It wasn't incredibly pricey ($54 for 4 dishes and a ginger beer) but food wasn't memorable. The shrimp we had was drenched in butter and oil. It came w/ greens and because it was sitting in the sauce, left an oily film in my mouth and made my tummy hurt. No flavor in the tartar. Ceviche needed more citrus. The Brussels sprouts was the best dish but not by much. Server forgot one of our drinks. Door latch on the bathroom door broke. Place is super dark. read more

Alcazar Tapas Bar - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We have been fans of Al's Alcazar and Milk and Honey since they opened many moons ago. Nicole is the best! Lamborghinis and Heat of Passion are my thing. But date with a pig and all the menu delights. You can't go wrong with the small tapas. read more

Meh. Service was OK and food was just just passable. Not bad, just perfunctory. Kale salad was smothered in shredded cheese but not fully dressed, as in the dressing was poured on and pooled in the bottom of the dish with a lot of leaves untouched. Chicken tacos weren't bad, but relied on some kind of uninteresting mayo base. Etc. Emblematic was the section of the drinks menu headed "Ports and Sherrys" - there were only two wines listed, both ports. read more

This is not your traditional tapas bar for sure its unique. Service is good and ambiance was good.

The food is always consistently great. Also, one of the best cocktail menus in town, and open late.

I love Makena she is cool The food is good I couldn't find the door at first but that is the best part read more

The food was tasty but 4 small shrimp in the 2 tiny tortillas for $17. Really? The salad portion was for a 7 year old kid. Yeah its a Tapas Bar but way over priced. A single can of soda $5 The best thing about Alcazar was the fire heat lamps. I left warm but very hungry read more

Alcazar was the best chocolate lava cake in town. I just found out they took them off the menu. PLEASE BRING THEM BACKKKKK. Also their passion fruit mojito is my favorite cocktail ive ever had. These are the two reasons i went there for years. Pls pls being them back read more

Alcazar Tapas Bar - Chocolate lava cake - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It is too bad when the best part of dinner is wine!! We appreciate our server's wine recommendation and her nice manners, but the food shortly find the expectations created by the server's descriptions. She fully recommended the "paellita" telling us that saffron flavors and the seafood where just delicious, well they served us red mexican style rice with mussels, clams, lots of salt and shrimp, a dish that has absolutely nothing to do with real paella! without mentioning the outrageous price tag $25 for such a "basic small dish, a cheap paella imitation that doesn't even have Saffron!" She also recommended "Lamburginis" the menu stated that the dish would be served medium rare, but came out well done instead and obviouy dry and not really tasty. Another very small dish for its $16 price tag. We decided to give a try to the "Gambas Alcazar" $17 & "Pollo con Crema tacos" $16 The Gambas were another plain dish, rice mixed with coconut oil & corn dough with 4 Jumbo shrimp ( not prawns as menu describes) The dish is nothing to speak of ... The Pollo con Crema Tacos $16, are 2 tiny tiny tacos, they were just like 2 small rajas with cheese tacos... price tag was ridiculous for this dish ( a taco truck would give you 3 times the amount of chicken for probably just $2 bucks) Desert was not any better... we ordered mango Cheesecake with vanilla ice cream, it tasted like "Refrigerator", so we returned it and got a replacement for another type of desert, a chocolate cake with ice cream that wasn't much better... it tasted like "Mole" which obviously shouldn't be... by then, someone came out with 2 dessert drinks and and apologized, we didn't know who that person was, but we felt like they don't really care about it and they know what kind of products they're serving so now you know what to expect from this place. Its up to you if you want to spend your money with them. We avoided another place ( that was highly recommended) to give a chance to Alcazar tapas, because my wife is Argentinean and was tempted with some of the dishes in the menu. I'd advise to double check before going there,,, May be the main chef was in vacation today ? Jaja We walked away with $217 check and didn't feel our dinner was worth that price tag at all... read more

3.5 stars. My last visit here was over 15 years ago and thankfully not much has changed at this long-time restaurant on the mesa. The cozy and hip vibe here has always been a terrific alternative to the crowded touristy scene downtown and while the tapas are hit-and-miss (not to mention pricey), the service is solid and the ambience can't be beat. Alcazar is small and intimate, with low lighting and music along with classic films playing silently on the back wall; Fellini's La Dolce Vita was on during our meal. My family and I were in the mood for a light dinner and this was the perfect spot. We started with the Date with a Pig (bacon wrapped dates, wildflower honey, blue cheese), which were delicious, if a bit sweet (I prefer this dish to have more smokiness from the bacon). The Manchego y Membrillo (manchego, pressed guava, olive oil) was an interesting combination of light cheese and fruit; my wife didn't care for it, but our daughter and I liked it. The Carne Con Champiñones (slow cooked sirloin tip, Spanish sherry, butter, sautéed mushrooms, onion, jack cheese, toasted bread served pintxo style) was rich and enjoyable and the Sweet Potato Fries with spicy aioli were perfectly cooked and delicious. Unfortunately, the Gambas Alcazar (sautéed tiger prawns, arugula, lemon garlic butter) was bland and entirely forgettable. Our daughter also had the Albondigas (served med-rare sustainably sourced meatballs, Roma tomato purée, manchego, parsley), which she thought was merely okay. Overall, the food was good, not great, but the service, ambience, and location were top-notch. I wouldn't come here when I was starving or on a budget, but as a place for light bites, a cocktail or two, or a reason to get away from downtown, Alcazar is a fine choice in Santa Barbara. Notes: I didn't learn this until after dinner, but Alcazar is home to the "Official Drink of Santa Barbara," the Ginspiration Point (Cutler's gin and Nostrum pineapple turmeric ginger shrub, along with Bénédictine, lime juice, Chartreuse, and an egg white). They also have a sister tapas restaurant, Milk & Honey, which opened downtown in 2007. read more

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This place never disappoints, and we've added it to our usually dining out rotation. Such a good variety of tapas, even for vegetarians. We always receive great service and the ambiance is so cozy. We love the Some Brie Sauce, Brussels sprouts, shrimp tacos, and sweet potato fries. We also love that you usually don't need a reservation for this place, unlike their sister restaurant, Milk and Honey (which is also amazing!). read more

Had dinner here on Cinco de Mayo, no reservations so had to wait about 30min for a table. My kids got the sliders, both gave rave reviews. Hubby got the pork tacos and they were the delish! Prob one of the best pork tacos we've ever had, no lie. Also had to try the squid ink Caesar salad, the squid ink dressing was an umami flavor bomb! Def get the sangria to wash it all down. Highly recommend! read more

If you're in search of an adventerous tapas experience, then look no further than Alcazar. This is a great place hidden on the Mesa. They'll ask you if you have a reservation with them when you enter, but I don't think it's an attempt of snootiness, just serious logistics because the space is tight. There are only two windows in the front, and the whole place is very dark, so be prepared to feel a bit deprived of your familiar sense of vision, but it seriously will make you feel relaxed. also, the bathroom is in the back in the kitchen where the cooks are (it's shared with the staff), but it's endearing because you get to drop in and say hi to the great chefs on your way to tinkle! The drinks are incredibly unique. If you have been to Milk & Honey, this is their sister establishment, so you may get a familiar sense of their menu. It's best to hit this place up for happy hour - it's all day on Mondays! The food has so much attention given to it, but the portions are very small. I can't promise that you will feel that full after, but the moments of eating these unique plates are honestly a treat. I had Saturday night happy hour here with a few friends. We shared the pork tacos, the patatas bravas, the tipsy turvy, the brussel sprouts, and were given a free plate of the manchego. Also they were short staffed, but our waitress was seriously incredible (Alvaro, this one is for you!!) A+ for each dish, like oh man. It's a party in your mouth I swear. Highly recommend this hip place!! read more

Tori is the most beautiful women ive ever met. So kind, so sincere. A top notch asset to this restaurant

$54 for 4 dishes and a non-alcoholic beverage. Server forgot my sangria. Food was mediocre and nothing special. Prawn and grits was shrimp and a load of butter. Not worth it. read more

Alcazar Tapas Bar - Butter from shrimp and grits. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Alcazar has the most phenomenal mojitos I have ever experienced. I have been dreaming about these mojitos for the past 2 years since the night I went to Alcazar. If I still lived in Santa Barbara I would definitely be back! I picked Alcazar for my birthday dinner and loved it. All of the tapas that we ordered were amazing. I felt a bit bad that it ended up being more expensive than I hoped but I think everyone loved the food enough that they were okay with the prices. The restaurant is really small but I randomly knew two other people also dining there! Santa Barbara is such a small world... I guess we all figured out the right place to go. I would definitely go back to try more of the food and many more of the mango mojitos! Watch out for the hang-over though! read more

Very cute place with great service and great dishes! it is hard to find as it doesn't seem to have a sign outside the some "brie" was delicious! loved the shredded brussels sprouts were great not sweet, the pollo con crema tacos were out of this world! read more

I have to say, I enjoyed their sister location, Milk & Honey WAYYYYY more! This place is really crammed, the ambience is dark but not enough to where the mood is romantic and warm. I love that at Milk & Honey, even with a group, the mood still feels intimate. I felt that the customer service was good but not super friendly, she was a little quiet. Again, the girls at M&H were amazingly friendly, fun and had great recommendations. Came here for the Groupon Deal and probably will continue to visit Milk and Honey since I enjoyed the vibe better. I recommend the Brussels sprouts with bacon, so delicious! Lambo burgers are also a must! My hubby loved the date with a pig! read more

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Wowowow! Very cute, intimate spot for the later afternoon/early evening. Cocktails were very good, thoughtful and picture worthy. Got the patatas bravas which hit the spot! Order 2 desserts, equally delicious and rich. Staff was so welcoming and generous! Highly recommend this spot for a pre-dinner cocktail hour/date night! read more

I love Tapas Bars and found this one while on a trip to Santa Barbara. This place is small and quaint. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. The food is top notch and the drinks are made well. Plus, you have to respect a place that serves ice-cold PBR Tall Boys in a paper bag :) My dinner was pleasing and the atmosphere made it an enjoyable experience. As always Tapas Bars are a bit pricey and you wind up ordering plenty of dishes to share. FYI it didn't bother me, but for those who care, the restroom located through the kitchen at the back of the restaurant. At least you get to see that the kitchen is clean, the Chefs are dressed well and take the dishes serious. Must haves at Alcazar's: The Caipirinha (drink), Date with a Pig (bacon wrapped dates) and the Palleaita. read more

Alcazar Tapas Bar - Cold PBR tall boy with your meal... Deserves respect. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Intimate, low light, hip tapas bar where the barista can make you wonderful drinks and some uniquely decent food or tapas. I go here occasionally with friends for a couple drinks and food. The atmosphere is intimate and find it good for dates or just out with a couple friends and want to be close together as the location isn't all that big but is nice inside. The food is good, they have some unique dishes with unique names which is one of the neat things about Alcazar. Some of the names are kind of funny and describes the dish. The names make you want to try the dishes, for instance a vegetarian dish is name The Beet Goes On. I've had a few different things on their menu and they've all been acceptable, including the Date with a Pig and enchiladas (which are delicious here). I am impressed with their specialty cocktails. Now I'm not much for cocktails but when I go here I'm willing to have one of his special creations. read more

Our favorite local restaurant! Food is excellent and very tasty and staff is always happy friendly and working hard! Highly recommended! read more

Near the end of a small shopping strip, Alcazar is deceiving. The chefs at this gem offer a medley of plates that combine freshness and flavor. Alcazar gets sky high marks for assembly a menu of plates that are so difficult to choose. Alcazar is a grand example of focusing on good ingredients that are carefully crafted together to sculpt amazing taste. Go hungry and stay awhile. read more

After a couple of unpleasant restaurant encounters recently, Alcazar was a breath of fresh air! We were not only acknowledged immediately but greeted cheerfully and kindly. As the restaurant filled up I watched as each guest was greeted with the same enthusiasm. Food and drinks are always great and tonight did not disappoint. We will be back! read more

Cute, small, and reasonably priced. It definitely has the same vibe of Milk&Honey and the menu is pretty much identical. Good for a casual date. Try the sweet potato fries, the pig in a blanket, and perhaps the fish tacos. Skip on the cookie pie. read more

While the service was fine, things started off with a weird vibe when one of the light fixtures fell from the ceiling, nearly missing my head and shattering on the floor. The wait staff apologized profusely, but didn't go so far as to comp drinks or food. Let's hope they've fixed the problem by now, because talk about a lawsuit waiting to happen! I think I'll opt for Milk and Honey from now on, as I've never had any hardware fall from the ceiling there. As with Milk and Honey, I feel like the food at Alcazar is either really delicious or really bland. You have to know what to get. I've really loved the date with a pig, carnitas taco, and sweet potato fries. The chicken taco and the manchengo y membrillo weren't great. The manchengo in particular tasted like someone had just gone to find the best deal on cheese at Costco, cut it into cubes, and stuck a toothpick in it...it was tasteless, which was too bad. The mojitos are pretty tasty, and I like that they come with sugar cane garnishes. read more

This is our second time coming to Alcazar... all the way from LA, which says a lot! Our service was excellent. Johanna and Vedta were fantastic. The drinks and food were delicious and the ambiance really enhances the overall experience. We will definitely be back. The mushrooms and the brie dishes were our favorite! read more

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their Happy Hour here. I've been coming here for a while, have tried everything off the Happy Hour menu, and haven't been disappointed once. I coin their sweet potato fries the best in Santa Barbara, and their patatas bravas are pretty amazing too. Their Happy Hour tacos are super fresh and full of flavor. Check this place out, you won't be disappointed with their high quality food items!! read more

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I'm not a professional reviewer. Just a regular dude. This place goes the extra mile in customer service. They made me and my friend feel very at home. I had the lemondrop blueberry drink... wow it was a wonderland in my mouth. I literally dreamed of the way my fish taco made me feel. 1000% am returning here weekly. Thank you for existing and thank you for your wonderful food/service. read more

Went to Santa Barbara for a few days post-Christmas with my boyfriend. It was our first time there and we adored the city. Went to Alcazar on the recommendation of a friend. I have NEVER been to an establishment where the service was combative, until Alcazar. My boyfriend and I ordered two excellent dishes as starters. For the main dish, we decided on "Ahi in the Raw." Being from San Diego, we are very familiar with Ahi and what it's like when it's served, well, raw. Delicious. This place, not so much. The Ahi was not served raw. It was completely cured with lemon and had too much lemon & ginger flavoring. It didn't even make good ceviche. I rarely return a dish but neither of us enjoyed this dish and at $14, we decided to return it. When we spoke to the server about it, he noted that we had taken a few bites and insisted on charging us for a partial portion (he ended up charging $4, totally lame). After explaining that the lemon was too strong and the flavors overpowered the Ahi, he replied, "what did you expect? Ahi doesn't have any flavor anyway!!" (Not True.) This server was completely out of line, so we stopped arguing and asked for a different dish. From this point on, the person who had been working behind the bar all night served us and delivered the check so the original server could hide behind the bar. There was never an apology. It was completely rude and uncalled for, and I will never go to this establishment again. read more

Chilango's used to be my favorite State Street spot. When I found out that Milk & Honey was owned by the same folks, I was stoked. Now, to know that Alcazar is all mixed in with THAT crowd: well, slap my fanny and color me excited! Oh, dear, sweet baby Jesus in a manger, the coconut mojito: I have fantasies about this beverage and they're not PG. If you're around, stop by and order, like 17 of these. You can thank me after your hangover. Or don't, whatever. read more

Great place I love the atmosphere is cozy, and romanticgreat bartender with amazing cocktails and the appetizers at phenomenal so so good and the Kale Chips are so so good and the ,the cheese plate is do great the combination of salty and sweet is good five starts for for Alcazar I love it read more

Alcazar Tapas Bar - AMOR CON CHOCOLATE - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I agree with Mrjustice I. from Chicago. Having traveled throughout Spain and being very familiar with many tapas restaurants there, this is not a REAL tapas bar/restaurant. A slap in the face of the Spanish culinary god - perhaps this place seeks to reinvent the age-old Tapas category and at the same time turn it into a capitalist venture. Tapas are meant to be appetizer-sized dishes - these dishes were appetizer-sized alright but 3-5 times the price compared to other real tapas restaurants. Around 8pm on a Saturday night, there was only a couple at the bar and a family of four in the dining area. Sadly, the ambiance was not the fun and casual atmosphere that I'm accustomed to. Customer service from the staff here is non-customer focused. When we were there that night, the bartender placed more emphasis on the social aspect of her job instead of the service aspect that keeps customers coming back. A courteous "hello" was not in her vocabulary nor was her ability to find out how long our order would take. Her reply was "I don't know" ...I guess she hasn't realized that she works there yet. If you want an authentic tapas experience with a welcoming and service-oriented atmosphere, then spend your hard-earned money elsewhere! You deserve more than this! Unlike Mrjustice, we wished we had ventured across the street to enjoy our last dinner in beautiful Santa Barbara at a wonderful restaurant. read more

This is a saucy and sassy joint. The tapas trend that started over a decade ago or maybe less. I've never been a part of. I don't like the idea of it. Instinct. I make the call. Back it up. Live with it. That being said this place has some actual food. Such as a prawn dish in a chipolte cream sauce with garlic that is pretty dosh garn good. I'm always persuaded to come here because of the Spanish and Argentina wines they pour. Impressive. Cheers. read more

Why haven't I been here before???? I've known about this place for years, but it never quite made it on my "to do" list. The Mesa is a little out of my way, but I'm adding this place to my regular circuit! The avocado hummus dish was amazing. The ahi poke has a little rooster sauce in the mix. I thought ahi poke was awesome all by itself, but add a little cock sauce, and you have heaven right in front of your taste buds. My blood orange margarita was also top notch. Everything was out of this world delicious. No boring or bland flavors here! To top it all off, our server josh was incredible. He was knowledgable, offered suggestions, and was very patient with us, as it was our first time there. He took the extra time to answer all of our questions and gave his honest opinion about certain dishes. He even let us taste Pigs on a Date free of charge. It's was a perfect dining experience all the way around. Not only will I be coming back, but I intend on becoming a regular! This place is outstanding. read more

I dined here on a Thurs night, the other patrons of the restaurant were older, 60ish, white people. Being from the bay area, I felt a bit out of place. After looking at the restaurant's website, I expected a larger and more youthful environment. The servers, bartender who sat us and waitress who took our order, were not very friendly. They never once mentioned their names and the waitress seemed more interested in the other white groups. The food I thought was so-so. I had the som*brie*sas, the paella de pollo, pollo a zu lado, none of which impressed me much. read more

We made reservations for 7:30 and we came earlier at 7 but were able to sit right away. Everyone from the host to the waitress was SO KIND AND FRIENDLY! We value customer service and were impressed. My sister and her boyfriend live in SB but took us visitors from Orange County out on a double date-this meant shareable plates because tapas but also because more to go around and taste! We had a great time and absolutely everything was to die for. read more

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Alcazar is a beautifully hidden diamond in the rough. I checked this place out because I've been looking for a good tapas place, and let's just say, this little gem blew me away. My boyfriend and I started with the Tapa a la Dana, which is a roasted tomato and herb sauce with goat cheese and garlic bread crisps. The sauce is more of a soup, light and creamy, perfect in texture and flavor. The goat cheese, surprisingly, did not overwhelm the flavor. To be concise, I loved it. We both loved it! If I can find a recipe to make it at home I'd have it often. Next, we got the Patatas Bravas- spicy red potatoes sauteed in a chili garlic sauce. These little darlings balanced an exceptionally sweet and spicy flavor for my taste buds. Even better, dipping them in the Tapa a la Dana. My favorite dish I tried by far, however, was the Enchiladas de Mole. This dish is composed of chicken in a cream sauce with sauteed pasilla chiles, red bell pepper and onions in corn tortillas topped with honey mole poblano sauce. This is by far, hands down, the best enchilada I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly moist and the sauce was a deliriously exquisite and savory delight. I can't even touch on how heavenly this dish was. All I know is I will be returning to have this enchilada on top of trying out everything on their menu. Last but not least, the service was impeccable. The waitress was extremely helpful and very patient. It's a very small restaurant and is definitely not suited for those who wish to party down but it's a very quaint place to take a group of friends for some cocktails and a light meal. I loved the ambiance of the place and plan on coming back and bringing everyone I know to experience the wonderfulness that is this hidden temple. read more

Loved this place!! It def felt like a Hollywood vibe, lots of local hipsters come here. Dim lights and cool ambience. Service was fabulous, Menu was great! Brussels sprouts, shrimp & arugula was my fav. Parking was easy. The restaurant was packed on a Tuesday night so make sure you get there early. And the Prices were right. We will def be back! read more

1.5 Stars As a disclaimer, this review may be a little biased as I did not get to really try out any of their foods other then the Sangria and Sweet Potato Fries - in either case both very very meh and would say that Veggie Grill definitely has better Sweet Potato Fries and the Sangria was a little watery (but can't complain as it was free with the Yelp check-in offer. Guess my main gripe with this place was the pricing - it seems like a complete ripoff. I came to this place for Happy Hour and I have to say this was probably one of the un-Happiest Happy Hours ever. First off their HH selection is pretty small, probably about 10 or 14 items. Second off, they do have a discount on there food, a discount of a buck or two. Thirdly, every food item that had a discount was in the Vegetarian section...seriously that just makes this place look so cheap, just don't do a HH would be better. But yes, this leads me to the low rating for this place, it is freaking expensive for what it is and I highly doubt it would be anything amazing considering the two items I did end up getting were mediocre at best. I mean seriously, not paying $9 or so for a quesadilla (which they ran out of btw...), well not unless its some super duper amazing quesadilla or something. The bonus star really was because the service here is quite good. Our waiter was very prompt and courteous and made sure everything was as expect. Really the only reason I could see coming to this place was after dinner or something and you want a nice place to sit down and grab a drink. read more