The Sawyer at Schaffer's Mill

Our server Savannah did a wonderful job. The food was superb! The salmon was the best I ever had. Also great was the fried chicken. The butter cake desert was phenomenal.Highly recommend!

Today, my family, our friends, and I had the opportunity to visit this establishment. We were drawn to it primarily because of its high rating, as well as its beautiful view and stylish interior. We were greeted at the door, and our first impressions were quite pleasant. The atmosphere here is very cozy and inviting. However, there were some concerns regarding cleanliness. Unfortunately, the restroom was not very clean, and there was a significant amount of dust throughout the establishment—not the kind that accumulates in a day or two, but dust that had clearly been there for a long time. This was disappointing, especially considering the otherwise pleasant ambiance. I wanted to wash my hands after using the restroom, but unfortunately, in order to use the soap, I had to touch a completely dirty soap dispenser. As for the food, there is nothing to criticize—it was simply incredible. In this regard, they did an excellent job, and every dish we had the chance to try was truly delicious. However, cleanliness was again an issue. The utensils we received were dirty (photos attached), which made us think, “Such delicious food, and yet this again?” Additionally, we had to wait quite a long time for our food, despite the fact that there were very few guests in the restaurant when we arrived. One of the dishes we ordered was undercooked, but the waiter immediately offered to replace it with another dish. Speaking of the staff, the waiters were quite professional and clearly knew what they were doing. Overall, this is a pretty good establishment, but it would be great if cleanliness were also made a priority.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely loved dining in The Sawyer. The food was top notch and the service was excellent. Cozy atmosphere too! My personal favorites: Crispy brussels, Beef Strogonoff, Butter cake (!!!), and their Drunken Snowman cocktail!

The best part of this restaurant is it's environment and it's dog friendliness. We always go with Ares our JRT and you often see other dogs, on the patio. Food is good too, but I actually like my own cooking of quality meat in general.

Much better than expected for what looks like a golf course clubhouse on the map! The food was very tasty; the outside setting delightful in an early summer evening, although the interior looked a bit gloomy on our way through. All wines are available by the glass as well as the bottle, which was a nice touch - and all of the four we tried were rather good. Nits: we asked for thin fries, and thick ones were delivered - but changed on request. But this was a minor issue.

It was such a great place at Tahoe. The staff is always polite, the food was so delicious (New England Cream Chowder - $9, Butcher block STROGANOFF - $32, Butter Cake - $9)

Ok so I am only posting photos of the Tiramisu, the Butter Cake, the Fall bowl with Impossible Meat steak, and a Thai Chicken bowl - so it takes about 4hrs to drive from the Bay Area to Truckee but if it took 8hrs instead and ended in a meal at the Sawyer, I’d do it over and over again. The food is SO GOOD. Missing in this review is also the Mushroom and Asparagus Pizza with truffle oil that I’d legit kill for. Also, in case you’re planning to waste your time and money at Pianeta in downtown Truckee, forget it, come to this place instead. The community around it is super nice too.

Just played around of golf here over the Fourth of July weekend. I cannot say enough how gorgeous this place is! It’s literally something out of a Thomas Kincaid painting. They’ve got a great pro shop where I picked up a pair of foot Joyce and they even had a free lunch for us when we got done with our around as a thank you for the Fourth of July. Hi I’ve played many courses all over California some of the best in existence, and I’d say this one ranks at the top with any of the others

I played in a golf tournament at this facility in Truckee. The Sawyer was the place for drinks after the round. Bartender was great and he gave nice pours. We decided to stay for dinner afterwards, but I was pretty disappointed with the meal. I had seared scallops that were way too fishy to eat. My buddy had Ahi that was mediocre. Service was good for how crowded it was. Prices were high, as to be expected from a golf course restaurant. I don't think I would eat dinner there again, but maybe a burger or something.

Yikes! This place has gone downhill fast... so much for the new management company. We have been going for years, including through the transition/ hand off, which in my opinion went well, and it has fallen off since: - our first round of drinks came out after the appetizers - the hummus plate was pitiful! - the stroganoff was cold; clearly sat under the heat lamp for too long and shouldn't have been sent out. - the apple pie was cold - our last round of drinks came out after we signed the bill. This has been one of favorite spots and I'm disappointed, however given the recent experience of our friends, it sounds like the trajectory of the Sawyer. :(

Beautiful restaurant outside of Truckee. Food was excellent, we started with the meatballs which were great! I had the beef stroganoff and the meat was cooked perfectly, and the sauce was fantastic. Cookie skillet for dessert was great! Our server Daniel was on top of everything we needed, made sure to get the kids meals taken care of quick, and we had cocktails all night.

If you have kids, The Sawyer has been a great spot for some fun family dining a bit outside of town in Truckee. Nestled in the private community of Schaeffer's Mill, the Sawyer is the "club" for those that live there, but for us normies that don't live in the gated community, it's a restaurant open to the public ONLY with reservations (that are limited times). Seemingly you can only get a rezzie before 5pm. Fine with us. Beautiful views, surrounded by trees, the outdoor patio dining in the summer was a treat. The food is a solid 4, but between ambiance and service, it's really great. Inside is large and airy, and quite popular, with a beautiful bar area, as well. It's nestled on the 'Square', a green space, where we enjoyed our drinks while the kids played with a ball we always have in our car, while we waited for our food. Adjacent is a great playground for kids. Foodwise - really good. I've had better, but honestly, for Truckee, it's good and prices comparative as dining in town. The blueberry watercress salad with salmon was great, the steak baguette was more served on Dutch Crunch vs a French baguette and was huge and indulgent, the burgers have been solid and the kids loved the kids menu with pizza and burgers. I wouldn't order the Caesar again, but that was just me. We did back to back Friday nights at The Sawyer and we agreed: a great spot for family friendly dining.

When this place opened it was great. Now a few years into it, not so much. Stroganoff (best dish) no longer on the menu. Drinks are good and for the most part so is the food. Seems like the employees stand around talking to the members when they could be adding more value. If all they care about is the members why don't they just become private.

Recently came back to the Sawyer again for another dinner. They warned us (both the hostess and the server) that the kitchen was really backed up and food could take upwards of 25 minutes. Not ideal, but we figured we'd get drinks and see how it went. We ordered the burrata board to start with a blueberry bourbon smash cocktail. Cocktail was tasty but noticed the blueberry garnish still has stems on it. Burrata board was very tasty - the berries and tomatoes were so fresh and lovely. The crackers were plain but we loved the toasted baguette slices. For entrees we got the steak sandwich and the millionaire burger. Both were cooked beautifully and as we asked. The steak was one solid piece which felt an odd choice for a sandwich (rather than chopped or sliced) but was tasty. Atmosphere was lively - we were seated near a fireplace closer to the bar area. One note: the booth we were seated in could have used a wipe down and vacuum...lots of crumbs in the corners. Overall a great place to go for a bite when we are feeling too lazy to cook.

Everything! The food, the service, the cocktails, the friendly atmosphere, the wonderful waiter, everything about this place is wonderful! It Is high-quality and reasonably priced. Also, I think it's owned by the members. Jean Tech

We recently had dinner with friends at The Sawyer. The atmosphere and location are beautiful. However the food timing was a disaster. Food came out one or two dishes at a time. we were a group of ten. All the other tables(5-6) in the restaurant had been served. Most people at our table had finished their meal except two of us who hadn't received our dinners. finally part of our dinners came out while everyone was finishing up. We had to ask multiple times for our sides and they finally arrived. Our waitress never apologized for the delay at all the entire meal. The food is very good I would just recommend that they work on their timing and please have your waitstaff just come and let us know about any delays. Not sure if we will return.

Overrated and overpriced/side menu portions were very small $18 Cesar salad for 6 pieces of romaine, nothing special. Chocolate lava cake consists more than half of berries. Making reservations was extremely hard but when we arrived the place was at 30% capacity??

We enjoyed our meal at the Sawyer. Atmosphere was nice and would be even better in the summer when you can eat outside. The service was very good and we enjoyed all of our food. They have a very good bar with great cocktails and good wine choices.

I have IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). I rarely eat out because of it but I got stuck in Truckee for an unanticipated extra night and ran out of camping supplies. I ended up coming here because it looked like I could get something simple that wouldn't upset my stomach. I ordered a Sawyer salad with chicken and the king salmon. I'm a dolt and forgot to tell them no pepper on any of my food as my IBD can't handle it (my mouth loves it). When the Sawyer salad with chicken came, I realized it had pepper on it. I tried the chicken (it was delicious by the way) and realized I was going to get into trouble. I asked the waitress to not put pepper on my salmon and asked for another salad saying up front that it was 100% my fault not telling them to hold the pepper. Joey was so kind. Even though I insisted on paying for another salad, she refused to charge me and said that the kitchen shouldn't be putting pepper on the salad and that customers should get to choose how much they want. She said they changed policy on account of it. I felt badly to create any problems for her or the kitchen as the salad was great tasting. What stood out was her great attitude about it and how she made me feel like less of a dolt. Thanks for the great service Joey!! Btw. The setting of this restaurant is just spectacular!

Jessica our waitress was fantastic 5/5. The atmosphere is comfy, the setting is beautiful. 5/5 The food was a solid 4/5.

The food was great and servers were on top of it. We ordered a mix of salads, entrees, apps and the cookie skillet for dessert. We had an energetic toddler in our party and the staff were patient and friendly with her too.

We came here to celebrate my wife's birthday and we sat at the bar. The bartender (teresa?) was lovely. She was super friendly and knowledgeable. She makes excellent drinks as well. I ordered the short rib and it was heavenly. The restaurant is located in a gated community and gold course. Nice restaurant with good vibes. Will definitely make a trip back here when we are in town.

Came here twice in one week on vacation. First with our son, all the food was impeccable. Waygu burger was beyond, tied for my favie burger ever. Towards the end of the week we came back again, just my husband and I. After a very long day driving around the lake because of a visit on the trashy south side of the lake, I didn't want to go to our reserved restaurant and instead wanted to return here. It was another delicious meal. One of the best!

Food was pretty good. Service was good also. Cudve been faster but overall, super pleasant and accommodating. The only issue I have is they're supposed to be known for their beef stroganoff. Two people at our table ordered it. Generous portions and lots of beef, but it was quite bland. The entire table thought it needed some kind of seasoning.

Grabbing lunch, dinner or even just a cocktail at The Sawyer is a must for us every time we're in Tahoe. This last time we were able to do all 3 since we were staying in Schaffers Mill. You can't beat the golf course views from the patio or the "Cheers" feel in their bar! We enjoyed fabulous drinks one night (espresso martini and a Manhattan-style cocktail) before a delicious dinner...Brussels sprouts, then salmon for me and a Creole pasta dish my husband absolutely loved! If you're there for lunch the Crispy chicken sandwich and wedge salad are both wonderful! Can't wait to go back!

Excellent Food & Service. Chef knows what they are doing! Beautiful restaurant. Try to snag outdoor table overlooking the golf course. Definitely would return & recommend to all!

The Sawyer is just great! The waiters and bartenders are very welcoming and friendly and bring the food out in little time. The Sawyer is great in the summer for family's because the kids can outside and play on the field or on the playground next door. The ambiance is very cozy in the winter, with a big fireplace in the center of the indoor dining area. Definitely coming back!

Excellent place to take in a view for an early dinner. Great pizzas. Burgers. And fried chicken. Place is nice enough for date night or a special occasion and also casual enough for the kids or to watch a game. Go early (before sunset) because the views are amazing! Friend chicken A- Burger A+ Pizza B+ Brussels C+ Gabby was our server and she made the experience so enjoyable and fun. Thanks gabby!

What Happened? This place was kick butt for few years. Stopped in the other night to find out the Best dish they had on the menu "Beef Stroganoff" is gone? Why? Had the burger this evening, Very disappointing.... Fish special was horrible.

Awful hostess! Had a golf tournament coming for two days according to the hostess when we arrived which is members only. Place was completely empty. Girl wouldn't even seat us to feed our kids. Don't even bother with the snobbish behavior.

Picked up food at the Sawyer during COVID and we placed our order by phone. Drove through the front gate and the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous! Great views as well, though it was rainy and dark when we arrived. However, horribly disappointed by the food here. The beef stroganoff sounded amazing, homemade pappardelle right? However, it was way undercooked and super hard. The piece of beef I got was all fat. Not very much sauce either. The only thing good was the carrots. Chicken wings, extremely fatty. Poutine...no sauce. Extremely dry. Do not recommend. All of our food was cold and we had to nuke everything too. Not sure if dining in would have changed the experience, but from the quality of the food, would not think so.

Ending our day with dinner here, as we were catching up with a friend we hadn't seen in FOREVER. On a Wednesday at 5 we were seated in the shade on the patio overlooking the beautiful golf course. Between 3 adults and a toddler we ordered: - the meatballs - cheese plate - 2 fried chickens - 1 short rib - butter pasta for my son - 20 bucks for corkage for a white wine - I forget the name of the cocktail I ordered but there were fruits and prosecco in it - cookie in the skillet Our server was A M A Z I N G. she helped us pick out our entrees and my cocktail. At first we were confused w/ the cheese platter as one of the cheeses was GREEN but it was infused with sage and just so damn delicious. I loved how they included honeycomb on the plate as well as goat cheese with the rind on. I am obsessed and our server had to leave unexpectedly but I wanted to inquire on where they get their honeycomb and goat cheese.. Y U M. The meatballs were saucy, cheesy, and just so flavorful. The bread served with it complemented it perfectly. My fried chicken was SO YUM, I couldn't even finish it but it was just as good as leftovers the next day. The cocktail I had was refreshing on a warm summer day, and the pizookie thing.. oh my gosh it was perfect to split between 3 adults.... The restaurant is on a golf course so expect prices to be a LITTLE steeper than usual but the food was so well worth it... We'll be back...

Absolutely incredible. The restaurant is located in a beautiful location and has a very welcoming atmosphere. Impeccable service and outstanding food. We had the meatballs as appetizer. Great marinara sauce, melted cheese served with a delicious garlic toast. Entree was the pot roast. Very satisfying portion. Delicious mashed potatoes! Dessert was a cake filled with cheesecake served with fruit and ice cream. David was our server and took great care of just. Because of Covid we had to sit outside. We were wearing layers and they had a heater. It was 29 degrees and we didn't care. Absolutely worth it!

Omg! The rib appetizers might just be the best ribs I've ever had. We'll be back for sure.

Staying at Northstar and heard great things about this place nearby. Called and told it was only open to members of the club. Surprising given they even advertise on their website reviews from Northstar guests. Yelp and other places online do not indicate any issue with being open to the public, so we spent our time scouring the menu to decide what to order. Yelp clearly indicates the place offers curbside pickup (see photo). I do see some fine print on the website that says that reservations are required for nonmembers, but that seems pretty clearly aimed at dining in, so there's no indication they wouldn't allow to go orders. (We have little kids so I was going to pick something up while spouse put kids to bed.) Anyway, was pretty disappointing to be turned away over the phone for making to go orders. Given they have been replying to reviews recently on this yelp page, they should probably update the page.

Have been here several times. This last time was not good. Service started out great. MANY items were sold out. We were dining at 6pm on a Saturday night. Lamb ordered medium, arrived raw. Happened to another table near us. That entree arrived as we had finished our meal. Did not comp the $40 entree. Comped a $10 beer. We ordered dessert as we were celebrating a birthday. At this point server had stopped coming to our table. Water glasses left empty, finished plates on table. I could see our desserts sitting at kitchen. Others servers standing around chatting. By the time dessert was brought to table, ice cream had melted quite a bit. Very disappointing experience this time around. Will be a while before we try again.

The atmosphere is nice. Ordered wings and came out cold/half cooked. Politely enough they remade them. Sadly enough they came out cold/half cook. Then after ordering a drink in a bottle, it comes in a glass. Reordered again and this time the guy repeated then order in the bottle, but for my surprise, came back in a glass. Thought I'd try this place out being in the area. Would suggest to leaving it to the community seeing from the atmosphere that they just stand around a sip on wine, or at the bar a drink. Not a suggested place to eat when the houses are average $6mil but yet the restaurant doesn't even have filet mignon.

Very cozy atmosphere. We were offered between a booth and a table, but the booth had a gas fireplace in front of it. The staff was very polite and kind even though we were running late and they were closing soon. I wasn't too impressed with the margarita but the hot toddy did me well. A whole cinnamon stick for flavor. I wish they served home baked artisan bread for each table, but we ordered the peppers and they were delightful. I don't know what that sauce was but it made the dish. The salmon was perfectly cooked, crispy outer edges with a soft pink middle. The sides could have used a little something extra. The beef was delightfully tender and I didn't read the menu but would assume the noodles are fresh. The waiter recommended the cookie dessert and said that the butter cake was very popular. We should have listened to him. We ordered the Apple cobbler which had too much crumb topping, not enough apple nor enough ice cream. Needless to say, it was too dry. The home made pecan ice cream on top was tasteful nonetheless. I would return here for some one else's special occasion.

What a nice place! So cozy and warm to come to from the cold. We came during the middle of the week around 2pm. Has the entire place to ourselves! We got a table right next to the fire place. We all ordered the dirty snowman drink. These were so warm and delicious. We also split Brussel sprouts and a pizza. Both items were amazing! Can't wait to come back in the summer!

My husband and I celebrated our 40th anniversary at The Sawyer last night. We had excellent service, the perfect table (outside) with a beautiful view of the Martis forest and golf course. Our waitress was wonderfully enthusiastic and attentive. We enjoyed the lobster roll and million dollar burger along with the brussels sprouts to start. Drinks, dinner, and dessert arrived on time and exactly as ordered. The added touch of a complimentary dessert in honor of our anniversary was nice. We closed the place down. It was a wonderful, memorable evening. Thank you Sawyer staff!

We were staying in Schaffer's mill so this restaurant was very convenient and pretty! We went twice and really enjoyed the Caesar salad, clam chowder, chicken wings, salmon and all the desserts! Derrick the manager is great and really wants to make sure you have a good experience! Wait staff was attentive, friendly and professional. Highly recommend!

Bottom Line: Best Happy Hour in a Beautiful Venue in Truckee! Things you should know... 1. Happy Hour is 2PM-6PM daily. 2. You have to make reservations. 3. You may have to ask for the Happy Hour menu. 4. They automatically add an 18% tip to your bill. We had the Happy Hour hummus ($6), Loaded Chips ($2) and tempura Brussels sprouts ($6) wine ($6) and Bloody Mary (&8). Everything was great. I worked as a waiter for many years and the automatic tip seems to be a disincentive to high performance. Also, 18% is above the average for a tip and I tip generously. We had a 5 PM reservation and the receptionist did not give us a Happy Hour menu. I had to ask for it. I hate it when businesses offer Happy Hour then don't promote or offer it when you get there. All that said, I do highly recommend and will be back. Check it out.

This place was disappointing - the food, the service, the ambience. They sat us in the bar, even though there were numerous open tables in the main dining area. It took close to an hour to get our meal. It seems like the server would have noticed we had no food had she been paying more attention. My wife's salmon sandwich (it's actually a salmon burger) had paper in it. Both the salmon sandwich and caprese salad had an abundance of pepper in it. It was bizarre how much was used. The kids pasta with marinara was not a true tomato sauce. Again, it was weirdly seasoned. My son loved his cheese pizza. It was the highlight of the meal. The comped part of the meal - they should have comped the whole thing. I would not go back here or recommend it.

"T" (Teresia) makes a fabulous espresso martini! It was rich, indulgent and creamy with the right amount of espresso for the perfect taste and a boost. I can't wait to go back for more

We dined at the Sawyer for Super Bowl and it an experience to remember, the food, the drinks, the atmosphere and the service were all excellent! Our server Joey was especially cordial, we had kids in our group that made a mess but she was very polite and patient with them. My favorite of the night was the Bees Knees Ginger Gin cocktail and the dessert! The kids enjoyed the game day buffet!!

Upscale golf cafe with good food and drinks. Nice ambience and service . Gated golf community but really nice once you get in.

Hard to believe any low ratings here. Fantastic food and drink. Fantastic Brussels sprouts. Beef stroganoff was perhaps the best I have ever had. When I am in Truckee I will be back Thank you Brian at the bar for all your recommendation.

Love to come here for my birthday every year. Great service, great gluten free apps, mains and dessert. Also a fun drink menu with the closest thing I've seen to Butterbeer so far! The general ambience is upscale casual with nice fireplace touches, and the ability to sit outside on the patio is great when the weather is nice and mild. Prices are a little on the higher side but that's because the food is top notch.

W O W!! We recently visited The Sawyer for my Bachelorette weekend, and oh my gosh. Not only was the outside seating view absolutely stunning, but the food and customer service: immaculate. My friends and I found it hard to choose what we wanted everything sounded so delicious, and when we received our meal it was just as mouthwatering as we had hoped. GABBY and KAT made sure we were more than well taken care of. We were laughing and carrying on the whole night. We even got a hug before we left, I loved it! I could not have wished for a better dining experience, thanks The Sawyer and GABBY and KAT for making my Bach dinner the best it could ever be.

Reservation cancelled by restaurant on busy Friday night. No one called to let us know. Seems like really bad etiquette

It is shocking that this place has four stars and makes me question our die-hard reliance on Yelp! The food was no better than bad airport food. Super disappointed! The reviews on the food could not be more wrong. We were so excited by the reviews that we pretty much ordered the entire menu but nothing was good or even close to tasty. This is NOT a fine dining restaurant except for the gorgeous location. Unless you want to get overpriced food akin to frozen dinners, stay away from this place. The only positive was the food was ready on time.

Loved the restaurant ambiance and atmosphere! Everything was clean and very well designed. Our service from Jeboa was awesome! She was attentive, kind, helpful and very accommodating. We ordered a lot of everything to taste a little bit of it all. Our favorites were the mussels, the crispy brussel sprouts, the hummus and the new york strip entree. We will definitely be back to try more food. Also, everyone we came across from the floor manager to the greeter to the bartender and of course our server were so friendly. Highly recommend!

No kidding, one of the best steak sandwiches I've ever had. Unreal. Drinks were great, prices were right, great vibes and gorgeous setting. Really impressed.

Went here during a recent trip to Tahoe for a dinner with friends. It was a little confusing to get inside of because it's part of a larger property, but we the restaurant was really cute once we figured out where to go! The vibe inside was cute and dark, with lots of seating space available. Our waitress was such a star and so helpful as our group tried to navigate through the menu. We started with some cocktails and appetizers with the fried brussel sprouts and shisito peppers. The drinks were generally okay, with the old fashioned with the pecan infused whiskey being the biggest hit. The whiskey was sweet and delicious and somehow tasted something like pecan pie and I truly want to try and recreate it at home sometime. I ended up just ordering wings for my main course with another side of brussels because they were delicious. Wings were pretty good, super fried with lots of sauce. I would say the food was pretty good, but our waitress was such a star and enhanced the entire experience so much. Will definitely be going back!

So glad we found this gem! Best table in the patio with fire -- dining with snowfall at our feat. Ashley was so welcoming and hospitable and the new Kylie gave us superior service. Our food was a mix of comfort and high culinary cuisine. The New England clam chowder with chili oil was so good I got it for dessert. My King Salmon was cooked perfectly and I swapped the black rice for Tre garlic mashed potatoes. Crispy Caesar salad and stuff Gin Gibson's hit the spot. My husband raves about the stroganoff served with three kinds of beef, homemade noodles and the best and biggest mushrooms. The portions were so generous that we are enjoying our entrees all over again tonight! Every sip and bite were memorable. We definitely look forward to returning. (Good thing the Ritz was booked and out of reservations, otherwise, we wouldn't have found this special place on the hill at Schaefer's Mill.) We already started a lot of the menu items we want to come back and try. Truly one of the most memorable meals during our week in Tahoe!

My new favorite place to dine in Truckee. One of the more upscale restaurants in Truckee. Food was top notch (had the scallops), service was excellent, and atmosphere was great. I'll be back.

Late review* We came in with a party of about, 8ish people. We ordered very simple dishes (mostly burgers) and the place was not packed. It took 2 hours to get our food out to us. We actually had to ask our server as we were never approached proactively and were told the kitchen was backed up. The server was very friendly but that didnt make up for a 2 hour wait. The food, burgers couldnt stay together and were breaking apart in a way that when a burger has been sitting for too long after being cooked. Taste was just fine but for the price point you expect more. Ambiance, the place is pretty? If that matters to you then i'd suggest it.