Unfortunately for us, Post Ranch Inn was one of our first stops on an eight-day coastal road trip…read more Unfortunate because they set a standard no other property or restaurant was going to match. I knew that going in. It was still starker than I expected. Start with the property. When that is the view off your deck, why go anywhere else? Stunning doesn't cover it. We hiked much of the grounds and every turn delivered something new. The kind of place that makes you slow down without even trying. Then the restaurant. Everything was perfect -- service, quality, execution. Much of the food sourced on property or from the surrounding community. My wife declared the salad the best she'd ever had. High praise for a salad. High praise, full stop. Special shout out to our server Yasmany and bartender Thomas -- both exceptional. What struck me most was how effortless the entire staff made it look. These are people who deal with guests from around the world, all arriving with high expectations of a high-end experience. And yet nothing felt forced. Nobody appeared to be trying to impress us. It was just perfect service, perfectly delivered. That's the rarest thing in hospitality. Highlight of the trip. Hands down. And I suspect, never to be repeated.

PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW BEFORE MAKING A RESERVATION -- IT MAY SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS…read more If you are considering booking an ocean-view room at Post Ranch Inn between May, June, July, or August, I strongly encourage you to do extensive research about Big Sur's seasonal coastal fog before spending your money. Based on our experience, I would never book an ocean-view room during these months again. We paid nearly $10,000 for two nights in one of the resort's premium ocean-view accommodations because the breathtaking ocean views shown throughout their website were the main reason we chose this property. Unfortunately, during our entire stay, the ocean view was completely hidden by dense fog. We never saw the spectacular view that was advertised and pictured online. What disappointed us most was the lack of transparency. The website showcases beautiful, clear ocean views but does not adequately prepare guests for the possibility that the view may be completely obstructed for an entire stay during certain times of the year. If guests are paying thousands of dollars specifically for an ocean-view room, they deserve clear information about the seasonal risk of persistent coastal fog so they can make an informed decision. Throughout our stay, we repeatedly asked staff whether the fog would clear. We were consistently told that it would likely clear within a few hours. Unfortunately, that never happened. The fog remained throughout our stay, and we never got to enjoy the ocean view we paid a premium for. What made this even more frustrating was that, after repeatedly being told by multiple staff members that the fog would clear soon, one employee later told us that they were not supposed to tell guests that the weather was expected to remain the same for several days and that these foggy conditions are common during this time of year. According to that employee, this type of weather often persists throughout much of the summer season. I cannot independently verify that statement, but if that information was accurate, it raises serious concerns about transparency. Guests spending thousands of dollars for an ocean-view room deserve honest information about the likelihood of actually seeing the ocean during their stay. The room itself also had maintenance issues. The bar sink was clogged, and the shower valve/faucet was loose and repeatedly fell while being used. We reported both problems, but neither was repaired during our stay. Staff apologized, but no one came to address the issues. For a property charging close to $5,000 per night, I expected much better communication, transparency, maintenance, and overall value. I fully understand that the weather is beyond the hotel's control. However, what is within their control is how honestly they communicate the risk of seasonal fog to potential guests. Had we known there was a realistic possibility of spending our entire stay looking at a wall of fog instead of the Pacific Ocean, we would have chosen different travel dates, a different room category, or a different destination altogether. The property itself is beautiful, but based on our experience, the value did not come close to justifying the cost. If an ocean view is important to you, think very carefully before booking an ocean-view room during the late spring and summer months.

The view is absolutely beautiful in the morning and definitely adds to the experience. We ordered…read morethe breakfast burrito, the Reuben, and the kid's quesadilla. The food is a little pricey, but I thought the breakfast burrito was well worth it. It was a generous portion, tasted delicious, and paired with the incredible view, it made for a great breakfast. My husband also really enjoyed the Reuben. The only thing we probably wouldn't order again is the kid's quesadilla. It's just cheese in a tortilla, and there isn't an option to add any protein. Next time, I'd probably just share my breakfast burrito with my little one instead. Overall, I'd highly recommend checking this spot out if you get the chance. Great food, beautiful scenery, and a perfect place to enjoy a relaxing morning meal.

If you are driving the Big Sur highway (?)m Hwy One along the California coast you will experience…read morewide stretches of just beautiful views of ocean and hills. Not a lot of commercial stuff. One of the most popular and well-known eatery is Nepenthe, always crowded and murderous, skimpy parking. A challenge for sure parking and also getting seated. Come early or late, but at prime time your best bet is to walk down the hill to Cafe Kevah, just below the main bar and restaurant. Excellent ocean-side viewing and a decent menu. If you are traveling along the highway, see if you can call ahead for reservations. Kevah serves, meals, pastries and drinks. Put your figurative seat belt on as the prices are California and touristy. Breakfast, granola at $18.50 up to their eggs benedict at $36.50. Until noon. Order at their central counter. Salads from $20.75 - $28.75, Sandwiches serve with mixed greens from $17.75 - $24.50. Kids can get a PB&J or Quesadilla for $9 each. More limited than the full bar and menu uphill at Nepenthe but easy to get seated/not too long of wait for table, less crowded and OK, but not cheap food. It is worth a stop here. If going further south there is another place called Ragged Point, depending on traffic, may be 2 hours more south. Enjoy.

Love the convenience of this restaurant across Glen oaks where we got complimentary donuts and…read morecoffee/tea for being hotel guests. And the beautiful interior giving cabin vibes plus a warm cozy fireplace. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating and clean restrooms. Loved sitting by the big windows looking at the trees. FYI When dining in you have to grab your own utensils and water and condiments. Their breakfast was delicious. I got the veggie scramble with avocado. And an oat latte. It was strong.

Came in for breakfast. Cute little spot to fall upon as the other place we were going to go to was…read moreclosed. They have a small parking area.They have a small menu and they only serve breakfast until 11:20 and then at 11:30 it is lunch. We got in right before breakfast ended and got the roadhouse breakfast. There is seating inside and seating outside. It is very pretty. They have lodging at the same location as well. It was clean and quaint. The food was good, a little on the small side for the price but it was all good. The staff was very nice but very firm on the end and start times of breakfast and lunch. They are only open until 2:30pm.

Really love this place perched high above the cliffs in Big Sur, just off Highway 1. It has a cool…read more1970s throwback vibe, but the views of the Pacific are absolutely spectacular. The service was great, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else. It's a bit of a drive and a little bit of a hike up the hill, but once you get there, you'll understand why it's worth it. Great food, incredible views, and a truly unique Big Sur experience. Highly recommend!

Stunning views but subpar food, service was fine. Went with my friend during the week late…read moreafternoon, so luckily they were able to seat us right away, but I could not see it be worth the 1hr wait I see other people mentioning. Absolutely would NOT recommend the fries, $16 for McDonalds fries. Seriously, they tasted, looked, and felt like Mcdonald's fries but more greasy. The vegetarian burger was fine, not appalling but very bland. The bottom of the bread was so overtoasted it was hard like a crouton, which made it sort of difficult to bite into. For a $30 sandwich I would expect more. The bean salad on the side actually was pretty good. I think the waiter forgot to bring our water for a while, which was fine, but it did really seem like we were getting worse service after not ordering anything to drink. Also, they started cleaning up while I was waiting for my friend in the bathroom, and it seemed pretty empty as we were leaving, so I don't believe they needed to clear it for another party coming in. However, the servers were polite, so I can give them the benefit of the doubt on these fronts. Overall, I understand in some places you're paying for the view, but this is in Big Sur, you can get better views on the side of the highway. We could've had a better lunch if we made it ourselves and packed it, or even went to one of the general stores in town to pick up a sandwich. If the food was good, I would understand the price and hype, but it was honestly below mediocre quality, and I'm not a picky eater. Glad we tried it, but not a place I will return to.

We accidentally found the place because it's right next door to a great massage place. The food was…read morebomb though. We're started with breakfast and it was a ten out of ten. I ordered an omelette with the mezcal margarita. Then we went back for dinner and it was just as good. I had a salad with beets that changed my life! So fresh. So flavorful. For my meal I ordered the short rib and y'all the food was so good!! Just trust me. It's next door Taboo, from the beach, if you're planning to attend there. Breakfast not photographed

What started as a stop to charge my Tesla turned into one of the best side quests of our trip. We…read moreended up at Sur House because it was the closest restaurant to the Tesla Supercharger, and I'm so glad we did. The views are absolutely breathtaking, the restaurant is spotless, and even the restrooms were immaculate. You can tell they take pride in every detail. The service was exceptional. My son is a very picky eater and pretty much only eats salmon and Wendy's nuggets. Even though salmon wasn't on the menu, the staff went above and beyond to make it happen for him, seasoned simply with salt and pepper and cooked extra well done. He loved every bite. That level of customer service is hard to find. The food was outstanding, the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating, and the general manager was genuinely kind. They were even hosting a private event, yet still found a way to make room for us and made us feel completely welcome instead of rushed. This unexpected side quest ended up being one of the highlights of our drive along the coast. Amazing food, incredible service, unforgettable ocean views, and a team that truly cares about its guests. I would absolutely recommend Sur House to anyone in the area, and I'll definitely be back the next time I'm driving through.

I stopped in for breakfast to fuel my drive back to San Francisco. I was met as soon as I walked in…read moreand offered any open seat. I sat at the bar, although they have very nice outdoor seating. I got a breakfast burrito. It was very well prepared and presented. Also, very big and satisfying at a very good price. In this area there are not a lot of options. This place is a great choice to get high quality food at a fair price. The restaurant is on the side of the road that doesn't have direct river views. But they are surrounded by a beautiful forest offering lovely views to enjoy while dining. Overall I recommend stopping in, especially for a delicious breakfast.

Super friendly service,charming atmosphere, and good food…read more We randomly stopped here while driving thru and lucked out with this beautiful restaurant. The servers were so nice and attentive. The buttermilk pancakes were the best dish we had. The salad came with a nice variety of veggies. The burrito was huge and came with a lot filling: meat, veggies, beans. There is only one restroom and it was a very busy day with a long wait. A great option if you're cruising thru Big Sur.

Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delicious--each course felt intentional,…read morebeautifully presented, and full of flavor. The menu showcased a perfect balance of creativity and refinement, with ingredients that tasted incredibly fresh and well-paired. You can really tell how much care goes into every detail, from the composition of the dishes to the pacing of the meal. Beyond the food, the setting is just as remarkable. The views are stunning and elevate the entire experience, making it feel both special and serene. Overall, it was a truly memorable meal, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience in Big Sur.

Wanted a nice meal that would be a contrast to the hiking shoes and forest roadside diner. The view…read morewas amazing, our day was filled with the marine layer/clouds so it felt like we were dining above the clouds. Prefix lunch was plenty enough to eat without the additional appetizer. The drinks are nice and all the food is served family style. Between the salmon, lion's mane mushroom, and steak, my favorite was the mushroom. The steak was a bit more cooked than the medium rare requested. There's indoor and outdoor dining. The weather was nice enough to eat outside too. If you wanted, there are shades that can be pulled down to cover the floor to ceiling windows. You can also walk out into their small balconies to enjoy the view. The staff is very friendly and made us feel welcomed. Valet is complimentary, but there's quite a few stairs to climb from the valet to the restaurant. There are electric vehicle charging as well. If needed, I think individuals can be driven up to accommodate mobility issues.

Solstice: A Funky Snapshot of Big Sur's Soul…read more Big Sur is a special place. It is ready to celebrate you when your soul is singing. It will also sit with you when your soul is grieving. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. Come as you are, and the redwoods and beaches and sky and mountains will embrace you. And when you're hungry, check out Solstice, whose food captures Big Sur's spirit. I have been coming to Big Sur for years now with my wife, and we have come to celebrate life's highs and mourn the lows. We recently went to celebrate a special day, and in our online hunt for dining, my wife found Solstice. It looked like a new place--we hadn't seen the name before--but its straightforward menu looked worth trying, so we made a reservation for dinner Sunday night. If we could have made reservations for our entire trip, we would have. Full confession: I am no foodie, despite growing up in San Francisco and having access to some dynamite restaurants. I'm just a regular dude who likes yummy food. When dishes feature foam or a bunch of words I need to Google, I lose interest. I don't want a dictionary to know what I'm eating. So Solstice's simple menu really spoke to me. "Sweet Water Ranch Pork. Summer squash, mint, fermented honey." Cool. I know all those things. I'll cut straight to the most important part: The food was top-notch. My wife and I elected to go a la carte instead of the set menu. She got the salad and salmon; I got the squid/pork belly and pork loin. We shared the bread. The bread was warm and soft, and the crust featured a delightful crunch. I could have crushed a whole loaf. My wife had it with olive oil, I generously slabbed mine with butter. Excellent. My wife was a big fan of the salad, noting its freshness and how the pistachios in particular stood out nicely. The squid was just the right amount of bounce, and the pork belly had a delightful sweetness and meatiness to it. And as for the main course? Solstice hit it out of the park. My wife said the salmon featured an excellent crispiness to the outside while the meat was similar to lox--that delectable, rich salmon flavor. And the pork? Each bite was exquisite: the meat was the perfect moistness, giving you that melt-in-your-mouth feeling that make you want to dance, while the outside had a crust had a satisfying light crunch to it. I'll put it this way: Solstice's pork loin is my benchmark for what pork loin should be now. A lot of places have really delicious food and the restaurant experience is great--but ultimately, I won't remember it after a few months. I am going to remember that pork and will get it again when we come back. (Also, a big shoutout to our waitress, who asked if we had any food allergies or requests--in doing so, my wife got her salmon without the sauce, which made the experience even better.) As for the ambiance, you enter Solstice and you just feel like you're going to have a good time. The music is fun, the layout is inviting and funky, and they have a lounge where you can just chill with a cocktail. Whether you want to go for a date or a night out with your friends, Solstice will provide the good time. As someone who loves Big Sur, I am happy that a place like Solstice has entered the scene--it is much needed. It captures the funky vibe of the California coast so perfectly. I wish them success and can't wait to visit again. Come as you are, and you will leave Solstice happy.

My girlfriend and I randomly stumbled upon Solstice while celebrating our anniversary & 4th of July…read moreup in Big Sur. We were greeted by the head chef & co-owner who made our experience truly magical. Tim & his team have created such an amazing & fun environment and the food absolutely rocks. It's not what you'd expect when coming to Big Sur, but I couldn't recommend it more because they expertly craft the menu day in and day out.

The fam and i were in monterey for the weekend and stumbled upon the village for a quick pit stop…read moreand who would have known we would have found this gem. I walked along the outside glass and saw that they had tito's vodka and liquor 43 so i decided to look @ the menu and boom there it was, a carajillo. For those who don't know it's pretty much the mother or father of the espresso martini and been around forever in latin american countries and throughout Spain, which consists of Liquor 43 x Espresso, shaken up generously and served over ice. I forget the girls names but they were so welcoming and had a bright smile from helping us and whoever else came in during the time we were there. The barista whipped up one the best carajillo i've had stateside which is rare because you can't really find them around here since most places don't carry liquor 43. A true treat. 10//10 would recommend. Mind you it was 9:40am Cheers.

Solid coffee, lovely stop along the coast but their iced lattes are not what they used to be. They…read moreused to be amazing! Not sure what changed, I gave it three goes before this review because I thought it was a fluke but it seems like that is the new norm. Great service though.

Open late! Grabbed a…read morebeer and burgers after a long day exploring Big Sur. Plenty of patio seating in the back or seat yourself indoors. Burgers were plenty large and priced right and came with fries or chips.

Horrible place to eat. Got very sick after eating here. Projectile vomiting:…read more Don't go here! Not as inviting either.