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    Sama Sama Kitchen

    3.9 (735 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Sama Sama Kitchen Photos

    SAMA SAMA KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Krupuk
    Reza M.

    Really tasty indo food in SB. Cool interior. We went at night and was dark atmosphere. We had the nasi goteng, rendang and satay. Peanut sauce was great. Rendang had a good spice. Its a bit pricy for indo food but pay for good location on state st. Krupuk was crunchy too. Great date spot. Will come back again. Service was friendly as well.

    Ribs Chicken wings Coconut rice Bao

    Holy Drove up from LA & stumbled upon this place & it was AMAZING!! Great portions for sharing. 10/10! Service was quick & friendly. The restaurant itself is super cute. Food was truly delicious.

    Gender neutral bathroom!
    Yula K.

    Thank god a local friend of mine requested meeting at Sama Sama because my touristass would have never found this spot that is now my favorite in Santa Barbara. I have not tasted noodles like this outside of southern Massachusetts. the mie goreng with or without pork - the braised pork noodles - are delicious. The signature wings are also 10/10. Sticky, sweet, I just wish there were more. Crispy rice salad also really stood out to me. This was the dish I kept going back for until it was gone. Brussels sprouts were good too but less memorable, and the coconut rice was just okay but all in all I enjoyed an incredible meal and am excited to return.

    Chicken wings
    Irena T.

    Make a reservation to avoid wait times. The crispy rice salad and braised pork noodles were my favorites. Service was great, and the amount of food surprisingly filled us up

    Keiko H.

    I was in town with my mom, who is from Indonesia, and since I grew up spending time there, I was excited to try this place. I knew going in that the menu was Indonesian-inspired, not authentic, so I wasn't expecting traditional Indonesian food -- but it was still a bit disappointing. If you've never had real Indonesian food, this might be fine as Southeast Asian-inspired dishes. For me, though, most items were missing the rich aromas and depth of spices that define Indonesian and Southeast Asian cuisine. The only dishes that really delivered on flavor were the chicken wings and the steamed fish in banana leaves, which had some spice and complexity. The nasi goreng didn't taste like nasi goreng at all -- more like bland fried rice -- and the chicken satay sauces lacked peanut flavor and seasoning. Overall, if you're okay with fairly mediocre Southeast Asian-inspired food, it's acceptable -- but it didn't live up to what I was hoping for.

    Ribs
    Wutan F.

    Food is soooo bomb. 100/100. Those ribs are the best I ever had. Also food comes out so fast and hot. What a win. Service is excellent including the hostesses so friendly and smiley. Nowadays hostesses from other restaurants look miserable and have no enthusiasm lol kills the vibe. The noodles were extremely delicious, we regret not ordering another bowl to go lol can't wait to come back

    Gem P.

    Nice ambiance, good service, quality food but flavors underwhelming. Traditional wings and peanut sauce that came with garlic chips stood out to me. Papaya salad was fresh and bright but overall mid. Flavors lacked that extra punch I expect from dining at southeast Asian restaurants.

    Crispy Rice Salad
    Beto R.

    Allured by Michelin star rating, we decided to try the restaurant while visiting SB. Inside, the décor is rustic with seating for 50+ people. There are also few tables outside for those who enjoy downtown street scenery. The attentive server guided us to our table and brough menu and water right away. We ordered the following dishes: Braised Pork Noodle Mie Goreng: The thin noodles had a very nice texture and were al dente. The seasoning was savory, tangy and a tad spicy (somewhat reminiscent of yakisoba's). The meat was tender, and the scrambled egg was a nice added ingredient. Morning After: The fried rice was lightly seasoned with a hint of sweetness from onion. The satay chicken pieces were tender and flavorful. The pickles were on the salty side. Fry Chicken: What a nice ying-yang palate whiplash. On one side, the wing had fish sauce which was tangy and slightly sweet. On other side, it had heavier and spicy tamarind sauce. The chicken wings' skins were crispy and inside meat was juicy (portion could be larger). Crispy Rice Salad: This was an interesting dish, the slightly crunchy popcorned rice was blended with assorted veggies, then drizzled with flavorful and tangy dressing. The runny egg added a nice creaminess to the dish. Overall, it was a very pleasant culinary experience. Was Sama Sama Michelin star worthy? I would recommend that you stop by and try it out yourself.

    Danelle S.

    Just walking around today around dinner time. The sushi place was full so we tried Sama Sama... I am struggling to find the words for exactly how exquisitely mouthwatering this food was. You can tell the chefs take this seriously, it's not just food, it's a creation! Our son got the braised pork noodles and it was amazing! If you're gonna eat pork, this is way to do it. So flavorful! We all enjoyed them. My husband and I shared the Javanese braised chicken. The depth of flavor was just ... chefs kiss! Curry but not too much, a bit of spice, chicken cooked to perfection! Everything was SO good! Like the kind of food you want to pound down because it's amazing but you also want to slow down and savor every bite. I'm glad the sushi place was full because this was epic.

    Nasi Kuning - yellow coconut rice
    Sara C.

    Sama Sama is my must visit restaurant when in SBA. First time was about 6 years ago and have fallen in love with everything I've had here. Seriously everything. The wings are a must each time, and so is some kind of Mi Goreng dish. I normally like my wings plain and sauce on the side, but I'd sacrifice for their sticky wings. The flavors are just unforgettable. Love that the napkins are home made by the owners' parents, and so were the wait staff's aprons. Small but mighty location, def get here early when they open. The cocktails are divine and the service is always on point. Parking can kind of be tricky but I usually can either find street parking a few blocks away, or the parking structure nearby that's paid. Thanks for being my SBA staple and you have delivered consistent flavors the last 6 years.

    Beef rendang
    Vicki C.

    Great homey place for some Indonesian inspired dishes. Sama sama means you're welcome or same to you often following thank you, conveying a sense of togetherness. My favorites were the signature wings, ribs with potato wedges (yummy white dip), and fried fish (crispy and flavorful). If you like milder flavors, the chicken and fried rice are your best bets. The chips come with a delicious peanut sauce. Beef rendang was tasty although traditionally is more saucy I hear. In any case, great flavors and atmosphere.

    Braised pork noodles
    Celine P.

    I absolutely love this place. The Vietnamese chicken wings will always be on my list of things to indulge in. The spicy, sweet, herby taste is so satisfying with the crispy skin. I love the brussel sprouts, how it just melts in mouth. The braised pork noodles was something I realize could possibly be replicated at home but so delicious nevertheless. We walked in at 6pm on a Tuesday and was able to get a walk in seat, but seem like reservations were preferable. The air is romantic with the candle lights. Super busy and full of conversation.

    Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats
    Alex M.

    Overall: A // 5 stars Sama Sama Kitchen is the first restaurant I visited in Santa Barbara and to this date is still my favorite restaurant. Although the food runs on the pricey style with elevated tapas style small plates, I love their take on how to highlight Asian fusion flavors in a beautiful way. The restaurant has a cozy inside and a beautiful hidden garden patio in the back outdoors as well; I also feel they do a great job selecting a team that are incredibly friendly and goes above and beyond to make diners feel appreciated. Highly recommend. (Krupuk & Sambal: B) - Humble starter where all the effort is hidden in that beautifully developed sambal, featuring a spicy rendition to pair with a sweet and nutty peanut sauce. l did find this to be a downgrade from the last time I visited, which featured 3 sambal, including a non-spicy tomato jam that goes well to complement these two, at only $5 compared to $8. (Signature Wings: A+) - It's sweet; it's salty; it's acidic; it's what you want to eat! Hands down the best wings I've had in my lifetime the first time I had it in 2019 and still the best wings I've had as of 2025. That tamarind caramel is just such an addictive masterpiece while simultaneously highlighting the beauty of southeast asian flavors. This sauce pairs so well with the succulent crispy wings, which are able to maintain their crispiness with the saucy coating. (Crispy Rice Salad: C) - Very mint-forward to the point of being overpowering; love the texture of the puffed rice, but otherwise felt like the salad was missing substance. Feel like this dish may work better reduced in size and used as a side to pair something that calls for a very strong herb to counter balance. (Cocktail: A) - Forgot the name, but it is one of their takes on a more southeast asian style mezcal, which is easy on the palette; the presentation is simple and clean as well. (Pepes Ikan: A) - Lusciously fragrant black cod enriched in a coating of comforting coconut and tomato sambal that pairs perfectly with their yellow coconut rice. The fish is incredibly tender and absorbs the sambal paste very beautifully. (Naughty Nuri Ribs: C) - Love the tenderness of the sticky barbeque ribs; separately, the crispy potato wedges work well with the creaminess of the garlic aioli; however, I feel like the potatoes and ribs have no cohesion and don't go together well. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: +1 Service: +1 Menu: +1 Overall: 5 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats

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    Sama Sama Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sama Sama Kitchen

    Can we bring our dog if we sit outside on the patio?

    We are dog friendly, if the dogs are well behaved; but we are unable to allow pets on our back patio, as the only access is through the kitchen.

    Are they back to full serve at lunch or do you still have to order at the bar first?

    Yes, we are back to fully table-side service for lunch. See you soon!

    Hi. Do you cater for weddings? Aporox 100-150 people?

    Hi M B, We do! Please email hello@samasamakitchen.com and we can put something together.… Read more

    Are reservations recommended for weekends or weeknights?

    Yes, definitely, especially if you have a bigger party

    Is there outdoor seating?

    Yes, there is outdoor seating blocked off in the road just across the sidewalk from the entrance.

    When's their happy hour?

    Currently we do not have any happy hour specials, but plan to roll out some in the near future. We do have a wide variety of drinks & dishes that can fit into anyones budget.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Test Pilot

    4.4
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    Amazing bar with a highly skilled bartender (on a Tuesday night) who managed to deliver…read moreconsistently perfect cocktails with zero help, to a crowd. The cocktails are highly creative, diverse in flavor and design, and really could stand up to any you would find at a top cocktail bar in a major city. The exterior doesn't scream "must come in" but you absolutely should. Is it a tiki bar? Yes, but in the best way. And the bartender deserves applause for pulling off 3+ quite complex cocktails every 5 minutes off of memory and without any support.

    Test Pilot lands somewhere in the orbit of tiki without fully crash-landing on a bamboo runway, and…read morehonestly, that works in its favor. In a stretch of Lower State packed with breweries, wine bars, and roaming weekend energy-drink humans in vintage bowling shirts, it threads the needle nicely between cocktail bar and tropical escape pod. The menu leans tiki-adjacent rather than deep-cut exotica, but the drinks are smartly built and avoid the "every problem can be solved with more rum" philosophy. There's a solid spread of spirits across the board, which makes the place feel more welcoming to a broader nightlife crowd instead of strictly rum disciples clutching vintage Trader Vic's mugs. The Oaxacan Dead was the standout for me. Smoky, balanced, endlessly sippable. One of those drinks where every sip quietly talks you into ordering another without turning into a sugar avalanche. The Jungle Bird was also great, though presented more in the direction of a Negroni than the punchier tropical versions you usually see. Bitter, restrained, and easy to settle into. Crowd-wise, things tilted a little frat-floaty as the night rolled on, but the staff handled everything smoothly and kept the vibe from turning into full pirate mutiny. Service stayed friendly and composed even when the volume of the room started climbing like a malfunctioning theremin. Big bonus points for the location and outdoor seating. Being right in the middle of Lower State makes it an easy launch point or final stop depending on your evening trajectory. Grab a drink, people-watch, drift between breweries and wine spots, repeat as necessary.

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    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails
    Inside
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    Dusk Bar

    Dusk Bar

    4.6
    (70 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    We stopped at Dusk Bar for about an hour on 05/23/2026 (at about 6:30pm) while we waited for a…read moretable at a nearby restaurant. I love how this State street facing business, which is part of the Drift Hotel, has a Dawn (coffee shop) and a Dusk (bar). We were looking for a good cocktail before dinner, and this did not disappoint. We were a party of two, and there are plenty of seats inside, as well as some patio seats outside. I had the Sweet Gidget, which is a tequila based drink with strawberry liquer, lime and some strawberry sugar rim. We also shared the chips and salsa, which had some absolutely delicious chips and some great green tomatilla salsa. It actually had a pretty nice spice to it, which we really loved. We would return again in the future.

    For some reason, this is considered the top cocktail bar in downtown Santa Barbara, however, we…read morefound the experience underwhelming and the service remarkably slow and unenthusiastic. When we arrived on a Tuesday evening, there were about seven patrons throughout the bar and the outdoor seating area with the live music drew us in. We were told to order at the bar, so while the rest of our party was seated, I stood there for five minutes before someone took my order. Totally fine, but no sorry for the wait or even smile or any warmth from the male bartender, who disappeared for a five minute break shortly after taking my order. The tables at the outdoor seating area were very sticky and since there were no employees in sight I (and the other patrons who arrived then) cleaned the tables ourselves. After waiting 10 minutes I went up to the bar and assumed since our drinks hadn't been delivered, I was supposed to pick them up, I was told don't worry, we'll bring them to you, and after another five minutes, our drinks arrived. The cocktails were decent, nothing revolutionary but I am spoiled in this department, well made but nothing to get excited about . After 30 minutes of enjoying the genuinely nice outdoor area we ordered another round, three shots took another 10+ minutes. When we realized we had to leave to make our reservation, we asked for a box for our untouched food, and we were told we don't have boxes. They ended up finding one for For us, but it appeared to be a pastry box from somewhere else. The female bartender who took over after the male clocked out, was much more personable, but not much more efficient. To their credit, this bar has an excellent selection of tequilas and Mezcal's, so if you're not in a rush and you enjoy those spirits it's definitely worth stopping by. The music was really great and was definitely the highlight of that bar.

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    Pleasant decor
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    Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned

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    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    Pearl Social Cocktail Club

    3.8
    (107 reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    Came by here on Valentines day to have a couple drinks. Place is beautiful and the vibe is very…read morechill and relaxing. Took a minute to get some service unfortunately. The drinks were well made and we ordered the charcuterie board to eat. Small place, small menu FYI. Overall not a bad little spot to hang out and catch up with friends or bring a date.

    I absolutely loved Pearl Social and kudos to my friend Jara S. For highlighting them and for the…read morestellar drink recommendation. Pearl social is such a whimsical fun spot to grab a drink and a snack in the funk zone. We stumbled in for a late afternoon drink and it wasn't very busy inside - giving off "best kept secret vibe". The decor is very feminine yet playful. Loved the design and bar area. We opted for a casual booth area by the bar which was really nice. Also all of the little things were done well, crisp menus, clean bathrooms, and music done at just the right sound level. Their menu in the bar area for food is small but mighty - oysters, cheese plates, you name it. I'm definitely going to keep coming here for the cocktails. I've had one of the best sips in 2025 here - which would be The Mixtape cocktail. My friend told me I had to get it and I'm so glad I listen sometimes lol. This cocktail completely blew me away. Passionfruit forward, it's silky, sweet yet very well balanced. One of the more unique and tasty cocktails I've had ever and honestly I'm not sure how I could come back and get anything else. 10/10 Cocktail and menu. Super impressed. Kudos to Mark who was working the bar. Such a lovely spirit and kind person. He really is passionate about his menu and the drinks he's curated. Loved talking to him as we got to know a lot more about Pearl social and how some of their drinks were concerted. Really appreciated his time and expertise. Anytime I'm in the funk zone I will 100% be stopping back by here for a cocktail and good vibes.

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    Cute decor!
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    Oku

    Oku

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$$
    Rooftop seating
    Gluten-free friendly

    Took my husband here for his birthday & date night with our baby in a stroller and they were really…read moreaccommodating. They seated us outside facing the beach but at the end so we weren't too crowded by other tables. Everything we ate here was good but we HIGHLY recommend the Crazy Rich Asians rolls. So worth the market price. We might just make it a tradition to visit here every SB trip.

    Nice views of the pier!…read more Grabbed dinner with the wife on our way home from our honeymoon. We were craving sushi and this place right across from the beach was the perfect spot. They seated us fairly quickly, putting us at a table between the last guests and an upcoming reservation which was perfect for us. We started with some miso soup which was pretty good. The blistered shishito peppers not so much. When peppers burn their skin turns dark black and very flaky, not a very fun texture to chew on. Little bits of burnt pepper skin was getting stuck in our teeth and gums. We only ate a few and sent them away. We shared the salmon lollipops, basically a no rice salmon roll wrapped in cucumber with a stick in it so it looks like a lollipop. They were refreshing but not filling so make sure to order more if you get this. Katie got a Sunrise roll and I got the Crouching Tiger roll which were both really good. We also got a side of the garlic green beans which were fresh and very hot. Our server was very nice and we had a great experience overall here. Prices were reasonable also.

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    Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!
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    Sama Sama Kitchen - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

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