Probably one of my favorite places to stop by when driving between Northern and Southern California. Being able to enjoy a full meal without completely extortionary prices is a rarity in today's world - and quite frankly if you want to get it in California, you probably need to get it driving up and down I-5. Not sure where else you can do it. The set menu is pretty simple. You pick your entree, say what side dishes you want, and they're off to the races with a full-course meal for you by providing family-style sides - namely salad, a lamb soup (fantastic!), baked beans, even a quick easy dessert at the end. Also, a house wine, which I honestly can't judge in terms of quality, but it certainly isn't /bad/ (ie, it's drinkable). As for my review, the main entrees I've had have generally been decent. I've had the tri-tip and the lamb chop and they both have come out decently seasoned, decently cooked. My thoughts on the side dishes: 1. The lamb soup is definitely the best. It's super flavorful, super tender, the meat really falls apart in your mouth. Honestly, the lamb soup might even be better than the actual lamb entrees. 2. The vegetable soup is basically just fine. It's nice and hearty, but honestly not super memorable (in either direction). 3. The salad is probably my least favorite entree simply because it always has too much dressing and is a bit too "rich" for my liking. I've actually found that it tastes pretty good though if you eat it on top of the bread. 4. Baked beans - basically hearty and good with the generous parmesan cheese they put over it. I'm a fan. My actual certified Gamer Pro-Tip is to toss tabasco sauce into it - it definitely balances out the parmesan better. 5. Potato salad - I don't actually think too memorable besides being adequate. Definitely filling. Anyways, the amount of food and diversity of dishes you get is crazy - and it's remarkably rare to see this kind of cuisine at this price point. Finally, there's honestly just not a lot of competition in the "places to eat driving up and down between Los Angeles and the Bay Area." If I had to think of any changes, I really just think they need slightly less dressing on the salad! No complaints otherwise! read more

So this is a popular spot for locals. Had to hit it up. Older building but quaint and clean. Great atmosphere, bar is always packed and jolly. Seating is family style so a great way to meet people. I ordered the tri tip and my friend ordered the baked chicken. It comes with a bottle of wine and all the sides. I LOVED the salad!!! So fresh and crispy. Homemade garlic ranch dressing. It was delicious. Bread was good and fresh. Ranch beans were yummy, a bit cold but still very tasty. French fries were old and cool. Didn't love those. They also serve lamb stew. I don't love lamb so I didn't try that. My friend did and he said it was really good (ate my portion too!) Our meat came and the tri tip was flavorful but over cooked and saturated in gravy. I would try again but ask for more rare and no gravy. Gravy wasn't bad, I don't like over sauced food. The baked chicken was very tasty and very farm to table like. Service was great. People were happy and conversing. Waiter was very attentive. The experience was good. I need to try again and see now that I know how it works if I can try something different! For sure get the salad though!! read more

I enjoy the unpretentious of the Basque style of dining. This type of meal is something you would expect to come out of "Mom's" kitchen. The pork chop was cooked just the way I like it. The server knows what she is doing. She did miss quote the prices. The web says they were closed on Sunday. They were open. The pricing is not accurate. I would have preferred a slice of Basque cheesecake as opposed to a plastic cup of vanilla ice cream. read more

We brought our 18 member family here for our Christmas gathering and were thrilled with how seamlessly the evening went. We met for drinks in the bar and then enjoyed being seated in the separate room for our meal. Seating is family style so sharing the many courses was perfect. The staff went out of their way to provide the best service and accommodate any request. We were especially happy that everyone could order their preferred entree while still enjoying all the sides. Same time, same place, next year! Loved the table wine, too! read more

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Great food. Great company. Enjoyed my dish as well as all the sides. Will come again.

Ambiance: it's located on the ground level inside the hotel in downtown Los Banos, which means bathroom in Spanish, they have one family style dining room and another small room with bar table Service: lack of service, it took a while to get all the food served, and the kitchen messed up one dish Food & Drink: basque style French food, pre-fix family style meals and you only choose the main course TRI TIP - *** lean meat, okay with gravy LAMB CHOPS LOIN - * overly cooked and rubbery texture, even though asked the kitchen to make the lamb medium, still served well done meat Bread & Butter - *** average taste Vegetable Soup - ** salty soup Basque Beans - *** served with cheese Green Salad with House Dressing - *** fresh but too much dressing Lamb Stew - **** the best of the night, tender and juicy, recommend Potato Salad - *** average French Fries - *** thick cut Ice Cream cup - **** vanilla flavor, recommend Soft cheese - **** fresh Gouda cheese and soft texture, recommend Drink - *** house red wine Price: humongous portions of all sides and entrees, although the overall food quality is really just mediocre, expect $40+ per person read more

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Their authentic menu may not fit well with every person's palette but not bad at all... Inside the restaurant's atmosphere is as unique as its communal seating type arrangement. I highly recommend to experience this authentic restaurant at least once if you're in the area or jus passing thru read more

Great meal, atmosphere, and service. Please come with an appetite. Bread, been, salad, wine. read more

Wool Growers Restaurant - Basque Near Me - Los Banos, California

Good family style food. Open tables, fast and accurate service. Plates and dishes always full of delicious food, carafe full of wine. Ambiance is fun and casual. read more

Outstanding food and service well worth the drive and/or a stop-over whilst traveling thru as I was returning from Sacramento to the South Valley yesterday. In the photo are the brother-sister, senior restaurant management team with me as well as my dining order and historic sign. Easily 4-5 star range. Great job--I'll be back! read more

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This place is been here for many years. Ever since we moved here we always wanted to eat here and taste their foods. We've been here twice for big events and their food is so good. Service is very friendly and the place is like an antic restaurant. It has a vintage look. Must come and try their food. It's very old fashioned kind of interior but it works for the style of dishes. Check out my pics. read more

Heard about this from a coworker years ago, but how in the world was I gonna get the opportunity to visit WOOL GROWERS RESTAURANT?! We usually have a reason/purpose for heading to the Bay Area from SoCal which doesn't allow for side trips. We finally found the opportunity when we went up during winter break, coming from the National Park. It's very close to the 99 freeway, easy to find. It's also pretty much in the town proper so you can walk around this cute town after dinner -- you're going to need it. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The tables are communal. The restaurant is located at the rear of the building on the ground floor. When you walk in the front entrance, you'll see the bar to your right first, which doesn't seem to close. You'll need to walk towards the back and the restaurant is in a large hall with super high ceiling. The price is very reasonable. Especially considering the amount of food we got. Our server, Jesus, was super friendly and fast. We were lucky enough to visit on a Thursday so we were able to try out their Lamb Shank, which is only offered on Thursdays. It's not cheap, but it is super large and can be shared with one, maybe even two other people! It was so tender and had no aftertaste. NY Steak was about the same price, but not nearly as large, though also delicious. Kid's Mac and Cheese with Fries was also large-portioned and was kid-approved. The Child's Pork Chop is decent sized too; your child will definitely not be left hungry. An adult with a small appetite will likely walk out super full too. The pork chop was not juicy and delicious. By the way, though we ordered the above items, I was VERY surprised when Jesus came back with a large bowl of salad (meh), a bowl of beans (delicious!), potato salad (also delicious), more fries, and a bowl of lamb stew!! You heard me right: A bowl of Lamb Stew! I'm like, "we didn't order these". And then Jesus went, "it comes with it". I'm still confused: It comes with what?! With which order? So, you order your entree, but the sides are all family style... and the lamb stew is one of these sides. A side! Can you believe it? This Lamb Stew which was delicious and hearty and large-in-portion. It DID NOT seem like a side dish at all; it seemed like it was the main dish. We were only able to finish half of our food. I felt so bad about the leftovers. They gave us plastic bags, like the ones you get from the produce section, to pack up our leftovers with. It didn't look pretty, but I'm sure once I put my lamb shank and the lamb stew in a proper container and heat it up, I'm sure I'll forget what it looked like on the way home very quickly. As we were packing up our food, Jesus went, "What flavor ice cream do you want?". I'm like, "no, we're not having any. We're too full". Even the kids said no. Can you believe it? We were SOOOO full. But then Jesus went, "it comes with it". Oh no! It too comes with it?! He gave us prepackaged little ice cream cups. It was generic, but it was good. WOOL GATHERER'S makes good, hearty, delicious, homestyle comfort food. Nothing too fancy or adventurous, but it will definitely warm you from the inside out. read more

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We bumped into this basque style restaurant by chance, and felt that we hit a jackpot! The yummy food comes with big servings. The ambiance feels cozy. The price is beyond amazing! read more

The place is great. It's not a fine dining but a great family style dining. The complimentary starters are great, delicious and good portions. I like the salad and lamb stew most. The entree is also delicious. It only costs about 40 dollars per person. Love this place. read more

Wool Growers Restaurant - Complimentary starter and ceviche. - Basque Near Me - Los Banos, California

The food has gone downhill in a very short period of time. We ordered Ribeyes and there was about 5 ounces of eatable meat on each streak and the rest bone gristle and fat. The lamb stew had two carrots and two small potatoes and hunks of lamb fat as meat. Started out with one waitress who disappeared half way through the meal and was replaced with a young waiter who was also the bus boy. Everything else is the same except the price. $40 for dinner. Way too expensive. We should have known when we walked in on a Tuesday night and there was one couple at 6:00 pm. Tuesday is usually packed because it's duck season. Going forward we will pass until prices come down and food quality improves. read more

Wool Growers Restaurant - Basque Near Me - Los Banos, California

Just one of my favorite places. The lamb stew is amazing! I actually wish lamb stew over mash potatoes was one of the dinner options instead of just lamb stew as a side. Great service tonight. Charged me the appropriate amount for the kids meal. Love this place. read more

Son find this place as our pit stop. It's basque style restaurant. Service was great, food delicious but I think the potato salad needs to be softer. The basque cheese cake delicious. Oh and free 1st bottle of red wine. read more

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What a lovely place that still exists in this world!! I am so grateful for them and thank my fellow Yelpers to give this place a thumbs up, I would too! The service here is phenomenal, we were literally the only Asian in the restaurant and all staff and customers were very nice. Each day, the menu rotates to a dish, whether it's ox tail, lamb shank and etc. A bird chirp into my ears that there are secret dishes not on the menu! It doesn't hurt to make friend in town and learn about their tradition! read more

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Our server, Gina was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. She made our dining experience an adventure. The atmosphere is unique with group and individual seating. You are served a small carafe of burgundy, followed by a delicious vegetable soup, a crisp salad , and baked beans, and bread. It is famous for their lamb stew. We got the chicken, servings are generous and well prepared. Valarie, the bartender made a great martini . We will be back! read more

Excellent food! Exceptional service! Thank you Andres for beefing so attentive and polite!! We loved your service!! Give this place a try! They feed you like family!! Everything is delicious!! read more

Wool growers is a classics amongst locals and a spot I always bring visitors to. The best Basque in town. Food is abundant and so good. The soup, beans and salsa is my favorite course. I get the fried chicken if I want more than the setup. The Bartenders are awesome. Service is hit or miss but worth it. Ambiance is old school and inviting read more

Not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. Wonderful. Hours may have been changed as they are closed between 2 and 4:30. We stopped for lunch just after 1 pm on a Wednesday. Fairly empty, but people kept coming in. The side dishes cane right out. Loved the cabbage/vegetable soup. The beans were very good and a little (black) peppery. The salad had a slightly creamy garlic dressing that I loved. Fries were not exceptional. But the lamb stew was divine and I need to try to replicate it. Unbelievably good. I had oxtails on mashed potatoes. Very good, if fussy to eat. My husband had the tri tip. It wasn't as pretty as the oxtails, but sobtender and delicious. It was dressed with a bit of yummy gravy. My husband is not a huge fan of gravy, but this dish got his unqualified approval. Way too full for dessert, but it sure looked good on other tables (especially the Basque cheesecake). read more

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After living a couple towns over and having this bookmarked on Yelp for 6+ years, the SO and I finally received the Wool Growers' experience, and we definitely left full - that is a guarantee for anyone who comes! Located in downtown Los Banos, Wool Growers is a Basque French style restaurant where there are typically no menus, and everything is served family style to invite conversation, sharing, community, etc. The inside houses a small bar, or you walk further in to a large banquet room with long rows of tables, perfect for large families or parties. Immediately after being seated, we were served our first 'course' and then given the option to choose our entree, of which was listed out to us verbally (again, no menus). Because it was a Friday, we could choose: Pork loin, pork chop, baked chicken, NY steak, ribeye, lamb loin, lamb chop, prime rib, fried chicken. this is how the dishes were served: - First Course: bread, butter, and wine. These were just kind of meh. The bread was soft like white sandwich bread. We're not wine drinkers so could only stomach a sip or two. - Second Course: beans and vegetable soup. The soup was tasty, and the beans tasted like beans (not sweet, not salty). I liked putting a ladle or two of the beans into my soup for extra protein. - Third Course: salad and potato salad. The salad comes already dressed and was actually really delicious. Don't know what dressing they use, but it made the lettuce 1000x's better. Potato salad was tangy and creamy from the soft potatoes. - Fourth Course (are you full yet?): lamb stew and French fries. I would say the lamb stew was the highlight of the meal... super tender meat in a flavorful stew. Fries were meh. - Fifth Course: we went with the prime rib cooked medium rare and the lamb loins. The prime rib was tough in some areas, but the lamb loins were garlic-crusted, cooked perfectly, and YUM-O. - Sixth Course: ice cream and dessert cheese. I was surprised when they brought out a pre-made cup of vanilla ice cream and a restaurant-sized chocolate syrup bottle for the dessert. Still good, but expected fancier? Do you feel full after reading alla' dat? You should, it's a TON of food. And to top it all off, we technically only paid for the main entree meats ($36 each). I think the thing that surprised me most was when we asked to take our food to go, we were given literal bags (like thin produce bags at the grocery) to pack up (or is it pick up?). It was a little unappetizing to watch my SO scoop our remaining meat and bread slices up like a doggy bag at the park. In the end, I'm glad we finally got to check Wool Growers off our list, and now know why our neighbors never really mentioned this place as a go-to. read more

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I have been going to Woolgrowers for over 40 years (can that be true?). I went on Saturday night for the first time in 2 years and I am happy to report that it is still great! Fun to sit with fellow diners at the long tables, outstanding service by the Waitress and the great busboys were hustling to keep supplied with everything we need! The quality of the food continues to amaze me, but I could come for the LAMB STEW alone! We ordered Fried chicken as the entree and it was very tasty. Vegetable soup, Fresh salad- both green and Potato, warm bread, Portuguese beans, French fries, wine, and topped off with a Dixie Cup of Vanilla ice cream with generous squeeze of chocolate sauce! What's not to like - plus you have numerous choice- all good-for entrees! This place stands the test of time and improves with age! read more

The dinner was so astonishing (in a wasteland of fast food plastic homogenized America) that I wanted to not leave. No menu. No prices. A wondrous dinner - where a chilled red wine bottle is placed on table with a shot glass and tongs/huge salad bowl, wondrous vegetable soup, French bread, lamb stew, beans platter, before you've ordered a ribeye or pork chop or lamb or a New York steak or chicken. It's glorious. Huge bowl of salad with best dressing I've ever had. More bread. Ice cream. Way too much to eat. Tabasco. Butter. $38 As a guy whose restaurant tastes range between Dragnet and the Spanish Civil War, this historic and spacious group table Basque era treasure is Michelin worthy. The waitresses were keen locals and thorough pros "Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for One little kiss, and Feleena, goodbye..." read more

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This was a hidden gem. I didnt know about it all these years! Such excellent food and service is great too. Nice portions of food and my favorite here is the lamb stew. So amazing you have to try it. Every part of the meal was great from start to finish. Meat was cooked perfect. I definitely will be back next time I'm in los banos. By the way we had a birthday dinner. They treated our whole group great. read more

I think that you should be greeted with more information about the meals that you were about to eat we were sat down and we were informed what the specials were for the evening. We had no idea it was like a family style meal with that many courses we thought we were just sitting down to have a light dinner. I guess most people that go there know what to expect but if you're new, you're in for a surprise. So just a recommendation look up family style before you go there. read more

Holy Buckets! Love to find a good basque restaurant when I can. When you walk through the door the bartender (she was AWESOME) greets you and takes your drink order. The dining room is setup pretty much family style. I had the lamb chops but let me first get to the 'run up'. Soup, beans, salad, lamb stew.... It was all so good I had to remember I had lamb chops coming too. When they arrived they were cooked to perfection, not overdone, not underdone....hmmmm All of it tasted great! Then our waitress brought out the small cup of ice cream to finish it off. Was a little pricey but given what service you got and the quantity and more importantly quality of the food I am not complaining. read more

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This was on my list for so long, we finally made it. A very unique and fun place, with outstanding service. The amount of food is amazing, and we really enjoyed the sides (beans, salad, potato salad, soup, bread...and wine!), and the lamb stew. I had the ribeye for the main, which I thought was not that great since the cut didn't seem very good. But I was so full from everything else, I brought most of the ribeye home and had to eat it the next day. The server recommended the salmon so I would try that next time. Note I went with my kid and we could just order a sides meal for her which was more than plenty. But they do have kids entrees too. I love the part of town it's in too. We'll definitely be back!. read more

The vibe was different! Very unique! I love on how they keep things very traditional for them! Food was excellent. Service was fast pace and staff is very attentive. Last time I went there was in December for a date night. Will be back soon! read more

What can I say, great service and great food! This is the first time that I have had their shrimp scampi and it was fantastic. Wool Growers don't change a thing, it works. read more

Their lunch menu is still on par. Their prices have gone up just a bit. Their dinner fair has really fallen off in the last 5 to 6 years, but I highly recommend the pican punch and steak sandwiches at lunch. read more

Really casual place to go to and it's always packed! Nice, big classic meals here. Any dish with red meat is bomb. We go yearly and look forward to it every year! read more

We really enjoyed this restaurant. Food was phenomenal! We started in the bar and my manhattan was delish, too. Great female bartender! Refreshing to see a woman in a traditional place like the Wool Growers! I loved the ambiance, perfect for family style! Can't wait to go back! read more

This is Basque food served family-style in a family-oriented restaurant. The food is amazing. The service is amazing. The ambiance is amazing and fun. Don't be turned off by being seated at a very long table that includes other families. There is a lot of space and it is all one big happy family experience. Also, wine comes with your dinner! read more

Food deliciousness from the salad, bread, soup, lamb stew, French fries, green beans, Mac n cheese and entree. And wine is good too Waitress are great, friendly, hostess, always checking on you! Their amazing and food is the best meal closed to you're grandma'szz! read more

Best Basque Restaurant in Southern California...bar none!! Go with a healthy appetite!!

Ate there last night, had prime rib. It was tough and stringy,others said their steaks were the same. Too bad, have been going to Wool growers for over 40 years. read more

Have enjoyed the Wool Growers Restaurant for years! Wonderful atmosphere and even better food! Picon Punch is a must have!

A hidden gem in the area, couldn't tell from the sign outdoor how this place was. A bit interesting when stepping inside seeing the dining hall style seating with people sharing tables. The menu is a family style pre-fix menu with a very reasonable price had your seen how much food was served for $32 adult and $16 kid under 12. First is a bottle of table red wine and a basket of sliced bread with butter, then came vegetable soup in a big metal bowl and a long bowl of Basque style beans. Then iceberg lettuce salad soaked in ranch dressing and lamb stew, then our entree of choice (fish, chicken, tri-tip or NU steak), lastly a cup of ice cream with chocolate syrup to add on our own choosing. I really enjoyed the lamb stew, so flavorful and soft yet not gamy. Vegetable soup was a big hit for the kid and everyone loved the fish. The interesting part is that we were given plastic bags to pack up our leftovers. I would totally recommend this place for someone coming back from Fresno to the Bay Area as a dinner stop. read more

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