Gorda General Store has just about everything you might need while driving through this remote stretch of the coast, but be prepared convenience here comes at a premium. We stopped in for a large Topo Chico, a small wafer cookie ($3.50), and a 6-pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The total was around $34, compared to the usual ~$20 elsewhere. Given how remote the area is, the markup makes sense, but it's still pretty steep. There's also a sign on the door noting it's $2 to use the bathroom. To their credit, the bathroom was really clean, just something to be aware of before you walk in. On the positive side, the beer fridge is awesome. It's an old-school, vintage-style cooler that's actually really fun to see. Overall, the store is convenient and well-stocked, but expect high prices across the board. If you need something in a pinch, it's a solid stop -- otherwise, I'd skip it to avoid the cost. read more

Seriously, so convenient when we are driving home and need ice, a post-coffee pee, and perhaps even a Highway 1 sticker for the car. Or perhaps we let the gas get too low in the tank. Sure the prices are higher, but for goodness sake, look where you are! You should have planned ahead! I LOVE stopped by here every time after leaving family property near Ragged Point - it's like prolonging our time in the area before heading back to real life. read more

It's the only store near the slide (as HWY 1 is closed 12 miles north) and because delivery drivers can't just keep going up to Monterey, of course the prices are high. The staff is friendly, and the view is terrific. read more

I'm a fan of a store basically in the middle of no where! It's cute tidy. Their gas station on the other hand... *face palm* Here's what I wrote for the gas station that I magically somehow was able to checkin to - otherwise, I got no service with Tracfone Wireless: In their song "Price of Gas," indie rockers Bloc Party sang, "I've been driving, a mid sized car, I never hurt anyone Is that a fact? The price of gas keeps on rising Nothing comes for free Make like a stone, make like a plant I can tell you, how this ends". I didn't feel good about paying $6.60 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline on 4/23/19, but after reading other reviews before me I don't feel nearly as bad. I can tell you how my Gorda experience ended too. It hurt. It was a big fat negative for the ol' bank account ($112 for almost 17 gallons), but it was better to be safe than sorry with a truck pulling a trailer on the glorious Highway 1. Now listen to "Price of Gas": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve1d0VOREY0 read more

Gorda General Store - Regular unleaded $6.60 per gallon 4/23/19 - Grocery Near Me - Big Sur, California

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Very friendly and a great selection of items. People in other reviews are uptight about prices but I guess they don't realize how close the next town is, about an hour away. If you want anything other than Beer and Wine you will need to bring it up of stop in San Simeon. read more

Do not stop here for any reason. This place, in it's entirety, is a perfect example of "Highway Robery". On 8/5/21 we came here low on gas. Then saw the price for regular at $7.599, and premium well over $8.00! We put in 3 gals of reg, just enough to get us far away from this location. This site, with gas, store, and resturant should be boycotted! The owners of these businesses truly Do not like us! Gorda should be renamed "Gouge Ya". read more

Gorda General Store - Gorda - Grocery Near Me - Big Sur, California

State Route 1 along the central California coast. Stunning views, often on cliffs 500 feet above the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, with the sun setting in the west over those distant ripple of waves, catching the golden glint of sunshine and twinkling like a kaliedescope that is the Golden State's picturesque treasure, beloved in awe by all who see it. Over 40 years ago, our First Lady at the time, Lady Bird Johnson, awarded this America's most beautiful highway. Somewhere on this curvy, vivid ribbon of beauty, where natural wonder meets man's small quest to find a way through it as well as enjoy it, lies the little enclave that is Gorda. Lost up against the cliffs somewhere between San Simeon to the south and Big Sur to the north, Gorda, also known as Gorda-by-the-sea, or Gorda Springs, was a Native American site that took advantage of the local springs. In April 2008, at the height of the gas price inflation, it was featured nationally as having the highest gas prices in the country, $5.40 a gallon! If you are needing a break after the winding roads of Highway 1, you might stop here for a break. There is a small, rustic motel and restaurant here, but it is not to any city or suburban standards, and doesn't get good reviews unless you lower your standards understanding this, or just like to be away from the crowds and enjoying the view. The Gorda Store, is just a little convenience store up from the restaurant, and offers a small selection of snack type items. I only stopped for a little sugar break, buying Reeses's Pieces for $1.50 and a 5 minute break. Despite the Beautiful setting, there was a hint of desperation in the cashier's voice after a rough year of the Big Sur fires, high gas prices, and the recession reducing tourists coming through. Gorda, California is at coordinates 35°5250N 121°2701W / 35.88048°N 121.45022°W / 35.88048; -121.45022 (Gorda, California) read more

Gorda General Store - Pacific Ocean from Gorda - Grocery Near Me - Big Sur, California

Okay I can stand paying $4.99 for a bag of Doritos and $1.75 for a half pint of milk. I can live with that. It's the snarling service that I just won't tolerate. Dang, dude, if you hate tourists then WTF are you doing here? read more

Do not stop here gas was insane over 7 a gallon only got enough to get through 5 gallons and 2 pops at $5 each and my credit card got charged $150 do not stop here. read more

During a global pandemic, collapsing economy, failing governments and growing wildfires GORDA gave me a place of refuge. Thank you Gorda for your amazing hospitality and kindness. read more

I too was grateful to find this little oasis yesterday off of Highway 1. Well... grateful and frustrated. I'd left Monterey in the early afternoon headed home for LA and was expecting a leisurely drive along the coast. Leisure wasn't exactly on the agenda though, as I was forced to stop every other mile for north bound tourist who had pulled their cars over off the road and decided it would be smart to run across the highway, stopping south bound traffic -often suddenly- in order to get their fill of oceanic views. Then there was "Mr. Illinois" who sat on his brakes the entire way- yes, safety along the precarious cliffs of the 1 Highway is important, but not at 25 mph dude. I'll be sure to return the favor when I'm in Chicago next week. The 18.9 miles I had to drive felt like 50 at this point since the general stores in Big Sur had nothing to appease my vegan cravings for something sweet, something that would tide me over for the winding multi-mile trip ahead. Pulling into the Gorda Country Market was hopefully my answer. As I walked up the steps and into the store I was greeted by several large piles of firewood surrounding the front register, "Have to avoid thi..." too late, my flipflop caught the corner of the pile, slamming my little toe into the firewood. Wide eyed, the young cashier nervously suggested I be careful. Trying to bite back road weary frustration and throbbing-toe tears, I was uplifted to find a vegan bar which the cashier suggested I might want to have with coffee, "It's really good but the base is hard to chew." So I also poured out a cup of recently brewed coffee (good) for which they had no soy or almond milk available. Go figure. I grabbed a package of dried fruits which is good (if you don't mind an over abundance of the preservative sulfur dioxide) a bag of Kettle Corn (stale), and a chocolate vegan cookie (acceptable). I came back to the register finding the young cashier sharing my earlier toe-stubbing faux pas with the manager whom she called Alice. Alice just looked at me and started laughing, I looked back confused. "Now you're spilling the coffee on yourself!" "Yes, hillllarious" I said with a half-ass smile trying to laugh at my continuing misfortune. Changing the subject while rubbing the stain only deeper into my shorts, "So I haven't had a cell connection at all on the highway since Carmel...?" "Only thing that works out here is Verizon. There's an old pay phone outside, but not sure if it works" she says. "That'll be $27 please." Another hit over the head to add to my other unexpected injuries. I took my items in the bag and went outside to take a picture for Yelp and check the pay phone to see if it worked. It didn't. Go Verizon. Since the store is very close to PCH I guess it looked to Alice like I was a little too close to it as I took the photo because when I walked back to the store she's laughing again, a bit harder this time. I look at her inquisitively as she says "now we figured you were going to get hit!" Incredulous, I asked her how much farther down PCH the 101 South was. "You've got another 25 miles of the windy stuff and then 45 miles until San Louis Obispo, you can catch it there." Today I woke up with a black and blue little toe... and ego. I gave Alice a call in Gorda. "Hello- Gorda General." "Hi, is this Alice?" "Yes?" "This is the blonde from Los Angeles you gave directions to yesterday, you know...the one you laughed at when I stubbed my toe and spilled the coffee on myself?" "I wasn't laughing at you because you stubbed your toe, I was laughing because you spilled coffee on your white shorts." "Great, I'm glad we clarified that. The reason I'm calling is to let you know that my toe is black and blue today and I'm asking that you move the wood to a safer position so the next fool wearing flip flops that walks into your store doesn't do the same thing." ...silence... "I'll move the wood." I gave this Gorda General Store 4 stars for the following reasons: 1. They do have some things for vegetarian/vegans to get you through if you need a snack over the long haul. 2. I believe the world around me is cause and effect and every attitude or action we experience is an opportunity to learn. I did. At some point on that drive back I guess I had asked to be humbled. Mission accomplished. read more

This store is the dictionary definition of price gouging. Everything is 3-4 times market value. I understand a markup but this is ridiculous. read more

My best advice to everyone going through Big Sur, is this: Get all your shopping and everything you need BEFORE you reach this market. They GOUGE the heck out of you. They charged me $3.00 for a 12-oz can of coke. They charged locals $8.00 per bundle for firewood, and they charged me $15.00!!!! I am disgusted and if it weren't the only available option I would have gone elsewhere. They aren't very friendly, either. F*ck this place. read more

Rip off. $3 for a small bag of M & M's peanuts. Check the other reviews. Owner response? Fat chance.

WARNING!!!! Before getting on HWY 1 in Big Sur, have enough gas to pass this place. Once on Hwy 1 saw a sign that said next gas 40 miles. We knew we had enough for 60 miles...well pulled into this place and was totally taken advantage of. Only get what you need..we grabbed 2 gallons at 5.99/gal and headed out...next gas is 12 miles from here. RIDICULOUS! read more

Gorda General Store - ROBBERY! - Grocery Near Me - Big Sur, California

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Stopped for gas. Bad idea. These guys charge almost twice the going rate. I paid over $10 to put a gallon and a half in my bike. read more

Gorda General Store - Extreme gas price gouging. - Grocery Near Me - Big Sur, California

Food was okay. I ordered the new york steak and shrimp scampi. Im not a fan of capers which it had on top. The steak was alright but the sauce from the shrimp soaked it up because they put the shrimp right on top of it. The plating was terrible. Why would you put lettuce under the steak? Went to the convenience store and they are charging 5 dollars for ice cream. On top of that the gas prices were sky high. Talk about highway robbery. I name this place the Martin Skhreli of highway 1 read more

The Gorda Store is small with a minimal selection. And It is in the middle of nowhere and worth every penny! I appreciate stores in the middle of nowhere as they supply me with that little bit of goodies and gas that you just can't get anywhere else because anywhere else is a long ways away! read more

Gorda Market is a lot of Money but with no WALMART in sight, it's worth it. It is the second restroom for miles when traveling up Highway 1. I stopped there 10/30/18 around 6:45 pm. The restrooms were alright and you can definitely get your SUGAR rush. read more