An Out-Of-The-Box Lunch Run Destination
From the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri to Michigan’s Lake St. Clair to the Florida Keys, the best way to reach any waterfront restaurant during the season is by boat, and preferably by fast boat. Lunch runs are staples of go-fast boating events. You could say that, like armies, go-fast boating groups travel on their stomach and you wouldn’t be wrong.
At least for the author, the Tap And Grill restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks is tough to beat if. you’re coming by boat. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.
So when you travel to performance boating events around the country all year—and by the time the December 4-6 Toys Tour is a historical fact I’ll have notched 35 in 2025—you find your favorites.
Lake Havasu in Arizona? Pirate Cove Resort gets my nod. OK, good waterfront spots are in short supply along the shores of the Colorado River-fed waterway, but the place is legit regardless.
Lake of the Ozarks? For me, it’s the Tap and Grill. And when it comes to the Florida Keys, I’ll always be a sucker for Gilbert’s Resort and Tiki Bar, though I prefer it minus a crowd. Lake St. Clair? Cabana Blue is super cool and has a ton of dock space.
Though it’s a bit more pricey and lot more polished than the average tiki bar establishment, Shore Restaurant on Longboat Key is another fine Southwest Florida favorite.
Want something a little less highbrow and a lot more old-school back-water Florida? The Riviera Bar and Grill on the shores of Alligator Creek a bit farther south in Punta Gorda is an absolute gem.
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