“There are no photos of the food, because everything was so delicious everyone jumped right in. We started with the white asparagus, wrapped in pancetta-and it was so good we ordered another one! If you are getting one thing there GET THAT!!! We also had pasta, the sole, roasted chicken, and squash blossoms-which were all delicious. This place has a fun indoor outdoor feel and is super cozy, and transports you to an ambiance that feels like it could be in Italy. The staff worked above and beyond to make sure we were accommodated and had everything we needed. This is one of the staples of coast village road!“
“Absolutely love this Italian spot. The service is always very good and very attentive. The food is very delicious and has lots of flavor. Make sure to make reservations, as this little spot can get full very quickly. Always very clean and smells delicious.“
“5 stars all the way. Place was packed on a Sat night. The ambiance and lighting was perfect. We each had two cocktails and got the rice balls, grilled artichoke, halibut piccata, brisket w/polenta, and the olive oil chocolate cake w/sweet cream gelato on the side for dessert. Spent 220 after tip. The olive branch and dos hombres cocktails were outstanding. And so was every dish. Finished every last bite. Can't wait to come back for happy hour.“
“This is quite possibly, not only the best restaurant in Santa Barbara, but possibly anywhere. The food, the artwork, the drinks, service, the management, the host, the bus boys.... Everything about this place is perfection. The manager Sam, makes sure everything is on point! A well run establishment that I can't say enough good things about. Ask for Jay the server, he's top notch.“
“I had a delightful experience at Saint Bibiana cafe in Santa Barbara today with my husband.After a refreshing walk, we decided to stop for lunch and were pleasantly surprised.The cafe exudes a cozy atmosphere, and the pizza with mushrooms and lemon was exceptionally tasty.The staff were friendly and provided prompt service, adding to the overall positive vibe of the place. We left feeling satisfied and content, wishing nothing but prosperity for this charming establishment.I highly recommend paying a visit to Saint Bibiana cafe for a memorable dining experience. “
“Very good Neapolitan pizza. The crust is less chewy than most pizzas of this style, and the char is aggressive, so it reminds me of a New Haven style pizza.The restaurant can get very loud and make conversation very difficult.The staff is helpful, but so busy, that it can be difficult to get their attention.“
“Really nice atmosphere inside and outside. Was able to make some dishes vegan I had the Primavera Rosa, no cream, subbed the fettuccine (has egg) for spaghetti, they said didn’t have egg. The dish was super saucy had a lot of vegetables delicious.Husband had the fettuccine Alfredo, and it was really creamy and flavorful .The owner came to chat with us and was nice. Said they’re going to later include on their menu what is clearly vegan or vegetarian. We’ll come back again to try another dish. Might try the vegan pizza next time. They had cocktails as well.Vegetarian options: Ask for options, likely has vegetarian options.Spaghetti doesn’t have egg“
“Go here and get the eggplant sandwich, even if your aren't vegetarian and even if you are just visiting Santa Barbara, drive there and get it. Its that memorable.Took a while to arrive at the table but it was worth the wait due the care involved in making this masterpiece.Follow up edit one week later. We went back for the same eggplanty goodness and got the meatball sando too to split.Exceptional too.Its enough food for 3 or 4 people though.“
Italian • $
“The customer service is why I will be eating here regularly. My drink was never empty and if it got close they were on it. My food was great just needed a dash of salt. I really liked that they seem to know their customers and care about what's going on in their lives. They even insisted I take a Togo cup. Good people and good vibes.“
“All dishes we ordered were very good (salad, white bean soup special, duck ravioli, veal scallopini, and pasta carbonara). Panna cotta dessert was outstanding. A few minor improvement suggestions - 1) the carbonara and scallopini were not served fully warm enough 2) Carbonara was a bit too salty.“
“We found this place while walking State street waiting for our Tesla to charge. They were about to close but offered to make us take-out. The portions were very generous and the prices were really good. Both of the dishes we had were excellent!!! If I lived in Santa Barbara I would definitely come back and try more. Everything sounded good and they made it fresh. The pasta is cooked already and then they made the sauce fresh while we were waiting. My son had some kind of tequila chicken fettuccine dish. It had lots of vegetables and a nice spicy sauce. I had a seafood penne with shrimp, clams, Mahi Mahi etc. Both very good and they didn't skimp on anything. Mine was loaded with seafood!!! Definitely recommend!“
“This very unassuming restaurant on Upper State Street is so authentic Italian, in my opinion. It almost has a grandma’s dining room feel to it, and the food is finger-licking good. Also, the desert list is a mile long and wonderful. They have Italian gelato and some other goods. Love it! ? ??“
“Food was great, portion is not as big as other people made it sound. If you eat small portions it is sharable a dish, but if you eat more then the portion is generous for one person. We ordered the sampler and food was delicious!! Great service they are quick to serve you. You order and pay ahead. Clean, great “
“Such a beautiful spot by the beach. The indoor seating is still very nice, but the outdoor view is beautiful, especially on a nice, warm day. The food is very good, I've been here for both Brunch and dinner. You can't go wrong with any of the items. Only reason I give them 4 stars, is I wish their plates had a bit more flavor. Service is always quick and helpful.“
“Got seated outside during busy time. No music played outside and only one lamp for 4 parallel tables, so cold. They seemed busy and stressed when I arrived. Excellent food. Server was friendly but did not understand my questions when I asked about wine list, wine that did come out took quite some time and was wrong.I walked or else I probably would've gone to another less busy spot. Would be great experience during off peak hours and indoors.“
“While visiting the area, my kid noticed the logo from a TikTok she had seen. We decided to give it a try and both the food and the customer service were excellent. The owner has a great vibe, and he has excellent staff supporting him. We tried a Pepperoni pizza and it was quite delicious right out of the brick over. It had a great undercarriage, not too burnt. Perfectly crips. The area was quiet, we were there around Noon on a Saturday.“
“Wow! So enjoy coming to Mollie's! Mollie is fantastic and friendly along with the staff. Cute small family restaurant with 5-6 tables inside & a couple more outside on the front. Food is so fresh & delicious. Prices are great, especially for this quality. We are hooked and will be back. Thanks Mollie & family!“
“Pizza is my thing; I love trying new local pizza spots whenever we travel. And don't get me wrong, I rarely find a pizza I don't love - but it's rare to find one that truly blows me away. Lucky Penny was just that; an unassuming spot in the funk zone that I had no doubt would be good, but was floored that it might be one of the best pies I've ever had. We can't wait to return!Vegetarian options: In addition to many veggie-forward pizza options, the salads and roasted cauliflower are also delicious!Parking: Street Parking in the Funk Zone is difficult, but luckily the city parking structure near Hotel Californian is just around the corner.Kid-friendliness: Pizza. Who doesn't love pizza?!“
“It is sad too know, the first time I dined at Via Vai, would be my only time, as they will be closing in the next couple of months. And since I do not live here, it would be my only time to experience their wonderful cuisine. The Puttanesca is excellent, and looking at the Chicken Parmesan, which my friends enjoyed, was excellent. The salads were great, the wine selection was perfect, and dessert was outstanding.“
“A new year day 1, so we started off at a place we hadn't been to before. Cafe Lido is located poolside at Mar Monte Hotel on the Santa Barbara waterfront, within walking distance of the Santa Barbara Zoo, and this time of year has a wonderful sunset view until they close at 5. Even better, the friendly bar serves great Cosmopolitans. There are tables poolside as well as at the bar and indoors.We enjoyed our cocktails poolside along with a perfect grilled cheese on thick sourdough, homemade thick tomato soup, and French fries. A great start to the new year!“
“We ordered a #19 large Sicilian pizza. It was absolutely delicious ?! Thin crust, a lot of cheese, sausage, onions, and basil. We ordered a ceasar salad, which was crispy and delicious. With lots of ceassr dressing and Parmigiano cheese on the side. Julie and the other employees made sure that everything was packaged ? perfectly ?. Wow, it was our first visit, and we were impressed. $33.00 plus tip!“
“I love a pizza place with a range of size options! It worked really well for our family of 4 to get three pizzas, in 8", 10", and 12" - nobody had to compromise their desired topping combos! We had plenty for dinner for two adults and two teens, with a few slices leftover for lunch. Another way to customize is with crust thickness - we got two with regular crust and one thin crust. I got the veggie Hawaiian, which was packed with toppings. So easy to call and order, was at the peak dinnertime and the order was ready in about 45 minutes. Get a side of the homemade ranch; you won't be sorry! Eat in also available at a handful of tables and a nice little bookshelf to pass the time. Conveniently located in the Mesa next to Blenders in the Grass, a short walk from Vons and Lazy Acres if you need to combine your errands.“
“What a great find for happy hour. Great for just the two of us but also fabulous for a group of any size. Back area outside is huge, secluded and friends or family friendly. Plenty of outdoor seating with heating tables or lamps. Very comfortable and inviting. This ambiance comes with a varied happy hour menu and friendly staff. We had a table of seven and everything we ordered was tasty. Recommend the meatball sliders, delicious and filling. Highly recommend this area for a relaxing happy hour and I made a note that we will have to come back for lunch or dinner sometime.“
“Best Pizza in Carp hands down. Great service. Every other pizza place is stingy with the ranch dressing. Since I ordered 2 pizzas and a couple salads, when I asked for ranch, the always super helpful young tall strapping fellow that runs the place just gave me a full bottle of ranch. Always good. Can't wait for Giovanni's to move to their new location on Carp Ave.“
“This is a fairly small family owned restaurant but with huge Italian flavors. The owners, husband and wife greet you at the door with a warm welcome. The meals that we ordered were bursting with flavor and freshness. Then we ordered dessert and cappuccino, just superb. I highly recommend this restaurant, you will not be disappointed.“
“My girlfriend and I enjoyed the meal that we had at Trattoria Vittoris overall. We were seated shortly after we arrived (with reservations). We ordered the special salad to share, plus I ordered the ravioli and she ordered the spaghetti bolognese, plus a couple glasses of wine each. The total cost came to about $100. Not bad. The special salad was weird/odd, all of the ingredients made sense (arugula, shaved fennel, almonds and feta), except chunks of watermelon which we both agreed belong in a summer salad.“
“This is the best restaurant in Santa Barbara! I had the best experience with service, food and the overall experience! They are very familiar with gluten free options! I highly recommend it and will be back! ???. Eva was so welcoming and lovely. Omar was an outstanding waiter and very attentive!“
“The food was absolutely delicious. I ordered to go because my husband wasn't feeling well. The entire meal from beginning to end was fresh, clean and tasty. They certainly use fine ingredients which is so hard to find. We do not eat anything from a package or eat any bad oils so this find for us, is a big win. Upon arrival I was greeted by a very kind owner. We will be sure to dine in while here in Montecito.“
“Service was tops, our waiter was a pro! Food was good. The anticlimax was the $4.13 credit card service charge. Why shove this in the customer’s face after a $125 dinner (2 ppl)? Not unlike a “poison-pill” after an otherwise pleasant experience. Funny how something as trivial ($ wise speaking) as this makes this an indelible distasteful memory of this restaurant…. Why not just distribute this cost percentage-wise into the menu prices?“
“Held a surprise birthday party for my Mom over the weekend with 25 of her closest friends and family. The management was communicative and provided a perfect set up and wait staff to take really good care of us throughout the evening. Everyone enjoyed the Italian appetizers, wine and entrees, which were plentiful! It was a wonderful night she will remember for years to come!“
“Great dinners at Roy Sat night. Everything on the menu sounded good. The house made warm bread absolutely delicious. Just wish they had a little live dinner music. That would have been perfect. Also, they don't offer Bombay Sapphire gin for some reason. But Hendricks was ok. We will definitely be back!!“
Italian • $$
“I’ve been to the Da Michele in Napoli. This place is by far the closest one can find in America to the real thing. Thank you to the wonderful owner who brought it home for us. We enjoy it a few times a month. The server from Montenegro is our favorite!“
“Most scenic restaurant space of all time. Have a drink at the bar, then spend the rest of the night telling everyone about it. Exceptional service, conversation and mixology. We had three of the best cocktails ever created. An elevated espresso martini with some citrus flair, a wild Japanese whiskey drink with local honeycomb, and the most elegant margarita on planet earth. A must try.“