The 13 restaurants in Harriman that come up in conversations about food on Watts Bar Lake. Harriman is one of the towns that anchors the lake's dining options, with a mix of casual sit-down spots and quicker stops.
Harriman's craft brewery, built in a spacious industrial taproom that hosts live music, comedy nights, trivia, and dogs.
A craft brewery at 316 Ruritan Road in Harriman, open Wednesday through Sunday, with a rotating tap list of house brews including a peanut butter stout and Kolsch, a small food menu of flatbread pizzas and nachos, and a taproom spacious enough for large groups without crowding.
A serious deli in a former fast-food building on Roane Street, using Boar's Head ingredients and not apologizing for it.
Phil's Deli on South Roane Street in Harriman runs breakfast and lunch six days a week, with a Boar's Head deli case, five Reuben variations including a London broil "dirty" Reuben, curly fries, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, and a drive-through.
A packed, colorful street taco spot in Harriman that people drive an hour for and visit multiple times a week once they find it.
Wizapa's Street Tacos is a Mexican restaurant on Roane State Highway in Harriman, named for and inspired by Antonio Garcia Alcala, a taquero who operated in Degollado, Jalisco for 56 years. Open six days with a split-hour schedule. The place is frequently at capacity; online ordering is available.
A coffee shop built inside a repurposed bank in downtown Harriman, with a drive-through where the bank lane used to be.
Gather Coffee Lounge in Harriman is a multi-location East Tennessee coffee chain operating out of a converted bank building on North Roane Street. Specialty espresso drinks, boba tea, smoothies, and house-baked pastries. Open seven days a week with a drive-through and indoor seating.
A build-your-own Mongolian BBQ spot in Harriman run with visible passion, and one of the more unexpected things you'll find in Roane County.
K's Kitchen is a family-run Mongolian BBQ restaurant in Harriman where you fill a bowl with fresh vegetables, meat, and noodles or rice, pick a spice level from 0 to 5, and watch it cooked on the grill. Fresh spring rolls, boba tea, and Lao sausage round out the menu. Open seven days.
A roadside diner off Roane State Highway that does home-style cooking well enough to pull road-trippers off I-40 and keep locals coming back.
A diner on Roane State Highway in Harriman, open Monday through Saturday. Breakfast all morning, lunch specials including rotating daily plates, and a menu that runs burgers, Philly steaks, chicken and dumplings, and fried green tomato BLT. Closed Sundays; Saturday closes at noon.
A family-run Mexican restaurant in Harriman that fills up on weekends, keeps prices accessible, and runs an all-you-can-eat taco option that people drive for.
El Cantarito is a Mexican restaurant in Harriman on North Roane Street, open seven days a week. Large portions, low prices, and a dine-in all-you-can-eat option for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas with rice and beans make it the default Mexican stop for a lot of Harriman regulars. About eight miles from the lake.
A locally owned Harriman burger spot with a railroad theme, hand-cut fries, and a menu that goes well beyond burgers.
Burger Station 120 is a locally owned restaurant in Harriman with a railroad theme and a menu that covers burgers, loaded baked potatoes, brisket, wings, and funnel cake desserts. Hand-cut fries are a signature. Open seven days a week.
A thin-crust pizza spot in downtown Harriman with an arcade room, outdoor seating, and a party-rental setup that works for all ages.
A local pizza and taproom on North Roane Street in downtown Harriman. Thin crust, creative specialty pies, appetizers, subs, and a full arcade room available for parties. Open Thursday through Sunday only, closed Monday through Wednesday.
Harriman's Mexican anchor since 2006, with Guadalajara-region recipes, a full bar, and patio seating that fills on summer evenings.
A family-owned Mexican restaurant at 1712 S Roane St in Harriman that has operated since 2006. Full bar, patio seating, a seven-day lunch menu averaging around $7, and dinner portions large enough that leftovers are routine.
A big industrial bar-and-grill in Harriman's historic downtown that doubled down on things to do.
RoCo Social occupies a large historic building in downtown Harriman with a full kitchen, full bar, pool tables, cornhole, and bounce house events. Dinner runs American comfort with some genuine culinary ambition mixed in.
A large, reliable Italian chain restaurant in Harriman that draws consistent crowds with generous portions and a wide menu.
Gondolier is a regional Italian-American chain with a Harriman location on Roane State Highway. A wide menu covers pizza, pasta, gyros, calzones, and desserts. Portions are large and prices are considered good value, though the dessert portions have recently been reduced.
A newer Harriman pizza shop making fresh-dough pies with real mozzarella, in a plain room that lets the food carry the experience.
A pizza restaurant on Griffith Drive near Harriman, open seven days until 9 PM (Sunday until 6 PM), making fresh pies with quality cheese, a thin New Jersey-style crust, Chicago deep dish, calzones, wings, and a full slice option.
Harriman has a mix of casual American, Mexican, pizza, and lunch-counter spots. The list ranges from sit-down with a full menu to drive-through and walk-in stops.
Most are in town rather than directly on the water. For lakeside dining, see the lakeside-restaurants page.
Last updated: April 30, 2026