Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Whiskey Richards

    4.0 (104 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Whiskey Richards Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Whiskey Richards

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Grown Folks...
    Asahn S.

    Haven't been DTSB in 5 years. Stumbled across the legendary dive on our exodus home from the "Funk Zone". After a few IPA's here the bartender told Is that THIS was Whiskey Richards LAST NIGHT of business. It has sold to new owners who plan to make changes. Lots of memorable times here. Great Bands, Solid staff & Stiff drinks. Here's to you!

    Stopped to grab a Santa Barbara Blonde while figuring out our dinner plans!
    Michelle T.

    Tonight we stopped by to grab a drink before dinner and the bartenders are attentive and friendly. They have metal and punk bands on the weekends and karaoke during the week so check out their live music schedule. There are 2 pool tables upfront. They just switched ownership and moved the music stage to a better spot and are in the process of an interior refresh. There is a front patio that faces State Street to hang and have a drink.

    Whiskey!
    Jennifer H.

    Who the hell gets wasted before heading back to LA? Apparently we do! We totally had to stay another night. -.- Had this place bookmarked just because I thought it was all Whiskey bar, false alarm! Don't let the name fool you, because it fooled me :( but it was okay, dive bar = cheap drinks! This bar hands out chex mix! perfect for munchies! :D As always, we sat by the bar. Not too many people on a Sunday afternoon. Well drinks were $4 during their happy hour. There was only one bartender who was serving us. She did a pretty good job. Kept refilling us up. Her pouring was never watered down nor weak. Ahh... Now you know why we ended up staying another night. Ha... The crowd? Well, I would say it's a mixed during the day time. I have no idea how it's like during the nights. Great dive bar to go to if you're in downtown SB. I would suggest to eat before coming here if you're planning to get swasted. :P

    A look at the bar

    See all

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    The best dive bar I have ever been, the service is great too. It has the right vibe to hang out

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Corina S.
    26
    86
    95

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nay A.
    419
    4
    0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Drinks were well-priced and strong. Karaoke was entertaining. It's a bit small inside, but I'll be back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon F.
    269
    47
    0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    This place is fun! Decent drink prices. Really good kareoke singers.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of S. P.
    0
    34
    2

    11 years ago

    Open Mic Night!!! Monday was a very enjoyable evening with @kevinwestmusic performing. Dan Bartender awesome!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C M.
    0
    27
    0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Great spot for karoke and dancing. Good drinks and fun vibe. Staff is friendly and promote a chill atmosphere.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Whiskey Richards

    Do they allow dogs?

    We do…friendly ones anyway. And if we have live music we keep them on the patio to protect their sensitive ears. The staff on the day you visit always has the final decision. But they are usually happier to see dogs than people

    Do they still have a photo booth?

    We had to make room for a kickass stage, so the photo booth had to go.

    Do you still have karaoke?

    Yep, usually on Satudays and sometimes on Thursdays. Keep an eye on our social media pages!

    Is food served here?

    No, but several options are nearby, including pizza next door.

    When does Karaoke happen?

    Saturdays 9pm to 1am

    View All 6 Questions

    Review Highlights - Whiskey Richards

    Fun little spot, good drinks, nice staff, nice atmosphere- I enjoyed this place most on State Street.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Petra Cafe

    Petra Cafe

    4.1
    (321 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Honestly one of the best food experiences I've ever had. The chicken shawarma wrap was divine and I…read moreworry I'll never have food this good again now that it's gone.

    Honestly... save your money…read more I dropped by this Jordanian restaurant /hookah lounge to chill for a bit, have a beer, and enjoy some hookah. It looked like a cool vibe from the outside, but the whole experience left me super disappointed. When I walked in, the place was empty--just the owner and two staff. No greeting, no welcome, just awkward silence while the owner stayed on the phone trying to fix what sounded like a billing issue. The staff didn't speak much English (which is fine), but there was no real effort to help or explain anything either. Eventually, I got a hookah and a beer--$48.50 for one hookah and one beer. Yeah... nearly $50. No food, no extras. That's wild. Then I was told I had to smoke outside on the back patio, which turned out to be a tiny little corner--maybe 6 by 10 feet--with uncomfortable chairs and a random wood bench. It took 15 minutes to even get the hookah (remember, no one else was there), and when it arrived, it was totally burnt. Overpacked, harsh hits, and I ended up having to scrape it and fix it myself just to get it to smoke right. Wanna know the kicker? You only get three coals. That's it. No refills unless you pay for more. No one checked on us for almost an hour, and when I finally asked for more coals, they said (in broken English and mostly Spanish) that that's all you get unless you pay extra. I've smoked hookah all over the place--three coals is nothing, especially when you're charging $35+. No one came around, no vibe, no music, no nothing. Just me, my burnt hookah, and a beer that wasn't even cold. I really tried to find something redeeming about this place, but nothing hit. The service wasn't there, the product wasn't good, and it honestly felt like I was bothering them just by being there. Bottom line: for $50, you can do way better just about anywhere else--or even at home. Hope they turn it around, but for now, I wouldn't recommend it.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Petra Cafe
    Guava margarita

    See all

    Guava margarita
    Cutler's Distillery & Public House

    Cutler's Distillery & Public House

    4.9
    (27 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Happy hour specials

    My new favorite distillery in California! I loved Cutler's. I wish it was closer to home…read more We got the flight and tasted the vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon, apple pie liqueur, and cold brew liqueur. All sensational! I had to try the espresso martini afterwards as I've been on a kick for these lately. This did not disappoint! It wasn't overly sweet, just perfect. I also loved the second waitress/worker that came, Anna. She acknowledged us, and was nice to talk to. Thank you for making our experience better. The inside almost feels like a saloon, and in the evening they were getting ready for a live band, this was on a Saturday. Wish I could frequent here more often!

    THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. We had a change in plans for lunch and my wife found this place on Yelp and…read morewe are so happy that she did because we truly enjoyed our lunch here the other day. We stopped by for lunch around 2pm on a Saturday and to our suprise this place was EMPTY. Our lovely Bartender/ server was incredible and extremely helpful! She was highly knowledgeable with their products and we truly enjoyed the service we recieved. We were reccomended the BBQ burger and that thing was AMAZING. It was a 1/2 lb burger so it was massive and very flavorful! We also got the onion rings instead of the fries and those were also amazing. Overall for the quality of the food and the service they are providing here is phenomenal. Please make sure to keep them in mind, you will not regret it. Till next time.

    Photos
    Cutler's Distillery & Public House
    Cutler's Distillery & Public House
    Espresso Martini

    See all

    Espresso Martini
    Opal

    Opal

    4.3
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    When I want a real culinary treat or for wowing my friends and family, I take them to Opal!…read more The ambiance is on point, the staff inviting and the food is always amazing! They have the best filet mignon! Tender, juicy and flavorful! Mushroom cream sauce, scoop of delectable mash potatoes and some fresh veg. Soooo good! Extensive wine list and a full bar make it a must try spot! Top off that delicious meal with house made tiramisu or vanilla bean crème brûlée and you can that me later!

    I've been here many times and usually love it, but I feel like service has been lacking lately…read more I recently went with family and saw they have an "Opal Martini," which is Tito's vodka, some brand of gin, and a cheese olive. No vermouth. Very weird and sounds kinda gross, so I requested a classic vodka martini instead with vermouth and the olive. They bring out just a glass of chilled vodka, no vermouth, and a cheese olive. I check the bill: $12 MARTINI -$5 UP (upgrade?!? Are you joking? It's a SWAP!) -$1 CHEESE OLIVE (ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?) So they charged me $18 to turn their decapitated martini made with UCSB student-budget vodka into a regular martini, and then charged me extra for the already included olive because I had the gall to change the drink! The waitress didn't even bother mentioning how I barely touched the drink, which our usual Opal servers would have 100% caught onto. Younger girl with black hair and very nonchalant, dismissive attitude. Atmosphere looked nice but between the fire alarm going off from someone burning something in the kitchen, table of 6 behind us that had cackling harpy laughs (not unusual for Opal), and the blasting music, you can't even have a decent conversation at dinner. I'm pretty over this place and will not recommend it anymore. I always try to stay positive about SB's food scene as someone from LA, but constant experiences like this are what make me go "Damn, if only the food here didn't suck so badly...."

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Halibut daily special
    Halibut daily special
    Jaffurs

    See all

    Jaffurs
    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar

    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar

    4.9
    (7 reviews)
    76.8 mi

    Had no idea this place has been open for four years, and I'd never tried it…read more Went on a Thursday night, we ended up being the only ones there. I understand weekends has live music. It's rustic and clean, it's very clean. There's a very large side room for events etc. the main bar area is small with some nice chairs to sit in and the large tv was set to a fireplace. The floors are covered in various beef/farm brands, adds to the rustic western vibe. Bartender was friendly and attentive. She kept busy cleaning and dusting bottles- like I said- it's clean. Drinks for a "speakeasy" were not special. Very typical bar drinks- no special menu etc. I visit a lot of speakeasy's- this is, speakeasy-ish. Our two drinks & a club soda were nearly $40. They were made well. Unfortunately, they didn't have the ingredients to make the drink I had asked for. Overall, I'd like to see this place on a weekend night with music. The drinks were over priced for what they were- IMO. That said, I'll likely return, at least once. Still bummed KC doesn't have a nice speakeasy.

    Our favorite local spot with THE BEST ambiance. I have never had a bad experience here…read more Haley is a delight and is very knowledgeable as both a bartender and server. We love coming here just to see her. This is a great spot for a quiet date night. It can get pretty pricey, but half of what you pay for is the location and the service, which is second to none. This is a great spot to host a private party as well and does require a password to get in. A great way to ensure your party stays private!

    Photos
    Buffalo Trace
    Buffalo Trace
    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar
    Bar lounge

    See all

    Bar lounge
    Test Pilot

    Test Pilot

    4.4
    (426 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Inside
    Inside
    Seasonal Slushy

    See all

    Seasonal Slushy

    Whiskey Richards - divebars - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...