There is exactly one really good place in all of Santa Barbara, and this is it. No, you can't get a cocktail or use your effn ApplePay. No, you can't order Tapas or brunch or goddamn avocado toast. Yes, you can feel at home among genuine people. Yes, you can choose from among many wonderful coffee, beer, and wine selections, served with care and warm attention from the beautiful people who work hard here. Yes, you can come early in the morning; leave, and then come back late at night. You can get some work done. Yes, you can smoke on the patio! No, you may not ask others not to smoke on the Patio. Yes, you can lounge well, read peacefully, play games (including billiards), and gather your friends for a delightful time together among yourselves and many others. Elsie's says Yes. As long as Santa Barbara does -- apparently Elsie's is not a legacy-enough business to avoid being displaced. No, Santa Barbara. Please, don't. https://www.sitelinesb.com/proposed-apartment-complex-to-displace-elsies-tavern-and-green-table/ read more

Elsies Tavern - Schmag and a beer, on the back Patio. - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It's a beer and wine bar so limited on the drinks if you are looking for a night out. I went on a random week day night so it was pretty dead. But the atmosphere and staff are very friendly. They have games and the music was pop so it gave a chill vibe. read more

Chillest possible tavern: pool table, couches in several rooms, back super-shaded patio, dog friendly. Nondescript from outside - a bit of a secret read more

I love this place so much. Cash only, and the pinball machine ate my 50 cents, but the pacman game works! It's no frills, and they have instant noodles and pop tarts and other snacks behind the bar that you can buy. We got a Radler and an Lambic. They apparently open super early (7:30am). There is also an outdoor patio with heat lamps. Can't wait to come back here. read more

Elsies Tavern - Lambic, radler, and instant noodles. - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Best bar in SB hands down! Chill and fun ambiance, quality service, cool patrons and employees. ALL the stars for Elsie's! read more

An eclectic neighborhood bar/coffee shop. Tons of trinkets and art on the walls.. an interesting place. We ordered a tea and hot chocolate, brought our computers and knocked out some work. The wifi was good and couches were comfortable. Service was friendly. Smoking is allowed, so if you have a sensitive nose this isn't the place for you. read more

I came here with my friend Jules a while back, during safer times, as we were meeting some of her classmates. It was strange for me to no longer be in school but to still be interacting with people in an academia-oriented space. It was interesting mingling as an adult, but there were good vibes abound. We had some really sweet bartenders serving us, with some really funny mishearing of me asking for something sweet to drink. "Can I get something sweet?" "Coke?" "Something with alcohol in it?" "Sprite." "With alcohol!" "Oh!!!" I have a sweet tooth but I am still trying to be a grown up, so could you blame me? The drink I had was pretty good though I couldn't remember what it was. I trust the bartenders could make more sweet drinks for people like me who don't like the bitter taste of alcohol. read more

Elsies Tavern - The bar! - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I don't want to review Elsie's. It's my spot, I go there all the time. It has a vibe, it has a crowd and it has an amazing poster of Easy Rider.... Maybe I should say it's a horrible place. They don't take credit cards, don't have a full liquor license so it's pretty much a beer and wine spot, But unless I post a review I worry that my photos might not show up. They have beers on draft. Good ones too!! Oh and the beers in bottles. My favorites!! Chimay, Roquefort Trappist and Delerium Tremens. Oh wow, most people don't love those so just stay away. The staff....if they love you, they really love you and if they don't.... Kind of a Honey Badger thing (look it up on YouTube) So there it is, I adore the place because I agree with it, many others do too. If you don't I'm guessing that nobody who has any involvement with Elsie's will lose much sleep over it and that is why I love them. read more

Elsies Tavern - Half pour of Raspberry Blush - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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There's currently an art show with gorgeous mosaics. The whole place is comfortable, eclectic, and welcoming. My small group enjoyed an afternoon beverage but we loved that they also offer coffees and Pop Tarts! read more

Best bar for chilling out and relaxing amongst the old-school decor and atmosphere. Cash only, not a "full bar"- bottle and tap service, wine, and small snacks service with stuff like soju, Red Bull, etc. Once you go here with that expectation it's got all the great aspects of a great hidden gem. Staff is always friendly and laid back, you can expect to see me here every once in a while read more

The best lil freak show of a bar around. The best people run the joint and they hire the best! It's got a chill indoor seating area with couches and a competitive (free) pool table. Additional outdoor seating really completes the vibe of the place. Cash only, but an atm in the front is there if you need. read more

Elsies Tavern - Back area in the rain - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Worst bar in sb don't even give it a chance literally go to any other bar. Service sucks, cash only, and just not the vibe in general. Go to the Tully if you want a dive bar read more

Bottom Line: A great little bar I CANNOT believe that I have never been to this place especially since I grew up in this town. I love everything about this place; engine block coffee table, Cagiva gas tank in the rafters, lost of comfy places to sit, patio in the front and the back....the bar tender was super friendly and the people there were cool... and its got Pac Man! Loved the Boont Amber too. Check out this spot if you havent read more

Rude and inconsiderate. I went there with my ex and not only did the service suck, but she looked at me as if I was lost. Not ever visiting this shithole again! read more

Elsie's is cool, it's hipster to the max, and it's a breath of fresh air away from the downtown bar scene. People tend to arrive in large, diverse groups and you'll definitely enjoy Elsie's if you prefer life to be interesting. The beer selection is vast enough to satisfy most people and the wine list is decent. There is a ton of places to sit here yet people crowd around the bar for almost no reason sometimes. Board games are available which makes this one of the best bars to hangout. The poor table sucks but it's free and people get in the way so it all makes for a unique experience. The appearance of Elsie's will keep you staring for hours if you've never seen anything like it. It's always a good time. Note: Cash only, it's a huge downer but there's an ATM next to the PacMan machine, next to the bathroom, next to the seats in the small little room next to the entrance. read more

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The ambience is incredible. The lighting is dim, but you can still see around pretty good. The beers on tap are amazing, and I hear that they have coffee in the morning time which I'm gonna have to try. Had a few drinks here last night and was very impressed with the overall setting, you enter a really cozy room that's decorated in chic antiques, they even have plants hanging from the ceiling in the middle where the pool table is, I just love the fact that there's also a patio in the back, so if you're a tobacco smoker or just like having fresh air with your drinks this place is the cutest little go to hole in the wall bar. My new favorite:) a little crowded, but what bar isn't? Great vibes. read more

I practially called Elsie's a second home for the last few years. I often studied and worked during the day and visited my friends in the evening. The staff are as friendly as can be, and the atmosphere exactly what I need when I'm looking for an agreeable social enviornment. It's not for everybody, but for those who find it agreeable, it's perfect. I hope it survives the COVI-19 pandemic shutdown. If it goes, then I'd feel as if Santa Barbara lost a minor cultural institution. read more

Elsies Tavern - Buck at Elsie's back porch - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

REAL place. LOVE it! One of the only true, quirky, bohemian spots here in Santa Barbara. Art everywhere, really good music, little nooks, lots of books, 80's Atari games (!!!!), pool, comfy velvet couches, and lots of laid back outside sitting in the back. Elsie's is a place where you can write a poem or a story, have deep talks, get inspired, sit at the candle & lamp lit bar, have a drink, and relax... Cash only. Just wine ( always a nice full glass), beer, coffee, and tea. read more

Having some non-caffeinated tea after a latte at my new favorite morning spot taking some morning meetings from the patio with Elsie's free wifi. I've been coming here for years at night but never knew they were open in the mornings!!! Best kept secret!! read more

Elsies Tavern - Fruit Herbal Tea out on the patio!!! - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Nice little hole-in-the-wall spot. If you're searching for Elsie's, you'll likely drive right past it. It's not really advertised from the street and I believe that this is intentional. While only a mere block or so from the best of downtown, its location is far enough off the beaten path that lends to the feeling of a speakeasy. Elsie's is in a unique old building sectioned off into a few rooms. You'll find old couches (the kind you'll absolutely sink into), vibrant wall colors, and eclectic wall art. It's like a grunge-style garage from the '90s and truly brings me back to that era. There's also a great, large back patio along with a small front parklet area for Covid. There are two bathrooms which have seen far better days, but their dirtiness ties right into the old, endearing vibe of the place as a whole. Elsie's is beer and wine only - and cash only, although there's an ATM in front. I don't typically carry cash so must remember this fact when I come here. You'll find a very unique assortment of beers and I've tried a few good ones. I'd also tried their soju-based Bloody Mary once and it wasn't bad. Why three stars? Service can be a hit or a miss. I was here last night and the bartender was awesome. He was able to recommend some good beers for us and even provided a shot glass with a sample to try. Haven't always been this lucky, though. I was here about a year and a half ago (late 2019) and the female bartender working (dark hair, she's there often) was surly to the point that I'd decided not to come back in until just yesterday. I don't know if she's still here but I'd avoid at all costs if she is. Otherwise, a nice, comfortable local watering hole. read more

This is one of those reviews that I almost don't want to write. Elsie's is the kind of place that should be discovered by word of mouth, from a friend. I had lived in Santa Barbara for a while, was a regular at the regular spots and then one night a manager from a spot that I drank at was getting off work and on his way out he said "I'm going over to Elsie's do you wanna come?" I've been a fan ever since. Great locals bar. Great, friendly staff. Nice place. Great patio. btw - this place is low key. If you are looking for ritzy & glitzy then don't even walk over. If you wanna have a drink with locals wearing their work clothes, then come on in. Cash Only. read more

I certainly wouldn't call myself an Elsie's Regular, but it is the bar I most often frequent. Frequent being relative. I go there because it's comfortable. I never feel underdressed or overdressed there. No makeup, no problem. Sure it's changed over time. The regulars of 10 years ago are not the regulars of today. But I'd take it any day over the bars on State Street, even through it's mostly a beer and wine bar and the wine isn't well cared for. This is the guaranteed spot to run into old high school friends during holiday breaks. I feel sorry for the people who live in the newly built condo 20 feet above the back patio of Elsie's. But I'm also a little envious. read more

Elsies Tavern - Front door - photo by Dennis Tivey - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I've been coming to this place since I moved to SB; such a friendly and warm environment, Love meeting new people there, the service is great and staff are lovely! read more

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice is delicious! Get the wizard!! This place has a Berkeley vibe, which is cool but artsy. They have a really cool LOTR outdoor patio with vines and trees interacting with the space. Really whimsical. Oh, and this place is CASH ONLY!! They also have couches in front and one pool table! So fun! Thanks!! read more

Love. We need a bar like this in SD. Music was on point. Great vibe for a date night with my wife. read more

Elsies Tavern - Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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If you're a tourist, please don't come here. Warm beers and cold women. Just kidding. This lil hidden gem is a mainstay of the Santa Barbara arts scene, without the hipster pretense. The girls behind the bar -- Bouloor on certain nights, Mary and Dinah on others -- offer a welcoming yet no-nonsense barmaid hospitalitity harkening back to the type of place where the likes of Hemingway, Bukoswki and Henry Miller would find themselves enthralled in an intense conversation in the smoking patio and be subsequently guided out at closing time. read more

Great casual place to grab a drink with sofas in the front in the front and a nice patio in the back. There is a pool table. Wether you are starting your night at elsie's or ending it it's always a good time. They serve wine and beer only no hard alcohol and it is cash only. There is atm but as always there's a fee. read more

I have never had a bad experience at this bar until this past weekend. Tried to take out cash from the ATM to pay for my beer and the ATM didn't dispense my cash. Relayed the message to the bartender who promptly poured out my beer and said there was nothing she could do. I understand that the ATM is not owned by the bar but I really didn't appreciate being treated rudely when I was simply trying to pay for my beer. Hoping I eventually get my money back and will rethink drinking at Elsie's in the future. UPDATE: They called promptly and were very open to fixing the situation which is awesome. Just wish they were a little more friendly about it when it was happening. read more

Cute little bar and punk aesthetic to be found but the crowd here is borderline creepy and weird. Bartender chick was nice

My favorite bar in town! Cool vibes, comfy couches, awesome bartenders, excellent artwork, and delicious drinks. The perfect off-State bar.

If "hipster" is a euphemism for "dump," then I agree with Yelp's characterization of this place. Poor selection of alcohol, rude staff, rude patrons, filthy furnishings, and an overall pretty terrible experience. Also, they're cash only, having missed the memo that it's 2019 and paying credit card processing fees is a reasonable and inevitable cost of doing business. There are ample other places to drink in Santa Barbara - no need to tolerate this one. read more

This place is incredible. You will make life long friends instantly. So eclectic, creative, and welcoming social vibe.

I don't normally write Yelp reviews unless the establishment does something that pushes me to, whether that be all star awesome experiences or on the other end of the spectrum. This one is not filed under "awesome". Now, I come from Austin where I am fully accustomed to bitchy, hipster service. Heck, I think it's great, as long as your pie tastes as good as you say, who cares how it gets in my mouth. But seriously, I came across the hive queen of hipster bitches tonight at Elsie's, and though I love the mellow vibe and comfy couches, I am seriously reconsidering coming back. The chick behind the bar - the one that looked like she just came from some exhausting women's studies night class - had me waiting, sitting, staring at her as she chatted about some benign bullsh*t to her friends without giving me a glance for a good 10 min. Finally when I thought she might be taking a breath in between her run-on, stream-of-consciousness sentences, I asked if I could have a beer, even apologized for interrupting... Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because she rudely snuffed "You DON'T mean to interrupt??" before proceeding to make THE most ANGRY and AWKWARD beer I have ever been served in my life. I'm serious, this woman wanted me gone - what the hell kind of service is that? Like I said, I am fully used to snotty, self entitled baristas, but the stink eye on this chick took it to a whole other level. Now you folks at Elsie's may be snickering reading this, perhaps even patting yourselves on the back for being so "edgy" in this white bread town. Who knows, I don't know who you are, I just know who is representing you, and if that's the way you want to run your business...more power to you. But seriously, alienating your locals like that is not going to line anybody's pockets with the dough, and as a business, I imagine that is fairly important to you. At least I'd hope so. read more

This is the perfect antidote for the downtown State Street nightlife scene. It's a casual, comfortable, and laid-back atmosphere, which isn't surprising since it's a converted house: the main bar area will make you feel like you're drinking brewskis in a buddy's garage. There are several rooms to relax in and a patio out back if you want to enjoy the Santa Barbara weather. It's a beer-and-wine, cash-only bar (ATM on premises), so don't expect fancy-shmancy cocktails or expertly crafted appetizers. In spite of its hipster-ness, you do get good service and a terrific spot to relax and enjoy your friends' company. You can also shoot a game of pool (free!), play some Ms. Pac Man (still only a quarter!), or eat some Pop-Tarts (seriously!). Elsie's is an excellent neighborhood bar. I have a lot of fond memories of hanging out here over the years and I always try to stop by whenever I'm in town. Highly recommended. read more

Updated to more accurately reflect realities of Elsie's: There is one bartender (female, dark hair) who is seriously cold to me EVERY time I come in. I have confirmed this with other people, and they all have said the same about her. I always have my ID out for her as she will bark at you about it almost immediately, even though there isn't a bouncer at the door and you may not immediately be planning to order a drink. When you finally do get that drink, she basically acts as if pouring your beer is the last thing she wanted to do today (which, I guess, may be true?), and does not make an effort to be friendly or even polite to new or returning customers unless you're one of her special regulars. Speaking of "special regulars," there is the creepiest guy (light blonde/gray hair, ponytail, slimy demeanor), who makes it his life mission to slink up to young women at Elsie's and essentially try to trap them into unpleasant conversations that are difficult to extricate yourself from. I honestly am not sure if this guy is an employee or a regular patron, because I cannot recall being at Elsie's and NOT seeing him. Needless to say, most of my female friends have started to avoid Elsie's because it's really not worth putting up with unfriendly bartenders, a cash-only bar, AND a resident creeper who the management seems to enable over the safety and comfort of their female patrons. read more

Hipster....Dive-y OH yea, they are reallly trying to get every hipster available in Santa Barbara to hang out here. They've got your wide selection of beer and wine, and the odd low alcohol cocktail. But they've also got a great breadth of information about each drink. Its essentially your ironically pretentious beer and wine sommelier dressed up in skinny jeans (oooo so Hipster). I miss the Mission, so this place has to do. Its my own little escape, with couches, pool table, lil separate rooms, hidden from the riff-raff, movies, popcorn, RAMEN!!!, and great times. Even the most cynical of people who hates hipsters (not me....my friend who accompanied) eased up here. Grab your single cigs of American Spirit at the bar and relax for every moment you want to share! read more

I hardly EVER write reviews, but I will take the time, sitting in my car, outside of Elsie's, to say this place is HORRIBLE!!!!! I work in a bar and I know when a bar is busy. pfffft, this place was practically dead; in yet, I (and this dude) stood at the bar for 15 plus mins, talking to other patrons, having any attempts of eye contact avoided (and when made just blatantly ignored). so I switched where I was standing 2 times to get Any bartenders attention; and I watched multiple people walk up to the bar, stand there 2 seconds and get served drinks. when I finally decide to say something (because the couple I'm talking to is saying how rude everyone has been to them and that I won't get any attention), I say "hey! you think it's about time we can get a drink? been here for over 15 mins." and pretentious beardo replies with "I'm busy." uhhhhh yeaaaaa, I'm a BOMB ASS tipper, being a server myself, and you can lick the crack of my Beautiful derrière if you think you'll get a cent of it. absolutely the worst customer service I've experienced Yet in Santa Barbara. way to bring the vibe Down Elsie's. left immediately. I'll go get service where my presence is appreciated. the neighborhood bar is AWESOME! and the press room was fun too. both a GAGILLION times better than Elsie's! read more

Back in 1992-93 I was having an affair with an extraordinary woman named Anfisa Miasnikov. At that time she and her boyfriend Gary and their 5-month old girl Solange lived right at the end of W. Orgeta, up against "The Enchanted Mountain", as we called it. One night we passed by Elsie's, went in and spent some time, and when we came out Anfisa said: "This will be our new hangout." Shortly after that she dumped me, left Gary for a German poet named Matthias, but he didn't want her, she met another guy and now lives in Los Olivos and has more kids. We never went back, and I never went back by myself or with another because it would remind me of her, and I wouild be sad. But glad it's still around and doing great. read more

Elsie's feels like a grungy basement. And I mean that in the best way possible! There is just enough dust and crappy decor to make you feel like you've gone back in time to your college days-- you know, when having street signs or stoplights in your living room was boss. The beers are plenty and surprisingly snobby. Again, I mean that in the best way! So, if you want to trip back to the times when relaxing meant plopping down on a very weathered couch (I can only imagine how many people have made the Whoopi Goldberg on these things) and pretending you know how to shoot pool, but don't want to sacrifice your impeccable taste in beer, this place is for you! read more

Elsies is that bar you miss when you leave SB and are looking to grab a beer and chill. Feels like San Francisco in Santa Barbara. Eclectic decor along with local artists who rotate on the walls. A tiny peek into SB's indie scene. Old, worn-in couches scatter through the different rooms. Coffee tables make you feel like your meeting at someone's house, but not quite that cozy. Back patio is full of smokers usually, but is equally as interesting. Would love it if they added a couple more heaters back there. An amazing selection of brews on tap and even more so in the bottle. Pool table always has players going. Every now and then a great local band plays, but the room is small and accoustics arent that great. The locals make up for it. Grab a custom collaged/drawn matchbook as a souvenir to take home. Oh Elsies, I miss you. See you next time Im in town. xo read more