Restaurants in Santa Ynez

“Pleasant local place to stop for Mediterranean fare. I had a Lamb Shawarma wrap that was great. Outdoor/indoor.”

“This is our go-to occasion (birthday, anniversary, small milestones) restaurant. The portions are a good size, service is good, we’ve never had anything bad.”

“Would pick this winery 100 times over sunset. Service and wines are 10/10. Mary was very attentive and informative. The entire sampler was delicious. Ended up taking two bottles”

“First time for us at this restaurant. We ordered bruschetta pizza, it was quite a large size and very delicious. I ordered pasta with shrimp and mushrooms in a light tomato sauce which was very tasty and very good. My husband had A pasta dish with a variety of seafood. It was Valentine’s so the service was quite slow. For dessert I ordered a warm Apple strudel with vanilla ice cream., delicious! We are vacationing in this area and when we return we will definitely dine at this restaurant.”

“This is gonna sound crazy, but this is one of the best Mexican spots I ate in literally the world (my family is from Mexico City too so I grew up eating tacos)..The salsa aguacate was so rich no salsa falsa, the other salsas were equally as yummy! Gordita was filling and so was the carnita asadita taco, truly delicious flavor and not cheap ingredients. you can taste the difference here with every bite! Also the tortillas must be handmade def not store bought. I really need to find an excuse to come back here. Also there is a car wash and very cheap gas all connected, definitely a good place to stop !!! I wish I could go back here I’m dreaming of it, also very nice family working ❤️👍 for the price and flavor you need to come here !!”

“Great lil sandwich spot in SY! Ive tried many of their sandwiches and all are great! Pictured are the Minestrone Soup and the Chicken Salad Sandwich. Both were great!”

“Service was excellent, dinner suggestions were great and we loved our whole experience. Highly recommend”

“This is absolutely incredible sushi. Los Olivos has no business having the best sushi in California but it's true.

We stopped by here randomly in transit and had an incredible meal--so good we're making a point of driving through here again just to try more than just the California roll and spicy tuna.

Added bonus is it's gluten free. Worth a stop on your way!!”

“A perfect ending to a perfect day in Santa Ynez valley. Great company, great conversation, stiff drinks (Substituted Mezcal for Tequila in our Margaritas) and stellar service. My brother and sister-in-law are strict vegetarians. When we realized their vegetarian tostada's came with Mexican rice cooked in chicken stock, our hostess Kaitlyn was personification of equanimity and professionalism. Without skipping a beat and with grace took away their plates and remade their orders . Remained attentive to our needs , no awkwardness. It is said that salsas make or break a Mexican restaurant. The salsas for me were too mild but Kaitlyn and the rest of the staff had stellar service, were very welcoming, and their spirit and warmth more than made up for the lack of fire in the salsas... Though my brother found the salsa fiery too. And the drive back as the sun set and drenched the Santa Rita hills in amber glow was a cherry on top of the already great mood thanks to. Kaitlyn and the staff at Dos Carlitos (and the stiff drinks). Thank you.”

“Best wine in the Central Coast. Great experience at the family vineyard, feeding goats and tasting grapes right from the vine!”

“Superb experience at Roblar Vineyards from the moment we entered and it continued through our departure. The hostess was kind, efficient and caring when seating us. Then on to the service that we chose - a wine tasting and lunch (we had made reservations) We received pleasant and informative wine descriptions from our knowledgeable sommelier with each taste and the proper improvised wine-taste choice that he knowingly paired with my meal! Our meals, the roast salmon and a Cobb salad were perfection enhanced with their high standard of farm fresh vegetables. As we finished, feeling totally content and enjoying the ambiance of soaring ceilings of the timber frame tasting room with the massive fireplace warming our souls, we were visited by Matt, the owner. We had an engaging chat, with him entailing the history of the vineyard and its ongoing development of the vines, the farm and the buildings. Finally, we walked the beautiful estate grounds past the active vegetable gardens to the edge of the vineyards enjoying mountain scenery all around. A memorable experience with perfect food, wine, and caring people!
We highly recommend a visit!”

“We had fun. Our host was had the best knowledge on wines. It was overall a good time. Beautiful vineyard definitely will come again.”

“Everything is good even the coffee”

“Overall this was a pretty fun experience for us. At least as far as a trip to Starbucks goes. Yes, we ventured a trip to the casino looking for the Grains & Grounds coffeehouse bakery which soon turned into a slightly confused, dark & flashy, casino lit, cigar smoke infused, hunt and discovery of Chumash's back-of-the-house, hole-in-the-wall, Starbucks gem! I'll admit I was disappointed at realizing our Google maps wild goose chase ended in finding a 'boutique bakery/coffee conglomerate consolidation. But as early morning, albeit last minute, adventures go we still got a lot of enjoyment in playing around with a delightfully glittered, Almond Honey Cake fluff and a dark chocolate & gold gilded Cake Pop! Wow!!
But while I can't say either confection knocked my socks off in the taste category, I will give full marks for imagination and whimsical presentation. So I'll conclude by admitting that I'm deeply curious to sample whatever else they've got for next time.”

“what a great night out as far as i can remember 😬😁! Great tasting wine three bottles made me sleep well later , the band The new vibe were great and even took the time for a little chat with us and photos , thanks for looking after us and being so friendly hope to make it back again soon !”

“To put things in perspective, I simply love the taste of pure coffee. I admire the elegant bean from drip to espresso. With this and even beyond into the fancy-pants lattes and holiday drinks, Queen Cup is always sure to tip the balance toward the beans — making certain the presence of coffee shines above all else. Behold, the vanquishers of goopy syrup and cloying drinks — Queen. Cup. Coffee. ☕🏆 ...oh yes, and their teas are rather quite lovely. 🧐🤌”

“The kinda old school breakfast joint with excellent food that other old school breakfast joints wish they were. The corn beef hash, chicken fried steak and hash browns are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“After a fun night at Chumash Casino, we finally decided to try Victor Bar & Grill in Solvang — and wow, I’m so glad we did! I’d been hearing great things about this place, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.
My wife ordered the filet mignon, and it was perfection — tender, flavorful, and cooked exactly how she likes it. I went for the Victor Burger fully loaded, and let me tell you… this thing is next-level. Juicy, piled high with toppings, and honestly one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time.
The drinks deserve their own shoutout — not only delicious, but also strong. It only took me two to catch a good buzz (and I’m not a lightweight). The cocktails were crafted so well, you can tell they put care into every pour.
The ambience is super cute and quaint — perfect for date night, but also laid-back enough to just enjoy and relax. And the staff? Absolutely amazing. Friendly, attentive, and really made the whole experience feel special.”

“Great set-up post Covid. Make a reservation and try great wines. Rich collection of reds, and they surprised me with Icewine. Outstanding service!”

“very good. Disabled parking is in the back. Great service.”

“Whenever we are in the area, we make certain to have a meal at The Willows. Beautiful restaurant with an amazing and attentive staff. The food is always exceptional!”

“All great bands food drinks staff customers!! Our favorite place to play! CROWN City Bombers love the Maverick Saloon!!”

“Their breakfast burritos are delicious, and they’re friendly as well. Would recommend the habanero sauce if you love spice! 🙏 Perfect place for a quick stop or for a loaded breakfast ☺️”

“We came here for a wine tasting. It was beautiful with plenty of nice photo ops and the staff made it an overall fun experience. I had to leave with a membership and a couple bottles of my favorites.”

“The food is excellent, each component of the plates we tried (smoked salmon and bacon avacado) complimented one another in a way that created the perfect blend of flavors! Highly recommend this place for lunch and picking up a cheese & meat plate for visiting local wineries.”

“Nov. 3. Best breakfast ever! I’m picky and the eggs were cooked perfectly with delicious potatoes, bacon, and toasted English muffin. Freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee very good.”

“Great wines, great atmosphere and great service, all with a laid back, relaxed but attentive service and good explanation of the wines being sampled. Highly recommend.”