Best SLO County restaurants, bars for outdoor dining? Visit these spots, Yelp says

Looking to enjoy a meal or cocktail outside?

With summer approaching, popular review site Yelp has ranked the best outdoor patios and rooftop bars in San Luis Obispo County.

Yelp reviewers highlighted restaurants and bars offering everything from tacos and ceviche to pizza and sandwiches.

Drink options range from margaritas to signature cocktails crafted with barrel-aged whiskey and habanero-infuse tequila.

Here’s who made the cut:

Which SLO restaurant has the best outdoor patio?

As of Friday, April 24, Luna Red was the best San Luis Obispo restaurant for patio dining, according to Yelp reviewers.

The restaurant at 1023 Chorro St. offers brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour menus with indoor and outdoor seating options.

Luna Red’s Latin-inspired menu includes tacos, seafood paella and pork oso bucco, with appetizers including bacon-wrapped dates, Peruvian shrimp ceviche and adobo baby back ribs.

Starters and salads typically range in price from $8 to $21, with entrees costing $24 to $40. Paellas are $50 to $75.

Yelp reviewers praised Luna Red’s “unbelievably delicious” food as well as its “dreamy, romantic vibe” and “extremely friendly and attentive” staff.

In particular, Yelp reviewer Jamie S. of Loomis raved about Luna Red’s Taco Tuesday special, which features 10 tacos for $30. “It’s a screaming deal,” she wrote.

The restaurant also offers weekly discounts of margaritas, nachos, wine, beer and burgers.

With more than 1,700 reviews, Luna Red has an average Yelp rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

What are the top 10 best restaurants with outdoor dining?

Yelp’s top options for eating and drinking outdoors in San Luis Obispo ranged from intimate fine-dining experiences to casual hangout spots.

As of Friday, these were the top 10 restaurants with patio seating in SLO, according to Yelp:

1. Luna Red: 1023 Chorro St.
2. Novo: 726 Higuera St.
3. Taste! Craft Eatery: 2550 Broad St.
4. Petra Mediterranean Pizza and Grill: 1210 Higuera St.
5. Kitchen & Vine: 3897 S Higuera St.
6. Bear & The Wren: 570 Higuera St., No. 2
7. Oak and Otter Brewing: 181 Tank Farm Road, No. 110
8. Giuseppe’s Cucina Rustica: 849 Monterey St.
9. 1865 Craft House & Kitchen: 1865 Monterey St.
10. Nate’s on Marsh: 450 Marsh St.

What are outdoor dining options in Paso Robles? Pismo Beach?

Restaurant reservation platform OpenTable also shared its picks for the best outdoor dining destinations in San Luis Obispo County.

OpenTable reviewers highlighted traditional Italian restaurant Il Cortile Ristortante, 808 12th St. in Paso Robles, and Ciao Papi, an Italian-inspired eatery at River Lodge, 1955 Theatre Drive in Paso Robles.

Other top-rated eateries with outdoor dining options included Marisol at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa, Ada’s Fish House and Sea Venture, all in Pismo Beach.

What is the best rooftop bar in SLO County?

Hotel San Luis Obispo, 877 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo, had the No. 1 rooftop bar in San Luis Obispo County as of Friday, according to Yelp.

At High Bar, diners can enjoy “sips and small plates amidst lush planted greenery, with stellar views over the rolling hills,” the hotel said on its website.

High Bar’s menu includes specialty cocktails such as Bream’s Blueberry Mojito, Texas Sun and Ocean Air, as well as mocktails and bites such as ahi tuna tartare and smoked salmon and caviar pizza.

The “ambiance is simply perfect,” Yelp user Kay W. of Santa Maria wrote in a 5-star review.

Drinks cost $9 to $14, while food options cost $14 to $26. Pizzas are half-priced on Mondays.

High Bar has an average Yelp rating of 4.1 stars.

What are best local bars with outdoor seating?

According to Yelp, these SLO County bars offer the best options for outdoor seating:

1. High Bar at Hotel San Luis Obispo, 877 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo
2. Headwaters at Hotel Cerro, 1125 Garden St., San Luis Obispo
3. Piadina, 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo
4. Cielo, 6400 El Camino Real, Atascadero
5. Sidecar Cocktail Co., 1040 Broad St., San Luis Obispo

Other bars highlighted by Yelp reviewers include:

• Cypress Beach House at Inn at the Pier Pismo Beach, 601 Cypress St., Pismo Beach
• Esperanza on the Rooftop at The Ava Hotel, 944 Pine St., Paso Robles
• Tetto Rooftop Bar at Paso Robles Inn, 1103 Spring St., Paso Robles

Tetto Rooftop Bar was undergoing renovations as of Friday, with plans to reopen in May.

Alexiah Syrai Olsen

The Tribune

805-781-7803

Alexiah Syrai Olsen is a service journalism reporter for The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and design from The New School in New York City.