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John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room
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John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room
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John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

Buffet · Santa Barbara

4.1 · 124 reviews Google

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dining.ucsb.edu

About John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

Located in beautiful Santa Barbara, John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room offers a diverse menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We provide a comfortable dining experience with options for solo diners and outdoor seating. Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars from 124 reviews, we strive to provide excellent service and...

Located in beautiful Santa Barbara, John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room offers a diverse menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We provide a comfortable dining experience with options for solo diners and outdoor seating. Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars from 124 reviews, we strive to provide excellent service and delicious meals. We are wheelchair accessible, with accessible entrances, parking, restrooms, and seating to accommodate all guests. Enjoy our "All You Can Eat" option and freshly brewed coffee. We are open Monday through Friday from 7:15 AM to 8:30 PM, with varying hours throughout the day, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 8:30 PM.

What Customers Say About John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room at UCSB offers an all-you-can-eat buffet with a wide variety of options, praised for exceeding expectations and accommodating dietary needs. It's a popular spot, especially among students, though some find the food quality inconsistent.

Popular Dishes

soft serve pizza (3) burgers salad cream cheese brownies

Best For

Families Groups Casual Quick Bite

Tip: Get there early as it can get quite busy.

Features

📶 WiFi 🌳 Outdoor Accessible 🌅 Breakfast 🍽️ Lunch 🌙 Dinner 🥗 Vegetarian 🌱 Vegan Coffee
🎯 Casual 👨‍👩‍👧 Family 👥 Groups

What to see nearby

Little Acorn Park
A 307m

Little Acorn Park

parque

View details
Anisqovo Park
A 334m

Anisqovo Park

parque

View details
Storke Tower
A 555m

Storke Tower

construcción

View details
Trigo-Pasado Park
A 602m

Trigo-Pasado Park

parque

View details
Isla Vista County Park
A 667m

Isla Vista County Park

parque

View details
Sueno Park
A 728m

Sueno Park

parque

View details

Data from Wikidata

Explore the area around John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room is located in Santa Barbara, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.

Parks & Gardens

  • Little Acorn Park (A 307m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
  • Anisqovo Park (A 334m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
  • Trigo-Pasado Park (A 602m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
  • Isla Vista County Park (A 667m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
  • Sueno Park (A 728m) — park in the United States of America
  • Window-to-the-Sea Park (A 789m) — park in the United States of America
  • Childrens Park (A 964m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

Other Points of Interest

  • Storke Tower (A 555m) — campanile of the University of California, Santa Barbara

Data from Wikidata

Frequently asked questions about John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room is located at Ocean Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, Santa Barbara.
Near John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room you can find points of interest such as Little Acorn Park, Anisqovo Park, Storke Tower, Trigo-Pasado Park.
John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room offers buffet cuisine.
John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room has regular opening hours. Check their profile for updated schedules.
John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room offers the following services: dine-in.
The most recommended dishes at John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room based on customer reviews are: soft serve, pizza, burgers, salad, cream cheese brownies.
John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room is ideal for families, groups, casual dining, quick bites.
John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room at UCSB offers an all-you-can-eat buffet with a wide variety of options, praised for exceeding expectations and accommodating dietary needs. It's a popular spot, especially among students, though some find the food quality inconsistent.
Get there early as it can get quite busy.
124
Reviews

John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room Santa Barbara Reviews

4.1
124
5★
54%
4★
23%
3★
11%
2★
6%
1★
6%
Reviews (40)
V
Vincenzo Petralia

Carmeluzzo was so hangover he did not know what we were doing. In compens, the all you can eat breakfast was a hit! I also stole an apple because i couldnt get enough

Vincenzo Petralia
Vincenzo Petralia

Carmeluzzo was so hangover he did not know what we were doing. In compens, the all you can eat breakfast was a hit! I also stole an apple because i couldnt get enough

J
James Colon

this is my favorite dining Commons on campus. Each dining Commons has at least three distinct food areas such as Italian, Asian, American. Burgers, pizza, Asian cuisine, large pastry area, lots of drink options, awesome Chef. Always kept clean, always busy. Get there early. Great indication on Food as to potential allergy concerns

J
Javier Barajas

Dinning hall on campus. It was decent dorm food that offered a variety of choices for our orientation visit

I
Ines Beckenbauer

great burgers at the grill , and the cream cheese brownies are delicious ! also the employee at salad, the girl wearing glasses named Alex, was great at helping me , super nice, and overall made me feel welcome my first year at UCSB. i will be visiting salad again because i am vegan! glad to have that employee always helping me. the other employees are also nice but not as helpful. salad is my favorite!!

J
Jonathan Liu

Wow, what good food! It is certainly much better here than any other dining commons that I've been to. The Berkeley food is kind of nasty and has no options compared to Carrillo. I did not like their pork loin, though. It was dry.

D
David Dominic Velasco

This is a great buffet for students to bring their parents and friends too. There are always people here and it can get quite busy, but that's all just a testament to how great the food is. Don't get me wrong, this isn't gourmet style foods, but for a UC, Santa Barbara really knows how to serve it up. The food is prepared right in front of you and comes with a great flavor, cultural diversity, and freshness you usually get from home cooked meals. I love coming here.

C
Cameron Lau

I was a Gaucho for a couple of years and the UCSB dining commons are nothing but special to me. Pizza, burgers, pasta, sandwich bar, salad bar, waffle machine, unlimited soda, all-you-can-eat everything all with a simple card swipe! (or <$20 for non-students) Seriously, some of you guys' complaints make no sense. You really expect French Laundry quality here? Yeah right! This place's job is to provide us with glucose for our brains to complete our studies, and for that I'd say it's beyond satisfactory. Ranking of the DCs: 1. Ortega (sushi baby!) 2. DLG (late night cravings) 3. Carrillo (best breakfast) 4. Portola (too far, had it once)

M
Megan Mendel

This place is great! There's tons of options to choose from that accommodates different dietary needs and some stuff is just plain good. There is also good variety. Today for lunch we could have anything from chicken shwarma to pizza to salad to cheeseburgers. It's just awesome.

N
Nathan Viewed

The fine dining experience of a life time. From gourmet streaks to the fresh catch of the day, Carillo chefs are amongst the greatest in the nation. A brand new selection of the finest and freshest produce each day and countless beverage options. 5 star will swipe again.

N
Noah Pang

As a UCSB undergraduate living at Manzanita Village, I fully appreciate the effort they put into the food here. Very tasty, wood fired pizza, as well as an excellent salad bar. Friendly workers there as well.

S
Stephanie Young

Wow, how this place has changed since I attended UCSB in the 90s! There are soooo many choices and the food is really good. I couldn't believe how many cooks are involved now, and they even have a "real" chef plus lots of student workers who make sure everything is stocked and cleaned. I want to go back to college because of this dining common.

T
Troy Nichols

The cafeteria food on campus at UCSB is absolutely phenomenal!

K
Kristy Gopaul

There was a wide variety of food and the taste far exceeded my expectations. This was an all you can eat buffet, which gives great variety for both kids and adults.

M
Marion Birmingham

Amazing assortment of delicious food! And you just can NOT leave without getting a cone of delicious soft serve!😋

Javier Barajas
Javier Barajas

Dinning hall on campus. It was decent dorm food that offered a variety of choices for our orientation visit

Troy Nichols
Troy Nichols

The cafeteria food on campus at UCSB is absolutely phenomenal!

James Colon
James Colon

this is my favorite dining Commons on campus. Each dining Commons has at least three distinct food areas such as Italian, Asian, American. Burgers, pizza, Asian cuisine, large pastry area, lots of drink options, awesome Chef. Always kept clean, always busy. Get there early. Great indication on Food as to potential allergy concerns

Ines Beckenbauer
Ines Beckenbauer

great burgers at the grill , and the cream cheese brownies are delicious ! also the employee at salad, the girl wearing glasses named Alex, was great at helping me , super nice, and overall made me feel welcome my first year at UCSB. i will be visiting salad again because i am vegan! glad to have that employee always helping me. the other employees are also nice but not as helpful. salad is my favorite!!

Marion Birmingham
Marion Birmingham

Amazing assortment of delicious food! And you just can NOT leave without getting a cone of delicious soft serve!😋

Cameron Lau
Cameron Lau

I was a Gaucho for a couple of years and the UCSB dining commons are nothing but special to me. Pizza, burgers, pasta, sandwich bar, salad bar, waffle machine, unlimited soda, all-you-can-eat everything all with a simple card swipe! (or <$20 for non-students) Seriously, some of you guys' complaints make no sense. You really expect French Laundry quality here? Yeah right! This place's job is to provide us with glucose for our brains to complete our studies, and for that I'd say it's beyond satisfactory. Ranking of the DCs: 1. Ortega (sushi baby!) 2. DLG (late night cravings) 3. Carrillo (best breakfast) 4. Portola (too far, had it once)

Noah Pang
Noah Pang

As a UCSB undergraduate living at Manzanita Village, I fully appreciate the effort they put into the food here. Very tasty, wood fired pizza, as well as an excellent salad bar. Friendly workers there as well.

Jonathan Liu
Jonathan Liu

Wow, what good food! It is certainly much better here than any other dining commons that I've been to. The Berkeley food is kind of nasty and has no options compared to Carrillo. I did not like their pork loin, though. It was dry.

Stephanie Young
Stephanie Young

Wow, how this place has changed since I attended UCSB in the 90s! There are soooo many choices and the food is really good. I couldn't believe how many cooks are involved now, and they even have a "real" chef plus lots of student workers who make sure everything is stocked and cleaned. I want to go back to college because of this dining common.

Megan Mendel
Megan Mendel

This place is great! There's tons of options to choose from that accommodates different dietary needs and some stuff is just plain good. There is also good variety. Today for lunch we could have anything from chicken shwarma to pizza to salad to cheeseburgers. It's just awesome.

Kristy Gopaul
Kristy Gopaul

There was a wide variety of food and the taste far exceeded my expectations. This was an all you can eat buffet, which gives great variety for both kids and adults.

Nathan Viewed
Nathan Viewed

The fine dining experience of a life time. From gourmet streaks to the fresh catch of the day, Carillo chefs are amongst the greatest in the nation. A brand new selection of the finest and freshest produce each day and countless beverage options. 5 star will swipe again.

David Dominic Velasco
David Dominic Velasco

This is a great buffet for students to bring their parents and friends too. There are always people here and it can get quite busy, but that's all just a testament to how great the food is. Don't get me wrong, this isn't gourmet style foods, but for a UC, Santa Barbara really knows how to serve it up. The food is prepared right in front of you and comes with a great flavor, cultural diversity, and freshness you usually get from home cooked meals. I love coming here.

S
Snehamay Bhattacharya

The food is really good, clean, tasty and fresh. I loved the experience. However, the place is organized somewhat haphazardly. For instance, oatmeal and toppings are very far away from each other, drinks are located far away from all other kinds of food, etc.

A
Adam Protter

I lived in Manzi for 2 years and ate at Carrillo constantly. The food is really good, but it got old after several years which is to be expected for literally any restaurant. So many memories here, so many good times.

Snehamay Bhattacharya
Snehamay Bhattacharya

The food is really good, clean, tasty and fresh. I loved the experience. However, the place is organized somewhat haphazardly. For instance, oatmeal and toppings are very far away from each other, drinks are located far away from all other kinds of food, etc.

Adam Protter
Adam Protter

I lived in Manzi for 2 years and ate at Carrillo constantly. The food is really good, but it got old after several years which is to be expected for literally any restaurant. So many memories here, so many good times.

S
Shaunathin

Probably the best tasting dinning commons out of the four available here. With that being said the food is a hit or miss. For 12 bucks a meal, you can probably get more bang for your buck elsewhere

p
paulina ds

food has been pretty good so far, i especially appreciate the owner’s sarcasm in these reviews tho hahah

paulina ds
paulina ds

food has been pretty good so far, i especially appreciate the owner’s sarcasm in these reviews tho hahah

Shaunathin
Shaunathin

Probably the best tasting dinning commons out of the four available here. With that being said the food is a hit or miss. For 12 bucks a meal, you can probably get more bang for your buck elsewhere

N
Nicolas Bours

I’m a current Gaucho and the food quality has greatly diminished. You never know if you’re going to eat ham on a plate as your entree or some grilled rockfish. It’s certainly all you can eat.

E
Emmanuel Corona Castaneda

I don’t live on campus but I sometimes pay to eat as a guest… 15 dollars? seriously? for some meatloaf that has the texture of a wet piece of cardboard? I’d rather eat out but all affordable options are extremely unhealthy (I guess it’s an American thing.)

Emmanuel Corona Castaneda
Emmanuel Corona Castaneda

I don’t live on campus but I sometimes pay to eat as a guest… 15 dollars? seriously? for some meatloaf that has the texture of a wet piece of cardboard? I’d rather eat out but all affordable options are extremely unhealthy (I guess it’s an American thing.)

Nicolas Bours
Nicolas Bours

I’m a current Gaucho and the food quality has greatly diminished. You never know if you’re going to eat ham on a plate as your entree or some grilled rockfish. It’s certainly all you can eat.

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About John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room

How to get there

Ocean Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106

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Highlights

Good Rating
4.1/5 stars
💬
Many Reviews
124 reviews
👨‍🍳
buffet
Cuisine type

Services

🥞 Breakfast
🥐 Brunch
🍽️ Lunch
🍾 Dinner
Coffee
🍰 Desserts
🥗 Vegetarian Options
🌱 Vegan Options
🍴 Dine-in

Dining Options

🍽️ Dine In

Restaurant Info

Status
Verified by owner
🕐 Hours Today
10AM-2PM, 5-8:30PM
Rating
4.1/5
💬 Reviews
124
⏱️ Typical Visit
People typically spend 25 min to 1 hr here
📞 Phone
+1 805-893-2876
🌐 Website
dining.ucsb.edu

Amenities

📶 Free WiFi
🌿 Outdoor Seating
Wheelchair Accessible
🚻 Restroom
💳 Credit Cards
🏘️

The Neighborhood

Little Acorn Park

park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

A 307m
Anisqovo Park

park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

A 334m
Storke Tower

campanile of the University of California, Santa Barbara

A 555m
Trigo-Pasado Park

park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

A 602m
Isla Vista County Park

park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

A 667m
Sueno Park

park in the United States of America

A 728m
Window-to-the-Sea Park

park in the United States of America

A 789m
Childrens Park

park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America

A 964m
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