The Palace Grill

I love this place I've been going here for around 10 years for my birthday. It's amazing, the food is amazing and the atmosphere is off the chain. All the waiters are your waiters. They have an awesome bread pudding that must be ordered when you order your meal because they make it fresh for you. It comes with the best bourbon sauce you ever tasted. Everyone sings a song together at dinner it's just an amazing place. You must make reservations before you go there. Enjoy people

The food here is fantastic. The muffins are so good. The cajun popcorn wasn't my favorite but the oysters were outstanding. The crawfish pasta was also very good. Service was good. I'd definitely come back here.

All I can say is... WOW! This place is fantastic. I knew from the reviews and the fact that it was recently saved from permanent closure that it would be good, but I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. I am no NOLA native, but I have been, and swore I would never order gumbo anywhere else on earth, but I am glad I ordered the gumbo here. My mom and I agreed that it was phenomenal. We devoured it so quickly that I didn't even get a chance to take a picture. The gumbo comes with a hearty serving of rice, and since we wanted to save room for dinner, we did not eat all of it, but as I write this review, I wish we did. My mom got the blackened redfish and really enjoyed it. It was perfectly cooked, but she noted it could use a bit more salt. The dish did come with a small cup of a garlicky dressing/sauce on the side and that made all the difference and made up for the lack of salt in the dry rub. I got the crawfish pasta lafitte, and because I am greedy, I added shrimp to it. ;) They do NOT skimp on portions here, even the seafood! Next time I come back, I know now to ask for the shrimp because there is plentyyy of crawfish. The pasta itself was so rich, creamy and flavorful. I could not finish the entire plate. You should plan to bring leftovers home with you, or share it amongst the table. We ended our meal with the bread pudding because it is so highly recommended. My mom did not love it because it wasn't a traditional bread pudding (which they do not claim it to be). I think it had amazing flavor and can see why people love it so much, but after the filling meal we had, we could not eat much of it. Next time, I will try the key lime pie! I would make a trip up to SB from SD just to visit this restaurant, and I am so glad it ended up staying open. If you were on the fence about dining here, please goooo!

The gumbo was delicious and so was the jambalaya pasta. The music was a little loud but manageable. I had the hurricane margarita which was very sweet but still good.

my bf is a nola native and he felt immediately at home here. excellent wait staff, complimentary muffins, food slapped (soufflé is bomb) definitely come thru.

Loved the ambience. Loved their popcorn crawfish! We tried their big easy platter, but it wasn't as amazing as I expected. It was good to try everything from redfish to chicken in one plate, but their seafood items were a bit underwhelming. Rice and fillet mignon were amazing though. Their bread pudding souffle was alright, probably won't get it next time we visit. A bit pricey compared to other restaurants of similar quality in the neighborhood.

I loved this place and cannot wait to go again! The ambiance is wonderful; it has an old school Louisiana vibe in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. The food was delicious! Creole food always hits the spot with this place being no exception. The service was immaculate, with the server making sure to tell us that if we wanted desert since we would have to order it asap because it would take a while. We got the food very fast, probably because we got there early. I strongly recommend this place! We will be going back :)

The Palace Grill was a delight, combining great food with with a fun and perky environment. They were clearly aiming for the New Orleans ambience and nailed it. The Cajun popcorn was great and the redfish outstanding. The little buns to start were good, although a bit sweet and doughy. People love the soufflé- and with good reason. The Cajun martini was definitely exotic, although in the end not quite as strong as it tasted. It felt like the dining room was full of people having a good time and the communal singing of its a wonderful world seemed very appropriate. Memorable!

Finally found a delicious spot for dinner in Santa Barbara. We came in on a Saturday night and the place was busy, but good thing we got sat right away since I made a reservation online thru yelp. Everyone there was super nice and friendly, service was 100% amazing. Delicious food! Before our meal ended, the manager handed us a little book and it says "do not open until you hear music" the music started to play and its a sing a long. Everyone there started cheering and toasting. It's a really fun cool place to be when you're craving for some delicious creole jambalaya food. Cannot wait to come back with some friends in a couple of weeks.

Got the Palace experience when we came to dine in before a night out. We were greeted by the friendliest staff and were delivered a warm basket of muffins to the table. They were delicious with butter! Louisiana style dishes are served here, and our waitress recommended the Crawfish Pasta. I saw pictures of the Cajun Popcorn Crawfish and it looked delicious! Upon ordering it and having a few, I was expecting them to be more crunchy, so if you are also expecting that too before ordering consider this! Their portions were fair to split a pasta between two and I would have loved to try more items, but the two items we got were plentiful in crawfish and we were crazy full by the end. Overall, this is a really good find for authentic Louisiana food!

We always go to the Palace Grill for the bread budding soufflé with whiskey cream sauce. It seriously is the best dessert out there! We were in Santa Barbara two nights and had the soufflé both nights. Sometimes we call ahead and have them make it so it's ready close to when we arrive. It takes 45 minutes to make, so plan accordingly. Besides the wonderful dessert, both nights we were super entertained an amazing gentlemen who did magical tricks (cards and coins). We were so thoroughly entertained by his mastering of these tricks. It's even more impressive the second time because you know what to expect and still can't figure out how he does it. Love this place. Will always visit when in town. Go gauchos!

We walked in for an early dinner around 5pm. There were not that many people at first but then before we knew it the place was packed. It got noisy but fairly tolerable. The food was delicious. The portion was generous. The assorted muffins in a basket were freshly baked. They were my favorite. The Jambalaya pasta was flavorful. The service is quite slow. It took a long while before we got our food. It was worth the wait though. The price is reasonable. Parking, as always, is a challenge in State street so you're better off walking your way to the restaurant if your hotel is within walking distance, otherwise just take the Uber.

20 years of coming here and I have never had a bad meal here until last night... first time coming here since the new owners took over and everything was delicious except my blackened filet and it rates as one of the worst steaks I have ever had. And I have ordered this meal before multiple times and had no issues. The crawfish appetizer was awesome, pasta jambalaya perfect as usual but the steak was such an epic failure that it completely destroys the star rating. The steak was very very light red almost pink and tasted almost like a pork chop. The steak was not aged properly and completely fell apart.. Absolutely no flavor and extremely dry. I asked for the steak to be cooked medium and it came out medium rare and it was pink raw not red raw.. which should been my first warning.. They fired a new steak and it was medium well.. I refused to try again.. I had two bites and was done.. also there was no sauce with it.. I forgot to take a picture of the steak I received but this is a good representation of what the steak looked like without it being cooked. The steak I received was very pale almost white on the outside and more pink than red.. the steak I received wasn't aged long enough before it was packaged making the moisture have the steak fall apart. Not sure if I received a bad steak because it was Sunday night at 8 and they were just out of all the good steaks or what happened but for $45 I want perfection..

Loved, loved, loved our lunch at the Palace Grill! Food was delicious, service was amazing and the atmosphere was nice and welcoming. The only downside is it was hard to find parking on a Sunday afternoon.

When you think of Cajun cuisine, think of New Orleans! Are you a fan of this type of food? This restaurant in Santa Barbara, California, specializes in authentic Cajun dishes. It's always bustling, so making a reservation is highly recommended. The menu offers a wide variety of options to choose from. The waitstaff provides impeccable service, ensuring your dining experience is smooth and enjoyable. The food is delicious, just be prepared for some heat! Don't forget to order the soufflé in advance, as it takes 30 minutes to prepare. Overall, it's definitely worth a visit!

The food here is fantastic. The muffins are so good. The cajun popcorn wasn't my favorite but the oysters were outstanding. The crawfish pasta was also very good. Service was good. I'd definitely come back here.

The palace grill is one of those Santa Barbara staples that one has try. Great for groups of all sizes and you do not leave hungry here. The service is spectacular and attentive. Make sure to order dessert first -the soufflé because it's 45 minutes and you will regret not ordering it. The jambalaya is full of flavor. The complementary mini muffins are different flavors and warm. The cocktails are generously poured and will get you a buzz. The crab cakes make an excellent appetizer. Make a reservation they get full.

We were searching online for a place to have dinner for our last night in town and came across the palace grill. We decided to give it a try and we were so happy we did. All the staff we came across during our visit were friendly, from our hostess, waiter, and the person picking up our plates. It all added to our dinner experience. The restaurant outside and inside is so lively..really takes you all the way to the vibrant streets of New Orleans with the decorations and music. Now on for the food... for starters they bring you different flavored warm muffins like jalapeno and banana bread (they were so delicious). For our appetizer we went with the oysters and they were so delicious and creamy. For our mains we went with the crawfish pasta and the redfish plate. Our waiter explained that the redfish plate is not always available as it is flown in fresh from Louisiana and it is valued at market price... all in all we highly recommend visiting if you are in town! We can't wait to be back to try the desserts they all seemed yummy!

The food here was fantastic. The crab was done very nicely, savory and crunchy. The rice and vegetables that accompanied the crab were fresh and flavorful as well. The pasta dish was perfectly cooked with a wonderful flavor profile. Just the right amount of spices. Our favorite was the palace oysters, they were so decadent and tasty. The service was on point, very attentive and friendly. The ambience was fine, with dark decor, and an open space concept. Would definitely recommend.

TLDR: Tasty entrees - highly recommend their most expensive *signature* Best of the Bayou. Excited to return to try their Big Easy. - - - - -- My friends and I stumbled upon The Palace Grill, and we were delighted to have stopped by on a night with live music and singing on an 8:00pm Saturday. Our meal began with complimentary biscuits or muffins (banana nut, black molasses, jalapeno cheese). I was impressed that they were tolerable and tasty (Background: They don't often sit well in my stomach). We ordered their Cajun (Crawfish) Popcorn Best of the Bayou and a Jambalaya Pasta. The Cajun Popcorn was heavily breaded, with little crawfish, not too appetizing. However, their Best of the Bayou was impressive. The coconut shrimp was crisp. Salmon often has the issue of being fishy with a side of sauce; however, the salmon here tasted moist and marinated. Whatever their technique is, the flavoring seeped in, and I wish we ordered more of this! The crawfish etouffee was tasty with a variety of spices. Between these items, they had a variety of sweet vegetables that were otherwise a bit bland. The Jambalaya Pasta was tasty, but it was heavily flavored with tomato sauce and watery. Overall, it was like slurping sugar water with sweetened tomatoes. The chicken felt out of place, and overall this dish had a ton going on. The tastes and textures felt chaotic. Our meal concluded with a bread pudding souffle (included with Best of the Bayou). The bread pudding was tasty, with a hint of chocolate - though not too heavy. The sweet milk or cream provided made this a tasty dessert, and it was only lightly sweet - yay!

Been here 3x and we will be back many more!! Great service from minute #1!! Takes us an hour to get here and it's worth the drive every time! It has a great vibe and they get the whole restaurant to sing together which is quite heart warming. Highly recommend to make a reservation because it fills up quickly. Our favorite appetizer is by far their Carribbean Coconut Shrimp!! So delicious especially with their tangy sauce. So Addicting, you may want to order 1 per person. Dishes we recommend: #1 is their Pasta Pontalba!!! The sauce is OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. So savory and full of flavor. Blackened Salmon is cooked to perfection. Filet Mignon is very tender! Jambalaya Pasta is Very rich in flavor too. Great alternative to #1. If they ever have scallops as a special, your taste buds will love the texture and flavor of this dish too. Blackened Louisiana Redfish is cooked to perfection and has a great taste too. If you think you'll want dessert, make sure you order AHEAD of time: Louisiana Bread Pudding or the Palace Chocolate Soufflé. Takes time to bake so it's best to order upfront when you order your meal.

Great food, service and cocktails! The street music outside was entertaining. This place has become a bit of an institution with its consistency.

I had this place on my list for my brief visit to SB. We walked over for lunch (a late one) and stuck to one dish each to save room for dinner. I ordered the gumbo, and the coconut shrimp appetizer was ordered. I enjoyed my gumbo and it was very filling. It is in the spicier side (per good Cajun food) so I didn't finish the entire bowl. I think the shrimp portion was on the smaller side. They were butterflied but really it was 3 pieces of shrimp. He enjoyed the favor as is without the dipping sauce. We both thoroughly enjoyed the muffins/bread and butter that was complimentary. They were amazing. I enjoyed a three flavors; rosemary, banana nut, and jalapeño cheddar. In fact, we purchased a couple more to take with us. Service was quick, friendly, and attentive. I would definitely return when in SB again.

Everything about this place is amazing Food, ambiance, service We had the crawfish pasta , oyster palace and vegetarian pasta primavera. Amazing Must visit

I couldn't believe the quality and variety of appetizers! Spicy but not too much! The menu has the best gumbo. The crab cakes were fantastic! The sign of a good fish menu. Service was excellent. Quick and very experienced because they never got in the way of the good times we were having. Everyone singing "A Wonderful World " was great fun! That created the best ambience!

This is our all time favorite restaurant when we are in town. We arrived on a Friday night and were greeted immediately by "Mondo" who is very personable. The staff is amazing and very attentive and very entertaining. The food is absolutely delicious. The Bread pudding is to die for. If you have not been to this restaurant then you are missing out on a wonderful experience and absolutely amazing food. We love this restaurant all the staff. Thank you Mondo for making our evening special and for being part of a wonderful restaurant. Your Friends, Dan and Melanie from Creston.

I was gonna have a quick stop at Pismo Beach and then heading back to SF. But ended up staying longer because of the sunset. The food pair with the view was amazing. Both 5 stars.

What a glorious experience! The ambiance, the food and the service...all fantastic. We're new to Santa Barbara and The Palace Grill is a wonderful addition to our list of great restaurants.

Awesome. Celebrating my husbands birthday there with family. He was so happy. Food and wine was flowing. Even participated in the singing session of the night. They make you feel so special. Desert was super yummy.

Service was great! Louis made my experience here amazing with his great customer service skills and friendly personality. He provided in depth recommendations and explanations of the menu and was the overall best experience of eating at this restaurant. Regarding the taste of the food, it was an average experience. Thank Louis for being the best server!

Fabulous food for over a decade now I've been going always make a reservation! Awesome staff awesome food check out the bathroom tiles!

Great birthday dinner with my friend. We didn't have reservations but got there right before they opened to ensure seating. It got crowded so in the future I would make reservations. I had the chicken- it was good but I wish I had ordered the red fish. That's what my friend had and it was perfect. There was also a magician who came to our table and did a neat card trick. Good times.

Came here for beignets -- sadly, they no longer serve them. So, we opted for the bread pudding soufflé, and we were kindly warned it'll take about 30 mins. We didn't mind the wait since it's a lively crowd, and the staff led the patrons in a Louie Armstrong song. It added to the festive ambiance, especially during the holidays. The staff continued to be friendly and helpful even though we were only stopping by for some tea and dessert. The soufflé itself was delightful and hit the spot on a cold evening. I think what was intended to be a nice holiday touch -- chocolate writing of "happy holidays" on the dessert plate -- turned out to be a bit messy. We could've done without it, but hey, it was the holidays, so why not? So why not give a 5-star rating? It seems the place leans heavily on Louisiana-based Black art, music, and food as a motif, decor, or theme rather than a genuine tribute or appreciation of the culture. Smelled a lot like cultural appropriation, and for that, a couple of stars down.

Order the grilled oysters! Best in sb. Service and the magician was so great hahah ambiance and service is perfect.

Blackened Redfish was cooked to perfection. Cajun martini were also excellent. Atmospheres is very friendly. Staff is very friendly and always makes sure that you have everything you want. Kudos to the owners !!!

Must visit restaurant. Food is great starting with the mini muffins that come with every meal. Friday, Saturday and Sunday they have a close-up magician who goes from table to table. This is one of those restaurant institutions that has survived Covid and continues to thrive and thrill.

There is a lot of great history with the Palace Grill; my family lived in Santa Barbara for 17 years & whenever we had a major celebration we chose The Palace Grill. The staff make it a go to place for amazing food, drinks and ambiance. Where else can you dine & every hour you get to hear Louis Armstrong and the whole restaurant sign It's a Wonderful World! This place is very dear to my heart....;-)

Came here from a reccomendation from my daughter and son who came here with friends for New Years. A great reccomendation! Shared Soft Shell Crabs, blackened Red Fish and Bananas Foster. All were excellent. Service was good also. Worth the hour drive and will return.

Local icon. Great food. Great drinks. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Worth the visit!

Wow this place is incredible. If it ever closed I don't think I could go on living. What a nightmare that would be. The service is incredible and has been for the past 9000 years that it's been open. Couldn't have gotten better than the service I got from Sasha, Cameron and Addison the only nameable employees that have worked there the entire time this place has been open. If you like culture and it's proper appropriation then you'll also love how it's decorated. The paintings all over really show off the New Orleans flavors. Speaking of New Orleans flavor you should check out the Jambalaya! It has sausage, shrimp and chicken! And boy that sausage is juicy! I could go into a frenzy eating up that bad boi. Anyway go check out the Palace but don't worry, you'll have plenty of time

Wow wow wow. Amazing food and atmosphere!! There was a sing a long with a ton of cheers. Great way to end my night! Will be back for sure!!

Outstanding restaurant. Great cajun food, and super service all around. appreciate the art on the walls and the group sing of it's a wonderful life

This restaurant impressed us everytime with their delicious creole food. Food was served at a good pace. Server of the day was a bit sassy but attentive. The best-dish-of-the-day was the redfish. Super soft and tender but flavorful. They even added perfectly salted garlic butter on the side in case you want some variety. Love their bread pudding soufflé make sure to put in order early because it does take 30 mins to be done. Overall happy customers here. We will continue to come back every time we visit Santa Barbara.

My favorite restaurant of all time The atmosphere, team service, the sing alongs and the amazing food. Epic

Wonderful dinner in Santa Barbara! We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation and were seated immediately. Ethan our server took our drink order right away and we were given a book for the sing along. The entire restaurant joined the staff in Wonderful World- so much fun! My husband had the scallops special recommended by Ethan and loved it. I had the crawfish etoufee as I'd always wanted to try it and it was perfect- spicy but not too much. We aren't dessert people but had the bread pudding which was moist, not lumpy or goopy just delicious. Drinks were a Sazerac and "Dean martini". Also perfect. We will definitely come here each time we are in Santa Barbara. Thank you Ethan for the birthday wishes as well!

Nice restaurant! Good food! Tasted just like Commanders Palace in New Orleans! Great place for our 22 anniversary!

It's a huge shame that The Palace Grill is on its last legs and, to my knowledge, is scheduled to close after this holiday season. My friends and I stopped by for dinner and we all thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience here. We shared the Cajun Popcorn, Oysters Palace, Gumbo Ya Ya, Big Easy, Jambalaya Sauce Piquante, and Crawfish Pasta. Everything was amazing, well cooked, and seasoned well. Even the Piquante, which I read some reviews about being salty, received rave feedback from all of us. Aside from the food, we really enjoyed the magician going around showing each table cool tricks, and while it might be cheesy for some, we actually loved the scheduled "What a Wonderful World" group song. It felt like it generated a sense of community with the waiters and everyone just cheersing and singing. Service was also great. The only weak point for us is that our palettes were not super aligned with the cocktail offerings. Otherwise, definitely trying to make it back soon.

If you've been to NOLA, you know good Cajun / southern food. I gotta say, this place is pretty close to the original thing! Started out w/ the Cajun Popcorn ($16): Lightly seasoned crawfish tails dipped in our cornmeal buttermilk batter and flash-fried to a light crispness; served with our creamy sherry wine dipping sauce. Pretty solid start to a nice meal. I ordered the JAMBALAYA SAUCE PIQUANTE ($27): "A delicious confusion of our chef's favorite spices, tender shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken in a zesty tomato creole sauce served on a bed of "dirty rice" and garnished with green onions." I gotta say -- it was quite the dish -- great flavor, spices, nice braising of the sausage and chicken. I'd order it again in a NY minute. Awesome wine list with all the familiar names of local wineries at market prices ($11 to $12 per glass). The real nice touch was Mondo coming around to greet us all and we were quite pleased he was watching the events of the evening to make sure everyone was cared for -- great hospitality. Service was above average -- definitely friendly. Food came out quickly. Super nice touch with the Louis Armstrong singing during the meal: "To top off your dining experience, we also like to have a nightly staff and guest sing-a-long to Louis Armstrong's iconic, "What a Wonderful World" . I'm a big fan of Satchmo so this made for a real fun experience with my colleagues from out of town -- some from out of the country. This place was a big hit -- nobody left a drop of food on their plates. We didn't want the 20+ minutes for the chocolate souffle so we opted for the Key Lime Pie. It was OK -- I should have gone for the souffle as I had dessert envy as I eyed another table reaping the rewards of patience! I'll definitely go back next time I'm in SB. Thanks Mondo! Laissez le bon temps rouler!

For almost twenty years, we have been returning to The Palace Grill every year for a friend's birthday. The food is terrific, the service impeccable, but the best part is the ambiance. All the staff are friendly and gracious. The mid-meal singing is so fun. And there is usually a magician who entertains at the tables. A few years ago they added a delightful patio in back. We heard the restaurant might close the last time we were there (in August), but we called recently, and they were still there. I hope they stay forever!

Honestly one of the funniest dining experiences I have had!!! Went for my Hubby's bday and the host was so kind an welcoming. All staff was amazing, we felt right at home and it was our first time to Santa Barbara. The food was delicious, we cannot wait to go back!

Love the food and the the folks that work their. Only dined once and Mondo made me feel like family. Nice touch with the staff giving cheers to each and every guest! Now Food! My fav were the mini rolls, the oysters!! My god! I normally like mine raw but they could've been the best I've ever had. That says a lot when I prefer raw over cooked. Crawfish popcorn was ok. I couldn't really make out the crawfish. Get more like batter or ground crawfish even though I don't think it was, but my family loved it so I'll keep high marks since they don't Yelp and won't counter me. My husband's filet was good. No doubt he wanted more (he's a big eater and his plate although very tasty, he craved more. My lamb was so good, but it was warm and not as hot as I like. If I lived out there I could've easily taken it home and heated it and enjoyed it (the flavor was definitely there), but I was at a hotel with no way to heat it. Ended up having to toss it. Bummer. The winner hands down was the red fish!! Oh my God!!!! Next level. So delicate, and full of incredible taste. I wanted to order two more to take home! The soufflés were also amazing. Overall the food is definitely worth the 5 stars. Even the small stuff is just me being nitpicky. They made a forever customer of me and my favorite people. Love the atmosphere, staff, and once again the flavors! Try them out! Oh ps I got the Cajun spicy martini OMG. They gave it to me in a martini glass with my refill in a mason jar. Needless to say my one drink was enough for 3 people to have 2 Tini's each!!

Thank you to Mondo and the entire staff for making our 33 anniversary celebration so much fun! The food was amazing, the service as always top notch! Go experience the food, the music and the fun!! And they brought the swan back! So good!

A Santa Barbara favorite. We have been coming here since 1990 and it never disappoints. Great service and amazing NOLA cuisine. The singalong is always fun too! What a wonderful world, indeed.

What an awesome experience!! I highly recommend this restaurant, no questions asked! The staff all were attentive and we came at the right time to sing before dinner and drink and clink our cocktails with each staff member! They remembered my fiance's name throughout the meal and kept checking up on us (not overwhelmning just the right amount) The bread/muffins were amazing and gumbo was one of the best Gumbo I have ever had! Sadly couldnt give it 5-stars because their very popular crawfish tails were all batter... so eating fried dough and dipping it in aioli was basically that experience

The sound of Jazz permeates the air. Soon you are met with the aroma of spicy New Orleans inspired dishes. A step inside The Palace and you're instantly transported, to a toe-tapping enlivened ambiance and treat for the senses. We sat down to eat in their festive courtyard. Outdoor heaters were on offer but we found the temperature perfect. Our server Mayra brought fast friendly service along with our drink order-a couple 805 Firestone beers and some complimentary savory and sweet muffins as we perused the menu. We started off by ordering the famed Bread Pudding- it takes some time to prepare the soufflé, so it is advised to request it in advance. The house salad came with a fantastic vinaigrette. We shared two appetizers- the Soft Shell Crab and Creole Crab and Crawfish Cake-the best crabcake I've had in my life! We then shared the Blackened Salmon and Veggies, which did not disappoint. The finale arrived. Steam rose from the bread pudding, an ideal texture, as we poured on the whiskey cream. The warmth of the spices and raisins paired perfectly with the cream and was not too sweet. Overall a spectacular meal. It will be difficult walking by The Palace again without ordering a crabcake to go! We heard a magician makes the rounds on Saturdays. We did not see said wizard of slight of hand, but the food was magic in itself!

Really terrific food, reasonable prices, and great service. Never miss it when I'm in town.

Love this place for everything: food, ambiance, magic. And I mean that literally. They have a magician every Friday!