Your Guide to Waterfront Dining in Nashville
Don't let Nashville's landlocked status keep you from enjoying your share of waterfront dining. Here's your guide to local restaurants offering savory dishes with picturesque views!
With all of the picturesque river and lakeside restaurants in and around Nashville, there are plenty of opportunities for sun-drenched waterfront dining. Whether you’ve been kayaking the Cumberland, boating on Percy Priest, or stuck in the office all day, beautiful weather calls for refreshments with a view. Savor the season in a special way with these 14 restaurants that overlook the water!
WATERFRONT DINING ON THE CUMBERLAND RIVER
Blue Moon Waterfront Grille
525 Basswood Dr., Nashville, TN 37209 • (615) 356-6666
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Open seasonally from March until the end of September, Blue Moon Waterfront Grille has been a longstanding neighborhood favorite. Diners approach by both car (from Interstate 40 in West Nashville) and boat (via the Cumberland River to Rock Harbor Marina) to sample the fare. The original Blue Moon washed down the river during the massive Nashville floods of 2010, but the new version, which opened two years later, is going strong.
Boasting indoor and outdoor dining areas, complete with roll-up doors to let in the breeze, Blue Moon offers family-friendly dining, Sunday brunch, and a daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There are plenty of large televisions for game-watching while you enjoy the full-service bar and a menu that’s chock-full of seafood-centric salads, sandwiches, and entrées. Blue Moon doesn’t take reservations, so get there early to snag a seat on the patio.
Cherokee Steakhouse & Marina
450 Cherokee Dock Rd., Lebanon, TN 37087 • (615) 444-2783
Hours: Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Monday through Wednesday
Cherokee has been a favorite old-school steakhouse stalwart since 1958, and they are rightly proud of their aged, corn-fed beef, which they carve into hearty steaks and chops. The prime rib at Cherokee Steakhouse is a go-to order for ravenous carnivores, but don’t skip over the seafood options on the menu, or you’ll miss out on some fantastic fried, broiled, or blackened fish and shellfish dishes.
Although they don’t serve alcohol at Cherokee, patrons are welcome to BYOB, and the restaurant staff will gladly provide wine glasses and mixers upon request. However, they ask that guests don’t bring in coolers because this is a place for casual fine dining. Additionally, Cherokee offers an entertaining line-up of live music, and if you’re a karaoke fan, it’s open mic all day every Sunday!
Riverview Restaurant & Marina
110 Old River Rd., Ashland City, TN 37015 • (615) 792-7358
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; closed Monday
Sitting pretty at Mile Marker 158 on the Cumberland River, Riverview Restaurant & Marina is a popular rest stop for boaters who make their way over to dock and dine. The restaurant motto is “the only thing we overlook is the river,” and they aren’t kidding. Although they no longer sell gasoline in the marina, you can still purchase supplies, including beer to-go, plus you can order anything off the restaurant menu to take with you on your excursion. Of course, taking your food to go means missing out on the experience of eating at the Riverview Restaurant, and it’s worth the time to sit and enjoy the sights.
Even if you sit inside, the dining room offers large windows for stellar views of the river flowing by. Known for its farm-raised American catfish, the restaurant menu also features steak, crab cakes, and shrimp that they’ve butterflied and breaded by hand. They even make their cocktail and tartar sauces in-house! For dessert, save room for Ms. Helen’s banana pudding and make sure you put in your order before it runs out.
WATERFRONT DINING ON PERCY PRIEST LAKE
Four Corners Marina Bar & Grill
4027 Lavergne Couchville Pike, Antioch, TN 37013 • (615) 933-0069
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday
Nestled on Percy Priest Lake, Four Corners Marina Bar & Grill just reopened for the 2022 boating season. You can anticipate great food and drinks (burgers, beer, and beyond), beautiful scenery, and even live music on the weekends. Since Four Corners only recently celebrated its soft reopening on Friday, May 13, the menu is still being refined and expanded. However, the special Memorial Day holiday menu gave us a sneak peek of what’s to come, with dishes such as chilled watermelon soup topped with chive crème fraiche and a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Follow the Four Corners Marina Facebook page for more information and restaurant updates.
Hoppy’s Harbor Grill
3157 Weakley Ln., Symrna, TN 37122 • (615) 459-6219
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Located at Fate Sanders Marina in Symrna, Hoppy’s Harbor Grill is a family-friendly hotspot where you can dine and relax, whether you approach by car or boat. Dine inside or head out to the covered deck to observe all of the lake activity and catch a glorious sunset. The menu is filled with fun items like bang bang shrimp tacos, calamari with remoulade, the Patty Melt Special, and a big ol’ seafood feast that includes catfish, shrimp, deviled crab, and sides of hushpuppies, coleslaw, and your choice of a side.
Papa Turney’s Old Fashion BBQ
3979 Bell Rd., Hermitage, TN 37076 • (615) 866-8850
Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday through Tuesday
Live music and tasty barbecue is the name of the game at Papa Turney’s Old Fashion BBQ at the Nashville Shores Marina. Papa Turney used to sell his barbecue pork and grilled steaks out of a small building off Lebanon Road, which you could only locate if you smelled the smoke coming off his cooker on a trailer in the parking lot. When he got the chance to move into a restaurant space at Nashville Shores on Percy Priest Lake, his audience expanded dramatically. The menu still features the sweet and smoky barbecue pork, beef brisket, and chicken that he served in his tiny former space, but he has added new selections to the roster, too, including chicken wings, ribs, and smoked catfish.
Papa’s wife, Mama Turney, has earned her own reputation. She has been selling her homemade pies in local grocery stores for years, but now she has a permanent home at Papa T’s, where she offers slices and whole pies to follow your barbecue feast. Family-owned and operated, indeed! The space also houses a music venue called Miss Zeke’s Juke Joint, where bands play blues, jazz, R&B, and soul music. The lake backdrop adds the perfect atmosphere.
Shipwreck Cove
3361 Bell Rd., Nashville, TN 37214 • (615) 872-8800
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Monday
Shipwreck Cove is a casual bar and grill at Elm Hill Marina on Percy Priest Lake. Open year-round, this family-friendly hang serves elevated bar snacks, sandwiches, and entrées, including fish and chips, the Pulled Pork Sammich, and their popular Cove Burger. The bar serves beer, wine, and the fantastic boozy adult milkshake, better known as a Bushwacker. Situated right in the middle of the water with lots of outdoor seating, Shipwreck Cove is a great spot to listen to live music and enjoy fried pickles or a plate of their Redneck Nachos topped with smoky pulled pork and BBQ sauce. Their burgers and wings are made fresh, so wait times can get a bit long when it’s busy. But hey, what’s your hurry?
WATERFRONT DINING ON OLD HICKORY LAKE
Fishtales Grill
9120 Saundersville Rd., Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 • (615) 758-5174
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday
The 2022 season has officially begun at Fishtales Grill, and a beautiful view of Old Hickory Lake awaits! Enjoy a laidback, family-friendly dining experience with plenty of live music offerings and daily food specials. Feast on seafood-centric dishes, from raw oysters to shrimp boils. Additionally, you can channel the island vibe with cocktail specials such as past favorite “Lake Water,” which was a fishbowl (yes, an actual fishbowl) filled with a blue curaçao and tequila-infused punch.
Moby Dicky’s
155 Sanders Ferry Rd., Hendersonville, TN 37075 • (615) 757-3755
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday
Located close to downtown Hendersonville, Moby Dicky’s is the sort of spot that you don’t need to be a boat owner to enjoy. A seafood and sports bar that happens to be on the water, Moby Dicky’s is worth a visit for both the food and the fun. The appetizers are sure to put a smile on your face if you’re a fan of shrimp, oysters, lobster, or mussels. There are also plenty of affordable seafood options for the main course, or you can sample local favorites like steak n’ biscuits, hot chicken sliders, or a fried bologna sandwich. There are lots of TVs and comfy seating areas to watch sports, or you can sit outside under large shady awnings to enjoy the view of the water.
Sam’s Sports Grill at Blue Turtle Bay
2001 Lakeshore Dr., Old Hickory, TN 37138 • (615) 357-0532
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
With multiple locations nearby, Sam’s Sports Grill is one of the more popular restaurant chains in town, garnering multiple awards for “Best Sports Bar” from local publications. Known for their nachos, fantastic chicken wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, Sam’s upped their game when they opened this outpost on Old Hickory Lake. Sam’s Sports Grill at Blue Turtle Bay plays on the nautical theme with attractive decor and huge windows looking out at the boats in the marina. Roll-up windows offer diners a chance to appreciate the great outdoors while still enjoying some protection from the elements, and Monday through Friday daily lunch specials and happy hour deals encourage patrons to visit often and stay for a while. Since Sam’s is on the south shore of Old Hickory Lake, it’s not too far of a drive from Nashville — totally worth the trip!
Awedaddy’s Bar & Grille
727 Marina Private Rd., Gallatin, TN 37066 • (615) 452-4777
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday
Unlike Sam’s, Awedaddy’s Bar & Grill is located on the north side of Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, so it’s more of a local secret. That means you won’t be quite as crowded as you settle in at this cozy seafood shack. Awedaddy’s closes for the winter, so the spring opening date is highly anticipated by neighborhood residents as soon as they see the first daffodils. In addition to seafood specialties like peel-and-eat shrimp, fish tacos, and crab cakes, Awedaddy’s also serves up a beloved burger, made with Black Angus beef topped with bacon, double cheddar cheese, an onion ring, smoked beef brisket, smothered with BBQ sauce, and finished off with lettuce, tomato, and onion. The bar is known for its powerful Bushwhackers, and you know what they say about this popular Nashville treat: “One is great. Two is too many. Three is perfect!”
The Rudder at Anchor High Marina
126 River Rd., Hendersonville, TN 37075 • (615) 348-0129
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Monday
The chill atmosphere at The Rudder at Anchor High Marina befits its location right on the water at Old Hickory Lake. An expansive outdoor deck offers views of the marina and a place for live musical performances almost every night. Friendly bartenders sling affordable drinks that don’t skimp on the spirits, so the regular bar crowd is committed to their favorite hang (especially during their 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. happy hour, Tuesday through Friday). The bar is also the perfect spot to enjoy hot crab dip, oysters on the half-shell, or chicken wings with your choice of seasoning or sauce, from Cajun dry rub to Korean BBQ or Jamaican jerk. The rest of the food menu boasts everything from traditional bar snacks to pork chops, smash burgers, and a catfish dinner.
And one by the creek …
Wines in the Fork
4165 Old Hillsboro Rd., Franklin, TN 37064 • (615) 614-3555
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday
Wines in the Fork certainly doesn’t fall under the traditional concept of “waterfront dining,” but if you’re willing to indulge us for a moment as we exercise some creative license, you won’t be disappointed. One of Leiper’s Fork’s hidden gems, Wines in the Fork opened about a year ago, offering guests a private tasting experience of local Tennessee wines that you can enjoy creekside. Overlooking Leiper’s Creek, the tasting room is the brainchild of James Evans, owner of Vintage Winery in Columbia, TN. If you’re looking to broaden your wine horizons while you soak up the stunning scenery, this is the place to be.
Here’s to dinner with a view!
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Associate Editor and Lead Nashville Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.