Rainbow Tavern and Lodge Restaurant

Sept 2015 — UPDATE: unfortunately, the family that acquired the restaurant I described before was not able to make a go of it. It is now closed and up for sale.

My first time here. I liked the ambience but my friend with me was VERY upset. The food was ok, but took too long for a empty restaurant. Also too expensive. Not worth it.

I can’t even rate this place as they were out of 6 or 7 key ingredients, which was included in ¾ of the Sunday Brunch items. I feel sorry for the nice waitress as she said we were the 2^nd ones to get up and leave without ordering. Rainbow Lodge ought to be ashamed of themselves! Just another poorly run mountain Resturant/​Lodge that rely far too much on their location versus service and product! I’m sure ownership will blame the lack of snow/​weather on why they failed!

We stopped here because we were hungry after sledding and didn’t want to drive any further.
It turned out to be a mistake.
The restaurant room is quite nice, and that’s just about the only good thing about this place. The food is standard plain fare and is overpriced. It took a VERY LONG TIME to arrive.
Customer service is outright hostile. We were charged the 18% gratuity for groups of 6 or more, although 3 persons in our group of 7 were below age 4. I find this somewhat questionable, but the worst was that they refused to do separate checks (we were two families) just because.

Ordered the Scandinavian Benedict. Took ages to arrive. Drank watered down orange juice and weak coffee while waiting. When it finally arrived the hollandaise sauce was tasteless and the food was cold. I know that the salmon is smoked and therefore not cooked, but even the tomatoes were chilled. The whole dish needed to be warmed up. We live in Soda Springs, so it’s close by, so I’m disappointed to say, I’ll never be going back for a meal there ever again.

Great meal and loge feel. I enjoyed supper on the way to Tahoe City in August.
Sierra Salad and Calamari were excellent. A family run operation, with polite, professional and attentive wait staff. I dined alone, sat on the porch and enjoyed dinner, relaxed and caught-​up on a magazine. (I suggest the porch). The bar and dining room are elegantly rustic. Customers are pleasant. It’s a calming venue. A neighboring table had Tout and a burger — looked good.
After supper the owner greeted me to check if I enjoyed it (nice touch). He shared that a complementary and known chef will arrive soon and begin expanding the menu.
I do not know if guest can enjoy a wine overlooking the tranquil Yuba cove, but I suggest trying it.
I have not stayed at lodge so I have no comment about it, but the parking lot is active, and guest seem to trek, dine and lodge. It seems like a nice relaxing loge experience.
Note, it may stop serving at 8 MM, and am not sure when breakfast begins, so check the web site.
Rainbow will become a regular stop for me.
– JC.

Had dinner here last night with my family. We have been coming to Rainbow lodge for nearly 30 years and were thrilled to hear that they were reopened and under new management. The service was friendly and accommodating and the food was delicious. We tried the black and blue steak salad, New York strip entrée, house salad, and the garden pasta. All were delicious. For dessert we had the rootbeer float. Our only complaints were that all the food came out all at one time (we would have preferred having our salads before our entrees) and the rootbeer float could have used another scoop of ice cream (only had one scoop). But overall we really enjoyed the experience and will definitely return.

Used to stop here for a beer with friends on our way up to Tahoe from Berkeley. That was way back in the early ’60’s when the road out front was Hwy 40, the main route to Tahoe, Reno, and points east. That may have been the most comfortable bar I’ve ever been in with the dark wood, a big fire in the fireplace and all the old pictures on the walls. Didn’t occur to us to eat there until maturity set in; a Reno Rotary mystery dinner, a couple of brunches and a couple of lunches. Food was always good and the ambiance was great. Its been awhile but with all the great memories my wife and I arranged to meet my sister and her husband there to celebrate their anniversary and our birthdays over drinks and lunch. Imagine our disappointment to find it «closed until further notice». What a shame. The whole area seems depressed with cafes and restaurants all closed or for sale in Soda Springs, Norden, Ice Lake, and Sugar Bowl. And this in August, the height of the summer season. We finally found a little Mexican Restaurant (Martha’s) at Donner Lake.

TERRIBLE place. My boyfriend and I stopped there on our three hour drive to Reno. It seemed like a really cute place when we first got there. We walked into the bar where the hostess stand was. The hostess stand clearly said «Please wait to be seated». There were people sitting at the bar and a bartender helping them. Two waitresses came out, looked at us, and continued to talk to each other as they walked back into the kitchen. After standing there for five minutes I found a busboy and asked if we were supposed to seat ourselves. He then got a waitress for us and she walked us to our table. She was not a very happy or inviting person. My boyfriend and I like to be happy and make people smile and she refused to smile at all.
It was about 5 o’clock and they still had their lunch menu. I noticed on their kids’ menu that the kid had to be 6 or under. 7-​year-​olds are kids, too. They were kind enough to make me the three cheese ravioli in marinara sauce that was on the dinner menu as nothing on the lunch menu was very appetizing to me. It was $ 26! I ordered anyway because it was the only thing that looked good to me. My boyfriend ordered the pesto turkey melt for $ 12. We also ordered a sprite and a diet coke. My diet coke tasted like someone had attempted to make the soda themselves in the kitchen. It was disgusting. The pasta came with a salad that only had one choice of dressing. The dressing was not bad but I am not a fan of spinach. That is not their fault.
When our food came, it looked delicious. The chef knows how to present food well. However, when I ate the ravioli, it tasted as if it had been microwaved and sat there for a little while. Some bites tasted like vomit. The turkey melt and fries were pretty good. After we had finished, our waitress asked us if we wanted dessert. She said the chocolate cake was fresh and talked us into ordering it. The previous food should have been a clue.
It was a small slice of cake with two scoops of ice cream and whipped cream. I was expecting warm and melt-​in-​your-​mouth. The waitress said that the chocolate had just been poured on… then added «thirty minutes ago». I tried cutting in to the cake, only to find that the edges were hard and the cake an unpleasant room temperature. It was clearly store-​bought. The overall price was $ 70. My boyfriend and I added it up and it should have been about $ 60 according to the menu. However, the waitress never wrote down WHAT we had ordered, just that we had ordered dinners and drinks and dessert. My receipt also did not say prices of each thing. They only gave me a credit card receipt.
After finishing our food, I went to the bathroom before our drive. I found the men’s bathroom easily enough as it was in the bar. However, there were no signs showing how to get to the women’s bathroom. I ended up asking the front desk who said «up those stairs, turn left, and turn left again». I went up the stairs that she had pointed at and when I got to the top she comes running and yelling «NOT THOSE STAIRS!!» She had meant the three steps that were across the room. I could not wait to get out of there. Horrible experience.

Family tradition. :-)

Like others, I to have been let down by the way this destination property has been going down hill — however it appears it’s for sale;
Let’s hope the new owners can turn it around again to what it used to be.

This used to be a destination spot — not anymore!
We were there on Wednesday, December 28^th. Made this a destination as we headed from Sacramento to Reno. We got there about 11:30 AM and there were two other parties in the room. One a table of 2 people and the other 6. Lunch menu is VERY sparse but they did have one special a bacon and cheese omelet. I ordered that and my husband had the beef dip sandwich. Service was INCREDIBLY SLOOOOOOW, especially considering how empty the dining room was. Also, considering what we ordered, it should have been a pretty quick order, but no, we actually waited 35 minutes for our food! The waitress was nice, but could definitely use some clothes that fit. Her clothes were way too tight and the apron/​shirt she wore was a danger as the buttons were going to pop off and hit someone. The food here used to be very good but this food was barely plain. Very little flavor and very pricey It was $ 14.00 for my omelet and my husbands beef dip sandwich was over $ 13.00!. The dining room needs an overhaul. the drapes have been the same for years and years and had huge holes in them! The building needed paint and we could see from our seats in the dining room that the property needed some major repairs. Definitely will not be back nor recommend this place to anyone. We felt so sorry for the people coming in at lunch as the dining room was filling up and they may be waiting an hour for their food. We actually stopped a couple coming in and told them about our experience and they left!

I’m probably biased because my family has a cabin near by, but I love the Rainbow Lodge. Yes the bartender may not make the best fancy cocktail and they don’t take any shit. However, the people are truly nice and the place is really beautiful.

After a long day of skiing this place is always a great place to stop at for french onion soup, hot cocoa and dessert before heading home. I’ve been coming here for years and the soups and dessert have consistently stayed at a 3. Great location and very homey inside!

Stopped off to watch the Giants beat the Braves. Good bar.

My mother-​in-​law and I have the same birthday near Christmas and for the last 4 years, we have celebrated with a big family dinner at Rainbow Lodge. I am on
today as we are reconsidering the tradition after our last visit. I am looking for reasons to return because the dining room at Christmas time is decorated beautifully, the fireplace is inviting and snow is just outside the windows. But the food on our last visit was good not fantastic as usual and the service was terrible and I think it was the kitchen not the waiter. It was so bad that the table next to us was audibly complaining when something actually came to our table rather than theirs. I doubt they would return, ever. The kitchen completely forgot to make one of our meals and the menu has diminished. We left the restaurant wondering what happened to this true gem hidden away in the mountains. We have since quit highly recommending it to our friends. I would be happy to see reviews telling me that this restaurant has reverted to its former excellence.

I had an extremely distasteful experience at the Rainbow Lodge restaurant this past Saturday, June 26^th. My wife and I, along with two other couples, came for a late lunch at the lodge, a favorite spot for all three of the couples for many years. We absolutely love the surroundings, the décor of the lodge and restaurant and have always had wonderful experiences with food and service. Saturday’s experience was, to put it mildly, bizarre.
In a nutshell, here are the facts: My wife ordered just a cup of coffee, thinking that she might want a bite of my hamburger, but wasn’t that hungry herself, and I ordered a hamburger with fries and also ordered a beer. Both of the other couples ordered hamburgers as well with different drink orders and one couple ordered a bowl of soup. Each of them indicated to the waitress that they would share their burgers. Again, I never mentioned anything about sharing or splitting my order. Several minutes later, after receiving our drinks, the waitress brought three plates «in case you need them». We received our orders and enjoyed our meal without incident. However, when the bill was received, we were shocked that the total was just under $ 100. We planned to split the bill with our friends but one of the men asked the waitress to explain the charges because the total was much larger than what we had expected, based on the menu prices. He was immediately told that there was a $ 3.50 «splitting charge» for each of the couples and that a 20% gratuity was also added to the bill. He complained that we had not been told, nor had there been any mention of the splitting charge OR the 20% gratuity being added. We would certainly have left a gratuity, perhaps even more than 20%, but we should have been notified of the automatic charges. My wife told the waitress that we NEVER mentioned splitting our meal and that we certainly would not have done so had there been a charge. She responded to my friend and my wife by saying, «it’s the restaurant’s policy and I have nothing to do with it and you’ll have to take it up with the manager up in front». My friend went to speak with her for several minutes and came back to our table saying that she was not going to bend, even though there was NOTHING written on the menus about splitting charges or automatic 20% gratuities added for a group of 6 people. Ultimately, all three of the men complained to the manager that these things were done without our permission and without any hint of the charges from the menu but her extremely mean-​spirited reply was condescending, stating that «everyone knows that all restaurants charge for splitting meals and automatically charge 20% gratuities for parties of 6 or more. We all said that we have been to restaurants all over the world and have NEVER experienced these charges unless there were statements on the menu explaining the charges. Yes, gratuities for large parties (generally EIGHT or more people) are normal in most restaurants but this is universally printed on the menus.
In our frustration and growing anger with the intransigence and ruder conduct of the manager, we all stated that we had been coming to the Rainbow Lodge for many years and that this experience not only ruined that day’s outing for all of us but has put a black mark on an otherwise wonderful and pristine spot that we wanted to treasure for years to come. Please understand, this is NOT about the money, it’s about being cheated and treated rudely for no reason.
I offered to contact management at Royal Gorge, the ownership group, on behalf of the rest of our group in hopes that someone would be able to address our grievance and do something to repair our now tainted image of the Rainbow Lodge. I contacted them TWICE and received no reply whatever.
This place has lost 6 customers for life.

Atmosphere is still nice, but the food quality has declined to «edible», and the wine list is pretty bad (unimaginative, and some undrinkable, big-​label wines). I agree with the poster who asks: «What happened to this place?»
Also, even though the place is a hotel/​bar/​restaurant in a rural area with marginal cell coverage, they provide no Wi-​Fi. Folks, it’s 2010!
It’s heartbreaking seeing a gem ruined. We have scratched this formerly beloved place off our list.

What a nice place to stop for dinner halfway between Auburn and Truckee!
Located off the Big Bend exit from I-​80, this cozy bed and breakfast lodge is in a building that dates back to the 1860’s. It’s log cabin and stonework interior charm make it a good place to stop on a cold winter’s evening when traveling to/​from the mountains.
To get there, go south of I-​80 to the Rainbow Road (Old Hwy 40) and turn right. After about a ¼−½ mile, you’ll see the log structure on the left side just as you cross a small bridge over the Yuba River.
The Lodge is open year-​round from Thursday to Monday.
There’s a restaurant, a full bar, and a lovely reading room/​fireplace room. and bed and breakfast-​style lodging. in this place on Rainbow Road next to the Yuba River. The bar and lounge area are pretty comfy to sit around and thaw out from the winter chill outside. While it can be busy on Fridays and Saturdays, I’m told that people are so much in a rush to get back home that Sundays are a good night to stop in for a drink or for dinner without encountering any of the crowds.
After we were seated, they gave us a few minutes to look over the menu before ordering. Water glasses and fresh, warm rolls were brought out in a cloth covered basket.
We ordered the wild mushroom strudel appetizer to split. When it arrived, I noted that it was made with normal button mushrooms and not any sort of «wild» mushroom. A little disappointing, but it tasted pretty good. Nice and savory. The pastry shell was flaky and tasty. A good appetizer that I’d probably order again.
I had the ribeye steak Remington and a glass of 2005 Lucchesi Winery Tempranillo,(grapes from Lodi) while my dining partner had the New York Steak Diane with mashed potatoes. The portions were large, and both of us found ourselves with leftovers to bring home. The Lucchesi 2005 Lodi Tempranillo (the featured wine for the day) went well with the steak dinner. This was a very pleasant wine. Mellow tannins, yet full of fruit and wonderful mouthfeel.
I’m glad to see local wines in their wine list. There are so many good local wines that are not extremely pricey. The tempranillo was only $ 7 for a glass. [ I like to see independent restaurants that recognize the small, local places.]
I’m tempted to come back sometime and see what the rooms are like for an overnight stay. They seem to specialize in accommodating cross country skiers who plan to spend the day at Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski center 10 minutes way.

What happened to this place?
What happened to the charm, the fine dining, the uniqueness?
The food used to be world class, the staff consisted of kind professionals, the feeling of a world renown lodge was there.
Now the food was and staff are terrible.
The bar is still alright due to the constant nature of booze making it hard to mess that up.

Please gett it together Rainbow Lodge. Bring it back the place that was unique and enjoyable

This review really should have three sections, and three different ratings: One for the bar, one for the dinner food, and one for the breakfast food, which is complimentary if you stay there.
First, breakfast: The «complimentary hot breakfast» is only on Saturday and Sunday; on other days it’s continental. It’s not bad; certainly one of the best free breakfasts I’ve had — you get to choose from six dishes, tea, coffee, juice. However, if I was paying money for it, I’d say stay away. The muffins it comes with taste store-​bought, the french toast wasn’t cooked quite right. The musili, while store bought, was great. Quality tea selection.
The dinner was pretty bad; even for a hotel kitchen in the middle of no where, nothing was that good and everything was overpriced. The burgers were dry, and the «wild boar stew» was too much flat brown sauce and potatoes, way too little meat. They charged extra to add avocado to the burger without telling us in advance. Service otherwise was good enough. By far the best thing in the meal was the pie ala mode dessert, which tasted of home-​made pie crust.
The bar: Very good beer selection for the kind of place you’re at, and reasonably priced ($ 4.50 for a microbrew bottle). The mixed drinks are poured terribly but generously.
Overall: If you’re staying here, eat the free breakfast, and you could do worse than eating here one night for dinner or grabbing a drink. If you’re not, don’t bother coming. I heard they had a fancy French chef until a year or two ago, but no more. If this was in a city, I’d say 1 star, but with nothing else around it could have been worse.