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

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

overall experience is good and would come back again! shoutout to sam for being a super knowledgable waiter and bonus points for staying masked ^^ still remember you even though this review is like a month overdue haha we came here for an anniversary dinner (marked as such on opentable)! they ended up giving us some icecream at the end which i compared to tasting like haagendasz HAHA but very sweet of them bread and butter were complimentary which was super yummy! we ordered the calamari, pear salad, mushroom pizza, pasta, and paella, which was in hindsight way too much food for two people LOL. could have definitely done without the paella! we had so many leftovers highlight of the meal was for sure the calamari. like pretty showstopping.. and that's coming from someone who orders calamari pretty much anywhere they go AND is very critical of asian inspired foods lol. MUST get and i don't say that about a lot of things! wild mushroom pizza was unfortunately not my style but boyfriend loved it. SUPER strong on the goat cheese but i remember the crust not being able to hold the weight of everything. i would've liked a thinner pizza with more crunch and stability and for toppings to be a little more spread out! flavors themselves were fine but wouldn't order again. chicken chipotle pasta was very good. it won't reheat well since the sauce will split (so try to eat this first if you're taking home leftovers) but when it hit the table it had the perfect consistency and continued to thicken as it cooled but not too much! the pasta itself was cooked nicely and it was super flavorful. personal preference that doesn't impact it all that much but i just wish it was rigatoni instead of penne HAHA this was my first time having paella so take it with a grain of salt. i'm sure it was cooked well but it just tasted like feet and tomato to me. the clams were very... whatever... the flavors were just not calling to me and we were probably not the right type of people to order this. like i fear my palate is not refined enough to enjoy it? or i'm not used to eating seafood cooked in this way haha would come back again just for the calamari! and friendly service. and ease of finding a table on opentable. very nice date spot if you order the right things read more

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It's been a minute....or two since I've been to Opal and it's as good as I remember. I went with a Caesar salad and the duck confit pizza. Both we're on point. Everyone in our group was satisfied with good food and good service. read more

Opal - Lamb chops - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The food was delicious and the aesthetic was a nice balance between elegant and casual. They started us off with complimentary bread and butter and offered a second basket during the meal. The duck ravioli was tasty, though a bit sweeter than I expected. The crab cake was very flavorful. The pastas were enjoyable, though slightly more saucy than I personally prefer. The drinks were refreshing and complemented the meal nicely. Overall, I had a good dining experience and would come again! read more

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We were happy to get a last minute reservation during the Santa Barbara Film Festival, as it is located right next door to one of the big theatres. Our server Lisa, was wonderful. She did a great job of taking our order but holding back one drink for the person who was late. And she made sure we got done in time to catch our director's panel. The restaurant is very nice inside. Warm & cozy, not too loud and definitely feels like a high end place. We started with the crispy shrimp appetizer, and it was delicious! So crunchy & succulent. Then we shared the beet salad, which was also very good. I had the appetizer size ravioli with duck confit. It was good but a bit sweet for my taste. I was hoping for some nice pieces of duck but it was shredded. The ravioli was perfect. My husband had the lamb chops, which he loved, and our friends had steaks. We were all very happy with our meals. Oh, with with our martinis with Gorgonzola stuffed olives! read more

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My husband and I spent our anniversary dinner here and wow wow wow from our stellar service from Shannon to the delicious food. This is a beautiful restaurant who delivered stellar service and beautiful drinks, food, and dessert. I cannot say what I loved most because they were all just as good. This is a must try if you want to choose to have a great and beautiful place to eat. read more

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Wow, 5 stars all the way. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, everything was spot on. It was my first time here but a friend's favorite place in SB. The interior of the restaurant was upscale and the bar scene was packed. We ate here on a Wednesday and it was fully booked. I had the seafood paella, someone had the Salmon and our other friend had a pasta dish and everything was delicious. Our server was wearing a mask, very polite and knowledgeable about the menu. This is a must try when you're in SB. read more

Went in last night with a larger party and had the best time! Service from our server and all the supporting staff was fantastic! It was very busy for a Tuesday night and that speaks for itself! I got the passionflower martini and it was perfectly tart just how I like it! We got a few apps and shared. My personal favorites were the calamari and the pear and beat salad was so refreshing! I got the 9oz filet with the mushroom cream sauce. The filet was so tender as a filet should be! The sauce paired so wonderfully with the steak and veggies. We also shared a few desserts I only had the tirimisu since that is what I normally lean towards and it was so soft and fluffy! Everything was wonderful!! read more

Small quaint eatery, probably seats ~25 to 30? Great service and excellent food. I had the risotto, wife had the tiger shrimp. Both were tasty and perfectly cooked. Our waitress was well versed with the menu and knew the wine list very well. As soon as I saw the Austin Hope cab, had to have it. The wine did not disappoint nor did the food. We were going to another eatery down the street, but when we saw very few patrons, we chose Opal instead. Wife was not in dessert mode, so was skipped, but looked great. This was our first visit and will not be our last! read more

Perfect dinner with friends the other night. We enjoyed two pasta dishes, a pizza, and the paella. Outdoor seating had heaters and ambiance right on State Street was lovely. Service and food were both on point! read more

We were a group of 12 celebrating a wedding. The service was great. I think we tried all the appetizers and all were delicious. I especially liked the beet salad and calamari. For dinner I had the pesto pasta and they accommodate my request for chicken instead of shrimp (I'm allergic) and my husband had the sea bass. He said it was one of the best he's had! Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals. read more

Opal - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Went for Valentine's Day and they had a pre fixed menu. Service was great and quick. I wanted to get the short ribs but unfortunately they were just out :/ so I subbed it with a steak instead which was worth it. This was a nice place, well decorated for valentines. They even have a complimentary rose will definitely want to come back again and try other items on the menu ! read more

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Service was exceptional in a nice warm comforting restaurant. My date had the herb grilled filet mignon which was cooked as requested and I had the sautéed chicken penne pasta in a homemade chipotle cream sauce was delicious. If you don't like spicy, this dish is not for you. Desert, the Like Water For Chocolate was amazing delicious as it was elegantly presented. Hard shell of dark chocolate with if I'm correct, two different mousse inside with raspberry sauce. read more

Opal - Like Water for Chocolate - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This was a nice well decorated restaurant. The Ambience and the location were good. This is a great restaurant to take someone there for fine dining or celebrating even. Server was nice and professional and the service was great. Here is my scoring card for this restaurant: 1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and side parking . 2) Decoration : (2 Point) - They still have the original decoration. Clean and very nice. 3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve 4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are average . 5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of continental food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare all over the California. Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies Total max is 25 Score 18 Stars = 72% round up to 3 stars read more

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Dinner with college besties so we had a wonderful reunion Parked across the street. Our server was attentive and friendly Drinks were amazing! Our server suggested mocktail options. Dish (warm salad) needed seasoning. The stars of the show/dishes we loved were: Prawn appetizer, Duck and dessert. Lovely restaurant ambiance 3.5 stars however rounded up to 4 stars. Cheers!~ read more

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Love, love, love this place! One of my absolute fave so Cal restaurants. Delicious food, great wine list, sumptuous cocktails, professional and friendly staff! You can't go wrong with either the Lemon grass crusted salmon Filet entree or the Salmon Soft Taco starter, and the specials are often superb. With a variety' of offerings there are so many great choices! read more

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The service here is excellent. We showed up with no reservations, and their OpenTable was booked solid. My motto is you get nothing for not asking, so of course I had to ask if they can squeeze us in. They said yah we can get you a table and seated us within 5 mins! I was very impressed! All of the servers were very kind and attentive. My lady wanted to order a pasta that wasn't even on the menu. She basically created her own pasta and I appreciate their flexibility in accommodating her. I had the greyhound and flatiron steak. Drink was on point. Steak was done right. However, I didn't dig the powdered mashed potatoes that accompanied my steak. It was nasty. Aside from the mash, everything else was excellent. Looking forward to visiting again read more

Opal - Flat iron steak - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Opal is a Santa Barbara staple. Went there with a group of friends for a holiday gathering. Food is always amazing. Can't go wrong with their steaks. Service was fantastic as usual. read more

Consistent! Opal is always good, year after year. I realize their menu is comfort food for me. I had the warm seafood salad. It was a hearty portion with lots of seafood throughout. The service was friendly without being annoying. Opal always feels special even if it's just a simple dinner out. Sorry- I was hungry so no pictures. read more

Made a reservation for a 7:15 pm dinner to eat outdoors since we had our doggy. We arrived way earlier than 7:00 since we were exploring the area. Host was kind enough sit us at a table, and even gave us choices as where to sit. This was great timing for us because as it got closer to 7:15, the tables were getting filled very quickly and we would probably had to wait. Santa Barbara is such a beautiful town and though the weather was starting to get a little nippy, it was still gorgeous dining outdoors , chatting with our neighbor diners who absolutely loved our doggy ! One of the servers even made a point to stop at our table and asked if she could pet her! The food delicious and well presented. We split a pears and beet salad. My husband had the lamb chops and I had a pesto fettuccini dish. For dessert I had to have the affogato and my husband got a sorbet. The chops were grilled exactly the way he wanted it - medium rare, and very generous size! I would have given this restaurant four stars, but the disappointment was with our salad. I had asked our server to have the dressing on the size but it was dressed when it came to the table. By that time the restaurant was becoming very busy and servers were bustling every where. I decided it was not worth waiting for a redo on the salad. Our server never asked how the salad was either, though she did ask about our main dishes. When it was time for dessert I knew exactly what I wanted, the affogato. When I mentioned that to our server, she said to me " you know that's coffee with a scoop of ice cream"! I'm sure she perhaps wanted to be sure I knew what I was ordering, but Had I not known what it was, I would have questioned it first! She could have handled that a tad better. read more

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This review is long overdue. We visited this restaurant while passing through Santa Barbara and were impressed by the attentive service -- we felt so welcome. The lemongrass salmon with rice was delicious. If you're a big eater, consider ordering an appetizer or a second entrée. Overall, the ambiance, service, and food were excellent!! read more

Fabulous food and service. This is a gem. Really top notch. I had flat iron steak and my Mrs had sword fish. They were just great.Don't miss it. read more

We had a company get together and we decided this was the place to try. The service was awesome. Everyone treated us like we were family. All of the appetizers were great- cooked perfectly and served with sauces that complemented the dish. Wine was great etc etc. definitely coming back!! THANKYOU read more

Opal - Our Team! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Still didn't get to eat at Jane on the latest visit to SB, due to some film festival in Feb that had the theater in between blocked off and all. Was still able to get to Jane, but of course all tables booked out no seating available... Wife was sad to be denied Jane's incredible chicken picatta again, since I didn't know there was such an event and didn't think to reserve. I suggested let's eat at Opal, since I still remember they had great Filet mignon when I first had it maybe a dozen or more years ago. And wife remembers the filet from the one time we had it maybe a decade ago. Opal was full as well, but they had outdoor tables set up and the gentleman at the front was so very kind to make a table available for us outdoors, to save the evening! (sorry for poor pics, not good lighting I guess) Ordered up the Paella which sounded good. Chicken picatta on penne pasta sounded a bit strange, since too used to Jane's chicken picatta. Went for the herb grilled filet mignon in the larger 9oz size. - Bread basket = the multi bread was so gluteny chewy good!!! Would be happy to eat just that and butter all day. - Paella = excellent seafood flavoring in the broth. Could slurp this up, but there wasn't too much rice to be able to enjoy all the goodness. Great flavor, but a little lacking in quantity to fully enjoy. - Chicken picatta on penne = this looked nothing like the chicken picatta entree at Jane, wife asked did I know it was a pasta? I said yes, but wasn't sure what it would be like, took a chance, lol. Looked like a bland and weak dish... But don't judge a book by it's cover! Wow! Can't even describe what this was like, but it was strangely fantastic!!! The multi dimension of flavors in this thing was just so addicting, could not stop eating it. Penne is my least preferred pasta, but this penne texture was so soft and perfect texture, it must be in house made to be that good, wow. This was a delightful surprise and us 3 cleaned it up to the end! - herb grilled Filet mignon = ordered medium rare and was expecting a pretty good filet from my foggy memory of having the version with the stuffed chile. Wow, this filet just blew our minds!!! Was cooked perfectly with incredibly enjoyable. KISS keep it simple stupid, the filet spoke for itself here. Not sure how they cooked it so perfectly, but was perfect texture and delicious. Steak even had a hint of aged flavor somehow, which made it even more awesome. I think this was one of the best filet mignons we've had. And 9oz was nowhere near enough with this kind of flavor. I barely got maybe 3 pieces and wife maybe 1 or 2 with the kid loving most of it... Needless to say, being denied Jane ended up reminding me how good Opal is I've always told wife Opal and Jane are both awesome restaurants, and this meal actually just reminded us of how good the filet is at Opal. Now it'll be an even bigger struggle next time we visit SB, will have to stand at the theater in between staring at Jane and Opal and be torn where to eat. Classic chicken picatta, I say Jane owns it. But we won't have any qualms eating the addictive picatta penne at Opal! Filet, I say Opal hands down now. Sauce maybe I like the mushroom gravy at Jane, but I really don't even care about the sauce any more when Opal's filet itself is top notch quality... All I can say is I am not sharing the 9oz filet at Opal next time. read more

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We were a party of four. We had reservations and only waited for five minutes for our table. We decided to split 5 appetizers for us. They came so quickly! And each one was fantastic. We also decided to each try a different dessert. Those were fabulous as well. Next time we are in Santa Barbara we will be back. Ambience was also quite nice. Waiter was great. Overall excellent rating! read more

Opal is one of my favorite spots in town! We love to sit at the bar so we can be social. We hit our spot up on Friday night and I have to say everything was on point, the bartender John was so nice and all the people at the bar were so friendly! What a fun experience! Great Filet Mignon and a large Martini will also make me happy every time! Thanks John and Shannon for making us feel at home! read more

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This spot is a staple in Santa Barbara. Everything is good, the staff are some of the best in town, and it is the perfect spot for a fancy dinner without some of the outrageous prices elsewhere that you'll see in this tourist town. The "have to get" dish is the Fried Tiger Prawns wrapped in phyllo dough with a crazy good Asian slaw for $18.95. They also have daily specials. I got the Halibut with rice and vegetables for $41 ( still a good price for the area). The pastas are all good and range from $20-$30. Local Tip: If you go when there is a concert at SB Bowl, this place is packed and make sure you call and try to get a reservation if you want to get seated. read more

Opal - SHREDDED PHYLLO WRAPPED TIGER PRAWNS, FLASH FRIED SERVED WITH A COCONUT CURRY DIPPING SAUCE - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So we get there and they say it's a 40 minute wait. Being turned away, we immediately check open table for reservations.. there's one available immediately. We book and walk right back in just to be seated then and there. Like how does that make sense?? Then after appetizers are served the waitress is making distasteful food/weight comments. "That's a hearty meal.. but I'm sure you can finish it" ... "wow I couldn't even come back and say hi, you guys ate that so fast" like seriously? Ma'am I'm here to EAT. I'm giving 3 stars because the food was great. The plating was gorgeous. Everything else about the restaurant was lovely.. only to be made hard to enjoy by our waitress. read more

Opal - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Wanted to treat myself to what was, but sadly, is no longer my favorite restaurant in santa barabara. I sat at the bar and Maddie the bartender made me not want to go back. I wanted t9 start my meal with a chaser salad with anchovies. When I ordered my salad asked is they had anchovies and was told "yes" I ordered my salad and requested anchovies and when I was served my salad, sadly no anchovies...Makes me notwant to go back, I ate my salad and tipped out of commoncourtesy, not as a reward for superb service. Tips stand for "to ensure perfect service" read more

Excellent service, nice atmosphere, deliciously prepared food. We had the chicken penne pasta with homemade chipotle cream sauce and the lemon grass crusted salmon filet on a bed of basmati rice that was soft as risotto. The cream sauces made the dishes. Excellent choice for a nice dinner out on State street. read more

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We had a fantastic time at Opal last night, courtesy of a gift certificate my husband and I received during the holidays which left us free to enjoy something new with out the anxiety of spending a lot on a fancy meal and not enjoying some aspect of it. The vibe of the Opal was romantic, cozy and welcoming, which made for a great start. We started off with some apps--the bruschetta was fresh and delicious, and the phyllo-wrapped tiger prawns were also quite good. For mains, we went with two pizzas, and they didn't disappoint either. The crust was light and crispy, and the toppings were creative and paired well together. For dessert we tried the crème brûlée and coconut cheesecake both were really good!The crème brûlée had that perfect, silky texture and a nice caramelized top, and the coconut cheesecake was rich and creamy. The service was great too--friendly and on point without being overbearing. The host was awesome, we made a reservation on open table and it said we would have to sit outside but he managed to squeeze us in inside which was great since it was a little chilly out. I wish I could remember our servers name he was great, tall and slender man in late 20s/early 30s. Very personable and attentive. Even the busser was friendly and made me laugh! The great service definitely made this place stand out to me compared to other restaurants in SB. All in all, a really solid restaurant experience, I would recommend it for sure! read more

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Great vibe and very good customer care . Was greeted and sat at the bar and Heather( bar tender) was very attentive and caring . Food was good but the drink was okay . May be I choose a wrong drink . It is a local place and have some amazing entrees. I has sea bass which was good and good size . One extra star for Heather and her friendliness. read more

Another great birthday meal! My cocktail shown in check-in pic was excellent - a Suntory sour! And the ahi wasabi app was delish too. We had the front window two top since we were celebrating, and we'll, cuz we're "special" haha. Our mains were awesome, service was excellent as usual, and after ordering one crème brûlée for dessert, they comped us a water for chocolate dessert. My hubby devoted it! Ambiance nice and one benefit of the front window two too is that it is quieter than the main dining area which can get too loud. None the less, we will be back! read more

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Nice ambiance and friendly service not quite attentive though. I was excited to check this out to add to social media due to the good reviews, but boy was I disappointed AF. It's a different type of pain when you pay a lot for bad quality food. The seared scallops with angel hair came out so cold, I wanted to make it better and throw in some cheese and smell of the cheese was disgusting couldn't finish it. At least I had the calamari salad next which was tasty and warm but a few minutes later my stomach began to turn. I paid a ton for a tummy ache. Removing this from the list. 4 stars for the water tho. That was lit. read more

Opal - Asian Glazed Crispy Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Place was phenomenal from drinks to appetizers to entrees with a chill vibe. Tons of food options which all looked amazing(we sat at the kitchen/pizza bar) read more

Great date night restaurant with a romantic ambiance and delicious food! I ordered the herb grilled filet mignon and the chocolate surprise dessert. The filet was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The sauce and potatoes accompanied the steak very well. The dessert was the best dessert I have ever had at a restaurant. On top of the delicious food, the service was exceptional. This is my new go to restaurant when wanting a fancy meal in the area! read more

Opal - Chocolate surprise - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We came to Santa Barbara for a concert and made a reservation at Opal for our pre show dinner. We were seated immediately upon our arrival and greeted by Shannon our server who was exceptional. We shared a butter lettuce with Gorgonzola cheese salad. A great choice. I had the chicken piccata as my main course and my wife had the salmon. Everything was cooked to perfection. We each had a glass of wine and were too full for desert but the desert menu looked amazing so next time we will leave room. A great meal in a lovely place at a very reasonable price. We will definitely be back soon. Well done everyone. read more

We had an amazing meal here in this beautiful restaurant! The tiger shrimp appetizer is absolutely amazing! We also had the crab cake and the calamari for our appetizers. I had the Chilean sea bass for my dinner and it was cooked to perfection. Others at our table had the halibut (special of the night) and the basil fettucine. We all loved our food and would definitely come back! Our server was awesome (from South Africa originally-sorry we can't remember her name). read more

I've been here many times and always forget to do a much deserved review. It's consistently delicious every single time, it's one of my top ten restaurants to visit in Santa Barbara. Service, food, ambiance and location is superb. It's very reasonable that's why I'm able to come back and indulge 3 times a year. I highly recommend. 5 stars all the way. read more

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