This is the one of the best restaurant I have been too while camping in an RV. Typical RV resturants are bad in my experince. The hours there open are strange but the food typical was very good. I was surprised actually. I am looking forward to going back to Canyon Lake next year and eating here again.
(4)
Filbert s.
Seriously the best fish fry - light and flaky. Also love the flavored soft serve. Something on the menu for everyone. Try it out...you won't be sorry!
(5)
Andrea K.
This is still my husband's & my favorite place to eat & relax...we are very happy regulars! We ate there approximately 3 weeks ago (we're overdue for another visit!). While we dined, the owners weren't present-we always like to visit with them as they're so hospitable, kind & make you feel so welcome. The food, as usual, was delicious- fresh, hot & homemade. I just read a "review" done on 5/18/15 by a "Christina Y" & I feel strongly compelled to comment. I happened to see this "reviewer" the day we dined @ the restaurant- she was an employee, NOT a restaurant patron. I observed her with her employee uniform on, sitting at a table, not working the whole time we were there. Having said that, her "review" that she wrote shortly thereafter was obviously written by a now former disgruntled employee. My husband & I are appalled by that review as we know this restaurant very well-nothing she said has any truth in it whatsoever. You can view the menu on-line to know the food is not overpriced, you can read all of my reviews I've done over the past 2 years right here- each time I mention how hospitable the owners are & how the food is delicious & home-made. Never have the owners "told customers off all day long." The most striking thing I had to comment on was the lack of knowledge this former disgruntled employee has regarding stringent state health codes & laws governing restaurants! Sewage is never dumped in a lake or in front of a restaurant anywhere...& certainly not within the Tonto National Forest! Lastly, I'm a RN & acutely aware of restaurant hygiene, food safety & public health. Never have I seen "food with dirt" @ Lakeside Restaurant & Cantina. It is an extremely clean & very hygienic restaurant which serves delicious food. We LOVE this restaurant! Don't listen to a former disgruntled employee!
(5)
Curt Dottie C.
HAIR in our FOOD and I was told by waitress "IT HAPPENS !" Really !!! We are very disappointed with our experience here, first our waitress was pushy, we felt like we were being rushed. She reminded us that the Dolly was leaving in an hour and we told we were not taking the tour just for the view. Yet somehow we still felt like she was trying to hurry us. Our food came out slow it took 45 mins to from order to getting to our table. There was 5 in our party and my husband had the crispy chicken salad and lettuce was wilted like it was days old and bonus he found HAIR ! I wouldn't have given any stars but Yelp insist so that's why they even got one star
(1)
Kyle S.
A great stop along an amazing drive. Quick beer and snack for the little one and lady. What a view! Great for birthday songs too lol.
(3)
Christina Y.
All their food is frozen and not fresh. Over priced and the dolly unloads their sewage right in front of the place! Service can be iffy depending on server and management is terrible. Tells customers off all day long. And food had dirt in it...never will I waste money on them again.
(1)
Bill M.
I'm a regular boater at Canyon Lake, and have eaten here a couple of times only because I was with out-of-town visitors who wanted to stop there. The atmosphere is very dull and outdated, the food is very mediocre, and the service is slow, even when there are not that many patrons there. My last meal there was a cheeseburger & fries - Burger was small, dry, and tasteless, with a plain bun & wilted veggies. Fries were cold & plain as well. I can do much better at home with my own grill & a bag of frozen 'Ore-Ida fries from Wal Mart. If you are boating on the lake, just bring some cold cuts, fresh veggies, chips & beer - You will NOT be disappointed! Talk your friends/relatives out of eating here - It is not worth it. If you eat outside you will be dive-bombed by birds wanting your food. By the way, the bathrooms are GROSS!
(1)
Charity S.
Long wait for food, waitresses that don't know what they're doing, grumpy hosts, and crappy food that keeps us off the lake for 2 hours is not somewhere I plan on going ever again.
(1)
Edward D.
We decided to have a quick bite to eat when waiting for The Dolly Steamboat to load. They got us in and out real fast, we first shared a banana ice cream, it was a soft serve yellow and white swirled! But i did not taste the banana at all? But the ice cream was still good. We also shared a corn dog and fries, the food were very hot, had to wait for them to cool down. But again, they knew we were in a rush. Over all this place was not bad. Food was good, nothing special. I have no problem coming back. Savanna was our server, she was quick and really nice.
(3)
Jim C.
The food is usually pretty good here, except this last time I ordered a patty melt, and it literally came out with the fixins of a regular hamburger on rye bread...? The only buzz kill here is sometime the serivce gets slow when they are busy, they cannot handle a rush nor a full house.
(3)
Summer M.
I just got back from a month long trip to Seattle and the first thing I wanted to do was head to the Cantina in Canyon Lake to get a prickly pear margarita. We were immediately seated and drink orders taken. The margarita did not disappoint! I get it every time I go there and it's hands down the best drink on the menu. Then we ordered some appetizers to share and they were hot and delicious. The waitress even suggested an odd combination of dipping our sweet potato fries in a sweet chili sauce and it was actually pretty good! The owner even came over and chatted with us for a while before we headed out. The entire wait staff was friendly, happy, and fast. Every time we go to Canyon Lake we go to the Cantina and have always had an excellent experience. I recommend it to anyone who's had a long day in the heat and needs some good ol comfort food.
(5)
Catherine C.
This is one of my top favorite restaurants. Food, service, view, and we love to buy the 'fish food' bags to feed the birds and huge carp. A totally lovely experience all the way around. RE: The food is always great. We always sit out on the balcony to fully enjoy the view.
(5)
Zak K.
The WORST service ever! Save your time and money and bring a P&J sandwich! This place is chronically understaffed, and the few employees are apathetic. Your "15-20 minute wait" to be seated will be 40-45 minutes. Then you'll wait an additional 10-15 minutes for a waitress to take your drink order. Give the food another 30 minutes. Never again will I go (or take any out-of-town visitors) to this place!
(1)
kelly k.
We have a boat docked here and have eaten at the restraunt several times. Every time we look at each other and say "why"? Well because if you're willing to put up with flat out horrific service the food is pretty good. Very homey. Better than big chain food. Not amazing. And the view of the lake is nice. But seriously.... The service is sooo bad. You wait to be seated while staff walk by you avoiding eye contact. Eventually the woman who owns or manages it... Not sure which will say. "Be right with you". Not true. Then she'll seat you with a "your server will be right with you" also not true. One time we sat and watched servers sit and eat when there were two tables in the restraunt and no one even looked at us. I went to the register where the manager was doing something and asked "can we get coffee" and got a snippy "your server will be right with you" What? You can't get coffee? The two stars are the food and view otherwise a one star.
(2)
Laura M.
I love this place! The view is great, the food is wonderful and the people are always really friendly. Their prickly pear margaritas are definitely their signature item and it's why I like going there. For being a local, independent business, they do really well and i highly recommend them to anyone in the area. They are never really busy and you'll always get great service with even better food!
(5)
Kayla R.
Tried this place for the first time today with my husband. I had never been up to Canyon Lake at all and was in love with the views. Since it was a weekday, it was very quiet, and nearly empty. The owner (gentleman; cannot remember his name) was extremely helpful and polite. They honored my Restaurant.com gift certificate even though they said they asked the site not to sell them anymore. Good air conditioning inside, and seemed fairly clean. My food was extra hot, so I did burn my mouth, that is the only thing that bothered me out of the whole visit. Even then, I was still pretty impressed. Our waitress also seemed nice. Didn't over-bother us but was still attentive. I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwhich, and my husband had the Bacon Cheeseburger. Both were very good and reasonably priced. We also had signed up for their VIP program before we went there, so whatever money I had to pay after my gift certificate was added on to that account for credit. We will be returning!
(4)
Kristen R.
The WORST Service AND Food I have ever experienced!! The owner nearly forced a member of our family to drink a bloody mary that was way under par and when she kindly sent it back the owner argued that it was what she ordered and so she should drink it!! We were ultimately charged for the drink!! With slow service we finally received our food and the Fish Fry was awful: luke warm and chewy!!! Canyon lake is beautiful and the cantina has a great view but NOT Worth the agony that owner or staff put us through.
(1)
Steve B.
Well we had guest from Texas in so v we tool them to the lake to see the area. We stop to eat and waited for 20 minutes for someone to seat us. They would look and just go with there own selfs. I ask should we sit down and was told no. Well finally I said that's it we left and drove 2 miles to tortilla flats and was seated right away and they were packed. Never agian will I go to canyon lake to eat .
(1)
Kara P.
My husband and I and another couple spent an overnight camping at the campground at Canyon Lake this past Saturday and figured why bother with cooking and all that with the restaurant right there. I'm glad we did. Yeah, the service is a little slow, but we didn't mind, the views are so pretty from the patio. We ate there three times and each time our server was so friendly. I think the one on Saturday was Teresa or Vicki (sorry bad with names) but we had her twice that day and she was so friendly. And in the morning for breakfast we had Adrienne and she was a sweetheart too. My breakfast was delicious, had bisquits and gravy, eggs and homefries. Yummy! I ate basic things the day before, hamburger, fries, dinner was club sandwich and it was all good. And I read in a response to another review about how they aren't in town so if they are short staffed, it's a little hard to fill the jobs and that has to be so difficult. I for one would not want to make that drive at night on that windy road to come home from work there. So yeah, you might wait a little bit for your order, but they make up for that in their friendliness and humor. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and plan to do it again.
(4)
Edwin D.
Really friendly people, but super slow on the service. But where else are you going to go when this is about the only choice?
(3)
Jill P.
This was terrible! They say they have fresh fish each week...flown in from Alaska ! Please ... That is a lie it is not. They advertise the burger is 100% real beef .. It is not. The food is NOT good. The nice service crew had three people working for a crowd of 30 it was not a place I would recommend. I did like the water that's it.
(1)
Jeff R.
3.5 Stars After hiking the Boulder Creek Trail we needed something to eat and take abreak before heading back. The parking for the hiking is in the same area as the boat dock and Lakeside. It's the only thing for miles in any direction near the lake and a nice place to hang out. The two ladies working that Sunday were very nice, the beer was cold, and the food was pretty good. I had the grilled cheese on wheat. It wasn't the best I have ever had, but it went well with my beer. As others have noted the view from the deck is pretty awesome and relaxing. If you are in the area hiking, boating, whatever it's work a stop to check it out.
(3)
Stephanie S.
Not worth the wait. And by wait, I mean the wait at your table once you order your food. The menu is pretty basic - bunch of fried appetizers, hamburgers, and run-of-the-mill sandwiches. They offer the option of substituting grilled chicken for any of the hamburgers (for 90 cents), so I went with the "Southwest" burger with chicken. "Southwest" meant it had a chili pepper and cheddar cheese on it. The basic side options are coleslaw, beans, and regular fries. I substituted sweet potato fries, which was another upcharge. The chicken in my sandwich was somehow water-logged as was the bottom of the bun. The sweet potato fries, which clearly came from a bag in the freezer, were the highlight of my meal. I noticed a little sign on the table listing about eight different ice cream flavors. Then I saw some people eating soft-serve that had a ribbon of what must have been flavored syrup. If I'd have ordered that "ice cream" expecting it to actually be chocolate, strawberry, etc. I would've been pissed. Props to this restaurant for giving right sized portions, unlike the super-sized, join the race to obesity meals commonly served at many places. Nice views of the lake but other than that there's no atmosphere and the lighting is bad. Other reviewers have focused on the fish fry - maybe that's a good bet but I'd steer clear if you're looking for a decent lunch.
(2)
Susan C.
My husband and I stopped in for what we thought would be a great lunch on Saturday afternoon. Well, let me tell you it was the WORST FOOD EVER... I ordered a salad with chicken, and the chicken was disgusting, and the lettuce was old. My husband ordered chicken tenders with fries, and when he received his meal, he only got 5 French fries in the basket. We asked the waitress why so little, and she agreed, and said that's how they serve it. In about 5 minutes, she came back and gave him 6 more French fries. We just sort of laughed it off. She said the chefs are young and don't have a clue. Real nice to hear from your waitress. Then she came back and took the dressing away from him, and gave him another. She said instead of ranch she gave him blue cheese. Thank goodness for the great view, and company of each other cause I was sooooooooooo disappointed in that place and will never ever go back.
Three-star service, but five-star ambience=four estrellas. Let's face it, marina restaurants don't have to push too hard to succeed. Competition along the shoreline is minimal. When the cooler runs low on the boat, Lakeside Restaurant is the only show in town. You can tie up at the little restaurant dock, where the sign warns of a 30 minute limit, which is laughable given the snail-paced service. Sit on the patio and toss a few crumbs to the waiting ducks and, further down the food chain, the circling iridescent big-mouth carp. Feathered, scaled, and furry scavengers vie for patio scraps. The water is clear and calm, and the view stunning. The coffee is weak and watery, if plentiful, and the omelettes are big and fluffy, if bland. The heavily inked wait staff is polite if a little rough around the edges, but props to folks who are sturdy enough tackle a full-time wilderness gig like this. Note: these are the best restrooms within 20 miles.
(4)
Raul H.
You have got to stop in and have an app, beer or both...if you are going to the lake. This place is fun and Charlie the bartender kept us laughing. The food and drinks are reasonably priced with a very good selection...they even had Anchor Steam in a bottle. This stop included the chile verde sandwich with home fries that were nice and crisp. After a lake cruise, we stopped in again and had the wings! They were pretty darn good too! You get all walks of life in that place which adds to the friendly atmosphere. Shoes and shirt required or you will be turned away!
(4)
chris f.
Stopped here for lunch along our drive on the Apache Trail. It was too cold to sit outside but we had a table right by the windows, so the view was great. There were maybe 4 or 5 other tables filled so they were not overly crowded, we were seated right away. Service was excellent, very attentive and very nice, friendly & smiling waitress. We were both very happy with the quality of our food, both very fresh & tasty. I had the salad with the spicy buffalo chicken pieces, yum. Hubby had the club sandwich. Prices were reasonable. A very nice casual spot with a beautiful view. We will dine here again on our next trip to the area because we want to take the Dolly steamboat tour
(4)
Stephen G.
This restaurant has a wide variety of foods from burgers to cheese steaks and much more. Really good food with wonderful views above the lake . Even the salads are great (for those of us looking to avoid all the fatty unhealthy things.) Who ever heard of great salads in the boonies? The unhealthly stuff at this place is the best and on equal footing with places anywhere. So are the adult beverages; A full bar with many interesting drinks. Our youngest Kris says "the ice cream is to die for." It is and there are so many soft serve flavors to choose from. At least a dozen. This is the perfect respite for a hard day on the lake! The ONLY place at the lake, but still a great choice. Many places with a monopoly slide into mediocrity. Not this one. The food is tasty and the service is exactly right.
(5)
Sharon G.
A group of us stopped in for lunch after the Dolly Steamboat nature tour. We we all starving so we devoured our food. Our waitress was pleasant, attentive and helpful. We were practically the only people in the restaurant so we had great service. I can't remember what I ordered other than sweet potato fries that were delicious, but I think it involved chicken. All I know as it disappeared in three bites. I'm coming back for the Friday fish fry!
(4)
G M.
The Pot Roast burger is tremendous!!! Peach pina colada tasty but not much of a buzz. Atmosphere is great, alternatives are non-existent. Seriously... I'd go back for the Pot Roast burger. I have never had anything quite like it.
(4)
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Address :16802 N Hwy 88
Apache Junction, AZ, 85219
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Touristy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
John D.
This is the one of the best restaurant I have been too while camping in an RV. Typical RV resturants are bad in my experince. The hours there open are strange but the food typical was very good. I was surprised actually. I am looking forward to going back to Canyon Lake next year and eating here again.
(4)Filbert s.
Seriously the best fish fry - light and flaky. Also love the flavored soft serve. Something on the menu for everyone. Try it out...you won't be sorry!
(5)Andrea K.
This is still my husband's & my favorite place to eat & relax...we are very happy regulars! We ate there approximately 3 weeks ago (we're overdue for another visit!). While we dined, the owners weren't present-we always like to visit with them as they're so hospitable, kind & make you feel so welcome. The food, as usual, was delicious- fresh, hot & homemade. I just read a "review" done on 5/18/15 by a "Christina Y" & I feel strongly compelled to comment. I happened to see this "reviewer" the day we dined @ the restaurant- she was an employee, NOT a restaurant patron. I observed her with her employee uniform on, sitting at a table, not working the whole time we were there. Having said that, her "review" that she wrote shortly thereafter was obviously written by a now former disgruntled employee. My husband & I are appalled by that review as we know this restaurant very well-nothing she said has any truth in it whatsoever. You can view the menu on-line to know the food is not overpriced, you can read all of my reviews I've done over the past 2 years right here- each time I mention how hospitable the owners are & how the food is delicious & home-made. Never have the owners "told customers off all day long." The most striking thing I had to comment on was the lack of knowledge this former disgruntled employee has regarding stringent state health codes & laws governing restaurants! Sewage is never dumped in a lake or in front of a restaurant anywhere...& certainly not within the Tonto National Forest! Lastly, I'm a RN & acutely aware of restaurant hygiene, food safety & public health. Never have I seen "food with dirt" @ Lakeside Restaurant & Cantina. It is an extremely clean & very hygienic restaurant which serves delicious food. We LOVE this restaurant! Don't listen to a former disgruntled employee!
(5)Curt Dottie C.
HAIR in our FOOD and I was told by waitress "IT HAPPENS !" Really !!! We are very disappointed with our experience here, first our waitress was pushy, we felt like we were being rushed. She reminded us that the Dolly was leaving in an hour and we told we were not taking the tour just for the view. Yet somehow we still felt like she was trying to hurry us. Our food came out slow it took 45 mins to from order to getting to our table. There was 5 in our party and my husband had the crispy chicken salad and lettuce was wilted like it was days old and bonus he found HAIR ! I wouldn't have given any stars but Yelp insist so that's why they even got one star
(1)Kyle S.
A great stop along an amazing drive. Quick beer and snack for the little one and lady. What a view! Great for birthday songs too lol.
(3)Christina Y.
All their food is frozen and not fresh. Over priced and the dolly unloads their sewage right in front of the place! Service can be iffy depending on server and management is terrible. Tells customers off all day long. And food had dirt in it...never will I waste money on them again.
(1)Bill M.
I'm a regular boater at Canyon Lake, and have eaten here a couple of times only because I was with out-of-town visitors who wanted to stop there. The atmosphere is very dull and outdated, the food is very mediocre, and the service is slow, even when there are not that many patrons there. My last meal there was a cheeseburger & fries - Burger was small, dry, and tasteless, with a plain bun & wilted veggies. Fries were cold & plain as well. I can do much better at home with my own grill & a bag of frozen 'Ore-Ida fries from Wal Mart. If you are boating on the lake, just bring some cold cuts, fresh veggies, chips & beer - You will NOT be disappointed! Talk your friends/relatives out of eating here - It is not worth it. If you eat outside you will be dive-bombed by birds wanting your food. By the way, the bathrooms are GROSS!
(1)Charity S.
Long wait for food, waitresses that don't know what they're doing, grumpy hosts, and crappy food that keeps us off the lake for 2 hours is not somewhere I plan on going ever again.
(1)Edward D.
We decided to have a quick bite to eat when waiting for The Dolly Steamboat to load. They got us in and out real fast, we first shared a banana ice cream, it was a soft serve yellow and white swirled! But i did not taste the banana at all? But the ice cream was still good. We also shared a corn dog and fries, the food were very hot, had to wait for them to cool down. But again, they knew we were in a rush. Over all this place was not bad. Food was good, nothing special. I have no problem coming back. Savanna was our server, she was quick and really nice.
(3)Jim C.
The food is usually pretty good here, except this last time I ordered a patty melt, and it literally came out with the fixins of a regular hamburger on rye bread...? The only buzz kill here is sometime the serivce gets slow when they are busy, they cannot handle a rush nor a full house.
(3)Summer M.
I just got back from a month long trip to Seattle and the first thing I wanted to do was head to the Cantina in Canyon Lake to get a prickly pear margarita. We were immediately seated and drink orders taken. The margarita did not disappoint! I get it every time I go there and it's hands down the best drink on the menu. Then we ordered some appetizers to share and they were hot and delicious. The waitress even suggested an odd combination of dipping our sweet potato fries in a sweet chili sauce and it was actually pretty good! The owner even came over and chatted with us for a while before we headed out. The entire wait staff was friendly, happy, and fast. Every time we go to Canyon Lake we go to the Cantina and have always had an excellent experience. I recommend it to anyone who's had a long day in the heat and needs some good ol comfort food.
(5)Catherine C.
This is one of my top favorite restaurants. Food, service, view, and we love to buy the 'fish food' bags to feed the birds and huge carp. A totally lovely experience all the way around. RE: The food is always great. We always sit out on the balcony to fully enjoy the view.
(5)Zak K.
The WORST service ever! Save your time and money and bring a P&J sandwich! This place is chronically understaffed, and the few employees are apathetic. Your "15-20 minute wait" to be seated will be 40-45 minutes. Then you'll wait an additional 10-15 minutes for a waitress to take your drink order. Give the food another 30 minutes. Never again will I go (or take any out-of-town visitors) to this place!
(1)kelly k.
We have a boat docked here and have eaten at the restraunt several times. Every time we look at each other and say "why"? Well because if you're willing to put up with flat out horrific service the food is pretty good. Very homey. Better than big chain food. Not amazing. And the view of the lake is nice. But seriously.... The service is sooo bad. You wait to be seated while staff walk by you avoiding eye contact. Eventually the woman who owns or manages it... Not sure which will say. "Be right with you". Not true. Then she'll seat you with a "your server will be right with you" also not true. One time we sat and watched servers sit and eat when there were two tables in the restraunt and no one even looked at us. I went to the register where the manager was doing something and asked "can we get coffee" and got a snippy "your server will be right with you" What? You can't get coffee? The two stars are the food and view otherwise a one star.
(2)Laura M.
I love this place! The view is great, the food is wonderful and the people are always really friendly. Their prickly pear margaritas are definitely their signature item and it's why I like going there. For being a local, independent business, they do really well and i highly recommend them to anyone in the area. They are never really busy and you'll always get great service with even better food!
(5)Kayla R.
Tried this place for the first time today with my husband. I had never been up to Canyon Lake at all and was in love with the views. Since it was a weekday, it was very quiet, and nearly empty. The owner (gentleman; cannot remember his name) was extremely helpful and polite. They honored my Restaurant.com gift certificate even though they said they asked the site not to sell them anymore. Good air conditioning inside, and seemed fairly clean. My food was extra hot, so I did burn my mouth, that is the only thing that bothered me out of the whole visit. Even then, I was still pretty impressed. Our waitress also seemed nice. Didn't over-bother us but was still attentive. I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwhich, and my husband had the Bacon Cheeseburger. Both were very good and reasonably priced. We also had signed up for their VIP program before we went there, so whatever money I had to pay after my gift certificate was added on to that account for credit. We will be returning!
(4)Kristen R.
The WORST Service AND Food I have ever experienced!! The owner nearly forced a member of our family to drink a bloody mary that was way under par and when she kindly sent it back the owner argued that it was what she ordered and so she should drink it!! We were ultimately charged for the drink!! With slow service we finally received our food and the Fish Fry was awful: luke warm and chewy!!! Canyon lake is beautiful and the cantina has a great view but NOT Worth the agony that owner or staff put us through.
(1)Steve B.
Well we had guest from Texas in so v we tool them to the lake to see the area. We stop to eat and waited for 20 minutes for someone to seat us. They would look and just go with there own selfs. I ask should we sit down and was told no. Well finally I said that's it we left and drove 2 miles to tortilla flats and was seated right away and they were packed. Never agian will I go to canyon lake to eat .
(1)Kara P.
My husband and I and another couple spent an overnight camping at the campground at Canyon Lake this past Saturday and figured why bother with cooking and all that with the restaurant right there. I'm glad we did. Yeah, the service is a little slow, but we didn't mind, the views are so pretty from the patio. We ate there three times and each time our server was so friendly. I think the one on Saturday was Teresa or Vicki (sorry bad with names) but we had her twice that day and she was so friendly. And in the morning for breakfast we had Adrienne and she was a sweetheart too. My breakfast was delicious, had bisquits and gravy, eggs and homefries. Yummy! I ate basic things the day before, hamburger, fries, dinner was club sandwich and it was all good. And I read in a response to another review about how they aren't in town so if they are short staffed, it's a little hard to fill the jobs and that has to be so difficult. I for one would not want to make that drive at night on that windy road to come home from work there. So yeah, you might wait a little bit for your order, but they make up for that in their friendliness and humor. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and plan to do it again.
(4)Edwin D.
Really friendly people, but super slow on the service. But where else are you going to go when this is about the only choice?
(3)Jill P.
This was terrible! They say they have fresh fish each week...flown in from Alaska ! Please ... That is a lie it is not. They advertise the burger is 100% real beef .. It is not. The food is NOT good. The nice service crew had three people working for a crowd of 30 it was not a place I would recommend. I did like the water that's it.
(1)Jeff R.
3.5 Stars After hiking the Boulder Creek Trail we needed something to eat and take abreak before heading back. The parking for the hiking is in the same area as the boat dock and Lakeside. It's the only thing for miles in any direction near the lake and a nice place to hang out. The two ladies working that Sunday were very nice, the beer was cold, and the food was pretty good. I had the grilled cheese on wheat. It wasn't the best I have ever had, but it went well with my beer. As others have noted the view from the deck is pretty awesome and relaxing. If you are in the area hiking, boating, whatever it's work a stop to check it out.
(3)Stephanie S.
Not worth the wait. And by wait, I mean the wait at your table once you order your food. The menu is pretty basic - bunch of fried appetizers, hamburgers, and run-of-the-mill sandwiches. They offer the option of substituting grilled chicken for any of the hamburgers (for 90 cents), so I went with the "Southwest" burger with chicken. "Southwest" meant it had a chili pepper and cheddar cheese on it. The basic side options are coleslaw, beans, and regular fries. I substituted sweet potato fries, which was another upcharge. The chicken in my sandwich was somehow water-logged as was the bottom of the bun. The sweet potato fries, which clearly came from a bag in the freezer, were the highlight of my meal. I noticed a little sign on the table listing about eight different ice cream flavors. Then I saw some people eating soft-serve that had a ribbon of what must have been flavored syrup. If I'd have ordered that "ice cream" expecting it to actually be chocolate, strawberry, etc. I would've been pissed. Props to this restaurant for giving right sized portions, unlike the super-sized, join the race to obesity meals commonly served at many places. Nice views of the lake but other than that there's no atmosphere and the lighting is bad. Other reviewers have focused on the fish fry - maybe that's a good bet but I'd steer clear if you're looking for a decent lunch.
(2)Susan C.
My husband and I stopped in for what we thought would be a great lunch on Saturday afternoon. Well, let me tell you it was the WORST FOOD EVER... I ordered a salad with chicken, and the chicken was disgusting, and the lettuce was old. My husband ordered chicken tenders with fries, and when he received his meal, he only got 5 French fries in the basket. We asked the waitress why so little, and she agreed, and said that's how they serve it. In about 5 minutes, she came back and gave him 6 more French fries. We just sort of laughed it off. She said the chefs are young and don't have a clue. Real nice to hear from your waitress. Then she came back and took the dressing away from him, and gave him another. She said instead of ranch she gave him blue cheese. Thank goodness for the great view, and company of each other cause I was sooooooooooo disappointed in that place and will never ever go back.
(1)Chukki S.
Great view. What more could you want?
(4)Gloria M.
Lakeside Restaurant & Cantina - A Reasonably Priced Restaurant Overlooking Canyon Lake One recent Wednesday, we took the noon Scenic Nature Tour on the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake. After viewing the Dolly Steamboat Website, we were under the impression that sandwiches or a box lunch would be available on the afternoon tours. We were wrong. Therefore, by the end of the 90-minute boat ride, we were hungry. There were no other restaurants within a couple of miles of the boat, so we decided to eat at Lakeside Restaurant & Cantina, right next door. The exterior of the restaurant looked very appealing. We knew that it had a picturesque view of Canyon Lake. We were, therefore, a little surprised when we entered the restaurant that the décor was so dated. Let me just say that the interior does not compete with the view of Canyon Lake. If it were not such a hot day in June with temperatures in the 108-degree range, we would have dined outside on the patio. The Dolly was not going out for another tour that afternoon, so she stayed docked while we ate our lunch. We were greeted as we entered the restaurant and told to sit wherever we wanted. We chose a table near a window. Some diners who we recognized from the boat tour were already seated and drinking tropical drinks. If you just want a drink, they have a fully stocked bar. Our very pleasant server brought over menus and took our beverage orders. She was very helpful and answered our questions about menu choices. We were tempted to order the Canyon Mudslide or the Capsized Cactus Creation but we had more sightseeing to do plus a long ride home so we stayed with water. There were more than 17 choices on the Lunch Menu and the Special of the Day for Wednesday was Swiss Mushroom Burger. I wished that we had dined on a Saturday because a Reuben Sandwich was the Special that day. Although I was leaning toward the Philly Cheese Steak, $7.89, I finally settled on the Greek Gyro, $7.49 and my included side was fries. The rest of my party ordered the Special of the Day and chose various sides. Our orders took quite awhile to arrive. Maybe it just seemed that way because we were so hungry. On the other hand, maybe it was just that everyone from the boat tour arrived around the same time. My Gyro was good and the others enjoyed their burgers. If you like burgers, there are seven choices not including the Grilled Chicken Burger which will cost you $1 more if you substitute it for the beef. The Chef Specialties were Cheese Steak and BBQ Pork Ribs. Soups/Chili, Salads and Seafood dishes round out the Lunch menu. The many (15) Appetizers are all the usual ones plus a few unusual ones. Prices ranged from a half portion of Buffalo wings, $3.29 up to $8.79 for Nachos Grande. Many were in the mid range of $14- $16 such as Buffalo Shrimp, Beer Batter Shrimp, Mozzarella or Clam Sticks. Dinner Entrees range from $12.49 for a Seafood Platter, Fillet of Lemon Tilapia or Blackened Cajun Catfish up to $16.99 for Rib Eye and $20.99, Surf & Turf. Dinner Entrees come with two sides. Dine on Fridays for the All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry. Although we were tempted by the variety of soft ice cream choices, we decided to wait until we visited Tortilla Flats and have dessert there. The restrooms for the restaurant are public ones used also by patrons of the Dolly Steamboat. They were a little messy late in the afternoon but I have been in worse ones. The restaurant does offer free Wi-Fi.
(3)Saba B.
Three-star service, but five-star ambience=four estrellas. Let's face it, marina restaurants don't have to push too hard to succeed. Competition along the shoreline is minimal. When the cooler runs low on the boat, Lakeside Restaurant is the only show in town. You can tie up at the little restaurant dock, where the sign warns of a 30 minute limit, which is laughable given the snail-paced service. Sit on the patio and toss a few crumbs to the waiting ducks and, further down the food chain, the circling iridescent big-mouth carp. Feathered, scaled, and furry scavengers vie for patio scraps. The water is clear and calm, and the view stunning. The coffee is weak and watery, if plentiful, and the omelettes are big and fluffy, if bland. The heavily inked wait staff is polite if a little rough around the edges, but props to folks who are sturdy enough tackle a full-time wilderness gig like this. Note: these are the best restrooms within 20 miles.
(4)Raul H.
You have got to stop in and have an app, beer or both...if you are going to the lake. This place is fun and Charlie the bartender kept us laughing. The food and drinks are reasonably priced with a very good selection...they even had Anchor Steam in a bottle. This stop included the chile verde sandwich with home fries that were nice and crisp. After a lake cruise, we stopped in again and had the wings! They were pretty darn good too! You get all walks of life in that place which adds to the friendly atmosphere. Shoes and shirt required or you will be turned away!
(4)chris f.
Stopped here for lunch along our drive on the Apache Trail. It was too cold to sit outside but we had a table right by the windows, so the view was great. There were maybe 4 or 5 other tables filled so they were not overly crowded, we were seated right away. Service was excellent, very attentive and very nice, friendly & smiling waitress. We were both very happy with the quality of our food, both very fresh & tasty. I had the salad with the spicy buffalo chicken pieces, yum. Hubby had the club sandwich. Prices were reasonable. A very nice casual spot with a beautiful view. We will dine here again on our next trip to the area because we want to take the Dolly steamboat tour
(4)Stephen G.
This restaurant has a wide variety of foods from burgers to cheese steaks and much more. Really good food with wonderful views above the lake . Even the salads are great (for those of us looking to avoid all the fatty unhealthy things.) Who ever heard of great salads in the boonies? The unhealthly stuff at this place is the best and on equal footing with places anywhere. So are the adult beverages; A full bar with many interesting drinks. Our youngest Kris says "the ice cream is to die for." It is and there are so many soft serve flavors to choose from. At least a dozen. This is the perfect respite for a hard day on the lake! The ONLY place at the lake, but still a great choice. Many places with a monopoly slide into mediocrity. Not this one. The food is tasty and the service is exactly right.
(5)Sharon G.
A group of us stopped in for lunch after the Dolly Steamboat nature tour. We we all starving so we devoured our food. Our waitress was pleasant, attentive and helpful. We were practically the only people in the restaurant so we had great service. I can't remember what I ordered other than sweet potato fries that were delicious, but I think it involved chicken. All I know as it disappeared in three bites. I'm coming back for the Friday fish fry!
(4)G M.
The Pot Roast burger is tremendous!!! Peach pina colada tasty but not much of a buzz. Atmosphere is great, alternatives are non-existent. Seriously... I'd go back for the Pot Roast burger. I have never had anything quite like it.
(4)