from August 2007 issue of MetroFamily

Let’s Eat Restaurant Review: Clear Bay Café

A quick trip from the hot city to Lake Thunderbird and the Clear Bay Café offers a retreat and a chance to enjoy dinner with a view. Look out the window at the lapping waves, green grass, and trees. Or sit on the deck under the stars and listen to live music with your family. Either way, you’re bound to enjoy your meal.

It’s easy to make a day of it—horseback ride on wooded trails, tour the nature center, and swim in the lake before indulging in Clear Bay Café’s juicy burgers or crispy catfish. If you’re out on water, you can even use the café’s own boat dock.

Clear Bay Café is nestled under the trees, down by the water in Lake Thunderbird State Park. Inside, a wall of windows offers guests a view of the lake. Multilevel decks with misters and umbrella tables provide comfortable outdoor seating.

This little café is only open the second weekend of May through Labor Day, so make your plans soon. Starting at 7pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, enjoy live music performed by locals, such as the popular Midlife Crisis, a group of OU professors.

My family and I visited on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed the drive past the rolling hills and nice homes along Highway 9. Upon arrival, we ordered at the counter, starting with an appetizer of Texas Tooth Picks ($5.95)—we couldn’t pass up a name like that. The toothpicks are fried onions and strips of jalapeno with a much lighter batter than that of onion rings. These were served with a ranch dip to help cool the mouth, though I didn’t find them to be very spicy.

My college student, Mandy, ordered the special of the day, a popcorn shrimp basket ($8.95) that contained a large serving of popcorn shrimp, a small house salad, a large serving of fries, and a slice of French bread. Everything was good, but we did find the shrimp batter a bit heavy.

My husband, Joe, chose the catfish basket ($8.95), with two large, crispy, breaded catfish fillets, a small house salad, a large serving of fries, and a slice of French bread. He ate every bite, even though the catfish appeared to be frozen, not fresh.

I was torn between a jalapeno burger which is a half-pound of meat and the chicken club sandwich. I went with the chicken club ($7.95)—a fat, grilled chicken breast topped with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce, and tomato on Texas toast, served with chips. Since Joe and Mandy had plenty of fries, I was able to enjoy a few of those too.

All of our baskets were full of tasty food. I saw quite a few burger baskets pass by so I knew those must be a favorite. Though there was nothing out of the ordinary about the food, it was all good, hot fare.

Clear Bay Café offers a bar with a variety of beers, wines, and liquors. If you come to enjoy the music and grounds, they ask that no outside food and drink be brought in.

We decided when we placed our orders that we would get cobbler to take home. They were offering peach and blackberry cobbler that day. When it was time to leave (unfortunately we couldn’t stay for the live music) we were so full, we completely forgot about the cobbler until we got home. We were quite put out with ourselves and will be sure to remember next time.

Annie’s Restaurant Rating
3 of 4 forks
Clear Bay Café
100 Breakwater Dr, Norman
405-321-5670
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 5pm-9pm; Friday: 5pm-10pm; Saturday: 11am-10pm; Sunday: 11am-9pm
Prices: $2-$22.95

Have a recipe or restaurant to recommend? MFM’s Food Editor, Annie Nashert, would love to add it to her review list. Contact her at FoodEditor@MetroFamilyMagazine.com.