Tasty food & generous portions, staff friendliness Ventura's smile and pleasantness would make me visit every day if we lived nearby! We have dined 2 mornings in a row--tasty breakfast (crunchy french toast is fun) & the pot roast is amazing! read more

Great breakfast all around! Service was lovely. Our server had the biggest smile and was wonderful. Sat on the patio and noise level was low even though it lines the parking lot. Every bite was great. read more

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Great breakfasts, had to come two times. The crispy french toast is the best, thick crispy bacon and great tasting eggs. Coffee is strong and rich, like I like it. Great service too. read more

It's not often that I go back and update a review but this is one that is well deserved. From Greg and Maria to Jorge and Ventura, and can't forget about Shaun. This team and the rest of the staff are some of the best in the biz. Our kids look forward to the weekends in part because they get to go to Mesa Cafe and see and interact with Greg. For once I'm glad to be proven wrong! read more

Good ambience, comfortable seating, good portions and great customer service from beginning to end. read more

Mesa Cafe - Eggs benny and side of links - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The most mid food for the price. Burger was half lettuce and bun. Server was nice though

This was recommended to us for breakfast and it did not disappoint. First of all we were greeted so warmly upon entering. Our server was also pleasant. The food was so good and fresh. We visited this establishment 3 times while in Santa Barbara. I look forward to eating there again. The French toast with fresh berries was our favorite and the scrambled eggs tasted so good and fresh no aftertaste like some lesser quality eggs could be. The dining area was so clean and roomy and had good lighting, that's important as you mature read more

Food is amazing, servers are amazing! Supper comfortable to eat and chat! Overall they are amazing!

Environment was nice....good music, full bar, prompt service, Attended with Mr. S. Wang who is well known in these parts. Yelp now has video so I will try and post the one I took but it most likely sucks since I ate my food fast and the good service immediately bussed the plate. Mr. Wang was still mowing so I have documented his food in the video. The food is just average. I am sorry to say that but there was no flair like the breakfast at Market Tavern or the Four Seasons. Suggestions: * Add a little vanilla flavor to the p-cakes * Scrambled need a bump somehow as they tasted like what I make and what I makes usually sucks. * Bacon was good * Veg omlette was good according to S. Wang so no improvement needed. * Hash brown was stale tasting due to bad oil taste. * Should be noted the coffee beats Peet's and Starbucks so keep it up. Thank you- read more

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Great neighborhood breakfast spot if you are looking for large portions and quick service. We came on a Sunday around 11am and were seated immediately. Kind of a hectic atmosphere during brunch time, but our servers were polite and they kept the coffee refills coming. The crunchy French toast was perfection. We loved the texture of the bread, and the fruit with whipped cream was a nice addition. The chili verde omelet was HUGE and had a nice kick to it. It was a little on the oily side for me, but was pretty flavorful and solid overall. The hash browns and bacon were nothing spectacular, but all together made for a filling and satisfying meal. If you're looking for a casual brunch spot with quick service and large portions, this is a great option. With typical diner style food, it's a solid place to go if you need a heavy breakfast, especially after a night out. read more

Mesa Cafe - Chile Verde Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Solid for breakfast and lunch. Not inspiring but just good solid food with reasonable portions. Service is usually above average. It's definitely a go to for us. read more

The bartender lady was great. The best ever. I forgot her name. Ugh. Steer clear of the sausages. Very dry no matter which ones we ordered. Otherwise we like it here. Service is always great no matter where you sit. We will be back for sure. read more

I try to limit myself to once a week. I love the people here and the breakfast. Friendly, fast service and good coffee! I always try something new, but my two favorites are the corned beef hash and the tuna melt with onion rings. read more

Had breakfast at Mesa Cafe last Saturday. Went to the restroom and there was no hand soap for customers or employees at 11am. Cottage fries were under cooked after I ordered them Crispy. Service was slow when restaurant wasn't full. I will delete this review soon. I'm just hoping ownership or management sees this and makes some improvements. Quality and attention to detail has dropped. We used to love Mesa Cafe. Please fix it so we can come back. If not, there are many other options.... read more

Food is really good, service is very good waiters have been trained well and the waitress staff are on their feet and really good Romero does a good job managing. It's got a good feel to it, old pictures of surf things are on the walls, bar is open from 7 am-til closing Monday Wednesday Friday bar is open food stops at 2:30 pm. read more

Food was AMAZING and cornbread was so good. Host was super nice and amazing service!! read more

Mesa Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

No prices on menu... Seems to be a new trend for SantaBarbara. You first have go to place an online order to see a list with ( some not all), pricing. Makes you wonder why they are so uncomfortable listing their prices... These are cafes not Michelin star restaurants to Blind Order any price. Ridiculous! read more

We were traveling up north and asked Siri a place to get coffee and bagels. We drove to Siri's suggestion and then decided to stop at Mesa. Glad we did!! I had The Fairfax and it was the best bagel ever!! The coffee was good too, but the best part was the friendly service. Greg was the most hospitable server we've encountered on our travels. Super friendly, prompt, polite and not too intrusive. We will make it a point to stop here when we make our next trip up north. read more

I've been wanting to come back for the Manmosa (It's a mimosa served in a bigger glass) and the breadless benedict. They did not disappoint! The food was good and the service was great! read more

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Burgers are solid here, local beers and dog friendly , casual neighborhood spot My recent visit was during burger week , their smash burger Deluxe was my favorite read more

The food and ambiance was just right. We had a group of 6 and the wait was not too long. Was near brunch time, very busy but the servers were also quick. Will be back again. read more

Food is good here especially the chorizo burrito. Also Greg is the best server he is very funny and has great service. The seats are very comfortable. read more

Everything is always delicious here. Had breakfast here on Saturday and from the moment we walked in everyone was nice. We had the Erick scramble with sourdough, and cottage fries and the chorizo scramble with sourdough and hash brown. Also two mimosas but everything here is tasty. read more

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Mesa Cafe is always my go-to for a weekend brunch that won't break thew bank or leave you waiting outside for hours. It's a no-frills, locals spot far from the touristy bits of Santa Barbara, and that's a good thing. Typically the weekend wait is well under an hour, with ample inside and outside space to enjoy. Every time I've been here I've had my dog, and we've had no problem being sat outside quickly. The menu is extensive and reasonably priced. I typically get the California Benedict and it's perfect. Their whole benedict menu is solid if you'd like a savory bite to start your morning. The Mexican-inspired offerings are also excellent, and I highly suggest the chilaquiles. Full bar and solid bloody marys (if you add some extra heat). Always appreciated with brunch! I would not suggest the crab cakes, as I've tried them twice and they are far too fishy to be fresh. A few menu items look appealing but are not offered on weekends so I've never tried them. Overall, one of the best brunches in the area! read more

All the locals are drawn to Mesa Cafe. Not only do they have an extensive menu, but they also have a full bar. While Santa Barbara can't shake a stick at larger metropolitan cities when it comes to brunch, Mesa Cafe is one of our top choices. They have a decent sized outdoor patio, their own homemade salsa (similar to a pico de gallo that rocks my world) and surf boards with ocean photography on the walls. It's clear you're in our beach bubble of a town. Oh and everyone is on vacation daily here so this is one of the few places that pours a stiff all.day.long. (Note: They open at 7 am). Although you honestly can't go wrong with anything on their menu, a few of my favorite that I recommend include: Homemade corned beef (no can popped open here), Pork Chile Verde Omelet (many folks say it's within the top 3 in town), absolutely anything with chorizo (burrito, skillet, omelet, you call it), Crab Cake Benedict, and Chicken Fried Steam. Of course friendly staff is a given. Must be the persistent sunshine. Yet, the ownership runs a tight ship on keeping a positive, welcoming culture. I continue to come back no matter what. read more

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Food was delicious. Service was excellent. Ambiance was perfect. Had a wonderful family breakfast. Large groups are no problem for this restaurant! read more

This has always been saved on my list for places to check out when I visit my college daughter in Santa Barbara. We finally had a chance to eat here for breakfast on our last day and we are so glad we did. Right when we walked in we were warmly greeted and seated. Every interaction we had with every employee during our breakfast was amazing! Everyone was so helpful, friendly and you can see the team work that the staff has going on. My coffee was always refilled, any trash on our tables someone always picked up or cleared away. Not only our servers, but I am guessing management would come and check in on us as well. The food was just as amazing and everything we ordered was delicious. We had chocolate chip pancakes with scrambled eggs and sausage, Italian Sausage Omelette with hash browns and blueberry muffin and the Chile Verde Omelette with fruit and blueberry muffin. We had coffee and hot chocolate as well. The vibe of this place was fun and enjoyable. It seemed to be super popular as not long after we got seated the place started to fill up with customers. They have a rather large menu selection so it was hard to choose what to order as everything sounded so good. I definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a great breakfast/brunch spot! It always helps to see staff so happy to work there, it makes the dining experience more enjoyable and welcoming! Don't miss out on Mesa Cafe, definitely have to try it out! read more

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Great food, great service. A local hangout, not far from the beach area. Outdoor seating and a bar with locals always adding to a friendly atmosphere. Many families with children come in and always made comfortable. I highly recommend! read more

The service was great! For was very good. We had the pork chops breakfast and corn beef hash and eggs.

I found this place on yelp when I was in town and look for somewhere to have a quick lunch. The service was good but the food was just ok. I had the reuben and it was a bit disappointing. The corned beef was pretty tough. It wasn't the worst reuben I've ever had but I would never recommend it. The vibe of the place was nice and it was really busy. If I'm in town again I'd go but try a breakfast item instead. read more

Mesa Cafe - Reuben - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Good but annoying... The food was good but My daughter and I ordered two different dishes to dear and I wanted to add bacon and an egg. On the menu it says sides And on those sides it lists six dollars for a side of egg and bacon. Even though we were ordering two other meals they came back and said it was a misprint that that was for the biscuits and gravy. But it's clearly listed as a side? Whether or not it's aside for the biscuits of graveyard , whatever i'm ordering , you're still paying the same my mount and i'm still Is still ordering two other items. Why would you not just give me the side if it's on your menu that way?? The asked for white toast and they brought us sourdough. They said that is white bread! ‍. So on all the food wasn't bad But I think management should be better.It's better to have a happy customer than a unhappy customer over $6! read more

Mesa Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Terrible customer service, but the most delicious biscuits and gravy. I placed an order to go. They didn't give me about half of the items I ordered. When I went back the ladies were annoyed and extremely rude when I tried to explain the items I was missing. Got my items and went home. The biscuits and gravy were so good I might overlook the customer service and go again. read more

The ambiance is fantastic , the service is amazing you can tell that the staff is happy to work here . Good job to the Boss read more

Mesa Cafe - The best crew - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Being from out of town - we highly depend on Yelp to help us locate a recommendable place to eat which brings us to Mesa Cafe. My husband and I are both visual people so we browse through photos posted to make the final determination as to whether we'll eat here or there. Mesa, for me, made the cut with a tempting photo of Javier's French Toast. I make a healthy version of breakfast during a normal routine which consists of banana, almonds and maple syrup (among other ingredients) so Javier's french toast definitely caught my eye. We arrived and were immediately seated. My first impression was that it was crowded and, to me, is a very good sign. Service was also quick. Within minutes I was taking my first bite. First off, I'm a person who believes that texture is everything when it comes to what I eat. I prefer my french toast 'crisp on the outside, moist in the middle' (which my husband will argue as "soggy" rather than moist) but that is exactly how it was served at Mesa ...... 'moist' .... just the way I like it. Nice touch with the handful of toasted sliced almond they've topped it with along with a generous amount of banana. I LOVED every single bite. read more

Mesa Cafe - Javier's French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Coming to the Mesa Cafe always feels like coming home for good food and good rap. But today was different in that we knew no one and Miss Maria was already off for the day. And the dude that calls me Mr Qupe (a brand of Chardonnay that was on the wine list) was not here. I forget sometimes how much the recent Pandemic and everything else that has gone on in the world has affected the Food business in general. New servers, new cooks, new management: this should not be an issue if the standards are kept as high as when the old group of employees were at their stations. But the food generally was a bit tired. Two of us ordered off of the "Scrambles" menu: the Erick's Bacon, mushrooms, green onions, and cream cheese.and the Mesa Spinach & Feta Sautéed spinach and feta cheese I ordered the Erick's and my sister, The Mesa. She enjoyed hers very much and the item was scrambled well and not too much making the eggs dry which they weren't. Plus as Feta aficionados, we loved the amount of Feta (probably way over portioned but i did not say that). Mine (The Erick's) was good, not great as the components seemed to have sat a while instead of being freshly prepped. the toast was brought after i had finished. Service was good, pleasant but there is something to be said about friendly and old school service. Service honed after many years greeting and serving the same coterie of people for many years. Times move on, stuff happens, things change. But if the changes in personnel here prove to be for the better, we will have to wait and see. The Coffee as usual is strong and robust and hot: something we needed to prep us for the Grammar School Graduation we were to attend that evening. But the Joy wasn't there. This is no one's fault of course but the World order, i guess. Of course i will be back. Love me some Mesa Cafe. Cheers! read more

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I really miss this place and their vegetable soup and their chipotle chicken tostada salad nested in a giant fried tortilla shell. I've been home for 6 weeks following foot/ankle surgery and I think about this soup and salad a couple of times weekly, wishing I could order it for take-out. Unfortunately, Mesa Cafe temporarily closed down for dinner at some point in the pandemic and I keep hoping to hear they've reopened. My 3-star rating is a combo of 0 for being bummed out that they have't re-opened yet and 5 stars for the soup and tostada salad that I can't get for dinner anymore. When are y'all reopening? I want to boost this rating up to a 5 again! read more

This place was terrible, went there for my last breakfast before school at SBCC and spent $25 dollars on an empty box, with two little eggs and three sausages. They also didn't give me my break or fruit in the order, I will never go back I'm livid. read more

Nice place to have breakfast and lunch. the staff is polite. inside is not beautiful, but outside is very nice, the atmosphere is calm, the summer veranda is a good place to relax. varied menu, average prices read more

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Mesa Cafe is a cute, homey neighborhood diner in the Mesa. I went for the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend with my husband, toddler, and in-laws, and it was a great spot for a casual lunch, where we could park freely and walk in with three generations of diners. The place was busy but not overrun, and we got a corner table right away with booth seating and room for a high chair. The baby was immediately supplied with crayons and a kids' menu--his first time getting crayons at a restaurant, and he definitely made use of them. He also enjoyed looking around at all the other tables full of families, as well as the colorful surfboards on the walls. Both the atmosphere and the service were cheerful and welcoming. I was happy with my food, too. I ordered the chilaquiles rojos and added tri-tip, and this was a good, hearty meal. The chilaquiles were tortilla chips smothered with red sauce, topped with two eggs (I got mine over-easy) and served with guacamole, sour cream, feta cheese, and green onions. Solid, and while the tri-tip was nothing special, it did add some nice heft to my lunch (I do tend to want meat when it isn't there). I wouldn't go out of my way to go to Mesa Cafe, but it's the kind of place I'll probably go back to because it's pleasant and convenient. I liked my chilaquiles, my son liked his crayons and grilled cheese. We all left pretty happy with the experience. read more

My family comes in from out of town and we always need our Mesa Cafe fix. We love eating breakfast there, but all meals have been fantastic. I especially love their egg Benedict with chipotle hollandaise sauce. But their seasonal pumpkin pancakes and fabulous too. We love bringing our pups and eating outdoors at Mesa Cafe. read more