I frequented the Mono Cone for the last 20 years. The burgers fries the menu was all wonderful. What made it so great was the onions tomatoes and crisp lettuce and of course whatever sauce they put on Fabolous. Had a lunch there on Sunday for the first time since Covid. They are new owners and they obviously have not followed the wonderful freshness that was the Mono Cone. The tomato was so thin the onion was almost nonexistent and the lettuce was such a small piece and it was wilted. We ordered onion rings that were more breading then onion. And the young Lady who took the order and took the money was fairly rude about the whole thing. There was no one else in line before us and it took almost a half an hour to get our food. I miss the old Mono Cone. Oh well, there's always the Basin Cafe. read more

Was sitting at a table waiting for them to open up when a very rude man who worked there came out and accosted me about sitting at there tables ... ok I won't give you my business. read more

Been going there for years. Like the double cheeseburger and sitting in the yard in the back. Always a good experience.

Not much in Lee Vining so I'm happy to support this business. They have your typical burger fries and lots of fried foods. They also have a turkey burger and a garden burger which is nice. I had the turkey burger and it was damn good. After you are done eating you have to get an ice cream cone dipped in chocolate ...mmmmmm, so good. Today they only had vanilla but no biggie. Very cool little shop to stop by as you drive up or down the 395. read more

Mono Cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

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A quick pit stop on our way to Lake Tahoe and boy was it a great choice!! My husband couldn't stop telling me how amazing his burger was.. The chocolate chip shake was to die for and the fries were perfectly crispy!! This burger place may not look like much but if you pass it by on looks alone, you're missing out!!! We will definitely be stopping in on our way back! read more

Mono Cone - Lol.. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

I stopped by for a cone on an unexpectedly warm Saturday. It was as tasty as I expected. Sunday was colder than expected, but I still wanted a cone. I hadn't eaten breakfast, so decided to make a lunch of it. A customer sitting outside (he was made of heartier stock than yours truly) raved about his chicken bacon swiss, so guess what I had... To satisfy the original ice cream craving, I added a chocolate malt. The chicken sandwich was better than I'd expected in spite of the review I'd already gotten. The chocolate malt was a bit of a disappointment, though. Should have stayed with the cone. read more

Came here while camping at June Lake. The fries were perfect. Had a half and half cone and banana shake. Both were work every penny. My sister ordered the bacon burger and says it was a 9 outta 10 in her book. Took our tastebuds back to childhood days We will definitely come here annually. Please dont change a thing. read more

Stopped for lunch and had a great Ortega Burger. Prices can't be beat. Thanks, Sean M. read more

Yes, these guys are great at providing a decent road burger when that's what you need, and I do love their milkshakes--but be forewarned, the shakes are not made from REAL ice cream. Sometimes, though, one just needs the fake stuff, lol. Also, I wish they enforced people wearing masks outside waiting for food during COVID (they do not). While most people are courteous and wear one (it's required in MONO county), other "non-maskers" blatantly flaunt their refusal and mingle with others in close proximity without care, and the establishment sadly does nothing. read more

Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack -- Terrence Mann, "Field of Dreams". If you build a nostalgic cone place in the middle of nowhere, people will definitely come, oh yeah, and they will fork over $20 + without even blinking an eye. And with this flurry of HWY 395 reviews...I am now back in balance! 493 friends, 493 reviews. The Mayans are disappointed as they were counting on my imbalance to tilt the world to disaster. And as I write this review, 4444 compliments! That's balance ;) After our visit to Convict Lake, Mini-Me and I drove North on HWY 395 past the June Lake Loop and up near the Yosemite entrance in the small town of Lee Vining. We were both starved and this looked like it could fit the bill for sure. Service is order at the counter and I don't know where they got her, but if you were filming a movie the crusty, crabby woman taking the orders is EXACTLY who you would expect. And why is she a bit crusty, crabby and even a little acerbic? Tourist Exhibit 1: The lady with the IPhone who wants me to take a photo of her and her sullen boys. "Sure" I say cheerfully. "You want me to zoom in or take a wideshot?" "I don't care. Whatever just take the picture" I should have dropped her IPhone right there. But, instead, I take a few photos and hand her back the phone. Like a date waiting for her car door to be opened only to realize her date is a boor as he walks away leaving her sitting in the car; I paused for a few beats expecting the reciprocal photo with me and my son but instead she got up and left without even a thank you. No wonder her boys are so cheerless. Tourist Exhibit 2: The rather rotund man with four screaming kids who thinks it is a smashing idea to approach the counter without his kids having decided on what they are ordering. Between the flavor burt cones, the shakes, the malts, the sundaes, the soft serves, the toppings...there are about 1000 different combinations to choose from and these rugrats went through all 1000. Both me and the Crusty Crabby Acerbic Lady wanted to drop multiple shakes on this family but I of course was prevented from doing that because I was behind this foursome ready to stab them repeatedly (Yep, added a different metaphor there...Bonus Day!). Food is basic Tastee Freeze type fare...we ordered a Hamburger, Turkey Burger (Because the Turkey and Diet Pepsi will offset the ice cream), Lemonade, Diet Pepsi (Refills are a $1.00) Tater Tots (yummy) and fries (not so much yummy). Oh, and a flavor burst cone (you mix syrups with Vanilla, I think my son got Watermelon/Strawberry or something like that) and an Oreo Shake. Price was just over $30.00 for this healthy fare ;) It was good but not great, certainly not a place I'd be a regular at if it was local. There is a completely unusable inside seating area that had more flies buzzing in it then my son could count (and he had never seen so many flies so count he did try). We sat in their outside seating area under a tree where the fly count was only single digits. Recommended for a one time stop but not a consistent visit if you are in the area. And watch out if you get behind the wrong tourist in the order line... read more

You can have your robins red breast, I'll take the opening of Mono Cone as my fave harbinger of spring. I was headed to Reno on the first leg of my return to Portland, thinking I'd stop at In N' Out in Carson City for one last fix. As I crawled through Lee Vining, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Mono Cone's red, white and blue OPEN flag flapping in the breeze. I yanked my car over and got in line with the mix of local teens, Cal Trans workers and early season tourons (rhymes with "morons," get it?) Mono Cone ain't cheap, but it's ever so good. I was prepared to order my usual - Cheddar bacon cheeseburger, onion rings and a soda - about $12. When I walked up to place my order the normally crotchety woman behind the window informed me (nicely, a shocker) the man two orders in front of me had ordered 30 double cheeseburgers and 30 orders of fries. She informed me the wait would be at least 30 minutes (this is just a stand after all, with one line cook and one ice cream/fry person)and offered me a cone to tide me over. I was planning on getting a dipped cone for the road and said I would wait the half hour if I could have my cone later. I got a book out of my car and a table to myself on the sunny back lawn and waited to hear my number called. The fact that I was willing to wait speaks volumes, I usually try and break land speed records from point to point on road trips. Surprisingly, five minutes later my number was called. She handed me my food with a wink and said they'd bumped my order up. I tucked into my juicy-greasy-cooked medium rare without asking burger. The small order of onion rings could easily feed two. They're lovely and battered in some sort of cornmeal goodness. I was tempted to get back in line for a dipped cone, but I was just too damn full. read more

This place is only open in the summer and was recommended to me by someone in Mammoth. We decided to try it after going to Yosemite. It is an old burger/ice cream shack. They offer a ton of different burgers and the normal sides ( fries, onion rings etc.) They also have half a menu that is all about their ice cream cones and sundaes. I ordered the Ortega Burger, the BF ordered the Double Cheeseburger and we split an order of awesome onion rings. These burgers were probably the best burgers we have ever tasted. They totally blow In N Out and Five Guys out of the water. The ingredients and meat were so fresh and juicy. I can taste it right now. YUM!! They have a small indoor seating area and an outdoor grassy play area where you can sit. But they do not allow dogs in the outdoor area. So we were forced to eat in the car. But it was still worth it. When we first got there, we were the only ones there and it was 2:30 pm.. By the time we got our food there were over 20 people waiting in line. I could not believe it. This place is definitely must try. Oh and it is CASH ONLY!!! read more

Mono Cone - Ortega burger - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

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This is an old school roadside stand. Its nice to sit outside under the trees, eat and stretch your legs. There are bathrooms and a drinking fountain too, I got the Pickle fries @ $6.95 .They come with one container of ranch and its 75 cents for another. You get a lot of fries and one container is not enough. I don't know the profit margins here but felt miffed at the extra charge. It is a busy place, only open part of the year and run as cash only so always make sure to have 20$ when in the area and you'll have enough for burger, fries and a shake. Although I rarely go all out when 395 driving as that is a nap inducing meal. read more

Mono Cone - Pickle Fries@ 6.95 $ with ranch - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

So I recently stopped here on a road trip. All I can say is I had one of the best Pastrami Sandwiches. I feel like a rookie saying this as it's so fundamental but the roll made it just crazy delicious!!! The meat, mustard and pickles were as they should be but it was the best I've had. Definitely a fan!!!! read more

Quaint little spot! Great burgers and fries! The ice cream cones are very memorable and probably the best soft serve I've ever had! Worth the drive from Texas read more

Arrived late in town to stay overnight. Not much else in this little town but the yelp reviews were pretty good so we thru Healthy to the wind. We each had a Burger and a shake. Burgers were very tasty as was my Shake and Hubbys Malt! read more

WOW!!! What a Burger. It was like the burgers when I was a kid(looong time ago) not grease,freshly made. Big pieces of bacon, good melted cheese,lettuce,tomato and onions. Both my husband and I were very impressed with the small burger stand....small but mighty.... read more

Passing thru and saw the line. We had the grilled cheese and a double cheeseburger. Absolutely delicious! The burger had an In-&-our flavor which I'm also a fan of. We'll be back Forsure! read more

Mono Cone - Double Cheeseburger - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

3.5 stars Cash Only Outdoors picnic benches and indoor seating (good way to beat the heat on a HOT day). Order at front counter. Great place to go after a long day of hiking to make up those calories. Food: Lots of Shakes (now with option of buttermilk, whipped cream), malts, ice cream on cone, burgers. 1. Hawaiian Burger- The sauce was a bit salty, but otherwise good. Patties were a bit thin. 2. Salted Caramel Shake- Tasted like a vanilla shake with a poor attempt to swirl in the caramel. I didn't like the large pieces of salt. I've had other salted caramel ice creams and the salt is usually fine in texture. I loved the whipped cream on top. 3. Cherry Brownie Shake- Bf loved the tart tasting shake with pieces of cherry and large chunks of brownie mixed in. He had to finish the whole thing. read more

Very Good Food and Great Ice Cream Would have given it 5 stars if the lady at the window wasn't so rude.... Service with a smile, that's what I always say Oh yeah!! The banana chocolate chip shake was Amazing read more

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The day has come when I have no choice but to remove Mono Cone from the locals' best. Today we went for our Weekend run from Mammoth to get ice cream; pretty standard Sunday. I ordered the Usual "two small cones," dipped or sometimes with the flavor burst, today it was the latter. However, there was a small error in the order; no big deal, right? Well, that's where today got weird. Instead of remaking the $4.75 cone, which more than likely cost a fraction of the price I paid for it. They told me my options were; 1) Get back in line and reorder the correct ice cream for an additional $4.75 (half of the cost for two cones $9.50) or 2) Get back in line for a refund (what!!). They gave us the option because the line was about 15-20min and assumed we would leave with no money and no correction to our order. SO... I got back in line for a refund, 5 min in, they called us to the to-go window and gave us some change (less than what we paid), which ended today's saga. So in closing, They lost local business... Through away a product (trash) They gave back the money (kind of) and made us feel like an inconvenience to their business. unfortunately I tipped them first read more

So so good!!!! Had a bacon cheese burger and fries. Burger was amazing!!! Shared a ice cream sundae with my husband. Definite do over!!!

Mono Cone is a benchmark for roadside burger / ice cream joints. Lee Vining is a small place, so you can walk to Mono Cone from just about any place in town. We picked up a few soft serve cones after dinner, which lasted just long enough for us to walk the block and a half back to our hotel. Minus one star for a really confusing menu - I think they have more than just soft serve ice cream, but I couldn't tell. Otherwise this is a great place to stop in the afternoon/evening for a snack! read more

Mono Cone - classic - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

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Amazing burgers! My friend and I stopped by after a hike to the lake and loved this place. It was a little bit past their closing time, but they still took our order. It's what an old fashioned burger should taste! read more

What a great little escape from the wilds of the Sierras. This "oasis" in Lee Vining has been our go-to burger joint for 20+ years. It's a welcome sight to see when you've been out camping or back packing in the woods eating freeze dried noodles. That is probably one reason for this 4 star rating. I mean everything is relative I guess. But truthfully, this place does rock some great grub. Lots of burger choices, hot crisp French fries and rings, with many tasty ice cream deserts too! The later is a real sweet treat on those hot summer afternoons. Their burgers are satisfying and juicy, made to order of course. I like the Ortega chili burger best. Pair that with a basket of fries and a shake for the win. My only gripe would be the tiny indoor eating area had lots of flies and things were a little messy on my last visit. I would have probably posted a 5 star review but my "burger bar" has been set very high over the years and there are so many places that have better. That said, when you're in the area hungry, I highly recommend. Truth... read more

I love a burger joint as much as the next guy, but do yourself a favor and skip this place. Cash only? Really? It is 2017 after all. The manager was horribly rude to myself and my aunt. I also observed her being rude to several other paying customers. Customer service just doesn't exist at this place anymore. I loved eating here about 20 years ago. I was being nostalgic when I brought my aunt there today. It was a mistake. Do yourself a favor and spend your money at Nicelys. You'll actually enjoy the food there and no one will yell at you. read more

Stopped at the Mono Cone for yummy grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers and of course ice cream. Daughter got the vanilla dipped in blue raspberry and she LOVED it. Hubby had the peanut butter Oreo Shake, he recommends that and I had the swirl dipped in chocolate. If in the area this is a place you need to stop at. read more

Very good burgers ! What a great little place on our way back from lake tahoe. We loved it, we could sat outside with our kids. Everything was very tasty read more

We only got the ice cream here, but it was amazing!!! We went there two times and enjoyed both visits during our vacation. The chocolate and vanilla swirl was our favorite! We also loved the chocolate dip. read more

Update: This time I got the Oreo peanut butter malt with chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. It was AMAZING!!!!! I really liked the chocolate ice cream substitution. This is always a must stop on my Mammoth/Sierra trips! Old review: I got the peanut butter malt. It is HUGE! Definitely good to split. Unfortunately it was made with vanilla ice cream not chocolate and then had Reece's cup pieces in it. My husband likes it that way, I don't. Otherwise it was very yummy. Even if there is a line, their fast. read more

Mono Cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California

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This place is so good. The burger patties are the thin pressed ones but it just works. I got three cheeseburgers (comes with lettuce, onion, pickle, tomato, thousand island) and two order of fries and it was great! Also the service is great, they were very nice. If you spent your morning hiking around Yosemite or hanging around Mono Lake and need a good greasy yummy lunch, this is for you. We will definitely return when we are in town. read more

We stopped by here today after an afternoon at Lundy but the sign said they are CLOSED since July 6. I hope they will reopen as we have always enjoyed their ice cream. read more

Nice place to grab a cheeseburger, fries, and shake along the 395. Food was tasty and service was friendly.

Good burgers. Good fries. Cash only? Com'on. From a plain old burger to a spicy jalapeño cheeseburger, all come out nicely medium cooked and juicy. Served on a soft bun, any of the selections will quench your burger cravings. Fries are crispy on outside and soft and creamy on the inside -- just as French fries should be. Unless you are really hungry, a regular size order is enough to share. At peak hours, service can be slow, so allow extra time. Mono Cone is one of the better dining choices in Lee Vining. read more

Took a trip down to Lee Vining today. Had to stop at this place because I have seen how busy they are everything I drive through town. The food is absolutely amazing. I can only speak for what I ate, but it definitley couldn't be a fluke. I bought the BBQ Beef Burger wig onion rings and an iced tea. The burger was one of the best I've had. The onion rings were plentiful. Huge bag stuffed full of them. The prices are a little high, but that's to be expected in such a small town. Plus the food was definitely worth it. I will stop here every time I drive thru from now on. read more

Last time I ordered the turkey burger and that definitely would have rated higher than the chicken burger with grilled chicken. The chicken was standard (Sysco?) but the whole thing only had lettuce and tomatoes whereas my husband's double cheddar bacon burger also got onions and pickles. The turkey burger had those, too. Why not the chicken? The chicken did have a red asterisk by all of the entrees, but the only red asterisk explanation on the menu was *cherry. Clearly not applicable. When I asked the nice server what the asterisk meant, he did not know. Hmmmm. Nothing but lettuce and tomatoes maybe? Go for a regular burger or a turkey burger is my advice. The side of fries are good enough. read more

Great little hamburger/cone stand. Service was quick even though lines were long; yes, they were a little short with me but I only took it as them being busy, not rude. Complaint about the hours by another reviewer is frivolous; this is a mom and pops stand in a very small town -- of course they aren't going to stay open until 10 or 11. Food quality was excellent. We got an order of fried pickles and a malted shake. Pickles were fried to perfection and shake was super thick, just how stand food should be. read more

Best place to stop on the way to Yosemite or Mono Lake in the little town of Lee Vining. It's cash only and make sure you're wearing your mask to keep the community safe. Burger, fries, & an oreo shake, perfection! Already want to go back for more read more

All these 3-star haters better step aside, cuz they don't kno from badass burgers! This place is LEGIT AF!!!! I have been here 3 times, mostly on my way to/from Yosemite (it's DEFINITELY worth the wait, as the food/prices here blow anything in Yosemite way out of the water). All 3 times I have had the classic, all-American meal of burger/fries/shake....and all 3 times, it was EXCELLENT! On my most recent visits I had the guacamole burger, the ortega burger, a buttermilk strawberry shake and a salted caramel shake. Everything was exceptional! The shakes are the fantastic old-fashioned kind...thick and fatty and deliciousssss. The burgers are solid, meaty and seriously yummy. I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for my order....and the staff has always been friendly and polite. I will probably NEVER pass thru Lee Vining again without stopping here! (Unless I happen to have passed thru Big Pine on the way, and have stuffed myself on delicious bread and cheese at Eric Schat's incomparable bakery.) For reals.....if you, like me, are entering/exiting Yosemite by way of Tioga Pass, the Mono Cone is a MUST STOP! Stop for a meal on the way in -- you'll save yourself the hassle of cooking in bear country. And on your way out, stop again -- it's the perfect reward for all the 10,000 calories you burned hiking Half Dome! read more

We stopped here on our way home from Disneyland... because who doesn't love a Frosty!?!? The gal working was funny and sweet. They have an adorable yard and a cute dining room. We ordered ice cream and burgers, and loved them! We decided this is going to be our new place when traveling south. Definitely check it out! Small town, but yummy goodness can be found anywhere! read more

Mono Cone - Ice cream in the yard - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lee Vining, California