We visited Six Test Kitchen in late September (located in Tin City, Paso Robles, CA). We had a really lovely, excellent time and plan on reserving another dinner sometime soon. Yes, it's hard to obtain reservations given their initimate 12 seating establishment, but keep trying. Six Test Kitchen releases new reservations first of every month at 9:00A. It's the ultimate fine dining experience with elaborate dishes (12 course testing menu), meticulously planned local+imported wine pairings by the sommelier/maitre d', and attentive, professional chef staff (thank you, Chef Ricky Odbert!!!) in a perfect setting. We loved the choice of music and contemporary interior! Well-deserved Michelin star. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! We were so happy to get a very solid fine dining experience before the end of 2020! The 5 of us stayed in the area for a few days and happened to find out about this place. We messaged their Instagram account and got very lucky to reserve a spot on the 30th. They only have 8 seats and there were just our party and another party of 2. The set up was very well socially distanced and we felt very safe. Now the important part, the food! Their tasting menu was very well thought out, with a lot of pleasant surprises and inspirations from different cultures. It was both delicate and fulfilling! 3 Small Bites: Onion Chicharron, Mushroom Tartlette and Duck Rillette - All very flavorful and opened up the palate very well. The onion chicharron was very thin and crispy, the mushroom tartlette was creamy and savory and the duck rillete, my personal favorite was a perfect combination of taste and texture. Caviar, Turnip and Green Apple - such a genius combination! I never had caviar with turnip but it actually worked very well! The acidity in the green apple also balanced the rich flavor or caviar. Kanpachi, Squash and Black Sunchoke - my favorite course of the meal! Kanpachi has always been my top 5 sashimi fish, it's very versatile and can go with a lot of different flavors. The aged sunchoke was a very pleasant surprise, it had some picked flavor and some nutty flavor but wasn't overpowering. The squash added a nice crunchiness to the course. Crab Chawan Mushi - the crab was very flavorful and the steamed egg was very tender. I can eat a lot of this! Grilled Arctic Char - one of the more traditional courses on the menu in my opinion, not surprising but still very delicious. The potato was made into the shape of a mini croissant which was very cute. Chicken Liver with Persimmon, going with Corn Bread - my second favorite course! The chicken liver was so smooth, and the persimmon added some sweet and freshness to the taste. And the corn bread, definitely one of the best I've had! They worked so well together that we all wanted to ask for more corn bread! Roast Duck, Squash and Pomegranate - this course reminds us of our childhood flavors! The squash has some cumin dressing and tasted like summer BBQ I had in China. The duck was cooked perfectly and my husband said that reminded him of the duck from his hometown in China. Very nice and nostalgic taste! Barbecue Pork Shoulder - perfect red meat course before the desserts! I usually don't like pork dishes in fine dining that much but this was definitely a good one! The pork shoulder had the right amount of fat, which was very important to the texture. The flavor reminded me of both a nice Hong Kong Cha Siu and a good American BBQ, and it also had some subtle spice to it. 3 Desserts - Riesling Flavored Pear, White Chocolate with Macadamia and Candy Cap - awesome desserts to end the meal! They put a lot of thoughts into these beautifully plated desserts! We tasted so many different flavors and textures and the sweet tooth was definitely satisfied. Two of us ordered the wine pairing. It had 6 glasses, with very generous pours and complemented the food very well. The rest of us ordered 2 bottles recommended by our sommelier, they were very delicious and also went perfectly with the food. The service was also impeccable! We got to talk to the chef for a bit after the meal and learned about some of his inspirations and thoughts behind the amazing courses! This place lives up to a Michelin 2 Star level in my opinion and I definitely recommend giving it a try if you happen to be in the area! read more

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My friends and I recently dined at Six Test Kitchen during a weekend trip to Paso Robles, and the experience was not quite what we expected or envisioned. Pros: The restaurant is closely following social distancing rules, the presentation of each course was beautiful, the vegetarian courses were flavorful, and each of the 3 dessert courses were fantastic. Cons: For the steep price, we expected at least one seafood course. We were surprised that the majority of the courses were vegetarian, and that there were three dessert courses (instead of another main course). The duck and pork servings in the one non-vegetarian course were very overwhelming and heavy - we would have preferred to have an option of a lighter, white meat or seafood. Several of us had upset stomachs after dinner, which is certainly not something we expected from this meal. We were disappointed to see that there were no cocktail options, and felt pressured by wait staff to do the wine pairing (though we ultimately decided not to). Additionally, the restaurant is very difficult to contact (no phone number published anywhere). While the wait staff was attentive and responsive, they came off as quite condescending and unfriendly. Overall, would not dine here again as we felt the price did not match the experience. read more

Six Test Kitchen started out with 6 seats in a garage down in Arroyo Grande but is now located in Tin City.  I've been meaning to try it, and we finally made it out to the Central Coast and were able to escape for Wednesday night dinner. Reservations go pretty quickly on Tock, so if you have a specific date in mind, book right when the slots open up (exact info is on Tock).  They only have one seating and seat parties of 2 or 4, no odd numbers.  Beverages: Welcome drink: peach tea. We started with a half bottle of extra brut Prosecco, which went well with the first few courses. We then moved onto a bottle of Olivier Leflaive 2019 Volnay, which went well with the later substantial courses.  The couple next to use got the reserve pairing, which in retrospect, we regretted not getting.    Tasting Menu: Note: the menu can't accommodate a lot of dietary restrictions.  1. To start:    - Local Oysters with Meyer lemon hot sauce and tomatillo   - Smoked steelhead trout tartare on top of a meringue, topped with roe  - Duck liver mousse tartlet with pistachio, plum, wild fennel  2.  Santa Barbara white sea bass crudo with half dried tomatoes (wonderfully intense!), avocado mousse, arugula, smoked tomato consommé, topped with crispy fried garlic and shallot bits (like a chili crunch) 3. Chawanmushi: made with smoked fish bone broth, topped with cured pork belly, shimeji mushrooms, chive flowers, broccolini - this was most intense chawanmushi I've ever had (in a good way) with lots of flavors and texture  4. Dry aged Morro bay black cod - steamed, topped with a roasted red pepper sauce. Accompanying it was marinated summer squash, shishito stuffed with clam and pork sausage, a charred eggplant quenelle, and a roasted red pepper quenelle Side snack: salted cod brandade with romesco 5. Dry aged Liberty Farms duck breast: with a crispy skin, served with grilled peach, sweet corn, and a roasted duck bone sauce with foie gras - this was perfect with the Volnay 6. Roasted lamb loin: dry aged for a month, wrapped in lamb belly, sous vided and grilled. It came with burnt onion, hazelnuts, and browned butter 7. White chocolate: with melon, finger lime, cucumber  8. Goats milk ice cream: with caramelized goat dulce de leche, fig jam, wildflower honey, candied fennel seed  9. To finish:  - Peach pate de fruit    - Strawberry "milkshake" in cocoa butter with strawberry preserves and basil   - Salted caramel and peanut butter crunch  Hospitality was on point, and it was great to watch all of the chefs in action in the open kitchen.  Six Test Kitchen is a very cool find in Tin City, and the menu changes with the seasons. Next time we come back, we'll definitely do the reserve wine pairing. read more

We went here for the third time tonight. Everything continues to be outstanding. We opted for the reserve wine pairing and it was full of interesting wines. The food was unbelievably outstanding as usual. The egg course was to die for. The one thing that I find amazing is that Ricky (the owner) also does all the dessert courses. Every other restaurant of this caliber I've been to has a pastry chef, but Ricky is so damn talented he does the desserts here too. Every course was gorgeous, refined and delicious. It's a must visit in Paso Robles. read more

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Locally sourced food with excellent fusion of textures and flavors, from Moro Bay to the grassy fed ...the flavors were delicious, my only wish was for more Californias wines..looking forward to coming back.... read more

My spouse and I have been dining in Michelin restaurants for over 25 years. That being said this was the most apathetic and condescending meal we've ever encountered. The food was fantastic and we're grateful for that but for a 1 star establishment they should be doing better on all other aspects. The sommelier this evening spoke to everyone as if no one had ANY wine knowledge whatsoever without engaging us at all (6 people at our 6:30 seating). This evening should have been better for a thousand dollars. We know. read more

Great service, opens 4 times a week, only serve 12 lucky guests, environment friendly, thoughtful food prep, quite and private services, loved every dish they prepared, the ice cream was to die for! read more

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You walk through the door and you're in a nice suburban hotel room finished in the shade of grey they use to sell houses to millennials. There's an open kitchen surrounded in an L shape by a hardwood bar and bar stools. Even though you prepaid for the entire meal, everyone seems startled to see you. They don't say hi till you do. You're shown to your seats by the sommelier. It will later turn out that the sizeable gratuity you prepaid does not cover service staff, as it's the kitchen staff who serve you your food. They mill around like manicurists tweezing microherbs and microflowers onto the dishes, and when they bring them to you from the kitchen three feet away they're hard to hear over the FM rock the chef has chosen as a soundtrack. The friendly lady sat next to you turns out to be the chef's mom. There is no 'drinks menu', just a wine list. The only nonalcoholic option is a San Pellegrino soda that has to be specially requested. This is the central coast, remember. The meal starts with a misfire, a citrus tea with an unwelcome smack of lavender. Highlights after that are a bonbon-like blob of paté, a chawanmushi that falls just short of being oversalted, and a deeply delightful sequence of desserts, some of the best you've had. Lowlights are the meat entrées, Lilliputian morsels of chicken and pork made to seem even smaller by the satellite-sized plates they're served on. Like a meal from a doll's house. They have the faintly slimy, moist but firm texture of uncooked meat without actually being uncooked. Or so you hope. All in all, the hit rate is about 50%. There is a certain tension in the idea of a local cuisine prepared in a style that's dictated by European tastemakers. The mushrooms might be foraged on a mountain in southeastern SLO, but the style is recognisable as a third-hand version of what you'd find in any Michelin-starred dining room in any global city. The ingredients might speak a local dialect, but the dishes speak globish. Which is another way of saying that most of what is wrong with this restaurant is wrong because of its star. This is a pricy place to eat, but it feels even more expensive than it is, because the food is not what you're paying for. What you're paying for is to be put in proximity with a European system of taste in which it is unsophisticated to be hungry. But that proximity is purely aesthetic. And food isn't just aesthetic. You can't eat beauty. read more

Insanely over priced for a very mediocre dinner. First three bites fabulous. Fish course yummy after that down hill. Chicken potato course- very salty. Desserts were fine but nothing that was beyond. Wines were delicious but if paired with something just ok... Not returning. Also if you are paying those prices send your guests home with a momento- a homemade cookie or treat to have the next day. read more

We had a delicious dinner at Six Test Kitchen. Of the fancy dinners we've had, this was one of the top. We enjoyed the fact that none of the dishes would be things we could remotely make - between the number of ingredients, the way everything is prepared using techniques I had no idea were possible, and then the attention to detail on plating. Every single element was carefully placed on the plate and I loved that the open kitchen let us watch them plate everything. I was impressed with how clean the kitchen was, as well as how coordinated the chefs were. Everything was so calm and orderly. It was also wonderful to hear how they utilize all the parts of the animals they get, and how fresh everything is (the lamb was delivered 2 hours after it was slaughtered, for example). All the vegetables were super fresh and delicious. Even the plates and dishes used were fun, locally designed, and frequently matched the textures of the food. We arrived for the 6:30 seating, and learned that half of the 12 seats were occupied by folks who arrived at 6pm. It was kind of nice that we got a foreshadow of what food we'd be getting in a bit. We did the wine pairing, and I'm glad we took a Lyft because even with the food, we felt the wine when we were leaving (all the wine was delicious and I enjoyed trying wines I wouldn't have ordered on my own). The host was lovely, friendly and knowledgeable on both the food and the wine. There was a lamb and duck theme for the night and these were our favorite dishes. Perhaps our favorite was the asparagus. The lamb neck with peas, yogurt and mint was a combination of my wife's favorite things, so no surprise it was her favorite. The broccolini with whipped Gouda was a major hit. We thought we'd try making whipped Gouda ourselves until they described the 12 step process to make theirs (I'm probably not going to do that!). And the jasmine rice koji ice cream was also delicious. We stayed a bit after and talked with the chefs. It's always nice to feel more intimate with the restaurant and I loved that they hung around to know the guests and make us feel special. Pacing was both quick but enjoyable. I didn't feel like we were waiting around and I didn't feel rushed. A very delicious meal and we can't wait to go back. read more

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WOW! A hidden gem in Paso Robles. Six Test Kitchen started in a home garage offering a 14 course tasting menu for groups of six guests. Today, Six Test Kitchen is an intimate, reservation only, 12 seat restaurant offering twelve to fourteen course tasting. Located in Tin City, a hipster area. Parking is plentiful. This is a great dining experience. This is a restaurant you'll see in LA, SF, or NYC. It's a nice surprise to have a fine dining restaurant like this in Paso Robles and this was one of the reason why I wanted to go to Paso Robles. Prepaid reservation ticket is required $150/person $75 for wine paring $40 corkage fee per 750 ml Gratuity not included read more

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It's very small, a total of 12 seats. Everyone sits at what is essentially a bar facing the open kitchen. Two seatings a night spaced 30 mins apart. There is no serving staff, the chefs preparing your food are the ones who serve it to you. The only other member of staff is the beverage director. The menu is LONG, so the pacing is quick. The service is ~2.5 hours all told, and they squeeze a lot into that time. Courses are also appropriately portioned to this time frame. The menu is focused on local ingredients and is executed exceptionally well. The wine pairings were thoughtful, though perhaps unconventional. I liked this, but there were several wines that leaned toward the style of natural wines, so you get some crazy profiles hitting you. That said, the wines were paired exceptionally well to the plates. Personal highlights: Caviar and trout over buttermilk pancotta Duck breast with braised radicchio and cara cara oranges Fishbone custard (Chawan Mushi) I also quite liked the interactions and discussions afforded by the setup, it's very intimate and personal. Here's the full menu from my visit: ===== Oyster, Nuoc Cham, Cilantro Rockfish, Futsu Squash, Shiso, Lime Duck Liver, Quince, Walnut ===== Kaluga Caviar, Smoked Trout, Buttermilk ===== Hamachi, Kiwi, Avocado, Chili ===== Chawan Mushi, Bacon, Turnip, Mushroom ===== Charred Brassicas, Cheddar Fondue, Beef Fat ===== Black Cod, Maitake, Cabbage, Cauliflower ===== Roast Duck, Raddichio, Citrus, Hazelnut ===== Dry-Aged Beef, Sunchoke, Onion, Black Truffle ===== White Chocolate, Grapefruit, Olive Oil ===== Rice Koji Ice Cream, Strawberry, Macadamia ===== Passion Fruit Pate de Fruit Bayleaf Salted Caramel Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Truffle And the wines: Ponson Extra Brut, Champagne, France, NV Luis Rodriguez Treixadura/Godello, Ribeiro, Spain, 2017 Joy Fantastic Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills, 2019 Foradori Teroldego, Trentino, Italy, 2019 Bernard Burgaud Syrah, Cote Rotie, France 2018 Pianora Sweet Vermouth, Lombardia, Italy, NV read more

Great food, poor ambiance. The food here was spectacular, as it should be for the price. The ambiance, though...I'm surprised the Michelin folks gave it a star. You're sitting on bar stools for 2-3 hours so that's not ideal. Plus, when I was there, the music was WAY too loud. 70's FM rock, which is fine in general but it was actually impossible to converse with anyone who wasn't immediately next to you over all the Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Company songs. So, a party of 4 couldn't engage in conversation. Service was generally indifferent until it was time to kick people out at the end of the meal - that seemed to excite the staff more than anything else. If you're looking for a special occasion/romantic date venue, look elsewhere. read more

Six provides a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience that is intimate, meticulously prepared, and miles beyond what else is being served in the area. There are no gimmicks or fluff--every bite has me thinking 1) I've never had something like this and 2) it's the best thing I've ever had. Particular highlights from my last visit were the A) pork loin, shishito pepper, peach, and polenta, and the B) raw goat's milk ice cream with cajeta and raspberry. What I particularly admire about Chef Ricky Odbert's approach is his way of elevating seemingly low brow ingredients, redefining my interpretation of those flavors. Example: I) chicharrones, II) chorizo, and III) pork shoulder. If you're not on a quest for unique dining experiences, and outraged at the price tag, I do not recommend coming here. But if you believe that you get what you pay for, and want to see the best that the central coast has to offer, it's a must. read more

Six Test Kitchen - My menu from the last visit. - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California

I really enjoyed my dinner here. The chef was great in explaining where he sourced his meat and how it was prepared. I love learning about where my food comes from and the technique used to prepare it. Every dish was unique and memorable. You know Chef Ricky puts a lot of attention to each dish. The plates are all unique and it makes the meal very special and visually appealing (food plating is very important to me since it helps me visualize the food). read more

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Date of Visit: 2/19/2021 Six Test Kitchen is the magnum opus of chef/owner Ricky Odbert. Born and raised in nearby Arroyo Grande, he worked at various renowned Michelin-starred restaurants all over the Bay Area. Wanting to come home and own his own restaurant, he started his own speakeasy chef's table literally inside his parents garage in Arroyo Grande, much to the dismay of the AG fire department. Maximum amount of diners at any one time was six and since Ricky was doing something that was quite experimental, the name "Six Test Kitchen" came about. After a few years he decided to legitimize his business by taking space in Paso Robles' Tin City, 45 minutes north. Located in the same building complex as Turtle Rock, the restaurant has doubled its capacity and its kitchens became more elaborate but the concept stayed the same. Since then Six Test Kitchen has elevated the Central Coast dining scene. It's quite impressive that from humble beginnings it has earned various accolades such as being on the Eater 38 for the Central Coast and most notably its own Michelin one star. I had first heard about this restaurant through the Tin City documentary and I had set sights on eating here from my very first Paso visit. I did initially reach out to reserve, but they were a bit cold to me on the response since they didn't take solo diners. As an aside, this all took place when SLO county was in the purple tier and couldn't do "business as usual". At the time they were only doing outdoor seating and they had to occupy every available seat. I eventually was able to score a reservation on my 3rd Paso visit in February when I did find someone, but at the time SLO county had regressed back into purple tier. As a compromise the restaurant was serving at half capacity. The chef's counter is a true example of a dinner and a show. As you eat your dinner you can see Ricky, Matt and all other staff cook and prepare dishes right in front of you. As all of this occurs you can also see Ricky being the consummate host as he answers inquiries from the guests. As of this writing there are two different options for the chef's tasting menu. A smaller menu is offered mid-week while the Grand Tasting is offered on Fridays and Saturdays and is the more expensive of the two. When I went the Grand Tasting was priced at $185/person but I think the cost went up to about ~$200/person for the current offering. Reservations are released at 9 am on the first day of each month for the following month. Be sure to snag them quickly - I've seen it sell out for that month a few hours into releasing their reservations. MENU - Onion Chicharron - Mushroom Tartlette, Parmesan - Duck Rillettes, Roasted Onion, Miso - Kalugar Caviar, Sunchoke, Hazelnut, Dill - Kampachi, Radish, Grapefruit, Avocado - Chawanmushi, Crab, Koji Butter - Arctic Char, Asparagus, Cippolini - Chicken Liver, Shallot, Dried Cherry, Brioche - Roast Duck, Grilled Beet, Hoshigaki, Bay Leaf - Dry Aged Beef, Celeriac, Potato - Pear, Vanilla, Pecan - White Chocolate, Macadamia, Parsnip - Fruit Roll-Up - White Sesame Caramel - Porcini, Dark Chocolate The plating and presentation of the dishes are a work of art. Eleven courses are served in total, with the first three offerings grouped together on the appetizer plate and the last three offerings grouped together on the dessert plate. It took me a while to eat everything because I couldn't bear to eat my dishes right away because all were so aesthetically pleasing. Standouts were everything on the appetizer plate, kampachi, arctic char, chicken liver, dry aged beef and everything on the dessert plate. The kampachi dish was a play on flavors and textures, especially if you eat each component altogether. The arctic char had a nice sear yet soft skin. The brioche was an excellent complement to the chicken liver and made for good dipping. Beef medallion was cooked perfectly and paired with the powerful wine (a syrah) so well. As for the appetizers and desserts, I love how each piece is plated and each piece is not too big for a perfect start/finish to a meal. WINE PAIRINGS - Pierre Gimonnet Brut 1er cru (Cote Des Blanc, Champagne, NV) - Scar of the Sea Cider/Sauvignon Blanc (Edna Valley, 2018) - Laurent Fayolle Marsanne (Saint-Peray, France, 2018) - Arnot Roberts Gamay Noir (El Dorado County, 2019) - Alta Colina Syrah (Paso Robles, 2016) - Meulenhof Riesling Spatlese (Mosel, Germany, 2016) Standard wine pairings that complemented the dishes and is a suitable representation of CA and Europe. I've been lucky enough to visit Paso four times over the course of two years and have eaten my way to be able to recommend restaurants in the city. Six Test Kitchen is my recommendation for a splurge meal or one unique fine dining experience. If you have a solid food menu in terms of presentation and taste, this alone can sell itself - no need to add fancy schmancy cult wine or be super charming into the mix. read more

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Super fun experience, creative and delicious dishes, impeccable service! Took a bit of patience to get the reservation but definitely worth the effort read more

We were in Paso for our annual girls trip. Our dinner at Six Test Kitchen was the highlight of our trip! I knew nothing about the history/background of the restaurant besides it having one Michelin star. Didn't know who the chef/owner was, I just like good food! Each course was beautifully plated with amazing flavors! There were many things that I would have never thought to put together in a dish and they all worked fabulously with amazing depth and flavor. It is impressive to watch the chefs working together and plating food with very meticulous attention to detail. We asked questions about the food and wine and the chefs/sommelier were very gracious in answering us. Towards the end of the night we were the last group at STK and Chef Ricky chatted with us and even indulged us with a picture! Excellent experience!! Can't wait to come back again!! read more

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What? Are we in Paso Robles?? Astonishing to get this level of culinary delight at an establishment in this little town. This is an experience you might have in a city like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago... We are lucky enough to have a very talented chef - Ricky, making some amazing food right here in Tin City, Paso Robles! This experience is not for everyone. You need to have an appreciation for the incredible talent of creating an explosion of taste that is absolute perfection in every bite and the effort that goes into making it. Honestly it's like a visit to an artistic food museum to see culinary expertise that you get to actually eat! Each dish is plated with full consideration of its contents and how to best display it. I loved the creativity and nuance of each hint of flavor and felt the execution was a total success. I've selected photos of a few of my favs to share with you, but to find out the details and get the full story of each ingredient, you'll have to go there and try it for yourself! They seat a maximum of 12 and like to keep it to a smaller group if possible. It is a great experience for a special occasion, with a special group or to share it with a special friend as I did. read more

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Worst place I have been thus far in he paso area. They, the so called chef was asked repeatedly what we are eating and what is the special part of the lame dishes. He was so rude and no one could understand him! The food sucked but that's a tie for last on service! I was the second person that asked for a menu of what we were eating bc we could not recognize it. He was rude to her first then me. On the way out, the third of four couples expressed the same rude attitude. I simply told him to watch his back, he should not talk so rude to the women, eventually someone will put a stop to it! read more

Six Test Kitchen - Only at the end, the menu of overpriced crap was shared. All but one dish was so tough, incl dessert we couldn't chew it. - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California

This place is incredible! Chef Rick and his staff are absolutely spot on. We had 15 delicious courses paired with some wonderful wines. Nothing is left to chance. This place has Michelin Stars written all over it! If you want a Michelin experience in Paso...Six Test Kitchen is the place! We will be back often! read more

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Intense culinary experience! Must visit! Chef Ricky is amazing! Dining experience top notch! We will return. We were surprised to see a high end restaurant in Paso Robles because we had already visited the 1-2 that were deemed high end but hadn't impressed us much and had to put this on our MUST VISIT list for our 3 year anniversary and Mother's Day celebration and we weren't disappointed. We got reservations which we were surprised and happy about and couldn't wait to get there! RESTAURANT It was nice to see that some nice stores and restaurants are opening in Tin City and Six Test Kitchen is one of them! The restaurant only seats 12 people max per sitting and you are sitting at a well crafted wood bar like table "sushi bar" style with the few other guests there. The music isn't typical of a high end restaurant (90's hits) and we absolutely loved that aspect as did our new friends we met sitting next to us. FOOD 14 exquisite plates take you on a culinary adventure lasting a little over 2 hrs intrigues your palate and keeps you wondering what will be next. I posted most of the photos of the plates we were served. The Chef, Ricky, and his team go through an explanation of what was being served. SERVICE Impeccable and to be expected from a high end restaurant especially because you're leaving the place much lighter in the wallet (about $200 pp and if you do wine pairing add on $75) SOMMELIER She was amazing and explained how the wines paired with the dishes, where they sourced them from and why the chose them. She refilled our glasses when necessary and was just a pleasure to have as part of our experience. read more

Six Test Kitchen - Menu - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California

This isn't just dining... this is an event and an experience. Yes, you buy tickets ahead of time just like you're going to a concert, and it truly feels like that's what's happening. These three guys take every part of this meal very seriously. I've dined at 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants and the execution and the detail is right up there with them. The concept is amazing! I hope they stay around for a long, long time! We live in Austin and were just in Paso on vacation. This was definitely a highlight of the trip. Tips: Be aware that it's tucked behind Field Recordings and simply says "Six" on the outside. It's really easy to pass by. Also, we decided to take a Lyft because we knew we'd have plenty of drinks. We had no idea how hard they are to come by in Paso. We probably won't do that again! read more

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Running by 4 young gentlemen (pardon me to say millennial gentlemen), only serving 12 patrons per night, and ready to go home by 9:30pm, there are no words that could describe how awesome it is when you could do both things that you enjoy and love and yet maintain your work life balance. We had our dinner at Six Test Kitchen during our stay in Paso Robles, and it was phenomenal. We loved every single dish. It was very clever to use seasonal ingredients to bring out many of the flavors for the dishes, and on top of that, hats off to the Chef to use koji to tenderize the pork loins and his accidental experiment that resulted an awesome desert with koji sauce. No need for any Michelin star, you already have 3 big ones from us. Much love and respect from the Southern Californians, we had a great time. read more

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I was super worried coming here because I was having some side effects of nausea from the COVID vaccine, but the chef was really gracious about my situation. The atmosphere was intimate but laidback. It lacked the pretentious attitude that sometimes comes with the territory. The staff was able and willing to explain what different wines were and how to make the different dishes. There was not a course my husband and I didn't like. Everything was prepared with plenty of thought. If I'm in the area again, I would come back...just maybe not after another vaccine read more

Six Test Kitchen - Menu - March 4th 2021 - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California

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Such a wonderful treat to have a reasonably priced Michelin star restaurant so close to the Central Valley, in the Central Coast! Interesting, and diverse wine menu, as well as option for additional wine pairing. The Chefs are all personable, and sharp with touch, and technique. And also, it's an extremely social environment for all the customers, as it is a bar counter space for 12. Please throw them some business! read more

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Amazing experience at Six Test Kitchen. Unparalleled service and attention to detail. Chef Ricky is a culinary genius. His passion and dedication to the craft truly show throughout the 11 course dinner. Of course, no Chef would be complete without his Sommelier and Matt's excellent wine choices worked in beautiful harmony with each of the courses. As many other reviewers have noted, the entire meal was on par with many Michelin star restaurants and is definitely one of the best meals we have had. With that said, it's definitely a very pricey dinner. Dinner & wine pairing will set you back $530 excluding gratuity. If that doesn't deter you, you will want to book as soon as they release reservations for the month as weekends book up quickly since they're a small 12 seat restaurant. We were lucky to snag two seats for two for Sunday, November 29th at 6PM. Highly recommend arriving at least fifteen minutes early as restaurant was difficult to find in the dark. Dinner starts promptly at 6PM! Because we got lost, we were five minutes behind and they had already started the dinner service. Luckily we were able to catch up! Due to the cold weather, Ricky notified us in advance of his intention to host the dinner indoor even though there was an indoor dining ban. Please be aware of this if this is a concern to you during COVID-19. Even though dinner was indoors, they limited the capacity of the restaurant to 8 guest, spaced all parties out as far as possible from one another, turned their kitchen hoods on high to safely ventilate the dining room, and wore masks throughout the entire dinner service. We were lucky there were only the 4 guest in total dining in that night, so we felt very safe dining with them. Restaurant has a minimalistic feel and was very cozy. Loved the layout and being able to watch Chef Ricky work on and plate each and every dish. Personal favorite dishes for the night were the (1) crab chawan mushi, (2) caviar, turnip & green apple and (3) chicken liver + yam. Excellent use of everyday vegetables to showcase not only the potential, but that the protein need not always be the stars of the dish. Additional shout out to the Fred Jerbis Vermouth pairing that stole the show in the deserts round. It perfectly complemented both the ice cream sundae and glazed pear desserts. Highly recommend Six Test Kitchen if you're looking for a fine dining experience that will blow you away! We loved our experience and cannot thank Chef Ricky and Matt for the wonderful night out. We look forward to visiting again soon! read more

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Beautifully done and is seriously a gem in paso Robles. While I've enjoyed wine tasting in this area the one thing that was always lacking compared to Napa was the gourmet food scene. Six test kitchen stands out not only amongst local restaurants but against restaurants in napa as well.. Each dish was aesthetically beautiful as well as amazingly delicious. Can't give these guys more praise. Definitely check them out. Not over hyped and prob the best you will find in this area. read more

The food was interesting the presentation and ambiance was seriously lacking. Somms kitchen is a far better experience for less money

One of my best dinner experience in recent years! Every dish looked perfect and tasted amazing as well! So artistic and wonderful! Definitely worth trying and will come back! read more

Six Test Kitchen - Dessert - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California

This is, seriously, the best dinner I can remember. Creativity and quality beyond measure. It's not my first Michelin experience either. I hesitated to say to friends that is was literally the best food in memory... not one to use superlatives to excess. But this was memorable and will remain so for years to come. We left feeling satiated in all aspects. A nod to the sommelier because his "art" was also evident. Ricky Odbert is one to follow... he is five star. read more

The food was good, especially for a small town. The carrots were very creative and the duck was made well and had great flavor BUT the steak was close to ineddible but the rest of the dishes were actually creative and good. I am somebody who goes to many contemporary pre fix menus like this across the USA. The service and attitude of both chefs and the manager RUINED the night. They were never friendly and at a restaurant where they are cooking right in front of you, there was NO engagement and NO smiles. Save your money, and drive to a michelin starred restaurant that is owned and operated by smart people who know how to run a business. Half our dinner conversation was about how rude they were treating us. PLUS after you pre pay online, they ask for gratituity after dinner and then run your card for a second charge. Unprofessional and rude. read more

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Truly spectacular! We all felt so fortunate to have gotten a reservation when traveling from Alaska. Each dish was so carefully constructed, beautiful, and offered unique taste experiences. Christian, the sommelier, was very knowledgeable and the wines pairings were spot on....there were many wines varietals that we did not know so we learned a little bit too. Our group of six impressed with the head chef and the sous chefs as all were friendly and happy to answer our questions. I would love to come again if we are ever back in this part of California. read more

Highly recommended for those looking for Michelin Star food (think The Laundry in Napa) at a more affordable price. The outside dining is a bit rustic. But the food is world-class. Location: Young, hip, trendy, ultra-modern restaurant in an industrial park in the middle of nowhere. In pre-COVID times it was conceived being indoors with 12 barstools on a long counter facing the open kitchen where 3 young combination chefs/servers prepared the food in full view of the audience. Similar to a sushi bar. COVID put a stop to that and there are now 4 tables with bar stools, sitting 8, outside in a narrow driveway between 2 industrial buildings. Rustic but very virus-safe. Recommended for the COVID timid and at-risk patrons who must have that 9-course gourmet dinner. The Menu: Varies according to what is fresh and in season. 1-2 new dishes are introduced daily as produce is available. After a week the whole menu has changed. Ah, the tyranny of choice. No choice here. I loved the fixed menu with a wine pairing. It takes all stress out dining. Relax, and you will eat stuff you never would have chosen or dreamed of existed. And the sommelier chose wines you have never heard of, some very local, some European. All fit each dish superbly. Truly a culinary experience. The 6 dish menu (wine pairing in brackets), I had, was more like 9 dishes as follows: 1 Salmon belly, dill, sorrel (Mittnacht cremant Alsace) Smoked eggplant, summer squash, basil Beet, plum vinegar, shiso 2 Tomato, melon, cucumber, goat cheese (sauvignon blanc) 3 Chicken liver pate, nectrine, grilled cornbread (white blend) 4 Roasted salmon, maitake mushrooms, creamed corn (Barbera d'Alba Superiore Brezza) 5 Dry-aged pork loin (35 days), shishito, peach polenta (Giornata Aglianico) 6 Frozen watermelon over white custard? (Meulenhof Riesling Spatlese) Caramelized white chocolate, pistachio, plum Candy cap Wow! And the dishware is quite unique made by a local artist. See the photos of each dish with a picture of the accompanying wine. Fine dining has arrived in the Paso Robles industrial countryside (Tin City). read more

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We had a wonderful experience here. Delicious and interesting food made from many local ingredients, great wine pairings for one of us and very thoughtful and interesting juice pairing for two of us, all done with proper but very friendly service. read more

Chef Ricky Odbert and his small team served up a Michelin caliber culinary experience in Paso Robles. There are only 12 seats around the kitchen and there is typically only one seating each night. The 12 course tasting menu is creative, beautifully plated and delicious. I won't describe all the dishes we were served (I have pics) but I have to say the pacing and consistency throughout the entire meal was on point .....and that is a very hard thing to master for any restaurant which makes this group of 3 stand out even further! Clever presentations: Onion roll with a gruyere fondue Banana ice cream Complex techniques: (Everything Chef Ricky does involves a lot of intense labor behind each dish. I just appreciated this dish because I could taste the difference between each item I tried) Carrots prepared 3 ways Sublime flavor pairings: Squid and Lardo Chicken liver, parsnip, pear Wow moment: Candy cap - amazingly intense flavor. I tried to make it last by taking smaller and smaller bites. TIP: Do not be late! Timing is everything for this restaurant so try to come at least 15 min early. We couldn't find it at first - look for Tin Canteen and STK will be to the left in a little alley (or ask for directions from Tin Canteen, they were nice enough to direct us!) read more

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I am so disappointed in Six Test Kitchen. The gift of Six Test Kitchen was the main gift for my husband for Christmas. My entire family dressed up and headed up to Paso Robles from Arroyo Grande only to find out that the restaurant was closed. We received an email notification at 3:14 pm the day of a 6 pm reservation. I cannot believe a Michelin rated restaurant with only 12 seats handled an arbitrary cancellation so poorly. read more

We are locals who are familiar with just about all of the restaurants in Paso Robles. Without a doubt, Six Test Kitchen is the best food (and dining experience) in Paso Ronles. Limited to twelve diners, we felt that the chef was cooking for us and a couple of friends. On Friday night there were 13 courses. Seven were starters, two were 'mains" (chicken with cabbage and wild plum and pork loin with kaboucha squash and rosemary) and three were dessert (baked apple, and two sweets). All were small potions and without exception wonderful in the mouth and to the nose. Even chicken livers ( which I would not normally eat) were wonderful with parsnips, hazelnut and peas. At $150 per person, I went away thinking that we got a bargain not that I had paid a lot for a little. Compared to similar places we have gone to in Australia and NZ, where this concept is more established, we thought the price was very reasonable. Can not recommend Six Test Kitchen highly enough. read more

Ricky, the chef, may be a gastronomic genius. One of the best meals we've ever had, and we've dined at the finest in S.F., NYC and around the world. All seven courses were perfect in taste, originality, variety and display. The service is also primo. It is also, at the moment, the best dining bargain in California. read more

Six Test Kitchen - Kamachi, melon, tomatoes and more - New American Near Me - Paso Robles, California