Excellent! Food was delicious! Their attention to customer needs can be seen their offer three varieties of soy sauce- gluten free, special blend and low sodium. Staff was very genuinely friendly, nice and efficient. Ambience is so so cute! The restaurant is shaped like a merry go round and has awesome decor. Plenty of vegetarian options. They even have resident well behaved and very beloved pit bull 'blue' in residence. He does not bother diners. And accepts petting like a gentleman. Definitely worth the visit! On our second day as we asked around about restaurants, everyone recommended about merry go round. read more

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We were staying in lone Pine for two nights and when we asked the receptionist at our hotel where we should eat for dinner, she said merry-go-round with no hesitation. So we went there on a Wednesday night and first off it is so darling. The inside doesn't have tons of tables, but we were lucky to get one. Love the history and vibe that's in the restaurant. It's super cute. They have a big menu with all kinds of food. I was excited to see vegan and gluten-free options. I got a Kung pao tofu which was delicious and my mom got one of the specials, teriyaki which the waitress happily helped her choose. The servings were large. An older man, I don't know if he was the manager or owner, stop by to check on us and chat with us several times as he was doing with other people in the restaurant, very friendly. We both needed to-go bags and ate it as our lunch the next day. I also got a nice sake to go with my meal. It was a super memorable dinner and definitely recommend to anyone. in fact, I recommended it to some hikers the next day. read more

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I love this place! When I first visited about 5 years ago I was delighted that the chef was able to make my hot and sour soup gluten free. It turns out that they can make most dishes gluten free, just ask! Now when I'm back in town I ALWAYS make sure I eat here at least once. The food here is also fresh and delicious. The portion sizes are generous. On a couple occasions we were able to bring leftovers back to share at camp. I wish I'm having some Merry Go Around food right now! read more

Great food! Wonderful staff I would go back in a second . It's small, but excellent . I even thought the prices were very reasonable read more

This is a cute little place. It very much gives the feel of stepping back in time. The inside of the restaurant is shaped in a geometric round way like a carousel. So that said it is a little on the cramped side. If the weather is nice, they do have some tables outside in front of the building. In terms of food, they have all the standards you would expect at a Chinese restaurant. They offer several specials, which we very happily took advantage of. The curry noodles were a highlight. Tasty flavor with just the right amount of heat. The broccoli was very yum. Staff is very kind and do their best to accommodate preferences. read more

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This is an adorable little restaurant in a charming small town. The service was very helpful and pleasant. I had a Deschutes Obsidian Porter and Hunan chicken, and both were quite good. I'm glad to have a break from typical burgers on the road. read more

+ Yummy, filling Chinese-American food. . Funny restaurant name, considering you aren't riding an actual merry-go-round while having your meal here. I guess it's just cuz the restaurant interior is circle-shaped. + Very polite, friendly, attentive staff. The amicable setting comes from it being a family-run business. + Plenty of indoor seating. - The receipt doesn't detail what I ordered, + but my total was $24.75. Somewhat cheap, considering I ate a lot. + Multiple restrooms. . Decent amount of side street parking. . They open til 8:30pm, so thankfully I made it in time to grab dinner here before crashing at my Airbnb for my early Whitney hike the next day. read more

Always the greatest while passing through Lone Pine. Great food, great service and just a great ambiance to enjoy a good meal at! read more

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This was a fantastic dinner spot on our motorcycle trip through the area. It was nice and warm inside to warm us up before going camping in Alabama hills. The restaurant is small inside but the circular design is very neat! We had a big table in the middle for all 9 of us. My hubby and I split the flat noodle bowl with beef, chicken, shrimp and veggies. It was delicious and they provide a nice big portion for the $21 it costs. The table also got some appetizers that were good. I loved the Chinese new year paper place mats and the decor within the round restaurant. Plus they provided fortune cookies at the end which is always a star in my book. I would definitely come here is you are looking for this sort of cuisine. It hits the spot during a camping trip! read more

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We came to Merry Go Round (MGR) as a recommendation from the hotel desk clerk. So it happened the night we tried to go to MGR was on a holiday weekend evening and the place was packed! We walked in to learn that the wait for a table would take 45 minutes. It never occurred to me that reservations is a thing in Lone Pine. We learned our lesson and came earlier the next night with a reservation. It is not a very big place, so it can fill up fast. So if you want to dine at a specific time, make a reservation and avoid disappointment. MGR has a diverse menu covering Chinese and American dishes. We dined from the Chinese side. We had hot and sour soup, tofu with vegetables, and kung pao 3 flavors (chicken, beef, and shrimp). White rice comes with dinner, but you can order fried rice instead. Soups can be ordered by the cup or in S/M/L sizes to be shared. We got a S bowl to share, which provided about 3.5 servings. It had a nice mix of vegetable textures: tofu, woodear, bamboo, carrot, bean curd, etc. The spicy soup was perfect warm up on a January night. The tofu and vegetables was just what we were looking for. A variety of vegetables (bok choy, asparagus, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage) stir fried with pieces of tofu in a light sauce satisfied our desire for veggies. The kung pao 3 flavors was a carousel of flavors in a deeply flavored sauce, spicy dried peppers, and peanuts. Everyone at the MGR is very friendly and accommodating. They really enjoy chatting with locals and the place has a cozy atmosphere. It's always nice to find a place where the locals go. MGR is a great dining option for Lone Pine. read more

Merry Go Round - L to R: hot and sour soup, tofu with vegetables, and kung pao 3 flavors - New American Near Me - Lone Pine, California

This years trip to lone pine we decided to eat here twice. The orange peel beef and sesame chicken were amazing. This is the best food in town 100%. You are missing out if you do not eat here.. bonus points if you ask the tall waiter for a magic trick you will not be disappointed read more

A wonderful surprise with great food, responsive (if over worked staff!) and a great environment. A true treasure in Lone Pine, and perhaps a victim of its well deserved success. A jammed Monday night and a bit slow on the service because the place was jamming. That said, the staff deserved kudos for performing in a high paced, high stress environment. Great folks! Hey, management, hire a busboy and/or runner! They have great food, HUGE portions, a great home made chili paste and an incredible custom soy sauce. I took home a bottle home with me. And Yes, they sell it, and I didn't "five finger" a bottle t take home. You will want one. Five outta five. read more

Great meal, friendly and fun staff, we were lucky to be in LP on a lonely weeknight, so we didn't have to wait long for a table! Cute and kitschy, but still top quality food. read more

From the outside it looks sketchy, but the friendliness and warmness of the owners immediately make you feel at home. The green beans with tofu and Szechuan chicken both were solid. The owner I believe is like a grandfatherly figure walking around engaging guests with funny stories and their loving dog. read more

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Great Chinese food. big servings Great service and ambiance Can't belleve I havent stopped it before read more

This is in my opinion, the best place to eat in Lone Pine! At least is you want good Chinese food with good portions! This restaurant is on the main street with everything else, and it's street parking. I didn't find the parking particularly difficult and the traffic was light enough to pull in. When you walk up to this restaurant it's a super cool carousel shape building with a neat sign. Kind of retro! They have outdoor seating and indoor and it gets quite busy! I visited this restaurant late May and it seems that this place is popular amongst both people who live here and drive through. I ordered their orange chicken with side of rice(and I ordered the same thing a few more times), it definately hits the spot. Delicious! The service is always decent with communication. You order and they tell you when it'll be ready. Simple transaction! Anyways, I have good memories of this place when I picked up a part time Jon at the gear store when I needed a break from the snow on my thru hike! So if you're a hiker, this place is great! read more

The food was excellent and so was the service. Due to the small number of tables inside, we almost felt rushed as it seemed they were trying to move people through quickly. The wonton soup came out with our main dish, which was unexpected. But the food was good and hot, and very tasty. I'll try to post some photos of the menu, since it seems the ones I saw on Yelp were over 2 years old. Prices are higher now. read more

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This place has the most authentic best tasting chinese food! The portions ore huge, and so full of flavor. If you are in town, this should be a place you stop in at, worth every penny. Do note they charge a 4% fee for credit card transactions, so cash is preferable. read more

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Amazing food and amazing service. Ujwal was incredible-- very responsive to any and all requests. We were group of about 15 people who tried different Vegetarian Punjabi food-all really delicious. Naan was nice and soft and very tasty. Will be visiting often. read more

Quirky place! Servings were quite large and food was pretty good. Nice views, but the inside was a little odd. read more

Merry Go Round - Vegetable Lo Mein - New American Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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We stopped here on our way to Mammoth and would definitely come again! We got the king pao beef and moo shu pork and both were flavorful and delicious! There was also a super sweet pittie named Blue hanging around. :) read more

The food is delicious! I had vegan curry rice noodles and orange tofu. So good!!! They were very busy but friendly and efficient. They seem to work well as a team. I like the ambiance of the old carousel, interesting and quirky, charming! This was my second time here and I look forward to another! read more

Came here for comfort Chinese dinner on Halloween on our road trip. Cozy place and good portions of food. Nice flavors and atmosphere, such a little gem! read more

Excellent Asian food. Service was great. A very pleasant Valentine's dinner! My husband and I were told about this restaurant clear up in Reno. We are very happy we went. read more

Wow! Never disappointed , always delicious-you may have to wait a bit if they're busy, but the dishes are prepared fresh, it's soooo worth it-you will not leave hungry! I may have to drive 30+ miles round trip for this delicious cuisine but I don't mind-and the staff is top notch too! Compliments to the Chef! read more

Such a cute little place. We loved it. Staff were so friendly. Food was awesome. Our daughter was so happy they had gluten free options. She got the sesame chicken. It was so good. Plan on stopping there every time we go to Mammoth. read more

Please forgive me for lacking photos--if you every decide to climb Whitney in a day, you will understand how lifting a phone to snap a photo might be taxing. This is the perfect post climb meal. The starters were quite yummy--lumpia, fried shrimp, and the best paper wrapped chicken I have ever had. The 3 flavor lo mein was also outstanding. And the General's Chicken was cooked to a crispy and flavorful perfection. Then, after an excellent meal, I left my credit card there. I called the next day and they are mailing it--friendly and delicious!!! read more

So good ! Highly recommend , they can make almost anything on the menu gluten free by using gf soy sauce & corn starch instead of flour what a blessing because it's so hard to find gf Chinese food. Its a small little restaurant with big portions and We will be back for sure ! read more

The food was amazing, and was, as mentioned by others, plentiful. Service was impeccable, checked upon by the owner numerous times as well as our Waiter. Atmosphere was kitschy and fun. We are adding this venue to our annual north and south vacation trek! read more

The only Chinese restaurant in town and i guess they can price it high for the area. Each dish is about $23. Either way, i was looking forward to a good meal after my hike. We ordered orange peel chicken and beef with mushroom and Chinese broccoli. Chicken was ok, nothing special. Beef was a bit chewy. We ordered them to go so I'm not sure how the service would be. The space was small. There's an outdoor seating area. I think i would try another place next time. read more

Merry Go Round - New American Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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I always have to come here when I visit the Lone Pine area. Love this place a lot. My fav is the chicken lo mein. Definitely need to stop here if you can!! read more

Merry Go Round - New American Near Me - Lone Pine, California

My fiance and I come to this restaurant every time we go on a snowboarding trip and it's such a cozy environment with really great customer service! The food is amazing especially the hot and sour soup which is to die for. They have an adorable dog named Blue and the owner Dan is so sweet. 1000/10 would recommend! read more

This place is great! The food was fantastic. I had the orange peel chicken, which was just right. Crunchy, sweet, very little spice (but I did not eat the chili peppers that were in the dish). Nice selection on the menu. Great selection of beers. The best part was the people. All of the staff were extremely friendly and efficient. They did a great job. I will definitely come here again. read more

It's the best Chinese food I have ever tried. They have really good food. They make it in the kitchen. It's a husband or wife that owns it. The wife's does all the cooking. There's not that many tables inside, but there's also outside seating. They open 4:30 for dinner for me. My husband and my brother ate for $56, which is not bad. Lots of leftovers. So they were really nice and said it's better if you just shared the items. Cause they're a lot of food. The staff are really nice and friendly for a small town read more

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After a long day hike we were hungry and we had a very good meal here. We were lucky enough to chat with the owner. I forgot to ask his name but he was very cool and the service was good, the food came quickly and we were both satisfied. I would definitely come here again. read more

we we love merry-go-round. The food is incredible. Best Chinese food we've ever had. We love the people there Jed can show you a few card tricks if you're lucky. And of course Blue is the best. we will be back many many more times. read more

The food was actually surprisingly good for a small town Chinese spot. I'm used to San Diego level flavors and would recommend this place to anyone passing through town based on the food. However, the chicken wings I would not recommend. I'm used to large, crispy, and flavor packed salt and pepper wings and this came in very subpar. I'd equate them to deep fried frozen wings with no additional fresh garlic or pepper added. The building itself is kind of cool and built in a circular fashion - hence the merry go round name. I don't normally bash but the service was actually really annoying. They walked by multiple times, never offering to refill our drinks and seemed to pay more attention to the locals than travelers passing through. Once finished, we sat an additional 20 mins between waiting for our check and takeout boxes. Also, this was the second place in this tiny town that had their card readers down which they warn you about when you walk in the door. With so much time in between the slow service though, I did notice they didn't warn people who appeared to be locals (I sat right next to the door). Coincidence? I'll let you decide. read more

Merry Go Round - Orange Peel Chicken, Beef / Chicken / Pork / Veggie Lo Mein (Soft), (6pc) Chicken Wings - New American Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Just arrived in Lone Pine yesterday. We needed a Chinese food fix so we tried it. It was amazing. The wonton and hot and sour soup was the best. Chicken egg rolls extremely good. Then we shared the trio of beef, chicken and shrimp with rice and vegetables. Cool little round restaurant. This food and service was better than our fav Chinese place in Florida. The price was just right. read more

Unique place in middle of small town ..the servers were so friendly and helpful. The food selection was great, so fresh and ample portions. Recommend. read more

The trifecta of praise goes to Merry Go Round restaurant! 1. The staff - Friendly, welcoming, efficient and personable. Dan may be my new best friend. 2. The food is outstanding, the quality and freshness I'd hope to in a big city like San Francisco. I had the pan fried noodles and my friend had the won ton soup. Very flavorful and generous portions. 3. Affordable price. Our meal came to $47.00 Bonus-the staff and the customers created an atmosphere of comaraderie that made for a really fun evening. I will go to Merry Go Round every time I'm in Lone Pine read more