Rose Cafe
Mexican · Santa Barbara
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About Rose Cafe
Located in beautiful Santa Barbara, Rose Cafe is a local favorite, boasting a 4.4-star rating based on over 400 reviews. We offer a diverse menu featuring breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, with a focus on local specialties. Enjoy our fast service and cozy atmosphere, complete with a fireplace an...
Located in beautiful Santa Barbara, Rose Cafe is a local favorite, boasting a 4.4-star rating based on over 400 reviews. We offer a diverse menu featuring breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, with a focus on local specialties. Enjoy our fast service and cozy atmosphere, complete with a fireplace and outdoor seating. We're open Tuesday through Saturday, with extended hours until 9 PM. On Sundays, we serve breakfast and lunch from 8 AM to 2 PM. For your convenience, we provide multiple ways to enjoy our food, including dine-in, takeout, delivery, and curbside pickup. We are closed on Mondays.
What Customers Say About Rose Cafe
Rose Cafe is a Santa Barbara gem, known for its authentic Mexican food, friendly service, and charming atmosphere. Customers rave about the consistent quality and delicious flavors, especially the tacos and chilaquiles. The outdoor seating area is a highlight.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Visit on Taco Tuesday for a great deal on tasty tacos. The carnitas and pollo tacos are highly recommended.
Features
What to see nearby
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Explore the area around Rose Cafe
Rose Cafe is located in Santa Barbara, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Parks & Gardens
- La Mesa Park (A 416m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
- Honda Valley Park (A 916m) — park in Santa Barbara County, California, United States of America
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Frequently asked questions about Rose Cafe
Rose Cafe Santa Barbara Reviews
Terrific, flavorful fresh food! Enticing aromas and friendly family service! What a fantastic find! Rose's is a colorful, cozy retreat, tucked under a canopy of air-plants and succulents. We loved every bite and will definitely be returning!
We were there on Taco Tuesday, 3 tacos for 6$, it is a really good deal, especially their tacos 🌮 very tasty. Carnitas and pollo are very good, care assda an average. Very friendly staff and good atmosphere, good customer service. In many places food is served in plastic plates, but here they are served in beautiful plates and they brought us tea in ceramic mugs, I really like it. It’s immediately obvious that they care about their visitors; they also brought extra hot water for tea. They also dog friendly and it’s nice
If you don't know if you like Mexican food but want to give it a try, forget Taco Bell, and go to Rose café. If you don't like this a food than your not like any Mexican food. It is simply great. Very large menu, and anything on it is great!!
Took my daughter here for brunch on a Sunday. Mimosas aren't usually my thing but they were buy one get one which got me to. Daughter liked her short stack. Real charm is in the outdoor seating area, we loved it.
What a gem this is for Santa Barbara. Family-owned and operated for decades, this lovely surprise on the Mesa has great atmosphere delicious food and excellent service.
The food was good. We were seated outdoors and the space was really nice for a lunch in the open air.
Beautiful little place on the mesa. Great food all around
Best authentic Mexican food in Santa Barbara. Lots of great classics like Chile Rellenos, Chilaquile, hard and soft shell tacos, tanales, enchiladas. Always friendly service.
Great local Mexican Food. Casual, laid back, very friendly staff and of course great tasting food.
Rose Cafe is an excellent slice of Mexican food in Santa Barbara. I get the Chicken Tacos Guadalajara (in picture below) and it is super consistent and very-very delicious. My wife gets the Chillaquiles and she claims they are the best! I have eaten at many Mexican places in Cali and Mesa is one of my favorites.
Terrific, flavorful fresh food! Enticing aromas and friendly family service! What a fantastic find! Rose's is a colorful, cozy retreat, tucked under a canopy of air-plants and succulents. We loved every bite and will definitely be returning!
Took my daughter here for brunch on a Sunday. Mimosas aren't usually my thing but they were buy one get one which got me to. Daughter liked her short stack. Real charm is in the outdoor seating area, we loved it.
We were there on Taco Tuesday, 3 tacos for 6$, it is a really good deal, especially their tacos 🌮 very tasty. Carnitas and pollo are very good, care assda an average. Very friendly staff and good atmosphere, good customer service. In many places food is served in plastic plates, but here they are served in beautiful plates and they brought us tea in ceramic mugs, I really like it. It’s immediately obvious that they care about their visitors; they also brought extra hot water for tea. They also dog friendly and it’s nice
If you don't know if you like Mexican food but want to give it a try, forget Taco Bell, and go to Rose café. If you don't like this a food than your not like any Mexican food. It is simply great. Very large menu, and anything on it is great!!
What a gem this is for Santa Barbara. Family-owned and operated for decades, this lovely surprise on the Mesa has great atmosphere delicious food and excellent service.
The food was good. We were seated outdoors and the space was really nice for a lunch in the open air.
Beautiful little place on the mesa. Great food all around
Best authentic Mexican food in Santa Barbara. Lots of great classics like Chile Rellenos, Chilaquile, hard and soft shell tacos, tanales, enchiladas. Always friendly service.
Great local Mexican Food. Casual, laid back, very friendly staff and of course great tasting food.
Rose Cafe is an excellent slice of Mexican food in Santa Barbara. I get the Chicken Tacos Guadalajara (in picture below) and it is super consistent and very-very delicious. My wife gets the Chillaquiles and she claims they are the best! I have eaten at many Mexican places in Cali and Mesa is one of my favorites.
We stumbled onto this fine restaurant. We got lucky. Not only was the food superb but Venessa our server was the best. Great customer service. We were visiting from Orange County and if ever in the area again we will definitely stop by.
Such a kind staff. I had the chiplequles and it was so good. Their salsa was great and I liked how they placed the spoon on the rim of the salsa bowl instead of the table. Small detail, but I appreciated it. I’ll be back!
Don't laugh, but the pancakes are a must try .
Such a kind staff. I had the chiplequles and it was so good. Their salsa was great and I liked how they placed the spoon on the rim of the salsa bowl instead of the table. Small detail, but I appreciated it. I’ll be back!
We stumbled onto this fine restaurant. We got lucky. Not only was the food superb but Venessa our server was the best. Great customer service. We were visiting from Orange County and if ever in the area again we will definitely stop by.
The iconic Rose Cafe is still the most amazing family restaurant experience in Santa Barbara! Their menu and recipes are traditional family secrets and the flavors are amazing! The Service is always attentive, always friendly and the Atmosphere feels like you've stepped into a beautiful Cantina and Grotto in sunny Mexico! I love this place!
Great Mexican food. Excellent margaritas including a spicy option which I recommend! Only reason I knocked a star off was because we ate all our chips and salsa before anyone came to take our order (10-15 minutes)
The food was good, the menudo was very delicious. Place has a good atmosphere. Their menus are digital, so make sure to bring a phone.
9am on a Thursday, its empty, perfect! Lots of phone orders and sounds of clanking and sizzles in coming from the kitchen. The chips & salsa are 💯❗ Rose Cafe was recommended by the front office manager at the Castillo Inn. He recommended the chile verde omelette (which I got), my wife ordered the chilaquiles.
Great Mexican food. Excellent margaritas including a spicy option which I recommend! Only reason I knocked a star off was because we ate all our chips and salsa before anyone came to take our order (10-15 minutes)
The food was good, the menudo was very delicious. Place has a good atmosphere. Their menus are digital, so make sure to bring a phone.
9am on a Thursday, its empty, perfect! Lots of phone orders and sounds of clanking and sizzles in coming from the kitchen. The chips & salsa are 💯❗ Rose Cafe was recommended by the front office manager at the Castillo Inn. He recommended the chile verde omelette (which I got), my wife ordered the chilaquiles.
Good place, a little pricey, great menu selection, homemade chorizo was awesome. Dog friendly!
Locals joint has surprisingly lively decor. We ate outside and enjoyed our tacos and flautas. The service was good. For a strip mall restaurant that has retained it's outdoor covid seating, we have passed this place many times and are glad we finally visited. You have many great Mexican food options in Santa Barbara. Give the Rose an try and consider adding it to your regular spots.
The service is adequate though not friendly. The food is absolutely great. Tried the Tomales and couldn't get enough of them. Fresh veggies too!
Locals joint has surprisingly lively decor. We ate outside and enjoyed our tacos and flautas. The service was good. For a strip mall restaurant that has retained it's outdoor covid seating, we have passed this place many times and are glad we finally visited. You have many great Mexican food options in Santa Barbara. Give the Rose an try and consider adding it to your regular spots.
visited after my mom hadn’t been to SB in 40 years and rose cafe was her favorite spot. we all ordered chile relleno. i had a cheese enchilada with it, and two tacos on the side (carnitas/asada) the salsas that came with the tacos were incredibly flavorful and delicious. 9/10 the beans and rice were very yummy/fresh as well. the ranchera sauce on the chile relleno was pretty packed with flavor but i would say that unfortunately, the chile overall was lacking flavor. both the enchilada and the relleno seemed a bit soggy :/ i unfortunately would have to rate 6/10. didn’t really wow me too much.
visited after my mom hadn’t been to SB in 40 years and rose cafe was her favorite spot. we all ordered chile relleno. i had a cheese enchilada with it, and two tacos on the side (carnitas/asada) the salsas that came with the tacos were incredibly flavorful and delicious. 9/10 the beans and rice were very yummy/fresh as well. the ranchera sauce on the chile relleno was pretty packed with flavor but i would say that unfortunately, the chile overall was lacking flavor. both the enchilada and the relleno seemed a bit soggy :/ i unfortunately would have to rate 6/10. didn’t really wow me too much.
What happened to this place. The salsa lacks flavor. I ordered a cheese quesadilla and thought I’d try the tri-tip with it. The tri-tip was awful so I requested for just a cheese quesadilla. When it came out it was like they gave me a kids cheese quesadilla (much smaller) Sorry to say we will not be coming here again. Thumbs down 👎 This place is lacking some love
This place is not like it use to be many years back.Was there recently and the food was bland,flavorless.What use to be use to be.
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About Rose Cafe
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1816 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
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1816 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
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