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El Sitio

4.1 (166 reviews)
Closed • Closed

El Sitio Photos

EL SITIO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - El Sitio

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Timothy A.

This is the third El Sitio I've tried in the SB area. I like all of them. Here, I tried a veggie burrito, which was quite satisfying. It wasn't overly cheesy or rice-centric. The red salsa was hot and flavorful. I also loved the elaborate Christmas miniatures.

Adobado plate
Lianna M.

Good amount of food for the price. I've ordered many different items from here in the past, from tacos to burritos, but this time I ordered the lunch special with adobado. Their adobado pork is so yummy! I love that the plate came with a half of an avocado. Made the plate super filling. Their salsa is also really good, I'm bummed that the salsa bar is closed! It is what it is, for now. The staff here is really nice, and the restaurant keeps it at a maximum of two customers at a time. I felt safe ordering from here. I'll be back!

Exterior
Carol K.

Why are there so many locations? Uh HuH... it is delicious. I love the pasilla pepper burrito (beef) or Pasilla pepper torta. The burrito has the exact amount of rice and beans so you are not overwhelmed with filling food and you can savor the fabulous flavors. They do Mexican food right and there is really no reason to go anywhere else. Ever.

Take-out nachos. Enough for two!
Liana C.

I called ahead to order nachos and wow, they are HUGE! Very quick pick-up, reasonable price, and you get a lot of food. Actually big enough for two. When there's a bunch of people waiting outside, it must be good, right?? Don't let the a hole-in-the-wall vibes deter you! Thanks for making my absolute favorite food so well SN: Please update the health score for this year on the Yelp page.

Mixto Especial plate. Shrimp, cheese and rajas served with rice and beans.
Eddie V.

We were staying at the Lemon Tree Inn, which happens to be property adjacent to El Sitio. We were in the mood for some Carnitas, and I found El Sitio on Yelp, with good reviews AND a short walk from the hotel (approx 450 feet)! Amazing food! We ordered a breakfast burrito with ham and eggs and the Mixto Especial plate. My wife and I had a Ratatouille moment where we swept into our memories of home cooked meals. The beans are wonderful. The burrito was packed with scrambled eggs and diced ham slices. It was exactly what my wife's grandmother would prepare at home. The tortilla had great chew and held the burrito together without tears or crumbling. The Mixto Especial plate is a shrimp, rajas (julienned strips of Serrano and Bell peppers) and cheese dish, served with rice and beans. It was very flavorful and exactly what I was looking for. This is a true hole in the wall. There are only 4 tables, and most of them are 2 seaters. This is primarily a to-go business, but we got lucky and got a table, so we ate there. They offer fountain sodas for beverages. All of the food is prepared to order, so they have a little sign that asks for each customer's patience on the food prep. They do not consider themselves a fast food establishment. If you're ever in the area, give this place a try. The other burritos, tacos and torts looked pretty good. They've got steady business, so you know this place is legit.

Adobada tacos close up! Soooo yummy
Angela R.

I've written a review for the location on Fairview but the food to me here tastes way better than their other locations. My go to choices on the menu are usually the carne asada burrito, and brocheta de pollo which is chicken sautéed with mushrooms, cheese, onion and bell peppers. It also comes with corn tortillas so you can make yummy tacos from it. On my latest visit I tried their nachos suggested by Javier J. who raved about them so naturally I had to try it. Well he was right they were pretty bomb and massive in size! It was a mountain of nachos and they didn't skimp on any ingredients. For $9.99 I'd say this was well worth the money! They also have a taco special for only $6 bucks and you get two tacos & your choice of meat served with rice and beans on the side. There's a small salsa bar with pico de gallo, salsa verde (my fave), red salsa, and grilled jalapeños. The inside of this restaurant is very small and can get stuffy inside but there are a few tables outside. It's not the cleanest place but I've never gotten sick here and the food is good. Give it a try!

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5 years ago

It's not what it used to be. I want to give a good review so bad pero ni sabor tiene. The meat was so dry.

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Absolute legend in the Santa Barbara Mexican food game. Best (meat) taquitos in town. Best adobada burritos. A must try if you are visiting

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9 years ago

Good food, friendly people. Giving it 4 stars b/c it was a bit pricey.

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Always hits the spot, their burritos and nachos are our go-to's. Their horchata and hibiscus drinks are great too!

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7 years ago

Love this spot. The adobadas is a go to and I love the rajas burrito. Awesome and affordable Mexican food in SB

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7 years ago

The food is consistently good. The salsa bar is always fresh. Great Pico.

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Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Boathouse Signature Breakfast with pancake

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach

4.1(3.8k reviews)
2.5 mi
•$$

Such a delicious meal and our server was such a dear. Bridgette was super attentive and made sure…read moreeverything 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…read morechecked 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

Photos
Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Inside of the restaurant

Inside of the restaurant

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Cioppino

Cioppino

Boathouse at Hendry's Beach - Key lime pie

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Key lime pie

Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant - Norwegian Benedict with rainbow potatoes

Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant

4.4(692 reviews)
2.7 mi
•$$

Very nice atmosphere. The French toast was great. Service is a little different. Get greeted by a…read morehost with a menu, order your food at a cashier, take a number, sit at a table of your liking and wait for them to bring it to your table.

Jeannine's bakery is the BEST breakfast/brunch spot we've had! This is due to the food, service,…read moreand environment. I'll break my review down by each category. Service: While we waited in line outside, Lalo, walked up to all of us offering menus for those of us that didn't have any yet. He was very friendly, energetic and joyful with all of those around. We were able to ordered and be seated pretty quickly, within 10 minutes of entering the line. I think what's unique about their ordering and seating model is that they have you order your food at the register, pay, then take a seat where you like. In my perspective, this allows for a smoother in and out dining experience as you don't have to wait for a server and your bill. Environment: The inside of the restaurant provides a store like experience and as you wait in line you can shop around for custom merch. The outside of this restaurant provides great seating with views of the beach. Food: Our plates were delicious! We ordered some special plates they were offering that weekend. I don't recall the exact names, but my wife ordered a sort of lobster cake plate, and I ordered a type of huevo rancheros. We would definitely return here again!

Photos
Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant - Jeannine's inside. Really cute. This is the second line once you are inside.

Jeannine's inside. Really cute. This is the second line once you are inside.

Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant - Norwegian Benedict with rainbow potatoes

Norwegian Benedict with rainbow potatoes

Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant - Turkey cranberry with coleslaw (great coleslaw with olives)

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Turkey cranberry with coleslaw (great coleslaw with olives)

Gracie

Gracie

4.5(89 reviews)
2.9 mi
Locally owned & operated
Outdoor seating

We went for brunch and I had fish tacos and they were very good…read more $21 for 3. My two dining companions had eggs Benedict with potatoes; they both commented how much meat was on the Benedict. Why are the five stars? Anyone who reads my reviews knows, I hate being offended by prices. The pricing was in line with the experience. It was a nice restaurant experience. The outside patio is a beautiful setting on the harbor. The service wasn't overbearing. We were able to visit and have a lovely ladies birthday brunch.

It's my birthday weekend getaway,So we came to Santa Barbara for the first time and Gracie was…read morewalkable from our hotel,So we picked this place for lunch and we sure not disappointed. Food : My husband got Steak Frites and it was cooked the way he ordered and fries was crispy,hot and the sauce wasn't too over power the steak,So this dish blend really well together.I ordered Crispy Salmon and the skin was crispyyyy.My waitress recommended a homemade focaccia bread to go with it which I went for it and I thank her later because that bread was really good! Salmon was cook perfect,Sauce was great and veggies that came with it was delicious! Service : Our waitress was amazing.We sat outside and everything went great! Vibe : Open,Vibrant and lovely place. Next time we're visit Santa Barbara Gracie will be one of our choice for food for sure.

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Gracie - Mortadella beni

Mortadella beni

Gracie - Blueberry matcha

Blueberry matcha

Gracie - Cockiepoos

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Cockiepoos

Helena Avenue Bakery - Turkey Sandwich with chips & an orange soda

Helena Avenue Bakery

4.3(802 reviews)
2.5 mi
•$$

I've been coming to Helena for years and I have to say, the love it gets is very well deserved…read more They have some of the butteriest croissants out there! The dough lamination is absolutely perfect. I was lucky to attend an event at the gardens where the had profiteroles that were absolutely divine. Being central to the funk zone with plenty of outdoor seating the ambiance is absolutely on point. We had a minor mixup with an order and the head chef herself came out and made it right, giving us the tastiest baguette I think I've ever had. I have to say the head chef, who's name escapes me right now, has to be one of the sweetest and most talented people in the industry I've met. Definitely come here for an amazing breakfast or some 10/10 pastries.

Whew! This was a *pricey* breakfast, but it WAS good! That being said $62 good? Meh…read more $62: (2) Iced Vanilla lattes (1) Banana (1) Breakfast Taco (1) Breakfast sandwich (1) Croissant (1) Children's toast +egg The sandwich and taco were really good, but keep in mind it's JUST the one taco, JUST the sandwich. The homemade (I assume?) bread and jam for the kids meal was SO good! The vanilla lattes were not work $6.75 at all though... nothing special to them and easily watered down. The space itself is nice, outdoor/indoor concept. My daughter loved all the flowers and the birds that would fly inside for crumbs. I would come back but would JUST get the meals, the extras weren't worth the price IMO (even the croissant).

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Helena Avenue Bakery - Indoor bar

Indoor bar

Helena Avenue Bakery - Breakfast Sandwich on Brioche

Breakfast Sandwich on Brioche

Helena Avenue Bakery - Fried Chicken Sandwich

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Fried Chicken Sandwich

Santo Mezcal - Quesadillas vegetarian  QUESADILLA FLOR

Santo Mezcal

4.3(2k reviews)
2.6 mi
•$$

My friend and I haven't been back to Santa Barbara since 2021. So here we are back in May 2026. My…read morefriend and I took a Santa Barbara Sunset Sailing tour. I knew we would arrive back late and there're not a lot of restaurants open past 9:00. We arrived back at the dock at 8:30PM. My friend was hungry and as we were walking back to our hotel, we saw Santo Mezcal still open YEAH! As we have seen in the past, the place is packed and super lively with diner finishing up. There were spots open at the bar we took. Edgar the bar tender (cocktail aficionado) was great! We ordered Cocktails, Espresso Martini and a Mezcal Paloma (so good) I ordered the Shrimp Empanadas. My friend ordered the King Fish Crudo and the Enchiladas Verdes. Even though they were ready to close our food came out hot, fresh, presentation great and tasting delicious. It was a great ending to our sunset cruise night. Atmosphere: fun lively. Service: excellent. Food: excellent.

Super easy and convenient location if you're arriving by Amtrak Train…read more This was the perfect place for lunch on the patio after arriving to Santa Barbara. Service was great and very attentive. -The pulpo or octopus tacos were insanely delicious. The meat was so soft and tender. And oddly their rice and beans were also really really good. -The ceviche was not worth ordering tasted like red chili oil on ceviche.

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Santo Mezcal - Seating area

Seating area

Santo Mezcal - Picana Oaxaquena

Picana Oaxaquena

Santo Mezcal - Sopecitos

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Sopecitos

Chad's - California burrito

Chad's

3.9(1.9k reviews)
2.7 mi
•$$

What a beautiful diner right across the street from the beach! The food was fresh and the…read morepresentation was impressive. We went around 7am on a Saturday so it wasn't too busy but they do have a small parking lot in the back and if you want pleasant outdoor seating, I'd recommend arriving earlier in the day.

We decided to give this place a shot because the reviews were glowing, but it turned out to be mid,…read moreas the younger kids would say While we waited, they offered some muffins that were so delicious, I almost considered moving in. Once seated, we started with the muffins, but unfortunately, that was the highlight of the breakfast. It was like the rest of the meal was just there to make the muffins look even better. The food had all the flavor of a cardboard box. The only thing that saved the day was the pancakes. We ordered the Q steak quesadilla, which was colder than my ex's heart, but we were hungry, so we just went for it. We also got some pancakes with eggs and ham, and the ham was so mediocre, it tasted like it had been living in the fridge since the dawn of time. The service was friendly and quick, which was a blessing because if I had to wait any longer, I might have started gnawing on the table. I wouldn't wait over 30 minutes to eat there. It's definitely not worth the wait, unless you're really, really hungry and have nothing better to do than stare at the menu.

Photos
Chad's - Sharing the mini muffins with some friends

Sharing the mini muffins with some friends

Chad's - Mimosa Tasting Flight

Mimosa Tasting Flight

Chad's - The Bloody Mary is soo good

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The Bloody Mary is soo good

Finch & Fork - Bailey's Brioche French Toast

Finch & Fork

4.2(1.7k reviews)
1.8 mi
•$$

Visited Finch & Fork with my girlfriend. We had a lovely breakfast. Service was attentive and…read morefriendly. Our food was delicious. I'm normally not a yogurt person, but I really enjoyed theirs. I'm pretty sure the granola was homemade or at the very least sourced from a whole food brand. The baked pears added the perfect amount of sweetness. Pancakes and Avocado toast were also delicious. The cocktail is dangerous; I could have sipped on it all day. The restaurant is located inside The Kimpton. It's a beautiful property. Shoutout to Robert who was a pleasure to meet. Oh, and PARKING is COMPLIMENTARY if you dine at the restaurant, how awesome is that! (don't forget to tip the valet)

Took my mom here for Mother's Day brunch after seeing generally positive reviews online…read more Unfortunately, the experience did not live up to the price point at all. First, Finch & Fork is essentially just the restaurant inside the Kimpton Canary Hotel. What I mean is that it's not a restaurant that happens to be inside of hotel property (think Caruso's). It's just where you eat as a hotel guest that is hungry for brunch. We had an 11:00 AM reservation, which I believe was the earliest brunch seating. The hotel lobby was packed and chaotic when we arrived. We checked in and sat down to wait, but while we were waiting, multiple other parties of two who checked in after us were seated first. Not a huge issue on its own, but not a great start. The Mother's Day brunch itself consisted of a buffet plus an entrée selection. The buffet had three main sections: seafood (oysters, shrimp, tuna poke), salads, and miscellaneous bites and desserts like deviled eggs, Italian wedding soup, and macarons. Honestly, the buffet felt more like cocktail hour appetizers at a wedding than a true luxury brunch spread. The entrées were fine. The service was fine. Nothing was bad, but nothing felt memorable or special either. The atmosphere was also extremely loud...noticeably so. What really dropped the rating for me was the value. For two people with no alcohol (just iced tea), the total came out to $264.60. That price was honestly shocking for what was offered. Nothing about the food, service, or atmosphere justified that kind of cost. As we were leaving, we noticed a Photo Booth setup and a bouquet-making station across the lobby. No one had mentioned either of these to us, and the bouquet station appeared unattended, so we weren't even sure whether it was included or an extra charge. Overall, I left feeling disappointed, especially because this was meant to be a special Mother's Day outing for my mom. If you're just looking for a casual hotel brunch/lunch/dinner, it's perfectly fine. But for a holiday brunch at this price point, I expected something much more polished, elevated, and memorable.

Photos
Finch & Fork - Inside 10/15/25

Inside 10/15/25

Finch & Fork - Bailey's Brioche French ToastFrench

Bailey's Brioche French ToastFrench

Finch & Fork - Craft Cocktails from Happy Hour

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Craft Cocktails from Happy Hour

El Sitio - mexican - Updated May 2026

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