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.

Gas. Come here…read more Smoked BBQ Bacon Smashburger - 10/10 Delicious. $15 for a very tasty burger. The onion strings on it, the bacon, the barbecue sauce, and the patties themselves, really really good. The pickles were also DELICIOUS. Like it's rare for pickles to taste different, and these did in an amazing way. Their ranch isn't my favorite, personally. Fries - 10/10 Unfortunately have to buy them as a side to the burger (don't come with). A small was more than enough and I think they were roughly $5 or so. Tasted absolutely amazing though, they did them really well. Pepperoni pizza - 6.5/10 Solid, but probably wouldn't get it again. $22 and was an underwhelming size when I opened the box. Not much sauce, but decent bread and solid pepperoni. Forgettable though. Brown butter chocolate chip cookie - 5/10 Meh. Wouldn't get again. $4 I think? Spend roughly $50 on the 4 things, so a bit expensive, but granted I got a lot. Ambiance is so-so, but that depends on what you like. It's sit down at large benches where other parties can sit as well. There are some smaller 2 person tables and 4 person bench like tables as well. Expected for a brewery though. Nice that they had options. It's largely outdoors which is nice. I'd definitely come back here again.

This is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. Here is why:…read more 1) They have a peanut butter and jelly hamburger. 2) The burgers are smash burgers. 3) Great prices. 4) Different and diverse types of food offerings depending on the day (the burnt ends on Saturday were great). 5) Live music and events (when we went, they had World Cup watch parties). 6) The water is free and super good. 7) Family friendly but also good place to chill with friends or a date. The wait times are a little long but I like to think they're being very careful with preparing our food. Parking can be challenging depending on time of day but there is street parking. Besides the parking, my only gripe is that I came here three times for the PB and J burger, and they do not sell it right when they open, and the kitchen closes at 9 PM.

We had a great time at the Red Piano! Jimi the fabulously…read moretalented piano player and singer was especially kind playing all our favorite tunes as we sang out of tune. Thank you for making our Birthday pal feel special!

Came here to see my partner's friend's band play for a bit and it was nice! Sound check was a bit…read moreloud and jarring, but that's understandable when you get there early (like we did for a good seat). There was a $5 cover charge - not bad - and our waitress was extremely attentive and sweet. My partner got a couple beers and I ordered the Creamsicle mocktail. It was SO yummy! I loved it and it was so cute! Great vibes with folks dancing and hanging out, though I do wish some folks had more self awareness/spatial awareness when standing around or dancing while other people are trying to get by... one woman dancing almost spilled another lady's drink, and another person almost crashed into a waitress trying to deliver a tray of drinks to a table. Maybe I should have gotten an actual cocktail so I wouldn't have been so cognizant! Overall, it was a really fun time and I enjoyed it.

Customer service and staff - 5 stars Food - 5 stars…read moreBeer - 5 stars Ambiance - 5 stars

Had the regular burger. Probably the worst I've ever had in my life. Patty is half the width of the…read moreburger and SUPER hard. Their ketchup has chili peppers in it... They should consider not having a food menu. They don't know what they are doing.

Came here with a couple of friends and shared a couple of pizzas: the california, east coast pep,…read moreand hot girl pizza. Three pizzas was the perfect amount for us four girls. My favorite was definitely the california. The pesto was so delicious and the ricotta was the perfect pairing. I also loved the outdoor seating atmosphere. Perfect place to hang out with friends.

Long line when we got there for dinner! Didn't realize it stretched all the way to the back of the…read morebuilding where the ambiance is a little more classy. We ordered a Confit Garlic Bread and Salty Surfer based on other recommendations. I honestly wasn't too much of a fan of the Salty Surfer as it don't stand out compared to usual pizzas I would get elsewhere, but I really enjoyed the Garlic Bread. Very cheesy and the basil is a good addition! Would definitely want to try something else on the menu next time!

Great cocktails, great spot with Excellent customer service…read more It has good atmosphere , we were there after Happy Hour on a First Thursday and the band playing jazz was a lot of fun. Right next to the Granada Theater Downtown Santa Barbara

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Cool artsy bar with great cocktails…read more We were looking for a place to wet our whistles before dinner and this place looked promising. Located right next to the Granada Theater on the main drag, it looked to have undergone recent renovations and had a very chill but stylish ambiance. There was plenty of seating on a Wednesday night, and our bartender was a friendly young woman. The hubby got the spiced rum old fashioned, which had an ice cube with a lion's face etched onto it--a nice touch. I got one of their tiny Negronis, which came in a cute tiny mug and cost $5 (it sounded fun). Both tasted great and we had a nice time sipping our drinks and taking in the decor. Alas we had to be on our way so couldn't linger long, but we'd definitely love to stop by again the next time we're in town.

I love a place with incredible chips and salsa and Santo Mezcal was it! I mean, who doesn't love…read morethree salsa options?? The service and ambiance here is impeccable, it truly was just a great dinner experience overall. The Ensenada enchiladas with halibut were incredibly delicious (the sauce was what made it!) - but I have to say, my boyfriend's chicken enchiladas may have it beat! I've never had such flavorful and tender shredded chicken, highly recommend.

Loved this place, loved that they had squash blossoms veggie options! Yum…read more When I'm not doing food reviews, I am posting videos about restaurants and cafes on tiktok @BayBitesNSips and when I'm not doing that, I am making handmade jewelry - I'd be so grateful if you visited my Etsy shop: MLEColorshop (or shared it with a friend who might enjoy my creations. )

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.