After five years, Hay’s Place remains a top Pebble Beach draw. So they are throwing a party.

A group of fashionable women gather around a patio table. This is Pebble Beach, after all, where “resort casual” is the recommended dining attire.

It’s one of those postcard afternoons, but they give scant attention to the scenery draping down to Stillwater Cove. Instead, there is a burst of excitement from the group as the appetizer arrives – nachos drenched in queso blanco dumped unceremoniously from a large tin can.

This is Hay’s Place, wedged into a corner of The Hay, a par-3 golf course designed by Tiger Woods’ company. While it’s not out of place – with its panoramic view, sleek styling and windows that open to allow the outdoors in, the restaurant has the look of a resort destination – however… tin can nachos?

“Tin can nachos have been probably the biggest hit across the entire property,” says Bryan Anthony, vice president of food and beverage for the Pebble Beach Company, no longer in a surprised tone. That puts it up there with wild-caught black cod or Maine lobster at Stillwater or The Tap Room’s prime rib, which the chef tends to for 12 hours.

From the moment it opened five years ago, Hay’s Place and its deliberately sloppy presentation of nachos stood apart – a humble taqueria menu set against an elegant backdrop. Not that Pebble Beach restaurants are stiff, mind you. The Tap Room offers wings and potato skins. Mac and cheese is a feature at The Bench. But the kitchens also serve such fineries as A-5 Wagyu flown in from Niigata, Japan, as well as seafood towers and dollops of caviar.

“It was something different for Pebble Beach,” Anthony observes. “It’s been such a smashing success. It’s an informal dining experience that we needed.”

Tiger’s fajitas are robust, with a crackle of heat that swells when you slice into the whole roasted jalapeño and an earthen, smoky streak. From this, sweet or grassy notes pop from grilled bell peppers and onions. Corn tortillas for the carne asada or pollo al pastor tacos are made in house, with a juicy, bittersweet note from grilled pineapple in the latter bringing an avocado salsa to life.

Guests can add chicken, short rib or even lobster – a lot of delicately briney chunks of lobster – to the nachos. But the secret is in the technique.

Instead of simply shredding orange cheese over the chips and allowing heat to do the rest, Chef Angela Herrera starts by sautéeing chilies and onions. As the vegetables break down, she begins stirring in both milk and cream. Cheese – Vermont white cheddar with its sharp voice pitched against the calm demeanor of fontina – completes a rich, biting and tangy queso blanco.

“Chef Angela does such a great job – elevated dishes at a good price point,” Anthony says.

Five years is not necessarily a long tenure in a county where some establishments count by the decade. Sardine Factory dates back to 1968. Old Fisherman’s Grotto opened in 1959. Nepenthe – we lost track after 75 years.

But Hay’s Place resonates with both resort guests and locals from across the Peninsula in a way that Pebble Beach noticed. So the company is throwing its sleek Mexican gathering place a birthday celebration. The party is planned as a walk-around event on Oct. 17, with stations serving some of the restaurant’s favorite creations, as well as cocktails, premium spirits – read that as tequila and mezcal – beer and wine, set to the tunes of the Chicano All-Stars.

There have been changes since Hay’s Place opened in October 2021. But the fajitas appear on the menu at Woods’ request and are a mainstay. Roasted elote, with corn so sweet it stands up to the assault of chipotle, cotija and the bite of seasoned salt, is another staple.

On the cocktail side, Hay’s Tee Decision, with chamomile-infused tequila is a fixture – although bartenders have apparently become more reluctant (for better or worse) to try restaurant-related puns. Or perhaps they’ve run short on possibilities.

The original cocktail lineup included a series of clever groaners, such as Rollin’ in the Hay. Currently, just a few examples – Hay Batter, Batter being one – mark the menu. Such playfulness, however, is part of what makes Hay’s Place stand out.

The other is that look of anticipation evident when a mess of tin can nachos spill onto the table of a stylish Pebble Beach restaurant.

HAY’S PLACE, 3253 Stevenson Drive, Pebble Beach. (800) 877-0597, pebblebeach.com. The five-year anniversary takes place 5:30-8:30pm Saturday, Oct. 17. $185 all inclusive. Ages 21 and over only.