If you’ve been to Watertown, you may have seen the sign with a pelican in a red Adirondack chair peeking out on Highway 20.
And if you’ve ever been inside, you know the restaurant it belongs to: The Sandbar, is the perfect destination for a family-friendly night out.
Becky and Jamie Andrews, along with Jamie’s partners at J & J Earthworks, and friend Bob Drake, bought The Sandbar in February 2023. It was formerly known as North Shore Chophouse & Banquet Hall.
After remodeling and turning the once supper club into what Becky describes as a “lake life family restaurant,” The Sandbar opened in March of 2023.
Becky is a stay-at-home mom of three children, as well as the general manager at the restaurant. In addition to parenting, she spends much of her time behind the bar.
“A bar scene is a bar scene, but you can also have a family scene, so we gravitate towards that,” she said.
Culinarily, the restaurant has a full menu and a full bar. Menu items range from specialty pizzas like The Philly and Meat Lovers, to pasta dishes like Buffalo Chicken Mac and The Bangin Blush Pasta.
Other sections of the menu include appetizers, tacos, quesadillas, and salads.
“We are known for our homemade pizzas and our build-your-own pastas, which are very popular,” said Becky.
“OUR PHILLY CHEESE PIZZA IS PROBABLY THE BEST I’VE EVER HAD. THAT, & OUR CHEESEBURGER PIZZA ARE WHAT PEOPLE KNOW US FOR.”
-Becky Andrews
Build-your-own pasta dishes come with a choice of three different noodle varieties, four kinds of sauces, 10 different toppings, and about 10 different kinds of veggies to add.
The fully stocked boat-shaped bar offers over 20 different rotating tap beers and a specialty drink menu.
Becky reveals that The Sandbar will be putting together a summer drink menu, as well as a patio menu that features finger foods and appetizers.
“It will be a lot of grab-and-go, so you can take it back on your boat,” she said.
MORE ON THE MENU
APPETIZERS
» The Triple Dip
Tortilla chips served with spinach artichoke, buffalo chicken, and queso dips.
» Jalapeño Mac & Cheese Bites
Served with ranch.
SALADS
» Sandbar Salad
Lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, red onion, cherry tomatoes, red and green peppers, black olives, jack cheese, crispy chicken pieces, and club crackers.
» Italian Salad
Lettuce, red pepper, red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, ham, pepperoni, sausage, and parmesan cheese.
PASTA
» The Sandbar Signature
Fettuccine alfredo with chicken, yellow squash, zucchini, and mushrooms.
» Molte Verdure “Lots of Veggies”
Fettuccine noodles, blush sauce, yellow sauce, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and mushrooms.
QUESADILLAS
» Marinated Flank Steak
Served with sour cream and salsa.
» White Raspberry Cloud
Part of Backroads’ creamy blend with white chocolate sauce and raspberry syrup, drizzled with raspberry sauce, and whipped topping.
KIDS MENU
» Soft Shell Taco
Chicken or beef. Comes with chips and queso.
» Quesadillas
Cheese or chicken. Comes with chips and queso.
The namesake for the restaurant is a sandbar in Lake Kampeska where people often come to play and enjoy the lake.
“On Sundays, families come out, park their boats, play football, and hang out,” said Becky. “Music is on, and everybody’s floating.”
The Sandbar’s spacious outdoor patio provides plenty of room to play, as well as a sandbox for the kids to dig in.
In addition to all the outdoor activities, the restaurant has an indoor arcade, which Becky says the staff is in the process of revamping.
Arcade games include shuffleboard, putting and hunting simulators, Skee-Ball, darts, and a claw machine, among other new additions.
“There are also two pool tables, but they are outside of the arcade, so adults can play pool without the kids running into them,” added Becky.
Three cornhole boards can be found indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather, and The Sandbar has a gas pump, a dock, and jet ski parking that allows lake goers to get gas and a bite to eat.
“People usually come up and eat here, stay for a bit, and then go back on their boats. It’s a nice place to let your kids get off and burn some energy before you go back out,” shared Becky.
The beach area also boasts a larger-than-life red Adirondack chair for kids and adults alike to climb on or pose for a picture.
After their first year in business, The Sandbar is looking forward to the upcoming season.
SANDBAR SCIENCE
A SANDBAR IS A LONG AND NARROW BANK OF SAND THAT SITS JUST AT OR BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.
SANDBARS, ALSO KNOWN AS SHOALS, ARE FORMED WHERE A CURRENT CONTINUALLY DEPOSITS SAND OR SEDIMENT.
After their first year in business, The Sandbar is looking forward to the upcoming season.
“We’ve been doing a lot of revamping through the winter, and we’re really excited to see what the summer brings,” said Becky.
The Andrews’s goal is to have the community feel like they are always welcome at the restaurant.
Every weekend the Sandbar hosts DJs, live music, and karaoke, as well as events such as fundraising bingoes and birthday parties in an effort to give back.
“That’s the kind of thing that makes my heart happy—the fact that we’re catering to everybody,” said Becky. “It’s a place for everyone to come and be treated well, and be a part of a family in the community.”
