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    Mexican Hat Lodge

    3.9 (113 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Mexican Hat Lodge

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    My yummy dinner
    Stephanie M.

    I wasn't able to check in due to Verizon having no cellphone service in this sleepy little town. We stayed the night in town on our way up to Colorado so we came in for dinner my boyfriend had to try it. The staff was very friendly, warm and welcoming. They cook your steak to your perfection outdoors the menu is very simple and basic so if you're looking for pork, chicken or seafood don't bother coming in. Our steaks were very delicious they came with pinto beans and iceburg salad. You sit outdoors it's a lot of fun it's the type of place that you have to try at least once.

    Too rough for you back at the Mexican Hat?  Come on out here to Hotel BLM.  Plenty of room all to yourself, nothing per night, stay a month.
    Bob S.

    You don't come out here if you're looking for urban lodging cause this ain't urban. That said, this is about the middle of the road for a place to get a night's sleep after swallowing red Monument Valley dust all day. You can stop just outside the reservation and spend $200 a night at Gouldings; you'll dine on fry bread served 10 ways @ $18. Or you can keep driving another 150 miles to a large town like..., uh well the fact is there aren't any large towns out here. Apparently you were misinformed? Or you can head on out to anywhere that suits your fancy on BLM land. Kick the front seat back and hit the sack right there, nothing a night with unlimited stay at that same rate, too. Or best of all, why not try rubbing elbows with some read deal local people here instead? Best thing besides it's well managed and maintained is dinner at the Swingin' Steak restaurant next door. After the sun begins to set you'll be glad to have a place to call it a day over a delicious steak done to a turn by the owner himself. If you're lucky he'll take a minute in the middle of turning steaks to chat a bit, for example that he's also a rodeo cowboy. You'll quickly learn to enjoy that people out here sure aren't city people, and thank god for that. Terrific place, actually.

    Rod S.

    When you're in Mexican Hat, you can hand out five stars without perfect food. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant that is absolutely one with its place. We parked, walked into the patio, we picked from the menu. That menu is five kinds of grilled meat, or a grilled veggie burger. Nothing else. This is like walking into a friends backyard and getting a steak on the grill. The weather was in the 70's and perfect. They have a big Santa Maria grill. The griller swings the platform across burning wood, not just coals. He knows his stuff. He grills the Texas toast as well. This is what I always imagined TT should be. The beans and salad are forgettable. The experience not. They do a standard $6 split plate right on the menu. We were not overly hungry, so we had two steaks and four plates. The food was at least as good as we could expect. A nearby table was a group of Irish having fun. We joined in a bit and had a nice visit. The dinner and evening perfect.

    Small menu, bug steak!
    Remm G.

    Dog friendly outdoor seating! The menu is tiny, one sided, and has like six things on it. BUT I'm convinced that's because their specialty is the steak! I don't know if it was because we had been on the road all day or maybe because we were all really hungry for something other than road trip snacks but my father swears this is "the best steak [he has] ever had in the United States" (he felt bad saying the steak he had in Italy was still his number one). Don't let the prices scare you the stab of meat you get must be weighed to be the advertised weight AFTER cooking because the ribeye is HUGE! I would most definitely stop here again given the chance.

    Sam P.

    The name pretty much covers your bases here. All except one thing. If they wanted to TRULY describe the experience it'd have to be called "The AWESOME Swingin Steak." Because that's what it was. Awesome. Or incredible. Or whatever your superlative adjective of choice is. The menu here is pretty basic. Various cuts of beef, plus a hamburger or veggie burger. Then for sides: pinto beans, salad, Texas toast. What that leaves out is that the quality of each of the ingredients is exceedingly high. These are excellent cuts of meat. And they're grilled to perfection. Much credit is due to the chef/grillmaster who obviously knows his trade. His questions about how we liked our steak cooked demonstrated that he understood the importance of proper preparation. One of my complaints is that until you visit a restaurant once, you don't know whether their medium rare is actually a medium for example. Here, we were asked to provide additional detail about what we wanted, ensuring that our steak was cooked just right. Overall, this really hit the spot. It was a laid back vibe (all outside), with cold beer and great meat. What more could you want after a long day of hiking?

    Jimminy C.

    Rolled through this little town and found this welcomed gem. Owner was super friendly, the room was large and clean. Great place to take a hike down to the river immediately below. The owners greeted us and talked with us with great conversation the next morning as we were packing up. The price is unexpectedly a little steep, but wasn't that bad (~$80). You just notice things like that when booking rooms every night for 30 days around the country. Thank you.

    Clean and cozy
    Cait K.

    I'm staying here right now. This place is really cool. First off, know what you're in for. This isn't a Hampton Inn. It's not a Super 8. It's something else entirely. Retro/vintage roadside hotel in little Mexican Hat, UT. Very western. A good deal (I paid $70 for the night, which was less than originally quoted, but he gave me a deal). Rooms are clean and cute! The website also gives you an idea of the size of the individual rooms so you won't be surprised. The outdoor "swinging steak house" is called such because the steaks are cooked on a fire on a swinging grate, by a cowboy. They cook their pinto beans on an old style cast iron wood stove. Service is fast and friendly, with plenty of 3.2% beer options (oh, Utah!). The food was great! I had the hamburger and it came with homemade Texas toast, salad, and pintos. Yum! The restaurant seems to draw passers by as well as motel guests. There's also a 7-11 across the street should you need anything conveniences that you forgot. I will TOTALLY stay here again if I am passing through another time- Mexican Hat is in the middle of nowhere, so I doubt it's seen as a destination, rather than a stop. Love it!

    Jocelyn M.

    The original plan was to camp in nearby Monument Valley, but after days of driving and sleeping in dirt, we opted to get a motel instead. Then we were faced with the problem of: Where? There weren't too many options in that part of the country. The nearest town was Mexican Hat, so on we drove. On our atlas it was listed in big letters so we assumed it was a decent size. What happens when we assume...? So the town only has about 100 people and a smattering of buildings on its main street. But holy cow, is it adorable. It's sat on the banks of the San Juan river and has a beautiful red rock backdrop. We didn't actually stay in the Mexican Hat lodge, but opted for a place a bit cheaper down the road. And we didn't actually eat at the restaurant because it wasn't open when we were needing food (it opens at 5pm). We did, however, walk down the highway/main road later in the evening to get a beer there because that was about our only option for booze in town. We sat at the outdoor bar, got served by a woman in overalls, and watched a cowboy cooking steaks over a fire. There was a grill swinging above the fire, hence the famous swingin' steaks. They looked amazing and we were kicking ourselves the whole time we were there for not holding out on food. To make up for it, we had Polygamy Porter- why only have one?! Even if they were not of a high percent (yay Utah), PP were pretty good. At one point, I wandered inside the lobby of the lodge and watched (I think the owner) rolling cigars or cigarettes, and admired the many, many John Wayne photos everywhere. If you've been on the road in the southwest, you know that just about everywhere claims to be his home. All in all, it's a place oozing with rustic character. I wish I'd stayed the night, and I wish I ate a steak, but there's always next time!

    Burger platter...
    Justin S.

    So you're visiting Monument Valley and the closest non-outrageously priced lodging is in a town called "Mexican Hat." What is a Gringo to do? My trusty travel sidekick and I were literally so psyched for this town that we talked about it for weeks before our trip. It was like "OMG, Mexican Hat... Can. Not. Wait." A zip through Mexican Hat reveals that if you zip at more than 5 mph, you'll miss it. I love it! According to TripAdvisor, The Swingin' Steak is "#1 of 2 restaurants in Mexican Hat" (sorry to their non-winning competitor!). The premise of a steak-themed open-air restaurant where a (veritable) cowboy cooks your meat on some kind of oscillating grill was really just too much to resist. OK, let me get to the point... After a long day's drive down to the Monument Valley area, plus a rigorous jaunt through the "Unimproved Navajo Nation Park" (our car was not amused), a stop at The Swingin' Steak for some meat and brew was "oh-so-necessary." Placed alongside a motel, it's a super low-key place for a nice bite and to exhale. I ordered the burger platter which came with a huge slice of Texas Toast, beans and a lightly dressed salad. My friend went for the veggie burger variation which she said was pretty good. Truthfully, it's a bit overpriced ($13 for the burger platter), but given our location and relative desire for a chill establishment, it was more than satisfactory. One thing to mention is that our Dos Equis beers were 3.2% abv (ish) since this is Utah. Kind of lame... I would've brought a flask had I known! All told, a memorable and enjoyable experience. Sit back in this fine desert locale and just take in the other tourists (How does Eurotrash act in the southeastern Utah desert!?) That alone makes it worth it!

    Swinging steaks
    Rowena B.

    Not worth the money at all. And when you leave you stink like smoke worse than the sweat you've been stinking up in the hot sun! I had to wash my hair before going to bed! And the service was very bland to say the least. I know there's not much in the way of food choices in town but next time if I ever choose to stay here again (doubt it) I'll eat at the other place. Yeah the steaks swing but that doesn't make anything taste better. The menu states that for tables over 5, it's an automatic 20% gratuity added to the bill. For everyone else, it's 18% gratuity and 7% tax. The menus very limited, there's two 8oz steaks for about $24 each, a 14oz for $36 and 18oz for $40 as well as a burger for about $15. We got an 8oz each. The steak was good flavour-wise, mine was slightly overcooked, hubbys was perfect but I didn't bother sending mine back. The sides were very ordinary and basic. According to the website the beans are meant to be soupy, but the garlic toast had no traces of garlic at all. We also had 3 beers, all of them $4 each and no taps. Total bill came to OVER $70!! And more than $10 of that was for the forced grumpy gratuity!! WTF!

    Delmonico steak dinner
    Eileen H.

    We stayed at a nearby hotel. Fellow guests recommended this restaurant. The menu is all about beef. We ordered the Delmonico steak dinner medium rare and shared it. The wait staff was nice enough to provide a second plate. The steak was cooked perfectly. The quality of the beef was fantastic. The swinging apparatus used wood which provided a nice flavor. The sides were simple but tasty. The atmosphere was casual and welcoming.

    the front of the building

    Stayed here for a mini road trip, and loved it. Very quiet, cute and cozy! It was very clean and the staff was so kind! I would definitely recommend staying here and I will be back one day:)

    Awesome time @ Swinging Grill.

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    5 years ago

    Was great!!! Steaks are grilled over juniper wood. Is is a unique experience. It is all outside dining.

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    Mexican Hat Lodge Reviews in Other Languages

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    Review Highlights - Mexican Hat Lodge

    Once we ordered, the meat was quickly put on the swinging grill to sear by an attentive and watchful grillmaster.

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Swingin' Steaks

    Swingin' Steaks

    4.2(22 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    We stayed in Mexican Hat on our way back to St. George and it is a very small town with not much…read morethere. We decided to have dinner at Swingin' Steak because frankly we didn't know of any other options. It is very casual and all outside tables, no in door dining. They ran out of the hamburger steak which is what I was going to get so I just decided to share with my husband. He got the ribeye steak which comes with pinto beans, a hand full of salad and a slice of Texas toast. First let me say his steak was cooked perfectly, he ordered medium rare, and was very flavorful. When you go there, just know all they really serve is steak with the beans, small salad and Texas toast. They have a couple side options like mushrooms, jalapeños and sautéed shrimp for an extra charge. Our waitress served as hostess, bused the tables, got the drinks all while being the only waitress there. She worked her but off!!! My main complaint for giving a 3 star review was the pricing of their steaks. I believe because there is no other real place in town they charge for you just coming to their establishment! My husband's meal was $41.00 which was one of the cheaper options. This is not a gourmet steakhouse! More like picnic dining with high end steak house pricing!

    After a disappointing dinner at a place down the road on the night before, we opted for Swingin'…read moreSteaks / Still Steaks on our next evening in Mexican Hat and were so happy it offered a 180 turnaround from the other restaurant. The host is welcoming, and the patio is inviting and relaxing, with coolers that keep the breeze flowing. There's a great veg-patty option on the menu, and we supplemented our platters with delicious grilled jalapenos and mushrooms...yum! Definitely THE place to enjoy a great meal and friendly service when in Mexican Hat!

    Photos
    Swingin' Steaks
    Swingin' Steaks - The veggie burger with grilled jalapeno and mushrooms added

    The veggie burger with grilled jalapeno and mushrooms added

    Swingin' Steaks

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    Duke's - Duke's Southwest Burger & Fries at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Duke's

    4.2(80 reviews)
    18.2 mi
    $$

    One of the few dinner options in the area and an excellent choice…read more INTERIOR/AMBIANCE: We arrived soon after opening and were seated quickly. There are a moderate number of seats available, but the restaurant filled up quickly. Clean interior, basic decor. FOOD: Very limited menu, no alcohol. We ordered the ravioli and sage chicken. The ravioli was delicious with a nice cream sauce, we enjoyed the addition of the sun dried tomatoes. The chicken was also delicious, stuffed with a mixture which included sage to impart more sage flavor. The chicken dish was accompanied by a generous scoop of flavored rice and Brussels sprouts cooked with dried cranberries. OVERALL: We were very pleased with the meal and full afterwards. Service was good. Overall solid meal!

    We celebrated our 10th anniversary at Duke's and what an excellent choice! The service was…read moreexcellent and the food was incredibly delicious and artful. We had the crabmeat "boats" for an appetizer, which was a halved avocado (2 boats - one per half) overflowing with the crabmeat and jicama shreds, flavored with mango sauce, cayenne, and paprika. It was superb!!! My husband had their signature burger, which also had a delicious array of seasonings and mango sauce on a pretzel roll. I had their salmon, which was a generous slab of salmon accompanied by asparagus and roasted cauliflower (I opted to switch the potatoes for cauliflower). Honestly, this was a special meal for us and Duke's made it an excellent evening.

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    Duke's - Desserts at at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Desserts at at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Duke's - Saffron Rice & Honey Glazed Carrots at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Saffron Rice & Honey Glazed Carrots at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Duke's - Filet Mignon With Foie Gras at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

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    Filet Mignon With Foie Gras at Duke's restaurant in Bluff, Utah

    Goulding's Lodge Dining Room - Bland moist carrot cake with not great cream cheese frosting.

    Goulding's Lodge Dining Room

    3.4(166 reviews)
    21.4 mi
    $$

    The only restaurant in town. Most tables have Great views of the valley. Everything is on fry…read morebread or Navajo tortilla (which is just a grilled fry bread) instead of buns. The raz sauce is just thousand island. The raz bah was huge but mostly because of the bread. I chose roast beef option and it was ok. The fry bread desert for $12 was ok as well. Nothing wow. But not bad. Great views though Went for breakfast next day and posted the menu. Chicken fried steak was pretty good.

    A Navajo Nation restaurant on the site of Gouldings RV Park and Lodge. The inside is diner like…read moreambiance with stairs to enter and to access different area of the dining rooms. Did not really see a handy capped access entrance. It was about 70 percent full but service was still very good. We had the Navajo Fry Bread and the Strawberry Chicken Pecan Salad. Staff was very friendly and courteous. Portion size was huge. The fry bread was sort of like a pizza, covered with chili, meat, beans, lettuce, onion, and cheese. Also came with pico and sour cream on a huge piece of Indian fry bread. Delicious and way too much for one person. I addition to the fry bread we added the salad and sweet potato fries. Total for two entrees, two drinks, and one additional side was just north of $50 for two people. Definitely a very unique experience, with different tasting and flavored food except the salad was pretty much what you would expect to get back home. However, the Indian fry bread was really delicious.

    Photos
    Goulding's Lodge Dining Room - Dining area

    Dining area

    Goulding's Lodge Dining Room
    Goulding's Lodge Dining Room - Monument  Valley in background

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    Monument Valley in background

    The View Restaurant - Guac burger

    The View Restaurant

    3.0(183 reviews)
    18.1 mi
    $$

    Despite being the only choice for dining when staying at The View hotel, it wasn't too bad. I had…read moretheir "chili beans con carne" entree, also known as simply "chili" back east, and it was good. The mix of meat to beans was generous and it tasted like the chili my mom used to make. My taste has moved on since that time, however, and I've had better, more flavorful bowls through the years. My wife's tacos were "standard lunchroom fare" she could have made at home. Still, the food was filling and the service was good. The view during dinner was amazing and served to distract us from the less-than-stellar meal. I recommend it for the view.

    We're here for a marathon which was also to pick up all the gear and bibs. Afterward we took a…read morelittle stroll to check out the gift shop which was very cute. Loads of amazing American indian artifacts, gifts, pottery, jewelry and so much more. Hence we noticed the restaurant. It's towards the end of it. I think there's also an entrance from the hotel, which is part of it. We walked in to check out the menu and decided to try it out. Checked in with the hostess and added our name to the waitlist. It was about 20-25 minutes. It was fine, more time to browse the store. There's also an area that you could wait outside with a view of the mountains and plains but it was dark and pitch black. Once we were buzzed and seated. The table already had a carafe of iced water on it. All the tables did. Menu wise, limited but some nice dishes. Don't know if it changes seasonal or it's the same menu. Food wise, went with the Arizona fried chicken. Three pieces tossed in a southwestern batter and deep fried. Served with jalapeños slices. Also a choice of fries, mash potatoes or white rice and seasoned veggies which was corn. And a piece of grilled Arizona bread which is similar to pita bread. Chicken was quite nice and juicy. Batter was good, not too much of it and a nice crunch. It was quite nice. Also had a bowl of soup which was like chicken tortillas without tortilla chips. That was quite nice as well. And an order of the chili beans con carne. A southwestern favorite which was a bowl of chili with shredded cheese and onions and served a side. The beef was flavorful and very hearty. Food was good, service was great. All the staff were very friendly. We asked about breakfast but it's only served for hotel guest. As well as meals after 7pm. Also, they don't have alcohol. Non alcoholic, yes.

    Photos
    The View Restaurant - The view from the dining room's back wall is still pretty sweet.

    The view from the dining room's back wall is still pretty sweet.

    The View Restaurant - Nov 2022 breakfast offerings

    Nov 2022 breakfast offerings

    The View Restaurant - Nov 2022 breakfast offerings

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    Nov 2022 breakfast offerings

    Mexican Hat Lodge - steak - Updated July 2026

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