We've become "Frequent Flyers" at this eatery as of late. We're locals and enjoy the fresh oysters, seafood and Key Lime pie. HIGHLY recommend happy hour, sit at the bar...preferably where Devin is serving. The service is decent anywhere, but Devin takes it up a notch. He is fast, efficient and friendly. We've sat elsewhere in the bar and when our server has gone missing, he has had no problem stepping up and getting us more Tabasco, another beer, some extra lemon wedges etc....We'll now just make a bee line to his area. read more

These charming guys, Devin and Sam made our stop to get a margarita incredible bc they're artists at grilling up some crazy grilled oysters, cool delivery, super on it and incredible guys Totally best experience in SB restaurants Only the best Will be coming back Especially bc of Devin and San read more

Food is great, nice ambience. Sarah is really helpful and friendly. Would recommend this place.

The Lure House in Santa Barbara was fantastic. I definitely recommend this place. It honestly wasn't even on my original list because a few other restaurants had better reviews, but I'm glad we gave it a chance. The photos online do not do this place justice at all. Once we got there, I was pleasantly surprised. The poke nachos with ahi tuna were amazing, the clam chowder was solid, and the food overall was excellent. The restaurant was spotless, the staff was friendly and attentive, and they even had filtered regular water and filtered soda water, which I always appreciate. I wish this place were closer to me in Newport because I'd probably come once a week. Unfortunately, Santa Barbara is a little too far for a regular lunch run, but I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in the area. This place is absolutely a must-try. read more

The service at the oyster bar was not good. Arrogant guys and not attentive .Too busy flirting with some underage girls. Food was good though. Everyone matters! read more

The service here is excellent. Our server, Ashton, did a tremendous job and it was very attentive. My uncle wanted to go to Lure Fish House for his birthday dinner. The shrimp cocktail had some wonderful firm, jumbo shrimp! The little ramekin of sauce and horseradish is way too small. I got the ponzu tuna, it was not to my liking. I was thinking it was going to be kind of like sashimi in a ponzu or Tataki sauce. It was a mound of chopped up small pieces of tuna with all of the other ingredients shaped like a bowl placed on a plate. It came with homemade potato chips. We ordered soup and they asked us if we wanted it as an appetizer and it came out after our dinner had been served. I did not care for their New England clam chowder. My uncle ordered the sand dabs and he always gets the sand dabs at the restaurant. I ordered the Scottish salmon. It was very delicious. Their bread is delicious. They brought my uncle list, ice cream sundae with hot fudge; he enjoyed it tremendously. I asked if I could buy a butter plate and evidently the staff said no but maybe with the new general manager I would have better luck next time. Overall, I would not return unless someone else wants to go. read more

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The place or ambience of the restaurant is nice. I had the rockfish with the potato patty. The rockfish and the potato patty were a bit salty. For my taste. The clam chowder was good. My friends ordered the rockfish taco. The service was okay. read more

Lure Fish House - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

First time visiting, delicious fresh seafood with lots of gluten free options. Friendly service, spacious beautiful decor with lots of indoor seating. We enjoyed everything we ordered: ANACAPA SEAFOOD TOWER (3 oysters, 3 cocktail shrimp, tuna ponzu, spicy seafood ceviche), HOUSE MADE CHOWDERS (classic new england & veracruz fish chowder), CRISPY BAJA COD TACO, GRILLED ROCKFISH TACO & CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACO. The chowders & tacos had great flavor & generous portions of meat. Everything in the seafood tower was delicious except the ceviche, it was too spicy & salty for us. They have a great happy hour menu Mon-Fri 3-6pm, Sat & Sun 11:30am-5pm. No reservations, first come first seating, it was pretty crowded Fri bet 4-6p for happy hour. Overall we had a wonderful experience. read more

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Located on the outskirt of the mall, next to Macy's. It's a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing restaurant. We came for lunch service and was promptly seated. There is a lunch menu with a good portion size. Menu itself was moderately priced. Our waitress didn't come too often, so if you like not to be checked on often, then great. Restroom needed a little help, though, as napkins were overflowed to the floor. * Calamari - Nicely fried. Came with two dipping sauces. * Half dozen of charbroiled oysters - Small in size. Yes, I know it's not the right season. However, it was nice with plenty of garlic. * Spicy wild salmon sandwich - More like a burger. The salmon was flavorless. Wish it was blackened or something. The coleslaw and aoili is what gave it flavor. Quite disappointed with this one, even though, this is what the waitress recommended. Fries were over salted. Was barely able to eat it. * Sally's sand dabs - Good! Lemon capers were delicious! * Clam linguine - Came with nice sized clams. Strong wine flavor. * Clam chowder - Probably the best thing ordered. Must order! * Veracruz fish chowder - Ok. It reminded me of a chicken tortilla soup but with fish. read more

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Lure is one of my favorite restaurants. So I stopped by this one when I was visiting town. I got the house salad with rockfish. Fish was cooked perfectly and was tender and delicious. It paired well with my salad, contrasting with the crisp and fresh vegetables. Simple meal but I was happy with it. Service was super welcoming and friendly from start to finish. read more

Lure Fish House - House Salad - Half, with grilled rockfish - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I found this place by way of social media. I ended up doing a little bit of shopping at the Macy's, which is right next to this restaurant location. It was still early around lunchtime so I popped into see if the food looked pretty good or not. Decided that it was crowded at lunchtime and I would come back at dinner. I came back at dinner and it was double the crowd. I ended up having to wait about 45 minutes to get a table. Once they were ready, I ordered a lobster roll and sweet potato fries however they said the sweet potato fries are no longer going to be served so I had to order something else. Other than that, the hostess was very nice and the food came out speedily. read more

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Solid chain for Western style seafood, leaning towards the pricey end. Started with half dozen oysters, 2 of each of the 3 types they had. Wish they labeled it. They were all pretty fresh but definitely on the tinier side. Then we shared the crab cakes which had a delicious arugula salad on the bottom and yummy creamy sauce. This was tasty but I almost enjoyed the salad more than the crab cakes. For entrees, my mom had the pacific rockfish and I had the clams with linguine. The rockfish was cooked nicely but a bit on the blander side, although the parmesan potato cake was absolutely delicious!!! My clam linguine was rich and the clams were nice and plump. However, it was practically swimming in oil. Service was super welcoming and friendly from the start! Place was absolutely packed on a Sunday night. read more

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There are restaurants where the food is memorable, and then there are restaurants where the people make the experience unforgettable. Lure Fish gave us both. From the moment we walked through the door, we were warmly welcomed by a young gentleman whose genuine smile immediately made us feel at home. We were escorted to a cozy booth where Ashton introduced himself, and from that moment on, we knew we were in exceptional hands. There simply aren't enough words to describe Ashton. His personality, professionalism, attentiveness, and genuine enthusiasm for his guests were remarkable. He anticipated every need without ever being intrusive and made us feel as though we were his only table. Outstanding service like his is becoming increasingly rare, and it truly elevated our evening. We began with two glasses of wine. I enjoyed the Strawberry Chopped Salad with chicken, while my husband ordered the Scottish Salmon special served with sautéed spinach and pineapple coleslaw. Every bite was absolutely delicious. The ingredients were fresh, beautifully prepared, and perfectly presented. Our meals were delivered by a lovely woman whose warmth and kindness matched the quality of the food. Throughout the evening, we couldn't help but notice how seamlessly the entire team worked together. The waitstaff and food runners moved with purpose, helping one another and creating an atmosphere that was calm, efficient, and welcoming. It was obvious this wasn't just a group of employees, it was a true team. At the end of our wonderful meal, we asked Ashton if we could speak with the manager because we wanted to share just how exceptional he had been. To our surprise, the lovely woman who had delivered our meals introduced herself as the manager, Maxine Holtzman. It became immediately clear why this restaurant operates so beautifully. Maxine was gracious, humble, and genuinely proud of her team. Great leadership creates great teams, and it was evident that the culture she has built shines through in every interaction. Ashton is a wonderful reflection of that leadership. This was only our second visit to a Lure Fish Restaurant, and once again we left thoroughly impressed, not only by the outstanding food but by the exceptional hospitality. In today's world, where genuine service can be difficult to find, Lure Fish has mastered it. read more

What a wonderful evening we had at Lure Fish House in Santa Barbara celebrating my mother's 85th birthday. From the moment we arrived, the entire team made us feel so welcome and special. The manager was incredibly engaging, warm, attentive, and genuinely present throughout our meal. He checked in on us several times, made sure my mom felt celebrated, and created such a gracious atmosphere for our family. His staff was just as exceptional: responsive, thoughtful, and truly focused on making sure every detail was taken care of. They went above and beyond for my mother, treating her with such kindness and care that it made the whole night even more meaningful. We're so grateful for the way the team at Lure took care of us. It wasn't just good service, the food was amazing and it was heartfelt hospitality that turned a special occasion into something we'll remember for a long time. Thank you for making my mom's birthday feel so lovely. We'll be back. read more

Service was great. Cool place, upscale, appointed well, good vibe. Fish was excellent in quality. I have the crab and shrimp salad. They tossed the salad with the dressing and I think they did it too early as the lettuce was limp by the time it made it to the table. My wife ordered the breaded trout which was delicious. She got Brussels sprouts which were amazing, and the French fries which we left and didn't eat. I would pass on the fries. We also started off with some Oysters which were delicious. Could have been five stars. read more

Lure Fish House - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Another great lunch at the Lure in Feb. Menu paper looked nicer too. - Charbroiled oysters = not sure why, but just not enjoying this like we did back when we first discovered lure. Just seems to lack the flavor punch it had years back. Maybe something changed slightly since last year I felt it was a bit off too. Looking back at my own pictures, maybe the toppings are lacking butter or something that gave it a more liquid look before, while recent ones look less liquidy? No idea, but this is beginning to go off my list if it doesn't return to what it used to be... - Got the fish & chips + $5 with shrimp = delicious, but not sure if the +$ for fish & shrimp instead of having more fish is worth the upgrade. I would stick with fish n chips. - Sand dabs = always delicious and a fav for my family, kid ate it all up this time. - Miso glazed salmon bowl = got this for the kid, but he went all sand dabs. Wife and I ate this and it was a great piece of salmon and delicious. read more

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The salmon and rockfish 5/10 Clam chowder was good, fries was good just little bit soggy Service is fine Ambiance is fine Just the food really let me down Won't come again I feel like yelp is not trustworthy anymore read more

Lure Fish House - Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl Pacific Rockfish - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My uncle and i had such a mediocre lunch experience today. We sat at the bar around 11:40am and the place was pretty empty. The bartender wasn't very friendly and hardly engaged with us. Didn't really seem like she wanted to be there and had little customer service knowledge. She took our order and we waited probably 20 minutes for our ahi ceviche to arrive then another 15-20 minutes for our lunch. It was insane at how long this took when the lunch rush hadn't even hit. We even had to ask about our appetizer because we were sitting for so long. The ahi ceviche was meh. Needed some salt. The chips it came with were super greasy and not crispy. My uncle got the salmon bowl and said it was delicious. Love that for him. My smash burger was not a smash burger. It was a thick patty piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, and everything else. Just call it a burger please because this was basically click bait IMO. The fries were thin, not warm and super crispy. Perhaps the bottom/leftovers from another serving? I couldn't eat them. If you want a burger, this is it. If you want a smash burger, go somewhere else. Overall, not impressed at all read more

Lure Fish House - The "smash" burger. Too thick to be considered that - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was amazing. We had Friday late night dinner in Santa Barbara with friends. Calamari / Jalapeño appetizer and seafood platter was amazing. Service was amazing. Great venue. It was a special night. read more

Lure is a large restaurant next to Macy's. We went on a Friday during lent and it was packed. Nevertheless, we got great service and did not have to wait too long. Wonderful, happy hour menu!! So good. We ordered all our food off of it. We were hungry and didn't take many pictures. Everything was very good and the service was great. Drinks were equally good. Definitely a spot to hit up when in Santa Barbara/ Goleta area!! read more

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Best grilled oysters in town! Sit at the bar for Happy Hour. David always takes excellent care of us and the food is excellent! read more

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Sorry to have to give an update where I take stars away. We are frequent patrons of Lure Fish House and have been very pleased and often we return. However our last two visits did not stand up to the quality and service we have come to appreciate and love. We often go to Happy Hour where we often get pop rock shrimp and shrimp tacos but on our last visit the shrimp was not the usual. They seemed to be over cooked and not as tasty. We realize this can be an off day so we did try again last week; taking our granddaughters to dinner. Unfortunately again the quality and service was not our usual experience. The pop rock shrimp was again not as tasty and service started out great but quickly deteriorated. Our server forgot our bread after stating twice he would bring some. Everyone around us arriving after us had been given bread and we had not received ours yet. I had to get up and hunt the server down. Our meals did come timely minus the bread, but afterwards service dwindled. They did come back eventually and the granddaughters decided they would like dessert. We ended up waiting around 20 minutes for the dessert and apparently it had been sitting for a while as the ice cream and whipped cream was quite melted. My husband asked to talk with the manager and although he apologized he seemed very uninterested in hearing about our experience. He said sorry and left. Our dinner from beginning to end took from around 6:30 pm to end of dessert almost 9:00 pm This was only due to having lots of wait time for service. Not the best experience. I do hope they can get back to consistency of great food and service. But we may have to take a break from Lure for a while. read more

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I'm surprised this restaurant gets so much positive reviews. I loved the decor, menu is great, we ordered sole fish( it was bland and watery) probably defrosted. However the special fish of the day ( can't remember which one ) was excellent. We also got Cioppino, which was somewhat disappointing, the tomato sauce was overpowering. Kids menu: fish was defrosted and spinach side dish lacked flavor , and was watery. It was 8 of us, we still loved the restaurant, service was excellent. Drinks are great! read more

Lure Fish House - Santa Barbara oysters were superb - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The lunch menu is such a deal! Fresh catch plate for $22. Rock cod tacos for $18. Kids meals that is a 1/2 portion of rock cod $12. Such an amazing meal and the fresh sourdough and whipped butter kept coming. You can add on two sides from sautéed spinach m, rice , fries, even a cup of chowder. Everything was fantastic and me entire family thoroughly enjoyed our meal. read more

Lure Fish House - Fresh catch - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great food at a great value This place has fantastic food. All of their seafood feels extremely fresh and was surprised how little the bill came out to at this end. Admittedly, my expectations were a bit lower because this place is a chain. Their complimentary bread is nice warm and crusty. *Crispy Calamari - Classic and well made. The deep fried jalapenos were a nice complimentary touch and added a kick *Wild Pacific Rockfish - Juicy filets with just the right amount of char. We opted for the spinach and miso brussell sprouts which went well with it. *Linguine with Clams - Al dente with lots of clam flavor in the white wine sauce. Served with several large clams as well as a decent amount of diced clams in the sauce. Had to ask for extra bread to soak up the sauce. *Tequila Lime Shrimp Pasta - Packed with juicy shrimp. The sauce was like a vodka sauce with a fresh twist from the lime. PSA: Supposedly they have a happy hour here where some of the apps are slightly cheaper. Sadly, we just missed it so we didn't get to try it out. read more

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Complimentary sourdough bread - served hot with whipped butter! This was a satisfying start because the last restaurant we went to earlier in the day was served cold bread with stiff butter. Raw Oysters - grassy bar from morro bay. Tasted fresh, non fishy, and premium as described. Charbroiled oysters - flavorful and tender. Actually went well with the complimentary bread. Lure fries - thinner cut, crispy, and well seasoned. Supposedly they use lemony seasoning they usually flavor fish with. Clam linguini - perfect balance of flavor, lightness, and health, with plenty of clams. Not too thick or heavy. Service: Julissa was very friendly and welcoming to first timers and explained items on the menu well, including their local daily catch menu. We also sat by the back wall for more quiet & privacy, and she checked in on us at the right times and frequency without being overly attentive or having us talk mid-bite. 5 stars! This was our favorite seafood spot during our 3 day santa barbara trip. Would definitely return! read more

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Stopped in for happy hour and was so pleasantly impressed with Claire's attention to detail and excellent customer service. As someone who works close by in hospitality I am definitely impressed with her enthusiasm and look forward to having time at the bar again after I get off work! read more

Lure Fish House - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We caught them on a pretty busy day, so the wait was a bit long (the children's fish and chips we ordered for a younger member of our party wasn't ready until after everyone else finished their main dishes, so we had to cancel it, for example). The ambiance of the restaurant was actually pretty nice if not a bit lively. Staff was nice despite their tough situation. Most important is the food, which was great! I ordered lobster ravioli, and it was very tasty. Another member of our party ordered salmon which they said was slightly dry, but not bad. I guess I would recommend this place if it interest you, but I wouldn't go out of my way. read more

Lure Fish House - The layout! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The sand dabs are amazing! I've been here a few times and the service and food is always spot on. Beautiful place to eat - great ambiance

Came around 3:00 pm on a Sunday for their HH menu. Very surprising for happy hour to extend to the weekends. Cute interior, and it's nice to see the oysters being shucked fresh at the bar. Tangerine Dream - very fresh, tastes like you just bit into a cutie. it was very refreshing and I would order it again Bread & butter - came out extremely fresh. It came out crusty on the outside but still soft in the middle, the perfect starter and to dip into the chowder Clam chowder - for 3 dollars a cup this was a steal! extremely creamy and loaded with clams and at this price nothing to complain about Anacapa seafood tower - presentation was a little lackluster compared to the name but was quite the deal. Everything was extremely fresh but the poke and ceviche was mostly cucumber and avocados. would order again but nothing to rave about and with a $29 price point it was still a good deal read more

Lure Fish House - tangerine dream - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Whenever I'm in Santa Barbara I always make the effort to visit lure fish house. My favorite items are their charbroiled oysters and their tequila lime shrimp pasta. Their charbroiled oysters are so garlicky and flavorful. They are the best charbroiled oysters I've ever had. The tequila lime shrimp pasta is also extremely flavorful and the noodles are al dente. It's a bit creamy, the shrimps are fresh and big, and you can taste the freshness of the lime in the pasta. Service was excellent and there is plenty of seating. If you have a large party, would highly recommend calling a week in advance to reserve tables! Lure fish house is honestly one of my favorite seafood restaurants and I would highly recommend giving this place a try! read more

Lure Fish House - Charbroiled Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Decided to eat at Lure for a Friday night dinner. Customer service was exceptional, parking wasn't a headache. Now to the highlight, the food. The menu wasn't overly complicated and offered a good amount of options. We decided to order the blueberry margarita, and a stubborn cream soda fried calamari, clam linguine, spicy ceviche, pop rock shrimp. I'd give every dish a 5/5 except the ceviche it was a bit bland. I'd give my experience a 5/5 but unfortunately did happen to experience a stomache a few hours after my meal. I did follow up the next day and they were willing to refund me my meal out of courtesy. I really appreciate that and would definitely visit again for more tasty food. CHEERS! read more

Lure Fish House - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I enjoyed this restaurant when they first opened but was disappointed by my last few visits. I thought perhaps I was just ordering the wrong thing, because they continue to be highly rated. On the last visit with my brother we both ordered fish and chips, which is very difficult to mess up. We were served the worst fish and chips we have ever tasted. The fish was tough and rubbery, and neither the fish nor the fries were hot. The service was efficient but the waitress was very pushy with the upselling; "How about some appetizers! Nothing to drink? How about bottled mineral water, oh you want TAP water??" Every choice was accompanied by an upsell that was reminiscent of drive through ordering. The restaurant has a pleasant cheerful atmosphere, and is probably a nice gathering spot for friends meeting for a drink. The sourdough bread was good, so perhaps it's a matter of knowing what to order. read more

Loved this place. After a day at the beach, my #1 wanted Clam Chowder. We made it to happy hour which goes 11-5 on Saturdays. Restaurant is lovely with nice thick captain chair stools in the bar area and an airy and upscale venue. We ordered the clam chowder, which was good, shrimp taco and fish tacos were $5 each on H HOUR. Tuna Ponzu $10 and large wine 10 0z $10. Grass fed slider with fries (1) but large was $10. Food- clam chowder, Ceasar salad, slider a YES. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos so- so. Tuna ponzu appetizer and dessert YES. We ordered a gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake that was awesome. Would go back:) Try it. read more

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We love happy hours at Lure. Gabby is queen of the oyster bar and Devin holds it down. Besides the precious oysters, the tuna ponzu remains a must, along with clam chowder. The Old Fashioned and pinot Grigio did not disappoint. Attentive service here is what stands out, we love sitting at the bar so we can have fun with the lovely oyster bar team. They truly make the entire atmosphere feel alive. Looking forward to the next visit with Gabby & Devin. read more

Lure Fish House - Volcano Bay oysters - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food was outstanding. Service was good and well informed of dish nuance. Nice and lively vibe that's not too loud nor chaotic. Had the Kampachi with pesto cauliflower and clam chowder sides. Meal was eclectic. Some of the best food in fish, sides and chowder categories I've had. Chef is worthy. read more

Lure Fish House - Fish of the day. - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Always get a comfy low seat at the Oyster Bar and hope my man Christian is on duty. He's the very best. Super friendly, polite, attentive, and makes nice casual conversation. He's like your favorite bartender, but for food. Tuck into some delicious, warm, crusty sourdough, better with whipped butter, followed by New England Clam Chowder that never disappoints. However, wished I stuck with my usual Fresh Rock Fish. Ordered the Fried Fish Sandwich instead. It was a big piece of Cod, but it was fried. What was I thinking? The fries were skinny shoestring fries, fried again, of course, but crispy and flavorful nevertheless. Well, looking forward to next time and will try something else that's not fried. Again, Kudos to Christian; he sets the standard by which all others are to be measured. read more

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Long overdue review incoming, but I couldn't skip this review for Lure Fish House! It was one of my favorite restaurants out in Santa Barbara that I really enjoyed. What made it different was that it was outside of downtown SB where I was staying at. Location wise, not much scenery or views, but the standouts were all the food we ordered. We had their clam chowder, charbroiled oysters, crab cakes, and calamari. I recommend the charbroiled oysters as those were my favorite item, and was wanting to order more! Next, the crab cakes were great with the arugula salad and aioli on the side. They garnished it with grilled corn and cherry tomatoes, making it a nice colorful dish. The chowder was hearty and thick which I prefer that texture for chowder soup. The calamari was fried with a thick crunchy batter and was the perfect appetizer. Loved the sweet and creamy dipping sauces they had too. To drink, we ordered some margaritas that were refreshing but strong. Not a bad thing, but we were so stuffed at the end! For two, the portions provided more than enough. Everything was remarkable and I haven't had great seafood all at once. I had a pleasant experience and the staff here were extremely nice and friendly, not to mention let us take our time to eat since we were drinking. I'd recommend Lure Fish House to anyone that was looking for a nice restaurant with a great coastal vibe that's not incredibly tourist packed. read more

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We have been dinning at the Lure for over a decade. The food is consistently good, the decor beautiful, it is definitely a local favorite in Santa Barbara. We especially love our server, Morgan. She is always present- an excellent listener, kind, smart, focused, informed and makes us feel like VIPs. Morgan has the ability to make all her guests feel special. Thank YOU Morgan, your efforts are so appreciated and we eat out a lot- You are one in a million! -The Wills-Saltzman Family read more

Still one of my favorite places for happy hour, and I do appreciate the waiter informing us it's last call for happy hour so we could order more with happy hour prices. I do like how they change the clams to have a mix of the small manilla clams and the bigger clams as well. The crab cakes have a good balance of bread and clams (some places have too much bread and not enough crab). The calamari comes with marinara sauce and chipotle, so you can choose which one you like. They had a couple drinks on the happy hour menu as well, it looks like they rotate those so you can try new drinks with the season. I also like how you can either eat outside or inside for the happy hour. read more

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