Where to Eat at Lake Tahoe: Lakefront Piers, Gar Woods' Famous 'Wet Woody' & Mountain Lodges

Because strict environmental regulations formed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in the 1970s banned new commercial construction directly on the lakeshore, only a handful of grandfathered historic restaurants actually sit directly ON the water or on wooden piers over Lake Tahoe.

1. The 5 Best True 'On-the-Water' Lakefront Decks & Piers

1. Gar Woods Grill & Pier & Sister Spot 'Riva Grill on the Lake': named after the classic 1930s mahogany Gar Wood racing boats, both restaurants feature sprawling wooden piers and floor-to-ceiling windows right over the water, and both are home to Lake Tahoe's official cocktail: the 'Wet Woody' (a frosty frozen blend of light rum, peach schnapps and orange/cranberry juice crowned with a float of dark Myers's Rum, or choose from 8 variations like the Coco Woody with Malibu).
2. Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge: a beloved 1907 'Old Tahoe' timber lodge with the largest, sunniest lakefront stone deck on the West Shore.
3. Chambers Landing Bar & Grill: walk out to the end of a historic wooden pier over neon-blue water to order a frozen rum-and-passionfruit Chambers Punch.
4. Lone Eagle Grille & Bistro Edgewood / Brooks' Bar: grand stone fireplaces, lakeside fire pits and sunset fine dining right on the sand.
5. The Beacon Bar & Grill: sit right on the beach sipping their signature rum Rum Runner before walking next door to the historic Ice Cream Parlor.

2. Beloved Local Casual Classics

• In South Lake Tahoe: share a Thai Chicken Curry Pizza or Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza around the fire pits at Base Camp Pizza Co. in Heavenly Village; grab a burger before Emerald Bay at Burger Lounge / Cold Water Brewery / Himmel Haus; eat pancakes at retro 1959 Red Hut Cafe (or Ernie's Coffee Shop); and for a romantic special-occasion dinner tucked in a vintage cabin in the woods, book Evan's American Gourmet Cafe.
• On the North/West Shore & Truckee: line up early in the morning under the pines at Fire Sign Cafe or Old Post Office Cafe for buckwheat pancakes and benedicts; pick up a giant tri-tip sandwich for your Sand Harbor beach picnic at T's Mesquite Rotisserie or Mountain High Sandwich Co. / Full Belly Deli.