We had a group dinner after wine tasting all day at AJ Spurs. Â The food quality was good and the extra plate option was a great way to keep the price down. Â They had some fun drink options as well. Â This is a great place for groups and families visiting the wine country. Â I highly recommend reservations on the weekends.
Review Source:Stopped in Santa Ynez while driving down to LA Â area. Â AJ Spurs is alot like Cattlemens but I thought the food and selection was much better. Â Service was good too. Â Had a woman at a table next to us eat nearly all her food and then complain about it being overdone and they took it off her bill without a hassle. Â They start you off with a soup, salsa and beans and it was pretty tasty. Â My filet was done exactly as I asked (very rare) and husband had the liver and onions and said it was cooked well - not overdone so not tough.
Review Source:I thought the ambiance from the road was awesome and as were staying in Solvang decided to check it out. I was very disappointed and very skittish to try more restaurants after eating here due to the lack of quality and the greatness of cost. Let me start with the pros: 1. The soup that I might not have liked to eat otherwise was actually very good although I didn't add beans or salsa as I have problems with textures and this was just too much for me. But the soup itself was very good. 2. Every meal comes with a root beer float, ice cream or liqueur. For some reason we weren't even offered the liqueur but we wouldn't have chosen it anyways, we did pick the root beer floats and one of my kids picked the sundae. Both were good and I liked that they added it into the meal. 3. The steak although not really cooked the way we wanted actually came out good, and one of my kids liked the burgers.
As for the cons .1 As everyone else said, this food is WAY over priced. They have a cheaper menu that actually has good size portions, but even that was over priced. You could not get an adult meal here for under 15 dollars. The children's meals weren't that much better. The worst part was the soup and crackers were free and I could have filled up on that! 2. The potatoes were gross and they put way too much onions in it. 3. Not a lot of choices on sides. 4. They over charged us by 60 dollars and we had to wave our waitress down and explain that she over charged and then argue about it, finally showing her our plates that were no mushrooms on it. I hate mushrooms. 5. The steaks weren't cooked the way we asked them. Â 6. Although the dead animals were kinda cool at first my 5 year old autistic son was terrified and could barely eat his food, so if you have special needs kids this is not the place for them!
All in all I'd never go to this restaurant again, nor recommend it. Thankfully we did try the brewery in Solvang and Andersen's Pea Soup both of which we had planned on trying when we planned the trip. This is a tourist trap that locals clearly stay away from. I would also suggest charging less or of having a meal with just the soup and salad and a drink for 5 dollars.
This place is a total tourist trap. I felt like I was trapped in Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland. I absolutely should have known better, but it was late and the baby was fussy so we just went for it. The starters of beans, soup, and fresh salsa were actually tasty. Our meals, however, were mediocre at best. I had the spare ribs, and my husband had the flatiron steak. Nothing was awful, but for the price I expected something other than generic BBQ sauce and tasteless rice pilaf. The one thing I will say is you get a lot of food, but I'd rather have a small portion of high quality than a trough full of mediocrity. We will definitely skip this one in the future. Oh, and did I mention you will get to enjoy your meal surrounded by death? This place features a taxidermy collection that may turn the stomach of animal lovers, so beware.
Review Source:We have been going to AJ'S for years and it has always been good. We just came from having dinner at AJ's and it has gone down in quality. We had the sirloin steaks as always. They were so tough you couldn't poke your fork into them and were not properly cooked, way underdone Others at our table who ordered other steaks and said that they were just mediocre. How sad. I have heard that this place has different owners.
Review Source:I don't normally review restaurants on Yelp prior to trying their food, but this place is so horrendous it needs to be publicly known. Â I was excited about eating here... The place looks cute outside, very western themed. Should be a great time right? WRONG.
We had a large party of 15, so we made reservations a few days in advance for our group at 7:30 PM. We got there a bit early just to make sure our entire party was there on time. We weren't seated until 8:15 PM. What makes it worse is that NO ONE had come up to us to apologize, explain the delay, or give us an ETA.
We, of course, asked about our table several times. We were told that we would be seated in "5 minutes" 4 different times. The first "5 minute" answer was given to us at 7:45 pm. What's the point of making a reservation if the staff is so incompetent they can't schedule tabling properly? I used to be a host at a very busy tourist restaurant so I GET IT. A 5-10 min delay... Acceptable. A 30 minute delay, it happens. BUT you apologize to the party, keep them updated and also perhaps comp a round of apps and/or drinks. NONE OF THIS HAPPENED.
On top of all this, when a few of us went to the bar to get a glass of water while waiting and we had to wait 20 minutes before any of the 4 bartenders even recognized that we were there waiting.
Bad bad, No, TERRIBLE customer service all around. I hope this review gets to management so they can either re-train their staff (because they clearly do not understand customer service), fire their GM, or clear our their entire host team. The staff here is a joke.
Excellent service, and great atmosphere. With every meal you get a pot of soup, beans and salsa which is definatly better all mixed together. Delicious. Â The meals are large which you also receive potatos and a salad. When you think you were all finished he give you either a rootbeer float or a shot of liqueur. The twins peaks is 2 - 6oz filet mignon delicious. Highly recommended!
Review Source:I've been to AJ Spurs twice on trips to Solvang. Both times I've had a great experience.
The food is tasty and plentiful. At first the prices look high but once you see what they consider a meal, Â it is a deal.
First up is an iron pot of Vaquero Soup ( a kind of hearty beef stew/ vegetable soup), Tequila Beans and Salsa. Eat them as you'd like, but the staff recommends mixing the three together. Â Quite a treat. I've never had a soup served in this manner before. Original and delicious.
Next comes the salad. I'm not a salad eater but it appears to be a good mix of items.
A hot skillet of Cowboy spuds with onions arrive with the entrée. They are a thinly sliced potatoes that are crunchy on the outside an soft inside. Some are cut thin enough to taste like a homemade potato chip. Again something tasty and different.
I've had ribs, steak and fish as entrees and all were very good. For dessert they offer an after dinner liqueur or a root beer float. I am usually stuffed so I ask for a scoop of ice cream without the root beer. All of this is included with your dinner.
The décor is definitely classic cowboy with many ranch implements, old western movie posters along with an abundance of taxidermy. A buffalo greets you as you enter the lobby.
The staff has been very pleasant and attentive. They also give good recommendations when asked which item they would prefer as I could go with a number of entrees.
AJ Spurs has taken a classic steakhouse and added  a little twist  that makes them unique. I'd go every time I'm in town.
Love it here. Food is great. It can get a little pricey, but honestly it's worth it. Steaks are great, pork chops are great. Decor is awesome, really gives you the rustic feeling.
The only thing I don't really care for are the cocktails. They do the job if you're just looking to drink alcohol, but if you're really looking to enjoy your drink I'd stick with either wine, beer or a straight drink.
It's hard to find a restaurant that serves good steak. I personally like this restaurant because they know how to cook a slab of steak RARE.
Although the rest of the party I was with ordered their steaks medium rare and medium well done, the steaks were very underdone (and I am okay with it). The only problem is that there are some people who really can't eat their steaks red, but I do believe that steak should be at most, medium rare.
Also, I didn't like the decor with all the animals and dark, hunting shack/western lookin' vibe.
Because of their delicious (but a little salty) filet mignon, three stars.
We went there on Christmas Eve. It was crowded as expected and we had to wait for 20 minutes even though we had reservations. The staff was slow and our server was overwhelmed but she did well in spite of it. They were very short of bussers. The food was good and although AJ 's is a meat eaters paradise, the veggie plate was very good.
The decor is cabin-like and place is full of stuffed animals. It is not a place for the PETA crowd. I would recommend it if you are in the area and want a big meal.
3.5 stars. The atmosphere is excellent and the free starter of stew wonderful. You will NOT leave here hungry as you receive plenty of food down to the included desert. Adults get a fancy drink from the bar if they desire it. The tri-tip I ate was pricey but big with an odd smoke flavor. By no means was it a bad steak but at nearly $30, I'll get something cheaper next time since I've had better at half that price. The only reason for the low rating was the poor service. Our waitress was scarce and refills on drinks even more so. At $3 a soda, I was far from getting my worth with just one refill. Maybe she was busy but at the prices I paid, I expected better service. Sure, I'll come back, but I'll get a burger and ask for a pitcher of water so I don't go dry during the lulls of waitress visits.
Review Source:I decided to give this place two stars because I kept going back and forth on my pros & cons list and two was the final verdict.
The decor is pretty awesome-lots of stuff on the walls and things to look at. Â The menu wasn't really doing it for me but I liked the big soup pot they brought out for "family style" sharing. Â That soup was good!!
Fun tip: the hostess station has bars like a jail cell and it was fun to get behind there and grab the bars like I was begging to be bailed out. Â ;)
I'm completely torn - I WANT to write a good review because the food was absolutely amazing, but the service was so terrible, that even a rare yelper, such as myself, felt the need to comment and leave a rating.
We had a waiter that had 2 tables- ours and one extremely large party of about 25-30 people. I understand working with a large party is difficult, but we were in the restaurant for about 2 and a half hours waiting obnoxiously long periods of time for our food (not to mention one of the dishes was incorrect), and our check. Also, no one bussed our table at any point in time and there was one point where there was simply no room for drinks! We had empty plates in front of us for about 2 hours.
When we asked to speak to the manager, he responded that he WAS the manager! So unfortunate, considering their food is absolutely amazing (they could use an improved wine list, but we brought our own, anyway).
My husband and I came to Solvang for the weekend, and looking for a place with good steaks.  Buellton is the next town over and has the best steak house in the area along with good  portions. Â
The meal starts off with a beef stew and garden salad. Â Ends with your choice of listed dessert. Â The meat is tender and seasoned well, and cooked to your liking. Â The staff is respectful, and has professional courtesy. Â The menu is in the form of a newspaper, and the cowboy/western decor adds a quirky charm to the place. Â It is a bit pricey, but worth the visit. Â I recommend the "Twin Peaks" and the dessert liquor.
If you are in Solvang and looking for a place that has large portions of food, good drinkings, good service and an amazing decor then you have to go to AJ Spurs.
About a three minute drive from the main area in Solvang this place has it all. As soon as you walk in you will notice the heavy decor of large stuffed animals and country vibe. You wouldn't think of this for a Danish town but that is what makes it all more the fun. Â
When you sit down you get two waiters. One that does the ordering and then one that brings you your drinks and food and keeps up on anything you need. This is great because the food comes quick and they are fast on the drink orders. Â You get a soup as soon you sit down with beans and salsa to add to it. Sounds odd but so good with the bakes beans. For the price of your meal you get the soup, salad, baked potatoes, rice, your protein and a dessert or after drink cordial. Â Keep this is mind for some of the steeper $30 larger dinners. I stuck with the smaller portions section which had food between $15 and $18. Â The fish was so juicy and flavorful I couldn't believe it. My sister got the steak and it was cooked to perfection and was very tender. Â People across from us got the ribs and they looked huge and full of BBQ sauce. They said it fell right of the bone. Â For dessert you can have ice cream, root beer floats or a drink. Â The drink was a reasonable size and they offered a variety of options. the rootbeer float was ok but the soda was a little warm.
Alcoholic drinks are very reasonably priced and most come in a light up glass. The martinis come in a light up shaker and have about four martinis in it for $9. You can't beat that!
In our party we had ages from 28 to 70 and we all had a blast laughing and enjoying the food. For a fun night I highly suggest AJ Spurs.
After reading many reviews of this restaurant, and knowing the meal prices ahead of time, coming here for dinner was a disappointment. After reviewing the menu, I decided on the 8-ounce sirloin steak dinner. After being seated, we were nagged by a nasty fly that wouldn't go away (not the restaurant's fault), but it was annoying.
Upon receiving our kettle pot of beef soup, I mixed in the beans & salsa (which came in their small bowls), like many others have done, and it was okay; the soup didn't taste any better than a can of Campbell's, except for it's huge chunks of beef in it. We didn't finish the pot of soup, which makes me wonder why they give so much soup to begin with, when the entire pot most likely won't be consumed, and there's a whole lot more food to come with the meal; that's a waste of food.
After the soup, we were given our bowls of salad. Salad is salad, but I expected something better than a bowl of iceburg lettuce, with a large tomato wedge, one slice of cucumber and croutons..... the croutons was the best ingredient in the salad.
The crispy spuds potatoes were another disappointment. Our potatoes were cold, and the onions that were cooked with them didn't add any additional flavor, since the onions weren't caramelized.
Now the GOOD PART: My steak was delicious, as well as cooked to my specifications. The flavor of the oak came through strongly, and for a sirloin, it was very tender. The steak comes with rice pilaf, which tasted fine, but the garlic bread they provided, wasn't anything to write home about; I've tasted better from a box of frozen Pepperidge Farm garlic bread.
As for the beverage, I chose their strawberry lemonade, which was served in a large 20-24 ounce plastic cup, and it was very good; they do offer you free refills if you want, but I didn't need anymore.
After dinner, we were told a dessert is included, which was a choice of a rootbeer float, scoop of ice cream or liqueur.... I chose the rootbeer float which was good.
The restaurant is decorated with animals (taxidermist style) throughout the interior, as well as an 'Old West' rustic look inside and out, which was cool.
Sorry to be so negative regarding my experience at this restaurant. I'm not a snob when it comes to food, but I really did expect a better meal, especially for the prices they charge. Service was very good, and small requests were taken care of promptly and with courtesy. If I'm ever in Buellton again, I'd only go back there if someone in our party who hasn't been, wants to go, otherwise, I'd eat somewhere else in the area.
The only reasons why I gave this place 3 stars, and not 2 stars, is because of the great steak, decor and service.
If I lived in the area, this would be a place to go for birthdays & anniversaries.... and also for a cold beer now and again, just to soak up the atmosphere.
Before deciding on AJ Spurs, we asked a few locals where they preferred to go steak-wise, and the unanimous answer was AJ Spurs! Â So we followed the local expertise and hit up AJ Spurs for steak.
Greeting us in the doorway was a very friendly gentleman, and by the way, I thank AJ Spurs for providing some western style eye candy for us ladies as well, as most steak places have plenty of cute waitresses in jeans and western wear but neglect to think of their female customers ;-) Â Not that it's a criteria for my ratings BUT .... I must admit it's a nice bonus :-)
Anyway ... we waited for about 5 minutes, and while waiting we got to enjoy the atmosphere which is very nice. Â A lot of stuffed animals to admire, including a huge buffalo which I'm certainly happy to meet in stuffed condition, would not so much like to meet him face to face out in the wilderness. Â
Once seated at our table, there were other wild animals there to look at, among them, right across from our table stood the 7th biggest polar bear ever measured. Â
The menu was a "newspaper" in nature, which was very clever. As we studied the menu, a gentleman brought us a trio of soup, tequila beans and salsa and he recommended we put one of scoop of each into our soup bowls and mixed them all together. Â YUM! GREAT IDEA! If I was a local I would probably stop by once in awhile for the soup-bean-salsa mix alone, it was delicious.
For our main course, I decided on the 8oz top Sirloin and my husband had their "house burger". Â The dinners came with a house salad, bread, rice pilaf and fried potatoes. Â The potatoes were thick slices fried on the pan (I think) and they were very flavorful, had about the thickness of 3-4 stacked pringles, crisp on the outside and soft and "potatoey" on the inside.
My steak, it was perfect! I ordered it rare, warm center, and so it was. Â Loved the flavor of the blood from the rare steak soaking into the rice, it was like a steak that just kept on giving ;-) Â
After our meal, we were offered ice cream, root bear float our an after dinner liqueur. My husband chose the ice cream and I had a Baileys to finish up the meal.
It rounded it off nicely and we left nice and satisfied and very sad that there is no AJ Spurs near us. Â We'll be sure to visit again though, next time go up North.
The service was awersome, great atmosphere, the chefs knew how to handle their knives and their flame ... I really had no complaints at all, so 5 stars it is.
Oh and PS, for beer lovers out there .... try the local brew, it's so smooth and delicious. Â I tend to opt for darker beers, however when I"m out and about I love trying the micro brews. Â I definitely recommend it, I believe the one I had was Figeroa Mountain IPA, very tasty. Â If you like beer, don't pass it up! :)
I Love This Place!!!! Â This is the best steakhouse that I have been too. Â I recently went up to AJ Spurs for my birthday dinner and the food was excellent as always. Â Even though the steaks are a little on the expensive side, what comes with it makes up for it. Â The dining experience at AJ's is great. Â You first get started with a Vaquero Soup (like a beef stew) in it's own little serving pot with Tequila Beans and Homemade Salsa on the side. Â You are encouraged to mix everything up. Â The soup is great and it is unlimited as well. Â Mixing in all the ingredients together and the soup is even better, though it has a little kick to it.
Next up is your garden salad with the dressing of your choice. Â The salad is your run of the mill side salads that you get served at other restaurants. Â When your main course comes out, it is served with a piece of garlic bread and rice pilaf (both are very good). Â The steaks here at AJ Spurs are aged a month making them melt in your mouth flavor full. Â Also, a cast iron skillet of spuds is also delivered to your table which are also delicious. Â They also have add on orders from mushrooms to lobster. Â I got the Bacon Bourbon Shrimp which were very tasty.
After getting a Styrofoam container to take this delicious food home, the final course is dessert which is your choice of a root beer float or liqueur.  Since it was my birthday, they rang a cowbell and delivered a brownie sundae with a lit candle which I though was cute.  Since being so full, the dessert was still delicious.  I also got the Crème De Mint liqueur which was a perfect end to a great dinner.
All in all, this is a great place for the family or a couple to have dinner. Â It is a little bit crowded during the weekends, so be sure to get a reservation ahead of time, and the bar area has live music every Friday and Saturday Night. Â Also for the kids or kid at heart, be sure to stop at the toy chest and pick up some fun gifts on the way out.
Not sure I get the fascination with this place nor why people wait forever for it... other than that the prices are pretty reasonable and that it's a little kitschy decor-wise. Â The only thing I found decent here was the steak -- which was okay but by no means worthy of a special stop. Everything else was mediocre at best. The starter soup is a cute idea and kinda fun to add in your own fixins but it wasn't the greatest when it came to taste. Â The salad was super generic and didn't taste fresh at all, the potatoes were tasteless...just nothing really tasted particularly special here.
It is kinda nice that you get the all inclusive with a dessert but I'd rather have a great tasting meal instead of a free rootbear float. :-
On a high note the service was very good.. our waitress was super friendly and helpful.
I would go back here if I was in the area. It's very colorful - stuffed animals all over the place. Beasts abound!
Since there's so much food that they give you with an entree, I'd recommend one person order an entree and then the other person just order one or two sides (believe me, the portions are entree sized).
There's A TON of food that comes with each meal. Rice, bread, hearty soup, potatoes, and dessert.
If you have kids, or if you're an adult, there's a treasure chest full of fun plastic stuff by the front door. You can take whatever - rubber duckies, winner medals - etc.
Although others liked the bourbon bacon-wrapped shrimp, I thought the sauce masked the shrimp flavor. Plus, you only get four or five shrimp, and although they're large, I enjoyed the MEAT at this place better. Spare ribs were tender and juicy... and I'm sure very good for me.
If it's your birthday, they'll bring out an ice cream sundae and sing for you. You know, if that's your thing. =)
Best steakhouse EVA!
We found this place while on our way to an out of the way motel one night while out in California. We saw a town off the highway and decided, LETS EAT! We pulled off the highway, called up the urbanspoon app on the Iphone and were on our way to a Chinese place and I saw the steakhouse as we drove past. I love a good steak and we decided to stop and the rest is culinary history.
I mean the place was fantastic, food wise, decor, service, price, every damn thing.
From the soup everyone gets as a starter to the root beer float for desert, it was beyond any expectation.
I had the ....
A.j.'s Gambler
35 oz. from the most tender and flavorful cut top sirloin. ya eat it all, and you'll receive a free aj's t-shirt. no cheatin' and no xtra plates. (I didn't get the free shirt but I sure as hell came close)
If I had stuck to just the main dinner I think I would have finished it but everything was just so good I had to eat some of everything, the pan fried potato slices were pretty damn good as well.
I could go on and on even more about this place but when you can get great service, great (not just good) food, monster portions and a never ending supply of stuffed animals and heads around the place, have dinner, drinks and desert for under $70 for two people and then leave with two meals worth of leftovers for each person, I feel the need to speak out and spread it's fame.
Eat here, be happy, what else is there??!!!
Oh and on a pet peeve issue, I had a huge hunk of meat and it was cooked PERFECTLY. It's surprising at how many places can't get it right and here was the most difficult, a huge hunk of beef, cooked perfectly, medium rare.
Seriously, eat here, ignore any people being jerks and knocking this place, for real American corn fed beef this is THE joint for it.
Get it?? I mean it was the bestest and worth way more than we paid when you compare it to the best steak place you ever ate in and I've eaten at the best the country has to offer all over the great ole US of A.
This is a very good chain Steakhouse. They provide a lot of food for a reasonable price if you pay attention. It isn't gourmet, but it is very comfortable and you won't go away hungry. Most likely, you will wind up taking a "doggie bag" out with half of your dinner.
I would really give it a 3.5, but I must admit, I do keep coming back because it is such a great value. I guess that justifies a 4 star rating . . .
I must admit that the 5 stars are not just for thefood, although their food is very good! The ambience and the servers just charm me to pieces every time we visit Solvang. It's a great way to end a wine-tasting day, when you may have an acid burn making a slow roll through your belly! You are seated and before you even place an order, a steaming hot cauldron of veggie soup is brought to the table, along with bowls of black beans and salsa to customize your serving to taste! Once you order, you also get a heaping serving of thinly sliced deep-fried spuds and a serving of Texas toast and pilau-style rice with your entree. Yum! Bring on the carbs, please. I'm going to need them tomorrow morning!
Any of the steaks are delicious, but be sure to get a side of the bourbon-glazed, bacon-wrapped shrimp. (Chef, now is a good time to compliment my Yelp praise of your food by SHARING the recipe!)
To end the feast, you get a choice of a root beer float for the tame members of your group and for the more adventurous (aka: non-designated drivers!), you get your choice of an after-dinner liquer. Â Truly a worthwhile eating experience.
My girlfriend and I went to Solvang to celebrate our 3 year anniversary. After some wine tasting in Solvang, we decided that it was dinnertime, and I wanted steak. After a quick glance at yelp, we noticed this restaurant. The fact that the restaurant carried my name could have been nothing less that fate; we thought.
The cab cost us $12 for the ride there, a total of two miles, and a complete rape if you ask me. (Solvang cab co.) The western decor, wooden swings outside, and bright lights gave us a welcoming feeling. That feeling would turn to contempt, as the time rolled on waiting outside in the cold. It was like waiting at a Chuck E. Cheese's because the place was literally swarming with children. Running around, only stopping to dig into the chest full of free toys (thanks for that AJ's) with a lack of parental supervision because they all seemed happy getting drunk in the saloon. The part that bothered me most about the situation was that the poor host was continuously getting slammed by people asking him why it was taking so long. (he ignorantly kept saying that it would be 45 minutes- my ass, more like an hour and a half)
WHERE was the management? It's completely understandable that you weren't expecting 100 kids from the local soccer club to be there that night, what isn't excusable was the bland excuses and apologies. It's not the host's job to play manager as well as attempting to control the pace of the dining area.
There is no excuse for having a party of two wait ONE HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTES! I would have felt better if a manager had taken his time out to show that he/she cared and attempted to compensate us in any way, then that would be a different story.
On the turn-side, the food and service by the bus/waiting staff was excellent. The food was hot and delicious, beginning with a stew with potato, carrot, celery, and the option to add beans and salsa. The salad had been quickly washed, so that when we got it, the ranch was a watered-down hot mess.
This place could have been worth of my name if it was better managed. Too bad.
They're serious about generosity. Â Im surprised more places don't fork out the extra little things that may not cost the restaurant much but will fill up a customer more and they'll feel like they got more value for their buck plus the customers aren't starving cuz they're just waiting for their entree. Â Your meal comes with soup, salad, and well ours came with a choice of desert which I chose an alcoholic chocolately mousse thing in a shot glass (it was that or a root beer float or something).
Got the specialty "Twin peaks" $34 = x2 6oz bacon wrapped filet mignons covered in shredded lobster, grilled asparagus, uh broccoli, and shrimp (i subbed it for more lobster cuz I was allergic to shrimp). Â One peak is doused in hollandaise and the other in bernaise.
Came out fantastically PUURRfect at medium rare, no kitchen mistakes. Soft, juicy, explosion of savory, both sauces were awesome. Â Lobster definite yum yum. I really love grilled crunchy asparagus and dipped into the sauce was even better. Â Could I get an endless option of these steaks pleaseee? Also I know theres an abundance of wine in the area so if I could get a glass of wine with the meal I'd be extra happy!
Service is friendly, lighting a little dim, decor resembles a mining restaurant (ok duh it's called "... Spurs"). Â Theres this old school "little house on the prairie" era stove on the way to the bathroom, i thought it was rather bizarre.
::edit:: +fried potatoes with your entree.
::edit:: Clarification, it seems like a multi-course meal cuz of the preceding soup+salad.
::edit:: they sell merchandise...lol...uh is there a theme park in the back yard?
I really enjoy this place during on of my trips down the central coast. Â We walked in and found this place to have a decor that was right out of a mountain mans house, which in my eye was cool, especially the tall white bear in the front. Â We did not need to wait for a table so we were sat down right away and the server was there in an instance to take our drink order. Â The menu was short and sweet, you are looking at mostly the main dishes. Â The steaks were cook to perfection, the soup is to die for, and the desert was excellent if you have room for desert.
So the food was good, the only reason I am not going to give this place 5 stars is due to the rice and side dishes, they were OK, but they were not something special. Â Over all the service and food was very good, and when you get there make sure to bring a thermos so you can take plenty of the yummy soup home with you.
Lookin' for a place for value? AJ Spurs is it. The price of dinner get you everything from the beginning of the meal to the dessert and an after dinner drink. The food? You get LOTS of it. Lots of good solid decent food in an obviously franchise type restaurant where the stuff animals watch you eat. Would I go there for a gourmet steak? No. But for a casual family dinner with kid? Sure why not?
Next time? There are lot's of steakhouses in the area, I'm gonna try another.
INDIGESTION JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF TAXIDERMY
All the dead animals should have been a clue. Â Whether all those decapitated deer, raccoons, or squirrels were formerly entrees or patrons is anyone's guess. Â
What I do know is that the food here is really , really bad. Â After shelling out $25+ per entree for a rack of gristly short ribs and a parade of sub-par sides, I actually left thinking I should've eaten at Taco Bell. Â
Lesson learned: make restaurant reservations in Solvang on long holiday weekends.
I was in Solvang a few months ago on a girlfriend's getaway weekend. Â Some shopping, food, and wine!!! What else could three girls want???
Since we had all seen Sideways, we chose to go to AJ Spurs. Â We chose to have dinner in the bar. Â Not exactly a hopping bar, but we enjoyed the food and many drinks nevertheless.
We got a few appetizers and a couple of entrees to share, and it was all great! Â And the prices were awesome.
I got the shrimp and steak plate. Â Wow...it was great! Â And it was less than $15. Â
Definitely a great spot you should try!
I got a job to be done at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez tommorow and could have booked a room right there, but unfortunately it's not listed in our corporate website, so I got a room in another hotel in nearby Solvang instead.
Anyway, after I checked-in at the hotel at about 6PM, I went immediately to Chumash Casino to case the joint, which is only less than 4-miles away eastward from Solvang along Hwy-246.
For dining, they have a Creekside Buffet at the Casino, but there was a long queue of people waiting to get in, so I just decided to go instead to this western style place in Buelton called A.J. Spurs Saloon & Dining Hall, near the Freeway-101 junction.
There was about 20-minute wait to get seated at the main dining hall, but you could get immediate service if you choose to dine at the bar room, so that's exactly where I went.
I took a brief look at the menu, but this is Cowboy territory and I don't think Cowboys are supposed to eat fish or chicken, so I just ordered my drink and a 26-oz T-Bone steak, priced at $30.
Mr. A.J. Spurs put a disclaimer on their menu that they're not responsible for the appearance or tenderness of steaks cooked more than medium.
However, I had mine done medium-well anyway, simply because a bleeding carcass on my plate is quite unpalatable and undelectable to my delicate taste.
The order included a vegetable soup, tequila beans, rice pilaf, salad, French garlic bread, as well as an after-dinner liqueur.
While I was eating, I've noticed that there was a menacing stuffed hungry lion above the bar poised to jumped over and perhaps steal my food. I didn't carry a gun with me, but I really got so wary with that hungry lion, simply because I was hungry too.
I finished my food unmolested by jungle predators, and it appears that the clientele here were quite friendly and the staff were also okay. I like the ambiance of the place and certainly deserved another visit when I'm not in a hurry.
By the way, if anything happens at Chumash Casino Resort tomorrow, like anyone accidentally falling from the window, drowned in the bathtub, run over by a truck or hit by a bolt of lightning, it has absolutely nothing to do with my coincidental presence at the scene of the crime at all.
After all, I'm just an innocent harmless regular working man, doing a humble but honest labor...
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