Wow, what a gem in such a small town. The burgers are…read moreperfectly made, with good ingredients, and huge. The atmosphere/surroundings are even better. The stuff is super nice. You can't ask more in a location like just outside of Yosemite.

Not much around this town, but this Basin Cafe is great! This is a pretty cute place. They have a…read morewell decorated yard with plenty of spacious seating around the area. They also have plenty of seats indoor as well. Their menu is extensive, mainly serving burgers, sandwiches, salads, or soup with some pastries available at the counter or fridge. My partner ended up getting their Mono Burger while I got their Salad and Soup (Soup of the Day). We chose to do outdoor seating and there were quite a few birds flittering around. Our order came relatively quickly. Soup of the day today was sweet potato soup and it is just like it's name - a creamy sweet potato soup and it was yum. No frills or anything added which is perfectly great. As for the salad, it was just a standard house salad with some lettuce, tomatoes, croutons and such. I opted for the honey balsamic dressing and it's a nice, fresh choice after backpacking. My partner's burger was massive. It came with 1/2 lb beef - it was a massive meat patty! But he said it was delicious and well earned. We also got a salted caramel brownie which was decadent! It's a little dense, but super chocolatey and I love the crackly top layer with some caramel drizzle.

I'm so happy we found this place! It really made our little trip more fun. The staff are awesome,…read morethe place is clean, tidy and quiet and they have a great selection at their cafe to fuel up before a day of adventures and activities. I also loved the garden area where you can simply enjoy your coffee, relax and read a book. I'll definitely be recommending this place to others and can't wait to come back!

Very cute coffee shop that has plenty of garden seating. Waiting for the coffee to come out is like…read morewaiting for paint to dry but you can't be that mad since it's because the baristas are catching up with all the customers/friends that are coming in. I guess that's a testament to how friendly the staff here are, that people are coming in to talk about their JMT trip or the best top rope routes. I feel like this spot would be a great spot to unwind after a long day on the trail and have a slow relaxed morning

i always make it a point to stop here when i'm in the area…read more the fried chicken is to die for it's takes awhile cause they make it fresh but they tell you that upfront. i was particularly impressed how they let anyone that stopped by to use the restrooms weather or not they eating there

Looking for lunch while driving to Mammoth Ski Resort. Stumbled upon this diner that started back…read morein 1965. It was a nice cozy diner and it was exactly what we were expecting. The staff were very friendly and attentive, always coming to check if my fiancé needed more coffee. I ordered the Mike's special and my fiancé got the Nicely's special. We also got the bread pudding Ala mode. It was sooo delicious. The crinkle fries were nice and crispy and the sandwich was nice and flavorful as well. It is definitely great diner food. This place reminded me of a diner we had back at home in Hawaii and it had history just like this diner but due to COVID that diner closed its door. It was one of the last standing diners that we had and they got closed. So I was very happy to experience this diner vibe again. If you're on your way to or from Mammoth, you should definitely stop to try if you haven't.

Last Sunday, I and some friends had dinner at he Mono Inn , a remarkable dining spot located in Lee…read moreVining, California near Mono Lake. The restaurant's dining room has a stunning panoramic views of the lake in addition to a warm, inviting ambience. Co-managed by Chef Jason Custer and owner Hilary Hansen Jones, it offers an unforgettable fixed-price menu featuring creative, flavorful dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. The menu that evening, inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony, delivered a harmonious and tranquil multi-course experience. Highlights include a refreshing first course of watermelon sorbet with kimchi foam, a delicately cured ocean trout with caviar cream, roasted squab in cherry sauce with Korean dumplings, and a unique dessert of toasted corn ice cream dessert. Each dish was thoughtfully paired with excellent wine suggestions from the wine list that had several Old World and New World selections under $50. The attentive service at Mono Inn was choreographed by the owner who took time to regale our table in the history of the Mono Inn. There so much I love about the Mono Inn, from the low-key vibe and mixed with a formal dinner service, to the wonderfully creative dishes bursting with amazing flavors. All of these aspects make The Mono Inn a must-visit. This is my second visit, and I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended!

My fourth visit. This time I took photos. The Mono Inn…read moreexperience does not disappoint. I close my eyes and disappear into the flavors. The staff is brilliantly trained. Chef is an artist! Once a month, best self care break for 200 miles!

We stumbled upon the restaurant en-route to Yosemite. Truth be known, if we had driven just a bit…read morefarther south our dinner would of been elsewhere. Just the same, this was a good pace to eat. My wife and I split orders of ginger lettuce wrap and the dirty rice. Both were tasty and hit the spot after a long, hot day of driving. I will admit the service was a bit slow, just one server/cashier running things with one cook in the back. But it turned out fine, we were satiated.

This is a good small restaurant located about 2 miles north of Lee Vining. Hammond Station…read moreRestaurant is located in front of the Tioga Lodge with a great view of Mono Lake. We had dinner and breakfast here while we stayed overnight at the Lodge. The staff was skilled and enthusiastic. I had mexican food for dinner and Hawaiian Stuffed Tioga Toast for breakfast. Both meals were great. The chef definitely cares about his food.

Went here this year and they definitely updated their customer service. I was greeted right away,…read morehelped right away and love their cold brew. I came right at closing and they were happy to help me and even gave me an extra donut for my son! I will definitely be back!

High Sierra Bakery is a fan favorite in this Eastern Sierra big "small town." We have been enjoying…read morethe donuts, cookies, breads, pastries and cakes since 1995. While ownership has changed at one point, the bakery has stayed in the family. Locals absolutely depend on this jewel. High Sierra bakery is more than just a shop, but a place where neighbors meet, chat, and feel at home, fostering a sense of connection. Locals also order donuts for their different clubs, acitivities and gatherings. Tourism is also a big part of the bakery clientelle. The bakery has extended hours during peak summer time. It's essential to get to the bakery early during these times to be able to have many variety choices. While the bakery must close for the winter, you can depend on them usually beginning in April into October. It has been a long time, but we have ordered birthday cakes in the past. Everything here is consistent. The apple fritters are a big hit, and I say big hit because they are HUGE. The bakery also has sandwiches on the menu, but I think they are usually not available until after 11. There is plenty of seating inside and a couple of tables outside. Parking is available on the street and it is within walking distance from all local motels.

BEST GRILLED VEGGIE SANDWICH I don't say that lightly, just…read morecheck out the photo! Man, why can't the rest of the world figure out how to do this? I'm back home now and still think about my 395 drive and THAT SANDWICH! No meat = Veggies are the star

Last stop before you hit Yosemite from this side, perfect stop to fuel up on fish tacos and get a…read morelook at Mono Lake. The World Famous Fish Tacos are pretty okay considering they're seafood in a landlocked city surrounded by mountains and trees. The fish is fresh enough, and the portion is substantial. The mango salsa was nice, but the slaw was bland. The BBQ Chicken Sandwich is a bland breast saturated with sauce, though the chicken isn't dry and the sauce does have a nice flavor. A slice of Cheese Pizza placates the kids but isn't all that pleasing. The food is decent deli fare, and the market has a lot of fun snacks and supplies. It's a fun stop on the way to wherever you're going.

If you're driving through Lee Vining, Mono Cone is a must stop! We stopped in after exploring the…read morearea and it was exactly what we needed cold, creamy, delicious, and a perfect little treat with that classic roadside mountain-town vibe. The kids were very happy, and honestly, so were the adults! Great spot to cool off, grab a cone, and enjoy the beautiful Eastern Sierra scenery. Definitely adding this to our Lee Vining stops!

Cute little ice cream spot! They have lots of different flavors, and you can even swirl multiple…read moreflavors together which is fun what makes this place unique. We came with a group of 8, and everyone ordered something different. Everyone really enjoyed their ice cream, so that's definitely a plus :) One thing to be aware of the parking lot right in front has a big dip. If you have a lower vehicle or one with side steps, you may want to park on the side instead. Our friend's truck scraped the side rails pulling in :/ The only downside was the service. My order was made incorrectly, and instead of fixing it, the employee insisted it was correct .. even though it wasn't Since it was only a kids (tot) size (about $4), I didn't want to make a big deal out of it and just ate what I was given. However, I did felt feel after our group had ordered eight ice creams, remaking one small order would've been an easy way to provide good customer service but they chose not to. ‍ Overall, the ice cream was good, there were plenty of flavor options, and it's a cute place to stop if you're craving something sweet.

The cutest little resort south of Bridgeport! Prices are comparable to what's in town except this…read morehas a cute old western town charm that is by a creek and has a restaurant, picnic area with games, and a nonprofit trout fishery. I appreciated the s'mores, morning coffee, and the fish food to feed the trout . We stayed in room 2 in the cabin and loved it. Very comfortable bed with extra blankets. The staff around the property always greeted me when I walked by and the restaurant is a convenient touch since there really isn't anything else in this immediate area. Will make a point to come back anytime I need to stay near Bridgeport

I've dined here several times in the past with trips down to Bodie, Yosemite, Mammoth, and have…read morefound the restaurant quaint, charmingly eclectic, and with solid food fare with seemingly fair pricing, given there are few other restaurant options nearby. It was previously a worthy stop-off when the trip north or south was long and you needed a decent quality comfort-food bite on the fly. Sadly, this restaurant is now crossed off my list of options. Pricing here has gotten out of control (a hamburger is 30-35 dollars....a *hamburger* ?!?), with service nothing particularly special. So you will be paying roughly double, or more, for the price of a menu roughly equivalent to the quality of an Applebee's. The restaurant will argue these are the new inflationary market prices, supply demand dynamics, summer travel pricing to offset slower winter travel season, etc etc. But reaming the customer ain't a great recipe for having folks like me ever returning. It simply isn't worth it to dine here anymore, so I will keep driving past Virginia Creek Settlement and wave.

This restaurant is inviting and comfortable…read more Our food was quite delicious and the server was efficient and friendly. We don't come to Mammoth often but when we do, we will definitely return.

I ordered takeout from this restaurant over the phone, and at no point was I told that a 15%…read moregratuity would be added to my bill. I only discovered the charge when I got to the register. I find this especially unreasonable for a to-go order, and customers should be informed of mandatory fees before they're charged--not surprised by them at checkout. For that reason, I'm leaving a 1-star review. Customers deserve transparency, and I think people should be aware of this practice before ordering.