First reviewed Oct. 2016. Revisited June 2025 “Still excellent. Worth a trip. Don’t miss happy hour.” – HI
Handline is all about “Coastal California” cuisine, and that means plenty of seafood ranging from raw and grilled oysters to fried rockfish tacos, fisherman’s stew, ceviche and a killer salad with house smoked trout, pickled onion, apple and buttermilk dressing .
What puts Handline over the top however, has nothing to do with the sea. It’s the burger and fries. Their Inglewood burger includes St. Jorge fonduta, sweet chili relish, pastured beef and Thousand Island dressing ($11) and the double-fried hand cut fries with chipotle aioli ($5).
One of the most stunning reasons to check out the former Foster’s Freeze is the soaring interior, with Japanese-screen style windows that slide open, a large outdoor patio and large, family-sized tables (and some great beer and wine for mom and dad). Don’t miss dessert, their ode to Foster’s with Straus soft serve ($6) that’s available at the restaurant or the walk-up window to the patio.
It’s a fast-casual concept where you order at the counter and food is delivered, making it a quick in-and-out for lunch, but if you’ve got the time, you can also order more courses either at the window or from your table. It’s a bit like Gott’s Roadside, but inside and with better service.
The visual highpoint, however, is the Fire Island Barbie fish tank diorama. At least that’s what we’ve dubbed it. You kinda gotta-see-it-to-believe the five-foot waterless tank filled with rainbow colored sea life, mermaid Barbies, jellyfish, guitar playing turtles and Godzilla with a bouquet of flowers. Paired with a few hard ciders, its even more entertaining.
Hint: Watch out for the hot sauce at the tables. Though it looks creamy and undaunting, it’s got a powerful bite!
Handline Restaurant, 935 Gravenstein Hwy. South, Sebastopol, 11a.m. to 10p.m. daily. Visit site.