Conveniently located on the ground level at the Marriott property, this was our choice for breakfast in order to avoid stepping outside on a cold morning -_- We were greeted by the friendly staff and seated shortly after. The breakfast items, eggs Benedict and huevos ranchero, were good but wasn't anything special. Did its job and I was satisfied! However, I was impressed by the attentiveness and effort of the staff. They checked on us frequently and offered refills for coffee and water. Overall, a solid 4 star experience! read more

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The Starting Gate is the Restaurant inside the Santa Ynez Marriott. It is the restaurant that Marriott sends Platinum and above members to for the complimentary breakfast. During my visit in April 2021, the pandemic was still ongoing. Dine in was at reduced capacity. I ordered and took my food to go back into my room. Service was okay. The cashier took my order and told me it would be done in about 20 minutes. I ordered a blueberry French Toast, a huevos rancheros, and a kids pancake along with a couple of juices and coffee. 20 minutes later when I returned, they had everything ready for me, except for the kids pancake which they forgot. The food was better than most hotel buffets. Even though they forgot the kids pancake, there was plenty of food to go around. We all liked the huevos rancheros as it came with sour cream, avocado, cheese, beans and cheese on top of 2 sunny side up eggs. The French toast was nice and sweet with lots of blueberries. It was a great hotel breakfast during the pandemic. It was nice of this Marriott to serve breakfast for their platinum and above members when other Marriott's did away with their breakfast. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant At the Marriott - nachos and cheese - New American Near Me - Buellton, California

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Good food and drinks. They have snacky foods and full meals plus wine,beer and tasty cocktails. The ambiance is nice,mellow and clean and best of all they are open later than other places in town. read more

Food is decent but the restaurant has literally 1 staff member running around with no help so it makes me feel bad and the service is so slow. Don't try to order room service it won't work. read more

Stayed at the hotel and since we have a AAA card, breakfast was included. The deal was $10 off an entree on the menu or the buffet. The hostess was friendly and seated us in a booth as we requested. We chose the buffet because it included the omelet bar. The omelet was delicious and I had it made with egg whites. I loved all the choices and the small cups of salsa that came with it. The cook was friendly and did a great job. The buffet also included French toast, or you could make your own waffle, which is what we like. Hot syrup and whipped butter were available. Also included were fresh fruits, different breads and muffins, oatmeal, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and yogurt. The buffet area was clean and well stocked. Our waiter served us bottomless orange juice and coffee and even gave us one to go. Needless to say, we were stuffed and ready to conquer the drive back home after this meal. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant At the Marriott - Entrance to the restaurant - New American Near Me - Buellton, California

I was up early since I was visiting the West Coast and was the first customer of the day. They have a large breakfast buffet serving a little of everything. Want made-to-order omelets? They have it. Want French toast? They have it. Want cereal? They have it. You get it. The problem this morning was they were short on help. The omelet maker was late, and I think one or two other employees were tardy. The restaurant manager was hustling to make up for the missing staff. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. She insisted that she check to see if my breakfast was comped since I was a Platinum member. To my surprise she was correct, and my meal was free. So, all I had to do was leave a tip. The quality of the food was good, they just had some early morning employee issues. read more

Starting Gate Restaurant At the Marriott - New American Near Me - Buellton, California

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The food here is surprisingly good. I usually stay at this hotel when I'm working in the area. Despite the doors saying that the restaurant is open until 10pm, they stop taking orders at 9 and the restaurant is closed shortly after. I ordered the Mediterranean Chicken and Linguini and it was more flavorful and tasty than I had imagined it to be as a healthier dish. The side salad was very colorful and was very fresh. I have also previously ordered pizza that is baked in their outdoor wood burning oven and it was great. On a side note, their breakfast buffet is fantastic. The french toast and the omelette station are a nice touch and provide a good variety that most Marriotts don't have. read more

Limited menu. I only ate breakfast and it was delivered quickly. The sausage omelet was good but only consisted of cheese and sausage. The vegetable omelet was better with more flavor. The fruit cup was a good size with fresh fruit. read more

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A new favorite spot for us! Had been before in the afternoon. But Friday night was awesome. Our server Jesus was excellent. We were there for 3 hours. STIFF cocktails. Shared a gourmet wood fired pizza. Fantastic. We were the only two in the beginning. When time to leave, there must've been 100 people there and we didn't even notice! Talking closely in the lounge area, feeling the love, a wonderful evening. Can't wait to go back. Go see for yourself. A+ read more

Starting Gate Restaurant At the Marriott - New American Near Me - Buellton, California

A plus (and the only plus) for staying at this Marriott Hotel as a gold or platinum member is that you get a complimentary buffet breakfast included with your stay each morning. Expect the standard american buffet of both hot and cold items, which also includes a made to order omelette, pancakes, bacon or eggs. I enjoyed sampling their Santa Ynez specialty omelette, which was a classic sized 3-egg omelette filled with bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers, hash brown and aged cheddar cheese. It was very tasty and was served with extra loving care and a sliced decorative avocado to boot, which I also very much enjoyed. Leaving tips for the chefs goes a long way people. The hostess and server were also quite friendly and attentive on both days helping start the mornings off right after a couple of sleepless nights in the hotel room. It's nice to know that great customer service still exists. #51 / 100 Yelp 100 Review Challenge 2014 read more

We were staying here for the weekend. The first morning we came down for their breakfast... they offer breakfast buffet. It was $18.95 for a variety of things you could choose from: Hot entrees: maple sausage, bacon, potatoes,french toast for the heavy choices. Oatmeal, yogurt, cereals, milk and banana for the healthy offerings Make your own Waffles. Fruits: cantaloupe, honey dew, watermellons, etc Pastries: danish, muffins, bagel, etc You can also order make your own omelette with toppings: ham, turkey sausage, pork sausage, mushrooms, jalapeno, green onions, tomatoes, spinach,olives. I chose: Omelet with Turkey sausage, jalapeno, onions, tomato, mushroom. It was not bad.. but a bit pricey for A ok buffet breakfast. I wish they had cold cut meats ( smoke salmon, salami, etc) and the last night of our stay, i wasn't feeling well... so we came down to eat dinner. I ordered the Mediterranean chicken & linguini minus the olive and artichoke. Matt ordered the quesadilla salad. it was alright. my pasta comes with creamy tortilla soup... it was yum!! Our dinner came out to be $28.54 not bad..plenty of food left... Our morning waitress was very friendly... our dinner hostess ( old lady) was not friendly.. she was too busy chatting she didn't even noticed we were waiting for a few minutes for her to seat us. read more

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Came in the morning for breakfast and it was SWAMPED. They definitely got hit hard for breakfast time. Even a sales manager had to come in and help out. We got seated after waiting for about 5 minutes to get a table cleared. The sales manager helping out came and got our drink orders. Martha was our server. I felt so bad for her. Seemed like there were so many tables she had to juggle. We ordered two all American breakfasts, an order of buttermilk pancakes, & the Santa Ynez omelette. They were all just okay. Pancakes were a bit too doughy for my taste. My mom liked her omelette. Prices were affordable, especially for a hotel. Service was really good after things slowed down a bit and the rush of people left. Thanks for being so kind Martha! read more

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This is a great place to eat if your staying at the hotel. The staff always remembers me. I tried the shrimp tacos tonight and they exceeded my expectations. The street tacos, guacamole, and burger are all great. I would give it a 4.5 if possible because it good restaurant to eat at but not something I seek out. It convenient, quick, and a feat place to meet up with colleagues. read more

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I go to a Marriott, I expect good quality food, good quality service, a clean & fine environment, and no surprises. Tonight I had 2 surprises, one was random luck but I have a feeling everyone can expect my other surprise. Surprise number one: some huge family celebration seemed to be taking place this weekend & the grandma was a highly accomplished pianist who was playing beautifully in the lobby on our arrival. That was a lucky treat for us. Surprise number two: extremely obliging & observant service! Special shout-outs go to Gaby, our server, & the chef for serving me pizza even though I arrived when the pizza oven had just closed. Also special thanks to the guys whose names I didn't catch. They noticed the family party was getting a bit rowdy round our table & very discreetly shuffled them along. I don't think we did anything special to warrant such lovely considerate service, I think that's just the way they are. read more

For a hotel restaurant this was pretty good dinner and breakfast food. The breakfast was not your typical free soggy eggs and fake meat but a full buffet spread with an omelette bar included. Service was great as well and I wish I had more time in the morning to take advantage of the breakfast. The dinner was great. I wanted a good meal while on the road and their chicken and veggies was excellent. Even gave you fresh bread to start with. Again service was great but I was the only one there that night (it was a week night). read more

The breakfast here is definitely a pass. I have to eat here every morning to save time and the food is not good at all. Service is a negative. read more

Stayed at the Marriott and dined here for breakfast. Good but smallish buffet with the usual breakfast items. But the omelette chef was fantastic. Super friendly, very helpful, and brought our egg dishes right to our table. Very nicely done Marriott!!! Friendly table service also provided by Martha - thanks a bunch. read more

If you have the urge for prime rib, this restaurant is sure to please. Served Wednesday and Friday, their prime rib is cooked right and has a juicy, tender flavor. The filet mignon likewise tasted good, and I recommend it for the tenderness. Green beans and baked potato complemented the meal, and you have to get the tortilla soup: very creamy, with a lightly spicy flavor. Didn't get to try their Banana Foster, but this and their other dessert selections sounded really good... I'll be back for that. Great customer service throughout! This was a pleasant dining experience, and proved to me that, even as a hotel restaurant, it could compete with nearby famous dining locations. Be sure to relax at the nearby fire pit afterwards, too. read more

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I travel a lot. Hotel breakfast is ok most of the time. The breakfast buffet was spot on! The entire staff was extremely friendly. The omelet station was very good and the homemade salsa was excellent. The salsa is why I am writing this ... very flavorful. read more

We come here on a regular basis to charge up the Tesla and now we are staying here temporarily for ten days. This restaurant I would give a 2 1/2 stars to for a couple of reasons. Number one the service is very inconsistent. There's one girl that works here who's worked here six years and who they should make the manager ... she's the best I wish I could remember her name? Long dark hair. Anyway, sometimes you get good service here but most the time not. It's a little confusing because sometimes it's self serve and sometimes there are people here to wait on you? As for the food well they have a very limited menu and what they have is about three stars at best. The food is over salted and the chef doesn't seem to understand that. Otherwise the salmon plank meal would be three stars but Should you wish to have that you might want to ask them to make the salmon medium rare to avoid it being over cooked. The beet salad the mandarin oranges were beyond their due date and there's very few greens in it at all and the Cobb salad I would take a pass on as it wasn't the best I've had. read more

Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. We just had breakfasts, but our omelets were the best, freshest we've ever eaten! Attentive and super friendly staff started our day off with a smile and an excellent breakfast. Of all the many Marriott's I've eaten breakfast at over the the years, this Santa Ynez valley location is my new favourite. Having the meals comped (I'm a Platinum Elite member) made it taste even better. Best way to start a new day! read more

If they could get all the food out at the same time and correct...they would be five stars. Their tortilla and french onion soups are first class. And they have one of the most melt in you mouth New York steaks....but they really need help on their cooking times. The rib eye is thin and was over cooked while the NY was WAY under cooked...but after a refire was so good I overlooked the mistake. Their green beans are fresh. The chicken and linguine was light and flaverful. The soft tacos were good. We had chips and guacamole for an app and it was very good. This place has real potential. .. and if you're a local you get a discount!! And when you order a glass of wine...you get a glass of wine....not a wimpy pour! read more

Come here every year for an annual breakfast meeting. Always very accommodating. The menu is simple but classic all American options. The food is great for a hotel restaurant. If you want to indulge, hit up the Buffett. Ask for the server Marta. She is great. read more

Went to the breakfast buffet for my birthday with my family. Great service , great food !

for convenience sake, we decided to do the breakfast buffet at the hotel. the food was typical hotel breakfast - omelette station, bacon, sausage, potatoes, oatmeal - etc. not bad at all esp if you book the hotel room with breakfast package. the staff was attentive and cordial. i would definitely do the breakfast again if i'm staying at the hotel. read more

My martini came clean not dirty, then came filthy. Skip the martini. My medium filet came well done. No pink what so ever. My dessert tasted like a melted chocolate bar. Skip the chocolate volcano cake. Bread was good. read more

The buffet at the Starting Gate restaurant is excellent. The eggs and omelets are cooked to order with a choice lot of different ingredients for the omelets. Waffles are very good. They have trays of bacon, sausage and potatoes. I like to get salsa for the potatoes as they are little bit bland. They have fresh fruit, cereal including oatmeal, bread, muffins and Danish sweet rolls. Coffee is good and the orange juice is freshly squeezed. I suggest you inquire at the front desk when you check in to see if you can get breakfast added to your room. The price for breakfast is usually more reasonable this way. I had breakfast for two added to my bill for $20 on my last visit. Excellent service. A nice breakfast room with a choice of tables or booths. read more

Best staff ever! Our stay was very accommodating and the breakfast was awesome. The cooks and waiters are polite and make you feel like family. We were welcomed by Salvador and Martha. Hilario, the amazing chef they have making fresh omelets at your request! These people make the difference and make us want to come back. I loved our stay and would recommend this hotel to anyone who is thinking of visiting the area. read more