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    Recommended Reviews - Bar Lou

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    Chicken Gyro
    Ingrid V.

    I will be going back! My husband and I went tonight for a little date. We shared the crab cake, the chicken gyro, the steak frites and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The service was amazing, so attentive and friendly. The space is gorgeous, romantic, and cozy. The food was all so delicious. I want to go back and sit at the bar with a girlfriend or go back with a group of friends and order the whole menu to try it all. We are big fans!

    Adrienne O.

    So we tried the Crab Cakes (excellent), the chickpea toast, and for our mains we bad the Cast Iron Seared Fish Provincial w/ Ratatouille and the Beef Bourgeois w/ Pappardelle pasta. Everything was cooked to perfection. My husband is the best French and Italian chef I've ever had (and he's Taiwanese). He has ruined restaurant after restaurant for us for 15 years, leaving us very few options for date night, until tonight. This place is truly the real deal. Will be back for everything else on the menu. The service was perfection as well. Thank you for giving date night back to us!

    Nice bistro setting
    Sylvia K.

    Carrots and mushroom skewers were soooo good. Baguette a little pricey but texture and salted butter was delicious. Chairs a bit uncomfortable and stiff

    Bar Steak

    Lovely spot. Inside is very classic. They have an area by the outdoor fire place and a patio over looking the street which is where we decided to sit. Service was wonderful. Got the -chicken liver: bread was incredibly warm. I generally like my liver a little bit sweeter, but it was still quite fantastic. -crab cake: very very good. Wish it was a bit larger, but flavors all hit the right notes -beef Bourgnon: mash potato's were perfect, meat was incredible tender. If you're looking for a hearty dish, this definitely hits the spot bar steak: cooked perfectly, the garlic was a nice touch. French fries were a 9/10. Think elegant high quality micky Dee's (no higher compliment exists)

    We were passing through and saw this place on google search. It was a quiet night. We received great service. The food was quite tasty. A great find for our travel.

    Such a cozy delightful and delicious spot Best branzino ever&fabulous service!!!

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    5 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    Corina R.

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

    We had a great experience at Bar Lou. The food was delicious, the outdoor seating was lovely, and the staff was incredibly attentive.

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Beautiful patio, great service, and tasty food and cocktails. Just an insanely relaxing and chill place to spend an hour in the afternoon.

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Nice vibe. Barbara behind the bar provided warm, authentic service. I'd say the food was just ok.

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    1 year ago

    Meeehhh. Interesting menu but very small portions and high prices. Nothing special. Service is wonderful and ambience is very nice.

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    1 year ago

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    Ask the Community - Bar Lou

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    The Honor Bar - French dip

    The Honor Bar

    (815 reviews)

    $$

    Always a great experience here. Quick service. Friendly smiles. Food is consistent…read more I would say I miss the Athletic Brewing Copper. Now they serve a citric focused Kolsch from Best Day brewing. Oh well. I like the salads here. Salmon. Prime rib sandwich. And recently we discovered the trout dip. Make sure you use the green sauce. Fries always good to start and those Deviled eggs baby.

    the honor bar is technically a chain which makes it funnier that it runs this tight on coast…read morevillage usually ends up here after surfing hammond's still a little salty, not fully reset, sand doing whatever it's doing, and it doesn't matter. nobody flinches. place absorbs it like it's part of the program it's always a coin flip between here and los arroyos heads it's tacos tails it's this tails has been hitting lately walk in and the room is already full but somehow still controlled. bar doing most of the work. booths locked in. patio moving at its own pace menu looks simple which is how they get away with it ding's crispy chicken sandwich shows up and immediately justifies the entire operation. not oversized, not trying to prove anything, just built correctly. same with the french dip. clean, direct, nothing wasted drinks land exactly when they should. no one hovering, no one disappearing there's a moment where the whole place settles into itself and it becomes clear this is not casual even though it looks like it is that's the trick guy running food had it dialed. didn't catch the name but it might have been barron sawyer. moved like nothing was ever going to back up walk out still smelling like the pacific and somehow better for it five stars this is where a surf day goes to finish correctly

    Satellite

    Satellite

    (252 reviews)

    $$

    The natural wine bar of my dreams! We came to SB on a trip and were searching for wine bars that…read moreserve natural wine, and this one kept popping up as a top choice -- and it absolutely lived up to the hype. It's located right on State Street, so there's plenty to explore nearby. We came right at opening and were greeted by the friendliest host. The style of the space is amazing -- walls lined with bottles, funky furniture, and such a fun, modern vibe. They were also super dog‑friendly and immediately brought my pup a water bowl, which I always appreciate. The host was incredibly knowledgeable and answered all my questions (and I had many). I'm still new to the wine world, so her openness and guidance meant a lot. I sampled two wines and chose the one that was perfect for me. I also loved that they bring the bottle to your table to show you and tell you more about it. My partner had one of their vermouth cocktails and loved it. We even learned about a natural wine event happening next month that we might come back for. The host also recommended wineries in the area based on our preferences -- such a thoughtful touch. Would definitely come back anytime we're in SB.

    Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience here as I imagined it to be. I stopped by on a…read morewarm day and wanted to enjoy a Spritz. I walked in and spoke with the guy working the bar area. I wasn't sure if I had to order my drink there or if there was table service. He said he could take my order and then I could go find a table to sit at. I placed my order for a Spritz and found a table outside. It seemed like 15 minutes had passed by and still no drink. He tended to another table in front of me with a group of women he knew. I thought he would stop by my table after, but he didn't even acknowledge me. Finally, another staff member tended to me and I told her I had placed my order at the bar and was still waiting for it. She was very kind and quickly got it for me. My observation of this guy, was that he acknowledged everyone around me but for some reason never acknowledged me until my bill was ready. Such a bizarre experience! In any case, I still managed to enjoy myself and was glad the Eva waited on me. She was very kind and I appreciate her getting my drink and food in a timely manner. I ordered the Spanish cheese plate, which was the perfect snacking board. It comes with manchego, membrillo, corn nuts, cornichon, quince, strawberries, focaccia, and charcoal sourdough bread. This plate is great for two people. Overall, a not so great experience, but grateful that Eva came to the rescue! It left me unsure of whether I would come back, only time will tell.

    Montecito Gourmet

    Montecito Gourmet

    (101 reviews)

    $

    We've picked up lunch from Montecito Gourmet a few times, and the sandwiches are decent, if not the…read morebest in town. The menu is long with a lot of overlap in ingredients, many combinations of meat, cheese, and vegetables with a lot of condiments on your choice of bread. There are also salads and flatbread pinsas and various cheese and charcuterie platters. I've stayed home for the pick-ups so have yet to see the place in person, but it's worth noting that they do get overwhelmed by big orders. We got like eight sandwiches last time and the order took over half an hour longer than promised. My friend got an apology and a free cappuccino for his long wait--absolutely wasted, as my husband pointed out, on the one child-free adult in our party--and we all ate a late lunch. I've had a few of the sandwiches, and they've all been solid. The Montecito Club comes with roast turkey, honey baked ham, Swiss, Gruyere, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. The Butterfly Beach is another roast turkey sandwich, with prosciutto, French brie, mayo, lettuce, tomato, olive oil, and red wine vinegar (though it's worth noting that this one was better when I added balsamic at home). The Italian Style is a meaty, loaded sandwich with hot capicola, Italian Toscano salami, mortadella, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, kosher pickles, pepperoncini, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. I made the mistake of getting this juicy sandwich on a French roll, the soft bread got soggy almost immediately. This place gives you a lot of bread options, and I've found I like the sourdough, especially when I'm saving half of my sandwich for later. We usually hit Panino for easy sandwiches, but it's nice to mix it up once in a while. I'm sure we'll order from Montecito Gourmet again, and maybe I'll even land pick-up duty next time.

    This is quite a good spot! They clearly invest in the quality of ingredients for everything they…read moredo. I got to try the Spanish chorizo and especially loved it. It's a bit of a hidden gem! The owner and staff members are super friendly and invested in making sure you have a great meal. They also have wine tasting and dinner services!

    The Funk Zone - Funk Zone Records at 123 Santa Barbara St. The best record store in Santa Barbara

    The Funk Zone

    (52 reviews)

    $$

    So much to love about these 10 blocks of Shopping, Wine, Beer, Coffee, Restaurants, Art, Museums…read moreand Culture, Hotels, and more Shopping. And all nestled nicely between Highway 101 and Cabrillo Blvd, and between Garden Street and State Street. Can't even start with what my favorite spots are, I find a new one each time I visit. Usually plenty of street parking on the weekdays, and on the weekends definitely need to use one of the assorted public parkling lots in the area. You'll also find Live DJ's, Karaoke, Trivia Nights, Live Music, Bingo, Happy/Hoppy Hours . . . and sometimes dancing in the streets.

    This is a truly funky place to explore. There's an eclectic mix of restaurants, unique shops,…read morewineries, breweries, coffee, antiques, and more. Parking is challenging on the weekends. We've been there when it's busy and it can be festive-- pop ups in old vintage rv's or outside beer halls can appear; bands playing in several spots, etc. Experiences can be hit or miss. We visited a winery called Area 51 which sounded fun, but the wines were just okay. But Pali Wine had very good wines, a relaxing patio, and cool live music. The stores vary from very pricey threads to affordable knick knacks; succulents to vintage records to original artwork. Many spaces occupy previously owned old businesses that give it a nostalgic feeling. A few top name wineries have spaces here (i.e. Fess Parker). Definitely worth checking out in looking for a unique time in Santa Barbara.

    Bar Lou - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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