Beacon Bar & Grill

Camp Richardson
1900 Jameson Beach Road
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 541-0630
www.camprichardson.com
twitter.com/BeaconGrill

Parking: Free lot in front of the restaurant

Sunday – all day, Monday – 3pm-close, Tuesday-Saturday – 3-6pm; $1 off draft beers, $2.50 Coors Light, $5 Rum Runners & Peppermint Patties; $6.50 Pliny the Elder (it’s a beer (and a Roman author)); select appetizers from $3-8

Situated along the Southeast side of Lake Tahoe is nestled the tiny town/camping & cabin destination resort of Camp Richardson. Visiting Camp Richardson, Amanda & I really did feel like Chet & Roman from THE GREAT OUTDOORS. We rented a pair of cruiser bikes for an hour, riding up, down, and all around a bike trail that led through aspen trees and over a bridge that had become a tourist attraction during our visit due to the salmon spawning literally underfoot.



Afterwards, flush with the endorphins that a nice bike ride through the wilderness will bring you, we decided to check out Camp Richardson’s Beacon Bar & Grill, set back from the main road on the lake-front. Some of Amanda’s friends had recommended the restaurant, but warned that it was a bit pricey, so as always, we were thankful to learn they had an all-Sunday Happy Hour, where their famous Rum Runner drinks were on special for $5.


Of course that’s what Amanda & I ordered, muy delicioso frozen blended drinks poured out of grown-up slushee machines with dark rum floated on the top. We also ordered the $6 chips, salsa, & guacamole, a tasty colorful array.


Happy Hour takes place at the bar, but it did appear that you could maybe order your Happy Hour treats and take them outside to the waterfront. Which is maybe what Amanda & I should have done, since a female birthday party got really loud, like hurt-my-ears loud, while they cheered on one of the 6 teams playing football on-screen?

Still, it was fun people-watching in the bar, especially the cute Executive Chef who popped out to check the scores, and the other staff members that all seemed cool and like they wouldn’t be out of place in a movie like the THE SLAMMIN’ SALMON. However, despite their friendliness, the bartenders did card both Amanda & I, which would have seemed fine if we were actually sitting at the bar. As it was, I had to get up from the table and show them my license. Not that I’m lazy (I am), but it just seemed weird. What if Amanda had wanted 2 for herself (she did)?

I wish we could have had a couple more Rum Runners, but we were kinda out in the wild and needed to stay sober for our drive back to civilization/another Happy Hour!

--JB

Rating: 4 Martinis (4.5 if you could take your Happy Hour on the patio!)