Fresco Cafe

Absolute shit. It deserves a ⁰⁄₅ but this app won’t let me do that so I will just get into it. First off, the water cups (lame ass plastic cups not glass) were super dirty when we got our water. Next, the coffee came out cold and when asked about it the waiter stated that they «make fresh coffee ever hour or so» trying to justify serving costumers cold coffee. Finally, I ordered the ahi salad and I instantly regretted it when i smelled it approaching from the kitchen. Not only did the fish smell horrendous but it tasted like nothing. Definitely will never in my life be returning here even to use the bathroom. I can only think the reason it has such a good standing on Unilocal is that either the owner made the employees make fake comments and ratings or people here actually think this food is good. Either way, DO NOT GO HERE!

A VERY SPECIAL Thank You to the ‘entire staff’ at FRESCO, my friends and I have been going every Wednesday for 5 years…
My grand daughter and her Fiancé, needed a Spanish menu for their wedding May 14, 2016; they CHOSE Chef Mark Brouillard to prepare their ‘authentic Spanish’ meal (the groom said it reminded him of his grandmothers!) Mark’s staff of 6 servers and 2 bartenders were Absolute Perfection! Said all dishes were completely cleared… How lovely that Chef Mark did the cooking AND the delivery! Who does that!!!
BRAVO Chef Mark, your catering is absolutely Magnificent, those dishes should go on your
menu!!! Gaile B.

We had small cupcake, so freaking good but there lemonade! Wow! Amazing. People are nice to!

I’ve been coming here for a few years and the food is usually pretty good, however, I went to lunch here today and it was an overhaul bad experience. First, we stumbled right out of the gate at the register. While ordering an Angus Burger, I asked if I could have that lettuce wrapped and the person at the cash register looked at me like I asked them a final Jeopardy question. In addition to my burger, I also ordered a calamari appetizer. It took 40 minutes to cook a freaking burger and a lightly fried calamari dish (people that had come in well after I had arrived had already gotten their meals) and when my food finally arrived I was not impressed. On the menu it states that burgers are cooked medium unless otherwise specified; my burger was beyond well done. It was bland and the only real flavor I could get from it was a bad burnt meat taste. The soup with my dish was the Italian Wedding and it was also pretty bland. The calamari looked good, but it too was extremely bland, even with the dipping sauce (starting to sense a pattern here.) It’s been a few months since my last visit, but it seems like the service and food have really gone down hill. To make matters worse, I spent almost $ 30 for an overall bad experience which begs the question, who would want to spend that kind of money on food that just isn’t good? Not I.

I work nearby and love coming in for a quick lunch and dessert on my breaks. Very friendly staff, excellent desserts, and wonderful soup. The tomato purée and eggplant parm are my favorite dishes.

Got a very tasty but also slightly moldy Mushroom Sandwich. I’ve eaten here a couple times before and the food has been okay. I just expect a little bit more from a place called «Fresh» Café.

Stopped here on our way to Monterey, and we are glad we did. The food here is excellent, and reasonably priced for the quality/​freshness of it. I ate a grilled shrimp pizza slice with a soup and tried some of my wife’s quiche which was cooked perfectly. The only minor drawback from our experience here was the service upon ordering our food, seemed as if we were hurried to order our food despite there being NO line behind us, not one person. The décor of the café was very nice and had some really neat looking faux finishing on its walls and trim. Overall the food was excellent, the café was clean and we will definitely be back!

Delicious food, but what impressed me most was the service. We had our dog with us on the patio and the chef (possibly owner?) came out to make sure we knew about the specials. He impressed us with his insistence on quality for the fish and the handmade ravioli. Then he checked on us again later to ensure we were enjoying our meal. Which I can say we enjoyed immensely! I wish we we lived closer — this could be our regular place.

Great veggie burger and fries! Hot, fresh and tasty :) Brought the dog and sat outside. The desserts we took home were fantastic! We’ll definitely be back!

Something for everyone!
One wants pasta. One wants quiche. One wants an über healthy beet salad. One wants a chicken wrap. One wants a nice burger… maybe a delicious soup or hot fries with the meal, too.
Everyone wants «home made «pies and pastries for dessert. And none of you want to wait too long for your meal.
It’s ok! You’re at Fresco.
Large menu for a variety of tastes. Lots of parking. Indoor or outdoor seating. Dog friendly patio (assuming your dog is nicely behaved, of course).
Ordering your meal on the way to your table speeds service. The friendly staff take it from there.
Known especially for pasta, wraps and big yummy salads, you can also find pizza, burgers and club sandwiches. Soups and daily specials are worth checking out. Always a few vegetarian choices, sometimes vegan choices as well.
Some dishes are good, some very good. In all the years of taking my friends there, no meal was ever deemed less than «good». The food is incredibly consistent.
The pastries, made by an Italian pastry chef, are delightful… rustic and filling. You will want to sample a few.
The summer evenings might include live jazz or flamenco guitar. Often you may see happy couples sitting on the patio, sipping wine, or people stopping by for dessert and coffee.
This café has been a staple of Santa Barbara for decades. It is located uptown in a small shopping center.
Not the fanciest of locations, but no one cares about that. We like it.

Great little spot to get coffee n some sweeties. price is not so cheap however still affordable. coming back for more but any time soon.

Damn good place. Found it by accident. Coworkers wanted to eat and we just happened to park in front of this place. I had the cheese enchiladas and Pozole and it was outstanding. Everyone else was very pleased with their meals. Ill certainly come back to this place.
There is inside and outside seating, certainly a good place to come and chill if you have time to kill…

I really really wanted to like this restaurant. It’s got easy parking, on upper State away from the crowds, was hoping for an easy late lunch after a few hours at close-​by Hendry’s Beach. I went with my son visiting from LA. He ordered shrimp skewers, an appetizer. He got 3 medium sized shrimp for almost $ 12. Really?
My Greek salad was 90% cut up bell peppers with a few kalamata olives, a few pieces of cucumber and a slight sprinkle of feta cheese.
There is nobody to talk to about the food because it is ordered at the countered and delivered by the «chefs» directly from the kitchen. No wait staff.
Won’t be returning.

Good: fresh ingredients, tasty fries, good portions, reasonable price, fast service, casual dining
Bad:the taste could use going up a notch

Yum! We always stop here on our way to Los Angeles. Delicious breakfast wrap and amazing caramelized onion, Brie, and egg sandwich.

I have been here several times over the years and have always been satisfied with the food. They have lots of fresh and healthy options which is good, although I wish there were more vegan-​friendly dishes. The last time I went I ordered the veggie wrap and got hummus instead of cream cheese which made it vegan. Although as I ate the wrap I think I only tasted hummus on a few bites so they must not have put much in it. I got the side of vegetarian chili which I did not know would come with cheese, but I just scraped it off the top so no problem. Their desserts are all beautiful and I used to love getting them before I went vegan. Now, I just stare and sadly wish they had a vegan dessert option. Think about it, Fresco!

Great food. Love the outdoor patio. You can bring your dog.
Wish they would provide table service!

Salads, sandwiches/​wraps, pizza, soups, & dessert make Fresco Café the perfect lunch spot, whether catered, to-​go, or dining-​in. Breakfast & Dinner served too apparently but I will stick with lunch! Plus there are other food options making sure every coworker is satisfied.
Fresco is one of those order at the counter, receive a number (on a wooden spoon), choose a seat, and someone will deliver your meal. A complimentary bread & butter basket is available by the utensil station inside the main dining area.
My favorites…
* Gorgonzola Walnut Salad (+ salmon)
* Warm Goat Cheese Salad (+ protein)
* Cobb Salad
* & any of the desserts, yum! Yes, I have a major sweet tooth.
I will add that while most of the ingredients taste fresh, I will not order a side of chicken to my salads anymore as the last time I did it tasted awful & rubbery, almost inedible :/​
Be warned, the Service can be slow at times, taking a while to receive food… which may not be good if on a time restriction (as most of us are during work hours).

I write this review at my office desk on my lunch as I stuff my face with this amazing turkey club sandwich on multigrain with Swiss cheese. The sandwich is delightful. I went for the first time today on a whim, and yeah it was $ 13, but it’s a turkey club. I can only eat half of it.
The order took way too long for a sandwich, as it was noon on a Monday (everyone and their mother [literally] is there eating lunch), so the homie Kyle at the to-​go counter apologized and gave me a complimentary dessert. I mean, don’t ask for a dessert if your order «takes too long», but I just wanted to mention that Kyle made an attempt to offer me exceptional customer service my first time there.
It’s clean and happy and the food is fresh and tasty.

I was way more impressed with this Fresco Café than Fresco Café North.
This location has a big, mostly covered patio with lots of tables. You order inside and then they bring out your food and clear your plates.
At the other location I wasn’t very impressed with the caprese sandwich or the garden salad, but this time I got a slice of margherita pizza with the gorgonzola walnut salad ($ 1 extra for the special salad) and man was it tasty. The pizza slice is large and the salad is also a good size with lots of gorgonzola and walnuts. I also stole a few fries (fresh cut, by the way) and a bite of the veggie burger, and both were tasty. The veggie burger comes on a soft brioche bun with the works – avocado, cheese, tomato, etc. etc. – at no extra charge. If you ask for water they give you cups with ice and you fill up yourself.
Overall I think this is a great place to get a lunch on the healthier side. Everything here seems very fresh and homemade. I wonder if they make the breads/​buns in-​house? Anyway, they also have lots of vegetarian options to choose from and the desserts looked tempting.
Dog friendly!