I'd give 5+ stars for the food. My wife had the scallops which she raved about and said it was the best part of the trip. The presentation was very nice. I had the steak sandwich which was good. The service was ehhhh - nothing bad nothing good -just perfunctory. The restaurant wasn't busy at all (we were the only table for a while) so it wasn't a matter of being busy. read more

Blackbird - Scallops - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Went on a Thursday so not busy. Service was good with a friendly and knowledgeable waitress. Both starters and main courses were excellent. The main dining room has an upscale feel to it. The bartenders said he could make a good old fashioned and he was correct both times. read more

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DO NOT CELEBRATE ANYTHING HERE!! The worst restuarant I have celebrated anything in! The food was good but the service was extremely slow. My boyfriend reserved the table ahead of time for my birthday but the server completely forgot about it. I already ate the dessert half way through and he brought a candle?? Are you serious? Every single fine dining restaurant I have been to all over the world for birthdays always made sure they made me feel special on that day. The host was aware and greeted me with happy birthday, but the server literally tried to light a candle of a half eaten dessert??! You wouldn't even do it to your dog's birthday, would you? There's no amount of a complimentaey dessert or drink can make up for it! The night was ruined! read more

Blackbird - That was the ordinary dessert before it was half eaten! - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Finally had a chance to try this place out. We're normally in the area during the day time when they were closed. But a weekend in wine country brought us back to Santa Barbara for the weekend. It was pretty mellow for a Saturday night, which maybe as we had a later reservation. The restaurant is cute, part of hotel Californian. Decors, chic and modern. Menu for both cocktails and drinks are excellent. A full bar plus a nice wine selection. Food, started and entrees were excellent. What we ended up picking. The ceviche was excellent, fresh chunks of fish and made perfectly, the baked bri was excellent and accompanied by crackers. Entrees, the pork, lamb, fish and steak. A selection of everything as it all sounded amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly and well seasoned. Also paired with the right sauce and veggies. Everything was great and full of flavors. Food, cocktails and service were excellent. read more

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Small beautifully decorated vibe. Takes after alfredhitcocl the bird film. The waitstaff were so lovely. Brick chicken beautiful presentation but too dry. The wagyu beef was phenomenal. So tender and juicy. The black cod also beautifully plated but lacked flavor but still clean and yummy. Brussels very good. Tuna crudo yellowtail a must as well as oysters. Bring your $$$$ very pricey. read more

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We had Thanksgiving dinner here while we were in town for the holiday. Our server was Jesse and he was amazing, attentive and communicative. He made great recommendations and was able to make a few substitutions (I can be picky sometimes ). The ambience was great. It's the little things that stick with you...like the host checking in with us if we were cold. The food and drinks were fabulous and we will Be back again next time we are in town read more

Showed up for "Burger and Bourbon" night on a Thursday and enjoyed it a ton! I'm trying to lose a little weight, so no bun, but added an egg, bacon, cheese, aioli and wrapped in lettuce. Served with a bullet rye on the rocks and it was the perfect meal. Highly recommend. Will be back for their chicken sandwich on Wednesday! read more

Blackbird - Burgers and Bourbon night - Thursday - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Cute place and love the atmosphere. Went in for a cocktail and some scallops. Service was great. read more

Blackbird - Lemon drop martini - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Disappointing from the Moment We Walked In We were really looking forward to trying Blackbird after hearing so much hype, but unfortunately, the experience fell flat from the start. As soon as we walked in, there was an unpleasant smell in the air--not exactly the welcome you want when you're about to eat. The service was shockingly poor. Our server was inattentive and seemed disinterested the entire time. We waited far too long just to get drinks, and even longer for our food, with no explanation or apology. Speaking of the food--completely overrated. Nothing we ordered lived up to the reputation. Bland, uninspired, and overpriced for the quality. Overall, this was one of the more disappointing dining experiences I've had in a while. Definitely would not recommend. There are far better places to spend your time and money. read more

The service and food here were absolutely exceptional. From the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I felt genuinely welcomed. The ambiance and hospitality were on another level. A heartfelt thank you to the chef for the incredible meal, and to Kai for going above and beyond to make my experience unforgettable. All I can say is Yummy and bring your appetite along!!! read more

Great food! Fast service and chill ambiance The location is the best! So close to the beach and you get a great view as a bonus if you sit outside. read more

The restaurant was in a Michelin Guide so I was expecting a Michelin experience. Attended during Restaurant Week Pros- Beautiful restaurant Great location - Santa Barbara Large bar Lovely waitstaff Outdoor dining Delicious focaccia bread- Must have w/Lemon butter Connected to Hotel California (nice) Great for intimate dinner Con- All the food was incredibly under seasoned Mussels did not have "chorizo" but rather the sauce was bland - Food presentation was not as expected Not kid friendly We ordered from the Restaurant week menu 3 course And regular menu Food ordered Focaccia Bread w/Lemon Butter Mussels w/chorizo Farm market salad Black Cod w/ artichoke pasta Chicken w/ rice Chocolate bon bons Two cocktails One bottle of wine May return for drinks only read more

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Had dinner here the other night and enjoyed it. They were able to make me a delicious strawberry cocktail that was really tasty. Citrus salad was really good and very refreshing. I'm not a big burrata fan but thought it was tasty. Ordered the black cod and it was delicious but the creamed leeks and crème fraiche combined made it really salty. I'd give this dish a 3/5. Overall a solid place to eat! read more

Blackbird - Black cod - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I really really like this place. They serve delicious wines, and Jeremy, our waitor, was really nice to us on more than one occasion. Cant wait to bring friends there again. read more

Jesse is a jem...treasure him. Matt although he is in the background you can feel the support he provides for FOH and customers...from beginning to end every human we encountered was a delight and super helpful...I didn't get the name of the hostess nor the other server with the amazing lashes that just had a glow about her that was contagious...anyway way to go on your staffing. Jesse we thank you for the experience you provided especially since I know we just rapid fire ordered because we were servers that just got of work...you handled us with such grace and made us laugh when we were exausted you are appreciate xoxo Caleb and CoCo...your recommendations were also on point. read more

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My favorite daughter treated me to a weekend away in Santa Barbara last weekend. We stayed at the Californian and while there we dined at Blackbird. The experience and the food was amazing. First of all, let me apologize because I thought that I would remember the servers name but at this advanced age (66 ) I always think my memory is better than it is . Her name was either Alexandra or Anette .i whichever it was she was amazing. She was able to strike the perfect balance of being right there when we needed her without being obtrusive. She was helpful and spot on with her recommendations. If ever there was a perfect server, she was it. Now for the food. We started with drinks. I had the espresso martini which was so delicious that I had two. my daughter had a drink. I think it was called Alfred Hitchcock, or something like that, but it was served in the cutest bird glass. Next onto the appetizers . The citrus salad was just the perfect blend of citrus fruit and it was amazing. The ceviche was spot on and the oysters fresh and yummy. Next, where our entrées. I ordered the black cod and my daughter had the halibut. we wound up switching because the halibut came with a lemon caper sauce that was to die for, but since she thinks anything with a grain of salt in it is salty, I reluctantly traded with her after taking a couple of bites of the cod which was delicious as well. We finished up our dinner with dessert which was a pineapple sorbet and a lemon tart which we split between the both of us . All in all, it was a wonderful experience. The ambience was elegant. The waitress was wonderful. The food was fantastic. I cannot wait to return. read more

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Came here for dinner My wife is vegan Jesse, who was initially filling up our water, recommended dishes and we ended up trusting his judgment: guy was flawless Had an incredible dinner and truly enjoyed ourselves. Thank you Jesse for your recommendations and energy -- made our meal superb. read more

We had TWO exceptional evenings out in Santa Barbara at Blackbird. The first one was an intimate dinner as a couple, and the second one was a larger group and both were outstanding. There's a relaxed feeling of elegance and luxury and the setting is beautiful. Our food was delicious and the recommended wine pairings were spot on. Special thanks to Kiara and Genevieve, who seated us and served us both times and remembered who we were. Even the gentleman at valet welcomed us back and was so friendly and accommodating. read more

Blackbird - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We came in for dessert and coffee after wine tasting / dinner. I actually just felt like a glass of wine and some cheese but husband needed coffee. We did not know where we were nor did we know it was Michelin starred. It was fairly empty on a Saturday night towards the end of the dining hour. Servers and staff were model level stunning and remarkably professional. Presentation of wines and dessert was lovely. I remarked to my husband that everything was gorgeous but felt like maybe a tiny bit lacking in substance. The dessert was very tasty but a bit tilted on it's side with just a schmear versus blob of marshmallow. The Syrah I had was so delicious, and the server really phenomenal. The fish that went by was beautifully presented. I would love to come back for dinner, and I wonder if they should infuse a little homey comfort into the show, might strike home more as I read the reviews now because they have all the right stuff, maybe just make it a little more relatable? read more

The service here is phenomenal! I cannot say enough good things about how amazing the waitstaff is. They were incredibly attentive to our large party and anticipated our needs throughout the entire dining experience. The seabass ceviche was great and I loved the burrata and citrus salad. The dessert wasn't everything I wanted but if you're staying on the property, get the macaroons they are AMAZING! read more

Blackbird - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great service and a decent menu. Well prepared dishes that taste as expected. Great waitstaff.

We absolutely loved our dinner at blackbird!! After getting turned away at a few restaurants for not having reservations, we walked by blackbird and it caught our interest. It was empty which made us skeptical but the staff was so nice we decided to give it a shot. Genevieve was the absolute best! She took care of us and was able to get all of our questions answered. She was so sweet and made some great recommendations. We loved the ambiance and the open kitchen layout. Now onto the food, we had the baked brie and oysters to start with a bottle of wine and loved them both. We then ordered the halibut, scallops, and risotto and all loved our meals even more than the apps. The flavors and presentation were amazing! Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting and we hope to be back again soon. read more

Blackbird - Mushroom risotto - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We dined at Blackbird last night for the first time and we are sure glad we did. Ambiance was very welcoming as you enter the restaurant. It was lively but not noisy which we loved. Service was outstanding, cocktails were on point and the wine list was dialed in. We tried the bone in Kandi's City Strip which they knocked out of the park. Perfect medium rare, topped with a beautiful Mediterranean salsa verde, roasted potatoes drizzled with an aioli and lightly charred broccolini which helped balance the richness of the dish... 5 stars! Also got the roasted chicken which was super juicy, crispy skin, served over polenta and topped with a red eye gravy that tied it all together. We usually eat are Barbareño, Loquita and The Stonehouse when we are in town but now we have officially added Blackbird to our list. Thanks for an amazing dinner! read more

The food was very good and the prices are reasonable considering the tastiness. The ambiance is nice as well. The service is horrible. We were rushed through our meal. Two of us ordered a bottle of wine and the server brought it and proceeded to pour three quarters of the bottle into two glasses. He never came back to refill our glasses. I guess he was saving time. The strange thing is that he wasn't busy. Two of us ordered salads and the server asked the person who didn't if he would like to have his meal when we had our salads. He responded that he would wait and have his meal at the same time as the two of us. The server brought his meal with our salads because he said he couldn't stand to have him not eating while we were eating our salads. Our meals were soon to follow when we were less than half way through our salads. We finished our meals, were not offered dessert, and the check was on our table 40 minutes after we were seated. We hadn't even drank half the bottle of wine yet. When I pointed out to the server that we felt we were being rushed, he said there was a misunderstanding and when he asked if we were done with our meals, he meant did we want anything else like dessert. He then left our table with dirty salad dishes and dinner dishes for 30 minutes, until we spoke to the manager, Kiara. She was kind enough to clear the dishes and coach the server to apologize and offer dessert (which she comped). All in all, we were out for a special dinner with our son as we don't get to see him often - we live two plane flights away, and we were rushed through our evening when all we wanted to do was spend time together and have a nice dinner. Like I said, they weren't busy or needing to turn tables as they weren't even a quarter full on a Saturday night at 7:30. I think that I know why. read more

My daughter Tabatha, and I Went to Black bird in Santa Barbara, California, the food was amazing, the service was amazing, ambiance was relaxing, we sat at the bar for our meal the Bartender / servers name was Martin, he was more the amazing, thank you for the great service. And great company. read more

We were looking for a casual yet classy place for drinks and conversation. This was the spot. Great service and we weren't rushed for taking a table and just having cocktails. read more

Came here with a friend last week for drinks post-dinner, unknowingly ordering the best cocktail I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. The Call me an Ube(r) (containing Pandan-Infused Bacardi Superior Rum, Ube, Thai Basil, Coco lopez Cream of Coconut, and Pineapple), tasted like a cross between a taro milkshake and a piña colada. It was a beautiful lavender color (if you've ever had an ube dessert you know its unique soft purple hue) in a tall elegant glass. Absolutely delightful, I can't wait to revisit to try again! I also had a sip of the Vallee des Roses (Lebion Cachaça, Guava Purée, Lime, Rose Water), which although not as spectacular as the Ube drink, was a yummy fizzly sweet one that I wouldn't mind ordering again either. Pretty strong too! The atmosphere was upscale and elegant, the service prompt and polite (despite it being packed, even at closing time), and the location close to everything else on State. Great place. read more

This was a little hard for me to find as I thought it was inside the hotel, but it's actually around the corner. I came in on a Tues night without reservations and didn't have any trouble getting a seat at the bar. The bartender was friendly and helpful and I enjoyed my drinks, but not so much the steak. I found it to be chewy and my least favorite meal for my few days in SB. read more

Blackbird - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Amazing food with locally sourced foods and seasonal menu. A friend and I decided on a quick getaway to Santa Barbara and settled on this spot for a nice dinner. Cocktails were delicious to start (see photos). Then we enjoyed the ceviche as an appetizer. We got scallops and cod as entrees with broccolini to share. Both were solid dishes but I preferred the cod with creamed leeks which was light but filling. The indoor decor is lovely but outdoor dining was enjoyable over the warm weekend and it wasn't too crowded. read more

Blackbird - Drink options - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great atmosphere, comfortable and welcoming. Friendly staff, quick service and the food was delicious. I ordered the The BB Smash Burger: angus patty, caramelized onions, American cheese, pickle aioli, tomato on a brioche bun. If you want fries they are a separate order. Other menu options are the Seared White Sea Bass, Wagyu Hanger Steak and the House Made Ricotta Gnudi and additional Bites. Nice dining experience for adults. If you need to feed children you are out of luck because they don't have a kids menu. On our visit we asked if they could make a grill cheese sandwich for my granddaughter which they did with a smile but the cost was the same as the Smash Burger. It would/could be a great dining experience for a family if a kids menu was added. read more

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I went to Blackbird last night and was very impressed with the bartender. Ask for a Joan Miro you will not be disappointed.

Very pricey for horrible service. Our service was awful. We were ignored most of the time while our server tended to other people. Our drinks sat at the bar waiting to be delivered to our table. Scallops entree contained 3 scallops. Focaccia bread looked delicious but tasted like someone dumped a salt shaker in it. I do not recommend. read more

Wow....The food, the service, the ambience. 10/10 Genevieve was absolutely fantastic! It was my brother's 30th birthday and they took care of us. I would order ever dish on this menu. We will be back for sure. Thank you! read more

This a late review as I'm not the most organised person but I would like to note that we really enjoyed our Christmas Eve dinner at Blackbird. We are a difficult family of 6 visiting California, for most of us it was the first time, from London. We loved the ambiance and the food. The staff were very accommodating especially as we arrived late after a day of travelling. What made the meal even more special was the lovely waitress, Kaija, who was helpful, accommodating and very patient with us! As we were staying in the adjoining hotel she even helped us get a table the very next morning at the sister cafe, busy as it was, being Christmas Day. Thank you Kaija. Happy New Year. read more

Our appetizers were great. The cocktails were impressive looking but a touch not my taste - but that's very subjective so we can't take that into account. Service was attentive, friendly and sweet. The real head-scratcher is the wine service. The beverage director (or someone who was acting in that role) is supposed to accompany anyone who asks for a wine list to their 'wine collection'. Here I am, reminding my husband to take pictures because I'm thinking it's one of -those- places. No - the wine collection is a cabinet, located in the corridor that leads to the bathrooms.. with all the traffic that entails. Not even a minute into studying the wine collection, my husband, his friend, and said beverage director were obstructing toilet traffic both ways - awkward as it could get. Some entrees went on to disappoint - 4 people out of 6 ordered the halibut. This came on a tasty, creamed leek, lobster, potato salad operation - which saved the day, because the fish was unpleasantly dry with no accompanying sauce. My husband really enjoyed his SAUCED (yes, I'm jealous), well executed wagyu hanger steak. Our friend liked the lamb loin special but it came on a bed of an odd green grain thing. Over all, it was an okay dining experience but definitely the service made and saved the night. read more

This may be one of the best meals I have ever had. The staff were incredibly friendly and very prompt with their service. I had an amazing cocktail that included Mezcal called the 1925 and it was delicious. I'm not a huge Mezcal fan but this was extremely well done and tasty. I ordered the Pomme Fritz wedges and they absolutely melted in my mouth. They were fantastic and I don't think any other potato wedge will compare. For the main I did the halibut with a deconstructed lobster potato salad, it was divine. Fish was cooked perfectly and the lobster potato salad was an incredibly interesting side that worked perfectly. If you are in Santa Barbara you need to go here. read more

Blackbird - Pomme Fritz - New American Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Such a nice vibe and delicious food we went two nights in a row! The Short Ribs with Sunchoke purée were sublime. Look very forward to joining them again!!! read more

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Came here withmy Mother who traveled al the way from Scandinavia. She chose the scallops, they were great. I chose the Risotto with foraged Mushrooms, truffles, parmesan. Where was the parmesan ? Tasted like eating raw, sour as f**k basket of lemons Could not eat it after a few forks. But when the bill came, they were going to charge me for the garbage Risotto, my stomach is still hurting. My Mother even tasted it, she even said it was waaaaaay to lemoney. I had to ask for it to be removed from the bill. That should have been automatically done. read more

First the restaurant was beautiful and the food was delicious. The restaurant week menu was one of the better deals during restaurant week. The salmon was cooked to perfect medium rare and I loved it. The half chicken was a little on the salty side, but the meat was flavorful and juicy and piled on top of delicious red lentils. Dessert was beautifully presented and featured unusual ingredients that you don't see in many restaurants in Santa Barbara. I had the cherimoya semifreddo and my partner had the cassava creme brulee with purple potato ice cream. The glaring problem was the disorganization in the restaurant. We were seated for 15 min without anyone coming to take our orders. We sat right across from the hostess, but she was busy looking at her phone. The water boy came twice to refill our water glasses and we finally asked him on the whereabouts of our server. When he finally came around, he was apologetic, and gave us 2 complementary drink. The dinner proceeded smoothly from that point until dessert, which again took a long wait. Finally, there was a mix up with the credit card. Our bill was charged to another table's card and I assume another tables bill was charged to our card. That took sometime to sort out. I expect an expensive, not super busy restaurant to run more smoothly. read more

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We were a little concerned walking into an empty restaurant at 5:30 on a weekend. Guess it was on the early side as the restaurant was packed by the time we were done. The menu selection is limited but the dishes are interesting. The service was very attentive and prompt. We started with the pork belly and the octopus. The octopus is a better dish, a little charred and very tender. The pork belly only had 2 cubes of the belly so you will get a nibble if shared as an appetizer. The ribeye was the priciest item on the menu (they offered a tomahawk steak for $120 that was off-menu). It was tender and prepared perfectly. The branzino was good, served whole. I'm not a big fan of this fish and this dish didn't do anything to change that. While served whole, the bones were not really a factor though. My least favorite was the pappardelle with venison. It was on the saltier side and the venison was not very tender (maybe that's how venison is). We also had to try the black swan dessert. The presentation was stunning, and with taste to match (almost). If you like black sesame, the black sesame ice cream is pretty awesome. Blackbird is great for a nice dinner. Given the limited options, check the menu to make sure there is something for everyone. read more

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