Food and service was amazing as always. Chicken fettuccini Alfredo was fantastic as well as the chicken piccata. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - DD Chicken picatta (1) Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Best chicken Marsala I've had in a long time! My daughter wasn't hungry and had the bruschetta. It was pretty good. My wife had the Carbonara, which was OK but the gluten-free noodles really were not good. Probably not the fault of the restaurant. I will definitely go back and try the chicken Parm. Really good vibe and lovely service. read more

Another amazing night at Arnaldis! Service- phenomenal. Friendly, fun, attentive. My biggest pet peeve is asking someone for something and being told "This isn't my table". Not only did that NOT happen , everyone working there is very noticeably one cohesive team. They ALL accommodated us on every level. Food-top notch. Everyone was passing their plates around sharing everything because we all loved every dish. Among 11 of us, there wasn't a morsel left to bring home leftovers! Ambiance - wonderful for big groups. Not a bad seat in the house- indoor or on the patio. Such a charming family feel to a charming community. Thank you for making our mom's bday dinner special for us. read more

the best thing about arnoldi's cafe was our server CHRISTIAN! he went above & beyond, collaborating with chefs about substituting different sauces for my honey's meal. he was personable, kind, & friendly. as for the food, i ordered the potato gnocchi w the gorgonzola sauce. it was hearty, creamy, & delightful but i could honestly go the rest of my life without eating it again. the homemade gnocchi was pillowy soft & delicious though! i don't say this to deter anyone from ordering this meal. my daughter enjoyed her lasagne bolognese. my honey also liked his chicken marsala w linguini w "caper sauce" - we didn't finish our meals but that could be because we weren't especially hungry. read more

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Yo yo yo this place is totally off the hook so so yummy no lie food was flooding my mouth with great taste great workers and great surrounding read more

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My wife and I chose Arnoldi's for our wedding reception location and could not be more impressed. The outside trellis area was BEAUTIFUL and the staff was incredibly accommodating & professional. We dine here often because the food is some of the best Santa Barbara has to offer. The buffet style dinner maintained the same quality I've come to love and expect from the kitchen. Guillermo was phenomenal in every regard! read more

my family and I were there on June 10 for my great nephew's graduation dinner. we had family that came from out of town to celebrate. my niece made reservations a month or more in advance. we got there after graduation about 8:30pm. we did not get served at all. we were told that there were not enough cooks in the back. not once did the manager come out to explain the situation. the only time she came out was when she was told to which is unacceptable. we left without being served. the young man that was our server kept apologizing. it was not his fault. the manager knew it was graduation season and there wld be large parties. she needed to make sure she was staffed for it. PISS POOR MANAGEMENT!! i will never recommend this establishment to anyone. read more

Writing this as I am walking away from the restaurant. That's how bad my experience at Arnoldi's was. I came on a busy day and as someone who has worked in the restaurant industry I totally understand how things can fall through the cracks. However waiting nearly 50 minutes for cold food at a "nice" restaurant is completely unacceptable. I paid almost $40 for a chicken piccata that was a handful of overcooked angel hair pasta with cold canned cream of chicken soup dumped on top, finished off with 4 capers (chicken actually was just ok!). The gelatinous texture was honestly sickening. We were also seated outside on a cold day with no working heat lamps near us I was legit shivering. As a college student that likes to indulge in nice meals as a treat, this was incredibly upsetting as I had been saving and looking forward to this meal. So disappointed read more

Excited because of all the good reviews I saw but food was mediocre, way overpriced for what it was worth. What truly was upsetting was the service. The same server we had offered every table around us bread but us. The server was not helping us the same way he was helping other tables. The poor service and the food quality was overall disappointing. We were on the patio, so ambiance was great but we won't be coming back. read more

Arnoldi's is Back!!! Excellent dinner last night of Frutti Di Mare, pasta with meatballs, Caesar Salad, and the service by the young man in training, his first night, was 100!! We walked in around 4:45 and realized the reason for the crowd is a daily happy hour from 4:00-5:00 that had the place hopping and festive. You might consider an additional bar tender soon, which is a good thing. The only negative, it was really quite a long wait for drinks. So happy to see the positive simple changes made that have only improved the already wonderful Arnoldi's experience. We will see you again soon! Great job Arnoldi's!! read more

This review is long overdue, Arnoldi's never fails to amaze! This has been my go-to dinner & drinks spot for ages and we were happy to see such a special local's spot reopen after a closing period. The staff is always so incredibly kind, helpful, and really makes this place what it is! We've been fortunate enough to have Stone as our server both for my graduation dinner and recently with friends. He truly goes above and beyond with attentive and thoughtful service while handling busy nights with grace. The owner, Sara, was very sweet and accommodating with our large party for graduation and set us up with the most beautiful table on their patio. Highly recommend their hospitality, yummy food (especially the gnocchi), and cozy ambience to anyone planning a special event or just looking for a date night spot. read more

Found this Italian restaurant in downtown and to say it was fabulous would not be enough. The pasta and sauce was amazing. Service was even better and to top it off they have bocce ball courts was a fun time after dinner. If you're looking for great traditional Italian restaurant this is a must! read more

Wow what a tasty spot! My friend and I came here after seeing a super cute TikTok featuring this restaurants really tasty dishes :) Arnoldi's is Santa Barbara's oldest Italian restaurant! And you can really taste the years of work put into perfecting these dishes :) The restaurant itself is so cute! The outside is adorable and very welcoming. We walked in as a table for 2 and got seated right away! We got to choose between inside and outside, and we went for outside. Perfect choice! The seating pit back was stunning and a majority of guests sat out here, for good reason. It's like a wonderful garden, so ambient and pretty! I loved the pergola moment and all the fairy lights and plants! Definitely enhanced our dining experience :) Jorge (Alberto) was our waiter and he was fantastic by the way! So so friendly and accommodating. My friend knew him previously, which was so cool! He was helpful and made the dinner even better. We came here for two things; the calamari and the tricolor gnocchi. BEST CHOICES! - The calamari was so delicious. The squid itself was nice and tender, not rubbery or chewy in any way. The breading was perfectly seasoned and had a great crisp. This spot cuts everything by hand in restaurant, so the freshness was apparent. The sauce it came with was fantastic, we just wish we had even more!! - The gnocchi. THE GNOCCHI! We shared a single order of the gnocchi and Jorge got the order split on two plates for us, so nice! That way we both had the same stuff, and made it extra cute for pics! The gnocchi comes with 3 sauces: a tomato sauce, Gorgonzola cream sauce, and a creamy pesto! All three were phenomenal but we both loved the Gorgonzola the most. It was so rich and had a nice funky tang from the cheese! Complimented the pasta pillows amazingly. The pesto was so fresh and herbaceous. The tomato sauce tasted very similar to what was served with the calamari. As we ate and had different sauce combos, it just got better and better! The pasta itself was great. Such a nice, chewy texture! Gnocchi can get really mushy, and these were just rich. A perfect vessel for delivering all the yummy sauce. My plate was clean in the end Arnoldi's was so fun! Only mistake we made was not dressing cuter (we were so casual!) but next time we visit, we agreed on wearing dresses to explore more of the menu :) SO TASTY! read more

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Wow! This place is legit. Food was great. I wouldn't say a "5" but definitely better than a "4." It was great Italian food but not the best ever. Why the 5 star review, you might ask. Ambience was amazing. The outside seating was well decorated, plenty of flowers and lights that just give it such a nice atmosphere. The inside looked very "homey." It wasn't over the top, it was simple but nice. The music playing in the background gave it a nice final touch. The staff was so nice and attentive. Contantly checking in on us to see if we needed anything. I especially like that it was away from all the restaurants that are conveniently located where visitors generally hang out. It felt like this place was a local gem. So, there it is. That's why I feel it's a 5 star vs a 4 star. I ordered the ravioli, I typically wouldn't order ravioli but I went for it so that's on me. read more

Perfect spot to bring friends or your significant other!! Food was delicious, staff was nice and the outdoor seating is beautiful.

an authentic italian spot in santa barbara that had a lovely ambiance, but the service and food wasn't worth it for me to go back. everything was alright but not worth the price/long wait time. a reservation is needed to get in and they have a good variety/selection of italian cuisine. i ordered the tricolor gnocchi, with tomato sauce, gorgonzola, and pesto. my favorite of the three was the tomato sauce because it had the most robust flavor, where the gorgonzola sauce was very bland and the pesto had a little bit of flavor but was still lacking. i added a lot of salt and pepper. our server came up to us to get our order and drop off the check, that was really it. we weren't given any utensils so if i didn't get up to ask another staff member we would've been waiting for awhile, as the next time we saw him was just when he gave us the check. read more

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Our family had a casual elopement/wedding dinner reception at Arnoldi's Cafe with 24 guests. Casey and Sarah helped with our reservation and were very responsive and flexible to accommodate our family. We had a lovely wedding reception dinner outside under the trellis. The decor/ambiance outside was beautiful and the food was delicious. The servers were all very attentive to our needs and even set up a separate side cake table for us. We recommend Arnoldi's for celebrating any special occasion. Thank you again Casey and Sarah for helping us, it was a perfect night and the bride and groom were so happy! read more

Love Love Love! Like stepping back in time eating at my Grandma from Italys home, with a twist of Frank Sinatra vibe. Excellent Limoncello martini, tasty lasagna and first rate service! read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Beer, Martini and Caprese - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The best Italian spot in SB in my opinion. Staff is amazing, food is amazing, ambiance is amazing. Feels authentic too, and the bocce ball events are fun to watch. read more

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

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Outstanding meal! We took our dad to Arnoldi's for Father's Day. We were able to make a reservation and the owner, Sara, found a beautiful shaded spot for us on the patio. We were served a basket of fresh ciabatta bread and butter to start. Two of us had the Spaghetti Alla Bolognese which was **absolutely delicious**. The sauce was rich and flavorful, pasta cooked perfectly, and it was obvious the meatballs were housemade! (This may be one of those situations where I return with the intention of trying something different, yet end up ordering the Bolognese every single time.) I hadn't been to Arnoldi's in a few years, so the fresh interior was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant still has the historic charm of the original Arnoldi's that my family visited when I was a child-- dark wood booths, original bar, bocce ball courts, and old photos scattered about, combined with a refreshed interior and white tablecloths. There were also new menu items along with their traditional Italian dishes. The wait staff was friendly and accommodating. I'm looking forward to returning and checking out their happy hour! read more

We made the call to forgo the cooking and cleaning that Thanksgiving Day brings and made a reservation. I had no idea how many places offer traditional Thanksgiving meals but SB has bunches. (See @Andieats.) We landed on Arnoldi's with excitement because although I am the only one that had been before, we were all optimistic...and rightly so. We brought our almost 8 month old to make us a party of 5. Nico kept the bread coming. Two of us ordered the half n half. Two of us ordered Italian (lasagna and bolognese pasta) and many beverages both mocktails and cocktails. Extra mashed potatoes and one and a half Caesar Salads. Out of all the desserts, pumpkin cheesecake and the limoncello raspberry cake were the winners. I'd do it all over again. Everyone left happy. The waitstaff was super attentive. Babygirl's sweet noises were no problem but it wasn't too loud. 2:45 was the only slot that worked for us. Next year I'd like to add Bocce Ball to the day...a private party made that impossible this time. Okay thanks, Arnoldi's! Two of us will be insisting on your place for birthday dinner, already. read more

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

Arrived for dinner about 745 and was seated quickly in a window booth. As you come in you could smell there was seafood. Outside area was also nice. Wife had wanted pasta and they had great choices. Complimentary bread was served. She had angel hair pasta with pomodoro sauce and I had the eggplant parmesan with spaghetti and pomodoro sauce as well. I pomodoro sauce was outstanding. I should have thought about requesting the gorgonzola sauce. Both of us really like our dishes and they serve quite large portions. Portions could be shared and we ended taken food home. We will definitely return here on our next visit. Looks like they have new management and their extensive menu reflects that. read more

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Top notch service and hospitality. Food was outstanding and overall experience was exceptional. I am looking forward to returning and trying other menu items. read more

Really charming place. We went for a Sunday lunch and sat in the beautiful garden. The inside has old world charm as well. Waited to write this so I do not remember what I ate but it was good. read more

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

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Arnoldi's has been open for a long time. Visit this gem and you'll see why. My party had a wonderful meal( ravioli, Lasagna, and chicken piccata)all excellent as is the entire menu. Drinks are strong and creative fine wine list.great service and of course very busy there is a cozy dining room and outside seating including a soccer ball court. Don't miss this brilliant Santa Barbara institution!!! I heartily recommend this wonderful place. Don't miss it read more

Food 10/10, service 10/10, ambiance was amazing and quaint. Ugh I want to go back haha. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Amazing meal. Chicken Picatta and Rainbow Gnocchi was insane. - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Absolutely one of the best restaurants in town!! I've been going to Arnoldi's for years and the service and food and amazing. Sitting outside makes you feel like you're not in Santa Barbara anymore. The owner Sara is always so sweet and kind. She truly makes you feel like you're apart of the family. Highly recommend coming here, you won't regret it read more

Very tasty carbonara!! It was busy but the waiters were quick and nice. The restaurant interior is classy and perfect for dates! (Might get a bit loud bc it's popular tho) read more

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I had read some really nice reviews about Arnoldi's and being in the area with my daughters and loving Italian food, we thought we'd try it. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday night, but we didn't check the patio, opting to sit in one of their booths. The service was excellent and the food was very well prepared. The shrimp gamberi was delicious - we asked for a garlic sauce over a spicy sauce. We also enjoyed the fried zucchini blossoms. The pasta filled with ricotta and spinach was very good in a spinach sauce, but I much prefer more traditional marinara sauces. The chicken parm did not disappoint. We enjoyed a very nice evening at Arnoldi's. read more

After being stuck in traffic for a while, my wife and I were starving and this is one of the first food spots that popped up on my feed. I love Italian food so we came here. Cute lil shop. The server provided us with some yummy bread and butter and it was good. We ordered chicken Alfredo and tri colored gnocchi. Both meals were so good but we were stuffed so we took the rest to go. We had also ordered two drinks (one each) and they were so strong..I couldn't even finish mine. Our bill was a little steep for what we ordered. Maybe we will be back and try other food. read more

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Such a hidden gem for Italian food!! The portions are generous and delicious. You will not leave hungry. From the moment you come in the service is top notch and attentive. Their cheese and meats platter can feed a small village. They have an extensive wine list but do serve basic cocktails as well. The lasagna and the meatballs were delicious with an explosion of flavor. The outside has ample space for groups and cozy feeling away from the busy main drag. Perfect for a date or big groups to enjoy an Italian meal. read more

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

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Amazing spot. The food, the service, and the drinks were all phenomenal. We will definitely be back when we return to Santa Barbara. read more

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Excellent food; amazing service. Went for my wife's birthday. Definitely worth trying. $$$$ pricey but great for that special occasion. read more

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Can't rave enough about Arnoldi's! Long-time customers but first time back since change-over. Apologies- long overdue! Service remains outstanding! Food delicious as ever! Even during "Burger Week". Special thanks to our server Andres! We will be back VERY soon! read more

The food was amazing so fresh and flavorful. The desserts were also delicious and the Italian espresso was a must. We came to eat here twice on a trip to Santa Barbara and both times everything was perfect. Our server who was an older gentleman was so knowledgeable about the menu and his recommendations were spot on. The decor was very Italian and we loved the private booth we had on one of our visits where you can see pictures of couple in one of them from the 1950's were they got engaged in that booth and then a current picture obviously a much older adorable couple now celebrating their anniversary. So adorable. This is a must try in Santa Barbara. read more

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We had our wedding reception at Arnoldis in October and it was amazing. The atmosphere, food, and service was everything we wanted and more. One of the reasons we chose Arnoldis was for the beautiful back patio. We didn't feel the need to bring in a lot of extra decor which made setup on the day of easier. Several of our guests told us they felt like they had been transported to Italy when they stepped out onto the patio. We also got rave reviews from our guests about the food and the staff. Guillermo in particular was so attentive and helpful. He made sure everyone was well taken care of all night. Coordination with Sara before the wedding (layout, logistics, playlists, etc.) and on the day of the event was easy. She was very responsive and helpful. We are so glad we trusted Sara and her team at Arnoldis with our special day. Highly recommend Arnoldis for any special occasion! read more

The most dreamiest place for a whimsical, peaceful wedding. We hosted 92 people and planned the whole thing ourselves. Arnoldi's made this process so enjoyable, easy, transparent, and just all around an amazing experience. The communication from Sara and the rest of the staff was absolutely outstanding from the very beginning. They were the only venue in SB that made us feel like they really cared and we weren't just another number to them. They were immediately responsive and worked with us to create the evening of ours and our guests dreams. The food here is absolutely outstanding. To be completely honest, this place is extremely affordable for the experience they are giving people. I couldn't have asked for a better wedding day (we did our ceremony AND reception here. All in 1!). We will be back. We are so thankful to join our lives together in such a joyful and wholesome space. Thank you for this blessing! read more

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Ordered soup, appetizer, two pasta dishes, wine, Pellegrino, dessert, and two espressos. The food was mediocre at best for the price. My pasta was bland and served with no Parmesan cheese (none on the pasta or on the table). I had to get out of my seat and find someone to bring cheese just to make the dish edible. Sadly, the best part of the meal was the bread and the espresso. Patio was nice, and of course the bocce is fun. But it should be all about the food, and at this price point, the food was disappointing. My $200 would have been better spent elsewhere. read more

This is a must when in Santa Barbara! First of all, the vibe is so old school Italiano! There's a great bar that was calling my name. We ended up w a table on the covered patio. The food was spectacular! I had the bolognese with meatballs. Hands down best sauce ever. My companion had the eggplant parmigiana with pesto pasta on the side and mannnnnnn! That was the best eggplant parmigiana I've ever had! I can't say enough about this place. It's classic, delicious and perfect service! read more

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Arnoldi's was great! Immediately upon sitting down, we were served bread and butter, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side. Despite the busy night, we were attended to expeditiously and professionally, and were able to order our food in a timely manner. Service was great. Meanwhile, we chatted and enjoyed the beautiful ambiance; we were seated outside, where there was an elegant terrace and (optional) heaters. I ordered the tricolor gnocchi with vegetables (you can pick meat or veggies to be incorporated into the dish). It was really good!! I could only eat a small portion, though, since it was such a dense, rich, hearty meal. I liked the red sauce the best, as the pesto was good but a bit overpowering, and the white sauce was just slightly underwhelming. I packed the leftovers to go and it was a great lunch the next day. read more

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