lumberjack cafe / big bear lake, ca

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The next day when we woke up after arriving in Big Bear, there was a nice dusting of snow everywhere. 

My shiny car got it’s first layer of snow as well! After a little breakfast, we headed out to explore a bit of the area.

There was lots of pretty scenery and lovely trees everywhere. We tried to visit the Discovery Center and the Park Ranger station but they were both closed that day. We ended up just winging it, driving around the lake and walking a bit outside. 

This view of the lake looks over to the city side of the lake. You can see a bit of the mountain, where the ski slopes are.

We decided to stop here at the Lumberjack Cafe for lunch. We drove by it and I spied “sourdough flapjacks” which peaked my interest.

This was a very homey, down to earth place. There were cute knick knacks on the walls.

Plus family photos and a countertop plus tables and some booths. It’s a family friendly diner style setup.

Here’s links to the menu photos: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4

[pot of tea – $1.95]

I got a little cold tromping around in the 30 degree weather and I got my own little pot of tea. They give you a pot of water enough for two cups plus a basket of various teas.

[sloppy joe + waffle fries – $8]

Chris decided to go with the sloppy joe for his lunch. I’ve think I’ve had sloppy joe’s maybe uh, twice in my whole life? I’ve never wanted to make it myself, it seems like such a weird thing to put into a sandwich…

Chris gave me a little bite to try though, and it was actually not too bad. The beef had a nice flavor, much better than anything made from a packet. There was a nice mix of beef, onions, spices and flavors. It was just saucy enough and paired nicely with the crispy waffle fries as well. Nice thing – waffle fries do not cost extra.

[lumburger – $8.25]

Jake ordered the Lumburger was a larger sized burger that was topped with blue cheese and melted swiss cheese. I also got a little bite of Jake’s burger. The patty was nice and juicy and not overcooked. The blue cheese and swiss cheese combination on top created a lovely flavor. The blue cheese gave it some tang and saltiness and the creamy swiss rounded it all out. Very yummy!

[sourdough waffle – $4.25]

I was in the mood for some breakfast, in particular the sourdough flapjacks I saw on the sign. You have the option of buttermilk or sourdough here at the Lumberjack Cafe for pancakes or waffles. I decided that I’d rather try the waffles. I hardly ever get to have waffles since I don’t own a waffle iron. The only waffles I ever see to have are from a box. How sad.

These sourdough waffles were quite tasty. There’s a slight crisp on the edge and it’s fluffy on the inside. These were probably a little tangier than the buttermilk version, but otherwise I can’t say there was a real noticeable difference. I should have gotten one of each to compare the flavors, but I was pretty sure I couldn’t eat that much.

[single biscuit & gravy – $2.25]

I also ordered a single biscuit and gravy. It was plain white gravy, not the yummier sausage gravy version that I like so much. The biscuit itself was very gluey and way too dense. The gravy on top didn’t help it either since it needed some more flavor to it. After a couple of bites, I gave up on eating it. Luckily the rest of the meal was quite yummy and a nice little find for the afternoon!

Lumberjack Cafe
1001 W Big Bear Blvd
Big Bear, CA 92314
(909) 585-2129

After lunch, we headed out to check out where the ski area is at the base of the mountain. They were not open for the season yet since it wasn’t cold enough and you can see spots of the grass sticking up through the snow. In the summer you can take the ski lift up for the ride and the view. In between seasons, the ski life stays dormant while they prepare for the switch. 

I thought it was funny one of the dining areas is called the Beach Bar and there was snow all on the ground. 

I decided to make a my own little mini snow man using the snow that had fallen on a nearby tarp. Jake found some rocks to use as the eyes and a little branch so he could have arms and a nose.

Chris started making something, too, and then Jake finished it to turn it into a snowy version of Jabba the Hutt. 

We didn’t add any details to this one, but you can see his tail there!

All in all it was a fun evening. We ended up going back to the house to make a fire and do s’mores and I made dinner that evening. The next day we headed out to Palm Springs… stay tuned for that post!