For decades, a major draw for visitors to McDowell County was the Lake Tahoma Steak House and adjacent cabins. Before the interstate was built, this spot at the junction of Highways 70 and 80 was a hot spot for locals and tourists alike. The restaurant offered one of the first buffets around and the cabins were considered to be so unique and charming that some couples traveled to McDowell County to spend their honeymoons in them.
Bill Gibbs (whose photo with the bear “Smokette” is part of the header of this website) built the business and his son Pete ran it for many years. Pete, along with his wife Betty, talk about the steak house, his dad, and those famous bear suppers.
Listen to Pete here:
(Little Siena Restaurant has now operated in the Lake Tahoma Steak House location for decades. You can find out more about them at their website.)