Lake Tahoe has long been a destination for ski lovers and sun worshippers, but through the years – and with a bit of help from friends in Hollywood – the vibe has modified. Of course, there are still loads of rustic chalets and beachside restaurants here, but renovated lodging options and a few glamorous recent restaurants have added a bit of more glitz to the scene in Stateline and South Lake Tahoe.
Big names have breathed recent life into a few of Lake Tahoe's more desolate corners. Harvey's Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino provided some glitz and glamour due to “Real Housewives” and “Vanderpump Rules” star Lisa Vanderpump and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Ramsay opens Hell's Kitchen here just before the pandemic, serving his signature Beef Wellington and other steakhouse fare to the Stateline crowd. But the resort received one other glitzy infusion in April when Vanderpump expanded her partnership with Caesar's Entertainment to Harveys and moved into the space next to Hell's Kitchen.
Vanderpump is an experienced restaurateur – and not only on TV. She and her husband Ken Rodd own several restaurants, including the one in West Hollywood ON Restaurant & Loungewhich is the main target of Bravo-TV's dramatic reality series “”.Vanderpump rules.”
“Scandolaval” isn’t on the menu – or so we hope – in the brand new Wolf from Vanderpump, which showcases the over-the-top aesthetic Vanderpump is known for, with a flair that is distinctly Tahoe. The wolf theme plays off the surrounding wilderness, and the place exudes all the elegance you'd expect from the brand. So. Lots. Chandeliers.
The menu doesn't disappoint, either. Try the fried goat cheese and spicy honey appetizer made famous by “Vanderpump Rules,” then dig into giant shrimp tacos and herb-dusted wild salmon. The cocktails here taste as good as they look, including perfectly pink pumptinis—vodka, St-Germain, grapefruit, raspberry and lime—as well as Vanderpump wines and a particularly good espresso martini.
The celebrity influence doesn't end there, though. Late last year, the hotel, located between Heavenly Village and Harveys, was transformed into a Margaritaville resort after the hotel chain inspired by Jimmy Buffett's music and lifestyle gave the all-suite property a mountain paradise-style makeover.
The Parrothead's vibe fits the Lake Tahoe clientele of yesteryear, and the all-suite resort's remodel has yielded a fun, inviting space with plenty of bells and whistles and some very entertaining dining options. Reserve a table at the new JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, or stop by LandShark, a more casual dining concept with live music on the patio.
The elegant Edgewood Tahoe Resortwhich opened in 2017, offers lakeside dining, a spa and Tahoe's only lakefront golf course. But these days, you can also add a MasterCraft excursion to your lake experience, with luxury charters starting at $1,125 for a half-day, plus kayak ($75 per hour) and stand-up paddleboard ($55) rentals.
The resort recently opened its Brooks' Bar & Deckoverlooking the golf course. The casual eatery is known for its sophisticated comfort food – steak and fries and a BLTP sandwich that adds pimento cheese to the usual ingredients – as well as lake views and cozy fire pits when the weather gets cooler.
Of course, a little bit of sparkle comes naturally. Some of Lake Tahoe's most coveted dining reservations may not be new, but they offer sunsets so spectacular that we just have to mention them.
From its vantage point on Harrah's Lake Tahoe, Friday's Station Steak and Seafood Grill offers beautiful views of pink and orange skies over sparkling turquoise waters. And the menu of steakhouse classics ranges from oysters to grilled swordfish and filet mignon.
Across the street from Harveys, the Sage Room Steak House offers a different atmosphere – rustic and western – but similarly impressive lake views and steakhouse classics like prime rib and lobster tail.
When you go
Harvey's Lake Tahoe: Find Wolf by Vanderpump, Hell's Kitchen and Sage Room Steak House at this Stateline resort on Highway 50 at Stateline Avenue; www.caesars.com/harveys-tahoe.
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe: Find JWB Prime Steak and Seafood and LandShark Bar & Grill at this South Lake Tahoe resort at 4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd.; www.margaritavilleresorts.com.
Edgewood Tahoe Resort: Find Brooks' Bar & Deck and other restaurants at this Stateline resort at 180 Lake Parkway; www.edgewoodtahoe.com.
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe: Find Friday's Station Steak and Seafood Grill at 15 Highway 50 in Stateline; www.caesars.com/harrahs-tahoe.
The idle hour: Open daily at 3351 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe;
www.theidlehourlaketahoe.com.
Originally published:
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