Christine’s guidebook
Ojai Restaurants
Restaurants are, of course, a personal experience and sometimes there are off-days. These are my personal observations :
Means Hazelnut in Italian. Small and intimate. Excellent Service. Great food but pricey, soup ~ $15, entrees $40, pasta dishes in the $20s. Has charming outside patio for dining, closed with shades in winter. Full Bar.
32 Einheimische empfehlen
Nocciola
314 El Paseo RdMeans Hazelnut in Italian. Small and intimate. Excellent Service. Great food but pricey, soup ~ $15, entrees $40, pasta dishes in the $20s. Has charming outside patio for dining, closed with shades in winter. Full Bar.
The original Ojai italian. Great pasta, huge portions. Outside seating and lawn seating in spring/summer. You will probably have left-overs or a sore tummy. Beer and Wine.
43 Einheimische empfehlen
Boccali's Pizza & Pasta
3277 E Ojai AveThe original Ojai italian. Great pasta, huge portions. Outside seating and lawn seating in spring/summer. You will probably have left-overs or a sore tummy. Beer and Wine.
Korean, Japanese and sushi, well priced! Casual setting with tables and sushi bar. Gets crowded, go early. Beer and Wine only.
11 Einheimische empfehlen
Sakura Ojai
219 E Matilija StKorean, Japanese and sushi, well priced! Casual setting with tables and sushi bar. Gets crowded, go early. Beer and Wine only.
Very good continental food restaurant though mostly pastas and risotto on the menu. Full Bar, excellent service.
54 Einheimische empfehlen
Osteria Monte Grappa
242 E Ojai AveVery good continental food restaurant though mostly pastas and risotto on the menu. Full Bar, excellent service.
The Ranch House can be magical in the right weather, garden setting with small meandering stream. Food is good, not great but tends to the expensive side. However if you want romantic and unique, this is it!
36 Einheimische empfehlen
The Ranch House
102 Besant RdThe Ranch House can be magical in the right weather, garden setting with small meandering stream. Food is good, not great but tends to the expensive side. However if you want romantic and unique, this is it!
Large menu, sandwiches, chicken, pork, beef, melts, wraps, pastas and of course, sea food and sushi. Some of it caught by their own boat. Good Happy Hour menu with reduced prices on food and drinks. It’s not fancy. The staff is mostly young and friendly. Food is consistent, good comfort food, nothing too fancy. Casual atmosphere, outdoor patio seating, heaters and fire pit. Can get busy but has good sized seating capacity. Full Bar. Have great breakfasts for the money!
21 Einheimische empfehlen
Sea Fresh Ojai
533 E Ojai AveLarge menu, sandwiches, chicken, pork, beef, melts, wraps, pastas and of course, sea food and sushi. Some of it caught by their own boat. Good Happy Hour menu with reduced prices on food and drinks. It’s not fancy. The staff is mostly young and friendly. Food is consistent, good comfort food, nothing too fancy. Casual atmosphere, outdoor patio seating, heaters and fire pit. Can get busy but has good sized seating capacity. Full Bar. Have great breakfasts for the money!
Azu used to be a favorite but it is struggling with its identity. Used to be fine continental dining but then it became a brewery. Still worth a visit.
35 Einheimische empfehlen
Azu
457 East Ojai AvenueAzu used to be a favorite but it is struggling with its identity. Used to be fine continental dining but then it became a brewery. Still worth a visit.
Great burgers and sandwiches, different kinds of fries. Large selection of craft beers. Full Bar, reasonable. Very casual, eating is at the back of a very large Wine and Liquor Store with incredible varied offerings.
32 Einheimische empfehlen
The Ojai Beverage Company
655 E Ojai AveGreat burgers and sandwiches, different kinds of fries. Large selection of craft beers. Full Bar, reasonable. Very casual, eating is at the back of a very large Wine and Liquor Store with incredible varied offerings.
Jenna’s Bonnie Lu’s cafe is an Ojai institution. When it’s tourist season there is always a huge crowd waiting. Breakfasts are big and hearty. Retro 50s type atmosphere. Jenna is an amazingly warm hostess who loves her customers. The food and breakfasts are good but a little high priced.
24 Einheimische empfehlen
Bonnie Lu's
328 E Ojai AveJenna’s Bonnie Lu’s cafe is an Ojai institution. When it’s tourist season there is always a huge crowd waiting. Breakfasts are big and hearty. Retro 50s type atmosphere. Jenna is an amazingly warm hostess who loves her customers. The food and breakfasts are good but a little high priced.
When I first came to Ojai I really wanted to go to the Deer Lodge. It’s an old 1930s roadhouse. Inside is dark with overstuffed arm chairs, very lodge like. Weekends, there are tons of bikers there, not the gang type, more the middle aged execs from LA riding their Harleys. If you stick to appetisers or burgers you should be ok, otherwise the food is a disaster. However, it is an Ojai legend, should visit.
86 Einheimische empfehlen
Ojai Deer Lodge
2261 Maricopa HwyWhen I first came to Ojai I really wanted to go to the Deer Lodge. It’s an old 1930s roadhouse. Inside is dark with overstuffed arm chairs, very lodge like. Weekends, there are tons of bikers there, not the gang type, more the middle aged execs from LA riding their Harleys. If you stick to appetisers or burgers you should be ok, otherwise the food is a disaster. However, it is an Ojai legend, should visit.
The Vine is really a bar with light sandwiches, sometimes soups etc. However, it has live music most nights and is very fun to hang out. Owned by Nigel, a local character, English Ex-Pat
21 Einheimische empfehlen
The Vine
308 E Ojai AveThe Vine is really a bar with light sandwiches, sometimes soups etc. However, it has live music most nights and is very fun to hang out. Owned by Nigel, a local character, English Ex-Pat
Very popular breakfast and sandwich place. Trendy type food.
30 Einheimische empfehlen
NoSo Social Cafe
205 N Signal StVery popular breakfast and sandwich place. Trendy type food.
Another popular outside eatery owned by a local well known family but a little pricey for the type of offering. Order at a window type restaurant.
34 Einheimische empfehlen
The Nest
401 E Ojai AveAnother popular outside eatery owned by a local well known family but a little pricey for the type of offering. Order at a window type restaurant.
Very popular Meiners Oaks eatery. Pizza, Pasta and sandwiches at very reasonable prices. Outside patio. I like it but in all honesty the pasta is one step up from Chef Boyardinis but cheap!
63 Einheimische empfehlen
Papa Lennon's
515 W El Roblar DrVery popular Meiners Oaks eatery. Pizza, Pasta and sandwiches at very reasonable prices. Outside patio. I like it but in all honesty the pasta is one step up from Chef Boyardinis but cheap!
Very good Mexican food in pleasant setting. Full Bar. Service can be slow, very slow.
22 Einheimische empfehlen
Agave Maria's Restaurant & Cantina
106 S Montgomery StVery good Mexican food in pleasant setting. Full Bar. Service can be slow, very slow.
Basic no frills mexican at good prices, cozy with outside patio. Beer and Wine.
8 Einheimische empfehlen
Casa de Lago
715 E Ojai AveBasic no frills mexican at good prices, cozy with outside patio. Beer and Wine.
Really good pizza and sandwiches! Again local well known Ojai family owned. I prefer ordering delivery or pick-up. The pizza is great, the place not so much. Heaven help you if its empty and you want a large booth, they are always off limits to small parties. Can order on line and get custom pizzas and extras of ingredients.
17 Einheimische empfehlen
Ojai Pizza Company
331 E Ojai AveReally good pizza and sandwiches! Again local well known Ojai family owned. I prefer ordering delivery or pick-up. The pizza is great, the place not so much. Heaven help you if its empty and you want a large booth, they are always off limits to small parties. Can order on line and get custom pizzas and extras of ingredients.
Fairly new restaurant partially owned by Spoon Singh, Ojai resident and LA restauranteur and food entrapreneur, Kettle Chips, Hawaiian Ale etc. interesting offerings, service can be slow.
22 Einheimische empfehlen
Ojai Art Center
113 S Montgomery StFairly new restaurant partially owned by Spoon Singh, Ojai resident and LA restauranteur and food entrapreneur, Kettle Chips, Hawaiian Ale etc. interesting offerings, service can be slow.
Very good food. Mostly open for breakfast and lunch, solid comfort food, sandwiches, burgers etc. Hearty breakfasts at a good price point. Can get really busy especially at lunch time.
17 Einheimische empfehlen
Ojai Cafe Emporium
337 E Ojai AveVery good food. Mostly open for breakfast and lunch, solid comfort food, sandwiches, burgers etc. Hearty breakfasts at a good price point. Can get really busy especially at lunch time.
In all honesty we didn't go to this place for the longest time because it looked like a hole in the wall. However, after hearing from many people that we had to try it we went. The line for ordering is normally out the door and for every person in line there are 3 on the phone for take-out. Why? Well they have incredible burgers and Mexican food that can't be beat. $5.25 for a burger bigger than my hand, $2.50 extra for fries. Full Bar, inside seating as well as a patio. Really good food at great prices with excellent environment for families.
8 Einheimische empfehlen
Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill
214 W Ojai AveIn all honesty we didn't go to this place for the longest time because it looked like a hole in the wall. However, after hearing from many people that we had to try it we went. The line for ordering is normally out the door and for every person in line there are 3 on the phone for take-out. Why? Well they have incredible burgers and Mexican food that can't be beat. $5.25 for a burger bigger than my hand, $2.50 extra for fries. Full Bar, inside seating as well as a patio. Really good food at great prices with excellent environment for families.
Wine Tasting
Lovely setting, often have special events and music. Check opening times because they can be strange.
39 Einheimische empfehlen
Topa Mountain Winery
821 W Ojai AveLovely setting, often have special events and music. Check opening times because they can be strange.
Everybody seems to end up here. Wide selection, friendly and knowledgeable staff
27 Einheimische empfehlen
The Ojai Vineyard
109 S Montgomery StEverybody seems to end up here. Wide selection, friendly and knowledgeable staff
An adorable setting, down stairs to a shaded patio and cellar like tasting room. Family run, very friendly staff. Really chocolate-box in the way it is situated between buldings opposite the Arcade
9 Einheimische empfehlen
Majestic Oak Vineyard
321 E Ojai AveAn adorable setting, down stairs to a shaded patio and cellar like tasting room. Family run, very friendly staff. Really chocolate-box in the way it is situated between buldings opposite the Arcade
Grocery Stores
Westridge midtown doesn’t carry everything but it has a great deli, hot food station, sushi station and wonderful desserts bar. It is very clean with very friendly staff. Also a great butcher and fresh fish section. Great deli cheeses and a comprehensive local wine selection. Easy to park, get in and out.
42 Einheimische empfehlen
Westridge Midtown Market IGA
131 W Ojai AveWestridge midtown doesn’t carry everything but it has a great deli, hot food station, sushi station and wonderful desserts bar. It is very clean with very friendly staff. Also a great butcher and fresh fish section. Great deli cheeses and a comprehensive local wine selection. Easy to park, get in and out.
Oh dear! When we first moved to Ojai I thought I was entering the third world with Vons but I have grown to love it. Firstly you see people in Vons that belong in some alien bar scene in a Star Wars movie. Last week it was an Elvis impersonator. Vons has a broad selection at great prices, when they have it on the shelf...Really it is not unusual to find them out of something basic, locals explain it by saying there is limited storage but I’m not convinced. Still for the very basics prices can’t be beat.
32 Einheimische empfehlen
Vons
1125 Maricopa HwyOh dear! When we first moved to Ojai I thought I was entering the third world with Vons but I have grown to love it. Firstly you see people in Vons that belong in some alien bar scene in a Star Wars movie. Last week it was an Elvis impersonator. Vons has a broad selection at great prices, when they have it on the shelf...Really it is not unusual to find them out of something basic, locals explain it by saying there is limited storage but I’m not convinced. Still for the very basics prices can’t be beat.