Frustrating. We have been a local and patron for years. The food is great. The service has just gone sideways. They don't care about putting the customer first. I was in at 4 pm today - register woman was chatting away socially with the manager and her colleague and someone about wine. 6 minutes later that ended and I ordered carrot cake. No hello no greeting no anything else? 2 other people came after me and they turned them away. This is the third bad experience I've had. Food isn't so good you would pay $12 for a piece of cake with that kind of service. I think the owner moved and it's obvious. read more

Ordered 1 peanut butter cookie during a lunch rush. Was prompted a tip screen before service was given. Nothing new in today's day and age but still backwards. Left $1 tip because I feel bad for the underpaid employees. Instead of handing me my one cookie, cashier says my one pre made cookie will come out at the other end of the bar area. She puts my receipt behind 20 other full lunch orders. I wait 15 minutes for my receipt to come up. My receipt comes up. Employee grabs my cookie and hands it to me. It took them 4 seconds to do this. I wouldn't have left this as a review if this wasn't the 30th time this has happened over the last several years. There are a few long term employees that actually hand you your item immediately but the majority of the time you wait 10 minutes for a 4 second action. Only cafe I have ever been to that operates like this. If you don't give a fk about your customers, don't ask them for a tip pre service. read more

If you are reading this review on a Tuesday - Saturday between the hours of 9am - 4pm, you would be better served to stop reading immediately and run to Merci Montecito. The food is outstanding. I highly recommend the BBQ Duck Confit, Chicken Paillard, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cinnamon Roll, Lemon Cake and the Cheese Burger (when available). The BBQ Duck Confit is a tender, rich, slightly fatty, as duck should be, and hearty. Some restaurants over salt their duck confit; not Merci. It is pure perfection. For me, the Chicken Paillard is heaven sent. The flavor is remarkable. Brown butter? Ghee? Whatever it is-- there is a caramelized note to the crusty breading that envelopes the moist, flattened chicken breast to beautiful perfection. I am convinced there is nothing Merci Montecito cannot execute well. The food is consistent, clean, exceptional. The friendly young man with glasses who works at the counter often is always a delight. Of all the staff at Merci, the owners included, he is a standout! -- Consistently warm, welcoming, knowledgeable about the menu and eager to offer recommendations. Wonderful food, lovely minimalistic atmosphere, good customer service. It's one of Santa Barbara County's best hidden gems! read more

Please support this outstanding local cafe shop when in the Santa Barbara area! It is a very quaint and well put together French bistro type cafe, located right off the 101 in the idyllic Montecito Country Mart shopping center where there is also a Starbucks, local running store and Vons (amongst many others). The staff were extremely friendly, and put up with all my questions (e.g., did they make the potato chips in-house, how were the pickles made in-house, etc.). I love to know if a shop takes the time to create their foods in-house as it often means they take great care in their offerings and really are focused on quality products to showcase their skills. The housemade potato chips were phenomenal--thick cut, they contained a light not-hot chile flake and were seasoned perfectly. One of the best I've ever tasted (and I love potato chips). The pickles were served on the side and were well seasoned with excellent flavors. The turkey baguette was exactly what you see sold throughout Europe--simple but fresh and top notch ingredients. The baguette was chewy and had an addictive flavor, the turkey was freshly cut in thick slices and surprisingly moist, there was a subtle cheese like a manchego, and holding it together was a perfectly flavored fruity jam type concoction (I didn't have the time to inquire what it was unfortunately). We have found our new sandwich stop when in Santa Barbara again. Great work at the entire team at Merci. read more

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Popped in here on my way up to SLO and ordered an almond milk latte with a shot of espresso and an apple pastry. Y'all, it was SEVENTEEN dollars!!!!! Who the hell do they think I am? The Duchess?!!! Never again. read more

this shi is scrumdiddlyumptious. I wanna go back immediately to try the food that they offered read more

THE place to see / be seen / and have a fantastic breakfast (and possibly lunch) when in Montecito. Set unassumingly in a corner of the Country Mart, Merci oozes cool - and they've worked hard to create a super cool and stylish location with attention to every detail. Staff is super friendly, coffee/chai are on point, and the setting can't be beat. Little touches like the small trays for your napkins and flatware, water decanters, the glasses and glass coffee cups - all so chic. Best of all, staff doesn't have an attitude, although they likely have the right to - haha. We ate here twice during our weekend getaway in Montecito - and honestly, if I lived here, I'd be there on the daily. read more

My only complaint is that they are closed on Sunday - everything here is fresh, delicious and unique. Their menu changes somewhat to include what's in season. There is a line where you pick from what's in the deli case. They do have some hot items that they will heat for you to eat there or you can take them home cold and reheat there. Some faves - kabocha squash soup with seeded honey , the chicken cutlet, the take home chicken pot pie when they have it and the absolutely TO DIE FOR chocolate chip cookie dough you take and bake. We ask for it with no salt on top , or you can scrape it off if you aren't a salt on cookie fan. I still want to try their sandwiches and other sweet items. Yes , they are rather pricey - the chicken pot pie for example is $19 but it feeds 2 with a salad and the quality ingredients make it worth it. Now if they would only be open on Sundays too...... read more

Merci Montecito - Kabocha squash soup with seeded honey, egg salad, housemaids chips - Cafes Near Me - Montecito, California

Paid 33 dollars for a chicken cutlet which the kitchen refused to heat up because the kitchen had been closed for ten minutes. Have been multiple times this will be my last. read more

Friendly customer service, yummy gluten free options, healthy, casual and reasonably priced.

I have tried their egg salad, cucumber salad, and buttered jasmine rice. They are all delicious, fresh and flavorful. The interior design is so beautiful, chic, very uplifting, with blush pink tone mixed with marble through out the place. The shop is conveniently located right next to Vons grocery market, inside Montecito Country Mart. I definitely will visit again! read more

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Had ham and butter on a baguette and a bag of chips. The bread was tough and chewy but the ham was tasty. The chips tasted homemade with a pinch of bbq. Nice and crispy and generous portion but $16 was way more than this lunch was worth. Will try a couple other items before making a final decision! read more

This is a great little gem. Fresh food and beautiful and delicious coffee. Great staff. Highly recommended! read more

Merci Montecito - Hot vanilla latte - Cafes Near Me - Montecito, California

Wowzers! This place is amazing. Everything we had. Kale salad w/ avocado and fennel - delicious! (Gluten Free) Chicken Paillard - so good! Yay! Ham Sandwich - delicious! Homemade Salt & Vinegar chips that came with the sandwich - OH MY GOD! I would go back just for those. Wow! and last but not least, the cookie with quite the reputation around town, the chocolate chip cookie! Yes, it is that good. Probably has 3 times as many chocolate chips in it than a regular cookie. Amazing. Highly recommend! read more

Sweet little shop. We arrived late so items were limited. Locals know how to order. I will be back and smarter. Loved the location.

Amazing little cafe (now take out place during covid), we stumbled upon while in Montecito. The food displayed behind the glass all looked delicious and it was hard to choose. We settled on the duck confit and the kale / fennel salad along with some rice and cucumbers. Flavors were complex and delicious. Will gladly return when I'm in the area again. read more

We stopped by Merci to pick up food for a picnic by the beach. It was the perfect find. The kale salad, gazpacho, tabouli, ham sandwich, and carrot cake were AMAZING. So amazing we spent the first 15 mins saying how amazing it was. If you are in town definitely swing by! read more

Merci Montecito - Cafes Near Me - Montecito, California

no crossaints, terrible customer service, Elizabeth is highly unpleasant as is Michelle! Professionalism is completely lost in the superiority complex. the pastries are awful, the only decent thing is the chicken pillard topped with indecent amounts of butter! congratulations for meeting the snooty standard for montecito! Awful service and terrible energy from employees. so rude. read more

The food is generally pretty good. Service can sometimes be very friendly and other times be quite off-putting. They're lacking consistency, as well. For example, I order their avocado toast a lot with the gluten-free option, which is an added charge. It should include two pieces of gf bread. When I recently ordered it to go, I took it home to find only one piece. It was $14 before tip. read more

Chicken Pot Pie amazing!!! I always keep one in freezer. Perfect for a cold night. Buy several if they have them!

Love all the veggie / greens heavy dishes. Everything tastes so fresh and flavorful. The spices and unique flavors always make the food so delicious. Great espresso and chai drinks too. Perfection! read more

We love Merci! Their food is amazing from the breakfast sandwiches to salads to the chicken pot pie!!!! Omg it's amazing!!!!! Everything is delicious and fresh!!! read more

Merci for the fabulous gluten free chicken paillard and amazing cappuccinos. Most of all thanks for the grace and speed in your service for those of us passing through in the rain... read more

My husband and I absolutely love Merci. Elizabeth and her family are so lovely and the food never disappoints. This is the first year I have ordered Thanksgiving dinner and I trusted Merci. it was fabulous. Everything was delicious. I am Thankful for Merci and hopefully they will be cooking my thanksgiving (and Christmas--fingers crossed) for years to come. read more

I have the ham and cheese baguette sandwich every time I pass by that cute place! I can't resist. It's delicious. I also ordered a lemon cake for a dinner party where I had 12 guests. It was seriously gorgeous and everyone loved it! It was a big hit. Elizabeth is very helpful and always super friendly. I definitely recommend read more

Their carrot cake was recommended, which I went to try, but it was already Gone [at lunch time!]. As I went out of my way to Merci, I bought the only other baked bread, said to be banana. It was delicious. Pricey but yummy. I was told I needed to 'arrive there earlier'. The next time I went there, earlier, there was one slice of carrot cake; even more expensive and too much icing. Several weeks later, I went again looking forward to the banana bread [then told it was zucchini] and it was Gone. I'm not going here again and would not recommend it. How does a shop which is part bakery not bake sufficient quantities? THREE visits over several months of these experiences shows this a poorly managed business. Go early, look for parking, wait in line, pay high prices and get something you didn't want or leave with nothing. No Merci! read more

$50 for a couple egg McMuffins that took 20 minutes to heat up. Save your money and go to McDonald's

Popular place which delivers personal service and good food to go. Tables outside for eating clean and well attended. Cookies were as good as homemade, and the baguette with ham and cheese fresh and tasty. So glad we found it! read more

This place is delicious! I got the chicken paillard with green olivey sauce and lemon plus the chicory salad, potato salad, and rice. All of the items I ordered were gluten-free which was amazing! They don't label gluten-free on their online ordering site (wish they did!), but the in-restaurant menu is clearly labeled. Everything was super tasty - great flavors and textures. The restaurant itself is adorable with lots of delicate pinks, brass, light wood, and marble. We sat outside on their patio and took in the sunshine. It's a great location in the Montecito Country Mart. The staff was lovely and welcoming too. I really hope they write a cookbook - I would buy it in a heartbeat! read more

Cute new cafe in Montecito - picked up a roasted turkey sandwich w/ tomato jam (so good) & white cheddar and a chocolate chip cookie which was delicious. They give you these vinegar chips with your meal that are real good and I can't wait to come back and try their salads! Everything looks amazing there. read more

Wow. Merci truly made our trip from LA .. so much so that we ate here for lunch twice in three days! Everything was beyond ... from the perfectly curated menu and delicious food to the staff and reasonably priced wine, we will be back every time we visit. Unique, charming, and tasty .. thanks for being a gem Merci! read more

Went to visit friends in Montesito yesterday and they had grabbed take out from this fabulous new little place called Marci. Quite possibly the best Mac and cheese I have ever had in my life. Had a hint of nutmeg in it that was so delightful to come across. Chicken pot pie that was completely divine. A cucumber salad that was fresh and delicious. I can't rave enough about the food that we had. Might have been more staying an extra day just so we could get more food and try it. The friends we were visiting said the restaurant is all the rave and I can certainly see why. Highly recommend. read more

Great magic bars and coffee. Good seating inside and outside, and good service even though we went in 5 minutes before closing.

I love MERCI's interesting fresh homemade menu of unusual salads, Chicken dishes, savory pastries and delicious desserts, in a clean modern setting, tables indoors and outside. Everyone there is very friendly and efficient, they're the BEST!! read more

Merci is SUPER ! we're coming every morning already. The parfait is fabulous , the schnitzel organic, crispy, tangy, tender. Consistent. Go for the spicy chai too! Thank you merci :))!!!!!!! Keep it up read more

Food was okay but service was poor. Tables outside were dirty and they literally forgot about me. After 20 minutes of waiting, I had to ask about my order and they said oh sorry forgot about it. What?!? On the menu, The Kale salad includes "avocado " but I got one small piece of avocado. Not really justifying the description on the menu. read more

Accidentally ordered the kale salad. I hate kale. I ate it anyways. Now I love kale. And everything else here. Some of the best food available in SB and I'm a 34 year local. read more

Everything is fresh, innovative and delicious. Elisabeth has been involved in the Santa Barbara food scene for years. She knows the local tastes and brilliantly caters to us. Never had a mediocre meal. read more

My lunch was like eating at someone's house! The food tasted like any of my European mom or grandmother made it, and it probably was. All was so fresh, beautifully presented and so so flavorful. Definitely coming back here when I am in town for work again. read more

One of my friends suggested we go to Merci for lunch. "There is food there that we like - healthy and delicious." Order at the counter then sit in the clean, chic, comfortable cushioned table to be served. Kale and Avocado salad, delicious, as was the chicken paillard, wow! My friend had the chopped salad, so good. The homemade chocolate caramels, melt-in-your-mouth looking cookies and pastries, we saved for next time. I know I'm late to the party, but what a party. Here's a bonus, if you like supporting lovely people, the owner and I think chef, Elizabeth was there, and she was very friendly, warm, kind and gracious. So looking forward to my next visit! read more