Dining at Panamint Springs Restaurant

Panamint Springs Resort features a restaurant that offers amazing, rustic cusine, complimented by a full-service bar, that offers craft beer, wine, and will mix any drink that you can imagine.

As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008, we decided to eat dinner a little earlier than the previous two nights, as we hoped to get one of the tables near the bar, just for a change of scenery, as this was our last dinner on the this trip, the conclusion of our mini four wheeling vacation at Panamint Valley Days, 2008. However, it was not to be, as the tables near the bar were occupied, so tonight's friendly server, Carrie, seated us at a table in the dining room. Actually, the third night enjoying a meal in the dining room wasn't a bad thing, as it gave us a chance to admire more of the hundreds of framed pictures and photos that are hung on the walls.

Photo: Waitress/bartender Carrie gives a thirsty customer a 24oz draught beer. At Panamint Springs Restaurant, the wait staff doubles as bartenders. Multi-tasking in the desert...

Unfortunately, this was our last night at the resort, so we decided to be a little festive, so besides my usual 24-oz draught beer, we ordered a bottle of house chardonnay wine, as Sharlene really likes a glass of wine with dinner, and I never turn down anything to drink, when it comes to alcohol...

Photo: The dining room was packed on this early Tuesday evening. I never did get around to looking at each framed photo, as you can see in this photo, there are hundreds of them, decorating the walls of the dining room.

The menu at Panamint Springs Restaurant features a good selection of dinners, burgers, and pasta dishes. If you're a burger lover as I am, their menu features 14 varieties of burgers, which should put a smile on the face of anybody who loves burgers. For the third night in a row, I ordered a burger, but tonight, I ordered a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, which is the usual half pound piece of premium Angus beef, topped with bacon, barbecue sauce, an onion ring, and cheddar cheese, for a distinctly western flavor. Sharlene ordered a dinner entrée of Chicken Romano, which consisted of a breaded chicken breast, topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. It normally is served with a baked potato, but Sharlene asked if they could substitute pasta, which the staff was glad to do.

Photo: I sneak into the kitchen and snap a photo of the talented evening chef, Miguel, hard at work.

Photo: Carrie takes orders from the friendly Australian tourists that sat at the table across from us. The charming lady to the right of the photo is Alexia, an Australian tourist, who offered to take our photo. We took her up on her offer. Thanks, Alexia! We're glad you enjoyed your stay at Panamint Springs Resort.

Our server Carrie was busy tonight, as the dining room was fairly packed with guests. Next to us was a table of Australian tourists, who were visiting the U.S., and Death Valley National Park for the first time. One very friendly lady, Alexia, remarked how Panamint Valley reminded her of parts of the Australian Outback in some ways, as they're both desert, but the desert in Australia is more reddish in color. I told her that someday, I wanted to visit the Outback, including such destinations as Alice Springs and Ayres Rock. We had quite a conversation with these folks, and they remarked how much they were enjoying themselves, but how strange it was that it was fall in November, as it should be spring! I got a laugh out of that. I asked the matriarch of the group, Alexia to take our photo, and she readily agreed. Nice people!

Photo: Staff members Nick and Melanie enjoy dinner at the restaurant. During our three night stay at the resort, we got to know many of the staff, including Nick and Melanie. They're nice people... The gentleman at the left of the photo is an unidentified guest at the resort.

Photo: Our friendly server Carrie, brings Sharlene her elegant dinner of "Chicken Romano," while my "BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger" is in the foreground of the photo, on the table. Yes, that's my 24oz draught beer, and Sharlene's glass of chardonnay at the right of the photo.

Our meals arrived with out surprise or fanfare, just good food, served by a friendly lady. As I'd come to expect, my half pound burger was perfectly cooked, with the onion, tomato, lettuce and pickle mostly covered by a mountain of perfectly cooked fries. I opened up the bun to pile on the veggies, and I was greeted by a crispy onion ring, bacon, melted cheddar cheese, and barbecue sauce... oooooooh, I was in cheeseburger heaven! Sharlene's Chicken Romano, looked good too, especially the way the white, melted mozzarella cheese contrasted against the red of the marinara sauce. The food was so pretty that it almost seemed like a shame to eat it. Well almost...

Photo: Sharlene's dinner of "Chicken Romano," with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce, loaded onto a breaded chicken breast, accompanied with optional spaghetti noodles. What more can I say, as the meal was delicious.

Photo: Here's my western barbecue bacon cheeseburger, with all of the veggies, and a mountain of fries. You can't see the onion rings or the barbecue sauce, as they're hidden by the bun. The beef patty is a half pound of premium Angus beef. Oh boy!

Photo: At the bar, Carrie fills a pitcher of dark beer for the Australian guests.

Photo: Australian tourist Alexia was gracious to snap the photo of Sharlene and I together, as we're ready to enjoy another wonderful dinner at Panamint Springs Restaurant.

Panamint Springs Restaurant may be the only restaurant in Panamint Valley, but that doesn't hinder them from going the extra mile to please their guests, and to provide quality food at reasonable prices. Carrie provided outstanding, friendly service, the food was perfectly cooked, and of superior quality. We love the distinct western atmosphere and the rustic surroundings... maybe that's what makes the food so delicious? When you're visiting scenic Panamint Valley, do yourself a favor and enjoy a delicious dinner at Panamint Springs Restaurant.

Panamint Springs Restaurant is the kind of restaurant that I love, as it features good food, efficient, friendly service, and surprisingly reasonable prices, and the whole package includes something that you don't find often, magnificent, desert scenery. When the weather cooperates, who wants to dine indoors when you can relax on their veranda, enjoy a cup of delicious coffee, and savor the view of the Panamint Mountains in the distance? Such was the morning of Tuesday, November 11, 2008, as it was a crisp, clear fall morning, with gorgeous weather, so Sharlene and I elected to dine outside, on the shady veranda.

Photo: Classic view of Panamint Springs Restaurant taken from across the highway. The photo clearly shows the veranda, and to the patio, to the left of the restaurant.

Like yesterday morning, Fouga was our server, and she greeted us with a friendly smile, offered to bring coffee, and asked us if we were enjoying ourselves. Sure, we asked for coffee, and she was back in a flash with coffee and menus. We sat and pondered the menu... so many choices, so many calories, so little room in the stomach, and admired the beautiful, desert scenery. What a treat to sit at a comfortable table, on a beautiful November morning, sipping coffee, scanning a breakfast menu, and admiring the distant Panamint Mountain range.

Today, we chose to eat breakfast a little later, as the night before, a bicycle racing team from Israel occupied most of the rooms, and they as a group, went to breakfast at seven in the morning. Not that we had anything against the Israelis, but we didn't want to be part of a crowd, and we wanted to allow them to be served, and be on their way to Furnace Creek, via Wildrose Canyon.

Photo: Fouga pours coffee for diners at a neighboring table.

Maybe I'm stuck in a rut, but I chose the same, light breakfast that I enjoyed the previous morning, two fried eggs and country-style potatoes. Sharlene was more adventurous, and hungry, as she ordered an Ortega omelet, country potatoes, and an English muffin. Without exception, when I eat breakfast at a restaurant, I order potatoes, as I've never met a potato that I didn't love.

Photo: Fouga places Sharlene's omelet on the table; my eggs and potatoes were next on the adjenda. Notice the bottle of Cholula Mexican hot sauce on the table, which, like Windex, is "good on everything."

As we waited for our orders to arrive, Fouga kept our coffee cups full of delicious coffee. We weren't disappointed when our breakfasts arrived, as we'd come to expect a quality meal from the restaurant. My fried eggs were cooked perfectly, and my country potatoes were golden brown on the outside, chewy and yummy on the inside. Sharlene loved here owlet, as it was tasty and full of flavor, but it wasn't too spicy, as Sharlene doesn't care for spicy food. Her country potatoes were delicious, and cooked just the way she likes them. We truly enjoyed a wonderful meal.

Photo: My simple breakfast of two fried eggs, over easy, and country style potatoes. Delicious!

Fouga served us a wonderful breakfast, and she served us with friendly greetings and a smile on her face. As Sharlene was paying for our meal, I poked my neck into the kitchen and complimented Trent, the morning cook on a meal well prepared. He thanked me and told me that he was glad that I enjoyed my breakfast. Many times, after I've enjoyed a delicious meal, I like to compliment the chef.

Photo: We're about ready to enjoy a delicious breakfast. I asked Fouga to snap our photo, and she graciously did so. She said that she gets lots of requests from tourists to snap their photos... I guess we fit in with the crowd.

Today we didn't make any new friends, nor were we entertained by the cat, "Bad Luck," but we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, as we gazed at breathtaking scenery. Breakfast at Panamint Springs Restaurant is a meal that you don't want to miss.

I could eat a bacon cheeseburger every night, for the rest of my life, and in the words of the famous Mr. Spock, I could "live long and prosper," but my arteries probably wouldn't be so happy. Sure, the previous night I enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger at Panamint Springs Restaurant, but since bacon cheeseburgers are one of my favorite foods, I was ready for another one. Monday evening, November 10, 2008, was for me, to be another bacon cheeseburger night.

Photo: Panamint Springs Restaurant, showing the veranda in front of the restaurant which makes for wonderful outdoor dining. Since it was November, and it was dark and cold outside, we preferred to eat dinner inside.

Photo: Panamint Springs Resort employees are enjoying dinner at the table near the bar. Left to right: Melanie, John, Amanda and Nick. These people were simply amazing, and I treasure the fact that I got to know them during our visit. I took the opportunity to chat with these folks for a few minutes, as I'd come to know them. Great people!

Tonight's server was Jessica, a friendly young woman with a very bubbly personality. Since the tables were the bar were occupied, she seated us in the dining room, which adorned with vintage photos. There must be a couple hundred framed photos hung on the walls, and the dining room isn't particularly large... someone must have had a lot of time on their hands to hang such an abundance of photos... Jessica seated us at a table near the window, placed orders on our table, and asked us if we wanted to order drinks. Sharlene ordered an ice tea, and I ordered a 24-oz draught beer. Panamint Springs Restaurant features a complete bar, but their specialty is beer, as the have a vast selection of domestic, imported, and micro-brews, but I'm the blue collar sort, so a large draft beer hit the spot.

Photo: Sharlene ponders a menu, as we wait for our table. Behind her, four staff members are enjoying dinner, and to the left is the full-service bar.

Photo: Jessica makes a suggestion, after Sharlene asked her about spaghetti.

When it was time to order, just as I did the night before, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger, cooked medium, with the order of fries that comes with the burger. Sharlene was a bit more adventuresome, so she ordered spaghetti, French bread slices, and a garden salad. Although Sharlene loves cheeseburgers, she's not inclined to order burgers two nights in a row.

Photo: Jessica holds Sharlene's dinner, as I barge into the kitchen and snap her photo.

Photo: I asked Jessica to pose with Sharlene, after she'd brought out dinners. Note the photos on the wall and the propane grill outside on the patio, which can be seen through the window. The grill is used during spring, summer and early fall for special occasions.

Our orders arrived in a timely manner, cooked to perfection. Just like the night before, my burger was juicy, delicious, perfectly cooked, and the mountain of fries were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and not greasy. Sharlene's salad looked delicious, as the presentation was very attractive, and she assured me that it not only looked delicious, but tasted good as well. I just had to take a bite of her spaghetti, and it was good, really good! Very rarely do I order spaghetti in a restaurant, as I've never developed a taste for commercial spaghetti (I'm spoiled by Sharlene's spaghetti that she serves at home...) but this spaghetti was the exception. As we were leaving the restaurant, I stuck my head in the kitchen and complimented Miguel, the cook, on a fine meal. He appreciated my comments.

Photo: My delicious bacon cheeseburger, with cheddar cheese. The mountain of fries pretty much over the lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion. Great bacon cheeseburger...

Photo: Sharlene's dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread was delicious. Not shown in the photo is the attractive garden salad that was part of the meal.

Panamint Springs Restaurant is the only restaurant for many miles, and they have a captive audience, but the restaurant serves quality meals and reasonable prices, and they do not over charge their guests, like many other restaurants in remote locations do. The food is delicious, the dining room is rustic and comfortable, and the service is friendly and efficient. Tonight's server, Jessica did an excellent job, as she made us feel welcome, and she genuinely seemed pleased to be serving us.

Photo: Jessica has a word to Miguel, tonight's talented chef in the kitchen.

Photo: Jessica was happy to snap our photo, as we pose for the camera, about to enjoy a delicious meal. Note the large glass of draft beer that I'm drinking.

For the best cheeseburger in Panamint Valley, a dinner at Panamint Springs Restaurant is a must!

Monday morning, November 10, 2008, was a sunny, pleasant morning, with no wind, and temperatures in the low 60's. Since the weather was so beautiful, we decided to enjoy breakfast on the veranda, as the weather was very pleasant outside, and it smelled fresh and clean, as the desert always does, after a recent rain. There were several vacant tables, so we sat down at one of them, and began taking the breathtaking view of the nearby Panamint Mountains.

Photo: "Bad News," the black cat, makes his presence known to these guys. He later jumped up on their laps. They didn't seem to mind, as "Black News" made himself at home, and seemed to be a welcome guest.

Shortly after we sat down, our waitress, Fouga, brought coffee and took our breakfast orders, and we were left to admire the scenery and chat with our fellow diners. At a rustic resort like Panamint Springs, everybody is friendly, whether they are staff, or fellow guests, which is something that we like about out of the day desert resorts. We struck up a conversation with a motorcycle enthusiast, by the name of Rob, who just happens to live in the greater Sacramento, CA area, as we do, only at the opposite end of the metroplex from us. He'd been out exploring the desert by himself, on his motorcycle, and we'd run into him will visiting the Charcoal Kilns the previous afternoon. This gentleman is quite warm blooded, as he was touring the snowy Charcoal Kilns on a motorcycle... not exactly something that I'd want to do. We invited him over to our table, and he gladly accepted our invitation.

Photo: A peek inside the kitchen of Panamint Springs Restaurant. I love kitchen photos!

As we were comparing notes with our new-found friend, a large black cat appeared. We're cat lovers, and as he walked by us, I reached out to pet him, but he ignored my, and walked directly to a table at the far end of the veranda that was occupied by four guys. He proceeded to rub around the legs of these guys, of course they reached down and petted him, and then he jumped up on the lap of one of the diners. Gee, I was hurt! The cat completely ignored me!

Photo: Fouga sets my breakfast on the table, as she's about ready to deliver Sharlene's breakfast to her.

When our orders arrived, I asked Fouga what the cat's name was, and she replied, "Bad Luck." Well, that name is quite appropriate, as this cat is black as night, and doesn't have a white hair on his body. Along with the other cats, "Sonny" and "Bob," Panamint Springs Resort has cats with character.

Photo: Rob says something that makes Fouga laugh, as we enjoy breakfast on the veranda. We invited him to join us, and he readily accepted our invitation.

Photo: Left to right, Eric, your webmaster and author, wife Sharlene, and friend Rob. Fouga was very gracious to take the photo.

Back to breakfast... Panamint Springs Restaurant has a good selection of breakfast items, with something for every taste. Our breakfast arrived in a timely manner, perfectly cooked, with an attractive presentation. My order of country style potatoes and eggs over easy was cooked perfectly, and arrived hot from the kitchen, which isn't an easy feat to accomplish when you're dining outside on a cool, November morning. We enjoyed a pleasant breakfast, great conversation, and a gorgeous view of the Panamint Mountains. Our friendly server, Fouga, was friendly and efficient, and always had a smile on her face. What a pleasant way to spend a Monday morning!

All I'd had to eat on Sunday, November 9, 2008 was a po' boy sandwich that I'd purchased for lunch at Stovepipe Wells Village, in Death Valley National Park, and by dinner time, I was starving. So after checking into the motel and putting our things away, Sharlene and I made the short walk across the courtyard, to enjoy dinner at Panamint Springs Restaurant.

Photo: Here's a classic view of the restaurant at dusk, with the lights on, and ready to serve delicious dinners.

Panamint Springs Restaurant has a monopoly on dining in Panamint Valley, as it's the only restaurant in Panamint Valley, and it's closest competitor is nearly 50 miles away. The restaurant has a captive audience of the folks staying in the motel rooms, the cottage and the RV park, located at the resort. The bottom line is, when you're enjoying the wild and scenic Panamint Valley, if you don't want to cook it yourself, then you eat at Panamint Springs Restaurant.

Photo: Panamint Springs Restaurant features a full-service bar, that specializes in a wide array of beer. Our server Melanie is at the extreme right of the photo, and she keeps very busy, as she has to wait on the tables, and tend bar as well.

You have your choice of dining outside on their spacious veranda, or you can dine inside, in the rustic dining room next to the bar, or in the adjacent dining room. Tonight, we chose to dine inside, as the weather was a little chilly and unsettled, thanks to the rain storm earlier in the day.

The first thing that you notice when you enter the restaurant it the bar. Not only does Panamint Springs boast a full-service restaurant, but they have a full-service bar as well, which can mix any variety of drink, and specializes in beer - a vast assortment of domestic, imported and micro-brews. A true cornucopia of beer, and a brew-lover's paradise! If you can get past the bar, which is a hard thing to do, you can be seated at one of the tables near the bar, or in the dining room, where there is a bit more room. Tonight, the tables near the bar were occupied, so our friendly waitress, Melanie, seated us in the dining room.

Photo: Check out all of the photos on the walls of the dining room. There's a mounted jackalope on the wall, in the center of the photo, to the rear. I didn't know that jackalopes lived in Panamint Valley.

Like the resort itself, Panamint Springs Restaurant is rustic, and filled to the brim with personality. The decor of the dining room is sparse, and consists of tables and chairs, and the walls are covered, I mean covered, with western-themed and historical photos. Windows look out to a large patio, which in turn gives dining room patrons a great view of the majestic Panamint Mountains.

Photo: I take a peek into the spotlessly clean kitchen. Miguel, the evening chef, seemed to be absent as I snapped the photo.

If you love burgers, the menu offers a half page of various combinations of burgers, but it also offers complete dinners, and many pasta dishes. Sharlene and I each order a half-pound bacon cheese burger with fries, how can you resist ordering a burger in the desert? For drinks, Sharlene ordered a coke, and I ordered, what else...? a large draught beer. Cheers!

Photo: Our friendly server, Melanie, places Sharlene's cheeseburger on the table, as Sharlene looks on, in hungry anticipation. My cheeseburger is already on the table, in the foreground of the photo.

The burgers arrived in a timely manner, complete with a mountain of fries, and cooked to perfection. The lettuce, tomato slices, pickle slices an onion were placed on the side of the plate, which is the way that we like it, as it keeps the bun from getting mushy. The restaurant offers the usual assortment of condiments, including steak sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and relish. We couldn't help to notice that some of the off-duty employees of the resort were enjoying dinner in the restaurant, after all, the restaurant is the only game in town, so to say.

Photo: My delicious bacon cheeseburger, with the garnishes partially obscured by the mountain of fries. The burger is one half pound of pure Angus beef, and its cooked to perfection and very juicy. Note the mayonnaise is served on the side, as per my request.

Sharlene and I both enjoyed our cheeseburgers, as they were perfectly cooked, juicy, and not at all greasy. The fries were crispy-golden on the outside, and soft inside, which is just the way we like them. Even though the restaurant was fairly busy, our friendly server, Melanie, stopped by to chat when she had the time, and to make us feel at home. During the course of conversation, she commented that the previous weekend she'd hiked to Darwin Falls for the first time, and how wonderful is was... I made up my mind to take the hike the next day, which is what I did. Thanks for the information, Melanie!

Photo: Staff member Nick, during his off-duty time, surfs the web, from the warm and friendly confines of the restaurant's dining room. Panamint Springs Resort features WiFi, but reception can be sporadic, due to the varied terrain, and the limitations of their wireless router.

Photo: Melanie snaps the photo of my wife, Sharlene and I as we "love it up" at Panamint Springs Restaurant.

Panamint Springs Restaurant serves a delicious burger, at a surprisingly reasonable price, considering the remote location of the resort. The service is fast and friendly, and like the resort, has personality. A cheeseburger at Panamint Springs Restaurant is highly recommended.