The best bar in Santa Barbara. While it's not exactly easy to find, and doesn't exactly look inviting from the outside, do not fret! This is all part of the fun. Because walking into the Imperial is like walking into another world. If I had to put a finger on it, I'd say it's a prohibition style bar spiced with tiki culture. This is the place to go if your looking for dim lighting and fancy cocktails. It's near UCSB, but weeds out most Isla Vistans with it's high prices and "classier" vibes. I highly recommend getting there early and grabbing a booth on the righthand side. They are perfectly lit for an intimate conversation with friends. read more

This might be my favorite bar in the area. Super cool feel and wonderful speak easy atmosphere. A bit challenging to find the entrance, but once inside it makes the ambiance even more rewarding. Super cozy and great for date night. The music is wonderful and the drinks are even better. This place is a must go and I will definitely be back! read more

The Imperial - Bar area - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

Even though I've only been once, I Love this place. It's like stepping back in time. Mad Men style. The drinks are brilliantly original. Can't wait to try the Cucumber Margarita. Super laid, back but still fully enjoying life kinda vibe, and without the feel of those depressing "drinking yours sorrows away" kind of dive bars. The staff was great, especially our delightful cocktail waitress. Should've asked her name. I look forward to returning. Cheers! read more

I really like this place and its sister bar, Mercury Lounge. Parking is easy and you have the choice to sit inside or outside. Inside it's almost pitch black until your eyes adjust to the candles and low lighting. We sat outside on the patio on the funky mix of tables and chairs. Their cocktails are awesome--I asked for something sweet and the bartender chose one for me, something bourbon and fruity, but everyone got different drinks and they all looked awesome. This is a great spot for a date night, drinks after work or for a group to go hang out and relax. Note that they don't have food so go before or after dinner. read more

The BEST cocktail lounge experience in the county with bartenders who love their craft.

Everyone raves about mid-century this and mid-century that -- but the mid-century sucked. We had constant worry about getting nuked. The Civil Right movement had not gotten going yet. Women were not treated well. Polio was still around. Folks were getting black-listed. The US got crushed in the Korean War. Horrible times. But Dawn O'Brian and her excellently trained colleagues have brought us the fantasy of a great 1950 during a time that is much better than 1950. You can have it all. Leave a big tip. p.s. 9000 feet of bicycle shop will soon share a wall with the Imperial. Life just gets better and better. read more

This place has an awesome mad men 1960s feel. They played easy listening classic jazz. A very unique feel for Santa Barbara. Service was good, cocktails were excellent. I recommend the mazatlan mule. read more

The Imperial - Drinks at the imperial. - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

God I love this place! Like stepping back in time! Our bartender Donald was a doll and makes a great marmalade whiskey sour. When you're their you have to check out their tiki bar patio! read more

Super cool, hidden, almost speakeasy bar in Goleta! It's right behind some industrial office-looking company, so it can be hard to spot at night. Basically, if it doesn't look like you're on the way to a bar, it sounds about right. Seating is pretty limited, given that my friends and I came on a Saturday night. The bartender was very helpful in helping my friends find the perfect drink. He had a very complete knowledge of the drinks and gave his honest opinions based on what my friends were looking for. There's outdoor seating, and while we came a bit too late to appreciate the live music, it's nice to know that it's there. There's also food in case you get hungry, in the form of burgers and hot dogs, etc. The employees who talked to us were all super nice. Drinks are on the pricier side, but not unreasonable. Would come back for an unconventional, alternative environment to hanging out with friends. read more

good atmosphere and vibe. Don't leave your phone or they will make a dick pic your background.

Super low key. Im from out of state and thought I was at the wrong place thanks to maps but figured it out. It's a fun lounge with nice themes. The dimmed lights make it more intimate making it a great spot where friends can talk and relax. read more

Elegant, cozy, sophisticated, whimsical- this is everything a Classic Lounge should be. Beautifully designed mix of Retro-Modernity, with a staff that knows how to put some liquid delight into your life, and serve it with an affable expertise. And a lovely patio as well! read more

This was one of the first bars I've been to and I know that the bartender knew that because I did not try to hide it. I don't know his name but my bartender was unfriendly and curt the entire time we interacted. The drinks were solid but when it came to paying, they overcharged me by $20, thinking that I wouldn't notice. I was paying drinks for my friend so I didn't say anything & still tipped generously and after I tipped, my bartender started acting friendly. Disgusted by the antics of the bartender and will not be coming again. read more

Speakeasy style lounge with an outdoor patio. Drinks are crazy strong; that can be good or bad depending on your preference. Most of their signature cocktails aren't really good. I stick with their wine or short list of beers. I come here for the atmosphere to lounge and chat with friends not particularly the drinks. read more

Love this place. My go-to bar in SB/Goleta. If you're anything like me, the last place you want to go is somewhere packed downtown where you have to push and squeeze your way to the bar and BEG the bartender to pour you a drink, only to have someone with a snotty attitude slam your drink on the table and walk away with your credit card without making eye contact with you. When you're at The Imperial, you're home. The owner is such a sweet and sincere lady. She will visit with you, ask you how your day is, and make you an awesome drink. The best part about this place, it is well staffed and you never have to scratch and claw your way to get the bar tenders attention. This place is so comfortable, clean, and homey. The owner plays records on Vinyl and comes around with snacks (potato chips, pop corn etc). She makes AMAZING drinks and is such a great host. I feel like I'm at a friends house when I visit this place. If you're looking for a great bar to visit where you can relax, enjoy yourself and avoid the hustle and bustle of downtown bars, this is the place for you!! read more

By FAR my favorite bar/lounge on the Central Coast. It's quite difficult to find (and not well marked) if you've never been (it's even hard to find on the internet!) but that makes it all the more rewarding when you do find it, and as another reviewer said, once you're in, you kind of hope no one else finds it so it doesn't get crazy crowded or trashy. I'm obsessed with the decor and vibe, our drinks were great (if pricey, but that seems to be the norm now), including a free one for the bride-to-be I was with. I didn't even go past the first room, where there are booths for a slightly more private experience than standing at tables on the main floor. No one bothered us, which was a plus. I can't wait to take all my friends here, I can't shut up about it! read more

It was a fun little hole in the wall bar, great for romantic dates! The drinks were extremely professional.

Witnessed a huge RED FLAG the other night of an incredibly rude and irrationally hostile bartender. Situation: saw someone heading to the patio, the bartender made a beeline, blocked them, and demanded to see their ID (sure it's a college town but this person was easily my age, mid-30's, not a questionable situation) The bartender's behavior perked up my attention so I definitely eavesdropped a little and the summary was basically the bartender was pushy and aggressive, they politely pulled out a digital copy of their drivers license/id and their physical student ID (phd student) and the bartender continued to be incredibly rude and aggressive to a really unacceptable level, telling them repeatedly to "get out of my f***ing bar". I did ask around a little because it was such a bizarre and unacceptable thing to witness, totally unprovoked hostility towards a patron who was heading to some mixer on the patio, and from what I've been told apparently other people have had really bad interactions with this bartender. Left shortly after, left a very bad taste in my mouth. If this is how patrons are treated here, this is not the kind of place I want to frequent. read more

Cool dark corner spot. Feels like you walked into a past decade. Drinks are worth the price. read more

The Imperial - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

I really love the Imperial. The cucumber margarita is so delicious! The only thing that I would change about this place is the size. It's too small and I'm tired of trying to snatch a table! read more

Fun, comfy dive in Goleta. Visited here several times during my stay in Santa Barbara for work. Friendly bartenders and staff; specifically Scott and Jill were lovely to chat with. read more

Super mellow Friday night, bartender came up and personally introduced himself to my boyfriend and I. I had the old fashioned and he had the cucumber gimlet. Both delicious!! We will be back! read more

The Imperial - Very cool seating!! They have booths too... - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

This place is fantastic. The outdoor patio is amazing, and the biggest reason I tell people to check it out! The bar tender Mat is great, and the alcohol selection is wonderful. This should always be your #1 choice for bars in the area! read more

Very relaxed atmosphere. Don't let the front door fool you. It's a very classy and professional atmosphere.

Super swank chill hang out with top shelf high quality drinks, check it out! Music was fun, it's dark and relaxed I would deff come back read more

The Imperial - This was so bomb - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

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This place was like a hidden treasure! The atmosphere is very chill, awesome decors, the bartenders were awesome and the drinks were strong. I would definitely go back to this spot and think it's worth checking out. read more

Great ambiance, good drinks. Unfortunately, the way they close down is very unfriendly and too aggressive. Why?

The lady who served us so condescending and rude. I'm not sure why we warranted such disrespect. She would barely say 2 words to our group and her whole demeanor was so scolding and rude. I'm literally in shock at such behavior. The place is cute and the drinks were good. The bartender was nice, but the server really ruins the whole experience. read more

Super cool vibe, super friendly staff and locals, superior bartending ... they really know what they're doing, even with the really weird and classic libations. Not a huge draft menu, but what they choose to stock is great. We're from LA (90 miles South), but we'll be back ... and we'll be sure to book a local room! ;) read more

The owner is miserable, negative, and unpleasant (as other yelpers have commented)....and those are her positive points.

The drinks are absolutely delicious and well made. I also love the ambience and the interior decorating. It's so warm and inviting and especially with the jazz music they play. read more

The Imperial - Lounges Near Me - Goleta, California

Awesome place! The cocktails are well worth the extra few $ vs. anywhere else in Santa Barbara! The ambiance here for a late night drink is hard to beat. read more

If you're in the mood for a very chill place where the cocktails are expensive yet delicious, this is the place to go. Indoor seating is limited but there is a decently sized patio area. There are unique cocktails on the menu, but the bartenders are very knowledgeable and can surprise you with something delicious and not on the menu. Great place for a catch up or first date (if you want to show off a cool and swanky place)! read more

This is now my favorite spot to grab a drink in Goleta. Great atmosphere that makes it easy to relax and chat with friends. I have tried their Old Fashioned and Sazerac and they are perfect. The outside patio adds a nice romantic touch. I loved the jazzy feel of this place. Slowly sipping an old fashioned to Jobim's "Girl from Ipanema" on a Friday night is one of the best feelings in the world. read more

Was at mercury lounge down the street. Bartender there let us know that this place just opened and was the sister bar to mercury BUT WITH WHISKEY.This place just opened a couple weeks ago. Bartender let us know only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Same vibe as mercury, African Congo, safari vibe. Great decor and lighting. GREAT MUSIC. Obviously newer than mercury. Nice leather couches for groups and for intimate date. Small candle lit outdoor area. Bartenders were great. They have cocktails, a ton of different whiskey, some beer and wine. Only reason this place got 4 stars and not 5. I ordered a manhattan and got a non alcoholic watered down monstrosity with a lime wedge. There's three ingredients in a manhattan and they went 0 for 3 (male bartender). Girl bartender made me one of the best old fashioneds I've had. So it evens out. This place is still trying to work out its kinks, took forever for them to make drinks and its cash only. But I'll definitely be back. On par or better than mercury once they start taking credit cards and making manhattans correctly. read more

Always a good time here. Never had a friend who didn't love it after I introduced them to it. Generous drinks served by friendly knowledgeable bartenders in an open, warm, laid back environment. You gotta check this place out read more

The Imperial is an excellent out of the way place in Goleta to get your cocktail fill. The low key and quiet atmosphere allows you to have an actual conversation and not be bombarded by what ever the newest pop music is. I would highly recommend the Imperial or their sister bar the Mercury Lounge. There is only a rare night when a group of 15-20 people rowdy people that mistook it for the creekside and decided to run off the other patrons with their rude behavior. But what can you do every once in a while people get lost. read more

If you love a good cocktail, nothing in SB beats the Imperial right now. The cocktail menu is small, but the bartenders will make you pretty much anything you'd like (or just invent something awesome for you on the spot). All of them are craftspeople who'll fuss over your drink until it's just right. (They're also really, really nice.) But it's a small bar, and you may need to wait a bit for your drink when it gets busy. If you're with a large group or mainly looking to get sloshed hard, this isn't the best place for it. Do come for chill conversations with a couple of friends. The ambience is cool, quirky, and interesting, and the small outdoor area is fun in warm weather, view of freeway and car dealership notwithstanding. The music tends toward jazz and scratchy 1960s records. Oh, and somehow these guys frequently make the absolute best mojito in this town. read more

Such a cool bar, this was mine and my bfs favorite bars in town. I get that it's tough for businesses reopening after the pandemic, but we recently went for a drink and were pretty disappointed. We went and sat at the bar and were 1 of about 3 groups there so it wasn't crazy busy or super slow and waited for about 15-20 minutes until someone acknowledged us. The people working right in front of our eyes literally looked through us without many times. The lady who finally took our order was super sweet and apologetic and gave the bartender our order. He said he was making our drinks right away but then tended to some people who came up to the bar after us. We asked about our drinks again after another 10 minutes as many people who came right next to us and ordered after us got their drinks and placed another order and the same bartender (tall younger guy) said he was going to do them. The drinks never came. The other shorter slightly older bartender came and tried taking our order again and asked the other bartender to make them for us. The drinks never came. We left after they were about to have us place the drink order for a 4th time. It was a rough visit, we have never had people so eager to avoid eye contact with us to much. We love this place so this was tough for us to experience as this is the second time this has happened to us here with the same bartender. Hopefully this won't happen again if we eventually visit, the drinks are too good to give up! read more

It is low profile and understated, but one of the best bars I've ever been to. Wonderful, hand-crafted cocktails (with time spent on making each one perfect), amazing décor and ambiance. It's a lounge bar with a retro, Polynesian jazz/blues vibe. They make a KILLER, real-deal Mai Tai with the original recipe, not like the Mai Tai's made in most other bars. They have a great vintage record collection, serve snacks and have awesome bartenders. It's a very chill vibe with lots of elegant charm. A must-visit bar in the Santa Barbara area. read more