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    Moby Dick Restaurant

    3.1 (1.2k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Moby Dick Restaurant Photos

    MOBY DICK RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Moby Dick Restaurant

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    Seafood Platter
    Thor M.

    We were passing through Santa Barbara and decided to give Moby Dick a try. The restaurant was busy, but not too loud that we couldn't talk. The server was fabulous. He was busy, but still took the time to care for all of our needs. The drinks were very good and we had Maple old fashioned and a Gin martini. We shared the seafood platter. Which was a disappointment as it didn't match the quality of service we received. The food was ok, but not fantastic.

    Shannon W.

    This place is crazy busy! We walked in on a Saturday as a party of two, and you definitely can't get a regular table without a reservation. We ended up sitting in the bar area instead. Our bartender/server was slammed, but we still managed to get our oysters in before happy hour ended. The view through all the windows is great, but just be prepared for the crowd--the place is huge and accommodates a lot of people, so it gets loud and hectic. The oysters were good, though!

    Marina E.

    Our server, Lee was amazing! She was so attentive and her attention to detail was amazing! Food was delicious and Lee gave great recommendations. View was perfect!! Definitely recommend !!!

    Oysters
    Rodrigo C.

    Loved this place!!!! The food was amazing. The fact that the restaurant was on the pier, the view of the ocean was lovely while you eat. I ate at the bar and our bartender (Latino) was excellent. He took care of of us with the drinks and hospitality. This is a great spot for seafood and drinks

    Rachel M.

    I came on. Tuesday during happy hour. I saw the $1.50 oyster offer so I stopped to eat despite not being that hungry. I was seated within a minute or two as it wasn't that busy at this time. I sat at the oyster bar and saw the oysters being opened right in front of me. I got the pea soup which wasn't anything special, but I was focused on the oysters more. The large oysters tasted different than the small ones and I'm not sure why. I also tried the key lime pie which has a bruleed top and comes with caramel sauce. I had a good experience from the few things that I tried. Environment was nice and my waiter was kind.

    Dragonette rose was really good we went to the winery after trying it.
    Steve O.

    Restaurant on the pier with beautiful views and fresh air. Not too busy on a Saturday afternoon, sat at the bar quick service fresh oysters and clam chowder was perfect with our rose wine. Reasonable pricing for the wine and soup but the oysters were overpriced in my opinion. This is a regular stop on our trips up to Santa Barbara.

    Signage
    Angela R.

    This review is for the oyster bar located on Stearns Wharf and inside Moby Dick Restaurant. It's still fairly new and brings a bright updated open space with amazing ocean views and a fresh oyster bar. They offer a curated selection of seafood, craft cocktails, beer and local wines. On my visit, I started with a passion fruit margarita. Surprised? If you know you know! One of my favorites, although I will say that it was pretty expensive, and it will cost you $19. Ouch! This price is based on the location obviously and what most tourists will pay. Despite the price, I still enjoyed it. For food, I ordered the shrimp scampi. Definitely the right choice! The presentation was beyond my expectations and the portion was huge. The shrimp was succulent and full of flavor. It also comes with cilantro rice and garlic cheese bread. The perfect accompaniment to soak up the garlicky buttery juices. It wasn't busy on my visit, which was nice. Then again it was mid-week. The bartender said they tend to get busy later in the day and most weekends. Overall, my visit was pleasant and I could have stayed here all day just looking out at the beautiful ocean waters. A definite bookmark and worth the splurge!

    View from outdoor seating
    Christina R.

    Our first visit here to Pier Santa Barbara. The beaches we normally go to were too cold so we drove a little further south to my mom's home town. We walked the pier and stopped here for a bite. The weather was perfect so we sat outside on the patio overlooking the ocean. The staff was very friendly and we didn't have to wait to be seated. Considering how busy it seemed in the parking lot, I was surprised at the speediness of getting seated and served. I wasnt super hungry so I got the Ahi Tartare and it was nice and refreshing. Perfectly green Has Avocado guacamole covered in beautiful tuna chunks served with kettle chips. We got the popcorn ship as an appetizer and I loved the batter! It was nice and crispy and had a good seasoning to it. The little shrimps were perfectly cooked as well. The popcorn shrimp is a must have.

    Lobster Mac and Cheese
    Mysha F.

    This is my second time visiting this restaurant and it was just as good as my first time! The fish is always fresh and soft, and the cilantro rice is cooked and seasoned very well. The lobster mac & cheese was a little lacking in portion and taste. Would always recommend their market specials for the entrée. The service is always fast and efficient but we always get sat by the ocean which is a stunning view. Definitely recommend this spot if you are looking for a great view and great food along the oceanside.

    Julia R.

    Firs time stopping in as I had family in town and they wanted to explore the wharf area. No wait when we arrived and we sat inside with a great view of the ocean and harbor! We had the sweetest waitress who chatted with us and answered all of our questions about the menu. Ordered the grilled fish tacos, grilled salmon, grilled halibut and wedge salad. Everything was pretty good! The tacos were a pretty small portion for the price but tasty. The cilantro lime rice was great and super flavorful. Nothing was super stand-out flavor wise but certainly nothing was bad! Will add this to my list of local places to take friends and family when visiting.

    Tina T.

    My friend and I visited this seafood restaurant located on Stearns Wharf for lunch and had a great experience. We sat outside since the weather was nice facing the harbor and both tried their lunch option which was Salmon with a side of soups or salad. Their salmon was incredibly fresh and flavorful. The service was also good and our waiter was friendly. I definitely recommend this place and will be back if I am back in Santabarbara.

    Side view
    Suzie A.

    This place is located toward the end of Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara, CA. You may drive into this area - look for the parking booth and press button for ticket for arm to raise up. It's a wooden plank road so lots of little bumps. Restaurant is located on right side with a view of harbor fishing boats and lots of pelicans resting. We walked inside and it's a real salty dog atmosphere with wood and brass, comfy and fun, with lots of windows to see the view. We were seated around the side by a bar. Our server was Joseph, and he was just as sweet as can be. They have a specialty drink menu so I had to try the Bloody Mary which was like a mini meal lol with all the garnishes - shrimp, celery, blue cheese stuffed olives, bacon, lemon/lime and a rim of tajin! Joseph explained to me what it was and added a little kick. Hubby had a draft beer but their oyster menu was intriguing with all sorts of choices so he had to try a few. Nice to be able to order one and not an entire plate. Joseph explained what each one was and how prepared etc. This little pick-me-up was just right! Mahalo to Joseph, bartender and chef at Moby Dick's! We shall return

    Half Dozen Oyster Sampler
    Kal K.

    Transparency: Late Review On our trip to Santa Barbara we stopped here for Lunch/Dinner. We went to "The Oyster Bar". We were seated in the patio which gave a pleasant view of the ocean. There is a glass wall that shields you from the elements when the wind picks up. The service was good, attentive, and accommodating. The Food: You don't go to an oyster bar and not have oysters, lol. They were excellent. There was a special at the time which brought them into more reasonable prices. We had the half dozen. They were fresh, and tasty. The other dishes included the halibut and the mussels. Both were fresh, with good presentation.

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    4 years ago

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    Debbie P.

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    9 months ago

    Amazing food and staff! The staff were very attentive and super friendly and the sunset on view of the water was amazing!!

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    9 months ago

    Very nice! Dog friendly! They bring water for your dog even before you make order! Oysters very fresh and beautiful view!

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    4 years ago

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    11 months ago

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    11 months ago

    Food is gross and also the people working are super bratty. Honestly a tourist trap. Nice view tho

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    11 months ago

    All of the staff was wonderful and quick with all of the food. The food and drinks were delicious. Highly recommend!!

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    Debbie P.

    Thanks for your positive comments, hope to see you soon!!

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    Page 3 of 29

    Moby Dick Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Moby Dick Restaurant

    Are reservations required for dinner?

    You can make reservations on line @ Opentable.com. Reservations are typically good for six or more diners. Of course day and number in the party are always considerations. It is a large restaurant so couples and four tops shouldn't be an issue.

    Is there a Happy Hour?

    Yes we have happy hour Monday - Friday from 3-6 pm with the exception of holidays!

    Is there happy hour during holiday season (January 2nd 2025)? I was notified by my server that they do not have happy hour despite the many signs they had posted outside

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    My friend and I popped into Santa Barbara Fish Market while on the Santa Barbara Harbor. It's a…read moresmall fish market with no seating inside so keep that in mind when going. We went specifically for fresh live uni, but unfortunately they did not get any in that day. So I would suggest calling first before heading over if you are very rigid in what you are ordering. The fresh uni is SO popular so best to double check first. However, if you do snag their fresh uni, it's more than $10 less than another place I won't mention on Stearns Wharf - that's a big win! We ended up getting a whole lot of cod to munch on instead. We got a whole pound's worth of smoked black cod - half candy flavored and half savory flavored for $32 with tax & tip. Absolutely loved them both and prices seemed great for such well flavored, fresh fish. We liked the candy a touch more than the savory but enjoyed both. Staff was pleasant enough, plus they have a bench outside that we sat at for a few minutes to eat. I'd love to go back in the future and try their acclaimed live uni~!

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    Gracie

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    We went for brunch and I had fish tacos and they were very good…read more $21 for 3. My two dining companions had eggs Benedict with potatoes; they both commented how much meat was on the Benedict. Why are the five stars? Anyone who reads my reviews knows, I hate being offended by prices. The pricing was in line with the experience. It was a nice restaurant experience. The outside patio is a beautiful setting on the harbor. The service wasn't overbearing. We were able to visit and have a lovely ladies birthday brunch.

    It's my birthday weekend getaway,So we came to Santa Barbara for the first time and Gracie was…read morewalkable from our hotel,So we picked this place for lunch and we sure not disappointed. Food : My husband got Steak Frites and it was cooked the way he ordered and fries was crispy,hot and the sauce wasn't too over power the steak,So this dish blend really well together.I ordered Crispy Salmon and the skin was crispyyyy.My waitress recommended a homemade focaccia bread to go with it which I went for it and I thank her later because that bread was really good! Salmon was cook perfect,Sauce was great and veggies that came with it was delicious! Service : Our waitress was amazing.We sat outside and everything went great! Vibe : Open,Vibrant and lovely place. Next time we're visit Santa Barbara Gracie will be one of our choice for food for sure.

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    Broad Street Oyster Company - world famous lobster rolls

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    0.7 mi
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    Outdoor seating
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    Came by a few months ago while I was in Santa Barbara. I had tried their oysters at smorgasburg LA…read morebut not the lobster roll or anything else so decided to try it. Everything was excellent! Their quality of seafood is really fresh and they use simple ingredients to really allow you to taste the freshness of the seafood. We ended up getting a lobster roll, the rockfish ceviche, and some oysters. Enjoyed all of them! They have great service as well. They gave us a good recommendation to get the ceviche. Love the interior of this location as well. It's inside of a little open area with lots of seating, a bathroom, and lovely decor. Good vibes overall.

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    Moby Dick Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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