ca Date: 02-16-2026

List 12 Restaurants Near You Open Sunday in Santa Barbara, CA

Find the top 12 budget-friendly restaurants near you in Santa Barbara, CA, ideal for cheap, tasty, and satisfying meals.

RestaurantsAddressPrice_level
1The Palace Grill8 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
2Benchmark Eatery1201 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
3Cajun Kitchen901 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
4Codys Cafe4898 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93111Moderate
5Scarlett Begonia21 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
6Marisella8301 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93117Undetermined
7The Harbor Restaurant210 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
8La Cantina Bar & Restaurant199 S Turnpike Rd #105, Santa Barbara, CA 93111Moderate
9Opal1325 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
10The Cruisery501 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101Moderate
11On The Alley117 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109Moderate
12The Creekside Restaurant & Bar4444 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93110Moderate

1.The Palace Grill

Address: 8 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

images The Palace Grill

(932) user ratings total:

j Rich The Palace Grill is one of my favorite places to eat when I’m in Santa Barbara, CA. I’ve been enjoying their food for over twenty years. My favorite appetizer is the Gumbo Ya-Ya and for my main course, I love the Filet Mignon and the Jambalaya Pasta. They have several other great looking options that I plan on trying out on my next visit. And the sing along is also one of my favorite treats that just sets the atmosphere perfectly!
5 /5

2.Benchmark Eatery

Address: 1201 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

images Benchmark Eatery

(931) user ratings total:

Jason Thoman Had about an hour and a half to kill before a show at the Granada Theater, so my wife and I decided to stop into Benchmark Eatery—and we’re so glad we did! She went with the chips and salsa plus two beef tacos, and those tacos were incredible. The homemade corn tortillas took them to another level—so fresh and flavorful. I ordered the burger sliders and they were cooked to absolute perfection. Juicy, seasoned just right, and super satisfying. We also each got a drink, and let’s just say they don’t skimp on the pours—definitely a bonus in our book.
5 /5

3.Cajun Kitchen

Address: 901 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

images Cajun Kitchen

(915) user ratings total:

Max Beitel Really lovely spot off the main drag in Santa Barbara! The team created a welcoming experience, and the food was spot on. Crispy home fries, golden brown toast, and the eggs were cooked to perfection! The Andouille sausage was delicious too. To top it off off, locally roasted Dune coffee was on tap and much appreciated!
5 /5

4.Codys Cafe

Address: 4898 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(890) user ratings total:

Elena L Standard average place for breakfast and lunch. The prices are reasonable, on average breakfast will cost you $16. Very nice staff and waiters, attentive, not intrusive, polite. The breakfasts are really tasty, but what is different from other places is the muffins. The muffins are really tasty with fresh juicy berries.
5 /5

5.Scarlett Begonia

Address: 21 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(851) user ratings total:

Ruth Gordon My neighbor invited me to have lunch with her for my birthday. She named a few places near us, but I picked I Scarlet Begonia because the food is consistently delicious, well-presented, and always satisfying. My friend ordered the Benedict and I told her that I’ve never seen a Benedict with greens, which is the extra step that Scarlett begonia takes to make their food extraordinary vs. ordinary. The potatoes were well prepared and there was so much food that she had to take half of it home. It was quite beautiful as you see in the picture and very tasty. I’ve eaten here a few times and once I tasted their lemon ricotta pancakes it is my go to Every time. Even though it was 1 o’clock in the afternoon, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to eat these fluffy and moist pancakes that are so light they melt in your mouth! I usually can only eat one pancake, but they were so good I had to eat two, so I indulged. I also ordered the sausage links for the first time and asked for them well done and they came out. Perfect! I needed the extra protein and I already had bacon at home so wanted something different. Those sausages were just delicious and a perfect compliment to the sweet blueberry sauce on the pancakes. Kaylee was our server and she was the most professional, accommodating, friendly, efficient server I’ve ever encountered in Santa Barbara. I asked her if she was a manager because her demeanor and professionalism was outstanding ask for her he won’t be sorry. I was pleasantly surprised when they brought my chocolate cake with strawberries and a candle. I still have some in my refrigerator because I was so full from breakfast. I’m going to save it later during the football game. !
5 /5

6.Marisella

Address: 8301 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93117

(79) user ratings total:

Rachel Russell-Clark We had the most delightful dinner here. The service was immaculate, Austin so kindly made us tableside tiramisu. Great service all around from ALL staff! The food was good. I’m a huge brown butter sage pasta gal, it was okay, but I wouldn’t order it again nothing special. It would have been great to add a sweet component in there somehow. I just got back from Italy so perhaps I’m being harsh. I’d recommend getting another main! The deserts were both great but I liked the apple crostata best! We had a large group and though they didn’t have enough tables for us (we neglected to make a reservation as we didn’t plan to have time, so that’s on us) they were so accommodating and moved tables together for us!
5 /5

7.The Harbor Restaurant

Address: 210 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(774) user ratings total:

Jose G Munoz Amazing food, very homey flavor, the service was very good, and the atmosphere inside is beautiful. You got views of the water all around. Looking for a nice date spot and dinner good eats come here.
5 /5

8.La Cantina Bar & Restaurant

Address: 199 S Turnpike Rd #105, Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(72) user ratings total:

Royce Lyman Well I am happy to report that this place rocks. Super clean and yet it feels cozy. I went in on their opening day and let me tell ya… wow! First of all the wait staff was awesome!! Shout out to Ana our server, she had to have table touched about 5-6 times. The manager came by and also asked how we were and got us some freshly (still warm) chips. They had some great salsas as well. We ordered 2 cocktails from the bar and wow!! First of all they are beautiful. Second, the taste was to die for. It had enough alcohol that you could taste it in the drink but yet it did not over power the drink making it a wonderful experience. 10/10 great job to the bar staff. Now for the food. Honestly, I thought the proportions were looking small but I left totally full! So… in my opinion it was exactly the right size! The thing that stood out to me was the WIDE verity of tacos. I don’t know why but I have been having a hard time finding a good fish taco. While I did not order them on this visit, this will be what I order on my next visit. The shrimp and quesadilla we got were made to perfection. The seating was great and there were 5-6 TVs showing football and they have Sunday ticket. They also seem to have a full bar as well so that’s a plus as well. I’d give this place 6 stars if google would let me. Perfect food✅ Perfect and BEAUTIFUL drinks ✅ Amazing wait staff and management ✅ Wonderful atmosphere ✅ Kid friendly ✅ Update. The fish tacos are fire!!!!!
5 /5

9.Opal

Address: 1325 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(713) user ratings total:

Tim Mathias Great find on State St. Paul our waiter was the best! Nice menu with lots of choices. We sat outside on the sidewalk. There was a quitarist playing nearby and the music was perfect. Not too loud and contributed to the outside experience/ambiance. There are lots of restaurant choices nearby but I highly recommend Opal and Paul. I dont think you will be disappointed!
5 /5

10.The Cruisery

Address: 501 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(709) user ratings total:

Preeti Tata We hosted our wedding weekend welcome party with The Cruisery and had a fantastic experience. Communication was easy from the start, and the space felt spacious enough for our group of around 70 guests while still maintaining a fun, intimate atmosphere. There was plenty of room for conversation areas, a dance floor, and easy mingling. The bartenders were friendly, fast, and kept the energy high throughout the night. One of the best parts was how helpful Aaron, the manager, was during our last-minute venue scramble due to a severe rainstorm. He was incredibly accommodating and proactive, offering us their sister property — Unbearable Skee Lodge — at a very competitive rate given the short notice. That space is amazing in its own right: a stylish ski-chalet vibe without feeling kitschy, with comfy couch seating, high tops for easy conversation, and fun skee-ball arcade games that our guests loved. They also gave very thoughtful guidance on ordering, which helped us meet our food & beverage minimum without going under or significantly over — a rare and appreciated level of transparency. Being able to bring in our own friend to DJ was another huge plus. We highly recommend The Cruisery (and Unbearable Skee Lodge) for welcome parties, rehearsal events, or private group gatherings — especially if you want a flexible venue with great service and a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
5 /5

11.On The Alley

Address: 117 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

(697) user ratings total:

Ross Mantsurov Lovely place to go for a quick seafood meal right on Santa Barbara Harbor. The clam chowder was one of the best I’ve ever had! The fried calamari was a bit fishy but definitely fresh. They also use some of the same dishes from the popular restaurant Brophy Bros right next door. They are definitely a faster, casual eatery, perfect if you haven’t made a reservation anywhere else!
5 /5

12.The Creekside Restaurant & Bar

Address: 4444 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93110

(667) user ratings total:

Susanne Engberg Creekside came through big time when our outdoor wedding got rainy. With short notice they accommodated our every need. They provided excellent service with a smile and genuine care.
5 /5