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  • 0

    After having our fill of burger joints and family restaurants in Lee Vining area we wanted to escape and have a real meal at a real restaurant that actually had a wine list. We found such a place in the Historic Mono Inn. The restaurant is a couple miles out of town, right on the shores of Mono Lake. It has a panorama that is glorious for sunsets. The two owners graciously welcomed us in and were constantly in the dining area throughout the evening.  They spent their time talking with us, describing the dishes, suggesting wine pairings, taking the orders and serving the meals.  The atmosphere was very casual, but the food was very gourmet.  The maple brined pork chop (14 oz.) and the grilled Alaskan salmon were our favorites. The wine list was extensive and they had excellent recommendations for pairings with the entrees. After a wonderful meal we were relaxing chatting with some of fellow patrons and suddenly one of the owners sat down at the piano and reeled off some favorite pieces.   It was very cozy and we felt like we were being entertained in some friends' living room. We went back a second night and were equally impressed.

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  • 0

    The one star is for customer service...never got to eat the food.  We arrived without a reservation, apparently a strict no no.  Despite EIGHT tables being open and available for seating (I could see the reservation book and it was wide open) we were told it would be a 20-30 minute wait before we could be seated.  "The chef would just be too overwhelmed by all the orders if we sat everyone now."  Huh?  Why have a restaurants open and full of tables on a Friday night if you aren't able to feed them all?

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  • 0

    Great find at the end of an outdoorsy day of hiking and Sierra beauty.  We were so glad we saw the sign with dinner 5-9. There was more beauty with the view to enjoy wine tasting of the seasons wine "Rockhill".    The songs of birds lovely. The appetizers were yummy, had  Brussels(roasted with olive oil, balsamic, capers and almonds) and Mussels to die for.  Definitely will go back for the view, food, wine and visit with co-owners.

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  • 0

    My friend's Bolognese was good. The kale was great.

    My rack of antelope was also good. It had sort of a mustard rub on it that dominated the flavor. I was hoping for a little gaminess but there was none. Nice taste but nothing startling.  Unfortunately, there was some grizzle on the end of the chop.  It was hard to cut through the grizzle with the supplied butter knife .  A steak knife would have been nice.

    Service could have been better.  I really wanted a second glass of wine but the waiter never came back.  We had coffee with dessert and no one offered us a refill on coffee either.  I am not saying their service was bad for everyone. They seemed to be very solicitous of some of the regulars.   Unfortunately, the food was good but not excellent enough that I would become a regular.

    The aromas as we walked in told me we were in for a treat.  Great ingredients, everything fresh and perfectly cook, but nothing makes me say OMG this is so good.  I don't expect every restaurant to give me that OMG experience. But if I go to a gourmet restaurant that is more expensive than the run-of-the- mill restaurant, I want an experience I can remember a week from now.  This wasn't it.

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  • 0

    Another fantastic meal at the Mono Inn, great choices on the menu, great food and service not to mention the ambiance of eating a meal overlooking Mono Lake. Especially remarkable when you consider its remote location, this rest. keeps getting better and better!

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  • 0

    We made dinner reservations, telling them about our anniversary and anticipated pleasant experience.  That was not to be.  When we arrived we were chastised for being 10 minutes early for our reservation and they were not going to accommodate our table request.  We understood and volunteered to wait outside.   When we were seated the service was inattentive.  Jim took our ordered, delivered it and removed our dishes. That was the last time we saw him. The food was OK, but not memorable.  After about 15 or 20 minutes we realized the meal service was over and no one was coming back. We flagged down the waitress. asked for the  bill and paid.  No one offered us a dessert menu or said good night.

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  • 0

    This was our second time for dinner here.  We were favorably impressed on our first visit  in June that we made reservations for dinner as soon as we'd reserved a room in Lee Vining for the night.  The Historic Mono Inn is by far the best meal in town.  The wine list is extensive, and they are willing to pour a great number of selections by the glass.  The co-owners are great people.  Time time we both opted for the special Rack of Antelope- amazingly tender and flavorful, with a blackberry and wine sauce on it.  Even the veggies are imaginatively prepared and complement the entree.

    The view of the lake is great, but the ambience of the restaurant even without that is special.    We highly recommend.

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  • 0

    Gorgeous view of the lake from this historic bldg.  Had the antelope special and it came with yumster mashed potato and veggies including some whole steamed carrot.  Topped with a blackberry reduction. Not sweet but slightly tart.  Deserts looked delicious but I was too full.

    On the down side wine serving was really scant.  For a $12 glass, I expect a little fuller glass.  Note to self, will bring my own wine next time and pay the corkage.

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  • 0

    This year's visits to the Mono Inn for lunch and dinner were once again memorable.
    A quiet , shady al fresco lunch was a welcome antidote to the hot weather of early
    August. A glass of Toxqui Mendocino viognier  and a fine crisp  classic Caesar salad were excellent.
    A subsequent family visit including four children proved equally fine. We were impressed with so many locally sourced meats and vegetables. The vegetarian tagine, duck confit, and elk burger brought raves. A Toxqui grenache was a superb
    accompaniment.
    Kudos to chef-owners Mario and Jim. Our annual trek to the area was so worth
    the drive from Tuolumne Meadows.

    Anna Mohn Gade

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  • 0

    Myself and a group of guys visited this place last night and we all were very impressed. Living in LA I am lucky to have a number of great eateries and this definitely stacks up as a top notch place. Get the pork chop- so good!  Oh and the view was amazing and we were lucky to see a lightening show in the horizon which apparently isn't a rare thing so hope you get to see one too!  Finally the night ended around the piano with Jim, one of the owners, playing amazingly and leading people in fun songs. Two big THUMBS UP!

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  • 0

    We returned to this lovely spot this August and were happy to find it is even better than last year.  The deck is more comfortable and we were able to eat outside on a warm evening  (Most of the tables outside were occupied, so the owner set up a table for us).  The food was excellent, both the vegetarian entree, a lovely curry, and the duck with polenta.  We were astonished by the show Nature provided for us across Lake Mono.  This is one of the beautiful spots in California!  My son and his girlfriend had visited two weeks earlier and also had high praise for the table (inside) and the food.  The night they came,  a pianist played in the background.  This isn't the Whoa Nellie Deli!  The Mono Inn is for sitting and savoring.

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  • 0

    My family has been eating at Mono Inn since the mid 90's when we visit the sierras in July. Recent experience there DID NOT disappoint. I wrote about it on my food blog:

    <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthehappymouthblog.com%2F2012%2F07%2F29%2Fdont-say-no-to-mono%2F&s=b725a5c47681dd2199d596d077a11dbd82bde607419ff6359e3d60cec04e112c" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://thehappymouthblog…</a>

    Thank you Chef Jim for a lovely night! And Courtney our server was a delight!

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  • 0

    Wonderful food great service and amazing view!

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  • 0

    This restaurant has wonderful food, a truly interesting selection of wine, and a view that cannot be surpassed. Try sitting out on the patio overlooking the lake. It's magical.  We eat there often, as we live close by.  However, we would eat there even if it were at a distance.  If you are a visitor to the area, you should not miss this experience.  The view alone is priceless -- there truly is no better view of Mono Lake than from the patio of this restaurant, or from a window seat in the dining room. Plan enough time to allow for a leisurely glass of wine in the upstairs  lounge with its wall of windows. Co-owner Jim is very knowledgeable about wine, and more than happy to help you pick a wine or just answer questions.  The staff is friendly and helpful.

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  • 0

    Great spot for wine tasting!

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  • 0

    We went to Mono Inn for dinner the last night of our week in the Yosemite area a couple of weeks ago. We were delighted. My food and preservative allergies make eating out a challenge--fresh ingredients are required. We found a great menu with perfect choices. Owner/chef/sommelier Jim O'Meally even found a really wonderful Pinot I could drink--low in sulfites. Our server, Chelsea, was fairly new, and still learning the finer details of the menu but we could tell she was being well-coached and she was very enthusiastic. Because of my allergies I have to ask lots of questions before choosing a meal. If she didn't know the answer to a question she went to get the answer.

    Our dinner, which was preceded by an amazing crispy, hot baguette and oil/balsamic for dipping, included the NY Strip with mashers and vegetable of the day and the bacon-wrapped antelope with scalloped potatoes and vegetable of the day. They were both cooked perfectly and prepared without heavy seasoning--without wielding the "heavy hand" that too many chefs use on flavorful quality, meat. The veg of the day was roasted Brussels sprouts and wonderfully done. The dessert was amazing, too--we shared the espresso-chocolate torte (with raspberry) and an apple-blackberry crisp.

    All of the staff we were assisted by--Chelsea, Mario and Jim--were knowledgeable, friendly and genuinely warm.  We were one of the last two tables in the restaurant as closing approached and were treated to a little "night-cap" music. Jim is, in addition to his many other talents, a talented pianist.

    Oh, and the place does have a fabulous view, too, but the food and wine were so good we were distracted early on.

    We look forward to returning to Mono Inn as much as we look forward to returning to the beautiful Yosemite/Mono area.

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  • 0

    We feel into this place and we sure are glad we did. We met the new owner, and the cook, who sat at our table and discussed the preparation of our meal with us. We felt very at home here. They even had gluten free options for my wife, and were very knowledgeable about the subject. It was our anniversary and it was spectacular. Arrive before sunset, the view over the Mono Lake is outstanding. i highly recommend this jewel of the Eastern Sierras, just at the bottom of the Yosemite entrance.

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  • 0

    One of the grandest views California affords.

    The food is carefully prepared and delicious.

    The wine list is filled with the most interesting, out of the ordinary bottlings I've ever encountered.  A joy to pick a glass (or two) or a bottle from the selections.

    Summa cum laude.

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  • 0

    Man, I sure cannot understand the people who gave this place such a poor rating unless they are the competition.  Melissa, we were on the same day and got great service.

    We had a very enjoyable lunch which was so good we went back the second night for dinner!  The menu was inventive and the preparations delicious.   On our next trip to the area we will certainly go again.

    Needless to say the view added to our enjoyment.

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  • 0

    The Mono Inn is an oasis of casual fine food in a desert of average to below average fare....and we're not fancy pants types either - we prefer old school establishments and  love a good diner or cafe when we can come across one.  It's just that other than the Ranch Road Cafe, we hadn't found much and quite frankly were in need of some well made food.  So needless to say we were happy to hear Mono Inn (which we'd read rave reviews about on Yelp) was still serving lunch (they were closing up lunch service in the next day or so for the winter with dinner service continuing for another month I think?) and were not disappointed!

    We literally walked in at 11:30am (right when the doors open) to an empty space (they did literally just open after all) and a friendly smile which turned out to be one of the owners. He warmly welcomed us and our sweet but nonetheless 100lb dog (he sat on the outside terrace while we dined inside), then recommended and served us a memorable meal at our amazing view table.  The music playing in the background was equally enjoyable (his partner's - we asked) as we savored the first decent meal we'd had in days...ginger carrot soup - SUBTLE and DIVINE.  Fresh Salmon pasta - DELICIOUSLY FILLING with my husband sopping up the last of the sauce with his bread.  And my grilled cheese sandwich was no ordinary effort either as it was grilled to perfection (panini press I think?) and featured fig, pruscuitto and some other yummy stuff I can't recall with sweet potato fries - YUM!...and the piece de resistance - lemon cheesecake - SUBLIME!!!  According to our waiter/owner, the deserts are all made daily by him and his partner, inspired by recipes from the legendary Awhanee Hotel in Yosemite...but now fine tuned for their personal (and now our) tastes.

    I imagine dinner at the Mono Lake Inn would be even more inviting and delightful with a full house and live music when he's not cooking (the same talented partner/chef whose recorded music we heard over lunch).

    We enjoyed every moment at Mono Lake Inn - both the food and the company was beyond compare.  If you can make time to stop in, we cannot recommend it highly enough! :)

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  • 0

    The new Mono Inn doesn't begin to compare with the Mono Inn of the past. The new owners are obviously snooty as they don't even have the good taste to have blue cheese dressing. No, it's all nasty vinigerette and ceaser. They don't even have ranch - though ranch is no subsitute for blue cheese.

    This is a fishing/hunting resort place. Not a place for snooty food. The only saving grace other than the attentive service is the chocolate espresso tort, and even that was ruined by raspberries. Why people insist on ruining perfectly good chocolate with fruit or nuts is beyond me. Chocolate is best with more chocolate, though sometimes peanut butter, mint, or caramel will blend nicely too. Fruit is best all by itself. (Even then the only kinds I will eat is green seedless grapes, red Delicious apples, and sometimes an over ripe banana.)

    While it's nice that they are lighter in color inside rather than the dark woods from the past, they need to revamp the entire menu. It's just entirely too "I'm too good for the likes of you" food. And for goodness sakes, get some blue cheese dressing! It's really the only good dressing there is.

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  • 0

    Life is about expectations. If you expect a Bay Area 5 star restaurant outside Lee Vining when you see a five star review like mine, you will be disappointed. If instead you think context, timing and geography always play roles in enjoying food (or anything), including your likely mood of wanting to reward yourself after some solid hike or bike ride in the vicinity and are already a little high on all the wonder you've experienced, then you're of the mindset which will be rewarded here.

    How did I go in? I was high after numerous Tuolumne hikes (one could eat rocks there and be happy) and some good east side bike rides, knew the restaurant had changed hands over the years and therefore could be up or down on food. Several years back when I went, it was OK, not great. I also felt I was coming into a sunset on Mono Lake rivaling any I'd seen in California. So I expected to enjoy myself with most any decent meal and service, and soak in the view.

    My experience more than met my expectations. I found excellent food (I had long cooked pork and homemade pasta dish, beet salad with nicely balance dressing and flavors, and an intense chocolate desert), a very good wine from a large and interesting list, an owner who chatted with me in friendly and knowledgeable fashion because they were not too busy on Monday night at 6pm, another lesson on setting up the right experience (ask him to tell you his Puma experience from the southwest, by the way). I also found a prompt and friendly waitress honestly enthusiastic about the dishes and wines. I was stoked, refreshed and ready for the next adventure in the world of rocks, rivers, clouds, lakes and trees.

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  • 0

    This was our second visit since the restaurant reopened.  We had been loyal fans before and were hopeful that the new owners could be successful.  Both visits were more than enjoyable. This was a 70th birthday celebration and it met our expectations.  The service was good, the food was outstanding.  Yes, the pork chop was the big hit but the lavender chicken was also amazing.  It's an ambitious menu and offers something for everyone.  I wish we did not live five hours away but we'll be there every chance we get. Both owners were present and positively engaged with the customers and seemed quite genuine in their interest and responsiveness to questions.   I hope they can continue the their oversight of  food preparation and quality management of the kitchen delivery.  Food service was better than average, but considering the quality of the food, service has a ways to go.  Like remembering serving women first, and who gets what food.  Removing plates from the right.  Our server's attitude and general understanding of the ingredients in the dishes was good. Will highly recommend to others.

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  • 0

    I wish I could review the quality of the food here, but I never got a chance to try the food. The one star is only because I can give no stars, for no service. We walked out after waiting more than a half hour without even getting water.

    We made reservations two hours ahead of time. If we'd known we weren't going to get any service, we would've had time to go somewhere else and get food. As it was, we left and it was too late to get decent food anywhere else.

    The trip started promisingly enough. We arrived about 10 minutes early for our 7:45 reservation. There were a couple of parties ahead of us with reservations, one without. The guy at the front told the ones without reservations that he'd try to seat them as he got time.

    We, however, were good, or so we thought. We were seated maybe two or three minutes after our reservation. (This will become important after you realize how long we waited in this place, if you count from the time we walked in the door.)

    Finally, a table was ready for us. After noticing that the offered table was close to patio doors, we asked if people came in and out all the time. People do come through there, the guy said, so he offered a table in the corner, right by one of the kitchen doors. Fine. We were by a window and watching the darker end of dusk settle in at the lake.

    He got out water glasses, gave us menus, and walked away. And that was the last attention that was ever paid to us.

    My stomach grumbled as I looked at the menu (and wine menu) with happiness. What a life, I thought... Here I am at Mono Lake, just after sunset. It's beautiful and I'm going to have a lovely dinner.

    But still no water. OK. That's fine. We'll live. But maybe someone will wait on us and we can start with water.

    We watched staff go in and out of kitchen doors, including the one near us. Yet the staff studiously didn't look at us.

    We eventually looked annoyed and moved our water glasses to the end of the table, to see if maybe we'd get some water.

    Nothing.

    Then the people who came in without reservations were not only seated, but given water right away. People at another table were offered dessert and a check. And a couple minutes later, the people without reservations were asked if they were ready to order, or if they needed a couple of minutes.

    That's it, we both said loudly, gathered our stuff, and stormed out. The clueless idiot at the door said, oh, are you finished with dinner already?

    I swung around, almost wordless with rage and disappointment and said, no, we were never waited on, and we never even got any water. (And he was carrying a tray of beverages.)

    The spouse and I got back in the car, at 8:12. We showed up at 7:35, got seated at 7:47 or thereabouts. You do the math.

    That's unacceptable, especially in a place where we had *reservations,* where we expected to spend at least $70, not counting a tip.

    We were prepared to wait and enjoy ourselves, but we thought not being waited on, or not even as much as a sorry, we're understaffed, but here's some water, was insulting.

    And, as I said earlier, it was so late by the time we left that we no longer had any dinner options, let alone decent ones. We weren't in the middle of a big town, after all. Lee Vining looked pretty much dead, and we just turned back around.

    Thanks, Mono Inn. You don't get another chance. We will not be back.  

    And in case you think I'm just a cranky reviewer, you can read the rest of my reviews and tell that I praise when praise is deserved. I have *never* left a restaurant before. l've tolerated pretty crappy service before. But this was the worst. I was so upset and cranky and hungry that I cried. Thanks for ruining my holiday weekend.

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  • 0

    Yesterday was my first experience at the new Mono Inn.  I had dined many times at the old one and really loved everything about it.  I must admit being very impressed by the New Mono Inn.  The Maple brined pork  chop was fabulously prepared as was my son's risotto.  The service was outstanding and the dining room view of Mono Lake was nothing short of breathtaking.  Yes, the Mono Inn is back and I will be there in the future as well.  I wish much success to the new owners.  Great job!!

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  • 0

    We have been here several times this summer since it re-opened.  The food that we chose has had good flavors and we enjoyed our meals here although it is not always the same, consistent dinner.  Piano man is great, what a nice touch.  Staff is always friendly and efficient.  We will be back soon.

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  • 0

    The view, especially for dinner, is five star, the bar selection and the food are a solid four star, and the service is sincere.  No, the front of the house is not run to a big city five-star standard, but if you're looking for that, then stay in Santa Monica where you belong...and yes, our server was young and did not have tremendous experience, but she was sincere, and performed the job well if without polish.  Again, if you want five-star snob service, stay in the city.  We loved our dinner at the Mono Inn.  The food was great, and the service was refreshing.

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  • 0

    After a day in Yosemite we decided to drop in (no reservations) and Try out this newly re-opened old favorite.  With many years of restaurant expertise from dishwashing to cook to server to manager the two of us can be fairly critical.  The food and hospitality were excellent!  Had the carmellized onion and goat cheese tart, a fine glass of Pinot and shared the salmon and pork chop entrees!  The flavors were all outstanding with the Porkchop being far and away the best.  The service was incredibly friendly but could use a bit of polishing as it did not match the professionalism of the food. Just some trivial things bothered us like serving the wine holding the bowl of the glass opposed to the stem and bussing the tables putting their fingers in the dirty glasses. Other than that we had a great experience and will be back! We wish them luck, nice people.

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  • 0

    The Mono Inn is back.  It is run by a former employee of the Inn's previous proprietor.  It is every bit as good.  Had a salmon entree which was served on nicely flavored polenta with very tasty sauteed vegetables.

    Great piano music - a combination of dinner jazz and classical music. I introduced myself to the pianist only to discover that he runs the restaurant and is also a chef.  

    One star is missing as I found it to be a little pricey but worth the pain!

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  • 0

    The food was good and the location is top-notch. We shared the beet salad, which was incredible. My gal loved the venison and my portabello mushroom burger was tasty. Portions are a little smaller than famous Mobile station down the street, but the setting is much quieter, more romantic.

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  • 0

    When we are camping, staying at a cabin, or after a long, hot day of lake shore fishing in the Eastern Sierras; this place is always a wonderful respite.  It has changed hands over the decades, but it always has a beautiful view of this timeless lake while dining.  Last time we were in the area in the fall of 2010 the place was closed down, but don't count them out. It is such a wonderful location, sooner or later someone will take it over and reopen it. Every time we're out there we'll stop by and see if they're open. Recessions may come and recessions may go, but Mono Lake is here to stay. GREAT NEWS!!!  According to their web-site the historic inn is re-opened as of May 2011!  Upstairs from the restaurant is a gallery, and they often will exhibit photo exhibitions, or paintings.  The menu is first rate, and the dining is high class, so it is kind of a contrast to customers dining in hiking boots, blue jeans, and tee-shirts with a trucker's hat on.  LOL Plus you can get burgers and fries if you don't want to spend as much. We will definitely be back again and again and again! It is a short drive from Mammoth, and also near Yosemite.  When you're tired of campfire food, or fast food, and want to treat yourself and your family, drive out to the Mono Inn.

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  • 0

    We ate at the Mono Inn a few years ago when it was under its previous owners and had a great meal then, so when we were driving through Lee Vining recently I figured I would make a reservation.

    When we arrived we were a little suspect of the enormous "OPEN" banner out front. Turns out there was new ownership. What follows is an experience completely different from last time.

    The soup (smoked duck bisque) was nothing but bland with an unpleasant chunky texture. I had the braised lamb shank, which was served in a soup bowl with mashed potatoes under a large amount of little-tasting stew. The lamb was somehow dry and chewy; I imagine it was cooked earlier and re-heated. After that we tried a dessert hoping to find some redeeming quality, but the 'flourless chocolate torte with raspberry compote' came out on an ice cold plate (having been sliced and plated earlier and kept in the fridge), with some industrial raspberry jam, certainly not what you would expect from a compote.

    The only positive notes are the views (simply amazing at sunset), and that the wines are quite reasonably priced. But it's a shame that the restaurant no longer delivers on food quality. If you ate here before - be  aware that it is no longer the same experience.

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  • 0

    This is one of the worst experience I had at Mono Inn,
    the ownership is changed, it is not the same as it was before,
    it you ever read " kitchen confidential" or watch " kitchen nightmare" you will know what I mean.
    Save your money and your time.
    Adams' family should reconsider the lease really,
    it is such a shame for this wonderful location.

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  • 0

    I came here a few years back, and it was one of the most wonderful dining experiences I've had ever. So sad to say, this place is now closed. It used to be run by one of Ansel Adams grandchildren. They offered photography workshops upstairs from the restaurant. I'm not sure if they closed because of lack of business or just family matters. It seemed like you always needed a reservation for dinner here. The food was California neuvo cusine with super views and great wine list. What could be better, great art and great food and a view. Now all that is left is the view.....

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  • 0

    This restaurant is nice, but has been closed the past two seasons.  The last time I remember it open was summer of 2007.  Not sure if it is permanently closed or what.

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  • 0

    While the setting of this restaurant is magnificent, I was not as blown away by the food as I'd hoped to be.  This may have been tempered by the disappointing performance by our server, a young woman who had the I'm-a-Yosemite-Climber look down.  She was cute, and  nice enough, but I think she must have toked up before she started her shift, as she both moved and spoke extremely sloooowly.  Like she'd just learned to walk and talk and was unsure about doing them simultaneously.

    Foodwise, the menu offered variety, and our group of 6 ordered accordingly.  If the breadbasket is any indication of the meal, I should have been scared when a few anemic little overtoasted pieces of underfed baguette were set before us.  I ordered the chicken, thinking that for $25 I'd see a succulent piece of meat.  It was okay, but nothing special, and the accompanying vegetables must have walked away, for I had very little green, but a lot of mashed potatoes and gravy.  The pasta special - linguine with duck & fig sausage - sounded fabulous, but didn't live up to the expectations when it arrived.  The one dish that didn't disappoint was the vegetarian wheat crepes with tofu, which was actually quiet colorful and tasty.

    Our waitress did try to liven herself up partway through the meal, but first impressions can be deadly.  Lucky for her I was not the one paying the bill.

    The place was packed the Saturday night we were there, and if you've not eaten down the road at the Whoa Nellie Deli often enough to know what kick-ass cooking is in Lee Vining, then this place is probably a nice treat. I, for one, will come back here for a pre-dinner drink before heading to the gas station for better food that costs less.

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  • 0

    When the gentleman at the front desk of our hotel told us that Lee Vining had 7 restaurants (including the one at the Mobile gas station... "it has a chef!") we were a bit concerned. Our concerns were completely without warrant. The Mono Inn would easily hold its own in downtown San Francisco, or just about any other city I could think of. In fact, most restaurants in the city wouldn't compare because they couldn't have a fabulous panoramic view of the sunset over Mono Lake!

    The food really was excellent, and not just because we'd been eating in cafeterias in Yosemite for three days before arriving in Lee Vining. The salmon I had was cooked perfectly, just on the under side of "done", which is how it should be in my book. The cous cous that came with it was a great compliment.

    We actually had to sit at the bar because all 20 (or so) tables were full when we arrived, and there were no available reservations. We took that as a good sign and set down to have a drink and take a look at the menu. The bar tender was very friendly, and periodically chatted with us throughout the meal. We learned that he used to be a park ranger, but moved to Lee Vining to start up an organic farm and settle down with his wife. Talkative bar tenders can be a bit too much when you're trying to eat and have a conversation with friends, but this guy had the right balance between great service and genuine conversation.

    The inside of the restaurant is clean and relatively modern, complete with wood floors and stickley furniture. The have a photo gallery in the upstairs of the restaurant, though we only passed through on the way to the dining room. The focus in the dining area is on the huge windows in the back of the dining area, which provide a panoramic view of the lake. Sitting at the bar was nice, but you should make a reservation to ensure that you can sit at a table, where you'll have a much better view of the water.

    One interesting thing to note is that, like most businesses in Lee Vining, the Mono Inn Restaurant is closed from November through mid-May. The Tioga pass closes in the winter, which must severely limit the number of tourists who come through the area. If you're in the area while the restaurant is open, definitely make reservations and check it out.

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