Such a delicious meal and our server was such a dear. Bridgette was super attentive and made sure everything great. Would deffo recommend.

My husband and I and our dear friends from St. Louis rented an Airbnb in the area in March 2026. I checked YELP for some grub help. We are so grateful to have found this delightful restaurant! It was so fantastic, we dined here two days in a row! Everything we tried was fabulous! The food was very fresh and tasty and the portions were generous. The employees were very nice. Oooooh, the Old Bay fries are scrumptious! I thought I had photos of our friend's other dishes but they were winners too: macadamia crusted halibut and the grilled sea bass entree. The ambiance and location are right out of a movie. It's located right on the beach in a quiet, off the beaten path road that ends at the restaurant. You can spend the entire day there enjoying the beach and having lovely meals! We chose to eat on their outdoor patio under umbrellas. They also offer indoor seating as well as some small tables on the beach sidewalk. The main parking lot is small and scoring a spot can be trying. They do have a spill-over lot near the entrance. Like George Costanza on Seinfeld does, start close and do concentric circles -lol! We were blessed by the Parking Gods both days we dined there! After enjoying your delicious meal, take a walk on the beach. There is a little water station near the restaurant (on the sidewalk) where you can wash the sand off of your feet. We cannot wait to be back! V & K read more

See all

The Boathouse at Hendry's Beach is a well established, immensely popular seafood place right above the beach offering standard dockside fare at competitive prices with excellent views. We came on Mother's Day, checking in with a wait time of 2 hours (they take no reservations). It ended up being about 90 minutes, not unreasonable for how busy they were. Staff was friendly and accommodating, nothing exceptional, and understandably busy. We got the fish and chips ($21) which were good, but not exceptional, with the fries well seasoned and the perfect mix of soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. We also got the lobster roll ($33) which was okay, although the lobster was more of a salad consistency than the large pieces I'm accustomed to for this sandwich. Our kids had reasonably priced kids meals of pasta and fish and chips ($11 each). As the photos suggest the location is beautiful, right on the beach, and carries a clean, breezy vibe. Waiting 90 minutes was not problematic at all given we could kick our feet up and rest in the sand. Prices, above, are actually quite reasonable for a restaurant as busy as this one is in a very expensive town in what could be a quite expensive location. Well priced with a beautiful location and fair food, the Boathouse is an easy, satisfying choice for whoever is near the coast and don't mind a wait. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Value: 4.5/5 read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

This restaurant is beautiful and spacious. The service was great, friendly and attentive. We ordered Salmon Benedict and Crabcake Benedict. They were delicious. I also like the quality of the mimosa. My husbans ordered a latte and he loved it. Overall, it's a good place to relax and enjoy quality breakfast with an ocean view. We didn't have a problem finding a parking. Highly recommended. read more

See all

The best seat in town! You come here for one of the only restaurants on the beach in Santa Barbara but you stay for the hospitality and people you meet while you're here. Yes there can be a long wait for large parties when the weather is perfect. And it's almost always perfect. Yes you can put your name in for a table, grab a to-go drink from the bar, and get your feet sandy while you wait. You can get food to-go too which is perfect for a picnic on the beach. No dogs are allowed in the Boathouse but this is a dog friendly beach. There is a doggie tiki hut providing shade for but please quiet your barking one. We're all trying to enjoy ourselves. Yes sunsets are beautiful and set over the water in the winter and the cliffs throughout the summer. Oh and parking is free! But don't honk. We're all trying to make the loop and besides it's a dead giveaway you're from out of town. For the food it's all good and I've had pretty much everything on the menu. Tuna Melt Signature Breakfast House Cured Salmon Plate Shack Burger Clam Chowder Local Hope Ranch Mussels Seared Ahi Tuna Poke These are a few of my favorite things. The Boathouse is filled with good times, good friends, and good food. Come join me at the bar and find out for yourself. read more

See all

While my family and I were at the Santa Barbara Visitors Center on State Street, one of the ladies who worked there recommended the Boathouse to us. I've been wanting to try this place so we all decided this was where we'd have lunch. This restaurant is right on the beach and had great views! The one pain in the butt part was the parking because we were competing with beach goers who weren't eating at the restaurant. There is an overflow parking lot where my husband found a space. The food was pretty good. We started with the Chowder Fries, which had a generous portion of clam chowder. My husband had the Fish Tacos, which he really enjoyed. My son had the Fish and Shrimp Combo and my daughter ordered the half order of Pancakes with chocolate chips. I ordered the Apple and Walnut Salad. The reason for giving the Boathouse only three stars was because of where we were seated. The hostess sat us on the outside of the patio and not in the patio area and the sun was beating on all of us. There was absolutely NO shade and made it uncomfortable for us the fully enjoy this dining experience. My husband, son and daughter all got sunburned!!! There needs to be shade provided for the patrons who are sat along the patio. The restroom situation was not great either. There were only two available for both genders to use and they weren't the cleanest. I think we're going to skip this place the next time we make the 2+ hours drive from Orange County. read more

See all

Great customer service. Great view. Great Food. Great prices. Everything was fresh. Gotta try it. read more

See all

Beautiful place to grab a meal! We sat outside and by the water for breakfast on our visit. Great view of the water for dolphin-watching (we weren't lucky this time). Food was really good. If you like crab cakes, I highly recommend the Boathouse Signature Breakfast! Servers were great! Dog-parking available, as there are no dogs permitted. read more

See all

I loved the ambiance at this restaurant!! good food with a beautiful beach view. our server was very nice despite the restaurant being quite packed. beware sitting near windows though, a lot of flies in that area, besides that everything was really nice read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

An excellent experience! A beautiful view, delicious food, and a helpful staff. We got literally everything we had asked for at the Boathouse. I'm glad the recommendation came through! read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

My husband and I recently moved to Los Angeles. While I've been to LA numerous times, I haven't lived in California since I was 2. That was over 50 years ago. My husband understands how much of a transition this was and he has been trying to make our outings fun. On this occasion we were with his friend and friend's wife. He considers him a brother since they have known each other for well over 50 years. We went to Santa Barbara to enjoy the a Day of Sunshine, good food, family and the beach. We stopped for lunch at Boathouse at Hendrys Beach. We were sat right away. The restaurant was packed but we got to the restaurant at the right time. This restaurant is right on the water and we were sitting outside next to the glass and had a perfect view. We had an amazing lunch. I ordered the Baja shrimp tacos. The dish was put together well with amazing fresh vegetables and pineapple. My husband ordered the Baja grilled fish tacos, friends had a lobster roll and Baja tacos with breaded fish. On the side we had the Old Bay Fries and a Lobster bisque cup of soup. The food was presented well and very colorful. The food was fresh and everything looked good. The server was busy and not only did she get to us timely the kitchen was fast! The place has a great vibe. The restaurant was clean and orderly. They were playing music and it wasn't overbearing, which is a plus. For 2 appetizers, 5 mains, 3 ice teas and 1 soda we spent $150. Tip was $30. Bill and tip works out to $45 a person. This is not unreasonable for a restaurant on the beach in Santa Barbara. Was a good day! Great food! Great location! read more

See all

So went on a girls trip with my best friends over the weekend and this spot was a total happenstance super glad we stumbled upon it. It's right on the beach. It was super Duper packed so we were kind of nervous that the weight would be long, but it was no longer than 25 minutes to be seated in a packed restaurant service was fast and super friendly the gentleman who served us was extremely nice. He helped us pair our wonderful brunch with a nice white wine. we ordered fresh oysters, which hit the spot nice sea flavor and freshness.One friend of ours got the medium well steak cooked to perfection and they even catered to our one's friends need she doesn't like her eggs any other way, but scrambled and they accommodated her great place. Amazing ambience great service food was top-notch. Definitely definitely recommend this for anyone who's in the area and wants a beautiful beach front experience. read more

See all

Great vibe in this place! It definitely gets crowded, so be prepared for a wait, and if you're coming when it's chillier, definitely bring a jacket! Me and my friend got the Crab Cakes to split as our appetizer, and I ordered the Sea Bass as the main. We also ordered the Mud Pie to split as our dessert. I thought the crab cakes were really good, and loved the salad in the center; seemed like an Asian salad. My fish was also good and loved the mashed potatoes. I wish the asparagus and spinach was stacked differently to make it easier to eat all together, as the spinach was under the mashed potatoes, and the asparagus were strangely under the fish. The Mud Pie was delicious! Although it was freezing outside, I thought it was great, and definitely satisfied my sweet craving that night. Service was great as well, and our waiter was very nice and helped recommend my friend food. read more

See all

Busy restaurant with even busier shared parking lot with beach goers. Tip- skip the log towards the restaurant and make a left to the additional parking. It'll save you some time being stuck trying to park and eventually ending up parking at the additional lot anyway. Stay close to the restaurant and check in with them often if you don't get a text. They had our table ready for us a while ago but the text never went through. Got two dishes and a soup- the clam chowder had a lot of clam in it. Add a slash of Tabasco- Devine. The fish taco was well balanced. All the flavors from the light crispy fish to the vegetables added was perfectly executed. The Mushroom and spinach omelette with egg white and no cheese- served with abundant of mushroom was delish. Definitely getting that again. Service is on the slower side but very relaxing with the ocean front view and breeze so sit back and just enjoy the view and company. read more

See all

Secluded spot right on the beach! This place doesn't take reservations so plan accordingly. Got there at about 5:30 and had to wait an hour for a party of 6! We were seated outside and it was beautiful! The patio is surrounded by glass so you get a view of the ocean and has plenty of heaters to keep you warm. There is also outside seating directly across from the beach without the glass. Staff is attentive and friendly. Food is delicious! My go to is the cioppino - the warm and hearty tomatoey broth with all the seafood and the crisp garlic bread on the side. Is delicious! read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

There was no way we were going to miss breakfast service at Boathouse. Per usual, we showed up early and waited a decent bit before we were seated but it was worth the wait. Our server continued to check on us during our visit and made us feel welcomed. They were also nice enough to see if the kitchen would send out crab cakes by themselves even if it wasn't on the menu and they did! I ordered their classic eggs Benedict and it was perfect! The hollandaise, the poached eggs, and the potatoes were great! The crab cakes were crispy, flavorful, and paired well with the coleslaw. Their two egg breakfast was also good according to my partner. Her only concern were the eggs not being warm by the time they landed at our table. read more

See all

Friendly service. Great location. Loved having breakfast while watching the dogs frolicking on the beach. The coffee was lovely. Breakfast/brunch menu is very limited, so I'll have to go back some time for seafood. read more

See all

Very disappointing experience at Boathouse at Hendry's Beach. After waiting almost 2 hours to be seated, the experience only went downhill from there. The hostesses were the only pleasant part of the visit, they were kind and professional. Unfortunately, our server was rude and inattentive, and management was nowhere to be found when concerns needed to be addressed. What was most concerning was witnessing some employees engaging in very suspicious activity around the restroom area, which made the entire experience uncomfortable and unprofessional. The food was okay, but definitely not worth the wait, prices, or overall experience. The restaurant feels extremely overrated and overpriced for the level of service provided. On top of that, parking is a nightmare. Would not recommend. There are far better places in Santa Barbara to spend your time and money. read more

I don't know how The Boathouse pulled it off, but what an amazing surprise to be able to order a couple of drinks to go and take them to the beach. Fantastic location. We didn't eat there, but everything looked and smelled delicious. Great vibe on the beach. The Boathouse is a must go location in Santa Barbara. read more

Came on a Sunday morning for brunch and there was a 30 minute wait for a party of 2. There were a good number of tables with a beachfront view and the vibes were casual. Service was friendly and attentive. Classic Egg Benedict- Egg benedicts were fresh and eggs were poached to perfection. I appreciated the unique touch they added to the breakfast potatoes that made it somewhat like a scramble without eggs- contained a good mix of onions, bell peppers and potatoes. Parking was relatively easy with a big parking lot next to the restaurant. Would definitely come again for the breathtaking view and the immaculate vibes! read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Classic Egg Benedict - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Great view overlooking the ocean. Place does have a tendency to get busy. Would probably recommend a weekday if you can. Food was good. I prefer the patio, if the weather is nice. read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Just outside the patio area. - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

On another amazing day in Santa Barbara, I wanted to have lunch with an ocean view. How have we missed this perfect spot that hits all the marks? Tuck into a creamy clam chowder and then enjoy an incredible Ahi Tuna Club sandwich with Bacon, Avocado, and Slaw on perfectly grilled, delicious Sourdough bread. Comfortably seated in the cool, shaded patio overlooking our beautiful Pacific Ocean. From a friendly, efficient hostess to a very attentive server, this place does not disappoint. I haven't been this satisfied with lunch anywhere this close lately. This place is awesome. Best Arnold Palmer with, I think, Peach Tea, and just-right sweet Lemonade too. read more

See all

Loved this place!! Although a bit more than what we normally pay for dinner, it was absolutely worth it. The setting, the food and the service. I highly recommend this place!! read more

Beautiful view and yummy food. Parking was rough but we came at 5:30 pm on a Friday. Service was friendly, just took a while to get noticed. read more

See all

The Boathouse continues to be a place where you not only expect great service and delicious food, but it also delivers on that expectation. With the bluffs to one side and the ocean waves on the other, the setting couldn't be any more amazing. I started with a blood orange mimosa. Then along came the signature breakfast that comes with crab cakes, poached eggs and potatoes. Everything was delightfully prepared and would recommend it over and over again. read more

See all

A beach side restaurant, plenty of umbrellas to cover from the sun. Love the chill vibes this place gives off. Wonderful view of the beach, nice cool breeze. The staff was nice and the service was top notch. I ordered the Latte, which was smooth, and bold. I also ordered the Fish and Chips which was pretty good. read more

See all

Ocean views and more. You can cozy up to the bar or take a stroll on the beach if waiting for your seat. We got our drink at the inside bar and was seat on the patio off the walkway of the beach. Their blood orange margarita was delicious. We indulged oysters tuna tartar and calamari for appetizers. Joaquin provided great service and recommended great entrée options. The branzino with fingerling potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts as sides was delicious. The sea scallops with risotto was another great selection. We took home leftovers and with was just a tasty the next day. We will be back. read more

See all

Boathouse is a classic SB restaurant that is always fun to visit given its great location and the buzz of the place especially at dinner. It does get cold though so bundle up. The seafood is always fresh, tasty and fairly priced. We had the cioppino which was full of fruits of the sea in a well-seasoned broth, the grilled sea bass was perfectly cooked and flaky and the Caesar salad with blackened sea bass was also a standout. Several good choices for dessert too, including a brownie sundae, tiramisu and mud pie. The service is quick and efficient especially given how busy it is always. True rating of 4.5 if half stars were available. Definitely part of the rotation on most SB visits. read more

See all

Location is fantastic. Free parking and tables right above the beach. Good food, great service. Menu was a little slim so check first to be sure you can find something right for you read more

The Boathouse at Hendry's Beach is a beautiful café with plenty of spacious seating both inside and out. The design reminded me Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about our dining experience. The portions are very large, and no one warned us when we ordered multiple dishes. The flavor wasn't there. The fish and chips arrived soggy, and honestly, I've had a better fried fish from Trader Joe's... that really shouldn't be the case in a seafood restaurant. The ceviche was decent, but it came in a huge plate even though it was listed under appetizers. A little heads-up would have been nice. My husband tried the burger, and while the individual ingredients seemed fine, he said the flavors didn't "dance" as one. Overall, it's a lovely setting with friendly service, but the food itself left us disappointed. I might return if I'm in the area again for the atmosphere, but I'd be more cautious about portion sizes and keep my expectations lower. Honestly, it would be better if the restaurant either improved the taste of the food or adjusted the prices to match the quality. read more

See all

A great seafood restaurant, right on Henry's Beach just North of Santa Barbara. We had a 30 minute wait for an outside patio table on a Saturday afternoon. We got a table, right at the glass in the shade, so in my opinion, better than the beach front tables with no shade.. We had the crab cakes, steamed mussels, clam chowder and the cioppino. All were great! Makenna was a very nice server. A great experience. read more

See all

This place never disappoints. Anytime I am in the area I always want to stop here. This time I will ordered the lobster roll....I want to say the only place I had a better lobster roll was in Boston. It was so delicious! The meal had already started great with my refreshing mojito and of course the clam chowder also hit the spot. The lobster roll was the highlight though by far. I always recommend this place to anyone who is going to be the area and I will continue to come back again for more delicious dishes! read more

See all

Great place! I loved my lobster roll. They def didn't skimp on the lobster! Could've done without the fries as I felt they were bland. Tuna tartare was alright. I loved the mocktails as well. Pancakes were good. The best part was the staff- all the staff was very accommodating and nice. Great view of the beach and a nice vibe inside. I want to give a 4.5 but going to round up to a 5. I would definitely return! read more

One of the best restaurants with a beautiful view in Santa Barbara. The food was delicious, and the service was quick. We went on a late afternoon, and there was no waiting, as we opted for an outside table with little shade. They also have a couple of tables on the beach side, but with no shade at all. We ordered a lobster roll, calamari, kids' fish and chips, and chicken nuggets with fries. The lobster roll has a lot of meat, and the side butter made it more tasty. Calamari has fried vegetables as well, and has a perfect crunch. Fish sticks have less batter and are softer on the side. Overall food was good, quantity was good for the price. Food: 4.5 Service: 4 Ambiance: 5 read more

We stopped at the restaurant for a lunch on the way from Big Sur. The rude ladies at the front told us that we couldn't come in with our two small Pomeranians. We were told to tie the dogs outside and then come in. As my husband went to order the food to go, he noticed there were at least 5 dogs including German Shepherd inside seating with their owners. Moreover, while we were waiting outside, I saw a lady walk in with a white dog and she was seated right away. The hostess clearly saw me looking and she chose to ignore me and continued talking to the other ladies. No explanation was ever given why my family was discriminated. I'm including the photo of the lady with the white dog that was seated right after we were turned away and the photo of the hostess pretending to ignore me. read more

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - The hostess that turned us away because we had dogs but proceeded to seat a lady with a dog right after us - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

This place is lovely although there were some hits & some misses. The ambiance is perfectly relaxing and serene. It was a beautiful day during our visit and their menu has some great options. The hits: the fried calamari, the lobster roll and fries The misses: the calm chowder (lacking flavor), the ahi tuna club was packed with other toppings that took the focus away from the ahi. The service was decent but nothing to dote on! The greeters were very pleasant though upon arrival! I would definitely return when in SB. It was the perfect place for lunch as it right along the beach. read more

See all

Came here for drinks and dinner at the bar with some friends and honestly the service was pretty slow and inattentive. It felt like nobody behind the bar wanted to make eye contact or check in on us which was frustrating considering how expensive everything is. That being said, the food was still really good and the location/view is obviously beautiful. Overall still a decent experience, I guess you're paying for the view as much as the food. read more

Great view, nice service and good snacks- we shared the ceviche and had a cup of chowder- ceviche was good, chowder coulda used a bit more clams :) read more

Boathouse is a must brunch in Santa Barbara. The restaurant has the perfect beach vibe, food is delicious, and the service excellent - the trifecta. We sat on the patio overlooking the beach. Best bites: Baja fish tacos, had one fish and one shrimp. These were amazing and filled with fish/shrimp Boathouse signature breakfast, crab Benedict was the perfect bite Other bites: Santa Barbara omelette was underwhelming, good but nothing to write home about read more

See all

Beautiful views. Abysmal service. Mains were not worth the hour long wait. Especially after driving 3 hours. Upon arrival, the hostess didn't greet us and say "Hello, how many for your party?" Or anything. She just stared at me blankly, with an expression like "yes?" waiting for me to tell her how many were in our party which rubbed me the wrong way. We received our appetizers quickly: lobster mac and cheese, a dozen oysters and the uni. All were good, the lobster mac especially. Oysters were small but salty and tasty. Lobster bisque was too salty for my taste, but my mom said she enjoyed it. A couple that seemed to know the owner/someone significant to this place was seated near by us at the fire pit. This couple arrived MUCH AFTER we did. The woman made no qualms about cutting her eyes to us during our meal. We ordered before this couple, and they were served prior to us. We waited exactly 1 hour for our food - overcooked halibut (which we removed off the ticket) and the seared ahi, which was just okay. Sea bass ran out by the time we ordered our mains (around 7pm). The waitress made no efforts to acknowledge the long wait until we asked where our food was, and her response was that they had a large party. The waitress only came back once during the entire service to refill our waters. The bathroom had piss all over the floor, and smelled like it too. read more

See all