Lakeside in Lake George | The Shoreline Restaurant
Update 2020 | This blog was written following dining experiences in 2017 and 2018. I have not been back to The Shoreline in 2019 or 2020, so I cannot confirm if they are under new ownership or if their quality/dining experience has changed. I will write a follow-up review, next time I visit, to confirm.
Published August 28, 2018
The Shoreline Restaurant sits on a hill off of the main street in Lake George Village.
Kurosaka Lane is on the right, past the first strip of Lake George storefront’s (including Bella’s — a great café for breakfast sandwiches).
Down the hill and to the left is King Neptune’s bar and nightclub. To the right is the tall sign for the Shoreline. If you swing a wide right turn, you could snag one of four parking spots near the entrance of the Shoreline.
Otherwise, look out across the lake as you drive down the steep hill to the lower level parking. This parking lot gives you easy access to the lake and the walking paths alongside Beach Road.
Our Pre-Labor Day Trip
I've spent almost all of the major holidays in Lake George.
Summer still holds true as the busiest time of year. Which is why I agreed when Jamie and Mary recommended we visit Lake George before the Labor Day weekend rush.
We could still enjoy the beautiful warm weather yet avoid some of the major holiday crowds.
The Shoreline Restaurant | Lunch
Having visited the Shoreline last summer, I knew I wanted to try it again during the busy season.
The Shoreline is closed during the winter and early spring, so it's best to visit from May-August.
Jamie, Mary, and I were lucky to find parking at the top of the hill.
We walked toward the Shoreline, a navy blue building with a metal tin roof, large lakeside deck, and a giant indoor dining area.
We walked through the wood-paneled dining room. To the left, we passed the bar with its seats facing the large windows to the lake.
The upper interior dining room
Down a large brass step were the open doors to the outdoor deck. Multi-directional stairs lead you to the hostess or out to the open seating.
Having arrived around 12:30, the hostess let us pick our own seats. With most of the prime views taken, we took a four-person table at the back right of the deck, near the tall staircase to the parking lot.
The Menu
The Shoreline offers a three-fold menu with a lunch special insert. On the front of the menu, they promote their 2-for-1 lobster special.
There are dishes for everyone: you'll find appetizers, seafood-based soups, salads, burgers, light fare (like sandwiches and wraps), entrees and more.
I was skeptical of eating seafood in Lake George during my first trip. However, all of the seafood I've had has been fresh and high-quality, so I encourage you to try some.
Lakeside Lunches
After reviewing the menu, we decided to order a bunch of appetizers and share them.
As we waited for our dishes, our waitress Victoria brought us a large bowl of popcorn.
Air-popped popcorn is the standard complimentary snack served at the Shoreline. (Which is perfect for me considering I love popcorn).
The outdoor deck has the classic popcorn machine, outdoor fridge, and soup station for the wait-staff.
Large green and black plastic tables lined the deck. Canoes hung from the beams. Decorative paper decorations and outdoor lights hung by the circular tables closest to the lake. Bright yellow umbrellas poked up for shade.
Our Lunch at The Shoreline
I nearly finished our large bowl of popcorn when our dishes arrived.
Our waitress was thoughtful and bubbly and made sure everything was as we wanted. Here's what we ordered:
Coconut Shrimp | $12
Half a dozen shrimp, hand-breaded with coconut and served with orange marmalade dipping sauces.
The quality of the coconut shrimp was amazing. The shrimp were large, juicy, and tender.
Sometimes frying shrimp can dry them out and over-do the coconut flakes. Not at the Shoreline – the fried coating was golden while maintaining the texture of the fresh coconut flakes.
My favorite part: The Sauces
I adore the coconut shrimp sauces. The sauces elevate the coconut shrimp as a unique dish for the Shoreline.
One sauce was a dark orange-red color, similar to the duck sauce I’ve had at Khao Tip Thai. This sauce had a spicy kick at the end but was not unbearable.
The second sauce was an orange marmalade. It was a bright, refreshing flavor, perfect for summer. As a marmalade, this sauce was sweet, but it worked well with the coconut flakes.
This serving is true to an appetizer, so if you plan to eat the coconut shrimp for your meal, I suggest you double your order.
Steamed Clams | $16
This is the first dish I tried at the Shoreline.
I love seafood and I was looking for a dish that was light enough for a hot summer's day but filling enough that I wouldn't be hungry in an hour.
The steamed clams are lovely. Though this is an appetizer, there is 1 dozen steamed little neck clams. (Which are a great size because they’re not chewy).
They’re plated in a bowl of white wine and garlic and butter broth, with chopped scallions and diced fresh tomatoes. You also get a few pieces of sliced crostini to dip in the wine broth.
The appetizer size is enough to share with two people if you’re ordering other dishes. $16 is a good price, considering the high-quality clams and fresh ingredients.
Jamie had a good idea to order a side of pasta to pour into the broth, once you've finished the clams. Then you have a second meal to take home and you don't waste the delicious broth.
Fish Tacos | $15
Two soft shell tacos filled with white fish breaded in panko crumbs, topped with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce, served with wild rice.
Like many of the Shoreline’s dishes, light summer food is the best option after being in the sun all morning.
We wanted to try the fish tacos to see how they were. I normally don’t order tacos, but the Shoreline delivers as they advertise. Two delicate tortillas filled with sliced lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a slice of fried fish.
I didn’t think the fish was coated in Panko breadcrumbs. The texture seemed more like fish and chips to me. The fish wasn’t greasy and was a decent portion.
The taco was light and the ingredients were fresh. I don’t use tartar sauce, so instead, I took the spicy orange sauce from my coconut shrimp and drizzled the rest across the taco. It added the citrus/spice I was looking for, but that’s my personal food preference. I like to have a variety of bold flavors.
Cajun Chicken Wrap | $18
Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon and chipotle aioli wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with French Fries.
The Cajun chicken wrap was a large portion. You could split the wrap between two people and share the French fries. It included the same fresh veggies as our tacos with diced white-meat chicken.
I didn’t try the wrap, but Jamie said that all of the flavors worked well together. The fresh ingredients and crisp French fries were worth the $18.
Plus, wrapping the leftovers was enough for another meal.
Back to Jersey
We visited the Shoreline mid-afternoon on Sunday. By the time we finished our lunch, it was a reasonable hour to get back on the road to beat the traffic.
I didn’t see a dessert menu at the Shoreline. The next time I return, I’ll keep my eye out. Otherwise, a walk parallel to the lake will bring you to Beach Road's stores, where you can buy desserts such as cinnamon buns, ice cream and slushies, candy apples, and more.
The next time you're in Lake George during the busy season, I recommend visiting the Shoreline.
You don't have to love seafood to find fresh ingredients throughout their menu. You can lounge in the dock's shade and have an afternoon drink or sit down for a meal.
Either way, the beautiful lake view is worth the visit.
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