Barbareño

What a cute spot! We used to live in Santa Barbara but had never been here. Funny enough, we were actually recommended this place by our bartender in Miami! Back for a visit, we made a reservation for a group of 5. The atmosphere was so cozy, especially during the holidays. It kind of felt like being in someone’s cabin, with chefs bringing out the best meals. The service was amazing! We ordered food to share, and each dish just got better and better. The wine recommendation was spot on and paired perfectly with our meal. Excellent flavors, great portion sizes to share with our group, and just an overall incredible experience. Definitely a special place during the holiday season—amazing food, great service, and such a lovely spot to dine. Would absolutely go back; still thinking about how juicy the lamb was and the flavor of the dessert!!!

Very fun dining experience. All of the items are a shareable size and allows for you to sample multiple dishes. The eggamuffins were extremely light and delicious. The broth on the mussels was a nice, slightly spicy, smoked tomato broth.

This was our first time in Santa Barbara, and we chose to celebrate our anniversary dinner at Barbareño—and it was amazing! The food was absolutely delicious, with generous portions that left us completely satisfied. The Santa Maria BBQ was hands down our favorite—perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. The service was exceptional, making our special evening even more memorable. We’ll definitely be coming back next time we’re in town!

Overall, great place that I would come back to and bring friends. The outdoor patio is lovely and it is dog friendly. The service was excellent and the best I've experienced in recent memory. Our waitress Sarah was friendly, attentive, proactive, and very knowledgeable of the menu. Even with a full restaurant, everything felt seamless so we were very impressed. The food was nicely presented, but tasted just okay. -Ricotta dumplings were a beautiful golden brown, but the strawberry masala was a miss. -Black olive raviolo is always fun because it's a huge ravioli with an egg inside and it takes skill to make. The flavor profile I tasted was more black licorice than black olive, and I felt that the dough needed to be rolled thinner. Fennel puree was great. -Santa Maria BBQ was good, maybe a little one note and the price is a bit steep given the amount you get. -Baked California was a beautiful dessert. There were so many incredible sounding desserts so I don't think we could go wrong with any of them.

Hip place that serves a delicious family style set menu. The people I ate with all highly recommended the place so it sounds like the food and service is consistently good. I recommend giving it a try

Fantastic food and wonderful service! Really appreciated the nice wine menu featuring small, local vineyards. We ordered the panzanella salad, lamb especial, burger, and the brownie with cacao and ice cream (not too sweet, perfect cap to our meal). Everything was piping hot/fresh, nuanced flavor, and all items made in house (burger). My decaf French press was lovely, too. We’ll be back next time we’re in Santa Barbara.

Always a fine dining experience. Not super fancy but comfy. Avocado starter is my per favorite.

We held our wedding reception at Barbareno, and Elisa and her staff were nothing short of exceptional. Every single course was amazing, the service was impeccable, and we had the most wonderful night. Thank you to the staff at Barbareno for making our celebration so wonderful, every detail was perfect!

This review is long over due as we visited back in late September. As such, some menu items may have changed. Nevertheless, that would probably not impact much going forward as everything they do here is exceptional. Barbereno is the definition of a foodies paradise. Of note, the Eggamuffins, Ricotta Dumplings, Santa Maria BBQ (textbook example), Blackbirds for desert. Still summer so the outdoor patio was perfect. Get there early and be sure to make reservations. We witnessed walk-ins being turned away even though it was still early. They were dressed like slobs so we were probably better off anyway. This place is special and so should be your attire. SB is a bit of a hike for us but close enough we can drive there and spend a couple of days. We can't wait to return to this restaurant.

A must if you're visisiting Santa Barbara! Barbareño is a delightful experience with exquisite food that pleases the tastebuds and the eye. The food and service was amazing, I loved every dish I ordered! I started with the scotch eggs as our server recommended . They were very tasty , crispy on the outside and soft and runny on the inside with a chorizo crust! Must order ! After we got the duck tortellini! It was very light, savory, soft and tender, definitely a must try! My favorite dish was the pork belly! It came with some beignets, a really good apple cinnamon sauce and a creamy sauce on the bottom. The beignets had a creamy sauce inside that paired up with the pork belly! It was super delicious and I definitely recommend this dish. After we got the main course which was the Santa Maria BBQ. The tri tip was so delicious and well cooked, it came with a chili cilantro green sauce with beans on the side. This dish was pretty big and you can definitely share it! I was already super full but I couldn't say no to the dessert! The dessert we ordered was the baked California! It had a delicious cookie with ice cream wrapped in a torched marshmallow. My daughter really enjoyed it and we both devoured it! Everything was so good, very chill home ambiance, our server Cole was very nice and helpful and went above and beyond for our experience! It was a beautiful experience especially for Christmas Eve!

What a cute spot! We used to live in Santa Barbara but had never been here. Funny enough, we were actually recommended this place by our bartender in Miami! Back for a visit, we made a reservation for a group of 5. The atmosphere was so cozy, especially during the holidays. It kind of felt like being in someone's cabin, with chefs bringing out the best meals. The service was amazing! We ordered food to share, and each dish just got better and better. The wine recommendation was spot on and paired perfectly with our meal. Excellent flavors, great portion sizes to share with our group, and just an overall incredible experience. Definitely a special place during the holiday season--amazing food, great service, and such a lovely spot to dine. Would absolutely go back; still thinking about how juicy the lamb was!

My husband and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night over Labor Day weekend. I'd only made reservations a few days prior, and they were easy to make online. Street parking in the area is easy to find. We got here right at our reservation time and were seated immediately. There is both indoor and outdoor seating available, but all of the outdoor seating that night was reserved for a function. Indoor seating was bright, airy and chic. We had a good amount of space between tables. Service here was efficient and friendly. Our waiter also gave us great recommendations. We got a mixture of dishes, including the mussels, ricotta dumplings, market tomatoes, lamb al pastor, and also couldn't go past dessert. As with all our meals in Santa Barbara, Barbareño was spectacular. Would highly recommend trying this restaurant and will return.

Would absolutely recommend to anyone visiting Santa Barbara. The food was so unique and absolutely fantastic. Despite it being cold outside there were plenty of heaters to keep us comfortable. Our service was amazing too! One of the key things about this restaurant is the sharing of plates (which is so fun!) and our service came around a few times to help keep the table clean and tended to. Overall, a great experience.

great food, service and effort. A bit "affected" but still a good experience. Dessert was off the charts.

Highly recommend checking this place out. Great service and food. The pork belly was a perfect marriage of sweet and savory and the mix of flavors on the burger were spot on. The burger I ordered was a little overcooked but they were extremely quick to rectify it. Loved this place.

Delicious food with a menu that changes often. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about their food. I was tempted to give them 4 stars since we waited for more than 20 minutes after our reservation time. However the staff was very apologetic and provided a complementary dessert. Waiting area was a fire table where we enjoyed a glass of wine. We had the Rancho Scott Eggs, Hope Ranch Muscles, Avocado Roulade, The Market Fish ( White Sea Bass) and Santa Maria BBQ. For Dessert we had 24 Blackbirds Brownie and Baked California. The Baked California had a beautiful presentation.

Excellent food, excellent service, lovely atmosphere. Each dish was unique with an amazing depth of flavor. The ricotta balls were especially delicious. We were a large party and felt very well cared for by the staff. We will definitely be visiting again the next time we are in town.

Tri tip sandwich- I absolutely loved this sandwich. The tri tip was grilled to perfection and I enjoyed how the sides were also charred. The aioli also went perfectly with the tri tip meat and the ciabatta bread was fresh. The perfect pick me up during the lovely Sunsender festival in Santa Barbara I didn't try the food at the actual restaurant however they had a vendor stand at the Sunsender festival! Instagram: @hungrytamale

I'm already planning my next trip back. We went and split 5 plates and the best dessert ever. Everyone had a little bit of what they love and tried something new, like rabbit. My favs were the burger and the ricotta dumplings. Yet, dessert was hands down worth the trip. It melted in my mouth and each flavor was so u expected. Don't leave without ordering the "Baked California." Let's just say the pine cone, lavender, and fermented berries all together was a flavor burst of love. We sat under the lights and heater outside and enjoyed a great service. Don't forget to get reservations!

Amazing service! Came here to celebrate a birthday with friends and everything was great from start to finish. Interesting and delicious plates (to share!) and good wine. There's a nice fire pit outside where you can have drinks.

Had a mishap with a different establishment that hadn't gotten our reservation on Christmas Eve! We were destined to eat take-out. My daughter found Barbareño who were gracious to fit us in a Christmas Eve with only a little wait. We sat at the bar--the entire staff from door to table was a wonderful night. Started out at the bar then seated at a table--The steak, Persimmon salad and another appetizer were a hit! Didn't have room for dessert-next time!

The food was fresh and so tasty! The crudo was by far our favorite. The inside is quaint but loud and very dim, if it wasn't raining we'd sit outdoors. We also got the animal potatoes which we did not like. I'd stick to in-n-out animal fries ‍

This spot came highly recommended so we were excited to try Barbareno. We made reservations for the patio & were promptly seated by a friendly hostess. The patio was nice & very enjoyable on a beautiful Santa Barbara night. We decided to start with the Eggamuffins. The Eggarmuffins, are com-meal blini, whipped seascape, al coppa, cured egg yolk. They were cold which I wasn't expecting, not bad but would not get them again. Next we tried the Black Olive Raviolo which consists of drake goat cheese, fennel purée, fresno chili, & farm egg. This dish was amazing! So we ordered another. We had been crazy a solid burger and the Barbareno Burger did not disappoint. The burger was house bacon, smoked cheddar, avocado, pinquito miso aioli, pickles & was phenomenal. The house made patty was so flavorful & with a brioche bun to hold it all together it hit the spot & then some. We decided to close out the meal with the Twenty-four Blackbirds Honduras Brownie. The brownie consists of madagascar soil, oko-chile negro mousse & was rich & so good! It's great to see a collaboration with another local business. The only complaint was that our dessert was delivered to another table before the error was realized & then finally delivered to our table after some time. I understand mistakes happen however a replacement would have been nice. Look forward to returning as there is so much more to try.

Shiona, she made our dinning experience excellent. We ordered so much food and everything was deliciously flavored. The prok belly needed to be a little more crispy but all in all, 5 stars! The ambiance is on the darker side, very romantic. A must if in the SB area.

Made reservations at Barbareno, not too far of a walk from State Street in Santa Barbara. A great New-California American cuisine with delicious foods made with high quality ingredients. We shared the 16oz tri-tip platter for $75 which came with pinto beans as well. The heirloom tomatoes were so sweet and fresh, truly a highlight along with the sauce that was lightly drizzled on top of the meat. Tri-Tip was cooked very well, juicy, flavorful, and tender. Service from Cole was impeccable and very kind and well knowledged.

My first I impression was it's not as stylish as self-proclaimed ... With more spartan wooden chairs, no table clothes, and quite bright lighting it lacked that cozy atmosphere I was hoping for. Among ourselves we also commented on the stern demeanor of the server . But onto the food.... Appetizers were the grilled avocado and a dish called Especial ...neither one was enjoyable; the avocado overpowered by some kind of overly salty Mole-bbq sauce hybrid, and the lamb al pastor just acidic and overly spicy. At this point our spirits had come a low point and the verdict here was that those appetizers should simply be taken off the menu. The main dishes fared better. There was a fried chicken dish and the black cod. The fried chicken was fine, but the black cod a true masterpiece - better than any black cod I've had in Seattle and that's saying a lot. I won't be back soon however, after such an inconsistent experience and challenging atmosphere. Of note, they do not have a bar and serve wine and beer only. Of two beers, I sent one back; the second one, the IPA was middle of the road and the wine by the glass came as an anemic pour. The bread was served as half a slice per person. At $5 bucks per person, and as some others here remarked, this adds up to about $80 of profit per loaf of bread for the restaurant - I wanted to add a comment here unfit for printing and leave it to everyone's imagination.

A delightful venue with outdoor dining. The food was amazing and had a unique flavor twist to every small dish that was ordered. The service was prompt and courteous. I was satisfied tho not stuffed, due to the fresh ingredients and spices infused.

Service: 5 stars Ambience: 4 stars* What brought me here was a Michelin guide that mentioned Barbareno. Then after I ate here, I gotta kick myself for not reading closely what they are saying. I ordered the eggamuffin which is their take on the egg McMuffin, minus the warmth and comfort of a McMuffin. And I don't even LIKE egg McMuffin. Yet after eating here, my brain is searching how this deconstructed egg McMuffin with whipped foam on cold silver dollar pancakes is really the inferior version of the McDonalds creation. There's no flavor to the airy foam which is supposed to be cheesy. The silver pancake which I guess is made of cornmeal is not interesting in texture and it was more cold than warm. Boyfriend ordered the burger. It comes with super awesome potatoes. These potatoes - chefs kiss. Stellar potatoes! Gold stars- for potatoes. The burger was... not good. How do I say this? The brioche bun was kinda tough. And everything else in that burger was... edible. Smoked pork was the dish I ordered. I was, as the Michelin guide wrote, lured by the smoke. I figured- well I never cook pork right so let's order it at this fine dining restaurant and see how pork can be not dry and good. Alas, the pork came and it was tough. Like if I wanted tough pork, I could have made it myself. But I would've kept this order, if it wasn't alarmingly salty. I eat a peculiar amount of salt. I do so much to retain more water in my body for longer periods of time to sustain longer fasts. So when I cook at home for myself, I measure a teaspoon of salt for every one cup of bone broth. Then I put more sea salt on whatever protein I eat. I don't feed this to anyone else because others would find it too salty. So imagine my surprise when that pork hit my tongue and I was like whoa, ok that's salty! I returned it without touching the other components. Which to be fair, what they do well here are the sides not the mains. And before I returned it, I just want to be validated, and I fed a slice of pork to my boyfriend who said "yeah really salty." I returned it and got grilled avocado. When it arrived I gotta laugh. Avocado with sea salt is what I eat when I'm trying to extend longer fasts. It's fuel to calm my hunger hormones. And here I am: fine dining being fed food I use to fuel. Does grilling avocado make it taste better? sure. Enough for me to bust out a cast iron grill at home to char the bottom? no. They gave me a scoop of chocolate ice cream for my bday with a candle. I thought it was good. So the Michelin guide says the food is adorable, it's bold, it's unashamedly Californian. None of this false. But is it better than anything I can make at home? Well ... their sourdough has good bubble and tangy flavor - I make sourdough and that takes skills. Their potatoes are good. But everything else: nah.

Barbareño in Santa Barbara is a culinary haven that encapsulates the vibrant essence of Central Coast cuisine. My recent visit to this establishment left a mark with a mix of highlights and a few nuances. While the Santa Maria BBQ fell short of my expectations, the culinary journey was salvaged by the exceptional dishes that followed. Specifically, the chicken and ranch my partner had was delicious and showcased the talent in the kitchen. Moreover, the appetizers we had, the "Especial" and the flavorful "Eggamuffins," were phenomenal. Both dishes were a testament to the chef's creativity, offering a medley of tastes and textures. These appetizers added depth and excitement to the meal, enhancing the overall dining experience. One noteworthy aspect that truly elevated our evening was the phenomenal wine menu. Barbareño boasts an impressive selection of wines, featuring both local gems and regional favorites. They also have beers/seltzers/ and non alcoholic drinks for those who don't indulge. Additionally, the service at Barbareño was nothing short of stellar. The staff were attentive, knowledgeable, and accommodating, enhancing the overall ambiance of the dining experience. Their warmth and professionalism added an extra layer of comfort, making the evening all the more enjoyable. In summary, despite the slight disappointment with the Santa Maria BBQ, Barbareño redeems itself with an array of standout dishes, including the delightful chicken and ranch and the intriguing appetizers. The exceptional wine selection and top-notch service further solidify Barbareño as a culinary destination worth exploring, earning it a 4/5 rating in my estimation.

Everything was amazing! Some very unexpected pairings and very delicious. We had a great time on the patio!

I hate to write this review, but I really wanted to love this place and it fell very short of my expectations. Came here to celebrate a birthday with a reservation, and was seated promptly outside, as requested. The overall setup was nice with sufficient heat lamps for a breezy evening. We ordered two glasses of wine, a red and an orange. I was later told that the orange was out of stock (weird given that they say their menus are updated frequently), so I picked a different one. We were given each one slice of bread, which seems a bit sparse for a $$$ restaurant. For appetizers, we ordered the hibachi tiradito and a pastor dish(?) on a flatbread. The tiradito was the highlight of the meal, while the flatbread... well, fell flat. It was an uninspiring piece of meat on flatbread, with little drops of applesauce around the dish. For mains, we got the "famous" tri-tip, which has not been changed for the 9 years they've been open. Apparently, it had 12 hours of sous vide before being smoked. There was 0 char, very little smokeyness, and the sous vide honestly didn't seem any more enjoyable than a 2 hr sous vide. The mushroom lasagna was OK -- weird to see the layers of the lasagna baked. For dessert, we ordered the honeycomb panna cotta, which was also OK. Nothing quite mind blowing, and the ice part of the dish was half melted by the time it got to us (see in pictures). After watching several other parties receive a candled dessert for their birthdays, it was a little disappointing not receiving the same treatment -- not sure what's up with that. Walked away from this birthday dinner quite disappointed for what was a $200 meal.

Our meal was AMAZING! We visited Santa Barbara for the first time and had a list of highly recommended restaurants that we wanted to try. This one was far and above the best. From small plates, to the tri tip platter, to dessert, all was above a beyond!! And to top it off, staff was incredible. Great experience!!

The food is really good. Definitely the BEST tri-tip I've ever had-- bar none. I'm only giving 4 stars because it felt rather expensive for quantity, however I do understand that the ingredients are super high quality-- I just don't have that kind of budget. I do wish they served cocktails-- but again, I get it. All in all wonderful food, service, and experience.

Portion sizes are on the smaller size. Seasonal foods were good but not spectacular. The vibe is cozy and cute and the servers are classic Santa Barbara beach friendly.

This was an unbelievable culinary experience. 10 out of 10 six stars and Michelin quality.

Really good! They've broadened their menu over the years, which is helpful if you're not a meat eater. I like their concept, and they execute their dishes well. Highly recommend.

We really wanted to absolutely love this place. The menu is well laid out and family style is a great way to try multiple dishes. We were a group of 5, but unfortunately overall our party felt that almost every dish was on the saltier side than we were expecting. The bread to start was fabulous!! We asked for more, but they only allot one loaf per table. The beet dish was good but the topping was excessive and took away from the balance of the flavors - less would have been more here. Mixed vegetables were a good hearty side dish. Chicken was bone in, when deconstructed was good with the slaw. Not pictured was the mushroom pasta dish, which our table did not enjoy. We let the server know and she said it was a dish that commonly gets feedback that they are working on. It was smoky, interesting texture, and tasted different than what we thought based on the description in the menu. The server was super sweet and knew a lot about the menu. The ambiance was great - nice indoor and outdoor seating. If the menu changes seasonally, I would come back to try a different rotation of dishes because the ambiance and staff were great.

We only had one night for dinner in SB and this was hands down the greatest choice we could've made! The food was incredible and the atmosphere and staff were so nice and welcoming. We ordered maybe 2 of the small plates and the steak platter to share and it was enough for 2. Everything is cooked to perfection and there are some interesting flavors that we didn't expect but were pleasantly surprised by. Great place for dinner!!

The four of us had a delicious meal here. We shared the yellow beet salad and Santa Maria tritip that comes with bread and beans. The tritip was the best we've ever had. Exceptionally tender. The portion was generous for the three of us who partook. We also really enjoyed the toasted bread that comes with it. Our fourth ate a burger which he claimed was perfect. We all thought the salad was also fabulous. The only dish that failed to excite us was the ranch chicken. It was so similar to fried chicken tenders and did not have enough ranch sauce. Plus the serving dish was too tight to share easily. Dessert was great too if you select the baked California. We felt our server, Sarah, was just attentive enough. We will be back !

My favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara hands down. Interesting menu, tasty food, good wines (as expected). Corkage is a very reasonable $25 - but we just ordered off their menu, since they have some wines on their list from smaller labels that are harder to find elsewhere. Service is friendly and knowledgable at a good pace. It's not a fancy or sophisticated venue, but the decor is simple, clean and comfortable, with tables spaced out enough so that you're not on top of each other, despite the smaller size of the room. Given their location and bbq capabilities, any dish that's grilled and/or features produce and/or has local seafood will win over your palate. Leave room for dessert, especially that crazy brownie thing. 4 stars because it is fairly pricey and the portions are a little on the small side. But really, aces all around.

A cozy refuge in Santa Barbara. One of the best burgers I have ever had. Kind and attentive staff. Creative fare!

Tri tip amazingly soft. Ate the whole 16 oz myself. Pavlova texture was impressively light. Unusually good. Fruity blend of flavors delicious.

The Tri tip was amazing. They say it serves 2-3 but for a proper carnivore it's definitely 2. The Paquinto beans were cooked just right and the chicken was excellent. Never disappointed here!

Finally was able to try this place! Placed a reservation easily using their website and was able to get same day table inside. The staff is so friendly. The entrance / lobby area is so homey and welcoming. Way different than any other restaurant I've been to. Feels like a living room. We ordered the Peterson Puffs and they had great flavor! I especially liked when they were a little more on the toasted side. We also ordered the crispy Brussels sprouts which were honestly so dang delicious we were so shocked. They had the best crisp and flavor. I ordered the NY strip which came in a cool glass covered wooden board filled with smoke. The steak was cooked medium rare as requested and had great flavor! I loved the seasoning / rub. The garlic and gnocchi filled with flavor! I highly recommend yall to try this place out. It's a great place to enjoy a well made meal

Came here on a first date, we are so in love! This place was a perfect start to our love story. I'm pretty sure our servers name is Colin, he was very knowledgeable and full of recommendations, very impressed with his service. I enjoyed the pork chop, which was perfectly cooked and sided well with the Apple purée and greens. My partner enjoyed the black cod sourced locally from the Santa Barbara Fish Market, it was perfectly tender and not heavy. We will be back, thank you team.

Everything was absolutely amazing; the ambiance, the service, the food. Great experience. Had dinner with family, but it seems like a great place for dates as well. Service was top notch. Definitely visiting again when I'm up in Santa Barbara. Had the bread & spread (that bacon date jam hits all the notes), ricotta dumplings, a really great, super balanced salad that I believe was a special? the dressing was and we ended with the Santa Maria BBQ. Would totally go back for the Santa Maria BBQ alone. Our server was very knowledgeable about the origin of everything that was ordered. Imma say it again: SERVICE WAS TOP NOTCH! Only down side was I couldn't have a bourbon with the BBQ. Highly recommend this place

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. We went to the restaurant early our reservation was at 5. We had to go back at 5 when they were open. They were still setting up. We had a warm greeting and the ambiance was lovely. You're offered one piece of bread if you ask for more they will politely tell you your really only supposed to have one due to them only making a certain amount. I'm cool with that I need to watch my carbs anyway. We ordered the charred avocado and the chanterelle mushrooms. They were outstanding appetizers! For dinner my boyfriend had the steak. The presentation was amazing. I ordered the fish it was cooked to perfection. We had the around the world chocolate for dessert and my boyfriend had a scoop of ice cream with a candle in it for his bday. This is a hidden gem with fresh local ingredients and beautiful presentation.

We had dinner at Barbareno on our recent trip to Santa Barbara and it was amazing. There were several exceptionally good things on the menu: - Kids burger... youd think they would call this in a little, but seriously the best meat / bun combo. Just a bun and patty and somehow incredibly delicious. - Stone Fruit salad... it's a mashup of 5-6 different flavors that are so well balanced every bite was exciting. This is the first dish that made us think about coming back the next night for dinner. - dessert - the California baked (i don't exactly remember the name) was so inventive and delicious, this is what sold us on cancelling our other reservation and coming back again. Can't recommend enough, this restaurant will be on the top of our list for our next trip to SB

Barbareno is my new favorite restaurant in California. Unfortunately, we live three hours away, so it'll be a while before I can get back! We had the stone fruit salad, ricotta dumplings with strawberries, the tri-tip platter, and the baked California. It was among the most memorable meals I've ever had. Every plate was absolutely delicious and thoughtfully and artfully planned and prepared. Unlike some restaurants of this caliber, the portions were generous, too. The restaurant itself, like the food, has a homey feel. As my husband put it, this is food that is made to taste good. We really had such a great experience here. I'm surprised Barbareno doesn't have a Michelin star, and I won't be surprised to hear it gets one soon.

My dear lord...best food, service, and ambience i've ever had. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! We ordered from the menu, just as the server recommended, wine, and desert. They were so knowledgeable, everything was delicious, full of flavor, and the service surpassed our expectations. Highly recommend to everyone to visit this hidden secret in Santa Barbara.

This place should be getting much more praise than it's getting. It's been open for years and we've never been. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating in a beautiful space with nicely selected furniture, decor, and a beautifully curated ambiance. Side note: I also love their dishes, glassware, and silverware. Pretty and with good weight to them. The food was SUPERB. So many complex flavors, interesting combinations (that we sometimes doubted which we shouldn't have!), and too many choices on their menu for two people to eat through in one sitting. The charred avocado was unlike any avocado dish we've ever eaten. Loved the lightness of the yuzu and the depth of the garlic sauce. The chicken ranch was delish! And a huge portion (half of a hen!) that easily fed two of us. Perfectly crispy, perfectly cooked, great ranch. The potatoes were crispy with nice flavors from the sauce, onions, and cheese. The Baked California was the *star* of the show. We almost didn't get it because it has OG Kush in it (not THC or CBD, just the flavor) which isn't my favorite taste, but it was AMAZING. A yummy cookie base, mango ice cream, a whipped meringue, and amazing toasted pine nuts on the side. Such unexpected flavors and foods to put together that worked so nicely! Service was fantastic, servers gave great recommendations and were super attentive to our timing and needs. Would recommend to anyone wanting a delicious meal with specific attention and homage paid to Santa Barbara. Will be back!

This place was fabulous. I was in town for a conference and some conference friends invited me to head here with them for dinner last night. We had an outdoor reservation for the patio and it was a tiny bit cold there this week (like... 55, LOL) but they had heat lamps. Service was impeccable - we were trying to select a bottle of wine and they sent out their sommelier to recommend a few. The Syrah my friend chose was a bit pricey - like $120 - and later online I saw it retails for $50-60, so just be aware of that. They have no cocktails but they have beer, wine, and cider. We split everything tapas-style and we ate: -Ricotta dumplings: very tasty but not anything mindblowing. -Market vegetable: this ended up being broccolini with lemon and was delicious. -Brussels sprouts: also very good. -Especial, aka lamb tacos: lamb is hit or miss for me but this was very tender. -NY strip steak: holy wow. It's made with miso brown butter as a topping. We split it and and they were able to serve it sliced for us. The presentation was also quite unique: it comes under a plate with a dome on top, and when the waiter opened the dome, steam came out. I'm a huge steak fan and this was fantastic. As for the taste itself, it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and I loved it. -Dessert: chocolate plate from 24 Blackbirds, which we had just visited on a food tour earlier in the day! Included a dark chocolate brownie, mousse, and a truffle. The total bill was $300 which wasn't bad because of the $120 wine (so it would've been $160 otherwise, aka $40 per person). Definitely will come back here if I'm ever in SB again, as this was truly a 5-star meal.

Our group was so excited to try this place out. The food was okay. Frankly nothing to rave about with the exception of the tri-tip--it was absolutely delicious. The bread was definitely fresh and they paired with a garlic butter that was to die for. I will admit I am not the biggest fan of uni however we were curious to try the Uni Caesar. Quite frankly it was bitter and had a funky aftertaste. Our waiter was very lovely but boy was the service SLOW. It took 3 hours from sitting down to getting our check. We had to remind the staff three times to check in on our dessert. Probably won't come back. But if you're in the area and curious I would still check this place out. The Tri-tip was heaven.

The best dinner during my recent trip to Santa Barbara. The ambiance was terrific, even outside on the patio on a chilly night the heaters kept us nice and toasty. The service was excellent, our waitress was friendly and very helpful navigating us through the menu and aiding in our choices. Everything was delicious, but the cod was definitely a stand out as was the Santa Maria BBQ. I wish we lived closer so we could come back every season!

This place was SO good. I have no clue how we got a reservation. First, our server was very knowledgeable about every dish on the plate and even gave us the background as to why certain dishes were on the menu. This made the whole experience seem much more personalized and fun. He also knew about the wines on their wine list - when I described what I was looking for, he immediately guided me AWAY from my initial selection and to a much better option. Loved it. We started with the eggamuffin which was so good and so fun to eat. We came with our 5 year old and he loved these (also they were super accommodating with a stroller and small child - love it). We got a salad and ricotta dumplings next. The ricotta dumplings were good - but would have been better if they were smaller so you could soak up some more of the absolutely delicious sauce they were served with which was like a strawberry remoulade I think? Last we had the rabbit and ranch. Now I'm normally not a fan of rabbit but this was absolutely finger licking good. We were picking up the bone and getting every little bit off + dip dipping as much as we could in that sauce. And last - the baked California for dessert. Do NOT sleep on this one. SO DAMN GOOD. Fresh ingredients, not too heavy, with a nice fresh fruit/basil twist. I would go back just for this dish if I could. Overall hope I can make it back here soon .. go now while you can still get a reservation!

Exquisite. Exceptional server- very educated and passionate. Each plate was delicious and memorable- from the Ranch & Rabbit to the Ricotta Dumplings

The service is great! I really appreciate it when the EAI stress knows the menu and the inspiration behind the dishes. We went with all her recommendations (food and wine) and it did not disappoint. We started with the eggamuffin (loose interpretation of McDonald's egg McMuffin) and the ricotta dumplings. Ricotta dumplings was crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Eggamuffin is my favorite though! My husband and I shared the pork chop and tri tip. They were both cooked to perfection and the right amount of flavor! I'm sensitive to salt but these dishes were perfect! Dessert- we got the baked California and the chocolate panna cotta. We were super full by then so we could've done with one. I liked the panna cotta and my husband enjoyed the baked California. Can't go wrong with either. Love their play on the dessert with the baked California though! Super creative! Overall- a great experience and amazing food!