STATELINE, Nev. – Joe’s Sports Bar and Grille, located in Harvey’s Casino, will be permanently closing its doors permanently next Monday, after over 60 years of serving food to locals and tourists alike.

Opened in 1959, Joe’s Sports Bar and Grille featured 20 HDTVs and sports memorabilia—which has been on sale for the last few weeks. According to employees, their lease could have gone at least another five years, but Harvey’s told them location would no longer be available. The casino initially offered to simply downsize the location, which, given the other renovations, became infeasible. “The owner (Dana Smith) looked for other places, but there was nothing to his liking,” said employee Greg Dennis. “So, he decided that we were closing down.”

Restaurant manager Beth Rocha, who has been managing the restaurant for three years, said she’d heard her customers’ disappointment, saying, “Every time someone mentions it, people say, ‘I can’t believe this place is closing down, I go there every time I visit Tahoe!'” Rocha said she felt like the casino pushed them out because they want to own their own restaurants. “Locals really loved us too, so it’s too bad that it’s closing.”

Rocha lamented the loss of cheaper spots to eat. “It’s just kind of sad. There’s not going to be any place to eat during lunchtime in the casino, especially since everything else here is high-end,” Rocha said. “Not that it’s not expensive for us too. We’ve increased prices three times since I started here.”

Now, there are only about 16 employees left for the last week that the restaurant will be open, two of which are J-1s. “It’s hard to stay here knowing that the place will be closing down. People have their lives and their families they need to support,” said Rocha.

Rocha has lived in Tahoe on her own since she started managing the restaurant, but she plans on returning to Dutch Flat, Calif. after closing. “It’s really difficult to stay in Tahoe, period. It’s so expensive and I really had no ability to save up any money while I was working here.” She told the Tribune that Smith even offered to pay part of her rent rather than have her move and commute to work.

Other employees have had offers from Harvey’s to work in the casino or in other restaurants. But work is slow this time of year for them, and at least a few plan to go on vacation before coming back in May, when demand for employees will be higher.

In their announcement for the restaurant closing, Joe’s Sports Bar and Grille said, “We want to express our deepest gratitude to our customers and suppliers for your support and patronage over the years. We will cherish the friendships and memories we have made together.”

This upcoming weekend is their final one, and come Monday, Joe’s Sports Bar and Grille will be offering 70% off all food and drinks.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.