Restaurants near Sentinel Dome

It was wonderful to be back in Ahwanhee Dining Room! We were seated promptly for our 5 pm reservation at a table close to the pianist and buffet. Our wait staff warmly greeted our group of two couples and explained the buffet style dining, offered to open the bottle of wine we brought (there is a $36 corkage fee), brought our other beverages, delicious tomato basil soup and rolls. He and his assistant promptly removed plates, glasses and silverware after use. They kept our glasses filled and regularly asked what we needed. Following the meal and coffee (Peet’s), they brought two decorated cupcakes on a plate with “Happy Anniversary” written in chocolate! The food in the buffet was delicious and plentiful. I enjoyed the Ahwahnee seasonal salad and the Caesar salad along with the hummus and fresh vegetables. For the main portion of the meal, I ate small servings of the prawns, salmon, prime rib, couscous, macaroni & cheese and broccolini. Mary’s chicken was always served. For dessert, I selected petite servings of pumpkin mousse/pudding, double chocolate brownie, coconut “bar” and a lemon bar. We were welcome to go back for more of everything, which made the $63 tab seem quite reasonable. In addition to the spectacular atmosphere of the Dining Room, the pianist was amazing! He played with such passion and love for his music. Although he played a variety of music, he added his own personality to them which made them so memorable, especially “Canon in D”, which my husband requested for me. We’ve stayed in Yosemite Valley for 35 years to celebrate our December anniversary and this year’s Ahwahnee Dining Room experience was our favorite!

The place is very pretty. The cost is pretty expensive especially for what you get. The steak and filet that we ordered both had burnt/charred ends which then that part was then overcooked. Chris the gentleman who brings water was super attentive and nice.

We went to Bass Lake last year for Thanksgiving. This year to Tenaya Lodge. Tenaya was far superior. It wasn't just a buffet, it was a fine dining experience. The harp music was an excellent choice also. Will do it again!

We have been wanting to try the Branch for a while and finally had the opportunity to do so. We kept hearing positive things and wanted to see for ourselves. They did not disappoint! From being greeted when walking in, to the service throughout our dinner, it was amazing. But the best of all was the food. I am not sure what Matt does to prepare his dishes better than anyone else, but he does it! Our food was amazing! With the closeness of the tables, we were able to speak and compare with others and we all said the same thing. It did not matter what people ordered for dinner, they were all completely satisfied. We will definitely be back as often as possible!

Very nice dinner, early so rather noisy with children. Server was very smart and held off to place the entrée order since my salad was large, ended up more than I could finish. Saved me money and I really appreciated the attention to detail. Thank you