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    Local

    4.2 (179 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fried Chicken BLT
    Danya S.

    Update: The owner privately messaged me on top of his public response. I explained in the private message that constructive criticism is necessary for growth and success. My review was not mean--I clearly stated both positives and negatives of our experience. He mentioned that gluten-free fish and chips are hard to find, but we've had them in many places, and they were still flavorful. Being gluten-free doesn't mean the food has to be bland or under-seasoned. One thing I didn't mention in my original review is how three of us who ate the duck fat fries got sick. I privately mentioned that to him, and he didn't respond! Unfortunately, if the business struggles, it won't be because of the food alone, but because of the owner's attitude and lack of customer service. After the way he responded, I can confidently say I won't be returning. I was excited to try this restaurant because it's accommodating of food allergies and also gluten free options. The restaurant is hidden in the corner of coast village, and has a parking lot which makes it nice on the busy weekends. Our server was kind and very helpful in answering all of our questions about the menu, especially when it came to what was safe for the kids to eat. The food overall was good, but not great. The least favorite items we tried were the duck fat fries and the fish and chips -- both lacked flavor, and the batter on the fish just didn't stand out. The side salad that came with our meals was also disappointing, as it was drenched in dressing and cheese, leaving it soggy. On the positive side, the chicken sandwiches were tasty, and the tuna was absolutely delicious. Those were definitely the highlights of our meal.

    SB Fish Tacos
    Martha S.

    This spot is incredible! You have the option of indoor or outdoor seating (we sat outside) and the service is absolutely amazing. From our server (wonderful manners, attentive & polite) to the chef (he came out to give us the Brussels sprouts recipe & we ended up with complimentary cheesecake). I highly recommend this place if you love flavorful food, excellent staff & a great atmosphere! I had the fish tacos with fried fish, a side of Brussels sprouts & calamari, as well as a perfect lemonade. I would definitely go back & try other menu items, however the tacos & Brussels sprouts were my top 2 of the night! The cheesecake is a huge portion (easily split by 3 people) and has a lovely crust with a drizzle of berry sauce. Overall, a wonderful & flavorful experience!!

    Burnt breading from fish and chips hardly any fish

    Made a reservation on Mother's Day seeing that this place had mostly good reviews. I'll start with the good, the appetizers we had were great and the ambiance is very nice. That's about it the service was awful we had to beg our waitress to bring us water constantly. While our appetizers came on time it took almost 40 minutes to get our entrees after ordering. I know it was mother's day but there was no wait and the place wasn't packed. When we finally got our food none of it was very good. My brother got a lobster rosoto which was $60 and the lobster was overcooked and rubbery. We were starving at this point so we didn't ask for them to take it back. My sister and I got fish N Chips that was burnt to a crisp, almost black, and majority of it was the breading, hardly ever fish. Thats what you see in the picture. My mom had eggs Benedict while she said it was good the eggs were cold. For such a pricey place you'd expect better service and food. I do not recommend coming here. I'm editing the review since the owner responded, if the owner is seeing this edit can you confirm if your fish n chips are usually as burnt as you see in the picture I provided? I've never had fish n chips where the breading was almost black

    8 oz. grass fed filet, garlic fries, and baked beans, delicious, but see my review.
    Chris G.

    Final Grade: C The LOCAL Montecito was a major letdown. Our party of seven visited after UCSB's graduation on June 14, 2025 around 7pm per our reservation, a day that sneaks up on no one in the area... except, apparently, the LOCAL. Let's break this down like a report card: Service & Timing: D+ We placed our order (5 burgers, 1 branzino, 1 Caesar salad) and waited... and waited. After 30+ minutes, we were informed that they were out of burgers. Suddenly, the suggested substitute: an 8oz filet at the same price. Sounds like an upgrade, but that's not what we came for, and definitely not what we ordered. The table next to ours, seated after us, mysteriously got two burgers. Group project vibes: we did our part, but someone dropped the ball. Food: C Filet - Nicely cooked, solid cut, but staggered arrival ruined the group meal dynamic. The actual filet was delicious, the upgrade was appreciated, BUT I really wanted a burger, just saying. Fries - The shoestring garlic fries were the standout. Crisp, flavorful, hot. Easily the highlight. Caesar Salad - Pitifully small. If you blinked, you missed it. Branzino - A rare success: moist, flaky, citrusy, and well-seasoned. Gold star here. Service Follow through: F We asked for ketchup. Our server said, "I'm on it!" and vanished. Never returned. It became the joke of the table. Not the kind of humor you want during a celebration dinner. The painful meal took 3 hours. Special Occasion Readiness: D A UCSB graduation meal should feel seamless. This felt like a class presentation where half the slides were missing. Value: C Given the price point and the special occasion, this should have been a hit. Instead, it felt like a missed assignment. Would I return? Doubtful. Santa Barbara has so many fantastic dining options where the food and experience are consistently strong. If you're browsing my reviews, you'll find better spots that are prepared, welcoming, and worth your time and money. Grade: C (Points salvaged by the branzino, garlic fries, and the upgraded filet's we did not necessarily want)

    Pan Seared Salmon with coconut curry (Delicious!)
    Adrienne O.

    So we've been coming here for over a year now, at first just for their happy hour which is a limited but delicious menu. The Jalapeño cornbread is a bit addictive. Then we finally made it in for dinner a few months ago and we now come here every week and brunch last Sunday. The food is delicious, bold flavors and mouthwatering combinations. The Branzino is perfection, the Pan Seared Salmon w/ coconut curry was so delicious and savory, the Baby Short Ribs are to die for, the meat just falls off the bone (sadly the ribs are seasonal so we'll have to wait for them to come back on the menu again), the Ragu is delicious, Chicken Milanese tastes like home (just very fancy home), the Filet was prepared to perfection and an absolute favorite! We got lucky enough the run into the head Chef (Chef Jon) last week and got to know about his background which explains why this hidden gem in Montecito was able to lock down such a food visionary! Chef Jon puts his heart into every dish which can be savored with each bite. The service is excellent, the drinks are refreshing and our new favorite local bar plus restaurant, in addition to a beautifully designed restaurant, with excellent outside seating. Can't wait for the weather to warm up for enjoying the outside space too. We Love love love this place! See you guys next week!

    brownie sunday

    Such a gorgeous restaurant! The service was wonderful and it had a great outdoor seating area. I would highly recommend the Brussels sprouts and Cauliflower, as they are a perfect sharing option. My party enjoyed the cheeseburger and chicken pasta entrees with high praises. The desserts were definitely the standouts, as I tried the Brownie Sunday and apple fritter doughnuts and they both were delicious! I would highly recommend Local and definitely plan on returning!

    Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
    Annik D.

    We had a phenomenal dinner. Ella made us the most delicious drinks (porn Star martini & a mojito). For dinner, we had the cauliflower, Brussels spouts and steak (chef's preparation)....every single thing we got was super delicious. Their entire staff (Ella, Isabella, the Serbian, Daniel) was fantastic too!

    Hanna S.

    Sadly after our long hiatus, it was still not great. We were party of 5 1 food. Branzino overcooked! By a lot! Was apparent when it was delivered to table. Barely anything for vegan. They will remove the Labneh on cauliflower but have nothing to replace it. U get a partial dish but pay full price Greek chopped salad is just a green salad with Greek salad items. Tomato feta and onion and cucumber. But don't expect a tasty Greek salad. Disappointing to the entire table. Two of us felt it was unclear on menu Special green gazpacho soup was pretty good. 2. Hostess /supervisor was short and not so friendly. Maybe a. Bad day. Didn't want to clarify her name. Thanks little island. I hope it was just a fluke and life feels brighter 3. Called in advance as M S. (Owner) asked us to do so long ago after our bad experience. (Still can't believe what three of us were charged for terrible plant based burgers with nothing. No tomato or lettuce or ...was. Such. Joke and no courtesy so thought they would make a gesture this time). Nope. Don't understand why this place is still somewhat popular - maybe outdoor space and alcoholic drinks . Please consider 1. Offering local plant based food options. 2 what ingredients are indeed local? Anything organic? Oh yeah we had two birthdays, and we let them know ahead of time. One of our guests had surprised us with vegan cakes that they brought out, but they never even offered their sorbet for the side - which was surprising because they had mentioned it when we called. It would've been a nice touch.

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    3 years ago

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    Michael S.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    First time here. We've been coming to Montecito for years and noticed this new restaurant. Food is great and live music too!

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    4 years ago

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    Michael S.

    thank you! appreciate your support!

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    4 years ago

    Great food, and very kind waitresses. This place deserves 5 stars! My steak was very good, and Jeana is the best waitress!

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    Page 5 of 5

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    Ask the Community - Local

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Absolutely!!!!! Totally dog friendly 🐶

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    Bar Lou

    Bar Lou

    4.0
    (45 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Came in on a lovely Sunday, to grab a drink before our nearby dinner reservations. We had our eye…read moreon BarLou previous Montecito dates. Unfortunately, the service left much to be desired. Hot or Not? Spoiler! it's a NOT. What a coincidence, it's happy hour . . . YAY ! Upon arrival, we were the only party on our end of the patio. (aside from a group of women on their way out.) We ordered our drinks promptly, but over the next 30m 3 small parties arrived, placed their drink orders, then their food orders, and were served well before us. disappointing. Despite being reassured multiple times over 30-40m period that our drinks were "on the way" they hadn't arrived long after having ordered--far before all the surrounding parties had arrived. We were checked in on plenty and added Ratatouille to our order. My Spicy margs finally arrived and (1) glass had visible lipstick stain on it. Luckily Bf double ordered for HH deal so I had the clean one while we waited to be checked in on to no avail. Beau had to wave down a server but 20m after a manager/owner ((it's unclear) she was casually dressed not in uniform like the servers.) but This woman came by and checked in we told her about the stain, she took the dirty glass, asked our drink and we get brought the wrong drink. Spicy Marg : 2/5 sips light refreshing and with a hint of spice not too overpowering. ($12) Bloody Mary: Beau thought it was ok would not order again.($10) Overall the experience felt dismissive and disorganized. We love to go for an experience, the ambience/atmosphere was great but the service we received ruined the experience, as the Idiom goes, IT LEFT A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. Ratatouille never arrived, we gave plenty of time and grace, decided to Cancel our order and request the check. Note: When we arrived the hostess said "it's just us two" so I gave the benefit of the doubt, on another occasion I would have left to avoid a situation like what we experienced, I understand. But we only came in for a Drink ?? :((

    Food was delicious We requested patio, we were seated on…read morethe side overlooking Coast Village Road ,had our dogs with us and they were very accommodating, even brought a water bowl Glad we picked Bar Lou for our birthday dinner , all our dishes were memorable and will definitely go back . Inside is very cozy and modern.

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    Bar Lou
    Bar Lou
    Bar Lou

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    Clark's Oyster Bar

    Clark's Oyster Bar

    4.2
    (92 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    Clark's Oyster Bar is a mini-chain of seafood restaurants that started in Austin, with three of the…read moresix locations in high-rent California neighborhoods. The Montecito Clark's is on Coast Village Road, in a cheerful white stucco building trimmed in yellow and blue. I've been twice now, both times for lunch with my husband, our kids, and some permutation of grandparents. It's an easy last-minute reservation for a large, floppy party, great for everyone in our family, with an age range of three to 83. I'll admit that my three-year-old likes Clark's for the wrong reasons (primarily, that it has a prominent ceiling fan), but it is a family-friendly place, with a relaxed atmosphere and a little aquarium in front with fish that look like Nemo and Dory. There's also a secret kid's menu (you have to ask about it; our first visit, we just paid for the $18 pancakes on the regular menu), and the butter pasta is reportedly very good. I like almost any place with a kid's menu and a wine list, and Clark's is firmly in this category. There's a full bar, but I've done well with the selection of white wines--Chenin Blanc, Chablis, Sancerre, all available by the glass. Service was on the slow side our first visit but otherwise fine, and I was impressed with our waiter Andreas when we went back the weekend after last. He was patient and accommodating with our whole party, talking extensively about bread with Grandpa and answering questions about the fan for my little boy. The only problem with Clark's is that it's pretty expensive for a low-key spot, especially if you're going for lunch. I guess that's why it's in Montecito, though it certainly isn't there for old timers like my father-in-law. The food is fantastic, starting with the complimentary house sourdough, which Grandpa has declared the best bread he's had in California (where, to be clear, he's lived for 50 years). It is genuinely top tier bread, fresh and chewy with a nice crust, served with good butter and salt and beautiful little radishes. You can buy it to go for something like $16 a loaf, but it's available on demand when you dine in, and you can and should ask for more. Clark's specializes in seafood, and I've enjoyed both the jumbo shrimp cocktail and Santa Barbara uni. The shrimp cocktail comes with horseradish, seasoned saltines, classic cocktail sauce, and lemon; the uni in its spiny shell with Meyer lemon and shiso on a bed of ice. On the larger side, I'd recommend the mussels and clams in white wine and herbs, with garlic, chili flake, and a side of wood-charred sourdough. I've also liked both the lobster roll and the burger. The lobster roll comes with a heap of sweet lobster with lemon mayo, drawn butter, and bibb lettuce on a toasted bun. It comes with choice of fries or slaw, and the shoestring fries are thin and crispy. The pan-roasted black angus hamburger is a juicy burger with sauce gribiche and gruyere, with the same choice of sides. My boy keeps asking to go back to Clark's for the ceiling fan, and I suspect we'll be back soon enough, if mostly for the restaurant's other attractions. I'd recommend it if you want good wine, bread, and seafood in Montecito.

    Spending a day in Montecito, starting with a morning hike and lunch to follow at Clark's, which I…read moreread so much about. I did secure an Opentable lunch reservation, but we finished our hike earlier than I anticipated. We arrived shortly after the restaurant opened... very nice low key restaurant with seating inside at tables and a bar area along with patio seating. We chose the patio. Julian introduced himself as our server and took good care of us. We ordered quite a few Cocktails and several shareable plates, so we could try different menu items. We started off with the Santa Barbara Uni and Oyster Rockefeller then a Shrimp Cocktail. We ended with the Mussel & Clam dish along with a Clam Chowder. All the dishes were presented well and tasted good and fresh and were accompanied by a complementary loaf of Sour dough bread, which was very good. The weakest dish was the Clam Chowder which was very thin in consistency. I will say their customer satisfaction is 100%. We had an issue with one of our dishes and brought it up to the young lady that was managing and the dish was immediately remade. Thank you! Atmosphere: bright, low key relaxing feel. Service: very good. Food: good.

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    Second bar
    Second bar
    Rockefeller oysters
    Rockefeller oysters
    Exterior view

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    Exterior view
    Caruso's

    Caruso's

    4.4
    (256 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$$

    Fantastic first experience at Caruso's last month! The ocean view was beautiful, with the…read moreindoor/outdoor vibes, plenty of heaters for warmth, a live pianist playing, and the service was excellent. It is worth mentioning that it takes a little time and is a little challenging getting to the restaurant from the valet area, for those who might be a little physically challenged or slower moving. I do believe that they have an elevator to take you down to the restaurant level though! Reservation-wise they have two options, the four course Prix Fixe menu (which I chose) and a three hour Chef's Tasting Menu. For my menu, I was able to select from about 3-4 options in every course, and there were some available add ons as well. I loved the La Mora Messicana NA Cocktail, it paired nicely with all of my dishes and still felt fun and margarita-esque. Of all the dishes I ate during the evening, the standout for me was the Yolk Gnocchetti Sardi Risotti with Stephanie's Uni Santa Barbara Abalone, Yuzu, and Caviar. It somehow combined all of my favorite things and made what felt like a comfort dish, but elevated. The Chef's Bites at the beginning and end were also delicious, I loved the little blueberry tart. I would definitely return for another meal here, and recommend it to friends or family.

    Came here on a Saturday night with my mom and overall had a really lovely experience…read more Even though we didn't stay at the hotel, the service throughout the property immediately stood out. When our Lyft arrived, employees rushed over to open the doors, and when we asked where the restaurant was, the front desk employee actually stepped away from the desk to personally point us in the right direction. The walk to the restaurant is a bit long since it overlooks the beach, but it was a beautiful night and ended up feeling relaxing and special. (Particularly on the way back when we were full from the tasting menu) I just wouldn't wear uncomfy heels. One interesting touch: we overheard the hostess offering another couple the option to put their phones away for the evening so they could fully experience dinner distraction-free. I ended up keeping mine away too and honestly enjoyed being more present during the meal. As a side note, another couple took photos of every meal and there didn't appear to be a stigma regardless. We did the tasting menu, and our waiter was fantastic with recommendations. All the staff was great, honestly. What stood out most to me compared to other Michelin-starred restaurants I've visited was the focus on seasonal ingredients and vegetables. That night featured Harry's berries and asparagus throughout several dishes. My favorite was probably the burrata with Harry's berries and rhubarb. There are quite a few optional upgrades throughout the tasting menu, including caviar and upgraded steak options, but we only added the chocolate bar selection at the end, which was excellent. I also appreciated the atmosphere. You could hear the waves crashing through the open doors, but it still stayed warm and comfortable inside. The noise level was lively without being overwhelming, and the recently added piano really elevated the experience. Some dishes seemed to sing to the symphony. Overall, I wouldn't say it was the best meal I've ever had, but I absolutely would return. Several dishes highlighted the ingredients so beautifully that I'd love to come back during another season to try a different menu. Solid experience and felt more or less felt worth the price.

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    Caruso's
    Caruso's
    Caruso's

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    Lion's Tale

    Lion's Tale

    4.3
    (39 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Lion's Tale is a great place to check out if you want a cozy atmosphere with great cocktails…read more Whether you come solo or with a group it's always a great time! The drinks here are perfectly made. I've had the margaritas, Paloma and espresso martini. They also offer light bites and food. I've only tried the frites so far, and they are addictive! So perfectly seasoned and served with a garlic aioli dip. Hard to share lol. I'm definitely trying the steak frites next time. This location is perfect for people watching and enjoying the nightlife in Montecito. Prices are very reasonable for the quality served. Customer service is always friendly and attentive. Overall, a great spot if you want to check out something different and get away from downtown Santa Barbara.

    Lion's Tale is an absolute gem. The atmosphere is classy but relaxed, perfect for date nights or…read morejust grabbing a solid cocktail. Shoutout to Andrea behind the bar -- easily one of the best bartenders I've come across. Super friendly, knows his craft, and actually takes the time to make drinks properly instead of rushing through them. Every cocktail he made was balanced, smooth, and clearly well thought out. You can tell Andrea cares about what he does, and it really shows. Great service, great drinks, and an overall top-tier experience. This spot just feels elevated in the best way. Highly recommend stopping by and sitting at the bar if Andrea's working.

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    Lion's Tale
    Potato Pave
    Potato Pave
    Cocktail from Lion's Tale

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    Cocktail from Lion's Tale

    Local - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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