Gala

Name: Gala
Address: 705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA, United States, 93101
Telephone: (805) 869-2813
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

342 Reviews

$31 to $50

European

705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 27, 2025

9:30 PM

Booked 6 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Great for creative cocktails
Neighborhood gem

Gala exudes a European meets Santa Barbara charm, where you feel like you’re transported to a beautiful bistro in the Mediterranean. Enjoy shared tapas, farmer's market favorites, pasta and risotto, fresh oysters and the best steak with bone marrow butter & chimichurri. Cozy up for our farm to table craft cocktails, a Pisco sour or martini and a full meal with friends. Curated wine list with local & Spanish wines. Right down the street from the Santa Barbara Courthouse enjoy an evening at Gala.

1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Farm to table, Farmer's market driven, Tapas, Seafood, Steak, Oysters, Happy Hour, Food, Cocktails, Wine, Restaurant, Vegetarian, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
European, Spanish, American
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(805) 869-2813
Website
http://www.galasb.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Jaime Riesco
Private party facilities
We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.

Location
705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Neighborhood
Santa Barbara
Cross street
Ortega St.
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

Oysters, Pisco Sours & Margaritas Happy Hour
Multiple dates available
Tue - Sat - 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Fresh oysters for $2.50, French fries $6, Olives $5, Calamari $10, Pisco Sours $9, Pitchers of seasonal margaritas for $36 and more! Join us for a Happy Hour at Gala Tuesday through Saturday from 4-5:30

Concierge
AI Beta

Ask Concierge and find out exactly what you need to know about Gala.

Popular dishes

olives$8.00
kalamata, frescatrano, castelvetrano
beau soleil oysters$4.00
served chilled with apple cucumber mignonette or hot with parm and herbs
calamari$18.00
house tartar sauce
cornbread in a skillet$12.00
honey butter
chicken croquetas$16.00
aioli
fried green tomatoes$10.00
feta, corn salsa, sweet chili sauce
'pan con tomate'$14.00
on charcoal sourdough from Oat Bakery, roasted garlic, farmer's market tomato spread
quinoa & potato hashbrowns$12.00
herb creme fraiche
- add salmon gravlax$6.00
- add 1 oz caviar$29.00
given's farm broccolini$12.00
spicy sweet & sour sauce
tempura zucchini flowers$16.00
stuffed with haloumi cheese, romesco sauce
crudo$28.00
local Channel Islands halibut crudo, aji amarillo leche de tigre, pea shoots
grilled spanish octopus$32.00
fried yucca, mojo picon sauce, charcoal aioli
burrata$24.00
butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate
dry cured spanish jamón$16.00
- Full order$28.00

None

mushroom risotto$28.00
butter, thyme, parm, oyster & portobello mushrooms
tagliatelle$27.00
sun dried tomato pesto, parmesan, tomato petals
branzino a la plancha$36.00
fennel apple slaw, polenta, herbs
duck confit$34.00
confit'd in house maple leaf farm duck leg, mashed potatoes, leafy greens, duck gravy, preserved farmer's mkt gooseberries
snake river farm striploin steak$42.00
bonemarrow butter, chimichurri, roasted garlic & french fries
herb crusted rack of lamb$42.00
served with celery root puree, mushrooms, balsamic reduction
seared scallops$42.00
trout roe, shimeji mushrooms, sautéed spinach, beurre blanc
buy the table next to you a glass of cava$6.00

SIDES

french fries$7.00
leafy green salad, herbs, parm$9.00

DESSERTS

jaime's cheesecake$14.00
almond & rasberry tart, vanilla whipped cream$14.00
carrot cake, cream cheese frosting$14.00
flourless chocolate cake, vanilla whipped cream$14.00
orange creme brûlée$14.00
glass of port by opolo$12.00
glass of manzanilla$16.00
boozy iced coffee$12.00
homemade bailey's, kahlua, cold brew
homemade limoncello$9.00

What 342 people are saying

Gala reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

California Central Coast
Healthy
Santa Barbara
Good for groups
Santa Barbara
Healthy
Santa Barbara
Hot spot
Santa Barbara
Great for fine wines
Santa Barbara
Great for outdoor dining
Santa Barbara
Good for special occasions
Santa Barbara
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gala is a dining gem in Santa Barbara, praised for "delicious food" and a "unique cocktail menu." With Chef Jaime's expertise, it offers a "fun menu" and "Coastal Mediterranean" delights. The "service is impeccable" and the "ambiance amazing," making it a perfect spot for special occasions and casual dining alike.

342 Reviews

K
Kristine
Central Coast1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I've always had great service at Gala restaurant. Food is delicious Coastal Mediterranean and their cocktails are so good. The ambience and overall vibe is also amazing!
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
Central Coast9 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This restaurant is outstanding. Highly talented Chef Jaime knows his business, successfully operating restaurants in both Barcelona and Santa Barbara, as well as cooking stints around the world. His personable, warm demeanor compliments the perfectly attentive waitstaff. The bartenders are equally skilled and personable, the cocktail menu is unique, and the wine and beer options are adequate. The interior is modestly sized with a variety of seating options, and patio dining is an option when weather warms. Food options showcase a unique and varied menu that appears to change often. Reservations are probably a must, although you can get lucky trying a walk-in during midweek.
Is this helpful?
s
sheila VIP
Chicago22 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 20, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fun place with great background music. Food very good and drinks well made!
Is this helpful?
W
Wendy VIP
Central Coast7 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful evening with friends at Gala. The sole, Tagliatelle and duck were excellent. Not to mention the really nice Samsara Pinot.
Is this helpful?
S
Sofia
Seattle1 review
4.0
Dined on April 11, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The drinks were delicious as well as all the different appetizers we tried! It was a beautiful ambiance and comfortable seating.
Is this helpful?
H
Holly
San Diego2 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was wonderful. Wait staff was attentive and cordial. Ambience is wonderful. Bartender went above and beyond to make our experience perfect. It's expensive, but it's worth every dollar. The food was amazing.
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W
Wendy VIP
Central Coast7 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful evening, the perfect place for old friends to catch up. Fun to run into several other friends at the bar and different tables while enjoying very good wine and Pisco Sours. The risotto and Tagliatelle were excellent.
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R
Roberta VIP
Central Coast112 reviews
4.0
Dined on March 27, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
This is a fun menu - a bit of everything and with a bit of flair. So we tried thing we had never had or rarely have. Fried green tomatoes were a treat and different than what you would expect with the feta. Definitely try the duck confit, the gooseberries (I think that’s what they were) added the perfect sweet and tart to the dish. And our servers were wonderful…it felt a bit understaffed. But they all had a great attitude and seemed to enjoy themselves h see pressure.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast1 review
5.0
Dined on March 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first dining experience at Gala. Overall we had the best time. The restaurant worked with us as we had increased our party. Gala made it so easy to order without stress. The food was amazing in presentation and taste. A wonderful meal. This was a birthday celebration and Gala made it so special and memorable. This was our first but not our last. I highly recommend Gala, especially if you want to celebrate.
Is this helpful?
s
sharon VIP
Central Coast4 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
delicious food. the only negative was an almost unbearable noise level
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Gala is rated 4.7 stars by 342 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 27, 2025

9:30 PM

Booked 6 times today

705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Ortega St.
Neighborhood
Santa Barbara
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
European, Spanish, American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Jaime Riesco
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.galasb.com/
Phone number
(805) 869-2813
Private party facilities
We have a beautiful patio and indoor dining room, perfect for private events, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate dinners and birthday celebrations.

Gala

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Oysters, Pisco Sours & Margaritas Happy Hour

duck confit

Fried Green Tomatoes

branzino a la plancha

del jardín, mar & montaña

olives$8.00

beau soleil oysters$4.00

calamari$18.00

cornbread in a skillet$12.00

chicken croquetas$16.00

fried green tomatoes$10.00

'pan con tomate'$14.00

quinoa & potato hashbrowns$12.00

given's farm broccolini$12.00

tempura zucchini flowers$16.00

crudo$28.00

grilled spanish octopus$32.00

burrata$24.00

dry cured spanish jamón$16.00

None

mushroom risotto$28.00

tagliatelle$27.00

branzino a la plancha$36.00

duck confit$34.00

snake river farm striploin steak$42.00

herb crusted rack of lamb$42.00

seared scallops$42.00

buy the table next to you a glass of cava$6.00

SIDES

french fries$7.00

leafy green salad, herbs, parm$9.00

DESSERTS

jaime's cheesecake$14.00

almond & rasberry tart, vanilla whipped cream$14.00

carrot cake, cream cheese frosting$14.00

flourless chocolate cake, vanilla whipped cream$14.00

orange creme brûlée$14.00

glass of port by opolo$12.00

glass of manzanilla$16.00

boozy iced coffee$12.00

homemade limoncello$9.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Gala restaurant rated?

Is Gala currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information