Howling Dog Cafe

Was in lakeport for court Tuesday and had a serious craving for a sandwich. After seeking yelp for…read morehelp, I found Jimmy's with the highest rating for Sammy's around. So naturally, we had to stop by. This place is quite interesting, they tout themselves to be a deli, but also a taqueria... AND Mediterranean food spot. The staff inside are absolutely awesome, they're helpful, patient, efficient, & had great energy and customer service... the people alone are worth going back for 4.8/5. The restaurant is decent sized, clean, and organized, though the sitting area itself has a back wall where stock is being stored, and that slightly detracted from the fact I was eating inside of an eatery and not a warehouse 3.8/5. Now, let's get into the food. My man and I decided to split a turkey and pesto sandwich and share a 4ct of dolma. We ate the Dolma first, & holy moly some of the most flavorful dolma I've had, I loved that it was served with lime, there was a very mild hint of mint and I loved that subtlety, the only critique is that the grape leaves could have had a little more bite to them, but overall I still give it a 4.75/5. When the turkey pesto came out, the bread and turkey were still hot, while all the veggies were cold and fresh, pesto tasted made in house & the bread felt and tasted fresh, like it was made right before we walked in? 4.8/5. Because the sandwich and dolma was soooooo good, we made a second order to try their Mexican BBSQ. We ordered two chicken and 2 tri-tip BBQ tacos. They're served with cilantro, onion, hot sauce, lime, and jalapeños. Both tacos were so juicy, each bite was almost dripping wet. Fresh ingredients, jalapeños were nice and spicy, and the meats were packed with flavor. Chicken taco was slightly bland in comparison to tri-tip so chicken taco is 4/5 and tri-tip taco is a 4.75/5. Overall, I rate this establishment a 4.5/5

After reading so many rave reviews on Yelp I just had to give this place a try... the family headed…read moreover for a late lunch. Even at 1:30 in the afternoon the place keeps a steady pace of patrons coming in. Everything is sold à la carte. Between the four of us we had a shawarma, a chicken gyro, a chicken taco, and Jimmy's classic with pepper jack cheese added, along with two orders of french fries. Everything was good. Service is kind of limited. You order and pay at the counter and receive a number to place on your table of you're eating in. The team delivers your food, and then you're pretty much on your own. The storefront is small, but not too cramped. There's a water station and a coffee station. If you want something else to drink you pick the bottle or can out of the fridge located near the cash register. I read in some of the other reviews here, prices are a bit on the higher side, so I was prepared. There's a good likelihood we'll be back, as I said the food was good.

Shawarma (tri-tip)

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Front sign

Studebakers Coffee House

4.2(93 reviews)

4.8 mi

We went there for breakfast. The breakfast sandwitches are huge - we could have easily split them…read morefor our 2 kids. Quality was good. Wait time might have been a bit long but it was rush hour - Sunday at 9:30 AM.

The coffee here is great! Love the flavor and brew. And it's in a perfect location. My only…read morecomplaint is it can be really really slow service but the staff are usually nice for the most part. I love the rustic wooden tables and there is seating outside

Outside

The Tucker

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Red’s at The Skyroom

4.2(165 reviews)

2.3 mi

I drove out to Lakeport to see me ex in-laws and my pup. Oddly enough, we have a better…read morerelationship post-divorce than during my nightmare of a marriage lol. BUT... I digress... I'm here to tell you about this great restaurant in Lakeport, which is actually facing a municipal airport. When I say municipal, I mean, TINY. We had dinner here at their suggestion. As we walk in, there is a long bar and a few side tables. Very woody feel to the place, which I like, and all things considered, it's expected. We had to wait about five minutes for a table which was fine, for ME. Started with drinks and some appetizers. I ordered the pot stickers and soup, which was a delicious French onion soup. My EFIL (ex father in-law) had a big bowl of the soup as we has feelings crummy and croupy. Nurse Ed had to give a lot of unsolicited medical advice that night, to everyone's benefit. Pot stickers? Awesome. Had a smidge of crunchy with a burst of flavor. The soup was cheesy as ever, and hot enough to eat but not to burn. EFIL had the fish and chips, which he polished off quickly. I heard no complaints from him, which in and of itself is a miracle, so I'll have to assume it was good. The EMIL (ex mother in-law) had the 'basic a$$ bacon cheeseburger', which I actually did try and was pretty spot on. She asked for it well done... which I'm not a big fan off, but still tasty... Had lots of greens and truffle fries. I went with the 14oz pan roasted angus New York steak came with alfredo butter, steak sauce, sautéed veggies, yukon mashers. Let me tell you. I ate that thing before the in-laws were 3/4 of the way finished with their meals. Steak was ordered medium, and was perfect temp-wise. The mashed potatoes were great, nothing to brag about, but also no complaints from me. The veggies, while delicious, were lacking in portion. I wish there was more! I can't take a STAR away due to my insatiable appetite for veggies though. Just the "quick" tip... Check it out. I hear it's cooler during the day when the planes are around. I would absolutely visit again!

Amazing - just amazing! I think I had the best waffle burger of my life so far...lol! But…read moreseriously, everything we ate here tasted downright delicious. The firecracker shrimp was equally good. We sat out on the outside deck for lunch, so we got to watch people take off in their planes from the airport where this restaurant is located. I'd definitely love to eat there again!

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Angelina's-Bakery Espresso

4.6(176 reviews)

1.9 mi

Angelina's is a must-stop anytime I'm in Clearlake. The sandwiches are freshly made and incredible…read more The Chicken Caesar pasta is elite--it's my kids' absolute favorite. The baked cookies and muffins are so good, and the blended coffees are perfect. Brian and his wife are super sweet and kind. I sometimes end up eating here multiple days in a row. Try the Roma sandwich--you won't regret it.

Beyond Friendly service to a new face! Seems like a "regulars" type of spot in the best way! My…read moreNapoli panini was delightful start to finish. There's a neat little grocery section and lots of hot menu items to choose from.

Front Counter

Pastrami sandwhich

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Mamma D's Philly Chz

5.0(3 reviews)

1.8 mi

Absolutely love this spot! I ordered the chicken cheesesteak and it was AMAZING -- easily one of…read morethe best sandwiches I've had in a long time. The chicken was flavorful, the cheese was perfectly melted, and everything tasted fresh. On top of that, the customer service was great and the staff was super friendly. Definitely recommend!

Do you want some real food? Find Mama D. The bread is perfect for a Philly, the fillings are…read moreabundant and the service is what you need. Sandwiches are daaaaaaang good. Chicken is good, cheesesteak is better. Could be a little more seasoned, but that's an easy fix, and honestly, a personal preference, not necessarily a dealbreaker. Do you want to drop all your cash for a crap burger from Ronald the clown? Or do you want to spent $2 more and actually have a decent meal and feel good about yourself? Damn good food and a good experience. Treat yourself. You're worth it. And Mama D's is worth it.

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Menu June 2024

Marcel’s French Bakery & Cafe

4.3(74 reviews)

1.7 mi

I needed a place to pass time before my meeting so I found this quaint little coffee shop in…read moreLakeport Main Street. I ordered a large cappuccino and a berry tart. The berries were fresh and the custard filling was smooth and silky. It was such a nice treat paired with the warm cappuccino. Service was great. I was able to do my work without being bothered. The space was quiet and cozy.

Lemon bars are good. Friend had a sandwich which was okay. Service was eh ...seemed like she didn't…read morewant to be there.

Tiramisu cake from HDL farm bakery - so good! just the right amount of sweetness, light and airy.

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Got their walnut and cranberry rustic bread, toasted and ate with basil goat cheese made in Lakeport. Delish!

Gaslight Grill

4.0(85 reviews)

1.8 mi

Great food it might take a little while longer to get your but its worth it burger are so good…read more They always have a good special

We were up at the Lake, in Lucerne where there's not much to choose from beyond Foster's Freeze, so…read moreI turned to my trusted ally, Yelp, to help me find a good spot for a late lunch/early dinner. The Gaslight Grill popped up, about a 20 minute drive away with a four-star rating. I looked at the reviews, pics, and menu and decided to give it a try. What a fun little place! The menu is great, offering a huge array of burgers and sandwiches. I had a patty melt, prepared perfectly on grilled rye, with grilled onion, and Swiss cheese which chose to upgrade the side to onion rings. My meal was fantastic! I was shocked and surprised and elated when I took my first bite! I wasn't expecting it to be that good. Others in our party had a basic cheeseburger, reportedly also exceptionally good, alongside an upgrade of sweet potato fries, that were awesome! A hot dog served on a toasted roll with very enticing condiments and freshly fried french fries, that looked absolutely appetizing! Our six-year old enjoyed his mini corn dogs, and my adult son liked his French Dip with upgraded side of chili cheese fries. All the food was really good. The atmosphere was great. An old bar that has been transformed into more of a grill, with great selections of beer and wine; no liquor it seems, which is ok since the food is as good as it is! On to service. The staff all seem to be on the younger side, but they are doing a great job with customer service! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and will definitely return. Give 'em a try if you're looking for a good meal (not fancy) in a clean, fun environment!

Basic cheese burger w/sweet potato fries

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Megathrust IPA 7.5% clean and crisp taste...

Susie Q's Donuts & Espresso

4.2(59 reviews)

1.5 mi

The john breakfast burrito in 1 picture.... Gone! that was great! fresh ingredients, cook…read moreperfectly. no sauces or toppings needed, just perfect. while not a fan of medium roast coffee i can give this roast a solid thumbs up, you made me a fan of the darker side of coffee. great place to sit down and get some computer work done and enjoy a quick breakfast.

Dear Susie Q's, On 8/28 I purchased a breakfast sandwich. A…read moreham, egg & cheese on a bagel. Costed me $11.06. I received the worst breakfast sandwich I've ever seen. 2 thin slices of ham with a slither of egg & cheese. I was actually surprised when I looked at what was made. The first photo is what I received from Susie's. Now, the second photo is what a breakfast should LOOK like, mind you this is all the same ingredients. Ham, egg & cheese on a bagel. The kicker? It only cost me $8.75 in the BAY AREA CALIFORNIA!! Susie Q's, do better for your customers, they deserve a FILLING breakfast sandwich that isn't going to cost them a ridiculous amount. I definitely won't be back but for future visitors, don't play in their face!

Seating

Everything avocado veggie bagel.

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Bear claw

The Alley Grill

4.5(33 reviews)

2.6 mi

They have good beer and delicious smash cheeseburgers…read more Definitely recommend this spot. Just missing a better Hazy. The dude behind the counter has the best attitude and sense of humor. Will definitely be back every time I'm in town.

Second trip to The Alley Grill for Jeffrey and me, first time bringing the kids, and I think it's…read moresafe to say we've found ourselves a repeat offender. First of all: THE SUSHI BURGER. Listen. I don't know what kind of sorcery is happening with that thing, but it is PHENOMENAL. Like, "I'm going to think about this burger at random times for the foreseeable future" good. If you've looked at it on the menu and thought, ehhh, I don't know... -- this is your sign. Get it. Jeffrey got the jalapeño burger, the kids got chicken strips and a corn dog, and everything was delicious. It's definitely a little spendy, but this is one of those places where I can actually say the food is worth the price. Also have to shout out the guy behind the counter! He actually remembered Jeffrey and me from our last visit, was super kind and friendly with us and the kids, and when he accidentally gave one of our orders of chicken strips to another table, he immediately owned it and got another order out to us as soon as he realized. No weird excuses, no fuss--just "oops, my bad" and fixed it. Honestly, mistakes happen. How you handle them matters way more. Good food, friendly people, happy kids, and a sushi burger that has absolutely no business being THAT good. We'll be back. Probably embarrassingly soon.

Don't sleep on the Dole Whip!

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Sushi burger

Santanas Cottage Cafe and Catering

4.0(85 reviews)

2.2 mi

Family-owned & operated

30 years in business

This place is yummy. They are consistently wonderful!…read moreHighly recommended! The staff is great and the food is even better. Quality and quantity.

We stopped off here for brunch on our way out of town. We camped nearby and wanted to prep one less…read morecamping meal. Not a lot of options in the area and this place was highly rated. The vibe was very much small town cafe, which was nice. And the wait staff was friendly. We ordered the California Turkey Club, Tritip Sandwich, Fresh Strawberry Orange Juice, and a Gingerbread Latte. All their portions were very sizeable. Definitely share worthy. There wasn't too much special about the tritip sandwich. Its what you expect from a standard tritip sandwich. The turkey sandwich was a bit unique. They used some artisan bread instead of your usual club toast. It was a good touch, though a bit heavy for brunch for us. Everything tasted great. Gingerbread latte was on the sweet side. The "fresh" strawberry OJ was probably not fresh. Well, we took off a lot of stars for the ridiculous number of flies buzzing around our table. We counted up to 3 flies sitting on an empty chair next to us at any given moment, with more flying around. We asked about the flies, and they brought out some spinny fly fans to keep the flies away. The flies were more hungry than they were scared of the fans. They also had a stash of these fans on the counter. So this wasn't a one-off problem. It was a recurring problem they chose not to solve. Yikes... Would I recommend this place? Probably not. If there were this many flies near our table, I wonder how many are in the kitchen?

Wedding at Cache Creek Winery, beautiful reception Saturday night.

Lawn area and dining area.

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11 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Deb L.

6 years ago

Refunded & currently at Jitter Bean. Howling Dogs is Lacking customer service & organization: Im the only customer, see 3 employees. 1 gal took my order: a mocha and milk, then took the 3 meal and drink orders behind me before getting to my drinks. Two of three after me recieved their drinks *AND FOOD* before I got my drinks. How about some time management Holwing Dogs? Be sure to avoid the any concerns with the older defensive woman. P.S. No employee wears masks here, if of anyone's concern. read more

Eileen M.

5 years ago

These people are just insolent and defiant and have no business purporting to serve the public. Flagrant disregard for sensible public health measures and signage created by an apparent moron. I can make my own chili dog at home that won't be breathed upon by a potential Covid19 transmitter. Avoid if you value your health. read more

Rich B.

6 years ago

Unfortunately, this place has a very poor business practice. Not practicing social distancing or enforcing masks/face coverings as mandated by the county. Taking a huge risk by entering this establishment. Rules don't dont apply to them I guess. read more

Cheryl B.

7 years ago

Love their potato salad the best I have ever had. I mostly get there BLT and have the potato salad. Good food, good service and fast.

Tristin F.

11 years ago

One of the few places in town that has gluten-free bread. Try the BAT bagel on gf toast. Yum! Nice small-town, friendly atmosphere.

Critic 1.

121

5 years ago

Best sandwich place around the lake! The employees are always happy and get my food out quickly 10/10 would recommend!!

Jessica B.

180

12 years ago

Why why why have SEVERAL gigantic drive thru signs, and not idk, have a drive through? !?!?

Patricia S.

10 years ago

I had a delicious protein shake and wonderful, friendly service. Cant wait to try more,

Evan G.

7 years ago

Love eating here. A very clean and friendly place for lunch, and very reasonable prices.

Joy T.

7 years ago

Absolutely love the workers and food is amazing.

Becki B.

5 years ago

This shi was bussin, definitely recommend!

Howling Dog Cafe - cafes - Updated October 2026

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The service was efficient and friendly. While they could not make a formal espresso martini,…read moreNicole did her best to offer an alternative which was appreciated. The outside patio looked pretty but it was too windy to sit there. The inside ambiance was more diner style (smelled like it as well unfortunately) and did not match the outside appearance. The clam chowder was hearty and full of potatoes and clams. The highly anticipated brunch burger was a disappointment. Upon arrival, the dish already had a smear of aoli on the side of the plate. Too hungry to wonder if the plate was clean (till after the meal ). The egg was perfectly cooked sunny side up. However, the millionaire's bacon was not thick nor had much flavor. The meat of the burger itself was tasteless and overcooked (asked for medium but showed up well done). When one is told to lower dining expectations in lake county you would have thought for sure one can't go wrong with classic burger... apparently not unfortunately.

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