Somerset Grill — Restaurant in Pismo Beach

2nd star is for the atmosphere, which is lovely. So if you don’t care about the quality of the food, this place may be for you! While they claim to be able to accommodate gluten free, it is not the place to go if you are wanting nutritionally prepared foods, or anything GF. Chef is overly generous with low quality oils, even dumped into the Tomato Bisque soup (which tasted bad due to oil). Accoutrements to the salmon were inedible, again just swimming in poor tasting oil. The salmon was cooked quite nicely, but overpowered by the quantity of piccata topping the fish. (I like piccata, but this was as if the full jar was dumped on the plate). Golden potatoes are covered in seasoning that, (based on how I feel), likely includes “natural” flavorings/MSG. This restaurant also handles room service for the the Vespara on Ocean hotel. Other than a fruit cup, there are zero GF options, not even oatmeal is available. I’d expected more from a restaurant on...

Lovely property. However, a sign near the dining room (Please Wait Here to be Seated) for incoming patrons would be helpful. Several folks were confused.

I had the Salad Nicoise $21. The "house poached tuna*" was dry and tasteless. The potatoes were undercooked. Our waitress was nice but seemed untrained -- or was having an "off day." We had to ask repeatedly for things. She didn't offer dessert - so we asked. Our desserts were good, but she did not bring utensils. We grabbed new place settings, but my companion still needed a spoon which we asked for three times. Then she forgot the coffee.

I'm not going to write the restaurant off after one visit. But my first experience was mediocre, at best.

Re: The poached tuna: I admit I was spoiled by the poached tuna at Sierra Mar Restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur when Craig Von Foerster...

We came here for breakfast, even though we were staying at a different hotel, just based on the good reviews - we all wanted some great pancakes. I gotta say, especially for the high prices, I was not super impressed with the food! I really wanted to love it, but - pancakes were the skinniest things I’ve ever seen. They looked more like crepes. And the lox bagel sandwich was so bland… they did make me a killer mocha latte though. But even though the food was disappointing, I don’t regret coming, because our server, Irene, was absolutely the most fantastic person ever. She was so incredibly personable and sweet, she was the most memorable part of the...