Do not pass through Lone Pine without stopping at Merry Go Round. This is hands-down some of the best Chinese food—not just in the area, but anywhere. What started as a chance discovery has now become a destination for us and a cravable stop every time we pass through, either for dine-in or take-out.
The restaurant is owned and run by a wonderful husband-and-wife team: she works her magic in the kitchen, and he takes care of the front of the house, making every guest feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. The food is incredible—fresh, plentiful, wholesome, and absolutely delicious (and yes, it makes fantastic leftovers).
What truly makes this place unforgettable is the kindness. We first discovered Merry Go Round years ago when we were stranded in Lone Pine during a blizzard on our way from Los Angeles to Mammoth. Not only did they feed us beautifully, but they even packed extra food for our drive, just in case.
It’s a true hidden gem—warm, generous, and unforgettable. We’re always grateful we found it, and we’ll keep coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Derrick Mandoza
Delicious spot. Really good food. Staff is amazing. Very helpful with ordering and pleasant to visit with.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel Apinyan
The food is really good the wonton soup might just be the best thing they have even though everything is mouth watering I’ve been here twice both times after mt Whitney unfortunately they were closed after I summited Mount Williamson the second highest but more harder mountain I was looking forward but they were closed looking forward to going after climbing north palisades next summer tho
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex K
This place is great! The food was fantastic. I had the orange peel chicken, which was just right. Crunchy, sweet, very little spice (but I did not eat the chili peppers that were in the dish). Nice selection on the menu. Great selection of beers. The best part was the people. All of the staff were extremely friendly and efficient. They did a great job. I will definitely come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christine Shafer
It was our first time there tonight. It was very good food. Good service & a nice atmosphere. We'll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Brittney Lima
Such friendly staff!! The girls were very accommodating, and went above and beyond. They were quick, kind, and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious and they were so kind to accommodate with an order of steamed beef for my best bud (dog) who just completed a 13 mile hike with us in the rain/snow. I wish I lived closer so I could come here more! They made it such a pleasant experience and it was such a nice way to end the day. Such kind, genuine people! 🩵
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M brodesky
Best Chinese food in the eastern sierras. You just beat this place for good food, the menu offers something for everyone and does not break the bank. The portions are large and filling after a day hiking and climbing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christine G
Great place, great people. We live in the Eastern Sierra and drive to or through Lone Pine several times a year, but never ate here till reading the LA Times article about it earlier this year. Small inside, every table filled, that’s a good testimonial! Open for dinner only.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Allyson
Generous portions and funky atmosphere. I got the orange peel tofu, lo mein, and egg rolls. The food was the caliber you’d expect but was perfect to fuel up with after a long day of hiking. We stopped in to order takeout and it was ready very quickly!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Karla Mendez
Overall the food is really tasty but this place is so overpriced. It’s probably just the town in general, but just thought the price doesn’t make it totally worth it. You have tons of leftovers too.
The orange peel was super tasty though. Would definitely recommend that!
I love this place! It's always on our list when we're in town. The food is excellent with large servings. Try their homemade soy sauce, it has a different flavor than the typical but it's good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Veronica Perez
My experience here isn’t recent but I saw a comment that recently experienced what my family did so I’ll be leaving this review now-
Around November 2023 my family and I stopped by this place around 6pm after exploring Death Valley NP. It was dark and cold outside and were looking forward to a hot meal here especially since the reviews looked great.
We walked in and it was full. I saw who I assume is the owner of the restaurant talking to a table. He noticed we were standing there for a minute (because we were waiting for someone to assist us) and gave us a “why are you here” face and said “yes?”
We asked for a table for 5 and he spread his hands as if showing off his restaurant. He said “as you can see it’s full.” I asked if there is a waitlist we can get on and he said no there wasn’t but we can wait outside if we liked. I asked if he didn’t need my name or anything and he said no.
We proceeded to wait outside in the cold dark for 40 minutes when we saw a group of people go in and get seated. I then went in and asked about our table.
I was met with an incredibly rude waitress telling me that we won’t have a table because we weren’t on the waitlist. I tell her we asked about a waitlist earlier and were told there wasn’t one. She insisted they won’t help us unless we are on a waitlist and that it would be an hour wait.
This is honestly the worst experience I’ve ever had at a restaurant. My family and I felt so unwelcome, almost like we weren’t wanted there. And I can’t help but feel this was due to us being Latino. You just FEEL it when certain people don’t want you there. We ended up going across the street to Mt Whitney Restaurant where they treated us so much more warmly.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Shirin A
Had dinner at Merry Go Round Restaurant in Lone Pine the night before Mt. Whitney hike, and it was a great experience. The place has this fun, retro charm.
The gentleman, Dan, took care of us, and he was friendly, kind, and attentive. We ordered hot sake, beer, shrimp and chicken noodles, and a beef dish with bok choy, spinach, and mushrooms. Everything was delicious, but the beef dish was our favorite, flavorful.
I had planned to come back after finishing the hike to celebrate, only to realize they’re closed on Mondays, such a bummer because I was really looking forward to it!
This restaurant is a gem in a small twon, cozy, welcoming, and the perfect spot to get a meal before (or after) tackling Mt. Whitney. Highly recommend!
Liz Stanfield Archibald
My friends and I stopped here for dinner on our way to Mammoth and we loved it! Service was great, the menu had lots of gluten free options. Would definitely stop here again.
Robert1776
This place is great. Came here on the way back to Los Angeles from Mammoth Lakes. Tasty, authentic food and their special soy sauce is amazing. The owner’s service dog named Blue is very friendly and cool. Would recommend as a place to stop for delicious and healthy food on a road trip on the 395 highway. This place has a great menu with plenty of options. Can’t go wrong with what you order, everything is great.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Do not pass through Lone Pine without stopping at Merry Go Round. This is hands-down some of the best Chinese food—not just in the area, but anywhere. What started as a chance discovery has now become a destination for us and a cravable stop every time we pass through, either for dine-in or take-out.
The restaurant is owned and run by a wonderful husband-and-wife team: she works her magic in the kitchen, and he takes care of the front of the house, making every guest feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. The food is incredible—fresh, plentiful, wholesome, and absolutely delicious (and yes, it makes fantastic leftovers).
What truly makes this place unforgettable is the kindness. We first discovered Merry Go Round years ago when we were stranded in Lone Pine during a blizzard on our way from Los Angeles to Mammoth. Not only did they feed us beautifully, but they even packed extra food for our drive, just in case.
It’s a true hidden gem—warm, generous, and unforgettable. We’re always grateful we found it, and we’ll keep coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious spot. Really good food. Staff is amazing. Very helpful with ordering and pleasant to visit with.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is really good the wonton soup might just be the best thing they have even though everything is mouth watering I’ve been here twice both times after mt Whitney unfortunately they were closed after I summited Mount Williamson the second highest but more harder mountain I was looking forward but they were closed looking forward to going after climbing north palisades next summer tho
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is great! The food was fantastic. I had the orange peel chicken, which was just right. Crunchy, sweet, very little spice (but I did not eat the chili peppers that were in the dish). Nice selection on the menu. Great selection of beers. The best part was the people. All of the staff were extremely friendly and efficient. They did a great job. I will definitely come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was our first time there tonight. It was very good food. Good service & a nice atmosphere.
We'll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Such friendly staff!! The girls were very accommodating, and went above and beyond. They were quick, kind, and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious and they were so kind to accommodate with an order of steamed beef for my best bud (dog) who just completed a 13 mile hike with us in the rain/snow. I wish I lived closer so I could come here more! They made it such a pleasant experience and it was such a nice way to end the day. Such kind, genuine people! 🩵
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best Chinese food in the eastern sierras. You just beat this place for good food, the menu offers something for everyone and does not break the bank. The portions are large and filling after a day hiking and climbing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place, great people. We live in the Eastern Sierra and drive to or through Lone Pine several times a year, but never ate here till reading the LA Times article about it earlier this year. Small inside, every table filled, that’s a good testimonial! Open for dinner only.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Generous portions and funky atmosphere. I got the orange peel tofu, lo mein, and egg rolls. The food was the caliber you’d expect but was perfect to fuel up with after a long day of hiking. We stopped in to order takeout and it was ready very quickly!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall the food is really tasty but this place is so overpriced. It’s probably just the town in general, but just thought the price doesn’t make it totally worth it. You have tons of leftovers too.
The orange peel was super tasty though. Would definitely recommend that!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I love this place! It's always on our list when we're in town. The food is excellent with large servings. Try their homemade soy sauce, it has a different flavor than the typical but it's good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My experience here isn’t recent but I saw a comment that recently experienced what my family did so I’ll be leaving this review now-
Around November 2023 my family and I stopped by this place around 6pm after exploring Death Valley NP. It was dark and cold outside and were looking forward to a hot meal here especially since the reviews looked great.
We walked in and it was full. I saw who I assume is the owner of the restaurant talking to a table. He noticed we were standing there for a minute (because we were waiting for someone to assist us) and gave us a “why are you here” face and said “yes?”
We asked for a table for 5 and he spread his hands as if showing off his restaurant. He said “as you can see it’s full.” I asked if there is a waitlist we can get on and he said no there wasn’t but we can wait outside if we liked. I asked if he didn’t need my name or anything and he said no.
We proceeded to wait outside in the cold dark for 40 minutes when we saw a group of people go in and get seated. I then went in and asked about our table.
I was met with an incredibly rude waitress telling me that we won’t have a table because we weren’t on the waitlist. I tell her we asked about a waitlist earlier and were told there wasn’t one. She insisted they won’t help us unless we are on a waitlist and that it would be an hour wait.
This is honestly the worst experience I’ve ever had at a restaurant. My family and I felt so unwelcome, almost like we weren’t wanted there. And I can’t help but feel this was due to us being Latino. You just FEEL it when certain people don’t want you there. We ended up going across the street to Mt Whitney Restaurant where they treated us so much more warmly.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Had dinner at Merry Go Round Restaurant in Lone Pine the night before Mt. Whitney hike, and it was a great experience. The place has this fun, retro charm.
The gentleman, Dan, took care of us, and he was friendly, kind, and attentive. We ordered hot sake, beer, shrimp and chicken noodles, and a beef dish with bok choy, spinach, and mushrooms. Everything was delicious, but the beef dish was our favorite, flavorful.
I had planned to come back after finishing the hike to celebrate, only to realize they’re closed on Mondays, such a bummer because I was really looking forward to it!
This restaurant is a gem in a small twon, cozy, welcoming, and the perfect spot to get a meal before (or after) tackling Mt. Whitney. Highly recommend!
My friends and I stopped here for dinner on our way to Mammoth and we loved it! Service was great, the menu had lots of gluten free options. Would definitely stop here again.
This place is great. Came here on the way back to Los Angeles from Mammoth Lakes. Tasty, authentic food and their special soy sauce is amazing. The owner’s service dog named Blue is very friendly and cool. Would recommend as a place to stop for delicious and healthy food on a road trip on the 395 highway. This place has a great menu with plenty of options. Can’t go wrong with what you order, everything is great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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