Grand Canyon Beer Garden

The Grand Canyon Beer Garden isn't a restaurant so much as a beer cart with a purpose: a handful of tables and big umbrellas set up right outside El Tovar, steps from the Rim Trail, with the canyon doing all the scenery work. It's a small operation, but the location does the heavy lifting.

What it's like

Order at the cart and grab a seat on the porch or under the umbrellas — there's shade in the afternoon and, if the temperature drops as the sun goes down, the El Tovar cocktail lounge is a short walk away. Reviewers consistently point to it as a favorite spot to unwind after hiking Bright Angel Trail, and more than one has called it the best place on the South Rim to watch the sunset with a local beer in hand. Expect a decent rotation of beers, canyon views from your seat, and prices that run a bit higher than you'd pay off the rim — reviewers note it, but most say the setting makes it worth it.

• Location: 1 El Tovar Rd, right off the Rim Trail in Grand Canyon Village
• Hours: daily, 1:00-7:30 PM
• Rating: 3.9 stars from Google reviewers

It's a stop, not a sit-down meal — come for a drink with a view, not a full dinner, and check the posted hours before you plan your evening around it.