Dining in Yosemite
 

What are our Dining options while in Yosemite?
One of the days that we are there is our 30th anniversary so I was wondering which our choices are.

2 good places for a special meal are The Ahwahnee dining room or the Mountain Room at the Yosemite Lodge dining area:


http://www.yosemitepark.com/ahwahnee-dining-room.aspx

http://www.yosemitepark.com/mountain...estaurant.aspx

For all other dining options - nothing really remarkable:

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Dining.aspx

Not necessary Anniversary faire - but the Pizza place by the Curry Village market is pretty good.

Is it worth the time to go to The Ahwahnee or The Mountain Room? I mean in terms of doing other activities down by Curry Market

Have a late lunch & a late dinner:

The Mountain Room Lounge is open from noon to 11pm. on Saturday and Sunday and 4:30 to 11pm. Monday through Friday.

Not quite as late at Ahwhanee:
Sunday till 8:30, Monday till 9:00.

MAKE RESERVATIONS! Or at Mountain room you will wait for a table unless you get there pretty late, in June may miss out on Ahwahnee without them.

"<i>Is it worth the time to go to The Ahwahnee or The Mountain Room? I mean in terms of doing other activities down by Curry Market</i>"

Sure it is. You are talking about night time . . .

Go to the Ahwanee It's spectacular and the food is good too. Of course you can always have a romantic picnic somewhere. If you are there on Saturday night in the summer, outside of the valley is the Wawona Hotel. The Wawona has a wonderful outdoor summer barbque on the lawn outside the hotel. google the wawona hotel

For a splurge, the Eldeberry House in Oakhurst, south of Yosemite:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57629150082574

I agree Elderberry house is special. But it would be a 90 minute drive (each way) from Curry Village. Though only about 1/2 an hour from Fish Camp (where they are staying one night)

<i>But it would be a 90 minute drive (each way) from Curry Village. </i>

Why not; there's not much to do in the valley after the sun goes down.

In June it won't get dark until well after 9 PM. If choosing Elderberry House, make it on the first night when you're staying in Fish Camp.

http://www.chateausureau.com/

"<i>Why not; there's not much to do in the valley after the sun goes down.</i>"

Because it would be a 3 hour round trip . . .

That is why it really only makes sense from their Fish Camp stopover.

Is there not ranger programs offered in the evening?

Also, if I can get a nicer room for Sunday night, which is our anniversary is it worth changing rooms?

If you believe the Zagat Survey... out of a possible 30 for each category of Food - Decor - Service...

Erna's Elderberry House is a 27-28-27. East of SF, only Chez Panisse has a higher score in cuisine. EEH is first in service and second to the Ahwanee in decor.

Ahwanee is 18-29-21. Still very respectable, and a breathtaking view.

<i>Because it would be a 3 hour round trip . . .</i>

We did it. But it could be at the end of an outing to visit the Wawona grove, which might make the trip more bearable for those who do not see a 90 min. ride and back to what I would consider a destination restaurant.

I found the Sunday brunch at the Ahwanee to be a better value than its dinner.

Why leave beautiful Yo to drive 3 hours rt - to some restaurant? For all you know - the main chef might have the night off.

Tomsd - a restaurant builds its reputation on it's overall cuisine. A restaurant that uses Fred the dishwasher a couple of times a week as chef de cuisine, will fall flat immediately.

Erna's has been receiving rave reviews for many many years

Along with quality, there is consistency. Two main ingredents in building an excellent restaurant. Gunnar Thompson is the Executive chef, and is responsible for both quality and consistency. His job and the restaurant itself depend on that.

"<i>Why leave beautiful Yo to drive 3 hours rt </i>

They don't have to . . . They are staying one night in <u>Fish Camp</u>.

(Where is 'Yo' BTW? Anywhere near 'Cali'?)

New2CA: Either Elderberry House or the Ahwahnee would be a really memorable dinner. Either Elderberry House on your Fish Camp night, or the Ahwahnee on one of your Yosemite Valley nights.

I <i>might</i> opt for the Ahwahnee w/ a lateish sitting so it is still daylight when you arrive and dusk falls. So you could see the views and then have the room in candlelight. Just an amazing space.

the food at Elderberry house is <u>amazing</u> - but I just think the Ahwahnee fits a bit better in your itinerary.

We enjoyed the Sunday Brunch too.

We enjoyed a meal at Wawonna Lodge as well. The pizza place in the valley is very good pizza(maybe because we were just hungry).

Before I drove 3 hours away from Yo(lol), I would pack a sandwich and have a picnic.

It's not 3 hours away--implying one direction--but 3 hrs RT, let's not exaggerate.

Ok - all you loyal gourmands of Elderberry. If the visitor gets a 3rd night in Curry Village - I still say - bag driving to this Elderberry place. Yes, while in Provence - we did drive an hour from our little villge of Fontvielle over to Aix for a 2 star Michelin dinner - but hey - that was in France. :)

And jj: Maybe you are a spring chicken (not!)- but way back when - all of my circle of friends called it Yo - as did a number of people in the Valley.

I worked for the forest service and no one I knew called it Yo.

What is the deal with the Elderberry House discussion? The OP will be staying in Fish Camp for 1 night. If they decide to go to Erna's they should go for dinner the night they are in FC. Why drive all the way to Oakhurst from the Valley after having driven there from Fish Camp earlier in the day? Makes absolutely no sense. But Fodorites will argue about anything! ;)

As I said on the other thread: Suzie - maybe you were too far out in the deep woods to get the word? :)

And I have encouraged the traveler to try and get a 3rd night in Curry Village - by continuing to call. Why stay in Fish Camp when you can be at the main event?

For one thing, if one is interested in the giant Sequoias, it makes sense to be close to the Wawona area. There is more to Yosemite than the valley.

Tom, tom, tom - the OP is coming from SEKI to Fish Camp then has 2 nights in Curry but may be thinking of getting away late instead of staying that 3rd night.

I'd happily stay in the deep woods than be caught using that stupid term. But thanks anyway for trying to get me to join the kool kids klub

I think "circle of friends" might be the key phrase here.

:))

And on a similar note.

YN---is that Yellowstone or Yosemite National Park?

MV--is that Monument Valley or Mesa Verde?

YNP*

Tommy . . . I've lived w/i 3 hours of Yosemite almost my entire life and have visited the place probably 45+ times . . . and I have never EVER heard <u>anyone</u> call it 'yo'.

And I dare say, neither have you.

New2CA,

Sorry, we're just having some fun. Anyway, there are Ranger Programs. I think they also do a shuttle tour to Glacier Point at night--which might be interesting.

I think you should go for The Awahnee for a meal(perhaps Sunday Brunch if you are there on a Sunday). If you are near Wawonna, then perhaps lunch. We didn't do the bbq dinner, but it does look interesting. We stayed 1 night at Wawonna and the rest of our time in Curry Village.

Since you are coming from Sequoia though, I'm not sure I would spend much time if any at Maripossa. I really like the trees at Sequoia much better. There is a lot of history at Maripossa though.

But Mariposa Grove has some really interesting trees even if you've seen SEKi trees. Like Clothespin, Giant Grizzly and a group of four trees - three growing very close together one a little distance away. All the roots are intertwined keeping them all standing. Ok maybe I'm a tree dork.

It would be a shame to skip Maripossa, but with limited time and seeing sequoia, it might be better to see valley, tioga road, glacier point, even hetch hetchy. Decisions Decisions. Any of them are worth seeing. I had forgotten that you mentioned you can't do much hiking. The tram around Maripossa might be a really good treat then.

If a tree falls in a forest and nobody hears it say Yo - does it mean it didn't happen? :)

If you don't get to Mariposa - try to see some big trees over at the Merced Grove. It takes a little hiking but hopefully you can have someone help you? http://www.yosemitehikes.com/hetch-h...rced-grove.htm

Tomsd - the bad joke is, and I'll probably be killed for this, is "you don't because your wife is talking".

OMG Tom if she's been in SEKI and goes to "Yo" 8-| she hardly has to go to the Merced Grove. Try some sensitivity, man. She has said she has a disability so that steep climb to the Merced Grove is out of the question. It's not a matter of getting someone to help you for that. Stop being ridiculous.

I see that you guys will argue or discuss anything but mean while I am getting some good ideas for my trip. Thanks and my name is Melissa

Well, Melissa there is someone here being incredibly obtuse. Wouldn't want you to end up with really bad information. Some things are worth arguing about.

Rasta: Good one!!! And Melissa - just trying to provide some info - that apparently irks some of the delicate sensibilities of a few.

As I asked on one of your other posts/Q's - what's with the Muir Woods tour? After the beautiful nature you will be seeing in Sequoia and in Yosemite - I think Muir Woods will pale by comparison - and I used to visit a friend of mine's house that was two big trees away from one of the entrances. :)