This review covers three visits, the first two were midweek in 2025 and one two weeks ago on a Friday. It's an interesting setup, as there's a separate space for Pico and a space for Lumen Wines, however we were told that the wine tastings are done in the restaurant. The ambiance is upscale-casual, the service is excellent (thanks Kali for getting my joke and making me laugh on our last visit), and the food is wonderfully delicious. They have main floor seating, a balcony, and a back patio, so request your spot when making a reservation. DRINKS: They have a full bar and the cocktails we've tried were very well made. The wine list is primarily Lumen wines, but there are some other local and old-world wines available, and some alcohol-free cocktails and beer too. On our first visit, we tried a Lumen wine tasting flight consisting of a '21 Chardonnay, a '21 Pinot Noir, and a '21 Grenache, and a couple extra pours, like the Escence orange wine and the "Hey Ginger" Pet Nat (check out my separate review for Lumen Wines). FOOD: We've eaten something on all three visits and everything we've tried has been very good. The menu is seasonal, so it's ever changing. The appetizers/entrées we've tried are the Wedge Salad, Kabocha Salad, Grilled Carrots, Avocado Crudo, Channel Island Squid, Steak Tartare, Pico Burger, and Rabbit Carnitas Tostadas. The food is well-seasoned and prepared as ordered. The kitchen seems to work well with the wait staff to coordinate when courses are delivered, so you're not getting everything at once. Pico is one of our favorite spots in the Los Alamos/Los Olivos/Buellton area and well worth the drive if you're not staying right nearby. I highly recommend you check them out. read more

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So many great things to say about this place! As someone new to the area, this was an wonderful introduction! We came in on a Friday night, so it was a few minutes for a table. We sat in a lovely waiting area with couches and they brought over water for us before we were seated. Ambience: 5/5 Inside, the cozy warm ambience made the experience feel even more elevated. We loved the decor and the layout of the restaurant, especially the upstairs seating area (where we sat) overlooking the dining room. It felt a little more private which we loved as we got to people watch. When we thought the inside was romantic, the outside seating was like a scene out of a movie. Hope to sit out there next time! Service: 5/5 Our server was very attentive and charismatic, joining in on our jokes, checking on us promptly, giving us recommendations, and ultimately adding onto our experience. The busser was quick and timely, he always made sure our table was clean and our water was full. Food took a little while to come out, which was expected, but after everything we ate, it was completely worth the wait. Food: 5/5 I could probably eat ten of the avocado crudo and the mushroom and madeira. The crudo completely melts in your mouth with the most addicting sauce, and the puff pastries lingered in my mind the entire meal. We had the burrata which was fresh and tasty, the warm french loaf which shocked me how compelling a loaf of bread can be, and finally were graced by the agnolotti which had the perfect amount of lemon that paired so perfectly with the mushroom sauce. Keep in mind, every plate was wiped clean of its sauce with the bread because they were all too good and we couldn't get enough. Also could have had endless "For he's a jolly good fennel" (love the name) mocktale. Highly recommend! read more

Food, service and cocktails were great. We walked in at 8pm on Saturday and were instantly accommodated at the bar. We ordered something from their ever-changing menu - rabbit tostada maybe? Just go check it out, this place has the vibes, bar service, and tasty food. read more

Pico - Wine Bars Near Me - Los Alamos, California

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Burger and fries are incredible!!! Make sure to get an extra side of ranch, because it's also incredible. Cocktails are also great, I prefer the espresso martini. read more

This was my second dining experience at Pico. They were both 2 of best dinners I have ever had. Ambiance, service, food, drinks..ect. Top notch! Already looking forward to our next meal here. We traveled 4.5 hrs and would do it again next week. read more

Pico - Crudo - Wine Bars Near Me - Los Alamos, California

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The food was delicious, the service was amazing and the ambiance was definitely a vibe. read more

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Ordered the tuna tartare in avocado, it was great for $22 but it was the size of a marble. You need to order 6 to feel like you ate. The cassoulet is the same. There's a reason it's quiet, but sorry, you made your menu. read more

My husband and I stopped in this place last weekend. The place is modern and beautifully structured. We loved the atmosphere and the upstairs dining area. However, we wanted a drink and a light snack/appetizer so we weren't sure what to order that would be shareable size. When my husband asked our server about a wine suggestion our server stated he has only worked there for 3 weeks and wasn't sure of a sweet wine to suggest him. My husband's therefore did not order a wine. I'm a server as well, and in my opinion if you don't know the answer to a question it's best to ask somebody else that can answer for you. We ended up ordering the Avocado Crudo based on our server's suggestion but when it came out it was so small in portion size. Overall, we left unhappy, which is a shame because we really wanted to love this place. Please do better next time Pico! read more

We came here to wait for a reservation next door. They have a very large selection of wines and since we couldn't decide, we end up doing their recommend flight along with some snacks. We had a ceviche and their daily special with a flaky white fish as a snack. Everything was good and highly recommend if you want to sit and chat with friends. read more

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By far, the best restaurant in Los Alamos. The menu changes and is always consistently good. The chef and owner is so creative and a craft at her work. Great price point, amazing wine and absolutely delicious food. read more

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We made a last minute stop in Los Alamos. Pico was recommended by the hotel staff (across the street) and we were not steered wrong. Absolutely some of the best food I've had this year. The beet/goat cheese/pistachio salad was one of the best I've ever had. Every selection was perfectly prepared (and uniquely special). We could not be more impressed. Our server, Kristen, was a delight and made suggestions that did not disappoint. To top it off, the setting was spacious and well appointed. Every detail at Pico was considered and we will definitely be back. read more

Pico - Our table with comfy chairs. - Wine Bars Near Me - Los Alamos, California

Love the ambiance here and in general the service was good. Was missing bread plates to eat our fancy cornbread but oh well. I personally don't want my soft drink brought to me with the bottle. Basically no refill and I prefer on tap. Seems very specific. We ordered the beet & burrata salad. It was very good. Then had the wedge salad. Also excellent. My wife had the flight of lumin wine and disliked two out of three unfortunately but we liked that it was an option with dinner. She had the prime ribeye steak and while they said they cook it medium rare it was medium at best which was fine. I got the Wagyu burger it was said to come medium rare and I asked for medium. Well unfortunately it showed up borderline well done. It had some decent flavor but was a bit dry sadly. I am also a person who needs his lettuce , tomato and pickle but that's on me. Burger would have been quite good if there was a shred of pink. I was concerned I would get the waffle fries that I have seen in pics. Not a fan. To my joy I received some fresh hand cut fries and they were excellent! Made the burger disappointment ok. Also got the cornbread which was very good. Just give me some bread plates again. If my burger was truly medium it be giving 5 stars. It wasn't so it's gonna be 4. I think they are a 4.3 restaurant. Will return next time in town. Would rather go here than Belle. read more

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such delicious food and the staff were so sweet! we had dinner here and had so much fun.

We just stopped in for a glass of wine and cocktail. We sat on the couch and just enjoyed the atmosphere. There is an area in the back that was so quaint. We will be back! read more

What an amazing meal! Stumbled in here by chance while driving through and enjoyed every dish -- the Crispy cauliflower, the kabocha salad, fish and chips, cornbread, and homemade ice cream (honey lavender was yummy!) Plus the service was warm and friendly and the overall ambience was cool read more

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Always a favorite place to visit, we planned our anniversary diner and we were nicely surprised by the attention given to us. Dinner and drinks were excellent, and service was great. We came on a weeknight and it was nice and quiet, had a great time. read more

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Very cute, very aesthetically pleasing. Overall a very wonderful concept. For the price of the food it was underwhelming. I see what they were trying to do but it just didn't add up to par. I work at a very high end restaurant myself and for the size, portion, flavors and overall taste it wasn't what I was hoping for. Crudo was not good; mushy and fishy. Yes I know what crudo is. Wedge salad, overpriced. Spanakopita was just philo dough with mixture in between like a sandwich. Bacon app was just eh. Best app was the beet salad. Lovely different beets with goat cheese and pistachios. Carlos who was the host was just lovely. He needs a raise. Service was just basic otherwise. I did appreciate the local discount you get on Thursdays. I might give this place one more try and then update my review. Strictly bcuz of Carlos and how beautiful of a place it is. read more

Went here on a little vacation with my partner, and it was delicious! Ending our vacation here and after going to the other amazing local eateries, I was weary that anything would be as good, but Pico did not disappoint! Our favorites were the avocado crudo and the lemon and mushroom agnolotti! However, the burrata had some of the best strawberries I've ever had and the broccolini salad was delicious as well! We loved how everything was farm to tables and even had the farms of most of the ingredients written in the menu. This type of dedication and handpicked ingredients transpire to the taste of the food. read more

Pico - Avocado Tuna crudo - Wine Bars Near Me - Los Alamos, California

The Mocktails are a experience all on their own, the garden fresh flavors are simply out of this world . Joliee'

We are in town for my birthday and had dinner at Pico last night. It was amazing! The food was great. The best part of our evening, though, was our server Haley. She was incredible! She made us feel welcomed and valued. It's not very often that you have a server that makes you feel so comfortable and excited to be there. She definitely did! Thank you Haley for making my birthday special! read more

We went last night for my daughters birthday. It was wonderful! The food was fantastic. The best part was the server and the busser. Haley was amazing! Genuine and gregarious! We will definitely come back to see her! The other helper was also so very kind! We will be back to see them! Thank you for making my daughter's birthday special! read more

What a great little date place! The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. The cocktails are innovative and the menu seasonally diverse. The staff is friendly and helpful. My boyfriend and I love this place. read more

Pico is warm and welcoming, The bar area is large as you enter with adjacant high top seating. The vibe is great with warm wood tones and hundreds of wine bottles lining the walls. We stopped at the bar for pre dinner cocktails. They were expertly crafted by their mixologist. One in particular stood out. It was the lost limos, tequila, mescal with a ginger infusion. On our first night we met the manager Kace and sat on the patio with surrounding heaters (60). On the second night we sat in the front bar area in oversized incredibly comfortable lounge chairs. Carlos was our server. Our first night we ordered apps , salads and entrees that we all shared. West coast oysters, of course, the tuna special, cauliflower, avocado tuna and mushroom anulotti.. All were delicious!! For entrees we shared the big ass pork, Ribeye steak and a Hallibut special. One was better than the next. The service was exceptional. We were new to Santa Barbara Varietals and Kace offered delicious selections for each course and educated us about the region. A perfect night for us We contentedly walk our 1/2 mile to out VRBO and played cards. Note: The wines on the walls are labelled with prices. Those are the retail cost of the wine to take home with you. The wine list has the in restaurant prices with their margin/corkage fee included. Very Very highly recommended!! Addendum: The chef and her husband, Will Henry, own and operate the vineyard Lumen. We visited Lumen and enjoyed their wine experience. Slainte read more

It would be nice to order a drink and have them actually make it instead of being uppity - a spicy mezcal margarita served up is not a mezcal martini... read more

Amazing dinner celebrating our 25th anniversary. Quaint historic restaurant in Los Alamos with amazing wine, fabulous food and wonderful service. Glad we took the drive on some kinda scary dark & windy roads- lol. We started with a gingery bubbly beverage, followed by a wine flight that paired perfectly with our food selections. We started with the avocado & tuna tartare (soooo good) followed by the cheese platter- which left us wanting more but then the beef tartare arrived which was so refreshing and just the perfect segue to the "big ass" pork chop and they were not exaggerating. It was one gigantic chop, meticulously cut and snuggled into a bed of perfectly cooked and seasoned beans. It was ample food for two, but I would have easily eaten a 2nd piece of cornbread. We ended the evening with more wine instead of dessert. This restaurant is a local favorite and we totally understand why. It's worth the trip. read more

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We stopped by for some drinks. And we were not disappointed. Drinks are strong, tasty and do their job. Did get to try the food but I will definitely come back for that. They have a beautiful set up and it looks really fancy. Great service and were very kind. read more

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Pico was a FABULOUS location for dinner with attentive service and delicious food. We came on the recommendation of another in town, and we were pleased to be seated for dinner without a reservation (it was winter). Next time, resy! The restaurant is casual but elegant - dark woods and soft light. They have interesting things to look at on the wall, a full bar and a great wine list. We ordered a bottle of a local gamay. We ordered an arrangement of small plates including duck carnitas, steak tatare, cauliflower and a kale Caesar. Each was among the best ever. It was so delicious that we went for dessert as well. That chocolate was INSANE! I will definitely come again next time I am in the area. read more

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Could not speak more highly of this place!!! I hosted 12 incredible women for my bachelorette there last weekend and Kali, the owner, and all her amazing staff took such good care of us. The food was phenomenal and I so appreciated their local sourcing methods. The wine was next level from their own production and paired perfectly. We were set up on their beautiful outdoor patio with the perfect number of heaters. We all said we would have to make this dinner an annual adventure to Los Alamos. We love you Kali and the whole Pico family!! read more

Every time I walk past Pico or want to go eat at Pico I look at the menu.... Not even one thing sounds appealing and I leave. Every time I've been forcefully dragged or have had to eat there.... I get why people love it. After all of my sighs, eye rolls, grunts, and honesty toward my dinner mates "I'm always dramatic, I never want to eat here, and whenever I do it's amazing." Yes, it is amazing. Go roll your eyes to the back of your head like me, and then be in awe of how good it is. I went here for restaurant week. Check out these photos! Oysters, short ribs, dessert, and the beautiful cocktails that the ladies and I ordered. $40 dollars for the meal, cocktails not included, guys you have to go check this place out. Super wow. Sorry Pico, I don't know why I always judge. Ya got me again! everything was outstanding. read more

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Unbelievable. The ambience is fantastic. The food is top notch. Case is on point with his wine knowledge if you're passing through or staying the night, you must come here. . read more

Thursday was a slow night for Pico, but we were excited to drop by. The ambiance and decor is super modern and wine-country chic. We enjoyed our comfy chairs and felt transformed from the "mean streets" of Los Alamos into a high-end Santa Barbara-style exclusive eatery. Soothing and romantic; after all who wants to listen to the kitchen staff clinging pots/pans and yelling "Yes Chef!" like they do at Bells? But I digress... Service was quick and friendly, very knowledgeble about the menu and helpful to pair wine with food. We had an amazing creation called the Avocado Crudo that looked like a work of art. The melon salad was a nice addition. Then we moved to an interesting take on a spanakopita, and she had the delicious roasted beet and goat cheese plate. Beets are disappearing from menus these days, so that was a nice walk down memory lane. For entrees the homemade pasta special with creamy pesto sauce and shrimp was excellent. I had the Gaviota Fish. The entree flavors were not as bold as everything beforehand and that was a little disappointing, especially the coconut lemongrass sauce that came with the fish. The sauce seemed a bit watered-down and lacking in punch. I wanted my fish to be drowning in something creamier and bolder, but that's just me. Service was attentive, but if there was one issue is that the waitress was also the bartender, so it took time to get our drinks. Sign of times, I guess. Nonetheless, highly recommended. Yes chef! read more

We had a spectacular meal here. The ambience is cozy and well designed and all the servers and runners helpful and cordial. The cocktails are wonderful. I enjoyed my old fashion which had a unique twist and would have ordered another if I hadn't been driving. The appetizers are incredibly innovative and wonderful . The crispy cauliflower the Burarata and the Avocado crudo with caviar were so great I thought I was at a Michelin restaurant. The bacon praline served in a mini cast iron pan with maple syrup was out of this world. I could have just had two or three of these and been totally satisfied. But since we were sharing we had to continue on to the mains. And I must say my line caught halibut from Gaviota was perfect on a bed of jasmine rice. My partner had the pork chop which was also terrific. All the ingredients are sourced locally which made the entire meal all the more special. Hands down the best restaurant in the Los Olivos/Los Alamos area. read more

Experience at Pico was so great and Jack took great care of us! Lumen wines paired with the food were delicious. Golf stars to Jack for making our visit so incredible! read more

Parking: plenty of street parking in this one road town Atmosphere: gorgeous interior and even better back patio (highly recommend trying to snag an outdoor table). Service: our waiters were terrific in every way Food: we shared a bunch of items tapas style and everything was delicious. There was a pasta with green sauce that was a particular hit. We even asked for extra sauce. Overall, I highly recommend making a stop by this restaurant if you're ever passing by. read more

Pico was amazing! The staff was warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable about the wine and food. The best meal we had in the area in a beautiful setting. The owner, Will, came by our table to chat and told us his wife is the head chef. The food was out of this world. Kudos to the chef and team! read more

Truly one of the best restaurants I have been to in a very long time! Location quite unusual Quiet town The restaurant is beautiful, Indoor/outdoor dining Excellent wine Full bar Food is Excellent! Ambiance is relaxing Wait staff is friendly and informative Will definitely return when we visit again! read more

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I came back to Pico and had a wonderful experience. The service was great and the food was timed well, flavorful and a great variety. This was much better than my previous experience and I'm glad I was able to have Pico the way it was meant to be. I think going to Pico with smaller parties is the way to go--definitely a step up! read more

I visited Pico for Santa Ynez Valley "Restaurant Week" on a whim, and was very pleasantly surprised despite my lack of planning! The vibe was elegant while still remaining casual (it would be a great dinner date spot!) Incredible service... everybody who helped me was extremely kind and attentive. The food was delicious. I had the chicken liver toast, gem salad, and pappardelle bolognese with a glass of Zinfandel. The manager even brought me over another red to try as a pairing with the meal... which was also delicious. Great experience. I'll definitely return! read more

Pico - Chicken liver toast - Wine Bars Near Me - Los Alamos, California

Wow what amazing service at this five star restaurant in Los Alamos.we were up there for the weekend and had dinner here last Saturday night. The ambience in this p,ace is very nice, relaxing, and welcoming. We enjoyed many different cocktails and wine. We started with the roasted citrus olives. The burrata salad was also wonderful. We loved the fig tagliatelle,the pico burger, and the pork chop.The manager really cared about patrons and checked back with us after each course. Definitely recommend! read more

*** 4.5 stars *** We went to Pico during COVID so we experienced it as a take out restaurant, which I do not think is how it's intended to be experienced. Rounding up to 5 because I'm certain that if we had dined in it would have been a 5 star experience. That being said, we did wait for our food in the restaurant (which was stunning) and they gave us each a glass of delicious house red (award winning house red, that is) while we waited for our order (now that's what I call hospitality!). The portions seemed kind of small for the price when shoved into a to-go box, but I'm sure would have made sense if served on a proper dish. The clam chowder was to die for. All the ingredients were fresh, locally sourced and extremely high quality. The menu changes according to the seasons and what's fresh, which is how it should be! read more