I would give this place 0 stars if I could. Our server, Ramiro M., ignored our table for nearly 30 minutes until we asked someone at the front for help. When he finally came over, he didn't apologize and had a rude attitude throughout. He also failed to mention the complimentary salad option to us while explaining it to other tables. After we finished eating, we were left waiting again and had to ask for the check ourselves. The food was okay, but the service was terrible. If you decide to eat here, avoid Ramiro and request another server. There are much better places to spend your money. read more

Could NOT find the zero star. Worst place ever. Overpriced buffet, BIG scam! Dirty place. Dirty bathroom. Carry your own food, DO NOT Stop here. read more

Convenient dinner option while staying at the Yosemite View Lodge! We came for dinner on a weekday a little bit past 5 PM. We were greeted immediately and asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside. We chose to sit outside and we had a great view of the Merced River from our table. When we arrived, we were the only ones sitting outside so it was peaceful. Everyone was friendly and our orders came out relatively fast, but I noticed our waters were not refilled unlike the other groups who were sat after us. This is what we ordered: * Grilled salmon $34.95 - I didn't try it, but my husband enjoyed it and said it was tasty. He also liked the mashed red potatoes that came with it. * Rainbow trout $32.00 - I thought this was yummy, but wished it were a little crispier and they had deboned it. You get a huge piece though and the fish was tender! I also wish it had came with a little more sauce. I did like the mashed red potatoes and mixed veg that came with it. * Fried ravioli $18.00 - This came with marinara sauce. A little heavy since it's deep fried, but I thought it tasted pretty good with the marinara sauce. My husband was not a huge fan though and he said he didn't like the taste too much. * Apple pie $10.50 - This was my favorite part of our dinner! Our server asked if we wanted vanilla ice cream on top and we said yes. To my delight, we were not charged extra for the ice cream. It was a slice of warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. It was delicious and just the right amount of sweet for the two of us. Our meal also came with unlimited trips to the salad bar, which we both enjoyed. I remember they had lettuce, baby corn, sliced red beets, chickpeas, red beans, bell pepper slices, ranch dressing, thousand island dressing, croutons, and even goldfish crackers! After tax and tip, we paid a total of $123.32. Overall, I found the food to be a little expensive for what we got. I would say it's a decent option though if you're staying at the Yosemite View Lodge and you're not wanting pizza from next door. read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - Rainbow trout with mixed veggies and mashed red potatoes - American Near Me - El Portal, California

Oh Boy. Just listen to me and the other reviews. Please avoid. Only had the wings but these were $22. They were dry and air fried. I know because I'm familiar with the wings because I buy them at Costco. They are the foster farms take-out crispy wings. We got 8 wings. They retail for $8. Go to the pizza place next door. All the other food other patrons had looked mediocre. If there was a Chic Fil A within 5 miles of this place this so-called restaurant would be out of business. Also service was slow. read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - Wings - American Near Me - El Portal, California

My family and I were traveling from south Louisiana to Yosemite national park. Being from the south, it's hard to find good food. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food here. We had the fish, steaks and drinks. All hit the spot after a long day of day hiking. Service was also very good. read more

Ordered Salmon and 3 burgers with my party and had to wait for 1 hour - 2 hours. The burgers were cold I had ordered salmon but instead the waiter gave me a burger so I had to wait a additional 30 minutes to get my salmon back like I asked. Our party said the burger was cold and it was extremely pink for all of ours we got no cheese there was a infestation of Carpenter bees outside and the discount should've been given for the 30 minutes we had to wait for my order. The ambiance was really pretty the lake was beautiful Overall I give it 1 stars it had the idea of a ideal resturaunt but it had problem after problem making it sad to eat at. read more

Stopped by for breakfast and had a chill experience at The River Restaurant & Lounge. We were seated immediately, which is always a plus, and enjoyed a few breakfast staples. The service was great--our coffee cups were never empty, thanks to the attentive staff. The eggs, bacon, and ham were cooked perfectly, but the only downside was that the hash browns were a bit cold. Not a dealbreaker, but a little more heat would've made the meal even better. That said, the pricing was very reasonable--exactly what breakfast should cost. We'll definitely return the next time we stay at the hotel. We've also heard good things about their pizza, so we might have to check that out on our next visit! read more

Wonderful service by Sören. We enjoyed the salmon and trout. Thanks for my birthday apple pie too!! Great presentation & delicious!

They ciok good, fast and good people, service is excellant, friendly, food is delicious, and by brautiful river

Nice spot along the river. Staff was very friendly. Limited amount of menu items. I had the grilled chicken breast, my wife had the fettuccine. The rice and the veggie sides were fine, but the chicken breast was bone-dry, severely overcooked, worst condition I have ever experienced from a grilled chix breast (inedible). My wife said that her fettaciune was ok. We got a slice of carrot cake to-go and it was actually quite good. In addition to the food being overall marginal, the menu is grossly overpriced. Go for some drinks, get some dessert, but it would be more satisfying to get a refrigerated pre-packaged sandwich from the convenience stor on-site. read more

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We order fish and chips, and new york steak. And it took more than 40 minutes for the food to be served. And the medium rare steak I ordered is more well than well cooked, already pretty charred, and cut it open, very dry and no blood at all. Also the steak smells bad, the steak might not even be fresh. read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - Overcooked "medium rare" steak, also smells bad, don't know whether the steak is stale or not. - American Near Me - El Portal, California

Not sure why so many bad reviews. We came at 5pm. The staff was nice and friendly. Jose was our server he was very nice. We came after an almost 10 mile hike in Yosemite. We ordered fish and chips both and it came fast and hot with good portions. Our water glass never got half empty. I really enjoyed it here. I was nervous because of some reviews but honestly it was great. Half of the patrons were foreigners so maybe they just don't understand American culture and wrote bad reviews I don't know. read more

Save your money and go elsewhere! We stopped by for their breakfast buffet. Our kids outright rejected their pancakes; they were stretchy and rubbery - one bite and their faces changed. I tried to cut the pancakes but it was so rubbery that I was physically struggling to. The scrambled eggs were terrible because they had RAW mushrooms and green peppers. We tried their flavored yogurt but for some reason, it was gritty!! The only good thing in their buffet was the juicy watermelon. Long story short, the four of us essentially spent $86 for two plates of watermelon. If you're staying outside the Yosemite park and in El Portal, please drive the extra 5-10 minutes to get into the Yosemite valley and head over to either the Starbucks in Yosemite Valley Lodge or the cafeteria/Peet's in Curry Village for good coffee and great breakfast options for 1/4 the price of the downright nasty buffet at this restaurant. read more

Service is good but the food never comes up. We've waited for more than 1 hour which I nearly want to take a deep nap. read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - American Near Me - El Portal, California

I was on the fence of giving this place 2 stars because they have a decent hamburger and fries... but that alone couldn't save this place. Unfortunately this is a place I'd avoid if I'm ever back in El Portal. The wait time is very long, which would be OK if the food were palatable, however it unfortunately is not worth the wait. The ribs were overcooked (severely overcooked, almost inedible), the sweet and sour shrimp was low on shrimp (we counted 3 tiny shrimp) and swimming in a sauce that tasted homemade (like a ketchup and apple-cider vinegar based sauce), the vegetables were soggy and limp, and the rice was chewy. My wife got stir fried vegetables and couldn't even get past one bite. The waiter did remove it from the bill and comped us a dessert, so that was very nice, but it doesn't undo the entire experience... mediocre food that we had to wait a long time to receive, which is really unfortunate because I bet 99% of the folks dining here either just came off a long road trip or a day of hiking in the park, and it shouldn't be hard to please starving customers! The dining room was dingy, the chairs were wobbly, it just felt run down and not kept up... there are nice views outside... so I may not have spent so much time looking around if the food had been out faster. The staff was very nice and friendly and kept the drinks full, I actually feel bad about giving a one star review because the bones are all here to have a great spot if the food were not holding it back. We were in the hotel for a full week but did not return to The River after our first visit. read more

This place needs a complete turnover! Our waitress was super sweet and cheerful. Nothing bad to say about her at all. But the food was terrible. Our burgers were overcooked, and the chicken wings came out completely dried out. We sent them back and actually got our money back for that one item. The salad bar was good! Probably the only thing I enjoyed. By turnover, I mean, you need to find a chef that knows how to cook! For $86 I was disappointed. Maybe add some ambiance to the tables even if they are battery operated tea lights. read more

We ordered a Chef Italian Salad and a side of fried. REALLY great fries and good salad. A bit on the expensive side $28 for a salad and side of fries. Given the options in the areas though, it was a good choice and the food was good. The next morning we had a great breakfast. I had the farmers choice breakfast with a side of fresh salad and my husband had the half dome omelette - both were great. Highly recommend for breakfast in the area We stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge for two nights and ate here on evening and one breakfast. With this restaurant being on the hotel property, I would have figured that you could call in food. I called the front desk to get the phone number and they said "I don't have those phone number". Which seemed strange to me but I did call the restaurant many times (based on the yelp phone number) and they did not answer. I think that would be a nice change based on them being an on-site restaurant to the hotel. Other than that, the staff were very friendly and accommodating read more

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We stayed at the Yosemite View and were happy they had a restaurant on site. We had dinner at The River Restaurant after driving all day. We were hungry! The service was very nice but a bit slow. We were happy to be there so it wasn't a problem but the food was terrible. I ordered a Caesar salad and paid $6 extra for added chicken. The lettuce was brown, the dressing tasted like mayo and there was only about four pieces of chicken. I couldn't finish the salad it was so bad. And I love salad! My husband had the fish and chips which were ok but not great. For a $100 plus meal we left very disappointed. We did not return during our four day stay. read more

Horrible service. Waited 40 minutes for a table and over an hour for our food. Never saw our waiter during that entire time. At the one hour mark we flagged a busboy to check on our order and they never came back. At this point the place was not busy. The worst customer experience I can remember having. The only reason this place is in business is because they are the only restaurant on the premises. Drive someplace else and save yourself from a terrible experience. I would give them 0 stats if possible. read more

We ordered the steak with mushrooms and the raviolis which tasted like a pre-made meal that was heated up from a container sold by Costco. Service was horrible and they brought our food to an adjacent table, set it down and walked away. The other patrons flagged down the server and told them it wasn't our food, when he brought it to our table (off their table) it was a steak and chicken Alfredo (not the ravioli). We then had to wait another 25 minutes for the food, causing the steak to harden up so much that the steak knife couldn't cut through. DO NOT EAT HERE. ORDER A PIZZA NEXT DOOR read more

Don't think there's real cook in the kitchen, overpriced and very slow service. The staff was really friendly though. read more

You go for the Ambiance. Order hamburger or something simple. It's quiet slow if you go for dinner although remember you are there to sit on river and most likely you are staying in El Portal on way to and from Yosemite or you would never be there lol. I enjoyed the breakfast buffet it was excellent the dinner was so so. The view was rated a 100! The people and wait staff were so kind and sweet. These people work so hard and are so nice. Price was what you expected to be put in the middle of no wear expensive for ok food. We were happy to find food. read more

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I had a disappointing experience here. I tipped my server in cash and left the credit card tip line with a 0 crossed off written in. Later, I noticed a $15 tip was added to my card without authorization. I had to dispute the charge with my bank. Be sure to double-check your receipts here. I will also be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau out of principle. read more

Another disappointing restaurant on the way to Yosemite. What an embarrassment to even call this food. Literally frozen and triple the cost it should actually be. $170 for a family of 4. read more

Terrible food. Slow service. Everything tastes like a microwave dinner. Worse actually. Go to Yosemite Valley Restaurants instead. There's also a Starbucks next door to treat yourself after a good meal. Worth the 20 min drive. read more

*** Best AYCE breakfast spots near Yosemite. *"" Excellent buffet: fresh fruits, juices, crispy bacon, biscuits, gravy, French toast, scrambled eggs, etc. *** $19. We ate here b4 entering park daily. *** read more

Stopped by near the end of a weekday after an eventful day at Yosemite Valley. We stayed at the hotel nearby so it was convenient to stop by for a warm dinner. Since it was chilly out, they weren't doing outdoor dining so we ordered the food to-go. The rating is based on the quality of the food given the price point. The staff was friendly and our order came out within 20 minutes but the quality could have been better. Not a fan of: - Rainbow trout, bland and full of bones - Pepper & Blue Ranch Steak - Medium rare, the blue ranch did not compliment the steak and the sides like fries were soggy read more

My husband and I ate both nights during our stay at Yoseminite View Lodge. We sat at the bar which fit perfect for a Lodge Feeling. Both meals were excellent. HIghlights were: My husband had the flat iron steak with a compond butter sauce and I had the seared tuna over seaweed salad. SCARY GOOD. Highly recommend read more

We came in for breakfast. They offer a buffet style breakfast. They have options that you will find in many typical hotel buffets maybe a bit more options. They have cereals, some pastries, fruits, pancakes, eggs, bacon, and other food options. They have lots of condiments. They offer coffee and different type of juices. Our server was nice and had a calming aura. This was a peaceful breakfast as we prepare for our hike for the day. read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - Some of my breakfast selections from the buffet. - American Near Me - El Portal, California

First time at the river restaurant and it did not disappoint! The Alfredo with shrimp and vegetables was amazing! It also came with bread! read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp - American Near Me - El Portal, California

High prices but decent food. I got an okay New York Strip Steak, good codfish, a delicious slice of chocolate cake, mixed vegetables and fries. My sister's blackberry cobbler dessert came undercooked though. Not all of it was worth the prices but none of it was bad. Small dining area. Clean. Quality, attentive service from staff. It's alright. I wouldn't go there if there were more alternative dining experiences near the hotel. read more

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Do. Not. Get. Breakfast. Here. Just don't. $18 for slop. The only food that was prepared well was the honeydew and maybe the potatoes. Coffee was awful. Pancakes were hard. Eggs were rubbery. Polite staff in a standard dining hall. Please just get some bread and peanut butter and have four sandwiches for breakfast or go eat in the park itself. read more

I recently had my wedding in the upstairs banquet room at this restaurant, and while the planning process was long and arduous and at times very unclear (probably a covid issue more than anything), in the end I was super impressed by everyone on the ground who made the day run. From the hosts to the servers to the bartenders to the amazing managers (big shout out to Jason and Nicole!) everyone worked in sync to execute the event exactly as I had specified. The on site staff really were superstars for the whole weekend. For the reception we had a buffet with lemon pepper salmon, mushroom ravioli, and teriyaki chicken. The salmon was fantastic, and the guests said that the ravioli and chicken were also very good. We also had mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, and mixed veggies. The potatoes were very very good, buttery and fluffy, and got raves from everyone. The veggies were also very nice and went well with the other dishes. The managers reserved the pebble room upstairs for our party to work on flowers and decor and gave us permission to alter some of the existing art in the rooms. We had over 24 hours to prep the room and they helped with flower cleanup and took care of table and linen setup. For the reception, the staff swiftly moved tables and chairs as we transitioned from dinner to dancing. They even accommodated my request to extend dancing later by putting the DJ in a different room from the dance floor to help mitigate noise. Overall the experience surpassed my expectations, and although they are pretty much the only game in town, there is a significant amount of pride and quality put into the food, service, and event planning here. read more

Super slow service for mediocre food. Truly disappointing! It is a beautiful location otherwise, such a waste!

We live 'locally' in El Portal, and we get a 'take-away' pizza about once a week. The pizzas are excellent, and you can 'design our own' by telling them what you want on the pizza. The pizza crust is good, too, and the staff is very friendly and hard -working. I saw some 'complaints' about the "wait time" and some about the price,... but there is no private land available for any more building to be done in the El Portal area, The Merced River has been deemed "A Wild and Scenic River", so no more building can be done on the banks of the Merced River, and of course no more building can be done in Yosemite Valley,...so there are no 'chain' restaurants or the usual inexpensive take-away places anywhere in or near Yosemite Valley. The cost for delivering food to the restaurant is quite high, too, due to the distance it has to be brought from. We truly enjoy the pizzas and the friendly, hard working staff is excellent. Liz and Ron, nearby B&B owners,... long-time El Portal & Yosemite residents read more

After a long Thanksgiving day hike we stopped into The River. Although they were insanely busy the staff was very nice and we were able to scoop a spot at the bar. We were pleasantly surprised when our turkey dinners arrived. Turkey was nice and moist, veggies perfect, and provided plenty of tasty gravy for the other sides. Big thanks to the chef and all the staff who sacrificed their Thanksgiving to ensure we had a great one! read more

The River Restaurant & Lounge - American Near Me - El Portal, California

The size is very large and feeds a big group of people well. Absolutely do not eat here if you have celiac! They said there is flour everywhere on their counter. Small kitchen. And absolutely not safe for celiac at all! They said even their GF pizza crust is dusted with regular flour to help it not stick to the pan. They said they would change the gloves but that's about all they could promise me. read more

Service was alright and the food took a while to come out but it was worth the wait. Patience is required.

The food was fine. The ambience was fine. The wine list was great. The service was friendly. Far cheaper to eat here than in the Park itself. Have stayed here only while working (long boring story), but I've been here several times, and, honestly, if you're expecting haute cuisine? You're in the wrong place. If you're expecting decent fish, chicken and steak at a decent price? That's what you'll get here. And *everyone* has been friendly. Maybe, if you're treated badly, you might consider the vibe you give off? Just sayin. I always leave a better than 20% tip. These people work hard, the work is seasonal, and they are attentive and warm. And I wish I could respond to the crappy reviews, because these are definitely people who need a swift kick. But, alas, I cannot. So I will just leave this review here and thank everyone - our host, our waiter, our busboy, the kitchen - for a lovely meal. And ignore the haters. read more

Right near the entrance to Yosemite but in the middle of nowhere! We stayed in the hotel there also and dined outside next to the Merced River. I enjoyed a juicy New York steak with a nice Cabernet and she had the Chicken Marcellus and we shared a side salad. We split the chocolate cake, it was amazing! The service was also excellent, attentive and courteous. Remember, it is right next to an entrance to Yosemite! (Only open breakfast and dinner, use the store at the hotel lobby for sandwiches/ burritos/ snacks for lunch) read more

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