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Chef Karim's Moroccan Restaurant
1221 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 899-4780
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Reviews by the General Public
we love it!!!! , 12/9/2009
Reviewer: sarah
from Santa Barbara, CA
we just love everything over there, the eggplant thing you get in the appetizers is just the best thing on earth!!!!
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awesome, 11/7/2009
Reviewer: marina borges
from Santa Barbara, CA
uouuuu....
really wonderful experience !!
IT IS A MUST !
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Chef Karim is a fabulous cook, the most gracious host. , 10/10/2009
Reviewer: matt shanaberger
from Santa Barbara, CA
I rarely profess to say I so love this place that I hold Chef Karim in my heart as family. In reality, he is the kindest man in Santa Barbara and shares his gifts in the kitchen with our town like no other chef. BUT, in his kitchen he is a star in his own right. He understands Moroccan foods and the flavor shows that he knows his trade. The meal will be great fun, for all ages, and of course the belly-dancing and festivities make it memorable. But go there for the food! Real flavors. The honeyed lamb with prunes, the paprika rabbit, the chicken with olives are all wonderful. The brochette of tenderloin is marvelous in texture and flavor. I cant say enough, and close by sending our love to our friend Karim and hope you have a chance to go enjoy an evening discovering a truly special place in Santa Barbara for an exotic night of celebration.
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BEST DINNER EVER!, 8/31/2009
Reviewer: Ashley
from Santa Barbara, CA
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner and we had the absolute best time! The dim lighting and pillow lined seats make for a very romantic atmosphere. The menu looked pricey but we actually had a four course meal. Well worth the price! The belly dancing presentation made us feel like we had found a true hidden gem and gave a very unique and authentic feel. I also liked that Chef Karim himself was very involved with the diners and he even sat down and hung out with us or a bit. Overall, I was very impressed with my dining experience and will certainly return for another celebratory meal or fun girls night out.
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A TRUE GEM!!!!, 8/13/2009
Reviewer: Scott
from Santa Barbara, CA
Chef Karims is really a fantastic find! He makes it a point to come out and greet patrons and welcome them in as friends. The atmosphere makes you feel as if you are in Morocco. The food is delicious and there is a student menu to help make it affordable on certain nights( I think Wed, Thurs/ Sun). It is a real experience eating there and fun in a group! We are leaving town and it was the last place we wanted to go before leaving! He says that soon they will have breakfast Karim style. A true gem. THANKS CHEF KARIM!
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Wonderful Experience!, 6/10/2009
Reviewer: Cindy
from Jackson, MS
I am from Mississippi, and visited Chef Karim's restaurant with friends from Burbank. Since I had never eaten Moroccan cuisine before, I was unsure as to what I could expect. I was most pleasantly surprised. Without a doubt, this was some of the most delicious food I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy! The entertainment with Shalimar was superb - she makes you WANT to get up and dance! The restaurant's ambiance is great, and Chef Karim is most gracious. All in all, a perfect meal and a lovely evening.
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What a great and fun restaurant, 5/24/2009
Reviewer: Sue
from Burbank
We drove from Burbank to experience this really great restaurant.
The food was amazing and the service was top notch! Chef Karim came out at times to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. Where do you get that kind of attention?
The dancer, Shalimar,was wonderful. She put on a very enjoyable show. I had so much fun that I even went up to dance. Hated to see the evening end. I will take the trip up to Santa Barbara again and bring lots of my friends.
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3 Strikes you're out, 5/14/2009
Reviewer: D
from Santa Barbara, CA
I've gone to this place 3 times in the last year and a half and suspect that most positive reviews on this site must be spam. I can only describe the whole experience as being disappointing. Ergonomics, although extremely uncomfortable and not suited to eating, are authentic for establishments serving North African Cuisine. Service is rushed, food is tasteless and bland of spices but overly salted, and cost is exorbitant. There are so many fine dining extablishments in this town to enjoy, I will never return to Chef Karim's
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Real hospitality!, 3/22/2009
Reviewer: marla S Wilson
from Santa Barbara, CA
Here is a restaurant where they really welcome you. The food was lovely, lemon chicken , bestiilla,( which I could eat as a main course, nice yeasty bread for dipping, honey lamb. The owner remembers you and welcomes you. Unfortunately there is no sign on State street so finding it can be an adventure- how can they survive in this economy without a sign. Guess you have to be psychic, but if you are you will enjoy their dinner even if it is just two of you.
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good for parties not couples
Reviewer: Ann
from Washington, DC
We were in town and wanted something fun. With all the great restaurants here in Santa Barbara, we saw the reviews and this looked like a fun choice. However, the food was brought to us in a hurried manner and after the large party that arrived before us left, we were asked no less than 10 times if we were done yet. This is not the service that you expect for the expensive price. I think it would be good for large groups but probably wouldn't go again. I was also confused by the dessert -which was basically a cold basket of apples, oranges and nuts.
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Fantastic food and atmosphere!
Reviewer: John M.
from Santa Barbara, CA
Chef Karim's is fabulous; it had to be one of the best dinners I have had in Santa Barbara. The whole atmosphere is entertaining, the servers are nice and polite, and the belly dancing is great. I was apprehensive about dining at a Moroccan restaurant, but the food was amazing. I really liked the 'eating w/ your hands'. For our main course, my wife and I had the beef skewers and the prawns skewers. Both were full of flavor and delicious. The separate courses were all delicious as well. I especially enjoyed the chicken pastry course. Overall, it was a very romantic, fun night. I recommend it to any person who is looking for an entertaining and enjoyable night. We left in fantastic moods and chatted about coming back again soon!
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Over Priced and under Serviced
Reviewer: Ken
from Los Angeles
I had read all of the glowing reviews on this place and decided to give it a try. What I found was for the first three dishes to be average at best and the dessert to be confusing...What do you do with a bowl of whole fruit and a thousand nuts? I liked the lamb, but thought the service during the whole dinner was scattered and overwhelmed. The inconsistency of service and overpriced five course meal was this restaurants downfall and is the reason we won't go back.
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Very good value, special hospitality
Reviewer: Tom Tollefsen
from Glen Ellen, CA
First time visitors to this restaurant; on a short trip from Northern California. The food was very good, with complex and balanced seasonings --- flaky chicken bastilla, rabbit with peppers, lamb with honey and prunes --- and not stingy "small bites". Our bellies and palates were well satisfied. But the extra ingredients were Chef Karim and his lovely bellydancer(s), who go out of their way to extend Moroccan hospitality. Perhaps because we showed genuine interest in the culture, they returned often to our table to converse, but were in no way obtrusive. If you wanted to be left alone, you would be. But we enjoyed their personal stories and found it added to the experience. And the dancing is a plus. Highly recommended on all counts.
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Vegan friendly!
Reviewer: Jen
from Goleta, CA
I went here six years ago before I became vegan, and didn't think I'd ever be back. Then I checked out their website and found to my surprise that they cater to vegetarians and vegans! There are two veg "feasts" and they can make their appetizers vegan too! We just sat down and said "we're vegan" and they took care of us. But be aware, they didn't realize honey is not vegan and served us honey-dipped cookies, which was politely taken away when I pointed this out to our server.
Other than the delicious vegan food, it's such a fun restaurant, lively music and belly dancing, a great place for a date or a big group. Now if only they would bring back the Moroccan coffee!!!
Thank you Chef Karim's for being veggie friendly!
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Great food and service
Reviewer: Whitney
from Oklahoma
I am from Oklahoma. When I came here with my husband(then boyfriend) I was amazed. The service was great and the food was out of this world. When we come to visit my inlaws this is a place that I always want to come to. (This place is also great because this is where my husband proposed to me)
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I'm haunted to come back!
Reviewer: Dulce
from Oxnard, Ca
My husband surprised me last year for our fourth wedding anniversay (3/8)dinner at this place. The whole experience was awesome!The food is fantastic! Fr. the appetizer to the dessert, its heavenly. For the whole year I always wanna come back and I brag about it to all of my friends. Now a friend is visiting us here in Oxnard from Chicago, I'll bring her and some other friends to the place on Sat.(3/8/08)I'm so excited!The belly dancer is very entertaining.Some kids danced w/ her by the end of the performance. I could just picture out my kids doing the same when they're bigger.I also appreciate the chef going to each table to talk to the dinners after the meal.
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