Lake Tahoe Restaurants

Casa Baeza, a cherished establishment in old Truckee for 35 years, has a captivating history. Founded by Andres and Noelia Baeza, who passionately ran it for three decades, the legacy now continues with current owners Miguel and Cesar Aguilar, who worked under Andres and Noelia for years learning their expertise. The restaurant boasts a remarkable selection of more than 150 tequilas, 30 whiskey varieties and an array of spirits, from vodka to cognac. They serve exquisite Mexican and homemade food. Taco Tuesdays offers budget-friendly delights, with chicken, asada, carnitas, pastor, veggie, beef, fish or shrimp tacos. Casa Baeza has expanded to offer a food truck that provides catering for private events, concerts and festivals. Experience Mexican cuisine at its finest in old Truckee, where Casa Baeza's rich history meets fresh culinary innovations.

For comfort food with a gourmet twist and lodge-style dining, head to Cedar House Pub at Granlibakken Tahoe. Guests can enjoy seasonal menus and specials, including a kids’ menu, a full bar and specialty cocktails. There's a cozy fireplace and views of the surrounding mountain scenery. During the warmer months, dining is available on the outside deck. Reservations are recommended on OpenTable, and take-out is available on Toast.

Crosby’s Kitchen & Cocktail in Christmas Tree Village is a restaurant and bar with friendly staff, a welcoming vibe and ample TVs to watch sports. They’re open every day except Wednesday for all-day brunch, lunch and dinner with a little bit of everything on the menu. Lunch and dinner fare ranges from grilled salmon to chicken & waffles, Wagyu or crabcake sliders to their popular Chicken Enchilada Stacked Quesadilla. Sit at the bar to sip a specialty cocktail and catch your favorite sporting event on TV, slide into a booth with your friends or dine outside on their dog-friendly patio to let the babbling brook provide the perfect soundtrack to your sunny day. For those looking for a place to hold a reception or event, Crosby's is a great venue to keep in mind.

Every town has places where the locals go to have fun, and Emerald Bay fits the bill in South Lake Tahoe. Emerald Bay Bar & Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and offers daily happy hour drink specials such as their famous $2 tacos, Chili Verde weekend breakfast and Steak and Shrimp Sunday dinner. The sports bar is a gathering spot for friends to meet and watch the game on one of the nine flatscreen TVs and a huge 110" outdoor projector. This is a great spot for outdoor dining on the large patio with a fire pit as its centerpiece and horseshoes to play. The everyday happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and includes specials on beer, wine and liquor. Breakfast, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., has long been a locals' favorite, with specialties such as the colossal country-fried steak, crab Benedict, Summit Sandwich and more. Be sure to try Emerald Bay Bar & Grill's famous Shrimp Bloody Mary on weekends during the football season. 

One of the first of the fun and different restaurants to come to South Lake Tahoe with the redevelopment projects near the state line was FiRE + iCE Bar + Grill. The concept is that you choose your own components and sauces and the chef grills it all up right in front of you. It works very well with the Heavenly Village setting of whole-timber construction and patio fire pits. You can choose your ingredients along one of their four themes of Latin, American, Asian or Italian or create your very own blend. And the build-your-own model lets you control the meal, which is perfect for vegetarian diners. Be sure not to miss their grill lunch or dinner, both offered at one price for all you can eat.

Enjoy beautiful lake views from Jason's summer deck or dine inside in a rustic, old Tahoe atmosphere by their cozy fire-pit. Their menu features American classics such as slow-roasted prime rib, seafood, pasta, gourmet burgers and nightly specials. Savor their house specialty, baby back ribs, which they slow cook using specially designed ovens. Jason’s offers a full bar with an extensive wine list and a wide selection of handcrafted beers. A kids' menu is available, so bring the whole family. You'll find Jason’s on the beach in the heart of Kings Beach.

South Lake Tahoe has always been a craft beer kind of a place, even before microbrew was a buzzword. So the Lake Tahoe AleWorX taproom at the Y doesn't feel so much like it is a new watering hole and pizzeria. It's more as if it's just a final puzzle piece that is a perfect fit. The taproom features local craft brew with a self-serve concept that allows customers to pour for themselves, delicious wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, salads and an atmosphere that is pure High Sierra. This location opens to a large patio that features fire pits and frequent live music for guests to enjoy. The patio is shared by its sister restaurant, the Cocktail Corner and Bistro at the Corner, where guests can order food from AleWorX and enjoy a craft cocktail all at the same time. The Corner as a whole is truly a destination that offers an experience for just about anyone. 

Just steps from the Tahoe beaches, Lakeview Social Tahoe is an outdoor place to eat, drink and relax within view of the lake. It's a coffeehouse, a beer garden and an event site all in one. Hang with friends around one of the huge fire pits, enjoy a beer from the mobile beer taps, enjoy tasty eats from the food truck at a picnic table or watch the entertainment on the stage. The food truck is on site all day. The site can be rented for events of up to 125 people. Dogs are welcome.

If you are craving Southern cooking and comfort food, Moe's Original Bar B Que in Tahoe City is your best bet. They serve all the tasty dishes like Southern fried catfish, St. Louis-style ribs, cornbread and baked beans. Located on the shores of Lake Tahoe, the restaurant has great views of the water and surrounding mountains and is situated next to the bike path that takes you all around the lake. This is an excellent spot to take in the sunset too. Moe's offers live music on weekends.

Orchid's Thai Cuisine thrives in its little location just east of the Y. If you are looking for a Thai restaurant that is big on flavor and decorated with beautiful Thai decor, then this is a great place to enjoy. Their large menu offers something for everyone, and the dishes are perfect for sharing family-style. There are a lot of spicy dishes on their menu, and you can add heat if you'd like. Likewise, this restaurant is pretty good about accommodating special dietary needs. They also offer some nice desserts, including green tea ice cream, fried bananas and other treats.

Offering hearty gourmet dining and bar specials in a nostalgic atmosphere, River Ranch is a landmark destination for visitors and a locals' favorite year-round. Nestled on the banks of the Truckee River, River Ranch is poised to catch people tubing down the mellow rapids during the heat of the summer and to capture the après-ski crowd funneling down from the ski resorts during the cold winter nights. Their seasonal patio is home to an outdoor bar that serves the iconic Class V River Rum Punch and their famous nachos, with alfresco dining under the stars. The cozy and intimate indoor bar and restaurant are known for known for memorable meals, scenic river views and gathering around one of the two fireplaces. Their menu brings together all the summer and winter favorites with California cuisine and rotating specials and is proud to offer game, fish, chicken, burgers and veggie options. They also provide 19 small, boutique-style rooms for guests; reservations are highly recommended.

Rosie's Cafe, a longtime player on the Tahoe City restaurant scene, has fed patrons since 1964. It not only offers basic American fare like hamburgers, salads and steaks, but also delicious breakfast and pizza. As a place that pays homage to the history of the area with local antiques, memorabilia and photos of long ago, the atmosphere is entertaining, homey and welcoming. The adjoining bar can be quite lively seven days a week and is a fantastic spot for enjoying Lake Tahoe at its finest. Be sure to try their prime rib, served only on Friday and Saturday evenings. When open, the patio at Rosie's Cafe is dog-friendly. 

If you are looking for a restaurant that celebrates the roots of Lake Tahoe, try Tahoe Tavern & Grill. Tahoe Tavern & Grill takes pride in providing scrumptious meals and thirst-quenching drinks. Their focus is to provide each guest with the finest in fresh food and produce while serving up the tastiest American cuisine available, all in a casual atmosphere. To help keep yourself entertained, they also have an ample supply of bar gaming.

For chef-driven cuisine and superior service in an elegant, mountain-modern dining room, The Bistro at the Corner is a standout for fine dining among the multitude of restaurants in the Tahoe region. The Bistro serves culinary masterpieces for dinner and weekend brunch with choices that include seafood, duck, beef, elk, an array of vegetables and impressive desserts. The cocktail menu and wine selection match the upscale quality of the food. Reservations are accepted. The Bistro at the Corner is adjacent to The Cocktail Corner, a casual cocktail lounge, which also shares a patio with Tahoe AleWorX, where the focus is on craft beer, wood-fired pizza and live music and entertainment. This impressive trifecta creates a culinary and entertainment destination at the Y in South Lake Tahoe.

An eatery that was voted Best Breakfast and Best Lunch for 2022, Best Overall Restaurant in 2013 and 2014 as well as Best Breakfast in 2018, 2019 and 2020, Getaway Cafe has been a favorite destination for alpine comfort cuisine since 2006. Everything on the menu is made from scratch and sourced locally, with breakfast and lunch served daily. During the summer months, their dog-friendly outdoor patio is a big hit with locals and visitors. Known for their Mexican/American fusion, Getaway's house specialties include chilaquiles, deluxe eggs Benedict and Coconut French Toast. They feature traditional breakfast and other specialty French toasts as well. Their lunch menu is vast, with homemade soups (they offer two house-made soups and chili daily), huge half-pound burgers and vegetarian sandwiches (both served on freshly baked buns). Draft beer, Bloody Marys and mimosas are also available. They are conveniently located on the way to Kirkwood and Sierra at Tahoe, serving up breakfast burritos, sandwiches and wraps to go to enjoy on the mountain in the winter season. Getaway serves daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is first come, first served. Drop-off catering is available; see their website for details.

A combination of live theater, high-end lounge and tapas-style dining, The Loft Theatre Magic & Comedy Theatre offers the full package for a fun night out. The nightly entertainment includes world-class comedy magicians performing in an intimate 107-seat, stadium-style theater. The lineup of performances includes a full slate of all-ages, family-friendly shows as well as a more limited selection of adult-oriented offerings. In addition to entertainment, The Loft Theatre's restaurant, TASTE at The Loft, features a vibrant mix of small plates and American tapas meant to be shared with your dining companions. The menu and acts change frequently, making the destination fun to visit multiple times a year. The Loft Lounge is a late-night hotspot in Heavenly Village.