I had heard so many great things about Jocko's over the years and just never made it there. Finally! I went recently with a friend. First, service was outstanding. I had a reservation and we were seated immediately. Dan was our server, and he was gregarious and efficient. We liked him a lot. I ordered the pork ribs and hash brown casserole while my friend ordered the ravioli. We enjoyed the beans, pickles and crackers while we waited; it wasn't long before our meals arrived. The ribs were delicious and huge! Very meaty, not skimpy at all, and just enough seasoning to make them pop. The hash brown casserole was also terrific, and I enjoyed those leftovers the next day. The ravioli is stuffed with meat, and the meat sauce was thick and, well, meaty. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit! I recommend you make a reservation if you can. They do take walk-ins but you might be waiting a long time. read more

Jockos is great and their steaks are very flavorful, no doubt about that. The only thing that made me not give 5 stars is that I ordered a 10oz filet mignon dinner meal for pick up and when I got home I weight it and it was only 4.8oz!! I understand steaks shrink a little when you cook them. But that's a whole half of steak that I didn't receive and when you are paying the prices they charge ($52.50) you expect to receive what you are paying for. I didn't want to drive all the way back so I'm writing this review to let everyone know. If you can weight your steaks!!!! read more

"Do you have a reservation?" That's the first thing the hostess asked as we came on a Saturday when they opened at 1 pm. Of course we didn't but it seems that if you want to sit in the back table area, you have to have a reservation. Since we didn't, she asked if we wanted to seat at the bar where it's first come, first serve. Since we were just the second couple who entered when they opened, we had no choice but to sit at the "no reservation" area. That area right in front of the entrance is super dark, no lighting and the only true light is when the door opens. Make sure you bring your phone with you since I saw several peeps who came after us and had to seat at the bar area have to use their phones flashlight to see the menu! Lol Service- our waitress Aniessa was nice, friendly and patient. For the most part, the staff was pretty good. 5 stars So salsa and pickles are complimentary before your order if you wanted to have the salsa with the packaged breadsticks on the table. My wife actually enjoyed them but for sure she was hungry before we came. I ordered the 8 oz Spencer ribeye - medium with bake potato and salad with bleu cheese . 4 stars- why? My ribeye was over cooked and had little pink. Outer portion of the steak was cooked too much and the center did have some pink. My wife had the 8 oz New York steak Medium also, but hers was under cooked and more a medium rare because of the thick cut. But yah, other than both steaks not properly cooked. The meal overall was good. Price is on the high end compared to other steak places but to me that's fine since it was a complete meal and not one where you have to order the sides separately. Would I go again? For sure and would recommend others to try. Waitress says there is no advertising done and it's all word of mouth. read more

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I had a lovely experience at Jocko's Steak House (Nipomo). I ordered the Spencer (20oz Ribeye - $61.95). This meal includes the thick, buttery Ribeye, Baked Potato, Salad, Garlic Bread, Ice Cream, and even more sides! It's a FEAST of food. That thick, plump Ribeye Steak dribbled with its own juices. I arrived at Jocko's Steak House (Nipomo) on Tuesday (around 4:20PM). Parking is cramped and crowded; however, I quickly found nearby street parking. Staff (introduced as Darlene) is a delight. Darlene is very knowledgeable; Darlene is very hardworking; and Darlene charmed the table. However, with all Staff, it's a little difficult to wave anyone down because this business is very popular and filled with customers. The main entrees arrived in 28 minutes. As mentioned, I ordered the Spencer (20oz Ribeye - $61.95). It's a juicy, buttery steak. It's very HEAVY. Each bite had a chew, but it broke apart effortlessly. Surprisingly, the Baked Potato was a show stopper. That Baked Potato is very fluffy and soft; its texture resembled mashed potatoes. It's also STUFFED with fresh sour cream and butter. I also enjoyed the fresh garlic bread, clean baked beans, and chill ice cream. I selected the meal's complimentary Chocolate Malted Ice Cream, and I savored its soft sweetness. Regarding ambiance, Jocko's Steak House (Nipomo) is very rustic-looking. The floors look very worn down, but the tables are very clean. The music is very soft, and the main sound derives from loud customers; the location is a little echoey, so the chatter is amplified. Overall, I had a lovely experience at Jocko's Steak House (Nipomo). The food is delicious; the portions are generous; and the Staff is a delight. If searching for a buttery, juicy steak, I recommend. 4.9 out of 5 read more

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I read about Jocko's in an Eater article as one of the places you must try on a road trip along California. I'm always a bit of a skeptical but an optimistic one so okay, why not give this spot a try. We came here for a super early dinner, basically right after the restaurant opened at 4 pm. We wanted to avoid the dinner rush and having to wait forever without a reservation. So we got seated very quickly. Now, the ambiance and decor is very bare bones and honestly, no frills. Nothing fancy and not a fancy, romantic date night spot but a great pragmatic date night spot or solo date spot. Our server Christian was wonderful and very prompt and attentive. We ordered the 20 oz Ribeye and shared it among a heavy eater and a light eater. The meal comes with crunchy chilled pickles, a side and a salad and also, a basket of crackers (Ritz, saltines and breadsticks), a cup of salsa that's meant to be eaten with the steak but we started eating it as a dip with the crackers. Also came with their signature beans and also garlic bread. And also ice cream at the end. When the steak came...it has that perfect crust and sear from the Santa Maria style, where the steak is cooked over an open flame. There's just nothing like a flame grilled steak. We ordered it medium rare and upon the first bite, WOW!!! Super tender and juicy and tasted so fresh, also lightly seasoned already. Nipomo is kind of in the middle of nowhere but if you find yourself driving along the 1 Highway and going either south or north, plan and make a stop here. You won't be disappointed. And overall, great value for the money considering the price you pay for the steak comes with everything. read more

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Wow, has this place changed a lot in the 15 years since my previous visit. It has bigger and fancier quarters, a bigger and fancier menu, a much bigger and somewhat fancier customer base, and bigger and fancier prices. But along with a vast selection of other entrees, they still have the big and crusty ribeye steaks they became famous for, which come with plenty of sides (a much bigger selection than the automatic plate of fries you used to get). You want a powerful steak dinner, you can get one here. read more

After all these years, still my #1 The 20 oz Spencer Steak medium rare Is a great value for sharing a meal. The sides are great, but it's all about the steak! However, waiting in line in front of me was a lady with a huge empty pot. She was coming to buy their famous beans to go! Also, to give props to the sides, our lovely server Rachel brought us a fresh basket of garlic bread... perfect on its own, but it's true purpose is to sop up the juices from the steak. Try not to fill up on pickles, and the salsa that also comes to the table is a condiment for the steak. Not that it needs it, but I tried a few bites and it elevated the flavors! Who knew??? Baked Potato, solid and cooked perfectly too. All dressed up with butter sour cream and chives, it's a party! One of my favorite parts of the experience is going outside to watch the magic happen on the grated grill over an oak fire! The smell will waft you into bliss. I thanked them and said my favorite part are the little crispy bits of charred fat on the end of the steak. Love you Jocko's you are perfection every time! read more

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Went here for dinner on Monday, right when it opened The aerospace community has been bragging about this place for years! How big the steaks are and how entrees are deliciously served with the platter. Had Open Table for reservations. Was greeted briefly. The host did not accommodate me on where to sit. There were 3 areas for seating. I just sat in the bar with no direction. Waited a good 15 minutes, nobody came by to greet me and take my order. Just felt stupid and out of place. So I spoke to the host I will just sit in the Other room. I sat down and waited patiently, still no one attended for a good 15 mins until I finally had it and asked if someone is going to take my order. A waitress by the name of Aniessa said Im sorry, did you happen to check with the front host. I clearly stated the the Host does not guide anywhere where to sit. I was a bit annoyed about the entire situation. I ordered the $50 steak along with broccoli. Received my order in 20 mins. Long wait time for a steak perfection. Honest opinion, steak was good but not great. Over cooked and charred on the outside. My broccoli was cold and pickles as some sort appetizers is absolutely overrated. Over all above average. This place needs to catch up with service and compete with other steakhouses. Times has change. With all the gossip and praise about this steak house. I find it just average. The service was my first impression. It was disappointing! No direction at all. This place hires a bunch of teenage girls that are not aware of customer service. They are loud with their gossiping. While seated. The topic of conversation was about boyfriends and social media. Imagine eating amd hearing the teenage chatter for an hour. Very unprofessional. My experience only by facts. You might have a better experience if you visit. Probably my one and done visit. I work in the Aerospace community and the praise and glory did not meet expectation. :( Props to my server for accommodated service read more

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Took an impromptu weekend getaway to Pismo Beach for my B-Day. Asked a fellow co-worker & avid Pismo vacationer for a good steak house in town and he adamantly said that THE BEST steakhouse is a little drive out of town and was unmatched! Made the drive and I have to say it was totally worth it! Everyone needs to be aware, they DO get swamped on the weekend and were completely booked for the night! So make reservations if possible!! Me and my gf got lucky and managed to nab some seats at the bar. This place was the highlight of my birthday trip! The natural smoky oak flavor on my steak was incredible and genuinely impressed me! Definitely rated this place in my top 5 list! Highly recommended to any and all steak aficionados! read more

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Best steak house in the whole state of california!! Very packed! Makesure you have resorcations!! You won't regret it. It's worth the drive wherever you come from hands-down best steakhouse ever and the service was excellent despite how busy they were.! read more

Jocko's Steak House - Salad and drinks first! - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

Finally made it out to try out the highly recommended Jocko's! It's a bit of trek for me but worth the effort. We were waiting on friends to join so we ordered an appetizer to hold us over which was a big mistake. Ordered the fried mushrooms which were delicious and a nice proportion. Since it was our first time we had no idea of all the sides of crackers, salad, beans, garlic bread holy heck that is a lot of food. Split a steak which as expected was cooked as ordered. Cool old steak house vibe that is family friendly and quick and friendly service. Come hungry! read more

Jocko's Steak House in Nipomo was the venue for today's dining experience. The "locals" rave reviews...and the "wafting Red Oak BBQ Smoke" permeating the air elevated our expectations...oh yes my dear Yelp Review Readers, this was going to be the Steak House experience of a lifetime! We made our lunch reservations thru Open Table for 3, requesting a private table. As we entered and made sure to asked the Hostess if she would accommodate our request...she replied there wasn't any note on our reservation. Fortunately I had saved a picture of the submitted request and showed it to her. She look very puzzled. She replied that she had several large parties coming in for dinner this evening and she was looking to find us a table. It was 1:30 in the afternoon...I told her "we probably won't be here at "dinner time", and asked again if she could accommodate us at a 4 top. Again, she looked very flustered. (Explanation : last time we were here was in 2010. The only seating Jocko's had back then were long "communal tables" like in a school cafeteria. We hadn't been back since then because we really didn't enjoy not having the privacy of our own table.) She finally led us into the dining room and sat us at a 4 top table in the middle of the room instead of a 4 top with a bit more privacy along the wall. The whole experience was very strange and uncomfortable. Moving on...the restaurant had a good "buzz" going. The Ambiance: Ceiling wall boards covered in Ranch Brands of the prominent Ranch's of the area in the late 1800's (1886). That was pretty neat. Okay...we were here, menus, salsa and a pickle dish were brought quickly to our table. The prices were...well, they were on the "high side". I noticed the Steak Sandwich (8oz) was $36 dollars and said something to my daughter (this was her Birthday celebration). She laughed and commented "for that price it better be served in Jesus's shoe and gilded with gold". About this time our Server (Kylie) arrived. She was very nice, friendly and polite. My Wife didn't think she was very attentive...but that's really not what bothered me (I'll explain in a moment). We ordered: Drinks: Margarita w/Rum - 5/5 (this drink was a request by my daughter and it was really very good) and a Chocolate White Russian - 5/5 (this drink was on the specialty board and it was also really good), Entrees: Jocko's Cheese Steak - 4/5 (The sandwich was fine but nothing special), Beef Sweetbreads and Ravioli w/Grilled Asparagus (WOW) - 5/5 (Winner, Winner...would recommend as a must try) and a Steak Burger w/Cheese - 4/5 (Again, this was fine...just nothing special). Each Sandwich and or Entree included a side Salad (once again, it was okay, but nothing noteworthy...chopped iceberg lettuce w/dressing and a Beet slice on top), a Garlic Bread basket, and a bowl of Jocko's Beans. Everything was edible and we were hungry. You see dear readers, we had waited for our order long enough that I started to wonder if the food would ever arrive. Just when I was going to speak to Kylie about this...she brought our order out to the table. The ordered Sandwich/Burger also included Fries...unfortunately, the fries were cold. Disappointing. Normally, I am not the kind of patron that doesn't bring issues like these to the Manager's attention...but my daughter asked me to just "forget it", it was her birthday sooo I wasn't going to "rock the boat " so to speak. Ultimately on this occasion...in this Yelper's opinion, Jocko's Steakhouse in Nipomo wasn't an out and out terrible experience. The food was fine, the service might have been better, the prices seemed "elevated"...and as a result, ultimately, we weren't as impressed as most of my Yelp brethren. Our dining experience earned Jocko's a "go if it's calling your name" 3 Star review. The overall consensus of the table was...not worth another visit, yet we were happy to have given it a try. read more

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This steakhouse is a true small town classic that's been around for years and it's easy to see why. It has that cozy country feel that makes you feel right at home the minute you walk in. If you're driving through town, this is definitely a must stop to grab a great meal. The service is quick fast and friendly, which makes the experience even better. And whatever you do don't leave without trying to stake bites! They are flavorful, tender, and absolutely worth it. Even my picky eater loved them, which says a lot. Overall, a solid dependable place with great food and that welcoming hometown charm you just don't find everywhere anymore. read more

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Oh yes. Stumbled upon this iconic restaurant 3years ago. Looks like a biker bar / restaurant. I was wrong.. sorta' Everyone is there for the steaks! Absolutely fantastic. Service is great and such a great atmosphere. Enjoyed their food 3 times now. Never been disappointed. Check them out when in SLO read more

We were driving down from the Bay Area to SoCal and our friends kept telling us we need to eat at Jocko's Steak House. It was off the beaten path but we came after being recommended by several friends who are big foodies. We made a reservation on Yelp in advance and we were so glad we did because we were able to bypass a big line. The restaurant is casual and has a friendly vibe. We got the Spencer steak which was the ribeye that was perfectly cooked to medium rare. We can taste the red oak taste which made the steak very flavorful. We also got a side of lobster tail and it was very fresh and delicious. We also got beef ribs but it was a bit tougher than we would like. Jocko's is a good stop if you are doing a CA roadtrip and the price is very reasonable for the amount of food you get. We enjoyed our dinner experience there, the staff was very friendly. read more

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Jocko's just isn't the same since the change in management/ownership. My guy has been coming here for over 40 years--sometimes several times a week--and while we've been disappointed the last few visits, we kept giving it another chance, hoping things would improve. Unfortunately, they haven't. It starts right away with the pickle. No more relish tray--just a single sliced pickle. Nobody wants that. Then came the salads. We both ordered ranch, and within two bites our stomachs were in knots and painful. I don't know if the dressing was bad or what, but it was not right. I ordered the filet medium (I usually prefer medium rare, but I know Jocko's tends to undercook). It came out raw--cold in the middle, truly raw. I sent it back to be cooked a bit more, and it returned still rare. I couldn't eat it. My fiancé ordered the ribeye. He eats ribeye exclusively, and this one was extremely lean--questionable whether it was even a ribeye at all. Even the waitress said she asked the chef before bringing it. It was NOT a ribeye. It was burnt on the outside and also far too rare. He doesn't complain and ate it anyway. The pinquito beans were sour, and we overheard the table behind us complaining that their steaks were also way too rare. To top it off, a little girl at the table next to us was upset because her Shirley Temple was wrong. Honestly--how do you mess up a Shirley Temple? This place used to be a sure thing. Sadly, those days seem to be gone. read more

Jocko's Steak House - Ribeye? - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

Who'd a thunk such an amazing little steakhouse would be in the heart of teeny tiny Nipomo?! I had one of the smallest steaks on the menu and by the end when Rachel (our wonderfully pleasant server) brought us our ice cream, I was feeling very full and content. Thank goodness for the sound dampening tiles on the ceiling because it got very loud inside the restaurant, which makes for a very energetic experience. I'd absolutely recommend reservations. read more

Went back a couple times, and believe they are now worth two stars: Their attitudes have not changed nor behaviours.

One and done for me for sure. Heard a lot of HYPE from this place. That's all it was. Honestly it wasn't it. Food took over a hour to come out. Steak was good but that's it. Sides sucked. Service sucked. Waiter looks like she was out of it the entire time she came to the table which was twice. Other tables were being helped. No beans. No bread. One refill after waiting for over a hour. Ordered a crab cake and it never came out. I was also not billed for it. My steak was alright and the wife's was medium rare when asked for medium well. read more

Jocko's Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

I would like to take this time to compliment JAKE as an outstanding waiter!!!! Thank you Jake for a wonderful time Thursday night, May 7Th you made our Mother's Day dinner very enjoyable! The food was good, but it was an awful a lot of money to be seated in a cinderblock room with some banquet chairs and tables?? I guess I had high expectations when I was told about this place .we drove up from Ojai made it a day drive . I was sadly disappointed , seems no one really cares if you're there or not on the way in or the way out after you drop $400 But Jake made it all worth it. He was a wonderful, fun, loving talented waiter that you can tell. Is very much of people person. It's all about first impression the people at the front desk are those to represent the company in a welcoming way . You should put more pride into that position. I think you have wonderful food and if you can get a few more waiters , or waitresses with fun personality like Jake and people that actually care about the place , maybe spend a little bit of money on the decor where we don't feel like we're eating at a school cafeteria It might be worth the second drive up from Ojai , other than that ,there are a lot of more outstanding places to pick from along the way to be enjoyed. read more

Everyone and everything exceeded expectations! The Spencer steak was the best steak I've had in a long time! Grilled asparagus were perfect! Can't wait to go back! read more

Food was awesome. Had the Spencer medium rare. Cooked perfect service was very pleasant and attentive. Always come here when coming through town. Make his stop on your way up the coast. Or down lol. read more

Jocko's Steak House - History Of This Restaurant - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

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Dinner 4 pm March 22, 2025. Made a reservation for 2 and we were promptly seated. Ambiance: Tables are about 10" from adjacent group of people. Chairs are actual banquet chairs. Years ago they were metal folding chairs. The building looks same as always. Pretty awful. Zero ambiance. Actually good food or not I do not plan to return. It's just a depressing place to dine and you feel very cramped. Like tearing in a friends basement with concrete block walls painted beige. Old art on the wall. Boring art. Also the other patrons, most were not really the people I'm comfortable being around. Some looked like they just crawled out of bed, hair a real mess, etc. Service: We had a fantastic waitress. She was just the best. Quick helpful service and asking if we needed anything. Food: We ordered a 16 oz Spencer steak dinner and the extra plate meal for me with just the sides and I took a small piece of Dans steak. The Spencer was supposed to be medium and my piece was overcooked but it was tender. Beans were great. I really liked them. Great fresh made chunky salsa. They gave us crackers, cracker breadsticks and some really good homemade dill pickles sliced nice and thick. We also had dinner salads with ranch that were great! Very crisp lettuce with carrot shreds and 1 beet slice. The baked potato was loaded good. The garlic bread needs more garlic and was buttered and cooked inconsistently. The dinner meal comes with a bowl of ice cream and they had about 4 choices. Even though it was overall aboit 7/10 meal and pretty good with the awful atmosphere I really do not want to ever go back. read more

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Busy night for a Wednesday but despite that service was great! Juan was a phenomenal server who made amazing drinks and was quick on service! Give him a raise! read more

Jocko's Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

We had a reservation so we were seated right away. Amazing steaks cooked exactly the way we asked. You can really taste the oak come through. We had the 20 oz Spencer, beef and pork ribs, and the steak burger. Everything we had was good. There are so many sides that come with the entrees and ice cream at the end. This is definitely one of the best steak places in the central coast. read more

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Outstanding food and service!! We make Jocko's our go to stop when we visit pismo beach . The Spencer steak is a great steak and worth the visit. Very busy I would recommend reservation using open table. read more

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Jocko's is my absolute favorite place to go. As a local, my family has been coming here for many generations. I get the steak sandwich; it comes with a salad, two slices of bread, your choice of a potato, French fries, or beans. It used to come with a salad, baked potato,and beans. Prices have gone up and you can only pick one side now. I usually take it out. I usually order my steak medium and it comes out medium rare. The only negative thing I have to say is prices have gone way up, and they don't give you everything you used to get with it. I would be less of a hit if they kept it the same. read more

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Jocko's is all about the food. You come here for the salad drowning in the house-made dressing and the steaks grilled over the red oak coals. The beans and loaded hash brown casserole were standouts too. The concrete block walls and tables too close together make it feel like you're dining at a family reunion. We even joined in with signing "Happy Birthday" to a gentleman at the next table. Our waitress was busy with several tables but was on top of us and seemed to know what we needed before we asked. read more

We finally made it to Jocko's after nearly 20 years of family in SLO raving about it. The Spencer steak was hands down one of the BEST steaks I've had in my life. We were lucky and snagged a last minute reservation during an impromptu trip for our Anniversary. We weren't sure what to expect, but I'm so happy we finally listened to our food loving family. We showed up a bit early for our reservation and of course went to the bar for a cocktail to whet our appetites. First impression... Old school, casual, almost divey feel. You definitely dont need to dress up here, which I appreciate. The bar was packed, but we found a spot and had a couple drinks while we waited. Despite how busy they were, the bartender was friendly and we didn't wait long for our drinks. When our table was ready, they came and grabbed us from the bar. The starters were simple. Salsa, really good ice cold pickles, and crackers. Interesting combo for sure, but nice light snacking before an amazing, filling dinner. Im not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical when I saw there was only lite salt on the tables, and worried the steaks might be under seasoned. No need to worry. I regret not buying the seasoning before we left haha. We agreed that what we received were 2 of the most perfect steaks we've ever eaten. Husband had the filet rare, and I had the 20oz Spencer M/R. Oh man. I honestly dont remember ever having such a tender, juicy, beefy steak in my life. If you like cuts with a little fat on it, the Spencer is it. It was seasoned well and the fat was perfectly rendered. The only way I can describe it is beef butter lol. The filet was perfectly tender and well seasoned, but the Spencer blew us away. We ordered the broccoli and loaded hashbrowns as our sides and shared. It was perfect. The takeaway, we will always return to Jocko's when we visit the area. Im sad that it took us so long to make the side trip over there. The service was amazing, and its been a few weeks, but we still keep talking about that meal. Thanks Jocko's! read more

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Jacko's is famous for their red oak barbecued steaks which my husband loves. But I am a fan of their steak burgers (large hamburgers ground fresh from steak). The side dish is either French fries or their Santa Maria style beans. Pickles, crackers, salsa, and green salad are brought out first. The salad comes with a beet slice but I ask for a tomato slice instead. We had amazing service from Jake who even brought out Jocko's gear so my husband could try on a new hat. The ambiance is literal cinder blocks and mortar. Down to earth real old style BBQ. They open at 1 pm on Sat and Sun. 4 pm on M - F. They now take reservations. PS: try the pan fried chicken. It's a secret wow dish that rivals a steak. read more

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Great selection of barbecue beef, chicken, pork and then there's humongous rainbow trout fillets Try it for yourself and get your barbecue fix on Very delicious read more

Jocko's Steak House - Sign inside the restaurant - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

Food was good, but the service kinda sucked. Steakhouses out here are a really different culture out here in LA--people don't dress up and the way they serve the food, it feels like a course menu waiting almost 30-45 minutes between each menu item, but the ambience feels like a dark cabin at a retreat site. Def weird, but quality of the meat was really good. Def would pass on the sausage--it was very dry and the Mac and cheese -- the cheese and butter congealed and was sitting out for a bit before it was served to us, but the pork ribs were cooked to perfection with the crispy salted skin & the Spencer's cooked medium was so soft and melts with each bite. And of course, can't forget the spumoni ice cream at the end! read more

Jocko's Steak House - Mac & cheese, Spencer's (left corner), linguica + steamed veggies...broccoli (right corner), full rack of Pork ribs w/ rice - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

This place is always amazingly good!! I suggest you make reservations, but even if you don't it will be worth the wait. Friendly service. Great drinks. Historic restaurant. Go, GO NOW!! read more

Jocko's Steak House - Spencer steak with baked potato, beans, salad, and garlic bread. - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

Went there at around 5pm with a bunch of friends. Got a recommendation from a friend's pastor; we drove ~1 hr to get here. Tons of ppl, was very packed, and had to wait ~15-20 mins for a seat (and even then we were lucky). We ordered and had to wait at least 1 hr for the food. The salad came early and it was average. Then the ribeye steak came. It was hardly seasoned, basically plain. And the meat was kinda chewy, tough. Apparently, I got the short end of the stick cuz one of my friends said theirs was fine. Maybe a mistake cuz they were in a rush cuz they were so packed. The meat was definitely medium at best, even though I ordered medium rare. The spare ribs were pretty decent and surprisingly went well with the salsa. The fact that it came with ice cream is nice. But you definitely paid for it with the price of the entrees. Overall an expensive place and not worth a more than 1 hr drive read more

We called in our order as we usually do. Never had issues. Today I'm so disappointed. Steak plate came without the little bread pieces inside. .I was bummed. So I tried a piece without the bread and oddly assumed super salty. I didn't think anything of it I just thought maybe it was because I was sick things don't taste the same. I continued separating the rest of the order and everything seemed fine . I did find 2 pieces of bread wrapped so I'm assuming this is the bread for my steak plate. Well the other bag had the most of the little cups spilled inside. As I was looking over the receipt to make sure everything was there I noticed on the receipt there was a request for extra seasoning. I never asked for extra seasoning we did ask for well done. Of course I called the restaurant and ask them if things have changed and why my receipt would have that I requested extra seasoning. We still don't know why that happened but a really sweet girl named Gabby answered the phone and offered to make me another order but I was already home so I wasn't trying to go back. I am so disappointed. read more

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Wait time was LONG even with reservations. Service was fine. It was super busy and noisy, but expected as it was our fourth time there and everyone seems to still love this place. Ribeye steaks all around (4). Ordered them medium, and they all came out medium-well. Ugh! Didn't want to send them back because it took a long time for them to come. Salad portions shrunk. They used to come on bigger plates, now served in small bowls. Garlic bread was fine. Beans lacked flavor and were pretty soupy. A scoop of ice cream is still included at the end and the salted caramel was really good. Seems like meat quality isn't as it was. Unfortunately, we won't be back as there are probably better steakhouses to try and spend $60 each on. read more

I happened to be working in Santa Maria for a couple months and some coworkers were raving about this place who are locals so of course I had to come check them out when I heard they were grilling over oak, Santa Maria Style. Boy, they did not disappoint. Stopped by and ordered the 16oz top sirloin and for $39.99, YOU GET A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF FOOD. You defenitly get your bang for your buck. But what I loved most was how AMAZING my steak was and cooked to perfection! Also got to try the languica which was spectacular. Both dishes a 10/10. I can see why this is a local staple. If your in the are you gotta come here. Just keep in my mind this place gets PACKED ALL DAY, everyday. I had reservations at 4pm and within 30 min the place had every table full. Make sure to make reservations on open table if possible to beat waiting. Defenitly will be back again; thanks Jocko's! read more

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The only reason it didn't get 1 star is because of Jake, he has a great personality and was very attentive. Other than him the service is terrible. Host on his phone blocking the bathroom leaving his leg in the isle blocking half the path. Other server or bus girl walked into us, we said sorry and she just looked annoyed and walked through us. Waitress walking around with an annoyed look on her face. This is exactly how i remembered the place from 5 years ago last time I came and stopped coming. Gave it another chance for my mom to celebrate Mother's Day (her request) she had heard about it but never been. Clearly this place is terribly managed just relying on the legacy it once had. Food isn't worth the experience. read more

We lived in the Nipomo for years and heard a lot about Jocko's and finally decided to try it. Ordered a Spencer Rib-eye, 8 oz steak and it was extremely disappointing, 'tough as a boot' and hard to cut even with their serrated steak knives. The steak had no flavor. Impossible to believe this was a rib-eye, as I have tasted pan-fried round steak with more flavor and easier to cut and chew. Also had a glass of red wine which was terrible. The French fries were good flavor and a large amount. We had blue cheese dressing on a very basic lettuce and beet salad and almost immediately got a gut ache. The beans were marginal. Service was ok, but our table was left uncleared from a previous diner, dirty glasses, etc. Our waitress was attentive but dealing with a bad product. Most of our food was untouched, we paid the bill, tipping the waitress for her work, and left never to return again. A 'one and done'. read more

Great country restaurant with a good bar area. I would come back for that. However, I believe the bbq is not the best in town with similar menus. The food was dry and not worth the price. Service was not the best either as we waited a very long time, 1 hour at least. read more

Jocko's Steak House - Steak - Steakhouses Near Me - Nipomo, California

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