Delicious Food. One of the best places I've eaten at. Will make the long drive to eat here. read more

Whatta ya mean, I forgot to write a review? Arrgh (slaps forehead)! So, we had to go back. Not that I minded. First of all, The Range stands alone in a rather non-descript area of little Santa Margarita, an almost forgotten, rustic town south of Paso Robles/Atascadero area in the rolling hills of Central California. It took us about 20 minutes freeway-wise to get there from Paso Robles. Parking is challenging, except if you are willing to walk a small block. The building itself looks like a 1930's converted Mexican bar from the outside. Not that that is bad, just unexpected. Charming with its decor of antiques, old West pictures and Country Western album covers, the quaint dining area consists of a small indoor dining room and an outdoor patio (with heaters if needed). There is very little space, so getting there early to beat the crowd is highly suggested (no reservations, btw). The patio is dog friendly. They pride themselves with their creative, farm to table menu. And howdy doo, the farmers/cowboys must be inspired in this area! Well, I should say that about the chefs, too. As for starters, they bring you a small platter of house made breads, four different kinds, all wonderful, made more excellent by slathering them with their creamy butter. The dish that I swore by the first time around was the Southern Fried Chicken. So, I had to order that again. A little pitcher of superb, creamy peppercorn gravy comes on the side. The plate was full of tasty garlic mashed potatoes, lightly sauteed veggies, and an amuse bouche spoon containing a feisty sriracha sauce. A really tasty meal, I was saddened only for the fact that the chicken portion was on the small side (small leg, small thigh, and half a wing). I am only speculating, but based on the size, taste, and amazing moistness of this chicken, it was most likely a free-range, hormone free chicken. I guess I shouldn't be greedy, but I wanted more. Honestly, I didn't remember it being that small the first time around. Mr. B always has his eye on beef. And this place was reputed to have some of the finest grass fed steaks in the county. First visit, he ordered a rib eye steak, second visit, the Prime Rib. Both were excellent quality beef, done to perfection. He could not have been happier. Love the garnish of crispy fried, curlycued potatoes. They are delicious and provide another layer of texture to the meal. We found these on both our chicken and our beef meals. And the special touch of a fresh herb garnish or edible flowers was such a nice touch. We have never been known to miss dessert. While the selection is limited, it also reflects seasonal options. So, here is my confession. I have never had Affogato before, an ice cream, espresso, soupy sundae so to speak. I loved the obviously quality vanilla ice cream. The espresso was a perfect topping. Second time around, we attempted the Flourless Chocolate Cake. Usually one of my favorites, (hey, chocoholic mad woman here), this one missed the boat in my opinion, not strong, dark chocolaty enough. I have had better. Prices are not for the weak hearted. And remember to bring cash. They demand it. And plenty of it if you are planning on having a good time. I guess old Presidents' faces have more clout and are nicer to look at than plastic bank logos. Loved our dining experience, this is a place to keep repeating visits. read more

See all

This was my family's third time coming here and the food was amazing as always. The staff is very friendly and the outdoor seating had a lovely atmosphere. We were the last people at the restaurant but the servers were very accommodating and did not rush us out. I thoroughly enjoyed the elk medallions as well as the tomato bisque. I was so full but I really wanted the to try the bread pudding and was not disappointed. All the dishes were delicious and I look forward to coming again. read more

See all

We walked in and out of here a few months ago, thinking that it was something different than what we were looking for. Even though the ambiance is pretty casual, the menu is very fancy and slightly pricey. Meal prices range between $26 and the mid to high $30s. Salads are ala carte but were my favorite thing. We came here for my father in law's birthday and it was great for that! Corkage fee is $20. Desserts range around $7 -$9 I got the fresh local fish special and it was good! The service was awesome. In fact all staff was very friendly. I'd be back but my husband and my portion of the bill with tip was $90 for two. The signage is not that obvious. Even though we'd been here before, I had to turn around and ask someone where it was. (Right next to the gas station) so if you blink at the wrong time, you might miss it. Oh yeah one biggie.... 'Tis CA$H ONLY! read more

See all

This place is a gem! Tucked away in the darling central coast town of Santa Margarita, it ranks 5 stars in all categories. Exquisite food, service, setting, ambience and reasonable pricing. The presentation is exceptional, the quality is top notch, and there is something on the menu for everyone. Nice selection of local wines too. If the weather is not too hot, I recommend the outdoor seating. It's quite lovely and rustic and comfortable. Indoor seating is limited. Very attentive service, and your water glass will always be full! read more

What are surprise that I found on Yelp! The food, service and surroundings were excellent. This is an upscale restaurant in a small town. The menu covers all bases. Just remember to bring cash, no plastic. read more

The Range - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Margarita, California

See all

AMAZING food , Excellent service, great ambience I would of gone 5 stars the only I gave 4 is they only accept cash.

Brisket is the dish I will order again. Our server was very friendly and professional.

Food is delicious and I highly recommend you try it out. Dragons breath is delicious, steak was very very good, and we will definitely be going back. No reservations available - yet there is wine and beer bar across street to wait if you choose. read more

The Range - Great champs and moms meg loves it. Made by Cava -Campo Viejo - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Margarita, California

This place never disappoints! The food, the staff, and the ambiance is 10/10. One of our go to's.

I usually don't give 5 stars but I feel that they really deserve it. It's not just the food but the service, ambiance, and hospitality were amazing and on point! We came here on a Friday night at around 7:30 and waited about 25 min for a table. It's NBD because there is a saloon across the street and they will call you when your table is ready. As others have said, don't forget to bring cash to this place. No credit cards here. First of all, the bread here is bomb! They give you 3 types of bread - a corn bread, a sliced baguette, and one other one. They were all super good with the freshly whipped butter. We also used this to dip in the sauce that our mussels were in. We split several items on the menu - caesar salad, mussels, and the ribeye. It was actually the perfect amount of food for the 2 of us even though we were both hungry. We liked everything we ate! They even split the plates for us so we didn't have to exchange plates. The caesar salad was made with very fresh, crispy lettuce and presented as whole leaves with caesar dressing, croutons, parmesan, and an anchovy on top. Maybe it was a little too much dressing for my taste so I just scraped a little off. The mussels were pretty amazing! Very fresh and came in a buttery white wine sauce. The sauce was definitely not a broth that you would want to drink unlike other preparations of mussels since it was on the heavier side. However, it was great to dip your bread into. As our main, we shared the ribeye and they split it in 2 plates. It was cooked perfectly medium rare and they even added extra potatoes and grilled vegetables since we split it. The coffee sauce drizzed on top added a nice flavor. Loved the decor of this place, very western and they even have Texas long horn on the wall. Everyone that works here is super nice! As we were walking back to our car, one of the guys that works there who was dressed as a cowboy even gave us a sticker! read more

The Range - Mussels - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Margarita, California

See all

Such a hidden gem! Highly recommend! You can only make reservations by calling. The food is delicious. Great place for families, date night etc. read more

I have been eating here for a very long time. The food is exactly the same as the first time I went. I don't mean that in a negative way, it's very consistently delicious! I've never had a bad meal at this place. The staff are friendly and attentive, but not annoying. My favorite place to sit is the patio, it's beautiful out there, especially on a warm summer evening. Inside seating is nice as well, it just tends to be louder inside. Highly recommend The Range! read more

This spot is a hidden gem in a small town called Santa Margarita! I have been multiple times; the last time I went was for my boyfriends birthday. Table of 6 and they were able to seat us without a reservation (only waited 5 minutes) even though the place was full! Their fried chicken (only available when they have it on the menu which makes it even better) was delicious! Came with mashed potatoes and collard greens, cooked perfectly! Their wedge salad was legit, I have never had a better one ever before! Super impressed with that. The service was good, it is definitely about the experience as well and it's quality food, I wouldn't go there if I was in a rush! The staff made us feel welcomed and comfortable & the host was really sweet. They do cash only! read more

If you're going here, it's likely because you were recommended from someone in the industry. It's Ana amazing place. Pricey but still great. Incase you aren't in the know, this place is reservation only and CASH only(maybe even check as well). So just be prepared for that. I wouldn't say it's a full 5 stars, just because I always believe I'm improvement. But 4 and up is great. However this place needs to get more appetizers, none of them were appealing. But personally I go to different restaurants for different things, so I wasn't expecting 5 stars appetizers here. I was going for good steak! Edit to review: sat inside on a busy day but after trying this place once again I felt disappointed. Some stuff that originally didn't bother me but now do are, obviously inexperienced servers and bussers. As well as the little amount of bread and service they provide to you. On a personal note: next time I return I will not be sitting inside as it gets way too noisy and claustrophobic. All around still 4 stars from me. Very enjoyable nonetheless. read more

We really enjoyed The Range. As the name suggests they have a lot of meat options including local specials from nearby ranches. I really enjoyed my Italian sausage pasta. During nice weather they have an open air seating area which is fairly well protected and covered. Only warning, cash only. read more

The rib eye was tender and flavorful, the downside was that it was at least 1/3 pure fat. First 4-5 cuts were into fat, finally got a bite of meat. I'm not opposed to fat, but I've never been served such a fatty steak. I also didn't care for the nest of crispy (noodles?) served on top, tasteless and messy. Cornbread was good. The service was good, almost too good, we were served bread and had taken two bites and the server asked if we were done, with 4 of the six pieces of bread still on the serving platter. Then after 4 pieces eaten asked if we wanted more? No, thank you, not yet. We were in and out of there in 30 minutes. It takes longer to drive through the Habit! I don't care for the Quonset hut ambiance, it was cold and windy, we ate with our jackets on. And the table was minuscule! So small I kept knocking stuff off of it. We were looking forward to going, been wanting to for years, all in all, not that impressed. read more

It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep. Giddy up to the Range as soon as you can! I recommend you show up as close to 5pm as possible if you have a party of 4 or more. Yep....it's that good and times that by a million. The menu is insanely good. With starters like Dragon's Breath, Stinking Rose Pizzette & Angus Beef Carpaccio, you're bound to be hooked! They also have wines by the glass, White Wines and Real wines (giggle). Nope, it's not a typo. On a good night, if you eat out on the back patio, you may be lucky enough to be greeted by a horse looking in on how everyone is doing. The best is when you are done to the point where you need a fork stuck in you and they show up with fortune cookies! Who doesn't love a good fortune? I'm going to leave the rest up to whoever reads this review. If you're smart, you'll head to the Range....if you're dumb, well you're dumb. No one can fix that. read more

See all

The Range is fantastic! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ but GET THE FRESHLY KILLED LOCAL ORGANIC STUFF! I just could now wait to try this place, so I went even before it was open one day...so I could avoid the crowd. Is the food as good as they say....well my freshly killed local organic lamb shank surely was one of the best that I ever had (& reminded me of mom's good cooking). The soup of the day was a great warm up. I was going to go with the rack of lamb, but that was from New Zealand, and this special dish was fresh, local, & organic...so that was a simple choice. This special had a good portion of a starch & veggies, but the main feature was this big ole yummy shank.....which was slow cooked with Rosemary and other spices. Pleasant SURPRISE for LOCALs, they do honor local checks, so if you are worried about having enough cash as a local, keep a check in your wallet. For non-locals, sorry, but cash is king. I went on a super-hot day (it was over 95 degrees outside) and I was kind of dumb enough to sit by the window. After a bit, I kind of felt like the slow roasted lamb...so avoid those seat when it is hot. The wine that my waitress recommended, a local Pinot, was a rather rare local vintage, with only a few barrels made....boy was it good. (see pics) I really had no room for the great dessert but I made it anyway...it was glorious . It had a deep candy carmel shell "dish" which was filled with yummy Vanilla Bean ice-cream & topped with fresh mint. The Rhubarb Compote was a great counterpoint...whatever than means :) I wanted to round out what I think are the best fine dining places in this area. read more

See all

The brisket with mashed potatoes (+ shoestring fries on top!) and veggies was cooked to perfection. Dragon's breath appetizer was tasty. Decently priced wines. Minus a star for 1) allowing unmasked patrons to enter, walk around in the establishment and gather in the waiting area while blocking the exit and 2) not making it clear that THEY ONLY TAKE CASH upfront. read more

If i could zero stars i would. Used to love this place but had a 530 reservation and left at 7 still not with any food. Manager dismissed us when we tried to talk about it. Horrible customer service. read more

Wonderful food and service. It's in the rustic style we find the beauty and ambiance. Rustic

Another amazing meal at The Range. The service was outstanding and the meal was out of this world. I had the elk medallions and my partner had the sand dabs off the specials menu. I love the ambiance and the simplicity of their offerings. Everything was done well and I can't wait for my next dining experience here read more

Food was really good, you could tell they put working into their menu. The service was very friendly , and seemed to be appropriate time frame for the business of the day. The location is beautiful. read more

I love the Range restaurant. We had a reservation to eat here last week on their outdoor patio - we remembered an outdoor patio from earlier visits and we only choose to eat outdoors currently. However, when we arrived, only the front, closed on top and one side, part of the patio was open and there was a canvas tent partition covering the back side of the patio, closing off what is the true open air area. In other words, we were seated in a small area, totally closed off on three sides, with the front side being only half open and the door open. To us, it was eating indoors, with tables not as physically distanced as is recommended. Given the skyrocketing number of Covid cases in the county, we decided to leave. Again, the food and usual ambiance at the Range are wonderful - but now I would only do takeout. read more

Seemed pricey for what is available...which is a very small menu. I would probably not go again. read more

Love this place ! Great food & phenomenal service ! We are blessed to have this wonderful restaurant in our community

Fried chicken Saturday night special was so good and the rigatoni! Great service! Wish I took pics too good to wait!! read more

Great food and unique atmosphere-service was perfect-would definitely come again-xxx cxxxxxxx.

Anyone wishing to enjoy a delicious meal ought to try this restaurant. The chef is exceptional! I know that Santa Margarita is proud to have this establishment in town. Friends of mine from San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles have come to dine here because of its excellent reputation. It a local business owned by a Santa Margarita family. read more

Went here for my birthday back on 3/7/20, just before the pandemic. Delicious food and excellent service. Will return soon! read more

The Range - Pasta Bolognese - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Margarita, California

Great food, fabulous service! Love the outdoor patio, even in the cold weather ( outdoor heaters)!

Super great restaurant in Santa Margarita. Never would've thought to look there for food. Can't say enough how great and innovative the food is. We sat outdoors because - - Covid. Amazing short ribs. Pretty much everything is amazing. Good wine list. And a very quaint decor. read more

This place is amazzzzing! The atmosphere is so welcoming, the food is top quality delicious. The best part though was when we were trying to figure out where to eat, I called and asked what time they closed and the gentleman told me 9:00, about 5 minutes late my phone rang and it was the Range! The lady asked me if I called earlier asking about thier hours and wanted to let me know that they were closing the kitchen a little earlier tonight. Talk about exceptional costumer service! We were close enough to enjoy their wonderful food, but I am still amazed at the thoughtfulness of the lady that took the time to call and let us know that the hours had changed read more

Thank you 'Samadhi' (sp?) - and The Range! We had a fun birthday dinner there on December 1 - food, service and atmosphere 'great' as usual - and I'm glad we could 'gift' y'all - the rest of our Madonna Cake! Cheers and many thanks - Marby and The Sullivans of Tassajara Canyon read more

Pros: *We went to dinner around 5:30 on a Saturday and got seated right away *the service was excellent *really nice ambiance. It had a relaxed yet classy vibe. *sitting outside was a nice option for us, inside seemed more stuffy and romantic lol *clean *food had nice presentation *nice wine selection and will give tastes upon request *herbed happy acre goat cheese brulee was especially tasty to me as a cheese and garlic lover *Louisiana crawfish cakes, (only get 2 fyi), but my guy really enjoyed them. Personally i thought they were sort of borning Cons: *what large scale restaurant with high prices in a lower cost town doesnt take credit cards these days. They need to step that up. I knew this beforehand and there is an atm with a fee a across the street, but come on your higher end prices, attract classy people who should be able to pay via credit card *the food was sub par. You will see i had lots of pros, but most importantly is the food should be amazing. And it was not. It was ok, but nothing spectacular in general. *the ribeye was flavorless and very thin. *the lamb chops were flavorless and gamy *we deduced it was likely poor quality meat All in all we enjoyed our time. We may come again in a year or two merely because the place is cute and in a nice area. But we wont frequent it. read more

Oh man... this place is unreal. One of my absolute favorite dining experiences! Down home, farm to table, good people, and great atmosphere. This is one of the very few places I've been able to find good Elk, so I hold this place dear to my heart for that! I also can't make a visit without ordering their French onion soup, it's definitely one of the better ones I've had. I love the patio area, cute twinkly lights, good music playing. Feels like gourmet eating without all the production and frills. This is the type of place you can come to in jeans and a T-shirt and still feel comfortable while eating some high end food! I love the service here, all the servers are so sweet and helpful. I have truly never had a bad experience here. If you have yet to check this gem out, do it!! You will not regret it! Remember, CASH is king here!! Make sure you hit the ATM on the way! read more

Last week, we enjoyed all the pleasures of patio dining at The Range with out-of-town guests. We began with savory soup--mushroom as well as French onion--followed by fresh, lightly dressed house salad, accompanied by a variety of warm, tasty breads. Our entrees, from roast chicken to grilled steak to Osso Buco, were all perfectly prepared. The four of us shared a peach-blueberry crisp with a scoop of ice cream--just enough homemade sweetness to end our meal. The service was friendly, attentive, and well paced. This restaurant is a North County treasure, best shared with loved ones! read more

Had eaten there several years ago and not impressed, but recent good reviews plus my wife wanting to try it again had us making a very recent December reservation. When they called to confirm I was reminded CASH only. The parking when we arrived was terrible, ended up on a side street in a residential area. Only 4/5 spots in front of the Range. I thought we would be in the main dining area, but put over in a cold corner of a metal shed they had added for more seating. I wish we had been asked where we would have liked to sit. When the waitress finally arrived first thing we were reminded was CASH. Service was very slow, salad and entree piled high in unnecessary garnishment, and ribeyes covered in some kind of sauce and covering our vegetables. I find meat prepared this way is either poor quality or disguising the freshness. Soup, salad, entrees, desert, and wine with tip $360.00 which would have been $380.00 had I not caught the waitress's poor math in totaling my bill. Extravagant corkage fee so if you want wine you are basically forced to purchase theirs. Interesting that your order is on a partially lined post card size generic unnumbered piece of paper and you are not offered a receipt. This recent visit reminded me of why I had waited years to come back, but not again. read more

This is our place for special occasions and also when we have special guests visiting the area. Every dish that they serve is well thought, with fresh ingredients and perfect combinations. I've been here several times and love everything I've ordered from their menu so far. Lovely ambiance! You feel you are being served by a kind family that cares about you having a nice time with them. read more

See all