Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Santa Barbara

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Santa Barbara? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch

4.9

4.9 (2502)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

The Stonehouse, located in a beautiful 19th-century citrus packing house, offers an unparalleled dining experience. Guests can unwind in a relaxing lounge with full bar service or enjoy the ambiance of the separate dining room, complete with a crackling fireplace and world-class views. Chef Matthew Johnson creates evocative regional cuisine, utilizing fresh herbs and vegetables from the Ranch’s organic chef’s garden. The Stonehouse boasts the only Grand Award-winning wine program in Central California, ensuring an unparalleled selection of wines to complement your meal. For a unique twist, visit the restaurant's speakeasy for before or after dinner drinks, where you can enjoy expertly crafted cocktails in an intimate, nostalgic setting.

Top review

stevevip

Dined 1 day ago

Servers were hard to find. Too inattentive which was a shame as the food was delicious.

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Experience

The Secret Cellar

Experience

Sunday Champagne Brunch

Secret Bao

4.8

4.8 (632)

$31 to $50

Asian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Modern Asian American Restaurant from Chefs Peter Lee & Felicia Medina.

"Consider the bao. Chinese in origin, it’s most easily described as a steamed bun filled with something savory. Yet, like the American concept of a sandwich, the bao exploded into a flexible format of untold bounds — served at any meal, filled with you-name-it, completely closed or wide open, with endless regional variants from across Asia and far beyond." - Matt Kettmann (SB Independent)

1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Bao, Food, Restaurant, Asian, American, New, Modern, Fried, Chicken, Octopus, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paelo, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Top review

Judithvip

Dined 4 days ago

This is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. The menu is interesting and often changing. It is innovative and always delicious. They combine ingredients in a very creative way. And the waitstaff is always attentive and top notch!

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4.8

4.8 (1833)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

At Barbareño we seek to help further shape and define Central Coast cuisine. We take our inspiration from traditions and specialties of our area, delicacies unique to our region, and the many outstanding purveyors with whom we are so fortunate to work. In all of our efforts, we hope to capture the essence of a particular place or local flavor, embracing the nuances that make our food and drink unique to our home.

Top review

Karen

Dined 1 day ago

Service was amazing as was the delicious cuisine! Just incredible. We always love our experience at Barbareno. Can't wait to return!

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4.8

4.8 (2827)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Montecito

About the restaurant

LUCKY'S is widely known for its exclusive selection of USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood, farmer's market vegetables, no-nonsense cocktails and world class wine cellar.
For take-out, please call the restaurant.
We do not accept bar table reservations online, please call the restaurant.
For larger parties, please call or email the restaurant directly.

Top review

Joycevip

Dined 3 days ago

We loved it! One of the best meals I’ve had in an age. An age of going out to fine dining at least 2 times a week. The amazing diner was served to perfection and nothing was over looked. Can’t wait to go back again. Lucky has turned into one of my favorite restaurants. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

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Popular dish

Monday - Chicken Pot Pie with Morels

Ca Dario Montecito

4.8

4.8 (840)

$50 and over

Italian

Montecito

About the restaurant

Ca' 'Dario's newest restaurant on Coast Village Road promises the same authentic and fresh Italian cuisine as our other locations, now easily accessible for residents of Montecito!
Enjoy outdoor dining on our patio, or indoor in our elegant dining room.

Top review

Joyce

Dined 7 days ago

Always delicious, great service, amazing wines. They were so accommodating for certain dishes.

Tre Lune

4.8

4.8 (1919)

$31 to $50

Italian

Montecito

About the restaurant

"Upbeat and comfortable, serving real-deal pastas and pizzas that make you feel like you're in Italy again." - ZAGAT 2010

Fresh fish, veal scaloppini, osso buco, prime steaks, Kobe-beef burgers, organic salads, and house-made desserts.

Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner-Cocktails.

Award Winner of Italian wines list.

Please call to make reservations.

Top review

Trishvip

Dined 7 days ago

Loved Burrata salad and chicken Marsala. However, I make a better linguine clams. Clams were a bit overcooked and sauce didn’t have much flavor. I had to ask for parsley. Chocolate mousse was heavenly and we loved our waiter. We will return.

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Bouchon - Santa Barbara

4.8

4.8 (5352)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

We are delighted to have added additional outdoor seating but Santa Barbara nights are chilly so bring a sweater or light jacket!

Fresh, local ingredients, prepared with care. Excellent wines that reflect the quality and character of our region and work in concert with the cuisine. Warm, inviting ambiance, service at a relaxed, leisurely pace. Santa Barbara ‘Wine Country Cuisine’ means we source our ingredients using an ‘as-fresh-and-as-local-as-possible’ approach, with fish from the Santa Barbara Channel and produce from the surrounding countryside. We then take into account how these flavors can be presented in concert with our local wines. We believe you’ll taste the difference. Bon Appètit!

Top review

Fran

Dined 1 day ago

Great waiter very friendly and great food would definitely go back

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Bouchon French 'French Onion' Soup

Opal Restaurant & Bar

4.8

4.8 (1704)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

We have inside and limited outdoor sidewalk dining. If you prefer to sit outside, please indicate that with your reservation request.
To accommodate our second seating, early parties should plan for a maximum stay of 1.5 to 2hrs, depending on party size. Please call 805 966 9676 for more details.
A popular local’s favorite, opal restaurant & bar’s Eclectic California Cuisine fuses creative world cuisine influences with American Regional touches, from a 14 oz. Herb-Grilled Ribeye Steak on Tuscan White Beans, to Fresh Pan-Seared Fish & Seafood, Homemade Pastas, Gourmet Pizzas, fresh Baked Breads, imaginative Salads, & Homemade Desserts.
We have a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, & a full bar with seasonal Craft Cocktails.
Our entire dining room staff assists to take care of each table, enabling exceptional service in a warm engaging manner, properly nuanced to your mood & taste. Our staff genuinely cares about giving you the best possible experience!

Top review

Carlos

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent food, good service, reasonable prices. Overall a great experience. This restaurant is very consistent, I highly recommend it.

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Popular dish

Pasilla Chile Filet Mignon

Corazon Comedor

4.8

4.8 (168)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Corazon Comedor emerged from the longing of nostalgic food from the streets, markets, and homes of Mexico. We look forward to bringing this experience in each dish.

Top review

Scott

Dined on Sep 1, 2024

Everything was perfect. We really were blown away by the ambiance, the service, and the food. Highly recommended.

Olio e Limone Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (2501)

$50 and over

Italian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Olio e Limone Ristorante, located in downtown Santa Barbara's ARTS District, serves artisanal Italian cuisine. Meaning “oil and lemon” in Italian, their restaurant’s name reflects husband-wife team Alberto and Elaine Morello’s philosophy: rely on the integrity of the ingredients and quality of the preparation to provide Santa Barbara diners “simply sophisticated” Italian cuisine served in an inviting atmosphere with European hospitality. Start with eggplant souffle, then tuck into a plate of house made duck ravioli or Sicilian spaghetti with bottarga. And be sure to take home a bottle of their own olio, an organic extra-virgin olive oil made from Sicilian olive varieties.
Bonus: their contemporary Italian breakfast, lunch & retail spot Olio Bottega, and authentic pizzeria next door at Olio Pizzeria. Private dining in the Cucina Room for up to 40 guests.

Top review

Salvip

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing food! Local’s favorite…definitely my family’s favorite!

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