Bouchon is easily one of the top 5 restaurants in Santa Barbara (and that's saying a lot as there are some amazing restaurants in SB). I had the treat of living right off State Street for a couple of years and my GF and I dined at almost every restaurant in SB at least once. But this is the place we'd visit when we wanted something truly special. Every meal was consistently amazing and the service was top notch. As others have mentioned, the Foie Gras is sinful, probably the best I've ever had (and I just love saying "Fwwwah Grah", don't you?). My GF is a picky Vegan and there was a mushroom dish she always ordered that was almost tasty enough to convert this carnivore. The wine list is extensive (mostly California wines, if memory serves) - we had many a good bottle there, usually from a local winery. Note that the prices here are pretty steep (even by SB standards). But if you're looking for an incredible dining experience, its well worth the $$$. A must-dine the next time you're visiting paradise (aka SB). Expect to be impressed. read more

Amazing. Fantastic food. Definitely recommend the duck. Friendly staff and super professional. The vibe and ambience is *chefs kiss. Would visit again. read more

AMAZING!! One of the truly good places I've enjoyed all year! Originally, I thought this Bouchon was related to the other Bouchons (like the one in Vegas) but our server heard us talking and decided to give us a little history of this restaurant. To our surprise it was not related, but it was the original Bouchon and our server was very knowledgeable, he wasn't only working there, but he was immerse in their history. We started off with a bottle of red wine that was suggested by our server and it was a great choice! The wine was smoky flavor (forgot which one). I ordered the beet salad and it was the best simple yet specialty salad I had! The beet was excellent! The flavors were definitely mixed well. If you don't like beet, this will make you like it! For the entrée I ordered the maple-glazed duck breast. The little mix of sweet corn, beans, and bacon was to die for! It had the sweet I wanted, the smoky-sweet bacon taste and the slightly flavored beans, it all went very well together. I also liked the fact that they put butternut squash in there as well! The duck itself was VERY savory, flavorful and probably the best Americanized cooked duck I ever had (oppose to Asian roasted duck). It definitely was not dry and the portions were very generous. I finished my plate clean! The other people in my party loved everything they had as well. This place was exceptional and I would love to come back and try other perfectly cooked dishes! Hands down to the original Bouchon! read more

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What a romantic spot! My boyfriend made reservations here for us to spend. I love how when you make a reservation here, you show up on time and you get seated right away. Service was amazing. Our waiter was so caring and so nice, I wish he'd serve me everywhere! I ordered the duck dish which is maple-glazed. OMG, probably the best dish I've ever had. The thigh of the duck was probably the best thing of the dish. It was so moist and flavorful that I forced myself to finish the dish even though I was really full! My boyfriend ordered the pan-seared venison. I tried some of it and it was my first time trying deer. It was pretty good and it wasn't gamey at all. We both ordered their white corn puree soup, which was a special. It's organic and everything is fresh so the corn was very bold, but the soup was light. It was a nice mix. I'd come back here again and again. I definitely recommend this place if you're trying to spend a romantic night. If you tell them that it's an anniversary, they'll put petals all over the table. It's very small and personal here, which I like. read more

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I was sooooo looking forward to this dinner, but in the end was a little disappointed. The food was good, loved the ambiance, but nothing really "wowed" me. Baked Brie with strawberry balsamic purée. The puffed pastry casing was really unique and the acidity of the strawberry balsamic vinegar really balanced the rich aspects of the Brie cheese. Great way to start the night! Dungeness crab cakes were nice and fresh, but didn't have the big chunks of crab that I like. In the end, crab cakes are crab cakes and Bouchon's version was good, but didn't truly "wow" me. Seared local pacific fresh fish was good, but again, didn't "wow" me. Loved the ambiance, and the service, but if I was scoring on food alone, it would be 3 stars. read more

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Love this place. It's right off of State Street and you might have some trouble parking during dinner time. I had reservations for 8p and we were seated at 830p (we got there late - around 820p). The ambiance is more laid back than the French restaurants up North - casual art, yellow walls, open view kitchen that looked like house kitchen, "Fly me to the moon" type of music, etc. We liked that. The savory foie gras is AMAZING. it was on top of beet salad, spiced butternut puree, brioche crouton, and red wine jus. It was a good sized portion and so buttery. YUM! My two friends like the Seared Diver Scallop Trio better. It was these huge scallops in three ways - as salad, appetizer and then dinner. We all agreed the salad scallop was the best. We had a bottle of the Point Conception chardonnay, which was really good with our appetizers. By the time our entrees came around, I was full! I had the duck, which was pretty awesome. The Wagyu beef was pretty good and the friend that had the Ahi tuna with lemon mashed potatoes literally licked her plate clean. I would recommend this place to people of all ages (except kids) for any occasion or non-occasion. Definitely would come back. Our waiter (Eric), the host, the waitstaff, and the manager who would get on the chair to take our photos, were all gracious and very customer-service oriented. The best I've seen in awhile. One bad thing - they have retired the Blueberry cake for now (even though blueberries are in season). I was really disappointed. I don't recommend any desserts here. Go somewhere else for dessert. read more

Bouchon is definitely a little hidden gem in downtown SB, and I can definitely thank you yelpers for helping me find this. I'm just going to start with the best. Blueberry upside down cake. Warm cake topped with lemon zest ice cream, it was sex in my mouth - I felt like I just cheated on my girlfriend with this thing. Good thing was, I took her here for her 21st birthday, so i think it was allowed. One thing I was really impressed on was their extensive selection on wine, all from local wineries. Next to every dish on their menu (and i mean EVERY), they provided a recommended wine to pair the dish with - perfect for a wine n00b like myself. Started the meal off with Salad Niçoise (had the GF order so I wouldn't embarrass myself trying to pronounce this) and Smoked Scallop Carpaccio. She had the Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast, while i had their special for the evening, the Spiny Lobster & Berkshire Pork Belly Confit. Everything was cooked perfectly, and even though i was already stuffed off the starters, I still managed to finish everything. The whole wait staff was extremely friendly as well, whether it was making recommendations to us or just checking up and seeing how we were doing. Mix that in with the cozy indoor/outdoor seating, ambient lighting, and an open kitchen, and you have me and the GF promising each other to come back so that we can divulge on more food, wine, and sweets. A+ Bouchon. We will meet again. read more

Bouchon - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Bouchon has such a delightful and warm French atmosphere, from the cozy dining room with exposed brick walls to the open concept kitchen. My best friend and I had a great dinner here during a business trip to Santa Barbara. A friend of hers highly recommended Bouchon and the Yelp reviews confirmed it was a top notch choice. The menu did not list a cheese plate, but we asked our server and he brought us a list of available cheeses. Oh my! These were so heavenly and we were enamored with all of the ones we tried. I can't recall which ones we got, but the cheese and the accompaniments were just so so good! I got the pan seared sea bass for my entree with brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes. I couldn't finish it all, but I loved it so much! For dessert we each chose two scoops of ice cream/sorbet. Unbelievably delicious! The only thing we didn't love about Bouchon was the bathroom situation. You have to leave the main restaurant and go next door to use the unisex bathroom. There was a line every time we had to go and that cut into our overall enjoyment of the night. read more

Bouchon - PAN-SEARED LOCAL SEA BASS - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Good place for fancy meals featured on local ingredients prepared in French techniques. We order Trio of Scallops as appetizer (really like the way they came out in three way). Duck breast & confit ( succulent and perfect with cherries sour sweet sauce), Crispy local sea bass is definitely highlighted on its crispy outside and moisture inside. Finally, have strawberry bake Alaska as dessert for happy ending. I would definitely come back if I came to the town for another visit. read more

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Bouchon is the wife's favorite restaurant in town, so needless to say it's my go to reservation spot for her birthday, Valentine's and our anniversary for the past 2 years that we haven't been travelin, we're antiques! I want to thank Kelly, she's a great gal, we always like to sit where we can be taken care of by her, she's a true gem. Thank you Bouchon for the extra care and hospitality over the past two years, meant a lot to us. read more

We were spending the weekend in SB for my hubby's birthday, and after scouring the reviews on yelp for his birthday dinner, we settled on coming here. First of all, it's a totally cute restaurant with a charming outdoor area and an open kitchen inside where you can see all the action. Whenever I'm at a new restaurant I think about what if I was the owner of this restaurant... what would I do differently (in my head, I'm always fantasizing about owning a successful restaurant. I can dream, right?) and I thought Bouchon had a great vibe overall. Romantic and intimate but not too quiet or pretentious. Our waiter was Hunter, and he was fantastic. A good waiter can make or break the experience, and he was very knowledgeable, had great recommendations, and was friendly without being overbearing. We had the diver scallops cooked 3 ways and cauliflower puree for appetizers, hubby had the wagyu steak and I had the lamb for our entrees. The scallops were interesting. We didn't like the one with orange marmalade/fennel. It was so sweet and the orange marmalade was too overpowering. But we did like the scallop with risotto and the scallop with mushrooms. What we didn't like was the cauliflower puree. Not sure what happened, but it was bland and bitter, which I attribute to an off night since I've read other reviews that said otherwise. We didn't complain, but Hunter immediately noticed that we didn't finish the soup, and offered to take it off the bill which was very nice. We appreciated that. For our entree, hubby loved his wagyu steak. It was cooked perfectly, and the favorite part of the dish was the truffle flavored potato croquette. It was the bomb! So yummy. My lamb was excellent as well, and I loved the side of brussels sprouts with pork belly. Bouchon portions are on the generous side, and we both finished our plates. I even dug into the lamb shanks caveman style to get all the yumminess. We also really liked their starter bread. I love a place that serves good quality, warm bread with creamy butter, and this place has that. It was hard for me not to finish the bread basket before the food arrived. I'd definitely come back to Bouchon next time I'm in SB. I didn't love all the dishes, but the hits were pretty stellar, and combined with excellent service, charming ambience, I'm sold on this place. Recommend! read more

Oh my goodness,this place is beyond amazing in every way. Everything was perfect from start to finish. Our server was very friendly and knowledgable. The whole entire staff was attentive and professional minding ever detail, such as taking my husband's jacket to the coat area and giving him a ticket to retrieve it at the end of our meal. Small detail but very important. Wow!!! We started with a glass of Cabernet and Dr Klapper Riesling. Then we ordered the French 'Four Onion' Soup, Farmers Market Vegetable Towers and Heirloom tomato cheese appetizer. Then we continued with Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast + risotto, Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast and everything tasted amazing. We were so stuffed that we took our Meringue Lemon Tart dessert home and devoured it in our motel room. Our total bill with tax and tip included was 249.19, which was well worth it! This was one of the best dinners I've ever had and I will be coming back real soon. Great job Bouchon!!! read more

If we are ever back in Santa Barbara, we will not hesitate to have dinner here! It was one of our favorite meals EVER! The scallop appetizer was delicious...my husband is not a scallop lover, but he humored me, and we ordered them to share. He loved them!! I had the Waygu beef, and he had their signature duck dish for our entrees. Both were sublime. I am not usually a fan of duck, but I tried a bite of his, and I really liked how they prepared it. My beef was good, too. I would probably try something else next time, but it was still a very flavorful dish. We skipped dessert, but the choices looked like any of them would be satisfying, we were just too full to order any! Our server was nice, the hostess was friendly, and the man who kept filling our water and tea was very attentive. It was a perfect place for a romantic dinner. read more

The food was excellent, especially the lamb, which was stunning. They did a great job of setting up beautiful outdoor dining with ambience during the COVID restrictions. The reason I gave 4/5 stars is that I was celebrating a birthday and they don't offer a birthday treat. After dropping $100 on a bottle of wine in addition to ample food, it would be nice if they didn't make you order your own birthday dessert. read more

Boy this was a terrific meal. The only reason I didn't click 5 stars was that the restaurant doesn't serve hard liquor only wine and beer. I had arrived with a martini in mind. But the wine list is really really good, and does a nice job presenting numerous choices from the Santa Barbara wine region. Our waiter recommended a Jaffurs Syrah after our first selection was unavailable, and the Jaffurs was a great choice. Appetizers included a wonderful yellowfin tuna plate and some tasty tasty foie gras which I always order if I'm in a spot where I think they know what they are doing in the kitchen. Bouchon does, and does it very very well. Dinner entrees: the waygu beef ribeye was prepared just as described and very tender and tasty. A couple of us ordered the duck breast and WOW, it was so good and done just right. Also ordered was a chicken plate which I didn't hear good or bad comments. We enjoyed a chocolate molten cake dessert and washed it down with a couple by-the-glas orders of wine to finish the evening. Get reservations well in advance as this is a small spot. Thank you Bouchon for a memorable food experience! Next time it will be 5 stars I'm certain , as I'll be prepared to have my pre dinner martini en route! read more

A perfect place for wife's birthday dinner. Staff was friendly. Lamb we had was perfect too.

It is an expensive place to have good food. Everything is as I expected, but there was no surprisingly good food. We ordered duck breast and lobster for the main dish. Both are delicious. Duck breast is pretty thick. There is only limited street parking here. read more

Service was amazing and all of the workers wore masks and table were safely distanced. All of the food was so delish! You definitely should get the duck. It was so tender! My bf got the wagyu beef and he said it was ok (knocked off one star). I would say to go for the seafood/duck if you come instead. The french onion soup was so good, though I wish it were a bit bigger. We closed the meal off with their raspberry dessert and it was divine!!! You seriously have to try this one. Will definitely be back! read more

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Bouchon is a colossal disappointment on so many levels. First off this restaurant is not to be confused with Bouchon in Yountville, the latter being a Thomas Keller restaurant. Yountville Bouchon is a highly regarded and very respectable restaurant, much more than I can say for Santa Barbara Bouchon. Anyway, the first disappointment came with the wine. I ordered a glass of wine (had already had enough wine prior to the restaurant so only wanted a glass with dinner). My waiter brought out the smallest, shittiest wine glass I've probably ever seen at a restaurant-certainly a restaurant of this caliber, and proceeded to pour the wine in said glass. I asked the waiter if they had any 'real' wine glasses, meaning a nicer wine glass. A standard Riedel glass would have worked just fine. My waiter very begrudgingly replaced my wine glass with something better. But when I poured the wine into the new wine glass, it amounted to only about half a glass. This was $18. In other words, I paid $18 for half a glass of wine. Not only is this a scam, but as someone who is WSET Level III-trained, it's very problematic. It is just baffling why a French restaurant like Bouchon would try to pull something like that. Now onto the food. I ordered the pork belly appetizer. It came out a bit well done and tough and was mediocre at best. Pork belly properly prepared is supposed to be very tender and almost melting in your mouth. Next I ordered the rack of lamb. It was supposed to be prepared medium rare but instead came out rare. It had little taste to it. I've had better rack of lamb from Whole Foods. We didn't bother ordering any desserts, as we wanted to get out of there as fast as possible and not waste any more money. And let me also say that I've eaten at this restaurant several times and my experience has always been the same. I think I've finally learned my lesson. For some reason Bouchon has a well-established reputation. It is very much undeserved. I suspect that they benefit from people confusing it with Keller's restaurant in Yountville, which is unfortunate. The two are completely unrelated in every sense of that word. read more

Very romantic restaurant they have here in downtown Santa Barbara. Great place to take a date. Special place to celebrate an anniversary. Us? We came here because we just wanted a nice dinner because we fancy like that. I wasn't feeling super hungry so I only just ordered their scallops trio while hubs tried their rack of lamb. Gordon Ramsay would approve of their scallops. Perfectly sauteed and full of flavor. Hub's lamb was wonderful was well. Wonderful dinner experience here and good service. Also, ask them what wine would pair well with your food. You won't be disappointed! read more

From syart to finish the team at Bouchon delivered. We were there to celebrate our 36th anniversary, and were seated to a table covered with rose petals, a nice touch! We started with the scallop appetizer for 2. 3 large sea scallops, each prepared differently, all delicious. Our entrees were the Lobster Pot Pie, which was off the hook delicious, and was perfect and, the Wagyu Rib Eye, cooked mid-rare and served over spot on vegetables. read more

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Stayed for a weekend in Santa Barbara and have always wanted to try Bouchon. When we booked our trip we didn't realize it was also UCSB graduation weekend and were worried that we'd be lost in the restaurant with our little party of 2. This was not the case at all. The service was terrific. The server was a delight and paced the food perfectly. The wine list is mainly local wines hand selected by a very knowledgeable sommelier. We tried some different wines to accompany each course with the highlight being a small flight of Chardonnay accompanied by scallops prepared three ways. Even if you're not a wine geek, it's a fun way to have the equivalent of a glass of wine with your appetizer. It was a special but I think it's one of those ongoing kind. The owner stopped by and explained the genesis of the scallops which was a very nice touch. For the main, I had the venison which was lean and cooked perfectly and my partner had pork tenderloin which she thought was good but would try something else next time. It was hard to match the uniqueness of the first course. We had a great time and will definitely return. read more

Bouchon - Whoops ate the crudo scallops too quickly! - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My first 5-star review of 2015 goes to Bouchon in SB. And no, this is not the Bouchon in Beverly Hills and it has nothing to do with T. Keller. This is the SB Bouchon serving wine country inspired dishes under executive chef Greg Murphy. The food was spectacular, service was superb, ambiance was exquisite, and the wine selection was splendid. My favorite thing about this place is that they primarily feature locally sourced ingredients and wines--you'd expect nothing less from a top-notch restaurant in Santa Barbara. read more

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I wandered in tonight cold with a book by myself What a lovely place Amazing food and wine My waiter Justin suggested Warm Pecan and Goat Cheese Tart instead of my usual onion soup. I was totally pleased with the combination of flavours ; a house made tart with warm Herbed goat cheese apricots and frisée salad with intensely flavoured stone fruit purée. Wow An amazing blend of texture and taste. The sweet tart fruit plus warm cheese and crispy rich tart was a masterpiece. Check out my photo. read more

Bouchon - Here is tonight's culinary bit of perfection - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Bouchon is very special to me because we had randomly stumbled upon it via Google for fine dining suggestions, through my smart phone, during our trip to Santa Barbara. I was not quite an active Yelper as now, but read many pleasant reviews. The delicious food, intimate setting, local wine selection, and friendly service leaves us wanting more.. Cozy interior, white linen table clothes, vines growing outside the exterior front patio seating were a romantic touch. We actually drove up north bound (within a couple of months) to Santa Barbara, just to dine here again and reminisce about our wonderful first experience. The seasonal specials: The farm fresh local ingredients truly resonate here. There is much attention to fresh wholesomeness. Absolutely LUV the seasonal celery soup, flavorful smooth texture, creamy taste - without a strong bitter taste of celery. I get the most delightful after taste, yummy. First time we came here, I tried a spoon of my dates - then right after, I told the waiter I wanted an order too. The second visit, we knew to each order our own. The giant scallop sampler: Elegantly plated as a trio sectional long dish, each prepared with diverse flavors, seasoning, and just delish! Entrée - Their grilled Wagyu NY steak is very flavorful and tender, a good value at $34 made it a bonus! And their desserts, I said I was so full - I couldn't possibly eat any dessert.. That is, until I LOOKED at the dessert menu. They offer suggested wine pairings with each dish too. I didn't realize the 2013 Zagat rate is 27/30 here, as I write this review. I can see why... Make advanced reservations since it is a quaint restaurant, limited seating, and you don't want to get stuck sitting on other side - where it's isolated with an extended living room/private event room setting, near the bathroom. There is parking on State Street, watch the posted signs. read more

The proprietors have made the most out of a bad situation and have all of their seating outside: in the courtyard, perched on the balcony, anywhere that's flat and an appropriately spaced. It makes for a more romantic atmosphere, and adds the illusion that you are special. Nice. We had a 5:45 reservation. Many people already seated. We had a nice table on a balcony overlooking the courtyard so good for people watching. Someone came and got our drinks, which is fun since we don't drink. They have one kind of non-alcoholic beer which turned out fine, it wasn't skunky or flat - tasted great, a little fruity in fact. The husband and I both had the grilled nectarine salad as a starter, he had the duck for main course, and I had the trio of scallops. The grilled nectarine wasn't warm which is what I was expecting. So they grilled the fruit and put it in the fridge? Also, I don't recall the reduced balsamic being pored over the whole salad, just the bed of arugula. While tasty, and believe me, I ate all of it, the flavors weren't tied together. I think warm fruit would have made it. The duck has been on the menu since the restaurants inception 22 years ago. They've worked out the kinks. My husband loved it. I don't like duck, but it did look fantastic. Fall off the bone tender, purportedly "not gamey." The scallop special was very special. Great plating. Perfectly cooked. One scallop was resting on fava beans, another was resting on saffron something, oh who cares, it was all good. And totally on my noom diet. I had to use the restroom, and you have to use one that is down the stairs, then up a separate set of stairs and down a hall and while clean, the restroom was one step above a Chevron station. Just sayin' it was not fancy. So I got the chance to check out the action in the rest of the restaurant, and the place was doing some brisk business. So good for them, but I think that maybe because the tables were spread all over the plaza, it brought about a service gap. Service was a little slower than it should been imo. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a well paced meal, and this is a special occassion dining spot, but seriously, there were some services issues and it wasn't the wait staff because they and the bussers were freakin' excellent. Dessert. The husband had creme brulee. What can I say. It's creme brulee. The best part is whacking the top with a spoon. I had a lemon blackberry cake with blackberry ice cream, and it was delicious. The ice cream was made by one of the local creameries. I did not mention the dessert to noom, btw. Our secret. The question is, would I go back? If I'm paying for it, probably not. The food was delicious, but a little dated. Duck duo? scallop trio? Creme brulee? But let me say this, this is Santa Barbara, where ahem an older generation comes to retire, so I get it. Bouchon is giving their audience what they want, and they do it well. God Bless America. read more

SO. DELICIOUS. My boyfriend and I went to Bouchon to spoil ourselves on quality food, and we were not at all disappointed. We both agreed it was one of the best meals we have ever had. We started with the crab cakes and french onion soup. Do not be discouraged in ordering the crab cakes at 2 for $20 - they were amazing! Both appetizers were perfect. For our main courses, my boyfriend ordered the venison medallions, and I ordered the rack of lamb. Although we loved the lamb, the venison was by far our favorite of the two. There wasn't one component of the dish we didn't love. For dessert, definitely go with the lemon blueberry cake. I'm normally not a dessert person, but this was so delicious! I couldn't get enough of it. The ice cream was some of the best I've ever had, and it went so well with the warm cake. I would go back just for the dessert alone - it was that good. We loved everything about this place! Can't wait to be able to go back. read more

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Really good experience, we went for thanksgiving, menu was diverse and on point, our food came out on time and was bomb in every bite! I really enjoy the whole experience, I'll stop by any time im driving to LA read more

Delicious food, paired with excellent service and classy decor, how can you go wrong? I'm so glad this Santa Barbara favorite continues to thrive. read more

Let me just start off by saying this is the best meal that I have ever had, and trust me I eat out A LOT. For starters, it was our one year anniversary dinner and the restaurant went all out with rose petals on the table, an excellent table location tucked in a private romantic corner and extra candles. We were seated by the General Manager who wished us a Happy Anniversary, acknowledged my food allergy and made us feel welcomed and special. Our server was prompt, attentive, friendly and extremely knowledgeable. He was just present enough, and anticipated our every need. Plus he suggested some amazing appetizers, entrees and desserts (all of which were spot on). We each started with the Beet Salad, which tasted as though the beets were literally just pulled from the ground. They were so fresh & juicy! And then the goat cheese, which was crusted in amazingness...OMG I died and went to cheese heaven. Next up I opted for the Grilled Wagyu Flat Iron (Medium-Rare of course) served with truffled potato croquette, roasted wild mushrooms, grilled broccolini & black truffle jus. I can't decide what I liked most about this plate, the meat that melted in my mouth, the potatoes which were almost orgasmic or the roasted mushrooms & broccolini drizzled in truffle jus. I can say this though, it was the best meal I have ever had and if it would not have been for the fact that I was saving room for dessert I would have licked the plate. The hus had Local Wild Seabass served with baby potatoes with littleneck clams, pancetta, roasted garlic, Tamai Farms spinach and red onion-clam jus. His was equally amazing, but to be honest I was too busy inhaling my dinner to even think about trying his. He however did have some of my steak, making his dinner more a surf & turf which he loved (and so did I because it saved me a few calories). Following our entrees we couldn't decide on a dessert, so we got two. It was our anniversary, so we deserved it! We had the chocolate lava cake and the bread pudding. I wasn't so much of a fan of the bread pudding but the chocolate lava cake with the cappuccino ice cream was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. I don't know what more I can say to describe how much I loved this place, other than to just try see for yourself. Trust me it's worth every penny and is a great spot to celebrate something special. The only piece of advice I have is to make a reservation, and ask for a table on their adorable twinkle light patio and enjoy, Cheers! read more

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Our first night in Santa Barbara and this meal did not disappoint! We arrived early for our reservation and the host was able to set us right away. We decided, in our typical fashion, to order a few items off the menu and share so we could experience more of the dishes. We started with the lobster and pork belly first and share a glass of the paired Chardonnay. The dish was good and the wine oaky. The second first we ordered was the foie gras that was paid with a glass of Pinot Noir. This dish was my favorite of the two. Rich and decadent and the sauce and cabbage roll were flavorful and complimentary. We then ordered a bottle of the Dragonet the Pinot Noir that paired well with our mains of Waygu Beef and the Duck Breast. All of the dishes were different and flavorful and stratifying. We ended the evening with a creme brulee. The custard was delicious but cold. Probably wouldn't order it again. The torch on top didn't warm the dish all the way through. The service was a little slow throughout the meal and we were often waiting on the dishes but with the 1/2 glad of wine having to restrain ourselves from drinking the glass before the dish can't out and when our dishes were cleared we would be without silverware and plates when the next course would arrive. Overall the experience was great! Would definitely recommend it! read more

My personal favorite for fine dining in Downtown Santa Barbara! I came here for a small birthday celebration with my friend and everything was just delicious! If I didn't live in San Francisco, I would come back here very soon! Bouchon offers quite a large dining area with a very intimate, upscale atmosphere. Service is very attentive and polite. My friend and I ordered 3 courses each. (Their menu may have changed slightly, as this is a late review) I started with the pork belly, my entree was the maple glazed duck, and my dessert was a creme brulee. My friend had the scallop trio, rack of lamb, and strawberry shortcake. Needless to say, everything was delicious! I highly recommend the maple glazed duck! The demi glace is AMAZING. In addition, definitely try the scallops as well as the rack of lamb. My friend mentioned the wagyu was a bit sub-par the last time. Note: -Make reservations in advance! -There's nearby parking which is free for the first 75 minutes! read more

Bouchon - Maple Glazed Duck - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This food and ambiences is impeccable. The service was wonderful. Our server was funny very accommodating. We came here for a late 6th year anniversary back in September and they took care of us. The table we were given was everything I requested but it was by the door which they kept closed for us since it was chilly, I kind of wish we sat in their beautiful patio. You could not even tell it was on a sidewalk. Now to the food paired with the suggested wine on the menu which complimented the food beautifully. Scallop trio (3.5/5) the sauce on the first scallop was a little too bitter for our taste. The second scallop was well balanced and delicious Braised pork belly (5//5) not salty and cooked perfect. So tender. Duchess crab cake (3/5) it was good and fresh but not mind blowing Char-grilled Rack of Lamb (4/5) tendered and grilled just right Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast & Confit of Thigh (5/5) the duck was amazing and everything complimented it beautifully. Thinking about the duck actually makes me crave it. For dessert we had a chocolate bread pudding which is no longer on the menu and it was good but a little too sweet for me. Overall (4.5/5) This is our spot now and we will return read more

We Have been here 3 or 4 times over the last years. We probably won't return after last nights food. Food was good but not worth the $234 price tag for 2 people. Service was less than stellar.... shouldn't take 2 hours for 2 people. Overall not a bad meal but not worth the price. read more

Officially my favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara! It's a nice place to have dinner. It has a nice and classy ambience that could be prefect for a date night. The servers are superb and the wines they offer are great. They also have wine pairings with the appetizers but not with the entrées. The scallop trio was amazing! All three types were so good. I had the duck and I still think about it. It is superb! Comes with some delicious squash and some bacon. Everything was perfect. I also tasted some steak which was perfectly cooked and came with this really good potato croquette thing not was so good that I stole all of it off her plate. Will definitely be coming back here when I come back to sb read more

Bouchon - Scallop trio - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Aw Bouchon!!! Thank you for your food! We came to Santa Barbara for my birthday and decided to have diner at Bouchon. Was not so easy to make reservation, I guess because people who love food know about this place )))) Food was delicious, We had crab cake and forest mushrooms for appetizer and God we enjoyed every bite of it!!! For the main I had tuna and my husband had seabass and both were JUST PERFECT! Wine also was great!! So if I could give this place 10 stars for food, I'd give!!!! The only thing is that to go to the restroom you go outside and go to another entrance which is kinda wierd... Other then that - great great great! read more

Bouchon - Amazing tuna!!! So light and tasty!!! Wow! I'd say it's an experience for your mouth. I enjoyed every bite! - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great atmosphere and service, however we didn't love any of the food. It was all fine, but nothing great. We tried the French Onion Soup, scallops, short ribs, lobster pot pie. We didn't order dessert because we figured it would be just mediocre as well. read more

They actually tried to serve me gray Seared Ahi... I'm no snob, but I've never seen gray seared Ahi served in a restaurant... If Ahi turns gray, it's anything but fresh. I took photos. I pointed it out to them and they acted like I was at fault, eventually offering to replace it, and they did with an actually pink center and seared properly. Still charged me though, and no offer for a free dessert or anything, almost like a stereotypical restaurant in France (though there they'd charge you for the replacement too, lol). My server was nice, but not very attentive (he was sharp though, probably wouldn't have let that dish escape the kitchen of he had seem it). Not sure what all the hype for this place is about. Maybe people want to justify the prices they paid with a good review? Perception is often reality... read more

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My husband and I were in town and went here for our anniversary. Make sure if you are celebrating something special you tell them ahead of time when you make your reservations. We did, and our table was in a great intimate location with rose petals on the table. Our waiter was super sweet too, and congratulated us upon arrival. The food is beyond amazing! My husband eat out a lot and have a definite love for amazing food. For starters I had the french onion soup which was divine the melted cheese on top makes it melt in your mouth, every bite was scrumptious. My husband had the Tarte au Chuvre, which was equally scrumptious. For our main entrees I ordered the salmon and the husband ordered the chicken with bacon dish. He absolutely loved his and exclaimed it was the best chicken dish he's ever had! My salmon was good, but I was hoping for something more than just salmon and garbanzo beans. I wish it would have come with potatoes or rice. But it was still amazing. Overall this restaurant was truly what we were looking for on our anniversary, it was intimate, friendly, quite and had amazing food! read more

Bouchon - Bouchon exterior - French Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was told "Bouchon" means a corner restaurant serve a quick meal in French by the waitress. But the restraint isn't small, it looks gorgeous. I spent a wonderful dinner time with my best high school friend, who came from San Jose to visit me. I'm glad she picked up the right place! We ordered scallop, duck,tuna,salmon, and steak. Especially the scallops, very fresh and tasty. Duck is a good pick too! All in all, delicious! read more

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