I heard about this place from a friend. I live about 75 miles away, so I had to stop next time I was in the area. You won't see this place from the highway. No signage until after you turn off the 154. Follow a narrow 2 lane road and you'll find this rustic destination. Reservations are required for dinner at this time. I didn't know this when I arrived. The host estimated a 10-15 min wait. It ended up being closer to 2 min. The food was amazing. We ordered the tri-tip and the BBQ ribs. Both were amazing. The ribs were the most tender I've ever had. The garlic mashed potatoes were perfect. Definitely worth the trip.

Just off the main highway is the coolest little bar and restaurant. It was once a stagecoach stop on the old road that was literally passed over by the Highway. Make a small detour on the old road that actually takes you under the new road and you will be delighted by this little secret gem. Good food, nice staff and often live music can be enjoyed.

Great spot to make a special trip for. Recommend reservations in advance. And definitely get the try tip 🤤🤤. I got mine without bun (my intention was to finish all of the meat - which I did!).

Finally made it to CST after moving to Santa Barbara a few months ago. The location is an historic landmark, which is worth 5 stars alone. The food and drinks did not disappoint. Tri Tip and various sauces were excellent. Perfect place to bring visitors. Good stop along the way to Solvang as well. Primarily street parking - FYI.

3.5 stars for the food 5 stars for the staff and atmosphere. Ordered the tri-tip and buffalo burger. Both came with 1 side, we ordered the onion rings and the black bean game chili.(extra $3) The buffalo burger was good, pretty standard with lettuce and choice of cheese and so was the black bean game chili. The Tri-tip sandwich, I really wanted to like it, but it was tough to chew. It does come with the sauces which helped. Tried to order the hot cider but it was sold out. Overall, I would come back just for a drink and enjoy the atmosphere. Staff and live music really made it a wonderful little spot on the weekends.

The barbecue at this place is overhyped, and those who enjoy it probably haven't had better. If you've had barbecue from places like Texas, this doesn't come close. However, the fries and chili were very good. If you're going there for the barbecue, which I think that most people probably are, lower your expectations, it's not bad, but it's not great either. Oh I was also really excited for the onion rings, but they were too greasy. I don’t live too far but if you’re in LA thinking about making the trip out there I wouldn’t bother.

Tucked up in the mountains about 1 mile off of Highway 154 and about 20 minutes out of Santa Barbara sits Cold Spring Tavern. It’s an old stagecoach stop that’s been serving food and beverages since 1865. Our meal was a huge salad and tri-tip sandwiches, and it was delicious and filling. You can have a drink in the bar if you choose or eat out on the outdoor picnic tables. We were served by Grant, whose quick wit and attentive service added to a wonderful meal.

You have 2 options.. one is to take the sit down full service restaurant or buy a tri tip sandwich on the side and try to find a place to sit. The full service area takes much of the space to sit and enjoy the scenery and ambiance. That's not appreciated, in my opinion.

This place is located in the mountains about 20 minutes north of Santa Barbara - it's amazing. First off the location is beautiful - after all the rain we had the mountains were green and the stream next to the restaurant was flowing. The bar & restaurant are both separate & very rustic - it's charming there's a lot of history behind it. Food portions were generous & the drinks were great. Love the friendly staff & tri tip sandwiches!

Great place with historic value. Get the tri-tip sandwich and for your side order the wild game chile (a small upcharge). Slows down after 1:30 PM but even at prime time the wait isn't long. The inside dining rooms are very interesting if you aren't a Covid worrier.

We took a day trip from Los Angeles. This place was not too busy by noon on a Saturday. Everyone was super friendly! We felt very comfortable there. But the food was just OK. I got the ribs-they were a little dry. The onion rings were chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Husband got the tri tip sandwich... It was smokey but with an overwhelming flavor of garlic. Great place to get a drink and hang out for a bit. Not much to do or see on the grounds which is a scosh dissapointing, considering how far it is from civilization.

One of the best tri-tip sandwiches. Friendly staff, not dog friendly, but if you happen to have a four-legged friend with you, you can always order to go. We parked in the shade just outside of the road and had a picnic with the pooch.

Loved the whole atmosphere of this place. They had live music, good food and drinks. Tons of street parking. Tri tip sandwich was excellent. Service was great, couldnt ask for anything more. Price was also decent and not overly priced. Will come back in the future.

Stopped in for some lunch from a suggestion from my Dad who frequented this joint 50-60 years ago. Was a really good burger! Cool place.

What a pleasant surprise. Definitely recommend this cozy place in the mountain - both food and service were above my expectations. Loved their onion rings, tri tips, and scallops. Need to make a reservation for dinner via phone call. Will visit again.

Amazing historic watering hole with delicious food to boot. Onion rings were excellent. LifePro Tip: add meat to the grilled cheese. Live folk music, very fun atmosphere and wonderful staff.

Awesome place. Great service and delicious food. Gotta try the Frenchtri and the Wild Game Black Bean.

This is definitely a spot that is off the main path but fun to go with a small group. We finally stopped by to try it and hit it at the right time. We did not have to wait long, but making a reservation would have been nice to ensure a better seat. TBH the food was just okay. We tried the salmon salad and a bison burger with the highly recommended onion rings. It was okay. Kind of reminded me of of higher rated diner. I would go with the tri-tip if I were to go back. I am glad that we tried it, but with so many other options in Santa Barbara it may be hard to get back

This is a great stop if you’re in the Santa Barbara area. The place was pretty packed around lunchtime and the musicians were starting to set up too, but we were just passing by and didn’t have time to linger around. However, we did drop some cash on souvenirs and enjoyed the scenery and learned about the history and how Wells Fargo is connected to this place. It seems like the parking situation is very limited and the space available is reserved for bikers only, but one can park alongside the curving road on either direction and take a short or long walk (depending how busy it is) back to the Tavern. There’s a stream/spring there so this place it shady and cool since it’s tucked into the mountain side.

We had the tri tip sandwiches and they were so good! What a delicious lunch, with great horseradish and BBQ sauce. The onion rings were fantastic as well!

Cool rustic/historic place up un the mountains above Santa Barbara. The spare ribs were great, but I found the wild game chili to be on the watery side and stingy on the meat. Onion rings are fantastic.

Great rustic architecture and atmosphere. Came for lunch and the food was really good. Definitely worth ordering a few things off the menu. Service wasn’t the best.

Fun adventure. Cool historic sights. Tasty food. Great drinks. But get there early cuz it gets busy. If you plan on eating at the restuarant, reservations are highly recommended.