The Rustic Table came recommended to us for its location, food, and staff--and for the program it supports. 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. read more

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What an absolute delight to have breakfast on the patio at The Rustic Table on our way to Truckee. 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! read more

The Rustic Table - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

We stopped on the way to Reno on a tip from someone in Dutch Flat (where the Dutch Flat Hotel Restaurant wasn't open as advertised). The "award winning clam chowder" was worthy of an award. Creamy, rich but not overpowering. Best part of the lunch. Turkey club had CHUNKS of turkey & generous slabs of bacon. Phil was our server, he was nice but not intrusive. Wish it was closer to home! read more

Who knew what a hidden gem The Rustic Table would be ?! The food was delicious, the service efficient and the outdoor seating was so peaceful and refreshing. I enjoyed hearing the history of the property and the present staff from Teen Challenge. I will definitely will be returning to this place. read more

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Real nice off the beaten path restaurant at a real pretty setting. Service was great. Food was very good. I ordered the lumberjack burger that came with pastrami, bacon, and cheese and the thing was huge cooked perfect. The wife got a breakfast burrito that looked pretty good. read more

The Rustic Table - Lumberjack Burger - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

We have come here several times on the way to Reno and the food has always been fantastic as well as their service! read more

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This place was ok. We had dinner here while staying at the adjoining motel. It wasn't actually late, maybe 7pm, but they were out of a lot of things and tables that were already empty still had spills etc. they cleaned up promptly to accommodate our group. There was a good amount of seating, a coffee bar and service was nice. Prices are pretty fair. The food was so-so. Basic sandwiches, Mac and cheese with brisket (a little overcooked), steak (Also a bit overcooked for how my friend requested it) and breakfast food eg eggs, sausage, bacon, French toast. It took a long time to come out even though most of the other guests who were there had already left. I know the food is cooked fresh but felt like it was probably understaffed. If there's something you want, I'd order from the start. Overall, ok experience, mostly for convenience to the lodging. read more

The Rustic Table - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

Server was warm and nice. Food was coming out a little slow. The location is a little out of the way but is very rustic and old timey! read more

The Rustic Table - Bar - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

The coziest diner. Loved watching the snow fall as we had Christmas dinner. Our waiter was friendly and did a great job serving the whole busy restaurant all by himself. I ordered the BLT and it was amazing, cooked perfectly with a good amount of bacon. Everybody at our table was happy with their meals. We ordered coffee and shakes to go after our meals, our kids loved the milkshakes and if we are ever back in the area, we will definitely stop by again. read more

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Wonderful place off 80. Good service, good food, good for kids. Didn't have to wait long, and service was pretty prompt.

My husband and I found this spot on our annual trip up to Tahoe this weekend and we are stoked! We enjoyed it enough to go again on the following day on our way home for breakfast. Food was fresh, delicious AND came out super quick. Friendly vibe and casual. Felt like we were just eating at home. Love it and this is now our go to lunch and breakfast spot when going up or down the mountain. It's easy to get to right off the 80 which is great and, bonus, you don't feel like you're eating at just a quick travel food dinner staring out the window at traffic while you eat. Quality food, fantastic price and great service. Highly recommend read more

Beautiful little restaurant option to eat inside and outside. The young gentleman waiting the tables was the absolute best! He was so friendly! the whole kitchen staff was as well. Open the menu saw "breakfast nachos" So I had to order them! So glad I did. They were delicious.! He ordered The pancakes, ham and eggs he said they hit the spot. read more

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Had the from the farm burger and fries. It was one of the best burgers I've had in some time. Huge burger and very juicy. Came back for breakfast the next morning and helpings are big and everything we had was made with love. We appreciated the service and hospitality from staff. read more

The Rustic Table - Hotel Lodge was very cozy and comfortable. - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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This place is amazing. Stayed at the lodge right next door and went here for breakfast lunch and dinner. All the meals were delicious. Ribs were to die for steak and eggs was hella good. And I got sandwich's to eat at the lake and they did not disappoint. If I ever go back that way I will for sure stop by again for food. Also staff was super accommodating and friendly. Hope you guys see this and just know keep it up you guys are killing it. read more

The place is warm and inviting inside. Staff / owner very friendly. Great menu and the food was fabulous. Unfortunately they were out of ham for my husband's breakfast so he opted for bacon. Not going to go down a star just for that - it's NYE. Will come again ! Prices are very reasonable. read more

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Delicious breakfast Off Highway 80 - The Rustic Table Restaurant. It's hard to believe I've been driving past this place for many years without noticing it. Today we finally stopped by -- and what a pleasant surprise! We were received with a beautiful welcome income in. The service was great from the minute we walked in. I had the Chorizo Breakfast Burrito, and it was phenomenal. Packed with chorizo, fries, onions, peppers, and cheese, it had just the right amount of that chorizo grease to give it flavor without being too heavy. Hands down, one of the best breakfast chorizo burritos I've ever had. We also tried the BLT sandwich, which was simple but well-executed -- crispy bacon, cheese, fresh lettuce and tomato, and nicely toasted bread. Sometimes simple is best, and this hit the spot. The hot black coffee was strong and bold, creamer and sugar. Just what I needed to start the day right. The location might throw you off at first -- it's tucked away near Highway 80, and the road leading in looks a bit sketchy (lol), but don't let that stop you. This place is a true hidden gem. Chorizo breakfast burrito Highly recommend checking it out! read more

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Food was good, pancakes were fluffy and delicious. I got chicken piccata with mashed potatoes and zucchini. We don't eat pork so my husband asked for chicken instead of sausage or bacon as a side to breakfast eggs and they happily substituted it with no extra charge . Food was hot and delicious. However, we had to wait for over 45-50 minutes for it, maybe they wear short staffed in the kitchen? Diner was not at full occupancy may be half full. Will we come back to it? Definitely yes but only if we have ample time to spare because I know they take their time to prepare it. Our server was polite and we can see that he was super busy running around. read more

The Rustic Table - Pancake breakfast - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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Food was the best American breakfast! Had the country fried stake & eggs, the gravy was the best I've had! BBQ burger hit the spot. The service was top tier! He was so sweet and kind, great conversation! Won my 2 years olds heart. We sate next to the window and had the best view of a cozy wood snow world. The inside was so cozy felt like a hug. read more

The Rustic Table - The outside of the restaurant during January 2026. - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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If I lived in Emigrant Gap, I would have breakfast here every weekend. Food is delicious, coffee is amazing, and the service is the very best. Teen Challenge doing it right! read more

The Rustic Table - Wonderful coffee in cups you can swim in (well, almost $! - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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We camped Tahoe and were hungry on our way home. Found this gem just off the freeway. Very friendly staff, great coffee and delicious food! Breakfast sliders were 10/10. Thank you! read more

The young man Jarrod, waiting the tables gave us a 10/10 experience. He was so extremely friendly from the very beginning. The food was delicious!! we came from a Tahoe trip and this restaurant was our favorite food experience on the entire trip. Highly recommended this place! read more

The Rustic Table - Bbq burger - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

I wanted to like this place, and I was hoping it would be a go to place for food on trips up and back from the Sierra and Tahoe while driving I-80. There were great reviews and the menu looked very good. However, probably not to be, although I might give it one more try. So six of us had finished up a great day of hiking, and stopped here for dinner. When we walked in the door the staff looked bored, and we received a less than half hearted greeting. Travis, our waiter, was eating at a table, but I have to say after the initial lackluster greeting from other staff he jumped in and did a great job as our waiter thereafter. As for the food, given what appeared to be an inspired menu we were dissappointed in lack of flavor in the food. My wife ordered a world famous amaretto milk shake only to find it fairly liquidy and lacking in amaretto flavor. She also ordered the homemade clam chowder which she thought was bland, but I liked it and give it a four. I ordered a black and blue half pound burger medium. The burger came well done, and the blue cheese tasted off. The fries were actually not bad, but most of it seemed like it was the small tips of frys from the end of the day and not whole frys. They were also a little soggy. Certainly nothing special, and somewhat tastless. One of our friends ordered the fish tacos, but didn't finish it, and thought the fish was flavorless and the batter a bit soggy. My wife gave it a try and said the fish was okay. I had asked the waiter, Travis, about Taco Tuesday as listed in the menu. He said Taco Tuesday was everyday and it was two tacos for $12.99. I thought taco Tuesday was supposed to be a special discounted taco day?! Another friend ordered the From the Garden Vegie burger and liked it and his sweet potato frys were delicious. The other two friends gave me an impression that their food was unremarkable. One of our friends ordered an iced cafe mocha, and received a hot one. They gave that to her on the house, and made an iced one for her. So mixed reviews here. I gave it a two because the yelp review defines three stars as okay. It was not. It could have been better, much better. The greeting upon entry was uninviting, the food leaned heavily towards unsatisfying, and the milkshake was anything but. Travis was pretty darn good as a waiter for only being there two months. Kudos. The rest of the staff needs to perk up and make entering guests feel welcomed and special. read more

The only restaurant located close to the Sierra Woods Lodge so we went here twice for breakfast. It was usually empty in the morning, but the service is always constantly bad and food will always come at least 20 minutes if not more after you ordered. Our server for both days was unfortunately a rude, probably racist man named Juan that has very odd and fake behavior. I don't know how to exactly picture his behavior in writing, but he would made some sarcastic remarks when we tried to call him and request for something and he would immediately changed his expression and tone into the "nice server" mode after we tried to reiterate our request. First, he would never check on us, never look at our direction, and would ignore us for so long even after we were so obviously done eating. When I called him for a check, we felt like he sort of mocked me with the way I called him. I didn't call him disrespectfully by any means, it's literally "hi? hello? excuse me? can I get a check?" (clearly I had to call him 3 times because he would just race back to his den without even checking on us) but apparently he was unhappy that some asian girl was calling him because he then said with a mocking tone and irritated face, "hello, hi, yes, excuse me, what did you want?". When I tried to ask for jams for my toast, he was like, "riiight, you want jams... yeah.. we don't offer that... but I guess if you want it... which flavor do you want..?" what the hell? which breakfast place doesn't offer jams? Phil, on the other hand, is more genuinely nice and caring and asked us what we need and delivered us water with pleasure and does not make us feel like we are a burden, unlike that sarcastic Juan. Unfortunately, this is the only restaurant within few miles off the lodge, but if you don't stay in the lodge, I would say avoid at all cost. read more

The Rustic Table - The potatoes are undercooked. - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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I love when I am pleasantly surprised by an establishment. Our family went to go play in the snow nearby and was too hungry to head back to the nearest city to eat lunch. Busted out the trusty Yelp and decided to try this place out. Had super cute cabin vibes. There was no wait to be seated. Menu had a great variety and the food was bomb and affordable. And it came out quickly. I especially loved the Grilled Artichoke, Clam Chowder and the Ribeye Steak. That was theeee best dang Grilled Artichoke in my life. There was a small hiccup with our steaks, but they remedied it quickly and well. Staff were super friendly. Kudos to all the staff because they literally made our experience awesome! It's a quaint place, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this spot to anyone visiting the area. Yelp 2024 Challenge: 26/30 read more

Rustic, tranquil, and absolutely exquisite, does not begin to describe, The Rustic Table. This is a standout stop that deserves a spot on your travel list. The portion sizes were beyond generous, exceeding all expectations. We had breakfast burritos too big to finish. (pictured are our halves to-go). Plus, the freshly brewed coffee was served in large, two-hand mugs that made for a feel-good, warming experience. Juan, our server, operated as a one-man team (aside from the kitchen crew) and couldn't have been more attentive or welcoming. His warm attitude while serving, clearing, and managing the floor brought a personal touch that made the experience even better. We've officially added The Rustic Table to our list of must-return destinations. Looking forward to our next visit. Thank you for such a memorable meal. read more

The Rustic Table - One half is bacon, the other chorizo. Served with choice of cheese, potatoes with perfectly cooked bell peppers , and eggs. - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

Our group had fries burgers and steak and salad all was delicious. Service A+, Food cooked masterfully Everything was very fresh. Definately worth the stop. Also charming feel to ambience and reasonable price. read more

After an hour we still haven't seen our lunch! The server just brought us our check, but never got food. This place is a joke!

Get some fresh tomatoes that your menu states is available. Poor kitchen management. Note worthy claim chowder was served tepid. read more

We have eaten at the Rustic Table on two previous occasions and had good meals Today we took my brother for lunch and he and I ordered their clam chowder soup and a Bacon Tomato and Cheese sandwich and each of us had an Americano. My wife ordered a Patty melt and sweet potato fries. Her sandwich and fries were good. Our Americanos were good but the clam chowder although tasty was lukewarm and our sandwiches had no tomato. They had run out but didn't say anything. Tomatoes are critical ingredients for sandwiches, salads and hamburgers. How do you serve sandwiches that are specific to that sandwich and not say you don't have any. Very disappointing. read more

Randomly stopped here for a bite to eat and wasn't disappointed at all. Enough options on the menu for anybody to find something to eat but not so much that it was overwhelming. The food came out quickly and tasted AMAZING. The service was great. Cute little local pitstop if you're on your way to Tahoe or Truckee. 100% would come back here again. read more

Stopped by to grab breakfast and it took 45min to get a breakfast burrito. The place wasn't crowded and they said it would be a "few" minutes. Unbelievable. Don't stop by here if you hope to get out reasonably quickly. read more

Amazing service, incredible food!! We stopped here on our way out of Tahoe and it was really good and fast service. Highly recommend !! read more

The Rustic Table - Chicken Caesar Wrap - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

Amazing food and service!! Really cute place and view with excellent portion size for money! Great value! Had regular breakfast and pancake breakfast! And breakfast sliders! All yummy and the pancakes super big and fluffy! read more

The Rustic Table - Pancake breakfast with pork sausage - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

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This place was so wonderful. The staff was very kind and attentive. The food was so delicious. We ordered breakfast items and lunch and we ate every bite. Loved the music they played. It was great! Definitely recommend! read more

The Rustic Table is a favorite stop on our way to the mountains. We enjoy their breakfast, lunch, and coffee menus. Their staff are friendly, attentive, and never messes up our orders. The mountain view is stunning and brings the nature into the restaurant. They have lots of seating and we haven't had to wait for a table yet. The prices are relatively low for the high quality we receive. We were especially impressed by their clam chowder soup which had no sand and one of the best I've had in a long time. The restaurant and restrooms are also well maintained and clean. read more

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10/10 awesome birthday experience! Steve even played our favorite birthday song! It's great for any event or a family hangout read more

The Rustic Table - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

I almost never leave reviews but wanted to come on and add one for The Rustic Table. My family and I visited a few weeks ago on our way to the snow, and it was great! Service was great, and they even got the kids food out first so that they don't get too impatient. My husband and I both ordered omelettes and thought they were really good, with large portion sizes. I also got a toffee nut latte and it was honestly one of the best lattes I've had (and I've had a lot as a former barista and coffee shop manager). Prices were very reasonable as well! It wasn't very busy when we were there and it's hard to see from the highway, so I'm afraid people will miss it. Give it a try if you are in the area! We will be back! :) read more

The Rustic Table - Omelette - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California

Hmmm... I'm wondering what the four-and-a-half-star rating is all about. For me, it's at most three-and-a-half stars. Maybe we didn't order the right food? Maybe it's the only decent restaurant in Emigrant Gap, CA? Maybe if I saw the breathtaking views that someone wrote about, in their review I wouldn't be so grumpy. The seating is weird. There are a few tables where the seats are facing the wall. There were only a couple of seats facing the windows. When we arrived both window seats were taken so I had to face the wall. Luckily, my man switched seats with me and I could sort of see out of a window. I guess I was starving since facing the wall bothered me a lot. Let's get on with the food. The clam chowder was creamy and tasty! I love how they had the right enough potatoes, pork, and clam. It was a great appetizer after playing in the snow. The Fish & Chips were not great. It was not crispy enough that the batter easily fell off. They gave us a generous portion, but it was not that great. It was edible, though. I didn't get to try the hot dog since the girls were starving, but they finished it so I'm guessing it's good. However, I was not a fan of the fries. I'm glad that we ordered the Banana Churro. How can you not like it when the banana is dipped in Nutella and the crispy tortilla is sprinkled with a ton of sugar and cinnamon? It was sooooooo good! Customer service was great. We had a couple of servers help us. They were both friendly and efficient. read more

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I have eaten here at least 5 times. Each time has been fabulous! They have a pesto pasta with chicken that is delicious!!! Beautiful scenery up in the mountains!! Breakfast served All Day!! read more

This is a wonderful spot! Please stop here if you want hearty portions of tasty food. Brisket Mac Oven baked Brie Pesto Pasta California Burger Those are delicious choices! The photo is horrible because it was a complete afterthought-- Baked Brie read more

The Rustic Table - Baked Brie! - New American Near Me - Emigrant Gap, California