Maverick Saloon
The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez is one of my favorite spots. It’s a great place to sit out on the front deck and take in the sun and people, or inside at the bar — plenty of barstools fit at the U-shaped bar. It’s my kind of place for the music, the atmosphere and although it looks a lot older, something from the 19th century, it is relatively young — built in the mid-1960’s. Not sure if this is true, but wouldn’t be surprised: “During Old Santa Ynez Days, cowboys still try to ride their horses into the bar. If we see it coming, we block it off for security, but the last one got all the way through!”
— Well, hell yea! Probably after Big Tom’s Backyard BBQ. If you’ve never experienced Big Tom’s — you’ve missed tri-tip like no other. Catch him at the Maverick for his burgers, tri-tip and chicken — or back up the pass at Cold Spring Tavern on Sunday for just tri-tip.
Started a Sunday morning at the Maverick with bloody mary’s and beers when the sun warmed up the front deck. We were headed back to the Paradise Store and Cold Spring Tavern when a party rental truck pulled in to pick up the chairs and tables from a wedding the day before. A couple more rounds while they load as it appeared we were parked in. 11:00am became 4:00pm in no time and those couple rounds kept adding up — chairs, tables, tents — these guys still had a couple hours to load and we didn’t want to have to ask them to move their truck. About now it was clear we needed to leave Maverick’s before we’d have trouble driving. Ventured down to the parking lot only to discover that we’d never been parked in at all — just looked like it from where we were sitting. Out onto Highway 142, but a detour north to Mattei’s Tavern to celebrate our good fortune with a couple Martini’s. Yep, spent a little more time at the Maverick than originally planned, but not complaining one bit — a great place to spend a day.