Front Street Station Pizza — Restaurant in California

We had a disappointing experience here at the Tahoe city restaurant last night. Like many, we are here on vacation and were just looking for a simple pizza dinner. Granted it was a busy night. But when my wife and I entered the small restaurant with our three kids, it was clear the “dine-in option” on the website was inaccurate (just a bar counter with three stools next to the cash register and front door waiting area). That was fine though, because the pizza smelled good so we thought we’d try it anyway.

We ordered three pizzas and a burrito (I know, it’s a pizza joint, but my oldest daughter saw it on the menu and wanted to try it). These are cracker thin crust pizzas which should cook fast. But it was a busy night and they said it could take up to 40min (which the cashier only mentioned to us after we already paid, so we didn’t really feel we could go elsewhere at that point). Regardless, we decided to get some groceries while we waited. Safeway was crowded so after 35min I told my wife to check out while I went back to pick up our pizzas so they’d be hot and fresh.

When i got back to the restaurant (45min after ordering) I asked the cashier if my order was ready. He turned to his colleague who opened up the oven door and said “five more minutes”. I said “that’s cool” and was happy to wait to get my pizzas fresh out of the oven. But a lot of other customers came and went while I was sitting ant the counter and I began to wonder why 5min had turned into 20min.

I noticed stacks of pizza boxes sitting on top of the oven which were apparently completed orders being kept warm. The stack on the far left side was three boxes which had been there since I walked in. I finally asked “is that actually my order sitting up there?”. The cashier went to check the receipt and sure enough my food had been ready all along. But his colleague said it would still be “5more minutes for the burrito”. But it wasn’t because the burrito was still in the oven. They were just putting it in at that moment. When I pointed out that to the cashier that he told me it would be “5minutes” over 20min earlier, he said “it’s a busy night man”. So of course he made me feel like I was being the jerk.

After a few more minutes, they pulled the burrito out of the oven, and gave it to me along with my now 40min old pizzas. My kids were starving when I picked my wife and them up from Safeway. But my daughter took one bite of her burrito and spit it out in shock because it was cold inside. And those cracker thin crust pizzas had cooled down and gotten soggy just as fast, so even the pizzas were a disappointment.

I know pizza joints in a ski town get busy over the holidays. But there are a couple rules for any food service business. Don’t offer and accept money for services you can’t deliver, even if it’s busy (see how well that worked for the airline industry). And don’t serve food that’s not ready to eat (I learned that one from watching Top Chef).

Post script: I was so annoyed by this experience that I called the restaurant today to give feedback. They put me in touch with the owner who respectfully listened to my story and offered his apologies. But he was at the Truckee location not Tahoe City so couldn’t really do anything about it. But he seemed to genuinely take the feedback to heart and offered me a credit, which was a nice gesture. I declined however because it wasn’t about the money. Maybe you’ll have a better experience, because I think the pizzas might have been good if they were fresh (which is why I gave 2 stars instead of one). But we won’t be going...

While staying in the Homewood area of Lake Tahoe we were hungry for pizza. The place we had tried the last time we were in the area was closed, Monday must have been their off day. So we went searching for a backup place to enjoy our pie. We searched Google and this place looked like a great choice and we ventured out.

What a surprise was waiting for us. The restaurant is very small and basically used for takeout. There are 4 high-stool tables on the patio outside along with 2 tables adjacent the side of the building. But if you decided to dine at the restaurant the best is yet to come, and I am not even talking about the pizza. The views from the Truckee River that runs along the restaurant’s porch area are spectacular. What a fantastic place to enjoy a pizza. And when the pie was ready, it did not disappoint. I love thin style pizza and this was truly a masterpiece!

If you like to try different toppings on your pizza, are you in for a good time. They have a huge blackboard just filled with so many choices, it is hard to finally order. But whatever toppings you finally decide on, you will love your pie that much more. The pizzas look pretty much like pizza anywhere you order them, but the best part lies in the final test, eating. And Front Street Pizza is a WINNER!! Give it a try, you will not be disappointed having your pie and looking at the...

In the course of the events comprising the human condition, one may find themselves yearning for pizza situated at the middle of the week. If that soul suffers from such misfortune as having to resort to engaging in commerce with Front Street Station Pizza in the absence of other options, they will become mired in disappointment. As a favor to you, dear reader, I will endeavor to briefly enumerate the areas in which this establishment falls short from admissible quality.

Ignoring Patrons. The rotund and quite unkept young woman at the front of this establishment was so thoroughly preoccupied by the digital happenings of her smartphone that she did not acknowledge the presence of yours truly. When prompted, she rudely eked out an order for me to wait. Chaotic Operations. The staff exhibited frenetic and disorderly conduct which included rifling through pizza boxes for unclear reasons. Mediocre Quality of Pizza. The pizza is simply mediocre at best. The extent of flavor is comparable to that of a communion wafer that’s been assaulted by a menagerie of thoroughly milquetoast ingredients.

For these Reasons, It is incumbent upon me to issue you a warning: do not to engage in commerce with this establishment in any circumstance. Should you choose to not heed this warning, you may ask yourself "why did...