One of my favorite spots when I'm craving a beef bulgogi bowl! I've always been so happy to have…read moresuch incredible and flavorful food near where I live. The staff are incredibly nice and they were very attentive to us when we arrived. We were able to enjoy an outdoor table and the food blew us away! I had their beef bulgogi bowl and I was floored by the flavor of the beef and the how fluffy the rice was. I want to try everything on the menu so I'll be visiting again very soon.

The jjajjang black noodles were very tasty . The tofu soup was bland, I'd skip that. There are…read moresmall mini cups with cucumber, kimchi and radish extra rice is 2.50$

The perfect place to eat some bao…read more I came here for our first night in SB to kick off the night of dinner fun for my sister's birthday. This place is very accommodating for large groups as our group was of 10. Delicious baos up and down galore. It felt like food was home away from home. Love, love, love.

Secret Bao was an okay experience overall. The food was decent, but nothing really stood out enough…read moreto make me want to come back specifically for it. We tried the garlic noodles, spicy beef noodles, popcorn chicken, and corn dumplings. The garlic noodles were creamy and the spicy noodles had good flavor, but the dishes overall felt a bit underwhelming. The popcorn chicken was soggy (but probably cause I had it to go), though it wasn't particularly memorable, and the corn dumpling were fine but didn't leave a lasting impression. The service was friendly and our food came out in a reasonable amount of time, which we appreciated. The restaurant had a relaxed, casual atmosphere that made it a comfortable place to grab a meal, but was super packed for a weekday. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, but it also wasn't anything special. I might give it another try in the future and order some of their more popular items before making a final judgment.

incredible food and awesome experience will be back a+ experience…read more really appreciate the kind service. great ambiance.

I ordered the Szechuan Hot Diced Beef, Korean Cheese Diced Beef, and the Spam Musubi. The spices…read moreused in both beef dishes had a very peculiar, overpowering flavor--so intense and tingly that it genuinely startled me. For a moment, I wondered if I was having an allergic reaction, but it turned out to be the unusual seasoning itself. It had an odd basil‑like, numbing quality that I couldn't quite pinpoint, and it made the dishes difficult to enjoy. The Spam Musubi was the only item I found truly edible, and it was actually very tasty. I also ordered a Thai Tea (50% sugar) and a Strawberry Smoothie (50% sugar). Both drinks were delicious. Total cost: $75.82

Food was excellent and our server was just lovely. There was a small hiccup in our experience that…read moreshe handled as best she could within her level of experience (saying this in a positive way), and then the manager came in and was insanely gracious in all respects. Most impressive to me was that as much as she wanted to take care of us as her customers, the manager seemed equally dedicated to taking care of her server and staff. Huge respect and appreciation to both our sweet server and the woman leading such a strong team this evening

We went to Oku around 6pm and it was BUSY, but somehow we lucked out and were seated right away! We…read moresat outside with an amazing view of the water. The vibe was classy and trendy but still lively. Such a pretty spot! The four of us shared a bunch of things. The Everybody Loves Raymond was my favorite roll. It had these little cubes of tuna on top that were almost like a mini poke bowl. SO good! The Crouching Tiger was another favorite. The rainbow and spicy tuna rolls were good too, just more classic. The crispy tuna nigiri was my favorite appetizer. Super fresh with perfectly crispy rice. We also loved the firecracker rock shrimp, which was light and crispy without being oily. We got the sauce on the side so the spice was totally manageable. But the GARLIC NOODLES!! Easily some of the best I've ever had. Buttery, garlicky, creamy and everyone at the table agreed they were amazing. The shrimp fried rice was great too, and they were able to make it non-spicy for us. We obviously did not have room for dessert, so we ordered it anyway The French vanilla crème brûlée was delicious, the green tea mochi was good once I got past the texture since it was my first mochi experience lol, and my sister said the tiramisu was the best she's ever had! Service slowed down a little after our entrées came out, but they were also extremely busy. Great food, gorgeous water views and such a fun dinner. I would absolutely come back. And I'm not sharing the garlic noodles next time.

Situated in the Santa Barbara Farmers Market complex, Empty Bowl is an inviting space where you can…read moresit right at the bar and watch the wok action. Service is friendly and the food well prepared. Menu options are limited, but everything is delicious. Recommend going at happy hour. There's usually a special offer.

Located inside of Santa Barbara Public Market, Empty Bowl is located towards the center of the…read moremarket. They offer Thai dishes including noodle bowls, small plates, and handmade dumplings. We got the Northern Thailand Curry Noodles "Khao Soi" and the Tom Yum Noodles. The Khao Soi had egg noodles and chicken in a curry base broth with coconut milk, fish sauce, pickled mustard greens, cilantro, green onions, and housemade chili oil. They also give you crispy egg noodles to put on top. I appreciated that they wrapped this separately in foil, so they didn't get soggy right away! The chicken pieces were quite large, but overall the broth was tasty! I enjoyed the Tom Yum Noodles! For these, they use flat wheat noodles with Thai chili paste, bunashimeji mushrooms, white button mushrooms, fish sauce, red jalapeño, galangal herb, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. I chose chicken for my protein. The tom yum flavor really came through! They also give a pretty big portion! Since they are located in a food hall, you can sit at any of the tables. Empty Bowl will give you a pager, so you know when to return to the counter to pick up your food.

We visited Sama Sama while in Santa Barbara, and it was hands down the best restaurant we had the…read morepleasure of experiencing during our trip. We feel pretty fortunate to have so many great restaurants near home, so finding a place that genuinely surprised and impressed us was both refreshing and an absolute pleasure. Everything we tasted was amazing. The standouts were the ribs, crispy rice salad, wings, and short rib noodles, but there truly wasn't a single thing we didn't enjoy. The drinks were great, and the ambiance and service were equally impressive. Our only regret is that we have to wait until our next visit to Santa Barbara to eat here again.

Sama Sama Kitchen is a Indonesian-inspired, Michelin Gourmand rated restaurant, was in the area so…read moremy family and I decided to go. We were greeted and seated right away, as for a Saturday afternoon, the restaurant wasn't so busy. Our server Izzy (on my receipt) was attentive and answered our questions, concerns well. I appreciate her service. My favorite dishes to the least favorite in order: Lamb gai (fresh and light), Braised pork noodles, Vietnamese wings, and lastly, the chicken satay (a bit dry, but sauce was flavorful), see my pics of each dish. It's not easy to judge from pics, one might think for the portion size for the price, is a bit smaller size. Indoor and outdoor seating. Cute, casual interior. Nearby paid parking structures, or good luck finding free street parking. Definitely a restaurant to check out when/if you're in the area.

We could hear live Blues playing down the street which meant there was life. We had just left the…read moreSanta Barbara Bowl and wanted something to eat after the show ended at 9pm. Not much was open which is how we ended up here. The place was super hot so we decided to order our food to go and there was a super annoying drunk guy ahead of us in line. I felt bad for the 17 yo employee stuck interacting with them. We ordered a sandwich with shrimp in it. L said it was good but the title shouldn't mention shrimp as they were super teeny tiny and basically non existent. I got the gluten free fried rice bowl with chicken spicy. It was not spicy at all, and the chicken was a bit dry, however I could taste the flavor of the chicken and the meal was bland enough that I knew I would be okay. Earlier in the day before the bowl we went to a winery and I had a headache, so this food for me last night worked especially since we picked it up to go and had it at our Air BnB.

Horrible customer service . Walked in no hello no let me help you . Stood there like a donkey…read morewaiting for some one to even acknowledge a customer. The front of house person knew I was there and still no word. The cooks back there looked super lazy and not even a hello. Me and Another customer were just looking at each other. We both walked out- the front of house or customer rep didn't look bothered. Owner : hire someone who has basic customer service skills. It's not that hard or do self check out. We might prefer AI. Horrible wasted time on my break going to a lousy place

This place was so good, I had to take out my phone to take notes. Each dish blew me away, and I…read morestarted texting my friends about it before all 9 courses were done. Had reservations for 7 pm dinner on Friday. The place wasn't busy during our entire dining experience. Aside from a larger table of ~10 people and 2 smaller tables, the place was empty, which was nice and quiet for date night and anniversary celebration. The 9-course Kaiseki was plate after plate of flavor. Highlights: - Course 4: Somen with sweet broth, grilled beef, and grilled green onion. THIS. The beef was so good, I refused to swallow, so I could savor the flavor. Fatty in flavor. Lean in cut. Somen cooked to perfection. - Course 7: Chilean sea bass simmered in bonito chicken broth with daikon and green beans ~ THE SEA BASS WAS GAS. Marinated in miso before grilling, the tenderness and juiciness of the sea bass is locked in prior to simmering in the broth. Chicken broth with the bonito added depth to the dish. - Course 9: Black sesame pudding with tangerine jelly ~ THIS. This dish embodied the level of black sesame I expect for any dish. Tangerine jelly cuts through as a nice refresher for the next bite. Perfectly not too sweet. All in all, I had the best experience. Each component of a dish adds its own flavor that completes the dish as a whole. Ultimately, one of my favorite culinary experiences that took my taste buds on a journey! Would return!

This was one of my best omakase experiences in the US and I'm glad we found this place! The owner…read morewas extremely nice and makes you feel like you're eating at his house, which is an apt feeling since the restaurant is in a small house. All the dishes we had were flavorful, had perfect texture, and the seafood was all very fresh.

Great food. Well priced. Service is fantastic. Try the…read moredome and tempura .......delicious!!!

Three of had a wonderful experience here a few nights ago. We made a reservation and only waited a…read morefew minutes to be seated We ordered a wonderful bottle of sake. We also ordered soft she'll crabs(delicious) a wonderfully prepared plate of sushi, including eel and unagi with quail eggs Many other wonderful dishes. Our was knowledgeable and suggested some excellent items. We left not full but satisfied and very pleased with this establishment.

Overall wonderful experience! Food was delicious. Both…read morerolls we got was enough in terms of quantity. The unagi rice bowl was very good. The spicy beef udon was a really good choice if you like spicy. The broth was fire! The chaschu ramen was amazing. The pork was so soft, like melt in your mouth. The spicy miso wings and edamame were a good surprise. The wings had such a yummy sauce. Service was commendable. They were all attentive! Perfect for a lunch out after the zoo or other family activities in the area. Casual and family friendly inside. Although I have to mention the bathroom did not have a baby changing station.

My friends and I were excited to get some ramen. Was pleasantly surprised to see their menu also…read morehad sushi, pho etc. There was also confusion with our food. We ordered a papaya salad and they brought out a different one with chicken. They were quick to correct it once they realized the mistake. Some dishes came with an egg when the menu didn't include it. The papaya salad and spicy edamame were good (the sauce was more sweet). One friend got a veggie miso ramen which looked and tasted like regular noodles with interesting vegetables. The miso ramen looked the same minus the veggies. Another got a honey boba with their dinner which left them feeling disappointed. I got the black garlic tonkotsu ramen which was good. Their spicy level wasn't spicy. I got a mild just in case and one of the servers overheard me & brought more chilli on the side. I didn't find it spicy but that may have been because it was really fatty dish.