Ernesto is the best security guard! Thank you for holding down the fort. My friends and I felt so…read moresafe

We had a fun time at EOS while passing through Santa Barbara. Really glad we made time to check it…read moreout. The lounge has 3 areas - a EDM side, a hip hop side and an outdoor patio area. There are bathrooms at both dj areas. There are also 2 bar areas. It was nice to be able to switch to another dj if we were feeling the music where we were. Overall fun night, and best part was it was free admission!

The Good Lion is my go to whenever I'm downtown. They always nail it when it comes to creative…read morecocktails. I especially love the names they come up with for each drink. The environment is casual, with indoor and outdoor seating. I love to people watch here! Located next to the Granada and the perfect spot to grab a few drinks before a show. Happy hour is Monday - Friday from 4-6pm and offers a small menu of $9 cocktails. Sometimes it gets pretty crowded depending on what events are happening downtown. My only gripe is that I wish they had two bartenders during the busier nights. They could be short staffed though. Nonetheless, it's still a great spot for good quality cocktails.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Cool artsy bar with great cocktails…read more We were looking for a place to wet our whistles before dinner and this place looked promising. Located right next to the Granada Theater on the main drag, it looked to have undergone recent renovations and had a very chill but stylish ambiance. There was plenty of seating on a Wednesday night, and our bartender was a friendly young woman. The hubby got the spiced rum old fashioned, which had an ice cube with a lion's face etched onto it--a nice touch. I got one of their tiny Negronis, which came in a cute tiny mug and cost $5 (it sounded fun). Both tasted great and we had a nice time sipping our drinks and taking in the decor. Alas we had to be on our way so couldn't linger long, but we'd definitely love to stop by again the next time we're in town.

Amazing definitely recommend, great service and food! The environment was amazing as well!read more

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.

We had a great time at the Red Piano! Jimi the fabulously…read moretalented piano player and singer was especially kind playing all our favorite tunes as we sang out of tune. Thank you for making our Birthday pal feel special!

We walked in from the fun vibe and of course the piano music. Just had dinner and wanting a…read morenightcap. I've been to Santa Barbara loads of time and this was the first time walking into this place. They did have a security guard in front checking ID. The crowd was pretty lively for Saturday night but not too overly packed. Piano man was having his moment. Hence the reason we walked in. Tables and booths were pretty much taken but we manage to get a seat at the bar counter. Cocktail menu had all you drinks, both mixed and specialty. It's a full bar so whatever you're craving I'm sure they could create. We got a few drinks as there was a couple of us. The bartenders was really sweet and fun. She was having a good time and taking care of everyone. It was only her when we walked in but a few others showed up a couple of minutes later. One of the cocktails was a bit too sweet for me so I opted for another. Went with a beer which was ok. Drink wise, about 18-20.00 per cocktails. About average wherever you go to now. Even though we were at the bar counter, a waitress came over to take our order. Piano man was very good. When we walked in he was taking request from the audience. Afterwards, the song choices were pretty great. And the sing along with everyone was fun. Hence why people love a good piano bar. Would I come back, yes. The vibe was great. It was fun place with a good amount of seating. There's a nice big bar area as well as patio seating in front. I don't know if food is offered. Would definitely come back for a fun night.

If you're a local, this is the place to avoid. It's the "bridge and tunnel" club. Crowded, skeezy,…read morenot in the greatest state of repair, and so on. Though always skeptical of such consensus, unconsciously I bought into this for years. One day, a favorite bartender from another establishment wound up here. I started popping in early, more than a little wary, cautious to plan for an early departure. But slowly I got to know the other staff. The absolute nicest bunch of people in Santa Barbara. People I never went out of my way to befriend, who picked me out as a regular, showed me respect I never asked for, treated me with the utmost kindness even though I never did much to deserve it. Wildcat has become a place where I'm comfortable walking in, even on a busy Friday or Saturday night; and know I'll be valued, respected, and protected, even by people I barely know. And also served the absolute coldest draft beer in the city except for Lure which closes at 10. This sounds like an ad but I swear it's the damn truth. Be prepared to wait in line. The line is part of the fun. These are your fellow patrons, after all. Your friends and neighbors. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I don't usually leave reviews, but my experience at this lounge really rubbed me the wrong way. We…read morewere ID'd at the door when we walked in, no issue there. We headed to the back to sit down before ordering drinks, just chatting and minding our business. A staff member came out to turn on the heaters, then immediately walked up to us and said he needed to check all of our IDs again. We let him know we had just been checked at the door, but he didn't respond at all--just completely ignored that and insisted. We handed over our IDs one by one, and the way he checked them was honestly uncomfortable. He was shining a black light super aggressively, flashing it in our faces even though we were literally just sitting there having a conversation. It felt unnecessary and almost like he was looking for a problem that wasn't there. What made it even worse was how careless he was with matching the IDs to the right people. He kept handing them back to the wrong person, even after staring at our photos. The most confusing part was when my female friend handed him her ID and, after checking it, he repeatedly tried to give it back to one of my male friends. That male friend pointed at her multiple times saying, "that's her ID," and the guy still tried to hand it back to him. If you're checking IDs that thoroughly, I'd expect you to at least be able to tell the difference between a man and a woman--especially when the photo is right there. Overall, the whole interaction felt intrusive, unnecessary, and honestly a bit disrespectful. Tons of locals recommended this place to us, so it was super disappointing to have an experience like this especially when celebrating a friend's birthday. I don't know the name of the staff member, nobody was wearing name tags. But he's an incredibly rude older man. Hi Dawn, it was the day I posted this review, December 8th maybe 9-10pm

Honestly... save your money…read more I dropped by this Jordanian restaurant /hookah lounge to chill for a bit, have a beer, and enjoy some hookah. It looked like a cool vibe from the outside, but the whole experience left me super disappointed. When I walked in, the place was empty--just the owner and two staff. No greeting, no welcome, just awkward silence while the owner stayed on the phone trying to fix what sounded like a billing issue. The staff didn't speak much English (which is fine), but there was no real effort to help or explain anything either. Eventually, I got a hookah and a beer--$48.50 for one hookah and one beer. Yeah... nearly $50. No food, no extras. That's wild. Then I was told I had to smoke outside on the back patio, which turned out to be a tiny little corner--maybe 6 by 10 feet--with uncomfortable chairs and a random wood bench. It took 15 minutes to even get the hookah (remember, no one else was there), and when it arrived, it was totally burnt. Overpacked, harsh hits, and I ended up having to scrape it and fix it myself just to get it to smoke right. Wanna know the kicker? You only get three coals. That's it. No refills unless you pay for more. No one checked on us for almost an hour, and when I finally asked for more coals, they said (in broken English and mostly Spanish) that that's all you get unless you pay extra. I've smoked hookah all over the place--three coals is nothing, especially when you're charging $35+. No one came around, no vibe, no music, no nothing. Just me, my burnt hookah, and a beer that wasn't even cold. I really tried to find something redeeming about this place, but nothing hit. The service wasn't there, the product wasn't good, and it honestly felt like I was bothering them just by being there. Bottom line: for $50, you can do way better just about anywhere else--or even at home. Hope they turn it around, but for now, I wouldn't recommend it.

This restaurant is located off from State Street. There is a parking lot across the street and…read morebehind the building. The restaurant is great. There is a bar, hookah lounge in the back. There are also games available to use. It is a little bit dark inside. The food was good. We got the burger and the shawarma wrap. The service was good. There is one one cook and a one bartender. The food came quickly. Everyone was really nice and friendly. Take-out available

My wife and I found ourselves in Santa Barbara this weekend to celebrate her 40th birthday and upon…read morechecking into the inn, we were quickly referred to Oku by the front desk manager. After we offloaded the truck, changed and relaxed for a bit, we headed out for a walk near the waterfront. We eventually made our way down to the beach and found ourselves at Oku. We approached the hostess stand and were greeted by two young ladies who pointed us towards the bar as we'd planned on just stopping by for a cocktail. We were immediately welcomed by Tommy who handed us two menus, set us up with a couple waters and asked if he could serve us a cocktail. I got the Oaxacan old fashioned and my wife got the Oku old fashioned. In addition to our drinks, we also ordered up some shishito peppers, hamachi sashimi, Toro nigiri as well as big eye tuna nigiri. Our drinks arrived quickly and as we sipped on them, our food arrived shortly thereafter. It was early afternoon and we had apparently beat the crowd which was great for us as the place quickly filled up after about half an hour. The shishitos were perfectly prepared and served with a sauce as well as tuna flake on top and made for a phenomenal starter. Shortly thereafter we tore into our sashimi and nigiri all of which was served well and tasted great. While eating our food, the place began filling up and Matt showed up to help man the bar. Despite getting very busy, Tommy and Matt remained attentive and made sure we were taken care of and had what we needed. We finished our cocktails and food, closed out and prepared for our departure, but I hope to come back tomorrow for some more amazing Japanese food and excellent cocktails from the crew here at Oku. Thanks for the hospitality, excellent cocktails and for welcoming us in! Tommy and Matt are both excellent additions to the team! Photos compliments of my wife since I take photos like a Neanderthal.

My husband and I dined here for an early dinner with a reservation. I think after checking in it…read moremight've taken 5-10 minutes to be sat. Our server was really kind and on point with everything! Everything came out quickly. We ordered the otoro sushi, ikura sushi, rainbow roll, and two orders of the filet mignon. I have zero complaints about the sushi. It was incredibly delicious! I do think the filet mignon had beautiful plating, but it was very underwhelming, and didn't come out the requested way of cooking. I don't think I'd order that again, but we enjoyed our food overall. We chose to dine outside since it was a nice day and I thought that was pretty nice. We did bring our baby and had enough room with a high chair etc. we'd come back!

Long overdue review for this not so hidden gem…read more Rodeo Room offers amazing craft cocktails, delicious bites, and a killer happy hour 5-6pm. Did you also know there's also omakase? On Sunday (1 seating) and Monday (2 seatings), Rodeo Room transforms into a delicious (and affordable) omakase consisting of delicious bites of sushi and ends with a twist on a bar bite and dessert. Optional cocktail pairing (worth it!). The ambiance gives off a dark classy take on a classic bar setting. Service is friendly and the sushi chef prepares the food right where you can see (depending on where you are seated). I recommend the bar top vs table, unless with a larger group. Limited seating so be sure to make a reso in advance!

Friendly staff Really Dark Room that's still really cute!…read more Cauliflower Tacos recommended and the Laid Back cocktail yummy

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.

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.

Cody is a FANTASTIC bartender! I had a flight of Mezcal and ended the night with Morning Dew. WE…read moreLOOOOOOOOOVED AND I MEAN LOVED MORNING DEW. Absolutely fantastic drink!!!!!! So smooth and refreshing and dangerous lol... super friendly and calm atmosphere! Great music too!