The Tahoe East Shore’s Best Patios
Thanks to a high number of sunny days and abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities, people flock to Lake Tahoe to golf, bike ride, get married, eat good food, and most of all, be outside when the weather’s nice. Here are some of Incline Village/Crystal Bay’s best patios chosen for their views, ambiance, friendly staff, and/or exceptional fare:
Sage Leaf Tahoe
https://www.sageleaftahoe.com/
On April 11, 2025, Sage Leaf Tahoe was one of the first places in North Lake Tahoe to open its patio for the season, and it was completely full by 11am the following morning. It was close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit—tank top weather by Tahoe standards—and couples, groups, and singles sat under the comfortable covered deck to dine on braised bacon breakfast tacos, hot pastrami sandwiches, Bee’s Knees cocktails, and our favorite—Tahoe Blue French toast. Open seven days a week for brunch and dinner, Sage Leaf Tahoe is considered one of the best places to brunch this side of the lake, and their patio elevates the experience.
Crosby’s Kitchen & Cocktail
Over in the Christmas Tree Village, the backyard of Crosby’s is the perfect place to enjoy either breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your family and friends—including the four-legged furry ones. Its back patio is open weather permitting; the restaurant’s outside space holds a 14-person table, five 2-tops, and six picnic tables with umbrellas that seat 6-8 people. A small babbling creek runs alongside the patio, and a stretch of undeveloped forest is behind it.
“It’s a nice little nature-created greenbelt area,” says Crosby’s Owner Russell Jones.
The patio’s hours extend as the weather gets warmer, tending to stay open later in the evening as temperatures allow. Crosby’s is also permitted to allow dogs on the patio, and a lot of people take advantage of that amenity.
“We do breakfast all day and people come early in the morning. We seem to do a lot of receptions here, and everyone wants to sit outside when it’s nice,” Jones adds.
Jim Kelley’s Nugget
Over on North Lake Tahoe’s Nevada side of the state line, the Nugget’s patio opens mid-June and grills up hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and fries, usually serving them to locals on their lunch breaks. They have 10-12 wooden picnic tables on a paver patio and has weekday specials serving up salads and French dips but is best known for their Taco Tuesdays.
“We get busy for lunch and early evening but we’re very weather dependent,” the Nugget’s food & beverage manager says about when the patio is open.
Tunnel Creek Café
https://www.tunnelcreekcafe.com/
At the start of the scenic East Shore Trail and below the bikeable Flume Trail, Tunnel Creek Café provides food for people who need good healthy energy for their next Tahoe activity, or a reward for coming back from one. Breakfast and lunch items are served all day, with dinner on the weekends (Friday-Sunday).
Tunnel Creek has a lot of places to sit, inside and out. It’s common to see people posted up at the outside bar in front of the parking lot sipping on coffee before a hike on the surrounding trails or enjoying a beer out back with their friends after a big bike ride on one of its many picnic tables. The Adirondack chairs conveniently close to the East Shore Trail make it easy to post up with your e-bike.
The Grille at the Chateau
Coinciding with the opening of the Championship Golf Course, The Grille at the Chateau is open May-October seven days a week from 11am-6pm Monday-Thursday and open until 8pm on the weekends. Overlooking the 18th green (and a peek of Lake Tahoe), The Grille’s deck is the only place you’ll want to be on a clear day and is available first-come first-serve. Maybe while you enjoy a salad, sandwich, or hanger steak, you’ll watch someone snag a hole-in-one…even if it is a par 4.
Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo
Eating at Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo is an experience in itself…if you can get a seat there. Inside the restaurant’s sleek minimalist interior, there are nine tables where guests imbibe in either its 6-course Tasting menu or its 10-course Harvest menu with items that are made with quality and artistic flair omakase-style. With items including its signature ash-dried Japanese A4-certified Wagyu steak, tantalizing Toyosu fish, and one-of-a-kind donabe rice, it’s luxurious fare that you won’t find anywhere else.
Fortunately, Smoke Door also has a bar and a patio open during the summer season that offers food and beverages a la carte. Items exclusively on the patio menu include The TeriYAKi Burger made with Sierra yak, the Chicken Katsu Sando and the Japanese A4 Wagyu Sando. If you’re in town and just won a sizeable amount at the Crystal Bay Club’s blackjack table, walk over to the Smoke Door patio and spring for a Wagyu Sando—you won’t be disappointed.
Notable mentions:
Big Water Grille- Found below Diamond Peak on 341 Ski Way, Big Water Grille serves delicious California cuisine overlooking Lake Tahoe. It is open from 5pm-closing Wednesday-Sunday. https://www.bigwatergrille.com/
Soule Domain- Across the street from the former Tahoe Biltmore on 9983 Cove Street in Kings Beach the historic fine dining restaurant has a Garden Wine Bar with a full wine menu, beer, appetizers, and other snacks. For more information about it, visit https://souledomain.com/.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2025 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
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