Gala

5 stars all around! The food was top notch, the service was next level and the beautiful decor made for a wonderful experience. It’s great having a fun, locally owned restaurant in SB. Highly recommend for date nights, group dinners, or drinks at the bar! The location is great too!

Gala is an absolute gem in Santa Barbara. The food is incredible — flavorful, beautifully presented, and perfect for sharing. Every tapa we tried was a hit, and the cocktails were just as impressive. The atmosphere is warm and stylish, and the service was friendly and attentive without feeling rushed. A fantastic spot for date night or a fun dinner with friends. Highly recommend!

We organized a holiday dinner for our team here and I couldn't be happier. The food was exquisite, of course, but the service and atmosphere were also perfect for our group. The team was great to work with and incredibly clear about expectations. Since then, I have been lucky enough to go back for date nights and dinners with friends, and I love having Gala in our sweet little beach town. Don't sleep on the Basque Cheesecake - it is the closest thing to real Basque Cheesecake I have eaten outside of Bilbao.

My husband, son and I have been to the GALA numerous times and it never disappointed. The ambience, staff and food/drinks are wonderful. They are also very kid friendly and butter pasta for my son was happily served. Everything is delicious but the Chef’s Cheesecake is unreal. Also there is a huge parking lot next to the restaurant which is very convenient.

One of my best friends was visiting me in Santa Barbara and the first place I wanted to take her was Gala. We had a wonderful dinner at the bar! The food was amazing in the service attentive. Highly recommend. Tara was especially welcoming!

I think this restaurant is fantastic!! The food is really good and creative. The service is always great. Cocktails are beautiful and delicious. Almost every time I go the owner is there with a big smile greeting people and making sure everything is perfect. Highly recommend this place to anyone wanting a great night away from home.

Back again to celebrated my husband’s birthday! We loved everything from the appetizers to the desserts — every dish was beautifully presented and tasted incredible. (I got the Branzino, he got the Steak) The flavors were fresh and thoughtful, and the service made the night feel special. **loved their happy hour special also!

Gala is an absolute gem in Santa Barbara. Elevated without being pretentious, warm and stylish. The food is exceptional: thoughtful, beautifully presented, and deeply flavorful, with every dish feeling intentional. Service is gracious and genuinely welcoming, and the atmosphere strikes s balance of intimacy and fun. We will be back. PS the cocktails are 🔥

Gala is one of our favorite restaurants in town! Great atmosphere, delicious food, and great service. Love the Pisco Sour with passion fruit. All the tapas are a hit. Never have they missed a beat. Also, killer happy hour at the bar: burger and martini combo is a fantastic value.

One of my favorite spots in Santa Barbara. Dined last Friday and, as always, received a warm welcome from the staff. We shared a handful of dishes. The two-year aged ham is a perennial favorite, and the handmade pappardelle was excellent. Finished with a slice of cheesecake, which never disappoints.

Gala is one of my favorite spots in Santa Barbara. The food is consistently solid, the drinks are great, and the vibe just works. I’m a big fan of their martini and burger special both are done really well and always hit the spot. The seafood specials are also worth checking out, especially when they’re featuring fresh local fish. Also their appetizers are all phenomenal. The patio is a huge plus, especially on a nice evening, and the atmosphere is lively without feeling over the top. Easy place to come back to again and again!

Noni Dewey

We organized a holiday dinner for our team here and I couldn't be happier. The food was exquisite, of course, but the service and atmosphere were also perfect for our group. The team was great to work with and incredibly clear about expectations. Since then, I have been lucky enough to go back for date nights and dinners with friends, and I love having Gala in our sweet little beach town. Don't sleep on the Basque Cheesecake - it is the closest thing to real Basque Cheesecake I have eaten outside of Bilbao.

Jennifer Shermer

My husband, son and I have been to the GALA numerous times and it never disappointed. The ambience, staff and food/drinks are wonderful. They are also very kid friendly and butter pasta for my son was happily served. Everything is delicious but the Chef’s Cheesecake is unreal. Also there is a huge parking lot next to the restaurant which is very convenient.

Tristan Pitre

One of my favorite spots in Santa Barbara. Dined last Friday and, as always, received a warm welcome from the staff. We shared a handful of dishes. The two-year aged ham is a perennial favorite, and the handmade pappardelle was excellent. Finished with a slice of cheesecake, which never disappoints.

Erika Römer

Gala is an absolute gem in Santa Barbara. Elevated without being pretentious, warm and stylish. The food is exceptional: thoughtful, beautifully presented, and deeply flavorful, with every dish feeling intentional. Service is gracious and genuinely welcoming, and the atmosphere strikes s balance of intimacy and fun. We will be back. PS the cocktails are 🔥

Cousins Kulju

5 stars all around! The food was top notch, the service was next level and the beautiful decor made for a wonderful experience. It’s great having a fun, locally owned restaurant in SB. Highly recommend for date nights, group dinners, or drinks at the bar! The location is great too!

Brittany Bentley

Back again to celebrated my husband’s birthday! We loved everything from the appetizers to the desserts — every dish was beautifully presented and tasted incredible. (I got the Branzino, he got the Steak) The flavors were fresh and thoughtful, and the service made the night feel special. **loved their happy hour special also!

katelyn vaughn

Gala is an absolute gem in Santa Barbara. The food is incredible — flavorful, beautifully presented, and perfect for sharing. Every tapa we tried was a hit, and the cocktails were just as impressive. The atmosphere is warm and stylish, and the service was friendly and attentive without feeling rushed. A fantastic spot for date night or a fun dinner with friends. Highly recommend!

Miki Triplett

I love Gala! I’ve been to Gala many times now and they never disappoint. The food and service are phenomenal, they also have very delicious drinks! The seating indoors is very cozy and a great vibe for date nights.

Jessie

I went to Gala with a friend of mine and we didn’t leave disappointed! The inside was beautiful, but we decided to eat outside on the patio. We had oysters and the burrata dish with wine to start, and shared a main course. It was delicious…highly recommended.

Laura Ronchietto

I love everything about Gala! The location, the decor, and most of all the food. As a vegetarian, I highly recommend the risotto. The staff is super friendly/knowledgeable and the owners are usually there to answer questions and recommend food and drinks as well. I highly recommend you check it out if you haven't yet.

Lyndsay Hall

Best meal and experience EVER. My husband and I celebrated our small wedding at Gala following our courthouse ceremony. We sat on the outside patio at a single long table (my dream) and ate from the family style menu (which Gala allowed us to customize). I'm a vegetarian, and the pasta (we had the tagliatelle), pan con tomate, burrata, and quinoa and potato hashbrowns were UNBELIEVABLE. Everyone has been raving about the food all week. Incredible service and the best meal of my life, would recommend to anyone!

Nice spot for a dinner, we ordered, seabass, pasta Oysters, fried green tomato, octopus, orange cream caramel and cheesecake, one white and one resdd wine. We paid like 350 dolar for 5 people. Tastes are not that amazing, make a rezervation before visiting.

Umut Evren Korkmaz

Nice spot for a dinner, we ordered, seabass, pasta Oysters, fried green tomato, octopus, orange cream caramel and cheesecake, one white and one resdd wine. We paid like 350 dolar for 5 people. Tastes are not that amazing, make a rezervation before visiting.

Subash Chellappan

We had a great time at this restaurant, the live music outdoors was a nice touch. Dining room had a cool vibe. The cocktails were fantastic, and the service was spot on. For dinner, we had the calamari, mushroom risotto, steak, and tagliatelle- they were all good. For my next visit I'll try to sit at the bar.

While the food was great, and our servers. When we first arrived, we are greeted and told that drinks were on one tab! Which was surprising to me because normally these type of places everyone pays individually. We then later discovered that we were going to be charged for drinks by ourselves, which was totally okay but it was awkward because the host of the event had to tell everyone and it changed the whole experience for us and the host. The hosts of the event I attended were clearly stressed and embarrassed due to poor communication with the venue. Not something you want to see during a celebratory event!

Gabby Lee

While the food was great, and our servers. When we first arrived, we are greeted and told that drinks were on one tab! Which was surprising to me because normally these type of places everyone pays individually. We then later discovered that we were going to be charged for drinks by ourselves, which was totally okay but it was awkward because the host of the event had to tell everyone and it changed the whole experience for us and the host. The hosts of the event I attended were clearly stressed and embarrassed due to poor communication with the venue. Not something you want to see during a celebratory event!

Sophia Kieffer

The bar situation was honestly a mess. We were greeted and told to order drinks at the bar without paying, but later when we went back for more, drinks were suddenly cut off with no explanation. This held things up because people had to track down their husbands to grab wallets. It ended up causing a ton of stress for the bride during her own event, which was really uncomfortable to watch. She should have been enjoying herself.

I attended a friend’s Welcome Event for their destination wedding at Gala. Due to confusion at the bar and insufficient coordination, the bride and groom experienced unnecessary stress on the day before their wedding. Moreover, the lack of effective communication with the Owner throughout the planning and execution of the event contributed to a disappointing overall experience for our group. If you are considering Gala for a private event, make sure you sign a contract and all expectations are clear.

Jonathan Huerta

Attended an event here earlier this month. While the food and beverage were good I noticed the host and her husband struggling to get their beverages. Also noticed the bartenders started a tab on what I thought was a cash bar. My buddy ended up paying for the first round of drinks for 50 people...