The Set

Amazing bar with a highly skilled bartender (on a Tuesday night) who managed to deliver…read moreconsistently perfect cocktails with zero help, to a crowd. The cocktails are highly creative, diverse in flavor and design, and really could stand up to any you would find at a top cocktail bar in a major city. The exterior doesn't scream "must come in" but you absolutely should. Is it a tiki bar? Yes, but in the best way. And the bartender deserves applause for pulling off 3+ quite complex cocktails every 5 minutes off of memory and without any support.

Tons of one-of-a-kind drink concoctions, making it the perfect first stop on our bar-hopping…read moreexcursion. Everyone got a diff. cocktail, which was fun to talk about, compare, and sip. Impressive bartender skills. Was told it was more of a tiki-bar vibe, but that ends at the menu. It's got some nautical interior vibes, like a knotty chandelier, but otherwise, some of the space is just wide and empty, to accommodate crowds. Bonus points for a Golden Retriever being there.

Bananacapa and Oaxacan Dead cocktails

Inside

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Seasonal Slushy

Dusk Bar

4.5(72 reviews)

1.2 mi

Oysters hh 2 for 5 Drinks were about 10 to 12 each…read moreTheir paloma was great Not a whole lotta food options during happy hour fyi

For some reason, this is considered the top cocktail bar in downtown Santa Barbara, however, we…read morefound the experience underwhelming and the service remarkably slow and unenthusiastic. When we arrived on a Tuesday evening, there were about seven patrons throughout the bar and the outdoor seating area with the live music drew us in. We were told to order at the bar, so while the rest of our party was seated, I stood there for five minutes before someone took my order. Totally fine, but no sorry for the wait or even smile or any warmth from the male bartender, who disappeared for a five minute break shortly after taking my order. The tables at the outdoor seating area were very sticky and since there were no employees in sight I (and the other patrons who arrived then) cleaned the tables ourselves. After waiting 10 minutes I went up to the bar and assumed since our drinks hadn't been delivered, I was supposed to pick them up, I was told don't worry, we'll bring them to you, and after another five minutes, our drinks arrived. The cocktails were decent, nothing revolutionary but I am spoiled in this department, well made but nothing to get excited about . After 30 minutes of enjoying the genuinely nice outdoor area we ordered another round, three shots took another 10+ minutes. When we realized we had to leave to make our reservation, we asked for a box for our untouched food, and we were told we don't have boxes. They ended up finding one for For us, but it appeared to be a pastry box from somewhere else. The female bartender who took over after the male clocked out, was much more personable, but not much more efficient. To their credit, this bar has an excellent selection of tequilas and Mezcal's, so if you're not in a rush and you enjoy those spirits it's definitely worth stopping by. The music was really great and was definitely the highlight of that bar.

Pleasant decor

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Ah huevo and Oaxacan old fashioned

Pearl Social Cocktail Club

3.8(107 reviews)

I absolutely loved Pearl Social and kudos to my friend Jara S. For highlighting them and for the…read morestellar drink recommendation. Pearl social is such a whimsical fun spot to grab a drink and a snack in the funk zone. We stumbled in for a late afternoon drink and it wasn't very busy inside - giving off "best kept secret vibe". The decor is very feminine yet playful. Loved the design and bar area. We opted for a casual booth area by the bar which was really nice. Also all of the little things were done well, crisp menus, clean bathrooms, and music done at just the right sound level. Their menu in the bar area for food is small but mighty - oysters, cheese plates, you name it. I'm definitely going to keep coming here for the cocktails. I've had one of the best sips in 2025 here - which would be The Mixtape cocktail. My friend told me I had to get it and I'm so glad I listen sometimes lol. This cocktail completely blew me away. Passionfruit forward, it's silky, sweet yet very well balanced. One of the more unique and tasty cocktails I've had ever and honestly I'm not sure how I could come back and get anything else. 10/10 Cocktail and menu. Super impressed. Kudos to Mark who was working the bar. Such a lovely spirit and kind person. He really is passionate about his menu and the drinks he's curated. Loved talking to him as we got to know a lot more about Pearl social and how some of their drinks were concerted. Really appreciated his time and expertise. Anytime I'm in the funk zone I will 100% be stopping back by here for a cocktail and good vibes.

Came by here on Valentines day to have a couple drinks. Place is beautiful and the vibe is very…read morechill and relaxing. Took a minute to get some service unfortunately. The drinks were well made and we ordered the charcuterie board to eat. Small place, small menu FYI. Overall not a bad little spot to hang out and catch up with friends or bring a date.

Cute decor!

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Accident in paradise and Stay Ready cocktails.

The Good Lion

4.6(461 reviews)

1.7 mi

Great craft cocktails in an incredible and historic building. We got there right at opening so…read moreservice was very quick and happy hour was in full swing. We only got two drinks because we were on a time crunch but both were delicious. The space is very intimate and dimly lit, the perfect space for a craft cocktail.

Great cocktails, great spot with Excellent customer service…read more It has good atmosphere , we were there after Happy Hour on a First Thursday and the band playing jazz was a lot of fun. Right next to the Granada Theater Downtown Santa Barbara

The bar!

Bar lit up at night

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Passionfruit Fizz

Miracle At The Funk Zone in Pearl Social

3.8(45 reviews)

So fun and so amazingly decorated. The service was super slow but the decorations make up for it…read more The cocktails were creatively named but didn't taste super special. Decent tho. The pizzas were delicious! I would go back for this any day. Love the vibes and would def go again.

Had a great time enjoying the drinks at this holiday location. Everyone was really kind and polite…read more We met some other patrons and the hostesses were great to talk to; since we were seated near them. Very interesting drink offers: I loved my Old Fashion and my wife really enjoyed the Mutha-f@€ker in the cute santa pants cup. It was a $10 entrance fee but went for a great cause and we did get a Christmas beanie with lights. How can you go wrong.

Inside decor from the bar

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Decorations hanging from ceilings

Finney's Crafthouse

4.2(1.7k reviews)

Liz was our server and she was the best server we ever had here. she was so sweet and attentive and…read moremade sure we had everything we needed. will definitely be requesting her when we come back here!

SUCH good carnitas nachos! Camilla was so attentive and had great recommendations for beers based…read moreon what we like as well as breakfast spots for tomorrow morning. Such a great addition to our SB visit!

Happy Hour Time

Bacon & Blue Burger

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Stearns Wharf

Cutler's Artisan Spirits

4.3(68 reviews)

I knew about Cutler's vodka years ago. But I stopped drinking vodka a year ago. It started to taste…read morelike lighter fluid. Odd, after three plus decades drinking it. At a Santa Barbara Maritime Museum function, I saw a bottle of Cutler's whiskey (the regular one, not the 33) and asked the bartender to make a Manhattan with it. It was too sweet (I don't like that much vermouth) so I just started drinking it on the rocks. Outstanding! Then a few weeks later, at La Paloma, I asked the bartender what gins they serve. The usual : Bombay Sapphire (yuck), Tanqueray (not T10, also yuck), Henrdicks (snooze). He suggested Cutlers and proceeded to make one of the best martinis I've had in SB. So I went to buy a bottle in the Funk Zone. A Dodge Ram hit me after I bought the bottle to take home, but that's not Cutler's fault Note: It is very difficult to find. Yes, next to the Lark but the numbering of the suites isn't consecutive. I didn't realize dyslexia applied to numbers as well. Took me awhile to find the tiny space where you can buy bottles next to the patio where they serve cocktails. Great people, great company, great spirits. At $40, it's more than Tanqueray 10 for a 750 mL but well worth it. If you love gin, you must try. Cutler's ships within CA but not beyond. The t-shirts on the website are adorable, too. Sexy longish v-necks. Read up on the history of the Cutler family's distillery. And support local!

Cutlers was such a fun experience. They've got a cute patio area that is decorated well and they've…read moregot a small menu of cocktails. I had the apple pie mood lifter it was perfect for a warm summer day. It tasted like apple pie! And my hubby got a Negroni, which was very good. We ended up also getting a shot of the cold brew liquor and ended up taking a bottle of that home. We will definitely be back!!

Our cocktails

33 Bourbon and a shot of their Cold brew coffee liqueur.

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Signage on patio

Santo Mezcal

4.3(2.1k reviews)

Came to Santo Mezcal for lunch from San Fernando Valley. They have the most amazing Mexican food…read more 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.

Valentina is a gem! Great service, great vibes and amazing drinks! The AlPastor Pork Belly taco was…read moreincredibly delicious, best I've had in a good while. The Mezcal Old Fashion pair so well when I took that bite of my Rib Eye taco. You have something special going on in this restaurant. 10/10 highly recommend

Seating area

Picana Oaxaquena

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Sopecitos

Oku - Santa Barbara's premier waterfront restaurant

Oku

The food was amazing! The everyone loves Raymond roll and the Korean cauliflower were our…read morefavorites! Also amazing cocktails and service

I had dinner here last night for the first time. It was an unseasonably warm, Sunday evening. I…read morereally wanted to sit on the roof top but no space. The menu has an assortment of what I would consider appetizers / small plates, sushi rolls noodle dishes and dessert. The price point is really sporadic. I had the David's Addiction roll and I really enjoyed it. It was a little spicy. I wish I had a bigger appetite to have eaten more here. I had the POG cocktail. It was ok. I wasn't super excited about it. This place seemed like one of the best options near the pier.

Gorgeous place for our post-work drink!

Yellowtail Carpaccio paired with Sakuna Rose Sake

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Way of the Dragon Roll and Piranha Roll. Paired with unfiltered Momo Kawa Sake!

Shaker Mill

4.4(190 reviews)

1.1 mi

Cute bar with some delicious drinks…read more The place is decorated nicely, service was fast and friendly. The place was not so busy since it was a Tuesday afternoon. My friend ordered a piña colada and I had a Paloma. Super yummy drinks.

Came here for a quick drink and had an amazing time…read more The bartender Chesco was super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I was craving a drink that was not on the menu and he was nice enough to make the drink and it was also DELICIOUS. It was a great drink and a great time, I can't wait to return.

Skeleton in the bar

Pina Colada

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Paloma

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4 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Edmund C.

4 years ago

Dinner Ceviche- this was served tartar. The fish was bland and the sauces served with it were also bland and quite frankly out of place for a traditional ceviche Mercado salad- very disappointing. Lettuce was smothered in dressing and there was 2 tablespoons of grated parmigiana on it in a pile at 5 o'clock in the bowl. Roasted corn, pickled red onions were very tasty with the lettuce but the jalapeños are canned and just not a compliment to the salad or have a place in it. The deep fried avocado is a great idea but really fails in this salad. Why? Texture? A sour dough crouton or parmigiana wafer would be way more appropriate with this. The drinks are very good-Spicy Marg & mai Tia colada The oysters were a very good presentation but no flavor. The sauce on it has no flavor and it felt like I was eating raw oysters without the brine. I asked for cocktail to give it some sort of flavor and you don't serve that. Really? 80% of all fine dining restaurants serve that with seafood. Why? Because guests love it. If the chef feels he's good enough to refuse these condiments because of his confidence that his preparation needs no adjustment he/she should try his/her own food. So, who am I to say all of this? I own 20 restaurants and have a franchise that spans the nation. I am the franchisor I have 5 brands and 2 fine dining restaurants I have in my apprentice years worked with Charlie Trotter, Chef Guston in Peru, and Rick Bayless in Red Oak. So I think I have a slight understanding of what I'm talking about. Be in touch with your food and make the adjustments to make an impact on someone's palette instead of relying on location and doing the "ok" work. My wife and I ended up eating our kids cheese burger and chicken fingers which were the highlight of the meal. It's not an insult, it's the truth. Do better! read more

Lilit N.

3 months ago

Very great service, delicious food, we are very satisfied with this restaurant, they have very friendly staff, everything was very clean and delicious. Special thanks to Raffi, he was very friendly and personable, he showed us a very good approach. read more

Diana G.

3 years ago

Set your expectations even lower than your typical hotel restaurant. Management is awful some guy named sabit who is hands down the most incompetent individual I've ever met read more

Mike L.

152

8 years ago

Great food, amazing cocktails and wine selection. The ambiance is what it's all about.

The Set - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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The Ellwood

3.9

(288 reviews)

•$$$

Entrees were delicious- we did steak and lobster pasta. Mashed potatoes and broccolini were also…read moreoutstanding. Appetizers were just alright, though. The ahi tuna poke was disappointing; it just mostly tastes like soy sauce. The service was good, and they comped our dessert since it was an anniversary dinner.

Decided to stop in at Ellwood for happy hour. They call it Golden Hour? We love Goleta beach and…read moremiss the restaurant that was there, so decided to give Ellwood a try. Great greetings and helpful staff. Sat at bar for a little unwind time, drink and snack. We love a good calamari ( always looking for the best in the area). Ordered a beer and house Chardonnay. Great tasting house Chardonnay and great beers on tap. Then we ordered the calamari; unfortunately cannot recommend. The calamari was so salty you could not eat more than one piece. I am sensitive to salty so I let it to my husband decide, but he could not eat it as well. We had to send it back. The service became noticeably cooler after that :(. Sorry, but I am just telling you what could be improved.

Longboard's Grill

3.4

(32 reviews)

bathroom Needs help not working guy was walking in with plunger. Bartender on the top was grearread more

Food & service was good. When leaving I discovered an…read moreelevator up stairs! Great! Ask lil gal hostess hey why didn't you tell me about the elevator, just gave me stupid look and continued flirting with 2 guys! Wow really! Didn't give crap because she's so darn cute!

The Knock

3.9

(244 reviews)

•$$$

Service here is great, they did not have the bone marrow and steak tartare. I think it's because…read morethey had too many people over the weekend. The Independent magazine article on this restaurant so I think it drew a crowd. When they asked us if we wanted indoor or outdoor, the indoor was too toasty for us so we opted for the outdoor seating. I came here because I wanted their Tomahawk Tuesday. I guess you can say it's a fancier version of Taco Tuesday or better spin-off...just costlier than tacos. The Pull-A-Part rolls are not that bad. It reminded me of a Hawaiian bun with the everything bagel seasoning on top and they provided some butter that had a little bit of a herbal taste. The short rib croquettes were very tiny and the short rib was dry. But I like how the corn was fresh and had a nice snap and the sauce had a nice Chipotle flavor. The tuna tostadas were very tiny for the amount that they cost. The tuna was flavored but still had a slight fishiness. I would not order it again because it's so tiny for the price. I did like the Fresno chilies on them tho. The smoke mac and cheese was pretty good. I did like the chewy texture, but it was not super smokey. The smoked gouda and parmesan was a good flavor combo. The green beans were crunchy and the toasted almonds gave it a little bit of nuttiness. The wife felt like it should have had some garlic flavor. And for the star of the show, the tomahawk was cooked a little unevenly. But I do appreciate them cooking the meat near the bone and accommodating us for wanting less salt on the steak. This is the only places we've been to that has actually cooked the meat on the tomahawk so you can actually eat the meat off of the bone. They do offer some chimichurri and some other creamy sauce. But I really like the chimichurri. The knife they provide to cut the meat is actually fun to cut with. I used the big knife over the steak knife (on the cutting board). In terms of flavor, I still prefer the Willows tomahawk, but this place is closer and the tomahawk is cheaper. I did appreciate them adding the cooked cherry tomatoes and green onions. It added a nice color to the steak and also good flavor. Our waitress Jennifer was nice and personable and also gave us some caramel popcorn on the house, which she informed us they make in house. The caramel popcorn reminded me of cracker jacks with no nuts. I would come back, but mainly for their tomahawk Tuesdays.

This is a tale of two parts... Firstly, the food was wonderful! But pretty much everything else…read morewas a disaster! We arrived for a booking at 6:15. There were three people behind the bar, but none of them took any notice of us. We finally approached the bartender and told him we had a reservation, expecting him to take some action or find a member of staff to help us. All he did was slap two menus on the bar top and say, well, what do you want?! Not a good beginning! Finally, after asking a second and third time, one of the other people came out from the bar area and talked to us. It was horribly hot in the restaurant. Seems their air conditioning had been broken for over a week and no one was going to fix it for at least another week. Clearly, they have no concern for their customers. It was unfortunate that it was the hottest day in Santa Barbara for over 30 years! So we were left with no option other than to sit outside, right on State Street. We thought we were coming to a lovely restaurant dining experience, but instead we had a constant stream of traffic, hot-rods, motorcycles and traffic while we ate. Not the ambiance we wanted at all for a special birthday meal. All of that aside, the food was wonderful! So it is a sad story indeed that the management couldn't take care of their customers so we would want to return. I'm guessing this iteration of the restaurant for The Hotel California will go the same way as its predecessors... closed! But if you try it, the beet salad was lovely! The fish and chips were fresh and the fries were fantastic! Lovely and hot as they hit our table - very nice indeed. And we were served a surprise birthday dessert of 'Baked Alaska'. It was quite simple amazing! Highly recommend this!! If you do go to The Knock I hope they get their act together - it would be a shame to not give this place a chance... but they do have to get better for me to go back.

Santa Barbara FisHouse

3.7

(1.6k reviews)

I don't think it could've been any better than it was except sports fans got pretty excited…read more We did the happy hour with shrimp and fish tacos. Everything was great. The server was great. We had a great view of the harbor. I love eating alfresco. Having a private parking lot, made it convenient. One of the best happy hours in Santa Barbara for sure. We are just finished going to the beach, watching a sailboat races, so it was super being in downtown SB.

Came for happy hour, staff got us seated right away even thought it was super busy! Loved the beach…read moreview, highly recommend sitting on the patio! Pork belly tacos were super yummy, had a good happy hour menu with lots of choices!

Paloma

4.4

(340 reviews)

•$$$

When dealing with the Friday night back and forth about where we wanted to go to dinner, Paloma was…read morean easy, obvious choice. The patio has a fun atmosphere while still feeling cozy. The menu has a good balance of comforting classics as well as some more exciting choices. It is a nice restaurant without being overly fancy and stuffy. Some menu highlights for us were the cornbread skillet, the deviled eggs, the mezcal negroni, and classically, their paloma. We also tried the bird of paradise cocktail, which is a passionfruit margarita, and while it was delicious, it is very tart so be warned. We will be back soon!

Found this spot the day of my friend's birthday and they were able to accommodate a same day…read morereservation which was wonderful. I sat outside and it felt vibey and well illuminated. My friends and I shared the Paloma pitcher for $54 and we each got 1.5 cups worth, so not a bad deal. Prices are a little high but that's to be expected in Santa Barbara. I ordered the 702 burger with fries and you must add on the caramelized bacon onion jam, it made it 10/10!! The fries were also so yummy and well seasoned. Overall, I rate it 5 stars because of the great service and delicious food. I would come here again :)

Moby Dick Restaurant

3.1

(1.2k reviews)

I just wanted to give some love to this place because in my brief interaction with the staff, they…read morereally treated me and my family well. We were walking Stearns Wharf and I went in to order fries to go for my toddler. The hostess was very warm and welcoming, and handed my toddler a paper kids menu and crayons to color while we waited. This alone is a nice treat for families looking to dine out with their kids to keep the little ones occupied. Then I noticed the kids menu had fish and chips and wanted to change my order to that instead, and without hesitation the hostess brought a supervisor to help facilitate that modification. While we waited, two other employees came by smiling checking on us to make sure we had been helped. They even offered to and happily refilled my son's water bottle multiple times while we were there walking/biking around. The views from the restaurant are stunning as can be expected being oceanside in santa barbara. We happened to catch the sunset there and it was breathtaking. I told myself they definitely earned more of my business so I am already planning another trip back there for a real lunch or dinner experience. My kids loved the fries and fish, even though I had to cut it for them and tell them it was "fish sticks". I personally thought the fries could use more seasoning and be a bit crisper, but the overall i was satisfied On a side note, I love that the parking on the pier is free for the first 90 minutes and only $4/hr after. Gives plenty fo time to explore, eat, perhaps do a boating excursion, etc., and there is plenty of street parking and more paid public parking nearby.

Wait staff: Marlen R was excellent.. attentive and patient..everyone working was nice and…read morehospitable Food: Clam chowder: 4 out 10 Cold seafood platter: a nice variety of seafood...clam, oysters, shrimp & more..we throughly enjoyed Mussels & clam steamer: a good size serving of steamed clams & mussels .. great flavor Ambiance: great location on the pier

Gracie

4.4

(117 reviews)

5 stars service, food, vibes, location! Patio is great as well as dinning at the bar…read more Highly recommend it!

Very nice outdoor seating, it was just a bit hot out and some sort of fan would have been nice. The…read morefood took a bit of time, so it made it feel even hotter to have to sit there while we waited. Visited on a Sunday afternoon and ordered the binchon burger and fish tacos. The burger was very good and juicy, and the fries were very good. It did say it had a yuzu aioli, but I didn't really taste any of that flavor. The fish tacos were good too, but the pictures seemed to have included three tacos and we only got two. The rent here must be insane and I get it if they can only serve two, but as a customer it was a let down to be paying $24 to end up getting less food. Nice service, but waiting time took a while and it was not very busy.

CAYA Restaurant

3.8

(111 reviews)

When in Santa Barbara, Caya is a pretty good spot with nice vibes to grab brunch without the…read moremadness. Great service with a smile goes a long way. I ordered the Cali omelet served with avocado, country potatoes, a pancake sub and a refreshing cranberry mimosa. All was pretty good and certainly hit the spot. I definitely would like to see what the evening service is like.

Went here for happy hour today. Server was grumpy…read more Quesadilla came out wrong. Asada was dry and hard to chew. Hummus was good but the pita was burnt and also very stale... do not recommend. They don't have any clean tequilas... not a lot of options for tequila in general. Waste of calories basically.

Augie's of Santa Barbara

4.1

(261 reviews)

Excellent food and friendly service in a relaxing atmosphere. I would recommend this establishment…read moreto anyone

We had a fantastic dining experience at Augie's! One of the dishes we ordered was the Pollo San…read moreMiguel, and it was absolutely delicious. I also had the steak and enchilada combination, which I believe was called La Norteña, and it was excellent. A special thank you to Hector, who greeted us warmly and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. He took the time to explain the menu, answer our questions, and provide recommendations. We ended up ordering exactly what he suggested, and every recommendation was spot-on. To top it all off, Hector surprised us with a complimentary dessert--a churro filled with chocolate, served with vanilla ice cream. It was absolutely incredible and the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. The food was outstanding, the service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Hector's hospitality truly made our visit memorable. We will definitely be back and highly recommend Augie's to anyone looking for great food, excellent service, and a memorable dining experience!

Shoreline Cafe

3.8

(788 reviews)