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    Deetjen's Restaurant

    4.4 (328 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

    Deetjen's Restaurant Photos

    DEETJEN'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Romantic
    Intimate
    Classy

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    Justin N.

    The breakfast here was delicious. We got seated right away on a weekend morning between Christmas and New Year's. Those that had to wait only waited a few minutes and everything was fantastic. The building itself and property are fairytale esque and just beautiful!

    Big Sur lodge is next door
    Cori W.

    This has to be one of the quaintest breakfast places I've ever been too. It also is my favorite place to get breakfast along this stretch of HWY 1. It's full of history! The breakfast is delicious - large portions and full of different options.

    Teagan T.

    The locals recommend Deetjen's and I concur!! Not just for Big Sur but Deetjen's is overall just such an experience dining here. Walking in here you'd feel like a B&B murder mystery is about to take place where an accented mustachio enters the room and a scream would soon incur. Instead we got a crackling fireplace with just the trinkiest decorations your mother's mother would adore. The antiques and local artist budget is really well spent. But enough with the decor, let's get to the tentative staff and delicious breakfast. I almost wish I could live here for a few months because it seems like these people know how to provide a great meal, suspenseful dining experience and a very thoughtful service/recommendations. The English muffin I got on the side came warmed and pre-buttered. With what one can only imagine as homemade jam. The side potatoes were exactly what I'm looking for, fresh, tender and oh so creamy. Their breakfast burrito was also quite a handful and will make whoever didn't order it jealous of your two-handed log. Everything about this place is just so.... Perfect for the redwoods. Unexpected yet it totally belongs. Thanks Jonah! Especially for your gorgeous hiking recommendation. I hope you don't mind the pseudonym.

    Cozy little eatery.
    Loren B.

    Deetjens was our favorite discovery on our recent trip to Carmel and Big Sur area. We planned to get breakfast at another cafe that was unexpectedly closed. Fig was quite thick and there was a constant drizzle. onestly breakfast was a bit of an excuse to pass some tie in hopes it would burn off and reward us with some beautiful views. The restaurant may be easy to miss as it's part of the Big Sur Inn and doesn't stand out as a separate business. It's nestled on the hill side near a switchback, with a couple of other eateries that feature vista views. Had I not Yelped my way hear honestly, I don't think I'd have considered it. But, I'm so glad we did! Walking through the front door is like stepping into Middle Earth or some Victorian cottage. A wood fire, hot coffee, and ample breakfast hit the spot perfectly. It's impossible to overstate how charming the atmosphere is. Our server kept the coffee warm. I enjoyed my Eggs Benedict, adding avocado and bacon to it. The Two Eggs Breakfast with Home Fries and Toast was delicious. Not a super-original dish but scrumptious when well-executed. Overall a wonderful experience we can't wait to repeat!

    Pancake
    Y S.

    Had the loveliest breakfast here our last day in Big Sur. The vibe was insanely cool! Definitely felt transported back in time. The food was delicious and huge portions and the service was very friendly and fast. Awesome spot!

    Sea Catch Priced Daily - Chilean Seabass
    Kati V.

    When in Big Sur, most of us are looking for a place to dine with a view... please don't skip out on this place because you will be missing out!!! A unique cottage-like restaurant, which is also a historic building! (I thought that was a neat fact) everything about it was beautiful and intimate for a romantic dinner, from the dim lighting to the wooden patios and decor. The service was top-notch; our waiter was incredible! He was polite, well-informed, and gave us fantastic recommendations. He was also kind enough to adjust some items on the menu for us for dietary reasons: hands down, one of the most satisfying dinners I've had in a while. Incredibly savory appetizers melt in your mouth, entrées, and unforgettable desserts. YES. YES. YES. BOOK THE RESERVATION!!! Happy dances were had here.

    Roasted & Grilled Rack of Lamb (12/2023)
    Danika D.

    I had a phenomenal experience at Deetjen's. I genuinely wish I could have ordered everything off the menu and already want to go back. Deetjen's is a cozy restaurant with the cutest English-cottage decor - I was facsinated by the history and kept staring at all of the antique items throughout the restaurant. The location comes up quick so be prepared to stop and find parking along the property. I also called ahead and made dinner reservations about 1-2 weeks in advance (highly recommend), otherwise, I think I overheard some walk-ins that waited a short while for dinner. We came in early December and there were plenty of times available. We primarily ordered the dinner specials, which I assume is offered seasonally or by availability. All of it... a humble 10 out of 10. Cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor! Apps: - Artichoke salad with prosciutto, melon, grapes, and greens - Crab cakes with salad topping Entrees: - Ribeye steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus - Rack of lamb with tzatziki dipping sauce, broccolini, and a warm rendition of salsa that included roasted tomatoes, corn, and white beans

    Vivian H.

    This place is sooo cute! I really wish we could have sat inside but alas we have a new rescue pup and didn't have the heart to leave him alone in a hotel or car while we feast. The outside is really sweet too though. Honestly not sure how we've never come upon or even heard of this place before on our Big Sur travels but so glad we finally did! One of our best meals in awhile. Birthday boy got a surf and turf special and me the lamb chops. Simple but elegant and perfectly seasoned and cooked. The staff was wonderful and we can't wait to return for another dinner or try their brunch!

    Rack Of Lamb
    Chris A.

    Stopped by here on a weekday to have a nice dinner.The menu has basic American fanfare foods every year. The inside is unique and pretty dark so if you one of those people that need a light to see a menu, make sure you have your cell phone or a mini flashlight. I started with a homemade tomato, bisque soup that was delightful. I continued with the rack of lamb that could not have been prepared and served any better. The side of butter beans was so fresh. You could tell that these were farm to table. I did not have a reservation, but was accommodated, not gleefully. The food was really good and it's slightly high in price, but I believe that's par for the course in this region. There are other restaurants within the area that I feel are more welcoming.

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    Great ambiance and good food and service. Thoroughly enjoyed our brunch even though it was two years ago

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    4 months ago

    Food was phenomenal. Service was amazing and the ambiance was absolutely beautiful. What a gem! Could not recommend this place enough!

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    Page 1 of 9

    Deetjen's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

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    Post Ranch Inn - Season fennel salad! Light vinaigrette finish, so yum!

    Post Ranch Inn

    4.3(359 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$$

    Unfortunately for us, Post Ranch Inn was one of our first stops on an eight-day coastal road trip…read more Unfortunate because they set a standard no other property or restaurant was going to match. I knew that going in. It was still starker than I expected. Start with the property. When that is the view off your deck, why go anywhere else? Stunning doesn't cover it. We hiked much of the grounds and every turn delivered something new. The kind of place that makes you slow down without even trying. Then the restaurant. Everything was perfect -- service, quality, execution. Much of the food sourced on property or from the surrounding community. My wife declared the salad the best she'd ever had. High praise for a salad. High praise, full stop. Special shout out to our server Yasmany and bartender Thomas -- both exceptional. What struck me most was how effortless the entire staff made it look. These are people who deal with guests from around the world, all arriving with high expectations of a high-end experience. And yet nothing felt forced. Nobody appeared to be trying to impress us. It was just perfect service, perfectly delivered. That's the rarest thing in hospitality. Highlight of the trip. Hands down. And I suspect, never to be repeated.

    This review is for Sierra Mar restaurant at Post Ranch. Even if the food wasn't good ( it's…read moreFantastic) people would still take 20 minutes to "oooh and wow" the views of this special spectacular setting and wouldn't care. This is an incredible place. Can you tell I like it? Wine Spectator top Award, with prices to match but frankly , who cares? You're not going there to pinch pennies. Enjoy yourselves and experience everything about the property. We had lunch today with friends celebrating a birthday. If there is a better place on California's coast I don't know where it is-- started with some Chardonnay to get things going. A lovely Roar '21 Rosalia. Devine. We were offered two menu options-one a pre-fixe for $85. App, main, dessert. A really excellent choice given the choices of fresh seafood or meat options and beautiful salad options. Additionally they offered à la carte with similar options but just different enough to entice. Several folks opted for a CA salad and then had the fish of the day put on top --I went for a special burger with a home made brioche bun , amazing fries and a Caesar salad. Haven't had a burger like that in ages. I have menu pics and interior exterior pics displaying options. Easier than me playing Stanley Tucci... I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful and professional the service is at Sierra Mar. Apologies to our server ( lovely young lady with long dark hair and a smile that says, "what can I do for you?" Whose name we did not get---she and the gentleman who helped with the wine were outstanding.

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    Post Ranch Inn - Sierra Mar restaurant

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    The Sur House - Arugula wrapped in eggplant

    The Sur House

    4.1(220 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$

    The best thing about the restaurant is its ambience. It is located overlooking the Pacific Ocean…read moreinside the Alila Ventana resort. On a warm April weekend, it was a beautiful place for brunch. We started with a few cocktails and mocktails. They were all well made and presented, but the favorites were the Cowboy and the Negroni. Cowboy had a nice presentation and had a smoky taste. Tomatini consommé did not have the flavor of Bloody Mary and tasted alright. Falafel Benedict was a nice idea with two eggs Benedict set on two falafels. It tasted good and falafel were a tasty and healthy replacement for English muffins. California Frittata came in a cast iron pan and was also well done. These two dishes were on the smaller portion size. Ventana breakfast and Margherita pizza were on the larger portion sizes and both tasted good. We tried three dessert and while they were all decent, none of them were impressive - Heirloom Wheat Waffles (shareable with 4 people), Strawberry Tiramisu (on the sour side) and Ricotta Zeppole (the custard was quite generic). The service was excellent, even though things moved at a relaxed pace. We did not mind it with the beautiful setting, weather and the view of the pacific.

    Someone decided it was a good idea for me to become Yelp Elite so naturally I had to ball out on…read morethis trip so my first review as a Yelp Elite SLAPS! JK I booked this on points a year in advance because it was the best way to get the cheapest point redemption at 45k points per night. Sadly this is going away with the devaluation... Ok onto the food, service, and vibes. Food - The breakfast was phenomenal...don't sleep on this place! While the dinners were also great. It's definitely memorable when you think about where you are and how the food is so darn good. It has a farm to table vibe while tasting like fine dining. The standouts to me was the Ventana Breakfast (basic but so goood) and the Branzino (catch of the day) which was cooked to perfection. Service - The breakfast service was sort of a miss on one day where they forgot my avocados to go with my Ventana Breakfast but we had great service at dinner. Our dinner servers on one night was Leo and he was so pleasant and kind of reminded me of Pedro Pascal lol Vibes - Each time we came here the music was exactly what I wanted. From sunset vibes like Tycho to 2000's soft rock....each meal had the right energy. It was relaxing but still upbeat. I found myself smiling and being grateful for being able to experience such a resort and restaurant! Overall I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5. The inconsistency in service was surprising but it wasn't a big deal. I highly recommend staying here at least once! Especially if you need a break from city life but are too bougie for real camping lol

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    The Sur House - Inside

    Inside

    The Sur House - Mussel and Sausage

    Mussel and Sausage

    The Sur House - Artichoke

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    Artichoke

    Sierra Mar - Borba Farms Squash with Smoked Eggplant, Buttermilk, Romesco

    Sierra Mar

    4.2(542 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$$

    Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delicious--each course felt intentional,…read morebeautifully presented, and full of flavor. The menu showcased a perfect balance of creativity and refinement, with ingredients that tasted incredibly fresh and well-paired. You can really tell how much care goes into every detail, from the composition of the dishes to the pacing of the meal. Beyond the food, the setting is just as remarkable. The views are stunning and elevate the entire experience, making it feel both special and serene. Overall, it was a truly memorable meal, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience in Big Sur.

    Wanted a nice meal that would be a contrast to the hiking shoes and forest roadside diner. The view…read morewas amazing, our day was filled with the marine layer/clouds so it felt like we were dining above the clouds. Prefix lunch was plenty enough to eat without the additional appetizer. The drinks are nice and all the food is served family style. Between the salmon, lion's mane mushroom, and steak, my favorite was the mushroom. The steak was a bit more cooked than the medium rare requested. There's indoor and outdoor dining. The weather was nice enough to eat outside too. If you wanted, there are shades that can be pulled down to cover the floor to ceiling windows. You can also walk out into their small balconies to enjoy the view. The staff is very friendly and made us feel welcomed. Valet is complimentary, but there's quite a few stairs to climb from the valet to the restaurant. There are electric vehicle charging as well. If needed, I think individuals can be driven up to accommodate mobility issues.

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    Sierra Mar - Back bar area

    Back bar area

    Sierra Mar - Soup

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    Fernwood Resort Bar & Grill - da 16" pizza

    Fernwood Resort Bar & Grill

    3.9(105 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    What an incredible experience! I can't even think of the words to describe its warm charm. In a…read morestrange way, I can envision Jack Kerouac enjoying the bar here. In my opinion, it's a Big Sur oasis (not that Big Sur needs any sort of oasis!). The Rockfish tacos rocked my socks off!!! The service was off the charts. Sunnie, our bartender extraordinaire, was funny, attentive and just a very warm spirit! Would I come back here again? Heck yeah!!!

    We had a late start this morning and our way to Pfeiffer Beach we stopped for lunch. A nice place,…read morequite warm and friendly. We asked if they were open, yes, yes come in. Would you like inside or outside? We didn't hesitate, in unison we said outside. large deck we sat a deuce at the railing. Beautiful weather 70's no clouds no wind or breeze. There are plenty of choices on the menu even some more creative and interesting offerings. a Garden salad with Hibiscus vinaigrette dressing and a pizza, so much for getting out of the box...Both showed up in about fifteen minutes and it all looked and smelled great. We dove right in and we were not disappointed. By the time we came up for air it was because we'd finished off the food, all of it, delicious. Grace did a great job between all the guests that were arriving for lunch. Certainly a great choice for a meal, and a spot to relax. Foodguy-martin

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    Fernwood Resort Bar & Grill - Back patio

    Back patio

    Fernwood Resort Bar & Grill - Fish & Chips

    Fish & Chips

    Fernwood Resort Bar & Grill - Love this place for a cappuccino and something cold. This ginger beer is my fav.  Free WiFi too and best stickers around!

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    Love this place for a cappuccino and something cold. This ginger beer is my fav. Free WiFi too and best stickers around!

    Big Sur Roadhouse - Tomato basil soup with salad

    Big Sur Roadhouse

    4.0(426 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    I guess you can say that I am as much of a regular as I can be, considering I live 2 1/2 hours…read moreaway. I can't get enough of this restaurant! Between the amazing people who have become friends over the years to great home cooked meals and atmosphere (the ocean is practically across the road), I cannot get enough of this place! This trip I took a longtime friend with me and although it's been two days since we were there, she's still saying how impressed she was. She was absolutely floored that they use real butter and the portions were huge. In fact the portions were so big that I couldn't even finish half of my food! And I was HUNGRY! LOL Maura and her brother (which I apologize I can't remember his name) both helped us. Maura sat us and we spoke for a quick minute, and her amazing brother served us. I can't believe it don't recall his name! But everyone there is AWESOME! I was tempted to get the super fresh salad, but decided instead on the clam chowder (as did Alicia), and the salmon was perfectly cooked. The veggies were so fresh and flavorful and the rice was exceptionally fluffy and seasoned perfectly. Not to mention the garlic toast was next level. I can't wait to get back over there! Their blueberry pancakes are calling my name! Trust me, if you want a good old fashioned stick to your bones diner, this place right here checks all the boxes! Plus it's pet friendly, if you choose to sit on the patio!

    Excellent stop for lunch. Good quality food, lovely outdoor seating, good service, clean and easy…read moreto park

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    Big Sur Roadhouse - Gorgeous mid mod seating area

    Gorgeous mid mod seating area

    Big Sur Roadhouse - Veggie Burger with salad

    Veggie Burger with salad

    Big Sur Roadhouse

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    Cafe Kevah - French Toast

    Cafe Kevah

    4.1(271 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Dont try this place confused with the much busier dining spot to the right and upstairs. Wait time…read morewas about 40 minutes on a Tuesday. We went to the left and downstairs instead and there was no wait time. In fact the majority of the tables were open. Granted their food options are limited as it is a Cafe. But the no wait so that we could get back on our road trip was invaluable. We sat with a beautiful view of the coast. The view is quite majestic. You can move the umbrellas around to give your table shade. Its a first come first sit type place. We ordered their black forest ham panini as well as a chai latte and a hot apple cider. Drinks and food came out quickly. The drinks tasted great. Very hot. It warmed up the soul in this cold February day. They black forst ham panini was really good. Crunchy bread. Good amount of ham. I love the melted cheese inside. It was crunchy, and gooey and tasty all at the same time. The views are just otherworldly. And the food and drinks were really good too. Pricing wasent bad considering its a tourist location. I would definitely recommend stopping by this place to experience the views and try the food as you go on your road trip up the coast.

    Honestly mainly here for the views and the restaurant upstairs was packed, the menu was similar…read moreenough (besides the alcohol). Views were absolutely gorgeous and overlooks Big Sur. You order at the front and then grab a seat, they will call your name and you just raise your hands to to claim it. I got the Classic Reuben sandwhich, thought it tasted great, especially after a long hike, but a bit pricey for what it is. There was a good amount of pastrami and the cheese was nicely melted. It also comes with a basic spring mix salad with a bit of dressing on it.

    Photos
    Cafe Kevah - View of cashier from aisle

    View of cashier from aisle

    Cafe Kevah - Cobb Salad

    Cobb Salad

    Cafe Kevah - Breakfast burrito

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    Breakfast burrito

    Deetjen's Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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