Riviera Bar

During my recent weekend getaway in Santa Barbara, I was on the hunt for a local downtown spot to enjoy some good food and drinks. After browsing through online reviews, I decided to check out the Riviera Bar, and I’m so glad I did! From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the welcoming and vibrant atmosphere. The staff were incredibly attentive and friendly, making me feel right at home. I had a few special requests for my drinks, and they were more than accommodating, crafting delicious concoctions that perfectly suited my tastes. Although I only sampled the appetizers, they were nothing short of fantastic. Each dish was bursting with flavor, and it was clear that a lot of care went into their preparation. The experience was made even better by the friendly folks at the next table, who were also enjoying their evening. We ended up having a great conversation and shared a few laughs, adding to the overall warmth of the place. My evening at the Riviera Bar was wonderful from start to finish. The combination of excellent service, delicious food, and a lively atmosphere makes it a must-visit spot in Santa Barbara. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable night out!

Wonderful old woody atmosphere. Great local spot off the tourist routes. Solid food and bar choices. I.e. limited menu done right. I had some of best Salmon ever, cooked to perfection. Very friendly staff and welcoming vibe.

Our server was very friendly 😀. The place has a very welcoming vibe. Good food and local beer. Even the short power blackout in the middle of our meal just added to the atmosphere 😂

A cozy little dimly lit spot serving strong drinks and tasty small plates. I went with the baby artichoke and the deviled eggs and was not disappointed. The old fashioned also did not disappoint. Everyone was friendly and the service was quick.

Hidden gem of Santa Barbara. My girlfriend and I absolutely love this place - the food is stellar (we try different things every time and they don't miss), the drinks are classic and top notch, and the customer service is warm, welcoming and helpful. 10/10 would recommend, for any occasion from a casual visit to a date night.

Don’t know why it took me so long to finally leave a review, because this is our staple. Great service, great food, great drinks. Can you ask for anything else? Rivera will never disappoint and I highly recommend it!!

Such a good bar vibe - love the cocktails and the burger. Feels like old Santa Barbara with the tin ceiling, friendly staff, and old school cocktail menu. Great place for a drop in.

Very welcoming and relaxing environment with excellent service! The starters and entrees exceeded bar expectations and were served promptly. The professional and clean atmosphere matched with high end furniture and design provided the perfect night out. Can’t wait to come back!

Came in for a beer and the Fried Baby Artichoke with lemon aioli which was pretty good. Then we decided to try the Fried Chicken since the Artichoke was pretty good. Big mistake. It had to be the worst fried chicken I ever had. Once I tried cutting it with the steak knife(now I understand why they give you a steak knife) and noticed more breading than chicken is when I should've sent it back. Don't usually do that so I did my best to tolerate it. The buttery mashed potatoes were nothing to write home about. After reading the almost five star reviews I noticed most of them are for the drinks and service and not so much as the food. Can't say much about the other dishes as we both got the fried chicken.

Thank you for keeping it professional, I know we were a handful. I came here on my birthday, our server was awesome. I asked a bunch of dumb questions and she tolerated me. I would like to say they have the best steak in town. It was so good I ordered it twice. I also love the vibe in there. Was giving old school classy American diner theme.

It's always a shock when a dive bar gets bought by new owners and "gentrified". Although I have fond memories of drunken nights at the Sportsman (the former bar at this location), they did a nice job with this remake. It's still dark... but very clean with nice lighting and wall decor. Our friend had the double cheeseburger and raved about it. We just had a cocktail but it was well made and tasty. Thumbs up! I'll be back.

I had no idea this place had food! I've passed by what feels like a million times thinking it was a fancy cocktail bar but finally popped in last night for a nightcap and was handed a full menu. The cocktails were priced about the same as any cocktail bar in town, and I was a little disappointed my Old Fashioned was full of bar ice (the nicer places in town opt for one large cube) but it was tasty and perfectly accompanied by the dessert we ordered: the whiskey pot au creme. Only other complaint is that it is DARK. Like, the lights are all the way down. It'd be nice to have a bit more lighting to read the menus, perhaps more candles on the table or something. I'll have to be back for what looks like tasty, middle-priced food another time.

This place takes you back to a different time, it's old school feel, the lighting the decor it was delightful to be sitting there. No show/or entertainment but with the excellent customer service and the music in the background it felt like an experience. Not to mention... the food! Delicious , the drinks tasty, classic, fresh! Very nice place.

Great new bar downtown. What was once a run down dive bar is now a swanky, cool bar! Light and airy the remodel is gorgeous! Really great staff and tasty cocktails. We had dinner plans somewhere else so it was a quick stop, but the bartender made us feel like locals and the drinks were stellar! We will be back to try the food which looked really good!

Pulled into this place when I was looking for a late meal. It was unfamiliar to me and wasn't my intended destination but I called an audible when I passed by and saw the place was totally hopping at 830 pm on a Thursday night, which in Santa Barbara, is 30 minutes to restaurant bedtime. I found the only available seat at the bar and it was so loud I had to shout my order (it was a good energy loud). I ordered a cocktail, side of fries and their flagship double cheeseburger. Burger was fire ~ I added egg and avocado and it didn't disappoint. The cocktail was refreshing (Stella Cortini) and the bar tender was super high energy, attentive and took care of all of us. The only thing I wasnt stoked on - not my favorite fries. Skinny fries aren't my favorite. I still ate them. Overall, very pleased with the drop in and definitely a fun new Thursday night spot to hit up, especially when most of state st is shutting down.

Saw the menu online and I liked the classy decor - so gave this spot a visit for a Sunday dinner. It was a bit awkward as we stepped in but weren't greeted and such. Stood there until a bartender just advised we sit anywhere we'd like. They have bar seating and booth seating. From there, more awkwardness ensued after we were handed a menu and rather than our waiter asking if we'd like some water and passing recommendations, he just stood there at our table... hovering over us... and I just felt the pressure to order there. Well, good thing I figured out what I wanted before hand? Yea, just felt like a very awkward experience and I didn't want to be rude either and ask that he go away but yep haha. Tried their fries, tempura green beans, and their double cheese burger. Fries were great as it was cooked in beef tallow so every bite was flavorful. Came with a side of ketchup and an aioli (it tasted like ranch though). Tempura green beans were a star - very fresh and the mustard sauce had a nice hint of wasabi. Loved it. Burger - it was good and juicy, but I think I've had better. Definitely not a bad choice, but I wish sides were something other than pickled veggies. As for the drinks, I liked them both. Went for their house cocktails. Ginger Pimms and Sicilian Spritz were both enjoyable. Total damage was about $59 or so before tip. I'm a big finger foods person and their simple yet quality take on some classics has me say yes, I'd revisit~

I've heard good things about this bar and it's classic style. But when I went in to try it, the tall, older male bartender was saying some very casually sexist things to one of the female servers. He said something to me about how I'd "get it" because I'm a guy. I don't get it and that kind of old school sexism is a deal breaker for me. I left and got my drink and dinner somewhere else.

Me and my girlfriends were looking for a fun place to unwind and enjoy a glass of wine, and eat something after 8pm on a Monday, found this awesome Gem of a bar in downtown SB! Our servers name was Oliver and he was awesome. Gave us some great recommendations and even swapped out a wine that wasn't hitting the spot for one of us! We love eating family style, so we ordered a bunch of appetizers. We started by sharing the Caesar salad. We had the fried baby artichokes, ham & cheese croquettes, fried calamari, and steak croquettes. Everything was delicious!!! We enjoyed the Rose and red wines. After our yummy meal we wanted dessert, but didn't see any on the menu. Well Oliver knew the right thing to say when he offended us dessert, we got 2 pot de crème and then extra whip! Sooooooo yummy and very smooth. Amazing flavor. We highly recommend this bar. It's fairly new, been around about a year. Let's make this place known! New spot for drinks with the girls. We will be back!

The Riviera Bar is a lovely little bar that took over what was apparently a long-standing Santa Barbara dive that could no longer make the rent (the Sportsman, which we visited at its new location the night after we checked out the Riviera). It's a nice place, attractively decorated with a calm, warm atmosphere. We dropped in at 10:30 on a Saturday night and the bar was neither full nor dead, definitely the sweet spot if you're a person who likes to sit on a stool and enjoy a pleasant nightcap. The service was fast and friendly, and we enjoyed an excellent round of cocktails. The menu was full of classics, and we got a Mai Tai and a Spanish Manhattan. The Mai Tai was spot on, tropical and boozy, made with Denizen rum, Clairin Vaval rum, Meyer's dark rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and lime. The Spanish Manhattan was a balanced mix of Rittenhouse rye, Bordiga vermut rosso, and Amontillado sherry (this is also how I found out that my husband has never read or even heard of "The Cask of Amontillado"!). Both were delicious. We had a great time at the Riviera Bar and will probably be back on another visit to Santa Barbara. Maybe next time we'll come earlier and have dinner with our drinks--those burgers and fries look promising.

We went last night, around 5pm - was pretty empty then saw how fast it filled up closer to 6. And this was a Wednesday. Had two Mai Tais that were the perfect sweetness I was looking for in a drink. We ordered the fried artichoke, which Id order again. The grilled cheese was good, and potato chips were slightly over cooked but loved the crunch . Great dipping sauces for these items. I had the steak frites, which was fine, ordered medium well, but was cooked more than I preferred. Chimmichurrri def made up for it - so good. But overall great service and lovely interior. Would definitely try again and recommend for a nice evening .

This was super fun. Soft opening of neighborhood Riviera Bar off State and Figueroa Street. Walking by and wanted to check it out. They were great and invited us to come join them. Yes, fun, happy, friendly atmosphere. Met Oliver and Jim who are part of group getting this up and running. It's been a long tough year for business to get up and opening; so happy to see that another one is here. Great looking menu, will be back to try something soon, to bad I was walking by just after dinner. Give a new business some support.

We jumped over to Riviera Bar thanks to a recommendation from the folks at Shaker Mill. It was everything we hoped for and more. Our bartender, Sean, was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, creative, and highly skilled. The atmosphere was great. We just had drinks but food looked good. Definitely recommend checking it out!

Happy to have had the opportunity to check this great spot out. As I learned from the bartender, this particular lounge was all set to open in March of 2020. Enter Covid, and a patient year and 8 months of waiting. Some things are worth the wait. I stopped here after work this evening for a libation and was pleasantly surprised. Riviera Bar is leagues away from its predecessor, The Sportsman. Gone is the dirty, divey feel and in is a clean, elegant venue. I was in awe over the preserved vintage feel of the bar, with its subdued yet classy decor. Each of the staff were equally as friendly and made my experience a positive one. My martini was wonderful and the side of fries were the perfect complement. Riviera Bar is most certainly a spot for locals to converge and take in the lovely, laid back atmosphere with a quality cocktail in hand. I had an awesome experience and will definitely be back soon.

Old school bar meets modern today! The staff and service are excellent! Interior is interesting with maroon etched ceiling, dark wood and neon clock in the back.... I recommend the beet endive salad, salmon, fresh catch of the day and the ginger Pimms specialty drink... Will definitely go back to try another drink specialty!

Best new bar in town? Almost every weekend, I hear one person from my group of friends express interest in going to Riviera bar, this past weekend a friend and I popped in and I saw 5 people I knew there! This is the new happening spot in town, and for good reason! While I haven't tried the food here, it's definitely on my short list, as I have heard they serve delicious small bites and plates! I would imagine the food is elevated diner/bar food. The drinks, on the other hand, I have tried! I have ordered their house wines which are priced reasonably and have asked my server to make me a coffee cocktail that was DELICIOUS. The other drinks on their menu sound interesting and I look forward to trying more! The service here is incredible as well! My first time here, I was having a girls night with some friends, and we had Leah as our server. She was super attentive and friendly! She always made sure we had water in our cups and were good on drinks! The second time, it seemed like the manager or owner was helping us out, but he was so kind and also made sure we were always set on drinks! I would love to gate-keep this spot, because it is going to be a bummer when it starts getting busier BUT I won't - Riviera Bar is a must try in Santa Barbara, whether you are looking for a pre-dinner drink, dinner, or night cap!

Old school. Great ambiance, friendly bartenders, and the owner always makes sure you're having a great time. They've got some good drinks on the set menu, great selection of beers on tap and in bottles and cans and a solid wine list. And if there's a personal favorite cocktail, ask them...chances are they can make it. Food is mainly apps, all good. And the steak frites is deceptively delicious. You can't miss stopping in for early dinner or after show cocktails.

Love the makeover! Finally a lounge where two women can enjoy a great tasting cocktail AND enjoy delicious food! The Old Fashion was perfectly made and all of the apps we tried (3) were delicious. Only thing I'd change is dim the lights and switch the music to swanky lounge or Motown.

Such a great spot! The setting is super fun and the food and drinks are absolutely delicious! My husband and I came here for his birthday and ordered a whiskey sour & dirty martini and both were great. We got the fried artichokes and beet salad to start and the steak and fries & chicken sandwich entrees and all were absolutely delicious. Service was wonderful and we can't wait to come back and try the other items!

Great cocktails. Good gastropub menu. Friendly staff. Feels more easy coasty than Santa Bárbara. Which can be a very nice change

Love this place!!! This is what Santa Barbara is at it's best. Food is excellent, the people are cool, the drinks are great and the vibe is just right. I would absolutely give this six stars.

Without a doubt the best cocktails in .Santa Barbara. The artichokes are to die for. The cocktail that I love there is the Vesper..:the 007 drink.

I really enjoyed coming here. The vibe was classy but casual. A little old school Santa Barbara met with some new school menu options and new twists on classic cocktails (my friend enjoyed his Manhattan very much). I would have liked a bit more variety on the wine list but the grilled cheese toasty made up for that. The staff are super friendly and easy going. They are attentive but also give the diner their space to chat and don't rush you through your cocktails or pressure you to order your food right away. That's a big win in my book. It's just the perfect balance between class and relaxed. Practically perfect in every way, giving Mary Poppins a run for her money.

Great location with a good vibe. Only had the Ginger Pimms cocktail but I will be back. Very nice and relaxing atmosphere.

OHHHMYGOOOD, look what and amazing place this is!!! I can't believe the transformation of this spot, this has become a super classy bar downtown and who knew that they are also open late, so thankful to have a great spot for late night drinks and food. Yea I did say food. Eight girlfriends and I were celebrating two of their birthdays, we were right away seated at our tables when waitress came and gave us our menu, and since it was bunch of us we just started ordering drinks as we were arriving, and I did say they have food, right? Well we got tempura green beans and potatoes chip, and fries (few orders) to nibble and share between us all they were all so good, the tempura definitely a must. Service was great all along, and waitress super friendly. We left after 10 and on a weekday that's late for a place to be open. Will definitely be back soon, also couple of the salads with sardines were amazing! !!

As a local resident and business owner, had been completely offended by the rudeness of the Owner (Mr Kevin Boss) who acted like a totally teenage schoolkid by deliberately muttering as he walked past our table on a quiet evening how we were spread out too far across two tables (with 2 small trainer service dogs that we showed the government ID) and gossiped to his GM about the situation. After confronting him whether there was an issue, he apologized for offending us and only continued to make us feel totally uncomfortable and for the medical reason why we need our dogs, his behavior as a business owner was not only unprofessional, but immature. Somebody like Mr. Kevin Boss should not be in the service industry especially when you can see just how uncomfortable his staff are and how he made us feel - We recommend if you want to be treated well, without any attitude, go to the Good Lion a short walk away. As a business owner myself, in times like this, it's a terrible shame such poor service stems from the owner of the establishment.

Had a great experience at Riviera Bar! The manager, Oliver, was super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend the tempura green beans, fried artichokes, and calamari. Oh and they make a solid old fashioned ;)

Great service and really chill atmosphere. Came prime time on Saturday and plenty of seating. Drinks were tasty and get the fries! They were amazing. Skip the cauliflower. Service was perfect.

Great bar with strong drinks (but not too strong!) and tasty snacks. Had whiskey sours and fried artichokes -- both . Love the vintage chairs and the friendly staff -- felt like a classic neighborhood bar. High ceilings, good people - what's not to like? I hope this becomes a Santa Barbara staple!

Had to stop was the highly anticipated opening of Riviera Bar. I'm a huge fan of doing simple things well and Riviera bar nails that. Really cool old school vibes with awesome woodwork, green leather, huge bar, and sweet ceiling tiles. I ordered their double cheeseburger which is done diner style and was one of the best bar burgers I've ever had. Simple two 1/4 lb patties, American cheese (the best cheese), pickles, burger sauce on a soft bun. No frills but perfection with the American cheese and beef. The awesome part about their fries is that they are fried in 100% beef tallow from snakeriverfarms. You can taste the extra beef flavor which also makes them crispier. So . We also had tempura green beans which I rarely see but was really impressed with them. Not oily but great flavors. Topped everything off with a ginger pimms cup" which again was simple but delicious. We had great service from Oliver one of the managers who is so knowledgeable about the food drinks and ingredients. And as always great drinks poured by Bruce. Riviera bar lived up to the long anticipated wait and I can't wait to come back and try more of their food and drinks.

Second time in a month. Place is amazing. Olivier, Lauren, Anchor on Draft. The food is simple, elegant and delicious. Get the Chips rendered in beef tallow, Zucchini Fritters and artichokes. Highly recommend this place.

We went for drinks once and had a great time. We were excited to go back for dinner. We had a drink and appetizers. As we were trying to order an entree and more drinks from our waitress, who was great. All of a sudden, the manager interrupted our waitress to have her attend to a different table. He left, she left, and we were left feeling like we were not welcome. There are so many other wonderful places in Santa Barbara to go where you will be appreciated.

I absolutely loved this bar. It had been a few years since I've been to Santa Barbara and my coworkers suggested this place for cocktails. I had the White Negroni, which was a very well balanced, perfectly made version of the drink. However, for me the real star was the Old Tom Crusta, a riff on a brandy crusta replacing the brandy with old Tom gin. I'm totally going to try to recreate this at home. What a great idea to take a Victorian drink and riff using that most Victorian of gins! Their appetizers were also excellent. We had the deviled eggs and the hummus with toast. Perfect accompaniments to well crafted cocktails. I will be back!

I end up at the Riviera Bar usually before dinners out in SB or after and every single time has been a lovely experience. They have a great wine list, delicious cocktails, and yummy food. The service is always amazing and they are consistently welcoming, no matter how busy they are. A true SB gem.

LOVE this place! Yay a bar that serves food that is NOT family friendly. Great food, outstanding service, great atmosphere. We had the potato chips with the yummy dip as a simple appetizer, shared the beet salad plus the 'toastie' and the cheeseburger. Round it out with a glass of rosé and a local beer -- a perfect midweek dinner. Keep up the good work!

Heard a lot in the past week so had to check it out. If you are expecting Harry's, Joe's, Luckys, Honor Bar, Holdrens etc size drinks you are at the wrong place.... But they do charge as much or more for the smaller pour. Same with the appetizers - 6 "bite size" zucchini fritters are $10, tasty but don't plan on sharing with anyone else or you'll be fighting for the last one in the bowl- just spend the $20 for two orders ....same goes for calamari .... Staff was friendly although they can't tell you the street address if you want friends to meet up with, however accommodating after two tables grumbled about the "tiny martinis." All in all its clean and pleasant and I wish them luck. I just don't think there will be a lot of local return clientele - it's clear they are trying to break-even after Covid - but if you are going to bust my wallet please give me my money's worth.

Upscale bar at great prices. Huge fan of the atmosphere- friendly, personable service, and incredible drinks in a classy interior. My secret go-to spot that always impresses my friends! :)

Stumbled on this on our get away to Santa Barbara. Cool vibe and decor drew us in. Ended up there 3 nights in a row. 2 for night caps and 1 for full on dinner. FABULOUS food and drinks. Passion project by Kevin and his staff and it shows in all the details. Highly recommend, you won't be disappointed for whatever you need. Music is spot on as well.

A super inviting neighborhood eatery and bar with comfort food you'd expect at a brasserie, lead by one of the most experienced restaurant teams in town. It's week one and they've already got it going on. Imagine week two or year 1 or year 5. Santa Barbara - and anyone visiting who appreciates good people and a warm welcome - is stoked.

Great drinks, great food, great vibes. Highly recommend the tempura green beans and margaritas. Fun staff.

Nicely remodeled bar but very chintzy drinks for the price. If you want to pay a lot for a small drink this place is for you. Much better value at Joes, Trat Vic, and for that matter most other places