Maggie’s at State and A

Came here on a date a while ago with my boyfriend. We had a great time; we sat outside and they happened to have love music that day.
The food was pretty good, I think we started with a crab cake appetizer that was the perfect portion. I liked my pasta entrée but j remember thinking I wish there was a little more pasta to eat with all the sauce. My boyfriend who has a nut allergy was well accommodated — they made sure to switch out the pistachio ice cream that came with the dessert for vanilla ice cream. A pretty good place, sad that it’s closed.

The Best I’m into fitness and eating healthy but there was no way I was going to pass on these most awesome burgers ever !!! I will definitely return oh please don’t forget about the whole wheat complementary bread …

Had dinner with my wife and sons last night at Maggie’s. We were seated in the covered outside section which is a comfortable enough environment. The noise level was fine, even when it became very crowded, and my fear that it would get too cold never happened.
We started with the truffle fries which were cooked just right. My wife had the steak salad. Why the salad was not «wow», it was still enjoyable. I had the pork loin stuffed with chorizo and apples. The pork was cooked just right. The chorizo was either Spanish, or very we’ll pressed as the oil from it was minimal. The pork came with mashed potatoes and green beans, which were cooked to a perfect crispness. All in all a nice presentation and very tasty.
I found Maggie’s to be overpriced for the offering, but this is expected given the prime location on State Street. The service was prompt and attentive.

Not sure why this place only has 2 ½ stars but it was great! Happy hour was good. The drinks were delicious. I had the lemon drop and my friend had the Bloody Mary and they were great. The apps were good and we loved the oxtail!
Service was also great. Waiters were very friendly.

We were a party of 4 stopping in for dinner during a day in Santa Barbara. The atmosphere was a bit strange, as we first noticed the outdoor patio area, which had a nicely dressed young lady playing classical piano. The inside also looked elegant. But then there were large TV’s everywhere with sports on. It was as if a sports bar and a fine dining restaurant had a baby — but a strange one.
The staff, although friendly, seemed very young, unprofessional, and poorly trained. They were good kids, just didn’t really fit the establishment. For instance, when someone in our party asked about the fish of the day, the server told us it was an Atlantic Sea Bass — which we ordered. We waited a while for our food, and about the time I was expecting it would be coming out, the server returned only to tell us that the fish of the day was actually a Cod. What? It was strange that A) he didn’t know the fish of the day, B) he waited so long to tell us there was a mistake, and C) he didn’t apologize for the error. Something else was ordered in its place, but it was then delivered later than the other entrees which came out. It was poor execution. Also, when we initially sat down and were poured waters, the water was warm — no even room temperature, but actually warm. When they refilled them, it was cold water with ice in it, but it seems like the initial pitcher must have been sitting out for a long time.
I had ordered the salmon salad, which was much smaller than what I had imagined an entrée salad to be. The salmon was mediocre, and the small salad was missing one of the key ingredients the menu mentioned it included. I’m not sure if they were just out of the ingredient and they didn’t want to tell me, or if it was just another mistake. The food was definitely overpriced for what it was.
In conclusion, the restaurant seemed confused on whether they were a classical piano playing fine dining restaurant or a sports bar. The staff was nice, but very young and seemingly very inexperienced. The food is nothing special and portion sizes are small and lacking quality. There are plenty of dining establishments in Santa Barbara, and I would recommend going elsewhere.

This place is the bomb! Authentic French food with decent and not overwhelming portions. Located in a prime corner area in the middle of State Street, this restaurant boasts outdoor seating for happy hour and indoor seating if one prefers a more classy and ambient experience. Wood, chandeliers, and opulent paintings and decorations fill the space around the tables. Throne-​like chairs for optimal comfort when eating these fine dishes are available at every table. If one desires class and opulence, this place is definitely the place to be!
The owner was nice enough to sit down and have a friendly conversation with my family and me. Having been here at least ten times now, I can never get tired of the original and delicious food they have available. The following is some of the food I ordered when I went by myself:
The Parmentier of Braised Oxtail priced reasonably at $ 13 (5 out of 5 stars)
Braised Oxtail with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes finished with a crispy truffle crust. Served with a wild mushroom and leek bordelaise sauce.
Escargot priced at 12 dollars (5 out of 5 stars)
Half-​dozen escargot sautéed in a sauce of pernod butter, garlic and parsley. Served with fresh rosemary olive oil bread. (Gluten-​free without bread)
Lobster Bisque ($ 10) (5 out of 5 stars) –One of the better lobster bisques that I have tried in my lifetime
Complimentary Bread Assortments – Delicious, hot, and very delectable
Coffee ($ 5)
The average cost of one individual is usually around $ 50 to $ 60 per person, and a party of three is usually around $ 200. I will continue to come again to this awesome dining location.

Loved this place, especially the Salmon. Only eaten here at Lunch and not a problem. Going to add this one to my Lunch rotation.
Spotless restrooms and the service is top notch.

We came for happy hour. I don’t think Maggie’s knows what «happy hour» means, because one Stella Artois and one small serving of fries cost us $ 12. In fact, this was the most unpleasant hour we spent in Santa Barbara that day.
We were seated at the patio, the only area one can participate in happy hour, apparently. All was still good as we perused the limited menu. Heck, all was still good when we got our beer. But when the parmesan truffle fries arrived – with, as requested, parmesan on the side – we were just annoyed. Six dollars for just a handful of fries?! On top of that, the fries weren’t even anything special – I’d much rather have McDonalds or In N Out’s. Further, the parmesan tasted disgustingly stale. I thought it’d be the snow-​flakey parmesan one gently sprinkles on top of pasta, but nope. This was small chunks of pale yellow staleness. Yuck.
The only good thing about my experience was the cleanliness of the restroom…

Excellent, excellent food. Beautiful décor. Service was very poor.
I had the lobster ravioli and it was different then any other, but near mouth watering. I finished the plate. She had the Cesar salad and salmon which was excellent!
As I mentioned the service as «catch as you can» with waiter’s walking right by you with a full water pitcher yet not filling your empty glass. We had to flag down a person to order.
I would easily eat there again. And be prepared for ho-​hum service.
With a snap and intuitive service team I would have given this place 4+ to 5-​star. But as it is, 4-​star is high s she goes.

This review can only speak for 2 elements of Maggie’s; the ambiance and the Chocolate Soufflé. On a Friday night around 7pm my sister and I walked past Maggie’s. We saw and heard a lovely looking scene; an outdoor patio with high tables, cushioned chairs and live music from a guitar player. We already had reservations at Milk and Honey around the corner, so we bypassed this inviting scene, but after our dinner we decided the ambiance at Maggie’s seemed too good to pass up so we decided to return to have dessert.
The guitar player was still playing at 9pm (I believe he usually plays till 9:30). It was not busy so we were sat immediately. We ordered the $ 14 chocolate soufflé and our waiter forewarned us that it took 15 – 20 minutes to make. Was it worth the wait and the steep price tag?
When the cake arrived it did not look like other soufflés I’ve had. It did not have a billowy top that the server then cracks and pours chocolate sauce inside. Our server explained that with this cake didn’t need it because the sauce was already inside. The circumference of the cake was wrapped in paper so we had to peel it off before eating. I didn’t like this element because portions of the cake stuck to the paper which meant we lost out on some it (I’m a chocolate lover so I want to consume every last drop of chocolate on my plate). The inside of the cake was very moist and our server was correct when he said it didn’t need extra sauce poured in. Also, it came with a side of pistachio ice-​cream. I enjoyed the soufflé but it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had and therefore I thought it was overpriced. But the dessert coupled with the fresh air of the patio seating and the live guitar music made for a nice evening.
An extra note: It was a fun surprise when the guitarist played an instrumental version of the Macarena… someone requested it.

Tasty food, comfy patio, but service could be better
We tried their Italian Panini and TruffleOomelette. Both dishes were tasty. For the prices, the portions were a bit small and you’d definitely need a appetizer or something else with it if you are really hungry. We had plans for dessert (at a different place) so portion size worked out in that sense.
The service was attentive, but did not feel very welcoming. Just a crazy idea here: a smile might go a loooong way…

Stopped to have lunch here with my Boyfriend and my friend. We picked this place because it looked very nice and clean. No complaints about the service, but the food was just not good. Usually I will eat it even if I do not like it but I could not eat it. We all got panini’s and none of us enjoyed it what so ever. We all were disappointed and left hungry. Beautiful place, but not very good for food.

Hubby and I came here over the weekend and were sorely disappointed at the supposedly «French-​inspired» cuisine. We ordered the $ 10 per cup Lobster Bisque, the Shrimp Skewers, the Meatball Appetizer, a Bloody Mary, and an iced tea.
The Lobster Bisque was extremely runny, and tasted as if it were on the verge of spoiling, (if not already so). Matter of fact, on the drive back to Pasadena, I commented to hubby that I felt queasy and kept tasting the horrid lobster bisque.
The shrimp skewers, (minus the skewers), were served in a bowl in some sort of tomato-​based sauce (also lacking in flavor). The shrimp were very small, and tasted like they were frozen shrimp, and not fresh. C’mon, you are located right in the heart of Santa Barbara, where «FRESH» seafood is in an abundance. You should NOT have to use frozen shrimp. Toasted French bread sat atop the shrimp and was the only good thing that night.
Hubby’s meatball appetizer lacked flavor as well, and he commented that the frozen meatballs we normally purchase at COSTCO tasted much better than Maggie’s.
We used to come to this establisment when it was the State & A Grill. Back then, they used to have live blues band during the weekends and the crowd and atmosphere was much livelier. Now it is just a stuffy, hoity-​toity, sadly sub-​par «French» restaurant. If this is the best an Executive French Chef can «cook,» then please bring back the State & A Grill, sooner rather than later.
The one redeeming aspect was that we had a very attentive waiter. Most of the previous review of Maggie’s state that the service was lacking, but our waiter was just the opposite. The 1 star is for him and NOT for the food !!

I would give this 6 stars if I could. Where to begin?
The BRUNCH is off the hook, same price as Jeannine’s but you’re eating in an art museum with French tapestries, elegant flatware, beauty in every corner of the room.
I don’t know how ANYONE could give this less than 5 stars. Now, at dinner it’s apparently pricey. Duh. This is a fine dining institution in Santa Barbara and it’s French with a star LA chef and the owners spared no expense in the remodeling of the casual, not divey but not nice, State and A which managed to stay in business a couple decades in spite of the subpar food.
It turns out the owners have grown daughters in NYC and I have so enjoyed my afternoon here. My iPhone 5 makes a hotspot so I’m blogging before I meet a friend at 4 and swim to work off the potato daphinois – don’t ask about the fat content – a sinful tower of thinly sliced potatoes with cheese and oil and all manner of terrible things which taste wonderful.
My scramble – a bargain at 12.95 – included perfect carmelized onions, roasted peppers, spinach and a hint of goat cheese – and I will dream of this till my next brunch here after Chicago/​Michigan trip.
After 5 cups of coffee to wake me up from horrible asthmatic night, I had a glass of the Ballard Pinot for dessert Nice but no better than the cheaper – 9/​glass – Kenwood Cab which I think is quite a respectable Cab for the money.
The coffee is good but if you’re like my father who, due to his time in the military, requires coffee which scalds the tongue, you will need to pull a Dad and ask them to nuke it in the «radar oven.» It’s not hot but I don’t really care as it tasted good and did the trick: that is, it enabled me to have two glasses of wine after a miserable night of wheezing, hacking and blowing my nose.
I cannot say enough for Maggie’s and am so happy it’s here in SB. I will come before my next show at the Granada for dinner at the bar. I have a subscription (see Unilocal) and come alone.
PS I haven’t eaten here at dinner yet but every single person who brought me food or booze was fabulous and I got to chat at length with the spectacular, smart owner with whom it turns out I have quite a bit culturally in common. I have no clue what people are talking about re service. It’s not crowded but it’s not empty and they have taken magnificent care of me.

I was in the Santa Barbara for business and this restaurant was near where I had the meeting. I decided to go there and it was a great decision. The menu was very diverse and the server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He was able to answer any questions that I had. The came out in a reasonable amount of time and tasted very fresh and cooked to order. It can be hard to find a restaurant that does both. The price was also very reasonable. I was actually surprised by the cost when the bill arrived. The nest time I am in Santa Barbara, I will definitely stop by.

This place had potential to be so much more. Everything looks new and very clean and nice. But…
B maybe B+ for the food.
Big F for service.
It’s non-​existent. Everyone outside seemed to get ignored. Huge failure. No refills and the bartender couldn’t make a Mojito. He was out of Mojito???
The 3 times we talked to the waiter, they were very nice. Just never saw anyone again. Shame… poor management.

The ambiance and décor is great. The menu has a lot of choices for just about anyone.
The BBQ burger I had was very good. It had a soft and buttery brioche bun, great BBQ sauce and white cheddar. I asked debit medium well and it came out medium-​ish. A bit annoying, but it tasted good in the end.
Steve’s Croque Monsiuer was delicious according to him. I ordered Parmesan truffle fries on the side since I got a salad with my burger. I could barely taste the truffle and felt they were overpriced at $ 8.
The cocktails seemed to be fairy pricey ($ 15 to $ 17.50) as well as some other items on the menu.
Service was just okay. Friendly, but somewhat absent. It’s like they are still trying to figure out what they’re doing. At one point, us and the table next to us were done eating and sat there for about 10 minutes until the server or anyone came back around.
I was happy with the food, I just think they need to work out the service kinks.

I went to this place with pretty high expectations, but was let down. The place is a half fine dining, half bar with flat screens. The food was good, but well overpriced and the ambiance needed a lot of fine tuning.
Looking at the menu online, I though the place was going to be quiet, intimate, and perfect for the date I was with. We walked into the place and it was lit up like an interrogation room. You were not able to talk to the person across the room without them squinting because it was so bright in there.
The food was «good», I will give it that, but not a 180 dollar dinner for two. The one thing they need to change is the bar atmosphere. They were a few loud drunks 15 feet away from us and it took away a lot from the fine dining atmosphere.
Also, the service was great, waiter was on top of it 100% it just seems the place needs to work out a few kinks and work on their identity

I stopped in at Maggie’s Sunday afternoon with some friends. The attention to detail exhibited in the sensuous décor makes for a very intimate setting with friends. And although we stopped in only for drinks, we sampled the crab cakes and they were delectable. The Bloody Mary’s fabulous and the coffee superb.
The staff and owners were delightful and I look forward to returning to share a meal with friends.

Stopped in on a delightful Saturday afternoon to try out the bar and some small yum yums. The margarita and truffle fries certainly delivered. The place is super fancy like. Makes me want to come back for the full dining experience. A great new addition to State St.
PS. The bathroom doors slide open, so don’t spend 10 minutes trying to open them the normal way like I did.