Aegean

What can I say about this restaurant. Five star in my opinion…read more First time visiting this place and it was exquisite. We arrived on a Friday night and they were kind enough to find us a table without reservation (I would still recommend reserving for the weekend). Customer service A plus. Ambiance was so beautiful, we felt we entered another dimension with the patio seating. We ordered Falafel, Baba Ghannouj Chicken Kabobs and Pita Bread. For a cocktail I had a tequila based one called Standard. Everything was made to perfection and fresh. Timing between entrees was perfectly calculated. We were seated like in a private terrace which we loved.

The ambiance here is absolutely stunning, and the service was decent--the manager was friendly and…read moreattentive throughout our meal. However, the experience felt a bit underwhelming for such a very expensive price tag. The Food & Drinks: Pita Bread: A disappointment; it lacked the soft, hot moist texture you expect and honestly felt like it came out of a bag. Hummus: Just okay--nothing to write home about. Beef Shawarma: This was the highlight of the meal; it was actually good. Alcohol: Be warned--the markups are intense. They really gouge you on drink prices, so you might want to skip the cocktails. The Experience: The "cool factor" has dipped a bit since they stopped offering hookahs, and since there were no belly dancers during our visit (maybe we were just too early?), the entertainment was lacking. Also, keep in mind that you must be in a large group if you want to snag one of those coveted fire pit tables. The Verdict: Go for the views and the relaxed vibe, but manage your expectations on the value for the price.

Kabob platter

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Outdoor dining!!

Mezza Thyme

4.8(104 reviews)

We hosted a 20-person outdoor wedding reception at our home, and Mezza Thyme catered the event. The…read morefood was outstanding. Throughout the meal, I kept hearing the same comment from different tables: "This is really, really good food." And it was. The Mediterranean dishes were vibrant and fresh -- not generic or middle-of-the-road, but thoughtfully prepared with balanced flavors and ultra-fresh ingredients. Even our most restrained eaters went back for seconds. Delivery was on time as scheduled. The general manager personally supervised the transfer of the food from transport containers into our serving dishes and offered helpful suggestions on serving layout to improve flow. Presentation and execution were handled professionally, which matters when hosting an event at home. Prior to placing the final order, I studied the menu and placed a preliminary order online to establish a starting point. I reviewed it with my daughter and wife and received their approvals before finalizing. I did have a few questions about overlap among side dishes, spoke with the general manager about it, and finalized the order 30 days before the event with no subsequent changes. That clarity made the rest of the planning straightforward. Their menu reflects flavors and traditions rooted in the Levant region. Mediterranean cuisine lends itself well to buffet service within a defined service window. We would be happy to use Mezza Thyme again for any larger-scale gathering -- or for a great meal at home or in their restaurant on Cota Street downtown. I highly recommend them.

The food is delicious! I came on Friday for lunch and immediately changed my Saturday plans so I…read morecould return. 10/10 all around. The beef samosas or sambusa were perfectly seasoned, crispy, and flakey.

Eggplant Falafel Plate 9/10

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The entrance

Petra Cafe

4.1(319 reviews)

Hi i needspeak about this resturant…read more The people work there very nice and the food very good and the hookah bar is very clean and the food is very good i take all my freind there i wish every one go there and try foxthill is the best hookah in state street

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.

Interior

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Guava margarita

Tamar

4.5(131 reviews)

0.6 mi

Tamar is the home of one of the best sandwiches in Santa Barbara. The Lamb Kofta Pita has no…read moreparallel anywhere in SB. Perfectly seasoned and cooked, the lamb patties are nestled in the pita surrounds by veggies and two delicious sauces. It's brilliant! Staff is always friendly and helpful.

Buzzy, cramped, rushed -- and great food! Counter service is prompt and efficient. The food is…read moreauthentic Lebanese, and the quantities are IMMENSE. We shared one plate and were stuffed for the rest of the day..... Tamar shares the space with Dart Coffee so it pays to figure out which queue is for what.

This is the floral arrangement on our table. It should have been removed a week ago. Shows a lack of attention to detail.

Chicken Shawarma Plate served with cabbage salad, hummus, torshi, amba aioli, zhoug, and 1pc. pita

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Chicken Shawarma Plate served with cabbage salad, hummus, torshi, amba aioli, zhoug, and 1pc. pita

Nick The Greek

4.5(135 reviews)

Yum! The lamb and beef gyro is so good! Came for lunch after…read morefarmers market. Highly recommend!

Tried for the first time! great portions, fresh food,…read moreprices are reasonable. service was good will be back

Counter

Chicken Souvlaki Plate

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Saint Remy

4.2(48 reviews)

0.8 mi

This is a cute little restaurant within the Courtyard Marriott hotel. I came here when the kitchen…read morewasn't open, but the bartender was really nice to serve drinks. The prices are reasonable and if you're a hotel guest, you can take your drink or food to the poolside.

For a restaurant that is located inside a hotel- it has pretty good food options!…read more I tried the Santa Barbara bowl - which is a bed a arugula, some beans, a little rice, cucumber, avocado and grilled chicken. It was pretty good- I forgot to say dressing on the side but it was still good. I did think the chicken was a tad oily but still good! Spicy margarita was so delicious with the tajin rim. Staff was very nice as well.

Entrance

Chicken Puttanesca

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Piña colada mocktails

Luna Grill Santa Barbara

4.1(568 reviews)

3.4 mi

Food was great. If I could give 10 stars I would. Definitely will be back soon. The service was…read moregreat.

Very recently, my wife (a student at UCSB) and I had dinner at the Luna Grill and thought it was…read moreterrific! The food quality was excellent, the service provided by Daniel and Simone was most professional and courteous, and the pricing was remarkably low for the value! We were very pleasantly surprised and will definitely return, and we are telling friends! As for Daniel and Simone, they went way out of their way to be helpful to us, which prompted us to ask for their names and provide this review. In this day and age, when you get really good food at a value price AND when the staff members go out of their way to be helpful, you want others to know! (P.S. my wife says the owners may wish to consider a location on or near UCSB campus so students, faculty and visitors have a better, healthier, more value-priced restaurant available to them)

Grilled Chicken kabobs, Mediterranean Salad, hummus & pita, beef kabobs, desserts, rice, wraps and sauce.

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Apple Walnut Wrap

Aegean

4.8(21 reviews)

1.6 mi

Found this little gem on a recent weekend trip and was absolutely blown away! Mediterranean food…read moreis my favorite, and I can say without exaggerating this was one of the BEST meals of my adult life! Portions were just right, and we ordered family-style so we could try several different dishes. I would absolutely drive the 3 hours to Santa Barbara solely for a meal here. Divine!! Thank you to the chef (also the owner, I think) who clearly puts his heart & soul into the food - he stopped by our table and I had the pleasure of telling him how much we absolutely LOVED his food.

Amazing food and great service overall. Everything we tried was delicious, and our waitress was…read morewonderful. A couple of things to note: the food did come out a bit slow, and the halloumi was a letdown price-wise. It was $19 for just two very small pieces, which felt pretty unreasonable. Either the portion should be larger or the price lower. That said, the flavors were excellent and we truly enjoyed the meal. Would definitely come back and try more dishes! (Also plenty of options for Gluten Free)

Outside patio vibe

The best Falafel in Santa Barbara

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Chermoula salmon

Hummus Republic

4.2(73 reviews)

9.0 mi

The food was exceptional, and well worth the price. There are a few issues though , one seems…read moresilly, but "building" a bowl has so many options it's mind numbing and takes a while to choose as you walk around the counter. I imagine if it's busy it would have a huge line as you go through and select from dozens of options (every one that I got was exceptional). So they need a better system to order on site as online solves this issue (though you might not realize what you could have ordered had you seen it in person). The other issue was a bit of a language barrier, which made ordering even more challenging. But - I highly recommend this place. You get plenty of great food (we both took enough home to have another meal from it.) You really should try this place if you're in IV.

We went in the late evening and they still had a lot of choices available. We were even given a…read moresample taste of one of the protein options.

Menu

Fresh spreads and greens

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Costa Kitchen & Bar

4.0(118 reviews)

1.7 mi

The service is superb.The burger and french fries I had were great. I love the live music also.read more

We decided to try its breakfast while staying at Mar Monte for the weekend. Inside, with its casual…read moreupscale décor, was quite spacious and could easily accommodate 70+ guests. The friendly staff guided us to our table and brough water and menu right away. After browsing through their menu, we ordered the following items: Seasonal Fruits & Berries: In the plate, there were dates, fresh berries, sliced cantaloupe, pineapple, and apple. All clean and delicious. Traditional Breakfast: It was quite a hearty meal with eggs, sausages, potatoes, and toasted bread. Everything was well prepared and nicely seasoned. Crab Bennedict: The crab meat portion was generous, the poached eggs were cooked to perfection, and the toasted brioche was slightly crispy outside and soft inside. It also came with a cup of fresh fruits. Great food and reasonable prices for the location. Highly recommended.