This week, we were at a wedding for 300 in SYV and Island View catered the meal and the bars. It is pretty unusual for me to say this, but there was NOTHING Island View could have done better! The food was fresh, hot, and delicious. And the menu was tailored to the bride and groom's tastes. The service was attentive, happy, and always in the right place at the right time. The drinks were legit (not watered-down sugar with cheap booze). And they stayed the WHOLE TIME so if a guest wanted anything more as the night went on, they were there to make it happen... and still full of smiles at 11:30pm!! Truly a wonderful partner for any event! Thanks, Island View Catering, for helping our friends' wedding such a success! read more

I cannot recommend Island View Catering enough. Buckle up, there's a lot I want to say. We had a Sept 2020 wedding originally, so we were part of the postponement crew. We postponed one year so we got married in Sept 2021. I had to move all my vendors, which I did so successfully. Then, due to some unfortunate circumstances, my original caterer cancelled on us about 4 months prior to the wedding. I was frantic as this was a very competitive year due to all the postponements. I started reaching out to anyone and everyone and to my surprise, I still had a lot of options. I got on the phone with Avrey and he was the first person that really put my mind at ease and made it clear that he could and would do his best to mostly match the menu I had already created and work with me on budget that I already had. He was such a fabulous person to talk to and work with; I just felt really at ease and like my opinions and needs were being taken care of. I'm also in the service business, and I admired the way he was treating me as a potential client. I ended up signing with them and the proposal process was very clear, professional, and smooth. Then he met my wedding planner, and she also thoroughly enjoyed working with Avrey and his team, and that was impressive to me. Then comes the wedding day - holy crap - I had SO MANY people come up to me and tell me not only that the food was absolutely phenomenal (we had a taco bar and delicious apps), but that anyone who ran into one of the catering team members was so impressed by them. I had brought my own bartender, a friend of the family, and she also had nothing but great things to say about the catering team. I later found out that we ran out of margaritas that we had premade, and Avrey said great we'll make more. I am still not even aware of what ingredients we had and didn't have, but somehow they made more. So to be clear, his team went back and juiced a ton of limes and made more batches of margaritas, which they were never responsible for in our contract/plans. My parents and some family friends did a lot of the take-down of the wedding. The catering staffed helped them tremendously - again, not their job. They helped box up extra wine, extra food, and even carry it to my parents car and help them load. The food was INCREDIBLE, and it was so beautifully presented; the team was top notch. Your catering team really makes the wedding flow - if they're disorganized or anything less than stellar, so are your and your guests' experiences. I had so many people tell me that this is the best wedding food they've ever had. Avrey is one of the most professional caterers I've come across - his communication is impeccable, and he just cares about doing a good job. Do yourself a favor, call Avrey and book them for whatever event you have coming up. I only wish I had more events to hire them for. read more

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My wife and I really like food. So much so that selecting a caterer was probably the most important decision we made for our wedding. We were familiar with the stereotype that wedding food is always bad so we were determined to buck the trend. Finding a reasonably priced caterer who could provide seasonal, locally sourced food to a remote wedding venue in Los Olivos was a challenge. Our planner recommended IVC to us and it just so happened that Avrey and his wife were married at the same venue years earlier and had catered a wedding there previously. Their familiarity with the venue was certainly an advantage but it was their food that sold us. They sent us a questionnaire to better understand what type of food we were looking for and to be honest, I thought we might scare them off with how detailed our response was. For some reason, IVC decided we were still worth pursuing as clients so we scheduled a tasting. With our moms in tow, we joined IVC at their home in Santa Ynez for a multicourse meal. We sampled a wide variety of appetizers, sides, homemade bread, and eventually the most amazing turkey and Santa Maria Tri Tip. Throughout the tasting, Avrey was very attentive to our comments about what we did and did not like about certain dishes. He and Geoff had numerous suggestions as to how to tweak things here and there to make it fit our unique style and palette. We left feeling wowed, excited, and sad that we'd have to wait a few more months for the wedding day to taste their food again. Throughout the entire process, everyone at IVC was cordial, responsive, accommodating, and professional. I mentioned earlier that we are pretty discerning when it comes to food so of course in the months between the tasting and our wedding day we were in constant communication with Avrey finalizing the menu. His responses were always timely and detailed, which we greatly appreciated. They also helped us determine how much alcohol we should purchase and provided bartending service for the evening. In the end we felt like we crafted a family dinner together rather than merely selecting dishes from a menu. On our wedding day, IVC arrived on time and immediately got to work setting tables and putting out food. The passed appetizers during cocktail hour were better than we remembered and the cheese and charcuterie setup was a sight to behold. Dinner service was buffet style with Geoff manning the turkey and trip tip carving station. All of our 100+ guests got food promptly and waits were almost nonexistent. All of the food was spectacular. Not just in taste but also in presentation. That's something we especially appreciated because it felt so well integrated into the rest of the wedding and venue décor. Needless to say my wife and I were ecstatic about the food and service provided by IVC. I think what made it even better was how often we've had our guests bring up the food long after the wedding is over. The bacon wrapped dates, heirloom beats, peach and mozzarella salad, and that incredible homemade chipotle boysenberry sauce (bottle this please) were hits. All of our unreasonably high expectations were exceeded. read more

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Everything about this experience was 5 star. Avery is creative, sharp and talented, and so easy to work with. He responds to emails and follows through on everything. Island View catered a luncheon for 40 on my patio. They set up, replenished the food and cleaned up. And, I should probably mention the food, display and service were all fantastic. Additionally, Avery's suggestions were all spot on. This made for a flawless luncheon that everyone (including me) enjoyed. read more

Great food, great presentation and great service. Avrey your awesome! Thank you so much for making my bday lunch celebration extra special with your delicious food Highly recommend for any event or if your visiting a winery they will deliver and setup for you read more

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Avery and his team are fantastic. He catered my daughter's wedding and rehearsal dinner and the food was outstanding! The bar staff and the waiters did an awesome job making sure everyone had a chance to taste the to die for appetizers. The buffet lines moved fast and Avery himself was carving the tri tip! Everyone was energetic and enthusiastic. I have used caterers for many events but this crew takes the cake! I can't rave enough about the great food and the epic service. IV catering is a must for your next event read more

Wonderfoid food and service. They catered the wedding of my best friend and it was not only delicious food, but also took care of every detail to make things perfect. I would recommend for any event. read more

I do not have the words to express how UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME these guys are. Seriously. They were incredible from DAY 1. They catered both our wedding and our rehearsal dinner. From tasting to the event, they were just amazing. Prices were great, but more importantly THEY were great and the food was outstanding! Endless compliments on the food from our guests - BOTH nights! And they also took amazing care of us - making sure we were fed and happy. If I could give them 10 stars, I would. PLEASE USE THEM! You will be so happy you did!! Adding a little more because my review was taken down (this is a REAL review, Yelp!! I promise!) And posting some photos so you can see their delicious plates. Geoff, Avrey, Megan and Shannon are truly spectacular. They also catered our friends' wedding and rehearsal recently and gave the same exquisite service and delicious food. They know how to cater a big group and treat their guests (and the bride and groom) very well. Yelpers, these guys are fantastic. No other way to put it. read more

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My wife and I chose Island View Catering for our September wedding and could not have been happier with our decision. From the beginning, working with Geoff and Avery couldn't have been easier or more pleasant. They asked what we wanted, listened to us, and delivered. We had a wedding party of about 100 people and wanted a family style service with passed appetizers before dinner and hosted bar with wine and beer. After discussing a menu we were invited to their beautiful Santa Ynez dining room for our tasting dinner. Each of the appetizers we tried where delicious and we had a difficult time narrowing them down and each of the three entrees presented were amazing and just what we had in mind. Geoff and Avery were very attentive to our feedback wanting to make sure we were totally happy with what we were tasting, which we were. The only question was could they deliver such good and yummy food in an outdoor venue for 100 people. Not only did IVC deliver but they exceeded our expectations. All of our guests were raving about the food. One guest who is known to be particularly picky even went as far as to say it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. IVC were also up to our request to make beignets and banana foster for desert! Their service staff was wonderful as well and took care of all our requests. Their mobile kitchen rig was very impressive and was effective for them to execute a perfect experience. We also had IVC cater our intimate rehearsal dinner the evening before and it was just as good as the wedding. Island View will be our first recommendation to others and choice for catering in the Santa Barbara area. Bravo Geoff, Avery, and Shannon! read more

Island View Catering - Apps from our Sept '14 wedding - Caterers Near Me

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I can't believe it's taken me 9 months to write this VERY DESERVED review (sorry Avrey and Geoff!) We found Island View catering through a recommendation my mom found on EdHat. We spoke with several vendors, but these guys stole our hearts at our test dinner with them. They invited us up to their ranch home up in Santa Ynez with the suggestion we bring several people to make it feel more like a party. We sat (along with my parents and family friends) at their own dining room table and shared a meal with them. The whole dinner was made out of their state-of-the-art mobile kitchen as evidence they could make this meal at our wedding. We spent a couple weeks throwing around ideas and the dinner could not have been better that night - we were sold. It was an incredible experience. They were nothing but pleasant to work with during the planning process. We paid a little extra to have them coordinate rentals (they prefer to work with Tent Merchant - who are also fab) just so that it was one thing less on our plates. Day of - the food was amazing. I keep hearing over and over from our guests that it was the BEST meal at a wedding they'd ever had. My husband and I ACTUALLY ATE, and they saved all the yummy appetizers we missed while we were taking pictures. I'm MORE than happy to chat with anyone who is looking at them as their caterers - for ANY event. I will continue to use these guys for every future event!!! THANK YOU ISLAND VIEW! You MADE our wedding!!!! read more

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I picked Island View Catering randomly from the Internet based on their excellent reviews. I was having a small birthday celebration at our home and decided on a variety of hearty appetizers. Well, I can't say enough how superb every item was!! Bacon wrapped shrimp, personal charcuterie plates, crab tartlets among several others. Their service was timely as well as warm and friendly. Avery, the owner, met our every need. You will not go wrong by choosing Island View Catering for your special event! read more

Island Catering is absolutely the best! Look no further! Our entire family loves every meal they prepare. We have used them for a wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower and birthdays. They bring their own kitchen and prepare most on site. We have had them do buffets, family style and plated meals along with small and large events. A few of our favorite foods they prepare: Appetizers -Lamb rib pops w/chipotle boysenberry sauce, Goat cheese stuffed bacon dates w/balsamic reduction drizzle (or bacon wrapped shrimp) and Local halibut ceviche salad. Main dishes- Macadamia crusted mahi-mahi stuffed with local spiny lobster & crab, Salmon plank, Beef tenderloin and Chicken shawarma. Sides, veggies, salads- one million excellent choices, too many to mention. Desserts-homemade brownies w/ganache and bourbon whipping cream and Mini beignets. It's truly hard to only pick a few delicious suggestions. They will work with you to come up with a perfect menu for your event. You will want to plan another event with them after you have used them. 100% the best! read more

This review is long overdue! I've been meaning to write this since I tried out Island View Catering's food at a Thanksgiving party, and it was hands down the best food I've had in a very long time. I hope my family doesn't read this and get offended that I liked the catered food more than my family's recipes, but seriously, DELICIOUS food, and for over 100 people!! There was no end to the delicious-ness as they brought out endless servings of everything. I find it incredible that they could produce that quality of food for so many people, and still serve it to people nice and hot. Also, all the little details were thought of, and everybody from IVC was so professional and friendly. I would highly recommend them to anybody looking for not only delicious catered food, but also great service and organization! read more

Avrey and the Island View Catering team made our wedding shower! We were so happy that they went above and beyond and every one of our guests walked away saying how much they enjoyed the food and how fabulous the staff was. My parents live in Solvang so I was thrilled they could accommodate us. They made my parents home feel like a true event and we are forever grateful! Best caterer in Santa Barbara County!! read more

Wow! The food was absolutely AMAZING! So yummy. The salmon was melt in your mouth tender. Mashed potatoes and salad were divine. Everyone kept saying how good it was. Avery and his helper were wonderful. They traveled to wedding location in the hills by Buelton. read more

The food these guys made for a wedding last weekend was not only the best food I've ever had at a wedding, but better than any restaurant I've been to in a LONG time. Then there was the service - which was absolutely fantastic. These guys had thought of everything - including having a dedicated server to bring appetizers and drinks to the bridal party during pictures while the rest of the crowd was enjoying happy hour. I would not hesitate to recommend these guys to anyone - you'll get the best food and service you could possibly ask for! read more

I cannot rave anymore about Island View Catering. I worked with Avrey with catering our intimate covid wedding and everything from the first email until after the wedding was better than I could've hoped for. Avrey worked with me throughout the entire time with making it very safe and following covid/county guidelines, comforting me in this option. Initially we were going to have a reception at a restaurant for easiness and stress-free, as catering seemed like more work in setting up the site and making sure everything was great without a kitchen. After speaking with Avrey as our backup option since we were unsure if restaurants were going to close, I ended up canceling all restaurant options and wanting to go with Avrey to cater, whether restaurants were open or not. He knew that we initially wanted a restaurant and still went above and beyond to show me how he could make it work as our 'plan B'...he made it so easy to WANT them as our wedding caterers. It was a done deal and I couldn't have been more confident in choosing them for our wedding. Aside from Avrey setting up everything beforehand so I wouldn't have to worry about the planning...the wedding day was AMAZING...and I credit much of it to them. They had every little detail nailed down and things I wouldn't have thought about, they had taken care of. Everyone, along with myself, were extremely impressed! The food was absolutely amazing and I got so many compliments from every single guest. Avrey and the catering team gave such amazing service and I wish I could've said that more to them at the wedding! I don't think it would've been possible to have a better caterer/team or restaurant for our wedding...Island View Catering is the way to go! Sadly, I was not able to enjoy all the food they had set up as I would've liked, as I was everywhere talking to everyone, but, wow, the compliments made me soooo jealous that I didn't get to try every single thing....but everything I did try, just melted in my mouth! If you're looking for a caterer...CHOOSE ISLAND VIEW...and if you're looking for a restaurant....change your mind and CHOOSE CATERING WITH ISLAND VIEW! I wish I lived in the area so I could have them cater all my future events and my family & friends. To provide this amazing service during a global pandemic shows that they're a high end catering company who's aim is to leave a lasting impression without any stress. I asked them to please open a restaurant so I can enjoy their food again as soon as possible--but until then, they will be my catering option for any party! Thank you Avrey and the team at Island View Catering for making my covid wedding possible and amazing! read more

Avrey was an absolute joy to work with from the very beginning. He did the most amazing job serving our little backyard wedding of 16 ppl. The food was INCREDIBLE, their truck is completely equipped with everything and was completely out of sight the whole time. The food had unique flavors, beautifully served family style, the most perfect little touches, and more than enough for everyone. It was affordable and we honestly did not book that far in advance and Avrey was so attentive and understanding from the beginning. He also generously accommodated my mom who was allergic to dairy with her own personal serving so she could also enjoy without worry. I could go on but you get the point. I really can't recommend them enough. I can't wait for another occasion where we can have them again. Thank you so much Avrey for helping make out special day that much greater. It was an absolute pleasure. read more

Thank you for all of your wonderful work for the wedding that we worked together last weekend. As a wedding coordinator, I have tasted A LOT of catered food and your food is some of the BEST I have ever tasted. It was flavorful, moist, and fresh - which is not always the case for wedding food! Island View's customer service was wonderful and you and your wife were helpful, knowledgeable, and cheerful. I will be adding your company to my Preferred Vendors List and would be happy to submit a testimonial for your website if you'd like. I would love to work together again so feel free to mention my name to any/all of your brides. Sophie Spier http://amazingdaysevents.com read more

Avery and his crew catered my nephews wedding on Saturday it was a outside venue. Wow the food was incredible the service was outstanding The site will only let me give 5 stars but he deserves much more. I highly recommend Island view catering read more

Avrey, Geoff, Mary and the rest of the team were AMAZING! If I could give 10 stars to them I would... From very start to finish they made our experience just wonderful. We went to a wedding about 2 prior that IVC did and were blown away by their service. As soon as we contacted them to do ours, we know we made the right choice :) They had us over for a lovely dinner with our parents to taste their amazing food, their homemade wine, and left with farm fresh eggs - they were so warm and welcoming. Avery was helpful every step of the way from building the menu with exactly everthing what we wanted, talking through pricing to make sure it was in our range, and helping find the perfect rental company and talking me through all of the right rentals for the venue. We felt SO taken care of through out our whole wedding planning process. They really do a wonderful job of hearing what you want and making it happen! The day of was PERFECT! The had the most wonderful staff with them, including Mary, who personally made sure we were happy all night! My husband and I wanted a very unique menu that included Paella(it was gorgeous and bountiful), friend plantains(YUM!), and other unique items -- Geoff did it to perfection!! We have never ate so well! All of our guests raved all night about the food and service. I could go on and on and on about them... I'll end with this: We highly recommend Island View Catering for any event that you would do!! We personally have recommended them to many friends and can't wait for them to do another even for us. Thank you so much Avrey, Geoff, and Mary for making our day perfect!!! Much love, Kay and Ryan read more

What can I say but WOW!! IVC did an AMAZING job with my wedding. The food was fantastic and it was an absolute pleasure to work with them. My hubs has major food allergies and they were very careful to listen and plan the perfect menu around us. They were patient, understanding and a HUGE help throughout the whole process. I cannot say enough good things about them. If you are looking for a company that will go above and beyond, then Island View is definitely for you! read more

We are so grateful that we stumbled across Island View. We could not have asked for better food and kinder people to cater our wedding. Their food is spectacular and their service is spot on! read more

Another incredible event with Island View Catering! These guys never let me down. Avery absolutely bends over backwards to provide exceptional service and food every time. They always provide value, with the food, service and overall level of professionalism at an impressive level. They originally did our wedding, and I have now used them for three large-scale corporate events and one mid-sized personal party. I use them because their food and service is outstanding, but also because I never have to worry about things when they're involved. They earn their high ratings! read more

This was my first experience hiring a caterer and I must say it was better than I ever imagined. IVC catered our son's rehearsal dinner at a remote farmhouse in Los Olivos, CA. They were very courteous, unlike other caterers I called who "snubbed" us due to budget constraints, location, and/or a smaller guest list of 45. They went out of their way to do what WE wanted, creating a customized menu and working within our budget. On the evening of the event, everything was organized perfectly, adhering to our tight schedule. The service was fantastic as well as the food, and we were very much at ease and able to relax and enjoy the dinner without worrying about anything. These guys are fantastic-- professional, yet super friendly. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a great caterer! read more

IVC catered my brother's wedding this summer and everything was absolutely amazing. The food was delicious, the service was top notch and we really could not have been happier. They served trip tip and roasted turkey with chipotle boysenberry sauce and it was a hit with all the guests. They also did the rehearsal dinner, which was delicious as well. The staff was professional and friendly, and very efficient (200 guests fed in 20 mins!) on the day of. They were great and I would definitely recommend them for any special event! read more

We loved everything about working with Avery, Geoff and the IVC team. We live in NYC but wish we lived in SB so we could keep hosting events and have the chance to work with IVC again. IVC catered our September SB wedding and from our first interaction, my husband and I loved them and their food. They are excellent to work with, very accommodating, fun, professional and make you feel at ease and like eveything is under control. They had us up at their house for our tasting and it was a great way to get to know them and their families, you really feel like part of a group of friends when you are around these guys. And the food is amazing, from appetizers, to dinner to late night snack and putting together our dessert - people raved about the food and we have a picky crowd. Their wait staff and bartenders night of were everywhere they needed to be without being disruptive. They bring in their own trailer for cooking so they don't need anything but some space to work (and they put a tent around it so it isn't in the way). Seriously-they thought of everything and did a few walks thrus of the venue with us - we just can't recommend them more. You can't go wrong working with Island View Catering!! Delicious food and people you will want to be around! read more

I've been to a few weddings in the Santa Barbara area, but recently I attended a friend's wedding and was completely blown away by the food. I have never written a review on Yelp before, but then I've never had food like this: it was better than any restaurant I've recently eaten at, and I think the owners were all actually at her wedding. I've never been to a wedding where the food is the actual topic of conversation. Amazing experience!! read more

Avery and Geoff did the most spectacular job on our April 2016 wedding. I can't say enough about how wonderful they were to work with: from the menu planning and suggestions, an amazing tasting dinner, the unbelievable amount of coordination that went into the event, and the food that blew everyone's mind. Our family and friends are still talking about it as the best wedding food they've ever had. The bartenders and servers were also lovely and made sure we ate :) I can't thank your team enough for making our wedding so special (and delicious). You guys are the best! read more

First of all, the food was AMAZING. We had a small dinner party, and all the guests are still raving about how creative and delicious all the food was. Geoff was great to work with throughout the whole process - very responsive, open to ideas, and professional. I can't say enough about Island View Catering! read more