We started coming here because our family photographer (XO Kim -- check out my review!) highly recommended it, and it has become our tradition after every photo session for about five years. Enticing our kids with the animals at XO Ranch and then grabbing food at Descanso Junction has been our routine that just works. It has made taking family pictures a better experience. We always bring our dogs to the photo shoot and sit outside on the patio at Descano Junction Restaurant. We have enjoyed sitting outside. There is a wooden chair that my kids love squishing themselves into. At night they have garland lights. Unfortunately the laat time we came the heater did not have gas and we were freezing. My two younger kids still opted to eat with us because they wanted to eat with our dogs and sit in the chair. Portions here are generous and priced well. Honestly, I could probably share with my youngest, but since it's a bit of a drive for us, we each get our own dish and take home leftovers. Some menu items are served only at certain times and days, so plan around that. Service has always been consistently good -- friendly and attentive, even when we're seated on the patio with the dogs. They sell dog friendly burger patties for $5.99. Our Favorite Items Smaller Bites These come with two sliders and one side. We've tried all the options and have zero complaints. Burgers My kids love the burgers here. They're a great size and always come out juicy. We order them Medium to Medium-Well. For sides, you can pick fries, potato salad, or coleslaw, or pay extra for battered onion rings, soup, or a salad (I usually upgrade). Favorites for my family: * Traditional * Bacon Cheeseburger * Ultimate Burger My favorite burger is the Mushroom Burger I'm a mushroom lover, and this one is always cooked perfectly. Taco Salad Huge. I order it with Carne Asada and it's delicious every time. BBQ Combo: You can create your own combo. Options: Jack Daniel's Tri Tip Saint Louis Style Pork Ribs Smoked Pulled Pork Desserts I'm a dessert person. I don't have a must eat here but its a good way to end the meal. We have tried the brownie, cheesecake and apple pie. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out. Great portions, fair prices, tasty food, and consistently good service. And don't forget to walk around the shops on the same lot afterward. read more

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We bicycled up through desert mountain country wondering if we had enough water when we came upon the Junction. Our server Alyssa and food and icy drinks were a godsend. Had our own window side booth by the window. "Stay as long as you like," she said. Get the taco salad - huge crispy edible bowl packed throughout with chunks of grilled chicken and surprises at every level like avocado slices cheese and refried beans at the base--if you make that far! The cowboy and highway biking decor was perfect to recharge our enthusiasm for the endless mountain climb to Julian. She said watch out for rattle snakes! read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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Solid burger! Did not expect it to come on Texas toast but it was a great idea! Fixings were all freshed and meat temp cooked to order. Service was outstanding even though there was only one person working the entire restaurant! She was very sweet and attentive! Parking was easy right out front. Great stop after a hike on your way back to San Diego. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Right off the side of the road in the middle of nowhere where you can stop and get yourself the Hugest pancake! Then head to the gift shop and bring the kids home something nice from your travels!! read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - The fam! - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Great local stop here, right off the fwy. A better choice than fast food off I-8. Historical info and pics posted to see a bygone era, still alive here. The food tastes homemade with nice portions. Save some time for wandering around too. read more

Great hospitality!!! Stopped here on the way back from hiking up Cuyamaca Peak via the Azalea Glen Loop trail. Ordered a Meatloaf Melt and also a Santa Fe Turkey sandwich. Food came out quicker than it took me to write this review. Hot and delicious especially after a good hike. Only one mile north on the 79 from I-8. A true country saloon, the atmosphere is all country here. Good selection of draft beers also. read more

We don't frequent here but we've dined here a few times. Every time we are impressed with the place. Small time vibe from the staff, great decor, clean and then the food. The food is fresh, hot, and made with quality ingredients. The combinations they put together are fantastic. Today we ordered the Sweet Jalapeño Burger and the Grilled Chicken Ranch Melt. We both chose fries as our side. Both sandwiches exceed expectation. The fries are ridiculously delicious. When around here again we will dine here, again. Pricing is very reasonable for the quality and quantity. They do charge 3% on CC, but so few place don't do that. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - 1/2 Sweet Jalapeno Burger, 1/2 Grilled Chicken Ranch Melt, fresh cut fries. This is the part that's coming g home with us... - American Near Me - Descanso, California

We stopped here for breakfast while visiting the Lions, Tigers and Bears wildlife sanctuary in Alpine. It's a very cool spot with a western saloon/diner vibe. Plenty of locals and a few motorcycle riders during our visit. They serve up very generous portions of good, hearty food. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

Some good food a little far from anything. We stopped by here on a motorcycle ride and had a great meal. The service was really good and the food was even better. Check out all of the food options and try it if you are in the area! read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Tri tip sandwich lunch - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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Living in the backcountry we enjoy this restaurant quarterly. My son loves the Texas toast grilled cheese and onion rings. I like the Philly cheesesteak. Side salad is ok, better off getting fries. They have generous servings on fries and onion rings. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Philly Cheesesteak - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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A quaint and simple place in Descanso that seems to have a good local following. Dinner was a mixed bag for us, my partner having ordered the Chicken pot pie. It looked wonderful but actually became a disappointment. My tri tip was extremely tender and plentiful. Accompanied by mashed potatoes with gravy and corn on the cob, it was a real down home meal. No room for dessert. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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The restaurant was super cute! Food was great and reasonably priced. Only thing was the wait; we got our food about 45 minutes after we ordered and there weren't many people inside. Staff was apologetic but that was the only bummer. read more

I have been here a couple of times and have always enjoyed it. The place has a very cool, Western Movie Saloon vibe about it. The staff is always friendly and happy to answer questions. And I've never had a bad meal. Their burgers are always fresh and juicy and simply just DE-LICIOUS! I've enjoyed most of their burger options and today's was their Fireman burger ... spicy and yummy. They also have daily specials, which look phenomenal and I look forward to enjoying more. The one knock i have is that, as it's an older place, there are a few flies you may have to deal with. And the Men's Room can use a little attention ... yes, I know that men are pigs, but some of us do appreciate a clean restroom. That said, this is definitely a place to visit after a hike, during a drive though the local mountains or just a trek for an amazing burger! read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Fireman Burger - American Near Me - Descanso, California

THE MOST AMAZING SERVICE I have ever experienced! We held a wedding at their beautiful venue and are so grateful for the teams hard work. Megan, who helped coordinate, thought of so many details to ensure it was a perfect day for the bride. Jess was on top of the drink cart and went out of her way to accommodate us when the rain came. Wyatt worked so hard to help organize and assist when we really needed it. Lastly, Tammy opened her restaurant up to us so the bride and groom could have their first dance in the warm dining area. I'd give 100 stars if I could! #ExtremelyForeverGrateful read more

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I love this place! Why is it so far from my house? A gem hidden in the mountains off I-8. I come here when I go camping in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, either when I need a break from cooking or on my way home. For those that are expecting more details: food amazing, fresh, diverse options - I've tried hamburgers, sandwiches, soups (brisket soup WOW,) salads and all has been from better than expected to OMG; staff attentive, friendly, and helpful with food allergies; bathroom nothing special but it is available and clean; beers 4 cold taps, could use more variety on draft but I loved the local brewery option; Veteran discount no; kids and pets welcome, I believe you can even bring a horse. Lol Only recommendation is that everything could use a good scrub/ freshen up, not that it's gross by any means, but whatever I can see from the seats at the bar should be spotless especially items dealing with food and drink. Other than really good cleaning checklists and maybe a 1-day a year shut down to deep clean, repair, and paint as needed, keep up the good work. PS There, at least used to be, salary assistance for hiring Veterans and felons. read more

I love this hidden gem. I've only been here for dinner and it's worth the stop. There's a variety of options available for everyone. You can't go wrong with anything you order. The staff are so friendly and welcoming. This place can get packed so easily. I love the decor in the restaurant. Check it out if you're on your way to San Diego as you drive on I-8. read more

10/10 experience every time. Good is always AMAZING, just burgers and big portions! They top your coffee off constantly, always check on you, and leave the most lovely staff. They're so friendly and I will continuously be cooking here for their burgers, the best burger I've had so far and it's HUGE and sooo juicy! read more

I'm from here, and my family has been going here forever. There aren't many local options, but this place goes above and beyond in spite of the lack of competition. Portions are large for the price, good value, good quality, good service. read more

Good food, decent prices, and nice staff. We love all the different events they offer. Recently, we tried their family-friendly karaoke on a Thursday and had a blast! We also enjoy going for live music, playing horseshoes, and drinking some great beer. Overall, it's a fantastic, family-friendly environment. read more

The chicken pot pies are amazing and very filling, the pies are delicious and fresh and the service is truly what you would expect from such a great neighborhood know for its old school hospitality. I would recommend the drive to try this place as I was very pleasantly surprised at how well they do everything and present an amazing experience for their patrons! Thanks guys I will be back! Ps I would have took pictures but I was too busy eating to remember. Oh and the prices are very fair! read more

Great service, good home style cooking. Very laid back and local friendly. The back ares for BBQ and music nights looks like fun.

Decided to drive old highway 80 and landed up at this place. What a find!! Fresh food prepared with love and served with so much care. The pulled pork prepared in house is so succulent! The burgers are made of grass fed Angus. Skosh our server was excellent. Hope to go back there sometime. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Ortega Burger - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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There's an offer for 25% off the second entree listed but this establishment claims they do NOT know anything about it & will NOT honor it. Seriously, it's like $5 off. And the owner would rather look like a fool pretending to not know anything about the promo and get a negative review. That's pathetic. Not worth it. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Promo that's not honored & the restaurant pretends to know nothing about. - American Near Me - Descanso, California

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If you love microwaved ribs and dry roast this is the perfect spot for you to waste money at ! Disgusting food read more

This place is a MUST for breakfast. Great food, great service, great atmosphere and even great prices. We love driving up from our home in Alpine for a weekend breakfasts. Some of our favorites include biscuits and gravy (the biscuits are soooooo fluffy) the smoked bourbon tritip and eggs, their chicken fried steak, and honestly any of their omelets are big enough to feed two. The other thing that stands out here is that in addition to your standard sides of toast or english muffin, they offer their home made cinnamon coffee cake for no additional charge. I love toast with jam, but warm cinnamon cake served with butter wins over toast EVERY TIME. One of these days I'll make it out for lunch and/or dinner because the rest of the menu looks great. This is one of those places it still feels good to support. read more

Good food, great service! Waitress was pleasant and friendly. Nice country atmosphere.

I've driven by this place many times on my way to Julian over the years but have never stopped until today. We sat by a window and ordered some lunch. Our server was very helpful & friendly. I decided on the daily special, chicken parmesan with a salad. It was good, although the chicken was a bit overcooked the sauce made up for it. I'd be interested in the breakfast menu on the next visit. read more

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Cute little place. They have inside seating and a large outdoor area where they host music and have a beer garden and good. Appears to be ran separately, as ordering food and drinks inside is for inside only. No big deal as we are and then went outside after to check it out. Food is def your home cooked feel. We actually really enjoyed everything. Server was nice. Service was a little slow considering the few number of people inside. But overall I'm sure we'll check it out again at some point. read more

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The people are friendly. The food is amazing. Their jalapeño pepper jam burger is the best I have ever eaten. We drive more than 40 minutes just to eat here. Love it!!! read more

Great venue, with delicious food and super friendly staff. We Dj'd a wedding here and would highly recommend them for your next event!

This is the best hole in the wall restaurant. We walked in for brunch after a long hike and left stuffed and satisfied. I ordered a veggie omelette and it was so cheesy and savory with hash browns that were cooked crispy to perfection. It also came with a biscuit that I slathered in honey and butter. The server was very attentive and sweet. We got our food pretty quickly and the restaurant had a cottagey feel to it. The prices were very reasonable for the heap of food we got. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Vegetarian Omelet - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Service was slow but I wasn't in a rush. My hash browns were raw and not even close to crispy like I asked for but my omelette was great. My toast was bread, not toast. :( The coffee tasted like it was flavored and I was drinking black coffee. I didn't mind it, but it was unexpected. The place is cute and cozy. read more

When my friend suggested this place, I had my doubts. However, the quality of the meat selection here rivals some of the best BBQ restaurants in all of San Diego County. Hunter went through the entire menu with us & discussed the 12 hour slow cooking process on the different cuts of meat. Mary was our server, and she was very kind & friendly. She made us feel right at home... The Jack Daniels sauce is their signature ingredient, while preparing the meat in a smoker, which gives the food it's amazing flavor! I ordered the Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ Potato Salad. There was coleslaw on the sandwich, which made for a perfect balance of acid and base in the dish. This was the most legitimate pulled pork that I have ever eaten! This was not your soggy pulled pork from the local diner. Rather, this dish included large thick strands of pork seasoned to perfection. The homemade potato salad was thick and hearty with slices of potato skin as well. With a little bit of pepper, this potato salad was off the charts! My friend ordered the Ribeye Burger with Onion Rings, which was cooked to perfection. It was a large and juicy cut of meat that looked absolutely delicious! The onion rings were crispy and golden brown, which demonstrated that these people know how to prepare All- American BBQ fare. The buttermilk ranch dressing was a homemade accoutrement that added even more flavor. The ambiance was reminiscent of a cabin on the mountain that is nicely decorated with American Western antiques. The collage of license plates from around the country on the back wall was cool. The Budweiser cooler from the 1960s, which is still operational, added to the nostalgic feeling. Mary thanked us at the end of the meal, told us to be careful driving down the mountain, & asked us to come back soon. I definitely will! read more

The band was great, the staff is fun and friendly, and the food is worth the drive. I'm in love with Descanso Junction. Found them on a Monday night and loved it right away. Returned following day for lunch, and it was also great, so we returned AGAIN on Friday night to see live music and HAD THE BEST BRISKET! (I gotta tell you, that potato salad was the real reason for our re-visits. It's outstanding.) read more

My boyfriend SWEARS by this restaurant's burger so I'm writing this review on his behalf. He's had his fair share of burgers and he rates this one the best burger he's ever had in his life (and I agree!) It's definitely a long way from where we live but it's worth the drive. The ABC burger is so juicy and the aioli sauce mixes so well with the flavor plus the bacon. Also they have traditional milkshakes which make a great pairing. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - ABC Burger - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Lovely restaurant very country like it's a little pitstop on your way into Julian or out or up to Mount Laguna quim that I stopped in here with the biker friends of mine they were riding sport bikes I was riding a Harley and we had lunch. I ordered a club sandwich which was absolutely amazing and my friend ordered a steak sandwich and he liked it too. I recommend this place. I did here again. read more

A pretty slow place, took just over 40 minutes to be served but the food was HOT which was nice. Not too quality chicken strips, but the fries are great. Burger was good but very very messy too! Bathrooms were on the less-clean end, but not terrible. A tiny bit of fine tuning could turn this into a 5 star place! read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Chicken strips and background is Jack Daniel's burger - American Near Me - Descanso, California

I love this restaurant and I will continue to drive 30 miles just to eat here. I was however disappointed today when I ordered my Mushroom Burger. It had less than 2 mushrooms sliced up to look like more. Great food and they offered more and apologized but I was in a hurry. I will continue coming but will voice my need for mushrooms on a mushroom burger. I just left and they felt so bad they gave me a piece of pie and some chocolate... This is a restaurant worth coming to. They listen and respond appropriately. I will consider this a one time event. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Great food and cold beer. Homemade 1/2 lbs patty cooked to perfection. We were coming back from three sisters falls, a must stop. read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - Jack Daniel 's Steak Burger! Homemade 1/2 lbs patty cooked to perfection. - American Near Me - Descanso, California

Stopped in after a long hike at Cuyamaca. The food was pretty good and the staff were very friendly. There were a couple flies that would just not quit the entire time so that was irritating. Convenient location if you're in the area read more

Descanso Junction Restaurant - American Near Me - Descanso, California