Beachside Bar-Cafe

Well the one thing this place had going for it is that it was open after 9pm on Sunday. The food was the best part and it was a 4 out of 10. I wasn’t sure if the music was religious or Hawaiian; either way it was so bad. We were able to talk over the blaring music but the kitchen was so loud crashing pans around that it was definitely awkward. Not to mention while we were waiting for the hostess to notice us a busboy ran by and dropped the f-​bomb.

Good staff, nice beach side atmosphere. Was looking forward to the Fish and Chips, BUT, only served during lunch total Bummer.

Arrived on a sunny Wednesday afternoon after a long day of teaching. This is a very comfortable place to hang out. Beautiful view of the ocean from the bar and friendly bar staff. It wasn’t very busy when I was here. I had the local Island Pale Ale to drink — a refreshing, hoppy, medium bodied beer. Unfortunately, it was not one of the select happy hour beers, so I had to pay the full $ 6.50 price instead of the $ 4.50 happy hour price. One beer for me please. Happy hour food items were in the $ 8-​$ 13 range. A little pricey for happy hour, but the view out to the ocean is pretty remarkable, so maybe worth the price if you had someone to enjoy it with. No oysters on the happy hour menu, so I ordered a couple oyster shooters from the bar menu. $ 2.95 apiece, but quite tasty with a nice cocktail sauce. They went well with the beer. There is an open air dining area protected from the wind that I would try next time I’m here.

The location is amazing and the food is fresh and innovative. You cannot ask for a more beautiful dinner setting on the beach. the halibut and grilled artichoke were amazing as well as the steak. The issue here is the service. When you have to continually wait for water, bread, your food-​it takes away from the experience. We had to ask other servers several times for water. I hope that they can correct this as it is such a lovely place…

A nice tucked in location on the beach. Parking was plentiful in one of many parking lots near the establishment.
The interior was jam packed with people waiting for tables. Our misfortune to have come in on a high school graduation weekend but the wait was only 10 minutes. We waited it out at the bar. The decorations and building had a cabana vibe. Service at the bar was good.
We took a seat outside in a half-​enclosed space with a good view of the water and pier. I had the prawn cocktail which came on a salad featuring papaya. It was a green papaya, the salad was very interesting. Prawns are prawns but these came on the short side and that was a bit disappointing.
My companions had the polenta beach cakes and the philly.
If we had more time I would have explored the specials they had out for graduation. Perhaps next time.

First and foremost, request to sit outside if weather permits because the view is amazing. Secondly, order either the fish and chips or clam chowder because both are great! I’ve been here twice and both times I left satisfied. The service is a little slow and it may be busy, but nothing too bad. This is your best choice if stopping in at Santa Barbara airport for a quick lunch. Also the local talent is top notch!

Went there after cousins graduation from UC Santa Barbara and I had already expected to be disappointed based on the 3.5 rating I saw when we were told that’s where we’d be going, but damn… $ 30 NY steak should not taste like $ 10.95 Norm’s special, not cool and the grilled shrimp was not fresh… Anyhoo although our servers were very nice they definitely weren’t attentive enough and it took wayyyyyy too long to complete the simplest of task… For instance it shouldn’t take 30mins to process bill or repeatedly remind server’s to refill water glasses. We had a party of 15 people and spent almost $ 1000 and I’m like really now I see why they’re in a prime location and have a rating of 3.5… Best thing I had was salad with avocado dressing

I’d totally recommend this place for appetizers, happy hour and dinner. The reason I’m rating them with a 4 and not a 5 is because you cannot have dinner inside the café section where happy hour is served. So me and my group had to pick up and move from the happy hour table we were sitting at and be put on a wait list to sit where dinner is served. Kinda didn’t make any sense and didn’t make it easy for us customers.

I’ve been to the beachside many times and love the crab stuffed halibut. Their rolls, thousand island, and mashed potatoes all hit the spot as well. I’ve also had lunch here and the food is always fresh and flavorful. The vibe is laid back. It is a bit expensive, but is one of the few choices for fresh seafood in the area. The price and location result in an older crowd, heavily populated with professors from nearby UCSB. Service is almost always on point.

Not bad food. They have a variety of fish and seafood. Specials only between 5 and 6pm.
The view and ambiance are great.

Fantastic seafood! Each course was delightful! One of the best meals I have had on the West coast!

Its our anniversary today and we decided on someplace romantic for brunch. The Beachside certainly has the ambience. Ocean and island views. Picturesque cliffs of the university campus. For great great food, and great service, with such views one can expect to pay a bit more per plate.
Unfortunately the service has always been about as predictable as a roulette wheel. Sometimes it’s right on. But more times then not it is lacking. Not just a little, but ALOT.
You can expect the hostesses to either not have a clue about the seating or just don’t care.
The server can be chatting with another sever about a girl or a guy or a party… until we make a scene by asking aloud for attention. Or like ours today, isn’t effecient and gets overwhelmed. Some servers are chewing gum smacking when the walk by or just mouth breathing while they walk around looking busy.
On this day we challenged ours by asking what kind of tea they serve. He did not know…“We have a large veriety.” The box he produced had 8 holders with 5 breakfast teas and two black teas and one herbal. So they had 4. He took too long to come to our table and only began to be more attentive when he noticed my non bemused expression. After asking he finally brought us the check to which he said that he did not add the coffee. To which I was thankful, but alas I celebrated too soon. He was telling us because he intended to add the coffee but brought the ticket out because we requested it. So the ticket isn’t ready. But he brought it out anyways. Because… we requested it???
This place could be an amazing experience. We come back about every 4 to 6 months, hoping there will be a great staff. Today we noticed one person really taking care of her tables, and when need be other tables. Our server was or seemed overwhelmed. Or really didn’t like his job.
I think the perhaps biggest hurdle is the management. There are always new faces when we come, so they can’t keep good staff, or they are simply not interested in staff that has strong customer service qualities.
One small suggestion for management. Change the angles of the tables or remove some, the staff including our server bumps into the chairs. Our server nearly stumbled and fell due to the tight proximity of tables and chairs.
I could go on but I think you understand, it will be a long time before we attempt again. Only because of the beautiful atmosphere and food.
I love this place and hate this place… it’s like a bad relationship. But like fools we all keep trying.
Xoxo’s

Nice place to dine, the view is amazing. It seems like a popular spot for Happy Hour with the locals. I had shrimp and scallops appetizer, delish, seafood was fresh. Perfect pit stop.

Came in with a group of 8. Hostess did not smile and was cold. Mind that I called to make a reservation and was told that they don’t accept reservations. We got seated at 4 and the waiter informed us that we need to order by 4:12 or we will miss the lunch menu. When I called in the gentleman told me you can order after 4. The silverware at our table was dirty as well as our water glasses. The floor was covered in crumbs. The waiters and waitresses looked sloppy with dirty uniforms. The hostess came around and put reservation signs on two tables… but I thought they didn’t take reservations?
First off do not ask for bread if your thinking you won’t be charged. Each basket costs $ 1 and they do not tell you this. The food was luke warm and reminded me of cafeteria food. Our waiter did not come by to refill our water or drinks. I had to ask another server to fill my ice tea. Our bill got dropped off and the waiter again was nowhere to be found. I walked the bill up to pay and the guy at the register rolled his eyes and seemed annoyed. I told him our waiter hasn’t come by and we’d like to leave. I respect waiters and waitresses as my family owned many resturants. I just couldn’t get myself to give him a 15% to 20% tip as I usually would.
Yes it was that bad! I would definitely not recommend this place.

Great spot right next to the pier (lots of bird poop). Service was very good for the busy dinner hour. I had no wait time and they did me nice giving me a both facing outside. Had nice conversation with the waitress each time she came to check on me. Moscow mule was delicious. The polenta cake app had a nice portion and loved the garnish! Spicy shrimp soup too sweet not spicy. My fish entrée was Dorado with veggies and mash. It was odd at first seeing the fish hidden behind all of this. I will say dish didn’t disappoint. I had to take it back to hotel to finish.

Admittedly my review is based on a quick experience, but this place hit the spot for me. I had a short amount of time to kill before catching a flight so walked in here and up to the bar. 15 minutes later I had an Island ale and a chorizo quesadilla in front of me. Both of which were delicious.
Add in the location, the atmosphere, and the convenience and you’ve got a place that is definitely worth visiting. Not cheap but not expensive either. Beach prices but good food. See you guys next time!

The location is great, and our service was great too. My piña colada was weak, not just in alcohol content but in pineapple and coconut flavor. I ordered the paella del mar and it was okay. Too many green onions and very coarsely ground black pepper that irritated my throat. The seafood pieces were okay. The birthday sundae was the highlight: the fudge is delicious, reminds me of homemade chocolate pudding.
Somebody told me that the lunch menu and sundowner specials are better than dinner. That’s probably accurate because I came for dinner and it was okay.

The rich ecology of Goleta is one of the reasons that locals refer to the city as the Goodland. Natural features of the region include a monarch butterfly grove, estuaries and wetlands, and it is these features that have protected it from beachfront development. Beachside Bar and Café is the exception, the only destination for oceanfront dining in the area.
I like the open feeling which is perfect for a celebratory meal, Sunday brunch, or happy hour with friends.
In the game of Monopoly, Beachside would be a green Pacific Avenue property, since it is pricy but not over the top spendy like the Boardwalk (Bacara). Dining in this prime location is going to cost more than the light blue restaurants in Old town. The casual laid back vibe and above average food make the price tag worth it.
The outdoor patio was the perfect location to celebrate my son’s graduation from UCSB and our party of 6 was seated promptly with our reservation. The menu sounds really fantastic with highlights like Paella, fire roasted seafood chile rellenos, and seafood salads that made my mouth water. I went with the catch of the day which comes with your choice of several side dishes that will make everyone happy. My fish had nice grill marks on it but it lacked in the flavor department, even when paired with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.
My son’s paella was definitely the standout dish of the evening and it was loaded with shrimp, mussles, sausage, colorful vegetables and rice. He really enjoyed his meal and that is what counts, he earned this celebratory dinner.
I definitely recommend Beachside, it’s alluring location and beachy breezes make it a perfect place to chill out and enjoy the Goodland.

There is no doubt that the best thing about this place is its location. You can see the ocean view the minute you walk up to the front of the main dining room. When you decide to make a reservation, it is important to get prime seating at their outdoor patio enclosed with glass walls that overlooks the Goleta fishing pier and Channel Islands. Sadly, I wish I can say the view was as marvelous as their food, but it wasn’t. My bay scallop kebabs (three skewers) were dry, overcooked and not succulent as I was hoping for. I figured, how can they go wrong on their daily special when they specialize in seafood entrees? Well, it did. Food was definitely sub-​par and considering the price you pay for this stuff, it’s probably best to just grab a drink or even pick up some simple bar food items.
My suggestion is to look elsewhere if you want to like enjoy fresh seafood. This is not the place to be at aside from the beautiful location on the beach. I guess it all depends on what you’re in the mood for… if you don’t mind paying something steep for just a view and can careless for the food, then go ahead and make that reservation.

Flew over to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles because I’m fancy like that with my own personal pilot… When we landed our stomachs were raging with hunger! We borrowed beach cruisers and made our way to this beachside seafood café and I was pleasantly surprised that its main focus was FISH/​SEAFOOD! My eyes literally lit up when I saw OYSTERS written on the chalkboard!
The whole menu was right up my alley! Scallops, salmon, seated tuna, rockfish… I mean HELLO HEAVEN. Plus, we sat outside next to the beach, such a great ambiance!
We ordered $ 15 worth of oysters (6) that were pretty good. I’m not really an oyster aficionado so I’m not entirely sure if they were 100% awesome but I did manage to suck down four!
Our main dishes consisted of seared tuna with side green salads. I was excited about the order but when it arrived… The portion was microscopical. I had not eaten anything that entire day so you can imagine my disappointment! The server even said the portion was a «good size». I need to remind myself that this is California and a 1 oz portion is considered «huge» because everyone is on a diet! Well NOT ME! Ha Ha. I dig into this and ate it faster than fish swimming away from a great white shark! My dining companion didn’t complain so I’m assuming he liked it too… We then paid and left. It was a nice stop for lunch and would probably go back if I flew back to Santa Barbara and it was the choice between this place and Mexican food, I’m no Mexican food fan… However, when we got back to LA 2 – 3 hours later, we caught ourselves saying… «I’m hungry».
Yep, I’d say this place is pretty expensive for a SNACK FOR A TODDLER size portion… Ha Ha.