Tunnel Creek Cafe
1115 Tunnel Creek Rd, Incline Village, NV, 89451
Tunnel Creek Cafe Menu
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Address :
1115 Tunnel Creek Rd
Incline Village, NV, 89451 - Phone (775) 298-2502
- Website https://www.tunnelcreekcafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 5:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Breakfast, Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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Lauren M.
Stopped here for a quick lunch on our way to kings beach.... Love this place! Quick service and EXCELLENT sandwiches. Inside and outside seating, you order at the front and they will bring your food to where you are sitting. Great find in incline valley!!
(5)Scott N.
Good food and service. Had a very homey feel to it and was convenient enough to get to from the lake. Would go again.
(4)First C.
The 3 stars are for the following: Pros: Seating Outdoor seating Vegetarian options Beer Cons: Food is tasteless; the most tasteless food in town They close very early The kitchen has surely never heard of seasoning, nor salt, nor toasted bread that doesn't chafe the roof of your mouth.
(3)Shanna D.
Two day appraisal. Friday couldn't get near the bar, so busy, which is good.....though each order was taking so long to be honest.....15 minutes in line....I watched people wait 15 minutes for their food......30 minutes for a coffee and a sandwich? Nope. Left and went on my way. Stopped by today after another trip to the area and while it was very busy.....we had our kids and wanted to stay for a break. Latte was a 5 of 10......coffee, espresso is supposed to have BODY, which makes its stay in the mouth a while....I drank most of it but it really was lacking the heft that coffee should have. Wife had a soy chai that was fine. Daughter had a strawberry smoothie that had so much sugar it was really out of character for a 'local' sort of healthy kind of place. It was also so thin in texture that it really was something to be returned.....but they would not take it back...! Seriously? We tried the same for the rock hard cookie but that too, no returns....."They were all cooked at the same time" as if this is some excuse for rock hard overdone cookies......OH, we messed up the WHOLE BATCH of cookies and we are going to sell them anyway. OK i gotcha. This place may have started out with the greatest of intentions but I think it is simply too busy with too small a kithchen and a staff that really doesn't care about a coffeehouse atmosphere. The vibe is there but you know the love isn't. Will pass it by next time, sorry.
(2)Keith O.
I wish I could comment on the food. After standing in line for 10 minutes to order - with only two people in front of me - I decided to pass on food and just ordered an espresso. The two young women behind the counter had a routine that worked to single track orders. There was a lot of multi-tasking - but it was focused on their phones and texting (or whatever the teen sensation is these days). I finally started counting - in the 10 minutes I waited after placing my order - neither of them could go more than 15 seconds without looking at their phones and wildly stabbing at screens while they seemed to be humored. Glad they were amused. I was not. When I finally got my double espresso, it was in a cold cup... And since there is no cheating the laws of thermodynamics, it was soon lukewarm. Hoping to add a dash of cream, I looked around but found all the half and half and milk containers to be empty. Sigh. I am guessing the owner must not spend much time there. Or maybe he/she is a "trustafarrian" hipster with a lot of family money but little understanding of (or regard for) the actual business of running a cafe. I don't particularly like the sucking sound of the money vacuums in my pocket at Starbucks - but at least at a Starbucks you will never see their cashiers or "baristas" ignoring customers to focus on their phones.
(2)Roy M.
Excellent food and cost. My wife and I ate outside the staff was friendly and helpful. Highly recommend making a stop here in your travels at Lake Tahoe.
(5)Mark M.
Tunnel creek chicken club was very tasty - highly recommend the loose leaf Citron green tea as well.
(4)Autumn G.
Great pancakes!! Everyone's breakfast was really good... Only complaint is the price. It's little pricey for a cafe, but I guess you get what you pay for
(4)Emily C.
Fairly unimpressed. The prices are higher than what is listed here on Yelp, the service was very disorganized and the food was just average.
(2)Joshua O.
I cant begin to say how big a dissapointment this place is. First, ordering our food was awkward and strange. The coffee is over-roasted and bitter and they had run out of sugar. How is that possible? That is like McDonald's running out of ketchup... Ridiculous. The service wasnt professional and the over all experience left me wanting so much more... A good breakfast and a good cup of coffee. Soo many other places up in incline to have both. Save your money and eat elsewhere.
(1)Cortney R.
This was a great place to stop and get sandwiches to go when my daughters and I hiked down to Hidden Beach. The turkey pesto sandwich was delicious. It was also a nice stop on the way back for some cold lemonade!
(4)Cheston W.
A nice cozy cafe right at the entrance of the trail head that leads to the Flume Trail! Tunnel Creek Cafe offers a range of pastries, sandwiches, breakfast items, and even beers on tap for anyone looking for quick and hearty meal before and/or after a hike or bike ride along this beautiful trail. The staff is very friendly and the layout of the cafe is homey - lots of chairs and couches with a quiet low-key vibe. There are also some lawn chairs and heat lamps out on the front porch, which are perfect for the warmer days. I didn't get around to trying much of their food, but a friend of mine got the pesto turkey sandwich, which was delicious - generous amount of meat and the bread was toasted to perfection! The smoothie selection includes mango, strawberry, and blueberry. I tried the strawberry smoothie (a blend of strawberries, bananas, and 2% milk), which was not overwhelmingly sweet - a nice refresher after a long hike. The cafe is conveniently located off the main highway and literally across the shores along the Incline Village area. Anyone looking for a casual and comfortable pit-stop or post-hike spot, Tunnel Creek Cafe is a great option!
(4)Steven L.
Wanted to eat something small while coming back from the lake. Checked this place out on yelp and came. Very friendly people and good sandwiches!
(5)Mikaela K.
Great little lunch spot! The food: I had the grilled cheese with creamy tomato soup and my hunny got the pesto mozzarella flatbread sandwich. Both were really yummy. The ambiance: ski loft style with lots of climbing related photos of el capitan. Clean and comfy couches. The coffee: minus one star for lack luster coffee, tasted like foldgers....ehh not great! Overall great little spot to grab a bite
(4)Rick W.
Tunnel Creek cafe is an awesome place to stop off for a quick coffee before your trek up the Flume mountain bike trail and then a sandwich and beer afterwards. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere has a traditional Tahoe cabin loco-moco vibe. Absolutely love it. I've had lunch there a few times, sandwiches are tasty and they serve Deshutes IPA on tap, so it is defintely worth dropping in. All they need is free wifi for a 5th star (hint-hint), so I could just work there and not have to go into the office. :-) I'll be back. /RW
(4)Hailey Y.
Despite the fact that the hours outside their door and the yelp app say they close at 5:00pm on Sunday, I was just turned away (at 4:10) and told that they close at 4:00 today. Idiots. EDIT: So they updated the yelp hours after I wrote the above review, and they now close at 4 on Sundays here. You're welcome for bringing it to your attention, no thanks necessary guys, really. I'm still extremely irritated with this business.
(1)Michele B.
Stopped in for a quick breakfast before a hike. What a fantastic spot! Casual vibe, delicious (and healthy) food, and nice people. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Flower M.
We hiked tunnel creek and I really needed to use the restroom afterwards since there are no portos on the trail. To be a good patron I bought a blueberry smoothie so I could use the restroom. The owners were very friendly and the smoothies were good. The banana was a little under ripe in my smoothie so it lacked a little flavor. But I know this is not the establishments fault. Because you either get over ripe bananas or under ripe. It smelled awesome from the cooking so next time we plan on eating a meal there. This cafe is located at the now closed ponderosa ranch where bonanza was filmed.
(5)Stephanie D.
Just stopped in here for a late lunch and was super impressed. It sits at the mouth of Flume Trail and has several gallery style photos hung around of the extreme bikers on the trail. It's a tiny place but there are seats outside on their porch if you have to wait for a few. There were many vegetarian and vegan options on the menu plus meat-a-tarian options too. They were out of butternut squash for the quesadillas I was going to order so I went with an avocado grilled cheese on sourdough and a hot chocolate to warm this FL girl up. My lunch companions both orders the Chicken Tortilla soup and they even toasted up some of the gluten free bread we brought with us. Everything was home made and delicious - like, for reals - and was the best service we've had during this whole Tahoe trip. So I give five stars to this little gem. I would definitely come back here. It doesn't hurt either that their music could have been directly off my husband's playlist. Alison Krauss, bluegrass and The Band, for starters.
(5)Bryan Q.
Nice rustic cafe located near the Ponderosa Ranch from the TV show, Bonanza (now closed since 2004). We had been out site seeing and had been looking for the Ponderosa. After taking some photos of the Ranch and the beautiful view of the Lake, we decided to stop in for a bite. They have a variety of both vegan and regular meals to choose from. While we, (my better half and I) are not vegan, we opted for the Butternut Quesadilla and the BLT. Both were cooked well and filling. They have a good variety of coffee drinks and beer (for those needing libations.) The Staff were warm and courteous and the bath room, though one for both male and female, was clean and up to date. It is a nice stop after a hike from the trail nearby.
(4)Annette O.
Wow, what a joke of a breakfast place! Sooo disappointed. We walked in excited to start our day off, heading to S Lake Tahoe, and I thought this place looked very rustic and cool, so we stopped on the way. Passed by Wildflower Cafe, (but after now reading reviews there wish we hadn't passed it by!) The cashier was friendly and accommodating, no eggs over easy on menu? (Should have been first clue!) but she offered to change the offered scrambled to fried. No hash browns, but offered toast? again second clue. I'm an optimist, so continued to order pancakes for my 8 yr. old daughter. OJ served in plastic picnic style cups? Not great for our beautiful Tahoe environment!! We proceeded to seat ourselves at the very small tables, and no mention from cashier however that we had to get everything including salt for ourselves! (By the way, while paying, she noted I could add a tip, 10, 15 or 20...I said its self serve, right, no tip!) I was soooo glad I hadn't after I saw the service!! The "waitress couldn't even get the breakfast to the right table! Then when I was walking to get our napkins, which came out in shreds, I was beginning to wonder where our breakfast was when I heard a young woman tell the waitress she "hadn't ordered this." I happened to be standing right there, so said I thought that was our order. The waitress took back the eggs and bacon, but the greedy husband hurriedly said, but I ordered pancakes so kept them!! and proceeded to rush over to get his syrup at the self serve counter. I couldn't believe it, a grown man couldn't figure out that perhaps if one order was incorrect perhaps both plates belonged to someone else? If the pancakes hadn't belonged to my child I may have just blown it off. But the rudeness of both the waitress and this so called "man" to just wimp out and let this guy control the situation was a joke! When I told this dude he was eating my daughters pancakes he didn't even think to apologize, just gave the bs excuse, " I asked the waitress if I could keep them!" How old are you again? A grown man, keeping a child's pancakes?! Just because the waitress was lame and couldn't see the right thing to do doesn't make it right for you to take advantage of the situation. Good thing my husband wasn't there, who IS a real man by the way! So my daughter had to wait for her breakfast while they served my eggs and bacon. Luckily the eggs were overdone so I could send them back, and still be able to eat WITH my daughter not in FRONT of her! Also, it wasn't that this had to be a problem, but it was the way it was handled that created the problem. Too bad the "manager couldn't see this. The manager was obviously not a good manager as she proceeded to make "light" of the situation by allowing my daughter to wait, commenting, "oh, new ones are on the way." ???!! Then when I was walking to get our napkins, which came out in shreds, I think I even heard the manager sympathizing with the staff?? Great. (Sarcasm here.) Again, no apology except from the cashier (and it wasn't even her fault!) But I give her credit for that at least. When the manager served my new eggs, she said ok, "good, here you go" (with my fixed eggs) and I said not really. (My daughter still didn't have her pancakes.) Again, just her comment of "oh, at least it wasn't too long of a wait" for my redone eggs!!) again no apology from her TO my sweet and patient 8 year old. Oblivious! I then I had to get up once again to ask for jelly, which she scooped out of a large jar (no jelly packets either?) I then returned to my now cold toast to spread hard butter and jelly onto it. They finally brought my daughters two pancakes, again, no comment. So, I proceeded to tell the "manager the situation, and she unbelievably walked away silently after I mentioned perhaps she may want to talk to her waitress about better decision making skills next time!! Wow! Did anyone think to maybe bring my child an extra pancake as a kind token of HER patience? I think the manager could take lessons from my daughter on kindness and grace!! The great thing was I was able to WARN the nice older couple looking at outside menu BEFORE they walked in, and they high-tailed it back to their car after hearing our experience. Great choice! Man, this place could be so much better with a right manager!! It's like a sweet child with idiot parents, what a waste of potential!! Wildflower Cafe, we won't pass you by next time! I've never seen anyplace treat a child so insensitively!! Shame on you guys!
(1)Virginia F.
I ordered a hot green tea and it was amazing! Not in a bag, loose leaf. I also ordered a muffin like thing, they told me it was bread pudding, and holy buckets was it good! They warmed it up and put whipped cream on it and I could eat this every day. We just stopped for a snack before a quick hike (make sure you go up the hill behind the cafe for some amazing views!) but this cafe was precious and we'll surely be back. They also had beer and breakfast (until 11am) and other food. And clean restrooms!
(5)Heidi P.
SOULFUL EATS--This café serves good food and is one of the very few venues I'll go to in Incline because it feels like it has a soul. The environment is warm and welcoming and has a real mountain-feel. I really enjoy the couches, the climbing/cycling photos on the wall, and the historical books and guides lying around for customers to read. The staff is always exceptionally friendly and the food is fresh and tasty--nothing drastically out-of-the-ordinary, but it's always delicious. I wish there were more places like this in Incline.
(5)Julie M.
I am so stoked about the Tunnel Creek Cafe. Not only is it in an amazing location - on the old Ponderosa property alongside Lake Tahoe at the bottom of the Flume trail - (which is a perfect dog hike/bike ride and they rent bikes and run the Flume Trail Shuttle!), but the food is home cooked goodness. Chef Tom is all about FRESH and DELICIOUS and he'll make your tummy feel right. The menu isn't huge, but it's the perfect cafe for Incline - it fills a hole that's been long missing. They have breakfast burritos and sandwiches (way to wake up!), smoothies, great sandos/panninis (try the Pastrami!) and wraps. Chef Tom features various soups and specials daily. TRY THEM ALL! Soups are made with his handcrafted all natural stocks and the specials are among his all time favorite dishes that he just wants to share. You'll be so glad he did. This week I had the Wild Rice Casserole with two fried eggs - it was perfect for a cold, winter afternoon. Coffee drinks and a stellar selection of beer are also available. Stop by on your way from the trails, after the beach, pre or apres skiing... the fire's roaring and the place is great. And if there's no need for a fire, you'll enjoy the deck seating... Complete with water bowls for our furry friends! This past summer they also hosted the Incline Village Farmers market on the back 40. Sure hope they keep that going!
(5)Adam V.
It took them 15 minutes to make our two sandwiches even though there was only one order (two sandwiches) in front of ours. They didn't offer us chips even though they are included in the purchase of a sandwich. When we asked for them, the counter guy went back and took them out of a bag. Didn't wash his hands first. They were stale. Would be a one star but the sandwiches were actually decent.
(2)Jason S.
Wonderful bread pudding and coffee - then a hike. The trail, and Arnold Palmers with homemade lemonade after - wonderful
(5)Kim W.
Love coming here. Local vibe, yummy food, and amazing smoothies! Also there is a market right behind them during the summer months, and there are hikes you can do up the hill from here. Try the Max's breakfast smoothie for a nice mid meal (or breakfast :p )
(5)Annette B.
Great stop before or after riding the Flume Trail. #1 the place is clean! Bathrooms too! #2 great beer on tap ..a must for after the ride#3 great friendly staff...all of them ! We also worked with the bike shop and they were awesome too. #4 didn't eat much but lots available..one suggestion: add coconut water to your offerings. Great for electrolyte replacement . Also add a kombucha they are good and good for you. Green drinks by Evolution would be awesome. They are delicious. #5 great seating areas. #6 great parking The place is awesome!
(5)Kristy D.
After an extremely long hike, we ended our excursion here and it was awesome. Very quaint and cute and the food was awesome. Comfort food sandwiches with great homemade soup. We also both got cappuccinos to go which were delicious. Would definitely recommend this cute spot!!
(4)CT P.
I'm just glad there's a cafe at the take-off point before the long uphill ride. Saying that, what I really liked was the nice beer selection upon returning from The Flume Trail. I don't expect much when I hit a cafe this far up the hill, but the Tunnel Creek Cafe surely is better than Starbucks or The Hyatt. Love the laid back vibe. I think I lounged at least 45 minutes after the ride, and never felt rushed. Everybody was having good times and I met some really neat people from all four corners.
(5)david m.
Nice cafe for post ride food and beer. I had a Rueben and a deschutes beer and it was great. Nice atmosphere and good people.
(4)Sophal C.
the place is small but 'homey' and comfy. We came here for breakfast and the location is pretty. It wasn't busy; given the the small size. We ordered the burrito breakfast and the meat lover skillet breakfast. This is a good place to come for a quick/fast bite and some coffee, cafe. Not a place if you want the traditional 'bacon and eggs' or pancake kind of place. breakfast menu is small. We will be back here during the summer after we do some mountain biking. Mybe stop here for a beer and lunch afterwards.
(4)Vladimir P.
The problem with writing a review for a place like this is, that it does not stand out. It is neither good enough to attract intense praise that you can fill with interesting emotionally charged words, nor bad enough to pour some venomous comments on the heads of the poor owners. So, what do you do, so that a review does not sound boring, but conveys some interesting story ? Well, you could either talk about things that did not happen anywhere else except your mind, or talk about anything else. Literally, talk about anything more interesting than saying, oh yeah, the food was OK, the service was OK, and guess what, the prices were also OK. So, let's try the first approach. When I entered the Tunnel Creek Cafe, I have observed a delightful interplay of shadows on the porch that brought a memory of a beautiful moment when I first met my wife. I was reminded of the way the colors reflected the way how spring breathes life into the nature. Everything felt vibrant and full of life. It was as if the world has just awoken from a long slumber. A beautiful moment re-experienced by the beauty of Tahoe nature. All right, since the first approach does not seem to work so well, let's try to talk about something else - like how to write a review about a place that is neither too good not too bad... something like I have been doing until now :) Oh, and my sandwich was pretty nice, the service was polite but they took their time and were quite confused, but hey, I was there on 4/21, which felt as if they have had participated on a 4/20 party, or 420 party ?
(3)Daniel R.
A friend turned me on to this great little place. I live in Truckee but have going to Incline to train for the XTERRA Lake Tahoe race. The food is great! Plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options. Plus lots of choices for the Paleo crowd. The staff is helpful and the espresso is superb. Far superior to the Starbucks (and the Wi-Fi works)! Starbucks down the road has had serious malfunctioning the last few week. Finally the bike guys next door are incredibly friendly and helpful. The place is probably too retro for the Bay Area snobs who like to hang out at the Hyatt. If you want to have a genuine Tahoe experience, this is the place to come!!
(5)Scott R.
The vegan burger was great, so was the hummus wrap. The vegan tomato soup was almost a warm bloody mary. Definitely a new favorite.
(5)Dennis H.
I just love this place!! I always stop here after I ride the flume or the rim trail. The atmosphere is great, the owners are committed to offering good food and good biking. Oh, did I mention the IPA .... Nectar of the gods and an excellent recovery beverage. I always start with a pint, then follow with one of their fabulous sandwiches. But don't worry, you don't have to ride a bike to enjoy the Tunnel Creek Cafe.
(5)C W.
Skip it and go to Starbucks or Hyatt cafe. They messed up the order so bad. $6 Breakfast bowl was tiny and missing 2 out of the 4 ingredients.--yelp just took my picture of the breakfast bowl (weird considering that is exactly what was served to me) off for some reason but thats ok because I heard that the cafe is better now and that I caught them on off day. I will try food again soon and update post.
(2)Jim A.
My group finished riding the Flume Trail and we visited this cafe for lunch. The staff was absolutely awesome and the food was most excellent! I had the Rueben sandwich and it was so good and so filling, I had to take half with me. I was planning to eat it today, but it ended up being a midnight snack! A respectable selection of beers, some on tap and most in cans, and the Mammoth Rootbeer on tap is great. Totally recommend this place especially after riding the trail with the best view in the Tahoe area.
(5)Tree H.
Healthy, fresh & vegetarian friendly. Great for breakfast or lunch. Friendly staff and management. Located inside the old set of the Bonanza cabin. The decor inside is pretty minimal. This is not a fancy place. But you get a solid menu with great options. Located by a popular hiking trail. The site of the Incline farmer's market on Thursday evenings in the summer. Food can take a while to get on the table but that's par for the course on the Lake and it really is freshly made.
(5)Daniel P.
Everything about our experience here was absolutely amazing. They were friendly, passionate about their food, they told us all about the history of the recipes of the dishes we got, and the place was darling. There were wonderful historic pictures of the area and great art on the walls. Good music. Fun old country outpost kind of building. The service was awesome, the food outstanding, and the ambiance the best one could ask for to give that perfect mountain town feel. Thank you! We look forward to being back again!
(5)Vanni L.
I ordered the Vegan burger. Since I'm from the bay area....I wasn't expecting much for a vegan burger in Lake Tahoe. It was really bland, no lettuce, no tomatoes (you know...the basics). You just get a bun and a patty...anything extra is extra charge. The top bun had three spots that were bluish/green with white fuzz. I know what mold looks like. I work with food/bakery and do quality control checks. According to them, "It was just nuts, even though its bluish green." They brought me another burger....and wow there were no "blue/green nuts" on there! There were identifiable nuts, that looked normal. It looked safe to eat, so I ate it. But I'm just disappointed at the coverup. Even if there wasn't anything wrong with the bun, it was still a very sad burger. There are no other burgers on the menu, besides the vegan burger. I guess they don't sell too many, and can't rotate them quickly enough to keep them fresh. Stay away from the Vegan burger. Part of me thinks it wasn't totally vegan either.
(1)Kristina M.
Decent sandwiches, nice seating area outside front and back. I didn't get to try the coffee but I would love to. The staff seemed a little disorganized during our visit. Two of us ordered first while we waited for the other 3 in our group. They arrived and ordered less than 10 minutes later but their food seemed to be forgotten about. When it finally arrived, one of the sandwiches was all wrong and had to be sent back. I would definitely give them another try though.
(3)Katy B.
Fantastic clean eating breakfast burrito:no grease, fresh ingredients. So refreshing to have a healthy, good quality breakfast! Oh and strong coffee with almond milk. Mmmmmm
(5)Jeremy L.
I'm up in Incline every other week and find myself having lunch here more often than anywhere else. I've been really impressed with their sandwiches/paninis , especially the Turkey Pesto. Service is good and during the warmer months it's nice to sit out back.
(4)Just A Girl R.
I keep coming back for more, love the freshness of the deli and customizing my sand which. So glad they are busy. Also, they offer beer on tap which is perfect after hiking or biking the nearby trails. Eat here, support this great local business with friendly staff that smile and are happy to see you. Drooling now, just thinking about it. Also, I love the atmosphere, you can sit outside on the log porch or inside at a table, so much fun
(5)Megan E.
First this place has an incredible charm to it, it looks beautiful from the outside and is decorated extremely well on the inside. The service is incredibly friendly. The food is delicious. There are lots of different (hot or cold) sandwich options, and it pretty much comes down to whatever you want, however you want that's how they will make it. I got sandwich using the vegan burger bun with every veggie on it. It was delicious. Fresh food is always better, you can tell there's quality in what they use. I'd recommend this to anyone in need of a filling sandwich. They come with tortilla chips or fruit (do ask for salsa because it's delicious).
(5)Kirsten N.
Such a great little place! Stopped by for a quick bite after a hike on Tunnel Creek Trail. We split the turkey pesto sandwich and a strawberry smoothie. Both were delicious! The sandwich was the home run; a perfect combo of ultras crispy Truckee Bread, fresh meat, cheese and pesto. Absolutely would order again. I think they use a ton of local food and other ingredients, which is great! Love the decor and feel of the place, can't wait to come back!
(5)Allie A.
Lovely addition to Incline.... the idea is a terrific one: a little cafe with a parking lot that is perfect for anyone heading out to enjoy Tahoe's wilderness and needing to pick up a coffee and snacks. For mountain bikers or hikers doing the Flume trail, this is a perfect place to leave one car at the end of the trail before shuttling to the start. I stopped by here one morning and got a lovely mocha, a delicious phyllo-wrapped spinach and feta thingie, and a breakfast burrito to go. YUMMY. I'm pretty sure there is also free wifi, and the porch is a great place to hang out with your pooch. It is located in what used to be the old Ponderosa Ranch. Clean, comfy, and nice folks who are working hard to make this place work. They are very helpful with info about mountain biking and hiking in the area.
(4)chris f.
Food took a LONG time and it was nothing special (breakfast burrito and protein bowl). Portions were a bit small, but ok for the price. They ran out of eggs right after our order (at 10:30am) They never brought our coffee until we reminded them of it, and then they were out of decaf. The mocha didn't even taste like a mocha. Not quite sure what it was.
(1)Stephanie H.
One star is for location. Ordered sandwiches and they were so loaded with spicy mustard they were almost inedible. The chicken Cobb salad advertised as "sliced whole chicken breast" was chicken deli meat. Could be a great little stop but the food was meh.
(2)E K.
Service was really bad, the coffee was not hot, and it took 45min to get a breakfast burrito. Eggs Bacon Tortola. Unsat. 3 other people walked out because their food never showed up. I made the post July 4th when I had time, but we ate there on Sunday at 10:00am on June 30th 2013. I would have understood if it was busy, but it was mostly empty. It was because of bad organisation, thank god we got our food after an hour because the people who ordered before us got theirs after we were almost done eating. The Mnt shuttle is a cool idea for people who want to ride the flume trail.
(1)Rose C.
This little cafe is in a great spot at the trailhead of the flume trail. Great for a breakfast or lunch before heading out a beer on the way back. Staff is very nice but need to work some on being organized and thorough. Was fun chatting with other outdoorsy patrons.
(4)Melanie R.
Great little place. Been meaning to try this place and was skiing with some friends nostalgic for the ponderosa. Yummy tomato bisque and my friends liked their sandwiches and quesadilla. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Kim M.
Have since gone back several times. The serve has definitely improved. I as so glad great location and food.
(5)Amanda F.
Great little coffee lunch and breakfast place outside of incline. If you are heading to heavenly or Carson I suggest you stop in here. Good sandwiches friendly staff, they are willing to accommodate. I got a turkey egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with avocado, it may take a few extra mins because they cook the eggs right there to order, worth the wait! They have this toddy mix of iced coffee that takes 24 hours to brew and it's delicious! Check this place out.
(4)Lynnette B.
I am a local to the Reno-Tahoe area, and selected this restaurant to take my out of town guests for lunch after spending the morning on the beach. I wanted something with a "Tahoe feel", with great service and healthy food. I chose this restaurant because the Yelp reviews made me think it would meet my criteria. I was not disappointed! I showed up with a party of 10 (5 of which were children), and the service was friendly and prompt. A few of the adults and two of the kids had the chicken chili, which was delicious and came with a slice of amazing homemade whole wheat bread. All of the kids had the strawberry/banana/milk smoothies, and as a parent, I was thrilled that the restaurant made a wholesome smoothie without any artificial ingredients or added sugars. The rest of our group had sandwiches and the shredded pork quesadilla, and everyone raved about their food. For dessert, we had the banana chocolate chip muffins, which were decadent, and came slightly warmed so that the chocolate was all warm and gooey. The group I was with is extremely critical of most restaurants, and they couldn't find one complaint about the Tunnel Creek Café. I left feeling proud of this local restaurant and thankful for the healthy options and the friendly Tahoe attitude and customer service. This would be a great stop for those people planning to access the Flume trail or headed to Sand Harbor in the summer.
(5)Brittany B.
We were fortunate enough to find this hidden gem on our way out of Tahoe and it was exactly what we were looking for. The cabin-like feel right off of the Flume Trail is a convenient location for active visitors. The staff was very friendly and I loved the freshly baked spinach croissant for breakfast, paired with one of the best chai lattes I've had. We will definitely come back here to try something else on the menu. From their website: During the Spring, The Tunnel Creek Cafe will be open 7 days a week, 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday - Friday, and 8:00am to 6:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
(5)Pam M.
Best reuben ever. Good lunch, fast. Friendly staff. I hear the soup is wonderful.
(5)Ashley S.
What an amazing family owned and run cafe. The food is delicious and the location is great. We appreciated the excellent service. They had had a very busy day all day and made a point to make us hot coffee even though they were closing. This is a must-see place and you will throughly enjoy either braga st or lunch here!
(5)Suzanne S.
This is an adorable little mountain cafe' retreat. Good food, great customer service, really enjoyed the turkey pesto panini. Caesar salad was delish!
(4)Chris W.
If there were a zero stars rating this place would receive it. If you like waiting 30 mins for a breakfast burrito to be made completely different than how you ordered it, then by all means check this place out!! Horrible
(1)Caroline M.
Went in around 10am today. My husband and I ordered hot chocolates, then looked at the nice artwork and photos on the walls while we waited. Other customers were eating and seemed to really like their food. The service was good. Prices...not bad. Nice, relaxed atmosphere. The hot chocolate, on the other hand, was like a cup of hot milk. We took the chocolate shaker (near the coffee stuff), unscrewed the top and poured about half of it into our cups to make it drinkable. We won't be ordering that again, but we will try the food next time.
(2)Marc P.
Was looking for a new place to have lunch in Incline and I am definitely a fan. The sandwich I had was delicious! Will definitely return!
(5)Mick J.
Nice laid back spot to grab a beer and some food after hiking up Tunnel Creek to the rim trail. Last time I was in I had the Veggie wrap, it was full of fresh veggies all wrapped in a tortilla. The beer selection is small but good with one of my faves Mirror Pond by the bottle. Go in expecting friendly laid back tahoe atmosphere.
(5)Asa K.
This place is the bomb. Excellent food, dirt cheap, great craft beer selection. Great service, owner was present and personable. He helped me pick out a beer and gave me some info on activities in the area. I had a pesto chicken sandwhich and turkey chili, both of which were excellent. Including the craft beer, my meal was $10, which is awesome. My companion had something different (can't remember what) and she loved it. On top of being a great place to eat, they are conveniently located right next to some trails and very close to the state park. They also run a mountain bike shuttle in the summer. I'll be sure to come back whenever I'm in the area.
(5)L L.
In summary, unfortunately, the quality control has dropped to the point where I can no longer recommend this place. The food was decent - I usually got a garden burger & it's been good. But last time, I ordered it & they gave me a veggie pattie w/hummus (as I ordered) and nothing else (not as I ordered). It's worthless. I wouldn't normally denigrate a place solely on one thing...As for other food I've tried prior to that, the breakfast burrito was very starchy (high on flour tortilla, low on filling). What's worse, they have no system for getting people their food efficiently. You will stand there waiting for your food as it sits in front of the kitchen while they take more orders. This has happened several times just to me. They should call out the food until you pick it up & regularly check b/f taking new orders if food's up. If you plan to order to go, your best bet is to just order in advance by 15+ minutes so that when you get there to pay, it's ready & you don't have to wait. With that being said, I won't be ordering there anytime in the near future. The veggie burger hold-the-everything sans the patty is just killing me. I think I know what it is - when the bosses work, it's good. When the kids work, it's bad. Overall, it seems when the kids are operating the place, it just goes so far down hill it's a displeasure to go to. I suppose if you completely hold their hand to get them to make it exactly how you want it & when to have it ready & force yourself to the front of the line to get your food, it would be okay. But that's more effort than I can stomach for a lunch.
(2)Catherine M.
Great homemade soups (they make their own stock) and specials. Always friendly service. A hidden gem!
(5)P. R.
The food is good here, but after watching the girl making sandwiches while constantly brushing her hair out of her face with her hands and her long hair even touching the sandwiches, I threw my lunch out with out eating it. Tie your hair back if you are in the kitchen. Gross! Quality and organization are a hit and miss.
(1)valeria m.
Really good butternut squash quesadilla and latte. Great service and very friendly staff. Really cool to eat where Bonanza was filmed.
(5)Martin U.
This place is really nice. Great cappucino and a really friendly feel. It was the original Ponderosa Ranch bunk house. The inside was redone with wood from the old ranch house. Nice photos on the wall. Very good, fresh, healthy food. When it is warm they will have outside seating. M
(5)Rob S.
What a find! The staff were very friendly. The wild rice and mushroom soup was very fresh and tasty. My squash quesadilla was sublime and my partners BLT was crunchy and delicious.
(5)Kate B.
The service here can be really hit and, but I really like coming here if I'm not in a rush. I REALLY appreciate that they have gluten free bread, and salads. They also have vegan and vegitarian options. They have a great hiking/biking trail starting here, so I like to bring my dog. I hope the more established they get, the better refined they become with service and menu. I definitely frequent them a lot.
(5)Wyndam L.
Perfect. Staff was very friendly, food was great, price was great, and everything was really clean. Definitely going again next time I'm in the area.
(5)Jodi R.
"What a great cafe! Delicious food and yummy coffee. I'm so glad we accidentally found ourselves here."
(5)Lana C.
This is a wonderful place to go and have a great meal with warm friendly staff and service. The food and coffee is excellent. Rich mountain experience with fun clientele. Bikes can be rented on site. The owners are long time local business owners, and eager to make your visit a relaxing memorable Lake Tahoe experience.
(5)Chris F.
i love this spot. great food, awesome location, trailheads, mountainbiking, vegan options, good brews, fun local photography, lots of parking, bike shuttle, friendly staff, fresh goodies.... avoid the weekend in the summer if you want a quick meal or come as ealy as possible. wish they were open later! ;)
(5)Max N.
Good place. Protein Bowl tasted great. Coffee was decent. Not much to rave about and nothing to complain about really.
(4)Sean P.
Delicious pastrami sandwich with Swiss. And they even made mine as a lettuce wrap since I can't have bread right now. Nice folks whipped up a vanilla milk for my 5 year old. Good cup o Joe as well. Convenient location near Tahoe State Park.
(5)Tracey W.
Good food, cute environment. I ordered a chicken club lettuce wrap. When asked about choice of dressing the clerk recommend 1/2 bassalrmic & 1/2 ranch. It was very good with a healthy portion of thinly sliced chicken (not chunk). Steady stream of bicyclist coming in - always a good sign when the locals are customers.
(4)Jana O.
Local sandwich place, we like to hit it for lunch. PROS: - most of the sandwiches are really good - mostly the service is pleasant (there were a couple of times that we couldn't believe how rude the cashier was, but I think they get busy and everyone has a bad day here and there) - easy parking (except the weekends) CONS: - very VERY SLOW service. no matter how many people there are, i think there is only one person in the kitchen. It just kills me, especially on summer weekends, when they KNOW they'll be busy, why wouldn't they staff extra people? They lose a lot of our business because if there are more than 3 people in line, we just walk out. - super crowded on the weekends, so take a look at the parking lot and if it's full, don't bother. - food is inconsistently made - this is my BIGGEST pet peeve with a lot of restaurants that SOMETIMES have good food, but you never know what you're going o get....they change if the sandwich is cold or hot, they change the bread, the amount of meat you get, etc etc... FAVORITES: - avocado chicken club sandwich: excellent and healthy - chicken pesto sandwich: excellent but very oily/less healthy :) - pastrami sandwich: this is one of the "of course it tastes good when it's so bad for you" type of foods, but it's still good - all of their egg breakfasts bowls/burritos are good, quick protein SKIP: - depends, on any given day, anything they make can be good or bad I still overall recommend trying this place. If you hit them on a good day, it's the best lunch in town :)
(4)Daniel K.
Great sandwiches and wraps. Affordable place near Flume Trail. Friendly staff and nice music :)
(5)Josephine D.
What a great find on our drive around Lake Tahoe!!! We spent our day driving around the lake, and we were in North Shore by lunch time and needed to find a place to get a quick bite. I only had a minute or two to go on Yelp to look for a place and the first one was Tunnel Creek Cafe. We pulled up on what looked like an old western saloon on the outside with ample parking and decided "what the heck? Let's try it anyways!" We walked in - glanced at the menu on the wall and the pleasant lady behind the counter must've recognized the "never been here before" looks on our faces and immediately suggested sandwiches for us to try. I settled on the half quesadilla pulled pork, my son got the pulled pork burger and my husband tries every pastrami sandwich he can get his hands on. Every single thing we ordered never disappointed!!! My quesadilla was toasted and crunchy and the pulled pork was amazing. The bbq sauce on the side was just enough to dip my quesadilla in every so often. My son loved his burger and only wished it was bigger than the size it came in. He loved it nonetheless. The pastrami sandwich was inhaled in 60 seconds. My husband didn't even have enough to share! We were even told we can keep the souvenir tumblers our ice for our drinks came in. Nice touch!!! We definitely lucked out and picked a great place to stop for lunch. It is worth the drive to get to North Shore, for sure! I can't wait to go back!
(4)Susan H.
Stopped here after a 10 mile hike and it was the perfect choice.. Had the Garden salad and BBQ pulled pork quesadilla.. Delicious and very fresh.. Really kind staff, too.. I'll be back..
(4)Mike T.
As is obvious when you walk in, they cater to users of the flume trail. If you are a hipster mountain biker/hiker/runner, you may fall in love with this place. On any given day, you'll notice the many trail users relaxing with food and drink either on the front porch or benches out back. Inside, take note of only IPAs on tap and basket of energy gels for purchase right at the counter. Finally, there's a relatively large vegetarian menu, which made me worried wen I ordered my reuben that it would be skimpy on meat or tasteless. Fears allayed on both counts. Lots of pastrami and very tasty. First C. was probably chafed from his/her long day on the trail and maybe a little altitude-nauseous. Should have let that settle before trying to eat! Additional note: they've got really classy interior decoration - take note of seating, particularly inside and water fixtures & tile work; heat lamps outside for cooler days.
(4)Michelle B.
Created and owned by the man who created the gorgeous Flume Trail! (Max) Cute new space right by the end of the trail, but certainly not only for bikers and hikers. In the historic ponderosa ranch location, this cafe now boats a number of healthy choices freshly made. Smoothies, vegan and veggie burgers, oatmeal and breakfast bowls adorn the menu. Everything I've had here has been great but obviously my favorite is the vegan burger, I get it with avocado on the top! Outdoor seating for warmer days. Dogs can join you if you sit outside. Order at the counter and the servers will bring you your food within a short amount of time. Friendly locals! Hidden gem, a great stop for all types.
(5)