Jake’s On The Lake

Came in from out of town with the family. Used to run my own restaurant in Chicago. This place is stuck in 1965 and so was the service. The dinner took WAY too long to get to the table. Once it got there, my surf and turf was hands down the worst Lobster and Filet that I have EVER had. The lobster was over cooked and tasted like a salt lick. The filet tasted like it was cooked inside a pork rind. I spent the next day in the can. Thanks Jake! We won’t be coming again.

The customers service wasn’t the greatest. We arriverd before two other groups but our server took their food orders first.
The food was good we all had pork chops which were delicious. But the rating is bumped down because of flies and nats.
We sat indoors but they still got through the windows.

Great food! Great Service. Definitely would come back. Artichoke hearts and Calamari were great with sauces. Drink menu was diverse.

Wow! This place is amazing! The cocktails are perfect! Crab cakes are off the charts! We had halibut and ahi tuna. I highly recommend this place. Nice atmosphere and attentive service.

Beautiful ambiance, always great food. I love the crab cakes. Service was okay, but it is hard to have a bad time when in Tahoe.

Just tried to get a drink an appetizer. Walked in and no one recognizes us or asked to helps we tried to sit on the deck and was greeted by an very unfriendly women who made us feel very unwanted. We decided to go upstairs to Hacienda Del lago where we were welcomed with smiles.

Although touristy and maybe over priced some, I still love coming to Jake’s on the Lake for waterfront dining and mostly because we can arrive by boat and dock right near by. No parking hassles. This was a pretty busy weekend, but we arrived just as lunch was starting, so we were seated just fine with a nice view. I’ve been here many times before so I knew sort of what the food would be like. I’m here with a party of 4, me, my Cuz and our BFs. The host was nice and server was super friendly. I do notice they seem to only hire hotties here (boys and girls) … nothin wrong with that I guess.
We start with the wonderful crab cakes ($ 16.00) and Truffle French Fries ($ 11.00) along with beers all around. It’s a beer kinda day looking out at the view and not super cold weather. Not a wine day or Cosmos … that’ll come later.
The apps arrive as we place the rest of our order. Caesar salads all round ($ 8.00ea) and the Filet Mignon Tacos ($ 15.00) for me. My Cuz gets the Ruben Sandwich with fries ($ 15.00) and the boys both get Angus Bacon Cheeseburgers and fries ($ 15.00 ea).
Oh my, I do love the crab cakes here, so delicate and smooth tasting! The fries are a good started while we sip our beers and watch the people come in. This is a great people watching spot too! The salads arrive all at once. Pretty standard Caesar Salad, nice, but nothing to get too excited over, but probably more healthy than another deep fried appetizer.
It seems like a little while for the entrees to arrive, but who care’s? we’re at Tahoe and the view is great and we’re all happy. My Filet Mignon Tacos arrive described as filet Mignon, spiced cream cheese, shredded carrot, chinese snow peas, cucumber, hoisin glaze, in a flour tortilla. They were pretty nice and lighter tasting, but next time I may go with the burger! My Cuz’s Ruben looked nice, good thick meat inside her sandwich. She offer a bite but I declined. The boys had nice big burgers arrive, right up their ally! My BF said it had a nice charred taste to the meat, so I took a bit of his meat … yes, very tasty! I forgot my camera on the boat, so no pis this time.
We lingered here as this is such a nice place and we didn’t have any appointment to get to at all. I was stuffed and told the rest, I’ll stay ashore while they go back out on the Lake, and just call and pick me up later. My BF Amexed the bill and off we went… me to relax on shore and them back to making noise on the Lake.
Check out Jake’s, yes the prices are high, but this is Lake Tahoe with a view and the food is decent … not foodie cutting edge stuff, but normal good stuff most people will like.

Crap service. I can’t say anything about the food or drinks because we didn’t have any. I can say that the three 16 year old girls left to run the place couldn’t care less whether you spend money there or not. In general, the waitstaff seemed overwhelmed with a customer load that any NYC diner waitress would laugh at. The vibe coming from the waterfront waitstaff this Memorial Day Weekend is a loud and clear «Go Away!» so we did. The place does have a great view and very nice décor but it is not at all worth the attitude that you must suffer along with it. We went some place nearby and were treated much better.

Very limited menu with «exotic» ingredients added to almost every menu item. No classics here.

…Gave us a patio seat and the umbrella was broken… we melted in the heat ! The Brie appetizer had too much bacon and not enough marmalade. It was not well balanced.
The Caesar salad came out on a small side plate for $ 8. The $ 18 burger was overcooked when I ordered medium. This place is a huge disappointment. Jakes is not a good value.

I was in West Shore for friends birthday… 7 of us rented a cabin and decided to have Jake’s On The Lake for lunch. It was a Sunday afternoon and didn’t seem very busy, most likely due to the weather that weekend. Our table was a large round booth that gave you a view of everyone at the table, but could be cumbersome if one of the middle seats needs to use the bathroom.
I don’t recall our servers name but he was polite and didn’t mind the occasional bawdy joke. We referred to our friend as the birthday girl a few times and our server picked up on it and brought her a piece of cake with a candle. He also noticed my friends burger was under cooked while clearing our plates. She insisted it wasn’t a big deal and she ate most of it, but he insisted on taking it off the bill. He also comped two bloody marys for our friends birthday. All in all, he went above and beyond.
The menu is a little fancy/​foodie, but I’m a pretty simple girl when it comes to food. I ordered the angus burger cooked medium and it was pretty tasty. They also had a wagyu burger with duck bacon and truffle fries that sounded pretty interesting. It is a little pricey, I think my burger was $ 16 but I feel that is pretty standard fare around the lake.
All in all, I would return when on that side of the lake again.

Hostess was rude. We showed up at 8:45, just getting into town after a 4 hour drive for a reservation our friends made. We were told they made two reservations, for 8:15 and 8:45 because we could be later due to weather. We told her the name on the reservation, and she very snootily said that there wasn’t a reservation for us at that time. I said, the name again, party of 4, and she knew who we were because she was expecting us to be there at 8:15, and she said «no, the only person I have under that name was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago,» rolled her eyes when I told her that was the time we couldn’t make but we thought there was also one for 8:45 and she said «nope.» We stood there for a bit wondering if she was going to even offer to seat us at one of the many empty tables or just make us feel bad. She finally sat us, in a corner.
Waitress was perfectly nice. Music was WAY too loud and we could barely order with our waitress, let alone have any type of conversation. Band was playing random music, straight out of album versions, and was screaming the part in Pink Floyd where is screams «if you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding…» — awkward song choice to be screaming at the top of your lungs in a confined space while people are trying to enjoy dinner.
Clam chowder was terrible. Shrimp with curry and sweet/​sour chile sauce was surprisingly good. Salad and ahi tuna was good. Overall, okay. GINGER BEER WAS AWFUL! Never order a moscow mule here, just don’t. Blech.

If you’re looking for a location right on the lake with a great view, then this is your place.
If you’re looking for a happening night spot with live music, then this is also your place.
If you’re looking for a place to sit down and enjoy a dinner with friends and it’s past 3pm,
then this is absolutely NOT your place.
The fireplace is beautiful and this is a GREAT place to host a holiday party or event.
However, I was in a few days ago and after speaking with four different servers and bartenders found that no one really knew what was going on besides the extremely loud music in the crowded bar area. I simply asked if they were still serving dinner (since this IS Tahoe and you MUST eat dinner before 8pm or you’re stuck with nothing but the Bridgetender’s bar food) and not one person knew the answer without asking another person working.
Eventually, I was informed that only a smaller bar menu was being served since it was 9:07pm on a Saturday night. Yeah. However, it was still super awesome news that they were serving anything since I had friends arriving shortly who had been driving for six hours and just wanted some healthy food options (like salads; nothing extravagant).
A few minutes later I approached the bartender to ask where we could be seated so that we could eat off the limited menu. She then just took the menu out of my hand and said, «Sorry, the kitchen is closed. You can’t have that.» I explained that 3 other people had just assured me I could eat off that menu and she just said, «Sorry, no.»
Lesson: You’re not allowed to hold a menu at Jake’s unless the kitchen is open and no one really knows when that is the case. Even the people they employ.
Lack of proper management and rudeness of the one female bartender gets Jake’s 2 stars. And those stars are only because it does have nice features… like the building. So, if you’re into architecture and inconsistency and confusion all at once then THIS is your place.

This is a great spot for a nice meal with a view. My husband and I had a lovely dinner here.
We arrived just before seating began for dinner, but the hostess remembered us and found us as soon as seating began. We were offered indoor or outdoor seating and we opted for outdoor since it was a nice night. The hostess was friendly as she seated us and made us feel very welcome. Our waiter was just as friendly and welcoming. We loved the atmosphere and being able to sit outside with lake views.
The reason we chose this restaurant was because they have a bison surf and turf. My husband ordered this meal and loved it. The scallops were perfectly prepared and seasoned. The bison was well prepared as well with a delicious sauce served on top. The blue cheese mashed potatoes were a nice pairing with the bison and scallops. He was able to forgive them for including vegetables on the same plate.
I had the special which was mahi mahi in wonton crumbs with crab mashed potatoes and a wasabi butter. Wow! I loved every bite of this delish dish. The flavors all came together so well. I was very impressed. The veggies on the side were also delicious as they marinated in the same sauce that was on the fish. I really wanted to order my usual steak, but I’m so glad I went with this special instead.
Dessert is a must so we ordered the pineapple empanadas. The caramel sauce drizzed on the plate was amazing, rich and thick. The empanadas unfortunately weren’t that exciting because the flavor was a little bland and the empanadas were cold. They do have several nice dessert options so I’d opt for something else next time.
I’d definitely recommend this as a stop if you are in the Tahoe City area. There’s nothing better on vacation than combining a nice meal with a nice view.

I can’t say enough good things about the service and ambience at Jake’s on the Lake. Upon entering, we were greeted with beautiful views of Lake Tahoe. We were welcomed by the bartender, Noble (?), that eagerly served us drinks and, although busy, took time to explain drink options. Shortly thereafter we were taken to our table. We made a reservation on OpenTable and requested a seat with a view and the restaurant gave us the best table in the house to watch the sunset. They also read that we had Spanish speaking people in our party and accommodated us with a waitress that was learning Spanish and eager to practice. Jenny was awesome and attentive and made our dining experience a special one. She even gave us the Hula Pie for free! Everyone said they were full but we devoured that. Definitely the highlight of the night.
Pros:
The view, the service, the wine list, craft beer selection & location
Cons:
Honestly, the food deserved about 4 stars (I have to say that EVERYONE in our party of 6 cleared their plates tho) but the service and ambiance took them to the top.
We visit Tahoe about 2x/​year and definitely will consider visiting Jake’s again.

This review is for the Beer Garden.
So… Jakes is in a great spot, which often means troublesome reviews. Prices are high and service can be spotty. You get a lot of tourists, often with tired and hungry children.
We skipped all of that. We ordered a couple of drinks at the bar and walked straight through the restaurant, across the deck, down the stairs, to the lawn, pulled out two adirondack chairs (sort-​of, they were plastic versions) and settled down on the lawn. Ahhhhhhh, nice.

Beautiful atmosphere. Lovely views. We had a party of seven during an off time, 2:30. Had several glasses of wine before our food arrived. Service is definitely lagging and very, very slow.

I live in Reno/​Sparks which means I’m absolutely spoiled that I don’t get up to the lake more often.
My brother in-​law planned a surprise dinner for my sisters birthday, all we had to do was show up for the dinner reservations,
Since my sister didn’t know, she basically showed up in beach wear but it did not matter, I wouldn’t recommend doing that of course, but they did not seem to make her feel out of place.
We arrived early, ahead of the surprise and grabbed a glass of wine in the bar. Prices were fair, some wine prices were even lower than many places in Reno.
When our party arrived, on a Saturday evening we were seated outside overlooking the lake. As lucky as we were and as beautiful as that spot was, it was an unseasonably cool evening and my niece got really cold and asked if we could move inside. Even with the busy, on season evening our server was able to accommodate us.
Once inside our service and food was impeccable, I ordered the wild salmon with heirloom spinach, champagne citrus ponzu, raspberry essence, cilantro oil. It was spicier than I expected, tangy and sweet from the raspberry all at the same time. It was sublime.
My boyfriend had the beef short ribs and still can’t stop talking about them. Especially the sweet chili sauce.
Our server Chrissy, was so sweet and knowledgeable about the menu and she adapted well to our large louder than life party, when we needed to move inside she accommodated quickly, with a smile and easily. She brought out the hula pie with a candle and nine sets of forks and spoons for our group to help us make my sisters day.
I would love to come back here for a date night and I thank my brother In law for reminding me, by force, of all we have available just outside our back door.

A Vacation Dinner on Lake Tahoe at the Tahoe City Marina
If you want a great place for adult (read «not great for kids») outdoor dining by the lake, this is it.
The view of the lake and harbor is nice… although on this night, the mountains across the lake were shrouded with forest fire smoke from the south.
The service was very good… the staff pitched in to carry plates and ensure on time delivery. Our waiter, Robin, was a distinct pleasure on more than one occasion. Her timing, personality and sense of humor were noted.
The wine list included a 2011 Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Cab. For our taste, it was excellent (a nine out of ten).
Our table of four ordered:
* Apple and walnut salad
* Caesar salad
* Clam chowder
* Macadamia halibut
* Sea bass over sliced chorizo (as in Paella), spinach, and roasted bell peppers (a chef’s special for the night)
* Center cut filet of beef with a very nice mushroom cream sauce
* Hula Pie and pineapple empananda
All in all, an excellent meal. I recommend the halibut, the filet of beef and the hula pie, all excellent. The one so-​so item was the pineapple empananda… it was okay, but boring.
This is a great restaurant for adults, but the restaurant does not cater at all to the kids. The table next to ours with about seven kids had an off-​the-​menu chicken nuggets item selection and «virgin» pina coladas. Our children are 23 and 20, and had chowder/​Caesar salad and center cut filet of beef, respectively. The chowder and the steak were remarked to be very good, so we lucked out.
I recommend Jake’s On the Lake, but not with kids 16 or younger. Enjoy!

Lake cabin inspired restaurant with fish and boating stuff on the walls, it makes an impact when you first walk in. All the windows face the lake and there are excellent views of the harbor. There are pretty maple trees with fall color outside the windows that make you feel as though you could be in a Japanese meditation center.
But the service was a bit bizarre with people asking us a lot of questions and then not returning with what we asked for or with only one thing at a time. The menu was not impressive to me and the food even less so. It wasn’t particularly fresh and really not flavorful — I had the fish of the day with salad — though I tried my friend’s Udon soup and it was tasty and filled with lots of chicken and vegetables. Overall, fine but nothing special.