We visited Sama Sama while in Santa Barbara, and it was hands down the best restaurant we had the pleasure of experiencing during our trip. We feel pretty fortunate to have so many great restaurants near home, so finding a place that genuinely surprised and impressed us was both refreshing and an absolute pleasure. Everything we tasted was amazing. The standouts were the ribs, crispy rice salad, wings, and short rib noodles, but there truly wasn't a single thing we didn't enjoy. The drinks were great, and the ambiance and service were equally impressive. Our only regret is that we have to wait until our next visit to Santa Barbara to eat here again. read more

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Sama Sama Kitchen is a Indonesian-inspired, Michelin Gourmand rated restaurant, was in the area so my family and I decided to go. We were greeted and seated right away, as for a Saturday afternoon, the restaurant wasn't so busy. Our server Izzy (on my receipt) was attentive and answered our questions, concerns well. I appreciate her service. My favorite dishes to the least favorite in order: Lamb gai (fresh and light), Braised pork noodles, Vietnamese wings, and lastly, the chicken satay (a bit dry, but sauce was flavorful), see my pics of each dish. It's not easy to judge from pics, one might think for the portion size for the price, is a bit smaller size. Indoor and outdoor seating. Cute, casual interior. Nearby paid parking structures, or good luck finding free street parking. Definitely a restaurant to check out when/if you're in the area. read more

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Beautiful & accessible Indonesian. Everything tastes light but also satisfying & filling! Pro tip: the best cocktail is the Joselito ... try with normal salt instead of tajin ... read more

I had no idea what I was sitting down to eat and it was all so delicious! Our server was so sweet and helpful. We sat on the cute little patio and the vibes were impeccable. We started with the LARB. The ingredient were fresh and crunchy! The CRISPY RICE SALAD was so unique, I definitely had a second serving. I think we had the VIETNAMESE WINGS which had a delicious kick as advertised. They were sauce and so good! The BRAISED PORK NOODLES were fine in my opinion, I think there was five spice seasoning and it's not my favorite. It was obviously well made though! I heard good things and I'm so glad they were right. This place is relaxed and bright. I can't wait to come back! read more

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This is Indonesian food like Taco Bell is Mexican food. I understand you're tailoring to your customers, but come on. To start, the host was lacking any type of personality and SO MUCH GREEN ONION! The space was pretty cool, but seemed like that's the only thing it had going for it. *Krupuk with sambal and peanut sauce- Not sure where this krupuk came from, but not the same krupuk I grew up with. No deep fried shrimp flavor. Tasted like bland rice cakes dipped in garlic. The peanut sauce tasted like burned peanuts with kecap (pronounced kee-chup, not kee-kap). And the sambal, tasted like it was bought at a grocery store and watered down. *Chicken Satay - First mistake was ordering chicken satay when it should be named Sate Ayam. But considering there was no flavor to the chicken, I guess chicken satay fits. And using chicken breast with no seasoning, at least I didn't taste any, was the main mistake. *Nasi Goreng - One of the biggest and most known dishes of Indonesia, such a huge let down. Maybe I have too high of an expectation. But a huge lack of flavor and the rice texture was too mushy. Like it was not 1-2 day old rice like it's supposed to be. The giant chunks of onion was.... Well..... giant..... *Braised chicken - the perkedel kentang was a decent addition to the braised chicken. The coconut sauce was a good choice to add on to this dish. This dish is the only reason why it's not a 1 star review. Chicken was cooked near perfectly with a lot of flavor from the coconut sauce. The peanut sauce needs a lot of work, give the choice of white or dark meat for the satay, don't use so much green onion, make fresh sambal, use the right rice or fry it up at a higher heat, dice up those onions for god sake, use real krupuk or call it something else, teach the staff how to properly pronounce things, and FLAVOR FLAVOR FLAVOR. If this is supposed to be "Inspired" by a culture that is known for so much flavor, seems like y'all need more inspiration. read more

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Service and ambiance are excellent, and the food is decent. I would have easily given this place 5 stars, but I was disappointed by their policy of automatically adding a 20% service charge/tip before even taking the order. While I understand restaurants sometimes do this, it removes the ability to tip based on the actual service received. I normally tip 10-15% when service falls short of expectations, and a mandatory 20% feels excessive in those situations. It would be better if they let customers decide the gratuity at the end based on their experience. Overall, the atmosphere and staff are nice, but the inflexible tipping policy left a sour note. read more

Dish review: - Brussel sprouts: Amazing! Flavorful, caramelized, sweet, almost my #1 dish - BBQ ribs: Fall off the bone tender meat, roasted texture, and glazed sauce was delicious - Puffed rice: Love the medley of flavors - tangy, savory, refreshing mint/cucumber. Texture was crunchy fried goodness. My #1. - Braised chicken: too sour, went too hard on the lemongrass, hard to enjoy because was sour note was too overpowering. Bokchoy cooked soggy which I liked. Everything cooked and served hot. Feels very fresh. Flavors were great. Just be wary of braised chicken curry being sour. read more

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I'm still dreaming of this place. First time was this last summer of 2026 and the food was delicious!! The drinks were fun and yummy and our service was excellent! The ambiance was very pleasant with plants and lights everywhere. Definitely a must when I visit Santa Barbara! Tony our waiter made our experience there so memorable given that was a last minute anniversary dinner. Can't wait to go back with our kids. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Gender neutral bathroom! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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 read more

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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. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We came here for a late lunch as we saw it holds Michelin Bib. Sweet: great menu options. So many tasty choices. We ordered the Vietnamese chicken wings and braised pork noodles. Both very delicious. The wings were all flats so that was a plus alone. Full of good flavor and very crispy. The noodles were delicious as well. I recommend both. The restaurant is decorated very nice and the server was attentive. Sour: the restaurant was very clean but it bothers me so much when some places have a designated area that flies like to circle around that tends to be near the bar. I wish there could be more control to prevent that. I did really enjoy the meal but the portions were small. If it wasn't so good I would almost say the prices weren't worth it. You can definitely share but I would get at least 3 options for 2 people. My husband and I weren't that hungry so it was a decent amount since it was such a late lunch and we were thinking about getting something else shortly after. Overall I hope we are in town again soon as there are other things I'd like to try. read more

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Sama Sama Kitchen was a really nice spot to try, especially for a special occasion. I came here for my friend's graduation, and the staff was very cheerful, friendly, and welcoming, which made the experience feel even better. The space was also decorated in a really interesting and cute way, so it had a fun vibe for dining with friends. The portions were not super big, but the food was good quality. Most dishes were around $30-$50, so it is definitely not the cheapest place, but still a good experience. My favorites were the fish sauce fried chicken wings and the stir-fried noodles. Both were super flavorful and really tasty. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend trying it. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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. read more

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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 read more

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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. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Ribs Chicken wings Coconut rice Bao - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A must try when you're in Santa Barbara! The wings are truly the star of the show! Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly sticky. They did not disappoint! I usually try just one item when visiting a new restaurant to decide if it's worth a return, and these wings definitely passed the test. I'll be coming back for more! They have two locations. one on State and another right by Gelson's. I highly recommend trying the wings if you're in the area. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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 read more

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Listed in Michelin Guide. Parking: park few blocks down to get a 75min free street parking. State street is for bike and walking only. Seating: indoor and outdoor patio. Service: friendly people. Restroom: 1 gender neutral restroom We ordered: Morning After plate - fried rice, 2 chicken satay, crispy fried egg, smashed cucumber Kuku Ruyuk - coconut yellow rice, 2 chicken satay, wings, mixed bok choy salad and smashed cucumbers Braised pork noddle - fried noddle with Braised pork Naughty nuri spare ribs - originated from Bali style. Overall food is ok, decend. If you tried an authentic indonesian food, you will get a bit dissappoint. Otherwise, you will enjoy them. read more

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Food wasn't bad but nothing that stood out to me. The birthday dessert was my favorite lol. Great service and cute for a date night read more

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This was a disappointing experience. The good: wings were good, waiter was kind The bad: host was cold as ice, cocktails absolutely nothing to write home about, ribs weren't meaty enough to justify the $34 price tag, crispy rice salad was boring and needed more ingredients, 20% auto gratuity to me means cheapskate ownership trying to pass payroll onto customers. Wouldn't return, especially in a city with so many great options. read more

Delicious south Asian food in ambiance that gives modern proletariat vibes. The wings: We ordered half &half so we could try 3 of each of their 2 flavors. I loooved the crispy Thai wings, with fish sauce and yummy sweetness drizzled on top. Wasn't a fan of the black molasses drenched house special wings - but my hubby was. And they are the house special so people must like them. lol! The short rib noodles tho? Soooo good! Can't describe how yummy these noodles are. The meat is not served as a big chuck, but cut up and parsed throughout. This dish really shines! The crispy rice salad was also wonderful. Lighter than the short rib noodles but definitely not a traditional salad. It's a warm rice dish with salad elements in it, like cilantro and other tasty things. The texture of the rice - almost like warm and rice crispy, is what makes it particularly memorable. The Indonesian jasmine tea comes in a little kettle and serves 2. The tea is so full of flavor, the scent so lovely - it's a big YES for me! Service was very laid back, very knowledgeable, the staff work together very well and are very welcoming. Wonderful experience! read more

The chicken wings were absolutely amazing - if you do nothing else, order those!!! The Vietnamese style was my favorite. The shaved bok choy and duck salad was SO good as well!!! The duck was excellent, and didn't feel too fatty - it was perfect. The drinks were good as well - had the spritz. Our servers were so polite and friendly, and honestly just felt like we were around friends. I like that this place, like many jn Santa Barbara, pays their staff a living wage and so you end up with a more authentic interaction that doesn't feel forced. The aesthetic was beautiful - perfect for a lunch date or for a dinner before sunset. Open air seating, beautiful decor, overall a lovely experience! read more

- Wings (half signature, half Vietnamese): 6/10 - Cod: 3/10, needs more depth of flavor. Thai Basil still on the stem just placed on top of fish while steaming - Ribs: 7/10. Ribs were good, felt like an incomplete/separate dish from the potatoes) - Morning after plate: 2/10, the whole dish needed more flavor. In addition, chicken breast satay was on the dry side, and cucumbers needed more vinegar and less salt read more

Really great service, tips are included and tips seemed shared too. We had any number of wait staff helping us. All the food came quickly and was super flavorful. Brussel sprouts had a mixture of sweet dates to cut the bitterness which was nice. Highlights were the house wings, perfect combo of acid and heat and umami. The chicken bao was surprisingly not a sharable dish, but more of a Asian chicken sandwich. Still great though. I thought it would be a few dumplings to share. The main was the pork noodles. Also very good with Chinese 5 spice and peppers and garlic and jalapeños. Very rich, share for 2 people. Overall very good quality and fun for groups to share. Must have for modern Asian food lovers. read more

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Outstanding meal! I chose the patio which was very lovely and had cute light strings. I ordered the black code, signature chicken wings, and the papaya salad. The black cod was probably the best I ever had. It melted in my mouth. They cook it wrapped in a banana leaf and it just keeps all the sauce and flavor together. Was a great call by the waitress to order a side of jasmine rice to soak up the sauce. Phenomenal. The papaya has quite the kick and was super refreshing. To drink I got the Under the lilac sky which was so good. This place definitely earned it's Michelin bib! read more

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My sister and I went very hungry which could have been a mistake. We were told the portions were large and family style but I couldn't imagine sharing my dish. I got the fish wrapped in banana leaves and a side of rice. How they could charge $40 for that meal is beyond me. The food was cold and not that flavorful. My sister got the duck salad and sent it back because the duck (all 3 pieces) was incredibly dry, again $26 for the smallest portion. The service was good and I'm fine with the 20% added tip, if the food wasn't so expensive. I think this place is very overpriced and overhyped. Will not be coming back. read more

Cute date spot on the main street in SB with the most interesting menu. Wait staff was very friendly. We got the crispy rice salad which was so good. The ribs were also very flavorful. Everything was great though I would say it is ever so slightly more expensive that it needs to be. The portion sizes and prices don't match. I get it... its on the main street but... One more set of ribs would've justified it. One more heaping scoop of the salad would've justified it. Anyways, its always my fav go to spot in SB! read more

Came here real quick for an appetizer as we wanted to hop around. Got their traditional wings and oh boy were they delicious! Location is perfect as it's in the downtown area and walkable to lots of other shops, restaurants, the courthouse gardens etc. our waitress was very friendly as well and provided us with other recommendations. I would def come back again to try more of their items! read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Wings - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

on the michelin guide so wanted to check this southeast asian restaurant! street parking and not too busy during lunch time. food was great but nothing spectacular. food: - naughty nuri spare ribs: one of my favs - morning after plate: rice has good flavor - kuku-ruyuk: very saucy wings and satay is the same as the morning after - braised pork mie goreng: yummy fried noodle read more

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Review is from July 2024. My husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara and had read great things about Sama Sama so we decided to give it a try. We had our two dogs with us so we had to wait for a table in their front patio. The front patio can be a bit tight/the tables are close together. We ordered: 1. Signature Wings 2. Braised Pork Mie Goreng 3. Naughty Nuri Spare Ribs All of the dishes were flavorful and the meat on the wings and ribs were tender and came right off the bones. I love noodles so the Mie Goreng was my favorite, with the ribs coming in second. While there seemed to be a lot of servers, service was slow. It took a while for a server to take our order and they checked on us maybe once? Food was great but service could have been better. read more

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the wings and burger are delicious. we came on a rainy day and didn't mind sitting outside. we were next to a fireplace and they offered us blankets. the wings are flavorful and crispy. the burger had a great texture and i would definitely come back for it again. it's a spacious and clean place. overall, it's definitely worth checking out. read more

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Tried Sama Sama for dinner after typically going only for lunch. Menu is basically the same, but the place Is quite busier! We did the Thai fish, cucumber salad, Tamarind wings, and the daily special tofu with broccolini. Flavors were all right on. It is a little pricey for the amount of food, but that is ok since you won't complain about fresh garlic, veggies, and spices. My favorite was the crispy garlic on top of the tofu which gave the best kick since combined with Serrano peppers. I recommend putting your name in at the front and going on a walk while you wait to be seated. Only not great thing is the outdoor area is small in front and we had seat next to door which felt like we were basically the host counter while we ate. read more

Sama Sama Kitchen - Thai fish - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My mom and I were walking around the neighborhood yesterday and passed by a restaurant with a Tagalog name, so we assumed it was Filipino food and got curious enough to try it. Turns out it's actually Indonesian-inspired. We ordered the braised pork mie goreng, which was overwhelmingly salty, and the black cod wrapped in banana leaves, which somehow managed to be completely bland. Overall, the dishes felt pretty basic... just like the server who was utterly RUDE! read more