Arguably the best diner in Santa Barbara. Fast, friendly service. Make sure to get reservations on the weekend. Get a cinnamon roll to share. Just do it. Your friends will thank you. read more

Farmer Boy takes me back to my Midwestern roots of visiting a diner or soda fountain. There are Heinz Ketchup bottles on the wall, images of dairy cows, a milkshake machine on the long counter, a neon sign touting their homemade pie and welcoming staff to top it off. Of course they offer the basic breakfast staples like other breakfast/brunch restaurants in the area (omelets, french toast, pancakes, and breakfast burritos). However, they also have some wonderful unique options (i.e. Breakfast Burger, Carnitas Chilaquiles, Chicken Fried Biscuit Sliders, and Fried Chicken & Waffles). My mom use to make me Toad in a Hole (also called Man on a Raft) as a child. Well Farmer Boy takes my childhood favorite up a notch with a 2-Eyed Toad-In-A-Hole Sandwich: Aged cheddar, crisp bacon, avocado & sliced tomato, nestled between two butter-grilled eggs in rustic toasted bread. What's not to love!!! What also sets Farmer Boy apart, you ask?: - All Day Breakfast options; they do offer lunch but close at 2:30 PM daily - Two killer homemade salsas (verde avocado salsa and a chunky rojo salsa) - The "Small Appetite" Breakfast with your choice of two scrambled eggs or silver dollar pancakes or mini waffle with hash browns, bacon, butter and syrup - Freshly baked Apple, Chocolate Cream and Key Lime pies with the option of a scoop of ice cream - Electric plugs at the booths featuring USB chargers - The Bennett Family takes pride in supporting local nonprofit organizations and schools in Santa Barbara and Ventura since 1979; you can submit a form through their website if you're raising money for a good cause The restaurant also offer great Daily Specials: - MONDAY: Meatloaf Sandwich or Entree - TUESDAY: Taco Tuesday with Baja Fish Tacos or Carnitas - WEDNESDAY: Wild Mac N Cheese (with bacon) - THURSDAY: Tasty Treats discounts on pies, shakes and ice cream - FRIDAY: TGIF discounted draft beers and mimosas Often there is a line, and for a good reason. Check them out! read more

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We had an amazing breakfast this morning. This place has great/friendly/helpful/hard-working staff all around, decent prices, and delicious food. We had the toad sandwich and salmon Benedict. The quality and taste of these were top notch. I need to try the infamous cinnamon roll. My husband has gone there since he was little. It brought back great memories for him. We will now stop in here every time we are in SB. read more

One of my favorite breakfast spots in SB! Excellent service, it is fairly busy on weekends so expect to wait about 15-20 min. The food is delicious, everything is made with fresh ingredients. I personally love the classic eggs Benedict and the cinnamon roll. read more

Their cinnamon rolls are my favorite out of any place in SB that I've tried so far. Big, gooey and chewy (not cakey or dry). I think their regular breakfast dishes were good enough, nothing to write home about - but the thing I remember most was the cinnamon roll. Yum! read more

I have been eating at Farmer Boy for decades. I love their pancakes and went there specifically for them. We ate there today and the pancakes were the worst I have ever eaten except at I-Hop. I am not sure if they changed the recipe or they were not cooked enough but gritty and mushy and just not good. Everything else was good though! Sorry! read more

Let's start with they had me at the cinnamon roll. The food was good and tasty. I had an omelet the food quality was good. I recommend you give it a try. Gets busy on the week end. read more

Great food and staff!!! The cinnamon rolls are very tasty and not super sweet. The staff is very attentive and the restaurant gives you a 50's kind of vibe! read more

Total diner breakfast experience.Neighborhood ambiance. Great hashbrowns and your fave eggs no matter which way that is!

Breakfast at Farmer Boy did not disappoint. It was delicious!!! With my latte I had Eggs Benedict with sautéed spinach, grilled tomato, avocado over a homemade biscuit-oh yum!!! Hubby had an omelette with homemade tomatillo salsa, avocado, bacon, and tomatoes! Our server Gina was great! She truly enjoys working here. Highly recommend. read more

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Farmer Boy is a great breakfast/lunch diner. It's usually busy and they know how to get people in and out with great food. Prices are normal SB prices, food is always good, staff can pretty much make anything happen that you need to make your meal within reason. On really busy days sign in online to put your name on the list and save yourself some time. read more

We were in town for the day, we were starving and decided to eat here. We walked in and we're first ignored for about 10 minutes. Then a nice gentleman came and took us to a booth in the back. Five minutes after being seated here comes a waiter and said that the booth was reserved for someone else, that there was a waiting list. Mind you, he saw us standing there for 10 minutes and not once did he come to check us in or say anything. So he said we had to get up and go outside and he could check us in. I asked him "So you want us to get up and go outside after we were seated?" And with an attitude ge said "Yes I do" We got up and left. Never coming back here again... I don't think this had anything to do with a waiting list, but more to do with us being darker than him. If you would've seen the look on his face "disgust" I don't care if the food is great, this is unacceptable. read more

Gina made our first visit to this local diner an A+ experience. Food was quick, hot and well prepared. Their biscuits and gravy are way better than grandma's. Enjoyed the Back To The Future vibe of the place too. read more

Farmer Boy - Country Ham Steak & Eggs Chicken Fried Steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Sadly, Farmer Boy is another Santa Barbara icon on the decline. For the high prices, you will no longer get good service, good food, and a clean environment. Hopefully, Farmer Boy can rebound but, right now, it doesn't appear that they have the proper personnel necessary to get the job done as well as they did in the past. Oh well...there are still good options in SB! read more

Definitely not kid friendly, families, just avoid. Expect to ask for your own high chair, have food forgotten 9n the POS system for your kiddos, long wait for food because waitstaff (not busser) prioritizes adults taboes over families. We walked in, follow instructions to self-seat and we could noy get menus for the life of us. 3 tables who seated after got menus and ordered food after us. I understand the waitress was trying to be efficient in getting orders all at once (i was once a waitress too), but the least you can do is put our order in when we have crying babies. Food otherwise was decent, the omlettes were whipped like the butter. I would've given 4 stars otherwise for food, but service left something to be desired. read more

This is one of the coolest diners I've ever eaten at! Farmer Boy is an old fashioned diner you would see in a film from the 1950s, complete with a soda fountain and barstools. The food is incredible! I had the Santa Barbara Local, which is three scrambled eggs with tomatillo salsa, bacon, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese and avocado. And you BEST BELIEVE that I would add TRI-TIP to that! Wow! One of the best breakfasts I've ever had. Incredibly filling and tasty. The hash browns on the side were also out of this world, incredibly buttery and crispy. I also had a pancake, which was very delicious. But what stood out here the most was the incredibly friendly and attentive service. My order came out very quickly and the servers were all incredibly cordial. They even offered me a Diet Coke to-go! I can't wait to visit Farmer Boy again in the future! read more

Good food, good service! The eggs Benedict was delicious, as were the hash browns! I think everything was priced pretty reasonably, too. Will definitely be coming back to this classic spot for a good breakfast. It would be nice there was more seating outside, though. read more

Farmer Boy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I think it's one of the better places to get a breakfast. I personally love the mimosas. While there is a line later in the mornings the service is quick and friendly. read more

I have lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years now, and for some reason, I have never been to Farmer Boy. Boy have I been missing out!!! Went with a friend for a late breakfast and it was fantastic! It's a wonderful old-fashioned diner, complete with a fountain bar and bar stools! We sat outside, because of COVID, but that was nice, too. We had an omelet with sausage - which they make themselves, and it has fantastic flavor! It was mixed with sauteed vegetables and some cheddar cheese. Bit of sour cream on top and WOW! I had mine with hash browns, which were perfectly done and a choice of toasted breads. My friend had a scramble with lots of green veggies and she said it was fabulous! She opted for the 'home fries'. They weren't just 'fries' - they were perfectly twice-cooked roasted potatoes! Believe me, next time I will get that!! Our waitress told us that the eggs benedict (either traditional or veg) were fantastic, and that's my next order! And the lunch menu looked fantastic, too. I will definitely be back! So sorry I missed enjoying this place for the past 10 years, but I will make up for lost time now!!! read more

Amazing! I have lived in SB for 15 years and went here for first time and loved it! Hash browns perfectly crispy, chocolate cream but, dark, creamy, just the right sweetness. Setting is clean and bright and server was nice. Cinnamon bun huge and loads of yummy cream cheese Icing which we ate the next day and was still good. Milkshakes good too! Reasonable prices, comfy booths. read more

Farmer Boy - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great Service, there is no vegan options on the menu, but a little fix on your main dish goes long way. The carnitas-chilaquiles mixed with Mediterranean veggies dish. Remove the carnitas and add veggies to the chilaquiles. read more

Farmer Boy - Vegan Chilaquiles. No dishes are vegan in the menu, but you can ask to mix two vegan options. Great service. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place only uses butter and olive oils in their food! So delicious! The best vibe and service on upper state read more

Farmer Boy - Santa Barbara Local - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I love meeting my lady here for quick lunches every now and then. The service is always fast and the food is consistently great. Love the old school vibe to their diner. read more

The food & service was absolutely amazing! Friendly service... Food and drinks were served rather quickly.. Great atmosphere!!

Great food and friendly, welcoming service . Busy at weekends so be sure to join the waitlist on Yelp before you set off

Breakfast/brunch places are all starting to offer the same thing nowadays so I didn't really expect anything spectacular when I came in. Farmer Boy does offer some of the same egg and pancake dishes that other restaurants offer, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that their portions are manageable and priced pretty fairly. Also, I really appreciated that pancakes were offered with their egg dishes along with the usual varieties of toast - usually you would have to pay extra to get a side of pancakes at other breakfast spots. They even offer a baguette for free too which you don't see at typical breakfast restaurants. Now for the food: pretty good! I'm not typically an omelette type of person but I truly enjoyed my Baja omelette. Very flavorful and had the perfect ratio of everything. Service was really great as well, it was pretty busy in there since it was a Sunday morning but we were still seated and served pretty quickly. They checked up on us often regardless of the crowd and we got everything we needed. Definitely going to come back and try everything else they offer! read more

Farmer Boy - Baja Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We used Yelp to get on the list for breakfast and only waited a few minutes.. the staff was amazing.. took us to an out of the way corner of the restaurant and we were quickly served by friendly staff. I ordered the Santa Barbara special... so much food .. I'm not a huge eater but I like a little bit of everything so this was a perfect breakfast.. I couldn't resist ordering a cinnamon roll to go.. (it was just ok and probably not worth 9$ ) but everything else was top notch -- next time I will purposely order less ! read more

My daughter wanted to try this before the zoo and we are sure glad we did! I added us to the Yelp wait list when we were 20 minutes away & arrived just in time & got seated almost immediately. The service & food were both excellent!! Our coffee mugs were never empty. The waiters were very attentive & removed our empty plates promptly. My Mediterranean omlette was delicious as was my daughters fried chicken sliders and my husband's chicken fried steak. We will definitely will be back next time we're in town! read more

Pancakes are to small now , other then that staff always amazing family place it's being for many years

Excellent traditional and Mexican influenced breakfasts. Lunch is good to. Nobody, but nobody excels in the service dept.

It a bad place but severely understaffed, to no fault Of their own but if your in a hurry then don't go for breakfast unless you want to spend 1 hour. read more

Santa Barbara trips never complete without a meal at Farmer Boy ... They never fall to please!! read more

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Stayed at the hotel 6 right by this place so we could take our dog to the dog beach. (He's 100 pounds and the more six is the only place we could find that didn't have a weight limit). We walked over here for breakfast and fell In love with the staff and laid back atmosphere. I had the two eyed toad for breakfast and told my wife it's officially my new fave breakfast. My wife had a simple eggs, hash browns and a pancake and agreed it was all reallly fresh and yummy even for a super simple meal. Will be coming back anytime we're in SB. Also, the waitresses were all so stinking sweet and told us all the best spots for pups we hadn't heard of. read more

Farmer Boy - Two eyed toad in a hole. Soooo good - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A local favorite with solid service that's very friendly and accommodating. And, they serve good diner food. We've been there several times for breakfast & lunch. (They're only open until 2:30 pm.) I adore their hash browns, they're crispy & cooked well. Plus, they make crispy bacon. The eggs taste buttery. My husband is a fan of their gravy; and, their lunch sandwiches are huge. But, if you don't have a big appetite, Farmer Boy has a menu section for "Smaller Appetites." There's usually a line on the weekends, but it moves fast. There's also a large counter to sit at plus a few outdoor tables. Parking can be limited. Farmer Boy has diner decor & is extremely clean. It's super loud inside & if you're with anyone who uses a hearing aid sit close to them. read more

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Just like the other reviews have stated this place did not disappoint: - Ample seating - Friendly staff - Kid friendly (they have those sticky stix!) - Delicious food - Large quantities We came for breakfast on a Saturday around 8am and were seated immediately. My wife had the eggs, home fries (wonderfully crunchy exterior and large chunks!), sausage, and pancakes. I had the huevos rancheros and both were great, if not a bit too much, but won't complain about that as we were on vacation. We had more than enough to share with our son. If we are in the area again we'll definitely be back. Love it. read more

Farmer Boy - Huevos Rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tasty and generous portions - great customer service. We were headed north to Monterey from Orange County - googled eateries near me as we traveled and Farmer boy was a hit!! The a restaurant was clean , well lite and plenty of sitting inside & out read more

I love the pancakes here. So fully and just the right amount of sweetness. My husband likes the toad in a hole and I always get the farmer boy special. read more

Delicious! Everything was great from service to food! We were a group of 5 gals. No line at 8:30 on a beautiful Sunday morning. They sat us in the corner booth, had no problem giving us separate checks and kept my coffee cup loaded! Great place! read more

Farmer Boy - Ketchup Wall - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

What's happening here?? Hostess is abrupt and not at all welcoming. There were 5 open tables and 8 spots at the counter yet a wait for 2 of us was 30 minutes. Combo plate arrived separately, so it wasn't a combo at all. Food was OK. Sad experience. read more

Make this a destination on your visit to Santa Barbara. The photos can't show what the wonderful spirit from coming here brings. Coming to Santa Barbara for the International Film Festival and seeing celebrities was surely a treat, especially on a rainy February weekend when watching the Super Bowl was not the top of my list. What was SPECIAL is Farmer Boy. So much so the two days we were here brought us here twice so far, but we are planning to return again before we leave on Monday. The initial mention to come to Farmer Boy after my friend Kevin asked about recommendations and listing what he was hungry for (pancakes, a breakfast burrito or something really special and known locally by regulars) came by way of local hotel staff. And are we glad we listened to their recommendation. Not only are the staff (Katie, Kim and Nick get shout outs from Kevin and me) but they were who we came in contact with. Warm and kind, personable, happy folks that truly enjoy serving people and making sure they are happily fed and enjoy their food was the compliment you get with an amazingly warm and down home meal, be that breakfast or lunch. The smiles on their faces show up in the food and that is contagious in today's need for truly genuine authentic love and happiness in our daily lives. We had the items in the photographs and the descriptions don't do them justice. But here are some real honorable mentions: fluffy scrambled eggs, a bagel that has a moist inside, perfectly toasted outside, country biscuits that were perfect...flaky and soft with a savory sausage gravy. The kind of biscuits that taste amazing with gravy, butter or syrup. Hard to find them unless you're down south somewhere. Fried chicken well seasoned and with the right about of flavoring. Not salty but well seasoned. The clam chowder was chocked filled with clam, potatoes and a silky broth. But the cinnamon roll was an amazing piece of bakery badness. Holy hotness. But also, PERFECT CUP OF JOE. The coffee was amazing. Hard to find a good cup of coffee. Because it's here! We need this place and you are missing something truly special. Several folks we saw leave said 'see you next time I'm in town' or 'so glad I came back'. You can tell they were happy they were here and Farmer Boy consistently hits it out of the park. A wonderful place to come. And affordable. Saw lots of groups and families here. COME HERE and you will continuously come back, just to try something you couldn't have the last time you were here. read more

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