there was a hair in our food. we told the staff and they said they would tell their manager but no one came by. when they brought the bill, they didn't comp the item and made us pay full price read more

Went to celebrate my birthday, and walked out in the middle of dinner. Our party got there before us and did a walk in to get a table (party of 4). My husband and I did get there late. Our party had already started with apps so we ordered drinks and more apps. The server said she would be back to take our whole order and we asked if it would be coursed out. She said yes, the kitchen just wanted the whole order together. We started with oysters and within minutes of receiving them all our food started coming out. A server came out with our steaks and my brother in law told her we weren't ready for them yet and she walked away without a word. She then came back and yells at us in the middle of us having dinner, "you were a hour late for you reservation"! He's responded with something and she continued to yell it at us again and throws the plates on our table. We were so embarrassed and felt like kids being yelled at. In no way did they indicate we needed to be out soon or needed to move things along. Nothing was communicated with us. At that point we were really uncomfortable. My husband barely even touched his food- fries, steak, or finished the drink he just ordered. My husband talked to the GM about us being out to celebrate and she apologized about the communication, server, and offered dessert. I did not find her apology sincere rather routine. This was our first time here, and we were so excited to finally try it. We were having a great time up until this point. They ruined our dinner. We just paid our bill of over $500 to walk out of dinner!!! If the issue was time then they should have told us when we walked through the door, or moved us to another table. Or we could of even gone elsewhere to eat rather than be yelled at by your staff. Who yells at people who are dining with you like that!? read more

Bad service, rude staff, save your money and go somewhere else. Food is average, not worth the hassle

I try to support the local restaurants in Ojai. but it's is impossible with this place. after 3 times, and constant issues, I am writing a review. the food is inconsistent and not good, the attitude of the staff is appalling, it seems like no one is managing it at all. do not waste your time here. it's a bunch of hype and in any major city, would last less than a year, if that. I ordered 6 oysters, and one of them, didn't have an oyster. I told the waiter, and she told me, that's how they come. lol I said, oh really so the other 5 oysters had an oyster. then, I ordered a steak for 33, bucks. medium rare, it came out ice cold, and bloody, ie: very rare. and the waiter said he would ask for it to be seared a little more, cut to 30 minutes later. he said the chef said someone else took it. lol. I am not kidding. I could go on and on. Ie: there is no manager, no decent chef, the kennedy lesbian hype is over, and no one cares at all about your meal or experience. def don't waste your money. it's lame and almost ridiculous this is even open. horrible just horrible. and the locals know it. even our hotel when I spoke to them said. oh so sorry, everyone knows don't eat there. read more

This spot was buzzing!! Tons of people on a Saturday night which was cool to see in a smaller town like Ojai. I'm vegetarian so options were a little more limited for me. There weren't any main entrees that were vegetarian but our group got fries, asparagus, the feta and tomato salad and i got a soup which combined served as a meal for me! So i was still able to make do. My group got the steak which they seemed to enjoy. Ambiance was great just wish there were more vegetarian entree options (or at least even one) but still great overall! read more

Food: 4/5 - We had the tuna tartare, beets, and pesto pasta. Tuna tartare was excellent. We did not care for the beets and felt that the char was overpowering. Pesto pasta was very good - noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was fantastic. They have a good wine selection as well. Service: 5/5 - Our waitress was sweet and attentive. Space: 1/5 - Cute interior design but the tables are uncomfortably close and the space feels loud and cramped. Being 2 feet away from the tables next to us was very unpleasant. Would I come here again? Maybe but probably not due to the seating arrangements. If I'm paying this much for a meal, I want some personal space. read more

Don't believe the haters . From LA and a foodie ate here on vacation had great service , cool vibes, and every dish we had was absolutely delicious . Look forward to coming back soon !!! Ate the oysters , crudo, uni, herb salad , beets , pesto pasta , carrots , cheese board , artichoke, chocolate mouse, strawberry rhubarb crumble . read more

This restaurant has been highly recommended from everyone who has been there. After watching the show the Bear my boyfriend and I wanted to try a yummy restaurant. His sister gave him a giftcard so it seemed to be a serendipitous occasion. Based on reviews on Yelp I decided to reserve a table (I was able to get a table Saturday evening of Labor Day weekend a week in advance - mind you we were a party of two). The food is amazing- fresh and handmade. The aesthetic both inside and on the patio was amazing. The one thing I will say is I wasn't expecting the restaurant to be as crowded as it was. There is a section on the patio with table for twos. It was a little crowded I felt like we were on top of each other and could definitely overhear other couples conversation. I felt a little distracted from my date and from the overall experience. Other than that, wonderful dining experience I think I would be back with a large group because it seems that larger parties had more secluded seating areas. read more

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It was magical to say the least! Servers were awesome. Had our wedding reception here. Our guests loved the oysters. Since we were the wedding bride and groom ourselves, we didn't get to eat as much. But I can tell you, the steak was delicious. The cocktails were really good too! Everyone had a blast! Thank you to the staff. Everything was wonderful :) what a vibe read more

Rory's Place - New American Near Me - Ojai, California

This is one of my favorite restaurants ever for ambiance and food. They just know whats up. So many good things on the menu, you can't go wrong. Love the aguachile, herb salad, the liver pâte, hanger steak, the desserts, the wine...! read more

Ambiance was charming, service was very friendly and the baked goods were so yummy! I heard the ice cream is great too. It's a place we'd want to go back. read more

Rory's Place - New American Near Me - Ojai, California

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Incredible food!! Great cocktails and superb service. We asked for no finishing salt as the past two times we ate there it was way too salty. They nailed it:) perfect balance of flavors without the overabundance of salt. Every dish was exceptional. Love the herb salad and the fish special, so tender and flaky. read more

This place was okay, nothing crazy to write home on. You can order to go or they have some outdoor seating. They have a small shop where you can buy misc non-perishables. Drinks: They do have alcohol and coffee. The coffee was okay but they do give HUGE pours of wine which is a plus Food: Their ice cream is delicious and very creamy, recommend getting the small kiddie cone for size as the ice cream is very rich. I got the veggie sandwich and it was horrible. No flavor at all and the bread was sooo dry it crumbled apart. It needed a spark or some flare to bring it to life, maybe other food items would be better but I felt this was far from good. Service was pretty good, if I needed something I went to the counter and they were pretty efficient. read more

We had an amazing dinner here! We started with the aguachile which was a passionfruit ceviche with local rockfish. The flavors came together so well with a citrusy punch. The sweet potato with miso butter was caramelized to perfection and the hanger steak with the chimichuri like sauce was so tender with a perfect char. Our server Jordan was super friendly and provided excellent service and the manager checked in on us as well. We loved the wine so much we decided to buy a bottle to go! I would reccommend sitting outside, as the inside was packed and super loud. Don't expect big portions but it all was fresh and great quality. read more

Food was great. Aquachile was a standout. Unique wine list. Front of house was at best dismissive, at worst down right rude. We walked in and were not acknowledged for multiple minutes while we listened to the host and general manager talk poorly of patrons while they stood maybe 18" inches from us. We were packed in like sardines, seated so close to the nearest guests that it felt awkward to converse. Tuna tartine was delicious and very fresh. read more

I know everyone goes on about this place but it's a no for me. They brought our food out at completely different times. First my meal, then my son's ten minutes later, then my husband's FORTY minutes later. He got the chicken and it wasn't even good. I have no idea why everyone is a fan, maybe the bar, but I just can't. read more

The absolute best food I've had in all of Ventura county. Everything was so delicious and fresh. Great ambience, great service. Ojai fine dining at its best. The halibut was insanely good, plus the fresh oysters. read more

I absolutely loved this place. It has a high end feel with the perfect balance of laid back. My friend and I shared 5 different entrees all which were wonderful but loved the aguachiles the best! read more

Loved my meal at Rory's ! We got there right at opening with no reservation and were immediately taken care of. Two highlights of my meal were the salt and pepper martini and the uni pasta. Will definitely make it a point to come back next time I'm in Ojai ! read more

Honestly disappointed in our experience. I had wanted to check out Rory's place for a while. I think this place is a little overhyped. The seating is extremely crowded, the service was preposterously bad. Our server was possibly the most unfriendly we have ever experienced. The food was truly a highlight, but our entrees probably took 45-60 minutes to reach our table after ordering. read more

The menu is primarily very expensive small plate offerings. Trying to be cool but not pulling it off. Halibut in the fish and chips was mushy and almost not worth eating. Very disappointing. read more

We dined on a crazy night. Much of Los Angeles had been evacuated that morning (4:30am), and much of Ojai was without power. Rory's was crazy busy. We snagged a no show! Our server was delightful despite being over committed with tables. Our food was pretty good, but not exceptional. My radicchio Caesar salad was excellent, although the lemon pasta was just ok, but the 1/2 chicken was very, very good! If I was still a local, this would be a once-a-week splurge! read more

*not a comprehensive review - didn't eat the entire menu and only came once Two stars - specifically for nonexistent evening outdoor dining atmosphere Four stars - excellent drinks It's best you make reservations so you don't find yourself outside, or if you end up on the waitlist and someone cancels an outdoor table..don't take it. Inside vibes are where it's at with the colorful pink and purple lights and vibrant energy. We definitely would've stayed longer and ordered more than appetizers and drinks if we were. Outdoor space seems like it would be lovely during the day but at night it's basically the family/kids table. There is no sense of atmosphere or vibe outside. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, but I couldn't help but feel bad that he was having to attend every table We ordered a martini and teagroni both drinks were great and the latter came with a beautiful large ice cube embedded with a bachelor's button (I think) flower. A plate of fries - nice crisp, kind of reminded me of McDonald's in flavor, generous in portion. Daily Crudo - came out too fast, seemed like it was either pre made or someone decided to cancel their order and it came to us. Crudo plate was pretty but underwhelmed with the balance of flavors, every note tasted too bright read more

Rory's Place - Daily crudo - New American Near Me - Ojai, California

This place was excellent! The food truly did not disappoint and left me wanting more. However, I came here with my two year old at the time and he was NOT well received haha. The ambience is lively but is kind of a scene. The service was good except for our rude waitress who was very unhappy that we brought a child to the restaurant. read more

Booked this place for an anniversary dinner for my husband and I. Rory's place has a beautiful atmosphere and good food. We did not try any cocktails this time maybe next time. We started with the seafood tower which had oysters, mussels, clams, caviar, shrimp and half a crab. We surprisingly got full from just the tower but had to try the yellowtail crudo. Our waitress was nice and helpful explaining the menu to us since it was our first time dinner there. I think the only think that was we noticed was we did feel a little bit rushed. But even with that we still think we'd come back to give the menu another try, since we really enjoyed our food and are interested in trying their cocktails next time! read more

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We were very excited to check this place out! The food was excellent, no complaints. Portions were advertised by staff as shareable, but they were very small and it was objectively not a lot of food, so not more than a taste (typical for fine dining, so no surprise here). The entrees were more tapas sized. Service was terrible, we were seated in the back corner even though we had a reservation. There were at least three other identical tables with heaters that we could have been offered. The staff said there was no availability, which we could visibly see was not true. We were almost left in the cold. The host eventually moved us to a warmer table. The server was noticeable angry with us for the remainder of our experience. The food took an hour to arrive, and the server never came to check on us. We left starving! I would not recommend Rory's based on the service quality. Lastly, the $17 cocktails were about 4oz as opposed to the standard 6oz. They were flavorful but mildly boozy, nothing special. Overall, not impressed and left disappointed. read more

Absolutely delicious. Started out with the shaved ham, and mustard, and beautifully rustic bread. Superb! The next course of celery root soup was so perfect and rich for a cold winter evening. We shared the artichoke and pasta with mushrooms, both rich, comforting, and not overly seasoned. I'll dream about this pasta, extra points for the warm bowl it was served in. The interiors are warm, dark, and on point, as is the service. Wine was delicious too, next time I'll start with a cocktail though, and oysters. Can't wait to return. This restaurant has so much to love about it.... Def a high recommendation!!! read more

Fine dining, but creative and fun. Very much of a community gathering vibe. I'd eat here three nights a week if I lived in Ojai. read more

Rory's Place - fettuccine w locally sourced razor clams - New American Near Me - Ojai, California

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There are a lot of great things about Rory's Place. The first being the Crudo. It was perfectly curated for the flavors to pop. The hearth bread and feta, fresh halibut, melon & prosciutto, fries, fennel salad. Service was excellent and friendly. read more

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My girlfriend and I were at the door as soon as it opened Saturday night. We were seated at the bar and had a wonderful evening. The food and the vibe were both great. Timothy and the staff were attentive the whole time. We'll be back. read more

We also had the hanger steak but forgot to take pictures and the fries were delicious, everything we had... sooo good Everyone was nice and it was pretty fast for the quality of food you get. We shared all the plates and also had desert which I also forgot to take a pictures. Will be back!! read more

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Absolutely terrible. I do not recommend coming here unless you want to spend an absurd amount of money on small portions of low quality food with lackluster service. To the owner- look at the food that you are selling on your shelves and remove anything that's expired. I'm a little confused why and how you are trying to sell black rice thats been expired for 8 months. Get with it. read more

They claim to have a pork chop; not a pork chop! Not sure what it is, but definitely not a pork chop. They also marinate it in vinegar; oddest preparation I have ever tasted. Maybe the most disgusting meat item I have ever had . This place is a LA hipster wanna be that appears to have never been to a place in LA or anywhere else. The menu has promise in description but very little in delivery. The oddest part is that they were very busy. I will say the drinks are great, the servers are great, the management chose to argue as opposed to accept legitimate criticism. The guy sitting next to us commented that he thought the "pork chop " was a weird looking steak. This place may be successful, for a bit, because they have the support of hotel and locals but it won't last. Honest review from a couple that has dined in the best restaurants in the world . No axe to grind, just an accurate evaluation. After the meal we tipped 22% because the waiter was good even though the food was not. read more

I can't say enough about this little specialty delight of a restaurant. Menu - spectacular we ordered almost one of everything - the food was delicious, the menu was unique and inviting. Our service was spot on, friendly not stuffy or overbearing. The drinks menu was creative and fun. The seating is tight, but not uncomfortable, you will be in ear shot of your neighbors conversation and they yours. It's likely you will make new friends. Within this little place they have created an ambience you will likely appreciate, like most of Ojai, even when busy it seems peaceful. read more

We enjoyed the most amazing dinner at Rory's Place. The atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing, we were blown away by the OUTSTANDING and seamless dinner service for a newly opened restaurant. Our server was so sweet and attentive, if we lived closer we would definitely be regulars here. The highlights were the bread served with herb jam and ricotta, the citrus avocado salad and the hanger steak. The dessert sticky toffee pudding was also phenomenal. Wish we could have tried more things! If you're in the Ojai area, this restaurant is a must. It's also open on Monday which is great if you are visiting during the week. read more

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Lovely romantic spot, can't go wrong with either outdoors or indoors. Our server was sweet and very friendly and took very good care of us, we had the seafood tower which was really good but only wished they took the skin off the shrimp cause that was a bit tough but delicious. For entrees we had the pork chop and pesto pasta which were also very very good. Overall I highly recommend Rory's if you are in Ojai and also maybe you should call for a reservation because it was a full house on a Monday! read more

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I certainly appreciated the atmosphere and the staff. However, paying $54 with taxes and tip for half a chicken (on a puny strip of escarole) and a bottle of water is preposterous. I only paid 18% tip because I couldn't bear to spend more. The food was flavored well, but even my steak knife couldn't cut through the escarole. There were a lot of great staff present... a lot. Maybe I was paying for that? read more

You know when a restaurant first opens and you have to give them slack because of growing pains, and getting their sea legs, and training up staff, and getting timing right, and they've been trying to open in the midst of a global pandemic for two years? Yeah. It's tough! Rory's doesn't need any of that slack. At all. It was a wonderful experience with really lovely ambience on the back patio and attentive service. The food was great, too. We had the olives (fennel forward and excellent with nice feta and a unique and tasty jam!), the hearth bread (beautiful), the baked sweet potatoes, tiny clams (hearth baked, too, in a fantastic broth with sausage, so good had to pack it up for a little snack later), fresh uni and the borscht, which our friend enjoyed. The wine selections were also unique and went well with all the food. The bread, which came for dipping with the clams, was also excellent but we agreed, could use the aioli on the side, simply because the bread stood up on its own for broth dippin'. We will be back on our next Ojai visit. read more

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What an amazing experience. EVERYTHING we ordered (and we pretty much ran a gambit on the menu), is excellent and very tasty. This is now our 'special event' place. A bit costly but WAY worth it. read more

Loved this place. Food. Music. Decor. Service. Get the oysters and the halibut and the flank steak and the pork chop - all good choices. This is how food and service should be done. Only thing I'd suggest is ordering early on bc the food is made to order and takes a bit to come out. read more

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