Bad reviews?

[balzaccom]

If you've ever taken a long backpacking trip, you've probably dreamt about food--especially the meal you are going to eat once you get back to civilization. Pizza, hamburgers, steak, cold beer, salad....they all seem to find a place on the menu, once you get started on the idea. Shoot, we know people who have spent most of the last night of a trip talking around the campfire about what they are going to eat the following day at the nearest restaurant.

And speaking of restaurants, there are a few that have quite a reputation among backpackers as well. The gas station at Lee Vining, the Old Priest Grade Inn, Pizza in Yosemite Valley all have their advocates. We've come to really like Patty's Gourmet Cafe between Sonora and Columbia.

But there is one restaurant that stands out in a completely different way. We have eaten there at least five times in the last ten years, and every single time it has been worse than disappointing. Sometimes the service has been absolutely rude and incompetent--waiting forever for a table in an empty dining room. The last time we had perfectly nice service, and absolutely dreadful food--cold food without even a hint of sauce or seasoning. And the amazing thing is that this restaurant is pretty much the only show in town in a National Park. You'd think they'd want to do better.

It's the restaurant at Grant Grove Village in SEKI. We can only wonder what amazing arrangements have been made to make sure that it has been so bad for so long.

Anyone else have a least favorite place to eat? Let us know, so we can avoid it!

[Grzldvt]

Guess I have been lucky with exit food, I really can't think of anyplace that is that bad.

[atomicmonkey]

I think it must be a mental thing for me...
Nothing beats the cheeseburger and cold beer in TM.
I am sure if I ate the same burger before the hike, it would be a completely different story!!
The food at Curry Village pushes it for me though (though the tall glasses of cold beer is always good)!

[orion]

That Tuolumne burger is merely edible, at best.

The Iron Door is disappointing foodwise, mostly because it was decent before they changed the font on the menu and raised the prices to cater to tourists.

I miss the Spencer steaks from Ken's Market, that is now Main Street Market in Groveland. Does anyone know wherefore those butchers went? I would drive out of my way to get one of those to take for my first night in. Grain-fed Harris Ranch meat doesn't cut it. I imagine Ken's cattle grazed the alpine meadows of the Emigrant.

[GetOutThere]

Just came back from out there. Had to try out the legendary fish taco's at the Mobile in Lee Vining. Everyone told me to go to the end of Tioga Rd and make sure to eat there, gotta get the tacos! Ya....thanks.

It may have been an unusual day but there were like a bazillion flys all over the place. All over everything. Got the fish taco's anyway, buddy got a pizza out of the semi-open warmer. Fish tacos were just ok, darkly fried old tasting fish with lots of taco "stuff" all over them to disguise the taste. I was hungry so down they went. Buddy ate most of his pizza and then got it back later and into the next morning. A-hum. Not a good scene. Luckily mine stayed down.

Like i said, maybe this was unusual but If you eat there, don't touch anything! Don't eat the pizza out of the semi-open warmer that the flys have been all over! The fish may be old, but its fried so at least should kill the germs. Better yet, pack a lunch!