The Restaurant at JUSTIN

The worse seven course dinner I have ever experienced. My boyfriend got me a wine membership for Christmas as well as a stay at the Justin Inn for the weekend. The winery is located in a beautiful setting and the suites are very cute. We had dinner reservations on Friday night ²⁄₁₉. We arrived and there were only two other couples there. So they served a total of 6 people that night for dinner.
When we booked the stay at the Inn and the dinner reservations they never stated that it was a pre set menu and you cannot make your own choice. It is Lent and every restaurant even Jack in the Box offers a fish option during Lent. When we arrived the waiter stated that the menu was preset and 7 courses. I asked if they had a fish option because it is Lent and he stated no. So I just went for it. The waiter leaves and brings the couple next to us Salmon! I asked him can I have that too he stated I would have had to call ahead for that! Mind you there are six of us the entire night in there. The food was awful!!! The fried duck skin was like chewing gum! The duck was under cooked I couldn’t even cut it with my knife. The lamb was so raw the fat was still cold and gooey. The couple next to us said «I was trying to stab it with my fork so it wouldn’t walk off my plate». We left there starving after a 7 course meal and paying $ 280!
The worse part was we were staying in the middle of no where and went to bed hungry. I’m still in shock that no one has contacted us about the experience. I’m not one to write bad comments as my family owned a restaurant in San Diego for 20 years but I had to write this so no one else attempts to spend that kind of money and leave disappointed… we are cancelling out membership even though we love the wine due to the way Justin handled this.

Best Clam Chowder especially when topped with Cayucos Hot Sauce!!! No potatoes and more clams YUM!!! Love it!

Worst customer service ever. So bad, we are cancelling our wine membership and won’t be back. We showed up a little before 2pm on a tasting tour hoping to have lunch. We were asked by the maitre d’ whether we had reservations. We said no and he said the restaurant quits accepting walk-​ins at 2pm. We pointed out we were there before 2pm and he then informed us they had quit accepting walk-​ins at 1:30. I told him we were wine club members and asked him to honor their posted hours. He refused. I asked to speak to the manager and he informed me that would not help as they had closed and were not accepting walk-​ins.
Justin is in the middle of nowhere and it isn’t easy to find somewhere else to eat if they won’t serve you. To make matters worse, we were on a fairly tight schedule to make a 5pm Hearst Castle Tour. We wound up having a wonderful meal in Morro Bay at Taco Temple.
For what Justin charges it is unbelievable they treat people this way, especially wine club members. There are any number of ways they could’ve handled it better.

Justin Justin Justin. you never disappoint!
Quick background story: On our first date, my boyfriend and I ordered a bottle of Justin Cabernet Sauvignon purely because it was from Paso Robles (we went to school in San Luis Obispo). It soon became our favorite cab. and when we finally realized we are but a short 3 hour drive to the winery, we hightailed it over.
It was a bit difficult to make last minute dinner reservations, so we opted for lunch on a Saturday. We arrived a bit early but was seated right away. (Note: If you make your reservations through Open Table and want to get the points for it, make sure they check you in.) The restaurant and the winery is absolutely gorgeous– I overheard that it was recently renovated. We were seated outside in the patio and they had the heater on so that was nice to have in the fall weather. The ambiance alone deserves the 5 stars, but the food definitely did not hurt either. Here’s what we ordered:
— Half Artisanal Cheese Plate with added Alle-​Pia Charcuterie: Definitely worth it to add the salami. Everything they include pairs so well with each other!
— Side of grilled cauliflower: Unexpected flavors, but good!
— Justin Burger: Cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth with every bite.
— Pulled pork sandwich: Served in a skinny baguette, it is much more filling than it looks. My boyfriend really enjoyed it.
+ Wine and wine flight because we couldn’t wait to wine taste after lunch.
It was a teensy bit annoying to have to constantly swap flying away from my face and food, but I’m not sure what the restaurant could really do about that. For Justin, I will look past that. I cannot wait to come back for their dinner tasting menu!

«Vineyard Lunch»
When you are out in the Far-​Out Wineries the food options for a sit-​down lunch are meager. So if you are already in the Westside, instead of driving all the way to the Downtown area, look into a lunch at Justin.
Wife and I made reservations to conveniently follow our amazing tasting (The Justi, Iso, Reserve Malbec, and Savant are all drinking well.)
Noah, our server was beaming with positivity and charm.
We started with a spring roll, a small but flavorful serving for about $ 12.
I had a glass of Justin Cab ’12 ($ 9) a bold, fruit-​driven coffee-​tinged mamma jamma.
It went very well with the juicy BBQ Burger ($ 16), the sharp 5 year cheddar cheese adding depth and richness. The truffle fries ($ 6) are big enough to share and are a must-​order, and my wife thought her Bucatini Pasta ($ 16) was solid as she loves mushrooms.
The crowd was a nice mix of couples very much in love (like us!), dignified older folks, and a group of Isocoles-​filled giggily Asian gals.
Kinda pricey for a casual, al fresco lunch but you are in wine country afterall.

This place is UNBELIEVABLE.
The Location: Difficult to get to, but SO worth it. The views are stunning. I sat outside on a Sunday and the weather was spectacular. You have views of the vineyards, but also views of the garden, where they grow the herbs they use and some of the veggies. We took a look at the gardens and saw some beautiful strawberries, kale, lettuce, mint, and chard.
It’s also next to the Justin tasting room as well as several other great wineries (including Opolo), so it’s great opportunity to get some wine tasting in.
The Service: Top notch! Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the food and the wine, had good recommendations, and was very attentive. Also let us «revisit» some of the tastings. :)
The Food: The most important thing… absolutely fantastic. Came for brunch on Mother’s Day. We tried the French Toast, which was made of blue cheese walnut bread (I believe from Hush Harbor, which is an excellent bakery), and had a housemade lemon-​thyme syrup and chamomile chantilly crème. Excellent. I recommend the white/​pink flight with it.
Also had the sausage, which came with delicious grain mustard and amazing raspberry jam. Lastly we tried the burger, and added a fried egg and the housemade bacon. Although the burger technically came out to $ 26 with all the additions, it was still a top notch delicious burger. We also got a side of fries, which were very fresh and crisp and had just enough truffle oil and fresh herbs. As I mentioned above, they grow many of their items and also include all of their vendors on the back of the menu, so you really know what you’re eating.
Highly recommend eating here. As a side note, they also have a hotel here (an «inn» technically, but it looks very nice and brand new), where I will definitely be staying at in the future. Very romantic location with great views!

We went here for Valentine’s day, I booked it after I read about it in their member newsletter. I didn’t really read into what it was about and figured it would be the usual 4 course meal experience, like at restaurant week. Well let me tell you! It was so much more! We had a dedicated waiter, and they paired a special wine with each course, and the chef came out to meet us and present us with the first appetizer. I understand this was a special menu, but I’m sure their regular menu must be amazing. Every course went perfect with the wine and our waiter was so much fun. It was a beautiful way to spend the evening.

Wonderful dinner! The food and wine excellent! Be aware that the winery and restaurant are far off the beaten path… approx a half hour from town and we suffered a problem getting a yellow cab to pick us up even after making a reservation. Not Justin’s fault certainly, but something to be aware of if drinking and driving do not appeal to you!

The BEST Restaurant in Paso Robles!!! The Food just kept on coming!!! Be prepared, it is a lot of food and every course was amazing!!! Wish this was closer to me. We sat outside on a gorgeous evening and watched the sunset along the rolling hills of Justin Vineyards. We had the reserved wine tasting and WOW what a perfect pairing! Justin Wine is also the BEST and I can happily say I have been a wine enthusiast member for 7 years! I can’t wait to go back!

Well yes, extremely pricey but hey, it’s at a WINERY out in the vines. So what you are really paying for is the atmosphere, the awesome service, the wine selection and the food was good, not amazing and I certainly wouldn’t pay those prices for lunch downtown.
I had the burger with sweet potato fries and the portions were large, I got some home– made Dijon sauce to go with my fries and they gave me extra lettuce since I can’t eat the bun. i had my burger with their Rose’ which was REALLY good and totally made the meal pop. I sat outside overlooking the vines, quietly observing the trees and the beauty around me. I think a burger sea side is better scenery and better priced but it was a great experience for a once in a while kind of thing and I would recommend this place for a special occasion or something different if you want to splurge! I am looking forward to more complex dishes and better variety of food though for the price… next time I will wait and do the food pairing winemaker’s dinner.

$ 21 burger? Are we in NYC?
Restaurant is not ready for prime time. The sea food dish was way over spiced with a tomato base that over powered all the sea food. The menu does not mention, nor did the server, that the shrimp in the stew are shelled. It’s a messy business trying to eat large shelled shrimp with a red sauce. The pork dish was just ok and consistent with other dishes, the menu does mention that some items on the plate are spicy.
The lentil soup was very good as were the expensive salad offerings.
The setting is very charming but a better food bet is around the corner from the Justin bites menu where the $ 21 burger is discounted to a more approachable $ 15,

We had our anniversary dinner at Justin. The food was fantastic. One of the top two restaurants in SLO county. Service was fabulous as well. Ambiance is slightly lacking but definitely does not detract from the quality and presentation of the amazing meal.

I spent the past weekend at the recently renovated Justin Winery. I have stayed here multiple times in the past and I have always had an exceptional stay. The food has been no exception and it did not disappoint during the two dinners I had during this stay.
First, if you have been to Justin in the past– it has changed. The restaurant has moved to the back of the tasting room and the entire building has been renovated. The new style is much more modern. Very sleek and clean. They have also added patios all around the building that provide fantastic views of the winery. Yes, it may have lost some of its charm from years past. But I got over that– just give it a chance.
Now, the food. The restaurant is very small– probably 5 tables. Staff outnumber the guests, so you get very hands-​on and attentive service. Although the restaurant had only been open a few nights, everything went smoothly and without a hitch. We started both dinners with a glass of champagne out on the patio. Fantastic. The menu essentially offered two choices: carnivore or vegetarian. You can also choose to pair the courses with wine. But if you are at Justin this really isn’t an option– in fact it is probably why you are here. So, if you are like me you pick the wine flight and get a different Justin wine with each course. Everything is perfectly paired and it really enhances the entire experience.
The second night we let the chef decide what to prepare. Wow. That’s about all I can say. Truly an experience. Without boring you (too late?) with too much detail, the food was amazing. Fresh local ingredients prepared in interesting and delicious ways. Paired with great service and fantastic wine in a beautiful setting. Just about as good as it gets.
Be prepared to spend three hours, although it might only feel like one. But it is one you will remember for a long time. The meal won’t be inexpensive, but you get what you pay for and in my opinion it is worth every penny. It is a little hard to believe that such a restaurant can exist in far out Paso and at such a small scale. But they pull it off somehow. I imagine it will only get better as they settle into their new digs. I, for one, will be back.
If you like fine food paired with fantastic wine, definitely check out this gem.

JUSTIN brought worldwide recognition to the Paso Robles viticultural region in 2000 when their Bordeaux blend ISOSCELES was named one of the top 10 wines in the world by Wine Spectator and loads of awards and 90+ ratings since then. It’s one of my favorite tasting rooms, for the wine and also for the friendly staff.
I had the opportunity to attend one of their Guest Chef Dinners – this one with Chef Marcel Vigneron of Top Chef. He studied under Chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli restaurant in Spain – said to the be the best in the world – and learned molecular gastronomy techniques that he uses to make amazing dishes, like the Dragon’s Breath appetizer. Balls of sugar and wild rice are rolled in liquid nitrogen so «smoke» comes out of your nose when you eat them. The dinner was held in the huge barrel room at the winery (a short distance separate from the tasting room complex) that is the entrance to JUSTIN’s subterranean wine caves. The food and wine were spectacular – they have a guest chef series as well as special dinners throughout the year – check their website.
They are the only Paso winery to have a full-​time, in-​house chef creating wine pairing recipes. I haven’t eaten in their restaurant, but it must be terrific, given the quality of the food in the Guest Chef Dinner. The winery is also green – sustainable and biodynamic and locally sourced organic produce is used for the dinners and in the restaurant.
When JUSTIN was bought by Fiji Water in 2010, there was a worry that founder Justin Baldwin would no longer be part of the winery. But, he hosted the Guest Chef Dinner and still running the winery. A big part of the extraordinary dinner experience was the chance to meet the founder, the chefs (including JUSTIN’s in-​house chef Will Torres and guest Chef Marcel Vigneron), and the winemaker Scott Shirley.

Wow. Unreal!

Wonderfully quiet spot in the middle of the vineyards. It will be expensive at $ 100 a plate plus $ 45 for the wine pairings which I recommend. The food prep and presentation is something you will talk about for months. They seat about dozen at a time so use open table or just call for reservations.

Beautiful setting in wine country. The inside seating area is like being in someone’s home. Service was attentive. The cheese and meat selection was a good choice to accompany a flight of the vineyard’s reds. Cheese was fresh and varied. Leave lunch and go choose wines to bring home.

Not impressed AT ALL! Nothing remarkable about the food. Way too expensive for what they serve for a prixe fix menu. I don’t mind paying the $$$$ but this was no where near the big leagues! One waiter & one helper. Will never go back!

4 stars! For the supposed best restaurant in SLO county! That’s crazy.
It’s really not actually. The drive there was spectacularly beautiful. The atmosphere is wonderful and cozy. Service was impeccable. The food was very very high-​quality with some interesting takes on different dishes. So what’s my problem? Well, some of the dishes were just eh. I’ll run it down since there aren’t many reviews:
Scale 1 –10, with 10 being wonderful.
Celery Root Soup — 8, really surprisingly good and satisfying
Winter Vegetable Salad — 2, yuck, weird and needed more dressing Sonoma Foie Gras — 9, best I’ve ever had, inventive, great!
Butter Poached Lobster — 4, disappointing! bland.
Colorado Lamb Sirloin — 6, On the one hand the meat was DELICIOUS. On the other hand, you had to wade through a fat layer to get there. Please it off for me. Eh, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be and I’m just classless, but it’s weird.
Brisket — had a great taste, 8 or 9, very good.
Fourme d’Ambert D’Anjou Pear — 10 — my favorite course lol! Some of the best cheese I’ve ever had. Ate mine and someone else’s
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta — 6, eh, nothing special.
Rose Water-​Crème Fraiche Cheesecake — 8, very very good. The right texture.
Another problem is that it’s 3 times as expensive as Hoppes, which has better food. It’s just SO freaking expensive — $ 500 for a table of 4. That place is just too rich for my blood. If I was dating a rich man, I would def. return. But not now. I’m glad I went once and experienced it.

This is a prize in the Paso Robles area, the best restaurant we have in terms of food, service and ambiance. We recently had two dinners at high-​end, prix fixe establishments in the bay area and both disappoinred. Deborah’s Room did not. Timothy, both waiter and maitre’d onn the night we were there, takes very good care of everyone. Very special and highly recommended. Given the quality of the food and experience, this is not an expensive dinner. The only issue is that its WAY out in the country, but that’s part of what makes it speci