We were in town for a little getaway last month and before we even checked into the motel, we stopped in for a drink right next to the beach. Their ambiance is great, which goes along with the great service. Everyone was helpful & attentive, plus we could see the beach even from the downstairs (but outdoor) bar. The drinks were delicious if a bit pricy. But that's getting harder & harder to avoid these days. The main reason for only 3 stars is the food was just so bad. And at the price, it should have at least been acceptable. My spouse had the black & blue burger because he's a burger guy. He said it was the driest burger he'd ever had. And his onion rings, which were an upcharge, were under fried & not crispy. I had the schooners tacos with salmon. I will say, they did not skimp on the amount of salmon in each taco. Unfortunately it was completely overcooked and dry as a desert. The salsa they serve with it mostly tastes like tomato sauce with some nondescript heat but it at least helped bring some moisture to the tacos so I could swallow each bite. Beans & rice were pretty bland as well. Really disappointing for a place right next to the ocean. We went back 2 days later and just had beers & it was a fantastic time. I just don't think this place is worth spending money on the food. read more

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Great dog friendly outdoor eating area. Also had a wonderful table with amazing view of the sunset. It was magical. Love the raw oysters and steamers and fish and chips. Great service. This is a fun venue and often they has live music. read more

I go to Cayucos quite often & usually go to the Sea Shanty for lunch when I visit, sometimes with a group of people. Friday May 8th I thought I'd try schooners I pulled up to restaurant & called in to go order abt 2:30 pm the end of lunch.I thought it odd she said about 5 min. I ordered a cheeseburger & fish & salad. I got the order in about 5-7 minutes My husband & I took it around the block (not even a qtr mi away) to the beach.We were shocked the hamburger was burnt & dry . No condiments whatsoever. No fork & the fish was soggy. It was like that order had been sitting there for hours. Very disapointed. Will never go back .Ill stick with Sea Shawty. read more

I really don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, especially when the atmosphere and service are genuinely lovely. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite meet expectations during our visit. The vibe was great and the staff was attentive, kind, and very apologetic when issues arose, which I truly appreciated. We tried the Lobster Mac, which is noted as a fan favorite. While the portion was generous--especially the shrimp--for my taste, it was a bit too much seafood and not enough of that rich, creamy mac and cheese comfort. The pasta was overcooked and a little watery, and the lobster itself was slightly overdone. We also ordered the halibut with Thai slaw, requesting the fish medium rare, but it arrived well-done and unfortunately, not something we could enjoy even after they attempted to remake the halibut. Yes the server kindly removed the halibut from the bill. I really wanted to love the experience, and I hope this was just an off night. With such a welcoming team and great ambiance, I'd be willing to give it another try in the future. read more

Great food and service. We had the calamari, Cioppino, and the lobster tail dinner. All of them were fantastic! We also had 2 Cadillac margaritas and a Mai Tai from the bar. I really recommend this place for anyone looking for a great meal, drinks and view of the pier. read more

It has been 11 years since I have been to Schooners and it was amazing! We ordered the calamari and oysters as an appetizer and they arrived to our table quickly. The calamari was delicious and you had your choice of tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. They did not skimp on the amount they served. The oysters were amazing. They were accompanied by cocktail sauce and horseradish. My mother in law ordered the lunch special which was fish tacos. She loved them. My husband ordered the shrimp and chips and the shrimp were large and tasty. We definitely will be back hopefully sooner than eleven years. read more

Schooners is one of those places that's just easy to love. The calamari is always crisp, the ahi with wasabi mashed potatoes is a favorite, and the halibut slaw is another go to. Live music gives the place such a great energy, especially on busy nights. The bartenders really make the experience too--Taylor, Jenna, and Laura are all wonderful and make you feel right at home. read more

We waited at the hostess stand for over 5 minutes when someone finally arrived. I figured they were busy and was fine with that. She told us it would be a 20 minute wait which again would be fine. Everyone wants to sit and look at the ocean but I noticed the inside area had many open tables. When I asked if that was available sooner she said, "like I said 20 minutes." We have been there many times but won't be going back after that. read more

Just went this past weekend to celebrate my anniversary. Ordered couple draft beers, and the calamari appetizer to start. The calamari melts in your mouth. It is so good. It taste like it is so fresh. It has an amazing batter/breading on it. We also ordered the jumbo prawns from the lunch menu. I was a little disappointed because I didn't feel like they had a lot of flavor. They tasted pretty bland. Also, the waitress took forever with everything we ordered. Then she disappeared for like 20 minutes, but they have such a hard-working bus boy who was very attentive to everyone while the waitress was gone! It's amazing to sit on their patio with good weather and see the ocean. I would go again just wouldn't order the prawns. read more

Schooners - Jumbo Prawns - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

This place is amazing! Wonderful food and great service! Come give them a try! You won't be disappointed!

Sat down at the table and waiter brought out chips and salsa. Thought it was complimentary turns out it was for the table next to us. We had set it down on the side and then another waiter came up and took it from our table (after we had eaten off it) and said oh that's not yours and set it on the table beside us, didn't even check if we had touched it. Obviously the ladies beside us had seen everything and informed the waiter who then took it away. read more

We've been here three times now. The view from the upstairs dining is amazing. The servers are excellent. We get fish and chips or fish tacos- always good. This evening I got the catch of the day - rockfish- it was good but sadly it was 90% bread. I didn't realize it was a sandwich when I ordered. I would not recommend this due to the minuscule pieces of fish. I'll stick with fish and chips or ahi fish tacos. read more

Schooners - The view - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

We made same day reservations on 9-13-25 for 5:30. Had a couple of drinks at the bar before being seated. We got lucky and were seated upstairs by the window Beautiful view. A reggae band was playing. Super cool chill vibes. Ordered: crab cakes, NY steak and 10 oz lobster, carrot cake . Everything was yummy and perfect. The hostest was super sweet and attentive and so was our server. Loved and enjoyed my birthday dinner. read more

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I am a licensed ice cream man in the city of CAYUCOS. I was selling ice cream at the 150 year anniversary of Cayucos. I stopped to take a break and have a refreshment at Schooners. I parked my ice cream trike at the public bike parking area. I was enjoying the day when this manager owner ego maniac says I can't be there. He the takes my drink and walks away. This Pompas no situational awareness of what is actually going on. I usually eat lunch twice a month at schoolers. I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. You owe me a drink. Secondly in the small town that we live we need to take care of the merchants, promote them and help each other survive. Get your act together. read more

Thanks for replying-Patrick/business owner. I've worked in bars and restaurants myself and other customer service jobs. It was quite obvious that my friend and I were intruding or the bartender was having a bad day. I can't read minds. There wasn't any greeting, smile or anything that made us feel welcome whatsoever. I don't expect much actually. Not into small talk but just something....I've noticed it at other bars when someone doesn't think I'm local they treat me differently. Sorry...I don't go to the same bar every single day...or any bar every single day. Oh well. Just an observation. I ate food on the patio before and that was fine. My friend said what I was thinking and mentioned it before I even told him what I was thinking. We stayed because we talked to some nice customers and the view was great but I don't think the bartender cared either way. Do what you want with the info. I guess you're always going to be busy and don't care about losing some customers- that's fine. I have places closer to me that welcome me and appreciate my business. read more

Excellent service food is amazing. View is perfect. Why say no. Definitely going back next time we're in town.

Food was great! Tasted amazing and came in a great timely manner! The service was really nice and welcoming! Always checking on us to see how we were doing, or if we needed anything else! The scenery was splendid! Would come back anytime we visit again! read more

Schooners - Seating, view, tables - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

Was here on a Monday. Food lacked flavor. Ordered the ceviche, guac, & chips. Had to wait a while and ask someone else for hot sauce and lime- at that point my chips were getting soggy. I got two tiny slices of lime that were pretty dry. It's disappointing that the ceviche had no citrus flavor like it should. And not enough chips. Otherwise the view was nice. I've had other good experiences here and other dishes that I enjoyed. This time just wasn't it. read more

Schooners - The view from my seat @ schooners Forgot to take a picture of my ceviche. - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

FOOD: lets begin with the understanding that tastebuds differentiate from one person to the next, some people have fewer, even larger tastebuds while others have many more smaller tastebuds, making it difficult to say that someone else will agree with my PERSONAL assessment. Nevertheless, the New England Clam Chowder was too salty for my taste (I did send the chowder back and I was given a full refund for it) aside from that, the Calamari and Halibut where cooked to perfection. The "chips" / french fries also tasted great! (perfect crunch and seasoning) I had a coffee and that too had great roasted flavor. AMBIANCE: a perfect 10! We sat outside, had a table facing the ocean and that always makes a location a perfect place to relax. PRICE: comparable to a beach-town restaurant , prices had a fair market value for the food served and quantity provided. read more

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After a day of wine tasting in Paso Robles decided to swing by this small town of Cayucos. We were starving and went for the first place that caught our eye. The service was nice, we were seated very quickly, for starters I ordered the calamari, this was so delicious my favorite dish. The main courses where the sea food pasta which I found to be very runny, not creamy as described and it was also very bland. The second dish was the New York strip, it was cooked perfectly but once again, the seasoning was hardly noticeable. The dungeons crab was awfully hard to eat because it wasn't pre cracked nor did it cum with a claw cracker. Overall it was ok, as you can see the food presentation was nice. Would I come back? Idk maybe it just wasn't my style. But glad I visited this beautiful town. read more

Schooners - New York strip with dungeons crab - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Outdoor dining upstairs. Friendly quick service. Good food. Smaller menu than other places but choices are good.

These folks know how to do restaurants. We had the shrimp tacos, tuna melt, and wheat tangerine beer for lunch. They are courteous, and they sit you quick. You see the ocean right in front of you or you can sit inside where is also nice. I highly recommend this place. read more

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It was our first time here and we were thoroughly happy with our dinner. The calamari was really good, not rubbery or tough, and the almond crusted coho salmon and pan seared halibut were delicious. Great flavor, cooked perfectly, and the service was really good. Our drinks came consistently and food came out really fast. We will be back for sure. read more

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We were a party of 5 celebrating my brothers birthday and drove up from south county. Place was pretty quiet on a weeknight in January so we had the dining room to ourselves. Service was great, everyone was very friendly and helpful. Our server went above and beyond to accommodate us with extra plates and silverware for the birthday cake I brought. Food was all delicious. We tried several appetizers including the tuna, calamari, steamed clams and crab cakes. Everything was delicious. I got the New York with a lobster tail and my only disappointment was that I ate too much of the appetizers to eat more than a few bites of my dinner but the steak was great the next morning with some eggs lol. Great ambiance, excellent vibe. Good service and reasonable prices. Will definitely be back. read more

I was just here got there at 7:00 left at 7:45 with my family of 7 we are Mexicans and everyone around us got served as we waited to be asked what we wanted to drink let alone food. we walked out all the servers noticed us but no one acknowledged us .... hard not to take that as a racial issue but it's fine read more

Locals. Destination. We ALWAYS sit upstairs in the bar with Sebastian. Just our vibe. The beer is always cold. The Bloody Mary's are always a favorite. Service is friendly and welcoming. Fish & Chips a delicious, full meal. Relax. Enjoy the views and the company. Worth the wait. Today he suggested one of us try onion rings instead of fries. BOMB! See you next time. read more

Schooners - Schooner's Bar Area - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

The food was really good! The staff were very sweet, literally all of them, they seem to be busy but enjoy each other and their jobs. It's a very cute, cozy place with a really nice heated outdoor patio upstairs with a gorgeous view. The people eating there were all enjoying themselves, it seemed mostly locals and they all just seem pleasant, but who wouldn't be in Cayucos! I highly recommend Schooners and can't wait to return. read more

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Great food. Great drinks. Outside patio dog friendly. Loved the service. Always a must when we're in town read more

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The nachos with shredded chicken is excellent and we lived the clam chowder. Busy on holiday weekend.

We waited for a while to get an outside patio table, but once we were seated, it all went pretty smoothly. Friendly service. Really generous potions. Convenient location near the pier among other shops, good for strolling before or after your meal. Plenty of fried foods, if that's what you're craving. We balanced fried halibut with 1/2 & 1/2 onion rings and chips and flash fried ahi egg rolls with some fresh ceviche with avocado and pickled red onions served with crispy chips. Hit the spot! Glad we didn't sit inside. The Mai Tai was pretty mediocre but hey, my glass of Chardonnay was just fine. All in all, would probably give this place a 3.5, but will round down in this instance. read more

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We had a group of 14 in a car club. At first we were going to have to be in the dark dining room. But the manager Brent?? Came through with flying colors! We were set up on the beautiful ocean view deck. Service was excellent and so was the food. Thanks for a great day! read more

Nice spot to get a beer and grab a bite. Upstairs seating gives a nice ocean view, plenty of seating inside and outside. I had the fish n sweet potato fries. Basic, good not oily. Wife had ahi sashimi with a side of coleslaw. Clam chowder that was delicious. She enjoyed it. Good beer selection which I enjoyed. Full bar I believe. Tasty ahi egg rolls , as our appetizers. This was our second time there, service both times was great. Definitely will be back. read more

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Was returning from Hearst Castle on a drizzling night and called this restaurant to see if five of us could get in. Those just came back after talking to someone and said yes about half an hour. When we got there, we only had to wait like five minutes. We were all pretty tired and we had three kids. The youngest got the kids plate with a burger and fries and ate it all, the 12 year-old got grilled cheese and said it was pretty good. Then there was the 15-year-old she got a regular hamburger and Fries and ended up eating it all. I had fish and onion rings pretty good. Also had a mai tai it's not like the old Mai Tai's that were tall it was rather short, but I drank it. My husband wasn't feeling well so he had water. We sat outside and it was fine because it wasn't too cold and they did have a heater nearby. Our server was Elizabeth, I think she had more tables inside, so she was just OK. read more

Schooners - What's left of my fish and onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

Went to Schooners on Saturday night. My son had just proposed to his girlfriend on the beach. The family took the good vibe to dinner. Hostess was MIA for a bit and waited a short while for a table once someone appeared,we were there for about 30 to just get drinks which only one of us had a cocktail , rest waters. as tables around us were attended to. Our food while delicious took forever and rarely did we see our waitress. She was inattentive and everywhere seemed to be getting attention but us. We were tired and exhausted to boot large part gratuity was added for 4 adults and 2 children. I the service so was incredibly poor and not how we thought the night would have ended. I will not be coming back. read more

We celebrated my friend's birthday here. Twelve of us were seated outside. Everyone was SO SO NICE! All 12 of us thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I brought a cake and they let me keep it in there refrigerator earlier in the day. They also let me chose any dessert, complimentary for my friend's birthday. I chose the chocolate chip cookie with ice cream. He LOVED IT! I would make this a must stop for dining. read more

Schooners - NY New York Steak Salad - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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I love schooners! It's one of my favorite places when I want to treat myself to fish and chips. You can choose to have the Atlantic cod or the Halibut fish and chips. They also have an amazing view with great service! One of the perks if you're a wine drinker is you get a wonderful wine list from the central coast! Definitely a plus! You'll love this place! A must try when in Cayucos. read more

Schooners - Fish and salad for me! Soooo Good! - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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We came at about 3:00 on Saturday. Found the "please wait to be seated sign" and waited. Another party soon stood behind us. There were seated tables, but the restaurant was not busy. At least three servers walked right past us and did not acknowledge us. The bartender could clearly see us but also did not acknowledge us at all. We waited for ten minutes and left and had lunch somewhere else. We couldn't justify spending $60-70 on lunch and drinks when no one could even say," Be right with you!" read more

This spot is affordable, has incredible views on the top deck, super tasty food and the best drinks in town. My go-to when I bring guests to Cayucos. read more

Dog shit service. All the servers have a weird vibe to them and never asked me if I wanted a refill. DO NOT order jumbo shrimp or onion rings for a matter of fact. read more

Schooners - Disappointed customer - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

One of my favorite beach bars on the central coast! Sit upstairs at the bar and watch the sunset with the pier and ocean view. The ahi rolls are amazing! Clam chowder in a bread bowl is a must! read more