Tee-off Restaurant & Lounge

5 stars for the sweetest waitress ever! We loved our food - burgers, pork chops, and ground sirloin. My only complaint was that the salad dressing, butter, and Buffalo sauce tasted like horseradish…maybe spoon cross contamination ?

My wife and I were looking for a cool retro place to support and came across tee-off. The food was so good! I had the fish and chips, and the fish was fried perfectly. My wife had a huge prime rib and onion rings which was was delicious as well.

No Matter how packed the Tee+Off might be,for dinner, we are always greeted with friendly smiles and great service. They have the best Clam chowder ever and serve a generous portion for the prime rib and everything else. For my family eating here always turns into left overs that are definitely worth taking home. If you haven't tried this long standing Santa Barbara fave, I encourage you to.

Used to be a Tee Off regular when I lived in Santa Barbara. Before 02/04/2023, the last time I was there was 2007. It's nice to know some things just don't change. . . Atmosphere, food and service still outstanding (although they were out of Prime Rib and New York Strips), the Filet was perfect!

While my husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara we wanted either some very good beef bbq ribs or possibly a nice prime rib dinner. Our decision was made when we were told the Tee-Off was serving ribs. Little did we know they serve these ribs on Wednesday, with a complete dinner and as many as you want for a bit over $20! It has an old good steak house decor with many booths. From their getting us a nice table, to having a wonderful server, Sarah, it was a great experience. Not only did she have a great personality, she made sure we had everything we wanted to eat and made sure the ribs, which we ordered well done, we're exactly that. She also saw to madking sure we left with a bag full of some of the things we really liked, including the great bbq sauce, which we offered to buy if they sold it. The prime rib also looked delicious. The friendliness of the staff and quality and quantity of the food were all wonderful, and we will be returning to the Tee-Off the next time we visit Santa Barbara!

This place is a Santa Barbara classic. Friday Happy Hour is a great scene. Made us wish we had made a dinner reservation.

Walk in the door and be brought back in time about 50 years. The decor is vintage and well kept. The service is always with a smile. The drinks are stiff. The food is great - choices that can’t be found at any other restaurant. Wine selection is very good. I love to overspend here!

Great place to dine. Awesome servers & bartenders. The food is amazing. My favorite dish is the Blackened Ace Cut Primerib. The fried chicken is also great.

If you like old school leather booths, classic cocktails and prime rib, this is the place. Nothing fancy, just good food and drinks done well. Slow cooked prime rib daily. Didn't give the 5 star on food in case you stray from ordering the prime rib.

This little hole in the wall has one of the best prime ribs! I have eaten plenty over the years and this one was delicious. When you go in, it's very dim. I would highly recommend to make a reservation. We sat at our table and everyone is so nice. This is a local hangout. They deliver bread to your table however I would recommend not to fill up on it. We ordered the 10oz prime rib but they give you a generous portion. You get a soup or salad and one side but you do get sauteed veggies.. Oh, I forgot to mention they do give you a bowl of veggies and ranch dip. We didn't touch it and I knew if we filled up with the veggies and bread that we wouldn't be able to finish. We both got the loaded bake potato with our prime rib. Everything was so good and the vibe there is very casual. The only thing, I didn't like was the 3 gnats that wouldn't go away but overall I highly recommend.

This is a small steak house/ bar. They serve excellent steaks and prime rib, come hungry. They open at 5:00 pm for dinner. Bar is open earlier if you want to have a drink before dinning. I ordered their Par cut of prime rib, it is their smallest cut and it’s still way big. It was excellent, sides of potatoes and vegetables were average. Dinner salad was great. The Warden ordered fried chicken, it was juicy and succulent, didn’t care for batter/seasoning on skin. For dessert we split a mud pie, it was huge and delicious. We couldn’t finish it.

A locals favorite! If you’re after prime rib, you can’t go wrong. The atmosphere reminds me of a classic Chicago bar and restaurant. Generous drinks and food serving sizes.

This place has a neighborhood hole in the wall feel with a great atmosphere. The service was great and inviting. The prime rib melts in your mouth and the shrimp scampi was excellent. We also tried a few of their martinis. There were are well made and went down easy. We are visiting from out of town but we will return when we come back to Santa Barbara.

My husband and I came here for a double date some years back. Today we were visiting those same friends and my husband said, "remember that prime rib place?" And I said "yeah it was at a golf course?" My buddy said "no no it's golf THEMED". 😆 Anyways, he reminded us it's called the Tee Off. My husband and I made it here just in time before the kitchen closed. We're on a road trip, and have been driving all day. Like we remember, the prime rib was fantastic. I really want to bring my parents here someday. My Dad is a golfer who loves steak. Perfect!

Good beef. Kids love the fried chicken- oyster shooters are fresh and stiff drinks! Recommend👍

Cozy, dimly lit, old-school steak house (circa 1960), repleat with dark red leather booths, a bar crowded with locals, and generous portions of food and libations. The Birdie-Cut Prime Rib was phenomenal.

Wow, go hungry! Classic steak house with amazing portions and wonderful food. Beautiful fresh salads, large perfectly cooked and seasoned steaks, a vast cocktail menu, and friendly wait staff.

old style steakhouse. no frills. wait staff that has been there forever and feel like their place..”honey, do need anything else...” food is straight forward, with honest prices, and quality. the bar is very well stocked with nice collection of scotches, priced honestly, and a bar tender that does not use a measuring glass. glug....an honest pour. decent wine list. yum and comfortable. if you’re looking for santa barbara beach cafe fancy wines and handpicked arugula kale citrus salad cool, not your place. if you want the disappearing neighborhood steak restaurant, this is it.

Deena

This little hole in the wall has one of the best prime ribs! I have eaten plenty over the years and this one was delicious. When you go in, it's very dim. I would highly recommend to make a reservation. We sat at our table and everyone is so nice. This is a local hangout. They deliver bread to your table however I would recommend not to fill up on it. We ordered the 10oz prime rib but they give you a generous portion. You get a soup or salad and one side but you do get sauteed veggies.. Oh, I forgot to mention they do give you a bowl of veggies and ranch dip. We didn't touch it and I knew if we filled up with the veggies and bread that we wouldn't be able to finish. We both got the loaded bake potato with our prime rib. Everything was so good and the vibe there is very casual. The only thing, I didn't like was the 3 gnats that wouldn't go away but overall I highly recommend.

Tammy Dobrotin

A locals favorite! If you’re after prime rib, you can’t go wrong. The atmosphere reminds me of a classic Chicago bar and restaurant. Generous drinks and food serving sizes.

John Haberkern

This is a small steak house/ bar. They serve excellent steaks and prime rib, come hungry. They open at 5:00 pm for dinner. Bar is open earlier if you want to have a drink before dinning. I ordered their Par cut of prime rib, it is their smallest cut and it’s still way big. It was excellent, sides of potatoes and vegetables were average. Dinner salad was great. The Warden ordered fried chicken, it was juicy and succulent, didn’t care for batter/seasoning on skin. For dessert we split a mud pie, it was huge and delicious. We couldn’t finish it.

brett sickmiller

This place has a neighborhood hole in the wall feel with a great atmosphere. The service was great and inviting. The prime rib melts in your mouth and the shrimp scampi was excellent. We also tried a few of their martinis. There were are well made and went down easy. We are visiting from out of town but we will return when we come back to Santa Barbara.

Stephanie S.

My husband and I came here for a double date some years back. Today we were visiting those same friends and my husband said, "remember that prime rib place?" And I said "yeah it was at a golf course?" My buddy said "no no it's golf THEMED". 😆 Anyways, he reminded us it's called the Tee Off. My husband and I made it here just in time before the kitchen closed. We're on a road trip, and have been driving all day. Like we remember, the prime rib was fantastic. I really want to bring my parents here someday. My Dad is a golfer who loves steak. Perfect!

C MO

Good beef. Kids love the fried chicken- oyster shooters are fresh and stiff drinks! Recommend👍

Andrew

Cozy, dimly lit, old-school steak house (circa 1960), repleat with dark red leather booths, a bar crowded with locals, and generous portions of food and libations. The Birdie-Cut Prime Rib was phenomenal.

Merwyn Welch

Wow, go hungry! Classic steak house with amazing portions and wonderful food. Beautiful fresh salads, large perfectly cooked and seasoned steaks, a vast cocktail menu, and friendly wait staff.

Dave Chen

old style steakhouse. no frills. wait staff that has been there forever and feel like their place..”honey, do need anything else...” food is straight forward, with honest prices, and quality. the bar is very well stocked with nice collection of scotches, priced honestly, and a bar tender that does not use a measuring glass. glug....an honest pour. decent wine list. yum and comfortable. if you’re looking for santa barbara beach cafe fancy wines and handpicked arugula kale citrus salad cool, not your place. if you want the disappearing neighborhood steak restaurant, this is it.

I haven’t been to the Tee Off for years. We were visiting for the holidays and trying to hit as many of our go-to’s as possible. I called to make a reservation and left a message- they promptly returned my call and were able to get our table reserved for 7. It was busy, being a holiday. They seated us very quick, and we even ran into a few friends! It was just how I remembered it. Our server, Amelia was fantastic- she made great suggestions for our party and was very attentive. Thank you Amelia! Now for the food… I had the Birdie Cut prime rib which was cooked to perfection. Other members had the Bacon Bleu Burger, Fried Chicken, Pork Chop, The Eagle Cut and the par cut. All amazing! Unfortunately, I had forgotten my phone at home and didn’t get the usual pictures. Oh, and they have great cocktails and wine list. What are you waiting for?

I have had a tradition of coming to the Tee Off for my Birthday celebration. It's been a while so I checked reviews in Santa Barbara for best Prime Rib and found a few with good ratings. Since they were all similar I went with what I knew and made a reservation at the Tee Off. It couldn't have been better. We had a two top reserved and had prompt drink service. Our waiter asked if we needed more time to look a the menu to which we replied we came for the Prime Rib and ordered right away. Drinks and salads came right away and the dinner followed right on time when we finished our first course. The Prime Rib was perfect. Cooked perfectly, medium rare. tender, juicy, and flavorful. The creamed horseradish was perfect too. The waiter checked back with us several times and was friendly, efficient, and professional. It was so nice to see that some things never change.

What a great find and to our surprise it happened to be all you can eat prime bbq ribs night. The service was excellent from bartender, waitress & other staff. The crudite, hot bread, to start with was a nice add on. The portions were large and everything was delicious.

Really nice ladies back vibe, the food was great with big portions very reasonable prices and although I didn't try the drinks this time, they seem to have a really nice bar. Definitely worth checking it out.

The best was our master waiter Chris !! I had been there before and the service was not great . But i decided i would give it another try since i live in town for the last 40 years... We were delighted by his excellent service. We will be back for sure ... Food was still amazing... Keep the good work Chris(alias Keanu Reeves.).. you were amazing ,coming from a French couple , that means a lot...Best of luck for your future ! He totally deserve a RAISE !!

Mary Sera

What a great find and to our surprise it happened to be all you can eat prime bbq ribs night. The service was excellent from bartender, waitress & other staff. The crudite, hot bread, to start with was a nice add on. The portions were large and everything was delicious.

Cindy Nelson

I haven’t been to the Tee Off for years. We were visiting for the holidays and trying to hit as many of our go-to’s as possible. I called to make a reservation and left a message- they promptly returned my call and were able to get our table reserved for 7. It was busy, being a holiday. They seated us very quick, and we even ran into a few friends! It was just how I remembered it. Our server, Amelia was fantastic- she made great suggestions for our party and was very attentive. Thank you Amelia! Now for the food… I had the Birdie Cut prime rib which was cooked to perfection. Other members had the Bacon Bleu Burger, Fried Chicken, Pork Chop, The Eagle Cut and the par cut. All amazing! Unfortunately, I had forgotten my phone at home and didn’t get the usual pictures. Oh, and they have great cocktails and wine list. What are you waiting for?

Ivan M

Really nice ladies back vibe, the food was great with big portions very reasonable prices and although I didn't try the drinks this time, they seem to have a really nice bar. Definitely worth checking it out.

Dan Harris

I have had a tradition of coming to the Tee Off for my Birthday celebration. It's been a while so I checked reviews in Santa Barbara for best Prime Rib and found a few with good ratings. Since they were all similar I went with what I knew and made a reservation at the Tee Off. It couldn't have been better. We had a two top reserved and had prompt drink service. Our waiter asked if we needed more time to look a the menu to which we replied we came for the Prime Rib and ordered right away. Drinks and salads came right away and the dinner followed right on time when we finished our first course. The Prime Rib was perfect. Cooked perfectly, medium rare. tender, juicy, and flavorful. The creamed horseradish was perfect too. The waiter checked back with us several times and was friendly, efficient, and professional. It was so nice to see that some things never change.

Annick Lionheart

The best was our master waiter Chris !! I had been there before and the service was not great . But i decided i would give it another try since i live in town for the last 40 years... We were delighted by his excellent service. We will be back for sure ... Food was still amazing... Keep the good work Chris(alias Keanu Reeves.).. you were amazing ,coming from a French couple , that means a lot...Best of luck for your future ! He totally deserve a RAISE !!

Tee Off offers old-school steak and atmosphere in an innocuous strip mall. We love it. This is not a tourist spot. This is a locals gem. The dining area is dark, cool and features a nice bar and two seating areas. The steak menu is comprehensive. The drinks are stiff. The steak is consistently good. They make a wedge which is loaded with dressing. Might be too much for some folks. But not for me. We have dined in and done take out. We feel well treated no matter which way we dine with The Tee Off. We will return again without hesitation.

Old school dark interior filled with local patrons. The menu is loaded with high end beef options. I chose the original chicken which was excellent. A doggy box was filled with half of my dinner. Bring a big appetite!

Loved the atmosphere, our table had nonstop gnats, maybe from the plants, hopefully from the plants. We had a $15 corkage fee, can't beat that!

Went with friends for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Good variety on the menu. Steaks, chops, prime rib, chicken, strong adult beverages! Food was really good, service was good. Only real drawback was that the bar was so crowded with people it was extremely loud in the restaurant, annoyingly loud, in that we had to basically shout to talk to each other over dinner. To be fair it was a Saturday night, maybe not as loud inside on other nights? Other than the sound level we had a delicious dinner and lovely overall experience. We use to go in more regularly many years ago and it still is a great old Santa Barbara steak house.

This is a iconic little steakhouse tucked in the corner of a strip mall. They have a full bar and offer steak and seafood. When we first walked in, it was quite loud and the bar was packed. They bring a crudite' dish to your table. The ranch dressing they served with it was bland. The service was mediocre, the waitress walking by our table several times not even acknowledging us. I had the king crab legs and they were quite good. The restaurant quickly filled up and the noise level became quite high. The bathroom situation could be a lot better as there is only one small bathroom for the men and one for the women. The wine selection is decent with a good price point. I believe they're well known for their prime rib.

Good sized portions, small place good for golfers. Would have liked more flavors in the foods

* dnainsb

This is a iconic little steakhouse tucked in the corner of a strip mall. They have a full bar and offer steak and seafood. When we first walked in, it was quite loud and the bar was packed. They bring a crudite' dish to your table. The ranch dressing they served with it was bland. The service was mediocre, the waitress walking by our table several times not even acknowledging us. I had the king crab legs and they were quite good. The restaurant quickly filled up and the noise level became quite high. The bathroom situation could be a lot better as there is only one small bathroom for the men and one for the women. The wine selection is decent with a good price point. I believe they're well known for their prime rib.

Stormin Chu

Good sized portions, small place good for golfers. Would have liked more flavors in the foods

Old school Pub type Restaurant. Tables set around the bar, usually very busy. Prime Rib was good, a bit too over spiced but still good. Parking is terrible, would recommend trying Tee-Off Restaurant and Lounge for a casual dinning experience.

Have been going to the Tee Off for over 50 years. Has always been great until tonight. My husband ordered Halibut and I ordered Scampi in Butter and Garlic. The Halibut was dry and flavorless. He didn't eat it. The Scampi came in some sort of vegetable sauce that had no hint of garlic whatsoever. Also, the Garlic Mashed potatoes had no hint of garlic as well. We WILL be back because normally the food is excellent. My recommendation is to stick to the Steak or Prime Rib since it seems that Seafood is Not their Forte. ☹️

I am stuck between 3 and 4 stars. The food was good, but the experience was almost a disaster. We were happy with 75% of our plates. BUT one of the steaks was so fatty we couldn't even stomach it, "big bertha". It was hard to chew without gagging. There was so much fat in every single bite, it was hard to swallow. We mentioned it to the waitress, and she basically said that sometimes it happens. For the price of that steak we would hope for a better one or a discount, or something. Lastly, we also saw a tiny cockroach crawling on the table. But, we all know cockroaches are even in the fanciest places. So we didn't want to make a big deal of that. Like some mentioned in another post, watch out for the tall waitress.

Brittney Crossland

I am stuck between 3 and 4 stars. The food was good, but the experience was almost a disaster. We were happy with 75% of our plates. BUT one of the steaks was so fatty we couldn't even stomach it, "big bertha". It was hard to chew without gagging. There was so much fat in every single bite, it was hard to swallow. We mentioned it to the waitress, and she basically said that sometimes it happens. For the price of that steak we would hope for a better one or a discount, or something. Lastly, we also saw a tiny cockroach crawling on the table. But, we all know cockroaches are even in the fanciest places. So we didn't want to make a big deal of that. Like some mentioned in another post, watch out for the tall waitress.

We were looking for a good steak awhile visiting our baby in the hospital.. waiter was great but water cup had someone else’s lipstick on it our bread and butter was butter with 2 bugs there were gnats flying everywhere … my husband ordered steak and lobster, lobster was cold … pretty disappointing for the price we paid. Very very loud place I know it’s a bar but we couldn’t even hear each other talk

Portions are large, I went with the herb seasoned birdie cut. Steak wasn't all that flavorful, and I felt a bit disappointed with letting staff know we were celebrating a birthday and not even a happy birthday was said, besides that service was good. The bread and veggies for the table also seemed like the were days if not a week old.

Took an out of town guest to the Tee-Off tonight. Hyped it as our local gem. Drinks were perfect. Still the best Martini in town. Ordered the shrimp cocktail…hmmm! Good but appeared slightly cost reduced. We all order steaks. Sliced in, found them all tough, gristly through and through. The lovely waitress did mention that sadly the main chef had a stroke. This may account for the quality issues. Unfortunately, you can destroy a 66 year old business quickly, if you toss the formula. Tee-Off is definitely off the list.

David Baker

Took an out of town guest to the Tee-Off tonight. Hyped it as our local gem. Drinks were perfect. Still the best Martini in town. Ordered the shrimp cocktail…hmmm! Good but appeared slightly cost reduced. We all order steaks. Sliced in, found them all tough, gristly through and through. The lovely waitress did mention that sadly the main chef had a stroke. This may account for the quality issues. Unfortunately, you can destroy a 66 year old business quickly, if you toss the formula. Tee-Off is definitely off the list.

Everything started out pretty well, until the food starting coming out. We asked for balsamic vinaigrette on a salad, and they brought us one soaked in a pool of red wine vinegar with no oil. When we asked to get some of it poured out the server said "Oh, he always does that", referring to the cook in the kitchen. Then it gets really weird when both of us observed the server walk to a trash can nearby and use her hand to hold the salad in the bowl while pouring out the excess dressing. When confronted, she said she used a fork. I wanted to believe her, but we didn't see her pick one up or drop it before leaving the trash can and walking the plate back to us. This occurred within a clear view of us, so unless the fork disappeared into thin air, I can't explain it. Regardless of that, we declined the replacement salad they offered and moved on to the main courses. Although the steaks were cooked well, they had some tough silverskin or fat that was unedible. My girlfriend had the prime rib and I had the New York strip. We were not offered any concession for the inconvenience, and the food was not at all worth the $100 we spent on food. Never again.

I have gone to this restaurant 2 times once I was placed in the back with a loud bible study group where the people were loud and had a bunch of people on FaceTime talking to them it was way to loud and the most disturbing was the amount of flying gnats in the restaurant they were everywhere all over the food. It’s so dark inside the restaurant you almost don’t see them but any food you set to the side they completely cover you’re leftovers so gross!!! 2nd time as well tons on flying gnats everywhere. Will not go back to the restaurant food was good but you had to eat while waving your napkin to keep the gnats off. Gross

This restaurant seriously needs to reevaluate its operations. I recently dined at tee off and the experience was unacceptable from start to finish. I can’t stress enough how disappointing it was. Service: Upon arrival, my child and I waited 15 minutes just to be acknowledged, even though there were no other patrons waiting. I eventually had to find the host myself. Facilities: After being seated, my son needed to use the restroom, only to find there was no toilet paper. When I approached the attendant, she suggested using toilet seat covers instead, which was shocking and unacceptable. Food Quality: I ordered the prime ribeye, which turned out to be old and unappetizing. After one bite, I left the rest untouched. Context: What made this even worse was the situation we were coming from. Due to fires and power outages, we had no electricity or food at home. We drove from Calabasas to Santa Barbara in search of better weather and a decent meal, only to be met with one of the worst dining experiences in over 23 years. Final Thoughts: Despite everything, I didn’t even complain to the staff. I paid the full bill and left. This restaurant needs serious improvement. To anyone considering dining here, I recommend you think twice. I’m only sharing this experience to help others make an informed choice.

We have never had an issue with our food until Wednesdays dinner order. We order 2 med rare par cuts. However once settled at home and eating my Partner discovered mold spores on the bread after eating half way through at a weird taste. We were grossed out and it ruined our meal. After discussing with fellow coworkers they said we should have called to complain or take the food back but with the time it was closed. Please check your bread in the no light areas.

Lucia Soliz

We have never had an issue with our food until Wednesdays dinner order. We order 2 med rare par cuts. However once settled at home and eating my Partner discovered mold spores on the bread after eating half way through at a weird taste. We were grossed out and it ruined our meal. After discussing with fellow coworkers they said we should have called to complain or take the food back but with the time it was closed. Please check your bread in the no light areas.

Came here for our anniversary on Friday night, no wait time. Our Prime Rib & Sirloin Streak were great BUT just couldn''t get over all the damn gnats around us. ALL OVER THE PLACE. The employees saw us waving our hands as we were eating and just turned away avoiding eye contact. The waiter knew I killed one on my table and had to go wash my hands, no discount offered or anything. Absolutely not coming back to this place, regardless of how good the steaks were. Owner, care a little bit more about your business....

Marina Sarte

Came here for our anniversary on Friday night, no wait time. Our Prime Rib & Sirloin Streak were great BUT just couldn''t get over all the damn gnats around us. ALL OVER THE PLACE. The employees saw us waving our hands as we were eating and just turned away avoiding eye contact. The waiter knew I killed one on my table and had to go wash my hands, no discount offered or anything. Absolutely not coming back to this place, regardless of how good the steaks were. Owner, care a little bit more about your business....