Michelle Zhang

Good food, great service, lovely atmosphere. Be advised that prices are 25 cents higher than what’s on the menu. The amount is insignificant but not being aware of it is slightly annoying. So I’m making you aware and hopefully you won’t be as annoyed as me

chris G

Casey our Waitress was fabulous & really on top of it, we sat at the bar. In fact, everybody seems to work 👌as a team. Food delicious just the right amount, cocktails even better. We were early mind you before the rush.

Jay Akhtar

Great atmosphere, good service and plenty of seating both in and outside. They can add some more starter food options like calamari, etc. For the drinks, I missed having more Mezcal cocktails to choose from.

+5

Reviews By Nitra

My husband and I went on a Saturday night around 6:45pm plenty of seating and no wait. There’s also a bar inside of you want just bar seating. Cute place but the lighting was really dark & red making it hard on the eyes. The food was tasty & service was good. Wish there was a queso blanco cheese dip side for the chips but theres not a melted version available, I thought that was strange for a Mexican restaurant not to have. There was a yellow cheese dip that comes with the chips and was delicious as well. The salsa is spicy! Seemed like there’s a large variety of things to pick from- something for everyone.

+3

Aaron Wilson, Jr.

The end of this is...we would return. Strolling State Street on an early mid-week evening is a joy in the summer (post the 4th) since it's calm and quiet. The wife and I came to Sandbox able to hear our conversation and revel in surprise bean dip. Our server was nice, but clearly new to working; I ordered a dish that said nothing about avocado or guacamole but, because I know I'm at a Mexican food-themed restaurant, I always ask if there is guacamole with my order. She said no and asked if I wanted some. I said no not at all. When my dish came (see the picture)...multiple slices of avocado. To be fair, I asked about guacamole and not avocado so... In general, the food needed sauce but was tasty enough despite dry carnitas and ask for a double when ordering any cocktail and the bean dip that automatically came with the chips and salsa set things off well. The decor was crowded...I am assuming they were going for western to make some folks comfortable and arbitrary notes of Mexican style decor for...authenticity? I realize this doesn't sound great but the "vibes" are friendly, the seats were comfortable, and the meal not terribly expensive. Overall, would return the next time we're in town, just know how to enhance the experience.

+5

Lisa DeVuyst

Delicious food! Chips come with salsa and a yummy meat bean dip. The birria quesadilla has a little spice and is very filling. Chicken tacos were good and nice as a "lighter" option. The homemade corn tortillas were amazing. Definitely recommend! Next time I want to try the Horchata Pina colada, I just didn't have enough room tonight. Fun music atmosphere.

Kino J

The food was very good,we had the chili rellenos (excellant) and seafood enchiladas. The drinks 🍸 were good, but the bartender was lacking on the service. Chandler, the waiter had really stepped it up to cover for the bartender.

+4

Xbox User

The food looks great and taste is very good. Service was courteous and quick, food came quickly. Even with a long line, the wait was relatively short. Every table was full of people enjoying the evening. Sports bar feel w/ sports on multiple tvs above the bar and back dining area. Cozy atmosphere, nice heater distribution for breezy fall evenings. Great ambience, with street music, cocktails, and the beers are cold. The staff is dripping with pretty and hansom people. Plenty of parking in back (fee)I recommend you check it out.

+4

Mark

Popular Party Spot for Tourists & the Occasional Local. Best for BOGO Bunch. Always a line Usual slow service Mediocre food (except brunch) A few smiling faces Great people watching We joke we swing by for a margarita when walking by or the obligatory stop during Fiesta. Otherwise Sandbar goes unnoticed. That is until I remember they have a Buy One Get One bunch option from a local app. Then we make reservations and head down early on a weekend to find a sleepy State St. A recent visit was packed. Good thing I made a reservation for up front on the patio. The majority of heir seating is open air but the 4 tops along the railing offer a relaxed view of Santa Barbara people watching. If you’re planning A group on the weekend plan ahead and make a res. For brunch, until 1p, there’s a mimosa by the. Title option for $25. The sparking wine comes with a carafe of OJ so at current market values the juice alone is $25. It’s a fun way to kick start your day drinking. I really enjoyed the Birria Tacos Benedict $13.49 Simple concept with poached eggs and consommé. Delicious with a little kick. I will order again. My Brunch Partner loved Taqueria Tacos de Hugo’s with Fresh Carrizo $11.75. The carrizo was in sliced links and not crumble. A nice touch. Come for the party.

+4

I felt the waitresses were attentive to their customers. But I would say the food quality was not as good. Others in my party thought the same about their meal. They have plenty of TVs for watching sport witch is great and drinks are ok in price.

Liz K

Went in for the happy hour, they did not honor the double margarita even though it was advertised IN PRINT. Very inexperienced bartender who didn't understand what's advertised & what she would make. Please train your bartenders. No napkin with a rocks cocktail. No glass with a beer. We would have stayed. We asked for a manager, another college age girl, who said I was 'unkind" for having these expectations for a new bartender. Sarcasm & eye rolls were plentiful. Mediocrity at its finest! Good luck!

Scott Puccinelli

I recently had the unfortunate experience of dining at Sandbar in Santa Barbara, and I must say, it was nothing short of disappointing. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a vibrant atmosphere and beautiful beachy decor, which initially gave me high hopes for a pleasant evening. However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment as I sampled the food. The menu offered a variety of options, and I decided to go for a dish that sounded unique and delicious. Unfortunately, my choice turned out to be a huge mistake. The food was unbelievably spicy – and not in a good way. I've always enjoyed a bit of heat in my meals, but the level of spiciness here was completely over the top. It felt as if the chef had liberally poured a bottle of hot sauce onto my plate without any regard for flavor balance. The sheer intensity of the spiciness overshadowed any other flavors that might have been present in the dish. I couldn't taste the freshness of the ingredients or appreciate the supposed subtleties of the recipe. It was all about the heat, which completely overwhelmed my palate. The dining experience quickly turned into a painful ordeal rather than an enjoyable meal. To their credit, the servers seemed sympathetic to my discomfort, and didn't charge me for my entrée. When I mentioned the excessive spiciness of the dish, they apologized and offered for me to order something else, but ilat that point i couldn't eat. I left Sandbar feeling disappointed and unsatisfied. While the ambiance and beachy vibes were undoubtedly appealing, the subpar food and lackluster service overshadowed any positives. I believe that a restaurant experience should be a harmonious blend of flavors, presentation, and service, and unfortunately, Sandbar fell short on all counts during my visit. My dining experience at Sandbar in Santa Barbara was far from enjoyable due to the excessively spicy food and the lack of attention to customer feedback. I cannot in good conscience recommend this establishment to anyone who values a well-balanced and satisfying dining experience. It's a shame that such a beautiful location is marred by the disappointing execution of its culinary offerings.

+15

The worst and most expensive burger I've ever had. 2 broiled patties, a little mayo and 3 thin pickles with cold fries. Disgusting. I should've take a picture. By the way: you should have extra shirts for your staff. Sofia had 2 big stains on her shirt. That doesn't look good nor clean at all. No, it's not Sofia's fault. She was a delight. Never again.

Solana Kerr

Wish I could give zero!! I came here on a Saturday night and paid for my tab it was around 31 dollars. Mind you it was a busy Saturday night I gave a five dollar tip and went on my way. My bill was posted on my credit card by Monday. On the following Thursday the total was readjusted to 83 dollars. I called and asked to speak with a manager and was given the option to have $50 credit or it would be taken to the manager and they would try to refund me my $50. I stated that I did not leave a 50 dollar tip. And I do not want to credit because I do not live in Santa Barbara and will not be going back. I roughly called around 3 to 4 times and finally got in contact with and the manager. The explanation was it was a simple accident and they're gonna do their best to get this figured out. Brandon, the manager was very helpful and honestly very nice but I am still disappointed that corporate never got back to me regarding this matter. I had to open up a dispute with my credit card. I get it things happen, and take time but this was back in October and I have never received word from corporate. I honestly did not want to leave a review because I wanted this matter to be handled by corporate. But it never was and it's been over three months and there has been no solution. Whether this was deliberate or an accident, I would have hoped that corporate (Baja Sharkiez restaurant group) would have handled this matter. Respectfully it is ironic that corporate is putting so much money into remodeling this restaurant when you can't even get back to your customers that have been wronged.