Food was great! Service was quick and friendly. Had a quick meeting and picked this place kind of randomly. We were not let down one bit. And one of the best Bloody Marys around! Itching to try some other things on the menu. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - I'm a stickler for breakfast and this hit the spot! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Went there this morn for breakfast since we had heard it was good.... And we were NOT disappointed! The Huevo Rancheros (their signature dish) is delicious. My wife had the regular Eggs Benedicts and said it was one of the best she has had. Service was excellent, plenty of room to eat outside or inside, food excellently prepared and the portions huge (consider splitting). I believe this is the best place for breakfast in the Donner/Truckee area. read more

Great place to eat, I love their breakfast options. it can get really cold up their so it's always a good place to eat plenty of meat. It is place to eat friends and families. I went with my Aunt and I had a great time having a breakfast place with her as the front center person. read more

Just got takeout here after avoiding the place for many years because I recall the food being mediocre. Yep.... it's just as mid, even worse probably. I got takeout and had the chicken sandwich. There was NOTHING on the bun, no mayo, ketchup, or spread of any kind. Just a dry chicken patty slapped on a naked bun. Also, they included no spreads on the side in my box to put on there. I put some ketchup from one of the tables on there before I left, but there wasn't even mayo on the tables. Also, the breading on the chicken wasn't the least bit crispy even when they handed it to me. Just soggy, chewy breading. No hot sauce or spice or anything. Yuck. I also ordered the same exact thing as my friend, and they gave him ketchup and pickle on the side. Mine had neither. What?? At least when you're making the same exact order for 2 people in the same party, try to make them the same.....for all of this (which took FOREVER to come out), I paid $23!!! For a dry, chewy chicken sandwich with zero flavor. Now I'm reminded why I avoided this place for years since my last visit. Won't be back. Idk how they stay in business with food this mid. Tourists, I guess. read more

Food, ambiance, and service was great. What else can I say... Mimosa were perfect. My husband thought the coffee wasn't as strong as he prefers. read more

I came here on the recommendation of a friend. While the food is good, it isn't worth the cost. They charge $4 for a cup of coffee. 2 breakfasts and 2 coffees came to $52. I had the same breakfast at Coffee And for $32 the next day. Again the food is good, service is good, a little hard to find because it's behind another building. read more

Well, here we are with another 5-star review. This unassuming diner right off the road serves up a mean breakfast with tasty coffee. I had the traditional breakfast with link sausage, eggs were over medium, English muffin and coffee for a drink. Delicious. The sausage was snappy and had a nice peppery flavor, the eggs were actually cooked "over medium" (!), and the muffin was crispy on the outside, just as it should be. The coffee was smooth, not bitter or acidic as so many restaurant offerings can be. The cinnamon roll gets its own paragraph. Big, gooey, buttery rich, with just enough sweet not to overwhelm the other flavors. It was shared between three people, to give you an idea of "big". Yes, I will come back when I'm headed up this way, which may not be as often as I would like. They're 44 miles from my home. Yes, based on my experience, I definitely recommend this joint. read more

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We're here on New Years Eve. It's busy with an abundance of tourists in town so finding a place for breakfast that is not busy is out of the question. The wait for a table is just a little over an hour. The restrooms are both out of order but the good news is they have plenty of trees around back, but you got to wait your turn The food is always great, especially the breakfast and huevos rancheros. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Hot, fresh quality food! Excellent service at a nice mountain pace. Very comfortable, inviting and homey atmosphere.

Delicious place to stop for a bite on the way to or from Reno. Great pies and burgers!!

there's probably going to be a wait but stay, have a mimosa and you'll find out why! The food is delicious and the customer service is amazing! Best breakfast spot in town read more

We stopped in Donner Lake Kitchen the day after Christmas to cap off a relaxing vacation before driving home. This a very small restaurant and everything is made to order. Yes, there's a potentially long wait for a table and no, the food isn't delivered particularly fast. However, they're pretty upfront about this so it really shouldn't be a shock. We ordered the breakfast nachos, biscuits and gravy, and flapjacks. All of the food was generously portioned, and amazing. The breakfast nachos were SO freaking good and the pancakes were the best I've had in a long time. We over ordered and I had to force myself to stop eating before my pants split. I thought the waitresses were pretty nice (certainly nicer than most down here in South Bay). Everyone in our party left happy and stuffed, and agreed we would come the next time we are in Truckee (though perhaps much earlier to avoid wait times). PS - I felt especially compelled to leave a review after the ridiculous 7 one star reviews left by a party of 11 that were upset that they weren't able to get separate checks. Pro tip for that table: Venmo. read more

We were late for our snow sports activity because we had to wait ~30 minutes for our food. We were very hungry and I guess the kitchen may have been understaffed but when it did finally arrived, my plate looked like a tropical vacation! The fruits and the umbrella was so cute and it also tasted delicious. I enjoyed my half order of the crab Benedict. The crab was tasty and the avocado slices were perfectly ripe. The hash browns could have been cooked a bit longer, because they weren't crispy all the way like I would have preferred but service was friendly, minus the slow kitchen. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Half crab benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

Everything is homemade! I stumbled upon this restaurant for brunch on the way home from Reno. I'll definitely be coming back! The service was amazing and overall just an amazing experience. Food was soooooo good!!!!! Must try! read more

How do you not fall in love with a mother, daughter serving up delicious homemade breakfast! My husband and I were passing through here on the way home from Tahoe and we will definitely be passing by again. Delicious warm food and even warmer welcomings. I had the eggs Benedict and he had the cowboy and of course for dessert we had one flapjack. They were all so delicious that's why the photos I'm posting are after we ate them. Thank you again, check this place out if you haven't. We'll be back! read more

I have been coming here for years. My friends and I would always do a hike and then get breakfast. Sadly the last tine we went, the diner went political on us. I have a 9 year old who you are putting in health jeopardy. Your "personal rights" are irresponsible and killing people. Shame on you for not being a good citizen. Needless to say I will never come back....and yes I am a local who will also share this with all people who believe in public responsibility read more

What a Gem!!! If you ever find yourself in Truckee CA.. you cannot I repeat cannot leave without visiting. The staff was friendly and accommodating, service fast and the most important THE FOOD WAS AMAZING! I opted for the special "The Feta" portion was so plentiful I could not finish it (But I tried my best lol). Everything on their menu looked amazing. Whatever you do. Do not forget the bloodies. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Bloodies!!! Bacon and regular - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Great experience. Came across this Restraunt during our yearly trip. Service and food was great.

Every year we visit this wonderful restaurant & every year we can't wait to return. The meals are delicious & servings are generous. The wait staff is happy to serve & always a smile. Of course the wait is long, but we just know the wait is worth it. See you next year. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

I have been going to Donner Kitchen since the '90's and still love stopping in to see that it still has a great breakfast menu! Get there early, often a line, but if you had a late night and get there late, they take care of your cocktail/coffee needs while in line. read more

Waited outside for 10 minutes for an employee to put me on the waitlist. He wasn't wearing a mask so I should have gotten the clue....................... Nevada County has a MASK MANDATE INDOORS. No one likes or wants to wear a mask, but it's a simple and effective way to control the spread of the virus. This restaurant used to be one of my favs- I am so disappointed that they are not requiring their employees or customers to mask up. It's selfish, thoughtless and inconsiderate. You won't get my business anymore. I expect after many of you get Omicron, which doesn't care if you are vaccinated or not, then maybe you'll learn something about looking out for others read more

the best "mimosas" only at donner lake kitchen The friendly ever people!! They're treat you as you're best family friend highly recommended as a local.. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - MommyMossaa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

Wonderful environment. Friendly staff. Yummy food. Hot coffee. They were open early and let me in out of the cold and even served me before opening. I got a big to go order and everything was hot and correct. read more

Fast, friendly and delish. The Sierra benny was awesome and the bloodies are nice, full of flavorful spices! Breakfast in the outdoors today! read more

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A bit pricey but expected in the middle of nowhere. Food was great and so was the service.

Have been wanting to try this place for so long and couldn't be happier that we made it to this hidden gem along Donner Lake. Down home charm to partner with the same service. Great selection of breakfast and lunch items. Karl's chicken sandwich was spot on and I am serious when I say not one soggy sweet potato fry! The best is the countless variety of mimosas to go along with your meal. read more

What a great eclectic spot for breakfast or lunch! I'm so glad we found it! They were so busy, every table busy, but we only waited 10 minutes! The flapjacks are fluffy and the coffee is strong! read more

Still one of the best breakfast places in the Truckee area. Have been coming since 2001 and the place looks exactly the same. There's no other breakfast in Truckee that I would recommend more. Consistent, good to large portions, and well priced. Definitely not a posh spot but a great breakfast for normal people. read more

My family and I decided to try this restaurant out before heading home from camping. When we got there, we were told that we would be waiting for an 1 - 1.5 hours and we totally understood because we were a party of 9 and we were able to enjoy mimosas while we waited. Once we were seated and ordered our food, things started to go downhill: 1. A table of 4 that was seated after us were served their food before us. In a restaurant it's pretty standard that you serve people based on seating order, unless something is ordered that takes a long time to prepare, especially when you know that your customers have been waiting a long time to be seated. When we asked another waitress about it she was very nonchalant and said the orders get submitted when they get submitted like that was a good enough reason and didn't offer an apology. 2. The waitress had a hard time with hearing. We ordered irish coffee and she brought out iced tea. My son, whose 7, ordered the bear pancakes from the kids menu and she brought out blueberry pancakes from the regular menu. She offered to rectify it, but we had already waited for over 2 hours to be seated and receive our food that we didn't even bother with waiting for the bear pancakes. 3. We get the bill and the waitress was at least on it with removing the charge for the blueberry pancakes, but I guess we ended up paying for it later because I didn't leave a tip, but the charge that cleared my bank account was $15 over the original amount. Apparently, this is something that has not just happened to me because I looked at previous reviews just now and read a review where this was done to another customer. Guess I will be calling my bank tomorrow to rectify the issue. After my experience and scrolling and reading the reviews AFTER I ate at this establishment, I think it is safe to conclude that if you have a large party, you have a higher chance of poor customer service and a negative experience. I definitely will not be returning to this restaurant because the quality of the food wasn't worth the wait or service (it was mediocre). Also, be weary if your waitress is named Katie. read more

Best breakfast around! The huevos rancheros are the best in the Tahoe basin and maybe even California! Awesome eggs Benedict, egg scrambles, cinnamon rolls and daily specials. This place gets busy but they work fast and efficiently. The cook staff and waitresses are great! read more

Such bad customer service!!! Our waitress treated me and my family so bad. She was rude and talked down to us the entire time. Refused to anything remotely normal that a waitress should do - like splitting our checks or idk, be a decent human being??? We just tried to have a nice family outing and it was a horrible experience. We will NEVER go here again. Subpar food and terrible service. Support other local places!!! They will treat you a million times better than this place. read more

I'm just seeing this now. Why would yelp take it down? It's a legitimate review of your establishment and the people you employ. Also, if not you. Who responded in the FB post? It says Your restaurants name when asking me why the one star. I responded when I saw your message why. I I wouldn't ever have even wrote this if I didn't get such a jerk message back. Are you saying I made it up? Why would I do that? The proof is in the screen shots honey.... if it wasn't you then it was someone who controls your Facebook page and that is a reflection of you and your business. Stop making excuses for your poor behavior or talk you business up like that when I honestly told you what happened. You can take this and learn from it or you can do what you did and question my honesty. Either way this review is an honest and true review. I hope people read it and see the pictures of proof. I don't know you personally and have no reason to make it up. Gross that you tried to get yelp to take it down. Yelp is for this very reason. Watch what you say and your employees better instead of lying and getting legitimate reviews off by asking yelp. More rudeness from you. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - so nice at first! I mistakenly thought she was being sincere. see next screen shot as she quickly because condescending. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Worth the drive to get those post hangover HUEVOS RANCHEROS...why bother with anything else? We ate there twice because my husband accidentally got the combo pancake boring thing so we had to go back for the huevos...best ever. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Check it out! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Great place for breakfast and lunch! This will be our go to on our way to Reno! Come check it out, I recommend the famous "Kellies Huevos rancheros". Yum! read more

This is another restaurant that is jam packed with visitors! We don't frequent it much because of this, however the food is always delicious. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen is well-known by locals and travelers alike. That being said, arrive early or be prepared to wait for a table. If there is a small group of you, seating at the bar is based on a first come, first serve basis and you can usually avoid the wait time by sitting there. Donner Lake Kitchen is a fun breakfast spot that hones in on the locality of Donner Lake. The food is good and comforting, the staff is friendly, and the restaurant has a homey feel to it. I've had their scrambles and their eggs benedict and have been pleased each time. The eggs benedict sauce is nice and flavorful but isn't overwhelming and it goes great with their home fries! My vacation recommendation: Get out of bed early, catch the sunrise over Donner Lake, then head to Donner Lake Kitchen for a great comforting breakfast. read more

Ok so just so you know, this place is definitely worth the wait, but be prepared... seriously the wait can be long! If your like me and can have a hangry spouse...you may want to bring some snacks! He started off hangry, but by the end we were both completely stuffed and satisfied that is for sure!! Huge pancakes with tons of butter and hot syrup is definitely my thing!! Really good sized portions and awesome service! We had our main waitress, another waitress that helped and a young man that came by with more water!! It was great! Again, definitely worth the wait! read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - This is called Pat's favorite (and chorizo) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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The food was good but we waited almost an hour after sitting down to get it. We understand they were busy, but waiting almost an hour is ridiculous. To make matters worse, we had to ask for some compensation for the delay but didn't receive any. A 5-10% discount on our total tab would've been a nice gesture. Sadly we won't be back here any time soon. read more

My absolute favorite breakfast spot! Always perfect after an early morning Donner paddle! Crab eggs Benedict and mimosas are my favorite read more

If I could give them 10 stars, I would. Not only was the staff friendly and timely, but the food was amazing. The atmosphere of the restaurant felt like we were dining at someone's home and we LOVED it! My french toast was thick and cooked just right, and my boyfriend loved the Cowboy Breakfast (not a single bite was left on his plate). Definitely going to be our go-to breakfast spot every time we come to Truckee!! I couldn't be happier with this experience! read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon & Cowboy Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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