Brummis – the German Taste

Just spoke with the owners today — they are OPEN as of today. Our plan is to go grab dinner there tonight. Relieved to hear it as we don’t live locally and were just in town for a day or two. So, please, please support this place — especially if you live in the area. It’s as good as it gets…

I LOVE BRUMMIS.
The food is authentically German and incredibly good. The priciest entrees are huge portions of food so really, they’re quite reasonable, and there are some more affordable options as well.
I have heard that they are considering closing their doors in the next couple months so GO THERE NOW while you still can!
I could go on and on about this place. The service is wonderful. I highly recommend the Rouladen or Goulash (which comes with Spaetzle — Germany’s answer to mac n’ cheese— delicious). I’ve heard that the various Schnitzel dishes are also extremely good. Also, their darkest beer on tap is wunderbar.
All in all, I am heartbroken that they plan to close. But I wish Veronika and Rudi all the best!

Brummis-​The German Taste is a simple place with a simple menu and the food is good with a truly Home-​Cooked flair and flavor. Probably the best thing about Brummis-​The German Taste is the service! The owner and server Veronika immediately makes you feel at home. My wife and I were vacationing in Santa Barbara for our anniversary and found Brummis. We liked it so much we went back on our anniversary and had dinner there. The first night we had gone to Brummis, they had run out of the dish that my wife wanted to try, So Veronika offered to make her something special, unheard of since we hadn’t asked and yes the dish was Delicious! Brummis is a down home kind of place, nothing fancy but very comfortable. AT Brummis you get great service, a wonderful home-​cooked meal and the price is perfect, just a great little place.

This is one of the best meals/​dining experiences my fiancé and I have ever had. Everything was stellar and on point and they created a sampling of everything we wanted to try since we just couldn’t decide on a mere 2 entrees. Who does that?
We were in SB scouting locations for dinner after our small wedding coming up in Feb. Brummis was exactly what we wanted; intimate, family owned, über friendly and AMAZING food that you can’t find everywhere.
Veronika and I quickly became old friends and my fiancé was out back smoking and chatting with the chef immediately after dinner. We never wanted to leave. lol
THE BAD NEWS: After dinner when we asked about booking a party there she informed me that this was their last night of service and they were closing their doors after 6 years. They had opened at the bottom of the recession and business had just never taken off and they couldn’t sustain any longer. Needless to say, we were heartbroken. But at least we got one amazing experience there before they shuttered their doors.
I am a chef myself and have seen so many of my favorite dining places with excellent food close because of the lack of support in their community and a lack of funds to promote and advertise the way they need to to thrive. Meanwhile, larger, mediocre, (usually) corporate restaurants flourish in the same neighborhoods. (SB is actually pretty good about keeping the chain places at bay…) It breaks my heart but the truth is that it comes down to business more often than not and not the quality of the meal itself. Moral of the story: MAKE THE EFFORT TO FIND AND EAT AT PRIVATELY OWNED RESTAURANTS!
We wish Veronika and Mr Brummis all the luck in the world in their future endeavours. If you see a Brummis Stretch Bag for sale buy one and support them! They are working with a company that sells a great nylon net reusable grocery/​tote bag. She even gave me a few samples to pass around. They are nearly indestructible, hold up to 40#, stretch to this ridiculously large size but are tiny enough to fit in your pocket. I love them!

A fine dinner of Northern German Cuisine the Jäger schnitzel was very good along with a cold German Potato Salad. Wash it down with a dark beer and you have one fine meal.

I LOVED this place. Went there maybe 2 months ago. My 1^st time to a German restaurant. The service was warm and attentive, the food was amazing (I had the Sauerbraten entrée), portions large. I would go here again… and again…
Too delicious!

Since Old Vienna in Ventura closed due to retirement, I haven’t found that Echte Deutsche Kuche! Real German Kitchen! I have at Brummis-​The German Taste, Loved the Spaetzle, red cabbage and of course the Wiener Schnitzel! Top it off with Bitburger Bier on Draft, that’s a bonus!
Loved the pretzels too. Thank you for the great hospitality and food to match!
Sincerely,
GoSeeVC dot com Cheers and Prozit See more about Santa Barbara here

I never write reviews, but had to for this place. I’m hoping to help spread the word.
* GREAT FOOD * DELICIOUS * TRADITIONAL QUALITY*
So impressed with Brummis. Delicious food, traditionally prepared with great intention and wonderful owner/​waitress.
Veronika is a wonderful personality; warm, inviting, knowledgable. She let us be until we started asking questions and she chimed in… meaning, she graciously knew when to step in.
Highlights:
I’m gluten intolerant and was wondering how limited the menu would be to me.
*All their gravies are made without flour! Wow, I’ve never seen that. The gravy was delicious and nutritious, made with the stock of the meat and natural gelatin… I create this as a health supplement at home.
*Potato dumpling, same thing, no gluten.
*Some meats are slow cooked for up to 5 days. Mine was so wonderfully tender, I put down my knife.
*Homemade sauerkraut… so good for you!
*One of the biggest tests of quality food… how do you feel AFTER you eat it? The portions are large and I left with a very full belly but my body happily digested it with ease. Compared to most other places you eat out at, you very full, bloated or lethargic afterwards… speaks volumes on quality!
I know it’s not the first type of food you think of when heading out for dinner but maybe it should be. Definitely go try it, I will be a return customer.

We were in SB for the weekend and were inspired to lean on my German heritage for a tasty dinner, so Brummis caught our eye. We were pleased to find that this restaurant is very welcoming and the food is authentic and delicious. Owners Manuela and Veronika Brumm are as German as you’ll find in So Cal and they treated us to quite a meal (well, the bill did start to add up actually). Veronika even showed our 8-​month-​old son around the place and read a picture book to him while my wife and I enjoyed dinner.
From the giant stein of dark bier to the sausage appetizer to the entrees (can’t go wrong here) to the apple fritter for dessert — Brummis was fantastic! Danke, Veronika!

My partner and I discovered this place while searching on Unilocal for nearby dinner places near the La Cumbre plaza. It’s not very often you find specifically German cuisine, and this was quite an experience.
The interior is eclectic, kitchy, and fun, as are the owners/​cooks /​servers. The food was pretty good, with generous servings. The meals come with warm pretzels and spicy mustard and sour cream w/​herbs dips, which are very tasty. I ordered the Currywurst, and my partner got the dinner with one bratwurst and one bockwurst. Both were great. The service was also friendly and attentive. I definitely recommend!

My main course was passable, but a bit heavy for my taste (Sauerbraten). The apple fritters for dessert on the other hand, were practically inedible.
The proprietor is absolutely nuts. Some may enjoy the *extremely*-attentive service. However, if you prefer to be left in peace or talk with your party without constant interruption, this is not the restaurant for you.

Discovered this place because of the Entertainment Book.
With all the great reviews on Unilocal,the bf and I decided this was a «must try» (of which there aren’t that many).
I decided on the Sauerbraten with red cabbage and went for half and half on the spatzel and klosse, while the bf got the Jäger Schnitzel.
The Sauerbraten was very tender, the meat just fell apart. Although that was the case, it was a little dry for me. The red cabbage had a nice tangy flavor and I enjoyed both of the sides.
The bf’s meal was pretty awesome. His pork Jäger Schnitzel was gigantic. Well cooked and covered with a delicious gravy. We really enjoyed this dish. He also got a pilsner in a beer stein. This beer was massive and he loved it.
Even though we were pretty stuffed, we decided to share a dessert. They had two options: a chocolate cake and an apple dessert. The bf decided that he wanted the chocolate cake.
I am not a coconut fan, unless it’s fresh. I had assumed it would be German chocolate like you see in the stores, with a caramel and coconut frosting and with coconut through the cake. I told him I’d try it, since so many raved about it in the reviews, but if I didn’t like it, it was all his…
Too bad for him… this wasn’t the typical German chocolate cake that I thought it would be. First off (and the best part), there was no coconut! YAY! It was a 2 layer cake with cherries in the middle. The cake was really moist and not too sweet. It was perfect.
Earlier in our meal, a family came in. A mother and two kids. I overheard them talking about duck… Veronika said that they only have that in November (we were here in late October). Well, it’s November now! I’m looking forward to coming back and trying the duck dish. It sounds delish!

I wanted to like Brummis as much as the majority of the reviewers did, but somehow this wasn’t my cup of tea. Perhaps I ordered the wrong entrée? I tried the Fleischklopse, meatballs made with beef and pork in mushroom gravy. I loved the potato salad the meatballs were served with, but found the entrée very salty.
On the plus side, the people working here are nice and attuned to their guests. My husband fully enjoyed his meal, eating the schnitzel (breaded, fried pork in mushroom gravy) with gusto. He also liked the beer that our waiter recommended. He thought the food went well with the beer.
One thing that’s interesting about the menu is that it states that you can try a sample of the entrees before ordering. I didn’t try that option, but it is a nice touch that they do that.

Das Essen hier ist Bombe Diggity.
Translation: The food here is bomb diggity. (Oh, yeah.)
Seriously, and the service is equally great. I love the home-​y feel of the place coupled with the fact that it’s run by a gorgeous mother and daughter team: the Brummis’.
Santa Barbara lacks a lot of authentic European eateries, but Brummis totally makes up for that.

Veronica serves up interesting stores, good times and great food. Danke!
What you’re going to get out of Brummis and solid food and a good time. This is not a first date night but definitely a night out with your family and friends. Veronica whirls around the room in her vintage lederhosen talk up the tables and entertaining with, perhaps too personal, stories about Las Vegas strippers and her heath. If you’re lucky enough to have her serve you, be prepared to eat what she wants you to eat. Trust her and roll with the evening. Our fist visit, the 6 of us were urged to order a sampling of the menu and although not everyone loved what they ordered, everyone loved most of what was brought out. Perfect education for our next visit.
Upon our second dinner experience, we concentrated on the best and ordered up Rinderrouladen, Sauerbraten, Jäger Schnitzel and a big side of Kasespatzle. Forks flew and we all picked off each others plate for a delicious night. Order up a big stein of Spaten to round out the evening.
When requested, you can sing along to German pop music. The entire restaurant gets involved and it’s a great way to meet new people as you all attempt to sing in a foreign language. It’s fun. Go with it.
Brummis has good home cooking served up by friendly, often over the top, staff who seem to love what they do. I enjoy the opportunity to dine with friend in Veronica’s home.

Delicious Schnitzel with Jaegger Sauce!
Our second visit to Brummis and our server, owner was as quirky as ever – you’ve got to love her in her traditional lederhosen (sic).
This is a place where you will need lots of things to talk about since there apparently is no reason to be in a hurry, and patience is a virtue.
The Schnitzel with Jaegger Sauce (photo) was just out-​of this frkn World GOOD! It’s the crispy and crunchy crust of the pork, along with the tasty mushroom sauce that took me out-​of this world to the heavens. It came with spaetlze and potato salad – I deserved this dinner after running the Santa Barbara Half Marathon that very morning – so no guilt on my part. We also got an order of the pork sausages, one smoked and the other fried, which came with sauerkraut and potato salad.
So, did I mention our quirky hostess, server, and entertainment MC of the evening? Bless her little German heart, you’ve got to love her. She had us all sing a popular 1980s German song, in German. OMG! I loved it!
I hope to return to Brummis the next time we get back to Santa Barbara, especially since it’s away from the touristy State Street Downtown, for the Schnitzel.

This was my first time at a German Restaurant and it definitely did not disappoint. This little cozy place is ran and owned by this hilarious German woman and she literally takes center stage when you first arrive at this place. She is a little bizarre, a little weird, a little quirky; pretty much exactly what I’d expect for a place like this. The other staff was friendly but she definitely made my day with her thick accent and funny personality.
As for the food, everything came out in a quick manner and tasted great. I started off with a large pilsner on tap which was good, but maybe a little TOO big. Now don’t get me wrong, I know Germans love to do it big but the cup was literally the size of one of my dining companion’s face. The owner proceeded to teach me how to properly indulge in this monstrosity, zee german way! The potato pancake was sorta a miss at my table as I found it too crispy and lacking texture but the zigeuner schnitzel I ate was great. My friends got the currywrust as well as the jäger schnitzel and it was all good. I definitely enjoyed the spatzle just as well. I’d recommend the jäger schnitzel as I thought it was the best one.
The owner of the restaurant definitely makes the place and the self-​proclaimed «mom» made us all feel at home (although there were some awkward situations). Definitely a new experience. A little on the pricey side but it is Santa Barbara so what do you expect?

Great meal, great food, great service, great experience!
Veronika and her staff are wonderful! They are welcoming and very knowledgable about the menu.
I tried the potato cake, which was delicious and tasted like thick hash brown.
I also had the other app which was like a thick pork stew with cheese and toasts, also yummy!
For my entrée I ordered the Krustanbasen (tender pork shank stuffed with apples and raisins)… and the Shintzel (pork loin pounded thin, breaded and fried) with mushroom gravy. Heaven!!! I tried both spatzle and klosse but I loved the spatzle. I could eat a bowl of that delicious pasta all on its own!
This little gem is a great addition to the Santa Barbara restaurant community and I recommend anyone to try it!

I really have no negative things to say about Brummis.
The owner, Veronika was extremely welcoming as soon as we came in for dinner, and she was extremely patient and helpful in her suggestions when we were ordering, despite our obvious lack of knowledge in German food. The four of us considered sharing each of our four different dishes with each other, and as soon as she heard this, she offered to bring all of us individual plates so we could share the food family style. All of our friendly interactions with Veronika throughout the night included her bubbly and funny personality accompanied by her thick German accent.
We ate:
–Schnitzel Jäger with spaetzle: Schnitzel topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. The dish is originally supposed to come with fries or potato salad, but Veronika automatically offered to give us spaetzle instead, claiming that the sauce was perfect with it. She was right, because it was amazing.
–Schnitzel Zigeuner with German potato salad: Schnitzel topped with red pepper tomato sauce
–Currywurst with french fries: Sliced bratwurst topped with a homemade curry sauce. The sauce was good with the fries too!
–Pork loin shank — A gigantic 3 pound fall-​off-​the-​bone pork shank served with sauerkraut, a pretzel, and horseradish mustard. The meat was fall-​off-​the-​bone tender. This was a special for the first day of Oktoberfest, when we happened to go.
The food was amazing, and so was the service. I can’t wait to come back.

We walked out of the Agave Inn hungry and ready to eat something hearty. This was just the place! My mother, being fluent in German (mostly when drunk at this point since she hasn’t spoken it much since high school except with neighbors) was definitely into going here.
The owner, Veronika, was a really awesome and slightly crazy lady who kept us engaged in conversation about her 140 year old lederhosen passed down for generations in her family, the homemade bread, and the latest dances/​music in Germany. My mom talked to her in German a little bit and Veronika joked around with all of us. She was truly awesome. She gave us some good tips on food and we were not disappointed.
The family shared a potato pancake, which was crispy and perfect. My boyfriend went with rinderrouladen, which was a big rolled piece of stuffed beef that came with red cabbage. He got a potato dumpling on the side, which I ended up stealing because it was so delicious. My mom ordered sauerbraten, which was a tangy meat dish that came with red cabbage and a side; she chose spatzle which was a yummy noodle. My sister’s gulash appeared to be the winner of the night– everyone was grabbing noodles and meat off her plate the entire time and she kept bragging, «I picked the best one!» As I’ve been eating mostly vegetarian or fish dishes for awhile I opted to get pilzspatzle, a word I can’t pronounce but really enjoyed eating. Basically it consisted of noodles in a creamy mushroom sauce. YUM.
We had tons of leftovers which we brought back with us. but unfortunately I don’t think they survived the day after as we kept them in the car while exploring downtown Santa Barbara. Alas, my sister decided she’s definitely moving from NJ to SB (a move I definitely agree with) so I’m sure there will be more Brummis in our futures.