“Steakhouse Gold!! Ambiance is an Impressive Nod to the history of the Restaurant and Santa Maria Bbq heritage! Off the beaten path from 101 south of Santa Maria, Far West Tavern is a Destination experience both for travelers and locals alike. The vibe is homey and the staff is downright friendly and gracious. My husband and I have been enjoying Santa Maria style Bbq at home for decades but this was our first time making the pilgrimage to Far West Tavern. It did not disappoint!!! We started our evening with a lovely pour of a Central Coast GSM. The meals are so very generous that we opted to skip the appetizer course. Hubby ordered the 7 oz Filet Mignon meal and I ordered the Beef skewers that the server recommended along with a side salad. A delicious bread basket, vegetable tray and what I would consider the house made ranch beans were brought to the table- very much familiar Santa Maria Bbq sides including the house salsa. My husband was brought shrimp cocktail to begin his meal and next was the clam chowder that he is still raving about, the next day! My side salad was a generous helping of fresh mixed greens, shredded carrots, croutons and garnished with a watermelon radish shaving on top with house made dressings on the side. When my husband's main course was brought out, it was such a big portion and served aside a twice baked potato. The cut of the meat wasn't quite what a Filet Mignon is typically but it was so flavorful. The timing was a bit off and my plate didn't arrive, so my husband shared the perfectly cooked steak and potato which were delicious. The table next to us noticed our meal and commented to the waiter that their dinner was delivered to our table. They were right and we were enjoying their 14oz cowboy cut steak. About this time my beef skewers arrived which were so tender- melt in your mouth - with a chimichurri sauce to complement the flavor! How was the staff going to handle this mix up in the kitchen? Our waitress was wonderful and she apologized to both our tables and made everyone happy!! They were brought their original order, and their wine along with other items were comped. For our table they comped my beef skewers because they didn't arrive until my husband was almost finished and they sent us home with my husband's original filet steak in a to-go box. Mistakes are made but it's how they're handled that makes the lasting impression. For food, service and ambiance, this is a winner!!“
“This is the bar attached to the Santa Maria inn. They have basically the same menu as the main restaurant. They're essentially the best stocked bar in Santa Maria. Their drinks are well made and their fries are fantastic. They also keep the music down low enough that you can still have a conversation.“
“We enjoyed a couple of Smash burgers and a bottle of wine. The food was excellent with one caveat. The burger patti was good quality but it was unseasoned while the shoestring fries were slightly under cooked. Our server was friendly and worked quickly. The wine list is good and the prices are really fair.“
“If you're looking for a good old neighborhood dive bar to enjoy good drinks and good company, this is the place. All the bartenders here are good people, so I won't play favorites. This is the type of place where regulars have been coming for years and newcomers stop in to discover it and become regulars! Looking for good drinks, good people and good atmosphere? This is the place!“
“March 30, 2024 - We had made reservation for 7pm and arrived timely. There is plenty of on site parking. Upon entering the 4 of us were promptly greeted and shown to a 4 top table. It was raining and we joked that we'd requested outside seating... (we hadn't). Teena, our waitress, had/has a keen sense of humor! The 5 of us joked, laughed, as we were told about the dinner specials, and had our drink orders taken. Two glasses of red wines (good selection, but not all are available by the glass), a tequila agria (delicious), and a mocktail. The background music is to loud. There was a party of 6 for a birthday party close by and they were talking loudly (over the music) and we could here too much of their conversation (including getting individual checks, and how low a couple planned on tipping). We think if the music was turned down the overall noise level would decrease. We all liked the warm tortillas. Teena answered several questions about the items on the menu, and we ordered... The taquitos (appetizer for dinner) were as described and were enjoyed. The chipotle shrimp (appetizer for dinner) was tasty. The steak tampiqueno entree was perfect. The plato de tacos (crispy shrimp) entree was very good and are "deconstructed" (the shrimp, two per taco, were large enough that one was eaten alone and the remaining shrimp used in the taco). The accompanying rice and beans were spectacular. Thank you Teena for getting us a sneak preview of the speakeasy!“
“I make it a priority to go to La Simpatia whenever I'm in town. The tamales are awesome, the beans are the best anywhere and the tacos are the same as I've been eating my whole life. This is the best authentic Mexican food. Can't wait to go back next time I visit.“