Came to Santo Mezcal for lunch from San Fernando Valley. They have the most amazing Mexican food. Every dish we order was full of flavor and enough for our party of 3 to share. We had the Mole Negro, Ceviche Verde and the chicharrón dish. Oh and a Jamaica drink made with Mezcal. I would keep going back to try all their other dishes. read more

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This a beautiful restaurant in the heart of State Street and the restaurant food is even nicer. Santo Mezcal is modern Mexican done right. Service was warm, fast, and super knowledgeable. Highly recommend for lunch, dinner, or happy hour! Not your typical Mexican spot -- elevated, creative, and so delicious. Santo Mezcal in Santa Barbara blew us away. Seafood-centric menu with a real mixology focus. The ribeye tacos were cooked perfectly, the Halibut Verde Ceviche was bright and fresh, and the salsas are next level. Drinks are super well-balanced, not too sweet. Nice, trendy, casual vibe. Worth a reservation -- it gets busy. This place was one of several great meals we've had in SB. Highly recommend! read more

Came here for dinner on a Monday night. Ambiance was nice. Our waiter came over a few times- we weren't ready, he looked a bit annoyed and said he'll be right back. Well he didn't come back. We waited 10 more minutes then asked another waiter to call for him. He then showed up another 5 minutes after that. I ordered the $45 steak and Mole. I ordered medium rare. The steak turned out to be very thin so the medium rare order was barely cooked- there was no flavor. If I was a waiter and someone said medium rare, I would say "our restaurant serve a very thin piece of steak so you might want to go medium instead. But ye didn't say that and the steak was under cooked, the fat was still cold. The Anaheim pepper stuffed with cheese, the pepper was also under cooked. So t had a few grill marks, but the pepper was still a bit cold and too crunchy. The mole was very good. I wouldn't recommend this dish for anyone. read more

Location was great, service was solid, decor felt legit. It was a cool place to come and eat but could see myself just enjoying a few drinks too. I have challenges paying for Latino food at these prices, however if they actually have food worth those prices I will do it. This Resturant satisfied these challenges, food was amazing like really good. I ate the veg meal and wow! read more

Santo Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Stopped in for my belated birthday dinner.I had the chicken tacos and my husband halibut fish tacos with orange salad. So good and excellent service! read more

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If you're looking for a spot this summer with all the vibes, killer margaritas, and delicious food, look no further than Santo Mezcal in Santa Barbara. My bestie (and yelp elite) Imo brought me here for a girls day after raving about it for months, and now I completely understand the hype. We grabbed seats at the bar (which is honestly the place to be, especially since this spot gets busy on the weekends). Hint hint: make a reservation or get here early. But overall the bar was the perfect place to people watch and to catch up. When it comes to service, impeccable. Despite being busy everyone was attentive and the drinks/food were well placed despite it being a full house. And can we talk about the bartenders? They were so welcoming and even let us film while they worked their magic making cocktails. Watching them crank out cocktails with so much flair was half the entertainment and they couldn't have been nicer. Service was definitely a 10/10. We enjoyed a few margaritas but my favorite was definitely the Hibiscus Margarita. It wasn't overly sweet and was just refreshing. I also had the tamarind Marg which was good too. Extensive cocktail menu and mezcal if you like it. The food absolutely lived up to the drinks. Santo Mezcal takes classic Mexican flavors and gives them a slightly elevated twist while still keeping everything comforting and approachable. My friend couldn't stop talking about her Pork Belly Tacos and I fell in love with the Shrimp Enchiladas. They were loaded with fresh shrimp and covered in the most incredible creamy chipotle sauce (same as their sister restaurant Los agaves for reference). Definitely one of my favorite enchiladas around, 10/10 also. One thing I wasn't expecting is that their chips and salsa might be some of the best I've had. The tortilla chips were fresh, warm, perfectly salted, and paired with a salsa so good I probably ate two bowls before our food even arrived. Honestly, you could sit at the bar with a basket of chips, salsa, and margaritas for hours and be completely happy. Make sure you don't pass up on the chips and salsa. As noted, this is a more elevated Mexican restaurant so prices are slightly more $$$ but you get what you pay for. Just worth noting because if you equate good Mexican food being $2 tacos and a bucket of beer, this spot won't do it for you. But if you want something for more of a special occasion where the food, vibes and service are A+ then this spot is for you. read more

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Came here for the shrimp empanadas and was mind blown by the whole menu. This place is fun and trendy! The service was excellent and the food was just as good. The SHRIMP EMPANADAS were tasty. Freshly fried and filled with extra tasty shrimp. They were so good but some how the food just kept getting better. The SHORT RIB SOPES were packed with flavor. I was not expecting these to hit that hard! The two CEVICHES were exceptional. I loved that one with a bit of coconut. I've never had ceviche with coconut before and it did not disappoint. Overall best meal and service I've had in a long time! read more

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We had an incredible lunch at Santo Mezcal sitting on the patio under the shade. The chips and salsa and guacamole were fresh and delicious and the service was fast and friendly. The main meals were really the standout though. We ordered the Chorizo Crab Tacos that featured crab, pork chorizo, cheese, avocado, jalapeño aioli, and guajillo corn tortillas. We also got the Cabo Enchiladas with crab meat, cheese and salsa verde. The tacos and enchiladas were so delicious. No notes, all yumminess. And they came with a delicious side salad with a citrus glaze I couldn't get enough of. The prices are high - especially for lunch but it's State Street in Santa Barbara so I guess what do you expect? If you're looking for a surprising twist on traditional Mexican, give Santo Mezcal a try. read more

Santo Mezcal - The view from the patio. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Omg so delicious! The ceviche was solid, nice and fresh. I got a duck barbacoa which was so unique and flavorful while hubby got the crab enchilada. The drinks were strong and delicious! We had the sweetest waitress who gave us such great recommendations. We didn't have reservations and had to wait around 30-40 minutes but it was worth the wait. The outside seating was beautiful on a gorgeous Santa Barbara night with music playing from a street performer. Good times! read more

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Found this place off Yelp and have to say, it did not disappoint. It's on the Main Street headed to the pier so great location. Great place to take a rest and people watch. You get free chips & salsa and they have a variety which is nice. We also asked for a hot one and boy was it hot-habanero. We ordered: -Ceviche de Mariscos- good, refreshing -Pulpo tacos- great flavor, small amount of octopus for the price. The salad with mango dressing is amazing! -tacos rib eye- she loved it -short rib tacos - also enjoyed Service was good. Delicious read more

Santo Mezcal - Pulpo Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Restaurant is located on the main strip near the railroad tracks. Friendly and efficient service. Food is fresh. Rib eye tacos are very good. read more

Santo Mezcal - Cabo Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Santo Mezcal was an easy 5 stars! We were worried about crowds b/c of the holiday weekend but somehow we snagged a 6 person table and quickly got to work on the chips and guac and salsa. Our service was excellent throughout the evening and the menu had something for everyone! I ordered the Mole Negro and Shae got the Salmon Tropical. The flavors in the Mole Negro were too good for words to describe, you ought to just order it yourself and be so so so delighted. The plate was full of flavor and culture, I can't wait to go back!! Shae loved her salmon too, I didn't try any because I had so much food to eat myself, but both of our plates were clean at the end of our meal. The presentation of the salmon may have even been better than the Mole, quite impressive if you ask me.... Would definitely recommend, great vibes all around. You wont be disappointed. read more

Santo Mezcal - Mole Negro - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I had such a great meal here! The ceviche verde is made with halibut and super fresh and sweet, it's also the most massive portion. The pulpo tacos are a MUST and I don't even usually like octopus. It has such a nice smoky grilled flavor and it doesn't have that chewy texture. Service is really great and friendly as well, and their outdoor patio is perfect people watching! read more

Santo Mezcal - Pulpo Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I love a place with incredible chips and salsa and Santo Mezcal was it! I mean, who doesn't love three salsa options?? The service and ambiance here is impeccable, it truly was just a great dinner experience overall. The Ensenada enchiladas with halibut were incredibly delicious (the sauce was what made it!) - but I have to say, my boyfriend's chicken enchiladas may have it beat! I've never had such flavorful and tender shredded chicken, highly recommend. read more

Santo Mezcal - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I do agree with others that the hype is more than the substance, however, they do have standout dishes that I would go back for. The octopus was cooked very well, that alone would get my repeat business. Not chewy at all, good smokey flavor. The crab enchilada was indeed jam packed with crab meat. Flavor was good. But again, jam packed with fresh crab meat. Ceviche had what looked like squid ink, it was pitch black but tasted very good. A lot of citrus flavor. read more

My friend and I haven't been back to Santa Barbara since 2021. So here we are back in May 2026. My friend and I took a Santa Barbara Sunset Sailing tour. I knew we would arrive back late and there're not a lot of restaurants open past 9:00. We arrived back at the dock at 8:30PM. My friend was hungry and as we were walking back to our hotel, we saw Santo Mezcal still open YEAH! As we have seen in the past, the place is packed and super lively with diner finishing up. There were spots open at the bar we took. Edgar the bar tender (cocktail aficionado) was great! We ordered Cocktails, Espresso Martini and a Mezcal Paloma (so good) I ordered the Shrimp Empanadas. My friend ordered the King Fish Crudo and the Enchiladas Verdes. Even though they were ready to close our food came out hot, fresh, presentation great and tasting delicious. It was a great ending to our sunset cruise night. Atmosphere: fun lively. Service: excellent. Food: excellent. read more

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Food was really amazing , although we had to wait for like 20 mins but wait was well worth it. Service was not that great as it took quite some time to get food. Ambiance is great , reducing as our server was not very friendly . read more

Came here as a recommendation and was blown away by how great this spot is! The ceviche was very flavorful, had a nice kick and was very refreshing. The ribeye tacos, and the beans and rice were also amazing and seasoned perfectly. The portions were also generous so this was not only delicious but also a great value. The entire staff from the servers, to the bartender and the DJ were super friendly and welcoming. It was a great experience, I would highly recommend and can't wait to come back. read more

Santo Mezcal - ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I took some time writing this review as I stopped by this location on the way home and was left unsure about the experience I received. I found this place online based off some positive reviews. It was fairly packed for a Thursday evening but waited anyways thinking that would be a good sign. The hostess was very friendly and we were seated outside which wasn't an issue, it was the unsteady table that caused everything to shake and move while eating that was. As we were seated we were asked if we wanted chips, salsa and guac. Had we know it was a huge bowl of just guac for an extra charge we definitely would have passed. After returning with our drinks, the waitress began to take our order but in the middle of the order asked us to hold on for a moment and walked off. We then watched her for fifteen minutes seat two tables behind us. She took their drink and even food orders and it wasn't until after then she returned to our table. She stated the kitchen had a mix up and asked what we ordered. After telling her she never took our order she apologized saying it was busy. The food was just okay somewhat bland which was very disappointing but the drinks were good. After requesting the check a lady and her large two dogs walked by with only one being on the leash. The dog began to walk throughout the front of the restaurant off leash. As much as I love animals I did feel it was a bit unsafe especially considering how large the dog was. Before bringing the check our waitress stated she would be back after taking a picture with the dog. I feel the restaurant was overcrowded and overpriced for just okay food and service. read more

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Did a quick day trip to SB and decided to stop by this place for lunch. Came around noon on a Sunday and was able to get a table for 2 immediately. I ordered the Pulpo plate and wow as someone that isn't a fan of octopus, this was definitely a top dish for me. Highly recommend ordering and giving it a try even if you're not a huge fan of octopus. Parking is easy as there's a ton of public parking lots and garages around the area. read more

I stopped by during happy hour and had an overall just okay experience. The chips and salsa were definitely good. I ordered a margarita, which was fine but nothing particularly memorable. The restaurant itself is really cute and in a great location, which made me excited to try it. Unfortunately, the service didn't quite match the vibe--it wasn't bad, but it wasn't especially attentive either. What stood out the most was the pricing. At $10 for a single taco, I expected a bit more in terms of both quality and service. While there were some positives, the experience as a whole didn't quite justify the cost. Overall, it was just okay. read more

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A friend recommended place so I was excited to try it. This is a nice higher end Mexican restaurant. Good location. We went during HH. HH is offered from 3-5pm at the bar. Sweet: Good variety of options for HH. We ordered few different things. Each item is $10 each. All of them were pretty good for a HH price. We ordered nachos, ceviche, fish tacos, rolled tacos and shrimp fried taco. The best dish was the ceviche tostada. The drinks were good and strong. Sour: even though it was $10 each when you think about it that's kind of expensive for one item such as a fish and shrimp taco. The fish taco could've been good but the blue corn tortilla over powered the taste. The food took pretty long. We clocked it and it was over 25 minutes. The restaurant wasn't even busy yet. read more

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The dishes here are beautiful! Lots of tequilas and mezcal to choose from. My husband and I split an appetizer and an entree and the portions were big enough that we both left full. read more

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Still my favorite Mexican Restaurant for a fun and delicious lunch. And still with their friendly and helpful staff whether we are seated in the dining room, outdoor patio, or there at the bar. Their location is ideal for those of us who enjoy the beach, Downtown, and the Santa Barbara Funk Zone. And even for those people traveling in on Amtrak. The station is just over the tracks (literally), and it's ideal for a lunch and/or dinner upon arrival or before departure. On our recent lunchtime getaway, our server Juan made sure we all had plenty to eat and drink, and then kept an eye on us as we enjoyed everything. Their Lunch Menu has such a wide selection of different dishes for everyone, and their Chef's Lunch Specials always add a special touch. For our lunchtime group it was fun to share the Guacamole, Cazuela de Rajas con Queso, Empanadas de Cochinita, and the Queso Fundido. My own top choices for the Light Plates is their Ceviche de Mariscos, Ceviche de Pescado, and my all-time favorite, the Ceviche Baja California. The choices of Midday Tacos are always delicious. Difficult to recommend just one . . . you need to try them all. And for those of us who appreciate a truly delicious Margarita, Santo Mezcal continues to be known for the "Best Margarita in Santa Barbara." Their Bar Staff is very knowledgeable of those Tequila and Mezcal options, and always make sure you are drinking the very best. Their House Craft Cocktails, Beer, and Wine selections also offer something tasty for everyone. read more

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Wow! This was a recommendation from the hotel staff who said that they have the best margaritas in town. Well they were right. A bustling Mexican restaurant with attentive service and a nice outdoor seating area. An easy walk from our hotel on State Street. I had a fresa margarita and my wife had the blackberry Casas margarita. Fresh ingredients, perfect blend of flavor flavors and just the right amount of top shelf tequila. Refreshing with our mid afternoon lunch. There were many choices for luncheon dinner and a full bar that appeared to specialize in mescal. For lunch, we have the shrimp empanadas and the skirt steak, soft tacos to share. What can I say, they were perfectly prepared and easily enough to share between the two of us. Special note about the empanadas, the pastry that they were in was more like a Filo dough than the hard dough cross of typical empanadas from Argentina. A delightful surprise with perfectly cooked shrimp and Coquita cheese. If we didn't already have plans for dinner, we probably would've gone back. Thanks to the kitchen and staff for making our late lunch a tasty and delightful experience. read more

Santo Mezcal - In the background are the skirts, steak, soft tacos, and in the four ground, the shrimp empanadas. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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excellent service, everything came out on time, food was 10/10 so good and cute ambiance (we sat outside) read more

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I came with a group of 10 people (2 of which were young children) right when they opened, and we were able to get seated quickly and without issue. They don't take reservations (Yelp waitlist only) and so I was relieved that our large party could be accommodated. The service was friendly and efficient and every food and beverage item that we ordered was amazing. I would definitely return if I'm ever in the area. read more

Santo Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Our favorite Mexican spot in the area! They give you complimentary chips and it also comes with 3 salsas. All salsas had great flavor, but I especially liked the roasted poblano pepper one! We got the fish tacos and octopus, and both were super fresh and tender. Service was friendly, and it was nice to sit in their outdoor patio area. read more

Santo Mezcal - Pulpo A Las Brasas - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was yummy. The space was too tight. Overall a cute little brunch spot. Service was good as well.

Would not come here again. Expensive for mediocre food. Maybe I would come for a happy hour. Not for mains. Salsas were pretty good and the cocktail my bf had was decent. Ceviche verde was good but not typical ceviche. It was really sweet. Branzino was not good at all. Overcooked and mushy. Served with mayo based off-colored guac definitely not fresh and some weird sweet butter or sauce. Shrimp tacos were ok... bland and topped with a bunch of chopped pineapple. Salad had more pineapple, sweetened dried cranberries and a mayo based sauce. read more

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We recently went there and the menu changed. We wanted to have chilaquiles and they took it out of the menu, also the Cazuela Poblana they took out the rice and beans and they just changed the whole menu. Before it was the chile poblano with cheese inside and now it's in a cream sauce no beans no rice. Very simple. We ended up getting sopes and there were very small. Never coming back. read more

Santo Mezcal - Sopes - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

If you are in Santa Barbara, or if you are craving great Mexican food near the beach, this is the place to go! I literally drive to SB for this place!! It's a 2.5 hr drive for me and I'll tell you it's worth it!!! Delicious, everything on the menu, the drinks are amazing, the service is outstanding, never disappointed when I go! Great location and the style is simply the best, the play the right music at a volume where you can still have a conversation and actually hear each other lol. Sorry, I always forget to take pics because I'm quick to jump in and just EAT! But I can honestly say everything is great, my faves are the enchiladas Ensenada, the empanadas and of course the rib eye tacos, OH and the rice ... now that's some good rice!!! If you happen to stop on by! ENJOY!! read more

Came by on a Sunday night for dinner and there was no wait for a party of 2. Service was attentive and friendly. Ambiance was casual and lively- perfect place for a night out with friends. Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos- blue corn tortilla with crispy pork belly and a side of rice and pinto beans. The crispy pork belly filling was incredibly savory and fresh! The rice and beans were a nice, lighter complement to the tacos. Perfect comfort meal~ Would come again for the pork belly tacos! read more

Santo Mezcal - Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Visiting from Northern California, I checked out Yelp to see where I might like to have lunch in Santa Barbara. My friend and I decided on Santo Mezcal. We made a great choice! It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside at the front of the restaurant. We were served warm, thin tortilla chips and 3 different salsa, all great. I selected the Verde Enchiladas with house salad. The Enchiladas were packed full of tender seasoned chicken and covered in a tasty Verde sauce, crema striped over the top. The house salad was a pleasant surprise. It was extremely fresh with dried cranberries and tangerine slices along with the spring mix greens. The dressing was a creamy citrus that was so refreshing on a sunny warm day. Service was excellent and our waiter very pleasant and efficient. I will definitely return and tell friends and family about this gem of a restaurant! read more

Santo Mezcal - Verde Enchiladas (chicken) with house salad. Excellent! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Stopped by while I was in Santa Barbara because I felt like having some good food. The food was not too good to be honest. I personally felt the flavor was bland and didn't pop out to me. My mom was accompanying me and felt the same about the food. Service was great we didn't have a reservation and were seated pretty fast. The waiter was very tentative to our needs considering she was busy. I would probably not return to this place for Mexican food as the food was not impressive to me. read more

All of the food was even better than the last time we were here. My enchiladas were absolutely delicious and so filling! Highly recommend!! Service was fantastic! Our server sang Happy Birthday to me by himself with so much enthusiasm. I think his name was Edgardo, and he was terrific! Do yourself a favor and check out Santo Mezcal. Fresh and creative dishes and excellent service! read more

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Me and my friend came in and wanted to try out the ceviches and tried out the ahi tuna ceviche 10/10 and we had the happy hour ceviche tostada which was not as good as we thought it would taste 4/10. We also had the happy hour steak taco which was a 10/10. But I will say the service was very slow and the bartender was not attentive and didn't seem to really care to interact with us. Not once did she asked if we were doing okay or wanted anything else. We kept having to ask for things and made it seem like it was a bother to her, it was a blonde girl with glasses. read more

We come to this restaurant every time we are in Santa Barbara. The food is amazing. I do tend to order the crab enchiladas with poblano sauce a lot because they are the best crab enchiladas I've ever tasted. Everything we have had has been wonderful and the staff is really friendly and helpful with recommendations. read more

Santo Mezcal - Crab enchiladas with poblano sauce - Mexican Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So- the guacamole was a 4/5, the octopus ceviche was delicious... But super spicy for those of you that can't handle it (like me), and my duck tacos were a 4/5.... But my hubby did NOT like his Ribeye tacos- and not gonna lie- they didn't look appetizing. They looked SUPER fatty and not appetizing. Overall, most of the meal was yummy, I might try again- but my hubby would be harder to convince. read more

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Super easy and convenient location if you're arriving by Amtrak Train. This was the perfect place for lunch on the patio after arriving to Santa Barbara. Service was great and very attentive. -The pulpo or octopus tacos were insanely delicious. The meat was so soft and tender. And oddly their rice and beans were also really really good. -The ceviche was not worth ordering tasted like red chili oil on ceviche. read more

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