A short drive from Pismo Beach and about 15min from SLO. During COVID, they are only allowing reservations, which requires you filling out a form on their website and then waiting for them to call you to confirm. Seems to be on many "Must Eat" lists for the area. Plenty of parking in front of the restaurant. They are quite strict about their 90min reservation time so make sure to not be late! Started off with their Purple Haze drink, which was fantastic. The lavender and elderberry paired well with the gin. Flavor profile is more herbal forward. I'm usually a whisky spirit person, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Maine Lobster Salad: Those looking for an actual salad will be disappointed. Those looking a delicious dish will be very happy. The fried green tomatoes were cooked perfectly and gave a nice texture to complement the tender lobster and creaminess from the avocado and burrata. fried green tomatoes burrata avocado Monterey Bay Squid: The squid was super tender and the beans were fantastic. Very amazing smoky and umami flavors. The only fault is that I wished it came with more squid. Broccoli, Black Olive and Burrata Pizza: Who knew that broccoli would go on a pizza?! The crust was cooked perfectly and I can see why they are well known for their wood-fried pizzas. Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream Sponge Cake: I'm not a dessert person, but this was fantastic, albeit on the sweeter side. The marshmallow was perfectly toasted, but having every bit of it with the caramel, hazelnuts, vanilla ice cream, and sponge cake was fantastic. Think of an elevated smore and you can get a sense of what to expect. Overall, a fantastic meal and I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of the better restaurants in the Central Coast. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation! read more

See all

Wow, I was pretty disappointed with our experience here on Friday night. We had a reservation for 7:30. It took about 10-15 minutes for someone to bring us water, longer to take our order. We got two cocktails and two entrees. It literally took over an hour and 20 minutes from the time we were seated to when we finally got our entrees. (Irony is that if we had an earlier reservation, there would've been a 90 minute time limit, so we would've had 10 minutes to eat and pay and leave. Double standard?) We were never offered more bread even. The person who took the best care of us was the young guy refilling our water...he actually apologized that we were waiting so long. Other people seated after us got their entrees before we did too. I wonder if it was because it was only two of us so someone may have thought we weren't going to tip well. That said, the food itself and cocktails were very good. Props to them for also being willing to make a non alcoholic cocktail that was actually tasty. We had the chicken and the lamb. But honestly the wait was so bad I wouldn't go back. Just be prepared that if you come here, you're probably going to have to wait. So maybe order an appetizer. Had much better experiences at other "lower end" restaurants during the rest of our trip to Pismo... read more

From start to finish, our meal and the service was excellent. Ember is a little family owned restaurant that does seasonal farm to table meals. We did their 50 layer lasagna which was great and their chicken, which I didn't like as much but it could be because we had to have it served deconstructed (kids food allergies). We also did a beet salad, which was super yummy. I don't remember what else we ordered but we ended the evening with a strawberry paklova dessert that was an array of textures and flavors. Would definitely return if in the area or passing through again. read more

Decided to give this place a try after hearing great things from friends and family. Let me tell you this place did not disappoint. Both hubby and I had steaks and they were perfect. Will definitely be going again. read more

Ember is the best restaurant ive visited in the Pismo Beach area, which explains why its so hard to get a table here. The wine by the glass menu wasnt huge but it was packed with great options that paired well with dinner. Highlight from dinner was the lasagna - server on its side with tomato and a cream sauce it was truly delicious and a sleeper pick for best item on the menu. read more

Ember - White pizza - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

Honestly, I didn't notice the service because the food was so good. I would definitely order that fried green tomatoes dish again. But in reality, everything we ordered was amazing. read more

Ember never ceases to amaze. Love the menu, and the periodic changes. Everything is fresh, seasoned nicely, and cooked to perfection. Always my "go to"...this place has an upscale, casual vibe with great service, a nice wine list, and a great bar. 100% a great choice for dinner read more

Everything. My favorite. The drinks are generous. Perfect fish done to perfection. C ya soon.

Food and service were impeccable. We live in Southern California and are accustomed to really great food &service. The steaks were seasoned and cooked to perfection! We assure you, this place will not disappoint. One of our best experiences, ever! Service was amazing; very attentive; sincere. A must visit when in the central coast. Thank you all, and we truly appreciate you! read more

See all

I don't know where to start. EVERYTHING was simply perfect. We started with the wood oven roasted squid appetizer and it was absolutely delicious, not a bite left. For my entree, I ordered the filet mignon and it was seared and cooked at a perfect medium rare (so tender and flavorful). After the delicious foccacia bread, appetizer, and entree...I had no room for dessert BUT I figured if the food was so perfect than I may possibly miss out on the dessert. I ordered the toasted marshmallow cocoa cake and it was the best dessert I've had in years. Service was stellar, food and drinks 10/10. Can not wait to have an excuse to drive up this way and visit again! read more

See all

Service at this place was great. They spaced the outdoor table well far apart which is much appreciated. There were also heat lamps which was nice. This was one of the highly rated restaurants in the area so we maybe came in expecting too much. However, maybe I'm just spoiled by having so many great options in LA/OC, that I thought the food here was just ok. The food was not bad but I prob won't come back. read more

Besides that everything was very slow, didn't get that "wow" experience with my filet mignon. I followed yelp recommendations and went for it and it was blah... just like the service. Won't recommend. Not worth it. read more

This is our go-to for birthdays and our anniversary. The food is absolutely amazing every time!

Absolutely one of our favorite restaurants to visit... great food and friendly staff. We normally sit at the bar because the bartenders make the experience over the top. Great atmosphere and Taylor the manager is super friendly read more

Ember is a great addition to the Arroyo Grande area. The cocktails are definitely craft and not too sweet. The steak I ordered was amazing. I ordered the ribeye with the Chimichurri sauce and it was very flavorful. The potatoes on the side were very good as well (and I'm not a huge potato fan). My only complaints include the water and oil they use. The water they serve you is not filtered in the slightest. It tastes like wheatgrass chlorine so if you are going to ember be sure to order still water. Second, I asked the waiter what kind of oil they used to fry my dads potato cake in and he said canola. I was surprised that a restaurant that is on the Michelin guide was using such an inflammatory and low quality oil. A real potato cake should be fried using duck fat or schmaltz. Other than that, the service, food and vibes were great! read more

So to start off, real cool place , the way your food is served and the ambiance is really nice. The service is amazing from when you take a your first step inside. Your asked if you would like a drink while you wait to be seated and comes out promptly. Wait isn't long at all. Then your server ,who knows everything about how every item is prepared and served. A major plus, my wife had the Filet Mignon and the soup. It was to die for, my self had the Ribeye Steak with the au gratin potatoes and the kicker was the chimichurri avocado, steaks were cook to perfection my Med was Medium and so delicious , Big thanks to Harmony and Brian you guys are doing it right cheers!! read more

Ember - Ribeye cooked to perfection - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Food came out super fast. Ordered the pepperoni and pepper pizza and bruschetta appetizer. Both were super delicious. We sat at the bar and the service was terrific from all the staff. Highly recommend. read more

See all

Came here on a Wednesday evening at 5:40pm. Coworker had set up a reservation the week prior. Promptly seat by courteous and friendly staff. Lots of staff came by to check on us (including the owner and the manager). We ordered a few appetizers to start: filet mignon beef carpaccio, Albacore crudo, and the Avocado salad. Didn't get pictures because we all dug right in. Main course for me was the wood oven roasted swordfish. Mine was done just right and not dry at all. For dessert, we ordered all three to share: Black Forest Gateau, Strawberry Pavlova, and the toasted marshmallow ice cream cocoa cake. All were satisfying. Would recommend! read more

See all

It's always a treat if we can get to Ember. Atmosphere is fantastic, the food is always fresh, seasonal, and delicious. The menu changes monthly, though there are some staples that rarely leave (s'mores for dessert? Yes please!) read more

We had made reservations a couple of weeks ahead for 7:30pm on a Sunday. We had the halibut, Avocado and beet salad, pepperoni and mushroom pizza, and lasagna. The pizza was so salty. The rest were good. Theres both indoor and outdoor seating. There's trees and flowers outside. It was nice. Outdoor dining was ok since we were seated where there's open air on two sides. read more

See all

So glad that we decided to leave our North County bubble to celebrate my husband's birthday this year, and in turn discovered Ember. First thing to note is that this spot doesn't take reservations, which normally annoys me... but LAWD was tonight's dinner worth it. 10/10, would wait again (while sipping a delicious craft cocktail, because the hostesses offer menus to order drinks while folks wait-- it's a tough life). The menu changes monthly, and includes salads, shared tapas, pizzas, and entrees. They also have specials. We opted to share the scallops tapa, which had perfectly seared scallops with some kind of flavorful Chile sauce, a butter sauce, and a lovely sweet potato puree. These were insane. My husband had the ribeye entree with avocado chimichurri, which he rated as one of his best-ever restaurant steaks. I had the file t mignon special with a super bold blue cheese butter, and loved it. The side of scalloped potatoes had the most perfect burnt/crispy edges, and of course the steak was prepared and seasoned perfectly. Appreciated that they weren't shy with the bleu cheese in the butter-- I love a good funky cheese. For dessert, we had the toasted marshmallow ice cream cake. I am NOT a big dessert person, and this was, hands down, one of the best desserts that I have ever had. Easily the best in years. I would drive the 40 minutes to AG just to enjoy this-- it was that incredible. Service was consistently warm, friendly, prompt, and we wanted for nothing. Incredible dinner-- we will be back! read more

See all

Outstanding food! Everything on the menu is super interesting and all of it delivers! Nice drinks and a good selection of wines. 100% worth your time. read more

Ember - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Ember's food is still wonderful but they seemed more limited as of late. Looking at the menu, there's a lot of dishes that are tuna, summer beans or beets, and corn. The price is still high considering the limited choices on the menu. With that being said, their lobster & fried green tomato starter was absolutely delicious a 5 out of 5. The sea scallops and citrus risotto was okay - both the scallops and shrimp were quite salty. The citrus risotto was nicely made with notable pops of acidic citrus flavors. The Prime ribeye steak was grilled perfectly to medium-rare. Aromatic, tender, and juicy bites throughout. As for our server, I did not find her to be welcoming and friendly. She hardly paid much attention to our table but seemed much more attentive to tables that order alcoholic beverages and that was too obvious. read more

See all

My wife ordered a ribeye, i cook ribeye at least once a week... they gave her a new York and proceeded to demand it was a ribeye.. i worked as a meat cutter and as a line cook.. it was not ribeye. The new ownership suuuuuucks. My duck pasta was bomb. read more

The food was fantastic and so were the cocktails. But Cindy K. was our server and it was really disappointing. She made us feel very uncomfortable and multiple people from the party made comments about her attitude and service. She clearly was frustrated with us so we waited to ask the other server bringing waters for help. I want to reiterate that the food was amazing and the review is only towards the service. Walked away feeling really disappointed in the experience. read more

Heard a lot about this place, so thought it was about time we try it out. Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted with smiles and welcomes, which set the tone for the evening. The waiter (Michael) was a very pleasant man who knew the menu well, and guided us in our decision, but not before we were able to try the Rosemary Bread. Followed by Filet Minot, Potato Au Gratin, Broccoli and Cauliflower. My husband had Rib Eye with the same sides. One word....perfection!! The sear, on the meat, was crunchy and caramelized on the outside juicy in the center. The Gratin was probably the best we've ever had, and the vegetables...looked soft yet crunchy like snap peas when you sunk your teeth in.. But it doesn't end there, next was dessert. Peach Tart. The perfect ending to our night. Ember is top notch, but don't believe me...try it out for yourself. read more

Called ahead and asked the receptionist who answered the phone if their steaks were grassfed and finished. I could hear the receptionist ask if the steak was grassfed but she didn't specify grassfinished. When she got back on the phone she told me yes the steaks were grassfed. I politely asked if they were 100 percent grassfed because I know a lot of cows are grassfed but grain finished and she said assured me they were 100% grassfed. So I proceeded to book a reservation for my husband's birthday. We get to the restaurant and are sat in the patio. The server comes out and tells us about their wagyu special and I ask him if the steak is grassfed. He proceededs to tell me that no it's grainfed but all their steaks are grainfed. I let him know the receptionist I called earlier let me know their steaks were grassfed. The waiter went back and asked the kitchen to verify and let's me know they are grain finished . Super disappointed because the only reason we came to try their food is because we wanted to try out their steak plates. We still stayed and gave their food a chance and to be honest I was super underwhelmed with the taste of the food we ordered. Also the food took a very long time to come out and for the price I don't think it was worth it. It wasn't the worst food I've had but definitely not coming back. Our waiter was very nice and accommodating but super disappointed with the receptionist and lack of knowledge. We eat only grassfed and organic food so it was a bummer to be misled. read more

Ember is the gem of arroyo grande! The staff is attentive and very knowledgeable. The menu offers many incredible choices, our recent favorite is the fried green tomatoes. The craft cocktails are delicious and the wine list has been thoughtfully curated. The outdoor patio is beautiful, you wouldn't know you're right off a busy road. Definitely worth a stop. read more

Ember - Fried Green Tomatoes with Poached White Shrimp - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

I found about Ember from the owner of a local restaurant (Cracked Pepper) who spoke highly of this place and ate at Ember whenever he came to the area. Because I love the Cracked Pepper, I figured I would feel the same about Ember. My first visit was at the tail end of COVID and we sat in the patio. We ordered just about everything available on the small plate menu and loved it. This latest visit we opted to sit at the bar and ordered cocktails. I had the Ron Swanson and she had the Smoke Signal. Both beautifully crafted. We were served a plate of freshly baked bread and unsalted butter then we opted to order light plates. We chose the Carpaccio of Filet mignon, The Fried Green Tomatoes and the Avo/Beet salad. Everything was fresh and beautiful. The plates were cleaned with the last of the bread. We will return again and again. read more

Ember - Cocktails: Smoke Signal in martini glass, Ron Swanson in highball. (Look at that hunk of candied bacon!) - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We had date night here last month and reserved a table online. We got the bar area for 2 as it was the only spots left! When we got there, the place was packed. Our spot was ready on time per our reservation and I loved sitting at the bar to watch the bartender mix the drinks. Service was attentive and friendly. The food was excellent. I got the swordfish from the July menu (which changes). I can't wait to come back! Hopefully they will continue with online reservations as an option for post-pandemic too. read more

Ember - Front entrance - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We came here at the recommendation of a friend. We made reservations and were seated on the patio, which provided a serene and refreshing ambiance. They do have heaters to keep customers warm. We ordered the avocado and beet salad, which had a bright, crisp taste from the citrus dressing. The recommended 50-layer lasagna did not disappoint. It was perfectly seasoned, al dente, and not too salty. The ribeye was sadly disappointing at a whopping $53 price. The steak, medium rare plus, was chewy and we had to spit out a few fatty, inedible pieces. The sides, broccolini and potatoes, were excellent. The waiter was so friendly and accommodating and felt bad about our steak, which was not his fault. I recommend the restaurant, but not the ribeye. If that was a better cut, I would've given 5-stars read more

See all

Food, drinks, and service were great- definitely worth a visit. Started with the Paloma and Purple Haze drinks. Purple haze was a standout with the herbal flavors and aromatics. The lasagna was best I've had yet. The 50 layers make it so light and airy. The edges were crispy, the sauce had the right amount of acid. Highly recommend. We paired with the Italian red on the menu *chefs kiss Closed out the meal with their interesting and delicious homemade marshmallow with homemade ice cream dessert concoction- it's so unique and flavorful. Worth the experience! Paired it with an espresso martini which felt like a great balance. read more

See all

Let me start with this, make a reservation. It will make life easy and you will have a wonderful evening from the moment you walk into Ember. If the staff at the front desk doesn't make you smile it will be the head chef as he says hello whenever possible. The food has been spot on for the second time in a row. I highly recommend you get the special appetizer if they have one. Because they only do things in season, the items are fresh and bursting with flavor. The flat breads are on the larger side and make a great sharing dish too. It can get a little loud at times but it is a sign that people are comfortable and in an environment that feels like home. Enjoy! read more

Oh Ember, I really wanted to like you but I just didn't. I'll probably give you another chance when we return to beautiful Arroyo Grande. I made reservations a month prior, but we were taken to the worst table in the house, butted up against the back of the restaurant. It was dark and loud. We ordered a salad, it had grit in it. So much that we couldn't eat it. I know dirt in a salad when I feel it. The waiter returned it and didn't charge but he was in disbelief that the salad was gritty, as if we were making it up. The crudo was decent, basic, nothing special. The cauliflower app was tasty but nothing signaled Michelin mention. Pasta carbonara was very good. The s'mores like dessert was excellent. Two wines by the glass were good. Service was decent but not warm. I guess when Michelin mentions a restaurant I expect a little more care in service and more elevated food. read more

Very good dinning! Excellent filet, halibut, and lasagna. Will come again when in town! read more

Ember - Inside - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

I had the pleasure of enjoying another great meal at Ember this past Wednesday (7-30-25) with clients and they as well were not disappointed. From the minute we arrived, the two hostesses were very kind and greeted us with welcoming smiles. Once we were seated we were attended by our server Anastasia whom I cannot say enough good things about her. Her professionalism, attentiveness, great food recommendations and service was pinnacle! The fried green tomatoes were the absolute best I have ever had anywhere and the salmon dish that Anastasia recommended was absolutely delicious! The atmosphere as well as the fluid operation of the staff members made this another great experience and my clients were very pleased with my recommendation to have dinner at this restaurant. Thank you once again Anastasia as I hope your management conveys a well deserved recognition for your outstanding service! Hope to enjoy dinner again at Ember soon! read more

Nice environment nice food and atmosphere Can't expect a better place in the town. 对于一个中国客人来说 这也是一个超级棒的地方 read more

See all

Wouldn't have expected such a great experience if it weren't for a friends review. The food was tasty. I loved the ambiance and watching the food being prepared. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is we were not a fan of the polenta served with the chicken. It was a bit bland and I would have preferred it with something like potatoes instead. This place gets packed so be sure to have a reservation. Try one of the craft cocktails! read more

Ember - Brick chicken and garlic mushroom pizza - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

This was our second visit to Ember in a month and both times were excellent experiences. This time we sat on their patio which has a nice garden view and heaters to take the chill off of a cold evening. We had their signature daiquiri, which is delightfully different than the traditional recipe (with a touch of maraschino and absinthe). Their roasted peach salad has always been a favorite, but the surprise treat this time was the pizza Margherita (we added some prosciutto for protein). It was outstanding. Definitely something to have again. One of the best restaurants in the area. read more

Ember - Margherita Pizza with added prosciutto - New American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

The food, cocktails, and service here are amazing. I love the feel of the open kitchen and wood fire pizza oven. A must try.