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Gateway Restaurant & Lodge

3.3 (1.1k reviews)
Closed • 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

Gateway Restaurant & Lodge Photos

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GATEWAY RESTAURANT & LODGE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - Gateway Restaurant & Lodge

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Reviews With Photos

Ribs with the double baked potato
Jose J.

This place doesn't look like much from the road, but once you walk inside, it feels like you've stepped into a completely different place. The restaurant has a beautiful, upscale atmosphere. We sat outside, which I definitely recommend--the riverfront views made the experience even better. The food was excellent! I had the filet mignon wrapped in bacon with mushrooms on top, and it was cooked perfectly. For an appetizer, we ordered the jumbo shrimp with sauce, and I 100% recommend it! Our waiter was friendly, funny, and an excellent host. He really took care of us and made the entire experience even more enjoyable. Great food, beautiful riverfront views, and excellent service. Definitely a place worth checking out!

Martin S.

The food was good, but the view was amazing and the service was genuinely great. Cheyenne was on point and took great care of us. I read several reviews saying it's too expensive, but I disagree. For the location and the view, I felt the pricing was reasonable. My biggest feedback is for the owner: the property could really use a deep cleaning and some attention. The age of the place is starting to show, with noticeable cobwebs, dirt, bird droppings, and an odor in some areas that makes it feel like it needs a good wash-down. With a little more attention to cleanliness and upkeep, this place could really match the quality of its incredible setting. Parking is available, and the view alone makes Gateway worth checking out.

Chinese chicken salad
Sandy N.

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains along the Kaweah River, The Gateway Restaurant & Lodge was the perfect place to enjoy dinner after a memorable day exploring Sequoia National Park. With our large group of 7, we were seated outdoors, where we enjoyed spectacular views and the calming sounds of the Kaweah River. I had made a reservation earlier in the day, and the staff was very friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. Service remained attentive & pleasant thruout the evening. The hubs & I wanted to keep things light & healthy, so we shared serveral dishes, to sample more of the menu. We started with the jumbo shrimp cocktail and crab cakes, both of which were heavenly. The shrimp were fresh & sweet, pairing perfectly with the cocktail sauce. The escargot bourguignon was also enjoyable ~ the snails were fresh and not mushy like those I've had at some other restaurants, although I've tasted better versions elsewhere. The colossal snails were imported from France and prepared in the chef's special butter sauce. Next, we shared the Chinese chicken salad, which came in a generous portion. To finish, we shared a 12-oz New York steak with our daughter, and it was cooked perfectly medium-rare. She also added a cup of clam chowder soup, while my son ordered his own filet mignon steak, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, the food was decent for the price, but the real highlight was the relaxing atmosphere & beautiful river view. It was the perfect way to end an already wonderful day exploring the park.

Steak Sandwich

Spent all day in Sequoia NP and was looking for an early dinner when we stopped at the Gateway , right outside the park. When we walked in the restaurant we were just expecting your typical bar food but after receiving the shrimp cocktail appetizer we changed our minds. I ordered a steak sandwich but when it came out I was amazed it wasn't your typical sandwich it was a full 12oz NY Strip on a roll. The steak was something you would expect at a high quality steakhouse. The service was good with multiple servers taking care of us throughout our dining experience. The view was peaceful while watching the river pass by.

Alma P.

The service it's always excellent here, but this time was super excellent. Our hosts and our waiter were super attentive. Maybe because I had my beautiful daughters with me and they took all the great attention. It was 2 weeks after my oldest daughter birthday but somehow our male waiter said I heard it was somebody's birthday and I said yes. My daughter's birthday was not long ago. So they treat her with a belated birthday celebration. It was so nice from him. So, when we got there we ordered our drinks and right after we got the drinks we ordered our food. My grandbaby ordered the chicken tenders with fries from the kids menu. My youngest love their burger. My oldest got the filet Mignon with mushrooms and fresh salad. I got my usual the veggie sandwich with fries. The waiter brought us everything but the filet Mignon. It was taking a while to be cooked. So he gravely left offered my daughter complimentary soup to mitigate the wait. And she got it. So when we finished eating the food he arrived with a huge plate with chocolate cake and ice cream and a big birthday torch. It look so nice and delicious. My grand baby ate all his chicken and left some fries. He said he loved the chicken and they were satisfying. My youngest daughter like I mention before. She loves their burger. So she was satisfied too. I so loved the veggie sandwich on a wheat bread. I just love all the fresh veggies they put in there. It had mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. With some mayo. Also the fries were very crispy. I really love it. My oldest mention she loved the soup and the salad. She kind of ate a little bit of the filet Mignon and mushrooms. She took the left over home. She mention the meat was so juicy and well seasoned. It was so tender and tasty. The dessert they brought us for free and the soup. So my youngest, my grand baby and the three of them ate the dessert after we sang happy birthday. I thought it was a very nice gesture of him to do that for my daughter. Highly recommended. You have the very nice view while you eat too. You have to reserve to be able to be outside. Thank you for the great experience.

Miguel R.

After a multi hour road trip, my friend and I Denise got here. It was the last intentional spot in our day. But there was something we had not considered, we were going to be going to a place that required us to be fresh and ready to receive the wonder of place by a lack and we only had the energy for an angry stop at a gas station. So this place I visited when I was tired and that kind of gunked up the experience. If I would have gone with more energy to fully open my eyes than this experience would have been wondrous. When I booked the reservation I did it because it was a place by a lake. I enjoy water front dining and I usually use an ocean for scenery and today I was in a place where I could use a large creek. And since I was not going with any specific expectations that lake hit me like a bucket of wow. I remember like seeing the mouth of the lake going down like actual rocks. Like I was seeing the waters that people raft on with commitment to the outdoors. It felt like I had traveled into a place where trees were purest, bird melodies were the only noise in town (besides the water running in the creek), and cabins belonged to those who called the mountains home. I was in a novel and for some reason I felt like it was written by Twain. And that is really what I can say about this place. That is mostly what I remember the beauty of the creek. I wanted to spend more time there, I could have walked it, they had like a lounge but I did not. But I do remember the forested view that went on, and the roaring, jagged leg being a central character other than that I have small things to say. I remember the salad being ok. Denise and I shared a dish, I can't remember why but we did not eat the whole thing. It was inherently bad. But this could have been an off night, or just not the dish of the place, and really you go here for the lake, and the food was great in some ways just not in this specific way. I went to this place a few weeks ago, and, if I had not make it clear I remember the experience of being with the lake. So go here for that experience and let the rest just fall into place.

Pumpkin hollow bridge
Rose C.

This is a beautiful space! Amazing views! Watching the duckies while we eat was so fun! Highly recommend!

Creme Brulee
Diana S.

We recently had brunch at the Gateway Restaurant and Lodge. While the experience had some culinary high and lows, the setting and hospitality made it a memorable visit. The atmosphere here is flawless. The restaurants sits right along a beautiful creek, providing a scenic backdrop. Listening to the peaceful sound of the rushing water made for an incredibly relaxing meal. Our culinary experience was a bit mixed, especially considering the price point. The highlights of the meal were definitely the appetizers and desserts; the calamari was very good, and crème brûlée was excellent. However, the main courses has left something to be desired. There was nothing exceptional about the chicken Alfredo, the steak or the pizza with fries, all of which felt average. Fortunately, the outstanding service more than made up for any shortcomings in the kitchen. A team of highly attentive staff members checked on us promptly throughout to ensure we had everything we needed. Our server, Clarissa, was phenomenal host who look after us beautifully. As a wonderful final touch, they offered a complementary photo to commemorate our visit, taken by John, who is a remarkably talented photographer. Come for the views, appetizers, and the wonderful team! We will definitely come back

chili and tuna burger
Darwin V.

Visited Gateway Restaurant & Lodge recently. While the food itself was decent and just okay, the overall experience was brought down by the service and the environment. The service felt a bit lacking and indifferent throughout our visit, and the ambiance didn't really do much to make up for it. There is definitely room for improvement on both the hospitality and atmosphere side.

View from outside deck
Carrie S.

Great place to stop after leaving Sequoia National Park. We sat on the outside patio and the views are gorgeous. We didn't have a reservation since we decided to stop in while driving by but they did ask and said we should make them next time. The service was great. Very quick and friendly. I had the eggplant parm with veggies and twice baked stuffed potato. The eggplant was really good. I was thrilled to see it wasn't breaded. It was cooked really well. Not mushy at all. I enjoyed the twice baked potato. I don't see them on menus very often. The escargot appetizer was ok. It lacked flavor.

New York Steak
April B.

I do not understand why this restaurant only had 3 stars. I got the new york strip steak and my boyfriend got the red snapper - we both got the twice baked potatoes. The food was incredible! I almost didn't come because of the reviews but thankful I did. I highly recommend this place. Staff was also friendly.

Vivian C.

We stopped here to charge our car since they have two charging stations, and were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful this place is. The creek view is stunning, and the restaurant is cozy and welcoming. You can dine while enjoying the scenery, and they also offer Wi-Fi. We ended up getting takeout so we could save time and explore Sequoia National Park. It was great to charge the car and enjoy a delicious lunch before entering the park. The staff were very friendly and patient in explaining the menu. Highly recommend stopping by!

Jessica J.

Great place next to Sequoia National Park. It's right outside the gate of Sequoia National Park. The restaurant is so cool, it is next to a lake. There are even ducks down by the lake. We ordered Baked Brie $20. It was ok. The Baked Brie was good. Soft cheese with a crispy almond crust. The jam was really good too. But the bread was just plain bread. Nothing special. Sequoia Burger $23 was good. It didn't look at good, cuz the bun and lettuce wasn't put together, but it was good. The fries were not salty and were actually perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Definitely a place to stop by before you go in Sequoia or after. Limited parking spaces.

Lodge and restaurant sign

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26 days ago

Great food and service. Can't beat the ambiance. Stopped after a hike in the Sequoias.

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5 days ago

Joel took really great picture and the lunch and the environment is great! Service great too!

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Gateway Restaurant & Lodge Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Gateway Restaurant & Lodge

Do we have to call ahead for reservations to be seated by the river?

Yes

How many ev charger do you have?

There are 2 EV chargers

Can you bring dogs?

Yes in the outside areas

Can I charge my Tesla if I stop by for lunch?

Yes

Any vegan friendly food options lunch and especially dinner?

I am not vegan, so I didn't pay attention to any options of that nature. I do know however, they customized one of my vegetables request, so, I'm sure they can create your vegan diet request!!

Is making a reservation for the restaurant a must?

While making a reservation for dinner is not required, I will note that on holidays and during the high tourist season (May- October) I would definitely do so to ensure you get a table. The Gateway is a favorite place to celebrate special occasions… 

Have you found that this place holds "Customer Service to the Highest Standards"? Yes, or No Please

No

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Exeter Whistle Stop

Exeter Whistle Stop

4.3(259 reviews)
20.9 mi
•$$

If you have kids, then you must stop here for breakfast or brunch when you're passing through the…read morearea. The entire restaurant is train-themed. They give the kids train-themed activity books, there are train-themed books to look at, and there is even a toy train track that's mounted to the ceiling that offers built-in entertainment when they turn on the train. Some of the waitresses are also 70ish years old and TOTAL characters in the best way possible.

Been eating at the whistle stop for a few years now. When the family and I want a change of…read morescenery, we trek on over for good eats. The staff is always friendly and welcoming with the service to match. They serve classic American fare for breakfast and lunch. The portions can be large so be prepared to loosen that belt or take leftovers home. Our recent outing I tried their hamburger steak breakfast. A decent sized patty that I requested be topped with both grilled onions and mushrooms was good. Although the patty itself needed a bit more seasoning, it didn't disappoint. The country potatoes were fluffy on the inside with good texture on the outside, accompanied by onions and bell peppers. Eggs were cooked perfectly to order. If the servers offer salsa, TAKE IT! Very flavorful, fresh and vibrant. Compliments everything I've tried so far. And no, it's not spicy. This place is a gem and my kids love the train decor. If your kids are good, they might turn on the model trains. You won't be disappointed.

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Exeter Whistle Stop
Exeter Whistle Stop
Exeter Whistle Stop - Chicken strips and fries

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Chicken strips and fries

Gateway Restaurant & Lodge - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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