Hitching Post IIGreat food and wineMy husband and I have been coming here for more than 25 years when we are in town, and are always happy with our dinner. Now our daughter has started coming with her fiancé.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFrequent flyerEverytime we come to the Buellton/Solvang area we have ot come to the Hitching Post II. The best steaks I have ever eaten. I don't know if it is the oak fired grill or the magic dust, but this is a trip to flavor town. Grilled artichoke is superb and grab a glass of Highliner while you are there. It is a great pinot fruit explosion.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMeat lover's will love this place.The meat was perfectly cooked to our specifications and the seasonings were outstanding. No sweet and sticky sauce, dripping down my face, but wonderfully spiced and meaty ribs were just what I came for. The steaks were moist and tender, the mussels had a great tomato dipping sauce with toasted bread to get every drop. The four of us enjoyed our cocktails and the staff was very attentive and cheerful. Yes, good service doesn't come cheap, but this place is a GEM!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways wonderfulThe food is delish!! The chicken is cooked to perfection!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA gem worth the driveWe got engaged here 5 years ago and come back at least once a year for our anniversary. I'm glad it is a 3 hour drive from our home or I would eat here at least every week. The best steak I have ever had.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food!Very busy, make sure you make a reservation. We had the rib-eye and duck and both were excellent.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMLOVED this place!!!Took my son and his girlfriend here for a celebration dinner. A perfect place for when you're hungry and want great food and service. The portions were perfect! We loved it from the moment we walked in to this vibrant restaurant. We will definitely be back!!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMJust perfectThis is not my first visit and once again I was blown away by the fabulous food. Everything was remarkable. We started with a perfectly grilled artichoke, followed by the cream of potato soup and salad. We both ordered the New York cut. Grilled to perfection. My only regret was we were far too full to enjoy dessert. Next time we will better prepare. As always the service was impeccable and the atmosphere was anticipatory. Everyone around us could hardly wait to dig in. I also enjoyed a fine glass of the house grown Pinot Noir. I can hardly wait to return.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat FoodIf you have one night in the area this is the place to dine. History, Great Food and Great Service.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGood placeWe had a great meal here. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable and the food tasty. I wouldn't call it top notch but great all thing considered. Good wine list at very reasonable prices.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat SteaksStayed in Sovang. Restaurant was 4 min. driving from oour hotel. Great steaks and servixc6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFun atmosphere great foodGreat service in a very friendly, laid-back atmosphere. Lots of conversations between tables.
Highly recommend after a day of wine country touring.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMA great dining experienceSometimes the old ways are the best - take great meat and produce, apply skilled grilling and preparation and the result is so delicious you wonder why we ever began seeking out the newest dining trends. Our meal was a delight from beginning to end.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a Great ChoiceI come here every time I visit the area, and it never disappoints... Great food--the steaks are the best you'll find anywhere for the price ($30-$50 depending on the cut and size)-- and the some of the best wine in the world. You simply must go here!!6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was amazing and wasThe food was amazing and was further enhanced by a very social and wonderful wait staff.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and atmosphereI only get to come here maybe once or twice a year - but I think that has to change. The cheese plate has been different selections and jams and they have all been amazing. This last weekend there was a Blue Shropshire that was perfect. The lobster on special was incredible. From the butter to the dressings to the selection of wines - everything is always consistent and amazing. I do not drink wine but for the first time I found a wine that I actually enjoyed on the recommendation of our very sweet waitress Tammy.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, wine, & service @ HP-IIOur 1st experience we did not make reservations & had a long wait but enjoyed drinking their great wine at the bar. Our 2nd we time made reservations through OpenTable & seated on time in a pack house.
Food was still as we had remembered it, delicious & incredibly tasty. I had the most scrumptious 12oz natural ribeye steak. It was very tender & seasoned well. I highly recommend any of their Pinot Noir label because when it all comes down to it their wine is the focal point of the Hitching Post II.
The waitress was friendly & fast. The sign of a good waitress is checking up on your diner to make sure we're enjoying our meal. She came by & checked as if we're the only one she was servicing although we can see she had several tables at once.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOvernight EscapeAs a frequent diner, & foodie, I have never been disappointed with the food. The only real problem is, deciding what to eat! We truly wish they'd put ostrich back on the menu. It is dearly missed.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMHitching Post/Sideways, Buellton,CaMy wife & I were planning a trip to St. Ynez, Solvang and Los Olivos, and because the movie "Sideways" is one our favorites, we had to include a trip to the Hitching Post II. We went primarily because of the movie, but our experience could not have been better. We started in the bar, where Barbara and Adam, our bartenders were very friendly and made us feel welcome. Kelly, our waitress also was excellent and provided us great service. For dinner we had the Filet, baked potato, salad & shrimp cocktail. In bar and with dinner, we had Pinot Noir (Of Course!). And because we had such a great time with Barbara, we returned to the bar after dinner and enjoyed Barbara's version of a Brandy Ice!
We will be back, and with friends.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMSanta Maria StyleWe come here every time we are in the area. Food is cooked over a Red Oak fire Santa Maria style and along with the Magic Dust imparts a fabulous flavor in everything. I am especially fond of the New York steak and the unique flavor this style of cooking delivers. They also have some great wines making this a perfect spot to wind down a day of wine tasting with a great meal and good wine. A must try!5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMNice, nostalgicGood food, but with all the custom they get, it would benefit from a face lift5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe hype is realGreat place for food and wine; their salsa is great and tastes really good on their steack. A very traditional steakhouse with outstanding food.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Experience Yet!When I made our reservation I noted that we would be celebrating our anniversary. We never brought it up again once at The Hitching Post II. Our waitress was attentive and if we had a questions she couldn't answer she would find out and get right back to us. Our meals came just the way we ordered them. The food was amazing. I had the rib eye special and it melted in my mouth. At the end of our meal we ordered dessert to go and a bottle of wine to take home. The waitress came back with a plate that read "Happy Anniversary" in chocolate with an ice cream dessert. It was a very pleasant surprise! We will definitely be going back on our next trip to Solvang!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything worksAmazing! Its everything I want in a weekend get away experience. Nothing on the menu is even basic. It all just works so well. From the wine, to the amazing Santa Maria grilled food. I ordered the grass fed Rib eye and it was one of the most amazing steaks I have ever had. Grilled artichoke appetizer and the Ribeye with a bottle of Cork Dancer. Amazing flavors together. The waitress was really nice and while the courses came rather slowly, she was always on top of everything and making sure we were happy. The food was worth the slight wait (it was really busy) and the wine is so darn good. If you have the extra money to spend while you are on a weekender or just passing through Buellton for the evening, the Hitching post is one of a kind.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMBest in townMy wife travel to Solvang often. We love the area, the wine tasting, the pancakes and of course Lake Cachuma. The only issue is finding a restaurant that serves a good steak. Several years ago, we happened across The Hitching Post. Happy days! This place has incredible steak, a nice wine list and is very reasonable. We eat there every time we're in town. Best in town I swear.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat timeOur steaks were cooked to perfection. The service was top notch.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently Great SteaksWe arrived early for our reservations and were promptly seated. We had a wonderful dinner and I recommend the rib eye cooked to perfection and very tasty and I paid what I would have paid in most steak houses for just the steak, here you get a full meal. We love going here when we are in town for the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon. Additionally, we had great service but I don't recall the name of the waitress. It was a very busy night.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfectly cookedEverything we had was cooked to perfection. We enjoyed steak, lamb, duck, and quail. At about $50 per person, it was worth every penny.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMReally fun placeI admit it: we went because of Sideways. But the food was surprisingly really good--EXCELLENT steaks. The house wines are good as well. Friendly servers. Not the most elegant place, so expect casual. They have a special for designated drivers, which is pretty cool...we needed ours! Check it out.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMIt doesn't get better!Santa Maria BBQ at its finest! HP II is the epitome of using good quality ingredients, keeping it simple, and letting the food sing for itself with an orchestra of red oak and their simple seasonings. HP II is unpretentious with a friendly staff. Very reasonably priced too. Request a table near the pit so you can see how it's done. Truly one of my favorites.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a must when visiting SolvangThe food is never a disappointment and the service is always top notch. The only complaint I have for this visit is we were say right next to the entrance/hostess booth and since our reservations were for 730pm, a lot of people were near there so it was LOUD but after about a half hour things settled down and it was an enjoyable ambiance. Definitely wouldn't deter me from going back but I do think I'd ask to be seated deeper into the restaurant.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Dinner!I have been to this restaurant before and this time was even better. Very busy, but we were seated promptly with our reservation. Our server was excellent and the food was really good. We will surely return.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMnoise levelThe noise level is too loud, our waitress had to yell in order to be heard.
We wanted to go to the bar after our dinner, but when attempting to take a seat when it became available, we were told we had to go on a waiting list to sit down.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat choice for meat-lovers.Hitching Post is a restaurant for those looking for a good piece of meat with a baked potato. Our group had several different steaks and they were all flavorful and cooked to perfection. The appetizers, particularly the baked chili with corn and the mussels, were excellent. It is a fairly noisy place and not much in the way of ambiance, but the food and service make it worthwhile dining experience.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect finishWe are on vacation staying in Santa Barbara. Hitching Post was the place we wanted to dine after a day of sight seeing in wine country. We had 6:00 reservations, but arrived before 5:00 to take advantage of their wine flights. We got the last seats at the bar and Barbara served our tasting. Great wine and enjoyed getting to know Barbara. We were ready for dinner a few minutes early and were seated at our table without delay. Everything delicious!! Wonderful steaks prepared just as ordered. Purchased a couple of bottles of wine to take home. All staff attentive. Enjoyed ourselves. Wish we lived in the area so we could return.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMBaby RibsThis is so far the best tasting ribs I have ever eaten. They are so tender and tasty and wish I could get the recipe. My wife loves the shrimp dinner. Every time we travel to Solvang, we make a point to dine at the Hitching Post II. Also we make sure to make reservations and we get there early so we can enjoy a drink or two at the bar.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was fun to watch the windowIt was fun to watch the window where they grill the steaks over wood...the steak is one of the best I have ever had!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe restaurant was recommendedThe restaurant was recommended by our hotel and also by a cashier at a local store. We were not disappointed. The food and the service were excellent. My husband's steak was cooked to perfection. I ordered grilled shrimp and they were delicious. The atmosphere was quiet and we enjoyed our evening very much.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMIf you love a good steak, read onHitching Post 2 does't look like much from the outside, and the interior is perhaps best described as quaint. But don't let appearances be your judge! This place makes the BEST steak anywhere out there. Tender, cooked to perfection, melt in your mouth goodness. Have the Highliner Pinot Noir with it! Other members of our party had the duck and chicken, and they raved about these dishes as well. The nights we were there, they had a salted caramel chocolate ice cream dessert that was excellent. The movie Sideways brought us to Hitching Post, but the restaurant itself will keep us coming back whenever we visit Solvang.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThe quail was crispy and tasty,The quail was crispy and tasty, The grass fed beef was done to perfection. They accommodated our small group, and they have an excellent selection of Pinot Noir.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best places forOne of the best places for Central Coast / Santa Maria style BBQ. A widely raved about wine list for those who are interested.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's been 15 years since ourIt's been 15 years since our first visit to Hitching Post and it was just as good as we remember it to be! The food is very good and the service was top of the line! Happy we finally made it back.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat SteaksExcellent woodfired steaks with "magic dust" on them
Great fries
Great service
Good local wine list
We had a reservation for 2 that we switched to 5 same day and they accomodated the request no problem (and they were extremely busy)
Can't wait to go back4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good food and a veryVery good food and a very nice wine selection. Best to make reservations and go early. Service is very nice. If going to just hang out at the bar, go early.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWe travel two and a half hoursWe travel two and a half hours to dine at Hitching Post II. We come back again and again for the great food and excellent wine. The New York steak is juicy, well seasoned, and just melts in your mouth. The servers are very attentive with excellent customer service skills!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time dining. We hadFirst time dining. We had early Saturday dinner reservations.
Dated interior, ambience was nothing special. Wife's prime top sirloin was chewy. The smoked duck was melt in
your mouth delicious. French fries were uniquely delicious! We love extra crispy!
Wine list was phenomenol.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place if you are in Buellton.Very popular place. Reservations way in advance might be needed. We enjoyed our dinner immensely.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMPrime Rib Seems to be Best on MenuLong established restaurant in Buellton, made popular by the movie Sideways. A Sunday night in April 2013, there is no sign of a bad economy here! Busy Busy Busy, people waiting 20 minutes for a table. Although the staff seems to hustle, there was a wait to place our order. Ordered The Hitching Post Pinot Noir 2008 Perfect Set because they are known for their Pinot's-it was reasonably priced and quite good with the beef. Quail appetizer was very good. The green salad fresh and crisp. We shared the $51 PRIME rib on the bone. It was cooked to order perfectly and very flavorful. Fries were cooked properly, not soggy. Service improved when crowd thinned out. Chocolate cake was nice dessert. "Hopped Up" diner next to us was cursing at staff4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent steaks to be hadExcellent steaks to be had here, and the Pinot is also fantastic and worthy of note. A great restaurant in a beautiful area, exceeded our expectations!4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways delicious. We wereAlways delicious. We were seated right away and were accomodated at a table according to my request. Yay! A great place with reasonable prices. Their wine is not good. I don't know how they keep getting recognized for the wine. Steaks are delicious! Their wine is not anything spectacular. a super friendly place4/5/2013 12:00:00 AM