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Jade
3132 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 563-2007
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Reviews by the General Public
OMG best place in town!, 11/30/2009
Reviewer: Gustavo L.
from Santa Barbara, CA
Small restaurant where the Amazing Chef often comes out and greets you personally. Try the Mongolian BBQ ribs at an amazing price as well as the ravioli with an Asian twist it's an org**m to say the least. Come in through the ally in the back (additional parking) and you will set the mood for a PERFECT date. My absolute favorite place in town.
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Consider this my neighborhood restaurant!, 10/15/2009
Reviewer: Michelle
from Santa Barbara, CA
I don't even live in the neighborhood :) Jade just has super yummy, inventive food and a really nice staff. The service isn't always perfect, but the personality and friendliness make up for it. If ever there's a special occasion, I make sure to go to Jade.
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Amazing Chicken and Goat Cheese Ravioli , 10/7/2009
Reviewer: Cris
from Santa Barbara, CA
Amazing food! You must try the Chicken and Goat Cheese Ravioli! It was incredible.
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The worst meal I have ever had...ever, 10/2/2009
Reviewer: Carole Rayor
from Redondo Beach, Ca
I visited Santa Barbara last week. I researched the restaurants that I thought would be great dining experiences (price was not considered). Jade was on that list. I went there early. No one was there...gosh, this should have been a warning! I asked for their signature dish..the waiter told me it was the pulled pork dish...it sounded interesting...so I said okay. The pork did NOT have any flavor..infact I thought...this pork must have been sitting in water for days..not even a broth...tasteless. The sweet potatoes were mashed and also tasted watery without any flavor...the snap peas were wrinkled without flavor...HONESTLY....THIS IS THE TOP OF MY LIST FOR THE WORST MEAL THAT I HAVE EVER HAD...NUMBER ONE!!! I can not believe this was just a bad night. Everything about their food was wrong.
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Definitely recommend!, 8/27/2009
Reviewer: Christine
from Charlottesville, VA
I went to Jade with a celebratory group last week and we loved it! The food was great--the ribs, shrimp potstickers and corn fritters were the highlights along with the gooey butter cake for dessert. My shrimp chow mein entree was nice too and the wine list had lots of options. Most of all, the staff was extremly accommodating of our large group. I think I speak for everyone--we highly recommend it!
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One of My Favorite Places, 7/17/2009
Reviewer: Mari Martin
from Santa Barbara, CA
I love Jade, pure and simple. It's got fresh food cooked with a pan-asian flair that is different and delicious. (Favs: corn fritters, ribs, nakaoi salad, salmon special, spring rolls, and risotto) The service can be a bit slow at times, yes, but they've always been kind, not over-attentive (don't like that), and knowledgeable. The owner/chef loves his work and you can tell. He'll frequently come out and talk with customers...a true labor of love. I highly recommend this place.
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One of my favorites, but..., 7/1/2009
Reviewer: Camille Mason
from Santa Barbara, CA
I come to Jade often, and am often compelled to bring new people in for what I regard as high quality, innovative, and well priced cuisine. However, what I'm sometimes hesitant about is the quality of service: its so so hit-and-miss. Last night, my dirty salad plate was left around for 20 minutes after I was done, nearby tables were not bussed, and I had to request my water be refilled.
Jade management-- please either hire a (1) busser, or (2) some more experienced or just MORE waitstaff. I know its a small restaurant and probably doesn't always need two servers, but the experience would go from a 7 to a 10 if the service was more reliable.
LOVE the indonesian corn fritters and the kalua pork, by the wa.
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great neighborhood spot, 6/23/2009
Reviewer: Nancy Wahl
from Santa Barbara, CA
I've been a loyal fan of Jade's for many years. Their dishes are primarily Asian-Californian fusion, with strong hints of Italy, and some original creations thrown in – a wonderful eclectic mix. Best of all, they're not a chain; the owner is the chef, and he frequently comes out to say hello. A delightful neighborhood hangout. My only suggestion is that they break out of their salmon-mahi mahi-pork specials now and then. How about Albacore? Flank steak? Shrimp?
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A hidden gem, 6/14/2009
Reviewer: dan
from Santa Barbara, CA
Have become a Jade regular - typically once a month or so. You can't beat the food quality - even at restaurants that are far pricier. Service is adequate but on the slow side. Don't plan dinner at Jade if you are in a hurry for the theater.
The wine list is small, but excellent. Also, they allow you to order by the glass from the entire list. This allows the luxury of matching various wines to individual courses.
Thankfully for us, the tourists have not discovered this hidden gem.
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Great Cuisine and Service! , 6/12/2009
Reviewer: Reno
from Santa Barbara, CA
The food was is a very well rounded mix of Asian and California cuisine. One member of their wait staff has more personality than any other waiter I have ever met. It's a truly fun experience to dine at Jade. Looking forward to my next visit!
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Excellent Food in Understated Surroundings, 5/14/2009
Reviewer: Paul
from Santa Barbara, CA
First time to Jade and I can see what the fuss is all about. The food was excellent. Great place with a small menu with very creative dishes. Had a great lamb dish in an amazing home made sauce. Desert was creative and delicious too. Like the menu, wine list is small but excellent. Inside is understated, and it's location is certainly a sleeper, right next to a few dive bars on upper state. Very cool sneaky local place to go. Our service wasn't outstanding, a few mistakes here and there, but our server may have been pretty new, and was quick to correct mistakes. We don't eat out much at pricer places like this, so this was a excelelnt under $100 meal for a couple.
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A perfect romantic evening, 3/28/2009
Reviewer: Chris Fowler
from Santa Barbara, CA
We live a stone's throw from Jade; so already a winner as we can walk and therefore both drink. This was our second visit to Jade and we chose the five course tasting menu. The wines paired with the food by Brent (the sommelier) were not what we'd have typically chosen but they complimented the food perfectly. The food was delicious and we enjoyed learning about the wine selection as the evening progressed. Jade is unassuming from the outside; but don't judge the book by its cover! We'll return...
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It is a gem, 3/3/2009
Reviewer: Jill Brouillard
from Santa Barbara, CA
Dined last night again at Jade. This is what a restaurant should be, casual, friendly and food that is both unique and delicious. Dustin is a one man show and the service is attentive and unpretentious. This is one Mom & Pop restaurant that rises above the rest. Dine at this wonderful little dinner house and come away satisfied, with a smile and little extra change left in your pocket. Have a little fun at dinner and support this little gem!
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Great owners, good food, 3/2/2009
Reviewer: Nicole
from Santa Barbara, CA
The service here was spotty but our waiter was really nice and explained that a few large parties had arrived late so they all sat down at once. He seemed to be the only server in the restaurant and as an ex-waitress I fully understood. I shared the sampler, it was good but the wontons were really out of this world. The best thing on that plate! I had the scallops and my bf had the salmon. The salmon was ok, not great, not bad. The scallops were a little charred on one side but they seemed to be having problems with their grill. I got a side of curry sauce and they were delicius! The best part of the meal (besides the wontons) was the apple crisp. The apple crisp is amazing! I'm going to give this place another try, maybe just for appetizers and dessert.
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Good experience, but not because of the restaurant..., 2/24/2009
Reviewer: Nancy
from Santa Barbara, CA
We made a 7:30 reservation on a Friday night. We arrive at 7:29 only to be completely ignored by the wait staff, the hostess must have been off that night as there was none to be found. We were just about to leave when a waiter finally acknowleged our presence and said they would have a table for us soon. It was curious that there were 2 open tables right in front of us...hmmm. While we were waiting for an available table, another group of 3 people came in who had been there earlier, having shown up without a reservation and were told to return at 7:30 as there would "definitely" be seating by then. They were subsequentaly told that they would be seated momentarily. As we stood in the small entryway we started to talk to the other group. As it turns out we had a lot in common and the conversation flowed. By the time our 7:30 reservation table was available at sometime after 8pm we had established quite a connection with the other 3 patrons and decided we would like to be seated together for dinner. Then we were directed to a table that had been open from the time we arrived...hmmm. The wine list was more than adequate and the meals were very good. They even included a desert (which we didn't order) for someone in our group who had a birthday and they sent the chef out to talk to us after the rest of the place was empty. Overall I would say the food was better than average, the wait staff was overworked, and because of the fact that we made new friends of the people we were waiting with it will go down as one of our better experiences in a restaurant. So my suggestion is, be open and upbeat and you never know what will happen!!!
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Better than before
Reviewer: Flor
from Santa Barbara, CA
We went back after a long layoff. Mostly because the service last time was atrocious 2 years ago, but the food was still good and our daughter visiting ewanted to eat there. We went, adn the problems are solved. The food is still great. The service is impeccable. We joined the mailing list, and will be going back quite as often as we can. I reccomend that no one miss out on this little hidden gem!
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Won a date dinner from the radio.
Reviewer: K. Smith
from Santa Barbara, CA
I won a dinner off one of the local radio stations $ 40 off, I brought my friend in to join me. They had a table ready for us, I noticed at our table the wine glasses were unique from the other tables. Our waiter was in his mid-twenty's, very professional, but most of all made sure we enjoyed our experience at Jade. The wine list was a little overwhelming of all the wines we wanted to taste. Food was so delicious, we are looking forward to returning this week.
Thanks Jade!
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Excellent food, very good, friendly service.
Reviewer: Josh Stewart-Oaten
from Santa Barbara, CA
Had a wonderful dinner on 9/12 with my family. Both myself and my father had the lamb ragout (perfectly cooked lamb, vegetables blended very well with the garlic mashed potatoes and formed a very pleasant whole) while my mother had the grilled scallops (which were also perfectly cooked - I usually don't like scallops, but these were quite to my liking) which were, she felt (and I agreed) were in slightly too sweet of a sauce. We opted to try some desserts, which were also very good (unfortunately, too rich for us, as I was 'forced' to take a small amount of their chocolate cake home).
Brent, our waiter, was courteous, humerous and very prompt. Within 5 minutes of seating us, he had brought us water and some rather tasty rosemary bread. Throughout the meal, both Brent and the owner/chef came by our table to check up on us (and all of the other tables) and ask if we needed anything else. Brent had suggestions for the meal as well as the dessert. The only slight knock on their service was that service slowed down a bit towards the end, when 7 tables finished essentially at once. With just the one waiter, we were waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour for our receipt.
In short, the food and service were excellent, and while our bill was fairly substantial (one appetizer, three main meals and *cough* 2 desserts as well as drinks) the cost was accompanied by food to match. We will return.
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Very Happy
Reviewer: Helen
from Santa Barbara, CA
This was a very interesting place. The food is filling and delicious, with the only minor down being that there are so many flavors that it gets a little overwhelming if you eat too many things. The restaurant was full on a Tuesday (they are only open on Tuesday thru saturday)and there was one waiter, Brent. We had four people and the service even with about 20 other people was still perfect. The food was delicious, and it turned out there is only one cook - the owner Justin! Two people running the restaurant without mistakes is unheard of. Talent, delicious food, and a nice local atmosphere. Very amazing. We are now on the mailing list for the restaurant, and will be back regularly. Try it if you havent, because otherwise you are missing out.
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Not Sure What to Expect...
Reviewer: Karen
from Santa Barbara
..but now we know. The food is very good, and original, and the ability of the staff is really astounding. We dined last night and had to wait a few minutes (the restaurant was full on a Wednesday), and were amazed to find out that there was one waiter and one cook - the owners. These two are a perfect team, and produce an amazing product. We really felt like we were in someone's living room. I have read some of these other reviews, the few that seem negative, and it seems like the few people that were negative just didn't bother to ask. My husband is very difficult, and Brent (our waiter) and the cook (Justin)made it feel very easy. If you didn't like it before, go again.
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Exceptional Food, great value, outstanding service
Reviewer: L J Steppan
from Santa Barbara
Every month my freinds and I have dinner at a different restaurant in town. I was pleasantly surprised by Jade. The food was exceptional, as well as the service. I wanted to try everything on the memu. There was nothing I would not have ordered. I had that evenings special Mahi-Mahi in coconut basil cream. Prices were reasonable and portions adequate. I can't wait to go back again.
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