Alma Fonda Fina

We went to Alma for breakfast and although ot was a very limited menu, everything was delightful. The service was great, the drinks were tasty and plenty of parking and seats available when we went. I ordered the Avocado toast, my friend had the chilaquiles with rib eye.

We honestly stumbled across this place but thank goodness we did as it ended up being one of the greatest meals we've had all year, if not ever! I only took photos of two of the dishes we ordered but every dish was a knockout. The peach crudo was vibrant, juicy, balanced with just the right amount of heat. The grilled octopus was beautifully smoky, tender, and sat on a pataie puree. All of the staff made us (and our dog) feel so welcomed! Love love loved this place!

This has to be hands down the best food I’ve had in a long time maybe even the best food I’ve ever had. When looking at the menu, everything looks so simple but wow they truly put thought into every ingredient going in to the dish. I had the burrito Alma- I thought it would be very basic but this is the best burrito I’ve had in my entire life! My husband had the taco suadero, taco ensenada and ceviche cuixmala and we would rate all of it 10/10. I think the ingredients are what makes this place what it is- everything tastes SO fresh

Excellent lunch. I’ve eaten here several times and it’s always delicious. The tuna tostada is always good but today I tried their burrito and a bowl of guacamole. I cleaned the plate. I could drink a pitcher of the hibiscus ice tea

Several weeks ago, I ordered takeout from Alma and was highly disappointed. I reached out to them privately to explain the situation, but they have not responded to my message; hence, I am writing this here. I ordered veggie tacos and a side of beans. It was $37 (food plus an 18% tip), and I ordered at around 5:00 pm. It said 40-50 minutes. I arrived a little after 6 to pick up my food. The food wasn’t ready, so I waited. I went back in to ask to add some guacamole and salsa to my order. The person working at the time was dismissive and immediately thought I was coming in to ask about my order timing. Then I paid another $19 for guacamole and salsa, plus a tip. It took another 20 minutes to get my food. At this point, I had waited about an hour and a half. There were about 4-5 other parties there when I arrived and left. I was severely disappointed by the tacos when I opened them at my house. The “veggie” tacos were two tortillas with little more three potatoes on each. As someone who doesn’t eat meat and paid $50+ for a vegetarian meal, this is quite sad. I have eaten at Alma before, and they have always provided great service and delicious food. This is my first time ordering takeout. I have never contacted a restaurant for service, questioned the quality of food, or left a negative Yelp review because I understand that the restaurant industry and work can be very challenging, especially in Montecito with demanding clients. Yet, this is unfortunate, and I hope they can do better for future customers.

Not one to typically leave a review, but this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Friendly staff, great variety on the menu, and seriously good food. Went as a group of 5, ordered lots of different things, and everything we got was fantastic. I would list off our favorite items but all 8 things we got were delicious.

What a hidden gem! Service and the presentation of the dishes were simply stunning, and the taste was outstanding - guacamole and ceviche were tasty and refreshing, and the tamal de pato was hearty and flavorful. The ribeye taco was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the doradito taco was crispy and satisfying. The sopa de pollo was a comforting and flavorful soup, and when we thought we were full, the main Carne Asada dish arrived. It was so tender and juicy that it disappeared in a few minutes. The side mashed potato was prepared to perfection, with a creamy texture that reminded us of cream cheese. Definitely coming back, strongly recommended!

Alma Fonda Fina is something special. Montecito can be a tough crowd- fussy people with more basic tastes. This is not your typical restaurant and I don’t think the neighborhood truly grasps how lucky they are to have it. The dishes here are so creative and really pack a punch- we got nearly everything on the dinner menu with our larger group, and the variety was incredible. Their halibut ceviche with passion fruit and grapefruit wasn’t like anything I’d ever had before. The Baja-style fish tacos were another favorite of ours, and so was the ribeye chicharron (our second time getting it, it doesn’t disappoint). And their house made tortillas just melted in our mouths - it was all truly authentic and presented beautifully. The service was solid and consistent, great recommendations and evenly paced. This is probably one the best restaurants in the Santa Barbara area at the moment. There is magic happening in this kitchen, it’s not to be missed!