My family and I had lunch here a few weeks ago and received great service! The ambiance was cool, the food was okay and a little bit overpriced. The drinks were outstanding! The bartender, I think his name was Brent, made us our drinks and told us some cool "local" things to do in the area. He was very friendly. Probably wouldn't come back for the food but would come back for the drinks, the ambiance, and the friendly service!
Review Source:After graduating from Cal Poly, I came back and decided to have a nice dinner at this new place I saw from the street. It was gorgeous from the outside and the inside was very trendy too. I called and made a reservation to sit on the patio (which I assumed was the upstairs patio).
Showed up to my reservation, it was the downstairs, outside patio and it happened to be pretty darn cold and rainy. But, they gave us some very warm blankets and we sat close to the funky fire they had and that helped.
Now the food... it really wasn't that good. Everything I ate was overly salty, I think it was cooked in a salt mine. Several neighboring tables had a similar issue. For the price of this place... My experience was definitely not worth the money.
Stayed here on a short getaway trip with the BF. Â LOVED the decor, ambiance, and everything about the feel of the hotel. Â When checking in, we were greeted by the friendly staff, and showed to our room. Â When we arrived in the room, there was a handwritten note wishing us well on our stay, and after turndown service, there were a few sprigs of lavender left on the bed as well as another handwritten note. Â The room was so well decorated-- I wanted to take all the vintage and antique decor in the room with me! Â The only reservation we had is that although the room was lovely, it was small, which I suppose you might expect with a boutique hotel. Â Also, there is no separate room for the shower so it is open for ALL to see. Â If you are shy, this place may not be the most comfortable. Â However, Â I want to stress that the rooms are still amazing, and it was nice to have a REAL key instead of the card kind that big hotels have.
We had a few drinks on the roof of the restaurant (reserved for Hotel guests only). Â There are couches and a fireplace, as well as board games for those who want to relax and have a drink. Â You can even call down to the kitchen and order cocktails and a meal. When we arrived, the lights and heat lamps were off, but the staff gladly came up and turned everything on. Â I appreciated that without any of us asking, they also brought out blankets to make it more comfortable. Â Two shivering girls would not be a pretty sight! Â The next morning, the patio was packed with couples enjoying breakfast in the nice warm sun.
The location is great, central to everything downtown, and steps from the Farmer's Market, which is filled with live music, great food, and local produce. Â They even lend bikes to hotel guests to go exploring.
The only regret I have is that we did not have the chance to try the food downstairs. Â Until next time, thank you Granada for making our stay so enjoyable!
Just discovered this little gem on my last trip to the Central Coast Wine Country. Â Fabulous! Â Weather permitting, I would recommend asking for the courtyard ... your are perfectly tucked away on a side street and you can see the comings and goings of all the patrons and street life. Â We had a number of dishes, none of which were disappointing. Â The squash blossoms were stunningly delicious as well as the garden risotto with some seasonal veggie selections. Â Surprisingly, one of my highlights was "MIKE'S CAESAR" ... with every last centimeter of every perfectly crispy leaf smothered in that savory secret sauce. Â If you don't love anchovies, better ask for those on the side (as there's a generous portion rubbed throughout). Â We licked our plates clean!
The cocktails were also fantastic. Â The Thomas En Fuego blew my mind ... could not get enough. Â I can't wait to try to recreate that one. Â I also loved my other jalapeno-infused concoction. Â YUMMMMmmmm... it keep your tastebuds dancing, for sure. Â I'd come back here in a second!
Loved this place! Great service, nice dining area and good food.
I got the cheese platter and it was one of my favorite things ever, it was a combination of blue cheese, goat cheese and gouda, I believe, with sugar roasted walnuts, raspberries, honey and french bread. Someone came out to explain the types of cheese and where they were from. My only complaint is that it could've been bigger! (but for the selection and the calories, $15 seemed fine).
I also had the sweet corn soup and it was unexpectedly amazing! One of the best soups I've ever had, it had a zesty flavor, some kind of lemon extract that made it extra special (again, I could've had 2 of those ($9 for near 9 ounces).
The burger is big and my husband said it had some great dressing.
The dessert selection didn't get my attention, but I think this place is perfect for wine and tapas!
Being from the Central Coast of California, I have known Grenada since Kimberly started it as a little, one-room wine bar with amazing tastes, both fluid and solid. When Kimberly decided to grow the business and make it a bistro and boutique hotel, I found the news bittersweet. I knew she would no doubt turn the new growth into an amazing place, but the small, quaint  "original" Grenada served as the venue for many happy memories.
As I saw the building progress into the now stunning Grenada Hotel and Bistro, my sadness for the loss of the "original" quickly deminished. Kimberly and Mike used their superior taste to decorate the new place. Walking in, you feel as though you are stepping into a small European hotel with charm and charisma. The bistro is simple yet full of detail that makes you forget you are in the wonderful college town of San Luis Obispo and, instead, in a Spanish cafe. Esentially, ambiance is far from lacking.
Now, I first had brunch at the bistro when it first opened. I must admit: I was not thoroughly impressed with the food. The menu was great, but the food lacked the flavor I expected to receive. Nonetheless, it was the first week, the champagne and cocktails were delicious, and the patio was lovely. So, I summed it up to being a new restaurant.
The next time I went back was a few weeks later for dinner. I ordered the chicken and it was beyond my expectations. Thus, I went back a few weeks later for dinner. This time I had the pasta (which is no longer on the menu) and my date had the chicken. Again, the chicken was amazing, but the pasta (a bolognese) was not good. It lacked flavor. Again, I couldn't give up on this great place considering the amount of effort I knew went into making it a new SLO establishment.
So, about a month later, I went in by myself and sat at the bar. I have the Lunatic cocktail which was so yummy! Then, I asked the ever so handsome bartender what I should eat. He recommended the burger, so I went for it. Boy, was I glad I did! It was heaven in a burger!
Sadly, after this great experience, I was unable to return until last night due to work
keeping traveling the world for a few months. But, man, was my last great experience topped after last night! Here's how it went:
To preface this story and validate my opinion and my boyfriend's opinion, it is important that all of you reading this know a bit about our background. My boyfriend is a professional athlete. We travel all of the world and eat at some of the best restaurants imaginable. We have amazing experiences and get to dine among royalty at times. Needless to say, we are very lucky.
Currently, my boyfriend and I are living in Santa Ynez, CA. Last night, we decided to get away for the night, so we headed to San Luis. I called Grenada and made a reservation for the hotel and also for dinner at the bistro. We stayed in room 1. It was gorgeous! The steam shower was glorious and the decor was modern, yet classical.
Dinner was at 8:30. We sat outside with heaters surrounding us on a chilly night. The heaters made us comfortable. We started with a cheese plate and mussels and clams. I remember the cheese plates from the "original" bistro being tasty and I had yet to try one at the new bistro. This one was just as tasty as I remember the others. Moreover, the mussels and clams were out of this world! Talk about flavor- this rocked our tastebuds' minds! For the main course, I ordered the chicken and my boyfriend order one of the specials, which was an 8 oz. NY steak with a chimichurri sauce. Once again, the chicken exceeded expectations. My boyfriend's steak was out of this world. If it is ever a special when you visit, get it! We had a great bottle of wine (can't remember what it was, but I'm sure my boyfriend could tell you;)). For dessert, we had the bananas fosters, which you can never go wrong with at any restaurant. All in all, it was an amazing night and my boyfriend and I would highly recommend anyone visit Grenada Hotel And Bistro! It was one of the best meals and hotel stays we have had in the past few years! Well done, Kimberly, Mike and Staff!
I've enjoyed eating at the bistro serval times, and the staff have provided the best service I've ever encountered in SLO county. I think this is the only place in town where the staff have actually been trained. Even when the place is busy, empty plates are immediately removed form the table by the first staff member to notice them--Just for fun, I once counted the average time that passed between my finishing with a plate and it's removal from the table--ten seconds. The food is lovely, creative, and delicious. Their press coffee is the best in town.
Review Source:I loved the design & ambiance of the new patio, but while their cafe tables would earn well deserved oooh's & aaah's in a Restoration Hardware showroom, they are rather less successful at ceding legroom to & providing a steady surface for diners. Â Impressive in a way that a table with so obtrusive a foundation manages such unsteadiness. Â In another environment I'd assume the proprietors were just encouraging swift turnover by deliberately cultivating discomfort, but at these prices (crabcake app: $15, burger $16, glass of wine $10) you think they'd want to encourage malingerers.
The food was pleasant, but I couldn't shake the nagging sensation that it was better suited to a price point around $5 south of its current position. Â I didn't taste anything to justify prices that make local 'small plate' competitor (and, full disclosure, my favorite local eatery other than Goshi's) Luna Red look positively reasonable.
So, pleasant environment undercut by some regrettable fixture choices, pleasant food undercut by mysteriously inflated prices. Â Hopefully both problems will be remedied at some future point.
This place has the ambiance of a big city bistro - we love that. The food was quite good. I would recommend it for this. The wine list is a little thin, especially since we are in wine country. If owned a place like this I'd regularly go to wine fests, getting to know the winemakers in the region and featuring as many local wines as possible. Anyway, we were disappointed with Granada's offerings. The service was quite slow but that may have been that waitress on that night.
Review Source:Directly downtown SLO, this place is a terrific find. Â Smaller rooms but recently remodeled in a hip and sexy way. Â Great adjoining restaurant/lounge area with a fun and helpful wait staff. Â Affordable hotel and oh so different than the typical "business" hotel. Â Free WiFi. Â I'll definitely stay here again!
Review Source:This place has a lovely setting. My Cosmo was yummy! The waitress was lovely. That said, the food was mediocre, especially for the price. I had the salmon which was a very small portion and just so-so. My asparagus were "grilled" but literally killed! It took over 45 min. to get our food in a restaurant that was not busy. Asked about bread and they would provide soemthing for a charge. I would never go back.
Review Source:I really like Grenada; great atmosphere, delicious and varied menu and a friendly staff. Reminds me of one of those great little restaurants in San Francisco's Russian Hill where you can enjoy a great dining experience without it being over the top. I really have never had a taste for brussel sprouts but theirs are quite amazing! Entree's are creative and well executed, the patio is great plus they have a full bar and great wine list. It's become our go-to for a night out.
Review Source:Very nice boutique hotel in San Luis Obispo. Â Stayed there last week and the service and staff was top notch. Â Only down side, and this is very minor, was that smoking was not really allowed anywhere, even outside. Â The law in this tiny CA town has prohibited smoking except in front of ones house. Â Did not stop me, but I smoked more in the parking lot. Â The staff was very cool about it and, again, the hotel was great. Â Did not eat in the bistro, only drank. Â The wine was amazing, but pricey. Â But, hey, that's what expense accounts are for!
Review Source:I love this place for many reasons. One being the size, it's small which I love. Second I love menus that have multiple small plate options that are unique! This place does! They make great cocktails too! Cozy, chic, romantic. Good for going with parents, girlfriends, or on a date.
Only complaint, the menu they have out right now doesn't have the bacon wrapped dates!!! That should def be a year round staple. ;)
Its a Wednesday about 6 , We stroll into the Granada kinda a spontaneous outing for some cocktails and apps with my husband and daughter. Our waiter is very friendly and helpful. We are seated on the patio (newly designed) pretty cool with the glass fire. Our drinks are perfecto !!! extra dirty the way I like my martini (how did he know) Â my daughter orders the granada cheese plate for the table, and olives and nuts.. just right...but no we have more drinks and then we order some entrees to share and a bottle of Pinot. and a couple desserts to share as well...after several hours we left with smiles on our faces and a very fun, tasty evening with the 3 of us... We want to come back and try the bacon wrapped dates next time with my martini. Thanks for a nice relaxing and delicious evening
Review Source:My friend and I decided to check this place out when it first opened. We don't have too many uber-trendy places in San Luis Obispo, so this was a bit of a new experience for us. We just wanted to order drinks and food, as their menu was a bit pricey. (For two drinks and an app, our total came to ~$40.) We had bacon wrapped dates that were AMAZING and well worth every penny. Our drinks were good, but a bit overpriced for the size and strength. Â Our bartender was friendly and the service was great. I thought it was a little *too* dark in there and the techno music was a little too loud for dinner time. I understand that they're going for a certain feel, but we had to use the light from our cell phones to see the menu. I would definitely go back for a special occasion, and maybe ask for a seat on their patio instead.
Review Source:Food was quite good. We had the brussel sprouts, mussels, and salads. We didn't try the larger dinner entrees. The menu didn't have too many of our favorites on it. There were 2 larger parties inside that were quite loud, so it was hard to talk, which was annoying. But I'm guessing that's not the usual atmosphere.
The servers were very friendly, and seemed a little rushed at times. We didn't stay in the hotel, we just enjoyed the bistro.
Thumbs up to the food and wine, but I'm not sure if we would pick it over favorites we have in town.
What a cool, sexy little hotel. Â There is a whole back story about how this place was a quasi-brothel, next door to a vaudeville theater, in the 1920s. Â Based on the atmosphere, I could see it being a sort of classy speakeasy as well. Â The history adds to the charm and totally fits; the current operators have restored it beautifully. Â Dark, dark wood, iron and brass fixtures, antique rugs muffling one's footsteps through shadowy hallways lit by flickering candle flames...and then there are the rooms. Â Just check out the photos for a more effective description than I could give. Â Ours had an open floor plan where only the toilet was behind a door. Â The sink and shower were along one interior wall but exposed to the rest of the room, and there wasn't even a closet--just a glass cabinet in which to hang a few clothes and a recessed alcove for coats.
Luxurious bed; C.O. Bigelow toiletries which suit the aesthetic nicely; a swanky attached restaurant...so many great elements large and small. Â I can't think of a quibble to make with this hotel whatsoever. Â They even have a small parking lot in the back, accessed by a tiny alley. Â Don't be scared by it--unless you drive something like an Escalade, anyone should fit through there fine. Â (And if you do drive an Escalade, you deserve to scratch up the mirrors.)
Plus, at the time that we booked, late January, we got a deeply discounted rate through hotels dot com.
I dealt with only two staff members, the front desk at check-in and check-out, but both were appropriately courteous and welcoming. Â I was very sorry to stay only one night, because this place is so damn cool. Â It isn't often that I want to spend extra time inside a hotel when I travel. Â I wouldn't think of staying anywhere else in San Luis Obispo and when I do, I'll be hanging out in the lounge, the restaurant, and the room. Â Like Stephanie C. said, I want to live here too.
Ok seriously?? I WANT TO LIVE IN THIS HOTEL.
This place plays to my every weakness- chic, yet old fashioned, historical, yet modern....wonderful atmosphere...and my love of FIREPLACES AND AMAZING SHOWERS!
Rain shower!! YAAAAAY! I got excited about every detail in this hotel. The bath soaps?! Smelled so yummy, I didn't use what I brought. The bed? Fluffy and straight out of a HGTV design show.
The rooms were small, but who cares? They were perfect for a weekend!
This hotel is located on primo real estate in downtown SLO, surrounded by cute eateries and fun hip stores. We didn't try the restaurant attached, but maybe next time.
I will be back for sure.
I am a December baby (Birthdate: 12/18) and fuss like a wet kitten every year if my husband and closest friends do not properly adulate me on that date. My loved ones know this and go out of their way to ensure I have a proper birthday dinner. I don't envy them this task as my food critic profession makes me difficult to impress me with culinary delights. This year, everyone received gold stars as the food, atmosphere, wine and company exceeded all my expectations at the Granada Bistro in San Luis Obispo.
The artsy lighted tree, opulent heaters and warm welcome from the staff, instantly dazzled us. This place looked like it stepped out of a Woody Allen film for its drama and elegance. Gary snagged our waiter, Matthew and ordered for the whole group. He also told him to give me a menu of what we ate so I could enjoy my meal and not be scribbling the whole time. Â My friends brought epic magnums from Grey Wolf Winery (a Petite Sirah and a Tempranillo). Â But we started with Matthews's suggestion of a sparkling cava from Spain, which was wonderful.
Our first course was the charcuterie platter, a bacchanal of house-cured meats including peppered salami, chorizo, and prosciutto with hard Gouda and two different kinds of Brie. This beautiful dish was sprinkled with gastronomic delights such as blue cheese and honeycomb, nut clusters, candied apples, cauliflower, red peppers and a Hush Harbor baguette. We all agreed this place and dish would be picture-perfect to come back and enjoy with a glass of wine after a long day at work.
Kimberly, the owner strolled by and told us that the heart and inspiration was the pre-existing Granada Bistro. The space has been renovated and re-imagined in industrial chic design, adding outdoor and roof top seating. Â Serving farm-to-table tapas and dishes inspired by Spanish, Cuban, and South American cuisine. The amazing charcuterie and local seafood are complemented by an eclectic wine list including Spanish and Latin American selections served in retro wine glasses (a very nice touch indeed).
Knowing my love for bacon and blue cheese, our next dish was Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates; this amazing amalgamation of flavors floored everyone. The apple smoked bacon was wrapped around the dreamily sweet dates and stuffed with Valdon blue cheese. This is my version of epicurean paradise.
Matthew paced each passage flawlessly and our next course featured the Mike Caesar salad with stems of romaine lettuce peppered with shaved Parmesan, Boquerón's (which is a small, tasty filleted fish preserved in olive oil) and "The Sauce" - a dreamily prepared dressing.  We also had The Wedge, an iceberg lettuce fourth with bacon lardons, smoky blue cheese, cherry tomatoes and blue cheese dressing. The house made croutons were of note on both salads and the remark was made that this was rabbit food worthy of men.
On to a favorite of mine, Paella. I would swim to Spain for this dish done right. No need now, as Granada executive chef, Spencer Johnston has developed a refined and proper version. A swirling dish of risotto rice with house chorizo, prawns, organic chicken, mussels, clams and local halibut with a sprinkling of peppers and onions made this saucer a symphony of flawlessness and flavor. Each fish was stewed to excellence, and the melding of the savors, an enchantment. Thinking it couldn't get any better - they brought us what I consider culinary fulfillment when done decorously, Carbonara Pasta. The Black Truffle Carbonara Linguine Pasta rocked my world. This dish when organized precise will make you see angels. And not only was this done right, it was completed with black truffles. This is how you make a carbonara (please take note other chefs offering a "version" of this truth). Start with house made linguine, cooked al dente. Add shavings of black truffles, snap peas, house bacon and Parmesan. When the pasta is done, place a raw duck egg a top of the noodles. The steam from the pasta pouches the egg to perfection and then you mix it all together. The dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers. The etymology gave rise to the term "coal miner's spaghetti". It is now comfort food from our Roman roots and this was the best I have had in the states.
Next we had the Hand Cut Local Beef Tartar with brioche toast, Meyer lemon, herbs and sea salt. This dish was a rare treat. Since we were dining with men, our next sample was the Granada Burger. With bacon onion jam, aged cheddar, arugula, house made pickle, ripe tomato, Dijon aioli and hand cut fries. We all agreed it was the best burger we had all had in a long time.
They skipped the singing, but not the desserts, and I was glad for this blessing. From my favorite farm (Windrose Farm) came the ingredients for the Apple Galette. Small tarts with a dolce de leche crème faiche, with a flaky buttery crust, and the apples have a hint of rosemary (which is planted around the orchard and seeps into the fruit) served with hou
Some Class in SLO, Fantastic!
We had the Herman Story Wines Christmas Party here last week, and they far exceeded our expectations. The staff was attentive, warm, and professional - service A++.
We booked 5 rooms, and an incredible amount of detail and though went into the design and decor.. they are lovely.
The wine list is unique and international. The food was outstanding. Bloody Mary's stellar.
We really hope more locals, as well as visitors, will check this place out.. we love having this establishment in San Luis.
Thanks to all the staff for making our holiday celebration incredible!!
Vailia
We got to stay there and have dinner a month after they opened with their remodeled look. Â We loved it! Â The rooms are small but the use of space is modern, fresh and cozy. Â There are several shared spaces to snuggle in front of a fire to have an intimate conversation and glass of wine from the bistro. Â It is the place to pen great ideas. Â The bistro had a fashionable crowd and friendly service. Â We're dying to go back to SLO!
Review Source:My husband and I just went here on vacation, and we were so impressed. We were in the Deluxe Room so maybe that just made the experience all that much more enjoyable. There was a switch-on fireplace. The shower pressure was awesome and it seems like it is soft water because the water just makes your skin and hair feel amazing. Also, there was brick and a window IN the shower - how awesome is that?! And lights backlighting the crown moulding on the ceiling. Robes were hanging up and backlit as well. Every little detail was impressive down to the toothpaste and q-tips. Â We really enjoyed our stay.
Review Source:A brief update following our second dinner at Granada.
I ordered the special of the day (Crusted Halibut) because the server mentioned chanterelles (a must-order for me). Â I ordered it and asked for low- or no-salt. Â It was absolutely delicious. Â The veggies were delightful-- a mix of Romanesco broccoflower, cherry tomatoes, and of course chanterelles. Â It was almost better than the halibut, which was very good. Â I inhaled it.
My co-diner ordered for a second time the organic chicken, and although a large juicy portion size, found it too salty (again)! Â Next time, he will order it and specify low- or no-salt.
Service was impeccable. Â We ordered one glass of house chardonnay and the two entrees, and the tab was $69 (before tip).
I had the pleasure of both staying and dining here. Â I love the location because you're right downtown, easy to walk to everything SLO has to offer. Â The rooms are small but tastefully decorated with beautiful hardwood floors (no carpet!). I was on business and could have used an iron but other than that, no complaints.
The Bistro is right downstairs and couldn't be any more convenient for the weary traveler. Â It was was lively and the menu had something for every one (the brussell sprouts with bacon are amzing).
My complaints about the Bistro are: very small portions and a wine list that doesn't have enough local wine options. Â All and all, a great place and I would definitely return.
I really, really, really hate to say this...... GHB has become just like any other place in downtown SLO, similar to other classier places downtown.
The service is fantastic, as is the quality of food and drinks, no question. This just goes to the 'feeling' of the place.
Granada used to be a much smaller, intimate establishment with a funky feel of chic and cool mixed with romanticism. No more. Now, its simply beautiful and looks just like Novo's (which has already captured this feeling and ran with it...).
It's really too bad. My wife says she won't go back, too bad. Â
The old Granada was destroyed, along with it, the charm. Damn.
This review is based solely on my restaurant experience as I did not stay at the hotel. Â I was blown away by the amazing drinks and beyond amazing food. Â The staff was all very friendly and chatty with great suggestions. Â Literally every plate that came out of the kitchen was cleaned by our table and we left stuffed to the gills. Â This spot is worth every penny and I would go back in a heart beat!
Review Source:I had a wonderful experience here. Â It's a gem in SLO town. Â There really are no other places around with the up and coming style and feel of this beautiful restaurant. Â
Our drinks, the Lunatic, were delicious and refreshing. Â We started out with the bacon wrapped dates and the Granada Meat/Cheese plate which was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Â I wish I'd instragrammed it. Â The dates still make my mouth water thinking about them. Â
For dinner I ordered the scallops, which were fantastic, and NOT FISHY AT ALL! Â It was accompanied by asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, and potatoes au gratin. Â It was so delicious, everyone around me wanted a bite. Â My girlfriend got the other special which was a carbonara with an egg to mix in for the sauce. Â I would say presentation on our 2 dishes was an A++. Â
A couple people in our group got the chicken which was cooked to perfection and super juicy. Â It was also free range, organic, etc. so super healthy and a really decent portion. Â 2 others in the group ordered the paella which looked good as well. Â
All in all- fantastic experience. Â The waitstaff was very attentive, and knowledgeable, especially when it came to the wine and food ingredients.
I stayed at the Granada Hotel on 11/16/12. Â I found it on Expedia and decided to try it out. Â It was fabulous!
I was lured in by the pictures of the exposed brick walls, that it was a recently opened, boutique hotel, and the price was reasonable. Â The parking was a little confusing. Â It is behind the hotel. Â You have to go down a narrow alley to get to the parking lot. Â I couldn't find a sign directing me there, so I ended up driving around the block a few times before I figured it out,
I stayed in a Classic Queen room (room #11). Â The people who checked me in were incredibly friendly and (I think her name was Sheridan - sorry if I got that wrong) gave me a tour of the hotel (along with the history) as she showed me to my room .
The room was awesome. Â Not a huge room, but a great, creative use of space. Â There was even sparkling water on the bedside table. Â There was great attention to detail in the room. Â The walls were exposed brick, the furniture - looked antique - even if it wasn't. Â The glass shower and sink were part of the room, yet separated. Â Now, I will mention, if you were sharing a room with someone and wanted privacy...this would not be the room to share, since, like I mentioned, the shower is visible from the room. The windows opened as well, which was fun.
Like I said, the room was not really big, but there was plenty of space on the first and second floor to sit and visit. Â Especially with the roof top deck. Â (It was raining, otherwise, I would have checked that out).
I ate dinner at the bistro. Â I had the chef's pasta special - it was a carbonara pasta with chirozo and a duck egg. It was wondersful. Â The table next to me had the bacon wrapped dates and said they were great. Â The asked where the bacon was smoked and the server brought out the bacon to show that it was smoked in house. It was a nice touch. Â :)
All in all - I thought the hotel was fabulous and the restaurante was wonderful. Â I would go back and stay in a heartbeat. Â I felt like I was being whisked back in time to a luxurious hotel in a bygone era.
One last thing - upon checking in - I mentioned I was planning to go to Hearst Castle the next day and they offered to make reservations for me.
My husband and I were there last Thursday (locals will note this was Farmer's Market) for a dinner at around 7:00pm.
We used to really like the small, intimate version of Granada, with the tasty paninis and the fun wine list, so we were looking forward to trying the new, "grown up" restaurant and lounge. Unfortunately, our experience fell short of expectations.
We ordered a bottle of wine, the charcuterie platter, and a couple other things to share tapas style.
First of all, it took us at least 25 minutes (I think it was actually longer, but I didn't have the stopwatch going, yet) to receive our bottle of wine... and this was after we'd waited 10 minutes for anyone to approach our table. Our server was good-natured, but whatever was happening behind the scenes must have been making her very, very slow. None of the floor staff seemed particularly enthused with the idea of taking care of patrons with the exception of the busser, who did manage to keep our water glasses full. Once we received the wine, I saw it was the wrong bottle, but by the same maker and the same vintage (I checked the menu and they didn't claim to carry the bottle we actually received; we decided the menu was just written incorrectly).
After ordering, it took another 20 minutes to receive our food... which didn't exactly require a lot of preparation. The charcuterie platter was fine, but not exceptional. The salad we shared was probably the best food item we had.
We would have ordered entrees, as we were still hungry, but the whole experience felt lame and everything took so long... so instead we left and went to Sidecar, which was amazing.
We'll try Granada again, I'm sure. Hopefully it will be better,
We were guests of the hotel. It looked amazing. We had room 7, which was small but bad lots of cool mirrors and a fireplace.
I'm unsure if I would return though, because there were lots of loud people outside our room the night we were there, the cleaning lady banged on the door at 8:30 am, & there was a really loud & scary fire alarm going off at 8:20am. We thought there was a fire and were rushing to get dressed and get out. Unfortunate stay for us.
Let me start by saying that we are locals and really want to see this place succeed. We loved the Granada Bistro before the recent renovations and expansion, and we love the idea of a swanky hotel and lounge with good food in SLO county.
We were very disappointed with our first experience at the new Granada from start to finish.
It started with calling to make reservations for my husband's birthday. It took me calling the restaurant 4 times to finally get our reservation confirmed (two of the times I was hung up on instead of being transferred).
We had a large group, and it is the soft opening, so we knew that things might be a little rough around the edges. We were given a shortened menu because of our large group, which we understood. We had a late dinner party at 9pm since my husband had to commute from Glendale that evening. We were sat at 9:15, and our drink orders were not taken until 9:45. Our dinner orders were not taken until 10:30pm. It was disappointing because our group was starving! And, to top it off, of the shortened menu we were given, by the time our orders were taken, many of the items were no longer available.
We did not start eating until after 11pm, and our food was served cold. The scallops that my sister-in-law had raved about the week before were fishy, and it was not served as described. She was embarrassed for suggesting people order it. She said not only was the dish smaller than the week prior, it was not nearly as fresh, and the salad and sauces were completely different. I don't know if they had to improvise because of a lack of ingredients in the kitchen, but it was a let down.
A few in our group spent nearly $300 on drinks, appetizers, and meals, and wound up at IHOP afterward because they were STILL HUNGRY.
All in all our dinner service was terrible. Our bus boy was AWESOME, though. Very attentive and understanding. We hope he gets promoted to server! The ambiance was beautiful, and we really hope the next time we visit it is a completely different story.
That night my husband and I reserved a suite to top off the night. The room was beautiful! It was a perfect combination of antique and modern. The bed was very comfortable and we loved the little details, even down to the CO Bigelow products in the room. Unfortunately that night we had some very rowdy neighbors, and there was no overnight staff to take care of it. We were woken up most of the night, which was disappointing considering we paid a pretty penny and live 10 minutes away where we could have slept comfortably. (The Granada refunded us $100 toward our stay because of this, and we are thankful that they understood our disappointment).
To top off the entire night, we were abruptly awoken that morning by a blaring fire alarm.
We have spoken with the Manager and the Owner and are thankful that they have heard our experience and partially refunded us. We are looking forward to visiting again.
As of right now, I would recommend the Granada for drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere is unlike any other in SLO county and we wish them the best of luck!
A wonderful bistro on a side street off Higuera in downtown SLO. Â I don't think SLO even knew what it was missing, till this little bistro came along. Â I sort of like to think of it as a Linnea's' (local coffee shop) that sells wine and food at night.
On my most recent visit, we sat in the room that's accessed to the right of the kitchen/bar area, in what's basically a living room! Â It was awesome. Â Cool chairs and cozy couches, and only me, my Mom, and sister; we had the place to ourselves. We even played the piano, danced around, and reminisced when my sister hit some chords I haven't heard for years! Â
Unfortunately they were out of a few wines and a sparkling Cava that I would have been interested in. Â They have a WOW, (Wine of the Week, so SLO to make it an acronym!) which is a good price and safe bet. Â
We enjoyed all of our food, nothing daring, such as beet salad, awesome dates wrapped in bacon, stuffed with something, and the Cubano sandwich which also delivered. For 3, with a couple of drinks (just one for Mom) and food that we shared, feeling plenty sated, was $75/ before tip. Â And service was really nice and good.
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