Poor customer service, wouldn't let us move from the bar with our food to a empty patio table, claimed it was reserved after we sat down after the last person was done eating and left the patio table. Thank you so much for the Yikes!.. condescending response below from the business owner just like his disinterest as he was serving non-locals in the bar the day we visited. read more

My family and I have been here several times, and not one thing has ever been memorable, except for strong cocktails, which is probably why the bar is always full of locals. The food is okay. The service is spotty. The view is good of course. It seems from recalling our prior meals and my most recent that the staff all seem to care more about giving good service to the locals that patronize this restaurant. We didn't get bad service by any means, it's just you can tell whom received attention and who didn't. I really hate asking for the basics, like napkins, silverware, refills on water, a clean wine glass for wine...but we had to ask for each one of those things throughout our meal. The most entertaining thing about our meal was watching the bartender play literal grab ass with one of the servers all night. I guess they're a couple? But save the kissing and ass spanking for after you punch out. I do see how the gentleman that responds to the reviews seems to enjoy responding; but that doesn't make your food any better or the service any more attentive. I'd come here again if every other close restaurant was closed or booked up read more

Today was a beautiful day in Cayucos and Schooner's was the best place to be. My favorite Calamari appetizer and Nachos were exceptional! The service is always great! I would rate it a 10+ but the cocktails were lacking. Highly recommend! read more

We came here partially out of desperation. We had wanted to try another restaurant in town, but they told us to expect a 45 minute wait to be seated... Even though their place was almost completely empty. Go figure. It was their loss, as we walked down the street and found Schooners. For starters, this place is right on the beach and offered a great perch to enjoy the lovely Central Coast sunset. I also appreciated their wine list, which is full of SLO area wines. I opted for a local Chardonnay, and I wasn't disappointed. I also wasn't disappointed with the food. After we were served some warm bread with butter, I got a full plate of seafood pasta. It may not have been the prettiest dish, but it was full of great flavor. I particularly enjoyed the sweet scallops and succulent shrimp, and the tomato cream sauce did the job in bringing everything together. Schooners wasn't my original choice for a nice dinner in Cayucos, but it became one of those "beautiful accidents" that actually worked out in my favor. Not only did we get to savor the sunset from the lovely upstairs patio, but we also savored some good grub in a friendly environment. read more

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I love this place. Been here a couple times and the food is great. For appetizers I Recommend the calamari trips and for dinner I recommend the halibut with garlic sauce. You also get an amazing view of the beach and waves. I forgot to mention the service is amazing and the waitresses are wonderful. What else could you want. read more

Updated: we have been back multiple times since I first posted and it's been great each time. The food is much better, the service has been great, and you can never knock this location. The ambiance is perfect for this beach town. read more

Local. Convenient. Mixed drinks were okay, wouldn't say the greatest tasting. Good food selection. Very accommodating for big parties that I showed up with. read more

Wanted to eat here because I heard great things about their crabcakes and my wife wanted to try them. I looked at the salads there was a salmon salad and a tuna salad both were $18 I decided I wanted to salmon on the tuna bed but since the chef did not like doing that they charge me $5 more. seems like a silly way to impress a new customer Thank you for your response. I did not realize Salmon was so much more expensive that the Ahi. That hsd not been my experience in my past dining experiences at other establishments. You are correct in that the waitress was pleasant and the atmosphere is nice. So if price was the only reason for the change, I should be more accepting. However, to be honest, that was not the reason given and I think it was an invalid approach to the request. Steve read more

Great music, great ambiance, good food and friendly service. It was a little late at night, but the full menu was still asvailable.

Should've read the yelp reviews before we went. This is a greasy, run down tourist trap that only exists because of it's location on Hwy 1. Ugh, our party of six tried different items, all six completely disappointing. Service poor, management was clueless... Avoid. read more

I really wanted to love this place but eh... The wait was over an hour but it was fine we waited patiently. Hostess was kind. They were out of the drink my daughter wanted (hot chocolate) ,my chicken was refrigerator cold on my bbq salad :( The waitress was sweet and quickly corrected it and brought me out a side of warm chicken. Egg rolls were delicious. We asked for sweetener and there were opened used sweetener trash in the holder (Covid) The fish was delicious. read more

Beautiful view, must try the jalapeño martini and the other drinks won't disappoint. I always split a couple of appetizers and maybe a main course or two. read more

We said at one of the "fire tables" which had a fire pit in the middle. The evening was cool and we were able to enjoy our meal around this warm and cozy environment. Everything was delicious. But then I think everything taste better when it's eaten outside read more

Great upstairs patio that overlooks the beach! The service, our hostess Michele, over estimated the wait time and came and grabbed us in mere minutes!! Then we met Jack our server who was on it! And they have awesome blood Mary's! In fact I had 2 because I could!! And then the food! The halibut fish and chips (we subbed onion rings for an up charge of $2) were a little too greasy but were super light and tasty!! And the hubby had a burger, which was amazing looking and he loved it served with their hole made fries which were awesome!! So what a nice spot to sit and chill on a Sunday! read more

In LOVE!! Super cute patio right on the water and attentive wait staff. The food was actually more than I could have hoped for! Fresh, clean, thoughtful, and delicious. We will definitely be stopping by again the next time we are down south. The ceviche was my favorite. This is a must try for foodies. read more

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Stopped in today for lunch. Got there when they opened since we were worried about Omicron. We and the server wore masks but the customers that came in after us either didn't or immediately removed them when they were seated on the upper deck with us. Food was average or below, basically unremarkable. Felt uncomfortable by the end and just wanted out, especially since food wasn't compelling enough to risk getting sick. Hope we don't. read more

This restaurant is much smaller than it appears to be when you look at the photos on yelp. Even though, it is seafaring stylish and has great food. The four of us ordered the Alaskan cod with battered fries. Delicious. As we are sitting eating we saw several plates come out for other tables that were piled high with food. Very generous servings as well as great service makes this restaurant someplace we would definitely stop again. read more

Schooners - Alaskan cod with battered fries. - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

Always great....so many fond memories of this spot, and on a clear day absolutely beautiful!

This Restaurant exceeded our expectations. I felt the staff was quite friendly and professional. Portions were generous, and everything was perfectly prepared . On tap beer selection was extensive. The sea bass was excellent. Nice views, Literally steps from the beach! read more

The steak was cold and chewy, and half of it was fat, and just NO seasoning on it, the grilled lobster was chewy too, and the mashed potatoes was alright but I do not recommend read more

This place is charming and simple. Like me. Except charming. I love Cayucos, even though it sounds like some type of nasal infection. It's a laid back, family and pet friendly beach. There's even a couple nice play structures right on the beach. The only complaint I have about the town is the turd burger kids who come to play Baywatch Junior Lifeguards sitting on the stairs and under the play structures so nobody can use them and basically just being inconsiderate sacks of garbage-packed human flesh. But back to Schooners.... I'm not a local, but I come here at least a few times a year. Dinner at Schooners is always how we finish off the day, and may be the part I look forward to the most. Like the general atmosphere of Cayucos, Schooners is laid back and casual. There may be seating elsewhere but we always sit upstairs in their fairly small outdoor dining area. It's quaint and casual, and off to one side is the bar, which is a rusty metal shack, for lack of a better term. The staff always dresses very nice, but the clientele is always casual, so don't sweat coming straight from the beach. A gal who thought she was Jessica Rabbit walked in during our most recent visit and looked laughably out of place. The food, like the atmosphere, is also simple. They have steak and fancy sounding things, but I generally stick to the burgers, fish and chips, clam chowder, etc. and I've never been disappointed. This time I got their BBQ burger with fries. The burger and bacon was a little over done, which is unusual. The fries were outstanding as always. I also got a "cup" of clam chowder. It says it's an 8oz bowl on the menu. I don't like calling people liars, but I'm pretty sure it's bigger than that. My son got the fish and chips. The fish was cooked perfectly...moist but not soggy. My daughter got the chicken strips, which were like you'd expect. Both wanted hot chocolate. Our waitress did a great job with the kids hot chocolate. She mixed in some ice, making it the perfect luke-warm chocolate to accommodate kids whose mouths haven't been scalded numerous times by overhot coffee and who don't know how to sip. My wife got some sort of salad. Gross. But she said it was good. If you're looking for a fancy pants dining place, where you can eat food that looks like some sort of weird food art, where you can dress in your finery and look down your nose at people, this isn't it. But if you're looking for great, casual ambience, friendly and attentive service, a great view and, in my opinion, the best restaurant by the beach in Cayucos, Schooners is a solid choice. If you can get there at the right time to watch the sunset, it makes it even better. read more

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My family truly enjoyed our dining experience!! We were greeted with ice water and had a lovely view of the ocean!! While waiting to order we had our first whale sighting! We shared the chicken nachos as an appetizer and the complimentary sour dough rolls were amazing! I had crab cakes and a side of garlic mashed potatoes and they were both yummy! My husband enjoyed the cowboy burger and fries, my youngest ordered the mac and cheese on the kids menu and we were so happy to see that it was real homemade mac and cheese! The girls enjoyed salads and were also very pleased! Our waiter was friendly and attentive! We will definitely plan to visit again! read more

This place is a gem. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. During our weekend trip we visited three times - dinner one day, afternoon cocktail, then later for dinner and drinks. The staff was helpful with the menu and drinks were always perfect. We had the chowder, halibut & chips, calamari & chips on our first visit and it was fantastic - the chowder is perfectly buttery and chunky, We had the halibut and horseradish crusted ahi and they were just right, perfect portion and just the right punch of flavor. The team on staff this weekend was courteous and fun. We sat in the upstairs area each visit and it was a great element. I would highly recommend Schooners! read more

Drove 45 minutes to have dinner here to celebrate a friends birthday. Hostess was nowhere to be found for about 5 minutes. We were sat upstairs in a table closest to the viewing area, outside. We ordered 3 glasses of wine and then ordered our main entrees. We ordered the crab cakes, the grilled salmon ceasar, and the wild caught fish, salmon, at market price. All of our dishes were delicious. Fish was very tasteful with the appropriate sauces for each dish. The corn relish with the crab cakes was paired perfectly. There were some mistakes with our order but it was fixed immediately. Dinner was actually very nice with great food and a beautiful view, service was good also. We were given our bill and we paid immediately. As we sat finishing our drinks, the hostess, Mia, requested that we get our drinks and move to the bar. Bar was crowded and loud. She stated that there was a reservation for our table. This was not expressed to us when we 1st sat down. As I visit places to review, I make notes throughout my meal. This restaurant had 5 stars until Mia told us to move on. She made me feel that since we had eaten and paid, it was time for us to move on. Well, we hadn't even discussed dessert but we sure did want more wine. This was a bit humiliating to my guests and myself. I loved the food here but because of how this was handled, I will not return. This could have been handled more appropriately. read more

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A very busy and popular restaurant, we waited patiently for our food along with plenty of other people. Thank goodness for the ocean view! Once we received our food we walked back to our hotel and distributed the food. Their fries and ketchup were delicious as well as their burger patties, unfortunately they forgot the cheese on my cheeseburger. That seemed to be the only hiccup in the order, but other than that it was perfect. The hamburger combo only comes with fries (no drink) and they offer alcohol to-go in Mason jars. Expect to wait 15-20 minutes for your food, perhaps longer around dinner time. It was a pleasant experience with delicious food my family loved! read more

Atmosphere is cool if you can get upstairs. Mai tais are delicious and a fun treat. But don't ask for anything special. The answer is no. A party of six? Nah, we don't want your business. Can we sit apart with separate check? Nah, we don't want your business. Food mediocre. Service spotty and they have a very "I don't like you attitude and, also, we don't care". So, if you can call out to your waiter for service as they walk by, you may get help. Otherwise, skip it. Go somewhere where they try. read more

Service has been declining every time I visit. Our waitress disappeared for 30 mins after seated after waiting an hour to be seated and said there was a mixup in the kitchen, another server ignored us when we shouted excuse me to get his attention when he passed, to see if he can flag our server down. Second time dining here, and same treatment, thought we would give this place another chance to see if things were different but not. read more

Willing to wait the 45 minutes required for a table but was told to check out the full service bar. Treated so rudely by the host/manager whatever he is. Disappointing how rude business's are these days. I think tourism keeps you alive so have some respect Update- thank you for your response. Basically I wasn't upset that I got asked to wait in the bar. I was upset that this guy chases me out of the bar. In terms of swooning over him, I don't see it at all. Basically, common basic respect is all I was expecting. Don't think I would ever go here again. read more

As a local this experience was disappointing. The hostess was noticeably rude when seating us. We waited at the very least 20 minutes, which I get it servers can get slammed. However 20 minutes is slightly unacceptable. Our sever was either unaware of this or indifferent. Once our food and drinks arrived I noticed the cilantro lime dressing was gel like and seemed spoiled. This is the first Yelp review I've written so I promise I'm not a Karen, but it was a bummer of an experience. On a positive notice the view from the restaurant was beautiful. And the blonde server was super helpful, upbeat and positive! read more

It's a whole experience. If you want that good groove, good food, good drinks good vibes kinda place with a view, you need to head to Schooners. We went 3 times in 2 days, it was that, well, good. (I'm apparently not well versed in adjectives). Truly enjoyed ourselves. The vibe: They have a full bar, a patio with a view, and a solid music selection. Inside the bar makes you wish you were a local, there are stories in the nautical decor, and you picture yourself coming off a fishing operation to grab a pint. It's moody, but in a good way. Watching the light dance off the water while you're in a dark bar is something you need in your life. Also. If you've got a bucket list idea, let them know. They've got a collage of brass plates filled with bucket list ideas that make you want to take adventures. Mine was line dancing on the moon, but their large ship helm turned chandelier is also on that list of potential dancing spots. Service: Staff was more than attentive, polite, and fun to interact with. Our bartenders were chill, but they hustled (We came back just to imbibe in the bar and witness the interactions with the plethora of patrons. From cowboys to bridal parties, lovers on a weekend, families with toddlers indulging on oyster crackers, everyone was enjoying the atmosphere, I can say, it was fantastic) Food: The chowder is buttery, the halibut is flaky, (had both the battered and seared menu options) the fries were perfect--crispy outside, melt in your mouth inside, my seasonal vegetables were indeed a medley well received. Drinks: Bloody Mary was just right, spicy, yet smoky. The Allagash on tap was like uttering a magic word. I expected a rabbit to jump out of a hat, but hey, they can't do everything, I suppose. Whether you want family friendly, or night out with friends, they've got ya covered. Looking forward to our next trip to the central coast to experience another round. Cheers! read more

Best bar and restaurant in Cayucos, especially for late night. Mr T, Brendan and the whole staff always take great care of you at the bar and the food is super good too read more

We arrived and there was not an open table which I was upset about so sat in the bar which ended up being the best experience ever!!! The bar tender who was the best at bar tending and serving was very personable and a very good bar tender and server with a pact bar!!! we will be back read more

only gettin one star due to not being able to give 0. cold food, horrible service, burnt food, no refills waitress ask if something was wrong cause the plate was still full of food / a whole crispy steak we laughed and said it was horrible and burnt she replies with I'm trying, whatever that meant spoke to 4 different employees to try to get our card back, with absolutely ZERO help from them took 45 minutes to get our card back only to find out they charged us for another tables meal also. Went to ask why we're still waitin for our card and the waitress was cleaning off tables outside, lmao Nevermind us just sitting here with our kids trying to go home, WHAT AN ABSOLUTE JOKE , LMAO read more

Stayed the weekend in Cayucos and had dinner at Schooners; had a very enjoyable time and dinner. Service and food was spot on and the ambiance was great! read more

Came here with my family for my birthday lunch. They told us it'd be 45 minutes, and they'd call us when a table was ready. Hostess wasn't very friendly. No big deal. We ordered some drinks and fries at the to-go window while we waited. We watched them sit people that came after us. We decided to just go walk around while we waited for their phone call. Long story short, they NEVER called us, so we went to Duckies and gave them our money instead. Giving two stars because the fries were good. Super rude. read more

Always look forward to coming back to this local haunt. Never disappoints. Great views. Great food. Great service. read more

Schooners - Best Mai Tai and Bloody Mary! - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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One of the best meals my family has ever had. We have dined at high end restaurants all over the world and didn't expect more than an average experience at Schooners, a small restaurant in a tiny central coast California town. We were more than pleasantly surprised. Service was prompt, pleasant and attentive. The cold heat martinis made with cucumber and jalapeños were amazingly good. Then came the food. Ahi sashimi was very nice, but the spicy Cole slaw stole its thunder. Absolutely amazing. My wife ordered the lobster tail with croquettes. Lobster was well seasoned, not just boiled, and cooked perfectly. She only let me have one bite (can't blame her!) and I must say it was the most perfect lobster I've ever had. The croquettes were excellent. Crispy and deliciously moist. I had the cioppino. Having previous experienced the cioppino at Fior d'Italia, the oldest Italian restaurant in San Francisco, which was amazingly good, I was blown away by Schooners' version. The broth was incredible, the garlic bread perfect, half a snow crab, three giant prawns, several smaller shrimp, excellent clams and whitefish. Truly the best I have ever had. Some reviews here reflect on poor service and mediocre food. Perhaps they are true. We went on a Sunday night for my wife's birthday and couldn't be happier with our experience. read more

Great place for seafood. Fish and chips are delicious but the steamed clams was my favorite.

Called ahead of time and the waitress assured me we could watch the Broncos on one of 3 TVs in the bar. Got there and the bartender changed the channel and looked at me and said, "Sorry, we're full," in a snide way. The bar wasnt full actually. He was just very rude. We have eaten here before and it's quite popular, but the food isn't great and the bartender ruined it for us. Go to Sea Shanty for great food and beat service. Go to the saloon for beer. This place is overrated. read more

I had the best fish(halibut) and chips!!! Lightly battered and fish was super juicy and fresh tasting!!! I'll be coming back!!! :) read more