Trucker German restaurant, I'm in.. Kendra is amazing. She catered to the bar patrons and made sure I was also taken care of in my little corner. BEST BARTENDER!! Missed Kelly.. GREAT REPLACEMENT KENDRA!! KENDRA!! KENDRA!! read more

The pea soup is delicious! Especially in the bread bowl. This was my second time visiting from Charlotte, NC, and I will return again when traveling this way. read more

This is our 4th time visiting the location Kendra was a great bar tender. We had come the week before and didn't have as much fun with the last time we with the other bar tender. The only bad thing was the air conditioning wasn't working. read more

This is a must see stopover whenever you're traveling between the Bay Area to Southern CA. Reminds me a lot of Solvang with all the Dutch inspired decor and food. I came for the split pea soup and my god was it hearty and filling. My family had the fish and also a meat loaf. All of which was delicious and incredibly generous portions. Service was kind as well. There is no reason to not visit this gem during these long road trips, it really adds to the vacation. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's is a special place. It saddens me that their other location has closed down. I hope that this location is getting the necessary amount of business, because it is a perfect stop on long drive. They have a fantastic, large menu with lots of comfort food, including of course their famous pea soup. Meat loaf, turkey dinner, sandwiches, grilled shrimp - you name it! The service is solid. There are multiple dining rooms and a bar. The ambience is sort Danish-influenced Americana mixed with classic roadside souvenir shop vibes (and a dash of theme park magic). Outside there is a big windmill, which is fun to see as you approach. A simply charming place; highly recommended for families or people traveling through town. read more

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I walked in and memories flooded over me. Remembered when my parents brought me here in the 70'a then my own kids in the 80's. Excellent service! Friendly, place is packed. With this much business, why did Buellton close? read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Picture of inside restaurant , just like I remember. - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

A tourist spot but still pretty solid! I liked the pea soup and it tastes exactly as you'd expect. The pot roast was also really good. Tender and had the right amount of seasoning read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Pea soup - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

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(+) Pea soup, it's in the name so it better be good. Learned it's also vegetarian and dairy free. (+) Had a bowl with the Traveler's Special. Decent amount of food for $19.99 and it comes with unlimited pancakes! (+) Service was really good, it was fairly busy too on a Friday late morning. Kids meal comes with a drink including hot chocolate. (+) Plenty of bathrooms and they were clean The gift shop is dated, much like the interior but maybe that's what they intend to keep. A bit of nostalgia if you were a kid on road trips and your family would stop here. I hated the pea soup back then, but now I enjoy it! read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Traveler's special - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

I can't even tell you the last time I was here. It has to be over 10 years or so. Of course it's a major stop for people who know about it. The other location in Buellton closed a while ago so I think this maybe the only one left. Could be the original but I'm not sure. Just off the 5 heading north. We stopped by for a quick bite before heading back on the road. Mid week which wasn't that busy. It's been so long ago that I didn't remember what the inside looked like. As we had our little pup with us, they were able to accommodate us. There's three entrance from the front area. Main being the one that leads you to the restaurant. Another is from the gift shop side and we also noticed people coming in from the side of the bar. One side is the restaurant which we looked at but ended up at the bar section. Which happened to be happy hour happening. Didn't know they had that to offer. Bar area was pretty quiet when we were there but it did pick up. There's also patio seating right outside there. Main menu pretty much has as everything but we just opted for some happy hour bites for now. Drink special was offered both for draft and bottle as well as cocktails and wine. Food menu, they were limited on that but the usual were offered. Both cup or bowl of the famous soup was available. Half order of the potatoes skin, onion rings and wings were available as well as the quesadillas. Soup was decent but could have been hotter. Onion rings, and the wings were ok. Good nothing major to rave about. Both served with ranch sauce. I also picked up some dessert from the counter which looked great. Happy hour items were decent for the price. The service for the whole place was great. All The staff and waitress were very friendly and helpful. Our waitress who was also the bartender was a major doll. She was very sweet. As well as all the ladies on the restaurant side. Very accommodating to us. Overall, it was a cute stop off for a quick bite. Cute gift shop that's worth a wandering around. Plenty of parking available. read more

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Great soup. Very comfortable environment. The host, cashier, and bus boy were great. I'm leaving a 5 star for them and the cook. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Perfect Pea Soup. - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

I have always wanted to stop by Pea Soup Andersen's. It is iconic driving down the I-5 with its windmill towering over the surrounding landscape. Outside there is a photo op and the building looks really cool. Inside, you can find all things Danish. However, I was sad to find the shop was so much smaller than the pictures on Yelp show. Everything is connected inside - the shop, bakery, restaurant, bar, and restrooms. The restaurant is huge and there's also an eating area at the bar and a back patio, although it was dusty and cramped and I don't think many people use the patio seating. They are dog friendly and the bartender allowed us to sit in a corner of the bar with our two dogs for our dinner. We also were able to walk them around inside the shop. Split Pea Soup 3.5/5* The soup itself is boring. There's a grainy texture, good flavor, but blah. You definitely need to order the toppings to go with it, which is a weird combination of stuff that somehow makes the soup so much better. You get cheese, sliced ham, bacon, scallions, and croutons but the crunchy green onions and bacon are what makes the soup pop. It feels like eating a healthier version of chili. Country Fried Steak 2/5* Not your typical country fried steak. The batter on this is thin and isn't very textured with crunchy edges. It was like a sad limp piece of fried patty. The steak had good seasoning but the batter really did it no justice. Hashbrowns were average. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and English Muffin was perfectly toasted. I do like that they give you a whopping amount of whipped butter for your toast! The bakery had some good looking pastries. The whole experience reminded me of a piece of Solvang. Great rest stop for something different. Plus, the bathrooms are huge and clean. read more

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I didn't realize the pea soup was vegan. It was smoky and flavorful. My meatloaf plate was pretty good. I think I liked the fried chicken a little better. My plate had a Fresh side of veggies and homemade gravy. Large portions, I couldn't finish my food. Cute souvenir shop, you can even buy cans of Andersen pea soup. Atom you would have liked the capybara or Xololotl plushy. read more

Always a favorite when headed to Vegas or SoCal. Great food, friendly service and a great old school nostalgic vibe here. Love this place. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Split Pea Soup - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

I was first introduced to the place a while back thanks to my aunt, who loved coming here whenever she took a road trip down to Oakland pre-COVID. Back then, we would order the Fettuccine Alfredo and the New York Style Cheesecake and I remember really liking it. I visited here present day and loved how absolutely nothing changed about the place. Our server, Gabriela was very nice and friendly and was attentive to all our needs. The gift shop still remains and the ambiance transports you back in time. I am very glad nothing has changed about this place. I decided to try something different and ordered the Mushroom Swiss sandwich with a side of pea soup. My husband ordered the Andersen's Chicken Sandwich with french fries on the side. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals. It was time for dessert, and I confidently asked for the Cheesecake. I was then told that it was discontinued from the menu as of 6 months ago. I was sad. But nonetheless, still enjoyed my meal! I can't wait until the next time I come back! read more

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Review #:900! This place is definitely deserving of the honor. I've been coming here for years and years, sometimes driving down from Sacramento just to have lunch How have I never written a review? There used to be five different pea soup Andersen's, now this is the last one. The original, near Solvang, had to close because of the condition of the building, just shy of its hundredth birthday. When it is redeveloped, they hope to put a version of the restaurant back in. The place is a lot of fun. They have souvenirs, chatchkis, all kinds of different food items... you can buy the dried peas with a recipe card, or they also sell their soup in a can. . The canned soup tastes just like the restaurant. They have the original, but they also have a canned soup with bacon. The bacon is pulverized, so there are no chunks of it in the soup, but you can definitely taste it. It plays off of the pea soup so well. The soup they sell in the restaurant is made fresh, not canned, . They have a bar, dining room, and a coffee shop. Most people eat in the coffee shop. The coffee shop has a big menu, but of course the star is the pea soup. You can get the "travelers special", which is all you can eat pea soup, with all the fixins, and your choice of beverage, including a milkshake if you want one. The soup they serve in the restaurant, is both vegetarian and vegan, but you can't tell. It is amazingly rich, and creamy. The prices are reasonable and when you check out of the restaurant, they also have cookies, pastries, and even some candies. A nice upsell for dessert. Both the chocolate chip, and the white chocolate macadamia cookies are my favorite.... I'll be back. Thanks. read more

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My first time here on the way to SF and it was so cute and homey inside! We had to get take out, I got the chicken tenders and fries and it was bomb!! Food was super fresh, fries were chunky and flavorful! Such a cute gift shop inside!! Service was fast for it being a restaurant:) will definitely have to dine in the next time I'm there read more

After a fun rabbit hunt it's nice to slide into a space not far with hearty food and a dandy pea soup. The area has some quirky architecture so a restaurant with a windmill isn't too out of place. Service was great and they have a cool gift shop to check out. read more

This is not an April Fools 2026 joke. This place is still here even though their other location closed. Nostalgia and their split pea soup gets me every time. Service sucks so be warned. Want napkins? No Want more water? No Where's our bread? Keep waiting What about the sides we ordered for our soup? Nope Okay back to the positives. Still a really good stop along the way to Los Angeles with plenty of seating and American eats. The soup and sald combo is great. My friends like the club sandwich, but this time went for the chicken fried steak. Classic and decent. I had the meatloaf. Average, but filling. Decent prices for your travels. My other friend had the Traveler's special which includes soup and salad and a milkshake. The milkshake was super sugary. So not sure what kind of cheap ice cream they used. Stick to the classic soup and onion rolls and you'll be fine. There's a reason why their soup is sold in stores. read more

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The main dining hall feels unloved. The staff are pretty good, but the kitchen is a little slow. No matter... my Danish veal and pork meatballs with potatoes and red cabbage was the best! 10/10. Well seasoned and covered in the delicious (homemade) gravy. Order that! I didn't try the soup. I did ask the waitress what's the best on the ever menu. I was dismayed to be recommended : fish & chips, fried chicken, chicken teriyaki. In that order. Then she adds , Danish meatballs last. I doubt the fried foods are going to be the top choice here. If you have a need for a private party you might be able to book the dining room with the hanging banners. It looks like something out of Monty Python! read more

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With as many signs on the freeways as Andersen's has in California promoting their famous split pea soup, one would think they would be prevalent everywhere. In reality, there are/were only two: the original location (and now closed since 2024) in Buellton and this location in Santa Nella. It turned out that we needed to take a break and gas up around lunchtime very close by, so decided to stop in for lunch. It ended up being OK. This second location has been open since 1976 and is located in a huge building with tons of seating and a large retail space. It has a separate downstairs dining room (available if your party is large), a large bar in the back (open during lunch though only one person was in there), and an upstairs not accessible during lunchtime. We came at exactly 11:00 and they had begun serving lunch. We were led to our seats, and someone came by with water. There seemed to be some confusion on who was supposed to serve us, and we were ignored for a while, even as other folks were being seated. Finally, a waitress came back (guessing she wasn't our original one, but had to pivot) and took our order. Not particularly friendly in the beginning (ended up being talkative at the end as my wife had struck up a conversation), but got our order correct. The food came out soon after, and it was served all together and was still warm when we got them. My wife and I have been to the Andersen's in Buellton and had slightly different memories of how good the split pea soup was. We ordered a cup ($6.99), and didn't even have to tell the waitress what kind of soup we wanted. The soup was good for the first couple spoonful, but didn't end up finishing it; glad we ordered a small cup. My wife and her mom split a Teriyaki Chicken dinner ($21.50) and they liked it: nothing fancy, just one chicken breast grilled and topped with bottled teriyaki sauce and a pineapple slice. I got the Danish Style Meatloaf ($21.99, was planning to share with my wife) and it seemed well made with generous portions, but neither of us liked it (the pork/beef mixture with breadcrumbs was very finely ground and reminded me of a mealy German sausage without the casing). Both the soup and meatloaf would have been good as small samples from a buffet while grazing, but are difficult as a main course for our taste. Both plates came with a from-frozen vegetable medley (broccoli, carrots, and zucchini), along with a rice pilaf for the chicken plate. We did buy some trinkets at the gift shop. I wanted to get a Danish, but ended up sharing a Cinnamon Crisp, a giant cookie covered in cinnamon sugar. It was really good, definitely worth the $5.50 price. read more

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Had to stop here for the novelty of it and try the food. It was a nice stop on our drive. It's quirky and rustic inside with a little souvenir store as well. We got seated right away with plenty of space inside. I tried a salad, split pea soup of course, and a milkshake. The salad was fine with a good portion of chicken but the salad had a bit too much dressing on it for my liking. The soup was fine and something different to try. The milkshake was standard and refreshing on a hot day. Felt a bit overpriced but had to check it out. Our server Kelly was great and friendly. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Split pea soup - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

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It's been here forever and is still the same inside. Last time I was here was probably the 80's. The pea soup is still a staple here. One thing has changed. The prices. For a club, fries and soda with tip I'll be over $30 just for me. Yowza. Place needs updating but it's clean and service was good. read more

Had a blast this past weekend with my mom stopping here in the to Elk Grove from Fresno. We wanted to stop somewhere even though we knew staying in 99 would be more direct. My mom and I wanted to have a cup of Split Pea soup since we are never in the area. We both had a cup and enjoyed it. We were visiting family in Elk Grove and Sacramento so we bought several buckets of soup to give. Everyone was happy with their buckets of soup. Would have been nice to try other dishes but we were meeting up with family for a meal. So we opted for a cup of soup. Delicious! Love that it's made fresh daily. My mom wanted to try the liver and onion special. It was good but my mom doesn't like it over cooked. She forgot to tell them how she wanted it cooked. But they didn't ask either. At least if next time she knows to request it how she likes it. They have a huge gift shop love the books they had too. I was able to get a book for my mom that I'm using right now. It's called Praying in the Names of God. A 52-week workbook. I love it and I know she would too. read more

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Finally, I made it here !!! For so many years I have passed this place and always wanted to stop by but it never worked out, somehow. This place is iconic and situated next to freeway , makes it impossible to miss. I am so happy to say that this place had lived up the hype!! First of all, this place have that amazing old charm which is very hard to find these days. It is very big place. Staff is very nice. My server was super lovely. Pea soup is absolutely humble. I bet that's how they made it in old days. No fancy ingredients. Simple pea soup ... yet very delicious! I had Fried chicken with mashed potatoes: OMG ... those were the best mashed potatoes I ever had! Please try it. Fried chicken has great taste and huge portion. And how come even boiled vegetables can taste so good ! My daughter had shrimp Alfredo, again amazing white sauce, I think it has hint of nutmeg that makes it so intoxicating! This dish is very rich and you feel full in few bites ! I am definitely coming back to try more dishes !!! read more

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I really had such a great experience here. The food was delicious like everything we tried was better than I was expecting. The pea soup is awesome and I got their danish style meatballs which were so delicious along with that red cabbage, which is to die for. I would definitely come back here again if I'm making my way up to 5. read more

They deserve 5 stars for so many reasons! Nostalgia is the first one, they've been around since 1924 and are still getting it right! The Santa Nella location opened in 1976 but you'd never guess it's been around that long. The restaurant is clean, the bathrooms are clean and the areas of the kitchen we could see were also very clean and orderly. I've seen 2 year old restaurants that are run down and dirty, not Pea Soup Andersen's! Yes, the decor is dated but that's part of the charm! The soup hasn't changed, it's still the same rich, pea forward deliciousness it's always been! I got soup and salad and hubby got soup and a sandwich. His sandwich was made fresh and of course the soup was piping hot! Service was very friendly and kind from the greeting when we arrived to the counter where we paid! Although we weren't there long, our server was attentive and quick, we never waited for anything. So many times in the older restaurants the staff seem as tired as the building, not at Pea Soup Andersen's, they were all as upbeat as can be! We'll definitely be back and if you're in the area, definitely stop by for some soup and souvenirs! read more

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The pea soup was excellent. The turkey on the other hand was dry. I will return to try a different meal and of course get the pea soup. The service was great. They have a nice little gift shop. Give them a try read more

Anderson's restaurant in Santa Nella was one of our lunch stops when headed to LA. We thought that it was closed due to the pandemic. The news we heard was incorrect. It was the Anderson's restaurant off of 101 that closed. We stopped off to charge our EV, and discovered it was open! The decor is classic with an old school vibe. There's a Danish bakery, boutique shop and restaurant under one roof. Anderson's split pea soup in bread bow l- 5/5 The classic Anderson's split peas soup in a sourdough bread bowl was excellent. The split pea soup was greet delicious as ever. The top of the sourdough bread was toasted, and gave a nice crunch when combined with the tasty split pea soup. A side of mashed potatoes was included for extra carb intake. Lol Danish Style Meatloaf - 3/5 Danish meatloaf according to the menu consists of ground beef and pork seasoned with herbs and spices. I want used to this combination, but I'm sure it's very good for those who are familiar with this style of meatloaf. I'll used to meatloaf made only with ground beef, egg, and bread over tomato glaze and sauce. I would recommend this to individuals who are familiar with this style meatloaf. We're happy that Anderson's Restaurant in Santa Nella is still open. I recommend visiting this classical restaurant, home to the infamous split pea soup. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Meatloaf - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

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In the 1970s and 1980s pea soup, Anderson's was a staple roadside stop, just like Bob's big boy was. My family and I drove across the country between California and Florida and everywhere in between. I believe these were mostly in California, but it's what my memory is from my younger years. My daughter and I were doing a California coastal road trip for spring break this year. On our way home my car routed us to the charging station that happened to be at pea soup Anderson's. Well I guess we'll take this opportunity to revisit and her first visit here. We were seated immediately the staff was superduper friendly. The menu is quite large. Neither of us were especially hungry so we opted to go with a bowl of pea soup. I also ordered a salad. The soup was quite tasty The salad was crisp and fresh There were some fun spices on the table none of which we had any used for, but I tasted them on my hand The thing that bothered me here was the water. I always order a tapwater. I'm not picky, but there was something definitely wrong with this water. I attempted a couple more sips and just couldn't then I got in my head that they use that same water to cook the soup, but I'm sure it's fine because that's boiled right? We also were given some rolls. I've been into something that wasn't supposed to be in there. Maybe it was paper. Maybe it was plastic maybe it was something else I'm not sure I didn't wanna look. I'm glad we went. It was super nostalgic and had a fun gift shop and of course, a bar, who doesn't need a bar when driving down the five freeway Not sure if I would come back to eat, but maybe grab a drink if I'm not the driver and use the bathrooms, which were quite nice read more

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Sad this place has gone away, but I used to love eating the split pea soup here. They also had a split pea bread bowl. I'm hoping someone invests in retrofitting this place and reopens it. I only have this one shot of the onion rings. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Onion rings appetizer - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

Had never been here over all my years until I came back from wine tasting Im like I gotta see what it's all about Got to sit down fairly quick but it was after the major lunch rush but the place was still busy Place definitely is old as its been around ages but I had to order the pea soup It was alright it didn't blow me away but it was still good and I'm glad to have experienced it Service was great and friendly! read more

After passing Pea Soup Andersen's countless times on road trips to and from LA, we finally decided to stop there for lunch. It was honestly the cutest little stop, complete with a full gift shop, a windmill, a bakery counter, and the restaurant itself. We all ended up getting a bowl of pea soup with the toppings, along with cheese and onion rolls on the side--very yummy and comforting. The service was super quick and helpful. It was on the pricier side for soup, but definitely worth the stop. We ended up buying some souvenirs in the gift shop afterward. My mom is already excited to go back on our next road trip! read more

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I love Andersen's Pea Soup because it is nostalgic for me - my family would always stop here on trips down to SoCal. The pea soup really is great if you like pea soup, and you can't go wrong with the travelers special to get all the fixings. They have hearty dishes here - you will not leave hungry. I love the chicken fried steak as well! It's got a fun Danish theme, with a cute gift shop in the front with eclectic goods. It's a casual spot which makes it great for travelers. Everyone has always been nice throughout the several decades I've been here - I can't think of one bad experience. Everyone has been really welcoming. read more

Great place to stop and eat. Food is good, portions are generous. We stopped by during breakfast and were able to order from the lunch and dinner menu. Service is excellent, staff is friendly, helpful and constantly refilling your drink. Ambiance is cute, lots of space to sit and eat. read more

Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant - Hot chocolate - American Near Me - Santa Nella, California

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A high-quality step back into a Time Machine. Great service, and exceptional pea soup. read more

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Love the food. Customer service is excellent and the employees are always ready to help. I love there potatoe salad and there French dip is amazing. Go get an amazing experience on there desserts and pastries too. Happy travels read more

Decided to make a pit stop in Santa Nella and I saw the sign "Famous Pea Soup." I was intrigued so my family and I decided to stop here. Apparently this is a very popular tourist spot. As they had a gift shop inside. And public restrooms. Their restaurant is old school English style. There were a lot of options on their menu. They're famous for the pea soup, so that's what we got along with pot roast which comes with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Their famous color of the pea soup is not so appealing but it did taste good. And my mom thought the pot roast was cold when we received it, so our server took it back to be warmed up and came back with a side of gravy, which the meal needed. Overall, it was worth a try but not something I'd like to eat again. read more

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Nice spot to stretch your legs and grab a bite off the 5 FWY, if you're headed up north. I ordered the famous split pea soup in a cup to try. It was delicious, a must. We also had traditional breakfast, waffles, pancakes eggs etc. The place is huge. They have a gift shop with all kinds of items plus clean bathrooms. read more

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This place has been around 1924 , I think . If you haven't been here , you need to check it out. It's so nostalgic. The have a shop with all kinds of Knick' Knac's to see . It's fun looking . You might find a rarity . read more

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Came here on two different occasions coming back from Vegas and Los Angeles. Pea soup is delicious and so is some of the other food. I ordered their Reuben Originale . Chicken tenders were a little dry for me. Husband ordered the Danish meatballs that I did not care for. Service was OK if you need to get anything from the bakery expect to wait in line because they are very busy. Inside is old and outdated but clean. Plenty of parking and they also have charging stations. It's now become a stop on the way home to charge the car and refuel our tummies. read more

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