Last Sunday, I and some friends had dinner at he Mono Inn , a remarkable dining spot located in Lee Vining, California near Mono Lake. The restaurant's dining room has a stunning panoramic views of the lake in addition to a warm, inviting ambience. Co-managed by Chef Jason Custer and owner Hilary Hansen Jones, it offers an unforgettable fixed-price menu featuring creative, flavorful dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. The menu that evening, inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony, delivered a harmonious and tranquil multi-course experience. Highlights include a refreshing first course of watermelon sorbet with kimchi foam, a delicately cured ocean trout with caviar cream, roasted squab in cherry sauce with Korean dumplings, and a unique dessert of toasted corn ice cream dessert. Each dish was thoughtfully paired with excellent wine suggestions from the wine list that had several Old World and New World selections under $50. The attentive service at Mono Inn was choreographed by the owner who took time to regale our table in the history of the Mono Inn. There so much I love about the Mono Inn, from the low-key vibe and mixed with a formal dinner service, to the wonderfully creative dishes bursting with amazing flavors. All of these aspects make The Mono Inn a must-visit. This is my second visit, and I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended! read more

Excellent food, service and scenery.Chef Jason and his team made our special occasion super memorable with their locally sourced and amazingly prepared meal. read more

My fourth visit. This time I took photos. The Mono Inn experience does not disappoint. I close my eyes and disappear into the flavors. The staff is brilliantly trained. Chef is an artist! Once a month, best self care break for 200 miles! read more

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always a fantastic way to spend an evening having dinner, I believe my 4th time dining at the mono inn. Service and food is impeccable. If you are passing through the eastern sierras is absolutely worth the trip. Overlooking mono lake in a small 10 table dinner room it's exceptional experience. read more

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不好意思 英文写作能力稀烂，还是用中文吧然后gpt翻译一下 非常逆天的餐厅，来加州几个月可以排进前三的漂亮饭！物有所值！怀石料理 美日结合风格！每一道菜都是用心制作！尤其是那个巧克力，主厨不拿出来单卖真的遗憾姥姥家！ 服务也非常nice～ 服务员小哥哥看我们是最后一桌就多给我们四颗巧克力！！卧槽！牛了个大逼！ English version, I'm lazy, I use gpt. An absolutely mind-blowing restaurant -- after being in California for a few months, this is easily top 3! Totally worth the price. Kaiseki-style with a Ameri-Japanese fusion twist. Every single dish was crafted with so much care! Especially the chocolate -- such a pity the chef doesn't sell it separately, it's next-level amazing. Service was super nice too -- the waiter noticed we were the last table and gave us 4 extra chocolates!! U should definitely not miss this restaurant if ur in Lee vining area! read more

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Perfect service. Great menu. Wonderful chef who explains each course in detail, what it is, why he prepares like this. Wonderful room with great vistas. We will be back! read more

I was so excited to finally try this local "fancy" restaurant for my anniversary. This was my first experience eating at a restaurant that had different courses, it was really an experience for me. All the food was so delicious, I was able to reserve for the first day of the spring tasting menu. It was some of the best food I've ever had! I couldn't get enough. The cocktails were FANTASTIC also. What was also really special is how they made our food into a story kind of, it was a full circle moment from the starters to dessert (see pics). Service was excellent and all the people working there were so kind and loved to delve into a little conversation. 10/10 experience, would recommend to everyone and will be going again. read more

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Great place. Cozy. With good food and great service. I stopped in while on a trip to June Lake. Apparently they were only offering a fixed price menu, but as I was sitting at the bar, they offered a lamb burger with fries. Mm mm mm. read more

What a culinary treat! Decided to take the leap even though I don't like lamb or octopus which was on the seasonal menu. The chef was our server which was a nice treat and everything was delicious and the service was top notch. The restaurant was welcoming and beautiful. Next time I would like to go in the spring summer season so I can see the view of the lake while I dine. read more

My husband and I love to come here every year for a special dinner. The views are fantastic and we were sad when they were closed from the fire, but so happy they are still there and we can still go! Service is wonderful and food is second to none. Highly recommended. read more

What a delicious experience! Each course was perfectly presented and the taste balance between all the servings was such that they complimented each other. The service was excellent, unhurried, giving time to enjoy each course, but it never dragged. Our dinner for two lasted two hours, but didn't seem that long. I particularly loved the gnocchi. Until now, the best gnocchi I'd eaten was in a now closed place on the Ligurian Coast. The Mono Inn gnocchi now takes the 'best I've ever eaten' title. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

Mono Inn - Our menu. Remember, the menu weekly. - New American Near Me - Lee Vining, California

Makes all fine dining experiences within 500 mile radius look like child's play . Never have been soo excited about to find out which plate they're bringing out next . ( and this isn't coming from a food snob) Chef isn't getting paid enough! First time leaving a review to any restaurant ever . read more

We had a wonderful and delicious dinner. Wide variety of flavors and textures. Savory sweet to crunchy goodness. Loved every bite. Wine pairing was great too. Service was excellent and friendly. Highly recommended. read more

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This was our 2nd visit to The Mono Inn and again, we were blown away by the attention to detail and the amazing flavors created by Chef Jason Custer. The tasting menu is so creative and delicious and presented so elegantly by their outstanding team. The setting is equally beautiful. Watching the sun set over Mono Lake while you dine is such a special experience. No one should miss this! I can't leave with raving about the cocktails and wine selection! Everything is meant to pair with the menu perfectly and the team is there to guide you in the perfect selection. read more

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The food was not only a masterpiece in presentation, the flavors were magical to the palate. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable with appearances from Chef J who delivered a couple courses himself. It was a pleasure to have met and conversed with Chef J, truly a food artist. This fantastic meal was made more special with its location overlooking Mono Lake and distant mountains at sunset, the colors/hues as the sun sets are memorable and add to the ambiance. I do recommend the wine pairing tasting menu as well, it will not disappoint! Best of all, the dress is neat casual! We had just spent 5 days camping, hiking, four wheeling and exploring death Valley and hit Mono Inn on our way home. I look forward to another great meal on a return trip next year! read more

Wow, this is a place you must go to at least once. My family and I passed by it on the road and immediately were curious as on the outside it looked very serene, clean and pretty. In fact it had a very positive energy surrounding it and I'm sure the location by the gorgeous lake is part of it! Luckily, we called before opening and they were able to accommodate us! You can see the menu of what my husband and I were served in the photo. We got to pick our last course so we decided to pick a lollipop lamb chop and the wagyu dish. Since we were going to be on the road, we didn't order cocktails but we did order the mocktails which I highly recommend! For both my kids, there was a separate menu and they were brought a four course meal. Everything was exceptionally delish! In fact, I thought the menu for my kids was something I would order for myself as well! The service was over-the-top excellent! My favorite was the salmon and wagyu! We plan to go visit Lake Mono again so we can try out their brunch as well and make another reservation from dinner (maybe one without the kids! Lol). Also, my husband and I don't like to dress up. So another added bonus was there was no dress code and this place was not one bit pretentious and it made that all the better. read more

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The tasting menu was excellent as was the kids tasting menu, the chef was extremely nice and doted on our young son making him feel super comfortable. The ambiance was amazing and the owner was a sweetheart. Our server was spot on and super nice. Great view to boot. Could you ask for more? read more

Mono Inn Running through yelp to find a place to eat after snowboarding at June and came across this gem. On our hotel email they warned there is very limited eating options in this area so my expectations were low. However when I seen the Mono Inn add, I was intrigued by the food pics. Looked at a few reviews and I have always wanted to try this preset menu style of dinning. Talked to my wife and we were in! This was an absolute eating experience! The views at sunset were amazing on a windy day with funnels of water being spun across the surface. The fire place was crackling near our table providing the much wanted heat to warm our chilled bones after a day on the slopes. We were celebrating our 34th Valentine's Day together and this made me feel safe that I made a great choice to spend time. The meal was a story told upon each courses presentation by the Chef and his team. From the delectable drinks to the delicate bites it was an absolute pleasure to push ourselves to what we were not prepared to handle. By the end we were so very full and satisfied we had such a hard time not eating every crumb on our plates. By the time the meal circled back to how it began, our mouthes were busy talking about all the different flavors we experienced that brought back both childhood memories of dishes from our culture and fresh or new tastes we never thought to mesh together. My only criticism was simply that I prefer my protein on the medium rare side so while the flavor was amazing I felt the desire to have it cooked less. Leaving the intention up to the chef and trusting his choice on presentation. The service was top notch with friendly warm smiles with the patience to explain each dish while taking the time to answer our questions. The price is well worth it because like I read in another review this is low key the best way to experience a Michelin level restaurant before everyone else finds out and it gets certified! Don't sleep on this one. Just go! read more

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Super high quality, fresh, creative modernist cooking for a reasonable price-- was $75 for a 5 course meal. If I could take off half a point for the underspiced prime rib, I would, but otherwise 5 stars all the way. Complex food with sophisticated tastes and fresh ingredients -- the chef drives down to the farmers market in Santa Monica twice per week. No idea how he does it, seeing that the night we were there (admittedly Christmas Eve) he was short staffed and working the register and waiting tables as well as his kitchen duties) -- well done, Jason! This place would be a tough reservation in San Francisco or NYC, kind of amazing to randomly find it in Lee Vining right on Mono Lake. I would be not at all surprised to see this place earn a Michelin star as soon as they get in a visit -- so go now before word get out too widely. Yes, there really is food in Lee Vining beyond Whoa Nellie's! read more

Mono Inn - Restaurant interruption Christmas eve - New American Near Me - Lee Vining, California

A five star dining experience for Shure. They were able to prepare a vegan tasting meal that was out of this world. Must call ahead though can't wait to go back. read more

One of the most amazing dining experiences I have ever had (and I've had some incredible ones). The food, service, wine, ambiance, everything was absolutely 10/10. Chef Jason is an artist. Winemaker Mike is an artist and a generous educator of wine. Jade, Sara, and Nicole were just the most incredible people to have for 3 hours creating a magical experience for us. I loved them so much I had them sign our menu and will be framing it. The Mono Inn is an absolute gem, well worth the adventure and money. read more

I highly recommend Mono Inn Food and service was excellent. Not to mention the million dollar view . My pictures explain everything read more

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Got a last minute reservation and had a super meal. Meticulous preparation, exacting service and delicious as well ! Looking forward to next time... A delight to the eye and palate ... read more

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I'm local here, and we enjoy dinner at the Mono Inn at least once for every menu they produce and have attended special event dinners. It is much more than a meal here; it is always an exceptional, world class dining experience. The food is extraordinary, carefully prepared, often Japanese influenced. The fusions created by the chef are fascinating, familiar, and creative. The service is highly professional yet caring. And the view of Mono Lake's evolving light and textures is magical. The Mono Inn is worthy of being a dining destination; we are lucky it is right around the corner. read more

I was a chef for 15 years working mostly in Michelin Star restaurants and on the Las Vegas Strip. The executive chef in this restaurant blew us away from the moment we entered. We came in after two days of climbing in Tuolumne Meadows. Seemed like the best place to get some vegetables in town--we are vegan. Chef happened to be conferring with the hostess as we entered. He introduced himself and shared with us the menu. We asked about Vegan options. We were prepared to make sacrifices in order eat but none were required. Obviously we should've notified the restaurant in advance, something we hadn't planned for. Chef seemed to take this as a challenge. Within just a minute or two, a heaping bowl of delicious baba ghanoush and romesco arrived with perfect toast points. Minutes later a modernistic dish of compressed cucumber and honeydew melon with aguachile! Chef presented both dishes to our table. I look into the kitchen and I can see the chef hurriedly hand rolling fresh gnocchi from scratch. Minutes later he presents warm bowls of freshly made gnocchi with red pepper sauce and white truffle. The cost of this, plus two cocktails, $80! Wish I'd taken photos because my descriptions do no justice. The chef clearly has a deep understanding of hospitality and service. His food reflected a sense of appreciation of tradition at times and innovative technique at other times. Most importantly, the food was simply delicious! As someone who has worked in the industry most of my life, I feel confident in saying the entire experience was 5 stars. The view of Mono Lake was almost as good as the meal. Looking forward to returning (with a reservation next time)! Cheers! read more

Stopped for dinner. Unfortunately didn't have time for the tasting menu so had a delicious bison burger at the bar. Our server was friendly and professional. It was dark, so missed out on the view. The interior of this historic building was beautiful all on its own. Well worth planning to stop. read more

Our family had dinner here Aug 2022. He had heard good things and thought we would try in since there are new owners. The food was very good, pricey but normal for this quality of food. read more

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The new ownership that took over in May 2021 have done an INCREDIBLE job. The food is excellent, the service was spot on, and the views were amazing. We had a party of four and our reservation was at 5:15. We were seated right away and stayed for a couple hours. Great ambiance. The new owner was the hostess and she was so kind and came around throughout the night to make sure we had everything we needed. The owner mentioned they are starting to do weddings and receptions in April and Brunch starting in April. We can't wait to come back time and again. What a refreshing change, so glad we went. read more

Mono Inn - Chef special - New American Near Me - Lee Vining, California

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Just finished another incredible dining experience at Mono Inn. First time we've tried the new tasting menu format and it's an incredible experience. One of the best meals we have ever had (truly). Service was great. Hillary is an incredible host and Tom's cocktails are excellent. Staff definitely strives to provide as great experience as the view of Mono Lake from the dining room. Cannot wait to be back to try the next season's tasting menu. Thank you Mono Inn team for an unforgettable evening!!!! read more

We had Chef Jason Custer's 5-course summer tasting menu. Wow! The food was creative - with the desserts mimicking the starters - and everything was absolutely delicious. We also had thoughtfully crafted cocktails from the bar. Service was friendly and well paced. It's so nice to find such a culinary experience in a casual setting. We definitely will be back to this special place - and next time before the sun goes down so we can enjoy the view of Mono Lake. Thanks for a memorable evening! read more

fine dining with excellent service. only open fri-mon (and not during the winter season) and you need reservations. It is a small inn 35 minutes north of mammoth lakes--an easy drive on Hwy 395. The menu is fixed (small bites tasting menu), with some changes each week as they get new fresh local ingredients. The food is scrumptious and the wine pairing wonderful. The pace of the meal is well coordinated even when the place was packed. Detailed descriptions of the food and wine were both written and verbally explained with each course. The Price is quite reasonable for the quality of food and service. The ambiance is phenomenal with the entire east side of the dining room consisting of a window with beautiful views of mono lake--it's like eating in a picture. There is an army of servers who change the wine glasses, plates and silverware every few minutes for the next course. I'm glad I don't have to wash all of that silverware. The only "non perfect" issue was that the bar was backed up and our 1st course and champagne came before our pre dinner cocktails. Our server gladly cancelled our bar order without issue. By the end of the meal we were full but not overstuffed; happy with the wine pairing but not slobering drunk--just right. We will return with friends. read more

We had a special Saturday night date at Mono Inn. The Summer tasting menu was amazing. We would have participated in the wine pairing but had to drive a ways to home so we passed on it, but we plan to get a room next time so we can enjoy that also. The service was superb as was the ambiance. We will be returning this fall and have room reservations so we can enjoy the wine pairing. read more

Beautiful setting, great staff, phenomenal views. Lived in the area 5 years and can't believe we did not discover it sooner. The tasting menu was perfection. Loved the wine pairings. Chef even delivered dessert. Was so good we forgot to keep taking photos half way through. read more

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Unbelievably good fine dining in a beautiful setting with great service. Amazing experience-loved everything in the spring tasting menu.

With great ambience overlooking the beautiful Mono lake, this is your must stop. A true gem, nestled just north of June Lake, in Lee Vining, provided an unforgettable fine dining experience. Locally sourced ingredients, impeccable service, and a chef with culinary know how are the stand out factors for my review. But it doesn't end there. This restaurant withstands the test of time by serving experiences for 100 years. Enjoy your meal downstairs, but also be sure to head up to the second floor, where you can enjoy a rich library of cook books, appreciate local artist displays, and my favorite, an antique square grand piano. Rich in flavor & history, the Mono Inn is truly a landmark of the Eastern Sierras. Can't wait to return with my family. read more

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I've only been to 29 restaurants in the Eastern Sierras (Mono and Inyo counties) but this was easily the best. I'd been here under the prior ownership and it's also significantly better than before. The most outstanding food we tried was the vegetable medley side dish that came with that evening's entrée special. Often a nightmarish preparation where overcooked frozen or canned vegetables are shoveled with a slotted spoon from the steam table to the plate, their wonderous version was nothing of the sort. The perfect dish excelled in all ways by first using premium produce like multi-colored carrots and supple yellow squash, second by thinking how to enhance the flavors by grilling the baby zucchini and peas, and finally by precisely executing the ideas like carefully but lightly deep-frying collards. I hope that this dish is put on the regular menu so more diners can enjoy it. Another must have dish was the tuna tartare with the playfully fun potato chips. Keeping the fish in the forefront, the avocado sauce and roe were mild accents to flesh-out the flavors but the ponzu was a little too strong. Just a suggestion but maybe toss the chips in the ponzu like a "salt and vinegar" flavored chip. Among the entrees, the head-on prawns on blue corn polenta were an update on shrimp and grits. Although missing the fatty richness of the classic, it came with an unexpectedly spicy broth which was joyously livelier when letting the shrimp head matter ooze out. The tender lamb lollipops and ground lamb skewer with cous cous and tzatziki had too much going on and editing the plate down would help. Both lamb preparations needed more flavor boosts. Perhaps a heavier grill on the lamb like was done with the squash could add an enhancing smokiness. Also, be more adventurous by flipping the food combinations like use the blue corn polenta with the lamb and cous cous with the shrimp. I'm being picky but make these suggestions because I see even greater potential in their cooking beyond their already successful accomplishments. Skip the brushed and grilled bruschetta (not a crostini which is thin and crisped) that had a lovely ricotta spread but the mushrooms were too woody and oaky. The recipe needed another element like a sauce. For cocktails, the "Fool's Gold" was slightly too watery while the "Simis Rhubarb Rickey" was spot on and also available in a non-alcoholic version. The wines were affordably priced bottles from well-known vintners. I urge to make reservations by phone or e-mail. read more

So happy this gem is back open! Service and food was amazing...can't wait to come back again soon! read more

Mono Inn - Lamb Kebab, Ricotta Gnudi - New American Near Me - Lee Vining, California

Absolutely incredible! Second trip to the Mono Inn and it validates everything I experienced on my initial visit a year ago. Chef Jason Custer is masterful in every aspect of a fine dining experience. The five course tasting menu was perfectly executed with a variety of flavor profiles , textures and culinary surprises. There was mission to the culinary journey that you won't find anywhere else. The A5 wagyu and prawns were perfection but don't sleep on the halibut. But the reality of this dining experience is just to sit back and let Chef Jason take you on the culinary ride of your life. Simple yet complex. Familiar yet foreign. Something new and exciting at every turn. I could go on and on about the food but it goes far beyond that! The ambiance and location are amazing. In a historic Inn looking over the majestic Mono lake, it doesn't get any better. Finally the service. Chef Jason as an attentive friendly staff that prides itself on connecting with the guests in a professional and informative manner. No pretense! Chef understands a total dining experience goes far beyond the food. Chef Jason wants every guest to have an experience they will not forget. He took the time to call personally and confirm dietary restrictions. He built a five course vegetarian experience for two of our guests and did it with the same precision and attention to detail as the posted menu. All I can say is thank you for not one but two memorable dinings and we are already looking forward to our return trip next year! Mark Wyatt Cafe 1600 Culinary School and Restaurant Bakersfield, CA. read more

Incredible view, service and especially the food. The tasting menu is the way to go here.

Oh my gosh! Such a nice surprise. Spent my birthday dinner there. Small, quaint, upscale menu and a view that is amazing. read more

Mono Inn - New American Near Me - Lee Vining, California