Cesar Vazquez

I took a road trip to Ojai and stopped by the Ojai Dear Lodge for lunch, and it did not disappoint. I ordered the steak frites with a glass of malbec. The food, service, and ambiance were excellent. My only concern was the paper plate my meal was served with. I would recommend using a regular plate when serving a steak. My plate kep moving around when cutting the steak.

+2

Evan H

My colleague's and I had a lunch break during our work conference at the Ojai Valley Inn and one of them highly recommended we go to the Ojai Deer Lodge for lunch. It was an excellent suggestion. The lodge is situated right off a main road with parking out front. There was a nice side courtyard with outdoor seating and ample seating in the rustic lodge. We decided to sit outside and enjoy the sun and fresh air. I would highly recommend that. The menu selection of food was very diverse at very reasonable prices. I ordered the wild salmon on wild rice with asparagus. The portion was very of good size and the price- just $26. Overall I would definitely recommend stopping by and checking out the lodge. Although we didn't eat inside I did get a quick tour. There was a small music stage, amazing decor of large antler chandeliers and a bar with a wide range of spirits. I would say it would be fun to come here in the evening. So come check this place out!

+4

Bryan Brint

Just found this place while driving around the 33 going up the mountains! Seriously great food!! they also have live music and a outside eating area. Very cabin lodge feel as the name would suggest, which gives it that unique vibe. I have made this a routine stop when I am in the area, I reccomend to anyone in the area to give it a try!

+1

A very laid-back atmosphere for the oldest restaurant in Ojai. It is very rustic, even with the restroom doors on the front porch. The food is very good with items like Thai-Chili Calamari and BBQ smoked on an impressive smoker out front. Service was great, still under COVID restrictions we ate outside and it was relaxed and fun.

Leora Guerrero

Dinner was delicious! The buffalo burger is soooo good! The cookie sandwich dessert was not as good as the cookies were very hard. We will definitely be coming again!

Rhiannon Chae

Had the pleasure of watching the live performance of Matthew and The Atlas! Cozy vibes and good food!

+5

Rhonda Savage

This was a nice stop along the highway. I didn't see much of the inside as it was such a nice night we wanted to sit out on the patio. They had a band warming up. Just a few sound checks, but I can imagine it is waaay loud when they're playing. The staff was courteous and accommodating. We ordered and received our dinner quickly. The burger and BBQ plates were standard. Nothing outstanding. Filling, for sure.

duyen tong

The 3 stars is for the food only. We stopped by for lunch on a Sunday. Had 2 bloody Mary’s, tri tip sandwich, nachos, and hush puppies. The food was mediocre at best. Do not order the hush puppies. It was super dry and not good. We sent it back and wasn’t charged, thank you for that. Besides the food, I was happy that it was pet friendly and the outside is really spacious and nice. It’s a cute place just outside of downtown. There were lots of bikers there.

Black Cat

This is an excellent place for hanging out with friends and grabbing a drink. I personally stopped by to dine in after a hike and was famished. That's where my issue began. You see the Deer Lodge was a relaxing refreshing place to rest. . . If you're there for something higher grade than what Home Town Buffet, or anything a Community College student might cook up don't hold your breath. Visually the dishes are stunning and I will say that the Grilled cheese deserves and honorable mention. . . Along with the top notch truffle fries {honestly difficult to mess up} The Self Crowned *Legendary* Mac and cheese however. . . And I can not stress my sarcasm on the cheese part. . . .was so bland that I question how the grilled cheese cheese wasn't just used for the pasta dish. I have Autistic students who would mistake this for "Buttered noodles" in a blind taste test. I refuse to believe someone doesn't stop that. . . Does no one in there have a can of parmesan. . .

S Sobhan

Disappointed really with the menu as they did not have much Mexican food as advertised. They had exactly two items: Tri-tip nachos and a cauliflower taco entree which they claimed were Mexican. The rest of the food was American but nothing special we cared for anyway. The seating outdoor was fine but did not care for the loud music at 4PM in the afternoon as we were looking for some peace and quiet!

+1

Doctor X

Our first (and only) visit to the Ojai Deer Lodge was for Thanksgiving dinner. To say that it was a disappointment would be an understatement. It was the food. Believe me when I say that it was comparable to the meals served in homeless shelters. Of course, those meals were free of charge; this one was over $200. The saving grace was the service. Our waitress did a terrific job waiting on our table while balancing the needs of the crowd of other diners. Note that there is very limited parking here.

Jenny Hansen

Unfriendly vibe from the moment we walked in. Shook it off and got seated. Was ready for a nice warm meal and a place to relax. Didn’t go as planned. When I took my first bite of steak, I bit down on gristle and a taste of old grease. It didn’t help that it was not warm (as if it had been sitting, soaking in the oil for some time). I could have even made it work had it been a decent quality piece of meat that came to me after sitting for a while. But it’s rough to take your first bite that’s chewy and cold. Yikes. The potato was ok. Granted, it’s hard to mess that up. It’s just that it’s hard to walk away feeling content when the atmosphere is cold, the food mediocre (at best) and it feels that you’re putting people out by having to wait on you. Hard pass for a next time.