The Sow's Ear Cafe

Great cozy romantic restaurant that serves amazing food. On the pricey side but we split a meal. The homemade bread comes in a flower pot which was really cool! We had the beef stroganoff and it was so delicious!! Had chocolate cheesecake and creme brulee for dessert, delicious!!

We were in town with a couple of friends on vacation and we decided to go for dinner. This restaurant has been around for a very long time and is very popular. It is a good idea to make a dinner reservation especially on the weekends. The food was excellent I had salmon cooked in a parchment and it was done perfectly. The rest of the table enjoyed their food immensely also. The restaurant has a very cozy and intimate atmosphere. The weight stuff is excellent and we'll be there if your drinks need to be filled or if you want anything else. Overall it was a very satisfying experience as always. When we are back in town we will definitely patronize this establishment again.

Wow so good home made mashed potatoes country fried steak vegetables. Everything was seasoned to perfection. I hate when I’m seasoning my food at a restaurant. My wife ordered the braised short ribs and it was heaven. Service was great.

Atmosphere and service was great. The food was on point all but the baby back ribs were served cold. The filet and lobster tail was perfect.

Great food and great service. We ordered the apricot chicken and pork loin. Both were so good! Great flavor, appreciated the moderate portion, and the huge wine list was impressive. I highly recommend coming here.

This is soooooo yummy!!!!!!! Best seafood ever. Try the lobster pot pie, so creamy, has a lot of chunky lobster meat in it. The mushrooms are juicy just perfect in any perspective. Ohhhh yeahhhh, The sweet pepper pasta with shrimp, the sauce is creamy but with a refreshing flavor of bell pepper. The pasta is perfectly cooked soft but not soggy. Me and my husband just want something small since we had a big lunch, but we end up finishing all the food since it’s just sooo good and cannot stop eating

Short rib and Mac n cheese we're outstanding. Great service. Flower pot bread was as good as everyone says.

Yummy filet. Veggies needed cooked more however it says they cook them al dente. I would ask to have them cooked more.

+1

This place was the perfect place for our anniversary dinner! The waiter made great suggestions!

I've been twice now, and both times the food has been worth writing home about. Exquisite. The first visit I made, approximately two years before the second, I had the filet mignon with Jack Daniel's pancetta sauce and proceeded to all but dream about it for days. When, years later, my partner and I ventured to Cambria for a weekend getaway, I told him we were going. I was planning on repeating my order, but when we got there they had a special - sirloin steak topped with lobster meat and a chipotle gruyere sauce - that I couldn't resist. It was phenomenal. My partners short ribs were also incredible. We also tried the lobster corn dogs,because what in the world, and were absolutely pleasantly surprised. I imagine they wouldn't be a win for everyone, it's a strong seafood flavor, but we enjoyed them thoroughly. Absolutely recommend this place for a nice dinner.

Wow, what a great time. Been wanting to go here for years. Definitely not disappointed. Great employees, service and the food was delicious 😋 A first class dining experience. A must visit if you are visiting Cambria. Reservations are recommended.

I would say this place is perfect, for a romantic getaway, but we went with friends and it was just as much fun. A mix of a seafood and steakhouse type of place. I ended up with a pork chop, which I don’t get very often and it fulfilled my needs to say the least. We enjoyed a little bit of the entire menu since we were among friends, but I will definitely be back just be forewarn, is a little warm in there.

The food was INCREDIBLE, the flower pot bread was to die for. Wonderful service and atmosphere!! Our favorite spot so far in Cambria! We had the chowder, Shrimp Scampi Italian style, the fisherman’s stew, and the Filet Mignon (made perfectly to order) all were so wonderful. We will definitely be back!

I came for the Rack of Lamb. No reservations in saying the best Lamb of my life. From gravy to Mint jelly (which was wonderful; I liked it better than Trader Vic’s) to the ultimate mud pie with French press coffee to the wine, worth every single penny. Let’s not forget the Flower pot bread bowl. Nutty and delicious! Impeccable service!! A little “cozy” euphemism for tight seating is the only reason for not giving 5 stars in the atmosphere category. If you like lamb, do it for yourself. Superb 😍😇 I CHOSE to order the extra delights, like the wine, coffee and dessert. No regrets whatsoever. Thank you so much for the lovely experience and fantastic food, Staff at Sow’s Ear 💕

Had dinner here with my sisters after doing a tour at Hearst Castle. The food was superb the energy was awesome. Me and my sisters enjoyed everything we ordered. I recommend this place if you’re in this area. You won’t be disappointed.

This small restaurant is located in Cambria's quaint downtown strip. We walked in on a Saturday Night around 7 PM with a line of people waiting in the waiting area, however, since we only had a party of 2, we were immediately sat. The ambiance gave a kind of upscale cabin vibe, with white tablecloths, and a center fireplace the the tables were situated around and pig trinkets/ceramics lining the upper shelf that runs on the perimeter wall. Our waiter was very professional and attentive and the food was very good - perfectly cooked, super tasty and adequately priced for an upscale "Fancy" dinner. The menu consist of upscale comfort type food (Clam Chowder, Chicken Fried Steak, Lobster corn dogs, Pork Chops, Rack of Lamb, Filet Mignon, Etc). They serve "Flower Pot" bread with each dinner, which is brown and white bread baked in it's own individual clay flower pot, served warm with butter. You also get a choice of salad or soup with your dinner. Their special the night we went was a Surf & Turf: Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon for $69.95. They also have an assortment of great looking desserts. We will definitely be back to the Sow's Ear next time we are in Cambria!

Mu husband and I came here for dinner after touring Hearst Castle. The ambience was perfect. We sat next to the fire place and I had a glass of wine. Our server, Kayla, was wonderful! The little pots of bread were a unique touch. We started with the calamari. It was very fresh and the 3 dips were all great. I had the lobster potpie with mashed potatoes and veggies. Everything about this meal was delicious. The potpie had so much lobster in it. The pastry on top was light and buttery. My husband had the fisherman's stew. He refused to share because it was so good. This place was top notch with fantastic service all around.

Love this place. The food was excellent. My wife and I both had the special top sirloin with a lobster meat glaze, mashed potatoes, and veggies. It's a pretty simple dish with a fabulous flavor. The steaks were cooked perfectly. And don't forget the bread pots, the bread is hit everytime. Inside the restaurant is a little tight but cozy. Been going here for years, it didn't disappoint.

No spoilers here.. we had the shrimp scampi and the coffee crusted Kobe sirloin… both outstanding!! Hence the photo evidence lol… slainte *Update: We went back for seconds.. all beef dinner, delicious 🤤 and great service again from Carlos 🤙

Amazing little gem in Cambria! Great food, atmosphere and service! Get in before 6 for the early dinner specials. Had the steak and it was absolutely amazing. Also the fresh baked bread in flower pots adds the perfect touch. Will be back again for sure

Paul Wilson

Wow, what a great time. Been wanting to go here for years. Definitely not disappointed. Great employees, service and the food was delicious 😋 A first class dining experience. A must visit if you are visiting Cambria. Reservations are recommended.

Pedro Perez

I would say this place is perfect, for a romantic getaway, but we went with friends and it was just as much fun. A mix of a seafood and steakhouse type of place. I ended up with a pork chop, which I don’t get very often and it fulfilled my needs to say the least. We enjoyed a little bit of the entire menu since we were among friends, but I will definitely be back just be forewarn, is a little warm in there.

Samantha Sheppard

The food was INCREDIBLE, the flower pot bread was to die for. Wonderful service and atmosphere!! Our favorite spot so far in Cambria! We had the chowder, Shrimp Scampi Italian style, the fisherman’s stew, and the Filet Mignon (made perfectly to order) all were so wonderful. We will definitely be back!

Richele Grumley

I came for the Rack of Lamb. No reservations in saying the best Lamb of my life. From gravy to Mint jelly (which was wonderful; I liked it better than Trader Vic’s) to the ultimate mud pie with French press coffee to the wine, worth every single penny. Let’s not forget the Flower pot bread bowl. Nutty and delicious! Impeccable service!! A little “cozy” euphemism for tight seating is the only reason for not giving 5 stars in the atmosphere category. If you like lamb, do it for yourself. Superb 😍😇 I CHOSE to order the extra delights, like the wine, coffee and dessert. No regrets whatsoever. Thank you so much for the lovely experience and fantastic food, Staff at Sow’s Ear 💕

Elle H

Had dinner here with my sisters after doing a tour at Hearst Castle. The food was superb the energy was awesome. Me and my sisters enjoyed everything we ordered. I recommend this place if you’re in this area. You won’t be disappointed.

Lesley Bourdet

This small restaurant is located in Cambria's quaint downtown strip. We walked in on a Saturday Night around 7 PM with a line of people waiting in the waiting area, however, since we only had a party of 2, we were immediately sat. The ambiance gave a kind of upscale cabin vibe, with white tablecloths, and a center fireplace the the tables were situated around and pig trinkets/ceramics lining the upper shelf that runs on the perimeter wall. Our waiter was very professional and attentive and the food was very good - perfectly cooked, super tasty and adequately priced for an upscale "Fancy" dinner. The menu consist of upscale comfort type food (Clam Chowder, Chicken Fried Steak, Lobster corn dogs, Pork Chops, Rack of Lamb, Filet Mignon, Etc). They serve "Flower Pot" bread with each dinner, which is brown and white bread baked in it's own individual clay flower pot, served warm with butter. You also get a choice of salad or soup with your dinner. Their special the night we went was a Surf & Turf: Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon for $69.95. They also have an assortment of great looking desserts. We will definitely be back to the Sow's Ear next time we are in Cambria!

casey pearsall

Mu husband and I came here for dinner after touring Hearst Castle. The ambience was perfect. We sat next to the fire place and I had a glass of wine. Our server, Kayla, was wonderful! The little pots of bread were a unique touch. We started with the calamari. It was very fresh and the 3 dips were all great. I had the lobster potpie with mashed potatoes and veggies. Everything about this meal was delicious. The potpie had so much lobster in it. The pastry on top was light and buttery. My husband had the fisherman's stew. He refused to share because it was so good. This place was top notch with fantastic service all around.

John Bigger

Love this place. The food was excellent. My wife and I both had the special top sirloin with a lobster meat glaze, mashed potatoes, and veggies. It's a pretty simple dish with a fabulous flavor. The steaks were cooked perfectly. And don't forget the bread pots, the bread is hit everytime. Inside the restaurant is a little tight but cozy. Been going here for years, it didn't disappoint.

Steve Neill

No spoilers here.. we had the shrimp scampi and the coffee crusted Kobe sirloin… both outstanding!! Hence the photo evidence lol… slainte *Update: We went back for seconds.. all beef dinner, delicious 🤤 and great service again from Carlos 🤙

Brian Brower

Amazing little gem in Cambria! Great food, atmosphere and service! Get in before 6 for the early dinner specials. Had the steak and it was absolutely amazing. Also the fresh baked bread in flower pots adds the perfect touch. Will be back again for sure

David Cho

The review is for a takeout order. Tried the rack of lamb, chicken fettuccine and creme brûlée. The lamb and mint sauce was incredible. Loved every bite. Quite possibly the best I’ve had. Same for the creme brûlée. It wasn’t much to look at, but flavors were incredible. Again, quite possibly the best I’ve had. I was surprised they would offer a dish like this to go as the sugar top needs to stay crunchy, which it was and delicious. The fettuccine was very good, but not quite the same level as the other two dishes. Will definitely be back next time in town and hope to dine in when we do.

The chicken fried steak was great. And the bread, the bread is just incredible. I am 100% a bread snob, and I can’t tell you how amazing their house bread is. It’s like moist cotton candy. I don’t know how they do it but it’s magical. Atmosphere is perfectly lit too. Will come back soon.

10/10 this restaurant has a very fun and cool atmosphere with cute pig decor but is still cozy and upscale at the same time. They were friendly and let me and wife grab a dessert shortly before they closed. They had great service and made us feel super welcome. Food was very reasonable price also ! Good value!

We had The Sow’s Ear cater our Thanksgiving Dinner this year and it was fabulous! We’re visitors up in Cambria for a family party, and no one was up to cooking an entire dinner. Michaela and her husband took care of this for us perfectly. From arriving when they said they would to the Flower Pot Bread, turkey, amazing gravy, to-die-for sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, veggies, salad with homemade dressings - and don’t forget the pumpkin pie - we would do it again without thinking twice!

We had the most excellent dinner here.,Erwin our waiter was fantastic and let us order a meal that was not normally on the dinner our menu. It was a Grilled Chicken dish glazed with a peach sauce…so incredibly great and the vegetables and salad were also great. They serve bread in a clay pot. It’s fantastic. Erwin made sure we did not leave as we came in for that specific dish but he said no problem we could have it. He made us two very happy customers. Ask for Erwin. He’s the best!!!!

Great cozy atmosphere and great service with amazing food!! My boyfriend is still talking about the pot roast! We will definitely be back!

Sow's Ear is a top rate dining experience with a warm, cozy vibe, excellent service and an extensive wine list for the wine lovers out there. One of their house specialties is the chicken and dumplings which is truly delicious and the portion is hearty too. Cioppino was their special tonight and my husband and I really enjoyed it. We had a table close to the fireplace which really added to the ambiance. Be sure to share the mud pie for dessert!

Liz S

Sow's Ear is a top rate dining experience with a warm, cozy vibe, excellent service and an extensive wine list for the wine lovers out there. One of their house specialties is the chicken and dumplings which is truly delicious and the portion is hearty too. Cioppino was their special tonight and my husband and I really enjoyed it. We had a table close to the fireplace which really added to the ambiance. Be sure to share the mud pie for dessert!

Anthony Lucero

The chicken fried steak was great. And the bread, the bread is just incredible. I am 100% a bread snob, and I can’t tell you how amazing their house bread is. It’s like moist cotton candy. I don’t know how they do it but it’s magical. Atmosphere is perfectly lit too. Will come back soon.

Everett Brown

10/10 this restaurant has a very fun and cool atmosphere with cute pig decor but is still cozy and upscale at the same time. They were friendly and let me and wife grab a dessert shortly before they closed. They had great service and made us feel super welcome. Food was very reasonable price also ! Good value!

Wendy Manill

We had The Sow’s Ear cater our Thanksgiving Dinner this year and it was fabulous! We’re visitors up in Cambria for a family party, and no one was up to cooking an entire dinner. Michaela and her husband took care of this for us perfectly. From arriving when they said they would to the Flower Pot Bread, turkey, amazing gravy, to-die-for sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, veggies, salad with homemade dressings - and don’t forget the pumpkin pie - we would do it again without thinking twice!

Steve Ehrlich

We had the most excellent dinner here.,Erwin our waiter was fantastic and let us order a meal that was not normally on the dinner our menu. It was a Grilled Chicken dish glazed with a peach sauce…so incredibly great and the vegetables and salad were also great. They serve bread in a clay pot. It’s fantastic. Erwin made sure we did not leave as we came in for that specific dish but he said no problem we could have it. He made us two very happy customers. Ask for Erwin. He’s the best!!!!

This place is like you’re at grandmas house. It’s really cozy and they have a fireplace going. The Christmas lights add to that ambiance. I had the Chicken and dumplings which was really good. The side veggies I didn’t touch. It’s the mix of zucchini, broccoli, carrots. The salad to start screams out for thousand island dressing.. it’s mixed greens with a couple beers, purple cabbage etc. I think this place must have been here a long time the menu seems old world.

+1

The food was pretty good. Their bread is baked in a flower pot, so that's kinda cool. We got the lobster corn dogs to start. Flavors are good, maybe a bit too oily. Ribeye was good. We also got their daily special, top sirloin with lobster. That was super good.

Had dinner here after Hearst Castle tour. Luckily we had made reservations as the place was busy. The flower pot bread was fun and also fresh. The beef stroganoff was mostly just noodles which was disappointing but the other dishes were good. The lobster pot pie was deemed very rich and delicious by the person who had it. We spit two desserts, a mid pie and a granita. Both excellent!

quaint and cozy local restaurant with tasty American eats. we tried the lobster pot pie and the coffee crusted sirloin. both were cooked well. the lobster pot pie was very rich and buttery. the sirloin cooked a perfect medium. to pair our dinner, we tried a pinot gris from Oregon and a California savignon blanc. both wines were delicious, particularly the pinot. would definitely recommend for a nicer dinner in Cambria. loved the fireplace, made the atmosphere very homey.

Definitely make an effort to dine here! Good selection of meals, served well.

+3

Came in on a Monday evening- service and atmosphere were great. Corkage charge is $20 which is very reasonable. We had the lobster corn dogs- which were unique and tasty, seafood stew, chicken fried steak, coffee crusted top sirloin, bbq ribs, and calamari steak. The bread pot is a nice touch and enjoyable. Everything was cooked well, however overall lacking flavor/seasoning. The seafood stew was watery and not a lot of flavor. All the veggies were missing seasoning, and the mashed chive potatoes and steak had no salt or seasoning. Overall reasonably priced food that’s cooked well, but missing out on the flavor factor.

Cozy restaurant and great home style food. The flower pot bread to start is delicious! We did the calamari appetizer, clam chowder, short rib, and lobster pot pie. The calamari is incredibly tender and served with a trio of tasty sauces; the short rib was also very tender but slightly dry. The lobster pot pie has amazingly tasty and tender chunks of lobster but the sauce was a little too heavy on the vermouth and needed more seafood stock. Will definitely return for the excellent service!

Nathan C

Cozy restaurant and great home style food. The flower pot bread to start is delicious! We did the calamari appetizer, clam chowder, short rib, and lobster pot pie. The calamari is incredibly tender and served with a trio of tasty sauces; the short rib was also very tender but slightly dry. The lobster pot pie has amazingly tasty and tender chunks of lobster but the sauce was a little too heavy on the vermouth and needed more seafood stock. Will definitely return for the excellent service!

Heidi Helfand

This place is like you’re at grandmas house. It’s really cozy and they have a fireplace going. The Christmas lights add to that ambiance. I had the Chicken and dumplings which was really good. The side veggies I didn’t touch. It’s the mix of zucchini, broccoli, carrots. The salad to start screams out for thousand island dressing.. it’s mixed greens with a couple beers, purple cabbage etc. I think this place must have been here a long time the menu seems old world.

Waldemar Yuen

The food was pretty good. Their bread is baked in a flower pot, so that's kinda cool. We got the lobster corn dogs to start. Flavors are good, maybe a bit too oily. Ribeye was good. We also got their daily special, top sirloin with lobster. That was super good.

The ambience was simply amazing and comfortable. Staff were busy yet took time to express welcome and warmth. The food looked so attractive and was hot to serve. To begin, the clam chowder was richly flavored and delicately wonderful - the best I had eaten all week (5th dont judge me). I love their beautiful and yummy claybaked split bread. Unfortunately it stopped there... I have not been here in years and had such a sweet memory of this place and their lobster pot pie. Sadly, the lobster pot pie was a massive disappointment with imitation & processed lobster-like meat filled creamy broth under a floating puff pastry topping. It tasted like diluted can of soup with whole mushrooms in it. The kitchen could not tell me what kind of lobster it was. I looked forward to coming here all week and was discouraged by the instant countertop type ingredients with a gourmet pricetag... This is an amazing restaurant that is cutting corners in the kitchen.

Bread is soggy although it's in heart shape. We ordered Beef Stroganoff and it looks and taste like fast food. Definitely not worth the money. Lucky the Creme Brulee taste ok. Atmosphere is ok if you don't care about taste.

Hoyeah

Bread is soggy although it's in heart shape. We ordered Beef Stroganoff and it looks and taste like fast food. Definitely not worth the money. Lucky the Creme Brulee taste ok. Atmosphere is ok if you don't care about taste.

Flower pot bread was super good 😊 Celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. I called ahead to make reservations. I told the hostess and I thought they would at least give us a treat or something. I know what good salmon tastes like and I should’ve known better than ordering it for my salad topping. The hostess was pushing their salmon specials. My hubby’s fish and rice pilaf was decent. But the prices are outrageous for mediocre dinner. We won’t be going there again or recommending it to any of our house guests or friends. It was a disappointing dinner outing. My sister had dinner there last year and she did tell us it was not worth the prices. Sorry guys but a very happy day was closed out by a bad experience with your food and hostess and not your servers.

Chose this restaurant because of good reviews but were disappointed and wish we tried Robin’s Restaurant instead. Started well with a good atmosphere. But then service was blasé and food was mediocre. Fisherman’s stew was too watery and lacking flavor. Likewise with the mac and cheese, which used large penne pasta rather than macaroni, which was odd. Decent wine selection from the central coast though!

Thought it was a decent restaurant so we walked in. We were for the food but we know lots of tourists are for wines, which is one of the reason why people like there. So, food in general is like any of the average American restaurants that you can find on the street, we ordered lobster corn dogs which were out of the freezer, baby back rack ribs which is not from a “baby” and the meat was dry, then chicken fried steak - which is more like a home style cook instead of a “fancy” restaurant style. The best one was probably the pre dinner bread, tho it’s a little bit sticky at the bottom. The experience compared to the food quality was horrible. Obviously the lobster corn dogs were frozen and were served not fully cooked inside, we told them and asked them to take the half bit corn dog down, then after a couple of min they served the same thing with darker color back. I might not have much experience like this but every time when the food is not cooked and taken down, restaurants serve a newly cooked dish, not the reheated half-bit ones. After they put those on the table, I had no interest in eating there any more. I told the waiter the food was not tasty as expected and he said nothing and did nothing. So, if you want to visit there, feel free to.

I really wanted to like this place we made a reservation at 5, had no problem being seated myself, my husband and our two friends. The atmosphere was a bit confusing, pigs mixed with Disney which was a bit odd, what we thought was classical music was actually Disney instrumentals, which got kinda annoying after a while. we ordered lobster corn dogs which were very good and enjoyed the flower pot bread but everything went down hill from there, my husband ordered the Jack Daniels filet mignon medium rare, when he received it, it was very obvious that it was cooked on a grill that was way to hot, the outside was bitter from burnt spices the middle was cold and edges were grey and chewy, for the price, it was insulting. We were very polite to the waiter and requested a new steak, mistakes happen we get it but the waiter was rude and tried to gaslight and was extremely pretenious, us telling us that it's just the way it's prepared, and the "char" was just the way its supposed to be, when i say it was BITTER it was bad, to a gross inedible degree. We, still politely, asked for the kitchen to try again, the second steak that came out was perfect so why the hostility the first time ??? I ordered the beef stroganoff and it was just okay at best, my friend ordered the braised shirt rib and it was equivalent to just any bland pot roast. I don't know if it was because we were one of the first people to be sat or if the kitchen was just having an off day. Nothing was comped or even apologized for the bad steak and the bill at the end was astronomical for the quality of food that we had. Really would not go back, if the service had been better would have been willing to give it another try. Next time I want fine dining in Cambria will definitely be heading to Madeline's instead.

I don't really know how else to put this, but... this is old people food, slightly above hospital food (it was even played in divider plates like a hospital). This feels like a restaurant that hasn't evolved in 30 years. It's the kind of food my family would've thought normal for TV dinners in the 90s. The veggies are steamed bagged frozen veggies. The rice is that cheap 2 minute rice that reminds me of the worst my grandma had to offer (not the good grandma kinda cook). I had the lobster pot pie, we also ordered the halibut but sent it back because it was so unbelievably overcooked, then got the chicken and dumplings, which was basically canned cream of celery soup with some overcooked chicken and a ball of dough dumped in it. Both the lobster pot pie and the chicken and dumplings came to the table so hot we had to wait 1t minutes to touch them, which also indicates massive overcooking (the lobster was whitish red rubber). Across the street is an incredible restaurant we ate at the night before, and we can't understand for the life of us how they both have 4.5 ratings. Insanity.