Joe's is a Santa Barbara institution. Alfredo the bartender is the best, but I had a disturbing experience yesterday at the bar. I walked from SBAC (Swell) while my car in the shop all day for shocks/brakes. I never walk anywhere here, so it was like a field trip or vacation in my own town. As Missing Persons memorably, and correctly, noted: "Nobody walks in LA." SB is sort of an LA annex; I drive to my nail salon, about 125 yards from my apartment. The breeze was blissful yesterday. And who doesn't love the old school decor and gigantic portions. They're Midwestern portions, for anyone familiar with what people in Illinois consider a single serving. Hint: 3X what anyone in So Cal or NYC does. I was having a lovely, relaxed glass of Qupe Syrah (only $12.50 for a generous pour), though I'm mostly off wine. But I was celebrating a lower-than-expected car repair (after a lower-than-expected vet bill), so had a glass with my chili. Last I had chili--at a cafe in Westchester--I regretted getting a cup so ordered the bowl, though I had no intention of eating the cornbread. More on that shortly. The bowl is enough for a family of three! Holy moly, that was a lot of food. It could have been spicier (and if you don't like beans in your chili this isn't the one for you). But I was having myself a fun little adventure at a place I've not been since 2012 or so. In walks a man decked out in full American flag regalia. No doubt he came on a Harley (if he could afford it, if not, another non-Japanese bike). I was so relaxed, having finished some work that morning by the pool and then written a long-delayed letter I had planned for months. He barrels in and says to the bartender that he'd like to "buy the lady" (referring to me) a drink. I was just enjoying this magical breeze and not paying much attention, but as a New Yorker (where everything except dry cleaning costs more than here), I'm conditioned never to refuse free alcohol. Boy, what a mistake that was. He starts talking to me and doesn't leave me alone. I soon realize he's a LOMPOC MAGA man and when he turns around, I see a t-shirt that makes my skin crawl. I'm afraid if I type this the ad will get flagged (pontyail, long gray hair, and deeply offensive/racist graphic). He starts talking about what a cesspool of violence and filth NYC is (I wanted him to go away so I said I was from New York). It ruined my lunch, which I promptly asked to wrap up so I could get away from him. Poor Alfredo has to be nice to this man, who apparently comes down from Lompoc quite a bit. I had to swim an aggressive, fast half-mile just to get the metaphorical stink off my body. So if you go to Joe's, AVOID the bar. And don't accept a free anything from anyone. The cornbread is delicious---a half a loaf, really, with whole kernels and a peppering of jalapeno, not enough to make it spicy but to give it a kick. I had two bites but brought home to take to Mom tomorrow. I'm sure Joe's attracts Lompoc folk because the portions are sized for people who don't watch carbs, calories, or cholesterol. It's also called "Traditional American," which those people likely regard as code for America First. All in all, I felt violated by this man with crazy eyes who wouldn't leave me alone. read more

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Ordered half a grilled cheese, received a fourth and gross tomato soup. Very disappointed in joe.

A popular place to eat on State Street. We caught the tail end of breakfast. Service was friendly and efficient. Food, especially the potatoes, was largely unseasoned. I had the smoked salmon plate. Poached eggs were poached hard. Buttery but hard. It's rare that the first thing I say after a plate hits the table is, "Please pass the salt." But that's what I said. All-in-all... cafe food and not as good as it could have been. Both indoor and outdoor eating areas were filling up fast for lunch. read more

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Awesome service, fun environment, good menu options, strong drinks, excellent location, tons of history! read more

Joe's Cafe - Menú - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I have known about Joe's for ages. I grew up in the area, and always loved the atmosphere and history of this local gem. It has been around for ages - long before my time. The food is good for what it is, but I had never thought to give them a review. I am writing this review based on a recent visit. It was late at night and I was having a hard time finding food to feed the family after my father in law had just passed away. I ordered near closing, and despite that, the folks at Joe's really delivered. I had ordered a bunch of food for take out to feed about 12 people, and I mentioned what had been going on. They graciously provided a number of additional items to make sure we had a good dinner, and helped me carry all the food to my car that was parked a block away - in the rain. That was above and beyond in my opinion. Most places wouldn't do that, and it goes to show that there are still some old-school legitimate restaurants out there that aren't just trying to grab money, but really care about the people they serve. We are a community, and the folks at Joe's did me a solid and made me happy that i chose to go there, and not someplace else. Thanks you Joe's Cafe! Here's to another 100 years of being a local icon! I appreciate you, and your graciousness! read more

Four stars on Ruben sandwich; One star on calamari steak - soaked in oil Three stars on service; read more

Joe's Cafe - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Smash burger was delicious and the french dip sandwich too. Service was exceptional- all the waitstaff was super friendly and helpful. Would eat here again. read more

Food was good, but service ruined it. We had been avoiding Joe's lately based on bad experiences (food not cooked as ordered or being served a used bread basket with half opened butter packages), but somehow thought that we should give it another try. My wife ordre a prime top sirloin done rare, it came well done. The manager and a hostess came over asking how our food was, and we let them know about the steak being way overdone, all before the server came by last and ask for the third time (for us) what is happening, then takes her plate away, with no affirmation regarding ant will happen to our food. By the I've been served my plate, and am just waiting as it is getting cold for my wife to get hers as ordered. After a little wait, she gets hers steak done rare as ordered. Good steak, good sauce, and good sides. Food was great, we just had to have it one after the other, which is not what we pay for when going out for dinner at a supposedly semi fancy place like Joe's. If having yet another experience getting food not done as requested wasn't enough, they CHARGED us FOR TWO steaks, after they offered to redo the one they had not done as requested. Any restaurant that respect themselves would not charge for a plate they messed up the order for, leading to the party having their food asynchronously (which is the opposite of why they pay to be there for), yet alone charger for two plates after one is not done right and taken back. Scandalous. Good cooks buy the service had to be revised if this place aims to be keep going. read more

We visit S.B. often but had not eaten at Joe's Cafe yet. We usually have our dog with us because S.B. is so accomidating to dogs. Anyway busy time outdoor seating was full. We waited... The servers and staff were so attentive to us that they accomodated the dog and us for lunch! Sooo nice. Bradley was our server. He is a very attentive and sweet young man. Everyone there was so nice and friendly and the food was served quickly. I had Joe's crab sandwich and it was good. read more

An ok spot in SB for a bite. Came late am and had to settle fir lunch menu. Had a salad and a chicken sandwich and the pulled pork. All good. String coffee. Nice and convenient read more

Joe's Cafe - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place was wonderful. Atmosphere and food was spot on. The meatloaf was the best I ever had. I highly recommend this place. read more

Joe's Cafe - Smothered meatloaf. - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great food! Wonderful service. We stopped by on our way to Santa Maria and had a lovely time.

Food is amazing - service is even better. Very friendly and helpful staff! Ambiance is nice for dinner before 9:30p on Thursdays. Ambiance for partying is best after 10/10:30p read more

A perfect spot in Santa Barbara for delicious food and great service. The owner was so kind to stop by and say hello. We made a stop here after our camping trip. They were able to accommodate a larger party with a separate adult and kids table. The Bloody Mary is a must! Perfectly spiced and strong. Smash burger was juicy and flavorful. Spaghetti was perfect for the kids. Outdoor seating was safely distanced. Staff had masks and gloves. It is a must stop anytime we're in the area. read more

Joe's Cafe - Smash Burger Protein Style - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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My experience was pretty awful here. high price is ok but food quality and service was very bad

Interesting to see that the recent reviews were either love-it or very-disappointed. We had a really pleasant meal here on Sunday late afternoon / early evening. Four and a half stars type of experience. We remarked that we understand how they've been in business for over 90 years. They have a solid menu, execute it well, and have a staff that hums along providing good service. The main reason that I can't give them give stars is that for casual cafe-style food, the prices seem a bit high. With the whole Coronavirus situation, I understand that restaurants may be trying to recoup some of their lost profits during the months when they were only offering take-out. Still, $19 for a tri tip sandwich feels like pushing the envelope on the value scale. We paid $2 extra to split our sandwich onto two plates, which brought us each a side salad and portion of French fries. The salad greens were fresh, but had no additional ingredients, such as olives, croutons, tomato, or cucumber which often would come on a simple side salad. The tri trip quality was high, with a tender consistency and a flavorful roll the meat sat on. A portion of au jus added a punch of additional taste without a salt overload. Adored Grandson was with us and ordered his favorite go-to - fettucine alfredo. He enjoyed it very much, but couldn't finish it all as it was rich and filling. He got to have Round Two the next day for lunch. A standout dessert was the blackberry pie. Made on premises, it had that distinctive taste that showed its roots at the restaurant's kitchen, versus being brought in from outside. Well done! Desserts have definitely become a luxury add-on in many restaurants. $9.50 for this one, which did include a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was generously portioned, enough for Dear Hubby and me to share. The mild Santa Barbara climate and pedestrian-friendly street seating works well for this long-time State Street staple establishment. They've livened up their "patio" space with many planters, bright red umbrellas, and a bistro vibe. Overall, they show they care about providing the best dining experience possible during these trying times. read more

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Decided to stop by for a snack and was pleasantly surprised it was Pot Roast Tuesday. That right there would have gotten 5 stars, but the cherry on top was our server Cathy. She was so special and immediately made us feel at home. She brought such a charm to state street that will keep us coming back. Thank you Cathy! read more

The Maker of the World's Worst Bloody Mary!" I hope the bartender at joes learns how to mix a drink. My waiter was adorable and sweet but the bartender ruined my entire dining experience. I hope management tries his drinks to gauge what he's making! read more

Joe's Cafe - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Salmon salad was very fresh and cooked perfectly. Ended with fantastic homemade blueberry pie ala mode. Tons of blueberries!

We've been to Joes a couple of time. Real good breakfast and excellent Bloody Mary's. Our server was friendly, attentive and got us our Mary's quickly. read more

Reasonable prices, hearty food and strong coffee. Went there for breakfast and had a Joe's Scramble. It was supposed to have eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, and potatoes. Not much egg, but lots of potatoes. Tip: don't go to Joe's if you're allergic to dogs because they're allowed inside. read more

Joe's Cafe - Joe's Scramble: lots of potatoes and ham; not much egg or bacon. - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Centrally located (across the street from our hotel ) and in the middle of all the night life , sits Joe's , don't think I've eaten at a Joe's and had a bad meal (not the same owners ) something about any Joe - he's not average when it comes to cooking - had the Halibut (they forgot the capers , but still good ) wedge salad + clam chowder, our waiter Adam was very attentive and on it ! Good guy and good service . read more

Joe's Cafe - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We were walking along State St. looking for place serving classic American breakfast. Not a whole lot of joints are open before 8am on Santa Barbara's main drag. Like a mirage, a vision of about a dozen people were seen enjoying coffee and their morning meals. Due to the pandemic crisis 20', the patrons were sitting outdoors under big, beautiful mature trees on State St. The block was restricted for pedestrians only. Also, no indoor dining permitted at this time. Cathy, one of the most efficient and professional servers you will ever come across, quickly guided us to our table outdoors. Cathy promptly poured us a cup of their strong brew. I like my coffee real strong! She then quickly took our order. I enjoyed the eggs Florentine. The poached egg laying on spinach, and a toasted muffin was very tasty. On the side, was a semi-crispy block of hash brown. This was a delicious and satisfying breakfast. Cathy checked on us multiple times to make sure our coffee mugs were full and all was well. Yay, I am a fan. Eat at Joe's! read more

Joe's Cafe - The eggs Florentine - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I've been coming here since I was first introduced to Joe's Cafe on my 21st birthday. I'm now the third generation of SB locals to have frequented Joe's Cafe! This place is an urban legend around town and let me just say... it lives up to the hype!! Stiff drinks, superb staff and customer service, and a lively atmosphere makes this place a must stop any time visiting downtown Santa Barbara State Street. Regardless of your crowd or bars you enjoy visiting, you can always find yourself at home at Joe's cafe. There are several moving parts to this fine-tuned operation, and staff that swiftly takes care of things that may go unnoticed to the untrained eye, but I would like to give thanks to a fantastic managerial staff and their team for making this a lovely place to visit. I would like I would also like to single out and give a HUGE shoutout to Derrick (if the spelling is wrong or name is slightly off, I apologize but after a few Joe's cocktails you would understand), the man running the show behind the bar. He is extremely personable and has some of the best work ethic and customer service I have seen in the business. If you haven't been, please give this place a try and I'm sure you will fall in love the way I have over recent years. Thank you Joe's Cafe and and your team, you have a customer for life!! read more

Joe's Cafe - Derrick - #1 bartender in SB - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Such a wonderful place. The customer service is great and the drinks and food even better. They're not lying when they say they have the stiffest drinks around, boy howdy and at such a reasonable price. 11/10 read more

Born and Raised in Santa Barbara this place is a go to for everyone. From those passing through to those of us that have gone here forever. Joes has the best food but as the locals know the best drinks. Food is just as good and the bartenders better. Scott behind the bar makes a great Bloody Mary and his recommendation of the Chilaquiles split between Red and Green You can't go wrong here, it's a must stop if passing through. read more

Joe's Cafe - Best Bloody Mary on the Block, don't judge a Bloody by the Look trust the Taste - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Came here on Halloween, it was a good place to eat. Our waitress was friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. They have a delicious Philly cheesesteak sandwich! We also ordered the potato skin appetizers, chicken strips and club turkey sandwich. All of it was tasty! Definitely coming back. read more

Joe's Cafe - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Had a waiter Juan that was very rude, pressured me into getting food and after I ate and for the food a friend showed up who had no man just wanted water and to hang out til 2. We were going to leave and go watch a movie he said after my friend told him she didn't have any money he told us to move to another table we complained to the manager warning don't sit in his section. read more

Underwhelming... Ate here the other day with my mom. Was traveling back from a trip up the central coast and decided to stop here before heading back down south. Service was ok. But definitely not amazing. The food was significantly overpriced for what you get. I got the BLT sandwich and fries and my mom got the Turkey burger and fries. Both of our sandwich's were so dry and the bread seemed like cheap store bought bread. It just wasn't good. At all. The whole experience. Wished it was better. Based on the other similar reviews hope they take heed and make some much needed changes. read more

I am pretty darn sure that all Santa Barbara locals are familiar with Joe's Café on lower State Street. Well, it is the competitor with Harry's Plaza Café after all. Both offer stiff drinks and delicious food so to me it's 'tomaytoe tomahtoe'. I recently came to Joe's for brunch and was shocked at the variety of the items on the menu. I absolutely adored our waitress, Maryling (I think was her name). I had injured my hand that morning and she provided me a bag with ice. *heartwarming* I ended up ordering a my two favorite breakfast items: fuzzy navel and homemade corn beef hash with poached eggs and sourdough toast. I was extremely content with my food and the service that we had received. I'll have to keep this spot in mind more often. read more

Joe's Cafe - Always appreciate the ambiance - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The last time I was there with my family, March 2024, I shared a fresh vegetable omelette with my sister. We were so pleased with it that we promised each other we would do a sister's trip and come back. Guess what? We are on our way back for our omelette. We planned this trip around Joe's Cafe! Here we come! read more

Place is still great after all these years hadn't been there since 1966. The only thing it changed it move up State Street. Everything was delicious. The waitress was friendly nice really had a good time. I highly recommend it if you're ever in Santa Barbara go to Joe's. read more

Would I come back here again? No. Overpriced, over salted/over seasoned, and overall just not worth it. The service was quick, fast, and friendly Here's what we got: Top Sirloin Steak Sandwich: $19.25 - Open-faced w/fries & green salad - Fries were rubbery - Salad was over-dressed - Only flavor from steak was the char marks on it - Wasn't really a sandwich, just a steak on 2 pieces of bread - Came w/2 onion rings (Daily Special) Full Rack of Ribs: $34 - Came w/vegetables and choice of mashed potatoes or baked potato - Mashed potatoes were definitely over salted (took 2 bites and was done) - Ribs were sauced on the top but not on the bottom - Ribs were cooked pretty well, they fell off the bone - Vegetables were seasoned alright but cooked unevenly *A friend got the prime rib and said it was really good *Get a HUGE cake for you birthday !! read more

They have a pretty decent outdoor seating area, but also partial indoor seating; Inside seating was almost instantaneous, but outside was about a :30 wait around 11am on a Sunday. Service wasn't very efficient, but the staff was pleasant and we ended up just making our appointment, so no harm no foul. Food was decent, but not out of this world. For a better 'normal' days ahead, they look like they'd have a pretty decent ambience read more

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Food was okay. I got the Joe's steak, I asked for medium-rare and it came raw. Food also took an hour to get to our table. I feel as this cafe is more suited for a younger clientele as we were a younger group and seemed to receive less priority than other tables. If you come here, be prepared to possibly wait and receive mediocre service. read more

Worst customer service the old lady at the front looks like Wednesday Addams. She was freaking out because we wanted to order breakfast at 11:20 when they stop serving breakfast at 11:30. She was so rude that we couldn't even stay there. The manager came out and told us if we wanted breakfast we could walk somewhere else . So rude on a nice sunny day read more

I am a long time SB resident, and have not been to Joe's since before Covid. I was excited to try their breakfast with my 80+ year old mom. The restaurant is the same dark wood, but fun/neatly decorated space (Upside down Christmas trees, lots of string lights, old photos). The "buser" was wonderful and sat us and got our drinks right away. He was attentive, ofered my mom refils of hot water for her tea, when I asked for milk with my coffee he asked if I wanted warm milk and brought me little pitchers of both hot and cold milk. The problem started with our server. He was polite, introduced himself, but he was a shaggy mess, clothes that did not fit, and that were not terribly clean. We ordered the breakfast cornbeef hash mean and a garden omlet. The server did not ask us what type of bread we wanted (I didn't even know the bread was a choice till later). I got a nice breakfast, my poor mom got a beautiful looking omlet that was FULL of Jalepenios (chopped up, they looked like the bell pepper that was supposed to be in the omlet). Note: the Garden Omlet does not come with Jalepenios, there is NO spice in the garden omlet (even the cheese is a nice bland mozerella). She took one bite and almost melted, her mouth is still sore today (over 24 hours later). We tried to waive down our server for minutes, could not find him, eventually we waived over the "older" gentelman manning the front counter (I'm pretty sure he is some sort of management). He came over and my mom explained that her omlet had jalepenios but the garden omlet was not supposed to have them. He was pretty dismissive towards her, he and I quote said "I'm not sure what is in the garden omlet, but I'll check with the kitchen". He never apologised or asked if she was ok. After close to 5 minutes (when we were staring at both of our cooling plates), he came back and said, "your waiter brought you the wrong omlet, two were made at the same time and look alike. Do you want another omlet?" My mom said yes, and he offered her a choice of bread (this is where I found out there was a choice). HE NEVER APOLOGISED!!!! When our server finaly showed back up with the new (admitdley pretty omlet), he aslo DID NOT APOLOGISE, just served us and left. After trying a few bites, my mom said she was not hungry and that her mouth still hurt. We waived down our server and asked for a box. They NEVER APOLOGISED, and they charged us the full price for the meal. The reason Joe's gets any star's is that the food was good, and the busser was fantastic. **another note: All the servers were young white people, while all the bussers and kitchen staff were NOT. This really disapointed me, as it is not reflective of California, and I feel that Joe's might be an institution that is best left in the past. read more

We were walking around on State Street and arrived at Joe's. I ate here once before, last July. We sat at an outdoor table under a tree. I ordered a chicken quesadilla. It was served hot and crispy. It was filled with chicken and melted cheese. Sour cream and a tomato slice sat on the top. I needed a serving of chunky salsa to spice it up. Then it was delicious. I enjoyed every bite!! read more

Joe's Cafe - Chicken quesadilla and 3 fries - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I would recommend Joe's for brunch and drinks only. They have good appetizers but it is nothing special. The service is good and the drinks are very stiff. The place is clean. read more

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After trudging through morning traffic, I needed a breakfast break. Of course, made my way to Joes Cafe. Took an open seat at the counter. Nice to see folks already enjoying a mimosa or Bloody Mary. Work day for me, so I opted for coffee and ice water. Awesome breakfast menu, but went with the classic scramble eggs. Perfect way to shake off the traffic angst. Staff is awesome. Reloading drinks and topping off coffee. Whether it's a late night bite, or early morning start, this is your place. Ample parking nearby. Recommend parking behind Institution Ale, then make your way over. Happy Trails. read more