We have a tradition to visit this amazing landmark every time we visit the Santa Ynez area. The food is 5 stars, the wine (especially the Highliner) is 5 stars and the service is always good, this last time it was great as our server "Autum" was incredibly attentive and had such a friendly attitude, even on a packed night. We love this place! read more

Place was sort of a roller coaster of really good and not so good. We came with no reservation on a Wednesday middle of August (our own fault) and luckily managed to grab the last table in the restaurant. This place, 10 miles away from any modern civilization, was completely packed. They quickly arranged the table and I have no qualms with being seated right in front of the host stand. Kudos to them for offering it as it looks like it could double as a seating space in the waiting area. Service was pretty good! Cocktails were served by one gal, and a food order was taken by another. Neither of them rushed us and seemed to have a pleasant upbeat attitude! The appetizers, quail, artichoke, and mushrooms were all okay. Shrimp cocktail and salad were fairly sad, tiny shrimps and a salad consisting of iceberg lettuce and crutons, choice of dressing. Steak however was pretty damn good. Had the ribeye and tried the filet. Rounding up from 3.5 stars because it was pricey for a small town steak n bbq joint! But we got the last table and lived it up. When in Casmalia. read more

Hitching Post - Next years ribeye? - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

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If you don't mind a long drive and really want a great steak this is the place! Crazy how good this place is. Don't make the commitment to the drive without a reservation though. The walk in wait is LONG. This place is crowded from open to close--it's in the middle of nowhere and yet everyone finds it. The food was outstanding! The service outstanding! The rib eye was the star but everything was great. read more

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Service: there is absolutely no cell service. Plan accordingly. Location: this restaurant is located in the boonies. Plan accordingly. Food: I ordered the chicken dinner. It was 8/10. The chicken was juicy and well cooked. The reason for my score is that the waitress failed to notify me about the portions. I had too much food for a party of one. FYI- for groups of 2 and more you'll need a reservation. read more

Hitching Post - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

Our food was great. Waitress didn't offer option for potatoes to have toppings. But still a better time than the first time we went. We had taken an uber there and they refused to call us a cab or give us the WiFi log in. There was no cell service out there so we had to walk way down the fields to try and get a ride. Still blown away a business does that but oh well. read more

Hitching Post - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

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Amazing place in a middle of nowhere with great food and vibe to match! Reservations are a must even early in the evening midweek.

The Hitching Post in Casmalia has restored my faith in a restaurant that serves perfectly cooked steaks without the over hyped grades of beef, sauces or cooking methods. Their steaks were cooked perfectly to order and the service was awesome!! Nouveau steak restaurants need to see how a tried and true steak house does steaks! read more

We decided to drive out to this restaurant one night after getting reservations. First, don't expect to walk in and get a table without reservations. You get a tray of fresh veges and then a dinner side salad for starters. i got the ribeye with baked potato, my wife got the filet mignon with steamed veges. Mine was cooked to perfection, the wife thought her's was more done than medium rare. You get ice cream for dessert included. Price is about average for steakhouses around here. Good thing we had a gift card. Sorry, forgot to take photos of the food! read more

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First time comer, long time client. Firstly, we did not wait long. Our reservation was at 6:30 and got seated almost immediately. I would also like to add a chefs kiss to the Chef who cooked my Filet Mignon. Usually when I request Medium Rare, I get it and its tough or dry. But today, it was like cutting right through butter. Our server for the night was Amy and boy was she on point with everything, smiles, attention, informative and very sweet to our children. All the staff were quick on their feet including the ones who can clear a table no less than 5 mins. The place is small but cozy, low lighting and not as crowded. Thank you Hitching post for a great family dinner experience. I highly recommend coming her for the experience and trying their Tan Ferrari cocktail that was Amazing! read more

Hitching Post - Great view of the chefs cooking your meal! - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

Not much else can be said about a 70 year old restaurant that hasn't already been stated. We did enjoy our meal hear very much so. Located in the middle of nowhere on the edge of Vandenburg Space Force base sits this bustling steak house in the middle of the most beautiful cow pasture and mountains that you have ever seen. The steak does not get much fresher that this. Its almost as you can point to the Black Angus roaming the pasture and point and in 30 minutes it will be resting on your plate cooked to a perfect temp. Seriously, this is as classic of a steak house you can find and prepared in the Santa Maria Style of BBQ over well seasoned red oak fire pit. You have to appreciate this spot for its uniqueness and continuing to prepare food the way it has always been done at this joint for generations. The staff has been serving folks for decades. If you had a bad time at this joint, take a look in the mirror and smack that entitled attitude of yours right off your face. Food takes time to prepare and you just need to be patient. I had the Ribeye and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned very well. I loved the little bay shrimp cocktail that was included with the dinner. For dessert they had homemade butter pecan ice cream and you better believe it came from the cows roaming the pasture. Everything in our meal was excellent. Just a few suggestions for your visit: 1. Make a reservation 2. Arrive early 3. Enjoy the history of the restaurant 4. Your phone won't work, so enjoy your company and have a conversation 5. ENJOY!!! read more

Best steak EVER. The service was very good as well, the environment was a bit loud but was definately worth the noise because the food was so fantastic. read more

The service was above Five Stars.! Guillerm deserves 10 stars he was so friendly and explained everything to detail. The Busser was amazing as well. My friend and I shared the Ribeye and Lobster . It was delicious and we also got our own salad shrimp cocktail and dessert for only $18.00. The decor was different very unique. Definitely coming back.!!! read more

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Service was amazing! Super friendly and kind staff! Quick with taking away finished plates and refilling drinks! It's fairly loud inside the restaurant, so if you want to have intimate date you may need to request a different spot more in the corner. Food was very tasty! I got to try a little of everyone's steak and fish. The kids steak was perfect for my youngest flavorful. My husband got the New York strip and it was juicy tender and perfectly cooked. My daughter and oldest son got the fish - the seasoning was really good and the fish was moist and flakey! How all well cooked fish should be! (However, I do not recommend the ribs if you are used to fall off the bones meat, they were a little tough... my husband's are the best, no one has beat them. Flavor was good though!) read more

This is out in BFE and thats about the only negative comment, okay your mobile phone doesn't work out there so I couldn't "check in" This place is busy and geared towards larger parties, 6 plus. Plenty of people watching but mist were focused on dinner. I drove 10 here, reservations are necessary after the drive to get here. I sat at the bar and had great service from the bartender. The menu is short and to the point how do you want your steak cooked? Sure there is a pork chop, shrimp, chicken, but nothing skimpy here. So I ordered an 8z Filet medium rare with a skewer of grilled shrimp. Baked potato with everything ( butter, sour cream & diced spring/green onions) but wait theres more...okay ya get yer placemat and flatware rolled in a cloth napkin, theres a croute that accompanies the utensils. Then a monkey dish shows up with bay shrimp and a dollop of cocktail sauce. Next is a small garden variety dinner salad and pretty quick your meal arrives. Wow. The steak was Excellent! Perfectly cooked and as tender as you'd want, very tasteful. Oh my I forgot to mention I was watching the Niner playoff game...kinda. I absolutely enjoyed the meal, old school to the point, delicious and a fair price and great value. Then of course the choice of ice cream is another option, I wen't cherry flavored with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. We were both winners tonight. I thanked the bartender with a great tip and thanked Bill the owner as I left. My folks were out about 15 minutes later and off we went. If you get a chance get out there for dinner when the family or friends come into town. Foodguy-martin read more

Hitching Post - da game is on, go niners - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

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The steak was soo amazingly flavorful. They have the wood fire grills right in the middle of the restaurant. Nice. For being in the mountains, far from service (lol) I was amazed at how busy they were. But if you make reservations, you're all set. It was a 5 course meal with cocktail, platter, salad, meal, dessert and coffee/tea. Service was also amazing. It was nice to see all the waitresses available and helping one another. Their bathrooms were clean, roomy and homely. Worth the drive. Order a steak. You won't regret it. read more

Hitching Post - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

This place was recommended and we were not disappointed! Hands down the best prepared filet mignon I have ever had. The flavor was amazing and cooked to perfection for medium rare. Perfect baked potato and delicious garlic bread. All of our servers were so nice too. Can't wait to come back! read more

We were in the casmalia location last night. As usual, the service was great and so eas most of rhe food. However, my go to meal is the baby back ribs, they were terrible. Normally they are really meaty and juicy. So good there is no need for seasoning or BBQ sauce. Not this time, I can get 3 or 4 meals out of the dinner. This time I barely got two. It was definitely not the same quality cut of meat I am used to getting It was more bones and very little meat, the flavor was still great, just not the quantity we are used to. I can understand a smaller potato but don't skimp on the meat. The steaks were still ok, so why do rib people have to be punished. I will forgive this one time,but I will not do it again. If it happens again, I will be done with you. read more

Wow what a find! After a silly long drive, way off the beaten path, in the middle of what seemed like nowhere, I see a sign for "Worlds Best Steaks" in a red barn like building. I knew I'd found my destination. Yes, I was looking for this little find as it had been recommended to me prior to our trip. I was told to make reservations - else I would wait forever. Surprisingly, after doubting the thought during the long drive to this place, we had to wait about 40 minutes after our 7:00 reservation! If I wasn't warned, I'd be upset, as the bar was full, we sat at the door waiting to be seated. The building was tagged at best. Expanded on over the years and patched as repairs needed. It's a grungy place to have a really nice meal in the country. A great sign - when driving up, there were so many patrons the parking was as you could find it and not in dedicated spaces but along side the road in the ditches. Inside was packed with everyone from visiting high rollers to the cowboys from the ranches in Lompoc. Everybody was interested in having great conversations and consuming their food their was quite the buzz. Wait staff was busy bussing tables, serving drinks, bringing food, taking orders and general small talk with the patrons. Through the glass everyone could see their steaks being prepared on the wood fired grill. Servers were watching patrons as we completed each dish and were quick to scoop up our spent plates and bring the next course - they worked so well as a team it was very refreshing as they were totally swamped with customers at 8:00 on a Saturday night in August. We were a party of three and sat at a table behind a rowdy over imbibing bunch of 8 ranchers. They were well into beers and cocktails when dinner was brought to them and boy that table suddenly went silent - the food was so good and they were famished. We placed our order for a bottle of wine, and a artichoke appetizer. Then we ordered steaks and potatoes. As part of the dinner you are brought 1) a vegetable medley to share and snack on 2) individual shrimp cocktails 3) individual dinner salads 4) garlic French bread and after dinner individual bowls of ice cream. Unfortunately our artichoke appetizer was forgotten about until our steaks were brought out, so needless to say, we were getting full by this point and ended up not being able to totally consume our meals. Regardless of the shortcomings, the staff was incredible for both as busy as they were and overall friendly personalities. In general the restaurant was old and worn but it's character really added to the charm. It is unfortunate that when dining in a nice establishment like this some patrons forget their manners, over consume their alcohol, and proceed to get louder and more profane. I'm not a saint and need to remind people as I remind myself, other patrons don't want a foul mouth dining with them so if someone at your table is being loud or cursing, ask them to speak more quietly. Lastly, for the price, it was expensive but the value was great considering you really had a complete meal and the staff was amazing! My reason for dropping a star was 1) because of making a 7:00 reservation, arriving at 6:45 and waiting until nearly 7:40 to be seated and 2) forgetting my artichoke until I asked about it after my steaks arrived. read more

Hitching Post - The front door - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

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Food service, and ambience! Not only was the food great, the servers were all fantastic. Very friendly and knew the menu very well. read more

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Couldn't pass going up here twice in a row Easter Weekend! Their Santa Maria style cooking simply is unbeatable ! Check out how great this ribeye chop looks before I cut it up for both of us. Don't forget to ask for the shrimp cocktail....good size baked potatoes with dairy fixings! And a Salad.. Perfect size garlic bread to clean up all the leftovers! Simply the best dinner! read more

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Exceptional experience. The O.G. Hitching Post is the best. Real people eat there - It's not a tourist trap. We celebrated a birthday, had a blast, efficient and friendly servers, too. We were given not only complimentary dessert, but a chance to try their artichokes complimentary. The asparagus was to die for. Steaks were perfect - great seasoning. I can't wait to return. read more

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Strong pour, good food. Great server maria and crew. Delish dishes. We got two artichoke entrees, mushrooms, linguica and scallops. All terrific. Everything was well seasoned and thinking about, my tummy is getting hungry again. read more

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I have eaten at the Casmalia Hitching Post more times that I can count...first with my parents growing up in Lompoc and in recent years when staying in Lompoc with friends... now driving from Santa Barbara once in a while to introduce SB friends to the Casmalia HP since I live in SB. The food, the atmosphere, the location, the friendly staff...all of it, truly a one-of-a-kind unparalleled experience. Reservations essential! Plan on 1.5 hours driving from SB, consult a map or use GPS as it can be tricky to find the first time. read more

The Hitching Post never fails to deliver an outstanding meal! Have come here since 1980 and never had any complaints about food or service. Really appreciate the "split plate" deal. We shared the sirloin and shrimp with an artichoke appetizer which is so good. Yes, it is rustic and old: serves the best steak in the area and is world renown. read more

Great food and service. Went with family to celebrate being together and the Hitching Post made it special.

It the Hitching Post. Yes it a little drive out of town but we'll worth it. We have choices if you live in Santa Maria and we choose the Hitching Post for a great steak,ribs or fish! All included:shrimp cocktail, relish dish full of fresh vegetables, a baked potato,real potato french fries or rice. A fresh salad too! Homemade salsa of course. Plenty of French bread and crackers. The steaks are perfect! The lamb perfect and mint jelly if you like. Pork ribs lots of meat and they are all cut for you. Then ice cream or sherbet for dessert with coffee or tea. It was a wonderful meal. It does get a little noisy so go early if you like it quieter. Don't miss this great experience if you are in our area. read more

Place is busy! Get a reservation ahead if possible. Steaks were perfectly cooked and tasted delicious! Ribeye was huge; able to eat 1/2 and save for next day. Tasted just as good. Friendly service and nice/casual atmosphere. It's pricy, but worth it. read more

Do not go without a reservation! The place was packed on a Sunday night, enen though it's in the middle of nowhere. We waited almost 2 hours for a table, but once we were seated, it was worth it. It's crowded. It's loud. It's a throwback. It's an experience. The dinners include some old-school starters like a chilled veggie tray for the table, tiny shrimp cocktails, and a basket of mixed crackers. Once you get to the menu items, it's very grilled-meat centric, and those grilled meats are great! I had the shrimp and scallops with a side of veggies, which were done skewer style on the grill. Great grill flavor, while the seafood was still soft and sweet. My fiance had the T-bone and baked potato, and his steak was perfectly med-rare, well seasoned, and extremely tender. My other two dining buddies both has sirloins, which were very thick, but still perfectly cooked and seared. I don't think they could have cooked the meat any better than they did. Definitely make a reservation and check this place out. Use Navigation, or you'll have to stop and ask the cows for directions. read more

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Food is always delicious and made reservations prior to going. Sat down and service was excellent!

Amazing atmosphere, amazing food ! amazing meat ! Very good experience. Nice historical decor.

Great restaurant with a lot of history. I love that the menu is very original, as dinners include a relish tray, small shrimp cocktail and dessert. The steaks are grilled to perfection and service is top notch. read more

Let me start off by saying I've been hearing about this place since we lived in the Valley. Even after we moved here to the Central Coast, several have been telling us to give The Hitching Post a try. And we finally made it here. And boy were we amazed‼ the restaurant does not look like much from the outside. It's an older building and it's in a very small town named Casmalia. But boy does this restaurant pack a punch ‼ My husband had made reservations and as soon as we walked in, we were escorted promptly to our table. The vegetable tray was waiting for us. Our cocktail waitress took our order for drinks and the experience began. All wait staff was so kind and helpful. We were given suggestions to try the artichoke appetizer and we ordered the linguiça.. Both were very tasty. The Head Chef, Luis, even gave us a taste of a 1/4 rack of ribs. He even came out and talked to us, introduced himself and invited us over to see where the magic happens‼ Such a cool thing to do‼Then came our main meal...we ordered the Bone-in Rib Chop(30-32oz) and not only was it beautiful to look at but wow was it prepared just right. The most juiciest cut of meat, seasoned well and cooked to perfection. So delicious Even the ice cream was very creamy. Overall our experience at the Hitching Post was just wonderful, we will most definitely come back. One of our Top Restaurants here in the Central Coast‼ read more

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We drove 3 1/2 hours to have dinner here and it was totally worth it. Old school atmosphere, people are very nice and the food is fantastic!!!! Excellent filet mignon and ribeyes. read more

We've been to HP2 3-4 times and loved it. This original spot is quite similar. But it's not the same. The employees are mostly not wearing masks during a pandemic, which freaked my wife out. I tried to move past it. The service was pleasant and efficient. The decor is more rural than HP2. The veggie tray was fine. The salads were good. We had their best HP Pinot, which was great. Our steaks were not cooked properly. She ordered medium rare plus filet that was rare-med rare. I ordered med rare rib eye that was medium. Because it was late and we don't want to be jerks, we just switch steaks. I thought the filet was good. My wife did not like the overcooked rib-eye; I didn't either. But we were at the end of the evening and I could see them cleaning the kitchen. Complaining would not have been a good idea. It's in the middle of nowhere and I think that's cool. My wife hated the drive. It's kind of a rural gem. read more

Hitching Post - The menu cover - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

Visiting friends in Los Olivos and they took us here for some nice steaks. Old school steakhouse serving up great steaks with all the fixins. Started with the grilled artichokes. Excellent. We had Filets, T-Bones, and Sirloins. Baked potatoes, shrimp cocktails, salads and garlic bread. Ice cream finished off the meals. A must go to when in Wine Country. read more

Hitching Post - Chef tending steaks - Barbeque Near Me - Casmalia, California

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We normally go for the steaks, mashed potatoes, artichoke's and margaritas. ( big glass). This Sat they had salmon and swordfish special. For over 60 years in Bay Area and San Francisco I've ordered a lot of swordfish. I've never had such a large, thick serving. Best ever. Before I go again, I'm calling to to see if it's on special. read more

Best central coast dining experience, bar none! Make a reservation or you will wait over an hour to get a table. Eating at the bar is a great option if you can get a seat. read more

Service, appearance of the food on the plate could look a million times more appealing

We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation, but were quickly checked in and taken outside to a nice sitting area where we ordered cocktails. They arrived quickly, and we didn't have to wait long and we were seated. The old style atmosphere was cool, but the dining area was loud and lively. Appetizers arrived quickly, and the service was really good! My date had a filet mignon, which she said was amazing. I had a rib-eye, it was flavorful and good. We had a bottle of their Pinot Noir, it was really good. Will definitely go back! read more

First-Time Here. Pull up into a dirt road overlooking cattle grazing as the sun is setting. Look around, there's nothing but a few houses on this stretch of road and the Hitching Post. What can I say that hasn't been said already? If you like MEAT prepared simply which is grilled over a wood fire - to perfection, this is a place for YOU too! Started at the bar with a spirit-forward drink...gin martini. Then escorted to our table which was located in front of where the grill master does his thang! He places various cuts of meat onto the fire, pats it with his bbq fork, seasons the meat, all while managing the fire. We ordered a few Ribeyes. Didn't want to share with the husband, wanted my own all to myself. Each entree comes with: 1. Crudites platter 2. Crackers and butter (don't get too full on this stuff, the best is on its way) 3. Baked Potato or Fries (the fries were so delicious) 4. Dinner Salad 5. Vanilla or Sherbert Ice Cream The theme of the meal was simple but delicious! Make space in your tummy when planning to eat here so that you can enjoy it all! read more

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