The bartenders are SO quick, PRO status with their speed and efficiency. I LOVE the fact that if they don't have a band covering your favorite southern rock anthems then they have open mic night and the local loonies put on an entertaining show. The crowd is generally older and more chill (this is a college town-the kids are trying to dress up and go dancing) It reminds me of a PB pub or a Boston pub, and isn't your typical Santa Barbara pretentious hangout. It's so old-timey and authentic feeling, its the kind of bar you think of when you imagine meeting up with your old college friends for darts, singing along with the band way too loudly, meeting friendly new people and a round of whiskey, and then scotch, and then some more whiskey a couple more scotches. Who is driving???? read more

I can only say I don't belong to Santa Barbara. It wasn't fun for that Saturday night. Very weird setup and weird people. Or maybe because I'm weird, I'm from LA. But drink is good, strong alcohol. It made me want to vomit later in the night. read more

I do love the Joyce..... its a great bar to hang out and talk, darts, whatever..... There are a few awesome windows seats where you can sit, drink and people watch all night. Its a pretty laid back crowd as well so you can actually sit and talk.... remember that?? read more

Better than honest drinks, live music that still enables conversation without shouting, and a great vibe. Irish bar with a mostly clean ladies room. A State St. gem. Only wished that the security staff didn't smoke. Still a great place, and we really enjoyed Allistair Greene (the band). read more

I was in town looking for a jazz band and scored with The James Joyce. By day it looks like a typical bar/pub but at night the live music comes out to play. Each night is a different band, so check their site to see who's playing if it's your kind of music. It's a small venue and I'd be a little concerned that the music would be painfully loud, but it looks like they set a good balance between being heard over the people there but not oppressively loud. The night we went was a jazz/swing band and it was great. There isn't a dance floor, but that didn't stop some couples from dancing. People were happy to give them room and it added to the entertainment. In fact, one guy old enough to have grown up with this kind of music came out and danced with a younger girl, showing her some moves. Everyone there was having a great time. The staff is friendly and the place is clean. There's free parking in the rear though it's a little tight. I'll be going there again. read more

This place is my "Cheers" - I've been coming here for years, and it's still the same perfect mix of Irish pub and dive bar. Peanuts on the floor, darts in the back, fireplace in the corner, karaoke a couple of nights a week, and live bands most of the rest of the time; can't think of anything I'd change. read more

Came here last night with a group after quickly vacating Sandbar across the street. The moment I walked into this bar my frown turned into a smile and the night was on. There was a live band upfront playing some Irish tunes. People were dancing all around me whilst slipping and sliding on the wet peanut shell covered floor. I quickly ordered a Guinness and watched the bartender do a great pour on it. About fifteen minutes later I was two Guinness' down and it was time for Irish car bombs. $7.50 is definitely not a bad price for this tasty concoction. I threw it down the hatch and proceeded to shoot darts for about half an hour, the whole time trying to maintain a fairly full Guinness in my hand almost the whole time. I'm guessing an hour and a half or so later and it was time to go. Out the door we went, wallets not that much lighter and a great buzz on. Make sure and come here if you enjoy a nicely poured Guinness. read more

Three words: Pyror and peanuts. Man, do I miss this place. Perfect for a Thursday night of dancing like an idiotic white girl, admiring the faux-pub atmosphere, and drinking stiff gin& tonics. Aah, an English major's dream bar. But seriously, I've spent many a nights since I relocated to SD longing for the crunch of discarded peanut shells beneath my thrifted vintage boots whilst dried up 35 year-old Santa Barbarians whisper into my ear, "Go back to Isla Vista, ho." God bless the Joyce. read more

Karaoke night. There were some decent singers. When we walked in it was a duet between the host and some woman who signed up. Pretty good harmonies; everyone that went up throughout the night was pretty good. Peanut shells on the floor; I eat peanut shells so that novelty was lost on me. To me it's like dang need a broom much(cause I eat the shells did I mention that)? If you're sitting at the bar, look into the mirror behind the bar for a better view of the stage. Bucket of peanuts in the back. It's a big barrel of peanuts with some wooden bowls in it. You grab one and scoop some peanuts. Watch out though it's by the hangout/dartboard zone over there, so it might surrounded by people. read more

I love live bands & it just so happened that one of my favorite bands, GrooveShine.com, was playing at The James Joyce last Saturday night. I was out with a couple of college friends for our monthly night on the town. We had a lovely dinner at the FisHouse & we decided to meet up with a couple of more friends downtown. Located in the center of the Golden Mile in downtown Santa Barbara, The James Joyce is always a lucky choice. Authentic & charismatic to Irish influences you'll always find the essence of a true "pub" & a good pint. The venue is small but cozy & by midnight it gets really busy. A couple of pints, some cute girls, dancing & I was one lucky "Leopold Bloom" & in words of James Joyce; "A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery." read more

Always love going to the James Joyce on State Street when I'm in town. The bartender was nice and took care of drinks quick and knew what he was doing. We played a game of darts there as we listened to some very........... um... bad drunkin Karaoke. But, everyone had fun. Then we went next door and had some awesome french fries covered in cheese, bacon and jalapeños. Always good here. read more

My favorite pub in Santa Barbara. They have great live music, sometimes Irish music, sometimes rock, sometimes jazz. A cozy crowd and down to earth people. Fun, cozy atmosphere and barrels of peanuts to salt down the drink. Nice place to hang out, strike up a conversation, listen to music and enjoy a good Irish beer or whisky. read more

This is a fun little bar with practically no line. You can find bands playing here from time to time. The second time I came here I noticed the nutty smell to the place and the peanut shells crushed on the floor along with the huge barrel of peanuts in the corner. Something my inebriated self completely missed the night before. There's a pool table in the second room. I thought it was kind of weird how they dimmed the lights and started playing top forties stuff. Didn't look like the scene nor crowd for that kind of music. Definitely an older crowd vibe. It was where my friend's parents and adult friends wanted to go to after her graduation dinner so I'm guessing they thought they'd feel the most comfortable there. I also remember dying standing in my four inch heels wishing there was more places to sit. read more

Definitely one of the better bars of Santa Barbara. It plays off the irish bar feeling, without being too kitschy. AND the barrels of peanuts makes a nice munching to help throughout the night! This place can get realllly busy, to the extent that there's hardly any place to move, but it does have a pool table and two dartboards so you can have a lil fun when its more tame. They do have a good selection of drinks, and the bartenders are pretty knowledgeable about cocktails. If not, they look it up in their books (rather than just say no), and really try to offer you a good drink. ALSO their snakebite uses Guinness and Cider, which I hadn't had before but is a fantastic blend!...Tho I'd rather just have a guinness on its own. Also their scotch selection is decent. Then add on the live band (which can get annoying if you want to chill), but plays decent music, and shows my homeboy Kopeikan on Friday nights on bass! read more

Visited this bar at like 4 on a Sunday. Came in because they had a 2 for 1 Irish coffee special when you had an Axxess card. Pretty good Irish coffee too! read more

Came here on a sat nite and the place wasn't too crowded, but finding a seat is nearly impossible. It definitely has a chill environment about it and w/ the floor completely covered in peanut shells, i felt guilt free throwing peanut shells at my friends when no one was looking... =P read more

As English nerds, when my friends and I visited Santa Barbara we had to hit up the James Joyce... even if it was 3PM on a Saturday. This place didn't disappoint! I had a pint of Irish beer and our bartender was Irish, it was just a great experience. I want to go back! read more

Probably the most authentic Irish pub in Santa Barbara. I am basing this and pure atmosphere and ambiance. I love the name...a great Irish reference. When inside, all the wood makes it feel real comfortable and reminds me of some of the pubs that I visited when living in Ireland. The beers are on the pricey side but that is to be expected. It needs to be noted that this is a great place to catch some live music for free. This is a known thing in Santa Barbara and as a result solid local bands along with good crowds turn out. Not a place that I go to on a regular,but can be a nice spot to spend on a random Saturday or Friday night. read more

Cool staff, good atmosphere, and none of that wannabe upscale dance club ish that fails miserably like Tonic. But maybe that's just my style - I like the drive bar types. If you catch it when there's a live band this is probably the place to be in Santa Barbara. Usually one of the least crowded spots and the super long bar ensures you don't have to maul people out of the way just to get a drink. Only downside might be the sometimes older crowd and creepers. Try to go college nights (Thursdays). This is my spot in Santa Barbara, I've started many a black-outs here. read more

The James Joyce is just like that first sip of Guinness, refreshing and exciting while leaving a satisfying and familiar taste. This State St. gem is by all appearances just like the plethora of other Irish pubs I've been to except for the fact that they do everything a little bit better than expected. The Guinness comes quickly and perfectly poured, there is a great beer AND whiskey selection, peanuts (shells on the floor!), fantastic live band, attractive women, pool, great crowd, darts, no pretension, and actual Irish folks. Plus no one got mad when we broke the "no dancing" rule displayed on a sign. I felt strangely at home here, and I'm sure I will have to pour myself out of this place the next time I am in town. A phenomenal choice of venue to start and end my SB weekend. I'd give this bar 5 stars if only it were less than a 5 hour drive away. read more

Probably one of the best pubs I've been to! Me, my cousin, and 5 friends were looking for a pub with billiards and we happened to pass by James Joyce with the jazz band playing in the front of the pub. Entranced by the music, we stepped inside and saw that they had a back room with a full pool table (only $1 per game), darts, and a barrel full of peanuts. The jazz band was amazing and played some old favorites (As Time Goes By) as well as some swing songs with an open floor for dancing. The overall atmosphere was super chill like a good Irish pub should be and they even had Strongbow cider on tap!!! I'll be back for sure the next time I'm up in SB! =) read more

Good atmosphere and drinks. The karaoke host needs some work. The sound is awful. You can't hear the music at all. He also tells you it's a 45 minute wait, yet sings himself multiple times. Paying customers should sing before the host. He's awful. Save yourself the trouble and sing in the shower. read more

Great cold beer, pool and juke box. Tons of fun, great service and darts. Highly recommend!!

Man, this is a cool locals bar. They have a barrel of peanuts you can eat and throw the shells on the floor. I love peanuts, and they taste even better when you can throw the shells on the floor. Good entertainment for the men in our lives with both darts and pool. Jukebox too with your favorite hits. They apparently have live music every night as well. Cool spot! read more

Cool pub on the main downtown street in Santa Barbara. We had a few beers and a really well made bloody mary. I liked it a lot. Was lively and fun. :) read more

James Joyce aims to be an Irish bar. While it may lack in authenticity, it sure has charm. Tarnished copper ceilings, faux fireplace, and peanut shells on the floor create and nice atmosphere for a pint or two. Saturday nights start off with a jazz band and sometimes people find room to swing dance. You'll find all ages at this bar, from the young college students getting in a few drinks before hitting the dance clubs to the the grandparents reliving their own youth. It's a refreshing mix. Sunday nights draw in a small karaoke crowd. If you aren't too concerned with the music you can head to the back for a game of pool or darts. I often head here to start an evening of bar hopping and end up staying the whole night. read more

OK, this is my humble oppinion. I love Joyce ! Amazing live music! When I say amazing, I mean it. Sound is awesome. The bands are really great. Jazz and Country music. Anything better? Pool ! you can sit there and talk and play pool like it used to be. Not with the shitty electronic pop music like in other bars where you cant even order a beer at the bar cuz they cant hear you. Here, relaxing vibe. Barrels with peanuts ! Just awesome. ( they go straight to the floor of course) Nice guys. Nice girls. The security guy doesnt look at me like if I was from Mars when he sees my argentinian passport. so... great! Thanks. read more

Came for a drink, stayed for the karaoke. Friendly service and friendly crowd.

Class meets dive! I love this bar. It was a usual stop for me while in college and I miss it dearly! Tons of fun! Great mix of people. Peanuts shells abound. Fun decor. Darts, pool, jukebox. Reasonably priced drinks. No cover (except on St. Patty's Day). GREAT live music. Thank goodness they got their dancing permit a few years ago!! Great place to hit if you're making the rounds in downtown SB. read more

I like this bar way better than the red piano. I love the bars with the old flooring and that you eat your peanuts and throw your shells on the floor. They have plenty of tv's showing sports, we went on Saturday and they had a live jazz band, which was nice and soothing. All ages were in the crowd even tho jazz music was being played. read more

While the concept of all you can eat peanuts with no regard to where the shells end up is appealing, the novelty doesn't outshine eventually how gross this looks. The service was less then average the night me and my date arrived. The bartender seemed in a bad mood and it took well over the "119 second" perfect pour for my Guinness to arrive despite there being only two other couples at the bar ordering drinks. After it was all said and done, I was told the bill amount with no itemized receipt. Minor but annoying. The music was pumped in via a pay per song jukebox, which meant there were some good songs mixed in with shitty covers of good songs. read more

Solid night in Santa Barbara! Loved the feel of this place, a perfect fusion of dive meets class. Fantastic music, but not overwhelmingly loud. You can hold conversations at the back of the bar and get your prohibition groove on in the front. The patrons were really getting into it. This might have something to do with the divinely heavy pours. I've yet to explore much of the Santa Barbara night life, but this is something to write home about. See you next time. read more

There were a lot of young, young people out at night, and after awhile looking for a place w/ people just a bit closer to our age, the cab driver recommended this place. A lot of the people here were quite a bit older than "our age," but overall, it was a nice mix of people, young and old, listening to live music and dancing the lindy-hop - several of them were really good. Didn't expect to see a place like this; it was very cool. read more

Cool place to come for live music and some good beer :) I love that they offer peanuts and you can just toss it on the floor so fun! Good place for darts and pool! read more

This place is so good, I kept going back night after night. First time I went, there was a live folk rock band playing that was simply amazing. The music set the tone for a great college crowd that drew mostly young professionals all of whom looked athletic and well dressed. I didn't see any frat behavior or drunkenness, rather, everyone was friendly, open to conversing with strangers, and up for a good time with a cold drink. The next night I went, there was a live jazz band playing with vintage speak easy attire. The crowd was mostly a married mid-aged group, but there was still a healthy mix of yuppies around. Both times, i felt very welcomed and encouraged to mix with the crowd. The crowd is very friendly towards shy people, like myself, and I ended up having a great time both nights! read more

Great beer. Great food and fun games. Gets crowded and parking sucks, so walk or get a ride. You will enjoy yourself.

I love dive bars for their unassuming nature and this one has all the qualities of a good dive (variety of beers, peanuts, and a slightly grimy vibe). The karaoke was fun and the crowd clapped sympathetically after me and the boy's appalling rendition of Counting Crows. I'm giving it 4 stars just cause I think the beer could have been cheaper. read more

Ah, The James Joyce. My favorite bar in college in paradise. Live music, peanuts from barrels to the floor, not too much douchebaggery, darts and pool. Divey but lively! Revisited the other day as a late-twenty something and it's still the best. Great author, that fellow, eh? read more

Toolbox. That's really all I have to say about this place, but then again it was in Santa Barbara. Guarenteed less than 2% in the bar the night I was there probably had any clue who James Joyce actually was. And if Mr. Joyce actually saw the clientele here, he'd probably stab himself in the eyes. I got bumped into more times than I could count, saw enough cleavage to make the Pope lose his mind and thought at one point a drunken moron was going to throw up on me. The redeeming quality of this bar: a huge freaking barrel of peanuts that you could eat and throw the shells on the floor. The kind of bar that makes you glad you're not still in college. read more

I was recommended this bar from the type of woman that makes you want to do anything she tells you to: And she obviously has good taste, because The James Joyce was just what I needed after a long drive down the coast. I came in early in the evening and despite being in full prep for the night rush, the bartender came right over and took my order for a Manhattan and asked whether I wanted it up or on the rocks, on the sweeter or the dryer side, and then took a good amount of care in making it. It's not the type of place that has custom ice cubes or 12 kinds of bitters, but it's a perfectly unpretentious place to relax and get lost for a couple of hours over some well made cocktails. Looks like I have a good excuse to take the 101 to LA again. read more