I love Milk & Honey for its inviting atmosphere and unique, flavorful menu. The prices are also reasonable for dining out, though the portions are on the smaller side, so you may want to order at least two dishes and a couple of drinks if you're looking for a more filling meal. My favorites are the Lamborghinis, the Brie with bread, and the Krimschaw Pilsner. I've visited this restaurant many times, and the service is generally good, though it can be inconsistent. Some visits have been excellent, while others have been just average, depending on how busy the restaurant is and which server you have. Overall, I would definitely return again and again for a delicious light meal and the enjoyable atmosphere. read more

My family and I stopped in for dinner while visiting Santa Barbara, and this ended up being one of the pleasant surprises of our trip. Overall, the food was excellent, the ambiance was welcoming, and the service was outstanding. One thing we especially appreciated was how family-friendly the restaurant felt. They had old-school cartoons playing on the TVs above the bar, which was a fun touch that kept everyone entertained. One thing to know before you order: the "tapas" here are much larger than what we've experienced at traditional tapas restaurants. We ended up ordering far too much because we expected smaller, shareable portions. Fortunately, that's a good problem to have, as everything was delicious. Just keep the portion sizes in mind when ordering. The drinks were also solid. The sangria leaned a bit more toward fruit juice than wine for our taste, but the other cocktails we tried were well-balanced and enjoyable. Between the great food, generous portions, excellent service, and relaxed atmosphere, we'd definitely recommend this spot to anyone visiting Santa Barbara. read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Milk & Honey Tapas was the perfect spot for my bachelorette dinner before heading out to explore downtown Santa Barbara. From the moment we walked in, the intimate, dimly lit atmosphere set the tone for the evening. The dark, moody aesthetic gives the restaurant a cozy yet elevated feel, making it a great choice for date nights, girls' nights, or special celebrations. As a tapas restaurant, it's ideal for sharing dishes with the table, and everything we tried was flavorful and beautifully prepared. The food was delicious, and each plate was perfect for enjoying family-style while catching up with friends. I also loved the location--it's tucked right in downtown Santa Barbara, making it easy to continue the night after dinner. We were able to walk to nearby bars and enjoy everything the area has to offer. If you're looking for a quaint restaurant with great food, an intimate ambiance, and a charming setting for a celebration or night out, Milk & Honey Tapas is definitely worth a visit. read more

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ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS IN SB!!! This place has been one of my favorites for years. My best friend and I come every time I'm in town & they are always on point from the service, to the amazing food & beautiful drinks! Monday night our server was very attentive, quick with water refills (which I love) and very pleasant. We also sat inside for the first time as we usually sit on the outdoor patio which is no longer in place, and I was happy with the indoor ambiance. We ordered a variety of our favorites - the some brie sauce, date with a pig, PB&J sliders as well as some new items - the shrimp tacos & veggie sliders (both were outstanding). I cannot recommend this place enough & I would eat here every night if I could! read more

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We really love this place. Good food, great cocktails. Important to keep in mind its tapas so the portions are smaller but thats why we love it. When we come, we try a handful of dishes and share everything. Staff are friendly and helpful. Dedinitely a good spot for happy hour too! read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Chicken Crema Taco *comes with two in an order - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great service. Friendly and attentive. Also nice lively ambiance. It is located off state street but close to the action proximity. This restaurant has multiple booth tables for two people tucked in the back facing the open kitchen. It would be nice on a date night. We got six tapas and one entree. Enough for four of us. My favorite is cauliflower, beet it salad, and that is my jam. The lamb rack has tasty mushroom risotto- can't stop eating it! City parking offered 75 minutes free parking. read more

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Stopped by here for their happy hour, walk ins were welcomed, but they also accept reservations. Outdoor and indoor seating is available. I ordered from the happy hour menu, classic mojito, pollo con crema tacos, and sweet potato fries. I liked the sauce on the tacos, on its own it's a bit spicy but all together it paired well. Mojito was not my favorite, 5/10 I had to add a lot of lime to make it taste better, maybe I'd recommend adding a syrup to it to make it flavored. I loved the sweet potato fries, great portion to share with friends. Overall, ambiance wasn't super lively, it was my first time visiting this bar on a Friday and I assumed it would be more popular. read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I came across this place while browsing the Resy list after Amex added new perks, so we decided to give it a try. We ordered the Brussels sprouts and the paella. The Brussels sprouts were good, though the portion was quite small. The paella, however, didn't taste like paella at all. There was no saffron aroma or color, which made me doubt saffron was used, and it didn't seem to be cooked in the traditional way paella is prepared (which typically takes around 30 minutes). It tasted fine on its own, but it felt like I ordered paella and received something entirely different, which was disappointing. That said, the ambiance was very nice, and our server was friendly. read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great cozy spot in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. I love tapas style food and definitely couldn't wait to try this spot while on a recent work trip. My team and I ordered an array of things to share...top of the list was the bacon wrapped dates and seafood palella Not pictured were our cocktails and wine which also hit the spot. The ambiance was romantic and cozy...great for a quiet dinner with friends for a date night. read more

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I've been here many times, it's one of my favorite tapas places in Santa Barbara. Very dark and cozy. Perfect for date night. My husband and I got one of the tables in the back with curtain dividers so it felt really intimate. Service was quick. Food leans toward Spanish-American, and you can find a variety of popular favorites like sliders, bacon wrapped dates, etc. We decided to order the Calamari, Ahi Nachos, Burrata the flavor and Mariscos Paella. Calamari had a nice flakiness, perfectly crisp coating. Very tasty. Ahi Nachos had a nice kick in spice and was pretty solid in flavor. The Burrata was my favorite with tomatoes and garlic; it was incredibly delicious with the buttered bread. The Paella wasn't the most authentic Mariscos Paella, considering it had chicken; though it was still very robust and flavorful. Cocktails were strong and fruity. I ordered the Oaxacan Pear-adise, which I highly recommend for something smoky and sweet. My husband ordered the Midnight In The Garden and it was equally satisfying. read more

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The restaurant is a little loud but had a cozy ambiance. Food came out hot and within a reasonable time frame especially for dinner. It quickly filled up for a Friday evening so I recommend reservations to be safe. The burrata was the best part. The fried arugula, garlic and tomatoes really added to the richness of the cheese. Crispy baguette slices were well toasted. Brussel sprouts were standard. Good char and crispy. Calamari was a little tough and chewy but well fried. Probably from frozen squid rings or something but no complaints if you consider it as bar food. Lime mocktail was refreshing and staff was nice. read more

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Tapas FTW! We had a fantastic last night in Santa Barbara enjoying these fun and tasty tapas. Our party of four dined for 2 hours and were completely satisfied. Highly recommend. We were excited to see Stem Cider on the drink menu, from our hometown of Lafayette, Colorado (don't miss out!) Brussel sprouts - oddly add leaves but prepared so that they were savory and a big hit. I Can Buy Myself Cauli-Flowers - large pieces of cauliflower cooked to perfection, not to soft or too crunchy Drop It Like It's Tot(s) - steaming hot, great alone or with sauce Dressed to Kale - salad with carrots, dressing was interesting Potatoes Bravos - sauce was fantastic, uneven potato sizes meant some were not as well cooked and a bit hard Organic Street Corn - comes on the cob, another hit Date with a Pig - flavorful, we wanted more than 4! Pollo con Crema Tacos - double tortilla kept all the toppings intact Americana Sliders - standard fare read more

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pretty good food but way overpriced :( there's a lot next to the restaurant for free 75 min parking and $3 per hour after that. book thru resy to make sure you have no wait! even day of, there were still plenty of spots service was super attentive with refilling waters and making sure we got everything we needed, i was a big fan of the seating and the dark intimate ambiance too. they sat us at tables where you're sat on the same side which was cute. we ordered 4 things, some "brie" sauce, date with a pig, lamburginis, and pollo con crema tacos. they all came out pretty quick and we finished dinner in less than an hour. the brie appetizer was easily the best dish of the night. if you go here you have to get the brie or burrata with bread, and probably order an extra side of bread ($3) to clean everything up. super flavorful, super aromatic, and so well balanced. the date with a pig was okay to be honest. like yes it's good, but you have to keep in mind you're paying $13 for 4 bites. not great value at all; you could make so many at home for the same price. lamburgini was personally my least favorite bite of the night. at $17 dollars for two sliders, i'm expecting it to be almost life-changing. but no, it was quite dry. the meat itself was okay, but i think the buns need to be toasted or have an additional sauce added besides pesto. a jam element or a cheese probably would've helped the dish. it was just very imbalanced in my opinion! pollo con crema tacos were so whatever. the sauces they came with were good, but you should probably order the shrimp tacos or black mole pork confit tacos instead. $13 for 2 tacos is awful value for very average chicken tacos. the protein itself was tender but needed more flavor or toppings beyond the sauce. just okay overall tbh! probably won't come back because of the price point, but just order better than we did and you'll probably have a good time. read more

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Walking steps from state street ! Nice bar . Quiet ! Wasn't expecting these kind of Brussels but also not mad at them ! The cartoons in the back drop super cool ! read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - At the bar - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I had never had tapas before trying this place, and safe to say I was so so impressed!! The service was very attentive, the atmosphere was dimly lit with warm lights (perfect for a date), and the food was delicious with every bite I took! The shrimp tacos, patatas bravas, and the lamburginis were my favorite. I definitely will be coming back again and recommending this place to all my friends! read more

Terrible service and vibe. Will never come back. Hostess with the short blond hair sucks.

Ah, yes. In a town full of Tapas, I found myself here with a few friends for dinner. Its a dimly lit, but well lit, place. Black walls with a cute bar as well as projector playing something I cant remember. I just remember the food! The staff is attentive enough, and the food came out in a very appropriate amount of time! No complaints there! Foodwise, we ordered a few things: Bacon-wrapped dates? Always welcome in my book. The tater tots were great! Love their ranch dipping sauce. The amount of dill in that thing is amazing. Definitely would get again! Kale salad was unexpectedly fantastic! Those pickled carrots really freshen up the dish. Brussels sprouts were probably my favorite thing there. They were blanched and then lightly sauteed (I think?), but it came out to an incredible texture as well as flavor. That parsley butter is worth its weight in gold, I tell ya! Lamb sliders were no slouch either. They were cooked perfectly, and on cute Hawaiian buns, which I never say no to! Overall, this place was a great visit, and I'd definitely come back next time I'm in town! read more

We liked it! Tonight we got the cauliflower, the PB&J sliders, and the calamari and everything was excellent. We would go back. Server was great, too. read more

First thing to note, this is a Resy restaurant, so all you Amex platinum card holders, take note. This is a great way to spend your quarterly $100 Resy credit. Or for you gold card holders, your semi annual $50 credit will not disappoint being spent here either. Food is great, service is excellent, very dark, definitely date night vibes. I sat at the bar by myself, had one of their small tapas plates and a glass of the house cab, excellent experience overall, will be back. This is a full bar, the drink selection looks great, but I typically prefer wine so I did not indulge in the complexities of the mixed drinks here. I also didn't take any photos, it was very dark inside, photos would not have turned out well anyways. read more

Great spot for drinks and tapas , Check out my visit here and full review here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C70b1F8NxYt/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow to check out more cool spots. read more

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Ambiance in this place is excellent...music in the background, dimly lit but I can still see my plate and the cool walls that remind me of a sauna! Relaxed vibes all around. Service is good friendly waitstaff and have to say the apps we ordered were scrumptious! Particularly the some Brie sauce if you are a fan of cheese go for it! It's a win. I also really enjoyed the Brussels sprouts they are shaved instead of the whole or halved pieces. Isabella was a great waitress and would definitely come back again! Great Happy hour spot!!! read more

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Food was amazing! And ambulance was so romantic and softly lit, service was incredible and we loved the chicken tocos, Mojitos, Barada, and beat salad! This is a must go to santa Barbara spot! read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We came after the theater for a late night snack. I got the brie with apples and balsamic onions. It was just perfect. The Lamb slides were also quite good. Service was lovely can't wait to eat a full meal read more

This place is amazing! I've been here like 30 times and the food is always great. Service is always great. Drinks are great.

I thought the Brie dish and tacos were very good but beet salad inedible. I think they forgot dressing then I asked twice , it finally came after 20 minutes and then they charged me for it! I liked the vibe and servers but when two dishes were inedible, left something to be desired. Three dishes were excellent though. Mole tacos, Brie and potatoes read more

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Oh my, oh my! Highly recommend Milk & Honey! Drinks were incredible, food was delicious, and the service was great. Absolutely loved the vibe of the restaurant. The tapenade pintxos, beet it salad, Mejillones Picantes, and the shrimp tacos are a must! We devoured our food, I didn't even have time to take pictures. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Amazing. Delicious. Their Pollo con cream tacos, organic street corn, and That's my jam were simply great. Great customer service was good too. My son dropped a corn on the cob on the floor and they quickly replaced it. read more

Amazing tapas that opens pretty late. They have late night happy hour from Thursdays through Saturdays from 9:30-11 PM. I love the quality of their tapas and it's such a hip/cool place inside. read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I have eaten here several times and generally love the place. Last night we ordered several dishes and three of them Came with the same aioli- Fries, calamari and sliders. They really need to get more of a variety of flavors. Even ketchup for fries would be great but we were told the ran out of ketchup. Seriously? And for the calamari how about a tartar sauce option. And the sliders- well Ketchup would work or the aioli if everything else didn't also have the aioli. Let's work on variety please. read more

We ordered the bacon dates, kale salad, lamb sliders and Brussels sprouts. The bacon dates were good but not great. Everything tasted a bit flat like it needed some type of acid to bring out the flavors more. Normally I'd give this place 3 stars because the staff was pleasant and everything came out quickly, but the prices were high compared to the food. read more

Love everything about this place. The chocolate lava cake was a great finish and every single dish was superb. The service, amazing.

Food was good overall, pricey and small portions. Great ambiance, good place for a date night. The burratta is a must get when you're here. Date with a pig was good but expensive for 4 small bites of food. Brussel sprouts were a small portion, not crispy, just tasted like butter not bad but not worth it. Lamburgini sliders were good but small, I'd say they're still worth getting though. Ahi Nachos were $28 and a total disappointment. The fish was skimpy, totally bland, no salt, no soy sauce, nothing. The dish had a lot of potential but terrible execution. I'd expect a lot better for the price. There was a skimpy amount of spicy mayo on it but even that couldn't save this dish. Cocktails were all unique and great. Service was good nothing special though. TLDR: this is a good place to get a few apps and cocktails but avoid the brussel sprouts and ahi nachos. Don't come for an entire dinner unless you expect to pay $200+ for two people. read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Burrata the Flavor, Date with a Pig, For the Love of God, Heat of Passion - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Theo happy hour is worth it and I also stuck around for dinner and drinks after happy hour. Drinks had amazing flavors- bartenders know their mix. I had Brussel sprouts, sweet potato fries and the cha cha burger. Everything was great. Read the ingredients bc it's nothing you e tastes before. Would definitely come back. Vibe was intimate and also welcoming at the same time. Had music and old cartoons in the background. Service was great. Chatted with Dylan- great company/ heart of gold. read more

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What a gem; came here after the circus in search of a late night snack. They offer a late night happy hour menu, perfect for what we were looking for; tacos or sliders; we went with 3 types of tacos, chicken, veggie & meat, all were tasty. Our server's recommendations were spot on. This feels like an intimate place, with places to sit with curtains acting as walls. Great find, on our next trip down we'll definitely be back. read more

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Very cute place with perfect ambience! Love the concept of tapas - the brie appetizer and chocolate molten lava cake was our favorite! The service is amazing and had a great experience here. read more

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Dinner in Santa Barbara and we felt like having a a number of flavors to enjoy through the evening, so tapas was the perfect was to do so. Happy hour was available and we enjoyed a slightly discounted limited menu for drinks. Grenache and margarita was nice. We ordered patatas bravas (spicy! But flavorful), beet salad (refreshing and good), lamburgini (simple and tasty), Brie sauce (good with lamburgini), burrata (my personal favorite), and the molten lava cake with ice cream (my other personal favorite), paired with mezcal coffee Negroni. We enjoyed each dish as they delivered in flavor and originality, with the Brie sauce being at the end of the list as all the previous reviews had built it up so much. The sauce and onions seems to overwhelm the dish and most of the onion and sauce remained on the dish uneaten. The burrata came with crunchy greens which was unexpected and complemented the soft creaminess of the buttery cheese so well. The beet salad had fresh greens that felt so welcomed after the sinful crispy greens of the burrata. Have your water ready for the patatas bravas! Finish the meal right with the molten lava cake (moreso a mini Bundt cake) with warm chocolate sauce poured generously in the center along with a slightly tart raspberry sauce glazing the top. The vanilla ice cream is a must have to support and contrast the darkness and warmth of the chocolate. There's so much more on the menu to try at future visited. Why only 4 stars? The service for our particular table for two seemed so much slower that diners around us. It took nearly 20 minutes for the first dish to appear (I thought he beet salad was a quick and easy one to bring out relatively quickly) and around the same amount of time for the dessert to come out after our last plate was removed. Other diners came and went with about the same number of dishes we had, along with dessert, while we waited and waited, and waited. The food was good enough to overlook this and we will have another experience to write about the next time we're in SB. read more

Most food was really good but way overpriced. Drinks overpriced as well. Had reservations but they'll still tried to sit us in the back - at the tables that face some of their restaurant supplies (classy). They weren't that busy. We moved. Service was pretty slow and not at all genuine. read more

Hot damn was this place good! I'm a wuss with spicy so I was a bit limited but everything we had was amazing. The Black Mole Confit Sliders were my absolute favorite! Just delicious! Our server was an absolute delight! Def will be back next time we're in town! read more

Milk & Honey Tapas - Bomb Mole Sliders - Tapas Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So not impressed! Cozy interior, nice vibe, but overworked and not enough servers who were doing their best to accommodate but service very inattentive. Food was vastly overpriced for what you get. Disappointed! read more

Was pleasantly surprised with the food at this place. I honestly was not expecting too much with the tapas but wow everything was delicious! What we ordered: -Sweet Potato Fries: Fluffy but crispy. Light, melted cheese. Delicious garlic sauce. Great for snacking. -Street Corn: Creamy, buttery, spiced sauce. Succulent corn. Yum. -Shrimp Tacos (2 tacos per order): OMG. THIS WAS SO GOOD. Shrimp was cooked perfectly. So many flavors. Creamy sauce, acidity from the pico, and my goodness the roasted tomatillo salsa was THE BEST. While I can handle a lot of heat, I must say it was quite spicy so I suggest adding a very small amount at first. Nevertheless, it added great flavor and I wish I could've purchased a bottle to bring home haha. -Pollo Con Crema Tacos (2 tacos per order): Also really saucy and flavorful, but I think the shrimp tacos were the winner here. It also came with the roasted tomatillo salsa though. -The Bachelorette: I enjoyed this drink. Light and fruity. Went down pretty quick. Food was priced on par with what we expected. Each of us left having spent maybe $40 (includes drinks + tip)/person. We were satisfied but had room left for dessert around the area. The restaurant and parking: We came around 7:30pm on a Saturday and were able to get a table for 3 immediately. There is outdoor (with heater) and indoor + bar seating. Dimly lit inside. Fairly small restaurant but the wait time for the food was very reasonable. Our server Devon/Devin had it DOWN. She was quick, great personality, and managed everything well despite the restaurant being short staffed. It seemed like the other tables also enjoyed her service as well! There is street parking in the surrounding area and some paid parking in some lots which is what we did. Overall: I would definitely come back whenever I'm in town. Get the shrimp tacos. read more

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