Over all these years, I have avoided the Funky Zone for various silly reasons. But for a while now,…read morewhen I visit my friend's auto repair shop downtown, he always gets Turkey Burgers from here. Always looking for places to have solo lunch, I finally ventured to FZ. There's no sign. I drove by several times and parked, determined to find it. It was next to Lama Dog. I ordered at the window from a very friendly and efficient staff member. I found a nice bar-height communal table inside a super cool restored warehouse with awesome indie music jamming, also surrounded by big screens and sporting events. I ordered a bottled Arnold Palmer from the bar, not realizing the bottled drinks are self-serve. Nevertheless, the bartender kindly got it for me along with a glass of ice. Now here's the best part: the very best Turkey Burger I have ever had--way better than any take-out before. It's topped with garlic aioli, avocado, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and crispy skinny onion rings, just perfect. I also ordered the fries with truffle and Parmesan--absolutely delicious, though a bit too flavorful, which overshadowed the turkey burger's flavor. I've tried both sweet and regular potato fries here, and they are excellent too. This place really hits the spot. Can't wait to come back.

We stopped by Lama Dog for a drink and were very happy to find this little "nook" inside serving…read morefood. Perfect for grabbing a bite to go with your beer. Got their Lobster Mac & Cheese. Was enough for us to share between two. Creamy and cheesy, but could've used more lobster. Would've expected a better lobster to macaroni ratio with this one. Prices are a little steeper here. It was $25 for the Lobster mac & cheese, which I would've been more open to with a bit more fish in the dish. Plus, when I go to grab a beer, I'm not necessarily wanting to pay $20+ for a burger without fries. That being said, it's still a good spot to grab some food while drinking a beer at Lama Dog.

We had dinner at Finch and Fork and ordered the fried chicken with sautéed baby broccoli and mashed…read morepotatoes. The potatoes were the standout. The butter was balanced, the texture was so good. The chicken wasn't dry and was seasoned perfectly. However, Sabit, the assistant manager is the reason I'm writing this. He was incredibly kind to us. We watched him move through the dining room the entire time we were there. He wasn't checking on tables the way managers do when they're running a script. He was actually paying attention to people. The staff around him seemed comfortable, not performative, which usually tells you more about a manager than anything they say. The food was good, Sabit made it better. We'll be back.

The last time my friend and I were at Finch & Fork was 2016. Fast forward to 2026, we did not…read morerealize it was attached to the Kimpton Canary Hotel that we were staying at this trip. Totally redecorated, totally different feel than when we were there in 2016. So our last night in Santa Barbara we decided to take advantage of their kick-ass Happy Hour. We sat at the bar right at 4:00, Kayla was our bar tender for the evening. We indulged in HH Martinis, Beer and Sparking Wine. We took advantage of the HH $1.00 Oysters and each had a HH 50% off Smash Burger. Great presentation, the Oysters were very fresh and shucked clean. The burgers were amazing. We ordered and consumed a lot in the 4-5:00PM HH period and I will say shortly after 4:00 the place was filled. LOL, Needless to say, we never made it out for dinner and it was well worth it. Atmosphere: bright, refreshing. Service: very good. Food: Happy hour fantastic deal.

Absolutely stunning dinner at The Lark last night on our only night in Santa Barbara and I feel…read moreglad to say we picked the right restaurant! The place was full, including indoor and outdoor seating, great ambience and light level, and lovely string lights above the seating outdoors. To start they bring over a delectable dill popcorn which was a rich, salty, dill and butter creation. Totally set a fun tone for the meal. Then we had the crispy Brussels sprouts (ORDER THESE!!!) they were divine, the sesame and lime combination was reminiscent of a great pad Thai, with the perfect amount of sauce and tiny bites of figs which all worked together in a way I wouldn't have expected. For the mains we had the shrimp toast and the pork ribs, both fantastic both well portioned and both 10/10s. Pork ribs fell off the bone easily and were spicy and tangy without overdoing flavor and the shrimp toast tasted like a great gumbo sauce and the shrimps were big! This is a meal I'll be thinking about and recommending to others for a long time, thank you Lark!

Above 4 stars but not quite 5.. my partner and I had a…read moretruly great dinning experience here loved the atmosphere very laid back serving quality ingredients and our server was so kind and pleasant. The food was so delicious the halibut on the specials was quite literally the most delicious fish I've ever tasted!! If it's available get it! The fish its self was flavorful without being loaded in sauce or seasoning and the oysters were creamy and not salty at all. However, we ordered the steak and it was pretty chewy and not seasoned well. Pretty disappointing after trying all the other tasty foods. Our beet salad also had an ant inside of it likely from the floral garnishes but that tells me the greens were washed before placed on my plate..

A waterfront location that serves a little bit of everything from breakfast, lunch to drinks and…read morehappy hour. This was my first stop of the morning and I was hungry and didn't want to wait too long anywhere else. Therefore, I stumbled upon this cafe which was not crowded. Their menu is diverse, they include dessert, lunch, alcoholic drinks, etc. I ordered the breakfast burrito with sausage: W/GRILLED POTATOES, MAC & CHEESE, SCRAMBLED EGG & SAUSAGE Very flavorful, unique and the mac & cheese was a new one to me. A high carb burrito to get me going while I continued to explore downtown SB. 5/5 I also ordered an orange juice, really delicious and fresh. 5/5 loved it. I sat facing the beach and it was very relaxing. I enjoyed my breakfast here and overall a nice experience.

So happy we found something close to the water that wasn't all seafood and that my husband could…read moreenjoy. He is not a big seafood guy, and when you're by the water, it feels like every restaurant usually specializes in seafood. Happy Cat Eats had a chicken sandwich that looked really appealing to him. After we got our food from the wharf, we drove over and sat at their outdoor tables while we waited for his order. The chicken sandwich was DELICIOUS. I actually liked it a little more than my own food and almost traded with him. Too bad he doesn't like clam chowder! The onion rings he ordered were just as good. The tempura batter was a 10/10. It wasn't oily at all, which is the key to a good tempura fry. We loved the weather, and all the tables had cover, which made it even better. It was a beautiful day made even better by their food.

Last night was the first time in many years that I've eaten here…read more I cannot believe I waited so long to come back. Our food was phenomenal. Each dish had its own unique flavor. No dish seemed to have any crossed ingredients. Fortunately for us as well was that we were there at one of two times during the day when they have an entire restaurant participation sing along. Most Outstanding Dinner outing !!

The Palace Grill is a great spot to grab cajun food and share a meal. The service was amazing and…read morethey are dog friendly on their outdoor patio! That was a big plus in my book. The ambiance on the outdoor patio was cozy and gave New Orleans vibes. I absolutely loved the muffin sampler that they give as an appetizer. We had the hurricane margaritas, crawfish étouffée and redfish pontchatrain.

Customer service and staff - 5 stars Food - 5 stars…read moreBeer - 5 stars Ambiance - 5 stars

Had the regular burger. Probably the worst I've ever had in my life. Patty is half the width of the…read moreburger and SUPER hard. Their ketchup has chili peppers in it... They should consider not having a food menu. They don't know what they are doing.

My partner and I came to celebrate our one year anniversary and we had an amazing time!! We chose…read moreto do the 4 course tasting menu which was out of this world and incredibly worth the price. Each dish was so flavorful and made with so much care. My favorite dish was the pumpkin style gnocchi we had and the branzino fish, he loved the bone marrow. The soup I forgot to take a picture of was potato and leek with truffle was amazing as well. The restaurant is also very cozy with great ambience and we had fantastic service.

Great vibe and solid food…read more The Black Sheep Restaurant + Bar is a fantastic spot for drinks and catching up with friends. The atmosphere is lively and visually appealing -- I love how the space is set up. Ruben, the owner, was our server, and he was personable and attentive even though the restaurant was slammed. It was clear he cares about the experience and makes sure guests are taken care of -- thanks, Ruben! The food was good, with generous portions. It's not "over the top" or heavily specialized, but everything was well-cooked and executed by a chef who knows his craft. Perfect for a relaxed night out with friends. Overall, if you want a fun bar vibe, solid food, and attentive owner-led service, this is a great choice in Santa Barbara.

We found this gem right on East Beach in Santa Barbara. There were both beachfront patio and…read moreindoor dining options and they somehow perfectly combined casual oceanfront dining with an outstanding menu. Make sure to make a reservation for outdoor seating. We were served by the lovely Harvey, who was warm, welcoming and made us feel right at home. Thank you Harvey! We ordered the deviled eggs which were out of this world, the best French onion soup in town, delicious miso garlic noodles and a Cobb salad. Every dish was delicious and full of wonderful flavors. In addition they had an extensive cocktail menu. We highly recommend this lovely casual spot.

We were seated outside on a cold day. No heaters were turned on…read more They were out of the only two items on the menu that I ordered. The replacement meal was very disappointing. The bread was terrible, the food was badly prepared. Way overpriced!