20 Best American Restaurants near Santa Ynez

“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.“

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

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

“We enjoyed a nice happy hour at the beautifully appointed bar at The Victor. Our drinks were delicious and served in elegant glassware. The best part of our evening was Deanna, our bartender. She was so kind and attentive while taking care of all her customers. We really appreciated her genuine smile and attention to detail. We will be back for dinner next time we visit. Thank you Deanna!“

“I stopped at this coffee shop while waiting for another business to open, and I am glad I did! I ordered a basic breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, and home fries with onions and peppers. I would have never thought a “basic” breakfast could taste so amazing!!

The home fries were perfectly cubed with the peppers and onions grilled perfectly, with all tasting so dang good! I know. I know. How could a coffee shop mess up these basics. Sadly, too many plays do.

I hate, and let re-iterate HATE, to see any brown on my eggs. It’s weird, I know, but that’s just me. These eggs looked as if my wife prepared them as they were so dang pretty and tasty! No brown in sight - not even on the bottom. (And I didn’t mention my preference for “no brown on my eggs”.

Now, on to the coffee. It was good. In my opinion, the coffee tasted just like I would expect coffee shop coffee to taste, but it was so much better.

And the service? I’m a black man who stopped at a coffee shop in Santa Ynez, CA. Let’s just say I don’t see many folks who look like me out here. The storefront looks like it belongs on the set of bonanza. Really! No kidding! Into my surprise, I didn’t get out one inquisitive look, no Expressions of “what is he doing here?”, nor anything that made me feel uncomfortable. My server, who happens to the Owner, Debbie, was an absolute sweetheart!

From now on when I drive through this area, I will stop and make sure I get either breakfast or lunch at the Longhorn Coffee Shop!

FYI… I wrote this review while eating breakfast so that test image is not when the food first came out but while I’m eating. Ha ha.“

“Setting up reservations was easy through OpenTable. Our dining experience was amazing at Willows! The food was delicious, even as leftovers for days during our travels. Good price for a group of 4 people. We look forward in returning on our next trip!“

“We drove to Santa Ynez for the Chumash Spa and decided to try the food. We chose the sports bar since there was a basketball game on. The restaurant looks like a food court with many choices except you get a menu and there is table service. We waited about 15 minutes for someone to take a drink order although the area was far from full and there were plenty of staff members running everywhere. We couldn’t figure out why we weren’t being acknowledged. We ended up ordering gyoza and chicken yakisoba. The food order took45 minutes. The gyoza was warm at best but each one was $2.50 and one bite. The presentation was beautiful! The yakisoba was very hot and flavorful but untrimmed chicken thighs were used and we don’t like chicken fat. We were so hungry when it showed up that I even forgot a photo. With all the staff and empty tables this must be a management issue.“

“The Mercedes Benz luxury electric car experience was made extra special because of The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern’s beautiful grounds and ambiance. The small town feel and picturesque landscape was so inviting, so I took a walked around the specially shops.“

“Indoor and outdoor dining. The food and the service are wonderful! Top notch local ingredients. Way to go Feast!“

“Great food great service!!“

“Great experience. My wife and I are passing through looking for a place to stop and eat late night. Place was amazing for what we needed. The menu was small but everthing we had was delicious. I ordered chicken strips from the menu which were made in house. My wife got the salmon flat bread which was also delicious. Miles the bartender was very attentive, made modifications to their signiture cocktails. the chef in the back brought us our food. Overall everything was really great!“

“Had a great time all employees were awesome“

“We had a delicious pizza very good, oh, and the wine was superb!“

“The Staff is intent a ready to make your stay a dude ranch dream come true🙏🤠. The extremely hard-working housekeeping, staff that make sure your rooms are clean and magnificent! Making sure you have a soft place to fall after enjoying all the ranch, fun and relaxing,  both being coupled into the ultimate stay …💛⛳️🐴🏊🎾🏓🎨🎣🛶🚲🥾. THE ALISAL is a MUST visit.“

“Beautiful restaurant! Great ambiance. Awesome customer service. Good selections. Food was flavorful and creative! Prices are reasonable. We will definitely return.“

“Hi I enjoyed it very much thank“

“Amazing food! Everything we order was incredible! Great portions- we ended up sharing everything because it was all SO GOOD! Cocktails were tasty and creative. The outdoor patio area was very peaceful and nice. Only concern was our servers lack of attentiveness. But she was very nice, so all good.“

“family friendly! i used to work there and i recommend their food! crispy cauliflower yaas! calamari? yes! short rib grilled cheese 20/10 if i wasnt so sensitive to dairy now i would still eat it! valley fog, Up All Night, Pineapple Express, Drunk as a Monk.“

“Awesome corned beef sandwich“

“Following a demanding day that included a wine tasting and a round of golf, our visit to Firestone was truly delightful, and my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As someone who doesn't alcohol and follows a pescatarian diet, I was pleased to find a wide array of options, and the service was exceptional. If you haven't been, it's a must. Try the 805 regular or Zero“