Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Moby Dick Restaurant

    3.1 (1.2k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Moby Dick Restaurant Photos

    MOBY DICK RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    More like Moby Dick Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Moby Dick Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Keylime crème brûlée and butter cake topped with ice cream and strawberries
    matlin a.

    This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Santa Barbara! We were lucky enough to get a window seat overlooking the ocean and harbor, and the views were absolutely breathtaking. It was the perfect setting to relax and enjoy a meal on the pier. We ordered the beer-battered shrimp tacos and the fish and chips, and both were incredibly fresh, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Everything tasted amazing. A huge thank you to our server, Lee, who made the experience even more special. Lee was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. The service was outstanding, and to top it all off, we were treated to two delicious desserts, which was such a thoughtful and generous surprise. The restaurant has so much charm and history, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Between the incredible food, stunning waterfront views, exceptional service, and Lee's wonderful hospitality, this is an absolute must-visit when you're in Santa Barbara. We can't wait to come back!

    Chikis S.

    The clam chowder was great. It was very busy and the wait was pretty long. It's not a quiet place but the music was nice.

    03/17/2026 - Kids' Menu
    Teri C.

    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.

    Pasta Cioppino
    Leah C.

    My family and I came here for a late lunch early dinner while on vacation over the weekend. We were visiting the pier for our family tradition and decided to come to Moby Dicks instead of our usual Long Board. I am so glad we did. We sat on the deck which was so beautiful. We had a male server, I cant think of his name but he was fantastic! We ordered the calamari with lemon aioli which was sooo tasty it had us licking the plate! Then for my dinner I ordered the pasta cioppino. I asked the server if he can ask the chef to make it spicy and he definitely delivered! It was so flavorful. It came with a lobster tail, lots of shrimp, and clams. My partner ordered the snapper which he said was a little salty but the sides were good. My sons mac and cheese was also tastey for being a kids meal! Highly recommend this place not just for the amazing service but also for the food and views.

    Shannon W.

    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!

    Butter cake
    Breanna Belcher

    Came here on a Tuesday because we saw their deal of $1.50 oysters during happy hour. I thought I didn't like oysters, well my mind had changed and they're DELICIOUS! We ordered 2 dozen oysters, fried calamari, clam chowder and my husband got shrimp and chips since he doesn't like oysters. Our server was super attentive and sang happy birthday while bringing out a butter cake that I think my table ordered secretly when I went to the restroom. Sitting outdoors overlooking the water as the sun was setting was the perfect way to end our trip to Santa Barbara.

    Winnie T.

    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

    Oysters
    Rodrigo C.

    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

    Brown butter cake... to die for
    Jami S.

    Wonderful service, great food & unbeatable view. Losing 1 star bc the espresso martini was made with regular coffee & it wasn't great. Everything else was absolutely wonderful!

    Rachel M.

    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.

    Seafood Platter
    Thor M.

    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.

    Dragonette rose was really good we went to the winery after trying it.
    Steve O.

    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.

    Happy Hour $1.50 Oysters!!
    Ryan B.

    Great views, really enjoy their Happy Hour at the oyster bar. Franky is great! If your in town visiting a great place to get a feel for the town and catch dinner with a view of the harbor.

    Signage

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Food was great, and the service from Marlin was top shelf! Kind, courteous, funny, and the coffee cup was never empty!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katt O.
    8
    243
    10

    6 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lou D.
    63
    11
    2

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jami S.
    56
    39
    18

    30 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 days ago

    They use AI slop to advertise their food. They use AI slop to advertise their food. They use AI slop to advertise their food.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ryan B.
    1
    24
    23

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 59
    Thanks 23
    Love this 58
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Marina E.
    29
    25
    13

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K T.
    1
    40
    2

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Great service from Everardo. Ask for him when you come to this spot. Solid food. Had clam chowder. fish and chip good stuff

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jean Y.
    259
    1031
    7966

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Matt G.
    283
    690
    3252

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 30

    Moby Dick Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Moby Dick Restaurant

    Are reservations required for dinner?

    You can make reservations on line @ Opentable.com. Reservations are typically good for six or more diners. Of course day and number in the party are always considerations. It is a large restaurant so couples and four tops shouldn't be an issue.

    Is there a Happy Hour?

    Yes we have happy hour Monday - Friday from 3-6 pm with the exception of holidays!

    Is there happy hour during holiday season (January 2nd 2025)? I was notified by my server that they do not have happy hour despite the many signs they had posted outside

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    The Shop Brunch

    The Shop Brunch

    4.3
    (1.5k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Super great atmosphere! Even loved their Spotify playlist while enjoying some truly INCREDIBLE…read morefood! The hostess Elli is so kind and welcoming. The wife and I will definitely becoming back again!

    We stopped at The Shop on N. Milpas for brunch around 10am. There was a small line, but we didn't…read morewait long. The setup is interesting! You order and pay at the counter first, then they seat you and bring everything out. I actually kind of liked being able to sit down and relax without immediately being handed another menu It's a really cute spot with nice outdoor seating, friendly staff, and dogs are welcome. My sister's dog enjoyed brunch from the comfort of his stroller My husband got his usual cold brew and I got a spring water. We shared the avocado toast with egg and bacon added, plus a side of potatoes. The avocado smash was good and the egg was cooked perfectly, but the bread was a little dense for me. Nuzz really enjoyed the bacon. The POTATOES though!! So good. Thinly sliced, thicker than a potato chip, perfectly salted and super crispy. The side portion was generous too. Our total was about $53 for the avocado toast with add-ons, potatoes, cold brew, water and tip. I'm glad we shared because that felt pretty steep for one breakfast! And for my IBS friends Two separate, private all-gender bathrooms with actual doors. No stalls. We love to see it. Overall, cute place, good food and a different brunch experience. Nothing was bad at all, but for the price, I probably wouldn't rush back.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    The Frenchie with Chicken, Chilaquiles, Hibiscus Mimosa and Horchata Latte.
    The Frenchie with Chicken, Chilaquiles, Hibiscus Mimosa and Horchata Latte.
    The Rolex

    See all

    The Rolex
    Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant

    Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant

    3.8
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Such a lovely lunch in Santa Barbara! The outdoor patio is beautiful and charming, and the food was…read moregenuinely delicious. The steak was perfectly cooked, the Eggs Benedict was rich and satisfying, and the pastries were wonderful too. And I have to mention our server -- friendly, attentive, and seriously reminded me of a young Owen Wilson! The blonde curls and that smile definitely made us do a double take. Great food, beautiful atmosphere, wonderful service -- and an unexpected little Hollywood moment. Definitely a memorable Santa Barbara lunch!

    SCORE 0 HEALTH HAZARD 10…read more This is our third time we've had issues with the staff. Today is our last time going here. There was only one person in line and 4 staff members behind the counter standing around talking to each other. Nobody greeted us or asked for our bakery order. When I said excuse me to a dirty blond girl she replied "WHAT!" and continued to joke with a co worker. When the cashier finished with their customer they walked away and even though they saw we were waiting to be helped. I looked around and saw nobody helping seated customers or us at the bakery counter. Finally, the dirty blonde ask what we need and my response was "WHAT" ?! At this point we should have left and gone to Lilac Patisserie however we proceeded to give her our order. I told another customer behind us that rudeness seems to be the norm, and she agreed. I paid for our bakery items and asked an older woman scrolling on her phone if we could have a bag for all of our boxed treats. She grabbed a handful of bags and threw them at me from across the counter. We were appalled and left. We found a place to sit on State street to eat our treats and my daughter said she didn't want her Meringue because the dirty blonde girl used the back of her ungloved hand to repeatedly wipe her nose. We threw all $50 worth of baked goods in the trash. Yes, I should have gone back and complained I'm had everything refunded but it was Mother's Day and we didn't want anything more to do with this establishment. It was also an epiphany that they don't treat everyone this way. It could be you next time. Please go somewhere else. We will never go to anywhere but Lilac Patisserie which is to the left as you exit Andersons, past the stop light. You will definitely get your money's worth and the staff is friendly, professional, and greet you immediately as you reach the counter.

    Photos
    Pastel walls!
    Pastel walls!
    Crab cake Benedict
    Crab cake Benedict
    Turkey club

    See all

    Turkey club
    Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant

    Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant

    4.4
    (738 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    4.5/5 Kind and friendly staff! Amazing food! And…read morepicturesque outdoor seating! Placed right on the beach front, Jeannine's has the perfect combination of ambiance, service, and taste. The wait can be a tad long (but nothing longer than you'd expect for a brunch spot). Instead of placing your name on a waitlist, you stand in line outside along the beach while staff begin handing out menus. Once inside, it's order at the front and self seating afterwards. I highly recommend sitting outside if possible. The calm ocean winds and sunny atmosphere is just perfect for a nice brunch. My table ordered 4 dishes and enjoyed each one. The lemon poppyseed pancake was not too sweet and had paired perfect with the fresh blueberry jam. And the Norwegian benedict was lovely. I would highly recommend these two items! Overall, this is a must-go brunch spot in Santa Barbara.

    I like this place :)…read more The Norwegian Benedict that I have was the best Benedict I've tried! Perfectly poached eggs, lots of smoked salmon , sour cream, sauce- everything on point! The potatoes were also good . The line wasn't that crazy on Monday morning. It's more of like easy going cafe , ones they bring you food , no one is coming back to check on you lol That didn't spoil anything to me. The food worth it, but the service pretty poor. The person that greeds every one is excellent, the one that took the order too, but that ends there . If you need anything later when you sit - you know your own and I mean it lol Came back here second day , set down , we had no utensils at the table , when food was brought to us we asked for it but the waitress never came back . After a few min I walked around looked for a table and picked one . But the fact that she just never came back was pretty disappointing. Today I got a breakfast burrito , which was good. My husband got a protein omelette- disappointment . Had no flavors at all and portion is for a kid lol For $20 you could make more than 2 eggs - come on.

    Photos
    Jeannine's inside. Really cute. This is the second line once you are inside.
    Jeannine's inside. Really cute. This is the second line once you are inside.
    Piña Colada
    Piña Colada
    Norwegian Benedict with rainbow potatoes

    See all

    Norwegian Benedict with rainbow potatoes

    Moby Dick Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...