Award-winning

Bibi Ji

Name: Bibi Ji
Address: 1213 State St, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA, United States, 93101-2615
Telephone: (805) 560-6845
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.2

4.2

317 Reviews

$31 to $50

Indian

Bibi Ji

4.2

$31 to $50

Indian

Santa Barbara

Make a booking

2 people

12 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 8 times today

Innovative
Great for fine wines
Vegetarian-friendly

Modern Indian food featuring local produce and seafood paired with a robust low-intervention wine program curated by Alejandro Medina and James Beard Award winner Rajat Parr. Located directly across the street from the historic Granada Theatre in the heart of Santa Barbara's ARTS District. Join us in our lively, signature pastel pink dining room.

Michelin Guide Central Coast Selection 2021, 2022 and 2023

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Indian, Wine Bar
Hours of Operation
Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun 16:30–21:00 Fri, Sat 13:00–15:45 Fri, Sat 16:30–21:30
Phone number
(805) 560-6845
Website
https://bibijisb.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Family Owned & Operated
Catering
For all offsite catering inquiries, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
Private party facilities
For parties of 10 or more, please email us at events@bibijisb.com

Location
1213 State St, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2615
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Area
Santa Barbara
Cross Street
State Street between Anapamu and Victoria
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Mysore BondaUS$18.00
'mysore' potato-peas fritters, okra raita
Kolkata Papri ChaatUS$16.00
toasted cumin-ajwain seed laced crackers, potato, chickpea, yogurt, tamarind, chili
Crispy CauliflowerUS$19.00
chili, garlic, sesame, micro fennel
Papadam + ChutneyUS$16.00
choose three: cucumber raita, okra raita, mint chutney, chili garlic chutney or kasundi mustard
Aloo MethiUS$17.00
potato, fresh fenugreek, chaat masala

Tandoor

Panir TikkaUS$22.00
tandoori panir, hung curd, ajwain, cumin
'Murgh' TikkaUS$25.00
chicken tikka, hung curd, cardamom, kasoori methi
Malai KebabUS$25.00
marinated chicken breasts, nutmeg, mace, sharp cheddar
Barra Kebab (Lamb Chops)US$43.00
turmeric, cumin, nutmeg

Curries

No Brainer! Add panir $5, add shrimp $5

Bibi Ji Dal MakhniUS$21.00
creamy black lentil, house toasted spices
Baingan BhartaUS$23.00
tandoori eggplant, toasted cumin, tomato, fresh ginger root
Coconut CurryUS$25.00
farmers market veg, mustard, curry leaves, coconut milk, chili, turmeric
Saag PanirUS$25.00
panir, mustard greens, fenugreek, spinach
Butter ChickenUS$25.00
bibi ji chicken tikka masala

Breads - Rice

Tandoori NaanUS$7.00
plain or garlic
Panir - Onion - Chili 'Kulcha'US$11.00
panir, green chili, onion, scallions, garlic, cilantro, spices
Basmati RiceUS$6.00
turmeric
Coconut RiceUS$7.00
aged basmati, fresh coconut, south indian spice blend
Aloo 'Kulcha'US$10.00
potato, mustard seed, curry leaf

Raita - Chutney - Gojju

Cucumber RaitaUS$6.00
yogurt, cucumber, mint, cilantro
Okra RaitaUS$6.00
okra, onion, sambar podi, lentils, mustard, yogurt, jaggery
Mint ChutneyUS$4.00
cilantro, mint, chili, lime, yogurt, toasted cumin
Chili Garlic ChutneyUS$4.00
Japanese chili, garlic, vinegar, Thai green chili

Finish

LassiUS$7.00
mango or passion fruit
SorbetUS$7.00
Lychee, ginger, coconut. Housemade
Ice CreamUS$7.00
mango, saffron, cardamom

What 317 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

California Central Coast
Innovative
Santa Barbara
Innovative
Santa Barbara
Healthy
Santa Barbara
Hot spot
Santa Barbara
Great for fine wines
Santa Barbara
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bibi Ji's new location captivates with its "gorgeous" and "fun, hip vibe," offering "amazing food" and an "impressive wine list." The menu boasts vibrant Indian flavors, with standout dishes like the vegetarian curry and crispy cauliflower. While the atmosphere is lively, it's also "very loud," occasionally hindering conversation. The attentive service and unique dining experience make it a must-visit, despite the "small portions" and "expensive" menu.

317 Reviews

E
Elijah
Central Coast
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 2 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Unique and elevated Indian food in a vibrant environment. Very friendly staff and a great place for a meal.
Is this helpful?
S
Steve
Dallas
42 reviews
vip
5.0
42 reviews
Dined on 27 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What a fantastic meal we had last night! My second time there this month and the menu and food remain both inventive and delicious! Alejandro’s reference to his heritage and culinary influences are present and vital to such a fantastic Indian food experience.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeff
New York City
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on 27 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I thought the food was really good. My favorite were the Butter Chicken , Lamb chops, and the Kulcha. Service was attentive. It is on the pricier side but that goes for most restaurants these days. Good experience overall
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A
Adarsh
Central Coast
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on 23 November 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Food was very mediocre. Indian restaurants are meant to have a vast array of dishes. But the menu only has 4 items per section. Beyond that, the tandoor dishes were severely under seasoned, and the mint chutney served with them was pretty bad. The butter chicken we got was alright, but had bits of burnt chicken. Also, the curry was too sweet. For an Indian restaurants at this price range, it would also be good to have some Indian beers or other beverages. But all the wine and beer was not Indian. Overall, the food was average, but for that price range was really underwhelming. Definitely worse than Aapna, which is also on state street.
Is this helpful?
M
Matt
Detroit
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on 22 November 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Disappointing food. Nothing properly seasoned. Crispy cauliflower tasted like it was fried in old oil.
Is this helpful?
S
Steven
New York City
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on 22 November 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
I expected uni biryani, it was out, settled over $40 over priced butter chicken
Is this helpful?
A
Alka
New York City
5 reviews
vip
1.0
5 reviews
Dined on 17 November 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
For a restaurant that promotes itself as “real Indian food”, it was not even close. The food had close to no flavor, especially regarding traditional flavors and spices. As a woman from Indian and a cook, I was very disappointed and do not recommend Bibi Ji to anyone looking for good real Indian food, let alone even good enjoyable food. Our main dishes were Saag Paneer and Dal Makhani. The only thing that was recognizable and decent was the naan (bread). People were friendly and atmosphere was hip I have never eaten at an Indian restaurant that the food was so far off the mark and just did not have much taste.
Is this helpful?
J
Jennifer
Los Angeles
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on 16 November 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
They don’t answer on the phone… location is confusing
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
Washington DC
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on 13 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We enjoyed every aspect of our meal. There was a small glitch in the kitchen that delayed our meal, but the food was outstanding. We’ll be back.
Is this helpful?
D
Darcy
Palm Springs
22 reviews
vip
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on 11 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
One of my favorite places in Santa Barbara. The cauliflower appetizer is delicious, Pita bread - perfect. Butter chicken delicious, and the Murg chicken really good as well. These are the things I usually eat but everything else looks really good too. I love their presentation of the food and flavors.
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FAQs

Bibi Ji offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 560-6845.

Bibi Ji is rated 4.2 stars by 317 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Bibi Ji

4.2

$31 to $50

Indian

Santa Barbara

Make a booking

2 people

12 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 8 times today

Order delivery or takeout

1213 State St, Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2615

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross Street
State Street between Anapamu and Victoria
Area
Santa Barbara
Hours of Operation
Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun 16:30–21:00 Fri, Sat 13:00–15:45 Fri, Sat 16:30–21:30
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Indian, Wine Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Family Owned & Operated
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://bibijisb.com/
Phone number
(805) 560-6845
Catering
For all offsite catering inquiries, please email us at events@bibijisb.com
Private party facilities
For parties of 10 or more, please email us at events@bibijisb.com

Bibi Ji

Bibi Ji

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Crispy Cauliflower

Butter Chicken

Barra Kebab (Lamb Chops)

Small Plates

Mysore BondaUS$18.00

Kolkata Papri ChaatUS$16.00

Crispy CauliflowerUS$19.00

Papadam + ChutneyUS$16.00

Aloo MethiUS$17.00

Tandoor

Panir TikkaUS$22.00

'Murgh' TikkaUS$25.00

Malai KebabUS$25.00

Barra Kebab (Lamb Chops)US$43.00

Curries

Bibi Ji Dal MakhniUS$21.00

Baingan BhartaUS$23.00

Coconut CurryUS$25.00

Saag PanirUS$25.00

Butter ChickenUS$25.00

Breads - Rice

Tandoori NaanUS$7.00

Panir - Onion - Chili 'Kulcha'US$11.00

Basmati RiceUS$6.00

Coconut RiceUS$7.00

Aloo 'Kulcha'US$10.00

Raita - Chutney - Gojju

Cucumber RaitaUS$6.00

Okra RaitaUS$6.00

Mint ChutneyUS$4.00

Chili Garlic ChutneyUS$4.00

Finish

LassiUS$7.00

SorbetUS$7.00

Ice CreamUS$7.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Bibi Ji offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Bibi Ji restaurant rated?

Is Bibi Ji currently accepting bookings?

Bibi Ji

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information