My experience was nothing like the reviewers who loved the restaurant. We had a lamb plate which was very skimpy. We also ordered the watermelon and arugula salad which was watery and somewhat tasteless. Mediocre food and very overpriced! The patio was lovely.
Some of the best food I’ve ever had! Incredible dining experience. Everything on the menu is great. If you bring a larger party, they have tables with a fireplace in them.
I had an amazing experience dining here! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented you can really taste the quality ingredients in every bite. The hummus was creamy and perfectly seasoned, and the grilled beef was cooked to perfection.
What really made the evening special was the patio seating. It’s such a charming spot cozy string lights, comfortable seating. The staff was good but service can be better.
Highly recommend it for anyone who loves authentic Mediterranean cuisine and wants to relax in a beautiful outdoor setting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
sayed mahgoub
Came in during dinner on a Friday, no reservation and we're seated right away although they were busy.
Incredible service Incredible food Incredible atmosphere
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
oday hamam
I really wanted to give this place five stars!! it’s been on my must-visit list for Santa Barbara for a while. We finally decided to have dinner here on Sunday night during our trip. Unfortunately, the food was pretty basic. We ordered hummus, baba ghanouj, beef sambousek, cheese sambousek, and the spicy potatoes. The prices were very high for appetizers, and the portions were small. They charge $12 for the beef sambousek and only give you two small pieces, which is insanely expensive. Also, I don’t understand why you have to pay extra for bread when you’re already ordering appetizers bread should definitely be included. Our bill came out to $87 just for appetizers!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
Ilia Crahen
My family has been coming here for years and it never disappoints. This last visit my brother decided to join us with his family upping the part count. The hostess was kind and super accommodating! The chicken kabobs and trio of spreads were awesome
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nasser Bunduka
Delicious and fresh! The kebabs were perfectly seasoned, and the sides of hummus, tabbouli, and baba ghanouj were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melissa Garcia
We first came here in 2021 and LOVED it. We came back to santa barbara and decided to visit again and were not disappointed. The food is fresh and tasty, well portioned and arrives pretty quickly. Not too overly seasoned. The service is excellent and the whole vibe is relaxed Mediterranean. Will definitely be back here next time we are in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lio
Enjoyed my meal and the pretty outdoor seating but thought the kebabs could've had a bit more seasoning on them. I loved the garlic sauce though!
An absolutely wonderful dining EXPERIENCE! Our waitress Audrey was fantastic and made my mom’s 79th birthday one to remember. She was so knowledgeable about what to order and her enthusiasm for the food sealed the deal. They were slammed with large groups so we really appreciated the attentiveness of all the staff. We had the kebab trio, watermelon salad, and veggie feast and it was perfect for our party of 3. Also incredibly delicious! The place gets VERY busy so make reservations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah
We hosted our wedding welcome party at Zaytoon last weekend and it was one of the best decisions! Niki was super helpful at customizing our event menu to suit more dietary preferences, and the atmosphere and food were unmatched. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful the space was and how incredible the food was!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jae Borgard
My husband and I ordered 2 appetizers and shared an entree and dessert. Trio of dips and hallucinations cheese were our appetizers. All very tasty. You have to pay for pita or veggie sticks. Wished it came with the dips. The pistachio dip with yogurt, pomegranate seeds and pistachio nut powder was delicious. We shared combo kebab for entree. Lamb, beef and chicken with rice and delicious salad. Plenty to share. Save room for baklava ice cream for dessert. Sweet cream ice with broken baklava and dried rose petals....yum!
We had early dinner but I can imagine in the evening with all the outdoor lights the place would be romantic.
Zaytoon is hands down one of my favorite spots in town! From the moment you step under the canopy of twinkling lights, the atmosphere feels magical — the perfect backdrop for a meal that never disappoints. Every bite is bursting with flavor, thoughtfully seasoned, and cooked to perfection.
The staff bring just as much sparkle as the setting. Audrey, the ever-gracious hostess, sets the tone with warmth and impeccable communication, while Luis, our fabulous waiter, went above and beyond with spot-on cocktail recommendations and genuine hospitality. Together, they made the evening feel truly special.
Hats off to the entire Zaytoon team for consistently delivering such a memorable dining experience. I can’t wait for my next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emma Eckert
I came to Zaytoon tonight to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I was excited to return since I had celebrated my 21st here and enjoyed a few other visits in the past. We had a reservation for 9 people at 7:15 and were seated promptly. The atmosphere was as lively as always, and we started the evening with drinks and appetizers, enjoying the vibe.
What felt especially disappointing was the lack of communication and care from the staff. A simple phone call or heads-up when we were seated could have spared the frustration. Instead, it felt as though securing our deposit was prioritized over creating a welcoming and celebratory experience. As the host and birthday girl, I felt awkward watching my guests settle for meals they didn’t want.
I ended up with the lemon chicken, which was unfortunately underwhelming—dry, underseasoned, and saved only by a bit of sauce (a 6/10 at best). With no gesture of compensation or acknowledgment from the restaurant, the whole evening felt unprofessional and untransparent, which was surprising given Zaytoon’s reputation. I truly want to support a restaurant I’ve enjoyed in the past, but transparency matters. Guests deserve to know what’s available before committing to an experience, especially for a special occasion.
My experience was nothing like the reviewers who loved the restaurant. We had a lamb plate which was very skimpy. We also ordered the watermelon and arugula salad which was watery and somewhat tasteless. Mediocre food and very overpriced! The patio was lovely.
Cozy. Friendly. Outstanding grilled mahi mahi 😋. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Some of the best food I’ve ever had! Incredible dining experience. Everything on the menu is great. If you bring a larger party, they have tables with a fireplace in them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mashawi Combo, Baklava, Cheese Sambosik, Tabbouli, Halloumi Cheese, Fattoush, Vegetarian Feast, Pistachio Spread, Vegetarian Choice
I had an amazing experience dining here! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented you can really taste the quality ingredients in every bite. The hummus was creamy and perfectly seasoned, and the grilled beef was cooked to perfection.
What really made the evening special was the patio seating. It’s such a charming spot cozy string lights, comfortable seating. The staff was good but service can be better.
Highly recommend it for anyone who loves authentic Mediterranean cuisine and wants to relax in a beautiful outdoor setting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Came in during dinner on a Friday, no reservation and we're seated right away although they were busy.
Incredible service
Incredible food
Incredible atmosphere
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really wanted to give this place five stars!! it’s been on my must-visit list for Santa Barbara for a while. We finally decided to have dinner here on Sunday night during our trip. Unfortunately, the food was pretty basic. We ordered hummus, baba ghanouj, beef sambousek, cheese sambousek, and the spicy potatoes. The prices were very high for appetizers, and the portions were small. They charge $12 for the beef sambousek and only give you two small pieces, which is insanely expensive. Also, I don’t understand why you have to pay extra for bread when you’re already ordering appetizers bread should definitely be included. Our bill came out to $87 just for appetizers!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
My family has been coming here for years and it never disappoints. This last visit my brother decided to join us with his family upping the part count. The hostess was kind and super accommodating! The chicken kabobs and trio of spreads were awesome
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious and fresh! The kebabs were perfectly seasoned, and the sides of hummus, tabbouli, and baba ghanouj were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We first came here in 2021 and LOVED it. We came back to santa barbara and decided to visit again and were not disappointed. The food is fresh and tasty, well portioned and arrives pretty quickly. Not too overly seasoned. The service is excellent and the whole vibe is relaxed Mediterranean. Will definitely be back here next time we are in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Enjoyed my meal and the pretty outdoor seating but thought the kebabs could've had a bit more seasoning on them. I loved the garlic sauce though!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
An absolutely wonderful dining EXPERIENCE! Our waitress Audrey was fantastic and made my mom’s 79th birthday one to remember. She was so knowledgeable about what to order and her enthusiasm for the food sealed the deal. They were slammed with large groups so we really appreciated the attentiveness of all the staff. We had the kebab trio, watermelon salad, and veggie feast and it was perfect for our party of 3. Also incredibly delicious! The place gets VERY busy so make reservations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We hosted our wedding welcome party at Zaytoon last weekend and it was one of the best decisions! Niki was super helpful at customizing our event menu to suit more dietary preferences, and the atmosphere and food were unmatched. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful the space was and how incredible the food was!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My husband and I ordered 2 appetizers and shared an entree and dessert. Trio of dips and hallucinations cheese were our appetizers. All very tasty. You have to pay for pita or veggie sticks. Wished it came with the dips. The pistachio dip with yogurt, pomegranate seeds and pistachio nut powder was delicious.
We shared combo kebab for entree. Lamb, beef and chicken with rice and delicious salad. Plenty to share.
Save room for baklava ice cream for dessert. Sweet cream ice with broken baklava and dried rose petals....yum!
We had early dinner but I can imagine in the evening with all the outdoor lights the place would be romantic.
Must eat place!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Halloumi Cheese, Kebab Combo, Fattoush, Pistachio Spread
Zaytoon is hands down one of my favorite spots in town! From the moment you step under the canopy of twinkling lights, the atmosphere feels magical — the perfect backdrop for a meal that never disappoints. Every bite is bursting with flavor, thoughtfully seasoned, and cooked to perfection.
The staff bring just as much sparkle as the setting. Audrey, the ever-gracious hostess, sets the tone with warmth and impeccable communication, while Luis, our fabulous waiter, went above and beyond with spot-on cocktail recommendations and genuine hospitality. Together, they made the evening feel truly special.
Hats off to the entire Zaytoon team for consistently delivering such a memorable dining experience. I can’t wait for my next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came to Zaytoon tonight to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I was excited to return since I had celebrated my 21st here and enjoyed a few other visits in the past. We had a reservation for 9 people at 7:15 and were seated promptly. The atmosphere was as lively as always, and we started the evening with drinks and appetizers, enjoying the vibe.
When it came time to order entrées, things took a disappointing turn. A member of our party first tried to order the lamb, but the server informed us that they were out. He pivoted to the mahi mahi—also unavailable—before settling on the salmon. Four others in our group also ordered the salmon. Shortly after, the server returned to tell us the restaurant was out of salmon as well.
This was especially upsetting because the salmon is my favorite dish in town and the main reason I chose Zaytoon for my birthday dinner. At that point, the only entrées available were chicken or beef. One guest in our party is pescatarian and was left with no options at all. For a group of nine who reserved a week in advance (with a $25-per-person deposit), it was frustrating that no one informed us ahead of time about such a limited menu. If we had known, we likely would have canceled or chosen another place to celebrate.
What felt especially disappointing was the lack of communication and care from the staff. A simple phone call or heads-up when we were seated could have spared the frustration. Instead, it felt as though securing our deposit was prioritized over creating a welcoming and celebratory experience. As the host and birthday girl, I felt awkward watching my guests settle for meals they didn’t want.
I ended up with the lemon chicken, which was unfortunately underwhelming—dry, underseasoned, and saved only by a bit of sauce (a 6/10 at best). With no gesture of compensation or acknowledgment from the restaurant, the whole evening felt unprofessional and untransparent, which was surprising given Zaytoon’s reputation.
I truly want to support a restaurant I’ve enjoyed in the past, but transparency matters. Guests deserve to know what’s available before committing to an experience, especially for a special occasion.
Food: 2
Service: 1
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