Visit Cold Spring Tavern
Travel back 100 years in time and experience the real tavern!
Cold Spring Tavern is a former stagecoach stop dating back to 1886 that has been in the Ovington- Wilson family since 1941. It is located between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez in the beautiful mountains on the San Marcos Pass off Highway 154. Here you can appreciate the true history of the old stagecoach days. They serve traditional American fare made with fresh local ingredients accompanied by the famous home-baked molasses bread. The dinners feature game inspired entrees, steaks, and ribs and are enjoyed by the glimmer of gas lanterns. Weekends at the Cold Spring Tavern are special. It starts with entertainment in the Log Cabin Bar on Friday evenings. Come and enjoy the great music of local bands, food, drink, and fresh air. It is a weekly tradition for many!
Perfect For
Meal in the forest
Good food and chill vibes
Unusual date with live music
Eat BBQ and hangout
Unique dining experience
Tik Tok Videos
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♬ Plus Que Ma Prope Vie - Carter Burwell
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♬ Timelapse - Michael Logozar
Location
Our Stories
Yaroslav Pasichnychenko
Posted at Aug 16th 2022
Google Reviews
Joe StPierreJust 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.
Tanya ZhukGreat 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!).
Paty MaganaThis 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!
JackieI 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.
Nancy CheungWe 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.
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