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OK time to update for one of my favorite restaurants.
I send my B&B guests here all the time and Spindleshanks always come through for me. This week my guests enjoyed so much they went two nights in a row.
I went last night for happy hour. Couple glasses of wine and the Ahi Napolean. Yum! Also, I really enjoyed that the girls dressed up for Halloween. Especially the self-proclaimed "slutty blood-sucking wench". lol
Wow, I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet, this is pretty much my favorite… Read more »
This American bistro is ideally situated - it's less than 1/4-mile from a number of rental cabins and hotels in this small community about a 20-minute drive from Tahoe City. I'm generally skeptical when a restaurant claims to also be a wine bar, but Spindleshanks lives up to the name. About a dozen wines are available by the glass. There are also five wine flights (two white, two red and one port) and a large number of half-bottles (most not really worth the price, in my view) and an excellent selection of California wines. I did not get a chance to try a cocktail, but the restaurant has a full bar.
We started with two wine flights (pinot gris/chenin blanc/viognier and pinot/merlot/cab) and the calamari/rock shrimp appetizer. The calamari was well-fried although we were a bit disappointed that the plate included no shrimp at all. I noticed a bottle from one of my favorite wineries ('06 Hatcher Zin) that would pair well with my partner's entree (the filet special) as well as my own (butternut squash ravioli in sage brown butter sauce). My baby green salad was slightly over-dressed but otherwise well-executed. My partner's filet was ordered m.r. and delivered on the rare side - if you feel strongly about your beef, be sure to mention this to your server. My ravioli were tasty. We finished with the bread pudding and the port flight (Dow's 20/Quinta '95/10-year maderia). I highly recommend both.
Overall, recommended with some reservations.
Please bear in mind that I do not drink alcohol, so my experience here will be much different than most others.
The service was good, the atmosphere was nice, and dessert was tasty. That's about as good as it gets.
The sauces that came with the fried calamari and rock shrimp appetiser were not good, but the calamari and shrimp were pretty much as you should expect them to be.
The "spicy" Jambalaya was anything but spicy. It seemed as though there was more seasoning on my plate (aka, decoration) than there was in the dish itself. The chicken was a bit undercooked as well. Perhaps having had real jambalaya when I lived in the south ruined this dish for me, but it was pretty bland nonetheless.
The butternut squash ravioli was pretty good.
The dessert was good. Vanilla bean creme brulee.
Our bill, before tip, was about $80. It was not worth it.
The experience of dining in a restaurant that's "full of history" does not make up for the lackluster and overly expensive food.
Overrated. I liked the food, but an $80 bill for two people??
The food was fairly tasty, but their plates should have been $50 or $60 instead of $80.
It wasn't worth it. They had friendly people working there, but their waitress said their wasn't lemonade and later, we found it listed on their dessert menu.
I wouldn't go back. There are cheaper, tastier resturants nearby (El Sanchos is great!)
I checked out the other reviews before coming here and felt it would be a good experience. Tahoe can be hit or miss depending on what part of the year you are visiting. We went during Happy Hour (5:30-6:00) so we went for the appetizer and drink specials. The have an extensive wine selection from their wine bar and we wanted to try a few.
Our server was exceptional. She had a great personality, very helpful and entertaining to talk to.
This review does not cover the entrees.
We ordered the salad greens, sauted artichoke and smoked fish plate. Everthing was oustanding. The wine specials were good but not great. Due to the Happy Hour specials the overall cost was very reasonable for what we got. I would try the restaurant again and focus on the entrees. Good price/value relationship.
This place came recommended by a foodie friend of mine -- it kind of failed to live up to our expectations, which was a little sad.
My boyfriend was looking for a slightly lighter option but most of the things on the menu were from the American meat-heavy side of things with various butter-based sauces. He ended up getting the butternut squash ravioli but didn't notice those came with a butter sauce too, so that didn't quite work out. I think the ravs were also made with wonton wrappers which (as a semi-Asian person) always breaks my brain.
I ordered the filet special and asked for it medium-rare, but received a steak that was more like totally-raw. I never send food back but I sent this one -- got it back a little later closer to medium, which was fine. The port reduction sauce on it was good and the green beans were nicely crisp-tender, and the garlic mashed potatoes were good.
We didn't try dessert as we were a little leery of spending $8 after being a little underwhelmed by the entrees.
After all that it was not quite worth the drive from Tahoe City, but other folks might have better experiences. So it goes.
We went for Mother's Day and were quite pleased.
Dishes at the table included an "Off Menu" Vegetable Platter for the appetizer, a Filet of Beef that was one of the specials, an Almond Crusted Halibut, a Rib Eye Steak and a Baked "Mac and Cheese." In all that food, it is hard to find examples of poor execution. So let's focus on the good.
The Off-Menu Vegetable Platter had way more than your standard vegetables -- artichoke, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, baked/stuffed chile relleno...oh and it also had squash (you didn't think it was all cool vegetables, did you?).
The three steaks were ordered at different temps (rare, medium rare and medium) and they were all delivered together and each perfectly cooked. One more note on the steaks....the Garlic Mashed Potatoes were amazing!
The baked Mac and Cheese for the kids was also a pleasant surprise. Mac and Cheese is so easy to let slide. Our surprise was that this dish got some serious attention. Lots of interesting (but kid friendly) cheeses and hey...it was baked. How cool is that.
We are big fans of Spindleshanks and yes, we are absolutely coming back.
What a great restaurant! I've discovered my go to restaurant in North Tahoe during my last visit there. I tried a fish dish that was a special of the day and it was pan cooked to perfection...crispy on the edges and moist on the inside. The pecan pie was sooo delicious too.
It's a cozy place with high quality food, yet it's not a flashy place at all. It's the kind of place you can come in really casual or come on a first date. Everyone was so nice and the service was excellent.
I am a fan because the food is good. The service leaves much to be desired, however. We were there on a pretty slow night; maybe the rest of the staff is better. Our server didn't know if butter was dairy (husband on dairy-free diet), nor did she remember to keep the cheese off the salad, even though we reminded her. I then heard her talking to the table behind us about the fact that she was a "merlot person" and therefore had no wine recommendations for them beyond the tasting menu. What? The place has a long wine list and a wine bar! Come on. At least memorize or have some notes on a couple wine parings. She basically had no idea what she was talking about, and seemed like a career server, not a teenager doing the summer thing, so I don't get it. I would go back for the food, but I wouldn't tip very well.
One of the guys I went snowboarding with suggested this place.
This is a such a Gem in Tahoe. I was amazed how good the food was here. Now I am not saying Tahoe has bad food but to find food of this quality so far off the beating path is a wonderful surprise.
I had the Linguine and Shrimp. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was not to rich so you can get through entire plate with out getting tired of the taste.
I also tried there pecan pie which was the best I have ever tasted. It had a great eggy taste to it with a Bourbon sauce on top... So so yummy.
Basically simple but very fresh food with good service. Highly recommended.
Really like this place in Tahoe Vista. Very comfortable, unique "something for everyone" sorta menu, reasonable prices, and great service. I would recommend this for anyone who wants a nice meal, doesnt feel like dressing up, and isnt compelled to "be seen" with the in crowd.
Comfortable, classy, cool.
B
8 of us had a fantastic meal here. Everything was a hit. The wine flights were a bargain, the starters, from the tartare to the poke to the soup, were generous and delicious.
The mains all shined as well. I had a lemongrass brick-chicken dish which was stellar, it had potstickers, the crispiest skin for a roasted bird (thanks to the brick) and a refreshing cabbage slaw. Portions were huge. I tasted pork chop, steak, fish, mussels, and loved them all. We all went to bed soon there-after.
I will be going back this weekend for sure. For a Tahoe weekend, this is my ideal type of place. It puts out great sophisticated food, serves a great range of drinks, is casual, has the wood timber lodge thing working. It was very memorable. O, and service was attentive, polite and accomodating.
Had dinner here awhile back and still have fond memories. The food was delicious, and the service was friendly!
Excellent food. Excellent wine list. Full bar. Go early and pick your seat!
One of my goto restaurants on the North Shore of Tahoe. When the powder starts falling I'll end up here after a long day on the slopes. Great variety covering Classic American, Latin and European Cuisines. The restaurant also doubles as a fairly extensive wine bar.
My favorite is the NY Steak and Lobster tail combo.They've managed to pair two of my favorite all time foods so it's a no brainer. When I'm not feeling that decadent, the ribs, brick pressed chicken, or the housemade butternut squash ravioli can fit the bill. On the dessert side they make a superb old fashioned root beer float and a great cheesecake.
The space is large, containing a stone fireplace, with wals and struts made of knotted pine. There's a feeling throughout the restaurant that you might be in the living room of someone's chalet. The staff are a friendly bunch. Attentive, informative and knowledgeable.
The restaurant is diverse enough to accomodate your, whether you're out on a date or celebrating with a skiing/snowboarding party of ten. I'm already looking forward to the next snow season, so I can ride in the powder and then go back to Spindleshanks and have a great meal.
This place makes me so happy. Consistently great food. The interior is very warm and inviting. Comfy booths with nice pillows to sleep on. Somehow when ever we come here my 8yr old bro ends up falling asleep on them.
The food is really good and niiiice portions. I totally recommend getting the artichoke soup is they have it. Its one of the best things i have had. It tastes like fresh artichokes in soup form with cheese. You really cant go wrong there. The rest of the food is typical American bistro/wine bar food but it is done very well. Seasonal ingredients and always fresh. Great place to kick back and relax
This place seemed nice and we were seated right away. I sensed something might be wrong when our server did not know the specials. She also looked at me funny when I ordered a house salad with the dressing on the side. Long story short I ordered a med-rare steak and got one that was well done.
I sent it back and they sent out a undercooked steak with a chile rellano?!?! What the hell?!?!
Why would I want a chile rellano?
They also acted as if no one had ever returned a steak or any dish for that matter. They were VERY unprofessional and different servers kept coming to the table to ask us the same questions. I will never go back and I will tell my friends to stay away.
THe bartender is very pleasant and accomadating. She is cute too and very easy on the eyes. The salad cesar is good if you like vineagar in the dressing. I had a seafood pasta that was very rich and had lots of butter and cream. The scampi in the pasta was flavorful and fresh, not as easy as it sounds when in Tahoe. They get extra points for that, the server however seemed to be preoccupied when he did not even have that many tables. This place was just average and it would towards the middle of the list when ranking places to eat in the area.
My boyfriend and I love this restaurant and have to eat there every time we're up in Tahoe. The service is friendly and accomodating, the atmosphere is very warm and can either be casual or elegant depending on the mood your in, basically it's can be whatever you are looking for for the evening. Best of all the food is soooo delicious from their warm bread basket to their lobster tail, beef brisket, and yummy mixed green salad. They also have a wonderful wine selection or you can get a cocktail from their full bar.
We are super picky eaters that don't like pretenious restaurants so this fits our needs every single time!
Do walk run to this restaurant, you will not be disappointed!!
This place is delicious, probably the best restaurant in N. Tahoe. We bring all our out of town… Read more »
Wow, an American Bistro and Wine Bar in the sleepy north Lake Tahoe area! The food is typical American grill/bistro fare: Well executed and interesting combinations of fresh ingredients. But it's definitely not on the same level as some of the Bay Area restaurants. But hey, this is Lake Tahoe, not San Francisco!
The wine list is interesting, favoring Napa/Sonoma/Central Coast/Oregon wines over French or Italian. I checked last Saturday night and only found one Burgundy, a 2001 Vosne Romanee Village (or was it Premier Cru?). But I did find a 1997 Pahlmeyer Red back in 2003 when I first visited. This time, they only have the 2001 Pahlmeyer Merlot, which I already have so I skipped it.
Anyway, if you are skiing/boarding at Northstar, Alpine, or Squaw, it's worth the meandering North Lake Boulevard drive to check out this spot and its wine list.
I love Spindleshanks! They have a fantastic happy hour from 5:30 - 6:30, where they have a good selection of wine for $3 glass, and good appetizer specials. Their oyster appetizer might be my favorite food in the whole world. I begged them for the recipe. No go.
Their regular menu is great too. There's a good variety and everything tasted delicious and was cooked perfectly. I'll never stay in N. Lake Tahoe without a visit to Spindleshanks!
We went here (we had a party of 9) on 12.30.07
Service was great and the atmosphere was very relaxing and laid back. The price of the food were a bit expensive but for the portion, it's worth it. I ordered a lobster tail and oh my, it was delicious and very big! Well, for $52 - I sure hope it was big! Nonetheless, it was good.
Again, I forgot what the rest of the group ordered, but I know that my boy had a t-bone steak and he said it was good and he enjoyed every bit of it.
Doesn't look fancy on the outside but on the inside, I think overall the price says it all.
The menu had great variety (especially for Tahoe), and it was all yummy. Only nitpicky comments would be that the bread was sliced before it was heated, so it was nearly a basket of croutons, and that for a menu so interesting, the kids menu was booo-ring. We split an adult entree for the kids, instead.
This is another place that qualifies for my "whodathunk" award for great restaurant in an unexpected location award. I've got to agree with every body's consensus on their wine list because it is both unique, fairly extensive & carries only a modest markup. We found a nice 01' Pride Cab for only $78 (STEAL!) that went beautifully with our rack-o-lamb & was a perfect follow up to some tasty ahi & a 05' Bandol, blush Mouvedre that we bought in. (...hint, be nice to your server,offer a glass of the wine you brought in to them & voila! no corkage fee 90% of the time)
Since the skiing that day was epic until the snow turned to dessert topping & the temperature was almost 60 degrees, the dinner was a perfect end to a perfect day. (see Helm of Sun Valley, new boots review)
This is a fun place for great steaks! Large portions and cozy atmosphere, can accommodate large parties, but great for romantic dinners for 2. They usually have a fresh fish item which is always fantastic! Also, a wonderful vegetarian plate which is not on the menu, but just ask the server-
The homemade chile rellenos are not authentic, but awesome! I am a local and a fan of chef Herman who used to cook at Captain Jon's when it was open and popular! Happy hour every night, plus deals on appetizers in the bar. Small kids menu and side dishes that work. You must give this place a try when in North Shore-
We all decided on this place as per Yelp suggestion as it had great star rating, but apparently the people who gave this place a good review they don't know what good food is or service.
We made reservation at 8:30 because there was none earlier but they didn't sit us down until 9 and when we walk into the restaurant there were plenty of tables available....so I was really puzzled by this.
We order calamari to star and share.....bad idea the little buggers were fried super crisped so it was chewing a corn meal breaded rubber band.
I order a rack of lamb medium rare and it was well done, who the f*** eats a rack of lamb well done, I should of said something but I was too hungry and drunk by then. My friends order a fillet which was tough and tasteless, while the brick chicken was seriously resembling a charcoal briquette.
This is truly disappointing paying over $50 just for the food portion and the service was very amateur, none of the bus girl said anything before they cleared the table and looked very annoyed. I think it's illegal to charge 18% for party of 6 or more when you don't feel the service is justified.
Great food. I recently went and had baked brie and split a surf and turf plate. It was *huge* and delicious. The interior of the restaurant is cozy, and in the summer they have a really nice outdoor patio. The bar area is also very nice - lots of bar stools, wood everywhere, and a bottle of Gray Goose that's almost as tall as me.
Also known as the "Spankenwangen", Spindleshanks really shines on the North Shore of Tahoe. My beef fillet was perfectly cooked and was seasoned amazingly. Every other dish that was ordered was pretty amazing. The pork loin with chile relleno was spectacular, maybe the best relleno I've EVER had. The shrimp in the Scampi Linguini was a little overcooked, and they used spaghetti, instead of linguini, and a little bland. But who orders pasta anyway? Losers. They had run out of a lot of stuff, like sea bass, which I would have liked to try, but that's OK because I can see why. The food was superb.
I went there a couple nights ago with a friend and it was good. The atmosphere is really quite nice and rustic. If I was a big wino I would probably have something good to say about the thick wine menu, but I ordered a hefeweizen and it was tasty and simpler than browsing the endless wine options. I ordered the special of BBQ'd braised beef, and I have to say it was not as good as I would have expected. I'm not saying it was bad, just not what you would expect from a $$$ restaurant. I'll be sure to try something else if I go there again because other dishes looked very good.
The food was delicious, the ambience was relaxing and the service was excellent. I ordered the Filet Mignon and it melted in my mouth, it was perfect. The wine selection matches this place ( 5stars). Great place to have a family gathering or just hang out with friends.
The mussels with garlic herb butter were really good. I was all excited about the rosemary truffle sauce to go with my filet but I couldn't really taste the truffles and it had a slightly offensive celery salt taste to it. Not awful, but noticeable. Good garlic mashed potatoes, interesting balsamic caesar salad, great sourdough bread! $15 corkage fee for the first bottle, $20 thereafter. We had the '01 River Ranch Pinot from Monterey (FABULOUS) and a '95 Coufran from the left bank. Good selection of scotches, and after dinner drinks. Great meal, awesome service, just not quite 5 stars.
Very good restaurant. Wide selection of foods to choose from. Make sure that you make a reservation. The place was packed when we visited but were seated promptly because we had called ahead. We will return.
Very good, above average food and fare, one of the nicer places in the area.
We went there the other night and the food was pretty good, the service very good and the atmosphere pleasant Tahoe. We were there on the early side. My husband has been there before at night and said the bar was a lot of fun and busy. We had the artichoke which I enjoyed, the sashimi napoleon which was in Tahoe style, seared (something about that truck ride or flight in from the coast must make the owners' nervous here in Tahoe - this was the third time this has been the case this week). But the sashimi napoleon was very tasty, I have to say. It was the tuna, seared, layered with a crispy fried won-ton wrapper or something, with a mayonnaise of some sorty and a crispy asian slaw. I did really like that and might go order it at the bar someday with drinks. The creme brulee was good. I had the sand dabs which were tasty but not incredible. My husband had the lamb which was also good, not incredible. Overall a pleasant experience but I am not sure I would go back unless I had a large rowdy group which would fit in with the ambiance quite well.
Incline Village, NV
Category: American (New)
Tahoe Vista, CA
Category: Restaurants
Carnelian Bay, CA
Category: Restaurants
Incline Village, NV
Category: Restaurants
Incline Village, NV
Category: American (New)
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