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Pfeifer House Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- 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
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
20 reviews for Pfeifer House Restaurant
20 reviews in English
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Review from KENT W.
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
11/27/2011
"Pfeifer House" German restaurant is only about 10 minutes away from the famous "Alpine Meadows" and "Squaw Valley" ski resorts. It's the perfect place to go for dinner after a day on the slopes. Located near Tahoe City on Hwy. 89 it's also only a 20 minute drive from Truckee (Hwy 80) if you happen to be on your way to or from Reno.
The restaurant has a long history and remains one of my favorite German restaurants in Northern California. It has the look of a southern Bavarian style "Gasthaus" and along with the setting in the high Sierras it only makes you feel even more like you are somewhere high up in the mountains of southern Bavaria.
"Pfeifer House" is one of the oldest restaurants at Lake Tahoe. It is also one of its finest. It was established in 1939 as the "Lake Inn" and became known as the "Pfeifer House" in 1954 when Hermann Schaeffer and Lois Pfeifer purchased the restaurant. It has been serving German dinners now for 57 years.
In 1972, Franz Fassbender, a culinary Gold Medal winner, bought the well known dinner house. He started as a young chef back in his native Germany and came to the U.S. in the early 1960's. Franz prepares all the food here fresh daily.
The "Pfeifer House" is unique and very popular with both families and for banquets of up to 45 people. It was also the site of the 1982 movie "Forbidden Love" with Yvette Mimieux and Andrew Stevens.
When you go to the "Pfeifer House" check out the full bar area first. German tap beers and German, French and California wines are available along with mixed drinks. They have a "Bar Menu" here with prices ranging from $14.00 - $17.00 if you want to eat at the bar. You can order things like Schnitzel, Hungarian Goulash, Swiss Bratwurst, Koenigsberger Klopse (north German meatballs with gravy) or a Kassler Rippchen (smoked pork chop) as well as some of their appetizers.
In the main dinning room start your meal with some smoked salmon, escargots or the Bismarck Herring - which is the one I usually go with here. Dinner comes with either a salad or soup. Try the leek soup - very good.
Chef Franz has all the traditional German favorites here and also does steaks, chicken and fish entrees to. Some of the German favorites include; Roast Braten, "Sauerbraten", Zurich style "Geschnetzeltes", "Koenigsberger Klopse", Swiss Bratwurst or Hungarian "Goulash".
He is also famous in the area for his many varieties of Schnitzel including; Wiener, Holsteiner, Jaeger, Paprika, "St. Moritz" and "Rahmschnitzel". The Swiss style "Cordon Bleu" is awesome and recommended.
If you order the "Duck Feast For Two" you need to call 24 hours in advance.
When I was there the waitress was wearing a traditional Bavarian / Austrian style dress called a "Dirndl" - I liked that! Service was both efficient and well organized. They recommend that you call ahead to make a reservation, however I've shown up here after "Oktoberfest" celebrations in Squaw Valley and had a nice cool one in the bar first until they were ready to seat us. No problem.
"Pfeifer House" is a little on the pricey side, but worth it.
Of interest, since 2001 the nearby "Village" at Squaw Valley" has had a great one day "Oktoberfest". Joe Smiell (aka "Mr. Oktoberfest") and his 20 piece Bavarian Band as well as two Bavarian folk dance groups (from Oakland and Sacramento) help to make this a fun event for the whole family. I performed here when I was dancing with the Oakland group and of course the "Pfeifer House" was a great place for our after party!
I hope Chef Franz keeps his restaurant going for some years to come, he has had a long and successful run, how many more years he will be there is hard to say. Enjoy a bit of old Germany while you still can, see you at "Pfeifer House" !
FYI - Ten minutes south of "Pfeifer House" on Hwy 89 in Homewood is the "Swiss Lakewood Restaurant & Lodge" which has been open since 1965 and changed hands a few years ago. They no longer offer Swiss and German food with the exception of one lonely Schnitzel on their menu. It is more of a French / American style restaurant now and they also have lodging here. The food is good if not a little on the pricey side, but it is no longer in the tradition of German, Austrian or Swiss style restaurants. -
Review from Jeff N.
8/26/2011
After coming here years ago and having serious entree envy after trying the Chicken Cordon Bleu, I had to have it myself. Now, I know it's not the most German thing to eat, but it was so damn good. Come hungry though, because it's definitely a heavy plate.
I tried my gf's schnitzel and I'm not a great judge of good schnitzel, but she definitely enjoyed it, so that's enough for me to say that this is a good restaurant.
The only downside was that there was a huge party that had just sit down before us and the service was a bit slow and they ran out of potato cakes :( -
Review from Stephanie L.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/2/2011
I'm impressed! The decoration is cute, the servers are really friendly, and the food was great! Of course, I had to compare the Schnitzel I had with what I ate in Germany, and it came up to par.
I had the Veinna Schnitzel, and it was a little more fried and less "batter-y" than what I remember in Munich, but hey, that didn't stop me from eating the entire plate. The potatoes that came with it had an interested sauerkraut taste to it. It took me a bit to adjust to, but in the end, I was really happy with it.
I was really sad they didn't have the potato pancakes that night we went. But, it's okay, it's a good excuse to come back again :) -
Review from Vicky H.
Millbrae, CA
4/4/2011 7 photos
Woo-hoo!!! This is a lovely restaurant with retro-style European decor. I was referred by my ex-b/f who actually used to work there when he was in high school. He would tell me stories when he used to work there, how the "older" ladies would ask him out and all, LOL. Since I've already heard so many good things from him in the past, I told myself to keep an objective and unbiased mind so I could decide for myself if I really liked the restaurant or not.
One thing that is worth mentioning is their corkage fee is ONLY $12.50 and prices of their wine list are nothing but reasonable!! Just as an example: they charge $180 for a bottle of Opus One, who is rather inexpensive considering you pay $160 at the winery. We ordered escargots (TOO GOOD!!), and each entree came with a choice of salad or potato leek soup. I ordered the "St. Moritz" schnitzel ($28; schnitzel = veal sliced in very thin pieces) and it was nothing but delicious!! My brother had the garlic steak ($40; a bit pricey but it was a big piece of meat) and my friend ordered their lightly-breaded original schnitzel ($25) with brown sauce.
The dessert that we ordered, Kahlua Mousse, was good but a bit too sweet for my taste/liking. Overall, this is a GREAT restaurant and we are so glad that we made to Pfeifer House after all. I did keep an objective mind and I ended up liking it A LOT (decor, atmosphere, food, service). This restaurant is probably one of the oldest in Tahoe City, and with the economy and seasonal traffic, I am honestly glad that this restaurant is still around after all these years. Felt great for sure to have this dining experience in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Lake Tahoe. :D -
Review from Buck B.
Squaw Valley, CA
12/21/2011
if I could give six stars, I would. As a ex Restaurant owner, I truly appreciate the excellent experience that I receive every time I dine at the Pfeifer house. It is like being in St Anton Austria. I could not be more impressed. Cheers! BB
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Review from Deja K.
Tahoe City, CA
9/23/2010
I don't know why there are some bad reviews on here. If German food isn't your thing, then don't go!
Escargots, Potato Leek Soup, Schnitzel, French Wine... it was all delicious!
It took a couple minutes to get the table even though there were many tables open, but we didn't mind looking over the wine menu at the bar while we waited. The waitress was wearing traditional dirndl and braids- She explained the menu items to us and we were thankful.
I had the rahmschnitzel, veal with a very creamy mushroom sauce. My boyfriend had the Hungarian beef goulash, well-cooked meat in a really nice sauce. Each dish came with potato noodles and zucchini too. Our friends got rich desserts and coffee. The presentation was great and everyone left satisfied.
I highly recommend this place for a celebration dinner or nice night out!
There is an item on the menu called a Ducking Feast for 2, which has to be ordered 24 hours in advance. We saw it come out of the kitchen and I think it would be enough for 4 people, especially with all the sides and bread. Next time celebration is in order, we will absolutely order the duck in advance! -
Review from Rachel S.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2010
This review is insanely overdue: it refers to an experience I had in June 2008. On the way to a weekend of lakeside camping, the car full of us passed this place and noted it with interest. Being that we were trying to get to our site to set up camp, etc. before dark, we vowed to swing in and see what it was about on our return journey on Sunday if the timing, hunger and willingness stars were all aligned.
Sure enough, about 3pm on Sunday, we pulled into their parking lot. Walk up to the dining room door, pull... CHUNK. "uh, I think it's locked." "what are the hours? Are they even open?" "oh. crap. Looks like they're only open for dinner." At which point a large man in cook's clothing appears at the side kitchen entrance: "Can I help you?"
Long story short: the owner/head chef, Franz, and his wife invited us in to their dining room during **off hours,** served up the apfel strudel mit vanilsosse that we desired, hooked us up with some coffee, engaged us in lovely conversation replete with anecdotes on how they came to live in the US from Germany and take over Pfeifer Haus from the previous owner, and sent us on our merry way back out of the mountains to sleep fat-n-happy in our beds that night. It was so gratifying to find such pleasant strangers willing to cut you the benefit of the doubt. If, when I happen up that direction again, I should find myself in need of a fine dining experience, I'll most certainly be considering a return trip. -
Review from Mateo S.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2007
Where do I begin? Ok the bar, which is usually my favorite place in a restaurant. The bartender/owner is a total prick. He was rude to us, rude to the staff and a downright horrible bartender. He made a Tom Collins (my favorite drink) with club soda!! And the BF's martini had more vermouth than vodka.
Let's move on to the food. Below average at best. I had the veal and I immediately wished I hadn't. I already had a bad taste in my mouth from the salty bartender but everything here was just BAD. By the end of the evening we had spent a little over $200 and I went home feeling sick to my stomach. Luckily for me I didn't pay. ;)
Unfortunately Pfeifer House is now the only Swedish-style restaurant in Tahoe with Swiss Lakewood closing, so if you're going for that, it's definitely got the charm but beware of the jackass bartender. -
Review from John W.
San Francisco, CA
3/10/2011
Oh my F'n Godess! This was one of the best meals I have ever had! Who ever could take simple German food and make it so amazing is truly a magician! I admit, I have once before had German food that astounded me, in Bavaria, but did not think it would happen again. We walked there after dark in the snow, only to find that we needed reservations. Upon loudly pouting, we were invited to sit at the bar, which was perfectly fine with both of us. The bartender was both friendly, personable, and attentive.
The food ROCKED. We had a halibut appetizer, which thrilled my girlfriend, it was not my favorite, but it was good. Then we had some veil meat balls which were out of this freakn world! I could taste how cute these little caves were before they met their untimely end!
Of course we had bratwurst, with some delicious red cabbage. Potato pancakes were wonderful. Then I and my girlfriend ended it with a big fight about nothing at all, but the food and atmosphere was wonderful. And after chasing my loved one through the snow for about 20 minutes and making it back to our hotel, we both noticed that after eating such a huge quantity of food, we were not even over stuffed, bloated, or feeling heavy. So we went out dancing and made up. -
Review from Edgard O.
Redwood City, CA
8/31/2009 4 photos
Yum Yum
good food ....i have no idea what half the menu means ...but thats what waitress is for ...sure glad we asked , I got a veal cordon bleu, ( dont ask me the name on the menu) real good food ....good service ....we come here everytime we come to Squaw valley ! -
Review from Justin H.
Pleasanton, CA
7/5/2010
I've been going to The Pfeifer House for over 30 years since I was a little kid and it has always been and remains my favorite restaurant in the world! Fantastic! In all the years, I've never had a meal that was anything less than perfection! Family run by the nicest people you could ever meet! Franz is a genius, and every dish they serve is memorable and outstanding!
Come hungry, because the portions are large and good comfort style food, but trust me you will leave happy!
The service is from the same warm friendly family and staff year after year and always friendly, attentive and accommodating.
Vienna Schnitzel is the star! -
Review from David H.
Carnelian Bay, CA
9/12/2009
Probably best considered Bavarian or German. My wife liked the ambience. I thought it dark, heavy and somewhat thread-bare. The food was IMHO bland to tasteless. People who think this food is good have not obviously eaten anything similar in Germany or Switzerland. My wife's veal tasted only of the bread crumbs it was covered with. My dish was basically thin slices of veal covered with a heavy brown gravy. Any restaurant that serves a dessert with whipped cream out of a spray can - well, that tells you something right there.
I rate restaurants for return: Yes, no and maybe (if I am not sure). This place is a definite NO.
When I read glowing testimonies for a place like this it only underscores just how few people these days know what good food is like and are willing to accept the mediocre. -
Review from kim n.
1/29/2007
One of the oldest restaurants I can think of in the Tahoe area. I think it was established in the late 30's and it's kind of in the middle of nowhere even though it's just south of Squaw/Alpine on the outskirts of Tahoe City. It's on the expensive side but if you like German fare and you're looking to get your carnivore on, this is definitely the place for you.
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Review from Amanda E.
Belmont, CA
6/3/2006
Pfeifer House is one of our favorites up in Tahoe. Great family run restaurant with a quaint and cozy atmosphere. Terrific German food, beer, wine and super friendly staff. It's usually not too crowded but you may want to call ahead during peak season. (Just a note also that they typically close during the month of June.)
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Review from Rowan H.
Carlsbad, CA
8/27/2010
Food was ok but overpriced! Service was efficient but both barman and hostess were not very friendly!
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Review from Sara B.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2010
My husband and I happened upon Pfeifer House this weekend for dinner and were really pleased. It is super random and you walk into what feels like an old school german schnitzel house (and schnitzel is most of the menu--luckily we asked what it was--thinly sliced veal that is breaded and lightly fried). The staff was VERY nice and squeezed us in without reservations, the decor is old-fashioned and cozy, and the food was delicious and unusual (we had the vienna schnitzel and chicken cordon bleu). It's a tad pricey for what it is, but that seems to be on par with Tahoe City standards (and you get a salad course with dinner). All in all, a very nice find! Oh, and there were a few locals in there, too, which is usually a good sign.
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Review from clare p.
Tahoe City, CA
1/27/2010
Okay I love this place and I'm a vegetarian! There is really only one thing on the main course menu I can eat and that's the Veggie plate. Its really good and always a little different. It has an assortment of different veggies on it, that all melt in your mouth. The ambiance is nothing like any other place in Tahoe and the German beer selection is great too.
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Review from Pam M.
Hayward, CA
12/1/2010
This place has been a landmark for great food for a long time, and although we have not been back in a long time, we were not disappointed. It still is very good. The room we were in was a little dark, everything else was great.
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Review from tahoe g.
Squaw Valley, CA
11/19/2009
Friendly, warm, delicious, German...the real thing! An absolutely charming atmosphere. If you want a classic German alpine dinner or apre-ski feast and love meat and sauces, this is your place. Forget low-calorie, dieting, and forget low price. There are no salad entrees or trendy dishes on the menu (and just one meager vegetarian entree), which has been exactly the same for practically forever. The kitchen is still run by the owner, Franz, who cooks very traditional-German. The service is sometimes moderately friendly (but very efficient!). Just have fun and enjoy the family atmosphere and soul-warming food. You will not leave hungry. Kids are welcome too. I LOVE the red cabbage (you can get it on the side), potato pancakes, smoked salmon, Hungarian goulash, and steaks. I've never had a bad experience in 10 years. My only complaint is that the wine by the glass selection is poor. A memorable dining occasion.
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Review from Patricia G.
San Ramon, CA
9/4/2006
My fiance loves this place because of their sauces. I'd say it was okay. To be honest, the food reminded me of frozen food I've eaten.
