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Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station is located in the Stanislaus National Forest at the 6300-foot elevation, and has all of the outdoor adventures you could ever wish for, along with many amenities, including cabins, campgrounds, store, saloon, AND... best of all... a fine restaurant, Kennedy Meadows Restaurant, located only a few miles east of Pinecrest, CA. As with all of reviews that 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.
Photo: It's just past 02:00 in the afternoon, Thursday, July 09, 2026 and we've arrived at Kennedy Meadows Restaurant, located at the Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station, in the Stanislaus National Forest, about 20 miles east of Pinecrest, CA. From about the end of April until Columbus Day the restaurant is open every day of the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanks to the 6300-foot elevation and the many FEET of wet, Sierra show, the restaurant and resort are closed for the winter. The resort includes many amenities, including a store, lounge, saloon, campground, cabins, showers, packstation, guided pack tours and more. If you're a Pacific Crest Trail hiker, you know all about this fine resort, as it's "hiker friendly" and a popular stop for hikers who want to take a break from the trail. For "foodies," the crown jewel is the awesome restaurant.
Photo: As we walked up the stairs to the veranda, we encountered a trio of Pacific Crest Trail hikers who were enjoying the afternoon and stocking up on supplies. Actually, when we topped Sonora Pass we met Debbie, and we gave her a ride to Kennedy Meadows, and invited her to join us for lunch. She later went on to Pinecrest for the night, as she had friendly who were expecting her. From Kennedy Meadows to the top of Sonora Pass, its about 12 miles, and during hiking season, you'll almost always encounter folks hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, who are looking for a ride from the pass to Kennedy Meadows or Pinecrest. They're all great people, so I don't have a problem giving them a ride.
Photo: I absolutely adore the rustic dining room, complete with knotty pine paneling and wooden tables and chairs, complete with red and white checkered tablecloth. As rustic and cozy as the dining room was, we ate outside on the veranda, as the weather was perfect for outdoor dining.
Photo: Kennedy Meadows Restaurant, along with the packstation and resort, is located in eastern Tuolumne County, at the 6300-foot elevation, and outdoor sports are one of the premiere amenities the area offers. Hunting, especially for mule deer, is a very popular fall pastime in the area. The dining room is decorated with mounted mule deer, harvested from the area. Fishing, hiking, horseback riding and mountain solitude are other popular activities enjoyed by those who stay in the rustic cabins at the resort.
Photo: The lunch menu offers all of your favorites every day of the week. Despite the remote location of the restaurant, the prices are very reasonable and you'll never leave hungry.
Photo: After I placed my order, I took a peek behind the salad bar, as the door to the kitchen was open, so I could watch the talented chef prepare our meals.
Photo: Meet Sally, our charming server, who brought our lunch to us with a friendly smile. Just six hours earlier, my brother and I had enjoyed breakfast, and she was pleasantly surprised that we came for lunch. It's not often that I enjoy breakfast and lunch at the same restaurant... but I make the exception when it comes to Kennedy Meadows Restaurant, as the food is a good as it gets!
Photo: My brother Michael, Debbie and I toast our amazingly friendly server, Sally, as we prepare to enjoy a delicious lunch. Debbie, in particular was looking forward to lunch, as she'd been eating trail cuisine for the last couple weeks.
Photo: Meet Debbie, who was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and was looking for a ride to Kennedy Meadows. We give her a ride and asked her to join us for lunch, as she was a super nice and friendly person. I know something about what P.C.T. hikers go through, so I was happy to give her a ride and buy her lunch. She was very appreciative of us giving her a ride and buying her lunch, and she gave us the compliment of thanking us, and calling us "Trail Angels."
Photo: From the "Sandwiches" section of the lunch menu, Debbie went with "Roast Beef," which included a bag of chips and choice of bread. Like my cheeseburger, veggies were served on the side. Michael went with a nearly identical lunch of "Turkey."
Photo: From the "Burgers and More" section of the Lunch menu, I went with a "Kennedy Meadows Cheeseburger" with "Tots" as my side of choice. All burgers are Kennedy Meadows locally grown, grass fed beef, from the herd of cattle they run on their ranch. Like all burgers and sandwiches served at the restaurant, the veggies are on the side of the plate. That's a great thing, as it makes for better photos, but more importantly, the bun, meat and cheese are warm, and the veggies are chilled, and the contrast makes for a cheeseburger taste sensation. The burger began with a locally grown, seasoned half pound patty of Kennedy Meadows beef, perfectly grilled to medium, and topped with a slice of melted, Cheddar cheese. The meat and cheese were placed on a buttered, lightly grilled bun, with just a little bit of "crunch" on the inside to make life interesting. The meat and bun had a bit of mayonnaise, as per my request. Fresh, chilled dill pickle slices, red onion, tomato and lettuce were on the side. Mustard and ketchup were on the side. The side of tots were deep fried to a beautiful golden brown, and were crunchy on the outside, and tender, white an juicy on the inside, just the way I love them. I assembled the burger by topping the meat and cheese with the lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle slices, and adding a little mustard, which was almost an afterthought. As long as I was working with condiments, I squeezed some ketchup on my plate, as the kid in me loves to dip my tots or fries in ketchup. Then, it was time to enjoy... Oh my! My first bite of this cheeseburger was sheer burger serendipity, thanks to the flavorful, juicy beef patty, the mild Cheddar cheese and the chilled vegetables, which contrasted with the warm beef, cheese and bun, and added an extra taste dimension to this scrumptious cheeseburger. After enjoying a couple bites, I put the burger down, dipped a tot into the ketchup, and enjoyed the goodness. Like the cheeseburger, the tots did not disappoint. Kennedy Meadows Restaurant serves a delicious cheeseburger! Come for the rustic, Sierra Nevada mountain atmosphere, but stay for the "Kennedy Meadows Cheeseburger!"
Photo: I have assembled my "Kennedy Meadows Cheeseburger," added a touch of ketchup, and I'm ready to experience the goodness and joy of this fine lunch! This was a superior cheeseburger in every way. Back around 08:00 this morning we arrived for breakfast. Like lunch, we enjoyed our fine breakfast on the veranda, as delicious food always seems to taste even better when enjoyed outside. The balmy 55-degree temperature made for perfect breakfast weather.
Photo: The breakfast menu offers all of your breakfast favorites every day of the week. The food is delicious and the prices are very reasonable, especially considering the remote location of the restaurant. It's not very often that I enjoy breakfast and later lunch at the same restaurant, but I make the exception at Kennedy Meadows Restaurant!
Photo: Meet Sally, our amazingly friendly server who brought our breakfasts to us with a smile. Sally provided great, efficient service and treated us like rock stars.
Photo: My brother Michael and I are happy diners, as we're ready to enjoy fine, mountain cuisine. I went all the way with a full breakfast of chicken fried steak, but Michael simply ordered hash brown potatoes and sausage. I toast our friendly server, Sally, with a bottle of Cholula hot sauce.
Photo: From the "Egg Dishes" section of the menu, my choice was "Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs," along with the included side of hash brown potatoes, and two pieces of toast. A bottle of Cholula hot sauce made for fine enhancement, and a can of Coors beer made for a great appetizer and dessert. At the time, I didn't know the talented chef who prepared my meal was Tammy, who would be my waitress the next morning. The sizeable beef patty was seasoned, pounded thin, battered, and deep fried to a crispy, golden brown on the outside, but tender, flavorful and juicy on the inside, just the way a perfect chicken fried steak should be. It was covered with thick, rich sausage gravy, with many chunks of country sausage, and sprinkled with ground pepper. Oh my... what a way to get a Father's Day Sunday breakfast started! The side of hash browns were griddle-fried to a beautiful golden brown on the outside, crispy and crunchy, yet tender, white and juicy on the inside, which made for perfect hash brown potatoes. I ordered my eggs fried sun up, which is my de facto standard when I order hash browns, and they arrived as ordered, fried perfectly. The breakfast rounded out with two slices of buttered sourdough toast, delicious in itself, which helped me clean up every bit of goodness from my plate. The Cholula Mexican Hot Sauce came in handy with breakfast, as it's a sauce that excels and takes any breakfast to the next level. When it's available, it's my breakfast hot sauce of choice. With my first bite of the chicken fried steak, I was rewarded with a taste sensation cornucopia of the tender beef, the crisp, deep fried batter, and the luscious, country gravy. This chicken fried steak was simply amazing! The crispy hash browns, the eggs and the buttered sourdough toast made for the perfect sides, and made this a perfect breakfast. The breathtaking view of the mountains I enjoyed from my table on the patio made the savory mountain cuisine taste even better!
Photo: I cut off a piece of my chicken fried steak, and it was love at first bite! I could enjoy eating this fantastic breakfast every day, for the rest of my life... You'll savor the delicious, hearty mountain cuisine, served by the friendly staff, and you'll find your food tastes even better, thanks to the crisp mountain air and the breathtaking scenery as you enjoy your fine meal. The food is delicious, the price is very reasonable, and the staff is super accommodating and friendly. Fine gold country dining in the high Sierra Nevada mountains at Kennedy Meadows Restaurant, located at Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station, 20 miles east of Pinecrest, CA. Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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