Orsolya D.
Yelp
This may come as a shock to tourists and those living in other parts of the country; but us folks who have called Los Angeles home forever often need to skip town and get the heck outta here. One of the most popular nearby spots that allows us to de-shed the LA stress; is the lovely city of Santa Barbara. I've never met a soul who doesn't love Santa Barbara. What if you could leave Los Angeles AND Santa Barbara?! What about Cuba? That's right, Cuba. Well, you can. Kind of, by way of Shaker Mill - a Cuban themed eatery and cocktail bar. Grab your passport.
Shaker Mill is located on the main party-hopping State Street of 'downtown' Santa Barbara on the lower half heading towards the ocean. This means that Shaker Mill isn't smack in the center of the (fun) chaos that is State Street but close enough for easy access on foot. Basically, you can't miss it if you are gallivanting up and down State Street.
I've been going through an incredibly traumatic and horrible time and an escape to Santa Barbara was exactly what I needed. This desperate need for fun and relaxation included the, "Sure, let's live it up" - attitude of happy hour drinks. Santa Barbara is already deemed as a resort town; but Shaker Mill welcomes guests by kicking it up a notch with a Cuban-themed cocktail bar and eatery complete with outdoor patio, al fresco bar and an indoor dining area. If you like the sitcom, "The Golden Girls" (and who doesn't?!) then you will find Shaker Mill to be similar in decor and esthetic to furniture, decorations and even knick knacks to the home of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia. Shaker Mill features plants (lots of them), exposed wooden beams, rattan style patio furniture and a cabana-feel. The issue is that it doesn't necessarily feel authentic to Cuba and just feels outdated and late 80s/early 90s - just like the TV show.
We sat at the bar and noticed that the bar area was quite messy and 'dirty'. The prep area (we'll call it the back bar) had dirty blenders, glasses etc and the water with the towels was dirty and nasty. The floor was equally gross and the entire area was filthy. I didn't mention my discontent to my friend joining me for drinks and he even commented, unprompted. Shaker Mill needs to tidy it up!
Despite this mess and cheesy, outdated interior; we still ordered some drinks and decided to be silly with girly cocktails. My friend ordered a Pina Colada (house rum blend, coconut, pineapple, lime, amaro di angostura, blended - $13) while I went with the Bay of Santiago (vodka, tropical green tea gin, apricot, almond, lemon, cocchi americano, bitters - $12). We also ordered a Strawberry Daiquiri to share (real mccoy 3yr, strawberry, lime, curaçao, sherry, overproof funk, blended - $13).
Our bartender, Gavin, prepared our drinks and despite the unruly bar; his skills were evident. He was quick but smooth and elegant with his hands and clearly has a passion for mixology. Gavin was also pleasant to chat with and seems like a friendly, likable guy. Great job, Gavin! The actual bar experience was quite enjoyable, in that respect. But how were the drinks you ask?
My friend's Pina Colada was quite a feast for the eyes with beautiful presentation of pineapple, shavings, and a fresh flower. The drink was tasty, not too sweet and perfect with the creaminess of coconut although I think it needed a little more rum. Slightly overpriced, as well. My Bay of Santiago was a straight-forward drink with no fancy bells and whistles to decorate the glass; but the flavor was soooo good! I generally dislike vodka AND gin but I was enticed by green tea gin and I love apricot and almond. Although 'strong', it was balanced beautifully and was the perfect combination of sweet cocktail with class. Highly recommended!
Our shared Strawberry Daiquiri was just mediocre and there is nothing to much to say about it. It was somewhat blend and low on both the alcohol and the strawberry. Basically, it is like the Strawberry Daiquiris you would imbibe when you were underage and thinking you're cool drinking cocktails (not that I condone underage drinking! I do not!). Shaker Mill's Strawberry Daiquiri is certainly overpriced for what it is and can be skipped.
Shaker Mill is a cute-enough escape to Cuba (or more accurately, "The Golden Girls" living room) with good customer service and average drinks (although I did really enjoy the Bay of Santiago). The prices are a bit high for the drink quality and the bar needs more Health Department standards met but overall; it isn't bad. Honestly, it would probably stand out more if there weren't so many options and competitors literally on the same street. Shaker Mill is an okay choice to grab a drink before you head to the beach or Stearns Wharf but don't expect to be blown away.