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Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill is located at Donner Ski Ranch, and is a full-service restaurant and bar, open every day, that serves fine mountain cuisine, with a view of the scenic ski slopes while you dine. Enjoy the food, the view and the friendly hospitality from their rustic dining room, bar, or the comfortable patio. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: As you travel on old U.S. Highway 40, now known as Donner Pass Road, you'll see signs advertising Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill, which is known to the Nevada County locals as "Donner Summit's Favorite Dive Bar and Grill." It's Tuesday morning, August 04, 2026 and it's a great time to enjoy a wonderful breakfast! The telephoto lens makes these signs appear closer together than they actually are. Just for a bit of history, U.S. Highway 40 became a Placer and Nevada County road back in 1960, when nearby Interstate 80 was completed, linking Sacramento and the Bay Area with all points east.
Photo: It's a little past 08:30 in the morning, Tuesday, August 04, 2026, and I've arrived at Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill, located at Donner Ski Ranch, in Norden, CA to enjoy a delicious breakfast of true mountain "comfort food." The restaurant derives it's name, as it's located on Donner Pass Road, which before the days of nearby Interstate 80, was U.S. Highway 40, a main east/west highway back in the day. Look at the amazing patio with a view of the mountains! On this beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning, I couldn't think of anything better than to enjoy a breakfast on the patio, and enjoy delicious food with a breathtaking view of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains.
Photo: Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill features a large patio that showcases beautiful views historic U.S. 40, and the mountains in all directions. This time of year, the weather is fantastic, morning vehicle traffic light, as most of the summer adventurers are still in bed, and skiing season is nearly four months in the future. On this early Tuesday morning in early August, it was simply wonderful to enjoy my delicious breakfast outside on the patio, thanks to the beautiful view and the mild weather.
Photo: As you enter the bar section of the restaurant, you'll be greeted by the friendly staff, and you'll notice the comfortable, rustic decor, and you'll appreciate the warm, friendly hospitality the bar, and the staff offer.
Photo: Even before I looked at the menu, I bellied up to the bar and asked friendly Chelsea for a Coors beer, which is one of my favorites. She was happy to oblige with a smile. Chelsea was doing double duty today, as she was both the bar tender and the waitress.
Photo: One page of the breakfast menu, highlighting some of the fine cuisine the restaurant offers. I from near the "top" of the menu, as "Ranch Breakfast" sounded just what I was looking for.
Photo: An old school blackboard lists summer drink specials, daily specials, and more. The only modern device that would date this fine restaurant/bar as 2026 would be the computerized order/cash register system, otherwise, the decor could easily pass for 1966. I love it that way!
Photo: Dollar bills seem to be popular for accents, as they're stapled everywhere, and provide a pleasant background for the full service bar. Since today was a quiet morning, only the bar area and the patio were open for dining, and super friendly Chelsea, was tending bar and waiting tables. I enjoyed the quiet Tuesday morning on the patio, as all of the hustle and bustle seemed to be at nearby Donner Lake, and in around three months when the snow starts, countless ski enthusiasts will show up to enjoy the slopes.
Photo: Meet Chelsea, my super friendly server and bartender, who brought my breakfast to me with a warm smile. Thanks, Chelsea for taking my photo and for the great service!
Photo: I'm a happy guy, as I'm ready to enjoy my breakfast a "Ranch Breakfast," outside on the beautiful patio. The weather was perfect for patio dining, as it was sunny, there was no wind and the temperature was in the mid-70's, which is warm for a Tuesday morning in August, just a couple miles west of Donner Summit.
Photo: From the "Traditional Breakfasts" section of the menu, I went with the "Ranch Breakfast," which included two eggs, cooked any style, choice of meat, potatoes and toast. For and extra $2.00, I added an optional cheese blend to my potatoes. Today I shied away from my usual hash brown potatoes and went with "Home Fries." My choice of toast was my usual sourdough. My potatoes arrived expertly deep fried, as they were golden brown crispy on the outside, and soft, tender and flavorful inside, with the perfect amount of "crunch." They were garnished with diced green bell pepper, for added flavor and a beautiful presentation. These savory "Home Fries" were topped with shredded, melted cheese, which added an extra taste dimension to the delicious potatoes. The chef certainly has talent, as these were some of the finest fried potatoes that I've enjoyed for a long time, and I asked my host to pass along my compliments to the chef, for a job well done. I went with ham for my choice of meat, and I was a little surprised to see that it was thinly sliced, as I was expecting the usual slab of ham. No worries, as the ham was perfectly grilled, juicy, flavorful and rounded out my breakfast. I ordered my two eggs fried sunnyside up, and they arrived perfectly fried as ordered. My choice of toast was sourdough - my de facto standard - and it arrived perfectly toasted and buttered, and made for a great way to enjoy every last bite of this delicious breakfast. My chilled can of Coors beer served as both an appetizer and dessert, and I enjoyed every swallow, even though it was just a bit before 09:00 on this Tuesday morning. All I can say is "Cheers!" Since Old 40 Bar and Grill is located at a ski resort, I wasn't expecting such a delicious "Americana" style breakfast, as I was thinking it would be catered to more urban tastes. Wrong... this breakfast was simply delicious, and would satisfy guy like me who savor an "old school" breakfast, with all the charm. This breakfast was simply delicious!
Photo: Look at the beauty! A bite of perfectly prepared "Home Fries," complete with a bit of melted of cheese. My potatoes were deep fried to a beautiful golden brown on the outside, with the perfect amount of "crunch," with the inside being tender and flavorful. I loved the chopped bell pepper that added to both the taste and the beautiful presentation. You don't have to be a skier to enjoy the fine cuisine served at Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill, as the hearty, mountain cuisine appeals to all "foodies," and those who love delicious mountain cuisine, enjoyed with a view of the scenic Sierra Nevada mountains. Delicious food is served daily, by friendly staff, at Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill, located at Donner Ski Ranch, at scenic Norden, CA. Old Highway 40 Bar and Grill Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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