Went here with some friends. Food was very good. The Texas Twinkies were fun and tasty. I ordered the braised short rib special which was very satisfying. The service was friendly and stopped by often to check in with us. It has an old time miner vibe and has a very interesting history. The server told us about the haunted booth and the things that go on throughout the restaurant that can't be explained. Almost forgot... they make a great cocktail. read more

The Owl Tavern - Outside - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

Came in for a night time cocktail. We're seated at the bar table and a young man brought us some water. After that we waited for 10 minutes and no one came to take our drink order, mind you the bar wasn't that crowded. Wait staff walked past us several time until I stopped one young lady and asked if she could take our order which she did. It wasn't a very comfortable atmosphere as the girls staff were spending more time talking with friends than serving customers. I have eaten here before and the food was great. The bar area at night needs a bit of attention. read more

Enjoy the atmosphere and the bartenders make some really yummy drinks. I've had a couple appetizers from their Menu that are really good. GarlIc Fries, Mac w/ Cheese. Stop and visit The Owl Tavern next time in town. read more

The Owl Tavern - Bartenders at the Owl Tavern in Grass Valley, Ca - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

Visited March 11 2026...see my receipt as always. It was a lovely day in Grass Valley and decided to come into the Owl after a long drive. They open at 11am. I had the Texas twinkies which are filled with pork and cream cheese and then fried inside a large jalapeño. Delicious and so was the dipping sauce! I also enjoyed a glass of wine while sitting outside for a bit. Plenty of inside and outside seating. DOG FRIENDLY outside! It's a classy yet casual place with a full bar. I have been going here for several years and it has changed hands many times but this owner has it dialed in! Great relaxing time in a beautiful environment. Friendly waitress ( I think her name is Heather). Btw. They have awesome steaks! read more

See all

Oohhh I did not realize this spot excited and glad I stumbled upon it. Delicious. I was craving red meat and of course got the steak frites. I got it with truffle fries. I'm pretty sure the steak was supposed to be 8oz. Idk if it's been a long time since I've seen 8 ounces because that steak looked massive. And the amount of fries was just as insane as well. Am not complaining because it was all so delicious. I asked for a side of the aioli that comes with the truffles and the chimichurri aioli (that one was meh). To drink I had a Shirley Temple. Service was great. Love the ambiance. I looked at the dessert menu and everything is made in house. I'm so mad for eating so much of the main course because I want ALL THE DESSERTS. Will definitely be back. read more

See all

Let's think what do I not like about this restaurant? Atmosphere? No service? No greeting when you walk in? No. Ok, it is perfect. But what I love the most is the chef. The salmon was cooked to perfection. But before you take your first bite is looks awesome. See pic.. read more

The Owl Tavern - Salmon with rice. - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

From washing hands to meeting Justine, we relaxed, relying upon his knowledge of "tonight's fresh catch. To the awesome mixology of Justine, we were entertained, with tempting smells as we awaited our dinner read more

See all

Beautiful historic ambiance, friendly staff and delicious food. They were extremely busy so a little bit of slow service was to be expected. Overall really enjoyed our meals! read more

It wasn't as good as before. And just Maybe it was that we were parked in the middle row with waiters running past us constantly Wasn't a good time. read more

Replying to owner ... there were six of us and no we all weren't intoxicated. And the food was horrible so no thank you.

Dine into the past. From the moment you walk in, you are welcomed by the friendly staff. The food is excellent and there was a variety of menu choices to please our party of 4: From filet mignon to salmon to prime rib dip to portobello mushroom entrees accompanied by a choice of 2 sides with each entree. We were all happy with our selections. We were pleasantly surprised with the unique appetizer of Texas Twinkies. The presentation in shot glasses with individual servings for 3 people was fun. The Billy Blue Bread was our only disappointment. There's ample free parking in the back, and check out the Del Oro Theatre when you're in the vicinity. The tavern is located in a pedestrian promenade with many interesting shops. Enjoy! read more

The Owl Tavern - Texas Twinkies appetizers - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

Everything about The Owl Tavern is terrific!! Paul, our fabulous server, knew all about each item on the menu. I didn't realize that the steak they serve is Wagyu and being a foodie I knew that would be great over my Caesar Salad. What a treat. The booth was perfect for the three of us. It is hard to decide what to choose on the menu because all their sandwiches are beyond yummy. I will be going back and maybe next time for dinner(and have their great steak) or for lunch again. Ask for Paul. He's the best. You will be delighted with everything. read more

My husband and I are enamored by this new version of the Owl! It's friendly and the food is great. The lounge feels like a secret place for friends to relax and enjoy the food, drinks and happy staff. And oh, the Texas twinkies! I can't wait to go back. read more

Stopped by Owl Tavern for a lunch and espresso martini(s) following a good hike. Espresso martinis tend to be made differently by different bartenders. In fact, this was the 4th establishment where I had espresso martini in the week visiting Nevada Co., including at the 2 famous hotels. BY FAR, best espresso martinis made by Ryan at Owl Tavern!! Thank you Ryan! And thank you Laura, my server, for keeping an eye on me. Food and ambience were just as wonderful with rock from the late 70's and 80's, playing in the background. I recommend Owl Tavern for a bite to eat, an afternoon cocktail, or both! Cheers! read more

The food was awesome but the service was lousy this time. Our Cesar Salad came with a huge bug crawling around in it, a filet mignon came cold & pink when ordered a medium, glasses were left empty and we were offered only a replacement salad for the bug crawling around in ours. The table next to us had to cancel their meal because they sat for 30 minutes and never able to order. Place was only about 1/2 full with 4 waiters/waitresses. Whoever is managing The Owl Tavern needs to step it up. The vibe was cool though. read more

Went here on a recommendation from a friend who lives in town, did not disappoint ! It was a Sunday night so not much was open anyway but this place had plenty of seating ( larger than it looks from the street ), good parking ( or in our case walking distance from our hotel ) and delicious food. Service was fast and friendly Con : lots of flies in the entry way / end of bar if the door is open which happens with the small foyer . But otherwise great experience . read more

See all

This experience was alarmingly poor. We are locals in Grass Valley, and are used to amazing service up here. This evening we were seated at 6:15pm. At 8:00 we still had not received food. My children fell asleep at the table. I went in to speak to a manager to see what was going on. As I was standing there they attempted to bring out just the kids food which I asked to be boxed. Then I spoke to someone and explained that I understand things being busy and maybe they are short staffed but that we have been waiting almost two hours, my kids are asleep, we need to leave. I was met with attitude. At that point I informed them that we needed to just go. We don't want the food. At this point a man yelled at us " you have got to be F@&#ing kidding me" ... Completely inappropriate. If they had communicated with us, told us there was a delay etc we could have planned accordingly but to be yelled at in such a way was insane. The manager/ owner, and others were so rude. The ONLY polite members of staff were a bus boy and a bar tender. read more

Wonderful place. Food is amazing, service is friendly and knowledgeable. The ambience I love. read more

We stopped in for some warmth, drinks and maybe a small bite to eat during the Cornish Christmas celebration. There were 4 of us and 3 of us sat at the bar while the 4th one in our party stood (not an issue). Bartenders were friendly enough but super busy and it took longer to get 2nd rounds. We ordered some truffle fries which were not very good (they were like In N Out fries and bland). We decided to go elsewhere for dinner and it took a while to get our tab. They also added a 3% credit card surcharge. Its probably not a place i would go back to but I can chalk up the longer wait times to the busy time of night. read more

The Owl exceeded expectations tonight. We thankfully had a reservation, it was busy. Despite how busy it was, we received timely, professional, and attentive service. I was nervous about getting a ribeye because my spouse makes incredible ribeyes at home, so we ordered the Wagyu NY Strip special and it was perfection! They have bottles of Gray Pine Merlot which is like a warm hug to your steak. I don't think you can get it anywhere else, it's the only merlot I've ever liked. It's so nice to see The Owl thriving, providing great service, and food. Keep it up! Love the wallpaper! read more

Very cool historic decor, sort of speakeasy/saloon vibe. Food was tasty. The sourdough was piping hot with delicious orange blossom butter. The salad was picture perfect and unfortunately I don't have a picture for you...we dug in before I got the shot! Truffle fries were crispy with lots of Parmesan. White linen cocktail was light and refreshing. The maple infused old fashioned was reviewed as voted one of the best (and these two are in the know!). Service was friendly (if a bit slow, but the place was busy, so you know it's good!) and we are very thankful for their checking with the kitchen about our food allergies. read more

See all

Went back! The bbq plate is insane. This is my favorite place when I visit Nevada city. Our waitress was super friendly again. I think the owner came by and got us all a drink for a mess up. The place felt clean and has the same charm it had when we first came. Thanks Owl! read more

The Owl Tavern - Bbq plate - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

Great food. Billy Bleu Bread is amazing! good service once our waitress greeted us. Nice atmosphere. Pricey.

Super disappointing experience. My parents had graced this restaurant a few months ago and told me they had the best burger they ever had here. That made my husband and I want to try it the next time we were downtown! It was a Saturday the weekend before Halloween and it was such a beautiful day! When we first stopped in, the restaurant was very busy and there was a sign at the entrance that said please wait to be seated. So we did. After about a minute a young girl walked up and looked confused and asked us if we were waiting for a table, we said yes of course and she said oh well you just pick a table and sit wherever. I was a little confused because of the sign when we first walked in, but we did just that and went and found a table. We waited a couple minutes and I think her name was GiGi, gorgeous by the way, came over and got our drink order, a few minutes after that she came and got our food order. This is where everything went wrong. Thirty minutes went by and nothing, then 45 minutes. Gigi walked by and I stopped her and asked how long, she said they were really backed up but it shouldn't be too much longer. I'm not one to ever complain, ever, but then an hour went by and I stopped Gigi again and I told her if it's going to take any longer we were just going to pay for my husband soda and leave because that's totally crazy. She responded we could take our food home to go, but that really defeats the purpose of us going out to eat, and why we just sat and waited over an hour for food. Finally, about an hour and fifteen minutes our food came. It was VERY good. But; after waiting almost all that time it really wasn't. Something clearly happened that afternoon, like someone called out or they were severely understaffed. But regardless no one should wait for over an hour for a meal. And we weren't the only ones waiting that long because I heard the complaints throughout the other tables. I felt really bad for Gigi she was so sweet and kind and we tipped her VERY well. But I don't think I will ever come back because of this. Would you risk the wait time? I don't think I would. read more

The Owl Tavern - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

We stopped at the owl tavern for appetizers and drinks. We ordered the artichoke special which was mediocre with a heavily mayo based sauce. The Texas Twinkie's were an absolute hit! They were flavorful and tender. Our drinks were lovely. This restaurant has a high charm atmosphere and high quality food. It was nice to sit on the patio and enjoy nearby live music and delicious food and drinks. read more

See all

Ate at the Owl last night. I got the special "Lamb Chops "! The lamb chops were cooked to perfection..nicely medium rare. The only thing that made it unappetizing is that it was served with this disgusting coagulating white sauce that ruined the dish. I'm no gourmet cook but it would have been so much better with some sort of balsamic reduction sauce. read more

Apparently, this place just opened and I am hugely impressed! This is our first trip to Grass Valley and this place looked good, but we were surprised how good! Since we didn't have reservations, we sat at the bar and watched Luke work his magic. Besides the best Old Fashioned I have ever had, Deb was knocked out by the Dark Manhattan. Neither of us was very hungry, so we stuck with appetizers which turned out to be a real treat! The Texas Twinkies were outstanding, definitely recommend! The place itself is well preserved/restored in showing it's heritage and the wait staff seemed well trained, pleasant and happy to be there, as were we! We'll be back! read more

See all

Great food, drinks and service. We went on a busy Saturday night but didn't feel rushed. We'll be back.

Four of us had a 7:45 reservation on a Friday night. Since parking is very difficult in Grass Valley we allowed extra time. We were able to park, a bit distant, and arrived early for our reservation. They don't really have a waiting area, the bar was jammed so we waited by the door and it it was pretty cold every time the door opened along with lots of patron and server traffic. That's on us for being early. The place was packed; however, We were seated on time and water came to the table immediately. It was extremely loud, so loud we could not converse. It's an old west atmosphere so there is no sound abatement is present. The waitress had to move next to each to hear our order. Service was timely and excellent. Our food, Filets, Beef stroganoff, Salmon was excellent and cooked to order. The tables are a bit close to each other in the kitchen side of the U shaped restaurant. I think the best place to sit would be a booth on the bar side. Food and service was definitely a 5, the loud crowded atmosphere a 3,at best, so we end up at 4. Our weekday experience was definitely more pleasurable. We will return during the week. read more

0 stars if I could. Went on a Saturday around 1pm and it wasn't busy inside or outside at all. Got seated pretty quick outside which was great. We had a server gave us water and a drinks menu and had to wait another 10 minutes before we had to flag a server for a menu. It took another 10 minute to order our food. Drinks came out right away which I thought was a good sign but it's been over an hour and our burgers are still not here. I never had to wait over an hour for 4 burgers before. 50 minutes in the waiter says the food is almost ready... Ok, we already been waiting so what's another few minutes right? So after an hour and 20 minutes of waiting, our server comes out and says she figures out what the issue is. The order was "deleted" and never went through and we'll be getting a 15% discount for our troubles. If I wasn't with my in laws, I would have left right then and there. But alas, we reordered and our food should be at the very top of the order with a 20% discount. So it turns out our order was not placed at the very top, and 1 hr and 40 minutes later. We had enough and just left. More excuses from the server and owner and it's just ridiculous at this point. Talked to a local and she said service is not that good. Definitely would not recommend this place at all. I was trying to give the burgers a review at least but what can you do. read more

Everything was excellent at The Owl Tavern. I had the French Onion soup and the Rice Krispy fried chicken sandwich, both were absolutely delicious. The soup was rich, flavorful, and topped with perfectly melted cheese. The fried chicken sandwich was crispy, juicy, and had a really unique texture thanks to the Rice Krispy coating. The service was great, the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and the food came out quickly. No complaints at all, just a really great experience from start to finish. I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Drinks were awesome... no misses there. The menu looked amazing and had a ton of solid options. I ended up going with the French dip and it was tasty--simple, flavorful, and exactly what I wanted. Cool spot overall... I'll definitely be back to work my way through the rest of that menu. read more

My wife and I have been to The Owl five times. The food has always been excellent. Twice, however, the service was horrible. It was the same server both times and I don't know her name. On those two occasions she never checked on us to make sure everything was okay. Both times we were missing one of our side dishes and we had to ask another server if she could ask our server to complete our order. Again, the food here is outstanding but if you're going to spend $250 on dinner for two it seems like your server should actually provide service. Recommendations to the owners: 1) Include the servers name on the receipt, 2) Instruct your servers to check in at least twice during their meal ensuring that everything is as it should be. This is in addition to taking the order and bringing the check. Also, it should not take 14 minutes to take my payment. Their deserts are incredible. read more

The food and service is great. I really enjoy coming here food drinks and appetizers are all very good. Photos from 2 different visits. read more

The Owl Tavern - Steakhouses Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

We had a large party and the server was fantastic at managing us! Food was more upscale pub food, from steaks to roasted chicken to burgers. Our table commented it was all very good! Adorable location! read more

We have returned to the Owl Tavern numerous times since our first review. The meals have been great and the service is very good and the overall feel is inviting and energetic. Me have enjoyed various lunch and dinner items and most recently we were there for Valentines Day and their special menu was great and service was on point. We enjoy the decor and the feel of the restaurant. The Owl Tavern has become a go-to spot for us when dining out in town. read more

This is a really nice bar and restaurant with lots to offer as far as food and good wines. Or mixed drinks. We had excellent service from staff and met the owner, who was very accommodating with picking out a good wine for me. Will come back! read more

Got a real Gold Rush field because it was made during the gold rush. The hamburger that we had there was the best hamburger I've had in my life. We also had shrimp on Caesar salad and the shrimp was so big. I could only eat three out of four and half the salad. Only went once but we want to try it again the next time we're in grass Valley. read more

We arrived around 1 PM and at first everything seemed fine. Our drinks came out quickly. We ordered macaroni and cheese, a salad, and two chicken sandwiches. The macaroni and cheese and salad arrived after about 20 minutes, which was reasonable. However, we waited another 10 minutes before asking about the chicken sandwiches. Our server said they were coming right now. During this time, we could clearly see the blonde female chef behind the counter openly vaping in the kitchen, yawning without covering her mouth, and cooking people's food. It was very unprofessional and unsanitary. After another 20 to 30 minutes, we finally flagged down our waitress again. She told us she had figured out the problem. The chicken had not even been prepped yet. We were told our order was next in line and were offered 15 percent off, which felt insulting since half of our table had already finished eating and we had already been waiting an unreasonable amount of time with limited communication on what was going on. We waited another 15 to 20 minutes before finally saying we did not want the sandwiches anymore. The waitress then said she would give us two for the price of one because they were already being made. At that point, we just wanted to leave. Overall, this was a terrible experience. The wait times, lack of communication, and unsanitary behavior in the kitchen were unacceptable. We would not recommend nor return based on these subpar conditions. read more

My hubby were camping nearby and decided to check out downtown Grass Valley which is such a cute little town! We came upon the The Owl Tavern and decided to stop for an adult libation. The craft cocktail menu had me curious so I tried the Mt Fuji which was green tea vodka, pomegranate, lillet rose and prosecco which I enjoyed thoroughly because it was so different. It came with one of the giant squares of ice cubes which is usually used for whiskey drinks but thought it was a nice touch. We also had a Cosmopolitan that was spot on. The bartenders were super friendly and great at what they did. The atmosphere was also very cool. It was all late 1800s type of decor down to the old school refrigerator. Great place to hang out and the food coming out looked great also! read more

See all