Sizzling Steaks At Tahoe Joe’s Chino Hills

It’s not often I venture out of OC to eat unless I am on vacation or attending an event, but once in a while it’s fun to mix it up a little. Last week was one of those times. I was invited to dine with my family at a new restaurant in Chino Hills called “Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse“. The restaurant is located on Grand Avenue in the Spectrum Marketplace and is the first of all 10 locations to arrive in Southern California.

 Tahoe Joe’s Exterior and Interior

When we first arrived I couldn’t help but notice how pretty it looked from the outside. The first thing that catches your eye is the grand outdoor patio with heaters and misters. It looked like a chalet and I felt like I had driven into the  Sierra Mountains instead of the inland empire. I couldn’t wait to see what the inside looked like.

The interior of Tahoe Joe’s is just beautiful. It reminded me of being at a Ski Lodge. There is a floor to ceiling 4-sided stacked stone fireplace that anchors the center dining area. They also have a glowing “cliff wall”, a gorgeous canoe lighting piece and many other whimsical lighting pieces spread throughout.  Tahoe Joe’s  offers a full bar with 3 flat screen TV’s and space for large parties. The overall ambiance and vibe of this restaurant is reminiscent of a very contemporary rustic feel.

Canoe Lighting

Bar Area

Before I even discuss food I just have to mention one really cool thing Tahoe Joe’s does for kids. Before we even sat down there were Etch-A-Sketches waiting for my kids at their tables. Seriously? How awesome is that! It kept them occupied nearly the entire meal. I brought a bag of toys and I didn’t even have to use it. More restaurants should do this. It’s genius! Ok, back to the food.

Tahoe Joe’s Food

To start off our meal we split two appetizers. Seared Ahi Tuna and the Railroad Camp Shrimp. The Ahi was rubbed with Joe’s spices and seved rare with a sweet soy dipping sauce. The shrimp dish was also very tasty and had a nice crunch although the coating on the shrimp was excessive and took away from the flavor of the shrimp.

We also sampled some cocktails with our appetizers. These were so delicious and they came in mason jars for even more fun! On the left is a Watermelon Moonshine made with original moonshine clear corn whiskey, Dekeyper Watermelon Pucker, sweet and sour and a splash of sprite. On the right is a Crown Royale with pineapple, cranberry juice and a splash of sprite.

We had ordered the kids their meals before ours and they came out quickly. My son ordered the kids steak and it was a really nice portion size.

My daughter ordered the grilled cheese and she enjoyed it.

Then it was our turn to eat! I ordered the Taylor Creek Salmon and it came with a loaded baked potato and fresh veggies. The salmon had a delicious crispy texture and was mild and flakey.

My husband ordered the Joe’s Steak that is slow roasted for 19 hours and then rolled in cracked black pepper and wood grilled. It was so tender and the mashed potatoes were perfectly whipped. Tahoe Joe’s uses thick, midwestern, corn-fed beef that has been aged for a minimum of 28 days..

They also offer many hand cut options from four Virginia City filet to spices before being grilled.

I also had a green salad that was tossed with a light champagne vinaigrette, sweet walnuts, tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese.

Tahoe Joe’s Dessert

Of course no good meal goes unfinished without dessert so we tried the Nevada Cheesecake and the Ski Jump Chocolate Cake.

The Nevada Cheesecake was seriously the best piece of cheesecake I have ever had. It had a thick graham cracker crust and the cheesecake itself melted like butter in my mouth. They whip their cream cheese for almost an hour to ensure that it is light and airy. They also add sweet seasonal strawberries.

And the chocolate cake? There are no words to describe this desert except for decadent….and delicious.  They put this cute skier guy on a mound of whipped cream and our waiter was so sweet that he washed it off for the kids so they could play with it after.

 Do you think they were slightly excited?

We had a great experience here are I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone. Special thank you to Reem and Kampi for your hospitality.

Tahoe Joe’s Facts:

• All of their menu items are scratch made, using the finest quality ingredients, many of which are found ONLY at Tahoe Joe’s.
• Their menu is highlighted with chef-inspired entrees that are prepared with quality ingredients.
• The first Tahoe Joe’s opened in west Fresno in 1996.
• They offer all o of their entrees for Take Out, including their large party take out where they take some of their most popular entrees and package them for take-home experiences at an affordable price point (approximately $7-$8 per person).
• Their Chino restaurant is a more modern interpretation of their current Lake- Tahoe-Inspired ski lodge feel.
• The Tahoe Joe’s Brand draws its inspiration from a legendary chef named Tahoe Joe. The story of Tahoe Joe is that he resided in the Lake Tahoe region during the glorious mining days of the 1870’s.

Tahoe Joe’s is located at 3968 Grand Avenue Chino, CA 91710 Phone: 909-628-1320