We had our wedding rehearsal dinner at Arnoldi's and it was amazing! They had been closed for a few months, so our event was the first night that they were going to be opening back up. Sara was on site to ensure that everything ran smoothly, and Guillermo (our designated server) was so kind and so on top of everything. They had a big name chef in town who was helping refine the menu and the food was so good! We ordered Bruschetta, Fried calamari, Spring salad, Penne Pomodoro, Gnocchi with pesto and the Tuscan Chicken which was a big hit! I'm dairy free so I stuck with a Penne Pomodoro and it was so yummy and so smooth - I even took some to go. Overall, it was a great dinner, great service, and great night! I would highly recommend having your private dinner or event here. They supply the chairs and tables so all we had to bring was decor. We had 35 people in our group and everyone was very pleased with Arnoldi's. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Just had dinner tonight, my wife and I had done yard work all day so it was well deserved. Over our dessert and americano I asked her what she liked best. " The Limoncello Martini, the arugula salad, the warm crusty bread, the Carbonara, and the soft Chianti". What more can be said? Silvano the waiter has a nice table side manner and really lets you enjoy your time alone. read more

"Perfect spot for a team dinner! The food is absolutely delicious, and the vibe is great. This is our third year in a row coming here with our team, and it never disappoints. The service is amazing, and the staff is always so kind and accommodating--even with our big group. The girls and parents all love it!" read more

The cheese ravioli was life changing. All the staff were so accommodating. The atmosphere was so fun and festive!! But the best thing about this restaurant was their dessert. The simple vanilla gelato with chocolate sauce healed my soul. I live 2 hours away and I would come back just for the pasta! Do yourself a favor and come to this restaurant. read more

We ate at Arnoldi's last night and found the food very good. We ordered the lasagne bolognese, chicken Marsala and Three Cheese Ravioli with " pink sauce", which was a tomato cream sauce. All dishes were delicious! The chicken in the marsala was tough but the sauce was perfect. Our server, Ruben, was very attentive and helpful. One big negative was the lack of parking and we had a disabled person with us. I am told they have complimentary valet on the weekends. read more

The atmosphere on the back patio is amazing, and perfect for a large friend and family gathering - so that is a 5 star! They also have bocce ball there I ordered the chicken piccata upon the waiter's recommendation and it was completely bland and the chicken was overcooked. I have had chicken piccata hundreds of times, and also have made it myself, and this was the most uninspired I have ever tasted. I snacked on everyone else's meal and took it home to doctor it up and see if anything about it was salvageable. Really disappointing. Gnocchi, also hand made there, were equally bland and boring. Took them home also, added pesto the next day to make them enjoyable and they were edible. My husband ordered the rotello which was lasagna rolled up with ricotta and spinach, those were delicious! And our friend ordered the frutto Di mare which is a seafood and pasta dish, he loved it, ate every bite, and didn't even share! So it's hit and miss out of the kitchen I would say. The service and ambiance were excellent though - and it is one of the oldest restaurants in Santa Barbara / I was there eating a meal 50 years ago and it is still charming. read more

Had a family get-together at Arnoldi's when we were in town for vacation. The food was great, as was the service, even though it was clearly a packed house. The chicken picatta was particularly good (I recommend it with the linguine Alfredo), with the chicken so tender that the knife they brought was totally superfluous. Nobody left hungry, but there also wasn't a ton of leftovers, so expect just-about-perfect portion sizes. It reminded me of our family favorite Italian restaurant in Vista, Marco, which has sadly closed. read more

The food and service were incredible! My only major gripe is the music. There was Christmas music playing and it was very old and played on repeat. It would be nice to get some more night time tunes going for ambience. read more

Had dinner there Christmas Eve since it has been closed for a while. It was our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. Food was good, but not up to the same standard especially the calamari. They must be using a different recipe. My advice is to go back to the old. The menu for Christmas Eve was limited but good service as usual was excellent.. I will still go back there. read more

Really disappointed. The service was great. G Ute place. The lasagna bolognese was nothing like a bolognese sauce. It tasted like vodka sauce from a jar. Overpriced for what you get. read more

Sean and Glauco are awesome, this place is a vibe. Awesome happy hour, great drinks and food especially the gorgonzola raviolis. Patio is beautiful. Will definitely be back. read more

Unfortunately NO. Not only is the food poor quality, the recipes tasteless, we were halfway through our salads when they brought the entrees to crowd the table. Cocktails were good so have a drink here but eat anywhere else, none of us finished our food and left hungry. Never again. read more

I won't lie. It didn't start great on the service side. We had a reservation but showed up early bc our prior plans ended early. No big deal, as we knew we would possibly have to wait. But we showed up, and the hostess let us know that they weren't busy and could seat us very soon, and in the meantime, we would sit at the bar and wait until the table was prepared. Next thing you know an hour had gone by and our reservation time had arrived. We asked her if we were at least going to be seated now since it was our reservation time. She then advised us that our table had been ready. But she had never advised us that it was ready even tho our party was all of 2 feet from her. This was a huge thing for me as I grew up in the service industry. But I will tell you right now that the food and the service we received from our server Christian most of all saved this review. Christian was absolutely amazing. We were a party of 15, and he handled it like a pro. Hostess - 1 out of 5 Food - 5 out of 5 Christian - 10 out of 5 read more

Arnoldi's has returned and they have not missed a step. The food is amazing. The service is great. The new staff is polished. Can't wait to return. read more

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Jorge was our server and he was amazing!!! So personable. My partner and I had a beautiful night, thanks to the ambiance but also due to his wonderful service!!! read more

Great food, good portions, my whole family loved it. Cocktails were ok but the food was really good. Highly recommend

Had a great Sunday lunch here . The old school bar and woodwork are such a nice look. The outside patio is so pretty. What a great atmosphere! We very much enjoyed our food and service . read more

Great service and food! Family friendly restaurant. Back patio is so pretty. The drinks were amazing. Highly recommend!

Born and raised in Santa Barbara. This was my first time at Arnoldi's. The service was great and was on top of everything. I finally got the chance to try the Spaghetti Carbonara. It was the best dish I have ever had. I can't wait to go back and get that dish again. I went for my anniversary which was a great spot for a romantic dinner. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Arnoldi's has been on Olive Street in Santa Barbara for decades serving delicious Italian food. This is a very unique place with a vintage inside seating are including a bar and a couple wooden booths. The outdoor patio area is lovely and includes a bocci ball court. The food is consistently good and fir the price point, the servings are generous. Arnoldi's serves classics dishes with an "old-school" feeling. The tri-color gnocchi has been one of favorites, as well as the incredible chicken Parmesan. read more

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Well, we read this place was a local favorite. I think the locals need higher standards. The bathrooms were filthy. There were only two restrooms for at least 100 guests and all of the employees. The kitchen was pure chaos and gross. And the service, especially the hostess, was rude. We were given a table on the patio that slanted towards the window. Literally things could roll off the table, and chairs were not level and rocked. We asked the hostess, the rude one, for the table adjacent to us but she told us it was taken. We asked to see the manager, and she rolled her eyes with attitude and walked away. The manager came by and couldn't help us move to the other table. A half hour lately five guests arrived and sat at the table we requested for 10 minutes. They complained about the table and they were given another one. Boom! Just like that! Lucky them! Meanwhile, the vacated table we wanted sat emoty the entire time we were there. The food was good. It tasted homemade. But was overpriced. Sigh. I digress. Do not recommend. read more

It is great to see Arnoldi's was sold and the new owners have kept the same wonderful old school & fun vibe! Not to mention unreal calamari and pastas and drinks. The service was awesome and we could not have been happier! Can't wait to come back. Kudos!!! And really fun for 3 generations. The grandkids had Shirley temples! read more

We've been eating at Arnoldi's for many years. We were there for the first time since they've re-opened. I actually think the food and service was better than ever. read more

We're so glad to have found and dined here in New Years Eve! My husband and I planned our NY trip to Santa Barbara last minute, so we were worried that the restaurants were fully booked. Luckily, we saw Arnoldi's still had a few tables left, so we decided to give it a shot, and they did not disappoint. The most important thing, the food, was delicious! Filet Mignon Arnoldi's was on point. The steak was juicy and side dishes were palatable. We also ordered the special salad, which from what I can remember consisted of butter lettuce, beet, and blue cheese. It was to die for. I even intend to re-create it at home. Service was also great, and we enjoyed the family-friendly ambience. Will definitely come back! read more

Unfortunately not as good as we were hoping for a 4.7 star restaurant. Espresso martini tasted as a straight espresso shot (I worked at an authentic Italian restaurant for two years and know how they should taste), our dishes came out lukewarm as we saw other customers getting their pasta with steam coming off, and the desserts were just alright. The calamari was good and so was the environment, very nice hostess and not too loud inside, although overall the food was quite a disappointment. As well as an oddball waiter who seemed to be rushing us out of the place! read more

This place was amazing!!! Great ambiance, staff as really friendly, food and wine was delicious! So good we may even come back before we leave town. read more

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First time and I'm impressed with the eggplant parmigiana. As someone who is particular with eggplant parm I rate theirs 10/10. They slice it thin and it's just the right amount of crispy and the sauce is in fact flavorful. It looks as good as it tastes. For the pasta on the side I requested the gorgonzola sauce instead of marinara sauce. It tasted like Alfredo sauce, still good, but was expecting that punch of flavor that gorgonzola brings. Great meal. Loved it. Will be back! read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Eggplant parmigiana w/pasta requested with gorgonzola cream sauce - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This is a hard one, because it is a traditional favorite. When they first reopened we went and it was delicious, and HUGE portion. The price definitely went up, but for that amount of food, and enough for the next day won't complain. But the next two times we went, the portions were smaller. Food is good, don't get me wrong. But the biggest thing is I wish the waiters would WRITE DOWN my order, not try and impress me by memorizing it. Both times my order was missing something or wrong, and they one waiter was kind of rude about switching it to what I wanted. I wish they would write it correctly the first time. I do love Arnoldi's though. read more

After the reopening of Arnold's Cafe we were hopeful to have a solid alternative for Italien Food in SB. Boy oh boy what a disappointment. Quality and selection of food is average at best, probably below average. Prices on the other hand are very rich. Frankly, our favorite Italien place in Downtown SB on Victoria has same price point but much better selection and quality. In fact, we had Italien food at one of the best (!) Italien restaurants in Newport Beach and even there we did not pay more than at Arnold's Cafe. A little side note: Waiters were very pushy. At one pint we were thinking they'd say "you have to order more to eat here". Anyways, if you want to spend top dollars on great food, go somewhere else. If you are looking for average Italian food, buy a lasagna from your grocery store. read more

I don't know why it took me so long to visit Arnoldi's Cafe but I am sure glad I have. The food was delicious with the carbonara being my absolute favorite. The ambiance is also something to behold if you are seated in their outside courtyard during the sunset hours. The painted sky and the food makes for a great combination. read more

Service was great, as usual. Same goes for the meal and vino. We always love going to Arnoli's for a regular dose of a rewarding evening out. read more

Celebrated a birthday, family and grad. Location is great, history is interesting, drink selection is good, food was ok and service was fair. I am being generous with my 4 stars because I would try it again and of the party of 8, half was pleased. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It's been 7 years since I tried this place. My critique was posted back then. Decided to give it one more chance. The same result. Food was good, prices ridiculous. $31 for chicken piccata that had ONE measly very thin slice of chicken breast. No more than 3 oz. Maybe this was a kitchen error, as my associates had two thin slices on their plate. A small side of pasta and sauce - no veggies, no side salad. Come on ! In this day and age, treat customers right by pricing food at a reasonable and competitive price. Being in the food industry for years, the food cost of my meal couldn't be more than $3-$4, Even if boneless skinless chicken breast is $10 a pound (which it is definitely not), the chicken slice would be about $2 at the most, add pasta and sauce for another $2 at the most = $4 food cost (and I'm being very generous), gives the restaurant about a 12% entree food cost. Ridiculous. Not going back ! read more

Thank you for a wonderful evening We have a dinner group that we meet with once a month We have been meeting for over 20 years I must say that we had a great time . The he dinner and service was great!! Good times with old friends and a great restaurant are just what we Cherish and we thank you for for great memories !!! read more

Really nice friendly staff. Food is decent. For an Italian restaurant they are missing many basics like eggplant, meatballs etc. They raised prices again. They charge extra when you change the sides that come with the dish without telling you. Losing it's luster. read more

Very cute ambiance and massive proportions. I got the spaghetti al vongole with the white wine sauce. The white wine sauce was amazing and so were the clams except there was a lot of little bits of shell in the pasta and I felt like i was going to crack my teeth. The pasta was a little too plain for me and didn't pick up the sauce well. But the ambiance and tables are super cute and give an old Italian vibe. I might have to try something else on their menu. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Spaghetti Alle Vongole - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We took a day trip to Santa Barbara to check out a few colleges. We stopped by Arnoldis restaurant and OH MY GOSH!! Arnoldi's did not disappoint! The food, drinks and atmosphere was top notch! A touch of elegance mixed with charm. Price was on point! Service was 10 out of 10! Such a wonderful way to wind down our day! Thank you for such a great experience! We definitely will be back! read more

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Long time customer, came back to see the business after it changed hands and happy to report that all of the old magic is still present! Same delicious food, beautiful ambience, fun family bocce ball, and absolutely amazing service by Simon, Jorge, and Imani. This restaurant is a local treasure that continues to shine! read more

this place was amazing!! i went here before once, and the food was amazing, but last night was just so amazing. The staff was some of the sweetest people and had excellent hospitality and service. I met the owner briefly (or who i collected was) and the staff looked to her like she was the best person ever, which i believe if that's the case. She was funny and sweet, and treated her staff amazing. The whole feel of the restaurant was lighthearted and so peaceful, and the paper cloth on the table allowed me, my younger brother, and friend to enjoy little sketches on it. I order the pomorodo gnocchi and it's was the best thing ever. that place has some of the best red cause ever. seriously. I am 100% coming here again and tipping well. definitely come here if your thinking of a delicious meal with your family, friends, or date! read more

Great food and good service ! Definitely worth a try!!!!!!!!! Yummy in my tummy !!!!!!!!!!! read more

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