Rafters Restaurant

"Upscale food in a family friendly atmosphere. Perfect for a special night out in Mammoth!"

If you are looking for a family restaurant with a casual atmosphere but some upscale dining opportunities for mom and dad, Rafters is your place.  We went on a Friday night and the environment was lively and there was enough background noise to drown out the loud voices of our children without being so loud that we couldn’t hear each other speak.  The centerpiece of the restaurant is the massive two story brick fireplace.  Just gorgeous.

The children’s dinner menu offers typical fare including hot dogs, chicken fingers, pasta with red sauce, and cheeseburgers.  Most items on the children’s menu were $6 and the plates my children ordered were quite large so if you have a couple kids with small appetites, they can share.  

The adult menu offered upscale items and the average entrée price tag was about $25.  I ordered an egg fettuccine pasta dish with roast duck, mushrooms, and a cream sauce that was incredible. I have never had duck that tasted so good. My husband ordered the flat iron steak which included roasted potatoes and green beans. He said it was well prepared (ie: actually cooked to the temperature he requested) and delicious.

The restaurant had a sommelier that walked visited the tables and suggest win pairing for entrees. He was a down to earth and casual, and suggested an perfect but reasonably priced half bottle for my husband and I to share.  The wine was great and complemented both of our meals perfectly.

For dessert, the kids had vanilla ice cream and were able to select different topping such as strawberries or hot chocolate sauce, which came in a little container for them to pour on themselves. Quite a big deal for four year olds!  I indulged in the sorbet trio which I highly recommend.
The chef is always coming up with new and unusual flavors of sorbet and the offerings change all the time.  The three I had were peach with lemongrass, black raspberry, and garlic with honey.  Yes, I know garlic sorbet sounds odd, and it was, but it actually tasted quite good.  

If you would rather visit during the morning hours, a breakfast menu is offered.  The children’s menu includes everything bacon and eggs to French toast or Belgian waffles. The adult menu features items such as brioche French toast, banana sour cream pancakes, and eggs benedict with smoked duck.  The average adult breakfast menu item is around $11.

Overall, I think Rafters offers the best of both worlds for families.  It gives parents the opportunities to enjoy an adult meal in a family friendly setting.  While meals do cost more than the typical family friendly restaurant, I do think they are reasonably priced considering its upscale New American cuisine style. Rafters is definitely the perfect place to celebrate or splurge during your vacation in Mammoth.

Disclosure: My family’s meal was paid for by Snowcreek Resort while I was up visiting the resort to write a story.  Snowcreek Resort is not affiliated with Rafters in any way.  The resort did not request that I express any particular opinion of the restaurant and, as always, all of my reviews are my honest opinion.