Crystal Lake Snack Bar & Store

this should be filed under tip, but the actual name of the business is Crystal Lake Café and the address is 9877 Crystal Lake Road, Azusa, CA 91 702.
And once I found it, I loved it!

It’s a «snack bar», but the food is good quality. The chicken wrap with aioli sauce is great. Adam is a trained chef and you can tell from the quality of the burritos and sandwiches. Regular snack bar goodies are available plus homemade brownies and banana bread.
Your choice of seating outside on picnic benches or a few (very few) tables inside around an old camp stove/​heater.
It’s a nice little local adventure: Getting there is a relaxing drive, the scenery is beautiful and Adam is personable & welcoming summer, spring, fall and winter.

OMG I love the tuna sandwich! While filming in the area we stopped here for some food and it was so good. Loved it and can’t wait to bring my friends to try it! Plus I liked the friendly cats outside :)

Like an oasis after a long ride! Cold drinks and some decent snacks. I dig the cat that’s always hanging out outside.

Great spot to relax and grab some food after a grueling 27miles of uphill via road bike… worth the climb… The guys were helpful and friendly… Great stop for cyclist, bikers, hikers etc… the snack bar is very close to Crystal Lake… try the banana bread that is sumptuous!!!

Chilli I have here is the best so far. Maybe because it’s situated in the wilderness, but it is good.

Look, this place is in the middle of nowhere and it is not a restaurant. It’s a «greasy spoon» kind of place. The food is not the best of the best and the service is more of a «serve yourself» type of place. With that said, the food hits the spot after a hike or drive, and the people here are good friendly people.
I went here for the first time today because I had heard there was a place like this up in the canyon and wanted to try it. In my opinion it was great! The bad reviews you see on here were from some flat-​landers who expected a 5-​star dining experience. You’re in the mountains people, lay-​off and enjoy the outdoors! If you’re mountain biking, hiking, camping or even riding your bike up here, it’s a great little place to get a quick bite. The area has a lot of little secluded picnic areas to enjoy your food as well.
Bottom line, if you want a restaurant experience and you expected to be served… go someplace else! If your an outdoors kind of person, who enjoys a little friendly atmosphere and an ok burger or bowl of chili. This is the place for you! I must emphasize the bad reviews for this place are probably the same people who visit the local Applebee’s to harass their servers about BS complaints with their food. My hopes are that they stick to their bad reviews, don’t come back and let those of us who like good people and the outdoors enjoy this place for what it is.
Great place, and thanks for the great time today!

Recently made a day trip to Crystal lake for a day hike. My wife and I were both super hungry so we decided to try the tuna sandwich and chili others raved about. (we actually got chili fries). Well… after trying the food i’m convinced that these reviews were made by personal friends of the restaurant owners. The tuna sandwich was horrible and cost $ 7.50. The chili fries were just as bad, at $ 5.50 tasted like watered down canned chili beans and the fries tasted super freezer burned. We also bought two fountain cokes at $ 2.50 a piece that were very flat and watered down. The only positive thing I can mention is that the store cashier was very nice. If you are coming up to crystal lake do your self a favor and eat beforehand or BRING YOUR OWN FOOD!

Cute little place with a Bunch of cool old thing to see. But the food, Not so Hot. Probably just that day, but the Tuna Salad sandwich (witch was offered by the Owner as the «BEST») gave me acid reflex and made my Lip swell up, and was way to sweet.
Tip to the Owner: when you say one of your product is the «BEST», make sure you made it yourself and not use a Store bought supply of shitty Tuna Salad. Also was very pushing on selling shit in his store.
Also the Lake is very sad and ringed with lake Weed so you really can’t get into it. Not worth the 1 hour drive from the 210 freeway.

Don’t have much to say about this place other than the guy who own this place might be one of the nicest people I have ever met.
My group and I came off the mountain yesterday after a grueling 20-​mile 6k vert hike. We had gotten lost and taken a wrong trail and ended up coming down late — virtually in the dark.
As we were oohing and ahhing over the food, but did not have enough cash to cover both food and drink, the owner offered to feed us all for free saying «You’ll pay me next time your up on the mountain. I’m not worried about that, just want you to be fed!!» He then shared stories of he himself getting lost up on the mountain’s ridge. After he proudly told us about what his kitchen had to offer and did it with such enthusiasm, you knew the same love went into his cooking.
Really??? I mean seriously? IS this guy for real? Yes, he very much was.
We ended up using our 20 dollar bill for Gatorades and waters. The owner demanded we take with us a piece of some of the best darn banana bread I have ever had as a parting gift.
His shop was clean and cute, full of goodies and supplies, but nothing as special as Adam (the owner).
Thank you kind sir, we will be back to see you soon. :)

I’m giving an unbiased review even though the owner, Adam Samrah, is a friend of mine.
I drop by all the time, as I guide and train folks in the mountains. This area is my backyard. I usually stop by and say hi, and when I have the time and money I buy a breakfast burrito with chili and nacho cheese. Adam and I talk about the neighborhood, and sometimes I help him clear brush or fix something. He is a very kind and caring man, a real human being. I’m proud to call him a friend.
Him and his wife make excellent food. The banana bread is awesome. The chili, a staple of his business, is excellent, and I try to put it on whatever I order.
By all means drop on by and talk to Adam and become a part of the San Gabriel Mountains. Enjoy some great food, say hi to Bubba and the other cats, and give him a good review! :-)

This is my first review ever! I was so impressed that I decided I needed to share my experience. It took us a while to get to the café but it was worth it! My bf actually looked up this place and thought we should check it out. I was surprised to see snow up there. As soon as we entered the café we were greeted by the owner, he seemed very nice. I ordered the frito pie which is basically the chili with frito chips, it was delicious!!! My bf ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, I am not lying but it was the best sandwich I have ever tasted. We also ordered a hot chocolate which came with two giant marshmallows (yuummy!!). The owner offered us to sit by the fireplace where there was a mini table with two chairs (perfect for us!), which made the trip already worth it! While we were eating there, I overheard a customer saying something about not having cash (only cash is accepted here) and the owner told him that it was ok, and to pay him next time, he even told him to grab more stuff! Talk about customer service! I will definitely be coming back here!
ps. Cal trans wants to walk away from highway 39, if no one wants to be responsible for it then the road will be closed. There’s is a petition inside the store, make sure you sign it!

19 miles up highway 39 amongst the pine trees you will find this cute this «snack bar», picnic tables, squirrels and a very friendly cat. Our group ordered hot dogs, a chicken sandwich and chicken wrap that we all really enjoyed. The owner served us all within 3 – 5 minutes, came out to ask how we liked our food and talked with the other bikers that rode up for the day. The last 2 miles of the journey to this area are very twisty, but it’s all worth it.

This is a beautiful place to eat a tasty lunch amidst the scenic ponderosa pines. You’d never guess the 210 is less than 45 minutes away.
I got the chili, which came in quite a large portion. It’s delicious on its own, and I also appreciated the onions and jalapenos available for sprinkling on top. My husband got the tuna salad sandwich and loved it so much that when he was done, he went back and ordered the same thing again! (The chef/​owner Adam Samrah told us he makes his own homemade French mayonnaise for it.)
After all that chili and two sandwiches, we were too full for dessert. The brownie samples we were given when we first walked in the café were delicious, though, and we’ve heard excellent things about the banana bread. Next time!
For me and my husband, Crystal Lake Snack Bar is the perfect destination for a motorcycle ride up the winding roads into the mountains and back. We also saw lots of hikers, bicyclists, and OHV enthusiasts en route. Let’s hope that Caltrans and the Forest Service can manage to sort out their wrangling over maintenance without closing the road altogether and making all of us lose out:
(For the record, though, I definitely wouldn’t call Samrah’s English «broken» — accented, sure, but not «broken.» He was super friendly and I hope to keep supporting his business as long as the road is open to do so.)

Crystal Lake Café
The Crystal Lake Café is located in the Angeles National Forest, in the San Gabriel Mountains, you can get there by taking Hwy 39, 22 miles north from Azusa, it is a windy, narrow road, especially the last 8 miles. The Crystal Lake Café has been opened since March 2011. There is the Crystal Lake Campground across from the Café and just few miles away is the Crystal Lake.
Adam Samrah is the owner and operator of the Crystal Lake Café, the name café is not appropriate, since he serves top of the line fine foods, he used to be a chef in 3star plus restaurants and he has a wall with all his certifications. So come visit Adam, he will be come in the winter months. He is closed on Monday’s. Tell Adam that you read my post and that Christina sent you.
His address 9877 Crystal Lake Road Azusa Ca 91 702
phone # is: 626 910‑1029
Just to name a few list menus that he has to offer:
Cold Chicken Pasta salad (my favorite), Special Frito Pie, Tuna Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Wrap, Charbroiled Chicken Sandwich, Nachos and Chips and salsa, Egg Burritos, Chorizo, potatoes, and egg Burritos, French Fries, French Fries with Chile and cheese, Homemade Brownies and Banana Bread, Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich, Hamburgers, Chicken Salad
Chile served with a generous amt of Cheese and onions.

This place is small, and the owner is super cool. Very nice. food was good. we had the chili and the chicken wrap and it was very good. Cash only though… or check. Seating outside. The motorcycle ride to the top is fantastic. Crystal lake itself is not much to look at, but worth the drive for the scenery on the way up and through the hills. Also, a great bunch of rednecks driving four wheel drives around in the mud on the way up the mountain. It was awesome watching them play!

Crystal Lake Snack Bar in the Azusa area is an awesome place to day-​trip. The owner is really nice and super awesome, too!

Crystal Lake opens up I hear, so a friend and I ride up and check it out. At the top, we find this little place. Its early, roughly 9, and we walk in to a place that seemed like a little shop for things you may have forgotten to bring with you. I didnt realize they sold food until I saw the equipment in the back/​side area and the menu up above the wall. I ordered the Chicken Sandwich after randomly coming across a review of the location from my friend Anson in a binder full of pictures and history. My friend Steve Klenk went with the breakfast burrito.
When we got our food, we headed outside to the tables. First bite, I was hooked! I am NOT a breakfast guy, but knew I needed to eat a bit, thus the sandwich. Anson was right, the chicken and aioi were absolutely great. It tasted so good, I polished it off way too quickly and had to take a few extra minutes to digest before hoping back on the bikes.
The «Grizzly mountain man», Samir if I remember correctly, was quch a nice and friendly guy, standing outside when no one was inside to greet people as the approached. We will definitely be back! Oh great, thinking about it made me hungry…

Just one correction from above, the road actually opened in March (I got to go both Saturday and Easter Sunday)
If you go, get the banana bread. I’d swear by it!

You don’t go to a «snack bar» and expect anything special (hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, etc…), unless your first snack bar experience happens to be at Crystal Lake Snack Bar.
First, a little history: The owner of this small shop at the top of a mountain opened his doors 12 years ago. 9 years ago, the only road that could get you to Crystal Lake (and therefore his shop) was closed. On April 30, 2011, the road was reopened to the public. Just wanted to set the scene: Grizzly mountain man and his wife and two kids, isolated on the top of a mountain for 9 years… got it? Then lets proceed to the eats.
His menu is small and standard: All beef hot dog, grilled chicken salad, chicken wrap, nachos, grilled chicken sandwich, homemade chili. Sounds like a standard snack bar, right? Well, the menu doesn’t do it justice, so i’ll break it down for you. I had a bowl of chili and the grilled chicken sandwich.
The chili was hearty and warm (and for those of you that must know, it had beans in it). It was rich and flavorful. It was served in a beautiful polystyrene cup (you can keep the souvenir cup, but I wouldn’t recommend it) and topped with a mixture of finely shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheeses. Fresh diced tomatoes were found throughout the bowl like palate-​cleansing easter-​eggs from your favorite flash site (mine is homestarrunner, just thought I would throw that out there).
The sandwich… Chicken breast, marinated for two days in a white wine and herb concoction, grilled to order, served on a fresh kaiser roll with iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, and pickles. And the best part… wait for it… a healthy slathering of garlic mayonaise… he called it an aioli (yes, the mountain man is a trained chef with a degree in the culinary arts and knows all about aioli)…let’s agree to call it a devinely-​inspired garlic emulsion.
Now that I have painted that picture for you, he looks nothing like a grizzly mountain man. He’s a pleasant individual that shows no signs of being isolated in the mountains for 9 years. Oh, and you can’t check in from your smartphone here because there is no cellular service or wifi up at the top of the mountain. Until then, am I allowed to proclaim myself as mayor?
My final thoughts… it’s a beautiful drive up the mountain… the ancient pine trees and snow-​capped peaks at the top are awe-​inspiring, the mountain man is a new homie, GARLIC AIOLI AT THE SNACK BAR!