We ordered different steaks and they were all good. Lucky we came on a Sunday afternoon when it wasn't busy. Food came quickly, our server was attentive, and we got to sing happy birthday. I am very surprised it wasn't busy. The lemon drop was strong. read more

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Even though there was plenty of room for us to sit inside during the entire time we were there, they still forced our party of 12 to sit outside. We had small children with us and couldn't simply change plans and go somewhere else. The service was terrible from start to finish, and we genuinely felt unwelcome the entire time. Staff attitude was dismissive, and there was no effort made to accommodate us or make the experience enjoyable. On top of that, the menu is extremely overpriced for the quality and service provided. The food and overall experience were absolutely not worth the money we spent. Very disappointing experience overall. We will definitely not be coming back and would not recommend this place to others. read more

the water tasted like like average sink tap water you swish in ur mouth when ur brush ur teeth lemonade was good, the service was great! the ocean on the left side is nice ambiance, also something was in our lemonade, i think...i swear thats a healthcode violation. one of the waiters were on their phone. my order was macaroni, it's literally craft mac n' cheese. im lowke not recommending this unless youre really hungry and you like lake view ambience. if i could 0.1 stars craft mac and cheese was good tho. roots in my friend's mom food. again healthcode violation my friend's dad's steak is factory grown. the fries look like freezer fries 1 star. PS: i had to edit this review at least 5 times because there were updates on the food read more

My husband's family started investing in Fawnskin properties in 1957 when life was simple and real estate values were inexpensive! Should have invested on the lake, but his grandmother was too modest! We have seen the restaurant industry change dramatically since we built our home on 1980! We used to dock our classic Hallett ski boat at Tail of the Whale during the 80's and 90's. We would eat at the Blue Whale over the years! Met Dr. Jerry Lemke when he had retired as a full time minister, and was helping Emily build her business at Evergreen Restaurant overlooking the lake! MIL and I dined there dozens of times before she could no longer stay on the high mountain altitude! At some point, Dr. Jerry Lemke totally remodeled the Blue Whale and the Tail of the Whale! The Pines Lakefront Restaurant is the classiest restaurant in Big Bear Lake! Magnificent views of the lake, North Shore, mountains, Pine Knot area boat harbors! My husband and I live in Rancho Mirage six months a year, after living here for part time since 1980 and full time since 2008. We are now six months in the desert and six months here!' I think the Pines Restaurant is the classiest, most scenic restaurant in Big Bear! Of course, I love the Rojas family if Sonora Cantina and the workers at Oakside, but, quite honestly, Redean and Jerry have a gold mine! Way better than the high end restaurants in wealthy Rancho Mirage with no spectacular lakefront views like the Pines Restaurant! High end meats! Tony is the greatest server whom I have known since the 80's when he worked at La Montana! Jerry and his wife are beautiful people, very sincere and caring! In all my years as one of the highest honored teachers, counselors and school administrators in my forty years in Los Angeles County, I try to recognize hard working, sincerely grateful people who are making communities like Big Bear Lake, successful! I really need to post photos of the interior of this restaurant, as well as, photos of the boaters, kayakers, one can view while dining at this magnificent restaurant! I am loyal to a couple other restaurants, but there is no comparison to this five star restaurant in Big Bear Lake! I just wished the powers to be in Big Bear Lake realized how important it is that we support high end businesses like the Pines Lakefront Restaurant! We need to bring in higher end diners, not fast food diners, nor chain restaurants that are not helping the economy! A highly educated, nine year college educated woman who spent a year studying my junior year at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark in 1967-68, then five more years studying statistics, Administrative Studies, becoming very involved in the Moderate Democratic Party before it became Woke,I just want to recognize the greatest business owners who are trying to rebuild our Big Bear Community! Greatest menu! Highest quality meats! Great vegetarian menu! Greatest cocktail selection! The classiest restaurant with the greatest panoramic view in Big Bear Lake! As.a highly honored, respected educator in California, married to the great grandson of the modest Farmer's Insurance Pope family of Talbert/ Fountain Valley and the modest Rozelle Compton NFL family, we are just trying to help Big Bear Businesses be successful! We will fight for the Pines Lakefront! My husband is a descendant of two powerful families in California, and I an icon in education! We are a team trying to make sure Big Bear continues to be one of the greatest communities in California! Again, we will support the Pines Lakefront forever! Please dine at this must magnificent, classiest restaurant! Better than any restaurant in Rancho Mirage which is a very wealthy city where we live six months a year! Just magnificent watching eagles fly nearby! read more

The Pines Lakefront - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Avoid booking ANYTHING here or read all the reviews before risking it! I booked this restaurant for my niece's rehearsal lunch solely because of its location, despite previous dining experiences being consistently subpar. Months after paying a deposit, I was told my reservation wasn't in their records and that the agreed-upon lunch options were unavailable. Complete bait and switch. When we canceled over month in advance the owner promised a refund but never provided it. After weeks of ignored messages, we were told by his very rude wife the deposit would not be refunded. Poor service, poor communication, and poor business practices. read more

When you read bad reviews about the service here... you should believe them. We still gave a decent tip but it would be nice if the server didn't just toss the napkins / utensil on the table. Kind of seems like he didn't want to be there. Big bear was super rainy the day we went so it was only our table and one other table there at around 12:30pm on a Sunday. We ordered crab cakes, sauted mushrooms, chicken Marsala, and clam linguine. The chicken Marsala and the crab cakes come with the option of baked potato or mashed potato. Overall, the food was okay for me. Not particularly my favorite because all the sauces felt so heavy. The bill came out to be around $120 which is not the worst. We wanted to eat here for the lakefront view but terrible idea (due to rain). Not sure if I would return back here but it's a good one and done. read more

The Pines Lakefront - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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I recommend that everyone avoid this restaurant like the plague. We were in Big Bear looking for a diner spot and the menu sounded exciting with game meat entrees. We made reservations (really not required) and when we arrived on a Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM the place was empty. We debated entering at all but decided we would give it a shot. What a mistake that was. Service staff was OK, but not great. Atmosphere was OK since it was outside looking at the lake. The food was the worst I have ever had! Appetizers were fried shrimp and bacon wrapped scallops. You got 4 shrimp for $24 and they tasted like it was frozen from a box you get at the supermarket. Not worth the price The 4 scallops were battered and fried for $29. Worst bacon wrapped scallops I have ever had. I guess to get the bacon done, the scallop had to suffer since it was so overdone it was rubber. Chef does not have a clue how to cook scallops properly. My wife and I ordered the beef wellington special for two @ $95. We asked for mid rare. Worst welly I have ever had. The pastry was gooey, there was minimal duxelles and the filet was well-done. I am used to wellies being round. This one was flat. Obviously the chef had no idea what he was doing or how to cook to mid rare. My daughter in law had the prime rib. She also asked for mid rare and received a well-done piece of meat. My son ordered the game meat special for $95. It had venison, elk, duck and wild boar. The venison was OK but gamier than we typically get. The duck and elk were the best out of the 4 items. The wild boar was inedible due to it being SOOO gamey. Not a very good preparation and the portion of each was small. The best part of the meal was the garlic mashed potatoes. I have no idea how this place stays open, but do yourself a favor and avoid at all cost. Any fast-food restaurant would have been a better dinner. read more

The best steak I've ever had -- no exaggeration. It was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes were easily some of the best I've ever tried too -- super creamy and delicious. We also ordered the pesto ravioli, which was fresh, flavorful, and a great addition to the meal. The view was beautiful and made the whole experience feel extra special, and the atmosphere was really nice and relaxing. On top of that, everyone working there was genuinely kind and welcoming, which you don't always find. Overall, an amazing experience from the food to the service to the ambiance. Definitely worth it, and I'll absolutely be coming back. read more

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Nice restaurant, with a beautiful view of the lake. Attentive service. Food was really good, large portions. Great location for a celebration or to treat yourself just because. Only complaint is we were not offered rolls. read more

The Pines Lakefront - Salmon (L), prime rib (C), lamb (R) - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

This is one of the best steaks that I have had in a long time. It was cooked to perfection & the staff was really friendly they made you feel right at home read more

The Pines Lakefront - New York strip steak - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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The French onion soup was delicious! We shared the beef Wellington. Amazing flavor and super tender! The service was excellent. Very attentive and friendly. We enjoyed the sunset over the lake from our table! Spectacular! read more

The Pines Lakefront - The sunset view from our table! - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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They need a new Host. The host is an elderly lady with white hair--probably the owner. She is not kind, abrasive, and seems a little lost. When my elderly mother and I entered the restaurant we asked that our reservation change from three people to two, she said, "As long as you're willing to wait." No question just a statement. My mom has a bad knee so she had to sit down. When the host signal that our table was ready, I told her that we might be a minute because of my mom's bad knee to which she hollered, "C'monn" like calling a dog to follow. She showed us to our table with no menus and no mention of a server--just a blank stare. When my mom asked her where the bathroom was, she just simply pointed and said, "There." 10 mins in, no server to greet us. The ones that do look like servers seem stressed, in a hurry with no smiles--possibly overworked. Our server finally greeted us still no smile and we ordered our entrées. My mom got the trout and baked potato. I got the prime rib, medium rare, but more on the rare side. Presentation and plating left something to be desired. The prime rib was plopped on top of the steamed veggies, which was very awkward to cut slices. I had to move the meat off the veggies but there was no more room on the plate. The prime rib was super chewy and almost inedible. I had to spit out a few pieces that I couldn't get down. The pieces that I could chew made my jaw sore, but I was determined to finish because I didn't want to take it home. The view of the lake is spectacular so it's very sad that I won't be coming back to this restaurant due to the lack of hospitality from the host and poor service. The stars of the evening, were the busers and the expos. They were very attentive kind and even greeted us as we were leaving. Maybe they should be the ones serving tables. The only time the Host smiled was after I signed her petition against the city wanting to take down the restaurant and build a city park or so she said. Even though I didn't like how she treated us, I wouldn't want more development than there already. I do not recommend this place as long as the current Host is still there greeting people. PS - I know bugs are everywhere in the mountains but not exactly sure where all these bugs came from in the middle of our dinner... from under our plates or from the server check book but they all of a sudden appeared sometime in-between the plates being cleared or the checkbook being laid down. read more

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Called to inquire about making a reservation and spoke to a horrible woman who was just very rude. Found out she's one of the owners. Not welcoming at all. The host acted like he was under the influence as I couldn't understand him. I was seated right away but it was over 20 minutes before the server came to ask me what I wanted to drink. I ordered an ice tea, again waited for it to arrive. The server finally came with the tea and I ordered the prime rib, they were out, server said he sold the last cut to the loud table behind me. Suggested I get the rib eye, I asked how big the cut was and the server said 10-12 ounces, he was incorrect. It was closer to 8. I also ordered the house salad, nicely prepared although with a strange looking vegetable (could be a sliced radish?). Raspberry vinaigrette dressing was too sweet. Waited a long time for a refill of my ice tea, (served in a 7 oz glass!) Flagged him down, disappeared quite a few times, waited again. Entree took over 40 minutes to arrive, tiny baked potato, 2 carrot slices and a bite sized broccoli stalk. Meat was very tough to cut and chew. Ran out of tea again, took over 15 minutes for a refill (restaurant had only 3 occupied tables!) I suggested he bring me a pitcher - was told he couldn't. I ordered a Crème Brûlée for dessert, in the meantime the server brought me my check while waiting for the dessert! Traumatized when I saw a $9.00 charge for the ice tea, should've demanded a pitcher! Crème Brûlée arrived, a small portion and devoid of any flavor. A waste! This restaurant, a bit hard to find off the beaten path, uninterested staff, slow and sloppy service and nine bucks for ice tea! Not worth the trouble, best to find another restaurant that appreciates your business as this one certainly doesn't! read more

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My husband and I wanted to try somewhere we hadn't eaten before so we came here for our valentines date. Service is 10/10. We were checked on frequently and never went without a refill. Never even had to ask for one! The sautéed mushrooms on the appetizer menu was also 10/10. Really loved the sauce they were made in. I got ravioli and my husband got chicken pasta. Both came with pesto. Pesto was not good. Bland, and too oily. No flavor at all. I had to actually put a little bit of the mushroom appetizer in my dish to make it taste better. We both ordered coffee which was obviously old coffee that had been microwaved. Probably wouldn't come back as the food quality just wasn't worth the prices here. But if you're from out of town- you really can't beat the stunning view and the ambience here. read more

Came here for lunch and there was hardly any people in the restaurant. Walked in with my service dog and was confronted by two employees that made me show them my ADA card. So I did and I got let in onto the back patio. Tony was our server and never smiled one time. Just rushed away every time he answered our questions or served our food and drinks. I had the smoked chicken breast sandwich on brioche bun with a side of coleslaw and the bun was nice and buttery and soft and the chicken was very flavorful. Coleslaw was tasty as well. Just the right amount of vinegar and sugar. The views are beautiful. Then I decided to use the restroom before we left and was literally followed in by a crabby, older lady with white hair. She proceeded to say " I didn't see you come in to the restaurant" I said "well I did" lol. She had her little pen in her hand like she was about to write me a citation because I had my service dog with me. Then she proceeds to follow me out to my seat on the patio and looked at my dog's vest and said she has to be on the floor. Just an overall creepy vibe I got from her and another older gentleman. Not a fun experience, will not be coming back. read more

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Beautiful location with view of the lake! Excellent service and the food was great! Enjoyed the evening and the music was wonderful!!

The food was great, as was the scenery. I was a little skeptical because the place was almost empty, except for one other couple who were there before us and one couple after. We assumed this was because it was a Sunday, but the lake view during the sunset was beautiful, the server was friendly and attentive, and, again, the meal was delicious. Since we were celebrating our anniversary, I told my husband I would pretend he had rented the place out for us. read more

We can't say enough about this restaurant - the food is so fresh and delicious, you can't beat the view (on the lake!) the wait staff is attentive and the owner Jerry is so welcoming and friendly. We love this place and will be back! read more

We went there for Valentines Day. Thanks to sweet hosts, they are able to allow us to dine there. We didn't know about we needed to reserve the seatings but lucky we were able to be sit down. The hosts are soooooo sweet. My husband had the prime ribs. His favorite kind of meat. He loves it. I had New York steak. It's good but not wow-factor because too much fat. But but it was kind huge steak. Taking it as our leftover. We loved those sauté mushrooms. Then we decided to have coffee with Irish.. so damn good. Do we recommend? Yes we do! When we left, we had to hug that sweet hostess because she is soo sweetheart. read more

Wonderful wild game menu with a beautiful view! The service was excellent. Very attentive staff with food being served hot and very fresh. Thank you for your very professional service!! read more

The Pines Lakefront - Big Bear Lake - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We came to the Pines because in the past, I had visited their tavern facility and so enjoyed dining right up against the water. Unfortunately, the tavern was closed and it seems it won't be opened again ever, just used for group events, how very sad! We sat on the back patio to try to get the best view of the water since the building is somewhat away from it, compared to the tavern facility. The food was good, fairly standard and nothing outstanding to note. What was noteworthy was the odd service we received. We had a service dog and were confronted by two employees upon entrance and requested to see the dog's documentation, this has never happened before anywhere in Big Bear. During the meal, our server never smiled once and seemed quite curt with us, getting away from our table as fast as possible. Just not a friendly interaction. And to top it off, when my friend with the service dog went to the bathroom, she was followed into the bathroom by an older woman, and then followed back to our table outside by that same woman. When the older woman, arrived at our table, she looked at the dog, seeing the service vest and said that's what she was looking for, which seems strange as she already saw it in the bathroom, and then the demanded the dog to be placed on the patio floor instead of in my friend's lap, as it had been the whole meal. This all felt very unwelcoming and made us realize that we shouldn't waste our time in Big Bear a place like this when there are so many amazing restaurants to enjoy. We won't be back... read more

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Passing through, searched on lake side restaurant, found The Pines. The place is worn in a retro sort of way with outdoor seating and an ok view of the lake. I am going to guess this is the most expensive restaurant in town. For lunch they have a $29 burger (!) must be good. My wife ordered gluten free pasta as listed on the menu, and they upcharged us $20 !. So a simple pasta dish was $45. My wife was so embarrassed she paid and didn't tell me until we were gone. I find this kind of uncharge without mentioning it totally unacceptable, had I not been down the road I would have argued it, but guess I'll have to settle for warning others and never returning. read more

We traveled here from Nevada to get away from the 119° Heatwave and enjoy the 4th of July festivities. We have never been to Big Bear Lake, and this is the first time we have tried The Pines Lakefront. Reading the reviews, it seems like it's been a hit or miss. Well, tonight, it's a hit! Driving in, they have a secured parking area just for patrons of the restaurant and a great view of the fireworks. We were graciously greeted by the hostess as we entered the restaurant, and she was super sweet! We were seated by a gentleman in a nice black suit and were seated right in front of the singer, who was awesome as well! Our server, Stephanie, was a sweetheart as well, and took care of our needs. Because tonight was the 4th of July, they had a special buffet menu, and the courtyard faces the lake for the fireworks display. The menu consisted of Caesars salad, steamed vegetables, pasta, baked chicken, baked fish, BBQ ribs, mashed potatoes, and prime rib. Everything was pretty good, and my favorites were the Caesars salad and prime rib. I do wish that there were more dessert options because all they passed out were cupcakes. Maybe cupcakes with ice cream? Last, from our seated location, we could not see most of the the fireworks display due to the trees, so we took a very short walk out towards the lake and enjoyed the rest of the show! read more

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What a fabulous surprise. From the moment you walk in the door, the greeting party treats you like royalty. The decor suited its fabulous location on Big Bear Lake. There was also live music playing that added a great touch. My husband and I ordered the prime rib dinner and it was fabulous. Flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The price of our dinner was very reasonable as well. We will definitely come back again. read more

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Went for some after dinner drinks, dessert, and a nice view of the lake at sunset and were pleasantly surprised with some live music as well! Sit on the patio and enjoy! read more

The Pines Lakefront - Big bear lake at sunset - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Rating: (2.5 stars) Went to The Pines Lakefront in Big Bear thinking I was about to have a lakeside BBQ experience sent straight from the smoke gods. Instead, I got a full rack of St. Louis ribs that tasted like they clocked in for a double shift under a heat lamp. Dry, tired, and definitely questioning their life choices--just like me halfway through the plate. To be fair, everyone else at the table was vibing with their food like it was a Michelin-star meal, so maybe I just drew the short end of the rib bone. Service was actually on point--friendly, attentive, no complaints there. I'll chalk it up as an isolated meat tragedy. Might give it another shot... just not ordering anything that rhymes with "fib." read more

Good food and prices. Loved the view as well. Service was okay. Great dinner location in big bear! read more

Unkind. Unwelcoming. Horrible Ownership. Stay away. My wife and I walked into The Pines on a Saturday around 2pm with our two small kids. The restaurant was mostly empty--easily less than 20% of the tables were occupied--but the host (owner) flat-out refused to seat us, claiming they were "fully booked." Disappointed, we left and headed back to our car. Something didn't sit right, so my wife called the restaurant to ask for a table for us just 15 minutes later. The same host took her name and made the reservation, saying, "See you soon." I immediately walked back inside and told the host that we were the people who had just called and made the reservation. She first denied it and said they didn't have a table for us. I explained that my wife had literally just spoken to her and that she had just made the reservation. Only then did she realize she'd been caught. I told her, respectfully, that we did not appreciate being lied to and that we would never patronize their restaurant again. I also said we would share our experience with friends and neighbors in Big Bear. Her response? She said she would "do the same about us." Unbelievable behavior. Snooty, dishonest, and incredibly unwelcoming--especially to families. Especially disappointing given we've eaten there before, and while the hostess (owner) has always been awful, we've always liked the wait staff - we hope they find a better establishment to work for. Plenty of better places in Big Bear that actually value customers. read more

Great service and views of the lake! Food was good too! Please keep them in business because the city is trying to close them down to make their lot a park. They have plenty of parks read more

The older white lady that either works there or at least acts like she owns it, harassed me and my partner for parking IN A PARKING we paid 50$ per person !! Told us we had to leave even though we paid . Said we cannot eat there and the gate people are new so we have to leave . I told her we wouldn't eat so she can shut up and leave us alone . My husband was very upset as it ruined our 4th of July parking we paid for . She said the parking is limited and people pay 120$ to eat at a buffet style restaurant near the water . I told her I was considering on making a reservation until she approached us in an angry manner even after paying . It wasn't even 20 mins and she came at us twice !! read more

The Pines Lakefront - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Took my wife to Big Bear for Mother's Day, which included lunch at The Pines Lakefront. We were greeted wonderfully by Midean and Dr. Jerry. We were seated almost immediately with a reservation. Our pre meal refreshments included wine that was introduced to us by Jake. Jake provided an expertise on wine that we were not familiar with but greatly appreciated. I had the full rack of St. Louis Smoked Ribs which met all expectations. My wife being undecided, but after some encouragement, ordered the New Zealand Lamb chops and the Ribeye steak. Remnants of which we later carried home for future dining pleasure. Thank you Dr. Jerry, Midean, Jake and the chefs for providing my wife added dining enjoyment for a Mother's Day spent in Big Bear. read more

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Chose the Pines Lakefront to celebrate both my wife's 50th & daughter's 21st birthday's, both wearing glittering tiara's! Our group of 8 was greeted by a somewhat elderly woman with cold and bitterness! When my wife happily stated, "we're here for our birthday's!" she didn't even acknowledged and turned and walked to check on our table. That set the pace for what was to be a mistake in choosing this place. The wait staff was horrible, a bug in one of our drinks, no offering of bread or starters, etc. Food was just ok. Think twice before choosing the Pines Lakefront! read more

Very bad so rude and expensive for nothing Don't go there it is not Worth it , there are very good Resturants in big bear don't go to PINE read more

Before you go here, watch "The Shining". Then, listen to "Hotel California" when you pull up to this place. If you ever do a film that needs an old lady serial killer that stuffs people in a hole behind the restaurant, PLUS a creepy place to film it...look no further. Location and casting solved. My partner and I pulled up into the parking lot....and at first, thought they were closed because there was no one in the parking lot at the beginning of dinnertime. I sat in front in our truck and she went in to see what the skinny was. When she came out, she looked a little frazzled (which is very odd for her), but told me we could go in because it seemed like an older couple ran the place. OK, sounds good. Full stop.....screen blackout. Queue "Hotel California". We were greeted by an older gentleman and woman. His name is Jerry. Jerry is well dressed (however in a suit that is 5X bigger than him), very polite, and a great host. If it wasn't for our next character I am about to describe, this place would be "On Golden Pond" and not "The Shining". However our next character is not Katherine Hepburn. It's ....well....it's .... creepy. We next came face to face with "the woman" mentioned in all these reviews. She plays different characters in the rest of my review. White hair, bespectacled, in a purple outfit matching Jerry's purple tie. White hair and styled of Janet Leigh straight out of "Psycho". I think all the bad reviews of her might just make people go just to see the creepy vibe. From the moment she sat us at our table (we were the only people there), she began visually stalking us. Mind you, we are a WELL behaved older couple. We did not have any children or dogs with us....thank god. We are very polite, kind, and quiet. However, we were absolutely scolded by this woman at every turn. It was nothing less than being in a second grade classroom with a creepy old lady teacher. Except.....you are paying $90 for it. My wife tried to open the blind to let some sun in and she was immediately reprimanded...and I mean reprimanded like a child by Frau Blucher (queue Horses). I thought we were going to get kicked out because of this. Then, there was a cool guy playing guitar. It was not time for him to play so I walked up and grabbed his ear a little and we chatted about our pasts that were quite similar in music. As we were talking...here comes Ms. Wuornos. She interrupts our conversation and yells at him to "Start Playing". I ran back to my table so as not to end up a potential landfill item. He began playing, announcing into the mic that he was going to now start early. Apparently he was NOT on the clock while he was talking to me. Then one of the waiters came in and began his shift. He came out and said hi to the guitar player. He was scolded by Eileen as well. My wife then asked if the Dodger game was on and if we could move more towards the bar to see the game. Annie Wilkes promptly barked at her that it was stool table seating and that wasn't allowed. My wife was now in fear of having the James Cann experience. We were now eating by the window. The entire time (and I mean entire time) we ate, Norman's mother (now alive and well) was watching the parking lot thru the glass at our table. So, basically watching us while we ate. When people parked and got out of their cars, if they didn't walk straight to the restaurant door, she would go out and accost them that they were not allowed to park there unless they ate. I believe more than one group was planning on going in, but they decided not to because of this initial "greeting" from Norman's Mom. It looks like the Tavern (which is a separate building) is closed. Not sure if seasonal or permanently. But no way I would go in. You may not come out. In summary, (1) I will never go back. (2) The police need to start digging. (3) If you do go.....remember, "You can check out anytime you like, but".....well, you know. Happy eats! read more

We visited The Pines Lakefront after driving nearly 4 hours to Big Bear, hoping for a pleasant experience... and we didn't even get to eat because of something that should never happen at a restaurant: shockingly rude treatment from the very first moment we walked in. From the second we entered, the owner greeted us with an attitude that was arrogant, dismissive, elitist, and extremely condescending. We politely asked if they served breakfast and instead of simply answering with basic courtesy, her response was sarcastic and belittling. She told us, repeatedly, that "this is not a fast-food chain," and insisted several times that if we wanted breakfast we should go to McDonald's. She also made additional unnecessary comments that were clearly meant to make us uncomfortable, to the point where it felt like she was deliberately pushing us out. The worst part? There was absolutely no reason for this behavior. We were polite, respectful, and simply asked a question. The hostility was immediate, unprovoked, and completely unacceptable. It was humiliating, unpleasant, and incredibly disappointing. In the end we left, because no one should spend their money somewhere where respect does not exist. Restaurants survive because of their customers, and when someone treats people this way, it eventually shows. Absolutely NOT recommended. There are many places in Big Bear that actually understand hospitality, kindness, and basic human decency. This is definitely not one of them. read more

The Pines Lakefront - Entrance - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

The pines lakefront was a neat experience, we went later in the afternoon got sat quickly. The service was amazing, our waiter was very attentive and fast. Our food was delicious we couldn't stop eating! The atmosphere was super sophisticated, laid-back. read more

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We ordered the chicken Marsala moist and full of flavor , filet mignon with peppercorn sauce flavorful, melts in your mouth, lobster was so good too, bacon wrapped scallops for appetizer was amazing . apple strudel with vanilla ice cream was good . Lemon martini was so good . Service was so fast and friendly . The owner Dr Jerry and his wife were present and was talking to us too. Ambiance is very romantic, overlooking the lake and the horizon. There's a live singer too.. highly recommended . Please help sign the petition to keep them from losing their space . Will definitely comeback here read more

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Food was really bad and the place looks so run down and dirty. I can't believe they haven't been shut down by then health department. To boot, the owner was so rude. We will never go back, So awful! read more

Came up the mountain with our three year old girl. Was planning on checking out this restraunt. There's a few parking spots behind the restraunt facing the house across the way. Near those houses across the street there's a big open wood area that was covered with snow. We were trying to take our daughter out the car to show her the snow and let her play for a moment. Was a pretty empty area other than some houses and people outside clearing there driveways. A worker from this restraunt (older white woman), I believe to be the owner walked out from the back entrance and started telling us we couldn't use the snow and that it was her property. She started with "what are you guys doing planning on sledding ?" We expressed oh we have a little girl in the car we just want to see if we can get her to play a few minutes. Her response was "not here you're not this is my property". My jaw dropped because I thought she was just a bitter homeowner from up the road and not an owner of a fine dining establishment. Since we were intending to use the snow across the street that lead into the woods and some cabins, we asked her very kindly where her property began and ended. She said all of it. All of it's mine . She threw out a few more rude comments along the lines of it would've been nice if we came and asked. Again, many other properties in the area we wouldn't have even knew who to ask! She rolled her eyes after that comment and then walked back towards the restraunt. If this lady or manager is any representation of their service I would never eat here in my life. Edit : Read some other reviews. Sounds like the owner of this establishment is very poorly trained in customer service and basic human decency. Couldn't pay me to eat here ever in my life. Much better choices around with much less moody staff. read more

The moment we entered the door we were greeted by the kindest owner and host. The whole staff was more than accommodating from start to finish. It was so beautiful getting to sit by the window with the lake front view while being inside of a cozy and classic steakhouse environment. The presentation and taste on all of the food we ordered was absolutely incredible. We ordered the bacon wrap scallops and two specials which was the trout and the Oso Buco read more

The Pines Lakefront - Bacon wrapped scallops - American Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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