What can I say other than culinary perfection? It's where street food meets casual dining but with masterfully crafted menu items that will make your taste buds pop! The KFC Bao was exceptional. Crunchy, tangy, sweet, fresh and savory. A delightful dish that had me wanting a second one. The Dolsot Bokkeumbap was also delicious, savory and a bit in the heavy side, it could use something fresh, acidic or sweet to brighten up the dish. The staff was very friendly and recommended the Bao, so they know what is good on the menu. I was sat outside where they have a beautiful little patio with heaters and comfortable seating. Overall this place is a must try! read more

Secret Bao - K.F.C Bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Overall the food was very delicious. I would recommend the Bao (both the KFC and pork belly were very good). The sweet potato dumplings are fried and had a very unique twist for Asian fusion and would recommend. The kalbi was very mediocre, but it was fun for sharing. Day cake was delicious. I would highly recommend since it came out and was very warm. The bingsu was mostly frozen and was not finally shaved in terms of milk ice and the Nutella pairing with it did not go very well. We had a fantastic server (Cathy) who took our orders and was very friendly. The front staff was quite rude when we followed up what the wait time was (might have been because it was busy, but hope that it's a 1x thing and not a pattern). Otherwise, vibes we're very good and I can see why this is a popular spot. read more

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Been eager to try this place out for maybe a year or more after hearing such great things!! Finally came on a date tonight, we came hungry and I couldn't help but leave feeling disappointed (and still hungry). Portions for the price are very small and I can respect that at a certain kind of restaurant, but I just wasn't necessarily blown away by any of the food. Also, the inside felt very cramped and chaotic and like I couldn't have a conversation at my table because the people next to us were so close. The prawn and scallop dumplings were my favorite but again, nothing outstanding or worth the $20. The scallops were the size of the slice of the small cucumber you can hardly even see them in the photo lol. The server was very kind. We just had to get their attention multiple times to order and for the check. We were going to order more dishes but saw the sizes and decided to save our money and get slices of pizza down the street instead. Bummer! read more

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Absolutely loved Secret Bao! We were seated outside in the patio because we brought our fur baby and it was perfect with the lights and weather. The waiter was awesome and asked if he can bring our dog some treats and water (great customer service). The food was delicious and you can't go wrong with anything on this menu. The Taiwanese Popcorn chicken was fried to perfection and the Avocado Pear salad gave your taste buds a ride. All the food was delicious, but the Sticky Date Cake with vanilla ice cream was perfect and a must order. Definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

Secret Bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

First time in Santa Barbara! My cousin wanted her dinner celebration here, and I am glad she picked this spot. I highly recommend the pork belly bao and beef bulgogi chow fun. Some people in my party ordered the udon carbonara, which was also a hit! read more

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A must try! Close to the SB Art Museum and The historic court house & clock tower. Ever since i saw this on DDD a few years ago i've need to try! We loved this place! The dough in the folded "taco" style Bao was so sweet and fluffy! Fantastic, don't ever change this! The Spicy Soy Pork Dumplings were out favorite! Unbelievable! A must stop in every time I'm in SB! read more

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I saw a lot of talk about Secret Bao on tiktok because we were going to Santa Barbara for a day trip, and I wanted to make the most of it. I heard so many good things about this place and I wanted to give it a try! To cut it short, it was okay. Definitely didn't think that it was worth the extreme hype it was getting especially because I only really loved 2 items. Now onto the details, the chili dumplings were delish, but weren't hot when they came out to us and not even warm, so I'm not sure if that's how they're supposed to be served? The baos. Pork belly bao was good, however, it was nothing to go crazy over though. The shrimp bao was my favorite thing we ordered out of everything! I could've ordered more of these and I wish I did! The KFC was definitely a HUGE MISS. The red sauce was wayyy too overpowering that you couldn't even taste anything else. We could've gone without it 100%. My Mom just ended up eating the bun. The garlic noodles were very salty, but we did mix some of the chili sauce from the dumplings on top and it definitely made the dish better. But we shouldn't even have to mix anything, especially from a different dish, to make it better. The pork belly fried rice was good and portions were a lot too, however, it would've been nice to know it was spicy and kimchi heavy. My mom isn't a big fan of spicy so we would've skipped on it if we knew that. Also, the $19 price point was kinda wild. Like I said, Secret Bao was okay. I would go back and just get the Shrimp Bao and chili dumplings and maybe try other stuff on the menu if we spent more than a day in SB. 3 stars since we did like a couple of the menu items but it's a maybe on recommending it to other people. read more

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The food is absolutely amazing! Every BITE IS HEAVENLY! I could come here everyday! Make sure you try to get a reservation if you really want to eat here, we didn't have one but got lucky enough to get a table! The service is amazing from the lovely host to our waiter (the one with pink and black hair) you're absolutely lovely! Ambiance is so cozy and cute! Love love love! read more

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Food was incredible Service was great Ambiance is amazing I would definitely go out of my way to come back here. Everything HIT read more

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Found this place via TikTok. Honestly, a little underwhelming. The food was okay. Pretty good, but not good enough to justify the prices. The baos are sold individually, meaning each bao is like $8. Place should definitely be rated $$$ instead if you want to feel anywhere close to full. Tried the pork belly bao, fried chicken bao, cauliflower, and dumplings. Fried chicken and cauliflower were standout. Pork belly was not cooked long enough, so the fat stayed solid on the bao, which was a little unappealing. There is garage parking very close by. First 75 minutes free, which is nice. read more

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Wish I could give this 5 stars becuase I was really looking forward to all the good reviews! I don't necessarily think anything was bad, but it was definitely lack luster. I wish everything just had a bit more spice/flavor! We got the carbonara udon which was pretty rich and creamy, but lacking a complex flavor profile that I would have preferred. I'd recommend asking to add some spice if possible. The bao was good however the pork is pretty fatty in both the udon and bao, so heads up because I'm not a huge fan of that! But others might be! The crispy rice appetizer was ok, but I've had a lot better. I think this restaurant definitely has pros and cons, but for how expensive it is and the incomplete flavor profiles, I feel like it's not a place I would go back to - my partner and I both agree. But, the service was fast and workers seemed nice! read more

Secret Bao is a a good modern asian fusion restaurant. You have to order and pay for food prior to seating. The food is delicious; the pork belly bao was very tasty; the pork belly was tender. It was priced on the higher end- $8 for one bao. The pork belly fried rice ($19) was seasoned well and had some crunch. The kimchi elevated the flavor as well. It was a decent size. However, the pork pieces were very small and disappointingly, there were not much in the fried rice. Overall tasty but priced on the higher end compared to what you are getting 3.5/5 read more

Secret Bao - Pork Belly Bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This place is truly a gem in Santa Barbara. Not only is the Asian-fusion food amazingly delicious, but service is top notch friendly. It's hard to get fusion style foods to taste good, but Secret Bao has done it. They do have 2 separate menus (lunch menu & dinner menu) with menu items changing with the seasons. The drink menu consists of wines, sake/soju, beer, cocktails & mocktails. The place gets packed quick, so best to make reservations. 1. Avocado & Korean Pear Salad (5/5) Everything about this salad was super fresh and bursting with flavor. The sesame vinaigrette dressing was nutty & umami, which gave the dish an extremely pleasant aromatic flavor. This is essentially a lettuce-free salad dish that is mainly consistent of their super refreshing, crunchy, Korean pear mixed with creamy Haas avocado then topped with toasted pepitas seeds, kizami nori - furikake seaweed flakes and chives. Everything came together very well. 2. Hamachi Wonton Tacos (5/5) Never had tacos like this before - it's definitely an Asian spin on it where the taco shell has the consistency of fried wonton instead of corn/flour. It is stuffed with fresh Japanese yellowtail and topped with diced granny smith apples, cucumber, red cabbage slaw, which added a refreshing crunch with each bite. The secret chili sauce was mild in heat & the avocado puree added a bit of creaminess. It reminded me of eating a sushi roll. These were sure a satisfying, bite-sized, appetizers 3. Peruvian Scallops (5/5) I am not a seafood type of person and usually stay away from shellfish dishes as they tend to taste like the sea. However, this dish has proved me wrong. The scallops were super fresh (no seafood taste at all) and they just melt in your mouth like butter. Pair it with their citrusy yuzu vinaigrette sauce, massage and chives, it was like a flavor bomb with each bite. I especially liked that they topped it off with some fresh crunchy cucumber and bursting roe. 4. KFC Bao (4/5) $8/bao is kind of a steep price, but I think it is worth a one-time try. The bao was super fluffy and steamed to perfection. Then it is packed with a large piece of Korean fried chicken that is glazed in this dark umami-sweet (hoisin?) sauce and topped off with slaw, scallions and pickled red onions. It's definitely a flavor punch. A bit messy to eat. Best to split half with another person so you don't get too full off of this 5. Pork Belly Bao (5/5) Now this is the bao I would get again. That pork belly was just "melt in you mouth." The hoisin glaze with Kewpie mayo was the perfect dressing to balance out the fattiness of the pork. 6. Kung Pao Cauliflower (5/5) Cauliflower sautéed with charred red onion, shishito peppers, Japanese fried chilis, roasted cashew topped with kung pao sauce that gives it a sweet, yet tangy and very mildly spice. Healthy, yet satisfying. This is veggies done right ;) 7. Soy Chili Dumpling (4/5) The name was a bit misleading to me as I thought it would be the traditional steamed wonton/dumplings topped with chili oil sauce, but their version is actually 4 large "fried" dumplings that's filled with pork mixed with Korean glass noodles topped with cabbage, garlic chives, cilantro, shaved radish, fried shallots and dressed with the chili oil. The wonton shell was super crunchy and it reminded me of eating those Chinese fried cheese wonton. It was not spicy at all. I think the garlic-soy flavor overpowered the chili oil. 8. Duck Spring Roll (5/5) Wow, this has got to be some of the best duck dishes I've had. The duck was crispy, fatty, juicy and paired very well with the caramelized onions, garlic, sweet chili - hoisin sauce. Despite it being fatty, it actually didn't make us feel sickly heavy afterwards. Very well done; highly recommend trying this 9. Eggplant Fried Wonton (4/5) A very crispy wonton that's filled with eggplant, which naturally has that mushy consistency. It is topped with a spicy sauce and dressed with seaweed and white sesame that does give it a nice flavor combo We will definitely be back to try out more items and the lunch menu!!! read more

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Amanda Loves Secret Bao Santa Barbara's Asian inspired Fusion restaurant. As we approached the restaurant at 450pm there was a line of people waiting we walked around to Paradise Found for a spot of warm tea . We proceeded to the restaurant and were seated. As we checked out the menu we ordered cocktails. The servers were Amazing helpful, kind, and patient as I had questions. Amanda knew the menu well having been there recently. Amy arrived and we were in full swing for our evening to celebrate my impending Birthday. Amy C and I met the day before with Mickey A for a Yelp Elites event. Check out my reviews. So I believe that counts as a Impending Birthday celebration event. All the food was amazing my favorites were the Dumplings and the KFC Chicken tacos. There are a couple things I'll try next time. As we sat near the front door it was was exciting to see the energy of people coming and going. The place looked and felt Amazing. Thanks for a wonderful experience at Secret Bao Ronnie S read more

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I'm a vegetarian so I had to pick from the limited options they had. Got the Kungpao cauliflower: 4/5 very delicious! I'd have liked it more if it was crispier. The fried cashews added a great flavor to it. Veggie Yellow Curry Noodles: 3/5 good combination of bok choy, bean sprouts, shitake mushrooms and coconut milk gravy. But it lacked spice and kick. My friend got the pork belly bao and said it was delicious. The spicy fried rice was awesome too. I wish they had more vegetarian options. The ones they do have aren't extraordinary. Lovely service and very cute ambience. Slightly on the pricier side. Parking in public lots nearby. read more

Secret Bao - Kungpao Cauliflower - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Honestly one of the cleanest inspiring eating experiences I've had recently. Secret Bao is where the cook, ingredients and cooking come together to produce fresh and tasty dishes. I love the simplicity and flavors that this place produces. Start with the Chinese salad, add the cauliflower with its sweet spicy sauce, and the sweet potato dumplings. How is this for a lineup dear readers?! You certainly can't make a wrong decision here. Enjoy! read more

Secret Bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Loved this place so much, we went twice during our 4 day SB vacation! Went at 5pm on a Wednesday and were able to score a table for 4 without an issue. They have a great happy hour from 5-6pm with many of their dishes at a slightly lower price. We had: Taiwanese popcorn chicken (light, crispy popcorn chicken-delicious), tropics and sparkling berry mocktails (both really tasty and not too sweet), pink Peruvian bay scallops (pretty good), KFC bao (large piece of fried chicken and fluffy white bun, cut in half and perfect to share), soy chili dumplings (juicy and really good), crispy mapo tofu (really good), garlic noodles (perfect chewy texture and delicious garlicky flavor), dolsot bokkeumbap (only OK, perhaps least favorite dish), udon carbonara (super special dish, delicious/never had anything like it!), beef bulgogi chow fun (delish but a bit on the sweeter side), and sticky date cake a la mode (ask for the ice cream on the side--this was so good!). Restaurant had good indoor and outdoor seating options, they are somewhat strict on the amount of time you can spend at the table, but they do warn you ahead of time. Will always come back anytime we are in SB! read more

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Delicious!!! I adore their KFC and pork belly bao, and have ordered multiple other dishes that were fantastic! I haven't found a dish I don't like and try to try new things every time. Some favorites are smashed cucumber salad, soy chili dumplings, curry noodles (but can't name a dish I didn't love). Do yourself a favor and eat in rather than takeout. The food loses a little luster (like most) in transit. Definitely order the date cake dessert. It's divine!! read more

I absolutely love this place. Every time I come to Santa Barbara I return to dine here. You know how some Asian fushion restaurants have dishes but there's just something off? Too much sauce or trying too hard? Well, this was not that. Whoever came up with this combination of flavors KNOW it's a bomb combination in your mouth. Every dish explodes with contrasting flavors and textures that you can taste two flavors at once. It's wild! I can't wait to come back to dine here again. Haha. Dishes I had: Korean pear salad, bluefin tuna with crispy rice, bulgogi, Hokkaido donut read more

1/5 -- Customer Service Review Only Food remains top-notch, but service has become too frustrating to ignore. I want to start by saying that I love the food at Secret Bao. I've had some of the best Asian meals in Santa Barbara here, and I've been a loyal customer for some time now. This review is not about the food--it's about the increasingly disappointing customer service that's finally reached a breaking point. Over the past few visits, the service has been hit or miss. But during my most recent experience, things went completely off the rails. I arrived as a walk-in with a party of six around 3 PM. The restaurant was mostly empty. Still, I was met with hesitation from the hostess, as if accommodating a group our size was somehow a burden. While I waited for her to "check availability," I noticed several tables inside and outside that could easily accommodate six people--including one indoor table and one outdoor table already set for six, and multiple four-tops that could be combined. Then things got worse: A second hostess came to the front, completely ignored me, and seated a solo diner after me at the large six-person table I had just seen available. When the original hostess returned, she told me the wait would be two hours for a party of six. I was stunned. I asked why that solo guest had just been seated at the table we clearly could've used. Her response? "That's the communal table," and she couldn't locate a manager to approve using it for our group. At that point, I left--embarrassed and frustrated--with my kids and visiting family. We went to another restaurant. The entire situation felt like a complete lack of care and effort from the front-of-house staff. It genuinely pains me to write this because the food at Secret Bao is exceptional. But I won't be returning. Great food can't make up for feeling unwelcome or like an afterthought. The service needs to match the caliber of the kitchen--or at least make an honest effort to try. read more

The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was great. Service was also top notch. The yellow tail dish was amazing!!

The food was great!, and the customer service was excellent. The waiters, RJ and Claire, were very friendly, attentive, and professional. They made the experience enjoyable, and I really appreciated their great attitude and service. Highly recommended! read more

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Great dining experience. Got there a bit early and they seated us right away. PINK PERUVIAN SCALLOPS 2/5* - the rave reviews convinced us to order this one, and while fresh, there was nearly 0 flavor. It felt like something must have been missing. The scallops were also very small. Overpriced, disappointing, and not distinctive. KFC + PORK BELLY BAO 4/5* - Yummmm. The pork belly was delish, and the fried chicken was a textural, tasty bite. They split them in half if you want which was nice. They were a little hard to eat and keep in the bun, and the pork belly could've used a little texture. SOY CHILI DUMPLINGS 5/5* - love the toppings, the sauce, the ratio of the ingredients. Real winner KUNG PAO CAULIFLOWER 5/5* - this sauce was the bomb dot com. Maybe a little salty but I didn't care. The mix of shishito peppers, nuts, sauce was everything. CURRY NOODLES 5/5* - we saw the mixed reviews about potentially watery sauce but took the chance cause we wanted some noodles, and we were so pleasantly surprised! The broth was masterful, the mushrooms weren't overwhelming, and the portion was really big for the price compared to our other dishes. Noodles were cooked well. Highly recommend if you're looking for a hearty addition to your smaller plates. My partner enjoyed his IPA (served in a cold glass!), and my tropical mocktail with lychee was refreshing and delicious. Service was attentive but not overbearing. Yes yes yes! read more

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Had a great lunch at Secret Bao. Wasn't a fan of the beef noodles but otherwise had a satisfying and delicious meal. read more

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Came with the family to celebrate my dad's birthday after seeing a handful of people online mention Secret Bao. We arrived as they were opening for dinner service and the line moved very quickly (we had a reservation just in case). The service was exceptional - we asked to be seated in the corner since our dog can get excited and they moved a couple tables to make it work. All the servers were super friendly and we felt very attended to the whole meal :) Patio seating was nice and cozy (they have heaters to ward off the cold). We ordered soy chili dumplings, lobster garlic noodles, kungpao cauliflower, curry noodles, brussel sprouts, chicken xiao long bao (plus a beef tomato pasta dish and two chocolate lava cakes with strawberry and matcha ice cream which were on a separate limited time menu). The food was overall good but I felt like most of the dishes lacked depth in their flavor that I'm used to in Asian cuisine and a few of them were a bit salty for my taste. The amount of food we ordered was perfect for 5 adults. They gave my dad a mochi ice cream on the house with a candle for his birthday. read more

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Outstanding contemporary Asian food! The Baos have incredible depth of flavor and just the right level of heat. Everything on the menu is irresistible, but the standouts were the yuzu crab handroll, the katsu curry bento, and the shaved ice dessert. Friendly service and a great vibe made the whole experience even better. Can't wait to try their dinner menu! read more

This place has been open for a few years and does a good job only thing is the service is slow. Definitely worth coming for the food fresh ingredients cooked to order and a clean establishment. read more

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We were recommended Secret Bao by a server from Loquita. Overall we had a great dinner here though were not blown away. KFC bao: 8/10. Very yummy! Chicken could've been more tender IMO. Pork belly bao: 8/10. The pork belly was tender and was complemented well by the cucumber. Honey walnut shrimp: 9/10. This was incredible. It came with 4 large shrimps as well as fried broccoli. The batter on the shrimp was crispy and light and didn't compromise the tenderness of the shrimp! Kung Pao Cauliflower: 5/10. This was a miss for us. While the cauliflower was well-cooked, I didn't really like the flavors in this dish. It was too salty and also just tasted odd to me. Udon carbonara: 7/10. The udon was perfectly chewy. I thought the flavor of the sauce was great, but it was a bit watery. Date cake: 12/10. You should've seen my boyfriend's face when he tried this lol. This was by far our favorite dish of the night!! The cake was warm, sugary, and gooey, with great texture contrast from the graham crumbs on top. Just a warning this is a pretty sweet dessert though! Mango sticky rice bingsu: 7/10. This was good, and I loved the addition of coconut sticky rice to this. I didn't have too much stomach space left at this point, so I prioritized the date cake since it was the superior dessert lol. Service was good. The dessert took an unusually long time to arrive after we ordered. I'd say prices here are reasonable, given the more elevated dining experience and relative lack of Asian restaurants in Santa Barbara. Strengths are the bao, honey walnut shrimp, and desserts. They absolutely nailed the date cake here, and I would happily come back for that alone. read more

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We stopped by Secret Bao on a weekday for happy hour and had a great experience all around. It's conveniently located near the courthouse and within walking distance of downtown Santa Barbara, with plenty of street parking nearby -- easy to get to and a nice area to explore before or after your meal. The restaurant itself have indoor and outdoor seating and is a modern and clean vibe. The food was overall good minus one of the meals I ordered, but the service more than made up for it -- truly some of the most attentive and thoughtful service I've had in a while. I ordered the shrimp bao from the happy hour menu, and it was packed with flavor -- I honestly could've eaten three more. On the other hand, I tried the mushroom dumplings and didn't love them; they were a bit dense and lacked the flavor I was hoping for, even as a mushroom fan. What really stood out, though, was how seriously the staff took dietary restrictions. A family member has a garlic sensitivity, and our server went out of his way to confirm ingredients, offer alternative options, and check in again when we ordered entrées. That kind of attention to detail made the experience feel personal and stress-free. My family ordered the Chinese chop salad and the pork chop fried rice -- both were huge hits. I tried the fried rice and can vouch for how good it was. My family loved their meals so much they joked they'd drive all the way back to Santa Barbara and back in the same day just to eat here again- but I don't think she was joking. All in all, the food was solid, the shrimp bao was a standout, and the service was exceptional -- kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. Would absolutely come back and recommend for anyone looking for a flavorful meal and outstanding hospitality in SB! read more

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Solid Asian fusion restaurant with lots of seating indoor and outdoors. Pet friendly too. Staff was very nice and cleared dishes often. Pork fried rice: very tasty and came out piping hot. Was also delicious the next day. Chili oil dumplings: strangely not spicy at all but very crispy and had juicy pork. Hamachi poke bowl: not a lot of fish but it was a tasty bowl of rice with pickled veggies. Garlic noodles: pretty simple but easy to eat. A little expensive for the portions but understandable that rent isn't cheap. read more

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Overall: A // 5 stars One of my favorite Asian fusion restaurants since Day 1 of its opening. They regularly refresh the menu with new and interesting additions, while maintaining a high standard for quality and presentation for each dish. At the heart is their bao buns, which are all well made, although they seem to have been reducing the number of those they have on the menu moving forward. All in all, very high quality Asian food that I highly recommend. (KFC Bao: A) - Beautiful picture perfect bao bun that always impresses with incredibly juicy chicken breast; the coleslaw pairing with the spicy dragon sauce and creamy mayo works perfectly to get that spicy Korean kick while maintaining a good balance. The thing that could be improved is the arrangement of the bun as the first few bites are better balanced since all the garnish sit on top. (Duck Udon: A) - Soulfully comforting bowl of udon. We got a lightly developed five spice broth, with tender udon and duck that just melts in your mouth. The bok choy adds to the pleasant healthfulness of the dish. (The Tropics: A) - Incredibly pleasant blend of tropical fruits, while still impressively maintaining individuality of flavors of the lychee, passionfruit, mango, guava and orange. I also like that the drink also has volume, which cannot be said for most mocktails. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +2 Overall: 5 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats read more

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I was told to come here and try the date cake and OMG I am so glad I did. Ive thought about this cake almost everyday since I've tried it. I can't wait to go back and try more of the food, as we only got the cake to go. When we got there it was pretty packed and over an hour wait, so definitely make reservations. We will be back! read more

A-MAZ-ING FOOD! I got the KFC Bao and their Fish special, Char Su Bun (that wasn't for me-bun was soggy on the bottom), and the Date Cake - the Bao and the Date cake were so good!! Their outdoor seating was nice and quiet. Although, I personally didn't like the taste of their water, they did have prepared carafes and cups you could take to your table. read more

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Good food, very flavorful but on the pricier side. You're paying for the ambiance and service. Service was fast, staff were friendly and helpful. I loved how my server kept checking in on us and kept refilling our waters without us asking. I would come here again. It does get busy especially on weekend so I would recommend making reservations. read more

Secret Bao - Kalbi Short Ribs With Ssam/Banchan - half pound - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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One of my favorite restaurants in SB! I wish the portions were bigger, but that just means I get to try more dishes on their menu. We ordered: Matcha Horchata: 7/10 The Tropics (mocktail): 8.5/10 Pink Peruvian scallops: 10/10 might be my favorite of our meal Mapo mushroom dumplings: 10/10 Duck spring rolls: 9/10 Din tai fung pork chop fried rice: 6/10 Honey walnut shrimp: 9/10 Pistachio crème brûlée: 8/10 yummy but prefer the matcha flavor. read more

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Finally got to try this spot and cannot recommend it enough! Everything we ordered was so delicious. We arrived around 6:15 on a Friday evening and luckily got a table but the restaurant was packed. Our serve was Kathleen and she was excellent. I really enjoyed sitting on the patio and the flow of our food coming to our table was perfect. We were excited to try so many things. They even had a specials menu, which we opted to try some salmon over crispy rice from and loved. The KFC bao was our favorite but everything was delicious. We will be back! read more

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The food was super fresh & very flavorful! Went for our daughter's birthday. They had "happy birthday" menus, nice touch! We mostly ordered off the awesome happy hour menu (5-6 pm). Everything was DELICIOUS, and priced well! Our server Kathleen was amazing, really great service. We got 8-10 items, and honestly every one was outstanding. The place was packed and we can see why. Will absolutely be back here on our next visit to SB! Highly recommend read more

Secret Bao is a modern Asian fusion eatery serving up some elevated classics in a fun and innovative way. Reservations are recommended as spots do tend to fill up fast. This spot is located on State Street across the street from the courthouse. To get here, street parking will be your best bet and there is a lot of it around the area. Wifey and I stopped by for dinner around 5pm with a reservation and were seated right away. Inside, they have a spacious interior with a good amount of seating. For their menu, they have a nice selection of different appetizers, dim sum, and entree dishes to choose from. We opted for a spread consisting of the Mapo Mushroom Dumplings, Shrimp Tempura Bao, KFC Bao, Din Tai Fung Pork Chop Fried Rice, and the Kalbi Steak with Banchan. For our drinks, we got the Strawberry Horchata and the Tropical Bliss. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and had a great dining experience. The flavors were spot on and had a great balance between authenticity and creativity. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. Secret Bao = SB's best kept secret? Come find out for yourself! read more

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When I first tried Secret Bao I thought that this was a such a good hidden gem for Asian fusion in the 805, I feel like I got some kind of seafood udon dish that was pretty flavorful, but now it feels like a faint memory. I was excited to go for my birthday and to celebrate with my people, and unfortunately it really missed the mark. The char siu bao was okay, but I feel like I've gotten better ones from the frozen section of Hmart, and I can get a whole pack for the price of one bao. The crab handroll was good, just again the size/price differential was just not worth it again. The mains were straightforward but just really bland. The spicy beef noodle I thought was going to really blow me away, but the egg noodles were just falling apart so you didn't really get any noodle just a lot of mushy pieces, sparing pieces of beef, and even though Szechuan peppers were present, they did not present anything other than aesthetic, I ate every pepper and got no spice out of it, even the chili oil didn't help it out. The fried rice was pretty standard and didn't blow us away, a little dry and bland as well, with very little pork to speak of. Just a very disappointing time, lack of flavors, lack of value, and I would not recommend read more

Secret Bao, hmm not sure what the secret is - maybe it's the average food pretending to be something else. Tried the peruvian scallops, there was more mayo than scallops. The pork belly bao was lost in the sea of over powering sauce. Perhaps the secret is that they're just mediocre at best. read more

Secret Bao - Peruvian scallops - Asian Fusion Near Me - Santa Barbara, California