Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar

Set right on the Tennessee River along Riverside Drive, about a mile and a half from the downtown hotel district, the Boathouse pairs a raw bar with a wood-fired grill and rotisserie. Oysters rotate from the Gulf and the East Coast, alongside clams on the half shell, steamed mussels and peel-and-eat shrimp. The rest of the menu ranges widely: wood-grilled salmon, swordfish, whole trout and ribeye, half rotisserie chickens, smoked brisket, po boys and crispy fish tacos. The bar pours beer, wine and its Lawton's Margarita, and there is a happy hour. Seating spans the dining room and a covered outdoor patio facing the river. For parties, a private dining area holds up to 46 guests, and its website asks that bookings be made at least 10 days ahead.