Dining on a military base often means striking a balance between function and flavor, and Coyote Cafe manages to do just that—with a welcoming twist. Nestled on post and run by a dedicated team of civilian staff, this chow hall stands out for its consistently great service and friendly atmosphere.
From the moment you walk in, it’s clear this isn’t your average military mess. The facility is well-kept, clean, and organized—creating an environment that feels more like a small-town diner than a standard issue eatery. The staff are a standout feature. Civilians at the helm bring a personable and professional energy, greeting service members with genuine smiles and a sense of warmth that lifts the mood after a long day. Their efficiency and kindness keep the lines moving and morale high.
As for the food, it’s classic military fare—with a few pleasant surprises. While you won’t find gourmet touches, you will find dependable and satisfying options. The meals are thoughtfully portioned, served hot, and the selections rotate enough to prevent repetition fatigue. Whether it’s baked chicken, spaghetti night, or a simple breakfast spread, the quality is consistent and the flavors are better than expected for base dining. There’s always something to fuel up on before the next shift or PT session.
Coyote Cafe doesn’t need to be fancy—it just needs to be good, and it absolutely delivers. For those stationed nearby or just passing through, it’s a reliable spot to grab a meal and feel taken care of. In a place defined by structure and routine, a bit of comfort and hospitality goes a long way—and at Coyote Cafe, you’ll find both.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Carlos Ortiz
It was one of the best DFAC that i had visited. The food is awesome and the price is great. 😉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jacob Zendejas
The staff is very friendly. This DFAC has you scan/pay after getting your food. I actually like this idea. Especially if you are paying because you only pay for what you get. They also post the food prices for each item. Very well thought out!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Duke Boss
Wow it's so surreal seeing a place i haven't been to since 2008 on here! Great DFAC.
ANTHONY OHLSON
This dfac is way better the the Iron Horse. Way cleaner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Lewis
Food service NTC Fort Irwin, CA. Food is good and for a reasonable price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennii Kosmowski
Haven’t seen prices like these since the 90s! Also lots of great options and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trenton Kirkpatrick
Good food when it's open 👍🏻
Colin Clark
Great DFAC. This is my preferred dining spot when I'm at Fort Irwin.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jesse Hughes
I like this place for the price of the food. It’s very affordable and I’d say that you get what you pay for. The food isn’t anything super great but it’s edible. What I don’t like about the place is that I often times do a 23/1 fast. Sometimes I’ll even do 72 hour fasts and then I’d like to have a salad for my days meal. This is all I’d eat all day and it seems that the staff have a problem with me loading my plate up with salad. I even had one of the cashiers ask me what was under my salad. Really? Like I’m trying to hide food under my lettuce. 🤦🏻♂️ there seems to be all these rules that apply to me when others don’t seem to have these issues. I’ve been told I can only have one plate (this instance I got an entree from the line and then a side salad on another plate), I’ve been told that I must use the tiny little clear plastic container for my salad when all I have is the salad and that’s literally all I eat that day. So conclusively, although I like the prices of the food normally, it seems that they don’t want me to eat here so I don’t come here much anymore.
Awesome place to grab some chow, the staff really put the maximum effort to ensuring that their food is of the most highest quality. Best prices in town!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
O
Great food at great prices. I served here for 4 years and now I've been a contractor for 5 years and come by a few times a month.
I wish as a NCO I had tried the dfac with the soldiers every so often. It can be really empty or jam packed depending on a lot of things. My regrets are asking soldiers to grab food and come back when we were short on time. I now see that telling them to eat there, soak up some AC and to come back with a purpose would have been a better option for morale and nutritional reasons. 10 extra minutes really wouldn't have made an impact on anything realistically..
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dragon Thai
For the price of the quality of your food, the food definitely matches the price. Rating this Dining facility on a scale compared to other dining facilities, this place definitely is not as good as Ft Sam Houston's. Still better than McDonald's though
Parking: If you don't have a ground guide you are in the wrong
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Hunter Keiser
One of the best Army Warrior Restaurants I've been to. The staff were very friendly and the food was consistently acceptable.
Dining on a military base often means striking a balance between function and flavor, and Coyote Cafe manages to do just that—with a welcoming twist. Nestled on post and run by a dedicated team of civilian staff, this chow hall stands out for its consistently great service and friendly atmosphere.
From the moment you walk in, it’s clear this isn’t your average military mess. The facility is well-kept, clean, and organized—creating an environment that feels more like a small-town diner than a standard issue eatery. The staff are a standout feature. Civilians at the helm bring a personable and professional energy, greeting service members with genuine smiles and a sense of warmth that lifts the mood after a long day. Their efficiency and kindness keep the lines moving and morale high.
As for the food, it’s classic military fare—with a few pleasant surprises. While you won’t find gourmet touches, you will find dependable and satisfying options. The meals are thoughtfully portioned, served hot, and the selections rotate enough to prevent repetition fatigue. Whether it’s baked chicken, spaghetti night, or a simple breakfast spread, the quality is consistent and the flavors are better than expected for base dining. There’s always something to fuel up on before the next shift or PT session.
Coyote Cafe doesn’t need to be fancy—it just needs to be good, and it absolutely delivers. For those stationed nearby or just passing through, it’s a reliable spot to grab a meal and feel taken care of. In a place defined by structure and routine, a bit of comfort and hospitality goes a long way—and at Coyote Cafe, you’ll find both.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
It was one of the best DFAC that i had visited. The food is awesome and the price is great. 😉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The staff is very friendly. This DFAC has you scan/pay after getting your food. I actually like this idea. Especially if you are paying because you only pay for what you get. They also post the food prices for each item. Very well thought out!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Wow it's so surreal seeing a place i haven't been to since 2008 on here! Great DFAC.
This dfac is way better the the Iron Horse. Way cleaner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food service NTC Fort Irwin, CA. Food is good and for a reasonable price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Haven’t seen prices like these since the 90s! Also lots of great options and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food when it's open 👍🏻
Great DFAC. This is my preferred dining spot when I'm at Fort Irwin.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I like this place for the price of the food. It’s very affordable and I’d say that you get what you pay for. The food isn’t anything super great but it’s edible. What I don’t like about the place is that I often times do a 23/1 fast. Sometimes I’ll even do 72 hour fasts and then I’d like to have a salad for my days meal. This is all I’d eat all day and it seems that the staff have a problem with me loading my plate up with salad. I even had one of the cashiers ask me what was under my salad. Really? Like I’m trying to hide food under my lettuce. 🤦🏻♂️ there seems to be all these rules that apply to me when others don’t seem to have these issues. I’ve been told I can only have one plate (this instance I got an entree from the line and then a side salad on another plate), I’ve been told that I must use the tiny little clear plastic container for my salad when all I have is the salad and that’s literally all I eat that day. So conclusively, although I like the prices of the food normally, it seems that they don’t want me to eat here so I don’t come here much anymore.
Vegetarian options: They have salad bar
Dietary restrictions: They have salad bar
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Great place to eat. Especially for breakfasts.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omelet Station Breakfast
Awesome place to grab some chow, the staff really put the maximum effort to ensuring that their food is of the most highest quality. Best prices in town!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food at great prices. I served here for 4 years and now I've been a contractor for 5 years and come by a few times a month.
I wish as a NCO I had tried the dfac with the soldiers every so often. It can be really empty or jam packed depending on a lot of things. My regrets are asking soldiers to grab food and come back when we were short on time. I now see that telling them to eat there, soak up some AC and to come back with a purpose would have been a better option for morale and nutritional reasons. 10 extra minutes really wouldn't have made an impact on anything realistically..
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
For the price of the quality of your food, the food definitely matches the price. Rating this Dining facility on a scale compared to other dining facilities, this place definitely is not as good as Ft Sam Houston's. Still better than McDonald's though
Parking: If you don't have a ground guide you are in the wrong
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
One of the best Army Warrior Restaurants I've been to. The staff were very friendly and the food was consistently acceptable.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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