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  • 0

    Great! The food is really good here and the location is great too. I love the rustic log cabin atmosphere yet high quality food. There is a good selection of beers on tap and something for everyone for the adults who want something with a little extra flavor to the basics for the kids. It was a nice stop after a long day of hiking. Bonus- the patio was dog friendly!

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  • 0

    Stopped in yesterday for breakfast.  Was one of the yummiest breakfasts I have had in a while!  We ate a scramble with the house-made sausage, cheese and avocado, with salsa on the side.  The eggs were perfectly prepared (not over-cooked, which I hate!!!) and really tasty!  Additionally, we were privileged to eat the last two home-made crullers that Nica made. Divine!  And the best part (for me anyway) was the grits, served hot and creamy.  Wish they were always on the breakfast menu!  Thanks Nica, Arias and the rest of the crew at the Pine House for a wonderful dining experience (AGAIN!) after a beautiful hike on Mt. Laguna.  We'll be back soon!!!

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  • 0

    Awesome staff.  The owner personally came out and asked about our meal while also answering our questions on the local fire.  If you get a chance to come by do it, you won't be disappointed.  If it tells you anything about the quality of this place, the day I was there all the staff was volunteering to work to make up for losing business over 4th of July weekend due to the fire.

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  • 0

    I dined here with a friend shortly before the Chariot Fire.  The food was delicious and the waitress very friendly and informative.  I'll be looking forward to enjoying the results of their upcoming organic garden. During the Chariot Fire owner, Nica posted to Facebook the most accurate and well written updates from a local perspective.  The fire burned 4.5 miles of the Sunrise Highway from if I remember right, 26.5 mile marker to the 31 mile marker, unfortunately the Shriner's Camp was burned.  It is always a treat to go up to Mount Laguna.  Now in light of the fire, and the way this restaurant fed the fire personnel supporting their business is the way to go.  The prices are reasonable, and as the other reviews state - the food is delicious.  Please enjoy San Diego's back county, and especially Mount Laguna and Lake Cuyamaca with excellent trails, dark sky stargazing and the treat of dining here.  There was a very talented musician performing when we where there on a Friday too!  Here is their Facebook page: <a href="/redir?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpages%2FPine-House-Cafe-Tavern-Mt-Laguna%2F238567106214276&s=46cd3a9700b771f30f5481b9ccd18dfefa273381f45ec37e4e9228b1b0fc18c5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com…</a>  This restaurant is so good, it is worth the drive alone!

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  • 0

    We have tried the Pine House on two occasions. Once for breakfast and it was absolutely awful. We ordered the basic eggs, sausage, fried potatoes and all three items were the worst. The eggs were cooked way too hard, ordered over medium and they were like hard boiled yokes. The sausage was not seasoned at all.. tasted like some sort of hamburger mix, a long way from sausage. On our next experience we had the lunch special. Fish Tacos, two stale tortillas with a crumbling of what they told us was fish. Cat food maybe! Good fish, not a chance. It had a small amount of dry cabbage, covered with a salsa that tasted like blended tomatoes, very little spice. And the Special was ELEVEN DOLLARS!! Total ripoff. Do your self a favor, have a beer and skip the food..

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  • 0

    I was out here September 2012... Mount Laguna is really a secret forest :) of San Diego, most people do not know about it and its a short drive from San Diego, On the 8 east freeway :) is away from everything. When it snows, It snows a lot , it is 5,000 plus elevation I believe, so the best place to go for Snow in San Diego, then Julian is next :) This restaurant is simple, nice and the owner has worked hard putting it together and getting it going. I got to personally meet her and she is a wonderful lady. I loved it out here so much, although it is very secluded and nothing is out here except maybe 3 restaurant and many cabins, I met a resident on my day here, who just took me around in her car to show me the area, we had never met before this day, I don't even remember how it all happened, all I remember was she was a very lonely older lady and she told me of her entire life story and all the residents as well, showing me everyone's cabins, whos who...it was kind of awkward, but so interesting, I just kept going along with it :) Having dinner or lunch out here and maybe seeing the snow and the views is nice for a day, but living out here in Mount Laguna, would be very reclusive and it is very peaceful but a little to lonely for me :)

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  • 0

    Good food. Lil slow with the service. But the food was great!  Nice ride here too.

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  • 0

    What a surprise! Gourmet food at reasonable prices in Mount Laguna! Who knew?!

    As locals in the mountain community we are used to limited and (at best) marginal restaurant options. NOT SO AT THE PINE HOUSE! Nica has brought her creative culinary flair to this historic building which has been a local fixture since well before my childhood.

    Locals, head straight to the entree menu for a really surprising selection of options that change weekly.  (Leave the burgers and fries for the casual visitors and hungry backpackers!)

    Never expected to find soup made from locally harvested Stinging Nettles! Creamy and delicious! The cobbler is to die for-ask about the cobbler of the day BEFORE you order your meal... so you can pace yourself! A MUST!

    Risotto was a flavorful and a delicious complement to the fresh fish we ordered. Homemade vegetable soup with a slice of homemade bread was a perfect starter for this meal. The salad my husband ordered was beautiful and fresh. Had an amazing wine to top it all off.

    We headed to the Pine House for breakfast the following morning! The special Pine House pancake with crumbled bacon and real maple syrup was a unique treat. Love to see Nica add some waffles to the morning menu, or maybe some handmade granola?

    Pass the word! Expect to be surprised and delighted and bring your culinary sense of adventure. You will never know what will be on the menu!

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  • 0

    This place is absolutely awesome.  We have come here a few times after hiking to have a small lunch and beer, but we finally came back over the last weekend to have an actual dinner.  Don't really know where to start but the food was absolutely amazing.

    Started off with the mixed green salad with beets.  Really good.

    Then on to the main coursed.  Beef rolled with blue cheese and spinach and wrapped in bacon.  This was like candy.  Perfectly cooked too I might add.  Can't remember exactly what type of fish, I believe Yellowtail, and it was awesome also.

    Dessert?  Best cheesecake I have ever had BY FAR.  The cobbler a la mode was excellent also.  Great beers and wine here too people.

    Food is great and all, but when you add in how nice the staff is and the owner Nica, I really can't recommend this place enough.  One of my favorite dinner's ever.  Thank you very much Nica, and I am looking forward to coming again very soon.

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  • 0

    Just driving the Sunrise Highway and wanted a bite to eat. We always like mountain cafes, but this one was amazing! I had their homemade chicken salad sandwich. It was so good that my husband abandoned his spiced charbroil hamburger (excellent) to take extra bites of mine. On the way home from hiking we stopped back in for some homemade peach cobbler. Outstanding. Melt in your mouth, buttery and warm. We plan to come back here very soon!

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  • 0

    Caramelized apples and crumbled bacon smothered over the Easter brunch specia baked pancakel was "The BOMB!"  I suggested this should be added to the breskfast menu.  Love this place!

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  • 0

    Super cool staff!

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  • 0

    Really great food! Came up from San Diego for the day to see the snow and came across this place. Ordered a salad with bleu cheese, side of fries, chili, and BBQ chicken sandwich- it all was homemade and so good. Highly recommend- sit by the fireplace!

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  • 0

    Wow, 2 visits to the Pine House Cafe in 2 days.  I never do that.  I like to spread my money around.  There's only so many dining dollars and dining hours in my lifetime so I rarely visit the same place twice within a 2 month period.  However, when you are in Mt. Laguna, where the only other dining choice is the VERY POORLY reviewed Blue Jay Lounge, your hand is sort of forced.  

    No matter, because Pine House is awesome!  I took my family here for lunch and breakfast over our 2 day Mt. Laguna stay.  The staff is very accomodating and friendly and the food was delicious.  Bonus points for the crackling fireplace, the IPA on tap and the nice selection of bottled beers.

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  • 0

    Great meal after a long day hiking in the snowy mountains.  Service was very friendly - helped us decide on a great meal .  Our boys split a kids meal cheeseburger and their homemade mac and cheese after kicking it off with some fantastic onion wings while we decided.   I had their winter salad and it was perfect (especially as I swiped bites of the mac and cheese and polished off the amazing onion rings). While there might not be other places in the area for comparison - this is definitely worth having on the list of stops for that winter weekend getaway.

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  • 0

    Stopped by on the way to play in the snow.

    Good things: raspberry cobbler (tastes good with Guinness), friendly staff

    Things to improve: vegetarian chilly tastes like the 7 Eleven variety, hot buttered rum doesn't have enough rum

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  • 0

    5 stars could be construed as overly generous but consider the fact that when you are up in the Laguna/Sunrise highway area and you are hungry, you have limited options. For many years you had the one and only other place up the road, microwaved processed stuff at the general store, or stuff you packed in your car. Let me tell you how glad I am that Pine House is finally back in business! One, the decor is mtn cool with some artsy pieces about. Two, a varied menu with some sophisticated choices. Three, a very well made meal that left me truly looking forward to my next visit.

    I am not much of a burger eater, but I ordered the blackened spices burger and it was very, very tasty. I also had the autumn veggie salad and it too was delicious.

    I will be returning the next time I head up there. I suggest you stop in your next Laguna visit as well. I am confident you will be satisfied and glad you did.

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  • 0

    Food and service were fantastic. It was polish Night. Had Polish noodle casserole and Beef Sauerbraten, both were very unique and awesome. Great atmosphere! A real find!

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  • 0

    Yay! Chef Margarite rocks

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  • 0

    I loved my first visit to the Pine House Cafe...the blackened burger was the best I have ever tasted, the community table was perfect for our large group, great atmosphere and the staff and owner herself could not have been more pleasant. I can't wait to go back!!

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  • 0

    Try the alternative to pancakes, the Pinehouse Pancake, it's off the chain.

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  • 0

    Ever have one of those restaurants you always want to tell your friends about and take them there too? This is mine. Since I've discover this gem in the mountains, I've made it my official favorite restaurant. I have not had a bad meal and don't think I ever will! Everything has always been delicious, the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is very cool. The Peanut Butter Cup dessert? Mmmmmm

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  • 0

    I give this 5 Stars for the food quality, price and location.  Usually places like this have bland menu selections, and are priced well above city joints.

    First off this place is only a few miles from I-8 and is located in a wonderful part of San Diego, 6000 ft above sea level in a beautiful mixed pin forest.  A wonderful place to eat after a wonderful day in the mountains.

    The staff are friendly and let you be if you want, or right there if in a hurry.  The manager or owner is very much in the loop and you know she cares.

    I had two meals there.  

    The first was on Friday night after a pleasant drive up to the lodge.  We decided to eat off the Burger side of the menu.  The beers were cold and the selection would meet most people's tastes.  Micro Brews for beer drinkers and Bud light etc. for those with less refined tastes.  The Greek Salad (it seems it was Greek week) was very fresh and the dressing was very tasty.  The burgers (mine was blackened) were good and juicy with a fresh bun and toppings.  We had another dessert in mind, so had to pass the first night.  Though the moans I heard from the people eating the 'Cobbler' were pretty intense.  Sounded like they needed to get a room.

    Saturday night I had the Kabob and she had a bowl of soup.  The soup had a very interesting mix of vegetables and was obviously made in house.  The comment after the second spoonful was "They don't have a cook here; the guy must be a Chef".  This was half wrong, the Chef is a woman.  My Kabob with Greek vegetables was very good and perfectly seasoned.  The vegetables were chilled and were the perfect way to end a warm and beautiful day at the top of San Diego County.  We also heard more moaning from the 'Cobbler' eating patrons.  We ordered one to share.  The Pecan Crust (For the southerners in the crowd that demand a 'Biscuit Crust', back-off this is California Cobbler) was a nice surprise and the filling was perfect, the fruit had texture but was cooked through.

    The prices were well within what I would pay for an upscale place in the city, only this place is on the top of San Diego County, figuratively and literally.

    Oh yeah the place is perfect for a couple or for a family, grilled cheese is on the menu.  I plan to make a day of hiking up at the top of San Diego and Top it off here again.

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  • 0

    Wow am I glad that the Pine House has a new owner. The last I saw it, it was delapedated and borded up. But now, it srung into life again. Any way, I love mountain cabins. The interior is rustic and goes well with the overall flare of the place? The dining room was busling. I was greated promply when I entered the restaurant part. Ordered the Pine House Burger and Ice Water. It was delicious. Medium was medium, and ice water was cold and refreshing. Thats all what I needed after a 3 hour mountain bike ride around Languna in 88 degrees fahrenheit. BTW, the restaurant is open on Thursday through Sunday, but closed on Monday through Wednesday. Beware what day you go. Also, they open Saturday and Sundays all day, however, On Thursday and Fridays, door will be open at 5 PM. Anyway, you enjoy this place as much as I have.

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  • 0

    The food was great! Delicious, locally-source cuisine served in the Sierra backcountry of San Diego. Even their homemade sausage is spiced with local California sage.

    My companion and I split a grilled ahi sandwich that was yummy and adequate for both of us at lunch. We ordered an extra of the excellent side dish, which was an unusual mix of melon and cucumbers sauced with yogurt and cilantro. It sounds wierd, but was delish. Very reasonable prices, especially for fresh fish. Ya gotta try this place!

    Picturesque surroundings, too, and closer to home than Yosemite.

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  • 0

    This place has excellent food!! My man & I drive up from San Diego on a regular basis pretty much just for the Blackened Burgers and Cobbler... the mountain scenery is an added bonus. They have a HUGE weekly wine list, a great selection of Beer, the food is beyond amazing, and the staff is always warm and inviting.  Do yourself a favor... take a drive up to Mt Laguna, take a walk and soak in all the beauty the land has to offer and then stop by the Pine House Cafe & Tavern. You will NOT be disappointed!!!! Oh and p.s they have extended they're hours and are now open on Thursday :) YAY!!

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  • 0

    I've only had breakfast.  The kitchen is better than the location, an hour+ out in the boonies.

    Our breakfast choices though, were a mixed bag.  The baked pancake that looks so good in all the pictures was dry and chewy, in other words not very good.  We chose the berry topping but I wouldn't expect it to be better with the bacon topping option.  It needed more cake for my taste.  

    They have really improved on the breakfast potatoes.  The potatoes were not the soggy cottage fries that are so prevalent in San Diego.  They were sliced thin and cooked almost crunchy.  Not rustic thin burnt crunchy ala Family House Restaurant in Chula Vista but with much more polished professional finish.  The potatoes were the table favorite.

    B&G was interesting in that the biscuit was one of the better ones around town but the gravy missed.  It was way too subtle.  It needed more punch.  

    I had the special which turned out to be omeletteish with smoked chicken and smoked pork.  It was sublime.  I don't recommend it if you dump ketchup on everything as you would smother the interplay of the two meats.

    The service was as expected at a two restaurant town in the mountains.

    For a perfect weekend grab your honey, rent a cabin and hunker down with some decent eats.

    Mike

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  • 0

    Bravo!  What a pleasure it was for these vacationers in San Diego (staycation) for a week.  We headed up the mountain to enjoy the healthy comfort food of Chef Marguerite and Mica.  It was FABULOUS - I hope as time goes by they can incorporate even more organic produce.  We enjoyed the three egg scramble and the special of the day with pork belly, apples and swiss cheese - the potatoes were just right - but ask for the side of salsa - very tasty.  What I love about food is it surprising me - and today's meal sure did that.  The root veggies in the scramble made my day.  The waitress learned how to make an americano to boot!  I look forward to heading up again for lunch, dinner and burgers!  Bravo!

    The decor is comfy and sweet - just the right size.  I wish them tons of success and hope they keep on with the sustainable and simple plans.

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  • 0

    Great food in a wonderful remote setting! Refreshingly surprising up here! I will return!

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  • 0

    Made it here for the first time this past Saturday. I heard that there were new owners and that they were turning this place around. The food was outstanding. The menu is not extensive, but everything look good. We shared one of the scrambles (we chose mushroom, onion and spinach of the 8 or so choices) and the pancakes. The eggs were served with sliced potatoes that were cooked perfectly, and the pancake was more of a "gourmet" pancake, one you might find in a fancy breakfast place. It was more eggy and almost like bread pudding but thinner, and topped with delicious fresh berries (not some frozen crap). When I asked who did the cooking, low and behold it was the former head chef of Starlite! I was no longer surprised at the quality of the food!

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  • 0

    3.5 stars

    I used a Yelp special that was advertised for Pine House Cafe & Tavern- $10 for $15 worth of food.  Boy, am I glad I tried this place out!   It's well-run and the owner takes a great deal of pride in treating her customers right as she will greet you herself when you walk in.  Right from the start, you'll be put at ease by the cabin motif of the restaurant and tasteful decor/furnishings.  I certainly felt very cozy here. As for the food, it was excellent and tasted very much like it was home-made as opposed to typical restaurant food.  I had the 2 eggs and bacon with potatoes and a side of biscuits and gravy.  Coffee and OJ were also good quality.  They do also serve lunch and dinner in case you were wondering.I thought the prices were very reasonable.   If you are in the Mt. Laguna area, I highly recommend Pine House Cafe & Tavern.

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  • 0

    This food is delicious and definately tastes 100% homemade. My waiter, John, could not have been friendlier. Atmospher is great, and the overall value is excellent.

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  • 0

    We were up riding our motorcycles over the weekend and decided to stop in. We were not expecting too much, but were very pleasantly surprised. The whole restaurant is a big log cabin style building. There is a huge open face fireplace with big logs burning inside. It really makes the place feel like home and comfortable. The staff was very friendly and kept coming back to check up on us. We loved the food. We had a sloppy joe and a mushroom burger. Both were delicious and very flavorful. We will definitely be coming back on next trip up the mountain.

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  • 0

    Well,  the best laid plans

    kin go awry --

    fer the darndest reasons

    Only time I've been stuck in the snow

    in 40+ years

    was in the parkin lot of the Sunrise Cafe near the top of Mt Laguna in the late 80's when it was an upscale Hungarian resturant -- w candle lights, white tablecloths, red velvet curtains, INCREDIBLY good food!

    Had a hot date that night, and flew up the mountain on clear-dry pavement so when we got there the tires were hot -- parkin lot hadn't been plowed -- bout 8 inches of snow coverin it that I could see -- no worries -- what I couldn't see was the 2 inches of ICE under the snow --

    pulled into the lot -- had a nice romantic 2 hr candlelit dinner w my gal -- went to leave -- hmm - that's interestin -- all four wheels sunk inta the snow in melted sockets from bein hot -- rig won't move -- jist spinnin the rear wheels --

    now, ya gotta picture this -- dining room windas face the parkin lot -- it's an incline to back upta the road to leave -- there are cars parked close on either side of mine -- I'm tryin to rock the rig to git outta those melted wheel sockets, and I'm goin from side to side a bit as I do so -- folks ownin the cars parked beside mine are payin close attention from the dinin room ;)

    I've GOT chains with me but I don't wishta put em on as she & I are both "dressed" for the occasion annnnnnd we're kinda in a hurry now to git home and git "undressed" for the occasion :)

    anyways

    Another couple comes out and they git inta their 4x truck and proceed to pull out to the clear dry pavement
    [ this is where 4x RULES -- *they* kin move when others can't ]

    I hook my 30ft "snatch" strap to my trailer hitch and toss him the other end that he hooks to his -- and he proceeds to easily pull me out onta the pavement

    We shake onit and go our ways :)

    Slightly embareassin fer me but the rest of the evenin made up for it ;)

    HOWEVER

    2 weeks later --

    I'm back, this time w  a different gal - and as we enter - the owner -- I THOUGHT we were friends ;)  pulls back the velvet curtain to the dinin room and announces to the folks assembled fer dinner

    "Here's the SNOWCHAIN guy!  got stuck in my parking lot 2 weeks ago!

    Well, *that* was embareasin enuf -- but, what was worse -- was when the gal turned to me and said "WHO were you with two weeks ago?!!"

    needless to say -- the evenin didn't go as I'd hoped :O

    Now, to my review -- Nica, new owner, has done WONDERS with the place!

    After being forlorn and empty for a number of years, it is REFURBISHED,  RE OPENED, and wonderfully RENEWED!  Still with the old "mountain lodge" charm -- polished glowing wood log beams, HUGE inviting fireplace, slate floor, flickering candles on the tables in the evenings.

    A GREAT place to bring yer sweetie for a delicious, romantic dinner in the evening -- or the whole family for tasty, robust hamburgers and other great fare during the day.

    Well WORTH the senic drive up the mountain!

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  • 0

    I stopped in here with a few friends after a nice mountain bike ride on Mt. Laguna.  The owner stopped and chatted with us at the trailhead and convinced us to stop by and try the place out.  We were pleasantly surprised!  Nice cabin atmosphere inside, incredibly friendly staff and very good food!  My girlfriend and I had the burger and one of the lunch specials, a grilled ham & swiss sandwich and some fries. All of our food had excellent flavor and the ingredients were fresh.  The owner stopped and chatted with us for a while and told us of plans to build a green house out back and grow her own vegetables to use on the menu.  Love it!  She seems friendly, motivated and has great plans. I can't wait to see this place really succeed.  

    This will definitely be the place we stop in for a bite to eat whenever we're on the mountain (which is often!)

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  • 0

    Stopped in last Sunday with friends and kids in tow. Was expecting coffee and a lackluster, suet-y burger. Was I ever wrong.

    What I got: The most amazing blackberry crisp I have ever experienced.

    It was almost savory. The fresh fruit was intense. There was a pecan topping which was roasted, not caramelized. Nothing cloying here. Amazing texture.

    I am not a dessert person.  I want to drive back this coming weekend, and get that damn dessert.

    Excellent service, wonderful home-baked rolls for the pork sliders (which my daughter loved). My other daughter said the blackened burger was fabulous and that I must blacken her burgers from now on.

    The new owner is very sweet and attentive, in addition to being a kickass scratch baker. I'm intrigued with the baked pancakes on the brunch menu. A lower-carb, high protein pancake option. Truly delicious sounding.

    Yes, I'm heading up there soon.

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  • 0

    My Alfa Romeo sports car group was doing a backroads drive and we stopped in on Saturday, 2/11. Upon walking in, we immediately liked the place. It is an old, rustic, "hunting lodge"  type of building with the kind of ambiance that one EXPECTS when high up in a mountain forest.  The place is not fancy, but welcoming in a country kind of way. There is a massive firelpace at one end of the dining room, where oak wood logs were a-blazing. The real surprise is a live tree...and a very large one at that...coming right up through the floor and reaching up through the ceiling!  So even when you are inside...you have elements of the OUTSIDE in the room with you!  That was rather cool!

    The owner is very nice. She made us feel right at home when she looked outside, saw the Alfas parked - and rememberd that I had called her the day before.

    The menu is fairly basic (visit their website), but there is definitely something there for everybody. I had a burger and my three companions had the "mountain nettle soup," which we didn't recognize and had to inquire about! Nettles are a plant that grow near mountain streams, and when cooked develop a wonderful flavor. The soup had a thick vegetable puree base, with the nettles were pureed in as a part of it. Served with homebaked bread, it was very, very good...worth asking for!

    My burger was also very good...the meat was juicy and flavorful, and it was a good sized handful, too. I was already full from Julian pie earlier, but was eyeing the homemade, fresh cut french fries. That will wait until the next time.

    The prices are very reasonable for the high quality of food. My cheeseburger was just $6, the bowl of soup/bread was $5 and beer and wine are also available at extraordinary prices - like Sam Adams for $3, and exotics for just $4. (We didnt drink, as we were driving our sports cars...)

    I'll be returning soon to try out other dishes.  It's so nice to finally have "a destination" when we do sports car drives up Mt. Laguna. Those of you whom visit the mountain to hike, drive, hunt, or do snow sports really really ought to stop in to warm up afterward. That fire is SO nice, and the food is comforting.

    As the place reminded us of a Bavarian or Austrian mountain lodge, I'd like to recommend to the owners that they offer a few more hearty, "mountain lodge" type of dishes, which would go well with the rustic atmosphere. Perhaps bratwurst with potato salad and sauerkraut, or simple schnitzels made from chicken breast or pork steak ...pounded thin and breaded for the frying pan would be nice. There must be an awful lot of wild boar around, so wild boar steaks or chops on the grille would be a great hunter's-style treat. For Italian rustic fare, "chicken cacciatore" (chicken prepared hunter's style) is a hearty, satisfying, one-pot meal that gets better the longer it cooks on the stovetop.  Few places offer similar rustic fare, and this location is perfect for it.

    Please patronize this restaurant so that it prospers and remains for us to enjoy. There is precious little choice available up on Mt. Laguna, and we frequent mountain visitors hope that the Pine House remains open for us .

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  • 0

    Don't let the Mt. Laguna address keep you from making the short, easy drive up to Pine House Cafe.
    Mikka the Owner, and her executive chef create delicious, unique dishes that are very well-priced and follow their philosophy of "Simple, elegant comfort food made with whole, fresh ingredients". Only reason I didn't give 5-stars...I need something for next time!

    We stopped in less than :30 min before closing on Sunday after seeing the New Ownership sign a few times. Mikka was friendly and invited us to stay as long as we liked. The atmosphere is rustic and inviting, especially with the roaring fireplace and our service prompt and attentive.

    All that makes little difference if the food isn't good, and this food is GREAT.
    We tried a quick bite from the appetizer menu, ordering the Pork Sliders and Sweet Potato Fries. Our beverages were frosty cold, and only $3 for domestic beer.
    The sliders were not run-of-the-mill pulled pork, but tender sliced pork-loin marinated in a roasted pepper & spices sauce, served with Grilled peppers and onions on this perfect wholegrain crusty roll...really, really tasty and perfect with the sweet potato fries.
    Mikka told us how the chef had roasted and preserved a large batch of fresh red peppers, then created the marinade to showcase their use of locally grown ingredients. They have plans in the spring to provide the land and resources for a large Community Garden for use by locals from Pine Vally, Julian, Mt. Laguna and surrounding county neighborhoods. She even donates all the recyclable beverage containers to the local volunteer fire department.

    From Alpine, it's less than :30 min on the I-8 and Sunrise Hwy. and it's gorgeous on the mountain this time of year. You won't be disappointed. Now, I'm ready for the chef's special pasta bowl!

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  • 0

    Wow!! What a terrific find - great food, service, and ambiance. This cozy and clean pine cabin-style building dates back to 1941 and originally opened for business in 1942 as the Pine House. Nica has been the new owner since October 2011 and has done a wonderful job of creating an appealing blend of old and new in both the food and decor. We will be back soon...in fact, I think that roast chicken is mine next Saturday night!! Definitely family-friendly - they have Noodles with Butter on the Kid's Menu!

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