Bella Vista

The finest of the finest. The service is impeccable and the food is amazing. If you want to treat yourself squeeze into Bella Vista. The veiw from the patio any time of day is so-cal at it's best. One of Montecitos best restaurants.

Bella Vista embodies the casual Californian dining experience. Situated just in front of a beautiful lawn (and beach just about 50 yards away), the service is casual yet attentive. A well conceived menu gives diners many options (especially noted for good vegetarian and pescatarian options), and execution is good but not great.

Such a beautiful place for lunch. The food were great as expecting. We will back for sure.

This place is in Montecito off of Chanel Dr. near the ocean. The atmosphere here is amazing. That's what you're really paying for. The outdoor dining experience is truly memorable. The ocean view is delightful and the beautiful sun in the background is breath taking. The service was impeccable. The food however, was a little sub par for a place such as this. The presentation is wonderful, I just don't think they use the highest ingredients as the flavor profiles were a bit off. I've only been here once, so I can't say all of their food is the same. I just left a little disappointed.

Me and my wife had a wonderful evening at Bella Vista.Nice location,Friendly Stuff and most of all delicious food especially sea food.

Fantastic spot for a restaurant and the staff are so friendly. I hope it opens again soon, I love to drink champagne here

Best Brunch in Santa Barbara and Montesito. Mimosas, dessert and cappuccino. Excellent service.

We had Sunday brunch. It is very expensive but so worth it for a special occasion. The food is first class. All you can want. The ambiance is lovely. By the ocean. What stands out is the impeccable service. My champagne glass was never empty, our empty dishes were removed immediately and a nice touch of folding your napkins while you are getting your food. We would recommend it.

We somehow fell into a gap between servers so it was maybe 20 min before someone acknowledged our existence. This only happened because I saw the table immediately adjacent to us served right after they arrived, which was a few minutes after us, so I went to ask the hostess what was going on. Another 10 min before a server showed up. Who knows how the food was -- didn't get the chance to try. Keep in mind it was pretty empty at the restaurant. Beautiful hotel and scenic view, but do yourself a favor - skip the restaurant.

Located on the lush, well tended, venerable grounds of the very long established Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel by the beach, Bella Vista's strong hand is in being just across the street from Montecito's Butterfly Beach with the view of the wide expanse of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Sunset was at 7:36pm so we were seated at 7 and saw day turn into sunset then twilight & the night sky where we saw Scorpio, Sagittarius, Jupiter, Saturn and the elusively faint yet impressive Milky Way where we are seeing the center of the thickest part of our own galaxy on its side. Dining here does have a magical quality provided mostly by Mother Nature. Service is very good here for the most part, but keep a firm grip on your dessert especially closer to 10pm which is an hour after the last seating since the employees are getting itchy to get home. My half eaten dessert was clandestinely & furtively whisked away from under my nose by an unseen "bus boy" while I was talkIng to our waiter toward the conclusion of the meal. You would think the server would ask if you are done before taking the dish away at such a chic restaurant. Food here is primarily Italian with Californian influences so it means that other world cuisine touches can peek in. Competent execution, but not the kind of imaginative culinary skills that will "wow" you. 1) Bison Carpaccio: Crispy, fried corn starch coated Shallots, Horseradish, Cured Egg Yolk, Mustard seed w/ mild gastrique Umami, ultra thin crisp Rye Bread. Meat is ultra thin, moist, velvety, but not much beefiness. Perhaps aging the bison a bit would add more meaty blood minerality. 2) "THE PASTA CART" EXPERIENCE: Al dente, pleasantly chewy Gnocchetti Cacio e Pepe. Wet earthy, mushroomy, pungent, hand-shaved Black Truffle. Pleasantly fermented, dairy rich Parmigiano Reggiano. Tellicherry Pepper is premium black pepper. Best to share this rich, cheesy, creamy dish. Impressive presentation: The huge half cart of Parmigiano Reggiano di Mòdena is previously hollowed out to form a bowl. The cheese bowl is blow torched to soften & melt the cheese. The thick, maggot shaped pasta is rolled & tossed in the bowl to infuse the cheese into the pasta. Last touch is to ceremoniously grate black truffle. 1-2a) Sauvignon Blanc, Sunstone, Santa Ynez 2018: dry, agrodolce, scent of musky, tropical passion fruit, grapefruit & lemon zest. Taste of pungent, freshly baked myers lemon cake. Light lingering bitterness, tongue raspiness, citrus aftertaste. 3) Grilled medium rare, plush, soft rack of Lamb marinated in Aceto Balsàmico di Mòdena for a sweet, mildly acidic grapiness along with possibly thyme, garlic, rosemary. May be over marinated since the meat is a bit mushy, but not fatally so. Grilled veggies of sliced carrots, zucchini squash, eggplant. Plate is dressed w/ a thickened, tomatoey, Spanish style Romesco sauce. 3a) Pinot Noir, Hilt, Santa Rita Hills, year?: Rather rich compared to a more austere Burgundian variety. Scent of lacquer, tobacco, brandied cherries. Blackberry, cherry, blueberries. Touch tannic, acidic, full of ripe berries. 4) Bit of Honey: Soft mousse & panna cotta like vanilla Bavois infused w/ floral honey. Sweetened white chocolate ribbon. Pickled whole blackberries in what may be red wine. Garnishes are tiny pansies w/ 2 bees made of white chocolate "painted" to look like Apis mellifera. 4a) Brewed coffee: Good contrast of bitter with the sweet. Special occasion Bella Vista meaning beautiful view. The name of the restaurant says it all.

Shoutout to Leonard the head chef here! We were lucky enough to have Elyse, his wife, in our Bachelorette party and was able to truly enjoy this place unlike any other customer would. The staff made our night extra special and we want to THANK YOU for truly going above and beyond. I've never had such black tie service. We felt like we were all queens and got the royal treatment. Truly appreciated the staff and for their kindness we will definitely be back here as regular customers ;) What a lovely place to dine at night. We were lucky enough to get reservations here for a Saturday night dinner. Just to note... we were told that with a large party of 10 a signature menu is forced on you to accommodate the staff and to make ordering easier so keep that in mind if you come here with a large party. As special guests of the chef, they made an exception and let us order off the regular menu. Normally, they accommodate some adds to their signature menu, but only with advance notice. I'd go online and check out their menu before hand so you can add any of your favorite entrees to your menu just to make things easier for you. Plenty of other really nice places in SB that we couldve choose but this place takes the hat and so glad we made it in time. Our Bach group was running a little behind, as any group of girls would be while they're having so much fun celebrating a bride. The hostess Gabby was a doll and said over the phone on the drive in that we could take our time and that they would keep our table for us until we got there. Such hospitality deserves recognition. After arriving about 30mins late, we pull up to a beautiful entrance with a huge black gate as if we were driving up the Crazy Rich Asians mansion driveway. Lovely fountains, romantic lighting, and just a very elegant candlelight feeling throughout the whole place. The four seasons hotel had Valet so we did that and the staff led us to the restaurant. Perfect for a date night or mellow evening for dinner. Our table was setup inside and although didn't have an ocean view which we were hoping for, it was warm and cozy inside out of the freezing cold which we appreciated. I ordered the special recommended by the server, Sea Bass with rice. It was amazing and will be back to get that every time. So many flavors and perfect portion. Aside from our royal treatment, I think anyone would appreciate such a lovely place for dinner. I hope we get a chance to sit outside next time.

Used to go here when it was open. Very good food, service, and wonderful setting by Butterfly Beach. If it reopens, definitely will go back. Very good breakfast and lunch as well, even though it is known for their dinner. Loved the sausage and fish there and we are hoping that it will open back up soon.

12/1/19 Visit! Quinoa Pancakes with seasonal compote, Oxnard berries, wildflower honey cream. This was the first meal I booked in Santa Barbara months ago when we made these plans to come visit. The Bella Vista restaurant is located inside the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel and is right on the beach. Everything about this hotel is beautiful in a really classic, timeless way and we were lucky enough to come at a time when all the Christmas decor was up. The dining room (swipe is just gorgeous and gets a lot of sun.Tip: Buffet Brunch is $85 a head. It includes amazing things like caviar & a cheese pasta wheel. However, we don't usually have a huge appetite for breakfast so we opted for the a la carte menu which was much easier on the wallet. This is a staple for every Santa Barbara visit even if you're just stopping by to look around. It's right across the beach where you can take the stairs and hit the sand.

This deeply troubles me to write this, but I just spent $440 (incl. tip) for 4 people to NOT enjoy a celebratory Sunday buffet brunch at Bella Vista. WTF? The view of the ocean is still gorgeous, but even THAT wasn't in our favor... all those seats were taken, so we had to eat indoors..... and we had requested outdoor seating when making the reservation. Mind you, there are no promises, but when I specifically said this would be a special celebration, one would think they would pay particular attention to THAT. Still pleasant, but not what we wanted. As for the food, OMG, it was downright AWFUL. The three others I dined with were probably not as critical of it as I am, but nobody was raving, either. I'm the Yelp writer, so I tend to be more focused on what I eat, how I enjoy it... or not, and I'm far more vocal about any dislikes I might have.... and trust me when I say I had MANY issues with today's brunch. I think what's really bothering me is that I paid $85 per person to be pissed off. I will pay $85 and more if it's a good meal, but that's usually for dinner and certainly not brunch. I ate here exactly 5 years ago for brunch, paid $10 less per person, had more food choices that I liked, and while it wasn't the best I've ever had back then either, it sure wasn't this dreadful choice that we were presented today. I don't like being swindled, and that's how I feel right now. Let's start with the smoked salmon, lox to me. First, there were no bagels and cream cheese anywhere in sight. BLASPHEMY !! Okay, so that's a bit dramatic.... but still, how do you serve lox without bagels and cream cheese? But it gets WORSE. I took some lox anyway because I love it, and when I bit into it, it was DREADFUL..... as in SPOILED. I had to immediately spit it out. Turns out, I wouldn't be needing the bagel and cream cheese after all. Then, there were the crab legs... they were tasteless and dried out. I couldn't even chew the crabmeat, it was so dry. TERRIBLE. The cooked shrimp were good, I'll give them that, but the cocktail sauce was so ridiculously thin and watery, it didn't stick to the shrimp. I don't like shrimp without the cocktail sauce, so I ended up leaving some on my plate. I also took a Belgian waffle...... overly cooked and dried out......... and no amount of syrup and whipped butter helped. It did NOT soften it whatsoever, and I took A LOT of syrup, trust me. The deviled eggs were "okay," but I've had better. No flavor. The omelette was decent, but the chicken sausage was cold, and I didn't like the flavor. I took 2 eggroll, one was veggie, and the other had shrimp in it. I also took a dumpling filled with chicken. None of those were anything spectacular, and while they weren't bad, they didn't have any appreciable flavor either. I also took some ahi tuna poke. That was okay, I suppose, but I was already in a disgruntled mood from all the other misses. As for the desserts, I tried 5 things, of which I only liked two.... the chocolate mousse and the cheesecake. The matcha raspberry cake, chocolate passionfruit cake, and the lavender panna cotta...... all not to my liking. I am NOT marking down for those...... I just didn't care for the flavor combinations, and I never hold a restaurant responsible because I don't like a flavor. I will, however, hold them responsible for NO flavor, or spoiled, or overly cooked, such as were most of the food items I tried today. For the $85 per person, while there were other food items present, it wasn't THAT much. It wasn't overkill, it wasn't a plethora of food that frankly, I would expect for $85 per person. Last but not least, the service was disgusting. While our waitress was pleasant, she was M-I-A for most of the meal. We had to stack our dishes or move them around to make room for new dishes. Neither she nor the busboys were attentive to anything. I ordered iced tea, and although I drank it down, it never got replenished. I ended up pouring my water in and drank that when I ran out. Bottom line is that they need to up their ante at this restaurant...... or lose the Sunday buffet brunch altogether. Let me tell you, even though the outdoor seating was filled to capacity, the indoors, with a great many tables, was NOT filled...... not even close..... and I'm wondering if that is speaking volumes about their food quality... or lack thereof. This place is NOT a hit..... but rather, a big MISS. Who knows, the word might be out already, and I just may not have known. I know now, and I won't be making THAT mistake again. It was an utterly disappointing experience, and considering we picked THIS place to (belatedly) celebrate someone's graduation from UCLA, and we traveled all the way from Los Angeles to do this, well, I can't tell you how upset and disappointed I STILL am by my choice. To think, this is a Four Seasons establishment. Such a disgrace.

I always make time to have buffet brunch here whenever I come visit Santa Barbara and I always enjoy my dining experience. Food here is delicious and there are lots of varieties, from omelets and prime rib to smoked salmon and fresh seafood. There's a wide array of desserts and unlimited mimosas and champagne of course. I've been to many brunch buffets and I'd probably say this is one of the best brunches out there. The quality of the food is usually great, but sometimes it can be a miss. I've had oysters on several occasions that weren't as fresh and had some sand in there, and crab legs were pretty salty with too much water in them. But overall, the food setup and display is excellent. Service is nice and pretty attentive. The manager and staff would walk around checking up on patrons and refill drinks consistently. For me, the most alluring factor is the gorgeous ocean view and open, airy dining atmosphere. It's beautiful and probably the biggest reason to come. Who wouldn't wanna eat with the breathtaking Santa Barbara ocean across from you. So sit out on the patio if you can get seating there to get an even better view of it. I'll be coming back again very soon.

We stayed at the Four Seasons and had both breakfast and dinner here. The restaurant has a beautiful interior that makes you feel like you are in movie. The outdoor patio has views of the ocean. Breakfast was fresh, healthy and delicious. I highly recommend the Mushroom Bowl - Organic Fried Egg, Wild Mushrooms, Broccolini, Asparagus, Kimchi, Turmeric Brown Rice. Dinner was very delicious. The Summer Citrus and Fennel salad was fresh and bright. Hands down favorite were the handmade pastas. The Gigli Pasta - Early Tomato Sauce, Lobster, Calabrian Chili, Basil - is not to be missed. The Clam Linguini was also amazing.

If you are looking to indulge in a wonderful meal at this establishment, I suggest you come for Sunday Brunch. WOW! Not only is there such a large variety of food options to choose from, but the quality is outstanding. Where to begin? Well, let me see if I can remember all the different stations (in no particular order): * Salad * Pasta * Omelet * Carving (roast beef and leg of lamb) * Sushi * Seafood (crab legs, cocktail shrimp, and oysters) * Dessert And, of course, you can wash this all down with an endless supply of Mimosas! When you arrive, I highly recommend you sit on the patio to take in the waterside views. Amazing! Finally, the service is impeccable. Many of the servers have worked there for years and really know how to provide excellent service. Enjoy it. This is truly an wonderful experience.

Beautiful restaurant with awesome view!! But the services are poor, and food is just ok. Saw so many good reviews, so maybe we r just not lucky.

Passing by on a road trip north, this was a pit stop that turned into a relaxing afternoon. A lovely place that combines sophistication with a Tuscan or Mediterranean casual atmosphere that just lures you in. I had a nicely cooked vegetable burger and for a place of this quality it was not overpriced. Complimentary valet for such an establishment was a nice surprise too. Will definitely return!

My husband and I had an exceptional experience at Bella Vista, from beginning to end, the menu options made it difficult to choose which is a plus Bc there were so many things we wanted to try, I got the house aged New York Strip, and my husband had the Gnocchiette Cacio de Pepe serve and prepared table side, in a aged wheel of parmigiano reggiano. Both dishes were superb and the drink options were amazing as well dessert was the perfect way to end our meal, after they found out we were on our honeymoon they brought us a 2nd dessert for free, the view of the ocean and ambience left me in aw of every movement and sight, all my senses were intrigued from sight, smell and of course Taste! Every employee functioned like a perfect moving watch, not a thing was out of place! I definitely recommend!!

I definitely recommend sitting outside on the patio and taking in the breathtaking water views. On a clear day, you might catch dolphins as well! We came from brunch and ordered the following: lobster caprese, Bella vegan, crab Benedict and finished with a lovely chocolate dessert with cinnamon ice cream. Everything was delicious and the view made it spectacular!

Excellent outside dining setting amid the lush gardens of the Four Seasons Biltmore. The menu has a short but well thought out selection of Italian items. The Caesar salad was a bit weird, with broccoli and cauliflower, but the pastas were obviously homemade. The inside dining is very noisy, with all hard surfaces and fairly bright lighting. The wine list has a medium size selection of local wines, and more from other regions, but markups are very high. Service was friendly and efficient.

Had lunch here this past Saturday while visiting Santa Barbara - it's located inside the Four Seasons Hotel. Perfect to be seated outdoors on a beautiful sunny day. We ordered from their lunch menu (everything was expensive!): 1) lobster roll w/ truffle fries: devoured this and wanted more fries! :) 2) skirt steak w/ chimichurri sauce: meat was so succulent; sauce was flavorful 3) seafood ceviche: portion size was too small; craving more; chips were crispy and hard Everything was fresh and tastes great; would recommend to anyone that's looking for some nice beachfront views and good service. :)

Came here on a Thursday afternoon, visiting from Los Angeles. The menu looked really appetizing with great options and the location was gorgeous so we chose it. Overall, we were relatively pleased but there was definitely some drawbacks. Our appetizer of poke flatbread was AMAZING! The fish was so fresh, no fishy taste at all! Probably my favorite aspect of the meal. I chose the flat iron steak and honestly this was the dish I was the most disappointed with. The steak had a weird taste to it..probably because it was sitting in a pool of olive oil. The sides were weirdly sweet, it was like someone poured sugar in the potatoes. However, I did ask them for a sauce and they actually whipped one up fresh and it tasted really good. On top of that the meat was tender. It just didn't have the right taste. I ended up eating more of my moms Winter salad instead. Now that was delicious. I'm a sucker for a good salad, especially with all of my favorite things like feta, Brussels sprouts and squash. I would just say next time easy on the feta because it did overpower. We had excellent service the entire meal. Everyone else seemed happy with their entrees. I guess I'd just skip the steak

The food was decent and service was on point. Bring a Sun hat if you have sensitive skin like I do. We sat indoors but there was still quite a bit of sunlight. We came on the day after Thanksgiving and the hotel lobby was already decked out with beautiful Christmas decor. I took so many pics at the lobby! *park outside the hotel on Channel drive if you don't want to pay for valet.

We made reservations for the Biltmore High Tea after having breakfast there in the morning and spa. The place settings were done tastefully, however, there was nothing exciting about it. The sparkling wine is one of the lowest grades for $52per person. The teas are bagged but they have tea strainers next to the cups and saucers. The sandwiches were not dainty at all especially the egg sandwich. We felt rushed by the wait staff. I wouldn't recommend this place for High Tea. The brunch breakfast was nice.

For a Four Seasons, the food at the resort is subpar. The best food I had was in room dining off the kids menu - the salmon with cous cous and veggies. And we ordered in rooming dining at least twice. We ate here for dinner (fish, spaghetti, salad, dessert) and breakfast (frittata and my friend got pancakes). Breakfast was better, but we ordered off the regular menu, not the $85 buffet. We also ate at Ty Lounge and Tydes and Bella Vista was the least impressive. I would eat breakfast here again, but not sure about dinner. I can't believe the food here is so mediocre. This was my first stay at Four Seasons and if there was no beach across the street and the pretty grounds/vibe, there would be no reason to stay here. Across the board at all the dining options, some dishes were good and some were just so boring or underwhelming. It's odd that it is very hit or miss. We wanted to go back to Tydes for the view, but it was closed already. It might be worth dining off property.

Amazing villa style restaurant facing the ocean! We sat outside at the patio and enjoyed our Sunday AYCE brunch with the breathless ocean view! The staff were very friendly, attentive, and constantly came by to check on us! I had such a wonderful experience that I even came back for dinner. The restaurant at night was transformed into a very intimate and romantic low light ambience. They serve Italian food at night and the food was still amazing as well. AYCE Sunday brunch was $75. A bit pricey, but it was Very worth it since you have a wide selection of food such as prime rib, lamb rack, crab legs, lobster claws, oysters, shrimps, sushi, sashimi, dessert bar, freshly made omelette, and the best part is that they have fresh caviar that you and sprinkle with any food!! I would rate this as the best buffet I have gone to and I was just in heaven!!!! I highly recommend trying all the food I listed above. However, I especially recommend the egg martini they made fresh on the order. The dessert bar's eclair was really good too. Unlike anywhere I have ever gone, they offer a warm melted dark and milk chocolate in a jar so you can dip in any desserts and fruits!!!! It was such a fun and indulging experience. Can't wait to come back again soon...

Where do I start with this place. The food was phenomenal. Must try is there bone marrow and there steaks are exceptional. The service was amazing. Unfotunatly at the time we visited SB it was raining so we weren't really able to experience the views of sunny Santa Barbara and sit outside on the patio but we imagined how beautiful it would have been. The service was also exceptional garuntee must visit every time we're in Santa Barbara. Try to sit outside you will not regret it one bit

The Sunday brunch here is awesome. Service is exceptional, food is great, and if you sit outside the view is amazing. Does not disappoint.

A very beautiful on site restaurant at four seasons hotel, sat in the patio with lovely views of ocean, it was a perfect spot for lunch! Classic Italian menu, extensive items even for lunch. Had a goose vodka Bloody Mary, for $17, a little pricey but a very strong drink, one of the best Bloody Mary I have ever tasted! The mimosa I tried later was very tasty and strong too. Table bread with tomato spread was so good, loved the bread, only had a little and it was delicious! Mahi Mahi wrap with jalapeño salsa, guacamole and assorted olives. Very fresh fish with flavorful veggie stuffings, olives were tasty, loved the salsa and guacamole. A perfectly balanced lunch entree. Hubby had sausage pizza, he loved the flavorful and comforting sausages in it, I peeled off the sausages and had a small slice, flavors were so rich and yummy. One of the best pizzas we have ever had! Too bad I can't have too much white flour. But a little bit is delicious enough for me. Friendly service, amazing views, relaxing vibe, a great spot to have lunch or brunch! Goose vodka Bloody Mary is a MUST try!

Delicious cocktails. Great view. Really enjoyed the salad and ordered the cacio y pepe table side pasta. So so so good. It's a good place to celebrate a special occasion. Service is great as expected from for seasons.

~Even Better and Even Better~ This restaurant is one of my favorites! Our waitress was so amazing and the food was even better! The service was wonderful and the ambiance is even better! I will Always come here when I visit SB. The cocktails are fun and they even won the cocktail award in SB. The Seabass is the BEST!!!! Only con would be that the noodles/spaghetti for the pasta experience were not cooked enough and wasn't the best! Other than that everything on the menu is INCREDIBLE. A must try and always on the list.

Beautiful dining area with a great view of the coast. The menu was a little limited and the food was good, but overpriced for avocado toast at $29. Definitely worth it for the experience though.

This Four Seasons restaurant is in a nice setting, however, the food does not live up to the setting. Dinner was a huge disappointment. The pasta was awful. Salads were simple and could be much improved. Fish was not prepared very well. Breakfast is better, the buffet was not very elaborate, though for $85 it is overpriced. My son who does not drink paid the same price as an adult who could drink unlimited sparkling wine. The pasta was cold, as was the dumplings. Sushi was not very good. One would expect better of the Four Seasons.

This place looks really nice. The staff is very nice too. But unfortunately that's where the positives end. The space is so echoey that even at 25% occupancy, you cannot bear yourself think. They desperately need to bring in acoustics expert and redo the entire space. It's the worst I've ever experienced. Ordered some pasta. It came out undercooked. They were helpful and got is new plates. Virtually the same. Which is a shame. Because the meat balls and meat sauce were both delicious. Maybe I'm impatient, but maybe it shouldn't be hard to get pasta right. ‍

Sad to see this place still closed after covid. Always enjoyed the four seasons and having the classic Santa Barbara ocean view, the ambiance feels like home & highlights that signature Spanish architecture that the "American Riviera" is known for. That Maine Lobster risotto is a solid pick complimented with the Carnaroli Rice and sprinkled in with the Tarragon Dust. Hope to see this place back in business again.

My absolute favorite Sunday brunch spot! The Bella Vista sits just across the street from the Pacific Ocean with beautiful views from the patio. The brunch buffet has so many options: a carving station, sushi of all sorts, crab legs, pastas, omelet station, a variety of pastries, fruit, veggies and even caviar! A meal fit for a king! And then of course, there are the unlimited fancy coffee drinks and bottomless mimosas! A perfect Sunday afternoon there ends with some golf putting and a fun game of croquet in the back yard!

Bella Vista isn't a cheap place to dine, but it's totally worth the freight if for no other reason than to enjoy the ambiance. That's a good thing, because the service and food don't measure up to the standards set by the venue itself. Specifically, our waiter was a total disappointment; not what I've come to expect from a Four Seasons restaurant. He was inattentive when we could find him, and he promptly vanished after taking our drink orders and left us to a prolonged period of enjoying the view... Fortunately, the view and the grounds are nothing short of spectacular! If the service and the food came even close to delivering at this level, then this would be an unquestionably five star dining experience. Still, the other aspects of the meal cannot completely cancel out that this place has one of the best views in Santa Barbara Montecito. Now let's talk about the drinks and the food, which were mediocre at best. THE DRINKS: We initially ordered margaritas, which simply didn't cut it for us - they were VERY light on the tequila, and sour to the point of being undrinkable; we sent them back and ordered wine instead. THE FOOD: We ordered off the lunch menu, and shared a Cobb salad with shrimp, bacon, crab and chicken. This wasn't my favorite version of Cobb salad by any stretch of the imagination, but it was decent, and maybe even tasty. We also shared a BBQ pulled chicken sandwich. This dish was also decent, but it didn't at all impress - maybe my standards have been getting higher lately? ;-) Bottom line: Don't come here for the food or the service, but do come here to enjoy the views and the venue. Be sure to get pictures of the grounds and the ocean across the street - I know I will next time :-)

BELLA VISTA RESTAURANT at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara is a spacious restaurant with wonderful service that also has al fresco dining of sublime ocean views. We enjoyed their organic greens salad with crunchy vegetables, goat cheese and walnut sherry vinaigrette. We also enjoyed their Halibut and peas with beurre blanc sauce and the softest moist rack of lamb. They serve seasonally focused entrees such as 30 day dry aged New York tagliata, pan-roasted king salmon, organic chicken, herb roasted branzino, and veal parmigiana. Sides include Brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, roasted beets and truffle fries. The highlight for me was the mascarpone gelato (to die for!!) that came with the ricotta cheese fritters. Couldn't get enough! It was a wonderful dinner and I would love to come back during the day to enjoy the ocean view!

Everyone loves brunch. It's a thing. It has its own hashtags, blogs, tank tops... When it comes to brunch buffets, I've never encountered one as fantastic as this one! It's offered only on Sunday mornings and costs $75 per person. I've eaten at a reasonable number of buffets, and I get the distinct impression that most think that quantity is a reasonable substitute for quality. Not so here! The food is plentiful, and it is also delicious. The dining room looks over the ocean, or if you're lucky, you'll snag a table on the patio. The window dividers that separate the dining room from the patio offer a beautiful view, and if the weather is nice you can ask them to fold them open and it's almost like being outside. The brunch includes unlimited beverages, so you can have any variety and quantity you prefer...bloody marys, champagne/mimosas, juices, sodas, coffee (including mochas and other espresso drinks). If you try hard, you can probably get your money's worth just out of beverages. You WON'T have to try hard to get your money's worth if you get anywhere near the seafood table, which is piled with crab legs (split lengthwise so no cracking or picking is required), oysters, and shrimp served with mignonette and cocktail sauce and a few different types of caviar, served with warm blini and all the fixings. My usual strategy is to start there with caviar, crab, and shrimp, and then go back for a couple blini with caviar between each course. It's ridiculous. For those other courses, take your pick from these stations: -Sushi (California rolls and nigiri served with soy sauce, ginger, wasabi, and edamame) -Breads and bagels -Cheeses and accompaniments -Salads (salad bar plus a few different composed salads) -A few different finger foods (deviled eggs, mini quiches, etc) -Breakfast food (a variety of bacon, sausage, waffles, oatmeal, etc) -Omelet bar -Meat station (think prime rib, plank steak, leg of lamb, wild salmon, each with an accompanying sauce) -Kids' stuff (chicken fingers, Jell-O jugglers, french fries, etc) -Pastries (croissants and muffins) -Desserts (a beautiful variety of cakes, bars, cookies, puddings, and jars of warm chocolate fondue with things to dip in it--madeleines, marshmallows, fruit) The selection changes, so you never know exactly what you're going to get, but most everything is vey delicious and constantly refreshed. I have one complaint: they serve pancake syrup, not real maple syrup, which just kills me. It's also really surprising given the overall high food quality. Other than that, I can't recommend their Sunday brunch enough--it's a true treat!

View = terrific. Service = pleasant. Painfully slow on the weekends. Food = food quality was sub-par. Couldn't eat the Crudo it was so fishy, bad irony considering we were on the water. Tuna tartare was decent, but heavily sauced and served with some form of Melba toast?! Burger was decent, seems to be the best option. Skip the pasta. Head on down the road to the new Rosewood, it's at a whole never level, Four Seasons better get their act together because there's a new kid in town!

Came here really late on my bday, I was really buzzed. Didn't remember much but the delicious octopus salad and clam pasta (even when I was forgetful) the octopus salad was so juicy, definitely one of the best I've ever had. I don't remember much of the veal, but I'm sure it was good. Service was great! The decor somehow reminded me of Dolce & Gabbana, or a city in Italy. If I happen to go to Santa Barbra again I would like to come here again and check out the nice view and other dishes.

I love their beautiful ocean view patio. I never stayed at this hotel in Santa Barbara, but It is such a peaceful and breathtaking spot to enjoy amazing ocean view, tenderness of sunlight and lovely ocean wind. Their food is all delicious. Fresh oysters, lobster salad, the steak were all perfect. (Lobster Salad might be too overpriced though because there were so few lobster in it and most of them were tomatoes). Perfect gateway with your family and friends.

We came here for a bachelorette party dinner during restaurant week. I ordered the pasta experience and it was phenomenal! Pasta made table side in a wheel of cheese! Their drinks were phenomenal as well! I ordered a lemon drop and it was made to perfection. The service was impeccable. Everyone went over and above to make our experience a memorable one. I've always wanted to try the table side pasta experience at a restaurant and Bella Vista did not disappoint!

I visited the Bella Vista with my friends, a party of 8, for Restaurant Week. We've always been pleasantly pleased with the service, food and ambience. Tonight, however, was a complete disappointment. I felt bad for my friend that invited us and made the reservation. The service was very slow. It took 45 minutes to see a slice of bread. We had to ask for the Restaurant Week menu which is supposed to provide a culinary experience selected by the chef. Compared to the other restaurants we tried during this week, 5 to be exact, the Bella Vista failed in comparison. Only one appetizer, entree and desert were offered. I've attached a picture of the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe. Now, seeing that entree also on their regular menu and called a Pasta Cart Experience with shaved truffles, you would think it would be phenomenal. The Bella Vista sparingly served it for Restaurant Week WITHOUT the truffles. Basically it was just spaghetti with cheese. And I was embarrassed by the tiny portion they served. The whole table was disappointed with this culinary presentation. I'm afraid this experience has changed any thought of a recommendation in the future. The Bella Vista shouldn't participate in Restaurant Week if this is all they can offer. The offering was an insult and a joke.

Plant based, delicious options from breakfast to dinner. We are delighted to discover Leslie Durso is in the house at Four Seasons Bella Vista. Look for her items (LD) next to the item. We had the bruschetta, quinoa bowl, plus the pumpkin desert. All items are vegan offering plenty of protein, filling and yet light enough to carry on the day without that food coma feeling. The bruschetta offered four unique flavors and toppings. We cut them in two and shared each. The bowl was big and more like a kale salad with quinoa, sweet potato and other goodies. I would LOVE to see a warm bowl option and suggest they call this more of a Kale & Quinoa Salad. They have vegan waffles on the weekend and i think coconut whipcream. The vegan options are expanding. Some of my family members are not vegan but they love these healthy plant based options and they are sooo good. I forgot to ask if they source organic products/produce & hope they continue to offer increasingly gluten free vegan options. Thank you Four Seasons and Leslie Durso, you have made us come back to Bella Vista. We have already made reservations to return. Oh and i hear the bar will soon have some LD offerings too!

I was in for a lovely surprise when my boyfriend brought me here for my birthday. There were many other tables celebrating birthdays. It seems like this restaurant is a popular destination for those celebrating a special occasion. Ambiance: It's a beautiful setting overlooking the ocean inside the four seasons resort hotel. There is an outside patio with outdoor fireplace as well as some seats inside. Valet parking is also complimentary which is a plus. Service: Very polite waiters and friendly service. I felt very comfortable and waiters were very accomodating in terms of food requests. Food: I thought the food was decent, but definitely on the pricier side. I tried the seafood sampler which was pretty good. Also ordered a shrimp spaghetti with meat sauce , which actually was not on the menu but the waiter was creative and offered us something to accomodate our food preferences. The pasta was cooked al dente and tasted fresh (I believe it was made from scratch as the noodles had an elastic texture and it didn't look like it came out of a box). The dish wasn't greasy or stuffing。 Seafood sampler was ok. I don't eat mussels or uni and the rest of the seafood were served chilled. I'd probably try something else next time ! Overall, I would recommend this restaurant for superior service and the ambiance!

Absolutely gorgeous place to enjoy a bite to eat with an amazing view. Located on the four seasons property but you can dine there without staying at the property itself. Gorgeous view of the ocean at the restaurant. Weather permitting, I highly suggest sitting outside while you dine to enjoy the beautiful ocean view. The focaccia bread with sundried tomato spread that they give the table was delicious. I couldn't just stop at one piece!! I got the lobster roll with sweet potato fries for lunch and absolutely devoured it. It was delicious down to the last bite! This place is not meant for those that are pinching quarters. You definitely need to be aware that you will spending money here as this is pretty expensive but the view is worth every penny and the view is great to boot!

Amazing food, excellent customer service, food quality high expectation and panoramic view. My fiancé and I came here for Valentine's Day and everything was amazing. My fiancé is a huge 4 seasons hotel fan that's why we came here. You pay what you get and it's worth it. Yes, it is expensive but you come only for a special occasion. Harold was amazing server. He took care of us and everything went smooth. Five stars.

Ask for Craig as your dinner server! ******** I will forever love this restaurant and it will hold a deep place in my heart....My now husband, proposed to at this romantic/beautiful establishment, on my Golden Birthday! The Food here is totally worth every penny. The seafood platter is delish and the king salmon is soooo fresh! The Ocean View is Priceless!!!

The view for here was drop dead gorgeous! We had such a good time enjoying lunch and some drinks all while overlooking the ocean. The restaurant was also nicely decorated which made the environment feel more welcomed. Would definitely dine here again.

The atmosphere and view are amazing! So beautiful and relaxing. I came here for a late lunch on a Saturday and all of the outdoor seating was full, but we got a table right by the large open window, which was almost just as good. The seats were comfy, and service was great. Let's start with the complimentary warm garlic focaccia with sun-dried tomato spread. Yummm. The bread was fluffy and the spread was super flavorful. I had to stop at two slices because I wanted to be hungry for the main course. I ended going with the king salmon sandwich with an organic greens salad as the side. For some reason I thought the salmon was going to be a fillet, but it was in patty form. The sandwich included the patty, plus coleslaw and maybe a little avocado--can't quite remember. The bun was probably the best part though! It was so fresh and fluffy. The sandwich itself could have been a little more flavorful (this is a $25 sandwich after all). The side salad was nice but nothing spectacular. It was fresh and dressed lightly with a balsamic vinaigrette I believe. This place really is wonderful because of the view, but the food is pretty good too.

Note: Only rating this for the breakfast buffet If you're staying at the Four Seasons and you are too lazy to walk down a few blocks to Montecito, then you probably paid an arm and a leg for breakfast. We came here for breakfast and the service was great from everyone except our own waitress. When we sat down in the patio, we started ordering coffee and orange juice then asked what the price of the buffet was.. She said that it's not listed on the menu. (~$32+). I felt she thought we were being cheap by asking, but if we were being cheap, we wouldn't be dining there. Juice alone was ~ $7 so if you got 2 cups of that and your food, the buffet was a much better deal as juice was bottomless, so onto the food.. Breakfast buffet consist of a variety of pastries (ok), omelette station (made to order - decent), pancakes, french toast, ham/cheese sandwich (yummy), bacon, fruits, and etc. If you are a light eater and just drink water, then order a la carte. If you want bottomless juice and can eat, order the buffet. And if you're cheap, go elsewhere.

Came by for dessert mid-afternoon to enjoy the breathtaking views. The host and hostess were courteous when taking us to our table. The wait staff was also courteous despite being slightly leisurely at first. Ordered the Tiramisu which consisted of two scoops of ice cream, a biscuit of some sort and a piece of chocolate. The ice cream was okay, but tasted odd w/ dried caramel drizzled on top... the piece of chocolate was cheap as the chocolate tasted like wax. The biscuit also tasted like some type of cheap sweetener. ...all in all, the food was mediocre at best. Service was good, and the view was excellent.

Sure, you can pay a lot less in Los Angeles or Vegas for far better quality brunch food, but in the overall scheme of things, the food here is not the star of the show, it's the whole laid-back, resort-like ambience and friendly hotel / restaurant staff that make you feel so welcoming from the beginning to end of your visit. Free valet parking too! It's rare for me to say this....but even though I found none of the food items to my liking (the desserts were good though), I would go back just for the classy experience. 4 Stars for the overall experience. 5 Stars if the food were better! Bellissima Vista indeed.

We went here for our anniversary dinner. We reserved a table outside for water views; however, they were unable to accommodate our request due to the weather. We were sitter inside near the French door so that we can still get some views. They had limited options for vegetarians; however, they were willing to accommodate our request. We ordered purple potato gnocchi and broken rice off the menu and asked the chef to make us a vegetarian pasta dish. Out of all that we ordered, we really liked their gnocchi. It was very different and delicious. In the end they gave a complimentary dessert to celebrate. We really liked their service.