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

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

We had an incredible dinner here on Friday night -- aka night #1 of our recent Santa Barbara race-cation. We were in town with friends for the SB Half Marathon and met up with a local friend here. First up, our server was Paul and he is awesome. More on that later. We started with a round of drinks and appetizers -- crab cakes and tiger prawns. The tiger prawns, wrapped in shredded phyllo, and with a coconut curry sauce are a must order. I mean that sauce is *chef's kiss* and the napa cabbage and julianne veggies salad provides a lovely, fresh base. Our group ordered a variety of mains. I went with the halibut special which was perfect in cook and flavor. Everyone else seemed to thoroughly enjoyed their dishes as well. Back to our awesome server... a friend ordered the seabass, as highly recommended by Paul. What she was served was the salmon, which is her least favorite fish ever. Paul came by to check on us shortly after our dishes arrived and immediately realized the error and took the plate away. He then made a point to let us know that it was his error and he would correct it immediately. Mistakes happen and, as I told him later, we were super impressed with his response. Honesty, humor, and kindness go a long, long way. We rounded out our meal with some desserts in both food (cheesecake, ice cream...) and drink (espresso martini...) form. read more

Opal has a very large upscale menu and the food as well as the service is consistently good. This last visit I ordered a salad and an appetizer, both were very good. My friend and I ate there before the symphony and they got us out on time. read more

Opal - Scallops and pasta appetizer - yum - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

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

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

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

It was ok. The phyllo wrapped shrimp were good but I would have liked a little more heat and flavor 4/5. The salmon was also a bit bland, which was surprising based on the description 3/5. The Chilean seabass was better but also not great 4/5. I think I will try a different place next time. Overall, 3.75. 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

See all

Service is very attentive! If you don't have what you want or need it is definitely because you didn't ask. Rachael could not have been more on top of the service she provided. It was hard to choose an entree because everything looked so good as it passed our table, and the smells that went with them! Heavenly! All portions were more than enough for a dinner serving, so come hungry or maybe share. Looking forward to coming back and trying new things read more

See all

Opal was so very nice! It met my expectation for sure. It made for a great date night. The service was wonderful and sweet. She made recommendations, and helped us thru the lovely menu. * SHREDDED PHYLLO WRAPPED TIGER PRAWNS -- [$16.95, 4.5 stars] -- Delish, unique, and beautifully presented. Loved the coconut curry dipping sauce, and the side of Napa Cabbage Salad with Mandarin Oranges, Toasted Almonds, Julienne Vegetables and our Sesame Asian Vinaigrette. But $4+ per medium-sized prawn is really absurd. * OPAL'S PAELLA [$29.95, 4.0 stars] -- bay scallops, tiger prawns, black mussels, chicken, chorizo sausage*, saffron rice, tomatoes, cilantro and pasilla chiles, in a garlic herb broth. Brothy it was, but I didn't mind that. It was good, but served in a medium-sized bowl...not the large platter an "authentic" one should be, but I guess, this is an Americana version and it was under-seasoned. Still worthy. * The gf loved her Lemongrass crusted Salmon With a fine wine menu, cocktails, and full bar, Opal proved to be a great choice. The gf, the pooch, and I sat outside on their very pro, streetside seating arrangement. So pro, it should be permanent. We were all very comfortable. read more

Opal - Shredded Phyllo Wrapped Tiger Prawns [$16.95, 4.5 stars] - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

First time enjoying this restaurant. I had the opera at 7:30 so I made 5:30 reservations. We arrived early and they were very accommodating seating us 15-20 mins before our reservation. First impressions, Paul was fantastic! He helped us tremendously and was very patient with my mother and myself with our questions. He helped me pick a Paso Robles Cabernet and it was wonderful. My mom and I split a Caesar salad and we both enjoyed the Thai salmon dish- and it was delicious! We finished with a crème brûlée, also amazing! I loved that it was a 3 minute walk to the Granada Theater so we were perfectly on time for our show. Next time I am in town for the opera I will be sure to come back here! I highly recommend! read more

See all

5-STAR SERVICE: Thank you Shannon!!! We returned to "Opal" (my new addiction)....family in tote. Admittedly, today we came by to get our minds briefly off a loved one in the hospital. Shannon was our server and she could not have been kinder....the whole 9 yards! She is well versed in the history of this amazing restaurant, and on top of her "A" game in providing stellar service. She is so very genuine, warm, kind, funny and attentive. OF COURSE THE FOOD IS AMAZING.....But Shannon is the best and truly made a very hard day for my family into a warm and relaxed dining experience. The whole restaurant is so blissful. The food presentation is artisan. The owners are amazing. This is SB service and food excellence at its best. We will be back a hundred fold! read more

Opal was such a tasty restaurant. The food was amazing the halibut was cooked to perfection. The flavors were all so perfect the fish would melt in your mouth. The piccata pasta was also very delicious. The flavors of the capers chicken and tomato with that lemon creamy sauce paired really well together. As for appetizers we ordered the fried mushrooms which came with a truffle aioli sauce on the side and that was SO GOOD. One item I would not order again was the Cesar salad it was missing flavor. The dressing was weak and I just was not a fan. Furthermore, for beverages we ordered the passion fruit drink and honey lemon martini if I had to pick between them the lemon beats the passion fruit big time. The lemon honey martini was the perfect amount of sweet and tangy. Service was great and so was the ambiance. read more

See all

I had the most delicious halibut dish here. I don't always love fish, but I was in the mood for something lighter and I'm so glad I did. This is a beautiful restaurant and a beautiful city that I will never tire of visiting. read more

We had a wonderful time the other night at Opal. Everything from the food, to the ambiance to the service was exemplary. I ordered the salad on the specials menu and asked to add chicken. There were 9 of us (we made reservations) and the food orders included the duck, filet mignon, scallops, and others. For apps, we ordered the coconut shrimp, 2 of the pizzas, and the calamari. We also brought a cake, which they kindly kept in the fridge for us and lit the candles we brought as well. They charge a $3.50 per person fee for cake cutting. They also added a creamy sauce to the plates of cake and chocolate writing as well. I highly recommend Opal! read more

See all

Opal was incredible. What a class act. My date and I arrived and we were immediately seated in the cozy heated outdoor dining area, given a basket of warm herbed bread and butter, and a watermelon margarita and a Corona beer to start off the night. First off, the calamari was incredible; it was the most tender calamari I've ever eaten (perhaps slow-cooked?), glazed with a delicious sweet and tangy sauce. It almost reminded me of chicken, instead of the usual chewiness of crispy calamari. I loved it. The salmon was also fantastic. Opal really thinks outside the box, creating concoctions and fusions I've never had the pleasure of encountering the likes of. The salmon lay atop a bed of orange zest basmati rice, surrounded by a moat of Thai curry and topped with thin strips of veggies. I can confidently say that fish itself was the best I've had the pleasure of eating thus far in life; it was beyond soft inside, with a delicate crackly crispy outside, and marinated once again in the lovely lemongrass flavors. It was amazing; definitely definitely coming back just to order the same thing (although other menu items looked promising as well; my date's wild mushroom pizza was super tasty). Thanks to Opal and to Paul, our awesome waiter, for a great night!! read more

See all

8 of us came for dinner, recommended by the front desk person at The Eagle Inn. We called and got reservations and it was less than a 10 minute drive to get there, with parking in a lot nearby. There was no problem seating us outside and they brought over two heat lamps, which was perfect in 50 degree weather. Our group ordered a variety of food and drink from salads to pizza to beef and some tequila and coffee and everyone enjoyed their food. Our server, Shannon, was excellent and made certain we all got our food in good time and answered any questions and concerns in a positive and professional manner. The only problem is that the restaurant system wouldn't allow separate bills, so we got one bill and had to divide up the bill and give Shannon the exact amount of each credit card, which she handled with no problem at all. If you're visiting Santa Barbara we'd definitely recommend this State Street restaurant with a variety of good food and cocktails. read more

Food was so good. Paul, our server, was awesome. I made reservations ahead of time and we were sat right away. Dinner, drinks and dessert for a reasonable price. read more

Opal - Mint chip gelato and the chocolate surprise - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

I'm a bit surprised at the 5 star reviews here. I tend to rate high, but Opal just didn't hit the right note for us, especially since the other restaurants we tried in Santa Barbara were better. The outside eating area was pretty unattractive. The floor is plywood and there are no table cloths, so the noise level is extremely high. We sat in a corner to avoid a very large party, but that did little to quiet things. I've been impressed by how many other restaurants have made their outdoor areas really lovely to be in, but Opal did not. We started with the beet and pear salad, which actually had very few beets or pears! See photo. Our entrées were the Thai Salmon and the Chicken Marsala. The salmon was very tasty, although a bit heavy, but the Chicken Marsala seemed to have been made from an entirely different recipe than what one expects a Marsala to be. It was a good dish, but it did not taste like a Marsala. We drank the Alsatian Riesling and that was lovely - ironically it's hard to find Alsatian wines, so this was a plus. Not a restaurant we would try again. read more

See all

Had a graduation dinner on a Saturday. Made reservations for 6pm. Showed up half and hour early to enjoy the bar and get a few drinks for our party before sitting down. John working the bar is amazing. Great service from John as he was quick and attentive. John is extremely nice and high energy. Great way to start our evening at Opal. The drinks were yummy. Overall service was great and efficient. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Highlight was the short rib, although the hash it came with was sub par.any of us were looking forward to the king prawns as an appetizer. However, they seemed to be very small for prawns and looked like jumbo shrimp. The beet salad was very delicious. Cheesecake for dessert was spectacular. Very well balanced. The ambiance of this place was great. Dimly light, not too crowded or overly loud. They have seating indoor and outdoor and a special room for larger parties. Would come back here! read more

See all

Just awesome! We came to Santa Barbara to celebrate our 20th anniversary and my husband's birthday. And we chose Opal for our special dinner. It was just awesome. The complimentary honey wheat bread was surprisingly delicious. They said they baked them in house. We ordered salad with beet and pear, rip eye steak and duck confit. They were amazing, especially the duck confit. So tender and juicy, and the crispy vegetables with sweet risotto worked well together. Plus our server, Rachel was very pleasant and attentive. read more

I brought my girlfriend here for her birthday dinner and we had an absolutely phenomenal dining experience! Our meal began with their in-house made bread with butter, which was delicious. We ordered the pear and beet salad as an appetizer and it was refreshing, light, and flavorful. For our entrees, I enjoyed the herb grilled filet mignon which was served with a marsala cream sauce, mashed potatoes, and sauteed vegetables. The steak was melt-in-your-mouth tender and paired wonderfully with the sauce. The mashed potatoes were luxurious and creamy, and the vegetables were a nice refreshing touch to the dish. My girlfriend enjoyed the honey-glazed roasted duck which I had a bite of and thought was delicious as well. We finished off our meal with the creme brulee which they kindly brought out on a plate that had "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate sauce! The service was also fantastic. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, as were the other servers who took care of us that evening. Opal Restaurant is a perfect place to go to for a special event or upscale dining experience! read more

Opal - Pear and beet salad - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Possibly the most excellent eating establishment in Santa Barbara, if not all So.Cal, no joke it's absolutely outstanding!!Opal, checks all the boxes, very pleasant atmosphere, a creative and delectable menu, extremely sophisticated wait staff, and the most exquisitely prepared plates, all cooked to perfection. It's our most favorite dining experience, the drive from Malibu. 100% worth it. Cheers, Tracy and Dermot Stoker read more

Opal Restaurant has always been one of my favorite hidden gems in Santa Barbara. I first discovered it over 20 years ago when I lived in the area, and it quickly became my go-to spot. The food has always been outstanding--delicious, fresh, and impressively priced for the quality. I think part of the reason it's such great value is its location further up State Street, away from the busier heart of downtown, which gives it a more relaxed, local feel. Recently, after a 15-year hiatus, I returned with my family, and I was thrilled to see that Opal hasn't lost its magic. Every dish was spot-on, and my family loved it just as much as I always have. The consistency, warmth of the service, and atmosphere make this place truly special. If you're in Santa Barbara and looking for an exceptional dining experience, Opal is a must! read more

Always delicious food and impeccable service. Opal has been our go to restaurant for family milestone events and business meetings for many years now. Highly recommend Opal! read more

We were a party of 14 and everyone we encountered was amazing. Matt worked wonderfully with coordinating everything and Paul at our table could not have been better. Many people in our party said this was one of the best meals they'd ever had! Thank you everyone at Opal for helping me celebrate my 50th! read more

I wouldn't come again. The food was quite underwhelming although the service and atmosphere were good. Some of the dishes, such as the risotto, were decent, but all around, the food was subpar. You know it's bad when the steak wasn't seasoned properly and salt was requested. As table of 7, we all had ratings of 4.5 to 6 out of 10. read more

We come here every time we visit Santa Barbara. The food and service are top notch and exemplary of how it should be done. Our favorites are the filet mignon and lemongrass salmon. Bravo. read more

Great service and delicious food! A group of 7 of us had drinks and dinner here to celebrate our recent UCSB grad . I loved the outdoor patio dining as the restaurant and bar itself is a bit tight. We started at the bar where John made us an array of great cocktails! Our reservation was at 6 and we were seated right on time. Our menu options consisted of beet salad, shrimp taquitos, empanadas, and coconut tiger prawns (not really big enough to be considered prawns, but YUMMY). Among the group, we tried the Atlantic Salmon, Short Rib, steak, and grilled chicken. The salmon was flaky and flavorful. While the short rib was fall off the bone tender with a rich adobo bbq sauce.I could've done without the hash served under the short rib. By far our favorite dishes of the night. To finish our meal, the majority of us had the citrus cheesecake - not too sweet, perfect amount of citrus and crust. VERY tasty. read more

See all

Amazing service and food! Took friends for dinner for their anniversary and we all enjoyed our meals! Will definitely return!

Sophisticated ambience, exquisite food, and amazing service! I came here with my family while they were visiting Santa Barbara and they loved everything about it! It is more on the expensive side, but Santa Barbara is like that :) The service is amazing and all of the workers are so polite and helpful with choosing items on the menu. Please come and try so delightful food with your loved ones! My recommendations: - warm seafood salad - Wild mushroom pizza - sautéed chicken penne pasta w/chipotle cream read more

See all