Tommy's is a former restaurant whose chef turned to takeout and the mountain town of Idyllwild is…read moreall the better for it. We've been coming to Idyllwild for 60+ years (100 as a family) and we've seen restaurants great and small come and go. Tommy's right now is one of the top three, ironically as it is takeout dinners with the occasional holiday brunch. This Sunday on Memorial Day weekend we ordered the Roast Lamb special ($24), a robust herbed port wine jus three slices, which came with a dense square of scalloped potatoes au gratin, buttered peas and glazed carrots--with excellent broccoli cheddar soup with croutons--and a white dark chocolate mousse that was the perfect light dessert (I couldn't believe I ate it all). We're having leftovers for lunch or dinner today. What Tommy's gives is way over price value but it's his European culinary technique that elevates the food, even when doing crispy fried chicken with biscuits and gravy. The menu is set, one dish a day, though some occasionally come with vegetarian options. As a bonus, son James bakes excellent French bread--we bought a sun-dried tomato one which was terrific dipped in olive oil. Best of all, for us, Tommy's allows us to not fill the best hours of the evening with cooking and prep. We can sit out on our deck and enjoy the mountains. I'm a food writer among other things (finalist, Best Restaurant Feature, 2015, City & Regional Magazine Association) and author of The French House.

We decided to camp at Lake Hemet for Thanksgiving this year. Instead of trying to cook for the…read moreholiday meal we decided to eat out or find something else. Ran across Tommy's Kitchen online and gave it a try. Tommy was very friendly online and we ordered for 4 a little late but he accommodated. Did not know what to expect as we had never ordered to reheat later. Luckily my camp grill can double as a simple oven. We were AMAZED at the food quality and taste. Days later I still find myself thinking of the food. Every item of this feast was beyond what we expected. The dessert was the finale. Anyone staying up there in a BnB or camping and have access to an oven should seriously consider ordering from them. Check out their website it only adds to the reasons to support them. Photos show the quality after heating. Missing is the best apple streudel (apfelstrufel with calvados vanilla sauce) I've ever eaten. Was too busy enjoying it to take a pic. Also missing is the awesome roasted cauliflower and butternut squash soup.

Amelia's Donuts is one of those rare spots that overdelivers on every level. The donuts are hands…read moredown some of the best I've ever had, perfectly balanced, fresh, and clearly made with a lot of care. But what really surprised me was the burger. It's honestly one of the best around. Juicy, flavorful, and done right with no shortcuts. What makes this place even more special is Amelia herself. Her story, her hustle, and the passion she puts into everything you see and taste is inspiring. You can feel that this isn't just a business, it's something she truly built and believes in. Places like this are what make the food scene so great. If you haven't been yet, you're missing out.

Super cute bakery shop. There's tons of different donuts and pastries. Theres tables outside where…read moreyou can sit and bar seating inside as well. Service was quick. I tried their fruit tart and it was delicious. Sadly, it was so stacked that the bottom crumbled and fell apart. I also got to try their black berry cheese cake and it was so good. It was a bit heavy so it was good to eat in small servings and balanced with something savory.

great food, friendly service, good prices. They will cater to your requests. Fun decorations and…read morepictures to look at while you eat.

Ordered a Dole Whip and the Holy Cow Tots. The tots were crispy with an animal style sauce and…read moregrilled onions on top. Definitely hit the spot for an afternoon snack! Service was quick for the Dole whip with a bit of a wait for the tots. There was live music outside while we waited which was a lot of fun! Loved having an outdoor option to sit with our dog.

Best crepe I've every had is the Chicken Pesto Crepe from here. I just went back today for the 2nd…read moretime and confirmed, still amazing. Also the kinder milkshake is insane. Great vibe in dt idy. Fast service, not very busy (don't get how this place isn't more popular)

So many sweet and savory options here! We came here twice during our trip - in the late afternoon…read morefor desserts and the next morning for a savory brunch. For sweets, we did the Lily Rock and Hippo crepe. Both were great, but we were a huge fan of the bubble waffle. For savory, we went with their most popular pick, the Chicken Pesto and the Turkey Bubble Waffle. The pesto sauce was creamy and delicious - we were a fan! For some reason, we were definitely not expecting the bubble waffle to be a sandwich. Nonetheless, both were great to fuel us up for the afternoon. Workers are nice and so are their regulars! We had two dogs with us, so we grabbed a table outside and were also able to enjoy the view. Great place to stop by for a quick bite or especially if you're trying to avoid the crowd as the other brunch spots are packed.

Nice little mountain restaurant. Food is good, great ambience. The staff are nice and friendly.read more

Leanna is a really good chef the chicken was real chicken breast tender as I have ever eaten…read moreanywhere ( even my own home cooked chicken) delicious potato salad and a slice watermelon Kevin playing music for a delightful afternoon lunch If you're interested in great quality in a town up on the hill you might want to check out this bistro. Patio seating in the fresh mountain air

This place is some how terrible and expensive. I would becool with all the prices they were…read moretransparent about if the food was even half way decent. I can't believe the lack of quality. 20 dollar monte christo and the cheese isn't melted. 19 dollar sangria. They're praying on tourists only ever coming once and not looking at the receipt. They added 23 percent extra because we had 6 people. The place was empty and we sat at two different tables. There was no extra accommodating. A flat charge could be understandable but it ended up costing an extra 32 dollars. Just absolutely awful. And whatever system they're using doesn't show the check beforehand unless you ask for it so we didn't see the 23 percent fee til after we added tip.

What a charming theater and eatery in Idyllwild. I'm happy in some ways we almost stumbled upon…read morethis place by accident. I was craving a quick bite and saw that this spot had a lot of signage for appetizers, small bites and movie theater snacks. While I normally wouldn't be as inclined to grab food from a theater when there are so many restaurants around, I saw that this spot wasn't yet busy and knew I needed to grab something on the go so I gave them a chance. The theatre inside is actually adorable and old timey. Small but first the old town vibe. They had a lot of decor, some arcade looking games and general move theater decor. A gentleman was working behind the counter and was super friendly and nice. Told him I was just wanting to grab a hotdog to go and he whipped it up right away. This gave me time to make a pit bathroom stop and they were clean and easy to access from inside. Didn't have to buy a movie ticket to use, just purchase food or such. It was all an easy and nice experience for wanting something on the go and no fuss. Friendly service, cheap bites and a cute atmosphere. Mind you the simple hotdog was actually delicious and a 5/5. Wow! I'd love to come back to watch a movie and grab some small bites. Nice place, friendly staff and a cute vibe.

I can certainly say that the last thing I expected to find on a quiet mountain getaway was an…read moreamazing single-screen theater in the heart of Idyllwild. As we were walking around the town, I saw the sign in passing, and the owner outside and said hello. The weather was starting to turn, so we picked up a couple of tickets for the matinee. Inside, they have a decent quality screen, comfortable seating with plenty of room to eat, and a sound system that would embarrass most of the larger chains I frequent. There's good food in addition to all the cinema-standard snacks. There's also a great selection of wine which can be enjoyed at the seat. All of this is reasonably priced. The owner was a gracious host, spending time talking to me about the history of the theater and the town itself. Taking with him would have easily covered the price of admission. The rest of the team was also great. I can't wait to come back and catch another movie here in the future.

My review is solely on the arcade and I'm going to have to disagree with the previous reviews on…read morethe arcade. My family and I really enjoyed our time here. Although there aren't many machines we had fun with the ones they had. Hardly any machines were out of service and yes the tickets had to be counted but we made it easy by folding our tickets in 5. Of course we did not expect a Dave and busters experience but with what they had we managed to have a great time. Also the owner seemed so friendly she even gave my nephew free tickets. As for the empanadas we were not lucky enough to try them but we would have loved too. I'm always happy to support small businesses especially when they involve having a good time with our family.

Don't like it, I hated it . I'm Argentinean, this was an insult to our empanada. If you want to…read moresell empanadas this quality and size, just charge $1, and nobody is gonna judge you. But I pay $6 each for that?? No,no,no