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    Portabella

    3.5 (27 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
    Open 5:30 am - 9:30 AM, 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

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    Not big but great food
    Lisa A.

    Ordered the penne Alfredo with grilled chicken to split with my hubby. I'm so glad it wasn't what I thought it was. Instead of being thick white sauce it was butter and oil based with a hint of lemon with Parmesan shredded on it - absolutely delicious. The service was great from John our bartender / waiter- he was just attentive enough without being too much invasive - just as a waiter should be. The reason i gave four stars instead of five was for the ambiance- not a cozy bar and not a candlelit restaurant- just a small group of tables. But still worth the trip to eat. Definitely will come back

    three quesadillas on a white plate
    Guy B.

    Good food Incredibly slow and inattentive service will keep me from returning. Diet Coke was out so I didn't get the drink I wanted. Calamari rings and quesadilla was good Large order of chicken strip for the price.

    Tom C.

    We were going to go to Cool Hand Luke's and ended being talked into staying here for tri tip from the bartender Jordan which is abundant in Santa Maria. Best advice ever!!!! This is the unsung hero of Santa Maria that nobody knows about in the Holiday Inn. We changed our the regular tri tip plate to match the NY strip plate with red potatoes and veggies. Ridiculous!!!! This was so good that even the House of Prime Rib in SF should take a lesson or two. No joke. This place is legit and should not be passed up. Look at my other reviews and know that I am very brutal but indifferent to previous reviews. Had some great meals but this was excellent!!! Thank you Jordan!

    Best tri tip quesadilla!
    Adriana G.

    Once again came back to enjoy the try tip quesadilla. We also ordered a try tip sandwich. Both were incredibly delicious. They are both served with a mild sauce. Which definitely compliments the tri-tip. I also had a glass of their Pinot which was really good. Also our server was very helpful, attentive, and had a great attitude which also makes for a great experience while dining. I believe her name was Jordan. Thumbs up For the great service. They also had a great selection of mixed drinks. And they have daily dinner specials . They have a couple of large TVs that they do play sports games. I was surprised to see so many people there on a Tuesday night. Overall it was a great experience very happy with it. We will definitely be coming back to enjoy those delicious tri tip quesadillas.

    LAVA CAKE!!!  Delicious!
    Derek P.

    Didn't know what to expect when my girl and I walked into this place. But it turned out to be super casual and laid back. Super comfy seats and laid back atmosphere. The food was bomb! I ordered the full rack baby back ribs! Delicious. My girl ordered the tri-tip which was bomb as well. But the one thing is they didn't ask her how she would like her meat. So be sure to tell them. Also we ordered desert. If you have a sweet tooth I recommend the LAVA CAKE!! My girl shared one and it was amazing! All in all great spot to eat and relax.

    Our Burger and fries

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    Shaw's Steakhouse & Tavern - Tri-Tip Special + Fixins

    Shaw's Steakhouse & Tavern

    3.9(919 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$

    Shaw's -- Our New Go-To!…read more Sometimes you just want to say, "I want a steak, a potato, and a glass of wine... and I don't want to drive very far to get it." That's where Shaw's comes in! Now that Jocko's has gone way downhill for us, Shaw's has officially become our new go-to. The food is consistently good, the staff is friendly, and we can almost always get a table without planning the dinner six weeks in advance. It's comfortable, unpretentious, and just plain good. No fuss, no drama--just a good steak, a baked potato, a nice glass of wine, and a place where you feel welcome. Shaw's has officially earned its spot in our regular rotation. Sometimes you don't need fancy. You just need good food, good people, and a good dinner close to home. Five stars from us!

    Everything was great!…read more The service was perfect. The waitstaff was attentive but not intrusive. They were professional and polite. I had the beef ribs. There was just the right amount of meat. They were nicely seasoned and cooked exactly as I requested. The baked potato was coated with salt which was a nice flavor. My husband had the steak. It was tender and well seasoned with just the right amount of fat. It was cooked perfectly. The beans with the salsa were good. The fries were a little soggy but he likes them that way. He had a tom collins. The alcohol to soda and juice ratio was spot on. The atmosphere was casual. We were very comfortable. I would not hesitate to recommend Shaw's steakhouse if you are looking for a filling meal and want real value for your dollar.

    Photos
    Shaw's Steakhouse & Tavern - Dining room facing front door

    Dining room facing front door

    Shaw's Steakhouse & Tavern - Santa Maria-style relish tray

    Santa Maria-style relish tray

    Shaw's Steakhouse & Tavern - Classic sign

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    Classic sign

    Kay's Country Kitchen - Biscuit and seasonal pumpkin muffin.  Comes with your main dish. There's also several other options which is nice.

    Kay's Country Kitchen

    4.4(902 reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$

    Run to Kay's Country Kitchen! We come to Santa Maria at…read moreleast once to twice a year for a sporting event and always venture out for food. Sunday mornings are meant to be leisurely but this time we were in a rush. We had actually slept in until 7am, normally up by 5am without alarms. The hubs event started at 9am so we made the quick drive for a to go order, calling two blocks from the restaurant after glancing at the menu. We both decided the first item on the menu we would try; Orcut Hash, did sourdough toast and homemade biscuit We had just a couple minutes to sit and order iced tea to go. Before the server could get us our iced teas our food was ready. It's super cute inside...can't wait to come back and enjoy the sit down restaurant. Staff was super friendly and welcoming. Large alcoholic choice of drinks... really wanted that spicy Mary but since we were in a rush stuck with iced tea. The only 1 minute drive back to the gun range in Santa Maria was grueling smelling that gravy... We were both were thrilled at the large portions. It was amazing! I love gravy and could have used a little bit more but honestly I think it was fine for a normal person plus remember we go to go order so I suspect it soaked up a little on the drive. The staff threw in pepper and Tapatio which the hubs loves. I had Yellow Bird Blue Agave Sriracha in my travel trailer and used a little on it. OMG! It was so good! The potatoes had a nice crunch on them. That gravy was amazing. The biscuit was great, had a bite and saved the rest for later. The hubs managed to eat his whole plate and was stuffed! I might have eaten 1/4 of mine saving it for later. We will for sure be back!

    We went to Kay's Country Kitchen on Sunday after church as a family, looking to enjoy a late…read morebreakfast/brunch. I've been here before and have usually had a good experience. We normally sit in the open patio/sunroom area, which has a really nice country-style atmosphere, and the food has always been good. Our waiter was also very nice, courteous, and attentive, so I have no complaints about the service he provided. Unfortunately, this visit was very different because we were seated directly in front of the area where the kitchen staff was cooking, prepping, and washing dishes. Throughout our meal, I could hear several members of the kitchen staff joking around and talking loudly. Horseplay among coworkers normally wouldn't bother me, but the language being used was extremely vulgar. Most of it was being said in Spanish, and I got the impression they assumed the customers nearby didn't understand Spanish. One phrase in particular, "a la verga," was being repeated constantly -- "vete a la verga," "a la verga esto," "a la verga lo otro," over and over again. Without getting into a literal translation, it is an extremely vulgar phrase, roughly equivalent to repeatedly saying things like "fuck that, fuck him" and roughly translated to they can eat a dick, he can eat a dick, they can eat a dick. I was sitting there with three young children who understand Spanish, trying to enjoy eggs and hash browns with my family while listening to this language coming from the kitchen over and over again. That's simply not appropriate in a family restaurant. Eventually, I got up and approached the kitchen staff myself. I politely asked them, in both Spanish and English, if they could please keep the vulgar language down because I had young children with me. The employee who had been using the phrase the most acted as though he didn't understand what I was saying and then pointed me toward another employee wearing a blue polo. I explained the same thing to him -- that we were trying to enjoy a family brunch and could clearly hear the constant vulgar language. Unfortunately, he seemed uninterested, appeared to be in a hurry, and essentially brushed off my concern. I didn't believe he was the manager because I would hope a manager wouldn't handle a legitimate customer concern that way. I later spoke with the actual manager, who told me she would address the issue with the kitchen staff, which I appreciated. The food was still good and our waiter did a great job, so my complaint isn't about them. It's specifically about the professionalism of the kitchen staff and the way my initial concern was handled. My recommendation to families with young children would be to ask to sit as far away from the kitchen area as possible. And if you hear this type of language, say something. Employees should be able to joke and enjoy working together, but repeatedly using extremely vulgar language loud enough for customers and children to hear is unacceptable in a family restaurant.

    Photos
    Kay's Country Kitchen - Front desk

    Front desk

    Kay's Country Kitchen - Two eggs, bacon, undercooked potatoes, and dry gravy and dry toast for approximately $25!

    Two eggs, bacon, undercooked potatoes, and dry gravy and dry toast for approximately $25!

    Kay's Country Kitchen - Front of restaurant

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    Front of restaurant

    The Swiss Restaurant & Bar - Pinquito beans and salsa

    The Swiss Restaurant & Bar

    4.0(518 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$

    WOW. I was in town visiting family today and stopped here for lunch. I grew up in Orcutt, so I've…read moreknown the Swiss for years, but today's meal reminded me exactly why it's such a local institution. The oak grilled open faced rib-eye sandwich was absolutely incredible. I'm not exaggerating when I say it had more flavor than Wolfgang Puck's CUT. The rib-eye was perfectly cooked to the medium temperature I requested, tender enough to bite through without a knife, and seasoned exactly the way Santa Maria style beef should be. So many places are too conservative with the seasoning these days, but they got it just right. Even the bread underneath the steak was perfect. It didn't even need salsa, but of course I tried it both ways. Honestly? I couldn't decide which I liked better because the sandwich was outstanding on its own. We also ordered the linguiça appetizer with garlic bread. The linguiça had that slight char from the grill that gives it so much flavor, and the mustard served alongside it was the perfect pairing. My mom ordered the prime rib sandwich with grilled onions and chose the 50/50 fries and grilled onions. The only minor criticism I have is that it wasn't quite a true 50/50 and could have used a few more grilled onions. Other than that, it was delicious. The pinquito beans have a little kick, so if you're sensitive to spice, keep that in mind. Personally, I wouldn't change a thing. The whole meal took me right back to growing up in the Santa Maria Valley cruising Broadway on Saturday while the entire town smelled like oak fired Santa Maria barbecue. We cook a lot at home, and we're pretty serious about our beef, so eating steak at restaurants is usually disappointing because very few places compare. That's why I was so impressed today. This wasn't just a good sandwich.. it was one of the best rib-eye sandwiches I've ever had. To whoever was running the grill today: outstanding job. You absolutely nailed it. I'll be thinking about that sandwich for a long time.

    We usually go to The Hitching Post or Jockos, but had heard good things about Swiss and decided to…read moretry it. We were there early on a Saturday evening. Two couples. We each ordered a filet mignon with a side plate. I ordered the chicken noodle soup for starters. It was delicious. I was off to a good start. However, my companions all ordered salads with blue cheese dressing. They each reported the salad was wilted and the dressing was terrible. Then the main course came with our sides, a little pot of salsa and a little pot of beans. The filets were very tender, it not well seasoned. Baked potatoes were fine, but the mixed veggies were tasteless. There may have been some kind of bread, but I don't remember. Service was fine. But waitress really made out. She didn't mention that the tip was already included in the bill. She readily accepted a substantial tip in addition to what was already on the bill. Bad food. Rip off spot!

    Photos
    The Swiss Restaurant & Bar
    The Swiss Restaurant & Bar - Garlic bread

    Garlic bread

    The Swiss Restaurant & Bar - Penne pasta with Italian sausage and peppers

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    Penne pasta with Italian sausage and peppers

    Hitching Post

    Hitching Post

    4.4(605 reviews)
    11.2 mi
    $$$

    We had such a wonderful evening at the Hitching. A huge thank you to Bill, the owner, for creating…read moresuch a special concept and giving us such a memorable experience. Madi took great care of us from the moment we arrived. She made sure we had a great table and went out of her way to make our evening special. Lupe was an amazing server. She was attentive, friendly, and made sure everything came out quickly and perfectly. The steaks were absolutely delicious and had that incredible oak-fire flavor that makes the Hitching Post so unique. We started with the Portuguese sausage that was amazing. The meal came with delicious garlic bread, a fresh salad, shrimp cocktail, and a side. We especially enjoyed the baked potato. And then, to finish everything off, they brought out an old-school scoop of ice cream with chocolate syrup. Such a fun and nostalgic touch! Everything was delicious, the atmosphere was so much fun, and the entire experience was truly special. We had an amazing time and would highly recommend the Hitching Post to anyone looking for a great meal and a memorable evening.

    After a weekend of wine tasting in Paso Robles, my wife and I made a special trip and spent the…read morenight in Santa Maria specifically so we could finally try the Hitching Post. We had heard great things, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. We dined with our two kids, and everyone left happy. My wife and I shared the large ribeye for two, which was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. The meal included four courses, and every part of it was excellent. For our appetizer, we ordered the artichoke, and it immediately brought back memories of my mom making artichokes when I was growing up. It was simple, delicious, and a great way to start the meal. Our kids both ordered the steak kids' meal, and we were impressed by the quality. It's not often you find a restaurant that serves a kids' steak meal that is genuinely delicious, but they both loved it and cleaned their plates. The salads were fresh, the sides were great, and dessert was the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. What stood out most was the value. Considering the quality of the food and everything that was included, we felt the meal was very reasonably priced. The service was spot on throughout the evening--friendly, attentive, and welcoming without being intrusive. If you're visiting the Central Coast, whether you're staying in Santa Maria or exploring Paso Robles wine country, the Hitching Post is absolutely worth the trip. We're very glad we made the effort to visit and are already looking forward to coming back.

    Photos
    Hitching Post - Entering the Dining Room...

    Entering the Dining Room...

    Hitching Post
    Hitching Post

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    Portabella - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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