The Willo

Great local roadhouse. Best smoked pork chop I've ever had. Karen is a magician, Lisa is amazing...actually all of the wait staff are fantastic! Erik brings dessert, so be especially nice to him. 😃

We were visiting our friend and she recommended we dine at Willo Steakhouse we had such a nice time and the food, drinks and service were very good. There was an issue and our friend called the restaurant later and left a message and the owner called back to resolve it. This shows you how an owner operator runs a very good restaurant. We highly recommend Willo Steakhouse if you have not dined there, you should definitely try it and you will be glad you did. Well done to the owner and her team for running such a great restaurant operation. We are looking forward to returning later next month for another great dining experience.

My mother and I are regulars at the Willo. When family or friends come to visit, they want to make sure that they have the chance to dine at the Willo. We love the rustic atmosphere. We really enjoy The variety the menu has to offer. The food is exceptional and priced fairly. All staff members are very friendly and truly make you feel at home. We always look forward to the scoop of ice cream at the end of our meal :-) Cindy Our family has been enjoying the Willo restaurant since the 80s. And as I have mentioned, it has been a very enjoyable evening out. Things have changed however. With the new ownership unfortunately we have found that several of our favorite servers some that have been there Many many years are no longer there. It wasn’t just the food that we were coming to the Willo for. We miss our favorites, and probably won’t be dining there, quite as often. it’s just not the same for us.

Best local steakhouse in Nevada county! Just the basics done right. The streaks are always good quality and cooked to perfection. Simple menu at affordable prices and great customer service. I love the single scoop of ice cream 🍨 included with every meal, especially when they serve spumoni 😋

The food is fantastic. Everyone at my table had a really delicious meal. The service staff are so kind and personable. Very thoughtful staff. The only drawback was the noise level when it's crowded. I have neurological issues and can't handle noise level that high. So when I go back, and I plan to, I'll wear ear plugs or go earlier or later when not as crowded.

The food is amazing. I love the small menu too. Make a reservation cause this place gets packed, and you might not get in. Service was excellent, and man, those ribs and BBQ sauce were to die for. My son saisnit was the best hamburger he ever had... At the end, you get a delicious scoop of rocky road ice cream. Better than average ice cream too.

Love the simplicity and authenticity of Willo Steak House, you can almost hear the rumbling of logging trucks up and down Hwy 49 with the drivers stopping off for a burger and a beer (just $0.60 back in the day!). Nothing pretentious about this place, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Nice shaded patio out back, looking forward to trying it when the temperature isn’t 101F like it was yesterday. Great steaks, chops and chicken cooked right on the indoor grill where you can watch them being grilled, with an option to grill your own if you want to have some fun. Attentive service was right on the mark.

Really delicious steak house that’s been here a long time. They fire their steaks on an open grill in the main dining room and even have the option to grill your own if you prefer. The beans and salad are mid but the bread and steaks are amazing

This is our New Years go to with friends. This year our waitress was less than friendly, but everyone else was amazing. Very comfy atmosphere with top notch cooking. Only suggestion...ask for your salad in a separate bowl. They put steak, beans and salad on same plate. 🙂

Great BBQ ribs, and the sauce? Excellent! The staff (very young) was quite accommodating and attentive. Two pieces of advice: brighter lights in the restaurant would be great! And the chair rails need dusting.

Absolutely the best surprise ever. I am a steak Lover. The parking lot was full, I could smell the BBQ. As soon as I walked in and saw the hug BBQ Pit I had a feeling this was going to be good. Ordered a Ribeye and Smoked pork chop dinners. The waitress was so awesome when I explained how I like my steak cooked. She nailed it. Smoked Pork Chop was tender and the beans and salad were great. The OMG the blueberry ice cream topped me off. I can honestly say this is in the top steaks I have eaten. The staff were busy but all very on top of our table. If I have any suggestions it would be to put a tip jar near your BBQ PIT. They deserve to be appreciated for a job well done. Thank You

Still one of the best steak houses for a hundred miles. Their menu has expanded including fish, chicken, ribs and more. Their service is excellent. It's a great place for just a one on one dinner or a family gathering or party. We've been going for over 38 years and just love it. We had the opportunity to dine here on New Year's Eve. This time we were set up in the bar area. Very cool atmosphere. Old rustic feel with a lot of little humorous signs to read. There's an old skee ball and pool table in there too. One very noticable difference from the main dining room was how quiet it was in comparison. You definitely could hear each other. It was a nice change and we may just request it in the future. The Willo may not be an inexpensive choice when going out to dinner but we consider it a treat. For sure after seemingly two months of turkey a big ole steak was in order, and The Willo delivered.

Best steak I’ve ever had… pretty good location and very wonderful workers. If you’ve never came here before you need to go. Great portions too

If you’re looking for a recommendation, definitely try their ribeye, which is their signature dish. I also had the potato and finished with the strawberry ice cream for dessert. Everything was delicious. Next time I’m in Nevada City, I’ll absolutely be coming back here for dinner!

Had a great time, great food and great conversation with my mom and my best friend and cousin Sunday night. Been awhile since I was here years ago to celebrate his 50th birthday and longer time before that when he gave me a job at 13 and the crew wod stop for a meal. Would be here more often if i lived closer...Planning on celebrating my own 50th birthday here this October!

The Willo is a Nevada County institution! My parents went there for their 70th wedding anniversary dinner, I went there for a benchmark birthday. Dinners include a salad with choice of dressing, baked beans, garlic bread and ice cream for dessert. Their drinks and house wine are reasonably priced and the wait staff and owners are friendly and fun. I like the steaks, but have family members who like the halibut, and one whose book club sometimes meets there on Monday night for the ½ Ground Choice NY Steak Hamburger Dinner (evidently taking advantage of unused meat from the weekend). A real cross-section of people eat here.

This is a fun place to eat all around and the food is really good, especially considering the reasonable prices. All the staff was really friendly, and the inside definitely was eclectic. Definitely worth going to this roadside stop. Had the steak with salad and beans, and shared the St Louis style ribs. Ribs were excellent. They also give a small cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream with the meal.

Delicious food and friendly staff. After a few hours of panning for gold, we headed here. We were met with smiling staff, who not only made our dinners but also made our night. After dinner, we had their complementary ice-cream, but were still hungry because how long we had been out. We ordered tje ribs and an extra basket of bread and they were amazing! Visit this adorable restaurant if you have the time, it is worth it. One of the staff members even had a conversation with us after dinner, outside the restaurant about our travels. Can't reccomend it enough. Thank you Willo!

Lenny Humphrey

Best steak I’ve ever had… pretty good location and very wonderful workers. If you’ve never came here before you need to go. Great portions too

Igor Bandeira

If you’re looking for a recommendation, definitely try their ribeye, which is their signature dish. I also had the potato and finished with the strawberry ice cream for dessert. Everything was delicious. Next time I’m in Nevada City, I’ll absolutely be coming back here for dinner!

Mark Simpson

Had a great time, great food and great conversation with my mom and my best friend and cousin Sunday night. Been awhile since I was here years ago to celebrate his 50th birthday and longer time before that when he gave me a job at 13 and the crew wod stop for a meal. Would be here more often if i lived closer...Planning on celebrating my own 50th birthday here this October!

Doug A

The Willo is a Nevada County institution! My parents went there for their 70th wedding anniversary dinner, I went there for a benchmark birthday. Dinners include a salad with choice of dressing, baked beans, garlic bread and ice cream for dessert. Their drinks and house wine are reasonably priced and the wait staff and owners are friendly and fun. I like the steaks, but have family members who like the halibut, and one whose book club sometimes meets there on Monday night for the ½ Ground Choice NY Steak Hamburger Dinner (evidently taking advantage of unused meat from the weekend). A real cross-section of people eat here.

Mark McCraley

This is a fun place to eat all around and the food is really good, especially considering the reasonable prices. All the staff was really friendly, and the inside definitely was eclectic. Definitely worth going to this roadside stop. Had the steak with salad and beans, and shared the St Louis style ribs. Ribs were excellent. They also give a small cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream with the meal.

Andrea M

Delicious food and friendly staff. After a few hours of panning for gold, we headed here. We were met with smiling staff, who not only made our dinners but also made our night. After dinner, we had their complementary ice-cream, but were still hungry because how long we had been out. We ordered tje ribs and an extra basket of bread and they were amazing! Visit this adorable restaurant if you have the time, it is worth it. One of the staff members even had a conversation with us after dinner, outside the restaurant about our travels. Can't reccomend it enough. Thank you Willo!

Great 1st visit! Went with family for a birthday dinner and had a great meal in a casual relaxing environment. Service was attentive but not intrusive. Steaks were all cooked do specification and very tender. Are group of nine had a good variety of dishes all were excellent.

My girlfriend and I work our placer mine nearby during the season and frequent the Willo as much as possible. This is by far our favorite restaurant. The food is great and the steaks are the best. Rather have a steak here than any fancy steak house. The atmosphere great, a little loud and busy most nights but the food is worth it. Sure hits the spot when coming off the mountain after a hard weeks work.

Alot of history at this place. Wonderful service and kind people owners and staff and of course consistently great food from the steak to the buns and that ice cream.

I get absolutely so excited when I know we’re going to the WILLO!!! The food is absolutely delicious. The steak has the most incredible taste in texture Along with the beans, French bread that has some type of garlic or something sprinkled over it. That is absolutely perfect. Whatever they do, however they prepare their steak. They get it absolutely perfect each and every time. The service is absolutely spectacular. We usually order the same thing every time I’ve never been disappointed!!

This is the classic steakhouse you always have wanted to experience but never thought it was real. Well good news, its real and its right here in Gold Country! If you enjoy a more lively atmosphere have dinner on the bar side otherwise enjoy the large dinning room that's more quiet. Amazing food and classic vibe does not disappoint!

My family celebrated my mother inlaw 94th birthday last night. I got the Ribeye steak. It was the best steak ever. Our server was 22 years old and she grilled it to perfection. She did not use a thermometer, she did it by skill. Perfectly seasoned as well. 5 stars on the Ribeye and the service 🙏❤️🙏

On a Saturday evening my wife and I stopped at Willo for a steak dinner. We both ordered the ribeye medium rare and got the best steak I've ever had, perfectly cooked and seasoned. Willo is voted "best steakhouse in the county". I vote "best steakhouse, period.

Awesome place with a big grill inside to cook steaks. Med well perfectly cooked. Set in bar area , had a juke box,played old time music. Definitely a place to go and will go back again. On hwy 49 leaving Navada City toward Grass Valley.

Danny Podesta

My family celebrated my mother inlaw 94th birthday last night. I got the Ribeye steak. It was the best steak ever. Our server was 22 years old and she grilled it to perfection. She did not use a thermometer, she did it by skill. Perfectly seasoned as well. 5 stars on the Ribeye and the service 🙏❤️🙏

MARY SALAZAR-BARRERA

Awesome place with a big grill inside to cook steaks. Med well perfectly cooked. Set in bar area , had a juke box,played old time music. Definitely a place to go and will go back again. On hwy 49 leaving Navada City toward Grass Valley.

Liam Driskill

I didn't care for the beans. Everything else was on point! Really good ribeye!

CMLP

My girlfriend and I work our placer mine nearby during the season and frequent the Willo as much as possible. This is by far our favorite restaurant. The food is great and the steaks are the best. Rather have a steak here than any fancy steak house. The atmosphere great, a little loud and busy most nights but the food is worth it. Sure hits the spot when coming off the mountain after a hard weeks work.

J MS

I had dinner here with a large group. This is a steakhouse, so the thing to order here is steak, which is high-quality and well-prepared. Our big group was served promptly, they were well-organized.

Kelly Alves

I get absolutely so excited when I know we’re going to the WILLO!!! The food is absolutely delicious. The steak has the most incredible taste in texture Along with the beans, French bread that has some type of garlic or something sprinkled over it. That is absolutely perfect. Whatever they do, however they prepare their steak. They get it absolutely perfect each and every time. The service is absolutely spectacular. We usually order the same thing every time I’ve never been disappointed!!

Eddie Martini

This is the classic steakhouse you always have wanted to experience but never thought it was real. Well good news, its real and its right here in Gold Country! If you enjoy a more lively atmosphere have dinner on the bar side otherwise enjoy the large dinning room that's more quiet. Amazing food and classic vibe does not disappoint!

Mike Gradek

Great 1st visit! Went with family for a birthday dinner and had a great meal in a casual relaxing environment. Service was attentive but not intrusive. Steaks were all cooked do specification and very tender. Are group of nine had a good variety of dishes all were excellent.

Wonderful steaks, great gathering place for friends and family. Small intimate space.

Great little roadside restaurant! The menu and atmosphere are no nonsense. We had the ribeye (offered on Fri & Sat, only) and St. Louis ribs, beans, salad, and blueberry ice cream. The ribeye was grilled to perfection (ranked among the top steaks we've ever had). We stopped in on our way back from the river on a Saturday night in July without a reservation, no problem. The staff was friendly and fast, we were in and out in a little over an hour. Willo was exactly what we expected from the reviews. I gave 4 stars because they didn't offer anything along with the ribs to clean your hands and we had to ask for napkin refills twice. We will definitely be back!

Went with 6 people and had a wonderful time with great food

The steaks are fantastic! The sides are a bit lackluster. Plain lettuce and dressing for a salad and a scoop of beans. Also garlic bread before and with the meal. Cool that dessert comes with it. A scoop of ice cream 🍨! Very family friendly and good service. Been there before and will go again...good casual dining. Do make reservations though. It's a small place that fills up quickly.

We had a great time at the Willo. Food was wonderful and simple, exactly what we were looking for. If you want a good steak, they can really deliver. The beans and salad we a little plain, and I do wish they had a better beer list. I would recommend it to any friends as the best steak house in the area.

Tony Perez-Carpenter

We had a great time at the Willo. Food was wonderful and simple, exactly what we were looking for. If you want a good steak, they can really deliver. The beans and salad we a little plain, and I do wish they had a better beer list. I would recommend it to any friends as the best steak house in the area.

The grill and the clock decor at this place is a VIBE! Food was delicious, would definitely come back. Service was service.

Heidee

The grill and the clock decor at this place is a VIBE! Food was delicious, would definitely come back. Service was service.

So very disappointed. Server kept saying I was ordering medium rare. I repeated 4 times Black and blue with salad (no beans) and baked potato. Of course I got medium rare with beans. Not seared on outside at all. This was my mom’s favorite restaurant and she passed away not long ago and wanted to commorate her. I guess I can only do this sitting in the restaurant. I will try 1 more time before I say goodbye to the willo.

Robin E

So very disappointed. Server kept saying I was ordering medium rare. I repeated 4 times Black and blue with salad (no beans) and baked potato. Of course I got medium rare with beans. Not seared on outside at all. This was my mom’s favorite restaurant and she passed away not long ago and wanted to commorate her. I guess I can only do this sitting in the restaurant. I will try 1 more time before I say goodbye to the willo.

Steak was great, other food not so much. Has a homey mountain roadhouse vibe, but could use an ambience upgrade. Was attending a company Christmas dinner, and we were in a back room with another big group, so it was extremely loud and difficult to hear conversations.

Grace Esplin

Steak was great, other food not so much. Has a homey mountain roadhouse vibe, but could use an ambience upgrade. Was attending a company Christmas dinner, and we were in a back room with another big group, so it was extremely loud and difficult to hear conversations.

Pretty mediocre food. Got the ribeye which I thought was going to be good, nothing special. They slap some beans and dump lettuce on there, and splash some sauce on. They're not even trying. The baked potato comes with two wrapped up pieces of butter and a little thing of sour cream. 50 bucks, not worth it. Really sad I thought this was going to be good

I eat here for the first time a few months ago and the stakes were awesome. We all enjoyed it. The second time we all got steaks and they are really tough it was actually hard to even cut into them with a knife. The third time we came I decided to get the chicken which was so dry it was hard to eat and my dad got the steak again which also was very tough. The fourth time I decided to get the catfish which also was completely overcooked. catfish is a very fatty fish and you really have to overcook it to make it dry. We all agreed there will probably not be a 5th time. I've judged BBQ competitions and have a lot of experience with eating steak and chicken. Do yourself a favor get a supermarket baked rotisserie chicken it's much better and it's only $8

Brian V

Pretty mediocre food. Got the ribeye which I thought was going to be good, nothing special. They slap some beans and dump lettuce on there, and splash some sauce on. They're not even trying. The baked potato comes with two wrapped up pieces of butter and a little thing of sour cream. 50 bucks, not worth it. Really sad I thought this was going to be good

scott w

I eat here for the first time a few months ago and the stakes were awesome. We all enjoyed it. The second time we all got steaks and they are really tough it was actually hard to even cut into them with a knife. The third time we came I decided to get the chicken which was so dry it was hard to eat and my dad got the steak again which also was very tough. The fourth time I decided to get the catfish which also was completely overcooked. catfish is a very fatty fish and you really have to overcook it to make it dry. We all agreed there will probably not be a 5th time. I've judged BBQ competitions and have a lot of experience with eating steak and chicken. Do yourself a favor get a supermarket baked rotisserie chicken it's much better and it's only $8

My family and I have been going to the Willo for years, and we've always had exceptional meals with decent service. We made reservations on Monday and our food was awful. Unfortunately, both steaks were over cooked, the halibut was fishy and mushy, the recipe for the beans changed (bland), the salad was weepy with a blob of gross dressing, and the bread was cold. The waitress was slow and inattentive . We won't be returning.

I will never go to this restaurant again... The bread was literally burnt, (server said that's how they cook their bread) the beans had no flavor and were disgusting. I ordered medium well, my steak was super well ... No pink at all... I kept trying to get the server's attention to tell her... When she finally came around she told me that I ate too much of it and I should have gotten her attention beforehand... I had 4 bites, I was starving. She still charged us almost full price, ($5 off) took our plates and said it was my fault for not telling her sooner. Horrible service and horrible overpriced food. Don't be fooled.

Nobody took our food order for more than 45 minutes, only the drinks were offered, unfortunately we where so hungry that we preferred to go somewhere else

Had the bad experience of being ignored for 45 minutes, we decided to leave, even leaving took 15 minutes... the excuse? The cook is also the waiter, but that doesn't make any sense