The Grill At the Antlers Inn

A nice surprise from what I expected of a roadside inn. Call in for reservations because they were super busy when we dined. They even sat us right next to the fireplace. Excellent service, decent wine selection, and awesome steaks!

Had dinner last night with my wife. The spaghetti bolognese was just OK, but served lukewarm. The sauce was dark red and had an overcooked aroma. My main complaint is the lack of AIR CONDITIONING! It was an uncomfortable 83 degrees inside and the anemic ceiling fans did little to help. We skipped desert just to get outside.

OUTSTANDING restaurant. Never a time we’ve visited and didn’t have a phenomenal dining experience here. AWESOME greeting; great service; awesome food. It doesn’t get any better than this. One of two of our favorite places to dine on the mountain. We love this place!

We were first timers… so let me first say the host/​owner was gracious, even in defeat.
However, this past weekend we dined in the Sushi Bar. There were no tables available downstairs, but the full menu was available, fair enough, but the food was horrendous.
So either we experienced aliens taking over the restaurant, or the 100 «excellent reviews» we read prior to making our decision were all made by locals with sunstroke and altitude sickness.
We order some sushi (blue fin sushi and a cali-​roll). Cali-​roll was mushy and the blue fin was dry, anemic, tasted bad and was no where near sushi grade.
Mushroom risotto was a salt bomb (no chef worth his salt makes risotto with salted stock) — sent it back.
Spaghetti Bolognese — OK taste really but another salt bomb — sent it back.
Before I continue, I love highly seasoned food to a fault. If its too salty for me its gonna send the average 50 year old into stage 2 hypertension.
Let’s talk about the catch of the day preparation (which this night was Mahi). 3 of us ordered this. I dont know how they partially cooked the fish but imagine a cross between Sous-​vide and poached Mahi, with some pesto-​crab mixture stuffed into a small cut on top of the fish, served over previous stated salty mushroom risotto, then all washed out with some clear broth so that bits of risotto and mushroom were floating around the bowl.
I took one look and lost my appetite. I only tasted the dish to confirm what I already knew, and as a check and balance in case the mountain sun and altitude had completed altered my view of reality as well.
PLEASE dont over reach, just get some basic food right and work on the kitchen fundamentals.

From the romantic ambiance to the service to the food, everything was top notch. Even the bread and butter was hot and fresh. We ordered bruschetta, fillet mignon, penne pasta, and pesto/​crab stuffed mahi mahi. For desert we ordered the Apple pear bread pudding, as well as the ice cream pie. Everything was perfect, 10 out of 10, coming from a huge foodie with high food standards. The server was extremely polite and friendly. Prices are really low for the quality of food. A restaurant like this in LA would have easily cost $ 100pp.

Great service, ambience, and food! Reasonably priced kids meals too! Spectacular place — can’t wait to go back.

This is a REALLY great place — actually one of the only nice restaurants up on the mountain! The food is superb as well as the atmosphere with the cabin-​like decorations. If you’re going during peak seasons make sure to make a reservation well in advance because everyone likes to eat here!

Went a few weeks back for sunday brunch. Very good food that doesnt skimp on quality. We will definitely be returning!
I love the old style cabin look they have here. Also service was very fast and professional!

Walking in was interesting, as you have your hostess directly in front of you, The Grill restaurant to the left, and a hall with a Japanese curtain and neon sushi sign, to the right. What did we get ourselves into?! Turns out, this was one of the best meals I’d ever have.
Upon the recommendation of our server, we started with the tempura avocado with a raspberry remoulade. Crispy crust, tender and fresh avocado, topped with the semi-​sweetness of the remoulade and tang of the aioli, finished with a Napa cabbage slaw that was actually worth eating, and not just leaving as a garnish!
Course #2 was a house salad (that can be upgraded to a Caesar salad, but definitely not necessary). The salad was mixed field greens with crumbled feta, garlicky croutons, cherry tomatoes and their house dressing, which did have a little sweetness. (I think the chef loves his sweets!) The punch of the garlic in the croutons was unexpected, and delicious. 2 for 2.
Course #3 — A 12 oz, juicy, black peppered ribeye, cooked to a perfect medium rare, with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh, julienned vegetables, served in a rosemary pan sauce. It was, literally, lick-​your-​plate-​clean, good. But I opted to be a little more reserved. Still nothing we can find wrong with this place…3 for 3. (My better half had the filet, buuut we somehow ordered it medium, so as delicious as the flavor, the ribeye outdid the filet.)
Course #4 — Lemon cheesecake. Just the right amount of cheesecake to the amount of whipped topping that mellowed out the sweetness. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but this did NOT get wasted, 4 out of 4 dishes. Amazing.
Overall bill: $ 119 and change (includes a corkage fee for $ 13). We could expect to spend double this, for the same back home.
Our server was friendly, engaging and offered plenty of suggestions. The atmosphere was intimate. The food was out of this world. If you’re the area, or even if you’re «down the hill,» this is one restaurant that you need to experience.
(I apologize in advance for the lack of quality in the photos!)

This is one of the best restaurants on the mountain. Jamie is the waitress to ask for. She is attentive to her customers, without being bothersome. I had filet cooked very rare. It was great. My spouse had the salmon. Again, a great meal. If you’re going to spend $ 100 or so and want great food and service, go to the Grill at Antlers in Twin Peaks!

Great service and friendly staff. We got seated in a little private area which made it intimate. This place has an fun atmosphere. Definitely will return and tell my friends.

Best restaurant in Lake Arrowhead!
Went for a birthday dinner with reservations. The ambiance of this restaurant is basically like fancy cabin. Beautiful high ceilings and exposed beams, light everywhere. Buzzing with energy of families, dates, birthday parties, vibrant art on the walls, and the big sports game in the background. I’m a fan!
I didn’t get to try everything, but here’s what everyone said about their meals:
Chicken tortellini– amazing, best he’s ever had, savory and very filling meal.
Crab cake– great flavor, small portion. Good for a small appetizer.
Catch of the day (Mahi Mahi) stuffed with crab and pesto– maybe I’m just not a huge fan of the fish itself, it just tasted a little plain to me, but the two that ordered it LOVED it.
Oh also, the sourdough bread they serve at the beginning is amazing. Get some extra if you are having a pasta dish!
Winners of the night:
***Rack of lamb***- Now I’ve had a few of these and this was the best I’ve ever had. The lamb was cooked perfectly with a beautiful red on the inside. And the panko crust sealed the deal. The mashed potatoes and carrots were doused in this au jus which was just amazing. I loved how the softness of the side dishes contrasted the crunch of the lamb’s crust. This dish is a winner!
***Shrimp and scallop spaghettini*** — if you want a lighter version, try it with a spicy red sauce (which I got, thank you for letting me modify my order and I LOVED it). What I usually don’t like about seafood pasta dishes is that there’s usually too much seafood and not enough pasta. Not at this restaurant. Huge portions of shrimp (large and small shrimp!) and scallops. I loved the original version with the champagne cream sauce, I thought it might be too heavy but the sauce was nice and light without the flavor getting lost in the bottom of the pasta bowl.
Their service is TOP notch. Our waitress was too kind and helpful. I asked for a variation on my order and the waitress forgot to bring it. Without me saying ANYTHING, she quickly apologized, brought the correct order in 2 minutes and gave us a free dessert. She was always checking in with us without being intrusive. I also saw another waitress helping out a couple with 3 kids under the age of 4 get their kids at the table and comfortable, and even provided special cups to prevent the inevitable spills. Every staff member seemed to go above and beyond their job description. I think I was most impressed with that.
Bread pudding free w bday– so good! I love bread pudding that isn’t too heavy. This one was light and fluffy with a sweet cream sauce.
***Flourless chocolate cake– free with the botched order. If you are a chocoholic/​rich dessert lover, this is for YOU. Wow. I’m not even a big fan of very rich desserts and I was all about this one. Perfect way to end the meal.
The ambiance and energy of this place was so good that somehow half the restaurant was helping us sing happy birthday. This place has such good vibes.
Also, I’ve always been a little sketched out by inland sushi, but if this restaurant is THIS good, with everything we ordered hitting the mark, I would definitely give it a whirl. Thank you so much for a great experience, we will be back!

Wonderful restaurant in the hills. A log cabin lodge is the setting for the restaurant which also features a sushi bar upstairs. From the host to the waitress to the server, service was impeccable, friendly, yet efficient. I started off with a dirty martini, yum! Entrée was a crab-​stuffed mahi-​mahi bakes to perfection resting on risotto and Juliet veggies. OMG. Friends dishes were equally enticing and apparently delectable.
Bread pudding desert is to die for… PG rated, no rum…
This is a gem of a place and highly recommend to everyone.
BTW, there are cottages for rent adjacent to the restaurant.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you the food on the mountain sucks. The Antlers Inn is very good. Steak, shrimp, scallops, and even plain old spaghetti is really good. O, I forgot, sushi too. Far, far from the ocean, sushi, and it’s not bad.
Don’t forget your wallet and watch out for Bigfoot heading back to your car.

I went to this place a few months ago and had an amazing experience. I called ahead and asked if they had vegan options and luck would have it… I got the chef (Sharif) on the phone! He told me they could customize a meal for me.
Dinner was wonderful. He made me hummus, a bean soup, and then blackened tofu and veggies with a seared, halved plantain. It was all amazing! The bartender was friendly and made a great Old Fashioned too! :-)
I have moved to the mountains now and can’t wait to go back. The only sad thing is, I hear that Sharif is opening his own restaurant in Big Bear soon. Good for him but sad for me!

Went for dinner, I was there a little after 5 and it was very quiet. It did pick up by the time I left so that was a good thing. I was eating alone so I didn’t get an appetizer. I started with the upgrade to the caesar salad, it was good but don’t think it’s really worth a $ 2 upgrade. I have never had the house so maybe it is, but I don’t see why that salad would cost more, maybe house made dressing but I’d be surprised if that were the case. I had the ribeye steak with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. It was prepared as ordered, not revolutionizing the steak but it was good, the sauce that was around the steak/​potato didn’t overpower and played well. I had coffee and peanut butter pie for dessert, again they were good, and I didn’t ask if the pie was made in house. All things it’s reasonably prices for the quality and the service. They don’t take Amex, which is a hassle but only for some.

Who knew there was duck/​salmon/​ham/​ahi eggs Benedict in the mountains?! I did! Now you do! No more excuses.
Grab the family, put the foot down and head on up. Sunday breakfast is the BEST! They even have mimosas.
Stop sleeping in, or don’t, they keep brunch rockin till 2p!
Why are you still reading this? GO! Food is being eaten without you.

This place was wonderful. We stopped in to take a look around while my daughter was at her karate class. The hostess Laura greeted us immediately with a warm welcome. We explained that we were just looking around and hadn’t been in before. She handed us the dinner menu and the evening’s sushi menu as well. Laura patiently gave us a tour of the main, downstairs dinning room and the upstairs, sushi bar area.
After picking up my daughter we decided to give it a try. Hayley, the server was friendly, attentive and patient without hovering; perfect!
I had the Tequila Chicken Fettuccine ($ 18.50). This dish was nothing short of amazing. There were bright citrus notes, a mellow tequila tang and nice sharp hints from the roasted red peppers and onions. I could easily have eaten this as a vegetarian pasta and not missed the chicken at all. It is served on al dente spinach fettuccine that just could not have been better.
My girlfriend ordered the Chicken Penne Gorgonzola ($ 20.50). This was fantastic as well. The gorgonzola didn’t overpower, but was definitely there. The sun dried tomatoes added a nice bright flavor.
Both of the adult entrees came with a dinner salad; mixed greens, croutons, cherry tomato and blue cheese. The house dressing is a raspberry chipotle vinagrette that you MUST try.
My daughter had the child’s penne alfredo ($ 6), we added chicken breast ($ 4.75). This was quite tasty. For a kid’s meal, I would have understood a bland, mediocre alfredo, but that is not what we got. This was a truly great alfredo. The portion was very healthy.
We split the Pear and Apple Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. Again, the chef did an amazing job. This was just right.

A Great Find in Lake Arrowhead for Fine Dining
The options for 5 star dining aren’t abundant in Lake Arrowhead as you can imagine, but The Grill at the Antlers Inn does a bang up job.
LOCATION & AMBIANCE (Rating 4.5) The Grill at Antlers Inn definitely has the mountain cabin feel. A small, but warm foyer greets you as you walk in. A coat rack that’s actually used by regular patrons is there as well. Walking into the restaurant, you pass a large bar with a few seats that was full when we visited. There are animal heads high on the walls and a large center area with seating for the restaurant. It’s a bit dark and loud, so intimate it’s not as it’s been designed to cater to different needs I believe.
SERVICE (Rating 4) So we had to wait for a bit for our table even though we had reservations. It was only about 15 minutes and we were hanging out with great friends so it didn’t matter, but it’s still no OK if you’re looking for a 5 star review IMO. The service at the table was very good. the waitress was very helpful and was happy to give us her opinions on entrees and share what other customers had enjoyed. She checked back on us once but missed filling our empty wine glasses. Luckily I figured it out and we were OK. ;)
GRILLED SALMON (Rating 4.5) This is a wonderful dish that was cooked almost perfectly (just a little too done for me) It has a dill & Dijon sauce, mushroom risotto and fresh veggies. The sauce was wonderful and the salmon steak was nice and thick so don’t be afraid to order this even if you’re really hungry!
SKIRT STEAK SPECIAL (Rating 4.25) This was a bit thicker than the typical skirt steak I’m used to and was perfectly cooked at medium rare. It sat upon a nice garlic mash and asparagus shoots and it came with a chipolte sauce that was perfect to dip the steak in. The steak had a bit more fat than I typically like, but it definitely added a great deal of flavor and overall it was a very nice quality cut. I’d do this again!

The Grill at Antler’s Inn is one of the finest dining options on the mountain. The large and spacious restaurant has a bar and a wraparound patio. Despite having seating for more than 50 people, I strongly recommend making reservations. It is a popular spot for dinner and often sells out on the weekends.
The mountain inspired décor is friendly and inviting. White linen tablecloths give an upscale vibe, but the wooden wall treatments and accessories as well as the lighting make it still feel local and casual. The warm atmosphere is matched by the staff. Larry (who has been running it for 6 years) manages a well oiled machine. The restaurant is definitely family friendly. They also have a full bar — a few beers on tap, well made cocktails and a decent wine list.
The lovely staff started by bringing a basket of bread to the table — sliced, warm sourdough baguette is served with whipped butter that is not ice cold. Excellent bread with perfect butter. A+ They also brought out little plates with a wedge of watermelon and a few grapes for the LOs. A++
Here is what we had:
Kids’ Penne Alfredo ($ 7): a HUGE bowl of penne pasta with a well seasoned, buttery and rich alfredo sauce. Excellent dish. A+
House Salad (included with each entrée): spring mix greens are lightly tossed with a raspberry-​chipotle vinaigrette (well balanced — neither too spicy nor too sweet) and topped with crumbled feta, a few housemade croutons and a split grape tomato. This was an excellent starter. I would skip the apps and enjoy every bite of this. A+
Soup Du Jour ($ 2 sub for salad with entrée): a light and warming purée of white bean soup that was perfectly seasoned. I love that this soup is not drowning in cream — excellent. A+
Chicken Penne Gorgonzola ($ 19.50): DH’s HUGE bowl of pasta was tossed in a gorgonzola cream sauce and had hunks of sautéed chicken breast, sliced mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and sliced shallots. It was both incredibly rich and well seasoned. DH loved it. Personally, I would skip it, because I can easily make it at home but it was good. A–
Cashew Crusted Chicken Breast ($ 23): a square of French onion & almond bread pudding is surrounded by julienned and sautéed summer veggies (carrots, zucchini, yellow squash and shallots) and topped with two paillards of chicken breast that were breaded and pan fried and served with a bit of tomato chutney. While I could taste no almonds, the bread pudding did taste like caramelized onions and thyme. Yum. The veggies were crisp tender and sweet (only wish that there were more). The chicken was similarly perfectly cooked — moist throughout. I could taste no cashews; it tasted like it had been breaded with breadcrumbs and fried in butter. Regardless, it was very good. The tomato chutney was scant but more was brought upon request. The sweet and well seasoned chutney paired well with both the bread pudding and the chicken. I would order this again. A
Caribbean Salmon ($ 24.50): a HUGE (½ lb, at least) filet of salmon was served atop a bed of mushroom risotto and julienned and sautéed summer veggies with grilled bananas all of which is surrounded by a lemon Dijon sauce with a little tomato chutney. The fish was cooked to medium, despite requesting rare, but it was an EXCELLENT piece of fish that was moist throughout and had an incredible seasoning that definitely included paprika, salt and pepper. The bananas were sweet and marked by the grill but still had a firmness — excellent pairing with the salmon. The mushroom risotto and veggies were perfectly prepared and went surprisingly well with the salmon. The real star was the incredibly lemon Dijon sauce that was the most wonderful beurre blanc. Best dish at the table. A+
Apple Pear Bread Pudding ($ 5.50): a square of bread pudding with thin slices of pear and apple as well as golden raisins is served with crème anglaise. The bread pudding is good — I would have liked a bit more fruit — but the sauce is the real star here. Very yummy. A–
Peanut Butter Pie ($ 5.50): a chocolate graham cracker crust is topped with a 2″ layer of a light as a feather peanut butter mousse and about ½″ of whipped cream, all of which is drizzled with chocolate and some minced peanuts. Wow! I was expecting something far more dense. This was light, fluffy, and wonderful. The crust disintegrates a bit, but it sticks to the mousse and the whipped cream. SOOOO good.
This was a wonderful meal. The restaurant is beautiful with a casual but still fine dining atmosphere. The staff is lovely and VERY attentive (if you looked like you needed something, they were there). The food was tasty. I will definitely be back, and I recommend that you check it out too.