This is probably the coolest beach cafe I've ever eaten at, with the tables actually in the sand on the beach with the waves crashing a few dozen feet away. The environment is incredibly chill and I really enjoyed the vibe on my bike adventure in Santa Barbara. Even though it was a weekend and they were pretty busy, a table was available, service was decent enough, being unhurried but still meeting all the basic needs. The food was tasty if not a bit on the small side, but it got the job done. After all a place like this is not where you would go looking for a huge meal! The coffee was also good. Overall this is a dynamite place for breakfast and if I lived nearby I would go all the time. Five stars. read more

Shoreline Cafe - Amazing view! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Wineaux A Go-Go here again...talking about Beach Cafe vibes at Shoreline Cafe. This is a Santa Barbara sleeper that's sure to please. Great selection of winners on the menu. Not many choices but each are all stars. We split the breakfast burrito got our coffee in to go cups (keeps it hot). Fruit is always fresh. No WiFi so you can talk to each other. No dogs is the only bummer. They have killer beach sand table scene to watch the waves and umbrellas for shade. Service is friendly. Plenty of parking and Breakfast libations a plenty. Yum. If you don't enjoy this I'm not sure what to tell ya! read more

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A cafe with good food and fantastic views. This lil gem is literally on the beach. You can dine in the patio which is comfortably heated for those cool days or enjoy a spot on the sand under an umbrella. We visited on a busy Saturday afternoon but were quickly seated upon arrival. A friendly & polite young lady promptly took our order and brought us waters as we waited for our food. The menu has your standard fare of burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. We chose the 1/4 & 1/2 pound burgers with regular & sweet potato fries. The burgers may look small but are actually quite substantial, cooked to an ideal medium. Fries were perfectly seasoned. They offer happy hour drink specials as well. This establishment is located in a large parking lot where you can pay by the hour or you may find one of the 90 minute spots near the cafe. All in all a great first time dining experience at Shoreline Cafe! read more

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The location is fantastic - let the kids run on the beach - sit and watch the windsurfers- idilic, the drinks are fine - cocktail on the beach - huge kids milk shakes - 1 between 2 is more than enough. The food is average and deteriorating- avoid anything fried - it's terrible. Go for the views, location and friendly staff but avoid the food. In such a prime location- this should be a lot better read more

Shoreline Cafe - Cala what ? - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The view was the best part of this experience. Our server was also very friendly and attentive. The food however, was very underwhelming. The clam chowder had good flavor but was lukewarm by the time it got to me. The fish in the fish & chips was oddly chewy? I couldn't bite through it and it ended up separating from its deep fried batter. The drinks were also okay. My bf and I had upset stomachs later that day, not entirely sure if we could blame it on food poisoning, but I did see a review from 3 weeks ago claiming food poisoning. Thought that may be worth a mention. read more

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Lunch and service and the sand. Yeah it was a first for me, at least there was some good scenery around it (being in Santa Barbara, there should be amazing views almost anywhere. Except for the oil drilling derricks) atmosphere was good, hosting and servers were wonderful as we were part of a school group from Northern California. Since I was on the coast I like to eat seafood while I am there. So I ordered the Baja Style Shrimp Tacos, it had breaded shrimp,chipotle sauce, coleslaw and with it along with pico de gallo and black beans on the side with a wedge of lime. I ate it all so and enjoyed the shrimp as it was cooked with that snap it makes when chewing , I am not a seafood connoisseur so I am not sure how to describe it. Shoreline Beach Cafe in Santa Barbara is a nice recommendation if you want some beachside seating, even on a overcast day. read more

I went there craving a tuna melt , someone in a local Fb page said they had a good one. I ordered full size melt with fries , wheat bread, sadly I had to get it to go because they aren't dog friendly, bummer the place has so much potential on a beach side location ! With plenty of outdoor tables could be busier ! The sandwich was underwhelming and my order didn't even include a ketchup, I had only noticed when I already left the premises, had to leave quick coz cashier seemed annoyed by me asking why they weren't dog friendly . read more

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Ate here right after landing in Santa Barbara and it was a wonderful start of our trip! We sat on the deck and had beautiful views of the ocean and even saw a baby seal, which the waitstaff (who were great!) pointed out for us. Cocktails were great. The food was very solid. We got calamari, the garlic shrimp appetizer, fish tacos, and French fries. Everything was tasty and the fries in particular were cooked perfectly. read more

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The ambience is amazing you can't beat a beach view. But that is where it stops. The food was cold when it came out. Sat for 20 minutes and i had to go ask for a server. The food was ok nothing to get happy for. Sad because had seen so many good reviews read more

The view is amazing, it feels straight out of a movie! You can sit right on the beach. I highly recommend the clam chowder soup and fish tacos! Best fish tacos I have ever had! The service was so great and kind. read more

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Excellent location and ambience! Got their chilaquiles (4/5- very flavorful) and blueberry pancakes (3/5 - served with maple syrup and butter). Fairly quick service even for a Saturday morning and friendly staff. Parking in public lot outside; slightly expensive - paid $7 for 2 hours :( read more

Shoreline Cafe - Chilaquiles with a side of roasted potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our go-to beach restaurant over many years. Their fish tacos are always good.Their take out window is always busy, but we manage to get a table on the patio rarely with a wait. The tables located on the sand have an even better view but usually have a wait, and aggressive birds, so don't leave your table unattended! The patio is glassed in, so a better choice on a windy day.. My mahi mahi special was fresh and perfectly grilled this visit on a perfrct sunny day with island views. read more

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The name says it all...Shoreline Beach Cafe sits right on the shore. They even offer tables on the sand. The deck gives a wonderful view of the Channel Islands and the blue water. Service is quick and friendly. The food delicious and reasonably priced. They have a full bar, too! read more

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Gorgeous location right on the sand just north of the harbor. Sitting here watching ocean swimmers and dolphins is amazing. I ordered the huevos rancheros and they were excellent flavor but a small portion for the price charged. The restaurant gets a 4 star for not providing free parking and no WiFi The service was good but a lack of personality I would come back for the ocean view but if I don't want to pay for parking or want WiFi I will go elsewhere read more

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My poke was so fresh, loved sitting on the beach and the server was friendly. Best lunch spot for us when stopping in Santa Barbara. Only problem is parking. read more

Beautiful restaurant right at the beach. They got a variety of different items on their menu. There is a different plate of fish special each day. Enjoy your food and drinks right at the beach or on their patio. read more

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This place never disappoints! Their salmon salad is the best! Fish tacos are perfect for some yummy grub when you are hungry after hanging out at the beach. Yes on the weekends you generally have to wait for a table but if you come when it's not so busy, it's much easier to get a table faster. The view is perfect as you are right on the beach toes in the sand if you're lucky! This is definitely a spot to check out whether you're a local or a tourist. read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I wasn't too impressed with the breakfast food here, but the views were great. I ordered the pancakes and fruit, and the fruit didn't really go well with the pancakes and was kinda just plopped on top. Definitely wouldn't recommend the pancakes. I'd definitely come back to try the lunch tho! read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I loved this place. At 9 am it wasn't too busy. I opted to sit in chairs and drank a beer and watched the shore. Very relaxing read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This used to be my favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. I would come here at the distress after a long, hard day, have busy meetings, or just come to enjoy good eats with a good view. Last time I came, it was the first time I ate at the restaurant under new management and it was like a big flop. I tried -34 dishes and they all sucked so I thought maybe my favorite place was over. But today was like the worst day with the worst clients , truly just horrible so I needed that old stress, relief, vibe and nourishment. So I was like OK let's give new management one more try. And I'm so glad I did because the food today was amazing. Their new menu item, the chicken taquitos 30/10! Amazing! The juiciness of the cheese mixed with the flavors of the chicken wrapped by the most amazing, beautiful crunchy shell gives these taquitos homemade vibes to the nth power. The nachos I get every single time . Today was the best. I think they did something extra with the guacamole or maybe it was the added onion and cilantro to the nachos, but so flavorful~ and refreshing at the same time. 10 out of 10. And the Carne Asada last time I came was extremely gummy and inedible but today, perfection. I had it with raw onions to give it a little zap, don't recommend this for people on dates, but for me, it was a wonderful marriage between a little bit of spice from the onion with the savory of the Carne Asada. 7/10 Parking is easy here. Backdrop is perfection. You will have to fight with the birds occasionally, but it's a perfect place for groups, for solo, for families with children, and they even have a corner where you can booze it up and enjoy your life overlooking the ocean. Oh a little: suppperrr romantic vibes at night~ check out the picture of Shoreline Cafe at night read more

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If you like everything you order to taste like fish, this is the place to go. It was just confirmed to me that "yes" they do in fact fry the potatoes and other side dishes in the same oil they fry the fish in, disgusting. Love also to ask for my bacon to be "crispy" and it was so wobbly, it almost fell off the plate, really love how they give you a very cold rock hard butter pat to put on your lukewarm toast, was supposed to be sourdough, but was wheat on top of that. Never again. read more

It's on line as pet friendly restaurant as stated online! Another customer before us was also complaining too same thing! we drove more than 3 miles to try the clam chowder do we did order it and ate it in our car it was Just ok sadly to say read more

Great choices. Open for breakfast, I love it! Great service and ambiance. Sat by ocean view read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was so yummy, sat outside and it was perfect weather! Server super sweet and attentive!! read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I absolutely loved eating here! It's got a great casual atmosphere and you can order drinks, soda or snacks at the window while you wait for your table. There is parking in the paid parking lot and also in front of the restaurant for 90 minutes without fees. We got a table on the sand with a few rocks, separating us from the rest of the beach and got to eat with our toes in the sand truly a great experience. They have small but good menu and the food we ordered was delicious. We had fried calamari starter and then shared the regular fish tacos. They will tell you at the front the dogs are not allowed, but if you insist you can take your dog to the back area as long as they stay on a leash and in the sand by the rocks read more

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They had a special weekend menu and I had sushi poke. So yummy with chips and rice! Kids friendly. Service was great. Not very full around 1:30p on a Sunday afternoon too. Prices are decent for food but sodas are crazy at $5 (7/2025). A few free 90 minute parking spots or pay option in beach lots. read more

Shoreline Cafe - View from patio deck. - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

i have eaten here in the past due to the location as i walk my dog along the beachfront frequently. the food has always been ok, but nothing great. yet i like to support local businesses. that is until recently! i was walking my dog past the restaurant and my senior fourteen year old dog needed water. they refused to give me water unless i paid for it. i gave them a dollar something and got a cup of water, and i will never go back! read more

It's all about the atmosphere - right on the beach. The food is mediocre at best at very high price

Great view. Nice attentive staff. Good fries. The fish used for the fish and chips and the tuna melt were NOT good. The tuna in the tuna melt was full of onion and pickle and was still sooo fishy. The cod in the fish and chips tasted like pollock very slimy and fishy again. read more

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Great food, always. Friendly staff, attentive service. The greatest view and with your toes in the sand, it's pure heaven. Fish tacos and a bowl of chowder, cool sea breeze and very comfortable. Always coming back, always hate to leave. read more

Shoreline Cafe - Tacos and chowder, and oh what a view! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The ceviche was delicious. The service was good, and the weather was really nice this day. The ambiance was fresh and breezy, with a beautiful view of the ocean. read more

Shoreline Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Stopped here with my mom on our way to Hearst Castle. We are both from the East coast, and finding edible chowder on the west coast has been a continuous disappointment over the past couple of years. We are gluttons for punishment, though, because anytime it's on a menu, guess who orders it? It was, so we did. Let me tell you, their chowder is one of the best chowders we have ever had...West AND East coast! I don't know what magical ingredients they add beyond the usual, but the flavor was amazingly good! These two picky East Coast eaters talked about that chowder through our whole trip! I came back to IE and told my husband we needed to take a weekend specifically to go visit and eat that chowder. We also had the fresh catch tacos, which were swordfish. They were very good, and very fresh! We will be back read more

Good selections (I especially like the fish and French fries) for everyone. Seating outside is great with children. They can play nearby in the sand while waiting for the food. Waitstaff is helpful and fun. read more

i like shoreline. the reason i go though is because of its location and proximity to the ocean. the food and service definitely isn't amazing, but it is fine and there aren't many places that have incredible food and service. but getting to have your feet in the sand and hear the ocean waves crashing is really nice. so if your visiting come or a local bring your visitors! it's a pretty good experience and i don't think there are any restaurants that are in the sand in sb. read more

Shoreline Cafe - pretty view - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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What a gem. Right on the beach with the view of Channel Islands! We were meeting some friends there for lunch and we got there a little early so we ordered some breakfast first. Thr blue berry pancakes were yummy! Their fresh fruits were fresh! Coffee was ok. Blended fruit drink was ok. We then had a chicken salad and it was pretty decent. We split the salad and had plenty to eat. Our friends had burgers and they look pretty good. The service was wonderful. She was pleasant and so sweet. They have a limit of 90 minutes to dine there but we were there for a couple of hours. Park right in front of the restaurant. They didn't seem to mind it because it was pretty slow at the beginning of the week. Overall pretty good if you want a great view and good pancakes with great service. I would return again. read more

Shoreline Cafe - View from our table. - Seafood Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I came here for lunch and was willing to wait, till an outside table, on the beach sand, became available. There is covered seating on a raised patio, but there is no sand by your feet. When I got to my beach table, adorned with a blue umbrella, I was quickly mesmerized. There you are, on the beach, enjoying the looks of the blue sea, its salt air, and admiring the beauty of the Santa Barbara coastline. I ordered the fish and chips. It was fresh and did not disappoint. Both restrooms at this restaurant were out of order, so one had a small hike to the public restrooms on the beach. Oh well. The ambiance, attentive service and location, is one to be remembered, for your return visit to Santa Barbara. read more

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Location Location Location!! 5 star worthy for the perfect spot on the beach to have drinks and dine! The service and food was good too! I had the Ahi tacos, 2 tacos w/a generous helping of Ahi and cabbage slaw & chopped tomatoes but no sauce... the tacos seriously lacked flavor... maybe a siracha mayo? it came w/3 tiny side cups, one of black beans, another crumbled goat cheese and another of "mango salsa" which was just some tiny cubes of mango-nothing mixed in to call it mango "salsa" usually it has chopped cilantro and tomatoes, mixed in. My husband liked the seafood burrito and it came with sweet potato fries (strange side) and so stoked because they were the best we've ever tasted! I definitely recommend coming here! You've got the beach right there and the parking isn't real expensive. There's a grass area with picnic tables that stretches the length of the parking lot, to the north of the restaurant and it really is a great place to just come and hang out. You can even rent paddle boards right there to the right of the restaurant. read more

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We had a great lunch at this lovely beach front cafe. Everything we ordered was a hit and fresh. The calamari was fresh and well prepared, but that Baja fish tacos stole the show. Our server was kind and attentive, accommodating to our group of 7. read more

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Love Shoreline Cafe! You can sit right on the beach, which is amazing! Service was great and the staff are all super nice! We got the fish/shrimp & chips! Both were delicious! I was worries about the fried shrimp, but I was surprisingly delighted! read more

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Talk about paradise. This restaurant sits on the beach in Santa Barbara. It was such a beautiful day to sit outside and listen to the waves crash against the beach. We went on a Saturday and they were extremely busy. The wait time was told 30 minutes but we waited closer to 45-50 minutes. There were two younger girls working the hostess booth and the one was not very nice. Borderline rude to some customers. While I did not have a bad experience, I witnessed bad manners by the hostess. Once seated, our waiter came by and took our order. The chips and guac were very good. Homemade chips 10/10. My husband and I both had burgers and they were good but nothing to write home about. I did a have adult drink and I do think it was overpriced for the amount of actual drink I had. We enjoyed and do hope to go back. read more

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