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Keys Cafe
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Cafes Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Cafes [Edit]
2279 Lake Tahoe BlvdSte 2
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 542-3800
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
91 reviews for Keys Cafe
Review Highlights
"The sweet potato sandwich is good and enormous."
(in 20 reviews)
"pumpkin chai smoothie = amazing."
(in 3 reviews)
"The pastrami reuben is delicious."
(in 5 reviews)
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91 reviews in English
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Review from Molly F.
Sacramento, CA
11/5/2011
Yum! Found this little hideaway on our first afternoon of a long weekend. Liked it so much we returned for lunch the next two days.
Big portions, friendly service, delicious healthy food. The sweet potato sandwich is not to be missed!! Asian chicken salad, pumpkin chai bread, and fruit covered waffles were also really yummy.
Wish we lived closer!! -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Saratoga, CA
I stopped by here with a few friends as they had heard of the high ratings from Yelp. Little did I know how interesting and eclectic-seeming it was.
It's a very small, cozy little cabin-looking cafe. They sell a lot of different types of teas and drinks such as spiced hot chocolate (which was pretty good, though I wish it was a little more spiced) and such.
They had a sweet potato sandwich-- interesting! But I wasn't really that intrigued by it. I think it was just something I wasn't in the mood for.
I was actually really offset by the high prices of the food there. I'm used to cheap sandwiches, maybe $7, not $10.
Eh... I won't let that affect my rating though. Ahhahaha. Very hole in the wall, cozy, nice place to relax albeit kinda cramped inside. -
Review from Christopher L.
Davis, CA
12/30/2011
A great find on my recent trip to Lake Tahoe, Keys Cafe made up a good chunk of my breakfasts and lunches.
Their specials are tasty - on one occasion, a French dip sandwich was paired nicely with the coq au vin, the dark sauce used for dipping the crunchy panini-pressed sandwich filled with beef and complementing ingredients. My girlfriend's sweet potato sandwich was more of a refreshing choice with its light balsamic vinegar flavor. On another visit, the breakfast burrito was more disappointing as the flavor was just not as impressive as I had expected. The breakfast was forgiven after we devoured the acai bowl made up of a smoothie concoction of acai, blueberries, and other fruits, topped with banana slices and their addicting house granola. Stopped by once more to get the pastrami reuben, which turned out to be the best sandwich I've tried at Keys; several thin slices of juicy pastrami in panini-pressed rye toast. Yummy! The meal complete with a delicious Green Dragon smoothie (green tea chai, spirulina, bananas, etc.). Did I mention they have pretty good coffee too?
Good people serving humbly delicious food in a cute cabin cafe. I will be returning! -
Review from Erin H.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by on the way to Emerald Bay on Christmas Eve. It's tucked in the back of a parking lot... better to look for Fasta Pasta's sign and go a tiny bit south/west.
We ordered:
- Grilled cheese - super cheesy and delicious. Not sure if I've ever had grilled cheese with mozzarella fresca, but it was pretty amazing. Though, not great for us lactose intolerant types ;)
- Broccoli and cheddar soup - Got the bowl, big portions. Comes with two triangles of buttered wheat toast. A bit too rich for me... and a little salty. Will probably skip this next time.
- Strawberry/banana smoothie - delicious, smooth, want more!
I'll definitely come back next time. I'd like to try the sweet potato sandwich based on reviews, just wasn't in the mood that day. -
Review from Katja J.
Palo Alto, CA
2/1/2012
OMG my favorite coffee place in Tahoe! Love it! It's so cute. It reminds me of Matlacha in Florida with all those little and colorful caribbean shops. It's definitely a unique cafe. Super friendly staff, good prices and oh my... the best Vanilla Chai we ever had! Holy moly! It was so good. Before we left we went to the barista and thanked her in person (that's how good it was) and she gave us the brand and name of the chai so we can buy it online. Nice! The small pies are also very yummy!
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Review from Andrew M.
San Luis Obispo, CA
2/1/2012
Can't go wrong here. Breakfast burritos (eating one right now), egg sandwiches. It's also a good place to get a little work done on your laptop if you want to have a cozy atmosphere.
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Review from Cameron A.
Los Angeles, CA
12/25/2011
Food review only- -
Eh.... okay meals. Not bad, just not great. -
Review from Jeff C.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
1/25/2012
Very good place to get a sandwich. People are super friendly, and the food is great. Free wifi which is a plus. Only issue is the amount of seating available, they have 4-2 tops and 1-4 top. For around $9 you get a big sandwich and a handful of chips.
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Review from Benny S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This is an awesome place to grab breakfast or lunch. They have a variety of healthy choices on their menu. I had the pastrami sandwich on three different occasions for lunch, and it was always consistently delicious. I also tried their acai bowl which had acai berries, blueberries, bananas, and strawberries blended with soy milk, topped with granola. This was an excellent choice for breakfast or any given time of the day. On my last visit to Tahoe, I tried the roast beef, which was also tasty and feeling. The staff and atmosphere makes you feel as if you were sitting down at a family member's or friend's home. They also have computers and plenty of boardgames to keep you entertain. I highly recommend this place. I will always pay a visit to Keys Cafe on every Tahoe trip.
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Review from Nicolas M.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012
Classic local cafe! Best Pastrami Sandwich I have ever had. If you are not into great sandwiches with HUGE portions, then do not come here.
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Review from Ariadna C.
Newark, CA
1/6/2012
Fresh, delicious, healthy, and will leave you craving for more. Excellent food with excellent service
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Review from Brandon T.
San Jose, CA
10/25/2011
Delicious pumpkin chai bread and coffee drinks! I like the relaxed atmosphere as well as the internet cafe.
The service is a bit slow and they messed up my party's order twice. Even so, I find this is a great cafe to try out if you are in South Tahoe! -
Review from D W.
Brevard, NC
1/28/2012
This a must stop spot in South Lake Tahoe. We had breakfast today and the food was delicious. I had the breakfast burrito and my husband had the waffle with wonderfully fresh fruits. Great place to eat, big portions and friendly staff. You need to stop here!
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Review from Julie R.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
1/1/2012
Love this spot! Their breakfast burritos and sandwiches are reasonably priced and made with love. The espresso drinks are good too. Kind Staff. Parking lots a little swanky... but whatever, gonna be tough in an out in the snow.
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Review from Travis K.
Oakland, CA
12/11/2011
Warm, cozy, and friendly staff. Good coffee too.
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Review from Joey M.
San Jose, CA
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food, rustic atmosphere, nice staff.
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Review from Quinton D.
Tulsa, OK
Best service in Tahoe and the most creative sandwiches in the world.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/30/2011
Great lunch food...if you like sandwiches and salads. Great latte's. Food quality is great and… Read more »
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Review from Kristina L.
Napa, CA
12/21/2011
Such a cozy, thoughful, and delicious place! I had the Irish potato soup, which was perfect for a cold day, and half of a mozzarella sandwhich, which tasted really fresh. My friend had an Acai bowl full of fruity goodness and granola. It was so filling I had to help her polish it off :)
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Review from Vic B.
Discovery Bay, CA
12/21/2011
Got to love the breakfast JoeRito with a hot coffee next to a rocking fireplace. Great way to start the day. Best find on the South side. Oh yes, Dexter loves the dog biscuits. Great job Azzy and Joe!!!!
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Review from Pachi C.
San Jose, CA
9/3/2011
Food: perfect morning refresher found here!
Service: in general, extremely accomodating
Price: Reasonable!
Two words describing breakfast perfection: acai bowl! Mix of berries blended with soy topped with granola and bananas - simply delish and refreshing start to any Tahoe morning!
The sweet potato sandwich is good and enormous
Pumpkin chai bread tasty
Pumpkin chai smoothies perfectly blended and not overly sweetened
Yummy fresh biscuit topped with you choice of fix ins on Fridays!
One staff member wasn't as friendly as the others but that didn't prevent us from coming back two days in a row!
And we love the free Internet with the self built PCs! -
Review from Michele S.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
11/16/2011
If you are anti-Starbucks but you still want a tastey complicated coffee then you should definitely try this place. I recommend the girl scout...super delicious. Also their bagel breakfast sandwiches are the best. It can get a little crowded around lunch time so to go is probably a better option unless you are there for breakfast. Other than how small the place is it is really an amazing place to eat.
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Review from Russell M.
Reno, NV
9/27/2011
You guys were right about the pumpkin chai smoothie, it was great!!
Wife had a chai coffee and the kids had smoothies which they all liked a lot! -
Review from Julia W.
7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thank you, Yelp app, for directing my hub and me to Keys Cafe on our day trip to South Lake Tahoe, for without you, I never would've had the chance to eat a giant sweet potato sandwich.
This little cabin serves up some mean sandwiches and I was so intrigued by the idea of one made with sweet potatoes, I couldn't pass it up. People, be warned--it is ENORMOUS with great slabs of perfect-texture sweets, thick slices of mozzarella and tomatoes and balsamic-dressed mixed greens on chewy ciabatta bread. I actually had to take the top slice of bread off the sandwich so I could take bites, it was so large and in charge, but I'll be damned if that wasn't one of the very best veggie sandwiches I've ever had. Half a sandwich is plenty, but if you do get a whole and can't finish, it keeps surprisingly well--I had the second half for dinner later that night and it was still plenty delicious.
My husband had the pastrami reuben sandwich which he liked well enough to make sure there were no leftovers or bites for me. Oh well. Better luck next time. :) -
Review from kimberly p.
Los Angeles, CA
OMG! I absolutely love Keys Cafe!
I just had it for the first time & I can't wait to go back!
I was in South Lake Tahoe for 4th of July weekend & I wanted panera bread, but there wasn't any locations here. So I yelped sandwiches & Keys Cafe came up. After reading the reviews I decided to give it a try. So glad I did!
I had the pastrami reuben sandwich & my husband had the roast beef. The pastrami reuben is delicious! The cheese & sauerkraut in the sandwich made it perfect. The sandwiches are huge! I could barely finish half. I tried the roast beef & it was heaven in my mouth! Loved the marinated onions in the roast beef sandwich. I also tried my husband's acai berry ale. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but that was good!
The staff are very friendly. I was very happy with my service & food here. The place has a very cozy feel to it. There's even computers that you can use if you want to get on the net & they even have board games!
Glad I'll be living in Tahoe for the summer so I can eat at Keys Cafe! =D -
Review from David S.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
11/13/2011
This place is awesome. We live over in NV and drive across South Lake to Keys Cafe quite often. Their Milli Vanilli shake is great, their salads and sandwiches are all excellent, and their coffee is super. The people who seem to own the place are extremely nice and you couldn't ask for a better local cafe/restaurant. I eat there too often to have not written a review by now so I thought I should. 5 stars; everything you want at a little cafe. Free computer usage for those who show up without their own.
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Review from David W.
7/4/2011
Wow, 5 stars, now will you please relocate to the Bay Area?
My friends and I were hungry, looking for something delicious and tasty to eat as we were rolling down the boulevard to the lake. As we kept driving, my attitude of "I'm sure we'll find something wonderful" started to falter as we passed Denny's, Carrow's, and other not-so-healthy places. I pulled over, decided to Yelp, and lo and behold I had pulled over in FRONT of Keys Cafe!
We hopped out, and I ordered the **Hummus Sandwich** which was omg-so-much-more than just a hummus sandwich. It was packed with just the works. Balsamic onions, greens, big chunks of fresh mozzarrella, tomatoes, and oh yeah there was hummus in there too. It was outrageously delicious. Other people enjoyed the **sweet potato sandwich** which was similarly stuffed with a lot more than sweet potato, and the **grilled cheese sandwich** was quite a gourmet take on the classic, with delicious pesto adding a finishing touch.
Salads and sandwiches here were as good as you'll find anywhere. For. Real. -
Review from Sunny D.
Torrance, CA
8/6/2011
Had a sweet potato sandwich. It was okay. I am not a fan of balsamic vinegar. Salad was good. This is a reasonably priced place and is kind of small. The pumpkin latte was flavorful and thick because it actually has pumpkin in it.
It is more of a coffee type of cafe than a restaurant. I believe they had computers with internet connections as well. -
Review from kaela h.
6/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
what a great find among american breakfast wasteland! i ate a pastrami sandwich and african groundnut stew combo. SO tasty! the stew had sweet potato, chick peas, and peanut butter - my husband said it was remnant of indian dish (maybe turmeric inside?). my hubby isn't indian, but we do consume a lot of indian food to know.
the free wifi saved my @$$. seriously. after my hotel's wifi failed me miserably for an hour, keys cafe saved me. thank you! -
Review from Alison T.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2011
Best sandwiches in Tahoe. The roast beef sandwich with pickled onions and blue cheese is absolutely to die for. I tried my bf's sweet potato and I didn't hate it, and this is coming from someone who detests sweet potato, I have a feeling the sando would've been better had he ordered it WITH the pickled onions, the sando def needed that added kick. Pick up a sandwich to take with you to the slopes, totally hits the spot. Also had a delicious bowl of hot curried butternut squash soup. Love this place, will always go to when in S. lake. And they have a little bowl of doggie biscuits at the front door, little lovin for the pooch! I haven't ordered any other sando yet cause I'm obsessed with the roast beef, prolly never will!
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Review from paige r.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
6/18/2011
Yummmmy
Great food, great service, friendly owners and good locale. There are many restaurants in South Lake Tahoe. As a local in Lake Tahoe, I seek out the best places in town.
I love it! You gotta try it.
Paige -
Review from Butch P.
Pleasant Hill, CA
Updated - 11/19/2011
-My wife and I stopped by earlier today to grab a sando and salad for the road. We have been to Keys Cafe several times-I have only been there in the morning but wife had had items off the lunch menu before. I ordered a ham and swiss on multi-grain ($8). It was good but not great. Good portion size and the quality of the ham and cheese was very good. There was a slightly sweet taste that I think was the mayo (salad dressing-miracle whip?). The next time I will remember to skip to mayo. The star of the show was my wife's Key's Cobb salad (9.25). Big portion of good greens, boiled egg, chicken, bleu cheese crumbles and tomatoes. They also have house made croutons for a little crunch:) The balsamic dressing was nice-not too oily. You can choose from several dressings.
-I would have given them 5 stars but the attitude of the cashier was lacking. I don't expect her to kiss my butt. She was short with two other guests, both of whom were new to the cafe. One person didn't realize that the drip coffee area was self serve and another paying guest was treated poorly after she asked for a venti latte. She obviously was using Starbucks lingo and the employee was very short and said "what size is that-we don't have a venti!" The customer apologized and told her that she wanted a large latte. Come on, now. I know there are lots of anti-Starbucks people out there but be a little nicer to a PAYING customer.
-We will definitely be back soon-just hope the cashier is having a better day...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2011
My wife and I have come here for coffee and the breakfast burrito a few times this winter. GREAT! I… Read more »
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Review from A P.
Hollywood, CA
I love you Keys Cafe! The long distance relationship is killing me.
I love everything about this tucked away cafe, the local newspapers spread out across the table, the board games within easy reach, and the computer room where you can lounge with a warm latte. The service is always friendly and with some luck you'll get to meet the owner who always treats you as if your a local.
I can't wait to be back! -
Review from Jeff G.
Albany, CA
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cute place with yummy breakfast burritos. Nice homey local feel with friendly service
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Review from Jeff L.
Monterey, CA
9/7/2011
Great place! Great food, great coffee and great staff.
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Review from Chris K.
8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Our usual lunch spot was mysteriously closed so we opted to check this place out. Cute picnic tables outside. I had the Asian Sesame Chicken salad (chicken, sweet potatoes, chow mein noodles, cilantro and sesame seeds). Salad was very large and tasty. Hubby had the breakfast burrito (this thing was huge) and he finished the whole thing. Girls split a kids quesadilla and both liked it. Friendly and fast service.
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Review from McClendon C.
Athens, GA
6/25/2011 31 Check-ins Here
I have been the Keys multiple times in the past few weeks and have yet to be disappointed. Breakfast and lunch are both excellent. check out the daily specials, you won't regret it.
Great vibe! -
Review from Lauren L.
Updated - 1/13/2011
It is mid afternoon. My employee Bri and I are sitting nonchalantly on our front counter, chatting idly in the absence of customers when in walks a woman who points at us with a subversive smile and exclaims with a hint of grin in her voice, "Oh! YOU girls!" We break into laughter.
Apparently, so many people had told them at the cafe that we'd recommended the joint that the owner, Azzy, wanted to know who was sending them. She gave us each a free meal which I promptly used the next day because I was so excited.
You see, I love this place so much that it's like an extremely special treat every single time I get to go there. It is unique in every way that most of the eateries in Tahoe or not and I adore it for its surprising combinations of flavors, fresh ingredients and now, for the fact that it's open late for dinner four nights a week. I have to keep myself from going there all the time because I would be broke.
Thank you Azzy for the sandwich and coffee today. I will be back... tomorrow actually because i didn't get anywhere near enough work done in there today.Listed in: Best Breakfasts on the Lake, Where I Eat in Tahoe
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/13/2010
This place still remains my favorite in town for a few reason. Their sandwiches are delicious,… Read more »
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Review from Kristen K.
Sonora, CA
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Solid 4 star place. Had the Hummus Sandwich and DH had a breakfast burrito and it was fantastic!
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Review from Jannette P.
Gardiner, NY
7/16/2011
Came here twice during vacation. Once for breakfast and once for lunch. All four of us in our family loved the food. The waffle special was fantastic. My 14 year old raved about the grilled cheese. My 17 year old vegetarian loved the hummus sandwich. My husband thought the breakfast burrito was excellent. We enjoyed sitting outside and relaxing over breakfast and getting in some laptop time. Service was very nice too. Definitely recommend.
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Review from beno h.
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
i drive up from the south vay area up to the mountains for snowboarding about 20 times or so each season. usually, i don't dilly dally much around south lake tahoe but just get the most out of my stay by spendinf as much time as possible up on the snow; so i don't always get out to every little café in town. however, i'm glad i found this cool, quaint joint on yelp. the café is located in a little cottage tucked away behind some other buildings off the main strip. the people that run this place seem like really cool people. it had a local tahoe feel. they seem to support a lot of good local and environmental causes.
my wife and i ordered the chorizo breakfast burrito and a half sandwich, half soup combo with a pastrami reuben sandwich and the african ground nut stew. wow, everything was really delicious. also, the decaf coffee that i got was really tasty.
they have lots of shaded outdoor seating and a good wi.fi connection. we had our toddler son with us at the café, and he had a good time.
