Amazing bar with a highly skilled bartender (on a Tuesday night) who managed to deliver…read moreconsistently perfect cocktails with zero help, to a crowd. The cocktails are highly creative, diverse in flavor and design, and really could stand up to any you would find at a top cocktail bar in a major city. The exterior doesn't scream "must come in" but you absolutely should. Is it a tiki bar? Yes, but in the best way. And the bartender deserves applause for pulling off 3+ quite complex cocktails every 5 minutes off of memory and without any support.

Test Pilot lands somewhere in the orbit of tiki without fully crash-landing on a bamboo runway, and…read morehonestly, that works in its favor. In a stretch of Lower State packed with breweries, wine bars, and roaming weekend energy-drink humans in vintage bowling shirts, it threads the needle nicely between cocktail bar and tropical escape pod. The menu leans tiki-adjacent rather than deep-cut exotica, but the drinks are smartly built and avoid the "every problem can be solved with more rum" philosophy. There's a solid spread of spirits across the board, which makes the place feel more welcoming to a broader nightlife crowd instead of strictly rum disciples clutching vintage Trader Vic's mugs. The Oaxacan Dead was the standout for me. Smoky, balanced, endlessly sippable. One of those drinks where every sip quietly talks you into ordering another without turning into a sugar avalanche. The Jungle Bird was also great, though presented more in the direction of a Negroni than the punchier tropical versions you usually see. Bitter, restrained, and easy to settle into. Crowd-wise, things tilted a little frat-floaty as the night rolled on, but the staff handled everything smoothly and kept the vibe from turning into full pirate mutiny. Service stayed friendly and composed even when the volume of the room started climbing like a malfunctioning theremin. Big bonus points for the location and outdoor seating. Being right in the middle of Lower State makes it an easy launch point or final stop depending on your evening trajectory. Grab a drink, people-watch, drift between breweries and wine spots, repeat as necessary.

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.

Took my husband here for his birthday & date night with our baby in a stroller and they were really…read moreaccommodating. They seated us outside facing the beach but at the end so we weren't too crowded by other tables. Everything we ate here was good but we HIGHLY recommend the Crazy Rich Asians rolls. So worth the market price. We might just make it a tradition to visit here every SB trip.

Food: We ordered several sushi rolls, edamame, and the puffed rice butter lettuce salad. Food was…read moreamazing! I especially loved the salad, so refreshing! Service: poorer on this end unfortunately. We sat for 15 minutes with no one checking on us or providing water. I had to call for someone. And then one of our drinks was forgotten. And had to call over again to refill waters :/ Ambiance: it's nice especially if you get a table that has the water view. If I visit Santa Barbara again, I'd come back.

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.

Amazing Eggs Benedict! Breakfast potatoes are sliced thin and are soooo yummy! Great view…read more Lovely interior, too.

Very enjoyable ambiance - airy with nice music. Beautiful salads. Wagyu burger fine quality - acrid…read moretaste however, as if charred on a grill that was overdue for cleaning. Gen Z waitstaff launched into specials without warning and when requested to repeat first items to boomers in attendance, told us to listen up as he had four other tables to get too. More funny than anything. Long-ish wait for food but in a pleasant and comfortable setting. Overall a very nice experience and would recommend, minus the suspect grill condition.

If you're looking for a spot this summer with all the vibes, killer margaritas, and delicious food,…read morelook no further than Santo Mezcal in Santa Barbara. My bestie (and yelp elite) Imo brought me here for a girls day after raving about it for months, and now I completely understand the hype. We grabbed seats at the bar (which is honestly the place to be, especially since this spot gets busy on the weekends). Hint hint: make a reservation or get here early. But overall the bar was the perfect place to people watch and to catch up. When it comes to service, impeccable. Despite being busy everyone was attentive and the drinks/food were well placed despite it being a full house. And can we talk about the bartenders? They were so welcoming and even let us film while they worked their magic making cocktails. Watching them crank out cocktails with so much flair was half the entertainment and they couldn't have been nicer. Service was definitely a 10/10. We enjoyed a few margaritas but my favorite was definitely the Hibiscus Margarita. It wasn't overly sweet and was just refreshing. I also had the tamarind Marg which was good too. Extensive cocktail menu and mezcal if you like it. The food absolutely lived up to the drinks. Santo Mezcal takes classic Mexican flavors and gives them a slightly elevated twist while still keeping everything comforting and approachable. My friend couldn't stop talking about her Pork Belly Tacos and I fell in love with the Shrimp Enchiladas. They were loaded with fresh shrimp and covered in the most incredible creamy chipotle sauce (same as their sister restaurant Los agaves for reference). Definitely one of my favorite enchiladas around, 10/10 also. One thing I wasn't expecting is that their chips and salsa might be some of the best I've had. The tortilla chips were fresh, warm, perfectly salted, and paired with a salsa so good I probably ate two bowls before our food even arrived. Honestly, you could sit at the bar with a basket of chips, salsa, and margaritas for hours and be completely happy. Make sure you don't pass up on the chips and salsa. As noted, this is a more elevated Mexican restaurant so prices are slightly more $$$ but you get what you pay for. Just worth noting because if you equate good Mexican food being $2 tacos and a bucket of beer, this spot won't do it for you. But if you want something for more of a special occasion where the food, vibes and service are A+ then this spot is for you.

Found this place off Yelp and have to say, it did not disappoint. It's on the Main Street headed…read moreto the pier so great location. Great place to take a rest and people watch. You get free chips & salsa and they have a variety which is nice. We also asked for a hot one and boy was it hot-habanero. We ordered: -Ceviche de Mariscos- good, refreshing -Pulpo tacos- great flavor, small amount of octopus for the price. The salad with mango dressing is amazing! -tacos rib eye- she loved it -short rib tacos - also enjoyed Service was good. Delicious

Long overdue review for this not so hidden gem…read more Rodeo Room offers amazing craft cocktails, delicious bites, and a killer happy hour 5-6pm. Did you also know there's also omakase? On Sunday (1 seating) and Monday (2 seatings), Rodeo Room transforms into a delicious (and affordable) omakase consisting of delicious bites of sushi and ends with a twist on a bar bite and dessert. Optional cocktail pairing (worth it!). The ambiance gives off a dark classy take on a classic bar setting. Service is friendly and the sushi chef prepares the food right where you can see (depending on where you are seated). I recommend the bar top vs table, unless with a larger group. Limited seating so be sure to make a reso in advance!

Friendly staff Really Dark Room that's still really cute!…read more Cauliflower Tacos recommended and the Laid Back cocktail yummy

Came here for a quick drink and had an amazing time…read more The bartender Chesco was super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I was craving a drink that was not on the menu and he was nice enough to make the drink and it was also DELICIOUS. It was a great drink and a great time, I can't wait to return.

Stopped by Shaker Mill for a quick drink while enjoying a beautiful day in Santa Barbara. The bar…read morehas a cute setup and a nice patio area, which made it a great place to sit outside and relax. There were only two beer options available, as the focus seems to be mostly on mixed drinks and cocktails. I ordered a margarita was a Tajin rim and my husband ordered one of the two beer options. The Tajin was pretty on the glass but I was really hoping for a Tajin rim to enjoy as I sipped in the margarita. The server was friendly, and even though the bar area itself was busy, we were still able to find seating on the patio. Prices were about what you'd expect for the area. Overall, it's a nice spot to grab a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.