The Cookshak - Big Bear Lake

This restaurant is a hidden treasure! Located behind the Big Bear Elks Lodge, this walk-up window offers delicious house smoked meats and juicy charbroiled burgers. It's a well-kept secret in the Big Bear Valley, with friendly service, a vintage atmosphere, and fair prices for the high-quality food and attention to detail.

This restaurant serves the best sandwiches I've ever had. I highly recommend trying their smoked turkey sandwich. It is absolutely delicious and they smoke the turkey themselves.

During a recent trip to Big Bear, I decided to try Cookshak for lunch. I wanted something other than eggs and saw good reviews on Yelp. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the two veggie sandwiches we ordered. The Ari's Veggie had a strange, almost fruity taste to the veggies, while the Sunshine Veggie was just okay despite being recommended. However, my father-in-law enjoyed his roast beef sandwich, so perhaps it just depends on the sandwich you choose.

There were several vegan options available without any modifications needed! The staff at the restaurant were extremely friendly and accommodating.

The Cookshak is an outdoor restaurant located at the rear of the Elks Lodge. They have recently added several vegan options, including a sandwich with chickpeas and veggies, as well as Impossible products. Every dish was cooked perfectly, even the sweet potato fries were crispy! The woman working at the front counter was extremely kind. I definitely recommend this spot if you are looking for a casual restaurant with a wide variety of options and friendly service.