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The Mountain Room Lounge, also known as the Yosemite Valley Lodge Bar, is a cozy, rustic bar, located at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, that includes a full-service bar, many beers on tap, and a limited menu of "bar food." The lounge is centered around a large Swedish fireplace, which provides lots of warmth on chilly days and nights, with a roaring wood fire. 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: Mountain Room Lounge is located at Yosemite Valley Lodge, near the west end of Yosemite Village, just across the road from the base of Yosemite Falls. It's a little after 4:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, and I've arrived at the bar for a late lunch, or and early dinner, whatever way you look at it. The lounge opens daily at 4:30 in the afternoon.
Photo: As you enter the lounge two things grab your eye: the large Swedish fireplace, and the full-service bar. The "Please Wait to be Seated" sign asks you to wait to be seated, but I arrived just after the restaurant opened, so I simply sat myself at a high table next to the window.
Photo: The bar is rustic, and features tall stools, just the way a bar should be. There are many different varieties of beer on the tap, and the bar can mix any drink you can imagine. Although the Ahwahnee Hotel Bar is considered a "step up" the social ladder, I widely prefer Mountain Room Lounge, because of the superior bar, the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the amazing fireplace.
Photo: The food menu, served at the lounge, is quite compact, but offers many tantalizing choices, for your dining pleasure. I debated between the "Roasted Turkey Sandwich" and the "House-Made Beef Chili," in a bread bowl, but in the end, the turkey won out.
Photo: After deciding to enjoy a "Roasted Turkey Sandwich," it was time to order a beer, and I chose a Budweiser, which is one of the many beers on tap at the bar. My friendly server, Dekarius, brings my pint of "Bud" to me with a smile.
Photo: The large fireplace is in the center of the room, and it dominates the dining room. On this late afternoon in early September, the fireplace wasn't lit, as the air conditioning was on, as the outside temperature was hovering near the 90-degree mark. When cooler weather arrives, the fireplace will be lit, and you'll be treated to a nice, wood fire, of local pine and black oak.
Photo: Mountain Room Lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows, which provide an excellent view of beautiful Yosemite Valley. If you don't care to gaze at the amazing scenery, there are television monitors placed around the room, which are tuned to what ever major sports game is being played. It's five o'clock on this Tuesday afternoon, and the lounge is beginning to fill.
Photo: Meet Dekarius, my friendly server, who brought my lunch of "Roasted Turkey Sandwich," along with a side of "Kettle Chips" to me with a smile. This guy was really happy, attentive, and treated me well.
Photo: Thanks, Dekarius, for snapping my photo, as I prepare to enjoy my lunch. Look out the window beyond me, and you'll get an idea of the amazing view the lounge has to offer.
Photo: From the "Specialty Sandwiches" section of the bar food menu, I ordered the "Roasted Turkey Sandwich" which included a pile of tasty "kettle chips." This fine sandwich, along with the chips, made for an outstanding lunch, albeit a little on the late side. The sandwich includes a generous portion of hand carved turkey breast, placed on top of a fresh, whole wheat, white roll. The sandwich includes smoked Gouda cheese, mixed greens, tomato, red onion along with French onion aioli. Yes, it's a $16.00 dollar sandwich, but you're dining at the Mountain Room Lounge, in Yosemite National Park, so high prices are a way of life. The roll was fresh, and delicious, the sliced turkey was lightly smoked, fresh, and delicious, and the meat portion was large. This sandwich didn't "skimp" on meat, and the meat-to-bun ration was just right. The smoked Gouda cheese was simply amazing, as you could taste the smoky goodness, the cheese not only complimented the sandwich, but probably made the sandwich the delicious creation that it is. I can't say I really tasted the aioli, but the greens were fresh, crisp, and enhanced this delicious sandwich. Thick "kettle chips" seem to be a Yosemite Valley "thing," and the chips were thick, lightly seasoned, and deep fried to a golden brown. The bar doesn't shy away from giving you a large portion of chips, which really acts as a great side to the sandwich.
Photo: My "Roasted Turkey Sandwich" arrived cut in half, so I arranged half of my sandwich in order to take a peek of the cross section, and the layers of goodness. Look at the amount of turkey this sandwich includes! At $16.00, plus sales tax, the "Roasted Turkey Sandwich," along with the "Kettle Chips," isn't cheap, but it is a fair price, considering the quality, the quantity of the meal, and the fact you're dining in Yosemite National Park, which is a long way from the area food distribution center, in Fresno. After a day exploring the wonders of Yosemite Valley, Mountain Room Lounge is a great place to relax, enjoy a light meal, a beer or two, and if the weather is chilly, soak up some ambiance and warmth from the cheery wood fire. Great food, reasonable prices - considering you're in Yosemite National Park - and amazing views of the natural beauty make Mountain Room Lounge a great place to enjoy a beer, and a sandwich... and relax. Mountain Room Lounge Copyright(c) 2019 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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