Saturday, January 14, 2006

The Barn

Yesterday I mentioned some of my favorite OC restaurants, and it got me thinking about another one. The Barn.

The Barn was located in Tustin, on the corner of Edinger and Red Hill. It actually looked like a giant barn, but with several additions to it. It was basically a steakhouse. The employees there wore cowboy and cowgirl outfits.

I remember our first visit there, it was a Christmas party for my step-father's employer. I was 13 years old then. I remember at first being in awe of the place because it was big and there was so much stuff going on inside. The place had an upstairs area, but my folks wouldn't let me go up there. Later on in life, during other visits I got to up there, and it was a bar with pool tables.

Food-wise, it was pretty good. They gave you big portions. I always ordered the salad bar to go with my steak.

My wife and I used to go there once in a while, and one of the companies I used to work for held employee birthday parties there.

The Barn closed up something like 7 or 8 years ago. I don't know if it moved to a different location, or just went out of business. I think they finally tore the place down.

48 comments:

  1. I used to love this place too! I enjoyed the food, but mostly just the atmosphere of the wonderful old building.

    The 88-year old building -- formerly the Francis Citrus Packing House on Irvine Ranch property -- was demolished in 2002, and a retail center is in the works for the site (source: The Orange County Register).

    Yet another example of the little regard our communities have for their own heritage.

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  2. I worked at The Barn in the mid-80's. I always liked the pull chain toilets. The bar upstairs was great with the double staircases. There was a gambling circle run by the head bartender that was eventually busted up by the police and that was probably the beginning of the end.

    The only thing that I didn't like was when they'd serve you the "fixins" for your baked potato in those silver cups. After the place closed they'd scrape all the leftovers into a big vat and serve them again the next day.

    It was a fun place to work but the place was huge! It had all those themed rooms (car room, toy room, stables, blacksmith room, etc.) and was a great place for a private party.

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    1. I also worked there in the 80s and it was a lot of fun. I wonder what ever happened to the owners. remember Cal?

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    2. Are there any pictures of The Barn? I used to eat there.

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  3. The Barn was actually dismantled and the wood was sold in individual pieces. Apparently it was a real barn at one time that was dismantled and moved from its original location and reassembled in the Tustin location on Red Hill.

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  4. I've driven past it many times but never actually been inside. I can't believe I never ate there!! Shame it's gone now.

    There was another place similar to it down the street. I can't seem to remember the name but it was off the 55 and Edinger. The had big country acts play there. It finally closed down and they moved to the Irvine Spectrum.

    I don't particularly care for the Spectrum... A little to plastic for me...

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  5. the barn in costa mesa was the best

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  6. The place you are thinking of was the Crazy Horse. It was off the 55 Frwy between McFadden and Dyer. They moved to the Spectrum and I believe I read somewhere their lease was not renewed so they had to close?

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  7. there was a Barn steakhouse in Costa Mesa on Harbor Blvbd that I used to love to go to when I was young! I imagine that this was affiliated! Great steaks.

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  8. Our family loved The Barn, in fact that is where my oldest son who is now 28 would want to have his birthday dinner. We still use the 'boot' glasses they would give him with his Roy Rogers on a daily basis. Great memories.

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  9. Does anyone remember the band that used to play there most weekends? The lead singers name was Bob Gully and the other leads name was Bobby (can't remember last name). They were such a great cover band. I wonder what ever happened to all of them.

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  10. Bob Gully plays in San Juan now occasionally at the swallows. A great cover artist. He gets the Clapton strat screamin. The Barn in costa mesa did have the best steaks. Anybody know where it was before? Before Costa Mesa it was in newport along PCH believe it or not.They used to give you your change in silver dollars. Cool but heavy. Memories...Oh yeah the one in Costa Mesa used to be a Chuck E cheese and they converted everything to a western theme but they did keep some of the animatronics up above for a while.

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  11. I helped build the interior of "The Barn", It had an original Brunswick bar which we refinished. If memory serves me correctly, the owners name was Michael Gravett. He collected everything inside and out and had it stored prior to building in Santa Ana. I believe it was around 76-78 when we helped on this project.

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  12. so was the Barn out there on Edinger owned by the same people who ran the one in the back of the old Harbor Center (by Nick's Pizza)? I remember going to the one on Harbor several times and it was funky but fun - the entrance was in the back of the shopping center - most bizarre.

    And does anyone else remember taking out pizza from nick's pizza when he was in the back of the old shopping center? Back in the 1970s his pizza was pretty decent, and you always got a show when you'd go over there to pick it up. Most nights, he would be screaming his lungs out over some mistake or slight by a staff member. really amusing. the "new" nicks trattoria is in my opinion, bland and the pizza really changed. too bad for us

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  13. Another placed I loved to go to. I worked in Santa Ana and we used to go there for lunch quite often. No one makes a Monte Cristo like they did. I still drive by that corner and can't get used to the shopping center that's there now.

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  14. I worked at New Horizons CLC at Dyer/55 in Santa Ana during the 1990's....went to The Barn often...great steaks and atmosphere...a classic throwback joint that was a great getaway from the modernization of the OC....me & De ate there once a week.

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  15. Hi, just remembered The Barn, was talking to one of my friends about it..Loved that restaurant! I am hoping that this will help you in finding Bob Gully. I live in Big Bear, and we have a performer who plays up here every once in a while. His name is Bob Gully and he plays every once in a while at Nottinghams Restaurant, in the Fryer Tucks bar upstairs. He plays guitar and sings country. Love his music. Hope this helps.

    Miss the Barn, good memories!

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  16. bob gully plays up at annets mono village in bridgeport ca. great area for outdoor concerts

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  17. the barn on edinger and the one is costa mesa were not affiliated. both were good, but my favorite was the one in costa mesa. I started going as a kid to the one in costa mesa almost to harbor. they then moved to the old chuck e cheeses on harbor, with the enterance on the back parking lot. they then moved to a small place in newport beach next to Rudy's pub. They closed because the owner had health problems. If anybody hears about them opening again please post. It was my favorite restaurant ever. I saw one of the waiters working at dukes on the HB pier after they closed and got the info.

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  18. I use to travel to CA often for medical business. We often ate at the Barn. They not only had great food and service, but they had music playing every night. The very best was Phil and Janie Shane!

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  19. Well I just happened to stumple upon this web site. Interesting to see the comments about the barn steak house in Costa Mesa. It just so happens that me uncle chuck owned it, I remember it well we ate there quite a bit, and too this day I have not found any steak that can compare to his baseball cut, fresh bread, and salad with all home made salad dressings. He did move into a bigger place, it was in a shopping center. Our antique wagon sat in the middile of one of the dining rooms. Any way he was not affiliated with any other barn steak house. Years ago he retired and sold it and only from what I hear the people who bought it didn't really know what they were doing and ran it into the ground. Unforetunately owing Uncle Chuck alot of money. Uncle Chuck is now retired still and is in his late eighties and lives in South Dakota. He loves it there, he lives by his older sister Bernice who still plays gold and walks everyday. Thanks too all the faithful customers.

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    1. My Very Favorite Restaurant ever!! Since Chuck is your uncle could you get him to give me the receipe for the "Farm Burger" My personal favorite and also the beans in the really good sauce he would serve with the "Farm Burger" plate. Believe me, I would really appreciate it.
      Tim

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  20. Everyone that is looking to hear Bob Gulley again. You will find him at The Tropicana in Laughlin. And yes in Big Bear in Feb and March at Nottingham's on the Blvd. Bob has many great fans that love his voice. He can also be found in myspace.

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  21. My dad insists that there was a George C. Scott movie filmed in part at the Barn in Tustin. Don't know which one.

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  22. Will Farrell use to be a regular there and everytime he saw me he would pull the back of my suspenders so they would slap my back. Great times. Will Ferrell is still jacka$$ to this day apparently

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  23. My wedding rehearsal dinner was held in the silo room in April 1985. It was fun. Glad I didn't order the fixins! The Barn may be gone, but we are still married!

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  24. Oh, I am so glad I looked up the Barn..I had many fun times there especially with the Bob Gully Band playing country music...He should come back to the old stomping grounds and do a concert...I bet all of us who ejoyed his music back than would gladly support this.
    Angelina

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  25. I loved the Barn! I noticed that a relation of the owner wrote in one of the previous posts. My dad ran an auto collison shop in Costa Mesa for over 20 years and he know the owner. We would go to the Barn ALL the time. I remember that I absolutely LOVED the old barn atmosphere - low lighting, and I think I remember the menus were printed on a piece of paper on a board slab. I also remember a big picture of a brown and white cow??? I wish the owner the best. What a great restaurant.

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  26. I loved The Barn! An earlier poster's uncle owned it - I wish the owner the best - I believe my dad knew him. My dad ran an auto collison business in OC for over 20 years. We would go to The Barn ALL the time - in the orignal Costa Mesa location and then when it moved to Harbor. I remember the dim lighting, a big painting of a cow and menus that were printed on a piece of paper laminated or something to a board! I am not a big meat eater but even now, at 39, I CRAVE Barn burgers! I would eat them when I was a kid. And I remember the salads served in big metal bowls with that awesome dressing! Yum. I'm hungry!
    I live in Pennsylvania now and get by on the memories of growing up in Costa Mesa and OC. They were the best times of my life.

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  27. Can anyone get the recipe for the Lemon Pie?

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  28. Bob Gully is playing in Laughlin,Nev I think
    the river palms But hes a regular on the stip
    here...I went to h.S. with him The band at the barn may have been the Johnson Bros. We all went
    to Santa Ana High aroun 64-68 also Larry Hansen
    whos in Tenn. after being with Alabama many years
    We all played music and raised hell.Gully Crazy Guy ........Harry Burnett

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  29. Does anyone know what they would marinade the meat in? It had to be a home made Because it was so good .

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  30. What I wouldn't give to have one more "Barn Burner" filet mignon with a side of mushrooms and and a cold iceberg lettuce salad with home made blue cheese dressing served from a chilled stainless steel bowl. Nothing else has ever came close, the Costa Mesa Barn Farmer Steakhouse rocked.

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  31. I remember fondly going to the Barn in Tustin off of Red Hill every month back in the mid-1980s. I was working in Irvine at the time. After 25 years of working in LA County, I finally got a job back in Orange County this year in Lake Forest. I was unaware that the Barn was gone as I was thinking of having a Christmas luncheon there next month. :(
    I remember the airplane hanging from the ceiling and the little themed rooms. I also remember the trees along the railroad tracks that in the parking lot that made me fell like I went back in time about 50 years. it was a nice restful place to go for lunch. I will miss it greatly.

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  32. I was a Marine stationed at LTA in the 80's , and the Barn was literally a short walk away.
    It was a great place to go for drinks, and they always had a swordfish steak that I enjoyed.

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  33. Yes, The Barn Steakhouse - it use to be on Harbor and Wilson in an hold barn and then moved across the street in the shopping center where the old movie theater was (not the one on Red Hill) This was an actual STEAKHOUSE - With the "Barn Burner" FILET - yes and mushrooms, fresh salad - it was was awesome - sawdust on the floor and cold beers ---

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  34. I played at the barn on Edinger with Bob Gulley in a group called the Exploding Pintos around 1980. Great place! Bob a great singer musician. Steve Faulkner

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  35. The filet mignon was the "Cloverburner" the porterhouse was the "Barnburner." NY steak was "Hayburner" and top sirloin was "Weedburner." I worked there for a looooong time. Great place and fun back then. The original restaurant was not a barn, but an old building in front of an electronics warehouse. There was never sawdust on the floor. The Barn in Tustin was not affiliated with The Barn in Costa Mesa. Lemon pie was made with Borden's condensed sweetened milk mixed with Cool Whip and a can of frozen lemonade, simple and delicious. Cheers to all of the "old" customers!!

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  36. One of my favorite restaurants ever. The cloverburner was awesome. The best service I have ever seen. We went there for over 25 years until it closed. I still have one of the menus printed on a shingle.

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  37. I remember the Barn in Costa Mesa. I worked there when it was in Newport Beach. I loved working there and I really miss all the people that worked there. I wish all the best to the people that I had an opportunity to work with.

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  38. Had dinner with Debbie Gravitt, Mike's wife, 2 weeks ago. They are both fine, planning to move back after a hiatus in Nebraska.

    Back in the early 90's I produced a comedy show at the barn and it was the first paying gig for Will Ferrell, at least he told Leno that.

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  39. The Barn was my favorite...I remember Bonnie the waitress from wayyyy back, from the original restaurant on Harbor. Wasn't quite the same after they moved farther up into the shopping center, but I was still hooked on the Weedburner steak, and I had a jar I'd bring and they'd fill it up with that yummy teriyaki sauce. I still remember how it tasted. Sadly I heard long ago that Bonnie got Alzheimer's disease. I still consider The Barn my favorite restaurant ever.

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  40. THE BARN STEAK HOUSE had the best meals anywhere at the time. The beans were the best and I wish I had the receipe for them. I used to go there every day for lunch and could walk there in 2 minutes.Great personel and great attitudes. Keith was a gift to us all.

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  41. I want the blue cheese salad dressing recipe! I have come close but it will never be as good as the Barn's! I loved that place.

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  42. Had the pleasure of hearing Bob Gulley playing with the Three Bottle Band last night, he is as great as ever and he had the guy from Alabama playing with him. They were awesome.

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  43. The Barn was good but Pop's Steak House in Santa Ana was the best. The band Bob Gulley was in during high school was The Youngmen with the Johnson twins and Vinny Tuturo. I used to see them at the Gadabout in Tustin. Gary

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  44. The Farmhouse, Ronardo's and Chicken Pie Shop...3 of my favorites! Ronardo's served family style. Big bowls of spaghetti, green beans and the best shoestring fries!!

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