Why we like it
If someone in your house ever asks "where do we want to go" and nobody has a strong opinion, the answer is The Local.
The LOCAL Pub & Grill is the default Friday night for half of west Santa Clarita, and it earns the title. 1,500 Yelp reviews, a 4.5-star average, an actual lunch menu, an actual happy hour, and a kitchen that handles a six-top with kids and a date-night two-top at the next table without losing the plot. It's the room you come back to because nobody at the table will be unhappy with their meal, and that is a harder feat than the food-snob crowd gives it credit for.
The vibe
American pub, leaning sit-down rather than dive. Wood, warm lighting, TVs at the bar without the sports-bar clamor. Loud enough to talk, quiet enough to hear. Kids are welcome and well-handled until about 8pm, when the room shifts toward the bar crowd. The patio is the move on a clear evening; in summer it stays comfortable later than the inside dining room does.
The bartenders know the regulars by drink. The servers will guide you toward the kitchen's strengths if you ask. It is not a "scene" room, which is most of why locals defend it.
What to order
- The fish and chips. Crisp, generous, fried to order, and it has been the same recipe long enough that locals will defend it against any other version in the city.
- Local Burger. The house burger, cooked to temperature, on a brioche bun. Ask for it medium and trust the kitchen.
- Shepherd's pie, if it's on. Old-school comfort food done with care.
- Weekend breakfast, Saturday or Sunday 10am to 2pm. The eggs benedict and the breakfast burrito both punch above the average SCV brunch.
- Happy hour, weekdays 3pm to 6pm. Half off select drafts and a short small-plates menu. The room is at its calmest.
When to go
Friday and Saturday after 7pm is full and stays full, especially on the patio. Lunch is a sleeper time slot here; the room is half empty between 11 and 1 and the lunch menu is sharper than the dinner crowd realizes. Weekend brunch is a quiet underrated meal at this restaurant; the breakfast service ends at 2pm but you can stay all afternoon.
Reservations are taken for larger parties; small groups walk in and wait at the bar. The wait is rarely more than 20 minutes even on a peak Saturday.
Good to know
Parking: Plenty in the shared lot. The Old Road runs straight through, so getting in and out is easy off the I-5 from either direction.
Reservations: Taken for parties of 6 or more. Smaller groups walk in and queue at the bar. Wait times rarely exceed 20 minutes, even on a peak Saturday.
Dietary: Vegetarian options on the menu, and the kitchen will swap out fries for a salad without making it a thing. Gluten-free buns available on request. Vegan options are thinner; the kitchen can build a salad-and-sides plate but there's no dedicated vegan section.
Kids: Kid-friendly through dinner with a real kids' menu (not just chicken tenders), highchairs, and patient servers. The volume rises after 8pm as the bar crowd takes over.
Sports: TVs at the bar tuned to the major broadcasts, but the dining room is not a sports bar. You can watch a game without committing to watching a game.
Patio: Heated, seasonal awnings, and one of the better outdoor dining setups in west SCV. Ask for the patio when the weather is good.
If you go
The LOCAL Pub & Grill
26876 The Old Road, Valencia, CA 91381
On The Old Road in Valencia, just south of McBean Parkway
Open in Google Maps
Phone: (661) 495-9192
Website: thelocalpubgrill.com
Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-9pm. Weekend breakfast Sat-Sun 10am-2pm.
Happy hour: Mon-Thu 3pm-6pm, Fri 3pm-5pm.
Price: $$
Good for: family dinners, weekend brunch, happy-hour catch-ups, mixed-age groups
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a reservation at The Local Pub & Grill?
For parties of 6 or more, yes. For smaller groups, walk-ins are the norm and the wait is rarely more than 20 minutes. Friday and Saturday after 7pm are the peak; lunch and weekday dinner are walk-in friendly.
Is the weekend brunch any good?
Better than its reputation. Saturday and Sunday breakfast runs 10am to 2pm and the eggs benedict and breakfast burrito are the standouts. The room is calm in the morning and the patio is the move when the weather cooperates.
Is The Local Pub & Grill kid-friendly?
Yes through about 8pm. There's a real kids' menu, highchairs, and the volume stays manageable through the dinner rush. After 8 the bar crowd takes over and the room shifts adult.
More in Valencia
The Local sits in the Old Road / Westridge stretch, a corridor that locals reach by way of McBean and the I-5. For the brewery cousin a few miles north, see Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co. For the Italian sit-down anchor of Valencia, see Piccola Trattoria (technically in Canyon Country, but the locals here drive there). For the full local guide, see our guide to where to eat in Santa Clarita.
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