Driftwood Cafe

Great vibe. Classic American breakfast with a lot of style. Simple, affordable and with overall good food. I loved the mocha and eggs Benedict combo. My wife didn’t like French toast that much, more like dry bread and just a bit with sugar. Not the best. But overall, great experience and strongly recommend the eggs Benedict. Parking lot across the street. We arrived relatively early on a Sunday (8am), no waiting time. Good service.

I visited this brunch spot in the morning. They offer both classic American breakfast dishes and some Mexican-inspired options, which I really liked. Overall, it was a good experience, but I ordered the biscuit and gravy, and unfortunately both biscuits had completely burnt bottoms. I could only eat the fluffy tops, the rest was not edible. On the bright side, the service was excellent—very quick and friendly even though the place was busy at peak time. I understand mistakes can happen when it’s crowded, but two big burnt biscuits were hard to tolerate. Still, I think the food has great potential because the flavors were good, and if not burnt, this dish would have been delicious. I’ll give it 3 stars. I’d still recommend the restaurant, just hoping my experience was a one-off.

Today myself and my family visited Driftwood Cafe after hearing so many great recommendations, and overall, it was a good experience worth trying out. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff were friendly, even during a busy brunch rush. My wife and kids ordered the steak and eggs, and the steak was cooked beautifully and seasoned just right. The eggs were fluffy and tasty. I ordered the French toast, which was thick, soft, and had just the right amount of sweetness without being overly rich. I were especially curious about a the meal called “Ugly Potatoes,” since everyone seems to rave about them. Unfortunately, they were a bit of a letdown for me — they tasted slightly bland and could have used more seasoning or some sort of sauce to bring them to life. The biggest issue was the wait time. We ended up waiting nearly 45 minutes for our food, which felt extremely long, especially for brunch. However, once everything arrived, the flavors (aside from the potatoes) were satisfying enough that we still left happy. Despite the minor hiccups, I’d still highly recommend coming here, especially if you’re craving a solid brunch spot with delicious steak and eggs or indulgent French toast. Just make sure you’re prepared for a bit of a wait! Almost forgot loved the Dirty Chai

Had a fantastic breakfast at Driftwood Cafe in South Lake Tahoe! The food was absolutely delicious, and you can really taste the freshness of the ingredients in every bite. While the prices are a bit on the higher side, the quality of the food and the friendly, efficient service made it worth it. The cozy atmosphere and mountain-town charm added to the overall great experience. If you're looking for a solid breakfast spot in South Lake Tahoe, Driftwood Cafe is definitely worth a visit!

Stopped by for lunch. One of the more affordable options in the area. The club sandwich was tasty and filling and I liked their options for choice of side. Outdoor area was dog friendly and the wait staff brought over water for the doggy too. Want to come back and try the breakfast options next time

We visited Driftwood Cafe in mid-late July and had breakfast on a weekday morning. It was not crowded. The 3-egg omelet was great, the waffle with bacon was delicious, coffee was great. Service was great, atmosphere was nice. Price was on the high side but expected given the tourist location. I definitely recommend having breakfast here if you're vacationing in Lake Tahoe.

I enjoyed this place. Not too long of await for breakfast on a busy holiday weekend. Plenty of seating indoor and out. Rosaria, our waitress was nice. Got the veggie burrito no eggs and French toast full stack with blueberries. Both were filing and tasty. Nice higher end diner style place.

The restaurant is small and often very busy. I advise to make a reservation in advance. Otherwise, expect to wait over 30 minutes. The portions are large, enough for one person or even to share. The food tasted alright and the hot chocolate was delicious.

Great breakfast we stop in when we are in town they have great service with a great menu this is a great stop when your hungry.

It's been a while and thought why not, see if things have change or is it still the same.... and it's definitely still the same! Busy as always, expect to wait, and breakfast was still as I remember...yummy! Surprisingly, the hubs and I ordered the exact same entrees, Not a surprise! Although, looking at my previous review, the names have changed slightly. He ordered the Ultimate Carnivore Omelette with sourdough bread and an Angora West Coast IPA, why not, and I ordered the Basic American Fare and added ham steak, so good! The only downside was sitting at the bar, that was all they had available. The table top is way too high, very uncomfortable. Besides that, I highly recommend.

I had really high hopes for Driftwood Café and was excited to visit for the first time. The food was okay, but one server completely ruined the experience with an attitude we didn't deserve. We were polite throughout, and when we simply asked a question about our order, this person spoke to us in a way that felt insulting and publicly humiliating. It's unfortunate how one interaction can overshadow everything else and change your opinion of a place. I might give it another try someday, but I'll definitely be on guard after this experience. At this point, I definitely can't recommend this place.

We came here for breakfast and were told that it was a 45 minute wait. They texted us early and we were seated within 20 minutes. I got an omelette and my husband got the breakfast burrito and both tasted super delicious! Service was great! They kept checking up on us even though the restaurant was super busy! We will definitely be back when we're in the area!

Burnt Breakfast does not taste good Very Disappointing :( Ordered the chicken Fried Steak and Eggs... they blatantly left the burnt part on top, I guess better than hiding it by turning it upside down. And the chicken fried steak was also burnt and carefully covered with gravy. Service was decent and venue was okay .. too bad they can't cook and too bad they don't have quality control to serve such an embarrassing dish! Would I come back - NO.

Local favorite for breakfast. Short wait required. Dog friendly, indoor seating available. Solid breakfast options and good coffee. Local shops very short walking distance away. Can get you gondola in a few minutes. Would certainly consider this place for a small group or couple grabbing breakfast/brunch on a date. Clean and prompt service.

My 1st visit and it was disappointing. I sat at the counter and the service was not good. I had to ask for my order to be taken. Others sat after me and their orders were taken first. I ordered the Vintage Burger with onion rings. No thousand island dressing on the burger. I had to ask for it. I also asked for ranch for the onion rings and didn't get it. I didn't bother to ask a second time. Burger was average, nothing special. I waited for a check and it never came. My server said to meet him at the register. I did get a refill ice tea to go so that was nice. The breakfast items looked really good so I may have to give the café another try. Was a busy summer Sunday so the wait for food was long.

Great little breakfast spot in the heavenly village! Easy to walk to if you're staying at the resort. I guess could be easy to get to as well if you just wanna visit for the meal. The service was quick, the longest part was just getting a spot to sit, but we also went on a Friday morning. Food was tasty and hot, I also liked that the food all came out at the same time. We had a gluten free friend with us too and they were accommodating. While they had no gf menu, they do have gf bread.

Driftwood cafe is a nice treat in the Heavenly Village with decent prices and a nice atmosphere. For how busy it was, we got drinks and food promptly. Loved the Santafe Salad and Eggs Benedict. They had a special pumpkin spice latte for the fall season and it was delicious. The decor is cute and goes with the whole vibe of Tahoe. The outdoor seating looked really nice but it was windy and cooler so we decided to sit in. I would recommend this cafe to friends and family visiting town. Will return in the future, there were other options I wanted to try.

Within walking distance from our hotel, we stopped in for breakfast. I hate eggs! Our adorable waitress concurred with my opinion on eggs. I ordered a breakfast sandwich on sourdough. It was a lot of bacon and cheese and I'm okay with that! Hub had chicken apple sausage, scrambled eggs, a potato pancake and English muffin. The meal came with applesauce for the sausage. Nice touch! The potato pancake was kind of gummy and not crispy at all. There was enough food to ignore the potato pancake. Our coffee cups were constantly filled and the service was awesome. The place was packed but we didn't feel cramped or hurried. Great spot!

I enjoyed this place. Not too long of await for breakfast on a busy holiday weekend. Plenty of seating indoor and out. Rosaria, our waitress was nice. Got the veggie burrito no eggs and French toast full stack with blueberries. Both were filing and tasty. Nice higher end diner style place.

We've been coming to tahoe at least once a year for the past 6 years. Every time we come, Driftwood cafe has been packed outside the door with a long wait. We finally came during the off season and were able to get seated right away. I was finally able to see what the hype was all about! We got the BLT w seafood chowder and a country fried steak breakfast. Both so delicious!

Got an avocado toast to go. This is what I came home to! Absolutely disgusted Paid 60 bucks for breakfast and this is what I brought back to the hotel. Horrible and inedible. Not a lick of salt or pepper just an avocado between two breads

More or less average, wasn't a huge fan and wasn't the most memorable breakfast but it was just alright for a lil place in the heavenly village. I remember the coffee and service being good, other than that the food was dry. There are some good places nearby that I'd recommend outside of the heavenly village.

As much as I would love to gatekeep this place, it needs to be shared. The business deserves the recognition for their food and staff, who are all attentive and checked up on us often. You cannot go wrong with any omelette, including the DIY. My boyfriend's favorite is the high sierra and I love the healthy. Every time we eat here, we all energized for the rest of the day and do not feel sluggish. The fries are country potatoes and are cooked with bell peppers. Chef's kiss. We always come back.

Came in for lunch solo and sat at the countertop. Server was very friendly and attentive. I had the club sandwich with the soup of the day, chicken vegetable. Both were excellent and would recommend. The funny signs on the walls are great to read while eating too!

I absolutely enjoyed our breakfast! It was a hefty and hearty meal. Carson, our server, was amazing. He was accommodating and welcoming. Our coffee was served fresh. We got ourselves Southern Comfort and Eggs Benedict under the breakfast category. The place is simple but has a "homey" vibe. The bathroom is clean. It's easy to get a table, but we also went in early between 7:30 and 8:00AM.

Ordered a wrap for myself and my mom ordered a chicken melt sandwich. When she bit in, there was a thin piece of metal. She noticed these small pieces of metal sticking out of her sandwich. We called over someone from the staff and she said "oh yeah, that's just from the grill brush." Based on this response, sounds like this happens often. She offered to make another sandwich but my mom's appetite was ruined. Would not recommend this place.

First time coming here. Unfortunately they don't have a private parking lot so you'll have to park at the garage or find street parking. We had a 20 minute wait which is not bad. They have text communication, therefore we were able to shop while we wait for our table. The food tasted great. I love French toast so that's what I ordered. It wasn't one of best I've ever tasted it was ok. I lie that you can basically order one item and it's shareable. So, my friend ordered a DIY omelette which I really like! 9/10 for the omelette. The place has a diner type vibe. Decors are placards with funny catch phrases. Which is enjoyable to read.

We stopped into Driftwood Cafe while staying up in Tahoe for the weekend. It was very nice they have a way to sign up for the waitlist ahead of time. Our table was ready and waiting when we arrived which was perfect as there was a long wait outside. The inside of the restaurant was very unique filled with a bunch of hilarious signs. The service was very good I had my coffee filled up multiple times before it ever had the chance to get empty. The food service was very quick also which was impressive with how busy it was. We ordered the Farmhouse Feast which has a choice of pancakes, waffle or French toast along with choice of a meat and egg. We also ordered the Trailhead which comes with 2 biscuits and gravy, choice of meat and eggs. Everything was presented very nicely and tasted even better. This is our new go to while up in Tahoe as it is only a 5 minute drive if that from the casinos.

As I was taking a stroll throughout the Tahoe area I stumbled across this hidden gem. The ambiance was simple and definitely a laid back diner vibe. I enjoyed reading all the different signs and the music was a mix of 70s-80s. I was greeted right away and decided to sit at the bar top. I kept it simple and ordered a water being that I could definitely use it. I ordered The Monterey burger, single patty, well done, mayo, sub pepper jack cheese. Went with some fresh fries to add the cherry on top. The soups of the day was chicken vegetable but they also offered clam chowder. For a Tuesday it was not busy at all. Several of the reviews emphasized the breakfast but the burger was 10/10. My food came out extremely fast and if we are being honest I didn't hesitate to devour it. Although the burger was missing the key component "avocado" it was so delicious that I really didn't care. The fries were crispy and I got 1000 island sauce on the side. I highly recommend coming here for a delicious bite to eat! Their hours are from 7AM-3PM

Sadly this place has gone downhill in the past few years. It used to be so good! It used to feel like a family diner but now it kinda feels like an expensive ihop :( The wait times are long, the service is lacking and the food is bland) $70 Breakfast was meh. -_-

We tried this place the day before and the wait time was too long for what we needed. We were in the area the next day and decided to give it a try. We happened to walk by when it had just opened and we were seated immediately. The food was fine. Nothing to complain nor rave about. However, the staff was sassy; not in a good way. I was mid sentence and they walked away. Our waitress changed and we didn't know. When we reach out to our original waitress, she was rude about telling is that we had a new one. How were we supposed to know. We just wanted to place an order to go for a friend. I personally will not be going back here if I can avoid it. The restaurant did have fun signs on the wall

Great location with great food & service.... A must is to read all the plaques on the walls..... We were lucky to meet the owner & she is a delightful person....

I was starving and have always heard about this diner so after waiting for around 40 minutes I was finally able to try everything that is delicious! I had the; Hot chocolate- Smooth, sweet, pure delicious goodness. Whipped cream on top was a nice touch! Chicken fried steak - Delicious! The gravy on top was delectable. The steak itself was soft and the meat wasn't tough at all. Ugly fries - Absolutely loaded! I am a sucker for all things potatoes. These weren't exactly fries, they were more like chopped up potatoes but they were still delicious! Cheese, mushrooms, peppers, everything that makes a good breakfast potato dish was all on one plate. Loaded waffle - Yogurt, blueberries, raisins, and drizzles of syrup. The waffle itself was light and fluffy and the granola topping was the cherry on top!

I arrived before the morning rush and was seated fairly quickly. It took a bit of time for a server to come over, but he took the order and was friendly enough. I appreciate they have a non-pork sausage option (although it came out of the kitchen a bit cool). Food was fine. Primary issue here was timeliness of service - it got busy, but I wasn't checked on for nearly 40 minutes after food was brought out and wasn't offered a coffee refill for that same time. Everybody was very friendly, but task management needed to be improved.

I've always wanted to try this place. I always notice such long lines every time I'm at heavenly Village. But I think it may be because of tourists staying at the hotel there. We went for lunch and I ordered the California sandwich and my husband had the chicken chili burrito. Nothing spectacular for either unfortunately and my husband's burrito could've been warmer in temperature and my fries were not all the way cooked. The service was fine and pleasant. It's a cool spot inside with booth seating. I'm thinking maybe their breakfast maybe more worthwhile but I wasn't too impressed with their lunch.

So goood! Must go breakfast spot if you're in Tahoe !! country fried steak : 5/5 Eggs Benedict :5/5 Belgium waffles:5/5 French toast :5/5 Decor : typical breakfast spot Make sure to go early or do waitlist online ! Place is always packed and busy bc it's sooo good! We waited 45 mins on the waitlist Service : 5/5 friendly and outgoing

This spot will become a go-to breakfast place for me the next time I visit! Inside the restaurant is a cozy and warm interior with super fun decor. It really encompasses a "Sunday Brunch" vibe. Service was also top notch, and although we waited for a bit in the frosty weather the food and comfort was well worth. We ate here the day after going up the mountains and it was truly healing. We got the: Grilled chicken wrap - very good, had a nice balance of all the ingredients, and very filling! 9/10 Strawberry French toast - a classic, staple dish that can't be messed up. It was indeed delicious. They load the fruit on top which is a plus! 10/10 Iced white chocolate mocha latte (I kind of forgot what I ordered but this sounds right) - YUM their baristas are no joke. They had a ton of great looking coffee drinks I'm dying to try whenever I visit. 9/10

Ambiance: The ambiance is great! It has your classic diner feel but more exciting!! Lots of fun decor/signs to look and laugh at. My boyfriend and I couldn't stop looking for more. Lol! Very comfortable seating and even though the place was alive as ever, it wasn't uncomfortably hot! Food: The food was delish! That French toast was the best I've had outside of a home kitchen! It doesn't have that eggy tasting issue I find a lot of French toast dishes having. The fruit was fresh, the coffee was good, my boyfriend said that his eggs benedict "was fire," so it can't get any better than that. Lol! Compliments to the chef(s) in the kitchen! Service: OMG. I friggin PRAY I get Travis every time I come here. Everything about him is an A+! He was on it 100% of the time and honestly?? He's the real reason I wanted to create this review! We didn't have to ask for a thing because of how amazing he is at his job. Not only that, but he kept us smiling and laughing, I couldn't have had a better experience. Also, it was my birthday which he didn't know, but he really made it feel extra special. Thank you Travis!!! We will be on the lookout for you, you're awesome! Haha!

The Driftwood Cafe was such a great breakfast spot. First off our server Travis was awesome. He kept checking in on us and made sure my Pepsi was always full. I am always extra thirsty this time of year so having those cold refills ready totally won me over. I ordered the eggs benedict along with a short stack of blueberry pancakes and both were absolutely delicious. I cleaned my plate. The warm and welcoming vibe of the cafe really added to the experience and being right in Heavenly Village makes it super convenient for anyone visiting South Lake Tahoe. The only thing I wish is that they had not sold out of the chorizo wet breakfast burrito because that sounded amazing. Overall I would recommend Driftwood Cafe to anyone in the area looking for a tasty breakfast and friendly service.

We had a good experience at Driftwood. All the plates were good and they give you big portions. Place is cute and service was amazing

We ate at Driftwood Cafe twice for breakfast in South Lake Tahoe. We thought the food was good, the prices were fair, and the service was attentive. The driftwood cafe is cute, too! Very Tahoe-ish and Americana. It is located at the Marriott Ski village, so it's convenient for a lot of folks. It was busy both days that we went in to get a table. And we would return to eat again.

Delicious breakfast and the best hot chocolate. Waiting time was 45 minutes, the place is decorated with funny art frames.

Maybe best breakfast in town! It would be five stars but service is slow, waits are long because of location, and workforce constraints from area gentrification, lack of affordable workforce housing, major growth in vacation rental sector & cost of living.

Food is fine, nothing spectacular from what I can tell. I got eggs, bacon, toast, potatoes, the bacon was delicious, the potatoes were fine (not the hottest temp wise and ok). My fiance liked what he got except the gravy was a little interesting he said (has like a sweet aftertaste). But he liked the potato pancake, ham and eggs. The biscuit was fine nothing special. Service was fine, very busy so they didn't have a chance to bring us more water, and we had to flag someone down for more coffee. Ambiance was really cute, love the logo and merch. Not a ton of seating and expect to wait since many hotel guests come there. Not sure why overall it is 4 stars I would say 3 but that's my opinion. Personally, I think there are some better cafes/places in the area to go to.

Ok let me say like I said before I really don't like leaving a not so good review and honestly before we have been here everything was good ! Other than the long wait!! But to get a comment back to insinuate that my review wasnt legit!! That just wrong. First thing was the day you pulled the tickets for wasn't the day we were there!! It was Tuesday !! We arrived at 1205pm and we didn't leave till around 140pm because of the long wait!! So maybe saying that we liked berts wasn't the thing to say and I apologize for that it was just we were there on Wednesday and it was very good!! I always try to see the positive! But in the future you shouldn't be so rude just because you don't get a good review!! I seen a few other bad ones that you did the same!! That's not good business!!! So now you have a good weekend!! I'm sure your place will still be over packed because of convenience!! Thanks!!

Amazing little place. Has Great character in decorations. Service was too notch. Not too loud in there. Brunch vibes. Food was delicious and filling. My belly was happy and so was I.

A perfect place to stop for breakfast or brunch that's close by. Love that they put sprinkles in the hot chocolate. The breakfast burrito is HUGE but not a fan of the salsa definitely just a standard jarred chunky salsa with no flavor or salt. Seating kinda sucks if you're stuck by the door but they have heaters to accommodate.

The food was great, the location good. The service was very fast. It looks like a typical café but it has way more personality. The decor was a also interesting , it was more like a time capsule. The biscuit and gravy was fantastic.

We were visiting the area and looking for a place for breakfast. I ordered The Trailhead and my wife ordered Basic American Fare. Eggs were the most tasty part of both of our meals. Everything else lacked flavor and was average tasting. Service was good and the location was convenient.

We came here on a Monday at 10am and it was busier than I was expecting, but also no surprise since it's a vacation town as well. We got the omelette and it was delicious! Great portion size, hash browns were nice and crispy. We had a party of 6 and weirdly 1 persons dish came out 15 min prior to ours so that was a bit odd. Our server was very friendly and helpful to any questions we had. We parked across the street where the Target will be moving in.

Stopped by Driftwood Cafe on a Saturday morning with a group of 7 and, as expected, we had about an hour wait. Not a huge deal though--it gave us time to wander around and check out some of the nearby shops. The place itself isn't very big inside, so larger groups might want to plan for a bit of a wait. I ordered a DIY omelette with sausage, spinach, mushrooms, onions, and pepper jack cheese, with salsa on the side. They ended up cooking the salsa into the omelette, which wasn't what I asked for, and I'm not totally sure the spinach actually made it in--didn't really see or taste it. That said, the omelette was still tasty overall, and the potato cakes on the side were solid. Coffee was good too! Service was friendly and efficient once we were seated, and the vibe was nice and cozy. Overall, a solid choice for breakfast if you're in the area--just be ready for a bit of a wait, especially on weekends.

Was able to get seated after 10 mins on a Saturday. We had to squish into a booth for 6 adults and 1 kid. I ordered the Baja fish tacos which were so dry I had to drench it with the sauce. I honestly didn't even finish it. Service was good!

So much food! Be sure to take your appetite to Driftwood cafe. We arrived mid morning in March at the start of Spring Break (but not the busiest week) and did not have a wait. Service was friendly and fast, and we had so.much.food. All of us had omelettes, which were very good. The hash browns were cooked to perfection- crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I also loved my sourdough toast. There aren't a ton of breakfast restaurants in Heavenly village, but this one is worth a stop during your visit.

Recommendations to go here for an awesome breakfast.... Well it unfortunately doesn't get our thumbs up! Service was fine but the food had me sitting in the throne room, regretting the meal. Even my wife is experiencing the same. The food was priced ok, but would compare to IHop or Dennys... Nothing all that special about the place. Will definitely be going elsewhere for our meals this week!

I give 2 stars because the online order system works excellent and the food was ready at specific time. I was driving from Sac and just wanted to pick up lunch so 2 of us could work for 5 more hours. Cheesesteak and fries got 5 stars~ chicken sandwich and clam chowder 0 stars. So, the clam chowder was not edible- it was an anemic looking broth and terrible. Not creamy or chowderey!? Is that a word? The chicken sandwich also was pale and cold and had zero flavor. Really gross. The avacado was fresh and cold, so I enjoyed that part but was very hungry considering I couldn't eat 85% of the meal for $35.00.

Wowza!!!! What a delicious way to start my day! Outdoor dining and a friendly smile-YES please! Hubs had the Huevos del Driftwood and I tucked into the High Sierra Omelet with a potato pancake on the side. YUM! Pro tip- check in on their website to get added to the waiting list!

The worst quiche I have ever had! It was soggy. Their crust was horrible and soggy. I could not even tell if they actually had eggs in the quiche. The toast was burned and the fruit looked like kids fruit cup in syrup (not fresh at all.) Highly disappointing experience!