Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Nest

    4.1 (633 reviews)
    ModerateWaffles, Tacos, Pizza
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Nest Photos

    Business Info

    THE NEST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Nest

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    French fries
    Alyssa H.

    This place was such a cool vibe. Everyone was so friendly and the outdoor seating is absolutely beautiful. Everything was delicious and so fresh. I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order.

    Jennifer L.

    Delicious salad! We had the Nest Salad, I think it was called?? It had goat cheese, pistachios, dates, and snap peas...we topped it with a large portion of salmon grilled to perfection. Really hit the spot on a hot day of walking and sightseeing around town. We also ordered the Hawaiian pizza which was good too but clearly that salad was the star of the show. While it is more popular to sit outside. We welcomed a break to sit inside their space inside with some AC.

    Laura R.

    I'm catching up on my reviews. We came to Ojai a few weeks ago and we had dinner at The Nest. My boyfriend heard this place had some popular Vegan Cauliflower Tacos. Omg! Delicious! The cashier was friendly and the restaurant is nice, clean, mostly outdoor seating. It felt a little romantic to me outside. We definitely plan to stop by again.

    Jalapeño smash burger
    Cassie C.

    Delicious food and a nice casual spot for lunch or dinner! You order at the window and seat yourself which is nice but with actual good quality food! I've seen this place very busy during the summer so was happy to eat here easily on an "off season." My boyfriend and I ordered the jalapeño smash burger and fried chicken sandwich with fries and split both to try. While they were both very delicious, we agreed that the chicken sandwich was the best. Nice thin crispy fries, an so many more things on the menu sounded delicious. We ordered the carafe of wine but their machine broke so we only got half that they still have to use and comped which was quite kind. We will definitely be back!

    Vegan Caesar with added sun dried tomatoes
    Matt J.

    The Nest has some strong menu items but suffers from an inconsistent menu, a slow line and blatant shrinkflation. I've had some excellent salads there that disappear as suddenly as I'm delighted by them. The urge for a menu to evolve is understandable but is it unreasonable to expect the meal you've enjoyed to remain somewhat constant? I'm not saying a menu should be stagnant, but we're talking counter service here, not farm to table tasting menu. Also, we've seen the overall portions of certain dishes shrink while their prices remain high. Notably, the ahi bowl has graduated to a much smaller dish, and, as you can imagine, the portion of rice and pickled ginger has remained abundant while the ahi itself has gone down precipitously. Despite these gripes, I'm grateful they offer a satisfying vegan Caesar salad on which they added sun dried tomatoes as a special request. The dressing was delicious (albeit not especially Caesar-y and perhaps a little too generous) and coated the kale very nicely. I'd return just for that dish but don't think it's ideal bang for buck. Still, it's a charming atmosphere (props to newly renovated interior seating area!) and can be a perfect choice for different parties including dates and families.

    Chopped Greek salad
    Claudio D.

    The cauliflower soup and the Greek chopped salad were excellent. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful.

    Kale caesar salad with chicken (dressing is vegan)
    Anna S.

    Solid spot for a casual lunch in Ojai. They have a great outdoor seating area as well as a few booths inside. You order at the counter and they bring you your food along with napkins and silverware. There's also a self serve water station. I ordered the kale caesar salad and the french fries. The caesar salad was delicious, especially for having vegan dressing! I added grilled chicken to it and loved the extra crunch from the chickpeas - nice touch. The french fries were a lovely shoestring consistency and super crispy. My brother had been here before and mentioned that he remembers the fries being different in the past but these were even better, so perhaps they made some changes to their menu recently. Either way, I'd recommend checking out The Nest if you're in the area!

    Chicken sandwich, fish tacos, Arnold Palmer
    Gilbert S.

    The chicken sandwich was really good, the fries. I did not like because they were cold, the drink was very sweet, but pretty good. Overall, the aesthetic is very pleasing and peaceful, and the service was fast.

    Two types of tacos: general fish taco and the ahi taco. Both amazing.
    Harold V.

    Ojai's got plenty of great food options, but somehow, we always end up at The Nest. And honestly, we've never regretted it. The open-air patio is a vibe. It's dog-friendly, grapevines are crawling up the walls and a chill playlist matches the easygoing crowd. The food? A little on the pricey side, but you feel the love. Even the fish tacos feel elevated. They're perfectly battered flaky fish, crisp shredded cabbage, and ripe cherry tomatoes that pop. There's real care in every detail. It all just hits. That's why we keep coming back every time we're in town.

    Colton C.

    Had a great experience at The Nest. I ordered the smash burger with fries, juicy, well-seasoned, nicely smashed with crispy edges, and the fries were perfectly golden and fresh. My friend got the tacos and absolutely loved them as well. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. I can't really comment much on full service, but the girl who delivered our food was very friendly. The vibe of the place is excellent, especially when the weather is nice. Outdoor seating is perfect, and it's dog friendly, which made it even better. Would definitely come back.

    Sausage fennel pizza
    Cindy L.

    Had a great time visiting Ojai for the first time and stumbled on this restaurant on Yelp. We got the sausage fennel pizza($25) and chicken sammy($24) with the vegan cesar. The pizza had tomato sauce, fennel sausage, mozzarella, ricotta, castelvetrano olives + cremini mushrooms. I loved all the toppings on the pizza but thought the ricotta didn't pair as well with the pizza. It was a well made pizza and definitely shareable between two people. The chicken sandwich was so good!!! The chicken was tender and juicy and I loved the well crispy well seasoned breading. The aioli paired perfectly with the bacon jam with onions which brought out an amazing sweetness. One thing I would change is that I would use pickled red onions instead of the regular red onions they put on the sandwich as well as add some arugula to cut out the heaviness. I would come back to ojai just for the chicken sandwich. I wasn't expecting much from the side salad but I really loved it. The vegan cashew cheese added a salty taste with the well dressed greens. The service was quick and I love how the food came out freshly made and quickly. I loved the outdoor seating which had a lot of plants and greeny.

    The Side of the outdoor seating area
    Claire G.

    The Nest is a very cute spot in downtown Ojai with a terrific healthy Brunch type menu. It's partially self serve and very dog friendly on their cute grapevine covered outdoor patio. To start we ordered a couple of cocktails because hey, it's brunch and we're on vacation . Tried the mai tai and the moody blue. Both cocktails were not only pretty to look at, but very tasty, particularly the mai tai. Then we feasted on the delicious Smashburger, which was Wagyu beef, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and their delicious nesty sauce. I really wanted to go for their great looking fries, but instead, I opted for the healthier option of the wonderful arugula side salad. Hubs ordered the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and sadly was not impressed however as it was drowning in a heavy mayonnaise based sauce and not enough, onions and peppers. The fries he had, though were excellent! The menu overall is just awesome, I would love to go back because there are so many more things I would've liked to have tried including their root beer float.....Next time.

    Jeanie L.

    Visited downtown Ojai and stopped by The Nest for lunch. Cute little restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating in their patio area. So how it works here is you line up to order and pay at the window, and you're given a pager that will buzz once your food is ready for pick up. The girl working the register was super friendly. Unfortunately they ran out of pizza dough right when I stepped up to order. So we ended up ordering: * side house salad - for a side salad, the portion was pretty big! * jalapeno bacon smash burger - the patty was so juicy but a little too salty. The fries were nice and crispy. * calamari tacos - avocado was not ripe. The calamari was good though. * el sully mexican style lager beer They can get pretty busy so I would suggest coming early or later. It got a little uncomfortable towards the end when I had a family of 4 stand next to my table waiting for me to finish eating so they can take over my table...

    Seasonal cocktails

    See all

    Photo of Kristen H.
    22
    110
    14

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Tony A.
    0
    68
    18

    7 months ago

    The best tacos in town. Fish tacos are on point. Beautiful presentation. friendly staff.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joy J.
    246
    489
    2657

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy N.
    1
    12
    37

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Erin M.
    1
    79
    15

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Selene E.
    42
    19
    25

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jessie H.
    97
    31
    20

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Food was delish, sat outside on a hot day but had a nice breeze and service was stellar! Thank you for the birthday candle!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Food is DELCIOUS. Highly recommend jalapeño smash burger and the fried artichoke hearts. Well worth the cost.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 88
    Thanks 4
    Love this 79
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dailey L.
    42
    22
    21

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Libby R.
    1953
    846
    1221

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L C.
    0
    76
    7

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tim H.
    2248
    504
    4913

    4 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 16

    Ask the Community - The Nest

    I would like a reservation for 4 for brunch at 11 on Jan 22. Please confirm Laura lynch can you confirm?

    This is a walk up an order at the window spot. There are no reservations.

    Is this place offering sit down dining either inside or outside?

    We offer outside dining!

    Dine in open?

    There are outside tables

    Does the patio have heaters this time of year (Jan)?

    Yes they do!

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Yes , they also have water dish out

    Do they take the axxess card?

    Is there an Ojai axxess card? That would be good to have!

    View All 8 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Waffles 185 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Tres Hermanas

    Tres Hermanas

    3.2
    (121 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    My review is strictly for the bar area and cocktails but wow! What a fun and cute restaurant and…read morebar in downtown Ojai. I am definitely surprised by the lower reviews as our experience on a Sunday evening was pretty stellar and hopefully the reviews continue to be more positive if the restaurant and staff are making adjustments to the feedback. We stumbled in on a Sunday evening after wine tasting. We truthfully wanted round two of drinks and a clean bathroom lol. I had heard about this spot in the past and their curb appeal drew us in. Love their signage, the name/logo on the front wall, and once we walked in the bar seemed very cute and inviting. Probably what would have been an initial red flag was that it was dead inside but we just wanted to sit and enjoy a cocktail. The outdoor patio seemed cute and did have like three tables full. We looked over the menu and were actually very impressed. They have an extensive cocktail menu with fun looking drinks and ingredients. The food menu looked pretty appetizing to me if I'm being honest. Based off of the menu alone I'd come back. Happy hour during her weekdays seems legit too. My group only ordered cocktails but the drinks were pretty and a generous pour! Three of us ordered the prickly pear margaritas and we loved the tall glass they came in. We really loved how the female bartender whipped our drinks up super quickly. My other friend got a Smokey cocktail and we all agreed we really liked our drinks. Had we not already been drinking all afternoon I would have definitely ordered another cocktail. The staff were actually very nice and sweet (going against other reviews). The bartender again was really quick with the drinks and made them very tasty. The waitress who checked up on us was darling. Me and my girlfriends were deep in conversation and I appreciated how she would check in on us but also was mindful to not seem interruptive. She also gave us recommendations on what food is popular and to order next time. While I only experienced the bar area I was very pleased with our visit. Drinks were good, the decor cute, and nice staff. Hoping more people will give them a try as we really liked this spot. Clean single bathroom too in the back which was helpful as we all needed a pit stop and refresh. Definitely keeping this spot in mind next time I'm in Ojai and needing a margarita.

    Over 3.5 but rounded up. Review only based on service and drink . No food was ordered …read more I got a prickly pear marg and it was amazing . Service was ok . I'd say, staff is not super friendly or excited to see you. As a foodie, I always super excited to try a new place and tend to be chatty. I felt our server did not really care to interact . Not busy at all. Place is gorgeous and clean. Plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. I would probably come back but lot my first choice. What makes me want to come back is feeling super welcomed and the feeling that the spot is as excited to have me as be their customer as I am to be there.

    Photos
    Tres Hermanas
    Tres Hermanas
    Tres Hermanas

    See all

    Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill

    Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill

    3.9
    (341 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    29 years in business
    Family-owned & operated

    So, felt like a short drive. My posse (most of them today, some were MIA)...drove up to Ojai and…read morewhoa!-Music Festival and Pottery Festival going on. Traffic all around but we did get out and walk around. Someone said, "I'm hungry, anyone else?"...Of course they were obliged by ALLLL of us! We decided to walk a few blocks from the crowds, came upon Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill + the cantina. We went in and ordered. The service was very good and a few of us saved a large booth as the others went next door to the cantina...there was a good number of folks in there already eating...some locals, you can just tell-made me feel better. Our food arrived: Smash burger I had ordered was great. The pickles as someone else mentioned were a very tasty yet the meat flavor was still there. A chicken burger, some tacos, and some buffalo wings, fries..Cold beer(it was a warm afternoon)-rounded off the 'posse' order. Everything was very good. Jim & Rob's serves some very tasty food. Nothing pretentious, just down right good food. I will stop back in next time I am in Ojai-good food.

    It's great prices and great low key vibe for all…read more They are friendly and quick Small bar is fun for sports

    Photos
    Grass-fed Watkins Ranch beef Cheeseburger and Fries at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai and Lisa's Cantina
    Grass-fed Watkins Ranch beef Cheeseburger and Fries at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai and Lisa's Cantina
    Fajita Platter looking delicious at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai and Lisa's Cantina
    Fajita Platter looking delicious at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai and Lisa's Cantina
    Adult beverages on the Lisa's Cantina bar at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai

    See all

    Adult beverages on the Lisa's Cantina bar at Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill Ojai
    Farmer And The Cook

    Farmer And The Cook

    3.9
    (626 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    The Farmer and the Cook -- Fresh Finds Off the Main Road…read more I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect walking in for the first time, but The Farmer and the Cook won me over pretty quickly. It's bright, clean, and has this easy organic warmth to it... the kind of place that feels like it was put together by people who actually care. Right off the main road, easy to find, and the family vibes are real. It's the kind of spot you want to linger in. If you're navigating dietary restrictions, this place is a quiet goldmine. Strong gluten free options, a genuinely vegan friendly menu, and plenty of vegetarian choices too... so everyone at the table actually gets to eat something they're excited about. That's rarer than it should be. The food? Solid. I went with the raw tacos, sopes, and huarache; all filling, all fairly priced for the area. The raw tacos especially surprised me... fresh, flavorful, and not in a "I wish this was a real taco" kind of way. These hold their own. Service was quick and most of the staff had a warm, genuine energy about them. The one small snag; the cashier seemed to be having a rough one. A little gruff, made me feel like my first visit was mildly inconvenient for them. It happens, we all have bad days, but first impressions do stick a little. Overall though, I'm absolutely coming back. There's more on that menu calling my name and an atmosphere that makes it easy to slow down for a bit. Whether you're vegan, gluten free, or just looking for something fresh and honest... this one's worth the stop.

    A really difficult review to write. On the one hand, decent food, and decent environment…read more On the other hand, very dramatic and poorly managed "community" space. I was poisoned there with food that I am allergic to by a spiteful employee. Management not only never apologized, they never did anything. The results were lab tested. I went over and above to give them a chance to be civil and professional, and they came up a complete blank. So sad

    Photos
    Inside grocery store
    Inside grocery store
    I would like to give a review of Garrett's "Not a Chicken Sandwich"! It was the absolute best! I love the fresh garlicky aioli, crunchy pick
    I would like to give a review of Garrett's "Not a Chicken Sandwich"! It was the absolute best! I love the fresh garlicky aioli, crunchy pick
    Inside

    See all

    Inside

    The Nest - waffles - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...