The Bear and Star

A fantastic experience. I went in for their new tasting menu on Friday nights. What an excellent display of edible art. Very well balanced dishes, both in flavors and textures, left my palate so happy. I was also impressed with the amount of produce sourced from the Fess Parker Ranch. There is limited seats available for the tasting menu, definitely call in advance. Looking forward to my next visit.

We got (obviously from photos) breakfast and dinner here and we loved it so much. The space is so nice and modern, but approachable and cozy at the same time. The staff was great but the food was the star. So fresh, so delicious and so filling. Reasonably priced considering. Also- the cocktails were perfection. I wouldn’t miss out on those!

Food and service was outstanding. Definitely worth a visit. Try the chef recommended sizzling corn bread...killer. Deviled eggs were so good. My wife had the Turkey sandwich and loved it. Tried the soup and grilled cheese and was very tasty. We highly recommend this restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

lovely interior, sat in the chefs room which was lots of fun and chatted with the knowledgeable team there. Food was good, nothing overly special however wine and overall experience were wonderful. Fries were not very crispy although it didn’t stop me from eating them all.

This place is beyond amazing. If I could recommend any place in the Santa Ynez Valley it would be The Bear and Star in Los Olivos. Upon entering the restaurant you immediately feel a sense of luxury, and peacefulness. Everything came out like a dream come true, the presentation, the taste, it had us craving for more. The Chef (Chef Trenton Shank)was kind enough to meet us go into detail about their farm, and give us a complimentary meal. The fact that they are farm to table is impressive enough, but the way they care about their food and the presentation is second to none.

UPDATE MAY 22, 2019 After my "Mixed" review (below), I received the posted response from Greer Shull offering to make things right. My wife and I visited today and were treated like royalty. Mr. Shull arranged with Anne Hallock who took our reservation for, and "comped" us a wonderful lunch, adding champagne too! My wife's salad was enormous, beautiful, and all grown on their properties. My burger was also enormous and delicious with their own wagyu beef, their home grown bacon, and home made ketchup for the fries. Hard to beat that. We also had an appetizer of smoked almonds that was to die for; an enormous portion and delicious. Our waitress Suz (Suzanne) could not have done more for us. She is a STAR! Greg, the new General Manager even came by to make sure things were good. Suffice it to say, that we will return and feel Bear & Star more than made up for any shortcomings from before. Thank you Suz, Mr. Shull, and Ms. Hallock. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Mixed. I have visited many times and always enjoy the fire and beautiful ambiance. Beautiful furnishings too. The bus boy even lit the fire for us! Waitress was good, no complaints. But sadly when I asked her for a couple crackers or a bit of bread to go with my chili, I was told they had no crackers or bread but would sell me some corn bread. REALLY!! I paid $10 for what the waitress warned me would be "less than a cup full," $17 for my wife's burger with a burned bin and a few luke warm fries, and $14 for a glass of house Chardonnay, and they couldn't spring for pack of 2 saltines?!! I'm sorry, but I left with a bad taste in my mouth!

Great meal and excellent service. Salmon was cooked perfectly. Deviled eggs and Brussels sprouts are two good choices for appetizers. Two items you may not think to try is the meat loaf and chili. Meat loaf is ground in house with a little bacon added for a great flavor. Chocolate budino is my favorite dessert. We were given a different glass for each bottle of wine

I had an amazing dinner here. So many great cocktails and wines. The cornbread is a must! As well as the smoked salmon!