Many have done the roadtrip from the Central Coast to Bakersfield via Hwy 166. And Cuyama Buckhorn…read moreis a favorite stop along that route. You can't miss the huge "Coffee" sign visible from the highway. We recently had to drive said route and decided to finally visit. And we were happy we did. Cuyama Buckhorn serves tasty American dishes from biscuits and gravy to burgers. It was lunch, so we had the burgers. Very good! We tried the apple pie as well and it was nice. We stopped by again on the way back home for some coffee. Good stuff. Not a fan of the matcha drink ( but too much milk) Great location for travelers, friendly service. Fun diner vibe. If you're traveling via the 166, definitely stop, have a coffee and a bite to eat.

Another great adventure driving out to New Cuyama to eat lunch at the Buckhorn Cafe. Last time we…read morewanted to stop here there was a field fire up ahead, so we drove back to San Luis Obispo through California Valley, a Wild West adventure on miles and miles of unpaved road, back through time to the Carrizo Plain national monument. The drive out was lovely, with lots of yellow broom blooming on the hills. We passed the Firefighter Monument that my husband tends that commemorates the firefighters killed in the Spanish Ranch fire, and checked out the growth of some oak trees around it. We pulled in for an early lunch at the Buckhorn and got a nice booth near a window. We were waited on immediately and provided water and a new menu with more of an emphasis on breakfast dishes. It was early lunch for us, and I ordered my favorite "Breakfast Salad," a Cobb salad, which has bacon and egg in it. My husband got the pulled pork sandwich, a specialty of the place. There was a delay getting the wine menu, and my first choice had run out, so I tried a white that was close to a Sauvignon Blanc from a local vineyard. I had spied some very authentic looking apple pie coming in, and we ordered a slice for desert. It came with a couple of scoops of creamy ice cream, and had a sure-enough baked through crust with juicy, cinnamony apples inside! On the way to the car, we noticed a local rancher "branding" the building, by pushing his heated up brand into the front wall of the restaurant where many other brands appeared. The paint smoked a bit, and when he was done, a spade appeared on the facade, "Spade Ranch," he told me, literally making his brand relevant to the cafe! We reveled in the beauty of the ride back, appreciated out step back in time into the history of this beautiful valley.

This is a great place for group gatherings because they have picnic tables, an area with a…read morefireplace and you can make reservations. You order and pay for your food then head to your table or tables with your friends. The beach is on the other side of the seating area so you can hear the waves! There is a sans area where toddlers can play. Its family friendly. I had the burger and calamari- the burger waa huge and bready with a thick beef patty, calamari waa tender ans delicious I would definitely come here again and think of this place for large gatherings

Padaro Beach Grill -- A Coastal Gem!…read more Located right off Santa Claus Lane, Padaro Beach Grill is truly a hidden gem! We always make a stop here for lunch when we're driving home after spending time exploring towns up the coast. We absolutely love the atmosphere. There's a sand pit for the kids to play in, picnic tables throughout the yard, and just over the fence you have a beautiful view of the ocean. I never realized until today that there's also a train track on the other side of the fence -- I definitely jumped when a train came by blowing its horn! I decided to try something new from their Specials list -- the buffalo chicken sandwich. I'm a picky eater, so I gave my order to my husband while I waited in the long bathroom line (worth mentioning because this place gets busy!). He added cheddar cheese to my sandwich, i didn't think about telling him blue cheese would be best BUT when I picked up our order, i asked for a side of blue cheese crumbles. As a cheese lover, I loved it! My husband has a dairy allergy, so he asked if the onion rings contained dairy. The person at the register took the time to check with the kitchen, and we appreciated that. Unfortunately, they are made with buttermilk, so he went with French fries instead -- which are always his weakness. He really enjoyed his mahi mahi sandwich, although the fries could have been hotter. We will definitely continue stopping here whenever we're in the area. It's also a great spot for gatherings or parties with the outdoor space and relaxed beach atmosphere. Reasonable prices! Highly recommend!

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

If you like breweries, this is one you'll want to add to your list! While the space is large, both…read moreindoor and outdoor were fully packed during most of the day. As it is one of the places that stays open later, we came in during the evening and had no trouble finding a table outside once the crowds died down. They had a Hazy IPA on special for $5 so of course we had to order that and it hit the spot. IPAs and lagers make up most of the menu, but they do offer a nice variety of brews. You can order food from the walk up window of Little Sama Ojai inside, but it was closed by the time we stopped in.

Vibes: Chill, rustic, bar/high table seating inside and outside…read moreCrowd: Can get crowded but lots of seating Menu: Large beer selection, great bar snacks Value for price: 5/5 (great prices, large servings) Service: Friendly, recommends beers Parking: Street parking (downtown Ojai) Stopped by Topa Topa with a friend around 5:30P on a Friday evening. The brewery is super cute and cozy, with wood/black accents and a boutique shop in the corner featuring local artists. There is plenty of places to sit inside or outside or at the bar. The bartender helped me pick a beer, and it was happy hour, so I only spent $5 on my 16oz pour :) We shared the Krupuk and pickle plate. Krupuk = airy tapioca chips, melt-in-your-mouth or crispy, with two flavorful sauces. It was a pretty large bowl so great for sharing. The pickle plate was lovely, 4 types of pickled vegetables (cucumbers, red/white onions, and bell peppers) which went great with the krupuk. Great place to pass the time!

I am now a huge fan of Yard Bar & Grill. (Visualize beautiful fireworks going off and no pet is…read moresad. Just pure happiness. I was part of a party that reserved the back patio. We were celebrating retiring teachers and staff! The service was fabulous! Shout out to Hannah! I am 96.4% sure that is her name. Smiling, always around to take orders, make suggestions, clear plates, etc. I thought she was terrific. The drinks were great. The table where I sat raved about them. The food was yummy. I loved the caesar salad and the onion rings. The tacos and chips were the bomb as well. The cookie with ice cream dessert was an incredible surprise. The menu description did not do it justice. It was a large chocolate chip cookie cooked in a small cast iron skillet with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. Scrumpdidlicious I can see Yard Bar & Grill as part of my new fun thrift store routine. Shop til I drop and then reward myself with a beverage and that fab cookie skillet ice cream thingy. In summary, if you have a group celebration call the Yard Bar & Grill. You will be so pleased. They even let us decorate! #grateful

Good food and beer, great customer service. Live music. What more can you ask for? I got their Yard…read moreburger and fries, didn't get a chance to grab a drink since I was driving but their bar was popping and everyone was having a good time. Definitely coming back here when traveling through Ventura.

first of all, hello satan do be living up to the name bc this was heavy handed. i never be getting…read morethe right drinks per usual bc the toes on your nose was better in my opinion... menu is incredibly versatile, from raw seafood to a well seasoned steak. starting off with the tuna tartare--BEAUTIFUL, no notes. perfectly salted, great texture. oysters came next and we were served three different types (clean to fishy) but all were delicious to experience. the steak was crispy yet tender on the inside.

Terrific !!! We were…read morefortunate to walk in on a Sunday at 6 PM and find a seat at the bar... Place was packed, with a really nice vibe. Service was good, maybe a touch pretentious at first... But warmed up Cocktails were "out of the ballpark" ... It was really enjoyable experience... And reminds us both. We need to venture away from town sometimes to SB and Ojai, to get dazzled. It's nice when an appetizer, or entrée shows up at your table, and the visual presentation is consistent with taste. Just about every single item which appeared at our seating, elicited enthusiastic responses from both of us. It's probably a bit pricey... I am not sure but I think it was around $250 or $300 with gratuity... and one of the entrées included was a take-home (chicken) We look forward to visiting again... And (btw) sitting at the bar, turned out to be a nice choice, watching food prep happen.

Just stopped in because we were hiking the punch bowls earlier today and what a great spot!! Not…read moreonly is the owner Jojo and the cashier/waiter absolutely amazing and attentive, but the food is absolutely delicious and their selection of salsa is to die for, definitely coming back whenever we are in town!!

So I knew of Cocina but wasn't able to come until recently. I had ordered for pickup prior to…read moresitting to try it. I like how they created their own app to make it easier for pickup. Prior to coming in I had tried their beans tacos dorados (tres taquitos) and their chilaquiles. Tacos were okay. I felt like there wasn't that many beans inside. Chilaquiles were delicious. I live close but by the time they got to me, the tortilla was not as crunchy anymore. Still enjoyed them. When I went in, got the chilaquiles again since I wanted to eat them fresh. Even better. Loved the sauce and how crunchy they were. I did get the red ones. They are a bit spicy for those who don't like spice. I have really liked that they use black beans instead of pinto beans. Their red rice has always been nice an fluffy. Another time I went I tried their quesobirria shrimp tacos. They are tied for my all time favorite spicy shrimp tacos. They were so good. The chipotle sauce you do to add to it was delicious. Overall, I love Cocina 1912. Love that it's so close to me and how delicious the food is. I have definitely started to bring people already to try it and will continue to do so.

Casual dining on a Sunday afternoon in the hinterland of Lake Hughes. There was country music in…read morethe back, and a very small craft festival on the property too. The dinner menu starts at 4:00. We ordered from the lunch menu, The bisque,tomato soup, and grilled cheese sandwich were pretty good., as was the chicken cutlet on a bun. The French fries were excellent. The young waitress was very busy, but we had our meal in no time. We waited for her to pick up the payment, but another woman took the cash payment. Hope she was the owner, as she stated. It was a nice change of pace venue.

I loved the atmosphere. Felt like you were with family…read more I was immediately greeted by Amber. She had a wonderful and bubbly personality. She brought me a menu and took my drink order. I heard they serve Bravery Brewing beer so I ordered the Rocktoberfest. Still one of my favs! I told Amber that I would be ordering a few items and will be needing to-go boxes to bring home to my Mom (sharing food is my love language). Here's what I ordered: -Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese bites with their homemade ranch -Ahi Tuna sliders -Cubano with homemade chips accompanied by their homemade pepper jack queso dip -Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding -Pepperoni pizza - to go The Mac & Cheese bites were crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. The inside had a sharpness to it, I'm assuming from a cheese they used. They were even better dipped in their homemade ranch. Do not leave without trying it!!! Ahi Tuna sliders. You guys.. don't walk, RUN to try these! I think my eyes rolled back in my head when I took my first bite. The tuna was tender, the slaw was crunchy, creamy and citrusy with a slight sweetness. The bun was soft and slightly sweet as well, and the fact that it was toasted, added a nice texture. I'd eat these breakfast, lunch and dinner. And probably for dessert, don't judge me. The Cubano was fantastic! I'm hoping I heard Neil correctly but they marinate the pork in a homemade mojo sauce. That was incredible! The bread was nicely toasted, the ham was smoky, the fontina cheese added a nutty, buttery flavor along with the balance from the crunchy pickles and acidity from the mustard. And the homemade chips with the pepper Jack queso were amazing! The perfect crunch and crispness, salted well and dipped in the creamy queso that had a hint of spice. Oh lawd! Absolute happiness Neil Behrman, the chef, was kind enough to come out and introduce himself. I was lucky enough to have a conversation with him where we shared about our love of cooking, I got to hear about how became a chef, about his Italian grandmother, where he's worked, and how food feeds our soul. I did try one bite from the chocolate croissant bread pudding and oh man, the ooey gooey buttery chocolatey goodness is amazing! FYI.. Both my parents loved and raved about the food! Dad's favs: pizza and chips. Mom's favs: EVERYTHING! Lol!