Super friendly folks behind the bar. Loved the food. Great patrons and such a lovely setting. Will definitely return.

Henflings Tavern A Legacy in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Live music four nights a week, game nights, darts, pool, kitchen open late, full bar. A neighborhood gathering place with a long history next to the firehouse in historic downtown Ben Lomond, California. Open daily. read more

See all

The food got better for awhile but now is mediocre. Nothing special. The burger lacks imagination. The patty tastes like there is filler in it. Well done, a slice of tasteless tomato, piece of lettuce. A nothing burger. The onion rings used to be the best, now they're greasy and overdone. Tried the burritas, a year ago they were great. Now it is like pebbly dog chow, nothing like the pictures they show. The place is cleaner for sure and the drinks are still great. The bartendress is attentive and puts out good drinks. So if you want to drink, go. If you want to eat? No. read more

REOPENING! stopped by today Tuesday Oct 22nd Met one of owners. ANTONIO. MARIO is other partner. They are hoping to open for Halloween. They are even repaving the motorcycle only parking. Soon You can have a beverage and keep an eye on your ride. Best bar and food at one time in the whole SLV; hope the Mario Brothers are even better. We shall see read more

Henfling's Tavern - ABC POSTING NEW OWNERS - American Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

See all

you know what I haven't had good birria since LA, and this taste exactly like it. I jumped for joy. Ecstatic. The burger was the best burger I've ever had. Coming from living in LA for a few years and having food be the importance of everything, this was the best burger I've ever had. What a guy. Honestly. Amazing food here. read more

This is open. Lots of music scheduled. Please update. Our local vendor, Mario has opened supporting our community once again!!!!!

Love the fries served, the guy that cooks the food was accommodating, workers were friendly. Nice place to hang out. Wish there was more parking. read more

Great place to go for food and drinks. Fun, laid-back atmosphere, friendly bartenders, and excellent bar food. Lots of regulars who are happy to let you mix in. If you're a pretentious city-dweller who needs a white tablecloth ambiance to be satisfied, this is not your kind of place. If you can let yourself relax and let go, you'll enjoy your evening here. read more

Food was great bar food while the service at the bar was phenomenal both bartenders worked the crowded bar because of a dope live band playing. The people watching was very interesting. Abidance was on point felt like a dive bar but great food service and plenty of seating outside this place was amazing. Did I mention how friendly and welcoming the staff was? The owners should be proud well run establishment. read more

Absolutely love this bar. My favorite burgers by far. Cold beer and friendly service each and ever time. read more

Henfling's Tavern - Black and blue burger and garlic fries - American Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

We are Ben Lomond locals.. this is a pet friendly place to come and have a great cocktail and a delicious meal!!! We have been making this a regular thing on a Friday afternoon. The food is delicious we have had the burger. Chicken sandwiches and the tacos. Everything has been delicious. Great friendly service! I highly recommend you trying this hidden gem. read more

If you don't like this place... I'll ask the bartender to charge a double Good pool, friendly atmosphere great pool set up outside... Tip well that and act right.. you'll have a good night They also have a great bands and fun game nights It's pretty much nightly read more

I am a biker. no doubt about that ;) I often ride down HW 9 and passed multiple times in front of Firehouse tavern and always saw a bunch of motorcycles parked in front but never actually stopped... until few days ago, when my French friend came over to visit. This is a solid biker bar that actually makes great food (even though I only tried the chili and garlic fries). The atmosphere is fantastic. Old woody bar with thousands of dollar bills pined around, nice terrace, patio and outdoor seating options. You can relax outside in the back of the restaurant under big umbrellas and enjoy the delicious Mexican food form their kitchen. Friendly staff and cheap drinks. Great Live music (classic rock) on Sunday afternoon. Fun place. a must see and try. read more

Henfling's Tavern - Garlic fries - American Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

See all

Awesome local watering hole with great food!!! Seriously for a bar they have a big menu and the food is always super good!!! In the summer expect to see lots of motorcycles read more

I love me a good ol biker dive bar. And that's Henflings. Henflings has been one of my weekend bar hops for years and every time is a good time. It's tucked away in Ben Lomond, little mountain town in the Santa Cruz mtns. They recently added on to the back deck so now there's even a pool table! This has been a spot for bikers and a great place for local bands too. Bc of COVID music hasnt started back up but I'm looking forward to when it does. I heard they recently went through change in ownership. Unfortunately, the only reason why I can't give 5 stars (which I would've in the past) is bc now a shot of Jim Beam is $7- a little pricey, but the ride up and the atmosphere makes it worth coming back. But heavy pours do help. And the food menu may have changed a bit since my last visit. It also seems those prices went up. I ordered chicken wings and they were slightly undercooked but bc I brought them home, I had to deal with it and cook them in microwave. I'll give their food another shot bc I'll definitely be spending a lot more time here now that I'm back in town for good read more

Henfling's Tavern - the sign for henfling's - American Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

My wife and I discovered this hidden gem a few years ago while on a weekend getaway. I loved the eclectic mix of people and the laid back atmosphere, particularly on the outdoor patio area. Both my wife and I loved the food. They have a fairly large menu and everything we tried was bomb! On a more recent 4 day trip, we spent all 4 evenings at this bar and thoroughly enjoyed each visit. My wife said the fish tacos were the best she ever had and I have yet to be disappointed with anything I've tried there. If you plan on being in this area, you've got to check this place out! You won't be sorry. read more

Went here today the usual bartender that is usually there wasn't there which was disappointing. The lady behind the bar was completely clueless. She was taking an order from a local, then mid order started helping some ladies who she obviously knew. Then watching the situation she was very rude and bitchy to a lot of customers. This just makes this place another place I don't care to come back to. I miss the old Henflings when all the bartenders were amazing and remembered customers and their drinks. read more

If your not a local do not come here. They don't like outsiders. And you can feel the bad vibes from the staff as soon as you walk through the door. Food was ok but not worth the uncomfortable experience. read more

I'm new to the area and the people were friendly, the bartender is awesome, and the new owners have done a great job at creating an inviting, safe atmosphere. Thursdays is karaoke night and so many people participate and the whole night is full of laughter and people having a great time. read more

Just had Henflings's burgers, onion rings, fries, and chicken tenders.. OMG! Everything was delicious, and their whole staff was very nice! We had their food when they were open before this whole pandemic, and were so happy to hear that they were delivering... It came promptly and hot, did not disappoint. Will definitely be ordering again in the near future. read more

When we walked in the bar lady was extremely rude to us. My daughter, who is 21, did not have her ID and the bar lady basically told us to leave immediately. The situation could have been handled so much better. Instead we left and will not be back. read more

Moved to the area not to long ago and was exploring around with a friend and stumbled across this gem of a place! Hannah is the kindest, sweetest girl and every time I go and she is working it is such a good time! Good beer, good laughs, live music all the time!! read more

The new owner has totally cleaned up the place, while maintaining the local vibe by preserving the signed dollars and framing them in the bathrooms. Food is great ---don't miss the barbeque only on Mondays---as well as the yummy everyday specials. Great cocktails, a great way to meet the locals. read more

Awesome carnitas nachos! Had them a couple times listening to music and because we live nearby, we've ordered them TOGO as well! Large portions and delicious carnitas, with all the toppings, just over $8! Feeds two of us Yummy!! read more

As 20 year residents of San Lorenzo Valley my wife and I have seen the changes in Henfling's...and they always come out strong. The current local and CA beer selection on draft is excellent and the small kitchen is better than ever. We enjoy a Costco or Ben Lomond Market run with lunch at Henfling's. We are working our way through the menu. All the burgers are juicy, black and blue is our current favorite. Today we had the steak sandwich. Cooked perfectly with the added onions and mushrooms. Delicious ciabatta roll. We always get the side salad. It has shredded carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms with mixed greens and cabbage. We are salad connoisseurs and don't use dressing thus everything else is important. Come see the locals and say Hi to Gayle at the bar. read more

Henflings Tavern is back and better than ever!! They reopened their doors on Thursday, December 6th, 2018. This bar, located in the middle of the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz mountains is the most welcoming and unassuming watering hole in the San Lorenzo Valley. Erin, the new owner has been working tirelessly since they closed for remodeling back in April of 2018. All of her bartenders are super friendly and most definitely know how to make a drink. Henflings is a staple of Ben Lomond! Words cannot describe how stoked I am to have an establishment of this caliber just down the road from my place. They take Ca$h & will gladly start you a tab if you give them a debit/credit card. Thank you to Erin & her lovely staff for reopening this gem of a bar!!! read more

Fun spot - love karaoke night, but really go for awesome bar tender, Hannah! Shes is a blast and does an amazing job!

Fun place to go and never feel right to leave bad reviews, but they serve their drinks with lemons with seeds in them. It would be nice if the bartenders could spend an hour before there shifts to remove the seeds from the lemons. It little extra effort goes a long way. I'm sure all of the customers would mind waiting for an hour for a drink without seeds. They even let dogs outside and you can order a dog patty for them! Pa Leeze, do people even like dogs? That is so 90's, they should have an inside cat playground and serve espresso! A cool vape room would be cool, anyways, if you like dogs, good food and lemons with seeds, it's a great place, but don't bring your cat read more

Previously I had written about Fall Creek Park, the best thing to show out-of-towners if you want to impress them with Santa Cruz's beauty. We now turn our attention to the best thing to show out-of-towners if you want to press upon them with the full truth about the Santa Cruz Mountains and that is, as my high school government teacher summed it up, that if you took away all the trees you'd realize we're living in a ghetto. Maybe it's because I have never gotten the appeal of dive bars. If all you're looking to do is drink cheaply then why not stay at home and do it? You'll find this place PACKED with the real *ahem* salt-of-the-earth. It's all those people who've never seen the need to escape the valley for at least a little while, prematurely aged by a lifetime of hard-livin', and the next generation as it makes its way towards the same fate. People say they like the music and I suppose if you want to see your friend's band then this place is perfect for you. However you should be warned that your friends band is going to be playing a lot of Sublime-styled relaxed funk-rock and everyone around you is going to LOVE it. So if you want to be the odd one out saying, "why are you all skanking, this music is actually pretty crappy and uninspired" while everyone else sings along to the chauvinistically prideful and willfully ignorant songs about how great the valley is, well then, you will be mighty pleased. I only give this more than one star because of its excellent use as an object lesson in what the valley is all about and the fact that yes, it is cheaper to buy drinks here than in a place where you can talk to attractive people and avoid having your teeth kicked in by white supremacists. read more

DIVE BAR ALERT Pluses: great music lineup with reasonably priced and often heavy-handed drinks with pretty good bar service if it's not hella busy. Minuses: It's small, smelly and incredibly run down and charges a cover for most bands. I don't mind supporting local music, but it's usually not worth the cover. Plus, while it's not necessarily Henfling's fault, the crowd seems to get seedier and waaaaaaaay too drunk as the evening goes on. Fall down slobber drunk...almost all the time there are at least three or five of them. Seems Henflings doesn't often exercise the right to refuse service to anyone. Tip: Go early, have a drink or two to catch the first set of the band then beat it outta there. Things can get creepy. read more

We played a show here on Tuesday night. It's a good sized bar with a decent stage setup off highway 17. It's definitely a place that has a strong local following. They were very old school, and fun to be around. I was super impressed when we got some cash from the bar. I guess they share revenue with the band, which is very rare. They also have a cool sound guy who helped us out a lot. I'd definitely play here again, and probably will on a weekend in the near future. The drive to and from SF is too much to do on a weeknight. read more

Henfling's? Yep. Tacos and beers, please. My friends and I love it so much, it has actually become a thing. I am really picky when it comes to dining out, so I was super surprised to find the food to be so delicious and fresh when it was suggested for a Sunday outing. In addition to the carne asada tacos, the tostadas and wedge cut fries are awesome too! I don't do gluten, but many of my friends rave over the Ducati sandwich. In fact, between us, we have had just about everything on the menu and it is all great. I would say the best lunch on the mountain when you factor in the prices, which are extremely competitive. We are frequent visitors, and I have always enjoyed the food and the music, except for one occasion: My birthday! We went out on Dec 19, 2014 for tacos and beer, of course, and arrived around 7:45. We were really enjoying ourselves until the band started. It was ridiculously loud. I mean yeah, I am not 18 anymore, but I wasn' t the only one with the issue. The entire patio was jammed with people who couldn't take the racket. My head was pounding. And it sucked because the band would have been really good if they weren't over compensating. I complained to the bartender who was outside smoking, and she agreed, but she just said that she had asked them several times to turn it down and they refused. I would have pulled their damn cord. It completely ruined my night and we left without finishing dinner. So hopefully, that was an isolated incident. Tip: If you want a mellow, enjoyable time, hit them up on a lazy Sunday afternoon and chill on the patio. Dogs are welcome there, so that is great, but watch out for the flies, which can be annoying. PS in the bartender's defense, she did offer me a free drink when I told her it was my birthday. But by that point, I just wanted out of there. Check it out. You won't be disappointed. read more

Nice down-to-earth place. Good drink selection, and friendly bartenders. They have live music as well as games on TV. For me, the best part of this place is the variety of indoor and outdoor seating - making it easy to kick back and relax. We didn't try food out of the kitchen, but they seem to have some variety. We saw a number of people having dinner. Only criticism is that the place is a bit dirty (bathrooms, etc). Probably no worse than the typical dive bar, but would be nice to tidy it up. Maybe I'm just getting old... If you're looking for a relaxing place to hang out in the mountains, enjoy a drink, and be around friendly people, try this out. read more

I went to Hefling's to see my most favorite band ever play. This was my first time going, and I had heard stories so I was a little worried. The no parking spots really sucks. I had to park across the street in the Market parking lot (and was scared this would be the one time I would get towed away). Walked across the street and go inside, it's not too bad. Small, of coarse, but they have a nice set up with the stage, the bar and tables to sit at during the shows. Drinks aren't too much (5 bucks for a sex on the beach and 1.25 for a soda? hell yes!), and the bartenders are super nice. Although it is very small, for what I'm used to I will go again. The outside area is to die for, so many places to sit down and relax for a minute. The decor inside is pretty neat too, it would take you forever to read all those dollars. read more

Every time I go to Henfling's, I tell myself that I am there to listen to the music and I WILL NOT spend the whole time outside smoking cigarettes with oldtimers and being called little missy. But I do it. There are some great bands that play there too and it's worth the drive if you have a designated driver. read more

Henfling's Tavern - American Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

It is was it is folks.... And as far as dive bars go it's the BEST. Very safe too. And BTW the bartenders there have always been bitches. Oh well. And it changes on the weekends. The crowd comes from San Jose, Santa Cruz, etc and gets a little trendy like unless it's a biker run. Best if you go during the week. read more

Grizzled mountain men, hardcore bikers and loud music is what you WILL encounter at Henflings. Then again, the regulars wouldn't have it any other way. This place is not for all you namby pamby, highfalutin cocktail loving folk but rather, it is for your tough as nails, just rode in on my chopper, biker gang sort of folk. That being said, however, I have yet to come across anyone here who didn't go out of their way to make you feel welcome; this is the Valley after all, and in the Valley we look after our own. Okay, so if you do find yourself here, just get a beer (or 5) and enjoy the music and clientele, just make sure you're not caught staring (I won't be held responsible for anyone who gets a bar stool smashed over their head, haha, just kidding). Anyways, I digress, the prices are reasonable and the location is perfect for just such a dive bar, right in the heart of B-Lo. All in all, Henflings is a perfect example of the biker's biker bar. Then again, the staff and regulars will make you feel welcome should you decide to forgo the pseudo-swanky Santa Cruz bar scene in favor of something different. read more

Absolutely fantastic place to stop in for a quick hot sandwich and a beer. It's a little out of the way for me, but I'd certainly be willing to make the trip back on a Sunday afternoon or some such. Leave a dollar stapled to the wall or ceiling! read more

This place is a consistent solid three stars. So why did I give five in the review? Well they have a new cook and the burger was done to perfection and one of the best I have had in a long while. He also put out an exceptional FRESH calamari.. Yes, Calamari in 'Fling's and fresh, who would have thunk. Just don't go with high expectations or a predisposition and you'll have a good time. The drinks are priced right and large and if you want a good top shelf margarita.. ask.. you may get barked at as they do take some work but worth the attitude and the wait. Good draft selection as well. Nice to see more than Bud or PBR on tap. We don't stop here all the time. Nice spot for a lunch and pint during the week. Won't break the bank. Enjoy read more

The moment you walk in this place, you get what is so Enticing about [QUOTE] dive bar [UNQUOTE] places. Sheer perfection of the genre. Relaxed, good staff - dark, but not dank (which is rare in Ben Lomond, where everyplace seems to have some amount of icky black-moldy smell) - better selection of brews (and decent cocktails) than most - a authentic feel of history and nostalgia about the place. Best of all, they book great musicians; I got to see Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys at this intimate venue. www.HenflingsTavern.com Check 'em on a regular basis. read more