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Every year, the City of Pismo Beach plans an annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival in October by the Pismo Beach Pier.

It's a weekend celebration with a clam tasting competition, free kid's zone and activities for the kids (image of sea creatures present for the kids to touch is below), beer garden and a lot of delicious food for sale. To top it off, they have different bands playing throughout the festival for the weekend.

Thus far, there has never been an entry fee to enter the festival as the City of Pismo Beach takes pride in planning this for the city. It attracts a lot of locals around the San Luis Obispo County and visitors from beyond the county as well. It's located in the Pismo Beach Promenade by the famous Pismo Beach Pier and the parking lot right by the pier gets closed off to allow room for pedestrians to walk to the event freely and safely.

The kids really enjoyed the 7 different bounce houses that were there when we went today for the Pismo Beach Clam Festival.

I'm not sure if they always have this many bounce houses every year for this festival but I counted this time. My kids were so happy and tried to bounced in as many bounce houses as they could. There was one particular bounce house that always had a line so they only bounced in 6 of the 7 bounce houses there. This is free for the kids to enjoy during the Clam Festival. Parents just had to sign their kids up for it with a wristband at the table at the Pismo Beach Clam Festival.

The kids also got to touch several sea creatures at tables near the playground at the Pismo Beach Clam Festival. They were really curious about them and the personnel at the tables were very patient and kind with teaching my kids about every sea creature there. The kids really enjoy sitting at the craft table at the kids' area as well. Besides providing a booklet to color and learn more about the taking better care of the ocean, they also go to create crafts and spin a spinning wheel to win a prize.

If you're not from the area, coming here to hang out at the Clam Festival is worth it because it's close to all of the action and right at the Pismo Beach Pier.
  
From the Pismo Beach Clam Festival, you can easily walk to the Pismo Beach Pier to take in the beautiful panoramic view of the ocean. See this video reel of me walking on the Pismo Beach Pier on a beautiful clear day on Instagram.

Suggested Things To Do While In Pismo Beach

• Walk to Old West Cinnamon Rolls

  There is a cinnamon roll place in Pismo Beach named Old West Cinnamon Rolls where you can get their famously large and rectangular cinnamons rolls. It's only a block away from the Pismo Beach Clam Festival.
  
  I seriously think one cinnamon roll is enough for 2 people to share from here. I've gotten their standard cinnamon roll and one with candied pecans on the top. They have several options to pick from. Address of Old West Cinnamon Rolls: 861 Dolliver St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

• Visit a High End Restaurant in Pismo Beach for a Romantic Night

  We have dined at a handful of restaurants in Pismo Beach that really impressed us. Read about our Pismo Beach date night outing and where we went.

Address to the Pismo Beach Promenade (where the Pismo Beach Clam Festival is usually held): 100 Pomeroy Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

See a list of upcoming free things to do in Pismo Beach and throughout San Luis Obispo County.

Short Video Clips of Pismo Beach

I walk on the sand at Pismo Beach quite often as exercise and to relieve stress. See my Video Shorts of Pismo Beach. Press any play button below.

You can also view my instagram @sanluisobispomom to see more recent pictures and videos of Pismo Beach and other places in San Luis Obispo County.

I'm a local in San Luis Obispo County and this is a list of my top favorite 10 wine tasting rooms that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County (SLO) County, including Edna Valley and Paso Robles. The order and list may change as I continue to explore more wineries. So far, I've explored over 50 tasting rooms in San Luis Obispo County.

1. Clos Selene

   

   Clos Selene is way up here at number 1 for me because of the smoothness and taste of their wine and immaculate estate! Tastings are private and by reservations only. They are unique because they focus on French wines, has a romantic story and high class service. Upon seating, we were served warm French bread that was freshly baked. We had made a 10AM reservation and it was nippy in the morning of mid-September so they offered us blankets to stay warm until the sun came out. Service is excellent and unique and we loved that our designated host was from France. We were luckily seated in the gray couches on the far right side from the host stand and loved our closer view of the vineyards. You can read a full review of my Clos Selene visit on this dedicated blog post.
   
   The winemaker's home is actually on the property and located right next door to the tasting room. Here's a my short video of my visit at Clos Selene below. It was very romantic.
   
   Clos Selene Address: 2040 Niderer Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

2. DAOU Family Estates (Vineyards)

   

   With the estate located in Paso Robles, DAOU wines is renowned to wine connoisseurs from all over. DAOU Family Estates sits on top of a mountain with spacious views of the vineyards. They have the most beautiful view among my entire list here! We came right when they opened so it was a chilly fall morning. They offered us blankets and we gladly used them. The estate is so beautiful and I love that they encouraged us to walk around to check out the views and take some pictures. 
   
   DAOU's tasting room also offers a food menu that pairs well with their current list of flights. We chose the scallops and did not regret it. My husband and I shared it and our attendant gave us an extra pour of a particular wine that paired well with our food since I had forgotten and drank my pour before the food arrived. That was very nice of our attendant and I felt it was high class service. See more pictures and a full review of of my visit at DAOU Family Estates on this blog entry. DAOU Family Estates Address: 2777 Hidden Mountain Rd., Paso Robles, CA 93446

3. Epoch Estate Wines

   Epoch Estate Wines' tasting room is kind of out in the boonies in Templeton, California (close to Paso Robles) of San Luis Obispo County but their red wines are top notch! I was blown away by their wine quality and taste. The architecture of the tasting room is something out of a modern magazine. It had a high ceiling and the service was very professional and polished. We made a reservation online before we came there and it was a pleasant experience from beginning to end. We were so impressed with their wines and service that we became wine club members that very day. Our attendant was a super fan of their wines before he started working there and that is saying a lot. Here's a video clip from our visit while we were tasting indoors in their tasting room
   Link of Video of Epoch Estate Wine Tasting Experience
   Epoch Estate Wines Address: 7505 York Mountain Rd, Templeton, CA 93465

4. Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery

   

   Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery is one of the first tasting rooms that we visited in Paso Robles. The place feels so luxurious and open in the tasting room. There is also patio seating as well in their courtyard space. We've visited their bistro for lunch a few times and although the menu is small, the food was always amazing. Not all wineries offer lunch menu options so it was a very wonderful thing for us that they do as we live 45 minutes away in the south side of San Luis Obispo County and more likely than not, be ready to eat after the wait time to order and for the food to arrive. It is highly recommended to make a reservation to enjoy lunch at the bistro. Throughout the past few years, their kitchen and bistro were close intermittently so double check before you make lunch plans here. They also have a very nice attached amphitheater that many famous bands have performed! We were wine club members before the pandemic and had taken advantage of this and were able to to arrive an hour earlier than the other concert-goers as a perk for being a wine club member. This made it less stressful to get there and we were still able to enjoy their wines earlier on. Read more details and see more pictures about my visits at Vina Robles on this blog post. Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery Address: 3700 Mill Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

5. Tooth & Nail Wine Company

   

   Tooth & Nail Wine Company in Paso Robles is a castle! The place is beautiful. It is the only winery in Paso Robles that is a castle. It also has a moat that you'll pass by as you head towards the entrance. If you have a wheelchair or stroller, you can enter on the left side of the building instead because the center entrance does not have a ramp. While we were there, only adults could sit in their pretty tasting area inside. Patrons with pets or children could only sit in the patio area in the front. They have a food menu that is available every day so you can enjoy a meal while having a tasting here. They host large special events throughout the year here, which makes them stand out from many wineries in the area. See all of the pictures that I took of Tooth & Nail Wine Company's castle winery. Tooth and Nail Winery Address: 3090 Anderson Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

6. Tolosa Winery

   

   Tolosa Winery is the very first winery that we visited in San Luis Obispo County because of the high reviews. We were wowed by it from the very beginning and we like to take our visitors here to wine taste as we know they'll be impressed from the drive through their gate, all the way through the wine tasting experience. We really enjoy the ambiance, excellent guest services and views of the vineyards here at Tolosa. They have an indoor tasting room and a nice large outdoor patio area. If you're a wine club member, you have the option to taste in their member-dedicated lounge that is open only on the weekends. Tolosa is open every day except for 2 main holidays. Read more details and see pictures about my multiple visits here at Tolosa Winery on this blog post. Tolosa Winery Address: 4910 Edna Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (Edna Valley)

7. Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar

   

   Immediately as we arrived at the host/hostess stand, I was taken back by how big the staff was while we were there! There were many employees buzzing around and setting up, preparing for opening. We had arrived early before they opened for the day. It was fun to see and it got me excited! When it was opening time, we walked up to the stand and were greeted with a welcoming glass of wine. We had made reservations online so they already knew where they were going to seat us. It was in the patio area, with a private look of the vineyards surrounded by bushes to separate us from the next group. That was very nice! It's romantic and made it a more intimate experience for us as a couple. We were celebrating a belated Valentine's Day celebration. As we continued to go down the tasting list, I was very impressed with all of their wines! The taste, quality and selection really made them stand out compared to all the 50+ wine tasting rooms we've explored thus far in San Luis Obispo County. We were so impressed with the ambiance and wine, we joined as wine club members that day. We also saw a woodpecker while we were sitting down, enjoying view. See my instagram reel to see the woodpecker and the view of my seat at Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar in Paso Robles. Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar Address: 1585 Live Oak Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

8. Sextant Winery in Edna Valley

   

   There are two Sextant Winery tasting rooms in San Luis Obispo County. The one that we've frequented was the Sextant Winery in Edna Valley. The other location is located in Paso Robles. They also have a partner winery at the tasting room called Paris Valley Road Estate Winery that serves their wine, which you can read about on #10 below. We particularly liked this Sextant Winery tasting room in Edna Valley because they also have a gourmet deli that is open every day for lunch. There is no other winery that has a regular food menu like this in all of Edna Valley, at least not yet. They are the only one. Not only that, they have a rustic theme and decor to represent Old Edna. It's a nice local spot and visitor's spot as well. We always enjoy having a tasting with a salad or sandwich there. There are only a couple of indoor seating tables but there are several options for outdoor seating. They sell seasonal goods and gifts inside that I find very tasteful! See my video below from our lunch date at Sextant in Edna Valley in February when they had their Valentine's gifts out on display.
   Sextant Winery Edna Valley Address: 1653 Maxwellton St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

9. Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards

   
   

   Located near Avila Beach, Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards is an isolated vineyard with peacocks! You can see many of these beautiful peacocks roaming around as you're just sitting around, wine tasting there. They make a unique crow that's quite loud and entertaining. Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards also grows apples so you can see all of the apple trees around there as well. All of the seating is outside with many patio seating and umbrellas to pick from. Therefore, watch for the weather before coming here so that you may enjoy the outdoor tasting experience here. In the past, we have brought a picnic with us while doing wine tastings there with friends and there was no minimum bottle purchase requirement. Just make sure to clean after yourselves when you're done. The peacocks really made wine tasting here extra special. Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards Address: 1947 See Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

10. Paris Valley Road Estate Winery

    

    Located in Paso Robles, Paris Valley Road Estate Winery is romantic and reminds me of a new mansion! Their tasting room inside has a modern and a very new luxurious design. They have a paved parking lot and two large buildings that you can see right off the CA-46. There is a lot of indoor space and outdoor space. They partner up with Sextant and since we're Sextant wine club members, we were able to taste here at Paris Valley Road Estate Winery for free. It's a great perk as not very many wine clubs have multiple affiliations like this and we were happy to take advantage of it. All of their wines were really wonderful and if we weren't so stocked from our wine club commitments, we would have bought a bottle during our first tasting there. There is definitely a very fairytale vibe here. Paris Valley Road Estate Winery Address: 5625 East Highway 46, Paso Robles, CA 93446

11. Eberle Winery (not top 10, but do close)

    

    Eberle Winery definitely is unique from a long list of wineries in Paso Robles because they have an underground cave and offers cave tours everyday to visitors! They are very pet-friendly and I've seen many pets accompany their owners here on the deck. There is a beautiful view on the deck with chairs that you can sit on while you enjoy your tasting. There is a lot of room to roam around too. On a very busy day, parking can get really difficult! Their cave tours are definitely worth coming for and they also offer veteran discounts year-round on bottle purchases! You can reserve a nice spot or area in the cave for a special occasion. Eberle Winery Address: 3810 CA-46, Paso Robles, CA 93446

12. Edna Valley Winery (not top 10, but so close)

    

    Edna Valley Winery located in Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo has one of the best views of the vineyards and valley! There's a nice green outdoor area for you to enjoy your wine tastings. However, if we wanted to sit and taste indoors in their tasting room, they said we had to be a wine club member (I've been told by a friend that they have since changed this in 2024, but please double check). You're welcome to stand and wine taste inside or bring it outside and sit. While tasting here, standing up next to my spouse, I couldn't help but think that Tolosa (another winery in Edna Valley that I ranked as #1 at the top) does this so much better as far as offering comfortable service. To compare, Tolosa Winery had a dedicated standing tasting room that's inside and then a large outdoor patio space for both members and non-members to sit and enjoy their wine with attentive service. There was no perplexing confusion. Again, Tolosa Winery got this right when handling non-members and their Tolosa wines just taste better in my opinion. Edna Valley Winery views are so incredible that I have to put them up here, even though they are not my top 10! On a nice clear day, when outdoor wine tasting makes sense, Edna Valley Winery is really a great choice to hang out outside. Edna Valley Winery Address: 2585 Biddle Ranch Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

13. JUSTIN Downtown Tasting Room (not top 10, but so close!)

    

    I really didn't want to include JUSTIN among my top 10 list here because of their sexual harassment allegations but a couple of their wines are famous and award-winning and I like their wines. This Downtown tasting room is also very posh and beautiful. I feel like it is definitely made for Hollywood stars who are trying to get away from Los Angeles and escape to the slower pace of the wine country of Paso Robles and SLO County; and impressionable dates or parties. This tasting room is also centrally located in Downtown Paso Robles and within walking distance to many wonderful restaurants and other wine tasting rooms. If it doesn't bother you that they've been reported of many management's sexual harassments towards their employees and you have always wanted to visit this award winning place, then be assured that their wines are as great as their wine-making reputation. JUSTIN Downtown Tasting Room Address: 811 12th St., Paso Robles, CA 93445

14. Bianchi Winery & Tasting Room (not top 10, but so close!)

    

    As you step outside to Bianchi's patio, the large koi fish pond here will take your breath away. It is beautiful and memorable. It sets them apart from the hundreds of wineries in Paso Robles and the views of the vineyards are romantic and perfect for impressing a special someone. It has the most perfect backdrop for parties as well. It was the ambiance more than anything that inclined me to include this on my top 10 list. Many tourists come here to enjoy their wine tasting adventure. If I were a tourist and could only visit a limited amount of wineries, this would be one to consider but it definitely does not rank higher than the ones on top for me. It would be a nice and intimate place for a rehearsal dinner or wedding. Bianchi Winery & Tasting Room Address: 3380 Branch Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Background on Our Wine Tasting Experiences

After moving to San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, my husband and I started learning more about wine tasting as our county has many wineries and tasting rooms that are renowned for the Central Coast. As we were exploring (and still are) our area, wine tasting is usually one of the top suggested things to do in printed travel guides and websites about SLO for the 21 year old and older visitors because there hundreds of different wineries throughout San Luis Obispo County! I wanted to personally experience some of the best wine tasting rooms first hand.

At first, we tried the most popular one in Edna Valley named Tolosa Winery and then started going to a few tasting rooms in Paso Robles (northern part of SLO County) like Justin's Tasting Room. We've discovered that trying to catch the distinct tastes and notes of each different wine was really fun so we joined a couple of tasting rooms and continued to go adventuring and discovering tasting rooms at other wineries in our leisure time.

Even after living in SLO County for over 5 years, we've only been able to hit just over 50 different wineries/tasting rooms. You can find over 300 wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms in just Paso Robles area and 2 dozen tasting rooms in the Edna Valley region (San Luis Obispo City proper). For us to even tackle a hundred would probably take us a decade as a local, at our pace. 

I've also written dedicated blog posts on certain wineries. You can read them here under the Wineries category.

Reading Suggestions

• Read about other wineries that I've visited in Edna Valley and Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County.


• See my top 10 favorite local wineries in Edna Valley and Paso Robles, as a local.


• See this IG reel of different wine tasting rooms that I've personally visited.

We get visitors coming to visit us at least once a year and we'd take them wine tasting in our county and if there is a bottle that we all really like, we'd buy one to save for later at the house. It's really elevated our home parties, especially if we've all visited that very winery together. I've gotten really good at opening a bottle of wine with a regular wine cork opener but if you feel like being fancy, you can check out some wine cork bottle openers that doesn't require pulling strength.

Last month, we dined at SeaVenture Restaurant inside of SeaVenture Beach Hotel in Pismo Beach for a nice dinner with the view of the ocean. This property is oceanfront and is one of the oldest resorts in the area. It's a popular choice to stay for tourists and also a great place to dine for locals.

To get to SeaVenture Restaurant, you'd have to enter the lobby on the ground floor of the teal-roofed hotel to find the elevator or stairs up to the top floor, the third floor. We took the elevator and you can see a clear glass of the ocean as you're going up. As you step out of the elevator and onto the third floor, you'll see the restaurant sign right ahead and the aquarium to the left; once you're a foot inside of the restaurant.

The aquarium was a great mood setter and it doesn't take you long to see the panoramic ocean view! This property is definitely located at a prime location. We didn't have a reservation but we were able to get seated right away around 5:30PM. The place was very busy! It's quite a large restaurant with patrons in the patio and inside the restaurant. You can tell there were regulars who would come here often. I loved the vibe. People were happy all around, staff and guests!

The hostess sat us down in an indoor seat by the sliding doors so we could still see the panoramic view. We didn't make reservations, as mentioned earlier, so we were very happy with this table. The server was efficient and knowledgeable. I looked at the cocktail menu and ordered the Upside Down Pineapple Cocktail.

It was sweet, refreshing and mean. I enjoyed it. For my entree, I ordered The Sea Venture. If a dish is named after the resort, you bet I'm going to try it. It's a seafood dish over a bed of seasoned rice. The seafood was fresh and the food was piping hot.

See Video Link of My Visit at SeaVenture Restaurant And What I Ate There.

The next time we come back, we'll plan to make a reservation online and request to sit in the patio if the weather is nice. If you go on their website, you can reserve a table ahead of time for the restaurant.

Address of SeaVenture Beach Hotel & Restaurant: 100 Ocean View Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

After we had dinner, we walk around a few blocks in Pismo Beach and caught a glimpse of the iconic Pismo sign on the roof.

Suggested PB Activity:
Pismo Beach is famous for a few of their pretty neon lights at night. See my Instagram video reel of my walk on the Pismo Beach Pier with a glimpse of the larger than life Pismo Beach sign on the Promenade.

See Pictures of Other Restaurants That I've Visited in Pismo Beach:

• Oyster Loft
• The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier
• MilkT Society Boba Shop
• Ventana Grill

I had a very memorable date night with my husband earlier this month in Pismo Beach. We went to three different places on Price St, which is 2 blocks parallel from the Pismo Beach Pier. [ If you're looking for a date night suggestion for Downtown San Luis Obispo, read about our Date Night in Downtown SLO. ] 

First Date Stop in Pismo Beach: Tastes of the Valleys Review

There is a quaint wine bar in Pismo Beach on Price St. named Tastes of the Valleys. It stays open until 7PM on Saturdays so we decided to visit this place first around 5:30PM. They offer tastings every day and my husband had tried to get a reservation ahead of time but they don't take reservations and you just walk-in only. When we got there, there was only one other party that was doing a tasting. We sat at the bar and looked at the walls and interesting signs about wines and winemaking and felt right at home. It's a very casual tasting room and I felt comfortable right away. Lined up at the bar are bottles of what the tastings were included for that night. It was about a handful of tastings from different wineries for $20. There was only one staff member there and she was very knowledgeable and we watched her walk back and forth to serve us and the other party. She was a rockstar. We didn't want to buy any of the bottles and just came in for the tasting so we left after our tastings and walked across the street to check out Sans Liege Wines on a whim. Tastes of the Valleys address: 911 Price St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Update on Tastes of the Valleys: On a more recent visit at Tastes of the Valleys, there were two staff members there which was rare. It was quite busy so it was definitely helpful to have more than one employee there. However, there was also a non-staff lady sitting at the bar, who was not drinking any wine and was very talkative so if you're looking to have an intimate or quieter conversation with your lover there, you might not be able to, depending on who is also there at the tasting room. My impression is she is there quite often as the DD.

Second Stop: Sans Liege Wines Review

Sans Liege Wines is the only winery-owned tasting room in Pismo Beach. It was just down the street from La Bodega Tapas, where we were planning on having dinner so it was so convenient that we decided to stop in around 6PM and shared one tasting. Sans Liege is a small tasting room with a sleek and posh design. The outdoor entrance is painted in black and the inside has a large bar with seats along the window and the a larger seating area in the back. There is also a back patio. I thought to myself that this would be a great place to bring friends as it's just steps to many wonderful restaurants that Pismo Beach has to offer. On Saturdays, Sans Liege Wines Tasting Room here in Pismo Beach doesn't close until 8PM. See a list of wineries and tasting rooms that we've visited in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County. Sans Liege Wines address: 870 Price St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Last Stop: La Bodega Tapas Review (Now Closed!)

After sharing a tasting at Sans Liege Wines, we walked down the street to our final destination around 6:30PM for dinner: La Bodega Tapas. We had always driven by La Bodega Tapas but had never tried their food. It sounded fancy and expensive and it was! We shared an order of empanadas, paella and cioppino. They all tasted fantastic and we didn't have any room for dessert after our meal. I wish we did! I love the high ceilings of the place, the excellent service and the proximity to many cool places close to La Bodega Tapas. It was definitely a romantic date night and as we walked outside, it started to sprinkle. It rarely rains in Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo County so it was a nice refreshing close to our night. (2024 Update: La Bodega is closing their doors for good and their last day was October 25, 2024) La Bodega Tapas address: 790 Price St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

More About Pismo Beach:

The 3 places we've visited above during our date night are 2 blocks from the ocean and Pismo Beach Pier. If you'd like to see reviews of Pismo State Beach Restaurants that I've blogged about that are less than 2 blocks from the ocean, read reviews for the following places:

• Oyster Loft
• The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier
• SeaVenture Restaurant inside of SeaVenture Hotel
• MilkT Society Boba Shop
• Ventana Grill
• Pono Pacific Kitchen

I've taken many pictures of the beaches in San Luis Obispo County, including our famous Pismo Beach on my blog. Click here to see all of my pictures of the beaches here.

I've also posted my pictures and videos of the beaches of Pismo State Beach, which encompasses: Pismo Beach, Grover Beach and Oceano via instagram. See my instagram for pictures and videos of Pismo Beach.

Reading Suggestions:

Read about my movie date experience in downtown San Luis Obispo. 

Read about places that we went for our Date Night and Staycation in Downtown SLO.

See other restaurants that I highly recommend in Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo County by visiting the Restaurants Page of my blog.

Find places in San Luis Obispo County where you can drop off your kids for a fun Kids Night Out or Parents Night Out evening.

Suggested Free Thing To Do: Walk through the neon-lit St. Jude's Pedestrian Tunnel at night. See my IG Video reel of my walk though this tunnel in Pismo Beach

Featured Post: About 40 minutes south of Pismo Beach, is a Michelin starred restaurant in Los Alamos called Bell's. For a date night, my husband and I tried Bell's 5 course prix fixe dinner! It's expensive but it's definitely the place you take someone to celebrate something very special. The service was top notch and the food was farm-to-table and tremendously delicious. Read my blog post about my review of Bell's in Los Alamos (also on the Central Coast) or view the instagram reel of my Bell's date night experience.

We dined at Pono Pacific Kitchen in Grover Beach, California right at 4PM today to try out the new Hawaiian restaurant in the West End of Grover Beach named Pono Pacific Kitchen.

It's a higher end restaurant with a one-page food menu and excellent service. They currently only serve dinner and have no lunch time hours. They have a couple of kid's options off the menu, which I appreciate very much! 

At the center of the restaurant is a bar, fully stocked with an inviting vibe. The doors are all open in the front of the house to let the fresh air come in with a main entrance that you should enter through where you'll be greeted by a smiling hostess.

I ordered the Pan Seared Scallops while my husband ordered the Braised Short Rib as our entrees and shared the Blue Crab Cakes. While the Blue Crab Cakes only came with two, the entrees size were very nice! We left there full and happy.

See my instagram video reel of my first dining experience at Pono Pacific Kitchen.

I highly recommending going on their website and using Open Table to make reservations as there have been many times where I drove by and it looked busy! They are open in the evenings at 4PM for dinner. They change their closed days by season so check with their social media or website to find the latest changes on their operating hours.

Just for Happy Hour Experience

Pau Hana at Pono Pacific Kitchen

We came back to Pono Pacific Kitchen 9 months later for their Pau Hana (means 'happy hour') and sat at one of their high tops by the bar on the different side of the room as our first visit. Vibe is totally different and I totally dig it! Facing the door, I love seeing the hustle and bustle of the host stand and happy people coming in for some delicious food. We ordered food their Pau Hana menu that's available only from 4PM - 6PM. We shared 4 dishes: Shishito Peppers, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Spicy Tuna Nachos, Chargrilled Oysters. I ordered the Ruby Soho Saketini and it was so refreshing. The dishes were all great! I want to note that even though the chargrilled oysters are chargrilled to melt the cheese on top, the oysters are still raw at the bottom, which I'm totally okay with but wanted to mention it for those who can't eat raw seafood. See my pictures from my pau hana below.

Pono Pacific Kitchen Address: 228 W Grand Ave, Grover Beach, CA 93433

Other Suggested Hawaiian Restaurants:

• Tropical Hawaiian BBQ in Arroyo Grande (serves casual Hawaiian entrees like katsu chicken, loco loco, etc.)
• Shin's Poke in Pismo Beach (2 blocks from the ocean)
• Poke Morro in Arroyo Grande
• Red Dirt Coffee House in Arroyo Grande (coffee shop and have Hawaiian Plate Lunches)
• PCH Shave Ice & Boba in Pismo Beach (Hawaiian shave ice, boba and special desserts)

See other restaurants that I recommend in San Luis Obispo County.