I was looking for a venue to have a milestone birthday party for myself. I've been to Buena Onda…read morefor a couple of parties and each time, the experience was really memorable. I met Matias Requena, the owner, and knew right away I wanted to have my party there. He spent all the necessary time with me answering questions and offering great suggestions. Due to some impending rains, however, I needed to move the party to a different location (at the last minute) but Buena Onda still took care of all the catering. Matias and his crew did such a wonderful job not only understanding the venue change, but catered it perfectly. The Buena Onda crew were all super courteous and the the food was amazing. The next time I want to throw a party, it will definitely be at Buena Onda Restaurant. The letter grade for Matias and Buena Onda is A+

We visited Santa Barbara for the weekend and stopped by Buena Onda to try their freshly baked…read moreArgentinian empanadas. The restaurant has a rustic feel with a nice outdoor front patio for dining. We ordered the combo of 3 empanadas with a choice of side (salad or chimi papas). We tried the carne, pollo, buen día, and the daily special (brisket with peppers). For sides, we got one order of chimi papas and one garden salad. The empanadas were big and generously filled. Our favorite was the carne. I would also recommend choosing the salad over the potatoes as a side. It's a spot worth visiting if you're in the mood for empanadas!

Came here as a recommendation and was blown away by how great this spot is!…read more The ceviche was very flavorful, had a nice kick and was very refreshing. The ribeye tacos, and the beans and rice were also amazing and seasoned perfectly. The portions were also generous so this was not only delicious but also a great value. The entire staff from the servers, to the bartender and the DJ were super friendly and welcoming. It was a great experience, I would highly recommend and can't wait to come back.

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.

Was looking at their sign on the street for a few days and we knew we had to stop in here before we…read moreleft. If you've never had quesobirria tacos YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Get your ass over here now. I'm obsessed with birria and pretty much order them whenever I can, but beware not all birria is created equal! You're looking for a flavorful consume to dip the tacos in, cheese that pulls apart when you take a bite, and of course tender juicy birria! This place hits all those boxes AND the service was super fast and extremely friendly! A man greeted us as we were looking at the sign and gave great recommendations. We got the Yona special which is 3 queso tacos with your choice of meats and consumé to dip them in. You can choose 2 different ones. We got birria, pastor, and asada. All were great, but birria will always be king! He also offered us complimentary chips and there's a salsa bar. Overall 10/10 would absolutely return and suggest you stop reading and go check them out!

Came to Santa Barbara for a day trip from Solvang and enjoyed our lunch here. We ordered at counter…read moreand sat outside. The tacos and burrito were so delicious. It hit the spot. Salsa with chips was really good too. You can tell everything is made fresh. Service was friendly and helpful guiding us through what to order. They share space with another restaurant that's focused more on seafood. Casual yet comfortable spot. Looking for tag to coming back!

We have a good friend who is extremely gluten-intolerant and tried Elubia's…read more What a great find!! It is a food truck tucked in old Goleta. The food (central American/Honduran/Guatemalan) is outstanding. Next door is Santa Barbara Cider. SB Cider makes extraordinary great cuders. Both had fantastic service (with great advice) and great food/drink. We sat outside and enjoyed the afternoon. I would highly recommend it.

I didn't like it. I went to the Strawberry Festival, and the pupusas weren't good. I don't…read morerecommend it.

I think advance tipping that is automatically requested from every POS system now should be against…read morethe 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!

Amazing. This is our 3rd time here and this place is the absolute best. We tried the Sal de Mar…read moreceviche - 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.

The food was the best.The salsa is the best I ever tasted customer service was amazing…read more We found our new favorite spot. I can't stop eating the salsa lol

Very friendly authentic environment. I love a good pupusa and there is another location close by…read morethat wasn't as nice. The pupusas are made fresh and crispy. Pair that nicely with the beans and rice and you can't go wrong.

Food is consistently delicious. Try the Empanadas here. I…read morelove the Carne (meat) ones. They warm them up and they melt in your mouth. Everything is so good. Try a sandwich or a hot plate. Service is quick, friendly, and personal. Can't go wrong here. The ambiance is full of pictures from Cuba and it looks, feels, and is authentic.

Was in Santa Maria for a week and was searching for a restaurant that would give me a dish full of…read moreflavor and I wasn't disappointed. I ordered take out from this restaurant and ordered the Pollo Con Papas. The portion was great and each bite was filled with so much flavor. My dish was ready at the estimated time and I was able to get in and out with no issue. Service was great at pick up! I walked into the restaurant and were greeted by the staff who were super friendly. The ambiance did give off a Havana setting and I wish I had taken the time to sit down to eat to get the full experience.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Elegant-casual with a well-heeled older crowd…read more We wanted a nice dinner while in town and this place looked promising based on the reviews. We'd made reservations and were seated promptly when we arrived. The ambiance was warm and inviting. We noticed that the diners' demographic skewed older, but that was fine with us--it made for a relaxing time. We started things off with some cocktails: I got the Opal martini (gin and vodka, with Gorgonzola stuffed Olive--very good) and the hubby got the house old fashioned (not too sweet, also very good). They brought out a small complimentary bread basket, which had two different kinds of excellent bread. Carb avoidance be damned! We ordered the following: - warm seafood salad (lots of fresh seafood--great) - butter lettuce salad with Gorgonzola (so simple and so delicious) - mushroom risotto (delicious! Cheesy with bits of walnuts and asparagus as well as the shrooms) We thought the prices were reasonable prices for the quality, and the service was excellent. Overall a really great experience; would definitely try again.

The ambiance at Opal was as usual, lovely, but extremely noisy. Not a lot they can do about that,…read morebut be aware if you are a large group that you won't be able to hear each other! And usually, the food is really good at Opal. But not this time! Very disappointing. Due to popular demand, they put the hangar steak back on the menu. I love that dish, so ordered it with great anticipation! But I was sorely disappointed. The steak was perfectly cooked to medium rare, but that's where the goodness stopped. It was extremely tough with gristle running throughout. The meat itself was flavorless. And, the sauce was something I couldn't even identify! No idea what it was, but it wasn't tasty. The mashed potatoes mentioned they contained horseradish. I love horseradish, so I was excited to try them. Unfortunately, half a bottle of horseradish in 1/2 cup of potatoes just doesn't work! Would have been better to have plain potatoes with a side of horseradish! I have to say the vegetables were nicely prepared, but nothing to write home about. All in all, a disappointing trip to Opal. I hope they make this dish the way t used to be, or cease putting it on the menu. It doesn't work at all the way it is.

A Must-Visit in Santa Barbara If you're visiting Flor de…read moreMaiz, you absolutely cannot skip this place. We ordered the pulpo and the chicken mole, and both dishes were incredible. The pulpo was perfectly cooked--tender with a great char and packed with flavor. The chicken mole was rich, balanced, and deeply satisfying, with that classic complex mole flavor that keeps you going back for another bite. What really stood out, though, was the service. It was phenomenal from start to finish--attentive, friendly, and genuinely welcoming without ever feeling rushed. The staff clearly care about the experience they're giving guests. The food, the atmosphere, and the service all came together for a great meal. If you're in Santa Barbara, make sure this spot is on your list. Highly recommend.

Server was super nice and attentive and food was absolutely delicious. Only flaw was after not…read morereceiving our order for a while. The waitress came back and asked what we had ordered. The food then came out 15 minutes later however one of the five items was the wrong entrée, and the rest of the items did not have.the right modifications. I believe the order wasn't put in at the time we ordered. We did not mention the modifications and were also missing a item that we did not tell the server about the second time around which is why I think the order wasn't placed originally:/ they did comp a dessert, but we were so full from the delicious food that we didn't eat it. Overall I would go. Back. Staff was friendly, and food was good, mistakes happen. Side note there was some "partying" happening in the restroom so if you go with your family don't let them go unattended.

Simplemente delicioso!!! Pedí unas enchiladas con huevos y…read moreagregué carnitas, y fue una muy buena combinación!! Mi esposo pidió unos huevos rancheros y también estaba deliciosos!! El arroz con leche, el chocolate abuelita también estaba deliciosos, Todo es una explosión de sabor!! Claro que volveremos a este lugar!!

This is a truly authentic restaurant with delicious food and amazing staff! I loved the way the…read morerestaurant is decorated! I had the BBB Bagel and it was the best bagel I had ever tried, definitely a must try the birria tasted amazing! It also comes with a side of consome. Their chilaquiles were just as delicious had a nice spicy kick to them! I tried their horchatta matcha which was my favorite drink. It was very creamy and loved the matcha flavor. Their abuelita latte is def for the coffee lovers it was very strong and fragant.