Arrive by car or by boat but by all means make your way to Allatoona Grill, the only restaurant on Lake Allatoona in Bartow County, Georgia
Location: Allatoona Grill, 5989 Groovers Landing Road, Acworth, Georgia
Menu: Heavy on the seafood but created to appeal to every palate, the menu at Allatoona Grill is downright surprising. The selection of sushi and makimono rolls is vast, which in itself is remarkable in a remote, rural spot in North Georgia. There are wings with a choice of 8 different sauces and 8 styles of burgers. The eatery claims to be the “home of the anyway burger.” The Brazil Everything Burger comes with a beef patty, cheese, ham, a fried egg, a grilled hot dog, potato sticks, corn, and bacon, in addition to regular condiments and lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. Surely you’d plan to share this with a friend.
The kids menu may be one of the most extensive I’ve seen, and for $5 more, an adult can order from it. I’m sure this has great appeal for all of the families out enjoying Lake Allatoona or camping at the RV park nearby. The signature dessert is a homemade chocolate chip cookie, cooked and served in an iron skillet. That is also a kid-friendly item, for sure.
The brunch menu features scramblers, skillets and omelets with various combinations of eggs, potatoes, meats, cheeses and veggies. And this is a place that serves English muffins rather than biscuits. If you’re so inclined, there is an intriguing Candied Bacon Bloody Mary available.
The dinner menu has several steaks and chicken dishes listed, but the star of the show is seafood. When I visited, I particularly enjoyed a dozen raw oysters and sauteed sea scallops. My husband loved his blackened grouper, and our friends raved about the drunken mussels.
Thoughts: Allatoona Grill has the distinction of being the only lakeside restaurant in the Bartow County portion of Lake Allatoona, which is a reservoir of the Etowah River and also touches Cherokee and Cobb counties. The constant stream of boaters and fishermen passing the restaurant, as well as the beautiful boats docked within sight, make this a great place to soak up the atmosphere by sitting in one of the outside tables. COVID-19 is another reason to appreciate the outdoor dining opportunity. If at all possible, plan to arrive in time to enjoy the amazing sunset views.
Allatoona Grill was formerly known as Acworth Fish Camp but changed ownership, name, menu and overall vibe a few years ago. The indoor dining area normally seats about 40 people but seats half as many because of current restrictions. The servers I observed were wearing masks.
The outdoor tables are pet-friendly, which is also an attractive feature for campers, boaters or people renting cabins along the lake.
The exterior will fool you. It looks small, rustic, and unrefined, but it opens into a much larger space. This is not a place for tablecloths and fine dining service. The people who come in are generally dressed very casually. This is a place that takes advantage of its setting and serves delicious food. It is open for lunch and dinner year-round but closes on Tuesdays, so be sure to make a note of that.
Allatoona Grill is especially convenient for people staying at Pine Acres Retreat, George Washington Carver Park or Red Top Mountain State Park and is only a 20-25 minute drive to downtown Cartersville, Georgia.
Price range: Sushi is $5-7. Makimono rolls are $9-20. Burgers are $10-18. Kid’s meals are $8.95, and desserts are $9. Steaks are $24-36, and other entrees range from $16-49.
Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary meal as part of a press trip sponsored by CartersvilleBartowCVB.org.
Connie's book "Telling It On The Mountain: 52 Days in the Life of an Unlikely Missionary" was published in 2016 and is available on Amazon.In addition to her blog, www.theregoesconnie.com, she is a regular contributor to The Yums,Trip101.com, The Alabama Baptist weekly newspaper, Senior Scene Magazine (Athens News-Courier) and other print and online travel publications.
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