Barbareño

Excellent food, excellent service, enough to make me write the first review I have ever done, can’t say more than that.

Went here on Friday and damn… it was as good as i remember! Can’t wait to go again. Don’t bring your phones… enjoy the moment!

I am so sorry to have to write this review. Barbareno used to be my favorite restaurant in SB. I took friends from all over the world there, and they were always amazed at the innovation, freshness of the food and the fun team of staff. But no longer.
I have been twice in the last month and both times the food has been overcooked and dried out on service. This last time, one of the key ingredients was ‘missing’ (we just ran out) and they promised to ‘give you a piece next time you are in’!!! Really?! If I order a dish, I expect it to have all of the parts on the day I eat it… not a month or two later!
They have also taken some of the favorites off the menu — which never goes over well with the locals! I have to say that I will no longer think of Barbareno as a ‘great place to go’ in SB.

Came here with some friends to have dinner for the 5^th time and I have to say this place is amazing. My steak is always perfectly cooked and flavored very well. Our waiter was a lovely gentleman who was very attentive. They never fail to make our dinner experience satisfying!

This is my third review for Barbarenos. Every time I dine there it gets better and better. Their burger is a new addition to the menu and it is THE MOST DELICIOUS burger in Santa Barbara. My second fav is the Santa Maria tri tip but the burger, oh the burger… I have dreams of it. Plus their spin on the fries is unique and pairs perfectly with the burger.

Unilocal never steers us wrong! Amazing food, amazing service, Amazing night ! Thanks to our server Ryan for his immense menu knowledge and keen recommendations :) Our party of 10 loves to eat fine food and sip great wine: we were all pleased!
Charcuterie, chefs plate, pork dinner, Santa Maria BBQ, Syrah, beignets, crème brûlée: we are it all! Reasonable pricing for impeccable service & astounding food !!!

Amazing experience all around. Ryan led us through the menu and each item was both creative and delicious. From service to ambiance to taste, all around recommend this restaurant.

Thank you, Unilocal!for this excellent find. I was wandering aimlessly up State Street from my room at the Castillo Inn hoping to find a dinner venue. Unable to depend on my own judgement, I turned to Unilocal!for recommendations. The favorable reviews diverted my walk to Barbareño, not too far off of State Street. Usually as a solo traveler I feel funny requesting a table for one, when I don’t see counter /​bar seating. But the staff at the front happily showed me to a table (outdoors like I requested). The outdoor seating is great, the tables are spaced in such a way that you’re not in the other diners’ personal bubbles.
The server was patient with my «what would you recommend, this or that» questions. I ended up ordering the server’s recommendation (tri-​tip), an appetizer and a glass of red. The food was great and the presentation was picture perfect.
I appreciate Barbareño’s menu options, its casual yet classy atmosphere, and price point. I will return on my next trip to Santa Barbara. I’d even make a special stop along the 101 to experience Barbareño again.

Sorry, they lost me at $ 27 for the Tri Tip entrée. Can I at least get rice too?
Anyone who thinks this is good never, ever had good Tri Tip. And it would cost less than half the price.
Native SB folks know what I mean!

Pricey but worth it. From their perfectly cooked tri tip to the benets filled with cookie dough, Barbareño is a flawless Santa Barbara dining experience from start to finish. Sit outside on a summer night at Barbareño and watch the sun go down while dining on their incredible menu offerings.

My Airbnb host had this restaurant as one of her favorites, and I’m glad Brophy Brother’s had a 30 min wait which was not acceptable for my growling gastric organ.
The atmosphere was intimate and conducive to conversation. My sister and I shared 4 plates, one from each section and none disappointed us. We’re not big eaters, so it was just the right amount.
The chef’s plate is a must, I loved the avocado gazpacho with lemon grass foam. I didn’t know what lemon grass foam was either. I suggest you go try it. There were so many nuances to each tasting. The beet salad and lemon basil ice cream were exquisite. The service staff were attentive and friendly.
It was our first food stop on our road trip going north on PCH to SF. I highly recommend this farm to table restaurant!
Enjoy.

When I think of Barbareño my heart begins to warm, my mouth starts to salivate and my tummy rumbles. In truly Pavlovian form, Barbareño’s exceptional food and stellar service, have successfully conditioned me with just the mention of its name.
The dishes here, though deceptively not intriguing in many of their descriptions, are phenomenal. In general, I’d say that Barbareño has mastered combining simple ingredients with complex culinary techniques to create flavor profiles that are innovative, intelligent and most of all, delicious. Kudos to the Chef, sincerely!
The menu changes regularly based on what is fresh and in season. To date, some of my favorites are the Avocado Roulade, Basil Blini, Santa Maria Tartare, Wild Herb Risotto, Santa Maria Tri-​Tip, Spring Lamb and Breakfast for Dessert (probably the best dessert I’ve had in Santa Barbara County — especially if you like sweet with a little bit of savory).
They have an excellent selection of craft beers and wine. Everything from Modern Times will quench even the most discerning beer connoisseur’s palette. My favorite is probably the Blackhouse.
In addition to great food, Barbareño is really beautifully designed. It’s rustic, casual elegance at its best — perfectly suited to Santa Barbara culture. The only constructive feedback I have on that note is the barstools — while very functional for the space and cute esthetically, they are a bit uncomfortable after sitting for a while and Hubby and I are the type of guests who like to sit and enjoy many courses and beverages while chatting with folks working behind the bar.
Speaking of the staff, the customer service at Barbareño is incredible; rivaled only by Toma in my book. Every employee comes across as genuinely personable, expert on all things Barbareño, and attentive. I could not ask for more. Doug and Jesse stand out in particular but seriously, management/​ownership has done a masterful job in hiring and training the right staff to represent the business.
I’d highly recommend Barbareño for a romantic dinner, casual gathering with friends or family, or simple drinks and appetizers at the bar. But be careful, or you’ll find you’re just as easy to condition as Pavlov’s dog too. ;)

I don’t know if the smoke and bbq everything, but they certainly smoked the beets. Who would have thunk it. The wife and I stopped by for dinner and really enjoyed it. I can’t remember the second app we split, but I definitely recall the beets. Yummy.
We split the tri-​tip as an entrée and it was decent. The flavor was good, but I like a little more fat on mine, and this was really lean. It was perfectly cooked, medium rare but not leaking out juice, but I missed the flavor of the fat. It is definitely a place I would recommend.

Wonderful Sunday night diner, what a great first experience. Service was certainly one of the best we had in Santa Barbara for years, Lenka is extremely knowledgeable about wines worldwide and the sweetest person ever.
Snacks included:
— chef’s plate with mini tartare, mushroom bisk and eggamuffins, all very good (to be very precise, we found the blinis of the eggamuffins too much pastry for the topping, but this is really to be able to say something else than just «wonderful»)
— Santa Maria Tartare, very tasty, excellent meat, fresh bean sprouts, just the right amount of tomato coulis
Starter:
–we shared a California roll, good and fresh, we would prefer the yellowtail to be raw. Tasty.
Mains:
— Lampchops, tender, juicy and very tasty
— Black Olive Raviolo, well seasoned, good fennel taste, creamy chevre, large duck egg, delicious.
Deserts:
— Chocolate Muffet Tuffet, very good, real dark chocolate, good size, some fresh fruits
— Beignets, pistachio sauce, delicious.
Syrah — Qupe, Thanks to Lenka an excellent choice.
We will definitely be back.
Lenka, enjoy your well deserved trop to Slovakia and enjoy Beaune, bring us back some wonderful wines.

Surprisingly well hidden gem off the beaten path in SB.
Very tasty /​refined fare.
American base with fusion accents.
12 hours smoking on the trip … Yum!

Great vibe and excellent food. I travel a lot and I try to find local restaurants as much as possible.
Sometimes it’s great, others-​not so much. This was a surprising and wonderful experience.
Bar service starts at 5pm, dinner service starts at 5:30. We arrived early for our 5:30 reservation and took a seat at the bar. The atmosphere and décor was a mix of new and old with air plants at every table and fresh herbs drying over the kitchen entrance. We were served immediately and all of the staff were friendly and made conversation. We ordered the pork beignets as a starter. Before they could arrive, we were seated at our table. My daughter and I shared each dish so we could try multiple things.
The meal: The BBQ pork beignets were served with fresh apples and warm applesauce. This savory version of a favorite pastry was delicious. We followed that with mushroom bisque. It was dark, thick, and fantastic. It was topped with bits of crunchy croutons and small fresh flowers. It was my favorite part of the meal! Our main course was the tri tip. (Much more eloquently named in the menu but I can’t remember). Again excellent. To finish we had their house-​made coffee ice cream topped with cinnamon croutons and warm vanilla sauce. Wow!
This is a definite 5 star experience. I will dine here whenever my travels bring me near this area, which I hope is frequently.
Great job guys!

Barbarebo takes a neighborhood location to new heights.
As you walk up there’s some outdoor patio seating, and a Santa Maria-​style BBQ a the end of the building.
Through the entrance lies a nice reception area, then a dining room that has a modern/​casual vibe with wood plank walls and modern fixtures. Nice bar if you’re dining alone or are just are in for a glass of wine.
Wine! They have an interesting list, especially for a small neighborhood place (this used to be a popular deli for lunch). The bottle list has probably 50 or more wines; with great local producers and good international alike, and there’s always something interesting by the glass.
Much of the menu is centered around the oak grill… good array of small plates, though a little limited with big plates. Looking forward to a new menu for the spring!
The people are great — very personal and professional. You’ll recognize then from the last time you went… you’ll see.
Do they hit a home run every time? Nope. Who does? But I’ve been there more than once, and every time’s been enjoyable.
And if your really need a burger, they have one of those too. :)

Oh my, this place had the most interesting and unexpected items on the menu. We had a pile of appetizers and shared entrees and every single dish was incredible. They managed to make a plate salad fantastic and the bbq tri tip is one of the best meats I’ve ever had.

Wow wow wow wow wow! What an incredibly fun and delectable experience! You cannot go wrong here! Casual or dressed up, looking for a light fare or a hearty meal: this is the place. It is tastefully put together and trendy, décor and food. We loved every minute. Our favorites were the play on the egg mcmuffin app, the ravioli and the inside out ice cream. Every single item we tasted was full of flavor and thoughtfully made. The staff is gracious and knowledgable. It’s a win!

I hate to be the reviewer that throws a little cold water on this place but are we that starved for new restaurants that this one should get 5 stars? I don’t think so. The entrée selections are somewhat limited and included two pork dishes. Trust me, the pork shank at Bouchon runs rings around the dish I had. It was smoked, but a little dry and not that tender. The mussels appetizer had very few and very small mussels for $ 16. My wife wanted to substitute a vegetable for the starch with her fish of the day. The answer was «no.» Service was very slow. All in all, disappointing.

While I really enjoyed the food while I was there, I think it was the service that stood out the most to me. Our server was on point, polite and really made the experience great. No complaints here!

Amazing food, service, and atmosphere. Favorite restaurant in SB right now, highly recommend!

The good:
Very attentive waitstaff who was also the bartender. Appetizers were delicious. Wine and beer only however, they paired well with our meals.
The not so good:
Our main courses did not wow us. Pork plate was overdone and too generous with the chevre on my ravioli.
Overall, this place is great because of their inventive menu but still on point with taste…

This gem is for diners who want to be delighted by the unusual! Cobb salad soup, beignets with marzipan, their own splendid version of California rolls and a clever spin of an Egg Mcmuffin (admit it, foodies, we all had one once) are among savory and innovative menu selections– we had a difficult time choosing! The décor is simple, yet cozy. Service is excellent, noise level acceptable. There is outdoor seating and a bar in main dining room that also serves food. Well worth the price!

This place is top notch! Our office Christmas party took a risk in trying this new and awesome hipster restaurant. It came highly recommended by a foodie-​friend and it definitely did not disappoint. First of all, the food is just amazing. We had a group of 15 and every single person raved about the food being perfectly prepared. If you are looking for something new and fresh in Santa Barbara, this is the restaurant for you. Their fresh and seasonal ingredients will be enough to make you a return customer. but their ambience and staff is just as great. The restaurant itself is a bit small but it has a fantastic patio with an equally as great ambience. No one is bluffing at this place, it is a very honest group of creative professionals who want people to eat great food! Do yourself a favor and try this restaurant out. You will be a return customer :)

Took the train up from Fullerton for a day in SB and the hotel suggested it as a place for great wine choices and great food, I couldn’t agree more. Although I don’t recall her name, Larka possibly, she was a level two som which made my dinner fantastic and made my experience worth a trip back.
I had the Tri-​Tip paired with a great cab and the overall experience was great.
Thanks for a great dinner!

Excellent service, employees are all very attentive and knowledgeable. Wasn’t that impressed with the food however. The chocolate truffles that accompany the crème brûlée were terrible. The brûlée itself was standard. The tri tip was ok, cooked nicely, but lacked flavor and or any creative components. The avocado gazpacho was super acidic, and the tartare was underwhelming. The eggamuffin was creative, but seemed to be lacking something. I would order the mussels again and the wine list was very nice. The patio dining was quite nice and the ambiance of the entire establishment was very appealing. Will return to give the food another shot.

Finally, a great new restaurant in Santa Barbara. Nice setting in quiet part of town. I started with the «Oak Tagliatelle» which was really unusual but outstanding. For my entrée I had «Santa Maria BBQ» which is a slowly smoked tri-​tip and it was out of this world. Everyone else really enjoyed their choices as well.
Last place I reviewed is always full now so not sure this is in my best interest… but I want this place to thrive!

Amazing place. Definitely a hidden treasure here in SB. Very much worth the 2 block excursion off of State st. Every person here pays so much attention to the details of the food and the experience, incredibly refreshing. These folks really care and it shows. Absolutely can’t wait to go back. The menu is not extensive but when you experience Flavors packed into each item you won’t care. Wine list is decent as well with lots of area wines represented and a couple local brew always on tap. Great SB experience :-)

My friends and I had a great time here for dinner on a recent trip to SB.
Chefs tasting plate for appetizers were great for sharing. I liked the gazpacho best.
Santa Maria BBQ is the best! The waiter said this is what the restaurant is known for and its for good reason. The meat is the perfect tenderness and has great smoke flavor without being overcooked or over seasoned.
Muffets tuffets molten lava cake dessert was sooo good.
We came in a group as a bachelorette party and the waiters gave us complimentary champagne. Great service!

Great place.
— Hip atmosphere nicely removed from the State St scene.
— Great service, hospitable and very knowledgeable.
— Inventive cooking. Some dishes are definitely better than others, but the flavors and ingredients are never boring and more often than not they’ll blow you away.
I wish there were more restaurants like this!

Very nice service, good, but uneven. All the dishes, except dessert, were good but had issues. The dessert was perfect.
We had the lettuce salad with stone fruits which was generally really good. The only problem? The weird, tasteless, cold fried cheese. It really needs to be warm and needs a bit of salt in the actual cheese. It’s funny because most of the other stuff was too salty, but the cold made the consistency wrong and took away any flavor it may have had. The rest was very good though.
I had the wild salmon entrée. The fish was good but there were 3 purple potatoes about the size of grapes and the saltiest broth ever. It was a bit distracting.
Husband had the tri tip. He said it was adequate, just didn’t blow us away.
Overall, it was good, it just needs refining.

Second time was much better! I dined here about 9 or 10 months ago and I was disappointed. While the ambiance was romantic and the plate presentation was beautiful, I thought everything lacked flavor. I expected more, especially for the price.
I gave it a second chance and was impressed. I had the chefs tasting which included the eggamuffins, avocado gazpacho (yum!) and the ranchero scotch eggs. I was still disappointed with the eggamuffin but overall I enjoyed the dish.
I also had the Santa Maria BBQ (raw) and the Santa Maria BBQ (main dish). The entire menu is locally inspired with the farm to table approach. The potion sizes were balance and definitely not overbearing.
For dessert I shared the movie snacks (ummmm, double yum!) and the fried olive oil brioche, which was absolutely delicious.
The outdoor seating still has that romantic, rustic charm. And if you get cold easily, they offer you blankets and/​or heaters.

Incredible spot! I was able to enjoy almost half the menu and it was delicious. Very enjoyable casual atmosphere with great service.
Started with the chefs tasting, the eggmuffins were good but the real treat was the avocado gazpacho.
Also had the garden salad, santa maria raw carpachio and the acorn tagliatelle, the garden salad was a clear winner but they were all incredible.
Next I had the pork plate with prime rib, knuckle and ear shavings which was amazing! It truly was spectacular and I would recommend this dish. The santa maria bbq is the favorite here but I personally thought the pork was better, even though both dishes were amazing.
Lastly I enjoyed the homemade donuts/​beneigts filled with a pastachio crème which were absolutley killer, possibly the best deserts i have had in santa barbara. We also had the popcorn crème brûlée with chocolates which was their take on popcorn and milk duds, they nailed it. I practically licked the plates.
We had the fortune of being served by doug, a dapper, friendly professional who executed killer service and impeccable food recommendations. This place was on my foodie bucket list and i will be back for more!

Came all the way from LA to go to Barbareño and it was well worth the drive!
The food was exquisite. We had the chef’s tasting plate, oak tagliatelle, raviolo, and Santa Maria BBQ. All were absolutely delicious!
The ambiance was lovely. The restaurant is well designed with attention to each of the small details — including a beautiful, clean bathroom.
I would highly recommend Barbareño and look forward to coming back again!

Two Words: Barbar NoNo
Service was great, but the food was of poor quality. I just wanted a burger served medium rare. I cut my burger in half and I noticed that the middle was not pink. but a darkish brown. I thought, «Wait, why is the inside of the meat more dark than the outside?» Ah-​ha! The meat is not fresh at all! Incredibly grotesque.
The bun tasted decent, but I say that because I was really hungry.
Am I coming back? Perhaps in a few months, but perhaps not.

Interesting.
All the 5-​star reviews from dozens of patrons that have reviewed one or two places ever? Suspicious.
Let me say this: The restaurant is lovely, intimate, decorated beautifully. The food is wonderfully presented and a work of art.
Let me also say this: The food is not memorable in a good way, despite it’s wonderful presentation.
I am awestruck at how many beautiful dishes can be presented that lack substance. You will think I am a complete fool or a total snob for posting the pictures I do and knocking it… but go see for yourself. It is an amazing illusion.
Chef’s snacks tasting: 4 each of roasted beet tart, «eggamuffins» cured eggs and speck on a blini-​type thing, ranchero scotch eggs. Beautiful, not memorable.
Appetizers: Uni, very briny, sesame chips. Nope. Sunflower: wow, a wonderful concept with beautiful presentation and poor results.
Dinner: Pork plate. Awesome pork beignets, mediocre pork loin and accouterments.
Dessert: Pass.
Yikes. Can’t remember any place I was visually stunned at the dishes presented and was also amazed at how unhappy I was with their taste. Can’t respectfully return to this place, sorry!