Took a group of 7 foodies out for a special occasion, and everyone was delighted with the freshness of the food, the seasoning and presentation, and the menu options. The intimate atmosphere was ideal, as we could all hear everyone around the table so it's a great place for a social dinner. This place is a gem.
Indira Mohamed
I wouldn’t exactly call this place a hidden gem because it actually appears to be a wildly popular restaurant in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. I think the hidden part is the fact that this beautiful little French restaurant transforms into an Ethiopian restaurant on the weekend.
I met Serkadis this morning and she invited me to the restaurant for lunch. WOW! This place did not disappoint. She cooks everything herself and it’s clear that she takes great pride in the food she prepares. I am a huge fan of Ethiopian food and I can honestly say that this is some of the best I have ever had. Her hands are truly gifted. While the food was excellent, I think the most impressive part was the high level of service I received today. If I could, I would give this place 10 stars.
Oh…and don’t even get me started on the coffee. Just wow!
Thank you, Serkadis, James, and Desta. You have my heart! I wish you all much success.
David Rentschler
Flat iron steak was very good. Service was very good
Jingwei Zhou
Tasty food and good service. Lunch is a great deal
M
We loved everything about this. Went here for dinner before the Opera at the Lobero. It was a short walk, very convenient to everything. Food was fantastic. Two of us had the veal dish and the other had the sole. We also shared an order of bread. Excellent. The server was so kind and helpful. The other two men there were so warm and welcoming. It was a great night. Will dine there again soon.
Nini
Me and my husband just had a wonderful dinner at this absolutely beautiful restaurant. Both of us are more than satisfied with our entrees, and the staff is very friendly. The chef even treats my husband a glass of wine after he saw he needs to dance around to put my little daughter to sleep. We will for sure come back for other dishes.
Sergey Maksimov
I only gave this place a five because I couldn’t give it a six. They have very kind staff, welcoming owner, great food, and it is a perfect cozy restaurant in a beautiful plaza. 100% recommended.
Harish Anand “HAT” Thilakan
Go there on the weekends and get the combination plate. The menu changes every 2 weeks but we had the spicy chicken, the beef with the butternut squash, eggplant, okra and cauliflower. Absolutely incredible food. Friendly unobtrusive service. Total joy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
elena chester
The food was excellent, as always, but the service was inept and off-putting. Also, not quite sure how a restaurant runs out of bottled water, but so it did. Highly recommended for the food, and hope the service wrinkles can be ironed out soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Cheryn English
Excellent food, helpful and knowledgeable waiter. People cancelled their reservations because of the horrible weather but a few brave souls and myself enjoyed the cozy romantic and charming atmosphere while the rain poured down.
Great spot for a date or a dinner with a small groups of friends. We ordered the branzino and sole and both were cooked to perfection. Excellent desserts and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Petrale Sole with Capers and Lemon, Branzino
David B
Delicious French cooking . Simple but flavorful with moderate portions sizes. Be sure to ask about the specials and what soups are on offer, and check out the Sunday supper fixed price dining or weekend Ethiopian cuisine if you have the chance for something different. Located in La Arcata, a pedestrian walkway that feels very European , offering al fresco dining and several other food and wine locations in the area.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Petrale Sole with Capers and Lemon, Branzino
Pure Intentions Love life
Excellent from start to finish. ! A must when in Santa Barbara ❤️ We sat out on the patio.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Prime Cut Flat Iron Steak Red Wine Sauce, House Salad, Soup
Linda Hill
I came here for lunch. I was here around 11:30am, and was able to get seated pretty quickly. I had the crab cakes. These were delicious. The food pricing was reasonable and the portion sizing was quite adequate. I thought the service was good as well. This place is located in the La Arcada. I sat at a nice outdoor table which is good for people watching.
Parking: There is a paid parking lot around the corner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bentley Schoening
The crab cake and veal were exceptional. Service was attentive and everyone was very friendly. The ambiance of the walk street location made us feel like we were dining in a European town. The premium quality of the food is not reflected in the very affordable prices. Highly recommended!!
Took a group of 7 foodies out for a special occasion, and everyone was delighted with the freshness of the food, the seasoning and presentation, and the menu options. The intimate atmosphere was ideal, as we could all hear everyone around the table so it's a great place for a social dinner. This place is a gem.
I wouldn’t exactly call this place a hidden gem because it actually appears to be a wildly popular restaurant in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. I think the hidden part is the fact that this beautiful little French restaurant transforms into an Ethiopian restaurant on the weekend.
I met Serkadis this morning and she invited me to the restaurant for lunch. WOW! This place did not disappoint. She cooks everything herself and it’s clear that she takes great pride in the food she prepares. I am a huge fan of Ethiopian food and I can honestly say that this is some of the best I have ever had. Her hands are truly gifted. While the food was excellent, I think the most impressive part was the high level of service I received today. If I could, I would give this place 10 stars.
Oh…and don’t even get me started on the coffee. Just wow!
Thank you, Serkadis, James, and Desta. You have my heart! I wish you all much success.
Flat iron steak was very good. Service was very good
Tasty food and good service. Lunch is a great deal
We loved everything about this. Went here for dinner before the Opera at the Lobero. It was a short walk, very convenient to everything. Food was fantastic. Two of us had the veal dish and the other had the sole. We also shared an order of bread. Excellent. The server was so kind and helpful. The other two men there were so warm and welcoming. It was a great night. Will dine there again soon.
Me and my husband just had a wonderful dinner at this absolutely beautiful restaurant. Both of us are more than satisfied with our entrees, and the staff is very friendly. The chef even treats my husband a glass of wine after he saw he needs to dance around to put my little daughter to sleep.
We will for sure come back for other dishes.
I only gave this place a five because I couldn’t give it a six. They have very kind staff, welcoming owner, great food, and it is a perfect cozy restaurant in a beautiful plaza. 100% recommended.
Go there on the weekends and get the combination plate. The menu changes every 2 weeks but we had the spicy chicken, the beef with the butternut squash, eggplant, okra and cauliflower. Absolutely incredible food. Friendly unobtrusive service. Total joy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was excellent, as always, but the service was inept and off-putting. Also, not quite sure how a restaurant runs out of bottled water, but so it did. Highly recommended for the food, and hope the service wrinkles can be ironed out soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Excellent food, helpful and knowledgeable waiter. People cancelled their reservations because of the horrible weather but a few brave souls and myself enjoyed the cozy romantic and charming atmosphere while the rain poured down.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great spot for a date or a dinner with a small groups of friends. We ordered the branzino and sole and both were cooked to perfection. Excellent desserts and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Petrale Sole with Capers and Lemon, Branzino
Delicious French cooking . Simple but flavorful with moderate portions sizes. Be sure to ask about the specials and what soups are on offer, and check out the Sunday supper fixed price dining or weekend Ethiopian cuisine if you have the chance for something different. Located in La Arcata, a pedestrian walkway that feels very European , offering al fresco dining and several other food and wine locations in the area.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Petrale Sole with Capers and Lemon, Branzino
Excellent from start to finish. ! A must when in Santa Barbara ❤️ We sat out on the patio.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Prime Cut Flat Iron Steak Red Wine Sauce, House Salad, Soup
I came here for lunch. I was here around 11:30am, and was able to get seated pretty quickly. I had the crab cakes. These were delicious. The food pricing was reasonable and the portion sizing was quite adequate. I thought the service was good as well. This place is located in the La Arcada. I sat at a nice outdoor table which is good for people watching.
Parking: There is a paid parking lot around the corner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The crab cake and veal were exceptional. Service was attentive and everyone was very friendly. The ambiance of the walk street location made us feel like we were dining in a European town. The premium quality of the food is not reflected in the very affordable prices. Highly recommended!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Cake Roast Garlic Sauce
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