Shaw's Steakhouse

The sirloin was really great! I really enjoyed it! The ribeye wasn’t cooked evenly, but it was still good. A little salty for my taste (for both steaks), but overall, the flavors were nice. I did expect a bit more from the onion rings, especially from a good steakhouse like this. The steaks were solid, especially the sirloin. The waiter was nice, but the place was super busy, so the food took a while to come out. I’d also definitely recommend making a reservation since it’s a popular spot. If you just walk in then you would have to wait. It’s a nice place for a date or a special night out.

We stayed at the Santa Maria Inn so the proximity was great since we could walk there. It was a busy night with large parties but the waiter warned us while we ordered drinks that we may have to wait a bit for our order. Watching them fire the meat was fun. Overall though I didn’t think much of it for the price but I will say the leftovers tasted better than when we eating at the restaurant. A good spot to go for the history and to get your fork “wet” for the many other restaurants promoting tri-tip!

Delicious food, relish tray was a great start. Had the sweet bread appetizer(not in the menu) and filter with baked potatoe. So much did I was able to bring a full meal home. I'll definitely be coming here again to try other dishes.

A California institution. If you're even traveling through California, Shaw's is definitely a stop you can't miss. Coming close to 100 years in operation. The food is top notch. Medium rare is to die for.

This restaurant offers a truly unique dining experience with its focus on wood-fired cooking, which adds a distinct and delicious flavor to every dish. Our family thoroughly enjoyed sampling a variety of meats, each expertly prepared and seasoned to perfection. The ribs, while not falling off the bone, had an incredible depth of flavor that kept us coming back for more. The service was warm, attentive, and efficient, ensuring our dining experience was smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. What stood out most were the portion sizes—generous enough that three dishes comfortably satisfied our group of five. To top it all off, the white chocolate and cherry pudding was nothing short of exceptional, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. This restaurant combines great food, excellent service, and an inviting atmosphere, making it a must-visit spot. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable meal.

I am so pleased to have come back. I have not been in Shaw's in about 5 years. And it did not disappoint. Staff was amazing. The restaurant is beautiful. That nice rustic feel of a steakhouse. And truly one of the most tender flavorful French dips I have had. Onion rings were fabulous. What a great place to have lunch. A true staple of the community. If you come come hungry.

Always a great place for food and friends. Steaks are always excellent! Atmosphere better than ever. Ice cream from Thrifty?

Of all the Santa Maria steakhouses, id say this is tied for first place with Far Western in Orcutt. The atmosphere here is upscale and pleasant, the greeter is amazing, and the oak pit BBQ is amazing. The food is really good with a lot to choose from. Got a NY strip that was well cooked and delicious. Overall, a top notch restaurant. Probably the best in Santa Maria City limits.

This is a great high-end, traditional steakhouse. My family and I have been here on many occasions, and the quality of food and service is consistently excellent. The restaurant boasts a traditional decor with two main dining areas, creating an ambiance that is both elegant and inviting. The service is impeccable; the staff are attentive and always ensure that our dining experience is nothing short of outstanding. From the moment we step through the door, we are greeted with genuine warmth and professionalism. The servers are knowledgeable about the menu and are always willing to offer recommendations and accommodate special requests. Their friendly demeanor and prompt service enhance the overall experience. The food is of high quality and consistently delicious. Each dish is prepared with care, and the flavors are exquisite. The menu offers a wide range of options, from succulent steaks cooked to perfection to fresh seafood and delectable sides. I return as often as possible and highly recommend this restaurant to everyone looking for a superb dining experience.

The food, omg so delicious! Ordered the tri tip with sausage combo med rare, Its out of this world. The chipotle bbq sauce, had to order extra to bring it back to LA for $2.50 Service was awesome, we came on Thursday night and have to wait 20 min. Will make reservation next time. Ambiance, love the fan, love the bar area. I had left over and i ate it on Saturday, taste still fresh and meat cut so easily.

Don't eat here. We drove from Santa Barbara to watch a theatre performance & decided to try this place based on recommendations. Upon arrival we were seated directly in front of the beverage station & kitchen, that should have been my first sign to leave it was approximately 4:45 and the restaurant was practically empty. Our server was nice & attentive, Angel I believe was his name. I ordered a gin martini, Angel told us it would be a minute so he took our food order. I got the filet mignon and my husband ordered the baby back ribs. I was already finished with my salad by the time my martini arrived, second sign I should have left. Once our food came my husband noticed blood on his plate. He cut open his pork ribs and they were completely raw inside! We sent it back, Angel asked if he still wanted the baked potato reluctantly my husband said "Eh, sure". I finished up my meal and we paid our bill. I was flabbergasted that they still charged us $7.50 for a baked potato that had pork blood on the bottom. Save your money & time and future food poisoning. TIP: if you want a delicious & perfectly cooked meat with a great martini go to the Tee-Off in Santa Barbara

Coming to Shaw's is always such a special treat and the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary, or to come just to enjoy the excellent food. The food is consistently good and the service always top notch. If I don't get the 8 ounce Filet Mignon, I get the Tri-tip and Linguica Special. Both are spectacular. They are served with a choice of soup or salad, garlic bread, and a choice of a baked potato, fries, or white rice. Additionally, each table is served crackers, a relish tray, beans, and salsa to share. The Tri-tip and Linguica Special also comes with the most amazing sauce, that pairs beautifully with both the Tri-tip and the linguica. Since being renovated after the fire burned the building, they truly did a fabulous job returning the restaurant to its former glory. It almost looks exactly like the restaurant did before the fire. I was especially happy they brought back the old school belt turning ceiling fans as I had fond memories of them coming to Shaw's as a child. I always thought they were the coolest thing ever. The seats are also much more comfortable than before the fire so that's a nice bonus. Shaw's also has a super cute bar area that is separated from the restaurant if you want to come in just to have a drink. Parking is usually decent between being able to use the Shaw's parking lot and the neighboring lot from The Pantry. Fair warning, you will be leaving here stuffed to the brim and very satisfied!

After hearing some locals talk about this place I knew I had to come check them out. They are cooking up their meats Santa Maria Style here and have an open concept kitchen which was awesome to see walking to our table. This place is the real deal. Such good food! A must if you have not had this place before. Quality food, good prices, can't complain. Stopped by for the tri trip and linguica special and it was so good! Huge portion of food and the sauce that comes with the meat is fantastic! Meats are cooked Santa Maria style so nice smoky taste. I would have to rate my dish a solid 8.5 out of 10. Make sure to call ahead and make reservations to avoid waiting. They have a super cute bar area as well so check that out if your in the mood for cocktails or some beers. Overall super reccomend them, worth every penny. Thanks Shaw for the hospitality and great food, till next time.

In the area and hubs wanted a steak. Arrived at around 6pm on Saturday, and it was busy. Bunch of kids out for dinner before homecoming. Fortunately, only had to wait for about 20 mins for a table. Waiter was friendly and checked on us often. Hubs ordered the ribeye and was very happy. Meat cooked perfectly and seasoned well. I ordered the pork chops - juicy, tender, and also seasoned well. Hubs noted these were probably the best pork chops he's had.

This is a great place to have dinner! I Yelped this place and the Yelpers didn't disappoint. This place has great western, historic old charm ambiance with fantastic friendly service and great food with fabulous flavors! I had the ribeye and it was delicious! Perfectly cooked and they use a real wood fire to cook which adds that true Smokey charred flavor! I paired with a baked potato that I even at the skin of because it was so delicious. The baked potato appears to be cooked over the fire as well as it had that flavor profile along with great seasoning! Add bacon to it for additional flavor. This is a must try in Santa Maria! You won't go wrong here and take it from me a steak lover and have eaten some of the best steaks all over Texas, Florida and now California. This is one of the best if not the best I've had in California.

Recommended by the guy at our hotel front desk who told us it was authentic Santa Maria style bbq. Food and service were good but we came around 3pm and could only order from the lunch menu. We were disappointed that we couldn't order ribs, which is what we were ready craving. We settled for brisket and burger and both were delicious. The portions were big enough that we had leftovers to take back to our room.

What a great find! Was spending the night in Santa Maria on the journey from Los Olivos up to Paso. We were in the mood for Santa Maria Tri-tip / steak and tried out Shaw's. It was exactly what I was hoping for and expecting! Delicious steaks, and old school steak house ambiance, and good service. Prices were all reasonable, an this was great. I had the rib eye that was cooked perfect, and my wife had the tri tip that was also delicious. Kids both had a kids meal, that was priced great for the portion that they gave. One had the fish and chips and other one had the ribs. The ribs were a bit hard to eat for an 8 year old, but the flavors were excellent. We paired this with a bottle of Justin Cab that was $38. The starters of the relish plate, crackers, salsa and butter were a bit weird in todays dining, as we were unsure what to do with that stuff. Would have just preferred some fresh baked bread with butter. Anyway, glad to try this place, and hope to return if we are in the area again!

Haven't been to Shaw's for a few years but found myself in Santa Maria so decided to stop in for date night. Always a great meal and nice atmosphere. Snacked on the relish tray while waiting for our salads, very fresh and an old school steakhouse staple. My go to is the filet mignon which had a great crust and flavor from the grill. The beans are also fantastic! I could eat 3 tubs of them lol. Always worth a meal here if you are in town! Parking is kind of a nightmare, the lot has a funky design with limited spaces, so do plan ahead for that.

We heard that the Santa Maria tri tip was special so we could not leave town without trying some. My 7 golf buddies and i had just played Avila beach golf course which was absolutely beautiful with a foggy marine layer coming in and out over the golf course all day keeping it a perfect 65 degrees all day. We were staying at the Historic Santa Maria Inn and the Shaw Steakhouse was right across the street so we walked across the street for dinner. We were so happy we chose Shaw's steakhouse. The tri tip was excellent and large portions. The salad was fresh and flavorful. The baked potato was excellent as well. Everything was very flavorful. Make sure you ask for the barbecue sauce as it is very good and compliments the tri tips excellent flavor. I will be back !

Long wait, overcooked food such as a burnt grilled cheese and steak. Hairs in our food. But overall good service, replaced our food in time aswell.

Went here with my wife and was very disappointed. The teriyaki chicken tasted like rubber and the steak I ordered was overly cooked and completely dry

It's been a while since I have last been here maybe close to 4-5yrs and mannnn everything was as delicious as I remembered. Came here after a long days work and this meal HIT! Right as you enter the door you see the grill, the cool ceiling fans and are greeted by staff. I had ordered the 12oz ribeye which was PERFECTLY cooked and seasoned, bakes potato with chives and sour cream which came with garlic bread (crispy, buttery, YUM!) The meal also came with beans, salsa, salad (on a chilled plate) and bread and butter( which tasted like it was freshly made) for the table! Will definitely be coming back to this restaurant when I visit town again.

Came for an early dinner at 4pm on a Tuesday evening. Not too busy so I was seated right away. Pretty focused menu with numerous tasty options. Decided on the Cowboy Cut Ribeye 20oz with my sides being a cup of tomato basil and a loaded baked potato with bacon, chives, sour cream, and cheese. Meal was started with the relish tray, which had very fresh veggies! When the soup came, I was so surprised at how good it was. One of my all time favorite tomato basil soups! I'm still thinking about it. The baked potato was encrusted with salty seasoning all over the skin and it added such a nice flavor boost! I didn't do my health any favors by adding all of the two big scoops of butter provided to my potato. The star of my meal was the ribeye. Grilled with good ol' oak as you watch from the window. It smelled absolutely delicious and was cooked a perfect medium rare! I was so pleased with my meal! Service was impeccable as well. Already planning a return trip soon.

Another great birthday dinner. Arrived on a busy Saturday evening, although we had a 6pm reservation, our wait was still 45 minutes. We were here to try the Santa Maria-Style BBQ. As soon as you walk in, the grill sitting over red oak is visible through a glass window creating such a welcoming atmosphere. Pickled veggies were brought to our table as a starter. A couple of us ordered the Rib Eye and my other friend had the Tri-Tip and Lingucia Combo. For the sides we opted for the salad and baked potato. The ribeye was incredibly flavorful and juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender! The smokiness from the grill adds depth and complexity to the taste, making it even more satisfying. I was blown away by the taste and quality of the food. Definitely worth the wait!

Food is always great here, everything I have tried has been delicious. Servers were very nice and attentive to us, refilling our drinks and asking if we need anything. There were a lot of people there for a Tuesday so definitely recommend doing reservations to be seated and your whole party does need to be there to be seated.

Let me start by saying, we were really looking forward to eating here. We were a party of 10, so once the food came out there were concern's food temperature and accuracy. Staff said it was prepared to order! Then the waitress said she forgot to put my order in! WTF? So once everyone finished their meal, mine showed up! So I told them to put it in a box...I asked for Manager once the waitress refused to provide and compensation. The Manager offered a $5 credit! He said it's the GM's practice that if your meal is received you pay for it. No matter if they screwed up and your other nine members were ready to leave it's on you even though they screwed it up! So I would highly recommend people that you skip eating here because they must think they're the only restaurant in town which they're not!

So I have been here many of times over the years. Been going to The Swiss during the rebuild and was glad they came back. However, this year and last year I'd have to say that it was just OK since the reopening. It is a tad pricey for tri-tip, but will likely come back next year.

The tri tip and the cocktails where amazing. I got great customer service from Deron. You get a lot of food for your money and this place has classy vibes.

Absolutely the worst filet mignon I've ever had , Couldn't even cut it The waitress never asked why I wasn't eating it In fact I don't even think it was a filet mignon It was like leather Total waste of birthday dinner and 120$ The waitress was horrible Never asked to fill a beverage Asked about how the horrible the dinner was Save you money Save your time Go to good ole Billy's Aka Hitching post Or drive to Slate in Camarillo The worse experience Super bummed Very low end food

Great Place to eat a wonderful Steak. Cook to Perfection Outstanding Service: Worth the Big Tip.

(I write this on the table) Looking at what seems to be adult fish sticks with no good attributes; niether aesthetically nor in regards to flavor, on the side; fries that are indistinguishable from any generic fry, and to wash that down, a rootbeer that is flat. Add all that with horrible service from the workers, and you get yourself a $50 bill from Shaw's Steakhouse. Never Again.

Shaws never disappoints. Steaks are always done to perfection. Their shrimp salad is amazing. In this day and age, prices reasonable.

Shaw's does NOT disappoint ya'll! Consistently solid service, lovely ambience if you're into a casual, yet upscale steak house vibe. The food is always, like ALWAYS incredible Go get you somethin' - you will be happily amazed NGL

I had dinner on a Friday night. I ordered their tri tip. I was offered 3 options. The third option included linguiça and Portuguese beans. Friday's soup was clam chowder. Everything was delicious. It seemed like there was nearly a pound of tri tip cooked to perfection. My server was attentive and the dining room was pleasant. If I'm in the area again, I'll be back.

This is a review for the service side if the restaurant. I go to the restaurant farely frequently these days. I am a fan of the food and waiters/waitresses service. Unfortunately the time I am leaving a review for is a reflection of the management at the time. I asked if the "poppers" were able to be wrapped in bacon, bothering reply was no. Therefore me being me(making it happen anyways) I ordered a strip of bacon per popper. It cost me an additional $10. It is not about the money but about the customer service. I still recommend this restaurant and recommend to the management that they cater more to the customers.

Came in an hour before close, sat alone at the bar, on what seemed to be the end of a busy friday night. took the full remaining hour to get my dinner tritip plate(which by sheer coincidence was brought to my table immediately after i built up the nerve to ask about it). service was adversarial, at best, though the manager/boss that eventually came through was nice. food was good.

The woman at the front couldn't find our reservation, so we ate at the bar. We both had the top sirloin baseball cut with fries. Delicious. We expected to wait a long time for our food, & we did. Glad to see the relish tray is still a staple of Santa Maria-style BBQ.

Great food great service great value every time we are in town we make a point of eating here Been doing it for years and they have never let us down for a great meal

Santa Maria tri-tip done perfectly. Wonderful service, delicious sides. Strong motivation for another Central Coast trip!

What is the carrots, pickles, celery, olives with butter and salsa for. Genuinely confused like bread is what people want! So much food wasted and everything is not worth the price! $32 for a burger that didn't wow me, much rather have IN&OUT. Save your coin.

It's 2025 a bartender can't be a warm body breathing air and just running anybody's credit card for any tab.

Had lunch there yesterday ordered a burger asked it be extra well done the burger was so pink called them to inform them spoke to Eric who just said OK and didn't offer to make things right horrible customer service and food was not cooked as ordered. I would not recommend this place had Eric made it right maybe I would .

This place deserves 10 stars. A beautiful old school steak house, straight of of the 60s with red booths, full bar and classy but casual atmosphere. The staff was so cheerful and pleasant! The hostesses were so friendly and the bar tender took my order in minutes. I came for the Santa Maria Tri tip... and it did not disappoint. Huge plate with the most tender tri tip I have ever had (don't tell my BF, his is a distant second). Served with the traditional beans (also delicious and regional) a baked potato with kosher salt on the outside and some veg. If you haven't tried the Santa Maria Tri tip at Shaws then you have never had Santa Maria Tri tip.

Our server was Angel, Right away great start off, very energetic, clear understanding and checked on us constantly! Didn't seem bothered when we kept asking for extra stuff ! The food was amazing, the ribs and steak have to be some of the best I have ever tried, it's a lot of food and will definitely take some time to finish, 5 star for sure ! We'll be back !

Best steakhouse in the area. Great ambience with brick walls and wooden beams. Steaks always cooked to correct temp.

The food was expensive but amazing and service was great. Dinner included a relish tray. We had to ask for more pickles because they were so delicious. I had steak and scampi and they were prepared perfectly.

Excellent Santa Maria style barbecue, top quality beef cooked over oak. Attentive service. Bring a big appetite, the portions are huge!

We brought a party of 10 with us to try out Shaw's. This was our 3rd visit. the 1st time was awesome.. the second time the food was not as good. the 3rd time was not a very good experience at all. Service was good but the Ribs were horrible, half the steaks were over cooked & not prepared as ordered. One order of ribs never came, until we had all finished our meal. The waitress forgot the order. They boxed it up but it was over cooked too much gristle & not worth what he paid. The manager said he didn't have any authority to comp more than $5.00... our group was extremely disappointed in the food prep on the steaks & ribs & the way the manager handled the gross error. It seems they struggled with preparing the steaks & ribs with a group. Unfortunately we will not be back.

Amazing experience. Service by Ryder was very attentive and wonderful. Oak wood pit bbq. The ribeye melted in my mouth. So tender I did not need any knife. The tri tip and baby back ribs were exquisite. If you like shrimp, the fantail strips are huge and crispy. Highly recommend!

It's good but not amazing. Nice, solid steakhouse, kind of old timey. The beans are delicious but the baby back ribs $36 early bird were okay. The tri tip $29 early bird was good but not top shelf. I was expecting steak sauce or BBQ sauce but nope. If you're coming, try for early bird (4pm to 6:30) to save a bit.

First timers and we loved the food. We got a dish with olives, carrots, celery and pickled pickles. We also enjoyed the assorted crackers with butter and by the way the butter was tasty. Make sure if you like well done tri tip to ask. It was a busy day as it was Mexican Mothers day. I got the steak salad which is cubed tri tip with a side of ranch and berry vinagrette (both soo delicious) they make their dressings in house. I also had a delicious berry mojito. The burger was soo big and so flavorful. Not to mention the service was amazing! Our server was Jessica M, she was very attentive and nice. We will definitely be coming back!!

Waited an hour because the front desk staff assured it was going to be that timeframe. Lies. At least cut the walking instead of not keeping promises.

Really great food. We had a reservation and we were seated immediately. I went with the shrimp scampi meal that came with bread and I asked for the baked potato as my side and a house salad instead of soup. All my food was great! Service was great as well! The shrimps were HUGE! The portion was good for the price. I would come back!

It's been 35 years since I've been here. Was taken recently for my birthday. I wouldn't recommend lunch but I'm sure dinner would be a better choice.

Love it. Delicious well well seasoned food and great service. We tried the tri-tip sandwich and the chicken sandwich. We loved it so much. We went back the next week.

Steak salad was delicious. I was staying at the Santa Maria Inn and ate my food by the pool. I got my Salad to go

We had dinner here on the 28of September . We ate early and our server was, I believe Ashley. Very professional and charming. We asked about the pork chop and she had to check with chef as to what kind they serve! She told us it's a double cut Frenched chop! Not the answer we wanted but nevertheless it was delicious. I had a small New York, tender and cooked perfectly. The relish tray , beans and garlic toast was par excellence! The sides are terrific and the portions were huge! We will return when we are in the area again.