Cordwood — Restaurant in Four Corners States

This is not a 5-star restaurant, but it thinks it is. And that's the problem.

Cordwood is attached to Zion Mountain Ranch, and I'm not sure if it's operated by ZMR or independently. Either way, we had problems. The first night's bison burger was the best of our meals there, but the fries and salads were fairly bland. For breakfast, the pancakes were quite thin and both the eggs and home fries were greasy. I also ordered the venison pasta for a second dinner and received canned lukewarm tomato sauce with pieces of venison on top of lukewarm penne. This is not a $32 meal.

Service in general was poor. Our first waitress was very curt with us, and didn't have any kind of warmth. The breakfast server was flat-out rude at times, rushing us occasionally. She even balked at substituting bacon for ham on one dish, saying it "couldn't be done," although it was eventually done after A LOT of prodding. Our second dinner was delayed for about 10 minutes when multiple staff, including the chef, kept coming by saying "hi we'll be with you in a minute." Brooklyn, our waitress for the second dinner, was excellent though, shoutout to her.

So you're probably asking, why did we keep going here if it wasn't good? Well, we didn't have much of an option. ZMR is secluded, and at least 15-20 minutes from other food in all directions. If you get up too early to go to Zion National Park, or you return from the park late, the grab n go across the street is closed. So we had no other choice but to overspend at this establishment. It felt like we were backed into a corner: eat crap at Cordwood or go hungry. That's definitely not worth the money you're spending here, which they seem to be charging for no reason other than because they can.

My advice if you're staying at ZMR would be to maybe do Cordwood once, choose your food carefully (get the bison burger, avoid the venison), and if you can't get across the street then bring your own food for the rest of your stay or drive to the Orderville coffee shop for breakfast. It's not worth the grief of paying that much to eat mediocre food. This place has a lot to learn about how to properly run a restaurant and serve customers. If you want to be a 4-5 star restaurant and charge those prices, you have to...

We ate at Cordwood for 2 dinners and 1 breakfast. The location is obviously very convenient if you're staying at Zion Mountain Ranch and too whooped after a long day of hiking to go back out and find a restaurant. The atmosphere is really cozy; we loved watching the chickens and other critters out the windows. Our first dinner was fantastic - the food and wine were both very good. Our second dinner was so-so, and even though we'd arrived very early they were already out of one of the dessert options. In both cases, I think the prices were a little steep though not unexpected based on this being the equivalent of a hotel restaurant - between $100-110 pre-tip for 2 entrees, 2 glasses of wine, and 1-2 desserts. For dinner, they were lacking in vegetarian-friendly options, and I admit it rubs me the wrong way when the vegetarian version of a bison burger is priced identically to its counterpart. They advertise that their menu is "always changing based on the harvest" which I like, though I do wish there was some posting online to let you know options before arriving. The breakfast buffet was $22 a person which I think was high, though the food itself was good and you can't beat sipping coffee while watching bison out the window. Overall we were pleased with our experience and would eat here again if we stayed at Zion Mountain Ranch in the future despite some of the drawbacks...

I had an absolutely fantastic dining experience at Cordwood. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting—rustic yet refined, with a cozy ambiance that made the evening feel special.

I ordered the bison ribeye, and it was perfection—juicy, tender, and full of rich, smoky flavor. Cooked to absolute perfection, every bite was a testament to the quality of ingredients and the chef’s expertise. Speaking of which, we had the pleasure of meeting the chef, who was incredibly passionate about the food and took the time to check in with us. It was clear that the team takes immense pride in what they do.

Our server, Tony, was phenomenal—attentive, knowledgeable, and incredibly friendly. He made the experience even more enjoyable, offering great recommendations and keeping the energy light and fun.

We were there with kids, and they loved the homemade craft sodas—each one uniquely flavored and a great alternative to standard soft drinks. The wine selection was also top-notch, with a thoughtfully curated list that perfectly complemented the meal.

Overall, Cordwood exceeded all expectations. If you're looking for an exceptional dining experience with outstanding food, warm hospitality, and a great atmosphere, this is the place. A solid 5-star recommendation, and I can't...