Yavapai- Canyon Cafeteria, Grand Canyon

You don't have to go out of the Grand Canyon National Park area to quench your thirst and to please your stomach after a long walk on the south rim.
A typical self-service cafeteria filled with locals and tourists.

I had a rice pilaf topped with mouth watering and delicate tasting salmon, while my wife had a rice and a juicy ham.

We had our lunch under a glass covered patio. Not so crowded at all as we thought.
A gift shop on the same building? is an added bonus. Parking is ample.

FOOD - Very Good
PRICE - Very Good
SERVICE - Do It Youself

The Canyon Cafe is a fancy name for the cafeteria located where we were staying at -- the Yavapai Lodge , Grand Canyon. The decor is standard cafeteria, and sort of reminded me of my high school days.

However, the food here is suprisingly good, and all the service workers are pleasant and helpful if you are searching for something in a sea of glass display cases and people. Prices are quite reasonable as well, great for families or people watching their budget. An average dinner for two adds up to about $20.00 US.

Favorite Dish: Stick to the basic stuff for the best food. We really liked the hearty breakfasts, the hot beef sandwich, the chicken pot pie, and the fried chicken and fries. The pasta and sauce is not bad.

There is a good salad bar (the only one on the South Rim) which is always fresh and topped up with a fair amount of choices. The downside was that they only had iceberg lettuce (I confess! I am a lettuce snob!), but the lettuce was always fresh, with shreds of red cabbage and carrot in it.

Kids big and small will love the soft ice cream machine with about 1/2 a dozen different Dreyer's flavors. We also had raspberry cream cake as well, that was obviously not out of a package and was quite good.

Two years ago we stayed two nights at the Yavapai Lodge.

At the start and end of our days we ate at the restaurant. We were very hungry and tired so the food should have tasted great.

Instead what I found was a lack of variety, small portions, and the food wasn't that great. By the way it was very expensive too.

Last year I enjoyed the Bright Angel restaurant a lot more. I didn't feel like I was in some run down high school cafeteria. After spending the night at the Phantom Ranch we were booked in the Maswik Lodge and ate in their cafeteria. That wasn't as good as the Bright Angel resaurant but was newer and more exceptable.

Favorite Dish: Not really anything.

You'll find all of your traditional foods here! Hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs... you know. Get your food and then sit down! Cafeteria! :) However, food was decent all things considered, and not as expensive as the steakhouses!!

Yavapai Cafeteria and Maswik Cafeteria are the perfect places in the Grand Canyon to eat something after a long day hiking.
Atmosphere is really nice with peace, there is an area with views in Yavapai Cafeteria to the wood. Prices are not expensive.

Favorite Dish: Salad and fried chicken are really good! Finally an ice-cream that's OK! isn't it?