“The bar feels very much like a Scotch or bourbon to go with your brisket,” says David Schneider, one of the partners behind the recently opened Tannersville BBQ. “It just has a very comfortable, laid back cozy atmosphere.”
Schneider and his wife Patty Wu, who co-own other Tannersville eateries Tabla and Lucky Catskills, are friends with entrepreneur Ryan Chadwick. Amongst other local projects like Fred’s Drive-Through Coffee & Donuts and the Kaaterskill Trolley, in 2021, Chadwick convinced the village to rent him the empty municipal building on the edge of Lake Rip Van Winkle opened Tannersville Boathouse. Giving it a sunny red-and-white exterior that recalled summer vacation spots, the Boathouse served lobster rolls and loaded hot dogs, clam chowder and fried shrimp.
“We kept trying to think of something to run through the winter,” Schneider says of the Boathouse, which had a decidedly summer concept. “I had a couple of friends from Brooklyn looking for something to do up here. And at Tabla, two of my chefs have a lot of background in barbecue.” And while you could make the case that smoked meats also have a summer vibe, pulled pork is as delicious and comforting in the dead of February as it is in July.
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Schneider teamed up with his friend Jim Mamry and his chef Alex Dill to redesign the spot and plan the menu. “We redesigned the inside to look like a hunting lodge in the woods,” he says. “They added booths, enclosed the kitchen—it’s like being in your living room. There’s a real fireplace in there. It’s cozy and comfortable—and right on the lake.”
Like in the previous iteration of the boathouse, where Chadwick rented kayaks, canoes, inner tubes, stand-up paddleboards, and bikes, the boathouse continues to be a lodge-like gathering place for outdoor recreation—fitting for a municipal building. “We give out free hot chocolate for ice skaters,” Schneider says. “There are wood burning fire pits all around outside.”
The food menu is delightfully concise. You can get pulled pork and brisket on a sandwich or a plate. The chicken comes fried or barbecued. And there’s also a meatloaf sandwich and a turkey chili. Sides are what you’d expect—mashed potatoes, coleslaw, collard greens, bread and butter pickles, and a mac ‘n’ cheese croquette. On the beverage front, canned craft and draft beer are $7-$8, with a $4 PBR. All wines are $8 a glass (“if we have any”), and spirits range from $8 to $12. “It’s a dive bar,” Schneider says.
Food prep and menu planning happens a few blocks over at Tabla, while the smoking happens onsite at the boathouse. The business plans to stay open year round.
“A lot of the local kids come to the lake—they keep the rink cleared,” Schneider says. “On Saturday from 12pm to 4pm, we have free skate. You can come down if you have your own equipment. There’s guys unofficially teaching kids to skate. There’s have hockey sticks and nets, motor bikes, there’s ice fishing. It’s great to see the lake being fully used. We’re doing what we can.”
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