| Restaurants and Dining around Dale Hollow Lake There are plenty of excellent restaurants around Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee and Kentucky. Links to websites are provided so you can check out the menus and photos. Bookmark this website and print a copy for your travel bag. |
(* denotes catering available) BIG O DONUTS |
*EL REY AZTECA RESTAURANT
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SUE’S FRIENDLY DRIVE IN |
Parkway Restaurant is known for their home-style cooking that affords the comfort factor diners love. They are conveniently located close to many of the Dale Hollow Lake marinas. Kelly and Joann (Jo) Jones have owned the restaurant for five years now. They love to serve their guests. It is truly a family affair with Jo’s sister, Lucy, serving customers and friends – and occasionally you will have their sweet grandchildren, Taylor and/or Roger, wait on you or clear off your table. The food is what keeps customers coming back for more. Their catfish is out of this world! The breading is simply divine. It’s a meal that is sure to fill you up. Kelly and Jo’s loyal clients will travel some distance to enjoy some of the best catfish around which is accompanied by sides of homemade coleslaw, hush puppies and fries. Some folks make the drive just to meet the couple that fell in love online several years ago. They started off as online friends playing poker. Soon after, Kelly moved here from Canada, and then they took a leap of faith and bought the restaurant. Jo has worked in the restaurant business most of her life. They have worked hard to build an excellent reputation for great food, consistent quality, service and great ambience. Kelly and Jo exude happiness and passion. You can tell they enjoy what they do by the “love” they put into their cooking and in their level of service. Kelly is always cooking at the grill making sure that every dish comes out perfect. Now, “Annie”/ I can tell you that you do not leave there hungry. They always serve up generous portions! My favorite continues to be their western omelet. This omelet hangs over the plate; chock full of meat and fresh vegetables that are sautéed before adding to the egg mixture alongside their hand shredded hash brown potatoes. Their hamburger steak platter, a favorite of my son Blake, is hand patted ground chuck from the local butcher – fresh daily. Blake licks is so happy when he can sit down and bite into this copious platter. This is a favorite of his for breakfast – and he is not a breakfast person. A new addition to their Saturday menu is their melt-in-your-mouth BBQ baby back ribs. No knife is needed for these ribs! The meat falls off the bones. Make sure to ask for plenty of napkins. The scrumptious secret BBQ sauce generously covers the meat. The rib eye and Sirloin steak special also runs on Saturdays. These steaks are seasoned just right, tender and cooked to perfection. The flat iron steak special runs every day and fresh pot roast served with all the trimmings is on Thursdays. They have recently added grilled salmon and blackened grouper to their menu. Everyone loves these new additions! Some say it is the best they have ever eaten. This is the type of place that you want to come to with your friends and family. Many come daily for their favorite meal. Come to Parkway Restaurant and feel like you are at home with mamma’s cooking! Say hello to Kelly and Jo and make sure that you tell them that “Annie” sent you. Bon Appetite! (931-823-9414) Ollie’s Place is the place that makes you feel like you are right at home with Mama cooking for you. Ollie and his wife, Janie, have been serving up good ole home cooked comfort/soul food for four years at this location. The restaurant has a warm, homey feeling, like that found in your Mama’s kitchen. Ollie’s is a bit off the beaten track in Celina, TN, yet close to many of the marinas on Dale Hollow Lake. It is easy to find with the larger than life elephant “Tipsy” greeting you in front of the restaurant. The day that “Annie” went to visit Ollie, the elephant had a large “Happy Birthday” banner hung from his neck like a bib. Ollie said that they were celebrating one of their waitress’s birthdays. This is a must visit restaurant when you are at Dale Hollow Lake, taking a road trip down one of the scenic highways that surround Celina - or after church on Sunday. Ollie’s has been compared to the legendary Loveless Café in Nashville, TN. Folks flock from all over to meet Ollie and eat and their establishment. Ollie’s fun loving personality comes through on his menu with some tantalizing menu items such as the “Tipsy” burger – a three pound hand formed burger. Want something a bit smaller; try the “Elephant Burger” or any of the many other menu options. Ollie’s has a full menu and some awesome specials on the weekends. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and their breakfast brings the local crowd in for their piping hot coffee and breakfast specials. Ollie’s has fried bologna, a southern favorite, or city ham and eggs. Ollie’s introduced the “elephant” sausage with eggs and country fried potatoes. One of “Annie’s” favorites is the homemade soups and chili’s, served with grilled cheese or a BLT. These homemade items can warm up almost anybody in the winter/fall months both inside and out. The weekend specials have folks coming from all over to enjoy. How does fried chicken and country ham sound with all the southern fixins? Saturday offers all you can eat catfish, ocean perch and frog legs with some yummy sides such as stewed potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, fried apples and corn. Ollie also serves a mean Rib eye steak that is to die for. If you like meat, this is the place. Don’t forget about desserts - they are all homemade and the homemade pies adorn the counter. The selection included caramel and chocolate pies the day that “Annie” visited, piled sky high with fluffy meringue. Ollie’s has plenty of room for family reunions, church groups, business meeting, special occasions, larger parties and they have a multipurpose room that seats about 50-60. Getting married? Let Ollie take care of your small group wedding and catering. While you are waiting for your order, the bucket of fresh roasted peanuts on your table are there to nosh on and “Tipsy” the elephant always hopes that one of their guests will come out and feed him a peanut or two! “Tipsy” the elephant has even been known to give out a happy yelp, smile or wink, so say hello to “Tipsy” while you are coming in to Ollie’s or exiting. Ollie’s Place is worth the drive to Celina and will become one of your favorites. While there, don’t forget to visit their downtown antiques district, that is chock full of antiques, gifts, and more. Check out Ollie’s daily or weekend specials by phoning Ollie or Janie at 931-243-6363. They are located at 710 East Lake Ave. in Celina, TN. Make sure that you let “Ollie” know that “Annie” sent you. Bon Appétit. East Port Marina & Resort has a new themed houseboat called “The Black Pearl.” This awesome 80 ft. luxury houseboat with six bedrooms is awesome with its pirate theme decorations, luxury furnishings and fun activities to enjoy while on Dale Hollow Lake. Black leather coaches and a treasure chest made from distressed wood (branded with East Port Marina and Dale Hollow Lake) make you feel like you have a treasure chest full of gold in the living area. This popular houseboat made its debut in 2010 and has been one of East Port’s most popular houseboat rentals. Loyal clients have loved adding their own pirate themed items to the décor. With pirate themed curtains, throws, beads, and party favors to name a few items adorning the interior. East Port Marina & Resort is a fun, family owned marina that offers impeccable service to their clients, keeping them coming back for more. They have a wonderful selection of luxury chalets and rustic cabins to choose from with something to fit almost any price range. Their customer appreciation night in the fall celebrates the loyalty and gratitude that their customers have for the friendly atmosphere. Helmsman Richard DeVries and wife, Wendy, plus Richard’s brother, Ross and his wife, Ana work hard year round to create memorable Dale Hollow Lake moments. Richard’s son, Nathan and his nephew, Austin love to work in the summer months and hang out on Dale Hollow Lake. If you are out cruising by waterway or by car, stop in and have a bite to eat. They have the best chicken quesadillas on Dale Hollow Lake and have an awesome catfish fry on Friday night. Of course, they have been known for years for having the best cheeseburger on Dale Hollow Lake. “Annie’s” son, Blake can attest to the mouth watering burger with all the fixings. Come over to East Port Marina & Resort or visit them online and learn more about “The Black Pearl” and experience the fun of house boating on Dale Hollow Lake. Create summer memories at East Port Marina & Resort. Visit East Port Marina & Resort online at www.eastport.info or phone toll-free 800-736-7951. Mike’s Landing at Sulphur Creek Resort is a floating restaurant on the northern side of Dale Hollow Lake. The Humphrey family has owned the marina and restaurant for several years. Many customers love their location (the northern most marina on the lake), large fleet of houseboats and wonderful restaurant. Mike’s Landing has a cool, nautical, breezy atmosphere with a calming effect as you sit lakeside enjoying the tremendous views. No matter where you sit in the restaurant, you have a view of beautiful Dale Hollow Lake. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Mike’s Landing is open for breakfast on weekends serving their delicious breakfast bar followed by their mouthwatering dinner buffet. Their quesadillas are a big hit with diners and so are the daily specials. Diane Mowers, owner of Dale Hollow BBQ in Celina serves as the restaurant manager and chef. She loves to offer her down home country cooking served on their hot country buffet. The country buffet offers catfish, hand battered fried chicken, grilled sirloin tips with onions and green peppers, and some awesome baked whitefish. Of course, if you like country cooking, you will love the homemade sides such as greens, baked beans, hush puppies, homemade macaroni and cheese, and more. Be sure to save room for some of their scrumptious desserts - homemade cobblers, puddings, and other delights. The buffet also includes a fresh salad bar. If you are out on your boat or want a night off from cooking, stop over to Mike’s Landing and enjoy the view (and the food). They are open from mid-May through mid-September. Give them a call for their hours at 270-433-7272 or visit them online at |
Sunset Restaurant on Dale Hollow Lake is the premier lakeside dining restaurant offering gourmet and eclectic food with attitude. Chef Zoom has had the helm of the restaurant as manager and head chef for nine years now. He has a passion for creating some delightful dishes. He specializes in seafood, Cajun and Creole cuisine and cooking with bourbon and crème. His dishes, many of them daily specials, express his personality and tantalize your taste buds. As “Annie’s” son says, “the flavors dance on your tongue”. Chef Zoom loves to cook with bourbon (not whiskey). He brings this expertise from his previous years of cooking at Dagwoods in Bardstown, Kentucky while under the tutelage of the late Chef John Hall. Some of his favorite signature dishes include Shrimp Louise and Shrimp Baton Rouge. “Annie’s” favorite is keeping room for dessert and having some warm Jack Daniels Bread Pudding a la mode with some vanilla ice cream and a cup of coffee. Some other favorites are the grilled steaks, succulent pork and chicken dishes, as well as the Kentucky hot brown sandwich. If you love salads, this is the place to come for a great salad topped with their homemade dressings. Of course “Annie” is partial to the homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing on a bed of fresh mixed greens, fresh produce and grilled chicken. The floating Sunset Restaurant has a great holiday feel. Vacationers pull into the Sunset Marina dock and tie up their boats to enjoy breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. Some nights the outside patio is open for business and occasionally on those nights you might find live music on deck including the possibility that Chef Zoom might be entertaining by playing a few tunes on his guitar for his guests. Chef Zoom and “Chumley” of the ship store love to pick and play. Chumley (the manager of the ship store) has written a tune about Dale Hollow Lake that can be listened to on the www.sunsetmarina.com website. Their lunch menu is great, including delicious hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and one of my favorites is the delicious Reuben sandwich with pasta salad. Sunset Restaurant is very kid friendly and has an awesome children’s menu that can be colored on or used as a game of tic-tac-toe. One of “Annie’s” favorite events of the year is the Crab Boil that is held at the end of summer. This is an amazing night of all you can eat seafood that includes crab, mussels, clams, shrimp, catfish, and other seafood, cooked many different ways including Creole and Cajun. There are great fixins and homemade desserts by their pastry chef, too. The night is also filled with live music. This is a fantastic summer event and the food is superb. It is a must attend event at Dale Hollow Lake. Make sure to reserve early, as the tickets sell out fast. Sunset Restaurant is a great place to have a special meal. Be sure to talk to Chef Zoom about your reception, reunions, bridal and baby showers or corporate functions. Many weddings have been held at this beautiful restaurant and there are million dollar views for pictures and great memories. Sunset Restaurant is adorned with a great nostalgic antique neon light that illuminates the night sky, but the name is fitting for the restaurant, as the sunsets are gorgeous. Many a night, you will see folks rocking in the “Cracker Barrel” type rocking chairs looking out across the waters while savoring scrumptious “Blue Bell” ice cream hand-dipped from their ice cream station – while waiting for the sunset. Children love to take bread scraps from the restaurant that Chef Zoom saves for them to feed the fish. They love it. In the evenings, the fish dance through the lighted waters, giving the children lots to do! Sunset Restaurant is the place to be on Dale Hollow Lake. If you are vacationing, looking for a romantic getaway or a great day trip, this is the place to come. The Obey River Campground is adjacent to Sunset Marina and Resort and Restaurant property and it makes for a good place for a long walk. There is also the very family/kid friendly Obey River beach that has a great sandy roped off swimming area for the children to swim and enjoy a hot summer day. Sunset Restaurant is located right off of Hwy. 111, just south of the bridge in Byrdstown, TN. Their schedule, list of events and specials can be viewed online at www.sunsetmarina.com or subscribe to their regular e-newsletters for up-to-date information and specials. They can be reached at 931-864-3146. Who doesn’t love Mexican cuisine? Casa Mexicana is a new Mexican restaurant in Livingston, TN (southwest corner of Dale Hollow Lake). Juan Hernandez and his family have turned the restaurant into a lovely cornucopia of color with hand painted murals and scenes on the chairs, booth backs and tables depicting life in Mexico. Hand carved and hand painted in Mexico by a local artist, Juan beams ear to ear as he talks about ordering these lovely tables and getting them into their two restaurants — in Livingston and Cookeville. They offer wonderful lunch specials where the whole family can eat for a very reasonable price. It is a family style restaurant with lots of personality and pizzazz. The children love the brightly color chairs in lime green, tangerine orange, and sunny yellow. The kid’s meals are a big hit. Their very personable and professional wait staff is there to serve you and make your visit enjoyable. They have excellent salsa sauces. “Annie’s” favorites are the homemade green sauce and the chunky salsa that has a nice kick. You can see the fresh cilantro, onions and garlic in the salsa. It is excellent with a basket of tortilla chips or on your burrito, taco or quesadilla. Their fajitas are also one of “Annie’s” favorites as well as the “Speedy Gonzales” lunch special. They have wonderful taco salads, shrimp dishes and of course steak and chicken. Casa Mexican serves liquor by the drink and are known for their awesome margaritas. Every day is Happy Hour between 5-7 PM. Leave room for dessert! Try the “Casa Bites” — your choice of special bite size cheesecake and a choice of ice cream, such as Mexican fried ice cream or maybe a scoop of vanilla. Casa Mexican has two locations, one next to the Food Lion grocery store in Livingston and one at 506 N. Willow Ave. in Cookeville. If you are a TTU student/teacher, ask for the 10% discount. See their ad on page 29 and take their coupon with you for additional savings. Bon Appetito! Make sure to say “Hola” to Juan and the team at Casa Mexicana. They can be reached in Livingston at 931-823-8870 and in Cookeville at 931-526-3794. Farmhouse Restaurant in Byrdstown, TN, (minutes from many of the marinas) is undoubtedly one of the most popular restaurants on a Friday or Saturday night due to their scrumptious catfish, hush puppies and fresh garden salad bar. This is a family friendly country restaurant, owned by Retta and Steve Reagan, and their beautiful daughter Grace Ann. They offer daily specials, and delicious menu items, six days a week (closed on Sunday). “Annie” and the Burckhard family love the Farmhouse Restaurant and this is a special treat when we get to indulge ourselves in the Friday night special of catfish, breaded shrimp and all the fixins. “Annie” loves the garden salad with the fresh selection of romaine and mixed lettuces, scrumptious broccoli and cauliflower salads, potato and macaroni salad and more. A lot of the produce on the salad bar is grown in the Reagan’s garden or other local farms. The bar also includes homemade soups, chili, fresh fruit cocktail and some homemade desserts, such as banana pudding. Retta and Steve are one of the hardest working couples that I have ever seen. They personally built the restaurant, sanded the pine that lines the cathedral style ceiling and worked lovingly to create this very comfortable, cozy atmosphere. The Reagan’s are true community servants and are God’s hands and feet in the community that they live in and serve. They work tirelessly in helping those in need, bring a dish to a sick friend, client or a church friend. They also serve on various committees and have spearheaded many of the events, including the Pickett County Fair which has become a very popular venue in the county and is loved by many. Retta and Steve have also been very instrumental in nurturing the Pickett County Horseman’s Association and the many events that are held throughout the year. They also open their doors on Christmas Eve to serve those less fortunate a full Christmas dinner at no charge. Retta and her helpers served up hundreds of meals last Christmas and Steve and his elves delivered over a hundred meals to shut-ins. Their leadership skills and selfless ways show the true meaning of a Christian lifestyle. They have trained and provided employment for so many and this is a true family environment. Steve and Retta don’t like the limelight, but they are two special people that bring light into many people’s lives with the little things that they do for others, day in and day out. They will tell you that they are blessed with a beautiful daughter, great friends and family and the love of their church family and God. The Reagans can be reached at the Farmhouse Restaurant which is conveniently located on scenic Hwy. 111, just south of Static/and the TN/KY state line and by the Wolf River. If you have a catering need, family function, celebration or business meeting, make sure to call Retta to accommodate your needs. They can be reached by telephone at 931-864-4070. |