Was in Santa Barbara for a wedding last wknd and had walked by Paloma thinking it was beautiful restaurant and we ended up having dinner there. The sun hit so well in the evening and the main reason I'm writing this review is for Ben the bartender. Daaaaamn this kid was holding it down the entire evening. I must've had six different drinks and all of them were phenomenal creations. He was just cool charismatic individual and expert in liquor. I suggest you seek him out if visiting. read more

Have always loved the outdoor patio seating. Many years ago this was Paradise Cafe, La Paloma Cafe is doing it right! Enjoyed the Farmers Market Yogurt Parfait and Shrimp Cornbread Benedict with a tasty Bloody Mary. FYI - no gluten-bread to substitute read more

Paloma - Smashed potatoes and Shrimp & cornbread Benedict - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I was up in SB for my birthday and my friend treated me to dinner here - we both loved it! The tuna poke was sooo fresh and tasty - loved the sesame dressing that it came tossed into. We also had the delish potato and zucchini fried tacos which was also a huge hit for us - and I'm sure the vegetarians would love them! My fav was hand-down the santa maria style wagyu tri-tip which was cooked perfectly - a must order! It's also a lovely space w a beautiful outdoor patio - nice for a date or a GNO! read more

Absolutely love their "kids eat free" Sunday brunch offer. For that reason alone, I try to come here as often as I can to support such a family friendly business. I haven't even made it to the brunch with my toddler yet! Easy choice when their food is so high quality and delicious. read more

My wife and I had a more or less perfect meal here. We started with oysters and the cauliflower with tahini sauce. The tritip was fantastic and hearty - we split the plate. It's the first tritip I've tried locally that challenges Barbareño's smoked tritip, which until Paloma was my favorite. And the semifreddo strawberry ice cream was divine. read more

We just hosted our wedding reception at La Paloma Cafe over Labor Day Weekend and it was simply amazing. We had a reception for 54 people out on the back patio and it was perfect. It was such a beautiful space and fit our needs exactly. Working with Megan was a great experience and she made everything very easy for us. She was very accommodating and informative and was willing to work with us on our various needs and requests. On the event day, the space was set up perfectly - exactly according to our specs. The food was AMAZING - we got so many compliments on everything, especially the brussel sprouts and hominy. The drinks were superb - especially the margaritas - and the wait staff was so patient, kind and responsive. I'm so so glad we went with La Paloma. It was perfect for our wedding. We can't wait to come back and visit again so we can have another meal here and relive our special night. read more

Our second time at La Paloma was for Mother's Day brunch. We sat on the lovely patio. We enjoyed Chef Parker's terrific creations, and Beth's wonderful drinks, the Paloma is very refreshing, and the old-fashioned is delicious. Beth was also our server and was not only attentive but knowledgeable about everything we needed to know. Our first time at La Paloma was for our granddaughter's 5th birthday. We had 8 in our party and experienced everything I mentioned above. This first experience made it for a strong desire to return. read more

Always like going here. We don't get there enough. Drinks, service, and food are always spot on. You should give it a try if you haven't yet. We make it a pre concert stop before heading to the bowl. read more

Super cute outdoor and indoor seating. Friendly staff. Simple but flavorful menu. I ordered their famous tri tip plate but it wasn't the greatest. It needed more flavor and the meat wasn't soft and tender as you'd expect for the price point. The horchata is probably the best I've ever had! They have really good desserts including spiced horchata! I LOVE their ceviche style ground beef appetizer. It's so amazing I don't know how they do it but I want a huge bowl of it. read more

Paloma - Hello tri tip - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was super excited to come here. The ambience and location is nice. Our waitress was pleasant. Now what I didn't like was my watered down margarita. The salmon fries were unique and delicious but very misleading you only get two fries. The soup was delicious. I left wanting more but I ran out of options because there were no other dairy free savory options. read more

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I loved the food, service and ambiance of this place. I was there for a wedding at the Santa Barbara courthouse. Afterwards, we met at La Paloma, a short 4 blocks away for a fantastic menu of their signature tequila drink, cornbread, scrambled eggs, salad, egg sandwich with bacon, French toast, churros and coffee. Everybody raved about the food!! Our group sat outside in the covered patio. Big shoutout to the servers! A wonderful experience on an epic day! read more

Visited Paloma cafe after a graduation ceremony at UCSB. We ran about 45 mins late and they kept our table. Their menu was limited but all the items sounded so delicious. I wanted to try the breakfast tacos but they were out. So decided to go for the burnt ends bowl topped with an egg ($22+3). The bowl wasn't huge and maybe I expected something bigger however it was tasty and was a great combination of flavors. The burnt ends were nice and meaty. My son got the eggs and bacon which was four strips of bacon and two eggs with fingerling potatoes. We sat outside which on a sunny day it is a nice treat. Highly recommended and will stop by next time we are in SB. read more

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i came here with my boyfriend a bit ago and it was delicious!! the restaurant was gorgeous!! i loved how pretty it was. the tables were nicely decorated, everything was spotless, and it looked like a movie set! my issue with this place has nothing to do with the chefs and everything to do with the service. we were standing waiting for someone to seat us for a bit but we figured it was busy--it was. people kept walking by, staff kept looking, and we were so confused. a condescending mid-thirty year old (being generous) with a tacky blouse side eyed us when she saw us waiting and FINALLY put our name down, gave us a 30 minute wait time, and then briskly walked away. ok cool wtv it's fine. we walk around for a while, no text. we come back and sit on the bench outside and we watch another couple walk up, are immediately greeted, ask for a table for two, and get it right away. my boyfriend and i watch all of this unfold. it wasn't until the tacky lady from earlier saw us see that interaction from the bench we were sitting at and then decided that THAT would be when we would be seated. never got a text that our table was ready btw. we were seated on the balcony area near the stairs outside and the view was cute! the street isn't the prettiest but the ambiance of the restaurant was appealing and very clean :) i loved the atmosphere. there was a consistent color palette going on and it was giving trendy meets millennial pinterest board (not a bad thing). we were waiting a while for someone to get our drinks and finally someone did. idk who this man was but he looked like brad leone from bon appetit nonchalantly asks us with the blankest of faces, "you want water?" right when we said yes, he had already started walking away, but i was going to ask for a lemonade before he so rudely walked away. when i did ask, he made it seem like i was asking him something outlandish or some tedious task for him to do. we get our drinks, he takes our orders and we get the food right away and then that's it... but it's not dun dun dunnnn :0 my boyfriend and i notice another couple sitting at the table across from us by the window, next to the door (beautiful couple, i loved her dress). we people watch and we notice how tentative the server is. being so giddy, so polite, even cracking some jokes and making himself laugh. what we found interesting was when the boyfriend went to the bathroom, brad leone comes back to the table and is glued to that table talking to that poor poor pretty girl. she looked uncomfortable, he looked like he was attempting to swoon her with his magical beanie and overgrown stubble. he comes back to us, takes our plates, not a single word aside from "i'll take that for you". and then walks off. we get the bill, get out of there, and that debrief session on the walk back was juicy. we never got his name by the way. he never introduced himself or made us feel welcomed and you'd think he would considering the prices. overall, restaurant is amazing and their drinks are so good! the food even better. i wish i could've enjoyed it more but the service was truly hindering the entire experience. i've worked in food service and i understand talking to customers can be a drag and sometimes i don't even want to entertain them, but being treated like a human is just common decency. talk to me like im a person and i will write a review on yelp about you like a person. safe to say we won't be coming back, however we enjoyed the food! get the chilaquiles they're actually so good and would get that again if i ever stumble across this place again. thanks for reading my internet rant xoxo. i hope these people don't get in trouble, i just hope they are nicer to people :( i've never been so dehumanized or talked down to so aggressively and it was really disappointing. my boyfriend put in a lot of work to take me out on a nice date and it was really sad seeing him annoyed because of how we were treated or how we were being talked to. we're not karen's in the slightest and just let it go because maybe they were having a bad day or maybe we just went to this place at the wrong time. whatever it is, i hope these person reading this doesn't have the same experience as me and i really hope that this doesn't happen again to anyone! have a nice day reader :D read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I'm so glad we finally got the chance. I'd definitely say this is the kind of place you can do tapas style sharing of plates. We came on a very very busy day, we had made a reservation but there was still a backup on the kitchens end. I wish all restaurants could take note from this staff because we were checked in on heartily while we waited for our food, giving us updates on our order, making sure we had water/drinks and were content at our table in the mean time. The food was also very much worth the wait, we got the tomato tartine, zucchini & burrata, tri tip, and fries. For the two of us it was plenty of food. The couple of cocktails we tried were also very good, especially the coffee cocktail i had. I really love that they have a seasonal menu so you could come here and try something different every time. Overall stellar service, food and drinks. We look forward to coming back to try the bunch menu! read more

Paloma - Fries, tomato tartine, zucchini and burrata.. old fashion and coffee cocktail (don't remember the name of the coffee cocktail) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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La Paloma is my go to date night spot in Santa Barbara. I love their cocktails, NA options, and both their lunch and dinner menus. The team is very welcoming and knowledgeable as well. If you go, try the tri tip! read more

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Had a couple happy hour drinks and appetizers in the bar area. Everything was so good and the quality is top notch. All the staff was really helpful and nice. I will be back :) read more

Paloma - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My wife pre reserved a table for 12 adults and 2 toddlers for brunch this month on a Sunday after my infant son's baptism. The staff was courteous and accommodating. Coral helped us with the reservation communications and seating. Keygan (sp?) was our server that day. He was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly with our guests. The food was delicious, brunch menu had variety, but not too much, which was nice and the drinks were great. It was especially a nice surprise to see that young children (toddlers) had an item they could order (complimentary) when the parents ordered an item. That's a nice add and hopefully stays on the menu! I liked the atmosphere and outdoor seating. I also liked that the bill didn't have auto gratuity for this larger group reservation. It made me want to tip more. The service was exceptional and the people were great. read more

Bring back the old menu. Bring back the old staff. Service is a disaster. Lost all of its charm along with its taste.

Haliyah curated a wonderful experience for our friend's birthday. She had great suggestions for the food and was very attentive. La Paloma is the place to go for a night out. read more

We were anticipating a fun and fabulous Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara and knew that the comfy-cozy patio at La Paloma would be THE place to be . . . and sure enough we were right. With their wide selections of wine, cocktails and beer, being on the patio was all the more fun. Our server Miles was there to make sure we got our dining experience started promptly, and his drink and food recommendations were spot-on once he heard what we all enjoyed. We can't thank him enough for being so kind and hospitable. As we could hear the Mariachi Music coming from State Street, and the rock 'n roll from De La Guerra Plaza, we explored the House Cocktails and Specialty Margaritas, all of which were delicious. Top favorites were the La Paloma and Hibiscus Margarita. For starters we devoured the Crispy Brussels, Vegetable Pozole Verde, and La Paloma Salad. Miles kept the evening flowing nicely and his recommendations of Santa Maria Style Snake River Farm Wagyu Tri-tip, Pork Shoulder Carnitas, and Crispy Cauliflower and Potato "Chorizo" Tacos were excellent. And didn't want to miss out on the sides, Hominy and Cheese Casserole, CA Red Chile Rice, and Slow Cooked Local Pinquinto Beans. Yes, this sounds like a lot of food, but as shared plates we all enjoyed each dish equally. Definitely will make a reservation for any upcoming special occasion events. And remember to make reservations. You don't want to miss out. read more

La Paloma went above and beyond to make our wedding day reception memorable. From the service the decor the food everything was amazing!! The staff, manager, and chef did a great job checking in on us congratulating us and making sure everything was perfect. We couldn't have chosen a better restaurant for our wedding day. Thank you La Paloma Cafe for a very special day!! We look forward to dinning here again in the future. read more

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First of all the place is really clean , nice and nice ambiance . Our server and all of them are very nice and vey welcoming and warm the food is great and very well plated When I'm in Santa Barbara I'll deffo comeback !!!! read more

I didn't know it is closed between 2:30 - 5 pm. I arrived at 3 pm and had a long time window shopping on State street. And of course I might be the first one who had a fabulous dinner at 5pm that night. I tried the entree swordfish and the drink aqua fresca. Everything was great! My server Christine was nice and energetic. The vibe was good and there was an igniting candle on every table. Maybe next time I will try the tri-tip which is absolutely my favorite. read more

Paloma - Swordfish - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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La Paloma is a nice, casual restaurant near downtown Santa Barbara where you can have a nice spritz or two along with some elevated fare while enjoying the Santa Barbara weather outside. We stopped by a bit before closing and were able to snag a table outside. Spritzes were refreshing and easy to drink. For a snack, we got their smoked salmon fries - wasn't sure what I was expecting, but we got a decent amount of salmon slices on top of their thick fries. Was still an enjoyable eat. Service was topnotch. There's some street parking or public parking lots across the street. read more

I've been coming here for my lunch breaks as I am walking distance from here. Always had good service and speedy service so this is not a service complaint. I was absolutely obsessed with their Ortega smash burgers. I had it about 3-4 times and even brought my co workers to try it and they all loved it. I even really enjoyed their chicken Cesar wraps when I'm trying to eat healthier. But now they changed the chef... and okay props to him he made the chicken Cesar wrap taste better I love the added corn bread crotons but the old version was still good too because they used arugula in the old version wrap but the new wrap has avocado and I love. BUT HE CHANGED THE BURGER. I felt like the old burger was perfect in flavor and texture and it was so rich in flavor.. honestly crafted perfection. This new burger was slimy, hard on the outside flavorless and really hard to eat because they put so many onions and I love onions but this was just a mess and I don't care if my food doesn't look good but it tasted horrible I never felt so disappointed because I've always admired their Ortega smash burger so I assumed this newer style Paloma burger though it had different ingredients I assumed it would still be good in flavor, texture, and looks. It wasn't. It was also cooked rare and very bloody. I wish I went to in & out or even Mccdonalds for a burger. Waste of $30. Fries were good but you have to pay extra where the old burger came with 2-3 potato wedges and it was more portion controlled but anyways I hope they change the way they make their burgers or call the old chef and ask him how to create the original Ortega smash burger. For now I'll stick to my chicken Cesar wraps... read more

Paloma - Burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Overall pretty solid for a dinner date. Food was good (there's a very good reason why the brussel sprouts and waygu are so heavily pictured in all the reviews.) I made a reservation on the same day and was seated upon arrival. Service was nice. My only regret is not requesting a patio table. It was a really lovely summer night and it would have been nice to have taken advantage of the weather and outdoor ambiance. read more

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Wonderful all the way through! Our dog get salmon skin treats we had amazing margaritas and don't miss the Brussels Sprouts!! We will be back! read more

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Pros: -Amazing outdoor seating setup with greenery all around and plenty of seating outside -Conveniently right across from Tesla Superchargers Cons: -Limited menu, especially for vegetarians. Even the beans have meat in them! There is literally no entree for a vegetarian. You're stuck with salads pretty much -Mediocre service for the price -For a place that has "Cafe" in their name, all they had to offer was drip coffee We were enticed by their outdoor seating setup since it was a nice day outside and we had our dogs with us. Thought there would be more options for making things vegetarian but there weren't really. Sad because the ambiance outside is great! By the way, the Burnt Ends Bowl, which is apparently what they're most known for, was okay. Some of the meat was not tender enough and difficult to chew. For the price point, I would say it was not worth the visit. read more

Decent food with ok prices . Guacamole good. Chip's and salsa good. Fajitas pretty good. Margaritas good. Pina colada not good. Service ok. Outside seating. read more

Went there for brunch on Sunday. The ambiance is stunning and the food was delicious. I had the smashed crispy breakfast potatoes. However, on the menu it says it comes with a fried egg, mine did not. Unsure if that was a kitchen mistake or a menu mistake? But the hollandaise sauce was divine. My daughter had the avocado toast with the bacon on the side, as she doesn't eat that. The bacon came as bacon bits rather than bacon strips. But she enjoyed her toast as well. Nice visit, a bit cramped on the patio but still fun. read more

Had lunch here yesterday. A beautiful patio, the service was very friendly and welcoming, and I very much enjoyed my grapefruit spritz. The Brussels sprout starter was excellent and I loved my ranchero salad with burnt tri-tip ends. My husband ordered the tuna melt which was not at all like a classic deli tuna melt, the tuna was a little too fishy for him but probably suited to more gourmand tastes than ours. (Some things we just want the classic version of, is what I'm saying.) Still, a delightful spot and glad we tried it. read more

Wow. I have no words. This was truly one of the best dinning experiences I have had in a long time. If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would!!! If you are a local or just visiting town, La Paloma is a MUST! We went here on a weekday for my friend's birthday and upon being seated, were given complimentary drinks in champagne flutes and a handwritten birthday card. A few people in our party have severe food allergies (which was noted upon making the reservation) and the staff went above and beyond to accommodate them. This is one of the few restaurants I have been to where dietary restrictions are treated as a priority and not as an inconvenience. All of the dishes we ordered were fresh and packed with flavor. Being vegetarian, if there is anything I can recommend it would be Brussels sprouts and the crispy potato tacos. Definitely on the pricier side but worth every penny! Go to La Paloma!!! You will not regret it!! read more

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Always a a great time here. We have tried morning breakfast with Mirmosas and now HAPPY HOUR! We sat at the bar area this time. Our drinks were very tasty. Atmosphere was pleasant. Hospitality was great, we are definitely coming back again! read more

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Today I'm celebrating Thankful Thursday by giving 5 stars to this local restaurant formerly known as the historical Paradise Cafe. I came here with my cousins mainly for a drink, because they had already eaten. But we decided to order their pozole and avocado tostada. The outdoor seating on the patio is quaint and inviting. The bar inside is open for happy hour and has reasonable seating. Our waitress Kaila was very informative and knowledgeable about the drinks and menu. She tended to us frequently and had great suggestions for drinks! I was very impressed with her service, and for that I am thankful. The pozole was a nice hearty serving and had a poached egg, which I've never seen in a traditional pozole. That was a nice surprise and kicked it up a notch. Even though it was meatless, it was still satisfying. The weather was cold, so it was the perfect option to warm up. The avocado tostada was a different spin as opposed to the avocado toast. A nice little snack to munch on. They offer oak-grilled meats and use seasonal produce. The food here is considered to be "Ranchero" cuisine with Mexican, Spanish, and chumash influenced dishes. Think cowboy dishes, that is the theme here. Happy Hour is 4pm-6pm on the weekdays, but only available at the bar. Brunch is offered on the weekends from 10:30am-1:30pm. I would recommend reservations if you're coming with a big party. Overall, we had a nice time here and the service was great! I am looking forward to coming back to try more items on the menu and checking out their happy hour. read more

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Arrived at 8:45 without a reservation since they had every time slot open on OpenTable. Had 3 hosts greet us (party of 2) within seconds and seated quickly. The restaurant was pretty dead, but there were quite a lot of staff floating around since they must have had a party/event a bit earlier. We were one of three tables on the top deck (I think like two or three 2-tops on the lower deck). Sat there 15 minutes and never got a server even after mentioning it to the hostess and water guy that finally came after 10+ minutes. Ending up leaving because it was absolutely ridiculous watching the 8-top near us get drinks from 3 different staff and not a single one stopped to greet us or ask for drinks as they passed us. Only giving a second star because it used to be decent. But honestly this place sucks now. They stopped doing complimentary duros before the meal and stopped doing the baked fish skins for dogs. The menu is tiny and every time they add anything decent (like the macaroni and cheese which was amazing) they end up taking it off the menu not long later. And the items they've had on the menu keep getting smaller and the prices keep getting higher. The tri tip used to be their star dish but it's fatty and flavorless the past few times we've gone. All in all, Paloma is a massive L anymore. It's really a shame since we live only a block away and would go here all the time if they didn't suck. read more

(Overall: 82% | B) - La Paloma is a restaurant with a beautiful patio to take advantage of the spring time sun! I ordered the Almond Waffle, which is paired with a chicken hash, smoked maple, and creme fraiche. The play on chicken and waffles was quite intriguing and I thought it was quite smart to use the chicken skin for texture. Some areas of improvement I found was that the creme fraiche was sour and very overpowering with respect to the rest of the dish, and I felt like the dish could be elevated with some source of freshness. Furthermore, the service was slow in every aspect possible from order taking to printing the bill, despite it not looking particularly understaffed. read more

Paloma - Almond Flour Waffle. 4/5. A bit too sour. IG: @amei.eats - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Check out this spot during happy hour. And Food was not great besides their tater tots and extremely overpriced for the size portions. It was so loud you couldn't hear yourself even breath def needs to improve their bar area for sound. It was a cute spot. We tried their taco $10 for one and it was over smoked. Their Brussels were decent but I ended up with heart burn. Service was decent. Now I don't know about their drinks but looking at the menu and those that walked in and left after their first drink said a lot. read more

I have been wanting to try this spot for a while! Well Friday night we finally made it there. I love the remodel, so open and airy!! To start off they give you these wheels of crunchy goodness. They kind of look like chicarones but they made with wheat and spices. Very addictive, think elevated Funyun. We order the shishitos to start so good!! Had pieces of corn and a garlic aioli , yum! Veggie posole, good sized bowl and tasty! Santa Maria Trtip. This was very good but the portion is a bit small for the price. But not to fear we way over ordered with adding the coleslaw dressed in a chipotle ranch and a cheesy hominy casserole. Everything was delicious. Drinks looked amazing, but we were not imbibing so we had some soda waters with bitters. Still a great drink! I also saw a lot of other dishes pass our table so we will return to try more selections. read more

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My wife and I went to La Paloma in Santa Barbara again last night. It had been a few months since our last visit from Colorado and we had looked forward to visiting the restaurant again. It did not disappoint!! We chose to eat on their patio deck where we had seen a StarLink rocket blast off right in front of us last time. The temperature of the evening was perfect and the ambience was wonderful. We made a couple fun selections from their cocktail menu and a couple starters which were excellent. Everything they served was beautifully presented, exactly as we wanted and tasted fantastic. The server was exceptional. This is one of our very favorite restaurants in beautiful Santa Barbara and it gets our highest recommendation! Thank you La Paloma for a beautiful evening! read more

I've been to La Paloma many times, mostly for dinner but also for brunch. I love it EVERY time and can't believe I haven't reviewed before today! First of all, the ambiance is fantastic. A beautiful restaurant with a gorgeous setup and aesthetic both inside and out. The patios are open but comfortable and sheltered, and warmed by heat lamps even during winter. There are greenery and flowers everywhere making it feel like you're eating in a garden. The service is impeccable (like all of Acme's restaurants) and we've only had excellent experiences with the folks who work there. We always find easy street parking nearby and that's never been an issue...there is also a pay lot across the street. The food is SO good. The menu seems small to some (my husband worried about this) but there are so many goodies on it. We love eating family style to be able to try a bit of all the things. We really jumped into our meal this time so I didn't get pictures of everything but we had the Brussels (OMG), JT's salad, bread pudding, and chocolate tart, in addition to those dishes pictured and it was all delicious. (We were also celebrating a birthday and we're gifted the bread pudding and some bubbly...the sweetest!) Love this restaurant for special occasions, birthdays, and book club meet ups. Can't wait to visit again. read more

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