It's a shame when servers are not trained. It's even worse when the food is not good. The young lady that served us asked about drinks. Why sure I'd like a libation something rather. She came back and said in fact they don't serve Margarita's. She said she had no idea, and that she didn't even live in the area. What does where she lives have anything to do with anything? I don't want to be mean, but ?? I ordered the 1/2 rack of these "Famous Ribs." My hubby the Flat Iron steak. We asked for salads as the choice instead of soup. We wait and wait...starving after having hiked all over the Alabama Hills. It is customary to get the salad ahead of time, but this young lady was doing other things. Suddenly after 15 min. we got our meals with no salad. She was getting ready to walk away when I asked about the salads. She went and got them not really concerned about it, and was not really understanding. So onto these ribs! I'm traumatized by these things that were so overcooked and dry. What on earth was done to these things? It seems they were boiled, then frozen, then defrosted, and microwaved? Who knows!! I do know this. I have been making ribs for a long time. For the love of God you don't need to kill the pig 15 times! My hubbies Flat Iron Steak was alright. Not completely hideous. Needless to say, there are not many choices in the Lone Pine. This is not a choice I would ever venture to again if in the area. read more

Totem Cafe is a neat restaurant with some great decor ranging from cowboy art to metal sculptures, old phones, etc. It is located right on the main road, right near the turn to go to Alabama Hills and Mt. Whitney. The crossroad is Whitney portal road. We parked on the street, but I am guessing there is some parking around back too. The restaurant was rustic, clean, classic rock playing on the radio, and there are bathrooms. Service was fast and friendly. They had lunch and breakfast options. Breakfast prices are about what you would expect for a small restaurant in a small town. Plenty of good options to choose from. I was contemplating the pancakes and the French toast. I tried the 2 piece French toast and it came with some cantaloupe. It was warm, fluffy, and tasty. It came with plenty of butter packets and large syrup container. It hit the spot for sure. I think it was about $12. read more

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I cant believe how good this place is. The food is amazing. They recommended the breakfast burrito everything seasoned well, potatoes cooked to perfection toasty. Thank you for the high quality food and good service. My new favorite spot. You will not be disappointed read more

Totem Cafe - Amazing salsa, spicy and flavorful. Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Way too long to get any type of service. Parties sat down and left because no one came by to take their orders after sitting them. Didn't check up on us at all. Asked for burger to be plain but still came with everything. Onion Rings were good. I'd skip this place and try something else in town. read more

Totem Cafe - Onion rings and hamburger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

We had a group gathering in the back room during the morning hours. The waitress came by to check on some of our friends to see who wanted to order food as some were hear to just chat and not eat. The area was spacious for our 20 person event. We ordered the omelet, house potatoes with sourdough bread and it was really good for the price. read more

Totem Cafe - Letterboxing event NOV2025 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

When I saw Totem Cafe listed on Yelp, I was instantly drawn to it. Could this local spot be symbolic to our trip? I wanted to try it and glad I did. I really enjoyed my tasty breakfast mainly due to the great service from the lone waitress. She was very attentive and friendly. The dining area has a nice laidback atmosphere. It's also clean and spacious which is always good. Definitely give this cafe a try if you're in Lone Pine, CA. read more

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We stopped in Friday evening for dinner. It wasn't particularly crowded. The dinner menu is fairly basic and we were intrigued as we were looking for a sit down option not purely focused on burgers. There's limited craft brews on tap. We opted for the lone local. Dinner wise, Hubs ordered the half chicken with BBQ sauce and fries. I ordered the salmon with baked potato. We both opted for the side salad. - Side salad: they chopped up the lettuce themselves but the salad was very basic - Chicken: overcooked, which is hard for bone in meat - Salmon: a bit undercooked in some places - Fries: cooked well, with good flavor - Baked potato: standard - Asparagus: vegetable of the day and cooked well Service was nice and kind. The food was a miss and rather pricey, unfortunately. read more

I got the breakfast burrito and it was probably the best breakfast burrito I've ever had and I've had many at many places. Hats off to Totem cafe for great breakfast food! read more

Totem Cafe - Breakfast burrito is the best I've had. No joke - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Came here for dinner with two friends after a long day outside. The waitress was friendly and there were plenty of empty tables around 7:30 pm on a Friday night. We were seated right away. I ordered the grilled salmon with baked potato, one of my friends ordered the salmon with French fries, and our other friend ordered the tuna salad. The food was fine and decent. The menu can be somewhat limited if you have dietary restrictions in your party. Overall, our food was fine, but it didn't stand out enough to seek out this restaurant next time we're in town. read more

Totem Cafe - Salmon with baked potato - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

If I could give this a 0 I would, I've never been to a place with terrible service like this....theres so many other places in this town that would take your money with fantastic service. There was no greeting, sat for 20 mins with no drinks and the first thing the older server woman said was "are you ready to order?" She gave the absolute bare minimum. Took our order, gave us our food and check, nothing else in between. It's so disappointing.....this place should not be open unfortunately it seems that the service here is very consistent based off of the other reviews. Spend your money and time elsewhere. They also have outside seating but won't allow it because the server isn't comfortable with it... read more

I Stepped back in time, at this rusty Wild-West Café to enjoy an amazing ribeye steak, Just like John Wayne might've had back in the days when he was shooting Western Movie in Lone Pine California Area. I took this Color Dark Tones shot that captures the Rustic atmosphere at the Totem Café. read more

Totem Cafe - Totem Cafe in Lone Pine - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

I had a great taco salad, with the best freshest salsa & my partner had a burger. Very good food & comfortable atmosphere, nothing fancy. Waitress was nice. Id go back for sure. read more

Food was excellent but the service was horrible. The waitress working on May 12th at 11:00 a.mm made it very clear. She did not like us. I have no idea what we did wrong but she went out of her way to do the bare minimum. I had to flag her down to take our order when she started taking other people's order that came in after us. Not once did she offer us water or coffee & not once did she even check on us to see if we needed refills or napkins or anything... But she made sure to go to every single table around us and asked them... It was very awkward and Very sad. This place is a great restaurant but people like this is what ruins it. read more

We split a rack of ribs. They were really good. The soup was really tasty and homemade and the steak fries were homemade and good. The waitress was on top of taking care of anything we needed. The decor is old west, movie picture photos, very relaxed and pleasant. read more

Super yummy spot to stop in for breakfast. Got seated right away on a Saturday morning. We got the pancake combo and eggs with potatoes and a side of bacon. The bacon and pancakes were the star of the show. The only thing we'd do different is get the potatoes extra crispy. read more

Totem Cafe - Pancake combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Started out ok but then went downhill fast. Ordered single cheeseburger and ice tea. No mayo and tomato, got both anyway. I hate mayo on a burger. Waitress too busy yapping and only checked on me once. Mind you, I was the only customer in the place. Burger was cheap frozen patty, way overcooked. Waitress overcharged me by $3.00... Should've make an issue but I just wanted to get out of there. Place is cute with decorations but food leaves a lot to be desired. Doubt I'll go back. read more

Five stars for the sandwiches I got here. Grilled pineapple chicken was surprisingly unique, and was very flavorful and the chicken patty was tender and juicy. Club sandwich was solid as well. Thanks, I was not expecting such a great sandwich from an unassuming little cafe! read more

Totem Cafe was just what we needed. Traditionally we head to Alabama Hills Cafe the morning before we leave for home but the wait was too long. Totem has plenty of tables, a decent breakfast menu, and quick service. There was something here for almost everyone. For the vegetarian, we were able to substitute the sausage/bacon for country fried potatoes. There are a few vegan options: oatmeal, potatoes, and fruit. I got creative and ordered a side of dry toast (as in toast without butter) + side of avocado to construct an avocado toast, and added a side of country fried potatoes. Our group ordered: French toast, breakfast burrito, omelette, and pancakes. Everyone enjoyed their food, the service was decent also. Thanks! read more

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This place turned out to be a real gem. We decided to stop in for breakfast despite the mixed Yelp reviews, and I'm glad we did. there was no line, and we were greeted and served right away. The food was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what five hungry hikers needed. Every dish at our table was well-prepared, and we all agreed it was the best breakfast we had in Lone Pine during our stay. I liked the California omelette with the fresh avocado. Sometimes the hidden spots with less hype turn out to be the best finds. read more

This place is good. I order the Philly cheese steak and I thought it was good. Also the dinner menu has some great option but it's say after 5 pm. I would come Here again read more

Wonderful stopping place on 395. Homemade soups are exceptional! I had the French Dip and the beef was very tender!

Always a must stop on Hwy 395. Good food and service. Tip: Eat outside on the patio and take in the sights of Mt Whitney and the Sierras.

The service was really great. The place definitely does get very packed up fast. I got there 20 mins after opening and there were not many people there. However, keep in mind it's only one waiter and one cook for the whole restaurant which seats appx. 70 people at a time so the pace is slower than what most city people are accustomed to. The food was good I ordered the 2 eggs with country potatoes, it comes with a slice of bread of choice for $12.95. For the price and quality I give it a 4/5, the food is a little bland but the service and decor makes it a 5/5 overall for me. read more

A year ago we arrived passing by with my wife, we had breakfast in this place, we liked it, the staff very friendly the owners are friendly, the food is tasty, I recommend this place, to support small businesses like this! read more

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Planned to go to Alabama Hills Cafe (like the rest of the world) but they seem to be a victim of their own success. Too crowded, too busy, too loud. 30 minute wait - estimated - 9am on a Sunday. So we walked a block away to the Totem Cafe. There were about 4-6 tables occupied inside. They let us sit outside since we had our dog with us. The young man was prompt and very pleasant. Food was delivered promptly. Denver omelet tasty - not spectacular but certainly filling. Prices very reasonable -especially these days. Will go back again next time we're driving through. read more

Our server was absolutely wonderful and shared some of the coffee she made for herself even though it was past coffee service hours. The fried chicken looked amazing and had a very nice crunch while juicy on the inside. Unfortunately it lacked flavor! If only the batter was seasoned with some salt or any of the premixed dry seasoning found at Costco the rating would be so much better. The decor was also very interesting, not sure what I thought of it. Did cross my mind as to whether it was PC in today's climate ‍ read more

Totem Cafe - Coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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We planned on going to the Alabama Cafe which we did on our trip up to Mammoth but they had a wait on our way down from the mountain so we walked over to the Totem Cafe. Although they weren't as busy as the Alabama cafe my husband and I found their food and the atmosphere to be great and actually much better than the Alabama Cafe. I ordered a vegetable omelette. The veges were plentiful and sautéed just right with a great flavor. I asked for a side of salsa and it was super good, obviously homemade and fresh. It came with home fried potatoes which were from freshly sliced potatoes (not frozen) and they were also seasoned perfectly. In addition i substituted fresh fruit for toast and it came with fresh cantaloupe, pineapple and berries, all sweet and delicious. ( Alabama cafe wouldn't allow for substitutes) My husband ordered ham and eggs and he said it was really good as it was a nice thick ham steak and again, great flavor. The cafe felt cozy and comfortable with lots of antique decor to check out. They also sell jars of honey that i plan on buying next time. We will be back for sure on our next trip to mammoth and I hope this review will draw attention to Totems as their food was great and they deserved the review. read more

We stopped here on our way to Tahoe. It's a cute place with some antique decor. Breakfast was delicious. Carina, our server was very friendly. read more

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Great service, and nice food for the price. Restaurant was clean and we were seated quickly. Overall a pleasant experience. read more

Totem Cafe - Beef Dip Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

My husband loved his burger and he is very fussy about restaurants, I had a turkey club and was very nice. Under 50 dollars. We will be back. read more

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Ever tried a food or drink and be a bit disappointed because it wasn't like the one you had before. Days after visiting the Totem Cafe I ate a fast-food chain restaurant and was missing the Totem Burger. This burger was not some frozen slab of meat thrown on a grill. It was seasoned ground beef formed into two patties, cooked and placed in a French Roll Bun. Fantastic! It included all the fixings and was just delicious. We also ordered the Philly Steak Sandwich and though my boyfriend enjoyed it, complimenting how well the thin slices were cooked (don't confuse that with well-done, the steaks were just timed and cooked on the grill well) and how the ratio to cheese and meat were good. No complaints. Totem Cafe is located on a busy corner and when many hikers meet to get their fill. It's located down the street from where many films that need a dirt, desert, or sand are located. I would definitely stop here again! read more

Totem Cafe - The Philadelphia Cheesesteak sandwich. This one was more like a steak sandwich, but still a good one. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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Stopped by for a quick lunch. Service was great, food was good, only complaint there's no full bar but it does have wine and beer overall a good experience. read more

Sandwiches, onion rings and wings are awesome. And bathrooms are super clean. Daughter says Shirley Temple are off the hook read more

Ribs were falling off of the bone. Service was attentive. Good alternative to Seasons and Mt Whit Saloon read more

Totem Cafe - Ribs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Got the tuna salad salad and it was a huge splotch of tuna salad. And yes, I did repeat salad! Wonderful outdoor seating under a tall pine tree. Friendly service. Even some beers on tap! A wonderful stop driving through the area. There is air-conditioned in door seating, but the weather invited everyone to dine outside! read more

Totem Cafe - Tuna salad salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Excellent food! Home town atmosphere. Gravy was exceptional. Wished we could have tried the pies too! read more

Totem Cafe - Chicken fried steak and baked potato - excellent!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Home cooked breakfast with the family on our way home from Big Pine , sat outside under a nice tree lots of shade good customer service read more

Totem Cafe - Chicken fried steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Food is decent, they have a little bit of everything and a kid friendly menu, priced at market for the area and service is friendly. read more

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There are two restaurants in this town I love. That's Totem Cafe and Merry Go Round. I thought the French roll was going to be a weird touch at first but I ended up devouring the burger. It was incredibly tasty and exactly something you would want after hiking all day. Staff were very friendly, there was no wait, and the restaurant was very clean. read more

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Recently we had dinner at the Totem Cafe in Lone Pine. We have eaten there before, and once again found the food hearty and delicious. Being a little early for the dinner hour, service was exceptional, as it usually is. The ambiance is homey and vintage. read more