Frosty Chalet

I ordered a hot fudge Sunday and got my husband a hamburger to go with fries and a vanilla shake. While I was waiting I decided to go ahead and eat my Sunday and boy was it good. The minute I ate the ice cream I knew my husband was gonna love his milkshake. When I got back to the hotel he told me that he had not had a milk shake as good since he had been in Illinois. My husband said that "EDS" in Lyons, Illinois, had made the best vanilla shakes anywhere, but it had gone out of business many, many, years ago. He had not had as good a shake since then. It had made my day since I had been constantly looking for places to replace is old vanilla shakes! Well we now have a new favorite place too bad it's only 7 hours from where we live. Is ice cream place has it a wide range of menu items; the ice cream is out of this world. Parking is plentiful and free. And, prices, I think are reasonable, although I've seen other people complain about them being too expensive. Personally, I think prices are just right for the quality of of these menu items. Although not handicapped marked, I believe most wheelchairs might be able to access the doorways. Finally the date for, although small, inside there are many cute signs and funny sayings on the walls very darling!

This is our tried and true place to stop in Lone Pine when passing through! Personal favorites are the malt shakes, soft serve cones, and burgers! It is was CASH ONLY the last 2 times we went there this year. There is an ATM close by. The most recent price for shakes the last time we stopped through on 07/23/22 was $7 per shake. This is comparable to places like Baskin Robbins, so we concluded it was reasonable. Also, we just enjoy the experience of stopping there and eating at the park across the street!

Amazing food! I've never had a bad experience. This time I took the kids to get ice cream and Fry's. They where very nice to accept my request to split one ice cream ( because they're big and my kids are small) they even did two cones for the price of one. The Fry's, fantastic!

Perfect pit stop for families. Food is still a fast food restaurant... decent burgers and roast beef and corn dogs etc.. the whole family scarfed it down easily. And it is decently priced. But the best pat is the outdoor grass picnic table area that is perfect for littles to run around and get all of their crazies out. We have been to Mammoth too many times to count, and this was our first of many stops to come. It will be our new tradition. Staff and all the people that happened to be eating there were all very friendly. So, if you have kids, stop here. If you don't, I'm sure you'll still enjoy the atmosphere and nostalgic diner food. Also, the bathrooms were clean! 🙌🏼

The traditional meal after a summit is to have a burger and beer at The Whitney Portal Store. Due to water contamination issues, there is no food being prepared there for hikers. I asked Chris to choose a lucky number and he said "3". So, we ate at the third place we saw once we hit Lone Pine, we were both starving!! Thankfully it was the awesome Frosty Chalet! I got a chance to speak to the owner for a few minutes and he had always wanted to climb Whitney as well. He's had to remove it after some health issues, but he likes hearing the stories of those that come down the mountain. When I asked him about the size of the burgers, he said that In & Out Burgers were modeled after his, so they were similar in size. We both ordered the cheeseburger, with everything! And some onion rings. OMG, just what was needed after a long hike. I was craving a hot fudge sundae, but they were out of hot fudge. The owner recommended the swirl cone, dipped in peanut butter. Yes! We ordered one in a cup and split it. Wow, that was yummy!

This place is the BEST! If your on the 395 you have to stop! This place has become a Tradition with my family. We plan our drive thru Lone Pine around Frosty Chalet hours "Summertime".It's cash only so make sure you have some and enough for a shake. We stop multiple times a year and have never been let down, I'm positive you won't be either.... Get a double!

THE BEST MILKSHAKE IN THE USA. Not even exaggerated, their cherry shake is absolutely the best milkshake we had during our trip. They use a slower rotation machine which will take a few more minutes to prepare but the result is so silky smooth. Highly recommended, even if you are just passing by!

Friend wanted to stop and we enjoyed a sundae and ice cream cone. Nice break. Nice outdoor seating and a beautiful park across the street. Clean restroom.

Stopped here during a heat wave and had the soft serve swirl and coffee/ chocolate shake. It was all so delicious and refreshing! Only improvement would be for them to stop using styrofoam.

Love this spot we stop here after hiking each summer. The chocolate malt is out of this world. This last time tried the frozen root beer float slushie very good!!! Cash only!!!

Very cute little 50s diner. Picnic area to eat. Great customer service. Cash only.

Always a good stop for ice cream on a warm summer day. Staff is always friendly and service has always been quick.

I have been coming here forever and when it reopened I was amongst one of the many locals who made a small pilgrimage for a double cheeseburger and seasoned fries.

Charene Robinson

The traditional meal after a summit is to have a burger and beer at The Whitney Portal Store. Due to water contamination issues, there is no food being prepared there for hikers. I asked Chris to choose a lucky number and he said "3". So, we ate at the third place we saw once we hit Lone Pine, we were both starving!! Thankfully it was the awesome Frosty Chalet! I got a chance to speak to the owner for a few minutes and he had always wanted to climb Whitney as well. He's had to remove it after some health issues, but he likes hearing the stories of those that come down the mountain. When I asked him about the size of the burgers, he said that In & Out Burgers were modeled after his, so they were similar in size. We both ordered the cheeseburger, with everything! And some onion rings. OMG, just what was needed after a long hike. I was craving a hot fudge sundae, but they were out of hot fudge. The owner recommended the swirl cone, dipped in peanut butter. Yes! We ordered one in a cup and split it. Wow, that was yummy!

T Reed

This place is the BEST! If your on the 395 you have to stop! This place has become a Tradition with my family. We plan our drive thru Lone Pine around Frosty Chalet hours "Summertime".It's cash only so make sure you have some and enough for a shake. We stop multiple times a year and have never been let down, I'm positive you won't be either.... Get a double!

Carlo Jessurun

THE BEST MILKSHAKE IN THE USA. Not even exaggerated, their cherry shake is absolutely the best milkshake we had during our trip. They use a slower rotation machine which will take a few more minutes to prepare but the result is so silky smooth. Highly recommended, even if you are just passing by!

Bay Walker

Friend wanted to stop and we enjoyed a sundae and ice cream cone. Nice break. Nice outdoor seating and a beautiful park across the street. Clean restroom.

Barbara d'Estaintot

Stopped here during a heat wave and had the soft serve swirl and coffee/ chocolate shake. It was all so delicious and refreshing! Only improvement would be for them to stop using styrofoam.

Brett Piskulick

Love this spot we stop here after hiking each summer. The chocolate malt is out of this world. This last time tried the frozen root beer float slushie very good!!! Cash only!!!

8 ventures

Very cute little 50s diner. Picnic area to eat. Great customer service. Cash only.

Jason Zade

Always a good stop for ice cream on a warm summer day. Staff is always friendly and service has always been quick.

Brandon Decker

I have been coming here forever and when it reopened I was amongst one of the many locals who made a small pilgrimage for a double cheeseburger and seasoned fries.

Their Chocolate Malts were Great, the burgers & fries good. They value history and their community!

Ted Larson

Their Chocolate Malts were Great, the burgers & fries good. They value history and their community!

Richard Williams

Good place to eat lunch. I had the hamburger ($8) and while the meat looked like a pre-made frozen patty the lettuce, tomato and onion were first class. The bun was sweet tasting. Overall it was delicious. Most likely full of carbs and calories but hey, it was good. They make a great malt! (For you kids that a milkshake with malted milk added) yum

Pretty average burger and food really, but nothing wrong with it either. If you're looking for a quick bite, it'll do. My friend left his wallet here though and the owners were very nice about it and kept it in the safe until we got back. Final note- cash only so be prepared.

Tasty burger, fries and soft serve. A little slow, but they were busy. Cash only.

I really enjoyed my double cheeseburger and chocolate malt shake; wife said her cheeseburger was ok; hot dog looked good. As others stated prepare for sticker shock. Service was fine, just order and go.

Good was as expected and good. Wait was a little on the long side, but that's ok. Please know this place only accepts cash.

If you wondered what a home cooked version of In n Out would taste like, this is it. Staff is very friendly and proud to serve never frozen fresh beef. The burgers are delicious as well as the fries. The prices are not to bad around $20 to $25 for two people. Very glad I chose this for a pit stop over Carl's Jr.

We only had the dessert offerings and didn't order any meal items. I had a chocolate and banana shake that they were happy to make even though it wasn't on the menu. The banana was a flavor additive and not an actual banana, so steer clear of that. The kids had an ice cream sundae and a swirl cone dipped in chocolate. They were both as expected. When in Lone Pine, this would be a worthwhile stop. Give it a shot.

Leave southern Orange County in the morning, head up the old 395 up to Mammoth and about the time you reach Lone Pine, you'll find yourself hungry for lunch. Lucky for you, after miles of open fields and shabby farmhouses, you'll come upon Frosty Chalet. Frosty has the appearance of an old style woody architecture with a grassy area and picnic benches available for mild weather. Lots of parking is available behind the building and along the front. Prices reflect the cost for a glimpse and taste of hamburgers from days gone by. Slightly higher than you'd expect at today's fast food joints. Double cheeseburgers go down easily after a long drive. Order a side of fries to top it all off. It feels good to walk about take in some fresh air, stretch your legs, and enjoy a flavorful chocolate malt. Make Frosty your next rest stop on your way up north!

Very tasty. Smallish hamburger but ok. Fries were hot and mildly seasoned. Nice outdoor seating. Air conditioned indoors.

Frank Fazio

Leave southern Orange County in the morning, head up the old 395 up to Mammoth and about the time you reach Lone Pine, you'll find yourself hungry for lunch. Lucky for you, after miles of open fields and shabby farmhouses, you'll come upon Frosty Chalet. Frosty has the appearance of an old style woody architecture with a grassy area and picnic benches available for mild weather. Lots of parking is available behind the building and along the front. Prices reflect the cost for a glimpse and taste of hamburgers from days gone by. Slightly higher than you'd expect at today's fast food joints. Double cheeseburgers go down easily after a long drive. Order a side of fries to top it all off. It feels good to walk about take in some fresh air, stretch your legs, and enjoy a flavorful chocolate malt. Make Frosty your next rest stop on your way up north!

David Wolter

Very tasty. Smallish hamburger but ok. Fries were hot and mildly seasoned. Nice outdoor seating. Air conditioned indoors.

It's a fun and cute little throwback hamburger stand with a shady and grassy picnic area. They don't make 'em like this any more. Based on a desire to experience nostalgia, and based on the reviews, we were excited to eat at this establishment. Unfortunately, the food was nothing to write home about. Onion rings were good, but the burgers and sandwiches were just okay. We had read rave reviews about the peanut butter dipped cones, but were disappointed that they tasted like wax, and not especially peanut buttery wax, either. I don't think we'll go back again. Gave it three stars because the food was edible.

3.5, Heads up....CASH ONLY. No ATM on site. Plus, no sign out front stating this. There is a credit Union ATM, 2 lots over, same side of the road, about a 3 minute walk, there and back. Ice cream was very tasty, creamy and delicious. I got a large vanilla cone, seemed more like a medium size for $3.99. No pics today, but picture..... a vanilla soft serve, lol

the people behind the counter were talking, even after they realized my wife were waiting, but continued to talk to each other. when we placed our order which was for two swirled ice cream cones dipped in chocolate it was as if we had asked free huge order. When we received the ice cream cones the young lady behind the counter looked at me and said are you sure you're the one who ordered these ice creams. After saying yes I'm pretty sure we ordered them, she pulled the ice cream back and went and asked the lady who took our order we didn't confirm that we were the ones and without even a thank you she just shoved the ice cream through the counter. However I have to admit the ice creams were very good.

This is a roadside fast food restaurant with a classic old-school vibe about it which is why we visited in the first place. It’s in an old looking building well decorated to match its old school vibe. It has a nice little patio/yard to the side and friendly, helpful staff. But that’s about the only cool things about it - the food is a total let down. Everything is super salty and tastes of old grease. We had fries (covered in some super salty seasoning), onions rings, a hamburger and a grilled cheese sandwich. I wouldn’t recommend any of them but then again I don’t usually eat this type of food so make of it what you will.

Burgers are very mediocre and not worth the price. If you are going for burgers, you are honestly better off going to McDonald's across the street. The ice cream looked good but we did not try it.

Expected so much more than we got. Four burgers were dry and not very flavorful. Fries were medium warm and had clearly been plopped frozen from a bag into the fryer. The only seasoning was a light dusting of seasoning salt. Not delicious. Glad we had cash, because after placing the order, the friendly server behind the counter informed me that they were cash only. She helpfully pointed out the nearest ATM, though. Would it hurt to maybe put a sign at the counter letting people know that it's cash only? We didn't wait very long, but it wasn't fast, either. Others mentioned the ice cream, but we didn't have any. We'd kind of been turned off by the meal. I would look for somewhere else to eat in Lone Pine before returning to Frosty Chalet. The big ice cream cone on the sign is fun.

There's a decent line and the food was below par for us. We spent $31 for just two meals and McDonald's is way better! We ordered a cheeseburger meal with coke and a ham sandwich with a coke. No desserts ordered. The fries come in a small bag and were okay. I will admit that we normally get dessert but did not have any and it looks like they may have some nice quality desserts but we don't know for sure... Seeing all the five stars I assume that has to be the desserts are better than the food.

Nothing to write home about, avg burger with a very thin slice of meat. Onion Rings were the best thing I had. All the workers seemed unhappy and could care less about offering good service. Won't be back.

Oana Gusatu

This is a roadside fast food restaurant with a classic old-school vibe about it which is why we visited in the first place. It’s in an old looking building well decorated to match its old school vibe. It has a nice little patio/yard to the side and friendly, helpful staff. But that’s about the only cool things about it - the food is a total let down. Everything is super salty and tastes of old grease. We had fries (covered in some super salty seasoning), onions rings, a hamburger and a grilled cheese sandwich. I wouldn’t recommend any of them but then again I don’t usually eat this type of food so make of it what you will.

Briana Markes-Lyon

Burgers are very mediocre and not worth the price. If you are going for burgers, you are honestly better off going to McDonald's across the street. The ice cream looked good but we did not try it.

Jon

Expected so much more than we got. Four burgers were dry and not very flavorful. Fries were medium warm and had clearly been plopped frozen from a bag into the fryer. The only seasoning was a light dusting of seasoning salt. Not delicious. Glad we had cash, because after placing the order, the friendly server behind the counter informed me that they were cash only. She helpfully pointed out the nearest ATM, though. Would it hurt to maybe put a sign at the counter letting people know that it's cash only? We didn't wait very long, but it wasn't fast, either. Others mentioned the ice cream, but we didn't have any. We'd kind of been turned off by the meal. I would look for somewhere else to eat in Lone Pine before returning to Frosty Chalet. The big ice cream cone on the sign is fun.

Phil Sigler

There's a decent line and the food was below par for us. We spent $31 for just two meals and McDonald's is way better! We ordered a cheeseburger meal with coke and a ham sandwich with a coke. No desserts ordered. The fries come in a small bag and were okay. I will admit that we normally get dessert but did not have any and it looks like they may have some nice quality desserts but we don't know for sure... Seeing all the five stars I assume that has to be the desserts are better than the food.

Michelle Lamm - Faries

Nothing to write home about, avg burger with a very thin slice of meat. Onion Rings were the best thing I had. All the workers seemed unhappy and could care less about offering good service. Won't be back.

I usually like to try small business owned places when visiting a smaller town but I will pass on this place in the future. This seemed good because of the desserts so decided to just get food first then dessert afterwards. What started it all off was asking how big the fries were because we were debating on sharing one and was told "they are a adult sized portion..I dont really know what that means". She could not even show us a size. So we ordered 2. Heads up if both parties are eating a burger they can probably share one fry. Then the only table outside covered was completely wet as if it got sprayed down. Totally fine with wiping it so I asked for a towel for the table and was given a wet towel. A wet towel for a wet table so I wrung it out before using. Then there's no signs anywhere saying no refills or the cost. It would be nice to know ahead of time since its 95 degrees out. Based off all of those we decided to pass on dessert. The burgers were mediocre like the customer service and too much bread for a very skinny patty. Also the sign that shows what's on the burgers has a typo. It currently says "Please let the cashier no about items..." it should be "know".

Very stingy with ketchup. I didn’t order fries and when I asked for ketchup for my burger I was asked why I needed it since I didn’t have fries. The employee grudgingly gave me 2 packets. I wanted to purchase a milkshake but would need water to go with it. Water is only sold- I would have had to pay $3 for bottled water. I ended up cancelling the milkshake. It was 98 degrees and only partially shaded outdoor seating is available. The shade cover is at an angle and too low for anyone taller than 5’5”. While there I saw two people (myself included) bonk their head on the shade structure. Cash only, which is so outdated. I won’t be back.

No debit card, cash only! take a walk in the heat to the nearest ATM only to find out you didn't have enough to pay the high prices, no tables inside but shaded latice outside. food is great! I don't think the hastle was worth it. Oh, my doughter pulled a hair out of her soft serve.

I walked .7 mile across town just to get a tasty milkshake. It was pretty good. But the burger was small and had no flavor. For the price and type of establishment I expected a homemade quick burger but no this was pre packaged tiny little thing. I was quite disappointed in what I got.

I had the bbq roast beef sandwich again a few weeks ago and it didn't impress. Perhaps the quality has gone down, or maybe it is the fact the food is now so overpriced for what you get. But I think my experience felt both. I will never eat here again. I only went to this restaurant because the photos of the menus online showed the menu and pricing. I knew the food wasn't great but for the price I figured it would suffice. When I arrived the prices were up $2.00-$2.25 for all sandwiches over what I saw in the photos. I took photos of the menu and will post them so others can decide whether they want to pay $10 for a tiny sandwich with mediocre flavor.

S Rambo

I had the bbq roast beef sandwich again a few weeks ago and it didn't impress. Perhaps the quality has gone down, or maybe it is the fact the food is now so overpriced for what you get. But I think my experience felt both. I will never eat here again. I only went to this restaurant because the photos of the menus online showed the menu and pricing. I knew the food wasn't great but for the price I figured it would suffice. When I arrived the prices were up $2.00-$2.25 for all sandwiches over what I saw in the photos. I took photos of the menu and will post them so others can decide whether they want to pay $10 for a tiny sandwich with mediocre flavor.

Of all the years travelling to Mammoth Ski resort, the place was always closed. It is seasonal, but we were always curious about the ice cream and wanted to try it out. Burgers were a bit pricey, onion rings decent. Thought maybe because of all the cattles around we would get some fresh meats? NO, it was mediocre. The patty was so tiny, it didn't qualify for a personal serving of at least 4ounces of protein. I think Carl's junior across the street would of tasted better and better prices. I guess if small town wants to keep their mom and pop shops open, it would behoove them to make food taste better. I don't mind paying for good food. THIS wasn't :/Sorry peeps.

This place is a definite hit with those that travel through Lone Pine. I am a local and have one Burger a season there and always remind myself of how expensive they are for average food. Everyone does seem to enjoy their ice cream and or shakes, though. It would be one thing if you were having table service for the price but you're not, so it's no different then walking to a counter at Carl's which is across the street or McDonald's at the south end of town with exception of price gouging. Our meal was two cheeseburgers, one double cheeseburger, one chocolate shake, one large Diet Coke, and two fries for $31.33. You decide. Add to that the inconvenience of "cash only" and I just don't think it's worth the stop. I will try and remember my own advice next season!

Not sure how to rate becsuse we never even got to order. Used to stop here as a child. Wanted to take my son but it was always closed. Finally travel times aligned so we stopped for lunch. Unfortunately i saw the "cash only" sign while waiting in line. Oh well 🤷‍♂️.....You would think that on a busy busy hwy that things might be a bit more modernized.....sad that I didn't have any cash on me......

Way overpriced. Sundae was a joke. $7 for this tiny thing. Burgers were over cooked and super dry. Patties were paper thin. Buns were burnt. $34 for 2 double cheeseburgers and a hot fudge sundae. Def stay away.

Tim Jones

Way overpriced. Sundae was a joke. $7 for this tiny thing. Burgers were over cooked and super dry. Patties were paper thin. Buns were burnt. $34 for 2 double cheeseburgers and a hot fudge sundae. Def stay away.

So this was our first time stopping here. We didn’t notice it was cash only and we only had large bills. We asked if a large bill could be broken. The young man said yes. Unfortunately for him, he was chewed out by the older woman. The younger woman told him it was “too late now”. Neither woman asked us if we had smaller bills, ( which we didn’t), before serving the ice cream. But we would have understood and maybe stopped by next time. Instead they belittled the young man and made indirect comments about it being ridiculous to pay with a large bill and how she would have to go to the bank now. It was very uncomfortable. I will never return. The ice cream was okay and the chocolate dip was very waxy.