We came here on a whim and everything about it was so enjoyable! The service was good. Until we got seated, the service felt lukewarm, but our server, Joquin(?) made us feel so welcome! He gave us some great advice on what to order and we enjoyed every bit of it! There was also another gentleman that brought out the umbrella for us since it was getting sunny. We had a couple workers walk by without asking, but he was so kind enough to make us comfortable. The drinks we ordered were so refreshing. We ordered the Costa Blanca, De Aqui, and the Bengala de Granada. The drinks were so crisp that it almost felt like a palette cleanser. The yellowtail crudo was perfectly balanced between sweet and citrusy. The oysters looked spicy but were pleasantly mild! The octopus was tender and soft. The paella was flavorful and nicely garlicky. Loquita is small and cute. It's a little packed inside once it gets busy, so it was a relief we got seated outside. read more

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We happened to come for dinner and were luckily seated without a reservation (highly recommend making a reservation if you plan on coming). We were seated at the bar style seating where you get to see the kitchen, which I actually prefer since you get to see everyone work. // DRINKS // Ooo Mami: lalo tequila, mezcal, lemon, passionfruit, agave, orange bitters, umami. A little on the sweeter side, but pretty well balanced and fruit forward. 4/5 // FOOD // Patatas Bravas: yukon gold potatoes, pimentón emulsion, brava sauce, garlic aioli. This appetizer didn't stand out. It's your typical patatas bravas, but it wasn't as flavorful as I've had elsewhere. 3/5 Ensalada Invierno: roasted kale, baby beets, marcona almonds, orange supreme, coca bread, manchego foam. Very smoky! I was surprised how much the kale took on the smoke of the grill, but it was very different. 2/5 Mariscos: bomba rice, manila clams, jumbo prawns, grilled squid, squid ink, green peas, garlic aioli. The star of the show and absolutely delicious. It was so flavorful and the grilled squid was so tender and melt in your mouth delicious. 5/5 Overall, even though the starters were a miss for me, I would definitely come back for the paella and drinks again, and also to try a few of the other dishes. read more

Excellent higher-end Tapas restaurant well worth a visit. Be warned, the serving size is significantly more generous than you would expect from tapas. We over ordered by 2-3 dishes and if you aren't starving I'd say 2 appetizers and 2 tapas is more than enough for any two people. Cocktails were great, service was highly attentive and considerate. As a Patatas Bravas enthusiast these were perfect, the sauce was more pepper forward than most which was a great touch. Jamon was delicious, but the bravas would have been great on their own. The croquettes with mushrooms were rich and filling, packing a whole lot of deliciousness into a small bite sized package. The prawns were lovely as well, but the Bravas stole the show. Next time I am coming back for just those and a couple of cocktails. read more

Loquita - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great tapas restaurant close to the beach. Highly suggest having reservations. Tons of options for vegetarians along with meat eaters do you can find options for everyone. Everything was delicious! read more

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Been wanting to try this spot for quite some time! Food and ambience are great. We ordered the patatas bravas, piquillos ahumados, pan con tomate with jamon serrano and the pollo y chorizo paella. Food was great and the right amount of food for table of 3. I absolutely loved the paella and the chicken was cooked to perfection. Just a tad bit on the salty side overall but still very tasty. Service was lacking just a bit. Wish the waiter checked in a little more often. Also took a bit of time for hostess to seat us despite having a reservation and seeing multiple tables ready and open on our walk over to our seats. Definitely would recommend this spot and would love to come back. read more

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Good food and lots of seating! Service was good - got seated and tended to quickly by front of staff and waiter. Variety of tapas to choose from. Lamp chops were delicious! Definitely recommend visiting when in SB. read more

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Spanish cuisine, beautiful ambiance, and everything we ordered was so good. The pulpo and paella were definitely the best picks Perfect spot for birthdays, anniversaries, or a cute dinner date! read more

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We will go back again and again! Patio dining at Loquita is a magical experience. Their courtyard was the perfect place to celebrate my birthday over a delicious dinner of beautiful and sumptuous tapas. Much quieter than the main dining room, dinner under the bougainvillea vines, with the gentle ripple of the fountain in the background, provided a perfect setting. We ordered many dishes, so I'll keep my descriptions brief. We started with a healthy portion of earthy, meaty mixed olives and a perfectly crusty, and not too garlicy, pan con tomate. A rustic charcuterie highlighting three different cheeses, perfectly seasoned patatas bravas, and the most savory and creamy croquettess followed. Next up, a surprisingly subtle yet herbaceous fennel salad, charred broccolini on the most lovely romesco, lamb chops grilled to perfection (I could have eaten a dozen of these!), and a delicate branzino topped with a velvety sauce and fish roe. I didn't think I'd like this one because of all the sauce, but boy was I wrong. The entire dish sang in perfect harmony. And finally, the dish that brought us here, a vibrant, smoky, and deeply flavorful chicken and chorizo paella (must order 45 minutes in advance). It was brimming with chicken, chorizo, mushrooms, and FLAVOR! I could not have imagined a more perfect meal. Comforting, celebratory, and so well executed. It was the kind of meal that I won't soon forget. Nor will I forget the impeccable service of our pleasant and attentive server. The restaurant was PACKED, but somehow she made us feel like her number one priority. Thank you, Loquita, for getting my next trip around the sun off to a delicious start. read more

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Loquita was incredible for dinner! I'd made a reservation well in advance, and they were able to seat us a little early when we arrived. The interior had a romantic ambiance, with dim lighting and a projector playing black and white flamenco videos on the wall. I got a glass of Tempranillo, which was fantastic. We placed our order for the Paella Mariscos right away (since the Paella takes extra time to prepare) and started with the Crudo and Piquillos Ahumados tapas. Both of these were amazing! The Crudo was so fresh and flavorful in a fun, fruity way. I normally don't love peppers, but the Piquillos Ahumados almost tasted more like tomatoes. They were a little sweet and paired so well with the creamy goat cheese. We didn't wait much longer for our Paella Mariscos, which was some of the best I've had. I loved the crispy under-layer of rice and all the seafood was perfectly prepared. We couldn't resist ordering dessert, and opted for the Meli Mato. This creamy goat-milk custard was delicate and not too sweet, nicely complimented by the candied hazelnuts. Service was attentive and seamless! Overall, our experience at Loquita was as good as it gets. read more

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Loved : Kale Salad, Crudo, Pulpo (all pictured - all phenomenal) Not a fan : Gambas al Ajilla & Piquillos Ahumados The meal started great but then finishing on the shrimp & goat cheese peppers was not pleasant... - the sauce on the shrimp was good but they were clear and not cooked and I was thinking the piquillos Ahumados would be a hot dish, i communicated I didnt like it to our server and was expecting it to be warm and her response was "oh" ... lol - of course a michelin star is going to get critiqued more, and tough to admit but that was a horrible response. Safer bet would have been a paella, and again still loved the first 3 dishes we started with!! read more

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For a Michelin star restaurant, I honestly expected a bit more. I knew going in that it was tapas, so that part wasn't a surprise, but the food just didn't wow me. I know others love it, but it wasn't phenomenal to me. Vegetarian options were pretty limited, and even when there were options, they were very specific. For example, the peppers are stuffed with goat cheese, which I don't eat, and there wasn't much flexibility to swap or adjust dishes. That made it hard to find things that actually worked for me, and I ended up leaving hungry, which is not something I expected here. I'm sure this place has its audience and I can see why some people really appreciate it, but it just wasn't for me and didn't feel worth it. Definitely make a reservation if you plan to go, but for my taste, I wouldn't go back. On a side note, the restaurant is very pretty and modern. read more

Loquita - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place is hyped as a date place. It's in a fancy location near the beach, nice patio. It is good food but overhyped IMO. $16 for patatas bravas is a bit on the silly end. lts also one of thoses places that defaults to 20% tip on the low end. I have no problem with paying a 20% tip but the service was poor on my visit. We gave one instructions/request that were just completely disregarded. Very little in terms of service other than attempts to upsell with more Tapas when we were done. Sorry, just being honest. read more

This is a busy Spanish tapas restaurant in the south State St area. We had a party of six which made for a great arena for trying lots of different bites. We ordered several tapas and two paellas. My favorite tapas were the croquetas de jamon and the lamb chops. No gaminess that can occur with lamb. Super flavorful. Great grilled flavor. The chops though were super small...like from a very young/small lamb. Both paellas (chorizo and chicken and beef) were super flavorful. Howethe rice bottom was not crispy and crunchy, which is the sign of a well made paella. Dessert was sharing an order of churros and the flan. The crunchy churros had 3 dipping sauces, which was nice to have flavors beyond the usual chocolate. The vibe of the restaurant is energetic and fun. The open kitchen is a home run. I loved the environment. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly. However, she was stretched too thin so we ended up pouring our own wine and water, and had to wave her down when we wanted to order another dish and/or dessert. We had a good experience at Loquita, just not great. But I would come back just for those ham croquettes and lamb chops. read more

Possibly the worst dining I've ever experienced. My husband and I have both worked in restaurants for 15+ years each. I used to go almost once a week for years. ACME has significantly dropped off over the past 6 years. The service was disorganized and confused. They kept trying to take our wine list but we wanted to keep it to order a bottle of wine with entrees. When we were asked if they could take it for the 2nd time, we asked the host to send over the server and she said she didn't know who the server was?!?!......no offer to find out, nothing. She just panicked and walked away. Glad you guys taught her to yell "corner" though so the whole restaurant hears it. They clearly knew we were celebrating a birthday since we got a postcard (big whoop), but no "cava greet" like every other table got or like I've had in the past (if they looked at their guest profiles they would know that I have celebrated multiple birthdays at Loquita). They sent no comp dessert and did not even put a candle in the dessert we paid $14 for. A candle costs close to nothing?? Honestly feels like since I asked the host a question that flustered her, the whole team decided to make our experience shitty. Probably the highest PPA in the restaurant since the whole service staff are just order takers and don't know how to anticipate anything let alone check on their tables. Also, check your menus. You spelled "Jose AndRes" wrong. If you're going to act like a stuck up "foodie restaurant" at least be able to back it up. read more

Came to Loquita after wedding rehearsal for a family dinner and service and vibe was on point. We had a pre set dinner and all food came out timely and the portion was decent to share with the whole party. The carpaccio and paella was the hit! Surprisingly the vegetarian paella had such bold flavors it was a hit for the entire table. Both options were delicious and highly recommend. Thank you Loquita team for a memorable experience! read more

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Absolutely loved this place! Amazing food and drinks. Gambas is my favorite thing in the world rn! To die for. Amazing service and amazing ambience, would 10000% recommend this place if you're in the area! read more

Loquita - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food was absolutely delicious and interestingly unique. 4 Stars only because service was a little slow (Took them about 5 cups of water before I got food). The outside area was also very beautiful. read more

I'm giving this 4 stars only because I believed it to be overpriced for the quality of the food. Outside of that, the presentation was wonderful and service was good, especially for how busy they were. The patio was fantastic for some moderate California weather. We were there for a wedding and it was one of our stops after the ceremony. As such, it provided a beautiful night, with good company and good food. A good choice while in Santa Barbara. read more

Loquita - Paella - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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A wonderful birthday dinner. My friends' bday treat for me was dinner here before we hopped over to the bowl to see Disclosure. Dinner service had just started when we got there for our resy. We tried to sit outside l, but we opted not to since the only available table had a time limit. We didn't want to be rushed. It was such a beautiful day so we wanted to enjoy the last 2 hours of the sun before sunset. We ate ate. For a second I thought we got too much food, but it all worked out in the end. Everything was eaten. I started off with the guayaba cocktail. It was so refreshing. So much so I felt like I was in the tropics. The table shared the following: Croqueta De Seta Broccolini Oysters Tuna crudo Pulpo Beef cheeks Branzino I wasn't kidding when I told our server "I have no notes" every single time she came over to check on us which was about three times. Everything was so good. The standouts for me were the broccolini which was perfectly crunchy with a hint of charred. The bed of sauce it was sitting on was divine. I ray fingers through that portion of the plate. We ended up getting 2 orders of their bread to scoop the rest. The oyster was 10/10. I could've done with less bacon. The saltiness of the bacon kind of overtook the taste of the oyster. And lastly, that branzino though. The three of us dug in, ate the whole fish then realized after that we should have asked for rice. We ended our meal with the goat cheese for dessert and their coffee. What a perfect way to close our night before we danced the night away. The service was stupendous. Add to that how great their food is. All of it. Everyone wins. It was not a surprise to me to see them fully booked by the time we left. Congrats to team Loquita! I'm looking forward to my next visit with more people so we can eat the entire menu. read more

Food is great, waiter was knowledge, ambiance is just right. Need to come back to try other food. I only got to taste the vegetarian menu this time. Chips came with 2 sauces and I like them both!! read more

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I love Spanish food, and this place did not disappoint! That's saying a lot coming from me because we have family who live in Spain, and have visited many times, so we are very familiar with their delicacy. Loquita has indoor and outdoor seating. Great ambiance in both areas! What's cool about the inside dining area is it's an open kitchen, so you can watch the chefs cook! We had a reservation, but arrived early so sat at the bar and had a drink before being seated. We got the Costa Blanca, which wasn't only beautiful but really good. Very light and refreshing. Not sweet, which I love. I hate sweet cocktails. We chose to sit outside and it was beautiful. It was dark, candles lit everywhere, and heating lamps on. We were very comfortable and relaxed. Our waiter was adorable. Even though we had a sense of what we wanted to order, we still asked him what he recommended and he literally walked us through each course and provided us with a detailed explanation as to why he chose that as his recommendation. We ended up ordering a bottle of wine, spanish tortilla, jumbo prawns, beef cheeks and seafood paella with squid ink! It was just me and my husband and we ate it all. We even asked for extra bread for the leftover broth from the jumbo prawns lol. It was our birthday, and they surprised us with birthday desert (cheesecake). We were too full to eat it there so we took it home with us and ate it in bed later that night hehe. They even gave us a little birthday postcard thanking us for dining with them and wishing us a wonderful evening. Overall 10/10, I'm definitely coming back! read more

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Epic spot! This was a great find. We ordered so much food. We arrived a bit early for our reservation and the hostess was really helpful and sat us pretty quickly. We sat on the patio which was so large, they had heaters. It was beautiful. We ordered the pan con tomate, crudo, piquillo peppers, artichokes, pulpo, lamb and oysters. Everything was exceptional. The flavor in the crudo was delicious, the oranges made it bright and freshening while the seasoning was smoky super well balanced. I love the olive oil salty taste of the pan con tomate, very Spanish. The piquillo peppers were paired with toasted bread, which we recommend. The pulpo was cooked well, I cannot emphasize that enough. Not just delicious but perfectly tender. The lamb was well seasoned and the yogurt sauce was a nice touch to cut the richness. Perfectly cooked. The oysters were delicious and bright. It was a great meal to cap off a girls get away. We'd be happy to come back on our next visit! read more

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We wanted to do at least one nice dinner while in Santa Barbara for my friend's birthday getaway. We were able to score a reservation to Loquita the night before. There is a parking structure that gives you free 75 minutes parking across the train track. Very walkable. There are other parking area suggested by the restaurant. Loquita is a Spanish tapas bar. They are known for their Paella. We started the night with a couple of items. The service was great and everyone was super friendly. Crudo - my friends love this dish. She really enjoy the sauce and ended up dipping everything in it. Broccolini - I love this dish. It was a great veggie dish. I enjoyed the charred broccolini, crumbs, and the red sauce. Patatas Bravas - I love potatoes and I really love this dish too. The potatoes came out nice and hot. The texture of the potatoes were wonderful. Crispy on the outside and fluffy in the inside. Chuleton - prime beef with mushroom. The prime beef was perfectly tender and o so good. My favorite of the night. Mariscos Paella - 45 minutes to prepare but it came out right when we finished the other dishes. The rice was cooked well. I thought it was more on the salty side but still very good. I love the green peas in this dish. I love all the flavors use in all their dishes. I love that there are sauces and added texture in each dish. The chef upgraded a typical ingredients and made it so much better. Presentation on the dishes were also very pretty. Overall, a great place to grab dinner if you're in the mood for Spanish tapas food or even for some Paella. read more

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Potatoes - crispy and excellently seasoned Carpaccio - flavors were good, but I didn't enjoy the texture. It's like they slightly cooked it. Also, the slices were also thicker than how I enjoy carpaccio Octopus - super tender and solid complements in terms of puree & veggies Duck breast paella - the best part of about this is that it had socarrat. There was plenty of duck too. I wish the skin was crispy and meat medium rare inside (as opposed to medium well). Flavor-wise, it was so-so for me. I also learned that I don't care much for figs read more

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Our server Sammy was super attentive and super helpful with his recommendations. The outdoor dining area was so cute, despite the colder weather the heat lamps and the cute lights kept the atmosphere warm and romantic. The food was so so good, the beef cheeks were so tender and literally melted in your mouth. I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Loquita is a popular spot in Santa Barbara known for its Spanish tapas. We made reservations to celebrate our anniversary, as they don't take walk-ins. Even with a reservation, it gets very busy on weekends. We still waited 20 minutes before being seated. We chose their cozy patio seating, which made for a great atmosphere. For appetizers, we ordered the crudo (tuna), pulpo (grilled octopus), and carpaccio de carne. Everything came out quickly, was beautifully presented, and full of flavor. If I had to recommend one or two appetizers, I'd go with the pulpo or the carpaccio. For our entrée, we had their well-known mariscos (seafood paella), which takes about 45 minutes to prepare. We asked for it to be less salty, and it turned out excellent. For drinks, we tried the maravilloso (gin with apricot) and the ooo mami (tequila with passionfruit), with the ooo mami being my favorite. We ended up too full for dessert, but the churros looked like a popular choice. As someone who loves Spanish food, this place delivered! They even gave us a small celebration postcard to take home. Overall, it's a great spot for a date night or special occasion. read more

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Loquita in Santa Barbara -- Where tapas become both spectacle and theater. Yes, Spanish tapas originally started as food for working people -- Never meant to be fancy or expensive. They're humble, practical bar food that brings people together. When tapas crossed the Atlantic - they changed completely. Americans were encouraged to order many small plates as an all-in, sit-down meal - instead of standing at a bar. When the tapas made their way to Loquita, they were transformed into both spectacle and theater. Loquita succeeds admirably in both areas. Spectacle - the server using a porron to aerate the wine at table-side. Did it make the wine taste better? No. Btw, in Spain, the porron is designed for pouring a thin stream of wine DIRECTLY INTO THE MOUTH from a distance, and not into a wine glass! The tapas and everything else we ordered: patatas bravas, pulpo, denia (bluefin tuna atop confit tomato on bread), jamon charcuterie, and Paella mariscos -- were plated to be Instagram-worthy. How did they taste? IMHO just average -- your typical Pintxos bars in San Sebastian (yes - we've done the "pintxos crawl") offer tastier fare, at an EIGHTH of the price! Check out their pulpo at $28 for three octopus tentacles averaging 2 inches in length each -- that's nearly $10 per tentacle! Theater -- the wait staff has read on everything there is to know about Spanish cuisine via Wikipedia. And they are not shy sharing their knowledge. Case in point: our server as if on-cue, came to our table, midway into our paella -- and with a flourish starts scraping the bottom of the paella pan: "This is called the socarrat. The socarrat is considered the most delicious part of the paella. Paella lovers always scrape this golden, crunchy crust at the bottom of the pan to share." But I don't like to eat burnt rice! Not her fault though -- she was just trained that way, but I personally find the theater off-putting. At Loquita's you pay for both spectacle and theater -- and sadly, it seems that the purpose of the food is to promote both. Charitably rounding up my rating to 3 stars. Try it once. Or do the pintxos crawl -- in the Basque country. Meh. read more

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Good food and decent service, but could be better. I was so excited to take the hubby here to celebrate his birthday early. Having Loquita bookmarked for a little while, then found out they're on Resy and I could get partial reimbursed from Amex for their new revamped program, which couldn't come at a better timing, only increased my excitement! With our reservation, we were quickly seated on their beautiful patio. I was ecstatic to see their huge passion fruits vines with so many passion fruits on them climbing high on the wall and the fence. We wanted to try everything on the menu since they all sounded to good, but settled with 4 appetizers/taps, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts to share among 2 of us and our toddler. Each of the appetizers had good flavor, but after taking a bite or 2 from each dish, we noticed a common theme: sauces! They ALL came with at least 2 types of sauces. If you only order 1 or 2 of these dishes, they're great, but not with 4 and the repetitive flavor profile. The crudo and the mushroom tapa are the 2 that I'd definitely get again. The octopus seemed too overwhelming with the sauces, but underwhelming with the flavor at the same time. The potatoes were nice and crispy for the first few bites, then the rest were not as crispy and too saucy as you get closer to the center and bottom of it. For entrees, we decided to get the branzino and the chicken paella. The fish pretty much bathed in cream sauce. Every bite there would be at least a couple bones if not more that we had to carefully spit out. The paella was good, but also was more on the "wet" side. With the hubby being half Spaniard, he didn't think it was authentic Spaniard food. I on the other hand, thought it was better than the branzino. We ended our dinner with their complementary sorbet for the hubby's birthday, and ordered the churro to try since they seem to be the most popular dessert item. Both were nothing to rave about. For almost $300 dinner bill, after tips and the Amex statement credit, it was a pretty disappointing experience. We might come back just to have couple of the taps and drinks, but for sure won't go for the full meal again. read more

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The restaurant serves high-quality food and appears to use fresh ingredients, but I found it overpriced. I can't speak to the other menu items, but I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, the Gambas al Ajillo. The prawns were cooked perfectly, and they came with a couple of crusty pieces of bread that were ideal for soaking up the delicious sauce. Despite how much I enjoyed it, the portion was small, and I didn't feel full afterward. I paired my meal with two small glasses of wine, which were also overpriced, though the wines themselves were excellent. I appreciated the opportunity to sample a few varieties before making my selection. The service was outstanding. My waiter was attentive and brought both my food and drinks promptly, so I never had to wait long. Overall, while the food and service were very good, I believe I could find similar dishes elsewhere at a better value. I'm also not particularly fond of the location. The restaurant was noisy both inside and outside, with traffic and train noise contributing to the atmosphere. I would consider returning, but only for a special occasion. read more

Loquita - Gambas al Ajillo - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I came for my birthday and loved the bright, open dining room. All the food was delicious, I'd recommend the croquettes and the crudo with the churros being a great way to end. read more

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Visited Loquita on 04/11/26 for a birthday celebration and let me tell you I was blown away by the entire Loquita experience! From the food to the service to the ambience, all of it was truly an amazing experience. Food - We got the patatas bravas and the paella verde. Both were phenomenal. I have tried ~4 other vegan paellas and was originally skeptical going into this, but Loquita's paella was by far the best vegan paella I've ever had! The attention to detail is what made the dish shine. It had perfectly tender mushrooms and artichokes as well as the delicious vegan cream on top. They were able to make the dish smoky and delicious. Dessert - We got the crème brûlée and the pistachio ice cream. Both were truly wonderful, when I go back I will order both of these again! Vibe and Staff - Super cute and romantic vibe, perfect for a nice date. The staff was super attentive and even gave me a little postcard for my birthday! Definitely worth the visit :) read more

Loquita - Paella Verde - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Amazing outdoor seating with beautiful live plant decor. We opted for tapas and cocktails, both menus were packed with deliciously fresh concepts unique in flavor and presentation. read more

This is a MUST if you visit Santa Barbara!! Looking for delicious and authentic Spanish tapas? This is your place! You will be transported to a tapas bar in Spain. I highly recommend the following items: - Patatas Bravas: Start off your meal with these exquisite potatoes to snack on while you enjoy a refreshing sangria. - Croquetas de jamón: These are deep fried, crispy rolls with a mixture of jamón, butter, and olive oil inside. They are creamy inside and crispy outside, making it a savory Spanish tapa! - Paella: Be sure to pace your order upon arrival when you are seated as it takes about 45 minutes to prepare. This way you'll have time to enjoy some tapas before your main dish paella. We got the chicken version and it was incredibly delicious! - Churros: Have room for dessert? Order some churros to enjoy something sweet along with a coffee. The churros are crispy, soft inside, and sweet. They come with three dipping sauces: Dulce de leche, chocolate, and strawberry. Everyone was super friendly. Do make a reservation for dinner as it gets packed. They told us we would wait for about an hour, so we opted to sit at the bar, which is first come first serve. Our bartender was knowledgeable and guided us throughout the night offering food recs from the menu. The place is popping and it really does feel like a tapas bar in Andalucía, Spain-- filled with people, laughter, yummy tapas, and refreshing cocktails! Seriously, this should be your number one dinner spot when you visit Santa Barbara! You won't regret. read more

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I'll start by saying I had an amazing time at loquita. The restaurant is decorated nicely and the servers are on it. The veggie pallela and papas were both really good. The star though was their fresh handmade churros!!! Soooo good. I thought the sangria was pretty small and basic. I expected more. Also to note that this place is quite pricey but worth it! read more

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I've been back to loquita a few times since my last review. This most recent visit, we ordered the Crudo (of course) Croqueta de Pulpo which reminded me of arancini's, and the Verde Paella. I was very pleasantly surprised with the Paella, I think I like it better than the chorizo & chicken one! It's less salty & the mushrooms on top were cooked to perfection. read more

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The Borrego a la Brasa (lamb chops) were my favorite dish, they were juicy and the edges were slightly crispy. I loved the sauces it came with (although in previous reviews, I saw it came with 4 lamb chops and now they only give you 3). The chorizo y pollo paella had a smoky flavor and came with a decent amount of chicken and chorizo, chicken was a bit dry which could've been fixed with a little more sauce. I really liked the patatas bravas and Croqueta de Jamón, which were crispy and I think both dishes came with the same sauce. The Gambas al Ajillo were okay but stood out the least. Overall a delicious meal read more

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We visited Loquita in Santa Barbara the day before New Year's Eve and overall had a fantastic experience. There was a small hiccup at the start. We asked about the waitlist for two people with a dog on the patio. The couple in front of us was quoted about a two-hour wait, so we expected something similar, but we were told there was no patio availability at all for the rest of the night. Interestingly, less than 10 minutes later, we stepped outside, found an open reservation online, and were able to walk in almost immediately. Throughout our meal, we also noticed there were a few open patio tables--not many, but enough that it stood out. A bit confusing, but thankfully it worked out in our favor. Once seated, everything else was excellent. The food was outstanding. We ordered the patatas bravas, which brought back great memories from traveling in Spain, along with the crudo, which paired beautifully with the toasted bread. The highlight was the chorizo and pollo paella, and we added lobster for an extra cost--absolutely worth it and made the experience even better. For drinks, we had the Palomita and the roja sangria, both of which were excellent. Our server was very attentive and encouraged us to splurge a bit, which turned out to be a great decision--otherwise we wouldn't have had nearly as memorable of a meal. Despite the initial confusion, we had a great time and would absolutely return. Highly recommend making a reservation, especially during busy times. read more

Loquitas is dimly lit with a bar area as well as a dining room and chef counter. It was a bit cold in the restaurant because the door was open. Quite a few people were dining with their jackets on. I had the Ooo Mami cocktail to start. I loved the passionfruit. The presentation was pretty as well. I had the patatas bravas for my appetizer. The potatoes were so crispy and well seasoned. I enjoyed them with the aoli. I ordered the chicken and sausage paella for my entree. I definitely recommend sharing this dish with others as the portion is huge. The paella was so flavorful and the chicken was juicy and tender. The rice was perfectly cooked and the sausage bits in it were delicious. The service was good. The waitress was attentive. I would definitely return to Loquita next time I'm in town. read more

Loquita - Chorizo y Pollo - Spanish Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We were impressed by Loquita! We got super lucky because we came into Loquita with no reservation on a busy weekend night, and someone must have cancelled because the hostess was able to seat us right away (party of 2). Their outdoor patio is nicely decorated and warmed by fire heaters. The aesthetic is really nice. All of the food blew us away. We especially loved the octopus croquetas, stuffed peppers, mushrooms and of course, the seafood paella. The seafood paella was amazing! So flavorful! We ate every darn grain of rice. I especially loved the squid. Somehow we still made room for dessert. We had churros and cheesecake. It was decadent but worth it! The serving of churros was huge. The drinks were good. I liked my original mezcal cocktail (el fácil) but was not a big fan of the palomita. Overall, great experience and phenomenal food! I highly recommend loquita. read more

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I had many friends recommend this place to me, so I was excited to finally have a chance to try Loquita while we were visiting Santa Barbara for the holiday weekend. My partner and I were impressed by how delicious (and aesthetic) everything was. Croqueta de pulpo: 8/10. The inside was sooo creamy and the octopus piece on top was small but yummy! Borrego a la brasa: 10/10. This was one of the best lamb chop dishes I've ever had. If the sauce came in a vat, I would happily drown in it. Patatas Bravas: 7/10. We decided to add these on later because we saw so many other tables around us order them. No regrets at all, these were perfectly crispy, and the sauces on top were good! Chorizo y pollo paella: 8/10. So so delicious!! My favorite part was the maitake mushrooms, which were tender and meaty. The rice was so flavorful, and they absolutely nailed the socarrat. The chicken thigh pieces were juicy and tender, though there were a couple pieces (the drumsticks specifically) that weren't as tender as I would've liked. The paella wasn't huge, but I think this plus 1-2 tapas dishes is more than enough for two people. Basque cheesecake: 10/10. Perfect if you like your cheesecakes super thick and rich. We were already so full by the time this came out, but we basically licked the plate clean. The outdoor patio area was gorgeous with its Spanish courtyard vibes! Our server Austin was so helpful and attentive, and gave us great suggestions from the menu as well as recommendations for other food spots in Santa Barbara. This was an incredible dinner, and I will definitely be coming back to try the Mariscos paella next time! read more