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Don’t gamble on home-cooking – Tahoe’s casinos dish it up for you

Phillip L. Sublett

It’s Thanksgiving day on the South Shore, which means most families will enjoy the traditional American feast as it comes straight out of the oven. Some, however, will be able to enjoy the meal without ever having to step into the kitchen.

That’s because casinos and restaurants around town will prepare all the food and wash all the dishes, allowing families and friends to experience the holiday without the usual stress of creating a Thanksgiving dinner from scratch.

Given the numerous options along Stateline’s casino corridor, plus the many other restaurants around town, South Shore residents and visitors have no shortage of dining opportunities today, as long as they don’t mind depriving themselves of all the leftover-turkey sandwiches next week.



Harrah’s Lake Tahoe

At Harrah’s Lake Tahoe there are several Thanksgiving dining options. Friday’s Station Steak and Seafood Grill on the 18th floor is open from 4 to 9:30 p.m., offering a two-course meal including traditional roasted turkey with sage dressing, glazed yams, mashed potatoes, buttered asparagus, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie with maple whipped cream for $36.



For a formal dinner, The Summit on the 16th floor offers free-range roasted turkey breast, yams, sausage-and-fruit dressing, mashed Yukon gold potatoes, vegetables and orange cranberry sauce, plus appetizers of smoked salmon cheesecake and soup or salad, and desserts including smoked honey and pumpkin cream soufflé glace, individual pumpkin pie with bourbon whipped cream, cranberry white chocolate cheesecake and cinnamon ice cream, all for $70.

The American River Cafe on the lower casino level offers a more casual turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, sage dressing, glazed yams, vegetables and cranberry sauce for $12.99 for adults or $8.99 for children, plus pumpkin or pecan pie are available for dessert.

The Forest Buffet on the 18th floor is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. today for $24.99 per adult, $13.99 per child, with buffet choices including prime rib, roast pork loin, roast tom turkey, baked Alaskan salmon, seafood Florentine, plus the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes, desserts, and all the other buffet offerings you can eat.

Harveys Resort Casino

Across the street from Harrah’s, Harveys Resort Casino has several dining options. The 19 Kitchen•Bar on the 19th floor has roasted range turkey with apple dressing, with mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams, roasted acorn squash and orange cranberry relish, plus pumpkin pie with cinnamon ice cream, all for $32.

On the casino floor, the Pacifica Seafood Buffet offers roast tom turkey, broiled lamb chops, lobster bisque, steamed Jonah crab, breaded calamari, prime rib, baked ham, broiled swordfish, and many other side dishes and seafood items, for $29.99 for adults or $13.99 for children ages 4 to 11.

The Sage Room Steak House on the casino floor is serving a casual Thanksgiving dinner from 4 to 9:30 p.m., including free range roast turkey with apple dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green beans with bacon, and orange-cranberry relish, plus pumpkin pie with maple whipped cream, all for $36.

Also on the casino floor, the Carriage House Restaurant offers roast tom turkey with sage dressing, mashed potatoes, cinnamon orange glazed yams, vegetables and cranberry sauce, priced at $12.99 for adults or $8.99 for a child’s plate, with pumpkin and pecan pie available for dessert.

Horizon Casino Resort

According to Ellen Pollard at the Horizon Casino Resort, the casino’s restaurants are typically busy on Thanksgiving, with a good mix of locals and visitors.

In the casino’s Town Square Buffet, $14.95 for adults and $7.95 for children 12 and under will get you roast prime rib, turkey, honey-baked ham, oysters, shrimp, smoked salmon and all the trimmings.

At the Horizon’s Four Seasons Restaurant, a $12.99 Thanksgiving dinner includes a Bay shrimp cocktail, traditional turkey with chestnut stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, vegetables and pumpkin or apple pie.

And for a more upscale dinner, Josh’s offers two options for under $30, including a seafood cocktail or honey-glazed turkey, with side dishes such as butternut squash almond soup, walnut cranberry stuffing, sweet potato apple casserole, and a slice of pumpkin pie or an apple tart.

Lakeside Inn and Casino

At the Lakeside Inn and Casino, the Timber House Restaurant offers a bargain $8.95 Thanksgiving meal of roasted turkey or sugar-glazed ham, with potatoes, yams and green beans. Pecan, pumpkin or apple pie are also available for dessert. Manager Chris Hogbin says Thanksgiving at the Timber House is usually not too crowded, with mostly local families.

Caesars Tahoe

Caesars Lake Tahoe has two fine-dining options. The Broiler Room has roasted tom turkey, apple and walnut stuffing or oyster stuffing, butternut squash puree, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry-orange relish and curried zucchini soup. Primavera is offering a dinner of roasted turkey, black walnut and apricot stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and butternut squash soup.

For a more casual holiday meal, The Roman Feast has a diverse buffet, including a carving station, pizza, pasta, wok, salad bar, and a variety of desserts, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The cost is $16.95 for adults, and half-off for children 3 to 10 (children under 3 eat for free).


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