We came here in April -- but I wrote all the notes on the food below while eating -- on our way home from NorCal. Service here was excellent, we were checked up on enough and our server gave great recommendations. Thanks to our server Talia D! We sat in a cute garden area with vines, plants, and fairy lights, very cozy like you're in a friend's well-decorated patio. They also gave us complementary bread before we received our meal, and a lot of the dishes were unique and plated well. I would come back if I'm ever in the area and would recommend this place to all my friends! All ratings below are averaged (from me and my bf): salmon bisque // 9.25 // very yummy and unique. my bf didn't think he'd like it -- he usually dislikes seafood -- but it was great!! creamy, clear salmon taste but no unpleasant fishy/ocean taste that a lot of seafood has. i've never had this anywhere else, props to the chef! thai green curry // 8.5 // my bf says it's a 9. it's good but i feel like it was not my fave, it's lowkey your good, standard green curry that you can get at any thai place duck breast (curry) // 8.75 // very delicious and unique, i'd rate the curry, rice, and duck breast as 9/10, the duck breast itself was a 10/10. the curry was creamy, and they were all delicious and fragrant, pairing well together. however, the mushrooms, carrots, and other veggies it came with are too sweet. they seem like they're glazed with a sauce that has too much sugar. the black rice was surprisingly very filling strawberry matcha trifle // 8 // yummy, nothing majorly wrong with it. reminds me of a strawberry matcha latte. matcha whipped cream was a nice, unique touch i haven't really seen elsewhere despite it not sounding difficult to make. i'd order it again but i feel like it's on the sweeter side, so you can't eat too much of it. read more

See all

First of all, Novo has a great outdoor dining patio. It's really nice to sit outside and eat great food under the trees, next to a running stream, heaters outside everywhere will prevent you from getting cold. Perfect weather for wearing a light sweater, enjoying a glass of wine, and having a nice evening with your people. The staff is very attentive and on top of making sure you have what you need. Food: started off with the brussel sprouts and man, those were so so good. Brussel sprouts, goat cheese, pancetta, etc. you get what I'm saying. Flash fried perfectly. We had the salmon bisque and Soup De Novo, which was a vegetable curry soup. These both could have essentially been meals. The salmon bisque was absolutely loaded with salmon. From what I heard about it, it tasted amazing. (I don't eat salmon). The vegetable curry soup was very flavorful and blended smoothly. If you ordered rice on the side, it would have been just like an entire meal. Tikki Masala Chicken - man, that airline chicken was cooked perfectly. Juicy and tender, great flavor, no a single thing wrong with it. The rice and vegetables were fantastic, especially the carrots. I don't know why they seemed extra good, but they were. 2 orders of the Ribeye. Once cooked medium and mine, cooked medium rare. Unfortunately, when mine came out, I immediately could tell that it was nowhere near cooked right. It was actually well done. When the waiter came back, I said "I'm sorry to have to do this..." and before I could finish he said "oh yea, that's definitely not medium rare, let me have the kitchen refire that for you". I dislike sending food back, but when you're spending $58 on a ribeye dinner, it HAS to be correct. (Note- the manager remedied the issue quick..came to the table, offered soup, bread, etc, which I had already eaten soup, so he comped 50% off the steak. Nice gesture!) The rest of the vegetables paired with the ribeye were very good. If someone told you the white bean puree was mashed potatoes, most people would believe it. Very creamy and delicious. The Italian salsa verde on top was also very fulfilling. Overall the dinner was very good. read more

See all

Say yes to the menu!!! That's the first thing that came to my mind when I visited Novo in SLO. Once upon a time, I saw this restaurant be featured on the iconic Check Please, so needless to say the award winning food speaks for itself and I was ready for this experience. I came into Novo with high expectations and my expectations were exceeded. Calamari: Who doesn't want Calamari on the Central Coast, for me it's a must. But can we take a moment to complement the sauces they pair with the calamari. Novo's calamari is paired with a tartar sauce and a sweet chili sauce. Definitely a first experience for me and I was beyond impressed. My taste buds danced because,whoever, is out here making many and flavor pairings for Novo has unlocked a new game mode for me. If you ever are wondering what appetizer to try, this right here is my first recommendation. Blackberry Ginger Cooler: The mocktail was beautiful and also a great pairing. I would love to try their other drinks soon. Matcha Strawberry Trifle: My mom, sisters, and I agreed on this dessert and let me tell you, I'm so glad we did. The matcha trifle had so much goodness to it we spent time trying to guess what flavors were in its profile. Think a berry chantilly from Whole Foods, but with matcha flavor and so fresh! Immediately after finishing my little sister said I had to learn to make this specific dessert and needless to say I don't disagree. It was balanced in sweetness, very light, and a great summer dessert. King Salmon: 2 please! The king salmon comes with Tabbouleh and green beans. This dish was my mom's and she was very pleased. One part of food I enjoy is not just the eating and experience, it's the aspect of reminisce in the flavors, analysis of the cooking, and trying to gauge cooking technique. For this dish, the salmon was perfectly cooked and it is not what we expected in the best way possible. This dish had so many different flavor profiles and wait until you taste the added kick of wasabi. Can I get another round? Korean Short Ribs: When I first saw this on the menu I was struck with asking myself how this dish might taste. It was one of those dishes where I thought, I have had plenty of short rib, I have had kimchi, but I have never seen them on one plate. More than that, I was hesitant as I like kimchi but not my to go to choice, nonetheless, I was drawn to this dish so of course I ordered it. Wow! Was I glad I did. My sister had the same order and we agreed the kimchi had such a nice kick to it. The spare rib was also thinly sliced making this dish easy and yummy. Now don't let that kick of heat scare you, I encourage everyone to try this dish. The rice sort of acts as a contrasting agent to help tone down the flavor and you just have to try it all together. All that said, I think service was awesome, then again SLO is a beautiful heart in California. But seriously we had an awesome waiter who shared with me the history of the restaurant. The story is also on their menu, but Nova's little sister restaurant is Red Luna and the big sister restaurant is Robin's Restaurant in Cambria. So good to know because I can now see how all this deliciousness connects! Big fan of these places and it's great to know they are one family. I don't think I have a favorite sibling of the three, but here's to another 5 stars for the middle child. read more

See all

We've been here before and my husband has for business meetings in the past and absolutely loves this place. We just wanted couple appetizers and wine for tonight. Hostesses were very nice, professional and hospitable. Sebastian Q was our waiter and he was so nice, efficient, friendly and hardworking. The whole staff was very friendly and professional and great teamwork. Location is absolutely beautiful sat at the side of the creek listening to the frogs and just beautiful forest dining experience. read more

Novo - Austin Hope wine - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all

Beautiful patio seating right beside a peaceful creek! The atmosphere and scenic view are definitely the highlights here, and the service was attentive and friendly. The food itself was just average, but overall it's a nice spot to relax by the water. read more

See all

Novo is such a cute spot. I was definitely a little confused coming in because the front desk is all the way in the back patio, past the kitchen hall. Once you get to the patio, the dining space is so cute! There's so much greenery and what seems like a small stream of water. Our waitress was really friendly. I had a hard time deciding on which craft cocktail to order, so she recommended the apricot drop. (It's on the list of my all time favorites!) My favorite part of the meal was the ahi nachos. The food was really tasty, but I think a little too rich for my palette. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience tho! read more

See all

I had a completely different experience here than the photos I am looking at online! I had no idea there was outdoor seating I missed that entirely. The place looks beautiful from the pictures here. I sat at the bar, wanted to grab a small bite. They had a pretty decent size bar. I ordered the dusted tahini cauliflower, which was a pretty substantial portion. It came in a red pepper sauce with chili lime cashews. I wasn't able to finish the dish it was too salty and rich for my liking. It was probably the chili pepper seasoning that's my guess. The flavors were so yummy and the colored cauliflower was cool. I'm just picky with salt. It was a quick in and out for me, but the menu looked awesome and there were so many options had I been a bit hungrier. I wish I had sat outside! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in San Luis Obispo. I've been here every visit to SLO, and it never disappoints. We have been in SLO twice over the past two months on business, and had dinner here twice. On our first visit in February, it was cold and rainy, so we sat inside. We had an Espresso Martini, two absinthe specialty drinks and a Lemon Drop. Our favorite appetizer is the Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which come with three sauces, crushed peanuts, and veggies. So incredibly good! A must order! Their specials are very good and reasonably priced. In February, I had the Mushroom Risotto, which was massive (I took home half for lunch the next day) and probably the best risotto I've ever had. Last night, we both had the special Furokake Crusted Ahi Tuna with Forbidden Rice, a nice citrus based sauce, drizzled with a special aioli sauce. So good! (Also took home half for lunch). We've had the Lemon Cheesecake topped with Strawberries and Blueberries and drizzled with a strawberry sauce, and the Pear Bread Pudding. Absolutely outstanding! We ordered the recommended dessert wines to go with it. If it's warm enough, sit on their gorgeous patio for dinner. There are heat lamps to keep you cozy at each table. The patio is covered by a massive 200+ year-old oak tree which is magnificent. After dark, we were treated to a chorus of bullfrogs croaking (mating season) on the adjacent creek bed. We had the same wonderful server each time. I'm not sure of her name (maybe Sasha?), and she's just great. All in all, this is a wonderful place for lunch or dinner. Treat yourself to a marvelous meal! read more

See all

A nice place to enjoy creek-side dining. The potato somasas were the star of the show. Excellent flavor, would definitely get again. The Banh Mi is a pretty good example of why you shouldn't order Vietnamese food at a non Vietnamese restaurant, the bread was the wrong type and it just wasn't a Banh Mi The chevre was really good and the tomatoes were a nice add. read more

Novo - Chevre - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all

This restaurant offers uniquely flavored dishes that are hard to find at this price point. We had the salmon salad, salmon bisque soup, meze, and beets and burrata. Everything was excellent. The service was quick and attentive, and the seating area felt like a garden, creating an excellent ambiance. We paid less than $30 per person, including the tip. Highly recommended. read more

Gluten free review, I ordered the chevre with the chips for starters. The goat cheese was tasty, and paired well when you also dip into the red sauce and the garlic confit. They all need to be on the same chip. The mains, I ordered the duck breast and I liked the sauce and rice with the protein. However the vegetables were unpalatable. Tasted like they were pickled in vinegar and raw fish sauce, very pungent taste that did not work with the rest of the dish. My partner ordered the chicken tikka masala with hopes it was as good as an Indian's restaurant. Of course it was not. Bland masala read more

See all

Great patio over the SLO Creek. This restaurant has a Mediterranean and Indian international menu and the food is quite tasty. Started with some great cocktails including the spicy margarita with mezcal and samosas. Lunch was ahi nachos which were delicious. Our servers weee very attentive and the staff was very helpful overall. Well worth lunch if you are in SLO for the day. read more

My favorite restaurant in SLO. I just love the atmosphere here, it's perfect every time. The patio is so lovely, the ideal place for a cute lunch or intimate dinner. Amazing service each time we've dined. I do recommend making a reservation as it is a very popular spot in the area. The limon pasta was delicious as well as the spritz I ordered this past time. Definitely recommend letting them know if you're celebrating a birthday, they made my sister's birthday lunch so special. 10/10 experience. read more

See all

Food is amazing. I mean the parpadella lemon pasta even without meat was simply delicious and full of cream and zest. Parking is metered and there are spots around the corner of the block if you dint find parking on the street. Servers are 50/50, a mix of blank faced hostess in parallel to cheerful friendly servers. It does get cold outside so maybe thats why the blank face hostess, no biggie. I give 4 stars because I ordered a toffee cake and they didnt put the toffee on. After I mentioned it the server gave me toffee on the side (but I was already half done with the dessert). I felt they should have removed it from the bill, but no worries it was still a lovely experience. read more

See all

Fantastic food. The pasta dish was amazing and the Brussels on point. Fantastic service and the patio is gorgeous. A must go while in SLO read more

Novo - Parpadalle pasta plate with added Salmon - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Beautiful patio dining. Attentive wait staff. Bread was so soft, crusty exterior. Warm. Loved the beet and whipped burrata. The chicken apple Brie sandwich was to die for! Our tummy's were happy! Drinks were tasty, too. read more

See all

Love the unique outdoor dining experience next to a creek!! Service was friendly and food came out fast. We were seated at the corner table next to the creek. I started off the meal with a tart guava lemonade. Ordered the special filet mignon bites and the chow novo. The chef was kind to split the portions in half as we were sharing the dish. Server also brought out some hot sauce and dipping sauce for the chow novo. Overall unique dining experience next to the creek. Would recommend for first timers visiting SLO! read more

See all

You'd never guess when you walk into this restaurant there is a cute patio in the back next to a creek. Lots of heat lamps to keep the deck warm in the springtime. Lots of GF options for those with dietary restrictions. I really enjoyed the lamb shank, served over a well seasoned bed of veggies and saffron rice. Food, service, ambiance all 10/10. read more

Novo - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all

The ambience is what drew me in to this restaurant. It's only street parking is available. If you prefer to be seated outdoors, I suggest to ask about the bug situation. I went there on a warm winter day and the small bugs/ gnats were having a feast that I think it even clung on to my sweater and ended up taking some to the hotel with me! I bet that this influenced on how the food tastes that I took one bite and I was done. So I will not rate the food. However, the server made it a point to not charge me after seeing that I barely touched my entree. That's an A+ in my book! read more

See all

I've always received good service. The food is usually good. Most times my wife and I wait until restaurant month to come in again. But this is a great outdoor restaurant. And a great date restaurant. read more

The meals, wine/beer, ambience, service at Novo is impeccable!! Very unique and delicious meals! Also, dog friendly.

A nice outdoor, creekside restaurant in downtown San Luis Obispo. Plenty of street meter parking around. Once you enter, you are led through the back to the outdoor dining area, which is nicely decorated with outdoor string lights to make it feel like an intimate dining experience. Service was good, staff were friendly and attentive. Food came out in a timely manner. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. Seats are a bit tight, so you can easily hear the conversations happening at the tables around you. 1. Seared Ahi Salad (5/5): This was a very light and enjoyable salad. Fresh mixed greens and arugula topped with furikake encrusted ahi that just "melts in your mouth." The furikake seasoning is a combo of sesame seeds and dried seaweed flakes, which gives it a nice savory toasted flavor. They also added in threaded glass noodles, shredded carrots, daikon, bell pepper and toasted peanut bits, all of which, added a nice crunch factor. The dressing was a sweet sesame-ginger-soy vinaigrette. Everything came together perfectly 2. Ahi Crab Roll (2/5) This was a very interesting dish, but I feel the name of the dish was a bit misleading. When you read "roll," you kind of would think sushi/hand roll, but this is literally crab meat wrapped in a slice of ahi instead of seaweed. It was fresh, but overall, we felt it was under seasoned/bland. It is served with/decorated with a side of ahi poke cubes and avocado chunks, which I personally liked more than the ahi crab roll itself. 3. Lamb Chops (4.5/5) Grilled Mongolian lamb chops in lollipop style. The lamb was super tender. It's served with a side of stir-fried vegetables and white sticky rice, which was really not all that sticky. I appreciate that they serve the soy-garlic sauce containing toasted sesame seeds and roasted cashews on the side, so you can control how much sauce to add. We made the mistake of emptying the entire sauce of the bed of rice, which made it a bit too salty. 4. Special: Swordfish (4/5) Swordfish served with a side of mash potatoes. The swordfish was fresh, but our honest opinion was that this was "nothing special." The side of mash potatoes was just sad. For a "special" dish, we would've expected something at least a bit more exciting to try on the side. We would've preferred to try out their other regular menu dishes instead; we will be skipping this next time for sure. 5. To Be Honest "Focus" CBD Non-Alcoholic "Gin" (4.5/5) Sparkling water like drink laced with CBD. It was a pleasant drink that was not too sweet, but I definitely did not notice anything special in terms of physiological effects LOL. We will be coming back for sure to try out other dishes. read more

See all

10 out of 10 highly recommended and would definitely do it again. Everyone was nice, friendly and accommodating. The outside space was enjoyable however the chairs were kinda hard. Food! The lamb was perfectly cooked with peppers and green beans! I enjoyed this dish so much. read more

Novo - Braised Lamb Shank* *** - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Love Novo! We took a group of 8 for brunch and sat outside looking over the creek. Fantastic ambience and great service. Everyone loved their meals. The breakfast wrap was delicious. The purple potatoes were a great addition - very soft texture. It had a good amount of avocado and egg. Highly recommend. read more

Novo - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Amazing food. Calamari, ahi tuna nachos w wontons, chicken satay skewers & Korean short ribs ! Creekside view. Wonderful ambience Ask for Sebastian server. Smooth as butter read more

Came here last night for the first time and had a wonderful experience. We started with the meze plate which was just perfect. I had a small issue with my entree and they quickly addressed it and made it right with no attitude and I felt it was also with genuine care. Service was great, we sat in the corner hidden behind a tree which I think made us more out of sight/out of mind but our server was still very kind. We would definitely return. read more

See all

This restaurant is in a truly beautiful setting. It sits right above the SLO Creek, with a small bridge and a charming garden patio outside. Dining on the patio feels very relaxing, especially with the sound of the creek nearby. The outdoor area also has heaters, which make it comfortable even when the evening gets chilly. The only improvement I would suggest for the patio seating is adding cushions to the chairs to keep customers' seats a bit warmer -- that would make the experience even better! For starters, we ordered the ahi nachos. Unfortunately, this was the only dish I wouldn't recommend. The nachos were deep-fried and felt a bit too heavy and oily, which made the dish less enjoyable overall. One of the highlights was today's special: two pieces of pan-seared fish served with a gosgos base, priced around $41. It's a little on the pricey side, but the fish was cooked beautifully. The texture was buttery and the flavor was rich and satisfying, making it a very enjoyable entrée. My husband ordered the green curry with chicken, which was also very good. It was nicely seasoned and comforting, and it was great to see Asian fusion options on the menu alongside the other dishes. For dessert, we tried the coconut chocolate pie. Interestingly, it didn't look like a traditional pie at all -- the texture was more like a mousse. The flavor was excellent: rich dark chocolate with toasted coconut flakes on top. It was decadent without being overly sweet and was a perfect way to end the meal. Overall, the restaurant offers a wonderful dining atmosphere with a beautiful creekside location and some standout dishes. With just a small improvement to the patio seating (and maybe skipping the ahi nachos), it would be an even more memorable experience. read more

See all

One star is for the ambience. Service was fine. The food was bland. We came to celebrate an Anniversary and birthday. We left sad and disappointed. Korean bbq dish was not good. Waba grill is better. The salmon bisque was just ok. Ahi salad was recommend but sadly not a winner. The Papparelle pasta was highly recommended but the pasta noodles tasted like they came from a box? Also was mushy :( The calamari was the only dish decent. The people who couldn't get a reservation were lucky. We had such big expectation considering the reviews. Our entire party was let down. read more

Great Valentine's Day experience! We came to SLO for the weekend and I'm so glad I booked this place for Valentine's dinner. We had the best service and everything was delicious. Cute outdoor seating and environment read more

See all

Came here for Valentine's day and was very impressed. The hostess team were very kind upon arrival. They were running about 30 minutes behind for our 8pm reservation but we just decided to grab a drink while we waited. We weren't in a rush. Any other time, I probably would have been a bit irritated but we were just happy to enjoy a night out in downtown SLO. Our server was great. Very attentive but not overbearing, helpful with the menu, and provided a great wine suggestion. Ordered the filet entree. The meat was cooked perfectly. I wish they did regular potato puree instead of sweet potato, and something in the dish had an Indian spice flavor which was new to me, but it all blended well together. The ambiance being outdoors (with heat laps) and right on the creek was beautiful and very romantic. I'd definitely recommend for a special celebratory dinner or date night. read more

Came here for a solo dinner while in the area for work. Recommended by a friend who lives in SLO. The ambience is nice on the patio. But the food was not that great, and I would rather a place have great food. I got the Korean short rib plate and the ahi tuna nachos (from the "to share" section). Korean short ribs had great flavor and I liked the (I think) house made kimchi. They paired well. But the rice was kind of hard (still ate it all) and the meat was a little tough. The ahi tuna tasted like it might have been previously frozen. The wonton chips were tasty, but they were hard to eat with the tuna bites. I liked all the flavors, just could have been better prepared. read more

So many great vegetarian options! The vegetable tian, shrimp pad thai, and red curry were all delicious. The jasmine dragon tea was my favorite. read more

See all

The food is good now. Ambience is amazing. The little back porch outside with the little river string next to it. It's just a perfect spot for a sandwich lunch read more

Such a cute indoor/outdoor restaurant! Seems like lunch time is mostly served outdoors on their large beautiful patio. There's such a pretty tree in the middle and tons of other foliage around. Not to mention the cute little stream down below the patio. I tried the apple chicken Brie sandwich. It was very good but a little on the salty side. With the prosciutto and everything else it needed more apple or maybe fig jam to cut the saltiness. The guava lemonade was a nice refreshing choice as well. Not too sweet or bitter. I also tried a bite of my mom's chicken banh mi and it was very good. The chicken is seasoned well, the pickled veggies are crisp, and the bread was great. The service was prompt and good. No complaints. read more

See all

Came here for dinner during a weekend getaway to SLO. We sat at the outdoor patio, which was really pretty. It's right along a creek and you can hear frogs and they have it decorated with twinkle lights. Our server was really nice and answered all of my questions and was very attentive. The food was good, but not great. - Guava lemonade 4/5: not too sweet and not too tart - Pesto risotto w/grilled salmon 3/5: my mom and I split this dish and I was pleasantly surprised that they split it into two plates for us but it was lacking in pesto flavor and the rice was overcooked (was not al dente) - Lamb chops 4.5/5: the lamb was really tasty, but it was a bit too salty - Avocado shrimp spring rolls 2/5: I've had way better spring rolls at Vietnamese restaurants - Stone fruit cobbler 3/5: I wish there had been a bit more of the crumble on top - Moscato d'asti 3/5: it was flat and not the best quality I've had but it was only $6 for 3oz read more

See all

Stopped in on whim while walking through town. Sat at the bar for some drinks & apps. Service was good, food was fresh & tasted excellent. Drinks were great. Nicely decorated place with a chill vibe. read more

See all

Thank you Nik, for looking into the issue, addressing the concerns and finding a solution. It's great to know that you worked with the Executive Chief, the owner and the Pastry to come to a solution. I'm glad to know that the owner and staff take pride in their work and care for their customers. We look forward to dining in the restaurant and we'll not hesitate to order more Creme Brulee to go. read more

Novo - Disappointed with To Go Creme Brulee. They just throw it on a box? - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all

Excellent food. Excellent service. Excellent vibe. Huge selection of Gluten Free items. The best nachos with pork carnitas. I'm ruined for other nachos now . Even my friend's GF BLTA was impressive. I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Dinner for four people included shrimp lettuce wraps, Korean short ribs, beet and burrata salad, and seared ahi salad. The food was delicious and well presented. Our server Ryland was extremely proficient and made us feel welcome. Birthday desserts included crème brûlée, an ice cream sundae and lemon cheesecake! Definitely a wonderful meal creekside and excellent service! read more

My husband and I went here for an anniversary brunch, it was the perfect spot! The ambience of the outside seating is lovely with the creek and birdsong. The food was delicious and they had some of the best cocktails I have ever tried. For our anniversary they provided a complimentary ice cream sunday and a card saying "happy anniversary!" Our server was warm and attentive. read more

Novo - The Garden Key - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all