Christine’s guidebook

Christine
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nocciola
314 El Paseo Rd
32 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Boccali's Pizza & Pasta
3277 E Ojai Ave
43 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
Korean, Japanese and sushi, well priced! Casual setting with tables and sushi bar. Gets crowded, go early. Beer and Wine only.
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sakura Ojai
219 E Matilija St
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Korean, 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Osteria Monte Grappa
242 E Ojai Ave
54 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Very 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Ranch House
102 Besant Rd
36 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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!
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sea Fresh Ojai
533 E Ojai Ave
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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!
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Azu
457 East Ojai Avenue
35 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Ojai Beverage Company
655 E Ojai Ave
32 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Bonnie Lu's
328 E Ojai Ave
24 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ojai Deer Lodge
2261 Maricopa Hwy
86 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Vine
308 E Ojai Ave
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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
Very popular breakfast and sandwich place. Trendy type food.
30 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
NoSo Social Cafe
205 N Signal St
30 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Very 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Nest
401 E Ojai Ave
34 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Papa Lennon's
515 W El Roblar Dr
63 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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!
Very good Mexican food in pleasant setting. Full Bar. Service can be slow, very slow.
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Agave Maria's Restaurant & Cantina
106 S Montgomery St
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Very 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Casa de Lago
715 E Ojai Ave
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Basic 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ojai Pizza Company
331 E Ojai Ave
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ojai Art Center
113 S Montgomery St
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ojai Cafe Emporium
337 E Ojai Ave
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill
214 W Ojai Ave
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.

Wine Tasting

Lovely setting, often have special events and music. Check opening times because they can be strange.
39 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Topa Mountain Winery
821 W Ojai Ave
39 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Lovely 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Ojai Vineyard
109 S Montgomery St
27 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Everybody 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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Majestic Oak Vineyard
321 E Ojai Ave
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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

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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Westridge Midtown Market IGA
131 W Ojai Ave
42 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.
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 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Vons
1125 Maricopa Hwy
32 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
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.