The best birthday party/experience at Arnoldi's! They were so incredibly accommodating and had excellent service. Can't wait to go back!
Laura
Arnoldi's was just what we wanted—good Italian comfort food in a lively, festive atmosphere. We were here the night before Thanksgiving and the happy crowd and fun, bustling dining room created a sense of holiday warmth. The food was tasty and generous, and we enjoyed spaghetti bolognese, Milanese de pollo, calamari and more—all of which hit the spot. Seasonal cocktails were a real treat! Service was attentive even with the busy dining room. We love Arnoldis!
Anna D
I went here to celebrate my birthday, hoping for a special evening, but I left genuinely disappointed. The service was fine and the atmosphere was pleasant, but the food completely ruined the experience. The gnocchi were bland and tasteless and the steak was burnt. When we asked for it to be replaced, the second steak came out burnt as well. At that point it felt like no care was being put into the food at all. It was not only unpleasant to eat but also concerning from a health standpoint. I didn’t even want to stay for dessert. What should have been a special celebration ended up feeling frustrating and ruined. I truly expected better, especially for a birthday dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 4
Anna
I went here to celebrate my birthday, hoping for a special evening, but I left genuinely disappointed. The service was fine and the atmosphere was pleasant, but the food completely ruined the experience. The gnocchi were bland and tasteless and the steak was burnt. When we asked for it to be replaced, the second steak came out burnt as well. At that point it felt like no care was being put into the food at all. It was not only unpleasant to eat but also concerning from a health standpoint. I didn't even want to stay for dessert. The meal made my birthday feel anything but special and I left wishing I had celebrated somewhere else.
C.J.
If you're craving a classic spaghetti with Bolognese in Santa Barbara, Arnoldi's Café is a strong choice. The sauce has great flavor and a nice amount of beef, the pasta is well-prepared, the portion generous. The gnocchi and chicken parm are also very good. The ambiance is lively and the service is friendly.
Erinn
Outstanding/kind service and a beautiful evening celebrating our son's 18th birthday! Food was amazing and ambiance was very special. Perfect all around, we hope to be back soon, thank you!
Adriana Sweigart
we had 3 extra people in our party and they were able to accommodate us (on valentine’s day mind you) & the food was 10/10 and we had a great time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christina
The staff is extremely nice and very attentive. Their food recommendations were spot on, and the quality was amazing. Portions are very generous. 10/10 — highly recommend!
Rebecca Gorzell (Persephone)
I have eaten here twice. We go to Santa Barbara every year. This is a charming, neighborhood restaurant - not a tourist trap at all. It is currently under new ownership(from what I was told) and the menu has changed, for the better. It was wonderful. I had the eggplant parmesan with spaghetti tomorrow. It was quite delicious. We also had the spicy Salumeria plate. We were a party of 6 and everyone was pleased with the food. Sit outside, they have a beautiful outdoor area with a bocchi ball court. Ambience, food, fun, and atmosphere were on point!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Skylar
We normally love this restaurant and have never had issues with service, however, last night just wasn't good. My husband and I were sat at an outdoor table far from a large party (the patio was pretty empty), and it was clear the servers didn't know who our table belonged to amongst them. It took 20 mins for anyone to come to our table for a drink order despite the outdoor patio being fairly empty (other than the 1 other large party). We ordered drinks, apps, and food all at once and although the apps came out fairly quickly, we didn't get our drinks until well after the dinner had arrived at the table (after apps). Once we were done with plates empty, no one came to the table for over 20 mins. We tried to be really understanding, but this was a disappointing experience at an otherwise great restaurant.
Husband really enjoyed rotolo spinicci ... both presentation and taste Our daughter thought the butternut squash ravioli was too heavy on the sage and the pasta was somewhat sweet The chicken Melanese prodomo seems a little over cooked and I was expecting a cutlet rather than individual pieces which might have been more moist.
Steve Boothby
There's a reason this place has been here so long! The food is out of this world and the service is fast and professional. They have a room for private parties and can accommodate patios seating. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cynthia Pina
Such a beautiful restaurant and great atmosphere. The service is fantastic! We went for a friend's birthday, very large table, and there were two weddings happening at the same time. There was no delay in food or service level. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elissa
It's was great! Everyone was extremely friendly! Service was definitely a European lifestyle, very slow paced but I genuinely didn't mind it. I thought it was great and felt like such an amazing atmosphere !
Opentable Diner
They were so amazing! It's a bit of a hassle to get larger party reservations and then also have folks be able to pick their own food so this is a great experience. My team had a blast and the pasta as always is so delicious!
The best birthday party/experience at Arnoldi's! They were so incredibly accommodating and had excellent service. Can't wait to go back!
Arnoldi's was just what we wanted—good Italian comfort food in a lively, festive atmosphere. We were here the night before Thanksgiving and the happy crowd and fun, bustling dining room created a sense of holiday warmth. The food was tasty and generous, and we enjoyed spaghetti bolognese, Milanese de pollo, calamari and more—all of which hit the spot. Seasonal cocktails were a real treat! Service was attentive even with the busy dining room. We love Arnoldis!
I went here to celebrate my birthday, hoping for a special evening, but I left genuinely disappointed. The service was fine and the atmosphere was pleasant, but the food completely ruined the experience. The gnocchi were bland and tasteless and the steak was burnt. When we asked for it to be replaced, the second steak came out burnt as well. At that point it felt like no care was being put into the food at all. It was not only unpleasant to eat but also concerning from a health standpoint. I didn’t even want to stay for dessert.
What should have been a special celebration ended up feeling frustrating and ruined. I truly expected better, especially for a birthday dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 4
I went here to celebrate my birthday, hoping for a special evening, but I left genuinely disappointed. The service was fine and the atmosphere was pleasant, but the food completely ruined the experience. The gnocchi were bland and tasteless and the steak was burnt. When we asked for it to be replaced, the second steak came out burnt as well. At that point it felt like no care was being put into the food at all. It was not only unpleasant to eat but also concerning from a health standpoint. I didn't even want to stay for dessert. The meal made my birthday feel anything but special and I left wishing I had celebrated somewhere else.
If you're craving a classic spaghetti with Bolognese in Santa Barbara, Arnoldi's Café is a strong choice. The sauce has great flavor and a nice amount of beef, the pasta is well-prepared, the portion generous. The gnocchi and chicken parm are also very good. The ambiance is lively and the service is friendly.
Outstanding/kind service and a beautiful evening celebrating our son's 18th birthday! Food was amazing and ambiance was very special. Perfect all around, we hope to be back soon, thank you!
we had 3 extra people in our party and they were able to accommodate us (on valentine’s day mind you) & the food was 10/10 and we had a great time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The staff is extremely nice and very attentive. Their food recommendations were spot on, and the quality was amazing. Portions are very generous. 10/10 — highly recommend!
I have eaten here twice. We go to Santa Barbara every year. This is a charming, neighborhood restaurant - not a tourist trap at all. It is currently under new ownership(from what I was told) and the menu has changed, for the better. It was wonderful. I had the eggplant parmesan with spaghetti tomorrow. It was quite delicious. We also had the spicy Salumeria plate. We were a party of 6 and everyone was pleased with the food. Sit outside, they have a beautiful outdoor area with a bocchi ball court. Ambience, food, fun, and atmosphere were on point!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We normally love this restaurant and have never had issues with service, however, last night just wasn't good. My husband and I were sat at an outdoor table far from a large party (the patio was pretty empty), and it was clear the servers didn't know who our table belonged to amongst them. It took 20 mins for anyone to come to our table for a drink order despite the outdoor patio being fairly empty (other than the 1 other large party). We ordered drinks, apps, and food all at once and although the apps came out fairly quickly, we didn't get our drinks until well after the dinner had arrived at the table (after apps). Once we were done with plates empty, no one came to the table for over 20 mins. We tried to be really understanding, but this was a disappointing experience at an otherwise great restaurant.
Restaurantji Recommends
Husband really enjoyed rotolo spinicci ... both presentation and taste Our daughter thought the butternut squash ravioli was too heavy on the sage and the pasta was somewhat sweet The chicken Melanese prodomo seems a little over cooked and I was expecting a cutlet rather than individual pieces which might have been more moist.
There's a reason this place has been here so long! The food is out of this world and the service is fast and professional. They have a room for private parties and can accommodate patios seating. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a beautiful restaurant and great atmosphere. The service is fantastic! We went for a friend's birthday, very large table, and there were two weddings happening at the same time. There was no delay in food or service level. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It's was great! Everyone was extremely friendly! Service was definitely a European lifestyle, very slow paced but I genuinely didn't mind it. I thought it was great and felt like such an amazing atmosphere !
They were so amazing! It's a bit of a hassle to get larger party reservations and then also have folks be able to pick their own food so this is a great experience. My team had a blast and the pasta as always is so delicious!
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