Stonehouse at San Ysidro RanchEverything about our diningEverything about our dining experience was wonderful from the perfectly prepared entrees to the excellent assortment of appetizers our waiter was personable and attentive as was the rest of the staff the ambience was comfortable and the tables were spaced well so conversations were not interfering with one another we also were served one of the best chocolate soufflés I have ever had and I would recommend the Steak Diane to anyone it was the perfect end to finish up the day after my son's graduation from UCSB6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMRemarkable...in every way. I haven't been as thrilled with a restaurant experience in years. The food was was both well conceived and exquisitely prepared and presented. The flavors of all the ingredients were evident and balanced precisely. The clear tomato consumme with seafood was unlike any soup that I have had, and the seasonal cherry dessert captured the essence of the fruit amazingly well in a variety of presentations. The six in our party had not a single criticism of the entire evening. The service, by the way, was highly professional but good natured, comfortable in it's our skin.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThis has long been a favoriteThis has long been a favorite place of our for a nice occasion or simply just because. But, for the first time, I have to say i left feeling that it maybe jumped the shark. Atmosphere & service - always great. Food - just ok considering the price. I don't mind paying for a nice meal, but that means my expectations go up, as well. Special crab app was soggy and bland, turbot looked and tasted flat, as well as being small portion. Steak diane sauce was good, but potato puree under was uninspired and the meat portion small. Overall, veggies were perfect on all plates.
Tips - Call if you want patio seating. Parking can be confusing, drive past main driveway, turn left up circle and wait.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I considerMy husband and I consider ourselves to be amateur foodies roaming around Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. We came here to celebrate our anniversary -- we had heard wonderful things about the restaurant and the SYR in general. The food was superb -- some of the best we've ever had, the ambiance was perfect for our intimate celebration (even seated side-by-side at our table!), but the service was lacking, unfortunately. Our server was cold and unfriendly (unlike the rest of the SYR staff), and although we might be among the younger crowd (30s), the way he explained the dishes to us felt somewhat patronizing and came off as if we had never dined at an upscale restaurant. Overall, service aside, we will come back for the food!5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe setting is great. TheThe setting is great. The staff was great. The food was great. My wife and I had a wonderful dinner.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for Special OccasionsA beautiful restaurant with excellent service in a beautiful setting. Very pricey, but you can expect really good food and great service. A relatively limited menu, but additional off-menu items are available. An extensive wine list. They will uncork and pour your wine for a reasonable fee so save some money and BYOB.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the relaxed beautifulLoved the relaxed beautiful old world feel of the Stonehouse Restaurant. Real log fires were crackling as we arrived even for an early dinner. All the staff are friendly and it is refreshing that they don't ask you every minute "how is your dinner"? Two of us had the special soup of the day...tomato with crab which was really delicious. The salmon dish was not outstanding but good. Highly recommend the baked scallop in the shell. The chocolate souffle and homemade chocolate mint ice cream sublime!
A really special place which will always be on our list for special places to go to.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSYR Absolute perfection!A wonderful experience and made our visit to Santa Barbara worthwhile! A definite must-do for anyone visiting SB.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing birthday lunchWe celebrated my husband's birthday lunch here on May 4, 2013 and had an amazing experience in all respects. The food, wine, service and ambience were excellent, the staff was very friendly and we felt warmly welcome although we were not guests at the hotel. We had a delicious meal that tickled our taste buds and made us remember our vacations in the South of France. We will be coming back for sure and highly recommend the Stonehouse for summer lunchtime dining. It is an oasis nestled in the hills above Santa Barbara and can be easily combined with a day trip to Santa Barbara (which is what we did). Must go!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is one of the nicestThis is one of the nicest restaurants on the Central Coast. Not only is the setting in the Montecito foothills amazingly serene and beautiful, but the food and service are both second to none as well. I go to the brunch with my family a couple of times a year and have never been disappointed.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMEven though we have livedEven though we have lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years, this was our first visit to the Stonehouse. It was outstanding. The only thing I would comment on that was not perfect was the lobster was a bit tough. The Steak Diane was outstanding and our waiter Eric was wonderful. He gave us the full history of the ranch and was at our service constantly. The grounds of the San Ysidro Ranch are beautiful and well maintained.
We will visit again.....It was a special occasion....Hopefully we will visit the brunch soon.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWow! Definitely a favoriteWow! Definitely a favorite for us! We enjoyed this restaurant more than any other during our trip to Santa Barbara. We had our boys with us and the staff was incredibly accommodating and helpful. We would go back to SB just to have dinner here :)4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Stonehouse is a very goodThe Stonehouse is a very good restaurant with charming atmosphere, very good (but not excellent) food and very good service. We ate indoors which was too dark for comfortable dining for us. It's one of those restaurants where you need a flashlight to see the menu.
The downside of the restaurant is the price. My steak Diane (two small, very tender filets with mashed potatoes and green beans) was $63, My companions lobster poached in butter was $68. I don't mind paying well for fine dining, but the Stonehouse bill of fare is too expensive in my view for the value received. Appetizers range from $14 - 20's. Our bill for 1 Virgin Mary, 1 glass of wine and two mains was over $250
I won't go back because of the price.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMCelebrated our sons 21st birthdayCelebrated our sons 21st birthday here and the whole evening was exceptional.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful in all aspects.Beautiful in all aspects. Food,service and ambience the best we have have ever had. Worth every dollar we spent.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the most romantic restaurantOne of the most romantic restaurants I have ever been to! Brunch was awesome and service was wonderful. Best of all, walking the grounds once we finished, such a great place!4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the great restaurantsOne of the great restaurants in California. Top 10 wine lists in California4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOur best experienceWe've been to Stonehouse many times. This time was probably our best experience... it was a combination of Stonehouse's basics: great food, service and ambience, in addition to beautiful weather and sitting on the terrace.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful, magical place for lunch.This place is just gorgeous! The food was delicious, beautiful to look at, and some ingredients come from he property itself. The prix fix menu was very reasonable for the standard of the foof.
The staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. The ambience is so relaxing and beautiful with the lovely smell of log fires... Can't really say anything more than I love this place!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent location and aExcellent location and a real find if your hunting for somewhere special to celebrate a milestone event. Accommodation, scenery, food
, service, are all outstanding. There is nothing I could suggest to improve....it is pricey but is one of those rare places you walk away from and say you got good value for money This is a place we will return to!!!!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Caeser salad ever! GreatBest Caeser salad ever! Great cauliflower soup, excellent steak Diane with sauce prepared table side and delicious chanterelle mushrooms with shaved truffles on fettucine! Friendly staff.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was my second time at thisIt was my second time at this restaurant and it was as I remembered it...romantic and delicious.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent dinner and service.Excellent dinner and service. The best lamb I have had in a very long time. My only disappointment is that we had not tried Stonehouse earlier - can't wait to go back.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMImpeccable food, service,Impeccable food, service, and ambiance! The resort and surrounding area are beautiful as well!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is truly a special place.This is truly a special place. The garden is incredible.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Romantic Outdoor Dining ExperThis is our second time tat the Stonehouse. It is a very special setting. I love eating out on the covered terrace. It doesn't matter if it is cool out since they have plenty of heaters. The food and service were excellent. I also like to come here because I can bring my own wine and the corkage fee is reasonable. We will definitely return and recommend it to our friends.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMStonehouse = PhenomenalWow! The Stonehouse Restaurant is awesome! We drove up the scenic canyon drive after getting married in Santa Barbara a couple of hours earlier. The staff were incredibly nice and helpful. The food was out of this world delicious!! Possibly the finest dining experience I have ever had to date. So romantic! The grounds are meticulously kept! I hope the landscape team gets an award for all their work.
We ate on the terrace surrounded by flowers with spectacular views of Montecito The menus were personalized to greet us as Mr & Mrs and the dessert my wife ordered came with an extra congratulatory message. I highly recommend the Stonehouse Restaurant and the San Ysidro Ranch. *****3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible MealAn incredible meal to celebrate our 1yr anniversary. The staff, setting, and food were incredible and I would highly recommend this restaurant.2/25/2013 12:00:00 AM