Square One

Great reasonably priced food.
The service was good. The wine was amazing. Summerland pinot? The pasta with fresh local mushrooms was out of this world. The entrees were okay — pork chop and fish. The desert of brown butter ice cream was inspired.

Square One closed in late April. I won’t begrudge them changing their menu to complement their liquor license in order to keep up with the economy, but it wasn’t enough. RIP.
A taqueria is set to open in its place.

I have to agree with Michelle — this place does NOT deserve the negative reviews.
The deviled eggs were AMAZING (Avocado and Bacon? Can you really go wrong?) and the sweet potato gnocchi with the SHREDDED lamb was to DIE FOR (I have NO idea what was in the sauce but I was licking the plate — don’t judge me)! My friend got the steak and not only was it cooked perfectly, but the mashed potatoes were topped with truffle oil! Are you kidding me?!
The have a variety of fun cocktails and with Axxess card we got one entrée free!
The only thing I could say was a little negative was the service is slow — but that is a good thing when you want a dining experience. I was just ansy and extremely hungry.
The vibe was great (the hostess gets to sit in a swing — how cool is that!) and the food was epic.
I would definitely come back here (A+ that everything is organic and local!)

Square One used to be one of my top 3 favorites in Santa Barbara. Alas, no longer.
Apparently, they have re-​vamped their menu to «compliment» the fare expected with their full liquor license.
I’m not impressed with the new menu; more «meat n potatoes’ and things like «BBQ» ribs. The use of the quotes is necessary, because if you’re expecting real BBQ, that’s not what their serving. You’ll be getting baked ribs, perhaps with liquid smoke and a home-​made sauce.
The dish I was crazy about before is now below average. Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu was amazing before, but now lacked depth and that slow cooked goodness that was the lamb shank slow baked in foil for 4 hours (per the previous chef). I’m not sure this was even lamb shank.
The previous chef is gone (at least she was last night) — you couldn’t miss her, broad shouldered, punky hair, lots of tattoos (even one of bacon, so you know where she stands!)
But I miss her; the care she put into to the food, and the creativity she expressed in the kitchen. If I knew where she went, I’d check her out in her new gig.
Sorry folks, but as of now, Square one went from one of my top 3 restaurants in SB to now just average. Hopefully they restore the previous level of food soon.
I won’t write them off forever, and hope they read this and get back in the swing of things, after this «inflection» point.

I know people who LOVE this place so I went in with big expectations.
I will say that my meal was delicious. I ordered the brisket sandwich and it blew me away. Portions weren’t very huge, i.e. no sides, so you may want to order an appetizer if you’re hungry. The cocktails and desserts were really good, always a plus.
I guess my problem was the atmosphere of the place. Seemed kinda dead on a Thursday night. Also, the wait staff and hostess seemed kinda… bitchy. Is this just a California thing?
Overall, my dinner experience was good, not great. I left wondering why I didn’t just go to Café Luck next door. Still, based on the other raving reviews I’m definitely willing to try it again on another night.
Also, they have the WORST WEBSITE. Will someone please update it? It’s 2011 people, how hard is it?

Sadly this is a place I would never go back to. I tried it once before and remember it as just ok so we figured we’d try it again.
Well we went last week. We were the only people in the place. The service was so slow. I had this wonderful «sounding» pasta with chanterelle mushroonms. It was tastless — and worse– when it came out it was cold! I had to send it back.
Two of the people at our table had the lamb ragu. That was really quite yummy. My daughter had a bacon wrapped meatloaf. 2 tiny pieces of meatloaf wrapped in bacon.
The Café Luck next door was packed and this place was empty. It should have told us something from the start.
My recoomendation– Just don’t!

This place is amazing! My new favorite, hands down, and I’ve lived in SB for almost 30 years now. The food is incredibly reasonably priced, and the quality is evident. I have dined here once, and went back again recently for cocktails (they have their full liquor license now I gather), and will definitely be back many times in the future. The menu is all local fresh ingredients, mostly bought at the local farmer’s market (so I’m told), and has great variety. I wanted to try everything! The gnocchi with lamb ragu we had on our first visit was amazing, as was everything else we had. I love the honey and cheese appetizer thingy. The cocktails were a-​mazing as well. My fave was the Arsenic and Old Lace (tangerine juice, lavender infused something, and vodka). Yummy. I also like the old movies playing on the framed TV’s (their «wall art»)!
We received excellent service both times (though to be fair on the first visit we were one of the only tables there, as it was apparently their first Monday open).
As for Di M.‘s comment regarding battery-​powered votives — say what you will, but these are an environmentally conscious option to which I’ve seen many restaurants switch recently, and they’re not cheap (I’ve looked into them for a restaurant I worked for that was changing over to being green).

I have to disagree with the negative reviews, or at least let people know I have had multiple amazing meals at Square One.
For a friends birthday, they were incredibly accommodating for a group of 19 with vegan and vegetarian menu options. Everyone loved their dinner, and the wait staff were all very attentive.
A few other times I have been for a quick bite with friends, and each time been very pleased with the food. Last week was there with a friend, and had the pumpkin ravioli with apple cider butter.
They recently changed their menu, which may please some of the people who were unhappy with their menu previously.
I will absolutely go back again, it’s casual while classy.

It is surprising how long this place has been open and continues to stay open in this economy and with their menu. I don’t know any locals that have ever been here. I finally tried it, because I had a gift certificate. The service was average, I never got a refill on water. The waitress was nice, but a bit clumsy.
The menu is lackluster and the food taste average. Portion sizes are small, which is fine but they should add some sides to the plate instead of making the sides an add on. I ordered the seabass and it was a small piece with green sauce and some mushrooms. My friend ordered the ravioli which was cooked too al dente. Both were boring and nothing special.
The atmosphere is drab and overall, the place is very unexciting. I would not recommend this place to anyone. I would never recommend any man to take a date here, unless he is going to break up with her and doesn’t care! They seem to be constantly trying to reinvent themselves, looks like they need to keep on that quest because this try isn’t working!

This is a nice quiet date night restaurant on a side street in Santa Barbara. Pair it up with a stay at the Canary down the street and you are in for a romantic good time.

So I went here to meet my boyfriend’s dad for the time and was a little freaked out about the three dollar signs (among other things). I’m not really a fancy person and I’m usually not a fancy eater so I was worried about the menu and I thought maybe they’d give me dirty looks for not ordering wine because it seems like that sort of place.
BUT I was wrong. The food was delicious and there was a handful of dishes on the menu that I would have enjoyed. There was a miscommunication when we made our reservation so they didn’t have a table ready when we got there but the hostess was really helpful and we were able to sit at the bar.
I guess I do have a couple complaints — our waitress was MIA for a lot of the night and I drank all of my water and had to find somebody to refill it. Also, their desserts were not thrilling. Overall, it was a good experience and I would definitely go back if an occasion presents itself (ie-​someone else is paying :)).

We went to Square One during Memorial Day weekend and had no reservations for the night, so it was either wait an hour in the debauchery and chaos of Downtown Santa Barbara or get seated immediately. We chose getting seated immediately at Square One over hanging out in chaos.
At first, we were so grateful to have found a cool place (based on a glance of the menu and the really friendly hostess). We thought we had found a little gem just off the main strip that would allow for us to have a great dinner without a long wait.
Well, the food was really good. But, be prepared for the fact that you’re going to have to wait a really, really long time just for anyone to even offer you a drink. Our waitress left us sitting for at least 10 minutes before even coming over to ask what we’d like to order. Then, after ordering our drinks (and everything else since we felt it may be a century before we had another chance to see her again), we waited probably another 10 minutes before even receiving a glass of house wine and a beer.
I usually don’t complain about service as I typically am really not picky about it. Considering I’m not high maintenance, this is how slow our waitress was. She was also not into smiling much, as she never once cracked a smile during service. As I mentioned, the food was very good but I wouldn’t go back because I’m not interested in testing my patience when I’d rather be having fun at dinner. This place gave me food anxiety and made me feel really disappointed in the choice.

Really nice little place with some very inspired food and very un-​inspired service.
As the other reviewers have pointed out the food is fresh, local, organic with dishes that are satisfyingly prepared. The minimalist atmosphere does a great job of putting the focus on the meal and mirrors the fresh and simple approach. On our visit the service was also quite minimalist. Not rude or awful, just not really there… and not in the ‘letting you enjoy your meal’ way. We decided to just chalk it up to and ‘off’ night.
Wine list is a bit paltry for Santa Barbara County.

As a disclaimer, I only came here for drinks, so I can’t really talk about the food.
The second I came in I knew this was my type of bar. Small intimate tables, dark lighting, a bit fancy but doesn’t overdo it. Great.
Too bad they only have beer and wine. Get a real liquor license!

I have gone to Square One twice in the last couple of months, and both times I was impressed with the food and the atmosphere. This is definitely one of the top restaurants in SB.
Soups and salads are always innovative and yummy. This last weekend the stand out dish was the gnocchi with lamb ragu — amazing!
I appreciate the changing menu and will definitely be coming back again and again!

It’s all about the little things.
I called to make a reservation for the busy holiday weekend and informed the hostess that my wife had food alergies. I was told that they would be able to accomodate. But to be sure, I made her put a note in the record.
When we got there, we were quickly seated by the welcoming hostess. We got our menus and my wife and I went through them.
However, the waitress was either not told about my wife’s allergies or she didn’t care. Whatever the case, it was on us to figure the menu out.
As we ordered, we were told by the server that there were some changes. They were out of two dishes. Both of which I wanted. Doh.
This was 7:30 on a Sunday of a three day weekend.
So, we asked for a few minutes for me to re-​choose.
15 mins later, the server came back and took our order. She was never rude, just aloof.
It wasn’t that busy but we did feel a bit shunned. It seemed like everyone else knew the staff or chef and were dealt with quickly and in a friendly manner.
For the food itself, all was good. Nothing amazing, nothing bad.
My clams in broth (since they ran out of mussels) was fresh but a bit underwhelming. The chorizo was limited and didn’t add much. My wife’s beet salad was enjoyable but missing the pistachoes listed on the menu.
For mains, my wife’s pork chop was tasty but she was never given a proper knife to cut it with. I did enjoy watching her hack away with a butter knife since she never got the attention of staff.
My chicken was moist and fully flavored but nothing too exciting. It was a well made piece of chicken. No complaints.
We ordered a side of fries and we had to remind the server we had. It was finally delivered almost ²⁄₃ into us eating our mains. The fries were very good, however.
Again, all the food was good but nothing that made us super excited. And compared to the previous night’s dinner at Julienne Restaurant, it was no contest which we enjoyed more.
One last example of the service: at the start of the meal, I had ordered a glass of wine and we each had water. Never was I asked if I wanted another glass or if we wanted more water. We sat with empty water glasses for most of the mains.
So, in sum, we felt a bit neglected and not too welcome. Service was generally inattentive. We were visiting from out if town so we won’t have an opportunity to try this place again.

Mussels, Duck Breast with fennel risotto, fresh made Doughnuts with espresso crème anglaise. Delicious.
This place is very delicious, the type of food that’s focused, well prepared, and the prices are totally reasonable.
Great service! Oh I’ll be back

I know, 5 stars is pretty huge, but i really think this place deserves it.
We were visiting from LA for a one night stay and wanted good Santa Barbara food. We’ve been to SB a few times and have been pretty disappointed with the food each time. Finally, we found a spot that has amazing quality food with great preparation.
This type of food is right up my alley, simple and delicious. We ordered a couple house made charcuterie with accompaniments along with the squash soup, mixed green salad, gnocchi with lamb ragout, and a tagliatelle with boulonnaise. We were also recommended a delicious Aaron Syrah, which was super delicious. The wine list was mostly local Santa Barbara County wines or French varietals. All bottles were priced under $ 50, which is always a nice and pleasant surprise.
Not only was each dish executed well, but they were also very delicious and flavorful at the same time simple. The little details were appreciated and noticed and it doesn’t hurt to have the menu change frequently to accommodate the bounty of fresh available produce.
I would highly recommend Square One to any tourist and local. I truly think this place stands up to some of the best restaurants around.

Bad: They don’t have that $ 100 burger anymore. My friend and I traveled a combined 10 hours that day just to try it, but it is no more.
Good: The meal I did have was arguably the most ecstatic experience in my entire life. Apologies to friends, lovers, chemists, parents, other restaurateurs, and anyone else who ever tried to make my day, but you just never did it for me like this.
Useful (now that all of the flattering cliches have been dispensed with): Everything is amazing. The newly-​revised-​to-​be-​more-​local menu is for real– really damn good.
A definite hippie ethic is manifested and it’s the good part of that scene. There’s a focus on freshness, rejection of needless convention (no extra spoons, little plates, finger bowls, hovering water-​waiters or any such nonsense), emphasis on nutrition, and contrast. The beef selections we tried also showcased local plumbs and figs, for instance. You have not eaten beef until you’ve had mignon tartared with figs the way they do it. Yet, this is above all else a classy joint; no signs of sloppy stonerism or militant vegans here. Double yet, one can go vegetarian here without question or drama. One would miss out on the tartar, some amazing meat stocks, and the lamb pâté that way so live up to your omnivorous potential and do it right.
One more slavish compliment: My friend and I were wearing touristy beach clothes and were treated very well by the owner and staff. To me, this lack of pretense speaks volumes about the class of the restaurant and the management. Good show, and thank you for an excellent time!

Mostly great, with a couple caveats…
Our party of four had Saturday night dinner two weeks ago. The interior is casually elegant; sort of a minimalist take on a steakhouse. At least one in our party felt the bare white walls were too spare, giving the eye nothing to rest on. The rest of us were content to rest our eyes on the menu and wine list. ;-)
The acoustics of the place were very comfortable. A fairly constant light hum of «white noise» from conversations around the relatively small property, but never enough to distract from the conversation at our own table, and we never had to raise our voices to hear each other.
The service was excellent! Janet was an extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive server. She gave great recommendations for food and wine.
On the whole, the food was very good or better. The chef started us with a complimentary sample of their beef carpaccio — quite an appreciated surprise by all at the table. It was top notch.
I didn’t pay much attention to the bread basket set for us, but two in our party were simply in love with the salted butter that came with it.
Then the two ordered appetizers: braised pork belly w/​mustard greens and a wasabi sauce (excellent! our favorite dish of the night), and abalone «fish and chips» w/​lemon-​chile mayo (good, but could have had a little more zing to it).
The four of us then shared three entrees: local halibut (good, but nothing special), grilled prawns w/​crab-​stuffed red pepper (excellent! second favorite dish), and a grilled petit fillet.
The fillet was primarily for my girlfriend, who does not eat fish or seafood. She had wanted the Kobe burger but they had run out. This was unfortunate because she was very disappointed with the steak. Although the rest of us did not have the same reaction, she was convinced that it had a peculiar flavor and ate very little of it. One of the other members of our party eventually concurred that there was something slightly distasteful, but not so much as to render it inedible. My girlfriend, however was adamant. She is familiar with eating all varieties of steaks, and she has a better sense of taste/​smell than I do, so I had to take her word for it.
Fortunately, dessert left us with a good taste in our mouths. Among the three of us we enjoyed a fancy root beer float, some very tasty mini apple fritters (not at all heavy in the gut), and a savory plate of cheddar w/​shaved fennel and honey. That last dish was paired with a glass of Madeira, selected for me by the chef. The combination of flavors and textures was a fantastic way to end the meal.
All of the above — plus two bottles of wine from their impressive list of local and exotic imports — resulted in a rather hefty check. But we had an enjoyable time for a special night out with friends (and let me mention again how great the service was) so we were satisfied with the outcome.