Jocko's

This restaurant was recommended by several people that tried the ribeye. It was kind of in the middle of nowhere but the service and the atmosphere was well worth it.. especially they had a special of the day a side order of mac and cheese with tater tots.. I know it sounds weird but that was pretty darn good.. The bartenders were hopping and very friendly and helpful..

Just tried Jocko's for the first time and hands down, it's the best BBQ I've had on the central coast. The beef ribs were meaty, juicy, and packed with flavor. The Spencer steak? Cooked perfectly, juicy, and had an amazing texture. And that BBQ Lobster Tail? Absolutely delicious with the butter dip. The BBQ artichoke was a pleasant surprise, especially paired with that tasty mustard dip. The salad was simple but so refreshing. The ranch was so good. Oh, and the Drewski cocktail? Sweet but surprisingly strong. Dangerously good! Learning about Jocko's long history was really cool too. And shoutout to Haley, our server—despite being busy and running around, she always made sure we had water and were happy with our meal, checking in with us to ensure everything was okay! Her speedy service and great energy really added to the experience. Can't wait to go back—it was all topped off perfectly with those ice cream scoops. What a meal! Definitely recommend making reservations though, 'cause it's totally worth it.

We were happy mostly but it seemed that the kitchen was sending meats out that were undercooked. A table near us walked out and another group behind us was complaining. Parts of my French dip were a little on the grizzly side but it had good flavor. My companions ordered a steak that was slightly under, but still quite delicious, and the other ordered a hamburger who was pleased. We shared the grilled artichoke and this was very good. Our server was inexperienced, and didn’t really enhance the meal with any offerings, but all in all it was pretty good but overpriced for such a shack style and informal place.

Restaurant is legit. We were able to go watch them make steaks and see the grill master at work! It’s a site to see. Came here with the family. There is a wait so we decided to have drinks at the bar. Drinks were spot on. We ordered multiple dishes and two kid plates. The ribeye steak is a MUST! The beef ribs are good. The fries are really good! Stole some from the kids plates! 😜 I definitely recommend this restaurant. The atmosphere is perfect for a family dinner.

WOW just wow. The taste, quality, and portions at Jocko’s are all top tier. Bring your appetite. The steaks are fantastic and plentiful. A local staple that attracts patrons from all over. The use red oak coals which give the food a unique and delicious taste. Get the Spencer Cut!

Really! This place is so amazing. The service was so quick and our waitress was awesome. She took care of our every need. But the star of the show was the steak!!! Not the first to say it. Talk about cooked to perfection…. Bravo Mr. Steak man… Bravo!!!! Worth the time and money. Will be back again soon.

Short version of visit: Popular place, great food, great service. Long version of visit: A few years back my family did a Carne Vino tour aka try the area's two best steakhouses and drink a bunch of wine from the wineries in the Paso Robles area. We first went to the Far Western Tavern and it was just ok and you could not even smell bbq. Then we hit Jockos - and you can smell the addictive smoke of red oak from the parking lot. We ordered the Spencer steaks (ribeye) and they were fantastic. Just last month (February 2024) went back to have a repeat experience. We got there when they opened on a Wednesday and there was already a line starting to form to get in. Our waitress was amazing on service and very personable. The Spencer 8oz Ribeye, though cooked a perfect medium rare, was much more chewy in texture then the steak we had a few years ago. All three of us ordered the same thing and had a similar opinions. Maybe it wasn't a ribeye? Jocko's did mention they have changed who they get their meat from locally a few times - so maybe it's that. Regardless, I'd go back again. Highly recommend.

Now this place was well talked about but like it states “Established 1925.” Upon arrival right when it opened 4pm the line started forming. Not much has changed. It seem like you are walking back in time to 1971. It gloomy outdated dining experience. It you like large potions you have hit the jack pot, EXCEPT for the two 2” inch wide by 1/4 inch thick over priced CRAB CAKE $25.00 we do not advise. Steaks were ok beef ribs had lots of meat on them. It’s a place where you can visit and expect good food. Just stay away from the tiny over priced crab cakes

I happened to be working in Santa Maria for a couple months and some coworkers were raving about this place who are locals so of course I had to come check them out when I heard they were grilling over oak, Santa Maria Style. Boy, they did not disappoint. Stopped by and ordered the 16oz top sirloin and for $39.99, YOU GET A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF FOOD. You defenitly get your bang for your buck. But what I loved most was how AMAZING my steak was and cooked to perfection! Also got to try the languica which was spectacular. Both dishes a 10/10. I can see why this is a local staple. If your in the are you gotta come here. Just keep in my mind this place gets PACKED ALL DAY, everyday. I had reservations at 4pm and within 30 min the place had every table full. Make sure to make reservations on open table if possible to beat waiting. Defenitly will be back again; thanks Jocko's!

We had a party of 43 from the company for dinner. We waited a little before we could sit down. The servers are friendly and the place is cozy. We ordered a variety of appetizers. The crab cakes were fresh and crispy. The mussels in white wine sauce was to die for. We opened a few bottle of red. They have Daou here, nice choice. For dinner, I had the filet mignon with asparagus. All of the steak comes with the salsa sauce. The steak was on the salty side but if you add the special salsa, it turned out to be good. I couldn't even finish my 10 oz. Steak so I had leftover for lunch the next day. The ice cream selection was special. They had vanilla, chocolate mint, sherbet and the pumpkin spice. I selected the seasonal pumpkin spice ice cream and it was amazing. I finished the own dessert with no regret!!

If you're coming here then you're coming for the steak! Ordered the 16 oz ribeye (Spencer) and it was cooked to perfection. The rice was fine but nothing special. The pickles were actually really good as was the bread. Service was quick and friendly, the order took a bit to arrive but expected as they cook to order. Overall the steak is worth it, though a little pricey, the quality is great!

Currently my favorite steak spot on the Central Coast. Cooked to perfection with that red oakiness flavor. Top with a little of their salsa and I'm in heaven. Service is always on point and super friendly.

I first heard of Jocko's 30 years ago from coworkers who told me that Jocko's was the place to go when traveling up the 101. A handful of visits later, it's finally time to write about it. Jocko's is a must stop if you are within a 30 mile radius of Nipomo. They specialize in cooking steaks and chops over a red oak pit which imparts a great smokey flavor to the meats. I have their steaks, chops and beef ribs. Each one of these meats are cooked to perfection. Portions are huge and can be shared. Along with your meat entree, you also get a salad, crackers, chilled pickles, their famous pinquito beans, potatoes and an ice cream for dessert. They are a casual place. Just come as you are. But, make sure you make reservations on weekends and holidays as they do get very busy. Service has been good every time I've been there. It's a great place for steaks. They are a must visit and a very good stop when in Santa Maria or Pismo Beach area in the evening.

We recently took a weekend road trip to Pismo Beach with our cousins for some adult time away from the kids. While deciding where to eat, someone recommended Jocko's Steakhouse, which has been around since the 1920s (if I remember correctly; if not, I apologize). The setup of this restaurant is definitely non-conventional, almost as if it was an old office building converted into a restaurant. Despite the odd layout, the place is packed, so I recommend calling for reservations. We had a reservation for 7:45 PM on a Thursday night and got seated around 8:15 PM. This place is busy for a reason--it's good and has excellent service. My wife and I weren't very hungry due to a late lunch, so we ordered the 20-ounce ribeye steak with a baked potato, a bowl of beans, and some garlic bread. I like to be honest in my reviews, and this restaurant deserves a solid four stars for a great overall experience. We ordered the steak medium rare, but it was unevenly cooked--about half was medium rare and the other half was rare. I don't mind rare, but my wife ended up with the rarer portion, which she didn't enjoy as much. The baked potato was good, and the beans were okay but didn't suit my taste. The garlic bread was great. We also tried the wood-fired artichokes as an appetizer. This was my first time having a wood-fired or smoked artichoke, and it was pretty good with a nice flavor. I appreciated that they trimmed all the prickly parts. Upon being seated, they bring out salsa, a bunch of crackers, a tray of butter, and a large garlic dill pickle sliced into chunks for everyone to share. I was a bit confused about the crackers and butter, expecting warm soft bread, but perhaps I missed something as it was my first visit. Despite these minor confusions, it was a good experience. Our server was fantastic, very friendly, and even brought extra bread for me to take back to the hotel for a midnight snack. For dessert, I had Italian spumoni ice cream, a special treat I really enjoy but don't find very often. The restaurant is solid, even though the ribeye wasn't cooked evenly. I would definitely come back here again and encourage others to do so as well. I should have mentioned at the beginning that they cook the steaks and artichokes over a red oak-fired grill. The wonderful oak smell hits you as soon as you walk in, adding to the deliciousness of the food. The restaurant isn't cheap; our meal with one appetizer came out to $78. The 20-ounce ribeye alone was $57, but the marbling and flavor were excellent and mouthwatering.

Jocko's is a must stop for me every time I visit the Central Coast. I used to live in Nipomo and when you come here, you quickly realize this is a local hotspot. If you know, you know! This is not a fancy steakhouse but you'll get a better quality steak here than most of the "fancy" places you've been to. The value cannot be beat. My go-to dish is the Spencer 16 oz ($47.95). With it, you get a chilled garlic dill pickle and crackers/ homemade salsa appetizer (the homemade salsa is REALLY good), salad , grilled garlic bread and bean size and your choice of dude with the steak (baked potato is always my pick). The oak grilled steak truly has a unique flavor that can't be beat. Honestly I don't think it needs any additional sauces. Then for dessert you get your pick flavor of ice cream. With all this food, I usually come hungry and still take home leftovers. Another little secret about this place is wine. You can bring your own and pay a low corkage fee. I actually bought the Jocko's Red Blend wine for $26 last time I was there and it was really good. Also, love that this restaurant now exists on OpenTable! So much easier to make a reservation. Jocko's.... I'm a life long fan. Already daydreaming of my next visit!

I can't say enough Jocko's is absolutely amazing, this is my third time here and every time it's been perfect. The dishes are outstanding I order my steak medium rare and it's always perfectly cooked. If you're ever in the area I definitely recommend you to stop for dinner. Unless you have a reservation you can expect to wait, but let me tell you it's well worth it.

Let me start by saying reservations would be in your best interest. We were glad we did so that we could quickly get started on what turned out to be an amazing meal! The drinks were cold and refreshing, the steaks were hot and juicy, and the baked potatoes were cooked to perfection. The restaurant makes you feel like you a little country and has this homey feel to it. The noise is quite high but that is because everyone is having a great time and good conversation.

Filets are still the best ( a little more smoke flavor which wasn't my fave ) but the Small Spencer was a huge disappointment! It looked more like a breakfast steak , thin and overdone! I never thought I would hesitate to go back but with their current prices they need a Spencer that doesn't look and cut like a generic sirloin! Waitress was great but it was out of her control!

TL;DR: LONG WAIT TIME ON WEEKENDS BE ADVISED. good place to come to get a whole lot of food, tasty for a good price. A local favorite it seems. Not upscale, come casual and bring the family. Be prepared for a long wait. Little on the noisier and busier side. I would like to give this place 4 stars, however we were dissatisfied with the fact that we had made advanced reservations for 7:30pm, arriving a few minutes to let the host know we arrived, and were not seated until 7:50pm :/ there were other guests who we saw go to the host several times to see their spot in line. Hunger aside, they start you off with crackers, salsa, and pickles. Out waitress was kind but they had a full house so she did her best to check in on us. The portions are huge and steaks were delicious which made up for the longer wait time. I think I'd give this place another chance if I'm in the area, now that I know what I know now. But I think the reservation issue is something that could have been prevented.

Jocko's has lost a customer of 30 years, had dinner, horrible pickles instead of relish tray, yuk! salsa tasted old, bread was stale and cut in smaller slices, and the beans are definitely not the Jocko recipe, we ordered a sirloin and ribeye steaks, the sirloin was thin like a Sizzler steak and the ribeye tasted smokey like maybe they used oak wood that was not seasoned enough to use, the cut of meat was tough

Came back yesterday for our yearly tradition dinner. Starting to wonder why I left four stars last time. Yes, it's a pricey dinner if you order steaks. But for what you get (20oz Large Spencer here), it's still a great value in regard to size, flavor, and quality. Service is always very solid. Fries and garlic bread are still great sides. And since I commented on it before, they changed their crackers and got Ritz branded ones Always love that you can see your steak being cooked out back. I'll let the photos do the rest! We love coming here every time we are close.

We ordered the 20oz Spencer medium rare. The flavor was incredible! So tender and juicy for a thick steak. Our server was attentive and friendly.They have updated the restaurant getting rid of the white, doily looking curtains. It's a family favorite of ours. A must visit every time we come to the Central Coast!

Classic old school steak house. Cozy Rustic decor. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Food quality and portion size are outstanding. 2 16oz pork chop meal is a great deal. Sides of vegetables, beans and a salad made for a wonderful meal. There's a reason they have been a staple of the area for years. Check them out in your next visit to the central coast.

Honestly from outside the place looked pretty big, once in the place . The place is over crowded and looks so disorganized and out of control. One waiter said it would be a hour and a half wait the other young lady said about 30 min. They brought out a tomato paste with no chips only crackers and a bowl of some cold ass big pickles with ice cubes. I have never seen that in my life. Then we finally ordered and we got a big plate with big portions of steak and side . We also got a side of beans I don't know if they cooked them or if they .came out of a can. Honestly the steak was 100% but I don't know about everything else. The bathrooms are small I don't know how people get into a stall. The sink had rust all over the faucet. What I couldn't understand is that they let a lil boy sit in the bar area on the bar stool drinking a root beer. It suprised me but anyways steak is great everything else I have nothing good to say.

Walking into Jocko's, I felt like I was stepping into the past. It's a casual spot that is great for large groups. The steak was tasty with a nice smoky flavor and perfectly cooked. I liked the pinquito beans, which were smoky and not too sweet. Our server was great as well!

Had a great dinner here. Reservations were available and we got seated immediately. Busy Friday night and the staff were doing an excellent job caring for us and everyone around us. Friendly and attentive. Monica did a great job. We ordered meat! 20 oz Spencer 20 oz Filet Mignon 16 oz Sirloin Lamb Chops All so tasty and delicious The bread and pinquito beans were plentiful. The sides were ordered which come with the meals were really good too: Mac n Cheese French Fries Baked Potato Hash Brown Casserole So good. 5 stars Jocko's is iconic and they brought it tonight.

I could smell the burning red oak from outside Jocko's.  There was a line to get in at dinner time.  Inside it was dark like other expensive steakhouses.  Host was friendly and helpful. Complimentary soda water was cold and refreshing. Fries were crunchy with a delicious fried potato flavor. 4 bones beef rib plate was a ton of meat and I only ate 2 bones.  Other 2 I saved for breakfast.  Ribs were full of delicious smoky flavor from being grilled over red oak and seasoned with Santa Maria bbq seasonings  Cooked to medium they were moist.  I loved the flavor. It appears they serve Thrifty's ice cream here.  I ordered the strawberry and it was creamy and full of strawberry flavor. 2nd visit I tried the Spencer which was the 20oz ribeye.  Tender and juicy.  Loved the Santa Maria seasoning along with the smoky flavor.  Good steak but I prefer Ruth's Chris prime ribeye which has a better char. This time I ordered the mint chocolate chip and I loved the mix of mint and chocolate chip flavors. I'm a huge fan of Santa Maria bbq and loved the beef ribs.  Next time I'll have to try the pork ribs.

If you're doing a road trip that takes you past Nipomo, be sure to make a stop here for some delicious steaks! It's not a fancy steakhouse, but you might want to make a reservation just in case. They use red oak coals to cook their meats which gives it a nice flavor! Per their menu, it's a local tradition to top the steak with their homemade salsa. I've tried it, but would still prefer the steak without the salsa. On my last visit, I ordered the 20 oz NY steak with a baked potato. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Service was a tad slow, but it was good nonetheless.

Waited 2 hours even with a reservation??? It was well worth it. The steak didn't look like much but one bite and you taste that awesome oak BBQ flavor what the ???? Best steak I've had yet!

Great place! Definitely a must if in Nipomo Or surrounding areas! Steak was cooked perfectly and the staff was very friendly and accommodating! Definitely coming back!

Went here for dinner last night with a few friends and like normal it was quite busy luckily we had reservations. We had to wait until the entire party was there to be seated. It was not too bright inside and not too dark either not like some places with a colored tonight to the lighting. Once seated we were able to put our orders in fairly quickly and get our drinks and that's about the extent of the quick service. Our server never came back to see if we needed more drinks or refills or anything else. I ordered a 20oz Spencer medium rare and my friend ordered the 16oz medium. When she brought our steaks out the one she gave him was definitely much larger and we mentioned to her that she we think she switched our steaks and she said no mine was much ticker which it was not. So we proceeded to eat and a few bites in he asked how my steak was because his was very rare. Sure enough the server switched our steaks. The steak on the other hand was cooked really well, was of top quality and delicious! I really much like the ribeye here better than hitching post but the service at the hitching post is way better. I highly recommend coming here if you want a great steak but be prepared to be underwhelmed by the service.

I've been hearing about this place for a long time and finally decided to try it. It was everything I wanted in a steakhouse and more. We had the rib eye, filet, beef ribs and pork ribs. Rib eye had a really crunch to it and full of flavor. Filet was quite possibly the most tender filet I have ever had. Beef ribs were a favorite at the table for the flavor but pork ribs IMO were better because of the texture and flavor. There was also salsa at the table which was so good. Dress is casual and totally family friendly...we had 4 kids with us and they were super loud. Service was amazing! We had the best waiter who was so nice to the kids! Would definitely come back...we live 2 hours away

Best steak house I've ever been too! It beats all restaurants with $100 steaks! It was fresh, cooked perfect, lightly seasoned, full of flavor. I got a small steak plate appetizer because there was a long wait. MAKE Reservations!! Or sit in the bar and eat an appetizer. Then for my meal I got a 14oz small Spencer, it comes with a baked potato, garlic bread, beans, salad, dessert and a relish tray. So much food. If your in the area and don't go here, you missed out on a true treasure!

We went here on 11/11 for me and my husband's anniversary after some friends recommended it to us, I made reservations for 7pm. We got there around 6:40. We were talked to by a man in the front who didn't even bother to look at me and my husband in the eye, didn't say hello, welcome nothing just reservation? Nira? Ok follow me, we were sited to the left of the restaurant, the chairs and tables need serious update. It wasn't full but they still managed to take 25 minutes to acknowledge us, finally a waitress staring at us said to the guy who sat us, is this my table? Or? Then here comes our waiter we ordered rack of full ribs and a steak, they give you a salad with the meal and ice cream. They also put pickles and Salsa at the table but no chips to eat the salsa with just a basket of crackers and hard bread sticks. The pickles were good. We were sited next to a group of 3 ladies who got their salad, got their food, ate their food and left with boxes before we got our food in total we waited an hour after we ordered to eat. The food was ok, just ok, the potato was the best part. The salad was a bag salad you buy at the store for $3 dollars and Walmart ranch nothing special or good. The waiter also forgot our bread. Over all would not recommend, would not come back and why ask if we have a special occasion if you're not going to do anything for someone who does? Also corkage fee is $15 dollars not bad.

Jockos is and has always been the king of Them all!!! The service is absolutely quality, and the food has and will always be the best on the west coast regarding a steakhouse. We ordered everything....soft drinks, an alcohol beverage, fried chicken, calamari, steak, ribs....we paid nothing for this meal compared to some of the overpriced competitors, which, I have to say are not competitors at all. We left there and had food for the whole family for two days! It was STILL so damn good, we miss it and will travel 50 minutes very soon to be back!!! Tight!!! Highly recommended and very appreciated establishment!!

FINALLY WE MADE IT! I have lived in the 5 cities area for a year now and never had a chance to go here. But last night that changed! What a great steak! I got the 16oz ribeye and it was so awesome and delicious! I'll do a quick pros and cons list so i can get to the point and not waste your time any longer! Pros- awesome steaks! Fun lively atmosphere with lots of local's celebrating birthdays and whatever else. Very friendly and attentive staff, and top notch service at the table and fairly easy parking Cons- we had reservations at 7pm but it seems like they favor "special people" or regulars or whatever. We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation time and ended up having to wait 30 minutes past our reservation time before we could even sit down and we didn't get our food until after 8 o'clock which was annoying because we were super hungry. There was also a very loud group of drunk women Squawking and yelling the whole time we were eating. We could hear them from the bar and it was kind of irritating . Although everybody loved their steaks, my wife got calamari and she said it was terrible so avoid that . crowded as hell. Tiny ass bathrooms. Extremely expensive so all of that took it down one star for me. All in all I would say it's a great place to eat, but maybe go on a weekday because if you try to go on Saturday night and have reservations, you're still gonna sit for an hour before you even touch any food and good luck trying to get into the bar area and grab a drink because it ain't gonna happen.

Looking for a place to eat for a special occasion and having heard great things, my friends and I decided to make our way to Jocko's Steak House. We arrived towards the end of the day but the restaurant was still bustling with activity. Although we had a reservation we still had to wait a bit, but didn't mind because there is some space to hang around. The inside of the restaurant is pretty big and has a nice theme going on that adds to the experience. Once we were seated we were warmly greeted by the waiter, who gave us some recommendations and was super kind throughout our time there. They offer a ton of menu items, all sounding amazing and paired with a ton of sides. We all ordered a variety of different things, but a portion of us gravitated towards their filet mignon. I went with the 20 oz, and it was in fact massive. It was cooked perfectly, had great taste, and even without all the sides it came with it was super filling. All of their sides were supper yummy, with no complaints with any. We also ordered their calamari to share, and although we were skeptical on how it looked, it had really good flavor and great dipping sauces. We were however kinda bummed on the portion size for the calamari, and felt for the price it needed a few more pieces. Overall Jocko's Steakhouse holds its ground as a popular steakhouse in the area, with a ton of options and a ton of sides that are all yummy and definitely worth trying out and returning to!

I was very disappointed. Let's start with the ambiance. Little to none. It feels like you're eating in a cafeteria. Next was the salad. It was obviously cheap bagged salad and wasn't super fresh. The bleu cheese dressing was watery. My medium rare ordered top sirloin steak was barely rare, maybe a millimeter of brown on the outside and it was still cool in the middle. Plus, it was tough and full of gristle. I've had much better steaks at inexpensive chain restaurants. Service was just okay. Oh, and the price I was charged was way more than what it said on the menu. I won't be returning and would never recommend.

Stopped by on a week day, with a booked reservation at 5:30pm on Yelp. Seated right away, and shared the 8oz spencer ribeye. For $30, I was surprised it came with all the fixings (salad, pinquito beans, garlic bread, annnnd ice cream) along with the baked potato. Real talk, people come here for the steak. The spencer is the most popular, and you can smell it from their red oak fire. The spencer cut is 5/5 - succulent, juicy, and full of flavor! Wasn't a fan of the beans, and the salad could have tasted fresher. Other than that, the spencer steak speaks my language and would be happy to come back again. Such a great deal, and a sweet way to end the meal with some ice cream!

My husband and I travel just to try different steak houses. We've been burned before, were you hear and read great things only for it not to be the case when you go. Let me tell you this place did not disappoint! The steak was so delicious! The sides were fabulous! The service was like nothing we've experienced before. Felicia is an absolute love. The restaurant its self was very clean and had a great ambiance.

Loved this place. We always stopped by whenever we drove up north! It's very crowded because food is good and cheap. Service is wonderful and expected a slow response simply because it's always so crowded.

Outstanding all the way around. Loved the delicious steaks, appetizers, and desserts. Great service (Faith our waitress was awesome) and atmosphere. Like the good ole days! Highly recommend.

You will not leave here hungry or without a to-go box. Let me tell YOU! All the food is really good. No matter what you order it's going to fill you up. We always order an appetizer and then by the end of the meal joke about why did we even bother. You get bread, beans and pickles with everything pretty much. My most recent visit I ordered the chicken sandwich crispy and I could only finish half of it! Also we got ice cream to go and it was conveniently packed away with a spoon! Our waitress (Felicia?) was a doll and got every bit of our order spot on! Even brought an extra side for our salad, she read my mind! The table next to us had a medical emergency (stroke maybe or heart attack.) Our waitress managed to remain calm, call 911 and get our order out all in a matter of minutes. Jackos is a great place to bring the family or belly up to the bar for a cocktail. The steaks are delicious! Depending on where you sit you can watch the grill master do his thing!

Not the Jocko's it once was! Why the new owners didn't keep the exact same meat supplier and simply up their prices is beyond me! The grilling is not the same either. They either don't know how to temper the red oak coals for just the right flavoring of the meat or they're using some smoke flavored seasoning; whatever they're doing, it's way off and they won't be in business for long after folks like us who've been coming here for over 30 years continue to be disappointed upon returning to what we thought was old Jocko's. Sorry guys, fix it or lose out to Hitching Post Casmalia; they are still the same quality and experience we've enjoyed for over 30 years! Good luck...

Jocko's was always 5 stars. We haven't been here since my dad passed away three years ago. What happened? Did it change hands? To start, our server didn't even take our drink order or say anything to us for a solid 20 minutes. It wasn't because it was busy. There were mostly empty tables as we were early. The relish tray had only dill pickles, not the nice assortment of vegies it used to have. I ordered my usual small steak sandwich. It used to be big and juicy. My steak tasted like "Sizzler" steak and was half the old size. Not juicy at all and literally tasted like nothing special. It seems like we always got beans, too. But we only got one small bowl for four of us. I was really disappointed in our entire dinner. Since the prices went up dramatically, I assumed the quality would at least remain. No one in our group loved their dinners. According to all, theirs were just "meh" as well. We'll probably try Jockos one more time, but unless this was just a fluke, we won't come back, and I've been coming here for 30 years.

Silvia was our delightful and efficient server this evening. I went with my family and we were a table of 7. The service is here is excellent. We all had their steaks because they do it so well. The use choice beef cooked over an open fire. The outside is charred perfectly and so juicy inside. This is a very casual restaurant, but don't just drop in, always make a reservation. Now lunch is a whole different thing and to be honest I don't recommend them for that. The pits aren't fired up, everything is out of the kitchen and just okay. But for dinner the steaks do not disappoint. If you order a dinner it comes with soup or salad, a starch and dessert (ice cream). The staff is great.

Ok I just can't do it anymore. I've purposely have not posted this place for the two decades or more I've come here because I didn't want to wait to get a table. The Spencer steak is just the best. Today we had Zachary and he was the patient waiter with all our demands.

Make a reservation on google. That is what I will be doing from now on. If you sit in the bar your hair is going to smell like steak. The service was great tonight. The ambiance looks like a run down farm house with new paint and cowboy paintings that are framed on the wall. The frames are a tad darker than the wall so the paintings do not stand out but they are some decent water color paintings.

The food is not like it used to be, the price is higher and the size of the steak and ribs are smaller than before. Last time we ordered takeout and the steaks were extremely salty.

So-so flavor from the wood-fired grill. Large amount of food that comes with your meal. Knocking off 2 stars- so for $45 rib-eye, requested to be cooked medium, it was a pretty dry piece of meat. I was expecting steak I could easily cut through and chew, unfortunately it was dry. Maybe it was the thickness of it? Great service from our server. But not a "steak house" ambiance. Long tables with chairs that look like they're from a church service or casino coffee shop. Cramped seating. My 4yo could barely get out of his seat and walk inbetween the chairs. Maybe I had pictured a different steak house experience!

They get two stars because we received edible food and our server has a pulse (we think?). Our server told us we were her only table and yet we constantly had to wait. She got our orders wrong even though she wrote our orders down at a painfully slow rate in which she asked us to repeat our orders (we were a party of two). The food we was overpriced. Pictures made it seem like classy ambiance but it was more like the Moose Lodge with summer camp style seating. The only thing I was impressed with was how they're able to drastically inflate their prices for Sizzler level food.

Came for the steak. We heard great things about this place and were very excited to try this restaurant out. From the moment we entered the door we did not feel welcomed. We came through a side door from where we parked and were shown to the front where we were given the option of sitting in a cramped tight space next to the kitchen. We didn't like the seating and asked if the bar was open seating. The bar was much more open and less cramped. It was open seating and I'm not sure why they didn't just offer us that when we arrived. Service was friendly but we waited over 45 minutes for the medium rare steak. The steak tasted great and was hot when it arrived (I had doubts). We came at 1pm on a Sunday, It was not crowded, but the kitchen was slow. The Wi-Fi here is called "jocko's guest" but when I asked about the password, the staff said that there is no Wi-Fi and that there was no password. When we received our salads, the server also brought a bowl of salsa. We never figured out what it was for the entire time we were here. We ordered the 20 oz ribeye steak and split it. For $12 extra, we were able to get a second side salad, baked potato, and ice cream (dessert). Great portion sizes and great value for the cost. The spumoni was yummy, but nothing extraordinary about it. The steak is really what this place is about. Overall, the meal was great tasting and a great value. The time between the salad arriving (2:09 pm and the steak 2:44 pm) is just unacceptable. Especially since no explanation was given. Also, they don't take apple pay.

Love their steaks at this local favorite establishment. Everyone from around here knows that Jocko's has THE best steaks. We don't mind that it looks like a dive on the outside. As a matter of fact, the unpretentiousness adds to the Western cowboy atmosphere. There's usually a line of eager diners in the evening so lunch on weekends is a good time to come, especially Sunday afternoons. Otherwise, be prepared to wait -- first come, first serve. Once seated, the service is fast. The complementary tray of pickles are cut evenly and kept cold with ice chips. The individually wrapped crackers are placed in a basket on each table. Butter and salsa are provided. Nothing fancy. I ordered the Sunday dinner special of sliced sirloin steak that comes with a green salad (I chose blue cheese dressing) and a bowl of baked beans for $19.99. All steaks are grilled on the pit for Sundays. I also ordered a baked potato, fully loaded, with sour cream, green onions, cheese, and bacon (an additional charge). Two slices of garlic bread were included. The servers are busy, but they manage to keep up with their tables by checking in as needed. The portions are huge so plan to bring home some to enjoy later. To top off this delicious and satisfying meal, I ordered a bowl of spumoni ice cream. Yum! Lunch or dinner at Jocko's is worth the trip and the wait! Head over there now.

Definitely worth a trip,when on the central coast. The menu has several varieties of steak, but that's not all they offer. We had the double grilled pork chops. Absolutely delicious! Very thick, yet cooked perfectly. I recommend you get the 2 pork chops. Could be lunch or dinner the next day! My ribeye, was juicy, tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The service was friendly and on point. Your meal begins with Garlic dill pickle slices, then comes salsa. Now the salsa is to go on the crackers that are on the table. When your meal is up, it also comes with beans. Dessert is also included. Ambiance is old school. Nothing fancy. Not a get dressed up for dinner place. Casual, comfortable is how I would describe Jockos in Nipomo CA. Reservations STRONGLY recommended!

One of my cherished country hideaways. Nothing flashy here, just good people, great food on the grill, and some really fine wines History buffs love this place and the infamous tie to Jocko and his cage. Looking forward to returning

This is honest historic real rancher's steakhouse. This place is as rustic as "western" it gets. Somehow the secret got out and now reservations are suggested. Definitely not a place to dress up for this cattleman's sh!t-kickers restaurant. The steak is likely the best I've ever eaten and I had a habit of stopping by a couple of times a month back when it was in the middle of nowhere.

Not sure what the hype is but maybe if I had never enjoyed food in my life, I'd not be so disappointed. First of all pickles, salsa (possibly PACE) and crackers that I'm not sure what to do with... Calamari strips were actually decent but it goes down hill from there. Oh they brought bread- does that go with the PACE salsa- still not sure what's happening with this set up. Lobster Mac-rubbery lobster with no seasoning, and pasta that is so over cooked and dry, I'm not even sure it's pasta anymore. Salmon and broccoli- thin salmon fairly decent seasoning but overcooked, so dry it was inedible. Broccoli with no seasoning, butter or salt. Kids chicken strips and fries with ranch were literally the best thing on the table. $268 later and I'm in the kitchen wondering what I can snack on that goes with the remaining half bottle of Adelaide Cab that I left the restaurant with.