Best American Restaurants in Carnelian Bay

My boyfriend and I dined at River Ranch Lodge in Tahoe City on 2/15/2025, and we had such a great experience! Our waitress, Banga, was incredibly sweet and kind. She took the time to help me navigate the menu and made thoughtful suggestions, even though I'm quite selective with my choices. I ordered the Chophouse Cheeseburger, and my boyfriend had the Pulled Pork Sandwich--both were absolutely delicious, with excellent quality and generous portions. We were both very satisfied with our meal and highly recommend this restaurant. We'll definitely be returning whenever we're in the area!

We had rib eye steaks with whiskey peppercorn sauce. They were delicious and cooked beautifully! Matt was on top of the service and kept our wine glasses full. It was a good dinner and experience for a mid-week dinner.

I surprised my partner with an anniversary and birthday dinner with Smoke Door’s 10 course menu with their reserve pairing. Not only did the food blow our minds, but the service was absolutely outstanding. They made it truly unique for us, and made us feel so incredibly special; we forgot we were at a restaurant, at some point, because everything else faded away. The food was familiar, but just different or “enhanced” enough that you will be thankful they invited you a little out of your comfort zone. It’s expensive — but it should be. You get what you paid for. The knowledge that came with every dish and paired drink was incredible; this has become our new tradition of celebrating life events. We cannot wait to go back. If you’re thinking about it, just book the reservation. The only thing you’ll regret is not doing so sooner.

We were there on “Taco Tuesday “ - the shrimp tacos were delicious, as was my margarita! We sat at a window table and watched the full moon over the lake!

Thursday night happy hour all night in bar area. Great food and drink values.