Maria B

Great customer service! I’m not just saying that because the dish we didn’t like was removed from the bill without any questions, but because we received just the right amount of attention to feel welcomed and relaxed. It might sound strange, but a restaurant is not only about the food; it’s about the full experience) so we really enjoyed the pasta, crab and artichoke dip, the view, and the service.

Sandeepa Dey

Located conveniently next to the pier, blue water grill has a nice oceanfront and street view. The staff are friendly and our server checked on us often to make sure we have what we want. The menu has a large number of seafood, which was great because we love seafood. Kids meals are complimented with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fried items are lightly covered in panko which makes them tasty but not oily. We tried the key lime pie for dessert and it was delicious. Highly recommended !

+7

Oded Kassirer

This is a great place to have a delicious seafood meal in a nicely designed restaurant with awesome and friendly service. We had 4 dishes and they were all delicious. Surprisingly even the chicken was cooked to perfection and we enjoyed it very much. The place is right on the waterfront and makes for a pleasant experience.

+4

Poly Gone

This seafood spot overlooking the beach and Stern's wharf is fantastic! Everything is made fresh from scratch and our server Ava was professional and polite. I had the Pan Seared Salmon and it was delicious with a nice crispy outside and soft tender inside. Also the Fish & Chips and Fried Calamari were fantastic plus the Clam Chowder had lots of clam pieces! Definitely check this place out if you're in the area.

+4

Vivian Anne

We ate at Bluewater Grill on New Year's Day at around 7:30 pm. There was no wait to be seated and they actually allowed us to bring our dog to eat indoors (first floor). We were served complimentary sourdough bread and butter and our server brought a bowl of water and treats for our dog. For entrees, we had the sanddab and fall chopped salad (removed chicken and added salmon for an extra $2). Both entrees were delicious. For dessert, we had the McConnell's ice cream sundae which had chocolate dipped strawberry ice cream topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and sprinkles. Overall, a very pleasant experience with the staff and food, and we appreciated that they can accommodate dogs indoors.

+3

John Raguindin

Good place for seafood. Went to the Santa Barbara for the day and mom wanted seafood by the ocean. Found this place Bluewater Grill. The restaurant was across the street from the beach and pier and had a great location. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant has 2 floors and the patio seating was upstairs where we sat to enjoy the view of the ocean and enjoy the Santa Barbara weather. The location has 2 bars…1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. Place is probably great to have social drinks. But we were there for dinner. We came a little early. So the restaurant wasn’t too busy which was nice. I had the Wagyu burger and I substituted my fries with a salad. The salad was great. The burger was a good burger. But I won’t lie…it didn’t wow me in any particular way. It was good. Just not great. My wife had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops. While she said her scallops were delicious she said her side, the grits I guess, weee cold compared to the rest of the dish. Her words not mine. I’m not a seafood person and I don’t really know about those kind of dishes. My mother and aunt split the Seasonal Special, (staff was nice to split the meal) the Seafood Paella Valenciana. While they enjoyed the protein in the dish (which was a lot) they had complaints of the rice served with the dish. My aunt compared it to Uncle Ben’s rice. Be aware the dish is called “A Taste of Spain “ and her daughter lives in Barcelona so she knows how this dish is supposed to taste. Like I said the protein was great the rice was meh. My son had the Kid Grilled Cheese menu and thanks to Bluewater Grill my son now loves ranch with his fries. Oh kids grilled cheese came with sandwich, fries, carrots and oranges. Great little kids meal. My drink was a margarita on the rocks. Solid drink. Nothing special. But they did not have Red Bull so I couldn’t have my Redbull and Vodka. Sad we didn’t get any bread when we were sat. Wife said the bread that my son’s grill cheese was served on was excellent and wanted to try their bread. This was a minus for the service. The service was okay. Serviceable at best. Not like they were busy(they weren’t) never offered refills. Never asked if I wanted another well drink. They did ask if everything was good with our meal and the server’s assistant did offer to clear plates throughout our meal. Greeters were nice, Server was nice and Server’s asst was great as well. I will say the atmosphere of the restaurant is great. Totally recommend for couples and groups of friends. Amazingly they have a decent menu for young ones. I would like to come back here again without the kids. Even though I’m not a seafood person this place seemed nice. Also I would like to take my dad here and try out their oysters and have my mom try their clam chowder. So maybe next time. I’ll admit…not a perfect trip but worth another look. Come try them out. Verdict. Probably will go back if I’m with people who want to eat seafood.

+9

joe m

First the food was delicious, I cannot say that enough. The selection was pretty good. Maybe I caught them on shift change or something but the service seemed inattentive and had a bunch of young new hires (or so it seemed). I went there about 5 so maybe the dinner wasn't in full swing but for $40 per person, before tip, I think there has to be a minimal service expectation. There were long delays in, initial contact, beverages, complementary bread and meals. Again, kudos to the food and wine. I would go back and try it again if I'm in the area and still give it 4.6⭐s, just for the price the timeliness could have been better.

+1

Tori Zank

Good location. I liked second floor outdoor, it has pier view. Also the indoor interior very good. Friendly and fast stuff. The waiter went to confirm there is table for us upstairs, for us not to bother going up and down just in case, and while we were waiting for this waiter another waiter came and asked if we need any assistance. Which was very nice. Food was delicious. Paella reminded me of time in Barcelona, very good quality.

Michael Dreyer

I am not traveling in the US very often. Had been in Santa Barbara a few decades ago and had the time and opportunity to kind of revisit places. I found the restaurant through a search for a seafood restaurant close to the SB marina. Booked a table. Only after the booking I read all those not-so-positive reviews... I went anyways. And I was really positively surprised! OK, lighting is a bit harsh, music is a bit loud... The service was very attentive and competent. I ordered a Margarita, received it within a few minutes, and it was a good one. The bread and butter were good. Warm crispy bread, good but not outstanding butter. Ordered 6 oysters, asked for the options, got a competent answer. The oysters that I received were fresh and very tasty. You won't get other/better ones at Michelin star restaurants. The leaves in the green side salad that I ordered looked a bit dated, but still alright. Just not crispy fresh. The local swordfish main course was good. The fish was perfectly cooked and juicy, absolutely not overcooked. The accompaniments were a bit too complex and too aromatic for a relatively 'neutral' fish. In Europe, one would probably left out the guacamole or the corn or the olives in the rice. But altogether the was a very good meal!

Emily Wloch

We loved the view as we sat on the the 2nd floor deck. The service was excellent. However, the food was a 'hit or miss'. The artichoke dip lacked in flavor and the chips were old- not crunchy at all. Seafood was fresh,but not seasoned... Everything does look great,but I adding some herbs here and there would really help elevate their dishes. The restaurant does know how to prepare fish, nothing was overcooked or dry; I do hope their chef decides to be more creative in the seasoning department as the presentation portion does not disappoint.

+1

Not sure what they were thinking about the salmon dinner with mushrooms, wilted spinach and scalloped potatoes…a very odd flavor palette. Calamari for app was nice and lobster roll fair and glad no mayo. Overall, quiet, empty and pleasant service.

I’m not one to leave reviews, but felt obligated to write this one to warn people. Giving this place 2 stars - one for the nice view upstairs on the patio, and another for the bread and butter. This food is seriously BLAND. I’m from NYC and have had better seafood in the Midwest. Seriously. We ordered oysters. The waiter told us they were from Washington. The buser who brought them to our table told us they were Baja, which seemed more believable. The waiter insisted they were from Washington, but by taste and size, they were definitely Baja. We also ordered the crab and avocado salad which was bland and needed the vinegar from the oysters to taste ok. We ordered the French seafood stew and the blackened swordfish. The swordfish was thin cut and very dry. The rice it came with was also very bland. We saw another table with bread which we were never offered and had to ask for it. The bread and butter were the best part of the meal, which is unfortunate and surprising because it is a beautiful restaurant in a seafood rich area. As a foodie who loves seafood, this place was very disappointing. It made me do 2 things that I never do: add salt to my already prepared food, and leave food behind by not finishing my meal because it was so bland. I think we actually left the restaurant hungrier than when we got there. Come for the bread, butter, and the view, and get better seafood elsewhere.