Handlebar Coffee Roasters

Handlebar has the best coffee ever. I love that they offer a small medium and large cup option! They make the richest iced vanilla lattes that are made perfectly every time. The baristas are nice, and I love coming here to study. The seating arrangement is friendly but if you want your own space you can have that too.

I kept asking myself why the coffee was so bland. The team had a fun and welcoming energy. The line was long and they cranked out the orders with smiles on their faces. As an avid cyclist, I appreciated the interior design and bike-friendly vibes. The ham and cheese croissant was flaky and tasted great. But the mocha I ordered was disappointing. It was like drinking a cup of hot milk. The robust coffee flavor I expected was nowhere to be found as I sipped my drink. For a coffee shop that does virtually everything very well, it left me questioning how could they have missed on the most important part of the experience…

Great iced latte, nice atmosphere inside, I can recommend! The place gets pretty busy so be prepared to spend 10 mins waiting

We came to visit here for our early afternoon snacks and ordered: 2x Espresso 1x Cinnamon Roll Total: $14.16 with tips Overall, we’re very pleased with the flavor of the coffee and cinnamon roll. The kick of the coffee, the bitterness, and the sourness are just what we've been looking for—the best espresso we've tried so far compared to many others. The cinnamon roll, we thought, was amazing, too—though it can be slightly sweet to our palette, other than that, we love it. However, it took some time to prepare our espresso for both when called; my husband had to wait another 2-3 minutes for the other one to prepare. We thought it was strange to wait that long given that they have many staff within that area, roughly 8 staff. Other than that, it was a great experience with the coffee and pastry, and the ambiance was great, too.

A great place to get coffee or get some work done. The place is usually crowded in the mornings. Ample space indoors and outdoors. The place is well lit with lots of natural light. You should be able to find some street parking without much trouble, but if you do, there are some paid parking lots nearby as well.

FEB2025: a must-visit coffee shop if you’re in town. We loved coffees and the bagels 😀

Great atmosphere - Monday afternoon there was space to have a table and do work. Chocolate Croissant was flaky and buttery. Espresso was bright and bitter with some good fruity notes- not completely balanced. Baristas are working on a lot of orders so the wait was to be expected the team behind the counter was on it and getting things done for such a constant rush of people. Great merch and logo design. The space is nicely laid out location with lots of tables and spots for chatting or working. Beautiful light and great location across from the historic el Presido park.

One of two locations in the Santa Barbara area (the other is “uptown” on De La Vina, which includes their coffee roasting operation). Handlebar coffee is a popular destination for locals, including those who prefer to work in the environment of a coffee shop. I find their coffee to be excellent, not too strong but certainly not weak. Their espresso drinks are expertly made. Service is excellent; the staff is always friendly, quick, and willing to make subtle adjustments to items if requested.

Despite the high demand, the coffee shop is handling the influx of customers excellently. The quality of coffee preparation remains consistently high! It is evident how the baristas strive to prepare each cup of coffee according to standards and with care. The coffee shop has its own coffee roasting, allowing customers to enjoy freshly brewed coffee. Now we understand why customers love you! We as tourists always choose a local cafe as it is a kind of atmosphere of the city. Thank you for your hard work, we will definitely be back again!

Top notch coffee; one of the best I've had so far in Santa Barbara/ Goleta. Got their iced latte to-go. Decor is colorful, fun, and tastefully done. Quick service and friendly staff. I always appreciate it when they take a few extra seconds to know how to spell my name. Definitely going back to work and explore the cafe. Plenty of seating options. Only downside is that they gave the iced latte in a paper to-go cup meant for hot drinks. Over time the paper cup couldn't hold the drink very well. Street parking / paid parking lots nearby.

Overly pretentious, hipster coffee that is just meh and WAY overpriced. If you like $12 coffee, people harassing you constantly for your table and chairs, and crowds of narcissistic bicyclists - then this place is the place for you. Don't understand why people come here at all.

Coffee was good but super unorganized. We were waiting at the register where someone had just ordered and a barista opened a new register to our left and took the people behind us. We shifted to the open register and the barista walked off and the register we were standing at reopened. We were just left in the middle confused as to why no body could see we were trying to order. Super annoying

Still the best coffee for me and always the first place to drop by in SB, this location or the other. Came by in February and this original location had expanded into the space next door! Much easier to find seating now. But it was still just the single bathroom as before. Hopefully the next expansion plan will go for a second bathroom:) Wife got her cappuccino and I got my usual americano, both excellent as always. Always a line for coffee here, but it moves fast. Owner working hard as always, was tamping espresso pretty much nonstop. That must be the magic touch to the espressos squeezed out here. But then again, I just checked out big sur area this month and had marked a stop at Coast Big Sur (scenic view cafe like place) since I read and had marked on my map they served Handlebar coffee. They made drip coffee and it was fantastic! (their sorbet, ice cream were pretty good too, but great views of course is what you're paying for there) I think next time I may just try the drip coffee here, right at the source!!!

Servers were kind, straight to the point. The ham and cheese croissant was really good. The croissant was nice and flakey, the ham wasn't store bought packaged ham. The bagel was a bagel. You do have to toast it yourself though. I ordered and iced chai latte, it was extra on the spice, I could feel it in the back of my throat lol Overall it was really cute. Food was decent. I can see why the line was out the door.

It was busy even for a Monday at 10am which is always the good sign to any coffee place. Plenty of seating both indoor and outdoor. The staff was really friendly and accommodating. They seem to have a lot of regulars as some were greeted by name so that's a good indicator. I ordered a Vanilla Latte and a lemon blueberry scone. The coffee was great! Smooth and not bitter. I will definitely come back on my next visit to Santa Barbara

Needed a little pick-me-up for the final leg of a long drive from the Bay Area to LA, the Handlebar hit the spot. My 12 oz ice mocha had a great balance of espresso and chocolate notes, and despite the fact that they use a paper cup, the drink seemed to hold up just fine for me. While I took my drink to-go, the atmosphere seemed super pleasant, and I could easily see bringing the laptop here and getting some work done for a few hours if I were a local. Definitely a spot I'd visit again on a future visit to Santa Barbara.

This was a recommended coffee shop when visiting Santa Barbara and it did not disappoint ! Beautiful and large coffee shop enough places to sit ! Parking is sometimes a struggle, we drove around twice until we found a close parking. Coffee - I ordered an iced vanilla latte which was delicious!! They were a bit busy but they got my coffee right away! Also had iced water available which I was able to get for my dog. The customer service was great as well!Highly recommend visiting this coffee shop when in the area !

Very cute cafe! Came at 10 am on a Wednesday and it was busy! Still got my hot tea out at a great time! Lots of tables outdoors and indoors to work or study at which was very cute!

I stoped by for a black coffee to go one busy morning and gotta say it was pretty good coffee and fresh. It paired well with the croissant too. I couldn't find a seat but didn't have much time to lounge anyway. I'd go back and maybe bring my work laptop and a few colleagues. It seemed that kind of collaborative place.

Attention, Santa Barbara! Ever wondered where all the cool dogs hang out? It's official: Handlebar Coffee Roasters is Santa Barbara's favorite dog-friendly coffee shop! Whether it's a puppy playdate or just catching up on the latest "paw-sip" rumors, our four-legged friends have declared this spot the ulti-mutt destination!

This is the kind of ridiculous place that happens when you let kids (or the mental equivalent of) run the shop. 56 degrees out and they have the door open. Customers are inside wearing jackets and exchanging looks of WTF to each other. Yes, absolutely, Gen Z halfwit, when a customer orders a bagel with cream cheese...hand them a cold bagel, a plastic container with one-half of a teaspoon of cream cheese in it, and then tell them "the toasters over there." Then, this useless, mom's basement gamer points that obnoxious tip soliciting Square computer at me and says, "This is gonna ask you a question real quick." I knew the answer!! You did NOTHING! $0.00 for you Slappy!! I spoke to the manager/owner. When I looked into her eyes, I could see the back of her skull and knew speaking to her about customer service would be an exercise in futility. I silently wept for the future of mankind and left . Too many other options in SB for this garbage. Why do something for your customers when you can have them do it themselves and pay YOU for it? FIVE PEOPLE BEHIND THE COUNTER, FOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE ENTIRE PLACE, AND THIS IS YOUR LEVEL OF SERVICE? If you go there, hop behind the counter and throw a latte together for yourself. I doubt they'll look up from their phone long enough to notice. I'll be they'll point the Square at you afterwards and mention, " Just a couple of questions."

Handlebar Coffee Roasters was established in November 2011 and the shop is popular among cycling enthusiasts. The flagship coffee shop is located across from The Presidio State Park (the oldest part of Santa Barbara when the Spanish settled back in 1782) and two blocks away from Superior Court Of California County Of Santa Barbara. [Parking]: I was able to find an available street parking spot just a block away from the coffee shop. Apparently several nearby public parking lots are located just two blocks away from the shop (Lot 9 - 931 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 or Lot 8 - 1019 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101) and first 75 minutes = free. [Ordering]: There was a long waiting line at 10:45 AM on Sunday and I received my drink at 11:15 AM. One of the staff yelled that if anyone wants iced or drip coffee then she can assist them immediately (aka skip the waiting line). [Amenities]: The shop has spacious indoor tables as well as outdoor tables (dog friendly). Unfortunately there's only one unisex restroom so expect to wait a long line for it. [Menu]: Simple espresso menu, but probably a good idea to stick with the top three Yelp highlights - vanilla latte, cold brews, or almond-milk latte. *** Vanilla Latte (8 oz - $5.75): While my initial impression of this lightly sweetened drink didn't blow me out of the water, there was no question that it was an amazing cup of latte with subtle coffee aroma. *** My vanilla latte was surprisingly good and it is no wonder why this coffee shop is super popular. Honestly a visit to Downtown Santa Barbara is not 100% complete unless visitors stop by this coffee shop. P.S. - There's another location on De La Vina Street (away from Downtown Santa Barbara).

My friends and I were visiting Santa Barbara and stopped by Handlebar for some coffee. There's some street parking close by and I didn't have any issues finding parking. Came on a Sunday afternoon and it was busy inside! There's indoor and outdoor seating but it was pretty full. There was no line to order but took about 15 minutes for our drinks to be ready. I tried the matcha latte and vanilla latte. There was 3 different sizes to choose from and the smallest size was fairly small. Small: $5.75 Medium: $6.25 Large: $6.75 The iced vanilla latte was good and I would get it again. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the matcha latte. There was barely any matcha and the drink tasted more like a combo of water and milk with a hint of matcha. I also thought the drink was pricey, especially for what we received. If you're deciding between the two, definitely recommend the vanilla latte.

Great coffee and service! The line was out the door, but the staff was very nice and attentive, customers were patient and understanding.

Food is always great! Service on 11/1/24 at 7 am was beyond unacceptable. As a customer standing patiently in line I was the next customer. A man walks in and is waited on before me. Now I've been in line patiently waiting. A regular customer who usually tips 20-25%! Friday I bought a 12 oz bag of coffee to be ground. 2 almond croissants and a cafe Americano. The cashier who ignored me asked if I wanted milk in my cafe ole. That's not what I ordered! Friday I didn't tip anything because of poor service. And the two cashiers openly discussed how I didn't leave a tip in front of me. One said 'teah they never do.' Once I received my order I explained to the cashier who waited on me that she was right I don't leave tips for poor service especially when I was ignored! So why was I ignored? Because I'm older? Invisible? African American? Or because the arriving customer was a white male who walked right in from the street door to the cashier? There should be 1 line and 1 line only. Every customer should be treated equally! This is the second time this has happened here and that's why I stopped going there. And it happens when the owner is not present!

It was okay, got a gf chocolate chip muffin and a latte. The muffin was good, the latte was just meh. It's a good spot to study, but if I'm going to pay state street prices I'd rather go somewhere else. Staff was super friendly, service was quick, ambiance was a locals-meet up style (casual and relaxing).

A super cute coffee shop with a great vibe. The person at the cashier was super friendly and helpful. I ordered the matcha latte with vanilla as the sweetener and unfortunately it was the least flavorful matcha I've ever had. A hard pass! They are known for their coffee, so I assume and hope that their coffee is much better than their matcha lol.

Handlebar Coffee Roasters in Santa Barbara is a must-visit for coffee aficionados and food lovers alike. The cheddar chive scone is a standout, with a light and flaky texture, generous amounts of sharp cheddar, and fragrant chives. I'm still in search of a perfect cappuccino but their craftsmanship was well worth it. The café's ambiance is charming and cozy, offering a welcoming atmosphere to enjoy your coffee and pastry. A visit to Handlebar Coffee Roasters is sure to make you want to come back.

Decent line, but it kept moving at a steady pace and the drinks came out relatively quickly. I appreciated the water station near the waiting area - metal cups were a lovely environmental touch! Workers were so friendly and fun to chat with. Definitely see why everyone recommended this spot. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating as well. The cappuccino was good, vanilla iced latte was the perfect amount of sweet. They have almond and oat milk alternatives!

Cute coffee spot. Friendly staffs, good service. We got a mocha latte and a nitro cold brew. Both were very good, strong. Plenty of seatings, good place to relax and chill and enjoy your coffee.

Wasn't allowed to use the outlet to charge my phone. Not sure why when there were 4 available. If u need to charge something while u get a coffe go somewhere else. Lighthouse did let me use outlets and they got parking.

The barista taking orders was super friendly and helpful. Since their menu doesn't list the non-dairy milk options, I had to ask and she was very helpful. Also, it's a nice chill cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating. If you want to visit with someone outdoors is probably the best option due to just the ambient noise though.

Best coffee in Santa Barbara and I'm a European coffee geek... Excellent almond croissants.

Visiting Santa Barbara and found this spot on Yelp! I loved the overall vibe of the coffee shop and staff were incredibility nice. I got an iced dirty chai latte w/ oat milk and it was great. A little on the pricier side but overall a great coffee spot! Plenty of space to hang out, chat with friends and even work remote from.

The coffee was outstanding. I had a cappuccino and the flavor of their coffee is really good.... Robust but not bitter or overly acidic. I had a bagel with cream cheese that was good. The service was friendly but you do have to wait as it is usually quite busy. The atmosphere is casual yet busy. We will return for the coffee.

Ordered a non fat latte and mocha. Both were very good. Had gone to Dart the day before and I'd probably go to Handlebar. Less bitter, required less sugar. Both places required a decent wait in line...

Outstanding mocha! Chocolate comes through beautifully without being too sweet. Ideal for someone who loves the coffee/chocolate flavor combo like me.

The best coffee roaster in Santa Barbara. Ambiance is nice. Waits can be a bit long though they let you go faster through the line for drip coffee.

Eh... their coffee was good. But nothing wow like Dart coffee. If you need a quick coffee break this is a good stop. The shop itself was dope. Service was quick and very friendly.

Handlebar is ok. I don't quite understand what the "line out the door" thing is all about constantly... seems like there should be an easier way to order and get coffee. I'm not an expert but the drinks aren't over the top difficult and there's always a few people just standing around. The scones are very good, I like getting them when Alessia is sold out. I've only been to the Canon Perdido location for Handlebar, there is never any convenient parking at De La Vina.

Ambiance: cozy coffee shop with spacious indoor and outdoor seating, though not all covered under shade Service: very slow and disorganized line, the ordering and pickup lines almost mingled into together, it took forever for the line to move forward Drink: simple drink menu and pastries available for sale too Mocha Latte - *** average taste, bitter than expected Turmeric Latte - **** bold ginger taste, recommend Price: three sizes small medium large to choose from, and the large costs about $6

Hands down, best latte I've had in a while. We got a vanilla oat latte and regular oat latte, and they were both so smooth, lightly sweet, and refreshing. Our drinks came out very fast. Plenty of seating as well, definitely would come here to do some work if I were local.

Much better barista than I. They prepared a vanilla latte. It was like velvet. Inside or outside tables. Bought some beans for home.

The cortado was amazing! A good standard cortado nothing too fancy here. My girlfriend's mocha latte was not that good. The service was a little weird but not enough to bother me really. The cafe's ambience is clean and a great place to hangout!

Handlebar Coffee is one of the best coffee spots in Santa Barbara! it is certainly a staple cafe shop and its always packed with both new and returning customers. I love a good latte and they never fail to disappoint! Indoor and outdoor seating available as well. The cafe is beautiful and they have a ton of coffee paraphernalia.

(Overall: 87% | B) - I really like the vibe of the coffee shop, looks contemporary, which kind servers. Overall, would recommend as a coffee spot. (Hot Cocoa: 92.5% | A) - This is a beautiful hot cocoa that is on the lighter side, with the milk being significantly dominating over the chocolate. If you like your drinks mild and not too sweet, this is a good choice! (Almond Croissant: 80% | B) - A nutty take on the almond croissant, topped with an abundance of almonds. This pastry tasted good and was fluffy overall, but the almond slices are perhaps overpowering because there's so many of them on the top, especially in terms of texture. I think the almond paste inside the croissant was also not widely dispersed, making the flavor concentrated on in certain bites. (Cinnamon Roll: 75% | C) - This cinnamon is really high quality and exhibits good texture without being too sweet. Unfortunately though, there are way too many nuts and every bite just feels like a mouthful of nuts, which is not necessarily pleasant.

Love the aesthetic interior decor and concept! There are plenty of seatings and the place is well lit and clean. I got the mocha and the coffee tasted perfectly strong and creamy. I could taste both the coffee and the chocolate flavor and the drink is perfectly sweetened. The staff is super nice and service is fast.

Actually wanted to try the newer, bigger location on De La Vina Street, but was already closed by the time I got around to it, so ended up at this original location. It was fairly busy on a late Sunday afternoon but line moved fairly quickly, and service was excellent. Since this place is a roaster I wanted to purchase some whole beans to make pour overs at home. I wanted a medium roast with low acidity, and was told all their beans are medium roast. Barista gave me a sample of their Brazil beans to try, and I was immediately sold. It was sweet and smooth, just like the description, with a faint taste of hazelnut. Also tried kombucha on tap and cold brew. Kombucha was refreshing with sweet fruit notes, and cold brew was also tasty and smooth. I think this place is more for coffee purists as the menu is fairly standard, and there aren't any weird, exotic drinks. Turmeric latte is about the most exotic item here, but even that is somewhat standard these days.

As part of our day trip to Santa Barbara, we wanted to get a quick caffeine boost and I saw this place on yelp and wanted to check it out! We went to this place on a Sunday morning and it was not super packed. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. The baristas behind the counter were super helpful in answering our questions about what drinks they would recommend and explaining the differences between the different drinks which was very thoughtful and considerate of them. After we ordered, we got our drinks in less than 10 minutes. The place was super clean overall and enough to seat small and large parties. I got the pour over which was super flavorful and did not have hints of bitterness. There is limited street parking outside but a paying lot you could pay for down the street.

The best service, the best coffee. The entire staff is always friendly and we often have fun conversations with them.. This is our absolute favorite place to go for coffee and a pastry. The owners are wonderful and incredibly kind. We just love everything about Handlebar.

The coffee here is flat out amazing. Simple done so well! I ordered a honey vanilla oat milk latte and it was one of the best coffees I had in SB. Super convenient location because there's some awesome breakfast choices nearby. It's got a larger cafe space than most local coffee shops. Counter run by students and staff who look like family. It's a nice homey feeling to it! My BIL had a hot matcha, it is unsweetened so I recommend adding some vanilla to it if you like a bit of sweetness!

This is my #1 coffee shop in Santa Barbara (Dean wins for Goleta) for many reasons - there is an absolute abundance of seating options with varying-sized tables and outlets dispersed around. There is an entire room off to the side dedicated to seating - it is a very minimalist design aesthetic inside which seems to be a trend in SB coffee shops but it is much warmer and friendlier in this cafe. I think it is the art and decorated/packed coffee counters PLUS not all white extreme hospital-like lighting - the people who work there are incredibly sweet, such a good way to start my otherwise painful early mornings. side note: they all dress really "steezy" too... - coffee is normal SB prices and they don't charge for my "splash of almond milk" like some places painfully do. upcharge on normal portions of alt milks though which I really think we should have left in 2022 - pastries look beautiful, the amount of almonds on the almond croissant just really is a wonderful thing - however, they do have you toast your own bagel AND don't apply the cream cheese for you....might as well just hit trader joes

Came here on a Sunday morning after deciding to visit my best friend here in SB. Now, growing up in Seattle and now living in LA, I've been spoiled with great coffee so my standards are quite high. I can say that this place did not disappoint. An aesthetically pleasing location, accompanied by coffee that was flavorful and delicious. I tend to go for cappuccinos or unflavored lattes, especially for my first visit. This time, I got a capp. The milk was steamed to a perfect temperature and the espresso shot was perfectly pulled. I was tempted by the pastries, but I had a long day ahead of me of just eating so I refrained. Customer service was excellent. They were offering free flowers in small handheld bouquets, which was nice and rare for me to see. Street parking seems to be plentiful and easy, while also being free! I will definitely be back when I'm in SB.

Handlebar is known as THE coffee roaster and coffee shop of Santa Barbara. Their coffee and espresso are extremely smooth and enjoyable for any prepared drink. The baristas truly focus on one cup being made at a time and doing it right. While having an iced beverage in a paper cup is a bit icky since it gets soft and soggy, I imagine they do this to reduce the use of plastic. I'm all about reducing waste and helping the planet so I'll deal with it. I love this original location's newly enlarged space that is hip and welcoming. Staff is very attentive to keep the almost expected line moving to lessen the wait. Best part is it's location in the heart of Santa Barbara's Presidio with endless places to enjoy your drink and/or pastry outside.

This is the coolest place to get coffee in downtown Santa Barbara. They have a whole room with seating for people who want to drink coffee and be on their laptops. There is also outdoor seating which is nice because of the great weather. The matcha tea was really good. They also have coffee for sale.

This place has a special place in my heart because it's the coffee shop we went to the next day after we got married :) we moved to another state so we rarely go there but each time we go there the service is always friendly and professional. The latte is perfectly steamed and coffee tastes great. I'd recommend to anyone who's in the area and craving coffee and maybe something sweet :)

Looks like a really fun place to work! The only issue with that is the guys behind the counter spend so much time bro'ing it up with each other the lattes take twice as long. It happens every time. I stand there waiting and watching as they slo mo through taking breaks to yuck it up with each other.