We've been coming every few months on a weekend afternoon and it was always a decent meal while…read moresitting at the bar. The last 2 times there is an so called musician, who wailed like a banshee, played an out of tune ukulele and guitar and considered himself a blues singer. It was far too loud for a small room, he couldn't sing, or play, it was literally horrendous. My god. We couldn't eat and get out fast enough.

Food was good, love the old school vibe, people were kind, what else do you need? I do recommend…read morestopping and getting a bite.

Enjoyed everything about this restaurant! It is conveniently located in the middle of the hotel…read morewith the most spectacular view specially at night! We came for breakfast and dinner and loved everything. For breakfast we had the the chilaquiles with the morning juice. Kids hand pancakes and the special cinnamon roll (only 3 made a day) The Cinnabon was a little dry on the edges, not so sweet. Everything else was good. Dinner at the Oak was my favorite. First night we had catch of the day- branzino. This was 10/10. So flavorful! The tortilla soup 4/10 Kids had the salmon plate ( came with mashed P and broccoli), and the Mac and cheese. It was great! They finished everything. Service was some what slow however everyone was so nice!

Location: Amazing. The restaurant is out in front of the golf course so you have amazing views. Was…read morehoping for a slightly earlier dinner time (no reservation) but when we arrived at 6:30, we were told the next opening was at 7:30. This ended up working out because we had two drinks and sat out at the little fire pits on the lawn and enjoyed those. There were tons of families with kids there for Easter weekend and all the kids were making s'mores at the fire pit, which was cute to watch. We were notified our table was ready at 7:25 which was nice that it wasn't later. We sat down at a table that wasn't directly under a heater and after a few minutes asked the busser if we could switch to the table next-door. He obliged and moved us to the new table and turned the heater on. We were at the front of the patio and had a gorgeous view, again out over the golf course. The staff were all fantastic. From the hostesses to bussers to wait staff, everyone was highly attentive. Ok well all that is 5 stars for sure, but on to the food. Bread and butter were tasty, the rosemary butter was awesome. Our stomachs were a little bigger than their eyes and we ordered two entrées and FOUR sides. Lamb chops and Rib-eye were both cooked perfection but didn't blow me out of the water (especially for the price). The mashed potatoes were my favorite, perfectly seasoned and buttery smooth. Broccolini was also cooked perfectly, the lemon garnish helped to bring out a little flavor, but I do think it could've used something else, a little pepper or some Parmesan. The Mac N Cheese was good but mild for my taste. A little more of the crumb topping or a dash of salt and pepper would've helped make it pop a little more. Then there was the one big miss, which was the mustard greens. I feel like I've had them before, but I've certainly had many other types of similar greens and they had one single flavor which was extreme bitterness. It was just completely devoid of any other seasoning, salt, acid, SOMETHING, although with how better it was, I'm not sure much could be done. I just can't imagine that was the way it was intended to taste. For dessert, we had the old-fashioned doughnut bread pudding, which had a delicious marionberry ice cream on top and a sharp lemon blueberry compote on the side. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I definitely return to celebrate a special experience although I'd probably be a little more selective on some of my food choices next time.

Little Sama Ojai!…read more Took the wife here thinking to share a dish and order small things before the drive back to the OC. Oh we left filled! Located inside the Topa Topa Brewing Company, as soon as you walk in you will see the tap bar, to the left you'll see where you place your order for Little Sama, even more to the left is the food menu. It was very tempting to try a beer from Topa Topa since it was our first time at both these locations, but also our first time in Ojai, but man the heat destroyed me (when does it not) and I knew the beer would just make me even more hot and bloated too. We were at the location on a Thursday late afternoon, not too many people, few people coming in and getting either their after work brew or shoot maybe one before their shift starts. It was happy hour for Little Sama which we took advantage with one of the dishes which I will discuss in a bit. Plenty of seating inside and outside, as well as two unisex bathrooms, to the right side of the bar. The girl working was very helpful on giving us good recommendations which we went with: Okonomiyaki Tots (Happy Hour Item) - Now most places when they have happy hour and these items are on there, its usually like half the portion or something, they gave us a lot, so I am curious what does the non-happy hour order look like. One thing for sure is I am super glad they gave us this much because these were bomb and dangerous. The tater tots were fried perfectly that it held its crunch even with the Okonomi Sauce and kewpie mayo. I usually don't care for pickled cabbage but that perfectly balanced the whole dish that I found myself poking the cabbage and spinning it like spaghetti, then making sure it stays in place by capping it with two tots. Damn delish! Korean Fried Cauliflower - This is to this date, the best fried cauliflower dish I have had, actually lets expand that to the best cauliflower dish I have had. Again perfectly fried where you had a little bit of a crunch but still had the nice pillow-whe feel of the cauliflower. That sauce though! It was so damn good I obviously finished the dish, but at the end my fat boy habits came out and I scraped the whole plate so all the sauce would combine again so I could use the last of the two cauliflower and drench em down! Can I get this some how over here to the OC PLEASE! Top Sirloin Katsu Sando - I don't know how they did this not only were they keeping the crisp of the sandwich along with the katsu, they didn't clash to where it was just to crunchy, they blended so well together. That miso garlic cabbage slaw just really put everything together into just a umami explosion in the mouth. The Krupuk chips were delicious, I was going to knock a star off my review because either they weren't fried all the way or maybe that could just be the chip themselves, but do check your chips, sometimes in the center is a very hard part while surrounding it is the regular chip like texture. The wife bit into it and the shock of not expecting that hard texture, irritated that side of the jaw for a bit. In conclusion as mentioned above I started off with a 4 star review because of the chip, but that was the only thing. I just think putting out that delicious food, having one of those dishes being the best I have had, it deserved a 5 star from me. Imagine enjoying the beer which without a doubt would have some that pair nicely with each dish! This restaurant will be one of those ones that will make it hard to try anything else in Ojai. Why? Being our first time in Ojai, it is hard to say when is the next time we will return, but when we do, why would I try any other place out when I can finally try this place again! Feast Well Fellow Yelpers! Kaizokuō Ni Ore Wa Naru! - Taicho

Great food options, especially when paired with bevvies from Topa topa. You order at the counter…read moreand they'll buzz you when food is ready. 5/5 tater tots, perfectly fried and seasoned 5/5 pork katsu sandwich, good balance of bread, pork, and cabbage 4/5 Vietnamese noodle salad, felt healthy and satiated after a big bowl of veggies, chicken, and noodles. The rice noodles could've been one smidge softer I've had the wings and karaage chicken before and those dishes are also nicely done.

This is the last place I would expect to eat the best burger! It was so tasty! How did they figure…read moreout to cook fresh meat, never frozen? It tasted better than others, by far. We came based upon the reviews. It did not disappoint. The local community enjoys this establishment. They were friendly to us, our server was talkative, and recommended places to see during our stay. The burgers and fries were out of this world. The beer selection is great. After trying my bf's French fries, I kinda wished I didn't get the burger and salad. Oh well. No wait. Fast service. Tasty food. Excellent prices. $-$$

We've been going to OBC for 3 years. Sometimes we get food to go, other times we eat there... in…read morethe side room dining area. We have always found both the food and service to be very good; tasty bar food! They have an excellent selection of draft beers as well as liquors. They even offer flights of bourbons! No TVs so be prepared to have conversations!!

Foodie Alert! Joplin's Ojai is a Masterclass of Fire, Smoke and Flavor…read more Some restaurants serve food. Others tell a story. Joplin's does both. BBQ seems an understatement. Saw, the chef-owner, was raised in Burma with an Indian father and it seems as if he was blessed with an instinctive understanding of spice and flavor. His culinary journey includes 4 years at Tallula, (Mexican) in Santa Monica and today he's creating something uniquely his own in Ojai. Open-Fire BBQ with an artist's touch that makes even cornbread elevated. I promise- you'll be a fan too. The spiced compound butter with honey and flaked salt takes this dish over the top. I ordered the Smoked half chicken with lemongrass curry and rice. The meat was perfectly tender and smoked and complimented by the fabulous curry sauce. I wanted to lick the plate- it was that good. We shared the pulled pork with tamarind BBQ sauce and it too was a flavor bomb. The tamarind sauce was both Smokey, a tad spicy and just enough sweet to balance it. As sides we shared the beans and the garlic slaw. Each dish had its own garnish and flavor surprise in my mouth. Both were delicious. I can't say enough about the food other than -Do yourself a favor and eat at Joplin's. The setting is equally inviting with a charming outside patio with plenty of shade and Mountain Views. It's an ideal spot to linger over lunch. The indoor dining room is dark and dramatic with the bold rock-n-roll soundtrack playing in the background. The front of the restaurant is run by Saw's wife and you order before you're seated. They are gracious hosts and the service is good but remember- they are busy. Be patient and take your time to enjoy your flavor experience.

Disappointing experience. We stopped here after visiting a local art gallery and decided to share…read morethe pork ribs and cucumber salad. When we asked the server for a recommendation between the beef and pork ribs, she gave a vague answer about both being "bone-licking good," which wasn't helpful. The food itself was a major letdown. The portion was tiny (just three small pieces of ribs) and the meat was undercooked, greasy, and mostly fat. The cucumber salad was essentially a strange-tasting cucumber soup filled with soggy cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Glad we only ordered one dish to share, because this definitely ruined my appetite for ribs!

So, felt like a short drive. My posse (most of them today, some were MIA)...drove up to Ojai and…read morewhoa!-Music Festival and Pottery Festival going on. Traffic all around but we did get out and walk around. Someone said, "I'm hungry, anyone else?"...Of course they were obliged by ALLLL of us! We decided to walk a few blocks from the crowds, came upon Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill + the cantina. We went in and ordered. The service was very good and a few of us saved a large booth as the others went next door to the cantina...there was a good number of folks in there already eating...some locals, you can just tell-made me feel better. Our food arrived: Smash burger I had ordered was great. The pickles as someone else mentioned were a very tasty yet the meat flavor was still there. A chicken burger, some tacos, and some buffalo wings, fries..Cold beer(it was a warm afternoon)-rounded off the 'posse' order. Everything was very good. Jim & Rob's serves some very tasty food. Nothing pretentious, just down right good food. I will stop back in next time I am in Ojai-good food.

The New Philly Smashburger they added to the menu was not available on the online order portal so…read morewe had to go in and order and wait. Hopefully they can get that updated soon. I asked for no pico-de-gallo on my alota tostada, but it was on there. The food is generally bland, but in the best way. They don't go over the top. It's simple flavors which is how I like it. It sits easily in the tummy. This place is for a comfort Mexican meal. Not the fancier foo-foo style you might expect at a destination restaurant. That's why this place is a go-to for the local crowd.

This little bar and grill sits in the middle of the golf course. Ojai is lovely overall but the…read moresetting here is particularly nice. Sort of like a big lodge with trees all around. We started with bloody marys which were pretty good. Then ordered late breakfast. Everything was fine, kinda hard to mess up breakfast. However, the eggs were very strange. I had scrambled and they were a weird texture. Almost gritty. Not sure what was going on there. But the potatoes were good. Service was good, the bartender was nice. (We sat at the bar.) And it was a nice stroll back to the hotel.

Drinks & atmosphere on the deck outside are stellar. Burger was nearly burnt.. & took a long time…read more I'll have eaten twice inside & was very unimpressed. So my recommendation is go for drinks on the patio!

An interesting attempt at being creative. I would call it a strange experience…read more Picture walking into a beautiful Japanese inspired garden that's been there for many many years, bamboo and lush gardens, and sitting down for an elegant meal. Then the music is turned on and I'd call it 1960 English rock mixed in with other genres from all over, a little too loud and not really be fitting of the environment. We mentioned it to the waiter and he said it's the chef's jam so to speak. The food was certainly adventuresome. It just missed the mark too often. Either a bit too acidic or a bit off on a funny flavor profile, or in the case of the tuna really inedible as it was very tough. When all 4 ppl leave most of it, you'd think the server(s) would inquire but they just cleared the plates as if it were normal. I really hope the restaurant makes it and of course being a prefix menu we might just have been in on an off night. The plating was beautiful. The dishes were beautiful and unique. There was certainly thought put into it and the service was very nice and attentive. Wine pairing was nice and generous. If you do go here, it's worth adding it on as an option. Overall It just missed on too many flavor profiles that didn't quite go together. They do say the chef likes to combine all types of different cuisines and he certainly did that. I'm just don't know if they blended well. I probably would give it a 3 1/2 if that were possible.

Beautiful Setting, but the Experience Misses the Mark…read more We were excited to dine here and enjoy dinner in the garden. From the moment we arrived, though, the atmosphere felt off. You walk into a peaceful, charming space only to be hit with loud punk rock music. It was jarring. We thought it must be a mistake. We love music, but this didn't fit the setting--it drowned out conversation and clashed with what should have been a serene dining experience. When we politely asked if the volume could be turned down, our server explained that it was the chef's personal playlist and he'd need permission to adjust it. For a restaurant charging $200 for dinner, that's disappointing. The server later returned to tell us it had already been turned down earlier because another guest had complained. In other words, it would stay as is. It sent the message that the chef values his own preferences over his guests' comfort. To be clear, the servers were wonderful. They spoke passionately about the history of the property and described each dish in impressive detail. It was obvious they were trying to bring the chef's vision to life. They were warm and professional, even when it was clear their hands were tied. The drink menu was another miss. Plenty of bottle options, but few local wines by the glass--a surprise in the heart of wine country. My partner ordered a Manhattan, only to be told the chef doesn't allow it. That's a first for us. It added to the feeling that this place is about control, not hospitality. As for the food: some dishes were inventive and delicious, others fell flat. There's creativity, but at this price point, the experience still feels uneven. We both agreed that if we hadn't prepaid, we would have left soon after sitting down. The music made it nearly impossible to relax, and we honestly couldn't wait to get out of there. We were told the chef is aiming for a Michelin-star experience, but after dining at Caruso's the night before, this restaurant has a long way to go. Caruso's delivered exceptional service and food, but more importantly, made every guest feel valued. Here, we felt more like intruders in someone else's artistic experiment. The setting and history are beautiful, and I genuinely wish them success. But the chef's attitude--toward both guests and staff--suggests he's not ready to take real feedback. When he asked how our meal was as we were leaving (after paying), it felt more like a formality than genuine curiosity. In short: stunning venue, talented servers, flashes of culinary creativity--but an overall experience built for the chef, not the diner.