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Gala Food & Cocktails  - Gala, Santa Barbara, CA

Gala

4.7
4.7
309 Reviews
$31 to $50
European

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2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
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At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 8 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighborhood gem
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

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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
    (805) 869-2813
  • 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 309 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Healthy

  • California Central Coast

    Great for outdoor dining

  • California Central Coast

    Good for special occasions

  • California Central Coast

    Lively

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Overall

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Food

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Ambiance

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Value

  • Santa Barbara

    Innovative

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Hot spot

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for scenic views

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Barbara

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Gala offers an elegant dining experience with "excellent service," "delicious food," and a "beautiful atmosphere." Guests rave about the branzino, lamb, and creative cocktails. While some find it "a tad pricy," the restaurant is highly recommended for celebrations and special occasions. A perfect blend of "friendly staff" and "innovative dishes."
309 Reviews
  1. Peter

    Los Angeles

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Aside from the exquisitely prepared and presentation of our three shareable dishes, the service was top-notch. It’s about time Santa Barbara has a restaurant that raises the bar of a culinary experience without the excessive prices or haughty atmosphere.

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  2. Katelyn

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favorite restaurants in town, best cocktails and delicious unique menu

    Is this helpful?

  3. Genevieve

    Baltimore

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food with lots of fresh ingredients! The cocktails were also very tasty, with good non-alcoholic options as well.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Charles

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Beautiful place; nice staff. Food (apps, side, and main) was simply average.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Ruth

    Seattle

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food, excellent service. Will definitely return.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Pam

    San Diego

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Terrible service took over 45 minutes to get a drink. Have been there several times before and it was always good but this time was a super disappointed evening. Not sure if I would return.

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  7. Mollly

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    27 reviews

    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on January 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love Gala. Always treated well. Bronzino always a winner. A tad pricy… but it’s SB…. Fun & tasty cocktails. Service is A+ A tad loud.

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  8. Michael

    Hawaii

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on January 3, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Table was pretty close to others, hard to get in and out. Difficult to find hostess, but we otherwise enjoyed the restaurant, service and food!

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  9. Beverly

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A wonderful evening with our family. Food was delicious from appetizers to all of our entrees. Service was outstanding and efficient. The hostess made our evening delightful as well. We will definitely be back and recommend Gala to all our friends.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Garrett

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best meal I’ve had in SB in months, maybe longer. The lamb is to DIE for. My daughter is a very picky eater, but the kitchen made her some buttered noodles to accommodate that she loved. Even then, she loved the calamari and croquetas (and so did we!) 10/10 food, highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Gala is rated 4.7 stars by 309 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation


Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 8 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
    (805) 869-2813
  • 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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