Went for our annual summer dinner at Lanzas! Opens at 430 and a crowd of people were already waiting to go inside for dinner! We sat in a packed bar and waited in line for a half hour for cocktails as there was only one bartender! So busy for a Tuesday evening but since it's summer it's to be expected! We put our name in for dinner right away and had just finished our cocktail when we were called to be seated. We were served warm bread and butter and ordered a carafe of house red wine. While we enjoyed that we looked at the menu but always order the same meal! I love the large meatballs which you get two with sauce. We enjoyed the salad and bread before our meals came. As always delicious! It was pretty noisy with a few big groups with kids but we enjoyed our yearly visit! read more

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I had high hopes for this restaurant given its reputation. I have no doubt, reading the menu with Mama Lanza's newspaper article from 1999, that at one point this was an authentic, quality restaurant. However, my current opinion stands as mediocre at best. Ambience is cozy and old-school, borderline needing a deep clean. I ordered the Lumaconi, it tasted fine. But one of the problems with this restaurant is how the food is plated and presented. You can see from most pictures that it lacks visual appeal. My sister ordered the lasagna. It was interesting that the meat inside was a sliced meatball. I don't know what to say about that. Lastly, my niece ordered Angel hair pasta. I would venture to guess that they boiled a whole box and dumped that same portion into her bowl. Way too much pasta and lacking balance with the few scattered tomatoes and protein, of what looked to be a boiled chicken breast. Wishing we could have visited here in its prime. If you visit, you definitely won't be dazzled, but it's possible that you might not be disappointed. read more

We walked in to check oats table clothes and wood booths. We ordered wine and then ordered a pesto pizza add chicken and sun-dried tomatoes on thin crust. Pizza had a really nice flavor profile. read more

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Food was very good. Really enjoyed the minestrone soup ( one of best I've had), and veg casserole. Highly recommend it , aren't too many good restaurants in north Lake Tahoe. However the place is dark with tight spacing, and very dated. read more

Still amazing! We were back in Tahoe this week and this was the first place we chose to eat at AND the last. We came for the minestrone soup both times, but my husband loved his veal parmesan (that sauce ) and I also loved their salad with their homemade creamy Italian dressing. Phenomenal visits! Absolutely as wonderful as we remembered!!! read more

Lanza's Restaurant - Perfection - Italian Near Me - Kings Beach, California

Came here for dinner after a day of skiing. I love the old school feel of this place, the vibe is cozy. The free bread was great, and the soup that comes with the main courses was amazing! For mains we got the Lumaconi and the Alfredo Mac and cheese. Both were pretty meh, and extremely overpriced for the quality. Maybe I just ordered the wrong things, but I wasn't the biggest fan. I would comeback and try some of the other dishes though. read more

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I like the old fashioned look to the place, but umm it makes me think the kitchen is probably pretty gross. Get rid of the tacky homemade lamp shades, please. I was afraid to use the restroom. The Portobello Ravioli was so yummy, as was my hubs chicken parm. The sauce was outstanding. Then my meal; boring fettuccine alfredo. Just bland & boring. Yummy bread ; fresh & hot. read more

Came here for Tahoe trip and vibe was cool I ordered the pasta dinner with fettuccine sauce and pasta but they gave me the pesto mushroom instead, maybe it was a sign, I ordered the salad but lowkey would go for the soup instead if going for the pasta dinner. Bread kinda mid. And cheese pizza was about a 6/10 overall 3 stars it's alright. read more

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Nice family- run restaurant in Kings Beach. Always busy year round because the service is always very friendly and tries to make sure everyone is served quickly. We love the garlic chips ( basically a cheese pizza with lots of fresh garlic and a thin crust) and the lumaconi ( filled pasta shells ) and chicken piccata ( with piccata sauce on the side of pasta ) Very yummy!! read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and dinner. After 21 years of living in the Reno Tahoe area this was our first time. After a late afternoon hike we wanted a new to us restaurant. We walked in around 6:30 and put our name on the list. We were seated around 20 minutes later. We sat in the bar and had a cocktail while waiting. No reservations are accepted although I've heard they may for larger groups. The minute I walked in I wondered why we waited so long to come here. What a great feel. So comfortable. Our meal was delicious. We both enjoyed the salad that came with the meal. It was huge and we added Gorgonzola. We gobbled it down. I had the chicken Marsala and my husband the house favorite lumaconi. We were stuffed and needed to go boxes. Wish we had room for dessert. Next time. Our server was very friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Can't wait to return! read more

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Another exemplary meal. From the "Rat Pack" vibe of the decor and people, to the amazing home cooked sauces and foods, Lanza's can't be beat. Very attentive service from the moment you walk in, throughout the meal and dessert, they make you feel special. I'm an old school spaghetti and meat sauce lover, but others in our party enjoyed lasagna, gnocchi, raviolis, etc. Do not miss out on this experience! read more

Minestrone was good, spaghetti was WAY too salty for our taste, and the Marsala was good and tender and had a nice flavor. Service was fine. Ambience was authentic, dark, cozy...vintage. Very solid 3 stars. read more

I was craving pasta after being in the snow all day and this place got really good reviews so I wanted to try it . We got seated right away and the we ordered the stuff shells combo and it came with salad , and the house bread . Overall the food was good and very filling . The tiramisu was super yummy was well . The service was good the waiter made sure to check us constantly and made sure our drinks stayed refilled . The ambiance of the place was cute and it was very cozy . read more

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Service was bad. They were really quick when talking to us and it felt very rushed and like they didn't even care about us. Also the food felt like it was something I could make at home with jar pasta sauce and boxed pasta. Very bland. I also noticed a server left a serving tray out and multiple people kept tripping over it. No one bothered to move it for 2 hours. Only good thing was that we got complimentary bread and the soup and salad before the meal was decent. read more

Ok I'll be honest... after eating at soooo many overhyped non-caring tourist traps, I had a very low expectation for this place. Just note: this is an old school east coast Italian vibe... it's not fancy, the portions are too big and it's the old school east coast dive Italian style (like I'm guessing the salad came from a salad bag from the safeway next door)... but all done right. The eggplant parm was actually breaded and amazing. I can't think of the last time in the west coast I had proper eggplant parm. It came with a simple marina pasta side which reminded me of my youth. Maybe it was nostalgic having east coast style Italian finally out here but it was a welcome treat. We're in the bay area and gave up on eggplant parm. The tiramisu was very dense in flavor...terrific. The mushroom pasta was also great. read more

Lanza's has been around since 1954 and the food & service is incredible!! You won't leave hungry and the salads with their homemade dressing is delicious along with any dish that uses their red sauce! Don't miss the bartender for Melissa Monday's!! read more

I loved this place. Went there every year that we go to Tahoe. Four of us went tonight and we all ordered dinner and one of us ordered a rib eye medium well. We also ordered appetizers salads etc. the rib eye came bloody. Sent it back and came back very red. So we canceled it. By then the rest of us had eaten our dinners. The manager looked mad and gave us a dirty look, the waitress was no apologetic and didn't really take care of us after that. It was a special occasion so we ordered desserts and coffee. Still no apology for the steak. I still tipped 20 percent because I am a waitress and always tip but I feel there should have been an apology or a free coffee at the least. We had to go boxes (5) and I had to go ask the hostess for a bag because we couldn't carry them all. My family will definitely not celebrate there every year again. Very sad. read more

We stumbled upon Lanza's while trying to find a place that would allow big group orders for takeout after a long, fun day on the lake. It was 30 minutes until closing when I called, but I greatly appreciated that they were still willing to take our group order for 10+ people. We ordered multiple pasta dishes to share while a few of us ordered our own custom-made pasta dishes. Both options were pretty solid - lasagna was a solid choice, very cheesy and comforting and some of the other baked creamy options. We also ordered the family portion of salad and they made sure we had enough bread and salad dressing to feed the whole group LOL. Overall, you get what you're expecting if you're craving some comfort Italian food. I would stop by again whenever we're in Lake Tahoe. read more

Lanza's is an amazing Italian family restaurant. The Tiramisu alone is reason to visit. And the bar vibe is truly Tahoe. Think after dinner drink and a dessert or pre dinner minute to set the stage for the evening to come. Thanks to their staff for making our birthday a special time for kids to grandparents and the birthday boy. Say hi to owner Justin read more

Lanza's is great for what it is. It is not fine dining. It's American Italian, not "Italiano!" It's not a great place for a date, but it's a good place for family dining. I am surprised I have never been to Lanza's in all of the years we have been in the area. But family was visiting in town and they requested an italian dinner. Since our group was somewhat large, we explored options. The online menu was not super inspirational, nor were the photos of the interior. Still Lanza's fit our requirements and we ended up being pleasantly surprised. It was pretty full at 6 pm on a Wednesday night in late summer, but there was not much of a wait while they readied a table. The interior of the restaurant looked much more cozy with dim lighting and filled with happy families. The noise level is significant with a lot of chatter and some crying tots. If you're with your own family, you probably won't mind. The food is good. It's not all that creative or fancy, just good. The portions are huge, especially at a very reasonable price point in terms of Tahoe pricing. The service was a bit slow, but friendly. It actually felt just about right to not be rushed so a table could be rapidly flipped for another seating. It turns out that Lanza's is a good place to keep in your back pocket for family dining out that won't break the bank. read more

I've been coming here for years the food is amazing, but tonight was extra worth a review. Keir our server was just fantastic! Very attentive and friendly, he really took the experience to the next level! Thank you Keir and Lanza's read more

Lanza's Restaurant - What's left of our Tiramisú! - Italian Near Me - Kings Beach, California

This is a bustling Italian restaurant on the North Shore. Can't say it's worth going to. The one positive I found is they have an espresso machine, so at least your coffee is fresh. Our food was mediocre, service was decent, and cost was average. read more

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First time here and I think the last, We got there at 4:15pm, happy hour starts at 4:30pm and seating begins at 5:00pm - No problem We walk in and the girl takes down our name and says to take a seat in the room at the bar (uncomfortable because I dont drink and I just wanted somewhere to wait, not in the cold) My husband decides to pick a table in the room instead, a few minutes later a toddler arrives and waits near us and begins screaming and unfortunately into my ear, I go back to the hostess table and theres 2 of them insisting on gossiping , finishing their story and after awhile of me standing there waiting to be acknowledged the guy finally acknowledges me. I have concerns that I will be eating my meal with a child screaming into my ear so I ask if this is where we will be eating our meal (its not, yay) Then because I start to feel nauseous my husband goes to the bartender and asks for a lemonade, to which he never got but is okay because we ended up getting a free one (yay) when we got seated the hostess took the extra silverware and accidentally flung a fork out to the ground and when she picked it up she added it to the clean utensils she was gathering :( The food was good and I quickly got full, It was difficult to get the check from our waiter Next time ill probably take it to go. Thanks read more

I am the third generation of my family to continue going to Lanzas. It's always amazing food and a home like experience every time. It is a staple of memories in my family and we can't wait for more amazing years to come!! read more

The reason I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. I have been going there for 50 years. My parents started taking their for dinner. I went there last week with my partner, and it was the worst meal I have ever had. He ordered a ribeye steak. it came cold with no taste. Vegetables were cold service was the worst I have ever experienced and I'm in the hospitality business and I would send my guest up there that Restaurant never again. I am so disappointed and they didn't even try to make it right which made it even worse. read more

Enjoyed a fantastic classic Italian dinner tonight, from salad to bread to dinner. The Lumaconi Pasta Shells were delicious as was the Veal Parmesan. Healthy portions too! Will be back on your next visit. read more

A-okay is what it is. I feel like everyone's food was very standard American - Italian. My eggplant Parmesan was satisfying but can't say anything special about it. I suppose I can say that my daughter ate all of her plain pasta - so she might give it 4 stars. Very large portions and every dish comes with a side of spaghetti and meat sauce. I definitely didn't get to my pasta. Their house creamy Italian dressing was pretty good. Large space, but even on a Tuesday it looks like there was a waitlist when we left. Quick service. read more

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The food and the service were amazing. Our server Melinda is super friendly and accommodated our orders the way we wanted it. The veal Parmesan was delicious and the chicken Parmesan as well. It was recommended by our resort manager and I'm so glad to stop by, especially since it's walking distance. read more

Always great food! Great service by Malinda. Even tho she was very busy she was very attentive to our needs! Best server we have had at Lanza's! read more

Went Thursday at 545 pm. Very crowded. We sat in the bar and the lovely lady bartender allowed us to eat in the bar. Drinks and salad were quick. Dinner was an hour after the salad. My wife had the Roma tomatoes with angel hair. 90% angel hair with some Roma little olive oil and no garlic. Disappointed with it. I had the chicken Marsala which I thought was pretty good. So we did not leave until 730. The salad was good my Marsala was good the angel hair was a huge disappointment and the time issue was was over the top Not sure if I would go back. But as busy as they were they probably don't care. read more

My mom recommended their eggplant parmesan and it did not disappoint!! This was my second time at this restaurant. I've ordered it twice so far and it is a delicious consistent dish. It has a wonderfully nutty flavor and it's cheesy and comes out hot! This place is popular, and the leftovers are even better! It comes with choice of soup or salad and my friend and I opted for salad. It comes topped with Lanzas own dressing. The meal also comes with complimentary bread (tastes like possibly sourdough) and lots of butter. The ice water also tastes so good but I don't know if that's because I was dehydrated or the water actually does taste better. Anyways, would recommend the eggplant dish. read more

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The food was hands down the best!! Services was amazing!! I can't wait to go back. The red sauce was to die for, I will be dreaming of the sauce. read more

Love this italian old world restaurants good potion gorganzola salad a must stuffed lumaconi shells and calamari steak fantastic! read more

Lanza's Restaurant - Lanzas in the bar area - Italian Near Me - Kings Beach, California

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Again, and again, and again, Lanza's is the BEST Italian food outside of the old country. Mama Lanza, rest her sweet soul, lives on through her children and grandchildren who lovingly continue this tradition. I have been going here for as long as I can remember and I have never had a bad meal, ever! The food is consistently excellent and true soul food for all lake lovers. I had the lumaconi the other night after agonizing over lumaconi or chicken marsala - amazing as always! And that salad dressing is on point! Go early, expect to wait during the busy season. Enjoy the memories, atmosphere, and welcoming staff who are quick to deliver outstanding food and service. Pro tip: head over to the mini-golf course after dinner. A glass of wine makes your short game better! read more

Lanza's Restaurant - house salad with Lanza's signature homemade dressing. My preference is to hold the Gorgonzola, but many people love it! - Italian Near Me - Kings Beach, California

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Yes order the garlic cheese bread! Yes ask for the soup Trey's way which is minestrone soup with cheese on the bottom and a meatball! Trey took excellent care of us. We had a great time! Portions are huge and the food is delicious read more

This is a very cute place, but ... the food quality and presentation is very strange. A lot of the dishes kinda just felt like they have a huge pot of marinara sauce and beef that they just plop into all of the dishes. Come here if you're okay with paying around $30 per dish for HUGE portions of pasta with a little bit of sauce. Some saving graces: I like that all of the entrees come with a side (either the soup or salad)! The soup was so good, and the salad was fresh and a great portion size. The service was super friendly and attentive. FOOD [3/5] ---------------- + Lumaconi (3.5/5) I like the idea of this dish, but the pasta shells were hard and not cooked very well. The beef was also a little dry and not as flavorful as I think it could be. + Custom: Ravioli + House Meat Sauce + Meatballs (2.5/5) If you look at the picture... it just didn't look very appetizing. It feels like a bag of frozen pasta was cooked to heat, with a bunch of sauce plopped on top. The raviolis were good but they weren't life-changing. read more

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Our server Johnny in the bar kept us updated and helped fix issues the kitchen had with wait times and orders. He turned what could've been a bad experience into a great service and exceeded our expectations. That being said, the food was still delicious and we love this place! read more

Arrived at 5:30 left at 7:15 . Never received my food. Manager assured me in 5 minutes. I

Classic family run Italian place. Not stuffy or overly fancy. Reminds me of my hometown Italian places in New York. Incredible service -- especially waitress Melinda. One of the few only places I've been to recently where the bread & soup a salad is included with your entree. We ordered the veggie casserole & the (forgot the name but it's their most popular one) both were delicious. Well sized portions & charming decor!! Wish this restaurant was in LA. We will return to Lanza's every time we are in Tahoe! read more

Lanza's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Kings Beach, California

First of all, the workers were very kind and had good service. The owner I presume was walking around and ensuring we were happy. But the food was awful, I couldn't believe what I was tasting! Number one, the sauce was mediocre at best and the noodles that we were served were undercooked and tasted like they were boiled in chlorine water. Not only did the food taste awful it was insanely expensive. We ordered 2 baked penne. And each meal was $28-$30! The ice in the water was also gross it tasted like either dirty pipes or dirty ice machine. All in all, we wasted a ton of money for disgusting food and gross water. I do not recommend, go anywhere else. I don't know if we just got a really bad batch but it was so bad. read more