Adding my 5 stars to the mix. Every other review says it right - great cocktails, chill vibe and good service.

This place has an amazing atmosphere and really great drinks. They always have some vinyl playing of an awesome old jazz album. Ideally, I would give it a 5. However, they often only have one bartender. The place is rarely packed (except late on friday or saturday), so one bartender works. But here and there, it does get crowded and if it does, you may end up waiting a half hour to even order a drink (because each cocktail takes much longer than popping the top off a beer). So, DO NOT bring a big group (which will arrive at the same time). You will wait forever to get a drink. read more

Always a good time here. Never had a friend who didn't love it after I introduced them to it. Generous drinks served by friendly knowledgeable bartenders in an open, warm, laid back environment. You gotta check this place out read more

I love this place. The bartenders know their stuff, the glassware is mostly vintage and beautiful, and it has a great atmosphere. The patio is set up like a bunch of intimate little outdoor living rooms so you can sit with your crew and feel like you're in your own backyard except that this is Santa Barbara and people can't afford backyards. They also have a great vinyl collection. read more

Such a cool bar, this was mine and my bfs favorite bars in town. I get that it's tough for businesses reopening after the pandemic, but we recently went for a drink and were pretty disappointed. We went and sat at the bar and were 1 of about 3 groups there so it wasn't crazy busy or super slow and waited for about 15-20 minutes until someone acknowledged us. The people working right in front of our eyes literally looked through us without many times. The lady who finally took our order was super sweet and apologetic and gave the bartender our order. He said he was making our drinks right away but then tended to some people who came up to the bar after us. We asked about our drinks again after another 10 minutes as many people who came right next to us and ordered after us got their drinks and placed another order and the same bartender (tall younger guy) said he was going to do them. The drinks never came. The other shorter slightly older bartender came and tried taking our order again and asked the other bartender to make them for us. The drinks never came. We left after they were about to have us place the drink order for a 4th time. It was a rough visit, we have never had people so eager to avoid eye contact with us to much. We love this place so this was tough for us to experience as this is the second time this has happened to us here with the same bartender. Hopefully this won't happen again if we eventually visit, the drinks are too good to give up! read more

Finally a bar/lounge that smells good... and is clean in Goleta . I loved grabbing a drink there and the bar tender Robby was so knowledgeable and professional . Who ever is running the place keeps it sparkling. It is safe to say the imperial is the gem of goleta! read more

Not too crowded. Fun cool vibe. Great patio as well. However, the bartenders are definitely slow. Maybe it's the laid back vibe (I did mention that it's not that crowded on a Saturday night?), but they sure do take their time. Let's just say watching paint dry would be faster than getting a drink. read more

What a great little find while staying in Goleta. Old school speakeasy feel. Great drinks, cool vibe, friendly people. What more can you ask for? read more

They just don't make 'em like this anymore! The Imperial's gracious proprietress, Dawn, has created yet another intimate and intriguing retro space which feels more like a convivial cocktail party at someone's tricked-out crib than a commercial bar. Dawn confesses a passion for creating atmospheric hide-aways (the nearby Mercury Lounge is another of her successful on-the-mark ventures, where you can expect attentive service, interesting repartee, and real people) and she's really good at it. Ethnographic murals radiate from the wall, vintage lamps & accoutrements give a distinct flavor of an exotic Bohemian era gone by, tuck-&-roll booths and instrumental jazz on the decibel-sane sound system all conspire to invite the uninitiated to relax and look at the world thru fresh eyes. The Imperial (formerly known as the Ba'k Dor) is truly a 'hide-away' where you will leave with more friends than you came in with. Be sure to note that they are open evenings til 2 AM Thursday thru Sundays. If you haven't been there before, the location is just quirky enough that it may be a good idea to call for directions. All are welcome (it is definitely NOT, as one reviewer mistakenly wrote, an 'invitation only' club), but if you're receptive enough, you just may walk out of there transformed from the down-trodden galoot you entered as. read more

The drinks were great, I ordered a cucumber margarita and it was very refreshing. We were here on a Saturday night and it was not too crowded. The only downside is that it takes 30-45 minutes to get a drink. Our party ended up leaving because it was taking way too long. read more

Excellent atmosphere for a cocktail or two after dinner, and quite an unexpected surprise to find a place like this outside of NYC/SF. The cocktail list is well constructed, excellent spirit list, and the bartenders are friendly and attentive. I will be back for sure. The one correctable miss that sets apart a true cocktail bar from a bar that serves cocktails is the ice. They use the standard flat squares that come out of a commercial ice machine found in most bars. I realize this takes a bit more prep, but large block cubes would help to perfect the quality of their rocks and mixed cocktails. read more

It's a shame to see the other review similar to mine way down at the bottom "under not a recommended review". I guess the lesson is, we need to read these reviews too in the future! We had a terrible experience with the service at the Imperial. It was not directed at us, but we were in disbelief at how one of the bartenders spoke to a group of other customers. It was our first time there and we will never go back. I can't believe he thought it was okay to treat people the way he did - shame on The Imperial for letting their staff act this way. read more

By far one of my favorite places to come, the atmosphere is very mellow, and the bartenders really know what they are doing. My fiance says that their old fashion is the best he has ever had! We always come here for a casual night out. I really enjoy watching the bartenders make the drinks, they use everything fresh as garnish or make a drink that they recommend you might like. We will be back very very soon! #teammargaritas read more

The owner is such a cool person. If you are picky at all with your beverages, she will work with you. There was a time that I didn't haver to pay until I was satisfied with what I had and I appreciated that she seemed to enjoy her job enough to leave each customer fully satisfied. It's a small space - 4 tables inside (one of them can seat at least 8-10), one or two couches, the bar, and an outside patio that is being build at the time of this post. The size adds to the charm. You feel accomplished just finding the front door! Cocktails are all good. Beer isn't as wide of a variety as Mercury Lounge, but it covers all the necessary craft beer folks' agendas. Their specialty cocktails are top notch as far as Santa Barbara is concerned. This is the kind of place where you know going in you are paying a little extra for the beverages, and you can expect to have the quality when you do. It's not an every-night place for me, but it fits its niche perfectly. read more

This place is awesome if you just want to chill. Great for dates, hanging with your gang, or if you just want to distress from a taxing day. The music is mellow jazz and blues at a low to medium volume. The drinks are phenomenal, but the bartenders do take their time making them perfect so don't plan on getting a drink immediately. I would highly recommend their old fashioned. I'm not going to tell you how to get there (there are no signs visible from the street), because it's not busy, and I'd like to keep it that way. If you have the fortitude and determination, you'll find it. Be prepared though, most drinks are $13-15. They're worth it, and I suppose it also keeps patrons from getting drunk (I didn't see anyone drunk there on a Saturday night and I left at 12). Donald, the bartender is also a really fun and engaging bartender, so sit at the bar if you gat a chance. read more

Great atmosphere, delicious drinks and friendly staff. Can't really ask for more. Oh, don't forget to check out the lovely patio, too. An all-around great place that I've been recommending to anyone and everyone; check it out! read more

Very inviting environment. Friendly bar staff were happy to make suggestions for a drink.

Dawn is amazing at turning a dusty old bar into a great amazing lounge where u just want to be every weekend! This place is fantastic and makes me miss living in goleta! Amazing cocktails and as always a kick butt wine list!!! Once u find this bar which is tucked away in a strip mall... You won't want to head downtown anymore. Great service, great music and amazing decor! read more

Great drinks and wine/beer selection. Great low key spot to chill with friends or happy hour with coworkers. Will keep coming back!

My wife and I stopped by The Imperial for a nightcap after dinner. It is a bit off the beaten path but well worth the effort to find it. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a 60's lounge, dim lighting, smooth jazz on vinyl played via a vintage Kenwood receiver (I'm an audio dork!), and Asian/African decor with plenty of seating areas and an outdoor patio. Do you guys remember "Otter's" love nest bedroom from the movie Animal House? Haha! Yeah, looks kinda like that ;) We were greeted warmly by Matthew the bartender and after looking over the menu, I had a Manhattan straight up and my wife chose the Marmalade Whiskey Sour. Matthew assured her that it was a very good choice as he makes the marmalade himself. Our drinks arrived quickly and my Manhattan was quite good but the Marmalade sour was awesome! Without being intrusive, Matthew made sure to check with us several times to ensure that we were happy with our cocktails. We had a great time, and along with our drinks we enjoyed some good conversations with the other patrons. We will definitely be back! read more

The Imperial - Marmalade Whiskey Sour with Matthew's house made marmalade. If you like sours definitely give this one a try! - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

Wife and I came here night to kill some time and get some drinks after a brewery closed. Reviews looked good. Don't be fooled be the parking lot! It looked a little sketchy pulling up but it's nice inside and in the back area too. Has a classy lounge feel to the inside and a sorta tiki bar feel outside. The crowd was very enjoyable and bartenders offered great service with a wonderful sense of humor. Has a small but well chosen selection of beers, awesome cocktail and liquor choices as well. read more

One of my favorite and most visited bars in the Goleta/SB area. :) definitely recommend it. The drinks are great (and strong), the atmosphere is chill, I love the jazzy music, and the crowd usually isn't too bad either. I love that it's never too crowded. Its not the place to go if you're looking to dance or turn up, haha. It's a great place to kick back and relax. I especially appreciate the outdoor patio. read more

It's the cocktail version of the Merc: I don't know a higher compliment than that.

Very very cool and swanky! Rarely will you find a place on par with this. But really I want to give it 3 1/2 stars. As cool as the environment is, the owner is an absolute grouch. Every time I've had any interaction with her it was meted with a pissy attitude. Really a shame. I went into another place that she used to own, perhaps still owns it. It was exactly the same. I don't know why she's grouchy when she has, or has had, at least two greatly successful read more

This is a gem. Love the drinks and the people who work here. Just a fun atmosphere. Really unique decorations. Love it!

Amazing gem in the heart of Goleta! My new favorite spot! What a wonderful vibe; I felt like I was in the 60's!

Best bar ever. Dawn is cool and her drinks were on point. Highly recommend!

This place was hard to find but worth it when we did! Great cocktails and laid back ambience, jazz playing in the background. Would recommend for a relaxing evening with friends and would go back if in the area. read more

Great customer service! Scott is a great mixologist. I had no idea what type of drink I wanted and I described the flavors I liked and Scott knew exactly what to make. I recommend this place! read more

my new favorite place. all i want to do is go back there and have a fancy-dressed secret interlude in the corner of the giant booth, while drinking mai-tais or an amaretto sour. well played, dawn. truly a magical treasure that goleta is lucky to now boast in it's secret back corner. love from first sight, extra love from first sip. read more

Love this place. Best place to get a fancy cocktail in a great cozy atmosphere. The decor is amazing all vintage, great lounge music and very dark inside. The bartenders are very cool and know they stuff. The outside patio rocks too. Only downside are the prices but when you really think about it - you pay what you get for and it's really worth it! read more

A great place away from downtown SB to actually have a conversation without cell phones, flat screens or loud music. I highly recommend this for individuals who love a great vibe. The service is great with a great twist but I won't tell all, you can experience it. It's just an all around feel good , enjoy and romantic atmosphere. It's a charming and hip place overall! read more

Love this place! Cool vibe and music hour after hour. Great cocktails and bartenders. Excited to hear that they will have bands. Once, I actually found it , I was excited. read more

Fantastic bar, fantastic drinks, absolutely a gem. Bartenders - I mean, mixologists - take their time and it shows.

Came in for a work party which had been prearranged Really nice looking bar with great cocktails. Would have been fabulous except for the slowest service ever - it honestly took 15 minutes standing at the bar to get a drink and there was only one person ahead of me. Also possibly the sourest, most incompetent woman ever behind the bar (male bartender was fine) who tried to pour me the last inch of a bottle of sparkling wine before adding the rest from a fresh bottle and when I asked nicely for it all to be poured from the new one she gave me a dirty look and rolled her eyes. Sorry but at $14 a drink I'd prefer no dregs. She also had no idea how to pour champagne because it fizzed over the glass twice because she poured too quickly and didn't tilt the glass. Later in the evening she messed up an order and blamed us for it. Would have given 4 or 5 stars but she was a blight on the otherwise jolly experience. Will go back but hope she's not there read more

This is a great place to hang out on a Saturday night. The cocktails are delicious. The atmosphere is top notch old school. The patio is great on a warm evening. But don't expect food. The only bar snack are warm nuts, which are pretty tasty. At first we were suspicious of the back door hidden entrance. It doesn't look like much from the outside-in fact, it doesn't look like anything! But do open the door and you won't regret it! read more

Absolutely every town needs a hidden, unmarked lounge. Before you even walk in the door, you're going to feel pretty pleased with yourself for a.) finding it and b.) knowing about it. Once you get inside, you'll be charmed by the speakeasy vibe, friendly bar staff, and extensive cocktail menu. Choose to sit at the large, midcentury style bar, on one of the plush velvet couches lining the walls, or on the intimate back patio - really, you can't go wrong. This is the type of bar where you feel like your bartender should know your "regular order," and you can come to have deep, philosophical discussions or impress an unsuspecting date. Never crowded, this intimate lounge keeps Goleta classy. read more

One of the coolest bars I've ever been to. Super-knowledgeable bartender, who was the perfect mix of professional and approachable - not pretentious (but almost, just how I like it). Sexy, sexy date night. read more

This place is a hidden old town gem. Decent drinks, jazz, outdoor patio. I will be back.

The Imperial is easily the best bar around. The cocktails are excellent, and complemented by a nice selection of beer and spirits. The staff is friendly and knowledgable and the atmosphere fantastic. read more