Best Casual Restaurants in Montecito

22 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Ca Dario Montecito restaurant

1. Ca Dario Montecito

4.7

Exceptional(871)

Price: Very Expensive

• Italian • Montecito

Booked 27 times today

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 covered patio, or indoor in our elegant dining room.We feature an adjustable roof that keeps out the rain and allows in the sun.Dogs are welcome (we ask that you limit the number to one per guest)

2. Lilac Montecito

4.7

Exceptional(139)

Price: Very Expensive

• Contemporary European • Montecito

Booked 7 times today

A new gluten-free fine dining experience.Now open!

3. Tre Lune

4.8

Exceptional(1980)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Montecito

Booked 39 times today

"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.

4. Barbareño

4.8

Exceptional(1874)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Santa Barbara

Booked 14 times today

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.

5. Convivo

4.7

Exceptional(2124)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Santa Barbara

Booked 30 times today

Convivo is a Santa Barbara restaurant and bar with an Italian soul. Chef-Owner Peter McNee's food is best described as ‘Nomad Italian’. It strays from the standard or traditional Italian, sourcing inspiration from many other cultures’ cooking but its soul is thoroughly Italian. The ever-changing menu includes small plates, housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza, rotisserie chicken, fresh seafood and steaks served family-style. McNee’s all-star supplier network provides the freshest produce and local seafood the region is famous for. Inspired by the bounty of the sea, the lush farms and abundant vineyards nearby and the cooking methods of Italy, Convivo is a festive gathering place for locals and visitors alike inside the newly-restored Santa Barbara Inn.

6. Secret Bao

4.8

Exceptional(659)

Price: Expensive

• Asian • Santa Barbara

Booked 28 times today

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

A photo of Holdren's Santa Barbara restaurant

7. Holdren's Santa Barbara

4.5

Awesome(969)

Price: Expensive

• Steakhouse • Santa Barbara

Booked 21 times today

Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood, located on State Street, serves up a delicious and diverse menu of seafood and steaks, where the portions are always generous and the prices always reasonable. Our surf and turf menu, including our favorite bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp or our USDA prime steaks that are charbroiled over a mesquite grill, is complimented by an extensive wine list, a healthy assortment of premium spirits, and a selection of signature drinks. Daily meals can be enjoyed in our cozy, and dark saloon-inspired dining room, or on our outdoor patio. The indoor dining room is adorned with brown leather booths, dark wood paneling, and funky artwork lining the exposed brick walls. Holdren’s has been voted as the best steakhouse multiple times by the Santa Barbara Independent’s Reader’s Poll and by the Santa Barbara News Press’ Reader’s Choice Awards.

A photo of The Harbor Restaurant restaurant

8. The Harbor Restaurant

3.9

Excellent(20)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • Santa Barbara

Booked 9 times today

International Coastal Cuisine with Local Ingredients. Located on Santa Barbara's famous Stearns Wharf, the Harbor Restaurant is a 12,850-square-foot establishment on two floors that can seat 500 guests. Valet parking is available during dinner service. The restaurant features upstairs casual dining with an outdoor ocean view patio while the downstairs features a proper bar with craft cocktails, an exceptional dining room with international dishes featuring local ingredients, and two private event spaces including an 80+ person room and a private dining room for 20 guests.

9. Blackbird

4.1

Excellent(164)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Santa Barbara

Booked 10 times today

A mainstay of the Funk Zone, Blackbird offers a beverage-forward atmosphere featuring inventive cocktails by legendary mixologist Devon Espinosa alongside a thoughtfully curated menu that pays homage to the culinary bounty of the Central Coast. Enjoy an extensive list of local wine and craft beer that highlights the terroir of the region and pairs seamlessly with our iconoclastic take on local, sustainable cuisine. With its striking brass fixtures and black box-like aesthetic, Blackbird upends the conventional upscale dining experience in Santa Barbara and offers a subtle nod to Alfred Hitchcock’s haunting, yet timeless thrillers. Here guests are offered a pulse on contemporary Santa Barbara.

A photo of Opal Restaurant & Bar restaurant

10. Opal Restaurant & Bar

4.8

Exceptional(1738)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Santa Barbara

Booked 31 times today

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!

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

D
Darcyvip
Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities •22 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
One of my absolute favorite placed in Santa Barbara! If you care about what ingredients you put into your body this is the place for you! Homemade breads, dressings, sauces. Locally sourced. All the dishes are truly unique and special. They change the menu so currently my favorites are the Hamburger, lamb dish, persimmon salad. I do miss their smashed crispy potatoes so I DO HOPE they bring those back!!
More info
BarbareñoPrice: Expensive• Californian• Santa Barbara
•
4.8
J
Joyce
California Central Coast •1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Delicious food. Best gluten free dishes. Good variety
More info
Lilac MontecitoPrice: Very Expensive• Contemporary European• Montecito
•
4.7
C
Chrisvip
Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities •53 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
We love this restaurant, always great service and delicious food. A high energy, sophisticated, casual dining experience.
More info
Tre LunePrice: Expensive• Italian• Montecito
•
4.8
A
Alfredo
Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities •5 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
food and service are always excellent, and the moment you walk you feel welcome!
More info
Ca Dario MontecitoPrice: Very Expensive• Italian• Montecito
•
4.7
R
Randi
Sacramento / Sacramento Valley •50 reviews
5.0
Dined on Nov 12, 2024
Would definitely recommend this restaurant. Pizza was great and special seasonal fish entree was shared among three of us. Fish was spectacular. Great wine list too. Service was excellent. Very beautiful restaurant interior and outdoor patio spectacular (we had breakfast on the patio the next morning). Best restaurant breakfast- food was very fresh and well-prepared.
More info
ConvivoPrice: Expensive• Italian• Santa Barbara
•
4.7

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Montecito

Best Casual Restaurants in Montecito

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22 restaurants available nearby

1. Ca Dario Montecito

2. Lilac Montecito

3. Tre Lune

4. Barbareño

5. Convivo

6. Secret Bao

7. Holdren's Santa Barbara

8. The Harbor Restaurant

9. Blackbird

10. Opal Restaurant & Bar

See what locals rave about

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