There wasn't enough meat to balance out the sauce and toppings; I would do a double patty next time. Overall, a little overpriced at $15 for a small burger and fries. I liked the decor a lot -- modern with lots of plants.

Would've been pretty good except their customer service is honestly severely lacking…read more I ordered the $8 lychee spritz and it tasted nothing like lychee and 100% aperol. I turned in my full drink and asked for a cheaper hop water and was still charged for the $4 hop water. The burger week burger was good though.

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Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse
Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse - Love the atmosphere here

Love the atmosphere here

Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse

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2nd - Peach pie with ice cream and caramel sauce

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4.5(55 reviews)
6.0 mi

Happy 2026! We rang in the New Year with an incredible meal at 2nd on NYE, and it was the perfect…read moreway to start the year. I made reservations about a week in advance (highly recommend), and even arriving a few minutes early at 5:00 pm, the place was already buzzing. The hostess greeted us immediately and had us seated right away. Our server was on it from the start: waters filled, drink orders taken quickly, and excellent guidance on appetizers. We went with the tomato pie, which sounds simple... but don't be fooled. The flavors are anything but basic. This is not an appetizer you politely share and move on from. It's plenty for four people, though you may find yourself quietly plotting how to secure the last bite. For our mains, we shared the warm beet salad and the beef picanha. The salad had such a great flavor pairing that even my husband, who is not a beet fan, loved it (a true culinary miracle). The picanha was incredibly flavorful and may very well be the best thing on the menu... except for the mashed potatoes. Honestly, I would go back just to order my own bowl of those mashed potatoes and call it dinner. Amazing service, outstanding food, and a great atmosphere. We will definitely be back very soon.

Came to this place for a work dinner and they did what needed to be done!…read more When you walk in there is a huge candle statue that gives the place a unique energy. Anyone with eyes can appreciate it. The service was ideal, our waitress didn't skip a beat. The food was so good. The menu is diverse and interesting. Highly recommend this place for a date or business gathering.

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2nd
2nd - Apple pie with warm caramel sauce, dreamy!

Apple pie with warm caramel sauce, dreamy!

2nd - Beef tartare with Summer Daze cocktail

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River Drifters - beerbar - Updated May 2026

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