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We come in for friend end of week happy hour and it's worth it! Relaxing in a booth while enjoying specialty cocktails is a great way to end the day. Plus, we always get the pastrami egg rolls and fried pickles. Order more sauce! I was trying dry January and they made me a fruity ginger drink that I'd prefer over a regular cocktail. They have wonderful recommendations and always something on the menu to find.
My BF & I got engaged 15 minutes before we went in here, I legit thought it was closed. But it wasn't & thank goodness, the place is beautiful & so GD cool! It was very dark when we walked in, that your eyes have to take a minute to adjust & then BAM! You walk into an amazingly decorated Old School Chinese bar. I fell in love ... THEN I had the pickle-tini. Good lord! The pickle in it was SO good, I asked our waiter if he could LMK which type they used & he did! Vienna! Oh my, I want a large bucket of those pickles! And as you can imagine the service was spectacular & the bathrooms clean. Treat yourself & go here, their Happy Hour is phenom as well!!
This place is a hole-in-the-wall Santa Barbara must-see! When you open the door, it's like walking into a different world. The beautiful red colors, the quaint space, the speakeasy atmosphere - and quite the history too! I love that they've preserved Jimmy's memory/story with the original sign behind the bar as well. Gentle warning that it is quite dark inside and illuminated with deep red light bulbs. The food was great - we ordered the Reuben Egg Rolls, Mozzarella Nuggets, Veggie Egg Rolls with Avocado, Fried Pickles, the Italian Beef Dip, and their famous Pickletini. Everything was so good! I do think the mozzarella nuggets are more like mozzarella sticks with not enough breading, and laying them on a bed of lettuce for presentation isn't the best idea to keep them crispy. The veggie egg rolls also got mushy pretty quick, but the Reuben egg rolls were perfect!! Absolutely delicious and my favorite thing by far! The pickles were yummy and crisp - and make sure you love pickles because these are big spears! The Italian Beef dip sandwich was also delicious. A lot of meat in the meat-to-bun ratio, which isn't my favorite but I know most people love that. I thought the roll on it was fantastic - I just wanted more of it. The service was kind but not the most attentive. The bartenders are actually the servers for the tables as well, so be a little patient when you go. They did get us everything we asked for! Overall, this is a wonderful, quirky, yummy spot full of history and good vibes.
If you haven't checked out the Pickle Room yet, then do yourself a favor and go! This place has the best vibe. Think old, dark bar with red lighting, very Las Vegas-y. We came here on a Friday before a show at the Santa Barbara Bowl and were lucky enough to snag a table before a crowd showed up. The staff was welcoming and quick to serve. The drinks are very strong and very good. We tried the Boo Boo Kitty (not sweet but still enjoyable), Mai Tai (very boozy and delicious), and the famous Pickle-tini (perfection). The food was just as good as the drinks. We shared the Rueben Eggrolls, Smitty Burger, Mozzarella Nuggets, and the Apple Pie Eggrolls. Everything was delightful. The Apple Pie Eggrolls were surpringly the biggest hit. This place is great! I really enjoyed my time there. It's definitely worth a stop if you are in Santa Barbara.
Really loved this dive bar spot where we ate great burgers and had pickle-tinis before a concert at the Santa Barbara bowl. The bar staff were great and let us move from the bar to a table when a table opened up. We shared an order of the Ruben spring rolls, which were very delicious and came with a dipping sauce. I also tried the Smitty burger, and it had a great combo of textures and flavors. It was one of the better burgers I have had in Santa Barbara.
if I could give this place 6 stars I would! I just love, love, love the old school vibe! Red leather booths and a long bar to sit at and chat with the friendly bartenders. Now food! I have been coming her since it was Jimmy's Oriental Garden and I was so sad when they closed. Anyone who remembers the tea smoked chicken will feel my pain! But Pickleroom has figured out how to incorporate some of the old favorites with new twists! Reuben Eggroll?? Fried rice with a sunnyside up egg and smiley face sriacha! They even have the best burger "Smitty Burger" that has a chorizo mayo! Plus, plus, plus yummy Mai Tais! If you go on Monday or Tuesday, tell Willy Hi!!!! :)
The pickle room is a classic divey bar to check out if you're looking for something off the beaten path. This place brings back childhood memories when it used to be Jimmy's Oriental Chinese restaurant. I used to come here with my family to eat delicious Chinese food. Today it is a sliver of what it used to be, but still manages to capture the delicious historical flavor that I remember it to be in their fried rice. The popular drinks of choice here seem to be the old fashioned and the pickle back. I usually go for the Boo Boo Kitty, which is their blood orange margarita. You can choose vodka or tequila based. It is a tall serving that packs a punch! No artificial flavors in this drink. For appetizers, I recommend their fried pickles. They are coated in a panko bread crust and served with a sweet apricot jelly & ranch. I'm not a huge pickle fan, but these are a must! I've also had their pastrami egg rolls, apple pie egg rolls and chicken fried rice. You really can't go wrong with anything on the food menu here. Everything is delicious! Overall, one of my favorite places in town to hangout with friends. The quality of drinks are much better than what you'd get downtown.
The pickle never disappoints. Even though it has a dive bar vibe, it's far from it. Staff is amazing. Lauren was our server and was all about customer service. Never had to ask for anything, even though bar was packed due to Solstice. Food here is amazing! Must try the pastrami egg rolls. Holy C%#p! Delicious. Also, the fried rice with egg is also must try. Enjoy!
I would recommend the Pickle Room for drinks only. I had there mozzarella sticks which were good but nothing that great. I think my fiancé got a hamburger there and it was nothing great. I remember this place being better. The ambiance is nice and talks about the small Chinatown that used to exist in Santa Barbara. The place is clean and well decorated. Our bartender who took our order was also very nice.
Drinks - 100% strong and tasty Culture - original remenant of the Ol Chinatown from the late 1800s. Service - top notch. I'm not even offended when the waitress doesn't hear me cause she checks in on us regularly. Recommend the DTF, Mai Tai, and of course, the Pickletini. The Smitty Burger was delicious!
Great dive bar! Has a cool atmosphere and the building and restaurant has a lot of history. The service was pretty good, our drink orders were taken right away. As it got later it got really busy and service was a little slower but it made sense. We both ordered the boo boo kitty and it was delicious, more alcohol forward and not overly sweet, just how we like it
This is an absolutely perfect bar. The drinks are always spot on and the service is always extremely friendly and efficient. We didn't get food this time, but I can assure you the Smitty burger, fries, and fried pickles are all top-notch. This is one of my favorite spots in town because it always feels cool to be there and the vibe is just exactly what you want after a long week at work. It always feels like like a hidden gem, but locals know this is THE place to wind down.
The Pickle Room is the quintessential dive bar and I loved it! It has such a vibe with the vinyl booths, dim lights, and red lanterns above. There's a mural on the back wall explaining the history of the previous restaurant and it was a challenge trying to read it in the dark room. There's not a lot of seating available so we were lucky that we found a small table to sit at when we arrived - and we actually moved the other table next to us when the party left so we had room to put our food and drinks. The food is meh, but the drinks were awesome. Seems that a lot of locals frequent here, as I watched several people chatting it up with others in the room. Definitely a unique place to visit if you are in the area! read more
8 months ago
We come in for friend end of week happy hour and it's worth it! Relaxing in a booth while enjoying specialty cocktails is a great way to end the day. Plus, we always get the pastrami egg rolls and fried pickles. Order more sauce! I was trying dry January and they made me a fruity ginger drink that I'd prefer over a regular cocktail. They have wonderful recommendations and always something on the menu to find. read more
1 year ago
My BF & I got engaged 15 minutes before we went in here, I legit thought it was closed. But it wasn't & thank goodness, the place is beautiful & so GD cool! It was very dark when we walked in, that your eyes have to take a minute to adjust & then BAM! You walk into an amazingly decorated Old School Chinese bar. I fell in love ... THEN I had the pickle-tini. Good lord! The pickle in it was SO good, I asked our waiter if he could LMK which type they used & he did! Vienna! Oh my, I want a large bucket of those pickles! And as you can imagine the service was spectacular & the bathrooms clean. Treat yourself & go here, their Happy Hour is phenom as well!! read more
7 months ago
This place is a hole-in-the-wall Santa Barbara must-see! When you open the door, it's like walking into a different world. The beautiful red colors, the quaint space, the speakeasy atmosphere - and quite the history too! I love that they've preserved Jimmy's memory/story with the original sign behind the bar as well. Gentle warning that it is quite dark inside and illuminated with deep red light bulbs. The food was great - we ordered the Reuben Egg Rolls, Mozzarella Nuggets, Veggie Egg Rolls with Avocado, Fried Pickles, the Italian Beef Dip, and their famous Pickletini. Everything was so good! I do think the mozzarella nuggets are more like mozzarella sticks with not enough breading, and laying them on a bed of lettuce for presentation isn't the best idea to keep them crispy. The veggie egg rolls also got mushy pretty quick, but the Reuben egg rolls were perfect!! Absolutely delicious and my favorite thing by far! The pickles were yummy and crisp - and make sure you love pickles because these are big spears! The Italian Beef dip sandwich was also delicious. A lot of meat in the meat-to-bun ratio, which isn't my favorite but I know most people love that. I thought the roll on it was fantastic - I just wanted more of it. The service was kind but not the most attentive. The bartenders are actually the servers for the tables as well, so be a little patient when you go. They did get us everything we asked for! Overall, this is a wonderful, quirky, yummy spot full of history and good vibes. read more
1 year ago
If you haven't checked out the Pickle Room yet, then do yourself a favor and go! This place has the best vibe. Think old, dark bar with red lighting, very Las Vegas-y. We came here on a Friday before a show at the Santa Barbara Bowl and were lucky enough to snag a table before a crowd showed up. The staff was welcoming and quick to serve. The drinks are very strong and very good. We tried the Boo Boo Kitty (not sweet but still enjoyable), Mai Tai (very boozy and delicious), and the famous Pickle-tini (perfection). The food was just as good as the drinks. We shared the Rueben Eggrolls, Smitty Burger, Mozzarella Nuggets, and the Apple Pie Eggrolls. Everything was delightful. The Apple Pie Eggrolls were surpringly the biggest hit. This place is great! I really enjoyed my time there. It's definitely worth a stop if you are in Santa Barbara. read more
Really loved this dive bar spot where we ate great burgers and had pickle-tinis before a concert at the Santa Barbara bowl. The bar staff were great and let us move from the bar to a table when a table opened up. We shared an order of the Ruben spring rolls, which were very delicious and came with a dipping sauce. I also tried the Smitty burger, and it had a great combo of textures and flavors. It was one of the better burgers I have had in Santa Barbara. read more
if I could give this place 6 stars I would! I just love, love, love the old school vibe! Red leather booths and a long bar to sit at and chat with the friendly bartenders. Now food! I have been coming her since it was Jimmy's Oriental Garden and I was so sad when they closed. Anyone who remembers the tea smoked chicken will feel my pain! But Pickleroom has figured out how to incorporate some of the old favorites with new twists! Reuben Eggroll?? Fried rice with a sunnyside up egg and smiley face sriacha! They even have the best burger "Smitty Burger" that has a chorizo mayo! Plus, plus, plus yummy Mai Tais! If you go on Monday or Tuesday, tell Willy Hi!!!! :) read more
The pickle room is a classic divey bar to check out if you're looking for something off the beaten path. This place brings back childhood memories when it used to be Jimmy's Oriental Chinese restaurant. I used to come here with my family to eat delicious Chinese food. Today it is a sliver of what it used to be, but still manages to capture the delicious historical flavor that I remember it to be in their fried rice. The popular drinks of choice here seem to be the old fashioned and the pickle back. I usually go for the Boo Boo Kitty, which is their blood orange margarita. You can choose vodka or tequila based. It is a tall serving that packs a punch! No artificial flavors in this drink. For appetizers, I recommend their fried pickles. They are coated in a panko bread crust and served with a sweet apricot jelly & ranch. I'm not a huge pickle fan, but these are a must! I've also had their pastrami egg rolls, apple pie egg rolls and chicken fried rice. You really can't go wrong with anything on the food menu here. Everything is delicious! Overall, one of my favorite places in town to hangout with friends. The quality of drinks are much better than what you'd get downtown. read more
The pickle never disappoints. Even though it has a dive bar vibe, it's far from it. Staff is amazing. Lauren was our server and was all about customer service. Never had to ask for anything, even though bar was packed due to Solstice. Food here is amazing! Must try the pastrami egg rolls. Holy C%#p! Delicious. Also, the fried rice with egg is also must try. Enjoy! read more
11 months ago
I would recommend the Pickle Room for drinks only. I had there mozzarella sticks which were good but nothing that great. I think my fiancé got a hamburger there and it was nothing great. I remember this place being better. The ambiance is nice and talks about the small Chinatown that used to exist in Santa Barbara. The place is clean and well decorated. Our bartender who took our order was also very nice. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Drinks - 100% strong and tasty Culture - original remenant of the Ol Chinatown from the late 1800s. Service - top notch. I'm not even offended when the waitress doesn't hear me cause she checks in on us regularly. Recommend the DTF, Mai Tai, and of course, the Pickletini. The Smitty Burger was delicious! read more
3 years ago
Great dive bar! Has a cool atmosphere and the building and restaurant has a lot of history. The service was pretty good, our drink orders were taken right away. As it got later it got really busy and service was a little slower but it made sense. We both ordered the boo boo kitty and it was delicious, more alcohol forward and not overly sweet, just how we like it read more
2 years ago
Local's staple. 'Never leave hungry or grumpy!! Delicious indulgences. friendly recognizable faces serving you. read more
3 years ago
This is an absolutely perfect bar. The drinks are always spot on and the service is always extremely friendly and efficient. We didn't get food this time, but I can assure you the Smitty burger, fries, and fried pickles are all top-notch. This is one of my favorite spots in town because it always feels cool to be there and the vibe is just exactly what you want after a long week at work. It always feels like like a hidden gem, but locals know this is THE place to wind down. read more
3 years ago
Super cool place! Went for a birthday celebration.. great atmosphere. Yummy Mai Tais, small plates but generously portioned strange bites that are quirky yet delicious.. the crowd is eclectic and the atmosphere can only be described as unique.. definitely fun! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great place to get a drink when you are waiting to get into the Zaytoon restaurant if you don't have a reservation (just down the street). That restaurant actually recommended it, that we had some margaritas and mules ... really great festive environment. read more
5 years ago
One word to describe this place, the vibe, the atmosphere, the food, the drinks, and the service: Dank read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
This was a fun place to go for drinks while in Santa Barbara! Service was great, the menu amazing, too bad we had already eaten, their bar snacks look and sound so tasty! The drinks were delicious and very well made. Prices fair and the were plenty of room to sit and enjoy each other company without being too noisy or busy. Worth checking out! read more
The Pickle Room is an institution, no doubt! Few know, including locals, that the building in which it resides use to be part of Santa Barbara's Chinatown from the late 1800s onward. If you look closely at the building's decor, architecture, and roofing, you will notice a plethora of Asian touches. Not to mention, there is a historical plaque which tells the story of Jimmy's Oriental Gardens from 1947. Above the bar the original Chinese restaurant's sign still reigns. Occasionally someone will still refer to The Pickle Room it las "Jimmy's!" After walking through the doors, the Santa Barbara sun disappears and a dimly lit red hue takes over. It is so dark that you may need to utilize your cell phone's flashlight to read the menu offerings. You can't come here without trying a few things: 1) Pickletini--a martini with pickle juice instead of olive juice and your choice of vodka or gin. And yes, expect a pickle on a skewer too! 2) Reuben Egg Rolls or Pastrami Dip--both equally delicious and accompanied by horseradish, sauerkraut and a house dressing similar to Thousand Island. 3) Smitty's Burger--truly one of the best burgers in Santa Barbara; I'm not sure what makes it so darn good 4) Fried Pickles--one comes with the burger too, but who doesn't love everything once it's fried?! You can't go wrong with any of their bold drinks of an Old Fashioned, Sazerac or Boo Boo Kitty. The bartenders here appear to be a bit standoffish at first, until you get to know them. They are very fast at whipping up stiff drinks and have an excellent recollection of drink orders and regulars. One evening I ran into Mark F. here and he described the clientele of the Pickle Room perfectly: "You can find a lawyer in shorts, a banker in a tie, a foreign exchange student, AND a daytime hooker sitting all at the same booth enjoying conversation with great drinks in hand." Word! That about does it justice. I'm still on the fence on whether I'd consider it a "dive bar" but you can decide for yourself. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Great ambiance, excellent drinks, had the Smitty burger and Italian beef dip, did not disappoint! The music set the vibe to enjoy several old fashioneds read more
Great drinks, food, service and atmosphere! This former Chinese restaurant has a dark, dive bar vibe with red lighting and nostalgic decor, but the food and drinks are creative and top notch. The burger and reuben egg rolls were amazing. Cocktails are fantastic - we had the horni marg, the mai tai and the Oaxaca old fashioned. None were sweet, all were perfectly balanced. Our server Catherine was friendly, quick and knew the menus (drinks & food) well. She works Thursdays and Saturdays. We will definitely be returning. read more
5 years ago
Loved it!!! Dark and moody with a very welcoming staff. Great signature drinks and that Reuben Egg Roll was the greatest food I've had in 2022! The Chinese chicken salad was fantastic and that is really saying something. I'll be back, and if I may, I'd advise you to step 2 blocks off of State St. To try it. read more
5 years ago
The Pickle room is a local classic! An absolutely favorite of mine for 5 years and super well known by the locals in Sant barbara grab some egg rolls and a stiff drink to cozy in for the night :) read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Second time i visit and is soo good, those egg rolls are addictive lol. They have a little patio so is great. Claudia was so nice. Perfect place to have a drink and chill read more
2 years ago
The pickle room is great. A regulars joint in the middle of downtown with good drinks and awesome bar food. I usually can't resist ordering the Reuben eggrolls and I just tried the fried rice this last visit and would recommend it. Loved that it had sesame seeds in it! The only down side is how small this place is and there isn't much room to stand around and wait for the first come first serve seating. When we go we usually have a nearby back up plan in case it's too crowded. read more
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