Absolutely fabulous food beautifully presented. They made my friend's birthday dinner truly memorable. She doesn't like fish, so they substituted vegetarian dishes for her two fish courses.
Remy
The food, service, and ambiance were all exceptional. It's definitely the kind of meal you save for a special occasion (took us four hours from start to finish!), but we'll certainly be back.
Incredible experience in Lake Tahoe. Very creative plates. Everything we got from cocktails to the course flowed together really well. Exception service. Overall very unique take on Japanese cuisine.
ali orlandi
Menu was quite disconnected. Two of six dishes stood out: the sashimi and the pork belly. Overall the menu lacked innovation. The chicken is definitely a pass while the steak was nice but an expensive upgrade. Drink pairings were decent; however service undeniably lacked knowledge and could now speak to the wine or sake. Additionally, the service was rushed between tables. Over all the experience was decent but not at all worth the price tag.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
AliO
Menu was quite disconnected. Two of six dishes stood out: the sashimi and the pork belly. Overall the menu lacked innovation. The chicken is definitely a pass while the steak was nice but an expensive upgrade. Drink pairings were decent; however service undeniably lacked knowledge and could now speak to the wine or sake. Additionally, the service was rushed between tables. Over all the experience was decent but not at all worth the price tag.
Victoria K.
Small and cozy - gives modern cabin vibes We did the 6 course menu (note that this menu will no longer be available after week after my posting - it will just be the 10 course menu with both wagyu and chicken) Thought the portion sizes were great and was honestly stuffed at the end Food: Avocado toast [5/5]: very nice japanese twist on a breakfast staple. The miso soaked bread is delicious and surprisingly pairs very well with the mint leaves on top Kampachi [5/5]: fish is super fresh, liked the pickled radish on top but honestly couldn't really tell they were pickled (doesn't have that sour-briney taste), broth was also fantastic. Simple and tasty :) Crispy pork belly [5/5]: i loveeeed this - probably one of the best pork belly i've had. Skin is super crispy but not oily and doesn't feel fatty. It's succulent, juicy, and really yummy with the miso sauce Trout [3.5/5]: 3.5 because i'm just not a huge fan of the fish itself, and it tasted like most other trouts i've had. However, the skin is super crispy and definitely smokey (if you like smoked salmon with dill, this will 100% be your cup of tea) Chicken [4/5]: super crispy smokey skin, the ginger miso bbq (?) sauce was very yummy as well. I thought part of the chicken breast was slightly overcooked but overall very juicy. Also comes with a side of baked sweet potatoes with furikake -- soooo yummy, sweet, and creamy. Maybe a little too much furikake imo - was quite salty and I would've been happy with just a sprinkle Pecan pie [5/5]: yummy! Loved the sakuru cream they paired with it, super light and floral, went well with the pecan pie that had a dash of hennessy
heathers
Our server Alex was delightful and made our evening extra special. Every single part of this experience was perfection. Smoke Door is a new gem, we have been waiting for something this special and it's finally here. We wish you the best, and hope many locals and visitors enjoy this treat. We will be back and now have a new go-to place to share with our people. Thank you!!!
jleetahoe
Outstanding experience but not necessarily a "go to" place because of the price. The service was impeccable!!! So warm and friendly, but so professional. Water glasses were always full, the dishes were cleared and items were served and explained with great care. We had sake, a glass of chardonnay (the French one) and a beer. All good. We had the 10 course meal. Outstanding dishes: Osetra Caviar, Toyosu fish, Steelhead Trout, Smoked Chicken, Donabe Rise and Apple Wasabi Sorbet. All the sauces/consommes/broths were SO delicious and added greatly to each dish. The Wagyu beef was tasty, but a very small portion for $45 extra dollars. The sweet potato was interesting, as was the pork belly and avocado toast. The Texas Grandmother pecan pie would have been so much better with regular whipped cream or ice cream, not the cherry blossom infused whipped cream. They didn't go together. French press coffee with Strauss cream was delicious. The bathrooms are beautiful, with HEATED toilet seats! Oh! What luxury. The dinner took three hours, which was just a little too long. Lovely concept, worth doing for special occasions. For four, we spent $1080.
Katie S.
Wow! The whole experience was excellent. This is such a standout restaurant, not just for Tahoe but overall as a place to dine! I did the 6 course meal and it did not disappoint (and I left very full haha). The avocado toast was divine (trust me)! And the raw fish dish was also very very delicious. I opted for the smoked half chicken for my main but they do offer a Wagyu upgrade for $45, I will try this next time. The whole concept is around this beautiful open fire cooking so many dishes and drinks have a smoke infusion to their flavors (which I love!). For cocktails I tried the lemon sour, comes with a brûlée's lemon wedge Yum!...and ended with the Matchatini, which was matcha and amaretto. Both divine. Overall, would give a 6/5 stars if I could! Great service, lovely staff, EXCELLENT food concepts, and a very chill and boutique ambiance...bravo Smokedoor, North Tahoe is lucky to have you!
Rhea Hernandez
Our experience at Smoke Door was exceptional. Each course was unique and carefully considered. The food was consistently delicious and sparked a debate amongst the 4 in our party about which items were our favorite, it was difficult to decide.The service was very good. Our server, Alex, was friendly and informative. She explained our dishes in a way that made everything very approachable.
We LOVE the smoke door traditional menu. We visited for Valentine's Day and experienced the special menu and we left disappointed. It seemed like there was too many options for the day and while we appreciated the effort the cost of the meal was not met by our expectations. We will return when back to a traditional menu as we LOVE Smoke Door and have had only positive experiences apart from Valentine's Day.
My wife and I dined at the Smoke Door on a Thursday night. We enjoyed the 6 course tasting menu. It was flawless, unique, rare, and exceptional in every aspect. The only downside was that the final bill was around $500 for dinner for two, so to be reserved for very special occasions. At any rate, in the end I am still a fan. Definitely will be back.
WalterB
Overall a good dining experience. Four of the six courses were outstanding including the avocado toast, toyosu fish, pork belly and Arctic Char. The smoked chicken and pecan pie were good but nothing special. My wife had the vegetarian six course meal and said two of the courses were exceptional (avocado toast, embered cauliflower) and the other four were good. The drink pairing was good but pricey for what was provided. Smoke Door is definitely one of the top restaurants in the Tahoe Basin and does a great job with unique, high end food but misses the mark on value. For $300 to $500 per couple, I was expecting a little more.
JonB
Wonderful experience at this little hole in the wall. Food was prepared quickly and expertly and the flavors presented were beautiful. Service was also top notch - friendly, accommodating, and attentive. Happy to find a more subtle upscale dining experience in the Tahoe area. I miss it already
ScottS
Our server was Alex. She's amazing. We were a party of 4 and ordered the 10 course along with beverage pairing. Comments from our group ranged from, "this is the most surprising, unique, and amazing fixed course I've ever had," to "that avocado toast is beyond a thing", and included "we should come back after every seasonal menu change". The experience is wonderful, not over the top, comfortable, and wonderful food and pairings. 10 courses is not too much food - but we did leave feeling full and satisfied.
Absolutely fabulous food beautifully presented. They made my friend's birthday dinner truly memorable. She doesn't like fish, so they substituted vegetarian dishes for her two fish courses.
The food, service, and ambiance were all exceptional. It's definitely the kind of meal you save for a special occasion (took us four hours from start to finish!), but we'll certainly be back.
Incredible experience in Lake Tahoe. Very creative plates. Everything we got from cocktails to the course flowed together really well. Exception service. Overall very unique take on Japanese cuisine.
Menu was quite disconnected. Two of six dishes stood out: the sashimi and the pork belly. Overall the menu lacked innovation. The chicken is definitely a pass while the steak was nice but an expensive upgrade. Drink pairings were decent; however service undeniably lacked knowledge and could now speak to the wine or sake. Additionally, the service was rushed between tables. Over all the experience was decent but not at all worth the price tag.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Menu was quite disconnected. Two of six dishes stood out: the sashimi and the pork belly. Overall the menu lacked innovation. The chicken is definitely a pass while the steak was nice but an expensive upgrade. Drink pairings were decent; however service undeniably lacked knowledge and could now speak to the wine or sake. Additionally, the service was rushed between tables. Over all the experience was decent but not at all worth the price tag.
Small and cozy - gives modern cabin vibes We did the 6 course menu (note that this menu will no longer be available after week after my posting - it will just be the 10 course menu with both wagyu and chicken) Thought the portion sizes were great and was honestly stuffed at the end Food: Avocado toast [5/5]: very nice japanese twist on a breakfast staple. The miso soaked bread is delicious and surprisingly pairs very well with the mint leaves on top Kampachi [5/5]: fish is super fresh, liked the pickled radish on top but honestly couldn't really tell they were pickled (doesn't have that sour-briney taste), broth was also fantastic. Simple and tasty :) Crispy pork belly [5/5]: i loveeeed this - probably one of the best pork belly i've had. Skin is super crispy but not oily and doesn't feel fatty. It's succulent, juicy, and really yummy with the miso sauce Trout [3.5/5]: 3.5 because i'm just not a huge fan of the fish itself, and it tasted like most other trouts i've had. However, the skin is super crispy and definitely smokey (if you like smoked salmon with dill, this will 100% be your cup of tea) Chicken [4/5]: super crispy smokey skin, the ginger miso bbq (?) sauce was very yummy as well. I thought part of the chicken breast was slightly overcooked but overall very juicy. Also comes with a side of baked sweet potatoes with furikake -- soooo yummy, sweet, and creamy. Maybe a little too much furikake imo - was quite salty and I would've been happy with just a sprinkle Pecan pie [5/5]: yummy! Loved the sakuru cream they paired with it, super light and floral, went well with the pecan pie that had a dash of hennessy
Our server Alex was delightful and made our evening extra special. Every single part of this experience was perfection. Smoke Door is a new gem, we have been waiting for something this special and it's finally here. We wish you the best, and hope many locals and visitors enjoy this treat. We will be back and now have a new go-to place to share with our people. Thank you!!!
Outstanding experience but not necessarily a "go to" place because of the price. The service was impeccable!!! So warm and friendly, but so professional. Water glasses were always full, the dishes were cleared and items were served and explained with great care. We had sake, a glass of chardonnay (the French one) and a beer. All good. We had the 10 course meal. Outstanding dishes: Osetra Caviar, Toyosu fish, Steelhead Trout, Smoked Chicken, Donabe Rise and Apple Wasabi Sorbet. All the sauces/consommes/broths were SO delicious and added greatly to each dish. The Wagyu beef was tasty, but a very small portion for $45 extra dollars. The sweet potato was interesting, as was the pork belly and avocado toast. The Texas Grandmother pecan pie would have been so much better with regular whipped cream or ice cream, not the cherry blossom infused whipped cream. They didn't go together. French press coffee with Strauss cream was delicious. The bathrooms are beautiful, with HEATED toilet seats! Oh! What luxury. The dinner took three hours, which was just a little too long. Lovely concept, worth doing for special occasions. For four, we spent $1080.
Wow! The whole experience was excellent. This is such a standout restaurant, not just for Tahoe but overall as a place to dine! I did the 6 course meal and it did not disappoint (and I left very full haha). The avocado toast was divine (trust me)! And the raw fish dish was also very very delicious. I opted for the smoked half chicken for my main but they do offer a Wagyu upgrade for $45, I will try this next time. The whole concept is around this beautiful open fire cooking so many dishes and drinks have a smoke infusion to their flavors (which I love!). For cocktails I tried the lemon sour, comes with a brûlée's lemon wedge Yum!...and ended with the Matchatini, which was matcha and amaretto. Both divine. Overall, would give a 6/5 stars if I could! Great service, lovely staff, EXCELLENT food concepts, and a very chill and boutique ambiance...bravo Smokedoor, North Tahoe is lucky to have you!
Our experience at Smoke Door was exceptional. Each course was unique and carefully considered. The food was consistently delicious and sparked a debate amongst the 4 in our party about which items were our favorite, it was difficult to decide.The service was very good. Our server, Alex, was friendly and informative. She explained our dishes in a way that made everything very approachable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We LOVE the smoke door traditional menu. We visited for Valentine's Day and experienced the special menu and we left disappointed. It seemed like there was too many options for the day and while we appreciated the effort the cost of the meal was not met by our expectations. We will return when back to a traditional menu as we LOVE Smoke Door and have had only positive experiences apart from Valentine's Day.
My wife and I dined at the Smoke Door on a Thursday night. We enjoyed the 6 course tasting menu. It was flawless, unique, rare, and exceptional in every aspect. The only downside was that the final bill was around $500 for dinner for two, so to be reserved for very special occasions. At any rate, in the end I am still a fan. Definitely will be back.
Overall a good dining experience. Four of the six courses were outstanding including the avocado toast, toyosu fish, pork belly and Arctic Char. The smoked chicken and pecan pie were good but nothing special. My wife had the vegetarian six course meal and said two of the courses were exceptional (avocado toast, embered cauliflower) and the other four were good. The drink pairing was good but pricey for what was provided. Smoke Door is definitely one of the top restaurants in the Tahoe Basin and does a great job with unique, high end food but misses the mark on value. For $300 to $500 per couple, I was expecting a little more.
Wonderful experience at this little hole in the wall. Food was prepared quickly and expertly and the flavors presented were beautiful. Service was also top notch - friendly, accommodating, and attentive. Happy to find a more subtle upscale dining experience in the Tahoe area. I miss it already
Our server was Alex. She's amazing. We were a party of 4 and ordered the 10 course along with beverage pairing. Comments from our group ranged from, "this is the most surprising, unique, and amazing fixed course I've ever had," to "that avocado toast is beyond a thing", and included "we should come back after every seasonal menu change". The experience is wonderful, not over the top, comfortable, and wonderful food and pairings. 10 courses is not too much food - but we did leave feeling full and satisfied.