Olio Crudo Bar

Yum yum yum. Came for a drink and decided to cancel elsewhere and stay for the whole dinner. So glad we did. Food drinks and service was amazing. Will be back next time I’m in town! Love

Service was awesome, and the food was even better! I will definitely come back to this place when I’m in town. Each dish is very unique, as are the cocktails.

We went to this bar/​small plates restaurant because it looked so nice from outside! Also, it is the sister restaurant to Olio e Limone Restaurant, next door. And, whereas Olio e Limone is amazingly wonderful, this little restaurant is amazingly awful!
It started off with the wine. We ordered the recommendation of the waiter. Turns out they only had a little bit of that wine left over in a bottle… and they either didn’t want to open a new one, or they didn’t have it. Either way they served us a partial portion each and said they would ‘square it up’. Whatever that means. (More on this later!) We tasted the wine and it had clearly been open for quite a while and had ‘gone off’. We told the waiter this, and he said ‘well, yes, it might have been open for a bit’. He did not offer to replace it.
After 15 minutes we told the waiter we were in a hurry to go to a Tribute in the SB Film Festival and could we please place an order. Since they serve small plates and ‘quick food’, we thought his would be fine to make the opening of the Tribute. We ordered three plates to share.
After another 30 minutes, i asked if we were ever going to get our order!!! He said ‘we are very busy in the kitchen tonight’. There were only two other couples in the restaurant… how busy could they be?!
We ordered three dishes — but they were ‘out of the ribs tonight’!!! So we ordered the pork belly as one of the dishes.
We asked about our wine… $ 14 was a lot to pay for 2 ounces of bad wine! So the waiter brought out ANOTHER bottle of already opened wine!!! This was a much nicer wine than the one he recommended. However, it had also been open for some time and was not at it’s prime.
When the first plate arrived (proscuitto) after 45 minutes, it was nice. Unfortunately, half of the meat had some sort of VERY hot chili oil on it and you could not taste the proscuitto at all!!! The other half of the dish was very nice.
Finally, after 55 minutes the second plate arrived. The pork belly was wonderful, I must say! But the brussel sprouts were overcooked and had obviously been sitting in a hot plate for quite a while. If they had been fresh, they would have been wonderful!
We cancelled the thrid dish, as we were now VERY late for the Festival Tribute. So, finally after an hour and a half, we got the bill. But not before I had to get up from the table and ask for it! AND, then get up again to get the waiter to run the credit card!
We were not comped on the wine — even after the fiasco with the first one, and having only half a glass of each wine!
I don’t know if this is a one-​off problem on the night, but I will never go back to this restaurant, and i will tell everyone else I know to not go there either. I hope you don’t, too; i know you will be disappointed!
Oh yes, and just to add insult to injury, the manager stood around talking to an employee and her boyfriend whilst all this chaos and poor service was going on. Shame on him!

Olio Crudo Bar is a super small space — if you’re planning on any more than a party of two, skip this spot. Staff wasn’t very knowledgeable or helpful with the wine list, but the truffle cocktail we discovered on our own wound up being very good.
Not that they were rude, but the staff wasn’t very helpful with the menu. Not knowing the portion size — we asked how many plates we should order and couldn’t get a straight answer. Wound up ordering two, then another, then another.
Food at Olio Crudo Bar was outstanding — we had the tuna belly, wagyu beef, buffalo tartare and foie gras. All delicious and highly recommended.
Overall, Olio Crudo Bar has great potential for a cozy date spot, but staff could use more training on the menus.

Disappointed. Drinks were poorly made, we have been here numerous times and they have always been spot on… Tonight was a disaster. Took 15 min to get a drink, it seemed all drinks had peach schnapps in them??? (we ordered old fashioned). Food was amazing! Came out really quick and delicious. Two stars because of the food… Drinks were not good at all…

Ramon Velasquez is such a talented, confident, humble & friendly chef… No monster ego like some young chefs today, he’s got nothing to prove/​no chip on shoulder… Ramon is the best chef in SB… Honed his craft growing up making fresh ceviches after fishing with his family & fantastic sashimis at Arigato… Amazing imagination, creativity, everything he concocts is so fresh & beautiful… A true artist If you visit SB & love fish & real Italian coastal dishes check out Olio Crudo… everything is made with the highest quality ingredients… also terrific cocktails. Exemplary service as well, never a bad experience here.

4.5 Stars
My wife and I stumbled upon this place after leaving Bouchon next door. We grabbed a cocktail and looked at the menu and said we have to return.
The next night we returned and sat at the bar and ordered from their small plates menu which is very good and different from their main restaurant menu next door. We ordered the fresh Shigoku oysters and had the bluefin /​toro crudo to start. Those 2 courses were outstanding and the quality of the bluefin was better than some good sushi places we have been to.
We then continued through the menu and had the octopus, wagyu beef, and lamb lollipops. That was excellent and our bartender was really good and made some excellent cocktails that he recommended. The cocktails are made with care here and the mixers are all hand made. None of that bottled crap that you buy at the liquor store or market will be at this place. Also the glass of wine selection is very good here also if you are not into cocktails.
What a gem. We will definitely be back when we return to S.B.

One of my favorite lounges in Santa Barbara, Olio brings a classic, upscale edge to what is more often a casual, breezy beach town. The beautiful quartz backlit bar and intimate seating arrangements make it impossible not to lean across your table a little closer to your date. The bartenders know how to make a proper dirty martini, the wine list delivers plenty of Santa Barbara wine country favorites, and you’ll find an assortment of delicate bar bites (think: ceviche and charcuterie). I’ve only ever enjoyed appetizers and cocktails at Olio, and recommend stopping by for apres-​work drinks with clients or coworkers, small celebrations, first dates, or simply as an excuse to get a little dressed up.

Amazing ingredients. The freshest fish. Amazing prosciutto imported from Parma. Pork belly. Buffalo tartare. Kobe beef. Octopus. Every ingredient sourced from the best places on earth. Is it «cheap?» No, but it’s amazing. If you’re considering Arigato Sushi, try this. It’s a whole new, amazing spin on fresh Italian eating. Oh, and great cocktails and wine.
*i don’t work here, nor am I friends with the owners. Santa Barbara is a tough restaurant town and I fear not enough people know about this gem.

A solid drinks and food option. Wonderful Old Fashions… done right! Such attention to detail… the ball of ice was round and had orange zest frozen in it so when it melted it infused the drink slowly and pleasantly. We ordered a bunch of food and everything was fresh and flavorful. I was not disappointed or underwhelmed with any of it. The staff were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was nice and chill. My second time here… but it’s been a while. Very delighted to go back and will return!

Yum! Tried the Brussels sprouts, the bluefin tuna dish, and ceviche — all were extremely delicious! Prices were reasonable and the server was very attentive and helpful with decision making. The AC was broken so it was quite warm inside, but otherwise it was a great experience and I will definitely go back.

The best food we had in Santa Barbara, hands down.
The Parma ham and burrata were amazing. So delicious. The ambience is nice and the service was good, attentive, without smothering the customer.
I wish we would have just eaten here instead of having appetizers and going elsewhere. They prepare some of the food right in front of you, which was very cool.
I’m impressed.

3 stars would be best of the best if we were talking Michelin. Olio Crudo Bar is a nice stop on the way to somewhere else, in my opinion, but no dining mecca.
The bar is beautiful, the décor is immaculate. It screams intimacy. But it is also very small. I think I counted less than 20 seats and the place is smaller than my kitchen at home… perhaps 300 square feet or less.
But don’t let that stop you from coming here and grabbing a drink. I would definitely recommend you do that. If you are a tiny bit hungry you should go for some of their hand carved prosciutto, which is absolutely amazing. Everything else is so so. Quirky employees, dramatically small kitchen, small plate offerings. I am a connoisseur of foie gras… their offering is a very tiny portion (1 oz or less) and served with cold black truffle ravioli. I have had much larger portions of 2 – 3 oz for the same price other places in town.
In summary, come here for a drink. They have an extensive bar and a very creative menu for drinks. One I had recently was a watermelon cooler, which was prepared by soaking watermelon and rosemary in vodka for several days, serving that with a pamplemousse and lemon juice with a fresh sprig of rosemary. A refreshing summertime drink. Enjoy!
Arrivederci

I cannot write a negative enough review for this restaurant. My mother was visiting from
New York, so we decided to take her someplace special. Wow. Well the table next to us was loaded with eight extremely drunk people. They were literally falling out of their seats, yelling, and getting up to take selfies every five minutes. Obviously we complained. The waiter then told the other table that we complained — so the drunk guy gave me the middle finger and called me an a$$hole! The manager didn’t do anything about it, apologize to us or send us a complimentary coffee — nothing. My mother was horrified. It was honestly the least pleasant dining experience of my life.

Came in for our first time tonight. Was greeted by Melanie. She walked us through the menu and wine list. 3 plates, 2 deserts and 4 glasses of wine later it was one of the best meals we have had in Santa Barbara. Will definitely come back. Thank You

A solid 4 star place (4÷3÷2015). My first proper exposure to Crudo cuisine turned out to be fantastic experience. Hamachi carpaccio, Oysters with ginger/​jalapeño sauce, ceviche, all prepared by chef Ramon — beautiful works. The ceviche was the best ever, better than any ceviche tried in Peru. A7 beef was unfortunately not cooked right. Prosecco, Bottega Gold was my favorite, prosecco Ferghettina was also good.

A rather magical night in Santa Barbara. A friend had an extra ticket to see Chrissy Hynde at the Arlington so of course I said sure! Unbeknownst to us it was also the night of the Christmas parade down State Street which we discovered as we looked for a parking place. No worries since we found a place within 4 blocks of the Arlington. We got to check out the kids in the marching bands, adults in red long johns and girls dressed up as Disney Princesses before saying «We’re hungry and we only have time for a drink and appetizers and look, here is a new trendy place half a block off State Street and away from the parade crowd, and a half block from the Arlington, how cool is that?» And even better, there were three bar stools available. We did have to take turns sitting down because you have to turn sideways and vault yourself on to the seat, but we had a great view of the onyx back lit wall and the bar, and the guy slicing the prosciutto.
I looked it up and the name means raw potpourri and they did have lots of raw meats. One friend was enamored with the prosciutto, and the other went for the raw tuna, which had a lovely presentation. I had some raw prosecco in a glass and some smooth and very soft mozzarella with roasted garlic.
Everything was delicious and expensive. The place is so lovely, the service so nice, and we had a good time, so it was worth the extra cost, right? You only live once and I will probably bring my husband back here to enjoy the ambiance.

Olio in Italian means Oil. One would assume that Crudo means Crude. So I will just call this the Crude Oil Bar. With a thriving Oil industry in our channel why not? Would this name be popular among the «Green» crowd? Probably not but let’s just say it is the Best Fracking New Bar in Santa Barbara!
We went to Beer and Wine in the Public Market the other day and there was nobody in there, so we decided to go elsewhere and found the Crudo Bar. Ocean was our bartender and he was great! 100% enthusiastic. I told him what kind of beer I enjoy and he said «Just a minute» and disappeared! Came back a few minutes later with a very tasty Belgium beer that was perfect. My wife asked him if he could make a Sazerac and he lit up like a candle. A challenge and he was up to it. Honestly very few bartenders can even come close to a good Sazerac but Ocean rose to the occasion, didn’t have the right kind of bitters so «Just a minute» and he disappeared (where does he go for these mystery ingredients?) came back a few minutes later with a bottle of Peychaud bitters and he was off! The end result was an honest Sazerac just like one you would get in the Big Easy! Bravo Ocean! If you go in and he is working, give him a challenge. He likes that.
I didn’t have the food and even though the bar is «Crudo» (look it up, it means more than crude) they have non-​crudo items as well which suits me just fine. Ramon is the Chef and has created many of the dishes at a few other extremely popular Santa Barbara eateries. I think that Ramon could very well be the best chef in Santa Barbara so we will be back for the food in the near future.

Crudo is the newest addition to the Olio family of restaurants in Santa Barbara. Adjacent to Olio E Limone and the serious foodgasm inducing Olio Pizzeria, Crudo follows suit by providing high quality foodgasms in small plate form. Restaurants like this are why I’m told we can’t have nice things. But whatever, you can’t eat a Louis Vuitton, unless you’re my dog; which is why mommy has two mismatched straps on her never-​full.
Anyhoo…
Crudo offers a delightful menu of raw and cooked items, specialties, and desserts. Just, bring Mr. Visa Gold or Ms. Amex when you come because dishes are about $ 20.00 for about 8 bites of food… so, $ 2.50 per bite. And you’re going to want a lot of bites.
Try not to think of it.
FOOD
Ala Lunga (raw) | $ 17.00
| Atlantic bluefin tuna with baby artichoke, delightful crispy pearl onion rings and a jalapeño-​scented vinaigrette. Buttah!
Gnocchetti di Ricotta (cooked) | $ 16.00
| Ricotta dumplings with speck + creamy porcini & truffle sauce. I haven’t had anything like this since dining at Sinatra in Las Vegas; the little dumplings are so soft, like little melty pillows or cheese surrounded by speck (speck!) and soaking in warm truffle-​infused creamy sauce.
A full bar is offered.
AMBIANCE
Sexy, romantic, contemporary, intimate… a bit cramped.

Olio Crudo Bar is new on the scene completing the restaurant’s 11 W. Victoria trilogy. The restaurant seems to have a specific target audience and their refreshingly unusual menu stands out amongst others on a street that I call Pasta Row. First come, walk-​in. Limited seating: bar seating, a few high tops and a couple corner lounge tables that fit 3 – 4 at most. Ideal for couples, dates, long-​lost friends & deep life-​discussions that have more meaning the more you imbibe. The restaurant has a warm luster reminiscent of Italian romanticism; modern yet rustic. The décor is thoughtful and succeeds. Between the cozy setting and the shareable plate menu, it promotes an easy intimate sort of socializing.
Tartare di Bufalo — a great way to introduce your nontartare friends to raw red meat. Its mild yet satisfying flavor is complimented by the house-​made chips and the arugula salad garnish perfected each bite. I appreciated the grilled country bread but found it unnecessary to this dish; I used the bread for the Burrata dish. Note: The menu also has several appetizing cooked meat options if you’re not into Crudo or Seafood.
Burrata w/​American paddlefish caviar — The caviar added that subtle flavor but I thought as a whole, it was texturally one-​note. Also, there was a sad arugula «garnish» that was suffocated underneath the Burrata making it soggy. I used the other dish’s bread which really amplified the Burrata and the waitress brought us more Sicilian bread crackers. I recommend any cheese-​lover to try but there are other dishes that seem more interesting to try. Next time I can’t wait to try the Gambero dish (Spot Prawns, head on ;)) that passed by our table!
Tonno Rosso is another must. I tend to skip over Tuna Crudo/​Tartars/​seared that have overpopulated our «Coastal Californian Cuisine» themed restaurants… here it’s given due justice fulfilling Olio Crudo’s mission of «Sashimi with an Italian accent.»
This will put you out of pocket if you’re starving; the cost of a martini and 2 shareable apps was 30/​person inc/​tip. My specialty Negroni martini was good. I asked for it not too sweet and they listened. And they are potent. I thought it may be too frou-​frou/​fussy/​trendy but my worries alleviated by my experience. I highly recommend as pre or post theatre/​movie options. I’m excited to go back and try more.
Their facebook boasts specials pretty regularly; my only recommendation is for them to post their menu online!