I think advance tipping that is automatically requested from every POS system now should be against the law. You should not be tipped for service until you provide good service. I paid 15% on an $18 veggie burrito to go that took 25 minutes to be delivered when the line was literally empty. I want my money back! read more

Amazing. This is our 3rd time here and this place is the absolute best. We tried the Sal de Mar ceviche - expensive but well worth it. Mmm... the fresh tuna tartare, watermelon, guacamole and pomegranate seeds. Unbelievable and what a great combination. Also got the Tia Juana and Norteno tacos... best tortillas and filling, queaabirria - yummm. Everything is top notch and I'm so happy that we stumbled on this place in the SB public market. Who knew that this high end food is at this open food hall. It's the best. read more

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I tried the Corriente taco Amazing! Staff is courteous and friendly and fast and the Market is a live place to enjoy food, drinks, and sports! Everyone loves this spot. read more

This restaurant is in a cute little food hall with a few great looking eateries. The bad, the pastor tacos need some love and more seasoning. The good, where do I start? Handmade tortillas, beautiful fusion of flavors and perfectly cooked shrimp. The queso fundido with chorizo is a must try, it had gooey, crispy deliciousness in every bite. The corriente taco was kissed by the sea and the campechana quesadilla was small but mighty with plenty of meat. Service was quick counter style ordering and good suggestions on what to try. We had an horchata and a lemon-ginger-chia water as well. If you're in Santa Barbara give this place a try but perhaps try something other than the pastor. PS if you need a Modelo or mezcal to compliment your meal there is a bar next door. read more

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Am I wary of food hall food? Yes. Am I happy to say I was wrong as this was probably my favorite meal while visiting SB? Also yes. Everything here is freshly made and you can tell! Super flavorful. My mouth is watering thinking of thee homemade tortillas alone. We got their quesabirria quesadilla, a bean and cheese burrito, el paisa burrito, and their carne asada taco (norteño) and their mole taco (mole con pollo). All of the meat was super flavorful on each item. Honestly I can't even pick my favorite because I'd eat it all again but if I had to choose their mole taco and their bean and cheese were so simple but so PERFECT. And if you can do something as hard as mole perfectly and something as easy as bean and cheese perfectly then you've really perfected your craft. Would ABSOLUTELY return. Very fast and friendly service! We got a table across from their stall. Plenty of spaces all around. We walked here so can't comment on parking. It's not far from state street! read more

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Read somewhere that this place was Michelin recommended so my husband and I decided to try it. SO GOOD!! We couldn't find it right away because we didn't realize it was inside the Public Market. The service was great and the ambiance is casual. I ordered the cauliflower taco and sweet potato taco, and my husband had the norteno (skirt steak) taco and mole (chicken) taco. They were so good! Lots of fresh micro greens, pickled onions, and homemade tortillas. Bursting with flavor! Our minds are blown! Highly recommend!! read more

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Came here for my anniversary with my wife. This place is amazing! I had the Colina Ceviche and Corriente Taco. The ceviche has such a good balance of flavor and it's super fresh. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Corazon Cocina - Colima Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Yummy fresh fish. The Colima ceviche comes with pomegranate and watermelon which gives it interesting texture and really light fruity notes. The tuna tostada is also yummy and comes with avocado and radishes. Note that this is at the Santa Barbara public market food court so you order at the counter before eating read more

Corazon Cocina - Colima Ceviche and Tuna Tostada - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Delicious Mexican food. I had the shrimp quesadilla which was very filling. Actually, their tacos are the same size, same size tortillas. My friends order the Birria tacos and the short rib taco. Everyone was pleased with their choice. We also had a side of plantains, which were sweet and tasty. We had a side of guacamole, which is not very large. Fresh cooked chips. Would definitely go back to try more options. There is a water station in the SB Public Market, which I was happy to discover. read more

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tl;dr the sophisticated taco lineup is more fancy than flavorful; the most memorable aspects are the wait time and the price Ramon Velazquez has become a household name in Santa Barbara. The Guadalajaran-born chef worked his way through the Santa Barbara restaurant scene for decades, before earning acclaim for his taco pop-up-turned-Santa Barbara Public Market fixture, Corazon Cocina. Here, Velazquez offers an upscale take on Guadalajaran street food, earning Bib Gourmand designation by the Michelin Guide along the way. Cocina is the most popular vendor at the SBPM. Briefly, the SBPM is a warehouse-turned-premium food hall in downtown Santa Barbara. The exposed ductwork is whitewashed, and the concrete floors are slick and polished. The roar of chatter is somewhat dulled by countless waffle-shaped sound baffles. You can't miss Corazon -- it's the only stall with crowd-control rope barriers owing to its perpetually long queue. The storefront is decked with intricate, patterned tilework and Corazon's flowery heart motif. The adjacent Corazon-only dining space is outfitted with lacquered-wood tables and a narrow marble bar. A custom crimson neon sign hangs on the back wall. My partner and I arrived for weekend lunch, navigating the winding line to sample a few tacos and quesadillas. Our favorite item was the Chicana Quesadilla. Each component stood out, from the earthy corn and poblano to the rich Oaxacan cheese to the fresh flour tortilla. Meanwhile, the tacos were less memorable. The blue masa tortillas were bland and lifeless. The Ensenada Taco identified as a premium fish taco, but no components jumped out; if anything, the fish could have used some more crispiness. Meanwhile, the Tia Juana Taco was eyebrow-raising in its use of peanut; however, the skimpy portion of octopus was nowhere to be found among the flavors. The service was efficient, but the queue was palpably long -- our total wait time neared 30 minutes. The bill was just over $30, and the portion would barely satisfy a single appetite. While no items were bad, per se, the entire experience was frankly forgettable. If you have limited time in Santa Barbara, your appetite would be better spent elsewhere. read more

Corazon Cocina - Tia Juana Taco - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Maybe we came in with high expectations or a bad day, but we felt the food was pretty under seasoned. We got a lot of different tacos, but it was pretty underwhelming and sauces also didn't really make a difference either. I usually love Al pastor but there was no flavor. The only tacos we liked were the ones with shrimp and cheese. Price was like highway robbery for what we got. :') ceviche was also only okay. We also got the Cali burrito and that was better than the other tacos except the shrimp and cheese ones. For the Cali burrito, the steak was tender at least. The drinks were good tho! Both the horchata and the hibiscus lemongrass were good (very tart). Plantains are good too read more

Corazon Cocina - El Cali Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Come early! This gets busy and is well worth it. Everything tastes clean and seasonal. The tortilla soup is like a big warm hug. I wish one would open in LA. But I guess a trip to Santa Barbara will always include this. read more

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Came to check out the new square and came up on this morning place. You order and then you take a buzzer and pick up when it's ready. For us the waiting took about an hour and it was NOT worth it. I LOVE Mexican, I know Mexican food and this place does an ok job but literally serves mariscos for newbies. For those of us Marisco connoisseurs this place leaves a lot to be desired. I know they are trying to entice a different demographic but come on! The quality of good but the flavors are off. Also who puts sprouts on a taco? They got our order wrong and we had to wait longer. They make everything fresh to order but an hour is too much when you have hungry kids. They should offer chips and salsa or dish appetizers first. Felt like they are still working out the kinks in the kitchen. read more

What a bustling Michelin guide restaurant.. there was never a time throughout the night that I didn't see endless people waiting to see what they could order. Do I regret not ordering more? Absolutely.. but we will be coming back that's for sure. You can never go wrong with tacos, so we went for the Al pastor for $6.50 salted to perfection with a pickled habanero pineapple salsa that left you licking your plate. The Norteno for $10.50 had skirt steak, cheese, guac, beans on a soft house made flour tortilla. Then the Ensenada for $7.95, crispy cod with cabbage, pico de gallo and a lime-mayo crema.. no wonder the lines never slow down. It's inside the public market so of course plenty of seating if it not the weekend and the vibes are super lively and everyone is warm and friendly. read more

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Service was friendly and accommodating to answer questions. Ordered the Mole Taco and Plantain & Blsck Bean Combo. Mole Taco.... I mean it's quite good but appearance seems sad. For $7.50 or so, I think more quantity of stuffing would be justifiable. Otherwise, mole flavor was not strong but it was there. I expected more bold, deep flavor and spices. As for the plantain and beans, I expected it to be separated from each other, but I found it quite enjoyable that they both came in the same soup cup. It was truly a compliment from my lone taco. 10/10 I'm a sucker for plantains. Bonus they gave complimentary chips and sauces. Will come again for beans and plantains or maybe try the other vendors here. read more

Corazon Cocina - Mole Taco with Plantain & Black Beans Combo - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was amazing and the service was really fast! The vibe was inside the Public Market so there are lots of seating with TVs. Here when the CFB National Championship played and it was a blast. read more

Corazon Cocina - Contramar Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Paid for steak burrito got chicken burrito. Too bad it was to-go and I was already too far to come back.

When I visit SB, I make sure to stop by the public market and for Corazon Cocina. Yes, a bit pricey but once in a while it's not that bad. I wish the quesadilla looked like a quesadilla though! Their hibiscus lemongrass is very good! Tables available just around the corner and across the way. Service is fast and friendly. read more

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Came here on a Sunday evening when the adjoining bar was completely packed with San Francisco 49er fans watching a game. I was surprised that there was no line so I stepped in and ordered a bowl of tortilla soup to warm up the cool evening. The service time was pretty reasonable- about 10 minutes when my pager buzzed and I picked up my bowl. Sorry I did not get a pic because I had to carefully walk through rows of people and dogs to finally get to my outside table and then I just dug in. The soup was very fresh with small bits of chicken, avocado, and tortilla squares and some greens. It tasted good but honestly I was a bit disappointed because the broth was overly salty and a bit too smoky for my taste. It was like enchilada sauce was mixed into regular broth. And the chicken was very sparse. I get it that there are many interpretations of tortilla soup-- I would prefer a clear broth with a more generous serving of chicken and provide a freshly made corn tortilla on the side. I"m giving it 4 stars for now and hope to return soon to try another menu item for comparison. read more

Inside the food hall Santa Barbara Public Market you'll find Michelin Bib Gourmand taco shop Corazon Cocina. The food here truly blew us away. I believe there is usually a line and your food will take 20-45 minutes to be prepared. You order at the counter and receive a buzzer to pick up your food. The Sal De Mar Ceviche was a thing of beauty. It was vibrant and stacked high with thick cuts of fresh seasonal fish, watermelon, avocado, cucumber, fresh chile, pomegranate and a hibiscus aguachile. Absolutely mouthwatering. The Campechana Quesadilla also blew my mind. I loved the homemade flour tortilla, melty cheese, grilled skirt steak and roasted pork. Their fresh salsas deserve a special mention as they just add a flavor punch. I washed it all down with a refreshing Lemon Ginger Chia Agua Fresca. Just come here. You won't regret it. read more

Corazon Cocina - Campechana Quesadilla and Sal de Mar Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Visited Corazón Cocina, which we found through the Michelin Guide map. Came on a very busy day during MLK weekend, so there was a long line and about a 15-minute wait to order. Didn't mind at all -- every place was packed, and the team was moving fast and staying efficient. The tortilla soup was unreal -- big chunks of chicken, avocado, and cheese. Honestly one of the best tortilla soups I've ever had, even compared to Mexico. Perfect balance and super comforting. The sal de mar ceviche was very unique and interesting flavor-wise, but it definitely needed more salt to fully come together. Tacos were strong overall: * Birria tacos: 10/10 * Mole taco: 10/10 * Norteño taco wasn't a hit for me, likely because I'm not big on beans -- more personal preference than execution. Overall, worth the wait, bold flavors, and easy to see why this spot is Michelin-recognized. Would absolutely come back and order most of the same things again. read more

Corazon Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great little Mexican place in the Public Market. Very popular - always a line. We were pretty happy with all the food and would definitely order from here again. It did take a while to prepare the food so be prepared to wait. For drinks, we ordered the horchata, which was good, and the Arnold Palmero, which was excellent - something about the combination of the hibiscus and the ginger flavors turned the drink into something sublime. I ordered the Corazon salad plus chicken and was very happy with the variety of ingredients. The helping of chicken was generous and the flavoring was good, although the meat was slightly on the dry side. The combination of watermelon, jicama, and pomegranate arils was refreshing and kept things interesting. I couldn't finish everything since the portion was on the larger side. My daughter ordered the kids quesadilla and actually ate all the rice. She almost never eats rice but she said it was seasoned well. She was also kind enough to share her plantains and beans with me, and they were delicious. My husband ordered a couple tacos and enjoyed them. The orange flan was small but rich. Excellent texture. read more

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Stopped in on a cold day so decided to try tortilla soup. Was entirely underwhelmed. Though the serving size was huge it was mostly a tasty broth. Hard to tell what was chicken or blobs of cheese and vegetables non existent. Small bits of soggy tortillas (I think that's what it was) rounded out the dish Since I ordered a side of chips was able to crunch a few in to salvage the experience. Service was very slow though place pretty empty. read more

With roots in a Sunday pop-up that started in 2014 Corazón Cocina has since become one of Santa Barbara's most well-regarded eateries, a location inside the Public Market assuring foot traffic fortified by quick service and the sort of upscale Mexican Cuisine able to please a diverse clientele. Owned by Chef Ramon Velazquez, a native of Guadalajara who began cooking with his grandmother and mother at a very young age, Corazón Cocina takes an approach by which technique fuels innovation while fully embracing California's seasonal bounty. Trained in fine dining as well as Sushi, Corazón Cocina's Ceviche praised as some of the city's best, first timers are advised to order broadly with the expectation that everything from Tortillas and Salsa to creamy Guac with a bit of heat is made on-site daily. A counter-order setup with each guest given a pager, perhaps fifteen minutes wait allowing time to check out Desserts from sister-eatery Little Heart Cafecito, Tacos come loaded with slowly-braised Meat including spicy Al Pastor tamed by Pineapple or fall-apart Birria given added emphasis by Peanut Salsa Macha. Almost entirely local and organic, Ling Cod for Fish Tacos far better than the So.Cal standard, Mexican White Shrimp offer a sweet burst inside the Contramar Burrito with Rice while Velazquez shows off his sourcing further via a "Mercado Quesadilla" loaded with seasonal Produce and grilled Panela Cheese. Seated along the kitchen, Black Almond Mole earthy atop Chicken, don't forget to say "yes" when asked about adding Chorizo to the Queso Fundido that pairs well to local or domestic Beer, Margaritas or housemade Horchata. read more

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We're in Santa Barbara for my son's graduation, and we love the amazing food scene here. Our favorite is cuisine is Mexican and across the board the Mexican food here in Santa Barbara is outstanding. We found Corazon Cocina on Yelp, and the Bib Gourmand nod made it a must try. We had tacos, ceviche, a burrito and beans and rice, and everything we had was nicely prepared, fresh, and well seasoned. We were not disappointed - everything was delicious! It's located in the Santa Barbara Public Market, so service isn't really a thing. You walk up to order and then pick it up when your buzzer goes off, but it had a nice clean and open vibe. Tacos were a little pricey, but well worth it. They are full size blue corn tortillas, not the 3 inch street tacos. We tried the Al Pastor, Birria, Ensenada (ling cod) and Tia Juana (white shrimp and octopus). All of them were very good, but our favorites were the Tia Juana and Ensenada by far. One thing I wish they had done was put the tortillas on the flat top to cook for just a bit. The stand out dish was the Sal De Mara ceviche that had seasonal sashimi grade fish, watermelon, avocado, cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, watermelon radish and hibiscus aguachile on a crispy tostada. Super fresh, sweet and acidic, great textures and just plain ole delicious! We will definitely be coming again when we're back in SB. read more

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We know when we want authentic Mexican cuisine, Corazon Cocina always hits the spot! We love their ceviches and tacos! The service and ambiance is always a bonus! read more

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This was a great meal, highly recommend if you're at the SB Public Market. Service was quick. There's a nice seating area next to the order counter. I ordered Sal de Mar which was very fresh and flavorful. Husband ordered the El Cali burrito and it was amazing, cooked absolutely perfect. read more

Corazon Cocina - Sal de Mar - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Corazon has my heart. Delicious flavorful meats and fresh ingredients. I walked in on a Monday for lunch and had to wait about 15 mins for my food after ordering, they are popular! Service is friendly and efficient. Got my food gringa quesadilla and black beans and plantains and then got a beer and sat outside. It was such a sunny perfect Santa Barbara day and meal read more

Corazon Cocina - Gringa quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food 5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 4/5 Corazon Cocina is located in a food mall where there are lots of other great restaurants. It's kind of like the Packing House in Anaheim. The service is a bit slow and more do-it-yourself kind of place. It was interesting to see the Michelin 2021 sign inside the restaurant so I'm guessing it was recommended? :) anyways, the food was great for the most part though - some were not so great. We ordered fried plantains (2/5), steak taco (4/5), pulpo & shrimp taco (5/5), sal de mar (5/5). The Sal de Mar was hands down my favorite ceviche ever with the most addicting spicy hibiscus sauce. I'd come back just for the Sal de Mar. read more

Corazon Cocina - Sal De Mar - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The quesabirria quesadilla is my go to...Best birria in town imo, super flavorful and moist with very few fatty pieces. Homemade tortillas are fantastic. The guac is fresh. My only note would be that the rice is just ok and the pinto beans are mid, unseasoned and really bland for my taste. Overall I love this spot and it's one of my faves in public market. Usually pretty quick service and lots of seating inside. read more

Corazon Cocina - Quesabirria and side of Classic Mexican Rice - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Thanks AI. Used AI to plan a couple of days in the area and this was one of the places that it picked. I looked it up on Yelp and knew we had to try it. Corazon is part of group of restaurants in the same building but we both [wife and I] knew we wanted to come here. I was going to try the birria quesadilla but when I saw the Tia Juana taco I knew I had to try that instead. I also ordered some of the frijoles de la olla [whole beans]. My wife knew she wanted the Queso Fundido and added mushrooms but unfortunately, the were out of mushrooms and gave us some chorizo instead. Wife was really looking for the mushrooms but it was still very delicious. The blue corn tortillas were awesome as well. We were able to get some seating but it was tight and there were plenty of people watching us and waiting for us to get up. read more

Corazon Cocina - Looks so good. What to order???? - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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What a delicious stop for bold and strong Mexican flavors. I'm glad I went with the cashier's recommendation for the quesabirria and fish taco. it was just oozing with finger-linking oil with that tender braised short rib and melted cheese all over. Located in the public market, this place offers a casual dining place, and the staff was helpful in recommending a few places for the group. This place is a great way to eat some street-style food that was both filling and worth it for short wait (at least during off rush-hour)! read more

Corazon Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Yum! We started with some guac which was delicious with amazing homemade tortilla chips. Then my husband got the Norteno and birria, and I got the birria. Everything was amazing! The norteno stole the show though. And the salsas- YUM! I loved the tomatillo especially. No wonder the Michelin guide shouted this place out! So yummy and affordable. read more

Corazon Cocina - Norteno Taco - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

"The gold standard. The fish--usually cod or mahi-mahi--was encased in a beer batter so light and airy it practically shattered on the first bite. What makes this work is the contrast: the piping hot, flaky fish against a mountain of ice-cold, lime-dressed cabbage. The drizzle of chipotle crema added just enough smoky heat to tie it all together. Pro tip: squeeze that extra lime wedge over it; it cuts through the fried richness perfectly." read more

We went to the food hall location in the Santa Barbara public market. It was quick to order, food was delicious and fast! I got the flautas, birria short rib taco and the chicken burrito. All flavorful. The service was great! I definitely will try their resturant a few blocks away for more authentic options. They won Michelin 2021 read more

Corazon Cocina - Doraditos Crispy Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Visited after a drive in a Wednesday afternoon. I found this place on the Michelin website and wanted to try their ceviche and tacos. This is located in a food hall so there are many places to sit. The ceviche is served chunkier than usual. The shrimp is very delicious and sweet. I have to say the tacos al pastor were my favorite and the black beans with platanos. I liked that the tortillas were fresh. It looks like during the week they do have specials. Their aguas were delicious. I tried the hibiscus. I enjoyed it but I do feel the ceviche was toned down as far as flavor. However, they do the essentials nicely, especially their salsa. read more

Corazon Cocina - Ceviche, Al Pastor Taco, Fried sweet plantains, Traditional Black Beans - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place had been on my list for a while, as I'd heard amazing things. There was a very long line at lunch time, and it took ~20 minutes or so to get to the front. Once we got there, they told us it would be 40 minutes before we got our food - that probably would have been nice to hear at the back of the line so we could have made a decision before waiting 20 minutes! Eventually we did get our food. Overall decent! I wouldn't say anything blew me away particularly, but nothing bad at all. I probably won't rush back, but overall wasn't a bad meal. read more

Corazon Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My hubby's fave place in SB public market when craving for Mexican food. Very tasty/flavorful and reasonably priced. Also, located at the side entrance which makes it easy to locate. read more

Corazon your food is amazing! It truly is. But your customer service can be horrific! There's always a grumpy older lady working there not paying attention, taking her sweet time and not being friendly at all or acknowledge me or people. This is the 5th time this has happened and I have friends who regularly go and complain about the same thing. I went right now 5/2 @ 5pmish... just awful and it makes me hate coming here. Rude rude rude! read more

We were excited to try this place due to all the rave reviews and being on the bib gourmand list. We got the Pastor torta, mole pollo taco and Octopus taco. I love the blue corn tortillas. Makes it looks so pretty. Great presentation. We enjoyed the food .... Flavors were on point ... but didn't give them a perfect rating because I felt the protein was light. Depending on the taco you're paying 9-15 dollars each so could be more generous with the meats. We also got the guac and it was ok only. To drink we had the Arnold Palmer which was way too sweet. Overall, we enjoyed the food and casual atmosphere. read more

Corazon Cocina - Tacos, torta, Arnold Palmer and guac - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California