Nick's Lakeside Grill
Directly on the waterA waterfront burger joint in Spring City with a deck, a bar, and a steady following.
Nick's sits on the water at Spring City Resort & Marina and runs the way you want a lake restaurant to run. Tie up at the dock, walk up to the deck, order a burger and a beer, watch the lake. The menu leans casual American: brioche-bun burgers (the Single & Ready to Mingle, the Cowboy, the Hangover), boneless and bone-in wings with a long sauce list, sandwiches, salad bowls, frog legs on a good night, sweet potato fries with a marshmallow dipping sauce that kids will not stop talking about. The Wednesday wing special is a known thing. Live music shows up on weekend nights and pulls a crowd from town and from the water.
The food is good when it is good. The complaints cluster around two themes: portions for the price (a handful of bowl entrees in the $15 range that underwhelm), and service that thins out under load. When the place is calm and the kitchen has bandwidth, the food comes fast and hot. When it is packed and the floor is understaffed, the wait stretches. The location does most of the marketing. The restaurant is part of Spring City Resort & Marina, with cabins and slip rentals attached, so a meal here can fold into a longer stay.
From the water, the dock-and-dine is genuinely easy. From the road, it is a little off the main highway through Spring City, which is part of the appeal. The view is the view.
Tips
- Wing Wednesday is a real value; the wings are the right thing to order on that night.
- For a fast meal, target weekday lunches or the dinner shoulder hours; a packed Saturday will stretch your timeline.
- Reservations aren't a thing; expect a wait when there's a band on.
- Outdoor deck seating beats indoor in good weather; ask for it on arrival.
What people love
- The lake view from the deck, which most guests mention before the food.
- Burgers and wings; the Cowboy Burger and the brown-sugar BBQ wings get repeat name-checks.
- The sweet potato fries with marshmallow dipping sauce.
- Friendly service when the place isn't slammed.
- Live music nights, which turn the deck into a destination.
What to know
- Service speed swings hard with the crowd; on a busy night, plan for a long meal.
- A few entrees price as if they're full meals but arrive small; the Mac bowls draw the most volume of complaint.
- The kitchen runs Monday through Sunday, but lunch service skips Monday and Tuesday and limits Friday's hours; check before driving over.
- Hours are split into lunch and dinner blocks most days, with a midafternoon break.
Best time
Wednesday for wings, Saturday night for music and the busiest social hours, weekday mid-day for a calmer meal on the deck.
First visit
Park behind the restaurant and walk in for a hostess seat, or tie up at the marina dock and walk up. The deck wraps around the lakeside; aim for it.
With kids
Kid-friendly menu, the family-burger framing of the place, and a deck that handles strollers fine. Service speed is the variable; if your kids run on a tight clock, come early.
Location
Frequently asked
When is Nick's Lakeside Grill open?
Open year-round; lunch service skips Monday and Tuesday, and Friday lunch ends mid-afternoon before dinner service. Hours can shift seasonally.
Is Nick's Lakeside Grill good for families with kids?
Kid-friendly menu, the family-burger framing of the place, and a deck that handles strollers fine. Service speed is the variable; if your kids run on a tight clock, come early.
How do I get to Nick's Lakeside Grill?
Park behind the restaurant and walk in for a hostess seat, or tie up at the marina dock and walk up. The deck wraps around the lakeside; aim for it.
What should I know before visiting Nick's Lakeside Grill?
Service speed swings hard with the crowd; on a busy night, plan for a long meal.
Last updated: April 30, 2026