I've been here multiple times! As a lover of breakfast and diners, this place is awesome. Cute interior, great service, reliable food. The views of Donner is the cherry on top! read more

We spent our 1.15 hr wait hanging out and drinking mimosas. Donner Lake Kitchen was such a vibe and well worth the wait! Our friends have came in the past and got the huevos rancheros. Our party of 10 ordered 5 of their famous huevos rancheros and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. I got the the cowboys biscuit and felt like the portion was big, yet so fulfilling. The buttery soft biscuit under gravy was a perfect bite each time. Our friends really enjoyed their dishes as well. Will be coming back here, it was worth the traffic back to the bay! read more

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Friendly and quick service. Enjoyed some reading time at the bar while I enjoyed my veggie-egg-feta scramble. My mimosa was a generous pour. read more

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

I have been dining here regularly with my family for 10 years and this is hands down the best breakfast/brunch/late lunch spot in Truckee! The food, drinks, service and establishment are 5 Stars! I highly recommend DLK as they go above and beyond and never disappoint! read more

Amazing food and great service. This small/local business has so much charm and warmth. The folks that work here put heart into the food and the service they provide. Love the atmosphere and vibe of this quirky little mountain town breakfast joint. read more

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

Great family atmosphere. Large portions and tasty food. Will be back. On next visit to Truckee.

Love, love this place! Great food, and great customer service! Family friendly! We miss Katie, but have now adopted Peter. The pancakes are thee best! read more

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

Wait was long, food was great. I call this place a cute local spot. The servers were really nice read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Fajita chicken salad -$19 and top picture is 1/2 order of taco chicken salad $16. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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Has a great cheeseburger! The other food people ordered look great ! Will have to order a Bloody Mary next time I'm here

I'm pretty sure this is a hot spot for breakfast however, I wasn't down for that. I wanted a burger so a burger is what I ordered. We must have arrived at the busiest time, there were only two open tables and the dining room as packed but we were able to sit down within a few minutes. It was warm, bustling and reminded me of the smell in my grandma's kitchen in the morning when she would make the grand kids breakfast. In a word? Cozy. The menu had a variety of breakfast options as well as lunch options and I settled on the Mushroom Swiss burger, with fries. I envisioned a fat, juicy, flavorful burger with tasty sautéed mushrooms and thick cut, crispy on the outside, soft on the outside French fries and couldn't wait for my food. After ordering, it took quite a long time to get the food on the table so by the time it arrived, I was feeling pretty hangry and ravenous. When the waitress set the plate on the table I was hugely disappointed. The fries looked over cooked and there was zero juice coming from the burger. My eyes don't lie and upon eating a fry and taking a bite of the burger, I realized my vision of what I hoped it would be and what is actually was we're two different things. The burger was bland with no seasoning, the mushrooms were also bland and there was not a single condiment or sauce on the bun. No flavor really, whatsoever and a very generic side of veggies to add to the bland burger were set on the side. The fries, of the dreadful burned, chewy, cold, miserable fries. Again, no flavor and no seasoning at all. I asked for Mayo which I whipped together with ketchup and hot sauce to give the meal at least a little flavor. What a disappointment, I had such high hopes! I can confidently say this is the most bland (and boring) dish I've had in a while. Tip: Don't order this. Lol I figured, if it's packed, people like it so, they MUST be eating breakfast because cant imagine anyone coming back for their burgers and fries. I should have listened to my friends and gotten Eggs Benedict (this spot is known for the dish) but I didn't, clearly my mistake. Star rating? Solid two due to the service, the waitress was nice and the interior was cozy. If I had to base the stars only on the food I tried, I'd give it one star. Maybe sometime in the future, I'll give this spot a second chance and try a breakfast option. It's GOT to be better than the burgers and fries, I mean... it can't get any worse. read more

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Great food and amazing service Definitely recommended we are coming back soon Good vibes read more

Everything is good there. The pancake is so fluffy. The portion is huge so it is good to share .

** update - I got a nice surprise this morning that my $22 forced tip charge was updated by the restaurant to $27. Owner/server helped herself to a 25% tip! If you want to be harassed and forced to leave larger tip, come to this place! I stopped here for breakfast, 2 adults and 3 kids. We were seated right away, however the food took quite some time to come out. Food was alright. Server never came back to offer refills. We just got our food and that was it, no other interaction. We received our bill and it was $130. Mind you we ordered 2 dishes from the kids menu and 2 dishes from the regular menu (2 of my kids shared a dish) The total was pretty steep, we couldn't even verify as the writing on the note was not legible. I did notice that there was a $22 tip added to the bill. I like to leave cash tips, and my tips are based on the service received. By no means did I feel that the service received was deserving of $22. Rather than confront the server, I just asked that the tip be removed so I can leave cash. She charged my card for the food, then asked if I left the tip on the table. She went to grab the cash from the table and counted it, then said I needed to give her more. I asked why? Is tip mandatory? To which she said yes, that it says it in the menu. While she was snickering over my tip, I reviewed the menu and found that on the second page it says, "Gratuity MAY BE added to the check" I asked her what that even means, like do they make up the policies as they go or why isn't it clear on the menu? She said for parties of 6 (the she corrected herself and said parties of 5) gratuity is included. And said "it's not like you didn't see it on there". She then said I had to pay it, so she gave me my cash back and took my card and charged the tip she desired. Mind you, my friend that was sitting and waiting on her food with her family of five was still there when I left. They did not have a tip added to their bill. This woman had the nerve to say that the tip that was left was an insult. The way she had been speaking to me was wild coming from possibly the restaurant owner. I have never been spoken to like this before by a server/restaurant owner. State law says that restaurants must clearly state the automatic gratuity policy on the menu or be verbally informed prior to ordering. If you want good food and EXCEPTIONAL service, drive up to Smokey's Kitchen. I went there last week with my family. Party of 9 and the total was $120. And yes, we left a deserving 20% tip on top of that. read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Read the fine print, gratuity will be added to you bill. At their discretion. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

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A classic diner and a staple, that we go to every time! Laid-back homey vibes. It's been a year since my last review, and things are just as good if not better. We arrived at 9:30 am and easily found a spot (better than arriving at open). We were instantly seated by the waiter and brought coffee (classic diner coffee ). We ordered a breakfast burrito with bacon and the croissant breakfast sandwich with hash browns . Both were large portions, flavorful and filling. The burrito has a kick due to the sauce added but was good. Croissant sandwich is a classic breakfast sandwich, grease and all. Lots of locals enjoying breakfast, plenty of seating for a party of 2 or up to 8 people. We were promptly helped and service was good despite not a large staff. Thanks again for a great brunch! read more

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Noisy. Crowded. Service can be really really really slow due to popularity and insufficient staff. If none of those things bother you, then you'll like the place. Enjoy! read more

Good food, great service, fun ambiance. Definitely recommend it. Note that the place is very hard to find and your GPS, even Google maps, will lead you astray! Ignore the weird turn recommendations and stay on Donner Lake Road. It's tucked behind Sticks Market - the parking lot entrance says "Donner Pines." I guess that's the name of the strip mall, except that it really isn't a strip mall. So yeah, confusing. But worth the hunt! read more

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Best breakfast in Tahoe The huevos rancheros you cannot leave without having Cinnamon buns are 20 out of 10 Ambience perfect for the mountains 10 out of 10 read more

We love this place! Great food and very kind and attentive service. I think the owners are very engaged and I think they were there both times we have visited. We highly recommend. read more

Excellent food, friendly staff, cute decor, and fair prices. This is our go-to spot for a delicious breakfast in Truckee! Highly recommend the huevos rancheros and the stuffed pancakes with fruit. read more

Best food in Truckee. Quick service, large portions and always service with a smile. You will not be disappointed and you will be coming back again read more

We went to Donner Lake Kitchen on our way over the pass this morning, and they served up one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time. It was damn near perfect, and as a self-proclaimed breakfast aficionado I don't heap on praise like that lightly. I ordered the scrambled omelette #11 (chiles, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, and cheese), and it was absolutely delicious. The eggs were perfectly cooked, the veggies were plentiful and fresh, and the cheese was nice and melty. I ordered my hash browns and my side of bacon crisp, and they both came that way. As a cherry on top, everyone on staff that we dealt with was super friendly. My friends both loved their meals as well (veggie potatoes, eggs benedict, and pancakes). This place is definitely now on the list for next time I'm in town! read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Scrambled Omelette #11 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

Absolute favorite go to! Friendly, great food, great service, and a welcome fun atmosphere!

My wife is handicapped. We were looking for a breakfast place and the hotel desk person recommended this. We drove by and found stairs but no handicap accessible entrance. We turned around in the parking lot and nd drove away. Have no idea of the quality of the food, service or ambiance. read more

This place has the best food in truckee. The staff is great and we have a great time there. Everything on the menu is good and fresh. The ambiance is clean and welcoming. The have the best pancakes read more

Delicious, good kind service, relaxing atmosphere; good place to go for breakfast or lunch

Great home cooked style breakfast was awesome. Highly recommend this spot for a simple easy great feel mom & pop style restaurant.

The food - EXCELLENT! Great service! Eight of us came for breakfast, we all had a fabulous breakfast. Everyone ordered something different, thumbs up!! This is your locally owned & operated, home grown kitchen! Highly recommend! read more

I'm giving 5 stars because it really is charming and the food was very good. And yes, the food tastes as good as the pictures look. We ordered a huevos rancheros ($15) because that's my husband's favorite meal out. I planned to share it but just in case ordered a side of home fries ($5). HOWEVER please NOTE: after we finished I asked if they have corn tortillas and was told YES. I was also told the huevos rancheros can be served on hash browns. (:-) Then he volunteered that "you can basically order anything THE WAY YOU WANT IT". Wish I had known this. Now YOU KNOW! I had planned to eat my husband's flour tortillas. They serve huevos rancheros on a medium sized flour tortilla. Not my husband's choice. But MY favorite. He said everything was really good. I tasted the (pico like) fresh salsa and it was soooo spicy I literally gagged. I must have gotten a pepper? But my husband did not find it too spicy at all. Go figure. If spice is an issue for you, I'd suggest getting it on the side. I was disappointed in the home fries. They appeared to be larger chunks of cooked potatoes that had been deep fried rather than pan fried. If you are a huge fan of big huge fat French fries you'll probably like them. They tossed in a few grilled bell peppers but not many. If we come this way again I'd opt for the hash browns and ask for them to be scattered because I saw a picture of some that looked like they had been scattered! The picture looked excellent. We drove out from Sparks to escape the heavy smoke. It's still smoky here but we at least can't smell it, so we got some nice outdoor time waiting about a half hour, at a table in their tree covered waiting area, before being be seated. It's Monday. We were shocked to have 4 parties ahead of us. So be prepared to wait. They seriously close at 2pm!!! And the wait became longer as time passed. They have an outside bar service that several parties were taking advantage of. I'm driving. Oh well. It rained while we were outside just before our food came. Our table was not protected by a large cover as others were, so we ended up Inside. I found it pretty hot in here with no fans to at least move air. But the diners eating outside under the awnings had it GREAT! If you have time, this is definitely an adorable little rustic mountain place to hang out and eat well! It is on the pricy side to me, but probably not really pricy by most people's standards. But the concept of "pricy" changes by definition, when I factor in their willingness to MAKE IT MY WAY. I just wish the waitress had mentioned that before we ordered! If you find this review useful please vote! read more

Donner Lake Kitchen - Huevos Rancheros & Home Fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Truckee, California

Seems like they only add a tip if they assume you aren't going to tip! Reading over the other reviews. I wouldn't go here if you're from out of town. They don't seem to give good service or even pay any attention to you. read more

Seriously amazing good and service. I highly recommend trying this loca hotspot out of you're ever in the area. read more

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

Great food, big portions, awesome bunny pancakes for kids, strong margaritas, and the best bloody Mary I ever had.

Well Kelly.. a beautiful woman indeed. Hospitable, a RAY of sunshine! AND THEN...,. There's Roxanne- seriously folks this establishment is where your weary bones should belly up too! And I haven't even had my breakfast here hint hint huevos rancheros. Well these folks DO NOT skimp! They feed you well. TIP GENEROUSLY! Cheers from the twin cities gal read more

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

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It was kind of a bummer that we never actually got to eat any food here. We came in around 9am, put our names on the list and noticed there were a few seats open at the counter. I stood near the front waiting to be acknowledged so I could ask if the counter was open seating. Multiple employees looked at me and immediately looked away, two even came within a couple feet of me and wouldn't even give me the time of day after I tried to get their attention by saying "excuse me" a couple of times. After being ignored for 5 minutes we decided to just leave and try elsewhere. It takes nearly zero effort to say "Hello. Someone will be right with you" when people walk into a restaurant. I will never understand. ‍ read more

What a find! This place is a gem. The servers are incredibly friendly and kind. The food was fantastic- huevos and the scrambled omelets were delicious. Mimosas by the pitcher?! Yes please. Homey feel and welcoming space. Our group of 16 was well taken care of. We can't wait to go back. read more

Mediocre, overpriced food. Terrible and slow service. Had to get the waitress' attention to even order. Then we waited an hour for an incomplete order. Waitress added a tip to the check without even informing us. One star for the food being nominally better than what the Donner Party had to eat. read more

Amazing food and service . A friend recommended and we loved it !! The gravy is amazing. Will be back for sure .

We were in Tahoe for the weekend for snowboarding and stopped by here on the way out to meet up with my fiancé's cousin, who used to live in Truckee. He recommended this spot and it did not disappoint. The guys ordered the cowboy breakfast and I got the avocado and mushroom omelette with sausage. First of all, the portions are huuuge and everything was delicious. This place is like a mom and pop, and the service was great too. The coffee refills kept coming, which I appreciated. Will definitely be back the next time I'm in town. read more

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

Stopped by while catching views of Donner Lake. It's a seat yourself style place. Service was good. Staff was friendly. The food was amazing. We all really enjoyed our meals. The decor was rustic cabin feel. If you are looking for breakfast or brunch in the area, look no further. read more

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Food was fantastic. Services was quick and food was a plateful. Clean inside and very well priced.

We had the taco salad, quevos rancheros, pancakes and french toast. Every dish was great. Service was great and even with the holiday rush our food once ordered came out promptly. The place is very cozy and a perfect Truckee locals spot. read more