novo restaurant & lounge

loved the patio and service. this was our first time there and i had requested a patio seat when i made the reservation. i'm glad i did. it was saturday night and there was some sort of music festival going on across the creek. it was strictly coincidental but my date loved it. our server was fantastic, we had ordered 2 apps before our entrees and had gotten lost in conversation and hardly touched them, she didn't rush us, we were in no hurry. the food is over priced for what you get but the service and the patio more than make up for it. only other thing was the lighting on the patio made it hard to read the menu, just used the light on my phone, after that the lighting was perfect for a date.

loved the patio and the service. this was our first time there and i had requested a patio seat when i made the reservation. i'm glad i did. it was saturday night and there was some sort of music festival going on across the creek. it was strictly coincidental but my date loved it. our server was fantastic, we had ordered 2 apps before our entrees and had gotten lost in conversation and hardly touched them, she didn't rush us, we were in no hurry. the food is over priced for what you get but the service and the patio more than make up for it. only other thing was the lighting on the patio made it hard to read the menu, just used the light on my phone, after that the lighting was perfect for a date.

ambience 5.0
beautiful creek side patio at the back - seating under the trees, on the edge of a creek.

service 4.5
very attentive and came by frequently to check if we needed anything

starters 3.5
potato samosa - very average

mains 3.5
thai green curry chicken - pretty decent, but have had better.
chow novo - decent again.

dessert 4.0
apple hazelnut crumble - nice abs warm inside.

the lunch menu along the creek setting was very pleasant. salmon bisque was savory, the nachos were delicious but the chips were too greasy for me. but the sushi grade ahi and sauce we're scruptious

looking for a memorable dinner in san luis obispo? i visited here for a beercation and since man cannot live on beer alone, i knew i would have to take a break to eat. a person who makes a living promoting this beautiful city selected many great places for me to dine during my visit, and among her many excellent choices was novo restaurant in downtown.

novo restaurant serves lunch, brunch, and dinner. i visited here in the evening and was immediately attracted to the ambiance of this establishment. the dim lighting, outdoor patio, and creekside accommodations provide a romantic vibe, perfect for an intimate meal. they emphasize the use of locally- grown and raised food, too, so you know what you get at novo restaurant is going to be fresh and delicious.

this downtown restaurant serves seafood, chicken, duck, quail, beef, etc., plus salads, appetizers, and desserts. they start you off with bread- which i believe is served to all- just moments after you arrive. this was enough to get me started so i passed on the appetizer menu and went straight for the main course. i loved the sound of so many items on the menu, but ultimately went with the roasted free range chicken breast. this delectable meal is served with french lentils, honeyed root vegetables, and arugula with a meyer lemon sauce and chive oil topping for the chicken. to say this is a good meal would be the understatement of the day! the preparation, the presentation, the flavor, the seasoning, and everything else represent the textbook definition of perfection on a plate and i commented out loud several times about how amazing it truly was.

my main meal and the bread were more than enough to leave me feeling full and satisfied, but when i heard about the desserts, i decided i had to find room for more. and it was one of the best decisions i have ever made, because the vanilla bean crème brulee was absolutely decadent. creamy, naturally delicious, and topped with berries, it was too good to be true and made for the perfect end to an unforgettable meal.

california is a great place to visit for natural scenery and is well- known for the hundreds of breweries located across the state. novo restaurant proves that the golden state is also an excellent place for memorable dining and it was easily one of the highlights of my visit. check it out, dine on the patio, and soak up the ambiance and excellent cuisine at this downtown landmark.

great experience.. this was a fantastic experience all around. we had a short wait, so we sat at the bar. the bar tenders are friendly and the drinks are wonderful. our table was ready faster than anticipated, service was great and food was spectacular. we loved the outdoor seating and will definitely go back!

thumbs up. always a delicious choice.

omg! i love those shrimp and avocado rolls!

pros: good food, great atmosphere
cons: none
notes: creek side dining was beautiful and the food wonderful.

i agree with the critic 14/20. the food was ok not much to brag about. service was so so.but great atmosphere for a romantic evening.

the best place in town. delicious food with unique flavors, great service, beautiful outdoor setting on the creek, lovely wine and beer and soju list, best chocolate macaroons and summer rolls i've ever had! the food is fresh and local and you can tell!
nothing is bad about this place!

good, not great. stopped here for a late lunch on a weekday, there were still pretty busy. sat on the patio, which is nice. service was fine, but our waitress was kinda spacey and said some of her over rehearsed lines to us two or three times not realizing she'd already said them.

had the lettuce wrap app (fresh but could have been more flavorful), lamb kafta salad (careful, when they say spicy they mean it), and tri-tip bbq sandwhich (which did have really good flavor, but is served cold and that's kinda weird).

a little expensive for what it is. we didn't have time to check out of anything else on the main drag was any better.

beautiful setting on the creek-side patio. friendly, attentive waitstaff drawm mostly from local colleges. our server refilled our water without our asking and brought us some extra focaccia with fresh olive oil and balsamic vinegar. the bisque was filled with chunks of fresh salmon. the chow was loaded with mushrooms, crunchy vegetables and moist, tender chicken. choice of wines was good - international as well as central coast. only minor complaint was that the "full" pour seemed shy of the usual 185 ml or so

best restaurant in san luis obispo. there is a reason why novo is voted #1 restaurant in san luis obispo year after year...the food is amazing! whenever we have a special event to celebrate or guest coming into town, the first thing we do is make reservations at novo. do yourself a favor and order the salmon bisque as a starter. the season specials are also not-to-be-missed.

top dog is my morro bay treat. top dog is my destination of choice for meet-ups in morro bay - i feel like i'm treating myself. they have top-notch service: friendly, helpful and they don't keep you waiting. i love their egg sandwich for breakfast.