Caliente - Kings Beach

Name: Caliente - Kings Beach
Address: 8791 N. Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, CA, United States, 96143
Telephone: (530) 546-1000
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.2

4.2

525 Reviews

$30 and under

Southwest

Top Tags:

Located in historic Kings Beach and just minutes from the waterfront, Caliente takes its name from its diverse family neighborhood surroundings. Caliente specializes in the flavor of the American Southwest and beyond. Think Santa Fe, or as we like to say, “Southwest, South”. Caliente, opened on August 3rd, 2007 after an extensive remodel, is one very important step in the revitalization of the Kings Beach neighborhood. Today, Caliente stands on North Lake Boulevard as the stunning example of the Kings Beach remodel in progress. We take great pride in our creation and our clean, casual and friendly atmosphere awaits your visit. Caliente offers an unequaled and unique variety of quality fun, food and beverage at affordable prices. Dining out is more than just a meal, it is an event based on value and a wonderful experience. Combine our meals with generous premium Margaritas and our famous signature drink, The ChupaCabra, and we have created a dining experience to remember.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 21, 2023

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Southwest, Mexican / Southwestern, Latin American
Hours of operation
Bar (Year Round) (Sun - Thurs) 5:00 pm - 11:30pm (Fri & Sat) 5:00 pm - 1:00 am Dinner (Year Round) (Sun - Thurs) 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm (Fri & Sat) 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Lunch (May - September) (Sat & Sun) 11:30am - 5:00pm
Phone number
(530) 546-1000
Website
http://www.calientetahoe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Gabriel Golden
Private party contact
Amy Grigsby: (530) 546-3366

Location
8791 N. Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, CA 96143
Neighborhood
Kings Beach
Cross street
Chipmunk
Parking details
There is plenty of on-site private parking, public parking, and street parking.
Public transit
All local public transit drops off and picks up in front of Caliente Southwest South.
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Chips & Salsa$5.00
served with charred tomato salsa, tomatillo or mango pico if you wish
Queso Fundido con Chorizo$16.00
hot & creamy dipping sauce made with manchego and jack cheeses served with warm tortillas
Don Tomas Guacamole*$17.00
fresh avocados smashed together with queso fresco, pico de gallo, spices, fresh lime
Short Rib Street Tacos$23.00
corn tortillas, apple jicama slaw, braised ancho short rib, aioli, cilantro, queso fresco
Southwest Quesadilla$21.00
flour tortilla stuffed with pepper jack cheese, sauteed peppers, onions, choice of chicken tinga or pork pibil served with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo
Cerveza Chile Relleno$22.00
fire roasted poblano pepper stuffed with queso fresco, manchego, jack cheese, grilled corn, black beans, crema, guacamole , pico de gallo
Short Rib Taquitos$18.00
jack cheese, black beans, crema, queso fresco, pico, cabbage
Nachos$23.00
chicken tinga or pork pibil with queso fundido, jalapenos, refried beans, sour cream , pico de gallo. what do you call someone else's cheese, na - cho cheese!
Spicy Jalapeno Six Shooters$6.00
bacon and cheddar stuffed, beer battered, hot & spicy jalapeno "shots" with cilantro ranch
- Six for$33.00
Shrimp Ceviche$22.00
lime cured shrimp, fresh onion, cilantro, jalapeno, halved avocado, mango pico, chipotle aioil
Ahi Poke Nachos$22.00
chipotle aioli, toasted seasame, mango pico

Tahoe Tacos Especiales

$1 of each, $2 of one, or a $3-some - your choice - each taco is different you know. All served with chipotle-tomato aioli, cilantro, radish

Fish Tacos*$22.00
grilled or battered snapper, apple-jicama slaw, guacamole, chipotle-tomato aioli
Pork Pibil$11.00
chipotle adobo braised pork, sauteed peppers, onions, cabbage
- 3 for$30.00
Chicken Tinga$11.00
chili de arbol braised chicken tinga, cabbage, tomatillo salsa
- 3 for$30.00
Carne Asada*$11.00
chimichurri grilled skirt steak, charred tomato salsa, cabbage
- 3 for$30.00
Caliente Shrimp*$11.00
chipotle marinated shrimp with onions, peppers, pineapple jicama slaw
- 3 for$30.00

What 525 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
3.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Tahoe / Reno Area
Kid-friendly
Tahoe / Reno Area
Great for outdoor dining
North Lake Tahoe
Kid-friendly
North Lake Tahoe
Good for groups
North Lake Tahoe
Healthy
North Lake Tahoe
Hot spot
North Lake Tahoe
Great for outdoor dining
North Lake Tahoe
Great for scenic views
North Lake Tahoe
Lively
North Lake Tahoe
Most Booked

525 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on September 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff here is amazing 👏 food and drinks were great! Awesome veiw on the deck. We will be back!
Is this helpful?
EM
EricM
Los Angeles
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall3food4service5ambience4
Good food. Great service and ambiance. Our only complaint was that the food is overpriced.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on August 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and service! Tried the Birria Tacos, and they were to die for!!! I will be back!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Nice setting good food. Service staff were attentive and friendly.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Pretty good. Staff was very nice and attentive. The atmosphere was peaceful. The food was good, but slightly pricey for the portions.
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TP
TerriP
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was great, drinks were great and our waitress was lovely. Very prompt and attentive. It was a very nice dinner!
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p
paisleygirl
San Francisco
16 reviews
3.0
16 reviews
Dined on August 10, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Three of us were dining. There were two other people seated at the time. We ordered chicken nachos, a chicken quesadilla, and two tacos (one chicken & one shrimp). Our server did not write it down but it wasn’t busy, so whaever. We received a pork quesadilla, a pork taco and a shrimp taco. The nacho order was correct but upon eating, there were several black hairs found in the dish. We stopped eating after the 3rd hair was found and upon some examination, we discovered at least two other black hairs. Unfortunate because it is a cool spot to go but not when you get the wrong order and have hairs in your food.
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F
Fidel
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a good vibe on the roof deck. Margaritas are tasty.
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DT
DonnT
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
I’ve wanted to try this place since it opened. My family loves Mexican food and was excited to try it. We made a reservation and arrived to find no where to check in. We selected an open table as there were many. We received no service. I finally flagged down a server and was admonished for not checking in. We were promptly moved to a different table (with no view). I shared that I do not eat cilantro and asked for options. The manager came over and told me they couldn’t offer me any options and mansplained that it is common in southwestern food that all dishes contain cilantro. He was uninterested in learning other ways I have eaten at Mexican or southwest places in the past and he again stated that ALL would have cilantro. Since I wasn’t able to eat there, we left and will not return.
1 person found this helpful
DW
DebbieW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good food and drinks, reservations were easy and accommodating for 8 people. Service was fast
Is this helpful?
BB
BuddhaBoy
San Francisco
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience3
Made a reservation for 7:00 and were seated early, 6:45. Sat at a table within 2-3 feet of another table where two women were sitting and talking about their lives... They were loud and rude, which had nothing to do with the restaurant, but something we were subjected to nonetheless. Food was good as my wife and I shared Fajitas, salsas were good, although a little too sweet for me... I also got an ala carte shrimp taco, which was good, but again, there was a pineapple salsa component that was again, a bit too sweet for me. Overall I'd recommend the venue as the food is good, the setting and ambience is nice (although kind of crowded) and it's apparent that the owners care about the food. It's definitely pricey like most restaurants "on the waterfront", but if you can afford a nice dinner for two at $80-$100 depending on drinks, go for it!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 28, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Awesome servers, very nice staff who went out of their way to provide appropriate greetings
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MM
MeganM
Portland
3 reviews
vip
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience2
Food was very expensive for the quality of the food. Not very authentic cuisine. Children’s menu was disappointing expensive food charged extra for a drink. 17-20 bucks is a bit much
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D
Dottiewyo
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 26, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
We had a great dining experience at Caliente. The setting was nice and the food was very good.
Is this helpful?
KM
KristineM
Philadelphia
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 26, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
The food was good. The patio upstairs was comfortable. The staff was friendly and helpful.
Is this helpful?
LC
LynseyC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our server was hilarious, the food was delicious.
Is this helpful?
SR
SaraR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Servers were from all over Europe, so their accents were cool to listen to. Very friendly and good food. The top deck was very nice! Would go again! Salmon was great!
Is this helpful?
SB
SandiB
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on July 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious food, great service, and loved sitting on the deck for a wonderful summer eve dinner. Our server was excellent. Will definitely go back!
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DO
DeborahO
Denver
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We got to eat on the patio, which is lovely and shady. 6 of us shared 3 orders of fajitas and it was plenty, with some to take home.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was delicious! We almost didn’t go based on the low star rating but it should be a 4 star rating. Great atmosphere sitting outdoors and the salsa was super yummy!
Is this helpful?
R
Rich
San Francisco
14 reviews
2.0
14 reviews
Dined on July 7, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience4
I’ve been to Caliente many times. The quality of the food has gone way down. I had their popular fish tacos that tasted like they came off a production line instead of a nice (expensive) restaurant. The breading on the fish was thick, greasy and cold. Yuck. We had 9 guests who also said they would pass on Caliente next time. I was surprised to see how few people their were on an expected very busy July 6. Sorry Caliente. Not sure we will return.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 5, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Our server was friendly and patient. Once again, a great meal at Caliente.
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G
Grndno2000
Los Angeles
3 reviews
vip
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Overall the food was mediocre for the price we paid. Disappointed.
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good food and ambiance. Would come back again!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on June 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful waiter that was very conscientious and professional. When he was made aware of my shellfish allergy, the manager came to our table for a consult. It was our 50th anniversary and the restaurant gave us a free dessert, which was unexpected. A very nice celebration for us! The hostess even wished us happy anniversary on our way out.
Is this helpful?
NH
NotHyding
San Francisco
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
We went in as a large group with a reservation. Our group able was ready upon arrival. The staff was attentive to our needs and the meals were delivered in a reasonable time frame. All parks members enjoyed their meals immensely.
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DB
DeeB
Atlanta Metro
11 reviews
vip
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience4
Okay Mexican food. Can bring much more authenticity to the food quality and taste.
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C
Chris
Las Vegas
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a great place to spend Mothers Day. The food and the service was excellent.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place is a great place to celebrate any special occasions. The restaurant itself was really nice.We book a reservation at the time that it said that it’ll closed, we were a little skeptical of arriving and not being able to get attended but the host was very sweet and helpful. Nobody was in the restaurant except my party, which was great since it was my sister birthday. The host made sure to give us a great experience overall.
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AA
AndreaA
San Francisco
32 reviews
vip
5.0
32 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our 2nd visit to this restaurant and it was just as good as our first experience. Fresh chips and yummy guacamole. Delicious tacos and outstanding service. What more do you need!
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L
Lynn
San Francisco
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Second night in a row for dinner. Great service and food.
Is this helpful?
L
Lynn
San Francisco
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on April 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love the food and service! Always come here on our trips to Tahoe.
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CS
CompassSpinners
Vancouver
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 27, 2023
overall2food2service5ambience2
Super friendly staff. Very accommodating. There was literally nobody else in there on a Sunday around 4 pm. Makes you wonder why they weren’t as busy as their sister restaurants always are. My husband and I had been wanting to try this place out since it opened several years ago but only now had the opportunity. Food was just alright-definitely not worth the price. Absolutely nothing that stood out. Four people all had the same opinion…shmeh. Doubt we’ll be returning.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I came here with my girl on our first date, inside is pretty nice! Everyone was really friendly and the food was great. My date loved the Chupacabra, was a bit much for me. Surprisingly, it wasn't busy at all for a Saturday night. I wanna come back with my pals for happy hour. Apps and beer are 50% off!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New Orleans
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Generous sizzling beef tacos Delicious!
Is this helpful?
IL
ILoveBarolo
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
1.0
15 reviews
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall1food2service2ambience4
This place does not want kids. The internet is horrible and everyone just says it’s always this way. The kids tacos are a joke. A few pieces of meat on a tortilla. No sauce. What should have been a nice family meal was a mess.
1 person found this helpful
LW
LindaW
Minneapolis
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on January 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful good! Great taste, good amount of meat in the burrito. Nice atmosphere! Would definitely go again!!
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E
Edward
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is my go to Mexican place since like the vibe and get very good service. Part of this may be because I have got to know some of the employees there but I know they always try to do their best in light of difficulties getting employees to work.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on January 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love coming here for dinner after hitting the slopes! We come every winter and usually stop by at least once while we're visiting the lake!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tahoe
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a great time! I like coming here in the winter rather than the summer, it's not so crowded.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Caliente - Kings Beach offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (530) 546-1000.

Caliente - Kings Beach is rated 4.2 stars by 525 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 21, 2023

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

8791 N. Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, CA 96143

Additional information

Cross street
Chipmunk
Neighborhood
Kings Beach
Hours of operation
Bar (Year Round) (Sun - Thurs) 5:00 pm - 11:30pm (Fri & Sat) 5:00 pm - 1:00 am Dinner (Year Round) (Sun - Thurs) 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm (Fri & Sat) 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Lunch (May - September) (Sat & Sun) 11:30am - 5:00pm
Cuisines
Southwest, Mexican / Southwestern, Latin American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
There is plenty of on-site private parking, public parking, and street parking.
Public transit
All local public transit drops off and picks up in front of Caliente Southwest South.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Gabriel Golden
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.calientetahoe.com/
Phone number
(530) 546-1000
Private party contact
Amy Grigsby: (530) 546-3366

Caliente - Kings Beach

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Popular dishes

Nachos

Chicken Tinga

Fish Tacos

Menu

Botanas y Ensaladas

Chips & Salsa$5.00

Queso Fundido con Chorizo$16.00

Don Tomas Guacamole*$17.00

Short Rib Street Tacos$23.00

Southwest Quesadilla$21.00

Cerveza Chile Relleno$22.00

Short Rib Taquitos$18.00

Nachos$23.00

Spicy Jalapeno Six Shooters$6.00

Shrimp Ceviche$22.00

Ahi Poke Nachos$22.00

Tahoe Tacos Especiales

Fish Tacos*$22.00

Pork Pibil$11.00

Chicken Tinga$11.00

Carne Asada*$11.00

Caliente Shrimp*$11.00

What 525 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does Caliente - Kings Beach offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Caliente - Kings Beach restaurant rated?

Is Caliente - Kings Beach currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information