Restaurateur and reality TV celebrity Lisa Vanderpump's new Wolf by Vanderpump restaurant opened at Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino in April, 2024. (Wolf by Vanderpump)
Lake Tahoe has long been a destination for ski lovers and sun seekers, but over the years — and with a little help from Hollywood friends — the vibes have evolved. Of course, you’ll still find plenty of rustic chalets and beachy eateries here, but redone lodging options and some glamorous new restaurants have added a little more glitz to the Stateline and South Lake Tahoe scene.
Big names have given new life to some of Lake Tahoe’s more tired corners. Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino has acquired some razzle dazzle courtesy of “Real Housewives” and “Vanderpump Rules” star Lisa Vanderpump and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Ramsay opened Hell’s Kitchen here just before the pandemic, bringing his trademark Beef Wellington and other steakhouse fare to the Stateline crowd. But the resort got a further bedazzled infusion in April, when Vanderpump expanded her partnership with Caesar’s Entertainment into Harveys, moving into the space next to Hell’s Kitchen.
Vanderpump is a seasoned restaurateur — and not just on TV. She and her husband, Ken Rodd, own several, including West Hollywood’s SUR Restaurant & Lounge, which takes center stage on Bravo-TV’s drama-filled reality series, “Vanderpump Rules.”
“Scandoval” is not on the menu — we hope not, anyway — at Tahoe’s new Wolf by Vanderpump, which displays 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 drips with all the elegance you expect from the brand. So. Many. Chandeliers.
The menu doesn’t disappoint either. Stop in for the fried chevre starter with hot honey made popular on “Vanderpump Rules,” before diving into colossal 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 an especially good espresso martini.
The celebrity influence doesn’t stop there. Late last year, the hotel between Heavenly Village and Harveys was transformed into a Margaritaville resort, after the hospitality chain inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s music and lifestyle gave the all-suites property a mountainside-meets-paradise makeover.
The Parrothead vibe fits Lake Tahoe’s clientele of yore, and the remodel of the all-suite resort has yielded a fun, inviting space with plenty of frills and some very fun dining destinations. Make reservations for the new JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, or swing by LandShark, a more casual dining concept with live music on the patio.
The elegant Edgewood Tahoe Resort, which opened in 2017, offers lakeside dining, a spa and Tahoe’s only lakefront golf course. But these days, you can add a MasterCraft outing to your lake experience, with luxe charters starting at $1,125 for a half-day, as well as rentals of kayaks ($75 per hour) and stand-up paddleboards ($55).
The resort recently revamped its Brooks’ Bar & Deck, which overlooks the golf course. The casual eatery is known for its sophisticated comfort food — think steak and frites and a BLTP sandwich that adds pimento cheese to the usual suspects — as well as lake views and cozy firepits for when the weather cools.
Of course, some sparkle just happens naturally. Some of the most sought-after dinner reservations in Lake Tahoe may not be new, but they offer such spectacular sunset views, we can’t not mention them.
From its vantage point atop Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Friday’s Station Steak and Seafood Grill provides a wonderful vantage point for glimpsing pink and orange skies over sparkling turquoise water. And its menu of steakhouse classics ranges from oysters to grilled swordfish and filet mignon.
The Sage Room Steak House across the street at Harveys offers a different vibe — rustic and Western — but similar sweeping views of the lake and steakhouse classics, including prime rib and lobster tail.
With two levels of indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy, Idle Hour is a must-stop for wine enthusiasts, as well as sunset lovers. There’s an air of romance to sipping wine on the deck as you watch the waves lap below.
If You Go
Harveys 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.