Restaurant At Convict Lake

Incredible food definitely one of the best restaurants I have ever been to hands down. Enjoyed everything about this restaurant. Beautiful setting, good service for the most and a very high quality super excellent dining experience that can’t be beat. Loved the trout entrée that I ordered. The sauce was lemon butter but not too heavy even though the dish was rich. My husband ordered the scallop entrée but asked that they remove the pork from the dish they had no issue doing that and offered to substitute the pork with additional jumbo scallops. The scallops were pan seared to perfection!
For dessert you have to try the apple strudel with mascarpone cheese. If you do this go all the way fatty and just have it with a scoop of ice cream — Yeah it’s worth it if you get the specialty freshly made ice cream of the day that they make right at the restaurant. It was butterscotch, pecan and baileys the day we were here and It was delicious!
A few notes about this place it is casual dress code all the way so put away your Gucci purse or maybe go mountain chic. There is no lake side view it is a nice view but not lake side. Keep an eye out for deer passing by the Windows about an hour before sunset. They like to make their way around the restaurant area during that time of day. Not sure why but that is what we were told.
Do not miss the opportunity to dine here.

Amazing meal! Our party of six had everything from the halibut (creamy and rich), Beef Wellington (melts in your mouth), pasta (rolled pasta with mushrooms inside and sauce on the plate around it), to the lamb (quite a bit on the rack) and we loved it! The bananas foster was prepared in front of us and we were able to share (we thought we were too full, but we devoured it). Our server Steve O. did a great job and was very attentive and friendly. Each meal cost between $ 25 and $ 39. We will be back!

Best steak and delicious sourdough bread! Within few minutes the stunning view of the lake!

My partner and I have been here twice and both times we’ve had amazing meals. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is relaxing and romantic. The service is excellent and most important their food is fresh and enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and get the bananas foster. It’s sinfully good! Can’t wait to come back!

We had a party of 8. Order Brie, Escargot for Appetizer. For dinner I had the Scallops with pork belly. Others order the beef Wellington, Scottish Salmon, and filet and duck. Service was great waiter was very attentive. Food took a really long time to come out but didn’t disappoint. We wanted to order the banana foster but so full. By far the best meal I’ve had in mammoth. The décor is very old school and feel like your at home.

Bread carted in from La Brea bakery? Get outta town. Very delicious
Claypot garlic: was really tough and unspreadable. Having made 40 clove chicken and used that amazing garlic on bread, I know what a good garlic is supposed to spread like. Even the waiter was concerned. But the father and mother in law didn’t want to make it a big deal so we didn’t say anything.
Caesar salad: was a Caesar salad. One huge plus the dressing seemed made in restaurant as it was anchovy-​y.
Scallop and Berkshire pork: the scallops were a touch on the done side for my taste (I had a bite), but my father in law and mother in law loved this dish. They were huge fans of thick slices of pork with the delicate and according to the father in law «perfectly cooked» scallops. Then he went on to say that he’d only had as good once in his life and has not been able to find it until now.
Trout: pistachio coated, I believe. With the skin on – yum! A bit fishy, but still a solid 3.5 dish.
Chicken mustard: amazing and tender. Lovely sauce. Very good dish. I was envious all meal.
Was impressed by the glass of wine. Great cab!
Tim the server provided great service with a side of very funny sarcasm?
We had a great experience and would recommend it to anyone in the Mammoth area. This is a non-​fussy take on food. It’s a little bit old school, and you won’t get nouveau this or likely foam that (and I’m not saying that makes a food better or not), but it is thoughtfully and seems like for the most part consistently prepared.

The atmosphere and food was awesome. Celebrated my husband’s birthday.
Our waiter Steve «with Kids» was fabulous and knowledgeable of all the dishes.
We had a relaxing and awesome dinner. We will be back. .. .

Sitting here wondering why my family is getting the lesser quality of service than everyone else. First night was better service… Tonight, it took half an hour to be actually acknowledged. Reduced to the bar menu (we could’ve ordered from the regular menu), didn’t receive bread, do not get smiles or light pats from the Australian server/​hostess/​bartender??? and definitely waited for food far longer than our other more mature Caucasian co-​patrons. Food came out and none of the sides or condiments were offered and I had to get up and walk my happy self to the runner’s nook. Great job restaurant at convict lake, long live your version of America!!!
Food wise would have been a 3.5 or 4 but the experience was horrible!

Great food. Very tasty. Service was great. Atmosphere was serene. Be prepared to spend over 100.00 for two. Good place to take a date… like your mom lol.

This place surprised me! I had no idea how great this meal was going to be. I have been to convict lake before, but this is the first time we stayed in the cabins and had dinner in the restaurant there. The friendly service, (thanks Tim!) the fireplace, the wine, the food, the dessert even the music… it was all just fantastic! We will be coming back!

One of the best meals I’ve ever had in the Mammoth area. The filet was absolutely butter, could have cut it with a plastic knife. The chicken my girlfriend ordered was also extremely tasty. We were up on an off weekend and everything seemed to be dead quiet, not this place though reservations were a must. Portions were also very good for a steakhouse. We just ordered entrees and still had no room for desert. Tim provided us with amazing service too!

Best meal while in Mammoth. Started with the baked garlic paired with crostini in an olive oil and balsamic drizzle. I had the special which was the venison in a blueberry glaze with mashed potatoes and a delicate array of vegetables. The venison was a perfect amount and the most soft and tender meat that melts in your mouth. My husband had the filet mignon with blue cheese crumbles. It was very good however a little more charred than he would have liked on the outside. We finished our meal with the banana foster dessert made at our table. It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. Service was attentive and genuine.

There isn’t a more beautiful location I can imagine than Convict Lake and the restaurant is even more than expected! The service is always friendly and the food is superb! The only thing I noticed odd this time was that all of the dishes, even the meat items had a fruit theme, which isn’t really my thing. But I recommend this restaurant and the resort for weddings and dining by far!

Almost total disappointment. Sorry .We wanted this meal to be great.
One key bottom line –maybe don’t expect a resort restaurant to deliver in the manner of a true high-​end dining establishment. Resort mentality/​resort employees. Had this review been for an urban restaurant, its one star given it’s price point.
Not a good start when Monday 8 PM reservation found us standing around looking for a hostess or somebody to say «hi». Finally got a frazzled somebody who had us sit for about 15 minutes. My wife’s inquiry 10 minutes in was met with a manner of insolence that you only find in tourist towns where the locals feel superior.
Finally seated and served an excellent waiter (Steve?). Also had the bartender check in and let us know they were short-​staffed. Really nice guys. Kudos and thanks.
The food? Fair. At best. The bread. Yes! Comes from one of the Schatts, maybe?
Small plates–
Toasted garlic. Hard to screw up, so kinda ok but did not come in the crock as advertised
3 mushroom something… sub par. Over cooked, etc
Scallops with sauce … edible is the highest praise
Endive salad– Mildly OK. Maybe the best dish in the meal.
Main course– What’s up with being out of one of their signature dishes– Rainbow Trout? So we get the Grouper, since our server said it was prepared in the same manner, same sauce, etc. Well– yuck. Ate maybe ½ of it. Overcooked, but arrived luke warm. Dudes– do you eat what you cook.
Crème Brûlée was excellent.
There ya have it; $ 120 (no booze) of mediocre. Oh– and our wedding anniversary dinner to boot.
Same ownership as Convict Lake Resort? I’ve spent $ 1,000++ /​6 or 7 nights of excellence. Unilocal 4 star +. I think I want a refund for that meal… emailed Manager .He gift certificate for a future meal. Will let Unilocal know how it goes .Hope it’s a 4 star meal…

This restaurant does not disappoint.
We came here for our wedding anniversary. Since it was just after the 4^th of July holiday, they had run out of fresh trout, a speciality. Oh darn — we had to settle for filet mignon.
Both the food and service were excellent. We definitely plan to return.

Dined here with a group of 7 while staying in Mammoth. The drive out was so dark and off the beaten path, I was unsure of what we were getting ourselves in to, despite raving reviews from my boyfriend and his friend who have been many times.
Arriving at convict lake, the restaurant with the lights strung outside and the few close by convict lake resort cabins are the only things you can see– it was so dark out there even with the full moon. When you step in to the restaurant, you are taken back in time. It is romantic, cozy, comfortable… And has a lot of local history. (The menus tell the story of the convicts in which the lake was named for)
We were seated in the back room because of the size of our party, if the group were smaller we might have been able to sit at the nice tables by the fire ;). Our server was friendly and professional and seemed to enjoy our groups banter. The food was fantastic, the starter salads were enormous and had great seasonal, unique ingredients. I ordered the pork tenderloin and my boyfriend the lamb. Also at the table were some filet mignons and duck entrees. Paired with a nice cab, the meals were all fantastic! One of the highlights on my dish, as odd as it is, was the puréed carrots. I wanted more.
As dessert time came near, there is absolutely no way you can pass up the bananas foster prepared table side. It’s a miracle this restaurant is still standing with all that flambé –ing going on. We ordered that, of course, which was more delicious than it looked, and strawberry cheesecake, which unfortunately did not hit the mark but I am not holding it against them.
The highlight of the night came after dinner when our gracious friend and host for the weekend had us drive onto a remote bridge, get out of the car (seriously it is so dark you think you are going to fall in the water) and wait for your eyes to adjust… Then the most amazing view and reflection of millions of stars and the mountain range in the lake. Unbeatable.
I would so recommend this place to anyone visiting mammoth that has a vehicle and is looking for a fine dining meal in a unique location.

This is unique. A throwback to another era when people invested in a place like this at a location like this. A few miles off I-​395 and south of Mammoth Lakes, a western style resort has a fine dining restaurant.
The bartender is also the waiter. The food is good. Servings are large. Menu has a long list of martinis although mostly the infused kind — Appletini, Chocotini, etc. My favorite is a classic and not on the menu. Unknown in these parts.
That said, give it a try. Summer is probably the high season here.

Some reviews complain about the price and lack of view, so I’m writing this review to give folks a heads up to adjust their expectations accordingly.
Hubby and I visited in April this year. First off, the resort is near Convict Lake, but not next to the lake. So, yes, your view will be very limited. We stayed at the resort (nice little cottage), and walked to the lake twice in a weekend. If you’re coming here just to dine expecting THE view, know that it will not be there.
As for food — given how remote the area is (and what’s available in the area, i.e. Mammoth), it is pricey but I did not consider it out of this world expensive. I had the trout, which was delicate and tasty. My hubby had the beef wellington. We topped off dinner with the banana foster, which is always fun.
Another thing to consider is they do host a fair number of weddings in the summer. The night we dined in, it was not a big deal.
I’m looking forward to visiting the resort and restaurant again in the winter.

Fine dining in Mammoth is hard to come by. Chart House and Whiskey Creek just aren’t cutting it anymore.
Restaurant at Convict Lake was such an unexpected find! Is it the best fine dining I’ve experienced? No, but it’s probably one of the better places in town.
Dress code: Casual– everyone was in jeans and a t-​shirt.
Soup du jour was tomato jalapeño cilantro bisque. The soup had bold flavors especially with the cilantro and the jalapeño added a perfect kick!
I ordered the special, which was grilled salmon with an avocado melon salsa. The fish was moist and the fruit complemented the fish perfectly. The chef seems to use a lot of fruit and citrus flavors in his cooking.
Beef Wellington seemed to be a popular dish as many of the neighboring tables were ordering it.
We finished off dessert with the bananas foster (made tableside). Our server Allie made it perfectly and we quickly devoured it!
We will definitely be back next year!

We had a great waiter. He knew a lot about the wines and drinks there, had a very deep understanding of the food and the chef and was very pleasant.
The food was good. Not the BEST I have ever had but considering the location, it was very well appreciated.
We started with the Asparagus bisque, which was light and tasty. That was gone in minutes.
I had the fillet which was a thin 7oz cut, which was very tasty but not the thick chunk of meat i was expecting. It also had that ‘preserved’ taste to it or it marinated too long. It was tender and flavorful but not what I expected for a fillet.
I should have tried something else to give this place the justice it deserves.
My wife had the fish, which she enjoyed very much.