This restaurant sits right on the water, beautiful views. For an appetizer we ordered the charred onion dip which was really good. For my entree I ordered the catfish dinner with cabbage. Everything was very flavorful. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back during the summer. read more

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Adrianna was our server and she was phenomenal in service on all levels. There wasn't anything that we asked that she didn't cover. She even answered questions before we asked them and supplied services we about to ask her for. Prices were very reasonable and the catfish is really good. I had the blackened with the side on cabbage. I am not a cabbage fan but after my first bite i spoke up with hmmmm that's good. Worth a try and I say yes to this place. Oh yeah the onion dip and homemade chips loved by the entire table read more

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We visited the Kowaliga restaurant this afternoon for lunch. The restaurant is located on the waterfront, and the water can be seen from every table. They have seating inside and outside. Kowaliga is exceptionally clean and modern. We were taken to our table and seated as soon as we arrived. Our server immediately took our drink order and informed us of the "todays special." She then inquired and suggested an appetizer. We ordered the charred onion with homemade chips for our appetizer. It was impressive! We could have made a meal off it alone. It arrived at our table in no time. Our server took our main meal order at the same time as the appetizer. We ordered the Gulf Shrimp Po'Boy with onion rings and the blackened Catfish tacos with fries. We received our order in about 10 minutes. Perfect timing as we were just finishing with our appetizer. The two blackened catfish tacos were plenty as each one had an entire fillet along with coleslaw which I might add was exceptionally good. The fries were crunchy just the way I liked them. The shrimp Po'Boy was good, but the shrimp was small. The onion rings are HUGE! They were well seasoned. We enjoyed our lunch and service. Only thing I would recommend to Kowaliga, consider offering a shrimp taco. That would sell very well. read more

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I was turned away after asking to sit outside with my well behaved girl puppy. I have done this in the past so I can only assume the policy changed. BTW Lucy always sits with me at the Landing. read more

The restaurant visit was a first for me. The food and view was amazing. Our waitress Adrianna was fantastic. The food was great. I can't wait to go back in the summer so we can set outside read more

Great ambiance as always. Beautiful lake and being able to reach from the boat (even when other restaurants in the area are closed during the week is a definite plus)! Service was very helpful and kind. Burger , onion rings , smoked Chicken My husband said the Catfish filet wasn't the best, however he would go back! read more

The staff was so kind and friendly. The place was empty at the time we went and we got great service! We celebrated Ryan's birthday they gave him a free dessert! I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the food that I got. I got the she-crab soup. 3/10 And I got a side I can't remember And some apple cobbler was a 5/10 Nothing I was overly impressed by. But $20 for 3 items was a little high for me. It might have been the night time cook maybe left overs idk. But because the staff was so kind and friendly I'd definitely go back. read more

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Friendly service from the moment we were seated. Will was our waiter. Knowledgeable of the menu and quick to suggest the great Unsweetened tea. The appetizer was the Conecuh sausage, pimento cheese and Wickle's Pickles . Very tasty . Will said Blackened Catfish was good and he was right again. Served hot with hush puppies. I opted for the Collard Greens & they were Very good . Husband got the Butter beans. Other entrees at the table was a Catfish Po-boy, Blackened Shrimp & Catfish Tacos. Everyone enjoyed the well prepared food. Don't miss this great restaurant. read more

Good food, great location, stellar view, but... their attitude!!! Service is a minus zero. The attitude of the entire staff, from the person answering the phone to the wait staff is just unbearably disturbing. Farewell, Kowaliga. See you when you get over your teenager attitude. read more

Great experience. Short wait for a Sunday, service was quick and server was friendly. Food was delicious. Burgers were good, sweet potatoes were filling and onion ring appetizer were amazing. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - Baked Sweet Potato - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

Why Dey so slow, the food was pretty good, but why Dey so slow. Also they shouldn't have put back up that no fishing sign.

Great food and atmosphere on Lake Martin. Discovered a really good and unusual sweet potato brown ale.

We had an amazing waiter tonight. Seriously one of the best servers I've ever had. The drinks were great and all of the appetizers were on point. The sunset was stellar. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - The side porch. - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

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We really wanted to love this restaurant. Great setting overlooking the lake. Many empty tables for both lunch and dinner, so, I am assuming they have a staffing issue. Wife had the stuffed sweet potato, which was kind of over done with the amount of stuffin it. I had the 1/2 smoked chicken and it was very good. Our family members had the smoked chicken wings with sauce and the fried catfish fish filets which were extremely small pieces. We ordered the the peach cobbler with ice cream.. I struggled to find more than 2 tiny pieces of what i think was the peach .. probably smaller than by little finger nail... mostly crust and ice cream Over $200 for 4 people read more

Great views of the water, especially if you are in the fish bowl room. It was winter and chilly outside so no one was there. We ate here twice over a 3 day weekend... the second time because it was the only place open. On Saturday, for lunch, I had their BBQ stuffed Sweet Potato. It was unique and quite tasty. On Sunday night I opted for the soup and salad. Soup wasn't the greatest and the salad was decent. The server didn't seem very excited to be there. In fact, the ladies at the front door who were seating people definitely acted like being a hostess was the last thing on their minds. The views elevate this place to 4 stars, but no more than that. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

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I've seen the previous reviews about horrible attitude but we went anyways for the view. The sign in hostesses we're just fine and promptly put us on the list. Seeing some restaurants where I live I thought they actually may be too cautious on seating. Our wait was thirty minutes on a Sunday check in at 5:30. The boat slips were full most of the time. Out waitress Jessica was very friendly, prompt and attentive. The food was good as well. I had grilled catfish gilets and they were large and well cooked. Others had the burgers and commented they were also good. May too creamy on the Mac and cheese. The service issues could be adjusting to Covid service and the staff is young so maybe they did t handle the stress well. Regardless, our experience was quite good and the view is awesome. No early signups so the wait can get long. read more

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Awesome experience! We arrived by boat, (plenty of slips available), and the short wait for the table was enjoyable. Kids could swim, and games for adults. read more

Great food and very friendly atmosphere. We ate at the bar, as the restaurant had a 30 minute wait. We were served right away, by the helpful, friendly staff! read more

We ate there on Father's Day enroute to Cheaha State Park. The views were spectacular (table 212) with turtles, fish, ducks, and geese all swimming around. We had the stuffed sweet potato (DELICIOUS!, onion rings (huge), grilled shrimp (bland with zero grill marks, or grilled taste), Arnold Palmer with unsweetened tea (awesome), and house salads. Great place, great service, good food, and spectacular views. Highly recommended! read more

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We have eaten at Kowaliga's many times while boating on Lake Martin. It's a great place to eat after a day out at Chimney Rock or Goat Island. And it's a great break from the bar food and pizza joints that dominate the lake Martin area such as Chucks and Nippers. The place is on the lake and offers great views all around. It's a very large restaurant with seating inside the main area, the inside bar and around the perimeter outside. The menu offers an array of tempting dishes along with daily specials, which can only be ordered on the day that they are offered. We decided on the soup du jour which was a lobster bisque and onion rings for our appetizers. Delicious. For our main entrees, we ordered the 14oz Ribeye medium rare, Catfish Filets, Steak Sandwich, Cheeseburger, and the Catfish Tacos. All were delicious. The soup was a big hit with the entire group, and the everyone enjoyed their meal. The staff was very attentive and accommodating....super job. After our meal, we went to the bar and enjoyed a margarita and watched the rain and lightening pass before we decided to try and beat the next storm home. Kudos to Kowaliga's for a great experience. We will definitely be back. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read more

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The ambiance is the main attraction at this restaurant. It's sitting on Lake Martin and the view is spectacular. I had a half chicken with fried okra. The food was good. The sweet tea was good. There was nothing extraordinary about the food. My friend got the shrimp and sweet potatoes which may have been better. Customer service was good. I may go back, one day..maybe not. No major complaints though. read more

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Food was great. Service was excellent. Atmosphere was pleasant. A little loud for us but still enjoyable.

This restaurant was amazing!! It was nice inside, our waitress was very sweet and accommodating, and the food was great!! I had the cheeseburger which was delicious and my mother had the ribeye which had a delicious flavor!! The view was absolutely gorgeous inside and outside. Definitely would recommend if you're looking for a great dinner with a wonderful view!! read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - Lake Martin - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

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Only one star for the view. The people at front desk were very unfriendly and told us wait was 1 hour 45 minutes. We walked around the restaurant and there were numerous open tables inside and outside. Clearly they have a staffing issue. We made it to the bar and managed to get two seats together after people left. It took over 30 minutes for the bar tenders to take our food and drink order and the lady was annoyed when I asked her twice to order. And there were so many dirty dishes on the bar left by the previous people. NO ONE offered to clean them up. I was so frustrated I just cleaned them up myself. No manager in site. Food ok not great. This restaurant needs a complete attitude and management change. We likely won't be back. read more

Extremely rude manager. We sat down for dinner after coming off our boat and a few of our party weren't wearing shoes and shirts yet. We were in the process of getting everything together and the manager stared out us out the window and came out and spoke to us like children saying we need to put our shoes on. Extremely rude and brisk. Not an experience I would recommend. Chucks a few minutes down the lake. Save yourself a rude experience and go there! Much of party were local to Lake Martin as well. read more

Had lunch there yesterday and was disappointed. I ordered the catfish bites and they were over breaded to a point you could not taste the fish. The same with the onion rings. read more

I've grown up on the lake my whole life and I've frequently visited the restaurant. I recently visited the restaurant while hosting friends from Birmingham , Destin, Hawaii, and Australia. I HAD NEVER BEEN SO EMBARRASSED!!! I was humiliated by how rude the servers and manger were to my guests. Shoes and shirts are required which is understandable and I knew. What I was not okay with was how rude my guest were treated when told to put shoes and shirt on. We arrived to the restaurant by water and had been out all day and were still trying to get situated. After multiples encounter after being at the restaurant for no more than 10 minutes one of my guest asked if there was somewhere else to eat. I quickly named other restaurants along with the other guests that chimed in after seeing the interactions. The restaurant lost the revenue of 10 guests. I understand keeping the restaurant up to par but at what cost... I WILL NEVER RETURN! read more

Service was friendly and the views were amazing. The food was okay...not good for the price though. The ribs were tough, the shrimp were bland, the burger was good and they give you a lot of fries. But for a total of $62, I was expecting more. The restaurant itself is in a beautiful location, right on the lake. They have outdoor and indoor seating, if the weather is good sit outside. It has great views and a small sand area with Cornhole for the kids to play. I just wish the food had been a little better . Also, if you have a boat you can drive it up to their dock and walk right into the restaurant. read more

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The attraction isn't the food it's the location. Beautiful sunsets average food! Prepare to wait forever read more

This spot gives customers who decide to eat here on a whim flips flops to wear if you accidentally leave yours at the house during a day out on the water. As far as food goes pretty good, the catfish was a little fishy but let's be real you're not here for the food, you're here for the view and free flip flops. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - Flip flops - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

We always enjoy our meals here. Beautiful views. Great food. Fun vibe. LONG wait times!

Great stop while boating. Food and atmosphere great. Easy to pull up on boat, park, eat, and head back out.

Location, absolutely beautiful! Fish tacos, smoked chicken both very taste. Menu is very limited, and no seating at the bar. read more

We were looking for a spot to stop and have a drink and appetizers while out exploring the area today and came across this place. Awesome spot on the water with great views and delicious food. Service was prompt and we were well taken care of. Good selection of canned and bottled beer to really quench your thirst on an early day in May. The wings were delicious, they had a great bark on them and tasted excellent with bbq sauce- I could probably eat these alone with no sauce. The Pork Nachos that they just started serving about 3 days ago were really good. They had a fair amount of toppings with well seasoned carnitas. We rounded things out with the cheese curds, and sausage, pimento, pickles and saltine crackers platter. Great sausage and pimento!! The ambient and view was great for a Sunday afternoon. I'd recommend anyone in the area to check this place out. read more

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First time back since re-opening about 3 weeks ago and I have to say, it was really wonderful. They could still use some training of the young ladies that "greet" you, or don't, as you enter the restaurant. But the service and the food were outstanding. I had the chicken salad sandwich and fries. The sandwich was one of the best I've had and the fries were yummy. Hubby had the catfish bites and he was quite pleased with them. To top it off, we shared the apple cobbler and it was fantastic. To the naysayers, I say too bad. We throughly enjoyed our lunch while dining on the outside deck listening to the waves lap the rocks as boaters went by enjoying a day on the lake. read more

Wait time was horrible, greeting staff and bartender were obnoxious, food was almost inedible. Supposedly fresh gulf shrimp was like chewing on rubber. Last trip here. read more

They stop seating at 1:30 on Sunday. I came in at 1:33 and was turned away. Disappointing. I was in the area hiking solo and just wanted a bowl of soup! read more

Food has always been good, the view is definitely what brings the customers in. The only con I can see is that the staff aren't particularly cheerful or friendly, at least not to me. That may not be everyone's experience. The other perks of the place outweigh that by a long shot though. They aren't rude but just kind of dry and unenthusiastic. I would recommend the catfish and or the smoked. half chicken. The hamburger steak is pretty good also. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - The view - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama

Excellent food and great service. We usually arrive by boat. There are plenty of slips to dock in and walk right up to the restaurant. Try the she crab soup, it's delicious. Everything on the menu is excellent. We go here almost every time we go to lake Martin. read more

Just picked up a "to go" order, double cheeseburger and fries. I've had this meal many times "inside" and it's always been good, with hot crispy fries. This time, I'm not so pleased. The packaging for "to go" orders isn't very conducive for allowing hot food to ventilate. The inside of the box was wet and transitioned the moisture to my buns and fries. The burger was still good, but the fries a little soggy. I'll be back, but I'll know what to order next time. Living life large on Martin Lake. Last weekend, the ribs were the boom. read more

Kowaliga Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Alexander City, Alabama