One need not own a boat or have plans to take a dip to enjoy the waters of Lake Conroe this summer.
Several restaurants or developments offer views of the lake and lakeside dining without getting wet.
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The Waterpoint Center
The Waterpoint Center is on the south end of Lake Conroe along Texas 105 near Tejas Boulevard.
The development offers waterfront office, retail and restaurant space. The center is home to restaurants like Monty’s Lighthouse, Fajita Jacks, Akashi Asian restaurant, Hunger Crush Café, Crust Pizza Co. and others. Several of the restaurants offer patios that face the lake.
After lunch or dinner, there’s a boardwalk that runs along the lakeside of the complex that’s nice for a stroll. Check out the boats docked at the marina and on the eastern end there’s a small pier with a hole cut in the center for fish feeding.
Bring a bit of change for the fish-food machine and watch them go after the food.
Visit the center’s website for more information.
Margaritaville Lake Resort
Summer vibes abound at Margaritaville Lake Resort on Lake Conroe.
The décor colors are bright with a beach-feel throughout the resort. The LandShark Bar & Grill offers waterfront dining with a patio area that faces the lake and is open to the public for lunch and dinner.
The restaurant serves up favorites like burgers, nachos, tacos and seafood but with an island twist.
Also check out the License to Chill restaurant on the second floor above the lobby and check-in area. Diners have a great view of the pool area and the lake.
Through the summer, there’s live music on Saturday nights at LandShark. After lunch or dinner, take a stroll around the resort or lakeside to feel like you’re on vacation, even if it’s only for an hour or so.
The resort is at 600 Margaritaville Parkway on Lake Conroe. Check out the LandShark webpage for more.
Walden’s Lakeview Dining & Venue
Some consider Walden’s Lakeview Dining & Venue one of the best kept secrets on Lake Conroe.
The restaurant is in the Walden subdivision on the south end of Lake Conroe at 13101 Melville Drive, Montgomery and is open to the public.
The restaurant is one of the first on Lake Conroe opening in 1972 and has offered upscale cuisine in an elegant experience overlooking the lake that would be perfect for a special occasion.
The American-style menu offers steaks and seafood to salads and burgers. Reservations may be made on the restaurant’s website.
Note the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Upcoming a Father’s Day brunch is set from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the website for more.
North Lake Grill
On the north end of the lake, North Lake Grill is another hidden gem off Calvary Road than offers a much more serene environment than the hustle and bustle of the south end of the lake.
The log-cabin style restaurant is known for their burgers and barbecue. There are also big picture windows in the dinning room and a patio with views of the lake.
Visitors will also find crab cakes, boudin eggrolls, seafood favorites and the “Sasquatch Sammich,” a full-pound beef patty topped with cheese on Texas toast served with their housemade “Bang Bang Sauce.”
It’s at 13988 Calvary Road, Willis.
Guadalaharry’s Bar and Grill
Also on the north end of the lake, Gudalaharry’s Bar and Grill offers views of the lake from FM 1097.
The restaurant offers patio dining and an area for boats to pull up.
With over 41 years in the food and service industry combined, Ronald Harry and Lori Lynn Keyser set out to fulfill a lifelong dream of opening Guadalaharry’s, their own restaurant concept.
The menu is a collection of their favorite Cajun, Tex-Mex, steak and seafood recipes they have accumulated over the years on their travels, with everything made fresh daily and guaranteed to be served with a smile.
It’s at 12947 Lake Conroe Hills Drive in Willis.
shernandez@houstonchronicle.com
