My boyfriend and I were camping in Kennedy Meadows the night before when we realized we did not prepare for 20 degree weather. So we drove down and randomly saw this place and decided to have dinner. We ended up speaking with the owner. We asked about lodging and he told us he did not have anything available. He came back to ask us how we're doing and we asked if there was other lodging close by. He said they would most likely be booked. We told him about the night before and how we were very unprepared for cold weather. In front of him I told my boyfriend that we can sleep in the truck again, no worries. Next thing I know the owner came by again and said he has a camper for friends and family that no one is in and he offered it to us, saying he felt bad that we froze. We were elated. I have never felt more grateful and it reminded me that there really are kind souls. He walked us over and provided us towels and turned the heat up. It was perfect. We sat by the fire pit with others, who all had nothing but kind words about this place. People come every year and stay here. I felt such a warm welcome from everyone. My boyfriend and I are so thankful for the owners. We both said we can't wait to come here more and hopefully decades down the road we can stay in the same camper and reminisce. I will tell everyone about this place. It's nothing fancy but it's definitely special! Thank you for making my entire weekend. read more

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Good food but not the service! I came here few time because that's my mom in law's favorite place to dine in. My husband and I drove from LA to take her and her husband for birthday dinner. Here is my positive and negative review based on our experience when we were there. Positive: Food cook perfectly as we asked for. We have 12oz and 8oz fillet mignon, 2 orders rib eyes steak for mom and her husband, large suchini appetizer. Pickle is delicious, you can ask as much as you want for free, good bread. The owner stop by at our table, my mom gave him compliment about the website video he done such a great one, so my mind automatically expect great service. Neg: My mom has reservation at 6PM, we arrived 5 mins b4 6, they didn't have or can't find my mom reservation. Waiting a bit then get our table at the last room due to a large parties were at the patio and crowded and noisy which no big deal for us, we can see the big parties from our window room. It took an hour for our steak, salad served with a warm bowl, suchini too dry to eat. By the time the steak ready, we are half full with bread, salad, pickle and appetizer. 5 minute after the waitress brought the food to us, my mom asked a box to go, my husband ate not even half of his steak, I can't finish my meal either. We are so full end up to bring our food home. The waitress take too long to bring our bill and we still waited again for our debit card back then walk to look the waitress at the bar ask our card. The whole experience is not my expectation with the money we spent we should get better service, also few flies and mosquito flying around on our food. I hope they consider to improve the service better in future read more

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Great rustic restaurant along the Kern River about a 25 minute drive from Kernville. If you're coming during daylight ask for a table on their patio which is covered and has mosquito netting to allow a mostly bug free meal. Excellent steaks and service and the steaks are cooked properly to order. The meals are really expensive here with most steak dinners costing over $85 so keep that in mind if you're bringing a family. The less expensive dinners are still over $30. So if you want an excellent steak for yourself with a beautiful view check them out. Call ahead to make sure they are open as Yelps open hours are not correct. I think they are open 4:30 -9 pm most days in the summer months. read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Bar - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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I've been coming here for almost 30 years. After Terry and Carol passed away Jim and Darlyn took over and did some great improvements! The new patio is absolutely amazing! The bar is well stocked with all your favorites! The bartenders Katie and Brie are outstanding! They all make you feel like family! Greg and Michelle are very sweet. He's in the store and she's the host in the restaurant. Now to the food! You won't have a bad steak here. I had the rib eye the first night and the sirloin the second night, and both were cooked to perfection. Our servers were Sonya and Hailee both were so attentive. I chose to bring my own wine and they do charge a 15$ corkage fee which is very reasonable. I rented the cabin which had totally been redone and is really nice. I'll be coming back for sure!! We adore this place and it just got better! read more

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10/10 my wife showed me this place since she has started bringing me camping over in hospital flats steaks always fresh and juicy sits right on the lake highly recommend read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - 40oz porterhouse - American Near Me - Kernville, California

We camped nearby and came here for some relief from camping food. Ate outside and enjoyed the food and the ambience. It was nice to be able to walk inside and experience the rustic decor but then eat outside where it's a bit roomier and enjoy some nature. Service was attentive, and the owner stopped by our table to chat. On a Saturday night, a reservation is probably a good idea, and we were thankful we had one, because it was pretty full. The food was all about the steaks, with solid but unmemorable sides, and who could forget a $106, ~38-oz. Tomahawk Ribeye that my friend and I shared? We asked for rare, and were asked back "cold or warm in the middle"? (awesome!). My friend and I both said out loud at once, "cold", and it actually was. Very nice piece of meat done exactly as we wished. As for the prices, you could either wonder why they are so high for a place out in the boonies, or you could be thankful there's such good steak available way out in the boonies. read more

Had THEEE BEST meal and the service was over the top!! Was low key hoping it would be only OK because the drive from Bakersfield is a bit of a trek but absolutely worth it!! Some of the pictures are not great because we dug in so fast. Our server was the owner's daughter and absolutely darling! They make all their own stuff down to the amazing pickles!! read more

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Open Summer 2025 beginning memorial weekend Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This place is outstanding- never had a steak cut to order? Well this is the place you have been missing. Loved the Filet Mignon , Steak fried with soup and salad. Live music Fridays / Saturdays through Summer. Staff is very friendly and a do t miss if you visit Kern Valley. It opens at 4 pm for the bar and appetizers- seating starts at 430 pm pst. read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Filet Mignon (medium rare) with Steak Fries - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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A slice of heaven we will definitely be back. GET THE PORTERHOUSE and sit outside with a view. We are so grateful thank you McNallys.

Let me start with I have grown up driving by this place on the way to the mountains and camping so many times and have never stopped here. With that said fast forward to 2025 now I am 42 years old, scrolling on Facebook and there is an add for McNallys lodge and restaurant. I decided to book a room at the lodge and take the girls for Labor Day weekend. The Lodge has recently been renovated and the rooms are cozy and rustic, we stayed in the Fir room which was clean and cozy. Pricing for the room was super reasonable. We are visiting in the summer so the air conditioning is a nice feature. This is not a place to come if you want to stay in the room and watch tv, there are no tvs in the rooms this place is aimed at taking in the beauty of the outdoors and letting go of the busy day to day distractions from technology and stress. There is Wi-Fi available if you must. That evening around 6:00pm we decided to go to the restaurant for dinner We came hungry with the intent to try the famous dry aged steaks. We sat on the beautiful patio and had cocktails and dinner. The service was top notch! Although they were really busy for the holiday weekend we were well taken care of! The food was delicious the steak was cooked to perfection and was so tender! The wife and I split my entree and we could still not finish the 20oz New York steak. We met the owners who were very hospitable and friendly, it was nice to see them making sure everyone was having a good time and enjoying their meals. Cocktails were tasty! But let me say the bourbon and whiskey selection is off the chain!! They have some great options if you are into bourbons! As far as dessert the table next to us had ordered a dessert and upon receiving it decided it was way too big to eat alone and ended up splitting it with the wife and daughter. And last but not least Stella was provided steak bites and her own bowl of water form the owners what a treat! She is one spoiled happy dog for sure! Our experience here was great we will definitely be back!! read more

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Where do I start...the service was on point from start to finish. From the greeting of our hostess, to the gentleman who lit the fire place and came over to talk to us for a bit, oh and let's not forget our awesome waitress Hailey! Hailey was fun, attentive and took really good care of us. Now we started with some appetizers, do yourself a favor and order the jalapeño poppers. They're not your typical poppers and the sauce that it comes with it, *chef's kiss. If you're a pickle lover, get the friend pickles. They're thick chunks of the pickle, nice and fried. You won't regret ordering the clam chowder and enjoying it with their homemade bread! The juicy thick ribeye steak was packed with flavor. Some of the family ordered the fried chicken which came with a heaping portion of chicken and let me tell you, that was also very tasty. The ambiance is very western and I loved reading about McNally's story on the back of the menu. You can also walk around in the back of the property and take the bridge across the kern river that passes underneath. It's a nice scenic drive to get here and also around the property. It's a little pricey but it's worth trying it out!! read more

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Wonderful rustic spot! After a day of hiking we stopped by here and their burger stand, both 10/10. Mud pie was delicious, and the service was wonderful, with nice and helpful staff even though they were short staffed. Nice outdoor area for kids, and a couple steps away from the Kern river! read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Snowball - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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Fantastic dining pavilion with great service and lovely meals! The bar is rustic and filled with retro-character, including a few vintage dioramas. Earlier this spring my friend and I had the pleasure of sitting on the front lawn to hear live rock and wandering over the bridge to the wilds beyond the river. This local landmark is a must, even if its just the hamburger stand under the trees! read more

The staff and service is amazing. Very welcoming of us and our dog. The owner Jim personally delivered her steak bites and chatted with us for a while. Great food and amazing ambiance. Plenty of heaters in the winter. read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Patio overlooking the river - American Near Me - Kernville, California

Food was great, views are nice!! The burger was well cooked and the fries were amazing read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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look forward to their burgers every year. Always fresh and always delicious. Love the location too

I enjoyed an outstanding steak dinner on our week of camping near the Kern River. It's outside of town, a nice drive north about 15 min from Kernville, the food was great. The service as on point and the portions very good. If you eat in the patio, the views are great in the enclosed patio. The steak was cooked to perfection and was great treat while camping. They also have a mini market, burger stand and motel. read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - New York Strip steak dinner - American Near Me - Kernville, California

Our family spent Father's Day having dinner up at Johnny McNally's Fairview Lodge restaurant this year. My 92 year old Grandma went with us and reminded us that she had been coming up there since she was 30 years old. My brother and I would come up with our grandparents/parents for family meals as kids and we are almost 50! My brother proposed to his wife on the bridge almost 20 years ago. It was great to return. Yesterday, we were a table of 11 and sat on the patio. We had the best service from minute one. When I called in to make the reservation, the staff I spoke to were easy, kind, and accommodating. Even offering the patio and letting us know it wouldn't be too hot. (It wasn't!--it was perfect!) Every single thing brought to the table was delicious. My niece ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer and they were different in texture and better than those boring breaded others. The relish tray---the bread and butter pickles are amazing and I don't even care for bread and butter pickles. I went to buy a jar (they sell them and other items) but they were out at the time, I'll grab some next time for sure. They had a two person meal special this day: two 14oz NY steaks, salad or soup for each person (homemade dressing, pretty sure) , a side dish for each person (baked potato/mashed potato/rice pilaf, and something else I can't remember), and their vegetable of the day for each (green beans) for $79. Most of us got this special, but for those that didn't, they enjoyed their meal just as much. We had ZERO "complaints/issues" with the food--it was great. Steaks were cooked perfect. Baked potatoes were cooked perfect. We ordered three desserts for the table and couldn't finish one of them because we were all full! The mud pie dessert is enough to feed three. The wait staff was authentically friendly, returned often but not too often, anticipated our needs well, and kinda quickly felt like family. They were efficient and provided more than expected (offering to-go cups of drinks). The owner came around at the end of our meal and asked us and others how their experience and meals were. He truly cared (not intrusive at all, but very kind). Many of the staff wished us a safe drive home as they correctly assumed we travelled for dinner that night (as most probably do). I wrote this review for others will go support McNally's. It needs to be here another 100 years. And I think it will be, 100 years plus, if they keep this up. Five stars. (We will also go support the McNally's Outpost hamburger joint in downtown Kernville as well sometime soon. The McNally's Fairview Lodge, where we ate, is about 10 minutes past downtown Kernville. This lodge area also has cabins to rent, a general store, and a quicker easy hamburger joint as well). read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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Great food on the River. Our annual farewell diner to our camping trip on the Kern River. Great dog friendly patio with view of the River. Can't wait until our next trip. read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Ribeye steak - American Near Me - Kernville, California

Came for a quick steak dinner since we were in town for the day. It's been a while and WOW amazing. We ordered the New York special dinner $79.99 for 2-14oz steaks with all the sides and I added sautéed mushrooms WOW WOW these were better than ever. The black bean soup is with out a doubt the best I have had. Jess was out waited waitress MM was awesome. Always checking in. It's really nice to come back home and have this service. Mc Nalley's added on to the patio and it is now enclosed huge patio with screened and heaters. Can't wait till summer time to sit and have dinner with the river view. The cook tonight was G and spot on!! Everything was delicious must try.. I really wanted the mud pie but I could not find room lol Next time we r up read more

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McNally's This is a family owned restaurant & lodge owner by Jim and his wife ( sorry I didn't get her name). They purchased the restaurant, lodge & campground a few years ago and have done an amazing job of bringing the best of the past and the present together. Nikki, their daughter attends the front desk with an open friendliness. We dined on the outdoor patio with a beautiful view of the river. Today Alma was our busser and Tracy was our server. The service was fun, friendly and on point. Their staff is well trained and personable. Your meal is started old school with a Relish tray with delicious house made bread & butter pickles and other vegetables. Pretty much everything is house made except their tasty Squaw bread. This attention to detail in the food & service makes all the difference! I had broiled shrimp with drawn butter and their fresh green beans. My companion had the Golden Fried Chicken with a medley of fresh veggies and creamy chive mashed potatoes. Our entire meal was mouthwateringly scrumptious! I asked Alma to give the chef our compliments and Chef Eric graciously took time to come out and say hello. Jim and his wife also came by all the tables. Chatting and making sure all was well with the food and service. It's a fairly casual with high end food & service. I highly recommend you make the drive for this experience, rent a cabin & enjoy the fresh mountain air & views. read more

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Gosh darn it what do you say about a restaurant with an ideal setting next to the mighty Kern River. With an occasional fighter aircraft low and fast streaking through the canyon on the way back to China Lake or Edwards AFB, the calm is uninterrupted. Last time me and my buddy stopped in for supper we sat outside in the back overlooking the river from a screened in dining area. We were directed out that way so I could take my dogs to the table with me. A GSD and a 25lb mutt. Our server was delightful as usual. We ordered the oversized McNally steak, appetizers, drinks and anything else we desired. I feel good spending money at this venue. I get the feeling it is more than just another podunk restaurant. The staff brought out cubes of delicious steak for the dogs and a bowl of water. We were cruising in comfort now. We took our sweet time gorging ourselves. We had enough food to feed at least four people. Eventually the owner came out and sat around with us and shared how they came into the area and the rhythm of open vs closed throughout the year. It was great. Yup, this place is more than a restaurant. You can feel it if you closely observe the people working there and the overall vibe. Places like this are not around long. You get a few decades out of these haunts and then they are gone. Enjoy while you have the chance and be sure to take it all in, even the minutia. read more

Wonderful accommodating staff! Such a charming place definitely worth a visit! The food is incredible and the service is so friendly. We look forward to visiting every opportunity we get! Cheers and thank you ! read more

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Previous long term local here. We looked forward to a nice dinner at McNally's after our annual trip to the high country. We were a party of 9 and were seated promptly on the lovely outdoor patio. The food and service were adequate, but not spectacular. My husband ordered the NY steak rare and I ordered the "Pardner Plate" which was my choice of soup or salad, a side, and the vegetable of the day. We also ordered an appetizer. Our bill was $121 without drinks. Yes , this is high for one and a half dinners, but what really got us was the use of plastic disposable cups for water and condiments, and disposable bread plates. A fine dining experience should not include disposable table ware. Our waters were never refilled even when requested. McNally's is iconic and is on its way back to the glory days, but the prices are much too high to survive in KRV and the shortcuts cheapen the experience. Do better. read more

Loved everything about this place. Was told by two different people to come here for dinner and we are so glad we did. The atmosphere, service, and food were all 5 stars. read more

20 plus years ago I would have said absolutely recommend, but went yesterday and was a bit taken by the changes. I've gone through a couple of ownership changes and food was good but staff was ok. Saw chef come out to greet other customers, but not us. Felt uncomfortable! Food good, portions huge but service was so so! read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - 14 oz Nee York steak, Baked Potato with green beans. - American Near Me - Kernville, California

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Customer service skills could be improved ... greatly. Was excited to try this spot and didn't expect to have to wait up to an hour and a half for a burger, according the manager average customers wait up to an hour or hour and a half and if my party and I were in such a hurry we should have let the host know ahead of time. I wasn't aware that hoping for my food to be served in a timely manner was "being in a hurry". Got there at 7:30pm, left at 9pm.... Still without my dinner being served, it "was just heading out" as my party and I decided to leave. Manager with white beard needs to work on having a positive attitude towards customers, because of him, definitely won't be back. read more

Horrible service; don't expect your food to be served until an hour or hour and a half later according to the manager. Had to leave because they just seem to forget about our food, then manager gives you horrible attitude. I don't think making a hamburger and some chicken tenders takes longer than 15-20 min. read more

First off I would like to say that I've been coming here for years always around Thanksgiving right before they close for the winter and I've never had a bad experience. The food, drinks, ambiance, and service have always been top notch, this time was not the case . I ordered the steak and Lobster at $160 something plus I upgraded my steak to Filet Minion another $15 or so . My wife ordered filet and shrimp $55 and we got the amazing garlic bread which is always my favorite. We both had a couple of drinks at about $10-$15 a piece. Are entire bill was about $300 plus tip. I usually don't spend this much but this is usually a special dinner for me and my wife. Drinks were great, garlic bread and salads were also great. I even liked my Lobster but my steak was bad. It taste like I brought it home kept in the fridge for a week and then tried to microwave it. Ordered medium and I got well well done but I still tried to eat it . My wife's food on the other hand was inedible the steak was rotten meat and the shrimp wasn't cooked. When we complained the waitress told us she tried a piece in the back and spit it out. Then she said she would take the steak off the bill but just the steak. Not my wife's entire meal but just the steak only $30 off what a joke. I don't like to complain and make a scene and I realized that they weren't gonna make it right so I just paid the bill with tip and left. We then proceeded to make are selves throw up in the parking lot so we didn't get food poisoning. I'll never go back again which sucks cause it was always a meal I looked forward to and everyone has bad days but not at those prices you expect better. They also tried to tell us that the steak was dry aged but I wasn't buying it. I've had dry aged steaks before and it's never tasted rotten and we both had the same steak cooked the same and they tasted completely different. Both disgusting but different. Very sad read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Looks ok but don't let the looks fool you - American Near Me - Kernville, California

This is our annual stomping grounds for 4th of July holiday. After camping on their awesome grounds at Kern River we end our last night with a big group dinner at Johnnys. Love the pickled platter that comes with your meal and they have a great selections of beef cuts that won't disappoint. Sitting on the screened in patio along the river is our preference but indoor has its own old school appeal too. read more

We stopped by Johnny's on our road trip and it was a hit! My husband used to eat here when he would go rafting back in the dates. They give you these delicious little mini platter of pickles/celery/baby carrots and banana pepper to munch on while you wait for the food. The kids had the kids menu steak bites which was a good portion with the tomato basil soup that they ended up getting 2 bowls of because they loved it so much! We also got the mozzarella sticks and it came out hot and stringy which the kids thought were awesome. My husband ordered the 20 oz sirloin and it was huge! He's a big eater, but he couldn't even finish it. It came with 2 sides and I ended up eating his baked potato which filled me up. I ordered the chicken salad but by the time my food came, I was too full to eat it so I got it to go to eat on the trip for the next day. Overall, the service was excellent and attentive and the food hit the spot. They also have some lodging space in the back with a nice flat area to walk up to the ravine. Not to mention the new outdoor covered patio area that they just built during covid which is really nice, but we ate inside because it was 100 degrees out. Lol. This will be our go to spot when we travel through here from now on. The kids gave it a 5/5! read more

Their steaks are absolutely cooked to perfection. Everything is fresh and so good! Their Mud Pie is out of this world! They have a good cocktail menu. The tables on the patio are right above the water with cute string lights. Stay after and explore the river, bridge, and trails! The service and family friendliness is superb! Everyone works together to make sure you're having the best service. It's also dog friendly on the patio. read more

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Great food and atmosphere. Come here whenever we visit Kernville. If you want a nice steak dinner, McNally's is the place to go.

What a cool hideout!!you feel like you stepped back into the cowboy days... Delicious steaks, seafood and chicken. Warm friendly service. A great find when you want something unusual near Kernville. read more

First time here, and very glad we made the trip and visit. Will definitely be back in the summer! The place has a General Store, Steakhouse, 6-door lodge, Burger Shack, and 6 trailers and spots for rent. Place was very well-maintained; staff was friendly and accommodating. Service was excellent. The General Store was decently stocked with basic items available plus some extras. The Steakhouse was great, can definitely rival the best ones in LA. They make their own pickles (and sell it by the jar too) which were served complimentary as an appetizer plus warm bread basket. The first night we had rib eye steaks m plus the garlic mushrooms. The second night we went with the porterhouse, lobster tails, and garlic mushrooms again. Steaks and lobsters were cooked and seasoned perfectly. We had an RV and stayed at one of the open spots. Full hookups. No Verizon or AT&T signals for us but the property has good WiFi for the guests. The footbridge was right on the property and was very convenient to get across the river. We didn't get to try the burgers but did have the breakfast sandwiches in the morning, very good as well! The owners are very hands-on, personable, and made sure all guests were comfortable at all times. Thanks, Jim and fam! Looking forward to our next visit! read more

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Love this place. Best steaks in the valley. I like the complimentary platter to start. Service is great. Highly recommended

This restaurant has significantly improved since the last visit/review. Dined on a Sunday evening about 5 and was seated immediately inside. They are enforcing the 50% capacity so tables are spread out. Outside has a big new covered patio dining area that would be awesome in the summer. I would suggest making reservations because the restaurant did fill up while we were there. Service and bar drinks were quick. Ordered the Fairview Special and had it upgraded to a larger fillet. I had no idea they hand cut each order of beef. When it came out it was cooked perfectly. No complaints about the meal. There is also the original hamburger stand open for lunch and a small store next to the restaurant. read more

The perfect place to stay on the Kern River! I have been enjoying the beauty of the Kern River for over 30 years. McNally's is a Kern River staple and one of my favorites. This trip up I made it a point to stay at the lodge and enjoyed one of their newly opionted rooms. The space is so comfortable and spacious, the owners are wonderful! Yes, the burgers are still the greatest! This place is just as magical at night as it is during the day time. My favorite, walking towards the bridge and the trees are all lit up! Then I went out on to the bridge, laid down and looked up at the stars! I wanted to sleep there, it was truly amazing. We should have skipped the drama in Pismo and went straight to the Kern River! It is such a peace beautiful place to go to! The people are friendly and there is beauty around every turn! read more

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My favorite restaurant for the last 40 years!!! Everything on the menu is excellent!!! Best steaks!!! Try the Fairview Special. You won't be disappointed!!! The old western saloon bar is to die for!!! read more

A night to remember! We celebrated my parents 50th anniversary and it was fantastic! Sonja, our server, was amazing and very knowledgeable! The steaks were cooked to perfection and the sides were great too! I absolutely loved the tomato soup! The meal ended with a very generous portion of mud pie, brought out by the staff! The room we dined in had a great rustic, cabin feel, complete with deer mountings. Thank you to all of the staff for making our night special! read more

Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge - Inside dining room - American Near Me - Kernville, California