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River Drifters

4.4 (142 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
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RIVER DRIFTERS ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - River Drifters

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I just had Hannah as a server and oh my god.. I couldn't believe the service I was getting. It was like I was being served by the gods in the royal palace in. the. Clouds. I'm telling you. Our food? On time. Our drinks? Poured right. Our vibes? Brought tf up. Thank you Hannah.

Dirty Cowboy with Fries.
Mario M.

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!

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 Roll! Delicious!
Beth B.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

This place was ok - the food was pretty good and the staff were friendly but the service was a little slow.

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4 years ago

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

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Great food and good service. I have been there a couple of times and enjoyed both. Will be back soon.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

Food and service was great. Will stop again in the near future. Nothing more to say. ..

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Delicous food for after a day in the river. A bit expensive but I think its worth it.

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

Great place, has outdoor seating with a somewhat obstructed view of the river, really good burgers and other options too.

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5 years ago

Food is fair to poor. Had bad fish once, which makes it hard to return. Atmosphere lacks class, too.

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

Beautiful spot, great specials, indoor outdoor seating, rentals for having a day on the river

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6 years ago

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Page 3 of 4

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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Oddstory Brewing - Wheat Pretzel with spicy mustard and beer cheese dip.

Oddstory Brewing

4.6(200 reviews)
6.8 mi
•$$

absolutely obsessed with oddstory brewing! the vibe is always perfect. super casual, clean and low…read morekey spot to grab a tasty beer or non alcoholic drink and a smashable smash burger (with fries - yum)! the service (although non-traditional) is always great! you order and pickup your drink and food at the bar, which is fine for me! the employees are always quick, knowledgeable, and friendly. the only downside is that kiddies will sometimes run around in the adult area as opposed to the lovely mid sized ares specifically designated for kids to roam and play! other than that, love the spot! it's dog and kid friendly, which i think is a major plus for most people.

we are on vacation here in chattanooga and decided to check out Oddstory since we love breweries, i…read morealso came across it on instagram when looking for places to try in the area. they had a nice selection of draft and craft beers. my bf loved the cloud walker. i was disappointed they didn't have any ciders on tap, i've been to many breweries and taprooms that have cider on tap. this is the only reason for 4 stars as i would expect more options on tap across the board. they had some specialty cocktail selections as well. we absolutely loved the food we ordered. i wanted to try the elote fries i saw on the instagram post and they look just as good in person and taste as good as they look. i don't think the type of frozen fries they are would be as good by themselves but with all the elote topping they were the bomb dot com. i also got the taquitos and they were perfectly spicy and creamy and delicious. perfect amount of sauce drizzled on top to get some in every bite. i would eat here again and again just to try everything else. i love the idea of fusion street food. they got it going on. i noticed some reviews here about the ordering style. there is a window outside to order food and pick it up. however, you CAN order food at the bar inside. we asked and did order food at the bar same time as ordering drinks. but you do pick it up outside. they came and bussed the tables frequently to remove drinks and trash. there is so much space and were so many options for seating which is great. it's way too hot outside this week to enjoy sitting outside unfortunately and while they had some fans going, not enough during this extreme heat watch happening right now. i had my two children with me and would've enjoyed sitting outside in the family/kid area on another day with nice weather. as a mom, my only suggestion for the family area is less tables and more space for children to run and play. they only offered some chalk to scribble on the sidewalk. ((back home we have a brewery, called 3rd Planet, with a kid area that is sectioned off with a fence and netting for kids to run around, throw balls, and truly play and have fun while the adults enjoy a minute to relax and unwind.)) we got lucky and it happened to be bingo night! that was such a fun time with my family. it was a packed house i'm guessing because of bingo night. the swag shop has plenty of options and i got a pint glass for only $7 to remember this great vacation in chattanooga:)

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Oddstory Brewing - Patio area

Patio area

Oddstory Brewing - Loved the heaters in this chilly night

Loved the heaters in this chilly night

Oddstory Brewing

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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(163 reviews)
2.2 mi

My family ate here on a road trip a week ago. One of our children uses a power wheelchair, which…read morewas not a problem because the restaurant has a ramp to get in the building and the staff and Rivers himself were extremely accommodating. We each got a different sandwich and they were each delicious. I got the Harvest Turkey - the fig jam is delightful! My oldest got the cubano - excellent! My daughter got the chicken salad - it was good but it is a chunky style, so if you prefer it with smaller chunks it may not be for you. My youngest got grilled cheese - you can't go wrong with that! (It's not technically on the menu but the waitress offered it when he said he didn't know what to get.) Finally, my husband got the catfish po-boy and said, "It's the best piece of blackened fish I've ever had!" (I agree!) The remoulade and cajun sauces were good, too. The varied salt and pepper sets added whimsy to the homey atmosphere, too!

This little spot just continues to amaze me. I don't know how they are able to put out the quality…read moreof food that they do, it is so obscenely small, it has a tiny kitchen, but yet. Those that are in the know, come back frequently. The staff is spectacular, the owner is always working the floor, engaging with his customers and they have found a head chef, who is getting recognition locally, for the quality of the food he puts out each and every day they are open. You drill down into the ingredients, where products are sourced, OLR buys local, buys premium, buys fresh, and it all shows in the product they put out onto the table. We were back today for Father's Day, and of course we arrived early as no reservations are accepted. Not a problem, happy to do it, we wanted to be part of that first seating when OMR opened at 11:00a. I would have been happy with ANY ITEM on the days menu, and I went with the Strip Steak and eggs, but got to sample the other selections at the table as well. Two gotcha moments today above and beyond the meal itself, the fresh fig with peach and bacon served when we first sat down.....and for the first time, I had coffee while dining here, it was absolutely delicious. Folks, I recognize it is a turn-off for some when you can't make a reservation, but my recommendation is to look beyond that, you have to enjoy a meal here at OMR, you'll be glad you did!

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Old Man Rivers Table and Tavern - Old Man Rivers

Old Man Rivers

Old Man Rivers Table and Tavern - Eggs with hash, grits, thick bacon and a biscuit.

Eggs with hash, grits, thick bacon and a biscuit.

Old Man Rivers Table and Tavern - Shrimp rolls -need a little something

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Shrimp rolls -need a little something

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Chattanooga - Frankie Brady - $4.99
House-made mac 'n cheese | 2 slices of American cheese | BBQ potato chips on a butter toasted flip flop bun

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Chattanooga

4.3(252 reviews)
5.5 mi
•$$

Great Burgers and service. The shocker with fried egg is my…read morefavorite! Wish they had Grindhead coffee tho!

Coming from Maui, there are not a lot of good burger places. Really only one stand out - Burger…read moreBoys waygu burger truck. So on my first mainland trip in a couple years, I have been trying different burger shops. Jack Brown's had really high reviews, had a super fun vibe, and a really creative menu, which I love. Service was on point. Let's get the elephant out of the room right now - the size. lol I was prepared for a small burger from all the reviews, but, Shake Shack has a small burger, Jack-in-the-Box has a small burger. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight and the dog. But I ain't gonna lie, that is one tiny burger! It's like...five bites? One for each corner, and then the middle. lol They might be better off coring the middle, and marketing them as hamburger donuts. The easy fix is just order an extra patty for a few bucks more. Same as Shake Shack. The other thing I have a problem with is the, "we don't do lettuce or tomato..." line. Sorry, that's like a pizza with no toppings. Really, it just sounds like they found a way to reduce overhead by not having to prep and pay for vegetables. But whatever... if great burgers can be made without lettuce and tomato, and without a big patty...let's get it on. I'm sorry, but that patty was charbroiled to the point of no juice. This is where a tomato might help with moisture. lol I don't see how this is actually Wagyu. A Wagyu burger should be melting in my mouth. I don't know what happened, but it reminded me of my first job at Burger King, running whoppers through the flame broil conveyor belt. If you got one that just came out, you scored big time. But if you got one that just sat in the warmer for 10 minutes, you got a dry burger. It was a very disappointing burger. Then again, I just had a Shake Shack burger yesterday, and it was nomnom greasy goodness. Of course I was going to be disappointed. It's like Ozzy Osbourne following up Slipknot as the opening act. The fries were great. They came in a huge basket, and the price was very reasonable.

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Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Chattanooga - Fun interior decor.

Fun interior decor.

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Chattanooga
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint - Chattanooga - Bar area

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Bar area

Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse

Oddstory Brewing Co: The Greenhouse

4.5(24 reviews)
5.8 mi

Great experience overall. Although it is very hot in there, not much circulation or maybe the air…read morewasnt working on the day I went. Welcoming environment with game boards to play or even some darts or shuffle board in the back area. Staff was nice and patient with questions and guidance. Beer was good and fun to choose flights. The food was delicious, comes from a food truck in the back. I highly recommend the curry tacos and any of there battered crisp crunch fries with the toppings that come with them. A must try spot.

We are blessed with some very good microbreweries here in Chattanooga. Oddstory is clearly one of…read morethose at the top of the list. One of the important things to realize is, the family has two locations, the "Mothership" on Central and their original storefront here on MLK, The Greenhouse. They are two separate operations, each with their own unique attributes, some unique beer options, and particularly when it comes to food where both locations, do a bit of their own thing, looking to one-up their sister operation and the winner is, we the customer. The Greenhouse is a smaller, more intimate location, it's adults only, operates on fewer days, with a typical 4:00pm opening time. The staff, is great, the food is wonderful and the beer, is top notch, and always rotating new beer offerings. Oddstory is the only brewery in town, where I am willing to sample a sour, they are, that good.

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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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White Duck Taco Shop - Trio of salsas, cheese dip, and a frozen coconut lime margarita

White Duck Taco Shop

4.1(38 reviews)
7.0 mi

Enjoyed a fantastic lunch at White Duck Taco after exploring the zoo all morning. This taco shop…read moreoccupies an old warehouse along with Totality Brewing, witch I believe are both owned by the same people. Tacos and beer, what a tasty combo Though I've seen White Duck Taco in Asheville, NC, this is my first time eating at one, and with so many fun and tasty sounding options, the hardest part was settling on just a couple. In the end, I decided to go with one Steak & Cheese taco, and one Spicy Buffalo Chicken. Both were fantastic and very unique flavors when it comes to tacos. We also got a basket of chips and queso to share, which was very tasty. The restaurant/space itself is very relaxed offering lots of seating inside, as well as outside. You place your order at the counter, and the cashier provided a number card to put on your table, once your food is ready it's brough out. Outside also has a stage area they apparently frequently have bands perform, or movies showing on the screen. Inside has plenty of room to spread out, and even has a few arcade games in the back. It was a tasty meal, quick and friendly service. I'd absolutely return this spot and try some of the other varieties of tacos next time we're in the area.

Brew Pub, Live Music. Fantastic Fresh Food, Tacos were…read moreamazing. Staff were very friendly and attentive. I went twice in 3 days. Brewmaster was super cool dude. We has a wee conversation, I Samples 5 beers variety over the 2 visits. Highly recommend

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White Duck Taco Shop - Video games in the back

Video games in the back

White Duck Taco Shop - Salsa trio

Salsa trio

White Duck Taco Shop - Eating area

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Eating area

River Canyon Adventures

River Canyon Adventures

2.9(8 reviews)
1.8 mi

self service kayak rental. Good concept, would be nice if they were available via phone for…read morequestions. I think the pricing is steep for the individual kayaks, but overall it was a nice experience and I'm glad I went!! The view is worth it.

River Canyon Adventure Kayak and Paddle Board Rentals website state they are a great way to…read moreexperience the BEST views in town! Located in the Tennessee River Gorge, you will paddle along the abundant wildlife and be encompassed by magnificent mountain ranges! First the positive. The views are good. "BEST views in town!" is a stretch. We were out for two hours and the only abundant wildlife we encountered were two bald eagles, two blue herons and a small family of mallard ducks. We also saw three geese owned by someone on the river, but they don't quite qualify as wildlife IMHO. That's it. That's the good. The confirmation they send you is semi accurate. You do park across the street and the parking IS very limited. Kayaks, paddles and PFD's are located at the bottom of the hill near the boat launch. All rentals are self-serve, there is no attendant on site. This is likely so there is no one to complain to about the terrible condition of the kayaks. The Confirmation mentioned that there was a lockbox, but there was not, nor were the kayaks locked up. Not that they need be. Even the most desperate would not want to steal one. Did I mention that the kayaks were in poor condition? Perhaps that was an understatement. Some had no seats or damaged seats. A good number had damaged or missing hardware, and all were in desperate need of upkeep. My daughter and I got what I deemed to be the best two and after two hours on the water we were both quite sore. Not from the exercise, but from the terrible seats. The Confirmation email stated "Stringent Cleaning - We've increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas between each tour, and hand sanitizer will be available to all of our guests." This is downright laughable. Nothing there has been cleaned in an age. To be fair the paddles were adequate, and the PFDs were in fair condition for the most part, but we came to kayak, not wear a PFD. This place charged $45 each for two hours of kayaking. That makes River Canyon Kayaks one of the most expensive kayak rentals in Eastern Tennessee. I don't know what they are using this money for, but it sure isn't for upkeep, accommodations or atmosphere. My recommendation would be to go somewhere else.

Photos
River Canyon Adventures
River Canyon Adventures
River Canyon Adventures

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River Drifters - beerbar - Updated October 2026

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