Nepenthe Restaurant

Nepenthe is one of those iconic restaurants that had been on my list for ages. Since they don't take reservations, our plan was to arrive right at 11:30, when they open for lunch. We walked in at 11:36, and were told it would be a 45 min to 1 hour wait, which means you really need to get there before opening to secure a table. They gave us a buzzer, and we were able to explore the Phoenix Shop in the meantime. We were seated after about 50 minutes at an indoor table, since the patio was closed. The ambiance was casual and cozy, and I loved the indoor fire pit. The views really were beautiful, even with the fog.

I ordered a Super Cider (without the rum), which was tasty and nice for a cold day. For food, I got the The Famous Ambosiaburger with cheddar cheese. It came with a choice of garbanzo-kidney bean salad, crunchy coleslaw or tossed green salad, and I chose the green salad with blue cheese dressing. The burger was very juicy and filling, and somewhat messy to eat. It did hit the spot though. We also got a Basket of French Fries for the table, which was absolutely massive - way too much for the three of us. The texture of the fries was perfect though. Service was quick and decently friendly, and we definitely did not leave hungry. Not sure if I would brave the wait time in the future, but it was worth the visit!

We went to Nepenthe for lunch. We were seated with a view of the ocean, 10/10 view while enjoying lunch but you can get similar views all along the big sur coast.

The food was definitely overpriced, as expected. The beef and barley soup (2.7/5.0) was good, nothing too special .
The Famous Ambrosiaburger (3.9/5.0) bread had the perfect amount of crispyness while still being soft on the inside, the flavor was good but had to add ketchup. I chose the garbanzo-kidney bean salad (3.8/5.0) as the side which paired well with the burger and was well seasoned. The Caprese salad (2.5/5.0) had cucumber and tomatoes that were not bite sized which made it semi-awkward to eat different ingredients together. The flavor was also bland.

Overall, we didn't think it was worth the price but it was worth the experience of being inside a giant tree house by the coast. It was a basic burger for $25 dollars which wasn't very filling. The menu is very limited. The food took ~40 minutes, which was admittedly longer than it took for some of the other people who where seated later than us but received their food before us.

The location is beautiful hands down, amazing outdoor seating with heater options too. Good indoor seating too. The food options are very limited thats a negative, we went for lunch and the menu was limited. Way more drinks available than food options (i dont drink alcohol),

The service was good and helpful no doubt. Also this place is pricey as heck for limited food options. Basket of fries was like $14...

Drove by this place for like 10 years and went inside today, but prolly last time cuz not much to eat (also since i only eat halal meat too , veggie options were limited. We did try the salmon and the quantity was so little

Pink lemonade wasnt that great tbh either. The shrimp was unfortunately mixed with bacon so couldnt order that.

Recommendations: have shrimp option without mixing with bacon, maybe get some of the meats from Australia or new zealand from restaurant depot as options for steaks and burgers etc. and also have bfast option as well

I've been coming here for at least 50 years. When we have friends visit from out of town we take them here for lunch. No can do anymore. It is EXTREMELY expensive. Not like a pinch, like a punch. The food is ok, not awesome. The drinks are fine. The prices are just crazy stupid. The view is to die for and that's why we came. No more. Very sad beginning of the end for this historic landmark.
Make it a museum.

Very lovely wait stafff. Intense and beautiful views. Very small menu and the food is ok. You are paying for the view. Had the veggie burger and bean salad. Was not bad. Enjoy the vibes.

View is not to be missed. Gorgeous winter day with the sun out and no fog - got lucky!! Got there right after it opened on a Sunday, and there were still plenty of seats both inside and out.

The infamous Ambrosia burger is what most of our party got. The price has gone over the years, but that is to be expected. Still good. With a basket of fries and homemade ranch, such perfect pairing.

The view never gets old nor does burger. 'Til next time, Nepenthe. Our server was also wonderful.

Almost forgot we got the decadent 4 layer cake with ganache made in house. Yummy!

Food is decent, nothing extraordinary. Service was great!
The place is typically crowded. Popular with tourists and some locals.
This place, with bigger outdoor dining area than indoor, has breathtaking view. I'm curious how it is to eat here in the winter time as I've only gone here in the summer time.

This place has a truly breathtaking view. As soon as we arrived, the food honestly didn't matter. The view was so majestic and beautiful that it was worth every penny just to experience it.

But surprisingly the food was pretty good (especially their speial burger) and the service was incredibly friendly too. A must-visit if you are in the area!

Your options are limited along the coast and the main reason you go to nepenthe is for the views. It's a destination in of itself but the food is average.

You must go here for the experience alone. If you're able to, grab a seat outdoors under the umbrellas. My husband and I arrived around 12 on a Sunday. It was already busy, but not packed. Luckily, we were seated right away.

The view is SPECTACULAR in this beautiful restaurant. It's a wonderful place to stop along the drive on highway 1 for a casual lunch. Full disclosure, the food is ridiculously expensive for mediocre fare. The sodas are also priced PER cup without refills.

We ordered their famous ambrosia sandwich, shrimp BLT with the three bean salad and the garden salad. If you're a fan of blue cheese, try the
blue cheese vinaigrette.

Fries are not an option as a side, so we ordered a half basket, which was plenty. Because fries with a view just hits differently! The food was good but not worth the price point. You are definitely paying for the entire experience of

Nepenthe. You also have to consider how they get goods to that location. It's quite a trek so it's not a huge surprise the prices are so inflated.

Our server was also super friendly even though service was a bit slow and our drinks remained empty for a while. We had to ask for refills on water and order another soda.

I still highly recommend a visit here! There's also a cafe on site opened for breakfast options if you'd rather have that. Don't forget to check out the cute little shop (Phoenix) on site as well.

We loved our experience here and am already planning our next trip.