Lake Alpine Lodge

This was my first time staying at Lake Alpine Lodge, and having experienced many different mountain cabin resorts across California, I can confidently say this is one of the best. I brought along my 12-year-old daughter and our Border Collie, Nellie, and we all had an incredible time.||||Location: The location is unbeatable—right across from the beautiful Lake Alpine with countless amazing trails to explore within a 30-minute drive. As an avid hiker, I was thrilled by the variety of trails, while my daughter loved playing in the water. It truly offers the best of both worlds. We hiked to Bull Run Lake one day and to Upper Kinney Lake via Ebbets Pass the next. We also rented a double kayak for $50 for two hours, which was worth every penny. We loved every moment on the water, especially spotting bald eagles, ospreys diving for fish, and playful ducks.||||Cabin: We stayed in the Jeffrey Pine cabin, which is perfect for up to three people. The cabin was spotless, and the shower featured an impressive, large showerhead that made showers feel luxurious. The kitchen was fully equipped with everything we needed, from a coffee pot to a toaster. The room also had a TV with a DVD player, and the lodge offers a large selection of books and DVDs. Each night, after a day full of adventure, we cozied up in bed and enjoyed a movie—a perfect way to wind down.||||Restaurant: We dined at the lodge’s restaurant for two nights, and both meals were excellent. The bar is charming, and I highly recommend trying their cocktails. One night I indulged in a fancy margarita, and the next I tried their famous Bloody Mary—a must-try for anyone who enjoys a good one.||||Extremely Dog-Friendly! The lodge is wonderfully accommodating to dogs. While pups must be kept on a leash, there’s ample outdoor seating where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings with your furry friends.||||Rates: The rates are good, similar to other cabin rentals we have visited. They require a non-refundable 15% deposit and if you cancel, no refunds. ||||The Only Con: The lodge is incredibly popular, so they fill up far in advance. You’ll need to plan ahead or hope for a lucky cancellation.||||We can’t wait to return next year!

Great escape into nature with easy access to the lake. There's no AC in the cabins but the weather makes it so you don't need one. The Wifi is there but service is spotty. It's a great location to take a few days and reconnect with nature while exploring the beautiful lake.

Hung out and enjoyed a beautiful day up on the mountain. Great food and drinks at the lodge. Brisket sandwich was really good and salad bar + prawns was a nice unexpected plus. Wings were a great start !!

We were at a local campsite and stopped in for lunch on a Sunday. The place was extremely busy (Labor Day Weekend) so we ate at a table in the bar. Servers were very personable and the food was pretty good with a lot of interesting options on the menu. With an hour wait time for food (again they were slammed and Labor Day Weekend) I ordered the Bloody Mary with a side salad floating on top. Not joking, you had to fight your way into your drink through lemon and lime wedges, two bacon slices, one lonely shrimp, and two green olives, a pearl onion, one banana pepper, a slice of bell pepper, a celery stalk, and a cucumber slice. Also tried the very tasty Mescal Passion fruit Margarita. An hour later, my Poke Nachos showed up — absolutely worth it. Imagine triple A grade yellow fin, wonton chips, edamame, avacado, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, drizzled with black garlic sauce and smokey aioli colliding with your taste buds! Very good, excellent on a hot day, highly recommend it.

Great place to stay. Was there for a wedding. Staff is very friendly. Food was good and cabins were clean.

We love coming to the lake for a day on the water. Afterward we always drop by the Lodge for a lunch and cold beer. The food and and service is consistantly exclellent. The view of the lake is award winning. This our go to place in the Sierras to enjoy the quiet surroundings ❤

Lovely wilderness lodge in the middle of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on a large mountain lake. Nicely appointed cabins, store, bar and Cafe with adjacent campgrounds. Rt 4 from the east is a tough hairpin, low speed mountain road similar to the one going up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.

We stayed in Quaking Aspen for 3 days and 2 nights and WOW it is everything you’d want in a rustic, quiet getaway. It’s like an adult summer camp in the best way! Food by Chef Baylie is out of this world and the staff all around are amazing. We will be back!

A bar/restaurant/store and lodging. We were camping nearby and it was a cold unexpected rainy weekend. We decided we didn't want to cook at our campsite so we went here for dinner. We placed our order at the register near the bar and went and picked our own seat near a roaring fire which felt so good! The service was good. Food was decent. Not 5-star restaurant by any respects but we were just happy to have something nearby our camp where we could get some respite from the weather. They have a nice patio out front so when the weather is nice it would be a great spot to enjoy dinner overlooking the lake. I can't speak about the lodging as we stayed nearby in a campsite.

We were driving from South Lake Tahoe to Calaveras Big Trees State Park and stopped here for lunch. We were glad we did! The menu was filled with great fresh finds. We decided on a quinoa bowl and brisket sandwich. Both were yummy. The lady taking our order was very nice. You pick up your food at the bar and self serve water or sodas nearby. We ate on the deck overlooking Lake Alpine. It was lovely. We'd definitely come back to stay the night and enjoy the lake across the street.

Lake Alpine Lodge has a restaurant with the perfect spot to eat, offering a great view of Lake Alpine. The food was surprisingly good and tasty. The prices are similar to what you'd find at a city restaurant. We didn't have to wait too long for our food, and it came out hot and delicious.

Total menu makeover! We ate here several years ago and had a fine if unexceptional mountain meal of burgers, grilled cheeses and fries - this time around we were greeted with a contemporary, updated menu with many new offerings, and tasty as hell to boot! Not what I would expect up a one lane road at 7300' in the Sierra. The lodge's atmosphere, cocktails, beers and great food (we are vegetarian and I can confidently recommend just about all the (several) veggie items on the menu) are perfect! Special shout out to the vegetarian chicken sandwich - it's a real winner. As is the thai peanut salad. Plus you are right on gorgeous, fantastic and fun Lake Alpine - hiking, cycling, boat, kayak and SUP rentals and some of the Sierras best swimming and sunbathing. If you end your day dirty, don't worry, they have showers!

An Unforgettable First Visit to Lake Alpine Lodge This was my first time staying at Lake Alpine Lodge, and having experienced many different mountain cabin resorts across California, I can confidently say this is one of the best. I brought along my 12-year-old daughter and our Border Collie, Nellie, and we all had an incredible time. Location: The location is unbeatable--right across from the beautiful Lake Alpine with countless amazing trails to explore within a 30-minute drive. As an avid hiker, I was thrilled by the variety of trails, while my daughter loved playing in the water. It truly offers the best of both worlds. We hiked to Bull Run Lake one day and to Upper Kinney Lake via Ebbets Pass the next. We also rented a double kayak for $50 for two hours, which was worth every penny. We loved every moment on the water, especially spotting bald eagles, ospreys diving for fish, and playful ducks. Cabin: We stayed in the Jeffrey Pine cabin, which is perfect for up to three people. The cabin was spotless, and the shower featured an impressive, large showerhead that made showers feel luxurious. The kitchen was fully equipped with everything we needed, from a coffee pot to a toaster. The room also had a TV with a DVD player, and the lodge offers a large selection of books and DVDs. Each night, after a day full of adventure, we cozied up in bed and enjoyed a movie--a perfect way to wind down. Restaurant: We dined at the lodge's restaurant for two nights, and both meals were excellent. The bar is charming, and I highly recommend trying their cocktails. One night I indulged in a fancy margarita, and the next I tried their famous Bloody Mary--a must-try for anyone who enjoys a good one. Extremely Dog-Friendly! The lodge is wonderfully accommodating to dogs. While pups must be kept on a leash, there's ample outdoor seating where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings with your furry friends. (no dogs on the beds, so bring your own dog bed) The Only Con: The lodge is incredibly popular, so they fill up far in advance. You'll need to plan ahead or hope for a lucky cancellation. We can't wait to return next year!

Had a great time here with the family. Order food and drink from the bar and it gets called out and you go get it. Live music too. About 20 tables outside and even more inside. Hard alcohol , beer, wine, & champagne is served. Menu has all kinds of basic American food. It's all great. Everything was awesome..:visiting from, I'm from Los Angeles (originally Bay ) and this place rocked!!! The little gift store was perfect too and sold anything you need. What a great surprise little meal and drinks - beer, coffee martini, and this bloody!!

Excellent tent cabin. Really good French fries. Fun milkshake machine. If you stay in a cabin the coffee in the store is free but we didn't know that. Easy to have a fun day renting their kayaks and enjoying the lovely lake. Friendly workers.

Lake Alpine Resort is about 3 miles east of Bear Valley, as you're traveling along Highway 4 from Arnold. I had planned on hiking the lake itself but needed some lunch first and despite some less than favorable reviews, decided to give it a try. This review is for the restaurant & shop only. It was around 2:30 when I arrived and the lot was pretty full. There were lots of people on the front patio as well as others coming over from the lake across the street. Ordering is at the bar. There are laminated menus when you walk in and once you order, you get a buzzer. I got the impossible burger and my boyfriend got the chicken sandwich and a basket of fries. I was pleasantly surprised with how good our lunch was. Everything was nicely cooked, fries were crisp and my "burger" came topped with cheese and little onion rings, which was an interesting touch. I also popped in to the gift shop/convenience store. They had some beach essentials, shirts and souvenirs as well as drinks and snacks. It's a little oasis up here and sitting on the patio, enjoying lunch with the lake across the street made for a pleasant Sunday afternoon.

The Mahi Mahi Tacos were very good. My sister had a chicken pesto sandwich, and it could had been more hot. My husband had a grilled cheese sandwich, and he said he gave it a 3/10. The ambiance is nice, overlooking Lake Alpine.

Just don't. That would efficiently sum up my review for staying at the lodge/cabins. My girlfriends and I stayed in Cedar cabin. Upon entering the room/cabin, it was beyond hot and had a weird odor. Then we noticed the windows in front and bedroom were all broken with taped up window panes. I really wish it ended there. The place has not been swept in maybe forever. Don't look under the beds which I learned the hard way. I was going to sleep on the day bed, until I sat down and had springs digging into me. So I pulled out the trundle bed. It seemed more comfortable, so I naturally pulled down the blanket and found sheets with lots of white hair. Now it was clear it wasn't human hair but a dog had slept in the bed. Even though there are signs, no one abided by rules. Went down to the "front desk", and the woman working said she'd immediately fix it. She did point out that a large fluffy dog was in the room. So why didn't it get cleaned. She put on clean sheets which were now ok, if not entirely worn down. But the "clean" blanket had a long black hair. It was gross. The main bed also had lots of hairs (human and dog). As it was late and no one was around, we just had to make it work. The next day complaint 2. We report the gross hairs and the guy looked at me like he couldn't care less. I explained I'm a redhead it's clearly not my hair. Someone was supposed to fix it again. Complaint 3. Day spent hiking and return back to *hopefully* new blankets, sheets. Unfortunately, no one bothered to come by. We got the excuse "we were looking for you and waiting for your return". I have no idea what that means when there is no way they knew our car, nor us all that well. Same woman comes by to explain to me that sometimes a hair just happens to be on a blanket. And it was her hair (she did not have black hair). It was the worst excuse ever. I asked for a sheet to sleep on the couch and she said they do not provide sheets for that, only for the beds. Now the trundle bed was as bad as the day bed (when were these mattresses last replaced -- actually dont tell me, i know the answer), so I slept on the couch. Thankfully, a friend brought her own blanket, and I used that. Next, the refrigerator weirdly froze our food on different days. The towels also had hair on them. Overall, it was disgusting. How do you charge someone over $300 a night, and have that kind of room. I could have camped and saved a ton of money and been equally uncomfortable. Cedar was also the only unit to not have a good parking spot. One car could hardly fit, and it was impossible to back out. While all the others had room for at least 2 cars, ours did not. The only good: while the shower was small, it was nice. Bottom line: we deserve a refund and way better customer service. I hope no one ever tries to educate someone on house cleaning/laundry services by saying that hairs are just normal. In any other hotel, maids would be fired or reprimanded. We got ZERO apology. I was made to feel like everything was my fault. I traveled from the Bay Area and was literally exhaused night 1 --- the last thing I should have to deal with is an unclean room. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

My family has been staying here for 20+ years. Beautiful place, great cozy fun dog friendly cabins, plus a bar & restaurant.

We spent 4 days in the Quaking Aspen cabin and it was very nice. The lake was beautiful and hiking was amazing. Staff was all very friendly and the food at the lodge was delicious!!! My only complaint was I wish there were more garbage cans to dispose of our trash. At check in they told us we could call for pick up but we felt bad calling so we did it ourselves. We also noticed no cans on the trails to dispose of our dogs droppings therefore we had to carry it with us on our hike yuck!! All in all amazing place great cabin and very relaxing. We can't wait to come back next year!!!

I read the other comments and this is a review on sequoia cabin -sleeps 8. First the location is amazing. We are steps away from the lodge . The lodge is a restaurant, bar and store with fresh food and merchandise like sweaters , medicine , fishing poles and so much more . 2. The cabin was absolutely adorable - please remember you are staying in a cabin not a 5 star hotel . Yes there is chipped paint , older bedding and pillows but overall it made a perfect place for my little family . To make your stay great I would suggest bringing your own bedding (bed sheet and pillow) and blankets . Plus your own towels if you are anything like me and prefer things a specific way . I also brought two small heaters as the cabin has a small one in the living room . 3. I brought my own paper plates and utensils again we are not in a hotel in the city . They do provide all the plates and utensils if you don't mind . The cabin provides a toaster, microwave, refrigerator and stove . The shower is clean but i still wore shower shoes because that is the person I am . The water from the shower head is strong and I loved it . I also brought my children a plastic bathtub to put inside of the bath. After we left we seen them taking all the bedding out and cleaning the cabin 4. Pets are welcomed for a fee 5. I learned there are bears that roam, be smart . Do not leave food outside . Keep your pets inside . It does get very cold . 6. The lake is gorgeous , the water is cold but the views are incredible. They have paddle boats , and motor boats. Overall our stay was wonderful , it would be a 5 star if it didn't cost us close to 700$ for 2 nights but i would pay it again. We plan on making it our yearly trip . Yes there is some Wi-Fi service but for the most part it is quiet and calming .

Barbecue jackfruit sandwich was absolutely delicious. Took an hour and 15 mins to get out two sandwiches and fries but it was Labor Day weekend

What more is there to say? Or said another way, what can you possibly not love about having a fantastic lunch at Lake Alpine resort? For starters, its a BEAUTIFUL drive up towards the pass. Sitting at 7,300' altitude, the gorgeous clear blue summer sky is such delight. I mean REAL clear blue, nothing like all of us see in the lower elevations or valleys below. Like inspirational to your soul sort of blue! Enjoy savoring sitting on the rustic patio under nice umbrellas and take in the filtered view of sparkling clear Lake Alpine just across the road. It could be a postcard view. Oh, and the food?? I'm sure the whole menu is great, but its so hard to get past the delight of their fantastic burgers and a cold beer every time I come here. Love this place!

My family has been going to Lake Alpine most every year for the past ten years. Sometimes we camp at the campgrounds by the lake and sometimes we stay at the resort. No matter where we sleep, we always spend a good deal of time at the resort and are grateful for its presence. Our first real interaction with the folks at the resort came when we arrived very late at night with the intent to camp in one of the first-come-first-serve campsites but found all were booked. I went into the bar and ordered a drink and told the bartender my woes while my family stayed in the car. In spite of the lodgings people having already wrapped up their work for the day, the rose to the occasion and opened a tent cabin for us, to my family's great relief (we literally had no place to sleep, and two teen girls in the car.) That began our love of the resort and the very kind and friendly people who work there. We make a point on each trip to have at least one breakfast on the outdoor patio of their restaurant, soaking up the sun, the fresh air, and the views of the lake. This is absolutely a highlight of our trip every year. That they also have a bar with a TV is just a huge bonus in my opinion. It's a great way to escape the summer sun and just relax and unwind with a cold drink and the pleasant company of the bartender. The on-site store is wonderful as well. It's well stocked with food and other supplies that you might need for your stay, as well as souvenirs to remember your trip by. My Lake Alpine t-shirts are among my favorite because just wearing them brings fond memories and anticipation of more to come. We've also rented kayaks from them a time or two, to supplement the flotilla we normally bring with us. The bottom line really is this: The Lake Alpine Resort is a wonderful place to grab a quick meal as you pass by, or to spend your entire 2 week vacation. The surroundings are amazing, the amenities are exactly 'right" for a mountain setting, and the staff are wonderful, caring people. I highly recommend this place!

We had the best time at Lake Alpine yesterday! I had the best chicken sandwich of my life and my husband had the bbq jackfruit sandwich! We listened to live music well eating our lunch on the deck and then took out the swan motor boat on the lake! The only disappointment is we were hoping to rent one of their cabins but they are completely booked! We hear you have to book a year in advance :(

This past weekend was my second time here. Our motorcycle group started taking long rides up to enjoy the smooth roads and beautiful scenery. The food is decent, like you won't be disappointed, but it's nothing to write home about. You're really paying for the scenery and access to the lake. Most of the workers are local kids and there's a nearby watercraft rental so you can walk straight down to the water to launch. I paid $16 for a special rib sandwich and a decent sized side salad.

We stayed in one of the tent cabins and they come with 4 twins beds with real mattresses. The staff was very nice! We also rented a paddle board and motor boat and had lunch at the resort. It was nice and we had a lot of fun.

Ordered the Alpine burger with bacon, french fries and a bloody mary. Food and drinks were good! Took along time to get our food (over a hour). Good thing the bloody Mary had alot of goodies and shrimp in it to hold us over till the food got there. We did go on a weekend so it was busy. They had a live band outside which helped pass the time

I've been coming in here for over 30 years. This is a far cry from what it once was. Don't bother with this place anymore.

Everyone is so lucky to have this spot. By far best Bloody Mary's I've had, they're basically a meal in a goblet. The bacon and shrimp on it are killer. Also had the pulled pork sandwich, which was pretty good. But the sweet potato fries are the BEST I have ever had. I was stuffed to the brim, thinking I'd keel over, but needed to savor every last fry. Beautiful setting on the lake. Again, so lucky this spot exists

Very good pesto bacon chicken sandwich and rosemary garlic fries, wife enjoyed her salad. Not sure about the negative Yelp reviews (and with businesses like this the review relevance tends to be only within the same season due to labor turnover and supplier changes), but my sandwich was surprisingly juicy for chicken breast - either fresh chicken or properly brined frozen - among the best pesto chicken sandwiches have ever had... fries were balanced between rosemary and garlic flavor with a dash of salt and crispy but not greasy... just enough oil to the fries to bring out the flavor. Chatted with Abbott, this is a family run business and I prefer Mom & Pop shops compared to bureaucratic corporate chains... they have music coming weekly this summer. Good selection of local beer on tap, recommend the Snowshoe Snoweitzen. Deck is where it's at, overlooks Lake Alpine. Could eat lunch on that deck, enjoy the view, and drink cold beer every day. Looking forward to visiting again later this summer.

Came today for first time looking forward to having a drink on the patio and the Bloody Mary was horrific! Everything but the kitchen sink was the name but it was like everything that had sat in the sink for 3 days. Soggy bacon, rotten shrimp , non-crisp veges! Others had the frozen drinks that were not frozen at all. Total bust!

My wife and I stopped by for lunch. We decided to eat inside because it was a little cool outside. Without asking they seated us by the fireplace and proceeded to build a nice fire. Our server, I believe his name was Nick, was professional and attentive. We each had a burger and garlic fries, mine being the. blue Burger. I am not exaggerating in saying both the fries and burger were the best I've had. It seems odd giving high marks to fries, but they were cooked perfectly and had a FRESH, light garlic sauce that was great! Not like others I've had. We could still hear the live music from inside and before we left another group requested to be seated by the fireplace. The service was top notch - above and beyond - the food was superb, and the old country ambiance and the fireplace topped it off. Can't wait to go back and try their steak!

Super job best to work with, stayed with it thru thick and thin...super group...pics look great..will paint next week

Delicious food at a reasonable price. Great location and a host of friendly folks who work there! The environment was clean and cutely decorated. Looking forward to future stops here! Stopped in for lunch and had a mushroom swiss burger, grilled chicken sandwich, curly fries, and slice of cherry pie. We recommend them all!

I was so looking forward to their Bloody Mary and talked it up to my friends. We ordered them and they were terrible. The bacon was wet and soggy, the shrimp tasted spoiled, the bell pepper was rubbery. We saw another table spit out the bacon as well. If it's not up to standards, just say you are out of bacon or shrimp. And if your standards are lower, think about that.

I am very glad that Steve is creating the menu at the lake alpine lodge. It's healthier and of better quality than what's come before. I suspect the complains about price are related to the quality. A few comments for consideration: it would be nice to have a straightforward breakfast for the non-foodies (husbands, friends...) since sadly not everyone likes Gouda with their eggs. It's good that cheddar could be substituted for blue on the burger - for those looking for a basic American thing, it worked well. One more overarching comment - the sweet/savory combination has been a go to thing for Steve. I find the sweet too sweet in many dishes and have always - dating back to the Mineral days. It would be nice to have a few dishes that didn't have that sweet side to distract from the main flavor. As an example - the tofu and quinoa is awesome - the sweet sauce and pineapple made it difficult for me to enjoy as they pushed the sweet too far for me. Sometimes less complexity makes for a better experience for some of us. Since my options are limited as a vegetarian, it would be nice to have a choice of less complicated flavor profiles in one or two veggie dishes. (I plan on ordering the tofu again with no sauce next time; hope I'll be permitted to be so bold!) It seems that a successful strategy will be to keep the basics basic and high quality (or allow substitution - like cheddar for blue) and have a good variety of other interesting dishes. I hope that the experiment works out! I'm glad there is good food someplace on Highway 4. We'll be back.

The Bloody Mary at the resort is an excellent drink and the burgers are great. The scenery overlooking Lake Alpine can't be beat.

They recently got a new chef and the food is awesome. I had the pesto chicken burger and rosemary garlic fries. It came with a homemade ketchup. Food was way better than expected. This pleasant surprise pushed it to 4 stars, but the service was really lacking. They hired foreigners who don't speak english, but a few words(no exaggeration) and only one guy serving. Felt bad for him, but he really kept his composure. Great views, and once they upgrade service it would be a solid 4/5. The menu is concise and doesn't give much options, but I'm hoping it expands.

We stayed in one of the Cabins and ate ate the restaurant. The cabins are great, we had a one bedroom. The cabin included a small kitchen and bathroom with a shower, TV and DVD player, a large deck with a table. The hot dog and burgers are good, but wait until 4 PM and order the tri-tip tacos. They are great and don't forget the Lake Alpine Bloody Mary also great it comes with bacon, shrimp, orange bell pepper ring, celery, cucumber slice, pepper, cocktail onion and a green olive. If you are a light eater this BM could be a meal. I think we had 3 each over our stay. Everyone is friendly and pleasant, looking forward to our next stay

we drove up to Lake Alpine today for the sole pleasure of drinking one of their bloody Mary's. Delicious! Well worth the drive!

We had an amazing lunch at Lake Alpine a few days ago. The Bloody Marys are stocked with veggies and bacon. The quick service style was super convenient for our day on the lake. I had the BLT and my husband had the Italian sausage special. Oh! There was also soft pretzels with beer cheese.

Alpine Lake is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains several miles west of the Ebbetts Pass summit. If you come from the East be prepared for a very very narrow and windy road. It's great for cars and motorcycles but not much else. The western approach is much less windy. Great place to stop when on a motorcycle ride through the Sierras. The lake is beautiful and the resort is a fantastic for anyone to spend some time. The lake is at 7350 ft. elevation and is 40 feet deep. There is a boat launch ramp and there is no charge to launch which is rare for a resort. They operate under a special permit from the U.S. Forest Service. There are cabins of different sizes including tent cabins. There are campgrounds not far from the lake operated by the forest service. There is a restaurant and bar onsite. Both are nice the menu is attached, somewhat limited but that's ok. There is outdoor seating on a nice patio with plenty of shade. There is an onsite gift shop. You can boat and kayak on the lake. Boat and Kayak rentals are available. My buddy and I were just riding through so we only had lunch. We had some tasty wings and both had a salad, not very biker is it, haha! The service was great and everyone there was very friendly. I think it would be a great place to take your family for a vacation. There were lots of couples hiking in the area, on the boats and staying at the cabins as well. Get outdoors and enjoy.

The restaurant is fairly basic --- they do love their fry-o-lator --- but did what we needed after a long hike (onion rings and chicken tenders). We saw some pretty impressive garnish sticks on the bloody marys, and the ~4 beers on tap had a few good picks. Live music was provided by Daniel Kushnir, who did some decent blues covers and interspersed with some less-inspired stories about watching old blues heroes on Youtube. The general store was pretty terrible --- "freshness-challenged" might be a good description. We didn't stay overnight, can't comment on the rooms.

Very friendly and helpful staff. Was a stranded PCT hiker due to the fire and the trail being closed. They offered me a place to camp and get my bearings. Lavonne in the general store was incredibly helpful and offered so much support. The backpackers campground looked pretty nice with a bear box, close by water spigot and clean bathrooms.

I could go on and on about the slow service or the over priced food. But I guess when you are this remote you sacrifice quality. Plus your employee pool is very shallow. The challenges are abundant. Avoid this place and eat at El Vaquero in Arnold on the way up. Less expensive and fantastic, authentic Mexican food. Enjoy the lake, it is beautiful!

If negative 5 stars were possible, this dump would rate it. Read the reviews and decided to stay here anyway. Big mistake. What choice did we have short of camping? Never again. The "cabin" we stayed in needs to be condemned & burned to the ground. First, some background. My family used to own a cabin up here at Alpine. One of the 50 private residences on Forest Service land. My folks sold the place in the '96. I have many a fond memory of summers up here and when I was a teen, I even worked at the lodge (3 or 4 owners ago). This was to be a special trip down memory lane with my wife & daughter for a few days. Oh, it was a trip....and we have some memories! One thing I'd like to say right now, why is this called a "resort"? It's no where near a resort and any images a resort conjures up in your mind, this place will surely miss the mark. In my day, it was Lake Alpine Lodge. Our experience: brought up their website, the pictures look inviting. Tried to envision which cabins were which based on the descriptions. I remember them being cabins 1, 2, 3, etc. Now they are "Sequoia", "Lodgepole", "Tamarack", etc. Cute and definitely more marketable than cabin 1, 2 or 3. Planning on a two day stay en route to Tahoe, I opted for the "Jeffery Pine" at $150 per night, two night minimum. Ok. A bit steep but hey, I really want to do this. I tell my wife & daughter the pictures look good but the reviews are not so hot....let's plan for the worse & bring sleeping bags, shower shoes, etc. We'll just make the best of it if it's bad. We all agreed we were there to hike & visit all my old haunts....not to stay at a five star resort. Arrived and still hoping all was going to be ok, we checked in to Jeffrey Pine. The guy handling check ins was nice, but....in my opinion....had smoked a little too much weed building surf boards in Santa Cruz. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hey....he got us checked in. "Oh look, it's old cabin 3." I tell my family as we drive up to it. Hmmm. Reading the reviews about the deck giving way on one Yelper, I'm wondering if this is the same cabin. We make it to the door, open it and my wife & daughter burst out laughing, "this doesn't look like the website pics!" I grimace and furrow my brow. Glad they are laughing but this just isn't going to do. I go down to see Surfer Bob in the general store and politely ask if we could see "White Pine" next door if it's available....and possibly switch since it's the same price. Surfer Bob needed to take a "hit" on this one cause I think this request was about to tax every bit of gray matter still functioning in his brain. Finally, he guessed that would be alright. "White Pine"....aka cabin #2, was only slightly better than "Jeffery Pine". At least it had a newer deck and a moderately better view of the parking lot. We took it. And even though it was all Surfer Bob could do to switch it, he made it happen. Well, it was worse than expected. Lots of pics will tell their own story but from the leftover scrambled egg goo still in the sink to the couch that had so much "body grease" on it we thought a homicide may have been committed there....we knew it was going to be a no bare feet, sleeping bag only and lots of booze kind of stay. I was willing to cut our losses...$300...and just head for Tahoe, but my wife & daughter, bless them, really wanted to do our planned hiking & reminiscing with me. We spread towels on the filthy couch and made our way to Bear Valley General Store for some much needed alcohol to get us thru the night...along with some Windex & paper towels. We never could get the little table clean enough to not be sticky & had to sacrifice another one of our towels to act as a table cloth. We never did shower. We refused to cook after spying mouse turds....and later said mouse...in the drawer with the silverware. The stains on the carpet meant no shoes off till bedtime...and even then....with copious amounts of alcohol coursing through our bodies, sleep evaded all of us. When dawn came, we arose, went for a fabulous hike all around the lake as I entertained them stories of my youth. We got back around noon and said in unison, "To hell with another night in that place! Screw the $150...let's pack up and head to Tahoe!" Surfer Bob wasn't in the general store to check us out but his wife, Mary Jane, was equally as perplexed about the process. When she started to run my credit card again, I said "they already ran it and I signed for it yesterday." Mary Jane tried to tell me it was to "close out" the sale but I was skeptical. She showed me the receipt. "See? Same authorization number." Then why two signatures? I better not be charged $600 for my night in hell. I was nice and said, "Ok, just never seen that procedure before." Mary Jane never asked if everything was ok or why we were leaving early and I didn't volunteer it. I didn't ask for a refund or discount. I knew it would be denied.

Two of us went there yesterday, Sunday right at 1:00 PM. So any expectations of speedy service would not be expected. However, they were very slow. I saw one table of four come in after us and order after us, and they were served their meal 20 minutes before us. Then another group of 4 sat next to us 40 minutes after we ordered, and they were served when we were. So service took about one hour. I ordered the chicken sandwich and it was raw, I figured it was too late to send it back for more waiting. My friend ordered a well done hamburger, and it too was not cooked, she sent it back, when returned it was the wrong order. A total collapse for her. The waiter was helpful and friendly, this place does try, it is in an amazing setting, and worth going. I will return. When you review a small remote place like this, take into consideration when and where you are, qualify your statements to put things into context reviewers. I would have given a strong 4 if the chicken had been cooked. It is a lovely place.

As for the horrible review on this establishment, I was there at the Lodge that night and there was a very good reason for the disorganization. That morning on July 5, the head manager and his girlfriend who worked there both quit. Now two people quitting may not sound like too many, but in a place as remote as Lake Alpine, it represented the entire managment of the restarunt. So, the owner had to call two employees who had there day off that day, to come in and take over management. So, yeah, things were a little hetic at first. Lake Alpine is one of the best envriorments I have ever been in. The atmosphere is great, the lodge over looks the lake, the temperature is always nice. This is a place you go when you want to get out of the heat and congestion of the city and have a nice dinner. The new owners Steve and Gigi are cordial and welcoming people. They are at the resort most of the time, and if you are there when they are, they will sit and talk with you, and probably share a bottle of wine. The atmosphere is laid back...there is no reason to be uptight there anyways. They have a fully stocked bar, fine dining appearance, with a causal feel. Kids are welcome and they have a childrens menu for dishes such as chicken nuggets, that would not be on the adult menu. If you look at the picture I posted of the interior of Lake Alpine, you will see how rustic and beautiful it is with natural log posts, hand cut granite fireplace made in the 1940's, and hand milled wood tables that the previous owner made from a saw mill he owned. On the cold nights, the fire place will be roaring, and on the warm summer nights, you can sit on the front deck and look at the lake while you enjoy your food. As for lodging, they have 12 or so cabins ranging in size and price. Also, they have tent cabins which run $50 a night. They are popular because of the price. All of the cabins are unique. Housekeeping cleans up every other day or so, since it is a cabin as opposed to a hotel room. During the day, you can get kayak or canoe rentals out on the dock, go swimming, or take the 30 minute hike up Inspiration Point and have the whole senic view of the Stanislaus National Forest including the Dardenell Mountains, and Lake Alpine. Lake Alpine is also now opened for the winter. As much of you probably know, they close the highway close to a half mile before you get to Lake Alpine in the winter. So, they were never opened in the past. But the new owners decided to try keeping it open last year, and are going to do it again this year. Imagine driving up to the mountains on a Friday night after you get off of work and you are bringing the family or just your girlfriend. You call ahead and tell them you are going to be there around a certain time. They drive the snowcat out to the gate to meet you, and load all of your bags onto the cat. They bring you into Lake Alpine where you can have dinner by the big, granite fireplace. After dinner, you go to the bar for a few drinks, then hike up to your cabin and cuddle up by the fire. You can cross country ski into the lodge, or you can even rent snowmobiles from the village and drive them on the closed highway to Lake Alpine. Even better if you own snowmobiles.....where else in California can you snowmobile around all day, park at the lodge, eat, have some drinks at the bar and park your snowmobile next to the cabin so you can wake up earily and do it all again? In the winter, they have a limited schedual for the restarunt and bar. This is just because there is hardly anyone there during the mid week. But the cabins will be available 7 days a week. You should probably call to make sure

My partner and I stopped in for lunch. We both had the a BLT and the fries to share. Those fries were excellent! Haven't had better anywhere! The service was fast and friendly.

This hurts, it really does. I used to camp at the top of Ebbets Pass at Hermit Valley every year, my most favorite thing was visiting Lake Alpine. Don't get me wrong, the lake itself is fantastic but the restaurant and store have lost their appeal. Lake Alpine used to be our go to after a long morning of hunting so I figured I'd stop in for breakfast for old times sake. My biggest complaint is the wait staff, they were absolutely lost, I watched waiters forget orders and completely forget about tables, us included. We were seated for approximately 20 minutes and saw three different waiters before our order was successfully taken. This next number is not approximate because I was paying attention at this point. We waited an hour and a half for eggs Benedict and pancakes. This review is no fault of the chefs, the food was quite good. The menu has been severely slimmed down over the years and the staff needs help. Five years ago I would not have hesitated to give this place five stars, this really pains me.

Great scenic location overlooking Lake Alpine with yummy food and a full bar. They have limited days they're open so check before you make the drive.

26$ for velveeta shells and cheese with bbq lays potato chips and one piece of bacon. NOT baked at all horribly salty not even the kids would eat it. Kids said it was gross walked away from their Mac and cheese. Hockey puck hamburgers for the other kids at 12$ they also did not eat the rock hard hamburger. the waiter was very nice! Not his fault the food is horrible! Bar is great had a drink. Skip the food here go straight to the bar!

Restaurant only review. Best food in town, unless you have a camp fire and some hotdogs. Its the only game around so it doesn't have to be good. But if youre looking for an overpriced meal that is served lukewarm and not cooked to order...this is your place.

Lake Alpine boat rental and lake experience was amazing. Anything you want to try out on the lake- they have it! Fishing? Beautiful spot, bouldering? Great areas all along River edge, adventuring? Several island to go explore. Clean water! Great pack in pack out rule! Restaurant, bar and general store there for convenience. Great Saturday!!!! Highly recommend for families.

We paid $13 (+ $1.50 for cheese) for grey, gelatinous burgers that looked like they were microwaved and clearly came as patties from Costco (and no kids burgers, so we paid as much for the little ones). Covid notwithstanding, charging premium prices for objectively substandard food is basically robbery. The fries and my son's grilled cheese were fine. I'm not a regular reviewer (much less poor reviews) but this was so egregiously bad that I feel compelled to post.

This was the worst service at a restaurant in maybe 30 years . Stood in front of the hostess for 15 minute and was not seated after asking twice . Sat myself , 20 min go by no server . Every move was 10 to 20 minutes. Asked for water 5 times ,nothing . Time to pay ..... 20 more minutes ..... Went for a walk in the general store, could have just left but I finally tracked down server and made her give me my bill in the hall. Wish I had correct change more time ..... No tip ! My advice to owners " REMOVE BONG FROM KITCHEN" This place was not slammed ,half the tables were empty for three servers .