Loading Chute Restaurant and Barn — Restaurant in California

We were here last month for a dinner date while staying in Paso on a road trip. What a delightful surprise! Right off the bat, our waitress was extremely personable, easy-going and accommodating, and we had a very welcoming and smooth experience with her, (as well as with each person who came by our table to deliver or clear something).

Between the two of us we tried the Shrimp cocktail (super fresh), Chicken noodle soup (homemade thick noodles), Side salad (perfect portions), Prime rib (still dreaming about the texture), baked potato, rice pilaf and mixed veggies (each just right). FYI - The optional side of sautéed mushrooms packs a punch of garlic and the homemade bread is to die for. We loved the flavored ice teas and generous beverage size. It's unusual for a meal out for us where every single thing is good, but in this case everything we had was so fresh, delicious, and perfectly cooked, we seriously regretted not saving room for pie. (We envied our table neighbors who were there celebrating their anniversary as their pie was delivered; they smartly had gotten to-go boxes instead of finishing their plates).

A highlight of our experience was one of the young bussers named Aiden (sp?). Wow, we were blown away by his maturity and humility, and appreciated how he effortlessly and eagerly catered to our needs. He consistently checked on us to make sure we had everything we needed and was very quick to remedy anything with a smile. He made us feel like guests of the restaurant, not just random people, looking us in the eye and establishing rapport. He gave us some hope and restored faith in the up and coming generation. With amazing manners and a can-do attitude that we rarely rarely see even in older adult employees these days, he has the makings of a future manager/owner! This young man honestly made our night extra special (leveled up from the already fantastic experience with our server and food). Kudos to whomever hired this guy, he's a keeper.

We will definitely be back and highly recommend the Loading Chute to anyone passing through Paso, the drive to Creston is worth it! They really 'do it right' here, both the food and...

We came here with some friends that live in the area and they've been wanting to take us here for a while. When I pulled up, I saw a rustic building in a remote town with many vehicles parked on the road and parking lot, so I was hoping it was going to be good. Once inside, it is a really nice restaurant with a nice patio. Outside is kid friendly.

The waiting staff was attentive to our needs. While we were waiting for our food, they dropped off home made bread that they make from their pizza oven. The bread is top notch. Then they dropped off my salad with honey mustard dressing on a cold glass plate. The salad was basic, but the dressing was so good. It made the salad really good.

Then came the entre, the chicken and ribs. The chicken breast is very moist and seasoned well. They lightly coat it with their secret barbecue sauce. While the chicken was very delicious, the ribs stole the show. There is plenty of meat on them and it just falls off the bone. However they seasoned and drizzled it with barbecue sauce worked. They're the best ribs I've had in California.

If I return... Scratch that. When I return, I will order a full order of ribs. I would also split my meal because it comes with...

Appetizer: Sautéed button mushrooms in butter and garlic, with the homemade bread was delicious. The butter was loaded with tiny garlic pieces and the mushrooms were infused with ALL that goodness…highly recommend.

Entrees: We got the steak, shrimp and chicken combo, and the Ortega burgers. Steak was grilled perfectly and the shrimp “just right”. Burgers had that wonderful “you KNOW when your meat’s cooked on the grill” taste. Soooo yummy! The chef KNEW exactly when to remove everything from the grill. This place is our new “go-to” for special celebrations.

Not just that, but the wait staff are friendly and energetic, the venue is peaceful and understated…soooo nice. You have a choice to eat inside the “saloon”, or outside under the shade of enormous trees. Everyone around us was smiling, and it had EVERYTHING to do with both the food and the understated ambiance at this restaurant. Well done to...