Lived here for a year and a half, never been here and then on a Sunday Funday whim came in for happy hour and sat right at the bar where the magic happens. Let me preface this by saying I rarely drink cocktails. Almost 100% a wine guy...until Jose and Scott teased my palette with their beakers of magic. I'm a devoted fan and love how they can play to your tastes and surprise you. Don't pass this place by. Go and go now! read more

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Loved this spot! We were passing by and heard the music from the street so decided to stop by and check it out. Had a few drinks and had a blast. The staff was really nice and welcoming. The ambience and decor set a great tone and the vibe was awesome. Had a lot of fun and love love loved dancing at this spot. read more

Great atmosphere and some of the best cocktails in SLO. Must see and taste before dinner on the Central Coast.

Wanted to venture out around San Luis Obispo and what better place then the heart of downtown. We were seated at a table unusually close to a bar table outside. It was awkwardly placed and there was not much room to move , so we did a few adjustments and moved the table a bit so the people behind us had some space. Weird. What really irked me was how rude the waiter was when I was asking questions about the drink. There was 3 of us that wanted to get the guava mimosa and He said the pitcher was a better deal. I then asked him if the presentation was going to be nice for the drinks and he said with an attitude "Why wouldn't they be "!? Well excuse me , Mr. Attitude... I don't know what his deal was but seemed like someone was on their period. -___- Customer service 1 Star * Now for the drinks Horchata iced coffee: Was not good at all . Too much vodka and couldn't really taste the horchata. It was nothing like I had anticipated it to be . Also the presentation could've been better . ( They really need to work on their presentation) Pitcher of guava mimosa: Just exactly what I was talking about . You serve yourself and presentation is thrown out the door. They could've at least added some fresh berries or something. Also, I couldn't taste the guava. I was expecting this drink to be refreshing but boy was I wrong . Shouldn't have ordered this at all . Was not something that was tasty. 1/5 Now for the food ... Cesar Salad with anchovies $15: Every time I see anything with anchovies I know I have to order it. I have this weird salty craving that I need to satisfy from time to time and Cesar salad is the best - especially with anchovies. This salad did not disappoint . I actually hate eating salads but this one was amazing . Had a perfect blend of salty and creamy but not overpowering taste . I really liked the bell pepper that gave it a nice fresh taste. The bacon bits were also amazing .Little did I know that this was the highlight of the whole meal 5/5 All American breakfast w/ hangar steak $22 : 2 over easy eggs , bacon and potatoes. This was pretty basic. I was truly disappointed in the hangar steak . It was over cooked and super chewy and had a weird sweet flavor. ( Did not Look anything like the yelp pic which said Hangar steak) 1/5 Pork belly tacos $12: Usually anything with pork belly is a plus for me . But nope , not this. I literally took a bite and spit it out . The flavors didn't mesh well and the pork belly didn't really taste like pork belly . It was drenched in a sweet sauce and the pickled carrots and cucumber were way too overpowering. Do not order . For 2 tacos this was basura (garbage ) I would've been happier going to a Mexican place for real tacos 1/5 Overall I would skip this place . Was not worth the money especially with the rude waiter we got . The only reason I'd ever come back is if I'm really craving an anchovy Cesar salad. read more

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Not sure why this place isn't rated more highly. Very strong cocktails! The crew knows their stuff too! I threw a couple curveballs and got some great cocktails! Will always be a go to when I'm rolling through town. read more

MOBILE COCKTAIL AND BARTENDING SERVICES (not restaurant) - My wife and I recently hired Sidecar to provide bartending services for our small wedding in Templeton, CA. We spoke with Danielle about our signature cocktails, wine table service and paid for her recommended luxe package and two staff to service our event. We kept our wine and champagne chilled and the rest of our alcohol cool for days prior to the wedding reception. We followed Sidecar's recommended shopping list and ultimately purchased nearly 120 bottles of alcohol. The 32 adults present generally drink and like wine so it would be rather uncommon that at the end of an evening such as this, less than twenty bottles of alcohol had even been opened. Here are some highlights of our evening with Sidecar: We spent $3500 on almost 120 bottles of alcohol that their bartenders actively chose not to provide to our guests. They refused to make the signature old fashioned recipe that we agreed upon and provided all the components for. My new father-in-law even called them out on it. Given that this was his recipe, he knew that this was not our requested drink. He asked the bartenders to use the maple syrup (per the recipe) that we had provided and their response? "No sir, our simple syrup is fine." Their bartenders decided they were on break during dinner service, so people were not getting table service until we went up to the "CLOSED" bar (by the way, no one bothered explaining to us that our bar would be closed during dinner) and explained that people should be getting wine served to them. When they did finally start table service, they went around asking red or white. This would have been fine if we hadn't provided a Sav Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cab Sav, and Champagne. Therefore, almost 40 bottles of wine we purchased went untouched because our guests simply didn't know they were an option. To top it all off the Cab Sav was served HOT. We chilled that wine for TWO DAYS prior! In simple terms, while our guests had dinner, one of your bartenders stood behind the bar with a closed sign and we found the other one socializing in the kitchen. How is it possible we had to explain to TWO bartenders that it was their job to serve the alcohol. They put out a tip jar without our permission and given that we were advised to tip them 20% already, it certainly looked tacky given what we know we had already paid for their services. We feel as though we had enough discussion with Danielle to understand our expectations and we were under the impression we were going to have the best bartending service in SLO. Their bartenders ability to serve our guests wine, make cocktails, and even have good attitudes was a complete embarrassment. They were by far the sore thumb of our entire event and multiple guests complained to us about their service and attitudes. read more

Great garlic broccoli! And great bartenders! Good spot for a low key cocktail and apps.

Something changed here. The food is bad. The drinks cost the same as before but they are terrible. Why change a good thing?! Sad

Great cocktails. Excellent food. Fun patio over the creek. Probably the best cocktails in SLO. Can't wait to come back. read more

Sidecar - I Don't Read Scrip Rum, tequila, creme de banane, lime, coconut cream, orange blossom water, lime zest - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Sidecar is still doing it! Making the most delicious cocktails and serving them with a smile (well, you can see smiles in people's eyes!) Sidecars staff is amazing and friendly and their cocktails are always consistent. Only trouble was the texting system to notify us our table was ready. Thanks Sidecar for being so awesome read more

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

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Food and drinks amazing in a small but fun atmosphere!! Don't skip on the Chinese food menu they are serving currently! The wasabi fries are a must!! read more

Not much options here, they didn't even have cab. Nice atmosphere but Waitress was a bit snobby then they close at 9pm on Saturday and Yelp says 11;30. read more

Cool spot for craft cocktails. Cullen is the awesome staff who brought us our drinks and snacks. A must visit in SLO. Nice outside seating. read more

Sidecar - Old fashioned - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

If I could leave less than a one star review I would. My family and I visited this establishment on 1/29/22 for an early dinner. We all ordered, except my 3YO son, because there was no children's menu available. We ordered our meals and my dad walked two blocks to get my son something to eat, because he had just woken from a nap. If you've ever met a toddler that needs to eat, you'll understand... they get hangry fast. Mind you we were sitting at the tables in the street. My dad arrived shortly after we were finished with our meals and my son began eating his food. The owner came to our table and told us that we were violating the health and safety code by bringing another restaurants food to his table in the public street - these tables are positioned in the street where people spit, there are transients that leave urine on the sidewalk, gum, trash etc. which have no problem with... the problem arises when you as a manager address a 3YO. and say, "I will let it slide this time because you're a kid." Learn some people skills and how to properly address an issue. Will not be returning to this less than mediocre business of SLO. This city sure has changed. & if you're the owner reading this, don't even bother commenting. Just be grateful we have a little bit more respect than you. read more

We asked a local where the cocktail spot is and Sidecar was the first immediate answer. They do have quite the cocktail selection, from fruity drinks to a mean, strong old fashioned. The value is pretty good as well; the cocktails are cheap compared to SF/LA. The venue is also somewhat unique as they got a patio and some speakeasy/antique library vibes downstairs. Service was mixed. Our bartender seemed friendly but our waitress had her RBF on high. Really a four star place but none of the staff wore masks. Not a COVID-friendly place. read more

Thee lounge that opened my eyes to the world of cocktails. One near and dear to my heart throughout the years. As the years have gone by, the menu has changed in offerings but never in quality. I have literally never ordered anything from here that I did not love. Usually a busy haunt and no reservations are taken but very much worth the wait nevertheless. What better to accompany you throughout the wait than a craft cocktail. With menu varieties and custom cocktails upon request, this full stocked bar has everything and more that you would love in a cocktail. With an outside area perfect for weekend brunch and a cozy inside area for the nights, Sidecar is a staple must-try to downtown San Luis Obispo. read more

I have to admit, I'm more of a wine drinker than a cocktail drinker. However, the craft cocktails at Sidecar could change that. Have been in a few times for happy hour and besides the cocktails, I enjoy watching Sidecars mixologists create their custom cocktails. It's a true art form. This is more than just a bar. Finally ordered food during a recent brunch visit and of course paired it with a classic Bloody Mary. You can't go wrong with any of the dishes. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing. Now that I have discovered Sidecar, I love taking out of town guests there for a fun dining or drinking experience. read more

Sidecar - California Breakfast Burrito Bowl - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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I would have given this place 5 stars a year ago. But that's why people who visit a place one time and try to write an expert review are not always going to give you the scoop. That said it's definitely a cool spot to get drinks at a hefty price tag and in terms of food it's gone from decent offerings to pathetical if you are plant based like me on the spectrum of food. Don't get me wrong I like a lively atmosphere to hang out and be spendy. I do it all the he time. This place used to have an amazing unique coctail selection, beers on tap, great selections on wine. Not sure what happened but they raised all the coctail prices, removed beers on tap to bottles, and basically ruined the friendly customer service they had at one time. What really changed here is they modified the vegan options to have zero possibilities to order a veggie option. They used to have a wonderful raw lasagne dish that was amazing. What did they do but remove it from the menu. Waiter said sorry management felt it didn't sell. No substitutes offered nada. Then last time I was there the drinks went way up in price but I went ahead and ordered their CBD drink coctail as it looked interesting. This drink was super small and cost $20 for the drink with tip. Honestly the CBD didn't relax me enough to handle the tab it cost. I like that they offered a CBD drink but it was not worth the price of admission. With no vegan options and very expensive drinks list I'm kind of reluctant to be running back here soon. They had a good thing going that is changing to something I'm kind of lukewarm on presently. Hopefully management will listen and make it more fun again:) read more

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This place ROCKS! I went to their late night last Thursday and it honestly was the most fun I have had in so long! I love that they had a disco theme going on! The staff and drinks were amazing! The people this place brings in just proved what an awesome spot it is! I highly recommend their late night downstairs. Especially when they have fun themed events going on! read more

My family and I came here for Father's Day brunch because there was no wait. I liked the decor, it is on the casual side and fits in well with the location. The seating hostess and server were both very pleasant and friendly. The food itself was just okay. I do recommend the Brussel Sprouts which are nicely roasted and completed with garlic aioli, bleu cheese, and balsamic reduction. Everyone ate these up! My dish was the Croque Madame, and was definitely the worst rendition I have had. I received a way too thick, dry piece of toast topped with a dry slice of ham, an egg so overcooked that the yolk was not runny at all, a small amount of gruyere, and gravy that was actually pretty tasty. Do not order. My sisters got the Breakfast Burger, which is huge. They liked it, but again the egg was overcooked so that there was no beautiful runny yolk to coat the burger. The 2 best dishes we ordered were the B.L.T.A. Eggs Benedict and the Pressed Cubano. Both portions were filling. All in all, I think there are dishes that are tasty but could be executed better. Additionally, my mimosa was mostly orange juice which could be improved upon as well. read more

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So unique and tasty! Definitely recommend trying. Cauliflower Tikka Masala 10/10 - had this a few weeks ago and have been wanting to go back so ordered take out! Oh Damn Trina cocktail, very good read more

Sidecar - Cauliflower Tikka Masala Oh Damn Trina cocktail - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

On a cold evening, this was our decided chosen to dine. The dining area was very cold but nice and dark. Here below were the highlights of the evening. Fried brussel sprouts - first and best I ever had. Must order again if in the area. California devil eggs - Not too memorable The Replacement - craft drink. Pretty color beside candle light on the table Stuffed Half Chicken Well worth the wait. Be prepared to allow the kitchen to cook your yumminess for approximately 30 mins. It is enough to share for two people and is placed upon good mashed potatoes. Staff were fine. I would try to his place again. read more

First things first, the staff at Sidecar made our first night of " shelter at home" a whole lot better. After working what seems like years to move to their new location, I was planning on stopping in right away. I missed the opening a few days ago but heard great things about the menu being solid, the decor being transformative for the space and ,of course, the cocktails being incredible. When Sidecar announced they were offering take out and curbside pickup along with DIY cocktail kits I knew this was going to be a go to spot over the next few weeks. The owner was so appreciative when I called in my order. I ordered the wedge salad, an order of Pad Thai and the Hawaiian Bowl. All items were delicious. They were boxed up nicely though I will ask for salad dressing in the side next time. Now to this DIY cocktail kit. We picked the " Penicillin" which was perfect considering the situation. It is essentially a spicy, ginger , fresh pressed juice health drink. We added a nice bourbon at home and this is going to be our nightly ritual for the next few weeks. I did not get to check out the decor as we were doing curbside pick up but I can say the service and quality of the entire order were top notch. This "shelter at home" will pass and I hope our favorite places will survive. In the meantime, I am happy to support those who are trying to stay open, keep their staff employed and serve their neighbors. I cannot wait to get the full Sidecar experience once they can return to full service. read more

Sidecar - Penicillin DIY cocktail mixer. It's like a spicy, ginger , pressed juice health drink - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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This is a cool spot to come for cocktails with friends or a date. Specialty cocktails aren't cheap ($12-14 average) but pack a punch. The tobacco mezcal drink is very unique. The juniper drink was my favorite here while "the cure" with rosemary was the most boring of the bunch. As far as the food goes, everything was good as far as pub food goes but didn't wow us, especially given the price point for most apps is $15. I enjoyed the fig burrata with arugula and drizzled with a balsamic reduction yet certain bits had a ton of rock salt while others had none. The brussel sprouts could have been a bit crisper for my taste, albeit still tasty. Shoe-string fries proved difficult to consume, let alone dip. I say stop by for a drink to start off a night out but skip for dinner. read more

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Cullen gave the best service. His spirit of service was so authentic he even offered to spoon feed us broccoli. his chemistry with the bartender Sean was something i've never seen before. it was euphoric. enchanting. transformative. a transformer, much like optimus prime, sidecar is definitely on another level! (jk: he went the extra mile to get us broccoli!) read more

By far my favorite cocktail bar in San Luis Obispo, if not of all time. The bartenders are drink experts and can provide a drink tailored to a customer's specific taste if a drink on the extensive and creative menu isn't what someone wants! Their happy hour deals are great, it's very affordable for a super high quality drink during happy hour. After happy hour drinks are $13-15, which I think is more than fair for the quality (and potency) of drink you're getting. They do Tiki Tuesday every week where you can buy a tiki mug and bring it back for $10 drinks. You can also get tiki drinks in pineapples! On Tuesday they have an entire tiki menu, it's very fun. Their food is also fantastic. The menu changes every few months, but the Brussels sprouts always stay and are divine. They have a great brunch on weekends with sweet and savory options. The food is also very affordable for the high quality you get. Overall an incredible place. I'd come here every day if I could! read more

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Definitely our go to for a creative cocktail when we take people from out of town to the farmers market on Thursday nights! Located on a quieter side street just off high Guerra, there is a choice of a lovely outdoor patio which is dog friendly, longer communal like tables if you want to be social, or Smaller intimate spots or of course the bar in the back-where you can see all the action happening! I personally love that you can go totally traditional with a favorite beverage or choose from their descriptive unique spins on a classic. I I wish I could recall the name of the beverage I selected but I know it was made with some type of Apple cannabis Derivative! Their menu online is not current with the menu presented in the restaurant might be my only complaint because I love looking back and seeing what I had or getting excited about what I'm going to have. That said I am sure that the bartenders can adequately re-create anything from the old menu listed. They're really talented and I thought the staff waiting on us was also super friendly and consultative. If you haven't been -- you have to try sidecar which I believe has a sister location opening right near the creek. Go, just go! read more

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

Many of the things I liked about Sidecar are now gone. Poof. No weekday lunch. No beer on tap; I am sorry, but beer in a can just is not as good however you want to spin it. No Bombay Sapphire gin. No Macallan. I usually like my alcohol unadulterated. I have tried the craft cocktails and they are interesting at best. I am guessing that I am not the kind of customer/demographic that they are trying to attract. Thank god they still have the Brussels sprouts! But I still have to downgrade the rating from four to three stars. And finally, here is an interesting cautionary tale- One Sunday morning I brought my sister and brother in law for breakfast; they don't eat pork and honestly, five of the seven or eight menu items had bacon or pork. I thought it was kind of funny. but, they didn't. So my bro in law ordered one of the few things he could eat--chicken and waffles. The food took an inordinate amount of time that morning and when it came out it was cold. He got up and walked out and went somewheres else to get something to eat. The good news was, they didn't charge us for his meal and we gave it to a homeless guy. read more

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

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Delicious cocktails? Can't say. Great ambiance? I suppose from what I could see outside. Great service? Absolutely not. We placed our name and number on their waitlist and the brown haired hostess with the mom jeans told us it would be a 10-15 minute wait. It was a Friday night, so a wait was totally understandable. However, after many empty tables went to new groups that kept on appearing, and after the original 15 minutes turned into a half hour, we inquired inside. The hostess said she didn't have my name or my number and that they probably tried to call but we didn't pick up. I'm sorry but that's totally gaslighting! (And they did have my number because I received the text confirming I had been put on the waitlist and that they would contact me when a table was ready.) After her sad attempt to remedy the situation and find a table, she proceeds to tell us very unapologetically that we would need to wait a few more minutes. Not a single "sorry". She could barely muster the energy to pretend that she cared that she couldn't even do her job. I tapped my heals twice, willed myself to leave the presence of such incompetence and settled with the fact that I took this as a sign that I didn't need to spend money at this establishment. Ever. I may come back through SLO (maybe)...and if I do, I will absolutely remember to skip this place. read more

One star for the service and three stars for the food. Five minutes for someone to pay attention to us and check us in for a table, five more minutes for water to arrive at our table once we were seated, another five minutes for the waitress to come back and take our order, 40 minutes for our food to come out. You get the idea, be prepared to be here for quite a while for mediocre food. This is the place if you're looking for that hipster type of environment. I ordered the sautéed shrimp, which comes with garlic bread. There were maybe six pieces of shrimp and six pieces of garlic bread. Pretty much all the garlic bread was burnt black, so I did not end up eating it. The shrimp on the other hand was good. It was flavorful, but nothing mind blowing. I also tried the bolognese. The dish was decent and I liked the noodles the best. They were long and had a bit of a chewy texture, which I liked. read more

Sidecar - Shrimp and garlic bread - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Came here for date night on a Tuesday after having dinner in town. We were looking for cocktails and dessert, and since we like the craft cocktails at Sidecar, and they're open to 11pm, we went for it. We were seated promptly at a table, and got the menu for drinks, food, and Tiki Tuesday cocktails. Apparently, you can buy a Tiki glass for $20, then bring it in every Tuesday to get your cocktail for a reduced price. Pretty clever! However, the cocktails on the regular menu sounded more appealing to us, so we went with a Strangelove and a coconut cream/rum cocktail I unfortunately don't remember the name of. Both were brought over just a few minutes later, looking absolutely delicious. They tasted ah-maaaazing! The coconut one was tropical, sweet, and had hints of lime, while the Strangelove was more tart, and reminded of a classic cocktail with a modern twist. We absolutely enjoyed our cocktails, the atmosphere and the very attentive, friendly server. We decided against a dessert, simply because we weren't thrilled with the offerings (nothing sounded special), but decided to come back soon and try our way through the food menu, and have more of the delicious cocktails. read more

Sidecar - Cocktail night! - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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We came in for brunch on a Saturday around 11. The place was pretty empty when we arrived...only two other tables and a few people at the bar. We put in our orders and waited an hour with no food. There were multiple parties who walked in 20-30 minutes after us who were served food. Our food finally arrived and we were told that it took longer to make mine. I simply asked for eggs instead of meat and no cheese. Not sure why that took longer to make but ah well. We had the chilaquiles which is one of our favorite breakfast dishes. My husband wanted eggs added to his. Which apparently that dish already comes with eggs but isn't on the menu. When his food came he legit had like 5 specks of overcooked egg on his plate, loads of chips and a tiny bit of sauce and some meat which made it feel as if he was basically eating a bowl of dry chips. Kinda a bummer. He also Had a Bloody Mary which is supposed to be the best in town. The garnishes were pretty basic and included a sad limp piece of celery. The flavor was pretty lack luster for $12. Our service was however great and the waiter was very accommodating and helpful. We just wish the food and drinks were better as brunch is our favorite meal. If we visit again I hope we have a better experience. read more

Rediscovering SLO after many years and am finding quite a few cool spots this time around. Sidecar is one of them! Super chill place with a nice vibe and great service. I went here with a friend who is a regular and I can see why. They serve truly unique cocktails and I got to try several of them and they were all good. The brussel sprouts with bacon was on point. The shishido pepper was spicier than I expected but still good and the crispy potatoes that came with it was a nice touch. Alec was our waiter and was a friendly and laid back dude. He was very cheerful and even sat down and joined in on our conversation which was cool. Said this was the only restaurant where the owners actually encourage it. I liked it. Overall, two thumbs way up! read more

So awesome to stumble upon this place! Really fantastic atmosphere sitting next to the creek for an evening drink. The artisan craft cocktails were incredible and extremely reasonably priced! Really nice recipes and prepared very well and attentive friendly service! read more

I expected more. Unfortunately, we went here being extremely hungry and the current take out menu just didn't have anything filling. We ordered 3 items and were still hungry. Went to order the dumplings and they were sold out. The food was good and the drinks were good, service was great. I'll definitely come back to give it another try as there was nothing technically wrong with the place other than my out of control hunger. Ambiance is nice, we sat outside by the creek which was nice. read more

Cocktails here were ON POINT! Bartenders were awesome. Very friendly and knew exactly what your tastes were based on a description of what you like. Small inside but cozy and decor was gorgeous. read more

What a fun place to stop and have a cocktail! They are all about the craft cocktail and also about being super creative as they make the cocktail. For example, I saw them lighting a lemon on fire for a drink for added Smokey flavor. Pretty cool. Service was great and entertaining Cocktails were super! Would go again if in SLO! read more

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Excellent cocktails! We ordered the tropic and torpedo. The torpedo was strong while the tropic was refreshing. Loved both! We got a few small plates that was very tasty Brussel sprouts the prosciutto flatbread, batter fish tacos and fried chicken sliders. Way plenty of food. We took a taco and a piece of flatbread home. We arrived around 530pm and it was pretty busy. By the time we left at 7, it was packed. And this was on a Sunday evening. Would come again to drink more cocktails! read more

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Had brunch here. The food was really good. It was really pretty too. Their drinks were quite tasty and creative! We enjoyed Chicken and Waffles Benedict, Avocado Toast, and the All American. They only received 4 of 5 stars from me because the seamed to be understaffed at the time. Things we asked for took a lot longer to get then it should have. Also 1 of our 2 orders of Chicken & Waffles Benedicts was missed by the kitchen staff. read more

Sidecar - The Chicken & Waffle Benedict at the top and the Avocado Toast at the bottom of the picture. - New American Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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It's been way too long since we were here but finally went last night to see the new place (well new to us). It turned out beautiful. Love the new barstools at the tall tables inside. We got the Brussels, the sausage plate and the abc burger. Everything was perfect. Really loved the sauce on the Brussels. The sausage was surprisingly sweet and perfect combo with the mustard. We will be back soon! read more