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Emilio's
324 W. Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 966-4426
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Reviews by the General Public
Best Dinner & Service, 11/10/2009
Reviewer: Marna
from Toluca Lake, CA
My friend & I had dinner at Emilo's for the first time Sun. night ... the service was the best. Everyone was attentive, professional & friendly. The food was outstanding ... really good! I had the slow cooked pork which melted in my mouth .. my friend had the steak & raved about it. Very very good!
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Disappointed Yet Again, 10/2/2009
Reviewer: Joan
from Santa Barbara, CA
I like to give restaurants a few tries before I write them off...well, sadly, I'm writing Emilio's off. I have given them chance after chance, mainly because the food's been good...but the service! The service is horrendous! My friend arrived a few minutes early for our reservation, our table was ready, and she proceeded to sit for over 10 minutes (I was a few minutes late) without anyone coming to ask if she'd like a drink...or even bringing water! The place was not too busy. When I arrived the waiter was at the table finally asking her if she'd like something to drink. I sat down and the waiter walked away, not bothering to ask me if I'd like anything to drink. This waiter has been at Emilio's for YEARS. I truly can't understand why. Again, I am not some jerk who rails at servers...I used to serve myself, I know it can be difficult..but this was ridiculous.
We noticed our table was really "wobbly" and when the waiter came back to take our order, we asked if we could have a sugar packet or something to stabilize the table. He forgot and when a different server (maybe a busser?) brought our food to the table we asked him. Oh, and I ordered a steak and was not brought a steak knife. I asked for one when the waiter came back with a cork to put under the table and he brought a knife quickly. (This waiter--busser--was kind..we'd wished we had him!) My steak was good, and my friend's pork was delicious. My steak however, had so much gristle that 1/4 of it was inedible. Sad. But it was tasty. We were left alone, the server coming back only once 1 minute into the meal. He came back long after we were finished and asked if we'd like dessert. We did. It was delicious. After we finished our dessert, we then had to wait over 25 minutes for our check.
Not ok. Esp. because the place was not busy. It's one thing to let people have their time and sit and relax, it's another to forget about them. This waiter is obviously a staple at Emilio's. I would say that maybe he was having a bad night, but I've had him before and had the same awful service.
The food is still good, but because of the terrible service, I will not be back.
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Amazing food!, 9/8/2009
Reviewer: Theo
from Santa Barbara, CA
Great food and knowledgeable staff. The chef is creative and his menu offers interesting twists on standard Italian fare. One example of this is the ahi tuna cones appetizer - you HAVE to taste these to believe them! Also, try the paella - it is the best in Santa Barbara.
The service is great. The waiter we had has been working there for something like 16 years.
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Great food, service and prices!!!, 8/14/2009
Reviewer: Heath Greenwell
from Santa Barbara, CA
Went to dinner with my family at Emilio's. The service was superb! We took children and they were very accomodating. The salads were amazing. The slow roasted pork was like eating gourmet bbq, melts in your mouth! The prices were very reasonable. Starters are $10, flatbread and pastas $15 and main courses $20, combined with a fine house DePaolo zinfindel made for a fine dining experience. I would recommend Emilio's to anyone.
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Emilio's back in the action, 8/5/2009
Reviewer: Andy & Dolly Granatelli
from Santa Barbara, CA
After reading the reviews, we reluctantly accepted an invitation from friends to go to dinner at Emilio's. We were really surprised how good the food and service were on Thursday, July 23. The homemade mozzarella cheese and home- grown heirloom tomatoes with basil (caprese)and the flatbread sausage pizza were as good as it gets. The deserts were equally as good. We were also pleasantly surprised at their new lower prices. We can honestly say it was great food and service and we are going back again.
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NOT GREAT FOLKS!, 7/21/2009
Reviewer: TAMARA
from Santa Barbara, CA
ON JULY 19TH I HAD DINNER AT EMILIOS WITH A FRIEND. WE BOTH WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED. THE WAITER WAS EXTREMELY SLOW AND WE HAD TO ASK FOR EVERYTHING FROM ADDITIONAL SILVERWARE TO ANOTHER GLASS OF WINE. MY FRIEND HAD EATEN HERE A MONTH AGO AND WAS SO UPSET WITH THE STEAK. THIS MONTH THE STEAK WAS HALF THE SIZE AND NOT AS GOOD. MY GNOCCHI AND SHRIMP - WELL, THE GNOCCHI AND SHRIMP WERE BARELY THERE.
THEY NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, QUICKLY!
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Great Experience, 7/18/2009
Reviewer: Nikki
from Santa Barbara, CA
I just dined here a few hours ago and enjoyed it very much. We had the Panzanella and Cesar salads. We also had the Grilled Local Sea Bass and Paella. The warm apple tarte tartin for dessert was AMAZING!! The service was fantastic, we had the best waiter and the staff was wonderful. Maybe my expectations are lower than the reviewers below me, but I had a great time.
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expected much better, 6/11/2009
Reviewer: Scott
from Santa Barbara, CA
The menu looks intriguing, but the execution of some of the dishes was questionable. For what you pay (~$30/entree), I expect a *much* higher standard of food. The chicken was burnt in the pasta that we had for a first dish. The halibut special for a main was pointedly awful-- dry and overcooked, bland, and with very freezer-aisle-tasting julienned veggies. The salmon main was better but still unbalanced-- gobs of goat cheese and what seemed like marmalade jelly overpowered it. For the amount of money, much better food can be found elsewhere.
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In serious decline, 5/4/2009
Reviewer: John
from Santa Barbara, CA
Like every other recent reviewer, we had a bad experience. The service was poor, the portions small, the prices absurd and the food a mixed bag at best (avoid the scallops - $30 for five the size of quarters). Definitely not worth the attitude. The tall waiter with the pony tail became very brusque when we didn't order cocktails or appetizers. Used to be regulars, but can't imagine we'll be back.
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Overall Just a Bad Experience!, 3/30/2009
Reviewer: Jessica
from Santa Barbara, CA
Went into Emilio's one evening with high expectations; after all they claim to be one of the best Italian restaurants in town. Nothing about our dinner was good, to say the least! I have never had such horrible salmon in my life, it's creamy texture and awful aftertaste was absolutely atrocious. The others in my party were not satisfied either, each of our dishes firmly lacked flavor, and weren't even very warm when they were delivered, even the cream brulee left something to be desired. The service was severely lacking as well. Our waiter was uninviting and awkward. He didn't seem to care that we were giving him business, I felt as if we were inconveniencing them and they weren't even busy. The bus boy though was very friendly and attentive unlike the waiter which was a plus. I just can't fathom how they are still in business, it was just awful! 30 plus dollars a plate for horrendous food just isn't worth it, especially when SB has so many other great restaurants, don't waste your money here.
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Not worth it, 3/17/2009
Reviewer: micky bitzko
from Santa Barbara, CA
Gnocci when good is like clouds, when bad---like emilios. I loved Emilio. There is a disconnect here between what you will expect and what you get in service and food....and VERY overpriced. The food was weak. Overpriced and disappointing. The bill for three people was $300. That was a total of three drinks at the table, not per person. That is enough detail for me not to return to the rest. To me it is an equation of cost versus what you get for it. I don't mind spending $75/person is the food rates it. I also enjoy spending $4.50 at Lilys....I have different expectations there.
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Service and food not worth the money!!!!, 3/10/2009
Reviewer: Mel
from Santa Barbara, CA
Server was awful: we had to ask for specials, he refused to look into lobster special that was overheard offered, ordered, then later delivered to table next to us, obviously annoyed when we ordered starter cocktails, unfriendly, messed up our order (wrong sides, overcooked meat), then took too long to deliver our bottle of wine so that we had to let our dinner sit, picking at it until it arrived. We will not go back unless younger water guy takes his position (he was nice, funny and helpful to everyone). It was my birthday celebration so we did not complain as we didn't want to let him ruin our evening since questioning him about special at the beginning of our meal seemed to get him angry with us. Not worth $167 for appetizer, cocktail, wine, and main course for two!
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Wonderful Local Fine Dining!, 12/1/2008
Reviewer: Tilly Govender
from Santa Barbara, CA
Emilio's is our long time local favorite. After a long absence, we celebrated an anniversary with our daughters over dinner on Saturday evening. We had an amazing, unforgettable dinner starting with cocktails, an array of appetizers and entrees and a delightful dessert platter. The salmon, scallops and lamb entrees were simply delicious and the presentation of each course was a culinary delight. Our dining experience was a memorable one and we send our thanks and compliments to Chef Pete and our wait staff. We will try not to stay away for too long!
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overpriced, 11/21/2008
Reviewer: mdc
from laguna beach
two desserts and one drink $41.00. Way overboard. Had lunch and two drinks up the street for much less.
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Emilios is slipping!
Reviewer: Kristine
from Santa Barbara, CA
My boyfriend and I have eaten at Emilios quite a few times. The past three times we have been there the food was ugh and the service was terrible. The server acts like he can't be bothered and we only saw him twice during our last time at Emilios. The food has been getting progressively worse each time we go. Stay away from the Paella and the sword fish, it was so disgusting we didn't even bother finishing it. We also had the brulee'd ahi tuna to start- yuck. Maybe they got a new chef? The only positive part about our last dining experience was the conversation and the drinks (hard to screw up a cocktail). We don't think we will be back, which is a shame because the atmosphere is so romantic.
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Great place for happy hour
Reviewer: Jonathan
from Santa Barbara, CA
We went to Emilio's on a Friday afternoon for happy hour a.k.a Indulgence Hours in Emilio speak. We had the prosciutto flatbread and the mushroom tart. Both were very tasty. Bar apps and specialty cocktails are 50% off during happy hour. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will definitely go back.
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excellent food, as expected for price
Reviewer: Michele
from Santa Barbara
Both my husband's and my meal were excellent- fresh ingredients used creatively and cooked perfectly. We had the paella and the scallops (out of this world- so tender). Our server was "subtle", meaning he sort of blended into the woodwork. No chatty server, just did the job without any frills, which was fine for us, but not for everyone. We didn't find the restaurant particularly romantic, but it was a warm, casual atmosphere with a nice view if you get a window seat. I don't think that an obtrusive bar a few feet away from where we were eating was especially romantic, but the atmosphere did seem to suit small groups well. Really the only thing that bothered me was the unisex restroom - what is up with the college bar bathroom? It was completely overlooked in the decor plan and wound up as a storage/toilet area. Yuck. But, that aside, we'd go back and get the scallops again.
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Beautiful Food & Atmosphere - SB Elegance!
Reviewer: Kimberly
from Santa Barbara, CA
Emilio's has been our #1 choice for Valentine's Day year after year. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is always elegant. I am currently pregnant & I can't wait to be able to eat their ahi sesame cones & smoked salmon flatbread again...maybe someone can deliver it to the hospital : ) The service could be improved - you expect professional wait staff. Emilio's is our choice for a romantic, special occasion dinner. It is a bit pricey but worth it for the quality.
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Food is wonderful - service, um what service...
Reviewer: Kristi C
from San Diego, CA
I just asked my husband what to rate the service, he said a 1.0 since we got the food hot. That sums up the service. Stay away from the tall guy with the pony tail and you will probably have a better experience.
The food was amazing. A bit rich, but you have to splurge once in a while. Salads were amazing, gnocchi was amazing, sirloin was amazing. If you want to take a chance on the service and don't let it ruin the meal, this is a great restaurant.
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veramente unico!
Reviewer: Giulio Scalise
from Milan, Italy
Sono un giovane italiano di Milano e di origini Calabresi.
I'm an Italian young man from Milan and who's parents are from Calabria (Italy).
Emilio e' un ristonate unico e lo consiglierei a tutti, sia per il cibo che per l'ospitalita'
Emilio's is a unique restaurant. I will suggest it to everybody, because of the food and the hospitality.
Giulio Scalise (Milan 01/12/2008)
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good food, too expensive
Reviewer: Tim Matherly
from Thousand Oaks, CA
$21 for a plate of pasta with tomato, garlic, and basil (pomodoro) and a few more dollars for a meat dish doesn't make sense. Most places charge between $9-$14 for pasta pomodoro, and this weren't homemade pasta noodles or anything special. The prices here are rediculous. The food is good but there's nothing that warrants a 100% higher per plate price. Granted, the food was good, the service was good, overall a good experience, but the prices in general don't make sense.
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