There is not a visit that I have not ate here. If you are hungry and want the best food. The wait is worth the food.
Rhonda Laursen, February 19. 2010
We live in Ojai and have gone to Bonnie Lu's a few times. My husband is not fond of the food or the place, but agreed to go with me today for lunch. Our experience mirrors the poor review below. Please note that it's not all locals who get preferential treatment just some locals. I ordered soup and it was lousy a watery broth with large hunks of tasteless vegetables. The service here has always been bad and today was no exception. The waitresses were engrossed in a young child in diapers and shoes and who was put on the counter to sit and walk. There is no way to get service here because the wait staff is forever engrossed in conversation with each other, with family or friends or as today, reading a magazine. Dirty tables were left dirty. There are two waitresses who could care less you're there and your food is brought out and tossed in front of you by a cook from the back. So this was our last trip to Bonnie Lu's. My husband was right - we intend to 86 this place entirely.
Barbara Stabnow, January 26, 2009
My family is visiting from the Midwest, and dearly loving Ojai and enjoying all of the eateries there, we took them to Bonnie Lu's. It was splendid. Almost amusingly, it was spotlessly clean - indeed, everything -- top to bottom -- was nearly antiseptic. The service was friendly and efficient, and the food was splendid. The early dinners are the biggest bargain in town -- gourmet food at discount prices. We're already quite keen on going there again -- and we've only been back home a couple of hours!
Harry Domicone, May 9, 2008
I couldn't believe the bad review- it must of been a crazy day. Our family loves Bonnie Lu's. Nowhere have I tasted a better vegie omelet than there! I love their new motif as well. Always clean and hospitable.
Virginia Aguirre, October 5, 2007
I absolutely LOVE Bonnie Lu's. The service is great and the food is excellent. The salsa that is served is to die for!!! I have always been treated like family when I go there. I have nothing but great things to say about this wonderful restaurant and it's employees!!!
Carol Buenrostro, April 3, 2007
Surprised also by the bad experience in earlier review. I went with my kids and the staff was fantastic. They worked as a team, we had two servers! Food was great for the whole family, the chile was especially good. I had no complaints and envisioned the place becoming a regular weekend haunt if I lived near by.
Matt P., December 12, 2006
Wow...I just read the other review and am REALLY surprised. I have eaten at Bonnie Lu's a few times and LOVE the place. I live in Oxnard and think the drive up to Ojai for lunch at this place is completely worth it. I have had great and friendly service and the food served to my parties on the occasions I have been was all terrific. The restaurant has also been clean on every trip I have made.
Sam Farrell, October 8, 2006
Last Sunday my husband and I visited Ojai. We both had not been there in years. We like diners and thought Bonnie Lu's would be a great choice for lunch. We should have looked more carefully before sitting down. After we got settled in a booth with our menus we had plenty of time to notice that the floor was filthy! There were empty creamer tubs, partially eaten sandwiches and dirty napkins littering the floor. I considered asking someone to sweep up, but it was hard enough to get service. We had to resort to raising our hands to get a waitress over, who took the order. No greeting, no apology for her inattention. The waitresses seemed more involved with talking with each other and watching TV than in providing service. And no one was friendly, at least not to us. Someone else brought our food. Again, we had to raise our hands to get the check. The spinach in the salad was not very fresh, and the mushrooms were old. My tri-tip sandwich featured lots of fat and gristle and the meat seemed odd, as if it were steamed. My husband does not like me complaining, even when we get horrible service and food, so we paid the bill and left. I noticed that he only tipped 10%, which is unusual for him, but the only outward sign of his dissatisfaction. Needless to say, we would warn people not to go to this restaurant, especially since it seemed that the locals were getting better service than we were.
Madeleine StMichael - September 2, 2006
Classic home-cooked American breakfasts and lunches. Family owned and operated; friendly service; perfect for those casual meals.
Reviews from Publications and Diners
There is not a visit that I have not ate here. If you are hungry and want the best food. The wait is worth the food.
Rhonda Laursen, February 19. 2010
We live in Ojai and have gone to Bonnie Lu's a few times. My husband is not fond of the food or the place, but agreed to go with me today for lunch. Our experience mirrors the poor review below. Please note that it's not all locals who get preferential treatment just some locals. I ordered soup and it was lousy a watery broth with large hunks of tasteless vegetables. The service here has always been bad and today was no exception. The waitresses were engrossed in a young child in diapers and shoes and who was put on the counter to sit and walk. There is no way to get service here because the wait staff is forever engrossed in conversation with each other, with family or friends or as today, reading a magazine. Dirty tables were left dirty. There are two waitresses who could care less you're there and your food is brought out and tossed in front of you by a cook from the back. So this was our last trip to Bonnie Lu's. My husband was right - we intend to 86 this place entirely.
Barbara Stabnow, January 26, 2009
My family is visiting from the Midwest, and dearly loving Ojai and enjoying all of the eateries there, we took them to Bonnie Lu's. It was splendid. Almost amusingly, it was spotlessly clean - indeed, everything -- top to bottom -- was nearly antiseptic. The service was friendly and efficient, and the food was splendid. The early dinners are the biggest bargain in town -- gourmet food at discount prices. We're already quite keen on going there again -- and we've only been back home a couple of hours!
Harry Domicone, May 9, 2008
I couldn't believe the bad review- it must of been a crazy day. Our family loves Bonnie Lu's. Nowhere have I tasted a better vegie omelet than there! I love their new motif as well. Always clean and hospitable.
Virginia Aguirre, October 5, 2007
I absolutely LOVE Bonnie Lu's. The service is great and the food is excellent. The salsa that is served is to die for!!! I have always been treated like family when I go there. I have nothing but great things to say about this wonderful restaurant and it's employees!!!
Carol Buenrostro, April 3, 2007
Surprised also by the bad experience in earlier review. I went with my kids and the staff was fantastic. They worked as a team, we had two servers! Food was great for the whole family, the chile was especially good. I had no complaints and envisioned the place becoming a regular weekend haunt if I lived near by.
Matt P., December 12, 2006
Wow...I just read the other review and am REALLY surprised. I have eaten at Bonnie Lu's a few times and LOVE the place. I live in Oxnard and think the drive up to Ojai for lunch at this place is completely worth it. I have had great and friendly service and the food served to my parties on the occasions I have been was all terrific. The restaurant has also been clean on every trip I have made.
Sam Farrell, October 8, 2006
Last Sunday my husband and I visited Ojai. We both had not been there in years. We like diners and thought Bonnie Lu's would be a great choice for lunch. We should have looked more carefully before sitting down. After we got settled in a booth with our menus we had plenty of time to notice that the floor was filthy! There were empty creamer tubs, partially eaten sandwiches and dirty napkins littering the floor. I considered asking someone to sweep up, but it was hard enough to get service. We had to resort to raising our hands to get a waitress over, who took the order. No greeting, no apology for her inattention. The waitresses seemed more involved with talking with each other and watching TV than in providing service. And no one was friendly, at least not to us. Someone else brought our food. Again, we had to raise our hands to get the check. The spinach in the salad was not very fresh, and the mushrooms were old. My tri-tip sandwich featured lots of fat and gristle and the meat seemed odd, as if it were steamed. My husband does not like me complaining, even when we get horrible service and food, so we paid the bill and left. I noticed that he only tipped 10%, which is unusual for him, but the only outward sign of his dissatisfaction. Needless to say, we would warn people not to go to this restaurant, especially since it seemed that the locals were getting better service than we were.
Madeleine StMichael - September 2, 2006
Classic home-cooked American breakfasts and lunches. Family owned and operated; friendly service; perfect for those casual meals.
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