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Cowboy Bar & Grill
Categories: Restaurants Barbeque Restaurants American (Traditional) Barbeque, American (Traditional) [Edit]
6155 Hwy 9Felton, CA 95018
(831) 335-2330
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
House-Specialties include Prime Rib that is slow-roasted daily and accompanied with fresh horseradish sauce. Other dining room specialties include… read more »
58 reviews for Cowboy Bar & Grill
Review Highlights
"Try the yam cakes, their fish dinner, or whatever."
(in 9 reviews)
"The Nasty Ned is our absolute favorite."
(in 6 reviews)
"The pulled pork was awesome as was the cornbread, everyone..."
(in 12 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Chris O.
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very friendly service here, twas nice. The food was mostly pretty good too, kind of a semi gourmet cowboy type theme here. The also offer bison and elk burgers, I need to try the elk sometime as that sounds interesting.
Good beer selection and I think they had a full bar as well with interesting original cocktails.
I got the soup (vege chicken) with cornbread which was cheap and filling, yumm :) -
Review from Erutan R.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2011
I've only been here for lunch, but for $7 I had a really solid burger and a little potato soup. Service was friendly if a little slow, but I was the only one outside and it was a nice day so it didn't bother me at all.
So far it's the clear best lunch option in downtown. One of these days I'll get around to trying it for dinner/drinks. :) -
Review from Annie T.
Boulder Creek, CA
9/6/2011
I brought a party of six to Cowboy Diner for a relaxing lunch following a family memorial service. The waitress brought all meals but mine, didn't even notice I wasn't served, and didn't bother to apologize or rush my order. I waited well over 30 minutes and by then my party was done eating. She was *still* rude and barely mumbled an apology!! I had to ask for food to be packed "to go" -- awful service made it uncomfortable for our entire party who kept offering me parts of their meals.
AND ALL I ORDERED WAS A SANDWICH!! HOW HARD IS IT TO MAKE THAT ON TIME? -
Review from Emily S.
Felton, CA
1/21/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Service is friendly and we had a great waitress, who was the only one there besides the cook. We figured we would be in for a wait since the restaurant was about 1/2 full and she was not only the only waitress but the bartender too, but that was not the case. She was running her butt off and we got served quickly and even got drink refills before we ran out. We both got burgers, which were good, I was surprised that they were a little small as everything else on the menu is huge, but for $7 it's a great deal. I will probably go back and try something for dinner, but the food was good, and the service was excellent.
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Review from Kira S.
Manteca, CA
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
My husband had a burger. He said he has had better. I had the one chicken thing on the menu. It would have been really good, but the jalapeno glaze was ridiculously sweet and it ruined my sandwich. Halfway through I told the waitress about it and she said quite a few people had said the same thing. Well why not tell me that when I ordered it, or better yet change it so people actually like the food. She never offered to have it remade or to make me something else. Poor customer service. Also, the margarita was strange tasting, unlike anything I have ever had. It was weird. He did enjoy the $2 beer on special, which he found for himself, \ the waitress never told him about.
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Review from Susan D.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/10/2012
I love the Cowboy! One of the few places where you can sit outside with your dog and enjoy good food. Sometimes I want a salad, sometimes a hearty steak sandwich, sometimes just a martini or two! The staff is easy and unpretentious. Its a family biz and I always feel at home there.
Oh....and the soups are excellent! -
Review from Qua C.
Brookdale, CA
12/16/2011
By far my favorite place to eat. The best cooks around and wonderful waitresses. The Yam Cakes are AMAZING. I highly recommend them. I've been going here for 13 years or so. It's a family favorite. Best burger in the world, the Range Rover. Eat it. Seriously.... cooked to perfection. I love the Cowboy! Everything is made so delicious. People with bad reviews are either confused or maybe had one bad time and judged it based on that, which I believe is unfair. Every great place has a bad night every once in a while. Maybe if a waitress was "rude" to you, you were probably being awful or rude to them. Otherwise they are lovely there. They always have been.
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Review from Cris C.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/31/2011
UNWELCOMED SERVICE DOGS
I went in there last week to go get dinner. I have a service dog for my needs so i must take her ervywhere i go. So i Walked into the restaurant and showed them my service dogs card they sat me down and the whole time i was waiting the cook was making very rude and mean comments about her and calling her names and making very rude comments about my service dog. i was only two tables away from where they cooked the food. Its hard enough having to tell people i have a service dog to help me for my safety and then have to listen people at a place im just trying to pay to get some food just say mean things. That was definatly the LAST time i wll ever be in there -
Review from Fer R.
Oakley, CA
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Longboard lager& a Broken fence sandwich =yum!!
So, thats what I had with the coleslaw on the side. The slaw was nasty in my opinion, waaaay too much pepper. And who even puts pepper in their coleslaw anyway?! I sure don't. So thats why I gave 3 stars.The $9. sandwich was great, its kinda like a philly steak, sandwich juicy and plenty of shaved steak and white american cheese. The bun was soft and fresh.
My hubby had the $10. El Hombre (1/2 lb flame-broiled beef burger) with fries and a Sierra Nevada( I believe) to wash it down. He enjoyed the meal and said there was nothing wrong to note.
The service was fantastic and it definitely felt like I shoulda had some "shit kickers" on, y'all feel me on that?! LOL Cowboy kinda world.
Place had worn stool chairs that gave it the homey feel and lil bit of dust here and there.
The prices were a lil bit too expensive for this type of food in my opinion.
This place was recommended to us from our zip line tour guide at the Redwood Canopy Tours at Mount Herman, so we thought we'd go there for some grub before heading back to sit on HWY 17. Glad we did :)Listed in: Burger Joints
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Review from Elaine A.
Brookdale, CA
10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place and always forget about it. The food is always great, with large portions enough for 2 people. The Nasty Ned is one of my favorites and the Yam cakes- YUMMMMM. We went for dinner and now my boyfriend is hooked. I usually go for lunch which is slower time. Service was good and quick. OMG- the corn bread- get a side order!! :) they have a full bar too with tvs to watch games that are on.
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Review from Noelle M.
Manteca, CA
4/24/2011
Found this place a few years ago. Loved the cute "covered wagon" bar, and the plastic "cowhide" table cloths and the cowboy decor. It was love at 1st sight and 1st bite.
When i finished at UCSC I had my graduation dinner here which was excellent. And my fiance and I love this place so much we are having our wedding reception dinner here!
The Nasty Ned is our absolute favorite. It's BBQ pulled pork on top of a slab of cornbread drizzled with a sweet jalapeno sauce. It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. We try to go here whenever we get the chance, which isn't often enough. -
Review from Tanja F.
San Jose, CA
3/4/2011
If you are in Felton, this is a definitely a dining destination worth seeking. The food was outrageous. My husband said that was the best steak that he'd ever had. He had the Ka Bluey (a beef filet with Gorgonzola). I snuck a bite and it was really good. What was impressive is that even the veggies were high quality and flavorful too. A lot places like to neglect the veggies, but they don't do that here. I had the Big Bleu salad and big it was! Huge! Again, the veggies were nice and fresh.
We gave into temptation and ordered dessert. We were really looking forward to the cherry pie that they had on special tonight. The table next to us got the last piece so we went with a slice of the hot apple pie. It tasted homemade and was wonderful. It really reminded me of my childhood when you could get some super awesome pie just about anywhere. I'm glad to see that pie is making a come back.
I'm not sure if we followed proper etiquette or not. When we first came in, it was super busy and people just scrambled for tables. However, like any game of musical chairs, eventually people are going to want to sit down and there are going to be more people than chairs. Since there wasn't a formal hostess, we just stood around until we found a server and asked to put our name on a list. I'm not sure if that is usual for this place or what you should do. There wasn't a formal waiting area for nights like tonight, so that was a little awkward.
The restaurant itself was pretty casual inside and the noise level was on the louder side. The servers were very casual, peppy and on the go (running all over the place) but attentive. They have a good selection of beverages. I didn't look at a list or anything but I noticed some advertisements on our table for some obscure but cool microbrews that they had on tap. Impressive, especially for a small town like Felton!
Oh, gee, darn! I forgot to take pictures. Honey, I guess that just means we'll have to go back. -
Review from Sharon M.
Brentwood, CA
9/8/2011
Started with the Yam Cakes.... YUMMM!!!
Hubby had the pulled pork and I had the Burger. Both very tasty!
It wasn't busy and service was good. Glad we stopped in for lunch!! -
Review from ruby v.
Athens, GA
3/24/2011
I second the review mentioning them using wayyyyy too much pepper. I love pepper, and have committed the same pepper-related crimes, so I understand how it can get away from you.
Then you gotta check yoself before you wreck yoself. I couldn't even taste the potato in the mashed potatoes or the carrots and zucchini in the mixed veggies.
Service was fine, better than many reviews have indicated.
Food prices were decent and bar prices were really cheap. Bonus for being able to take advantage of happy hour prices in regular restaurant section - most places limit you to the bar section.
Pulled pork was AWESOME! Horseradish slaw was delicious and very different, almost smoky. I went for the Nasty Ned - pulled pork on their sweet, impressive cornbread, with a jalapeno glaze. I'll never get a pulled pork sandy on regular bread again. And of course I dumped my slaw all over the pork! -
Review from Henry B.
Felton, CA
3/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Excellent Food!!!
Fantastic service!!! -
Review from Grace T.
5/31/2011 3 photos
pros:
1. YAM CAKES
2. dogs are allowed on the patio
3. decent burgers and sandwiches
cons:
1. slow(er) service
2. arnold palmers were fizzy
but seriuosly, the yam cakes...they were amazing...get them, get them, get them...
an excellet post hike at the henry cowell state park place for sure... -
Review from David A.
San Bruno, CA
8/8/2011
Was staying at Big Basin State park and looking for a family place to have lunch. The place is small and felt like home cooking price was perfect! The food was phenomenal! The service we got was top notch! I love the cowboy theme and the toys (cowboys and Indians) toys they have for the little buckaroos. We had the chicken sandwich with the sweet jalapeno sauce. WOW! The big burger with the pineapple and the teriyaki sauce. kids had there quesadilla with fries. over all nothing les than perfect!
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Review from Fresh E.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
10/2/2010
Outlaw the menu!!! There's way too many fun choices. And yes, some healthy choices too. :?)
Friendly service. Great food. Nice patrons as well.
Family and bar friendly on late Sunday afternoons.
This was our first and won't be out last time. -
Review from John E.
6/28/2010
The thing I like best about Cowboy Diner is the informal, outdoor dining. I sometimes show up in my shorts, flip flops, and tank top, grab a table and my book and eat while I'm reading and getting some sun. It's a great place to enjoy drinking a cold beer on a really hot day.
As for the food, I've tried almost everything and everything is good or better. It's not gourmet but it's super tasty, especially the "to die for corn bread". I usually go for the salads but the tilapia sandwich is good, as are the ribs. The salads are very large and I often take a bit to go. They have good burgers too, including Buffalo.
Oh and they have a full bar. I'm not sure if they have air conditioning so be wary if you can't stand the heat.Listed in: Best Santa Cruz Area Lunch…
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Review from Barbara G.
Valley Springs, CA
7/3/2011
What can I say about the Cowboy Bar & Grill? It was awesome. I called Jim on Friday and told him our car club was coming for lunch the next day and he asked how many I told him 24, he barely flinched at that, we talked for a few about times and menus. Lunch was absolutely awesome as was the wait staff. They had our table ready when we arrived, got our beverage order quickly, and had our orders out quickly, they even let us have separate check. This was a great find in Felton. Thanks to Jim and his staff for a great lunch. P.S. The pulled pork was awesome as was the cornbread, everyone loved their meals.
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Review from Norbert T.
Felton, CA
11/23/2010
Good food and not so good food. Odd service. Very poor quality food on the kids menu.
Interesting menu with surprising items - like a very, very good udon. Not sure how cowboy that is, but it's definitely good. Excellent pulled pork sandwich.
The yam appetizer is sometimes crisp, fresh, tasty and awesome, sometimes limp, mushy and flavorless, almost like it was simply re-heated.
Huge salads.
Below average burger, especially for the price.
Every time we've been there the service has been unpleasant. Attitude or indifference. -
Review from blanche d.
Felton, CA
7/31/2011
awesome burgers!! am still working my way through the choices. The buffalo burger can't be beat. Great selection of beers, nice friendly waitstaff. Our usual stop after a 3 hour mountain bike ride. Highly Highly recommended
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Review from Monica L.
3/7/2009
We fell upon this place one afternoon riding around in Felton.
My husband and I both agreed that eating here felt like we were on vacation LOL! It does not feel like you are in California here. We both felt like we were in another state. Even looking outside while eating, I imagined us being in Wyoming or Colorado.
As an appetizer we ordered the chicken wings. I am not a fan of eating meat off bones, but these were pretty good. They are served with ranch dressing and have tons of different hot sauces that you can choose from.
I ordered a steak sandwich with fries and my husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich with soup. Both sandwiches were excellent! One of the better sandwiches we have had in a long time. Both of our sandwiches were $9 each and totally worth it.
Our waitress was friendly and courteous and provided us with excellent service despite her being the only waitress in the whole place.
They have outdoor seating and when you walk in, there is a bar to the right and the restaurant to the back. All different varieties of people coming in here to eat...everyone from Santa Cruz surfer types, paramedics, families and even a White Trash woman sitting at the bar with her blue polka dot thong staring at us the whole lunch =/ Ha! Ha!
We'll be back! -
Review from Brian C.
Capitola, CA
6/29/2008
Put down the pepper grinder and walk away!
First walk in, no idea what's going on. Do I seat myself, or.....
After sitting down, we are impressed with the menu and the selection. Prices were a bit more than I expected from the location & atmosphere, but hey it must be good.
The starter for me was the stew, and for my buddy, the coleslaw. Both were horrifically doused in pepper. It really did mask all the flavor that I am sure was in there, because it looked like good ingredients.
For the entree, I had the Cowboy Gorgonbleu (chicken breast with bacon and gorgonzola cream sauce, mashed potatoes, veggies, and cornbread).
The chicken, bacon & cream sauce was really tasty. It had just enough saltiness from the cheese and bacon. The chicken was cooked very well and was moist. For the veggies, sliced carrots, zucchini and green onions. Very well cooked and seasoned. The cornbread was grilled with honey and butter, a great method and I think I'm going to copy it at home. The only thing with the entree that I wasn't fully satisfied with was the mashed potatoes. They were unskinned yellow 'new' potatoes. It could have used a bit more cream & butter for texture, and I was unlucky enough to get a bit of grit from the skin.
Overall, I enjoyed the dinner. Factoring the cost of ingredients and the average atmosphere, I would value my dinner at $10-12 rather than the $15 actual price. -
Review from Stephen D.
Santa Cruz, CA
7/5/2009
NASTY NED! Pulled pork, piled high on a bed of cornbread with a sweet jalapeño reduction drizzle. Delicious.
The barkeep makes a mean bloody mary as well.
The place is small and cozy, seems to populated by locals mostly and has a real homey feeling. Everyone was attentive and nice and the food.. oh, the food.. wonderful -
Review from Ted K.
Boulder Creek, CA
4/17/2010
A long-time friend and local of San Lorenzo Valley first took me here last year and I fell in love with their Olleys.
It's a chicken sandwich with a totally unique and sweet jalapeno glaze that makes your visit unforgettable. I haven't had anything quite like it and would recommend giving it a try the next time you're in Felton.
They also have a bar with good cold beer and outdoor seating is available on a nice day. -
Review from Jeff W.
El Dorado Hills, CA
8/22/2010
We have lived in Boulder Creek for three years and just tried this place for the first time a month or so ago. What a shame it too so long. Just got back from our second trip and will be going back frequently.
Don't let name ( which is actually Cowboy Bar & Grill as far as I can tell) let you believe that this is just some basic diner and rib fare. The food is very unique and so far consistently fantastic. I even loved their horseradish cole slaw and I generally stay away from all things slaw. They seem to have a real thing for ginger, which sounds odd for cowboy food I know, but somehow works great in the barbecue dishes and marinades.
OK here are a couple of food highlights. First, make sure that someone in your party gets the Nasty Ned. Pulled pork piled on cornbread covered with cheese and a sweet jalapeno glaze. This is amazing, but go easy on the appetizers if you order this one. Other entrees tasted where the skirt steak and the gorgonzola chicken: both winners. Oh, and definitely grab the "Pig Wings" appetizer - very meaty pork ribs with the great ginger barbecue sauce. Yam cakes appetizers were also stellar.
The interior is cowboy kitsch as you would expect. Patio seating outside is nice, but a little loud with the road noise. In short, come here for the food, not the atmosphere. The casualness of the place does make it very kid friendly though. -
Review from Rebecca B.
San Ramon, CA
7/29/2009
I went to SLV and have carried my love of the Felton area into my adulthood even though we now live in the East Bay.
When we had a trailer would regularly camp in Felton and arrive on a Friday night. My husband knows that when we arrive, we pitch camp and head to the Cowboy Diner. The food is awesome and the service great. On Friday nights there's usually some down home honky-tonk music to look forward to and the locals are friendly.
Time to buy a new trailer and head on down! -
Review from Bacala B.
9/29/2010
There's something I really just don't get about this place. The stars are there because the place is cool and the food is good. The other stars are missing because of some weirdness that doesn't have to happen if they would just put a little more thought into things.
Again, good food.
Some really good ideas and they do a good job of preparing it. Cool place. Looks and feels good. No complaints here.
Again, weirdness.
1. No substitutions. Huh? This is a D-I-N-E-R. You have no right to this pretentiousness if the word "Diner" is included in your name. Ridiculous. I don't remember the exact phrasing, but the menu basically says Don't Ask. Come on, if someone wants to try a sandwich and hates slaw give her a handful of fries instead. Why wouldn't you?
2. $6.00 Kid meal with about $0.73 worth of food. Three tiny wing drummettes and eleven french fries - yes, I counted because I was so astounded at the price they charged for this. Throw in a soda and we're looking at $7.50, then we have to feed the kid again when we get home. I'm not looking for handouts or anything, but this is pretty extreme.
3. Bar menu says everything served on the rocks unless otherwise requested, taken to mean there is a little flexibility here. Patron asks if she can have her margarita blended. Answer: We don't have a blender. Patron: What? Answer: We don't have a blender. I guess if they are too hip to blend some cubes that's OK, I really just included this one because it sounded so funny. Margaritas on the menu, and you don't own a blender?
Service is best described as indifferent. We don't usually order liquor so I have to assume the attention that these people are probably capable of is saved for those that do. Money makes the world go 'round, they say. -
Review from Sandy G.
Long Beach, CA
5/4/2011 2 photos
Pulled pork salad was amazing. All of the meals had a gourmet twist and I highly recommend thus spot!
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Review from sarah n.
Boulder Creek, CA
7/31/2007
Excellent, reasonably priced local fare with creative, original dishes.
The filet mignon with gorgonzola cream sauce is to die for and not too outrageous at about $26 (I think). Other interesting and yummy dishes include the cowboy sushi, the yam cakes, and the pulled pork salad. They have a plethora of hot and cold sandwiches as well, all served with really unique sauces.
Service can be a bit slow at times, even when it's not packed, hence the 4 stars instead of 5, but the wait staff is always friendly. Full bar service is a bonus, too. -
Review from kathie n.
Los Angeles, CA
6/21/2010
THE best hamburger I've ever had!
I happen to see this place after taking a hike, so stopped in for dinner. The food was sooooo good. -
Review from Cecilia M.
Salinas, CA
7/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
We aren't very adventurous diners, but ended up in Felton hungry for a late lunch. We ordered the yam cakes based on other reviews and it was an interesting treat. I don't even like yams, but they were pretty good. The kids loved them. I had the pulled pork sandwich (Sloppy Jed) and it was pretty tasty. My husband had the steak sandwich which I sampled and it tasted pretty yummy. Our server was friendly and engaged the kids which is always appreciated when they are young and impatient. Each kid got a menu to color and their own box of crayons. We all loved the corn bread - had three servings of it and could have had more. The sausage soup had a little kick to it and when you added the corn bread to the soup it gave it a sweet and spicy taste. We didn't have room for dessert although the menu board looked like they had carrot cake, chocolate cake, apple pie a la mode and cheesecake. Maybe next time! We would come back here if we're hungry in Felton again!
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Review from Kevin N.
Chino, CA
9/10/2009
After taking the Roaring Rail Camp tour, I had used yelp on by blackberry to find a place to eat. This place came up so we decided to try it.
It is a small hole in the wall place with friendly waitress. The food was really good! I highly recommend the pullpork salad or pullpork sandwich. It was extremely tasty and pack with high flavor. The slice steak sandwich was good too. Reminded me of a modified Philly Cheesesteak.
Overall, highly recommend for people to try out! -
Review from Lizabeth W.
Boulder Creek, CA
12/10/2009
Food is usually good, plenty to eat. They are doing a great job improving the inside, feels nice, looks good.
Great staff
Kid friendly.
Skip the desserts, not impressive, but everything else is worth the trip -
Review from george b.
San Jose, CA
7/18/2010
Food has to be some of the best, but service is unpredictable. - Probable went there twenty times before got tired of seeing drunks be thrown out - then got tired of seeing too much of a dirty restaurant -
Sheriff station is closer now, I'd rather do Chinese across the street
and not be sick the next day. The bar is measly stocked, but the cook
slips out the back door to the liquor store next door, if the supply is low -while the food waits -
Review from Janice P.
Felton, CA
8/22/2011
The cowboy has the best food in all of Santa Cruz with the friendliest staff. This is no ordinary diner! Every item on the menu is not only delicious but is unique. Like cowboy Sushi! Everyone that lives in Felton knows the Cowboy and its friendly staff and great chefs!
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Review from Mark H.
Santa Cruz, CA
2/14/2010
If you happen to find yourself in Felton for lunch or dinner, this is THE place to go. Fantastic salads and sandwiches, with inventive combinations. Standouts include the Pork Salad Annie, a bed of greens with delicious pulled pork on top, and the Ollie - which is a chicken sandwich with cheese, bacon, and jalepeno jelly. Get it with a side of their horseradish coleslaw. Good stuff!
Also, if you ride a motorcycle (or scooter) to the restaurant, you get free caffeinated beverages. What a deal! -
Review from Stewart H.
Mountain View, CA
7/31/2011
We have a place in Felton and I have seen this place for many years but my wife and I never have been inside until back in May 2011. Since then we have had dinner and very good margaritas 3 additional times. The employee's work very well and the chef is a interesting guy who trys to accomidate those of us who have gluten issues. It is still though a " guys or gals" meat and potatoe restaurant but with some hidden surprises on there menu. I enjoy the yahoo pork ribs and my wife has enjoyed the wings, and other chicken dishes. This is a fun easy relaxed place that is priced fairly and seating at the bar is also fun. It's the cowboy diner so it's not the " ritz". We will be going back. Good food and service and a good bar.
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Review from Julie K.
Santa Cruz, CA
6/12/2010
I started out with the Bolo Tai cocktail (excellent) and had the Calamity Catherine salad which is huge! I love their monster salads. The tri-tip was good, juicy and cooked perfectly (medium rare). Next time I will order the warm bread pudding for dessert! The next time you are in Felton stop and try a salad or a sandwich: it is worth the trip!
