Great spot to relax and grab some food after a grueling 27miles of uphill via road bike... worth the climb... The guys were helpful and friendly... Great stop for cyclist, bikers, hikers etc...the snack bar is very close to Crystal Lake...try the banana bread that is sumptuous!!! read more

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We've been to various places in Southern California over the last few decades, but discovering the Crystal Lake area was like coming home after a long trip. Adam Samrah, who not only owns the Crystal Lake Cafe and the surrounding cabins, but has also been a resident of these mountains for many years, is a beacon in the wilderness. His great little cabin hideaways (reservation only!) and general store are set amidst the really well-kept camping grounds 25 miles above the foothills of Azusa, CA. The drive up is scenic, and the food that he serves at the end of the road trip is well worth the drive, even if it's just a short trip up for breakfast or lunch (HINT: Make sure you ask for his wife's homemade brownies!! OMG!) His, and his family's, hospitality and welcoming smiles make you want to come back as often as possible. For those who review negatively about the prices in the general store, remember how much gas and time it would cost you to run back down the mountain to buy that same product for just a couple of dollars cheaper...then try to be grateful that the Cafe offers them at all. Adam is also a trained chef, and the gourmet food he offers is part of his hospitality. Not everyone is going to be happy, but that's just life. But, to be honest, I don't see how his prices are much different than any really good cafe...even more to the point, when we go to a sporting event, the stadium/arena's concession stands charge way more for an inferior meal, yet somehow we all seem to not mind paying for it! Bottom line - it's all about the people and the experience; and if you just HAPPEN to get a meal worthy of both, like at the CL Cafe, you simply come out a winner! read more

Crystal Lake is an amazing place to visit first of all. It is about an hour away from Azusa off of the 210 freeway. Once you are up there hiking around you are bound to get hungry. Since your only option is CLSB it's a good thing that the food is delicious. It does get about 20º cooler up there so you are probably going to be interested in a cup of hot chocolate. Also you can't go wrong with the chili. Adam the owner is pleasant and is a trained chef with a degree in the culinary arts. He has a small menu, but it is all prepared to order and reasonably priced. The snack bar doesn't have camping or fishing supplies, but the store was stranded for 9 years not having the road to it open. I am sure once people discover Crystal Lake the store will thrive. read more

I love it! My boyfriend took me here for one of our first dates as a couple and its soo nice to eat outside and the people there are so nice! I wish to go again!! read more

First time there and we loved it. We read some of the yelp and took it under consideration. Love the way it looks inside and out. Oh yes, it dose look like a trading post inside. You walk in and it's tight inside. Very close quarters they have everything that you may have forgotten while camping or hiking. It's not actually a café so don't expect tables and chairs inside but they serve decent food at a reasonable price for being the only place there. Love the whole atmosphere they have picnic tables on the outside for eating and two very small tables inside if you're lucky. Perfect place for a gathering and having a picnic, lots of picnic tables nearby. read more

Recently made a day trip to Crystal lake for a day hike. My wife and I were both super hungry so we decided to try the tuna sandwich and chili others raved about. (we actually got chili fries). Well...after trying the food i'm convinced that these reviews were made by personal friends of the restaurant owners. The tuna sandwich was horrible and cost $7.50. The chili fries were just as bad, at $5.50 tasted like watered down canned chili beans and the fries tasted super freezer burned. We also bought two fountain cokes at $2.50 a piece that were very flat and watered down. The only positive thing I can mention is that the store cashier was very nice. If you are coming up to crystal lake do your self a favor and eat beforehand or BRING YOUR OWN FOOD! read more

This place is small, and the owner is super cool. Very nice. food was good. we had the chili and the chicken wrap and it was very good. Cash only though...or check. Seating outside. The motorcycle ride to the top is fantastic. Crystal lake itself is not much to look at, but worth the drive for the scenery on the way up and through the hills. Also, a great bunch of rednecks driving four wheel drives around in the mud on the way up the mountain. It was awesome watching them play! read more

Took to this little mountain hideaway for their yummy (and filling!) Breakfast Burrito (ask for it grilled....even better!!). Their family business always makes us feel welcome. The surrounding atmosphere among the trees is awesome. I must try the banana bread on the next ride up. Thanks again for being the place you are!! read more

Took a Harley ride up to the Crystal Lake Cafe today. Had real good chicken sandwich and enjoyed the entire vibe of the area. Went to leave and the bike wouldn't start. This is where Adam from the cafe showed me what kind of people are running the place. Adam allowed me to use his phone numerous times (no cell service) as it took AAA fours hours to pick me up. Adam also treated my wife and I to an early dinner on him. So I would like to say thank to Adam and recommend that you pay Adam a visit at the Crystal Lake cafe. read more

Crystal Lake Cafe - American Near Me - Azusa, California

Yeah this place is awesome. The chili and the banana bread are great. Perfect spot in the mountains! Love that there are cabin rentals!

Just one correction from above, the road actually opened in March (I got to go both Saturday and Easter Sunday) If you go, get the banana bread. I'd swear by it! read more

Adam makes the best chorizo burritos! Such a nice place to be with your love ones. Remember to clean up after yourselves, leave it better then when you arrive. This is what makes me love California. read more

Look, this place is in the middle of nowhere and it is not a restaurant. It's a "greasy spoon" kind of place. The food is not the best of the best and the service is more of a "serve yourself" type of place. With that said, the food hits the spot after a hike or drive, and the people here are good friendly people. I went here for the first time today because I had heard there was a place like this up in the canyon and wanted to try it. In my opinion it was great! The bad reviews you see on here were from some flat-landers who expected a 5-star dining experience. You're in the mountains people, lay-off and enjoy the outdoors! If you're mountain biking, hiking, camping or even riding your bike up here, it's a great little place to get a quick bite. The area has a lot of little secluded picnic areas to enjoy your food as well. Bottom line, if you want a restaurant experience and you expected to be served... go someplace else! If your an outdoors kind of person, who enjoys a little friendly atmosphere and an ok burger or bowl of chili. This is the place for you! I must emphasize the bad reviews for this place are probably the same people who visit the local Applebee's to harass their servers about BS complaints with their food. My hopes are that they stick to their bad reviews, don't come back and let those of us who like good people and the outdoors enjoy this place for what it is. Great place, and thanks for the great time today! read more

I had the Breakfeast burrito with sausage. I have to say Adam is not Mexican, but he sure know how to make them.

This is the little gem of the local mountains. Come up, stay for a while, camp or stay in one of Adam's cabins. Just an hour away from LA it can carry you away to another time. Adam is the friendliest guy in the world with great stories. His chile is the best and worth the trip alone and his Belgium chocolate brownies are to die for. I would give this place 10 stars if i could. Highly recomend the trip up here read more

Awesome little place in a remote area. The guy running the place was super friendly. We had his home made banana bread, and it was fantastic! It appeared by the hand written signatures from past customers on a picture that the chili is excellent as well. Next time I'll try it. read more

At the end of the road is a wonderful cafe run by a great guy. The tuna salad is the best I have ever had. We talked a bit and I found out he make his own mayonnaise for the fresh white albacore tuna salad. I would highly recommend taking a day trip a hike and a meal at this fine cafe. read more

This is my first review ever! I was so impressed that I decided I needed to share my experience. It took us a while to get to the cafe but it was worth it! My bf actually looked up this place and thought we should check it out. I was surprised to see snow up there. As soon as we entered the cafe we were greeted by the owner, he seemed very nice. I ordered the frito pie which is basically the chili with frito chips, it was delicious!!! My bf ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, I am not lying but it was the best sandwich I have ever tasted. We also ordered a hot chocolate which came with two giant marshmallows (yuummy!!). The owner offered us to sit by the fireplace where there was a mini table with two chairs (perfect for us!), which made the trip already worth it! While we were eating there, I overheard a customer saying something about not having cash (only cash is accepted here) and the owner told him that it was ok, and to pay him next time, he even told him to grab more stuff!! Talk about customer service! I will definitely be coming back here!! ps. Cal trans wants to walk away from highway 39, if no one wants to be responsible for it then the road will be closed. There's is a petition inside the store, make sure you sign it!! read more

Like an oasis after a long ride! Cold drinks and some decent snacks. I dig the cat that's always hanging out outside.

19 miles up highway 39 amongst the pine trees you will find this cute this "snack bar", picnic tables, squirrels and a very friendly cat. Our group ordered hot dogs, a chicken sandwich and chicken wrap that we all really enjoyed. The owner served us all within 3-5 minutes, came out to ask how we liked our food and talked with the other bikers that rode up for the day. The last 2 miles of the journey to this area are very twisty, but it's all worth it. read more

This place is a little gem! I had a cheeseburger with a bowl of chili and the girlfriend had chili cheese fries - all of which were awesome. It's about a 45 minute cruise up to about 5,300 feet but it's well worth the drive. The owner's way cool and there're even cabins to rent if you're into that. I'll be back the next time I'm in the mood for a mile-high burger! And the brownie with Hershey's syrup was the icing on the cake! read more

You don't eat before coming up, you eat here when you are hungry. Pay the price, don't stand at the door, look at the menu board, turn back, then reluctantly turn back around to go inside to order because this is all there is? I observed this twice from where we were sitting. What this IS is a very good restaurant doing an excellent job of supplying above average food to hikers, bikers, and gawkers. I had the chili, full of kidney beans,tomatoes, and beef. A big portion with cheese and onions on top. It is fairly priced considering a 45 minute drive down the hill for most likely inferior food. ps: My wife enjoyed the homemade banana bread before our hike. read more

What a surprising find up in the mountains yet so close to the city! I one of the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches ever! Hubby thoroughly enjoyed his Frito Chili bowl. Snowed on us while we were there, so pretty! read more

Went today with my neighbors after hearing so much about the owner, adam, the owner and his fantastic chili. Considering myself a bit of a chili afficianado i was knocked back by how friggin fantastic it truly was! It filled me up and now that my wife is home she is already sick of my talking about how damn good it was! Needless to say i will be going back, again and again! And Adam, the owner, is one helluva guy and totally makes the experience worth the trip "up the hill!" read more

Took a drive out to crystal Lake and went straight for this cafe to try out their chili. We were greeted by the nicest gentleman owner. He was super welcoming which made our experience even nicer! The chili was DELICIOUS! And so was the coffee and homemade banana spice cake his wife made! I recommend this place hands down! read more

I visited Crystal Lake last weekend. On my way home, my car got hit by a rock near the side of the road in the middle of the mountain. Stranded with No Wireless Service, I could not call for help. As a result, I went up to the cafe to try and make a call. The cafe owner, Adam, was very friendly and unselfishly allowed me to use his business phone to call roadside assistance. Adam was also very generous, even offering me free food and keeping me company during my waiting time. The store normally closes at 7; but by the closing time, the toll truck still had not showed up. Adam decided to keep his store open just for me to stay inside warm. The warm air inside the cafe kept me from turning into frozen icicles at dark cold night. I felt very thankful, because the owner went out of his way to make sure a random stranger was safe. The last thing I want to say is that this place not only serves hot coffee, but also serves warm welcomes. read more

Chilli I have here is the best so far. Maybe because it's situated in the wilderness, but it is good.

OMG I love the tuna sandwich! While filming in the area we stopped here for some food and it was so good. Loved it and can't wait to bring my friends to try it! Plus I liked the friendly cats outside :) read more

I've eaten here 4 or 5 times after riding my bicycle up from the base. I love the food, especially the tuna sandwich, the camaraderie on the patio, the friendliness of the staff and the attentions of Bubba, the resident cat. A real find. read more

Great find! Came up here to fish Crystal Lake. Get the breakfast burrito, it'll fill you up and it's pretty amazing, worth the drive alone. Adam owns and operates the cafe, he's got great customer service and is just an all around great person. Take a short drive away from the city and stop by the cafe, you won't regret it. read more

This place is on one of the best places that would sell you hamburger or a chesse burger and the food is fresh and perfectly cooked

The tuna sandwich was so good! Wow it might be one of my favorites. The owners were so nice.

Great service from Adam. The breakfast burrito was big and tasty. It took just a couple minutes to get my food, and Adam was very friendly and talkative. I rode my motorcycle up there, on 39, this morning. It's a nice ride. I hope to go back next weekend. Go for the ride. Go for the hospitality. I paid about $10 for a big breakfast burrito and a big coffee. It's a little pricey for me, but the experience makes it worthwhile. read more

Great location for the start of the Revel Marathon! It was so great, I took my kids back for some snow time. It was very crowded that day and the clerk was a bit short with customers but who could blamer her. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder with people. read more

ADAM IS AMAZING !!!! Used his cabin rental and it was nothing short but perfect !!! Food is GREAT!! I highly recommend making time out of your life to experience this place !! Thank you Adam and family for an amazing experience every time we continue to go up to you ! read more

Just awesome!!! Great food simple but yummy!! Adam is friendly and very helpful. Just a gem of a place!! The tuna sandwich is delicious and don't leave without trying their chili!! read more

On top of Highway 39 lives a cool guy from Cyprus ... I think his name is Adam. He makes the best chile and Frito Pie, like, ever, I swear. Think handfuls of shredded cheddar, which I call "shreddar." Adam runs this store-cum-restaurant. He lives in a cool house with a cool chimney with like 9 kitties and rents cute cabins. All this by a beautiful lake full of fish? Exit 210 at Azusa, go northish toward the mountains, pass trailhead after trailhead, and continue up up up to the tippy top. Follow the sign for the turnoff and drive two more miles, and enjoy life again. Exit smog, enter crisp weather, joy, love, Sugarcone Pines, desert mahogany, wildflowers aplenty (though not now). Check to see if the road is closed or if you need chains, because, guess what? It snows. Like a lot. Elevation is about 5500, like my home town, and there are about 5 trailheads right from the store. As Christina S. said, funding isn't there to supervise the campgrounds, so they're closed indefinitely lest, as Adam said, someone slip and sue due to absence of maintenance. Go. read more

We went to this great Snack Bar with a friend who knows the owner very well. Don't let the term Snack Bar fool you. This is truly a first-class cafe. We had a wonderful Mediterranean salad with some of the best tasting chicken I have had in a very long time. I would say that Adam is more of a chef than a cook. Wonderful food, great location and Adam and his wife will welcome you with smiles and open arms. Great place. It is well worth the drive. read more

We have been making the drive up the hill just to enjoy the sights.. and Adam's chili... for years. He is always very friendly and helpful. I have seen him go out of his way on several occasions to help visitors to the area. The cabins that he has for rent are a great retreat and in high demand. Hiking and fishing are available. Lots of wildlife to photograph too. read more

Good people. I lost my wallet while hiking last weekend. Some wonderful person turned it in at the cafe with every thing still inside. The owner held it for me until I could come back and get it. Good people. Great hot chocolate. thank you! read more