Food wasn’t tastyDrinks are good ?I am come back only for drinks ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
L G
Our experience could not have been better. We had a great meal paired with wonderful wines. The staff is very friendly and professional, and they made us feel very special. The ham is very good, although it is not iberico, which I would hope for a restaurant of this caliber to have had. Pan con tomate is exceptional, and we loved the roasted garlic. Finally, the fish branzino is excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely dinner with friends. Greeted by the charming host and seated right away. Calamari's), oak bakery bread (little pricy) and fried green tomatoes (delicious). Steaks were tasty as was the sea bass. We had brought two bottles of wine but host told us they comp the corkage one one if we buy a bottle so we ordered a delicious S. African Sauvignon Blanc! It was lively and full but we could still hear each other and our server Leona was excellent and personable.
Nina Mir
All our food was just ok, nothing that stood out. And really salty for my taste. The kitchen was backed up so half our party did not get their food on time. I think it’s pricey for what you get. Wouldn’t recommend if you’re a tourist in SB.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sophia Taylor
Gala is hands down my favorite spot in Santa Barbara to take family or friends. Their menu is refreshing and their drinks are always so tasty. I love their staff and they always strive to take care of their customers. Their happy hour is seriously the best and that is when I love to bring my baby as well. Nice and mellow with great fries to share together.
My second time at Gala. Even better than the first. All dishes were excellent. Enjoyed the indoor seating, as it was chilly last night. Will definitely go back. No surprise, the scallops were the hit of the evening!
CindyAA
Though we've eaten outside on the patio a dozen times, this was our first time indoors. The ambience and energy were delightful but our middle aged group struggled to hear. Everything else was exceptional and we will of course continue to dine here.
Meaghen H.
We had reservations for 2 on a Friday evening. Dinner was amazing- my friend commented that when she goes out to eat she wants the fanciest, most complex dishes unlike anything she could make at home- the octopus special hit the nail on the head with this one. The heaters, lighting and guitar entertainment really made for a truly enjoyable dining experience. Pricey, but one of those places where you feel as if you're paying for more than just the food.
Rick
We had allotted 1 1/2 hours to dine this evening starting at 6pm. We enjoyed our cocktails and starters but after waiting 45 minutes our main courses did not arrive because the kitchen misplaced our order and at 7:20 we had to leave without having our anticipated delicious main course. Very disappointing! Unfortunately, not sure we will return to Gala
James S.
Excellent establishment, a wonderful welcomed new addition to Santa Barbara - unique dishes - the duck was excellent, appetizers wonderful, drinks in real crystal. Service was par excellent. Fresh, young and inspiring vibe!
I love Gala restaurant for many reasons, but mostly because I think that the owners love food and want to keep their patrons happy, especially those of us who keep us returning. Beautiful decor, wonderful food, kind servers.
Nick P.
The casualness (carelessness?) of service delivery in the seemingly upscale American dining experience has become something of a chronic infection plaguing the entire US service industry. The symptoms of this infection seem to acutely manifest themselves in "recently" opened sort-of upscale themed establishments (this place tries to be Spanish or something, but kinda fails at it) that in the last decade may have been considered novel as some Bourgeois/hipster amalgamation. Millennials (of which I am one) frequent these places, but their wine lists tend to be sub-par and often they, then, fail to deliver on basic service expectations. Indeed, Santa Barbara is littered with these places that try to wow you with aesthetics of place while failing to deliver on the basics (see, e.g. Barbareno, Black Sheep, Costa, Finch and Fork, etc.). Regarding service, take for example the fork and knife placed on the starter plate. Starters come and are consumed. Starter plates are removed and THEN the fork and knife are taken away and replaced by a new fork and knife for the entree, right? WRONG! They are placed directly on the table, the assumption being we should pay over $40 for a few "lollipops" of lamb (that's how the server described it) and consume it with a dirty fork that has been just casually sitting on the table. Imagine this happening at a steakhouse ... the Boomers would be mortified! And so am I. The lack of couth is frustrating. Also, you could ask if we want more wine before the main course comes out. My glass sat empty, then the food came out and we ordered drinks and waited 10 mins to get them. Snap snap! Service should be more attentive and the drinks should come out faster. No more excuses about being short staffed or taking your time to make things "special." As for the food/ drinks ... let me start with the cocktails ... if you're into creative combinations of activated charcoal and liquor this place is for you. Indeed the mezcal margarita with aforementioned ingredients was rather refreshing! But, an old school palette may not appreciate such creative cocktail machinations: their version of the old fashioned was so syrupy that it drowned out the smoky flavor of the whiskey. Too bad. As for the food ... it's actually the bright spot! Keeps me from giving them a 1/5. But the entire experience was frustrating and detracted from the quality meal. I suggest that for a quality night out you avoid this place. Ca'Dario, Toma, Lucky's, Secret Bao even ... more places for better food and service than here
Toasteroven
The atmosphere on the patio was a little chaotic and the noise level at our sidewalk-side table was loud but the host and our server were very sweet. The skillet cornbread was good and the quinoa hashbown side was delicious. Our main courses were a little puzzling, we had the bronzino and the duck confit - the bronzino was a pretty little 3 or 4 ounce portion of fish decorated with a pile of greens that definitely left me wanting another side to fill the meal out. The confit portion was equally moderate. Flavors were good, but probably not special enough to bring us back.
Dakini2
Santa Barbara is fortunate to have Gala! I was over the top impressed on every level a restaurant can offer. We overstayed our welcome (table) as having so much fun and were accommodated, treated kindly and respectfully as valued customers, despite a full house! My dining partner, native Santa Barbarian!, was also amazed at the level of excellence and care provided us. The food is sublime and creative. The service attentive and professional. Kudos to the management as well! Thank you for an exceptional dining experience!
Laura K.
I never write reviews, but feel that a review is necessary after the poor experience we had at gala on Friday night. We are Santa Barbara locals and this was the second time we have eaten here. The first time the service and food was subpar. They had given us free Prosecco for the inconvenience the first time and we wanted to give it another chance since the aesthetic is nice. We had a reservation at 7pm on Friday. We arrived on time, but had to wait outside and were seated at 7:10 (totally fine, this is not where my issues lie). We were seated at a table right next to the bar. It seemed to be an added table with no white table cloth, unlike the others. My husband got bumped serval times by a waiter or waitress running drinks or a bar back coming through. We had to get up and ask the people sitting at the bar to scoot in to give a little more room to prevent the bumping. Our waiter could have cared less about us and was very unapproachable. At this point we contemplated getting up and leaving, but decided to try and make the most of it as we were celebrating a late Valentine's Day. We asked to do our dinner "shareable" style, which seemed appropriate given the menu. When we asked if we should order the food at once or in increments, the waiter responded by saying "order all at once, I won't rush you." I kid you not, 3 minutes later 4/5 dishes we ordered were on the table. I mentioned to one of the gals serving food that we were told we would not be rushed, which she responded by giggling, shrugging, and setting the food down. We were served water once at the beginning of the meal. All other tables seemed to have a carafe of water, we did not. We went without water for the duration of our meal but luckily had wine. The food is good, but not worth the service or money. We were incredibly uncomfortable all evening and will not be back. Gala should be ashamed.
Food wasn’t tastyDrinks are good ?I am come back only for drinks ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Our experience could not have been better. We had a great meal paired with wonderful wines. The staff is very friendly and professional, and they made us feel very special. The ham is very good, although it is not iberico, which I would hope for a restaurant of this caliber to have had. Pan con tomate is exceptional, and we loved the roasted garlic. Finally, the fish branzino is excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely dinner with friends. Greeted by the charming host and seated right away. Calamari's), oak bakery bread (little pricy) and fried green tomatoes (delicious). Steaks were tasty as was the sea bass. We had brought two bottles of wine but host told us they comp the corkage one one if we buy a bottle so we ordered a delicious S. African Sauvignon Blanc! It was lively and full but we could still hear each other and our server Leona was excellent and personable.
All our food was just ok, nothing that stood out. And really salty for my taste. The kitchen was backed up so half our party did not get their food on time. I think it’s pricey for what you get. Wouldn’t recommend if you’re a tourist in SB.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Gala is hands down my favorite spot in Santa Barbara to take family or friends. Their menu is refreshing and their drinks are always so tasty. I love their staff and they always strive to take care of their customers. Their happy hour is seriously the best and that is when I love to bring my baby as well. Nice and mellow with great fries to share together.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Zucchini Flowers, Steak, Fried Green Tomatoes, Mushroom Risotto
My second time at Gala. Even better than the first. All dishes were excellent. Enjoyed the indoor seating, as it was chilly last night. Will definitely go back. No surprise, the scallops were the hit of the evening!
Though we've eaten outside on the patio a dozen times, this was our first time indoors. The ambience and energy were delightful but our middle aged group struggled to hear. Everything else was exceptional and we will of course continue to dine here.
We had reservations for 2 on a Friday evening. Dinner was amazing- my friend commented that when she goes out to eat she wants the fanciest, most complex dishes unlike anything she could make at home- the octopus special hit the nail on the head with this one. The heaters, lighting and guitar entertainment really made for a truly enjoyable dining experience. Pricey, but one of those places where you feel as if you're paying for more than just the food.
We had allotted 1 1/2 hours to dine this evening starting at 6pm. We enjoyed our cocktails and starters but after waiting 45 minutes our main courses did not arrive because the kitchen misplaced our order and at 7:20 we had to leave without having our anticipated delicious main course. Very disappointing! Unfortunately, not sure we will return to Gala
Excellent establishment, a wonderful welcomed new addition to Santa Barbara - unique dishes - the duck was excellent, appetizers wonderful, drinks in real crystal. Service was par excellent. Fresh, young and inspiring vibe!
Restaurantji Recommends
I love Gala restaurant for many reasons, but mostly because I think that the owners love food and want to keep their patrons happy, especially those of us who keep us returning. Beautiful decor, wonderful food, kind servers.
The casualness (carelessness?) of service delivery in the seemingly upscale American dining experience has become something of a chronic infection plaguing the entire US service industry. The symptoms of this infection seem to acutely manifest themselves in "recently" opened sort-of upscale themed establishments (this place tries to be Spanish or something, but kinda fails at it) that in the last decade may have been considered novel as some Bourgeois/hipster amalgamation. Millennials (of which I am one) frequent these places, but their wine lists tend to be sub-par and often they, then, fail to deliver on basic service expectations. Indeed, Santa Barbara is littered with these places that try to wow you with aesthetics of place while failing to deliver on the basics (see, e.g. Barbareno, Black Sheep, Costa, Finch and Fork, etc.). Regarding service, take for example the fork and knife placed on the starter plate. Starters come and are consumed. Starter plates are removed and THEN the fork and knife are taken away and replaced by a new fork and knife for the entree, right? WRONG! They are placed directly on the table, the assumption being we should pay over $40 for a few "lollipops" of lamb (that's how the server described it) and consume it with a dirty fork that has been just casually sitting on the table. Imagine this happening at a steakhouse ... the Boomers would be mortified! And so am I. The lack of couth is frustrating. Also, you could ask if we want more wine before the main course comes out. My glass sat empty, then the food came out and we ordered drinks and waited 10 mins to get them. Snap snap! Service should be more attentive and the drinks should come out faster. No more excuses about being short staffed or taking your time to make things "special." As for the food/ drinks ... let me start with the cocktails ... if you're into creative combinations of activated charcoal and liquor this place is for you. Indeed the mezcal margarita with aforementioned ingredients was rather refreshing! But, an old school palette may not appreciate such creative cocktail machinations: their version of the old fashioned was so syrupy that it drowned out the smoky flavor of the whiskey. Too bad. As for the food ... it's actually the bright spot! Keeps me from giving them a 1/5. But the entire experience was frustrating and detracted from the quality meal. I suggest that for a quality night out you avoid this place. Ca'Dario, Toma, Lucky's, Secret Bao even ... more places for better food and service than here
The atmosphere on the patio was a little chaotic and the noise level at our sidewalk-side table was loud but the host and our server were very sweet. The skillet cornbread was good and the quinoa hashbown side was delicious. Our main courses were a little puzzling, we had the bronzino and the duck confit - the bronzino was a pretty little 3 or 4 ounce portion of fish decorated with a pile of greens that definitely left me wanting another side to fill the meal out. The confit portion was equally moderate. Flavors were good, but probably not special enough to bring us back.
Santa Barbara is fortunate to have Gala! I was over the top impressed on every level a restaurant can offer. We overstayed our welcome (table) as having so much fun and were accommodated, treated kindly and respectfully as valued customers, despite a full house! My dining partner, native Santa Barbarian!, was also amazed at the level of excellence and care provided us. The food is sublime and creative. The service attentive and professional. Kudos to the management as well! Thank you for an exceptional dining experience!
I never write reviews, but feel that a review is necessary after the poor experience we had at gala on Friday night. We are Santa Barbara locals and this was the second time we have eaten here. The first time the service and food was subpar. They had given us free Prosecco for the inconvenience the first time and we wanted to give it another chance since the aesthetic is nice. We had a reservation at 7pm on Friday. We arrived on time, but had to wait outside and were seated at 7:10 (totally fine, this is not where my issues lie). We were seated at a table right next to the bar. It seemed to be an added table with no white table cloth, unlike the others. My husband got bumped serval times by a waiter or waitress running drinks or a bar back coming through. We had to get up and ask the people sitting at the bar to scoot in to give a little more room to prevent the bumping. Our waiter could have cared less about us and was very unapproachable. At this point we contemplated getting up and leaving, but decided to try and make the most of it as we were celebrating a late Valentine's Day. We asked to do our dinner "shareable" style, which seemed appropriate given the menu. When we asked if we should order the food at once or in increments, the waiter responded by saying "order all at once, I won't rush you." I kid you not, 3 minutes later 4/5 dishes we ordered were on the table. I mentioned to one of the gals serving food that we were told we would not be rushed, which she responded by giggling, shrugging, and setting the food down. We were served water once at the beginning of the meal. All other tables seemed to have a carafe of water, we did not. We went without water for the duration of our meal but luckily had wine. The food is good, but not worth the service or money. We were incredibly uncomfortable all evening and will not be back. Gala should be ashamed.