Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Still Life Cafe

    4.1 (214 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

    By appointment only

    Still Life Cafe Photos

    STILL LIFE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Classy
    Quiet
    Good for groups

    More like Still Life Cafe

    Recommended Reviews - Still Life Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Joshua L.

    Still Life Café is, without a doubt, the finest dining experience you'll find within a 100-mile radius--and in the most unexpected of places. I'm so glad my friend, who has been coming here for years, insisted we stop for a leisurely lunch. This is truly authentic French cuisine, as if you've stepped into a small village in France. We shared an endive and frisée salad--a welcome dose of fresh vegetables after too many burgers on this trip through the Owens Valley. To all the skiers rushing to Mammoth: slow down and treat yourself to a real meal. We also shared the filet mignon in a rich mushroom pepper sauce, served with pommes frites and a side of green beans and asparagus. Every bite was outstanding. And then there's the atmosphere. This intimate bistro is adorned with beautiful artwork and photographs, including a dedicated wall featuring portraits of jazz legends. But they don't just honor them in pictures--the soundtrack is a carefully selected mix of great jazz, making for a perfect dining ambiance. Make sure to get a glass of wine. The selection is curated with real attention to detail and served at the ideal temperature. Chef Malika, who has owned this gem for over 30 years with her late husband, came out to chat with us. She was absolutely delightful, adding a personal touch to an already memorable experience. A true hidden treasure. I can't wait to return.

    Braised Lamb Shank with White Beans

    I made two failed attempts to come here in the past (they were closed for private events) but the third time was the charm, because I finally got to try the famous Still Life! I knew from reading the reviews here that it would be a "slow food" experience, and I'm glad it was, because we got to savor the experience and cozy home atmosphere and enjoy every bit of it. We had some delicious bread and butter, then an endive salad a while later. I had the braised lamb shank with white beans, and it was insanely flavorful and tender. Our server (the chef's daughter) was so sweet and down-to-Earth. Awesome experience, and well worth the wait.

    Tajine of chicken with preserved lemon and green Greek Olives. Plus 6 escargot and a glass of Cote de Rhone rose.
    Jim F.

    There are treasures and then there are hidden treasures. The Still Life Cafe in Independence, CA is a perfect example. There are a few good places to eat on Highway 395 through the Owens Valley, but in the case of the Still Life Cafe, the town is so small, blink and you could miss it. It's combination of funky (in the best sense) artistic charm and cool jazz sophistication is paired with a small menu that features American standards with French and North African cuisine. It is totally unique. The long-time Chef (and owner) Algerian, Malika Adjaoud, founded the cafe decades ago with her late husband (a crusty Frenchman who was traditionally installed at the bar with a glass of wine-- FRENCH WINE! A small painting of him (with his back to the viewer) is now in the main dining room. When I dinned there last (on August 27) it was a night when the menu included a special Moroccan-style tajine of chicken prepared with homemade preserved lemon and Greek green olives. It was perfectly prepared and served in a traditional clay tajine. I also enjoyed a half-dozen escargot with Cote de Rhone rose. I was served by Chef's charming daughter, Kanza, as her 3-year old daughter romped around and the perfect restaurant dog, Carlos, looked on hopefully. I will never miss a chance to return to the Still Life Cafe. If you're in the vicinity, you have a treat in store.

    This is great place to eat if you are driving through the Eastern Sierra up Highway 395. You will feel like you are having a leisurely dinner in the French countryside! Delicious food and not expensive considering the quality and ambiance. Be sure to check the days/hours it's open if you want to make a reservation or just walk-in.

    Restaurant
    Jim R.

    Super charming little restaurant in an expected place, just north of Lone Pine. The owner/chef is as charming as her place, and the Very French food would score well in San Francisco, making it an unexpected joy in the middle of the Owens Valley. The place itself is a very nice mix of sleek and informal.l with a very well trained hospitality dog.

    Carlos
    Joshua G.

    Just at the bottom of the hill leading to Gray's Meadows campground, Robinson Lake Trail, Kearsarge / Onion Valley this little gem, Still Life Cafe, is delightful! And they have Carlos, the Weiner Wolf! I got the Pasta Bolognese, and my friend got Pasta Primavera, both were fantastic! Old slat flooring, muted lighting, and very cozy, great for families and dates and friends! Tasty traditional warm sourdough baguette and butter in a basket.

    an open book and a glass of water
    Rick W.

    Bacon cheeseburger was fantastic. The atmosphere is l lovely. I'll be back next weekend.

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gail B.
    31
    14
    3

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    enjoyed the steak with mushroom peppercorn sauce. Outstanding! The fresh baguette started us off.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ken S.
    1
    37
    22

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Shelley K.
    65
    256
    52

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Fantastic food! Obviously freshly prepared, don't come here in a hurry. Very pleasant service. Nicely appointed old building.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim F.
    0
    19
    32

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eliza H.
    0
    124
    10

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim R.
    0
    24
    3

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of LT M.
    309
    23
    6

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark D.
    19
    60
    2

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Clay D.
    142
    15
    2

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric S.
    73
    28
    4

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tina L.
    84
    12
    10

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kenza P.

    Kenza P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff G.
    32
    27
    9

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Xing W.
    130
    1
    0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kenza P.

    Kenza P.

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan M.
    3
    187
    3

    4 years ago

    An I opener for me good food great service... a must stop and try!!! Especially with its French leanings ... French onion soup was awesome

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Still Life Cafe

    Good Earth Yogurt

    Good Earth Yogurt

    4.3(218 reviews)
    40.2 mi
    $$

    Wonderful frozen yogurt, free ice water infused with fruits, and clean facilities overall. The fro…read moreyo was delish and toppings were plentiful. Definitely coming back

    Food is amazing, but service really depends on who is working. Sometimes they hire wonderful, sweet…read morepeople, but they also seem to hire mean girls. As other customers have commented, they make you feel like you're an inconvenience and charge you for it. Yet wait for it -because my friend went in today the very same day on Mother's Day totally different group of people and she had a bad experience too! On Mother's Day, I ordered an arugula salad (it wasn't on the menu yet I saw others eating it). It looked amazing, and I substituted the prosciutto for pesto/olive tapenade--great veggie option. Yes, the owners should make this a menu item. I also ordered a delicious Muscat dessert wine and a cupcake, and everything was pretty awesome. I asked why it wasn't on the menu, and they said people just come in knowing what to order. Several times I've ordered something from the menu, only to be told it's not available, which is confusing because then it comes back on the menu, and they get annoyed when you order something that is supposed to be served. Anyway, everything was great; I was treating myself and happy to splurge... until... Right after I received my food, the server immediately asked for my card. I requested her to bring the bill at the end, as usual, since I wasn't prepared to order more, and I thought the amount was enough. The rose frozen yogurt looked yum, so I decided to use a small sample cup instead of the plastic ones, as the girls were in the back. I didn't want to bother them and thought it would be a fun way to avoid waste. She rushed out with another server, almost making a scene--embarrassing, as I was about to take a photo and mention folks should eat there. She asked me to pay for the sample. I decided not to, and I'm glad I sent it back because the secret salad, not on the menu, was $20, and the wine along with the cupcake turned out to be nearly $40. Every place I've worked at that makes the customer happy usually gets a great tip! You'd think a sample wouldn't be a big deal. I definitely let her know, especially since it was already pricey. Sadly, this isn't the first time I've had service that's just not very nice. I want to let the owners know I love your location and your place, but the service is often rude. The blonde server was sweet and great, but the other "manager" was not. Many people I try to bring here cringe- we like the place, but they say the service is rude. The women make you feel uncomfortable with disapproving looks. Especially today, it's a day to honor mothers. If not, you'll hear from us with our tip. Tip: Would be a 5, but the energy of the servers drops it to a 2; the food raises it to a 3. Owners, you should know. I didn't leave a cash tip-- would have left $10 to be treated well. That's my tip. Every time we go back, we wonder if we want to deal with a mean server. Every time. then my friend, who also went there today for Mother's Day with her entire family they have a huge family. They brought four kids for adult adults and this is what she told me after I shared my review. "That's so crazy that you sent that they were so rude to me today the dark haired lady when I asked her what cupcake flavors she had left. It was like I was pulling teeth to get the flavors from her service is always crappy here." Owners please talk to your staff. They are just not nice.

    Photos
    Good Earth Yogurt - Back sitting area

    Back sitting area

    Good Earth Yogurt - Prosciutto panini! Delish, but very messy.

    Prosciutto panini! Delish, but very messy.

    Good Earth Yogurt

    See all

    Monets Wine Bistro - Truffle Burger

    Monets Wine Bistro

    4.3(387 reviews)
    62.9 mi
    $$

    We were visiting from out of state to this area of California. We had spent the day at an outdoor…read moreconvention, and were looking forward to this particular restaurant. With the reviews on Yelp and the recommendation of our Air bnb host, this was a "must" during our visit. Nice decor and ambiance upon entering. Had a musician playing clarinet, which was beautiful. Unfortunately, we did not even eat here. As I stated, we had been at an outdoor convention- we were in nice jeans and ballcaps. This restaurant was not "suit" fancy, but we may have appeared underdressed with our ballcaps. Honestly we don't make a habit of dressing down and are usually overdressed lol. We felt judged the moment we walked in. They asked if we had a reservation. We did not but we were still sat. There was a wine tasting going on and we were asked if we would like to participate. We politely declined. The vineyard owner came over and talked to us. I politely declined again. The waitress never returned for over 10min. We hadn't even been asked about any other drinks, appetizers, specials of the house, nothing. The menu had some amazing dishes and appetizers that I am sad I wasn't able to try, but if you're going to make me feel less because I didn't have an opportunity to brush out my ponytail and change my shoes, then you're not deserving of the money we were planning on spending in your establishment. These Texas ranchers were very unimpressed

    "Cute little place" is the exact way I'd describe this place walking in. They maximized what…read moreminimal real estate they have with wonderful date night ambiance, live music, and French/European vibe without feeling cramped. Very pleasant experience for a date night, with even more delicious food. I was here over a year ago and sadly forgot to post this review, so I don't remember what we had but I remember I thoroughly enjoyed it. The owner had a moment to chat it up with us and she gave us the story of their business and it was all just a pleasant time. This is definitely a gem of spot in this town.

    Photos
    Monets Wine Bistro - There's a wider shot of the inside.

    There's a wider shot of the inside.

    Monets Wine Bistro - Creme Brulee

    Creme Brulee

    Monets Wine Bistro

    See all

    SKADI - Scallops

    SKADI

    4.8(503 reviews)
    72.2 mi
    $$$

    Dining at Skadi was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Mammoth…read more This exceptional Norwegian restaurant is nestled right in the heart of Mammoth Village, offering an upscale yet inviting atmosphere with a refined, cozy ambiance that immediately sets the tone for a memorable evening. We visited as a family of four and made reservations ahead of time after hearing so many great things--and we felt incredibly fortunate to secure a Sunday booking, especially since they're closed Monday through Wednesday. It ended up being the perfect way to begin our time in Mammoth. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, attentive, and efficient without ever feeling rushed. And the food? Absolutely divine. Every dish reflected the expertise and care of a master chef with decades of experience in Norwegian cuisine. What truly elevated the evening was the personal touch--the chef graciously visited our table to greet us and ensure everything was to our liking. That kind of hospitality is rare and deeply appreciated. We ordered three appetizers, a soup, three entrées, and finished with crème brûlée for dessert--and every single item was flawless. An exceptional dining experience from start to finish. Five stars--well deserved. Thank you for an unforgettable meal.

    My wife and I came here for our wedding anniversary, as it appears to be one of the few fine dining…read morespots in Mammoth. The restaurant is really vibrant and well decorated. The open kitchen adds a level of sophistication and elegance that made us very excited for the meal. Our server was very friendly, personable, attentive and helpful with recommendations. Unfortunately, ambiance and service proved to be the two best attributes of this restaurant. We started the meal with the Hamachi Crudo, which was well constructed, but something was unpleasantly fishy on the plate... not sure if it was the roe, the scallops, or the fish itself. The Little Gems salad had a nice flavorful Danish blue cheese, but the lettuce looked like it was washed, cut and prepped the day before (rotten sections where it had been chopped). The beets were totally bland and unseasoned, like they were just boiled, cooled, cubed and thrown on the plate. For a fine dining restaurant, you would hope that every component on its own would be individually seasoned. The mushroom soup was very flat tasting, and the texture of the puck of mushrooms in the bottom of the bowl that had hot broth poured table side was not enjoyable to eat at all. They tasted like gross, chewy reconstituted dried mushrooms... very unpleasant. For our mains, we ordered the Scallops and the Steak. The scallops were undercooked. My wife had a hard time finishing them. We weren't concerned about health risks considering how upscale this place was, but texturally you want a seared scallop to have a nice bouncy texture when you bite into it. These were very soft. On a positive note, the sauce was flavorful though. I am assuming my steak was cooked sous vide because it was insanely soft (almost mushy) and cooled down about 2 minutes after being brought to the table. There was no texture to it at all, and it had an odd warmed over flavor, like it was maybe cooked far in advance and then seared to order. The sides of potatoes and vegetables were more delicious to be honest. Overall, while I cannot fault the setting, ambiance and service, the food fell extremely short. Especially for the $300 we spent after tip.

    Photos
    SKADI
    SKADI - Chocolate trio dessert.

    Chocolate trio dessert.

    SKADI - Lychee sorbet

    See all

    Lychee sorbet

    Still Life Cafe - gourmet - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...