The place was extremely cosy but the host was a bit rude. he seemed inconvenienced by our presence even though the place was near empty. i ordered a steak medium rare, they brought it to me not only sliced open across the middle but it was well done so they cut it to check the temp but still served it to me over cooked. read more

I have been going to this place for years. It used to be an enjoyable place. The past few times I have been there the service was horrible. Tonight was the last straw. The host was very rude & seemed upset that we had a reservation. Once we were seated the waiter almost instantly asked what we wanted to order & was upset we asked for a few more minutes. 20 minutes later he came back & took our order. It took nearly 20 minutes to get our salad then the main coarse was thrown in front of us before we could put the dressing on our salad. I asked for another drink & he said he'll see what he could do. He never came back to our table for the rest of the night. Very rude staff I'm done with the steam Donkey read more

Service here is a joke, obviously they know nothing about it, steak was good but it took and hour and 20 minutes to get it, I watched it sit on a ledge for 10 minutes getting cold until our server finally got around to stop talking to someone at the bar and bring my plate, never go back here again, I've been going to Pinecrest for 40 years, sucks it's gotten so bad. read more

Get reservations for great lunch or dinner and a fine bar. Great atmosphere! Out back is a nice dining experience.

We called in for reservations for 4(2kids 2adults). The host sat us and Garret came over got our drinks. Was EXTREMELY polite in serving the ladies of the table first. Someone said something to him and he defended his choice and said "It's the proper way to serve a table". Next thing we know we get this other guy Shawn coming to the table. Ordered TWO KIDS sirloins one with pasta one with mash. I ordered the kids spare ribs to which no mention of not doing it (I was not that hungry.) Boyfriend got the Sirloin & Shrimp mash and a salad. A few minutes later Shawn comes back and has us retell him the order. Three kids one adult. "Well we normally don't do that but we will". If it was that big of a problem it should have been addressed the moment I Ordered. He then came out with two salads. I don't do ranch the kids don't eat it. The one salad was correct. He then had us repeat AGAIN the order because he got really screwed up somehow. Plates came out. One kid sirloin with Mash one spare rib with noodles, one adult sirloin with mash ( exchanged my noodles and sons mash around to be correct). Garret came by and got me a refill on my drink. Had to ask the Host to take the salad plate as the table is so small with 4 plates, a bread plate,their center lantern, and salt and pepper shakers. Doesn't help the table we had was maybe 3'x3'. Never got offered dessert. Took forever to get the check. Took the kids outside and still had to wait another 5-10 to have my boyfriend join us to walk back to camp. If you end up with Shawn ask for a different server unless you don't mind potentially getting some random menu item. On the way out I saw Garret and told him I wished he was our server. He said he was sorry and that Shawn's days off are Monday's and Tuesdays. I told him we were leaving Sunday. If we return next year I will remember that among co-workers they berate or talk down about being polite. read more

Great Steaks, Chillie Oma. Cold day, service is awesome, good bar experience. It's a small place but worth the experience.

This review is purely based on the service and how rudely my elderly parents and I were treated by Shawn, Johnny, and Lori the manager. To start off, upon walking in at 6:30 on a Thursday night the 28th of June 2018, I came in with my fishing gear, after a long day of being on the lake and not being able to put it in the car at that moment, to check on availability. Immediately the host, Johnny, looked me up and down making me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable for having my gear with me. There was a line - when I finally reached the host, I ask " do you have space for 3, we do not have a reservation" Johnny then looked at his seating chart for the restaurant and quoted me for 7:15. I asked " is that the earliest seating you have? Or maybe we can sit at the bar table and have dinner". To which he snapped back at me and said " No you can't have food there". Genuinely surprised I repeated " Oh, we can't have food at the bar or tables?" To which Johnny replied, very sarcastically and condescendingly, "I'm sorry, am I being opaque with you?". At this point I was genuinely taken aback by how I was being spoken to. I had just been there two days ago with my husband for lunch at the bar, had food and had a great experience with Bruce the bartender. Maybe dinner service is different, fine, you don't have to be so rude about it, just tell me politely. My sister and brother in law were still out on the lake (with the car keys, hence why we had all the gear) and my elderly father needed to eat and obviously we had no means to go anywhere else. Regardless to say it only got worse from this point on, I was so upset by the way we were being treated I went over to Pincrest Lake Resort reservation desk (who is the owner of the Steam Donkey- Lori) to let he know her staff was the rudest bunch of humans I have ever encountered. When complaining about how rudely we were being treated and going back and fourth for a bit she blurted out said that I was drunk. Well, it looks like we found where her wait staff gets there manners! I was so insulted, I had 1 drink from her restaurant while waiting for our table. We continued on for a bit until she finally asked "What do you want me to do about it?" Almost as if I wanted something for free. I told her, "All I wanted to do was walk into your restaurant and have dinner with my parents and be treated like a customer, if you have to ask ME what YOU need to do about it - maybe you should not be in customer service." Once my sister showed up with the car and her husband I told her what was happening, and she approached the host to tell them they where out of place, and of course they were rude to her also. A pregnant women.... YOU could not pay me to eat here ever again. Do yourself a favor and drive to Strawberry and eat the the Strawberry Inn. On a side note, I have been vacationing is Pincrest since 1996 and this restaurant has gone down hill horribly, I will never eat here again. read more

The most amazing food and service ever! The ribeye, lamb, and pork chops were out of site, along with the soup and salads!

5 stars despite a few problems. My salmon wasnt seasoned at all. But cooked beautifully. I fixed it with a bunch of salt,pepper and lemon. First drink was all ice and taste like nothing. 2nd was stiff and perfect. Best roasted carrots Ive ever had. Amazing mashed potatoes. Steak was also cooked perfectly. Everyone was friendly. Ambience was good. When I go back I will sit inside because I was mauled by mosquitoes. Make reservations! read more

Went to Steam Donkey for our 14 year anniversary the service and dinner was excellent I had the pork chop, my wife had the duck both were juicy not dry. Special thanks to our server Lilly she gets the 5 star rating. Keep Sam be hide the bar please! read more

Unhygienic! The Steam Donkey had only half of the tables occupied and we thought that it's probably due to the pandemic limitations. The two maître d's (who also doubled as waiters, servers and bus boys) looked like and were dressed like homeless hobos. A white apron would make a world of difference! At one point my wife burst out laughing and said that one of them lifted his shirt in the back, exposing his butt crack, scratched it and then went back to serving food! I wonder if they also cook the food and wash the dishes as well? The warm bread that they served us before the main meal was sliced on the counter right next to the cash register and next to the wet rags they use to wipe tables. The strong odor of bleach from our table suddenly was not annoying and became rather reassuring. Food was decent, plentiful, prices reasonable and the hobos were friendly. They are the only restaurant in Pinecrest, so they don't have to worry about customer opinion. That also makes them busy, and you will definitely need reservations. read more

This was our first time at The Stream Donkey, the service was excellent, drinks were awesome and the meals superb. We'll be coming back for another awesome dinner. read more

Stopped here after being at the lake for the day. Wow!!! Absolutely amazing chef! Had a San Fransisco quality meal. The kitchen is a tiny 4 top burner, with a grill above it and a small refrigerator.. this however didn't stop the chef to make a 5 star meal. The ambiance and atmosphere was up there too. Back to the meal. I had the special of the evening, which was a Herb crusted halibut with a Meyer lemon burre blanc sauce, with rosemary potatoes and grilled veggies.. The fish was so on point it's making my mouth water as I write about it. It was so moist and flaky, every bite was amazing. The sauce was absolutely amazing too. Not to much, not to little. This was recommend by the chef and I'm so glad I ordered it. After my meal I gave the chef my compliments and he was welcome to them. This place was so amazing. I wish I could take this chef and make him my personal one read more

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My family has been camping at Pinecrest for generations. This weekend, for the first time, we had dinner (TWICE) at The Steam Donkey. The food was incredible! Quality, flavor, presentation - top notch. The restaurant is very small. You definitely need a reservation on the weekend. Jake the chef is a master! His dishes rival great restaurants in the Bay Area. The portions are generous. The garlic mashed potatoes are a must. read more

It's hard to say if the food was because we didn't get a chance to be seated because the hostess treated us like shit, I am a hispanic and I stopped to eat with my family and at first I thought that maybe for been latino but as I was outside two other family walked out and referred to the hostess as rude bitch and the other woman said Not a bitch but incompetent. So you're thinking about eating at this restaurant think twice. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE, HELL PROBABLY HAS BETTER SERVICE THAN THIS PLACE. THE SERVER CRYSTAL LOOKS ONLY AT THE FACE BUT NOT THE WALLET read more

Went for a special birthday and was disappointed. For being so expensive, steaks were under seasoned and service was substandard. Asked several times for items never brought to the table. Staff was not friendly, almost felt like we were inconveniencing them - and they weren't busy. Won't be back. read more

Great Food, Great Ambiance, Great Restaurant. The Steam Donkey serves great food in an area of great beauty. The staff are friendly and polite and are always busy making sure their diners are happy and full. We have been here 3 times over the years and I have never had a bad meal. Always delicious. I am a huge fan of the Chicken Teriyaki which has homemade Teriyaki sauce that is to die for! I have seen a lot of 1 star reviews which focus on wait times when there are open tables or the staff being short with them. What people don't realize is that this is a very small restaurant with an even smaller kitchen. Their focus is to put out quality food, which they do EXTREMELY well. While the staff are busy, they are always polite and will help you in between helping the diners currently seated. I was not there to experience what others have said, but I have never experienced any rudeness, only warmth and quality service. I would recommend people make a reservation ahead of time to ensure you get a table. We made a reservation and were out in time to catch the movie at the Pinecrest amphitheater at 8pm (we were seated at 6:45 and out by 7:40). Finally, if you're in the mountains, you're lucky enough and it's a great experience to eat outside in the mountain air or take a walk while you wait for your table, it's a beautiful area so take a breath and enjoy it. read more

My husband loves this spot, so when we're in the area, we always try to get a reservation ahead of time. We got an early outdoor dinner reservation and really enjoyed our time. Wine list is awesome for the area, food is delicious, and I even got an amazing early birthday song! Beautiful setting, good food, and friendly people - couldn't ask for more! read more

We went to The Steam Donkey for dinner last night for my birthday. I have always enjoyed this place and last night was no exception.The salads were fresh and crisp and the steaks were cooked just as we ordered them, right on Jake as usual. There were only 3 people taking care of everyone and it flowed well. jake cooked, Sean and Sammy took care of the floor. The highlight was when Sammy sang Happy Birthday to me ! We will be back for more lunches and dinners. Love this place read more

We really wanted to like this place. We had heard good things about their burgers. We (4 of us) arrived on a Saturday night at 6pm and were seated on the patio. The patio is very nice with a serene view of trees. Our server was nice and took our drink and dinner order. We got our drinks pretty quickly, but my Dad's mixed drink tasted funky so he asked if they could fix it. It was a little better the 2nd time, but they just tried to doctor the original drink. Our salads arrived within about 20 minutes of our order being taken. The salad was pretty good - simple but fresh. Everything was going pretty good up until we finished our salads. We never saw our server again until 7pm when our food finally arrived. We couldn't believe that it had been an nearly an hour since we ordered until it's arrival. We were hoping the food would be worth the wait, but it wasn't. Dinner #1 - The brochettta chicken looked good, but the chicken was over cooked. Result, half eaten - no doggie bag please. Dinner #2 - Salmon - the salmon was slightly overcooked, but not too bad. Dinner #3 - Ribs - actually, they were very good and tender. I would order them again. Dinner #4 - Pork Chop - The pork was so tough that a steak knife wouldn't cut through it. We eat out frequently and in 30 years, have only complained about a meal once. If we would have ever seen our server again, we would have asked for something else because the chop was impossible to cut or chew. I shared my ribs with my husband so we wouldn't be too hungry. All of the dinners came with sautéed summer squash. That's fine, but they had no seasoning so were rather boring. All of the dinners were only luke-warm upon arrival. It's like they were made and then sat around for 15 minutes before being served. We didn't see our server again for 30 minutes and by then, we were finished eating! Not good. The gentleman who came to clear our plates asked about all of the pork remaining on the plate. We proceeded to tell him that we couldn't eat it. He apologized numerous times, but said he didn't know what else to do but say he was sorry, he would inform the chef and then gave us a piece of cheesecake on the house. We were surprised that he charged us for that meal. He could have a least given a 50% discount off of that meal. What a disappointment. Maybe they are good for burgers, but not sure we'll return to find out. read more

This place is hilarious on all levels. While I'd rate the food completely average, the workers here and the location/ambiance is what gives this restaurant a 4-star rating from me. The food: I ordered the donkey burger and clam chowder. The burger was good, the soup was good-- but not anything special by any means. Price was about appropriate. The service: Absolutely delightful. The two young males that work here definitely know how to give good service. They're very entertaining to talk to, and very polite and attentive to your needs. I will definitely stop in at this restaurant next time I'm in the area. The place, atmosphere, and experience is really too epic to pass up, even with the semi-average food. read more

We had a 6:45 reservation. We got there a little early so I masked up and went inside to check in. I was "greeted" by an older guy who asked if we had a reservation. I said yes. The guy then says " go outside I'll call when your table is ready. I asked did he need my name and he gave some rude, dismissive response. Strike one. As we were seated, a member of our party asked for her chair to be wiped down. This guy, younger but equally as grumpy made it clear he had a problem with this simple task. Things went downhill from there. We were rushed through our salads, attempts at small talk with these two were rebuffed. Our food came and when we asked for salt and pepper there was a problem with that. As dinner plates were cleared away, there was no offer of coffee or dessert. Simply "anything else"? Well, yes we'd like coffee and dessert please. After dessert was ordered, the older, rude man came over to tell us that there was another party arriving soon and that ours was their table. I was incredulous. We had been there at most, an hour. When our bill arrived I sent the rest of our party outside and tried to talk with the younger rude server Sean. All I got was a bunch of excuses. Clearly, Sean and the older man are in the wrong business. If you cannot cheerfully serve six tables, it's time to go. The food was 3/4. One over cooked steak. It's pretty simple food that would be difficult to screw up. We live relatively close to this place and had heard good things. We were disappointed to say the least. read more

It really hurts to write this review. My wife and I first ate at the Steam Donkey on our honeymoon in Feb. 1977 - 45 years ago! As cabin owners in the area, we have gone back time and time again; 2 to 3 times per year, for 45 years - you do the math! The food was always good; the service always prompt. In 2018, I even wrote a Yelp response to a scathing review alleging poor service and bad food. So, this past February, it was automatic that we set a reservation here for our anniversary dinner. Because it breaks my heart, I'll only say that we will NEVER go back ! read more

This is an updated review. I've tried to dine in twice and an older man working the floor has been extremely rude and abrasive each time I've come in to enjoy a meal or drinks. Blows my mind that you'd refuse service and then take other people back to open tables after. I've been a patron of this business for many years and while I understand issues with COVID are going on... I'm responsible coming in with my mask. I'm a bartender in the service industry and I was not impressed with the hospitality. read more

Terrible experience. We walk in to sit down and we get Shawn as our waiter. This was the worst waiter I've ever had in my life. The whole time he was giving smart remarks and being rude. You don't treat your customers like shit, I don't care how bad of a day you're having. We gave a 10% tip and walked out. As we were walking out of the lobby, he was standing by the front and we all said "thank you" and he just looked the other way and ignored us. Right when we walked out of the door, Shawn ran, literally, to see the tip on the receipt. Then he ran back out and yelled very rudely at us," Was there something wrong with the service?! 10% is a crummy tip. DONT COME BACK" He's lucky he even got 10%, he deserved nothing. Treat your customers well and you might get a better tip. Nonetheless, Shawn is terrible at his job and not a nice person at all. I'm calling tomorrow to get him fired so maybe other people can enjoy a nice dinner. read more

Not good. I've been to this place a couple of times but it's been several years and so we revisited a few weeks ago and it was not good. Our party of 5 had lunch. There was just us and another table seated so it wasn't crowded. However service was super slow, food was mediocre at best. Also one of your items was never delivered. read more

Food is great, a little pricey but not too bad. I had the teriyaki chicken(delicious!!). Husband had the Ribeye(huge!!). Staff friendly. I would recommend you make a reservation, small restaurant and busy!! read more

Understaffed! They had a waitress doing everything. The bartender was useless. My wife and I watch while we waited for drinks, refills of our drinks, our food which took more than 30 minutes to get which wouldn't be that bad if we had something to drink! We split a chicken sandwich and some fries, when I ordered I asked for ranch with the fries but she never brought it. The restaurant is very small and so we're the cups of ice tea. Once we drank our tea we place the cups near the edge of the table so that someone would see that we needed more she must of walked by 20-30 time in the 30 minutes before our food came and we had to ask. We felt like once she realized we weren't drinking alcohol and wanted to split a sandwich that she wasn't going to do anything for us! We were camping and had a bbq for dinner we just wanted something to hold us over! The sandwich, fries were good but the tea was fresh brewed sun tea that was amazing. Bottom line the bartender is useless the cook is good and the waitress was over worked and didn't care about us after we wanted to split are lunch! read more

Enjoyed dinner here two nights in a row. We ordered portobello mushroom ravioli on the first night and the next night we ordered seared duck with pomegranate, cranberry & Cabernet reduction as well as a Steam donkey burger and a chicken taco. The salads and soups were delicious starters.The wine list was impressive! Such a pleasant surprise to find this restaurant in the middle of the forest. The service can be slow but if you're on vacation, there's no need to rush! The waiters were very friendly and welcoming and had great recommendations. read more

The Steam Donkey - Special: seared duck with pomegranate and cranberries with Cabernet reduction. - American Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Had a wonderful dinner here with friends while staying in Pinecrest. Accommodated our families with a late reservation. Our dinners were hot and delicious and our hosts were friendly and on top of everything. read more

Had another great dinner on the patio. 3 diners ordering fish fettuccini, salmon n steak. Everyone happy!

When in Pinecrest the Donkey is a must for a drink, lunch, and/or dinner. Have been coming here since it opened.

THIS PLEACE GAVE ME SALMONELLA! Just went here after some hiking and got a burger. The chef was a boy who was wearing a American flag bandana was just straight cursing at one of his waitresses being an outright dick. Apparently he can't cook either because after I got my burger I started throwing up and pooping at the same time every 20 minutes and am now diagnosed with salmonella. I just called to let them know their food is uncooked and have me salmonella and the man who answered the phone just said "ok... thanks" terrible place with terrible manners. Hell would have been a better place to eat than this. This was a really cool location and had small town vibes but that chef has lost a customer forever and if you read this I'll hope you find somewhere else for food. Unless you like salmonella. Update I now have a parasite from this place as well. read more

Hadn't been. Here in years. Got a to go lunch order. Burger was amazing. My kid was in heaven. Chicken salad was pretty good although a mix of lettuce would if been nice. Definitely going back for dinner! Yummm read more

The Steam Donkey - Burger & fries - American Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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My husband and I came in to have dinner this last Tuesday around 4:45 pm. The gentleman who approach us was very short and curt in his tone with us. He asked if we had a reservation. We replied no. My husband and I want to eat at the bar. The gentleman was very rude and short in his reply. Said we don't serve at the bar for dinner. He stated we have to eat in the dining area. So my husband and I said okay what do you have available for dinner. The gentleman replied you have to wait until 5 pm until we open. He went on to say they had a big party coming in at 6:45. My husband and I replied to gentleman we were open on time so whatever was available. He replied what time do you want to eat. We replied at 5:30. The gentleman was not happy with our response so my husband and I said we take whatever was available. We told the gentleman we would be at the bar having a drink until our table was available. The funny thing was couple years ago my husband and I had dinner here and we ate at the bar for dinner. We had a great time. Tonight (Friday) my husband and I wanted desert. I called to see what the restaurant had available and if we could get the desert to go. The gentleman who answered the phone was very rude and short on the phone saying they had desert but they do not do desert to go and could not accommodate us in the restaurant because they were to busy. I can appreciate the restaurant being busy but you don't have to be rude and short with people. There is several other restaurants in the area to dine. We will not be coming back here again. We have found the restaurant at Kennedy Meadows to be really good. The food and service is good. read more

Total rip off. Ordered a whiskey sour and was charged for both a well whiskey sour and a bushmills shot.. Basically paid for the whiskey and then was charged for an entire other one which was just the mixer.. $5 for simple syrup and a squeeze of lemon. Hot garbage. When asked about it, the server just offered, "that's how it rings up"... No dude, that's how you rang it up. The burger was pretty good and the fries were cold and hard as though they were old and left out and just served up. I've had good food here before but this was ridiculous. Probably won't be back. read more

The food at place is very consistent. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Never had a bad meal here.

So this place is a gem in the Sierras. It is VERY small and is likely full if there are a lot of visitors in the area when you visit, so call ahead. But you can find everything from burgers to rib eye to salmon to pork chops in a reduction sauce. Even the kid's menu has a small steak on it. How the chef makes all these meals in such a small kitchen space I have no idea. There is a small bar, usually packed in the evening. If you are at Pinecrest Lake in the winter this is one of your only local dining options. At least it is an excellent one. read more

This place is a joke! After waiting over 15 ninutes for a table when there seemed to be several available, as we walked in the 'host' or whomever made a totally inappropriate, hurtful and rude comment. I hate places that think that just because there is not much competition around they can be rude. Well, we won't be coming back to your donkeys. read more

Tonight... not so good! And where do I start??? Seemed to cater to locals table wise and they weren't busy. Waiter was very relaxed dressed and service wise. Food, my filet was over cooked, wine was good!!! My husbands duck was good! Don't hurry to eat there for their prices and service. No real good reason to go back, so We won't be!! read more