Bouchon Santa Barbara

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#3 of 399 Restaurants in Santa Barbara$$$$, French, European, Vegetarian friendly

8057301160+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Mon

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Tue

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wed

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thu

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fri

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sat

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,116 reviews

#3 of 399 Restaurants in Santa Barbara

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

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CUISINES

French, European

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner

features

Location and contact

9 West Victoria St. 1/2 Block West of State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3123

8057301160

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Is this restaurant good for local cuisine?

Yes

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About

Farm-to-table gem in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara's Theater District. The Original California bouchon, menu features local produce and wines. Charming rustic ambiance with hardwood floors, open kitchen and covered, heated patio. Service is warm, friendly and informed. Wine Spectator award-winning local wine list. Farmers Market & Tours available on Tuesdays & Saturdays

CUISINES

French, European

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Wine and Beer, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

1,116 reviews

Excellent

795

Very good

205

Average

Poor

Terrible

Carlos L.

Palm Desert1919 contributions

Amazing French food!

Dec 2024 • couples

Really great food! Morgan was a great server. We came on slower night (monday) but had wonderful meal and time! We had French onion soup, forest mushroom ragout, trio of scallops, pan roasted local bass and everything was exceptional. Of course the great wine and after dinner drinks were also phenomenal! I had Ch,. Suduiraut which was amazing! Highly recommend!

Written December 4, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TaxLass

246 contributions

Farmers Market Foodie Stroll and Dinner

Aug 2022 • couples

Oh my goodness. Where do I begin? We have been to Bouchon many times over the last twenty years and have always viewed it as our number one favorite in Santa Barbara. This was the first time we were able to do the Foodie Stroll and just loved it! Chef Nathan Van Etten meet us at the farmers market and led us on a marvelous tour as he purchased all his produce needs for the next few days. We were introduced to some amazing produce we didn’t know. We then went to the restaurant an hour later and had an amazing dinner based on the purchases made. Phenomenal. If you get a chance don’t pass this up.

Written August 30, 2022

Robt C

Stamford135 contributions

we went with the chef to farmer s market and then had meal prepared with fresh items he bought

Mar 2022 • none

This was a unique experience. Chef Nate , who has been promoted the chef de cuisine a few months ago, took us with him as he bought fruits, vegetables , and herbs for the restaurant at the mazing Santa Barbara farmers market. He then showed us the menu and asked what we wished him to prepare for us using the fresh items. We had a great salad to start with fresh peas , frisee and a little burrata plus a warm pecan and goat cheese tart. The crust was as good as we have had anywhere. Then we split a rib eye from the famous Snake River farms and a rack of lamb. All were accompanied by a wine tasting. We were told that Bouchon has a great wine list with local wines, and these wines came from that. And if that weren t enough, we had a sticky toffee pecan date cake plus a warm lemon berry cake with local ice cream. The take away is that we cannot get this level of fresh food anywhere in the New York area no matter how fine a restaurant or shop we visit. Truly a memorable experience.. Kudos to Chef Nate.. Also, the service was great

Written March 30, 2022

Cindy E

Sacramento7 contributions

The Worst Dinner I Never Ate – Zero Stars

Oct 2022 • none

Do not bother making a reservation at Bouchon. We did and were sorely disappointed. My husband and I traveled to Santa Barbara to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. About one month in advance, we made reservations for dinner on a Sunday at Bouchon using Open Table. We noted that we were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and would appreciate a special table. We reconfirmed our reservation through Open Table two times as the date neared. We arrived 5 minutes prior to our reservation time of 7PM. There was one couple at the hostess stand in front of us. They did not have a reservation and were given the option of inside or out. They chose inside. When we checked in next the only place they could seat us was outside in one of those make-shift wooden patios sitting on top of the asphalt street directly next to the road. When we mentioned our anniversary, how far in advance we made the reservation, and that we asked for a nice table we were told we didn’t request inside so there was nothing they could do for us. Open Table did not offer inside or outside so it appears Bouchon can’t communicate well with their booking app either. This is the worst customer service we have ever received from a restaurant. Had this restaurant been managed properly, they would never have given our table away to walk-up guests. Further, they did nothing to get us to stay. They didn’t say how long we would have to wait for an inside table, they did not offer for us to sit at the bar to wait for a table (and certainly no offer of a free drink for their screw-up). When we asked for a recommendation as to where we could go, they told us to go next door. We did go next door to Olio e Limone where we had a great dinner, great service and a terrific bottle of Flying Goat 2014 Pinot! We explained what happened at Bouchon and they were more than happy to accommodate us. This recommendation was the only thing Bouchon got right that night. I would definitely return to Olio e Limone but would never consider Bouchon based on their rude and cocky attitude. Clearly, they don’t care about their patrons. There are lots of great places to eat in Santa Barbara. Choose any one of them but here.

Written October 28, 2022

CarrieOregon

Thousand Oaks204 contributions

Not sure what happened

Dec 2022 • family

Starting with the positives, lovely ambiance, nice service & beautiful cutlery. Rarely give an ave. review but the meal was underwhelming & expensive for what was served. Ordered crab cakes, butternut squash soup, mushroom appetizer, two lamb entrees & the brussel spout side. Nothing food wise stood out or warranted the price, definitely not the crab cakes. Entrees took a long time, more than 30 min, after finishing appetizers. Most of the reviews are fabulous & wanted to try - not sure what happened.

Written December 11, 2022

Ny2hi2020

New York55 contributions

Underwhelmed

Oct 2022 • couples

Great looking place for a date night, service was pleasant. Food honestly average, came out lukewarm, and it took about 45 minutes after apps for entrees to come out. We were just about to ask for the check and cancel the rest of the order, but I was starving. No apologies, just big plastic grins and placating “it will be right up”. We didn’t make an issue of it, but great places we frequent will offer a dessert or whatever as a gesture and I usually just add it to the tip, but this place just smiles and offers insincere canned replies when we did check on our dinner. Not horrible, but I’m going to assume there are better options

Written October 14, 2022

Hany G

Egypt2078 contributions

Confusion!

Aug 2020 • couples

We had our dinner on the weekend, we were greeted and sat promptly. We ordered our food and wine to our server who was nice and friendly, but first he brought the wrong wine for me and he quickly corrected then we waited 50 MINUTES for our appetizers, and when the appetizer was served, we asked for empty plates, we never got it, so we just didn’t bother, then we had to wait after we finished our appetizer another 35 MINUTES to get our entrees. Which by the time we got it, we felt partially full. We asked for salt and it got delivered to the wrong table but the server corrected himself and went back to get us salt. In terms of food I think the duck I ordered saved the day. The duck was perfectly cooked and melting in the mouth. I also I want to recognize the chef who was running around serving food. I don’t want to be harsh on bouchon but that kind of service doesn’t even the everyday dining. It is way far from fine dining.

Written August 4, 2020

Bart C

Foster City480 contributions

Excellent romantic meal

Jul 2021 • none

For starters it's in a great location amidst all the downtown attractions, but off State Street, so the outdoor dining was quiet and leisurely. Excellent service. Limited but excellent choices on the menu, well-executed; good wine list. Great atmosphere. I had the fresh King salmon, my wife had the recommended lobster pot pie (which she liked, but didn't have much lobster in it!) We had the wild mushroom ragout which we enjoyed. Good wines by the glass. This is an expensive treat. Dinner with dessert and 2 glasses of wine each ran about $190 with tip. Worth it.

Written July 23, 2021

lisa h

Mission Viejo46 contributions

Quaint and Elegant Dinner

Jan 2024 • family

We came here for my sister in law’s 50th birthday. Our table was set with flowers and some rose petals, it was a pleasant surprise! The atmosphere was relaxed and quite enjoyable. The mixed greens salad was very simple but full of flavor! I will have to figure out their dressing because it was that good! We all ate something different and we all loved our dishes. I will definitely go back.

Written January 29, 2024

LLLLLNNNNN

Tzur Moshe157 contributions

Great foundation but seasoning needs tweeking

Dec 2021 • solo

This restaurant has impeccable service and it is clear that it uses excellent local ingredients. However, some dishes were over seasoned (our lobster pot pie had a gravy that was so overpowering I couldn’t taste the lobster pieces, which were a tiny bit over cooked). We really enjoyed the onion soup and pork belly. Scallops done 3 ways we loved 2 the 3rd was again over seasoned. If I could I would have given 4.5 stars just for the excellent service and produce.

Written November 30, 2021

FarAway784798

3 contributions

Expensive but Worth the Money

Jun 2021 • none

When we arrived for our reservation, we were disappointed to learn that we had to dine outside the restaurant. My second surprise was that only wine and no cocktails were available. However, by the end of the meal we were happy diners because the food was delicious and the service was excellent. The crab cakes were outstanding and the french cut lamb chops were done right. Expensive but worth the money.

Written June 25, 2021

Noelle C

271 contributions

Meh...

Dec 2021 • none

I'm no fine dining aficionado, but I've been to enough of them to know that Bouchon was a bit of a disappointment. The three stars are for the ambiance and service. The food was just okay. It wasn't really spectacular. We had the apple salad which was good but the apples were chopped so haphazardly that it felt a little clunky. I had the duck and it was seriously just okay. It was cooked well but it just didn't seem worth the price. My sister has the lamb and she again said that it was just okay. We ordered a warm lemon cake for dessert and it was cold and dry. It was little more than a lemon pound cake. If that's what you're craving, find the nearest Nothing Bundt Cake for a much better version for a fraction of the price. I would try Toma instead of this place. You will find the same great service and the flavors to match.

Written December 27, 2021

Suzanne

9 contributions

Spectacular

Aug 2023 • family

Food spectacular and beautifully executed. Great and varied menu with a wine-enthusiast’s wine list, supported by waiter’s deep knowledge of local makers. Friendly, engaging and professional service. Relaxed atmosphere and nothing to much trouble. Loved it.

Written August 15, 2023

Lynx123

San Francisco189 contributions

Never disappoints

Apr 2021 • couples

My husband and I came here for our Ann dinner. The restaurant put rose petals on our table together with a lovely note. The food was as good as we remembered from previous visits. Scallops were cooked perfectly. My local sea bass was seared on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. My husband’s lobster pot pie was delicious. All the dishes were nicely presented. Our waiter was very knowledgeable with wine and recommended pairings for each dish. The suggested wines were all excellent.

Written April 22, 2021

moretrips51

Palo Alto433 contributions

Best of the 4 dinners

Nov 2020 • none

With Covid restrictions the restaurant has a covered outdoor area in the closed off street. Staff was helpful and attentive but not intrusive, the heat lamps were on, and the music was soft. As for the food, it was delicious. We shared a mixed greens salad, Herbes de Provence crusted tuna, the duck duo and chocolate molten lava cake. Our bill, with wine was $187. Highly recommend.

Written November 23, 2020

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BOUCHON SANTA BARBARA - Menu, Prices, Restaurant Reviews & Reservations - Tripadvisor