Despite the name, I didn't think this hotel restaurant would be an actual cafeteria style establishment! I haven't visited a cafeteria in maybe ten years, it's certainly a rare occurrence and a fun diversion for some food! In this case, we went for breakfast since we were staying at the Lodge and opted to share a stack of pancakes. The cafeteria is a bit unique in that there's both a traditional line to pick up prepared food, but there's also a menu that can be ordered from for freshly cooked food. Blue Corn Pancakes, 3 ($10) - These are plate sized pancakes, really fluffy, cooked perfectly moist on the griddle. There's only a really slight blue color and a tiny bit of grittiness from blue corn flour. There's a bit of corn flavor, but it's otherwise resembles a regular pancake more than anything. I'd guess the mix is more wheat flour than blue corn flour. Still, even for regular pancakes, this is pretty good. It comes with three tubes of maple flavored corn syrup and some salted butter on top. We decided to revisit for dinner, mostly for convenience since we were staying at the Lodge. Homemade Mutton Stew w/ Frybread ($15) - This is a pretty simple stew, filled with vegetables, including hand chopped canned tomatoes, carrots, celery, and potatoes. There's some, not a ton, of cubed mutton, which quite tender and is surprisingly not as gamey as the smell would indicate. It's all in a broth that's heavily vegetable forward, followed by a tomato umami, and then finishing with a slight mutton gaminess. It's very simple, hearty fare and similar to most other food in the Navajo Nation, isn't seasoned much, so it could be considered bland. The stew comes with a choice of frybread or tortilla. We went with both, paying an extra $2.85 for the tortilla ala carte. The frybread is fried pretty well, giving a nice crisp edge. It's puffy and chewy on the sides, flatter in the center - there's nothing wrong with the base mix, but unfortunately the amount of fry oil contained in the frybread is terrible. I mean, there was basically an entire puddle of soot-speckled dark-colored old fryer oil right soaking right in the center of the frybread in a pool. Bleh. Tortilla ($2.85) - I believe this is the same base used as the frybread, but then baked instead of fried. It's like a thicker/handmade Mexican flour tortilla. It's thick and chewy, a bit bready, and has a dry char taste. Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria is a decent spot for food in the area. There honestly aren't many restaurants in general in Chinle; this place serves food that isn't special by any means, but also isn't unpalatable. Just be aware that they follow the more traditional method of Navajo seasoning - basically no salt or spices. Bathrooms - Two larger ones with multiple stalls read more

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Great food! Try the hamburger! Prices are reasonable I went to gift shop and found the perfect gift for my grandson. Enjoy! read more

Basically average Navajo food. I wouldn't order the cafeteria food that's been sitting out, but frybread and pancakes are made fresh. It's not the fluffiest or most tender of frybreads that I've had, but it hits the spot. Stews are authentic Navajo style, but I did find them a bit on the fatty and underseasoned side even by the norms of Navajo cuisine. Blue corn pancakes were tasty with a nice texture, but too salty. It's certainly authentic and a good option if you're staying at the lodge or visiting Canyon de Chelly, but I wouldn't go out of my way when there's better food on the reservation. read more

The service was top notch and the food really really good and fresh. Portions were outrageously generous. We went for both dinner and breakfast. The small Navajo taco was enough for us both as well as one yummy blue corn pancake that both covered the plate. I had the BEST creamed chip beef (yes, I'm a big fan). Can't wait to return. read more

A friend of 65 years and I planned a visit to Canyon de Chelly and stayed at the historic Thunderbird Lodge for 2 nights. We had 2 breakfasts and one dinner at the lodge cafeteria. I was pleasantly surprised by the improvements in how the cafeteria was run vs my previous visit. We ordered freshly cooked breakfasts both days vs the items available on the steam tables. The first day I had eggs and toast, and my friend had a buttermilk pancake with bacon. The pancake was so large that it completely filled her plate, adding was topped with a big dollop of butter. For the second breakfast, we both had blue corn pancakes. They were excellent. The sausage link I added to mine was very good. The food was prepared so quickly that it was delivered to our trays before we reached our table. For dinner, my friend and I shared the Navajo burger on fry bread (it was also available on a tortilla or bun). From prior experience, I knew the portion size would be way too big for one person. The burger (which was actually 2 large beef patties) came with lettuce and tomato and a choice of seasoned, regular, or sweet potato fries. At about $15, it was an excellent choice for a shared dinner with the extra plate we requested. The decor in the cafeteria remained unchanged from my previous visit. It's definitely on the dark side. The walls have photos of the canyon, and there's a small museum area that's worth a visit. This is a historic facility, but would do well with a bit of upgrading. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Blue Corn pancake and sausage link (2 tubes of syrup) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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Excellent food! I had a small Navajo Taco that was superb and left me stuffed. The fry bread was some of the best I've had, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The toppings and salsa were great as well. My partner had a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. It was great as well. The ham was thick and tasty. We'll be going back for breakfast tomorrow. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Navajo taco. Excellent! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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Stopped at the cafe at 8pm after checking into the lodge and I wish I had good things to say. I ordered the fry bread taco and although it was supposed to be made to order, it clearly wasn't. It was cold and the bottom was totally soaked though. There was also no salt or flavor to speak of. Pretty disappointed but looking forward to losing a couple pounds while staying here from not eating I suppose. I'm giving 2 stars as the staff are friendly and the place was open. read more

The food is good but not great. But the whole experience is warm and wonderful. Lovely staff. Breakfast the best meal here. Navajo taco good but order small not regular or it will defeat you. No alcohol by the way. read more

Cafetería, convenient to lodge. They have rotating specials. Stuffed peppers were very good. Very clean inside. Prompt service.

The building is the nice. Rooms are large, but beds are hard. Staff is very friendly and helpful. My husband really enjoyed the four hour tour of the Canyon. read more

Conveniently located at the Thunderbird lodge where we stayed, we came here quite a few times during our weeklong stay. Being one of the longstanding restaurants in the area you'll see a mix of visitors and locals at this establishment. I preferred the made to order items. Their Navajo Burger, traditional burger, served with onion rings were our favorites. Their fry bread was excellent but if you prefer a healthier, lighter option their homemade tortilla makes a great substitute. For breakfast they make great omelettes and pancakes to order. I thought that their off menu breakfast burrito was also very tasty! read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Menu March 2023 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

The formerly good restaurant has been reduced to a cafeteria with very limited dinner choices with no real vegetarian options. After a 30 minute wait for Navajo tacos, they arrived stone-cold and clearly involved canned rather than freshly cooked beans. Apologetic waitress kindly offered to refund that platter. Breakfast menu is more expansive and looks better. read more

Pitiful small grill menu. Breakfast yesterday was chipped beef. Have not seen that in over 60 years

I ate here for breakfast and dinner while staying at the lodge. The facility was clean and the employees were friendly and helpful. Food is served cafeteria style or you can order off the menu. I enjoyed my breakfast (hash browns, sausage, and fruit) but I wasn't pleased with my dinner. I ordered a rib eye steak, cooked medium, but it came out well done. If you eat here skip the steaks and stick to what's already prepared. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Rib eye steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

Stopped in for dinner after a long day driving and visiting Canyon de Chelly. The restaurant is cafeteria style and the food was delicious!!! The Sunday special was lasagna and it was great! I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich from the menu. Made when ordered and done in 5 minutes. Prices were good and the portions were huge for the price. The lasagna was $11.50 and came with a vegetable or salad and a roll. My new go to when in Chinle. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Menu as of October 2023 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

This little cafeteria had far better food than we expected. Lots of attention to little details. And a lot of variety. Definitely the best restaurant in Chinle. read more

Haven't eaten here in years. Food is served cafeteria style and some dishes are cooked-to-order. Food was hot, delicious and service was great! Drinks are self-served and staff were all wearing their PPEs. The self-serve desert case is closed off to customers for safety purposes, the staff handles all the food. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Navajo taco, mutton stew with frybread (foreground). - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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Had a last minute stop and found this lodge. Love that it's away from traffic hotel staff awesome. Kitchen staff was accommodating. Food was delicious ate dinner two days roast chicken and smothered steak. Red velvet cake was yummy. If you are looking for a place that quiet this is the place. read more

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Disgusting ya?? Ate there just yesterday for lunch and was told " oh the Coca Cola Man just came by this morning and cleaned it" ya right! Just lie off the bat! read more

No water in the building made services limited and I had to take my food back to my room, where there was no water! Chicken fried steak was decent, spuds, gravy and green beans okay, but the dinner role was hard and stale. They have a captive audience, and they probably do better when there's water running, but on this occasion it was just food. Nothing special. read more

Location on the campus of the Thunderbird Lodge was nice for us to walk over from our room while visiting. It offers Cafeteria style ordering and the staff was very friendly. We both ordered the loaded Navajo Taco and it was amazing. The large taco was huge and very filling while the fry bread was incredible. Great location, food service! read more

It's food and it won't kill you. It's also not tasty and it's pretty depressing. The lodge is a nice place to stay, but don't eat here if you can help it. Making a sandwich in your room is a better way to go. Or eat in town. read more

Decent place to grab food while visiting Canyon de Chelly. There are really not many other options in Chinle other than fast food, and if you're already in the canyon area this is the closest option without driving back into town. My husband and I ordered soups here and they were alright. I got the Pozole and he got green chicken chili. His was bland despite the name. For around $10 you can get a decent meal though. read more

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Nice option and very good food at Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria. Have been here a dozen times and never disappointed. Food service available. 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The specials are good and my favorite has been the Navajo Burger. Two patties served with fries and your choice if cheese and condiments. Can also include bacon. Bring your appetite...doesn't taste as good on day 2 reheated. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Navojo Burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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Delicious breakfast. Cafeteria style. Great quality of fresh ingredients. Worth the time waiting. Eggs cooked t perfection . Biscuits and gravy amazing read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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The food they served to me was devoid of any herbs or spices. There is this magical ingredient which this cafeteria needs to look into using, you may have heard of it - salt. I ate there three times during my stay at the Thunderbird Lodge (captive audience). The Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria has extremely bland food which is overpriced. It is not as though the overall price is that high, it's that the value of what you receive for your hard earned money is poor. This Cafeteria seems to nickel and dime you over every little thing. It was better than going hungry but, not by much. Avoid eating here. It's the cafeteria at Thunderbird Lodge which has the only food available to the public inside Canyon de Chelly National Monument. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner both American and Native American Food (Navajo). read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

Great food that is cafeteria style. We brought a group of students and they were quick , greeted our students and the food was delicious. I got the sheepcamp stew with frybread. It hit the spot after a long day of walking. The restaurant was nice and cool and there was plenty of room. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Stew - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

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The service was very quick and friendly. I had a small Navajo taco and my husband had the Navajo burger. The curly fries were good but unfortunately the rest of the meal was bland and tasteless. Edible but not something I would go out of my way to return to. read more

It's a cafeteria style restaurant, not a huge menu but I had dinner and breakfast while staying at the thunderbird lodge and it was great! I would eat there again if staying at the hotel. I tried the blue corn pancake, a Navajo specialty and for dinner I tried the Navajo burger with fried bread (not too greasy tho) and it was delicious. They also have Navajo stew and some more mainstream items like steak and chicken for the non adventurous people.. ;) Staff is nice and price is right. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

The restaurant offers cafeteria style service for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A variety of hot and cold items are available. Some of the items on the buffet looked like they may have been sitting for a while. We did enjoy a satisfying breakfast at a reasonable price. read more

Good enough to go back to. Had the bacon cheeseburger and fries with a fruit salad on the side. Burger was good but not great. Fries were good but not great. Same for the fruit salad. Service? Adequate. That's as fair as I can be. No major complaints and yes, I would return if in the area. read more

Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria - The Thunderbird Lodge Cafeteria may not be five-star cuisine but it's good enough to return to & with scenery like this nearby, who cares? - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chinle, Arizona

Service is cafeteria style. You walk in, grab a tray & silverware, choose sides if you want, & tell them what main dishes you want to eat. I ordered a "regular" sized Navajo taco (as opposed to small), & my husband ordered mutton stew. The taco was huge . Both of our dishes were bland and needed salt. The portions were large and we left full. read more

(The cafeteria is located next to the comfortable Thunderbird Lodge). As we are from the Los Angeles area, my wife and I found most of the buffet food to be bland, so... 3 stars for the buffet food! 4 stars for the Navajo fry bread! 4 stars for the burgers and fries! 4 stars for the buffet breakfast! 1 star for the grilled cheese! 5 stars for the service! 5 stars for the dining area! Overall, the cafeteria is very convenient for Canyon de Chelly visitors! Also, between the lodge and the cafeteria is a well stocked trading post! read more

We were a little reluctant to eat here with it's cafeteria style but glad we did. We had the Salisbury steak and it was delicious. The other food we saw coming out looked good as well. Prices are decent as well. read more

Pleasantly surprised! Before I get into this review, let me preface by saying Chinle, AZ isn't exactly the culinary capital of the southwest. Having lived in Chinle and returned over the years, my family has experienced this "cafeteria" at various stages throughout its life. My most recent visit back to the reservation proved that it's really improved over the years. The food is authentic and tasty, not fancy. So long as you know that in advance I think you'll enjoy this place. Plus the recent renovations they've made make the space feel much more inviting. There's also a few local/historical touches which helps things feel not so cafeteriaish. In the center they have the old vault from the original trading post opened up with descriptions and examples of Navajo art. There's also a clan wheel which I thought was really cool for both locals and tourists. FOOD! I liked everything I had here over the course of several days. It's a great mix of traditional Navajo food along with some standard fare that should satisfy the pickier eaters (and young children) out there. My highlights: - Fry bread is a must and comes as a side with most entrees. Fantastic! - Green chili stew = my favorite! - Navajo taco was pretty good but huge...even the small size. For those who aren't familiar with the Navajo taco it's more like a tostada. One I had here was great, the other not so much because the beans made it a bit soggy. I guess it depends. - Cheeseburger with fries was good but not great. They have a Navajo cheeseburger that's like a taco but with two patties on fry bread that looked very intriguing. But way too many calories for me. Would definitely try that if splitting amongst two or three people! - Biscuits and gravy = oddly my second favorite! The breakfast line gets super long so I ended up getting this simply because I was in a rush. I never thought in a million years I'd have one of the best biscuits and gravy of all time here. But that's what happens when you try things! Again, this place isn't fancy. It's not the most appealing looking place. But their staff is great as is their traditional Navajo food. At the end of the day that's really what matters! I'll definitely be back next time I visit! read more

Definitely a cafeteria. Stand in line to select from the menu, then choose a table to wait for your food, then go back to ask for cutlery and napkins, then go to get your own water. Food is palatable read more

Best place in Chinle. Pricey but worth it! Clean and cool native design interior. Got burgers and fries and lots of sides like mashed potatoes. All the other places to eat in Chinle will probably kill you . read more

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What a nice surprise! Hotel choices in Chinle are two big chains and one locally owned hotel. We chose the Thunderbird and were very pleased with the accomodations. Now we are having breakfast in the cafeteria - style restaurant. Just like in school with the trays, picking out what you would like. Food was great and I would come back again without hesitation. read more

I lived in Chinle for a while and I loved the community and the people, it was a great place. Sometimes I came here with friends and the food was really good, homemade and the baked goods were really great. Cookies and things, yum! But in general, yes like a home cooking kind of place. Maybe the food has changed since then, that's possible. It would be a shame because they used to have pretty decent meals. read more

This restaurant is a cafeteria where you order in a line at a counter. The menu is not tiny but somewhat limited. At dinner and at breakfast, the cooked-to-order stuff came out fairly quickly-nice if you want to get a move on for your day. The Navajo taco was tasty and huge-literally overhanging the plate! Grilled cheese was good, fry bread oilier than at The View in Monument Valley. The staff were all friendly and helpful. read more