Speakeasy Review: Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary Near Stateline! (2024 Visit)
In the last decade, speakeasy bars have had a resurgence in North American travel. South Lake Tahoe has two well-known speakeasy spots and we were finally able to try Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary in South Lake Tahoe. Read on for a full review of Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary speakeasy near Stateline Nevada in South Lake Tahoe.
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To visit Noel’s we ended up making a reservation on OpenTable. It was early enough that I think we would have been able to walk in but the information Noel provides online isn’t the clearest. It says there is a password posted daily to their Instagram but when I checked the last post had been two weeks prior. So we just ended up getting a last-minute reservation via the website.
To visit Noel’s, look for the green-lighted sign just outside of Bally’s Lake Tahoe casino near Stateline, and what seems like an inconspicuous door leads to what feels like a dimly lit library or apothecary in a creepy old mansion. We checked in with the hostess and she led us to our two tables that were in a nice large velvet wraparound booth.
The table we had had an excellent view of the large bar that was backlit with shelves of alcohol and jars. Everything felt elegant and there are small tables on velvet-lined booths in addition to a long bar area.
Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary speakeasy does have live music but honestly, the night we attended the music didn’t have that speakeasy vibe. The music was modern and super loud. If they had a guitarist or even a jazz trio, I think it would just fit the atmosphere better. Still, the singer had a great voice and we tipped him on the way out.
Noel’s isn’t a cheap experience. Each drink we had was $20 and with four people, plus a $15 cover charge, it ended up being closer to $150 for an hour’s visit. My drink was the Bonito which was recommended because I do love a lemon drop. It was raspberry-infused Tahoe Blue vodka, elderflower, pineapple, lemon, Noel’s fire water, and topped with a skeleton leaf.
A member of our party had the Old Fashioned Connection which had buffalo trace bourbon, china china amaro, house o.f. bitters. He liked it so much he ordered 2! The party finalized our night at Noel’s with the Brazilian Pave but I was unable to eat it because it had coconut caramel. My party thought it was delicious.
We ended up parking in the Bally’s Lake Tahoe parking garage near Stateline because Google Maps led us there. We ended up having to walk through the smoky casino to get to the speakeasy and when we return, we will use a ride-sharing option.
So would we return to Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary and should you visit too? Yes and yes, with the understanding that this is an upscale experience you are paying for.
