Cuisine
Open
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner dailyFeatures
- Kid-friendly
- Full bar
- Parking lot
- Casual
* Click here for rating key
 Be prepared for a wait at Jocko's Steakhouse, sometimes two hours or longer on weekends; but the dining experience is well worth it. Once an Old West saloon in the late-nineteenth century, the eatery in the quaint town of Nipomo is now a raucous, high-energy haven for lovers of good steak, especially those cooked Santa Maria-style over a roaring, fragrant oak fire. Jocko's portions are famously large, and we see many people departing with generous leftovers. We suggest the New York steak and the filet mignon, and order them medium-rare, the better to savor their charred surfaces and juicy rose-pink interiors. Or go for the Spencer steak, a flavorful cut you won't see on many menus these days. Most meat dishes come with fresh homemade tomato salsa, another Santa Maria barbecue touch. Non-steak items are available but seem like an afterthought. Although the wine list is modest, it does highlight many of Santa Barbara County's meat-friendly reds. (Note: The Little Jocko’s across the freeway is an aptly named offshoot of the original---with more of a fast-food ambience and a menu with burgers, sandwiches, fries, shakes, etc.)
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