Wawona Dining Room

This is a review on the lunch menu. Let's state some facts here. When you're at Yosemite, you're not there to enjoy fine dining but to see the amazing park and scenic views. This place was unusual because I expected it to be overpriced and mediocre. Although it was expensive for what it was, the ambiance was fantastic after an exhausting day under the sun. The porch is very charming and so are the wait staff. The food was good and made to order but the Salmon burger is a frozen patty. The beef burger was hand made because it was loosely packed. The pickles were good and so were the salads. Overall, this is a good option if you are heading to or from Mariposa Grove. A good way to rest in the middle of the day.

We were staying at the hotel and ate here every night. I wish i could say because of the food, but only because you have to drive at least a half hour to eat anywhere else. The food is incredibly overpriced (we expected this with the whole no other places nearby), and the food is not particularly good. One night we ate fairly early into dinner service and got stale buns from the previous night. The one good thing here is that portions are huge, and we avoided $80 meals by splitting an entrée. The free continental breakfast was okay, but we only went once, as it was served too late if you want to head to Yosemite Valley before the crowds.

We enjoyed two dinners here, having changed our minds about a more famous and expensive locale whose lunch tasted like airline food with a slower arrival time. We enjoyed the warm ambiance, coming in from the rain on both evenings and the piano man in the lobby is a virtuoso with rags and gags and really entertained us during a brief wait. The hostess and all the staff who helped us are very nice and personable.

While the room has a quiet elegance, there is no pretense here and the staff is friendly and casual. The menu is limited and a little pricey but considering where you are, this is to be expected.

Their crab cakes are better than any we've had here at home in Monterey and the Caesar salad, large enough to split, was very good (although for my taste, needed a bit more lemon and next time, I'll ask for some on the side) The biscuits are a tasty compliment served with warm butter as soon as we sat down. Wine and drink prices are very fair including a $14.50 corkage and the hot chocolate is served hot, delicious and very rich.

The pork Porterhouse, pot roast and cannelloni were all good and the vegetables quite memorable, fresh and cooked to perfection. Note: they serve smaller portions for some of their items which might be  more-than-ample in the case of the pot roast, especially if you have a salad or appetizer.

Alas, why I give the Wawona only 3 stars is their desserts We tried the apple/berry cobbler, creme brulee and bread pudding and all were horrible. The only chocolate offering on the menu was a sundae. At a place like this, there is no reason to end a meal on a bad note and even these basic comfort food items can be gold stars if made correctly. We suggested to the manager that they employ a pastry chef since even pre-made frozen desserts from the market are better than what we were served. If hand-made, I know there are some better recipes out there to follow.

We plan to return, and look forward to staying at the Hotel as well, BUT...I would not order dessert until they raise the bar considerably. Have a hot chocolate instead. Caveat Emptor.