Hearst Ranch Winery

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442 SLO San Simeon Rd
San Simeon, CA 93452

Phone: (805) 927-4100

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Neighborhood: San Simeon

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  4.2 stars - Based on 13 votes

#7 out of 11 restaurants in San Simeon

#1 of 1 Wine Bar in San Simeon

5 star				7 votes	54%
4 star				4 votes	31%
3 star				1 votes	8%
2 star				0 votes	0%
1 star				1 votes	8%

Top Reviews of Hearst Ranch Winery

03/31/2024 - MenuPix User

01/26/2024 - MenuPix User

12/30/2023 - MenuPix User

06/17/2022 - Fidel
After taking four different tours of Hearst Caste from 9 a.m. to almost 3 p.m. on Friday May 27th, 2022 my girlfriend and I decided to relax and enjoy a bottle of wine and take in the nice view at the Hearst Winery. When we arrived, we were greeted by a nice security guard who was very kind, funny, and helpful. Little did we know that was to be the extent of the pleasant experience at this winery.

Please Note: I’m writing this review 20 days and almost 3 weeks since the incident occurred. I typically don’t write these type of reviews. However, our experience was so disheartening that I couldn’t simply ignore it and not say how I truly feel.

That being said...... From the moment we entered the winery we were ignored. At first I thought it was because we arrived close to or at closing time. But after a quick glance around the facilities it was obvious they were actively serving other guests. I noticed three separate female employees all working at or near the front counter and central counter station. All three looked at us but not one of them greeted or acknowledged us. I approached the counter and stood in front of the young lady that was close to me. She slowly looked up at me and then slowly rolled her eye’s as she looked down at the paper she was writing on and then asked, in a drab and almost annoyed tone, “do you want wine tasting?” Thinking that the the staff may just be exhausted after a long hard day, I attempted to add some levity to make the best of what was fast becoming a very unpleasant experience. I responded to the young lady with a smile and said, “No its been a long day, we’re looking to do some wine drinking”. No response....

The young lady didn’t respond. A few moments pass which made for an uncomfortable silence as the young lady never even looked up or made eye contact with me again at this point. Then another woman/employee abruptly says as she walks past me towards the front counter, “ Do you have a reservation?, I don’t have any oceanfront seating if you don’t have a reservation”. I replied by saying “No” and the woman now standing at the front counter turns to me and says, “You have to come over here”. As I was approaching the front counter another couple arrives and the woman begins to assist them. Unlike the lack of a reception and rude treatment we received, the woman greets them with a warm hello and asked if they have a reservation, the couple says yes and the woman responded by saying, “wonderful what name is it under” in a very cheerful voice. Meanwhile, I was left standing to the side and being ignored again.

The woman escorts the couple to their reserved table walking past me and not even acknowledging me at all. I’t wouldn’t have taken much... A simple I will be right back, I’ll be right with you, It will be just a moment, Thank you for your patience..... NOTHING.....

After standing there for a while, a third woman finally woman comes to the front counter and asks me what I wanted, I explained we would like a have table, that it didn’t need to be “OCEANFRONT” and to purchase a few bottles of wine and condiments to enjoy such as cheese, olives, almonds, cookies etc... We buy several items and two bottles of wine etc and wait for the female clerk to assist us by opening the items and placing them on a serving board or similar. To our surprise, the clerk didn’t offer to open or assist us with any of the items we purchased. She instructed us to take them as they were and didn’t offer to help carry anything to our table. Once we arrived at our table my girlfriend again asked for a cutting board, cutlery, etc. The clerk responded by saying “Sure” in a rude tone.

Please note: We’re being treated in this manner and we hadn’t said or done anything to provoke the staff. Not one rude comment no bad or inappropriate behavior. Nothing to deserve being treated so rudely.

We try and put the bad experience behind us, we’re here for fun not drama so lets ignore them and have a good time like we planned. We open the wine and start drinking while waiting for the clerk to return. We couldn't help but notice how wonderfully all of the other guests/customers were being treated. The staff all had smiles on their faces, they engaged in chit chat with the guests while laughing and smiling. This was all drastically different than how we we’re being treated.

Several minutes and two glasses of wine had passed and the clerk hadn’t returned. So my girlfriend walks into the winery to ask for help. while waiting again for assistance, she notices another couple walk in, buy one bottle of wine and some cheese. She described the manner in which the same staff that had treated us so poorly was warm and friendly and even opened their cheese gave them a cutting board and silver cutlery. But when my girlfriend asked for help she was given a plastic knife and board.

We finish our wine which has nothing to do with the staff but it was also not very good, and prepared to leave. We needed a bag to carry some of the items we had left over so I asked another employee who was passing by for assistance. I asked if she could bring us a bag so we could take the items with us and she replied by saying, “ I will ask someone to help you”.... She walked into and out of the winery three times and walked past us each time but never brought a bad an no one ever came to our aid.

Just when I thought every single person in this place is rude, unprofessional, disrespectful and unkind we meet Paul. Paul overheard our conversation and joke I made to my girlfriend and he chimed in and we all laughed. He was friendly and had a big smile on his face. He treated us totally different than every other employee we had encountered besides the security guard.

When we walk into the winery I asked to speak with the manager. A man behind the counter (I cant remember his name Allen possibly).... In a very calm quiet and respectful tone, I attempted to express how unhappy we were with how we were treated by his entire staff except Paul and the security guard. But before I could even finish the manager turns around opens a drawer and tried to hand me a coupon or something. I was so offended. He didn’t let me finish expressing myself and immediately tries to pacify me by giving me something. I told him that I was offended by the gesture and that I wasn't asking for anything. I simply wanted to be heard. But that his actions and rude treatment along with the staffs horrible treatment suggests to me that this was representative of how they treat people like us.........

I had to give it one star as the view is beautiful......