The Tavern

We came to Los Olivos to participate in the fabulous 5 course dinner in the charming town of Los Olivos for the annual Taste of Santa Ynez Valley. Between that memorable feast in town and The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, it was a truly special experience.||||From the moment we checked in, we knew we were in for a treat. The property is lovely and peaceful, the room beautifully appointed, the gardens and grounds are full of herbs and flowers and scented plants. We relaxed by the large pool - big enough and long enough to do laps - in a very comfortable cabana. The entire staff from reception to servers to bellmen and groundskeepers was attentive, helpful and incredibly personable. They even greeted me by name after just a few hours.||||We weren't sure whether to bring our two pups, but having stayed here without them, we would definitely feel comfortable bringing them next time. The spacious room and patio could easily accommodate them very comfortably, and the property is totally pet friendly.||||The restaurant has some delicious menu choices. We had breakfast and lunch in the beautiful terrace setting, and the food was excellent. The service however was slow - it seems the kitchen was backed up - so we waited quite some time to get served. Not the fault of the servers, but they could have been a bit more acknowledging of the long wait time. ||||We will definitely return, especially for a special occasion. Our experience will be remembered as one of the most delightful and indulgent weekend getaways ever.

Lots of good things about this place, including great food. The big issue we had however was noise - it is on a busy highway. If you’re noise sensitive…. We had also booked a “quiet” room, yet they placed us on the highway (fortunately we were able to be moved - not as loud). The town (and history) area and staff all excellent so if you don’t mind noise, it’s great.

We started planning a return trip after only one night here. This is true luxury and The Inn at Mattei’s is located in beautiful Los Olivos. The surrounding areas as well as the property has everything you need for the week, without having to venture more than a few miles. We cannot wait to return. One of our favorite trips to date!||||We visited with my 2 year old daughter and they made us feel so welcomed. Our whole family slept better at Mattei’s than we do at home!

If you are looking for a high end retreat that is a little different from the rest, look no further. The Inn is full of history and they have done a marvelous job restoring the 100 year old plus bar and old stagecoach entry point. The new guest rooms are immaculate, architecturally perfect, and up to date. The staff are very attentive and you will feel special when you arrive and during your entire stay. I completely enjoyed my stay and for the first time in a long time, I felt very sad to leave !!

upon arrival we received a very nice warm greeting and the desk staff showed us to our room. Number 43 is a great nice room and the pools very close by with your own fire "pit" outside your bedroom: The shower, novel large sinks are nice. The bed was very comfortable as well and the TV worked perfectly.||||We had breakfast daily an it was always nice, we tried many different dishes, all good My Favorite Rancho Ranchos, One night we celebrated in the dining room with a dinner for my wife's birthday and the service was excellent||||High recommend this resort, as low key, easy to get around and near the town a 2-5 minute walk, cute town with good shopping.

Fantastic setting, service and food. Super friendly staff , who were very welcoming and attentive. We were lucky to catch the Katie Hudson concert, which was very an intimate setting. This is a must stop in the Santa Ynez Valley. We are definitely coming back .

The Inn at Mattei's Tavern is really special within our favorite hotel chain, Auberge. From check-in t0 leaving, the experience was fantastic. The employees were very professional. Well designed property, great hospitality, great restaurant (must try the oak-fired steak and local Relevant cabernet wine).

Mattei's Tavern exceeded our expectations. It is a very comfortable resort with impeccable service and great rooms. The historic bar and tavern are a must see, and a great place for a meal and drinks. The resort is a very intimate and well designed for couples and families to enjoy.

We came to Los Olivos to participate in the fabulous 5 course dinner in the charming town of Los Olivos for the annual Taste of Santa Ynez Valley. Between that memorable feast in town and The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, it was a truly special experience.||||From the moment we checked in, we knew we were in for a treat. The property is lovely and peaceful, the room beautifully appointed, the gardens and grounds are full of herbs and flowers and scented plants. We relaxed by the large pool - big enough and long enough to do laps - in a very comfortable cabana. The entire staff from reception to servers to bellmen and groundskeepers was attentive, helpful and incredibly personable. They even greeted me by name after just a few hours.||||We weren't sure whether to bring our two pups, but having stayed here without them, we would definitely feel comfortable bringing them next time. The spacious room and patio could easily accommodate them very comfortably, and the property is totally pet friendly.||||The restaurant has some delicious menu choices. We had breakfast and lunch in the beautiful terrace setting, and the food was excellent. The service however was slow - it seems the kitchen was backed up - so we waited quite some time to get served. Not the fault of the servers, but they could have been a bit more acknowledging of the long wait time. ||||We will definitely return, especially for a special occasion. Our experience will be remembered as one of the most delightful and indulgent weekend getaways ever.

Lots of good things about this place, including great food. The big issue we had however was noise - it is on a busy highway. If you’re noise sensitive…. We had also booked a “quiet” room, yet they placed us on the highway (fortunately we were able to be moved - not as loud). The town (and history) area and staff all excellent so if you don’t mind noise, it’s great.

We started planning a return trip after only one night here. This is true luxury and The Inn at Mattei’s is located in beautiful Los Olivos. The surrounding areas as well as the property has everything you need for the week, without having to venture more than a few miles. We cannot wait to return. One of our favorite trips to date!||||We visited with my 2 year old daughter and they made us feel so welcomed. Our whole family slept better at Mattei’s than we do at home!

If you are looking for a high end retreat that is a little different from the rest, look no further. The Inn is full of history and they have done a marvelous job restoring the 100 year old plus bar and old stagecoach entry point. The new guest rooms are immaculate, architecturally perfect, and up to date. The staff are very attentive and you will feel special when you arrive and during your entire stay. I completely enjoyed my stay and for the first time in a long time, I felt very sad to leave !!

upon arrival we received a very nice warm greeting and the desk staff showed us to our room. Number 43 is a great nice room and the pools very close by with your own fire "pit" outside your bedroom: The shower, novel large sinks are nice. The bed was very comfortable as well and the TV worked perfectly.||||We had breakfast daily an it was always nice, we tried many different dishes, all good My Favorite Rancho Ranchos, One night we celebrated in the dining room with a dinner for my wife's birthday and the service was excellent||||High recommend this resort, as low key, easy to get around and near the town a 2-5 minute walk, cute town with good shopping.

Fantastic setting, service and food. Super friendly staff , who were very welcoming and attentive. We were lucky to catch the Katie Hudson concert, which was very an intimate setting. This is a must stop in the Santa Ynez Valley. We are definitely coming back .

The Inn at Mattei's Tavern is really special within our favorite hotel chain, Auberge. From check-in t0 leaving, the experience was fantastic. The employees were very professional. Well designed property, great hospitality, great restaurant (must try the oak-fired steak and local Relevant cabernet wine).

Mattei's Tavern exceeded our expectations. It is a very comfortable resort with impeccable service and great rooms. The historic bar and tavern are a must see, and a great place for a meal and drinks. The resort is a very intimate and well designed for couples and families to enjoy.

This was the first visit to Mattei's Tavern, but not the last! Marcus and Emmie (Emily) were extremely attentive to our party. Such a lovely property and ambiance. The food was very good. There was a lot more bread than meat in the steak sandwich, but other than that the dishes were fantastic. Try the roasted cauliflower appetizer for a treat! We will be back the next time we are in town.

I read reviews that said it was overpriced and nothing special. I was hesitant to bring my husband here so we opted for breakfast- less pressure than dinner. We absolutely loved it. He got a simple omelette and after watching an episode of Bear where Syd makes a perfect omelette, he said this was just what he's been craving. I had eggs and bacon and the most amazing toast with jam that was definitely not out of a jar. Was it pricey, yes but worth it. We pay for good meals and good ambiance. We will be back to try dinner next time!

Such a fun property with so much history! Elle in guest services was so kind and friendly. The stone around the pool is beautiful and the ambiance is as if you went back in time with modern twists. The food was fantastic. There's room service and it was fast. We cannot wait to come back. The cottages are STUNNING. You won't regret visiting

I love this place. The ambiance the food the service. It's always great ... stopped by to have lunch with my husband yesterday but the dining room was already closed we we took a seat at the bar and ordered a persimmon spritz and wedge salad and steak and fries. We shared everything and it was perfect. Delicious and fresh food. Great service from the moment we walked in A beautiful resort with this beautiful restaurant. You transfer to another world when you are here. So relaxing.

Definitely a throwback to the Stagecoach days, Mattei's Tavern was established in 1886. There is a newer, brighter main dining room attached to the tavern/bar lounge. We decided to stop here on our drive back to Orange County from our long weekend of Paso Robles wine tasting (recommendation from one of the Paso wine bar hosts). We ordered a wedge salad and a chicken Sammie to share. * Wedge Salad - 5/5 the right proportion of each ingredient including the dressing; the red cabbage was a nice addition; large chunks of bacon lardons * Chicken Sammie- 3.5/5 fried chicken was overly fried but the fresh daikon radish, thin slices of carrots and cucumber made the sandwich delicious (basically a fried chicken banh mi); the accompanying fries were just meh Service was a little slow, but they were friendly. FYI- the restroom was definitely modernized, but still tried to retain the 1800's feel The lunch menu was short, but we were told the dinner menu is much more extensive 3.5/5

On my way to Cambria, I made a stop at this place and was immediately captivated by the impeccable design of the space. Every aspect, from the lobby to the bar, restaurant, coffee shop, and outdoor area, was executed with utmost precision. The atmosphere and vibe were simply delightful, and I couldn't resist the temptation to stay for lunch. The server was incredibly attentive and guided me in selecting the perfect meal. His recommendation of the chop salad turned out to be a brilliant choice. It was bursting with flavor, refreshing, and light, yet it left me feeling satisfied. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunchtime experience here, as it was both tranquil and relaxing. I am already planning to return to this place in the near future, as it left a lasting impression on me :)

Beautiful grounds and setting. We went for brunch on Sunday, and it started off good. Server was very friendly and we got our drinks pretty quick. That's where "service" stopped. We got our food, and the server came by and asked if we needed anything, and we asked for salt and pepper. Even though see walked by the table a couple of more times,, I had to ask again, now halfway through our meal. The food was good, not great. As I was finishing my meal I happened to look at my watch and noticed the time, it was 40+ minutes from that time until I was able to ask somebody for the check. It has been longer than that since we had seen our server. As a former server and manager, I cannot understand how this happened. Literally no one checked on us or even looked pur direction, for a very LONG time, other than the busser who took our plates away. Unfortunately poor service does not over come good food.

Outstanding - great place for brunch. Sit outside on the patio and just enjoy life. Split the burger, fries outstanding. Mussels had thicker broth. The vegetable dip was so fresh and the white bean dip was so good.

This place could've been a old time Stagecoach stop. It might well have been. Even though the Tavern is part of a huge property everything about it is warm and charming...until you get to the food. Hold your hosses, we'll get to the food. The decor is heavy wooden beams, a collection of ancient cheese boards on a wall, and more leather than a Dominatrix's den. All of it exudes deep rich comfort while dining. It's what you'd expect in a Brothel catering to Congressmen in the 20's. Hushed conversations, muted tones, money. It has that "take a niece to lunch" feel. I can envision Eleanor nibbling at her toast and sipping tea while Franklin was busy wheeling after the cute server and leaving a trail of smoke behind his chair in every one of the several dining rooms. Sit outside and take in the expansive nature all around or sit inside nestled into a deep dish wing chair and savor the clubby atmosphere. A promising menu offers a substantial number of breakfast choices coming from the busy open kitchen. I thought it would be a perfect way/place to start your day walking, waddling, and or staggering from tasting room to tasting room in town which is mostly what there is to do in Los Olivos. Very civilized, no? The Staff: They are all completely caffeinated, cheerful, in constant motion and happy to see you. Who's sitting at the next table? Inn'erts and tourists giving occasional thought to reacquiring sobriety after a day of tasting and wasting. What's to eat? There is a Full Bar, and Wine to the rafters. It's the perfect spot for a Bloody one. And someone knew how to make a good one. So, I say, go ahead, it's a vacay, what the hey. The menu lists upscale diner chow and all House made. No throwin' shade on what's available. You can have your Death Row Breakfast here. Wait a minute, they only give you a last dinner. You'll have to work with that. Sadly, the touted Chilaquiles was MIA. So, instead I opted for the Hangtown Fry. A classic originating in Placerville, California. (aka Hangtown). One day a miner hit a main vein and emerged from his mine filthy and filthy rich. He proceeded to the Cary House Hotel and ordered the most expensive items on the menu. Eggs and Oysters both sold for $50 per during the Gold Rush. He asked for a dozen of each. The added thick sliced Bacon was a spiff on the House. Mattei's version from the top down was a scattering of Baby Arugula lightly dressed in a basic Vinaigrette. Not bad, but not necessary. Just underneath the Salad were two Monkey fist sized lovely breaded bivalves. Hot, crispy, gooey and oozing serious oysterosity. They were wonderful and wonderfully plumb and I could have easily polished off that miner's dozen, plus. The whole dish was prepared in a small cast iron pan that held the Eggs. Cast iron holds the heat. Sadly, the Eggs were an Omelet of sorts as a stage for the Oysters and was as rubbery as a Whoopie Cushion. You could have used the Eggs for a Bounce House floor or a Pickle Ball paddle. I needed a steak knife to cut it, so for me the Eggs didn't cut it. The takeaway, is that a good Hangtown Fry requires a soft scramble and if the Chef insists on an Omelet then make a French one preferably made by someone who can truly make one. It should be as loose and creamy as whatever you've experienced in your life that was loose and creamy. (By the whey we want to see them curds). Fine, call me a food snob. But then you're reading this review to get my opinion for whatever that's worth. (Exactly what you've paid for it, probably). And that's exactly what it is, just my opinion. The tough little Egg round was supplemented by a few sad lardons of uncured, unseasoned Pork Belly. Boy's you need to rub your slab with enthusiasm and season for a reason and this dish requires both curing and rubbing your Pork before adding it to the mix. On the plus side, the House makes a Hot Sauce to be reckoned with. It's as good as Hot Sauce gets. Slightly vinegary, slightly garlicy, and just the right amount of Chile to leave some lovely lingering heat. The razor thin Red Jalapeno coins were just the right punctuation point to boost the Sauce to top tier tear jerker. Go ahead, have breakfast here. Make up your own mind. For me, it's Mattei...nice try.

Overall it was an excellent meal and date night! Had a delicious octopus with squid ink rice, cauliflower crisp and super delicious endive salad. Coconut crispy rice dessert with mango sorbet was perfect and not too sweet. Plus loved sparkling Wines in beautiful glasses! Really enjoyed the food although the rice was a bit salty and the aioli could have been eliminated. The service was amazing and the interior is rustic chic elegant. Would love to go back!

One of the best restaurants in the area!! Get the crunchy cauliflower and don't miss the chocolate soufflé....

Great food and location! Our servers were perfect for Brunch in a very relaxing atmosphere!

You want to go to an over-priced, understated food, extremely noisy that you can't even hear your date and are abandoned by your waiter for an hour and 15 minutes, with no food in sight, then come to Mattie's Tavern. My fiancé and I drove three days from Washington to come here because it was special place for him. Well, we were treated so poorly and it dampened our night. I would recommend any other place but here. In fact, we had a great meal at Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Cafe the night before.

A wonderful evening. Beautiful property, great food and exceptional service. Manager Jonathan and his team k ow how to provide top notch service. The wine list is all things great. Appetizer cauliflower was delicious. Pork, rockfish, chicken (always impressive when chicken is special!) and salmon entrees were all perfectly prepared and presented. Dessert was over the top! A beautiful evening outside under the stars!

Our second visit at Mattei's and Our last. Rude staff felt invisible. The bartender a young gal with dark hair acted like I was asking for an organ. No smile , no greeting,

Such a cute restaurant in Auberge Resorts. There is a casual bar area that is super cute with happy hour or full menu options or a formal dining area. I would highly recommend reservations. I would highly recommend the fries!! The fries are perfectly fried. I had to order an extra fries because I finished an entire order by myself. The cocktails are also very good! Definitely if you are in the area, go to the bar and order a cocktail with fries.

Solid place for a tasty and classy lunch in Los Olivos. Got to try the smash burger, duck liver appetizer, and the mussels. Everything was super solid, but I gotta say the best part of the meal was dipping the perfectly buttered toast in the mussels' soup. SO delicious. The duck liver was so creamy and rich. Smash burger was solid, was strangely too sweet at times though. The ambiance is super coastal, classy, tavern-like. Service is great. My partner and I wanted to order more things but our server warned us that we would be over ordering which was so real of him.

Stopped here for brunch and it was delicious! Got the hangtown fry which apparently isn't the most popular but it was such a great flavor combination! My husband got the Huevos Rancheros and loved it!

We had a great experience dining at this tavern. The decor is so awesome, the food was delicious - started out with the Duck Liver spread which were so good, the Hope Ranch mussels are the best ever, must have them, you'll love the sauce and the fried chicken and waffle was out of this world. Our waitress Tam was very attentive and so were the hostesses, very pleasant. We totally recommend it and we hope to be back there for dinner next time. The brunch was absolutely delicious. And so was the ambiance.

Super overpriced for simple food. Why would a bowl of chili ever be more than $25? Not to mention that the hostess up front was nonexistent and we had to go to the bar to find someone to help us. It's fine if you're desperate but otherwise skip it.

What an amazing place, the service was top notch, the rooms were warm and luxurious, and overall felt like I was in a small down in Europe.

We called 3 days in advance letting them know one of our party had a strict vegan diet. Upon our arrival, they noted our request had been received. However. When he ordered, we asked for them to throw any kind of veggies and plant-based proteins to create him a vegan dish. Instead, he got a bowl of carrots. We were sitting next to where they prepare the meals and noticed canisters of veggies they could have used, but didn't. They also salted the food despite our request not to. Scott, our server was very attentive, but could not seem to get the chef to accommodate our requests. We spent over $400. Won't return

So fresh and tasty. Sauces and dressings I've never tried in my life. Their bean dip with veggies was mind blowing. Fries were crispy to perfection. Must try their smash burger!

Super cool place. We came here at 6pm on a Tuesday and it was very busy. We had a burger and fries, can't go wrong with this. Very cool crowd.

Did some local wine tasting and thought we'd grab dinner before heading back home. We didn't have a reservation so we sat at the bar to avoid a long wait. The bar menu consists of 4 dinner options and a few appetizers to select from. The glass of Albariño I had was delicious. Our bar tender was friendly and attentive. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, and baby artichokes to start. Both were fine. For our entree we split the steak & fries and a wedge salad. The steak seemed to be a sirloin cut that was a bit hard to chew (at the price point was expecting better quality). The wedge was great, the toppings and portion were on point. The new interior is beautiful and this place has the potential to be a really great spot, it just lacked the umphh we were expecting.

We had the rare opportunity to dine at what I'm sure will be Michelin star restaurant yesterday. The recently re opened Matteis Tavern was everything I hoped it would be, AND MORE. We started with drinks in the lounge, were seated promptly in the spacious yet intimate dining room promptly. Our secer was the adorable miss Susie. She was so much fun. We had a large group with lots of demands and she never faltered. We kept her busy with lots of drinks (they make a mean whiskey sour) a round of appetizers where we sampled the sweetbreads, abalone and fresh bread, 6 main dishes and dessert. The sommelier stopped by after we had finished our main course but she was a good sport and helped us choose our "winner" of the night's dinner check lottery. Please, please, please visit if you get a chance. You'll want to say you've been to Chef Rhoda Magbitang's Matteis Tavern before she earned her first Michelin star.

The service was excellent! We were there on a Saturday morning and we sat at the bar. We ordered the burger and the chicken sandwich - they were both AMAZING. Especially the sauce with the fries - it was almost like in n out spread but with pepperoncini's... still drooling over it! We'll definitely be back. :)

Well, after two stays at Mattei's the only thing to say is amazing and extraordinary. Everyone that works at Mattei's is a star that shines on a consistent basis! However, there is one star in particular that shines even a brighter light amongst all the other stars at Mattei's. His name is Sean Murphy and he serves in the role of Director of Rooms. Sean is such an asset to Mattei's and to the Auberge Resorts hospitality chain. Sean is an extra miler who always goes the extra step to make your stay memorable. So when you head to Mattei's make sure to hunt him down, shake his hand and thank him in advance for what he does.

Excellent! Dropped by for drinks before dinner at BLC at the recommendation of a bartender at the Other Room. AMAZING! The cocktails were awesome and the environment was well designed and lively. Can't wait to go back!

Food was fantastic! We had the Huevos Rancheros and another meal with the best crispies potatoes we've ever had. And the hot sauce made by the chef there is absolutely FANTASTIC!!! We tried buying some but they were all out. They gave us a small little container to take home though. Everyone is so nice here. We also love the historic aspect of the building, very cool! Will definitely come back!

I have a vacation house very close to the restaurant and have always wanted to try it for lunch or dinner and finally did. First off the food was tasty, fries are very well made (double fry method very nice). $28 burger was expecting more. For a regular burger it was ok but was expecting it to be much better. In N Out blows it away from our perspective. I had the mussels and they were perfectly cooked. Not much of a complaint there. However, at Mattie's Tavern there are different areas from which to dine from which I was educated during my visit. What bothered me was if you are in the main dining room you can't order from the bar menu which was obviously different and literally right in the next room. Made little sense to me as it came from the same kitchen. We could have moved to the other room but then would be able to have the set from the dining room menu. Weird. Service was sub par, I had to ask three different people for some ketchup. The fourth person I asked was our server who forgot. And he then passed on the task to the second person we asked. I was confused...LOL finally got our ketchup but my son was already done eating. I don't mind lack of service so much if the food is great but this place is suppose to be high end quality and the service should reflect that. We had 3 people checking up on us to see how we were doing but they didn't do anything (like get us some ketchup for our fries) seems like they were just going through the motions. At some point I just gave up and said everything was fine can I have my check please. For a place that charges $750/night and $28/burger and $20salads you expect better service. They seem to be about 30% more expensive then most places from my experience of living in the area the last couple years. My two cents food is good but probably won't return for dinner service but very nice ambience.

Great spot! We loved the dog-friendly, cozy back patio and food (especially the cauliflower and mango dessert). Big shoutout to Jeremy for being such a kind waiter!

We had dinner in the dining room. The menu is limited and what there is could be more interesting. The Rockfish I ordered was swimming in a thin vinaigrette with a variety of spices. The Rockfish needed something more substantial than a thin vinaigrette, a rich cream sauce would have worked. We weren't shown the Bar menu until after we ordered from the restaurant menu. I wish I had been shown the bar menu before ordering. Mattei's Tavern value doesn't live up its to prices.

We love Los Olivos, wine and food. We had a reservation at 6:30pm. The hostesses we're nice, explaining that our table need to be cleared and make sure it's ready so we waited for at least 10 minutes before we were seated. Outdoor seats were nicely set up. It was kind of chilly and they were nice enough to offer us a blanket. How I do start? Why am I giving them 2 stars? SERVICE: in a nice restaurant like this we expect an excellent service, Where a wonderful chef exceptionally met our expectations with the food in terms of preparation, presentation and flavors. We were seated, the Som greeted us right away giving us some options with wine inquiries. Our waiter was nice to introduce himself. Took our drink orders, leave, took our food order then leave. He never checked on us again, While he went back to a table multiple times where there were 4 women laughing and giggling, carrying a conversation and laughing with them. Didn't look at any table. He was fixated with that table of 4 women! This is so un acceptable that we have to look around who can refill our water. We also asked our waiter to turn on the heater since it was getting cold at the beginning when he introduced himself, But again he never did which we ended up asking one of the workers/server/ancillary staff to turn it on. Our food came out COLD, that's the time we saw our waiter again. Mentioned about the cold entree. He acknowledged it and said he will mention it to the manager. The spacing of time starting when we sat down until they finally serve our entree was 1.5 hours!!! It was dragging, no flow. You can see staff roaming around but it seems that they are just walking around. No eye contact. It's very disappointing and frustrating where we should be enjoying our dinner at this beautiful place. Again the service need to improve in order to survive. The food was excellent but needs to be served on time. We will not go back again. Just sad because the chef is GREAT!!

The server was really nice and gnocchi with mushrooms was delicious. I also got the uni which I enjoyed

Went for brunch. Was wonderful. Service was attentive albeit a little confusing with so many people attending. Not a bad thing, but we were asked multiple times by several different people if we needed anything, after placing our orders. Food was delicious and the portions are large. They accommodated diet issues with no problem. Overall, we all were happy with the meal, the setting and the service. Definitely going back.

Eat at the bar, skip the restaurant. The bar has an amazing collection of drinks, a brief, but delicious menu, and maintains the charm of the full historic Inn. The hotel, bar, and food are a great addition to the area. The restaurant is trying to be something it's not. Service was slow, food was just-okay. We could overhear others having difficulties with their orders as well. Take it for what it is: a nice upscale tavern for a quick stop. No need to saddle up your stagecoach for a full evening meal.

Had a few people tell us we should try this place so of course we did! The overall experience was good. We had a reservation but arrived a bit early so sat at the bar for a drink and a bite. The bar area is pretty cool. It was decorated like an elevated ranch style. The bar stools were leather with a back and there were a few cozy sitting areas around the room. We had a glass of champagne and my husband had a beer. We ordered the chicharrones and the baby artichokes. The chicharrones were made from scratch and were delicious. The artichokes were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Both very good. Our bartender was nice. We were then seated in the dining area where the decor was a bit different from the bar. Still had nice rich colors though. The leather booth style seat was in a rich hunter green and super soft. We ordered the melon salad (cantaloupe, goat cheese mousse and arugula), the abalone (wow) and the bread for all. All three were delicious. For the main course, I got the seared scallops and my husband got the pork belly and clams. My scallops were cooked perfectly and were in a very light broth with summer squash and zucchini and a pickled pepper. My husband really liked his dish as well. The pork had a wonderful crust on it. Our server was nice as well. He gave good suggestions and was attentive. We would def return for the food. I would give 4 1/2 stars if I could.

A lovely way to start our New Year's Eve night out in the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos to be specific. A new Auberge property, I believe the hotel slated to open soon, is an historic 1880s building gorgeously redone. We had dinner reservations elsewhere so I can't speak to the menu but we did enjoy a few of the cocktails on the menu before heading out. Gary, the bartender mixing away directly in front of us was great. And the beverage manager from the property (I don't want to butcher his name but want to say it started with 'Russ,' please forgive me) was charming and a pleasure to speak with. And the fact that he used to work Republique was an encouraging sign! Thanks for a lovely start to our evening, we'll be back!

Saturday night at Mattei's did not disappoint. The upgraded facility was busy in a energetic, happy way. The staff in the bar & restaurant could not have been more attentive, friendlier or efficient. Hickory salad was delicious; lamb ragu very generous and tasty; halibut was cooked to perfection (which is unusual). A blueberry dessert topped off a beautiful night. The 100+ year old bar is intact and the drinks well made. The only fly in the ointment (not the drinks) were tacky extra charges for "Club Soda" ($2 on top of $17 for a "bourbon AND soda) and a $4 fee to turn a $18 "well brandy" into an " *Old Fashioned." To their credit, both water and the seats by the bar table were fee free. On the down side, they didn't offer a discount if you brought your own glass. Adding insult to injury, add-ons are shown on the bill in small print, meaning you've got to get your reading classes out to discover what it costs to deconstruct a bourbon and soda. Bottom line: Great restaurants shouldn't EVER nickel&dime ... go ahead and charge the $20, jeez!!

This is a beautiful restaurant with gorgeous design elements. I imagine dinner here can be quite lovely. We came in on a Friday for lunch with no reservations and were told by the hostess that the only available table for two outside was in the sun. Inside the restaurant was totally dead with no one eating so it didn't appeal. We agreed to the table in the sun, but we walked by numerous unoccupied tables for two and more that were shaded. Nope, those are reserved we were told. OK. We were seated and despite lovely design elements inside the outside lacks enough umbrellas and shade. Form over function. This is early May in Los Alamos, I hope they figure it out by the heat of summer. We ordered and sat there baking for 30 min while no one filled the reserved tables for two, or the larger tables in the shade. Our lovely glasses of white wine grew lukewarm. Other tables in the shade opened up. Our food arrived. My ABLT was quite good. My husbands grain bowl was small, grain was undercooked, and it had maybe three pieces of squash in it. The dressing was cloyingly sweet. It reminded of college dining hall food. This is a $28 grain bowl with no protein. In the meantime we grew so frustrated by baking in the sun in a now empty restaurant that we asked to move and this was finally granted. We mentioned the grain bowl was terrible and they took it off the bill. It would have been great if we were asked about the food before the end of the meal so we could have gotten something else. Restaurants at this level shouldn't just have a server drop off your food with waitstaff never coming by again. It also would have been great if staff had been looking after our comfort and asked us if we wanted to move out of the glaring sun when there were so many open tables. At this level of hospitality I don't think this is too much to ask. I'm not faulting our waitperson, she was nice and tried to accommodate. It just didn't seem that among all the staff anyone was taking ownership of our full experience.

This place has all the hallmarks of a restaurant destined for greatness! Sadly my experience was not. The building and ambience are indeed stellar and the bar is ready for its hollywood moment. Interior is really really cool. The main dining room is of equal quality and beautifully done with an open kitchen concept. The wine list is surprisingly imbalanced with an over abundance of foreign wines and in my opinion a lackluster list of local options. i could spend an hour just on this list but i'll sum it up this way. it's a weird list with some clear gaping holes, given the proximity to stellar wines in the region. Most items off the menu are prepared in an open flame grill which is their signature. As explained most food will have a smokey charred flavor. (our table had lamb, rock fish, and scallops). The food was tasty but it certainly was nothing special which this place should strive to be. The one clear criticism is this there was a 7 minute lag from the time the first two entrees hit the table to the second set of entrees. Sorry, but at this caliber of restaurant that's just unacceptable. I do believe a Dennys restaurant would have them beat. They lack a captain/ manager position to make sure the ship is running smoothly. Staff were fine but felt a bit overly conscious. This place will hopefully one day find its stride.

The remodel is incredibly beautiful. Went to dinner with some friends in the new dining room. We had venison, muscles. fish, and duck. They were all scrumptious. The wine we ordered was some of the best I've ever had. We will definitely be regular guests.

Nothing like staring at a dirty rag while you eat a high priced small plate of food. They left the rag there after I had to ask for the sticky bar to be cleaned. There is a very limited bar menu.

Had lunch today with my mom and her friend for birthday/Mother's Day. Both my mom and her friend worked at the old Mattei's Tavern when I was a kid so we were all excited to finally visit (we are all locals). The staff was very friendly, but the service in general was soooo slow, like the kind of slow where you want to get up and get it yourself slow. Put in drinks and an order for shrimp cocktail and the shrimp came out almost immediately, while the drinks probably took 10-15 minutes. Oh, I should also say that we sat at our table for about 20 minutes before drink order was taken.. The shrimp cocktail was not appealing at all, 4 shrimp buried in a short, little vessel, topped with herbs, but was noted that it looked like they just threw a handful of weeds on top of the little pretty bowl, but the worst for me was that the shrimp was room temp. Not good at all, imo. Other items ordered were Hot Tuna aka Tuna Melt-looked ok, but olives were sliced in half and my mom's friend expected them to be chopped. Falafel sandwich, fries. No flavor from anything. Expensive for what we got, however always willing to pay if it is delicious and crave worthy, unfortunately this wasn't the case and none of us will go back together, independently, or refer to friends. The tourists can have it and eat it up!

We had lunch here on a Friday before everyone was in town. The service was excellent and the hostess did a great job explaining that they had a tavern restaurant and bar. We ate at the tavern restaurant. Between the four of us, we ordered a shared steak sandwich, BLT, and smashburger. While everything was cooked very well, the food was severely under seasoned. I don't know if there was a single speck of salt or pepper on any of it. I'll be back for the ambiance and drinks at the bar, but it's a pass for me on the food.

We love Mattei's and come as often as we can. Chef Rhoda is incredibly talented. The menu is fantastic. Portions are generous in the best way. Meant for sharing. We went again last night and were only going to get the chicken (I think it's spatchcock and sous vide then roasted but not sure. Whatever it is, it's delicious). But the servers and staff were so nice and they told us about a special that sounded so good that we ended up ordering double what we intended AND a cocktail and don't regret it in the slightest. We tell all of our friends and airbnb guests to come to Mattei's. It's beautiful, friendly and always a great meal.

Breaks the storied tradition of this tavern. It's precious designer-curated expensive for rich people from LA wearing their new western wear or designer fashions. No hat. No cattle. Caviar. Lambo.

Excellent food. Excellent service. Thank you for a birthday dinner that I'll never forget!