An evening at The Creekside. Imagine a birthday evening of adventure, braving crowded parking lots, and a quest to find a table. As a dining experience, The Creekside left it all on the table. Where to begin? The charming rustic ambiance, the peerless waitstaff, or perhaps the eclectic mix of pop-rock country music swinging its intoxicating tunes throughout the environment. The appetizers of street corn (WARNING: comes on the cob, not for the faint of heart) and Mississippi caviar, with its subtle cilantro infused flavors -- wet the appetite just in time for the main course. The meat plate, which I expected to be a paltry selection of small cuts, was a gargantuan titan of American smoked meats. The presentation and the crisp crunch of the crackling French fries complimented the small town feel of the triumph that is the Creekside. All in all, 5 stars -- would MEAT again. read more

I went there recently and was very disappointed in the food. It was not very busy and it was overpriced for the food we had. I won't go there again! read more

ad a great time at Creekside Restaurant in Santa Barbara. I enjoyed some really good SoCal style barbecue and a couple of cold beers. The vibe was relaxed, the service was friendly, and it was a perfect spot to kick back for a casual meal and drinks. Definitely worth checking out if you want good barbecue in a laid back setting. Check out my visit : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRTfZ8NkeDd/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Such great service every time. Food is great, ambiance is relaxed but fun and clean. We love Creekside!

I am not one to write a bad review, but I have to call the Creekside out on their food. Ordered french fries which are pretty hard to get wrong. Fries were way too greasy and so far removed from the original potato itself. They were disappointing. Also had the chicken Caesar. The chicken tasted like processed chicken that you would just get on any grocery store premade salad. Come on guys, you already ripped the heart and soul out of the original Creekside, but to add insult to injury, can't even get the food, right.. sorry guys you need to figure this out! On the upside service was great!! read more

Our family of six enjoyed a delicious dinner here last night. The fries were really tasty! This afternoon my husband and I went back to the bar area to watch a tennis match on their TV. Jesse the manager and the delightful lady at the bar both went of their way to make us feel welcome! Both visits were great and we will be back when we next visit Santa Barbara Thank you! read more

Well this is a place I probably won't be coming back to. I love the concept of ordering at the bar or the table and having the food delivered. Makes it easy and you don't have to split the check when you come with a big party. I like the TVs all around the outside and the drink selection. The food is mediocre but i miss the BBQ vibe they once had. Here is my biggest complaint, the manager (i think his name is Joe) is so incredibly rude and unprofessional. This is a family restaurant and this guy used cuss words in front of kids when he was angry about something that wasn't in the right place. He was also super rude to the multiple groups of kids playing around and having a good time. At one point, my husband went up to the bar to let him know we didn't receive our order of chicken tenders and after telling him, the guy totally didn't acknowledge what he said, made a drink and walked away. So rude! He is unapproachable and gives the whole place a bad vibe. The other servers were so friendly and smiling. I have no idea why this guy manages a place like this because he is just awful. read more

Food used to be good the new owners ruined a good place!the tritip nacho were great before. Now it's all canned crap don't waste you money

Great food and wonderful service and a great place for dinner really enjoyed the ambiance

Found this fantastic bar/restaurant on my latest trip through Santa Barbara. Beautiful patio dining area, and a very welcoming bar. I had a Jameson on the rocks and a club sandwich. Jameson never disappoints. And the club sandwich was huge--I had to take half of it to go. Fries were delicious. Very friendly staff. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

I'm sorry budget friendly is not $30 for a burger or $22 for an appetizer of street corn?

The Creekside has been going strong in several iterations since at least the 1980's and it is still a cool place to hang out. If you remember throwing shoes out back in the early days like me, you'll be surprised to find a beautiful patio with a tv and heaters for cold nights, but the service is still friendly, the atmosphere is still fun, and the food is excellent. I prefer the shrimp burrito, but the wings and fries give anyone in town a run for their money. Plus, this spot is super kid friendly and has a good sized menu for those finicky 6 year olds that can't appreciate a delicious kale and Brussel Sprout salad (which is very tasty by the way). read more

I think they are under new ownership and it shows - it's super clean, super friendly and a simple menu. Staff was friendly and helpful. My biggest thing I want at a casual restaurant is something that is family friendly and great french fries! The fries are well seasoned, hot and you can tell the oil is fresh and they keep the temperature correct so they are nice and crispy. My French dip was great and my friend had the Fish & Chips which she liked. Very affordable and I loved seeing families bring their kids here - its' very comfortable if you hae little ones, even though it is kind of a sport bar - plenty of space for them to run around. I asked for a half glass of wine and they accommodated me which shows huge flexibility and I was so grateful - service was wonderful and the team switched out our heater when it ran ouf juice. They were all looking out for us and I felt like a guest who was looked after. We will be back! I love a great casual restaurant where I can relax but still count on friendly great service and simple easy food that is well prepared. Highly recommend especially as it's under new ownership so it may surprise you - it's clean & well maintained; I'll be back for another French Dip. read more

The only thing redeeming about our visit was the music played by Dustin. The service was good, but this used to be one of our fav spots for tri-tip, etc. Went for dinner last week and was highly disappointed. First, the margarita's were absolutely terrible. Completely bitter. Undrinkable. The tri tip plate arrived and it tasted like it had been reheated from the day before. Hoping to come back one day when it's like it used to be. :( read more

Creekside offers a nice comfortable atmosphere with great food and service at the right price. They have a large outdoor area with tv's. An excellent place to watch a sporting event. Their bbq ribs are excellent. Katie and Kike are excellent servers. Friendly and engaging and are geared to making sure you have a very pleasant experience in the restaurant. read more

This place has come such a long way from the early 2010's when I was in college and frequenting this spot for line dancing night. It's much better taken care of and inviting now! It's been the perfect spot for a couple of after work meet-up's recently and they even have a great menu of food options. Recently a friend and I tried their nachos, which were great! They have a great cocktail menu and even offer the ability to order items and pay at your table, meaning you never have to flag a waiter/waitress or go to the bar. Super convenient. They still have a fair amount of parking spaces right out front and clean restrooms. I really like this spot! read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - Creekside Nachos - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Excellent guest service for my job's Christmas party. Tasty food and excellent surroundings.

It is very unfortunate that my first yelp review is a one star. I felt compelled to write this to give my family justice. We were invited to a 21st birthday at this restaurant on January 11th. Upon arrival and after ordering our dinner, I had a smoke outside and invited my mom. As we were enjoying ourselves, the white man who took our order started rudely speaking to my mom about having her modelo outside. Things could've been a lot more calmer in his demeanor but he was intimidating us. I do NOT care if he is the owner or somehow related to the owner, it is NOT okay to intimidate customers or people in general. It could've easily been seen as a sexist or racist treatment, which initially we did see it that way. read more

Creekside Restaurant, Great BBQ spot. They have a huge outdoor patio area for games, dancing and parties. The food is amazing. Must try the 14 hour brisket and a rack of them baby back ribs. Brussel sprouts are also a must, all sides and drinks are amazing. Thank you Santa Barbara for giving us @thecreeksidesb . We will be back for soon @mr.eat_n_drink by @mr.eat_n_drink Follow me on Instagram for more Reviews @mr.eat_n_drink #bbq #food #eat #eaterla #eatlocal #eater #foodporn #foodie #foodstagram #foodblogger #foodphotography #photogram #photography #santabarbara #instagood #instagram #yelp #google #drinks #drinkstagram #drink #influencer #restaurant #review #restaurantreview #follow #followme #tiktok #yum #yummy read more

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What a nice remodel/addition. Relatives lived down the street but I havn't been to creekside for ?20 years. In addition to the nostalgic bar area, there is now a very nice indoor/outdoor courtyard as well as a huge shady tented area. Order from the bar or from your phone. Server was spread thin but very friendly and competent. Every employee I met was friendly and sincerely tried to do whatever was needed to make our afternoon enjoyable. Our party started at 8 but grew to 14 and then back down--no problem with seating in the shady tented area. Drinks were very good and reasonably priced. I was pleasantly blown away by how good the food was. The smoked BBQ tritip sando w/ pesto was excellent with a ton of lean perfectly smoked meat on a fresh bun--big enough to share. It came with a ton of excellent fries and we got a side of onion rings for the table--best I have ever had. You never have to ask for more condiments as they bring entire bottles of ranch, ketchup , etc. Other standouts were the fish tacos, wings, beet salad. Even the fish and chips got a positive nod from the Brit with us! Burnt end sando and mac n cheese were just ok. Overall a great place to get together for food/drinks no matter how small or large a group you have. read more

This is not the Creekside of yore, with the dank, dark interiors and the smell of stale beer and country grime. We are talking big-time glow up! When some friends suggested meeting at the Creekside for drinks, I said "sounds great," but in my mind, I was thinking back on the smelly, dank country bar I last visited probably 7 years ago when my kid's then-teen band booked a gig there. But, boy was I surprised!!! The Creekside has had a wonderful remodel that is light and airy, upscale and relaxed. It still feels woodsy, but there's a wonderful open patio and lots of light wood and roomy booths. It's a great place to meet friends for happy hour. On to the menu... I've been twice now and I haven't gotten past the Ole Smokee on the cocktails menu. That drink is TOTALLY my jam. I've probably told 10 people about that drink. I find I think about it from time to time!!! It starts with Redemption Rye and black walnut bitters served over an ice-block with applewood smoke swirling about. On top, there's a sprig of toasted fresh rosemary and sitting in the bottom of the glass is a chunk of peanut brittle. Oh Mama!!! I'm definitely thinking about that drink from time to time! What's the perfect app to go with that Ole Smokee? The chimichurri fries. I'm a sucker for chimichurri anything. If a menu says "chimichurri," I'm ordering it. In this case, the chimichurri is excellent, AND SO ARE THE FRIES! Crispy and homemade. For a happy belly and calm mind, head to the Creekside and repeat after me: "Bartender, I'll have an order of chimichurri fries and an Ole Smokee." You can thank me later. (Did I mention the service is beyond spectacular? And the patio is dog friendly.) read more

Food was good, good outdoor space but service was sub par and kind of rude actually. We ( admittedly) messed up 1 of the orders and asked if we could get it fixed ( mind you this was a salad to a sandwich) but instead of offering to help us make it right the server argued with us that that is what we ordered. Ok we see that but can we fix it? After a few minutes we just ordered and paid for the correct plate. Eventually it was taken off our ticket but seriously? read more

The drinks are strong, the variety of beverage offerings is all you could ask for. I've only ever eaten their nachos, but they're excellent. We always get them with shrimp and they don't skimp! The prices are great. It's our favorite treat after a week of work. read more

The food here is excellent. But the service leaves a lot to be desired. I've given this place a few tries. It's best to order for take-out.

If I were still in the south their barbecue would be aight (that's "all right" for you yankees), but since we are in Santa Barbara they have no competition. Chicken and ribs are meaty, cooked well, and have a subtle but tasty sauce. Fries are perfectly seasoned, their slaw is OK. The BBQ beans are an A+ and rate among the best I've had. Bacon and jalapeño... so good. Their burnt ends, the chicken, and the ribs are all delicious but could use more sauce. Burgers aren't bad. Basically, the food gets a sold four stars. Creekside is popular and noisy. TVs are on the walls playing sports, but nobody pays attention. There's a good chance children will be running around and an even better chance someone at a nearby table has had a few too many drinks and can't control their volume. Atmosphere, three and a half stars. The staff does a good job. They are kept busy running around and are all polite. They earn a four. Maybe a three and three quarters. Can I give a B-minus? So why the three stars? Management. A sign on the door says seat yourself, and then the next sign says please wait to be seated. You get seated, look at a menu, try to remember your table number, and then go back up front to place your order. Someone brings your drinks and has to ask who ordered what. Someone brings your food and has to ask who ordered what. Someone else comes by and makes sure we have everything we need. Someone else... I think you get the idea. The wait staff is getting stiffed out of better tips by their system. This isn't fast food, so I don't like having to go place my own order. Especially at the prices they charge, which is the next demerit. They ain't cheap. Not outrageous for the area, and not out of line for a good barbecue joint. But the prices aren't acceptable if I have to go place my own order. Not if the signage is confusing. Not if kids are running past my table screaming or we can't hear ourselves talk over the drunks across the room. I know things have gotten complicated since the arrival of the apocalypse, but they shouldn't have gotten that complicated. Straighten out the signage, let the staff do their jobs, and we may be back up to 4+ stars. read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - Chicken and ribs - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Love the Creekside! They are always happy to host large meetings (no additional charge), and they're so easy to work with. The service and the food is top notch. Such a community treasure! read more

Such a nice bbq spot. Lots of seating and super helpful staff. It's nice to order at the bar and then sit and enjoy the environment while you wait for your food. Awesome menu for food and drinks!!! We ordered the burnt ends and Creekside Burrito. Can't wait to come here again!!!! read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - Creekside Burrito was amazing with tri-tip will definitely be coming again to try more dishes!!!!! - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Dead fly in my food. The menu doesn't say the chicken sandwich has blue cheese in it, so I took a bite and was disgusted, went to scrape it out and found a DEAD FLY mixed in with the coleslaw !!! the cowboy salsa also has no flavor at all, is over priced, and had brown avocados on it. read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - Chicken sandwich with a dead fly - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

First thing you should know of you're a first time visitor is that parking is divided. When you pull up to the front of the restaurant, you can see that if you would've driven to the next drive way there is much more parking. This place is cute. The front entrance brings you to the bar area. Everyone is helpful and friendly. If you continue on, the outdoor patio is nice. Good ambiance. Then there is another area. Everything is clean with a bit of a garden feel. There's a little creek running through the back. Most importantly, the food and drinks were good, and not overpriced! We got a big burrito, chips, salsa, macaroni and cheese, and a taco plate. All great! read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - From the front parking lot. - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I hosted my husband's surprise 40th Birthday celebration at The Creekside! The food was amazing. Fish and chips. The pork sliders and the salads were all delicious. Definitely the place to host an event party or gathering. read more

This place seems to be the new sports team party place, so I have gone there WAAAAAY too much over the past few months. The food is average, the best thing I get there is the beet salad, add chicken, but that comes out to $20, which is kinda crazy. Nothing else wows me in the slightest. Their Tri-Tip is ok and usually cooked as I specify (med-rare), but it still pales in comparison to my own :) The chicken can be dry, but even when it is juicy, again it is nothing special. The ribs are honestly a disappointment. I agree with other yelpers that service here is generally sub-par, particularly at the bar where you order. Their system is DUMB where you have to have your table number BEFORE you order, which I forget to look at half the time before I go up and order, then you have to excuse yourself to frantically run back to your table to check it. read more

This place did our wedding reception and it was amazing . The food was great, and the CANDIED BACON ! We still talk about it years later . Cant wait to visit again when in town read more

Every time we go, manager is the worst! Now we get rude messages from owner that this is not the way to complain!, In the past we have tied to communicate with the owner and never got a response! Now because we posted here, the owner response that we are rude!!! If we were so rude, why did bartender/cashier give us a gift card for next visit?! We are Santa Barbara local's business family and try to support local businesses, but we will never return to this place again!!! read more

Really love the environment there. Food was amazing. I've been there multiple times and the service is great. All the staff are nice and friendly. I love their tri-tip. read more

Tri tip was good or better than we expected after seeing the ribs. Ribs. Dry, not covered in sauce, they felt underwhelming. They were kinda tender but pretty fatty which could be a good thing. Fried chicken was tender but breading was lacking. All of our food was room temp. Fries could have been good but room temp to cold. Beans felt like they were out of a can. Coleslaw I didn't mind! Brussel sprouts were cold, bacon hard, a little sweet which l didn't mind but the bottom of the bowl was full of honey or something. But they were crispy just a little under seasoned. We would not go here again but easy if you have kids and like sports. Stick to the tri tip! read more

Visited on a busy Friday night for a wedding rehearsal dinner. The outdoor space was set up very nicely and plenty of room for everyone to gather and eat. We were served drinks of our choice, right away. We had pulled chicken and pork, beans, fries and salad. Water and lemonade were provided as well. Everything was very good and the owners took very good care of us. We will definitely be back when we come back to town. read more

The combo meat plate was so good and tons of food! Even if you can't get through it all in one sitting, $30 worth of quality meat. Sounds good to me! I highly suggest and will be returning when I have craving protein read more

The Creekside Restaurant & Bar - Combo meat plate - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was really impressed by not only the taste of the food I ordered but how the place looks. It's been maybe 15 years since I've been to the Creekside. It's used to be a place I visited say after a long motorcycle ride or wanting to blow off some steam with friends. The inside is a bit smaller and they've taken out the pool table. The bar is still there. They have tons of outside seating and covered area in the far back. After you sit down and look at the menu you go back up to the bar and order. Just remember your table number. I ordered the tri-tip sandwich with sauce on the side. My wife ordered the Brussel Sprouts. Let me tell you there is a reason I ordered my Tri-Tip sandwich with no sauce or sauce on the side. If you've had tri-tip like I've had over the years you know that good tri-tip doesn't need sauce. Only the juices that comes off of it during cooking on the bread is how I can tell a good prepared, tender and tasty tri-tip. The minute I bit into this tri-tip sandwich and my tongue hit the meat and I chewed I can tell you this tri-tip sandwich did NOT need sauce. It was tender and tasty. Even the bread was tasty. And no I wasn't JUST hungry either. The French roll, I believe, had just enough juices and the meat was tender enough that every bite was delicious. You know at times I might get gristle or fat in the meat that interrupts my enjoyment of a good tri-tip sandwich. Not this one. By the way the bbq sauce they sent out on the side as tasty and I admit I did dip the sandwich in it a few times. But overall the Tri-Tip sandwich didn't need it and was excellent. Anyways look they aren't paying me for this so I'll try and close up here. My wife's sautéed and grilled Kale & Brussel Sprouts were very tasty as well. They came in a pomegranate sweet sauce and pomegranate seeds topped with small pieces of bacon and parmesan all over. It was very satisfying. Look I wasn't in a very good mood showing up to eat here. It had nothing to do with the Creekside. Even as I sat down and ordered I was a terrible mood. Not to meantion I wasn't to sure about eating at a place I had ONLY ordered drinks from say 15 years ago. But the Creekside impressed me. The food was great and they whole experience actually put me in a better mood and they even brought out a water dish for our dachshund puppy Kenobi. All the staff at the Creekside were extremely nice and treated us well. Thanks for that Creekside staff, chefs and food. Thanks for making feel a little better after a not so good start and thanks for good service and great and tasty food. Go check them out. Oh and your not seeing double, as my wife thought, it's just two brothers bustin their hump behind the bar or where ever. read more

This place is amazing all around, the food, place and the Staff! Had a 50th celebration here almost last minute and was able to get in. From beginning to end it was extremely easy to get everything set and done. The staff on hand, Jorge, Jesse & Joe were all very tentative thru out the party! This is a place to get for small or big gatherings. And food is delicious! Late post but this place never disappoints me when we visit. read more

Had a nice time at the Creekside the other day , was served by a great bartender, Katie. She is friendly, fast and made fabulous drinks . I highly recommend sitting down at the bar for a drink from her ! read more