Three of us stopped in for dinner on a July trip that included Santa Barbara, and the FisHouse ended up being the highlight of the trip. Parking was easy, and having a reservation meant we were seated right away. The room has a warm, relaxed feel, and the staff were friendly and on top of things without hovering. I had the cioppino and it was excellent -- real depth to the broth and the seafood tasted about as fresh as it gets. The best surprise came with dessert, when one of the owners stopped by our table. She was genuinely engaging and shared some of the restaurant's history, including how a fire at Stearns Wharf led them to this location. That kind of hospitality sticks with you. All three of us left happy. Five stars. read more

Great place. The food was awesome, and Ava the bartender was friendly and fun. Excellent service. We returned three times to try different options. The Ahi Poke, Oysters and lobster tacos are so good. We will be back. read more

Came for happy hour, staff got us seated right away even thought it was super busy! Loved the beach view, highly recommend sitting on the patio! Pork belly tacos were super yummy, had a good happy hour menu with lots of choices! read more

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FisHouse is one of my favorite places in SB for a late night happy hour. They have happy hour on weekdays 4 pm to close! Happy hour is in their dedicated happy hour bar area, which is a casual bar area with high top tables and TVs to watch sports. They also have a patio out back if you prefer to people watch or soak in the ocean air! Service is always prompt and friendly, even though it's happy hour. Now for the important stuff. The food! Fried Calamari - 5/5 - My absolute favorite! I get it each time. Generous, shareable size. $15. Rockfish Ceviche - 4/5 - Excellent but not the best I've had. Good portion. $15. Oysters - 4/5 - Always a hit, but pricier than other HHs in town. 3 for $9. Key Lime Martini - 5/5 - True to the description! Sweet and comes with a pie crust flavored rim. My only complaint is how much they've raised the prices over the years. However, I do still love how much variety they still have on their menu, and how late their happy hour runs compared to others in town. I will always have a special sweet spot for this place. read more

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Date night at Fish House SB for happy hour and it did not disappoint. Solid draft beer specials and cocktails to get things going. We kicked it off with shrimp and scallops plus a bread bowl of clam chowder that hit just right. But the real star was the cioppino...loaded, rich, and packed with flavor. Definitely the move if you're coming here. #DateNight #SantaBarbaraEats #HappyHourFinds #SeafoodLovers #Cioppino #SBFood #GoodEats #FoodieLife read more

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This should be a ten star restaurant! It was absolutely spectacular. The setting and views are outstanding, the service and value are top, but the freshness and quality of the food are epic. We will never visit Santa Barbara without making at least one trip to the FisHouse!! (PS: Save room for a brownie sundae if you can!) read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Cod fish tacos. Pro tip: The spice mix around the plate is a kind of Old Bay blend. A yummy add to your bite! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We were here for 4 July '26 and had a GREAT time. We had people meeting us here, and they showed up an hour and a half late, but they didn't kick us out. Really appreciate that! We mostly had libations, but I did have their ceviche and it was fantastic. Giving it five stars because of the customer service. A truly friendly establishment, which goes a long way. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - 7'26 - Rockfish Ceviche, DEElish - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The Santa Barbara FisHouse is a nice restaurant located right across the pier. My son and I have been here once before, about 10 years ago, so we decided to give it another try today. It was still as good as we remembered it. We walked in with no reservation and Izzy sat us within 5 minutes. Our server's name was Anthony and he was very friendly, kind and provided great service with a nice smile. All our food came out on time and exactly how we ordered it. Also, thank you to Holden who took our picture. For drinks, we just stayed with water. For appetizers, we got the Jumbo Coconut Shrimp and the Beet Salad. The salad came with mixed greens, sliced almonds, diced mango, and a basil vinaigrette. It was very tasty and FRESH. The shrimp was juicy and the breading was nice and crispy. We both got the same entrée, which was the Sea Bass with Broccolini, Roasted Potatoes and Lemon Beurre Blanc sauce. It was delicious but in my opinion, the portion size didn't match the price ($38). I was still hungry after I finished my food. Also, I asked for some bread + butter for the table but was informed that they no longer offer that after COVID, as a way to cut costs. The only option was some garlic bread for $5, which I didn't want. To me, that is a red flag at a restaurant! Bread and butter should always be complementary, in my opinion. The bathrooms were somewhat clean and needed some cleaning and tidying up. There was no toilet paper in the stalls, but before I could say anything, an employee came in to refill them with some new rolls. The ambience of the place is nice. It's a good spot for a romantic date night or a business lunch in the afternoon. They have a nice patio with a fire pit and heaters if you'd like to enjoy the Santa Barbara air. The restaurant itself also wasn't spotless clean and the floors could have used some sweeping in the area we were sitting in. Between that, the missing bread basket and the state of the bathroom, I'm gonna stick with 4 stars this time. It just didn't hit the mark the way it should have. I may or may not come back the next time I'm in Santa Barbara. Thank you Anthony, Holden, and FisHouse. read more

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Father's Day weekend and my wife and I were on the road to Santa Barbara. On the road 5 hours, parked and before heading to the pier we stumbled across this place. We were hungry so we figured why not? I'm so happy we stopped here. The food was great! My wife ordered the salmon. I ordered the mixed seafood and chips and we started with the mussels and clams. And it did not disappoint! The setting was nice. Perfect for Santa Barbara. Service nice and attentive and food was good! Nothing more we could have asked for after being on the road for 5 hours lol! If you're reading this, definitely give this spot a try. read more

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The Santa Barbara Fishouse is an absolute staple if you're looking for quintessential Santa Barbara dining. The location right across from the beach means the views are unbeatable, especially if you can snag a patio table. ​I stopped in for a business lunch, and it was the perfect setting impressive but relaxed. You have to try the Ahi tuna sandwich, the fish was incredibly fresh and the flavor was spot on. You can really taste the quality of the seafood here. ​It's definitely a must try for dinner as well, but take my advice: make a reservation! It gets packed, and you won't want to miss out. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Ahi Poke - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Host didn't tell us about happy hour which was only at the bar, sat us in the corner where our window corners had cobwebs. Spider eggs and dead flies. the server disappeared after she took our order but I'll give it to her, she was friendly. We had to walk up to manager who was talking the bar staff the whole time just for some napkins. Had to do it again for a plate. Yet she was polite and friendly. Sodas that we ordered never came. Bathroom is stinky and door has a big gap so people can see you in there. Restaurant was pretty empty, now I know why. Ranch I asked for never came. And when it came time to get the check, it took 20 minutes while I sat there waiting. Not coming back here. read more

The food was delicious, the service was good, and the average wait time for the dishes was around 15-20 minutes, which was reasonable. Overall, a good experience. read more

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Super experience at Santa Barbara Fishouse! Delicious crab cakes and lobster tacos. I had the Funk Zone Mule and it was a perfect complement to the meal. The staff was friendly and Emilee was a great server! Thanks for a nice experience. Highly recommended. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Lobster Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I would NOT recommend this spot if you are visiting and want to try a spot that is representative of the great seafood scene that Santa Barbara is apparently known for. I left this place underwhelmed and disappointed. FOOD: Fish and Chips (2/5) - Some strips of fish were nice and flaky, but others were pretty tough and hard. It was overall very inconsistent. The fries were also really nothing special. It came with cocktail sauce, ketchup, and tartar sauce. The tartar sauce was also notably bland. The real crime to me, however, was that there were raisins (and possibly even pineapple) in my cole slaw. Fish Tacos (3/5) - They were nothing special. You would expect more from a place that specializes in seafood. SERVICE: We chose to sit outside, which was an absolute mistake. We felt rather neglected because it took forever to order, receive our food, and get the bill. We had also placed an order of truffle fries, but I guess that was never registered because it never came out. We were already disappointed by the food we received, so we did not bother clarifying. The only really redeeming quality about this place was the view while sitting outside. We enjoyed a really beautiful sunset as we waited for anyone to acknowledge us. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Walk on E. Cabrillo for arts craft. Ate here since nearby. Food was average. Appetizer squid and chili was salty and tough. Tip to cook: they should use baby squids instead of tougher mid size squid. The breading on squid was very heavy, salty, unlike Japanese panko. Mixed seafood with fries was average, same heavy salty breading. Squid tasted same as appetizer. Cod fish tasted like frozen block breaded in heavy breading was average. Two shrimps bread in same breading was average. Fries under seafood were medium thickness. Ceviche cod was average, lemony vinegar, tomato juice tasted average. Overall food was pretty average. Service was good, ask how was food. Nice ambiance for scenery outside. 3 stars out of 5. read more

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Nice ambiance, service was good. Ordered the Rockwell ceviche and macadamia nut crusted sea bass. Ceviche was well, good flavor. The sea bass however came short. It lacked salt and was a bit bland. I believe the snap peas were overcooked but the rice was good. A starter, a main and two glasses of wine came out to roughly $85. I believe it was overpriced for the quality and taste. read more

Nice lil indoor outdoor right on the water rustic restaurant. Nothing fancy...just amazing food and view! Ambience is very casual and serene. Definitely an AT SEA FEEL. Jennifer was our server and she was amazingly bubbly and thorough from the first moment! Great personality!!! There is limited inside seating, we sat outside right by the water. Beautiful view but a bit breezy during this season. Good Rating 5 Highest Clam Chowder 5 We had to stop here for the clam chowder! So friggin good! It is filled with clams and seasoned so well. It actually tastes like seafood and milk! Oysters 5 absolutely fresh and yummy with all the compliments! Kumomotos and East Bays were ordered. Scallop and shrimp pasta 5! Extremely tasty and the scallops and shrimps were a great size. Portion was good and great for family style meals with different dishes to try. Variety deep fried seafood 4. Very yummy with a great variety of scallops, shrimps, oysters, calamari and an onion ring. Only reason why it didn't get a 5 was a few of the pieces were overfried so they were dry. Iced tea 5. Perfectly brewed. Not watered down. Has a flowery taste! Yummy! The service is our favorite! Jennifer really made it awesome even though it was crazy busy. She took care of us! Unfortunately, there was a gentleman there that didn't share the same customer service level as Jennifer. read more

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Absulotely loved this place. Located off Cabrillo right across the street from beach, you will find this resteraunt. A couple of co-workers and I stopped by for an early lunch at 11:30am and this place was empty. We took advantage of outside seating with a nice little view and we felt like we were in paradise. I ordered a dozen oysters, an order of fish tacos and the coconut shrimp. The coconut shrimp first of all were AMAZING, 10/10. The oysters were very fresh and of great quality. The tacos were good, my least favorite of the 3 but still tasty. Overall, I really loved my meal and I would defenitly come back again. I did end up paying about $100 bucks for my lunch but it was worth every penny. Make sure to keep FisHouse in mind when selecting your next lunch/dinner spot. read more

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It seemed too good to be true but we were walking around Santa Barbara by the beach at 8pm and saw that FisHouse had a happy hour on a Friday until close. We had good sangria and a martini and few menu items. Nothing felt like happy hour portion food. What seemed like a full dinner with two rounds of drinks came out to only $103 before tip. Excellent service, drinks and food! Also, I rarely order bread bowls but this was the best I've ever had. read more

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My wife and I ate lunch here on our last full day in Santa Barbara. Our waitress, Ava, was phenomenal. She warmly greeted us, gave us great suggestions and we were very willing to try them. Her conversation was personable and really made our time at this restaurant wonderful. My wife ordered the fresh oysters and the seafood plate. Oh.. she also had a oyster shooter with vodka ( This was her 1st time trying it and she loved it). I ordered the seafood pasta. Everything came out hot, full portioned and very very seasoned. We both complimented our food throughout the meal. I had a Sangria and my wife had a vodka lemonade. I can't remember what the exact name of the drink is though (Name located on the menu). We stayed for like 3hrs just drinking and converse amongst ourselves and with Ava. This experience truly helped make the last day full. Thank you Ava for being who you are. Do not change girl. If you go to this restaurant, ask for her AND tip her well. She deserves it! read more

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The food was so so good! Very flavorful, everything was amazing. I preferred the clam chowder and the seafood pasta over the poke but it was all still tasty. The customer service was a 10/10 as well, and the place itself was super cute and close to the water! read more

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Great dinner, my partner had been wanting to come back here so we decided to make reservations and planned on this meal. It did not disappoint. The staff, especially our server Freddie were all great! Nice light meal before our show! I had the prawn-tons and sole. My partner had the coconut shrimp. It was all good! We will be back. read more

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This is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara now for the food, service, and location. They have plenty of outdoor and indoor seating so we rarely have to wait long outside of peak weekend hours. The staff go out of their way to accommodate us when the dog comes along, and service is efficient and friendly. I always order salmon and it's always been fresh and cooked perfectly. We try other fish restaurants periodically but always return to the FisHouse as a reliable good experience. read more

Francesca was our server, and she did an excellent job guiding us through the menu. She recommended the macadamia-crusted sea bass with broccolini, which was absolutely outstanding. My girlfriend ordered the fish and chips, and we started with the crab cakes and clam chowder--both were spectacular. The service was truly five-star from start to finish, and the food was simply some of the best we've had. This was my second visit, and it definitely won't be my last. Highly recommend--this place is a must-try. -Ian Lantz read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I threw up shortly after leaving. The food was expensive, tasted very awful, and the lobster was disgusting read more

Worst $110.7 I've spent. The food was mid, service was pretty awful minus the dude refilling our water. We came here for our dad's bday and the waiter did not acknowledge this whatsoever. On top of that, they take plates away so fast with our forks so at the end, we had to eat with our hands, which sucked. On to the food, clam chowder was good, had lots of clam bits in it which was good and the oyster shells were great. Some bread on the side would be nice. The sea bass was good too, good flavoring. The calamari was 2 tentacles and 6 tops for $16 dollars, with some bell pepper pico de gallo, was good minus the flakiness. Worst was the tostada. It broke apart when I bit into it and it spilled all over the floor, my bad for not holding it over the plate, but I had to eat the bits that fell on my plate with my hands as all my utensils were taken away. The octopus scallop was way too spicy with too much pineapple on it. Overall, would not come back as it is a tourist trap with over priced, and not amazing food. read more

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This place rocks! Everything is great: food, service, ambience. Indoor or outdoor seating you can't got wrong, just depends on your preference. If it's not too chilly I'd say enjoy the view of the pier outside read more

We read Yelp not just for the reviews but also to see the number of reviews. A lot of people like this place! The seasoning on the fish n chips was outstanding! Lightly breaded fish, not beer-battered. Excellent meal! read more

We had an amazing dinner at Santa Barbara Fish House. I made a reservation earlier that afternoon and requested an outdoor table for two. They mentioned it wasn't guaranteed since it was a warm day and many guests might want to sit outside, but when we arrived they actually got us a table on the patio, which was perfect. As it got a little chilly later in the evening, a very friendly staff member brought over a heater and turned it on for us, which made the experience even more comfortable. The food was fantastic. I had the sea bass with cashews, and it was honestly one of the best fish dishes I've ever had -- incredibly fresh and full of flavor. My husband had the ceviche, which he also really enjoyed. For dessert, I tried their banana puff pastry special, and it was absolutely delicious -- the perfect way to end the meal. Our waitress was super friendly, fun, and helpful with recommendations, which made the whole evening even better. Overall, this was one of the best dinner experiences we've had, and we would definitely come back again. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Banana pastry dessert - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We brought our daughter here.The hostess was great, we had reservations and she put us on patio with great views and next to firepit. We started with crab appetizer,so tasty! For entrees I had the sea bass local special,husband had the macadamia sea bass & our daughter had the salmon with pineapple rice. We also shared the banana and mud our desserts.Everything was delicious! Fantastic service too read more

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20% Auto grat on 5 with no heads up is enough to stop you from coming back. Service was normal. Food wasnt good enough to offset what's mentioned above. Wouldnt come Back. This ridiculous tip culture needs to stop. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Auto tip for small party - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We stop at Fish House when we are passing thru Santa Barbara. Today was no different. Service was good and food was on par. However, we ordered a Titos Mule and a dirty Martini with Tito's. When we got the bill it said Hendry's for two separate charges plus additional charges for those 2 drinks. We questioned the Henrdry charges with our bar top waitress. She said they use Hendry vodka as a replacement for Titos. What? We ordered Titos!! At no time did she say it would be replaced with a house vodka. Feeling Dooped!!! Wonder what we would have got if we ordered Casadoras margaritas?? read more

Eva, what else is there to talk about at the Fishhouse! She is the most beautiful, kind, efficient ambassador any business could possibly have! We think she only comes down to earth once in a while from the heavens to see how us mere mortals behave.Her margaritas are perfection! Never too sweet, just right. We think that secretly she is a pshychiatrist, psychologist, sage, old wise woman, old soul, in the disguise of a gorgeous movie star, who knows exactly how the human psyche works. She should be asked to be co-owner of the business! Perhaps then, we will get our comfortable chairs back which have been replaced by the awful metal stools without back support. Please Eva, can you wave your magic wand for us? You use your magic with everything else! Eva is simply the best! 100 stars! PS: I am just an old business woman who knows the value of an exceptional human being! read more

Pretty good food, though it was a little on the greasy side. Waitress never came to refill my drink. Ocean view, so very lovely, but a little on the pricey side. We shared an order of seafood fried with French fries and it came with a small coleslaw on the side. Coleslaw a little on the bland side but I love that they added small pineapple chunks and golden raisins. You have to go up some steps to use the restroom so be cautious If you have a handicap. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Cup of clam chowder with oyster crackers - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Just ok really. Food bland but good portions. Atmosphere was a little stale. Was expecting more. Feels like it's stuck in the 1980's.

Not sure why they are getting such low reviews but their food is delicious. We ordered cioppino, baked/grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies, grilled octopus( well marinated and cooked perfectly) with Brussel sprouts and fish ceviche. The portion is huge which can be shared and 1 order is good for 2-3 people. The hostess shared her favorites with us and she is very attentive. SB Fishouse is across the beach and there are lots of paid parking by the beach. The place is clean and well decorated and classy. I think the previous reviews help them improve coz the food isn't what was described by most. read more

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There were so many flies it was hard to enjoy our meals because we were constantly having to swat the flies away!!! It is such a cute restaurant in a great location but they have to get a control of the flies because no one wants deal with the stress and grossness that comes with flies sitting on our food and drinks! read more

Yummm and the most amazing service! The food was spectacular, we had two different types of oysters, the uni/raw scallop plate and the tuna poké. We sat outside and the heat lamps were perfect. We were checked on very regularly. read more

Santa Barbara FisHouse - Oysters and uni scallop dish - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our bartender, Andrew, was working his butt off! Amazing drinks, amazing happy hour, great food. Can't beat the view from the patio on a summer day! read more

Fishouse is a local favorite of Santa Barbara. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious and fresh! Today, we went and shared the rockfish ceviche. The citrus combined with the jalapeños and other fresh vegetables make the rockfish a great appetizer to start off any meal! I had the local sea bass. It was cooked to perfection and the herb crust along with the herb butter sauce made it a great dinner entree. That and a blood orange margarita was a great combo. I have to give a shout-out to our waiter, Lucas. He was attentive and check on us throughout our meal, making sure everything was going well. The place was packed and he took great care of us! Everything about the FisHouse makes it feel like Santa Barbara. From the design of the restaurant and look and feel of the inside. Anyone looking for true Santa Barbara experience as well as great seafood should ld this place out. read more

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