Arch Rock Fish Santa Barbara.com

Control Panel

Arch Rock Fish 608 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara Phone: (805) 845-2800 Category: Seafood Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm Chef: Scott Leibfried Price: $20+ Serving: Lunch & Dinner Reservations: No Map Web Site Menu Write a review of this location!

Reviews by the General Public

good but..., 4/2/2013
Reviewer: aug from Santa Barbara, CA
had the crab feast for dinner 14.95 its not... its not what it says on web site nickel and dime you for every thing. good but wouldnt recomend it . april 2.2013

Carpe Sodium, 3/14/2013
Reviewer: Greg & Yukari from Santa Barbara, CA
Nice place, good location, fresh seafood, fine beer and wine. This could be good “neighborhood joint” with some tweaks: Salt is good. I like anchovies, Vietnamese fish sauce, and the occasional margarita. But there can be too much of a good thing. Cioppino: salty. Crab cakes: salty. Swordfish: salty. Even the veggies and mashed potatoes were alkaline. We are both suffering from burning eyes now. The vivid photos of the pounding surf only threw salt in the wound. To customers: Try saying you’re on a low sodium diet. To the chef: There are giant vessels of sel de mer on each table. Are they strictly ornamental? We will try you again next year.

very nice for lunch, 1/31/2013
Reviewer: chris from Santa Barbara, CA
We had the calamari and cioppino Power Lunches, meaning half portions plus choice of salad or chowder for ten bucks. Both the mixed green and Cesar salads were fresh and tasty. Calamari wasn't exceptional, but a tangy dipping sauce added zest so it was just fine. Cioppino was very flavorful with good assortment of seafood and a piece of garlic toast. Portions were plenty for mid-day, and service was prompt. Shall return.

great happy hour, 12/29/2012
Reviewer: sam from Santa Barbara, CA
i like to go here for happy hour maybe once a week, here in santa barbara i dont believe in the harsh critic, this place is great u can sit on the outside patio get a beer n a fancy grilled cheese we usually get a fish taco or two ... think about it next time your in the area.

Food not Good, 9/1/2012
Reviewer: Ben from Santa Barbara, CA
We were detoured from Dargans to finally try Arch Rock on a last minute decision in the parking garage. We really wanted to like the place, but honestly the food was not good. The under grilled bass entree was sitting solo on the plate covered in stale olive paste and "salsa." The seafood cobb salad was not fresh, esp the shrimp and scallops (which all ended up untouched at the bottom of the bowl). The waitress clearly didn't pick up on our obvious dissatisfaction. So sorry that Arch Rock "Fish" will not be one of our future dining spots.

fish A+, 8/19/2012
Reviewer: Mike F. from Santa Barbara, CA
The service was fantastic and the fish was very good, however, three tiny pieces of asparagus, are you kidding? Ceasar salad seving size is half what it should be. How much does romaine lettuce cost? Clam chouder was proper size, price and good. Best apple pie I have ever eaten. They said "mom makes the pies" and I believe them. That was no store bought pie.

Awesome Cioppino, 7/28/2012
Reviewer: VT from Santa Barbara, CA
We ended up here for dinner because there was an hour wait at the Boathouse on a tuesday night(?). We were seated right away(nice)and our cocktails arrived in a timely manner and were very refreshing. Our waitress was very pleasent and the food was very good. I would definetly return on a frequent basis for the Cioppino. Best I've ever had, filled with lots of fish,shrimp,mussles and lobster. The seabass was cooked perfectly but the 'salsa w green olives' it was served with just didn't taste good at all. Go for the Cioppino, you won't regret it.

Local???? I don't think so, 7/23/2012
Reviewer: Nisha from Santa Barbara, CA
The reviews here are mixed, I decided to think positive and give it a try. I am sorry that I did. The food was less than mediocre and definitely not fresh or local. The truffle tots were the only almost-saving grace, but I make those at home, so really nothing special. The service was abysmal. Slow, informal, forgetful. They are trying so hard to have a "casual" feel to the service that you feel forgotten and it feels contrived at best. They are trying to make an L.A. restaurant feel and sound local and are way off the mark. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

Great Food and Service, 7/18/2012
Reviewer: Glenn from Buellton
Was not sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised at the food. The miso cod and the salmon were very amazing. The veggies were great too. The ambience is really nice too. The waitress was spot on good. On the negative side(which was overwhelmed by the positive)I'll have to thrown in the following: The cornbread was more like crumblebread, needs work, the serving sizes could have been a bit bigger(order sides if really hungry) and the windows have some insect problems(don't sit by the windows). Overall a great place to try. The seating is vast there in the back. Apparently an associate of Gordon Ramsey owns the place.

Bad Experience with Travel Zoo Voucher
Reviewer: Barbara Henry from Santa Barbara, CA
I will not be returning to Arch Rock Fish. We wanted to order a starter, Crab Cakes and were told they were out of them, we then decided on Fried Clams and were told they were out! We chose a third item and the waiter explained that they actually were not out but we could not substitute any item more expensive even if we wanted to pay the extra cost, which we would have been more than willing to do! Poor customer service. Why not a Travel Zoo pre-fix menu? This embarrassing moment could have been avoided. I was embarrassed in front of my guest! No table cloths were on the table, the bread was not heated and our waiter served our Key Lime Pie to be eaten with spoons! Good-Bye Arch Rock Fish! Never again!

Disappointed
Reviewer: Deb from Santa Barbara, CA
I'd heard good things about this place and my husband had enjoyed it previously. The waiter seemed distracted and was unfamiliar with the evening's specials. He also didn't bring our drinks/meals in a timely way. Some of the entrees were cool, as if they had sat out until other entrees were ready. Our party had sole, salmon, seared tuna and trout. The sole was OK, but the trout was mushy and the tuna pretty flavorless. Because of the problem with the drinks, they gave us free dessert. The apple pie was soggy. The best thing was the McConnell's ice cream. Next time we crave fish, we'll go elsewhere.

Yum !
Reviewer: Louise from Santa Barbara, CA
Have been to arch rock fish 4 or 5 times in the last three months and it just keep getting better and better ....keep up the good food ! Fresh food with great flavours I would highly recommend arch rock fish .

fabulous
Reviewer: c clute from Laquinta, CA
By chance we went here because our Valentine reservation became a price fixed menu at another restaurant. The Arch Rock Fish had an open menu. We arrived with no reservations and were open to waiting for any available seating. We sat at the bar and was served by Darci - she was fantastic. I had the cioppino and my wife had spaghetti and clams. The food was oozing with taste and service was impeccable.Go don't waste time and have fun with taste and service. 5stars charlie

Wonderful Saturday Night
Reviewer: Tim from Santa Barbara, CA
My wife and I went to Arch this Saturday...It was so much fun. A great atmosphere and fun vibe. Even though it was busy, we got a table right away, and best of all the food was great. We started off with appetizers of mussels. My first time. They are really good! For dinner I had the Ahi -- it was sublime...seared to perfection...My wife had the fish and chips --perfectly done...I shouldn't have finished all her fries though... After our feast from the ocean we had to split desert...Can't skip desert. We had the apple pie...wow...The pie had a wonderful texture. A slightly caramelized crust, and a la mode of course... We both really had a great time. The wait staff was attentive and responsive, and made sure our desires were met throughout every course...We left full and satisfied :)

I liked this place
Reviewer: Mike F. from Santa Barbara, CA
ALL the people in my party liked the food and server was just great, I think his name was Rob. I didn't want the bussel sprouts that came with my dinner and it was no problem to have a salad instead. Better to set in the front than the 'isolation booths' in back.

excellent seafood
Reviewer: Sierra from Goleta, CA
We had a great meal here on Christmas Eve. Here's what we had: Moscow Mule, 2 Manhattans, Garlic Shrimp, 2 house salads, Miso Cod, Grilled Wild Bass, Arch Rock Sundae. Everything was well prepared, including drinks. The best dishes were the shrimp (which was huge, cooked perfectly, and nicely sauced) and the cod, which I had no real expectations for because I've never had it prepared so nicely, but was delicious and delicate with a light, sweet miso sauce. I could have skipped the ice cream in the sundae in favor of the caramelized bananas, which were yummy. All of this was only $100 pre-tip, which I think is a good price for the quality of the seafood. The staff was attentive and the meal was really good so I will go back.

Third Time's a Charm
Reviewer: Scott Schwartz from Santa Barbara, CA
We've now been to ARF (ew,.. too close to being a really bad acronym) three times. We arrived at 6:30pm - the place wasn't too crowded, though being a Friday night, it became so as the evening grew. I ordered the Miso Cod,it was perfect. My wife had the seafood cobb salad, and we shared oysters. The service was great, the drinks were good. We're so happy to report that considering our first experience was fabulous, but our second was awful. Our third visit turned out to be really nice, and one that I'd recommend. So there you go, 2/3 ain't bad. We will return.

twice not as nice
Reviewer: Michael from Santa Barbara, CA
Oh my, oh my, what a difference a few months makes. Loving our first experience at Arch Rock we insisted on taking some of town guests to enjoy the restaurant as we did. It was not to be. We were seated in the back of the establishment (who knew how big it was) and I'm pretty sure we were forgotten about - our waitress seemed to be angry at something. Service was a zero. We all ordered various salads, all seemed to have wilted lettuce - even the cabbage on the Ahi chop salad. Though I was most bummed about our service,.. how hard is a smile? I think it might be a while before a third visit.

Don't believe the hype
Reviewer: Gwyn from Santa Barbara, CA
My family took me here to celebrate my birthday, not just any birthday, one of the big ones. My husband called ahead for reservations for 6 and made sure they knew it was a special occasion. When we arrived, there were multiple hostesses, but we were told they couldn't seat us, someone else had to. When we were shown to our seat, right next to a special event, there were overflow items on the table from the event and we had to wait to have the table cleared. Our drink orders were taken, and then the server disappeared for 20 minutes. Eventually our drinks and appetizers arrived and the meals were ordered. Two of the entrees didn't make it to the table until 10 minutes after everyone else was served, my side dish didn't arrive until I was 2/3 of the way through my dinner. When my husband asked where my side was, the server replied, "Everyone knows how to cook, except on Sunday." Drinks were not refilled, the server didn't check on us and the special event kept overflowing in noise and commotion next to our table. Eventually the server returned and weakly asked if we wanted dessert, clearly hoping we wouldn't. We ordered desserts and coffee, when the sweets arrived my family started singing to me - which was delightful. About five minutes later the coffees arrived and at the table right next us received a lovely dessert complete with the requisite candle. I know my husband went to a lot of trouble making sure the restaurant knew this was my birthday, so to have them drop the ball at our table and very nicely handle a birthday at the very next table was just the final straw. The only thing that came quickly was the bill. I wrote the management about these problems, but didn't receive the courtesy of a reply. So, if you are looking for a great night out, skip Arch Rock Fish. They don't live up to the hype.

Very inconsistant food and weak drinks
Reviewer: Dave from Santa Barbara, CA
I go here pretty often because of the cheap happy hour...and every time I get bad service or bad food I swear I wont come back, but then I have great food and a great drink and I am sucked in again! I always order the sushi roll that is on the happy hour menu and every single time it is different. Once a friend at our table ordered it, as did I, and they looked totally different. Hers was pretty and nicely made with a salad ontop of it, and mine looked thrown on the plate with no salad. Bummer. My $3 wine was the size of a tasting portion. Our server kept forgetting to bring my chop sticks and soy sauce bowl, I finally just ate the food without them. I really want to like this place but they drop the ball all too often.

All Show
Reviewer: Staci P. from Santa Barbara, CA
I would like to confirm yet another bad experience at Arch Rock Fish. There appears to be great culinary skill in the kitchen that can't be backed up by the rest of the dining experience. I feel that the restaurant makes a presentation of itself that ends up being a facade. Huge wall of wine, yet a poor and overpriced selection. Stale bread. Very small portions. A waitress we have to find before we can notify her that she forgot to bring part of the meal, so we were left eating a plate of green beans after the rest of the meal had been eaten. There was no offer to make it up to us by comping the side dish or adding anything. Costs a fortune and not worth it.

We had a really good experience
Reviewer: Mike L from Santa Barbara, CA
My wife and I dropped in Saturday late afternoon for a shared early bite and quick drink. We asked our server "Amanda" for some ideas. She suggested the Ceasar Salad followed by Cioppino - I was reluctant but my wife as intrigued by the fish soup. I think the Ceasar was the best I've ever eaten. The garlic roasted tomatoes were divine, the dressing was perfectly proportioned on the lettuce. But the surprise winner for me was the Cioppino. An absolute must have when we return again (soon). The broth was so wonderful. The fish, shrimp, lobster and mussels etc were cooked perfectly, it was fantastic and I'm not a huge fish fan. The broth is what made this so amazing. For drinks; my wife ordered the El Presidio which was a really refreshing pear vodka and grapefruit concoction. I stuck with something in my comfort zone, and that was a Telegraph ale. The food was very good and our server was excellent. The atmosphere was active but not too loud. I would recommend our experience to anyone, and hope to repeat it as well again soon.

Arch Rock Fish Rocks!
Reviewer: Barbara from Santa Barbara, CA
I've eaten here twice and each time found the food and service consistently superior. The wait staff are well informed and personable. My sister in law and I asked questions and our server was patient, friendly and helpful. We bought an advance "deal" and weren't made to feel second class because of it. The inventive drinks, appealing appetizers and delicious main courses were all presented thoughtfully and creatively. Our shared dessert was heaven on a plate. I can't wait to return.

Trouble at Arch Rock?
Reviewer: todd from Santa Barbara, CA
I recently recommended Arch Rock when some family came to town; I had always been impressed with their professionalism and I loved the lobster roll. The evening began with a warning; one of our party ordered a Firestone beer and they told us they were out of it. I was stunned; I made a joke about the restaurant not being able to pay its bills since Firestone is local and must be a prime profit-maker; the waiter almost turned green and stammered an unintelligible reply. Then when we ordered our dinners, they were out of multiple entrees; all of a sudden what was intended as a joke seemed all too plausible. The evening was capped when the waiter forget to submit two of our orders, and so we had six entrees appear 10 minutes prior to the last two--they comped us an appetizer in compensation. Still the professionalism that was so apparent when they opened has been replaced by desperation.

everything good well almost
Reviewer: Mike F from Santa Barbara, CA
The food was very good. The staff very friendly and good service. The restaurant is surpisingly large but a bit too austere. I did feel like we were in an isolaton booth in the back area. Food is good enough that I would go back.

Have you eaten here? Write a review of this location! Terms of Service