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    Blackbird

    3.9 (237 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Blackbird Photos

    BLACKBIRD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise
    Dressy

    Recommended Reviews - Blackbird

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    Reviews With Photos

    Scallops
    Dee B.

    I'd give 5+ stars for the food. My wife had the scallops which she raved about and said it was the best part of the trip. The presentation was very nice. I had the steak sandwich which was good. The service was ehhhh - nothing bad nothing good -just perfunctory. The restaurant wasn't busy at all (we were the only table for a while) so it wasn't a matter of being busy.

    That was the ordinary dessert before it was half eaten!
    Lydia C.

    DO NOT CELEBRATE ANYTHING HERE!! The worst restuarant I have celebrated anything in! The food was good but the service was extremely slow. My boyfriend reserved the table ahead of time for my birthday but the server completely forgot about it. I already ate the dessert half way through and he brought a candle?? Are you serious? Every single fine dining restaurant I have been to all over the world for birthdays always made sure they made me feel special on that day. The host was aware and greeted me with happy birthday, but the server literally tried to light a candle of a half eaten dessert??! You wouldn't even do it to your dog's birthday, would you? There's no amount of a complimentaey dessert or drink can make up for it! The night was ruined!

    Went on a Thursday so not busy. Service was good with a friendly and knowledgeable waitress. Both starters and main courses were excellent. The main dining room has an upscale feel to it. The bartenders said he could make a good old fashioned and he was correct both times.

    Alex K.

    Finally had a chance to try this place out. We're normally in the area during the day time when they were closed. But a weekend in wine country brought us back to Santa Barbara for the weekend. It was pretty mellow for a Saturday night, which maybe as we had a later reservation. The restaurant is cute, part of hotel Californian. Decors, chic and modern. Menu for both cocktails and drinks are excellent. A full bar plus a nice wine selection. Food, started and entrees were excellent. What we ended up picking. The ceviche was excellent, fresh chunks of fish and made perfectly, the baked bri was excellent and accompanied by crackers. Entrees, the pork, lamb, fish and steak. A selection of everything as it all sounded amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly and well seasoned. Also paired with the right sauce and veggies. Everything was great and full of flavors. Food, cocktails and service were excellent.

    Gorgeous bathroom and my pants matched lol
    Tammy N.

    Small beautifully decorated vibe. Takes after alfredhitcocl the bird film. The waitstaff were so lovely. Brick chicken beautiful presentation but too dry. The wagyu beef was phenomenal. So tender and juicy. The black cod also beautifully plated but lacked flavor but still clean and yummy. Brussels very good. Tuna crudo yellowtail a must as well as oysters. Bring your $$$$ very pricey.

    Burgers and Bourbon night - Thursday
    Josh D.

    Showed up for "Burger and Bourbon" night on a Thursday and enjoyed it a ton! I'm trying to lose a little weight, so no bun, but added an egg, bacon, cheese, aioli and wrapped in lettuce. Served with a bullet rye on the rocks and it was the perfect meal. Highly recommend. Will be back for their chicken sandwich on Wednesday!

    Lemon drop martini
    Joanna S.

    Cute place and love the atmosphere. Went in for a cocktail and some scallops. Service was great.

    Chicken w/Rice
    Annette M.

    The restaurant was in a Michelin Guide so I was expecting a Michelin experience. Attended during Restaurant Week Pros- Beautiful restaurant Great location - Santa Barbara Large bar Lovely waitstaff Outdoor dining Delicious focaccia bread- Must have w/Lemon butter Connected to Hotel California (nice) Great for intimate dinner Con- All the food was incredibly under seasoned Mussels did not have "chorizo" but rather the sauce was bland - Food presentation was not as expected Not kid friendly We ordered from the Restaurant week menu 3 course And regular menu Food ordered Focaccia Bread w/Lemon Butter Mussels w/chorizo Farm market salad Black Cod w/ artichoke pasta Chicken w/ rice Chocolate bon bons Two cocktails One bottle of wine May return for drinks only

    Black cod
    Jessica T.

    Had dinner here the other night and enjoyed it. They were able to make me a delicious strawberry cocktail that was really tasty. Citrus salad was really good and very refreshing. I'm not a big burrata fan but thought it was tasty. Ordered the black cod and it was delicious but the creamed leeks and crème fraiche combined made it really salty. I'd give this dish a 3/5. Overall a solid place to eat!

    Tomahawk special
    Nicole P.

    Jesse is a jem...treasure him. Matt although he is in the background you can feel the support he provides for FOH and customers...from beginning to end every human we encountered was a delight and super helpful...I didn't get the name of the hostess nor the other server with the amazing lashes that just had a glow about her that was contagious...anyway way to go on your staffing. Jesse we thank you for the experience you provided especially since I know we just rapid fire ordered because we were servers that just got of work...you handled us with such grace and made us laugh when we were exausted you are appreciate xoxo Caleb and CoCo...your recommendations were also on point.

    Ceviche
    Bernice S.

    My favorite daughter treated me to a weekend away in Santa Barbara last weekend. We stayed at the Californian and while there we dined at Blackbird. The experience and the food was amazing. First of all, let me apologize because I thought that I would remember the servers name but at this advanced age (66 ) I always think my memory is better than it is . Her name was either Alexandra or Anette .i whichever it was she was amazing. She was able to strike the perfect balance of being right there when we needed her without being obtrusive. She was helpful and spot on with her recommendations. If ever there was a perfect server, she was it. Now for the food. We started with drinks. I had the espresso martini which was so delicious that I had two. my daughter had a drink. I think it was called Alfred Hitchcock, or something like that, but it was served in the cutest bird glass. Next onto the appetizers . The citrus salad was just the perfect blend of citrus fruit and it was amazing. The ceviche was spot on and the oysters fresh and yummy. Next, where our entrées. I ordered the black cod and my daughter had the halibut. we wound up switching because the halibut came with a lemon caper sauce that was to die for, but since she thinks anything with a grain of salt in it is salty, I reluctantly traded with her after taking a couple of bites of the cod which was delicious as well. We finished up our dinner with dessert which was a pineapple sorbet and a lemon tart which we split between the both of us . All in all, it was a wonderful experience. The ambience was elegant. The waitress was wonderful. The food was fantastic. I cannot wait to return.

    Kristen M.

    We had TWO exceptional evenings out in Santa Barbara at Blackbird. The first one was an intimate dinner as a couple, and the second one was a larger group and both were outstanding. There's a relaxed feeling of elegance and luxury and the setting is beautiful. Our food was delicious and the recommended wine pairings were spot on. Special thanks to Kiara and Genevieve, who seated us and served us both times and remembered who we were. Even the gentleman at valet welcomed us back and was so friendly and accommodating.

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    Amazing scallops and cod. Fantastic vibe and location and some very unique cocktails. Highly recommend!

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    Page 3 of 6

    Blackbird Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Blackbird

    Do they serve dessert?

    We absolutely serve dessert!! We are lucky enough to have one of the best pastry Chefs in the Universe, Chef Ron and he provides us with a seasonal, ever changing, dessert menu that features different creations every week! Please come in and take a… Read more

    What are the Vegan options?

    Michelle S., Our Blackbird menu has some changes every couple of weeks but currently the following… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

    Test Pilot

    Test Pilot

    4.4
    (426 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Amazing bar with a highly skilled bartender (on a Tuesday night) who managed to deliver…read moreconsistently perfect cocktails with zero help, to a crowd. The cocktails are highly creative, diverse in flavor and design, and really could stand up to any you would find at a top cocktail bar in a major city. The exterior doesn't scream "must come in" but you absolutely should. Is it a tiki bar? Yes, but in the best way. And the bartender deserves applause for pulling off 3+ quite complex cocktails every 5 minutes off of memory and without any support.

    Test Pilot lands somewhere in the orbit of tiki without fully crash-landing on a bamboo runway, and…read morehonestly, that works in its favor. In a stretch of Lower State packed with breweries, wine bars, and roaming weekend energy-drink humans in vintage bowling shirts, it threads the needle nicely between cocktail bar and tropical escape pod. The menu leans tiki-adjacent rather than deep-cut exotica, but the drinks are smartly built and avoid the "every problem can be solved with more rum" philosophy. There's a solid spread of spirits across the board, which makes the place feel more welcoming to a broader nightlife crowd instead of strictly rum disciples clutching vintage Trader Vic's mugs. The Oaxacan Dead was the standout for me. Smoky, balanced, endlessly sippable. One of those drinks where every sip quietly talks you into ordering another without turning into a sugar avalanche. The Jungle Bird was also great, though presented more in the direction of a Negroni than the punchier tropical versions you usually see. Bitter, restrained, and easy to settle into. Crowd-wise, things tilted a little frat-floaty as the night rolled on, but the staff handled everything smoothly and kept the vibe from turning into full pirate mutiny. Service stayed friendly and composed even when the volume of the room started climbing like a malfunctioning theremin. Big bonus points for the location and outdoor seating. Being right in the middle of Lower State makes it an easy launch point or final stop depending on your evening trajectory. Grab a drink, people-watch, drift between breweries and wine spots, repeat as necessary.

    Photos
    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Inside
    Inside
    Seasonal Slushy

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    Seasonal Slushy
    Dusk Bar

    Dusk Bar

    4.6
    (70 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    We stopped at Dusk Bar for about an hour on 05/23/2026 (at about 6:30pm) while we waited for a…read moretable at a nearby restaurant. I love how this State street facing business, which is part of the Drift Hotel, has a Dawn (coffee shop) and a Dusk (bar). We were looking for a good cocktail before dinner, and this did not disappoint. We were a party of two, and there are plenty of seats inside, as well as some patio seats outside. I had the Sweet Gidget, which is a tequila based drink with strawberry liquer, lime and some strawberry sugar rim. We also shared the chips and salsa, which had some absolutely delicious chips and some great green tomatilla salsa. It actually had a pretty nice spice to it, which we really loved. We would return again in the future.

    For some reason, this is considered the top cocktail bar in downtown Santa Barbara, however, we…read morefound the experience underwhelming and the service remarkably slow and unenthusiastic. When we arrived on a Tuesday evening, there were about seven patrons throughout the bar and the outdoor seating area with the live music drew us in. We were told to order at the bar, so while the rest of our party was seated, I stood there for five minutes before someone took my order. Totally fine, but no sorry for the wait or even smile or any warmth from the male bartender, who disappeared for a five minute break shortly after taking my order. The tables at the outdoor seating area were very sticky and since there were no employees in sight I (and the other patrons who arrived then) cleaned the tables ourselves. After waiting 10 minutes I went up to the bar and assumed since our drinks hadn't been delivered, I was supposed to pick them up, I was told don't worry, we'll bring them to you, and after another five minutes, our drinks arrived. The cocktails were decent, nothing revolutionary but I am spoiled in this department, well made but nothing to get excited about . After 30 minutes of enjoying the genuinely nice outdoor area we ordered another round, three shots took another 10+ minutes. When we realized we had to leave to make our reservation, we asked for a box for our untouched food, and we were told we don't have boxes. They ended up finding one for For us, but it appeared to be a pastry box from somewhere else. The female bartender who took over after the male clocked out, was much more personable, but not much more efficient. To their credit, this bar has an excellent selection of tequilas and Mezcal's, so if you're not in a rush and you enjoy those spirits it's definitely worth stopping by. The music was really great and was definitely the highlight of that bar.

    Photos
    Pleasant decor
    Pleasant decor
    Dusk Bar
    Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned

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    Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned
    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    3.8
    (107 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Came by here on Valentines day to have a couple drinks. Place is beautiful and the vibe is very…read morechill and relaxing. Took a minute to get some service unfortunately. The drinks were well made and we ordered the charcuterie board to eat. Small place, small menu FYI. Overall not a bad little spot to hang out and catch up with friends or bring a date.

    I absolutely loved Pearl Social and kudos to my friend Jara S. For highlighting them and for the…read morestellar drink recommendation. Pearl social is such a whimsical fun spot to grab a drink and a snack in the funk zone. We stumbled in for a late afternoon drink and it wasn't very busy inside - giving off "best kept secret vibe". The decor is very feminine yet playful. Loved the design and bar area. We opted for a casual booth area by the bar which was really nice. Also all of the little things were done well, crisp menus, clean bathrooms, and music done at just the right sound level. Their menu in the bar area for food is small but mighty - oysters, cheese plates, you name it. I'm definitely going to keep coming here for the cocktails. I've had one of the best sips in 2025 here - which would be The Mixtape cocktail. My friend told me I had to get it and I'm so glad I listen sometimes lol. This cocktail completely blew me away. Passionfruit forward, it's silky, sweet yet very well balanced. One of the more unique and tasty cocktails I've had ever and honestly I'm not sure how I could come back and get anything else. 10/10 Cocktail and menu. Super impressed. Kudos to Mark who was working the bar. Such a lovely spirit and kind person. He really is passionate about his menu and the drinks he's curated. Loved talking to him as we got to know a lot more about Pearl social and how some of their drinks were concerted. Really appreciated his time and expertise. Anytime I'm in the funk zone I will 100% be stopping back by here for a cocktail and good vibes.

    Photos
    Cute decor!
    Cute decor!
    Pearl Social Cocktail Club
    Accident in paradise and Stay Ready cocktails.

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    Accident in paradise and Stay Ready cocktails.
    Oku

    Oku

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$
    Rooftop seating
    Gluten-free friendly

    Took my husband here for his birthday & date night with our baby in a stroller and they were really…read moreaccommodating. They seated us outside facing the beach but at the end so we weren't too crowded by other tables. Everything we ate here was good but we HIGHLY recommend the Crazy Rich Asians rolls. So worth the market price. We might just make it a tradition to visit here every SB trip.

    Nice views of the pier!…read more Grabbed dinner with the wife on our way home from our honeymoon. We were craving sushi and this place right across from the beach was the perfect spot. They seated us fairly quickly, putting us at a table between the last guests and an upcoming reservation which was perfect for us. We started with some miso soup which was pretty good. The blistered shishito peppers not so much. When peppers burn their skin turns dark black and very flaky, not a very fun texture to chew on. Little bits of burnt pepper skin was getting stuck in our teeth and gums. We only ate a few and sent them away. We shared the salmon lollipops, basically a no rice salmon roll wrapped in cucumber with a stick in it so it looks like a lollipop. They were refreshing but not filling so make sure to order more if you get this. Katie got a Sunrise roll and I got the Crouching Tiger roll which were both really good. We also got a side of the garlic green beans which were fresh and very hot. Our server was very nice and we had a great experience overall here. Prices were reasonable also.

    Photos
    Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!
    Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!
    Yellowtail Carpaccio paired with Sakuna Rose Sake
    Yellowtail Carpaccio paired with Sakuna Rose Sake
    Way of the Dragon Roll and Piranha Roll. Paired with unfiltered Momo Kawa Sake!

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    Way of the Dragon Roll and Piranha Roll. Paired with unfiltered Momo Kawa Sake!

    Blackbird - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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