Harry's Plaza Cafe

I’d been meaning to try this restaurant for a while, and we finally had the chance. From the moment we walked in, we felt the warmth of the place, the staff greeted us warmly, and we were seated at a cozy booth, perfect for our family. The atmosphere was welcoming and family-friendly, which we really appreciated. We ordered the lasagna, roast beef, chicken tenders, and a burger. Everything was tasty, but the standout was definitely the roast beef, perfectly tender and juicy, paired with rich, flavorful gravy and moist mashed potatoes. It was all delicious and surprisingly affordable. A great spot for a relaxed family meal!

I haven’t been to Harry’s for years since moving away. Can I tell you how nice it is to have experienced Harry’s this trip to SB. Still the same, quality food and very generous cocktails. I had a very dirty martini- which was amazing and too big for me! We split the rib dip- again amazing. Such great memories- thank you Harry’s! Home of the generous cocktail!

This is another local favorite and you can tell they have regulars. If you like cocktails, they do give you a pretty stiff drink. I ordered the salmon with risotto and my husband ordered the fish and chips. The fish were pretty big portions and my fish was very tender. We ended up getting dessert we love a good mud pie. When we got there, I believe it's a lot of high school/college students and they are very friendly. Our food came out in a timely manner and I really enjoyed the environment. As we were finishing up, their older staff came in. I love seeing so many different walks of life there. The food is soo good and the portions are big.

Listen, this place was legit and reminded us of some familiar East coast/midwest legendary spots! Loved looking at all the memorabilia. Great menu and offered something for everyone. The waitress was the star of the entire experience....I'm sorry I forgot her name but man she was ON IT! EXCELLENT SERVICE and just amazing gal! The calamari was a bit disappointing tbh but the cheeseburger sliders and pickle chips were the bomb!! Great lunch, awesome experience we would definitely return next time we are in town! ❤️

Harry's Plaza Cafe has an old school elegance. There's a classic full bar. Both inside and outside dining is available. We ordered spaghetti with meat balls with garlic bread, prime rib soup, and Cobb salad for a late lunch. Everything was delicious. Also, the service was top notch!

Good dining with a classy vibe. It is worth the price. The outside looks tiny, but it is very big on the inside. It has one room that can host parties of up to 80 people. I'm glad we tried it. Don't judge it by the outside.

Came in for an evening dinner. This has classic vibes all around. Similar to the Brown Derby of the I Love Lucy era. Service was cool and food was worth the trip. If anything you must have the steak bites. Would recommend for a family dinner or private date .

Five of us went for dinner on a Saturday evening. The salmon was wonderful. The menu states it comes with mashed potato, but they will substitute with rice if asked! Drinks were unpleasantly strong.

Tip: make a reservation! When I get a hankering for steak, but don't want to pay $40 for one, I come to Harry's with a neighbor and we get the steak bites, rare. I advise that if you want them medium rare. They are seasoned perfectly and and for variety you can dip them in one of the two sauces they come with. I prefer the not-too-sweet barbecue sauce... The big red booths are retro and you feel very comfortable in them, and there's a lot of space to spread out. Harry's brings a hefty portion of sliced sourdough bread with butter on the side, along with sour cream and their pico de gallo. Let me say something about their pico de gallo: I don't like tomatoes very much, and I don't care for salsa unless it's at El Rincon, but I have become addicted to the sourdough bread with Ashmere of sour cream and a spoonful of their pico de gallo, which is very mild and Fresh. I have to be careful because I get full very easily and I could just sit there and eat the bread and and be perfectly content. So my friend and I order the appetizer size steak bites, but really it's a full meal. I don't know how they do it. We order a side of baked potato with everything on it, which they bring on the side. It's perfectly cooked and yummy. Even though these steak bites are an appetizer, the portion is very generous, and I always take some home along with half of the baked potato. Two meals in one! I don't eat a lot of red meat anymore, but when I do want it, this is where I come. It's the best bang for your buck!

Unfortunately we made a mistake coming to Harry's after snacking earlier. I ordered a short beer and got 16oz. Sandwiches are generous, more than I could eat. Harry's is very popular; the two rooms are packed and noisy, like one big birthday party. Next time we visit SB, we will make Harry's a special stop.

Always the most wonderful dining experience! Old school booths and high back roomy chairs. Lovely wood and the pictures of famous people everywhere. The food is beyond delicious with a wide variety of options. We've been coming here for over 20 years and have never been disappointed. Tremendous food and specialty cocktails that are beyond stiff. It's worth the try, you won't be disappointed and will find a new favorite spot!

If I could give 1000000 stars I would. The chairs were made of REALLY fancy leather but it doesn't feel too fancy. They have steak, salad, soup, and spaghetti and meatballs. P.S this is the kid with the root beer float. That's Me

Harry's lemon drop martini and caliber on Wednesday night best ever you better be hungry thirsty to get your moneys worth

Everything about Harry's was wonderful. Great atmosphere, amazing food, friendly server!!

Menu options good, old school part good, food is good and of course the drinks are great Service pretty bad. I had lipstick on my water glass, outdoor table run down and dirty. Asked for ketchup for my sandwich which was brought after we had finished our lunch. Ordered Club Sandwich with Swiss Cheese (ok with extra charge) but sandwich was missing cheese. Told server and he brought me 1 slice on a butter plate. Young servers are trying but they need some leadership on the floor. Ive been coming here since the 1970s but its now becoming dirty and in need of an urgent deep clean and refresh.

Loved it all, prices were very reasonable and the old style pictures of SB were great!!

While in Santa Barbara we stopped at Harry's for dinner and cocktails. We missed the 4:00 reservation cut off so we had to wait about ten minutes for a table (I would have preferred a booth) but they were all being used or reserved. Our waitress was friendly, large dining areas, and the walls were covered with people and places of the pass. The restaurant atmosphere felt historic. Maybe it was the lighting, maybe it was the style of the booths, but it gave me the feeling of the Al Capone era. The food was good the drinks were better but I would definitely like to try more of their food selection in the near future. 2023(35)

We love the chili they serve on certain days of the week. Definitely a good value for what you get, especially the drinks!

Once a longtime resident of Santa Barbara, I had never set foot inside of Harry's Plaza Cafe. What a wonderful restaurant and experience. Our party was the 50-year reunion of our 1974 graduating class from Our Lady of Guadalupe School. Invitations were sent, but only seven arrived. Still, the management set up for 24 (see pic), and set us up so that it was easier for the restaurant to convert tables back for other patrons. The ambience was perfect, an old-time feel for a reunion. The food was mixed; my wife hated the ravioli, but I liked the open-faced turkey sandwich. Others enjoyed the French Dip sandwich. Harry's allowed us to bring in a cake from Gelson's to celebrate our reunion. Harry's stored it in the refrigerator and even cut it for us. Overall, the service was superb. There is ample free parking outside in the Loreto Plaza parking lot. We parked and spent 45 minutes at Chaucer's Bookstore before walking over to Harry's for our reservation.

Stiff drinks, good appetizers, and a great wait staff. If you want the best experience, eat inside the main room or at the bar. Their food is OK too very good. You just have to find the dish you like and keep coming back for more. It's a great local place on upper State.

I grew up in this place. Long time patron. I was in there and the level of rudeness from the two behind the bar was outrageous. The male bartender was marginal and the woman was mind blowing. RUDE RUDE RUDE. I treated them very nicely until I just would not tolerated them anymore. Paid my bill and left a full drink and left. Just because they are long time employees does not give them the right not to treat your customers with the utmost respect. I will never return there ever again.

Honestly, this was the best fried ravioli I've had in my life. That's not even an overstatement, the food was just that good. I loved the old timey ambiance they had here! Everyone was very nice as well. Truly a great dining experience with top tier ravioli.

Just recently stopped by to watch the SF/LA game and it was awesome! I didn't realize that the bar wraps around to the back which is pretty neat! Great service, vintage vibes, the best bar neighbors you could ask for! People around me were ordering food and it looked so damn delicious but I had just ate. I had a great time and it was especially great because SF beat LA 15-0! And to the cook and waiter who were coming out from the back intermittently to cheer for SF... you're both a couple of bad@$$e$ who deserve a raise! Haha! Cheers! I will definitely be back!

I looooooove harry wow luv it uh huh it's good especially on thursdays with the meatloaf. Yup oh yeah.

My wife and I were planning for years to come here. We walked in and the hostest was amazing.. We booked a bar table well in advance. We wish we had not. The female server was awful! Ugh can we have our money back?

Always a pleasure, the bartenders are remarkable and the food is amazing! We love coming here for the whole experience!

Harry's is an institution in Santa Barbara, and while I was only introduced a year ago, I have been no less than five times and have enjoyed every experience. This restaurant and bar emanates old school charm through its large red leather booths, polished wood fixtures, portrait lined walls, and classic cocktails. If you're drinking, it is probably best to Uber, taxi, or plan for a long stroll post-meal as the drinks are large and strong. The food is what you would expect at a bar, nothing extraordinary but solid, reliable, and tasty.

One of the worst lunches that my friend and I have had in a long time. I ordered the turkey sandwich with coleslaw. The coleslaw was swimming in mayonnaise and the salty turkey(tasted very processed) came on a piece of dry bread along with 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce a piece of lettuce, and a slice of unripe tomato. My friend got the enchilada plate and said it was the worst ever. To add insult to injury, I ordered an Arnold Palmer and I got just plain tea. When I told the waitress, she said well drink it down and then I'll pour some lemonade in it. So I drank some and then she came around and poured more tea in it. I tried to explain, but I never heard from her yet lol. First world problems, I know. :)

I've been going to Harry's for years, usually in a large group with family, and have never been disappointed, until last night. It was just two of us. We ordered quite a bit of food, and most of it was very good. But I ordered a steak medium well, and it was served very undercooked in the center and beyond burnt on the outside. The server took it back to the kitchen to fix it, and when it returned, it was even worse. The outside was so black and charred, and the center was still bloody red. It was inedible. You expect a place like Harry's to know how to cook a steak. When the check came, I asked if something could please be discounted a bit to make up for the steak I couldn't eat. Our server, Steve, was exceptional from beginning to end (I give him 5 stars). He got the manager to agree to remove the steak from our bill. This was the shocking part (minus 3 stars)...As we left, I turned to thank the manager, and he looked very angry. He had his arms crossed and was glaring at me from the time we left our table until we walked out the front door. Customer service is more important to me than the quality of your product. That steak should never have made it to the table, and the manager should have stopped by to apologize instead of hiding in the corner, taking a childish, threatening pose.

Harry's Cafe is one of those staple Santa Barbara restaurant. The atmosphere is great and the food is amazing. I had a nice delicious steak and the desert was equally as good. I would give it 6 stars and plus a Michelin Star . There really is not any other restaurant in town that resembles Harry's.

We really enjoy dining in a comfortable old school booth. Harry's has the best booth's by far in Santa Barbara. The drinks are amazing and strong But we all know that is the old school way They make a great Harvey Wall banger!!! The service is always great. The hard working waiters know their stuff !!! (Very nice people) Love the food ,big portions Nice bread and salsa sour cream combo yummy!!

I want to grant this location a better rating. The spot is apparently a Santa Barbara staple and has been around for years. The decor and the dining experience are reminiscent of a time when restaurants were a special experience. The food, not so much. Maybe we ordered wrong, but I had fish and chips, something that is pretty hard to screw up. My fish arrived golden and battered, but raw in the middle. The fries served with the dish were a Sysco special 1/4" blagh. Totally gross in cooked fish guys! My wife had the hot roast beef sandwich that was to be expected. She had a butter knife to cut her beef with and it was a mission! We fairly saw our server and she diligently used a butter knife to mutilate her beef into a size fit for chewing. We had the fried zucchini and. That was pretty ok, the breading kept falling off the zucchini, so I think it should have been called "just cooked zucchini". We may come back someday and try it again. Overall I was not impressed.

As an S.B. native Harry's is a place I have been going to since my toddler days. And then in my Dos Pueblos Days I attended many Sports Luncheons in their historic Ranchero Room. An additional highlight was a surprise celebration there for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. So much fun to be there amongst all the historical photos framed proudly on the walls. And now, Harry's is still THE place for delicious dining, and enjoying some of the stiffest-drinks-in-town. Once again we celebrated another milestone at Harry's, and even with our large group, we had a wonderful time. Special thanks to our server Brittany who took very good care of us. Throughout our special day she got us all started right away and kept us all very happy. Her "service with a smile" attitude was much appreciated, and even in the most hectic part of the meal she kept her cool and kept everything going smoothly. And all the dishes, from the bread and salsa, to the salads, and each main course of seafood, pastas, and steaks, were very tasty. Pretty much something for everyone. I highly recommend Harry's for large groups and for celebrating even the smallest of achievements.

A true local's institution. I started coming here when I was in a high chair, when Harry himself would pop round the big red booths to chat with customers. Harry passed years ago, but very little at his restaurant has changed: same awesome old-timey saloon ambience with historic photos on the walls, same pretty-good 1950s steakhouse-plus menu (there is something for everyone on there), same terrifyingly stiff drinks. There are three dining rooms so they can accommodate large groups -- making it my favorite birthday party spot. The one thing that's changed is that you can now eat outside -- they now have a brick patio out front.

Rustic and beautiful. Feels like time froze for a moment. Generous pours and friendly service.

We came in here to celebrate a 91st birthday and were so delighted. We got one of the semi-private spaces and it was really great to have that booked so we could hear our grandmother and have conversation (the overall restaurant on a Saturday night can get pretty loud). The service was EXCELLENT! We could not be more satisfied with our service and the care they put into making the evening so special for her. The food was good but nothing that blew our minds. The chicken Caesar salad was alright but super expensive for what you get. I kind of wish I had gotten the ribs that my husband ordered. The cheesecake was stellar! The ambiance was dated but there is a definite "vibe" that you get when you go in (shiny red seating, tons of photos on the wall, regulars). Kitschy little spot.

Three of us came to Harry's yesterday l was informed it is a gem in Santa Barbara (the other two girls grew up here). Steven was our server and he couldn't have been nicer or more informative. I loved all the photos on the walls. Personally, I had never heard of a seafood pot pie and with crab, shrimp and scallops it was a no brained for me! Delicious! I can't wait to come back and eat something else on the menu.

My mom and I always love to come to Harry's, it is a Santa Barbara staple! We went to dinner last night and split the beef dip and it was really good, as usual. Sometimes the meat can be a little fatty, but this time it was perfect. It's a good size, so it's definitely big enough to split. The service was impeccable and our waitress was amazing (I wish I had gotten her name but she has been there forever), super attentive, fast, and friendly! They put so much meat on the beef dip, my mom couldn't finish her half so she got a to-go box. When we got home we realized we accidentally left our leftovers at the restaurant. My boyfriend went back to Harry's to try and retrieve them, but unfortunately the food had been thrown away. As my boyfriend was leaving, the chef came out and told him he would re-make the sandwich since the left overs had been tossed out. I couldn't believe they went out of their way to do that for us, they definitely went above and beyond! They re made the entire sandwich and even included fries, and the au jus to go! That was so kind of them, thank you so much Harry's!

Went here for my birthday because a fellow yelp elite wrote many great reviews about this place. We were planning on getting a couple drinks here then dinner elsewhere. Let's just say we grabbed a couple too many drinks and didn't make it to dinner. I wrote notes about my experience which I'll post below: Nice environment old school feel. Harry's Mary was strong at first all I could taste was vodka but after mixing it, it had a nice blend of Tabasco, Laury's salt flavor on the rim and tomatoes and other yummy spice. I like the pepperonconi, Swiss cheese, salami and stuffed green olive because I felt like it was a snack with a drink Buffalo wings were crispy and nice vinegar flavor. The fried pickles were dill and lightly battered Lemon drop had lemon flavor like squeezed lemon Chelate tini made me think of hot fudge Midori sout was melon flavored.  Watriess did not recommended the hurricane  bit I ordered it anyways Judging from my notes...I probably started to feel the alcohol around the time I got the chocolate marini...and after drinking the hurricane ...like a hurricane it wiped out our memory. We tried to piece together what happened the next day like "Dude where's my car" and from what I remembered, both our waiter and waitress were extremely friendly and bar food was good. If you're going to drink here...I highly recommend you take a milk thistle so you don't get hung over- federal drug is walking distance so you can pick some up there.

Come Thirsty!!! When it come to drinks Harry's has got you covered! Known in Santa Barbara for the heaviest pour (along with Joe's) you definitely get more than you pay for! I ordered my usual, Kettle Martini, extra dry (for those of you that don't know extra dry-- that means just give me chilled vodka in a fancy glass--LOL) and two olives. Here's what I got, a huge glass filled almost to the top and a shaker full of more vodka on the side, which equates to two huge Martinis. I had to ask for more olives, since the liquor to olive ratio was all wrong ;). So run, don't drive, over to Harry's and belly up for a fun time! Oh and the old school food it good too!

This is a family favorite. Definitely recommend the wedge salad, steaks, pork chops, burgers, and clam chowder. It is very large restaurant and has a old timer style (red leather booths and lots of pictures on the walls). They make stiff drinks. Waitress are always very helpful and nice. I would make reservations for holidays and weekends.

Harry's is a Santa Barbara staple. I've been coming here since high school when they would host the weekly athletic round table. The food, drinks and service is always excellent! The inside decor is cool collection of Santa Barbara from the very beginnings and through the years. If you want a true Santa Barbara experience come to Harry's Cafe!!!

Came here for lunch on a weekend with friends. Located in a shopping scented off State street parking is plentiful. This restaurant has been around for decades and you see photos of celebrities who have visited through the years. The interior is a bit dark with a long old fashioned all wood bar serving huge cocktails and a pistol display along the back wall. Vintage pictures of the old west and the areas history line the walls. Seating can be in a red leather like lined old fashioned booth with wait staff that are attentive and personable. Food was great- I had the taco salad special and it was full of beans, rice, grilled chicken, guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes in a tortilla shell. Friends had the special salad and the burnt ends sando. All were quite tasty, large portions and at current prices. A nice stop while in Santa Barbara -

The service is great and everyone is so nice. Reese and Aidan were especially helpful. The food is delicious and their outside seating area is beautiful. :)

I can't believe I am doing this - I have been here SO many times over the years but last time was poor and this time is terrible- I am not writing this to shame the restaurant- I love it - I am writing this to tell management - Step In ..Sh!t is going wrong - your standards are dropping rapidly- and I want you to thrive

Great prime rib dinner. We drove up from Camarillo 55 mile drive and it was amazing. The service was great and the price was fare. The rib-eye steak that my friend was great also.

One word. Jaime. Greaaaaaat !!! Best guy at his job! When I'm alone at the bar, he makes it seem painless for me. such a great smile which leads me to number two usually I'm alone and I'm using audio dictation but when I'm not alone, I want Jeff Jeff is the best waiter. Jamie is such a bartender so is Mike but I can't always go during the daytime so that's why I love Jamie so much thanks for making me feel like I'm part of your family.

We sat down and a waiter gave us a menu to look at. We ordered 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato and it came with fries or a salad (we chose fries). The sandwiches were $12 each and for the price I say it was worth it. Be aware that grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato means that there were slices of tomato inside the sandwich, not an added bowl of tomato soup. It was tasty and kept us full! They gave us water in wine glasses with ice in them. Overall, the servers were attentive and kind. Eating outside in the plaza was also pleasant, as the weather was nice and the birds were enjoyable to watch. However, the music was not our favorite, although that could be due to personal preference.

We stopped by Harry's for dinner because we knew they had TVs at the bar. We ordered a drink and asked the bartender to put the football game on tv. He snickered and said it's not on yet. We advised it was on in 15 min and pre game stuff was on. He did nothing and blew us off. We then asked the manager to change channel. One tv at the other end of the bar from us was turned to football. The tv closer to us was out in tv guide mode. Manager never came to talk to us or acknowledged us. Because we only came to Harry's knowing the Sunday night football game is always on. we had to cancel our food order and moved on to the T off where both TVs had the game on. Pretty disappointed in Harrys managers treatment of a customer.

My family has been going to Harry's for over 60 years and have always felt like part of the "family". The drinks have always been great and we have been greeted warmly on arrival. It's never been about the food because there is nothing outstanding about a lot of fried appetizers and uninspiring main dishes. However our most recent visit was an epic MISS! There was a seating mixup which took a lot of time to be corrected. We were not offered drinks or appetizers when we sat down. No one checked on our table for quite awhile and we were still waiting for food 1 hour and 15 minutes later. I spoke to the manager, who seemed to care not at all, mumbled, "Sorry" and did nothing. This was a family celebration with guests from out of town. Sadly, we will not return.

Decor is quirky, dark and has red ceilings. Server was very friendly and the steak delish!

Wanted to try this place out since I've only ever heard good things about it. It did not disappoint! It was pretty busy when I went in (around 8pm). Everyone inside is extremely friendly and helpful. There's complementary bread which was pretty decent too. The food was really good I would definitely recommend others to try this place! The decorations inside are very cool, almost feels like I'm inside an old saloon. I enjoyed my experience here! Overall, if you need a reason to try this place let this be it!

As usual, the food was exceptional. Fast service great flavor. This restaurant has exceptional ambience.

I love Harry's. Not every item in the menu I fantastic, but once you find your favorites, you'll crave them. I really love the burnt ends sandwich, the albondigas soup, and the fried chicken (order as soon as you sit down since they tend to run out). Not a fan of the overpriced entrees like the Surf and Turf pasta that I had last night. The steak pieces and shrimp were a little overcooked. The pasta was good and the sauce was delicious, but for $27 I won't be re-visiting that one. I recently discovered that the appetizer menu is where it's at! Awesome fried pickles, giant quesadillas, calamari, etc. Next visit, I'll be ordering from apps. I can't write a review about Harry's and NOT mention the very stiff drinks!! Harry's is always a party and the bar has a lot to do with that!! We also have always really enjoyed the service. We always get fabulous waitstaff.

I've eaten there several times and it was great!!! Just be careful of those martinis. The place is old school but great and the service is excellent

We came across Harry's Plaza cafe by accident, we were just looking for a dinner and drink and ended up with a fun, unique Santa Barbara memory! Located off State street walking distance from our Hotel @Agave inn. The atmosphere, service ( thank you Kathy) and the history of the restaurant were all very top notch and special! We each ordered a martini- the drinks were delicious and plentiful. Not only was this the biggest martini glass I've ever seen but it came with a glass of more martini to add in!! After a few sips we realized we should eat! We ordered the New York steak plate and it was delicious! Kathy took the time to tell us the history of the restaurant and tips on some local activities happening near by! This was such an accidental evening for us that we will be talking about for a long time!!Thank you for the memory!

Great restaurant that is reminiscent of those wonderful 70's restaurants I went to with my parents when I was a kid. Our waitress had been there for years and was absolutely delightful! Great food, great ambiance, highly recommend!!!