River Grill At the Alisal

I’m torn about writing a good review of this place. It is out of the way of the Solvang village, so it is not as crowded as Solvang. But the more Unilocal it has, the more people will try it. Wait Staff is very nice, food is above average, environment is above average. Good parking, nice views, relaxed atmosphere. Big portions. Best Tortilla Soup we’ve had in awhile, excellent salad. Good beers on tap. When you go, make sure it is not the same day we go! Enjoy. Seems like more locals than your usual Solvang-​flocked-​to-​restaurants.

Still delicious and enjoyable. It is really more of a local’s spot than tourists. The food is consistent. Service is friendly but sometimes slow. Outdoor patio is wonderful if not too hot, too cold, or too windy. Will you please start opening for dinner a few nights a week?

Great food; good service. Brunch Bloody Marys are fab!
Tried the California omelette. Salsa has the same kick as the Bloody Mary but not too spicy. Friends really enjoyed the Eggs Benedict and brioche sticky bun.

This is a great spot for breakfast or brunch. It’s located just past the Corque hotel at the food course and has an amazing view. The restaurant is adorable with a nice due place. The breakfast was perfect and so much better than what we had the day before. I’m so glad this place was recommended to us from one of the wineries. They also made the best bloody Mary with pepper infused vodka, picked asparagus and bacon. It was really the perfect brunch!

The River Grill sounded like it was worth the short drive off the main tourist streets in Solvang. Nice location on the golf course with serene views of the hills. Unfortunately, that’s where the «romance» ended. I could go on in detail about how awful the lunch was that I ordered, but cutting to the chase, it was gooey and gross. I couldn’t eat the brisket sandwich at all. I thought my savior would be the fries, but when I asked for ketchup the squeeze bottle was sticky and the lid was covered with dried ketchup remnants (eewww). .. anyway, I couldn’t eat the fries either.

We had a fabulous brunch here on a Sunday morning in June. We sat outside on the porch and enjoyed the beautiful summer ambiance. As long as we were under the shade of the umbrella, it was fine — otherwise it was a little too hot and bright.
The service could have been better — long periods went by without any sign of our server. She could have doubled her drink sales if she had showed up more often.
The food was good and very fresh.

Onion rings were delish! Brisket sandwich was hard to eat as the meat shredded as you ate it. Makes it very hard to do in ah ju

Went back there again for lunch and Had the southwestern salad! It’s now my newest favorite salad from any restaurant! It’s a «must try»!! I would try to get a table outside on the patio! It’s so pretty there with the hillls!

I had such a delicious lunch! Cinde is the best server! She is a delight. Very good at anticipating my needs. Jose was right there to refill our beverages! The food was delicious. I wish you were open for dinner, at least 4 nights s week!

Food was good, but the service is absolutely horrible! You shouldn’t have to wait 30 minutes for a glass of water!

I went to the River Grill because a friend suggested it and I wanted to try something new. This place has a lot of potential, but it needs work.
The restaurant was over air conditioned, so we moved outside. My huevos rancheros were good, but nothing to write home about.
The outside views were the best asset of this establishment. It’s really gorgeous to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.
I think if they changed their menu, improved service and renovated the place, it could be 5 stars.

The Alisal is a beautiful place no doubt, the restaurant not so much. but if you can sit outside and enjoy the sights then it’s still a nice place to eat.

Update: Aug 19, 2012
We were back in the area, and dropped in on River Grill for breakfast. Despite the fact there was only one waitress, she handled it with grace and excellence. The food was excellent as well.

I had sky high expectations before I came here which is probably why I was disappointed. The Alisal is one of the most prohibitively expensive places to vacation which is why I haven’t done it yet. That said, I had really high hopes for this restaurant because it was an Alisal venue.
The tortilla soup impressed my tastebuds. Huge tortilla strips and chunks of chicken adorn this masterpiece of savory spice. Very flavorful and satisfying.
The sandwiches let me down. I tried the cranberry turkey ciabatta and the beef brisket. The taste and texture of the meat in both sandwiches lead me to believe that the sandwiches were crafted from the previous night’s leftover barbeque. Salty, dry and tough, neither sandwich can even compare to Panera Bread or Corner Bakery sandwiches.
As you are waiting for your food, look up. There is a 8 diamonds card stuck on the ceiling. The waitress said that a magician who dined there made it magically appear there. According to that magician, the card will fall back to earth the day the magician passes away. SPOOKY!

We came in for a dinner and graduation party from UCSB, a 15 min drive and we liked every minute we had. The restaurant atmosphere is superb, service is above your expectation, bathrooms after top-​notch, and food, well worth every bite. We did not have any drinks other than water which was good.
After dinner we spent some bonding time on the porch looking over the gold course and having our home made cheese cake. We surprised by one of the server which came out with a pitcher of water and with a big smile on her face.
You would love this place.

This is definitely my favorite lunch spot in Solvang area. If I lived close by, I would definitely be there all the time. I have been to many other restaurants in Solvang and I’d say this place has the best lunch options.
When my mom and I visit the area, we always play golf at the River course. After the round, we go to River Grill and get beer and lunch. They have a large patio with lots of tables and the view can’t be beat.
Everything I have tried so far has been good!
Sliders — they give you 2 pretty big sliders, in fact I’m not sure if they can be considered a slider… If you’re hungry, you’d finish this up by yourself, because they are so juicy and tasty, but it is perfect for sharing also.
Vegetarian salad wrap — one of the best vegetarian wrap/​sandwiches I’ve ever had. This might be my favorite on the menu.
Grilled portobello mushroom burgers — so flavorful and filling!
Salads are also very good. I’ve tried Caesar’s salad and Mixed baby greens. I think they use locally grown veggies, because everything tastes so fresh and good!
Even if you’re not a golfer, you’d love this place. Highly recommended!

This place is so relaxing! My family and I were visiting Solvang one weekend, and my brother ended up guiding us to this golf course. «Where are you taking us???» We sat outside, enjoyed the great view, and ate wonderful food! Our burgers were SO juicy! I felt like everyone at this restaurant was in the same great mood!
Minus the old lady with the really really really really long nails, I had a great time. :)

3.5 stars
River Grill is an upscale option in Solvang & especially convenient if you don’t feel like waiting in line for the popular pancake house in town that everyone is crazy about. I had the Huevos Rancheros with a side of bacon. They did a great job all around. Quality ingredients and nice preparation made this a great breakfast. The ambiance of the place can be a little bit down– especially on a Sunday morning; but this is the trade-​off for not being stuck with the crowds. The main take-​away is that they serve excellent food here. I also enjoyed the outside view of the beautiful golf course & rate this classy place highly.

As I have mentioned in the past, my family vacations at the Alisal Guest Ranch every October. I will try to review some of the different hot spots for me up here.
The River Grill is the Bar/​Grill that is at the Ranch Golf Course. I am giving it 5 Stars because I have never had a bad experience here and the staff is the same people as the Guest Ranch, so they are top notch and VERY friendly!
The only thing I really ever get here are the Hot Dogs and Firestone DBA’s. But this is NOT just a hot dog, it is delicious and always hits the spot! They bring out onions, relish, mustard, mayo, ketchup so you can pimp your own dog. The hot dogs here are just fantastic!!!
My family members have had other items on the menu and been happy as well.
MY GO-​TO DISH: The Hot Dog with all the Fixin’s OR the Chili Dog if I am feeling extra adventurous! Oh, and of course a few Firestone Double Barrel Ales!

This place IS a secret place in Solvang! It also has a nice view while you dine!
Got here around 6pm, it wasn’t too filled. But by 7pm, it was a full house! You can make reservations.
The house bread was pretty good, cheesey sourdough bread and cornbread. The cornbread was different from anything else I’ve tasted. It was like bell peppery? I can’ describe it. if you get the chance, definitely give it a try.
The lemonade is fresh. It was definitely really good lemonade. I think I had like 4 refills.
I ordered the swordfish special was delicious. The fish was soft and definitely fresh. The fish melted in my mouth. Yum! There was a little bit too much sauce, but other people in my group who ordered it thought it was perfect.
I also got the chicken tortilla soup which came with my dinner. That was really good too. It also had cheese so that stuck to your chin if you weren’t careful.
My friend got the chicken something soup, and he said it tasted like chicken noodle soup. He said it was «pretty good.»
The salad with Lemon sauce was also good too!
My friend who got the angel hair pasta with bacon wrapped shrimp says it’s the best shrimp she ever tasted. She’s a shrimp eater too!
Also, this dessert is a definite MUST-​TRY: Double raspberry cheese cake. It’s so delicious! it is incomparable to The Cheesecake Factory. It was soft and fluffy. You can taste the freshness of the raspberries. One of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever tasted!