Secret Bao

Asian restaurant · Downtown

Secret Bao

Asian restaurant · Downtown

1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Highlights

Breezy choice whipping up Pan-Asian snacks, small plates & sandwiches, plus entrees & cocktails.

1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions

secretbaosb.com

@secretbao

$$ · Menu

Reserve

@eater

"Santa Barbara’s pandemic pop-up opened in a permanent space near the Santa Barbara Public Library in 2021 and remains a local favorite. Chefs Peter Lee and Felicia Medina prepare Chinese pork belly or K.F.C.-inspired bao, honey walnut shrimp, udon carbonara, and a delectable bread milk ice cream doughnut for all to savor." - Mona Holmes

The 15 Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara, According to Eater Editors

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@infatuation

"Calling Secret Bao a fast-casual spot that serves Chinese dishes is like calling Ferdinand Magellan a boating enthusiast. This downtown favorite isn't just a lunchtime alternative to Sweetgreen: the shrimp-stuffed baos and katsu curries are a reason enough to make a quick stop before your beach trip or grab dinner during peak commute hours. From the hamachi poke bowl to chili noodles, Secret Bao has a dish for every appetite, and they all hover around $20 or so. " - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

The 25 Best Restaurants & Bars In Santa Barbara

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@infatuation

"Calling Secret Bao a fast-casual spot that serves Chinese dishes is like calling Ferdinand Magellan a boating enthusiast. This downtown favorite isn’t just a lunchtime alternative to Sweetgreen: the shrimp-stuffed baos and katsu club sandwiches are a reason enough to make a quick stop before your beach trip or grab dinner during peak commute hours. From the hamachi poke bowl to chili noodles, Secret Bao has a dish for every appetite, and they all cost less than $20 or so. photo credit: Carter Hiyama (@carterhiyama)" - Nikko Duren

Secret Bao - Review - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

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patrick hagan

Google

Holy moly! The flavors at Secret Bao are beyond words. Absolutely delectable. I’ve eaten here 3 times in the past couple of months and am more impressed each time, everything I’ve tried has been outstanding. The food comes out in a very timely manner as it’s ready, they have really dialed in the service, and it’s incredibly consistent. Those who have gone with me have been equally impressed. Garlic noodles are probably my favorite, (I could drink the gravy / sauce they are served in,) followed by the soy dumplings and fried rice. This place has quickly risen to my favorite restaurant in SB.

Grish240

Google

Creative cuisine is how I describe Secret Bao. The ingredients combine to make memorable bites. Each dish is presented as if it’s a standalone three dimensional art piece. Our server was informative and took care of us very well. The ambience felt modern and cozy at the same time.

Kay Kavanah

Google

The food here is absolutely incredible. We always get the Kung Pao Cauliflower and a bunch of other plates. I’m glad there are some vegetarian options. Flavors of everything are just always soooo on point! Atmosphere is also great, staff is friendly and helpful. Kitchen staff is great too, we never have to wait long for food to come out. Highly recommend if you’re in the area!

Scott Gentile

Google

Fantastic flavors on all the items we tasted. Nothing disappointed us. You will definitely want to make reservations. Great for a date night. Younger Kids likely not too much, due to the food being unique. Will return for sure!

Vipin Kalra

Google

We loved the flavors at this place for everything that we tried. We tried couple of rice plates and few buns and loved everything we ate. Plus ambience is cool and hip with indoor and small patio sitting.

Robin Elliott

Google

The food is awesome and the building is clean and has a very open feel which I enjoyed. There’s indoor and outdoor seating. The only slight downside is the service isn’t the most prompt. They’re kind though. We had to wait a very long time for an empty table to be cleaned before we could sit down since all the other tables were full. We had to ask multiple people. They were busy at the time, so it makes sense we were forgotten. They could be more efficient though.

Lisa Maraszek

Google

This was honestly the BEST new flavor explosion I've had in a very long time! #Asianfusion was new to me, and I'm hear to say: sign me up!! Our favorite dish was def the Crab Yellow Curry Noodles, served in a large stainless steel bowl, with serve yourself tongs and mini bowls. In fact, everything we had was shared style, and the service by Kathleen made our visit over-the-top delightful!! We will DEF be bringing/telling friends. 🧡

Lyndsey Kenefick

Google

WOW wow wow! I have been wanting to come here since pre-pandemic and I finally found myself here after a Backpacking Baristas (@backpackingbaristas on IG) excursion at Rattlesnake. I honestly don't know why it has taken me so long to come. What I do know is that I cannot wait to go back! I came here for lunch with a few friends. We arrived during a perfect window because there wasn't a line and we found outdoor seating. I ordered a few items to try and share: the K.F.C. bao bun, Soy chili dumplings, and the Bibimbap without added protein. The first to come out was the bao bun and WOW! I don't do well with fried food but they cooked this fried chicken to perfection and I didn't feel sick afterwards! The bao bun itself was delicious -- the best I've had in a long time. Second were the dumplings and oh my goodness, that sauce was to die for. The dumplings were perfectly cooked -- not too soggy, not undercooked. Then came the entree, the bibimbap. It was so fresh, so perfectly cooked and paired, so good!!! Everything was fresh, made to order, and DELICIOUS! My friends and I cannot stop thinking about everything we ordered. We've been wanting to go back but they've been closed the next two days following our introduction to Secret Bao. Looking forward to tomorrow when they're open again!