When planning an excursion to Santa Barbara, I immediately consulted my friend who is a fellow foodie and UCSB alumni for dining recommendations (and yelp too of course). My friend declared Cajun Kitchen Cafe to have the BEST breakfast EVER! Them's fightin' words considering we have some pretty good breakfast options where we live in San Diego so I had to visit myself to see what the fuss was about. Well, I have to say he did not miss the mark on this one! I ordered Donny's special (scrambled eggs, mushrooms, green onions, and cream cheese) with grits. Who knew that scrambled eggs went so well with cream cheese? I am so making my eggs like this from now on. The grits were great too, even though the stick of butter that was thrown into them will lead to my early demise. The only thing I wasn't all that jazzed about was the coffee, but the food more than makes up for it! read more

Phenomenal breakfast, huge portion sizes, fast service, and a very friendly staff. Coffee was pretty great as well -- I'd strongly recommend it! read more

I visited Cajun Kitchen on a recommendation and I am thoroughly disappointed by my experience. My wife and I checked in at 11:30 am for brunch, and expected a 20 minute wait per the hostess which was accurate. We got seated and then everything fell apart. We weren't offered drinks about 15 minutes of waiting and then not even so much as approached again until 12:50. My wife had already gone to find a menu about 30 minutes before that so we were ready to order. Food came out promptly but failed to deliver. The food and plating looked nice but lacked flavor. Didn't expect that from a Cajun restaurant. Within 5 minutes of getting our food the server offered boxes and within 10, had offered our check. Hardly giving us a chance to even start eating... I will not be returning to the Cajun Kitchen. read more

Santa Barbara needs more restaurants that open before 7am for breakfast. We got here right at 7am. There were already a few people waiting at the door. We immediately sat, the waitress took our order, and within 10 minutes we were eating. Pretty fast service! I got an eggs benedict and had some of the French toast. It was all really great! I usually don't order eggs benedict since I'm very picky with them, but they did it right! Food was great, orange juice was nice and sweet, prices were reasonable, and service was fast and friendly. A great way to start the morning :) read more

Enormous biscuits! holy smokes! you have to try one...or take it home and heat up later. The jambalaya is my pic off their extensive menu...or the french quarter special. The food is pretty inexpensive, they serve up a decent cup of coffe in one of those thick diner-style mugs. I love the feel of this place, the booths, the counter...its not all crowded and reminds me of a diner-feel you may get around Los Feliz/Hollywood area. The waitstaff is attentive, and the portions are huge! read more

This place does breakfast right excellent service every-time i visit this joint cheers read more

YUM-O! There was a little wait, but that only means that the place should be good!!! AND IT WAS! We ordered Jambalaya w/over easy eggs. Perfection! There was an abundance of shrimp, and sausage. Only complaint would be I like my jambalaya a little thick, this was a little on the soupy side. Also, chili omelet with the most perfect hash-browns ever! They crisped the hash-browns on both sides, super delicious! However, I don't like much salt but I don't think they salted them, so I had a to add a pinch. Just a pinch. =) Lastly, we shared the biscuits and gravy. Between the two of us, only about half of one was eaten, those things were massiveee!!! I was super stuffed to the max after eating my meal + 1/4 of one biscuit. We did not eat until 7pm that night... about 8hours later! Good stuff. Coffee cup was never empty and service was quick, friendly, and overall a GREAT experience! read more

Was introduced to this place by friends from nearby UCSB. This was my first time trying Cajan-influenced breakfast dishes, and I must say... it was bomb diggity. I had the New Orleans Omelette, and it instantly transformed me into a Cajun fan, sparking my curiosities and interests in a multitude of realms. All of a sudden, I wanted to research and explore more information, especially the cultural history on the Southern part of the United States. Food is just more than taste and nutrition, it's education. All in one sitting, all these things ran through my mind. That's how powerful this place was to me. read more

Friendly service, totally unpretentious, big servings, nice & spicy if you want it! Our waitress said the jambalaya is the most popular item on the menu--was delicious, really generous portion, and they don't skimp on the shrimp! Also tried the chili; comes in large & small portions. I ordered the large, as I wanted more than a small bowl--I couldn't finish it! Both come with cornbread--warmed in the microwave, but definitely homemade, and served with scoop of whipped butter & apple butter. (Other options include toast, homemade biscuits, or muffins.) Actually didn't LOOK that appetizing, but tasted delicious, and spicy enough. Plenty of framed local favorite awards around the wall, going back to the 1990s at least. And there really were a lot of locals there, always a good sign. Only 1 block beach-side from State Street, but a world away from the upscale shopping mall brands that line that street. read more

Came here on the way home from a getaway in SB and shared the jambalaya and it was delicious! i generally don't think american spicy is spicy, but this had a pretty good kick so the wifey and i super enjoyed it but a warning to some out there. However~ service was a 1 star ...both the wife and i felt that there was regional discrimination by the waitresses here. was sat by the host and only the host got us some water after about 5 minutes of just sitting. yes i admit it was pretty busy at the restaurant but the waitress taking care of our section stopped by a few of the other tables and even a guy who sat at the bar after us and took his order. 15 minutes goes by and still not even an acknowledgement of us being there. finally, the HOST, yet again, comes to the rescue and takes our order and hands it to the waitress. another five or so minutes goes by and our food is brought to us not by our waitress (who still hasn't even said a word to us) but again by the host. Through the whole meal, not even a check up, nor a refill of our water. the ONLY time she ever came over was to bring us the check with a quick thank you. the food was pretty good but don't know if i would go to this location again unless i want to feel ignored and a burden as a customer. read more

I'm a huge Jambalaya eater and I saw they had one on the menu for breakfast, wasn't that great. It was too watery for my liking. I like my Jambalaya a little creamy. It tasted more like tomato paste and not like anything else. Cornbread was a little dry for my liking as well. Only took a bite and I couldn't eat anymore of it. I think what saved my experience was that my girlfriend wanted Pancakes so we came here before going up North. Pancakes were really good. I'm not sure what other people are complaining about, or maybe we just got a good batch but the Pancakes were really really good. Her corn beef hash was good too, it would have been better if we ordered an extra egg to it. But yes we will definitely be coming back here if we ever go back up North to visit. Also if you walk down the street there is an antique/furniture store right next to the car wash that looked pretty cool to walk around in. read more

This place is amazing!!! It's perfect for breakfast and brunch! It's me and my friend's go-to restaurant after a crazy night of partying AHAH. I've seriously been here almost every other saturday morning and I will never get tired of it! Make sure to take a peek at the specials written on a chalk board near the top of the restaurant! The parking lot it usually always full so theres most likely street parking. Never gonna stop coming here! read more

I came here once years ago and remember really liking it. I came back a couple weekends ago, and it fulfilled my fond memories of it. It was crowded and there were quite a few people waiting but luckily a place opened at the bar and since there was just two of us, we were fine with sitting there. (Bar is first come, first serve). The girl next to us was eating the California eggs benedict which looked good. We were sold. We got that and the jambalaya. Both were delicious. Portions are large. Yet we finished everything. Seriously. Service was ok. But food was good. I'll be back when I am in the area again. read more

I try not to throw 5 stars around loosely. This place came pretty close though. The food was delicious. Even with a location that is not on the main thoroughfare for visitors, there was still a nice crowd. The food is well worth the short wait and the service was friendly. The decor was simple, but I am glad they put their energy into the food as opposed to having a decked out circus of a restaurant with crappy food. Definitely a place that I look forward to visiting anytime I come to Santa Barbara. read more

Oh man, you better be hungry and like great food to eat here. Old school diner with 5 star food. They really nailed everything from the grits to the jambalaya and eggs. Corn bread, biscuits and gravy. Steak and eggs. Even the coffee was special. Real, traditional, authentic and dare I say a special place. read more

The food is pretty tasty! I was with in a group of 5 when we went and they were busy with a quoted wait of about 15 minutes. We decided to wait and we ended up waiting like 5 minutes before being sat down. Javier I believe was the name of our waiter and he did a fantastic job! Everybody got something different and we all loved Our food! When I'm in the area I'll defiantly have to make time to stop by and eat here again! read more

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Best jambalaya I have ever had! Beignets are amazing as well. Rivals Cajun food from Nola.

The food was amazing I would definitely drive from Los Angeles to come back and eat here again. The Waitress name NELSON was checking on customer needs periodically, generous,gentle , and attended! Thank you read more

I liked my breakfast a lot more than everyone else liked theirs. I had chicken fried steak. It was good, not great. Also tried some corned beef hash which was not that good, and some of the crab cake benedict which was only ok. Super crowded breakfast spot. Reasonably priced. But I have to think that there are better spots in the area. read more

Typical diner fare. Cheap, simple, and tasty enough. The hash browns weren't greasy and quite fluffy, but nothing special. I was surprised that this is supposed to be the best breakfast place in the area. I'll be checking out other places first next time I'm in Santa Barbara. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Love the Jambalaya (lunch special)... Normally I'm not too fond of a bunch of stuff that looks like it was put it a blender (seafood, meats, rice, random sauces) and then dumped into your bowl but this was amazing. Heard about the hype and this is coming from someone who lives about 70+ miles away from here.. I didn't drive though. =0 eheh. They put just enough spice to give you a good kick but it will not burn your mouth where you are begging for a glass of milk. Service was good... they stayed on top of it always asking how is your food and if you need any refills... they were very generous. I heard they have a good breakfast here too but I probably won't order anything here for breakfast. Again, I won't come 70+ miles to check out their breakfast. If I moved near here then... hmmmmm... I was on border of giving this a 4 or a 5... while it's not perfect I believe this is better than a 4.5... barely. 4.5-4.75 / 5 Good Job, I will definitely be coming back to Cajun Kitchen. Either here or the one in Ventura. read more

Stayed in SB for work for a few days & tried both ends of the Yelp "$" spectrum for breakfast. My meal, which was quite satisfying and flavorful was equally matched by the great staff working here. I was surprised to see this place to capacity on a Wednesday morning. I sat at the bar and had a great meal. The coffee was hot, the meal was delicious and the service was very attentive. I will definitely visit again on my next trip. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - The "Suzie Scramble". Spinach, mushrooms, feta cheese, home fries & I added the lemon-chicken sausage for more protein. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My husband and I came here a couple of weekends ago after spending the night in SB and because we have the Axxess card which gives a 2 for 1 deal. I used to eat at the one in Carpinteria when I lived there and it was pretty darn good. This one, however, was mediocre at best. Service was good and they are quick, which is nice, but the food was just ok. I had their version of Huevos Rancheros which includes red beans and rice on crispy tortillas with ranchero sauce and a couple of eggs. It was okay, but nothing to rave about. My husband has his usual - Chicken fried steak, over medium eggs, potatoes, and sourdough toast. He said it was definitely not one of the best, just average. We might go to the one in Ventura and use the Axxess deal there but other than that we'll pass. read more

Cozy local spot with very quick service. Jambalaya w/ eggs is off the hook. Really tasty w/ sausage, shrimp and a mix of different herbs and seasoning, nice kick of heat to it. Beignets were good, taste like tiny funnel cake w/ a syrup dip! Also chased the meal down with a bloody Mary w/ soju, nice and spicy the way I like it! Overall and great breakfast spot, definitely recommend, chow ming approved! read more

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This is the place my roommates and I visit after a night out downtown/ drinking. My favorite BREAKFAST BURRITO in the world comes from this restaurant. I get it with bacon and sausage =D Yummo! I don't really get anything else because I am in love with the breakfast burrito here. So narrow-minded, but oh well. Another reason to love this place. Unlimited Coffee refill = AWESOME! read more

Revisited this place for breakfast a couple weekends ago when I was in town for a wedding. I remembered LOVING this place when I was in college (7 years ago... ACK!) and I hoped it lived up to the memory... I ordered John's Special (2 scrambled eggs, onions, spinach & cream cheese, choice of toast & potatoes) with ham and hash browns and was immediately transported back in time to when life was simpler and I was filling my tummy after a long night of either studying or partying. The hash browns were golden and crispy, just how I like 'em, and the scramble was delicious. Even though it's a busy breakfast spot the service was great and my coffee cup never went empty. The only complaint from the group was my dad's Louisiana Hot Sausage link was a little too hot for his liking and it tore up his stomach the rest of the day (but for the record - CK does describe the sausage as "piquant - with a sting.") read more

Spicy chicken omelette is delicious, I don't even remember anything else I've gotten there! (that's how good it is). Take out is quick and easy, and usually what I prefer - though there's nothing wrong with eating there, I'm usually just in a rush with breakfast. Muffins are pretty tasty. Great breakfast place. read more

Had their French quarter omelette with hash browns, a biscuit, and a side of corned beef hash (I was hungry). Omelette was spicy and flavorful. Hash browns were done perfectly. Biscuit was rich and fluffy...yummm. The corned beef hash was not so great on the other hand. Not enough flavor, as if they were going for a blander, healthier corned beef hash. Doesn't really work with corned beef hash IMO. Also the coffee tasted a bit burnt. Great service. Not a bad place, but nothing mind blowing either. read more

I went here for a late brunch on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Not a fan of faux Cajun Cooking I went with regular pancakes. My boyfriend ordered his usual,a cheese omelet with his own specifications. My pancakes were a par above average, fresh and lightly brown. Without a doubt two stars above IHOP. My partner's omelet was excellent, although he added a type of spicy sauce that wasn't up my alley. They were also out of his beer of choice, but considering the holiday it wasn't a concern. Next time I am planning on ordering the pancakes and cheese omelet. Although they close at 3 prior to that the busboy was walking through with a trolley of dishes and the woman up front was counting her register. I found this not only unprofessional but it really made me uncomfortable while I attempted to finish eating. Nothing takes away your appetite quicker than thinking about paying your bill. read more

Quick review: Great service but food is pretty bland and unoriginal. If your looking for good diner food look elsewhere. If you're ready to break your Denny's streak this might do it for you. Why I gave it two stars: When I was in college I used to go here all the time because it was all I could afford and it was familiar. This was also a time when I thought Big Mac Mondays were the best tasting burgers around. Needless to say, with every new food experience I encountered, this place seemed to lower more and more in quality. Much like coors light does after you have started to venture into craft beers. (R.I.P. college binge drinking) I guess what Im trying to say is, if you're just looking for a breakfast place that exceeds a major chain like Denny's then this will do. Call me a food snob but I guess I'm just not going to support something that is bland unoriginal. However, it is frustrating that when something good does turn up in santa barbara, it is vastly over priced. I have never had a bad experience at this place and gave it two stars for it's wonderful service and employees but I just don't want to misslead anyone that is looking for an affordable and quality diner. read more

We are eating here now, on a busy Sunday morning. It was packed, but we were seated within 10 minutes at a great window table. Had coffee in our mugs within seconds, ordered and had food on the table in less than 10 minutes, all the special requests done perfectly. They really know how to run a great restaurant efficiently. Will be coming back here for sure! Update: 3/12/16 Came in today (Saturday) and the line was down the street it seemed. I planned to order to-go and was prepared to wait while I sipped coffee. I was greeted immediately, and able to order right away from the front. The young man was super knowledgeable about the endless sides and alternatives as he rattled them off by memory and experience. I said I just wanted to drink some coffee while I waited and he filled a cup for me down the bar while I rang up. Very thoughtful and I was well taken care of. I added to my order with no issue and only waited 10 minutes. Excellent service, again! read more

Waffles, fresh berries with, really good! I can have it again and again... the only thing I didn't like is slow service. Other than that, the food was delish read more

My boyfriend and I always want to try to branch out in Santa Barbara and find other breakfast spots, BUT we always come back to Cajun Kitchen. They serve Dune Coffee, Bingets!!!!, and delicious food. Service is great and welcoming and we will come back here always. read more

I stopped in town for work and had breakfast here the morning I left on a recommendation from a friend. The waitresses were all amazing. The food was incredible, I love eggs benedict and noticed they had a version with tritip and grilled onions. It was one of the best things ive ever had! I cant go back to normal eggs benedict! Highly recommend this place. Its also a very great price. Thanks guys! read more

Ive been here a few times and tried the crab cakes Benedict (which was only ok), one of their egg scramble dishes which was good but when I go out I want to get something that wows me. So when I come here, I always get the Cajun Pizza. Its loaded with veggies covered with cheese and I always get it topped off with eggs over easy. Plus, with all the different seasonings and sauces on the table I can keep changing the taste as much as I want. Blueberry muffins and corn bread are also very tasty. Its always a crowded place on weekend mornings but worth the wait. read more

Real deal Cajun (Louisiana low country) food. Everything from Blacken catfish to jambalaya with eggs, huge biscuits exception service. I would have given 5 stars if the waitress hadn't got my order wrong. I didn't see Beignets on the menu until I looked at the chalkboard above my head, but they had them. I love me some spicey breakfast. read more

Couple weeks ago, we went up to UCSB for a couple of days and had breakfast at Cajun Kitchen Cafe. I found the place through Yelp and ordered breakfast burrito with Italian sausage and a cup of coffee. Service was great! I swear, the whole dining area staff here each took his/her turn coming up to my table and offered to fill up the cup every 5-6 minutes. Wow! what a service. (yes.. I am easy to please) Coffee was nothing special but it was not bad. The breakfast burrito was excellent. It had right density, juiciness, tightly packed ingredients and the Italian sausage was actually fresh and of good quality. It's not like some places where they stick overcooked, dried up, old sausage into the breakfast burrito since those sausages cannot be readily seen wrapped in the tortilla. They had a bottle of Cajun hot sauce on the table. It was called 'Tony Chachere's' and it was excellent with the burrito. It was sooo good I looked it up on the net to order but couldn't find the exact one that I saw at the restaurant! (the label looked different) even on the company website. This joint is good to go for a quick, tasty, filling breakfast with solid service. read more

I know a bunch of people who rave about Cajun Kitchen, so we went this morning for breakfast to check it out. We will go back for sure! About a 20 minute wait for a table for two (understandable for a Sunday morning), but once we were seated we got our food very quickly. I got Loraines? Special omelette with house fries and toast and my husband got the Ranchers omelette with hash browns and toast. He enjoyed his omelette, the cheddar inside was nice and melty and it had lots of bacon in it. My omelette was pretty good also, though it was meant to have zucchini in it and it barely had any. The home fries were delish! They are always offering to top your coffee up, but they do seem to want to clear your table very quickly. Again, it was a busy sunday, but if we still have full pieces of toast and omelette on our plates, then we obviously aren't done. I will go back again because I want to try more of their BIG menu. read more

I enjoyed the food and service. I don't have anything to complain about I had the huevos ranchero and took the red beans and rice to go as the red beans and rice is a classic favorite of mine. I wasn't blown away by the taste but that doesn't mean it wasn't good as I destroyed my dish, it didn't stand a chance to my belly. Now the red beans and rice gave me a crazy gassy day, it had a lot more beans then rice and wasn't the greatest but it's not a super flavorful dish in general so the gassy ness isn't really on them as it is I should've slowed down on the beans lol. Good people here and good food nonetheless read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - My huevos ranchero with egg over easy - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Found this place on yelp glad we made to trip. If your looking for a good little spot to have breakfast when your in Santa Barbara, This is the place. Food is fresh, so you may have to wait a little to get it. Worth the wait. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - This is the huevos rancheros. Different but good. We found this place on yelp. Glad we made the trip. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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