11 Best Santa Barbara Casual Restaurants for 2024

Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful cities in Southern California. Its gorgeous location along the Pacific Coast, charming Spanish Mission architecture, laid-back vibes, and sunny weather make it a truly alluring destination. What makes it even better? It has a deliciously dynamic restaurant scene.

Blessed with the bounty of the Pacific and nearby farms, the best restaurants in Santa Barbara serve up mouthwatering cuisine made with the freshest ingredients. And the city’s casual approach means you don’t have to spend a fortune or dress to impress to have wonderfully memorable meals.

I lived in Malibu wine country for more than 20 years and made the hour’s drive to Santa Barbara countless times to enjoy the perfect day trip, long weekend, or extended getaway. I’ve recently returned from my latest foodie expedition to this special spot known as the American Riviera, and I can assure you that the Santa Barbara dining scene includes casual restaurants that provide some of the best food in Santa Barbara.

And because I want you to enjoy SB as much as I do without breaking the bank, I’m sharing with you the best Santa Barbara casual restaurants right now!

Some of the best Santa Barbara casual restaurants are on Stern's Wharf — Some of the best Santa Barbara casual restaurants are on Stearns Wharf.

11 Best Santa Barbara Casual Restaurants

Casual dining options in my beloved Santa Barbara provide a diverse array of offerings. There’s plenty of famously fresh seafood, of course, but also enticing Mediterranean bites, French favorites, Italian classics, Mexican marvels, Asian delights, and American deli standouts.

Let’s dive in by starting with three of the best casual restaurants Santa Barbara offers for incredible seafood and then branch out to other exciting options!

1. Santa Barbara Shellfish Company

A spiky urchin exterior decorates a plate of uni offerings — Santa Barbara Shellfish Company offers delicious urchin among its many seafood choices.

Perched right above the Pacific Ocean on Santa Barbara’s historic Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara Shellfish Co. started out as a buying station for shellfish pulled out of nearby waters. Today, it’s a popular restaurant whose kitchen turns the freshest catch from local fishermen into tasty treasures to be devoured by avid seafood lovers.

This is the perfect place to take in views of the Pacific while feasting on its offerings. Here, that includes an extensive menu of all the seafood options you would expect, but also more rarely seen specialties like Central Coast pan-seared abalone, calamari steak sandwiches, and uni (sea urchin) prepared several different ways.

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company: 230 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

2. Moby Dick

a plate of fried calamari and french fries at Moby Dick restaurant — You can dive into a plate of fried calamari at Moby Dick and enjoy a great view too.

This is another great option for fresh fish and spectacular views on Stearns Wharf. I especially love sitting on the outdoor patio with a tasty cocktail and starting things off with some fresh oysters recently plucked from the Pacific.

I’m also a sucker for the smoked fish dip made from local halibut, and I love that the fish tacos served here are grilled rather than fried. You can also get a lovely clam chowder and choose to either have it served traditionally or in the style of one of the famous foods of San Francisco: delivered in its very own bread bowl. The Crab Louie is another famous California food worth trying here.

Moby Dick: 220 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

3. Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach

Sunset at a Santa Barbara beach — A walk on the beach before or after your meal at Hendry’s is a great idea.

Even in its previous life as the legendary Brown Pelican, this restaurant right on the beach was long a local favorite among casual beachfront spots. But in 2008, the new owners made extensive architectural upgrades to the restaurant and gave the menu a complete makeover. The results have been pleasing diners ever since.

With the rolling waves just steps away and the Channel Islands visible offshore, the Boathouse has some of the best views of any Santa Barbara restaurant. But the food is definitely not an afterthought. And with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served, I love that you can come at any time of day and enjoy the varied offerings in such a sensational setting.

Breakfast offers 4 flavorful interpretations of eggs benedict, seafood options, and old-time classics. Lunch and dinner offer an extensive raw bar, lots of fish options, seafood pastas, a catch of the day—even lobster and truffle mac & cheese! There’s more than a smattering of landlubber options too, so everyone can find something to make them happy here.

Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach: 2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

4. Santo Mezcal

People eating on the patio of Santo Mezcal restaurant — Inside or out, Santo Mezcal serves up distinctive contemporary Mexican cuisine.

Among the most dynamic of the many excellent restaurants of State Street, Santa Barbara, Santo Mezcal specializes in contemporary Mexican cuisine rooted in Mexican tradition, utilizing the bounty of Santa Barbara County.

Although its ambience is casual, its cuisine is elevated, and the décor is deeply appealing too. It’s a great place to enjoy inventive Mexican meals, mezcal, and mixology. The dishes here are as beautiful as they are delicious, and while the sea is celebrated, the menu impresses across the board.

Although this choice is right on target for a romantic dinner, the happy hour also rocks every Monday through Thursday from 1 til 5. Friday through Sunday, breakfast is served, and the huevos rancheros are as good as they look!

Santo Mezcal: 119 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

5. The Black Sheep SB Brasserie

An artistically plated dish of pork ribs and loin at The Black Sheep in Santa Barbara — You never know where the next inspiration for a delicious dish at The Black Sheep will come from.

The Black Sheep has a definite French bistro vibe, but in addition to French cuisine, it offers takes on varied dishes from around the globe. This is certainly a great spot for a unique dining experience featuring delicious food with cosmopolitan flare.

Although the à la carte menu has plenty of excellent choices, there is also an interesting tasting menu that breaks from the norm by serving two family-style dishes for each of the four courses.

The menu changes often but always includes both gourmet seafood and meat creations. This might be my favorite pick on this list of top Santa Barbara Casual Restaurants for a special occasion.

If you’re in the mood for an amazing alternative to Happy Hour, the Apero Prix Fix offers a 3-course tasting menu, where you choose one dish per course. The cost is only $39 and wines are offered at a 20% discount as well. The Apero is offered daily between 5 and 6 pm.

The Black Sheep SB Brasserie: 18 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

6. Los Agaves

A molcajete is so full of food, it's dripping over the rim. — A molcajete is a tasty escape from the ordinary at Los Agaves in Santa Barbara.

I became familiar with Los Agaves from their location in Westlake Village, CA, conveniently within my routine hometown eating radius when I lived in greater LA. But the original Los Agaves opened in Santa Barbara back in 2008, and their recipe of using quality ingredients, scratch cooking, and bold flavors was an instant hit that led to growth.

There are now two locations in Santa Barabara proper and one in Goleta, in addition to the Westlake Village restaurant.

Although their cocktail bar mixes up good drinks, their restaurants are very family friendly as well, and everyone feels welcome. The décor is simple but clean and comfortable, and the menu is a great mix of well-known Mexican dishes with a refined twist and more esoteric offerings that even the most diehard fans of cocina mexicana will be encountering for the first time.

Los Agaves routinely ranks among the best restaurants in Santa Barbara on YELP!

Los Agaves: 690 N. Milpas St., SB 93101 & 2911 De La Vina St., SB 93105

7. Olio Pizzeria

A close-up of a sausage pizza topped with pieces of basil — Santa Barbara’s best casual restaurant for Italian makes great wood-fired pizzas.

Although much more than a pizzeria, this little Italian restaurant is the wonderful full-fledged restaurant Olio e Limone’s more casual cousin, located just steps away.

I love the authentic wood-fired Italian pizzas here, but there are also great salumi boards and assorted appetizers featuring amazing Italian cheeses. In addition, there is a long list of delicious pastas and secondi options, and way too many excellent desserts to resist.

Depending on your mood, you can choose the warm, festive indoor option or dine al fresco in the courtyard. The full bar will happily satisfy all your drink needs.

Olio Pizzeria: 11 West Victoria St., Ste. 21, Santa Barabara, CA 93101

8. Secret Bao

two pork belly baos grace a plate at Secret Bao — The secret is out about amazing Asian delights at Secret Bao.

This family-owned restaurant is one of the best casual spots for great food of the Asian persuasion. The name comes from the fact that owners Peter Lee and his wife Felicia Medina ran a secret pop-up out of their apartment during the dark days of COVID before bursting out onto the local food scene with their brick and mortar in 2021.

It’s no surprise that the baos here are amazing—especially the Korean Fried Chicken and Pork Belly versions—but every dish I’ve tried is jam-packed with flavor and layers of delicious complexity. If I lived in SB, I’d spend tons of time here and make a point of working my way through the entire menu.

Secret Bao: 1201 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

9. Goat Tree

A poster in the Goat Tree explains the inspiration for the cafe's name. — The Moroccan-inspired Goat Tree Café in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone

Although located in the swank Hotel Californian, Goat Tree has a very casual atmosphere paired with tasty offerings that make this café the perfect venue for fueling up before heading deeper into the Funk Zone for a fun-filled day.

Brunch is offered daily from 7 am to 3 pm and features freshly made pastries, eggcellent eye-openers like Shakshuka and foraged-mushroom frittata, and delicious salads and sandwiches. A full bar gives you the opportunity to have a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine if you’re eager to jump start your foray into the Funk Zone.

A new menu for lunch and dinner kicks in at 3 pm and offers an array of bites, salads, and mains that veer toward the Mediterranean.

Goat Tree: 36 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

10. La Super-Rica Taqueria

Two unfolded tacos display their varied contents. — Homemade tortillas are a tasty touch at La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara.

Made famous by Julia Childs, who loved and frequented it when she lived in nearby Montecito, Super-Rica is not a hole-in-the-wall taqueria that churns out amazing Mexican fare. But it is an inexpensive, casual eatery that many foodies make a pilgrimage to when they travel to Santa Barbara.

The tortillas are handmade fresh for every order and quite nice, and the Super-Rica Especial—the house specialty roasted chile passilla stuffed with marinated pork and melted cheese—is genuinely tasty. Otherwise, this fast food Santa Barbara offering is neither very fast (lines can be crazy) nor a hidden culinary gem.

I’d say only go if you’re a big Julia fan who needs to satisfy your curiosity—but keep your expectations in check.

La Super-Rica Taqueria: 622 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara, CA 93103

11. Norton’s Pastrami & Deli

Two halves of a Reuben sandwich on a plate with pickles spears next to a container of coleslaw — Norton’s has a sandwich, sub, or dog to satisfy every deli craving.

If you guessed that pastrami takes center stage at this bustling casual lunch spot in downtown Santa Barbara, you’d be right. But there are also bunches of soul-soothing corned beef, Philly steak, grilled chicken, melts, hot dog, and cold sub options too.

When this deli first switched out grilled pastrami for bacon to make the legendary PLT on sourdough with chipotle mayo, the hearty sensation became a local favorite long before it was discovered by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

The portions here are admirable, the service is timely, and the selection is more than ample. This is an ode to American deli cuisine worth checking out.

Norton’s Pastrami & Deli: 18 W. Figueroa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101