Dude this place is the freaking Michelin star version of El Pollo loco man. Food is freaking amazing Service is quick and straight to the point The place is small but has a lot of table seating. If you're a big guy like me, get the combo of the chicken and tri-tip. You won't regret it. Literally ordered twice in one sitting because it was that damn good. Glad I came across this place when finding food in SB. Heck ya read more

I had the tri-tip sandwich with chips and my friend had the tri-tip burrito. The tri-tip was a bit on the chewy side. It was good, but nothing really stood out for me. Their salsa bar is good too, with fresh salsa and jalapeños and onions and things to add to your dish. The staff did their jobs, and the restaurant was clean. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Tri tip sandwich - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Highly recommend if you're looking for a healthy meal option. I ordered takeout to enjoy at natural history museum. read more

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Actually devastating because there is no dessert on the menu. That is my only complaint. After a long day at work, we were grateful such savory restaurant was open so late. We got there around 9 and there was a decent amount of families having late night dinners like us. I only got tri tip because I wasn't that hungry but it was tasty, so juicy and flavorful I kept eating it. Presentation was simply uniform in shape and color. Love the grill marks. I also got pink lemonade. Classic. Guac tasted quite oily. Needs more salt. The burrito was certainly a two meal kind of dish. Pretty giant. Love the salsa bar. I would love to learn how to make the marinated onions. I could eat bucket fulls of it if I had the capacity. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - 1/4 Tri-Tip Plate, BRC Burrito (Beans, Rice & Cheese) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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dude!!! the chicken and tri-tip here were just so effffffing good!! very tasty and juicy not greasy or nasty. the custom chicken and tri-tip burrito was (homer simpson drool). price wasn't too too bad. this is my new favorite place even though it's a bit out of the way but worth it. limited seating inside. service was great. read more

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This restaurant was recommended by a local business. Small parking lot, but spaces seem to free up pretty quickly. Lot's of orders to-go. We had the chicken and tri-tip, and a cheese quesadilla. The cheese quesadilla had tons of cheese. The chicken and the tri-tip were DELICIOUS. First bite was ...yummmmmm. There are a million food options in SB, but this little gem is busy for a reason. It's not fancy, it's just good food. We went back for a combo burrito. It was good, but or us the shining star is the straightforward deliciousness of just the meat. Next visit, just the chicken and tri-tip - YES PLEASE! read more

Good night. Yes please. Much more. It's fast, casual, so they don't have a server however, all the workers were service oriented and super friendly. Nice ambience. Great food. read more

Convenient location, adequate parking, inviting building. Patio and inside tables. Menu is limited but all great selections. These folks know what they are doing. I had the Tri-Tip. Lots of meat with beans and rice. 4 tortillas. Very happy and will go there next time we are in Santa Barbara. read more

Spotted the reviews for this hole in the wall gem while passing through Santa Barbara. The chicken is grilled to perfection and the chips and guacamole are a very generous size and delish!! Would absolutely come here again when I'm in the area. Easy parking. Good value for the $$ read more

We got a combo burrito with guac and sour cream added. It was pretty bomb. The tri tip was very flavor filled with pepper and the chicken was cooked perfectly juicy. There was some gristle in the tri tip which I had to pull out cause I couldn't chew through and not all the cheese was melted, but the flavors were there and the tortilla was fresh. I wish they made home made tortilla chips too but they do pick a good store bought brand to include with their plates. The chicken sandwich was great. Chicken was yummy and the coleslaw paired perfectly in the soft bun. It's probably the smallest of the meals that you can eat all of in one sitting. The other meals provide 2 meals in 1. We ordered through door dash and it arrived timely and warm. read more

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Really great food for a really great price. We ordered the chicken and tri tip combo and it was SO filling. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place has a great vibe and good food if you know what to order. Let me start by saying that the plate of chicken is the best thing you can order here do not order the tri-tip do not order the bowls do not order the burritos the whole chicken or half chicken is the only good thing here. I love that they have a salsa bar that you can take as much as you want of. The portions are great for the price. The customer service is typically good and the cashiers are typically rude. Something I can't wrap my head around and is the main reason why I don't recommend the burritos and bowls is because they shred their chicken. If they diced their chicken and served it the same way chipotle does their burritos would be good. I don't know if this is a traditional Mexican thing to do and I've been to a lot of Mexican spots and this is the only place that serves burritos with shredded chicken and it is terrible. I highly consider, especially because they have great great chicken here that they should start dicing it up because this is a horrible idea and they have so much potential here. I have gotten food poisoning from them a few times it may have been from the guac or the sour cream however, I do like this place and I do recommend that people check it out at least once. read more

Goodness, food and memory, memory and food! It has been awhile, but I love this place. The Tri tip burrito was delicious and the salsa, perfectly picante! read more

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I LOVE Chicken Ranch!!! I always get the chicken burrito with a horchata, and it never disappoints. Everything is always so fresh and delicious. One of my absolute favorite spots--I couldn't recommend it more! read more

This place is special. Decided to stop by for dinner after finding this place on Yelp and I love me some good mesquite/ charcoal grilled chicken and tri tip, this place has exactly that. I'm in SB for a work trip and so far I've came 3 time already and EVERY TIME has been great. Every time too this place is busy. Cute small resteraunt. Lots of seating indoor and outdoor. Make sure you check out the salsa bar! The Burritos ARE HUGE. You can not go wrong with either chicken or tri tip. The chicken is a shredded that's been stewed. The tri tip is grilled. I would have to say the tri trip is what I prefer and would rate that burrito a 9 out of 10 and the chicken an 8.5 out of 10. I've also tried the combo plate and that had the grilled chicken breast and wing it was amazing! It also came with the tri tip and it was equally as great and the side of beans and rice are so good! This plate is also a 9 out of 10. Overall the place is the bomb and if your in the area give them a try, you won't regret it. Thanks SB chicken ranch! I'm a huge fan. Till next time! read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Tri-Tip Burrito (AMAZING) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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After coming back several times, I have to agree with other reviewers that it's really a hit or miss. Sometimes, the chicken is good and seasoned - other times, bland, salsa not even spicy or with flavor, and the tri tip dry. After eating at several other restaurants with beans and Spanish rice, I do have to agree that their bean and rice game is a thumbs down. You def do get a lot of food and lots of condiments but it's not the best chicken in town. Still a decent option, but you're better off searching and tasting around options like if ever craving mesquite chicken. Also this location in De La Vina is much better than Fairview, where it can even be more bland read more

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The tri-tip was paper thin and solid grey, it could not have been worse. Adding insult to injury, it wasn't even the volume I paid for- it was suppose to be a full pound ($38, with sides) and when weighed it was 2/3rds of a pound. This place used to be good, like 15 years ago. read more

I came in today and ordered some Tri tip burritos. They ended up tasting very weird. It looks like they are using a new type of cheese now. Everyone disapproved of the taste. Maybe they ran out of their regular cheese but they definitely know it tastes different. It's not the first time it's happened. read more

Updating my review: Still good 6 years later. Still worth it for the price. Still huge servings. Got the 1/2 chicken plate to share and it was so tasty and the salsa is a perfect addition. Combo burrito was also delicious. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to try this place after a long day of fun in SB. When we walked in it felt very welcoming and you can see it's a nice locally owned restaurant. It was pretty busy too! We got the combo plate(with chicken and tri-tip) and their chicken quesadilla. Our order came out in about 15-20 minutes which I say is a reasonable time considering how many orders kept coming. We enjoyed the self service bar they have for the salsa and got ourselves a little bit of everything. Once we got back to the hotel, we were happy to see it was a lot of food for a great price point. The chicken was amazing and very flavorful. My boyfriend loved the tri-tip but I did think it was a bit dry. The quesadilla was delicious especially with the salsas and pickled onion. The only thing I didn't enjoy much was the rice but it wasn't bad just not to my liking. Overall the food was amazing especially for the price point and we would certainly come back to try it again. I would definitely recommend this place to others! read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is one of our stops every time we come to California. The food is incredible. Mesquite grilled chicken and tri-tip are amazing. Always tender and juicy. You can see them grilling over the coals in the kitchen. In Texas they eat brisket I would say this is the California equivalent of brisket. Make this a stop if you are out here. read more

My family stopped here for lunch while we were visiting Santa Barbara, and it was an interesting experience. I got a burrito and my family ordered a large plate of chicken to share. The burrito came with tortilla chips and was jam packed with beans, rice, and meat. The flavor was fine but I felt that it was way too many carbs inside the burrito and not enough fresh elements to cancel that out, so it was very hard to eat. My family seemed to enjoy their chicken though. It's like rotisserie chicken, not fried, and comes in massive pieces. They also serve horchata here which was interesting to see, as the place didn't really feel like a traditional Mexican restaurant in any way. In terms of ambiance, it feels exactly like what you'd expect from a neighborhood chicken restaurant. Lots of dads. Service was fine but a little chaotic because it was quite crowded. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Tri - tip Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Been coming here for years. Simple menu. Service is fast and friendly. Usually pretty busy in the evenings so best to call ahead. The chicken or combo burrito is the best! Only recommendation is that they make a salsa verde! read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Over the years, I've returned to Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch a few times. Parking is located in a small lot on site, but finding a spot was never an issue. Also, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining. As for the food, this place has great grilled chicken. Albeit on the saltier side, the chicken has some great flavor from both the marinade and the wood grill. The salsa bar is top notch with excellent pico de gallo and other salsas. I have had their tri tip before, but I found it unremarkable - a bit dry and tasteless. All in all, I enjoy the prices, chicken, salsas, and convenience of Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch, so I always try to come when I visit SB from LA! read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Half Chicken Only with Salsas - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was living in SB for a month and came back here once a week cause it was SOOOO GOOD! When you arrive there is typically a small line around dinner or lunch but the line moves super quick to place your order. They has seating inside and outside. I Love love love the chicken here!!! Specially the chicken burrito has so much flavor! Loaded with rice beans chicken tinga and you can top it with sour cream, salsa, lemon, pickeled onions 10/10. My wife gets the tri tip plate which has a great smokey charred taste. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was delicious. There were a lot of people so in terms of people vs time served, we got our food pretty fast. I took away one star because after we paid and were waiting for our food, my husband went to the salsa bar, and was accused of not paying and getting our salsas which was pretty rude since he was singled out in a restaurant full of people read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Combo plate - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My first time here. I did an online pickup. The food did not disappoint. However , I was bummed the salsa wasn't in there when I picked it up. So I ate without any salsa. It would have been nice if they mentioned to pick up salsa at the salsa bar, but of course I pick up an online order bc I'm in a rush. However overall , it was good food!!! Big portions. Lots of ppl inside so it gotta be good!!! read more

Chicken is good. Rice and beans are tastless rice is hard. Worst rice and beans i have ever had. Seevice is ok. Place is clean.

Meh, not my favorite - average Mexican BBQ with little flavor and a limited menu. My family LOVES Chicken Ranch and it IS an SB staple of quality, so I'm hoping they stick around for all the lovers out there, 'cause "it IS the best" iykyk lol read more

Great prices, good portions and plate options....but....the tri-tip is overcooked!! So tough...ended up throwing 1/2 away.

The combo burrito: chicken and tri tip met in a tortilla. An assorted salsa bar. Country music in our ears. The service was good. The company was even better. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - Us - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Friendly & clean establishment. Service was good, kind & efficient. Food was quick and delicious. My husband and I each got the chicken plate (he got white meat & I got the red meat) with rice and the chicken was really tasty & juicy. We are spending the weekend in Santa Barbara and found this place by looking through Yelp & we're glad we chose to come here. Definitely try them out. read more

Figures. I got a two-tip burrito at a chicken place. It was a little disappointing on the meat flavor, and the meat was a little gristly, but the rice, and beans and cheese were delicious and the salsa was tremendous. Wife got the 2 piece chicken plate and the chicken was fire roasted over a pit and was very juicy (even the breast meat). Prices were reasonable for these days I guess. Plenty of home made delicious tortilla chips came with the burrito and they were also wonderful. Exceeds expectations! 5-5 . read more

Was on my way to Los Angeles and stopped by because I felt like some chicken but once I got in there I called an audible and opted for the tri tip. Served with beans, rice and tortillas, it was a hefty meal that I couldn't finish but was pretty good. A little dry but the hot sauces helped with that read more

This is a local favorite hot spot. I wanted something BBQ to eat, so we came here for dinner after reading the Yelp reviews on it. The place looked pretty crowded with a line and many people sitting on the street side patio. As we sat down to eat, a local told us "this place never disappoints! You all have to try the chicken. Unfortunately we all got the tri-tip so I am already regretting not ordering the chicken. Our order was ready within 7-8 minutes. I got the Tri-tip plate that came with a small side of pinto beans, rice and 3 small flour tortillas. The tortillas are made by a local shop for them. They smell homemade. They have that real distinct flour with grill marks smell. Mmmm heaven! Tri-tip was a total hit for me. The beans were okay and the rice was ok. The salsa verde is HOT! So have your drink ready. We also ordered a side of guacamole and I love that they don't dilute it with a bunch of tomatoes. It is just pure avocado lime Juice and seasonings. Since we were visiting out of town, my mom place an order of guac, pinto beans and tortillas to go for breakfast the next day. The staff is very friendly. It's family owned and they all work hard. Definitely need to hit up this place if you are in SB! read more

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Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch thinks a burrito is just a rice delivery system with a side of disappointment. I felt like I was on a rice exploration mission, and the chicken was playing hide-and-seek. Maybe they're trying to corner the rice market, but I just wanted a burrito, not a rice mountain expedition. read more

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - 2 Rice Mountain Expeditions. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This was a lunch stop for our family trip through Santa Barbara. The price was worth the amount of food served, each burrito was enough for two of us to share, so our large group of 6 adults and 1 kid was able to try a burrito, quesadilla, and chicken plate with a guac side since most plates had chips on it. Everything was tender and flavorful. The guac was very fresh and tasty. We were able to enjoy this nice lunch with our dogs in the patio, there are timed heaters if it's a little chilly outside. So no big deal if anyone wants to visit with their four legged friends. The staff were friendly and efficient. They do have a lot behind their location, which seems like it could get filled but we were able to find a spot. If not, it seems that there is street parking. read more

Great food great place I eat here all the time chicken is bomb highly recommend this place

I always go to Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch and order the chicken burrito. This time I found a chicken bone in burrito. It made me not want to eat anymore. read more

I had a combo sandwich with warm and fresh chips on the side. Tasty salsa bar with extras like pickled onion was appreciated. I'm going to be a return customer for certain. read more