Grabbed take out on the way to SLO. Sweet market and deli. Appreciated the service! Sandwiches were…read morefresh and the matzo ball soup was delicious. Kid approved. Nestled amongst cute shops along a nice walk in Montecito. Loved the vibe. You can tell the owner cares about her shop

I stumbled across Montesano Deli & Market while at work a couple of weeks ago, scrolling for a new…read moreplace to grab breakfast. Even though there weren't many Yelp reviews, something about it caught my eye, so the next morning I decided to stop in on my way to work for my absolute favorite--bagel and lox. This little gem is tucked right in the heart of Montecito, in a charming shopping center with cute patio tables out front. Inside, it's a small, cozy space with a counter where you place your order. I ordered my bagel and lox and was told it would just be a few minutes. While I waited, I wandered into the tiny market next door--and oh my gosh, it was adorable. Shelves filled with amazing imported olive oils, jams, cheeses... all the things you want to take home even when you don't need them. By the time I stepped back outside, the gentleman who took my order brought my food out to me, ready to go. And let me tell you... this bagel was everything. It came open-faced with cream cheese, fresh tomato slices, onions, capers, and a pickle spear. But the real star? The lox. So fresh, so flavorful, and actually generous in portion size. So many places skimp, but not here--this was worth every bite and then some. It was filling and absolutely delicious. Service was fast, friendly, and genuinely hospitable. The gentleman working the counter was knowledgeable, helpful, and clearly takes pride in what they serve. Pricing was right on par with other local spots, but the quality and portions definitely put this place a step above. I'll absolutely be back. There are several things on the menu I can't wait to try--especially the matzoh ball soup, which looked phenomenal.

Pure pleasure and local treasure. Warm. Welcoming atmosphere and owner (Patric) Lots of charm…read more Great food and wine - especially the owner's own wine, developed as a tribute and appreciation for the local fire fighters. It's a second generation love note to his father and grandfather.

This specific experience is from a few months ago, and is a part of a growing frustration with what…read morehas become of this formerly wonderful sandwich shop. This isn't about public shaming, hopefully it's clear this is about flagging to management that their staff requires more hands on training around food handling, product quality, tidiness and presentation. We ordered four sandwiches around 1:00pm mid week, nobody else was there and there were no tickets ahead of us--just two teenaged boys who looked seriously confused and undertrained and even openly joked about how slow things had been that day--which was an odd comment for a restaurant that looked like it hadn't been bussed yet after a lunch rush. It took both of them about 40 minutes to make four sandwiches in an extremely haphazard manner that inexplicably required them leaving to the back room a lot and returning empty handed--they both weren't familiar with the ingredients of the specialty sandwiches and they joked shoulder to shoulder as they both fumbled through completing the order. I was pretty shocked at how unkept the entire food prep station appeared and the counters and tables hadn't been bussed and were attracting large horseflies from outside --why weren't these guys bussing tables if it was so slow? Why was there A LOT of yellow mustard smeared across the low boy fridge doors? Where was the supervision? Why was it taking so long to make sandwiches that were on the menu with zero modifications? Why was the music so loud? Why was the kid who was just counting cash out of the tip jar, now handling food without washing his hands or wearing gloves? It was a barrage to the senses and a bizarre vignette into an ever-declining understanding of quality service and hospitality standards coupled with an ever-rising high cost of goods. When we got to the park down the street and opened the bag none of the sandwiches had been wrapped properly, no tape, no restrictive folds, just loose sheets of hand crumpled parchment paper, barely restraining the food inside with 360 degree wet condiments covering the OUTSIDE of every sandwich parcel--if you can even call them that. It was a disaster inside that bag. You couldn't reach your hand into the bag without it coming out covered in misc condiments. That same day I called the restaurant to ask if I could speak to the owner and share our observations, the person who answered said that person wasn't available. And before I could ask for an email, the kid hung up on me--but I can't blame him for that, he probably couldn't hear me over the insanely loud music playing on his side of the line.

I go here often as it is very convient during my work day. They have prepared food and sandwich's…read moreready and tastey. I got a sandwich last week and tok it to go, I was very disappointed when I stopped for lunch and the bread was so stale that it just crumbled, thinking this was just a fluke I stopped and picked up a sandwich today and when I got home same thing. It's very unfortunate that a sandwich they charge $11 for can't even be made with fresh bread.

High prices, relatively unfriendly--especially owner.manager. The grocery is at best a conveniience…read morefor immediate neighbors. some prices on wine bottles mistaken, owner will has not honored in the past.

Panino has been one of my favorite sandwich places since they opened in Santa Barbara. Everything…read moreis high quality and served on your choice of bread (Focaccia, sourdough, baguette). I always get the focaccia, because it's light, soft and not too much bread. My go to here is usually #15. It has Genoa Salami, goat cheese, basil and sundried tomatoes. The honey mustard is perfect with the saltiness of the salami and the tartness of the goat cheese. I love creating this sandwich at home when I'm not able to make it here. I haven't tried the salads yet, but they always look good when served to customers. I tried the #8 Italian combo sandwich on my recent visit for sandwich week. It was a half size for $9. Luckily it doesn't take much to get me full, so half size was perfect for me. I only wish they put more salami in the sandwich. It was a little skimpy! Despite that, the sandwich was delicious. I don't come to this location often, but the ambiance here is casual, and there's a fair amount of seating. The parking lot can get hectic though. Sometimes it's easy to find parking and other times it's packed! So just be aware of that. Overall, a great place for a sandwich or salad.

This is a hidden treasure of a sandwich shop. High-quality excellent and delicious food. It's never…read morefailed to impress us. The combination of ingredients they include in their sandwiches bring out the best flavor flavors. We highly recommend

I've been going here since in college. The location has changed but everything else is exactly the…read moresame. The same 1 sandwich , order it deluxe and it's perfect!! Back in the day it was a mom and pop running the store and now it's local friendly helpful teens/college students. The store is very clean and well stocked. The sandwiches are top notch, fresh bread, quality meats and cheese and you can't beat that. Tons of Italian groceries to purchase and very authentic. Very helpful if you have questions about all the Italian groceries.

I was in Santa Barbara for the day and when lunch time rolled I wanted to try a local spot. I did…read moresome research online for a classic sandwich spot in SB and Tinos kept coming up. My gf and I decided to try it out and we were pleasantly surprised by how good the sandwich was. We got the Super deluxe sandwich to go and it was ready within 5-10 minutes. Staff were kind and the inside of the store sells authentic Italian groceries from pastas to Olive Oils to deli meats. They have some small tables inside for seating but we decided to take it to go. We were really happy with how yummy it was, it tasted fresh and we really enjoyed it. I like the deli meat and the bread was fresh. Im happy to have tried out the spot and I would definitely swing by again if the opportunities presents itself.

Customer service here was great. They greeted me and helped with the questions I had and the…read moreadditions I made. Having nice employees really is a benefit. Now the food, excellent! Ordered a gaucho with peppers to go. Delicious, fresh bread, nice flavor in the meat and fully melted cheese.

I want to give this place five, but it's just not there for me…read more 1. The service, was good. I will say that. I feel like the guy at the register was nice, he wasn't really informative, it was a bit more " you can try this, or you can try that" when someone says it's their first time ask what they like, I always give that opportunity for them to share their opinion by asking what do you like and by saying it's my first time it gives them the opportunity to earn a tip from me not just being entitled for one when I'm ordering my food. The place inside, very old-school deli Field, you can sit at the bar you can sit outside or you can sit inside. It's very very nice. I really like that classic feel a bit which is really cool. My sandwich: my sandwich was I would say maybe a solid 6 1/2 to a seven. It's something that has to be dipped, but you normally aren't going to dip something that has avocado on it. But the dip is what added flavor to the meat, kind of. I really love the bread, the bread is surprisingly soft. When you get a big bite like that and the bread just kind of melts in your mouth that I do have to say it was very impressive. I forget the name of my wife's sandwich, but she absolutely loved it and said it was exactly what she wanted, very, very simple, nothing too complicated and so she was very happy Overall, I've had a lot of sandwiches, I am a major sandwich person and so I am going to be a little bit more critical when it comes to having a menu that has a bunch of items with flavor because that is what's gonna win me over. Would we go back to here yes, would we come back here before trying somewhere else first that's a little bit up in the air. Overall, I definitely still recommend giving this place a try.

Turkey club was amazing! We had friends that got the turkey and provolone and it was awesomeread more

Norton's was such a good find! The pastrami Reuben was by far my favorite sandwich. I also tried…read morethe pastrami dip and French dip, which were pretty plain on their own. But once I got home and added pickles, cheese, and Thousand Island dressing... FIRE. The pastrami Reuben and chili cheese fries were both awesome and definitely worth getting. But honestly, the customer service is what really made this place a 10/10. Everyone was so nice, welcoming, and helpful. Great food, great people, and I'd definitely come back!

Grabbed some sandwiches for the beach and this was a great local spot. They had a pretty large menu…read moreto choose from and the sandwiches came out really quick. I got the spicy turkey one which was delicious and quite flavorful. My bf got the Italian 3 meat one and we could not believe how large his sandwich was. All the portions were easily two meals per sandwich for us and the prices weren't bad!

We were heading up the coast and looking for a quick, yummy lunch in Santa Barbara. A couple of…read moredelis came up but this one was willing to make substitutions. Their chicken salad is superb, and the panini was perfectly toasted. A steady stream of regulars came through telling us that we chose wisely. They carry Tractor sodas/juices which hit the spot. We'll be stopping on our way home, too .

This place is great! The sandwiches are delicious…read more Everyone is super nice. The food gets made very quickly. The restaurant is located in the public market. There is plenty of seating areas.

I've only been here once, but my first meal was beyond my expectations! Located in the public…read moremarket towards the back. There's seating available in front of the restaurant with a few bar chairs, or you can find seating throughout the market. Customer service was fast and courteous. I came here on a Saturday morning, and was lucky to catch their weekend special. The cheesy bacon bagel for only $9.50! What a deal. The portion size was generous and the presentation on point. I especially enjoyed how fluffy the eggs were. The bacon was perfectly cooked too. I can't wait to come back to try more on the menu. I love how the public market is bringing us different restaurants. Follow Big T's Deli on IG: @bigtsdeli to catch their specials!