Food was solid Service was even better Location a little awkward But man did they really used all of that space Don't let the first part of the restaurant fool you there is two other rooms both having there own vibe!!!! Must try the outside for that outside villa vibe Then the second room for a nice little cafe feeling Then the bar area for well the bar scene read more

This is a classic Santa Barbara institution. That's been here as long as I remember. Fantastic Italian food portions of epic sizes My only complaint of this restaurant is minus one star for the sometimes questionable service but absolutely wonderful food. Entrées are easily big enough to split between two. read more

We were lucky enough to have Arnoldi's host our wedding reception last weekend and we can't thank them enough for the amazing experience. From the food (which was so amazing) to the service, we felt so cared about and taken care of by the entire team. All of our guests were raving about how much they enjoyed the entire experience at Arnoldi's. We cannot thank Sara, Casey, Guillermo and the entire team enough, this is a memory that will stay with us forever. We cannot wait to come back and see you guys soon, thank you all so much. Nick + Neil read more

Thanksgiving at Arnoldi's I felt compelled to be there after so many years. I started with the Chainti wine a side salad and their homemade bread. My entree was Lasagna. From the moment I arrived I was welcomed and remembered as I had called and requested to sit at the Bar. Extremely happy with the service. Arnoldi's has always maintained a special atmosphere with old world atmosphere. Arnoldi's is a Iconic Restaurant homegrown. Thanks the Great Santa Barbara experience. Ronnie S read more

See all

Really cute environment and nice staff! Good for big parties. There are options for most. We had a large party and they were pretty fast. Chicken was a little dry but overall good experience read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Short rib ravioli - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

This was such an unforgettable dining experience. The staff at Arnoldi's is absolutely fabulous. This is by far one of the best meals I have ever eaten. We both had pasta dishes and salad. Every detail was attended to and the desserts were amazing. I honestly haven't stopped thinking about my next visit. read more

Great food! Tasty drinks! Very good Aperol Spritz. The linguine primavera entree and caprese appetizer were wonderful. The only reason I did not give a four star is the service was slow. However, there was a wedding reception going on, so that may have been the reason. The waiters were very nice and were working as hard as they could. The ambiance was very authentic. Italy on Southern California! read more

Absolutely the best Italian food I've ever had, and Italian is my favorite food. Desi was our server and so attentive and pleasant. We had a couple pasta dishes that were superb. Even dessert was the best ever! Highly recommended! read more

Definitely highly recommend coming here if you want great Italian food plus an amazing setting. The food was amazing! We ordered everything and it was all amazing. My favorite was mine.... . I got the Spaghetti Carbonara. The service here was great as well we were always tended to and kept an eye on. The outdoor patio was absolutely beautiful at night. read more

See all

I'm a wedding vendor who has been to hundreds of venues. This past weekend I was booked for a wedding at Arnoldi's Café for the first time and I'm so glad I was a part of this special celebration at a special place. There is just something magical about weddings at Arnoldi's Café, it's tucked into the charm of Santa Barbara, every celebration there feels intimate, timeless and full of love. The team was very well organized, I was able to set up very easily and seamless which makes all the difference on a big wedding day. The staff was very helpful, they even offered to help me with all my equipment. It was truly a pleasure working with a well organized and professional team. Big shoutout to Casey, Ruben and waitstaff! The food was fantastic and perfect. They serve the bruschetta's which is my favorite appetizer. I also love the chicken Parmesan and spaghetti. If you' are planning a wedding definitely reach out to the team, I highly recommend them! read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - I love the beautiful garden in the back. - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Highly rated Italian restaurant in Santa Barbara. Located in a neighborhood and seems to have been around a while. A little dated but a full bar and a nice sized dining room. Has a big dining area for large parties in back. The entire staff was very nice and we chatted with Our busboy who was a nice young guy. Amani? Said when he was younger kids called him Manny. Very personable. Our waiter was efficient and the hostess were very friendly. The service all and all was great. Thank you for a wonderful meal. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Fried calamari which was a bit chewy but was flavorful. - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

My son had a small reception dinner of 30 people after his wedding. at first glance, the restaurant doesn't look like much but when we were guided to the back for out door seating I was impressed. The food was Amazing out of whole party nobody had anything negative to say. The best part of the night was the Amazing service that Guillermo and the crew provided . I have traveled to alot of places and had dinner at service locations, but I have never had this kinda of service before. My hats off to the service.. Thank you for making it a great night for the family... read more

Writing this as I am walking away from the restaurant. That's how bad my experience at Arnoldi's was. I came on a busy day and as someone who has worked in the restaurant industry I totally understand how things can fall through the cracks. However waiting nearly 50 minutes for cold food at a "nice" restaurant is completely unacceptable. I paid almost $40 for a chicken piccata that was a handful of overcooked angel hair pasta with cold canned cream of chicken soup dumped on top, finished off with 4 capers (chicken actually was just ok!). The gelatinous texture was honestly sickening. We were also seated outside on a cold day with no working heat lamps near us I was legit shivering. As a college student that likes to indulge in nice meals as a treat, this was incredibly upsetting as I had been saving and looking forward to this meal. So disappointed read more

Amazing food! We came in with a group and they had something for everyone! The service was great! They steak was cooked perfectly and was so tender. read more

I went in for Mother's Day with my Mom and two sisters. We were seated and greeted by our waitress named Harper. She was absolutely amazing. I usually don't make reviews but she had the cutest personality and made sure we had everything we needed. Best service I've had in a while. Very attentive and friendly. great service and great restaurant! I would definitely come back!! read more

Tucked away on a corner in a neighborhood, it seems to be a fixture and around a long time (or maybe that is the decor vibe). Surprisingly a young man working the valet parking on a Thursday night. The restaurant was quiet at 7pm. We were told to pick our table. Food was fine. We got the bruschetta as an appetizer and the bread was soggy from the tomato, a few minutes in the toaster or oven would have helped. The bread for the table was not crispy, almost moist. Fettuccini Alfredo was one. I opted to forgo the chicken because I couldn't spend over $30 for the meal. Other pastas were fine, the seafood pasta came with a generous amount of seafood. They did accommodate a food preference, removing the pepper from the pasta primavera. We did not get dessert, rather pricy and after the mediocre meal felt it would be better to pass. read more

See all

Staff is great--the more I've come here the more familiar faces that know me and always give a warm welcome. That chicken Milanese on the special menu is soooooooo good. And that lavender drink! read more

See all

I went here 15 years ago when I was in college and I've always thought about going back! I was recently in town to go to a show at the Granada and I finally got to bring my mother here! It was absolutely amazing they were so kind and the food was delicious everything was perfect. We sat on the back patio it was beautiful and they had a heaters and everything read more

See all

Food was great, service was not. Possibly best Italian food I have ever had but they got our order wrong twice then missed a dish completely, brought one late, then charged us for a dish we didn't even order. read more

Oldest Italian restaurant in Santa Barbara, right in the heart of a neighborhood we walked from State Street. We enjoyed ourselves to the fullest they were packed probably as usual so we sat at the bar great customer service great friendly fun atmosphere. The ambience was old school. The drinks were good and the food was amazing. Definitely will be returning to try more on the menu. Thank you guys. We loved it. read more

See all

Arnoldi's is a cool spot. The restaurant is old school, with New York Italian vibes. The servers are always very nice and the food is excellent. My wife had the linguine with clams and I had the Tuscan chicken, and it was all delicious. The servers were especially friendly and the vibe was fun. Definitely a great spot to get together with friends and/or family. You should check it out! read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Love the old school sign. - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Quaint. Peaceful. Absolutely delicious. I went to Arnoldi's, fully expecting an Americanized Italian restaurant, but then came a lovely restaurant with great customer service, and finally enough light (compared to other Italian restaurants). I would recommend the alfredo, it's cheesy and smooth like butter. (It comes in a large portion). The tenders are actually tender, and was quite crispy and well seasoned, not too salty. Overall, the food serves a large part in the experience, but the atmosphere is another thing to love. The music is nice and quiet, and not loud enough to burst your eardrums. read more

Loved the ambiance at this little restaurant. We sat on the lovely patio and enjoyed our meals. I had pasta with clams and my daughter had the tri colored gnocchi. She had the Santa Barbara spritz and said it was tasty. Our waiter was not overly attentive but we still had nice dining experience. Watched several families with young children play bocce ball. read more

See all

Best Italian in SB. My family and I have been coming here for years to celebrate birthdays. Such a welcoming, beautiful restaurant. Sitting outside is so fun because there is also bocce ball! I usually order the same thing when I go to restaurants, but not here. I'm always excited to try new pasta dishes as they are all so filling and delicious! The desserts are also so tasty and filling. Arnoldi's is an absolute must try! You absolutely get your moneys worth! read more

See all

*Support LOCAL* Run don't walk !!! This hidden gem has knocked me out of the park. Ortega Park that is. This Santa Barbara italian spot is unmatched Way better than presto pasta for dam sure. I arrived on a summer Tuesday evening around 6:30pm. Gita helped me get seated right away. Ordered a -white wine (sauv blanc) -a caprese as an antipasti -and a chicken piccata. All of it was so delicious. The atmosphere.. soo vibrant and lively and the menu just has you wanting more. The bocce ball night and the happy hour at 4-5pm are also two cool feats at this local joint. This place is a vibeee!! Shoutout x THANK YOUUU to !!!! hostess Gita for welcoming me Bartender Stone for the stellar service on Bar Server Rosie for your friendly conversation Guillermo for your hospitality Sean for the good vibes Kitchen for the freshh food and speedy wait time Arnoldi's Cafe for existing this long in SB! This was my first time. Felt like home. I'lllll be backk!!! read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Perfect spot to bring friends or your significant other!! Food was delicious, staff was nice and the outdoor seating is beautiful.

Excited because of all the good reviews I saw but food was mediocre, way overpriced for what it was worth. What truly was upsetting was the service. The same server we had offered every table around us bread but us. The server was not helping us the same way he was helping other tables. The poor service and the food quality was overall disappointing. We were on the patio, so ambiance was great but we won't be coming back. read more

Food and service was amazing as always. Chicken fettuccini Alfredo was fantastic as well as the chicken piccata. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - DD Chicken picatta (1) Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

As a SB native, Arnoldi's has always been a special place for my family and I. But their prices have greatly increased, the service has been sub par at best and our last dining experience there, the food fell really short. We then had to deal with the server adding gratuity onto our bill paid with a credit card after I tipped him in cash, which was SUPER unethical. I called the restaurant and the manager refunded the additional tip to me, but between the poor service, sub par food, inflated pricing, and now unethical tip practices by service staff, I'm not sure that Arnoldi's is the place for us anymore. JUST THE WEIRDEST RESPONSE FROM THE OWNER. You're not in Montecito. Your pricing is not inline with other restaurants in SB. You're not even addressing the fact that the server unethically added on gratuity after being tipped in cash. While your portions are overboard the quality does not come across as fresh at all. Thanks for the impersonal response, which just comes across as a way to combat a less than favorable review. read more

My wife and I chose Arnoldi's for our wedding reception location and could not be more impressed. The outside trellis area was BEAUTIFUL and the staff was incredibly accommodating & professional. We dine here often because the food is some of the best Santa Barbara has to offer. The buffet style dinner maintained the same quality I've come to love and expect from the kitchen. Guillermo was phenomenal in every regard! read more

My first time trying Arnoldi's and I'm looking forward to going back. The service was exceptional, the food was delicious and I liked the ambiance. read more

Arnoldi’s Cafe - Eggplant Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our family had a casual elopement/wedding dinner reception at Arnoldi's Cafe with 24 guests. Casey and Sarah helped with our reservation and were very responsive and flexible to accommodate our family. We had a lovely wedding reception dinner outside under the trellis. The decor/ambiance outside was beautiful and the food was delicious. The servers were all very attentive to our needs and even set up a separate side cake table for us. We recommend Arnoldi's for celebrating any special occasion. Thank you again Casey and Sarah for helping us, it was a perfect night and the bride and groom were so happy! read more

Arnoldi's is Back!!! Excellent dinner last night of Frutti Di Mare, pasta with meatballs, Caesar Salad, and the service by the young man in training, his first night, was 100!! We walked in around 4:45 and realized the reason for the crowd is a daily happy hour from 4:00-5:00 that had the place hopping and festive. You might consider an additional bar tender soon, which is a good thing. The only negative, it was really quite a long wait for drinks. So happy to see the positive simple changes made that have only improved the already wonderful Arnoldi's experience. We will see you again soon! Great job Arnoldi's!! read more

This review is long overdue, Arnoldi's never fails to amaze! This has been my go-to dinner & drinks spot for ages and we were happy to see such a special local's spot reopen after a closing period. The staff is always so incredibly kind, helpful, and really makes this place what it is! We've been fortunate enough to have Stone as our server both for my graduation dinner and recently with friends. He truly goes above and beyond with attentive and thoughtful service while handling busy nights with grace. The owner, Sara, was very sweet and accommodating with our large party for graduation and set us up with the most beautiful table on their patio. Highly recommend their hospitality, yummy food (especially the gnocchi), and cozy ambience to anyone planning a special event or just looking for a date night spot. read more

Best chicken Marsala I've had in a long time! My daughter wasn't hungry and had the bruschetta. It was pretty good. My wife had the Carbonara, which was OK but the gluten-free noodles really were not good. Probably not the fault of the restaurant. I will definitely go back and try the chicken Parm. Really good vibe and lovely service. read more

Another amazing night at Arnaldis! Service- phenomenal. Friendly, fun, attentive. My biggest pet peeve is asking someone for something and being told "This isn't my table". Not only did that NOT happen , everyone working there is very noticeably one cohesive team. They ALL accommodated us on every level. Food-top notch. Everyone was passing their plates around sharing everything because we all loved every dish. Among 11 of us, there wasn't a morsel left to bring home leftovers! Ambiance - wonderful for big groups. Not a bad seat in the house- indoor or on the patio. Such a charming family feel to a charming community. Thank you for making our mom's bday dinner special for us. read more

the best thing about arnoldi's cafe was our server CHRISTIAN! he went above & beyond, collaborating with chefs about substituting different sauces for my honey's meal. he was personable, kind, & friendly. as for the food, i ordered the potato gnocchi w the gorgonzola sauce. it was hearty, creamy, & delightful but i could honestly go the rest of my life without eating it again. the homemade gnocchi was pillowy soft & delicious though! i don't say this to deter anyone from ordering this meal. my daughter enjoyed her lasagne bolognese. my honey also liked his chicken marsala w linguini w "caper sauce" - we didn't finish our meals but that could be because we weren't especially hungry. read more

See all

Yo yo yo this place is totally off the hook so so yummy no lie food was flooding my mouth with great taste great workers and great surrounding read more

See all

Absolutely one of the best restaurants in town!! I've been going to Arnoldi's for years and the service and food and amazing. Sitting outside makes you feel like you're not in Santa Barbara anymore. The owner Sara is always so sweet and kind. She truly makes you feel like you're apart of the family. Highly recommend coming here, you won't regret it read more

Found this Italian restaurant in downtown and to say it was fabulous would not be enough. The pasta and sauce was amazing. Service was even better and to top it off they have bocce ball courts was a fun time after dinner. If you're looking for great traditional Italian restaurant this is a must! read more