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    Riviera Bar

    4.4 (67 reviews)

    Riviera Bar Photos

    RIVIERA BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Street view
    Roy A.

    Cozy ambiance in a historical building. Enjoyed a variety of apps with artisanal cock and mocktails including eggsellent deviled eggs with toast, home fries with dip and tangy Caesar. Efficient service.

    Dark vibe
    K M.

    Great service. I requested to have the croquettes fried in tallow instead of canola oil and they said no problem. Those were tasty. The burger was good, not the best I've ever had but no complaints. The tallow fries were good and the main reason I stopped in to try them. My water was filled several times during my visit. The vibe is dark inside and cozy. Would be good for a date spot.

    The bar
    Wendy N.

    It's always a shock when a dive bar gets bought by new owners and "gentrified". Although I have fond memories of drunken nights at the Sportsman (the former bar at this location), they did a nice job with this remake. It's still dark... but very clean with nice lighting and wall decor. Our friend had the double cheeseburger and raved about it. We just had a cocktail but it was well made and tasty. Thumbs up! I'll be back.

    Steak
    Raymond V.

    Thank you for keeping it professional, I know we were a handful. I came here on my birthday, our server was awesome. I asked a bunch of dumb questions and she tolerated me. I would like to say they have the best steak in town. It was so good I ordered it twice. I also love the vibe in there. Was giving old school classy American diner theme.

    Anne G.

    Great new bar downtown. What was once a run down dive bar is now a swanky, cool bar! Light and airy the remodel is gorgeous! Really great staff and tasty cocktails. We had dinner plans somewhere else so it was a quick stop, but the bartender made us feel like locals and the drinks were stellar! We will be back to try the food which looked really good!

    Double cheese burger, tempura green beans, fries

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    3 years ago

    Great cocktails. Good gastropub menu. Friendly staff. Feels more easy coasty than Santa Bárbara. Which can be a very nice change

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    5 years ago

    Great drinks, great food, great vibes. Highly recommend the tempura green beans and margaritas. Fun staff.

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    Dusk Bar - Gin martini ($13 on Happy Hour)

    Dusk Bar

    4.5(71 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Oysters hh 2 for 5 Drinks were about 10 to 12 each…read moreTheir paloma was great Not a whole lotta food options during happy hour fyi

    For some reason, this is considered the top cocktail bar in downtown Santa Barbara, however, we…read morefound the experience underwhelming and the service remarkably slow and unenthusiastic. When we arrived on a Tuesday evening, there were about seven patrons throughout the bar and the outdoor seating area with the live music drew us in. We were told to order at the bar, so while the rest of our party was seated, I stood there for five minutes before someone took my order. Totally fine, but no sorry for the wait or even smile or any warmth from the male bartender, who disappeared for a five minute break shortly after taking my order. The tables at the outdoor seating area were very sticky and since there were no employees in sight I (and the other patrons who arrived then) cleaned the tables ourselves. After waiting 10 minutes I went up to the bar and assumed since our drinks hadn't been delivered, I was supposed to pick them up, I was told don't worry, we'll bring them to you, and after another five minutes, our drinks arrived. The cocktails were decent, nothing revolutionary but I am spoiled in this department, well made but nothing to get excited about . After 30 minutes of enjoying the genuinely nice outdoor area we ordered another round, three shots took another 10+ minutes. When we realized we had to leave to make our reservation, we asked for a box for our untouched food, and we were told we don't have boxes. They ended up finding one for For us, but it appeared to be a pastry box from somewhere else. The female bartender who took over after the male clocked out, was much more personable, but not much more efficient. To their credit, this bar has an excellent selection of tequilas and Mezcal's, so if you're not in a rush and you enjoy those spirits it's definitely worth stopping by. The music was really great and was definitely the highlight of that bar.

    Photos
    Dusk Bar - Pleasant decor

    Pleasant decor

    Dusk Bar
    Dusk Bar - Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned

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    Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned

    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    3.8(107 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    I absolutely loved Pearl Social and kudos to my friend Jara S. For highlighting them and for the…read morestellar drink recommendation. Pearl social is such a whimsical fun spot to grab a drink and a snack in the funk zone. We stumbled in for a late afternoon drink and it wasn't very busy inside - giving off "best kept secret vibe". The decor is very feminine yet playful. Loved the design and bar area. We opted for a casual booth area by the bar which was really nice. Also all of the little things were done well, crisp menus, clean bathrooms, and music done at just the right sound level. Their menu in the bar area for food is small but mighty - oysters, cheese plates, you name it. I'm definitely going to keep coming here for the cocktails. I've had one of the best sips in 2025 here - which would be The Mixtape cocktail. My friend told me I had to get it and I'm so glad I listen sometimes lol. This cocktail completely blew me away. Passionfruit forward, it's silky, sweet yet very well balanced. One of the more unique and tasty cocktails I've had ever and honestly I'm not sure how I could come back and get anything else. 10/10 Cocktail and menu. Super impressed. Kudos to Mark who was working the bar. Such a lovely spirit and kind person. He really is passionate about his menu and the drinks he's curated. Loved talking to him as we got to know a lot more about Pearl social and how some of their drinks were concerted. Really appreciated his time and expertise. Anytime I'm in the funk zone I will 100% be stopping back by here for a cocktail and good vibes.

    Came by here on Valentines day to have a couple drinks. Place is beautiful and the vibe is very…read morechill and relaxing. Took a minute to get some service unfortunately. The drinks were well made and we ordered the charcuterie board to eat. Small place, small menu FYI. Overall not a bad little spot to hang out and catch up with friends or bring a date.

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    Pearl Social Cocktail Club - Cute decor!

    Cute decor!

    Pearl Social Cocktail Club
    Pearl Social Cocktail Club - Accident in paradise and Stay Ready cocktails.

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    Accident in paradise and Stay Ready cocktails.

    Finney's Crafthouse - Jalapeno Egg Burger

    Finney's Crafthouse

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    We went to Finney's Craft House in Santa Barbara and had such a fun dinner! The vibe was energetic…read moreand lively, and our waitress was great and super attentive. We clearly came hungry We ordered the poke nachos, avocado egg rolls, spicy tuna crispy rice, yuzu buffalo boneless wings, crispy coconut shrimp, fries, and the prosciutto and arugula flatbread. Everything was fresh and really good, elevated bar food with lots to choose from. The spicy tuna crispy rice was probably my favorite! My sister LOVED the avocado egg rolls, which have mango in them and were definitely a fun twist. The only thing I probably wouldn't order again was the prosciutto and arugula flatbread. The prosciutto was sliced pretty thick and cooked almost like bacon, which just wasn't what I was expecting. And the margaritas!! We tried the skinny, guava, and spicy mango and ALL three were excellent. I also loved being able to split and pay the bill ourselves on the little kiosk at the table. No waiting around for the check, which is such a nice touch! Fun atmosphere, great service, good food and EXCELLENT margaritas. I would definitely come back! Only took pictures of the drinks because we were too hungry lol.

    Prosciutto and arugula pizza (1/5) wasn't a quite what I was expecting. It is more like a bacon and…read morearugula pizza--the prosciutto was cooked. It is topped with shredded cheese, but the cheese is...firm? Sweet potato fries are perfectly crispy and salted!

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    Finney's Crafthouse - Happy Hour Time

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    Finney's Crafthouse - Bacon & Blue Burger

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    Finney's Crafthouse - Stearns Wharf

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    Stearns Wharf

    Cutler's Artisan Spirits

    Cutler's Artisan Spirits

    4.4(67 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Cutlers was such a fun experience. They've got a cute patio area that is decorated well and they've…read moregot a small menu of cocktails. I had the apple pie mood lifter it was perfect for a warm summer day. It tasted like apple pie! And my hubby got a Negroni, which was very good. We ended up also getting a shot of the cold brew liquor and ended up taking a bottle of that home. We will definitely be back!!

    After a sweet drink, at a bar nearby, I was seeking something less sweet- thus we headed over to…read moreCutler's for a drink or two. This location is in the heart of the Funk Zone near the pier in Santa Barbara. When we approached the location, we saw that they were only offering drinks outside on the patio- as the temps were ok on Saturday in early September, we felt ok sitting on a small patio on lounge chairs with relaxing music in the background. The patio is in the back of Cutler's that can be entered around the corner (map on the front door of Cutler's shows the directions). The patio is next to other tasting room patios featuring wine and next door to Lark's restaurant. When we visited the tasting room at about 3pm in the afternoon, we were the only individuals there but started to fill up with other small groups. When a large group entered, the waitress said you will need a reservation as she was only wait staff there. Perhaps a sign is needed to notify people, that groups need reservations. The drinks were spot on- the drinks started at 14 dollars to about 16 dollars for cocktails. The tasting room also offers tastings of their products too. The tastings looked small. The cocktails were well poured. I was just disappointed to find out that I could not get a Bloody Mary on a Saturday- only Sundays- the Bloody Mary looked really good. If you are done with wine, and seeking something different, come relax on the patio here if your vibe is a low key environment with solid distillery cocktails.

    Photos
    Cutler's Artisan Spirits - Our cocktails

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    Cutler's Artisan Spirits - 33 Bourbon and a shot of their Cold brew coffee liqueur.

    33 Bourbon and a shot of their Cold brew coffee liqueur.

    Cutler's Artisan Spirits - Signage on patio

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    Signage on patio

    Oku - Santa Barbara's premier waterfront restaurant

    Oku

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$
    Rooftop seating
    Gluten-free friendly

    Food was excellent and our server was just lovely. There was a small hiccup in our experience that…read moreshe handled as best she could within her level of experience (saying this in a positive way), and then the manager came in and was insanely gracious in all respects. Most impressive to me was that as much as she wanted to take care of us as her customers, the manager seemed equally dedicated to taking care of her server and staff. Huge respect and appreciation to both our sweet server and the woman leading such a strong team this evening

    Made a reservation about three hours before since my boyfriend and I were coming down from the SLO…read morearea. I had requested to sit next to him in my comments, when we got there the hostess immediately acknowledged it and asked if we were okay sitting on a love seat with a small table in front of us. Another hostess brought us to the rooftop right away and sat us in the loveseat spot. Honestly one of the best seats if they just had a slightly bigger table. But that's only because we order a lot of food, luckily there was a big side thing and I could put my stuff there and empty dishes! We had a cotton candy sunset so I couldn't have asked for a better spot, hostess was very sweet in accommodating us the best we could! I understand needing to sit two people at two tops and not at four tops. Service - our server, Aubrey(?), very sweet she looks like Sansa from GOT. Loved her sweet energy and helping us decide on what we wanted. She never rushed us and came to check on us a healthy amount! Other people came to refill waters and take dishes away. It was kind of funny because we would kind of whisper to each other like where's our hot sake or like we need some more water and it's like they had a microphone at our table and it would literally appear a second later hahaha that was awesome! Service was on point. Food - shishito peppers: so so good. That yuzu lemon flavor with the char .. amazing. I wish every shishito pepper was spicy but when you do find a spicy one, so tasty! Firecracker shrimp - bf and I appreciated the crispness, but idk why we thought it would be spicy haha it was good with both sauces! It's I think a spicy mayo and tamarind sauce. They put both on the side for you to try separately and then together. We both liked the sauces together! The shrimp was very crispy and we really loved that. Toro/seared salmon belly sushi - melt in your mouth, salmon wasn't fishy, can't complain! Crouching tiger roll - it was delicious and honestly loved how perfectly equal the pieces were.. I hate the "butts" but there were not butts! Crazy! Loved it but there was a slight need for lemon or something to cut the heaviness but other that very good Ribeye - delicious! Perfect amount to share between my bf and I, was a little more medium rare than medium but it was good for us to take home and cook a lil more! Overall amazing experience, great staff and delicious food!

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    Oku - Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!

    Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!

    Oku - Yellowtail Carpaccio paired with Sakuna Rose Sake

    Yellowtail Carpaccio paired with Sakuna Rose Sake

    Oku - Way of the Dragon Roll and Piranha Roll. Paired with unfiltered Momo Kawa Sake!

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    Way of the Dragon Roll and Piranha Roll. Paired with unfiltered Momo Kawa Sake!

    Riviera Bar - wine_bars - Updated September 2026

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