Glad to have stumbled upon this gem while in Santa Barbara! Tamar has a great happy hour with affordable food and drink options. The chicken shwarma sandwich was the perfect afternoon bite; very filling but in a healthy way. It's connected to a coffee shop/bakery and the whole place smells amazing. I loved the open air concept and sat at some tables with windows open to the street. read more

Tamar - Chicken Shawarma Sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Tamar serves up delicious Middle Eastern cuisine! They share their restaurant with Dart Coffee Co. It's a beautifully decorated space inside and outside. They have white lanterns hanging around the exterior and on the ceiling of the interior, which add an element of fun. It is quite cramped in this space, so they also offer outdoor seating and there was even patio seating in an area across the street. I was able to quickly place my meal and received a buzzer to let me know when to pick it up at the counter. The food was incredible! I ordered the falafel plate and a lamb kofta sandwich. The sandwich was loaded with veggies and the lamb had such delicious flavor! The falafel plate was so filling and came with a good amount of items. They gave us pickled cabbage, carrots, and cauliflower, which I still miss! Wish I could've bought a bottle of them! SO GOOD. The meal was filling but not heavy! It was perfect. The only issue that I'd like to point out, which isn't big but did bother me was that the water station that they offered didn't have any indication of which silver cups were clean and which were dirty. I asked a guy who was sitting next to it and he said, "Drink at your own risk." Also, if you're not a fan of little birds flying around during your meal, you might have an issue. They aren't scared of going around people. One jumped on our table and I had to move our drinks away. Aside from that, it was a solid meal and we still enjoyed ourselves! read more

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I was excited to try this spot, but had mixed feelings. The space is cute (light and airy with some outside seating as well) and the staff is nice. The food is on the pricier side but the portions are generous. Nothing was bad, but most of the food isn't spiced as much as I'd like for mediterranean food. What I liked: The bread fluffy and delicious. The babaghanoush The pickled veggies The croutons on the fattoush (big, crunchy, yummy) What was ok: The chicken plate was ok. Cabbage was bland and the chicken/rice was missing flavor as well. Also comes with a generous side of hummus which I think needed more lemon and garlic. Fattoush... i liked the croutons and the freshness of the veggies but the dressing could be stronger. The dip trio ... the babaghanoush was good, but the lebneh wasn't sour enough. The whipped feta was sweet which wasn't bad but didnt go with the other flavors. Overall there was nothing wrong with this place. Food is plentiful and fresh, but I think I have a higher standard for mediterranean food, so this didn't hit it for me. Stay Cheerful read more

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Had a great visit to Tame in the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara. The shawarma beef was packed with flavor and cooked just right. Great spot for some tasty food and a laid-back Funk Zone vibe. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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Casual coffee bar and Mediterranean food place with counter service. The delicious food and generous quantities explain the long lines at lunchtime. Having small appetites, we shared a mezze plate which was quite sufficient. Greatplace for cheap, satisfying eats. read more

Tamar - Service counter - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Excellent! The food here is beyond flavorful and fresh. They definitely source the fresh ingredients locally and the flavors are on point. I haven't had Mediterranean food this good in years. Thank goodness this place exists. They do get busy and seem to have a lot of online orders that might delay your in house order. Other than that the place is adorable and a shared space with Dart coffee so, you can get your caffeine fix as well. Two birds one stone. read more

It's definitely a bit pricey but the sandwiches are sized pretty well. The service is good too, nice people. It's usually pretty busy so seating is tricky at times. It's a nice place by the beach. read more

Tamar - Chicken Shawarma Sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The sandwiches and shawarma plate are the way to go! Plus, get an extra pita and you may even have enough for leftovers the next day. They do close a little earlier than other restaurants as in a not so busy area of Funk zone in the evening. Parking is super easy right next door. All the extra hummus, labneh, and pickled veggies with yum olive oil makes this a wonderful evening out for fresh food with friends. read more

Not to be too dramatic but this was literally The Best Falafel pita sandwich I've ever had. The other stuff they put in the sandwich is DELICIOUS as well as the falafel balls. AND the sandwich is enormous ! The rice is insanely good. Very impressed with this place ! read more

I am such a big fan in Middle Eastern food and have wanted to go to Tamar for a long while. It's located in the same space as Dart Coffee with plenty of outdoor seating. My husband had the lamb kofta plate with cabbage salad, pilaf, hummus, pita and pickled veg. Served with an array of sauces--the garlic sauce was terrific. All tasty. I wish there was little more on the plate for the price $26. I had the chicken shawarma sandwich, which was good but needed more chicken. It was mostly filled with cabbage. So much so that posting a picture of it just looks like bread and cabbage salad. I upgraded to get a drink (blueberry lemonade - the best) and a tiny little bite size piece of baklava. I will be back to try the falafel. read more

Tamar - Lamb plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Wow, the flavors this restaurant puts out are phenomenal! We really loved the dip trip plate, which we chose to include the hummus, labneh, and the whipped cheese (our favorite). We also got a side of lamb kofta and a chicken schwarma sandwich. The lamb was super tender and flavorful. But the star of the show was the sandwich. Unbelievably flavorful, well seasoned, pickled cabbage added that brightness, and the pita was warm and delicious. I believe they make their pita in house! The location is decorated nicely with plenty of parking. It's a shared space with a coffee shop. I think this place will probably outgrow the location quickly. Service was good as well! I wish there was one in LA so I could have it more often! read more

Tamar - Dip Trip and Chicken Shawarma Sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The good: I love mediterranean food! I got the chicken shawarma plate and a shawarma pita. The portion sizes are great. The rice plate came with a side of pita and a huge container of fresh hummus with a spicy cilantro sauce on top and olive oil. It was really appetizing looking. It also came with some cauliflower and vegetables that were yellow from turmeric (I am guessing). The plate came with grilled chicken with nice flavor as well as two sauces. The prices were fair. The pickled side salad was refreshing. The pita was soft. The food was made very quickly. The bad: We didn't get to experience this place in person because we ordered online for delivery. The interesting: Tamar means palm tree. read more

This was a bombbbb lunch spot. Stumbled upon it while looking for parking. I believe one of the owners name was Logan? He was super sweet & informative. Very delicious food, great portions & so flavorful. The chicken shawarma pita, beef shawarma pita, the lamb kafta & dip trip were all soooo good. Chill, seat yourself type atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back read more

Tamar - Chicken Falafel Sandwich, beef Chicken Shawarma Sandwich, Dip Trip, lamb kofta & torshi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I wanted to like this place. I read the reviews, saw some of the negatives but decided to give them a try anyway. I ordered a chicken shawarma plate and two shawarma sandwiches. The food was not bad, but it also wasn't the most flavorful. The reason for 3 stars is based on two things: 1) the chicken portion on my plate was small. I'd say it was about a kid's size portion. For the price, I was disappointed. 2) it took over 45 mins to get our food. I don't know if this is normal, but if it is, it would be helpful to know this upfront when ordering. The food did seem to be prepped and cooked fresh and pita bread was good. I might come back. We'll see. read more

We came as a group of 6 for lunch on a whim on a warm November day. The space was packed and a little too warm for comfort but I later discovered there were a few outdoor tables on the side which would have been great. The food was delicious and so flavorful! I loved the pita texture - chewy and fresh, no dry pre-made stuff here. The baba ganush was just ok but the hummus was so creamy, smokey and decadent that I'd be totally happy just getting it w pita as a meal. The pickled veggies served with the combo plate, the slaw salad, and the rice were all delicious. I will definitely be back for the yummy food. read more

Located in the Dart coffee shop, Tamar offers middle eastern eats best for lunch. You can order online for quick pick up or delivery or just stop by. The lamb kofta sandwich was delicious and a decent size. Has a ton of flavor with harissa sauce and green sauce on the side with pickled veggies. The pita bread is thin and soft and delicious. The only downside is that they could have portioned more meat and not so much veggies, better balance. The falafels are a must to get and the lemon based sauce that it comes with is extremely delicious. I will be back to try other items. My concerns are that the service is ok, they seemed flustered since it was a little busy and the price is a little high. read more

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Very cute location that shares indoor seating with dart a great coffee shop. The service was amazing! The foo was really good!! I really enjoyed the menu options! read more

I could eat here every single day. It's SO delicious and fresh and flavorful. Generous portions! Friendly atmosphere! Pita and humus are the best! Falafel too! most places lately don't seem worth the cost of eating out, this place is totally worth it! read more

A little pricey but food was delicious, it's halal, and the place is such a vibe. Highly recommend read more

Tamar - Chicken Shawarma Plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tamar is the home of one of the best sandwiches in Santa Barbara. The Lamb Kofta Pita has no parallel anywhere in SB. Perfectly seasoned and cooked, the lamb patties are nestled in the pita surrounds by veggies and two delicious sauces. It's brilliant! Staff is always friendly and helpful. read more

One of the best spots I've had in a while!!! Excellent falafel and their drinks are not to be missed! We had the strawberry sumac lemonade and the passion fruit lemonade and damn were they good. The schug is unreal and the vibe of the place is so cute go if you're in the area to wont regret it!! read more

We got the chicken shawarma and the lamb kofta to share and omg they were both soooooo gooood and flavorful! 10/10 would come back. Parking can get tricky, mainly street parking but we got super lucky and parked easily. Order at the counter and self serve items such as water and etc. Shares a space with the coffee shop. Craving these sandwiches read more

Tamar - Half chicken shawarma and half lamb kofta - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Omg food was amazing! Huge pita sandwiches with delicious fresh veggies and herbs. I had the chicken shawarma and my sis had the falafel. So yummy I can't wait to go back. It's very busy with the coffee place next to it but food is worth it. read more

Tamar has completely captured the essence, the flavors and the texture of my favorite Middle Eastern food on one simple menu. We took the food home to go, and it was still delicious after an hour sitting in boxes with ample portions for tomorrow. Would recommend to everyone!! read more

This place was amazing. Service was quick and easy from online order pickup. The lemonade was great and the shawarma was incredible.

Those that eat Zabiha: beware, the female worker told my aunts the meat is halal but they don't "advertise it". They took her word and got food from here. Unfortunately checked yelp and google (after the fact) to see that the owner has said they do not have halal meat multiple times. Staff should be aware of this instead of lying to customers. read more

I was watching the guy next to the register pack some hummus and use his bare fingers to put extra in the container. No one who is preparing the food is wearing gloves. And at the same time, the man that used his fingers is scrubbing his beard. This is really making me not want to eat the food I purchased for $29, with a tip, to take back to the Burbank area. So unsanitary to say the least. Hope next time I visit the Santa Barbara area gloves will be worn. read more

We walked by this spot and saw how crowded it was so decided to try it and I'm glad we did! We got a falafel wrap and their special which was a curry cauliflower wrap. Both were delicious!! Little messy but SO yummy! read more

So good! The space is beautiful and the food was delicious. We were unsure because of mixed halal reviews, but the owner took the time to confirm that both the chicken and lamb are halal and even showed us the box. That meant a lot to us. read more

Tamar - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Stumbled on this place accidentally after going to Dart for coffee. We ordered the chicken sandwich off their special board. Delicious! Highly recommended. read more

Amazing . Everything was elevated and just perfect . We had a dip trip which is 3 1/2 portions of their spreads. We had the smashed beets, shallot labneh and babaganoush . All three were delightful. We also had the falafel plate . Everything on the plate was delightful . The service was very good and the ambiance and decor were mesmerizing . There is a coffee shop dart adjacent that was also top notch .. can't wait to be back . read more

Tamar - I dunno - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Ordered a chicken shawarma! The best! So simple and flavorful! The business is conjoined with a coffee shop so it is a little confusing. Quick service, filling and worth it for quick bite! read more

Tamar - Inside - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I was warned that Tamar depended on tourists and not locals but I wanted to try it anyway. I was very disappointed - I should have listened.

Excellent warm fresh pita and dips/spreads. Plenty of vegetarian options. Nice casual setting. Friendly service.

We come here every time we visit Santa Barbara. The dips and falafel are incredible, but you can't go wrong with any choice. The decor is fun and service is good. The tahini ice cream was delicious - nutty, not overly sweet. read more

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The food at Tamar was good, but I was a little disappointed with the overall experience. The restaurant has an open kitchen, which is nice in theory, but the employee working without gloves did not look very professional. Cleanliness and presentation matter just as much as taste, so I hope they can improve on that. read more

Tamar - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So delicious!!! So nutritious!!! Excellent customer service! No wonder Mediterranean food is the one recommended for healthy living!!! Thanks Tamar! read more

Update: We both got slight food poisoning so the fact that we paid $65 for two entrees hurts even more Looks better than it tastes... Been wanting to try this place for a minute, severely disappointed. While the meats were amazingly juicy and flavorful, everything else was just kinda tasteless. Neither here nor there. However, it needs to be said that the hummus was genuinely not good. Way too salty and creamy. Also all of this was $65 read more

Tamar - Lamb Kofta Plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Simply put, the food is garden fresh and high-quality. I had the gem salad and the chicken Shawarma plate. The chicken was juicy (while still having been grilled). The pita was pillowy soft, bread like, and the vegetables were pickled and tasted very fresh with a nice bite. I can't wait to make another pitstop and have their food again. It's definitely worth the detour. read more

They have the best baba ghanoush it's sooo flavorful and the chicken sandwich was insane. Very filling and the chicken wasn't dry at all and perfect with all these flavors! They have this yummy green spice that was a plus. And their pitas? Omg incredible. Friendly staff too. read more