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    CAYA Restaurant

    3.8 (110 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Services - CAYA Restaurant

    Bartending services

    Catering services

    CAYA Restaurant Photos

    CAYA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - CAYA Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Margarita Monday - very tasty
    Cassandra F.

    I would like to be able to recommend this restaurant because it's very cute and the bartender was so friendly, but overall it was a disappointment. The food is so-so. I tried the Cali Hummus, shrimp quesadilla and chicken tacos while staying at the hotel the restaurant is in. The tacos were pretty good, but the pita bread with the hummus was burned and the quesadilla was lacking seasoning. The margarita on Margarita Monday was quite good though, so maybe just grab a drink before going elsewhere for food. The biggest problem though is that they don't open on time and the service is overall really spotty. One morning I was down for breakfast 30 mins after they should have opened and the front desk told me it could be 30 mins more because they were still waiting for someone to show up. The next time I tried to do breakfast they were open, but after standing around for a few minutes with nobody in sight, I decided to try something else. Fortunately there are some good options in walking distance. Sunshine cafe and Lighthouse coffee were both enjoyable.

    salad
    Jamie W.

    I went to CAYA with some girlfriends after going wine tasting, so we were looking for a good meal to end our day out. Unfortunately, we left CAYA unsatisfied and out over $100. The one thing that was pretty solid was the espresso martini. For the Mac and cheese, I got it with asada for protein which was overcooked and dry. Also not very cheesy and didn't come out super hot. My friends who got the plain Mac and cheese because they're vegetarian were also underwhelmed by the lack of sauce. The fried onions were a good touch though. The salad situation though was quite frustrating. We requested for the vinaigrette dressing on the side- a pretty common request for salads if you want to control how much dressing on it. Well the salad came out overdressed, and was very sweet when we tried it. So we waived over our server to point out the mistake. She then replied "Do you want me to tell the kitchen?" Well yes, of course that's what we were asking. Then the manager came over to clarify that we didn't want dressing, like why is it such a big deal?! Then the salad (pictured) came out, with EVERYTHING on the side. Seemed passive aggressive and now we ended up paying for a bowl of wet lettuce and cups of toppings. Will all of the trouble it would have been redeeming if they offered to take the salad off of the bill, but there was no such offer. With the sub par service and disappointing food, I would not recommend this restaurant amongst many other options in Santa Barbara.

    My view while eating at the patio
    Emmy C.

    Service was really good and the view was very peaceful. The outside patio has a nice view of the mountain with palm trees and the pool. It made me think, this is the type of place I would have my family stay at if they were to visit. The last place we visited made me think I was getting burger week flavor fatigue... until Caya proved me wrong. Caya was our 5th burger of the day and WOWED me! This place was marked as "?" (we weren't sure if we really wanted to try it). Everything about the burger was cooked to perfection. The egg's yolk drips down the burger after you take your 1st bite, the flavor was a beautiful marriage in my mouth and the burger was juicy! At first I thought it was fat on the plate, but upon a closer look it was the burger juice (want to clarify it was not bloody). The jalapeños added a nice texture and slight heat, the chipotle was the perfect sauce for it. This burger is definitely worth trying for burger week!

    Fried Apple Pie
    Alyssa A.

    What a hidden gem to be found in Santa Barbara. No idea this restaurant was here until just recently, and now I wish I had known about it for longer! Right when you walk in, the restaurant gives off a chic, laidback vibe - like you can just relax with a drink in your hand and an appetizer in front of you. If the weather is nice, there'll be a breeze, and it just puts you in a good mood. Their dinner menu has so many delicious options. Love their Cali Fish Tacos - large piece of fresh fish complete with a chipotle sauce. Their Bucatini Burrata pasta comes with a hefty portion of burrata which really ties the whole dish together. Notable mention to the Gochujang Wings. However, their dessert was my favorite. The Fried Hand Pie was INCREDIBLE. Crisp with tender chunks of spiced apple inside complete with a scoop of vanilla gelato. Great drinks as well - Take me to the Mule is a must try. Overall, what a great dining experience, and we can't wait to return for another meal here!

    Tiffany B.

    Once again Seneca and now Chelsea were beyond impressive. The service remains impeccable, the drink are perfection Seneca is a true mixologist and tonight I tried the brussel sprouts with shishito peppers, all just phenomenal. Both Chelsea and Seneca bring the friendly warmth of a small town town charm. Oh! And the open bar restaurant concept is great. Pick between indoor or heated outdoor area. Both have great ambiance.

    Shrimp tacos
    Alex K.

    Hit and miss. Tacos were not good. Poke bowl looked good one day when my friend ordered it but when I got it a couple days later it was not the same. Not very busy and cute place for a meal but the food inconsistency won't bring me back.

    Outside
    Jessie E.

    Restaurant is part of The Leta Hotel where we were staying. This was the best thing about our stay. We went for brunch. Sat on the patio near the pool, the weather was fantastic. Our server was friendly and helpful. I had the chilaquiles and my husband ordered the chicken sandwich with fries and a pancake. Everything was fresh and yummy.

    Water I was told to fill myself and grab my own cups
    Amaya Z.

    Extremely bland the food and worst service. I used to come here frequently and celebrate birthdays here. Was waiting at the host stand for someone to take our order or seat us for over 5 minutes. Wanted to get a drink with brunch and was told no because "we're not set up". Made us grab our own water glasses and carafe and fill it up ourselves. For the price at a place having to seat ourselves and fill our own waters at their bus station seems absurd. Then when asking for condiments server walks away and does not even respond to us. The service and quality has gone down. Staff was just sitting down at the tables inside restaurant instead of working.

    Bar area
    Kim A.

    We had a lovely time celebrating my sons graduation. They had plenty of seating in the bar for 9. Drinks, and food were great and quick. Service was fantastic too.

    Cheeseburger with fries and seared tuna salad
    Chrys C.

    Wonderful experience while staying at the hotel. Our bartender Seneca was warmly welcoming to every guest and an absolute delight as he crafted truly inspired cocktails. The ambiance is casual and comfortable covered outdoor patio seating with a bar that is indoor/outdoor.

    eggs, toast, pancake + coffee breakfast
    Em B.

    i enjoyed a nice breakfast spread here at caya, and chose to sit outside on the beautiful patio overlooking the pool and mountains in the distance. my server was joseph, he was kind and patient. i ordered 2 eggs over medium, toast and a pancake with coffee. fantastic eggs, big fluffy pancake and delicious sourdough. the fruit preserves was plated with the toast, but i put it on the pancake instead and it was the perfect pairing. if you ask, they have real maple syrup available, which i really appreciated! although the menu has decent options, i wanted something relatively on the smaller side so i went for the a la carte. the coffee was decent, i would have liked for there to be flavored creamer options. i don't typically order eggs out but these were worth it! i would have ordered more if this meal wasn't so filling already. great prices. i did have to ask for silverware, salt, pepper and sugar. EGGS 10/10 PANCAKE 10/10 TOAST 9.5/10 this is a beautiful, convenient hotel restaurant that has good quality food (and drinks for later!) i tried the la perla and tommy's margarita, they were both excellent and strong. LA PERLA 7.5/10 TOMMY's MARGARITA 10/10 overall it's a great and convenient option if you're visiting. ambiance: 4.5/5 food: 5/5 drinks: 4.5/5 service: 4.5/5 Caya: 4.6/5

    Pork Posole (Soup of the Day) -  YUMMY!
 
 Blackened Ahi Tuna (hit and miss)
    Monica W.

    We were in Santa Barbara for my son's UCSB orientation, and we stayed at the Leta Santa Barbara Goleta Hilton. On our second night there, we decided to try the Caya restaurant for dinner. We had a nice meal there which I would give 3.5 stars, if possible, but I rounded up because of the service and decor. Ambiance was very nice. The decor was open air, rustic and inviting with cushioned benches and open air patio. Service was top notch. The wait staff were friendly and attentive, but not intrusive. Food was good, but a little heavy handed with the sauces and dressings. - Blackened Ahi Tuna - the blackened ahi tuna was very well done and flavorfully seasoned, but it was buried in the sriracha aoili (which seemed to be just srirachi with mayo). The napa cabbage slaw was also good, but it was drowning in the sesame ginger dressing. - Red Posole (Soup of the Day) was outstanding, with lots of pork and hominy and a nicely spicy broth. - Asian Noodle Salad with Salmon was very nicely seasoned and still moist. The yakisoba noodles were perfectly chewy, but again swimming the sesame ginger dressing. - Grilled Shrimp Salad (Special) was the best entree of the evening. Shrimp was nicely grilled, seasoned and cooked, and the salad was lightly dressed with the a fresh tasting miso dressing.

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    Ask the Community - CAYA Restaurant

    Are there steps to get in?

    No steps and the front door is automatic, which is the entrance to the hotel. As for the restaurant, there's no doors.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Gracie

    Gracie

    4.4(114 reviews)
    7.7 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    My beautiful Daughter is named Grace so when I heard I was going to a restaurant called Gracie I…read morewas excited . I'm in town for few days and looked forward to catching up with my old friends who adore this great Restaurant! We were served by a wonderful waiter and staff .. Followed by wonderful fast service food and drinks . The vibe is very laid back but efficient. The views and the patrons are very cool and reminded me of other fabulous coastal restaurants in towns like Sicily and Mallorca ! The food has such a great fresh taste coupled with wonderful drinks ! I'll definitely tell everyone about this wonderful place and look forward to visiting Gracie's again ! Definitely one of my top food experience this year !

    Very nice outdoor seating, it was just a bit hot out and some sort of fan would have been nice. The…read morefood took a bit of time, so it made it feel even hotter to have to sit there while we waited. Visited on a Sunday afternoon and ordered the binchon burger and fish tacos. The burger was very good and juicy, and the fries were very good. It did say it had a yuzu aioli, but I didn't really taste any of that flavor. The fish tacos were good too, but the pictures seemed to have included three tacos and we only got two. The rent here must be insane and I get it if they can only serve two, but as a customer it was a let down to be paying $24 to end up getting less food. Nice service, but waiting time took a while and it was not very busy.

    Photos
    Gracie - Mortadella beni

    Mortadella beni

    Gracie - Blueberry matcha

    Blueberry matcha

    Gracie - Cockiepoos

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    Cockiepoos

    Marisella - Vongole pasta

    Marisella

    4.1(123 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$$$

    The waiter asked us if we were celebrating a special occasion, but for us, it was simply another…read morefun dinner night out. LOL. Little did we know that our first visit to Marisella would take us into such a lovely restaurant with a beautiful ocean view! We came for the STEAKS...yummy yum, and we certainly weren't disappointed. This was our fifth steak restaurant of the week, and so far, Marisella had the best steak dinner we'd experienced. My date is a true steak professional and strict carnivore--he knows his meat because, after all, that's pretty much all he eats! Ha! He said it was the best ribeye he'd had all week. The previous one he tried was TOUGH! Eeew! It was actually my first time trying a ribeye because I usually order filet mignon. My filet was, as expected, wonderfully tender, but the ribeye surprised me in the best way. It was incredibly flavorful and beautifully balanced, with just the right amount of rich, delicious fat--which we both absolutely love! The service was excellent as well. Every staff member was so polite, respectful, and attentive. I especially appreciated their gentle, pleasant communication, which made the entire experience feel even more special. Thank you, Marisella, for such a fun and delicious dinner! We had a wonderful time and will definitely be back again soon! Yay!

    Marisella was easily one of my favorite dining experiences in Santa Barbara. The restaurant is…read moreinside the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, and the entire atmosphere is elegant, sophisticated, and beautiful without feeling stuffy. Our server was absolutely fantastic. She was so professional, quick, polite, and genuinely friendly that I honestly wondered if she was the manager. She had that fresh, confident energy where you can tell someone really knows what they're doing and actually enjoys taking care of their guests. And the FOOD... wow. The whipped ricotta with honey and black pepper was probably my favorite thing I tasted all night. Creamy, slightly sweet, perfectly balanced -- I could have eaten the entire plate. The black truffle Wagyu carpaccio was incredible. The steak practically melted in my mouth, and the truffle flavor made it feel so decadent without being overwhelming. The spicy rigatoni alla vodka was also SO good fresh, rich, full of flavor, and exactly the kind of pasta you keep going back And I have to mention my virgin "Gossip Girl" drink because it was delightful! fresh, refreshing, and honestly such a fun drink. Everything from the food to the service to the beautiful setting felt elevated. This is definitely the kind of place I would come back to for a special dinner. Marisella really delivered. Thank you

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    Marisella
    Marisella - Orecchiette pasta

    Orecchiette pasta

    Marisella - Signature Tomato martini

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    Signature Tomato martini

    CAYA Restaurant - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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