amazing food and the coziest coolest restaurant!! it's so beautiful and unique and i definitely want to come again! read more

See all

Buffalo burger 4/5 - I prefer a regular burger but it was interesting to try! I don't see buffalo burgers anywhere. Portions are huge!! So definitely share with other people. Nachos with carnitas 5/5 - there wasn't much carnitas added but we had to pay $9 for the carnitas. It was very tasty tho and was my favorite dish. Wish they had more sour cream and guac for the amount of chips tho Chili 3/5- nothing special about the chili in my opinion. Maybe if there was bread or something else to eat it with it would've been more enjoyable. We actually didn't order this and wanted the trip tip sandwich but somehow there was a communication mix up and they brought us chili.. but the waiter still brought us a few slices of tri tip to try! Onion rings 4/5 - these were okay but I wouldn't get them again. Not that crispy and flavor was different than what I like maybe bc of the beer battered part Overall it's a great place to try! I love the atmosphere. It's hidden in the hills and was quite a drive up but it was worth it. Staff were all very friendly too. read more

See all

The not so secret or hidden, but distant gem! Snuggled up off the 154, Cold Springs Tavern has been serving as a great spot for a quick road break or delicious meal for decades. I first started coming here during college on the weekends to enjoy live music, tri tip sandwiches and refreshing beverages. This last visit we made dinner reservations and I am so glad we did. For appetizers we ordered the Venison stuffed mushrooms which were outstanding! Lots of flavor and very juicy. Our family ordered the bbq ribs, cold spring chicken and buffalo burger. Everyone enjoyed their plate and I sampled to confirm. All delicious! Definitely a must visit place. read more

Warm experience even though it was cold up there. The bison burger was pretty plain for what it was. But other than that...everything else is great! read more

The ambience was amazing!! The service was awesome!! I had coffee with Kahlúa because it was cold, but it was a beautiful fire outside!! read more

See all

Really cute, old timey and fun and tucked away. Absolutely no cell service which was kind of cool actually. Great service and the food was amazing! Portions were huge (pictured is a side salad with tri tip added) and everything tasted so fresh. Try the cranberry margarita, it's so good! A fun family restaurant that has been around forever. Definitely check it out! read more

Cold Spring Tavern - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We arrived 20 minutes before the kitchen closed, and the service was outstanding from start to finish! The host, a very sweet and kind lady, made sure to seat us as quickly as possible, and she delivered on her promise. Our waiter and another gentleman, who I believe was the manager, were incredibly sweet, attentive, and helpful throughout our visit. Despite arriving close to closing time, they didn't rush us and even allowed us to enjoy our time while they started cleaning up. The hospitality was truly appreciated! We ordered the Happy Poppy, Firestone DBA, and Feature Beer--each one was fantastic. For food, we tried the original tri-tip sandwich, Buffalo burger, and Tavern burger, and all of them were absolutely delicious. The mountain view added the perfect touch to an already great experience. read more

Super cool spot . I feel like I landed at the right time . Got there right when they opened . I could tell the crowd was coming . Super cool spot. If your coming down the coast and want a little detour to some old works California this is the spot . Super scenic , great staff and the tri tip sandwich was damm good . Overall a great experience .. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants which also has terrific barbecue. It's just overall just a wonderful place to visit. It's so popular that it's super crowded so I recommend getting a reservation which we did for Mother's Day which really helped because we barely had to wait to get seated while other people had to wait several hours. I always get the French dip sandwich which you can't go wrong with that or the tri-tip sandwich. I also get the chili, which is excellent and pretty much everything they make is from scratch. It's a very old style place and they've kept everything as much as they can from the original restaurant. So the ambience is really cool, old-school western and just feels very authentic. You feel like you're back in time. Finally, the service is excellent here. We were served by Ashley, who has served us before. She is phenomenal and is an excellent server and just really brings a lot of professionalism and warmth which rounds out the experience and makes you want to come back. I will definitely be back, hopefully soon. read more

Cold Spring Tavern - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

What a gem! My mom was recommended this spot by one of her friends, and I absolutely LOVED it here. It truly feels like you've teleported elsewhere. I was a big fan of the live music, the atmosphere, and the food, and I can't recommend this spot enough. The drive may be out of the way, but if you're ever headed to Solvang, this is a must-stop location for lunch in my opinion. We stopped by around 1:30 or so on a Saturday and there was a decent amount of people. The outside patio area was poppin' with live music, which added such a dynamic element. We had about a 20-30 minute wait once we checked in with the host, but we ended up just getting drinks at the bar and hanging out around the area until we were called. The facility here has so much character and history to it. We were seated inside and were fascinated by the items on the walls. As for food, we ordered the Tavern Onion Rings, two of the Tri-Tip Sandwiches, Caesar Salad, and the Chili. We were big fans of every single dish. The onion rings were incredibly crispy and probably one of the best rendition of onion rings I've ever had. The Tri-Tip Sandwich was obviously the star. The meat is incredibly tender and makes for a superb sandwich. The chili was also fantastic and had a good amount of beef in it. Service was such a standout as well and the food came out very promptly. Our server initially forgot about adding the chili on our tab so was nice enough to take it off. I also drank a few glasses of their Sangria, which hits :). read more

See all

Best tri-tip I've ever had! Definitely recommend. The character of this restaurant is one of one. All servers were super nice and we were able to walk up and be seated within 20 mins. Service was quick. My table got the tri tip, French dip, and the pulled pork sandwiches with the sides being fries, onion rings, and salad. It was all amazing and the side BBQ sauce and horseradish went great with sandwiches. You may need to park down the street, but overall 5 stars and we will definitely come back if we are in the area again. read more

Cold Spring Tavern - Tri Tip Sandwich + fries - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place is a hidden gem! Beautiful drive from Orange County. The food was so-so good! We even enjoyed the live music. I highly recommend!

On the weekends they have tri-tip sandwiches to purchase that is separate from the tavern/restaurant. No seating in the restaurant if you order the tri-tip sammy. No problem, though, we just schlepped our booties across the road and sat on the logs in the shade and chowed HARD on my sandwich. Perfect day. 10/10 read more

Cold Spring Tavern - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

What had started off as a stagecoach company has become a popular tavern known for its tri tip and nostalgic vibes. It's a bit off the main road but if you know, you know as it'll get busy shortly after opening time. If you're here just for the tri tip and don't care to sit inside, you can order by the tent ($14). If you sit instead they have a more extensive menu and some varieties of the tri tip ($18 includes a side). The tri tip had good smoky, woody flavor and was tender. The sauces they provide help a lot to add some moisture and the tomato sauce is great to add some acidity after or during each bite. Id also recommend getting the onion rings here - great batter and multiple thick onion slices in each ring. Worth a visit if you're passing through and craving meats. Small parking lot but you'll more likely park on the dirt shoulder of the road leading up to the restaurant. read more

I was in Santa Barbara and decided to take a drive and eat at Cold Spring Tavern. I've seen and heard so many positive reviews on the Restaurant. I can tell you the parking is an extremely limited first come first serve basis. Good luck parking along the highway and walking safely to the Restaurant. Please be safe and aware of your surroundings and watch your kids! The restaurant literally next to the highway no barriers or safety pillars to protect customers. The Restaurant is very old school rustic and very wooden cabin like. It has a few different buildings for drinking and eating indoors. For those who prefer to eat outside there is limited seating. The air smells of wood smoke that attracts you as you're driving down the road. Now let's talk about the Food. We ordered the Ribs w/Fries and Tri-Tip Sandwich Plates with Coleslaw and Potato Salad Sides. The Ribs were fall off the Bone soft and dry. Definitely need extra sauce to moisten them up. The fries seen in many pictures "seasoned thick fries" we got plain shoe string fries, NOT what was in the pictures posted online. The Tri-Tip Sandwich was served with a regular Hamburger Bun again NOT on a French Roll like the Pictures posted online. The Tri-Tip was good and tender with very little to no smoke flavor, mainly BBQ sauce they poured all over. The coleslaw was good and the potato salad was ok, I'm not into mustard and relish in my potato salad. Overall the food was "Good" not great. I can BBQ way better. I'd go back and try the Chili Bowls and Duck. Please don't get me wrong I love food and ambience. The food was good and the ambience is beautiful and nostalgic. read more

See all

The setting of this old tavern is amazing. However, the signature tri tip was not. My husband and I ordered the tri tip sandwiches and they were extremely chewy and I ended up eating the bread and taking the chewy meat home to my dog. They need to teach the cooks how to cut tri tip. Would not come back for the meat, but the atmosphere and vibe were nice. read more

Fun side trip while on the road. Worth it to call ahead on busy days. This historic pony express has been around since the 1860s. It's been serving food for at least a century. Prices are a little high but given its remote nature and uniqueness, it's not surprising. Burgers, tri-tip and chili were all well received by our group. read more

See all

Great place to eat if you've never been there before we have eaten that twice in the last few years, always fun to stop there to have lunch on your way to Chumash casino I believe they're closed Tuesday and Wednesday and the other days they open from 12:30 to 4 PM All I can tell you is they were no leftovers. Highly recommend this place. Enjoy. read more

Such a fun, cool and historic spot to enjoy great food and drinks! We arrived and were quickly seated. Our server Rhonda was attentive and cheerful. We had the Tri-Tip steak and Pulled Pork sandwiches with onion rings and potato salad. Both were very delicious! We paired it with an IPA and a Blonde 24 oz brew. The Tavern is situated right alongside the slow moving and tree shaded mountain road. Parking is along the road and in dirt lot's situated next to the Tavern. Very easy access. There is indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Cold Spring Tavern - IPA and Blonde - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

SB local here. I always bring my friends from out of town l to try this spot. My usual experience is a 5 star. Service is always on point and atmosphere is magical but this time the tri-tip sandwich was a bit under-seasoned. I will definitely be back with more buddies and do a follow up on the tri-tip. Onion rings were also a bit over fried. Ribs were very flavorful and smokey. Chili was awesome and paired really with the fries. read more

See all

When I was ordering food I asked for onion rings and a side order, and the table waiter replied with a very rude "NO", when I finally got my food the dish had other pieces of food that did not come with the meal, plastic ranch cup was delivered upside down on the onion rings, the onion rings were very overcooked and painful to eat, terrible experience. read more

This place is so cool and the food is really good as well. We got the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad as our side. Probably best potato salad ever and a nice portion. The sandwich although not huge was plenty big for the 2 of us and everything about the sandwich was fantastic. We also ordered French fries which were super good but be prepared they give you a ton. We only had to wait about 5-10 minutes bc we were ok with inside seating. Most people want outside bc it's so beautiful with all the trees. We were there on a Sunday around noon. We will for sure come back on our next road trip read more

Get there around 11 and Parkin will be east to find, if not you'll walk a bit. There's 2 options to eat, either sit and get served or go to the walk up section and order a tri tip sandwich. When we went, we had to pay cash as their system was down. Great food, wonderful outdoor seating, and just an overall wonderful experience read more

I first heard of cold spring tavern after being bombarded on Instagram about it and touting its amazing tri-tip sandwich. First of all, the restaurant is located off of highway 154 in Santa Barbara. To get there, you have to drive your car up a small winding road and park on the side of the very narrow street. Because I took the Amtrak train to Santa Barbara, I had to order an Uber to take me to cold spring cavern as it was about a 20 minute drive. I thought I was smart by taking an Uber up to the restaurant that randomly appeared on a side of the narrow, winding road, but I quickly realized I had made a mistake because.... The cell phone service sucks and there's no Wi-Fi. I wish I can say that I was fully in-tuned to the food experience, but it was hard to focus when I was a little worried about how we were going to request an Uber to go back to downtown Santa Barbara. After our meal, the server took me to a spot where the cell phone service usually works, but it wasn't working for me or my husband. We spent like 15 minutes walking around before we decided to head back up the way we were dropped off. After a 5-10 minute walk, my husband got signal (I still hadn't, for some reason) and I told him "don't move!" The first time he requested an Uber, it said there was none in the area. So we waited a couple of minutes and requested an Uber again. Thank goodness! This time it worked! We stayed in position until the Uber arrived, afraid that we were going to lose signal. It was slightly stressful. Plan b was to walk back to the highway and hitchhike, possibly get kidnapped and murdered, I guess.... Now, back to the tavern. You can get in line and order a tri-tip sandwich to go and sit at some of the picnic tables to enjoy it. Or you can put your name in to enjoy food at one of the designated picnic tables or inside the restaurant, where the full menu is available. I had already made a reservation for us (if the voicemail is full, keep trying to call later in the day), so we didn't have to wait long. Half of the tables are also reserved for walk-ins, but I wanted to make sure we got to enjoy our food inside the restaurant. We got there around noon and the place was super busy. We were taken to our seat, handed menus, and given silverware. Once we settled on our drinks and food, the server took down everything at the same time. She was fast, efficient, and friendly. The spiked hot cider was absolutely delicious, perfectly sweet, and a good drink for a cool day. The old fashioned was on the sweeter end and tasted smooth. But hands down, the spiked hot cider was a scrumptious drink and actually a perfect complement to the tri-tip sandwich. The original cold spring tri-tip sandwich was served on a French roll. Unfortunately, it was way too tough for my tastes. I felt like I kept chewing and chewing and chewing it and getting nowhere. I might have almost choked a few times trying to swallow the tough tri-tip, but I needed to chew some more. Also, the BBQ sauce was flavorful, but I absolutely needed to drown it on the tri-tip to make it more palatable. The potato salad I ordered with it was not very appetizing, and I found myself taking a couple of bites and putting it to the side. However, the fries were nice and crispy and perfectly balanced in its saltiness. It made for a great side. This is a fun place to come to check out the atmosphere, get a good drink, and I heard and saw some live music as we were leaving. I'd order something else on the menu if I came again, but most importantly, if you take an Uber, be prepared with some walking shoes because you might have to trek for some cell phone service. read more

See all

Honestly the food was very delicious I forgot my friends order but she and I genuinely enjoyed our meal. The service is top notch checking in making sure we're ok refilling waters promptly. I also ordered an alcohol beverage, forgot to take a picture though realllly delicious hot tavern toddy. We got there early before they opened to secure a table so it started pretty quiet but as time rolled on more and more people arrived and a live band was setting up so it was getting louder and louder. Over all I think if you're in the Santa Barbara areaish you really should come early and check this place out super yummy great service and scenery is lovely read more

See all

There is no way this place gets anything less than 5 stars. This isn't just a restaurant but a one of a kind experience located in its own patch of the San Ynez mountains. I've been waiting for the right occasion to come here and my fiancé's birthday was the winner! I was expecting a nice tavern themed restaurant but when we took the random left turn onto the side road leading to the restaurant it started to feel like a magical adventure; like the forest around us was transporting us to a magical place. Then we turned the corner where the restaurant came into view and there were biker gangs galore, the vibrant sound of happy families conversing and the banjo sounding in the background. We got lucky and found parking in the fort lot adjacent to the restaurant. We put our name on the waitlist for the restaurant and we're told it would be an hour but it was only 10 minutes! In the mean time we grabbed a beer at the bar and sat in the wood benches outside listening to the music and enjoying the scenery. We adventured around and explored the eating areas in the back, the bbq stand which is a good option for a quick famous tri-tip sandwich meal. We were seated by the window in the dining room, but I don't see a single bad spot to be inside. All the tables are festive and the cabin is so fun to be in. My fiancé has always wanted to try venison so today was his first day! It was cooked to perfection and he loved his meal. I had the wild game chili which wasn't spicy (thank goodness) and was black bean based. I loved it! Plus the fresh tortilla it came with. Our waiter, Grant, made the experience that much better with his great attitude and recommendations. And when it came time for dessert he treated us to an apple crumble, my fiancés favorite dessert. It was DELICIOUS, and a great portion for the two of us with the scoop of ice cream and whipped cream. I love this place, and can't wait to come back :) read more

Cold Spring Tavern - Venison burger with fries - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

As a guy who grew up in Texas, hands down this is the best Tri-tip sandwich I've ever had! I love how they emphasize on seasoning it as the priority over just drowning it in BBQ sauce like every other bbq joint. Also, their chili sampler is too and best chili I've had outside of Texas. Staff here is really friends, great service, and love the outdoor country vibes of this establishment. Not to mention they give you great pours on craft beer too. I'm definitely coming back here! read more

Cold Spring Tavern - Modern times stout 24 oz - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Great, no actually incredible ambiance , the team that works there are very down to earth and caring and the food is on point They use to serve breakfast and dinner on the weekends, I wish they would bring that back. Especially early breakfast on the way to wine country with a classic Bloody Mary. read more

Man, what a place!! For those who haven't been, Cold spring tavern isn't a restaurant, it's a bit of an experience. This place has history and the staff there is well versed with talking to you (and your kids) about the history. There is a souvenir shop, the main dinning area, a jail, and two older living quarters. You can walk around and see all the areas. It gets packed so you need to be patient with the wait time, but walking around and having fun with it gives you enough time to until it's your turn to dine. When they called our name, there was a gentleman who greeted us and my wife told him it was my bday and they are so courteous. They straight up shake your hand, congratulate you, and talk to you a little bit. They seated us right by the fireplace. What an amazing room. They had deer heads, bear rugs, all sorts of old advertisements posted. The ambience was amazing. Then came the food. We started off with onion rings and it was amazing! It had to be some of the best onion rings I've ever had. I then ordered the tritip sandwich which also was great! It came with a apple horseradish sauce, salsa, and BBQ sauce on the side. The horseradish is obviously spicy, but great addition, but the BBQ takes the win. That sandwich with bbq sauce was spot on. We needed the meal with everyone singing happy birthday to me with an apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I can't think of a better way to end the meal. I totally love this spot, I couldn't think of a better place to go to enjoy my bday. Great place, king and loving people, and amazing food. We will definitely be back sometime! read more

See all

How do I give more stars?! Cold Spring Tavern is incredible. The setting is so warm and inviting and the food is delicious. French Dip, Ribs, tri tip, chili, etc you can't go wrong. It's a lovely experience every time and boasts some of the friendliest service I've ever experienced - so good it makes you want to be best friends with your server. Paxton you are the best! read more

What a great place to eat! It's in the middle of nowhere up in the Santa Barbara mountains, in an old miners resting stop! It was like having lunch back in the 1800's. The buildings are old , no AC, so it was warm. They did have fans going to help. I ordered the bbq beef tri tip sandwich. It was incredible !! Highly recommend it if you go! By the way , there is no parking! You have to park on the side of the road and walk to the tavern which is made up of a bunch of old shacks. Great service ! Great food! Great experience ! read more

Cold Spring Tavern - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

If you decides to come here for the food, don't. Sorry, the tri-tips were too tough and dry. Cream of zucchini has a strange bitter aftertaste. BBQ ribs were alright. I did love the beer battered onion rings. But if you want ambiance, this was worth a good stop for some fun and history. The staff was also super friendly and the service was top notch. read more

See all

Super crispy and delicious onion rings that were huge. Loved the tri-tip sandwiches and salad was also great. Ambience also helps make the meal yummy. read more

Man, the vibe here was infectious and I couldn't help but to be stoked! Located in the rolling hills of Santa Barbara, down a small windy road, just in between Solvang/Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara proper. 3 small ooooolllddd cabins (bar, restaurant, & gift shop) in the middle of tall trees next to a creek! There's no parking, so be prepared to parallel park along a steep, dirt hill! Came on a weekend and it was POPPING! This is when they've got their grills out and they're serving up tri-tip sandwiches outside! The tri-tip was AWESOME, best tri-tip Sammy I've ever had! Simple meat, in a roll, and throw in your own bbq sauce and horse radish. Everyone up there, from locals to travelers, were in a good mood. Music was playing, air was crisp and food was delicious! Didn't do the full service restaurant, but will definitely try to make it one day. This was a highlight of our trip up the central coast! read more

Cold Spring Tavern - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

My brother-in-law had a car and we did a day trip from Carpinteria and he had this awesome place with live music and was an old stagecoach stop. They have a nice history sheet and an old jail from Ojai. There is parking all the way down the street and back. They have a lot of wild game on the menu, but all I got was a Rincon Brewery IPA. It was wonderful sitting with family and enjoying a steel guitar while I sipped my beverage. There is a real cool arch bridge you can see on the way in, that has to be 500 feet tall. You can take a good picture of it driving into this rustic retreat. Loved this place. Great stop to rest and have a cold libation. read more

So Cold Spring Tavern came highly recommended by friends. Arrived after a 35 minute drive up the hill to limited parking from the lunchtime crowd. Got seated in this very dark room and served somewhat quickly. So besides the parking situation my lunch was totally uneatable. Ordered a brisket sandwich that i could not cut in half with the steak knife they provided. Finally "separated" the sandwich in two and could not chew the meat. Only thing i ate were the fries which were so-so. Not ever going back again. read more

Hidden little Gem. All these year going by never thought this was a quick turn away. People are nice and peaceful music makes everything better. Tri Tip Sandwich meat is perfectly cook medium rare. Only draw back sandwich could use more meat. And the condiments bar could be more visible. Onion rings Bomb ass. Overall fantastic place. read more

Cold Spring Tavern - Tri Tip - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

This place is a gem! Super cute location- great scenic drive and well worth it when you get there. Live music , delicious food and the service was amazing. read more

This is well worth the hype for the food, drinks, and the atmosphere. We came with a group of 6 on a Sunday at noon and had reservations, which really helped. Our waitress, Ashley, was very attentive and helpful. Right from the start we ordered the onion rings which were crunchy, and not too greasy. Next, we got cocktails, including a decent Manhattan and margarita. The go to is the trip tip sandwich which is just plain great bbq. They also have game: including a tasty venison burger, plus chili with rabbit, venison and buffalo. Sides include a hefty portion of well-cooked fries and a choice of sauces. The cool rustic cabin with animal heads on the wall and a warm stone fireplace makes you feel like you're deep in the woods of the old west. The bar is stocked with a variety of beers and liquor. Go but be prepared for crowds and parking on the dirt road. read more

See all

First off the drive in itself is worth it to get here because you get to fly past the ocean and then climb into the mountains so that's a plus. Parking is not terrible but it's definitely busy here on a Sunday so expect to park a little bit down the road unless you get lucky. The wait was not bad. They told us 20 minutes and it was 20 minutes. Beware don't just go up to the sandwich area to order if you plan on sitting down because they'll not sit you for table service if you do that. The tri tip bbq sandwich is great. Onion rings have a light airy batter. Felt kind of like you were outside camping so that was fun. Pretty cool to see the old jail area and walk around the other structures. I enjoyed the live music too. Very laid back. Also** don't bring your dog they won't allow them, I didn't bring mine but I saw some people left their dogs in the car which is not good common sense, check the company website before you bring pets anywhere. read more

See all