We visited Caruso's for our 10 year wedding anniversary and while the food and drinks were incredible, we had a few unfortunate mishaps occur that really soured our experience. Between our final course and dessert, there was a 45 minute gap. We are unsure why, as we had no drinks and were just sitting there waiting as all other diners finished their meals. When we were finally presented with our check (over 3 hours after arriving), after flagging someone down, we were given another table's bill. We were then informed the following day that my mother-in-law as a surprise to us for our wedding anniversary called the hotel and restaurant in advance to cover a portion of our meal with her credit card and leave us a special message. She even filled out paperwork and provided her driver's license to the restaurant, and called 10 minutes before our reservation to make sure everything was in order. She was assured it was, however no such thing occurred. It wasn't until the following day when she asked us how our anniversary dinner was that we were even made aware that she had set everything up to cover our meal. We will be watching our credit cards carefully to make sure we aren't double charged (both her and us), which at this point wouldn't surprise me. For the caliber of Caruso's, I expected more quite frankly. Especially for a 10 year wedding anniversary. We are generally easygoing, happy diners, but unfortunately, we likely won't be returning. read more

Incredible. We came for an anniversary and had the vegan tasting menu while overlooking the ocean at night. Almost cried while eating the artichoke vellutata, and the risotto alla borragine was also particularly beautiful. The staff was very sweet and attentive, from the hostess, to the wait staff, to the chef who came out to wish us a happy anniversary. Really magical experience. read more

Came back for a second round and was greeted by Chef Massimo. He was kind, warm and happy to see us back. The magic of Carusos was in abundance last night and will certainly be back again and again. Thank you chef bringing this level of service to Santa Barbara. HAND-PULLED BURRATA AND FIGS Was hesitant to order this but it was stunning. The balsamic to top it off was great. Well plated and incredible. TONNARELLI CACIO E PEPE I had a bite my last time and enjoyed it. Hands down my favorite dish of the meal. Rich, luxurious and felt like a hug. CAPPALETTI A surprise course was delivered and was a delight. Filled with what I think was squash. either way it's definitely something you should order. BREAD SERVICE in love with the garlic butter. The bread itself is light with a great crumb. DRY AGED LIBERTY DUCK Well seasoned, pleasantly surprised by the grape pairing. I didn't care for the accompanying side dish as it was a touch salty but the protein was the star. NONNA HA FATTO LA CROSTATA Perfect. read more

I took my daughter and her beau to gift her an unforgettable Birthday experience. She was a Chef in Philly and is now a catering manager. The ambience was incredible, views and ocean sounds were peaceful, and the master servers were friendly and incredibly informative to help us choose our 4 courses. The 3rd entrée took a little longer than I would expect but the overall experience was truly unforgettable and well worth the wait. On a side note, crust on bread should never have a burnt flavor but it is quite trivial to the other food that was amazing and much better than I thought it would be. Thank you for an unforgettable evening. read more

Caruso's - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

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This was such a lovely and memorable evening. I recently became aware that Caruso's offers a plant based menu. Coincidentally, we had our anniversary as well as my birthday coming up. So happy that we decided to dine at Caruso's for this special day. The food exceeded my expectations. The flavors were so beautifully combined on each course. Dan and Malakai as well as the the other staff were terrific. Our evening could not have been any more perfect. Thank you to the chef and staff. read more

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Every time at Caruso's is the absolute best. Everything from the beach views and location, hospitality, handcrafted drinks and of course the amazing food, is to die for! This is mine and my husband's favorite restaurant and every time somehow seems better than the time before. We will continue coming back here as long as we can! Our compliments to the chef for his superb dishes! read more

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BEST IN SANTA BARBARA! Our waiter was Dan, request him if you can. The atmosphere over Miramar beach, with the waves crashing & the warmth of the heaters on an overcast day was picturesque. However, the food was exceptional! The chef, Massimo, puts so much attention to quality & passion into the dishes... you won't find better! If you are looking for a beautiful evening, or an exceptional evening of dining, or if you are with foodies who appreciate the highest of ingredients and quality of preparation and service... Then this is the place for you to enjoy or to take guests that you want to enjoy a special dining experience! I have attached pictures for you to see the quality and portions. We started with their Roman Pisa, (Margarita) definitely not typical the cheese and tomato sauce were exceptional. Then we had the gnocchi with ox tail, but we split it and it was more than enough. Then two entrées one was the striped bass and the other what is the bouillabaisse incredibly filled with lobster crab and beautiful fish. The wine list is very good and you can order by the glass to enjoy your different courses. Lastly, our waiter brought us two different desserts as a complementary gift celebrating our anniversary which was a beautiful touch I hope you get to enjoy this special place with someone special! PS if the weather is not good, go anyway and ask to be seated indoors, don't let it deter you from a memorable evening. We almost passed and we're so glad we didn't! read more

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Caruso's, one the best restaurants I have ever been too. 5 Star service, 5 Star food, 5 Star ambience awaits. From the moment you walk into Miramar Beach, you know your in for a special treat. Spectacular! read more

Caruso's - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

Exceptional service. Detail to attention. Friendly non-pretentious staff (which is refreshing for a Michelin star restaurant). Mixologists at the bar are superb and wine pairing list perfect for each course. Sommelier did excellent job explaining each wine, its background and why it's being paired with each dish. Overall a wonderful experience. read more

Loved loved loved the liberty duck. The center pieces are worth more than 3,000$ on each table, incredible

The highest quality cuisine served perfectly in a dreamy oceanfront setting. The best restaurant for miles around...certainly the best in Santa Barbara. read more

My husband brought me here for Valentine's Day dinner and it was phenomenal. I like that the ambiance felt intimate and exclusive since there were only so many tables filled and we were spread a part nicely. For Valentine's Day dinner, they only offer the 9 course menu. Everything on the menu was so good!! And the additional wine pairings with the food were a great match. Highly recommend for a special Valentine's Day dinner but you'll need to book far in advance! We got lucky with a last minute reservation the day of because we were on our honeymoon and staying at the hotel. All props to the staff for being able to accommodate us and making us feel special! read more

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Went to celebrate my wife's birthday. Hands down the best restaurant in Santa Barbara. You'd need a NASA telescope to see second place. Service was of the highest order (thank you Mauritzio!). The food, I suspect, will soon be on the Michelin radar. An exquisite melding of ingredients, methods and tastes that could go up against the best of big-cities anywhere. Finally, Santa Barbara has world-class dining!" Oh, and the ocean view is spectacular also. read more

Closes earlier than advertised. I'm a guest at the rosewood Miramar. Came to Caruso's after dinner for a drink around 730pm. An employee said we can sit down. After about 5-10 minutes another employee comes and says they already did last call. I get it if you guys are closed but update your hours to reflect that. Love the Miramar but would never go back to Caruso's read more

I enjoyed dining at Caruso's, there was even free caviar during the meal. You should dress up if you are eating here and try to get an ocean view seat. The staff was attentive and made good recommendations. The gnocchi was my favorite dish of the night. read more

Caruso's - Salmon with a view - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

We had such an amazing meal today with the vegan tasting menu. The food was superb and our service from Christian and Lauren was perfect. We had such a special night for our anniversary 1 thanks to the entire staff for a perfect night out. read more

Ambience, food, and service were very good. It's pricey, yet it's my getaway place once in a blue moon.

We were at Caruso's w our adult children for my 70th Bday celebration. This was a special occasion since w don't usually spend such a large amount for dinner. Our service was wonderful and the presentation of each course was fabulous. Everyone enjoyed the grid octopus as an appetizer. It was the best I've ever had. Everyone seem to enjoy the pasta dish as the primo course. Half of us had the filet w truffle sauce which was very good. Unfortunately the had a weird texture and taste according to the 3 that selected that. The dessert and drinks serve w the enjoyed by all! read more

Absolutely incredible from beginning to end. The food was delectable, the service was impeccable and the ambiance was divine. Do not hesitate to come here. This would be my number one recommendation if you're in Santa Barbara/Montecito without question. read more

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Reading the prior reviews and I am pretty flabergasted with some of the horrible reviews. I can only speak for my review for tonight, but I doubt some of the validity of the poor reviews and they seem to reek of snobbery. I've had the pleasure of eating at many Michelin rated restaurants and I can't believe this one doesn't have at least one star. Pro's: The food is creative, tasty, and beautiful. The pasta was amazing! My filet was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Our Sommelier was well informed on wines and very helpful. Con's: While the waiter was pleasant he basically told us every dish was his favorite. It's okay to mention what you enjoy and explain why certain dishes are amazing, but not everything can be a rock star. Service dwindled as they got busier. Over all I would recommend this restaurant as a must visit. Prices were fair. Menu was delicious. The hotel has beautiful grounds and the views of the ocean were great from the restaurant. You are doing it right. Keep it up! read more

Caruso's is incredible. Massimo continues to exceed expectations with his amazing food: presentation and taste. Unmatched in Santa Barbara. Staff is attentive and friendly. Makes you feel so comfortable. And the view of the ocean in unmatched. Kudos Caruso's! read more

Dining at Caruso's is an incredibly special treat. I came to celebrate my dad's birthday and we were blown away. You can't deny it is an expensive restaurant, but you absolutely get what you pay for -- amazing service, fantastic food, and a beautiful setting. We all chose the 4-course meal (instead of the chef's choice 8-course) and got to try bites of each other's meals. The octopus was tender and delightfully crispy and charred on the outside. The cacio e pepe was creamy, salty, sharp, and buttery -- like a highly elevated comfort food. The Dungeness crab and prawn pasta was equally good. For the main entrée, both the pork tenderloin and Wagyu beef were very well cooked. The Wagyu beef was probably one of the best things I've ever had -- it's wildly flavorful and melts in your mouth like butter. The desserts are very non-traditional and I think can be polarizing, but our favorite was their take on the classic Tiramisu. They also brought out a special dark chocolate cake as a birthday surprise which we really appreciated. Throughout our dinner, the server's were very kind and attentive. If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate a really special occasion, Caruso's provides a very high quality dining experience. read more

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Food was delicious. Customer service never lacked in any area. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Caruso's - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

Service and ambiance were 5 star Food in this Michilin stared restaurant was mediocre at best. read more

Went back with courtesy of the chef and general manager Andrew. Appreciated the service, the ambiance, and especially the food. I plan to visit again when in SB area. read more

It's all about the flavors. For $500 a couple, they should be great. They definitely were not. I think so much effort went into changing the foods into things that they weren't that not enough attention was paid to how they tasted. The result was cleverly created and served morsels that were left on the plate because they weren't worth eating. We got the 4 course price fixed meal. My 1st was charred octupus. Fine. Nothing special. For the 2d we both had "gnocchi", which neither of us ate. I don't know what it was, but it didn't taste good or even look good. Out of all the great choices, they chose none of them. My main was halibut, ruined by steaming into an unnatural mass that didn't taste good and didn't resemble any fish at all in texture. I left it. I finished with a cheese plate. Fine. Somewhere in the middle of it all we got one piece of bread each, with a very fancy presentation of creative butters. When we got the practiced speech about the butters before they came, I asked if we could have plain butter. The answer was "no, we don't have plain butter". The service was intentionally pretentious, with canned and rehearsed raps with presentations of the menu and the dishes. The setting on the beach is world class, but not the decor. Corkage was $75. We poured our own. Save your money and go somewhere with better food. It's easy to do in Santa Barbara. read more

We went for my birthday dinner the other night, and had a less than great experience. The restaurant was dead so the vibe was nothing to speak of and then the food was also average at best. We did not enjoy the octopus, the lobster course was overcooked, the artichoke was hard to even find in the bowl, the halibut was one piece of fish and barely and turnip purée and to top it all off the desserts were nothing special. Having said it was my birthday, we expected, at least to have a candle or something special for the celebration and the restaurant didn't do anything to acknowledge the big event other than a simple "happy birthday when we sat down." We are big foodies and have been to some of the best restaurants in NYC, DC and Miami, and we definitely would not return. It's certainly not worth the $700 price tag for two. read more

Well. This was by far the most delicious meal my wife and i have ever had. 1st of all. The staff and the chefs were so friendly. We were greeted by 2 chefs and numerous staff while we were dinning. Christian was our server and he gave the perfect recommendations! He was very friendly. His assistants waited (her name started with an M and she was incredible as well) was incredible. The flavors of the entire meal were out of this planet. Every course had rich flavors that literally made us speechless. We celebrated our anniversary and I will say that Caruso's was the best way to celebrate it. 100% Recommend this place. I could write a novel on how amazing it was. read more

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Our experience at Caruso's was nothing but exceptional. The most wonderfully attentive service we've ever experienced and would HIGHLY recommend this beautiful spot to anyone. With the four course tasting menu we were all able to select the perfect individual dining experience. We indulged in a bottle of wine, champagne, and some after dinner drinks as well. The photos of the food speak for itself, honestly out of this world. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

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The food and drink were inventive and exquisite! Thank you for providing not only a vegan menu but one that is not an afterthought and that beautifully stimulated our senses inside and out! Our waiter, John, and all the staff were kind, attentive, and accommodating. The view and ambience elevated the experience. Can't wait to come back next time we're in town :o) Thank you for also allowing our dogs to join; they enjoyed all the sights and smells too! read more

Way overpriced spent $500 for 2 people and food was extremely bland. I had better meals in fast food.

After our initial review they were generous to invite us back as guest of chef Massimo, very thoughtful and food was better. The service was impeccable with Julian's attentiveness and recommend that you request him!! read more

Caruso's - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

A truly unique experience for Montecito and the Santa Barbara area. Everything was over the top. The service was remarkable, The Chef's unique offerings were spectacular and a truly wonderful experience for any diner seeking extremely unique flavors and presentation. There is no question that this Chef is well on his way for his second Michelin star. I am truly looking forward to returning to this exceptional restaurant for another culinary experience in the very near future. If you are looking for the exceptional dining experience than Caruso's should be on your list. Everyone worked hard to make the evening a truly great dining experience. read more

The ambience is phenomenal and so is the service. The location and surrounding ground are spectacular no doubt. Shout out to Mauricio he's a stand out waiter. The food is good but it's not like a wow effect. I've definitely had better even in Las Vegas. For the price I wanted the wow factor and it wasn't there. The beet salad could do without the Smokey flavor. I didn't care for that. The salmon with the cauliflower really underwhelming. The cauliflower was bitter. The risotto was good. The dessert was good. Again not what I expected. Overall for the area it's probably one of the best as Santa Barbara area really lacks modern upscale cuisine found in other major cities which is disappointing. read more

We finally decide to try Caruso's again tonight. What a difference comparing to last time we were here. The service is outstanding. The food is wonderful. We had a wonderful time and we are going to reserve again soon. Only thing is that I wish I could have more option other than 4 dishes package which is definitely too much for me and my husband. Overall it is wonderful. read more

Caruso's is an event as well as a dining experience. The tasting menu was absolutely on point and excellent. Wine pairings were just amazing. Amazing!! I wish I lived closer so I could go monthly. By all means, go hungry. View is amazing also. Breakfast is also excellent and special thanks to Stephanie. read more

Beet Salad amazing Black Cod amazing Cioppino amazing. Everything 5 star as you would expect from Caruso. If you are in the area would suggest trying has reservations for over a month and our in laws treated us to an amazing dinner. Loved the food loved the service every single thing was exceptional even the valet. If you have not tired this place it's a 100 must try!!!!! Love this place amazing. read more

Absolutely magical dining experience! Definitely make a reservation just before and near sunset, so you get the full experience of the sun setting over the beautiful ocean. While certainly a splurge (with caviar, wine pairings, four course tasting, plus a half bottle of champagne), we spent over a grand for two people. The service is impeccable, and if this place doesn't have a Michelin star, it absolutely should. Every dish was like a symphony of flavors, all balanced and playing perfectly with the chosen glass of wine. This was our anniversary dinner, and the staff made it feel extra special - with an added dessert for good measure! Highly recommended. read more

A great fine dining experience. Had the four course Prix Fixe menu, every course was amazing. Pasta and tenderloin in particular were great. Service also great. read more

Fabulous food, fabulous service and fabulous setting. We went there for a special occasion, my 75th birthday. It is a Four course menu , expensive, but Totally worth it. Highly recommend read more

Caruso's - Bedside table - New American Near Me - Montecito, California

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