43 Best American Restaurants in Santa Barbara

“We had an exceptional experience with some amazing food and service. Our favorites were the avocado and ahi tuna appetizers and the black cod was over the top FABULOUS! We also enjoyed the Smokey flavor of the New York strip. The potatoes and Caesar salad were ok and we would likely not order again. Our only complaint is the wines by the glass were quite disappointing. Our wonderful waiter had us try the majority offered but the wines simply were lackluster. With so many delicious wines in SB, they should work to improve their offerings. Otherwise we would absolutely return as the food is truly exceptional.”

“After reading tons of reviews and seeing a common thread about how wonderful the Stonehouse was, I made some reservations for dinner and have to say... it DID NOT disappoint! The location has wonderful history, fabulous atmosphere and the staff is incredible! The menu and wine list are impeccable leading to one amazing evening! The best part of our trip to Santa Barbara was our evening at San Ysidro Ranch!”

“We sat outside on the patio with ample heaters, which was lovely. We thoroughly enjoyed the skirt steak with chimichurri and fingerling potatoes mixed with roasted whole garlic cloves. Very fresh green salad + French onion soup as starters. Took quite a while to get the food-perhaps due to a busy Friday night? First time here; we'll definitely return.”

“Incredible! The food was amazing and presentation was beautiful!  the chef was so personable  & obviously very talented and creative . Along with the Chef, general manager and entire staff, we had a great experience for anniversary. ”

“This place hits every single mark!!! The food is absolutely out of this world. My brother, who is a chef and doesn't like to go out to eat because he can make better food at home, was floored by the quality of the food!! I had the duck confit and french toast.....amazing!!! The atmosphere and ambiance are on point!! Do yourself a favor and eat here!!!”

“Service was a bit slow to begin with ie 10 mins before water arrived. We had an issue with one meal (no details on purpose) as the issue was dealt with with professionalism. So rather than slamming OPAL we say thanks for your attention. We enjoyed our food.”

“Atmosphere and service were exceptional. Smoked salmon appetizer was as good as it gets. One thing I cannot get over however is there bun selection for the burger and chicken sandwiches. The bun renders the burger dry and unmanageable and this must be why the serve it to you already cut in half. Management, get rid of the the enormous bun, I promise your burger won’t be soggy.”

“Discovering the beautiful areas of Goleta in Santa Barbara, Ca ; Find this incredible restaurant, the setting option outside feels nice, the amazing service with astounding dishes made this restaurant shines!!!Thank you, to all their Team showing that by working together the experience is great. The menu has many choices to be discover. ?Thank you,”

“After wandering around Santa Barbara and finding that most restaurants had a 40 -50 minute wait for dinner, my friend and I came here and got seated immediately. It's located in an alley way so it's a bit hard to find. Good luck if you need to find parking (we walked) as there doesn't seem to be any available. They converted their parking lot to a seating area with a bunch of heatlamps and picnic benches. We were directed to a table and were told to place our order at the counter and give them our table number. Luckily I looked over at our table right before we ordered, as the hostess had given our table to another party, so she moved us to another table. WTF?! They need to improve their seating system if they can't remember where they sat someone 5 minutes before they seat someone else at the same table.We shared the Baja Fish Tacos and 1/2 order of Mac & Cheese. Both were generous portions and delicious! Tacos were crispy fried to perfection and tasted fresh, and the mac & cheese was ooey gooey cheesy and flavorful. Besides the hiccup with the seating, this place serves up good food and fun drinks, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this spot if you are in SB.”

“What a gem! Off the beaten path nestled among green leafy trees is this rustic and homey tavern & restaurant. A wonderful spot to ride a motorcycle to any weekend the weather is nice. Highly recommended! Note that the restaurant is closed from 3:00 to 5:00 daily so plan accordingly.”

“This place is a hidden gem, it is rarely crowded. The food is amazing, the banh mi brisket sandwich was one of the best banh mi sandwiches in SB. Definitely coming back. Tons of alcohol and non-alcohol drink options. Plants decorate the patio and indoor seating area.”

“We LOVE this place! Their waitstaff is so ‘alive' and fun, their food is always perfect and we always leave saying “This is STILL our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara.” Go with the sesame-crusted salmon and you will find eternal bliss!”

“This place has a really cool vibe. Stopped in here for lunch on our way North. The salad greens are fresh and the dressing for the house salad was awesome. Looks like they do live music here at times. Guessing modern jazz. I had the Egg Melt with avocado. They have GF options for those who want/need them.”

“The restaurant is a perfect spot for a business-casual night out. They have an extensive food, wine, and beer menu - with choices to fit a variety of budgets. Well prepared, well-served delicious food can be expected. Some of the choices were priced a bit higher than expected, with the surf and turf they offered just a bit too high. That said, we found a number of meal choices that all looked intriguing and were nicely-priced, making the choices all the more difficult. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and professional. He made some good recommendations for the food choices and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. This is a spot we'll definitely come back to the next time we're in Santa Barbara.”

“Highly recommend having a private event at Jane. We had our wedding reception dinner here and was overjoyed with the atmosphere, food and service (shout out to Haley and Michael our servers for the night who were amazing and very attentive). Meagan the Private events coordinator was outstanding and incredibly communicative; answering all my questions and providing all info I needed in such a timely manner. My husband and our families were delighted, our dinner and desserts were absolutely delicious! It was such a wonderful place to conclude our special day. I have been recommending Jane to my friends and coworkers. We can't wait to come back for our anniversary in the coming years.”

“ORDER THE CORNBREAD!! I would eat a whole meal's worth of that cornbread. I ate it all before I could take a picture. It is fragrant, moist and buttery with crispy, caramelized edges and has a rich depth of melt in your mouth flavor. The rest of the food is also amazing. But the cornbread. GET THE CORNBREAD!! This is a wonderful spot for a nice date out. Great interior and exterior ambiance and friendly staff.”

“Loved this place…Awesome food, fabulous service and a great atmosphere….the unique communal singing was so good, as was the team toasting all customers a lovely touch…this was the last night of our months trip to North America and we were so pleased to have experienced the Palace Grill to finish on a ”

“Make sure you take the road less traveled...You are in for a magical treat tucked away in-between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley.Pull up to the gate at Cachuma Lake and tell them you are about to have the best damn tritip Sandwich in all the land.I suggest the onion rings, the hamburger and a TriTip sandwich. So bring a friend and split everything (or do like me and grab a second sandwich just for yourself).Your sandwich will come with a few condiments, so try em!Enjoy some live music, spend a few hours, bring your dog and make an afternoon of the drive, the food and the views of the Las Padres National Forest which cascades behind you.Eat, relax, repeat”

“Really enjoyed the restaurant as this was out first visit. Will definitely go back again. The employees were very friendly and helpful, food was really good, and the atmosphere was very nice on the outside patio. We did not go inside, so cannot speak to that. highly recommend this place.”

“Embarrassingly, this was my first visit to Bossie's, since we haven't really explored the Milpas corridor much. Once we found out they had a dog friendly patio, it flew to the top of our lunch list. Everything was fantastic. We went on a Friday around 1p and there was plenty of seating. It's a high traffic area, so expect some road noise. Area street parking was pretty full, but we found a spot about a block away.Will definitely add Bossie's to our rotation.”

“Visiting Finney's while waiting for our train back to LA, the service is amazing to start. Our server was the best to be honest! The pepperoni pizza is oooffff soooo good! To drink we had a black salt hibiscus margarita and a agua Santa beer. Both drinks were delicious! The vibe is cool, college football playing and a little rain outside. Perfect vibe for a Saturday afternoon. This place is located in the downtown SB, thankfully the food is not as expensive as other places we have visited. If I ever come back, it will definitely be to Finney's.”

“This is the perfect breakfast spot! It's right across from the harbor, it has outdoor seating and is dog friendly, and the food is amazing! They bring you hot fresh baked mini muffins when you're seated. I got the Santa Barbara omelette and my husband got the Fire in the Hole breakfast burrito both were delicious. It's super crowded on a Sunday so if you don't wanna wait be there by 8 am!”

“An absolute jewel of French style cooking, topped with exquisite service and wrapped in a charmingly decorated space. The tasting menu hits most of their best dishes, but the menu has many standouts. Coq au vin, duck cassoulet, outstanding fish, a ridiculously rich burger, regional and seasonal influences, great wines... a true standout in Santa Barbara.”

“Good diner food with great service at a reasonable price. I had eggs Benedict and a blueberry pancake. No complaints at all.I was traveling alone in CA that week and found that most places do not invest much in single patrons, which is a shame. HOWEVER Garrett's was the exception - THANK YOU!”

“Great location where you can have a table on the sand. Great views. The service was fast, and food was tasty. I liked the fresh grapefruit juice. There was an issue as my credit card was charged twice, which wasn't their fault as they use another company for transactions, but Cameron handled that issue in a very professional and polite manner. Highly recommended!”

“Dawn Patrol in Santa Barbara is a breakfast haven. Their spicy chai is a flavor-packed delight, and the Patrol Combo offers a perfect mix of morning favorites. But the real star is the "build your own hash" option, allowing you to create a customized breakfast masterpiece.It's a must-visit spot for breakfast enthusiasts, offering a delicious and customizable start to your day.”

“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.”

“Clean restaurant (including the bathroom). Got the original pizza and waffle fries to share for a late lunch and both were really good. Pizza was just a bit too salty. We didn't get told a total when we paid, just given a screen with tip options to click and pay, that was a bit weird.”

“Had the pastrami reuben sandwich. Very good reuben sandwich, definitely recommend. Three tables inside that can seat six per table. Three counter seats and one table for 3 outside. Sandwich a bit pricey at $15.63, total with tax $17. Didn't try any sides, soda fountain available. Very close to main walking area of Santa Barbara with many shops. I went just before 11:00 AM on a Friday, no wait.Parking: There is street parking in area or pay parking lots. The street parking has a 75 minute limit. I found a spot down Figueroa, about a 3 minute walk to the shop.”

“Awesome place to take a date and watch the sunset. Its right on east beach. There is a paid lot where you can parking. You might get lucky and find parking on Cabrillo. The food is excellent here. I usually get the Asian crispy ribs. I also get the calamari. This is usually what I get. I haven't tried anything else on the menu. Their drinks are really good too. You can't go wrong!”

“it's a small place for a small group of performers, but that's the worst I can say about it. there is a small stage at one end - maybe 10 to 15 - and great music whenever they choose to perform.The space is long and narrow - the back half is pretty quiet. the whole place is on the end floor...enjoy!”

“Arrived at 9:30am Sunday morning, wasn’t too busy. There’s plenty of seating options inside & outside front and back. There are three different restaurant options within this one building. We wanted coffee, empanadas, and a waffle…you have to checkout from three different registers to do this but it wasn’t that big of an inconvenience since there weren’t any lines at the time. The staff was super friendly at explaining this and made light of the situation. The atmosphere is nice and relaxing- great place to chat with a friend. The empanadas were OK, I had a vegan options- kind of bland. But I also loooveeeee empanadas, so I’m pretty critical when it comes to them. The waffles are delicious, highly recommend! If you are vegetarian or vegan, there are some options for you here which is wonderful! It’s located on State Street, walking or bicycle parking out front are options.”

“Not all “Sam’s to go” are treated equally nor are they owned by the same person thank God. This location is amazing— the Veggie delight was amazing and the owners are so sweet. Definitely going to make this my new lunch spot.Avoid the location on Milpas— the owner is insane and their quality is awful.”

“The steaks were divine. The salmon was excellent. The Cesar salad dressing was a bit heavy ask for it on the side, oysters on the half shell were lackluster. The pumpkin soup was delicious. Dessert was heavenly overall wonderful dinner. Excellent waiter, Joe and back waiter Aaron!”

“When I got there I noticed that you had to order first nd pay before they take you to a table either inside or outside.I felt pressured to order quickly, I should have stand aside and let others order first. I didn’t enjoy the fact they have very limited dairy free options. Their signature dishes looked so good but for my case not aplicable (contained dairy).The customer service at the order and sitting needs work, a more professional approach instead of an indifferent one. I gave it a four star because the employees in the kitchen were very nice, attentive and friendly and because their water service is a do it yourself and didn’t seemed the most hygienic when refilling it. It is still a great idea, I see how is beneficial for the restaurant. But for my personal experience I prefer the full service. The food was good, I gave it a four star because I some dishes had sides with a bland flavor.The environment was very nice, I enjoy an outdoor restaurant surrounded by plants.Overall, I wouldn’t go back only because of the limited dairy free dishes. But I do recommend to those that don’t have those restrictions to try it out.”

“We had to Bubbly Brunch (three course meal with endless mimosas, coffee, and teas), ate out on the patio with our dog, and were very happy and full when we left. The scones and cinnamon rolls were exceptionally tasty. We had several different flavors of mimosas. Everyone loved what they ordered for breakfast with the exception of the avocado toast (slightly plain presentation compared to all the other dishes we had. Not over the top like the other choices). We had a large party of 9 and we felt the servers were very attentive and all the food came out together. Highly recommend.”

“We had reservations for The Palace for 6pm, their electricity was out! So we did a quick pivot in plans turned left on Santa Barbara St. from Cota. On the right... was "Jills Place!"BEST Food Ever!The 4 of us, and it was a 4th Anniversary! 2 fillets 1 pork chop , 3 of has the Scalloped potatoes which were amazing! Everything was delicious & exceeded our expectations! You will not be disappointed.Thank you Jill's Place!”

“We took a day trip to Santa Barbara and wanted some fish for dinner. We found On the Alley and are so happy we did. It is a little place and you can eat indoors or out. It is not too expensive and everything we had was amazing. My husband loves fish and chips and I tried his and the batter was perfect and the fish so fresh and tasty. We also had fish tacos and boy were they good. We had tator tots and a few other items. All were great and we were full when we left. The service is very nice and fast. The place is clean, parking is easy. Have a great time”

“My experience here was absolutely amazing! The staff is top tier. Food is so delicious, I mix it up every time and definitely the best burgers in town. Come alone for a quick bite and drink or bring your family. This will definitely be my future date night restaurant. Great bar, service and overall ambience. I am just delighted by the entire experience!! 10/10”

“Great food! The staff is also very friendly and helpful. We’ve eaten here in person and also ordered it for delivery and all experiences have been positive. The food has been fresh and the correct temperature. The various flavor combinations are delicious and they also have great classics. The prices are really good for the quality. We’ve also eaten here with our young children and it’s very family friendly (and has a dog friendly patio area).”

“Easily one of Santa Barbara's coolest spots. New development is one thing, but redesigning an existing building is what will let our city retain its character. The Waterline is one of those buildings - and it's such a site to see. The developer successfully took its former shell and transformed it into a total work of art. Talk about giving a space a new lease on life. This venue is very large, ultra-modern, and still manages to offer the character and charm of its former glory. Everywhere you turn, there's something neat to be seen. The space is home to a small eatery, a winery, two brewhouses, a boutique, and a variety of hidden office suites. There are two well-designed side patios which may be enjoyed by patrons from all walks. The company I work for rents the space for their annual holiday party and it is always such a hit. It's large, well-lit, and just plain cool. Santa Barbara needs more of this sort of redevelopment.”

“This is a great little place across the street from the chicken ranch and next door to the dispensary. I had the yellow belly burger and the ice berg salad. The burger was good, but the salad was meh. Wouldn't order it again. The beers were good. This is a nice place tucked into the de la vina area. They have nice outdoor dining street side and also in the back. Come on down and check it out. Its worth a tryParking: Plenty of street parking on de la vina.”

“If you want to go back more than a few decades and have a great traditional cocktail and a meal that includes a relish tray and soup and salad along with an entree accompanied by a baked potato and vegetables, this is the place. You won't be disappointed.”