A review of Cafe Buenos Aires at Santa Barbara.com

Cafe Buenos Aires
1316 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 963-0242

Category: Latin American
Hours: 11:30 for lunch every day. Dinner starts at 4 pm until 9 pm or later. Happy hour is between 4 and 6 pm
Price: $10 - $20
Serving: Lunch & Dinner
Reservations: Yes, recommended
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Reviews by the General Public

DECENT FOOD, HORRIBLE SERVICE, 6/14/2010
Reviewer: Sharon from Alta Loma
I am a former waitress and am totally sympathetic in favor of wait staff. We had a reservations for 11 at 4:30 on Sunday for a UCSB grad party. We showed up to a restaurant that was 75% empty. We were seated at a table in the hot sun though there were numerous other tables for large parties set up in the shade. We had several elderly people with us so asked for an umbrella or a different table. The manager said 'there is no way I can move you - I have 300 people coming tonight and I am not going to re-do the whole floor plan for you! I'm sorry but that is how it is!' and walked off. They set up 1 umbrella that was not adequate - we draped a tablecloth on it to block more sun but still glaring. Slow service after that (payback?). When we left restaurant maybe 50% full- lots of empty tables in shade. Food was decent but the awful service, especially from management, was not. I would never return here. Spoiled a nice event for our family.

Great ambience and amazing food!!!, 6/8/2010
Reviewer: Jim Daniel from Santa Barbara, CA
My wife and I walked in to the courtyard and enjoyed a fantastic lunch on a beautiful, sunny day in Santa Barbara. You could tell the chef used only fresh ingredients and soup and salad we enjoyed was terrific. The service was friendly and attentive, but not annoying. The price was in line with what you would expect from restaurants in the area. I would recommend this spot to anyone visiting Santa Barbara.

Please, bring Silvia back, 6/3/2010
Reviewer: Rob Anderson from San Francisco, CA
I used to go to Cafe Buenos Aires 2 to 3 times per week. This was about 6 yeas ago. The food was incredible, the service was perfect. I had to move to San Francisco for work; since then, I haven't been back, until last Wednesday. I when to Cafe Buenos Aires with a couple of friends. What happened? The food was blend, the meat tough. Later that night I found out that Silvia is not one of the owners anymore. Can you please bring her back?

Helpful , 5/20/2010
Reviewer: Debbie from Washington, DC
Yesterday my mother accidently fell in Cafe Buenos Aires. She didnt realize right away that she had broken her elbow. Today I called and spoke with Diego. He made me feel better about the situation knowing that I could not be there to help my mother with anything. He got in touch with the owner and with the insurance company and kept in constant contact with me. His help throughout the process made it better for myself and my parents. Also, my parents loved the food and will be back!

Great Mother's Day Lunch, 5/11/2010
Reviewer: Mariana Vizcarra from Santa Barbara, CA
My sisters and I took Mama to Buenos Aires Cafe for lunch and spent 2 and a half hours there. Reason for that: It was awesome, relaxing, couldn't get up after so much good food (and drinks too). The food took a little longer than what normal but it was understandable since they were almost full, but it was delicious and the prices were actually great for such a nice place. I have to stress, the place made me relax so much that I almost took a nap. We highly recommend this place. Mariana and familia PS: the peruvian ceviche was great and we know peruvian food (we are peruvians)

The atmosphere very pleasant and the food was delicious., 4/6/2010
Reviewer: Hector and Claudia from Pico Rivera, CA
This is our first time at the restaurant and we were pleased in every way. The food was great and the waitress very polite and professional. We would recomend this restaurant and we are coming back, that's for sure.

I had a great time, 3/18/2010
Reviewer: Markus from Santa Barbara, CA
I think Cafe Buenos Aires is such a great place. It has potential to be one of the best restaurants in SB. I go there at least once a month and most of the time I'm totally satisfied. Not many places offer live music or dance performance without charging a cover fee. I recommend this place.

Great dinner, 3/16/2010
Reviewer: Bruce and Rachel from Santa Barbara, CA
I had dinner here this past weekend and I was really curious about argentine food and I just found out what it is like, it is actually completly different that thought, I was imagenig some type of mexican food WRONG!! It is amasing full of flavour and different spicies and the steaks OH MY GOD!! backting to the restaurant great food, fantastic service with latin jazz on the background with all the atmosphere going on!! and everybody seems to care about you, I didn't feel like in Santa Barbara at all, such shame I should have found this place before but I always thought was too expansive WRONG AGAIN! avarege price worth every peny!! if Buenos Aires is like that I wanna move there!!

A real one night vacation......, 3/14/2010
Reviewer: Miki and Francesca from Santa Barbara, CA
Living and and working in SB you get to know the restaurants and the quality of the service. At this cafe' you feel like your on vacation even if your in your home town. NOT ONLY THAT!! But Lyndsi (our server) was not only fabulous and kind..but was on top of every move, request and desire (aside the fact that she was able to comunicate in Italian, English and Spanish). As good Italians and in the restaurant buisness, we found that the food was brought in perfect timing with an ultimate presentation. Four thumbs up.......and even if the prices are slightly on the high side....it was definatly worth every penny.

Beautiful Atmosphere ... Wonderful Dinner, 1/5/2010
Reviewer: Brat from Napa Valley, CA
My husband and I always visit Cafe Buenos Aires while vacationing in Santa Barbara at the holidays each year. Their courtyard is so lovely. We ordered empanadas and brochette de carne y vegetables for starters while waiting for camarones cubanos with coconut rice and pastel de choclo. The food was delicious and the service was attentive. Definitely recommend eating here!!

It was okay, 12/14/2009
Reviewer: Junko from Ventura, CA
We had lunch here on Saturday afternoon. We had garlic shrimp for appetizer, then my husband had salmon and I had mixed seafood. Seafood was flesh and good. We didn't like the appetizer so much (just because a little too much garlic for us), but we loved our main. We also had Flan and Grilled banana for dessert, they are good, too. It's not like "Excellent", but it was great. The service was okay. I just wish that the service were as good as the restaurant's interior/atmosphere.

The seafood platter is divine., 11/5/2009
Reviewer: Jill Ballard from Solvang, CA
I was introduced to this restaurant by a friend. Since then I have had many wonderful dining experiences at Cafe Buenos Aires. Their seafood platter is one of the single most delicious meals I have had at any restaurant in Santa Barbara, and I've lived here in the area for 20 years. I don't know anything about axxes cards or corkage fees. It is the restaurant itself, together with the wonderful music and lovely ambience, and their exceptional food and wine, that makes it a great dining experience for me. Save your coupons for Denny's. Keep your own wine at home and instead, try something new. They have some great wines. Instead of a subtle nuance of a movement of your hand to your teapot, just ask for more hot water - how hard is that? You who grumble and whine sound like really awful customers, pompous and arrogant. You need to practice up on your manners.

Cafe Buenos Aires Perfect Wedding, 10/14/2009
Reviewer: Jen from LA
Cafe Buenos Aires made my wedding reception one the most perfert day of my whole life, few weeks ago I had my wedding reception at the restaurant and it was more much then I was expecting, everything was wonderful food, drinks, service, atmosphere, music the entire scene was fabulous, I don't even have words to describe how thankful I am!! and how lucky I was for have chosen the perfect place!! I would like to thank Cafe Buenos Aires and specially Diego who coordinated everything all the small details and made my dream become true...

I have to agree with Jeremy, 9/21/2009
Reviewer: Jim Durier from Santa Barbara, CA
I have to agree with Jeremy. My wife and I ate at Cafe Buenos Aires this weekend and the manager was really cold to us. Our waitress was fantastic, but Diego needs to work on his people skills. And I also have to voice my opinion about the restaurant not honoring Jeramy's (sp?) Axxess card. My wife and I buy an Axxess card every year. We pay good money for them and we expect a restaurant to honor them. What difference does it make if Jeremy and his party used a gift certificate? And, as the manager confirms, if they did order cocktails, appetizers, desserts, etc., it doesn't sound like they were being too cheap to me. Trust me, I know how to eat cheap. Water? Yes, please.

Cafe Buenos Aires writes: Jim: I'm sorry if Diego seem cold. I would apreciatte if you could write me to sbcafebuenosaires@gmail.com to let me know in more detail the conversation you had with Diego so I can forward it to the owner (who already asked me to request this from you). In concern to the gift certificate, let me explain the situation. We have a deal with Axxess where they are allow to sell give certificates for $25 at less than that nominal price. It is part of the agreement that this coupon will not be used with any other from axxess. The attempt is to have more guests to come and bring their business. When someone try to abusse of it and get so much for so little money we end up losing money. That behavior and the disrespect for other patrons (they stole a beer from another table) force us to prohibit these people to come to our restaurant again. Thank you for your understanding. Martin

Great service, great space but terrible food., 9/18/2009
Reviewer: Dr. Robert Miller from Los Angeles, CA
I have a few comments to make. This a wonderful space, with top notch service. The problem is the food, our three meals were terrible. The seafood dish was tough and tasted like cleaning product. The steak was of poor quality and very tough. The chicken dish had no flavor at all. I did read the other reviews and find it interesting that an owner or the manager would reply to a customers review in such a negative way. You sound very arrogant and very un-professional. Maybe that's why only 50% of your customer reviews on the other review websites like your restaurant. Maybe it's time to take the negative reviews and make some changes in the way you conduct business; i.e food prep, cooking methods and learn to deal better with paying customers that do complain.

Cafe Buenos Aires writes: Thank you Dr Miller for your review. It is very helpful. We are working really hard on bringing our food quality and consistency back to what we were used to offer and then improve it more. I'm very sorry you did not have a good experience. I hope you trust me that we will work hard on preventing from happening again and that you come back so that we can prove it. Regards Martin

Jeremy - You are a cheapskate, 9/17/2009
Reviewer: Kevin McTague from Paris, France, also SB
I am ambivalent about Cafe Buenos Aires. I like it but am not a cult follower. That said, Jeremy, your said your meal was good, service good, but you were just bummed you couldn't nick the restaurant from making a buck. Gift certificates,plus axxcess, plus trying to drink two bottles of wine (total) for one corkage? Why not bring a methuselah and buy no wine there. Wait, I bet you didn't have the common courtesy to buy a bottle from the restaurant to begin with. I bet you left a meager tip too, if any. BTW, I don't work in the restaurant business, I just don't like amateurs like you who should just take your "magnum" to taco bell and be happy. I like supporting a good restaurant so it stays good, not going to one just for a "deal". Deal eaters are the "Big Mac for a buck" crowd, sound familiar?

Cafe Buenos Aires writes: Kevin: Thank you so much for sharing your opinion. Martin

Manager needs a reality check, 9/17/2009
Reviewer: Jeramy Gordon from Santa Barbara, CA
Tonight was my first -- and last -- visit to Cafe Buenos Aires across from the Arlington Theatre. From the time I moved to Santa Barbara four years ago, Cafe Buenos Aires had always been on the list of restaurants I wanted to try. As a self-proclaimed "foodie" who loves to eat out, I knew it was only a matter of time. Tonight, I got the opportunity to finally sit down and enjoy some quality South American cuisine. Five of my closest friends and I walked on to the dimly-lit patio, that just oozed ambience, ready and rearing for a good time. We brought our own magnum of wine to celebrate just how lucky we all are to live in such a beautiful town. We reminisced about old times, laughed, ate good food, drank good wine and had a great time overall -- until our check came. That's when the night took a turn for the worse. One of the members of our party happened to have two $25 gift certificates for Cafe Buenos Aires. Our wonderful waitress happily took the certificates and applied them to the bill. But being the thrifty diner I am, I asked if they accepted the Axxess card. "Yes, we do," our waitress responded, saying she'd be right back. Moments later, she returned and informed us that the manager would not honor the Axxess Card because we had used the gift certificates. Strike one. Now, mind you, our gift certificates were less than a quarter of our total bill, but I digress. Bummed that we were denied use of our Axxess card, we began to examine the bill. It was then we noticed we had been charged two corkage fees for our one magnum bottle of wine. When we informed the manager of what we thought must have been a mistake, he told us he would not credit our bill for the 2nd charge. He said because the bottle was more than 750 ml, that he was in the right to charge us two corkage fees. Strike two. Our argument was that the restaurant should have told us before opening the bottle, that because of it's size, there would be an additional charge. They didn't. The manager continued to argue with us over the fifteen dollar charge. Strike three. Never had I been treated so poorly while dining out. I realize the economy is tough right now, but arguing with 6 locals over a $15 fee in front of other customers is uncalled for. I am bummed because the food was good, our waitress was great and the ambience was like no other place in Santa Barbara. And now, out of principle, I can never eat there again.

AMBIENCE BETTER THAN THE BEEF
Reviewer: ELEANORE T. from LOS ANGELES
AHHH, YES! AUTHENTIC ARGENTINEAN FOOD! WE THOUGHT NEW YORK STEAKS WOULD BE A PERFECT CHOICE: YOU KNOW, THE GAUCHOS, THE PAMPAS, THE BEEF......NOT!! THE STEAKS WERE SO TOUGH, THEY WERE INEDIBLE, THE VEGGIES FLAVORLESS, THE FRIED POTATOES WERE COLD. THE WAITER WAS OBVIOUSLY INEXPERIENCED....HE DIDN'T EVEN READ MY SIGNAL (OPEN TEA POT LID) FOR MORE HOT WATER. MY RECOMMENDATION: DUMP THE LOCAL BUTCHER AND SEND FOR TENDER OMAHA STEAKS VIA THEIR MAIL ORDER SERVICE.

great food with service that is now better than ever
Reviewer: Hajir Sailors from Santa Barbara, CA
I've been to the Cafe Buenos Aires every year since I can remember going to restaurants in Santa Barbara at least once, I've always loved the menu options, especially the pastel de choclo, a traditional argentinian pie with ground beef that really is something quite different than you can find anywhere in Santa Barbara. The empanadas for an appetizer are of course always great and really the setting is quite lovely. Not much has changed about that or their sauce for their bread which is fabulous and sold by the bottle for really quite a reasonable price, but what I noticed on this visit was the service was markedly different. Upon arrival I was greeted warmly at the entrance to their lovely outside eating area, given the choice of any table i would like that was open, immediately bread was on the table with the dipping sauce and drink orders were filled right away. Our servers, both females and both helping out equally at the table one had been there for 10 years one for apparently not very long, were all smiles, 100% friendly, and on top of service the entire time. Ready to chat if you wanted to, and willing to step away without making you feel bad. It's nice to have service up in a good eating establishment such as this one and I will certainly suggest this to friends and family for dates, business, or just for going out.

Memorial Day, 2009 - Really good. Nice surprise
Reviewer: Robert from Santa Barbara, CA
Family of 4 with 7 mo baby. My older daughters have allergies and my wife is picky. Ended up with 4 totally cleaned plates. Excellent dinners, we were really surprised. Usually someone(or ones) has a complaint but the service was good, the food excellent and the atmosphere great (outdoor patio with fountain with indoor space if it's too cold).

Very good sevice and wonderfull food.
Reviewer: Sophia and Johnny Key from Santa Barbara, CA
Me and my fiance' enjoyed an elegant lunch outside,the service was very nice. When our plates arrived they were an art form and so full of flavor.We will dine again and do recommend.

Great food, service, and experience
Reviewer: Alex Jones from Los Angeles, CA
I went to dinner and had exceptional steak and my wife the risotto. The service was great and very authentic since my server was from Argentina. However the table next to us complained about thier food, and actually tried to start a fight in front of everyone because the manager wouldn't give them thier money back! It was truly outrageous especially since they ordered the same thing as my wife and were there long before we were! Kudos to management for making them leave and allowing to finsh our meal in peace!! Everyone has been to a restaurant and been bothered by obnoxious people around and nothing happens... it is good to see someone taking control to ensure a good experience for others. Can't wait to go back!

I wont be back.
Reviewer: russ from sfv, CA
I heard about this place by evesdropping so I made a reservation for valentines day. When we got there I got a table right away. I asked for a high for my daughter and it took 30 min. to get one asking for it twice. The atmosphere was very nice. It seemed as if the waiter didnt want to be there cause he was such a rush to get our order. Plus we received a menu with only three choices not much of a selection. i ordered the filet mingon well done and my wife ordered the fish. Mine came back freshly chopped off the cow and the fish was still jumping. The check was preety pricey for what i didnt eat. Needless to say I definitely wont be back.

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