Most warm and welcoming home EVER!! Filled with love, food, uplifting conversations, laughter and…read morefun! Went to hot springs and came back to Joanne and Rakesh's place and Rakesh had made a heaping tower of gourmet pasta, soup and salad! Deeeelicious!!! Then in the morning a scrumptious breakfast of baby Dutch babies with blackberries, raspberries and blueberries topped with whipped cream awaited me as well as a cup of fresh coffee! After breakfast I went streaking in the rain with Joanne in their backyard. Best of times!!!

Jo and Rakesh really know how to make you feel at home. This is the best home cooking in all of…read moreCalifornia.

What can I say other than culinary perfection? It's where street food meets casual dining but with…read moremasterfully crafted menu items that will make your taste buds pop! The KFC Bao was exceptional. Crunchy, tangy, sweet, fresh and savory. A delightful dish that had me wanting a second one. The Dolsot Bokkeumbap was also delicious, savory and a bit in the heavy side, it could use something fresh, acidic or sweet to brighten up the dish. The staff was very friendly and recommended the Bao, so they know what is good on the menu. I was sat outside where they have a beautiful little patio with heaters and comfortable seating. Overall this place is a must try!

Overall the food was very delicious. I would recommend the Bao (both the KFC and pork belly were…read morevery good). The sweet potato dumplings are fried and had a very unique twist for Asian fusion and would recommend. The kalbi was very mediocre, but it was fun for sharing. Day cake was delicious. I would highly recommend since it came out and was very warm. The bingsu was mostly frozen and was not finally shaved in terms of milk ice and the Nutella pairing with it did not go very well. We had a fantastic server (Cathy) who took our orders and was very friendly. The front staff was quite rude when we followed up what the wait time was (might have been because it was busy, but hope that it's a 1x thing and not a pattern). Otherwise, vibes we're very good and I can see why this is a popular spot.

FOOD IS THE BEST IN SB I wish they had a store front! Love supporting a family owned businessread more

Just want to say three years later this is the best food you can get in SB. Best…read more Any cuisine, any price point, this is it. Thank you KR

My boyfriend and I actually found this place through Reddit, and I'm so glad we did. It's a small…read moreblue tent on the pier, set up alongside other fishermen selling their catch of the day. And honestly? This was probably the best and freshest uni I've ever had. The uni was light, creamy, slightly sweet, and packed with umami - truly one of the best fresh seafood experiences we've had. They provide simple sauce packets like lemon juice and ponzu, and we paired ours with seaweed wraps we brought from home, plus a little lemon and ponzu - perfection! I also loved the whole reef-to-table concept. They'll shuck and clean everything for you on the spot, but if you prefer to take them unshucked, they knock $5 off each one - totally worth it if you want to enjoy a picnic on the pier or nearby beach. What really made the experience extra special was chatting with the owner, Mike. His passion for fishing, high-quality food, and serving his community was such a breath of fresh air and really tied the whole experience together. If you're into high-quality, incredibly fresh seafood, this spot is an absolute must-visit when visiting Santa Barbara!

We were stoked to fine SB Uni was open on the wharf (the hours seem to be "Open until sold out")…read more We snagged the one of the last freshly cracked uni they were selling and it was the most fresh sweetest ones we had our whole trip! Nothing can beat scooping the uni right out of the shell in terms of freshness and quality - The spines were still moving! Next time, I hope to come earlier to try the purple uni, but the black ones were excellent.

Lofi Smoke and Grill is the BEST BBQ in Ventura County hands down. For so many years I'd been eager…read moreto find a spot that truly served up 5 star BBQ and after trying a few spots I was disappointed and the hunt continued. Thankfully due to a supper club hosted by Yelp Central Coast I was finally able to try them and I fell in love. Lofi was everything I had been searching for and then some. Fast forward to them being on my mind for months I had the opportunity to give them another try at one of their pop up events. The lines proved that everyone in the community loves Lofi as much as me! Family owned and operated this business is all about good vibes, teaching others about west coast bbq, their love for feeding their community and no ego. Steve and the family truly want you to have a wonderful experience and make you feel at home both with their kindness and the food that they put on your plate. Supporting them in this bbq community has been a refreshing experience as they are so kind and open to feedback. I love that they have fun pop ups opposed to a standard brick and mortar. They chose this because they truly want their bbq to be accessible and available to those that don't always have the opportunity to try them. They definitely give back to their community and supporting them is a win for our small but mighty 805 community. Okay now on to the food! Claiming anything is the "best" in the 805 is a bold move but I stand behind the flavors and complexity that Lofi brings to the table. West Coast BBQ makes me feel proud to be from CA as I've had bbq all over the states and they are doing us proud here. They have a killer bbq sauce that's the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Their meats and proteins are always cooked to perfection and juicy! My two favorite meats they do hands down is their 1. Brisket and 2. Pulled Pork. Their brisket is so flavorful and I love the little bit of fattiness that comes through. Also having never been a pulled pork girl, Lofi changed the game for me - so good and the flavors are on point. Another bite worth mentioning are their ribs, great seasoning and generous portions. I like to cut all of the heaviness of the bbq with their coleslaw. Makes for the perfect bite. I know they have a good amount of other sides but I'll need to give them a try. I am so beyond happy that we have Lofi BBQ in the 805. Their family couldn't be nicer and more welcoming. They are doing good work out here and I'll definitely continue to support them and spread the word on this amazing bbq spot.

Usually I only review restaurants but yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a private pop up…read moreevent. Lofi Smoke & Grill BBQ & Pleasant Burgers where in the house!!!!! Both were AMAZINGLY delicious. Move over CJ's, there's a newcomer in town. The pull pork was bursting with flavor, my tastebuds and some of my senses went wild. They didn't know what hit them. The meat was tender, soft, moist and thick. As you brought that pull pork sandwich close to your mouth, you could smell the smoked pork. Once it hit your mouth, it mushed and was easy to chew. It's shredded look was deceiving because it looked firm but this meat was juicy. They were generous with the serving so every bite was a mouthful. Good quality meat, smoked and season just right. Served on a yummy buttery bun with a kickass mildly spicy sauce. I'm telling you the flavor was off the hook. I highly recommend this BBQ for your catering needs. IN-N-Out got nothing on Pleasant Burgers. These burgers are IN!!!!! These burgers were juicy, and flavorful. It took me back to a little nostalgia. If you ever tasted Top Hat in Ventura, it reminded me of those burgers. It had that authentic homemade burger taste. Their grilled onions took it up a notch. If you were lucky enough to try the "Pile" then you went home a happy camper. Having the pull pork added to the cheeseburger was to die for....Uhhhh....YUM!!!!! Winning food experience for sure. Don't sleep on this.

Amazing food and great people. They definitely know their way around the BBQ. I highly recommend…read moreOak & Fire for any event!

For the tri tip bbq sandwich which has house coleslaw and fried onion strings. It was good! The bbq…read moresauce and with the coleslaw, meat, and the fried onion strings was a tasteful combination. i wish the seats were in the shade, especially since it was a pop-up. It was a hot summer day. The wait wasn't long but would have liked to enjoy the sandwich with some sun coverage.

Absolutely stunning dinner at The Lark last night on our only night in Santa Barbara and I feel…read moreglad to say we picked the right restaurant! The place was full, including indoor and outdoor seating, great ambience and light level, and lovely string lights above the seating outdoors. To start they bring over a delectable dill popcorn which was a rich, salty, dill and butter creation. Totally set a fun tone for the meal. Then we had the crispy Brussels sprouts (ORDER THESE!!!) they were divine, the sesame and lime combination was reminiscent of a great pad Thai, with the perfect amount of sauce and tiny bites of figs which all worked together in a way I wouldn't have expected. For the mains we had the shrimp toast and the pork ribs, both fantastic both well portioned and both 10/10s. Pork ribs fell off the bone easily and were spicy and tangy without overdoing flavor and the shrimp toast tasted like a great gumbo sauce and the shrimps were big! This is a meal I'll be thinking about and recommending to others for a long time, thank you Lark!

We are at the Lark tonight and had a good experience. It's a fairly casual and comfortable…read morerestaurant. We were greeted and seated immediately. I was glad we made reservations. The restaurant was busy. Our server was great. She introduced herself (Giana I believe she said) and helped us understand that the intent of the menu and dining approach is a sharing format. The plates and portion sizes vary depending upon the item. Cocktails: The Lark has a very interesting (in a good way) cocktail menu. Our party tried 5 different cocktails. Everyone loved their drink and commented on how well made they were. Food: The restaurant provides complimentary dill pickle popcorn (10/5) as a snack to get your appetite moving. This unique popcorn flavor was one of the best things I had all night. Everyone in our party agreed. We ordered 40% of the menu. The standouts were the fried chicken (5/5), the duck confit (5/5), and the pork ribs (4/5). Dessert: The chocolate pot-a-crème with banana cream (5/5) and donut holes (5/5) were both very tasty. We had a real good experience at the Lark. My only comment as a first timer was gauging how much food to order. We found the menu items in the Farm and Ranch sections were entree sized plates, while the Ocean section plates varied in size considerably. We consequently over ordered and wasted some food. Although our server Giana was helpful, we could have asked more specific questions to assess the quantity of food better. We enjoyed the restaurant vibe, cocktail program and many of the plates. If I lived in SB, I would have dinner here every other month and enjoy the dill pickle popcorn and the fried chicken with their signature Paloma to wash it all down.

On October 30th, I attended Daily Greenz Pop-Up Open House. For some time I had heard wonderful…read morethings about this catering and meal delivery company, so I was looking forward to experiencing it for myself. I had the pleasure of meeting both Chef Cristina Gonzalez ("back of the house") and her life and business partner, Elsa Cisneros ("front of the house"). Together as one they run this sustainable, local and organic-focused business. To begin, both women are extremely talented and experienced. Chef Cristina attended the School of Culinary Arts at SBCC and then later worked under Wolfgang Puck and for Bon Appetit. On the other hand, Elsa focused on catering at Philip's College in San Antonio, later to find herself at Bon Appetit elbow-to-elbow with Cristina. Next, viewing the exterior of where Daily Greenz shared kitchen is located is unassuming. However, after entering you quickly realize that this is home to one of Santa Barbara's cleanest kitchens. Everything from the ovens to the pans were sparkling clean and new. Daily Greenz Pop-Up allowed me the opportunity to taste a few items. To begin, there was a refreshing Jamaica "Blood" Tea (for Halloween) and a perfectly-balanced Margarita. They provided a fresh Caesar Salad as a starter, followed by a choice of two tacos. The tacos included Achiote Chicken (refried beans, caramelized onion, cheese, and avocado-tomatillo drizzle) and Pork Chile Colorado (Pork Palace Heritage Pasture pork, refried beans, and queso fresco). Both tacos were small and bite size, yet huge and full of delicious flavors. Each ingredient could be tasted individually and enjoyed immensely. I learned and appreciate that Daily Greenz gives you the option to reserve your chef-created meal service between 48 hours to 2 weeks in advance. Not only that, they allow you to choose a flexible meal plan for lunches/dinners (either or both) for one to every day of the week. Bottom line: If you are seeking a meal delivery service for your family, or a caterer for your business, please contact and give Daily Greenz a try.

I kept hearing about Daily Greenz on Facebook and thought I'd check it out. It's an unassuming…read morestorefront so keep an eye out! But there's an awesome curbside pick up option. However, I pulled into the small parking lot. Plenty of parking spots for easy in and out. The kitchen is brand new and clean. It's a very large, open space; neat and organized. It appeared to be a very high standard of food and safety in this kitchen! When I arrived, my order was being labeled and packed up. Everyone was so sweet and answered all of my questions about where everything was sourced from and when. Extremely fresh ingredients!! I love that everything is organic and locally sourced. When we first ordered, we thought it was a little pricey just for a couple of salads, but once we were home and sitting down to eat, we realized we got our money's worth in quality AND quantity!! These salads are HUGE!! The flank steak my husband added to his salad was a generous serving. Fortunately, the salads were prepared with the dressing on the side, so I'll have fresh, crisp greens for round 2 tomorrow! The vinaigrette alone would have been amazing, but the peanut sauce drizzle it also came with made it superb! I was so impressed. The whole menu sounds delicious! I was told it changes regularly, depending on what's in season, so I plan to hustle back for the Chile Colorado, the Brunch Strada, and the sun-dried tomato goat cheese spread. I'm drooling just thinking about it!!

Dined in today for lunch (I usually get to-go). Loved the tunes. Today was very 80's so I felt like…read moreI was back in college, although The Blue Owl wasn't there when I went to school. The vegan menu keeps growing! I ordered my favorite, the Mango Mint salad, but noticed that the dressing is Miso based. We also ordered the Vegan Sweetheart Burrito, Vegan Bahn-Mi, & Vegan Nam Toc Burrito. Thumbs up, or should I say 5 stars, to all of the good. A Side salad or chips came with everyone's order except for the salad. Friendly staff, plenty of indoor and outdoor (parklet) seating. Fun decor as well.

So unfortunate that this place has gone so far downhill in recent times. Last three times i have…read morebeen here i got a bad stomach ache. I think its the lettuce. A prices have done nothing but go up. Spent $42 on a meal for two, no drinks or sides just two mains. Crazy. The wait staff is more and more aloof, but they do an acceptable job. I enjoy the live music and i'll be honest the food does taste good, but a $42 tummy ache for two ain't worth it! They do serve espresso in case you want to feel the tummy ache immediately instead of waiting until the next day, at least that's an option!

Mattias was integral in making our evening exceptional. From initial email through payment,…read moreMattias was communicative and thoughtful. We had six people for a small birthday get together and everything from the food, decor, timing of courses,etc was spot on. He accommodated our requests including making special items for my youngest daughter. He brings everything - decor, place setting, glassware. We needed nothing as he covered it all. I couldn't recommend him more highly.

10/10, amazing, fantastic!…read more We had gotten an Airbnb at a secluded beach house and booked Mattias to cook our parent's 30th anniversary dinner. Communication went smoothly from start to finish. When he arrived, he took safety precautions and kept his distance and mask on (something that I really appreciated). He brought the dinnerware, table decor, and even printed out a nice menu at our request. Food was amazing and I loved that we were able to mix and match from his Farm Table menus. We had the butter lettuce salad (could eat this everyday!), the sweet corn soup (amazing flavors- sweetness of the corn was complemented with a kick of chili oil), the petit filet, and raspberry torte (with a sparkler to make it celebratory!). Every thing was amazing and perfectly portioned. At the end of dinner, he cleaned up which is such an added plus! Mattias is very personable and made the occasion so special. Will definitely look forward to working with him again :)