Update | The Lakeside Lodge and Grill burned down September 17, 2020. I will leave this post available, for the chance that the owners decide to rebuild the restaurant/brand.

Published May 12, 2018

It was the first afternoon of our March trip to Lake George. Jamie and I were trying to find a new local dinner option that we've never been to.

We spent the latter half of an afternoon googling restaurants in and around Lake George. Many locations were closed for the season and because it was mid-week.

We wanted to find a new location within Lake George and Bolton Landing. Finally, I got through to a restaurant within the Sagamore. "Are you guys open for dinner tonight?" I asked. 

"Yes, we're open until 10." The woman on the other end answered. 

Score. "Perfect, thank you." 

We googled the menu to find that they offered elevated American cuisine. Their menu focused on comfort foods like ribs and roasts, turkey dinners, and warm sandwiches. We were most excited for their mason jar dessert. 

Our First Trip to Bolton Landing

By 5:00 we were in the car, winding up through the wooded roads towards Bolton Landing. We drove parallel to the lake, catching glimpses of it between the trees, mansions, and rental properties. 

After a few miles, we came to the small town of Bolton Landing, which had small shops and buildings. We turned right onto the bridge connecting to Green Island. We slowly followed the road up a hill towards the Sagamore.  

Jamie and I talk about the Sagamore all of the time. If you haven't heard of it, it is a gorgeous hotel/resort on Green Island. The Sagamore is right on the water and is perfect for weddings and events. 

I was so excited to have dinner and be able to explore the interior and grounds. Pulling up the drive to the hotel was breath-taking, even in the off-season. I couldn't imagine what it would be like in the summer. 

Yet as we pulled up to the valet parking, there were only two white escalades parked in the parking lot. 

"I think we have to valet park." I pointed to the sign nearby, "Let's just pull up to the front doors." 

Jamie did. No one was waiting behind the podium to park the car. I jumped out and walked over to the front door. There was a white sign taped to the interior, "The hotel is currently closed." 

Closed?!

I got back into the car, "How can they be closed when their restaurant said they were open?" I asked Jamie. 

"Where should we go?" 

"Let's loop back down towards the bridge. There was that green building with all the windows. Maybe that was the restaurant." 

We drove all of Green Island and came back to the first building right next to the bridge. My GPS stopped talking. "It says this is it." 

We pulled close to the sidewalk and looked into the building. There weren't any lights on, and there were boxes stacked against the glass windows. "They look closed too," Jamie said. 

I called the number that I talked to before and waited: ring...ring...ring...ring...nothing. 

"They're not answering." I sighed. What were we going to do now?

Plan B | Restaurant Hunting 

"Well, let's just head back towards town. We passed some restaurants coming in, one of them has to be open." 

We drove two minutes back in the direction of Lake George. We passed three restaurants within the center of Bolton Landing. "They have open signs!" 

There was narrow parking along the main street in front of the restaurants. Though Jamie found a gravel parking lot instead. We got out of the car and stood facing a lodge-style building. 

This looked like a cute spot: "Let's do it." 

The Local Hangout | Lakeside Lodge & Grill

Up the concrete ramp, there was a large wooden porch for outdoor eating. Tables of 2-4 were clean and ready for guests. On the far end of the porch was an open space for groups to gather under the overhang.  

We entered through a beautiful glass door and were greeted in the entryway by a large, carved bear.

The room was divided by built-in booths. To the right was open seating in the dining room. Splitting the room down the middle were the booths. To the left, was the bar and shuffle-board area. 

After a few moments, we were greeted by a guy with glasses and curly hair. "Hi, just the two of you?"

"Yes," I answered as he collected some menus from near the bear. 

"Great, just to let you know, it might get loud in here cause it's shuffleboard night. Is a booth okay?" 

"That's fine, we'll take a booth." I would rather sit in a booth than the middle of the dining room. We got the last booth, farthest from the shuffleboard area. 

A warm interior 

The booths were spacious and elevated. The tabletop was a slate material with dark green and burgundy marbling. A privacy screen built into the booths separate them from the dining room.

The room felt warm and homey.

The hardwood floors and wood-paneled ceiling added to this feeling. Kayaks and canoes decorated the ceilings and bar. Lake canvases, mounted fish, ice skates, wooden snowshoes, and oars hung throughout the room. Vintage, college flags in bright colors dangled from the canoe in the ceiling. 

Behind the bar, Lakeside Lodge & Grille t-shirts and hats (black with teal writing) were for sale. Across the small bar, couples angled their knees towards one another and shared dinner. The husbands were watching the March Madness games from the small flat-screen in the corner. 

Groups of guys (and a few women) filled in the rest of the bar seating. This was the shuffleboard group. They shared quesadillas and beers, shouting to one another and the bartender (an older man who knew everyone). 

The Lakeside Lodge & Grille Menu 

I was impressed at the branded and organized menu for the Lakeside Lodge and Grille. 

They offered seafood dishes and classic bar-food with an elevated twisted. Their burgers had comfort-food toppings (like Mac and Cheese and pulled pork) which caught my attention. 

I spent most of my time choosing which sandwich I would order. With the help of the waiter (who was also our host and one of the guys helping behind the bar), I choose a Lakeside Lodge creation. 

Guinness Cubano | $14

My picture does not do this sandwich justice. It was perfect. It had every combination of flavors that a memorable sandwich needs.

Gooey, Swiss and Fontina cheese. The bright contrast of the pickle cut through the richness. Creamy mustard aioli for a bit of snappy flavor.

The bread was fluffy but grilled like garlic bread with seasoning on the inside. The turkey and pulled pork were tender and delicious. They were the perfect canvas for these other flavors to build on. 

My sandwich also came with hand-made potato chips, which were extra crunchy, salty, and warm. 

Chicken Marsala | $24

Jamie is Italian too and decided to order their Chicken marsala. 

This was a giant portion, especially with all of the pasta. The use of spinach, and having a thicker Marsala sauce (almost a gravy), is what makes Lakeside's version different from what Jamie and I would make. 

Jamie enjoyed it either way, as it was something different to try. The chicken was tender and the pasta al dente. The portion was more than enough for dinner, so we had the leftovers wrapped. 

The Recommendation

Despite the fact that our evening was a bit of an adventure, I'm glad that our travels brought us to the Lakeside Lodge and Grille. 

Having observed the other patrons during our dinner, Lakeside seems to be the local hangout for friends to catch up and have a good time. 

The dinner menu is unique and homemade. I loved the ingredient combinations, especially for my sandwich. This was a good first impression for me. I plan to go back to Lakeside to see if their food remains as good as I remember. 

If you're looking for a lodge-style eatery with great food, I recommend popping by Lakeside, especially if you're visiting Lake George and Bolton Landing in the off-season.