It's actually gotten better recently. Everything used to be quite bland but some of their new options are pretty solid (try the salmon bowl). Overpriced a bit compared to places that are not on the wharf, but that comes with the territory. read more

While walking on the pier, we caught sight of their Happy Hour aka Oyster Hour menu and it was just about that time of day. Oyster Hour: Monday - All Day Tuesday - Friday: 3 pm to 6 pm I believe you can only enjoy Oyster Hour by the Oyster Bar, so let the hostess know if that's what you're there for. We got two dozen of their $1.50 oysters. They were serving up kumiai oysters that day for their Oyster Hour. Kumiai is a Pacific oyster and pretty common for raw bars. It's served with a lemon wedge, horseradish, and cocktail sauce. I wish they offered another variety for the oyster hour though. We also had a couple of $4 Sliders, an order of the $12 Calamari, and a $5 Santa Barbara Blonde. We were just enjoying some light bites as this was our first meal in SB and it's the touristy thing to be doing. Great view of the Pacific Ocean as we sat by the windows. read more

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The mussels and clams are too salty I like the snapper that includes 2 sides. The cold lobster roll has too much sauce so it's hard to taste the freshness of the lobster meat itself read more

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We were passing through Santa Barbara and decided to give Moby Dick a try. The restaurant was busy, but not too loud that we couldn't talk. The server was fabulous. He was busy, but still took the time to care for all of our needs. The drinks were very good and we had Maple old fashioned and a Gin martini. We shared the seafood platter. Which was a disappointment as it didn't match the quality of service we received. The food was ok, but not fantastic. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Seafood Platter - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place is crazy busy! We walked in on a Saturday as a party of two, and you definitely can't get a regular table without a reservation. We ended up sitting in the bar area instead. Our bartender/server was slammed, but we still managed to get our oysters in before happy hour ended. The view through all the windows is great, but just be prepared for the crowd--the place is huge and accommodates a lot of people, so it gets loud and hectic. The oysters were good, though! read more

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Our server, Lee was amazing! She was so attentive and her attention to detail was amazing! Food was delicious and Lee gave great recommendations. View was perfect!! Definitely recommend !!! read more

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Loved this place!!!! The food was amazing. The fact that the restaurant was on the pier, the view of the ocean was lovely while you eat. I ate at the bar and our bartender (Latino) was excellent. He took care of of us with the drinks and hospitality. This is a great spot for seafood and drinks read more

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I came on. Tuesday during happy hour. I saw the $1.50 oyster offer so I stopped to eat despite not being that hungry. I was seated within a minute or two as it wasn't that busy at this time. I sat at the oyster bar and saw the oysters being opened right in front of me. I got the pea soup which wasn't anything special, but I was focused on the oysters more. The large oysters tasted different than the small ones and I'm not sure why. I also tried the key lime pie which has a bruleed top and comes with caramel sauce. I had a good experience from the few things that I tried. Environment was nice and my waiter was kind. read more

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Restaurant on the pier with beautiful views and fresh air. Not too busy on a Saturday afternoon, sat at the bar quick service fresh oysters and clam chowder was perfect with our rose wine. Reasonable pricing for the wine and soup but the oysters were overpriced in my opinion. This is a regular stop on our trips up to Santa Barbara. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Dragonette rose was really good we went to the winery after trying it. - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The Restaurant was exceptional, the food was outstanding. The location on the pier have an awesome view. read more

This review is for the oyster bar located on Stearns Wharf and inside Moby Dick Restaurant. It's still fairly new and brings a bright updated open space with amazing ocean views and a fresh oyster bar. They offer a curated selection of seafood, craft cocktails, beer and local wines. On my visit, I started with a passion fruit margarita. Surprised? If you know you know! One of my favorites, although I will say that it was pretty expensive, and it will cost you $19. Ouch! This price is based on the location obviously and what most tourists will pay. Despite the price, I still enjoyed it. For food, I ordered the shrimp scampi. Definitely the right choice! The presentation was beyond my expectations and the portion was huge. The shrimp was succulent and full of flavor. It also comes with cilantro rice and garlic cheese bread. The perfect accompaniment to soak up the garlicky buttery juices. It wasn't busy on my visit, which was nice. Then again it was mid-week. The bartender said they tend to get busy later in the day and most weekends. Overall, my visit was pleasant and I could have stayed here all day just looking out at the beautiful ocean waters. A definite bookmark and worth the splurge! read more

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Our first visit here to Pier Santa Barbara. The beaches we normally go to were too cold so we drove a little further south to my mom's home town. We walked the pier and stopped here for a bite. The weather was perfect so we sat outside on the patio overlooking the ocean. The staff was very friendly and we didn't have to wait to be seated. Considering how busy it seemed in the parking lot, I was surprised at the speediness of getting seated and served. I wasnt super hungry so I got the Ahi Tartare and it was nice and refreshing. Perfectly green Has Avocado guacamole covered in beautiful tuna chunks served with kettle chips. We got the popcorn ship as an appetizer and I loved the batter! It was nice and crispy and had a good seasoning to it. The little shrimps were perfectly cooked as well. The popcorn shrimp is a must have. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - View from outdoor seating - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Water down drinks. I got my drink took it back and watched him make the new one. Same taste, no taste - conclusion, water in the vodka bottle. Spend your money some place else. read more

This is my second time visiting this restaurant and it was just as good as my first time! The fish is always fresh and soft, and the cilantro rice is cooked and seasoned very well. The lobster mac & cheese was a little lacking in portion and taste. Would always recommend their market specials for the entrée. The service is always fast and efficient but we always get sat by the ocean which is a stunning view. Definitely recommend this spot if you are looking for a great view and great food along the oceanside. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Lobster Mac and Cheese - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Firs time stopping in as I had family in town and they wanted to explore the wharf area. No wait when we arrived and we sat inside with a great view of the ocean and harbor! We had the sweetest waitress who chatted with us and answered all of our questions about the menu. Ordered the grilled fish tacos, grilled salmon, grilled halibut and wedge salad. Everything was pretty good! The tacos were a pretty small portion for the price but tasty. The cilantro lime rice was great and super flavorful. Nothing was super stand-out flavor wise but certainly nothing was bad! Will add this to my list of local places to take friends and family when visiting. read more

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My friend and I visited this seafood restaurant located on Stearns Wharf for lunch and had a great experience. We sat outside since the weather was nice facing the harbor and both tried their lunch option which was Salmon with a side of soups or salad. Their salmon was incredibly fresh and flavorful. The service was also good and our waiter was friendly. I definitely recommend this place and will be back if I am back in Santabarbara. read more

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Frankie was great! We sat in the bar area with such a lovely view of the ocean. The calamari was perfectly crisp and served with a delicious lemon aoli. The surf and Turf was very good! Only thing is the lobster came still on the shell and my boyfriend didn't know how to resells lobster properly so that kinda took away from the experience and he lost a good amount of lobster to the shell. Great service and great food with a beautiful view would come back!! read more

This place is located toward the end of Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara, CA. You may drive into this area - look for the parking booth and press button for ticket for arm to raise up. It's a wooden plank road so lots of little bumps. Restaurant is located on right side with a view of harbor fishing boats and lots of pelicans resting. We walked inside and it's a real salty dog atmosphere with wood and brass, comfy and fun, with lots of windows to see the view. We were seated around the side by a bar. Our server was Joseph, and he was just as sweet as can be. They have a specialty drink menu so I had to try the Bloody Mary which was like a mini meal lol with all the garnishes - shrimp, celery, blue cheese stuffed olives, bacon, lemon/lime and a rim of tajin! Joseph explained to me what it was and added a little kick. Hubby had a draft beer but their oyster menu was intriguing with all sorts of choices so he had to try a few. Nice to be able to order one and not an entire plate. Joseph explained what each one was and how prepared etc. This little pick-me-up was just right! Mahalo to Joseph, bartender and chef at Moby Dick's! We shall return read more

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Transparency: Late Review On our trip to Santa Barbara we stopped here for Lunch/Dinner. We went to "The Oyster Bar". We were seated in the patio which gave a pleasant view of the ocean. There is a glass wall that shields you from the elements when the wind picks up. The service was good, attentive, and accommodating. The Food: You don't go to an oyster bar and not have oysters, lol. They were excellent. There was a special at the time which brought them into more reasonable prices. We had the half dozen. They were fresh, and tasty. The other dishes included the halibut and the mussels. Both were fresh, with good presentation. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Half Dozen Oyster Sampler - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Moby Dick is located at the Pier. I had a great halibut ceviche! The best! Hazy ipa also super cold and tasty. Actually had the same ipa few more places, but Moby Dick hazy ipa was the best. Great view from anywhere you sit. Watching a boat or two floating on the ocean is great. Friendly service. Nice bathroom. read more

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We stopped by Moby Dick when we trying to come to Santa Barbara Shellfish Company and the wait was too long. They seated us within 20 minutes at noon on a Sunday, which was pretty great! I ordered the steamer combo, which was mussels and clams in a white wine and garlic sauce, with a side of toasted bread. YUMM!! That was a pretty good deal to me and it tasted delicious. I did notice that all of our dishes had dill, including my dish and our garlic parsley Parmesan oysters. I'm not a fan of dill, so I wished it didn't include the dill. BUT, it was still delicious without! read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Steamed Seafood Platter (Clams and Mussels) - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food was really good. Sitting on the patio looking over the ocean! Can't beat that. My drink was refreshing and the service was timely and non intrusive. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Lobster Macaroni and cheese - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food Shrimp po boy n fries nice soft bread good sauce and slaw, fries well seasoned. Could of use bigger or more shrimp Burger and onion rings nice n juicy and good rings Service. Was a little slow but she was nice maybe to many tables to attend Ambiance Was good with nice view Bad slow service and ice tea with no ice read more

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Came in around 715/730 and was seated near the bar at a table on mother's day. It wasn't busy. It my four year old and I celebrating mother's Day together. The server was a large man who came to the table and immediately glared at my daughter and asked if she was in a good mood or a bad mood today, very intensly. It was so uncomfortable. She buried her face in my arms to hide from him and whispered to me that she didn't want to answer. I was shocked he said that to her. I'm sure he'd never say that to an adult. It was weird and unprofessional and creepy. I was ready to order but decided to leave instead. We went to Santa Barbara seafood company next door and had incredible service and incredible food. Go to that restaurant instead, don't risk being approached by this creep. read more

This place is located on Stearn's Wharf. We decided to eat here while exploring the wharf. We were greeted and seated immediately and the restaurant was not busy. We were seated with a view of the ocean off of the pier. It was a Sunday and they had a brunch menu in addition to the lunch menu. The first two items that I ordered were not available and had to settle on my third choice, clam chowder soup and a side of steamed vegetables. My family had two orders of fish with cilantro rice and steamed vegetables and a lobster salad roll. My soup was good and the veggies were great as they had a nice butter flavor on them. The fish order received thumbs up and the lobster salad roll was the least popular in the group. The restaurant was not busy but the service was slow. This was a 3.5 star visit with opportunities at a higher score with more food availability and faster service. read more

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This place is situated out on the pier in Santa Barbara. It's your typical touristy seafood place that are located on piers up and down the West Coast. We sat in the bar as we had gotten there a little late. The service by the bartender was very nice, efficient and friendly. We had a great time and the food was pretty good. Lobster salad roll the cheese toast, shrimp cocktail all good and very nice experience. This isn't a fancy place at all but it's also not a dump. And I mean that in the best way possible. It's definitely a place you should give a try! read more

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We always passed by this restaurant when we're in the area so we decided to try it and we thought it was okay. Not as great as the other restaurant on the pier. Still recommend it as it has a nice indoor view, ambiance, and service. I had their clam chowder and it was my least favorite. The oysters was good though! read more

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Interior was dated and a bit run down. Food was pricey and awful. The calamari was undercooked and bland. The shrimp scampi had no flavor and the shrimp were undercooked. The butter cake was amazing and our server was very friendly and responsive. Keep walking to the place at the end of the pier and go to this place for desert. read more

I was worried about the rating of the restaurant but I ended up eating here. The food was delicious and the service was great.

It was "just ok". The ambiance and feel is a bit dated and the food is a solid 3/5. The staff were attentive and kind. I was surprised to see that there wasn't a big assortment of local seafood offered, aside from catch of the day. Honestly, the other restaurants on the pier that we went to had a similar vibe but there were some really nice looking restaurants across the street from the park on the land. I'd recommend going there, to one of those, over the pier dining. read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I came to Moby Dick in Santa Barbara with my family the other day, and it turned out to be a solid choice for a seafood meal by the water. We ordered a dozen oysters to start, followed by clam chowder, lobster bisque, clam linguini, a seafood platter, and chimichurri fries to share. Everything came out fresh and well-prepared. The oysters were clean and briny, the bisque rich and comforting, and the chowder had just the right balance of creaminess and flavor. The seafood platter was generous and well-executed. And the chimichurri fries? Fantastic--crispy, herby, and packed with flavor. Easily one of the highlights of the meal. If I had one small note, it's that the clam linguini could've used more clam juice in the sauce--it leaned a bit blend compared to the rest of the meal. But even with that, I still enjoyed.. Service was friendly and attentive throughout, and while prices were a little on the higher side, it's to be expected for a spot right on the pier with ocean views. Between the setting, food, and service, Moby Dick checks all the boxes. I'd gladly come back next time I'm in town. read more

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We are tourists today! We took the Surfliner train down from SLO on a Wednesday for Lunch in Santa Barbara. Good Idea. Walked to the end of the pier and had a choice of restaurants we looked at Yelp for help.? Okay its decided, Moby Dick for lunch. sat immediately as we were there when they opened the door. I'll say this everything was perfect, the food, the service, and the ambiance. This is an old school restaurant nearly everything is made in house, tartar & cocktail sauce, the breaded shrimp, the cod for fish & chips, the calamari. My Louie Salad was great, butter lettuce, real louie dressing not 1000 island, plenty of crab and shrimp. The Clam Chowder was creamy but could have been hotter. A ordered the Seafood Sampler and it was just as good as ever to share. I went for the calamari and A enjoyed the cod and fries. Moby Dick's was a good for us, it was a throw back to the eighties, however the prices are reflective of 2025. Oh Well. I'll recommend for Lunch . Foodguy, Martin read more

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Every time I come to Santa Barbara, I always come to this restaurant. The prices are great and the food is great. I don't understand why the stars are so low balled here. perhaps every time I come I just get lucky because the service is impeccable and the food is always on point. Today I came in during happy hour and the prices are just amazing to me. They have a new oyster bar in the room it's just super beautiful. The waiter was awesome and very attentive and the food came out quick and delicious. I highly recommend this place. It's great for the money. The service was awesome and the views are great. My only comment would be that I would hope they update the remainder of the restaurant to match the oyster bar. I think if they did that they'd be onto something more. read more

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The food was great! Clam chowder, Caesar salad, fish tacos, lobster Mac and cheese were all very tasty! I also enjoyed their strawberry margarita and dessert. The service was very good as well and the restaurant was nicely decorated with red lights for Valentine's Day. It was a bit cool by the door so only thing I would have changed would be that. read more

We sat down at lunchtime and realized 1/2 dozen oysters on the 1/2 shell was gonna run $27. So we decided to come back at Happy Hour when oysters are $150 each. Upon returning, we ordered a bowl of clam chowder, Calamari, bread, 1/2 dozen oysters and a blonde beer. Everything was great including the weather. Views are beautiful and patio is really nice place to sit. read more

After walk on the pier, it's nice place to eat and enjoy the view. Service was excellent and clam chowder was good. Will be back for happy hours to taste fresh oysters. read more

We were here for July 4th. We ate here around 3pm; there was no wait if we sat outside. Even though it was windy and chilly we said we would sit for a bit and eat what we came to eat and leave soon. That was wrong! We waited for a waitress/waiter for so long so we had to ask someone for our server. our order included ginger beer, coke, clam chowder, raw oyster, and calamari Clam chowder: was not smooth. It felt so grainy. Also the "clam" did not taste like clam at all. It tasted like those canned chicken Calamari: very soggy and bland. We had 3 pieces and left the rest The only good items we enjoy from our order was the ginger beer and the raw oysters read more

Moby Dick Restaurant - Fried Calamari - American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Located on Stearns Wharf. What happened was my boyfriend meant to take me to Santa Barbara Shellfish Company next door. Unfortunately there was a crazy long wait, and if we ate any later we would ruin our appetite for an upcoming dinner reservation, so we settled for Moby Dick. We were able to get seated within 5-10 minutes where they were setting up a table, but when we were leaving they also had a wait here as well. Come for the views, but don't expect too much from the food. Service wasn't great either as it wasn't attentive and drinks were not refilled unless you explicitly asked for it. For lunch we shared the half dozen of their Pacific Coast Oysters (MP, $22 when we visited) and a Dr. Pepper. My boyfriend had the Fish and Chips ($24) and I had the Lobster Roll ($30). They both came with fries but somehow his were undercooked and mine were extra crispy. You can see the clear color contrast in the photo of our food. The oysters were most disappointing cause they were bland. When I think of pacific coast oysters I think of the creamy sweet pacific north west oysters. Our waiter never said what the oysters were but I think they were the Fanny Bay. The shucking was also awful with the oyster still stuck to the shell. How embarrassing considering they are planning to open up their own oyster bar soon. The fish and chips were as basic as any fast food fish and chips. My lobster roll was so dry and bready. On a happier note the view was amazing from our table. Since it was located in the wharf, we got to see the surrounding waters. We had a great window seat, so we were pretty lucky in that sense. It served its purpose but I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone, unless having a good view is all you're looking for. We're at a coastal city, there are plenty of other restaurants with decent views. read more

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Not sure why this place has only 3 stars. My family has visited 3 times now, and the quality and service is just as good each time. During our latest visit, my wife ordered the shrimp scampi, my son ordered the Wharf cheeseburger, and I got the grilled fish tacos. We also ordered the lobster mac and cheese and a grilled branzino to share. The food was excellent. The lobster and branzino really stood out. We absolutely loved it and look forward to returning again! read more

The food was great, but the service from our server, Lee W., is the real reason I'm writing this review. Lee was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely attentive to our table from start to finish. She checked in at all the right times, answered questions with confidence, and made us feel truly welcomed and not rushed or forgotten. You can tell Lee is a seasoned professional who takes pride in what she does. That level of care and warmth is becoming harder to find these days, and it made our entire dining experience better. The difference between someone who sees serving as a craft versus just a job really stood out here. If you're dining at this restaurant, do yourself a favor and ask for Lee W. She's the kind of server that keeps people coming back! read more