The ambiance is very cute. I got the escargot and duck a l'orange. The escargot was meh. I love…read moreescargot but this one just tasted like blue cheese. It was a little too overpowering. I don't recommend. The duck, however, was amazing. It was cooked to perfection. The polenta and asparagus were nice too. The orange slice was a nice touch to the duck. The staff were very friendly. The food did take a while to come out.

We'd been to the popular Oyster Place next door and certainly down to this beach area many times…read more As a wedding gift a client of mine gave us a gift card to this restaurant. That was a couple months ago and since I was driving them Monday I thought we should have some dinner I made a reservation online, for 6pm, no problem. Parking wasn't too challenging if you know the neighborhood. Walking up we heard and saw 'n Accordionist playing some French favorites, pretty cool. We were sat right down inside please, it can get pretty windy so... Ella greeted us after a few minutes...now allow me to say the pace in European dining places is slower than here in America and this place followed the traditional rhythm of a relaxed and casual dinner...Okay M went for a Sparkling wine and I stuck with my usual Pelligrino. We mused over the menu for quite a while, we can pace ourselves too A Trio for Monica, half an Ham & Cheese grilled sandwich with a cup of chowder and a caesar salad. My King Salmon (not often available these days) served with grilled asparagus and some roasted potatoes. It was all very good as we took our time savoring the moment. Dessert followed and the crem bule' finished the dinner. We enjoyed ourselves we enjoyed interacting with Ella and we enjoyed our European evening. It was time to go home a make like the French. Good Evening Folks Martin-Foodguy

Time for my annual check in for lido !!!! Amazingly it…read morecontinues to get better and better , the food is probably the best on the central coast from quality of ingredients to execution. We travel globally year round and it could not be denied that the level of service from the warmth, attentiveness and obvious care from top to bottom is top tier . Ambiance of the patio in the evening and the coziness of the bar and interior dining also sublime . Over the years we have gotten to know and love Robin, Russel. Celena and Cristian .. you should consider yourself lucky if you get the chance to be catered to by ANY of these exceptional people . An extra kudos to Robin for leading such an amazing team and program .

We went for lunch, sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful view…read more We had the grilled chicken sandwich, shrimp tacos, and clam chowder. All of it was delicious. The service was excellent. Monique and Kyle were our servers and Nathan was our busser. Excellent, top notch service from all of them.

Small business locally owned. Food was really good. For the location, the prices make sense. I…read moredidn't mind the wine, but I was hoping for a glass of traditional oyster pairing wines as an option, but the owners are in the industry so they highlight their wines. Which are pretty good. No notable flaws, just honestly decent, coming from a wine snob. Only petnat I've tried and liked as well. Oysters were top notch. I would add salt vs just ice as a serving dish though bc they started drowning in water if you don't eat them fast enough. Love that they serve caviar bumps! The fried smoked fish sandwich was awesome. Great bread and extras. Flavorful! People were really nice. Welcoming and inviting. I could sit there every day and be happy.

Why has tinned fish been hidden from me and The Wife, when everyone, who is anyone, has known about…read moreit forever? Back to Shuck Shack. We were visiting Avila Beach for my birthday week and decided to try out Sinor-Lavalle's wine tasting room a block back from Front Street and just down the way from our AirBnB. We met the owner and he suggested to mosey on over to Shuck Shack. We walked there, on Front Street, and met Evan, the GM. Evan took great care of us with some nice wines and then told us all about the tinned fish they had. Tinned Fish Sidenote: Two weeks before this trip if I heard the phrase tinned fish (TF) I would have thought oily mackerel or sardines smelling nasty. While I like anchovies, I was not prepared for TF. We were just in SanFran and The Kid's roomates were eating TF. Really? Yuck! Then we went to the Vintage Press in Visalia, CA, and 1/2 page of the large menu was 20 or 30 versions of TF. WTF? And now we were in Avila being told about the options and how delicious they were. Back to Shuck Shack. With Evan's guidance, we ordered a number of items off their menu including oysters (hauled in that morning), smoked trout TF, local salami, LandChos and Gildas. Check out the menu pics for descriptions. Paired with some great wines it was a fantastic culinary experience. Adding on to that the great service and setting of Avila Beach makes this an easy 5 star experience. GO! EAT VERY WELL!! HAVE FUN, Damnit!!!

An Unforgettable Birthday Dinner with Breathtaking Ocean Views!…read more We came to Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach for a Sunday night dinner date to celebrate my wife's birthday. This place definitely gets packed, so I highly recommend reserving a table in advance. We were lucky enough to get a window seat, and the outdoor patio views of the ocean are simply amazing! On top of that, the staff here has definitely become even more friendly--our server, Zach, was super efficient and attentive throughout our meal. The food was incredible from start to finish: * Mahi Mahi Fish Ceviche: We started with this alongside fresh tortilla chips, and it was honestly one of the best ceviches we've ever had. * Clam Chowder Soup: This special clam chowder came served with Parmesan cheese bread, which was absolute perfection. Again, hands down one of the best soups we've tasted! * Molcajete Surtido: For our main dish, we ordered this classic feast loaded with grilled colossal shrimp, arrachera steak, chicken breast, chorizo, spring onion, jalapeño peppers, nopalitos, avocado, pork rinds, molcajete salsa, queso fresco, and corn tortillas, served with a side of rice and beans. All the meats were so tender and flavorful, and the rice and beans were really nice. We were so full that we didn't even get to touch the tortillas! To top off a wonderful evening, they brought out a complimentary ice cream with a candle to celebrate my wife's birthday, which was such a thoughtful and sweet touch. Whether you're planning a special date night or a family outing, we definitely recommend Ventana Grill!

Absolutely amazing! We came here for the incredible ocean views, and Ventana Grill did not…read moredisappoint. The scenery alone is worth the visit. Watching the waves while enjoying dinner made for an unforgettable experience. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in. If you're anywhere near Pismo Beach or San Luis Obispo, this is a must-visit. Great food, outstanding service, and some of the best views on the Central Coast. We'll definitely be back!

An Unforgettable Creekside Birthday Brunch!…read more We reserved a table for brunch at Novo in downtown San Luis Obispo to celebrate my wife's birthday, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. We were seated almost immediately upon arrival, and we were thrilled to get a table right by the creekside--the atmosphere outdoors by the water is absolute perfection! The staff here is also wonderfully friendly and attentive. The food was incredible across the board: * Crab Omelette: I ordered this, and it was delicious. It came packed with a generous portion of blue crab, along with avocado, seasonal market vegetables, fresh hollandaise, and crispy roasted fingerling potatoes. * Portobello Benedict: Ordered by the birthday gal herself, my wife! It came served on a toasted English muffin with harissa-spiced portobello mushrooms, poached eggs, tomato, avocado, spinach, roasted fingerling potatoes, and fresh hollandaise. It was an amazing dish full of flavor. * Huevos Rancheros: Our kids shared this dish, which features two eggs poached in a fresh tomato sauce cooked with bacon, onions, fresh chiles, white cheddar, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips. It was super flavorful. * Chocolate Crêpe: The kids also got a special order of a chocolate crêpe, which they thoroughly enjoyed. * Caesar Salad: We ordered a side of Caesar salad to share, and it was fresh and great. To top off the celebration, they brought out a complimentary dessert for my wife's birthday, which was a very sweet and appreciated touch. Overall, I highly recommend Novo for delicious food, wonderful service, and an unbeatable creekside dining experience!

Came here for our first dinner in SLO. We really loved the patio dining and the ambiance was…read moreabsolutely amazing. Loved the sounds of the creek and the toads at night, it was very serene. Service was a little slow for my liking, but not too bad. The food was pretty good. I appreciated the fusion flavors like the curry. Overall, I understand why this place gets booked up for celebrations.

A friend discovered this place on yelp. What a great find. Came here for breakfast. Had a 45 minute…read morewait but they will call you on your phone when your table was ready so not an issue at all. Customer service was amazing. Host Eric was very nice and even remembered my name when I left. Very impressive given how busy they were. Our server was very good. Despite how busy things were everyone seemed relaxed and having a good day. Food was fantastic. I had birria mochahete chiliquiles. Very good and fresh. Salsa was also very good. We will definitely come back. This place is awesome.

Sante Fe something but not what I ordered. I'm sad, I was hungry for good Mexican food. I want…read moreMexican food for the cumin, chili powder, onions and bell peppers, this was a Denny's/Ihop dish. The potatoes were unseasoned, egg whites were runny/undercooked. (I asked for over medium) & after waiting 5 - 10 minutes for the waitress, I ended up ordering a more food because this wasn't good. I'm hoping the chili verde redeems my opinion about this place. Bussers / Host were super nice and attentive! 10/10 Clean restaurant Chili I verde is good!

My first time here and our server, Riley was wonderful in suggesting cocktails for us to have . We…read moreordered the fried green tomatoes as our appetizer and then had the mushroom sausage pizza. The fried green tomatoes were wonderful with the shrimp on top and the pizza was generous and we were able to bring home leftovers to enjoy the next day. We also ordered the apricot tart for dessert which was light and creamy! The only negative thing was we were dining inside and it happened to be on a warm day so there wasn't much cross breeze inside and it was a bit warm, but other than that food and service was excellent.

With Ember being on the Michelin guide as a recommended restaurant, I went in with high…read moreexpectations. And boy did they deliver. Rarely do I walk away from a dining experience where the quality of service and quality of food fight to outshine one another, but this was one of those spots. Our server, a German gentleman, was the consummate professional- always friendly, never overstepping, and added such a warm dimension to our meal. The fried green tomatoes and the white beet appetizers were standouts. I especially loved the vinegary dressing on the greens of the beet dish. For mains, we got the leek olive potato pizza, the ribeye, and the wood fire poached halibut. The avocado chimichurri that accompanied the ribeye was the perfect balance, and the sautéed greens under the fish were savory with the right amount of bite. I also liked their selection of mocktails; the pink pony club was a particular standout. All this for $200 was a better price tag than I was expecting, but most importantly, it got the stamp of approval from my notoriously picky grandmother and uncle. This spot is worth the drive.

I love the concept behind this restaurants. I'm always a fan of variety and their menu being…read morestructured around combing small items like sliders, sides, and salads is perfect for me. I opted to do a trio with the bahn mi, tip o' Argentina, and the garlic fries. The food was good I forgot to take a picture! The tip o' Argentina was solid with the garlic aioli and the chimmichurri perfectly complimenting the steak and the lettuce and tomato adding a little bit of freshness. The buns they use for all of their sliders are soft, slightly sweet, and don't fall apart while you're eating. The Bahn Mi was even better. I love pork but was a little skeptical about pulled pork on a slider riffing on the flavors of a bahn mi. To my surprise and delight, it tasted just like grilled Vietnamese pork, which was perfectly complimented by the fresh and pickled veggies and surprisingly hot jalapeño. Finally, I got the garlic fries which were a massive portion, crisp, and very garlicky. Everything was good and with such a large and customizable menu, I'd definitely return if I was in the area again. I also want to give a shout out to the bartender, Kelsey. I sat at the bar and her service was attentive and she was very knowledgeable about the menu. We got the opportunity to chat for a bit and I loved her vibe, so definitely consider sitting at the bar if you're dining solo or with a friend.

We saw the great reviews for Taste and were really excited about the concept of being able to…read morechoose from so many things that we made this our first stop in our time in SLO. It is a bit off the beaten path I thought, in a seemingly industrial area and parking was hard to find at 12:30 on a Monday. We had to go down the street and around the corner since the lot was full. I got a Gouda Burger, the summer crunch salad, and garlic fries. My wife and kid also had a slider but did Italian Sprouts, mac and cheese with bacon, and sweet potato fries. The slider was good- tasty but a little messy to eat. Both servings of fries were really generous. The salad was a good mix of ingredients. However the mac and brussels sprouts were a bit disappointing. For some there is no such thing as too much bacon but for us both of these dishes definitely had too much bacon- so much that we left a lot of the bacon! And don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my bacon. Overall, a good concept but we'll definitely try some non bacon dishes next time!