Sunnyside

Had a nice family dinner here on a Monday night after a day on the slopes.
Good food and good service. We were happy with our meal.
Food:
Started with cocktails: I went with the Blanhattan and the missus chose the mule — both were great. For mains I ordered the trout with green beans and corn-​and-​bacon fritters. That was a great piece of fish (steelhead) and the corn-​bacon fritters were fantastic. They should make those an appetizer. The next table over ordered the grilled tuna app, and it looked AMAZING. The missus went with the NY strip, medium-​rare, with broccoli rabe and fingerling potatoes. She loved it, especially the broccoli rabe. Kids ordered burgers with either fruit salad or fries. Burgers were not your average hockey-​puck-​kids-​sliders — they looked like real food! All in all a very good meal and I’d come back here anytime.
Service:
It was pretty empty on a Monday night, so we took our time and enjoyed ourselves. Kids especially chatted with our sweetheart of a server whose name escapes me, but she was lovely. Obviously well-​trained staff and we felt very comfortable and «at-​home» in the dining room.
Vibe:
Lakeside-​chic. Man, this place must be hoppin’ in the summertime. Outdoor seating right on the lake, and a sweet dining room with a view. Hard not to enjoy it — that’s what you came to Tahoe for, right?
Family-​friendly:
Yep, right down to the crayons. Also if you have little ones that won’t sit still, you could sit and eat in the lounge area closer to the bar. They have a big fireplace and lots of things to distract the little ones while you have your meal in relative peace.
Summary:
This was first of what I know will be many trips to dine at Sunnyside. It is perfect if you are by yourself or with a group. Hard for me to find name something I would change… except maybe put those corn-​bacon fritters on the menu all the time!

Disclaimer — this review is for the lodge alone, as we did not eat in the restaurant.
We stayed at the lodge for this past weekend, and had a great experience. The room was incredibly spacious and had a very comfy king-​sized bed, fireplace, and private deck. Best of all, the property is right on the lake, so when you go to breakfast in the morning you get a stunning view! The only thing that was lacking was the wifi — great in the lobby but not so great in the room (although we were at the very end of the row furthest away from the lobby so that may have had something to do with the unreliability of the service). Overall, a great place to stay. When we come back to Tahoe we’ll definitely be booking here!

A Lake Tahoe tradition. At times the service can be hit and miss and some menu items can be great and some can leave something to be desired.
I also find it frustrating with getting a table and you arrive early to walk through shops or along the water and see many empty tables. Sometimes I think it is more of a parking issue than a Table issue.
With all that said, nothing beats a cocktail and appetizer as you watch the sunset over the pristine and lovely Lake Tahoe. And tradition of families are hard to break so we keep going back.

I love Sunnyside! My wife and I just spent a night and had dinner there — what a great place to unwind and relax! The ambience and staff are top notch. The dinner we had was great! The views are as good as they get! We’ll be back soon. Thank you Sunnyside!

Dedicated gf menu, dairy free menu and nut free menu. Pretty impressive but not a lot of options if you are vegetarian or vegan. Ended up getting the chopped salad and substituted the steak medallions for chicken. Salad was really good! And view was unbelievable. Will definitely be back!

First, I’m happy that local businesses are getting customers this season. However, for the prices and the attempt to be a high level dining establishment, it just doesn’t work.
We went for an early dinner on January 2^nd. Place was packed and they must’ve turned the tables 3 times that night. I ordered the steak and my partner the pappardelle and beef sauce special. I had to send my food back because it came out luke warm. I am fine with giving it a quick nuke. They did.
The greens were so salty I couldn’t eat them. The steak was pretty gristly and hard to eat and the menu said fingerling potato confit, which I found intriguing. They were just roasted fingerlings. What?
The pappardelle could have been nice except the sauce was super watery and though the beef tasted good the sauce ruined it. In addition, there was way too much sauce and the whole thing was a soggy mess.
Now, to our waiter’s credit I was honest when he asked me how things were and he comped my steak. There was a manager type walking around asking people at tables how things were — my advise is to actually sincerely ask and listen and make it a learning opportunity. He asked us in the way out clearly oblivious to the fact that we’d had an issue. Missed loyalty experience dude.
I’ve been here the past 3 seasons and will continue to be here and while it’s great that you get business because there are so many people in town, as a regular I wouldn’t go back to Sunnyside based on the food I had. Plenty of other choices.

Sunnyside is an awesome spot for apres ski in the winter, or just to sit lakeside in the summer. The drinks are great (my Moscow Mule was perfect), and the food is very good too (the fish tacos were tasty as hell).

Great quality food, awesome service, cozy atmosphere. I had the Moroccan Chicken a couple weeks ago and it was fabulous! All the servers are very nice, easy going, and helpful with the menu.

Sunnyside is a West Shore institution. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is great. The fish tacos are legendary (although the price gets higher each year) and the views from the deck are breathtaking and different each day. Whether you kayak in for a bite or visit apre-​ski you’ll find a warm & inviting welcome. I always eat in the bar restaurant for the low key vibe – even in the slow months there will be enough diners to avoid that awkward ‘I’m the only one here’ feeling. The deck is crazy in the summer (no reservations accepted for the deck and inside bar areas) and you’ll have to wait for a seat but that’s the breaks – this is a popular place! You can always eat in the more expensive dining room and get a reservation. Hotel accommodations are also available – I’ve stayed in a room off the parking lot and they can be noisy with all the comings and goings.

This place is one of my go to Tahoe eateries when I’m in the area.
I know people think the quality of food is subpar or that the food is overpriced. But the way that I look at it is that you are getting one of the best dining with a view experiences in the area. Sitting outside right by the docks on a summer day is pure bliss. A cold beer, the oversized shrimp/​lobster roll, and nothing can disturb my mood.
The food overall is fairly good. I’m not excepting some top of the line eatery, but I was quite pleased with the calamri and shrim/​lobster roll that I ordered. And while the roll was $ 20, it held me over for two whole meals!
Definitely worth a visit. ESPECIALLY if you can sit outside. Make reservations though, or come early!

The BEST FISH TACOS !!! With a Heavenly view and right on Lake Tahoe! The place to stop and take it all in on a bike, boat or car ride!

Have to join the list of dissatisfied customers with regard to service. Ordered an appetizer a salad an main course. Appetizer order was never placed, and main course came out after an hour, and after 2 tables near us who arrived subsequent to us. Waitress acknowledged failing to order appetizer but offered no explanation on the main course other than saying I’ll have my manager come over. Own up to your mistake. Tried to ply us with free dessert which we declined.
This was not a holiday or excessively busy period. Total customer service failure. Shame shame

Sunnyside is EXCELLENT. Sort of…
PROS:
Staff/​Crew
Management
Friendliness
Deck/​View/​Ambience
CONS:
Wait times (but that’s not really a negative)
Portions are too large
Food quality is basic bar-​type-​cuisine/​recently reduced quality
Price
I’ve been coming here for years! It’s still my favorite restaurant around the lake/​on-​the-​lake (my understanding is that is is owned by the DUKE’S OF HAWAII chain).
From the moment you arrive until the time you leave, the staff and management are sincerely glad you are their guest. It’s genuine and the older gentlemen who also assist the very young staff will almost always thank us for coming.
The deck is second to none for outdoor dining. Sunnyside has every other Tahoe restaurant beat for one of the most vibrant, active and fun decks to have lunch or dinner on. It has intense energy.
Food quality has recently changed. Prices have also changed and went up recently. Portions are too large and Sunnyside uses salsa style chips to fill up the balance of its plates. They are stale, without taste and often left behind. French Fries are shoestring style and also without much taste either. The fish taco’s are considered a signature dish but they just don’t cut it for freshness. The obvious reduction in the quality of the food actually makes this restaurant just a 3-​star venue at best but it’s the staffing and that fabulous outdoor deck that take it back up to a 4-​star venue.
If the quality of the food wasn’t so bland and uneventful, I’d make this a 5-​star restaurant. Yet I still never miss a chance to dine there (???).
Well worth a stop for that wonderful outdoor dining experience! Fantastic staff!

Perfect place to dine, right on Lake Tahoe!
The view from the outdoor seating is amazing and the food and service did not disappoint. My friend and I went big… appetizers, main courses and dessert. I loved the lobster tamale and the hamachi sashimi for an appetizer. We also had the summer figs and arugula salad because goat cheese amirite?! For main course we had the hangar steak and something else (memory escapes).
If you are reading this review and thinking about going to Sunnyside, consider me jealous. I love Tahoe and Sunnyside was a great choice

We have been long-​time local boat-​in patrons of Sunnyside. I am sorry to say the food and drink quality took a big dive this season. The burger is no longer excellent. The bun has been down graded to average and the condiments are poor-​now shredded lettuce. Presentation is mediocre with meager French fry portioning. However, service is still good. The drinks are watered down and smaller. Similar basic criticisms came from other regulars in our group regarding different menu items and cocktails.
This is very disappointing since the boat-​in deck environment is one of the best at Tahoe. Someone has decided to boost the bottom line by driving down cost instead of charging for quality. The two star rating is for food and beverage not the atmosphere/​view/​service.
I hope they turn it around. It is not worth the price now. There are other places with great views. We are sad.

A MUST go!
Check this place out for the breath-​taking view alone! Gorgeous, huge deck that is right on the lake with unobstructed views of Lake Tahoe. Even from indoors, they have ceiling-​to– floor, sliding glass doors that can be opened when the weather is right. I could go on and on about the location but you really need to just check it out yourself.
Another ‘5 star’ quality is that they were able to accommodate our party of 13 with just a days notice.
The menu is always changing so it was difficult to pair up what I was seeing on Unilocal with what was on the menu. I ended up getting the hanger steak– highly recommend. I saw a plate of scallops going by. 4 – 5 HUGE scallops… looked amazing. I didn’t get that because of the peas… I’m very skeptical of items on menus that have ‘peas.’ It is kinda pricy but I would say the price is reasonable for the quality of food you’re receiving. I will say that the starter salads were pretty small for the double digits they were demanding. I did hear that the outdoor patio has a slightly more casual, more cost-​effective menu.
Our waiter was kinda a «bro.» Our Midwestern relatives thought this was funny and «Californian.» Ugh.

Great location. Great deck. Very friendly staff and attentive service. Menu is not extensive but has at least one item for everyone. (I would have liked another vegetarian option.)
Remember that you’re paying resort prices so everything seems kind of expensive. We had the zucchini appetizer. There was plenty of it and it was good. The salads were very fresh, very unique and very tasty. They were also quite small. We had the sea bass, special which was good, and the paella, which for $ 32 was a little off. Tuna was way over done and the risotto was pasty.
The drinks were good and I thought quite reasonably priced.
If you’re anywhere nearby, it’s worth the stop.

My friends and I came here to watch the NBA playoff game a few weeks ago. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. TVs are only in the bar area, and it was packed and we had a pretty big group. We eventually were able to sit together after a few people left, but definitely come early if you want to you want to watch a big game here.
The place is cute and very lodgy. A giant moose head greets you. There’sh a nice area with leather couches and a fireplace (with a giant bison head above) that’s nice to hang out in. We ordered drinks first — I ordered the Hendricks Cucumber Breeze, because it sounded good and refreshing, plus it has my fave liqueur in it (St. Germaine). While it tasted good, it was very very light on the alcohol. I ordered a second one to be sure, and yup, the drink was super watered down. My friends’ drinks were the same. Very lame.
For food, we ordered the fried zucchini sticks and the shishito peppers to start. Both were really good. For my main, I ordered the fish tacos. You have the option of getting them battered/​fried, grilled, or one more way that I don’t recall. I picked battered and fried. The tacos are pretty big and you get two of them, plus tortilla chips. The tacos come on a taco stand on the plate. My fish tacos were delicious. Almost everyone at the table and in the bar area ordered them too. They’re popular! I also tried my friend’s carne asada taco and that was tasty too.
Overall, the atmosphere was nice and lively. Food was good. Drinks are watered down. There’s a lovely outdoor patio area (for lakeside dining) and you can watch the sun set. The service was excellent. Despite being super busy, all the servers were attentive and took care of us.

Awesome atmosphere, good vibes and the view of the lake is just spectacular! Sunnyside is most definitely a very popular spot for tourists visiting Lake Tahoe and it’s a great pit stop to grab a few drinks and enjoy the view. The restaurant area is quite large and the outdoor patio is huge too! I can definitely see the outdoor patio seating 50 – 100 people. We can in to grab some beers and ordered the calamari. The calamari wasn’t anything special. tasted almost luke warm to and not very crunchy but the views are unbeatable!
The Friday afternoon that we came in was the weekend of Memorial Day weekend so they were expecting it to be packed but it had been raining on and off. There were dozens of employees standing around and at least 5 people behind the register. Maybe a little too overstuffed? But at least they weren’t understaffed. Regardless, the servers are extremely nice. There was even a live band playing and some kind of raffle fundraiser going on. If you’re sitting inside, take a moment to go outside and enjoy the view of the lake.

I really loved my dining experience at this restaurant/​lodge.
Let me start off by saying that this place is so cozy! We came during the holiday season so everything was lit up and festive, and the owner greated us at the door of the lodge even though we were just dropping by for dinner. They have plenty of TVs playing wonderful and fantastic snowboard feats.
The restaurant’s food is surprisingly good. They have a bar food section and a fine dining portion of the menu (which is priced higher than the $$ Unilocal designation suggests). I absolutely loved the zucchini sticks and it seemed that everybody raved about it (even those just drinking at the bar). Then, they brought the seafood chowder which was absolutely amazing in taste and consistency. So much seafood!!! But, it wasn’t steaming hot like I prefer — others said it was fine, but I don’t like my soups any less than steaming hot (especially on a 15 degree night). For an entrée, I had the elk medium-​rare on a arugula and feta salad and it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend and we would probably stop by again.
Cozy, warm, friendly staff, and a great menu with fresh ingredients!
One star off being priced a little high for the portions you get and because it is a lodge, doesn’t have a lot of parking — if there isn’t a spot, you’re pretty much screwed :(
I shall be back!

Super schöné Terrasse direkt am Lake Tahoe mit tollem Blick auf den See!
Bei schönem Wetter kann viel los sein, aber man bekommt bereits nach kurzer Zeit einen Tisch.
Bei mir gab es die für das Lokal berühmten Fish-​Tacos, sehr lecker!
Dazu ein feines Bier und viel Sonne!
Man kann hier auch mit dem Boot ankommen, kleiner Anlegehafen ist direkt am Lokal dabei.
P. S. Das Wasser im Lake Tahoe ist echt verdammt kalt :-)