Amazing!!! Chefs table is the best!!! Amazing to watch all kitchen working..such a differend vibe, so much needed in SB. Love the food..
Mike K.
We had high hopes but overall visit was disappointing. The food was very good. It just didn't hit the mark in many factors -- Service was pretentious, they changed the fish in the special after we ordered (and we were there at 7:30 so strange they could run out so quickly), the table next to us were told about more specials than we were presented, and didn't like that the dessert menu is on this huge white board they bring to your table.
Allison B.
Great, unique Santa Barbara spot. As a local, I had walked by it many times after work and it always looked so inviting. I was not disappointed. Amazing food (the chicken tajine), a fun chat with the owner and excellent fellow guests. The lemon curd desert was astonishing. Great live music, not too loud... instrumental and jazzy on the night we were there. Be aware if you are a party of 2-4 people book outside seating: some of the tables are communal, though the guests we shared with were delightful. Great for parties of 6 or more. Worked find for the two ofus - everyone engaged with each other here and there, but also left you to enjoy your meal with your party. Will certainly return time and time again.
Scott H.
The Little Door, brings in a really big crowd. With World Class Live Performance Painter Norton Wisdom on the brushes, fingertips and his infamous back-lit giant canvas in the corner. Norton performed his magic art in sync with the live music delivered like clock work. Everyone loves Norton and is blown away by his amazing artistic talent. The Little Door was packed to the max. The live rock and roll singer blew everyone away with his amazing voice, delivering the perfect night cap that wrapped up the jam packed night out. The giant crowd slowed down the service, wait times and order accuracy were challenging for the owner who was very kind and very apologetic that the service sucked. Our waiter was very friendly, however his server team mates were MIA at times. They were short staffed on the night of our visit. From one to two all the way up to three servers were no where to be found. None the less, the quality of the food was fantastic. Excellent choices on the menu that is different most nights. The State Street Salad has our vote as the best salad on the AR (American Riviera). From the fresh local mussel and other delightful seafood, vegetarian dishes, really nice chicken, and gourmet meats, there is something for everybody. Their Pizza is EXCELLENT too! The pastry chef knocks out an amazing choice of desserts selected from the chalk board. Go For It. Again the owner was very kind and was very sorry for the service delays we experienced. We were taken care of properly with the to-die-for desserts and after dinner in-house made fantastic wine. Lovely tasting! A really nice touch. We are certain that the service is fine most nights. The giant jam packed crowd on hand to party down with the amazing performance painting from Norton, the amazing rock singer and live music caused the service delays. NP. You will really enjoy the lovely menu and delightful desserts. Cozy atmosphere, fairly loud at times, well with live music why not. Very DOG FRIENDLY. Make reservations. The bar was very busy, the wine was flowing. Very good choice of wines! Enjoy.
Laura F.
Unfortunately, just not worth it. I was excited to dine here considering all of the excellent reviews, but it fell far short of expectations. I made a reservation for my SO's bday. We arrived and were promptly seated, but that was the end of the positive experience. We waited for over 15 minutes to be greeted by a server. When the server finally arrived, they informed us that they weren't actually our server, but they had no idea who was, and since we hadn't been helped, they'd go ahead and help us. I asked about wine- the server couldn't tell me anything about any of the wines I asked about, saying only "this one gets sent back, this one doesn't". Now a $65 bottle of wine isn't that expensive and I don't expect a sommelier, but at least a bit of a description/knowledge would've been helpful. The server was friendly, but not very attentive and not knowledgable. We ordered a french onion soup to start, which was fine. And then the steak frites and salmon as our entree. Both were lukewarm and bland- totally lacking any flavor and completely underwhelming and NOT EVEN HOT. And the dessert- we ordered a creme brulee, which was also only fine. The custard was good, but the shell was chewy instead of hard- a no-go. I also mentioned early in the meal that we were celebrating a birthday and the server said they were glad to know and would make sure it was special. I don't expect anything for free, but a simple 'happy birthday' or candle or flower on the dessert or really ANY type of service that acknowledged a special occasion would've been nice. That also did not happen. In the end, the server dropped our check, ran our card, and walked away without even saying thank you. Our bill was $157 WITH $20 off with the axxess card. And the night didn't feel at all special, despite the fact that we were trying to celebrate. For the price, go to Barbareno, go to Bouchon, honestly, go anywhere else.
Laurie Eagleson
The Patio of the Little Door is the Perfect Dinner Venue for a Courthouse Elopement. It's Sparkly, Cozy, Private, and Magical ✨ Literally EVERYTHING served to our group was superb (food & drink). The Owner & Manager were hands-on, attentive throughout our event despite the modest size of our group, as was the staff - nothing was too much trouble. The preplanning was professional yet personal, as was assistance with "packing-up" at the conclusion. Wine selection is outstanding, food servings are above average, the menu is unique in an excellent way, and the well drinks are strong. Really everything one could hope for, under the incredibly intimate nature of the gathering. I regret that I don't remember specific names of those with whom we worked, however I'm certain they know who they are.
Aaron Lasley
Great for happy hour. Food was excellent. Staff was very friendly and responsive.
Harriet E.
The food here is still amazing, so this review is not about the wonderful food or atmosphere. I want to note that our waiter here last night was pretty dismal. It took 3 hours to dine and we weren't looking for a long experience. Samuel just kept disappearing and twice I got out of my seat to go look for service. It took 45 minutes to get an iced tea. We had to ask for a 2nd bread repeatedly, even though we asked for 2 loaves when we placed our initial order of mussels (the sauce is so divine, you will quickly go through an order of bread dredging it through). We ran out of water several times and Samuel was nowhere in sight to refill them. Because of his service and since he was dressed differently than all the other waiters (no white shirt), I wondered if perhaps he's not normally a waiter there. It seemed that he wasn't really in the dining room much. He left our used dishes in front of us until the next course arrived, rather than removing them when we finished. (And for a 3-hour dinner, that's a lot of time sitting there with dirty dishes in front of you.) Five minutes after we sat down, we finished our cocktails and after realizing he wasn't taking dirty dishes away, we moved them to the side of the table closest to where he would come, but it made no difference. After sitting with our dirty dinner plates in front of us for almost an hour, we finally asked him to remove them. Eventually he did, but the dirty, empty cocktail glasses remained. After ordering dessert but before it arrived, he plopped the bill vertically in the bill holder in the middle of the table, leaving no room for our shared dessert. It just felt rude to dump the bill on us before serving dessert after a 3-hour dinner. Later when he brought dessert, he had to move the bill to place the dessert. This is a fine restaurant and my favorite in town. The live music was top shelf. The bartenders at the bar were wonderfully charming and did a great job explaining and mixing the drinks. The owners are sincere and passionate about this awesome restaurant. And the atmosphere is sexy and warm. It's always a 5-star joint in my book, but Samuel delivered service like an untrained rookie. It was a bummer because it was a special occasion dinner with out of town family. When you spend $200 for 3 people to dine, you don't expect to be sitting with your picked-over fish carcass for an hour after eating it. I'll definitely return, but I will request not to be in Samuel K's section. Sorry, Samuel, but you know you sucked! It's not enough to deliver 2-star service in a 5-star restaurant, while you keep apologizing for your forgetfulness. No amount of charm will make that many missteps okay. Step it up and focus! I'm still giving The Little Door 5 stars, because I love this place and one waiter shouldn't wreck its rating. I'll definitely be back and will assume last night's experience was an anomaly. Please note that I picked up Samuel K's name off my receipt, so I'm assuming that's who waited on us.
Santiago V.
I plan to leave a more in depth review but for now I just want to say this place is a wonderful and inviting place to eat, drink and enjoy friends and family. My wife and I got married December of 2018 and we had our wedding dinner here with our family and friends. There were only 30 of us but we were treated like royalty. The food was amazing and the staff even better. We stopped by today to say hi and have some mussels and wine. Brought back some great memories. Thank you to The Little Door for making our big day delicious.
After a long day of trouristing, this was a great spot for a relaxing dinner. They have a lovely small patio, and we sat out there, where I should say the tables are communal. Their cocktails are really interesting and tasty! I think it would make a great date night, but definitely sit inside if you are looking for a romantic ambience, just because of the communal table thing.
Brian K.
Cute, off the beaten path quaint and cool little spot. Tried French onion soup, mussels and branzino. The French onion soup was probably my favorite. Perfect temperature, nice flavored broth with perfectly rendered onions, topped with lots of cheese. Good portion size for the mussels and they sat in a nice, flavorful broth perfect for dipping their awesome bread. The branzino was Just ok. Nothing special in the preparation of the fish, but the sauce which accompanied the fish was excellent. For dessert, we tried the pound cake. For me, just ok. Nothing spectacular or overly creative. Overall, I would say it's solid restaurant, clean, nice kitchen, great service, but a bit overpriced, especially since they don't have to pay State St. rental prices.
Lisa Tuholski
Went here for a wedding reception dinner after my friends' wedding at the courthouse. The owners were AMAZING, the servers were lovely, the food was excellent, and even the other patrons cheered for the bride & groom as we came and went. Overall a wonderful experience. Would recommend!
Oleksiy Prots
Extremely beautiful and cozy place, so charming that you want to stay here longer listening relaxing live music. You will adore original and delicious quisine and drinks.
Andrea McKinnon
This gem is right off the main drag. Absolutely perfect spot for a drink, dinner or dessert (desserts are AMAZING - try the panne cotta and meyer lemon options). Lively, hip, good food. Staff is lovely, too!
Amazing!!! Chefs table is the best!!! Amazing to watch all kitchen working..such a differend vibe, so much needed in SB. Love the food..
We had high hopes but overall visit was disappointing. The food was very good. It just didn't hit the mark in many factors -- Service was pretentious, they changed the fish in the special after we ordered (and we were there at 7:30 so strange they could run out so quickly), the table next to us were told about more specials than we were presented, and didn't like that the dessert menu is on this huge white board they bring to your table.
Great, unique Santa Barbara spot. As a local, I had walked by it many times after work and it always looked so inviting. I was not disappointed. Amazing food (the chicken tajine), a fun chat with the owner and excellent fellow guests. The lemon curd desert was astonishing. Great live music, not too loud... instrumental and jazzy on the night we were there. Be aware if you are a party of 2-4 people book outside seating: some of the tables are communal, though the guests we shared with were delightful. Great for parties of 6 or more. Worked find for the two ofus - everyone engaged with each other here and there, but also left you to enjoy your meal with your party. Will certainly return time and time again.
The Little Door, brings in a really big crowd. With World Class Live Performance Painter Norton Wisdom on the brushes, fingertips and his infamous back-lit giant canvas in the corner. Norton performed his magic art in sync with the live music delivered like clock work. Everyone loves Norton and is blown away by his amazing artistic talent. The Little Door was packed to the max. The live rock and roll singer blew everyone away with his amazing voice, delivering the perfect night cap that wrapped up the jam packed night out. The giant crowd slowed down the service, wait times and order accuracy were challenging for the owner who was very kind and very apologetic that the service sucked. Our waiter was very friendly, however his server team mates were MIA at times. They were short staffed on the night of our visit. From one to two all the way up to three servers were no where to be found. None the less, the quality of the food was fantastic. Excellent choices on the menu that is different most nights. The State Street Salad has our vote as the best salad on the AR (American Riviera). From the fresh local mussel and other delightful seafood, vegetarian dishes, really nice chicken, and gourmet meats, there is something for everybody. Their Pizza is EXCELLENT too! The pastry chef knocks out an amazing choice of desserts selected from the chalk board. Go For It. Again the owner was very kind and was very sorry for the service delays we experienced. We were taken care of properly with the to-die-for desserts and after dinner in-house made fantastic wine. Lovely tasting! A really nice touch. We are certain that the service is fine most nights. The giant jam packed crowd on hand to party down with the amazing performance painting from Norton, the amazing rock singer and live music caused the service delays. NP. You will really enjoy the lovely menu and delightful desserts. Cozy atmosphere, fairly loud at times, well with live music why not. Very DOG FRIENDLY. Make reservations. The bar was very busy, the wine was flowing. Very good choice of wines! Enjoy.
Unfortunately, just not worth it. I was excited to dine here considering all of the excellent reviews, but it fell far short of expectations. I made a reservation for my SO's bday. We arrived and were promptly seated, but that was the end of the positive experience. We waited for over 15 minutes to be greeted by a server. When the server finally arrived, they informed us that they weren't actually our server, but they had no idea who was, and since we hadn't been helped, they'd go ahead and help us. I asked about wine- the server couldn't tell me anything about any of the wines I asked about, saying only "this one gets sent back, this one doesn't". Now a $65 bottle of wine isn't that expensive and I don't expect a sommelier, but at least a bit of a description/knowledge would've been helpful. The server was friendly, but not very attentive and not knowledgable. We ordered a french onion soup to start, which was fine. And then the steak frites and salmon as our entree. Both were lukewarm and bland- totally lacking any flavor and completely underwhelming and NOT EVEN HOT. And the dessert- we ordered a creme brulee, which was also only fine. The custard was good, but the shell was chewy instead of hard- a no-go. I also mentioned early in the meal that we were celebrating a birthday and the server said they were glad to know and would make sure it was special. I don't expect anything for free, but a simple 'happy birthday' or candle or flower on the dessert or really ANY type of service that acknowledged a special occasion would've been nice. That also did not happen. In the end, the server dropped our check, ran our card, and walked away without even saying thank you. Our bill was $157 WITH $20 off with the axxess card. And the night didn't feel at all special, despite the fact that we were trying to celebrate. For the price, go to Barbareno, go to Bouchon, honestly, go anywhere else.
The Patio of the Little Door is the Perfect Dinner Venue for a Courthouse Elopement. It's Sparkly, Cozy, Private, and Magical ✨ Literally EVERYTHING served to our group was superb (food & drink). The Owner & Manager were hands-on, attentive throughout our event despite the modest size of our group, as was the staff - nothing was too much trouble. The preplanning was professional yet personal, as was assistance with "packing-up" at the conclusion. Wine selection is outstanding, food servings are above average, the menu is unique in an excellent way, and the well drinks are strong. Really everything one could hope for, under the incredibly intimate nature of the gathering. I regret that I don't remember specific names of those with whom we worked, however I'm certain they know who they are.
Great for happy hour. Food was excellent. Staff was very friendly and responsive.
The food here is still amazing, so this review is not about the wonderful food or atmosphere. I want to note that our waiter here last night was pretty dismal. It took 3 hours to dine and we weren't looking for a long experience. Samuel just kept disappearing and twice I got out of my seat to go look for service. It took 45 minutes to get an iced tea. We had to ask for a 2nd bread repeatedly, even though we asked for 2 loaves when we placed our initial order of mussels (the sauce is so divine, you will quickly go through an order of bread dredging it through). We ran out of water several times and Samuel was nowhere in sight to refill them. Because of his service and since he was dressed differently than all the other waiters (no white shirt), I wondered if perhaps he's not normally a waiter there. It seemed that he wasn't really in the dining room much. He left our used dishes in front of us until the next course arrived, rather than removing them when we finished. (And for a 3-hour dinner, that's a lot of time sitting there with dirty dishes in front of you.) Five minutes after we sat down, we finished our cocktails and after realizing he wasn't taking dirty dishes away, we moved them to the side of the table closest to where he would come, but it made no difference. After sitting with our dirty dinner plates in front of us for almost an hour, we finally asked him to remove them. Eventually he did, but the dirty, empty cocktail glasses remained. After ordering dessert but before it arrived, he plopped the bill vertically in the bill holder in the middle of the table, leaving no room for our shared dessert. It just felt rude to dump the bill on us before serving dessert after a 3-hour dinner. Later when he brought dessert, he had to move the bill to place the dessert. This is a fine restaurant and my favorite in town. The live music was top shelf. The bartenders at the bar were wonderfully charming and did a great job explaining and mixing the drinks. The owners are sincere and passionate about this awesome restaurant. And the atmosphere is sexy and warm. It's always a 5-star joint in my book, but Samuel delivered service like an untrained rookie. It was a bummer because it was a special occasion dinner with out of town family. When you spend $200 for 3 people to dine, you don't expect to be sitting with your picked-over fish carcass for an hour after eating it. I'll definitely return, but I will request not to be in Samuel K's section. Sorry, Samuel, but you know you sucked! It's not enough to deliver 2-star service in a 5-star restaurant, while you keep apologizing for your forgetfulness. No amount of charm will make that many missteps okay. Step it up and focus! I'm still giving The Little Door 5 stars, because I love this place and one waiter shouldn't wreck its rating. I'll definitely be back and will assume last night's experience was an anomaly. Please note that I picked up Samuel K's name off my receipt, so I'm assuming that's who waited on us.
I plan to leave a more in depth review but for now I just want to say this place is a wonderful and inviting place to eat, drink and enjoy friends and family. My wife and I got married December of 2018 and we had our wedding dinner here with our family and friends. There were only 30 of us but we were treated like royalty. The food was amazing and the staff even better. We stopped by today to say hi and have some mussels and wine. Brought back some great memories. Thank you to The Little Door for making our big day delicious.
Lovely place, food is great
Restaurantji Recommends
After a long day of trouristing, this was a great spot for a relaxing dinner. They have a lovely small patio, and we sat out there, where I should say the tables are communal. Their cocktails are really interesting and tasty! I think it would make a great date night, but definitely sit inside if you are looking for a romantic ambience, just because of the communal table thing.
Cute, off the beaten path quaint and cool little spot. Tried French onion soup, mussels and branzino. The French onion soup was probably my favorite. Perfect temperature, nice flavored broth with perfectly rendered onions, topped with lots of cheese. Good portion size for the mussels and they sat in a nice, flavorful broth perfect for dipping their awesome bread. The branzino was Just ok. Nothing special in the preparation of the fish, but the sauce which accompanied the fish was excellent. For dessert, we tried the pound cake. For me, just ok. Nothing spectacular or overly creative. Overall, I would say it's solid restaurant, clean, nice kitchen, great service, but a bit overpriced, especially since they don't have to pay State St. rental prices.
Went here for a wedding reception dinner after my friends' wedding at the courthouse. The owners were AMAZING, the servers were lovely, the food was excellent, and even the other patrons cheered for the bride & groom as we came and went. Overall a wonderful experience. Would recommend!
Extremely beautiful and cozy place, so charming that you want to stay here longer listening relaxing live music. You will adore original and delicious quisine and drinks.
This gem is right off the main drag. Absolutely perfect spot for a drink, dinner or dessert (desserts are AMAZING - try the panne cotta and meyer lemon options). Lively, hip, good food. Staff is lovely, too!