Yes, it's the only place in town but it would be well worth a stop even if it had competition. Everyone knows everyone, the beer is cheap and the food is edible. The best part of this place are the geezers that line the bar. They are quite amusing and very welcoming. I'd recommend taking a cue from the regulars and sticking with bottles and cans. read more

Steve the bartender does a GREAT pour. Wonderful conversation, a great adventure gem in a surreal landscape.

This place is what I hope humans would do if things everywhere were like they are in Bombay beach. This local hot spot surrounded by a vast desert is thriving with history and a very tight nit sense of community, it is sad that they have such a great atmosphere but no real traffic, for a town with around 300 residents i am impressed with how down to earth and friendly they are to outsiders. Most beer (on tap) will run you two dollars with the most pricey being 3. They also have a citrus wheat beer that is very lemony and refreshing. If you ever find your self out here, i salute you ! by the way if you do go for the Drive Grab your self a can or two of Fish assholes... they go to the local Fire department. read more

If you are in the area, you MUST stop here. Best pour. Best customers. Best bartender. Best time. Everyone in here is friendly and cool and welcoming. I ordered a jack and coke and the bartender filled my glass with jack and a mild spritz of coke. when i said, that's a helluva pour, he said "you asked for a jack and coke, not a coke and jack." You'd never get that service in LA. Only suggestion: fix that neon sign out front. read more

it was 2009 and I had been tossed out of a terrible job in a wonderful area - Orange County. I packed up and being that I'm from the east coast I looked for the nearest couch I could crash on, and found myself on the top of a mountain in the Mojave desert - in August. By the end of September I was not feeling this anymore and got myself a pile of cash together and hit the road - due south to Mexicali - but not without first riding through the Salton Sea area. The great american southwest, this place is desolate, hot, weird, and full of weirdos (well, not full, there's barely human life here). This place I thought might be a mirage - not it isn't. People were friendly and welcoming, even to me as I arrived already drunk and tried to leave an empty bottle near the front door. The locals want to know your story - you amuse them as much as they amuse you. I downed as many buds as I could before riding my sedan out on a sandy road and unloading my shotgun for a few hours to blow off steam. Take a walk around the "town" - it's surreal. The "sea" is putrid. It can't be healthy. Yes this is real. Yes you are still in the US. read more

If you're anywhere near ski inn - GO!!! It's so awesome and weird and almost sad but mostly just a cool thing to experience. Patty melt and grilled cheese really good!! There's an old jukebox and all of the locals were very sweet. Oh and $5 patron shots!!! read more

Amazingly friendly staff and great price for beers. Food menu is limited but the sandwiches and beer battered goodies hit the spot after a warm morning exploring the area! read more

Stopped in for a beer on our trip to Joshua Tree. Ended up finding some of the kindest people with amazing stories. Cash only. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Headed here after a day trip to Salvation Mountain and a short sojourn at the immigration checkpoint (foreign travelers carry your passport!)... We weren't sure it was open as the sign wasn't lit (it was - hence the review). 5 stars for the atmosphere. Food good and greasy - our table had the patty melt, the fried chicken and biscuits, and a grilled cheese. Staff was very friendly. We did sign a dollar and stick it on the ceiling. Definitely a place to check out if you are around the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain. read more

Great place to stop. The people are friendly, the beers are cold and the food is good. A must stop

Wendell is great!! Ice cold delicious beer and friendly staff and great conversation. A must see at the Salton Sea

Holy cow... talk about traveling back in time... this place is a classic. It's a storybook with the adage "if these walls could talk" and the owner Wendell is what makes It so unique. My wife was born and raised in California yet has never visited or seen the Salton Sea. We were spending the weekend in Borrego and decided to take a ride out to the infamous Sea and visit Bombay Beach and its historic Ski Inn. What a great place to grab a quick bite, down some cheap beers and share some stories. Wendell and his wife (I presume) run the place and have done so for the past 28 years. Lots of great history and memorabilia consume this place and all the food is freshly made to order. We had a couple of patty melts which hit the spot and there's an adequate selection of draft beers, bottled beers and a full bar. Make a point to stop in here and slap a dollar bill up somewhere (anywhere) ... they're even hanging off the fans! A real gem of a place nestled in the wasteland of what was once a thriving community... a must see! read more

"Welcome home" is how Steve the bartender warmly greeted us as he placed a basket of fries at our table. Ski Inn truly does feel like home. After two previous trips to the sea, this December we were finally able to stop at the Inn and I'm so happy we did. We planned to quickly have a beer and a fries but ended up staying for nearly 2 hours chatting with Steve, Ernie, and other residents. Steve was extremely personable and brought us two books showcasing the Biennale. While we were browsing the pages, Ernie came over and started telling us about the history of the sea, the art festival, and his favorite music (Tex-Mex). It turns out that he actually owns the beachfront with the famous boat on it. We had to meet friends for dinner in Pioneertown, otherwise we could have sat there for several more hours listening to the Mavericks and chatting with Ernie. Thank you for the hospitality; we cannot wait to return. Be advised that the Inn is cash only. Be sure to leave a dollar on the wall, too! read more

This place is a classic and the locals are epic! Leave your pretentions someplace else and become a local...then imagine hanging out in a bar that Hemmingway would frequent for material for his next novel and you're in it... read more

Stopped in for a whiskey and beer after a long day of shooting and roaming around The Sea. What a gem the Ski Inn is! Chatted with the owner, Wendell for a while as well as the very friendly and down to earth locals. I'm a huge fan of The Sea, so chatting about the history etc. with people who really know their stuff was so cool. I eventually helped them unload halloween decorations from someone's car. They were having a halloween party that night. But I really had to get back home, or I would've never left. If you're ever around the Salton Sea, you MUST make a stop at the Ski Inn! Can't wait to come back! read more

Pleasantly surprised. Hamburgers were very good. Fries and onion rings were also very good. The only disappointment was the coleslaw. A low budget film crew came in to shoot some scenes while we were getting ready to leave... local excitement! Owners have the place up for sale. Really friendly and welcoming. There was a pool table -- not many folks there on a Sat. afternoon in Aug.! read more

If you are in the area you MUST stop in for food and an ice cold beer. The bartender (owner?) was fast, efficient and friendly! He pulled out a map and let us know what else to visit while we were out here. The burger was absolutely amazing! We said we would drive back from LA just to eat it again! Amazing place, friendly people and delicious food what else can you ask for? read more

Great place. Big group was out 4 wheelin and we decided to stop in for a brew and some chow. Nice selection of beer on tap and a full bar. Very good food although basic bar fair. Owner and staff were extremely friendly. I will go back.... read more

It's the middle of summer and HOT. My wife and I decided to explore the Salton Sea and stopping into Bombay Beach was on the top of the list. We wanted to also explore the dive bar located there called "Ski Inn". I warned my wife on what to expect and we both had a wonderful experience there. There were a couple locals sitting at the bar and we joined them for a cheese burger and a couple of cold beers. Very friendly and told us a lot of thr local history. read more

Definitely the most unique place I've been in a long time. Love the atmosphere and the people are amazing. A must if you're in the area.

The wife and I were taking photos around the Salton Sea and decided to stop at the Ski Inn for a beer or two and maybe get some food to eat. When you first walk in, it feels a little sketchy but once in you are greeted by the friendliest people you'll ever meet. $2 for Sierra Nevada on tap and lunch for two was less then $13 dollars. But it's the atmosphere that is the icing on this place. With the decay of Bombay Beach the Ski Inn is like a scene in a movie....Seriously...we had a blast. And the food was pretty damn good also. We are already planning another photo trip in November to try and coincide with the Snow Birds. Should make a good photo op and a good time. read more

This place is a bonafide classic. I've been to the bar about ten times and always enjoyed the experience. I had only eaten there on one occasion until yesterday. My party of 11 arrived at 12:30. There was only one waitress who appeared flustered (perhaps she was newly hired). We received menus and our drinks promptly, then problems began. After about an hour and a half wait, four burgers arrived (out of the 11 meals). That was the last time we saw our server. At 2:30 We decided to leave (still very hungry) for the 3 hour drive home. When I went inside (we were on the patio) to pay the bill, I saw meals being served to patrons at the bar. I can't believe any of those people waited 2 hours for their food! The management was apologetic and did not charge us for the food and drinks we did receive - thus 4 stars instead of one. I will go back and even order food again. This time I'll be more proactive and inquire what was taking so long to make a burger???!! read more

Went there a week ago. Hadn't been there in almost twenty years. Like a time warp I was sent back to the 70's. Dark, dingy, concrete floors, old bar stools and patrons with retro looking t-shirts that they actually bought in the 60's. it was a half an hour past the grill closing but The bartender cooked up cheeseburgers and onion rings. Ordered a gin n tonic tall. So got 2 cheeseburgers, 2 orders of onion rings, and two gin n tonics. The tab $13.60. Did I mention the drink was 80 percent gin and a splash of tonic. Who says you can never go back. My wife loved the place but said"You know I would never come here alone". The truth is you would be very safe at this bar time forgot. read more

Welcome to last bar on earth! It feels like that anyway... AND... If this was the last bar on earth, you could do WAY worse than the Ski Inn. In fact, I love this bar, it has "personality", friendly proprietors, "interesting" longtime patrons and cheap prices! Also, it's pretty much all you'll find here for drinks and food - which you'll definitely be needing after the drive out to Bombay Beach. Enjoy... especially since you really have no other options... Drink up, have a grilled cheese sandwich and bask in the surreal, fading, remains of a California dream that once might've been. And... don't forget to sign a dollar bill and scotch-tape it to the ceiling or the nearest wall - Yep, they have lots of pens and tape on hand for all your dollar bill artworking needs. Hey, it's the last game in town, the only game in town - PLUS... I'm a sucker for bars with idiosyncratic traditions - the dollar bill signing/posting in this instance - I love a bar that has fine "quirk-factor" especially when said bar is located in a place that many might consider as "nowhere". So, stop by the Ski Inn and watch an already faded paradise fade further into Salton sand while you sip a cold drink - Yes, you'll be glad you did. read more

Stopped here tired from crossing border looking to see the sea but it got dark so went there for a beer instead. Ended up staying two nights in the town exploring all the art and apocalyptic look. Pretty cool town with A BUNCH of nice people. Steven was pretty amazing bartender too. read more

If you are visiting salvation mountain, start your car and drive here. It's an interesting town close enough that you wouldn't want to miss it. The bar is unique and the staff were extremely friendly. They also have great prices. I don't think I could have asked for a better experience walking into this bar. It's always risky walking into someone's local bar, but I felt comfortable here and I signed the guest book. Thanks Ski Inn! read more

Sheriff's in the bar and Sharon's up the block on 1st. Ask about the Fish Assholes. Bar's for sale.

Good food, friendly owner took the time to explain the fish assholes to me. Food was simple, as it should be, and very tasty. Prices are also quite reasonable. Eat here, enjoy listening to the locals for a unique experience in the Salton Sea area! read more

Love this place!!! Real nice people family own since 63.. I will defiantly come back here again and another conversation with Paul oh the food was great!!! read more

very cool dive spot on the salton sea. anthony bordain filmed a show here and as a desert resident i felt i should atleast check it out. the beer is cheap and cold. the food is ok , the owners wife manages the kitchen. by herself. the place was clean and the locals were friendly. i was told the bar gets backed when bikes come through. the place was for sale when we went. $250000 for the bar and liqour licence. read more