Sierra Pines Resort

Nightmare on Main Street...
October 30, 2023... let me paint the picture. Today is my fiancé's 50th birthday. We live in Nevada City and wanted to get away for his birthday somewhere in the mountains. Fishing is his thing, a favorite since he was very young. I heard about "Sierra Pines Resort", their trout pond and that the restaurant there would cook any fish that you catch. The idea sounded perfect so I reserved and paid for 2 nights. Also, the "pet friendly" concept was appealing.
The first night we arrived, we checked in at 7:30pm, and the owners seemed accommodating and I was so elated to be there.
The morning after check in, my fiancé's birthday, we got our fishing poles ready, with lures and bait (I had called the owner after I made the reservation and double checked with her that this would be acceptable, and she said it was) and we went fishing. It didn't bother us that the "trout pond" was literally a coin fountain in front of the business, we thought it was great...at first. After I caught my first fish ever (I am the rookie), the owners came flying out of their room and their energy was so hasty and off putting. Right away they said "you cannot fish right now and you cannot fish at this time". I replied that we were not aware of that and we apologized. The owner (lady) said "well there is a sign right there". I looked over, and as I did it was a painted sign on a barn. I immediately told the owner it looked like a "vintage sign" that older established businesses have (ie. Milk 10 cents, Candy 5 cents, etc.) it just didn't look real. The owner was so disgusted and absolutely threw a fit, and kept saying the "sign says it all". I told her that I called and asked about the fishing, lures, etc, and that she never mentioned anything anywhere or anytime about this restriction. She replied with "well, I didn't know what dates you had reserved", even though the reservations were already made.
Next thing you know, they're on the phone calling the Sheriff, and I look like a garbage pail kid but I just start crying. We packed up our things and left by 10:30am. I absolutely was so and still am so upset about this, nice birthday that I had planned.
I did tell the owners that their communication was lacking at best, and their behavior was so inappropriate for owning this type of business.
The Sheriff never showed up, didn't plan it, which makes me realize this is probably an ongoing waste of time that these owners are constantly imposing.
Take my advice, don't stay here, unless you're into wasting your time and money on a complete guaranteed horror story.

First time we have eaten there since the new ownership. It is still good but service can be sketchy. The folks next to us were there before us and they got their food about 20 minutes after. During this time the wait staff only came over a few times. Everybody is really nice but there was a wait of about 10 minutes before they asked for our drink order.

My fried chicken was good but the fries were not. They should put steak fries on the plate instead of the small fries they do. My wife really enjoyed the spaghetti. I tasted the sauce and it was on point. Dinner salad was okay. Blue cheese dressing was too thick. Had the cobbler and the top was mushy instead of crispy.

They have done a great job of putting tables outside to eat. We prefer the indoor seating but the folks outside looked like they were having a great time.

This review is for the restaurant only

We stayed in Sierra city at another lodge and wanted to go out for dinner and chose to go to Sierra pines. From the get go they are very interesting as they have a pond out front with 1000's of trout that they catch daily to serve as part of their menu. They also have a very old tree going right through the building which was really neat. There is a lot of history in this place which I found super intriguing.

We had a reservation, and had no wait to sit down. However our wait time to be seen by our waitress was pretty long. We were sitting for probably about 20-25 minutes before we were helped which was pretty long. It was a little busy but not over the top so not sure what happened, but after that our server was pretty attentive!

the bread is really good and mixed with different kinds. I ordered the Tuscan chicken pasta and my fiancé ordered the spaghetti. We were very impressed with the Tuscan chicken pasta! It had a lot of flavor and was really tasty. The spaghetti was also pretty good. We got soup as our side and it was a great portion size.

We also shared the berry cobbler and it was super sweet and perfect, the best end to our dinner. Prices were reasonable and food was good, we would come back.

Been going here since I was a wee little one and I would love to say that the charm is still there. It's so cute! Dinner was a special and it was so good! All though they are short staffed, they are doing their damn best!!!! Remember that when you drive all the way out there. It's not Dennys it's not your local diner it legit is a restaurant in the middle of no where that's so busy for it's size, have patience! Be kind and above all enjoy your time there cause it's truly a little gem. We stayed two nights, room was perfect dogs loved swimming in the river on the property and LOVED the big open beautiful well maintained grass across the street! (wish my lawn looked like that!) Keep it up y'all are killing it!

This is a cute little restaurant attached to the resort. Rustic and comfy with a small pond out front. They started us out with a loaf of fresh baked (warm) bread. I could have made a meal on that alone it was so good. I ordered their Zydeco salad for dinner, which is a bed of mixed spring greens served with several large grilled shrimp and a giant crab cake. The shrimp was perfectly grilled. Sometimes crab cakes have too much bread crumbs mixed in them but not here. It was delicious. My friend had the Strawberry Spinach Salad which was also great. The service was very good. Our server was polite and made sure we had all we needed. We will be back to sample more. Stay tuned......

Wonderful place to stay and enjoy a beautiful meal getting away from the big city. Came up for a gold prospecting show in nearby Downieville. Found this place thanks to Downieville's Facebook page.

I was able book a restaurant level room and had no issues with noise.. In fact enjoyed hearing the nearby trout pond water fountain. Best is because these rooms are near the registration and restaurant we had internet.

Had dinner here last night and tonight and meals and hospitality were wonderful. Missed out on Saturday night prime rib but has the Rib eye instead and it was perfect.

Tomorrow's breakfast will be here and looking forward to biscuits and gravy and maybe trout the house speciality.

My only recommendation is make sure you make a reservation for dinner not to miss out.

We came here to celebrate a friend's 60th birthday, a total surprise that the ownership and staff helped to protect. That part was really appreciated. The place is really cute. The decor is rustic, clean, and nicely decorated. The staff are really, really nice and helpful. The prices are reasonable and the drinks are varied with a good selection of wines and beers.
The menu was really varied and can meet the needs of those with dietary restrictions. When our large party started getting served, I noted that every dish was plentiful, the proteins were really well presented, and it looked like they were all made with care. The problem was that the food seemed woefully under seasoned. The pork dish I had looked great, but was a bit underwhelming. The home made apple sauce was pretty good. My wife's crab cakes were well made, but also really lacked in the seasoning. A simple aioli would have elevated the dish or some other addition to add a little bit of flavor.

The new owners are not friendly. We've been going there for 40 years, our last trip was a fiasco. The electrical sockets were falling apart-dangerous! There wasn't any soap at the sink. The "cable tv" was only a few channels. The food was good but the atmosphere in the restaurant wasn't conducive to a relaxing evening.

After an absolute nightmare with another wedding venue, we were forced to find a new event space in the area just a few months before our wedding so that we wouldn't also lose out on the deposits we paid to other vendors. We were so thankful to find Sierra Pines Resort. Cindy and Glen's kindness was a gift after such a long and heartbreaking process with the other venue. We were finally able to be excited about our wedding again! Throughout the planning process, Cindy was responsive and helpful in making our vision come to life. She coordinated with our vendors and went above and beyond on the day of to ensure our day was a success. The reception food was INCREDIBLE, our guests still talk about the steak. And everything was beautiful, it still feels like a dream.

Throughout the weekend, she and her staff made our guests feel welcome. Our guests loved the cabins and having a space that felt like ours for a few days. After 2 years apart, it was what everyone needed.

(photos by Sabrina Allbee)

I've been coming to the Sierra Pines Resort for 25 years. When I was younger I came to hike and now that I am older, I come to write and breathe. I come for the sounds of the wind in the trees and the river flowing nearby. The scent of the cedars and pines is calming. The food is excellent and the portions large. The restaurant is seasonal, but dinners can be arranged all winter from a shortened menu and will be brought to your room by the owners, including an ice-cold martini or other libation. I will continue to come once or twice a year as long as I can for rest, relaxation and to recharge my batteries. I think of the resort as rustic as pictures of the resort online will show but it is that rustic ambiance I am looking for.

Imagine my surprise when I was rudely awakened one morning by a man screaming obscenities at the owners in a threatening voice because he could not fish as early in the morning as he wanted to. There is a well-maintained sign that might be considered "vintage." "Vintage" is one of the reasons to visit Sierra City. Vintage, however, does not mean that the rules on the sign were not intended to be considered. The rules clearly state there is no fishing before 10:00 or after 1:00. The rules also say there is no need for a license, no limit, and no tax. It listed the TROUT POND RULES, one of which was "all fish caught must be kept," along with the trout prices, like 0-10" is $8. And, since the owners appreciate dogs, there is a caution: RAW TROUT MAY BE HARMFUL TO DOGS. (I didn't know that.)

The man continued to scream profanity loud enough that I stood on the bed to watch what was going on. He was threatening in manner. And, the owners did call the police realizing that it would take the sheriff 45 minutes to get there and they were on their own for that amount of time. The women, Leah, I assume, loaded the car as the man went to the room and came back with more abuse. She kept asking him to get in the car and stood in front of him pushing him away from the owners several times. She finally said she was leaving, got in the car and disappeared around the corner of the restaurant. He finally followed her.

In the crazy world we live in, it is easy to complain about a place or the staff. In this case, there is a five-star rating system. Where is the rating chart for customers who have no regard for other patrons who might also be staying at the resort. I was awakened by a man repeatedly swearing in a loud, bullying voice. In the crazy world we live in, I didn't know if I was safe. I considered dialing 911 for myself. Warning: there isn't cell service here, one of the perks in my mind. I just watched and prayed that the child in man's clothes was on a verbal, not a physical rampage because his expectations were not met perfectly. If he and Leah had paid attention, they would have known how they were expected to act.

I'll be back in the Spring. This retreat is more than worth putting up with the antics of a child. I am happy that the two people who were so rude disliked the location so much. I won't have to worry about their bad manners again. I can't complain. In 25 years, this is the only negative I have experienced. Thank you Glen and Cindy for hanging in there.