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    Happy Cat Eats

    4.5 (179 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Happy Cat Eats Photos

    HAPPY CAT EATS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Trendy

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    Ariana H.

    So happy we found something close to the water that wasn't all seafood and that my husband could enjoy. He is not a big seafood guy, and when you're by the water, it feels like every restaurant usually specializes in seafood. Happy Cat Eats had a chicken sandwich that looked really appealing to him. After we got our food from the wharf, we drove over and sat at their outdoor tables while we waited for his order. The chicken sandwich was DELICIOUS. I actually liked it a little more than my own food and almost traded with him. Too bad he doesn't like clam chowder! The onion rings he ordered were just as good. The tempura batter was a 10/10. It wasn't oily at all, which is the key to a good tempura fry. We loved the weather, and all the tables had cover, which made it even better. It was a beautiful day made even better by their food.

    Breakfast
    Nohely M.

    A waterfront location that serves a little bit of everything from breakfast, lunch to drinks and happy hour. This was my first stop of the morning and I was hungry and didn't want to wait too long anywhere else. Therefore, I stumbled upon this cafe which was not crowded. Their menu is diverse, they include dessert, lunch, alcoholic drinks, etc. I ordered the breakfast burrito with sausage: W/GRILLED POTATOES, MAC & CHEESE, SCRAMBLED EGG & SAUSAGE Very flavorful, unique and the mac & cheese was a new one to me. A high carb burrito to get me going while I continued to explore downtown SB. 5/5 I also ordered an orange juice, really delicious and fresh. 5/5 loved it. I sat facing the beach and it was very relaxing. I enjoyed my breakfast here and overall a nice experience.

    Cappuccino
    Sasha A.

    We stopped here for breakfast while visiting Santa Barbara and honestly really liked the place. The location is great, and the ocean view makes the whole atmosphere very relaxing. I had the tacos, my BF got the breakfast burrito, and both were really good. Everything tasted fresh and simple in a good way. The only thing I didn't love was the seating -- the chairs weren't very comfortable if you want to sit and stay there for a while. But overall it was a really nice breakfast spot, and I'd definitely come back.

    Lauren S.

    Coffee shop and bites along the beach. Stunning views, decent amount of seating considering location and how popular they are. It's a convenient and cute spot to stop at if you're having a hankering for food and enjoy a touristy area. Despite the long line, the staff works quickly to take and driver orders in a timely manner. Also what a CUTE NAME!

    Chinese salad - tasty and good portions
    Hiromi R.

    *Rating this experience with a child & grandparent* This spot was recommended to us by the lovely people at the Santa Barbara Visitor Center. We learned that this casual, beachside walk-up restaurant is the sister concept to the upscale restaurant of Oku, a sushi restaurant. Menus are different but has the same owner, so it has a similar concept and plays with flavors of umami well. We ordered the chicken bao tacos, Chinese chicken salad, and a kids meal hot dog. We really enjoyed those tacos! I loved the Asian flare of the chicken, and that it was served in a bao. The salad was big in portion and tasted fresh. A good way to get some crunchy greens in! The kids meal hot dog was, well, a hot dog! I appreciated that they had a kids meal. We loved the causal vibe of this place. Right by the ocean, sand as part of their decor, and open seating concept. Will come back here for another visit!

    Shrimp po boy, lychee lemonade, cinnamon roll
    Amanda L.

    You can't beat sitting near the beach with good food during a nice warm Santa Barbara day. I love the outdoor seating and how you get a beautiful view of the coastline. The shrimp po boy was somewhat small but without enough shrimp for every bite. It was perfectly fried, not overcooked. The slaw was fresh and the sauce helped punch up the flavor. The lychee lemonade was refreshing, a bit sweet so I definitely recommend getting the version with alcohol. The cinnamon roll was tasty and soft. Great frosting. They have a great menu filled with street food. There is a lot of variety, I can't wait to come back. Parking is tricky. I ended up walking over from the Funk Zone.

    Bfast burrito
    Heather M.

    Amazing!! Such a creative menu! Ordered to go and it was ready in 15 minutes. When the bag was handed to me I couldn't believe how heavy it was for two $13 breakfast burritos! Wow! Bigger then a remote and thicker then an arm! These burritos were stuffed with egg, carnitas, potatoes, and... Mac'n'cheese! Like a really creamy cheesy Mac! The tortilla is perfect and grilled to a nice crisp. Top it with the green sauce and it's killer! One burrito feed 4 big appetites!! We have a whole burrito for another day!!!

    Wow burger
    Thor M.

    Happy Cat is right on Cabrillo, across the road from the beach. You walk up and order your food and they deliver it to your table. It's all outside dining. The employees were very friendly and helpful. Great service!! I had the Now Burger and my wife had the fish tacos. The fish tacos were some of the finest that I have ever eaten. Large piece of perfectly cooked fish and plenty of very flavorful slaw. The hamburger was huge with a double smashed patties. It was fabulous. The fries were extra but they were incredible. Overall, it was a great meal.

    Crispy Chicken Tempura Sandwich
    Eryn Cyia T.

    Impulsively Stopped by Happy Cat Eats after taking the Amtrak to Santa Barbara because I was getting a little hangry. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious the Crispy Chicken Tempura Sandwich was. The chicken was breaded similarly to Korean friend chicken and the gochujang sauce paired well with everything. I'm not a sandwich person, but I genuinely loved this sandwich. I'd come back just to have it again!

    Everyday happy hour 4-6PM
    Joaquin M.

    We just arrived. Ordered food. Weather and the view are beautiful. So far the service is great. Staff is polite and very welcoming.

    Mac and cheese breakfast burrito with pork belly. NA  BEER
    Shawn B.

    What went well---EVERYTHING! I can't say enough about how great it is to eat right on the main beach walk. Great views and patio. The person at the service window was really friendly and suggested I get a box because the burrito is really big. I've never had a Mac and cheese burrito before and it was fantastic.

    Order then sit down
    Brian L.

    Interesting little spot for a quick bite! All seating is outdoors but right across from the beach so there is a nice beach breeze. Had the Wagyu burger and it was very decent, brioche bun and the Wagyu was good, not great but good. Guava/Green Tea iced was good just a bit acidic so be aware of you're sensitive, as it gave me a little twist on my stomach because I'm a bit sensitive to acidic drinks. Good and quick service was a big plus!

    Sushi Sando
    Morgan B.

    Happy Eats Cafe is centered around outdoor dining. You walk up to a register, order, and find a seat while you wait with your number. They had lots of yummy items to choose from. We got two of the sushi sandos. SUPER good. I would come back to try other things! It was very nice, right by the water.

    Chinese Chicken Salad

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    4 days ago

    The tempura fish tacos were amazing! A great place, close to the beach to enjoy great food.

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    4.2(1.7k reviews)
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    We went to Finney's Craft House in Santa Barbara and had such a fun dinner! The vibe was energetic…read moreand lively, and our waitress was great and super attentive. We clearly came hungry We ordered the poke nachos, avocado egg rolls, spicy tuna crispy rice, yuzu buffalo boneless wings, crispy coconut shrimp, fries, and the prosciutto and arugula flatbread. Everything was fresh and really good, elevated bar food with lots to choose from. The spicy tuna crispy rice was probably my favorite! My sister LOVED the avocado egg rolls, which have mango in them and were definitely a fun twist. The only thing I probably wouldn't order again was the prosciutto and arugula flatbread. The prosciutto was sliced pretty thick and cooked almost like bacon, which just wasn't what I was expecting. And the margaritas!! We tried the skinny, guava, and spicy mango and ALL three were excellent. I also loved being able to split and pay the bill ourselves on the little kiosk at the table. No waiting around for the check, which is such a nice touch! Fun atmosphere, great service, good food and EXCELLENT margaritas. I would definitely come back! Only took pictures of the drinks because we were too hungry lol.

    Prosciutto and arugula pizza (1/5) wasn't a quite what I was expecting. It is more like a bacon and…read morearugula pizza--the prosciutto was cooked. It is topped with shredded cheese, but the cheese is...firm? Sweet potato fries are perfectly crispy and salted!

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    Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio - 1/4 Rack of Ribs

    Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio

    4.3(708 reviews)
    0.3 mi
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    Came to Santa Barbara for the first time and this was the first stop my friend and I made. Holyyyyy…read moreeverything was so good! Great way to kick off the trip. We ordered the nachos with pulled pork, Mac and cheese with brisket, and two burgers. We underestimated how much food was coming out . Not only was it huge portions, everything also tasted so good. The people taking our orders were also super sweet.

    Funk in Public…read more Family-owned and operated local chain of restaurants and butcher shops that's been serving the Santa Barbara community for over fifty years (ca. 1973). This location is in Santa Barbara's "Funk Zone" district, which was formerly an industrial area that's turned into a wine and art district full of interesting places to gander. The Good: * Huge dog-friendly covered outdoor seating * Full lineup of their signature Shalhoob craft beers. They also have fermented grapes and liquor, if beer isn't your jam. * Service was friendly and welcoming. * Street Parking and City-owned lots, as well. The lots are your best bet, and they're free for a short while. * Prices are very reasonable for a BBQ place. * The Street Corn app might be the best thing we ate here as the corn was super fresh right off the cob, and the Chipotle aioli was superb. * BBQ Beans was more of a bean soup, but it was decent. * Mac & Cheese was also pretty good. Carrots enjoyed it more than I did, but I might've been grumpy from the shitty meats (more on that in a minute). The Meh: * Tritip was completely dry and tasted like it was cooked in the oven and then finished on the grill. But, I will say, at least it was edible unlike the ribs... The Ugly: * Maybe the worst ribs I've ever had. They were just completely hammered with salt and completely blew out my palate within two bites, which is a shame because they were tender and cooked well, but jfc, no amount of sauce or anything is going to save something this salty. Conclusion: Maybe we just caught them on a bad day because a place doesn't survive for over fifty years serving up meat like this. I'd be willing to give them another try someday, but I need my tongue to recover first.

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    Happy Cat Eats - burgers - Updated August 2026

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