OpenTable listed a San Luis Obispo County restaurant and three Santa Barbara eateries among the most booked Central Coast eateries in August 2026.
Robert Schwemmer
NOAA
OpenTable recently released the latest edition of its monthly Diners’ Choice rankings for California’s Central Coast.
The online reservation platform looked for local eateries with the most bookings and the best reviews in August, spotlighting diners’ favorite restaurants across the region.
They include one restaurant in San Luis Obispo County, and three in nearby Santa Barbara County.
OpenTable said it analyzed nearly 500,000 new global diner reviews and sorted the results by location to “help you discover new favorite restaurants.”
“It’s a great partnership: you reserve, eat and review,” the booking site said. “We listen … and deliver the results for all to benefit.”
See which Central Coast restaurants had the most reservations:
What was the most booked restaurant in SLO County?
A San Luis Obispo County restaurant was among the 10 most popular Central Coast eateries in August, according to OpenTable.
Vista Steak and Seafood, 1601 Price St. in Pismo Beach, serves both brunch and dinner.
Brunch menu options include eggs Benedict, chilaquiles and breakfast flatbreads, while the dinner menu spotlights steaks, salads and seafood dishes such as shrimp, scallops and sanddabs.
Vista Steak and Seafood earned an average OpenTable rating of 4.7 stars out of five, based on 2,411 reviews from customers.
“The food is always delicious, staff very friendly and the ambiance is fantastic!” OpenTable user Luan wrote in a review.
Other restaurantgoers highlighted the extensive menu, helpful staffers and “breathtaking” oncean views
Vista Steak and Seafood is open 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
Restaurant owner and chef Douglas MacMillan also owns Ada’s Fish House in Pismo Beach.
What are most booked restaurant in Santa Barbara?
The most booked Central Coast eateries on OpenTable include Loquita, The Lark and Oku in Santa Barbara.
At 202 State St., Loquita pairs authentic Spanish dishes such as with local and Spanish wines.
Locally sourced ingredients include Hope Ranch mussels, Catalina Island yellowtail and Morro Bay oysters.
On OpenTable, Loquita had an average rating of 4.7 stars with a total of 1,007 reviews. Customers praised the restaurant’s service, “delicious food” and ambiance.
OpenTable reviewer Michelle called Loquita an “excellent spot” with a “delicious variety of tapas with amazing flavor.” The restaurant also has a “lively, enjoyable and well-designed atmosphere,” she wrote.
Loquita is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.
The Lark, 131 Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone pairs locally sourced food with Santa Barbara County wines.
The brunch menu has breakfast items including parfaits, avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches while lunch options include Morro Bay oysters, salads and a smash burger.
For dinner, The Lark serves fish, pork ribs and ribeye steaks, among other dishes.
With 2,657 OpenTable reviews, the restaurant enjoys an average rating of 4.7 stars.
“You can tell the chef sweated the details in this shareable, small plate restaurant because each dish has balanced flavors and refined sauces as well as strong visual appeal,” OpenTable user Alex wrote in a review.
Brunch is served 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Oku, 29 East Cabrillo Blvd. in Santa Barbara, serves up Asian-inspired, shareable dishes on a rooftop patio and lounge with oceanfront views.
The sushi bar serves nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls.
The rest of the menu includes sashimi tacos, gyozas, short ribs, ramen and rib-eye steak. The restaurant offers gluten-free and vegetarian options for diners.
Oku earned an OpenTable rating of 4.6 stars on average with 2,158 reviews
OpenTable reviewer Andrew said the restaurant had “the most amazing melt-in-your mouth sashimi I have ever had!”
Another OpenTable reviewer, Matt, praised Oku’s “outstanding service and consistently delicous food.”
Oku is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, 12:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
What were the 10 most popular Central Coast restaurants?
OpenTable said these were the restaurants on the Central Coast with the most reservations in August:
Loquita, Santa BarbaraThe Lark, Santa BarbaraOku, Santa BarbaraLa Bicyclette, CarmelSchooners Monterey, MontereyPacific’s Edge, CarmelSardine Factory, MontereyVista Steak and Seafood, Pismo BeachCasanova Restaurant Carmel, CarmelChart House Restaurant, MontereyHow did OpenTable come up with its ranking?
OpenTable uses feedback from thousands of diners to recognize “outstanding” restaurants.
Its Diners’ Choice awards have multiple categories, including best ambiance, service and value.
To be eligible for regional rankings, local eateries need to have a minimum of a three-star rating from reviewers and must meet a minimum number of reviews.
OpenTable looks at the last 30 days of reviews to determine the most booked restaurants where the rankings are based on the number of reservations made. The date of when customers make the reservation is counted to count the number of reservations.
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Alexiah Syrai Olsen
The Tribune
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.
Dining and Cooking