Cold Spring Tavern: menu, hours and a San Marcos Pass side trip

Cold Spring Tavern quick facts

Address

5995 Stagecoach Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, just off Highway 154 on San Marcos Pass

Dining room

Mon & Thu 11:30am–3pm; Fri–Sun 11:30am–4pm; closed Tue & Wed

Log Cabin Bar

Fri–Sun 11am–5pm

Tri-tip barbecue

Outdoor walk-up grill, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm (the site also says holidays)

Live music

Sat & Sun 1:30–4:30pm, area bands

Seating

First come, first served (see reservations)

Kids

Kids' meals for 12 and under, $12–14

Dogs

No Dog Policy, per the tavern

Parking

Mostly along the side of the street; uneven ground around the 1868 buildings

Phone

805-967-0066

Drive times

Santa Barbara 14.5 mi, 22 min · Santa Ynez 17.3 mi, 26 min · Solvang 20.9 mi, 32 min

Make a day of it: the tavern, Cachuma and Happy Canyon

The tavern is the first stop on the classic Highway 154 day: lunch in the canyon, an hour at Lake Cachuma, a booked tasting in the Happy Canyon AVA, then dinner in Santa Ynez. This is the weekend version, because that's when the barbecue and the bands run. Drive times are without traffic.

Valley version (start in Santa Ynez): book Grassini's estate for 11am (5.9 mi, 17 min from Santa Ynez), stop at Cachuma (9.0 mi, 21 min from Grassini) if there's time, then drive on to the tavern (9.8 mi, 16 min). Aim to arrive by 2pm: the dining room closes at 4pm, the music at 4:30pm and the barbecue at 5pm.

Weekday version: on Monday and Thursday the dining room serves until 3pm, with no barbecue, no bands and no Log Cabin Bar. On Tuesday and Wednesday the tavern is closed, so eat at Hook'd at Cachuma instead.

Zip line instead of wine: see Highline Adventures below.

What are Cold Spring Tavern's hours?

Lunch only, and never on Tuesday or Wednesday. The tavern lists separate hours for each part of the property:

The tavern says the barbecue also runs on holidays. Its voicemail fills up while it's closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and messages are answered from Thursday morning.

Cold Spring Tavern menu: what to order

Tri-tip sandwiches, beer-batter onion rings and three chilis: those are the signatures the tavern names on its home page. Order the tri-tip, share the rings, and get the chili sampler if you can't pick one. Prices from its menu page:

• Original Cold Spring Tri-Tip sandwich, oak-grilled and thick sliced on a bolillo roll with barbecue, apple-horseradish or salsa, plus one side: $20. The tri-tip French Dip with au jus is also $20.
• Famous Beer Batter Onion Rings: $16.
• Chili: Cold Spring Chili (ground sirloin, pinto beans) $8; Wild Game Black Bean (venison, rabbit, buffalo) $10; Chili Verde (pork and chicken) $9; or the Chili Sampler, a cup of each with a flour tortilla, $23.
• Burgers and game: the half-pound Angus Tavern Burger is $18.50, the Buffalo Burger $21.50 and the Bison Flank Steak $22.50.
• Bigger plate: a half rack of barbecue baby back ribs with fries, $26.
• Vegetarian: a Veggie Burger ($17.50), a grilled cheese with havarti and roasted peppers ($14.50) and a Grilled Vegetable Salad ($17).

Sandwiches come with fries, potato salad, coleslaw, soup or a house salad. There's also a daily chef's special. Tell your server about allergies; the menu asks you to.

Where do you get the tri-tip sandwich?

Two places. Inside, the Original Cold Spring Tri-Tip is on the lunch menu every day the tavern is open. On Saturdays and Sundays (11am–5pm), the outdoor walk-up barbecue sells tri-tip sandwiches straight off the grill. That's the quick option when the dining room has a wait, and it keeps going an hour after the dining room closes.

When is there live music at Cold Spring Tavern?

Every Saturday and Sunday on its posted calendar, 1:30–4:30pm; on Sunday Nov 29 the set ends at 3:30pm. The tavern says it books mostly area bands, and its live music page lists who's playing each weekend: blues, folk, rock and good-time acoustic acts. Get there by 1pm if you want a table for the first set.

Does Cold Spring Tavern take reservations?

You don't need one for a normal lunch. The home page says "No reservations are required. Seating is first come, first served." Its contact page also says to phone 805-967-0066 for reservations and that it can't take them by email, so call if you're a group. Weddings and large parties go through events@coldspringtavern.com.

How old is Cold Spring Tavern?

It began operating as a stagecoach stop in 1868, and the tavern believes the original building (the Long Room, RV Room and kitchen) dates from 1860. Some older articles, and Wikipedia, date the stagecoach stop to 1865; the tavern's own history page says 1868.

• The toll road: Llewellyn Bixby and others incorporated the Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Turnpike Road Company in 1868 and ran stagecoaches carrying passengers and mail. The road over San Marcos Pass was finished by 1870, and the horse-drawn stage stopped in 1901. Two extra horses were always added at Cold Spring for the climb.
• Road Gang House: 11 Chinese immigrants built it in 1868 and bunked there while paving the toll road. You can still see its footprint beside the patio.
• Ojai Jail: built in Ojai in 1873 and given to the tavern in 1959. Ripley's Believe It or Not called it the only jail that ever crossed a mountain.
• The Ovingtons: Adelaide Ovington bought 40 acres around the tavern in 1941 for $2,000. Her daughter Audrey ran it until 2005, and Wayne and Joy Ovington Wilson, the third generation, look after it now.
• Log Cabin Bar: a water bottling plant from 1945 to 1953, then a bar from 1955. The fireplace mantel is the last Edison electric pole used in the area.
• Ranch dressing: the tavern says Steve Henson brought it his new Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and it was the first to serve it, in 1963. (Wikipedia gives 1956.)
• Fires: the tavern has sat in the path of the Zaca (2007), Whittier (2017) and Thomas (2017) fires, among others. In 2007 it was wrapped in flame-retardant material and closed for a week.

What does Cold Spring Tavern look like inside?

Old rooms lit by gas lanterns. The tavern got electricity in 1954 and still uses the lanterns. Its fun-facts page names the rooms (Long Room, Front Room, White Room, RV Room) and the stories behind the furniture: the Front Room bar was made for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, the swinging bar doors came from Young's Saloon in Eureka, and the kitchen queen in the Long Room is the only original piece. Outside there's the two-tier Blisshaven Garden, the Log Cabin Bar and the Treasures n' Trash gift shop in the old stage drivers' bunkhouse.

For a look before you go, the tavern posts photos on its Instagram.

What is the Cold Spring Arch Bridge?

It's the arch that carries Highway 154 over Cold Spring Canyon, right above the tavern. Noozhawk reports it spans 1,148 feet, opened in 1964 and is the largest arch bridge in California. The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors made it a county historic landmark on Jan 7, 2025. The tavern's fun-facts page says it was built in 1963 for $2 million, after an earlier plan for Highway 154 would have buried the tavern under 125 feet of dirt. Tasting Table describes the tavern as sitting beneath it.

Is Cold Spring Tavern a motorcycle stop?

On weekends, yes. Tasting Table (Sept 22, 2025) wrote that "weekend road-warriors on roaring motorcycles join the fun." The tavern's own site doesn't mention it. If you'd rather a quieter lunch, go on a Monday or Thursday, when there's no barbecue or band.

Can you bring kids or dogs?

Kids yes, dogs no. The menu has kids' meals for 12 and under, served with fries: a Junior Tri-tip Sandwich ($14), chicken tenders ($12) or mac and cheese ($12). There's also the "Charlie Brown House," a small building Audrey Ovington built so children had a place of their own (Charles Schulz approved the name in 1996). The tavern lists a No Dog Policy, so leave the dog at home or choose Lake Cachuma for the outdoor part of the day.

How do you get to Cold Spring Tavern from Santa Barbara or the valley?

Take Highway 154 (San Marcos Pass) and turn off onto Stagecoach Road; the tavern is on it, below the highway. Drive times without traffic:

• Downtown Santa Barbara: 14.5 mi, 22 min.
• Santa Ynez: 17.3 mi, 26 min.
• Solvang: 20.9 mi, 32 min.
• Lake Cachuma: 9.8 mi, 16 min.
• Chumash Painted Cave: 5.1 mi, 13 min (guide).

Parking is mostly along the side of the street, and the tavern warns of uneven surfaces around the 1868 buildings. Wear flat shoes.

Can you have a wedding at Cold Spring Tavern?

Yes. The tavern hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners and parties for up to 120 guests in three spaces: Blisshaven Garden (up to 120, with a bandstand and private bar), the Log Cabin Bar (up to 50) and the Tavern itself (up to 65 across four rooms). Dinner events get a buffet and lunch events a prix fixe menu. It doesn't cater off site. Pricing isn't published; ask through events@coldspringtavern.com.

Does Cold Spring Tavern serve breakfast or dinner?

Not on its published schedule. The earliest anything opens is 11am, and the dining room closes at 3pm or 4pm. Some older articles still describe dinners of prime rib, game hen or bear; the current menu on its site lists none of those. Evenings are otherwise for private events (its event form takes bookings from 5pm). Its calendar does list Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov 26, with live music from noon to 3pm. Check the menu page before you go if a dish matters to you.

What is there to do at Lake Cachuma on the way?

Get on the water or into the nature center; swimming isn't allowed in the reservoir. Cachuma is 9.8 mi, 16 min past the tavern, open 6am to sunset, and day use is $10 per vehicle. Full details are on our Lake Cachuma guide.

• Kayaks and boats: the marina rents single and double kayaks for $25 the first hour and $15 each extra hour ($100 all day, $80 deposit), and a 16 ft boat with motor from $75 for two hours, plus a fuel surcharge. Renters must be 18+ with a driver's license, and the last rental goes out by 4pm.
• Lake cruise: the county's naturalist-led cruises on the Osprey are out of service until further notice; call 805-568-2460 for updates.
• Short walks: the county's park brochure lists about four miles of trails inside the park, with a trail guide at the front gate.
• Neal Taylor Nature Center: Thursday to Saturday 10am–4pm and Sunday 10am–2pm, admission by donation, in the white ranch house behind the Cachuma Lake Store.
• Food: Hook'd Bar & Grill, the lake's restaurant, sits by the marina launch ramp at 116 Lakeview Drive, with a full bar. Its site lists Mon–Thu 11am–4pm, Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 9am–7pm and Sun 9am–5pm (closed Thanksgiving), and says diners can get a free two-hour pass at the park entrance. It's the lunch fallback on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Can you add a zip line to the day?

Yes, but swap it for the wine stop rather than squeezing in both. Highline Adventures is at 700 E Highway 246 by OstrichLand, on the Buellton side of Solvang. From the tavern it's 23.4 mi, 37 min; from Cachuma, 14.3 mi, 25 min. The zipline tour starts at $139 a person, riders must weigh 75 to 275 lb, and Highline says to plan at least 2.5 hours, so book an afternoon slot and come straight from Cachuma. Afterward, Santa Ynez is 6.5 mi, 13 min and Los Olivos 10.2 mi, 15 min for dinner.

Which Happy Canyon wineries can you visit?

All of them by appointment only: there's no walk-in tasting room in Happy Canyon. The AVA is the warmest, most inland corner of the Santa Ynez Valley, east of Santa Ynez and northwest of Cachuma, and it grows mostly Cabernet and other Bordeaux grapes. From Highway 154 you reach it on Armour Ranch Road and Happy Canyon Road. Status from each winery's own site:

Easiest to book on the day: Crown Point, which takes day-of requests by phone (805-693-9300), though same-day space is limited. Wine caves: Star Lane's are the famous ones in Happy Canyon, and Grassini's private tours also go through its barrel caves. Elsewhere in the county, Presqu'ile in the Santa Maria Valley and Sunstone in Santa Ynez have caves too (see wineries with caves). Dogs: Crown Point welcomes leashed dogs if you tell it in advance. More detail, including Happy Canyon Vineyard at Piocho Ranch, is in our Happy Canyon wineries guide.

Where should you eat dinner after?

In Santa Ynez, 5.4 mi, 14 min from Crown Point: S.Y. Kitchen on Faraday Street for handmade pasta (book on OpenTable), or Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn on Sagunto Street for steaks (dinner only, daily). For a drink afterward, the Maverick Saloon is on the same street. In Los Olivos, 4.9 mi, 10 min further: Bar Le Côte for seafood (Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 8:30pm) or the Tavern at Mattei's Tavern, open daily for dinner. More picks are in Santa Ynez restaurants and Los Olivos restaurants.

Plan the rest of the Highway 154 trip

• Up the pass: Chumash Painted Cave (5.1 mi, 13 min from the tavern; room for one or two cars).
• On the lake: Lake Cachuma for boats, camping and trails.
• Wine: Happy Canyon wineries, Santa Ynez wineries and Los Olivos wine tasting. Rather not drive? See Santa Barbara wine tours.
• Adventure: Highline Adventures ziplines, or the Figueroa Mountain drive from Los Olivos.
• More music: live music in the Santa Ynez Valley.
• Stay over: Santa Ynez hotels or the Santa Ynez town guide. To sleep in the vines at the end of the route, Grassini rents La Tarantella, a five-bedroom villa on its Happy Canyon estate, by inquiry (details); more options on stay at a winery.

Good to know

Is Cold Spring Tavern good for kids? Yes. It has kids' meals for 12 and under, from $12, and a small building called the Charlie Brown House that was built for children.

Which Happy Canyon wineries are open to visitors? Grassini, Crown Point, Grimm's Bluff and Star Lane all host tastings by appointment only. Grassini also runs a tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara, open daily noon to 5pm.

Don’t miss

• The outdoor walk-up tri-tip barbecue, Saturday and Sunday 11am–5pm. source
• Famous Beer Batter Onion Rings, $16. (2026-10) source
• The Charlie Brown House, the small building Audrey Ovington built for children (Charles Schulz approved the name in 1996). source

You might also like

• Chumash Painted Cave · about 13 min drive (5.1 mi). Chumash rock art a few minutes up the pass. Tip: The pullout holds one or two cars; no RVs. Official site · source
• Lake Cachuma · about 16 min drive (9.8 mi). The morning half of a Highway 154 day. Tip: No swimming, but boat rentals, camping and trails. Official site · source
• Happy Canyon wineries · about 30 min drive (17.5 mi). Appointment-only Cabernet estates at the end of the 154 drive. Tip: Crown Point's last tasting starts at 4pm, and it takes day-of requests by phone when it has room. Official site · source
• Highline Adventures · about 37 min drive (23.4 mi). Three dual ziplines if you'd rather fly than taste. Tip: Plan at least 2.5 hours; tours start at $139. Official site · source

Drive times are without traffic.

Nearby: eat, taste, stay

• Chumash Painted Cave: Chumash rock art above San Marcos Pass · 5.1 mi, 13 min
• Lake Cachuma: Kayaks, boats and a nature center · 9.8 mi, 16 min
• Happy Canyon wineries: Crown Point is 17.5 mi, 30 min
• Highline Adventures: Dual ziplines over a ranch · 23.4 mi, 37 min
• Santa Ynez restaurants: Verona pasta, Red Barn steaks · 17.3 mi, 26 min
• Santa Ynez: Honky-tonk nights since 1963

Quick answers

Do you need reservations at Cold Spring Tavern?

Not for a normal lunch. Seating is first come, first served. Groups can call 805-967-0066, and weddings and large parties book through events@coldspringtavern.com.

What are Cold Spring Tavern's hours?

The dining room is open Monday and Thursday 11:30am–3pm and Friday to Sunday 11:30am–4pm, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Log Cabin Bar is open Friday to Sunday 11am–5pm, and the tri-tip barbecue Saturday and Sunday 11am–5pm.

When is live music at Cold Spring Tavern?

Every Saturday and Sunday from 1:30 to 4:30pm, mostly area bands. The lineup is on the tavern's live music page.

How much is the tri-tip sandwich at Cold Spring Tavern?

The Original Cold Spring Tri-Tip is $20 with one side, and the Junior Tri-tip for kids 12 and under is $14.

What should you order at Cold Spring Tavern?

The Original Cold Spring Tri-Tip sandwich ($20 with a side), the Famous Beer Batter Onion Rings ($16) to share, and the Chili Sampler ($23), a cup each of its three chilis. On weekends the outdoor barbecue sells tri-tip sandwiches straight off the grill.

What is Cold Spring Tavern known for?

Tri-tip sandwiches, beer-batter onion rings and its three chilis, served in an 1868 stagecoach stop. Weekends add live music and an outdoor tri-tip barbecue.

Is Cold Spring Tavern dog friendly?

No. The tavern lists a No Dog Policy.

Does Cold Spring Tavern serve breakfast or dinner?

Not on its published hours. The earliest opening is 11am and the dining room closes at 3pm or 4pm. Evenings are for private events; its calendar does list Thanksgiving (Thursday Nov 26) music from noon to 3pm.

How old is Cold Spring Tavern?

It began operating as a stagecoach stop in 1868, and the tavern believes the original building dates from 1860.

Who owns Cold Spring Tavern?

The Ovington family, since Adelaide Ovington bought it in 1941. Wayne and Joy Ovington Wilson, the third generation, are the current trustees.

How far is Cold Spring Tavern from Santa Barbara?

14.5 miles, about 22 minutes from downtown over Highway 154 (without traffic). From Solvang it's 20.9 miles, about 32 minutes.

Can you get married at Cold Spring Tavern?

Yes. It hosts weddings for up to 120 guests in Blisshaven Garden, the Log Cabin Bar or the Tavern. Email events@coldspringtavern.com for pricing.

What is the Cold Spring Arch Bridge?

The Highway 154 bridge over the tavern's canyon. It spans 1,148 feet, is the largest arch bridge in California and became a county historic landmark in January 2025.