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

This is my second visit to River Drifters and this place has quickly earned top spot on my favorite places to grab a great burger or sandwich. Great atmosphere, fantastic cooks and friendly servers. Today we had a server named Taira and she didn't miss a beat and was genuinely friendly. If you are looking for a place off the beaten path that will always wow you...this is the place! read more

River Drifters - The Pepperoni Caprese Panini - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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

Stopped in after a few hours on the trails up the mountain. Sunday afternoon crowd was good, which is always a positive sign off season. My kid ordered the rueben, and I got the Dirty Cowboy burger. We also got the redneck egg rolls. Egg rolls were good, rueben was fantastic.... as anyone who has read my reviews, I always ask if I can get my burgers medium rare, and I was assured I could. Well, these burgers are flat top cooked, no pink possible. It's too bad the server didn't know this. Burger was okay, but I should have gone with the meatball panini that I was considering. French fries were the bomb! coated and fried!! Beers were good and cold and the view from the deck is fantastic. If you are out this way, stop and enjoy. Deck is dog friendly so bring Fido too1 read more

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Ok - this is my first three-star review. Couple of reasons: River Drifters is a bar with a porch. It serves correctly priced cold beer, adult beverages and bar food - decent bar food but still... The location sits across the road from a gravel parking lot and span of trees that blocks a potentially nice view of the river. The restaurant does not offer kayaking or river services of any kind. It is conveniently located near a public boat ramp for folks coming off the river who need a refreshing beverage and a bite. Why three stars? My expectations were set from the positive reviews and online description. So - no kayak rental, no view, decent food, limited but nice staff. Overall - Ok. 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

Delicious food. The bison burger was great. Beautiful views from the porch. Dogs welcome on the porch. read more

River Drifters - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

The food is great along with the service! An excellent variety of menu options to choose from and some unique items at that. The atmosphere is very friendly and makes you feel like you're at someone's house. It's easy to get to logistically.. positioned across from the river, which would be a nice setting to see visually during the right season. Our waitress was very friendly and provided good service. I will definitely be back and I recommend you check out this little gem of a place if you haven't already! read more

Really good place. The catfish was melt on your mouth good. Definitely will be coming back! read more

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The service was awful. I'm visiting my family and had heard about River Drifters from a podcast praising its service, so wanted to try it. We ordered 2 appetizer, 2 kids plates, 2 burgers, fish tacos and 2 drinks. We asked for a high chair when they first seated us, but all 3 were broken. We ordered the drinks immediately as we knew with 2 small children we needed food quickly. It took 15 minutes to get our waters and drinks. We ordered our other food when the waitress brought us our drinks. It took one hour to get our 1st appetizer. We didn't see our waitress for that full hour. I had to go ask for our 2nd appetizer after another 15 minutes. She said they made the 1st one incorrectly so they had to remake it. That took another 10 minutes. By that time children were tired and hungry so after another 15 minutes we asked for the rest of our food to go. Took another 10 minutes to box it. So start to finish we were waiting right at 2 hours. The only good thing I can say is that the food was good, even though we discovered they gave us the wrong burger when we got home. read more

This place is awesome!!! Very clean, food is delicious, and service was great, our waitress was super friendly asked where we were from and told us about a few nice places to visit near by. Met the owner and he was also very friendly and welcoming, he came over to our table shook my hand and ask how we were doing, very friendly stand up guy. No complaints about this place at all read more

River Drifters - Delish Mushroom and Swiss Burger - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Amazing food! The staff really knows whats up. They are knowledgeable about the menu and gives the right info when selecting food. Atmosphere is laid back. We went mid afternoon right before the evening looked packed but wasn't. This was our first visit here and our waitress first evening shift she was great! read more

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Great place across from the TN river - close to downtown Chattanooga. Amazing food, especially the burgers. Would love to see a grilled blackened chicken sandwich added as a staple. Laid back atmosphere. Large inside area with several TVs. Very Clean. Locally owned. Family friendly. Hard working staff. Large deck for outside eating (also dog friendly) w/ a view of the TN River. Only downside is they allow smoking on the deck. read more

Great place to have a bite to eat and have a few drinks with friends! There was outdoor seating which was nice. I had the Fish n Chips and it was very tasty with very large portions! The service was impeccable- our waitress was very attentive and kind. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Great Burger and wings! The location is great, especially on nice days when you can set out on the deck. Friendly staff and cold beer help to make this a must-eat while in Chattanooga. read more

We stopped here after a ride up to Signal Mountain. The ace has an "old Florida feel" to it. They even have gator bites on the menu. I had the pork BBQ sandwich and my husband had the club sandwich. Both were excellent. I didn't care for the thick fries, but I'd just change the side oit next time. We also got an order of cheese curds and they were awesome. Highly recommend and we will be back to try out some of the other menu items. read more

AWESOME ATMOSPHERE AND ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL My family went I. For our first time today and we will be back weekly. The location is right across from the river and in the mountains. It is a quaint bar that is inviting like home and so friendly to kids. The beer selection is great and the prices are so good! The food.. amazing. My husband got the black and blue burger and he is still taking about it.. cooked perfectly and the flavors were on point! I got the catfish poboy. The fish was cooked to perfection. It had a remoulade sauce and the pickled onions were perfect. The little bit ordered a cheeseburger and it was cooked perfect as well!! We also got the fries and they were different from anything we have had and we loved them! Our server was Chase and might I say he was magnificent. He was such a people person, friendly and he knew the answer to every question we had .. on point. We will ask for him every time we go. Great place!! Everyone needs to make the beautiful drive up to Signal Mountain to this place for sure!! read more

Four of us stopped in for lunch while out on a ride. Outside seating under porch and bar and tables inside. They were busy, but not overrun. My buddies had sandwiches and I had the fish tacos. All were excellent! Owner noticed our bikes and came over, introduced himself, and had a conversation about bikes and rides he'd been on. Nice fella! Had a good time. We will be sure to put River Drifters on our list of regular ride stops when in the area. read more

AMAZING hidden gem. My most favorite menu item is the Hot Italian sandwich. Mozzarella logs to die for if you love fried mozz. Best in the city. Burger is always on point and delicious read more

Fantastic service in a very chill spot. The menu is extensive with something for everyone with some great beers on tap. It's a fun little spot not far from the city but gives you the relaxing feeling of being away from it all. read more

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

First timer, stopped for a late lunch today July 4th. Dirty cowboy burger is amazing, great fries and reasonable prices. Con is only beer for alcohol drinkers. They do have a beer based cooler but I didn't try it. Will be back. read more

Ordered this on door dash and it was great. Had the burger and put blue cheese bacon and lettuce tomato onion. It all was great even the bun. We ordered the Cuban and the quality of meat is great. The fries were crispy and delicious. Will definitely need to go there in person next time to get everything right off the grill! read more

Great front porch with a lovely view. The trees kind block the view of the water. But that's okay because there is a beautiful view of the mountain and you can catch glimpses of the sunlight on the water through the trees. This is one of those little bars where everybody knows your name and the vibe is super casual. Paddle hoard rentals and the option to put in your own board/kayak and park here is amazing. The food is so good. It's nothing fancy...just really good food at reasonable prices. No liquor, just beer but they have a good selection. Their own brew is a solid inexpensive option as well. Very drinkable and at $2 it could be dangerous. ;) Oh and did I mention the fries? Unique and amazing. Also. The porch is covered with a tin roof, so it makes a lovely rainy day option as well. read more

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Great porch near the river, yummy food with huge portions (had to take 1/2 home), sweet waitress read more

River Drifters - Magnificent Meatball Sub - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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My wife and I tried this place out for lunch in the off-season on a weekday. It was not busy at all, which I like. Lots of seemingly good options on the menu. I had some sort of croissant breakfast sandwich, which was a little heavy on the cheese/mayo, but tastes good. My wife had a Philly cheesesteak sandwich; she liked it. The highlight were the fried cheese curd appetizer! I'd come again. read more

Man, if you want a really good burger and some just old fashion, southern hospitality, River drifters is the place for you. We always stop there after a bike ride or long day on the river fishing and you can just sit there. Relax, get your food drink a cold beer and relax and watch people go by thank you people. read more

Seems too good to be true...can someone explain $1 drafts to me? (Because I can't get m'noggin around that.) Good bar, great location, but better people. The kitchen staff takes pride in their Bar+ menu (and I mean that as a big compliment!) I love the turkey panini. I know what it's called, but I want you to look at the whole menu to find it so you'll see all the great choices. read more

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Awesome food/Awesome folks/Awesome atmosphere Highly recommend. Laid back. Right on River! read more

This place is a hit. Very comfortable, friendly watering hole. Big covered deck out front and they are across the street from the boat launch. Beer only in the bar. Four things really stood out. The owners are pretty awesome. Very engaged in the business and very approachable. The staff is excellent. Good, fun, friendly service. The beer battered French Fries are pretty awesome. The hamburger is about as good as it gets. Great flavor, excellent bun, very juicy and everything fresh. I REALLY LOVED THIS BURGER. Pretty sure i will be changing this to a 5 star review once they fix the A/C. They told me that was happening next week. They also rent kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Definitely going to be back for that. **Update ** 2nd visit nailed the 5 stars. Food is just damn good. I noticed the two 1 star reviews are from people with one review ever. I wish yelps algorithms were a little more robust. read more

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Awesome new family friendly Riverside restaurant. The quiet serene outdoor patio is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown, especially with a super short drive time. Had the Pimento Crustini with Hot Pepper Jelly and Mozz Logs, whole mozzarella balls panko breaded and deep fries with a meat ragu dipping sauce. Both were excellent! Wife had a Breakfast Burger, beef patty, pimento cheese, apple wood smoked bacon, fried egg, and a dollop of mayo on buttered brioche. It was creamy, salty, savory and over-all excellent. The uniquely seasoned tornado-style fries were a welcome change to normal house fries. I had The Rosie, a meatball sandwich with mozz, tomato sauce, on a ciabatta bun. The seasoning on the meatballs crushed it. One of the best meatball based sandwiches I've ever had. Served with a side of cold red potato salad, it was a welcome contrast to the warm savory sandwich. Would highly recommend this to any outdoorsy type looking for a wide selection of food, an extensive craft beer list, and a cool inviting atmosphere. read more

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GRAND OPENING of a new restaurant only 10 minuets from my office off of S Broad St. I was expecting the normal opening day issues with service and food quality. Always some things to work through until a restaurant can their legs under them and get it running like a fine oiled machine. That wasn't the case for River Drifters. Service was great and food was stellar! I had Grandma's meatballs and the Mozza Logs and they were excellent. Great portion size for lunch. The meatballs were moist, tender and delicious! Perfectly spiced, setting in a delicious sauce and topped with melted cheese. The Mozza Logs are over sized cheese sticks. Crunchy and cheesy, served with a very tasty tomato based sauce. I would definitely both order again. Restaurant is located right across from the Tennessee river. They offer great food, nice beer selection as well as Kayak and Paddle Board rentals with very easy access to the river across the street. Casual, eclectic atmosphere makes it very comfortable to come in right off the river. Swim suit is completely appropriate attire. Ample parking in front of the restaurant with a huge over flow parking lot across the street. Great place to just unwind and enjoy a great meal. Highly recommend you stop by and give em a try. read more

Great views from the deck, great burgers, and great service. We checked out River Drifters for their Monday special - $6 burgers. The double burger was a classic diner style patty x 2 and was filling and delish. We got a side of their thick, spiral cut fries that came out crispy and hot from the fryer. Our server was super welcoming and I felt well taken care of with a couple rounds of beers. Overall 5/5 and would totally come back to try other dishes on the menu. The view from the deck was a huge bonus! read more

River Drifters - Double cheeseburger with fries - Monday's Daily Special - Beer Bar Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Delicious. We come here at least once a month now. Best burger I have had in Chattanooga thus far. I don't think I have been disappointed with anything on their menu. read more

Great restaurant. I've never been here for the nightlife, but the food is really good. Neat little out-of-the-way place. You can also rent kayaks, paddle boards, etc... and Suck Creek is right there. read more

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

Best burger in town! My favorite is the black and bleu. Hospitality is always great. They feel like family. read more

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