Landing Zone Restaurant

Can never go wrong with the French Dips. Great eat before a flight and the owners are very friendly folks. Never have had a bad experience.

I’ve had the Cobb salad as well as breakfast and it was great! The omelets are tasty and the portions are generous

I’ve been here a few times, for both breakfast and lunch. Neither the breakfast menu nor the lunch menu are particularly imaginative (eggs, pancakes, and french toast for breakfast, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches for lunch), but everything I’ve ordered has been very tasty.
The service is excellent. The waitress (also the owner) really made me and the folks I’m with feel very welcome. Everything about the place oozes comfort. The seats are these comfy wingback type chairs (on casters, no less), even. And there aren’t a bunch of TVs as a distraction. The only distraction is that the view of the ramp and runways is pretty good, so it’s a good airplane watching spot.

Very friendly serves and clean.
Great mushroom burger. Especially when you’re starving after a flight LOL.

Went here today for the first time in many years. The ambiance is nice, though a little cramped. It was moderately busy at lunch today, and I shudder to think what it would be like during a truly busy period. Weaving between tables to get to/​from the door was awkward.
But the service was fabulous. Our server was friendly & attentive despite apparently being the only person manning the tables & cash register. The food was good & reasonably priced. But very uninspired. Burgers, chicken, salads. Perhaps the simple, easy to prepare meals are necessary considering the location. But if they expanded the menu a bit, puting two or three «fancier» options that were done well, I would easily bump them to 5 stars.

Oh, boy. I REALLY want to like this place and I do want them to succeed for many reasons— not the least of which is that James and Helen are very nice people and because the airport– any airport– needs a decent restaurant.
However, most everything here is just mediocre. The service is usually quite good but the food is uninspired,. If they would only pick a couple of really special items and execute them well, then it might be different.
I would suggest, being Salinas, they should have a full & fresh salad bar, a great burger and a few interesting sandwiches on the side. Maybe a tasty soup du jour too and fresh, fresh fresh! Nothing fancy. Shouldn’t be too hard.
Please give them a try and maybe give them a few pointers and suggestions. They deserve to succeed and the airport needs them to.

Nice stop for lunch for the pilot on the go. Small dining room with a nice view of the ramp. Reasonable price for the food. Simple menu with a variety of selections. Quick service.

Adequate, your basic no-​frills GA airport café. The «Salinas City Fries» appear to be of the Ore-​Ida frozen variety, and the décor is very 70’s.
Note: despite the Salias Owners & Pilot’s Association web site claiming they’re open on Sundays, they are no longer. Call ahead.

I chose this pace for our group because we could see planes flying in and out. The entrance was nice looking and the landscape had desert like plants.
The service was excellent and only one woman was doing the serving. My Chili Burger was great. We dined in a private room with a view and enjoyed the calm atmospere of watching the planes. This a great place for a club or group to dine. Oh, yes, a few of us had a glass of a great «Rose» wine.
We will go there again!

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL AIRPORT’S RESTAURANT!!!
FOOD — Airport restaurants tend to be greasy spoons or Mexican restaurants. James Klimas, owner and chef, serves fresh and tasty versions of the stereotypical pilots’ diner chow. He does a french dip roast beef sandwich which is great. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and chili are available too, but freshly made with real ingredients. Wonder of wonders, he also serves vegetarian dishes. This is competent food.
SERVICE — James’ wife, Helen, used to be at the head of the house. I’ve heard she’s not there right now. However, knowing Helen and her sweet, sunny personality, I know that she and James would have hired another people-​person waiter or waitress.
AMBIANCE — As you would expect, we’ve got lots of airport and pilot memorabilia but it’s more of a professional display than kitschy. This is a place that would be as appropriate for a business meeting as a family breakfast. Salinas is the home of the California Air Show, and is/​has been home for some very famous aerobatic pilots. You’re as likely to see Jim Cheatham of ShowCopters, Sean D. Tucker of Power Aerobatics, or Wayne Handley of Team Raven as you are a scion of Silicon Valley, or just a regular airport growler.
PRICES — Food prices are just going up. James and Helen have contrived a menu that is reasonably priced.