Elements Restaurant and Bar

Is this place run by high school kids?
Took the time to make a reservation for New Year’s Eve a month in advance as this restaurant has had special significance for my girlfriend and I. Well dressed and looking forward to the prix fixe menu we walked in at 9pm to a half empty restaurant only to be sat on the patio. Upset that after making the reservation so far in advance we were sat on the chilly patio. I protested to the hostess only to be told that the empty tables were «reserved.» This is where I became enough of a pain in the ass to get the table we reserved. It is worth noting that the restaurant sat half-​empty for the entirety of our meal.
After being reseated inside we began the prix fixe dinner only to have food, obviously produced en masse and lacking attention to quality, thrown at us with such rapidity and voracity that we were almost unable to taste its run of the mill composition. Almost.
Add to all of this an obnoxiously loud bartender and a waitstaff more interested in taking numerous cigarette breaks, and I’m very lucky to say that we managed to have an amazing and memorable evening DESPITE our experience at Elements.
It is also worth noting that this restaurant is up for sale and I surmise that the current owner, possibly already in retirement and looking for someone to reinvigorate Elements, has handed over the reins to his inept staff. This once wonderful restaurant seems to have gone the way of the dogs.

This is really a 4 ½ star rating…
ambiance: cozy, quiet, beautiful view of Sunken Gardens
service: 5 stars– attentive, helpful, friendly, prompt
Drinks:
wine by the glass: lacking in depth. Didn’t have any cocktails but the list looked great. Need to come back and order the Firetini that seems so popular.
Food: fresh, crispy but soft bread with creamy butter brought to the table.
Appetizer: ceviche with tortilla chips– thick, super-​crunchy chips, ceviche light and flavorful
My entrée: panko-​crusted swordfish with saffron basmati rice, red and green peppers, and thai coconut sauce– delicious, not heavy, lightly breaded and perfectly cooked.
Hubby’s entrée: duck breast and sausage with lentils which was rich and very flavorful.
Side: truffle fries with ketchup– yum! very generous portion.
overall: 4 ½ stars, will certainly be returning!

In all honestly, my first experience at Elements was a little blurry. I had heard about the elusive truffle fries that I needed to try but I had no idea I was stumbling into a TUESDAY happy hour which meant…$ 5 martinis. Needless to say, 5 martinis later and I could have posted up shop at Elements and called it a life.
2^nd time around I feel like I can legitimately give this place the review it deserves. The truffle fries are still to die for, but now I can say that the olives, hummus, and onion rings in SRIACHA AIOLI are also worth every penny. Here is the kicker though…
My partner in crime and I were getting into a very heated debate with a fellow patron about the importance of Bacon being in… well…everything. This gentlemen seemed to think that bacon actually RUINED the flavor of food… I know… I was horrified. In any case, this started a discussion among the group, including our amazing bartender Lucas about how Bacon and Chocolate is an amazing combination. Lucas apparently had bacon brownies that were to die for. So, as we continue this conversation, P.I.C mentions that if he was ever on a date and the girl wanted to eat truffle fries and bacon/​chocolate that she might be the one but too bad that never seems to be on the menu. Until…
Out pops Lucas with a plate of HOUSE-​MADE BACON with CHOCOLATE SAUCE (see photo). I could have cried with joy.
With a name suggestion of «Choc-​Full-​O-​Bacon», we are urgently pushing for this to be a regular Happy Hour addition. SO! If your like us and think truffle fries and bacon/​choco = dream date… make sure you come here and ask — they will hook it up.
Best Happy Hour spot in town!

One word: Firetini. I was skeptical, seeing as how I usually don’t enjoy drinking habaneros, but I had seen its merit’s plastered all over the interwebs. So I caved. And I couldn’t have been happier that I did. Yes, it is spicy. How spicy? Enough to warm the deepest parts of your belly, but then the perfect sweetness of the lilikoi purée comes in. And there are few things in life I enjoy more than the flavor of passion fruit. It marries the spicy and sweet so well, that you cannot help but go back for sip number two, and three and four… but enough about a drink. I’ll move on to the food
I kept it pretty simple and ordered the truffle fries and the beet salad. The truffle fries, while expertly cut and fried were not nearly ‘truffled’ enough. Granted, my affinity for truffles rivals that of my affinity for my soon-​to-​be husband. They had a hint of truffle, but the fries themselves were really delicious and not one remained uneaten. (I had help…)
The beet salad; mache, beets, goat cheese (originally came with blue, but I’m a sucker for goat cheese and beets), chopped roasted hazelnuts and a yuzu vinaigrette. It was light, flavorful, and loaded with goat cheese. It wasn’t as large as a $ 14 entrée salad should have been, but after the fries and focaccia bread that they serve, I was full.
The service, while on the slow side, was courteous and knowledgeable. The open kitchen is great to watch the attractive crew of chefs they have. Oh, and to watch them create your meal. I would most definitely return to Elements if for nothing else than the Firetini.

The food is excellent with a very elegant presentation, which is why I go here. They have really great cocktails and a wonderful patio that overlooks the Court House garden making it a wonderful place for a leisurely lunch or special dinner.
I had the fish n chips and it was really great and my friend had the Gyro which also looked amazing.

Amazing for Happy Hour! Overrated for dinner. They have some of the best signature cocktails in town. I crave the Firetini’s but will only drink they during happy hour cause otherwise they’re too expensive. The happy hour food menu is all really yummy and totally reasonable. I seriously try and come here every Saturday that I’m in town and have nothing else that interfers with the happy hour time of 2pm-​6pm :)
Firetini’s, truffle fries, and onion rings and I am set for hours!
I was in for dinner once a long time ago and don’t remember it being that great only that it was really expensive… I’ll have to try it again sometime but it’s so hard when I can get everything I want for less at happy hour!

Stopped here for an after-​dinner cocktails on a weeknight and ordered the Elementini, which sounded lovely: muddled blueberry, Fris blueberry, triple sec and lemon with a sugared rim. Unfortunately, it literally tasted just like a watered-​down Red Bull. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed in what sounded like their signature martini cocktail.
It’s a beautiful restaurant and bar, I’d probably try it again on another night but I’d definitely order a different drink!

This review is for their bar. I came to enjoy a cocktail there today during Happy Hour. I really enjoyed my cocktail, a Vermontini, with bourbon, vermouth, drambuie, and a thyme simple syrup. Very well made and filled with lots of booze! I hate places that skimp. The waitress was very attentive and professional. Nice ambiance. I didn’t try any food, so I can’t review that. I will say that the cocktails are expensive. Happy hour was $ 8.50 and normal price was $ 12.50…yikes for not being in Manhattan or on a Hawaiian beach. I’ll probably be back to try the food.

I came to Elements for brunch, as Ca’ Dario was closed.
Menu was average but not outstanding. As other writers have commented, the brunch was OK, but not as good as other nearby restaurants. For Eggs Benedict, the sauce was below average, no fruit or muffin, only potatoes (which were good). Coffee was warm and had no flavor. The servers attitude was not welcoming, and they tried to edge us out at 1.30 pm (rude). I cannot comment on supper, but this is one place I would not go to for brunch. It is also quite expensive. Go to Eggs and Things instead
If I wasn’t in a good mood, I would have given this eatery 2.5 stars.

YUM… whenever i go back it will be on my checklist
Being from the east coast… i thought there crab cakes were cooked perfectly
The staff were friendly and informative and so outgoing… I love duck and their I must say im a fan!!!

DISAPPOINTED !!!
Everybody was RAVING about this place, All I can say … It was a huge let down !!!
Started with the Truffle Fries … ³⁄₅ Stars (I don’t know how you can mess up Fries but I couldn’t really taste the truffle oil as I have at other places, they tasted just like normal fries)
I ordered the Pan Roasted Chicken Breast, The chicken was cooked perfectly but had no flavor, no seasoning … it was just plain. The part that disappointed me was the truffled risotto, It was UN edible, I almost spit it back into my napkin but forced it down
My Fiancé ordered the Lemongrass Panko Crusted Local Sea bass, The Sea bass was cook almost perfectly, flavors were «OK» and the sides were «OK» nothing to knock you off your seat
We also split an order of the gruyerepotato gratin, which would have been REALLY GOOD, but it was only luke warm and the cheese had started to harden back up.
The wait staff was good, and the hostess was nice … The wait for the food was Horrible (2 hours) and there wasn’t that many people in the restaurant.
The worst part of it all was we were testing this place out as a possible «Reception» place for our wedding.
All I can say is this place is OVERRATED !!!

Came here for a Sunday brunch with two friends. We had a table on the outdoor patio and were able to watch a nice wedding that was coincidentally taking place in our view of the courthouse. A pleasant thing for conversation, maybe not pleasant for the sound of steel drums playing for a while.
The brunch menu was great but I have to review the dessert: My friends and I shared their ‘molten chocolate cake w/​coconut ice cream’. There was a 10 – 15 min. wait as they prepared, but it was definitely delicious and worth the wait. The cake came out crisp on the outside and warmly melted inside. matched perfectly with ice cream w/​real coconut. super delicious.

I thought I was lucky to go to a party where the famous Elements restaurant was catering. However, I found the food mediocre, especially the desserts.

We ate here on a little get away a year ago. I was hesitant, after reading so many mixed reviews. But, while we were there, all that changed. My husband & I were SO glad we chose to eat here. We both ordered fish & both dishes were fabulous! My husband also got the Fire-​tini, which was so great!
This place is expensive, but not really much higher than other nice places. We ate at Opal’s another night, which costs almost as much, and it could not at all compare to Elements.
If you like good food, go to Elements.
(The view of the courthouse is so lovely, too!)

I’m not sure why when i’m not logged into my Unilocal account I cannot see my review for Elements Santa Barbara. I’m doing a great service to the community by pointing out their failures of late so here goes again.
This place has seen a noticeable drop in food quality and service as of late. I’m not sure what changes have taken place there but if if you like waiting around for greasy food this is the place.
I tried a kobe beef burger last time I was here and my girlfriend had some kind of seared ahi tuna salad. The burger was served on a soggy bun and was so greasy it slid right out. My girlfriends ahi was as tough as leather and fishy which is not ideal for so called «sushi grade» fish.

My sweets and I checked this place out on a balmy Thursday Santa Barbara evening. The patrons are dressed in business casual, most of whom are middle-​aged couples — hey that’s who can afford eating out on a weekday in SB.
Well, our waiter was friendly and attentive, the ambiance was very warm and kind of romantic.
The best part of course was the food; we had lamb shanks and swordfish and for dessert; green tearamisu =) I highly recommend these choices. The tab came up to $ 80 for two people including drinks and dessert.
If you want to check out this place, opt for dinner time.

Funny, I thought «Meh» when I started to review this restaurant and that’s what Unilocal’s two star rating definition is.
For as much yammer over this restaurant, I expected a little more diverse menu and more thoughtful cooking. Instead, a limited choice and some really moderate food arrived. Wait-​staff was hospitable enough. It’s just, the food, not memorable.

The Brit and I spent what turned out to be a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner here. I admit, it the restaurant didn’t start off too well in our book since the day of I had a weird suspicion our reservation (booked weeks in advance) for their special Valentine Wine Pairing wasn’t a sure thing. It was a good idea to have our hotel phone them up to confirm, because just as I had suspected — no reservation. However, they redeemed themselves quickly by telling us to just come by anyway, that they would make room for us and by apologizing for the mistake. How do these things happen when you give a credit card anyway?
We arrived to find beautifully romantic ambiance and a polite staff… until we requested another seat. They tried putting us in the most awkward and uncomfortable location one could be placed. Like a free floating table that wasn’t ever meant to be there, but was squeezed in for the extra dough. After something like 3 requests, the manager finally moved us to a nice cozy and romantic spot for two.
Our waiter was pleasant and funny, and always on top of his job. This place knows how to properly dish out their creations. They never took the Brit’s plate before I finished (a pet peeve we both share). They never rushed us (even though there were set times for the seating arrangements). The wine was perfectly paired with every course. And we were never left waiting long for the next course either. It was wonderful.
It was a special menu for the evening, so to tell you what to order would be pointless, but just know that every single solitary morsel was spectacular and beautifully paired with our wines. And the dessert! Oh, heaven. We had a great view into the bustling kitchen and drunkenly watched as the pastry chef hand prepared every single dessert. The table next to us were obviously important as she came out to greet them personally, but we already knew that just watching them order bottle after bottle and talk of the grapes they sell to someone. They were who we wish we could be… rich folk who can knock back the good stuff and still stand.
I had a wonderful time here, a wonderful meal, they worked to accommodate us and I left feeling drunk and happy. Go ahead. Get yourself all dolled up, grab your sweetest sweet and have a great meal at Elements.

Pleasant environment and good cocktails.
This is the sort of place that is a nice change of pace from LA or even other parts of Santa Barbara.
This converted house is so relaxing and classy… but not too classy. I thought the court house across the way was really nice to look at.
We had an appetizer at the bar and then had dinner at a table. Overall the service was great and the quality of everything was a-​ok.
Don’t half step. If you and a loved one are in SB for the weekend and want to get «coastal dressy» and have a nice dinner, then this is the place for you.

Quick Summary why only 2 stars.
Minus 1 for not having our reservation on the book even though I received double confirmation via email.
Minus 1 for hostess seem not believing us and seated others prior to our party (see details below under ‘The Service’)
Minus 1 for lukewarm quiche and over-​salty flat iron steaks.
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Found this restaurant online and impressed with site and rave reviews. Emailed for reservation on 3÷18÷08.
The Setting:
Anapamu Street is fairly narrow and there was a special Easter celebration by the courthouse so there was heavier traffic than usual. Not all outside dining tables have sunbrellas. Décor is modern and clean. Has full bar service.
The Crowd:
People coming from Easter services so it’s probably more upscale than normal weekends.
Something Unique:
The restaurant advertise its style as fusion cuisine.
The Food:
The quiche comes in ¼ sizes and our serving must be the last piece because it was not even lukewarm. The flat-​iron steaks were too salty with its basil sauce.
The Service:
Tina confirmed the reservation on Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:17 AM and again by Leslie on Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 2:22 PM for the Sunday 3÷23÷08 10:30AM brunch reservation.
And yet when we showed up there is no record whatsoever on the hostess’ book. I did not ask her name but it seems we were treated as if we were lying or simply ignored and that’s why we asked for a manager named… Leslie. It was my fault I did not bring a printed copy of the confirmation but I figured if I got two email confirmations I should not worry about it… guess I was wrong.
There were two more couples that came after us with no reservation but were seated before us. When we asked the hostess how about the two empty seats on the side she said oh it’s part of a larger group that was running late. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a double insult on top of not having our reservation and now they would not give us the empty seats for someone who supposedly made the reservation but running late.
By the time she sat us down it’s quite obvious she was annoyed but remained polite. We thought she was in a bad mood due to busy Easter Sunday however she was quite jovial with the other customers.
Overall Experience:
I will note that the restaurant did gave us a complimentary dessert and winery tour recommendations at the end of the meal.
Because of this I wrote to Leslie to tell her about her staff’s action two days ago but so far no reply as of yet. There are enough other restaurants in the area that we have no intention to visit it again.