Great food and service. The rosemary chicken with angel hair pasta, the monster burger, the patty melt, the chicken quesadilla, and the black and blue salad are some of my favorites. read more

Although it's a bit warm to dine outside, its understandable with covid-19. Food quality was very good and had lots of flavor. It's great to have some cajun style variety here in Santa Maria. Where the restaurant needs to improve is with its service. It took over 12 min to get our drink order in and we placed our food order at the same time as we weren't sure how long that would take if we didn't. Servers were not efficient managing tables and with 8 tables under the tent and 4 more along the building and 3 servers, I kept seeing them carry 1 or 2 things at a time and not organized. They could probably use 1 more person inside just to manage to-go orders. We saw 2 other 2 tops arrive after us and both left before us. Overall, I would suggest the takeout before dining in. read more

Placed an order over the phone with a credit card. Arrived at the stated pickup time only to find the order wasn't even started. The salad I ordered was great. The black bean ravioli dish was 8 raviolis in a garlic soup. Clearly not the stated sauce described on the menu. I called and complained. Left a message on their answering machine with my phone number. Did not receive a return call. It bums me because I want to write good reviews and I want establishments to be successful. read more

My friend wanted to buy me lunch and told me to look at Chef Ricks menu. I looked it over but the prices stopped me from ordering a meal so I ordered their chicken tortilla soup. What can I say about broth with little chicken and vegetables but a whole lot of tortilla chips to add to it. Favor was good but went away still hungry and a little upset that my friend had to pay over $10 for it. My friend ordered their coconut shrimp. When she opened the box her jaw dropped. 3 shrimps for $18.00 seriously. Next time we do lunch it won't be from Chef Ricks. read more

The service was great. Our server helped us make final enntre choices, and we loved it all!

Our first time eating here was excellent! Really large lunch portions. Could be shared if you're a lighter eater. They start with amazing cheddar jalapeño biscuits. Totally worth a visit just for those. We ordered the fried shrimp po'boy sandwich with fries, and the fried chicken sandwich with broccoli slaw. Extremely delicious. Looking forward to coming back to try more. read more

Chef Rick's - Fried chicken sandwich - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

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Love chef ricks. Been going there ever since they were located over on Bradley and Clark. Missed them while they were relocating. The food is always delicious and always has been. read more

Still good food. The Fried green tomato & shrimp tostada is soooo good. Great place for date night or meeting up with the friends read more

Chef Rick's - Fried green tomato & shrimp tostada - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

Since the pandemic haven't been in a while but didn't disappoint the food is always great here had a salad with the coconut beer shrimp it was excellent and the wine is always good also the nitro beer. read more

Chef Rick's - Bakersfield Onion with Fried Green Tomato arugula salad. - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

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The Cajun shrimp po'boy is delicious and freshly made. Our favorite shrimp po'boy in Orcutt!

Love the garlic soup, I love the atmosphere in the location is at. Seating is limited but worth the wait. The only thing they close to early 8:00pm. read more

Love the food and the rolls. I have picked up a few orders and I hope to dine in for lunch one day. I think they are the best so far -well flavored. I love that it is near my house. read more

Hands down the best restaurant in Santa Maria with a flavorful food, a well thought out menu, great ambiance and super good service! Just go. read more

Came here For the first time and the food was fantastic. The service was slow, but they did not had one waitress on for the lunch shift. I got the garlic soup that had so much flavor. And some tasty croutons on the top. It's similar to onion soup but way better. I also got the short rib sliders on jalapeño rolls. Extra super tasty. These two things did not disappoint. read more

Chef Rick's - Short rib sliders - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

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My "go to" spot! Great food and service. A varied menu with a little something for all.... Even vegans like me have choices here! read more

VEGAN EATERS HERE..............Chef Rick's is something unique in this area, casual fine comfort food at remarkably fair prices!! It's also incredibly appealing from the moment you walk in. Art is a big part of Rick's, as is the pervasive sense of whimsy in the decor. Clearly a favorite with locals and great for kids and large parties. That said, it's ALL about the food which is remarkable. Sizeable menu, crammed with classics, a warm basket of fresh from the oven rolls (YESSSSSSSS) when you are seated (after ordering at the counter) and the range is impressive. We were four, two plant based eaters, two not and most of what we ordered was vegan, it was just that tempting. DO NOT MISS THE hearts of palm crab cakes!!! They are absolutely addicting and, ok, beautiful! Their (V) burger was stacked and enormous with a similarly enormous side of crispy FF's. YUM. A silky garlic soup, a tortilla strip topped salad (which actually had chicken but can be ordered with either extra avocado or the plant based burger patty), plenty of tap beer and a few glasses of wine and we had NO room for the large choice of desserts, all house made! This is exactly what the area needed. It's certainly what we've been looking for and will be regulars. Thanks Chef Rick for the care you've put into both the restaurant space and your AMAZING food! You've also put together a great crew who are sweet, attentive and efficient!!! Going back tonight for more "Crabless Cakes!!! read more

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I love this place! Amazing vegan options. The crab cake is delicious. The vegan burger is of course too. Something here for everyone. Really appreciate the vegan options! read more

Chef Rick's - BBQ salad with shrimp! So good! - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

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Amazing food and service! Lots of vegan and vegetarian options Was also expedient as we were in a business lunch read more

My wife and I go here often (2-3 times a week) because the service, staff, food and cleanliness is superb! You would think they would have a bad night every now and then, but it has not happened to us. The food is just so fresh and unique..., that we cannot help visiting often. read more

Thus far I have had the grilled or bbq'd shrimp BLT which was fabulous, and then the very delicious grilled chicken, bacon and avocado sandwich another time. The fries are the best I have had in Santa Maria. Another person had the bbq'd shrimp quesadilla and another, a beautiful salad and soup. We are all amazed at the quality and the flavors in each dish. I will say though that the only iced tea offered comes in a small glass for $3.50 and tastes like perfumed water although it is supposed to be mango. It was rather unpleasant for me. Definitely recommend Chef Rick's! read more

We stopped on our way thru town. It was such a cool spot. Lots of vegan options. Great menu, fun atmosphere, and great food. Beware the kids portions are huge. read more

Very good Patty Melt. A lot of good food. Large portions. I would definitely come back read more

Amazing / unique flavors, high-quality ingredients, fun atmosphere and generous portions! You do get what you pay for. Can't go wrong with Chef Rick's!! read more

Worst order ever!! Waited 1 1/2 hours for the food. Arrived cold! Changed menu, didn't tell me! This is ridiculous and disappointing!! Never again!!!! I want refunded!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Chef Rick's - Cold food!!! I could have got this in a drive-thru!!!!!!Soooooo bad!!!!!!!! - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

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I don't know about you, but I'm ready for an expansion/different version of the Michelin star. I want a rating system that rewards restaurants who are consistently good but not high end, who don't necessarily require a reservation, whose chefs are accessible for conversation, and who have a few standout dishes that make me want to come back again and again. If said award existed (Beyond Yelp reviews) I'd give one to Chef Ricks! For many years now, my family has been coming to this place (They went to the Jetty too, which Chef Rick took over some time ago...his meals are head and shoulders above that long defunct establishment!) for a very long time. And for years, I've been hearing about how great particular dishes are: The Creole Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille smoked sausage Jambalaya pasta (Now that's a mouthful!) has a long love affair with members of my family. Yet in spite of this I had never been to Chef Rick's! It's a problem easily explained: My days of living in the Central Coast are long behind me. I come to visit but rarely. Thankfully and most recently, my drive down coincided with a gathering of friends and family to Chef Rick's. It was a gastronomic adventure! We couldn't make up our minds on which appetizer to begin with so we went with two: An order of hush puppies (Who doesn't like hush puppies?) and Archie's New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp! The Shrimp was like eating the nectar of the Gods! That could have been a meal all its own. But we didn't stop there: The signature family dish was on the table (The Creole Shrimp pasta) as well as Randy's Fish and Chips, the 16ounce Rib eye. Needless to say not one dish disappointed. And we should have stopped there...but dessert called with a "come hither" none of us resisted! All of us had the chocolate peanut butter pie, and by the time we finished, we waddled out of the restaurant. The question for you dear reader is this: Should you eat here? Oh, most definitely! read more

Delicious food, great service! I had the po boy and it was amazing. The specials were yummy too. Yummy wines and desserts as well! Great local spot. I'll be back. Family friendly. read more

Our group of 15 (9 adults and 6 kids) are staying in Santa Maria and we randomly picked this place. It was great choice. We just left the restaurant 2 hours ago. The location is not on the busy stretch of the street, if you drive fast you would miss it. Outside looks casual and inside decoration is casual but nice. Initially we had a booth for all kids and 2 booths for adults. When a large tables was vacant all the adults moved there. First the service was great. From beginning to the end. We asked our waitress if we could move to the bigger table. We asked for more rolls. We asked for split checks... she was alway smiling. Main attraction was the food. I had jambalaya pasta (penne) and wife had salmon pear salad. It was so good. Taste was great. Pasta was big portion. Son had monster burger, it was big and juicy. To top it off, we were the last party there and while we were paying, Rick came out and chatted with us. Very friendly man. Highly recommend If you come to this part of town. read more

Sadly, I seated at the bar and was handed three menus. The two servers working never came back to see if I wanted something to drink even though I already said I'm going to have a beer while I wait for a takeout order. They served multiple other customers and took phone orders while I sat there. After about five minutes, I walked out. read more

I wanted to leave a higher review given the high expectations I had reading through all the other reviews but... I knocked off two stars because the "clean" cup on the table had an imprint of someone's lips so... not super appealing there & at the very end of my meal I noticed a hair mixed into the fries--such a disappointing way to end the meal. I gave three stars because the servers were really friendly and accommodating, and the food was delicious! I liked how they had dairy-free options with their vegan cheese. I'd recommend not jumping so quickly into their soups--I burned my tongue ‍ The decor is pretty eclectic and interesting to look at but a little worn down. My seat and a tear in it and some duct tape haphazardly placed over it. If I'm ever in the area I might give it another chance but I usually only do repeat visits if I give a place a 4 or 5 star review. read more

I don't care for the ordering first kind of cafeteria style. No bueno the cashiers are either slow or customers are complicating but this is not a good idea specially on lunch hour The food takes over 20 mins after you order n pay So be ready to wait The food is good I don't think I can come during the week This was a Saturday visit read more

Chef Rick's - Order line - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

Chef Rick's is easily one of the best restaurants not only in town, but on the entire Central Coast. If you haven't been, I definitely recommend trying their Thursday night fried chicken. I haven't had the chance to dine in yet, but their takeout definitely was a day-brightener during COVID. Every desert has been incredible, and you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. If there's any complaint to be made, it's that their waitresses seem a little absent-minded; the gross mispronunciation of 'andouille' that I heard signaled that menu familiarity is not a strong suit here. read more

Stopped by for the first time and I can say this is my new favorite spot. Food is delicious, staff is polite, and prices are fare. Not only does that food taste good but the presentation was worth a picture. Overall a great experience!!!! read more

Chef Rick's - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

I was a fan of the Orcutt Chef Rick's and this new location does not disappoint. The food was delicious - our group ordered 5 different dishes and all were happy. I had the angel hair pasta with asparagus and mushrooms. Good portions and so tasty! I'm not a fan of the order at the counter style and hope they go back to traditional table service. read more

Chef Rick's - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California

Ok so, we were hungry! We ordered the shrimp appetizer, vegan crab cakes, corn crusted eggplant and I got the vegan burger! This burger was legit good! I dunno if a meat eater would enjoy but I literally ate the whole thing...and I'm on a NO carb diet! I was super excited/ scared to make this my cheat meal! First take out meal in awhile where everything was on point!!!!!! read more

Out-fkkn-standing!!!! For vegetarian/vegans, and not, this is an outstanding food experience! Karen had the Eggplant poor boy. I had the vegan sliders! We both drank the kombucha. Wonderful!!!!! Thank you so much for the fabulous food and atmosphere See you soon!!!! read more

Just went last week for lunch now that we can outdoor dine again . Myself, mom & teenage daughter has a wonderful lunch ! We decided to order a variety of items & share . Garlic soup amazing !! I will definitely be back for more , velvet broth , perfect amount of garlic & croutons were superb. Sweet potatoes fries crispy & perfectly salted . Fish & chips , batter was on point ! Fish was fresh & perfect flake . The slaw was crispy & nicely dressed . Coconut shrimp , large & nicely cooked . Raviolis tender , handmade & perfectly sauced . The sauce was so good !! And yes the table service... Joslen , Anita & Yohanna were awesome. They really worked as a team , between handling the outdoor dining & pick up orders they remained calm & attentive at all times . We look forward to many more lunches & all of our bday & special occasion meals . Hopefully next time we will have room for dessert! read more

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Great food and fun atmosphere! Highly recommend! The battered shrimp and crusted salmon my fav!!!

I have been eating Rick Manson's food for over twenty years so it is about time I wrote a review. Chef Rick's has been in several locations over the years but the high quality attention the food gets has always been the same. He is among the handful of most talented chefs on the Central Coast. The food has a decidedly southern drawl to it with some Caribbean flavors thrown on top. Cajun spices. Shrimp. Mango. Deep fried yummies are all about the menu. Rick told me once that his formative chef years were spent working and learning at five star resorts in the southern climes and to eat this food now, that makes perfect sense. I stopped in for lunch yesterday. We had the shrimp Quesadilla with slaw and Cathy's Chop salad. Both fantastical and huge portions. Even though we loved we couldn't fit it all in and had to ask for 'to go' containers. Lunch for two before tip was $37 but that really turned out to be four meals when all was said and done. Tips: His coconut shrimp are legendary. If you like that dish and he has them on the menu do yourself a favor and get them. The location is southern Orcutt halfway to Guadalupe on a less than elegant and non descript corner. The inside ambience has somewhat of an appropriate roadhouse feel. The service is adequate. But the location and the service are not what should bring you out to Chef Rick's. read more

Delicious, fresh food. I've been here twice and both times have had the BBQ lamb quesadilla, because the flavors are so good! I must come back and try other meals - lots of other things look good on the menu! Hubby had shrimp BLTA and really enjoyed that. The service was excellent even though it was a very busy Valentine's Day. Glad to have Chef Rick in our town! read more

Just wanted to update my review to fix something. I'm not going to Chef Ricks monthly. I've been going 1-3 times a week since this post!! It's definitely my favorite lunch place in SM right now. read more

Chef Rick's - New American Near Me - Orcutt, California