The Harbor Restaurant
210 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara
(805) 963-3311
Recent Reviews
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Incredibly loud in the restaurant. Food was ok to terrible. One dish was so salty that it was inedible. The service was slow and almost to the point of ignoring us. Very disappointed.
We had a good dinner at The Harbor Restaurant. The service and food were both very good. The place is pricey but the fish was fresh (halibut) and the way it was served (over mashed parsnips - great idea - and a nice, light sauce) was unique and yummy which made it worth the cost. The ahi tuna appetizers were also delicious. The crepes suzette dessert didn't hit the mark though - it was way too sweet with the sauce completely overwhelming the crepes, although we seemed to finish it just the same! The restaurant appears to be newly remodeled and clean. The view is lovely and I would recommend for a special dinner with one caveat: it is VERY noisy. They really should consider doing something to deal with the volume (a bit of sound-proofing material would go a long way.) There were two large parties when we were there but guessing it is still noisy even without them. We (just two of us) literally could not hear each other talk.
The food was superb and we had a beautiful table next to the window. Our waitperson, Amber, was just lovely! It was the perfect evening for our visiting family. Thank you!
The food and ambience were good. The harbor view is beautiful, especially if you're lucky to catch a sunset. We specifically reserved a table by the window to see a sunset. Unfortunately the host refused to give us a table with a clear view, we got a very obstructed view. When we asked for another table, he refused saying it was reserved for 5 people. Sure enough 5 min later only two people were seated there. Overall the restaurant is pretty nice , but would benefit from a more customer friendly service. We didn't feel welcome and will not be back there again.
We will not go back and we can't recommend. The views are nice, but the service was extremely poor. We waited a full 10 minutes before a waiter acknowledged us and provided water, although the place was half empty. It took another 15 minutes for bread to arrive, which cost $9. My wife's main dish arrived 15 minutes later, followed ten minutes later by side dishes (all extra priced) followed another 15 minutes later by the main course for my daughter and me. Her Risotto was bland, my Halibut was not fresh and overcooked. Overall extremely overpriced for poor food quality and miserable service you wouldn't expect from an expensive, fancy looking place. Overall my check was over $150 for poor food and even worse service. The only thing they have going for themselves is indeed the view of the harbor. Be warned!
We were pleasantly surprised to see many of the staff from Stella Maris when we arrived. Easy, free parking with plenty of spaces at 6:30 on a Tuesday night. I ordered the Seafood Pasta and my date ordered the Seared Local Halibut. Both presentations were beautiful and perfectly prepared. The halibut was moist, flaky and on the medium side of medium rare, not “tourist medium” ie: medium well as in most restaurants. The Seafood Pasta consisted of clams, prawns, shrimp and mussels in a tomato based sauce and black squid ink pasta. The bowl could have been warmer to keep the pasta hot; but the balance of the ingredients was perfect. Service was outstanding, Danny was our server and he couldn't have been more accommodating, attentive to our every need even as he was working tables in another room as well. The bar was hopping with what appeared to be lots of locals. The views were spectacular and the decor was fresh, bright, the chairs were very comfortable and the table height was perfect. The men's room though, needs some attention, clean; but below the level of perfection shown in the rest of the restaurant. Prices were surprisingly reasonable for such an upscale restaurant and though we skipped dessert, the selections were very enticing. Definitely worth a repeat.
The servers who were available went out of their way to provide helpful and professional service. The issue was that there weren't enough servers to respond in a timely manner when asked for assistance.
Had an amazing experience here. The staff is extremely friendly, attentive and wonderful. Beautiful views! Went back the next day again. Highly reccomend for any occasion.
We visited the restaurant 6 years ago and ordered the same menu as then; seafood tower. Both service and quality of food had decreased a lot. For appetizers we ordered bread for the table of 5 persons. We were given 5 thin baguette slices of the kind you buy frozen and heat. The bill ended up at $110 per person so one would expect a decent loaf of bread included :). Service was slow despite only 3 tables being occupied. A sad experience for a restaurant at such a beautiful location.
The views and atmosphere at Harbor Restaurant were fantastic — definitely a beautiful spot to enjoy a meal. However, the food didn’t quite live up to the setting. The lobster risotto was unfortunately very bland, and overall, the prices felt a bit steep for the quality we received.
The standout dish was the crispy rice, which was delicious, but the portion was very small (only two pieces). Would come back for the ambiance, but I’d set my expectations lower for the food next time.
Restaurantji Recommends
Come here for the vibes not the food or service. Service was incredibly slow and inattentive. Food was okay but for the prices we expected better. And don’t order the ginger ale it’s the worst ginger ale I’ve ever had. Lobster was good but quite expensive. Oysters were fresh. The atmosphere is really beautiful on the pier overlooking the water but that’s all it has going for them. Wouldn’t recommend unless you want the vibes.
The food was fantastic and the ambience was beautiful overlooking the ocean. My swordfish was delicious and my husband had the prime rib that was also fantastic.
Some courses were great, others mediocre. The bathrooms were dirty with no paper towels left at 8:00 pm on a Saturday night. The ambience is really nice and looks very upscale with $1 million view, but many of the clients were in T-shirt shorts and flip-flops. It just didn't make sense. 
Amazing food , service and view ! Clean and elegant!
came to this restaurant and sat in the dining area where my friend was. I'm a student and was very tired, and I accidentally fell asleep for a short while. I understand it's not ideal to sleep in a restaurant, but the staff were extremely rude when waking me up and told me to leave in a very unpleasant way.
I even tried to order something, but they refused. I don’t understand why I was treated with such hostility.
Very disappointed by the behavior of the staff. I wouldn’t recommend this place based on how I was treated.
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