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Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch

4.0 (527 reviews)
ModerateMexican, Barbeque
Open 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

Order Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch Takeout or Delivery

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SANTA BARBARA CHICKEN RANCH ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch

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Sandwich
Sarah S.

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.

Remnants!
Brett S.

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!

Tri-Tip Burrito  (AMAZING)
Jaz M.

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!

Karla E.

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!

The Family Special! Worth it to have leftovers the next day
Vivian L.

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

Chicken burrito
Mariah A.

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!

Chicken burrito
Brooke D.

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.

Combo plate
Keri H.

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

Tri - tip Burrito
Michelle Z.

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.

Half Chicken Only with Salsas

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

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19 days ago

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14 days ago

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.

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1 month ago

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23 days ago

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

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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3 months ago

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

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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4 months ago

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3 months ago

Always good. Calling ahead to order is very helpful. I would like more options to the salsa menu. Make one spicier

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3 years ago

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8 months ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

Out standing ! Very nice people that work at the restaurant and the chicken was very delicious. Perfectly seasoned will come back.

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7 months ago

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8 months ago

Terrific chicken & quesadillas, with excellent spicy salsa. Easy, fast. Friendly people.

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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4 months ago

i cannot say enough good things about the Chicken Ranch., Food is consistently delicious unlike other places in this town, 5 stars.

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2 years ago

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Best BBQ Santa Barbara

Best BBQ Santa Barbara

3.9(130 reviews)
1.9 mi
$$

Tried one of the most talked about BBQ spots in Santa Barbara and ordered the 2 meat combo with tri…read moretip and beef rib. It came with a huge chunk of bread, baked beans, and two sides. We went with double macaroni salad. The tri tip ended up being our favorite. It was juicy, tender, and packed with smoky flavor. We were actually more excited for the beef rib, hoping it would be super juicy and fall off the bone tender, but it didn't quite hit that expectation. It was still flavorful, just a little tougher than we hoped. The half and half sauce also had more spice than we personally prefer. The baked beans were delicious and paired really well with the meats. The only side that fell a little flat for us was the macaroni salad because it could definitely use a bit more flavor and dressing. Also taking off one star because the silver skin on the ribs should've been removed for a cleaner bite. That said, for the portion size and quality of food, the price was honestly very affordable. You definitely get a lot of food for what you pay for, which makes it a great BBQ spot if you're hungry and want something satisfying without spending too much. Overall, still a solid BBQ stop in Santa Barbara and definitely worth trying if you're craving smoked meats.

Pretty good! I was hanging out on State St, and I wanted to pick up lunch for my partner and I. Bbq…read moresounded good so I ordered a 2 Meat Combo with Tri-Tip, Pork Ribs, Coleslaw, and macaroni salad. Service was quick and fast. The man who took my order was very friendly and considerate. The food came out really quickly too. Our order came with plenty of food for two people. With our 2 meat combo came: - Tri-tip: Good! Meaty, not too dry, and went well with the half/half bbq and hot sauce. 4/5 - Pork Rib: ribs came out very tender, easily fell off the bone, and easy to eat. 5/5 - Coleslaw: Was pretty ordinary, a little too watery and the vegetables weren't as crunchy as I would like 3/5 - Macaroni Salad: Good! I liked the green (cilantro?) bits added to it because it didn't taste too heavy and wasn't too mayo-heavy 4/5 - Bread: Least favorite part, pretty ordinary bread and was nothing memorable 2/5 Would totally come back for lunch!

Photos
Best BBQ Santa Barbara - Looking toward back of restaurant

Looking toward back of restaurant

Best BBQ Santa Barbara - Family Meal

Family Meal

Best BBQ Santa Barbara - Front counter

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Front counter

Cold Spring Tavern

Cold Spring Tavern

4.3(1.5k reviews)
8.9 mi
$$

Needed a quick bite before playing golf at Rancho San Marcos so we stopped by Cold Spring Tavern…read more We sat in the bar and knew that we wanted French Dip sandwiches. The waiter Jose took the order and delivered 2 sandwiches within 4 minutes. Wish we had more time.

I drove a Birthday Party of 9 down here on a Friday in one of our Sprinter vans…read more We arrived at 11:30ish, its first come first served. Parking is along the side of the road, parallel parking. RV's, trailers, big vans don't work here. We were lucky enough to park legally in a handicapped stall. Also I believe theres a no dog policy, I'm not sure why as you sit at picnic tables out side, also some inside seating. This is an old camp/cafe/stage coach stop built in 1868 or so, a days ride back then. The folks here have this dialed in the service. The menu is quote interesting, old spin on american favorites and yet something for most everyone. I went with the Bison Flank steak, medium I asked for a side of cole slaw. There was nothing exceptionally flavorful. In fact it was disappointing. The Bison was probably beef, flank is generally not a tender cut thats why its thinly cut and flash cooked The slaw as bland as it comes. I tried the fries, pass the ketchup please. The iced tea was very good, strong and tasted fresh. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and the conversation about our meal choice lead to sampling. Good fun and a good group, they bought my lunch...so there are "free lunches" in life. Its worth a tuesday lunch visit, once in my opinion. foodguy-martin

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Cold Spring Tavern - Room

Room

Cold Spring Tavern - Tri tip sandwich

Tri tip sandwich

Cold Spring Tavern

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Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio - 1/2 lb Tri-Tip w/ side of fries and Mac & Cheese

Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio

4.3(689 reviews)
2.3 mi
$$

I'm a first timer here ! Excited…read more I got the Santa barber burger with a side of fries , and a Arnold Palmer drink Fries , and loaded nachos , and the ribs are very tasty . There is a lot of parking available next to the outside seating . Great customer service, very nice and welcoming sat us right away , not waiting time , they assisted us with cleaning the table's Clean environment, very bright , tv outside and the water jug if you need water all near by . They have shakes and smoothies choices of strawberries, mango and banana , also chocolate and cookies N Cream . They have heat warmers outside if needed . Well recommended to friends and family Definitely will be returning back here when I'm around the city .

Yummy happy hour! We can on a Saturday around 4:30pm and got seated immediately. You order the food…read moreat the counter and they bring it to your table. We got the fish tacos and a mango margarita from the happy hour menu and was $20 for both! Fish tacos were surprisingly so good, fried perfectly and the fish inside was light and flakey. Toppings also complimented it well. The mango marg also hit and is definitely worth for $9!! The ambiance is also great, there's a bunch of outdoor seating with shared tables but the tables are massive. They also have some bar seating. It's a great environment for sitting around good food and chatting! Will definitely come back and try more of their menu!

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Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio - Family style

Family style

Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio - Tri-tip Chili

Tri-tip Chili

Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio - Front of Shalhoob's building where you order your food at the window

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Front of Shalhoob's building where you order your food at the window

Mylestone BBQ - Tri Tip Sandwich deliciousness

Mylestone BBQ

4.8(18 reviews)
8.6 mi

My friends and I stopped by here as we were waiting for our car to be inspected for a flat tire…read moreafter our camping trip. That flat tire was definitely a blessing in disguise because without it, we wouldn't have found this incredible spot! This place is located in a business complex, and from the outside, it looks like a quaint little place, but the moment you walk in, it is HUGE! Tons of seating, a pool table, and outdoor patio. It's even dog friendly! Such a hidden gem. Not only that, but the food was INCREDIBLE! We tried everything on the menu, and we were all blown away. Each of my friends had a different favorite, which means that there's something for everyone, and I'm still drooling just thinking about it. Haha It's hard to pick favorites, but I especially loved the ribs and tri tip sandwich. The staff was SUPER friendly and took their time explaining the menu to us. They made us feel like close friends rather than customers. It's been awhile since I left a review for anything, but I knew I needed to give this place one because they deserve all the hype. I'll definitely make my way down here next time I am in the Santa Barbara area.

Really good bbq. I had the tri tip sando, pork spare ribs and esquite. The meat was smoked really…read morewell, tender and still really juicy and Smokey. Located in The Draughtsman brewery in Goleta, the vibe is really cool and good beers on tap. Charles, the owner is really friendly and takes care of you. He's got some good bbq sauces and hot sauce is banging.

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Mylestone BBQ - Chicken leg quarter and a pint for lunch

Chicken leg quarter and a pint for lunch

Mylestone BBQ - Homemade Bourbon Crème brûlée pairs nicely with Draughtsmen Star Pine wine

Homemade Bourbon Crème brûlée pairs nicely with Draughtsmen Star Pine wine

Mylestone BBQ - Tri Tip Sandwixh with BBQ, Spicy BBQ and Dijon mustard sauces

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Tri Tip Sandwixh with BBQ, Spicy BBQ and Dijon mustard sauces

Timber's Roadhouse - Artichoke Dip

Timber's Roadhouse

3.9(235 reviews)
10.0 mi
$$

I had dinner at The Timber's last night and I must say that it was amazing! (I rarely use that…read moreterm) Gino prepared a fabulous Tanqueray TEN martini The Giant BBQ smoked beef rib was perfection! Just enough smoke, fat was beautifully rendered yielding a juicy, tender result, BBQ sauce delicious... I polished off the entire rib! Mashed potatoes were fluffy, buttery, perfectly seasoned, Caesar salad was fresh, crispy Romaine, dressing homemade and perfectly balanced, creamy with punches of garlic and lemon. Sky was my marvelous server, she is so friendly, expedient, professional and knowledgeable of the menu Kim and Gino are very hospitable, good people that work tirelessly to provide excellent fare and friendly service ...I can't stop thinking about that BBQ beef rib! BRAVO!

Disappointing experience at a place we've loved for years. My partner and I have been regulars at…read moreTimbers Roadhouse for years, stopping by 4-5 times annually whenever we pass through Goleta. This visit was unfortunately our worst experience there by far. It was the first time we'd sat in the dining room instead of the bar. It was early - around 5:00. The happy hour buffalo chicken sliders and Brussels sprouts were good. However, things went downhill with our entrees. My tri-tip dinner (ordered medium rare) arrived as two thin slices of medium rare covering three slices of gray, well-done meat underneath. It was tough and tasted old - it seemed like the kitchen was trying to hide poor quality, overcooked meat. My partner's ribeye was cooked to the right temperature but extremely gristly - only about half of the twelve ounces was actually edible. When I sent my tri-tip back, our server (who was genuinely trying to help) returned to say they were out of tri-tip and a new one would take 45 minutes. By then my partner was halfway through his steak. I asked to just have the meat removed and I'd just eat my sides. Here's where it went from bad to worse: the manager (owner's daughter) charged us $7 each for the sides as "à la carte" items and argued when I explained I only ate them because that's all I had. She eventually offered 50% off the entrée but her confrontational attitude made things worse. The owner was more understanding when we escalated it to her, but the damage was done. Our server did her best in a tough situation - the issues were with the kitchen and management's handling of the problem. Really heartbroken about this experience at a place we've loved. We'll probably try again someday but will stick to burgers and salads at the bar.

Photos
Timber's Roadhouse - Beautiful bar

Beautiful bar

Timber's Roadhouse - Steak Alfredo Pasta

Steak Alfredo Pasta

Timber's Roadhouse - Oreo Milkshake

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Oreo Milkshake

Barbareño - Mango Pavlov... one of the best desserts I've ever eaten!

Barbareño

4.4(631 reviews)
1.7 mi
$$$

One of the BEST service experience I've ever had. All the staff were so friendly, knowledgeable,…read moreand attentive. Outdoor patio seating is also a very nice and you can hear the other person talking vs other restaurants where it's super loud. The menu has a lot of local items & everything was delicious. I think out of the few items we ordered, we liked the smoked tri tip and the mussels the most. The mussel soup was SO good and we needed more bread to eat it all up. The tri tip was also cooked perfectly and I loved the sauce that came with it. This is certainly a great date night spot and also bit pricier than I usually go for. The food might not have been what I crave but it was a great experience.

Barbareño was such a great overall experience. The service was great, everyone was friendly,…read moreattentive. The outdoor patio was also really nice and peaceful, with an intimate atmosphere. We ordered the: Beet Salad Hope ranch mussels Especial Santa Maria bbq Market fish The Hope Ranch mussels were amazing with such a flavorful broth, and the smoked tri tip/Santa Maria BBQ was cooked with a great sauce (very tender). The beet salad was fresh and refreshing, and the market fish was tender and flavorful. The only dish I wouldn't recommend was the especial. Overall the food, service, and atmosphere made this such a solid date night spot. Definitely on the pricier side, but worth it for the experience.

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Barbareño
Barbareño - Animal potatoes

Animal potatoes

Barbareño - Anniversary rosé and hard kombucha

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Anniversary rosé and hard kombucha

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch - mexican - Updated May 2026

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