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Louis' Basque Corner
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
61 reviews for Louis' Basque Corner
Review Highlights
"Family style - great food - great service."
(in 26 reviews)
"Dessert was ice cream with chocolate syrup."
(in 5 reviews)
"Perfectly cooked Medium Rare lamb chops- made me moan."
(in 9 reviews)
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61 reviews in English
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Review from Ian B.
Phoenix, AZ
1/3/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Louis' is another place in Reno that my family and I have a long, and very good, history with.
From eating there as a kid, to when we had the wake for my great uncle Bud there, to all of the good times I have had in there in the past few years during my return to and the egress from Reno, I will always love Louis'.
In my opinion, the best bar tender in all of Reno works at Louis'. His name is AJ, and he makes the greatest cocktail in the known world. No, its not the Pecan that this place is so famous for, its something else all together. If you ever go in, ask him for "Ian's favorite drink" and then just let the madness begin.
The food here is always damn good. Its not a trip to K Paul's in New Orleans, and its not Fleur de lis in San Francisco. Nor does it try to be. What it is comes down to being the best Basque place in Reno. It stomps the Santa Fe in my opinion right into the dust.
Diners, Drive-In's and Dives featured this place once. It never went to their head. Instead, they just keep cranking out great food. There is a constant collection of locals who dine and drink there, and they are people who know food.
Reservations are a good idea if you want to eat there. It gets insane on the weekends, which also makes it a good bar to go be a dilettante in the art of people heckling at. -
Review from David B.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/15/2012
I had lunch here on a visit to Reno because I didn't have time to drive down to the real Basque restaurants in Gardnerville.
The family-style seating is a little creepy. I was the first customer in for lunch, and they sat me at the end of the farthest back table. The second customer was placed right opposite me. Oh, great, I thought, forced conversation with a stranger. Stranger said, "Nothing personal, but I'm not feeling sociable today." So the waitress moved him to a table across the room. The waitress having become gun-shy, I guess, she seated the third customer equally far from both of us. He then started having a long-distance conversation across the room with the second guy, who was apparently sociable enough after all.
After that I was left alone, except by the waitress. I had lamb roast, whole beans, and vegetable soup. Plain, moderately tasty. -
Review from Goat S.
Reno, NV
11/12/2011
Before I start...WHOEVER IS SURVEYING THAT THIS PLACE IS QUIET, THAT'S A FUCKIN' LIE. Bitch.
Noisy as FUCK.
Anyways, the whole experience was fantastic!
Well, not completely. I was unfortunately placed with loners from the bar, and we had just enough seats left to accommodate. Bastards are smart. Purchased much MUCH more wine to endure the boring conversation of lonely people.
First course! Cold bread and luke warm garlic soup? Tell me why that tasted great. Because it was oddly delicious and a good starter.
It was followed by salad, beans, and yes, oh fucking yes, OX TAIL. So much ox tail. That is my favorite meat, but it's just way too fucking expensive. So to be supplied with ox tail whenever I wanted was the BEST feeling ever.
Here comes my lovely 10 oz. steak. Medium rare, just like a like it. Okay, I've had better steaks, but it really was cooked just right.
Then at the end of it all, a cup of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. I'm amazed at the simplicity of this meal. Not really having too many options saved you from thinking about it too much, and it was a pleasant surprise to actually eat a multiple course meal, all laid out for you.
My only problem with the service was a woman who wasn't our waitress. She pretty much got mad at our waitress because she sat us right in front of the kitchen door, and loudly bitched about it in front of us. I understand, but at least wait, or be more fucking understanding..
All in all, a fantastic experience I look forward to having again. -
Review from Tony A.
North Olmsted, OH
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place!! Had a prime rib sandwich which was AMAZING!! Also had the pork chop a must have. We informed our bar tender Craig that we were traveling across country and he informed us of a lot of places to visit along the way. He was a GREAT bartender!! Highly recommend if you are in Reno.
-
Review from Suzette S.
Seattle, WA
11/1/2011
If you haven't tried this place YA GOTTA!! Make a reservation if you're thinking of going on a Saturday night. (I called two days before and had no problem getting a reservation)
This place is in a sketchy looking part of town a couple blocks off the strip and it's not fancy to look at...but man it's a KINGS meal if you're lucky enough to eat here. (We walked from our hotel and felt safe though)
Fantastic food, fresh, hot and savory. You won't leave hungry unless you're on a strike. Their food is big and lacks NOTHING when it comes to flavor. Just do it...Give yourself a treat.
Sit with folks from around the country, world or your neighbor. This aspect provides a super bonus to the great food and REALLY STRONGLY MADE drinks. YUMMMMY. It's so fun to chat with people and learn about eachothers adventures.
The TWO of us had:
A super delicious salad (Think Olive Gardens but WAY BETTER)
A Rice dish with full size bone in fried chicken pieces - soooo good
House Red Wine- pretty good
A vegetable/cabbage soup that knocked our socks off - seriously left with out socks ;)
Super jumbo plate of piping hot crisp on the outside and soft in the middle french fries.
Bread and butter- good but nothing special
Perfectly cooked Medium Rare lamb chops- made me moan..lol caused quite a scandal that night!!!
Sinfully good Pork Chops with an amazing sauce- can't remember the name.
Dessert- Sorbet and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce
All for $56.00 tax included (before tip)
Super friendly staff and a true family feel. Amazing how they are able to get all the meals out to all 10 people at my table at the same time and cooked perfectly. Bravo!!!
Only complaint is all the courses come so close to eachother. Had to eat fast. I understand it's probably to turn things over as it's not a huge place.
Love Love Louies. When I lived in Reno I came here at least once a month or so. -
Review from Thomas M.
Sacramento, CA
9/27/2011
This is my favorite place to eat in Reno. I love the family style seating, ambiance, and above all the delicious food (and drinks).
I have had most everything on the menu. I love the sweetbreads and lamb chops. I have yet to try the ox tail soup, but I have heard that it is delicious.
If it your first time eating Basque, you have to try a Picon Punch. they are a bit strong, but they do compliment the food quite well. -
Review from Benjamin F.
Reno, NV
9/25/2011 10 Check-ins Here
I walk by here all the time and it's always lively in the bar area.
The inside was probably nice back in the last '70s when they put it in. Now it feels dated and inappropriate. Lots of reds and just tacky sorts of design. It feels sort of depressing, probably because I really don't like the decoration style of the era. I'm not even really prone to pay attention to interiors, but this place's interior yells out at me.
The bar is pretty nice, a long wood bar with a decent amount of room that accommodates quite a few people waiting for seating. It feels classic and classy rather than dated like the rest of the place to me.
I went here with a large group with largely prix fixe menu. I think we got to choose our entree. The cost including tip (established by the leader of the group) was about $25, certainly not dirt cheap, but reasonable considering what we received. We got bread, a couple appetizers (including salad) an entree, dessert and a couple glasses of non-descript wine (felt like Spanish or Italian table wine, maybe a boring burgundy) in plastic cups. Based on the overall experience it didn't strike me as wrong as I would have expected.
The food, while cooked just right, was a bit bland. I've had food in the Basque country of Spain and France and it was fairly similar. Tomato-based sauces are common, but the artistry one finds in Italian variations are largely absent. We got more stewed tomatoes than you normally would in a sauce, but it wasn't like a stewed tomato sauce. It was a mixture of stewed tomatoes and really smooth sauce that just felt like a sloppy hybrid of the two. I found the chicken the most memorable of all the dishes and it was still pretty uneventful.
Dessert, like the rest of the meal felt well prepared, but just... okay. Ice cream, cake, whoopee.
I think what this restaurant really might suffer from is anachronism. It might have been a totally rockin meal back in 1978, but now it's just underwhelming. Our tastes have changed and our expectations for the quality and variety of food has increased while Louis' Basque Kitchen remained in this bygone food era. It's like the Gold and Silver Inn on 4th street, but the other side of downtown. Nostalgic types might love it and proclaim it the best. People that can remember meals from 1999 onward will wonder how such a place, even though it's the most famous Basque restaurant in the area, has not evolved into the 21st century.
I'd stick with the bar. Pricing is reasonable and it has a good atmosphere. I constantly see people leaving happy and enjoying themselves when I walk by the place. -
Review from Luna B.
Fairfax, CA
11/29/2011
This place is amazing!!!! wonderful food, all my favorites! lamb chicken rice beans and salad and cheese after dinner for desert, picon and 43 con crema, with a picture of espinal in the corner! gotta love the family vibes and the amazing atmosphere for the price its well worth the experience i'd come back to reno just to eat here again! thank you for keeping the basque heritage alive !
-
Review from Don E.
Livermore, CA
12/4/2011
I have dinner here every year when I come up. I brought up a couple of friends after telling them how great this place is. Walked in and and there was standing room only, later found out they had booked a couple of large Christmas parties. The head chef came out and asked if we needed a table, I said yes, a table was found and again dinner was knocked out of the park. We had the 12oz New York steaks($25.99). cooked perfectly. My friends were amazed at the amount of food served. It was a tough waddle back to the hotel.
-
Review from Wine M.
Geyserville, CA
8/4/2011
In hindsight the only redeaming part of going to Louis' Basque Corner was the building, just beautiful, exposed brick and lots of old pictures on the wall.
At that point I should have turned around and walked out.
Service was horrid, our waitress had a scowl on her face the whole time, and would not hear what I had wanted to order, yes it was noisy, but she works there and should be used to it.
The food was boring, tasteless, and so over cooked, over cooked has a new defination.
We all declined the limp soup, manhatten clam chowder (didn't anyone tell Louis we live on the west coast), and started to look forward to the muscles and rice as a first course, though deeply dispointed there was not tongue, the basque favorite. But when they showed up dry, overcooked and curled up on the edges, we than again waited for the main course, I ordered the sweetbreads, and the other 3 had the lamb, on the premise that it was done rare(yes we asked).
Drown in brown sauce, the lamb was dark and over cooked, and tough to chew, again a HUGE disapointment. The sweetbreads were yummy, but the whole overall expierence made me want to cringe.
We should have gotten in the car, driven to Gardnerville and gone to J.T's, my benchmark for basque food.
Take heed...do not go here... -
Review from Caren L.
We were trolling this area in the hopes that we hit something good and yummy for lunch.
Yay for Louis' Basque Corner because you hit the spot just right!
The door to the place itself is an unpretentious glass door that looks like it leads to something old and dingy. Inside, the (long) bar area with cocktail tables and the adjacent dining (family style) dining area greets you. Warm brick covers the walls, along with a huge chalkboard that displays the specials of the day (individual menus not available). If you will sit in the bar area, you will get served the tapas menu ranging from $5 to $10. For the full meal, you will have to sit in the dining room where each meal comes with a complimentary glass (or two) of chilled red Chablis (wow, have not had chilled wine in ages!) + salad with special basque sauce, beans with chorizo and morcilla (bacon-ish bits), bread and butter, french fries and a hearty vegetable soup.
But while these dishes were flavorful and filling, the culinary stars of the day for me were the sweetbreads in creamy wine, mushroom sauce and the lamb in gravy with mint chutney. One bite of each and your head rolls back in gastronomic delight. Seriously rich ... and salty .... and creamy! Even the little one was brave enough to try the lamb with a little bit of mint chutney (raising a soon-to-be yelper here). Needless to say, we licked our plates clean!
The final bill: $25 (plus tip!). Pretty good deal with all the extras they threw in. They did not even charge us for the extra cranberry juice.
Service was awesome too especially since they accommodated us in advance of the 2 large groups that arrived before us.
Love this place. What a great find! -
Review from Paul S.
Reno, NV
8/4/2011 4 photos
August 3, 2011 Wednesday - dinner 5:30 PM
2 Adults
Atmosphere - 4 stars
Food - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Total - 4 star
Background - It has been a long time since I had been to a Basque, too long. Their menu is based on the day of the week. I picked Wednesday because I really wanted to try their beef tongue. Then off to see the Aces after dinner (13 innings - 4 hours 17 minute game, but the Aces won).
Atmosphere - An old building with a fresh make over internal, now they just need to give the exterior a makeover to match. Very modern feel, we sat in the South East corner. The dry wall areas were covered in a beautiful chocolate color paint the other walls were exposed brick. This area had 6 tables for eight, gotta love sitting with complete strangers and sharing a meal and drinks, a true family style restaurant. I had my Aces had with me hanging from the back of the chair. Sometime during the meal it fell off, it was covered in dust so I will ding them for that.
Food
Appetizer - Salad was in a big bowl for the table with some kind of dressing, it was like French dressing meets a vinaigrette. A bowl of Basque baked beans with some meat it in, some type of sausage. Then the main appetizer was beef tongue. If you never had it before I recommend trying it here. Very tender served in thin slices with small grilled vegetables (see picture). There was also split pea soup, but I hate peas so I did not even taste it.
Main Course - I went with the steak, it was so juicy. As a side a big plate of French fries were brought out.
Dessert - I small bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup nothing special but a great palate change.
Service - There was one waitress when we got there working two full tables. We were the first two to sit at the third table. She was hoping between the two tables and us like a mad full. Shorty after our table filled up a second waitress joined in and by the time we left the two were managing 5 full tables by themselves and doing a great job. Loved their traditional style uniforms. -
Review from Steve T.
Sparks, NV
The Greater Reno Grub and Gripe Group gathered at Louis' Basque Corner in downtown Reno for a Chowdown in late August. Or what was left of a group decimated by summer travel, Burning Man and the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off.
The idea was to compare Louis' under its new owners with the Santa Fe Hotel, where we had gathered earlier this year. The dinner at Louis' was nice, but for me Santa Fe comes out the overall winner for the meal.
The meal at Louis' started with a simple vegetable soup. Not bad but nothing stood out here either.
Next up were the beans and salad. The beans are beans. I don't know much you can do here except maybe add ham or bacon. Louis' has more ingredients in their salad, so they are they clear winner here. Santa Fe offers iceberg lettuce with simple oil-and-vinegar dressing.
Then came a dish called Chicken Basquaise, a dish with green peppers, onions and garlic. This is where the first time there seemed to be significant diversion from my dining companions. This dish sounds good in theory. But it didn't seem to come together for me. It seemed a little overcooked. I would have liked it if the flavors were more vibrant. They seemed to kind of blend together in an uninteresting way. We had a larger group for our meal at the Santa Fe and for this portion we got both spaghetti and oxtail stew. The Santa Fe spaghetti was old fashioned, like they would have served in the 1950s, but I loved it. The oxtail stew was fantastic. In my book the Santa Fe wins hands down here.
Then came the three entrees, which we split, and the French fries. Let me get the French fries out of the way. These were decent fries at Louis' Basque corner. I think the oil may have been a little bit too new, since the fries weren't quite crispy enough. But they were certainly good. The Santa Fe serves lard-cooked French fries. Un-fricking-politically correct fries cooked in animal fat. Let's face it. Fries are a means to take a bland food and deliver delicious fat and salt flavor to your taste buds. Nothing does that better than lard-cooked fries, cholesterol count be damned. So the Santa Fe wins here hands down.
For the entrées, we split leg of lamb, top sirloin steak and a rabbit dish. We disagreed on one here, the leg of lamb dish. I thought it was too gamey. I still ate it. But I expect better lamb out of a Basque restaurant. The lamb chops I got at Santa Fe were just killer. Glenn and Tahoe Bill seemed to like it better.
No disagreement on the other two entrees. As Glenn noted, the top sirloin steak seemed to melt in your mouth. It was good quality meat that was cooked right. The rabbit came in a mushroom sauce. Both had nice flavors. I think I might give Louis' an edge in entrees because they were good and they try to be more ambitious. The lamb chops at Santa Fe still rocked.
Dessert was ice cream with chocolate syrup. At Santa Fe it was just ice cream. No chocolate syrup.
At Louis' the three of us sat family style. We sat at a table with a party of three and a college-age couple. We were a big enough group at the Santa Fe we had our own table, but I noticed they still sat small groups at their own table there.
At Louis', the new owners remodeled and took away the lowered ceilings. This makes it much noisier. I was sitting across from the college couple but couldn't hear them when they talked. And the woman was hot. I wanted to talk to her.
Like the Santa Fe, parking is difficult on nights of Reno Aces home games. I had to park at the last spot on the block with about a foot of the front-end my compact car in a red zone. I said a prayer to the patron saint of parking tickets and went in for my meal.
It seems like Louis' successfully made the transition to the new owners.
They serve a tapas-style menu that's available in the bar. I can strongly recommend the lamb dip sandwich, which is like a French dip only with lamb. Tasty. -
Review from M D.
Hayward, CA
8/12/2011
Family style - great food - great service - ... great drinks!
We came in on a Friday night during Hot August Nights and they sat our party of 8 right away and treated us like regulars!
Can't wait to come back!
Thanks! -
Review from Steven M.
Montara, CA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
My partners loved this place and swore they would come back again for the lamb dip. For me it was ok, but it was obvious the place had a huge following and deserved it.
-
Review from Melinda L.
Orangevale, CA
3/13/2011
Great concept for a restaurant. Overall, it's definitely a place to experience at least once. I really liked how there is a set course menu, with only a few main course choices. I enjoyed some quite authentic and well-prepared Basque dishes. In particular, the bean stew with chorizo and morcilla disappeared quickly off our table.
Louis' Basque Corner is one of the older Basque restaurants in town. All dinners are served with:
* French Bread and Clam Chowder
* Tossed Green Salad with Louis' Special Dressing
* Basque Beans
* Potatoes (in our case, it was French fries)
* First Course (Chicken / Rice dish)
* Choice of Main Course
* Complimentary Glass of Wine or Choice of Milk, Coffee, Tea, or Soda
* Ice Cream or Cheese with Fresh Fruit
The choices for the main course for that day were:
- Fish of the Day
- Top Sirloin Steak
- Roast Leg of Lamb
- Sweetbreads -
Review from Carla T.
INCLINE VLG, NV
1/18/2011
Literally one if the most disappointing dinners out of my entire life. Four friends and I were excited to go out and have a "family" dinner and were ready to spend some dough.
Upon entering the restaurant we were sat and when the waitress eventually showed up she asked us what we wanted. No hello, no smile, no offer to describe the choices, or to explain how the inclusive meal works. We should have walked out right then.
After ordering she dropped one carafe of wine in the table and then disappeared into the kitchen. The half carafe on wine barely filled four glasses and since we had already been told that we wouldn't get any more wine, we wanted to get at least a full glass each. After waiting ten minutes for a sign of service I walked into the kitchen to ask for more wine. While I did receive more wine I also got a dose of nasty attitude. It's only Franzia for crying out loud.
Next our waitress dropped some barely passable soup which tasted like a crappy version of Campbell's minestrone. And then all the rest of the four "courses" were unceremoniously dumped on the table at once: greasy beans, wilted salad, fatty oxtails. The main course was OK but the rest of the food was borderline gross. The dessert of fruit and cheese had rotten grapes and two measly slices of old cheese. Pitiful.
If there had been any sort of service provided we could have forgiven the quality of the food. Every restaurant has off nights. But out waitress could not have been worse or any less present. We had to go find her to pay our overpriced bill. For $25 each plus tip we could have had a WAY better meal elsewhere.
Even at Taco Bell. -
Review from Dana S.
Portland, OR
9/22/2011
i give it a 3 Star rating for these reasons:
- the family style seathing will force you to uncomfortably talk to people and create a really cool memory. We sat with a traveling construction worker that kicked back a few picon punches with us and a family of very fearful bible belters that shared the exact opposite political views of us. It was great!
- did i mention the picon punches? you must have one. its their traditonal drink and its really different - in a good way.
- the food is way down the list and the reason for the 3 star rating since this IS a food review. So so and definitely half assed or maybe they have been doing it the same way for so many years and nona in the back kitchen refuses to change anything. I'm ok with that. -
Review from K C.
Reno, NV
5/14/2011
I came here after my exceptionally disappointing attempt at eating Kokopelli's Sushi for lunch.
I had lamb chops, and they were fantastic! I'm pretty picky about my lamb, and these were some of the best that I've had. Definitely the best for the price. They were fat and juicy, and tender. The chef had seasoned them simply with salt, pepper and a little garlic. They were simply presented, as one would expect and look forward to at a family-style restaurant, and then there's...
The garlic fries that came with my chops were also ah-may-zing! Fresh garlic and some parsley covered them. I've been a fan of fries like this since I had the Gordon Biersch fries at my first Ozzfest, forever and a year ago, but these blow Gordon's away. I'd come in just for the fries.
The serving staff seemed a little off-color, but I seemed to get there around shift change, so it's excusable. Thankfully I didn't have any of the horror story experiences that some others have had here.
I can't wait to come back here again for dinner. The rabbit stew is unique and juicy. The rabbit is so nicely cooked that it will fall off its bones if you stare at it too hard. Nom.
I'm also happy to report that the Franzia is gone! Huzzah! It's actual (drinkable) wine, now. I was told that the restaurant recently changed hands and the new owners, along with the beautiful remodeling job, made the decision on the wine. Ching-ching!
On a side note, the show that Guy Fieri had that highlighted restaurants like Louis' and the Gold'n'Silver is geared to highlight the long-standing restaurants; the restaurants that go otherwise unnoticed by mainstream food tv. Fieri also inspects the kitchens that he's scheduled to display with the attention to detail of a British butler. It's not supposed to be a high-class place that you'd see on it. It's all local staples and holes in the wall. -
Review from Jimmie L.
Albany, OR
9/24/2011
An adventure! Interesting dishes that tasted great, served family style. The waitress was helpful and though there only seemed to be one waitress she did well. The location is not the best but once inside it is comfortable and homey.
-
Review from Crystal J.
Reno, NV
2/21/2011
I'm right behind Karla T.'s review of this place. She said it well: the service is unceremonious and the food not so great.
Note to self: if you see Guy Fieri's mug on the wall when you enter a restaurant, you should turn around and leave immediately. His dumb show has been to the Gold n' Silver and some other mediocre joints around town, which are other places that are riding the "we've been here forever so we must be legit" vibe that Louie's has been. This place is not legit and it is entirely overpriced.
I will say this: I was down for the ambiance and communal dining experience. No problems there. I was with a large group of friends when we went so Louie's was a good place to go. At least there was ample food and no arguing over the bill when it came because we all pay the same thing.
So here's what: our table orders another carafe of wine (which we paid for, to my understanding) after our allotted first round (which was not nearly enough for 7 people), and received a very watered down version of the first carafe. After much plying of the staff, someone finally admitted to watering down the Franzia and gave us a new carafe of boxed wine. Seriously, how cheap can you be?
Second offense was this: fiancee, my friend and I all opted for the lamb. I served finacee a few of the pieces of the front of the roast, and then took the next few pieces for myself. My pieces were delicious, and then I noticed fiancee making a sour face. He couldn't finish his meat, telling me it tasted old. Thinking he was crazy (cause my bits of lamb were just right), I ate the meat from his plate. It was clearly from a different roast from what I ate, but had been mixed with the new meat. If they admitted to watering down wine, it's not too far of a stretch to think that they would mix previously cooked meat with new meat. It was gross.
Conclusion: we dropped $64 w/ tip between fiancee and myself to eat a meal that had been padded with old food and watery wine. I am glad to say that I have finally visited this "Reno institution", and displeased to say said visit made me violently ill upon returning home (ala Eddie's Supper Club in Great Falls, MT; see my review). Not recommended unless you dig dropping serious money on what fiancee calls "old people food". -
Review from Irene C.
Reno, NV
3/6/2011
I've been to Louis' twice this past year. My first experience was great. The food was good, the portions were huge, and the service was good. However, the second experience I had there was far less impressive.
The food was still good. The wait wasn't too bad for the large party we had. (14 of us) The restaurant is always very busy over the weekend so it was very loud. The waitress couldn't really hear us that well so when one of our friends ordered the lamb, she repeated the order as steak. We corrected her and make sure she ordered the lamb for our friend. Our friend still got steak as his entree instead of lamb. When we told the waitress she had gotten us the wrong food, she returned to the kitchen and yelled "now they want lamb instead" with a very unpleasant attitude. When she returned later with the lamb, she set it down in front of our friend and said "are you sure this is what you want this time?" We didn't complain to management because the restaurant was too busy and we just wanted to get out of there. But we never went back to Louis' after that.
If you want good food, good drinks, and you don't mind their mediocre service, Louis' is the place for you. But if you expect to be treated with respect, then I wouldn't recommend this place. -
Review from Teri C.
8/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
Last winter I got a taste of the Basque region during my visit to Bilbao, Spain.
Surprisingly, Reno has a large number of restaurants specializing in food from this region and the Husband promised to finally take me to a place there to experience a bit of what we had on our travels.
Louis' Basque Corner is one of the older Basque restaurants in town and it's located in not the best area either. Most likely you'll be asked for a dollar or two (or beer) from someone hanging out nearby, as we were.
The most important thing is finding out whether or not oxtail is on the menu for the night we had in question. (Sunday and Monday nights only.)
Dinner is served family-style, not just in food sharing, but table sharing. Our party of eight shared a table with a party of two. No big deal really, but some people may not like that.
Upon entering, you'll be greeted by the friendly bartender who will direct you into the dining room if you're there for a meal.
First up - the waitress asked if she could get us anything from the bar. Some of us ordered specific alcoholic drinks, while others ordered a soda (which it seemed she wasn't too happy to get for us as she forgot most of them).
All dinners are served with:
* French Bread
* Soup du Jour (unmemorable)
* Tossed Green Salad with Louis' Special Dressing
* Basque Beans
* Potatoes (in our case, it was French fries)
* First Course (Oxtail Bourguignon, changes daily)
* Choice of Main Course
* Complimentary Glass of Wine or Choice of Milk, Coffee, Tea, or Soda
* Ice Cream or Cheese with Fresh Fruit
The choices for the main course for that day were:
- Fish of the Day
- Top Sirloin Steak
- Roast Leg of Lamb
- Sweetbreads
Ultimately, everyone loved the oxtail bourguignon and we asked for more of it. I tried the top sirloin steak and they don't ask you how you like it cooked, which is something that really bugs since I prefer my meat rare. I also had the leg of lamb, which was good with gravy. There were some fatty bits that gave it flavor, but I was enjoying the oxtail more too.
When it was time for dessert, everyone automatically got vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup on it. I'm not sure if it's because they don't offer the cheese with fresh fruit or what, but I was still a bit put off that they just gave it to us without offering or letting us know.
Service - it was really difficult to actually get more of the oxtail. We had to ask twice, and the waitress was more than anxious to clear our plates when we told her that we were still waiting for something. We also noticed that they charged us for the sodas even though the menu says you get a complimentary beverage with your dinner. So, we had to mention this part and they did take it off the bill after. (Therefore, I suggest you look over your bill since it looks like they automatically give everyone wine, and charge you for sodas.)
Overall, it's definitely a place to experience at least once. But the food didn't quite having me wanting more (except the oxtail), and since it was already so difficult to get more oxtail the first round, I think our group hesitated in trying again. (We chose not to get anymore of anything else, so it wasn't as if we were asking for a lot.)
Adults $23.95
Children under 12 $11.95
Minimum Charge $7.95/pp
18% Gratuity added to parties of 8 or more.
Reservations recommended for large parties.Listed in: San Francisco to Tahoe / Reno…
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Review from Marc B.
Chicago, IL
1/21/2011
A Basque restaurant in Reno? With family style service that plucks you down with a table of total strangers passing all the bread, salad and apps?
It totally works. It was so much fun. And two of us ordered giant, perfect-mix-of-fat-and-lean lamb chops that, with all the family sides, salad, soup, wine and desert, came to $65 with tip.
High end dining it is not. But it is a truly authentic experience I'd take in for sure. -
Review from Blorch H.
Soldotna, AK
10/21/2010
Unpretentious Basque food served family style. Eating here is always on my list of things to do when I'm in the Reno/Tahoe area.
I'm a huge fan of their lamb, soups, and stews, and their 'Punch' is excellent.
I wish I could give it five stars, but my appreciation for the food is tempered by its expense and erratic service. It's somewhat overpriced for what amounts to cuisine based on offal and entrails. Getting a refill on your beverage/dish frequently involves a long wait or a wrestling match with the table wrangler trying to stampede you into the next course.
Reservations are an absolute necessity, even for lunch. -
Review from Micaela M.
Sparks, NV
Updated - 3/31/2011
They raised their prices. I know that prices of food has gone up around the area, but I am now thinking that $30 for a meal here is a little steep. It's the same food and service as usual, but I was a little upset how much money I spent and I didn't leave feeling as full as I normally do. Also, I felt a little rushed by the waiters. Like 5 courses is to plow through......
Listed in: Favorite Local Restaurants, Basque Food
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/26/2009
How have I never reviewed this place?
LOVE IT!!!! I never get a bad meal here (although I did give… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer T.
San Jose, CA
9/6/2010
Great concept for a restaurant. I really liked how there is a set course menu, with only a few main course choices. And the tables are set up to seat people right next to each other so they are encouraged to meet and chat.
For starters we had a vegetable-cabbage soup. Then braised ox tail with a bean dish and salad. For the main dish I picked the salmon and my husband had the sweet breads in a white wine sauce. A caraffe of complimentary red wine comes to the table. The sangria was wonderful. Dessert was kind of a miss with ice cream and chocolate sauce. But the rest of the meal was great.
I rate a 4 because of the ice cream and the vulgar language fight going on in the kitchen between the cook and server. The argument went on for a very long time with lots of F-bombs getting dropped. Very unprofessional, but when we mentioned we could hear them and were concerned our children could too it stopped right away**. Also - they don't have high chairs.
**I was just informed we were given a discount for the NSFK (not suitable for kids) argument going on in the kitchen. -
Review from samanta v.
Healdsburg, CA
Updated - 8/17/2010
We came back as a bigger group this weekend and had Louis' again. I am in love with the chicken and rice, and I know it sounds strange but the salad is so simple it's crave worthy. Lamb was perfectly cooked. Love the old school flair, and the cheap drinks at the bar. Bartender is fun and friendly too.
great place to go, meet other people, and have a great time. Oh yeah, and they have a killer beer can softball trophy from 1978 in the back room. yay ambiance.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2008
We came saturday night for dinner here. At first the room we were sat in, reminded me of a church… Read more »
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Review from Tracy S.
4/7/2010
As others have already mentioned, you go to Louis' more for the experience than for the food. That's not saying the food isn't good--it is--but if you aren't on board with the whole Basque experience, you may leave disappointed.
Basque Friend told me that Louis' is modeled after a Basque Sheepherder boarding house. Lucky sheepherders! The atmosphere is casual, and, unless you come with your own large group, you will end up sharing a table (and food) with strangers. The only part of your meal that you get to choose is the entree, and whether or not you want ice cream or cheese for dessert. (Take the cheese. ALWAYS take the cheese!) This is all hearty, country fare, not the Spanish or French fine-dining experience you may expect from other Basque restaurants.
My main complaint about Louis' is that I so rarely get to have tongue; it is almost never on the menu when I go. Ditto for the oxtail soup. I'm sure I could call ahead and figure out when I should go, but dining out shouldn't be that difficult. Also, make a reservation because they get snotty with you if you don't.
And one last tip: Louis is generous with coupons, so keep your eyes peeled. -
Review from Tres B.
Denver, CO
6/15/2010
This sturdy locals joint has been here forever , serving home style Basque food at large communal tables. Part of the charm is the unchanged sameness. The wood paneled walls, the same Basque table runners. Familiarity breeds contentment.
I have celebrated my 21st birthday here and my wedding night dinner here. The food is the same as its always been, sturdy, tasty and traditional.
We were treated to an exceptional onion soup, the salad and fries are great, tender chicken appetizer. I had the steak, my sweetie the lamb. The pricing is good, the home style charm intact.
Don't miss this place, it really is a Nevada old school classic and you almost always make "table friends" here.
One star deducted for the distant almost surly waitress who must have had aching feet. -
Review from Patrick Z.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2011
This family-style Basque place can be a refreshing change from the over-the-top casino scene, and is only a short walk away.
The menu will change from day-to-day, but amidst the mediocre clam chowder and somewhat flavorless salad (admittedly, hardly a specialty of the Iberian Peninsula) was some quite authentic and well-prepared Basque dishes. In particular, the bean stew with chorizo and morcilla disappeared quickly off our table, and the oxtail stew was as authentic and flavorful a rabo de toro as I've had in the US. -
Review from Allie A.
2/28/2010
For $20, you're not going to get fine cuisine here, but you will get a good dose of home-cooked food, just like Mama would make it, if my Mama came from the Basque area.
I've come here several times with friends from out of town who are curious to try out the family-style restaurant. You'll end up sitting at a long table with strangers, who don't stay strangers for too long, as inevitably everyone will introduce themselves. Last time I was here, I was surprised to find that my group of friends (who all happen to be NJ expats) were sitting next to another group of New Jerseyites who happen to be in Reno for a conference. Yeah, I'm from Exit 4.
So on to the food - I've had the steaks and a type of chicken stew for the main course on different trips. The chicken stew was SO good that I wrote the owner and asked if he would mind sharing the recipe. And they actually mailed it to me! Of course, I haven't made it yet, mostly because I've somehow misplaced it. The rest of the food was decent, but not spectacular.
I took off a star for its ambiance - the dining room could use some serious updating and the parking lot is miniscule, but for Basque food, this place is one of the best to go to in town.Listed in: Quirky places around Reno /…
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Review from Jenny L.
1/5/2010 6 photos
12.27.09
We walked in to a near empty restaurant. It was a bit before 6. The lady asked if we had reservations. We looked to our left, looked to our right, looked at each other in puzzlement, and said no. Thankfully, we got seated!
There are no menus, just a set family style meal. You get soup, salad, and two other appetizers to share. Our night, you can choose from steak, lamb or salmon as the entree. We all chose the steak. BIG mistake.
When medium rare comes out well done for two of the pieces, it's a problem. Also, by this time the restaurant had filled up. Now I understand why they asked if we had reservations.
Carafe of house red comes with the meal - though we respectively declined. I ordered a picon punch instead. Had a sip and involuntarily wanted to vomit in my mouth. How can it taste stronger than a shot? I obviously don't know how Reno people roll. So I left the rest of the drink untouched.
I forgot to take pictures of the steak. Sorry. I was busy crying to myself because it was so bad.
Dessert was a choice of vanilla ice cream or fruit and cheese. I chose the fruit and cheese. Second best thing of the meal, next to the salad.
$18/person after a $50 http://restaurant.com certificate. No, thanks.Listed in: Snowboarding Stops
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Review from David O.
1/17/2010 1 photo
Louis' does Basque family style and does it extremely well...like about to be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives well. http://www.yelp.com/bi... As long as you know coming in what it's all about and embrace it, you'll probably have a wonderful experience.
I'll tell you right now- leave behind the princess that needs aesthtics, presentation, and a volumous menu to peruse. She'll just end up annoying you for the night (thank me later). If a big ass bowl of Basque beans with chunks of sausage sound good to you, then this is the place.
You get a choice of a few entrees available for the night, you pick one, and then you get BOMBARDED by course after course- soup of the day, salad with a wonderfully tangy vinegarette, aforementioned beans, some of the best French fries ever, chicken Basque with rice, and then finally your chosen entree. It's an s-load of food.
My fam has trusted Louis' to deliver on a special occastions including:
- My lunch with my family here after graduating from UNR.
- My cousin's 21st birthday before a legendary night of debauchery.
-Another cousin's post wedding dinner.
In addition to that, I actually briefly worked here. It was the hardest job I ever had. Try bussing after a party of 18 with a line of people staring you down as they wait to be seated.
I love the bar too. I've been there for drinks more than to eat. Great place for pre-drinking before going out somewhere else. Luis, the bartender, can chat folks up and suggest drinks with the best of them. A couple happy hour priced pecon punches and you are on your way to a VERY happy place.
Alright, you get the idea- I'm a fan. You'll be a fan too if you manage your expectations. Just make sure you come hungry. -
Review from Kat A.
San Carlos, CA
1/10/2009
OMG,
God came down from on high and sang beautiful words, and created everything, and on the 7th day he didnt really rest, he created Louis'. Like for serious.
This place makes my tummy think angels are singing.
Basque is the magical civilization that no one can find the origins because the food is so damn good you forget your mission.
But really,
they bring you wine, and water, then salad, soup, beans (OMG the beans, with bacon w yumyum), then you have a choice of
beef balls or tongue, lamb, stew, sometimes chicken,
all yumyumyumyum
and they dont give a crap if yo ustay for 2 or 3 hours.
The staff rules, the food rules,the prices rule,
shit, even the drinks rule,
it just rules
if the stars went up to 10 they would get a goddamn 11.
:)
if you like solid home tasty food and need to filled up, sweet jesus come here, its worth driving at least 5 if not 6 hours. -
Review from Julie V.
El Dorado Hills, CA
4/19/2011
My very first try at Basque Food was at Louis' Basque Corner! We even met Louis! Wonderful family style seating with other guests. We shared our soup and other sides including fabulous fries with our neighbors (these items are set for everyone). I ordered the steak which was delicious and my boyfriend had the fish, equally fabulous. You get soup, salad, bean and fries, desert and wine too. Family style seating and sides, choose your own main dish. I think you can even have seconds. If you like Basque food you must go to Louis'!
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Review from Sarah S.
Reno, NV
8/13/2008
The atmosphere is interesting. There is a bar when you first walk in, towards the back are all of the tables, where you will be seated with other diners. We went when there weren't that many people, so my group got a table to ourselves.
They serve picon punch, which is a traditional basque drink. Picon Punch is made up of Amer Picon (a bitter orange spirit), grenadine, soda water, and optional brandy, topped with lemon peel. Some people hate it; someone people love it. I actually didn't mind it, but it definitely gives you that warm/I'm getting drunk feel.
You get a ridiculous amount of food here - so come hungry! Like other reviewers have said, you get bread & butter, french fries, salad, and beans (I think soup too...) Each dinner gets a choice of entrees (salmon, sweatbreads, lamb, steak, etc.) Also included is red wine and ice cream for dessert. -
Review from Tom B.
Manteca, CA
3/8/2009
The family style dining takes a bit to get used to, but once you open your mind it's quite an enjoyable experience.
The food is incredible. Just the thought of the lamb stew right now is making my mouth water.
It's clean and the staff is very nice. For an older joint in an old town this place is a gem.
If you love Basque food this is the best Basque restaurant in the area. And if you love lamb this place is the BEST! -
Review from Carl A.
Reno, NV
5/27/2011
I had lamb chops and they were perfect! The only thing i noticed was they need to smile more often!
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Review from John M.
Fernley, NV
2/17/2010
Louis' is really a simple family style basque restaurant. Its nothing to rave about, its good home cooked food. You get a good portion and its great comfort food, especially if you have just come home from herding sheep in the deserts of Nevada.
I give this place 3 stars and it really lives up to the 3. I have had basque food elsewhere, food that really is amazing and tasty and is something more to rave about.
Should you try it? Definitely! Especially if you have never had basque food before, but don't expect to be amazed.
