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Barra Kebab, Malai Kebab, and 'Murgh' Tikka - Bibi Ji, Santa Barbara, CA
Award-winning

Bibi Ji

4.5 (366)
$31 to $50
Indian
1213 State St, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2615

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Vegetarian-friendly
  • Innovative
  • Lively
Modern Indian food featuring local produce and seafood paired with a robust low-intervention wine program curated by Alejandro Medina and James Beard Award winner Rajat Parr. Located directly across the street from the historic Granada Theatre in the heart of Santa Barbara's ARTS District. Join us in our lively, signature pastel pink dining room.

Michelin Guide Central Coast Selection 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Family Owned & Operated
  • Catering
    For all offsite catering inquiries, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
  • Private party facilities
    For parties of 10 or more, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Cross street
    State Street between Anapamu and Victoria
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Chef's Counter

    $125.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Dive into our Indian cuisine driven by local ingredients and thoughtfully made wines.
    Chef's Counter Photo

What 366 people are saying

Bibi Ji reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Innovative

  • California Central Coast

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Innovative

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Hot spot

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bibi Ji offers an elevated Indian dining experience with a "fantastic spot for excellent Indian food" and dishes that are "creative and delicious." Known for its lively atmosphere and attentive service, the restaurant features a "phenomenal Indian with a modern twist" and an impressive wine list. However, portion sizes can be small and the acoustics loud.

366 Reviews
  1. Diane

    Denver67 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    I wanted to rate this restaurant higher but the tiny tables for 2 made for a crowded space with multiple plates and glasses. Food was good, but nothing out of the ordinary to set it apart from our favorite Indian restaurant back home. Serving staff were enthusiastic and checked on us throughout the meal. In addition to the 2 vegetarian entrees, rice and one order of naan, a glass of red wine and a local beer brought the tab to shy of $100.

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  2. Jan VIP

    Salt Lake City41 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    A trendy Indian restaurant with very good small plates, curries and tandoori entrees. All of the food we had was very tasty and well prepared. They have an extensive wine list by the bottle ( It is wine country after all, and apparently they have a Michelin sommelier) but only offer the “natural” wines by the glass that they are pushing. We tried the “chenin blanc” and a red ( don’t remember the grape). Neither one was at all interesting or very flavorful ( in my opinion). They do have beer, which I would recommend if you don’t want to order a bottle of wine. I wanted to like the natural wine but did not.

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  3. Shiraz

    Los Angeles1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    I had eaten at Bibi Ji's original location a few years ago and was looking forward to enjoying their food again. I remember the original restaurant having a lively, bustling atmosphere with a great wine selection and an excellent locally-focused menu that was heavy on seafood. This was not the case this time around. The menu is a small selection of the most standard American-Indian fare that they claim is "family style" - in reality, these portions are hardly enough for one diner. The restaurant itself - an overstaffed, neon-lit "clubstaurant" vibe - was half full on a Friday night, which made me feel silly for making an OpenTable reservation in the first place (especially one that would charge us $15 per diner for being late). Our server gave us a hard time when we asked for a tester of one of their wines, which seemed preposterous given that most bottles were between $100-$300. Lastly, and maybe least importantly, none of the servers could pronounce any of the dishes correctly on their small, unimpressive menu. You'd be much better off at Namaste Indian Bistro across the street.
    Bibi JiResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re sorry that your visit didn’t meet your expectations. Since relocating, we’ve actually expanded both our dinner menu and wine list. While we have evolved, our portion sizes have remained consistent and continue to focus on quality local ingredients. Our wine list includes many rare and limited-production bottles, which unfortunately aren’t always available for tasting. As for our reservation policy, it may feel strict, but as you noted, we are a high-traffic restaurant and this industry standard is an effort to accommodate as many guests as possible. We always love to be busy, but Santa Barbara does have seasonal ebbs and flows, which are out of our control. We hope to welcome you back in the future for another chance to impress!

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  4. Rajni

    San Francisco9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fun, hip restaurant, with nice service. We went to try the wine list by Som. Parr. Not sure how I felt about the Tenerife wine, it was not really to my liking as it didn't really taste like wine to me. The portions of food were good (except the tiny raita). However, we found the Dal Makhani to be way too spicy to be pleasant. The Sag Panir and the paneer kulcha were great. The passion fruit lassi was a bit sour. The dessert offerings were limited. The sorbet was frozen solid, and chipping away at it wasn't that fun.

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  5. Reese

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’ve eaten Indian food all over, and this place is special! Absolutely brilliant eating 10/10

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  6. Charlie

    San Francisco65 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food and service. Would definitely go back.

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  7. maria

    Central Coast4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Our server was so very helpful explaining things to us. The food was amazing, every dish had so much flavor. Would definitely return. The wine was delicious as well.

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  8. rob

    Los Angeles1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Food is undeniably good. Very loud room. Inexperienced server. Pricing is not competitive, even considering the quality of the food.

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  9. Jd VIP

    Los Angeles1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Not a lot of vegan options. No real vegan protein either. No tofu. No chick peas. Portions are small and expensive. Food tastes good but “family style” dishes not even enough to feed one person.

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  10. Trupti

    San Francisco1 review

    1.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    This was is one of the worst Indian (inspired) food I have ever had.

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FAQs

Bibi Ji offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 560-6845.

Bibi Ji is rated 4.5 stars by 366 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Santa Barbara
  5. Santa Barbara

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Bibi Ji

1213 State St, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2615

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross street
    State Street between Anapamu and Victoria
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Hours of operation
    Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Family Owned & Operated
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    For all offsite catering inquiries, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
  • Private party facilities
    For parties of 10 or more, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
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