Came here for some pre-dinner cocktails and sat at the gorgeous bar. Our bartender was so wonderful…read morein explaining certain things about their extensive and fun cocktail menu & made great recommendations. I could've stayed here all night!

Love the Manor Bar! The vibe in there is awesome. Celebrated my 23rd there recently and service…read morefrom Molly is always spectacular! We also went for my boyfriends 21st a few years back and a nice young man Ethan recommended some drinks. I need to go back and try some of the drinks from the new menu, and the new food options.

Came back to celebrate our anniversary and I'm happy to say Caruso's did a phenomenal job in making…read moreour special day feel extraordinary. The staff remembered us, we chatted about various topics from golf to traveling, and the sommelier was just as warm and friendly as I remember from our first experience. Food and presentation was excellent, ambiance was romantic and relaxed, and overall we had (another) amazing time.

Came here on a Saturday night with my mom and overall had a really lovely experience…read more Even though we didn't stay at the hotel, the service throughout the property immediately stood out. When our Lyft arrived, employees rushed over to open the doors, and when we asked where the restaurant was, the front desk employee actually stepped away from the desk to personally point us in the right direction. The walk to the restaurant is a bit long since it overlooks the beach, but it was a beautiful night and ended up feeling relaxing and special. (Particularly on the way back when we were full from the tasting menu) I just wouldn't wear uncomfy heels. One interesting touch: we overheard the hostess offering another couple the option to put their phones away for the evening so they could fully experience dinner distraction-free. I ended up keeping mine away too and honestly enjoyed being more present during the meal. As a side note, another couple took photos of every meal and there didn't appear to be a stigma regardless. We did the tasting menu, and our waiter was fantastic with recommendations. All the staff was great, honestly. What stood out most to me compared to other Michelin-starred restaurants I've visited was the focus on seasonal ingredients and vegetables. That night featured Harry's berries and asparagus throughout several dishes. My favorite was probably the burrata with Harry's berries and rhubarb. There are quite a few optional upgrades throughout the tasting menu, including caviar and upgraded steak options, but we only added the chocolate bar selection at the end, which was excellent. I also appreciated the atmosphere. You could hear the waves crashing through the open doors, but it still stayed warm and comfortable inside. The noise level was lively without being overwhelming, and the recently added piano really elevated the experience. Some dishes seemed to sing to the symphony. Overall, I wouldn't say it was the best meal I've ever had, but I absolutely would return. Several dishes highlighted the ingredients so beautifully that I'd love to come back during another season to try a different menu. Solid experience and felt more or less felt worth the price.

Aperitivo is the place you come to for flavorful light bites and cocktails when you need to unwind,…read morebefore a night out on the town, a concert or catching up with friends. I'm still thinking of the pistachio gelato here. Hands down the best pistachio flavored gelato in town! I love how they served it with pieces of pistachio. First bite was heavenly. Sometimes you can't really taste the pistachio in a gelato, but clearly they've nailed it here. For eats, I tried the Crème di Carciofi. It's marinated artichoke and fava bean spread, confit garlic, pine nuts, mint, and olive oil. Served with toasted bread. This was excellent! It's comparable to hummus, but with a totally different flavor profile. Easily serves 2-3 people. I also ordered the Crudo. It was light, delicate and so fresh! This one is not shareable because it's too delicious to share. For cocktails you can't go wrong with a Spritz. I tried the Torino Spritz which was perfectly made and refreshing. The ambiance here is inviting and the music play list is such a vibe! Overall, a great place to check out if you're wanting a casual yet fun experience.

Absolutely wonderful! This place is great for happy hour, after work, and catching up with friends!…read more Everyone is super friendly and helpful. It's a feeling of Italy without leaving Santa Barbara. Their spritz is AMAZING. Also the Dolomites beer was great too.

Came in on a lovely Sunday, to grab a drink before our nearby dinner reservations. We had our eye…read moreon BarLou previous Montecito dates. Unfortunately, the service left much to be desired. Hot or Not? Spoiler! it's a NOT. What a coincidence, it's happy hour . . . YAY ! Upon arrival, we were the only party on our end of the patio. (aside from a group of women on their way out.) We ordered our drinks promptly, but over the next 30m 3 small parties arrived, placed their drink orders, then their food orders, and were served well before us. disappointing. Despite being reassured multiple times over 30-40m period that our drinks were "on the way" they hadn't arrived long after having ordered--far before all the surrounding parties had arrived. We were checked in on plenty and added Ratatouille to our order. My Spicy margs finally arrived and (1) glass had visible lipstick stain on it. Luckily Bf double ordered for HH deal so I had the clean one while we waited to be checked in on to no avail. Beau had to wave down a server but 20m after a manager/owner ((it's unclear) she was casually dressed not in uniform like the servers.) but This woman came by and checked in we told her about the stain, she took the dirty glass, asked our drink and we get brought the wrong drink. Spicy Marg : 2/5 sips light refreshing and with a hint of spice not too overpowering. ($12) Bloody Mary: Beau thought it was ok would not order again.($10) Overall the experience felt dismissive and disorganized. We love to go for an experience, the ambience/atmosphere was great but the service we received ruined the experience, as the Idiom goes, IT LEFT A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. Ratatouille never arrived, we gave plenty of time and grace, decided to Cancel our order and request the check. Note: When we arrived the hostess said "it's just us two" so I gave the benefit of the doubt, on another occasion I would have left to avoid a situation like what we experienced, I understand. But we only came in for a Drink ?? :((

Food was delicious We requested patio, we were seated on…read morethe side overlooking Coast Village Road ,had our dogs with us and they were very accommodating, even brought a water bowl Glad we picked Bar Lou for our birthday dinner , all our dishes were memorable and will definitely go back . Inside is very cozy and modern.

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.

Love this place. It scratches the 'Hillstone itch' because…read moreduh, it's the same menu and same vibes. Service is always top notch and the menu never fails to make me happy. Honestly, anything and everything on there is good imho. Wine list selection is one of my favs. Always a good time.

I would say a good vibe for either a bachelorette party or a first date…read more To all my young men out there who don't know where to take a woman on a first date, this would be it. The music is super chill and the wine is incredible. Moderately priced I always say. We got the signature wine tasting package which came with 5 pours. We got here and there was a bachelorette party of about 15 people drinking and having a good time. They looked like they were just starting their evening here to get some drinks in. So the service can handle a crowd. It was clean. The vibe was right, the wine was good, And the service was impeccable.

Great service - unbelievable views. Excellent wine. The team on-site are very friendly. Can't wait…read moreto return. Bruce and Patsy

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.

A lovely place to simply enjoy the fine Santa Barbara afternoons tasting or sipping wines. Great…read morepeople and great wine. The snack selection was ok partly because they were out of some products. The fig jam was perfect.

Frequency has a wonderful outdoor patio, fantastic wines and great service. Our server really took…read moreit over the top with her friendly manner. We were seated in a prime spot next to their fountain and ordered 2 tasting flights. To get the tasting flights comp'd, you need to purchase 2 bottles of wine. That's a bit steep as some places will comp it with 1 bottle. Nonetheless, our server had the perfect pacing for the tasting and even gave us a little extra sip at the end for our photo. I truly enjoyed every wine that we tried. They have a small charcuterie or potato chip offering that comes from the nearby cheese store.

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!

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.