50 Best Mexican Restaurants in Santa Barbara

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“good portions in the tacos. very tasty and fast service. the line seems overwhelming at first but moves fast. Will definitely be back, when in the area.“

“Walked into this cute taqueria to grab a quick lunch to go. Service was great and I was pleasantly greeted by the front employee. I got a beans, rice, and cheese burrito with chips and salsa. I got my food within 5 minutes and on my way! I’d only had wish I’d gotten more chips but all in all I loved it!“

“Ensaladas y mariscos en realidad todo está riquísimo“

“Everything I’ve tried on the menu is outstanding. Fresh ingredients and creative combinations of flavors, herbs, spices. They make their tacos on site, and all portions are substantial. I love the al pastor tacos with chunks of pineapple on top. The Colima ceviche is sublime perfection, and the plátanos are the perfect sweet compliment. The mango margarita with tajin on the rim was delicious.“

“The place is very nice and the tacos are great! It’s at the heart of the beautiful city of Santa Barbara Ca. I took a picture with one of the owners of Casa Comal. He knows hospitality!“

“We enjoyed an excellent vegan meal at La Paloma. Delicious homemade tacos stuffed with a potato-zucchini mash on a bed of flavorful black beans. Served hot, it really hit the spot. Also ordered marinated portobello mushrooms and lentils infused with honey, ginger, and truffle. Original and satisfying. Thanks for the great service too, Beth.“

“Passing through and needed to charge across the street. Figured tacos would be a safe bet, turns out these are not just safe, but amazing. Some of the best street tacos we have had. Al Pastor is top notch, and the salsa bar has some super tasty choices. The habanero salsa verde is so good I am sneaking out 2 little sauce cups for the rest of my road trip. Staff is friendly, everything is super fresh, even the pineapple.“

“I love the food excellent flavor, really good tacos crispy tacos, salsa, salsas are so good“

“On a road trip, I drove the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to San Diego, stopping at many restaurants along the way. This was by far the best restaurant on my trip; delicious food, great service and very nice place.

Was so good I forgot to take good pictures.“

“Hello Page Administrator, We regret to inform you that your page is scheduled for permanent deletion due to violations of our trademark rights. This decision has been made after careful consideration and in compliance with our user protection policies. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions or wish to contest this decision, please contact us through our page: Mike be Best regards, Mike_bee“

“Amazing delicious drinks! Marcos was the best bartender, highly recommend the ceviche and signature cocktails!“

“Never been to Santa Barbara but I believe this is the parent of the Los Arroyos in Carmel, Indiana. I could not find a page for them, so please forward my message if you can. I wanted to extend a huge thank you for the outstanding food and service we received at the Los Arroyos in Carmel last Friday afternoon to celebrate my husband’s and another’s retirement, you all did your very best to make it special and I truly appreciate you all!! Thank you so much!“

“Great food at great prices.“

“I’ve consistently had a fantastic experience at this restaurant. The staff are always friendly, and the food is consistently well-prepared. I love the variety of affordable and delicious options they offer. The strawberry shake is perfectly balanced—just the right amount of sweetness. The enchiladas verdes are tasty and has a great spice to them. I also highly recommend the chorizo sopes. Their online ordering system is quick and user-friendly, and over the past two years, I’ve never encountered issues with my food, wait times, or service.“

“Been coming here since the early 80's. Food has been on point for 40+ yrs! Get the chicken / shrimp fajitas or the carne asada. Best we've had of the above anywhere.“

“Great service and outstanding food.“

“It’s great to see a dedicated vegan section of the menu. The person on the phone was friendly and helpful when I called ahead for my to-go order. I opted for the Vegan Burrito with Soya Pastor, and it was alright—sizable and made better with the included red and green salsas (one of each). Parking seems limited. I didn’t explore a lot, but there are two spaces right in front and I got lucky one was open. There are tables under a covered patio and then a couple more tables under umbrellas. Updated from previous review on 2024-11-23“

“The late afternoon called for an iced latte, I found this Cafe on a random search. Pleasantly surprised, I found an entire food court encompassed as part of the space shared by this Cafe. So if not planning to get coffee, their are a number of options of food choices for a guest. I went to the Cafe and saw delicious deserts, but just ordered the iced latte with almond mylk. The drink, within minutes ready, I added a raw sugar packet, which actually seemed unnecessary afterwards. The almond mylk and the naturalness of the espresso on ice had a sweet flavor about it already. I was very happy with my drink for dessert and went about my way, next time planning to try one of the food places in the same building, what a genius concept!“

“Authentic food, friendly staff, I had the spicy ranchero special, it was excellent, , I’ll be going back to try the pisole next time!“

“Great food, great location and not a long wait.“

“Outstanding! I can’t say enough about this place first time here on our travels Great Food Great Service we even met the owner and he took the time to chat with us & gave us some history on the restaurant & it’s excellent menudo only regret…. Is that it wasn’t closer to us This place is a must when in Santa Barbara, Ca.“

“This place is really cute and cozy. The servers are super friendly and the food is amazing. The salsas have good flavor, the chips are warm and crispy, the drinks a super good. I got the mariscos enchiladas and my bf had the carnitas and they were both great. This is a place I would totally come back to. 10/10 would recommend.“

“I was super hungry and it was 11pm so there was nothing open, found this food trailer. I got a Torta de Carnitas to go and it was soooo yummy. The carnitas were so good and the bread was so crunchy just how they do it in Mexico. So Authentic
5 stars to this place !!! Will totally be back.“

“You’re missing the best breakfast in town. The owner is an expert barista. I had an almond latte with cinnamon and the scramble with nopales (opuntia cactus) and California chiles (not spicy). Also try horchata with a shot of espresso for lunch.

The portion was enormous and the flavors were fresh and exciting! The potatoes were so crispy. I used to frequent this restaurant years ago for their healthy soups. I’m so pleased that this is now a woman-owned local restaurant.

This is a must visit for specialty Mexican breakfasts and coffee brews. Also a great spot for gluten-free options.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free“

“Fantastic no-frills Mexican restaurant featuring Mixteco favorites. Lunchtimes are packed and finding a plastic chair & table inside or outside will be challenging. Call ahead and pick it up to go if you don't want to wait but the food is worth the hassle. Breakfast burritos are hearty and loaded. Their torta is one of the best in town even though very simple. And their street tacos are incredible and they offer at least a half-dozen different meat options. Freshly grilled jalapenos generally available to augment your meal and their horchata is respectable. If you want good solid Mexican food at reasonable prices and you're in a hurry or not trying to impress a date, this is a wonderful little place to visit.

Kid-friendliness: If you can find a place for them to sit, children will be no problem here. Very relaxed and family-friendly vibe.

Parking: Parking lot but spaces close to the restaurant are often taken. Be patient and you'll find something though and it will be worth the walk if necessary.“

“Buenos tacos ...........!!“

“We went to happy our at Little Alex's yesterday and were very happy with the whole experience. Very reasonable prices, good happy hour food and drink options, large beer selection compared to similar places, tasty salsas and bean dip, and a nice dog-friendly patio that doesn't face a busy street. Multiple vegetarian-friendly options.“

“muy buena comida y lo que sorprende mucho es que demuestran una humildad muy fina hacia los clientes y eso es de tener valores educacion y liderazgo....“

“Love every meal I've had at El Zarape!“

“A very good dining experience. Large plates with leftovers to take with you.“

“I love Palapa! Before I moved out of SB, I was at Palapa at least weekly for years. The staff is always kind and welcoming. I love getting the shrimp ceviche and a michelada or two. Both are always fabulous and delicious. Upon returning to SB for a wedding this last weekend, Palapa was one of the first spots I returned to. As always, service was perfect, food and drinks delicious, and just a great atmosphere.“

“I love the shredded beef tacos it's the only thing I get with the exception of an agua de jaimica, the tacos are so fat & the meat is seasoned well so delicious.
The customer service could be better the woman on the phone is a tad rude & in person.
The restaurant is always clean Inside.“

“Best ever day or nights. From. Aaron“

“good Mexican food.. burrito's n tacos off the chain!!!“

“Sabor, Sabor y Sabor. Jesus Would have eaten here himself, that good. Just fresh tasty perfection with super amiable service. We had 5 different meals, all tasty, we even got a tray of refried beans because I showed interest in the recipe. The salsas are great, lots of cilantro taste. The Jamaica and ochada drinks were heavenly too. And the food had great spicyness to it. I have no comparison to similar food but would go back without thinking. Gracias!“

“The food was okay. They need to be more specific of what ingredients are added. My food had chipotle sauce which I'm not to fond of , and five little shrimp for that price is a bit ridiculous. It was just okay. I didn't like the fact that a bunch of guys go in there just to eat and drink. And talk really loud, so it's not a very relaxing place or family oriented where you could have children around or young lady's when men are drinking.“

“The past few times I have eaten at Rudy's, the food was not hot ! I picked up a combo plate, the enchilada was cold, and the cheese was unmelted. Also , the taco in the box was unwrapped on the rice and beans, and the taco was a mess just fell apart . Wrap the taco and leave it out of the box.
Even the 3 min drive with a hard shell taco out of the box can be pushing it . Wrap the Taco ?‍♂️“

“My sons favorite spot on State St!“

“Let me start off by saying I wish I would’ve taken a picture!!! I ordered a burrito of carnitas with red sauce and let me say I’ve never had carnitas so juicy in my life! The taste of it was amazing authentic Mexican food the salsa the guacamole was amazing!!!!! I will definitely be back even though I live in Apple Valley ?“

“Stopped in and got a chicken burrito that was better then I expected, staff needs to learn about customer service and when it's ok to mess around with each other. I will stop in when I'm in the area again but not a place I would travel to.“

“great tacos! highly recommended.“

“I went on a Saturday and no one was there, I asked for my order and it took them about 30 minutes to give it to me. Then I went to ask if my food was ready or was it going to take longer, to which they told me that it had been ready for a while but they couldn't find a bowl to put my birria broth in. When they finally gave me my food the tortillas for my tacos were cold ?. However, the food was delicious! I highly recommend the asada street tacos. If wouldn’t be for that inconvenient I would give them 5 stars ⭐️“

“They have tortillas in different sizes, chips, organic products, chiles, dry spices and masa for tamales. You can call and place an order over the phone or pick up. Nice and friendly owners that treat everyone like family. The products are delicious and amazing quality!“

“Love it! Little place with great food and HOT salsa!! Love it! The owners are a sweet hard working couple! Go try it!“

“Great food, great staff. They serve menudo on weekends and it's the best around.“

“(Translated by Google) Excellent ? place..The food with a good seasoning and delicious ?.It's just that it's very hot inside at noon...Above all. They are friendly and good vibes(Original)Excelente ? lugar..La comida con un buen sazón y delicioso ?.Solamente que adentro hace mucho calor al medio día...Sobre todo. Son amables y buena onda“

“Awesome little Taco shop! The Cheese Enchalada was amazing and a must try! Get the carnitas on whatever you order, it was the best choice! Also the Three Crispy Tacos are an awesome deal! The portions are huge and delicious, Service is friendly, atmosphere is a little bare minimum. Definitely recommend!“

“We had a large group of about 20 and you wouldn't have known it. Service and food were timely and the quality was not sacrificed. Sometimes hard to pull off with such a large group. Bravo to the owner for making our evening very enjoyable.“

“Please help local businesses. El Rincon Bohemio is Open for take out orders!! Weekdays 11am-8pm and weekends 8am-8pm!“