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Gala Food & Cocktails  - Gala, Santa Barbara, CA

Gala

4.8
4.8
291 Reviews
$31 to $50
European
A photo of Gala restaurant

Gala

4.8
$31 to $50
European
Santa Barbara

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 6 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Great for creative cocktails
Gala exudes a European meets Santa Barbara charm, where you feel like you’re transported to a beautiful bistro in the Mediterranean. Enjoy shared tapas, farmer's market favorites, pasta and risotto, fresh oysters and the best steak with bone marrow butter & chimichurri. Cozy up for our farm to table craft cocktails, a Pisco sour or martini and a full meal with friends. Curated wine list with local & Spanish wines. Right down the street from the Santa Barbara Courthouse enjoy an evening at Gala.








1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Farm to table, Farmer's market driven, Tapas, Seafood, Steak, Oysters, Happy Hour, Food, Cocktails, Wine, Restaurant, Vegetarian, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Sat 16:00–22:00
  • Phone number
    (805) 869-2813
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Jaime Riesco
  • Private party facilities
    We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.
  • Area
    Santa Barbara
  • Cross Street
    Ortega St.
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Oysters, Pisco Sours & Margaritas Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Tue - Sat - 16:00 - 17:30
    Fresh oysters for $2.50, French fries $6, Olives $5, Calamari $10, Pisco Sours $9, Pitchers of seasonal margaritas for $36 and more! Join us for a Happy Hour at Gala Tuesday through Saturday from 4-5:30

What 291 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Healthy

  • California Central Coast

    Hot spot

  • California Central Coast

    Lively

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Food

  • Santa Barbara

    Innovative

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Hot spot

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Barbara

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Gala is a vibrant dining spot in Santa Barbara known for its "excellent food" and "beautifully presented dishes." Guests rave about the creative cocktails, delectable tapas, and warm service led by owner Tara. Though the ambiance can be lively, the outdoor patio offers a quieter setting. A must-try for memorable dining experiences!

291 Reviews
  1. Katelyn

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful experience from start to finish. Most delicious cocktail.. followed by the hash browns and croquetas (I think that’s how it is spelled?) then the steak and the sun dried tomato pasta… the perfect date night. This restaurant is def a favorite!

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  2. Claire

    Central Coast

    80 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    80 reviews

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Gala is always a good spot for small portions and great choices. Friendly service and friendly people enjoying Gala. Deja was our server again. Always smiling and timing is great. One of our favorites!

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  3. William

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tara and her staff were the epitome of great hospitality and the food was fun and delicious. The branzino was our fave.

    Is this helpful?

  4. William

    Denver

    68 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    68 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    It was GREAT to have the background music turned off so we could engage in conversation. Food was great, service perhaps a little hurried .

    Is this helpful?

  5. Yumi

    Central Coast

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 21 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent Yuzu margarita from the bar and ordered a couple yummy appetizers. Terrific scallops for dinner. We gathered for a friend's birthday and had a wonderful time at Gala. Great service and we appreciated the delicious foods.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Madi

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went there to celebrate my birthday with friends. We had such great service and food!

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  7. Garrett

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I could eat at Gala every night, especially the tempura zucchini flowers and fried green tomatoes

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  8. Glenn

    Central Coast

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another great meal and attentive service at Gala. Thx!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Blair

    New York City

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great meal. Blown away by the crudo! We will be back!

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  10. Janice

    Central Coast

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Sat at the bar. Had the octopus with yucca and pao de queijo. Both were excellent. Adding South American wines like a Carmenere or Malbec to the menu would be a good idea, but the local wines were really good too. Will definitely be back!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Gala is rated 4.8 stars by 291 OpenTable diners.

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

A photo of Gala restaurant

Gala

4.8
$31 to $50
European
Santa Barbara

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 6 times today
Google Map for Gala

705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Ortega St.
  • Area
    Santa Barbara
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Sat 16:00–22:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Jaime Riesco
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (805) 869-2813
  • Private party facilities
    We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.
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