The Red Dog Saloon — Restaurant in Yucca Valley

Not really the place to be for us. We ended up going there because we did not make it time for Papy and Harriets. Arriving to the restaurant everyone made sure to tell us that the kitchen was closed, we were told by at least 4 different people, I understand they wanted us to be sure that they were done but I do believe that there are nicer ways to do it specially after saying "yes, thanks" to multiple people. Wifey and I had the micheladas, they had one red and one mango nectar and chamoy, both really not up to par, red was way to heavy and acidic and mango nectar, way to sweet chamoy was probably supposed to bring the spice yet salt attempt to it but it was overly sweet perhaps the choice of beer they decided to pour in was the wrong one, a light lager with sweet mango and kind of sweet chamoy was really not a great combination. They do have a charge for service and other stuff. Nothing wrong with as many people are trying to come back from the covid-19 mess specially Pioneer Town but disclosing the components of your bill before you pay will be appreciated. Pioneer Town is not really what it used to be, the lively place that closes late with country music all around. Looks like it's not there yet, hopefully in the near future it might but for now there is no reason to revisit the Red Dog Saloon.

Update 5/29: after ordering 2 Micheladas $8 each, the cashier told me it was going to be $27, I was... but there are 2 $8 drinks where did the other $11 came from, she said there was a service charge of like $3 or so and she could not explained herself. After she said it's actually $20 that made more sense, little shady but made sense. After checking my statement I was indeed charge for $27 and a reversal for the same amount. What are the guts of just telling you how much and taking advantage of people. Beware of this place, probably not the place it self but the people whom run it....

This was my first visit to Red Dog, and unfortunately, it will likely be my last. The biggest disappointment was the service, followed closely by the overpriced well cocktails. The staff came across as unwelcoming and indifferent, making me feel like ordering drinks was an inconvenience to them.

I specifically noticed that while my $14 cocktail was made with minimal effort, other patrons—presumably regulars—received far better-presented drinks for the same price. At that cost, I expected a higher level of quality and presentation, but instead, my cocktail felt hastily put together and uninspired.

Additionally, the automatic 16% service charge felt unwarranted given the subpar service. The bartenders took an excessively long time to acknowledge new customers, often prioritizing those they seemed familiar with. The overall experience was disappointing, which is unfortunate because the venue itself has potential—the aesthetics are appealing, and the live music was excellent.

In contrast, my experience at Pappy & Harriet’s was far superior. Despite being significantly busier, their service was attentive, and both the food and drinks were thoughtfully presented.

Unless major improvements are made at Red Dog, I don’t see...

Came here after seeing it mentioned on many "must try" lists for the JT area and left severely underwhelmed. We almost left before we even ordered because the bartender kept ignoring us while they chatted with regulars. When we finally got the food, we wished we hadn't. The tacos are tiny (think traditional CDMX street taco size, but priced at $5) and came topped with a couple measly springs of cilantro. The hot sauce was a packet of Valentina. I'm pretty sure the "brisket" was just a cheap cut of chuck roast that was barely seasoned and tasted like it had been sitting in a slow cooker all day. Truly one of the most disappointing meals I've ever had. To add insult to injury, the final bill came out north of $65 for four tacos and two cocktails. We probably should have looked at the receipt more closely because in hindsight, that doesn't seem to add up. A very minor silver lining is the bartender is a good mixologist and knows what he's doing. Bottom line. I'd you eat here, you will spend a lot, the food will suck, and you will leave...