The Ranch House

6 Reviews on “The Ranch House”

• Scels

  Last Time Here. Only 4 cars in parking lot should have been a clue! Had requested a table overlooking the herb garden when making the reservation, got seated where they wanted us NOT where we wanted (to make it easier for the servers). Place was less than a third full. New owners have ruined the friendly ambiance, turning the restaurant into less than it has always been: sold off the large and well-recognized wines, substituting a small collection of very expensive boutique wines; reduced the menus to 4 starters, only one was a salad, no soups, and only 4 entrees, 1 beef, 1 pork, 1 seafood, 1 vegan; don’t know if the bakery is in operation but they ran out of bread and had to send out for some sourdough; the kobe beef loin strip was actually ribeye and fully half was unedible fat and gristle, very unappetizing. Portions were small and expensive. Server had no idea how to serve or present wine, brought large red-wine goblets for the white wine we ordered, did not show the label, instead opened the room temperature chardonney (did put the bottle in a wine cooler), and poured. There were three of us, all ordered starters, 2 finally arrived, had to remind the server there was a third. The garden seemed to be over-grown and unkempt. This is probably the last time for us at the Ranch House, and we have been good customers for more than 20 years. It is a shame….

  September 16, 2014, 5:08 pm

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• Reem Yassin

  This is my very favorite restaurant. The atmosphere is wonderful, the staff is great, and the food is exceptional. They have a wonderful wine list. I definitely recommend this place, especially for a special, romantic date or family dinner or even just a little treat for yourself. Love.

  April 22, 2012, 7:00 am

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• WestsideFOTO

  Charming Setting, Good But Pricy Food. My mother, my sister, and I all enjoyed our dinner at the Ranch House in Ojai. We agreed the garden setting was almost magical and the food was generally well prepared and tasty, but a little overpriced for the small portions. The service was above average and our server was friendly and attentive.The primary draw of this restaurant is the lush garden setting. The garden is lighted at night and the dining veranda is heated and covered, so we were perfectly comfortable outside on a cool winter night. As a professional architectural photographer, I appreciated the mid-century modern style architecture of the main building (large glass walls and post & beam construction). I guessed the restaurant was a converted 1950’s house, but the sommelier (who has apparently worked there for 37 years) informed us that the place was built in the 50’s, but was never a house, always a restaurant. He also informed us that the kitchen is the 1953 original.We enjoyed most of our food, with one exception (the crab cakes). My sister and I split two entrees — the scallops and one of the steaks. Tasted great, but small portions. My mother had the chicken tortilla soup and a crab cake. She gave me her second crab cake and I have to say I was very disappointed with the preparation. There was very little crab to be found in the crab cake ($12.50 for two small cakes), which I’d estimate was 80% bread crumbs and almost no seasoning.I recommend Ranch House if you’re looking for a charming setting and generally good food, as long as you don’t have a big appetite and have a limited budget.

  March 31, 2012, 7:39 pm

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• Tabs Micktaggart

  Unreliable food. Uneven service. Very dusty walkways. Definitely wear old shoes.

  March 23, 2010, 7:59 am

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• JJG

  Best outdoor dining in Ojai. This place has the spirit of Krishnamurti, combined with the palate of the most demanding foodies. Beautiful, welcoming, delicious.

  January 7, 2010, 1:25 pm

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• Photo Cindy

  Lush garden setting and beautiful place to dine. Pricy, food very uneven, with service friendly but slow. Wine list good but expensive.

  August 22, 2009, 7:09 am

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