Are Restaurants Open In California? Here’s What You Need To Know

Outdoor Dining Is Okay, Tho From There The Rules Get A Bit Confusing

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com California Blogger

To understand what in tarnation is going on with California restaurant openings, one needs to take a different approach here than with other states and areas.

It requires a “boots on the ground” method rather than simply looking up the rules and adjusting to them.

This is because throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the rules in the Golden State have been about as consistent as the Rams and Raiders were during the 2020 NLF season.

The good news for restaurant workers and owners, as well as hungry diners, is that the restaurants are open in California. But keep reading for information for the fine print, to to speak.

This is the current situation, tho it will likely change and PubClub.com will keep this article up to date. Keep in mind that the rules – and in particular the enforcement – is different from city to city and sometimes even restaurant to restaurant.

As one example of the latter, since the re-opening of outdoor dining the first part of 2021, the requirement of having to have food to get a drink seemed to have disappeared. Until I went into one establishment in which one order of food per table was required.

Upon inquiry since no other bar or restaurant I had been to the past month had this rule, the server said, “we’re just doing what our attorneys tell us to do” in regards to the situation. So you often won’t really know the rules until you sit down at a bar or restaurant.

Technically, it’s only for outdoor dining and drinking. And only until 10 p.m. (So start your drinking early!) But here is where it gets blurry. At some places, you can sit inside. But only part of the inside space. This could be tables by a big, open window or even at the bar.

Or maybe not at the bar. Boots on the ground, remember.

If you are looking for an explanation, the best I can offer is this: if a place has tables by big, open windows then that is considered “outside.” Either that or the bars and restaurants are assuming that is okay and are doing it until told otherwise.

Now, regarding California bars, those serve food are open. This includes breweries that serve food. Now here’s one way in which is gets confusing: some wineries and wine tasting room that do not serve food are open, too.

The best thing to know is to put those “boots on the ground” and see for yourself what each particular establishment is doing, tho you can be assured it is legal for restaurants in California to be open.