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Gala Food & Cocktails  - Gala, Santa Barbara, CA

Gala

4.7
4.7
333 Reviews
$31 to $50
European

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • 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

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Jaime Riesco

Offers

  • Oysters, Pisco Sours & Margaritas Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Tue - Sat - 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
    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 333 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Food

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Healthy

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Barbara

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Gala in Santa Barbara offers an enchanting dining experience with "absolutely fabulous food" and a "wonderful energy." Guests rave about the "outstanding service" and "creative, delicious dishes." While the ambiance is lively and festive, noise levels can be high. The restaurant is praised for its tapas-style menu, "fun and delicious cocktails," and the warm presence of owners Tara and Jamie. Despite some service hiccups, Gala remains a "favorite" for its beautiful setting and exceptional culinary offerings.

333 Reviews
  1. sharon VIP

    Central Coast4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    delicious food. the only negative was an almost unbearable noise level

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  2. Alina

    Los Angeles8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Gala is an excellent restaurant, with good food and an array of Spanish tapas. The service and ambience are exceptional. Gotta love a restaurant where the unassuming owner is there to greet and welcome everyone! Thanks Gala!

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  3. Marc

    Los Angeles16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our favourite SB restaurant - 3 visits this trip and every one has been great. Quality food, service and ambience. The pasta and steak are go to dishes for us.

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  4. JonathanW VIP

    Central Coast2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    There’s a lot of wonderful restaurants in Santa Barbara. This is not one of them. The staff is disconnected, meandering and forgetful with no management oversight. The food is ‘blah’ at best, inedible in parts. Forget this place.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fun lively atmosphere with amazing service and the most incredible food and drinks. A must!!!!

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  6. William VIP

    Denver70 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Way too loud to conduct a conversation…..my have to find an alternative

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  7. David

    Central Coast11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Real find in downtown Santa Barbara. Innovative menu, fun atmosphere ( inside/outside) good service and happening place. Parking a block away, easy to walk to and great attitude by the whole team. The fish, mussels and fries and drinks really good. Lots of apps and/or full dinner. Highly recommend.

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  8. ashley VIP

    Las Vegas34 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff was very observant and attentive. The food was really, really good and the atmosphere was very cool. We’ll definitely be back!

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  9. Al VIP

    Chicago11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Gala. The drinks were fantastic and the food and service were amazing. We will definitely be back!

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  10. Sarah VIP

    San Francisco4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food and service but a little too loud for us :(

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Gala is rated 4.7 stars by 333 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
Google Map for Gala

705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Spanish, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Jaime Riesco
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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