Hearst Ranch Winery
Hearst Ranch Winery
4
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
With soaring ceilings, plentiful ocean front seating, and multiple lunch options, the Hearst Ranch Winery San Simeon tasting room is the perfect place to stop on your way along the Pacific Coast Highway. Enjoy excellent wine and a bite to eat inside or at the dog-friendly outdoor tables with sweeping views of the San Simeon bay. The San Simeon tasting room has two preferred lunch vendors to choose from; The Cruiser food truck and Seaside Foods.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
209 reviews
Excellent
122
Very good
52
Average
12
Poor
8
Terrible
15
Ann B
10 contributions
Sept 2021 • Solo
Worst experience of someone looking to have lunch and some peace. When I walked in I walked back to get lunch and walked outside an sat at a table waiting for my lunch. I had been at the table for 15 minutes when my food arrived. Just getting ready to take a bite a gentlemen walked up to me and stated do I have a reservation for the table, I stated no??? I asked are you saying I need to move, he said yes and I needed to check into the front desk and walked away. So I picked up my open lunch and walked into the building, standing there with my open lunch and drink. I asked again were do I eat my lunch, he stated you need to check in and turned away and started to talk with a couple of guests that had just walked in. So standing there feeling so confussed, angry and embarrassed, I walked out with my lunch. I did send an e-mail and follow up phone call to mgmt, to make sure staff treated customers with respect. They were anything but apologetic and stated all tables are by reservation only for wine tastings and they have a large sign when you walk in to check in. I didn't see it but was not looking for instructions?? I did state no employees were there to greet me. Why did the girl who took my food order not tell me the process! It was not busy, with many tables open, so really poor customer service. There is a disconnect between Hearst Winery and the food business, which finding out are two different businesses, under the same roof. This is a local who will not be back and telling my friends of my experience. Basically they did not give a rats butt about my experience, treatment or trying to make sure their employees learn what they could of done better. You made my day turn from trying to find some peace to feeling discarded.
Written September 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wendy H
2 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
BEWARE - Format has changed at Hearst Ranch Winery!!! We used to do a tasting or just buy a couple of bottles of wine to enjoy the view (typically we would spend more than what it would cost for tastings). Now, you can Only do a tasting. Any bottles of wine you purchase can't be opened and drank at the winery. We were told they are a “Tasting Room Only now”. If you would like to enjoy a bottle of Hearst Ranch Winery wine to drink in San Simeon, you need to purchase in the Sebastian’s General Store and you must drink at the General Store. You are not allowed to bring the open bottle or open a bottle at the winery. We have been to number of wineries and have always been able to purchase and drink wine at the tasting room. We cancelled our reservation and went home. Hearst Ranch winery you are going to miss out on a number of patrons as we always recommend to friends and we will no longer do this in the future. So sad!
Written July 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luv_TravelSanJose_CA
San Jose, CA286 contributions
Sept 2022
My husband and I stopped here when we were riding the Highway 1 bike route. It had been recommended by friends, who are also cyclists. They have a food truck that is at a window inside the building where you can order lunch. If we didn't order wine, we were relegated to certain back seats out on the patio (if available) or we could sit indoors. I strongly feel that if you spend $44 on a lunch, you should be able to sit where ever you desire. We ate here because it was in our plans, but would never come back.
The views are lovely, the food was quite good. However, the short ribs were WAY too salty.
The views are lovely, the food was quite good. However, the short ribs were WAY too salty.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
laura m
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Friends
Terrible service. We went on a Saturday and per the policy can’t take outside food. We ordered from the food truck they hosted and it took 70 minutes to get (3) orders. Our wine server told us our time was up and had to leave the table. We informed him that we ordered our food upon arrival and it still hadn’t arrived. He said they were separate from the winery and we would have to leave the table. The food truck has a contract with Hearst and is on their property, Hearst needs to step it up and fix the problem! Very disappointed. We will never go back.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sightsee729711
2 contributions
Sept 2022
I recently took a group of twelve wine club ladies to Hearst Winery in San Simeon for a wine tasting. The group leaders visited the winery a head of time to get the to get the necessary information, details on the lunch and to set a date. it is a lovely venue but the problem arose when we got our individual bill. It states four wine tasting for twenty -five dollars but what was not explained to us was the tax on the tastings and the twenty percent tip! My group have been wine tasting since 2018 and this is the first time we have ever had a tax on a wine tasting!! Another surprise was the 20 percent tip which was never told to us! I have taken a larger group then this to other winery's and never experienced either of these problems. I think Hearst Winery is use to catering to tourists visiting the Hearst Castle and think they do whatever they decide to. It is a beautiful winery on the beach but........
Written September 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew R
2 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Rude lady waiting on us today. Nowhere on their website or on our confirmation does it say you can’t buy a bottle and drink it there! She insisted that it was and we can only do tastings at $35.00 per person. There were six of us and we would have bought several bottles of wine vs 6 tastings. She missed it on a good tip and sales for the winery ! Beware when you go there !! She was just plain rude to us
Written July 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trees Are Amazing
1 contribution
Nov 2022 • Couples
Racist bigot people in this environment. Husband and I purchased a wine glass went by the ocean we’re only there 10 mins at the least & a white male approached us and let us know we had been standing there 20 minutes or more and we’re blocking his view and he wants to enjoy it! We had only been there 10 minutes or less. How can two people cover the entire view of the ocean? The view is immense! We happened to be the only Latinos there. You would think others would say something. Nobody. Everyone stayed silent. We weren’t loud or making noise just staring at the ocean and taking pictures. Also, if we were blocking this white man’s view, I would understand. However, where the white man and the two other people with him were sitting is not in his direct way or near there him. That means he went out of this way to tell us that for no reason. You can easily see the ocean from his view or anywhere else. How disappointing and unfortunate. The privilege white entitlement. There’s no difference, we’re both paying customers. Disgusting!
Written November 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
acmtexas
Dallas, TX65 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
We arrived to have lunch (from their food truck) , order a bottle of wine , and enjoy the view of San Simeon Bay as we’ve done for the past 5 years. The hostess notified us that the only wine consuming opportunity was via a tasting flight which started at $35 per person. NO, you cannot order a bottle of Hearst Ranch wine and drink it here. So the wonderful experience has been ruined. Shame on the person who instituted this ridiculous policy.
Written July 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barefoot C
Tampa, FL1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Couples
The last time we were here, we ordered our meal from the old post office and it was delivered to our table with a stunning Ocean view. We ordered a glass of wine and enjoyed the ambience while we ate. Today was a different story. We were greeted kindly by the hostess. We were ushered to a wine tasting area where apparently you either have to be a member or pay $35 for a tasting. When you get to the table, you are not allowed to order your food unless you have a wine tasting! On top of all of that, the waitress who came to our table rudely asked if we had been officially seated. There are probably 20 to 30 tables and maybe five tables were seated with nobody in line behind us. She made us feel very unwelcome and told us that she needed to make sure that we were not sitting in a reserved table. We felt like we were the scum of the earth. We told her we would like to simply order our meal and eat there and she said no. I'm sorry you can't unless you order a wine tasting for at least one of you. She told us she was going to ask the hostess and did not return in a normal amount of time. We felt so uncomfortable by this time we got up and left. I let the hostess know that we have never been treated with such disrespect and they were doing nothing to build future clientele. Unfortunately, we will not return to this establishment. It really is a shame because it's such a beautiful place..
Written August 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KSSeaB
Henderson, NV2,160 contributions
Jun 2022
The setting can't be beat.
Hubby and I visited for the first time in February and loved the experience. Tasting oceanside. Life doesn't get much better than this.
In June, I visited with my niece and her BFF. It felt a little rushed this time.
Also, we couldn't bring our own picnic; had to either buy from their deli case or from the food truck. I bought some cheeses and cured meats from the deli case. My guest bought two sandwiches from the food truck. Both sandwiches (tri-tip and a triple burger) were very good but they just didn't pair well with wine. As a winery, you really should have known that.
I bought six bottles of wine. I am very unhappy that, being not too swift with devices, I couldn't figure out how to leave a $20 tip for our Taster whose name I've forgotten. It was set up for a $50 tip which was, IMHO, way too much for what he did. I will remember that when Hubby and I return next February and will confront the issue head-on, even if it means leaving "no tip" on the device and then handing the Taster a cash tip which is, now that I think about it, what we did this past February. I'm sorry, but $50 is just wrong for the effort expanded.
Hubby and I visited for the first time in February and loved the experience. Tasting oceanside. Life doesn't get much better than this.
In June, I visited with my niece and her BFF. It felt a little rushed this time.
Also, we couldn't bring our own picnic; had to either buy from their deli case or from the food truck. I bought some cheeses and cured meats from the deli case. My guest bought two sandwiches from the food truck. Both sandwiches (tri-tip and a triple burger) were very good but they just didn't pair well with wine. As a winery, you really should have known that.
I bought six bottles of wine. I am very unhappy that, being not too swift with devices, I couldn't figure out how to leave a $20 tip for our Taster whose name I've forgotten. It was set up for a $50 tip which was, IMHO, way too much for what he did. I will remember that when Hubby and I return next February and will confront the issue head-on, even if it means leaving "no tip" on the device and then handing the Taster a cash tip which is, now that I think about it, what we did this past February. I'm sorry, but $50 is just wrong for the effort expanded.
Written June 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are reservations for lunch necessary?
Written April 6, 2017
No, there aren't any. You stand in line to order.
Written April 7, 2017
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