Reno and South Lake Tahoe are growing fast, with their meetings game upped significantly. In 2023, Tahoe Blue Event Center opened in South Lake Tahoe just down the street from major casino hotels popular for meetings, Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino, giving the destination a standalone events center for conventions, tradeshows and other events.
With its entrepreneurial spirit and recent recognition as Outside’s happiest place to live in America, the Reno-Sparks region is on the rise, too, investing in its core meetings properties and offering a burgeoning dining and entertainment scene.
So, it’s likely Reno and Lake Tahoe are on your radar for your next meeting or event. And one of the most important components of a program is the food. From hotel offerings to standalone restaurants and venues, there is a full plate of options in Reno and Lake Tahoe for post-meetings dining. Following are just a few of the many.
Dining Experiences at Reno Hotels
La Strada at Eldorado
At downtown Reno’s The ROW—a property comprised of three Caesars properties (Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy) that offers a combined 4,000 guest rooms and suites and 180,000 square feet of meeting space—your group is spoiled for choices with its whopping 25 restaurants.
One of its best is La Strada at Eldorado, which is known for its Italian excellence; its mushroom ravioli made Food Network’s 2019 list of the "Best Pastas in the Country.” One of the best restaurants in Reno, groups can gather to enjoy classic Italian recipes in a charming space reminiscent of the country’s cobblestone streets. The restaurant can accommodate varying group sizes and also does catering.
Atlantis Steakhouse
The AAA Four-Diamond Atlantis Casino and Resort is capable of hosting tradeshows, corporate meetings and more thanks to its wide-ranging meeting space that includes two ballrooms, 22 meeting rooms and an executive boardroom. While on-property, groups can dine at Atlantis Steakhouse, which offers an elevated dining experience with some of the nation’s finest wet-aged USDA prime cuts and ultimate grade of beef.
Groups from 15 to 50 can dine in the restaurant’s upscale private dining room and sip from the cocktail menu or over 336 selections of wine. Located in the heart of south Reno’s entertainment, dining and shopping district, there are plenty of easy-to-access options for post-meetings fun.
Oceano at Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino
Another AAA Four-Diamond Resort in Reno is Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino, which offers 1,621 luxurious guest rooms, including the 600-room all-suite Tuscany Tower, and 106,000 square feet of meeting space. Ten dining outlets are on property, including Oceano, for the seafood fans in your group.
The restaurant offers a diverse menu with an emphasis on seafood and is ideal for intimate gatherings in its private dining room. Dishes range from specialty catches, revolving all-you-can-eat sushi and fresh stews and chowders.
[Related: Nevada Is Having One of Its Best Years Yet—Major Event Reports From Las Vegas, Reno and More]
Dining Experiences at Reno Restaurants
Louis’ Basque Corner
Opened in 1967 as a testament to the local Basque heritage, Louis’ Basque Corner serves authentic family-style cuisine with specialties such as shrimp and tongue Basquaise, oxtails, tripas callos, lamb chops and sirloin steak. The restaurant’s banquet facilities hold up to 125. The restaurant is conveniently located east of Bowling Stadium and the downtown Events Center with free parking available.
Silver Peak on the River
If you’re on the hunt for an outdoor space for your group to gather for casual networking after a day of meetings, Silver Peak on the River has a large interior equipped with a back room and one of the best patios in downtown Reno that’s available to book for big groups. The restaurant offers a diverse selection of classic American cuisine, including dishes like the lamb burger, crawfish jambalaya, fettuccine and meatballs, plus cocktails and more.
Wild River Grille
Right along the banks of the Truckee River in downtown Reno, groups can indulge in creative cuisine both on the outside patio and inside the historic Riverside Hotel building at Wild River Grille. Try seafood dishes like plum chipotle salmon, steak and chops or house specialties like sauteed elk medallions, chicken marsala and more.
Private dining experiences are possible for larger groups. The restaurant can accommodate groups of up to 80 in the River Room and up to 24 in the City Room. The restaurant can even accommodate buyouts for parties of up to 120 with customized menus and a selection of cocktails and wine or banquet packages.
Liberty Food & Wine Exchange
Liberty Food & Wine Exchange is home to regionally sourced sharable plates so your attendees can try new approaches to classic dishes, and an evergreen evolving menu that highlights Nevada ingredients. Pastas, pizzas, and cured meats and artisan cheese plates are just some of what diners can expect of the restaurant’s rotating selections.
Two private dining rooms are onsite and anything from full-service plated meals to appetizer platters and buffets can be arranged for groups.
Dining Experiences at Lake Tahoe Hotels
Gordon Ramsay’s HELL’S KITCHEN and Sage Room at Harveys Lake Tahoe
This 740-room Caesars property offers more than 26,000 square feet of meeting and event space with stunning lake views out almost every window. Some of its dining experiences offer views, too, like the Sage Room, an upscale steakhouse dining experience overlooking Lake Tahoe and the mountains.
Don’t miss an opportunity to dine at the popular HELL’S KITCHEN from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, where his beef Wellington earns top marks. Both restaurants within the hotel can accommodate groups for dining experiences.
The Bistro Edgewood at Edgewood Tahoe
Edgewood Tahoe is a 154-room luxury resort in Stateline, Nevada, with 7,000 square feet of meeting space and interiors inspired by the lodges of the American West. Onsite, there are three restaurants, but The Bistro Edgewood is the one that offers private dining experiences for groups that want the extra time to network over a meal.
The private dining room at The Bistro Edgewood can seat up to 30 and has doors that open up to the patio for an indoor/outdoor experience. There is also an upscale boardroom space, complete with a fireplace, private bathroom and doors leading out to the patio for groups of up to 14.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Bistro Edgewood offers homemade classics inspired by the Lake Tahoe region, with a menu that includes vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options.
[Related: How Investment in the Reno Tahoe Region Is Changing the Meetings Game]
Dining Experiences at Lake Tahoe Restaurants
Riva Grill
When meeting in Lake Tahoe, dining while enjoying lake views is a must. Attendees will be happy to convene at Riva Grill, which has one of the best patios in the area and can accommodate groups for events and dining. Exposed mahogany-beam ceilings, skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows help bring the Lake Tahoe beauty indoors, too.
Named after the wood-crafted Riva boats that frequented Lake Tahoe’s waters, Riva Grill aptly gives attendees the opportunity to overlook watercraft on the lake while networking in style. Riva Grill offers a variety of banquet menus and the whole restaurant can be bought out for up to 500. The Riviera Room has a capacity of up to 100 and the Gar Wood Room up to 120.
Chart House
Another excellent way to get in some formal networking during a dining event while enjoying a lake view is planning a dinner or banquet event at Chart House, which sits atop a tree-studded hill. The Banquet Room at Char House can accommodate up to 62 guests and is located next to an outdoor terrace that offers sweeping views of Lake Tahoe. The East Room off the main dining room comes with a fireplace and can seat up to 40, or smaller groups can opt for the semi-private Captain’s Room for up to 16.
Chefs at Chart House can offer groups customized banquet options that range from buffets to four-course dinners. The restaurant also offers catering services.
The Hangar
Craft beer lovers will revel in a trip to The Hangar, which is an outdoor space on an acre of land, canopied by pine trees and often home to live music events. Its founders call it “a really big yard with an endless supply of beer.” Employees of The Hangar drive all around California, scouting the best breweries and curating a unique craft beer list for visitors. Lawn games like bocce ball and corn hole are also available for after-meetings fun.
Local food trucks are frequently on location so your attendees can sample some grub unique to the area. While The Hangar no longer accepts private bookings for the whole space, groups larger than 15 can call ahead to set aside tables.
Plus: Breweries in Reno and Lake Tahoe
Have some craft beverage fans in your group? Whether it’s offering recommendations for post-meetings fun or renting for a special offsite event, these watering holes in Reno and South Lake Tahoe are worth a “cheers.”
Stateline Brewery, Lake Tahoe
Located in Heavenly Village, just down the street and walkable from meeting hubs the Tahoe Blue Event Center, Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino, Stateline Brewery offers craft beer, more than 500 whiskeys, hand-crafted cocktails and lunch and dinner options. Planners can also book The State Room for banquets and private events.
Cold Water Brewery, Lake Tahoe
This all-grain brewery in South Lake Tahoe handcrafts each of its beers onsite and is a fun, casual post-meetings spot for a few colleagues to gather for a pint. The brewery also serves a menu of comfort food favorites with a twist, too, ranging from truffle burgers and miso ramen to three-cheese mac and tri tip tacos.
The Depot Craft Brewery Distillery, Reno
Located in the old headquarters for the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway circa 1910, the brick building now called The Depot is best known for its beer and top-notch American pub food. Offering lunch, dinner and brunch, the restaurant, brewery and distillery can accommodate groups of many sizes, regularly hosting banquets, company get-togethers and other events on its three floors in the main building to its two warehouse areas.
