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Gala Food & Cocktails  - Gala, Santa Barbara, CA

Gala

4.6
4.6
345 Reviews
$31 to $50
European
705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
Gala exudes a European meets Santa Barbara charm, where you feel like you’re transported to a beautiful bistro in the Mediterranean. Enjoy shared tapas, farmer's market favorites, pasta and risotto, fresh oysters and the best steak with bone marrow butter & chimichurri. Cozy up for our farm to table craft cocktails, a Pisco sour or martini and a full meal with friends. Curated wine list with local & Spanish wines. Right down the street from the Santa Barbara Courthouse enjoy an evening at Gala.








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, Farm to table, Farmer's market driven, Tapas, Seafood, Steak, Oysters, Happy Hour, Food, Cocktails, Wine, Restaurant, Vegetarian, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jaime Riesco
  • Private party facilities
    We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Cross street
    Ortega St.
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Oysters, Pisco Sours & Margaritas Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Tue - Sat - 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
    Fresh oysters for $2.50, French fries $6, Olives $5, Calamari $10, Pisco Sours $9, Pitchers of seasonal margaritas for $36 and more! Join us for a Happy Hour at Gala Tuesday through Saturday from 4-5:30

What 345 people are saying

Gala 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

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

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for fine wines

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Barbara

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Gala is a dining gem in Santa Barbara, praised for "delicious food" and a "unique cocktail menu." With Chef Jaime's expertise, it offers a "fun menu" and "Coastal Mediterranean" delights. The "service is impeccable" and the "ambiance amazing," making it a perfect spot for special occasions and casual dining alike.

345 Reviews
  1. Aaron

    Baja California1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service staff was excellent, especially our server Grayson! Kind, personable, & professional! Food, cocktails, & dessert were 5 stars!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Brooke

    Central Coast1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is prepared exceptionally here. If you are a diner who notices finishing salt, the temperature of your food when it is served, balance of texture and flavor elements, and beautiful presentation, this is a restaurant for you! The halibut crudo, zucchini blossoms, scallops, and burger were items we enjoyed at our latest meal at Gala, and each was well-executed. Our waiter was attentive, made excellent cocktail recommendations and sequenced the plating of our courses with intuitive timing. Live flamenco guitar set a lovely ambiance to the evening. A true gem in town.

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  3. David

    Central Coast3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We prefer inside but everyone seated outside seemed very happy too.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kristine

    Central Coast1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I've always had great service at Gala restaurant. Food is delicious Coastal Mediterranean and their cocktails are so good. The ambience and overall vibe is also amazing!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Brian

    Central Coast9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant is outstanding. Highly talented Chef Jaime knows his business, successfully operating restaurants in both Barcelona and Santa Barbara, as well as cooking stints around the world. His personable, warm demeanor compliments the perfectly attentive waitstaff. The bartenders are equally skilled and personable, the cocktail menu is unique, and the wine and beer options are adequate. The interior is modestly sized with a variety of seating options, and patio dining is an option when weather warms. Food options showcase a unique and varied menu that appears to change often. Reservations are probably a must, although you can get lucky trying a walk-in during midweek.

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  6. sheila VIP

    Chicago22 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fun place with great background music. Food very good and drinks well made!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Wendy VIP

    Central Coast7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful evening with friends at Gala. The sole, Tagliatelle and duck were excellent. Not to mention the really nice Samsara Pinot.

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  8. Sofia

    Seattle1 review

    4.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The drinks were delicious as well as all the different appetizers we tried! It was a beautiful ambiance and comfortable seating.

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  9. Holly

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was wonderful. Wait staff was attentive and cordial. Ambience is wonderful. Bartender went above and beyond to make our experience perfect. It's expensive, but it's worth every dollar. The food was amazing.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Wendy VIP

    Central Coast7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful evening, the perfect place for old friends to catch up. Fun to run into several other friends at the bar and different tables while enjoying very good wine and Pisco Sours. The risotto and Tagliatelle were excellent.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Gala is rated 4.6 stars by 345 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 14 times today
Google Map for Gala

705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Ortega St.
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jaime Riesco
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.
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