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    River Grill

    4.0 (401 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    River Grill Photos

    RIVER GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Live music
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - River Grill

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    Randy B.

    I'm gonna have a difficult time with this review. I had a good/not-good first experience for dinner here. I will be fair and start with the good. All four of us loved the taste of our entrees and of the appetizers. Our server (Jigga) was excellent and attentive. The atmosphere was nice with a great view of the Truckee River, just 20 feet away from our window table. The bathrooms were clean. On the flip side, we were greeted rather rudely upon walking in. We arrived early especially to grab a drink and relax during happy hour. There were four of us and 2 bar stools, so we sat at one of the three empty high-tops next to the bar. The bartender told us we couldn't sit there and that we had to order drinks standing at the bar and then cash out before being seated for dinner. Our table in the dining room was waiting, but we still had to pay for drinks at the bar before being seated. It was very confusing the way things were handled, especially considering this restaurant is rated $$$ on Yelp. Long story short, we stood at the bar until our tab was settled. Then we noticed that we were not charged the happy hour pricing (we still had another 20 minutes). We brought it up with the bartender and she said, "you have to ask for the happy hour menu if you want happy hour prices." So immediately we felt unwelcome and as if we were being treated like "one-visit tourists". She didn't even offer to change our tab to reflect the happy-hour pricing. Unfortunately the bar confusion left a sour taste over much of the entire dinner, which otherwise would have been a fairly decent night out. Three-stars for the happy hour experience , and 4 stars for the restaurant.

    Casey K.

    River Grill overlooks the Truckee River and is close to the Lake Tahoe Dam. We made a reservation for a Wednesday evening. When we arrived, we were sat inside next to a window with the river view. The staff was very welcoming and attentive throughout our entire visit.  The menu features a great mix of starters, soups and salads and mains including seafood and steaks. We ordered the summer white corn chowder and the Alaskan Halibut, which they are known for. We did a split plate for the Halibut, which was $8 more for the entree and totally with it! It was a perfect amount of food for two people and came with potatoes and asparagus in addition to the Alaskan Halibut. Both the chowder and Alaskan Halibut were delicious! I enjoyed my experience and meal and will be back to visit when in the area in the future!

    Adam S.

    This place is a solid. Good food, good service. My salad had pears and candied pecans. Loved the taste, it all blended together perfectly. The Alaskan Halibut is the signature dish. The fish was a bit dry, but the lemon sauce made up for that. We topped it off with a bottle of Malbec. Altogether, a good meal. The menu had some good choices, the short ribs and pork chop looked very good. One of my friends had the short ribs and enjoyed them. The waiter was a bit of a cut-up. He had a young daughter with him, about 4 years old. The waiter told us his wife was at the bar. Then, little Ruth said "drinking water". Quiet place, good for a date night or a good meal with friends. Recommended.

    The location was great, we stopped here only for desert after eating dinner at another location whose desserts did not look like they compared. The service was amazing, our server was very attentive even though we only got desserts and he was kind enough to add extra extra strawberries after I mentioned that I was bummed out they didn't have their shortcake. We were seated immediately since they had seats available at the bar and it was right at the window overlooking the beautiful river. We were bummed we didn't eat their, there desserts were so good we could only imagine how good the food was. My husband is not a sweets person and he ended up ordering his own and loved every bite of it.

    Seared Tuna
    Mak C.

    What a great meal tonight. Can't speak for all the dishes but the Seared Ahi was tender and cooked perfectly. But the short ribs with scalloped potatoes stole the show. Short ribs were perfectly seasoned and grilled. The Bordelaise sauce a perfect compliment. Honestly, the scalloped potatoes were the best I've had in my life. A bit tangy sauce and potatoes not overcooked or undercooked. Will be back but not soon enough.

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    3 months ago

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    8 days ago

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    1 month ago

    While the food was good, the service could not have been worse and the management was completely not worried about it.

    Business owner information

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    River G.

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    3 months ago

    I was seated fast and serves was perfect they even gave us a free ice cream steak was perpectly cooked defenely going to go back

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    4 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Had a great dinner here. The atmosphere was cozy and nice, and our table was next got the fire place and holiday decor. Food was great too!

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 months ago

    Had wonderful food and the outdoor patio is so cute to sit outside in the summertime!

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Yummy green beans. Bar service was lovely and attentive. Live music was fine, but I'm picky.

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food and service . Tooks us same day big party . Everyone was super nice food Great. Will be back

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    1 year ago

    Excellent service, pretty very Tahoe, my new favorite place for dinner and drinks. My alfredo was okay but the ahi looked amazing.

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food and great service. The view of the Truckee makes for a terrific setting.

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    2 years ago

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - River Grill

    R reservations required?

    Yes, they are required - except for Happy Hour.

    New to Tahoe can't decide between Jake and Christy Hill. Any recommendations?

    Christy hill by far. Far better food great view. Go around 7 for dinner so you catch sunset Might be a little more $$$ but well worth it

    View All 4 Questions

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    Sierra Surf Club

    4.1
    (82 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    After a long day of skiing, we were absolutely starving, so our instructor recommended this…read morerestaurant in Tahoe. She did mention she might be a bit biased since she works in the kitchen, but she was completely right: the food was outstanding. We ordered two burgers, a salad, and an appetizer to share among four people. The portions were very generous and incredibly satisfying. We usually prefer to restaurant-hop and have dessert somewhere else, but the meal was so good that we decided to stay and try dessert as well. While it wasn't quite as impressive as the rest of the food, it was still enjoyable and ended up being the perfect choice since it wasn't overly heavy after such a filling meal. A special mention goes to our waitress, Erin, who was excellent. She was attentive, efficient, and incredibly on top of everything. I always appreciate when a server checks in at the right moment to ask whether you'd like the bill or want to order anything else, and Erin handled everything seamlessly. She got us in and out quickly without ever making us feel rushed.

    Unbeatable location across from the lake in Tahoe City. Live music on a Monday at lunch time on MDW…read morewas fun. The place has a nice vibe and a big bar. The menu was an array of apps like Bao buns, guac and chips to birria beef rangoon, entree salads and burgers including a mushroom burger. They were a bit understaffed - one bartender and one server. Neither super friendly or forward with info - we had no clue on the flow or what and where to go. We figured it out, but clearly a bit of an issue. We ordered at the bar, but from a server, and then sat outside. The poke bowl, while a tad bland was hearty, filling and solid. The deep fried onions on top were a really nice touch, although I did feel like it was over the top salty - I ended up drinking like a gallon of water when I got home. The Bloody Mary was really good... so props on that drink, with a blue cheese olive and all. Overall, such a solid spot. Well designed, hip and a solid menu. I'd come again if I was in the 'hood. * bonus for some limited parking in the back lot.

    Photos
    Inside Lounge
    Inside Lounge
    Ribs- so good.
    Ribs- so good.
    Lettuce wraps/ only thing I'd skip. The texture of the mushroom with the ice berg did not go well at all too mushy.

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    Lettuce wraps/ only thing I'd skip. The texture of the mushroom with the ice berg did not go well at all too mushy.
    Shadyside Lounge

    Shadyside Lounge

    4.5
    (135 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    We've been wanting to try this place out for months and we're glad we finally did! The service was…read moregreat, the food was amazing, and the live music and lively atmosphere lent to the amazing experience we had. This place is busy for a reason and the wait is worth it. We came in as Walk-ins and despite the fact that there were 17 parties on the reservation list before us, we still were able to be seated and within 25 minutes. Our server Caroline was quick to get our orders in and as first time visitors, she made excellent suggestions to make our night unforgettable. To start, we had two drinks off the menu, the Whiskey Mango Foxtrot and the Spicy Cucumber Mar-tini. Both were excellent, and the marg-tini had an especially good japalepeno kick, which is what I was looking for. We're normally old fashion kind of drinkers but the Whiskey Mango Foxtrot had excellent flavor and was well balanced, with what tasted like a Tajin mango. The real star of the show was the food though. The server wasn't joking when she said the nachos are best shared with two people, and I even opted for the guacamole. The carnitas were buttery tender and the cheese sauce tasted gourmet and incredibly flavorful. I definitely recommend these! They were probably some of the best nachos I've had, and this is coming from someone that's lived in Santa Barbara for 5 years! Next up was the burrito bowl, and the first thing that comes to mind is: generous! We're used to spending $25 an entree in the city and still leaving the restaurant hungry, but not here. The chips were fresh and crispy and truly taste hand made. The birria beef was amazing and tender and flavorful, and the pickled onions and vinegar sauce was the chefs kiss on an altogether amazing dish. We're so glad to have finally made it over here! Bottom line, this restaurant is worth checking out if you're in the area. It's packed with locals every night, but don't let the long wait times dissuade you, they under-promise and over deliver. These are the best drinks and food with Mexican flare this side of the Sierras, and will become a staple during our visits to the area. If you appreciate good food, drinks, and an amazing mountain atmosphere, you owe it to yourself to put Shadyside Lounge on your short list of places to try, I know I did and the only regret I have is not coming here sooner!

    I think I just found the best casual dining spot on the West Shore, hands down. Shadyside serves…read moresome of the most craveable Mexican food I've had! Everything tasted fresh, well-seasoned, and thoughtfully put together. We ordered two encharitos, one with the beef birria and one with the chicken. Both were fantastic, but if you're deciding between the two, get the beef birria. The enchilada sauce is absolutely to die for, and the rich, tender beef put it over the top. The carnitas burrito was incredibleeeee. It was packed with the perfect ratio of carnitas, beans, rice, and all the fixings, so every bite had a little bit of everything. The carnitas were cooked perfectly. It was super tender with great flavor and seasoning. I'm already craving it again. We also started with the guacamole, which was fresh, chunky, and generously portioned. For drinks, we had the House Margarita, the Scratch Cadillac, and the Smoking Gun. The margaritas were refreshing and well-balanced, but a little light on the tequila. The Smoking Gun, on the other hand, had a great spirit-to-flavor ratio. It's definitely smoky (as the name suggests), so if you're a mezcal fan, you'll probably love it (like me!). Service was great. Our waitress was young, incredibly sweet, attentive, and happy to accommodate a few special requests. Just be prepared to wait. It's a small restaurant that's clearly popular, and for good reason. The atmosphere is cute and lively, though it does get pretty loud. That didn't bother me at all, but it's worth mentioning if you're looking for a quieter dinner.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Guac and chips and salsa
    Guac and chips and salsa
    Margarita

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    Margarita
    Three Sheets Brewing

    Three Sheets Brewing

    3.7
    (35 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Three Sheets Brewing Company - Great Service, Underwhelming Food…read more We visited Three Sheets Brewing Company hoping for a satisfying meal and some craft brews, but walked away feeling a bit underwhelmed -- with a few highlights and several misses. Food: The biggest disappointment was the hamburger, which we ordered medium-rare but received well-done. It was dry, overcooked, and lacked any real flavor -- honestly, we wouldn't order it again. The pulled pork sandwich had decent taste, though it was on the dry side and could've used more BBQ sauce to bring it to life. The shrimp were fine but forgettable. The seafood bisque was probably the best thing we had -- rich and creamy with a nice depth of flavor. The crab cakes had good seasoning but were a bit soggy on the outside. We also ordered fries, but they never made it to the table, which was frustrating. Drinks: We tried two of their house beers, and while drinkable, they were just average -- nothing that stood out or made us want to order a second round. Service: On the bright side, our waitress was very pleasant and attentive, doing her best despite the kitchen issues. Her friendly service helped soften the experience. Final Thoughts: While the vibe is relaxed and the service was great, the food execution and beer quality didn't quite deliver. There's potential here, but it needs more consistency -- and attention to detail -- to be worth a return visit.

    Nice restaurant overlooking Lake Tahoe. It's located on the docks of the Tahoe City Marina. We sat…read moreoutdoors to enjoy the view. Service was good. I ordered the three sheets deluxe salad and loved it. It was portioned well and tasty. I left filled and satisfied. I don't drink but obviously they are know for their house-brewed craft beer. They also have live music so it seems like a great spot to come with family or friends.

    Photos
    View from patio
    View from patio
    Bar area inside
    Bar area inside
    Mosaic

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    Mosaic
    Fat Cat Bar & Grill

    Fat Cat Bar & Grill

    3.9
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    We come here every time we are in the area, the food is always delicious!…read more Service is usually very good. Atmosphere is wonderful. Only negative - don't order the chocolate chip cookie, it is the driest and worst cookie ever.

    3.5 stars in my book…read more Our whole group of 15 stopped here for lunch after our Eagle Falls hike to grab something to eat. We were alĺ staving. Once arrived I was surprised how fast the staff our table ready. That was the good part. Service becomes slow afterwards due of lack of waitresses As the for the food my family and i ordered the following. Blackened Chicken Sandwich- My daughter said the chicken was moist and the sandwich as a whole was good. The side of fries that came with hard and dried. Seem to be old batch. Kids Chicken Tenders - My son said it was Just ok and same story with the side of fries. Crawdaddy Fries- My wife and I shared this. Fries were better in this one and had plenty of crawdaddy. The roasted red pepper aioli was a bit on the salter side. Farmhouse Lamb Burger- We also shared this. The lamb was cook nicely medium as requested. The lamb was fantastic and moist. Got a aside o freshf salad. Service was really so from taking our drink order and food orders, but our waitress was very nice and friendly. She was nice enough to spilt the bill 4 ways. Overall, Fat Cat Bar & Grill it's good lunch spot.

    Photos
    The full bar
    The full bar
    Crawdaddy Fries
    Crawdaddy Fries
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    Hazy Little Thing

    River Grill - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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