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Yellowstone Dining ?

Just got the heads up that we’re now 60 days out and can reserve dining (dinner).

My expectations are limited/guarded, but I’d be happy to get whatever wisdom folks have to offer. We will be at Canyon Lodge x 2 nights and Old Faithful Lodge x 3 nights.

Thankfully, my wife likes camping with a number on the door. Just read in today’s NYT online that a frisky bison charged at campers and flung a grandpa 8 feet into the air. Apparently this happens early on during mating season.

We will look forward to dining in peace and look forward to your recommendations and reviews.

Posted by
17341 posts

Yea on 60 days. I was at OF for 2 nights in June but had a 7-year-old in tow so our meals were “get him fed with something he’ll eat” and not dining experiences.

We ate at the Geyser Grill (the fast-ish food place next to the Snow Lodge) on night 1. It was alright, slightly better than expected based on prior experience. I had a checken bacon ranch salad that was pretty good. We had lunch the next day at the Lower Basin General Store which is
west of the OF Inn between it and the gas station. This is usually my go-to eatery and it was good. My brother had the pulled pork sandwich and said it was quite tasty. For the 2nd night we were trying to sit so the kiddo could see OF go for the 7th time (he was obsessed, lol) so went with the OF Lodge cafeteria. I had the falafel plate which was cold (at 630PM), they were out of tabbouli but she gave me extra hummus so I had enough hummus for days. My brother tried their pulled pork and said it was inedible with big hunks of fat (it looked awful too). For breakfast on our final morning I’d seen on the website that the Snow Lodge Obsidian Room had table service. My brother and SIL got downstairs first as the kiddo wanted to go walk the geyser basin at 630A in the rain so I hadn’t told them to check to make sure there was table service. There was only the fairly dreadful breakfast buffet with lukewarm food and miniwaffles that were like hard dry hockey pucks. We’d have done better eating another breakfast out of the cooler.

Our next 2 nights were in Gardiner where we ate very well at the Yellowstone pizza and at Wonderland Cafe.

We did not eat at Canyon but they have a General Store with grill and it’s pretty good. Check their closing time, though.

That last bison incident was something. Really the guy was NOT too close according to the bystanders. The bison had apparently been tearing thru the tent sites earlier and was not in a good mood.

Have a terrific time. Wear your bear spray.

Posted by
8975 posts

Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo thrown …

Posted by
24166 posts

We had two picky granddaughters in tow so we generally used the dinning room of the hotel. They all were good but not outstanding. Your should give any buffalo lots of space. Buffalo are not known for their pet ability or intelligence. Admire then from a distance in a car and behind a fence.

Posted by
3351 posts

I agree with Pam's assessment of the possibilities.
The Snow Lodge Obsidian Room was good during a winter visit. During a summer visit, the 2 choices at Lake Lodge were good. Otherwise, we survived.

Posted by
2459 posts

Consider picking up a cooler and picnic supplies for a dinner early in your stay.

Our best dinner several years ago was our "gourmet" picnic with a bottle of wine on the patio outside the Old Faithful Inn.

Posted by
934 posts

OMG

This is reminding me of our trip to King’s Canyon and Sequoia about 10 years ago, though we actually had a couple of reasonably good dinners in Sequoia.

Breakfasts in the John Muir Lodge in King’s Canyon were so poor - and so replete with environmentally irresponsible products like individually packaged cereal servings in plastic boxes, plastic spoons and forks etc - that I wrote to Dept of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell (who I knew) to complain about the ironic environmental farce that the vendor performed daily.

Thank all for your lessons about

the fairly dreadful breakfast

Canyon General Store with grill

Lower Basin General Store is usually my go-to eatery

Consider picking up a cooler and picnic supplies for a dinner early in your stay.
Our best dinner several years ago was our "gourmet" picnic with a bottle of wine on the patio outside the Old Faithful Inn.

And of course, bear spray.

Posted by
43 posts

My favorite restaurant in the Park is the one at Mammoth Hot Springs. I lived outside the east gate for 30 years, and we used to drive in to eat there. If you are driving up to the north loop of the Park, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner (yes reservations for dinner). It's not too much difference in drive time to get back to OF or Canyon (note that there are 2 different routes between Canyon and Mammoth). Or drive to Mammoth on your way between Canyon and OF and stop for lunch - It will give you an opportunity to see the north side of the Park.

Have a great time!

Posted by
1075 posts

My favorite restaurant in the Park is the one at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Mine, too! And, I like to top the night off with a drink or two in the Map Room of the hotel.

Obsidian at Snow Lodge is my second favorite, and I think it's fun to dine once at Old Faithful Inn. Lake's dining room has a great view. I'd book there one of your Canyon nights.

Enjoy! We've been there every season and loved them all!