Amazing little restaurant. Charming decor, huge fireplace making the ambiance very romantic. Really good food and service. They even gave us a little card for our anniversary! read more

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Still my favorite restaurant in SB. Kale salad was deliciously bright with earthy toasted sunflower notes. Risotto was perfectly executed with loads of mushrooms. Deconstructed cassoulet was scrumptious. Donut trio sinfully yummy. Great service. read more

One of the best bread starter I have ever had! Their bread comes soft and warm and the butter is soft, warm garlic/chive flavor. Out meal was fantastic as well. For dessert, we had ordered salted caramel bread pudding and it did not disappoint. Although, my taste bud are rather sensitive to alcohol and there was definately some heavy whiskey flavor infused in the caramel. Atmosphere was romantic and staff was wonderful. My phone camera wasn't taking the best photos so the waiter insisted to take our picture for us on his phone and emailed me the photo. Come to think of it, I hope he deleted our picture afterwards lol... read more

My favorite restaurant in SB for date night. Servers have outstanding knowledge of the menu and pay close attention to detail. Fun, fresh ingredients make for elegant and colorful plating. Amazing wine selection for those looking to try some outstanding wine. Do yourself a favor and check this place out! read more

On a recent trip back to Santa Barbara, where I lived for five years - I was happy to see that Intermezzo had re-opened after a scandalous closure about a year ago. The new Intermezzo retains the appetizer chef at the back of the busy bar. Outdoor seating was transformed from patio tables to spacious couches and low tables - good for groups on a warm evening. The clientele seemed a little more L.A. this visit and the martinis has been hiked up to $15. This seems steep for a little town like SB. No need to put on airs - you've got a great place. Keep it affordable to woo back the locals. read more

For our small and intimate wedding reception of about 20 people, we looked at a few venues in the Santa Barbara area. The Wine Cask came on recommendation from our florist (the absolutely stellar Alpha Floral) and we felt immediately comfortable with the venue, location, menu, and staff. After our initial visit and discussion with the restaurant manager, we were contacted by the wine manager (David) and the Director of Operations (Jennifer). Communication and planning was completely unambiguous, and we were made to feel very comfortable with what the Wine Cask could do for our evening in terms of menu and drinks customization, etc. Jennifer was very flexible about tailoring our menu to accommodate some picky eaters. We provided a copy of our invite to Jennifer and she had the menu printed to match our colors and style. As an added bonus, Wine Cask provided understated floral arrangements and candles (free of charge) that fit perfectly with the décor and ambiance and saved us that additional expense. We can happily say that execution did not disappoint. We booked the Riviera Room as well as a dedicated section of the adjacent front patio. The food and wine were delicious. Our server, Jamie, kept everyone happy from cocktails through to closing, making sure that everyone had drinks and food throughout the evening. He was poised, funny, relaxed but efficient - basically, he was perfect. We can't thank him enough (and the rest of the staff) for making our evening so special. read more

Went a few months ago (June '08) for a birthday. I must say I was underwhelmed overall. The service was lacking from start to finish. The folks I went with had been there before and noted that the food was not as good since as their last experience. Also, there loud music was bumping through the walls before the end of my dinner. Is there a club next door? I would expect more for WC's pricing. read more

Classy, chic, good food, great wine, awesome sommelier, nice atmosphere. I would recomend checking it out, although i have heard this place has gone downhill since new owner/ management about 2 yrs ago. Sad if its true, otherwise its a SB staple. read more

Went here with a friend for an office Holiday party. We had a three course meal which allowed several different options for appetizer, entree, and dessert. First off, the bread and butter they start you off with is absolutely delicious! I try to only have one or maybe two pieces of bread at restaurants since I don't want to ruin my appetite but I definitely went above that at this place. For my appetizer, I went with a winter salad that was tasty and fresh and a good size as well. For the entree I got the salmon, which is was very disappointed. It wasn't cooked very well and it definitely had a fishy, oily taste that I wasn't a fan of. Also the sides that it came with were not that great either. For dessert, I got the gingerbread cake with ice cream, which was less than stellar as well. It seemed very dry and overcooked and not that flavorful. I also tried my friend's chocolate cookie pie and it was good, but definitely overcooked and inedible in some places. Overall, the service was very good and attentive, especially with our large group but the food was not really up to par. Not sure if it was because of our party setting or if it is similar in their normal restaurant, but I was left desiring a bit higher quality food. read more

I feel bad I never gave this place a review! i was just referring this place to friends who will be in Santa Barbara in two weeks. The food is fantastic. I was there by myself most of the time i was there and the waitress and chef had a ball with me. I tried whatever they suggested. I was there when they opened so I had free reign. The fries are killer! holy god. I love the caramel dessert and I have completely forgot the name but do try. I had the tea here and I asked who made this and where to purchase it, they gave me all the information and even walked me out there door and pointed me in the right direction. Now thats service! The wine store was fantastic. Be prepared for sticker shock a bit but its justified and you know what you are getting for the price. I picked up several bottles and I still have a few left in my cellar for special occiasions. Service was fanstastic yet again and they answered all my questions and pointed out trends in wine that i need to pay attention too. read more

Wine Cask aspires to fine dining. In the main, service and food are done by rote rather than inspiration. Of the dishes only the abalone was interesting and only the scallops were delivered to the table, perfectly. The shortribs, seabass and duck were pedestrian. If you happen to be an Oenophile the dining experience is far more interesting with the Wine Cask having a decent cellar with some true finds at reasonable prices for what you're buying. The service started well but fell off towards the end of the evening. Don't know if our repeated requests to talk to the sommelier caused a problem with the service or if they were on break. As a dining experience it was sufficient but no portion of the food or service would inspire me to return so two stars. As a wine experience I will be back. It was fun to drink some wines I can't buy and the sommelier was perfect with his recommendations and that would be 4 stars. read more

We were just there over the weekend, for our one day wine tasting trip to Solvang! We need to fill our stomach fill so we can sleep on the Amtrak back to LA. We decided to just walked in to a place without reading any reviews. Wow... I mean Wow!! This place was just a perfect place to finish the day! All the dishes we ordered were great, staffs were very friendly & nice! read more

I wanted to love this place. I did. I came here for NYE because my friend and I were visiting from out of town and the reviews coupled with a set menu with variety sounded great. Our server was very on point, save for the dishes being continually reversed between my friend and I. We both enjoyed our apps (lobster bisque and the beet salad), but things turned bad the mains. Our food was slow to arrive and the server told me they had to re-do my scallops due to overcooking. That would be great if they hadn't let my friend's steak go cold! Dessert was fine to finish. Decent by the glass wine list. Would probably be better on a night without a set menu? read more

Found some reviews for the Wine Cask, but when I realized we weren't dressed enough, we went around the back to the lounge area = Intermezzo. First impression was that it was loud as all get out, and we were virtually ignored for a whole 5 minutes. Two servers passed us several times, and finally someone told us that it was a "seat yourself kind of place". No problem, but while we were standing there were that deer-in-headlights look, someone could have pointed that out to us. In spite of a rocky start, we had a great time here and got some good food and even better wine. The by-the-glass selections that evening were delicious. We had to alter a bit of our food to get some meat-free selections, but they were very accomodating, and the food was tasty! read more

My husband and I had dinner at the Wine Cask on Valentine's Day. The food was DELICIOUS, they had a prix fixe menu with great options to choose from. We arrived early and were seated by the fireplace, the place quickly filled up with couples, tables were beautifully decorated and service was prompt. Our waiter suggested great wines for our meals and was very attentive. I definitely recommend the Wine Cask. Great food, excellent service, romantic atmosphere. A+ :o) read more

We had a reservation for a little post-graduation dining, but the party brought us there a bit early so we started in the bar for drinks. The waitstaff was quite nice, but had a little trouble getting all of our orders straight. A bottle of wine and water all around...not that hard right? However, things went splendidly as we were escorted to our table. The apps (Foie Gras and a Terrine) were awesome. The food came in a reasonable time and we were off. The beet salad was good, but not the best we've ever had, though the rest of the salads were delicious. The scallops were spot-on, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I ordered the Salmon and was disappointed. Although the sides were good, the fish itself had almost not taste, a pity. When all was said and done, we moved onto dessert. Oh MY! The Beignets: AMAZING. A homemade peanut butter cup the size of my fist? YES PLEASE! Overall we were quite impressed. The manager came over and personally congratulated the graduate, the ambience was enjoyable and the waitstaff helpful. Definitely worth the price! read more

We had our wedding reception here in the courtyard. Working with Jen and Sarah was a breeze. They were very accommodating and always gave great feedback when I was stuck making a decision. Jen was especially communicative and responsive over email (the way I communicate best in my hectic schedule). They coordinated with our florist to put together a beautiful table setting. The service and food was INSANELY good! All of our guests were raving about the food. The steak was especially tasty, along with the risotto and the salmon. Our other guests had the white fish and chicken..they were a hit as well. Chocolate chip cookie pie was a mega-hit. I enjoyed the bread pudding. CANT WAIT to be back for our anniversary~! read more

This is a favorite lunch spot. I love to bring my clients here or meet friends for lunch. The menu provides fresh options that are perfect for lunch. The setting is casual business or lunch classy. Try it for happy hour and dinner too! I love the flatbread pizzas and the tomato soup. read more

Wine Cask - Soup and salad! - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

**************************UPDATE*************************************** THIS PLACE WAS CLOSED DUE TO SHADY OWNERSHIP. For starters we ordered the Sweet Potato soup, which was prepared w/ panna cotta, pork cheeks, and a pear compote. Now you might be thinking "pork cheeks?" and so was I, so I had them ordered on the side. When the soup came out it just oozed w/deliciousness - and it did NOT disappoint. My first taste was a whirlwind of fall flavors that washed over my tongue. I dumped the pork into the soup and cleaned the bowl. For main course I chose the Orange Glazed Duck Breast, which came served w/a fennel puree, forbidden rice, and icicle radishes. I found the duck to be better than at most places but it is not the best I have ever had. In truth, I would order the duck again but not before trying other items on the menu. The taste of the duck had a good, hearty richness and it was cooked perfectly. Dipped in the fennel it was savory; but eaten only with rice it was so-so. I don't know what it needed -- maybe a different starch? The service was very attentive and all of the staff was very knowledgeable about the menu. There were 4 choices of menus and most of the items on the tasting menus were available for a la carte ordering. I liked this b/c it allowed a greater freedom to explore the menu. read more

Great food, good drinks, nice easy atmosphere, a bit on the pricey side but a nice treat. We sat at the fireplace couch/table things and had a great meal after a long day of drinking. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking a nice quality dinner with a laid back, casual attitude. read more

Best bar-food burger you can find in town. While the toppings change regularly with the menu, I have yet to be disappointed by the flavor combinations they come up with. I've enjoyed the other meals I've had here, but still feel that the burger is their signature dish. Be prepared for baked/lightly fried french fries! If you're in the mood for an experiment, the foie gras can be fun and was excellently prepared the last time we were there. read more

It didn't begin to measure up to its reputation or the price. The food quality varied between fair and good. For the wine we had a cab that was $105. It tasted like a $15 bottle. The couple next to us returned their bottle of wine so it seems to be somewhat common. The service was also poor. We'll never be back. read more

Intermezzo is the little loungey wine bar attached to The Wine Cask. When I was younger I used to walk by the doorway and imagine myself in there one day, sipping wine in a big leather sofa. Well, there I was today, finally. The wine's expensive, the food's reasonably priced, both are EXCELLENT and lovely, the food somehow both light and butter-soaked at the same time. Its kind of casual but it feels fancy to be there, I think thats what I like. FYI there are cigars on the menu and, Excellent "truffled mac and cheese." read more

Highly recommend Wine Cask. The restaurant is simple, but quaint. We had the short ribs which were amazingly tender and the Ribeye which was excellent. The location is a little away from State Street so that is nice as well. The drinks were very well done, though definitely not cheap. Recommend this place for anyone looking for a good dinner. read more

The Good: - The Food - The Service - The Atmosphere - Huge Wine Collection - Choices, You can eat at the Restaurant or The Bar ... They are both Delicious! - Outdoor and Indoor Seating The Bad: - ? Tips: - Try the Flat Breads - Try the Mushroom Risotto - Try the Fresh Fruit Cocktails - Try any of the Deserts - If in Season the Pork Chop is AMAZING! Recommendation: I HIGHLY Recommend that you eat here if your staying in Santa Barbara or Just passing through! Extras: I had my Wedding reception here and EVERYTHING was perfect, The Food, The Wait Staff, The Bar Tenders. Both Managers were very accommodating to all our needs. I couldn't have been happier. read more

Great service and amazing food! Loved the attention to detail on each plate! read more

Wine Cask - The calamari is made with a tapioca coating and is light and crispy. - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

So many good things to say about Wine Cask, so little time. Had a private business dinner here and everything was just sublime. The restaurant is beautiful, and we were very well looked after by our server (I can't for the life of me remember his name -- good-looking guy, though, and awesome at his job. Sorry I can't give him a specific shout-out!). He recommended a most delicious ale. But the food...oh my lanta, the food. Impeccable. The menu was a prie fixe, so I can only speak for what I ordered. STARTER: Mushroom soup - This was the only dish I was a little disappointed by. For a starter, it's kind of dull and lacks seasoning. I envied my colleagues' cauliflower starters, especially once I tried it myself. Now, you may be saying to yourself, "Hold on, I thought she just said it was impeccable?" Well, hold onto yer butts, kids, because here comes the... MAIN COURSE: New York strip steak - This was an easy choice for me because it's my very favorite cut of steak. And it did not disappoint even remotely. Served with a wine reduction, the steak itself was perfectly cooked (medium rare, best temp!), flavorful, and oh-so-tender. Definitely the star of the whole meal, and absolutely the best steak I have ever had in my life. I don't say this lightly. I'm an Iowa native, and I know my meats. This blew all other steak experiences out of the water. DESSERT: Cookie pie - Chocolate chip cookie with ice cream. What more could you ask for? Especially once the coffee had been brought out, which was a lovely way to wrap up one heck of a meal. We all had such an amazing evening. Thank you, Wine Cask, for helping to make this experience special for all of us. read more

The beautiful space, friendly service, and creative cuisine make the Wine Cask a perfect date night spot, or a reliable place to entertain guests or clients. The Seared Sea Scallops were the major stand out, served with leeks, potatoes that had a smoky flavor, leeks, corn, a bit of greens. I've never had a better scallop dish. We also had the Center Cut Ribeye which was very tasty and served atop of a mound of mashed potatoes and mushrooms. The Ahi Tuna appetizer is not for everyone (it has a cumin-curry flavor mixed with various types of citrus) - but we enjoyed this sophisticated take on poke and chips. We also had the Scallop Crudo appetizer which was delicious. The sommelier took our order and assisted us with wine pairing and selecting cocktails. He was so friendly and informative, he really added a lot of value to the meal. It was a wonderful evening and we really look forward to returning. The only reason we didn't give Wine Cask five stars is the actual seating. The petite, somewhat flimsy tables are better suited to a small cafe, and are spaced so far apart, it makes the giant dining room feel a bit cavernous and cold. Such a grand space, with Spanish architecture and gigantic gilded mirrors, deserves more solid tables and chairs that are in better proportion to the space and provide more comfort. Some tables (near the fire place) were also impossibly low - we had to move to another table, as my husband couldn't fit his legs beneath the table top, and my much-shorter legs could barely fit underneath. The service was also a little slow when we waited for the check, and we had no less than five different people bringing us our water, meals, busing, etc., which made the service feel a little choppy. We only mention/noticed these things because Wine Cask is such an upscale restaurant. With a few, tiny tweaks, they will reach perfection. We are now big fans because it was apparent to us they strive for original dishes and truly care about their customers' experience. read more

Oh my gosh where to begin?!? Fabulous place with great food and service! Came with a large group from work and ate in the private area of restaurant. Wine was very good and appetizers were yummy! Started off with mixed greens salad and it was fine. Tried toasted cauliflower and it was amazing. Next had Sea Bass with veggies and potatoes. Finished meal with coffee and Bourbon Bread Pudding. All I'm going to say about dessert is it was worth every calorie! Huge serving so definitely consider splitting with someone or leave half behind. read more

I'm going to focus this review on one thing--the soup. I had a yam and beef puree and the only thing I can say is that it was out of this world. The beef gave it depth and dimension, but the consistency of the soup remained velvety and smooth. Closing remarks: great service, wonderful atmosphere, excellent menu. read more

I feel like this is one of those places that you always pretty much know what you're going to get and what you get is excellent service and really amazing food and wine pairings. Even when there have been rare misses in the past, they were minor and wouldn't put me off going back. A couple of years ago we took a friend on a special medical diet here and called just a few days in advance to see if she could be accommodated. They did a beautiful job with what I thought was a difficult list of exclusions and a short period of time. This is the kind of service I expect here, and it's always done with a smile. On a recent visit, we had delicacies like oysters with fennel and cherimoyas, scallops and salmon with cauliflower risotto. Such great food and such a relaxed, easy environment. If you like wine, you'll be in heaven. Nearly everything they pair or suggest is perfect for what you order. And there's no stuffiness or intimidation for those who don't really know much about wine. read more

Enjoyed the Wine Cask quite a bit. Interior of dining room was classy, chic. The foie gras terrine with crostini and sour cherry was outstanding. Perfectly paired with Far Niente cabernet sauvignon. The lamb shank missed the mark ever-so slightly. Though flavorful, it could have been more tender. Others at our table raved about the wild mushroom soup and roasted ribeye. Many 'oohs and ahhs' for the bread pudding with caramel and seasalt. Nicely paired with a Grahams 40 year tawny port. Great finish. read more

My husband and I had been working with the staff at Wine Cask for our wedding a year prior. From the moment we walked into the Wine Cask for a tour, we knew this venue would be it. We were spot on when we chose them! Every staff member we came into contact with was delightful and very attentive. As a bride, I was anxious, stressed and wanted everything to be beyond perfect. Sarah and her staff made it all happen. My husband and I walked into our cocktail hour in the Mediterranean Courtyard and were stoked with the placement of everything. The decor we brought in was staged perfectly. We walked into the reception area (Gold Room) and WOW! Everything from the cake, to the table set up, to the flowers was impeccable. The food was incredible. I had the filet bites for my first course and I couldn't stop saying mmmm... The filet melted in my mouth, the gentleman sauce on top of it just by thinking of it is making my mouth water. For my meal I had the Salmon...Once again delicious. Presentation was stupendous. With all of that said, every single one of our 60 guests had nothing but amazing things to say about our wedding and we owe it all to everyone at Wine Cask. We will be back for our next celebration..Maybe even make it an anniversary tradition. Our wedding was perfect. read more

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A friend and I had dinner at Wine Cask Friday night, 9/9, and it was top notch from start to finish. Our waiter was wonderful, considering we decided to share most of our meal, and he introduced us to a new Viognier from Cold Heaven Cellars that was so delicious we found the winery on our way back to the Bay on Sunday. We shared the soup of the day (that was good, but everything else outshined it). Then we continued sharing the Tuna Tartare and the pan roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and carrots bathed in a mild mustard and rosemary sauce. When it came to dessert we went our separate ways - she had bread pudding and I had benignets filled with custard, cappucino ice cream and candy coated nuts. We argued about who had the better dessert (I did :)). If you are in Santa Barbara and are looking for a wonderful meal, try Wine Cask. read more

Stopped by for their Christmas Eve prix fix meal at 9pm. we were told our table wasn't ready but was warmly invited to their bar to wait. We ordered our wine and looked over their menu while we waited. Then we were seated 20 mins after our original reservation time which was fine as we were in no rush. The service was so so so great - the waiter even folded my friends napkin when she went to the washroom. The food was mind blowing and portions were massive. Highly recommend the foie gras and rib eye. Warning - their medium rare is more rare than usual (fully red throughout) so make sure to at least order medium if you're used to ordering medium rare. We came out of the meal super satisfied and stuffed. Will likely not need to eat again for a few more days. read more

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Absolutely fabulous service! Held a dinner party here & everything was on point. Nice local wines; healthy appetizers including cauliflower & Brussels sprouts as well as meat & cheese plate! I had the kale salad, sea bass and Creme brûlée which were all beautifully presented and tasted great! read more

Very very poor service , ok food but not worth the hassle , we had 3 mains , one was ok , one was so so and one was really bad Don't waste your time paying for 2 star food and service in a 5 star restaurant Manager had a really poor attitude and lacked customer service ..... read more

They started with what wasn't avail tonight and the substitutions that we're being made, not the best first impression. it was expensive and the lamb was overdone. The GF had the pieced together dish which ended up being pork, on pork on pork. Overall, should have been, could have been. Local beer selections saved the day! 2 stars! read more

Do NOT go here if you are planning a private party... Interestingly enough I was given the recommendation to go here from a relative who said great things about Brandon Hughes, the head chef at Wine Cask. We tried to connect with him several times, but were unsuccessful and did not receive a return phone call. We were under the impression he would come out and greet our group if only for a few moments, maybe give us some wine recommendations, etc.... after all we are related, right? Instead we communicated with the manager and wine director of Wine Cask via email. We confirmed the details in advance including three selections of wine (bottles) and a menu which was customized with our event name and signature drink. When we arrived to the Riviera Room (private party room) the menu did not include the event name or signature drink. The server was puzzled, and made it clear he was not given direction except that we were there for a bachelorette party. The food was good but WAY overpriced... $58.00 for chicken is hardly justifiable... $8.00 for a Coke... the list goes on... Meanwhile our server took the liberty to bring out extra bottles of wine that were NOT preselected nor were they confirmed by anyone in our party. I looked at the Maid of Honor at one point because it seemed like he was constantly filling our glasses with wine, and we had already calculated the amount to be 1.5 glasses per guest. "Are you sure we have more wine?!" we asked. "Oh yes!" he replied... Maybe Brandon was doing this from behind the scenes? When asked to see Chef Brandon Hughes to thank him, the server said he was swamped and could not come out. Very understandable for a Saturday night, but finally by 11:30pm and the fourth request to see him, the server shook his head "no" and made a strange comment, which makes me wonder how this restaurant manages their staff. By the time we got our bill I just about collapsed out of my chair, and was THROUGH THE ROOF angry when I saw how much extra alcohol had been charged... the bill was just five dollars short of $1,000! Now I really wanted to speak with the chef. This was outrageous! I have worked in the food and beverage industry in the past, and I have never known a fine dining establishment to operate like this. We spoke with the manager but he was hardly understanding. Of course after all the booze we had in our systems (but had not authorized), I could see how he wouldn't take 8 pissed off bridesmaids and a bride-to-be very seriously. Clearly I would NOT recommend the Wine Cask for any private parties. It is unprofessional, overpriced and overall very disappointing. read more

My cousin celebrated her wedding here and it was a lovely location. To start we had: Ahi poke--the wonton was crispy and the poke was tasty and tender Market flatbread--not too bready, it help up well Spinach & Ricotta--light and my favorite fo the flatbreads Prosciutto & Arugula--not big on the prosciutto, I would pass on this next time I'm here I had the mixed green salad as my main course and it was fresh and ethereal. For dessert I had the apple tarte tatin which was a bit too sweet for my liking. The portions were just right and the setting was intimate. read more