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    The Nest

    4.1 (631 reviews)
    ModerateWaffles, Tacos, Pizza
    Open 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Nest Photos

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    THE NEST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Recommended Reviews - The Nest

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    Jalapeño smash burger
    Cassie C.

    Delicious food and a nice casual spot for lunch or dinner! You order at the window and seat yourself which is nice but with actual good quality food! I've seen this place very busy during the summer so was happy to eat here easily on an "off season." My boyfriend and I ordered the jalapeño smash burger and fried chicken sandwich with fries and split both to try. While they were both very delicious, we agreed that the chicken sandwich was the best. Nice thin crispy fries, an so many more things on the menu sounded delicious. We ordered the carafe of wine but their machine broke so we only got half that they still have to use and comped which was quite kind. We will definitely be back!

    Laura R.

    I'm catching up on my reviews. We came to Ojai a few weeks ago and we had dinner at The Nest. My boyfriend heard this place had some popular Vegan Cauliflower Tacos. Omg! Delicious! The cashier was friendly and the restaurant is nice, clean, mostly outdoor seating. It felt a little romantic to me outside. We definitely plan to stop by again.

    Chicken sandwich, fish tacos, Arnold Palmer
    Gilbert S.

    The chicken sandwich was really good, the fries. I did not like because they were cold, the drink was very sweet, but pretty good. Overall, the aesthetic is very pleasing and peaceful, and the service was fast.

    Chopped Greek salad
    Claudio D.

    The cauliflower soup and the Greek chopped salad were excellent. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful.

    Vegan Caesar with added sun dried tomatoes
    Matt J.

    The Nest has some strong menu items but suffers from an inconsistent menu, a slow line and blatant shrinkflation. I've had some excellent salads there that disappear as suddenly as I'm delighted by them. The urge for a menu to evolve is understandable but is it unreasonable to expect the meal you've enjoyed to remain somewhat constant? I'm not saying a menu should be stagnant, but we're talking counter service here, not farm to table tasting menu. Also, we've seen the overall portions of certain dishes shrink while their prices remain high. Notably, the ahi bowl has graduated to a much smaller dish, and, as you can imagine, the portion of rice and pickled ginger has remained abundant while the ahi itself has gone down precipitously. Despite these gripes, I'm grateful they offer a satisfying vegan Caesar salad on which they added sun dried tomatoes as a special request. The dressing was delicious (albeit not especially Caesar-y and perhaps a little too generous) and coated the kale very nicely. I'd return just for that dish but don't think it's ideal bang for buck. Still, it's a charming atmosphere (props to newly renovated interior seating area!) and can be a perfect choice for different parties including dates and families.

    Colton C.

    Had a great experience at The Nest. I ordered the smash burger with fries, juicy, well-seasoned, nicely smashed with crispy edges, and the fries were perfectly golden and fresh. My friend got the tacos and absolutely loved them as well. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. I can't really comment much on full service, but the girl who delivered our food was very friendly. The vibe of the place is excellent, especially when the weather is nice. Outdoor seating is perfect, and it's dog friendly, which made it even better. Would definitely come back.

    Kale caesar salad with chicken (dressing is vegan)
    Anna S.

    Solid spot for a casual lunch in Ojai. They have a great outdoor seating area as well as a few booths inside. You order at the counter and they bring you your food along with napkins and silverware. There's also a self serve water station. I ordered the kale caesar salad and the french fries. The caesar salad was delicious, especially for having vegan dressing! I added grilled chicken to it and loved the extra crunch from the chickpeas - nice touch. The french fries were a lovely shoestring consistency and super crispy. My brother had been here before and mentioned that he remembers the fries being different in the past but these were even better, so perhaps they made some changes to their menu recently. Either way, I'd recommend checking out The Nest if you're in the area!

    Two types of tacos: general fish taco and the ahi taco. Both amazing.
    Harold V.

    Ojai's got plenty of great food options, but somehow, we always end up at The Nest. And honestly, we've never regretted it. The open-air patio is a vibe. It's dog-friendly, grapevines are crawling up the walls and a chill playlist matches the easygoing crowd. The food? A little on the pricey side, but you feel the love. Even the fish tacos feel elevated. They're perfectly battered flaky fish, crisp shredded cabbage, and ripe cherry tomatoes that pop. There's real care in every detail. It all just hits. That's why we keep coming back every time we're in town.

    Sausage fennel pizza
    Cindy L.

    Had a great time visiting Ojai for the first time and stumbled on this restaurant on Yelp. We got the sausage fennel pizza($25) and chicken sammy($24) with the vegan cesar. The pizza had tomato sauce, fennel sausage, mozzarella, ricotta, castelvetrano olives + cremini mushrooms. I loved all the toppings on the pizza but thought the ricotta didn't pair as well with the pizza. It was a well made pizza and definitely shareable between two people. The chicken sandwich was so good!!! The chicken was tender and juicy and I loved the well crispy well seasoned breading. The aioli paired perfectly with the bacon jam with onions which brought out an amazing sweetness. One thing I would change is that I would use pickled red onions instead of the regular red onions they put on the sandwich as well as add some arugula to cut out the heaviness. I would come back to ojai just for the chicken sandwich. I wasn't expecting much from the side salad but I really loved it. The vegan cashew cheese added a salty taste with the well dressed greens. The service was quick and I love how the food came out freshly made and quickly. I loved the outdoor seating which had a lot of plants and greeny.

    The Side of the outdoor seating area
    Claire G.

    The Nest is a very cute spot in downtown Ojai with a terrific healthy Brunch type menu. It's partially self serve and very dog friendly on their cute grapevine covered outdoor patio. To start we ordered a couple of cocktails because hey, it's brunch and we're on vacation . Tried the mai tai and the moody blue. Both cocktails were not only pretty to look at, but very tasty, particularly the mai tai. Then we feasted on the delicious Smashburger, which was Wagyu beef, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and their delicious nesty sauce. I really wanted to go for their great looking fries, but instead, I opted for the healthier option of the wonderful arugula side salad. Hubs ordered the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and sadly was not impressed however as it was drowning in a heavy mayonnaise based sauce and not enough, onions and peppers. The fries he had, though were excellent! The menu overall is just awesome, I would love to go back because there are so many more things I would've liked to have tried including their root beer float.....Next time.

    Jeanie L.

    Visited downtown Ojai and stopped by The Nest for lunch. Cute little restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating in their patio area. So how it works here is you line up to order and pay at the window, and you're given a pager that will buzz once your food is ready for pick up. The girl working the register was super friendly. Unfortunately they ran out of pizza dough right when I stepped up to order. So we ended up ordering: * side house salad - for a side salad, the portion was pretty big! * jalapeno bacon smash burger - the patty was so juicy but a little too salty. The fries were nice and crispy. * calamari tacos - avocado was not ripe. The calamari was good though. * el sully mexican style lager beer They can get pretty busy so I would suggest coming early or later. It got a little uncomfortable towards the end when I had a family of 4 stand next to my table waiting for me to finish eating so they can take over my table...

    Seasonal cocktails
    Melissa L.

    My friend and I were wine tasting in downtown Ojai and started to get hungry so we looked into restaurants to try. My friend had been to the Nest previously and recommended that we give them a try. I was happy as they had been on my to try list for a while so we walked over for an early dinner. I've heard that this spot gets pretty busy but for such an early dinner around 3pm it was pretty much dead here which worked out to our advantage. Plenty of seating to choose from and the food came out within 5 minutes. Worked out just great as we were starving. This spot you actually order up at a counter and then they give you a pager for you to pickup your food once ready. The gal working the register was nice and quick. She also made our cocktails to order in front of us which I appreciated. The menu here is pretty big to be honest. Lots of tasting looking options and I also loved that they had 5 cocktails on their wall to choose from. I think this restaurant has a good variety of options for any type of eater. Sitting outside was pretty nice and the vibe was very casual and relaxed. The cocktails overall were more like a 3/5. Happy to have tried one but the flavors to me were just okay. I tried their Pear Necessities (cute name). It was fine, nothing special - could have honestly had more of a hint of pear vs what tasted like a lot of lemon. I also think the price point was too steep for them. Cute glass though, so despite being a counter service bar I appreciate that they do serve the drinks in nice glassware. While the cocktails were mid the food was very very good! My favorite bite of the night were the calamari tacos and side of fries. My friend and I devoured these dishes. The fried calamari had a wonderful batter and I loved the chipotle cream. Topped with plenty of cabbage and avocado, it was a great taco. The fries were cooked to perfection and salty so good, loved the aioli dipping sauce. Both the tacos and fries were a 5/5. Another honorable mention was the ahi poke bowl 4/5 in my books. Super fresh and generous portion of ahi tuna. Visually appealing and very tasty, another good dish. Happy to report the food is pretty dang good. I docked one star just because the cocktails seemed pretty mid (at least speaking for mine) my friend did like hers more I think so that's good. Also the price point kind of had me shook. Like other reviews noted I do think it's too pricey for what it is here. When you dine somewhere that is counter service and you aren't waited on, I guess I expect the price point to reflect that. For example two cocktails and the one ahi bowl came to $58. How?! That's almost $20 an item. I still left a generous tip but did feel a bit surprised at what they are charging. Was I happy with my meal? Yes! Service was friendly and the relaxed casual atmosphere was much needed after a long day. But I do think there are other more reasonably priced spots in the area. I think the Nest is a good spot to dine or to sample some smaller bites with friends. Again, really loved the tacos and fries. Also think it's cute that they have an attached grocery / gift store. The findings in there were cute and some reasonable prices. Also clean bathrooms. No issues there.

    Laura M.

    I love Ojai and I love The Nest! Beautiful patio seating and incredible service, coupled with delicious and fresh food and the most amazing drinks I think we have ever had! The ahi poke bowl is outstanding and the tacos are so good too! Go to The Nest!

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    The best tacos in town. Fish tacos are on point. Beautiful presentation. friendly staff.

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    Ask the Community - The Nest

    I would like a reservation for 4 for brunch at 11 on Jan 22. Please confirm Laura lynch can you confirm?

    This is a walk up an order at the window spot. There are no reservations.

    Is this place offering sit down dining either inside or outside?

    We offer outside dining!

    Dine in open?

    There are outside tables

    Does the patio have heaters this time of year (Jan)?

    Yes they do!

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Yes , they also have water dish out

    Do they take the axxess card?

    Is there an Ojai axxess card? That would be good to have!

    View All 8 Questions

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    Ojai Tortilla House - Pastor quesadilla

    Ojai Tortilla House

    4.3(431 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    Just off of Ojai Ave on N. Signal St, there's a little hole in the wall taco place. I'm here…read moredriving a charter bus and had a few hours to wait, saw that shop and decided to give it a try for dinner, just because it was super close to where I parked. Frankly, I thought it was probably just another taco place and wasn't expecting much... but BOY was I wrong! One pork and one chicken soft taco and they both knocked my socks off. I'm not even a chicken taco fan, but that one was mind blowing good! The owner whose name I won't even attempt to spell because I would just butcher it, was very kind. He only takes cash, but I didn't notice the sign. I was a dollar short and he took care of me anyway. Trust me though, his tacos are worth more than he charges and worth every penny! Definitely give him a try! You won't be sorry! TWO HUMBS UP!

    Ojai Tortilla House is a very small, authentic take-out spot that locals love and tourists too…read more They keep things simple with classic Mexican favorites like burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, all made fresh and packed with flavor. The tacos were packed with protein, honestly a much better meat-to-filling ratio compared to the quesadilla. We didn't try the burritos this time, but maybe we'll give one a try on our next visit...maybe. It's mainly a lunch stop and takeout only, so plan to grab your food and head to a nearby park or shady corner to enjoy it. It is cash only, though there's an ATM inside, and you'll find assorted drinks, juices, and refreshing aguas frescas to go with your meal. The line can get long, so arrive early and bring your patience. They can sell out too, so plan accordingly. Overall, it's a low-key spot with authentic flavors and reasonable prices. If you don't mind waiting a bit, it's worth trying for an early lunch since there are plenty of other great restaurants in the area.

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    Ojai Tortilla House
    Ojai Tortilla House - Pastor Quesadilla

    Pastor Quesadilla

    Ojai Tortilla House - Pastor Burrito

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    Pastor Burrito

    Carmelita's Mexican Food - It looks appetizing, but it was below average. The meat was so very cheap. Cheap rubber.

    Carmelita's Mexican Food

    4.4(146 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $

    On a recent visit to Ojai, we were looking for some cheap and tasty eats and this place hit the…read morespot. Hole in the wall dining at its best, and authentic mexican flavors without a big bill. In fact, this was one of the cheapest meals I've had in a while in SoCal, under $20 a person for generous portions, free tortilla chips, and a tasty salsa bar. It's an order at the counter place, there were no prices on the menu board overhead, and the staff was super friendly and caring. We had a carnitas burrito, i had shrimp enchiladas with green sauce, and we had an order of 2 sopes. All hugely generous servings, served hot. They seemed to have a lot of takeout orders going on while we were there. Not a lot of people around but a lot coming and going, and it took about 20 minutes before our food came out. All around delicious, nice patio seating if you have a dog, and a few tables inside as well. Ample parking lot. If you're in the Ojai area, this is worth a stop.

    Great Mexican food that is authentic in my opinion and quality. I have gotten few of their dishes…read moreand all of them have been wonderful. My favorite is the fish tacos. We always get the chips with it and it is very fresh along with the salsa. Mostly when I have gotten the food, it was to go, but I also dined in previously and It was wonderful. I would recommend it and definitely return.

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    Carmelita's Mexican Food - Menu

    Menu

    Carmelita's Mexican Food - Salsa's are basically 80% water. Really. It's so weird.

    Salsa's are basically 80% water. Really. It's so weird.

    Carmelita's Mexican Food - Menu

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    Menu

    Tres Hermanas

    Tres Hermanas

    3.2(121 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    My wife and I live in town and this is one of our favorite spots. We eat here regularly and have…read morehad excellent experiences every time. Friendly and attentive waitstaff, and the food is always excellent. I loved the sopapillas, though they're no longer on the menu, but everything I've had here is great. My wife loves the green chile goddess salad, and the green chile stew is excellent as well. And they have good happy hour deals. We usually eat outside, but the vibe inside and at the bar is good too. I don't understand the negative reviews. It sounds like people talking about a different restaurant.

    My review is strictly for the bar area and cocktails but wow! What a fun and cute restaurant and…read morebar in downtown Ojai. I am definitely surprised by the lower reviews as our experience on a Sunday evening was pretty stellar and hopefully the reviews continue to be more positive if the restaurant and staff are making adjustments to the feedback. We stumbled in on a Sunday evening after wine tasting. We truthfully wanted round two of drinks and a clean bathroom lol. I had heard about this spot in the past and their curb appeal drew us in. Love their signage, the name/logo on the front wall, and once we walked in the bar seemed very cute and inviting. Probably what would have been an initial red flag was that it was dead inside but we just wanted to sit and enjoy a cocktail. The outdoor patio seemed cute and did have like three tables full. We looked over the menu and were actually very impressed. They have an extensive cocktail menu with fun looking drinks and ingredients. The food menu looked pretty appetizing to me if I'm being honest. Based off of the menu alone I'd come back. Happy hour during her weekdays seems legit too. My group only ordered cocktails but the drinks were pretty and a generous pour! Three of us ordered the prickly pear margaritas and we loved the tall glass they came in. We really loved how the female bartender whipped our drinks up super quickly. My other friend got a Smokey cocktail and we all agreed we really liked our drinks. Had we not already been drinking all afternoon I would have definitely ordered another cocktail. The staff were actually very nice and sweet (going against other reviews). The bartender again was really quick with the drinks and made them very tasty. The waitress who checked up on us was darling. Me and my girlfriends were deep in conversation and I appreciated how she would check in on us but also was mindful to not seem interruptive. She also gave us recommendations on what food is popular and to order next time. While I only experienced the bar area I was very pleased with our visit. Drinks were good, the decor cute, and nice staff. Hoping more people will give them a try as we really liked this spot. Clean single bathroom too in the back which was helpful as we all needed a pit stop and refresh. Definitely keeping this spot in mind next time I'm in Ojai and needing a margarita.

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    Tres Hermanas
    Tres Hermanas
    Tres Hermanas

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    Farmer And The Cook

    Farmer And The Cook

    3.9(627 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    The Farmer and the Cook -- Fresh Finds Off the Main Road…read more I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect walking in for the first time, but The Farmer and the Cook won me over pretty quickly. It's bright, clean, and has this easy organic warmth to it... the kind of place that feels like it was put together by people who actually care. Right off the main road, easy to find, and the family vibes are real. It's the kind of spot you want to linger in. If you're navigating dietary restrictions, this place is a quiet goldmine. Strong gluten free options, a genuinely vegan friendly menu, and plenty of vegetarian choices too... so everyone at the table actually gets to eat something they're excited about. That's rarer than it should be. The food? Solid. I went with the raw tacos, sopes, and huarache; all filling, all fairly priced for the area. The raw tacos especially surprised me... fresh, flavorful, and not in a "I wish this was a real taco" kind of way. These hold their own. Service was quick and most of the staff had a warm, genuine energy about them. The one small snag; the cashier seemed to be having a rough one. A little gruff, made me feel like my first visit was mildly inconvenient for them. It happens, we all have bad days, but first impressions do stick a little. Overall though, I'm absolutely coming back. There's more on that menu calling my name and an atmosphere that makes it easy to slow down for a bit. Whether you're vegan, gluten free, or just looking for something fresh and honest... this one's worth the stop.

    This was a great first stop in Ojai! The ambiance was very inviting and the food was great…read more I would say, it's lovely healthy food in the style of Mexican dishes, but didn't really have a Mexican flavor profile. Definitely elevated and delicious, but don't expect the same spices and preparations. I had the goat cheese and veggies tacos, taquitos, and fresh chips and salsa. The chips and salsa were incredible and super fresh. I loved the homemade hot sauce as well. The star of the show for me was the seasonal persimmon smoothie. I couldn't believe how delicious it was, and for only $7?! The bathroom was pretty disgusting when I stopped in, but I will try not to hold that against them lol overall the restaurant was clean and the people were friendly!

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    Farmer And The Cook - Inside grocery store

    Inside grocery store

    Farmer And The Cook - I would like to give a review of Garrett's "Not a Chicken Sandwich"! It was the absolute best! I love the fresh garlicky aioli, crunchy pick

    I would like to give a review of Garrett's "Not a Chicken Sandwich"! It was the absolute best! I love the fresh garlicky aioli, crunchy pick

    Farmer And The Cook - Inside

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    Inside

    The Nest - waffles - Updated May 2026

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