The Rustic Table came recommended to us for its location, food, and staff--and for the program it…read moresupports. The pictures below speak for themselves, the servings are large, and the prices were more than fair. Teen Challenge Monterey Bay is a Christian recovery program that helps people overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. The restaurant gives participants valuable work experience along the way. It feels good knowing a meal out can support a fresh start for someone. If heading over the hill, this is a stop that you won't regret making, and it will also help change lives.

What an absolute delight to have breakfast on the patio at The Rustic Table on our way to Truckee…read more Our server, Nigel, was attentive, cheerful and ready to serve. We had a lovely time chatting with him. I had the French toast breakfast. So delicious. My husband enjoyed his crispy fried potatoes with scrambled eggs and bacon. We will be back!

I recently went to Truckee and tried Old Town Tap. We got there and found spots at the bar really…read morefast. They were playing one of the soccer games on the TVs, which was fun to watch. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and it's actually pretty spacious inside. We did have to wait a little bit to get a menu, but once we got one, we ordered our drinks and food. We got the Margherita pizza, and it was SO good! I loved how crispy the crust was. When you picked up a slice, it didn't just flop over. It stayed nice and crispy. It had so much flavor, and I was seriously so happy with it. I also got the Help Wanted drink, and it was really good too. I think I found my new favorite pizza spot! If you're ever in the area, I definitely recommend stopping by. I'm already planning to go back so I can try more of their pizzas and appetizers!

Old Town Tap used to be one of my favorite places to stop whenever I was in Truckee, but the last…read moretwo visits have been a disappointment. The quality of the food, and the care that used to go into preparing and presenting it, has completely fallen off a cliff. During my most recent visit this week I noticed that much of the kitchen staff seemed to be different from the team I've seen over the past few years. The pizza was genuinely disappointing. The crust lacked flavor, the toppings were sparse and it felt like something that had been rushed out of the kitchen with little attention to detail. Even the presentation was careless, which was surprising because this restaurant used to take pride in what they served. It's frustrating to see a place that I used to recommend decline this much. I really hope the upper management takes a look at what's happening to the restaurant because the Old Town Tap I used to enjoy no longer seems to exist.

Pretty good ramen shop. I usually don't like ramen because of how heavy and creamy it can be, but…read morethe Amber ramen here was perfect for me. Toasty noodles, flavorful soup, and portioned just right. The poke bowl was just OK, and they forgot to put eggs in two out of three of our bowls. However, they were quick to remedy when asked so appreciated that. Service is just alright too. It took a minute for the staff to acknowledge and seat our group, and they didn't check on our table very much. Overall, I recommend this spot!

More of a 2 star from Bay Area standards, but most of the food we tried around this area was rather…read moremid, including Rakkan Ramen. The only thing that was decent was the broth from the spicy garnet (miso) ramen. The quartz ramen looked nice, but the flavor was really mild, similar to diluted instant ramen packets. The stuff in the ramen weren't that great tastewise. The spicy miso wasn't really spicy at all, and the flavor wasn't too bad. The stuff in there was ok at best, but really not great. We also tried one of the pork buns and it was disappointing for what it was. A single one, didn't taste so great, and spicy for what it was. The salmon poke bowl looked nice, but over warm rice? Ugh ruined it lol. The nigiri Aburi assorted thing looked so good in the photos, but was rather bland. Popular place, nice interior. First come, first served. Service was good after we were seated. Food came out pretty fast, and waters were refilled. Nice spot, but wasn't into the food.

This was my first trip on this side of town. And I'm very happy to have the experience to eat at…read morethis unique restaurant/bar. When you walk in there's a sign stating come to the bar to order food/drinks. Also sit wherever you'd like. Okay cool did that some tables were dirty but still plenty of space to sit. Staff were very nice and friendly. We arrived in time for happy hour and I'm glad I did. I ended up getting their burger from the happy hour. It was hands down the best burger I've had in a looonnng time. If you're in the area stop by to try the burger. Also the duck fries were also very tasty and unique. Will be stopping here every time I'm in the area. Thanks RMU for the great experience!

I had quite literally the worst experience I've ever had at any establishment in my life at this…read moreplace on Thursday, July 9th. My fiancé and I were celebrating our ENGAGEMENT with a party of 9. We had been looking forward to this place for SO long and were so excited to spend an entire evening here. For VERY important context, both my fiancé and I were restaurant and bar managers for several years. Neither of us have ever raised our voice at anybody working at a restaurant, bar, etc. We are literally an entire crew of service workers or former service workers who are very respectful of the entire industry and its practices. When we walked up, the older blonde woman working the front was extremely hostile and rude from the jump. I was trying to ask questions about the venue, food options, etc before we went in, and she began barking at us for IDs immediately. Not a single hi, welcome in, etc. Just immediately aggressive. My fiancé, who is 27, gave her his Oregon ID. Considering this state is literally a few hours away, you would think they are fairly familiar with this ID, but apparently not! She began aggressively and repeatedly bending the ID to the point we sincerely thought it was going to snap it in half. Despite it being obviously real after looking at it under a light (Oregon has very specific and complicated patterns, it's widely known as the hardest ID to make a fake of), she said she didn't believe that it was real. We were a bit baffled, and insisted it definitely was. She asked my partner what his zip code was, and because we had just moved, he gave her our current zip before realizing she meant the one on his ID. She laughed and said "nope, i'm keeping this! This is a fake". She said because he said the zip code wrong, she wasn't going to give it back. At this point I got angry. I told her that 1. It is 1000% a real ID and 2. It is completely illegal to hold somebody's ID hostage. Her and her coworker got really defensive and told me to "just calm down" despite her continuously bending it and laughing. She kept saying "I'm allowed to keep it if it's fake" which it WASNT. It is completely illegal what she was doing. This is THEFT OF PROPERTY, so I was absolutely not going to calm down. My fiancé called his parents to hopefully get a photo of his passport to diffuse the situation. The older woman who was holding us hostage demanded to TAKE HIS PHONE and speak to his mom. She then grabbed it and walked all the way down the sidewalk, spinning around and giggling. It was one of the most bizarre things I had ever witnessed, and frankly, we believe she was intoxicated. Her coworkers looked incredibly embarrassed and wouldn't even make eye contact with us. She finally came back and we took the ID and phone back from her. She never once apologized for stealing our property, almost breaking it, and falsely accusing us of committing a crime. Not even an inkling of remorse. Just giggling. I told her how absolutely unprofessional and illegal everything she just did was. Luckily, we have legal resources that we will absolutely be exploring this week, because no patron deserves to be held hostage, have their property stolen, and not even receive an apology. Not only did RMU tarnish what was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of our lives, they lost out on thousands of dollars (that we spent elsewhere that night) from our party because their hostess had a major power trip. To make matters even worse, we had other folks join up with us later that night who also stopped by RMU and had equally unpleasant experiences. They all said that the same rude hostess was bending the ever loving life out of their IDs and being incredibly snarky.

Great customer service really defines a business and I personally experienced that here. Brian, the…read moreowner took the time to speak with me personally, was professional, attentive and genuinely cared about my experience. As a business owner myself in the service industry, I really appreciate this level of customer care and vibe. At the end of the day it's your actions and how you treat your customers that people remember. It's so important to have that level of openness and accessibility, and when people know they can talk to the manager and have a great conversation. Overall, it was a great experience and great people. I'll definitely be bringing my family back to enjoy the food and beautiful Donner Lake. Highly recommend! Thank you, Brian, and to your Team!

Only for RICH people here. We came here from Reno on a…read moreholiday and wanted something to drink and to eat. The wheat beer was good, and the cocktail was nice. The fried shrimp were XXL size, was full of batter, and the sauce was sweet. We got the pulled pork and the burger, medium rare. I asked for the burger to be medium rare, and pink. After a brief wait, the pulled pork and burger came. The pulled pork was nice, but the burger grilled to match the black charcoal it was cooked. The 2 drinks, 1 appetizer, and 2 main came out to over $120+. WOW!!! You've got to be rich to afford these prices!!! Most likely will try another place so as not to break the bank.

The Food While planning for a Lake Tahoe trip, my wife and I…read morediscovered this niche stop along the way that is Moon's Korean Kitchen. We made a pit stop, and ordered their Kimchi Spam Rice Bowl, along with Pork Rib Soybean Paste Soup. The order also came with banchan, side dishes with cucumber, radish, and kimchi. The Kimchi Spam Rice Bowl had a good mix of ingredients and was delicious. The Pork Rib Soybean Paste Soup was flavorful and has a good kick to it. There are other dishes on the menu that look interesting, but perhaps next time. The Miscellaneous The Moon's Korean Kitchen is along US-50, about midway between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. You can miss it if you zoom through the highway. The restaurant is not super big per say, but there's a decent amount of seating for its size. During the time we went, it seemed like the owner was soloing the entire place. But the food came at a reasonable time. The restaurant doesn't have an extensive menu, but it's straightforward with variety. There are appetizers with barbeque, stews, noodles, amongst others. Though it is not a place one would visit often, they do have yummy food. Would recommend making the pit stop if you are around the area.

This place is definitely a must try. A family owned restaurant. Everyone is so nice…read more It's a dive but it's so good. Ordered extra spicy and it was fire There is a bit of a wait for the food because there's only one cook but definitely worth the wait. No wait time to sit down. Order at the kiosk machine is quick and easy.

So there I was... sitting on an oil rig in Alaska, talking to a sheriff's deputy with over 20 years…read moreon the job. He says, "My buddies keep telling me about this place called Pho King Good." Funny part? Even he had never been there. Well, that little story stuck with me. Fast forward a few weeks. My road trip partner, Koda, and I are heading home from Disneyland, cutting through Sacramento toward Grass Valley. We roll into Auburn and BOOM there it is. Pho King Good. Now let's just take a second to appreciate that name. If you're gonna swing for the fences with a name like Pho King Good, you've set the bar about as high as Mount Everest. You don't get to be "pretty decent." You'd better make me question every bowl of pho I've ever eaten. The sign? Absolutely iconic. It practically jumps out and hollers at you from the side of the road. Easy in, easy out. Road-tripper approved. Walking inside, though, I was expecting a little more "Pho King Palace" and a little less "we've been meaning to remodel since the Clinton administration." The marble counter looked nice enough, but the place just felt like it needed a little love. If I owned a restaurant with a name that good, I'd lean into it. Give me lanterns. Give me atmosphere. Make me feel like the King just walked in. Charge me another couple bucks if you have to I wouldn't mind if the experience matched the name. Then came the menu. It felt a little like Dysfunction Junction. They had everything listed, but it wasn't organized in a way that made ordering easy. Give me sections. House Pho. Beef Pho. Chicken Pho. Special Pho. Help a hungry traveler out. The food? Solid... right down the middle of the road. After hours in the car, a hot bowl of pho hits the spot no matter what. Koda really enjoyed his chicken dish, and our vegetable egg rolls with the peanut sauce were decent, although the wrapper was just a touch on the rubbery side. The owner was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely hospitable, which always counts for something. My only real disappointment was this: with a name like Pho King Good, I expected to leave saying, "That's the best pho I've ever had." Instead, I left saying, "That was... good." And then came the plot twist. Time to pay. Cash only. So now I'm walking out to the ATM like I'm making a withdrawal for a back-alley poker game or a dispensary run. I'm standing there thinking, "Well... this tip just took a hit because I wasn't planning on paying an ATM fee for my noodles." I still don't quite understand it. You're giving change, printing receipts, running a business... we're already 95% of the way to taking cards! Overall, this wasn't about whether the food was amazing or terrible. It was about the experience. Sometimes that's the story worth telling. Would I stop again on another road trip? Probably. Because sometimes a bowl of pho, your best buddy Koda riding shotgun, and a restaurant with the greatest pun in California are all you really need. And if they ever decide to polish the place up and make it live up to that legendary name... It might just become Pho King Great.

VEGAN SIGHTING!!! I…read moredon't even know where to start my fellow vegans. This quirky, Vietnamese restaurant in the city of Auburn, CA, has by far the best vegan Banh Mi sandwich. The tofu was prepared so it did not take up the whole sandwich. The pickled radish and carrots had the perfect and balanced of sour and sweet. Of course, can't leave out the herbs of cilantro and fresh jalapinjoes. The french bread was crispy outside but still soft and hearty as you take a bite. My earth was it a 2 thumbs up!!! Then their vegan pho with veggies and tofu did not disappoint. Their veggie broth was perfectly blended and made wonderfully that I was not even thinking this was vegan. The staff was kind and informative. They were attentive and friendly. Then comes the merch. If you like a play on the word Pho, then come and check out their shirts for sale. All I have to say is "Life is Pho king good." With this said, another gem in Auburn, CA.

We had an excellent large dinner party at Moodys! The family style dinner was absolutely…read moredelicious; the seafood, beef and chicken were all seasoned and cooked perfectly. The appetizers, desserts and drinks were amazing. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. Our guests were very happy and complimentary. Thank you Moodys for a perfect evening!

Visiting Moody's as an out-of-towner was a real treat! Craig, our server, was clearly busy but was…read moreincredibly patient and absolutely phenomenal. He made the best recommendations -- we enjoyed Ernie's fresh-caught salmon, house-made mafaldine pasta, lobster ceviche, and the hangar steaks. The food was fresh and delicious. The space is neat and ambient, the bar and lounge are lovely -- great live music in the front lounge!! We sat on the back patio and really enjoyed the setting. A note to other tourists: regulars definitely get preferential treatment here, so a reservation is recommended; or some polite, but persistent check-ins with the host, if you're visiting like us. ;)

I stopped in yesterday while I was in the area for lunch because of their great google reviews. It…read morewas both a grocery store/market and a deli and smoothie bar. I ordered one of their specialty sandwiches and it was delicious! The only downside were the employees, they were rude when I asked to order and then took a weirdly long time to make the sandwich, when no one else was in line or ahead of me.

This spot is located inside the New Moon Health Food Store. So if you are driving around looking…read morefor it like I did, it is not obvious. Split a BLT with daughter and while I am not a fan of BLTs (it was daughter's choice today), I was pleasantly surprised by the freshness of ingredients and especially the meatiness and crispness of the bacon. There are GF options as well! New Moon has a plethora of fun drinks both alcoholic and non. I grabbed an alcoholic kombucha to go with it and it hit the spot. I would recommend just getting something to go. Sitting on the tables and chairs outside the grocery store doesn't provide for much ambiance.