Our party of four shared a variety of delicious dishes selected from a small but well-curated menu. The portions are not large, but we all had plenty to sample, with room left over for their refreshing house-made ice cream and sorbet at the end. The Butter Chicken and Charred Corn Salsa were favorites, as was the Chicken Tikka with a lovely perfectly spicy sauce to accompany. There is a vast menu for wines by the bottle, and a limited but interesting selection of beer and wines by the glass. The surroundings are colorful and artsy, making the restaurant feel both upscale and casual at the same time. The owners have done a great job remaking this space, which is a perfect location for dinner before a show at The Granada or The Arlington Theater. All of our servers were attentive and knowledgeable and we never felt rushed. Overall a delightful experience!
kym
Absolutely loved BiBi Ja. We ordered one dish from each category and loved every dish. We asked for a wine recommendation and it was superb! Our server was well educated on all the dishes and recommended the perfect bottle of wine. We really enjoyed meeting the owner and valued his expertise. What a memorable evening.
Fay
We had a great meal at Bibi Ji, and I can't recommend it enough! Everything, from the moment we walked in, was wonderful. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive without being overbearing. But the food—oh, the food! We tried the cauliflower, lamb chops, butter chicken and the Garlic Naan, and all were absolutely divine. The flavors were rich, complex, and perfectly spiced, tasting incredibly fresh. If you're looking for modern twist, high-quality Indian cuisine, look no further. This place is a must-try!
Susan
Food was good but main course needed to be warmer and there wasn't much chicken in the butter chicken dish - great flavor though. Service and ambiance very good!
Dominique
The food was delicious and the ambiance and variance of people made the experience very enjoyable
Andy
A little on the pricey side for what it is but quality of the food makes up for it. Service was timely and friendly. Place was a bit noisy so hard to hold a conversation...Overall, a good spot and would go back and recommend.
Opentable Diner
This is by far the best restaurant in Santa Barbara. The staff are exceptional and the food is next level. All our friends thought the same.
Rajni
Second time dining here. I love the casual yet creative ambience, and the service has always been attentive and excellent. I like that they have small plates as well as larger ones for sharing. It allows you to try more things. Highly recommend the Mysore bondas and cauliflower apps, snd their bread is soft and pillowy... I wish the food was a little bit less spicy so that I could enjoy it a bit more (the dal and eggplant). Nice to have good vegetarian options. The okra raita had a really unique flavor. Will be coming back!
Ann
The eggplant chutney with potato dumplings for an appetizer was very good. Lamb chops were okay and should have been better for the price. Mint sauce with lamb was very tasty. The yellow dal was very bland as was the coconut rice. These 4 dishes plus a $70 bottle of wine cost almost $200 for mediocre food. The restaurant was pretty empty on a Friday night at 8. I forgot we had plain nan that was really good.
Ashley
Cool vibes but the food is supppppperrrrrr average. We had a few appetizers and left because it was not good. Bummed this was on the Michelin guide list. Didn't hit the mark at all.
The food was amazing loved the fact it was a small menu as everything was perfectly cooked/seasoned the pea fritters and butter chicken were delicious. The staff were kind and considerate we will be back!! Best Indian we have tasted in a long time
Charles
Our experience at Bibi Ji was outstanding! From the drinks, to the ambience to the flavours - everything was perfection. Truthfully one of the better experiences I have had not just in Santa Barbara but anywhere in the world. I will certainly be coming back, and will be recommending it to everyone who will listen to me!
Elizabeth
We've eaten at BibiJi many times and always loved it but last nights meal was disappointing. The spice level was barely there and every thing was a bit bland. What happened to robust Indian flavors?
Jackie
Food was amazing! Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and exceptional. Would have preferred the music to be less loud. It made conversations at the table hard. We loved the menu and shared all the dishes we ordered. All were prepared with attention to detail and presented beautifully. Each dish was different and showcased the flavors in a creative way. Had a great time celebrating my daughter's birthday. The staff made her feel special! Will to come back very soon!
Sean
It didn't feel authentic Indian. The beautiful presentation did not make me forget that I was eating baked chicken with chimichuri sauce. Cafeteria-like atmosphere with pop music didn't help either.
Our party of four shared a variety of delicious dishes selected from a small but well-curated menu. The portions are not large, but we all had plenty to sample, with room left over for their refreshing house-made ice cream and sorbet at the end. The Butter Chicken and Charred Corn Salsa were favorites, as was the Chicken Tikka with a lovely perfectly spicy sauce to accompany. There is a vast menu for wines by the bottle, and a limited but interesting selection of beer and wines by the glass. The surroundings are colorful and artsy, making the restaurant feel both upscale and casual at the same time. The owners have done a great job remaking this space, which is a perfect location for dinner before a show at The Granada or The Arlington Theater. All of our servers were attentive and knowledgeable and we never felt rushed. Overall a delightful experience!
Absolutely loved BiBi Ja. We ordered one dish from each category and loved every dish. We asked for a wine recommendation and it was superb! Our server was well educated on all the dishes and recommended the perfect bottle of wine. We really enjoyed meeting the owner and valued his expertise. What a memorable evening.
We had a great meal at Bibi Ji, and I can't recommend it enough! Everything, from the moment we walked in, was wonderful. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive without being overbearing. But the food—oh, the food! We tried the cauliflower, lamb chops, butter chicken and the Garlic Naan, and all were absolutely divine. The flavors were rich, complex, and perfectly spiced, tasting incredibly fresh. If you're looking for modern twist, high-quality Indian cuisine, look no further. This place is a must-try!
Food was good but main course needed to be warmer and there wasn't much chicken in the butter chicken dish - great flavor though. Service and ambiance very good!
The food was delicious and the ambiance and variance of people made the experience very enjoyable
A little on the pricey side for what it is but quality of the food makes up for it. Service was timely and friendly. Place was a bit noisy so hard to hold a conversation...Overall, a good spot and would go back and recommend.
This is by far the best restaurant in Santa Barbara. The staff are exceptional and the food is next level. All our friends thought the same.
Second time dining here. I love the casual yet creative ambience, and the service has always been attentive and excellent. I like that they have small plates as well as larger ones for sharing. It allows you to try more things. Highly recommend the Mysore bondas and cauliflower apps, snd their bread is soft and pillowy... I wish the food was a little bit less spicy so that I could enjoy it a bit more (the dal and eggplant). Nice to have good vegetarian options. The okra raita had a really unique flavor. Will be coming back!
The eggplant chutney with potato dumplings for an appetizer was very good. Lamb chops were okay and should have been better for the price. Mint sauce with lamb was very tasty. The yellow dal was very bland as was the coconut rice. These 4 dishes plus a $70 bottle of wine cost almost $200 for mediocre food. The restaurant was pretty empty on a Friday night at 8. I forgot we had plain nan that was really good.
Cool vibes but the food is supppppperrrrrr average. We had a few appetizers and left because it was not good. Bummed this was on the Michelin guide list. Didn't hit the mark at all.
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was amazing loved the fact it was a small menu as everything was perfectly cooked/seasoned the pea fritters and butter chicken were delicious. The staff were kind and considerate we will be back!! Best Indian we have tasted in a long time
Our experience at Bibi Ji was outstanding! From the drinks, to the ambience to the flavours - everything was perfection. Truthfully one of the better experiences I have had not just in Santa Barbara but anywhere in the world. I will certainly be coming back, and will be recommending it to everyone who will listen to me!
We've eaten at BibiJi many times and always loved it but last nights meal was disappointing. The spice level was barely there and every thing was a bit bland. What happened to robust Indian flavors?
Food was amazing! Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and exceptional. Would have preferred the music to be less loud. It made conversations at the table hard. We loved the menu and shared all the dishes we ordered. All were prepared with attention to detail and presented beautifully. Each dish was different and showcased the flavors in a creative way. Had a great time celebrating my daughter's birthday. The staff made her feel special! Will to come back very soon!
It didn't feel authentic Indian. The beautiful presentation did not make me forget that I was eating baked chicken with chimichuri sauce. Cafeteria-like atmosphere with pop music didn't help either.
Loading...