Great selection for a small space. I could lose myself here. Friendly help and a great location. I walked away with several gifts.

i can't super recommend this store to anyone who collects pokemon cards. while the people here are nice, everything is severely over market price (especially the sealed items.) their bulk was overpriced, their display case was overpriced.. if you want to look through bulk, you have to ask a staff member to pull out the boxes for you! at the time i went, i probably ended up overpaying for the bulk cards i did get, since i wasn't too into it yet at the time. boyfriend who was looking for comics said they were also pretty expensive here too, so just beware. if you're trying to preorder new sets though (pitch black jul 17th) i overheard you could do that but i assume you would have to pay a good amount to do so. imo, drive 15 minutes to bam cards instead to have a better tcg experience/selection! (not affiliated with them, but i'm seeing people say this is the only place in sb area) read more

Metro Entertainment - Comic Books Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Very cool place with a great collection of comics, toys and games! The staff was super friendly and helpful. read more

Metro Entertainment - John Wick toy - Comic Books Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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To start off with this review, I have been coming to this comics and cards store for a while now every time I visits Santa Barbara and this time when I came to get some Pokémon cards and I was not dissatisfied. I stayed there for at least 15 minutes looking around trying to find a good deal. A few things I noticed where that their sealed product ranged from slightly over to well over market value (the average price of the item's value/price). After looking for a while I found a card that was worth $70 USD and was priced at $60, I then tried to negotiate to get it at $50 and it worked! I was able to grab it at $55 after tax and was very satisfied. I also wanted to get some sealed but il take that win any day. -Approved by James R. read more

Definitely best place in downtown Santa Barbara for comics and Pokemon cards (and other trading cards) including sealed packs and raw and graded singles. Fun selection of board games and other cool nerdy stuff. read more

Metro has been around forever and I've been coming here since I was a kid. I remember there were arcade cabinets in the corner and amazing t shirts and posters hanging from the wall. They would even do signings which blew my mind. I was little and wanted to read up about Black Panther and one of the employees went into the back and opened a new box that had just delivered the Christopher Priest Black Panther trade which blew my mind in 1998. Metro was my favorite comic shop and remember driving from Westwood to Santa Barbara just to visit one time. Today, Metro still has a great selection(action figures and manga too), but is just overrun with overstock. They have back issues and books on the floor, on top of long boxes, and in random places. They run sales, but they need to be more aggressive because they don't have the space. It seems like cards are really helping Metro stay alive and they have tables for games. I know a lot of comic shops have had to lean into games more and sacrifice the back issue long boxes for extra table top space. That might be the play here which breaks my heart. Just want Metro to thrive and be clean to welcome that young potential comic reader. read more

Metro Entertainment - Metro Comics - Comic Books Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I've been in this store a few times and every time has been amazing. Good selection on MTG cards, pre-release is fun and not stressful here, and the staff are all so cool! read more

As far as comic bookstores go, Metro Entertainment is special and fairly unique; whereas most comic bookstores focus on either new releases, manga, games, collectibles, or back issues, Metro entertainment is strong in each category. Staff is always welcoming and helpful. Fairly priced. You can come to check out new graphic novels and comics or look for back issues to complete your collection. read more

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Awesome business. Friendly and helpful service, the guy working there clearly knows his stuff about comics and games and cards and nerd stuff like that. And the selection of comics and board games is so cool!!!! I got a really cool edition of an Alien 3 comic. And my friend got a cool looking board game called Root. I fw businesses like this. We need more of this in today's society read more

I don't live in SB but whenever I'm in town I hit metro. It's a great comic book store with lots of great selection. If I lived in town they would have all my money . read more

Super sweet comic shop! Massive, and I mean MASSIVE selection of manga and comics, you could be looking on here for days, super friendly staff who know exactly what you're looking for! Definitely stop here if you haven't! read more

Our favorite store in Santa Barbara. The staff are the best part of Metro - so engaged with patrons, kind to my children, always willing to take time to answer questions and share their expertise. We absolutely love and recommend Metro. read more

Such a gem in the city! A wonderful shop with ton of games, comics, toys, and MTG! Friendly staff with lots of collectibles. read more

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Always such a vibrant and friendly environment every time I visit. This is my go-to spot for any Magic The Gathering packs/equipment I buy! The staff is always so friendly and helpful and even offer to order something I want that isn't in stock! Great local gaming store and I want to keep it running! read more

Cool place, tons of games and comics on offer, both newer stuff and more collectible stuff. The thing I went in for happened to be sold out but I still had a fun time looking around. read more

I find it completely ridiculous that a local gaming store that gets product at wholesale pricing decides to sell Pokemon products at prices that are so inflated that it is cheaper to buy second hand from a scalper. Would not recommend. read more

Coupla real nice kids behind the counter. Very helpful and interested and fun. They suggested a game and then digged and dug until they found it. Kinda cramped and small and filled with treasures. Thumbs up! read more

Metro Entertainment - Comic Books Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Cool spot to hang out. I was waiting for my reservation so walked in to this store and was surprised of their collection of comics. They carry some video games that I was interested in purchasing. There was some type of comic club going on that night, pretty cool. The price is fair and there is constant sale on certain products. I heard Metro Entertainment has been operating for at least 25 years. I hope the business will go on for many years. read more

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If you are looking for State Street Superheroes, look no further than Metro Entertainment on Anapamu! This place has been like a second home to me for many years. Ever since my first year in college I found a place to geek out, find friends and explore all there is to offer in comics. As someone who has collected comics since I was 10 years old, I have been to a good amount of comic shops. I have never found one like Metro though! The staff are extremely helpful and very friendly. They always want to make sure they help anyone they can and each have their own expertise with all the items in the store. You can always ask them a question and they will find that answer! They host a variety of events from Magic the Gathering Drafts, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments and even D&D nights. This place wants to do more than just sell collectibles, they want to build a community. After being in Santa Barbara for over 30 years it is clear that there will never be another shop quite like this one. Long live Metro Entertainment and here to many more years to come! Come check out Metro everyday of the week from 11am-7pm. I highly recommend checking out all the store has to offer and especially love the board game section. Lots of items to look at and especially amazing for collectors, someone just starting to collect and gifts for friends and family alike! read more

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One of the best comic book stores around California. Great selection and prices, and good vibes with a peaceful environment.

These folks send me all my favorite comics and my kids favorite comics every month and are understanding when I do not want certain titles, but great about also recommending titles like Orcs which I love. Mi kids love going here. It's not all for kids but they cater to all ages. read more

Very cool comic shop. Tons of comics, graded too, and trading cards. Will definitely stop by again next time!

We came here last Friday & it was amazing!! We have been in other comic book stores & honestly Metro Entertainment is top tier!!! The store is very clean & organized!!! Most comic book stores feel like your digging around a hoarders creepy garage. Metro is soooo not like that. Displays are nicely done , books are perfectly organized & the staff is friendly! Multiple times we were offered helped & check out was a breeze. We will definitely come back to this location. read more

Great staff! I come in here all the time with my kids to look at Pokemon cards. I know nothing about Pokemon but Elijah always helps the kids out and is a great employee. We like to support such a great local business. They have all kinds of games, comics, and collectable toys. My kids love the place. read more

This comic shop is quaint and colorful with a mixed selection of retro and modern board games, graphic novels, and collectibles. Their staff are friendly and welcoming, and their displays (multiple comic sets at a discounted rate, new tcg releases, pop figures, etc) are eye-catching. Would definitely visit again, especially for a special event like a signing or game night. read more

The guys here are great! They have a large selection and they even mail orders to you or will order for you if they don't have stock. I was waiting for the black label Harleen set that came out fall 2019 and even though I'm not local they set them aside for me. My son also had a great time looking at their Pokémon selection. He is obsessed with pokemon so this spot was perfect to find him a gift. They gave tons of fandom stuff! Great service highly recommended! read more

Whenever you find yourself in Santa Barbara and in need of a comic, there is only one place to visit. Don't mind the generic name, Metro Entertainment is a cool little store for comic book, wargaming, trading card and toy fans. Great selection, nice people and fellow geeks to converse with. The clerks are knowledgeable and go out of their way to help you. They have a good selection of older comics and trades, although a little bit safe. Looking for something out of the ordinary? This is not the place. Mainstream wishes are easily fulfilled here though. In store, you can play Warhammer, Magic the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh and many more. Next to the counter there is a spinner rack with all ages comics, so you can bring the little ones. read more

A nice, comfy place to play magic and other TCGs. They have a huge selection of comic books, manga, and related merch, which I didn't go for, but was very cool to see. They also have a good amount of retro video games and video game consoles, which would be great for collectors. Location is very nice and convenient as well! read more

I've been using Metro as my main card shop for about 5 months now, and I think I'm finally ready to write a review. Space: Sadly this is the one area that's lacking a Metro. They have a large space but much of it is taken up by the graphic novels, trade paperbacks, or comic books. They usually have a small play area set up in the corner of the store, but it's literally only 4 seats so not much you could do there. Luckily in their back room they have some extra tables that they'll pull out and set up for events like their Gamers Social. Once again though as most space is taken up by the books the shop gets very crowded even with just 3 foldable tables set out. Products & Pricing: The shop has an amazing collection of all cards, from baseball to redakai. Their RPG section is great for (almost) any big games you'd want: Pathfinder, Dresden, Conan, all the big names are there but does leave something lacking for supplements on most systems and some of the big systems are MIA (GURPS for instance). Their board games is an average section, but I think everyone in Santa Barbara knows they can't compete with Game Seeker down the street in this area. Comics, trade paperbacks, and graphic novels is where they truly shine. As stated above, that section takes up 2/3 of the shop. Figurines (for miniature war-games and RPGs) is another area they have a great selection. Plus they're constantly adding to their selection of board games, RPGs, comics, and card games. The pricing is MSRP or better and they're typically having sales. Customer Service: Customer service is one area that they do amazingly. Everyone that works there is friendly and will help you out with anything. They'll typically try to strike up conversation about what products you're purchasing and inform you of the events they hold. Friday Night Magic, Tournaments, Gamers Social, Etc.: As I'm no longer into FNM I can't attest to how they do but I can say that all the people I've met through this stores other events are amazing. It may take some time to break into the atmosphere, about 2 times attending their gamers social for me but once you've really started to talk to people (and not shy away from them and then be disappointed no one talked to you the whole night when you were the one standing in the corner on your smartphone and looking like you just really wanted to go home) you'll see how nice of an atmosphere it is when it's just some regulars (not many) hanging out for something like a Saturday night and playing Pathfinder or a board game. Conclusion: All together this is my go to store. I've been to better, but not by much. The real problem with the place is the lack of space dedicated to actual gaming. If they could fix that and get people in the store constantly playing board games, card games, or RPGs and just generally having a good time it'd easily be 5 stars. read more

The people in this store are amazing! They are kind and helpful and patient. My son loves Magic cards and these folks helped to teach him how to play and they are always available for his questions. I won't buy anything online bc I want to support them-they are a local gem. read more

What do you want from a comic book store? The most recent comics and a good backorder selection.? Check, they got that here and more. A knowledgeable staff? That too. Shirts? You know like the geeks on Big Bang Theory? They have those and more, You can really find some obscure stuff to wear here. Toys? Thay have action figures galore. I do miss the days when you could get a nice Wolverine for 6.99 instead of the 18 dollars they cost today. Truth be told I have recently given up the comic book habit. It was cheaper to start collecting wine as comic books prices are about 4 dollars a book. I was spending about 30 bucks a week (don't tell the wife, she thinks it was only about 10). Nowadays if I want to read a particular story line I will go the graphic novel route. Which brings us back to Metro they have an awesome selection of graphic novels. read more

I don't buy or read comics. When I went to UCSB I went here for Friday Night Magic. Being a small town, this was the only store in Goleta/Santa Barbara that hosted Magic: the Gathering events. I came from San Jose, which has one of the largest Magic: the Gathering stores in the US, so it was a shift to a completely different type of store. That said, the store is very lacking when it comes to a stock of Magic card singles. Order online at other places or talk to players who go there. Some of the employees here weren't very friendly, but they were friendly enough that it didn't turn me off from the store. Some of them are very nice and participated in events on occasion. I was very pleasantly surprised when I came to this cozy shop. The first time I came here, I wasn't sure what to expect. I won the first tournament I played in, showing them that I was a pretty experienced player. I started coming back pretty frequently and saw many of the same faces each time. Unlike in a big store atmosphere, everyone was very friendly and willing to talk. We could share cards and most of the time no one was trying to rip anyone else off. There were a few awkward people, as there usually are in a nerdy hobby such as MTG, but people here were not judgmental. Some people played seriously, some played casually, but no one was a jerk. There were some new players who started playing here and from what I saw, they were welcomed and everyone helped them. Honestly, I miss the environment a lot. Meeting and playing with a local group of people who are friendly and not stuck up is a rarity in the world. Also, I always found it funny playing a card game on Friday night when people are out drinking and partying. Not that I don't love drinking and partying, but the look on people's faces as their drunken asses walked past the store window and they saw a bunch of nerds sitting at tables playing card games: priceless. Some would stop to point and laugh. Alls I gotta say is, keep your judgment to yourself you two-bit hos cruising State St. looking for some dick. read more

I went with a friend this past Sunday to this shop. The sales people were friendly & helpful, the store was neatly organized, and it didn't smell funny like other comic stores I've been in. They even had the goth comics I so love! Really, a good experience. read more

I do not read comics (or graphic novels, excuse me). I tried, I really did. But the fascinate me. We walked in the store to check out their toys and browsed for just a few minutes before walking out. I do not know much about comic shops but the clerk was really nice to us, not pretentious like some L.A. stores. I have been seized up many times before, but this guy was really chill and offered his help. If I attempt to read anything other than Stardust anytime soon, I will go here. read more

Coming from a land of amazing comic book stores up in the Bay Area, I consider this Metro Entertainment essentially perfect. Knocked off a star because I didn't see any local or indy stuff prominently displayed, but their selection of new issues, trades, and hardbacks is way amazing. Like so much. I wish I lived in Santa Barbara just because of this store. Go forth and geek. Now. read more

This place was quaint (in a good way!). It had all the favorites, plus some cool toys as well. Who isn't itching to own a Zapp Branigan figurine? Those smooth thighs, the socialite smile... I was excited to find issues of Berlin, and Johnny Hiro which I have been wanting to start on, and also The Invisibles for my friend. Too bad I don't live in Santa Barbara, or I would be shopping here all the time. read more

I'd like to stress that my review is specifically regarding the Magic:the Gathering events and the staff. I have no opinion on them as a comic book store, but there are plenty of other reviewers who do. For many years, Metro was the only store in town that ran Magic: the Gathering events. Players were forced to go to Metro or drive 45 minutes to Camarillo if they wanted to play FNM or attend a prerelease. When provided with these options, many people decided to simply suck it up and drive to another location, rather than game here. This store has the poorest run events I've ever seen. I have played at a lot of game stores, and nowhere else have things been so blatantly and consistently bad. The staff is unhelpful and downright rude at times, treating the players as an inconvenience, rather than paying customers. The store gets the majority of its money from its comic sales, and not much effort is put into the events it schedules. None of the staff rally bother to learn the rules or how to run the event reporting software, so events are frequently mismanaged, or simply not reported at all. This store was DEMOTED by Wizards of the Coast as an event organizer, because of how many times they failed to report scheduled events. They do not have a judge on staff - multiple judges from the community have attempted to help them run better events, but all have eventually left out of disgust. Before another gaming store opened up in town, local players banded together to run their own events anywhere they could (pizza shops, etc.), rather than attend Metro. Metro's staff would alternately lament the fact that so many of the towns players weren't attending their events anymore, but then be openly antagonistic to the players that did. If you want to play Magic events, I would strongly advise you to look elsewhere. read more

I spent a nice hour here looking around at comics and games. There is a good selection of new comics, old comics, trades and games. The store is laid out well and uses it's space well. Sorry I can't remember the guy's name that helped me out but he was spot on in recommending a couple of games to me. If you are in the neighborhood and like comics and/or games I highly recommend Metro. read more

Good old fashioned comic and game shop. Fun place to take the young and old for comics, books, games and more. Lots of Pokémon and Magic the Gathering cards. Also a good selection of classic t-shirts. read more

This place is great, I have been going here for years. The owner is nice and gives great recommendations. They have a giant selection of comics and games. They also have lots of collectibles. The store is clean and have weekly completions of card games. Definitely recommended read more