Dom’s Taverna Santa Barbara
Restaurant · Downtown ·
Oyster-focused taverna with rare French varieties and wine pairings
Information
30 E Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions
Oyster-focused taverna with rare French varieties and wine pairings
30 E Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions
"A slice of Basque cheesecake with a deeply caramelized exterior and ultra-creamy center, paired with an excellent Terrania digestif, capped a spectacular meal at chef Dom Crisp’s fairly new Santa Barbara tavern set in the former California Electric Company headquarters. Crisp borrowed the cheesecake recipe from a staff member for his largely Basque restaurant, whose seafood menu rivals operators anywhere on the Central Coast or in Southern California. Everything, especially the seafood, is local, the team executes an ambitious lineup dedicated to Spain’s San Sebastian region, and the room is a fantastic place to linger, whether at the bar or tableside—so I always save room for dessert." - Eater Staff
"Debuting August 22 in Santa Barbara, chef Dom Crisp’s Basque-leaning spot channels his seafood pedigree from L&E Oyster Bar and the Lonely Oyster into a menu that starts at lunch with Basque-inflected shakshuka, seafood-heavy cioppino pasta, and a saffron bomba rice bowl, then shifts at dinner to squid ink crab rice and mussels or clams over Basque sausage with sherry vinegar. Evenings bring pintxos like buttermilk chicken croquettes and Txangurro tortas (crab corn cakes), while a crudo bar showcases the region’s finest seafood; Crisp moved north full-time in January 2025 and, with partner Raj Nallapothola of Toronix Gourmet, purchased the building." - Mona Holmes
"An all-day, Basque-leaning restaurant in Santa Barbara debuting on August 22, this seafood-focused project from chef Dom Crisp draws on California’s Basque history and the city’s generous local catch (“I feel like a kid in the candy store”), with lunch plates like Basque‑inflected shakshuka, seafood‑heavy cioppino pasta, and a saffron bomba rice Basque bowl. Dinner brings squid ink crab rice; mussels or clams over Basque sausage with sherry vinegar; wood‑fired whole fish Basquaise; and a bone‑in steak that nods to his years at the now‑closed Saso. Pintxos kick things off with buttermilk chicken croquettes and Txangurro tortas (crab corn cakes), while a crudo bar showcases oysters, Santa Barbara crab claws, a rotating crudo from the daily catch, and a Louie salad loaded with wild bluefin tuna belly, crab, and poached shrimp; desserts include a decadent Périgord black truffle Basque cheesecake and a torched crème‑brûlée‑style orange‑liqueur sponge cake called goxua. The bar, led by Portland’s Dig a Pony veteran Ben Carey, pours wines from Spain, Oregon, and California alongside cider, beer, vermouth, and cocktails, with a rare bourbon, malt whiskey, and rye program coming soon; order the Barcelona‑style vermouth spritz or the showstopping New Moon built with horseradish vodka, Manzanilla sherry, Lillet Blanc, and a squid ink ice sphere. Housed in the former Trattoria Victoria, the stylish room features a revamped marble bar, Valencia tile, and white oak sourced from the vineyard where Crisp was born, and sits just outside the busiest part of Downtown, a short walk from the Santa Barbara Public Market. Open hours are Tuesday 5 p.m.–11 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., with Sunday brunch 11 a.m.–3 p.m., plus happy hour bar bites from 3 p.m.–5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.–11 p.m.; Crisp, who worked at L&E Oyster Bar and the Lonely Oyster before relocating here in January 2025 and buying the building with partner Raj Nallapothola of Toronix Gourmet, says he aims to “execute it well, and not fuss it up.”" - Mona Holmes
"A forthcoming Santa Barbara taverna led by an oyster-enthusiast chef who says he’d pay up to $10 for truly exceptional oysters (such as rare domestic or imported French varieties); he compares oysters to fine wine, values subtle flavor nuances, and prioritizes product from farmers committed to pristine growing waters." - Amy McCarthy